Pep and the Great Turmaculus

     Riku adopted her petpet, Pep, from the Petpet Protection League about a year ago. He used to be a regular Noil, but one year for Christmas, Riku got him the opportunity to be a Christmas Petpet.

     Pep was well watched after and very spoiled. Riku would do anything for him and Pep would do anything for Riku.

     One calm May Sunday morning, Riku was reading the new issue of the Neopian Times.

     *Jingle jingle* Riku looked up from her paper. *Jingle jingle*

     “Ha-ha, you silly petpet, Pep!” she said, smiling.

     Her Christmas Noil was running around the middle of the living room floor chasing his jingly bell on his hat. He looked up at the Starry Ruki with a grin across his face.

     “Oh, ok, we can go now,” Riku said.

     They always went on a walk in the morning from their comfy home in Meridell. Riku stood up and walked quickly to a very overexcited Pep. Happy little chirps and peeps kept coming from the curious Petpet who was chasing things that moved and flakes in the wind. Riku’s heart couldn’t help but melt every time she was around Pep. His lively personality was what got Riku through the day.

     Pep looked up at Riku who was smiling admirably down at him. Pep gave a chirp of approval and continued to prance around.

     Once they got past Meridell Castle, they stopped at the petpet shop. They always visited their Ixi friend there.

     “Hi, how are you?” Riku asked her.

     “I’m wonderful, thanks! How are you? And how’s Pep?” the Ixi replied. Pep whined at his voice.

     Pep soon got bored with the conversation and went to talk to the other Petpets at the shop. He stopped, hearing gossip that the great Turmaculus was awake. Interested, Pep listened in.

     “Yes, I heard that too. Have you heard, you can wake him and you can possibly get...”

     Pep raised one eyebrow and began thinking... Without another thought, he flicked his tail and was out the side door to find this Turmaculus.

     ***

     His paws slowly grew tired from the hard ground of the Meridell paths. He saw the Turdle Racing, and he knew he had to be close. No one seemed to notice him as he approached a great sign.

     Legends speak of a Petpet who had a gigantic appetite. As he ate, he grew, and as he grew, he ate... until one day this colossal petpet could not move any more.

     The Turmaculus can be found in the land of Meridell, sleeping nearly 24 hours a day. If you can wake him up, chances are he may be able to help you with an item, or a healing spell... just don't catch him in a bad mood (we weren't kidding about his appetite!).

     Pep’s eyes widened. He wasn’t sure if it was from excitement, shock, or fear. He peeked around from the sign and saw a massive cave. He strolled over to the edge of the cave and looked at the never-ending darkness.

     Maybe the Petpets at the shop were lying... This all had to be some creative myth... there can’t really be a giant Petpet in there who eats smaller Petpets, could there?

     Thoughts raced through Pep’s mind. He wondered what to do. As his mind slowly wandered, so did he.

     *Thud!* Pep’s eyes widened as he rubbed his head. He slowly reached his paw out to the mass. It felt like a mix of a slimy and a scaly surface.

     Turmaculus! Pep thought, as he stood, not moving.

     Pep knew that if he woke him, he could get eaten. Then again, he could get something from him. Thoughts of Riku came through his head.

     Ok, I’m gonna do this!

     Feeling around for something in the cave, Pep found nothing. Then Pep had an idea. The dust in the cave could make him sneeze. Despite Pep’s size, his sneezes sound like they came from someone much, much bigger.

     Pep sifted his paws through the layer of dust on the cave’s floor.

     *ACHOO!* Pep did it! He sneezed.

     Turmaculus groaned and opened one eye. Pep found himself staring at the all-powerful Turmaculus in the eye. His eye was as big as Pep’s now trembling body.

     Slowly, the giant creature frowned and growled. Pep turned to run and Turmy reached a paw out after him. Pep yelped as loud as he could. The one thing that was racing through his mind as fast as he was was Riku. Riku. Riku...

     ***

     Feet pounding against the ground, Riku ran up the Meridell path. Oblivious as to what had happened earlier, she only knew what was going on that moment and she didn’t like it at all.

     “Pep!” she yelled desperately, hoping that Pep was still OK.

     The giant paw of Turmy slammed down in front of the tiny, desperate body. Pep cowered in fear, only wanting to be in Riku’s arms, the only place he knew as safety.

     Pep knew the way to escape him was not his usual charming, sweet Noil self. He soon felt his teeth sinking into Turmy’s slimy-scaly skin. Turmy groaned and raised his arm just enough for Pep to escape under. He raced out of the cave breathing heavily.

     The sun was shining and everyone seemed normal. Slowly, the image started to fade and the last thing he remembered was Riku’s sobbing and frustrated yells to faces Pep did not recognize.

     ***

     When Pep finally awoke, he was in a strange place. But he knew it all too well. The colored walls covered with posters and shelving filled with books, toys, and food made Pep close his eyes again. He opened them, hoping to be on his Petpet bed in front of the couch in the living room with Riku reading her paper, just the way it had earlier that morning.

     Pep groaned when he saw the same room. Neopets of all species and colors in white outfits surrounded him.

     “Oh, thank goodness he’s okay!” he heard one say.

     “Yeah, two days is a while for a little guy like that to be out the way he was.”

     Two days?! I’ve been here for two days? Where’s Riku?

     The petpet was filled with misery. His eyes filled with tears as he reached up for the only familiar thing he had: his jingly hat.

     Wait, where was it? Pep jumped up looking around for his hat. Feeling defeat, he sat back down. The Neopets started to murmur amongst themselves.

     Pep stared at the posters on the wall. The Petpets in them were so happy and smiling. He knew that was the last thing in his tiny body. All he wanted was to see Riku again.

     He looked at the Neopets around him. His big eyes were pouring out tears.

     One bent down and said soothingly to him, “ It’s OK, little guy. You could have gotten really hurt the other day. We took you here to make sure you were OK. Now that you’re awake, we’ll take care of you until a new owner comes to get you.” He paused to see Pep’s reaction. Pep stared blankly at him. “You’ll be much happier with someone who watch over you a little more carefully.”

     The Kacheek smiled kindly down at him.

     Pep stared dejectedly back.

     The only thing Pep ever knew was Riku’s love, Riku’s smile, and Riku. And they weren’t about to take that all away from him.

     Another Neopet walked through the doors to the room. Pep saw the front room that lay just beyond the doors. He felt a surge of strength, and he jumped from the table he was on and dashed for the door. He ran faster that he had run to find Turmaculus and he was running faster than when he been running away from Turmaculus.

     He pictured Riku standing on the other side of the doors; arms open, waiting for him. He pushed his way through the big, grey doors and wound around the Neopets legs in the lobby.

     At last, only one more set of doors stood between Pep and freedom from this prison. The Protection League center in Meridell was nowhere near as big at the headquarters in Neopia Central. He heard Neopets shouting from behind him, but he ignored them. A cool wind blew against his face as he jumped out the doors and rolled into the grass.

     He felt his paws begin to tingle and he took off across the yard. He raced past Shape Shifter at the edge of Meridell. He was now on the path home.

     Finally, he saw his house. He never thought the outer walls, and the flowers out front would be such a relief to see. He darted through his Petpet door and landed with a thud on the entry tile.

     Riku was sitting in her chair, hunched over photos and an issue of the Neopian Times that was published the day before. The headline read:

     Carefree Neopet Lets Petpet Almost Get Eaten By Turmaculus!

     Pep slowly strolled over to Riku’s chair. He made a small chirp. Riku stopped crying and looked over the arm of the chair. Pep’s smiling face made Riku cry again.

     Pep looked up at her, confused.

     “Oh, Pep! I’m so sorry! I’ll never let you out of my sight again!” Riku said between sobs. She continued, “ I can’t believe I let them take you away! I’m so sorry...” she trailed off.

     Pep made a chirp of forgiveness. Riku smiled.

     “Oh, I almost forgot,” she said reaching down.

     She pulled out something very recognizable to Pep. He began running around the middle of the room.

     Everything was right again. Pep was where he belonged, Riku realized what Pep meant to her, and they both learned an important lesson.

     Pep jumped in her lap and they both fell asleep to the sound of Pep’s hat jingling.

The End

This story was inspired by my Riku0011 and her Petpet, Pep. Thanks for reading my-- erm-- their story!