The Daily Life of a Grey Kacheek

     If there was one thing a grey Kacheek was capable of, it was sleep. Warm and cosy, Olivia quickly drifted off into a light snooze. Her dreams returned fuzzy at the edges as she eased back into sleep. She dreamt she was at the top of a tall hill overlooking Neopia Central. The stars above shone in bright, vivid constellations in swirled colours of the galaxy. They moved across the sky in arcs, joined by the shining moon of Kreludor as it shifted between its phases. The sky was just as alive as the world beneath it. Shining down on Neopia, the starlight blanketed the towns and forests below in a soft glow. Blinking below her, the lights of the towns congregated in populated areas and dissolved into darkness when they reached the forest. Olivia was content to rest atop the hill and watch.

     Unfortunately, a sharp knock at his door jolted the Kacheek from her sweet dreams. She groaned, still half asleep. Another knock pulled her from slumber. Her head immediately started to ache. The knocks were ceaseless, and Olivia began the process of untangling herself from the bedclothes. She was halfway out of the second blanket when a particularly sharp knock was joined by a raspy voice. “Neolodge staff,” barked the voice, “Your stay has ended. Please exit the room at once.” Olivia paused, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Had it been a month already? She had spent all her time dreaming. The Kacheek tried to remember the last time she checked the date or looked at a calendar. Nothing came to mind.

     The Neolodge staffer continued to knock incessantly at the door. Finally, upright, Olivia answered the call, still in her pyjamas. Unlocking and opening the door revealed a red Lupe in professional clothes who was not smiling. Olivia covered her nose, recoiling at the distinct scent of wet Lupe. He must have been out in the rain. “It’s the middle of the night,” Olivia managed to reply, behind her paws. “I’m tired. Can I leave in the morning?” she asked. The Lupe huffed and rolled his eyes.

     “It’s 12:30 pm NST. Checkout time was 11:00 am. You need to go now,” he responded, curt and unfeeling. Olivia hesitated, confused. She turned to glance out the window of her dark motel room and found that it was, indeed, daytime.

     “Sorry,” the Kacheek mumbled. “Did my owner renew my stay?”

     “No,” the Lupe retorted. “Collect your belongings and I will escort you out.” Olivia sighed. The Lupe seemed very serious.

     “Okay, just let me get my stuff,” Olivia mumbled. The Neolodge staffer huffed again in impatience. She turned away from the Lupe and rubbed her eyes. The room was, to say the least, a total mess. Clothes and toys covered the floor. It was mostly stuff she had nabbed from the Money Tree, but it was still hers. Olivia fetched her backpack, looking into the small rucksack and surveying her collection of belongings. Without too much deduction, she realized that she couldn’t take everything. Another sigh, and she began to shuffle about the room, collecting her things. The Lupe started tapping his foot loud enough to make Olivia cringe. She really didn’t have much time.

     As she moved about the room, Oliva caught an unwelcome glimpse of herself in the mirror that hung above the dresser. Her brown hair was dishevelled, pulled up into a messy bun. Dark bags hung under her puffy eyes. Despite all her sleep, she still looked exhausted. She rubbed her face and tried to smooth back her hair. Olivia made eye contact with her reflection. It frowned back at her. With a sigh, she decided her appearance was a lost cause. Resigned to her fate, Olivia returned to her few possessions to decide what she was going to keep.

     With a change of clothes, a discarded fire Ogrin plushie, a bag of starry cookies, two books, a Jhudora hair brush, and her precious journal, the backpack was full. Olivia slipped into her favourite hoodie and jeans, unceremoniously picked up from a pile on the floor. She shuffled into her checkerboard slip-on shoes. As soon as her second heel was firmly within its shoe, the Lupe at the door loudly cleared his throat. It was time to go. Olivia took one last look at her abandoned belongings. She would miss her humble plushie collection the most.

     With a final sigh, Olivia hoisted her backpack over her shoulders and headed out the door. The Lupe shut it loudly behind him and gestured down the hallway toward the stairwell. It was a route Olivia had walked often, but she had never done it without the intent to return. The familiar hall seemed to stretch longer than usual as the irritated Lupe followed Olivia. It was quiet except for Olivia’s shuffling footsteps and the heavy footfalls of the Lupe. They made their way down the stairs and into the lobby of the Cockroach Towers.

     “Good luck, kid,” grumbled the Lupe. He disappeared behind the front desk without another word. Olivia was left standing alone in the lobby. Looking out the windows at Neopia Central, she realized she had nowhere to go. She had no Neopoints and nothing but a bag of cookies to eat. She bit back the urge to sigh and groan and stomp her feet. It wouldn’t do her any good, anyway. The grey Kacheek mustered up all her determination and pushed open the door, leaving the comfort of the Neolodge behind her.

     As luck would have it, the sky was pouring rain. Olivia had nothing to do besides stand on the sidewalk and let herself get soaked. So she stood outside the Neolodge, resigned to her fate, and thought about what to do next. The one harsh reality was that she needed Neopoints to survive. As kind as the Soup Faerie was, she couldn’t stomach it. She was used to continental breakfast and room service. Waiting in line for her portion of slop was not how she wanted to spend the day, regardless of the weather.

     So, Olivia shook the rain out of her fur and started to walk. In her experience, there were two ways to make Neopoints. Either someone gave them to you, or you earned them yourself. Since she wasn’t anticipating any surprise inheritances, she resolved to find a job. There was only one other Neopet she knew that would be kind enough to give her a job coupon. The trek to find her shop was going to be muddy and slow. Other Neopets rushed past her, some carrying items, others equipped with battle armour and weapons. A Skeith ran past, and their heavy footsteps splashed muddy water on everyone around them. Most Neopets were cognizant enough to move out of the way. Olivia caught the worst of it. By the time the Skeith was gone, Olivia was half covered in mud all the way up to her ears. She kept her head down and headed into the marketplace.

     Even in the rain, the marketplace was busy. The shops were nestled close together, each with a shopkeeper and a flow of Neopets in and out of their doors. A unique assortment of items travelled past in their hands. Codestones, dubloons, plushies, faerie bottles, anything Olivia could think of was represented - even paintbrushes. Narrow alleyways branched off from the main street, partitioning shops and containing refuse. All the paths were lined with puddles, and Olivia managed to step in all of them that were in her way. Her socks were cold and soaked once she reached her destination.

     The shop Olivia was looking for was small and quaint, humble in the shadow of the larger megamalls. A small wooden sign hung on the outside of the door, sporting a pair of faerie wings and the words MINIZAE MINISHOP. The namesake of the shop, a faerie Vandagyre named Minizae, was one of the few people in town that Olivia knew on a first-name basis. A bell above the door chimed as she entered the shop. Each of the walls was covered floor-to-ceiling in merchandise, save for the two small windows in the shopfront. Trinkets and gifts dominated the space, with a display case of valuables behind the counter. Also standing behind the counter was Minizae herself, idly gazing at her hot pink fingernails. She perked up at the sound of the bell. Her face lit up into a smile when she realized who had entered the shop.

     “Olivia Cooper!” she called, waving enthusiastically. The pastel feathers of her wings were fluffy inside the wide sleeves of her Shenkuu-styled dress. Minizae had straight bangs and dark hair that were neatly combed back and pinned with a floral clip. Her soft magenta eyes were wreathed in long lashes and teal feathers. The Vandagyre fluttered out from behind the counter, rushing to Oliva. “Come in! I haven’t seen you in forever!” she chattered. She opened her arms for a hug, only to realize how damp and muddy her friend was. With a sympathetic look, she patted the air around Oliva in a socially-distant embrace.

     “Sorry,” Olivia apologized on instinct. “It’s nice to see you too,” She said.

     “Where have you been?” asked the Vandagyre. She was smiling, but her voice was full of concern.

     “Sleeping,” Olivia answered honestly.

     “What do you mean?” Minizae interrogated.

     “Just sleeping, Zae,” Olivia insisted. “I’ve been staying in the Neolodge, but I got kicked out this morning and I need a job coupon.” The Vandagyre hummed in response. She turned away from Olivia to return to her counter. Olivia shuffled along behind her. She rustled around in a drawer and produced a shiny yellow envelope, holding it up for the Kacheek to see.

     “You can have this for free,” she said, “but you have to promise to visit more and sleep less.”

     “Okay,” said Olivia. She reached for the coupon, but Minizae snapped it out of her grasp.

     “I mean it,” she stated. “You can’t sleep your life away.”

     “Okay, okay,” Olivia replied, exasperated. “I’ll visit more.”

     “Good,” replied the Vandagyre. At last, she relinquished the coupon. Olivia smiled in reply and mumbled her thanks. She turned to leave the shop, stashing the coupon in her coat pocket to hopefully keep it dry. “Wait, Olivia,” said Minizae suddenly. Olivia met her gaze. She was quiet for a moment, then gave her friend a smirk. With a wave of her hands and a flutter of her shining wings, a wave of faerie magic ran over Olivia like a warm summer breeze. The Kacheek’s brunette hair poofed out, suddenly dry. Her clothes stiffened and her defrosted paws tingled with warmth.

     “Much better,” remarked Minizae, satisfied with herself. “Take the umbrella by the door. You can keep it,” she said earnestly.

     “Thank you,” mumbled Oliva. She wasn’t used to so much kindness at once. The warmth of Minizae’s magic warmed her face, causing her to blush. At least, that’s what Olivia blamed it on. She gratefully took the umbrella and waved goodbye to her faerie friend.

     “Good luck!” called Minizae as Olivia left the shop. The shop bell rang as the door swung closed behind her. Olivia sighed. The job coupon was a good start, but she needed to get to Faerieland to redeem it. Unfortunately, travel was expensive. The public shuttle was only a few hundred Neopoints, which is a lot of money when you don’t have it. Another sigh. She opened her umbrella, stepping out from underneath the shop’s entryway. It occurred to the Kacheek that she could ask Minizae for a loan. Cringing at her own desperation, Olivia abandoned the idea. She was going to have to figure something out.

      On further reflection, after a long moment standing in the rain, Olivia remembered that there was actually a way to earn Neopoints that was entirely free. The Games Room on Roo Island had been recently renovated, and the ferry to the island was complimentary. She daintily pumped her fist in the air, overtly satisfied with her eureka moment. Olivia strode away from Minizae’s Minishop with purpose. It was a short walk to the Roo Island tourist centre, and then she would be off.

      Underneath her umbrella, the walk to the tourist centre was almost enjoyable. The crowd of the afternoon market rush had thinned out, giving the Kacheek plenty of space on the sidewalks to avoid puddles. Minizae’s magic had the lingering effect of keeping her dry in the rain. She seemed to repel the light raindrops and thin puddles, all while feeling toasty and cosy in her hoodie. Olivia smiled, making a mental note to thank her friend again for the magic.

      The Kacheek could see Roo Island before she could see the pier. The aquamarine parapets of the Dice-a-Roo Tournament Hall rose above the horizon with the same majesty of Meridell Castle. It was different, however, due to the comically large Blumaroo ears that crowned the tallest tower. Olivia took a deep breath, continuing her walk, one foot in front of the other. The large rainbow that connected Roo Island to the mainland came into view, shining vividly in the falling rain and sparse sunlight. Next to appear was the water of the channel, and then the small blue pier.

     Docked at the pier was, of course, the ferry. It was painted in the bright colours of Roo Island and manned by a sailor. Olivia could tell the Blumaroo was a sailor because of his flamboyant frilly costume, topped with a pirate hat. She didn’t understand how or why the outfit was necessary but chose not to ask. There was a lot about the culture of Roo Island she didn’t understand, but it’s not like it hurt her to accept it for what it was. So Olivia reached the pier quietly, not making eye contact with the cheerful attendant.

     “Hello and welcome to the Roo Island pier!” chirped the Blumaroo attended. She had a bright smile and bouncy curls in her hair. “How are you doing on this beautiful day?” she asked.

     “Fine, thanks,” mumbled Olivia, fidgeting with her hands.

     “Fantabulous! Will anyone else be joining you on the ferry today?”

     “No,” said the Kacheek.

     “Okie dokie~” the attendant sang, “Here’s your ticket! Enjoy your trip to beautiful Roo Island!”

     “Thanks,” Olivia managed to say as she took her ticket. The attendant’s exuberance had made her stomach tingle with anxiety. She quickly shuffled away from the tourist centre and over to the pier where the pirate-sailor waited, stashing her umbrella in her backpack as she went.

     “Howdy ho!” he cried. “Welcome aboard!”

     Olivia didn’t bother mumbling anything in response. She handed the ticket over to the Blumaroo sailor, biting her lip. Minizae’s magic had begun to wear off, and the chill of rain over the channel water had started to prick at her paws. The Kacheek was quiet in her discomfort as the Blumaroo gestured to the ferry with a flourish, allowing her onboard. She made the first few steps up the incline ramp just fine, then stumbled her way onto the ferry. “Watch your step!” called the Blumaroo sailor in his pirate hat. Olivia did not respond. Her face burned with embarrassment. She scampered to an open seat and slouched down as low as she could, pulling up her hood and stuffing her paws into her pockets.

     As soon as the sailor started up the ferry, Olivia knew it was going to be a long ride. There were bells at either end of the ferry that rang simultaneously, chiming as the ferry left the pier. As the journey started in earnest, a Blumaroo at the back of the ferry stood up, accompanied by the sound of objects jostling around. Olivia turned to see what was happening. The Blumaroo was wearing a contraption that contained what looked like enough instruments for an entire band. There was a large drum at his front and two behind him, with a harmonica at his mouth and cymbals on his head. Olivia’s eyes widened in horror as he began to play.

     The combination of drums, harmonica, and bells was cacophonous to Olivia’s sensitive ears. Playing his song, the Blumaroo marched in place, bouncing with each step. He was absolutely having the time of his life. The other Neopets on the ferry seemed to be enjoying it as well. They were smiling and clapping along to the beat of his song. It was something like a marching band tune that reminded Olivia of a county fair outside Neopia Central she had once been to. The sailor’s pirate hat bobbed along to the song as he swayed in rhythm. Olivia sunk down deeper in her seat, pulling her hood tight over her ears. It didn’t feel good to be the only person not having fun.

     Mercifully, the ride was actually quite short. Olivia suffered through three songs and a number of knock-knock jokes from the performer before they arrived at their destination. The ferry docked at the large pier on the south end of Roo Island. As soon as she could, Olivia stood and hurried off the boat. She ignored the cheerful goodbyes of the crew as she made her way down the boardwalk. Thankfully, the rain had stopped. Roo Island was a technicolour symphony of stimulation. Every object, it seemed, was multicolour, and music came at Olivia from every direction. She tried to discreetly cover her ears as she shuffled her way towards the Games Room, watching her sneakers as she went.

     The arcade wasn’t any less intensely overstimulating. At least the sound of game music and the jingle of Neopoints was welcome after the insanity of the boat performer and his four drums. Olivia allowed herself a deep breath. Games were supposed to be fun, after all. She was grateful to be dry and relatively warm in the arcade. There weren’t anywhere near as many games as there used to be, but Olivia’s favourites were still around.

     She started with Fashion Fever, a quick and easy game of dress-up. After three rounds, she opened her bag and retrieved the starry cookies for a snack. The cookies were sweet and crunchy. With the renewed strength of a sugar rush, she tackled Kass Basher, Faerie Bubbles, and her favourite - Destruct-o-Match II. The grey Kacheek moved between machines with gusto. Her paws were a blur over the button controls. For the first time all day, she was smiling without noticing it. When she played games, Olivia was able to forget about her troubles. The world outside the arcade faded away.

     With her round of gaming complete and her sugar high subsiding, Olivia counted her Neopoints. She had about two thousand in all. Not much, but enough to get her started. The Kacheek yawned her way out of the arcade. She was really starting to feel her abrupt awakening. Not to mention, she hadn’t gone without a nap for more than a few hours at a time in the last month. She did a bit of math in her head as she headed back toward the pier. With what she had, she could afford a Uni taxi to Faerieland, but not back. However, once she got her paycheck from the Employment Agency, she’d be able to afford a ride home to Neopia Central on the high-speed bullet train. It was a risk, but exhaustion was creeping in and she’d much rather travel in comfort.

     So, Olivia approached the nearest vacant taxi and paid the fare. The flying Uni taxis were an ancient and unique marvel of Neopia. The carriage, always comfortable and clean, was pulled by one to four Unis, depending on the weight of the occupants. There were old-fashioned taxis powered by the wings of the Uni, and newer versions that resembled the space shuttles of the Virtupets Space Station. Olivia was fairly petite and saved a significant number of Neopoints on the fare, as she could take the smallest taxi available. The Uni driver - painted Starry, she noticed - took her meagre fare with graciousness. He politely opened the carriage door for her, and she boarded the small carriage. She had chosen an old-fashioned taxi for the discount. The driver secured the carriage and strapped himself into its mechanism. Olivia didn’t understand it at all, but she knew it harnessed the power and magic of his wings to lift the carriage as if it was weightless.

     And so, they were off to Faerieland. Olivia braced herself as the taxi took off at high speed and left the ground. She didn’t mind flying, but the takeoff was always scary. Once they were in the air, the taxi levelled out and the ride became smooth and comfortable. Sighing, Olivia allowed herself to relax. It was an hour’s journey to Faerieland and there was one way the Kacheek intended to spend it. She reached into her bag, retrieving the discarded fire Ogrin plushie. Using it as a pillow, she leaned against the window and closed her eyes. Neopia Central disappeared below them as Olivia drifted off to sleep.

To be continued…