Change is Good

"Change is good," I quietly told myself as I walked into my pets' large sleeping area. Going over my speech in my mind, I kept telling myself that it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined it would be. After all, I had done this plenty of times before, convinced foster pets that taking trips to the Lab Ray was an exciting adventure... so why did this time feel different? I pushed aside my reservations and entered their room.

     Overall, my pets tried their best to keep their room fairly clean, but having such varied personalities did lead to a bit of chaos. In the far top left corner, my Plushie Kau was slumbering away in her 'nest' as she lovingly referred to the scraps of wool, yarn, and fluff piled into a bed. It was her quiet time, where she 'fluffed' herself up for the evening play session with her siblings. Opposite to her was her sister's haven, fit only for a Royal Cybunny. Illyria's pink and white lace canopied bed was made to perfection and tucked right against the wall to make room for the matching pink vanity. She was perched daintily on the frilly pink chair, staring at her reflection and pondering any possible hair out of place that would ruin her regal look. So the culprits weren't these two, which left the boys.

     Well, it wasn't hard to see where the chaos was coming from. KougraKat, my Pirate Kougra, was clearly in a plundering and hoarding mood. He had accumulated quite a pile in his corner to my right, snarling and chuckling to himself as he stashed away more treasure underneath his tattered blanket. I noticed a few scraps of fabric and a tip of what might be a hairbrush before it got shoved into the growing heap. Obviously the 'hoard' would have to be inspected later for what 'plundering' he had done to his sisters' items. But that was really the least of my worries as I turned my attention to my left and my newest pet.

     Sitting miserably in the corner, clutching onto a chewed Veespa toy that had clearly seen better days, sat Rockpile. A sad little Green Uni, he silently watched KougraKat, who was working away to hide his treasure. KougraKat's great tail waggling happily while his great paws shoved more under his blanket. I'm not sure what Rockpile was thinking of his new brother. Overall Rockpile didn't seem pleased to have been adopted. Which was surprising, considering of all the pets I had rescued from the pound, most were thrilled to have a new home and siblings. But since having brought Rockpile home, he was turning out to be quite an unhappy fellow. I was hoping to change that, if things went my way.

     I walked over to the little Uni and crouched down to be able to look at him, eye to eye, watching out for that sharp little horn. Rockpile just stared back, not moving away but not inviting me to chat either. I smiled warmly, thinking how surprised I had been to find him in the pound. Normally I find very young pets, nothing remarkable to make them stand out. I adopt them, give them a few trips to the Lab Ray to make them stronger, faster and hopefully, a new look. Then I send them to a new home and a new owner where they can be a very special pet for someone.

     Rockpile, however, turned out to be something different. I had seen him sitting pretty much just as he was now in the pound and my heart strings tugged. I didn't hesitate to adopt him. My surprise came when we got home to find that he wasn't very young - in fact, he was older than Illyria, something I'm sure that miffed her right away. The last thing she wanted was ANOTHER older sibling. But clearly, Rockpile had also been what some call a lab rat - a pet taken to the Lab Ray numerous times. Checking his information on the adoption form, he was quite strong and had more endurance than KougraKat, my battle pet. But for some reason, there he was, in the pound, discarded. I was hoping to put him through the Lab Ray again, but I also aimed to have him enjoy the experience.

     Taking a deep breath, I gently asked Rockpile if he was liking being here with us. He scrapped a hoof side to side for a moment, then nodded yes. I smiled and assured him if he needed anything, just to let me know, and that we were very glad to have him there. He nodded again and hugged his Veespa closer. Now came the hard part.

     Gathering up my courage, I asked Rockpile if he had ever been to the Lab Ray, although I was sure I already knew the answer. Rockpile chewed on his lower lip, then nodded. I waited patiently for him to elaborate, which he finally did.

     He whispered that it was a scary place, one he didn't like to go to anymore. There was a long pause, then Rockpile started to tell his tale of Lab Ray visits. Some days, he would come out faster, but then he'd slow down again after a few trips. Other trips he seemed stronger and there was even once that he came out a girl. He stopped as KougraKat snorted out a laugh at that. He quickly muffled it between his big paws and Rockpile continued talking about the trips until he finished by saying that he had never, ever changed color.

     So there it was, why he had been in the pound. Rockpile was one of these rare pets that seem to change in all kinds of ways ... except color. And that was why he was in the pound, his previous owner had given up and shipped him off. Now I could see why he was so disheartened. One of the greatest things was to be changed into something wonderful by the Lab Ray, something this little Uni had probably started out hoping would happen. But as time went on, and nothing happened, he grew sadder, and probably was at the point of questioning just how special he was or could be ...

     I gently explained that the Lab Ray was like a grand adventure; you never knew what would happen. But it was also a test of patience. It sometimes took a long time to see a result that you wanted, especially if the result was a color change. You took the good with the bad. Life was all about change, and no one should fear change, but embrace it, enjoy it. There was always good in things if you took the time to look.

     And with that, I sat down beside that sad Uni and began to tell him of the great things that Lab Ray could do. KougraKat jumped in a few times, telling him about his times into the lab, when I had been coaxed into letting him try it. He told of getting stronger, getting zapped Tyrannian and Checkered - Rockpile even smiled at that thought. I held back my snicker at that memory, he had made me dizzy with that color change. KougraKat made a few dramatic swipes to show how fearless he had been when facing his trips and grinned that he'd do it again, given the chance.

     MooMoo had woken up by now and plopped herself down on Rockpile's other side, remembering her trips. She dreamily murmured how she had been Maraquan for a while, which reminded me of the water marks still left through the house from that change. Although she was done with her trips to the lab, she had thought it exciting to see what would happen.

      Illyria, who had never taken a trip to the Lab Ray, sat quietly and listened, not having a story to share. I'm not sure if she was envious or not, but at one point she quietly stated that Rockpile should give it another go, to re-think the possibilities it offered. By the end of our talk, I could see that Rockpile was still unsure about the Lab Ray and what it could do, but at least seemed willing to give it another try.

     So the next day we all went together up the road to the lab. I gave Rockpile a big hug before he went in, and praised the result he came out with, up a level. Time marched on - first a week, then two. A month passed, and then two months ... and not a single color change had occurred.

     After the second week, Illyria had stopped going with us. After all, it was a lot of unnecessary walking when it involved no shopping. KougraKat was the next to stop the daily walk. He decided he had bigger plots to hatch, like uncovering whatever treasure I had hidden in the flower beds, and wished Rockpile well. After two months, MooMoo gave it up as well. She was sorry, but the path was leaving scuff marks on her plushie coat that were hard to get out. So it was just us two left for the daily venture.

     I could feel Rockpile's enthusiasm, however little there had been, slowly fading away each day. As the days went on, he was becoming discouraged that nothing had happened. Oh, things happened, don't get me wrong - the usual level, movement, strength and so on - but I could see it meant little while still being a plain Green Uni.

     Finally, after three months, I felt in my heart that this had been enough. Rockpile was clearly sinking back into his depression, so we would make one last trip. If nothing happened, I would paint him whatever he wished to be, I decided. As we walked the same path we had taken, day after day, I could sense Rockpile's tension growing as the lab loomed ahead. I stoked his mane and assured him again that change, no matter what it was, was a good thing. He was so quick now, and strong now - why, he and KougraKat tussled daily. KougraKat was thrilled to have a sparring partner up to his level, and his sisters equally thrilled to not have that job anymore. Rockpile nodded but his head low and he sadly dragged himself through the door. As it closed after him, I shut my eyes and hoped that he would be alright.

     Time seemed to drag forever, I couldn't imagine what was taking so long. Surely something hadn't gone wrong. I started pacing as a few minutes turned into ten, fifteen, a half hour ... what could be taking this long? Where was my pet? Finally I balled up my fists and stormed up to the door, positive something evil had happened and no one was coming out to tell me. The door swung open just as I reached for the doorknob and I stumbled back, startled.

     The first thing I guess I really saw was this dazzling smile - it wasn't like anything I had ever seen before, certainly not from the pet that I walked down here earlier. I must've looked bewildered which caused a snicker, and I recognized that sound, albeit one I hadn't heard very often. I frowned, searching this happy, smiling creature before me for something familiar.

     "Rockpile? Is that you?" I asked.

     The Desert Uni standing in front of me beamed, his smile was the grandest thing I had ever seen. It glittered like the bracelets on his front hooves. He snickered and tossed back his new black mane as he trotted in a circle around me to show off his new look. He laughed, crowing that he had finally changed color. I had been right all along. As he rubbed his face against mine, there were tiny tears in his eyes. He then thanked me for showing him the truth that wonderful things could happen, if you just had patience.

     I smiled, feeling similar tears welling in my eyes and stroked his nose. The dejected Green Uni that I had found in the pound was nowhere to be found. The confidence that this new Desert Uni showed would rival my queenly Cybunny's any day. My other pets would be jealous, perhaps envious of this new look, but thrilled for their foster brother as much as I was.

     "See, I told you," I softly whispered. "Change is good. Now let's go home."

The End