Just One Wish: Part One

      You've probably been asked this question at least once in your life. But nobody ever asks me. Because nobody cares. What if I had one wish? What would I wish for? If you want to know, I'll tell you.

     --x--

     "BELLA! Get down here this instant!"

      I ran down the stairs of my Neohome so fast that I tripped and fell flat on my face. I tried hard not to cry. My feet are tiny. I'm a Baby Kacheek, after all.

      "Honestly, Bella! Why are you so clumsy? Pull yourself together, young lady, or I'm marching you straight back to the Pound!"

      I gasped and picked myself up sharpish. Anywhere was better than the pound, even living with a hateful owner like Katia. Though I had to call her Miss Katia.

      "Yes, Miss Katia?" I stood in front of my owner and gazed at her gleaming brown eyes, her red hair, her evil grin.

      "What is this?" Katia held up a Bitten Green Apple.

      "Um... an apple, Miss Katia?"

      "A half eaten apple! Why have you been eating the apples I bought specially for Amy's visit this evening?"

      "I didn't eat it, Miss Katia," I said truthfully. "We must have Lady Blurgs somewhere." I looked under the sofa for Lady Blurgs.

      "DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME!" Katia roared. I stood up quickly, and she thrust 1000 Neopoints in my paw. "Go straight to the Neopian Food Shop and buy another Green Apple! And don't even THINK about doing anything other than that! Now GO!"

      I went as quick as my little feet could carry me. I wish, wish, wish she wasn't my owner. She found me in the pound last month and I was delighted to finally have an owner and a friend. I couldn't have been more wrong. I still can't forget that awful day she adopted me.

      "Look at that Baby Kacheek! How rare! I'll take it!" She called me 'it' but I didn't care. She signed the adoption papers and took me to my new home. She didn't say a word to me on the way. I didn't say anything until we got home.

      "My name is Bailwe. Thank you so, so much for adopting me!" I bounced up and down, very excited.

      "Stop that!" she yelled at me. "You're going to break the floorboards!" I stopped bouncing.

      "Sorry," I whispered. My new owner glared at me.

      "Let me make some things clear. You're my pet. I'm your owner. You do as I say, understand?"

      I didn't understand. I still don't. I don't understand why she is so mean to me. She makes me do lots of chores, she only ever feeds me Ummagines, she never buys me any toys and she doesn't even call me by my proper name.

      "Bailwe?" She said my name as if it meant 'dung'. "What kind of weird name is that? I shall call you Bella. A much better name."

      You can't just rename a Neopet like that! But I didn't dare to protest.

      "Hello, Bailwe! Is it the usual Ummagines today?" the Food Shop's Shopkeeper smiled at me. I had arrived at the shop.

      "I'd like a Green Apple, please." I handed over the 1000 Neopoints and the Shopkeeper handed me a shiny apple and my change.

      I counted my change. I had enough left for a Kiwi and Cucumber Sandwich. I was soooo hungry, but Katia would be sure to notice if I bought one.

      I decided to risk it.

      "Um, can I please have one of those Kiwi and Cucumber Sandwiches too?"

      "Of course! Here you go!" The Shopkeeper gave me a sandwich and I took a big bite out of it. I counted my change. 50 Neopoints. Katia is going to go crazy...

      I left the shop and saw a Red Usul and her owner playing together. They looked so happy. The Usul saw me staring. Oh help, she's walking over to me!

      "What are you staring at, then?" She wasn't angry. She was smiling, and so was her owner. I looked at the Usul's owner. I looked at her happy blue eyes and her long blonde hair. I wish she was MY owner too.

      "Hey! Can you speak? I guess not, you ARE a baby, after all." The Usul laughed in a friendly way.

      "Now, Ruby, don't be rude," the owner said. She smiled at me.

      Then I noticed she was wearing a Wind Up Pocket Watch. I saw the time.

      "I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to talk to strangers," I gabbled, and then I ran home quickly. Katia was FURIOUS.

      "And what time do you call this?!"

      I didn't know what to say.

      "Not speaking? Have you forgotten how to speak?"

      Silence.

      "GET TO YOUR ROOM, YOU ARROGANT NEOPET!"

      I ran to my bedroom as fast as I could. It doesn't look like a bedroom. More like a cupboard.

      I stayed in my cupboard for the rest of the day, without dinner. At least Katia didn't find out about my sandwich. I heard Amy knock on the door. I heard her talking to Katia, and I heard her Wocky, Rosajane, talking too. Rosajane is Amy's Yellow Wocky, and my only friend. She comes from a rich family, so she gets spoiled a lot.

      I must have fallen asleep after that because the next thing I knew I was in my Cosy Sleeping Bag squinting in the daylight. I went downstairs to get breakfast ready- and who was that Neopet sitting in my chair?!

      "Mornin'," the Neopet said with her mouth full. She looked familiar. Where have I seen a Yellow Wocky before...? No... it can't be!

      "Rosajane is staying with us for a week while Amy goes on holiday, Bella," Katia explained. "I want you to treat our guest with respect, understand?"

      "Yes, Miss Katia." I nodded. So Katia hadn't adopted Rosajane. She was just staying for a week.

      "Good. Now make yourself useful and make a Cup of Hot Borovan for me and Rosajane. And I suppose you can have one too."

      "Yes, Miss Katia," I repeated. She walked out of the kitchen and I got the Borovan Press from the cupboard.

      "What did Katia mean when she said 'I suppose you can have one too'?" Rosajane asked me. What a silly question!

      "She means I can have some Borovan too," I replied.

     "Yes, but that goes without saying, doesn't it?"

      "No." I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Katia only lets me have treats like Borovan when she's in a good mood. Usually all I get to drink is water."

      "You can't be serious!" Rosajane said this so loud that Katia came storming into the kitchen.

      "What's the matter, Rosajane? Is Bella being mean to you?"

      "No, Katia. Bella was just telling me a funny joke, that's all," Rosajane lied. Katia glared at me.

      "Bella, you're supposed to be making Borovan, not telling jokes!"

      "Yes, Miss Katia. Sorry, Miss Katia," I said meekly, though I wasn't the slightest bit sorry. Katia gave a triumphant nod and left the kitchen. I continued making Borovan.

      "Sorry about that, Bella," Rosajane whispered.

      "My name isn't Bella." I was getting sick of being called Bella.

      "Of course it is!" Rosajane laughed.

      "No, it isn't. It's Bailwe. Katia renamed me," I told her. Rosajane laughed again.

      "You can't rename a Neopet!"

      "Katia can."

      "No, she can't. Nobody can. Even if she calls you Bella, your name is Bailwe and it always will be."

      I smiled at Rosajane and put her Borovan on the table, then I took Katia's to her. She sipped it, while I watched in anticipation. Last time I made Borovan she had spat it all over me, complaining it was too hot.

      "Not bad," she said, and she licked her lips. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Next time, add more sugar."

      "Yes, Miss Katia." I scurried back to the kitchen and sat at the table to drink my own Borovan.

      "So why do you call her MISS Katia?" Rosajane asked between sips of Borovan.

      "She makes me," I whispered.

      "You don't always have to follow her orders, you know. Amy used to be like Katia until I stood up for myself."

      "Really?"

      But Rosajane didn't have time to reply as Katia suddenly came into the kitchen and put her empty Borovan cup by the sink. Then she turned to look at me.

      "Bella, I want you to go to Neopia Central and get some food for Rosajane's dinner. What kind of food do you like, Rosajane?"

      "I like turkey."

      I expected Katia to tell me to get some Deli Turkey Slices or maybe even a Turkey Pie. But she didn't ask me to get either of those.

      "Bella, go and get Rosajane a Turkey Dinner." She smiled at Rosajane and gave me 10,000 Neopoints. Turkey Dinner! Such a delicious Gourmet Food would be something I could only dream of eating.

      "Well? Go and get a Turkey Dinner, Bella!" Katia commanded.

      "But Miss Katia... I haven't finished my Borovan."

      "I don't care about your Borovan. I said I want you to get a Turkey Dinner!"

      I had had enough. Rosajane was right. I should stand up for myself. She was looking at me with a worried expression on her face, quietly sipping the last of her Borovan.

      "I want to finish my Borovan first. Then I'll go and get the Turkey Dinner."

      BIG mistake.

      "EXCUSE me? If I tell you to go and get a Turkey Dinner, you go and get it! No questions asked! GO NOW OR I'LL FEED YOU TO THE ESOPHAGOR!"

      I ran outside screaming and went straight to Neopia Central without stopping. I turned a corner- CRASH! I ran straight into someone and sent their shopping flying! Usuki dolls, pizzas and books littered the ground.

      "Oh no! I'm so sorry!" I started picking up the pizzas. It was difficult to resist the temptation to eat them. I expected the person to be angry with me, but to my surprise she started laughing instead!

      "Don't worry about it! Here, let me pick those things up. You must be in a hurry. After all, you just came charging right round the corner!"

      Just then, a familiar Red Usul bounced into view.

      "Hey, Bumble! What's all our stuff doing on the ground?" She looked at me. "Hey, you're that Baby Kacheek from yesterday!"

      It was the Red Usul and her kind owner!

      "I'm sorry, I knocked your owner over and she dropped all your stuff," I explained, and I picked up one of the Usukis.

      "That's a Magical Hair Usuki," the Usul's owner told me. Then she turned to her Neopet, who was picking things up. "Don't we already have one of these, Ruby?"

      "Yeah, but the Usukiland Shopkeeper gave it to me while you were at the bookshop. She said she it was a spare from her daughter's collection. It would have been rude to refuse it," the Usul, Ruby, said.

      "That's true. Hey, little Kacheek, you can keep it if you want," the Usul's owner, Bumble, said. She smiled at me. I didn't know what to do. I badly wanted to keep it, but Katia would doubtless make me tell her where it came from. Then she'd throw the Usuki in the dustbin.

      "Look, she's speechless!" Ruby laughed, and she put the last pizza in Bumble's bag.

      "Well, we have to get going back to our Neohome now. You keep the Usuki, ok?" And with that, Bumble and Ruby headed home. I stared at them until they were out of sight. Then I remembered why I was here- I had to get Rosajane's food! I started running all over again.

      "What's wrong, Bailwe? In a hurry?" the Shopkeeper asked.

      "Yes! Do you have any Turkey Dinners?" I put the 10,000 Neopoints on the counter.

      "Yep, we have one left!" He gave it to me and took the 10,000 Neopoints. "You're getting a Turkey Dinner tonight? You lucky Neopet!"

      I smiled weakly and ran straight home, my Usuki doll under my arm and the dinner carefully balanced. If only it WAS mine. I would so love to experience the taste of a succulent turkey like the one I was carrying.

      I arrived home and Katia came running up to me.

      "You're LATE!" she yelled, and she swiped the food from my hands. I fell to the floor, and my Usuki fell with me.

      "What is this junk?" Katia picked up my Usuki with a thumb and finger. "Where did you get this piece of rubbish?!"

      I didn't say anything. I just lay on the floor while tears poured down my cheeks. I saw Rosajane standing in the hallway.

      "GET UP!" Katia shouted. I immediately got to my feet. "You thief! You stole this, didn't you?!"

      "My Usuki!" Rosajane suddenly came flying towards Katia and she snatched the Usuki doll from her hands.

      "That's YOUR Usuki, Rosajane?" Katia glared at me. "I knew it! You ARE a thief! You stole that doll from Rosajane!"

      "Oh no, Katia. Bailwe- I mean, Bella, didn't steal it. I lost it when I went on a walk with Amy last week," Rosajane explained.

      "Hmph. Very well. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time, Bella," And with that, she walked away.

      "So that's YOUR Usuki doll?" My heart sank. I thought I had a toy at last. But no, that Usuki belonged to Rosajane.

      "Of course not!" Rosajane whispered. "Come upstairs with me."

      So Rosajane and I went upstairs and into Rosajane's bedroom and closed the door. Well, it was MY bedroom, but since Rosajane was the guest, she slept in my room while I slept on the sofa.

      "It's not my Usuki," Rosajane began. "But I just couldn't stand it when I saw Katia yelling at you while you lay on the floor crying. I don't like Katia one bit."

      "But she's nice to you. Just look at the Turkey Dinner you'll be having tonight."

      "I don't care. She's horrible to you. She doesn't treat you like a Neopet; she treats you like a servant."

      This was so horribly true I felt my eyes fill with tears.

      "And it makes me feel bad knowing that she treats me better. You know what? I think we should run away."

      "Shh! What if Katia hears us?"

      "We're upstairs and the door is closed. She won't hear us, will she?"

      "But if we run away, won't Amy worry? You stay here."

      "You need someone to look after you, Bailwe. That's someone's me. I coming too. Gather a few of you're favourite things. I'll go downstairs to get food for the trip."

      "So we're really running away?"

      "You don't want to stay, do you?"

      "No!" I cried.

      "Good. Now wait here, I'll be back in a minute. And here... this is yours." Rosajane gave me the Usuki doll. Then she went downstairs, leaving me alone.

      There was no time to waste. I grabbed a suitcase from under my bed and packed my Cosy Sleeping Bag and my Usuki. There wasn't much else to pack. That was all I owned apart from my Baby Kacheek Nappy and Baby Kacheek Bib, which I was wearing.

      Just then Rosajane pushed the bedroom door open with her foot. She was carrying some Juppie Jam Sandwiches, a Grapefruit Cake, a few bottles of Sparkling Raspberry Juice and her whole Turkey Dinner.

      "And leave the Ummagines for Katia!" She stuffed the food in the suitcase and closed it. Well, she tried to.

      "Darn it! There's too much stuff in this suitcase," Rosajane complained. "We'll have to take something out."

      "I'll carry my Usuki," I offered.

      "Good idea!"

      I took my Usuki out of the suitcase and picked a few bits of grapefruit out of its hair.

      "Are you just going to keep calling it 'Usuki'? You should give it a proper name!" Rosajane suggested.

      I thought of a few names I knew. Rosajane? No. Amy? No. Bella? No way! Katia? DEFINITELY not!

      Then I thought of the perfect name.

      "She's called Ruby," I declared.

      "Great name!" Rosajane grinned. "Now let's get out of here!"

      We creeped down the stairs and eased the front door open. We heard rustlings coming from the living room- but it was just Katia turning the page of her book.

      I followed Rosajane out the door and she gently closed it. I had a sudden thought.

      "What if Katia sees us out of the window?"

      "We'll go the other way. She won't see us."

      So we went behind our Neohome- no, it wasn't our Neohome, not anymore. We went behind Katia's Neohome and climbed over the fence. Then we ran as fast as we could!

To be continued...