The Metal Box of DOOM!

      Anyway, my owner had won a ghost paint brush from Key Quest. She used it to paint my sister, Honestlily, who is now a ghost Poogle. It actually creeps me out when I have to look at her red eyes, and I’m grateful that we’re painting her shadow soon. Not only that, but Lily’s the youngest, and it’s weird to see a Neopet her age as a ghost. Anyway, my owner had almost made 900k for the paint brush, but she has a spending problem.

      Jazz, my genius blue Xweetok sister, suggested, “Why don’t you buy a Baby Paint Brush? I mean, it’s healthy to splurge every once in a while, and when you have another 300k, you can trade the Baby Paint Brush and the money for a shadow paint brush.”

      Splat, which is what my sisters and I call my owner, had gasped and squealed, “That’s a great idea! Plus, I’m really tired of never spending any money.”

      I’d poked my younger sister, Suki the baby Xweetok, and whispered, “You’re going with her.”

      Right then, my owner announced, “I’m taking Bella with me.”

      I looked at her disbelievingly. (Did I spell that right?) “B-but... well, um, what if Boochi zaps me?”

      Splat protested, “He’s already zapped you once, and then we painted you faerie. Doesn’t the Hidden Tower have that discount for faerie pets?”

      I hung my head in defeat. I’d lost this argument, and that meant that I’d be stuck with all those stupid faeries and all that pink and... and all that glitter for at least half an hour.

     *

      “Thank you for your custom!” Fyora called out as we left the tower cradling the Baby Paint Brush.

      “Let’s get this to the bank before the Pant Devil takes it.”

      We hurried off to Neopia Central and dashed into the bank. The Ixi at the front desk escorted us to our SDB.

      “Here it is.”

      I stepped into the large safe that was my owner’s SDB. The expanse of space was cluttered with food, books, items from the Advent Calendar, plot prizes, retired items and, now, a Baby Paint Brush. Somehow this all fit onto one gigantic pile in the center.

      My owner rummaged through the pile, searching for anything that could be sold. Just then, a Snicklebeast flew out of the pile. I shrieked as the petpet knocked me down.

      Splat sighed. “Come on, Bella, let’s go.” She strolled out of the SDB and swung the door shut with a satisfying click.

      “WAIT!!!!!” I pounded against the door. “MOM! MOM!!! COME IN HERE AND GET ME!!”

      I sighed and slumped against the wall. My owner had to realize that I was gone eventually. That’s when I realized that my owner forgot Suki on Roo Island for two days. Luckily, one of the shopkeepers tracked my owner down and returned my sister. My throat tightened and started to burn. I’m not going to cry, I’m not going to... My thoughts were stopped as one lonely tear escaped my eye. What would I eat? What would I do?

      I immediately started to claw through the pile of items and managed to salvage some food from the Advent Calendar, grapes, a negg and some rock slices.

      I started trying to think of when Splat would come back here again. She’s going to trade the Baby Paint Brush for a Shadow Paint Brush, and she almost has enough money for it, so... I probably wouldn’t be waiting for very long. I curled up next to a pile of knick-knacks such as a music box or a crystal ball.

      I tried to drift off to sleep, but my thoughts kept on wandering. What would I do until I got out? Maybe I’d get so crazy that I’d willingly read some books, but my owner is really protective of all her rare books. I sat up and clawed around until I found a Paint Your Own Sandan Set. I fiddled with the paints until I had the right shade of blue to match the Sandan in the game Jumpin’ Gem Heist.

      Eventually I was so lost in my painting that I almost didn’t notice the Snowbunny next to me.

      “Oh yeah,” I murmured as I turned to the petpet. “My owner’s somehow convinced that these things will be worth millions someday.” The petpet hopped over the wall and started to gnaw on it.

      “What are you doing?” I wondered, as if the thing would actually respond. I was quite tired and hungry, so I forgot about the Snowbunny and took a bite of the Mixed Rock Slices I’d found. I eventually got fatigued and fell into a deep slumber.

     *

      I must have slept around twelve hours. When I woke up, I noticed the Snowbunny again. It was still gnawing on the wall, and it had made a hole about the size of a negg.

      “Whoa!” I hopped up and got on my feet. I thought I’d make the hole big enough to get me out, or at least big enough for me to send a message. I grabbed the paint brush and leftover paint from the Paint Your Own Sandan Set, and then I looked around for some paper. I wouldn’t dare touch any of the retired books that my owner treasured. I soon found an Award Show Play Set, and it didn’t take me long to realize that I could write on the envelope.

      I scrawled a quick note on the back of the envelope using the paint:

     I’m Isabella_212 and my owner is 7splat52. I’m trapped in my owner’s SDB. I’ve sent a Snowbunny to deliver this note to whoever might find it. Please get me out!!

      I tore off the seal on the envelope and used the sticky side to attach it to the Snowbunny.

      “Go!” I said. “Find someone to get me out!” There I was again, talking to a petpet. The Snowbunny sort of nodded, or maybe I was getting delirious, and it was off. It bounced through the hole and I watched the Snowbunny become an ever-shrinking silhouette as it headed down the hall. That note was my only hope.

     *

      I heard the door of the SDB creak, and then I saw my owner swing it open.

      “Bella! There you are! You shouldn’t have gone off like that and made me so worried!!”

      I sighed. “Mom, you are the one who left me in here. Thanks to your mistake, I’ve sent off a Snowbunny with a note attached to it in search of someone to rescue me.”

      My owner’s face turned red.

      “Mom? M-mom?”

      Splat said, her voice growing louder and more furious with each word, “You sent off a 330k petpet with a note... AND YOU EXPECTED IT TO FIND SOMEONE TO RESCUE YOU?!! YOU REALLY BELIEVED IT WOULD FIND YOU HELP?!!”

      I squeaked, “It, um... it worked in that movie, Trapped in the Jungle. They, um... they...” I laid my paw on my owner’s shoulder and brought my voice up to normal volume. “Well, I honestly didn’t think you’d come for me, and at least I came up with an escape plan.”

      My owner forced a smile. “I’m not going to punish you. It’s just that... 330,000 NP down the drain...”

      Just then, a little white figure appeared next to the hole in the wall. I gasped.

      “Mom, it’s back! The Snowbunny is back!”

      Splat gasped. “I... I’m sorry, Bella. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. In fact, I think you’ve earned yourself...”

      I bounced up and down. “Dubloons? Gourmet foods? What is it?”

      “Just because I haven’t given you anything in a while, you can have a Snicklebeast.”

      “Seriously? I’ve always wanted one! I love you, Mom!”

      That’s how I got out of my owner’s SDB. We got the hole in the wall repaired, and now everything’s back to normal... or as normal as it can be in my house. I guess that, even in the most bizarre of situations, it’s family that always gets you out.

The End