What Happens to a Fir after the Month of Celebrating

     "What's wrong?" Jinger asked.

     "This is the worst time of year for me," said Happy. "The Month of Celebrating is over! No one likes to think of winter after the Month of Celebrating – all the gifts have been given and there's nothing else to look forward to but spring! What if my owner, Corrie the Usul, decides to stop playing with me, to make room for some spring petpet, like A Spring Faellie?"

     "Hey, if you keep on going like that, we'll have to rename you 'Sad'! This is the lot of us petpets. We rely on the Petpet Protection League to encourage our owners to play with us always, but some pets like to mix things up. Have you talked to Corrie about this?"

     Happy sighed and avoided Jinger's eyes. "No, I've been too scared to even mention it. What if I ask her about it and then she decides that she would really rather play with another petpet? She's been too busy recuperating from the Month of Celebrating. It is really lucky that the Month of Sleeping comes right after."

     "Isn't that the truth!" said Jinger. "I get scared around this time of year too. We Jinjah's are festive pets for the Month of Celebrating too, even though we are so adorable and friendly and energetic! I spent the first month with my owner, Nookums the Bruce, running from place to place to arrange gifts for his friends."

     "That sounds like fun!" said Happy. "I would love to do that. I'd do anything to be my owner's bestest friend in the whole of Neopia."

     "It was fun!" said Jinger. "But by the time a few months had passed, it seemed like Nookums and I weren't getting along as well. Nookums preferred to read and spend quiet nights in his Neohome on Krawk Island, listening to the ocean breeze. That might be okay, like, for a minute, but this Jinjah needs to run! Plus the salty sea air wasn't good for my complexion."

     "That sounds terrible," Happy said. "I like living in Happy Valley in Terror Mountain best. I love being to stop by the Slushie shop for a nice cool treat, and sometimes Corrie likes to pick up scratch cards from the kiosk."

     "Things are much better now. After Nookums and I parted ways, I got matched up with the owner I'm with now, a Kiko named Owain. I'm just lucky that he didn't want to live in Kiko Lake! But when Nookums and I were parting ways, I was sad about it for a long time. I didn't understand what I had done wrong, even though I wasn't really happy on Krawk Island. Now, living and playing with Owain, I can see how much Nookums and I weren't the best companions for each other, or maybe we were only good for the Month of Celebrating. Maybe the same would happen with you and Corrie?"

     Happy tried to think about it. He had loved shopping and wrapping gifts with Corrie, but that only came around during the Month of Celebrating and birthdays. "We've only been playing together for two months," said Happy. "But I've had a lot of fun. Corrie's favorite game is the Ice Cream Machine, and I like it too. Plus she never sends me into Grave Danger. She knows I would get too scared."

     "I think you should just muster up your courage," Jinger said, "and ask her directly. Even if she decides that you two would be better off apart, at least you would know and could hope for a better match. You won't be able to stop worrying about this until you two have the conversation."

     "I guess you're right," said Happy, sighing. "I wish there were a magic wand you could wave to make this all better, but sometimes life is hard for us petpets. I just hope I don't end up with a pet that wants to live in space!"

     "Good luck," said Jinger with a wave. "Let me know either way!"

     Happy the Fir trudged home through the snow. He hoped that Corrie would be in a good mood when he got home to their cozy home, even though taking down the holiday tree and eating the last of the holiday cookies could put anyone in a somber mood.

     It was later than he had anticipated, but the lights were still on in Corrie's home and when he approached the door, he could hear light tinkling music from inside.

     "Welcome home!" said Corrie as soon as she saw him enter. "Did you know that there aren't any petpet supplies meant just for Firs? There are things for Kadoaties and Ettaphants and Onas, but no beds or water dishes meant for a Fir! Isn't that the silliest thing you ever heard?"

     Happy smiled. "I don't need any presents! I just love all the merriment around the Day of Giving and the celebrations."

     "Oh you." Corrie gave Happy a hug. "Did you have fun at the petpet New Year's party? Any new petpets around?"

     "It was fun, but this time of year is sad. The Month of Celebration is over. Firs go from being so popular to boring almost as soon as the Day of Giving has finished."

     "I understand," said Corrie. "I like to collect Usuki Dolls, they're so cute! Everyone is so excited while UsukiCon is happening, but after that, it's like old news. As though Usukis aren't fun to play with the entire year! At least everyone knows what to give me on the Day of Giving, and I don't mind getting duplicates or triplicates of Usukis or their clothes."

     This was harder to get out of Happy's mouth than he thought. He was so scared to come out and ask, "Are you going to stop playing with me?" and now somehow he had found himself in a conversation about Usuki Dolls. He nodded at what Corrie was saying. Usuki Dolls were fun all year round.

      "Usukis don't say that they're only for that time of year. We Firs are wintry petpets, and a lot of pets don't like to have wintry petpets during the spring or summer."

     "Well, that is just silly," said Corrie.

     "Is it?" asked Happy. Did she really think it was silly to only view wintry petpets for the winter months, or that it was silly to think that? Or it was silly to even think that a wintry petpet could be fun in July.

     "It is. Things for one season don't just stop being fun in a different season! Are pranks only funny on the first day of the Month of Eating? Is it only fun to play dress up on Halloween? Wintry pets are fun pets all year round, especially if you live in Happy Valley."

     "You really think so?" said Happy.

     "Of course! How heartless would I have to be to drag a Nuranna or Tenna here to be my companion? It's too cold for a lot of petpets, so I'm glad to have you, Happy. We've had so much fun together already!"

     Happy was so relieved. "You mean it? You won't get rid of me since it's going to be spring? We're going to stay bestest friends and play Ice Cream Machine every day, then come home and play Usuki Dolls?"

     Corrie mock scoffed at Happy. "You think that a friendship as good as ours would be seasonal? Come here for a hug. You're stuck playing Usuki Dolls with me for a long time. Let's play now! You can be Alpine Adventurer Usuki and I'll be Summer Fun Usuki trying to plan a vacation together until we get sleepy."

     "That sounds like the best time ever," said Happy. "I'm so glad you're my friend."

The End