Heather's New Home: Part One

      Heather heard her new teacher, Mrs. Kast, tell the class to be respectful and polite, to ask lots of questions, etcetera. "Heather, come on in," Mrs. Kast said. "Your classmates are dying to see you." Heather walked in. She looked down at her Ixi hooves. She felt so oddly bright and colorful, in her purple Faerie coat, compared to the ghost, Halloween, Darigan, and shadow pets studying her curiously.

      "Would you like to tell us some things about yourself?" Mrs. Kast asked.

      "Well, uh...." Heather stammered. "My... owner and I, uh, moved here from Faerieland, where, um, where I grew up..." She winced. How could she say such a thing in front of these pets? They grew up here, in the Haunted Woods, for Fyora's sake! Heather blushed, looking down. She could hear whispers and giggles coming from throughout the room.

      A Darigan Ixi raised a hoof. "If SHE was born in Faerieland, why did SHE come here?"

      "Yes, why?" wondered about five other students.

      Heather blushed an even deeper shade of purple. "My owner wanted a...uh, change of scene."

      "Thank you, Heather," her teacher finished, trying to hide a smile. "Er... that was lovely. Have a seat." She pointed to a lone empty seat in the back of the room.

      Heather eased into her chair and was about to get out her pencil when someone tapped her on the back. She craned her neck over her shoulder and found herself looking into the fierce scarlet eyes of a Halloween Aisha. "Hello, my pretty," she greeted Heather. "I hope you don't mind having a little chat with me after lunch?" Heather shook her head hesitantly. It couldn't hurt much, could it?

      For the rest of the morning nobody said a word to Heather, but she did feel the amused glances of the other students on her as they looked up from their work to take a quick peek at "the New Rainbow", a nickname her classmates used as they whispered to each other.

      After buying her lunch in the cafeteria (the least-disgusting things she could find was some Jack-O-Lantern Chip Cookies and a Chokato Ghostkersandwich), Heather decided to take a seat near the cafeteria line. Maybe someone would notice her and want to sit with her. After a while, nobody came, so she ate her lunch in silence. Heather threw the remains in the garbage, deciding that she didn't have an appetite.

      Heather stood up and walked slowly into the hallway. She noticed spooky pictures on the walls, jack-o-lanterns with eyes that seemed to follow her wherever she moved, and creepy fanged vampires. As she rounded a corner she spotted a water fountain, and decided to take a drink. Suddenly someone touched her on the back. It was the Halloween Aisha from this morning. "Follow me," she instructed Heather.

      The Aisha led Heather into an empty classroom. "Now," she turned to face Heather, "I would like you to meet my friends." Heather watched as a red-eyed ghost Jetsam, a giant of a shadow Grarrl, and a sneering Darigan Kougra emerged from the shadows. "These fine folk are Sheb, Tefton, and Kermis. I'm Liski. We would like to talk to you about-- well, about you coming to our school. You see, your kind don't blend very well into our crowd. I'm not saying you're bad or anything, it's just... well... some students from the Terror Road School are visiting for a choir concert and we -- or us at least, are rather... embarassed about... you being here. If only you could hide somewhere, tomorrow, from about nine thirty to ten. It would do our school a favor."

      "Yes," said the grarrl. "We want you to hide somewhere were those pets can't find you. Or... else." Tefton said, holding up a fist. "It's not a threat or anything, but, you know..." he trailed off.

      Suddenly the bell rang, marking the end of lunch period. Looking at her schedule, Heather started edging toward the door. "I'll be going now -- bye!" She quickly vanished, glad to be away. She sort of understood Liska, or whatever her name was. It seemed like a very embarassing thing -- for them. But what about me, Heather thought. And the Grarrl, what did he mean by 'or else'? He wouldn't beat her up, would he...? Heather forced herself not to think about it. Tomorrow was a long way ahead, and she still had to think about her next class, (ugh) gym.

      The afternoon was basically the same as the morning. Her gym teacher eyed her uncertainly as she tried doing "creepy crawling", a sort of move where you got down on all fours and crept silently along the floor. Heather didn't think there was any point in learning this; she was used to Air Tag and Fly Basketball back home, where she used to live.

      That day Heather when went home she went straight to her room. There were a few unpacked boxes in the corner, but otherwise the room was very neat. Heather sat on her blue bedspread, staring up at the ceiling. Pictures of her old friends stood on her bedside table, and one of her old home hung above her bed. She did her homework (When had Aishia Chia died, anyway?). It was nearly bedtime when she finished.

      Her owner knocked on her door. "Come in, Carmen," Heather told her.

      "So, how was school?" Carmen asked.

      "Fine."

      "How did you fit in?"

      "Okay."

      "Look, I know it may be hard for you to adjust to a new school, and new ways of doing things. But we had a great loss in the family, and I couldn't stand it in Faerieland anymore," Carmen told her. "I'm sorry if it's hard for you."

      "It's fine. Good night, Carmen."

      "Night, Heather."

      Heather woke up to the sound of her alarm clock, which cheerfully sang a loud song about Fyora until you pressed a button. Fyora, is so brave and keen. Fyora is the Faerie Queen! "Oh, be quiet," Heather commanded groggily. She got up, dressed, and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. the mirror told her her fur needed to me combed thoroughly, it was so messy.

      "Hello, Heather," her owner greeted her when she got downstairs. "I made some Faerie Toast today, your favorite." Carmen put a plate of freshly toasted bread, smeared with butter. Heather inhaled loudly, smelling the food.

      "Carmen, can I pack my own lunch today? The school food is way too gross," Heather asked.

      "Sure."

      Heather loved putting together lunches. After eating, she fixed a quick Celestial Salad, and also took a few Chocolate Cloud Cookies, and an Orange Ixi Drink. Her owner always kept plenty of sweet, Faerie food in the cupboards, just waiting to be eaten.

      Heather was going to walk to school today by herself. Yesterday Carmen had taken her, but now that she knew the way, she could go on her own. She walked a little ways behind a group of other pets, carefully checking that they couldn't see her. She arrived on the doorstep of the school, thinking, Well, today's the day I hide from the other pets.

      She spent the morning copying down spelling words such as Esophagor, fairground, and shadowed. About quarter after nine, Liski took Heather into the hall. "The choir people should be arriving soon. Since all the teachers will be attending the concert, you can sneak into the bathroom, which is across the hall from here. There's a clock there, and shortly after ten o'clock just start heading back to the classroom slowly."

      Heather nodded. She wasn't sure if she should do this, after all, what good would it bring her? She was already talked about behind her back, did a choir group from another school matter? But the Grarrl had told her there would be an 'or else'. But it was not right to do something because you were threatened. Heather thought so hard she bumped into a small Ghost Acara. "Watchit, ye' Faerie kid," he snarled.

      Heather thought, would it be so bad to hide in the bathroom for thirty minutes? No. So that's what she did. Mrs. Kast announced that the class would be leaving to go to the gym. Heather made sure she was last in line, and then she slipped into the bathroom once the rest of her class rounded a corner. She sat down in a chair, glumly staring up at the clock upon the dark wall. 9:35, 9:40, 9:45... Heather fell into a light sleep.

      "Heather, wake up, now. You're in big trouble!"

      Heather stirred, looking into the face of, once again, Liski. Her eyes traveled to the clock behind the Aisha."Oh my, it's eleven o'clock! I'm so late!"

      "You bet you are. Falling asleep! My, my. I can't believe you."

      "Uh, Liski, I'm sorry. I was just... just..."

      "Bored?"

      "Yes."

      "Well, I hope you won't be as bored in detention, if you get it," Liski smirked.

      Heather got up and ran across the hall to their classroom. Everyone looked at her as she entered. "Heather, please go out into the hall," Mrs Kast told her. Heather did, reluctantly. A minute later, Mrs Kast came out, too. "Heather, I would like to tell you I wasn't expecting your little surprise. It's lucky that girl from the other school found you--"

      "From the other school?" Heather gasped. "Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

      "Yes, she did. You gave her a bit of a shock when she found you. She went to office and my class was called."

      "Oh no, oh no..." Heather winced.

      "Heather, is something wrong?"

      "Uh, no. Nothing."

      "Well, it's almost lunchtime... why don't you get your lunch and go to the cafeteria early? We were playing a game, and... I... don't think it's a good time for you to... you know. Well, run along!"

      Heather turned away from her teacher and hurried to her locker for her lunch. She pushed the large doors to the lunch room open, and sat down at a table in the far corner.

      Soon other pets started pouring into the cafeteria. Liski emerged, and put her lunch bag beside her friends a few tables away. Then she came over to Heather. "Listen. I am really mad at you for sleeping right through everything. But our problem is that one of the pets from the other school actually SAW you. She SAW you, and that just defeated the whole purpose. You did a very poor job of what you were asked to do. So... I'm afraid a little punishment sounds good. We'll be waiting at 12:30 sharp. Come, or be taken." She left with a smirk. Heather watched as she sat with her friends. They were giggling and whispering so much, Heather knew it was about her. Liski proved it when she turned around to stare at her, laughing.

      Twice pets went past her, making revolting faces at her food. Heather frowned back. She decided to eat slowly, so to spend as little time with Liski and her gang as possible. However she still managed to be one of the first pets to finish; the others had lots of friends to talk to, slowing down their meal.

      Heather pushed herself through the big doors, and then went outside. A few small pets were playing tag in the woods behind the school. Heather sat down on a rock. She wanted to hide, but wasn't sure where. Maybe she could fly to somewhere safe, like the roof? Heather, remembering the morning, decided not to get herself in trouble anymore. But how could she not cause trouble if she wanted to escape the trouble she was already in?

      "Heather feather!" called a soft voice. She spun around, looking into the eyes of Sheb, the ghost Jetsam. "Liski told you we'd be waiting, didn't she?"

      Heather nodded. Liski and her other pals joined Sheb. "Shake out your pockets," the Darigan Kougra told her.

      "What?!"

      "I mean, turn your pockets inside out," she replied, rolling her eyes.

      "I--"

      "Or, we'll do it for you," the Grarrl said. He and the Jetsam reached into the side of her blue dress. When they turned out her pockets, Liski picked up the items. She looked at a green book. "Illusen's Ixi? What a great read," she said sarcastically. "And look, a cute little Yellow Ixi Notebook. I assume your greatest secrets are here."

      "No! That's my address book. Please don't take it!" Heather cried.

      "Aw, why would we need some faerie-hairy-friend address book?" the Aisha laughed. "Ahh, but look. There's something useful." She looked at the bag of neopoints in her hand. "It's heavy."

      "No, that is my money I got for my birthday! Give that back!"

      "Make me." Liski turned, and she and her friends walked off. Heather picked up her books, close to tears. It was pointless trying to get her money back now. She sat on a tree stump, sulking, waiting for the bell.

To be continued...