A blizzard howled outside. I was well in the Ice Caves to not be affected by it. But it was still cold. I was too busy to really think about it. Icefire held the last plank of wood in place. I hammered in the nails and then we both stood back.
"Are you sure it would stay up?" he asked
"Yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure!" I gave him a slap on the back, "Trust me, I'm a lenny!"
He looked at me nervously but quickly looked back at the stall we made. Sure it wasn't fancy but it was to our needs. It was from scrap pieces of wood. It was a small table with a wooden sign attached high above the table. On the sign it said HOT FOOD.
"Is it me or is the sign leaning to one side?" Icefire asked tilting his head to one side then back up
I looked closer then snorted, "Nope, just your imagination! Come on lets set the stall up! The sooner we make some money the better!"
Our wooden stall was set up between to the Ice Dome and the Neggery. A perfect place because a lot of neopets and owners come and battle. They may want to warm up before the battle or they could just be hungry. Whatever the reason it's a good place to set this small business up.
Behind the counter I set up a small gas stove that I borrowed off Uncle Quackapow. I set it up and turned the gas on. I lit the stove and put on of mum's large stew pots on top. I pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from my built in pockets and followed my Grandma's old but a real winter warmer recipe.
I boiled some water added in the ingredients according to the recipe and stirred it like a stew. Icefire sniffed in delight.
"What is that I smell?" he asked
"My Grandma's infamous Stew" I chirped, "Boiling Paprika and Chilli Chow Ka-boom Stew"
"Can I try some?" he asked
"Well it wont be a good idea," I murmured
"Why not?" he asked
"Because this stew will warm the most coldest of Ice Imps. You'll melt into a boiling puddle in your snow form"
His face fell, "Oh"
"When you're painted you can try some" I offered
He sighed, "Alright"
"Hey!" A voice called from behind, "Are you selling hot food?"
We both turned to see a girl with a robot lupe. The robot lupe was on its hind legs and its front paws on the counter.
"Sure" Icefire answered
"Just a minute!" I called
Put on some heat insulated lenny made gloves and put on some protective goggles. I picked up the ladel and a bowl. I carefully dipped the ladle in and scooped up some of the dangerous stew. It bubbled and hissed as I pulled it out into the cold air and carefully poured it into the bowl.
I gave it to Icefire who also wore insulated gloves and put it on the table. He pushed a spoon towards her too.
"That will be 300np" Icefire prompted
The girl pulled out her purse and handed over the neopoints. After her lupe sniffed the orange glowing stew and stuck it's metal tongue out and gave a great big lick in the bowl. It managed to drink some of the stew. Straight away it pulled back with a robotic 'yelp' and hung its tongue out. The tongue was steaming.
Suddenly the lupe started to shake, then rapidly bounce up and down and finally it's ears puffed out steam and it's robotic pupils rolled around. It made strange noises as his robotic skin grew an angry red.
The girl squeaked in terror and looked on stunned and horrified as her pet started to spark, sizzled and crackle. Finally with one large bounce it landed on its belly with it's legs sticking out to the side. Its neck crooked and it's nose popped out on the end of a stretch spring. The snow around him melted cooling his metallic body. Steam rose around him and on him and despite its disordered state it let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Oh Zoonie!" The girl shrieked and ran to hug her pet, "Are you ok?"
"That…that w-w-waaaazzzzz a-a-a-amazzzzing!" the robot lupe manage to speak
Icefire looked on in shock. I just smiled with pride.
"Don't worry. Your lupe will be fine. The stew just gave him a bit of heat. He'll thank his circuits for trying it" I reassured
She turned to me and gave me a glare, "A bit of heat! The stuff almost killed him!"
She picked up her lupe and went away to fix him. Icefire turned to me with concern and fear.
"What is in that soup!?" he cried
"It's a secret that only lennies know. It's against our Code of Lennies to tell this secret or all our hot foods will be exploited off us" I replied
He sighed, "I just hope the stew doesn't kill anyone"
Over the coming weeks we sold hundreds of stews. Many couldn't handle it but lots could. When the Advent Calender came out more people flocked into Happy Valley and most came into the Ice Caves so a lot more customers there. Also the locals came around like the wocky from the Scratch Card Kiosk, Kristalinia the Ice Crystal shopkeeper and even the Negg Faerie came down to have a bite. She gave me a Fireball Negg to put into the stew!
We were a big success and raking in the neopoints. I saw Icefire's hopes were as hot and on fire as a Draik's breath after eating my stew. My owner was pleased that I was earning money but when I told her it was not for us and it was for Icefire she wasn't too happy. What must go up must come down. This is the law of gravity and unfortunately it applies to popularity too.
'Twas middle of the Month of Celebrating, every one was stirring for Christmas; all was participating. Holly was hung up in the cave with care and even a Christmas tree happened to be there. The young neopets played snowball fights outside, one got hit in the head and they cried.
Icefire was serving the customers and handling money, as I boiled the hot stew I suddenly felt funny. Suddenly behind me was a large clatter; I turned to see what was the matter. I gasped in surprise but then glared, it was an old enemy my old hatred was flared.
A faerie bloomaroo stood there as if all its dandy, no one else but it had to be Randy.
With a twinkle of his eye and a smirk smile, he quickly looked at his watch dial.
"Hello chicky, I see you're here! Don't worry I wont disappear"
"What do you want?" I spat. I knew he was sly as a cat.
"Why one of your famous stews of course" the rich neopet snorted, "Be quick or I'll have you hung, drawn and quartered!"
I rolled my eyes and turned away, and served him the soup that was made today. In secret and unknown to him I put some more hot chillies in his din. I gave him the stew and gave him a spoon, "Once you try it you'll be over the moon"
I put out my hand for the fee, "Three hundred neopoints please" I said with utter glee
With a annoying growl and drawing of his brow he burrowed into his purse, and came out with the neopoints first.
"Here" he huffed
"Thank you" I puffed
He dipped his spoon in the stew and gulped down some of the deadly brew. 1…2…3…the seconds ticked and the chilli flavour came in quick. With a cough and a gaggle he was soon in a straggle. On the snow he fell gasping wheezing and no longer freezing.
"Water! Water!" He croaked and I laughed as he had been a silly folk.
In desperation he ran outside to grabbed some snow and shoved it into his mouth to bring the temperature back to low. He turned and saw my face full of glee as I enjoyed his suffering merrily.
His eyes, how enraged! His dimples, how they shook! His cheeks were like hot lava, his nose curled like a hook! His little bloomaroo mouth drawn across with a growl and his faerie wings were jagged and foul.
He stomped up to me and gritted his teeth, I tried to be innocent but inside I shook like a leaf. He screamed in a horrible shrill, "I sware by the end of this Christmas day you wish you were a lupe's kill!"
Fear took over and I was silent as a frozen four leaf clover. With sign of a quirk, he turned away with a jerk. One last action he angrily made, he shook his fist at me then ran out of the cave. I stood for a moment and then turned, I had a horrible feeling there was a lesson going to be learned.
Icefire gave a chilling whistle and said, "He's one prickly thistle!"
I shrugged and sighed and turned with a jerk I just wanted to get back to work, "I am glad he's out of sight but I'm afraid that he'll be back by the night"
Icefire's brow drawn together, "Please stop this rhyming or I'm going to have to pluck some feathers!"
"Why?" I asked
"Because thinking up rhyming words is such a task!"
I shrugged and sighed, "Alright Sorry" I lied.
So this is the end, the end of the story rhyming! No matter if the temptation is climbing!
"Yay its over! We can go on with the story!" Icefire cried happily
"Yay" I said boring and flatly
He growled, "Hey don't rhyme!"
"Sorry I couldn't help it this time!"
"Stop it! It's over" Icefire hollowed
"Yes I know!" I growled, "It's not like I followed"
"There you did it again!"
I rolled my eyes and picked up my pen.
"That's it I'm leaving!"
I shrugged and said; "Alright I'll see you in the evening!"
"ARRRGGGHH! Please stop rhyming! Or I'm going to be mad!"
"If you do then I'll be sad"
He growled and huffed like a little miss, "Try and rhyme this!" /p
"Hiss"
"Try snow!"
"Glow"
"Sash!"
"Flash"
"Oh! Just stop it!"
"Pit"
"Oh I give up!"
"Pup"
With a huff and a whirl Icefire stormed out of the cave. I groaned, "That's two pets who's anger I've engraved" /p
TBC…