After ACX: Part Five

      I’m the best of all of them. I do mean it, I really am. I love being Mutant. Normal was boring and Faerie just infuriating! Yeah, sure, I looked good, but now, Mutant? It’s the best. I know it’s not usual, but I wish I could just stay Mutant. I’m not sure if being Darigan will suit me, and Snow just looks boring. I don’t think they often let you stick, though. Maybe I’ll try and find out. Thank Fyora we don’t have to do the extra games, that was the worst part of being Normal.

      It’s not bad enough that you’ve never done it before, literally thrown in at the deep end having to start every game all on your own, then when everyone else gets to go and rest, or sight see, you have to go and be kicked around by over enthusiastic fans. Their eagerness is always worse, the more keen they are the worse their aim is, and you find yourself bouncing off the posts, walls, and other tourists.

      We’ve just been let out for the day, the poor newbies have been taken up to the pitches again. I’m fairly sure that there aren’t any planned trips today, its been scheduled as free time. I wonder what everyone’s planning?

      “Hey,” I bump another Mutant I recognise from previous years. “Is there a plan for today?”

      “Don’t think so.” He frowns, scanning the rolling crowd of Yooyus. We have created a constantly moving sea of colours, the only time we are truly mixed is in the freedom after the day’s games.

      “I think the Fires are doing their usual race around the walls of Altador. You know what they’re like, always trying to raise the temperatures in the aqueduct. Can you imagine?”

      “Not really” I muse. “That much speed, it must be nice. But, never being able to cool down? Not sure. What about the Darigans?”

      “One of them caught me staring at them in the Used Room, but thankfully thought I was cute, rather than obnoxious.” I snort at him, and he shoots me a wry glance. We’re still bouncing on the edge of the group, discussing our options.

      “I know, I know,” at least he’s grinning at me. “She invited me to join them, they’re going to the tomb outside the walls. She clearly felt sorry for me, I was just trying to work out what next year is going to be like, being Darigan and all that.”

      “Are you going with them?”

      “No. Just because one of them has the capability to feel pity, doesn’t mean the rest of them won’t tear me to shreds with insults and sarcasm. Not up for that!”

      “Probably a sensible choice. I heard the Snows are heading to the Port, going to try and get a boat ride in to see the sunset. Like the old folk they are!” I laugh, and he joins in. We draw the attention of a few Snows stretching close by us. We turn, quickly. Just because they’re old doesn’t mean they won’t lash out at us.

      “What are the Faerie doing?” I ask, trying to control my giggles and appear innocent. It doesn’t really work, though.

      “They’re going to the Hall of Heroes. I heard one of them suggest it and they all whooped. It was really irritating.”

      “Well, they are way too over excited about everything. Don’t you remember?” We groan in unison, just as the Faeries on the far side of the group shriek together happily.

      “So, that’s all the others. I know the Mutants are a solitary lot, but don’t we have any plans?” I almost despair at our unorganised tendencies. I love being Mutant, but our combined inability to plan anything together as a whole is a little irritating. Scratch that, I think with a sigh, as I watch the Fires launch themselves into the sky, and the Faeries float up, flaunting their forms, it’s not just a little irritating, it’s downright infuriating.

      “Nope.” He shrugs, it clearly doesn’t bother him as much as it does me. I roll my eyes at him, and he grins back at me. “D’you fancy checking out the archives?”

      “I can honestly think of nothing more boring!” I snipe.

      He chuckles at me, and nudges me over to the board. “Look,” he gestures. “There’s the market place, how about that?”

      A couple of Mutants are also looking at the list of suggested activities, and they chime in.

      “We did that yesterday, it’s not that great. Have you guys done the Hall of Heroes?”

      “Last year.” I tell them, wiggling a palm to indicate it was so-so.

      “Two years ago. It can’t have changed that much.” My friend copies my gesture.

      “But,” a though occurs to me, and I shiver with anticipation. “There are fountains in the gardens, and we get free entry, being Yooyus and all, so what about that?”

      There are murmurs of agreement coming from all around me, and a quick swivel on the spot shows me that the majority of the Mutants have joined our little huddle. The Snows are making a stately exit behind us, as the Darigans zip their way down the hill. We’re the last ones left, and by the looks of it, all of us are feeling a little lonely, a week into the competition with so many games ahead of us.

      “So, fountains?” Someone else pipes up, and there’s a noise of agreement that rolls across all of us.

      I’m not sure who spins off first, but we all follow, flocking across the field and down into the old part of the town. Who am I kidding, the whole of Altador is the old part! We stream through the twisting streets, and into the lobby of the Hall of Heroes.

      “How many?” drawls the receptionist, an Elderly Bruce who is more focused on the knitting in her lap than the swarm of Mutant Yooyus quivering in front of her desk.

      “Do we need a ticket for the gardens?” I ask, as the informal, unelected leader of our little group.

      “Entrance to the gardens is included in the price of a regular Neo or Petpet ticket. For a group of two Neo and up to four Petpets, you can get a good deal at only twenty thousand neopoints. For one Neo and one Petpet, our grounds and halls are yours for only eight thousand neopoints. For two Neopets, you will love our tours at only ten thousand neo-” Wow, what an irritating spiel, I think grumpily, and raise myself up to her eye level.

      “No, we aren’t after prices. We’re Yooyus from the Cup, we’d like to see the gardens please.” I state firmly, not allowing the nerves in my stomach to break through to my voice.

      Eventually, she looks up, and the look of boredom slides from her face as she finally realises what she is confronted with.

      “Uh- I uh… if… I mean… of course, please go right ahead.” she stutters. I forgot. A load of shuffling, rolling, restless Mutant Yooyus must be rather intimidating for a sheltered Elderly Bruce. Whoops. Maybe I should have been nicer. Next time.

      We flood the hall and flow quickly out of the glass doors. In less than thirty seconds we reach the fountains, and pause, breathless. The fountains here are clearly the best in Neopia, the water flowing seamlessly from one traditional circular fountain, to a modern fall cascading over a piano, then filtering through stone to arrive in a pond, before moving up a clear pipe to flow prettily down a pair of columns that frame the whole scene beautifully.

      The only sounds are of water flowing, falling, and trickling across the various displays, and despite our impetuous nature, as one we hold back, just to take in the sublime scene.

      The sunlight plays on the surface on the water as it moves through the fountains, flickering here and there where the reflections are pointed directly at us. There’s a rainbow bursting through on the tallest fountain, where the water rains down softly onto the pool below it.

      Another rainbow shines stronger behind it, where the water pulses defiantly up into the air and splashes down with confidence, splattering over a sweet little statue of two Kyriis hugging.

      A particularly large and noisy splash breaks the spell we’ve all been under. We cheer and whoop, and scatter, each heading to the nearest water. In no time at all, I’ve vaulted the small wall and am rolling in the shallow water of one of the constructed streams. For the first time since we arrived in Altador, I’m not overheating, and I rub my back delightedly on the cool stone below the shallow water.

      I lift my body slightly, and let the current carry me slowly down stream, faintly aware that the pond I’m floating towards has a couple of other Mutants, equally content and giggling softly, already there. I slip down a small waterfall, and roll over in the pond slowly, savouring being underwater.

      In doing so, I bump another Yooyu. It’s inevitable that a water fight breaks out, and I know our laughter and screams of enjoyment are spilling over the gardens. I can’t remember the last time Mutant Yooyus sounded so happy as a group before. It’s a nice change.

      To be continued…