Friend

     The Kacheek seemed quite scrubby and poor; definitely someone with a low amount of Neopoints. His face was unkempt, but there was also a strange glow to it. Almost an angelic glow. Tinka would see many pets walking dejectedly down the streets of Neopia Central, and beg for Neopoints and food, so she was used to all of these sights. But oddly enough, she had never quite seen a homeless pet sitting against a tree.

     "Um, excuse me?" Tinka asked, rubbing her nose as she flew over the Kacheek's eyes. "May I ask what you are doing against my tree?"

     The Kacheek looked up to see who was speaking. His large magical emerald eyes caught Tinka's attention instantly. Her mouth opened slightly, staying there as she continued to stare.

     "Oh, I'm sorry," he said with a soft growl in his voice, pushing himself away from the tree. "I'll just go sit against that tree over there."

     Tinka suddenly spoke up again. "No, no!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "You're fine where you are. I don't mind. I'd just like to know what you're doing there."

     The Kacheek stopped where he was, and sighed. "Well, uh, I'm resting."

     "Resting for what?"

     "Well…"

     Tinka waited, staring at the Kacheek as he scratched his head in a confused daze. "Well, what are you resting for?"

     "Well, I guess I'm hoping it'll make the day go by faster," replied the Kacheek. He suddenly shook his ruffled orange hair, and looked back down at the ground.

     Tinka swooped down on top of the Kacheek's fat belly, and smiled playfully. "And why would you ever want the day to go by faster? Don't you want to treasure all the precious seconds of your life?"

     The Kacheek sniffed, teary-eyed. "My life isn't really precious."

     "Well, it certainly won't be if you lay against a tree all day, pouting about it!" Tinka exclaimed. "Get up, come on! Explore this world! Be the best you can be! Live a little!"

     A sparkle suddenly twinkled in the Kacheek's eyes. "W-what's your name?" he asked, half-grinning.

     "Tinka!" the small faerie piped. "Yours?"

     "Um, well…"

     "You don't have a name?"

     The Kacheek slowly nodded.

     "Well, then, I guess I'll just have to name you!" said Tinka. "From now on, your name will be Bear."

     The Kacheek gasped. "You can name me?"

     Tinka laughed, amused. "Of course I can, Bear! I'm a faerie!"

     "Wow," said Bear, smiling, "thank you."

     "Oh, you really shouldn't thank me," whispered Tinka. "I mean, everyone deserves a name."

     "Well, yes…I guess."

     "Now that you have a name, we can move on to the next step," Tinka declared.

     "Next step?" said Bear, raising an eyebrow.

     Tinka hid her hands behind her back, and then suddenly slid them towards Bear, revealing a large loaf of bread, and a cool Sour Lemon Slushie.

     Bear's eyes widened in surprise. "Food? For me?!"

     Tinka bobbed her head. "Yes, yes! I can't let you go starving all day long! That's what faeries are for. Now, you stay right where you are. I'm off to buy you some clothes."

     Bear dropped his food onto the grass. "You're kidding me, right?"

     Tinka rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm not! Goodness, look at the clothes you're dressed in. Not the proper attire for the weather we have here. Not at all!"

     "No really, you're doing way too much for me!" protested Bear, shaking his head frantically.

     Tinka continued to fly on. "Eat, young one!" she giggled. "I can hear that stomach of yours rumbling!"

     "WAIT!"

     The faerie suddenly stopped, and turned to Bear. "Yes?"

     Bear smiled, almost hugging his bread. "T-thank you, Tinka."

     Tinka nodded, and then swiftly flew off to Unis Clothing to find some good pair of clothes for Bear. As she made her way there, Tinka felt so good helping out someone who was desperately in need. That smile that he had on his face; oh, it just melted her heart. And Fyora would be so glad when she heard the news of what Tinka had done to be a good and kind faerie! The thought of that smile on the Faerie Queen's face was priceless.

     By the time Tinka had reached Unis Clothing, her excitement had reached an all-time high. Her wings whizzed furiously as she flew in the entrance of the lavish store.

     "Hi there!" the Uni greeted her, smiling as she placed some clothes on a large wire rack.

     "Hi. Can you please give me the best outfits that you have," said Tinka, flying around the racks of clothes, trying to find something suitable for Bear.

     "Well, do you know the size that you're looking for, miss?"

     "Something…big. For a big Kacheek," explained Tinka.

     "Oh, I have just the outfit!" exclaimed the Uni.

     She raced to the back of the door, and seconds later, emerged with a handful of clothes in her hooves.

     "Wow, that was rather quick," laughed Tinka, arching an eyebrow.

     "Oh, well, I know my stuff," said the Uni, winking.

     After having rapidly paid for the clothes, Tinka left the story, her smile reaching from ear to ear. Bear would be so happy when he saw what she had done! She had tons of warm shirts, light T-shirts, comfortable pairs of pants, and so much more. He had everything that he would need to feel at least a bit better in the streets of Neopia.

     As Tinka neared her tree located on the outskirts of the Neopian Bazaar, she noticed something oddly strange. There was a crowd of pets lining all around the area of her tree.

     "What's going on?" Tinka asked, surprised.

     Some pets turned their heads to her, saddened looks washed over their faces. They never said anything.

     Tinka grew fearful as she sped through the crowd of pets. "Bear?" she cried out. "Bear, where are you?"

     She clung onto Bear's clothes tightly, her heart feeling as if it was melting. "BEAR?!"

     There he was. Lying against her tree, like before, except this time…he wasn't moving. He was motionless.

     Tinka swerved down towards his face, tears filling her eyes. "B-Bear?" she whispered.

     That's when she saw the bruises and cuts on the Kacheek's face. His eyes were closed, and no oxygen was emerging from his mouth.

     An Acara suddenly walked up to Tinka, shaking. "I saw what happened," she whimpered, teary-eyed as well. "Two muggers. T-they tried to take his loaf of bread away. He resisted. Said it was from someone s-special. A-and then…"

     Tinka froze. The pile of clothes in her hands dropped to the ground, and she fell right along with them, landing right beside Bear.

     And the sight was heart-wrenching to see. A good Kacheek, gone from this world, and his friend beside him, her eyes closed as well, with tears of pain streaming down her face.

     **************

     It was a year later; exactly a year ago that it had all happened. The day where Tinka thought she could never trust the world again. Believe in its peace and heart. But still, as any creature should, she moved on. She knew Bear would have wanted her to.

     As she sat on a miniscule lounge chair, Tinka gazed at a book, but never read it. She had tried to read, but the images of Bear were too strong. It was amazing. She had only met this strange fellow for less then a half-hour, but still, he had had such a strong impact on her. Maybe she had thought that if she did good to a creature who longed for it the most, maybe the entire world could do the same. Sure, her unrealistic thoughts were merely a faerie's dream, but they meant something to her. And after he left, all hope of such things occurring in this world disappeared like a thin wisp of smoke.

     Tinka remembered Bear's final words as if it were yesterday. "Thank you, Tinka." Hearing that in her mind, Tinka knew Bear was her friend. And he always would be. Forever.

The End