Silver Colored Sigh
Birdthing was a knowledgable blue Pteri. The second oldest in her family, she was usually in control. At NeoSchool, she was humiliated because she was such a boring color. Every day was the same. There was nothing to look forward to. People teased Birdthing when she got to school, school started, she went through the day silently, and then she went home.
It was December, and Birdthing was hoping for a Paint Brush this year, preferably Speckled, Silver, or Striped. That would show all of those dumb pets! Birdthing still needed to buy presents for her sisters and her brother. They were already painted, so she had no idea what to get them. She was out Christmas shopping when she saw something glimmer in the sunlight. She rushed to find out what it was. Eventually, Birdthing came to a shop's window. Inside was a Silver Paint Brush on display.
"Wow," she thought with a smile,"But Pteris can't be painted Silver..." she remembered in dismay. Maybe someday the Neopets artists would draw silver Pteris. Birdthing sighed. At this rate, she would never be painted. So she headed to the School Supply shop to get her brother a new lunchbox because his was covered in snot from a random event he had gotten.
On her way over, she saw a shop sign that read,"PBS R US! Don't be a nubbie, come get one!!oneoneexclamationpoint," Birdthing decided it would be okay just to look.
Birdthing walked inside the shop. As she opened the door, rusty old Neocola cans crashed together. "Well, it's not as good as hearing nice luxury bells when you walk in, but this store might have what I want for a cheap price!" she thought.
Birdthing walked down an aisle. It turned out this was a rare item shop that apparently had a lot of paint brushes. Aisle one was full of beautiful neggs. Birdthing saw a Cool Negg, an Easter Negg, a Faerie Queen Negg, and many more that she couldn't name.
The next aisle was full of codestones and faeries. Zei Codestones lined the walkway. Birdthing walked quickly so that she wasn't tempted. Aisle three had petpets. Blibbles, Pawkeets, Snorkles, Noils, you name it! They were all sitting in cages that were on the floor. Birdthing gazed at a pretty Noil, but knew that Fuzzums her Walking Carpet was the only petpet for her.
Birdthing turned the corner to aisle four. This one was full of petpet paint brushes. She knew she was close to her destination. She passed Robot Petpet Paint Brushes, Tyrannian brushes, pink ones, and more that weren't as sparkly. Soon Birdthing entered aisle five. This aisle was full of petpetpets. She saw Moaches, a Mootix that looked like it had been pampered a bit, a few Veespas, six Lady Blurgs, and a few more that she hadn't learned the names of yet.
Finally, aisle six was in view. This one was full of paint brushes. Birdthing saw Striped, Speckled, Brown, White, and a few more types of paint brushes. After a few steps she saw what she had wanted to see. Sitting there on a shelf was a Silver Paint Brush. Birdthing's eyes sparkled as she looked the brush up and down. There was a sign that said "99,999 NP." She couldn't believe it! These were usually 130,000 NP! Then she remembered that she didn't have that kind of money and that Pteris couldn't be painted Silver. It was just another one of those things that caught her eye.
"Excuse me," a timid red Kau said.
"Huh?" Birdthing turned around.
"I overheard you talking to yourself about paint brushes," the Kau said,"And I realized this recently and I thought you should know. A paint brush doesn't change the way you act, or how people feel about you. It only changes you on the outside. So wasting money on a paint brush is pointless. You're probably thinking that I'm crazy and that paint brushes can change a lot of who you are, but you're wrong."
And with that the Kau walked off.
Slowly, she walked out of the store to go get her brother's lunch box, a Nova Rug for her owner's friend, a nice Snorkle for her younger sister, and a shiny new red mountain bike for her older sister. Afterwards she went home for dinner.
Soon, two days had passed and it was Christmas Eve. Birdthing wasn't expecting any exciting gifts. Pixy289's older sister, Shakky, was coming over, and so was Beans46, her best neofriend. Dinner was on the table: Duck Necks and apple juice because that was all that could be afforded.
It was finally time to sit around the tree and the fireplace to open presents. Pixy289 handed a gift to everyone. First Angel, Birdthing's younger sister opened her present from Vaishu, Birdthing's older sister. It was a nice wooly scarf. Then Mac, Birdthing's younger brother opened his present from Birdthing.
"A LUNCH BOX! It's the exact same as my old one! Thank you!" he exclaimed.
Then Birdthing opened her present from Mac. It was a Slorg Calculator. Next Vaishu opened her gift from Angel. It was a pretty art kit with paints and everything. Then Shakky opened her gift from Pixy. It was a stamp of some sort. Beans ripped open her gift from Birdthing and screamed with glee. Birdthing was hugged so tight that her feathers were starting to fall out. Soon everyone was down to their last present. Angel opened hers to find a Snow Petpet Paint Brush from Beans. Mac got a rainbow Kau plushie. Vaishu got a bike. Beans got a sofa, Pixy got a Christmas Spardel, and Shakky got more stamps. Finally, Birdthing picked up the medium sized box that was her present. The tag said,"From Shakky to Birdthing."
Birdthing finished unwrapping the polkadotted ribbon and striped wrapping paper and lifted the lid of the box. Something glittered inside. Birdthing lifted it out. It was a Silver Paint Brush, what she had always wanted!
"So, do you want me to ask the Neopets Team if they will make Silver Pteris?" Pixy asked.
"No, that's okay," Birdthing answered.
"Why?" Shakky said.
"Because I've learned that it doesn't matter what color you are," Birdthing stated,"What's inside is what matters. Some silly paint brush won't change me one bit. So I've decided that I want to stay blue."