How Slow Can You Go?

     Eleanor huffed in frustration as Clause curtailed his way back to her. “Oh, come on. You know I’ll always circle back to you, buddy!” The striped torpedo said with a flashy grin.

     They were on their way to their favourite sandbar just outside of Maraqua. Every week, the pair would play a game of catch with rocks on the seafloor or pretty seashells that they had found.

     “Yeah, but you know that isn’t what bothers me…” Eleanor said, defeated. “I’m just so slow compared to you.” The seasnail Neopet retreated partially into her shell, leaving only her head and collar to face Clause.

     “But I like you just the way you are, slowpoke.” He said, using his tail to pat Eleanor on her shell.

     “Well, I don’t like me the way I am,” the Usul mumbled to herself out of earshot of her friend.

     They had just gotten to the sandbar and Clause found the perfect tiny golden shell to play catch with. They played until dinnertime and returned to their coral-coated homes in Maraqua for the evening.

     ***

     “Honey, what’s wrong?” Eleanor’s mother, a Maraquan Kiko, asked with concern. “You barely ate your dinner and now you won’t touch your triple chocolate shell.” The mollusc-like Neopet looked at her daughter with loving worry, her shell half-closed as if to soften the intrusive question.

     “I was playing with Clause today and I just couldn’t keep up. I’m not fast enough, Mom,” Eleanor whimpered out over her dessert.

     The Maraquan Kiko held back a chuckle. “Well, of course you couldn’t, my little love slug. You’re a sea slug Neopet. Clause is like a dragon of a lionfish! You’re both very unique Maraquan Neopets, Eleanor.”

     Apparently, this didn’t seem to cheer her up as she chose to roll her teenaged eyes in response.

     “Here. Why don’t you finish up that sugary seashell treat and then meet me outside?” As always, her mother had a more creative way of proving her point to the stubborn Usul that Eleanor was.

     The Maraquan Usul finished her dessert and trailed her way outside. Her mother was looking up at the last bit of the day’s sunlight beaming from the ocean’s surface far above. Eleanor let out an exasperated sigh, ready to begrudgingly listen to her mother’s long-winded analogies in order to placate her.

     “I felt the same way you’re feeling right now when I was growing up too, you know. I don’t even have a part of my body that can willingly take me where I want to go. As a mollusc, I have to count on following the ocean’s tide. Early on, I learned how to position my shell to take me where I want to go. However, it isn’t always easy.” Her mother was still looking at the sunbeams, as if she was not only talking to Eleanor but also talking to herself.

     “I would never win a race against a Maraquan Jetsam, but I did have a crowd who understood me. Your Uncle Jasper was one of them. He knew exactly how I felt because he could relate too.”

     Uncle Jasper was Mom’s childhood best friend. He was a Maraquan Chia with flamboyant anemone hair and a great sense of humour.

     “One day, two bullies at school were trying to make fun of us for our size, shape, and abilities. They were these two big guys - both of them were Maraquan Grarrls. They were telling us that we were sedentary Neopets and good for nothing, that we would never amount to anything. Your Uncle Jasper laughed in their face.” The Maraquan Kiko chortled as she reminisced this memory.

     Eleanor broke her silence. “What did he say to them, Mom?”

     Her mother looked at her with a devilish grin. “He said, ‘I might look like a sea flower, but I’m poisonous, honey. Touch a Queen like me and get stung. Not to mention, this hair is fabulous. Where’s yours?’”

     The mother and daughter pair laughed so hard they cried. Eleanor wiped away her own tears and choked out, “Stop it! I can totally see Uncle Jasper saying that.”

     “And he’s not wrong,” replied her mother.

     After their laughter subsided, Eleanor asked, “Mom, did you say anything to defend yourself to those bullies?”

     “Not at the time, no. Jasper’s response was enough of a burn to turn both of those sea monsters around, honestly.” She paused for a second. “But do you know what I would’ve said to them?”

     “What?”

     “I would’ve said, ‘Pearls are formed as a defence mechanism. I was forged in the fire of adversity and came out looking lustrous. You haven’t evolved since prehistoric times, shark boys.”

     “That’s a great comeback,” Eleanor replied with another laugh. “I love you, Mom. Thanks.”

     “You’re welcome, honey. You’re a beautiful and smart Maraquan Usul. What is your superpower?”

     “Hmmm, I’m not quite sure.” She said, deep in thought. Her mother was right, each and every Maraquan Neopet had its strengths and uniquities. What were hers?

     “I know we live in Maraqua, but did you know that seasnail Neopets such as yourself can live in both arctic and tropic waters? They can also live in extremely low depths of the ocean as well as extremely shallow depths right next to the shoreline. Talk about range!”

     “Wow, I didn’t know that! For real?” Eleanor’s eyes widened at the realization of her own strength and diverseness.

     “Mhm,” replied her mother. “AND your shell tells a story. The central axis is called a columella and the spiraled coils that emerge from it can depict your age and experience. You’re like a walking piece of art.” The Maraquan Kiko leaned over and gave her daughter a kiss.

     Eleanor’s heart felt as if it swelled with joy. “Thanks, Mama.” She said, holding back tears.

     “Thank you, Eleanor. For being you.” She smiled and rode a soft current back into the house, leaving her daughter with watery eyes looking up at the waning sunbeams.

     ***

     The next day, Eleanor found Clause as school let out for the day.

     “Hey, Clause!” she called to him from across the schoolyard.

     “Hey, buddy! How was your day?” Clause asked with a sincere smile on his face.

     “It was good,” Eleanor replied. “Do you wanna know what’s even better?” She looked at him with a wicked grin.

     “Uh oh. Do I wanna know?” The Maraquan Draik asked with a worried giggle.

     “I realized something last night after talking with my Mom. I know how I can be faster than you.” Eleanor raised her eyebrows in retort.

     “Oh yeah? I’ll believe that when I see it!” Clause held his belly in laughter.

     “Fine,” Eleanor said, dragging herself in front of her friend. “Follow me!”

     ***

     After following the Maraquan Usul for nearly an hour, Clause said, “Will you finally tell me where we’re going?!” He must’ve asked twenty times by now.

     “You’ll find out soon enough,” Eleanor repeated patiently, causing Clause to groan the most dramatic groan ever groaned in all of Maraqua. She giggled.

     “It’s getting cold and I’m hungry!” Clause whined. “I’ll let everyone at school know that you’re the fastest sea snail in all of Neopia if I can just go home and get something to eat!”

     “Just a little farther,” The Maraquan Usul grinned as she realized her plan was working.

     There was a steep drop-off straight ahead of them. “It’s just right up here!” Eleanor said, pointing down into the darkness.

     “Alright, here’s our race. Do you see the boulder about 20 meters into this crevice? Let’s see who can make it to that boulder and back the fastest. Whatever you do, don’t go easy on me. Okay?” Eleanor said, unphased by the change in sea level.

     “Ok-k-kay,” Clause agreed through aggressive shivers. His teeth were chattering and his webbed arms were tight against his quaking body in an attempt to hold his heat in.

     “On your marks… Get set… GO!” Eleanor said as she slugged her way toward the boulder as fast as she could.

     At the same time, Clause started swimming toward it too. While he was much faster than his Maraquan Usul friend, he didn’t make it much farther ahead of her. Once he was about five meters into his descent, he gasped.

     “YIKES!” he yelled. “That’s t-t-too c-c-c-COLD!” He darted back out of the deep ocean water and swam well above their starting point, burying himself in higher up sand to warm his body.

     Eleanor giggled and slowly made her way to the boulder and back without batting an eye.

     “How did you do that?” Clause asked bewildered, still sunk into the sand.

     “Well, I might be the slowest Neopet in Maraqua, but I can withstand arctic temperatures. Isn’t that AWESOME?” She said with an excited grin.

     “You almost froze my tail fin off with that stunt, but I do have to admit. That is pretty rad.” Clause smiled in return. “Now, come on. Let’s go get dinner and then play catch, Wonder Snail!”

     The two-headed towards home - Eleanor slowly rolling through the sand as Clause darted circles around her, just as it was meant to be.