The Good Days: Part Two

      Come to Renaline's Great Ball!

Date: 28th day of Hiding, Year 6

Time: 8:00 P.M.

Location: 133233 Winding Wood Drive, ballroom

Everyone is invited!

      On the night of the 28th day of Hiding, Neopets, Faeries, Petpets and even Petpetpets crowded around the mansion. They were all greeted by Renaline at the door of the mansion's ballroom. As soon as everyone was inside, the dancing began. Renaline's dancing somewhat resembled a piece of seaweed. However, it was amusing to at least watch the dancers have a good time.

      An hour passed, and watching dancers dance became more and more boring. That was when Renaline decided to sit outside and cool down from the muggy heat of the ballroom. As she sat outside in front of the mansion, she heard a tiny voice.

      "Hewwo," the voice said.

      It was coming from the wall beside her. But how could a wall talk? She looked at the wall, and heard it again:

      "Hewwo."

      How could this be? There was nobody near the wall…or was there? She looked down, and there, leaning against the wall, was a tiny baby Usul, dressed in nothing but rags.

      "Hello there, little one," said Renaline. "I'm Renaline. What's you name?"

      "Me have no name," said the Usul. "Me wanna go to ball."

      "No name?" Renaline was a bit shocked. "I'll call you Celia. Would you like to go to the ball?"

      "Yesh, me wanna go to ball," said Celia. "but me have no pwetty dwesh."

      "You can come to the ball with me," said Renaline. "I have lots of pretty dresses. Come inside with me."

      Renaline carried Celia inside the mansion and to her to what was once Glenda's room. She opened the closet and took out a shimmering pink gown.

      "Me like that dwesh," said Celia.

      "It's a bit big on you, but I think it'll do," said Renaline as she dressed Celia in the gown. "Now, one last thing."

      Renaline opened up her jewelry box and took out a silver tiara with real diamonds on the edges. It was just small enough to fit on Celia's head.

      "Ooh! Ooh! Me want that!" Celia shouted, bouncing up and down.

      Renaline laughed and placed the tiara on Celia's head.

      "There!" said Renaline. "Now you're all ready for the ball."

      "Yay!" Celia cried over and over again as Renaline took her down to the ballroom.

      All night, Renaline and Celia danced like pieces of seaweed together. Neither one of them cared whether their dancing was beautiful or not. All they cared about is that both of them had made the first friend that they had ever had, and they were proud of it.

***

Over time, as Celia grew up, Renaline had balls regularly. These were only an excuse to dance with Celia, who was now not only older and taller but could talk normally now. But one day, in the cold chill of the fall, something terrible happened. It was so terrible that Renaline's new fortune was about to slip from her fingers. The good days were drawing to an end.

      Renaline was brushing her hair that dark morning when a familiar little ball of light appeared. Just like before, it grew bigger and bigger, until Naleena herself appeared.

      "Why have you come here, Naleena?" said Renaline, dropping her hairbrush.

      "I wanted to make sure that you fortune came true," said Naleena. "I see that it did."

      "Oh yes," said Renaline. "It's absolutely marvelous! I have balls in the ballroom all the time, and I have a new little friend who dances with me every time."

      "That's good to know," said Naleena. "but I think I should just check and make sure that you'll be living like this forever from now on." Naleena reached into her pocket, threw away all of her useless junk, and pulled out her deck of cards.

      "Will the good days last?" Renaline asked, and then took a card. She expected it to say something like "Ask again", but instead, the card shocked her.

      Probably not

      "This is an outrage!" Renaline screamed. "Are you saying that the good days are going to end soon?"

      Naleena nodded.

      "That's it! I hate you and your stupid cards! I hate my life! I hate everything in Neopia!" Renaline ran outside and slammed the door behind her.

***

For a day, Renaline ran far, far, far, far, far away from the mansion, taking frequent stops for water and food. Eventually, she found an old abandoned shack near the edge of a dark forest.

      "This is the perfect place for me to live," Renaline thought. "Nobody will be able to bother me here." She entered the shack and lay down on and old dirty mattress to sleep. Not as luxurious as the mansion, but at least it was better than the attic.

      The sound of something moving in a nearby tree awoke Renaline immediately. It was coming from the broken window of the shack. Renaline peered out the window, and saw a Uni in torn clothes that were one beautiful and expensive. She recognized that Uni right away.

      "Glenda!" Renaline shouted. "What are you doing here?"

      "I had to run away," said Glenda. "There were monsters coming, and they were going to attack me! I guess they avoided you, you're alive."

      "Of course I'm alive!" said Renaline. "There were no monsters coming! Where did you get that information from?"

      "A Light Faerie told me," said Glenda.

      "Naleena," Renaline gasped. "She is a liar! She only told that to you so you would get out of the house, and then my fortune would come true! She only said that to make it seem like she was a good fortune teller!"

      "What are you talking about?" Glenda asked.

      "It's a long story," said Renaline. She walked out of the shack. "Now, let's get you down from here!"

      "I'm too afraid to come down!" Glenda yelled. "I climbed this to be safe from the monsters, but now I can't get down!"

      Renaline had a sudden idea. She went into the shack, pulled out the old mattress that she had slept on, and placed it under the tree.

      "Jump, Glenda!" Renaline yelled.

      "I can't!" Glenda screamed. "It's too high!"

      "You'll be okay! Just JUMP!!!" Renaline ordered.

      Glenda took a deep breath, then jumped off the tree, screaming at the top of her lungs. You could probably hear her scream in the nearest town. She landed safely on the mattress.

      "Good job!" said Renaline. "Now let's get back to the mansion."

      "But it's too long of a walk!" Renaline wondered if Glenda would ever stop whining.

      "Not if we try hard," said Renaline.

      It took another day, but Renaline and Glenda eventually got back to the mansion. Renaline suddenly realized what she had just done. Now she would have to go back to being a slave and working Good job!" said Renaline. "Now let's get back to the mansion."

      "But it's too long of a walk!" Renaline wondered if Glenda would ever stop whining.

      "Not if we try hard," said Renaline.

      It took another day, but Renaline and Glenda eventually got back to the mansion. Renaline suddenly realized what she had just done. Now she would have to go back to being a slave and working Good job!" said Renaline. "Now let's get back to the mansion."

      "But it's too long of a walk!" Renaline wondered if Glenda would ever stop whining.

      "Not if we try hard," said Renaline.

      It took another day, but Renaline and Glenda eventually got back to the mansion. Renaline suddenly realized what she had just done. Now she would have to go back to being a slave and working hard every second. Naleena really was right this time.

      "Now, Renaline, why don't you sit down with me, eat our breakfast, and have a lively conversation?" Glenda asked.

      "But…don't you want me to get working?" Renaline asked.

      "Don't be silly," said Glenda. "You saved me. Therefore, you are no longer my slave."

      Renaline smiled.

***

      Dear Celia,

      I am doing very well in my mansion. Well, it isn't exactly mine anymore. The original owner of the mansion, Glenda, was found, and now we share it. There are more rules than when I had everything to myself, and Glenda only has annual balls. However, it is beautiful. I am probably the luckiest Grey Faerie in Neopia.

      Tomorrow, Glenda and I are taking a trip to Roo Island. I won't be able to send you letters from there, and I will miss you a lot. If you can, try to get on a boat that is headed for Roo Island. I will hopefully meet you there, at noon tomorrow beside the Merry-Go-Round.

Your friend,

Renaline.

***

On that beautiful day at noon, beside the Merry-Go-Round, Renaline sat down on a nearby bench. Then, from the crowd, nobody other than Celia appeared. She had grown a lot since Renaline had last seen her. She jumped into Renaline's arms.

      "Will you stay with me from now on?" Renaline asked.

      "Yes," said Celia. "I will try."

      From then on, Renaline, Glenda, and Celia lived in the mansion together. They were always happy, and never sad. These were truly the good days.

The End