1000 Hours Outside: A Tale of Two Friends

     ~~~

     Hour 812

     The sweltering sun beat down on the Grarrl as he lay on the sands, sunglasses and straw hat decorating his face.

     “Hey Moony, are you sure we’re allowed to be on Krawk Island, even though we aren’t Krawks?” A Faerie Blumaroo shouted from the water.

     Moony chuckled, and raised his sunglasses to peer at his friend over the top. “Don’t be silly, BBJ. I’ve been to Roo Island before! It’s the exact same thing here. They love tourists.”

     “Yes but you’ve always been to Roo Island WITH me. We don’t have a Krawk with us! I saw a Pirate Krawk Morphing Potion for sale in the shop we passed on the way here, do you think I should go grab it?” Bob Billy Joe asked.

     “And risk losing your beautiful coloring as a Faerie Blumaroo? No way! We will be fine, just relax. Enjoy the beach and the swimming. It’s so nice out here on this island.” Moony responded.

     Bob Billy Joe laughed and agreed with his friend. He disappeared beyond the surface of the waves, and reappeared a few feet closer to the shore.

     SPLASH! A wave of water hit Moony where he lay on the beach. “Come on in, the water’s great!” Bob Billy Joe called.

     Moony again gave him that raised-sunglasses look. “Aren’t the waves supposed to be splashing the OTHER way?” The Blumaroo simply shook his head mischievously and splashed him again. “FINE! I’m coming in!”

     Moony ran to the water and splashed his friend as he got acclimated to the ocean. The warm summer’s day left the water at a perfect temperature. “Race ya to the buoy!” he shouted, as he took off swimming. Only 188 hours to go.

     ~~~

     Hour 945

     “I’m so tired of walking Moony, can we just stop and camp here?” Bob Billy Joe asked.

     “Just a little bit longer, B. I promise it’ll be worth it.” Moony reassured his friend.

     The crisp fall air left the Tyrannian Plateau feeling extra cold to the two friends. They had been walking for hours already, and the Blumaroo was ready to rest his feet. The sun has started to disappear along the horizon.

     The Grarrl and Blumaroo walked for another hour, until it was so dark they could no longer see the ground in front of them, and had to pull out their flashlights. Finally, Moony found the spot he was looking for, and announced their arrival.

     “Ok B, we made it! Let’s set up camp here for the night.” The pair got to work setting up their tent and building a fire. With the lack of sun, it had gotten quite chilly on the plateau, but it was nothing a warm crackling fire couldn’t fix.

     When they were finally settled and roasting their dinner, Bob Billy Joe asked: “what was so special about finding this exact spot to camp at, Moony?”

     “I used to come here to camp with my parents when I was a wee little thing. It’s a special spot to me. I know it was a long trek, but I really appreciate you coming out here with me. Plus, I wanted you to finally learn how I got my nickname”

     “Awww Moony, that’s so sweet, I love that you used to come here. Please, tell the nickname story!” the Blumaroo exclaimed.

     “You’ll have to wait and see. Just a couple more hours.”

     “Okay,” Bob Billy Joe agreed. The pair finished their dinner and the s’mores they brought for dessert. They laid on a blanket by the campfire and looked up at the stars, sharing stories of their youth.

     “It’s almost time,” Moony said suddenly; quietly, as if he didn’t want to disturb whatever was about to happen.

     “What is it exactly we’re lo—” the Blumaroo stopped mid sentence, as he finally realized what was so special.

     The moon was full tonight, and the stars shone brightly in the night sky. And then, waves of blue and green light started to dance across the sky. The Blumaroo had never seen anything as beautiful in his entire life. Tears welled in his eyes.

     “Moony!!!! How?! I thought you could only see these lights in the middle of winter, on the highest peak of Terror Mountain? We are in Tyrannia!”

     Moony grinned. “It’s one of Tyrannia’s best kept secrets. Because of how far north we are, you can only see these lights during a full moon in The Month of Storing in the Northernmost tip of Tyrannia. Where we happen to be, right now.”

     The Blumaroo gaped at him. “So then your nickname…?”

     “My parents brought me here when I was a baby Grarrl. I loved it so much that every time I saw a full moon in the sky I would run to them and shout ‘moon, moon!’ They would laugh and tell me ‘not yet, love. But soon.’ It wasn’t the right time of year. I turned my cries into ‘soon, moon!’ and that made them laugh even harder. When we reached The Month of Storing the next year, my parents were thrilled to be able to take me to see them again. I was just as enamored with the lights as I was the first time. I eventually stopped my cries of ‘moon, soon!’ when I understood the calendar, but the nickname my parents gave me, Moony, stuck with me. I haven’t been back since I was a young boy.”

     Bob Billy Joe beamed at his friend, at the story he shared. “Why haven’t you been back?”

     “I never had a friend to share it with before.”

     “I’m honored to be that friend to you, Moony.” Tears welled in Bob Billy Joe’s eyes.

     The friends enjoyed the rest of the night, and the wonder of the nature around them.

     ~~~

     Hour 997

     The Month of Celebrating had been BUSY for both Moony and Bob Billy Joe. They each had holiday plans that left them little time to see each other, which meant little time to finish their 1000 hours outside challenge. They had been able to meet up for a couple hours here and there every week, but they still hadn’t been able to finish it! During the week of the Day of Giving, they hadn’t been able to see each other even once.

     Letters back and forth, carried by Amica the pink Weewoo, allowed them to make grand plans for their final hours of the challenge. Bob Billy Joe invited Moony to his home, so that they might celebrate New Year’s in Roo Island together, outside. And complete the final hours of their challenge together.

     Moony planned to arrive at 9pm on New Year’s Eve, which left 3 hours for them to celebrate the New Year outside. When the clock struck midnight, they would enter a new year, while also completing their 1000 hours.

     Bob Billy Joe had been preparing for the celebration for days, buying food and decorations and making sure the evening would be perfect. He had also spent the week preparing a Day of Giving gift for his best friend, since he hadn’t gotten the chance to see him during the holiday.

     When the night arrived, everything was set. Bob Billy Joe was electric with excitement. He heard a knock at the door, and ran to open it. The Grarrl was standing there, grinning ear to ear.

     “Happy New Year’s Eve, Bob Billy Joe!” Moony exclaimed. Moony set his bags down and the pair of friends went outside to spend their final 3 hours of the challenge.

     The backyard was magnificent. Bob Billy Joe had set up streamers and twinkle lights hanging from the roof to the fence, bought balloons and sparkler fireworks and a big cake that said “1000 hours outside!” in big gold letters. A game of Gourmet Club Bowls was set up in the corner. Most mysteriously of all, there was what looked like an easel in the corner, covered with a big sheet.

     Moony eyed the easel curiously. The Blumaroo followed his friend’s line of sight. “Later,” he said. “Let us eat cake!”

     The friends spent the next couple hours outside, exchanging stories from their holidays and playing Gourmet Club Bowls. They shared their goals and intentions for the new year. They decided together that they wouldn’t immediately start another 1000 hour challenge, but they would make it a priority to spend more time outdoors and spend more time together. They’d revisit that choice in a month, to see if they wanted a 1000 hour challenge after all.

     When the new year was only 20 minutes away, Bob Billy Joe declared, “okay, it’s time for presents.”

     “Presents?! I didn’t buy you a present, BBJ! I don’t have anything for you to unwrap.”

     “Oh, that’s okay Moony, just spending this year with you outside has been a great gift. Your friendship is enough. Plus, I didn’t buy anything. I… made it.”

     Moony’s eyes shot towards the easel. He raised his eyebrows. The Blumaroo giggled and walked over to it.

     “I’m not an artist like you, Moony, but in the spirit of trying something new, I wanted to make this for you. I don’t know if it’s any good, so it’s okay if you don’t like it. I just wanted to try.”

     Bob Billy Joe pulled the sheet off the easel. The painting depicted a Blumaroo and a Grarrl—stick figures, basically—laying next to each other on a blanket. But that wasn’t the breathtaking part. Because in the sky, there was a full moon, and stars like you wouldn’t believe. Blue and green light danced along the night sky. It was a still image, but in staring at it, Moony felt like he was right back in Tyrannia, staring up at the night sky.

     It was the most beautiful painting Moony had ever seen. And he was the professional artist of this friendship.

     “It’s… breathtaking. Bob Billy Joe, when did you ever find the time to paint this masterpiece?”

     “I spent all week on it. The theme of our year has been trying new things outside, so I wanted to try something new in my artistic expression. I wanted to paint us on the camping trip. Do you like it?” the Blumaroo asked.

     “I adore it. It’s going right above my fireplace. I will treasure this forever.” Moony said.

     The Blumaroo beamed.

     “I do actually have a gift for you, BBJ.” Moony started. The Blumaroo looked at him quizzically. “I said I didn’t BUY you a present, nor do I have anything for you to UNWRAP. You present is in here,” Moony said, pointing a finger to his head. And then, he began to recite:

     ”One thousand hours, we set out to do,

     And boy oh boy, how this time flew!

     We camped, swam, picnicked, hiked,

     And even had a little snowball fight.

     We created flower crowns and nature bracelets,

     You took me on a scavenger hunt and saw my face lit.

     We played, exercised, and got fresh air,

     But most of all, I learned I have a true friend who cares.“

     The Blumaroo clapped louder than he ever had in his life. “Moony, it’s so beautiful! I will treasure this poem forever!”

     “Really?” Moony asked. “I had never written a poem before. It was so hard!”

     “You did wonderfully,” Bob Billy Joe said. “I mean it.”

     Around them, they started to hear Neopets chanting in their own backyards.

     “TEN! NINE! EIGHT!”

     “I just want to thank you for this year. It’s been so spectacular. I’m so glad we did this.” Moony said.

     “SEVEN! SIX! FIVE!”

     “Me too,” Bob Billy Joe replied.

     “FOUR! THREE! TWO!”

     The friends hugged.

     “ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

     “Happy 1000 hours!” They shouted at each other. They lit sparklers and danced around the backyard to the sound of fireworks all over Roo Island.

     The End.