The Odd Egg Out: Part Two

As a matter of fact, he was being lifted through the air! All of the people and pets close enough to hear the shop keeper had crowded around Heromisan and started to ship him off, passing him from shoulder to shoulder until he arrived at the boats.

     Once there, a strong, muscular Grundo carried him onto the boat, said something to the captain, and stepped off.

     The captain glanced at Heromisan, also realizing that Heromisan might bleed to death with those pin-size holes!

     With that, the captain, a red Grarrl, sped off. They quickly landed at Neopia Central, and the captain hailed a lovely, white Uni over. He quickly explained the situation. The Uni quickly scooped Heromisan, who had been lying quietly (Actually, he fell asleep on the boat...) and galloped to the NeoHospital.

     All that moving woke Heromisan. He woke in time to see them arriving at the Neopian Hospital. He was quickly carried. Once inside, the Uni dropped him off in a waiting line.

     Heromisan looked around bewildered. He realized he must have dozed off in the boat, and that he was here for that minor wound.

     Heromisan waited in the long line, singing a song that suddenly came up in his head,

     "SikalTsuna, SikalTsuna, where are you?

     My owner, my father, where have you gone?

     I'll find you, I'll find you. No matter where you are!

     And while I'm searching, I'll sing this song!

     "SikalTsuna, It's me your Heromisan!

     SikalTsuna, I've finally hatched form that egg!

     I don't know how we got separated,

     But I'm going to find you, even if I have to give my leg!

     "SikalTsuna, SikalTsuna, where are you?

     My owner, my father, where have you gone?

     I'll find you, I'll find you. No matter where you are!

     And while I'm searching, I'll sing this song!"

     It was a cheerful tune, and it suited Heromisan. He sang it quietly, though, so as not to deserve other people. The song also kept his mind away from his sore nose. Although, the song couldn't keep that feeling out of Heromisan's stomach. A feeling deep down to the pit. It was a mixture of fear and unknowingness. The unknowingness of what lay before him. Doctor's were nice, weren't they? Weren't they supposed to help people? Then why was he so afraid?

     After a bit of waiting, the doctor finally called on Heromisan. That was when Heromisan quaked. He had heard smaller pets whimpering in line, not wanted to come. He had heard older pets teasing their younger siblings about "big needles" and such. What was going to happen? His fear that he had been hiding deep down showed, as he approached, trembling.

     Trying to be brave, Heromisan took a deep breath and, eyes closed, went into a room, with one big step.

     "So what seems to be the trouble?" a cheerful green Gelert in a lab coat asked Heromisan.

     "Well, uh, it's by dose," explained Heromisan, still a tad nervous. Of course, the cheerfulness and friendliness of the doctor chased away most of his fears. But when he heard himself talk, he frowned. It sounded like he had a stuffy nose! What was happening?

     The doctor looked at his patients nose a bit more closely. "Your nose, you say? Oh, I see! What happened there?"

     "It's kinda a long story..." the green Lupe tried to explain.

     Dr. Gelert nodded, "And where's your owner?"

     "Well, you see, we kind of got separated. Dat's how dis happened," once again, Heromisan tried to explain, but didn't succeed much.

     "Oh, okay... Well, I'll fix your nose in a jiffy!" The Gelert left for a moment, only to return within a few moments with some gauze, a bowl of warm water and a clothe.

     Heromisan winced as Dr. Gelert rubbed Heromisan's nose vigorously after he had dipped the cloth in that warm water. After Dr. Gelert had finished cleansing the wound, Dr. Gelert put the gauze on Heromisan's nose.

     "It'll be a bit sore for a few days. Keep the gauze on for about three days... Oh, and your nose may be a bit stuffy," Dr. Gelert told Heromisan. Heromisan nodded.

     "And for being so brave, here's a lollipop!" Dr. Gelert handed a lolly to Heromisan. Heromisan nodded again and left.

     Heromisan wondered how to find his owner, not knowing that this was the block where his owner lived.

     Heromisan started singing again, "SikalTsuna, SikalTsuna, where are you? My owner, my father, where have you gone?..."

     A boy, who was playing catch with a red Gelert, cocked his head. A young, sweet, innocent voice filled the air. This pet's voice had a masculine touch to it, but it was a childish voice, also. The boy smiled. The tune was so cheery! It sounded as if this pet didn't have a care in the world! But wait-- as the singing pet approached, the words became clearer. The boy listened intently, letting the ball he was about to toss to his Gelert drop.

     "What's wrong, daddy?" asked SituneHusami, the red Gelert.

     "Shhh," the boy shushed his pet. Had he heard his name? Suddenly, he heard it, sounding out loud and clear,

     "SikalTsuna, It's me your Heromisan!

     SikalTsuna, I've finally hatched form that egg!

     I don't know how we got separated,

     But I'm going to find you, even if I have to give my leg!"

     Even though the verses had that cute "young pet made-up song" touch to them, the verse hit the boy like a ton of bricks.

     SikalTsuna's blood drained from his face. For that is who the boy is, SikalTsuna.

     "Stay here!" SikalTsuna ordered SituneHusami in a hoarse voice. SikalTsuna staggered out of his front yard onto the sidewalk, nearly stepping on a green Lupe.

     The Lupe stopped his singing and looked up. Suddenly the Lupe's eyes grew large.

     "Father, father!" Heromisan cried joyfully.

Rejected

     SikalTsuna stared at Heromisan, a puzzled expression on his face. Finally he grinned. He just grinned and stared at the pet he had always wanted. Suddenly, there was a small noise behind him.

     Whirling around, SikalTsuna saw SituneHusami.

     For a moment, just for a moment, that puzzled look filled SikalTsuna's face again.

     Suddenly SikalTsuna's face filled with rage.

     "You! You!" exclaimed SikalTsuna bitterly, pointing at Heromisan, "You never hatched! You built up my hopes, but then you never hatched! I waited patiently. I waited, I hoped, I dreamed. But you crushed all my hopes, all my dreams. Go! Go! I won't have you, you are not mine. I do not know you. You talk in a strange way. Besides, my Hero is dead. Hero is still in his egg. Hero does not live. Hero... Heromisan never got a chance. You are just a strange pet, a strange pet that tries to fool people. Go away, stay away! I don't want to see the likes of you again!"

     "Father..." Heromisan whispered in a choked-up voice. "Father..."

     "No! I am NOT your father. I do not know you, now go!" SikalTsuna turned away, his raging mind telling that this was a stranger, a pet that was trying to make a fool out of him. But his heart was saying that this was Heromisan. That he should welcome his beloved pet back...

     But, no. His mind, with all it's evil rage won over what his heart was screaming at him. SikalTsuna shut his heart from Heromisan.

     "But... you are by father... how can I be dead if pets never die?" Heromisan lowered his ears, his eyes pleading.

     But SikalTsuna's back was turned. He did not see his pet's pleading gaze. He just heard that "strange pet" speaking.

     "Did I not tell you to go? You are a wicked beast. You are not my Hero. You don't even talk right. Besides, you have been in fights, for you have a bandage on your ugly, pug nose. Leave me." With that, SikalTsuna turned away, SituneHusami slinking after him.

     Although Heromisan received a sad glance from SituneHusami, while owner and pet disappeared into the house, the Gelert hardly noticed him.

     Day and night, Heromisan waited outside the house, under the front porch, waited for SikalTsuna to admit a mistake had happened. But that never happened. Heromisan never did get a chance to be reunited with his owner. He never got the chance to grow up, and live and happy life with that boy, who would have been a loving, caring father. All because of the boredness of a dark faerie. All because of that. If it had been another egg, if the faerie hadn't been caught, if she had not hung around Jhudora in the early days of her life, perhaps Heromisan would have been able to live, happily, carefree, and joyously in the care of SikalTsuna.

     One night, while Heromisan was asleep, SikalTsuna and SituneHusami moved away, never to be found by pet nor person, for they moved to a far, unknown corner in the wide Neopia. Never to be found by any person or pet. Forever to be hidden from all eyes. To never have a chance meeting with Heromisan again.

To be continued...