The Snowager's Friend

      I'm an Ice Wocky, and I couldn't care less about what people think.

      See, I live in the Ice Caves, and I don't have any friends because of where I live.

      My name is Melinda, and I live with the Snowager.

      Now, I know what you're thinking: "Wouldn't you get eaten up or hurt by him?"

      No, because I was left there as a baby Wocky, and the Snowager heard my crying and accepted me. When I meet people in the Snowager's cave, the Snowager will make them run away.

      Once, I went to Neopia Central, and a group of pets came up to me and told me how it was so cool that I had found the laboratory map pieces and got turned Ice. When I had asked them, "What laboratory?" they were shocked. I found out that the only way to be an Ice neopet is by getting zapped by the lab ray. I explained that I slept with the Snowager so much that I guessed I just turned Ice. I don't know exactly how it happened. One day I'm a regular yellow Wocky, the next day I'm an Ice Wocky.

     Everyone in that group I met that day, with the exception of a speckled Ruki and a split Koi, either insulted me, said I was lying, or that they were going to do this thing they called "reporting", because they thought I was keeping all of the Snowager's items for myself, or something like that. I guess they told everyone else too, because people avoided me and gave me nasty looks. That was the last time I went there! Anyway, let me continue.

      I've always wanted a friend. But if people know I live with the Snowager, they either back away slowly and say they have something else to do, or they insult me from afar and say it's impossible. One day, however, that all changed.

      I was behind the treasure as usual, when I heard footsteps padding toward the treasure. The Snowager was asleep, and as I was peering around the pile for the source of the noise, a disco Ruki came into the cave. I recognized him as one of the Neopets who had asked about my Ice colour, and had believed me, not insulted me, except that the Ruki was speckled before.

      I knew what had happened. The Ruki and the Koi got pushed into the pool by whom I guessed was the leader of those who had insulted me. Apparently he was upset that they didn't follow his lead because, grabbing a Transmogrification potion and a Disco paint brush from his bag, he made the Koi Mutant and the Ruki Disco. Both humiliated, the Ruki ran home and the Koi followed him, muttering revenge under his breath.

      "Dumb Disco paint brush," I heard him mutter. Silently, he tried to get a paint brush, and he pulled out a Cool Negg instead, one of the rarest neggs ever. I followed him out and heard him say:

      "I really wanted that Fire paint brush. Looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'll probably never get it though," I watched him go up to the top of the mountain sadly. I felt bad for the Ruki, since it was my fault that he was painted disco in the first place, so I waited until he started his way back down through the caves again, towards the valley. The Ruki spotted me and I went forward.

      "Sorry about the Disco paint brush incident," I said. "Would you like me to get you a Fire paint brush?"

      "You'd do that for me?!" he said, with a hopeful look in his eyes. "Wow, that'd be great. No one has ever offered to do something like this for me before. Thanks!"

      So I went inside to get one. The Ruki followed, staying out of the Snowager's view. The Snowager woke up and the Ruki almost yelled for me to get out of there. But, instead of attacking, the Snowager, knowing it was me, moved over a little bit for me so that I could get the paint brush and went back to sleep.

     When I gave the Ruki the brush, he was looking at me with wide eyes, mouth agape in awe. Then, thanking me, he ran out of the cave.

     There goes my item of the day... I thought to myself happily.

      ***

      A few days later, I went to Neopia Central again. This was my first time back since the incident. I was hoping to see the Ruki again, and maybe we could become friends, especially since he didn't seem too shocked about the Snowager being my friend. To my pleasure, I did see him. He was waiting in line at the rainbow pool to paint himself fire, and I went over in order to say hi.

     Ok, it's now or never! I thought to myself excitedly. The Ruki smiled as I walked up to him.

      "Thanks for the Fire paint brush," he said.

      "No big deal," I said.

      "No, it was a very big deal." I saw his eyes dance with seriousness as he looked me straight in the eyes. "When I saw you standing there, rummaging without care, I thought you were a goner, especially when the Snowager woke up. I believed that you were telling the truth, but I was scared for you. Boy, was I surprised when the Snowager actually moved over to help you!" Chuckling, he added, "By the way, my name's Richard."

      "I'm Melinda," I said. "Maybe we could play Snow Wars together next time you visit Terror Mountain. Oh, and stop calling him the Snowager. His name is Ice."

      "Ok then!" He winked at me, then turned away for a moment so he could show the orange Mynci his brush. The Mynci confirmed that he could be painted that colour, and waved Richard toward the pool. "Well, I'll see you around. Oh, and I'll bring the Koi you saw that day with me. His name is Bernard. He'd like to meet you, too," Richard called as he turned toward the Rainbow pool so that he could finally be painted fire.

      As Richard walked away, I couldn't help smiling. My first friend ever. I had a feeling I had almost never felt before, like hope. Like I said earlier, I don't care want anyone thinks about me. Whether it's where I live, who I live with, who I am, or what I am, I don't care. But now I have a friend, who likes me for who I am and how I want to help others, instead of focusing on where I live.

      When Richard and Bernard came to visit me, I had a black paint brush with me, which I gave to Bernard. Surprised, he said thanks, but no thanks. When I asked why, he said he was used to being mutant, and he sort of liked it, even if he didn't wasn't going to win any beauty contests. He was the third friend I had, besides Richard and, of course, Ice the Snowager, my first, and best, friend. Its times like that when you realize something you didn't realize at first. Even though I thought I didn't have any friends, I did. One who wanted a friend as much as me. I can't believe it took me so long to realize it. It took two new friends for me to realize that I had three.

      Well, that's my story. I hope it'll be a wonderful life, with the three of them as my friends now. It sure beats being alone!

The End

Yay! If you're reading this, then this is my second entry in the NT! More to come!