AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a story I wrote for my finalist application on the NNN Apprentice. Unless I'm really inspired, I'm not going to add any parts onto it. Go ahead, R&R, I don't care what you think. If you care, I got a 94 average rating on this by the judges.
Rika sighed. Another day, another trip to the Book Shop wasted. She wasn't fast enough to get to the door first, and she wasn't strong enough to push people out of her way. She was just Rika, a blue Zafara who wouldn't ever amount to anything.
It was at that moment, when Rika was wallowing in self-pity, that she noticed something. A small Faerie Wocky, crying on the grass.
Slowly and gently, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"My Petpet went missing," the Faerie Wocky said sadly, tears welling up in her eyes. "She was my best friend."
Understanding the Wocky's pain (she had lost her beloved Snowbunny, Traxi, to the Turmaculous), she said, "It's okay. Do you mind that I help you look for her, uh...what's your name?"
"Shiina," the Faerie Wocky replied. Slightly smiling, she continues, "And my Petpet is a Faellie named Snowball."
"Well, where was the last place you saw Snowball?" Rika asked Shiina.
"Hmm...I think it was in the Book Shop," Shiina answered.
"Oh, the irony..."
"What?"
"Never mind. Let's just go."
"Erm, okay..."
The duo reached the Book Shop, and Rika sighed. She went to the Book Shop once a day for about two years, and she'd only actually been in it about four times, it was always so crowded. Shiina seemed unfazed, though. In fact, she seemed almost happy.
"Hey, you okay?" Rika asked, thinking Shiina may have gone...well, insane. To put it lightly.
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine."
"'Kay, just wondering...you seemed a bit crazy there for a second."
"Whatever. Let's just...well, I don't think Snowball would stay at the Book Shop anyway. She hates large crowds like that," Shiina explained.
"Well. Then, where could we go?" Rika asked.
"I'm not sure," Shiina replied. Rika sighed. They wouldn't get anything done now.
However, it was then that Rika saw it...a Faellie, floating above the Food Shop. Rika blinked, and it was gone. She rubbed her eyes, hoping it wasn't just a halluciation. But, no matter how she seemed to say it wasn't real, the more it felt as it it was.
"Well, it doesn't seem as if we can really do anything right now," Shiina sighed. "Why don't we meet up tomorrow at the Rainbow Pool?"
"Sure...," Rika said.
"Oh, I just realized, what's your name? And, are you all right?"
"My name's Rika. And...I'm fine."
Rika walked off that night to her NeoHome in deep thought. Was that Faellie real? Is Shiina up to something? Am I going crazy? Am I worrying for nothing? It was all so confusing, and Rika knew it probably wouldn't get any better anytime soon.
Settling into bed, Rika stared at the ceiling of her Neohome, trying to make out pictures in the small dots that decorated it. However, all the pictures seemed to be of a small, plain Faellie. With each new Faellie, Rika attempted to take her mind off of Shiina and Snowball. It didn't work, though, and she didn't get an ounce of sleep that night.
