Something Old, Something New

      “Momma, I would like to be painted,” Lofty said. “Do not get me wrong, I have loved being a baby but its time for a change.”

      I widened my eyes in surprise. Lofty had been my first ever Neopet. While he had started out as a Red Wocky, he had seen a handful of colour and species changes. The last had been into a Baby Yurble a decade ago. He had not uttered a murmur about his eternal youth until now, but I had no objections to the idea.

      “Alright, do you have anything in mind?” I asked, wondering what my ‘pet was thinking.

      Lofty shook his head. “Not yet. I just want something…different.”

      “Let’s check out the Rainbow Pool, then.”

      Lofty nodded and we set out on a beautiful spring day through Neopia Central. Like the both of us, it had grown and changed over the years.

      “Hey, remember when the Art Centre used to only have one location here?” I suddenly asked.

      “Yeah! How long ago did it get a secondary location at Roo Island?” Lofty asked.

      “I think it’s been a decade now.”

      We arrived at the Rainbow Pool and picked up a catalogue. Organised by species and colour, it listed (with pictures!) every option available for Neopets. Lofty began to flip through it immediately, eyes eagerly scanning the pages.

      I put a hand over his paw. “Hey, there is no hurry. Whatever you decide, I will support you.”

      Lofty smiled at me. “I know.”

      We found a quiet spot to sit in the grass while Lofty browsed the catalogue. Some species he skipped right over. Others, like Cybunny, got a longer look before he lingered on Wocky.

      “You would like to be a Wocky again?” I guessed.

      Lofty looked thoughtful. “Well, it was my original species. A small part of me is afraid that it’s been too long, and I will have forgotten how to be a Wocky. I just want to feel like me.”

      I placed my hand on his head. “You will know it when you see it.”

      We sat there for about an hour, Lofty flipping between a few species and colours. In the past he had been Christmas and Snow and I wondered if he was tempted to go back to either. Christmas had been his first paint job and it remained his favourite holiday to this day. While he perused Christmas for a bit, he eventually moved on. I lifted my eyebrows in surprise but did not comment.

      He finally seemed to settle on Xweetok. I at once understood the appeal of the species for Lofty. They had a neck ruff like a Wocky and a thick mane along their back like a Yurble. The main difference was that they were smaller and leaner than either. He had always been an active ‘pet and especially loved running so a Xweetok would be a nice change of pace.

      While Lofty’s favourite colour was red, the Xweetok was sorely lacking in options other than the basic colours, Magma, Fire, and Strawberry. None of them seemed quite right for my Snow-loving ‘pet. Thankfully, there were a few decent options in my opinion, like Christmas, Royal or White. The first and last would blend in nicely with Snow and Royal was a nice base colour. Though, I kept my opinion to myself, allowing my first ‘pet to choose for himself.

      “I want to be a Woodland Xweetok,” Lofty said at last.

      “Perfect!” I agreed.

      The Woodland Xweetok was based on evergreen trees which of course thrived in cold weather and were a symbol of Christmas. The species and colour had Lofty written all over it.

      I did a quick check of prices and my current funds. “We are a little ways off but it should not take too long to save up the remainder.”

      “I do not mind waiting, Momma,” Lofty said at once.

     * * * * *

      A month later and I felt no closer to the needed goal than I had at the start. Lofty and I had not brought up the subject again. Just because he was alright with waiting did not mean I liked making him. He had always been that way. I often wondered how I ended up with such an awesome ‘pet in the first place.

     Thankfully, we got a lucky break. We were once more strolling through Neopia Central when a faerie appeared in front of Lofty.

     “Naia!” Lofty greeted.

     “Lofty!” Naia greeted back.

     “It's so great to see you. Wait, if you are here, that means you are here to give some ‘pet a quest,” he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially at the end. “Lucky ‘pet, whoever they are.”

     Naia bit back a laugh. “Lofty.”

     “Oh, it's for me?!” Lofty suddenly realised.

     Naia nodded. “All I ask for is a Baby Security Blanket.”

     It took no time at all to find one of those, and we returned to Naia.

     “Thank you for your help, kind Neopian,” Naia said formally, though her eyes crinkled with warmth. “As a reward, you may use my Pool to change your colour.”

     “Thank you, Naia!” Lofty exclaimed.

     “See you soon!”

     In an instant, Naia poofed.

     Lofty and I, of course, were unaided by magic and had to take public transport to get to Faerieland.

     “This would have taken a lot longer if Faerieland were still in the sky,” Lofty said.

     “Honestly, I prefer its current location to the old,” I said.

     A few hours later, we reached Faerieland and headed straight for the Rainbow Fountain, where Naia waited for us. We stood on the shore of the pool, and I handed Lofty the Blue Xweetok Morphing Potion we had brought with us.

     Lofty accepted the potion, took a breath, uncorked the bottle, and downed it in one go. His body immediately shifted, growing smaller and sleeker, brown overtaking the blue almost everywhere except for his ruff and mane.

     “OK, Naia. I would like to be painted Woodland, please,” Lofty said, stepping into the pool with no hesitation.

     “Excellent choice!” Naia exclaimed as the pool began to glow with her magic.

     Over the past sixteen years, I’d only been to the Fountain a handful of times. It was special each time. The falling water changed from clear to rainbow in an instant. Lofty stepped into the rainbow water, and as he re-emerged, he was painted Woodland.

     “Thank you, Naia,” Lofty said.

     “My pleasure, Lofty,” Naia said.

     As Lofty returned to the bank, I took in his new appearance. His once downy baby fluff had been replaced by smooth bark. His ruff and mane were green pine needles with a scattering of pinecones. He was lean and sleek, and his body carried the fragrant scent of pine. I almost did not recognise my old friend until his bright green eyes met mine.

     I was suddenly transported back to my first day in Neopia, where I chose a Red Wocky to be my first Neopet. Those same green eyes had looked at me then: bright and full of adventure.

     No matter how much things changed, some things never would.