Purple Pebble: Part Five

     Feri stepped up to the microphone and cleared her through, a little nervously it seemed. "Hi, guys, pets and masters of all genders, species, colors, and ages! I would like to tell you we made some new songs. In fact, I am a sister. And in fact, my sister is sitting in the front row right now, out of those 655 pets in the front row; she and my master are there. And so I lied. I was mad at Ollie, is all. But I have some new and better songs for you. Hope you like! This next one is called 'Pebble Pebble'. Hit it Fidele!"

     Fidele started playing the guitar, loudly. Then three bursts of the drum. Fidele sang: "Ooh, ooh!" And then Feri's voice joined in.

     There was a pebble in the desert, a pebble, a pebble, its purple color glowed in the glowed in the oasis... Oasis... Oh yeah! The pebble helped me here, the pebble helped you here, without it darling you would not cheer... oh cheer for me! I never knew my talent without this pebble, it was magic and it brought me here, brought me here, brought me here, oh yes it did!

     The song went on like that. Ollie thought it wasn't a very good song. It didn't rhyme well and had not much meaning to it that anyone would understand. But maybe that was the point. Maybe people shouldn't have to understand everything.

     Of course Tay was proud. She'd be proud of her little Chomby daughter any day, no matter what Feri did. It was a mother thing. Mothers were always proud, even if you honestly had no talent.

     Feri was shaking, and nervous. Shaking and nervous like crazy! No one seemed to like the new song. What was the matter with it? Then it hit Feri. Neopets these days. All they liked were degrading songs. Degrading words and phrases was popular. Kindness, generosity. No one cared about those things, virtues and good values. Sarcasm and tragedy was all anyone wanted, and now they weren't getting it anymore. Feri felt a Magic Smelly Sock pelt her tail and hang there, but she couldn't stop singing. She was angry at everyone, but especially herself. If only she'd never made those first songs, the degrading Ollie songs...

     This purple stone it guided me to you, my love and love and love it grew... YEAH!

     The song ended with a spontaneous yeah! and everything was over. Feri felt herself gently sliding back to the microphone. "I can tell you guys don't like the song as much. What's the matter?"

     Horrible question. Thousands of pets starting screaming different answers all at once, screaming, stomping, shaking their fists, angrily clapping to draw attention to themselves from the crowd. Feri wanted to turn away from everyone, but she could not. The seats surrounded the whole stage. It was a circular arena, and there was nothing she could do. She was in the middle of everything.

     Feri stepped back to the microphone. She spoke a few words, but she couldn't even hear them herself over all the yelling. Screaming in a microphone would deafen people, but Feri had to do it. So she screamed.

     "EVERYONE! LISTEN UP!" Pets and masters alike looked her way. "I will walk to a few people in the front row and ask their opinions. So shush."

     Feri walked over to an Electric Lupe that was trying to act cool. The Lupe looked startled when he noticed Feri coming, and straightened his posture a bit.

     "What do you think about the new songs?" Feri asked.

     "I like them, I guess. But your old ones were better," the Lupe said nervously.

     "What do you mean by BETTER?" inquired Feri.

     "Well, they were catchy. Talking about you not being a sister. A little... cooler, I guess," was the reply.

     "Thanks," Feri said, then turning to a Grey Aisha: "Your opinions?"

     "Your songs are so sad," the Aisha whispered into the microphone, a tear rolling down her cheek.

     Feri turned away from the grey pet to a pink Bori. "And you?"

     "Horrible songs! They need to be insulting! Insults are cool!"

     Feri was now fuming. How could people think such things? All of these pets must get joy out of other people's miseries. Feri couldn't believe they liked being mean. She walked to her sister.

     Ollie stood up and took the microphone. "I'm the famous Ollie," she said, overcoming any meekness she had had. "Feri and I got separated by the pebble. I know you won't believe me, but it was magic. I tried to get to her as fast I could, but imagine: time here is much faster than where I was, so what seemed like an hour to me was months to Feri. She thought I had abandoned her, you know. She got mad and made all these songs. I wasn't happy about this - it hurt me inside, my feelings, you know? I don't know why you like those old songs better than the new ones. You don't deserve Feri's generosities or her musical talents." And with that Ollie handed back the microphone.

     "Thanks," Feri whispered to her sister, holding the microphone away from her face so no one else could hear what she said but Ollie and Tay.

     "I'm quitting. Carla, Fidele, I'm sorry. You'll have to find a new singer for Feri 'N' Friends, and a new Feri all together. As I said, I'm sorry to leave you, but I don't like what I'm doing. This isn't my dream occupation, although it's been a dashing experience. Thank you everyone. Good night," Feri said.

     "Wait!" Carla exclaimed. "I'm quitting too. Without you, Feri, how can we have Feri 'N' Friends? We'd need to find a new Feri, and there's no replacing you," Carla said.

     "I'm quitting too," Fidele put it, throwing down her guitar. "So long, folks!" she screamed.

     Ollie couldn't believe this was happening.

     On the way neohome from the concert, no one spoke a word. Ollie, Feri, Carla, Fidele, and Tay all walked in silence. Fidele slipped the key into the hole and twisted it, opening the door. Everyone flopped down in the living room.

     "Why'd you all give up your music?" Tay asked, wiping away a tear. "You're all so... talented. Young people with wonderful words."

     "It wasn't what we wanted, mum. Those people didn't care about us much, anyway. I'd rather be here with you, Ollie, Carla, and Fidele. My friends and family is what is important to me."

     "Yes, Miss Tay," Carla said, nodding her head.

     "I liked playing guitar," Fidele said softly, "but, not in front of people who don't appreciate it. I'll play it for you all anytime, though."

     "How sweet," Tay murmured.

     "Yes," said Ollie, shaking her head. "How will you keep the mansion of a neohome?"

     Feri's jaw dropped. "I didn't think of that!" she declared.

     "I did," Fidele said. "Considering all of the money we owe, to the concert hall, ticket booth, bills, appliances, and much more, we'd have to get rid of our neohome right now and pay some more to pay it all off. I suggest we start firing staff."

     Feri hung her head. "I'll miss this place. It's really become home."

     Carla groaned. "Fidele. You should have reminded me. Of course, silly me, we can't just keep the neohome when we no longer have income."

     "It's okay. I'm eager to get back to normal life with the bunch of you anyhow," Tay said.

     "I agree," was Ollie's reply.

     A week later, the bunch lived in Feri, Ollie, and Tay's old neohome: the small one, which they had been able to get back into pretty easily and without much trouble. Of course, some extra rooms had been added on with a little leftover money Feri had managed to keep. Now they had: two bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, three bedrooms (one for Tay, one for Ollie and Feri, and one for Carla and Fidele to share), a living room, a hallway, and that was about it.

     Life became normal again. The pebbles were set up on the mantle, always shimmering and gleaming and reminding everyone of a past life. Things were boring and there were no concerts to plan. Everyone became lazy again.

     One rainy day Feri remarked, "Well, I guess our adventures are over now, eh, Ollie?"

     "Yes. Everything was fun. I'll miss all we did. Sometimes I just want to touch those stones and let them take me somewhere wild, maybe test them again. But that era is over now, and I know I can't do that," Ollie muttered.

     But they were very wrong. Their travels weren't over yet, not so soon.

To be continued...