August Writing, Day 5: Three Primary Colors (Part 3)
My latest Neopets story continues, picking up right where the previous part left off, which was mid-scene. (Note: This is a work in progress - I plan to go back and add to this scene later. It's also a backdated entry - this is the material I wrote yesterday, and I'm posting it on the 6th.)
The Wocky turned away, starting to cry softly.
“I have orange feet,” Akashi pointed out. “As do all basic-colored JubJubs. Is that somehow different?”
“For some reason, that just doesn't bother me,” answered Barbara. “I only care that my pet's fur is all one color.”
Akashi paused for a moment, then said, “I think you're being an arbitrary, impulsive brat now, too. I really thought you were better than this, Barbara.”
That hurt. “My mind's made up,” she said, starting to tear up herself. “Come on, let's get this over with. But don't think I'm enjoying this, Akashi. I realize that what I'm doing will be cruel and unpleasant, and I'm hurting right along with her. I am sure of what I want to do, though. We'll get over it eventually.”
Barbara turned and marched back into the Pound building. All her pets followed her, including the Wocky.
“That was pretty brave of you,” she said to Akashi. “Not all pets could get away with talking back to their owners like that. You're lucky you're not getting pounded yourself.”
“Thanks,” said Akashi. “I'm sorry it didn't work.”
“You and Barbara didn't have time to really make friends,” said Ryuukomon comfortingly. “If you had, this would be even harder.”
The Wocky nodded miserably.
…..........
“I changed my mind,” said Barbara to Dr. Death, not looking him in the eyes.
“This one is not to your liking?” said the Yellow Techo who took in newly abandoned pets.
“No,” said Barbara in a pained whisper. “I want to try again. Please... take her back.”
“Most people don't cry when they abandon pets they've only had for five minutes,” remarked Dr. Death. “Very well then. Give her here.”
Barbara crouched down to pick up the Yellow Wocky. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she pleaded.
“I am.” Barbara picked her up.
“Please don't leave me here!”
“I'm sorry, but that's what I've decided.”
Dr. Death collected the Yellow Wocky from Barbara's arms. Both of them were crying by now. “All right, come on,” said Dr. Death. “Better luck next time.” He disappeared through the dark, cobwebbed doorway behind his desk.
“Why don't you take a few minutes to recover before you go in again,” said Rose to Barbara. “You can have this folding chair.”
“Thank you.” Barbara took the folding chair from behind Rose's desk, set it up against the opposite wall, and sat in it with her arms folded across her knees and her head buried in them. Rose came over to her with a large cloth handkerchief hanging from her horn. Barbara accepted it and wiped her eyes.
When she was finished crying, she stood up and handed the handkerchief back. “I'm ready now,” she said. “I'm really sorry that I messed things up like that. I promise I'll pay more attention to what I'm doing this time.”
“Very good.” Rose led her and her family back into the Pound corridors.
This time, Barbara took her time, carefully scanning the cages for a pet who was female, cute, furry, huggable, and had fur that was the same color all over. She finally found a pet who suited all these desires: a Yellow Acara. Her cage name tag read “kirluci395neo.”
“I want her,” said Barbara. “I'm sure this time.”
“But she's not green,” said Ryuukomon.
“I'm absolutely sure I want an Acara, and there aren't any green female Acaras here right now. I'm pretty sure I can afford a Green Paint Brush by now.”
“Wow, cool!” said kirluci395neo. “Thank you so much! I'd love to come with you!”
Rose unlocked the cage, and the Acara jumped down into Barbara's arms. They proceeded out of the Pound.
“You have one spot left for another pet,” said Rose when they reached the lobby. “I hope you'll come back and see us again sometime!”
“I dunno,” said Barbara. “I think I'm happy with the pet family I have now. Thanks, though.”
“All right. Goodbye!”
“Goodbye!”
..........
Barbara could, indeed, afford a Green Paint Brush. She took her new paintbrush and her new pet to the Rainbow Pool and watched other owners painting their pets. That cleared up the mystery of how the little bit of paint in the bristles of the paintbrushes could cover an entire Neopet: The paint was used to transform the water in the pool into paint, so that there was more than enough.
Barbara and kirluci395neo waited for the owners who were there ahead of them to finish.
The Wocky turned away, starting to cry softly.
“I have orange feet,” Akashi pointed out. “As do all basic-colored JubJubs. Is that somehow different?”
“For some reason, that just doesn't bother me,” answered Barbara. “I only care that my pet's fur is all one color.”
Akashi paused for a moment, then said, “I think you're being an arbitrary, impulsive brat now, too. I really thought you were better than this, Barbara.”
That hurt. “My mind's made up,” she said, starting to tear up herself. “Come on, let's get this over with. But don't think I'm enjoying this, Akashi. I realize that what I'm doing will be cruel and unpleasant, and I'm hurting right along with her. I am sure of what I want to do, though. We'll get over it eventually.”
Barbara turned and marched back into the Pound building. All her pets followed her, including the Wocky.
“That was pretty brave of you,” she said to Akashi. “Not all pets could get away with talking back to their owners like that. You're lucky you're not getting pounded yourself.”
“Thanks,” said Akashi. “I'm sorry it didn't work.”
“You and Barbara didn't have time to really make friends,” said Ryuukomon comfortingly. “If you had, this would be even harder.”
The Wocky nodded miserably.
…..........
“I changed my mind,” said Barbara to Dr. Death, not looking him in the eyes.
“This one is not to your liking?” said the Yellow Techo who took in newly abandoned pets.
“No,” said Barbara in a pained whisper. “I want to try again. Please... take her back.”
“Most people don't cry when they abandon pets they've only had for five minutes,” remarked Dr. Death. “Very well then. Give her here.”
Barbara crouched down to pick up the Yellow Wocky. “Are you sure you want to do this?” she pleaded.
“I am.” Barbara picked her up.
“Please don't leave me here!”
“I'm sorry, but that's what I've decided.”
Dr. Death collected the Yellow Wocky from Barbara's arms. Both of them were crying by now. “All right, come on,” said Dr. Death. “Better luck next time.” He disappeared through the dark, cobwebbed doorway behind his desk.
“Why don't you take a few minutes to recover before you go in again,” said Rose to Barbara. “You can have this folding chair.”
“Thank you.” Barbara took the folding chair from behind Rose's desk, set it up against the opposite wall, and sat in it with her arms folded across her knees and her head buried in them. Rose came over to her with a large cloth handkerchief hanging from her horn. Barbara accepted it and wiped her eyes.
When she was finished crying, she stood up and handed the handkerchief back. “I'm ready now,” she said. “I'm really sorry that I messed things up like that. I promise I'll pay more attention to what I'm doing this time.”
“Very good.” Rose led her and her family back into the Pound corridors.
This time, Barbara took her time, carefully scanning the cages for a pet who was female, cute, furry, huggable, and had fur that was the same color all over. She finally found a pet who suited all these desires: a Yellow Acara. Her cage name tag read “kirluci395neo.”
“I want her,” said Barbara. “I'm sure this time.”
“But she's not green,” said Ryuukomon.
“I'm absolutely sure I want an Acara, and there aren't any green female Acaras here right now. I'm pretty sure I can afford a Green Paint Brush by now.”
“Wow, cool!” said kirluci395neo. “Thank you so much! I'd love to come with you!”
Rose unlocked the cage, and the Acara jumped down into Barbara's arms. They proceeded out of the Pound.
“You have one spot left for another pet,” said Rose when they reached the lobby. “I hope you'll come back and see us again sometime!”
“I dunno,” said Barbara. “I think I'm happy with the pet family I have now. Thanks, though.”
“All right. Goodbye!”
“Goodbye!”
..........
Barbara could, indeed, afford a Green Paint Brush. She took her new paintbrush and her new pet to the Rainbow Pool and watched other owners painting their pets. That cleared up the mystery of how the little bit of paint in the bristles of the paintbrushes could cover an entire Neopet: The paint was used to transform the water in the pool into paint, so that there was more than enough.
Barbara and kirluci395neo waited for the owners who were there ahead of them to finish.