A Story Of Two Unis

      They had been together since the beginning of school when they were both only two months old, and both of them, loners, had met with each other and instantly, despite their differences, become friends. It was fate, was what Ferise and Saline thought. Yes, the saying was true-opposites did attract, for Saline and Ferise had little in common yet they got along so well. Saline had a wealthy owner; she was painted faerie, very arrogant, loud and sometimes quite spoiled. Ferise was in a family that was so poor, even one Neopoint would help, she was a green Uni and she was quiet and shy.

      In fact, probably the only sameness in them was that they were both Unis.

     Anyway, back to Saline and Ferise. "Why so?" Ferise asked, wondering what could be so special about after school that Saline had canceled their normal "homework"-meetings at one another's houses, usually Saline's though.

      "I'm getting a faerie Kadoatie!" Saline burbled, giggling in delight.

      Jealousy pinched Ferise, again and again and again. She thought it would never stop and she was on the verge of getting up and running away from Saline but… swallowing the lump in her throat, Ferise gathered up the strength to say, "That's great."

      Saline, in her excitement, did not hear the tremble in Ferise's voice and only gathered up her books from the lunch table they were sitting at as the bell rang. "You want to come with me after school to get my new Petpet? Maybe sleepover or something? It's a Friday, you know."

      "I know it's a Friday," Ferise said sharply, a fiery anger pulsing through her.

      "Sorry." Saline replied, looking alarmed. "So, you wanna?"

      Ferise stood up, roughly shoving her books into her bag. "Starr says I'm supposed to help do chores after school. Maybe I can sleepover another time." And, walking away, Ferise disappeared into the crowd of Neopets, shoving and pushing to get back to class.

      The bell rang a second time. "What's up with her?" Saline murmured.

     * * *

      "Ugh, the little…" Ferise groaned as she dumped her bag on the worn-down sofa and went to the cooling box to get a drink. There was only Apple Juice but Ferise gulped it down anyway, not really expecting a super milkshake or anything, like the ones she had had when over Saline's house.

      Saline. "That rich, snobby little brat," Ferise whispered and just as she said those words, a good but bad feeling soared through her. She felt refreshed, and walking back to her book bag, carried it to the room that she shared with her two siblings, Iris and Opal.

      "Hi, Ferise. Why aren't you at Saline's house?" Iris glanced up from doing her homework as Ferise entered.

      Ferise didn't answer. She was reminded of Saline and that 'dratted' Kadoatie. Closing her eyes and slowly turning around, she growled, "Saline's getting a Petpet."

      "Ahhh." There were no more words needed. Iris, the older one of both she and Opal understood. But Iris said nothing and Ferise went about, making her bed and tidying up her desk, which was crammed in between Iris' and Opal's desk.

     * * *

      "Wake up, my lazy pets!"

      Ferise woke to the shout of Starr's ringing voice.

      "It's Saturday…" she heard Opal groan from her bed.

      "It doesn't give you any reason to lie in bed all day! Especially not until ten o' clock in the morning," Starr scolded, but after a few minutes of shouting, she left her sleepy pets to lie in peace.

      Iris was the first to get up and Ferise lay in bed, listening to the morning groans and mutters of her sister. Finally, there was a slam of the door and only Ferise and Opal remained, still dawdling until the time when they would have to get out from under the soft (but also rough bamboo) covers of their beds.

      "BREAKFAST'S READY! It's already ten thirty! Come down and EAT!" The shout of their owner's voice, alarming and threatening awakened both Opal and Ferise.

      Walking, walking-walking. To the bathroom. Shhh, shhh, shh, the toothbrush said. Then, speedily Ferise hurried downstairs and plopped down before an omelette, slightly crisped.

      "Is this from the Giant Omelette?" Ferise groaned, looking at the hateful piece of food. They had already had omelettes for five days in a row as a breakfast meal. It was sometimes hot and steaming, sometimes crisped and sometimes just cold and limp.

      "You have the one from the marketplace. Iris has the one from the Giant Omelette-a fresh one, because she actually got up when I called her," Starr replied, biting ravenously into the dreaded thing.

      Ferise bit her lip and started eating. The beginning of a regular Saturday awaited her.

      "I'm going to Sarah's house!" Opal.

      "I'm going to Melody's!" Iris.

      "Okay, be back by six then…" Starr lay on the sofa, daydreaming. She hardly had a time like this, for it was always busy, busy, and busy on the weekdays. Now she became a different person with nothing to do: dreamy, pretty and sweet. "What about you, Ferise? Why aren't you at Saline's house?"

      Ferise glanced up from doodling. She was, in fact, thinking about Saline. "Saline went… on a trip," Ferise lied.

      "Without you?" Starr chuckled and plucked a book from the bookshelf.

      "Yeah… without me."

      "Well, since you have nothing to do-you can go out and buy some groceries for us. Get one thousand Neopoints from the bank. Here's your permission slip." Starr quickly wrote out a small letter, giving Ferise the right to withdraw one thousand precious Neopoints.

      Ferise grabbed the note and moodily went on her way to the bank. After getting the Neopoints, she traveled to the marketplace. She loved the marketplace, but she also hated it too for, well, there were so many Neopets painted a special color and while on their showing-off little spree, Ferise felt left out and alone when the shopkeeper would hurry to help them on a choice while she was pushed aside.

      Ferise passed many shops but only stopped at the food stores, buying only the cheap ones. Five tomatoes went into the bag along with ten packets of tea. Some Kau Kau Farm Milk with four Ultimate Burgers (a treat for the family, Ferise thought) did too. Going along the aisles, Ferise added in five radishes and then paid for it all. She ended up with five hundred extra Neopoints.

      Grabbing the leftover five hundred Neopoints bag, Ferise bit her lip as she saw a Petpet shop. Oh, how beautiful and glossy the Petpets were in their cages and tanks! Ferise found herself drawing nearer and nearer… the beautiful Ona! That Angelpuss! Even the abominable snowball in its tank of clean, white snow. Then… Ferise found herself glancing at a faerie Kadoatie, the center of the display-the star of them all. It didn't matter how sweet the Angelpuss was, or how nice the Ona was: People that were rich-like Saline-only paid attention to the petite little Kadoatie.

      Ferise found herself opening the door to the Petpet shop and going in.

      Instantly, as the chime tinkled and Ferise stepped in, a blue Mynci stepped up. "How may I help you?" Then, taking a glance, head to tail at Ferise, the blue Mynci frowned-but it was too late. He had already asked and now he knew he had wasted his time asking. He knew Ferise was quite poor just by her color.

      "Oh-no-no-no thank you," Ferise answered, blushing. She was oblivious to the fact that the blue Mynci was frowning by now, appalled that someone had bothered to ask her.

      The blue Mynci did not bother to persuade her; he just walked away to help a faerie Aisha and her owner.

      Ferise stared after the Mynci, thinking about his curt action. Sighing, she made her way to a Hopso-and bumped into somebody.

      "Oh-oh my, oh my-I'm quite sorry…" Ferise's voice faded away as she found herself looking into Saline's somber ones. Swallowing the lump in her throat and regaining her voice, she said (this time in a very strong voice), "I thought you were going to get your faerie Kadoatie today. Saline." There was a sort of terrible sarcasm in there.

      Saline looked at Ferise, her emotions changing from sad to just plain angry. "Why are you talking to me in that tone of voice?" she asked, a hard kind of sound bordering her voice. She stared at Ferise, her eyes fiery and mad.

      "Oh, for so many reasons."

      "And those reasons are?"

      Ferise paused. "Why do you want to know?"

      "Why did you walk away from me yesterday?"

      "Why did you have to show off about getting a Faerie Kadoatie?"

      "Why did you have to get mad?"

      "Why?" Ferise's eyes were slits now.

      "Yes, why? Are you jealous? Jealous?" Saline sneered.

      "Why didn't you get your faerie Kadoatie today?" Ferise bared her teeth.

      Saline rolled her eyes. "Hope got extremely sick. Stayed home helping Rita nurse her back to health." Rita was the family's 'nanny'. She had been Saline's Usul nanny when little, but by now she was practically a family member. She ate with them, slept in the same house-there was only one difference. Rita had more cooking and cleaning skills than both Saline and her owner, Hope so she did most of the cooking and cleaning, Hope pitching in once in a while.

      Ferise took a deep breath. "My, my, not even caring for your own poor owner. Leaving it all to dear old Rita."

      "I did not!" Saline was furious. "For your information, I stayed up until twelve AM last night, making sure Hope was all right. Now, why are you jealous of me?"

      Ferise stared at the joyful Hopso in its cage in front of them. There was a long silence. "I-I was jealous, yes. I am jealous. You always get everything, the Faerie Paintbrush, the pretty notebooks and colored pencils, Rita, great toys, a big room all to yourself, gourmet food almost every day-and now a super-expensive Petpet! I have nothing, not a room to call my own, none of that fancy food, hand-me-down toys, old notebooks worth one Neopoint… I don't know, I don't know, Saline. You have everything and I'm stuck in the… in the…" Ferise quickly wiped away a tear and turned away from Saline. "I'm stuck in the dirt."

      "Oh my. Oh my, Ferise." Saline was speechless, for once. After thinking for a while, Saline nuzzled Ferise. "Ferise, you have a great big family. I've always wanted a family like that. To be in a family of three, happy Neopets and one super-nice owner. I mean, Hope's great and all but in my big house, there's just no warmth. Your family and your house and your room and you glow with warmth and love. Mine is just cold, even though Hope gives me bedtime kisses and all, it's really empty. I'll bet you've never felt that."

      "But I'm not happy," Ferise sniffed, although enchanted by Saline's soothing voice and that soft nuzzle.

      "Yes you are. Think about all the birthday parties you've had with the laughter and the homemade little pin-the-sloth poster, and the cozy-by-the fire nights. Remember, I went to one? Gosh, it was lovely…"

      Ferise thought about all of them, and about Starr's pretty laugh and stern but funny voice, Iris' caring and motherly way, and Opal's babyish little pout. Mix them all together and all those jokes and laughs and hugs… Ferise stopped crying and turned to face Saline, this time smiling.

      "You're right, Saline. I may never have all the pretty things you have but I have some pretty family."

      "Don't you start making me jealous now," Saline laughed, nudging Ferise. Back to Uni-play.

      "Let's get that Faerie Kadoatie now!" Ferise beamed and poked Saline with her shining horn. For once, it looked lovely in the sunlight.

      Saline giggled and instinctively flew into the air.

      "Get back down there! No flying in THIS shop!" the blue Mynci screamed.

      The two just laughed.

The End