Never Forget Me

     Xaeliin sighed, glancing around her neohome. It was small and cozy. A small blaze was flickering only slightly in the fireplace. Xaeliin was normally a buoyant and bouncy Doglefox, but this year she had really grown up. A lot.

     Her owner, Feri the blue Chomby, suddenly walked into the room. "Having a good day?" she asked. "Christmas is only four days away. Why the morose look on your face?"

     Xaeliin sighed again. "It's my best friend, Fya," she muttered.

     "Oh. Hasn't Fya been your friend for your entire life? Have you two had a skirmish? It's not good to be skirmishing only a few days before Christmas. Why, Christmas is the day of giving and exhilaration," Feri said, sitting down beside Xaeliin.

     "No, it's not that. We're closer than ever," Xaeliin whispered, her voice strained and hoarse.

     "Can you tell me?" Feri asked. "You can tell me anything, you know that... Right?"

     "Yeah, I know that. You see, I might never see Fya again. Her whole life is shifting, changing. That's going to make mine change too, you see."

     "Why is that?"

     "She's supposed to be moving to Meridell. Her owner is taking her. They are departing the day before Christmas. It's so heartrending!" Here Xaeliin broke into tears.

     "There, there," Feri murmured, rubbing Xaeliin's back. "Everything will be okay. Have you heard the song? Shall I sing it to you?" Feri inquired, standing up. "Oh..." And started singing.

     To her disappointment Xaeliin only began to bawl louder. "Thanks for trying to console me, Feri. But it's not going to work right now. Not right now. But thank you for caring."

     ********

     The next day Xaeliin awoke, quietly entering the kitchen. She smelled hotcakes. "Hotcakes?"

     "Yes. A celebration since there are only three more days before Christmas," Feri said jovially.

     "And two more days before Fya is gone..."

     Xaeliin took her hotcakes outside and sat on the damp, snow-covered ground, her plate in her lap. The hot bite mixing with the icy feeling on Xaeliin's tongue created a sensation of two opposite temperatures. Xaeliin smiled in spite of herself as the snow started falling, mixing with her brown fur.

     "Xaeliin?" a voice called out a little timidly.

     "Fya!" Xaeliin hollered, jumping to her feet. She was so overjoyed to see the little Snorkle; the platter of hotcakes turned over into the snow and ice.

     "Oh, Xaeliin! I've missed you so much. I decided to take a small stroll today, since I haven't been exercising lately. I haven't been doing anything but aiding mum in packing our bags for... well, you know. But I'm glad to see you. I haven't in days," Fya said with a grin, being her cheery self.

     "Would you like to continue your stroll? I'll walk with you. I need one too," Xaeliin said, completely disregarding the hotcakes, which weren't hot anymore.

     "Sure. We need to catch up," Fya agreed.

     The two petpets being walking alongside the path, snowflakes being blown into their faces. The two didn't care.

     "I'm really gloomy, Xaeliin. I don't want to go to Meridell and leave you," Fya groaned.

     "Neither do I... Neither do I..."

     ********

     The next morning Xaeliin grabbed her breakfast without a word. Feri knew better than to say only two more days before Christmas. Because she knew Xaeliin would only reply with the fact Fya left the next day.

     Xaeliin once again took her breakfast out into the garden, but this time she sat on the bench. But today was a little different. Xaeliin was going to meet Fya outdoors so they could take another walk.

     Five minutes later: "Xaeliin! Sorry I'm late," Fya gasped, out of breath.

     "It's okay. Let's go. I need to talk to you because you're going away tomorrow, Fya. I'm really going to miss you," Xaeliin sighed.

     The petpets both starting sauntering down the lane, looking all around them. It was a white wonderland. Snow was falling all about; boughs of trees were delicately covered by tufts of snow. The faint sunlight made all the whiteness sparkle and gleam.

     "It's really pretty, isn't it?" Fya whispered.

     "Yes. It makes it even prettier to spend it with a comrade in one of the last days I'll be seeing her," Xaeliin agreed.

     "We've spent all of our Christmases together, since we were diminutive petpets. Very small... This will be the first Christmas, Xaeliin. It makes my heart break to think about it. Sometimes I act livid towards my owner, asking her: 'Why couldn't we have waited three more days?!' But of course... It only makes her upset. She doesn't want me to be unhappy," Fya moaned.

     "Let's talk about cheerful things. Oh, I've got one! Feri got us a Sparkly Decorated Tree. It sure illuminates the lounge! We always have our fireplace lit up and it's really a comfort. Feri has already bought my gifts," Xaeliin said with a smile.

     "I don't think my mum has gifts for me yet. She's going to give me belated ones when we get to reeking old Meridell. But... Your neohome is always so cozy. Feri cares about things like that. My mum doesn't. She think decorations and comfort and prettiness just create more expenses. Xaeliin, you're so lucky," Fya sobbed. "I think we should turn around now. We don't want to walk too far from our neohomes," she said, stopping and turning around.

     "I'm sorry, Fya," Xaeliin whispered. "That you have to depart tomorrow."

     ********

     The next morning Xaeliin was up in a heart beat. Feri handed her breakfast to her, but Xaeliin politely refused it. Then Xaeliin went to the trunk in her bedroom and began to search. Where was it?!

     Xaeliin was looking for her old gifts that she had received from her sister last Christmas. Oh, Xaeliin missed her loving sister. She wished that Eda, her Doglefox sister, was still with her today.

     "Where are they?" Xaeliin asked herself. "I thought I put those gifts from Eda in this trunk. Oh, if I lost them... I'd be so angry with myself!"

     But finally Xaeliin reached the gifts. They were obscured under old clothes, hidden at the bottom of the trunk. Xaeliin started yanking out all of the items: Winter Love Usuki Set, Love and Caring (the book), Heart Shaped Chocolates (Xaeliin hoped they wouldn't taste ancient), and an Ultranova Balloon (which was deflated, but could be blown up again).

     Xaeliin put all four items into a taupe colored box. She picked up the box and hurriedly ran outdoors.

     ********

     "Fya!" Xaeliin called into the bitter winds, which had been getting worse everyday.

     The Snorkle hurried over. "Boy, am I glad to see you! We finished packing our belongings and mum was just about to take me away... I'm so glad you came out."

     Xaeliin placed the box of items into her friend's hooves. "For you."

     "Oh, thanks! Why don't I open it right-"

     "No, no! Please wait 'til you get to your destination before you open it. I want it to be a surprise for when you get to Meridell," Xaeliin explained, smiling. "If you don't mind, that it. It's a Christmas present."

     "Oh. Well, if it's for Christmas, I should wait until tomorrow to open it." Fya grinned, trying to be cheery on such a sad day. Then her smile broke. "Xaeliin, I am going to miss you. You're the best - and only friend I have ever had..."

     "Same here."

     "I do hope you will have a very merry Christmas without me this year. I'll send you a neomail or two as often as I can! And if your owner ever comes to Meridell on Turmaculus or Illusen business, implore that you may come and visit me," Fya asked.

     "I'll do just that... Oh, this is the most depressing Christmas I've ever had, and ever will," Xaeliin moaned.

     "Fya! It's time to go!" Fya's Snorkle mother called out, breaking the teary silences.

     The two petpets stood in silence for a few more moments, clinging on to each other for a little longer, cherishing their best friend. Tears danced in Fya's eyes. And then Fya turned and began to walk away, without another word.

     "Never forget me," Xaeliin whispered after her friend, a solitary tear trickling down her cheek. The tear turned to ice for it was so cold, and the snow flurries began to blow fiercely in the wind. "Please, Fya... Never forget me."

The End

Author's Note: I hope everyone has a merry Christmas. Xaeliin and Fya did not. Maybe they will meet again one day soon... Feedback appreciated. ^_^