Chapter Twenty.
I don't own Neopets. Tamara and all them are mine.
Bluehopper and Zion
Chapter Twenty
"Careful, Fangore, Careful." I said, crouching in the dirt near my faithful pet. Christin stood nearby; gnawing on her fingernails; nervously.
"What's going on, Tam?" Christin asked. I remembered that she couldn't understand Fangore as I could.
"There's two Blumaroo cubs buried here." I said. "They're still alive but orphaned. We'll have to care for them." I touched Fangore on the head; stopping him when I saw a flash of green fur. Then, I carefully lifted each Blumaroo out by the loose folds of their skin.
They were older than I expected—barely even weaned yet and just out of infancy. Their eyes were open and gleaming like two pairs of jet stones. The cubs were both covered in fur. One, a female with pure, sapphire-blue fur. The other, a male, green one with white stars.
Christin knelt beside me as I gently dusted dirt from their fur. I could tell she was overcome by their beauty and adorable helplessness as I was. She touched the heart shaped-feet, stroked the long, flexible tail, and fingered the long, lopping ears of the starry, gree male.
"They're so beautiful." She said in an awestruck voice.
"Do you want one?" I asked, knowing all to well what her answer would be and I immediately regretted asking.
"Wouldn't I need to go to the Academy for that?" Christin sounded so much like her mother when she said that. She never liked bing stuck somewhere for too long; always wanting to travel or look for adventure. I knew she was speaking out of the fear of ending up stuck at the Academy for three years instead of signing for NEO. Which was why Christin was always home-schooled.
I shook my head. "No. Rule is, only children of the age thirteen with a fighting neopet may enter the academy."
"Blumaroos don't qualify as fighting neopets?"
"No."
I saw her relax. School had never interested Christin. Certainly, she supported me when I said I wanted to go to the Academy. But, she had no desire to go herself. I understood.
The starry-green Blumaroo crawled helplessly into her lap and Christin, automatically, began petting it. Her mouth twitching into an unmistakable smile. "I'll take this one. Unless if you want him." A tone hesitation was in her voice. Christin loved pleasing herself but took many opportunities to please me as well. I really didn't care either way.
"Take him. He's not going to get very far on his own out here. Predators will get him if you don't take him." I said, scooping the blue female into my arms. Her digging claws pierced through the fabric of my vest; cutting into my shoulders. I winced and made a mental note to sew reinforcement denim into my vest.
"What about her?" Are you taking her?" Christin asked.
"Of course." I said. "There's no way I'm leaving Bluehopper out here on her own."
"Bluehopper?" Christin was skeptical about my naming ability.
"Every owned neopet needs a name, Chris." I said. "Bluehopper has hers. What's your's going to be?"
"Zion." She said, after thinking about it a moment.
I smiled as I thought of the name. Zion was a good name for a male Blumaroo. It would probably be even better as a name for a fighting neopet but it would have to do for Christin's one first and only neo.
Mom looked the Blumaroos over; checking them for harm and diseases. "Well, other than being really hungry, they're very healthy."
"So, I can take Zion home?" Christin asked.
Mom didn't answer Christin's question. She was thinking the same thing I was. Christin also hated responsibility. The thought of releasing a baby Blumaroo to my cousin did not rest well on my mother's mind.
She sighed. "Christin, I"m only going to let you take Zion home if you promise to take care of him."
"I will." Christin said, too quickly for my liking.
"Chris, Tamara can tell you that raising a neopet takes a lot of responsibility. I could probably compare it to raising a child. Blumaroo cubs are no different. You have to watch them constantly. Feed them. Generally take care of them like you would a child." Mom cradled little Zion in her arms like he was a human baby. "Are you prepared to do that?"
"Think about it before you answer." I said.
Christin did think about it. The whole time, watching Zion; observing the Blumaroo's expression. Then, she straightened up. "I want Zion and I will take care of him."
Mom hesitated as Christin reached for him. "You sure?"
"Yes." Christin said, sounding a little annoyed at Mom.
"I'm warning you now, Christin." Mom's hazel eyes darkened. I knew that letting my cousin have Zion was against her morals. Morals that people of irresponsibility should not have neopets. "You abuse or forget about Zion once, and we'll find someone else to take care of him."
"I understand." Christin said.