The Phantom Painter: Real or Bedstory?

     "Aww!" Both her dear pets groaned, their fast footsteps echoing through the house until they hit the door then they put on childish pouting faces. "We wanted to stay up longer and shake all the gifts!"

     Sakura just shook her head as she shooed the two of them into the room. "Some of those things are breakable, you know."

     "That's ok! We can just take them back to the shops and exchange them, make it seem like they broke it." The Blumaroo giggled, slipping away before Sakura could grab her.

     "I know I've taught you better, now both of you sit down quietly. Now tonight's story-..." She had said the cursed 'Q' word.

     "I get to choose!" Ice, a very lovable yet very green Cybunny, went darting across the room and reached for a book on a high shelf.

     "No way! You got to last time!" Chazalle, a young Blumaroo, started after her, until a smirking Sakura scooped her up in mid jump.

     "I'm choosing tonight, and if you two don't get in bed, there won't be a story at all." Both pets pouted as they slowly walked to their beds and climbed in, Sakura taking her place in a beanbag between them.

     Chazalle tilted her head cutely, leaning over to the point of falling over. "What kind of story is this? You didn't get a book..."

     "Shut up so she can talk..." Ice threw her pillow at Chazalle and the Blumaroo grabbed her pillow at the same moment Sakura did, this time with a soft glare. Both Chazalle and Ice lowered their heads a bit, fixing their pillows and muttering 'sorry' as they got comfortable.

     "That's better. Now, not all stories are from books, and most aren't even written down. I'm going to tell you about one of the most secretive pets in Neopia. His name is Jacko, the Phantom Painter. We begin our story on a night just like this. Jacko sat alone in the deepest part of the Haunted Woods, counting the collection of his most favorite items in the world."

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     "Four Starry, three orange, two glowing, and one prized Darigan paint brush, all ready for their new owners. Now for my costume..."

     The famed phantom painter had spent countless weeks gathering paint brushes of all sizes and colors for the happiest holiday of all the Neopian year.

     It was the day of Christmas Eve, and even in broad daylight, Jacko slunk through the shadows of alleyways in the heart of the Neopian marketplace. His mask carefully perched above his large and wrinkled nose, hiding all but the color of his yellowish eyes, and his cape billowed in the chilly breezes, moving like a living shadow behind him.

     It didn't take long for him to spot a first victim, a depressed looking grey Grundo, window shopping along the main street while making its way towards him. "Haha!" Jacko practically scared the poor Grundo out of its skin when he jumped from his hiding place and trying his best to laugh evilly.

     "W...Who are you?" the Grundo stuttered as he stepped backwards, just to bump into an advertisement sign and fall to the ground.

     Jacko quickly stepped forward, placing a tan colored paw up on the sign so the Grundo couldn't escape. "Why... I'm Jacko, one of the most secretive Neopians around. Someone so many look for but few have found. I'm here to give you a surprise."

     Though a gift this close to Christmas did seem like a good thing, the glare from the stranger's golden eyes could wipe away anyone's happiness. "Wha... What sort of surprise?" The Grundo's voice cracked as he struggled to speak.

     Jacko let out a cool chuckle, slowly leaning closer, the Grundo having to lean back to keep their noses from bumping. "A very, special, surprise..."

     The Grundo whined and looked away, closing his eyes tightly in fear, only to feel something lightly drop into his lap before the dark cloud was lifted from him. When he looked again, the cloaked stranger was gone, but had left his gift behind. In the lap of the Grundo was a bright orange paint brush, with a tag that read 'Jacko the Phantom Painter strikes again'.

     It went close to the same way with all the Neopians the painter had come across in his travels that day and into the night, for all but one. The only Faerieland petpet to be found in the Haunted Woods, a loveable but very strange Huggy, had found and followed him while he 'delivered' the last of his paint brushes and until he started home that evening.

     "Go on, I don't have any food, and I can't take you home."

     The Huggy whined, always coming back to follow him even after being chased away countless times. When Jacko finally reached the rusted iron gates that lead into the deepest part of the Haunted Woods, the Huggy made its move, jumping to Jacko's back and climbing inside his cape. "Hey, you little pest, get out of there!" In the scuffle, Jacko's mask had fallen away to reveal the face of a mutant Blumaroo, and the noise had also caught the attention of one of the most feared Neopians around.

     "What exactly is going on here?!"

     Jacko looked up at the shadow of his master, terrified that he would be punished for leaving without permission. "M... Master, I can explain..." Just then the Huggy poked its head out, now freshly painted by a Halloween petpet paint brush that Jacko had overlooked. Jacko's 'master' was silent while the Halloween Huggy squirmed into view and squeaked before flying into his arms.

     "M... Master I..."

     A mutated hand was raised as an order of silence while Jacko's master looked at the Huggy with a smirk before turning away with it in his arms. "I never would have guessed you would get me a gift like this..." The shadowy figure openly chuckled as the Huggy nibbled at his fingers. "...But it doesn't excuse your sneaking around. You FETCH twice as much tonight!"

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     "Yes, 'Jacko' was indeed the lowly fetching Blumaroo of the Haunted Woods. On most nights he was faithfully by his Master's side, but some days, while his master slept, he delivered a little joy into the lives of those that seemed to need it most. Oh, where was that special person to deliver him a little joy..."

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     Sakura chuckled softly as the story ended. Ice was fast asleep and snoring softly, and Chazalle was close to doing the same. "Wow, is that all true?"

     Sakura got up and tucked her in, then kissed her forehead. "I can't tell you if it is or isn't, but it's nice to think so. Goodnight." Sakura walked from the room, flipping the light off as she went.

     Chazalle turned over, turning out the window at the moon. "Well, Jacko, if you do exist, I'd like any color but pink."

     Unknown to her or anyone else in the house, a shadowy figure had been lurking outside to listen in on the story and had also heard the whispered wish of the young Blumaroo.

     With a soft chuckle and silence only ghosts were known to have, he pulled himself from the bushes, and before leaving, quietly placed a box on the doorstep. Its tag read 'Jacko the Phantom Painter strikes again'. Inside lay his favorite of all, a Fire Paint Brush.

The End