Becoming my Destiny

      I don't know what made my owner decide to pick me. Why, probably a million other neopets look just like me. I wasn't anything special. I was just a drab little bit of a blue Uni. But I knew that wasn't my destiny. I yearned to be something different. Something special. Someone that would stop other neopets in their tracks. I would make them go wow. I knew that I couldn't press my owner to change me straight away. She wasn't rich, and she spent most of her neopoints on buying us food and toys. I wanted to tell her, I don't need toys. I just need to stand out. But I didn't. I was good.

      A few years passed, and my owner got better at playing games. She started using the stock market, and finally discovered key quest. Now we had some neopoints. One day she came home so excited, I thought she would burst. Cradled in her arms was a beautiful paintbrush. I don't remember what colour it was. Finally, I could start my journey to becoming great. Sure, it wasn't a really special colour, but it would do. But not for me, not that day. I'm sorry she says, as if it could console me, but I have to paint you all in the order that I got you. It's only fair you see. But it wasn't fair. Not to me. The others were happy with who they were. They weren't like me... they didn't need it as much as I did.

      When my sister came back that day... the day she was painted.... Oh how I seethed inside. Here amongst us at least, she stood out. She was beautiful. I had to watch as my three brothers and sisters all got painted before me. Now I stood out... but for all the wrong reasons. I was different. Different because I was plain. But my owner kept her promise. One day long after the first she came for me with a paintbrush. I know how much you wanted this, she told me. I know it means a lot. So off we went to the rainbow pool. There were a few other neopets there. Some drab like me, waiting to be painted. Emerging from the pool however was a stunning faerie Pteri. Oh how I wished I was her. But now it was my turn to dip into the waters. I emerged as a speckled Uni. At first I was thrilled. I wasn't the stunning faerie, but at least I was different.

      But no one stared on the way home. No one watched me pass. When I got home, oh the others congratulated and admired me. But not for long. Dinner was called, and off they went. I still wasn't special. My owner found me later, curled up in my room. She said I was beautiful, and that she could admire me all day long. But I disagree. Other neopets were still more special than I. I made her promise me that day, promise to make me special. She said she would try.

      She saved again for another paintbrush. A cloudy one this time. That was better, people at least game me second glance before passing on by. But I soon grew discontent. That wasn't me. The next time her stocks went up, she came home with something else. And again, and again. Each time, oh I grew more beautiful than the last. She brought me some clothes from the mall to match my colour, and for a while I was happy.

      Soon after, though, two of my siblings moved away. They had both made friends with some other neopets, but our owner couldn't get away to visit them enough. She adopted them out to their friends, and vowed to adopt some more pets. That was fine by me. Coming from the pound, they would be plain. Dull, pitiful and nothing compared to me. Out with my family, I would be the one they watched. She betrayed me though, and came home with a desert Pteri.

      How could she, when she knew what it meant to me to be special. Our climate was too cold, so my new sister took off her old clothes, and put on a simple orange gown. At least now she just looked brown, not anything really special. I could live with that. But then my owner adopted a Darigan Cybunny. But then joy. He hated his colour. Begged to be painted something that wasn't so scary. Our owner offered him a cloud brush and he accepted gladly. I was happy. Now I could hold my own against my siblings. I stood out again.

      We went out to a picnic near the rainbow pool. I noticed a few other pets admiring my silky coat. That was when Boochi found us. He smiled at my owner. Beauty should never go unpunished he smirked. The ray fired, and when the smoke cleared, my sister had been transformed into a squalling baby. I snorted. Boochi had done me a favour. But walking home, people and neopets would come racing over. Isn't she cute they cooed? I was ignored. I could have been painted invisible, for all the good it would have done me. My life was in tatters. I left the party, sure no one would notice me.

      My owner found me later. She always did. I don't know what to do, she told me. I can't afford any of the really unique paintbrushes. But I do have an idea. If a save a bit more, I think I can afford that last map piece. Sooner or later, it could zap you into something really unique. I agreed.

      Days passed. Stats went up, stats went down. But nothing really changed. I was still the same. I was still less than special. I began to despair ever changing. My brothers and sisters tried to console me. They admired me frequently, and gave me the best roles in our games. It didn't matter. I still wasn't special. Maybe my prayers were answered though, for the fountain faerie found us one day, and gave us a quest. We were in luck. It wasn't too expensive, and we found the item quickly.

      At home, our owner told us that she wanted to take me with her. She felt I could benefit the most. The others agreed. They were happy being plain, not that they would put it like that. I was so happy. I found a book that showed all the colours that a Uni could be painted. Oh I poured over that book for hours. I was looking for that perfect colour. Then I found it. I had never seen one before, especially not around this part of Neopia.

      I didn't tell anyone my plan, only that I had decided on a colour. Off we went to see the fountain faerie. She smiled, and told me to whisper to her what I wanted to become. From the foam and sparkling water I emerged. A fearsome Halloween Uni. Fire from my hooves scorched the ground at my feet. I snorted, and puffs of smoke streamed from my snout. I watched my owner through glowing red eyes. She couldn't take her eyes off me. She smiled at me, although she looked a little sad. Let's go home, she said, the others will be wanting dinner. You look... well, you're something else now.

      The whole way home, other neopets and owners stopped in their tracks to watch me. I snorted again with pleasure, and stomped a hoof. Finally, they would take notice of me. I would not be ignore again. The reaction was the same at home. The others watched me all night. The baby cried when she saw me. I suppose she was sad that she didn't look as amazing as me. I couldn't stop staring at the mirror. This was who I was born to be.

      I went out walking the next evening, eager to be admired. Some neopets just watched with gaping mouths as I passed. Others ran away or hid. Many watched me with odd looks from behind assorted objects. Whatever, they were still taking notice. It was clear that I stood out. I had made my destiny mine. It is only now that I understand. I scare them. They fear my fierceness, my flaming hoof... my glowing gaze. But I don't care. The others shy away from me now. I spend much of my time wandering the streets. I am strong, I am different. I am unique. I don't need anything from anyone now. I am all I need.

The End