Author's Note: This is the revised edition of Yokurra: A White Kougra's Tale posted under my other penname Yami Yue.

The White Paint Brush

Though the sun had long risen over Neopia Central, Yami Yue was still fast asleep. However, the bright sunlight beaming in through the windows caused her red Kougra to stir and awaken. Yokurra yawned sleepily as he opened his golden eyes. He flexed his large paws, extending and retracting his claws. He loved the feel of the soft cream rug underneath the pads of his paws. The red Kougra's stomach growled as hunger wakened within him. He decided to wake his owner, knowing she wouldn't make him wait long for his breakfast.

Yokurra stood to his feet and leapt onto the bed. He landed so lightly his owner didn't stir. The red Kougra padded to the head of the bed. Purring loudly, he gently brushed his cheek against his owner's soft skin. Yami stirred and her emerald green eyes fluttered open. "Time to wake up sleeping beauty," Yokurra said teasingly. "I'm up," she murmured as she sat up and gently stroked his soft fur. "You sleep well?" she asked. "Uh huh," Yokurra responded. "Did you?" Yami nodded.

Yokurra rolled over onto his back so that his owner could rub his soft belly. Yami chuckled at this, but obliged him, knowing that he enjoyed it. Yokurra's eyes closed as Yami gently rubbed his belly. A deep rumbling purr resounded from within him. "You're spoiled rotten, you know that?" she teased. "Can I help it if you can't resist my charms?" he replied jokingly. "I guess not," she responded. "You're too cute for your own good," Yokurra giggled at his owner's response.

The red Kougra's stomach rumbled loudly. "Sounds like Prince Charming is hungry," she joked as she gently patted his belly. "You'd better let me up so I can get ready and get you fed," Yokurra opened his eyes and graced his owner with a feline grin, before rolling onto his feet. He leapt off the bed with feline grace as his owner smiled back at him. The red Kougra padded into the living room to give his owner privacy, and get a short catnap while he waited.

Fifteen minutes later Yami entered the living room, placing her long amethyst hair in a ponytail. She unzipped her green backpack, that had been sitting by the door to make sure she hadn't forgotten to pack food containers for jelly, omelette and whatever other food items she and her companion might acquire. Satisfied, that everything she needed had been packed, Yami slipped the backpack onto her shoulders and fished her neohome key from her pants pocket. Yokurra left the comfort of the sofa he was lying on and quietly padded to his owner's side. Together they exited their neohome.

"Yami? Do you think we'll make a lot of neopoints today?" Yokurra asked as his owner locked the front door of their neohome. "I hope so," His amethyst haired owner answered. "Me too," Yokurra said. "The more neopoints we make, the closer I'll get to being painted white," Yami nodded at her companion. Ever since a customer had come into their shop with a white Kougra, it was Yokurra's one wish to be painted white. Although Yami wasn't a rich neopian by any stretch of the imagination, she was determined to grant Yokurra's wish.

As promised, the pair headed for the Tyrannian Plateau. Yami's eyes scanned the barren, rocky, plains of the Tyrannian Plateau. Unfortunately, aside from the Concert Hall there wasn't much to look at. She preferred the lush Tyrannian Jungle. The only thing besides the Concert Hall worth seeing was the Giant Omelette. Despite the fact that Yami had seen it many times, the sight of it amazed her. If it weren't for the crowd of Neopians always waiting to get their share, Yami would have wondered if it ever was completely eaten up, and how much would go to waste. Thankfully, the line always moved swiftly and soon Yokurra was hungrily wolfing down his share of sausage omelette. He finished it quickly, and before long he was licking his lips in satisfaction. "Feel better?" Yami asked. "Much," Yokurra answered. "Where shall we go next?" "The Giant Jelly," Yami answered.

Jelly World was not a place found on Neopia's map. Some even denied it's existence. Those who knew the truth of it's existence directed others to it. It was though a customer Yami had learned the path to the town made entirely of orange jelly, and what lay in it's heart. As they walked the brightly colored streets made of orange jelly, Yami once again wondered what kept the sun from melting it. The temperature was cool, but not uncomfortably so. Surely that couldn't be it.

Yami was brought out of her musing by the sight of the towering Giant Jelly. It amazed her that even though the giant mass of jelly was a uniform orange color, there were several different kinds she could receive from it. Briefly, she and Yokurra had wondered how that was possible, but soon decided some things were best left unknown. Then of course there were things that weren't, no matter how much you'd rather not know them.

"What kind do you think it is?" Yokurra asked, eyeing the wiggling mass of light brown jelly in the container Yami held with suspicion. "I have no clue," Yami answered. Cautiously, Yokurra sniffed the odd looking jelly. The red Kougra wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Dung," he informed his owner. "Oh, that's just sick," Yami groaned. "What kind of pet would eat dung jelly?" "Skeith probably," Yokurra responded. "I hear they'll eat anything,"

From the town made of jelly, Yami and Yokurra made their way to the scorching hot land of the Lost Desert. There the duo paid their respects to the late King Coltzan III before going to try their luck at the fruit machine. Together, they entered the tent, grateful for the escape from the heat. Yokurra raised one of his large paws and gave the wheel a hard spin. Yami watched with disinterest as the slot machine type contraption spun. She wasn't expecting to win. They hardly ever did.

Yami and Yokurra's eyes went wide when the machine stopped and they had won. "You win 15,000 neopoints and an electric blue paintbrush," the Fruit machine operator informed them as Yami was handed their prize. Yami examined the paintbrush, finding it strange that the paint on it didn't drip, nor did it coat her finger when she touched it. The paint didn't leave the brush's bristles. Another Neopian oddity. "How much do you think it's worth?" Yokurra asked as Yami removed her backpack and placed their winnings into her backpack. "I don't know, but I intend to ask the shop wizard when we get to Mystery Island," she answered.

They left the burning desert sands behind for their last stop for the morning. Sunny, tropical, beautiful, Mystery Island. After dropping off the dung jelly at their shop, the duo went to visit the shop wizard. The Jub Jub searing a wizard's hat and matching cloak was sitting outside it's brightly colored hut. Yami slid the backpack off her shoulders and removed the electric blue paintbrush from it. She presented it to the shop wizard. "How much is this worth?" she asked. "100,000 neopoints," the Jub Jub answered. "The same as the white paint brush," Yokurra breathed excitedly. "Let's go to the trading post and see if we can trade it for one," Yami suggested. Yokurra nodded in agreement. They thanked the shop wizard and headed to the Mystery Island Trading Post.

"Welcome," the trading post owner greeted as the duo entered. "Have you come to put something up for trade? Or browse our lots?" "I'd like to up this paintbrush up for trade," Yami replied. "Alright, what would you like trade it for?" the trading post owner asked. "A white paint brush," Yami answered. The trading post owner began writing on a small piece of paper that looked like a large tag. Yami set the paintbrush on the desk in front of her. The tag was quickly affixed to the paintbrush and placed with the other lots. "Come back a little later and I may have some offers for you," The trading post owner said.

"Why don't we go try out luck at the Tombola before we open the shop?" Yami suggested. Yokurra was eager for the brush to be traded and thus a bit reluctant to leave the trading post. Still, he knew his owner wouldn't want to just sit and wait when she could be doing something more productive. He silently followed his owner out of the trading post to the Tombola.

Yami stepped up to the Tombola, reached in and pulled out a ticket. "Oh dear, that is not a winning ticket," The Tombola man said sadly."…and you don't even get a booby prize," Yami tossed the ticket back into the Tombola and began walking toward the marketplace with Yokurra at her side. "I'm seriously considering not donating the next time he begs for money," she grumbled under her breath. "Yami, you've never donated when he begs for money," Yokurra said laughingly. "Shhh," Yami murmured. "He doesn't need to know that," Yokurra chuckled. "Maybe that's why you didn't win," he teased. Yami gave an undignified snort at that remark. "Yeah right, I swear that game is rigged," Yokurra laughed even harder.

The duo returned to the trading post after selling all the items in their shop. (Yami still couldn't believe someone had actually bought the dung jelly.) "Welcome back," the trading post owner greeted. "There's an offer on your lot. A white paintbrush and 5,000 neopoints," "We'll take it," Yami said. The trading post owner nodded and retrieved the items. "Here you are," she said as Yami opened her backpack. The trading faerie placed the paintbrush and neopoints inside. As soon as Yami had placed the backpack on her shoulders, Yokurra impatiently nudged her with his head. "Relax Kurra," Yami said. "We're going,"

They headed for the harbor where they caught the ferry to Neopia Central, just as they did every evening. However, Yami knew this particular trip home would be special for her friend and companion. Soon, Yokurra would have his wish granted. Yami had to wonder if the paintbrush would change more than just her Kougra's color. What if it changed his personality as well? It made her nervous that she didn't know what other effect beside the change in color, the paintbrush would have on Yokurra. Yami couldn't bear the thought of loosing her beloved companion. Despite her misgivings Yami couldn't deny Yokurra this chance.

When they reached the rainbow pool Yami removed his backpack. She opened it and pulled out the white paint brush. It began to resonate with energy, a magic Yami did not yet understand. Yokurra padded toward the crystal clear water of the Rainbow Pool. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Yami asked. "Yes," Yokurra answered. Yami nodded. She would not go against his wishes. She could only watch as Yokurra stepped into the water and waded toward the center of the pool.

As soon as the red Kougra was in the center of the pool the paintbrush began to glow with an ethereal light. Yami could practically taste the magic in the air as the paintbrush unleashed it's power. Her eyes widened as the light began to drift like a fine ribbon of moonlight toward her Kougra. The amethyst haired girl's heart sped up as she watched the light surround Yokurra. In a moment it had completely surrounded the red Kougra, blocking him from view. "Kurra!" Yami cried. When no answer came, she began to panic. "Why doesn't he answer me?" she thought worriedly. "Kurra!" she called again.

The light suddenly grew brighter forcing Yami to turn her head and close her eyes in an attempt to shield herself from the blinding light. When the light faded Yami opened her eyes. She blinked to clear her vision and looked down at her hands. The paintbrush had completely vanished. She turned to look for Yokurra. Her green eyes scanned the scene before her, frantically searching for her beloved companion. At first she saw nothing, the ethereal mist still had not yet cleared. As it did, she saw a feline figure wading toward her.

Yami's heart soared as a snowy white Kougra emerged from the Rainbow Pool. "Did it work?" the Kougra asked. At the sound of the familiar voice, relief flooded through Yami's body. She sank to her knees, her legs suddenly unable to hold her up. "Yes," she managed. "Yes Kurra, it worked," The white Kougra smiled and padded to his owner. Yami wrapped her arms about him in a gentle hug. Gently he brushed his head against her in a sign of affection. A deep rumbling purr echoed from within him, showing his joy. "Thank you," Yokurra murmured. "You're welcome," Yami replied.

The white Kougra's purr grew louder. "You're the best Yami," He said softly. Yami's smile grew wider as her embrace tightened. "There you go, buttering me up again," She teased, and then kissed his cheek. "It's no wonder I spoil you so,"
"I thought it was because you loved me," He teased. Yami laughed. "Yes, that too," She said as she released him from her embrace. "Come on, let's go home," she said as she stood to her feet and dusted herself off. With a smile gracing his feline features Yokurra followed his owner away from the Rainbow Pool, where he had finally gotten his wish granted.

I'm starting a C2 comminity, so if you're intrested in adding your story(or stories) just say so at the end of your review or email me with the subject The High Street Journal