True Friends

      The Uni, a Poogle and a Kougra stood over a red Ixi. The Ixi tried to ignore them as they taunted her and insulted her.

      Then the Kougra pushed the Ixi. She dropped all her books and papers and landed flat on her face. All the pets began to laugh and point as the Ixi fought away tears.

      I was the only one that did not laugh. She was my ex-best friend. I felt sorry for her, but not enough. As I walked over to my friends, the pets who were teasing her, I made sure that I kicked one of her books down the hall.

      "Nice one, Nalee!" the Uni whispered. I tried not to smile as I walked down the hall towards Math class.

      * * * * *

      Ever since my owner RayofSun finally completed the Secret Lab Map, I started to go. It was always good to me. At first, it changed me, from a "normal" blue Acara, to a beautiful, Spotted Kougra. I almost could not believe my luck! For the rest of the time I went, it always made me cooler! Soon I was popular!!! Whenever I walked by, pets would go, "Hey there's Nalee!" .I completely forgot about my not-so-cool friend. In other words we broke up. Now I never talk to her.

      Anyhow, that all changed one day….

      * * * * *

      "I'm ready!"

      I called to the Techo, who controlled the Lab Ray. I was strapped to a chair with safety restraints just in case things got ugly. I closed my eyes. I was only a teensy bit afraid of the ray. Dr. Scorchio the pet in charge of the Lab pressed the bright red, button. My skin began to tingle, as my body changed form. I felt myself change on the outside. Suddenly the tingling stopped. It was over.

      "Sun, let's go!" I grinned. Sun just stared at me, her mouth open with a look of pure horror. Dr. Scorchio took a step away from me and gave me a look of disgust and hatred.

      "What's wrong?" I asked nervously, fear welling up in my stomach. Sun held up a mirror. I looked into it, and stared at the hideous thing I saw.

      Me.

      I was no longer a beautiful Fire Uni. I screamed at myself. I was just too ugly!

      * * * * *

      "Nalee, can I come in?" Sun called from outside my room.

      "Go away!" I sniffed. Sun opened the door, completely ignoring the "DO NOT ENTER" sign on my door.

      "Honey don't be so sad" Sun soothed stroking my fur- I mean skin. "I'm sure lots of pets get zapped into a-"

      "How could I not be sad?" I moaned, her words not comforting me "I can't go to school like this!"

      * * * * *

      "Have a great day honey!" Sun called, as she walked away. I sighed. I was stuck at school. I walked down the hallway, with my Fire Faerie backpack, over one shoulder. Instead of being greeted by, "Hi Nalee!" or "Yo, what's up Nalee?" the other pets just stared at me. Some even mouthed the words, "Ewwwwww, gross!!!" I walked past my friends, Leah, a Faerie Poogle, Regal, and a Fire Kougra. Then there was Victoria, a shadow Uni who I dislike the most. She loves to bully other pets. She would also marry a mirror if she could!

      "Ewwwwww did you like fall from a building and land on your face or something, because it sure looks like it!" Victoria called after me. In anger, I yelled back.

      "Mind your own business!!!" I yelled in her face.

      "It's Nalee!" Regal exclaimed, recognizing my voice. Her face showed a look of pure horror.

      "I got zapped into a Mutant Aisha!" I exclaimed. I blinked my one eye and my ears (well, um I think they were my ears) swayed from side to side "Can you guys help me?"

      Victoria just stared at me, as if I had lost my mind.

      "Excuse me!" Victoria fumed. "You are now a mutant! M-U-T-A-N-T, MUTANT!!! Why in Neopia, would we help you! You are permanently out of the club! I always knew you were a freak! Come on! We need to get out of her before we're caught talking to her. Ugh!"

      "You should be our new leader!" Regal said to Victoria. Victoria smiled evilly.

      "Well since I am so popular, beautiful, smart and attractive and you asked so nicely…" she bragged.

      A few of the pets started to chant. "Nalee is a mutant! Nalee is a mutant! Nalee is an ugly stupid mutant! "

      Some pointed and laughed. Others mocked me more.

      "Get lost!" Leah mocked, "No one likes you any more! No one even did!"

      My mouth was dry and the room started to spin. This was NOT happening! I held back my tears. I was not going to give them the satisfaction of crying aloud. Therefore, I went into the bathroom to cry alone.

      I locked myself up in a cubicle. It was small and it smelt bad. I closed my eye and began to cry. I had lost my friends, my popularity… everything!

      * * * * *

      I stayed in that cubicle for an hour before some one noticed me.

      A red Ixi came in. She knocked the cubicle door. "Nalee? Are you there?" she asked. I opened the door. It was my ex-best friend Lexi. I turned my head away.

      "Why are trying to help me? I'm a mutant!" I sobbed. I emphasized the word mutant.

      "You're my friend! That's why," Lexi declared. "Come out so we can talk"

      I came out. "I abandoned you," I muttered as she washed my tear stained face with a paper towel. "Why are you helping me? After all, I have done to you?"

      Lexi sighed. "I felt sorry for you. No one deserves that. Except those so-called friends of yours. They deserve worse then that! Anyways I forgive you. Do you forgive me for breaking up with you just because you were popular since you went to the Secret Lab?"

      I turned towards my friend. "I will if you'll for give me for being a stuck up snob," I whispered. I held out my paw. "Are we friends?" I asked.

      Lexi smiled and held out her hoof. "Yes we are!" Then we hugged. I was beyond happy. It was then that I realized how stupid I had been. I had been treating a true friend like dirt and dirt like my so-called friends like friends. I did not need popularity to survive. All I needed was a true friend. Now I had one. That is all I needed. This time I would stay loyal to her though.

      * * * * *

      "I'm ready!" I called to the Techo, who controlled the Lab Ray. I was strapped to a chair with safety restraints just in case things got uglier. I hoped that it would not turn me into a snot pet. I was not afraid today though. Because no matter what I would still have my best friend, Lexi. However, Dr. Scorchio was probably still afraid of me since he would not touch me. Then he pressed the bright red button. My skin began to tingle, as my body changed form. I felt myself change on the outside. Suddenly the tingling stopped. It was over.

      Dr. Scorchio's mouth was open. Sun looked shocked. Then she smiled.

      "Am I a Mutant?" I asked Sun. On the other hand, was I a snot pet? Was I some thing worse? Sun shook her head, and pulled out a mirror, revealing a beautiful…Faerie Koi!

      "Is that me?" I asked in amazement. I was stunned. I had never been a Koi before. I felt cool! My skin was a sparkling blue color. I had piercing purple eyes. I had shiny beautiful wings! They were gorgeous! Sun beamed and hugged me. I felt like Queen of Neopia!

      * * * * *

      The next day at school was totally different. Pets greeted us (Lexi and I) with "Hi!' or "Hey Nalee! What's up, Lexi?" I was officially popular again! And now Lexi was, because of me!!!!!

      Then I walked past my ex-friends, Leah, Victoria and Regal. Victoria smiled sweetly at me.

      "You can rejoin the club, Nalee," she said sweetly. Then she scowled. "But that freak of nature…" she said, pointing to Lexi "has got to go!"

      "We didn't mean anything that we said yesterday!" Leah blubbered.

      "You are way to cool for her!" Regal exclaimed pointing at Lexi.

      Then I looked those snobs in the eye and said, "You are talking about my friend. If you did not know, she is a far better friend then you three will ever be! She actually likes me for who I am not my colour or species! I must decline, on the offer of rejoining the club. The reason is, that you all can't get your heads out of the clouds and realize that you're not even popular!!! And you are also, and will never stop being, stuck up, bullying snobs!"

      As I finished my speech I marched away happily, leaving my, so-called-friends with open jaws.

      Lexi smiled at me. "Thanks for standing up for me, Nalee!" she thanked. I smiled as I put my arm around her shoulder.

      "What are friends for, Lexi?" I replied.

      * * * * *

      Nobody picked on Lexi anymore, now that I had stood up to my ex-friends. Nobody was bullied anymore, and lots of pets congratulated me. One little Yurble even told me that I was a hero for standing up to them. I personally do not think they will ever bully again!

      * * * * *

      After school I ran up to Sun and hugged her. She was here to pick me up. Today I was a Plushie Kougra.

      "Time to go to the Lab Ray, Nalee," Sun smiled.

      I smiled.

      It did not matter if I was a Snot Ixi or a Fire Gelert. All that mattered was that I had a great friend and a fantastic owner. Why didn't I realize this before? True friends will always be there for you.

The End