Two Peas in a Pod

     "Remember when we were really tiny peas at only a week old? And we think we're small now! Of course, we still are small now... But we're huge compared to how we used to be," Demali said.

     "Yeah," the shy Zyna agreed.

     "I don't know what I would have done without you if I had been born as a solitary pea in a pod. It would be crowded and boring in here without you and I don't know how I would have been able to stand it, Zyna, dear," Demali said.

     Zyna shrugged. She was the opposite of her motherly, optimistic, outgoing sister.

     "At least we have our music: The Neopian Philharmonic, we both like them! And I like Jazzmosis and you like the 2 Gallon Hats. So that keeps us occupied. And oh, I love reminiscing, don't you?" Demali asked.

     "Sure," depressed Zyna said.

     "Aw, c'mon, cheer up, sweet! Something on your mind?" Demali inquired.

     "Kind of," Zyna said.

     Demali waited patiently. She was the kind of person that had a shoulder someone could cry on. She waited some more.

     Finally Zyna cracked. "D- Demali, what will we do when we're fully grown?"

     Demali gasped, but quickly recovered. "Only time will tell, Zyna, only time will tell. Oh, our pod is getting soggy and cold. It must be raining outdoors. Huddle up to me some more, Zyna, would you, and we can talk about our childhood."

     Zyna sighed and scooted closer to Demali.

     "Don't you remember that time when we found that tiny pea in our pod? It wasn't a real pea at all, more like a seed. And we tossed it as a ball when we got bored? Whatever happened to it?" Demali asked.

     Zyna shrugged.

     "I think it might have dissolved," Demali whispered. As if anyone could have heard her.

     "I'm tired," Zyna said in her hoarse, quiet voice that was rarely heard.

     "Okay. I'll go to bed too, then," Demali said. She watched Zyna go to one corner of the pod, and then she went to the other corner, smiling. "That Zyna. She's such a doll," Demali whispered to herself.

     Demali lay down in her corner. After a few minutes, she was listening to the rhythmic sounds of Zyna's snores. But Demali herself could not fall asleep. She loved her sister, sure, but sometimes she wished for someone a little more... Someone that wasn't sad and pessimistic. She was never bored, but if Demali was someone normal and not optimistic, she would always be bored. Zyna wasn't exactly what you'd call fun.

     ********

     The next day, Demali and Zyna woke with a start. They felt their pod shaking like there was an earthquake. Then they felt it falling very quickly, and then landing.

     "What's that?" Zyna whispered, gripped with fear.

     "An earthquake, maybe, love. It'll be over soon," Demali said. But Demali didn't actually feel as calm as she sounded. If a pod fell off of its vine, it would have no source of water and would die. Demali shivered with fright.

     But the shaking ended as soon as it started. Demali and Zyna felt bouncing. They were moving sideways, bouncing up and down!

     What could possibly be going on, thought Demali.

     ********

     An hour later, Demali had just finished thinking about what could have possibly happened. The shaking had ended ages ago, and things had been calm and quiet since. Life was awful in a pod sometimes. You had no connections with the outside world.

     But right after Demali had concluded that it was just some weird dream, she felt the bumping and shaking again. But this time...

     A burst of light poured into Demali and Zyna's eyes, blinding the both of them.

     "Agh!" Zyna screeched in her high-pitched pea Chia tone. She wasn't speaking quietly anymore!

     "Our pod has been split open," Demali muttered. "But how?"

     Soon her question had been answered. Standing there was an Acara in overalls. She had on gloves. Then she said, "Mm, I cannot WAIT to sell these peas to the food shop at market!"

     Demali and Zyna gasped.

     "Wait! I'm alive!" Zyna screamed, waving her arms. She refused to remain her quiet self at a time like this.

     The Acara stared downwards at the two peas still in the broken pod. "Excuse me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Boy, I need some sleep! My ears are playing so many tricks on me. Peas don't talk!"

     "We're Chias, not peas!" Demali screamed as loud as she could.

     The Acara only rubbed her eyes and completely split open Demali and Zyna's pod. She dumped the two peas in a silver bowl and continued splitting open other pods.

     "Wow, look," Demali said, nudging Zyna. "We're the only pea CHIAS. The rest of those peas - are really peas! They aren't real Neopets at all. Wow. I wonder why and if we are the ONLY ones."

     "Weird," Zyna agreed quietly. She was terribly worried.

     "Maybe it's some rare chance. That we don't have to be zapped by the lab or anything; we're just born this way," Demali mused.

     "Please. I want this time in peace," Zyna whispered hoarsely.

     "Whoa. That's the biggest phrase you've ever said at once in your whole life! Seven whole words!" Demali exclaimed.

     Zyna only rolled her eyes.

     ********

     Zyna woke up, rubbing her eyes. She was in some dark area, and she felt like she was in a crowded space: somewhere even more crowded than her pod! The last thing she remembered was falling asleep beside Demali in that silver bowl.

     "Demali?" Zyna hissed. No answer. "Demali!"

     Everything was absolutely quite and utterly dark. Zyna was a little scared. The only pea in the world she could depend on was Demali. The only pea she could confide in? Demali. The pea she needed to help her stand straight on her two feet? That was Demali, too. No one else.

     ********

     Demali also woke up. She yawned and stretched. She didn't know where she was. But she did know that it was dark, warm, and stuffy. She didn't remember anything except falling asleep in that silver bowl she had been placed in.

     "Hey, Zyna? Are you there?" Demali called out loudly. There wasn't a reply, of course. "ZYNA!"

     Demali blinked her eyes a couple times, hoping they'd adjust to the darkness. They did. Barely. She still couldn't make out a single shape. Demali was worried about Zyna. She knew Zyna needed her, and apparently they were separated. Oh, she should have never fallen asleep!

     ********

     Zyna gasped when she realized where she was. She was in a bag of peas. The bag was closed and tied at the top, apparently. Zyna felt thankful she was at the top of the pile of peas, so she wouldn't be suffocated under the weight of all of the other peas.

     She sighed. There was not another single living pea here. The rest of them were all food. Zyna was the only seeing, breathing pea in the whole bunch. She wanted her sister terribly.

     ********

     Demali was also on the top of the peas in her bag, as well. She felt optimistic in this awful situation. She was glad she wasn't in a bowl of mushy peas. That was something to be really glad about! She'd rather be whole than mushy.

     Suddenly, Demali felt her bag being picked up. She felt herself roll around and be sloshed against other peas. Some other peas rolled on top of her. Their weight was not comfortable.

     ********

     Zyna felt her bag being lifted! She tumbled against the lifeless, normal peas and gasped. They were so cold and unwelcoming. It wasn't a happy situation.

     "Demali, help!" Zyna called, out of instinct. She quickly shut her mouth, embarrassed. Why had she called for Demali? That had been dumb.

     ********

     Demali saw light as the bag was untied and opened. She sighed with relief. Her wait was over. She smiled as she was dumped into yet another bowl. At least it was light. The bad thing was, Demali ended up at the bottom of the pile of peas in the bowl. It was hard to breathe.

     ********

     Zyna felt herself also being dumped into a bowl. She was also on the bottom of the pile. Zyna began to work her way to the top so she could see something else besides the color green again.

     ********

     Demali and Zyna were both working their way to the top of the peas in their bowl. They both made it up at about the same time, Zyna getting up milliseconds ahead of Demali.

     Zyna took a quick glance around. "Demali!" she shrieked.

     "Zyna!"

     There were two bowls sitting on a countertop, Demali in one, Zyna on the other. They were reunited at last!

     "I missed you, Demali," Zyna said with a smile.

     "I missed you, too."

     They were both poured onto one plate and watched as a shiny utensil came down upon them.

     "Uh oh. Hey, Zyna. I think that thing is called a fork. It's not good news," Demali said quickly.

The End

Author's Note: I hope you liked this story and its ending. :D It doesn't exactly have a good ending for Demali and Zyna, does it? Thanks to Droplet for accepting my story, and thank you to the members of NTWF for being so kind and welcoming. I'll stop blabbering now. ;)