Masila - Admitting Her Past

      "Madam? Why do you frown so?" Her big brown eyes twinkled nothing but innocence, but Masila glowered back.

      "Tis the blasted weather," she lied and pulled up her violet colored cloak.

      "But, Madam, it's such a pretty day. Would you rather have it so the sun hides behind dark clouds of sleet, rain, and hail?" The Ixi shuddered at the thought of these. She pulled back Masila's cloak to reveal her ravishing long curls of dark green hair on her head.

      "You're, you're…" stuttered the youngster. Masila closed her eyes and waited for her to say the words that everyone called me. "…So beautiful. You're an Acara, aren't you?" She nodded miserably.

      "You haven't answered my question, Madam. Why do you frown so if the weather is so fine?" pestered the Ixi.

      "What is your name?" Masila demanded sharply.

      "Cordellia. What's your name?"

      "My name? Humph. It's none of your concern. It's Alyssa," she lied.

      "It's beautiful name. Well, I have to go. You seem, I'm 'it' and my friends are expecting me to chase them. Have a wondrous day!" Cordellia concluded, quickly forgetting her unanswered question. Shaking her head, Masila heard the gold earrings on her ears tinkle. It was so, so long ago when she was like her, Cordellia- full of innocence. Purity. It's not that she wanted to lie, but with all these years, lying is easier than telling the truth. Admitting her old name was like admitting that she had a past. A past that even she tried to forget. The old name that her own mother used to call her…

     ****

      "Rose Mary! Oh Rose Mary, where are you?" A red Acara yelled out of a window of a creamy white cottage. Outside was a young green Acara who was playing in the small garden under the window.

      "Mama, I'm here. Under the window, do you see me?" answered the youngster. Rose Mary clutched a pink raggedy doll.

      "Please come back inside, sweetheart. It's getting a bit dark outside," requested the mother. The green Acara stood up and carefully walked over the garden.

      "Yes Mama," Rose Mary obediently said.

     It had been always this way, after Father left. Mama was always the usual quiet, gentle and patient Neopet. It was almost three years ago since Father had left Rose Mary and Mama. Unfortunately for the green Acara, she remembered everything about Father. She remembered hearing him say, "Jane, I can't live like this anymore."

     Mama had responded with, "Live like what?"

     Father answered, "Like the way we are living now. Wouldn't you rather have our daughter wear more than just one rather tattered dress? Wouldn't you like to feel real pearls around your neck?"

     "What are you talking about?"

     "I'm telling you, being a thief would make life much easier for you."

     "JACOB!" yelled Mama, half realizing that she was too loud. In a quieter voice she continued, "Jacob, you want to be a thief? Are you not satisfied with your current life?"

     "It's not that I want to be a thief. Being a thief would mean, opportunities for us. Think about Rose Mary, our treasure. Don't you think she deserves more than what we have to offer?"

     "And you honestly think being a thief would help? You're not being a thief, and that's final."

     "Fine, you can take Rose Mary and lead this poverty life, and then you tell her why you are still so poor. I'm out!" With this said, Father slammed the wooden door, nearly breaking it off the fragile cottage. Mama had held back tears and tried to tell Rose Mary that Father went on a 'business' trip. At night, the green Acara let her tears trickle out and even heard her dear Mama's crying. Now they tried to forget the past, but it wasn't always easy.

     At the dinner table which consisted of two bowls of rice gruel, Rose Mary sighed. Mama looked at her.

     "What's wrong, sweetheart?" asked Mama.

     "It's just… why did you say no to him?"

     "No to whom?"

     "Father."

     "About?"

     "Stop it. Seriously. You can drop the innocent act. You know what I'm asking you. Why did you say no to Father's choice of becoming a thief?" blurted out the youngster. Mama's face paled.

     "It wasn't a good decision."

     "No, you were afraid."

     "Yes, I admit I was afraid. But, it still wasn't a good decision."

     "Well, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to disagree with you."

     "YOU want to be a thief?"

     "Being a thief would promise more things than you could ever imagine, Mama."

     "But, after everything I tried to teach you, about your values…" Mama was very shocked. Rose Mary almost never spoke, and suddenly she decided to become a thief?

     "I know my values, and I know my heart. I want to become a thief. Mama, just let me go and find my place in the world." She paused, now twirling her spoon in the half eaten gruel. It honestly touched Mama that her daughter was growing up, and wanted to go out to the world, but a thief?

     "I love you, dear daughter, but a thief? You can't be a thief."

     "Oh yeah? Then, good-bye Mama." She slammed the door and left the small cottage as her father did three years ago. The years went by, and the green Acara grew older. She changed her name to a more respectable name. She became a quite successful thief, working from pick-pocketing to shoplifting to partner leader of a pack of thieves. She stole a cape and gold earring from a rich kind Gelert who mistrusted her as a friend. However, double-crossing her leader did not work out very well, and soon, her plans crumbled into the dust. Ruling Neopia, would have to wait another day, because Hannah the Usul had spoiled her plots. Mean while, Masila wandered around, aimlessly. She was banned from her thieves guild, and there was no where else to go. She was wanted everywhere, rewards went up to 500,000 Neopoints for her capture. She couldn't do this. She couldn't give up. But, there was no where to go… but then everything became clearer to her.

     ****

      Getting up from the old wooden bench, she turned her head towards the sky. How glorious it looked with the magnificent sun beaming all its golden rays. Finally Masila realized the truth: She could not escape the past nor change it. On the other hand, the present was a different story. It wasn't too late to ask for another chance.

      "Another chance," she whispered out loud. Tearing her violet colored cloak from her neck, she dropped it onto the old wooden bench. It had given her so, so many memories as a thief, but she had to leave it. Maybe the rich girl who she stole it from will find it. Maybe another lost Neopet will find it and create their paths with it. But, what matters now, is that she was no longer Masila, the thief, but Rose Mary, the only daughter of a mother who will be overjoyed to see her daughter once again.

The End

A/N: Neomail me comments. This is dedicated to my friend, Grace, who had a birthday on April 13. Also dedicated to Feli, an amazing editor, because her birthday is just passed this week. Hope you enjoyed the story.