A Quoogle?!

      Prolupe went on and on about how annoying Shiningpaw was, but she didn't seem to take it to mind, she just said, "I just heard the weirdest rumor!" Everyone in Neopia Central turned and gathered around to here her story. She perked up and started, "Okay, so I was going to get the newspaper when I ran into my neighbor, Shoyru! I..."

      Prolupe hit his tail over her mouth and interrupted, "Like you ran into me!"

      A red Meerca next to Prolupe shook his head and said, "Let Shiningpaw continue!" He grabbed Prolupe's tail and took it off Shiningpaw's mouth. The Meerca nodded and said modestly, "Continue."

      Prolupe shot an angry glance at the red Meerca, but he was looking at Shiningpaw and didn't see Prolupe. Shiningpaw nodded and went on, "When I bumped into Shoyru, she told me the craziest rumor! There is a new neopet!"

      Everyone started chatting excitedly and pets started shouting out,

      "No way!"

      "There can't be!"

      "What is its name?"

      Shiningpaw nodded and said, "Calm down, everyone, I know this is exciting, but we need to calm down." Shiningpaw starting hopping up and down at the tension and continued, "I heard that is was a mix of two pets. A Quiggle and a Poogle! Its name is Quoogle!" Shiningpaw fell to the ground holding her stomach. She started laughing hysterically and said, "I know! Isn't that the funniest name?!" Shiningpaw laughed and laughed, while the others shook their heads and walked away, disappointed. Shiningpaw kept on laughing, not even noticing that everyone left.

      She got up and shook herself. Where did everyone go? she thought. She walked home, her tail drooping, when she ran into the hot dog man. "Can I have one chilly cheese dog, Joe?"

      Joe, the purple Mynci and owner of the chili cheese dog stand, nodded. He got a hot dog put it into the bun, put the chili on, and wrapped it up and placed it into a bag. He smiled and said, "Enjoy. That would be 100 neopoints." Shiningpaw nodded and reached into her pocket and gave him 100 neopoints.

      As she walked on, everyone started whispering and pointing at her.

      Another rumor? I am not spreading it this time! Shiningpaw was still curious to know what they were all whispering about. She walked up to one circle of pets talking. When she got there, Shoyru, her neighbor that told her the first rumor, gasped and shook her head. "What? What?" Shiningpaw was confused. Do I have something on my face? She looked around. Everyone was turned and looking at her. "What?!" Shiningpaw was getting even more confused. Is there any toilet paper stuck to my foot? She looked at her foot, but there was nothing.

      A Baby Gelert and his mother was standing to the left of her when the baby cried out, "You are a liar! Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Everyone giggled, but Shiningpaw just tilted her head.

      "Me? A LIAR? I am many things, but I am not a LIAR!" Shiningpaw shook her head and thought, What have I lied about today? Nothing that I know of. Shiningpaw looked back down at her foot. Still nothing was there. If there is nothing on my face, and no toilet paper stuck to my foot, why would they be laughing at me? And why are they calling me a liar?

      Prolupe came walking up with a Poogle. The Poogle was wearing a Quiggle mask and had Quiggle slippers on. Prolupe laughed and said, "Look! I found a Quoogle! She wasn't lying!" After that everyone started laughing hysterically.

      Never again will I spread a rumor! Shiningpaw felt her face turn red and she started running to her Neohome. Shiningpaw cried the whole way, and when she got home she went to her bed and cried into her pillow.

      Shiningpaw shook her head and punched the pillow. "I didn't know it was a lie! I thought it was true!"

      Her owner walked into her room and her eyes were filled with sympathy.

      "Do you think I am a liar, Pinkyluver?"

      Her owner shook her head and smiled. "I never thought it in the beginning! Don't worry, I will always be here for you."

      Shiningpaw got up and hugged Pinkyluver when she heard her sister say, "Neither did I! Nor your petpet or mine!" Christmas, her Wreathy, came up to her and gave her a big hug. So did Koala, her sister's Harris.

      Shiningpaw got up and picked up her petpet.

      Shoyru_Pinkyluver was a Christmas Shoyru and was always looking out for Shiningpaw. "Do you want to go to the park?"

      Shiningpaw nodded. Shoyru_Pinkyluver picked up her Harris and they headed for the park.

      On the way everyone was laughing at Shiningpaw, but Shiningpaw just held her head high. Finally, her sister got so angry she yelled, "Back off! She just heard a rumor and told it to you guys! You are liars to say that she is a liar!"

      Shiningpaw smiled and said, "Thanks." Shoyru_Pinkyluver just nodded and they went on. When they got to the park they both went on the swings, with their petpets in their laps. Shiningpaw swung as high as she could and started singing jingle bells, "Doo doo doooo! Doo doo doooo. Doo doo doo doo doooooo!"

      She went on and on until Shoyru_Pinkyluver said, "Don't worry about the rumor; it will be gone in no time!" Shiningpaw nodded and they had a contest to see who could swing the highest. Shiningpaw finally got to as high as she could, but her sister got an inch higher. They went back down and swung back up. When they got to the top, Shiningpaw jumped off and Shoyru_Pinkyluver followed. "Whhheeeeeeeeee!" Shoyru_Pinkyluver yelled on the way down.

      Shiningpaw giggled and she said, "That was fun! I will race you to the slide!" They raced to the slide when Shiningpaw ran into Prolupe.

      Prolupe's face turned red and he yelled as loud as he could, "NOT AGAIN!" All the birds flew away and everyone in the park froze. The park was silent, nothing was moving, no sound was made, no birds near.

      It was too quiet so Shiningpaw said, "It was an accident, yeesh!" She shook herself, grabbed her petpet, and walked back to her neohome with her sister by her side. The whole walk home was silent; they just walked looking straight ahead. When they reached their home they went straight into their rooms and went to sleep. The day was over and everything would be forgotten in the morning.

The End