I had decided it was time for me to get a pet. After all, living by myself all the time can get a little boring. As I drove to the Pet Store, I wondered what kind of pet I'd want.
There were cats, dogs, birds, fish, hamsters, and more. But a newer pet that was available to the public was trains.
Yes, trains.
Someone had managed to create living, miniature locomotives with faces on the front, and make them available as pets. They were about the size of a cat, and had some animal qualities, although I hadn't particularly paid any attention to the article.
But I had noticed that for example, the pet trains could kind of crawl, and flex as if they weren't made of metal. They needed food and water, instead of coal or gasoline. They could even be petted, or have their undercarriage rubbed. They mainly moved with their wheels, but they had flexible axles, so they could climb a little if they wanted to get somewhere bad enough. And since they didn't actually run on tracks, their wheels were flat, instead of having a lip to hold them onto the rails.
I chuckled at the thought. I would never be caught dead having a pet train. It just wasn't natural. I would most likely go for a hamster, or something easy to take care of.
Although...
My best friend had gotten a pet train recently. Named Ashima, if I remembered right. I had seen her once, while I was at their house. The moment I stepped inside, Ashima had rolled over to me along the floor, looking at me with big, gleaming eyes. She nuzzled my leg, and poked my shoe. I had finally given in, and picked her up, and was surprised to find that the trains didn't weigh very much. Maybe ten pounds at most. Ashima had a lot of small wheels, and she was keen on clinging to my shoulder with them while I held her.
It was then I learned that the pet trains could purr. For she had snuggled up to my neck, and started to do just that. It was really adorable.
I pulled into the pet store parking lot, and shut off the car.
I didn't want a pet train. I wanted something normal!
I quietly walked into the store, a small bell above the door signaling my arrival. The sound of barking, meowing, screeching, and scuffling met my ears. Ah the typical sounds of a pet store.
The girl at the counter looked up, and smiled when she saw me.
"Hello. Welcome to the pet store! What can I do for you today?" she asked. I smiled.
"I'd like to get a pet. Something small, and easy to take care of. I have a single story house, so it will be able to walk freely." I said. The girl smiled.
"Ah, I see. I would recommend a cage pet, a cat, or a train. We have a new selection of trains over there, and cats over there." the girl said, pointing in two different directions. I nodded, and walked to the cat area.
Several cages lined the walls, and there were cats and kittens in about half of them. I looked them all over, and read the description on each one. None of them seemed to particularly stand out, unfortunately. I wanted a pet that seemed to like me from the start.
I then looked at the hamster and guinea pig cages, and finally found myself in the train section. It was full of slightly larger cages than the cat ones, mainly because some of the trains were a little bigger than others. They seemed to be quite popular, because there weren't that many trains residing in the cages. I bent over, and looked into one of the cages.
A big pair of baby blue eyes stared back at me from the darker back corner of the cage. I stepped back in mild surprise, and then looked closer. A small yellow train sat in the cage, looking up at me in wonder. It was a tender train, which I had learned was slightly different from the non tender ones. The tender ones could kind of wiggle their tenders, almost like wagging a tail. They did it when they were happy. It also had an orange and red stripe down its side, with a dark blue top.
The engine crawled forward to the edge of the cage, and stuck its buffers in between the bars. I gently reached down, and rubbed one. The engine startled a little, and backed away. I smiled at it's nervousness, and glanced at the paper on the cage.
"Rebecca, huh?" I asked her. At the sound of her name, the small engine moved towards the front of the cage again. I put a finger into the cage, and the little engine looked at it for a moment, before pressing her face into it. I wiggled my finger, and scratched her chin. She seemed to love it.
She moved to the cage bars again, and I scratched her behind her funnel, and around her cheeks. After a moment, she started to purr, and closed her eyes.
Suddenly, I pulled my hand back, and steeled myself. I specifically said I didn't want a train as a pet!
But... she was so cute. When I looked back down, Rebecca was looking up at me through her cage bars, her blue eyes twinkling, as if to say "Why did you stop petting?" and my heart melted. I looked at her sheet again.
"You like to be petted, take naps, and drink milk, is that right?" I asked. According to the sheet, Rebecca was still in her younger stage, so she needed milk for nutrients. I looked at her as she watched me, her tender wiggling behind her.
"Oh... to hell with it." I said, snatching the paper off of her cage. I took it up to the front counter, and handed it to the girl. She smiled as soon as she saw the paper.
"Oh, you want to buy Rebecca?! Isn't she just the cutest little thing? I knew it wouldn't take her long to be adopted." she said, taking a set of keys out from behind the counter.
"She seems to like me." I replied. The girl smiled, and walked over to Rebecca's cage. The little yellow engine tucked herself in the back of the cage as her door was opened. I bent down, and held out my arms.
"It's okay, little one. I won't hurt you." I said softly. Rebecca slowly rolled forward, studying my hands for a moment. She pawed at my fingers with her front wheel, and then nuzzled my palm. I gently placed my hands around her, one on her body, and one on her tender, and picked her up. I held the tiny engine against your chest, and she looked around in curiosity, before nuzzling your chest.
"Aww, she really does like you!" the pet store girl said. I smiled as I felt Rebecca start purring, making my chest vibrate. I held her tightly, and walked back over to the counter.
"I'll just print out a little sheet with tips on how to take care of her, and some specific things for her, and then I'll get you a box to take her in. She costs one hundred dollars." the girl said. I was mildly alarmed. That was a bit expensive for such a small pet, but as I looked at the little train snuggled into my arms, purring contently, I decided I could afford it.
"Sounds good to me." I said, giving Rebecca little kiss on her roof. She closed her eyes, and a little smile appeared on her face as she continued to purr.
I paid for my new friend, and gently placed her in a large cardboard box for carrying home. The papers that were given to me by the girl was just a list of what to feed her, how to exercise her, and how to take care of her waste.
Apparently a pet trains waste was little blobs of coal, and water. Figures.
With everything ready, I thanked the girl, and walked out to my car. I gently placed the box in the passenger seat, and put all the other necessities I had purchased in the trunk. As I climbed into the drivers seat, I could hear the sound of scratching coming from the cardboard box. I looked over and saw those blue eyes peering through the side holes. I poked a finger into a hole, and chuckled as I felt Rebecca nibble on it gently.
"Don't worry, Rebecca, you'll be home in a matter of minutes." I said, starting the car.
. . .
Once I got back home, the first thing I did was let Rebecca out of her box. She slowly rolled out, her eyes wandering all over, taking in her new environment. Her little mouth hung open in wonder as she saw all the new places to explore. She wandered off into my bedroom, while I brought in the rest of the supplies.
A milk bottle, a litter box, a bag of food, and some toys.
I set the litter box in the corner, and put the milk in the refrigerator. I put the toys on the floor so Rebecca could find them, and then poked my head into the bedroom, to find that Rebecca had made herself at home on my bed. She was laying on her side, giving me a goofy smile. You chuckled.
"Oh Rebecca, you're too cute for words." I said, sitting on the bed next to her. I rubbed her sides, and she righted herself, pushing into my leg. I scratched behind her funnel, and patted her side. After a few minutes, she closed her eyes, and became still.
Poor thing, she was probably exhausted from all the excitement of seeing her new home. I slowly rose from the bed, and Rebecca proceeded to reach out with her wheels, and managed to grab my arm just before I could fully stand. She had a cute pout on her face as I tried to move. She didn't seem to keen on being alone. I gave in, and sat back down next to her as she relaxed.
I pulled out my phone, and texted my friend, telling them that I got a pet train of my own. They were thrilled, and wanted to make arrangements to bring Ashima over for a little while so Rebecca could have a playmate. I agreed to do so tomorrow. Today she needed to get used to her new home.
Eventually, she fell asleep completely, and released my arm. I quietly stood, and watched her, her sides quietly rising and falling as she breathed. A content little smile on her face was present, and she seemed to be completely knocked out.
I smiled, and headed into the living room to take another look over the instruction sheet.
She needed to be fed twice a day, and exercised at least once a day, if possible. Apparently, you could take the small engines for walks, or... drives? Regardless of the name, I had bought a small leash for her. I finally got everything situated, and flipped on the TV so I could relax a little bit myself.
. . .
After a few hours, I deemed it time to feed my new little friend. According to the paper, she was to receive only milk at night, and food and milk in the morning. I walked to the kitchen, and mixed the milk together inside her small bottle, and then went back to the couch.
"Is there a hungry little train anywhere here named Rebecca?!" I called. I smiled as about fifteen seconds later, the little engine herself came tumbling into the room, and stopped at my feet, looking up at me.
"I thought so." I said, picking her up and setting her on her roof in my lap. She curled up slightly, and snuggled against me. I could die she was so cute. She seemed less like a pet at times, and more like a baby.
"Okay little one, lets get you fed." I said, holding the milk bottle to her mouth. She looked at the bottle, and gave it a bat with one of her wheels, before she put her mouth over the end. I gently squeezed it a little so she would know what was inside.
Once she tasted the milk, she began to suck on the bottle. The very thought of what I was doing made me smile in joy. Holding a tiny little ball of sweetness in my arms, giving her milk out of a bottle. Rebecca was not pet. She was definitely smarter than the average animal.
Once she drained the bottle, I almost cried as she let out a small contented sigh, and tucked herself into me. Her little buffers were poking into me a bit, but I couldn't bring myself to disturb her.
"You have to be the sweetest little thing ever." I said to her quietly, petting her gently. A gentle purring filled the room.
. . .
Once it was time for bed, I made sure Rebecca's bed was good and flayed out, and then I climbed under my own covers. However, not thirty seconds later, I had a little yellow engine who wanted to join me.
I opened my eyes to see Rebecca sitting on the bed in front of me, her large blue eyes practically glowing in the dark.
"What is it?" I asked. She nuzzled the bed covers, and looked back at me. I smiled, and pulled her into me.
"Alright, alright." I said as you put the covers over her. She continued purring as she closed her eyes. I slowly pet her in rhythm, until I fell asleep next to my new little friend.
. . .
The next morning, I felt something wet on my face. I opened my eyes to find myself being licked to death by my little yellow rascal.
"Hey, I'm up, I'm up!" I said, turning my head. Rebecca wiggled her tender as she crawled over to my other side.
"You must be hungry. I better get you fed before Ashima comes over." I said, sitting up. Rebecca got on the floor, and wheeled out of the room towards the kitchen. I stood and stretched, before following her lead. I poured some of her food into a bowl, and set it down next to a bowl of milk for her. She instantly began to stuff her nose in the bowl of food, shuffling it around the bowl as she ate.
I went to check on her litter box, and found that there was indeed a few small chunks of coal inside it. Very small ones. I wondered if I could use them for my fireplace.
Ew.
Probably not.
I cleaned the litter box, and then made breakfast for myself. As I ate, I could hear Rebecca lapping at the milk in her bowl, before feeling something rubbing against my leg. I looked down to find her sidling up against my foot, before laying on top of it. I chuckled to myself.
"If you're like this everyday, you'll be a major improvement in my life." I said. Rebecca rolled over and looked at me.
After breakfast was finished, I took a shower and got dressed, and just in the nick of time.
The doorbell rang as I finished combing my hair, and I opened it to find my best friend standing on the other side, Ashima in their arms.
"Did you really get one?!" they asked excitedly. I nodded. Ashima finally saw me, and reached her little wheels out.
"I think she wants you to hold her." my friend said. I smiled, and took Ashima from their arms. She tucked herself against my neck, and purred.
"I did get one. I just couldn't resist her once I saw her. She seemed to take an instant liking to me." I said as my friend walked in. After a few minutes, I set Ashima down on the floor. She puttered off to go explore, and I watched the little pink engine disappear around the corner.
"I think Ashima will get along with her well. She's very friendly." I said, following Ashima into the kitchen, where Rebecca and Ashima had finally found each other. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Rebecca slowly approached Ashima. She reached out with a wheel, and gently batted Ashima, who in turn, rolled onto her side, purring. Rebecca poked Ashima some more, and then did the same.
"I think they'll get along fine." my friend said. I watched as they inspected each other a little more, before I tossed a toy to the two little engines. They instantly righted themselves, both looking at the toy with wide eyes.
A ball with a little bell inside of it proved quite fascinating for the both of them. Ashima drew closer, and bonked the ball with her head, which made the bell dingle a little. She quickly drew back as Rebecca suddenly swatted the ball across the room. Both of them quickly puttered after it in a hurry. As the two new friends played, I sighed.
"I went into that pet store and specifically told myself I didn't want a pet train. It's so different from a normal pet. But, like I said... I looked into her cage, and my heart melted the moment I saw her. She was just the cutest little thing."
"Similar to when I found Ashima. It's their eyes, isn't it? They have the sweetest eyes, always so bright with color and curiosity." my friend said. I agreed.
After another twenty minutes of the two little engines playing, I stood.
"Want to take them for a walk?" I asked. My friend nodded. We both called their respective names, and both engines came running. Rebecca bonked into my foot before looking up at me sweetly, and Ashima nuzzled her owners leg.
I grabbed the new leash I had gotten, and fastened it to Rebecca, as did my friend with Ashima. The moment I took Rebecca outside, she was rolling around, trying to sniff and explore everything.
"First time being outside?" my friend asked. I nodded.
"I wanted to let her get comfy inside first." I said as the two of us began walking. The little engines stayed by our sides for the most part, occasionally wandering from the path to check something out.
Suddenly, Rebecca rushed back to me, with a small flower in her mouth. She dropped it at my feet, and looked up at me.
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"Awww! She gave you a present!" my friend hollered. I smiled, and picked up the flower. I gave Rebecca a chin and funnel scratch, and then she wandered off again.
After we both walked a few blocks, Rebecca seemed a little tuckered out, so I scooped her up and held her over my shoulder as she clung to me, purring loudly in my ear.
When the two of us got back, I gently set Rebecca down on the couch, where she fell asleep. My friend and I watched as Ashima laid down right next to her, and did the same.
"There can't be anything cuter than that." I said. My friend smiled.
"Sometimes all you need to make your life a little better... is a little companion." they said.
I couldn't have agreed more.
This was just a a little one-shot based off of a goofy thought I had the other day, and is not meant to be taken seriously. Just here for the awwes and humor. It would be awesome to have a little pet Rebecca, at least to me!
If the link in the story doesn't work, click the one in the description of the story to see Rebecca holding a flower for you as she did in the story!