NeoBlues

     “All right, Nan! Come down from there! You can’t fly to Maraqua!” I yelled up at her. Nan is the greatest red Shoyru ever, but she is slightly... well... slightly conceited. Honestly, I really hate to say anything bad about my pet, but I have to admit that it’s true.

     “I bet I could,” Nan retorted as she swooped down over my head. “Especially if-”

     “Nan, you know I can’t afford a paintbrush. Besides, would you really want to be painted Maraquan?” I sighed. Nan and I had had this conversation so many times before. I wanted to paint her with all my heart, but there was no way I could afford it, especially with the secret tower in Faerieland out of commission.

     “But-”

     “But the Ferry’s here, Nan.” I said sternly, taking her hand and pulling her towards the small Ferry that would carry us to Maraqua.

***

     When we arrived at Kelp, Nan squealed with delight. Literally.

     “Kelp? No way! This is my surprise?”

     I had been holding out on Nan for a while, telling her that I had a special surprise. My shop was doing really well, so I had some money saved up, and poor Nan had been living off of Omelette for weeks. For some reason, Nan and I never seem to have many extra Neopoints lying around.

     “Yeah, I thought that you would like—what’s wrong, Nan?”

     “It’s closed,” Nan said, as a tear welled in one large eye. “Kelp is closed.”

     “Well, we’ll come back tomorrow,” I said, instantly feeling bad about getting mad at Nan earlier.

     “No.” Nan sniffled. “Look, the sign says: Closed for repair, open on the 12th day of Sleeping. That’s next year.”

     “I’m sorry, Nan,” I apologized. “We’ll go home and play and I’ll go to Neopian Fresh Foods in Neopia Central and buy you a Giant Grarrl Burger. Remember when you saw that Usul eating one and how much you begged me to get you one? Come on, we’ll have our own little party at home. I still have some toffee left over from your Born Day.” When Nan was born, we celebrated her ‘Born Day.’

     “I guess.” Nan sighed sadly, dragging her feet.

***

     When we got home, Nan didn’t want the Giant Grarrl Burger, or the Born Day toffee. I couldn’t even convince her to go to the arcade, or play a round of Cheat! with me, which are her favorite things to do.

     Worried, I took Nan’s temperature, but she was fine, so I put Nan in bed with a copy of The Armory and went to the Neopian Hospital, thinking that she might have caught something without me knowing it.

     “Nan doesn’t want to play or eat, or do anything ever since she found out Kelp is closed,” I told the doctor.

     The doctor diagnosed her with NeoBlues, saying, “The pharmacy is all sold out of Tasty Pies, and they aren’t supposed to get a new stock in for another eight minutes.” The doctor looked apologetic. “Try the shop wizard.”

     “Thanks for everything, Dr. Gelert.” I smiled and waved as I ran out of the Hospital and towards the shop wizard, who I had just seen pass by the window.

     “Mr.—Mr. Shop Wizard,” I gasped when I caught up to him. Boy, for a little yellow JubJub, that Wizard can move fast! “Mr. Wizard, I’m looking for a Tasty Pie.”

     “Let’s see... I have three at the moment, at 7,000NP, 12,000NP, and 15,000NP.”

     “Okay, thanks, but I don’t need a transport to any of the shops right now. Thanks anyway!” Nan and I just didn’t have that kind of money, so I sprinted off toward Nan and my home in Shenkuu. It was late by the time I got home, so I snuggled Nan in and went to bed.

***

     Early the next morning, I had a very reluctant Nan fly me to Faerieland. This nearly broke my heart. Nan loves flying more than ANYTHING.

     “Stop here, Nan!” I yelled over the noise of the rushing wind. Nan landed smoothly at the Healing Springs, and I told Nan to sit quietly at the edge of the cloud.

     I walked up to the Water Faerie and bowed to show my respect. Then I explained my dilemma and asked her if she could heal Nan.

     “Your Shoyru doesn’t have NeoBlues. There’s nothing I can do to help her. I suggest that you try taking her to somewhere that is almost as good as or better than Kelp. I just hope you didn’t spend all of your Neopoints on your doctor’s visit!”

     “Thanks so much!” I said reverently. Then I added to Nan, “Hey Nan, let's head for Sakhmet. I need to pick up a copy of Pazo the Lonely Aisha.”

     “Oh, and by the way, today is the day that Princess Amira is having her annual Sakhmet Parade. She’s going to be on one of the floats,” the faerie whispered in my ear as I headed towards Nan.

     As we flew towards Sakhmet, I said to Nan, “Oh, and did I tell you how much I love water faeries?”

     Nan twisted towards me as she weaved between the clouds above Neopia and said, “What did she tell you?”

     “Nothing, nothing. But I have another surprise for you!” I grinned devilishly.

***

     We arrived at Sakhmet at around noon. “I’m starved,” Nan moaned. I smiled as I lead her towards the food stand. The faerie's plan was already working.

     Nan and I feasted on fruits and Sphinx Links underneath the bright, silk-striped tent. Suddenly, trumpets sounded, and an enormous, slightly overweight Desert Elephante strolled through the street, yelling, “Announcing, Princess Amira!”

     Eyes bright, Nan turned towards me. “The princess, really?”

     I smiled and nodded. Nan clapped and cheered as the floats passed by our table. When the princess passed, Nan yelled her name louder than anyone else. The princess stopped and came over towards us.

     “Hello!” she said brightly, then, she spotted what we were eating and said, “Ooooh! I love Sphinx Links!”

     Nan said, “They’re my favorite too!”

     I stifled a giggle. Just five minutes ago, Nan had been picking at her Sphinx Links, complaining that she didn’t like them. Princess Amira smiled and said, “The fruit machine is open, and I hear they have a paintbrush to give away!” She winked at me and, moved on while Nan swallowed the rest of her Link in one bite.

     After the float was over, we went to play Fruit Machine. “Maybe we’ll get that paintbrush!” Nan grinned hopefully. “Princess Amira told us specially about it! I bet she knew what a great pet I am.”

     “Maybe...” I didn’t want Nan to get her hopes up too high, then be let down again.

     Nan spun the wheel, and while it was spinning, I wandered over to look at a rack of today’s Neopian Times. While I was reading the front page story, Nan wandered over, looking crestfallen. She held up a bag of Neopoints and said, “Here. We won 3,000 Neopoints. No paintbrush.”

     I smiled and said, “Actually, Neopoints are perfect. Take a look at this.” I held out the Times to Nan.

     Nan’s eyes lit up as she read the headline: Kelp Reopens After Cancelling Planned Renovations.

     I smiled at Nan and said, “How about we go to Kelp for lunch tomorrow?”

     She smiled with delight and said, “Yes, please!”

The End