Avey's Castle of Hope: Part Five

Avey's been caught, and she knows she's in huge trouble. Miss Beamon threatens to call the pound to take her away and Rosalina Siara makes a comment that makes Avey thinks she might be abandoned again. Avey's world is tumbling down but being as determined and spirited as she is, it doesn't stop her. With the help of a new dear friend and the ideal prospect of listening to her heart, Avey gives the Xweetok sisters the thing they've been longing for. She even reunites with something she's been longing for too...

     ~*~

"AVEY! I'M SPEAKING TO YOU! LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO YOU!" Rosalina Siara roared, furiously, causing Avey to flinch.

     "I...." she stammered painfully. "I..." Her mouth was horribly dry and tears choked her voice.

     Miss Beamon snorted. "What a dreadful, scheming little girl you have, Rosalina Siara. It's not you to bring one up like this."

     Rosalina Siara shook her head. "Avey, I'm very disappointed in you," she said coldly, trying to contain her anger.

     "Rosalina Siara, I-" Avey started.

     "DREADFUL, HORRIBLE GIRL!" Miss Beamon shouted angrily. "She needs a lesson! She needs to be destroyed! She needs-"

     "Oh, Rosalina-" Avey pleaded, failing because Miss Beamon interrupted again.

     "SHE NEEDS THE POUND! The pound will teach anyone a lesson! To think, she stole two of my beloved pound children to hide them away in this dreadful castle," Miss Beamon said, her nose high. "What a despicable child!"

     "What?" Avey's eyes brimmed with angry tears. "BELOVED?!? You don't care about them! You're a witch! A horrible, awful, mean old witch!" Avey growled.

     "AVEY!?" Rosalina Siara was horror struck.

     "You don't care one bit about Clara and Emmeline!" Avey continued with blazing turquoise eyes. "You make them do all the work and never let them play! You make them wash the dishes and clean the pound floors! You don't even feed them much and-"

     "Avey," Rosalina Siara hissed coldly through clenched teeth. "That's quite enough."

     "NO, IT ISN'T!" Avey wailed. "It'll never be enough! She's mistreated Clara and Emmeline for the last time!!! I... I..." And then she sobbed into her paws, knowing she had failed. Clara and Emmeline would have to go back to the pound with Miss Beamon.

     Clara and Emmeline stood there quietly, their heads down and their hearts crying out for Avey, and how she had risked so much to save them.

     Clara went up to Avey and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Avey, please don't cry..." she murmured softly.

     "B-but, Clara!" Avey sobbed. "I promised I'd t-take care of you...and I've f-failed..." Sobs shook Avey's body and Rosalina Siara and Miss Beamon watched, expressionless.

     "No, Avey, you didn't," Clara said gently. "It's okay, Avey. You did all you could. But...we have to go back to the pound now...." Her heart ached as Avey shook her head fiercely and sobbed violently. "...we'll never, ever forget what you've done for us, Avey... never. You're a true friend."

     Clara stepped back and looked at Miss Beamon.

     Emmeline ran up to Avey and threw her paws around her waist. "Avey, I'll miss you." She backed up and held tightly to Clara's paw, her beautiful brown eyes sorrowful.

     Miss Beamon nodded firmly. "I see the girl knows she's lost." She beckoned Clara and Emmeline. "Come. We must go," she sourly said.

     Clara and Emmeline waved one last good bye, and Miss Beamon hissed as she passed by Avey, "This isn't the end, goodie-girl. You will be punished!"

     Avey wept bitterly, angry at herself for failing. She turned to face Rosalina Siara. "I promised them, Rosalina Siara. I promised them I'd always be there!"

     Rosalina Siara sighed deeply. "Oh, Avey, was it such a good idea to think I could possibly bring you up as a Royal?"

     Avey was taken aback. Rosalina Siara didn't want her anymore! With tears flowing from her eyes, she ran all the way to her room, not stopping until she had slammed the door and smashed her button collection to the floor. After she knelt to pick up the shattered remains of the box in which her buttons were held, she felt quite furious with herself.

     Stupid Avey! You never do anything right! she thought bitterly, throwing her newsboy hat to the ground and running out to her dream balcony.

     ***

     Avey sat there for what seemed like several hours. She dreamed about a world that was truly like a faerie-tale, where Clara and Emmeline wouldn't have to live under Miss Beamon's roof and Avey could keep every petpet and sad and lonely neopet safe and happy.

     She sighed morosely.

     The wind playfully tousled her hair and the sun setting on the edge of Brightvale Meadows warmed her heart.

     She looked out onto the lush, green valleys of Brightvale, wondering how much longer this would be her home. She wondered if Rosalina Siara really wanted to get rid of her.

     Suddenly the thought came back to her head, and she saw Adelaide's face. The perfect owner...

     The way Adelaide cared for her little neopet, buying him books and giving him a warm place to live and grow. Adelaide's bright, cheery smile... shining golden hair... her sparkling blue eyes...

     The perfect owner...

     Avey suddenly realized that Adelaide wasn't the perfect owner for her, but for Clara and Emmeline! She had remembered when Clara had said she had always dreamed of having an owner with a merry heart and shining, friendly eyes that you could see the love and affection in.

     Avey gasped. Her mission was not complete... not yet...

     She knew what she had to do. Her heart was telling her to find Clara and Emmeline a home... and she knew the perfect one...

     ***

     "Adelaide!" Avey banged hastily on the door of Adelaide's house. "Adelaide, open up, please!"

     Adelaide came to the door, surprised to see Avey. "Avey, sweetie. Hello! What are you doing here?"

     "Oh, Adelaide!" Avey sighed, then her whole problem came out quickly. "Clara and Emmeline have been caught and taken back to the pound!"

     Adelaide laid a hand of Avey's shoulder. "Avey, honey, calm down."

     Avey took a deep breath, then exploded again. "Oh, ma'am, I've failed! I let Clara and Emmeline get caught! Why, they'll probably be made to clean twice the amount, and... and get have the food... and-"

     "Avey!!!"

     "And I was wondering if you'd adopt them!!!" The words tumbled out of Avey's mouth in a rush and her eyes pleaded that Adelaide would take them.

     Adelaide only stood there. "Well... Avey... I...."

     "Oh, Adelaide!" Avey said, her paws pleading in front of her. "You don't know how sweet they are! Clara's my age and Emmeline's only five. They would love Griffin and especially love you and... oh, Adelaide! You have to take them... you just have to..."

     Adelaide smoothed out the array of hair on Avey's said. "Well, Avey... I'll have to think about it..."

     Avey jumped back. "THINK ABOUT IT?!" she cried in disbelief. Suddenly she hated Adelaide. She turned and fled, Adelaide calling behind her, "Avey, sweetie! Come back! Avey, please!"

     Avey didn't look back. She kept on running, even when she didn't know where she was going. Past the Brightvale Books... past the the Scrollery... past the Brightvale Armoury...

     She stopped at the small Brightvale Bridge. She sat on it and looked sorrowfully out unto the narrow stream that ran beneath it. She sighed. What was she going to do now? She couldn't go home; Rosalina Siara was furious with her. She didn't know where to go...

     Avey was lost. Her heart was lost. Her hope was lost.

     She trudged wearily on toward nowhere. The Tapira in the shadows of Royal Potionery crawled out to meet her, wiggling and waggling. Avey bent to pet him. He picked at her paw and she giggled, her heart aching with how much she missed Hope. Something at the Brightvale Pound caught her attention. An old, rather high-class looking Quiggle with a monocle was waltzing up to the pound, carrying a briefcase. Avey, with curiosity itching at her, followed to see what was going on. She slipped through the pound door, seeing all the pound children in a mob, whispering and murmuring under their breath. She saw Clara and Emmeline at the front. Her heart was thumping crazily again.

     Avey walked up behind Keke and Gem, Keke spotting her first and nudging Gem. "It's Avey!" she whispered.

     Gem the Cybunny gasped, grabbing Avey's paws. "Avey! Whatever are you doing here?" she asked, her voice low. "It's so nice to see you!"

     "What's going on?" Avey demanded.

     Keke and Gem glanced at each other. "Didn't you hear?" Keke asked. The Aisha's eyes grew wide. "Clara and Emmeline are going away!"

     Avey paw pads started sweating. "G-going away?" she repeated, horror struck.

     Gem nodded. "Yes. Miss Beamon was quite upset that you took them away. But, Avey, you are so brave!"

     Avey bit her lip. "I failed... and because of me... they're going away..."

     Keke hugged Avey. "Avey... you are so sweet. The sweetest there ever was! It's okay, Avey. You did what you could, but..."

     "Where are they going?" Avey asked.

     Gem sighed. "Some dreadful poor place in Moltara City. I hear they're going to work in Tangor's Workshop."

     "What?" gasped Avey in horror. "No! They couldn't work there! That place could be dangerous... and they're so young!"

     Keke nodded dolefully. "We know, Avey. But there's nothing we can do. It's over."

     Avey shook her head fiercely. "No! I have to do something! I'm not giving up!"

     Keke grabbed Avey's paw. "Avey! You've done enough! Just let what happens happen."

     Avey pulled her paw away. "That's not the Avey I am. I don't give up. I'm going to fix this mess I started and make it right. No matter what." Her eyes gleamed with determination and Keke and Gem were once again filled with that pride and admiration for her.

     Avey walked up to the front of the pound. Clara and Emmeline spotted her. They gasped and their eyes pleaded for Avey to get out of there and go and run away. But Avey shook her head.

     Avey walked up to the old Quiggle. He was talking to Miss Beamon, his voice deep and mannerly. Miss Beamon saw Avey and gasped. "YOU HORRIBLE GIRL! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOURSELF IN HERE AGAIN! I SHOULD-"

     Avey glared at her. "You've done enough," she hissed. Miss Beamon backed away, her old eyes wide. "I'm not afraid of you," Avey said, a wicked smile on her face. Avey glare was icy cold and fierce. She turned to the Quiggle. "You can't take them away!" she cried, the fierceness in her eyes melting and becoming a plea. "Please!! You can't! They don't belong there! They need a family! You can't take them away!" Desperation clung to her voice and her eyes were pleading and tearful.

     The Quiggle called himself Professor Quiggly. He raised his bushy eyebrows at Avey. "Young lady, considering they have no owner, they're mine to take away."

     Avey gasped. "No!" she pleaded. "No!"

     Miss Beamon grinned evilly with pleasure. "See, little girl? I've won. I always win!"

     Avey bit her lip. "No... no, please! You don't understand! I have to help them! They... they have an owner!" Avey hadn't meant to say that part; it just sort slipped out.

     Everyone stared at her. Miss Beamon, Professor Quiggly, Clara and Emmeline, the pound children...

     Avey gulped.

     "Who owns these girls, young lady?" Professor Quiggly asked, seriously.

     "I... um..." Avey searched wildly for an answer. "Umm..."

     "NO ONE!" Miss Beamon snapped ferociously. "The girl is making stories again. No one owns these children; they belong to me!" She cackled wildly, and cackle that was cut short by a young girl's voice...

     "Not anymore!"

     Avey gasped. "Adelaide!" Happiness jumped inside of her, and the flower of hope was blossoming once again.

     Adelaide stood at the pound door, little Griffin beside her. He looked wide-eyed around the room. Then he spotted Avey. "Faerie!" he cried.

     Adelaide and Griffon went to the front, all eyes on them. "Yes, that's right," Adelaide said. "I want to adopt these girls." She looked warmly at Clara and Emmeline, who stood staring in shock.

     "No! No!" Miss Beamon cried angrily. "You can't! Professor Quiggly, please tell this lady that she cannot adopt them!"

     Professor Quiggly shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry, Miss Beamon, but considering they don't technically belong to me yet, they still belong to the pound. Therefore, they can be adopted by anyone."

     Miss Beamon shook her head. "No! That's not fair!" she whined. Argh, I should have made him sign the papers first! she thought. Then that dreadful little girl wouldn't have won!

     Keke leaped up and down, thinking, Avey's a hero! She's a hero! Hurray, Avey!

     Gem smiled to herself. Wow, she thought. Avey's got the faerie-tale ending on her side. You go, Avey.

     Clara and Emmeline are precious, Adelaide thought. They'll make my family complete.

     A family? Clara thought. A real family?

     Mama? Emmeline thought, staring at Adelaide, her big brown eyes wide.

     Adelaide opened her arms, and Clara and Emmeline ran up to for a family hug. "Mama!" Emmeline cried joyfully.

     Adelaide kissed them each on the forehead and little Griffin was thrilled. Clara hugged him tightly. She had a brother!

     Avey watched it all, knowing she had not failed after all. She felt hope and knowing and love welling up inside of her. Never had she been this happy.

     Clara and Emmeline ran up to her and hugged her. "Avey! You gave us a family! A real family!" Clara said, amazed that it was true.

     "A mama!" Emmeline piped up. Her beautiful brown eyes were no longer sad, but gleaming with hope.

     Adelaide swept Avey into a hug too. "Oh, sweet heart. Thank you."

     Avey smiled, and a warm fuzziness grew in her heart. She had done it. She had given Clara and Emmeline a family.

     Just then there was a crash at the pound door. The door burst open and a little furry pink petpet stood there.

     For a few seconds nobody did anything but stare.

     "A Meepit?" Gem asked awkwardly. "This is out of line..."

     The Meepit scurried swiftly over to Miss Beamon. Miss Beamon stared blankly at him, shocked.

     The Meepit looked up at her, revealing a badge. "Miss Dana Beamon, on behalf of the Pound Child Protection Program, you are now under arrest."

     Miss Beamon cried out in protest. "WHAT?! You can't do that!"

     The Meepit shrugged. "Actually, ma'am, we can." He whistled, and suddenly the floor began to tremble. A mob of Meepits scurried across the floor, sending pound children running out of the way, shrieking.

     They stopped at Miss Beamon's feet, their eyes blinking sweetly and big grins on their faces.

     Miss Beamon gulped.

     The Meepits swiftly tied her up, and as fast as they had come, they had scurried back across the floor with her on their backs.

     Clara caught up with the leader. "You won't her hurt...will you?" I mean, even if Miss Beamon was super mean, she didn't honestly deserve...

     "We assure you, ma'am, she'll be just fine." His fangs glistened and he grinned mischievously. Then he turned around.

     The master Meepit winked at Avey as he followed the others out of the pound.

     Everyone stared Spardel-eyed after them. No one spoke. What in Neopia had just happened?

     Then Keke spoke. "Okay, so THAT was weird."

     Everyone laughed, realizing that it honestly was.

     "Does this mean we need a new pound founder?" A little dusty-cheeked Grundo asked, his voice standing out above all the laughter.

     Adelaide, still dazed, said, "I guess so."

     Suddenly four figures appeared at the door. They didn't knock (What? Don't you remember the Meepits broke down the door?), but they stood in surprise at what they saw.

     "Rosalina Siara?" Avey gasped.

     Rosalina Siara made her way through the crowd, Avey running into her arms. "Oh, Avey, child. I was so worried about you."

     Avey looked up. "You... you were?" she asked, wide-eyed.

     Violette, Phillip, and Monroe stood behind, glancing around. I mean, they were Royals in a dirty old pound for crying out loud!

     "Yes, dear," Rosalina Siara said tenderly. "I'm so sorry, Avey."

     Avey smashed her face into Rosalina Siara's silk gown, a warmness glowing inside of her. "It's okay, Rosalina Siara."

     Rosalina Siara stared at Adelaide. Adelaide quickly introduced herself and told the story of how she had met Avey and how Avey had given Clara and Emmeline a new home with her.

     "My Avey did that?" Rosalina Siara asked in disbelief. Adelaide nodded proudly.

     Avey smiled up at Rosalina Siara. "I love you."

     Rosalina Siara melted in her happiness. "I love you, too, dear."

     "Wait!" Avey cried suddenly, backing out of Rosalina Siara's grasp. "I forgot something!" She ran out of the door, leaving everyone staring speechless.

     "Avey! Avey, where are you going now?" Rosalina Siara huffed.

     Avey kept running. Her lungs screamed and her heart ached, but she didn't slow down. A terrible stitch tore at her side, but she didn't stop. She had one last thing to do...

     She pushed the door of the Castle of Brightvale open and made a dash up the staircase. When she made it, she barged through the door of her room, collapsing on her bed. For a few minutes she caught her breath, then she dished in her basket for what she was looking for...

     Usul Bedtime Stories.

     When Avey pushed her way through the pound door, she was fighting to catch her breath. She stood a few moments panting, and then ran up to Clara and pushed the book into her paws. "This... this is... for you..." she panted.

     Clara was surprised, and she gasped when she saw the cover. "Usul Bedtime Stories," she murmured. "Oh, Avey!" She threw her arms around Avey and squeezed tightly. "You've done so much. Thank you."

     Everyone awwed, and Avey smiled. "You're welcome, Clara."

     ***

     A day later...

     Avey sat on her bed, reading blissfully away at a new book. She felt at peace now that she had completed her mission and given Clara and Emmeline a nice home. She had also somehow managed to get rid of Miss Beamon (Although, that was more the Meepits' doing and not hers). That was a bonus.

     Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Avey said, looking up from her book.

     Phillip opened the door, grinning at Avey in a secretive grin. "Mother wants you right away, Avey."

     She followed Phillip to the Big Room. Rosalina Siara, Violette, and Monroe were all sitting in the big, golden silk chairs, waiting for Avey and Phillip to sit. They sat, and Rosalina Siara's eyes were bursting with secrets. "Well, Avey... I..."

     "Oh, Mother!" Monroe the royal Shoyru cried. "Just tell her, won't you?"

     "Tell me what?" Avey asked. She suddenly heard a familiar barking behind her. She gasped and her heart leaped. She turned around, dazed. "Hope?" she asked, as if she were dreaming.

     A white Doglefox with a blossoming rose in his mouth stood in the doorway, his pelt snowy white. He barked again and ran towards Avey, who was waiting with outstretched arms.

     "Hope!"

     She giggled as Hope licked her furry face. She stared into his eyes, which were deep and jubilant. "I've come back, Avey," he seemed to say. "I've come back."

     "Oh, Hope." Avey squeezed him tight against her heart. "Oh, Hope, I love you."

     Avey knew Hope had returned, and never again would he vanish.

The End

     ~*~

Author's Note:

I really hope you liked my little heart-warming story. This I think is my favorite yet and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Be sure to look for more stories about the spirited Avey and her crazy adventures.