Mia the Unlucky Acara

      There were hardly any games that she didn't have a trophy for. Petpetsitter, Ultimate Bullseye, Turmac Roll, Hasee Bounce; they had all fallen to her mighty playing skills and she knew they weren't easy to get. She had used the NP from the games to buy this luxurious Neohome, and she was very proud of it, along with the deluxe furniture that lay within. She went over to the wall and took a bite out of the chocolate walls. She knew she shouldn't be eating the chocolate walls, otherwise the room might collapse, but it was just so good that she could hardly resist it.

      She turned around and decided to go back to bed to continue her sleep. After all, she was a growing Acara and she needed her rest. She rolled over, embraced her little blue Acara Plushie in her arms and went to bed.

     ---

      Mia felt a cold breeze flowing over her and opened her eyes. She looked around, feeling the grass beneath her paws. Her blue Acara Plushie was gone, and as she stood up, she realized she was no longer in her Neohome. Looking around, she noticed her neighbor's houses on either side of her, and knew that this was where her Neohome had been. But where was it now?

      With no explanation and nowhere else to turn to, she decided to go to the Neopian Bank. Maybe they had some intimation as to where her possessions had gone.

      The green Skeith in the business suit looked up at the blue Acara as she came in. "Good morning, Madam," he said. "It's great to see you again. What can I do for you today?"

      "Well sir," Mia began timidly. "I went to bed in my Neohome, and I woke up, and everything was as it should be, so I went to bed again. When I woke up again, everything was gone and I didn't know what to do."

      "I'm sorry, Madam," the green Skeith said. "That Pant Devil is a tricky fellow."

      Mia nodded sadly, although she doubted how the Pant Devil could have taken everything she owned in one night. "How many Neopoints do I have in my bank account?" she asked.

      "I'm sorry, Madam," the green Skeith began. "But you are a Junior Saver and you have no Neopoints in your bank account."

      "That's impossible!" Mia declared in a state of frantic desperation. "My account type was Ultimate Riches! yesterday!"

      "I'm sorry, Madam, but you do not have any NP in your account," the Skeith said. "Now please do not cause a fuss or I'm afraid I must ask you to leave."

      "Oh, I'm sorry," Mia said softly and she turned around and headed out of the door. She sat outside the Bank, wondering what she should do next when a yellow Chia in a police uniform approached her.

      "Hey, Miss," he said. "No loitering!"

      "Oh, I'm sorry," Mia apologized. "But when I woke up this morning, all of my possessions and Neopoints were gone and I don't know what to do."

      "Yes, that Pant Devil is a tricky fellow," the Police Chia said and Mia wondered why everyone kept saying that, for she did not believe the Pant Devil was the cause of her troubles.

      "I don't believe that the Pant Devil is a cause of my troubles," Mia said thoughtfully, but the Police Chia had already gone away.

      Mia turned around and scratched her ear uncomfortably. She turned around and realized that a horde of lurgees were hopping around on her beautiful fur. She couldn't help but itch and scratch at the frustrating things but the itching only grew more intense, and she didn't know what else to do but make her way over to the Neopian Hospital.

      A blue Elephante welcomed her warmly into the Hospital. "Hello dear, this is the Pharmacy, where you can buy booster shots, medicine and cures to make you feel better when you're ill."

      "But- I don't know what I have," Mia began, scratching uncomfortably at her paw.

      "Now, dear, you know what they say. The best kind of itch is an itch not scratched. The doctor will see you in a moment," the Elephante said, turning away from her. Mia made her way over to the closest seat and wondered who actually believed that any itch could be better than another.

      Suddenly, a blue door opened in front of her, and the Elephante signaled for her to go in. "It's the second door to your left, dear," the Elephante said, turning back to her paperwork.

      Mia nodded and took a step past the blue door. She turned to the left and saw a purple Uni. It was lying on a blue mat and its head was down, a bright red thermometer in her mouth. She looked extremely sad.

      As she walked into the second room on her left, she noticed another Neopet in the room. It had its back to her and its tail was wagging back and forth. "Ummm... hello?" Mia asked shyly.

      "Oh, yes, Mia, come right in," the figure said, turning around. It was a green Gelert. "I'm Dr. Gelert; please have a seat up on this table."

      Mia scampered up onto the metal table nervously, ignoring how cold it was. "Now," Dr. Gelert said, walking up beside you. "What's wrong?"

      "I'm really itchy," Mia said, resisting the urge to scratch. "What's wrong with me, Doctor?"

      "Hmm," Dr. Gelert said, examining her fur closely. "It seems that you have a horde of lurgees hopping around on your fur."

      "Ah, yes," Mia agreed. "I thought I had seen lurgees before, but I wasn't sure."

      "Yes, yes, they're very tiny creatures," Dr. Gelert said, turning around to write something on a yellow pad. "You have NeoMites. Just give this to the Elephante at the Pharmacy and she'll give you a NeoMites Injection and that will cure you right up."

      "Thank you, Doctor," Mia said hastily, walking quickly out of the room. She approached the Elephante again. "Ummm... hello?" she asked, holding out the slip of paper Dr. Gelert had given her.

      "Oh yes," the Elephante said, reading the piece of paper. "NeoMites, how dreadful. Well, dear, here's a NeoMites Injection. That'll be 200 Neopoints, please."

      "Oh, I don't have any Neopoints," Mia said sadly.

      "Oh, I'm sorry, dear," the Elephante said sincerely. "Come back later when you have some more."

      Mia nodded sadly and turned to go. She began to think of quick places where she might be able to get some Neopoints. "My stocks!" she cried out cheerfully. "Hopefully they're all still there!"

      She ran over to the Stock Market as quickly as her short, itchy legs would carry her. She approached the yellow Chia with great excitement. "Hello," she said. "How are my stocks doing today?"

      "Oh, Mia, Mia," the yellow Chia said. "It is just awful! All of your stocks have crashed and..."

      Mia didn't wait for him to finish as she was already running back to her Neohome. "This can’t be happening," she cried all the way home. "This can't be happening." When she reached her Neohome, she plopped down on the grass, tired and exhausted. Sitting up slowly, she began to think of what happened.

      "Pinch me,” she said slowly, tugging at her itchy fur. "I must be dreaming."

     ---

      Suddenly, Mia opened her eyes, feeling the plush surface beneath her head. "I'm back," she called happily, hugging her blue Acara plushie more tightly to her. She looked around, and got out of bed, feeling the chocolate walls. "I'm really back," she said, and then turned around and looked decidedly at her bed before getting back into it. "It was just a horrible, horrible, dream," she said, getting back underneath the woolen covers. "No more chocolate before bed," she murmured to herself, before slipping back into the realm of dreams.

The End