Celesity Cybunny's Celebration

     The bell rang and the class cheered as we were let out for the weekend, but it wasn't only just for that. The class seemed rather unsettled and I was about to find out why. Celesity and Miranda hopped over to me with big grins slapped on their faces and their wings fluttering and glistening.

     "What do you want?" Peppermint said bitterly, standing in front of me possessively.

     "We just wanted to let you little pets know that because I'm so lovely that I'm inviting all of the class to my party this afternoon."

     Peppermint gave her a interrogative look and I glanced past her to see why.

     "What kind of party," I inquired.

     "Just a party to celebrate our newly painted designs, of course. Our owners are so much wealthier than yours that we were able to afford these brushes in a snap. Although sorry to say that all the painted pets in class will be there, don't want you two feeling like the only ones," she said before giggling with Miranda. "See you there, Cupcake and Peppermint!"

     As they left the classroom with their pitiable brainwashed followers, Peppermint charged out, but I seized her by the tail and heaved her back. "Don't fight a battle you can't win," I sighed.

     "But they're such snobs! They actually take joy out of other people's misery. What jokes..." she mumbled. Like me, Peppermint was still her basic colour. She was a green Bori and the other Boris in the class always snickered when she walked past. I really didn't feel like going to the party as a colourless outcast while everyone else would be radiantly decorated and having great fun.

***

     Back at home I was lying in my comfortable warm basket all snuggled up and... brooding. My owner returned home from the NC Mall, set down her bags, and put her hands on her hips as she glanced over at me. "Now why in Neopia are you lazing around in your bed in the shadows when it's a magnificently sunshiny day outside? You love playing outside, Cupcake, especially with Peppermint, and it's the weekend too, so why are you just sitting in there?"

     "No reason..." I mumbled. She shook her head and sat down at the table and noticed a perfectly gracefully done invitation, addressed to Cupcake. It was a soft pink card decorated in flowers and faeries and hearts. It was an invite to Celesity Cybunny's celebration. "Care to explain why you aren't there?" she asked, waving the card about. My ears flicked up and I leapt out of bed, bouncing up and down to try and snatch the note from her hand. "Easy, easy!" she laughed. "Now care to tell me?"

     I looked off to the side not wanting to say a word. She reached over and scratched behind my ear and she knew I liked it. I lifted my head up and decided to just let it out. "Celesity only invited me and Peppermint because we were the only pets in our class that weren't painted so we'd be humiliated and feel excluded from everyone at the party. Basically just to make a mockery out of us. I'd rather not let myself get roped into that, thanks."

     "Cupcake," she said sympathetically. She reached down and picked me up, stroking me as I lay in her lap. "I know I'm not the richest person in the whole world, but I have a lot saved up and I tend to keep going and if getting you painted will make you happy, then I don't see why I shouldn't. But you should remember, Cupcake, that if people can't accept you for who you are, then you're not around the right people. It may take some time before you find someone who will really appreciate everything that you do and enjoy and not question it. You have Peppermint, don't you? She's your best friend and she wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose. You said she was still her basic colour, so why don't you two go to the party together? Listen, don't let those two meanies get to you. They're not worth impressing. They're a couple of spoilt bunnies that karma will soon see to." She set me down and ruffled my ears, smiling. "Now off you go. Find Peppermint, get to that party, and show them you don't care who is painted what colour."

     Grinning, I dashed out of the house and didn't stop until I got to Peppermint's house. I rapped at the door a million times and a confused looking friend of mine appeared. "Heavens, Cupcake, is the door still here?" she joked.

     I stumbled back in horror, sadness sweeping over me.

     "Um... you alright there?"

     I couldn't believe it. Peppermint was cloud painted. She looked ever so pretty but she got painted before me. We had always agreed to jump into the Rainbow Pool together one day when our owners had enough neopoints. "P-peppermint... you're..."

     "Oh... I know. I'm terribly sorry, Cupcake; you have to forgive me! It's just the pressure of the party and everything and I was just so excited! I feel like the foulest friend in the world for doing this to you; can you forgive me?"

     I didn't say a word. I just bolted off again. "Cupcake, wait!" she screamed, but I ignored her calling and disappeared from view.

     I eventually ended up at my favourite food place, the chocolate factory. The rich smell of chocolate made my ears fall back and fur stand up. I bumped into someone and looked round and let out a yelp as it was Martin the Korbat from class. I looked around and realised everyone was here. This was where the party was being held! I didn't even intend to go to the party anymore; I just always came here to see if I could get some free chocolate samples and here everyone was. They were everywhere!

     I hid under a table that thankfully had a party cloth over it so I was well hidden from view. I didn't want Celesity and Miranda seeing me.

     "Afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Celesity Cybunny's celebration!" A huge cheer went off, and I had to hold down my sensitive ears to save them from damage. "As you all know, we're here to celebrate the wonderfully new painted Celesity and her twin Cybunny sister Miranda, which is myself!" Just when I let go of my ears I had to hold them down for an even louder scream fest that went off. "Now, all of you here are a vast crowd of colourful pets, but there is one exception! A little Cybunny who's poor and lonely and hiding right under that table over there."

     I could hear the shuffled of paws as everyone turned round, probably looking at the table I was under. I only just realised my tail was sticking out the other end. Fiddlesticks...

     "Alright, alright..." I moaned, coming out and making myself known. Everyone started laughing and pointing, all except Peppermint thankfully.

     "Now that is what you'd call a loser," Miranda chuckled and everyone joined in.

     Out of the blue a basic blue Lupe jumped up onto the platform and everyone gasped and went silent. "Eww, get off my stage. This is my spotlight!" Celesity ordered.

     "Be quiet, you spoilt bunny!" he snapped. "You there, Cybunny," he said, looking in my direction. I pointed to myself and he nodded. "Come up here." I did as I was told and made my way onto the stage. The crowd was whispering sharing thoughts and probably not nice ones either.

     A basic red Scorchio jumped up onto the stage too; he and the Lupe shared grins which made me assume they were friends. "Look at all of you," the Lupe began. "You're nothing but brainwashed idiots! Celesity and Miranda are nothing but a couple of whiney dunderheads that just ask for attention. They make fun of everyone; even if you think they like you, they go off to the side to mark snarky comments behind your back! I thought that my friend and I here were the only two plain pets at this party, but it seems that this Cybunny proved us wrong. She didn't care about what you guys thought and neither do I. I think that it's great to still be unpainted. It means we get to still feel the thrill of jumping into that pool and coming out a whole new pet! We don't know what colour we will be painted yet, so we still get that surprise. I could be rainbow, my friend could be faerie and that Cybunny could be Halloween painted. So, guys, come on. Don't exclude those who are different to you; let them join in the fun."

     Everyone was smiling and began chanting our names. We jumped down into the crowd and pets swarmed us, chatting about what we should be painted and what the Rainbow Pool was like. Celesity and Miranda were having hissy fits on the stage, but no one was really paying attention. "This is my party, do you hear me? My party!" Celesity screamed.

     They screamed and screamed and still no one cared; all I cared about was the fact I was with Peppermint and the Lupe and Scorchio, having a better time that I imagined. It's never right to exclude someone because they are just that little bit different.

The End