Graduation for Seamstress Cybunny: Part One

     During that time, I was a yellow Cybunny living with my snobby twin sisters. They were exactly identical, but you could tell the difference by what they wore. The twins were also yellow Cybunnies.

     After the sandstorm subsided almost two months ago, my sisters were in the dungeon. My mother, a yellow Cybunny with rosy cheeks like strawberry milkshakes, returned to Terror Mountain and lived in the cabin that my sisters and I used to live in. I occasionally paid a visit to her every so often. She always made sure that I had a warm cup of tea. The snowy path was long, but I recently discovered a shortcut - the Rock Caves.

     However, the Rock Caves were not a bunch of ordinary tunnels that went to other sides of villages. Many strange and unusual events occurred there. The first moment, I hopped in to the cracked area. I used my Mega Carrot Blaster and blasted four carrots, which all went different directions. I ended up with a fever as a result.

     Shai, an elderly Wocky with many wrinkles, suddenly disappeared after the events in the Rock Caves. I wondered about her condition, searched for a while, and began to predict what happened to her. Shai was my boss, friend, and owner of the local clothing shop Shai's Outfitters. It not only sold clothes, but plushies as well. Now, I was a pink Cybunny who attended school.

     I looked up at the bright sunshine on the porch of the shop, suddenly realizing that I had to leave early. Today was a day for practicing the graduation procedures. Classes were missed as a result. I grabbed my necessities and hurried out and on to the sled.

     The boat was at the border in its usual position. It went quickly to Neopia Central, where the school I went to was located. The Neopian Teaching School was the only school close to Terror Mountain that only concentrated on making Neopets transform into teachers. I had wanted to become a teacher since forever.

     Outside the school, the students were gossiping as usual. I hopped quickly to my classroom. The classroom was located on the first floor, in hallway B, and was the fourth classroom on the left. My teacher, Miss Kougra, was a green Kougra with a couple of wrinkles here and there.

     "Good morning, Sakura," she greeted me with a smile. This was a teacher who really cared about her students.

     "Good morning," I replied with a smile. I took my seat along with the other students and class commenced.

     "The next few days will be spent practicing for your graduation," Miss Kougra explained to the class. "Please, do not push each other in the halls on the way to the schoolyard."

     At this school, we were really overloaded with homework. It took me at least two hours each night to get it all done. We were packed with projects and talking with younger pets. Despite the difficult times, I had a great time at the school.

     The schoolyard was basically a huge area of green grass. There was a stage that had already been set up, and many chairs were lined up in rows and columns. Four hundred students were to graduate this time.

     The students lined up beside the stage. My class was the last group to graduate, so it was easy to figure out where to go.

     "Hurry up!" Miss Kougra shouted. Another teacher prodded a few students to get quickly into the line. The practice ceremony started after the students were all in one line.

     "Welcome families and friends," the principal read off the standard practice speech. "We are happy to announce, as teachers and administrators, that four hundred students will be graduating this one and a half month class." She paused for a moment, pretending that there was a crowd applauding. The principal was a yellow Kyrii, with fewer wrinkles than Shai.

     As the speech concluded and the students began to step forward, a mysterious red light suddenly flickered in the students ahead of me. The students turned to me as if they were under trances.

     "Sakura doesn't deserve to graduate!" a student growled. He was a red Scorchio that was the second top student in the class. "I deserve first!"

     Other students nodded in agreement. They were all in my class, with evil grins and growls. I was the one who was the top student in class. It wasn't a result of favoritism, unlike the possible spelling bee competition.

     The class all hated me, even when I first arrived in Neopia Central. They snickered when I received a pass from the office because they hoped that I'd get suspended. My classmates always had evil grins. This time, however, was different.

     "Don't let Sakura graduate! She's been tardy!" the classmates chanted. The other students in line were all gossiping for some reason or another. It was true that I started class two weeks late, but it was false that I was tardy when I attended classes.

     The chanting went on and worsened each time. Students began coming up with new phrases and the rest of the students joined in. I didn't know who or what did such a thing. It was obvious that they were making me have punishments.

     Tears began to fill in my eyes, no matter how much I knew that it wasn't true.

     "Stop!" I shouted at the group.

     "Look, she said for us to stop!" a student snickered in a bragging and sarcastic way.

     "Stop! I can't take your cruel pain!" another student began to imitate me.

     "Shut it!" I exclaimed and rushed back into the school. I hopped quickly out the school after grabbing my belongings. The final rent was paid, so the only place I headed for was Shai's Outfitters.

     "Sailor!" I called to the blue Techo who was polishing something.

     "Yes?" he asked.

     "Could you please take me to Terror Mountain?"

     "When?"

     "Now!"

     "Now? Are you sure?" the Techo continued asking. I nodded as I leaped on the boat. It went off instantly. Once again, while on the boat, I predicted who would have done the crime. The answer, overall, was obvious.

     "Have a great day, Sakura!" the sailor waved as he left. I waved back and hopped up the long hill to the shop. I usually would time and race myself to the top after school. There wasn't a reason behind it, but it was better than worrying.

     I unlocked the door, turned the status sign to truly close the shop, and locked the door. My belongings were tossed on my cushion and I went upstairs to my room and cried for a while. I knew that my classmates were mean and hateful, but I never knew that they were THAT hateful.

     About an hour or two later, I heard the door being knocked on. I unlocked the door carefully after wiping my tears on my sleeve of my work uniform.

     "Yes? I'm sorry but we're closed right -"

     "I'm not here for goods," a familiar voice sighed. I knew who it was and dashed out.

     "Shai!" I hopped over to hug her. Just when I was about to hug my boss and friend, I was on the snow in a moment.

     "Shai can't be hugged? That's impossible!" I thought to myself. I brushed the snow off of my fur and faced Shai.

     "I'm sorry Sakura, but I can't hug you or do anything like that anymore," Shai frowned.

     "Why?" I asked. "Why can't I hug you anymore?"

     "You might have predicted the outcome earlier when you were searching for me. I apologize Sakura for not being able to…" The elderly Wocky suddenly stopped.

     "You can't be that, right?" I approached her. "You seriously can't be that. I know you well enough that you could have pulled it off easily. I guess I was inaccurate on that." More tears started to return to my eyes. I prevented myself from crying as much as possible.

     "Sakura, I'm sorry for not being able to see your graduation." Shai bowed. "Things just didn't go the way they should have."

     "Was it fate that caused this to happen?" I asked with curiosity.

     "I doubt that. Colleen and Colette always wanted to get their revenge on you for what happened in the past."

     "They must be dancing around like crazy petpets," I muttered sadly.

     "Correct. I saw them doing that myself. They were quite happy of the result. Sakura, you have to listen closely." Shai walked forward toward me.

     "What is it? A plan?" I whispered.

     "No." Shai giggled a little. "Not exactly, anyway. Colleen and Colette escaped the dungeon and are causing plenty of trouble. They were actually the ones that caused the flickering eyes."

     "That explains that," I growled. I should have realized the fact at the beginning of the speech.

     "Anyway," Shai continued. "The twin sisters are still on Terror Mountain. They are on the other side. Do you remember me telling you about the special silk?"

     "Yes." I nodded my head slowly.

     "Good. The place where Colleen and Colette are located is called Happy Valley." Shai handed me a map.

     "Happy Valley? What's that?" I asked.

     "Happy Valley is at the other side - you will have to go through the Ice Caves to get there. It is a place full of happiness and Christmas pets. However, with the twins there…"

     "…I fear that there will be chaos," I finished. Shai shrugged and eventually nodded.

     "Don't worry about me. I'm just fine now." She smiled and started to disappear.

     "But, you're…" I gasped as the Wocky continued to disappear. "Wait! What am I supposed to do?"

     "You'll have to figure that out on your own," Shai replied and disappeared from sight. The skies were calm, but it was going to snow soon. I became shocked and distraught after Shai left.

     "Why did this have to happen to you, Shai?" I asked myself as the tears came streaming down my face. "Why didn't I realize it sooner?"

     I couldn't finish my thoughts because it was too much for me to handle. I started to cry again, except this time had more tears. Regrets also piled up in my head.

     After crying hours later, I hopped slowly back to the shop and decided to apologize to Miss Kougra. The door to Shai's Outfitters closed shortly after I entered. It was getting late and I went upstairs to bed after practicing my apology.

     The next morning, I hurried off to catch the nearest boat and ran to Neopian Teaching School. I had my apology memorized as I approached my classroom. Miss Kougra was at her desk and staring at the front page of Neopian Times.

     "Mother," she softly said.

To be continued...