Kauvara

     ~

     Kauvara hung her head sadly, as Jhudora screamed at her for being late. Again.

     "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN LATE?! I REPEAT, HOW MANY TIMES???!!" Jhudora shrieked. "You ALWAYS disappoint me. I regret EVER giving you a chance in the FIRST PLACE. Now GO AWAY, and DON'T COME AGAIN until you IMPROVE YOURSELF."

     Why must this always happen to me? she thought sadly as she slowly walked away. All around her were other neopets rejoicing over things they'd received from Jhudora as a prize for getting her what she needed.

     She trudged back home sadly, wondering what her family would say to her again. She knew they depended on her skills to put food on their plates, but sometimes... she couldn't do it.

     ~

     "You failed AGAIN?!" said Veri in disbelief.

     "I'm sorry, sister... I tried." Kauvara hung her head in shame. "I was going to get it to her, but I got lost in thought and was a few seconds late."

     "This always happens," Arav, her brother, muttered. "Failing us every day."

     Kauvara felt her ears getting hot. "At least I tried," she retorted. "Better than the rest of you, all sitting here waiting for me to do all the work! I'm out of here."

     Her family stared at her, their mouths open in shock as she ran into her room. Vara, her mother, sighed and left the house, probably for a walk. The rest of them went back to their own rooms, and the living room was quiet.

     Twenty minutes later, Kauvara crept out, holding her bag, and peeked at the living room.

     Phew, Kauvara thought. I didn't think I would have to leave, but I can't take them telling me I'm a failure every second of my life. I only hope they'll be able to survive while I'm gone. But I will be back....

     ~

     "Hello," Kauvara said uncertainly at a passing Techo. "Can you please tell me where the Draik cabs are?"

     "Over there," the Techo said gruffly. "Why take Draik cabs? Boats are much more fun, especially if you're going someplace like Mystery Island."

     "No no, it's okay," Kauvara said quickly. "I'm going to Neopia Central."

     The Techo shrugged and waved good bye to her. "Well, have fun!"

     "Thanks... I'll try. Going there to make money." Kauvara sighed. She ran towards the Draik cabs and looked up at the booth.

     ~

     "Draik cab to Neopia Central? That'll be 5,000 neopoints, please," the assistant said to her.

     "5.... thousand?" Kauvara was shocked. "Um... I only have two, if that's enough?"

     "I'm sorry, sweetie, it's 5,000," she said. "Come again when you have the money!"

     Kauvara felt like crying as she walked away. Soon, her family would find out she was gone, and would try to find her. Then she'll never be able to escape, and they'd lose their trust in her...

     "Wait," the assistant called back after her. "Why do you need to leave?"

     "My family's disappointed because I've never done anything big to support them... and I want to get to Neopia Central, to make money," Kauvara whispered.

     The assistant smiled kindly at her. "Alright then, I'll pay for your fare. Go that way, to the desert Draik on the far left. Good luck, I truly hope you manage to do well there!"

     "Thank you... thank you so much," Kauvara said gratefully. "I hope it works out too. I'll pay you back one day if I can."

     "It's not a problem, dear," the assistant said warmly and waved good-bye. "Again, good luck!"

     ~

     "Hi there," the desert Draik said to Kauvara, grinning. "My name's Sunayo, and I'll be your Draik cabbie for today. It's going to take a long while, so we'll have to stop in Brightvale before continuing on. Hope you don't mind."

     "Oh, I don't mind, not at all." Kauvara smiled. "My name's Kauvara. It's great to meet you."

     Sunayo sat on the ground, waiting as Kauvara safely got on her. She put her bag under Sunayo's wing, and Sunayo prepared to fly. "Ready?"

     "You bet!" Kauvara said excitedly. "I know I'm going on a mission - to make money for my family, but it's my first time flying, and I can't wait!"

     ~

     Sunayo nudged the sleeping Kauvara gently. "Hey, we're in Brightvale."

     Kauvara woke up with a start. "Oh wow.... this place is so pretty! Are there any bookstores nearby?"

     "Over in the left! Meet me in two hours here, alright?" Kauvara nodded and raced off to the store.

     ~

     In the thirteen years she'd been alive, Kauvara had never seen this many books. Especially not in one place. She stared in wonder at all the text around her, her mouth wide open.

     "Welcome to Brightvale Books," a voice behind her said. "May I help you?"

     Kauvara turned around and saw an orange Ixi - which seemed to be the shopkeeper - and said: "Oh yes please, I'd love a book about... potions please? Or magic - spells - anything of the sort would be great."

     "I think I've got the perfect one for you, then. These spells are pretty basic, which should be good for starters." She smiled, handing her a book called Magic Spells. "516 neopoints, please?"

     She handed the neopoints to the orange Ixi. "Thank you so much!"

     "No problem, come again!" The Ixi waved.

     ~

     Kauvara trotted to a store nearby called Brightvale Potionery, where an old-looking Cybunny peered down at her through his thick glasses. "You need something here?"

     "Um... I'm just looking. See, I really want to start my own potionery down in Neopia Central to make money for my family," she explained.

     "I see, I see." The Cybunny nodded and handed a small book to her. "Well. I can give you some of my most precious spells, here in this book - Lost Spells of Neopia. Now, do you have a place to stay in Neopia Central?"

     "Not really." Kauvara shifted her feet. "I was thinking I could get one when I get there...?"

     "I've a hut down there that I don't need. I see you have potential to become like me." He wrote down the address in a small piece of paper and gave it to her. "Take this and the book. Good luck!"

     ~

     Sunayo swooped down from the sky and landed right in front of the hut Kauvara was to live in and waved goodbye.

     "Thank you again, Sunayo!" Kauvara called up to her.

     She then peeked into it small hut, wondering if this would be enough. It looked alright - rather dusty, but with a little bit of cleaning, it should be fine for the time being. She opened the book Magic Spells. Ah. A healing potion. That would be useful to sell, especially for the poorer neopets who couldn't afford to go all the way to Faerieland Healing Springs to get healed by the faerie.

     "Eleven peanut butter spiders, a blue twister, and six dust motes," she read. "Those should be easy enough to find."

     After purchasing what she needed, she ran back to her tiny hut and threw them into her pot.

     Opening the book again, she found her spell. "Mix ingredients together for five minutes, then let it sit for ten. Put into a potion bottle and shake well."

     ~

     The Battledome loomed over Kauvara's head. It was huge. Walking in, she cast a wary glance at the neopets nearby that had just recently lost battles. A poor-looking owner was quietly comforting her pet, a purple Nimmo. The Nimmo was obviously injured, and the owner didn't seem to have enough neopoints to pay for healing. She walked over to them.

     "Hey," Kauvara said. "I have a potion in my bag that could possibly heal your Nimmo - would you like to try it?"

     "Oh, yes, please. Anything to save my poor baby!" The owner was distraught. "I knew I should never have let him try!"

     The Nimmo stared at the potion, wrinkling his nose. "Are you sure this is safe? It smells good. Potions don't usually smell good..."

     "It should be fine." Kauvara crossed her fingers. If this didn't work out, she was in trouble.

     His owner carefully took of the cork on the potion bottle and handed it to the Nimmo. "Take it, please!"

     The young Nimmo stared as he watched himself regaining his hit points. "Wow!"

     "Thank you so much." The owner hugged Kauvara. "I owe you big time!"

     "Oh, no - thank you!" Kauvara said warmly. "I was actually just testing out a spell. I'm really glad this worked out well. Good luck in future fights!"

The End