Linda and Tiburo

     Neoschool was spent with an entire lesson on the history of their homeland. Every person was tired from the parties, but not Linda. She kept smiling, every day, all the time. Not one Neopet had ever seen Linda stop smiling, actually.

     It was time for outdoors gym. Linda tripped over her feet and landed in the mud. A huge splash went among the baby Cybunnies. They screamed and stampeded the coach. They kept running until they were at the rest rooms.

     "Linda, go wash off," the coach grumbled, picking himself off the ground. Linda cheerfully bounced over to the hose and turned it on. Pffsh! The hose sprayed the coach all over with a yucky yellow water.

     "LINDA!" the coach roared. "Go inside to the indoors gym and sit on the little girls' time out bench."

     Linda hopped inside, dripping with mud. She went inside through the open side door and sat on the bench next to it. The door remained open. Linda could hear the other babies laughing and having fun. She was all alone in the big, echoing gym. A glittering tear formed in her eye.

     ***

     TIBURO: AGE TWO- A pretty baby Poogle grinned at everyone at her lunch table. This year was going to be awesome. Her owner had supplied her with all her supplies and her favorite lunch, a leek and cheese soup still hot from the cauldron. A little smiling baby Gnorbu caught her eye. Who was this little guy? Tiburo soon forgot about the Gnorbu when Trixie, a baby Mynci, told the most hilarious joke ever.

     ***

     LINDA: AGE SIX- Linda and the rest of her second year classmates were outside at recess playing ball. The captains chose everyone except for the blue Gnorbu. The teams were all evened up, so Linda could not play. "Next time," called the captains.

     The next time, Dylan and Casey joined the crowd. There were already the maximum number of players, so again Linda sat on the sidelines. "Next time," called the captains. Linda kept smiling, but it faded.

     This happened again and again until the end of recess. The same thing happened again the next day, and the next day, and the next day. On the fifth day, ball was out and hopscotch was in. Linda tried to be in one of the groups, but everyone voted her out.

     When the kids went indoors that fifth day, Linda trailed behind. Two tears formed in her eyes, but she swallowed them back. Perhaps ball will come back in season, she thought, though she had just a bit of a smile on her face and even less hope.

     ***

     TIBURO: AGE SIX- She watched the kids play ball. Young purple Poogles like herself did not play around and get dirty, especially when they had to be good to get a faerie paint brush in four years for their tenth birthday. And since her mother was a teacher, she needed to be good every second.

      There is that happy, yet lonely little Gnorbu, Tiburo thought. She had spotted the Gnorbu and went over to talk to her, but then, the bell rang. Maybe next time, Tiburo decided as she took one last glance and hurried to class.

     ***

     LINDA: AGE TEN- Linda had her tenth birthday yesterday, but no one said Happy Birthday Linda. Not even her owner. She planned a party and handed out the invitations that Friday. When Friday came around, not one person showed up. Even her owner made an excuse to not show up.

     Again, Linda was all alone. This was three too many times that her feelings were hurt. She sat on the floor, and began to cry loudly and for a long time. Not one person heard her.

     ***

     TIBURO: AGE TEN- "Happy Birthday, Honey!" her mother exclaimed as she laid down a present that looked exactly like a faerie paint brush wrapped expertly with a creamy white paper. All the guests had arrived but one.

     Linda was not here yet. Tiburo was sure she had invited her. After all, her name was on the list. Then she remembered yesterday was Linda's birthday also. Suddenly, Tiburo had a flashback of Linda passing out invitations. She had stuck it in the back of her knapsack.

     "Got it!" Tiburo cried after several minutes of searching in her cluttered knapsack. It was a heart shaped envelope, much prettier than her own. She went back to the party, feeling immensely guilty.

     ***

     LINDA: AGE FOURTEEN- The blue Gnorbu sighed. Could life get any worse? Her owner had invested all her Neopoints in one company that mysteriously went bankrupt. Now they were dirt poor. Or, rather, Linda was, for her owner had left her that night when she was sleeping.

     Linda had all 'A's on her report card as she had when she first got report cards, but, with all the depression in her life, they turned to 'D's. She stopped coming to school several days in a row to fish for her meals in the polluted stream next to her one room cardboard house.

     Linda stopped smiling the day everyone forgot her birthday, and she had never even smirked since. No laughter had passed through her lips for four years. Linda was a loser.

     ***

     TIBURO: AGE FOURTEEN- The faerie Poogle sighed. Could life get any better? Her mother won the entire jackpot for Test Your Strength, a million NP from Coltzan's Shrine, and had bought a lot of shares in all the best businesses. They were billionaires.

     Tiburo had all 'A's on her report card. She was popular, cool, trendy, rich... Everything she had ever dreamed of. They lived in Meridell in the countryside in a huge mansion. Next to it was a homeless center they built so they could share their wealth.

     Tiburo had always smiled, and she always hoped to be smiling. Tiburo considered a day wasted if she did not laugh once at all. After all, she was living the good life.

     ***

     LINDA: AGE FIFTEEN- The poor Gnorbu shivered. The cold, harsh winter was more than she could bear. A sharp gust of wind blew her head sideways. She noticed a sign. "We help those who cannot help themselves," the sign declared. Linda decided to give the place a shot.

     She read the address and found it several miles away, next to a huge mansion. She knocked on the door three times. A large, beefy yellow Moehog woman opened the door.

     "Do come in, dearie," she exclaimed when she saw Linda. She took her to a study where a faerie Poogle and her purple mother looking at papers. Linda recognized the mother as Ms. Petunia, her math teacher, and the faerie Poogle as Tiburo, her very popular and stuck up daughter.

     "Ms. Petunia?" The yellow Moehog waved. "I have a new homeless child for our family."

     "That is good. Tiburo, show the child where she shall stay, go over rules, the schedule, and daily activities that they can do." Ms. Petunia did not even look up from her work.

     Tiburo stood up and pulled the scarf around her neck tighter. "Come, Linda," she smiled and walked out. Linda decided to follow her.

     They walked down a marble corridor. Open doors showed happy little pets playing and laughing, a vision of Linda's past. Not one single pet was left out, and not one had a look of sadness.

     "Up the stairs and the first on your left is your new bedroom," Tiburo explained. "If you ever want company, I recommend the little guys. They are so cute! And if you need to read, the library is down the hall on your right in your hall. If a younger pet or even older pet comes to seek advice or company, never turn them away. You need to make friends here, that's why. And you must keep your room neat enough to walk through, not pin straight, for Mother likes some clutter. Take care of this place, each other, and yourself very well. You do not have to eat, but it is recommended. If you do not wish to take part in the daily activities, you may come and go as you please around here. No one cares. And your schedule is posted on your wall as well as the rest of the rules. If you choose to be sad or angry, you are grounded to your room but still get meals and toys." Tiburo stopped and opened the door.

     Linda walked in, and Tiburo flew downstairs. It was a cheery room, with smilies posted on the walls and on the furnishings. The furniture was all dark wood and the furnishings blue with yellow and black smilies.

     There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Linda called. In came Ms. Petunia.

     "I'm sorry, but we have to go shopping for you." She smiled weakly. "You may buy anything you want, for I have ten million NP waiting to be spent on the homeless center."

     "I like this place." Linda grinned for the first time and felt like the smilies around me, all happy. Perhaps this is a really good idea, after all.

     ***

     LINDA AND TIBURO: AGE SIXTEEN- The two best friends strolled down the market place. Linda was now officially Tiburo's sister, and, now, she had to look like her sister.

     "Are you sure about this?" Linda asked nervously. The sisters had bought a faerie paint brush and a red Poogle morphing potion for Linda.

     "Of course!" cried Tiburo. "Just hurry up already!"

     "Alright!" Linda gulped down the potion. Her fur bubbled and changed, and her flesh grew and shrank. After a moment, she was a Poogle. She painted herself with the faerie paint brush and now Linda the blue Gnorbu was Linda the faerie Poogle.

     "Now I can call you my twin!" Tiburo teased.

     "Shush up! See ya tomorrow at our party." Linda smiled, fluttering her new wings.

     "Don't forget our seventeen birthday wish list," Tiburo warned playfully.

     "Happy Birthday tomorrow!" the sisters laughed at the same time, doing their secret paw shake and separating.

     Finally, Linda would have a happy ending.

The End