The Troubles of a Pea

     Well, you're wrong, sorry to disappoint.

     My name is FruitPea—you can call me Ruit—and I'm a Pea Chia. I want to tell you a story about what my life has been like up until now... It wasn't as easy as it seems it would be!

     ***

     My life started out normal. I was created as a Green Chia—boring, yes, I know—but my owner (yes, I have a new one now but we'll get to that later) loved me. We would play Kacheek Seek together, she would feed me everything I wanted (I loved candy canes!), and I was her favorite Neopet. Ah, life was great, oh so great. I almost wish I could go back to that.

     But my owner soon bought the lab map and I was whisked away to the Laboratory to be zapped. Such a vile word, zapped, isn't it? Anyway, it was my first time going there and it was my owner's first time zapping a pet so neither of us knew what to expect.

     Well, we soon found out that the Lab Ray Scientist is just a tad bit on the crazy side. (I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him that! I don't want to fight him. He might change my gender again and I do not want to be female!)

     I was not expecting the rush of energy I felt once the ray zapped me. I felt more alive than I had ever felt before, yet it was painful at the same time. It's hard to explain, but I don't know how the "lab rats" stand being zapped every day. I'd probably explode with the amount of energy that became contained!

     I have no idea what that crazy scientist did to that machine, but it's amazing. I went in through the Lab Ray doors as a Green Chia and came out as a Pea. A Pea! Oh, my owner was so happy! She laughed and hugged me and even hugged the creepy scientist guy.

     And at that moment, I was also happier than I had ever been before.

     ***

     Ah yes, being zapped into a Pea was amazing. I made my owner so happy, and I was joyous too. I was cute and adorable and handsome and a pea! Who wouldn't have been happy? Only a crazy Neopet would be sad about being zapped into a Pea!

     Or so I had thought. As it turns out, being a Pea isn't all it's squished up to be. (Haha, get it? Squished instead of cracked up to be? Ah, whatever. It was humor!)

     Anyway, back to my story.

     ***

     It was two days after I had been zapped a Pea that I noticed my owner began frequenting the Neoboards more often. It wasn't that I minded so much; she got to meet new friends! Friends are important.

     The thing was that more people came to visit me. I wondered why, but I figured that it was just because I was a Pea. I was adorable! Of course people would want to look at me.

     After two weeks of my owner's boards, she came running to me screaming with joy. She had been lent something and wanted me to hold it for a moment.

     I thought that that was pretty funny, but I went along with it. I just held it for a second and POOF! something popped up and my owner was so happy. She hugged me and then took the item away.

     "Thank you, Ruit," she had told me before running off.

     I was so happy! I did something for my owner that made her happy! I was also confused because I really had no idea what just happened but whatever. Neopians are weird and get happy about weird things.

     ***

     Ah, those were the days indeed. I had been so happy because I had made my owner happy. What Neopet doesn't want to make their owner happy?

     If only I could have known what would come next.

     ***

     After I helped my owner, she spent so much time with me. I was probably the happiest Pea on Neopia. We played Kacheek Seek everyday and she even bought me some scratchcards! I loved to scratch them off.

     But about a week after I had helped my owner with the weird pop-up random event, she started to become distant. It wasn't that noticeable at first, but it was just noticeable enough for me to realize that something was different—wrong, even.

     She came to me one afternoon and asked, "Hey, Ruit, would you mind if I lent you out to a few of my friends?"

     I hadn't really known what being "lent" meant, so I agreed. I'd do anything to make my owner happy again. I love to see people happy.

     "Great!" she had said, smiling. "Come with me and I'll send you to Jess first!"

     It was at that moment that I realized that I had agreed to something extremely strange. My owner was going to send me to her friend! I trusted my owner, though, so I went along with it.

     And Jess was very sweet to me. I soon got her that weird pop-up random event too.

     Jess sent me back to my owner and everything was back to normal for a day or two.

     Then my owner sent me off to another friend named Bella.

     And after that one, I lost count of all the friends my owner sent me to. I went to so many other Neopians, holding that weird item for just a moment before those Neopians shrieked with joy and ran off. Then those Neopians came back and sent me back to my owner.

     I was exhausted from visiting so many people in such a short amount of time. I hoped to Fyora that I was done with helping people get that weird pop-up random event! I was so confused and tired and just done with the weird ways of some Neopians.

     And thank Fyora, I got my wish.

     "Hey Ruit. We're done now. I won't send you off again. Thank you so much for helping my friends out. I really do appreciate it," my owner had said.

     I let out a sigh of relief. "Phew! Thank goodness. I'm so tired. I'm glad I could help, though," I had said.

     My owner had just smiled and patted me on the head. I was happy again.

     ***

     Ah, I was glad that my crazy adventures were over. I really was too tired to go on to more Neopians and help them get that event. I hadn't been expecting what was coming next, though.

     No, I hadn't been expecting it at all.

     ***

     "Hey, Ruit! Come here for a minute please!" my owner had called up the stairs in our Neohome.

     "Coming!" I had called back. I bumbled down the steps, hopping down each own to account for my small pea-stature. "What is it?" I asked when I got into the kitchen. I thought she had a surprise for me—a treat of some sort, like a candy cane.

     But boy was I wrong. "I found you a new owner, Ruit." My owner had smiled.

     My heart had stopped. "A new what?"

     "A new owner," she repeated.

     I was so shocked and confused and sad all at the same time. Why did my owner want to get rid of me? "What? Why? I haven't done anything, have I?"

     "No, not at all Ruit. I'm just... looking for another pet and I no longer... need you around." She stopped for a moment before quickly continuing, "I don't mean it like that, Ruit. I really don't. I'll miss you, I will. I promise. I just know that a new owner will take better care of you than I have. You won't be sent out to any friends anymore. You'll live the Neopet life of luxury!"

     I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but I was kind of happy. I would miss my owner—I would—but I did want a new life, per se. I wanted a life of relaxation, of not worrying about whether or not I'll be sent on to another friend. Was that wrong of me? "I—I don't know what to say. I'll miss you, too." I hugged my owner.

     And that was when I saw the Neopian who would now be my new owner from that day on. Her name was Phroto.

     ***

     I felt so guilty but I was so happy that she wouldn't be my owner anymore. I still feel guilty for thinking that but less so. I now realize that my owner really did want me to feel that way. She just wanted to make me happy.

     Well, now we're back to the present again. Ah, it's been months since I've seen my old owner. She visits from time to time to make sure that I am still happy.

     And my old owner takes satisfaction in knowing that she adopted me out to a good owner because Phroto is probably the best owner I could've ever wished for. There's no doubt about it.

     That's not to say that my old owner wasn't good—I loved her, I did—but Phroto is... better. She treats me like I'm the only Pea Chia in Neopia, but she doesn't let me get away with anything. She protects me and loves me more than anyone ever has before.

     Phroto is such a great owner to me. I'm so happy to be a Pea.

The End

Thank you for reading my story! :) I did adopt Ruit from a very kind owner, but that isn't how I got him haha! I just thought it would be nice to share a story from a Pea Chia's point of view.