Tittle: Ups and downs of being a lab rat
Author: Quick-demon a.k.a neomaster49
Disclaimers: I don't own neopets. Just this story.
Rating: G
Summery: The tittle says it all. A kiko is a lab rat but he got more than he bargained for.
A/N: Another neopian times story. Week 81
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It was a cold stormy day in Neopia's secret lab ray island. Half the population knew where the island was. It was constantly swamped by Neopets with their owners from all walks of life to experience the lab zap for one more day.
If the lab was supposed to be scary the weather did a good job. It was unusually dark and lightning flashed every 3 seconds, lighting up the sky. As usual it was a long line of Neopets waiting to be zapped, trying their luck. It was like a gamble with your life, a chance game but it was for real.
This is my first time going to the lab. I heard how good and exciting it was so I bugged my owner to get the lab map. It took months and months and now finally I am here. I'm Harn, a plain old blue Kiko, but not for long. I was hoping to turn into a beautiful Shoyru or a mystical Aisha or a tall Nimmo. I'm an only pet to my owner so she spoils me lots, though I'm not painted she buys me lots of books, toys and plays with me a lot.
Hours seemed to pass slowly as my body started to sleep from standing in the same spot. Finally, it was my turn. My heart was beating with excitement, this was it the moment I was waiting for! My life is going to change for ever!
The door opened a weird looking yellow Scorchio with spiral eyes and pointy grey hair appeared, just when a flash of lightning zapped from the sky.
"Hello! Welcome to my secret lab!" he greeted us, "come in, come in!"
Me and my owner followed him in. Inside was huge! It was something from a Frankenstein move! But the ray was ten times bigger and there was a chair instead of a table.
"Do you understand I'm not responsible for any..." he stopped in mid sentence to lean over me and look at me evilly, "...mishaps that may occur."
I gulped. He laughed hysterically, when he did lightning cackled. I gulped trying not to get any of this get to me.
"Now, sit in the chair and we'll get you strapped up, okay?" he instructed.
I stood there dumbfounded for a minute then I walked up to the steel chair. I sat down and as soon as I did metal restraints clacked on. I struggled a bit.
"Will he be okay?" my owner asked with worry in her voice.
"Ya, ya he'll be fine. Now don't move!" he said and went over to a control panel.
The ray was being powered up. I try to relax but the whole atmosphere kept my heart racing. The charging up sound got louder and louder. This was it! I was going to be a Shoyru or an Aisha! I'll be the envy of all my friends!!!
"Oh this is why I love my job!" the Scorchio yelled suddenly as they ray fired.
I screwed my eyes shut and yelled. I felt energy surge through me, making my whole body tingle. After a few seconds it was all over. I felt the restraints taken off. I slowly opened my eyes and looked towards the Scorchio and my owner.
I slowly looked down and saw... no legs. I looked at my hands... they were the same. I couldn't understand it. They ray was supposed to change me into another Neopet.
"What happened!" I cried, my voice was a high pitched sound
"Congratulations! You Kiko changed gender!" he cried the laughed hysterically.
"What!? No! This must be a mistake!" I cried, "I was supposed to be a Shoyru or an Aisha or even a Koi!"
"Sorry, I told you from the start. I'm not responsible for any mishaps that happen! Better luck tomorrow," the scientist said then whisked us out and greeted his next customer.
My owner sighed, "Come on Harn, we'll come back tomorrow. You might changed back into a male."
I groaned. This was a nightmare! I waited months for this and then I get my gender changed! This was not fair! I was better off with a morphing potion! I could cry. Actually I strangely felt like crying....
As soon as we got home I went to my room and stayed in there for a while. My hopes were shattered. I wanted to be a nice and beautiful neopet. But I was the same and now a female!
Our house was a made of bamboo but it had a homey touch. We had nice soft white carpet with patterned rugs and had nice wooden furniture. My bed was a nice big double bed, which I liked because it had lots of leg room... even though I don't have legs.
My whole house was practically was a clash of island, modern and country. It somehow looked all wrong but that's my owner for you!
Suddenly there was a knock at my door.
"Go away!" I cried.
"Harn. You have to come out sometime!" my owner yelled from the other side of the door.
"Well I don't wanna!" I argued.
"Harn, I can't let you starve in there!" she pointed out.
"So, pass the food under the door."
"Harn, I'm serious!"
"So am I!" I yelled back.
"Harn come out here this instant or I won't buy you any books or toys for a week!!" she yelled.
I knew that was the last straw. I didn't want to cross her further so I obediently opened the door. She pulled me out and dragged me to the dinning room. Our house is small so it was just a step into the next room.
On the table was fruit, vegetables, jelly, omelettes, chips, chicken, cheese and much more. I had to admit, I was pretty hungry. Soon I forgot about my troubles and started to pack in the food.
"We're going back to the lab tomorrow," my owner said after a while during dinner. "I didn't waste all those Neopoints for nothing"
"Oh alright," I muffled while chewing some bread. "But if I don't get changed into another neopet or change gender, I might as well stay inside"
"Being a girl isn't so bad you know," my owner pointed out. "I mean being one myself..."
"But this is different! I was turned into a girl not born one! People know me to be a boy and if they see me as a girl well its humiliating!" I explained between chews.
"I'm sure they will understand," my mom tried to reason. "Just tell them that you went to the lab."
"But they'LL still laugh," I pointed out.
"Let them laugh," my owner said simply.
I rolled my eyes, then yawned. Mom looked at her watch.
"It's bed time. We'LL talk more tomorrow."
"Yeah okay, whatever," I said absentmindedly and went off to bed.
The next morning I woke up with the bright sunlight penetrating into my eyes. With a moan I blocked out the light with my hand. I threw my covers with the other hand then staggered out of bed. I walked to the kitchen. I saw my owner preparing some scrambled eggs and toast. The aroma was pleasant but intoxicating.
"Oh, good morning Harn," my owner turned and greeted me from the stove. "Your cereal is on the table."
"Morning," I mumbled in my feminine tone.
I slumped down in my chair and poured milk into my bowl of Neocrunch cereal. I lazily dipped my spoon into the bowl and scooped up the flakes.
"Harn. Don't eat like that," my mom nagged.
I shrugged. I didn't care. Mom finished cooking her scrambled eggs and neatly put it on her toast. She grabbed her plate and sat across the table from me.
"I know you didn't get what you wanted. These things take time. Not everyone gets changed into what they want to in their first go. So what if you got changed in a female, you can easily change back" she lectured
I sighed. I guess she was right. I shouldn't give up. It was part of the whole lab thing and I accepted the consequences. Maybe being a female for a day isn't that bad.
"Lets go out today!" I suggested happily.
My mom smiled. I could tell she was glad that I was almost back to myself.
It was a bright and sunny day in Neopia Some clouds drifted over head but rain was no threat here. Mom needed to buy some more food so we stopped by the food shop, the pizza shop and the bread shop.
On the way to the bread shop we went past the Uni clothes store. In the shop window I saw beautiful dresses, scarfs, tops and bottoms. Somehow it attracted me. It was like I wanted to look at them more closely. I reached my hand up and tugged mom's shirt. She stopped and turned, giving her undivided attention.
"Yes? What's wrong Harn?" she asked.
"Can we look at those?" I asked pointing to the clothes in the window.
She giggled.
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"Look, you wont be a female for very long. I suggest we wait until if it is a permanent arrangement," she said then continued walking.
I suddenly realised that I wanted to wear girls clothes. I felt a little silly. I didn't really want to think about it for the rest of the day.
After lunch we decided to visit the lab again. It would take a few hours for my turn so waiting in line for now would be a good idea. We were going to the docks to catch a ferry there. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw my friends!
"Hey Harn," said Britney, a female blue Shoyru
I waved.
"How was the lab yesterday?" asked my other friend Cole, a male red Mynci.
I nodded and gave the thumbs up.
"What's wrong?" asked Britney suspiciously.
I pointed to my throat and whispered something.
"Oh you lost your voice," Cole said reading my actions.
I nodded. I had to fake it somehow. I couldn't just tell them that I was a female. Anyway, I wasn't going to be one for long.
"Where are you headed now?" asked Britney.
I mimed them where I was going to. Cole was pretty good at reading it but Britney on the other hand well..... not very good.
"Come on Harn! We have to go! The ferry leaves in a few minutes!" my owner cried.
"Coming!" I cried out absent-mindedly.
I covered my mouth as I realized that I spoke. I guess my high-pitched voice echoed in their heads because they stood there staring at me. I felt my cheeks start to burn.
Suddenly the corner of their mouths curved upwards. Their mouths erupted in fits of laughter. My cheeks flushed a hotter red.
"Come on!" my owner cried.
She didn't have to tell me sooner. I backed out of there. I ran towards my owner then turned back. They were on the ground laughing until their face went purple. This was more than humiliating! It was embarrassing AND humiliating!
The lab was it's stormy self. It didn't scare me as much as it did the first time. Still it had an eerie feeling to it. It was unusually dark and what's worse it started to rain. Well it was bad for all the owners and Neopets that didn't have any shelter or weren't accustomed to the water.
I being a Kiko didn't mind one bit. My mom brought an umbrella so she just popped it up making sure she didn't cover me. It was hours and hours standing in line. I reckon they should have two lab rays. It would get the job done twice as quick.
The rain finally stopped but the thunder and lighting resumed, threatening as ever. I was near the front of the line. I was glad. My body was going to sleep and waiting in line for hours makes you hungry.
After another 20 minutes it was my turn. It was time to go back to my old self or change into another pet. The Scorchio appeared at the door. Just then lightning and thunder boomed over head, making him look scarier.
"Ahhh, the blue Kiko! Come in! Come in! Ready to try your luck again are you?" he greeted and allowed us in.
"Yes," I replied, making my way up to the chair once more.
The Scorchio went up to the control panel and pressed a few buttons and pulled a few levers. In no time at all the ray started to power up. I jumped into the chair and metal restraints automatically flipped on.
There was no turning back now. My heart raced as the ray was powered even more. I shut my eyes and braced for the blow.
I heard the Scorchio laugh hysterically and felt a large bolt of energy hit my body. Suddenly I heard a large explosion. An extra bolt of the ray's power shot through me. The power soon weakened then died down all together.
I was breathing hard. My body was trying to cope with the unexpected surge. I felt the metal restraints flipped open. I vaguely heard my owner's cries. All I could hear was the blood thumping in my ears.
I slowly opened my eyes. It was a little blurry but it soon focused to reveal that smoke was coming out of the ray and my owner was crouching next to me. She touched my head and smiled.
"Oh, I'm glad your okay Lightning hit the ray and damaged it but you look remarkably different," she said.
I looked down but still saw no legs. Confused I looked at my hands and they were a light purple. I wanted to say something but I was too weak to even open my mouth.
"My ray! My ray! My beautiful ray! It's ruined!" the scientist ran around in vain, "Get out, both of you! You ruined my ray!"
"What? What did we do?" asked my owner in confusion.
"JUST GET OUT!!!" he screamed.
I felt mom pick me up and carry me out. As mom carried me out past the long line of people I heard 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from people and Neopets. I didn't take much notice of it because I was too tired.
I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I remember was being in my bed. I felt hungry so I struggled out of bed and hobbled into the kitchen. I saw my friends Britany and Cole sitting at the table. I froze on the spot.
"Oh Harn you're up. Your friends came around to see how you were," my mom said.
"Sorry that we laughed at you before," apologized Britany.
"Yeah we didn't really mean it. Though it was pretty funny at the time," Cole added.
I smiled.
"Wow, he... I mean she looks better than before" Britany commented.
"I didn't know you could get that colour from the lab ray," Cole said.
"What?" I asked. "What are you going on about?"
"You're Faerie colour," my mom said.
A Faerie colour? I looked sideways. I saw purple with a light purple edged butterfly wing. I gasped.
"But how?" I asked.
"The ray could turn anyone into a Faerie colour but it had a program so that it wouldn't give it often," my mom explained. "The lightning must have affected the ray and it overrode the program, turning you into a Faerie Kiko."
"Well at least your colour matches your gender," giggled Britany.
Oh well. Just my luck. I was hoping to have legs but I got wings instead. I guess I was gonna be a female for a lot longer than I thought I was going to be. Somehow I felt better. It wasn't what I had in mind but I'm not complaining!
"The Scorchio wont let us go back so I guess I 'll have to call you Harna," my owner giggled.
Everyone laughed, except me. I'm never going to get used to all this!
The End