What Goes Around Comes Around... Punk

      "Ooh!" the Lupe said, "How cute! Maybe I'll have enough…it looks like it'd be a great buddy. That is, once it's cheered up a bit…" As she went in, she noticed the price tag. "Three thousand, four hundred and twenty-four neopoints? What a great deal! Every one I've ever seen was extremely costly!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out its contents. After counting them carefully, she let out a gasp of astonishment. She counted three thousand, four hundred and twenty-three neopoints. "How ironic! I wonder if the shopkeeper will let it go by…"

      As she approached the counter, she was silently going over what to say. Excuse me, ma'am. I really want that Icklesaur over there, but I'm one neopoint short. Could you make an exception, please? Excuse me, ma'am. I'm one neopoint short to buy that Icklesaur. Can we haggle? Ma'am? Excuse me. That Icklesaur is so cute! I'm one neopoint short, can I have it anyway? She thought. She approached the counter. "Excuse me, ma-" she stopped, looking up. A yellow Skeith, with a deep scowl on his face, stood there, glaring down at her.

      She cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mr. Skeith shopkeeper sir? Uh… erm… I want to buy this Icklesaur, but I am one neopoint short! Can we haggle?"

      The Skeith set his mouth into an even deeper frown. "No," he said. "It says three thousand, four hundred and twenty-four, and that means three thousand, four hundred and twenty-four!" he said in a low, gruff voice. "If you don't have the cash, you don't get the stash." He looked satisfied with his new motto.

      "Please?" Jenny argued. "I've never had a petpet of my own before… I've wanted one my whole life! If you could just let it go by just this one time, then I would-"

     "I said NO! If you're going to question my rules, then leave, punk. I don't have time for whiny little Lupes like you!"

      Angrily, Jenny stormed out of the shop, appalled at the shopkeeper's rudeness. She sat down on the curb and thought. Surely I don't have time to go home and get one more neopoint. By that time, someone else would have gotten the Icklesaur. Maybe if I'm lucky and find one on the ground…

      But before she had a chance to search more than a few feet, she heard someone say, "Look, Mommy! It's a cute little petpet!" Jenny whirled around to see a baby Kau pulling on her mother's sleeve, pointing at the same Icklesaur, in the same glass case. "Can we buy it? PLEASE, Mommy? Can we buy it?"

      And, to Jenny's dismay, the dreaded answer came forth. "I suppose, Jimmy." As the pair walked into the store, Jenny let out a sob. How could someone be so cold and heartless? When she heard the soft tinkle of the petpet shop door opening, she turned around, and saw the baby Kau holding the Icklesaur, a big smile on his face, and the Icklesaur had one to match it. Jenny felt a strong surge of jealousy run though her.

      As she was trudging home, still wiping tears from her eyes, she stopped dead. She thought she saw something twinkle out of the corner of her eye. She backed up. There it was again! "What could that be?" she muttered softly to herself. She went into the meager, insignificant little shop, and looked around.

      "Hello?" Her words echoed. Hearing no response, she went to look around. There, in the very back of the shop, was a beautiful, sparkling, Baby Paint Brush! She yelped with astonishment. The price tag read: 99,999 neopoints. Jenny yelped again, louder this time.

      She snatched it up and carried it to the counter. Nobody was in sight. Her hand brushed against a button-it said, "Press for assistance." So, naturally, she pressed it.

     Within a matter of seconds a starry Zafara bounced up to her. "Hello there, little missy. I see you've found our little treasure here. I take it you'd like to buy it." Seeing Jenny's vigorous nod, she announced, "Of course, assuming you have enough."

      Jenny half screamed, remembering her measly amount. She was in a panic. This is the ultimate deal! she thought. By the time I get the money and come back here; it will be gone for sure! Jenny knew what she had to do. She wouldn't let another great opportunity slip away like before. She bounded out the door, a look of sheer determination on her face.

      The challenge was on. She was racing along the paths and yards of the city to reach her destination-45727 Chia Close, Neopia Central. She ran, and ran…she was tired…her legs were weak…but she wouldn't allow herself to stop running.

      It was in sight. Closer and closer she got until…BAM! The door crashed against the wall.

      Jenny screamed for her owner. "She's not here." Her older sister, Ally, called from upstairs. Jenny let out a moan. "Ally! I need to borrow some neopoints. FAST!" she yelled, running up the stairs.

      "I don't know…you still haven't paid me back from last time…" her sister retorted, when her sister came panting into her room. I don't have time for this! Jenny thought impatiently.

      "I WILL this time! I promise!" She let out a sigh.

      "Alright. How much?" Ally reluctantly said.

      "Uhh…about 96,000?" the younger sister proposed.

      Ally's eyes widened. "Jenny! No way! I-"

      "Thanks! Love you! Bye!" Jenny interrupted, grabbing her entire stash, not bothering to count it out. And before Ally could reply, she was out the door, sprinting as fast as a Lupe could go, back to the meager, insignificant little store.

      At last, the shop was now almost within reach. She jerked to a stop, puffing and panting and jerked the door open. To her relief and astonishment, the Baby Paint Brush was still there. I guess nobody ever even thinks about going into a little store like this. Just because it's not size who-knows-what and doesn't have fancy Battledome equipment and expensive petpets and jewelry shining out from the windows, nobody even glances at it.

      Jenny proudly strutted over to the finding, snatched it up, and carried it once more to the counter, where she once again pressed the assistance bell. Never had something sounded so sweet in her ears.

      The same Zafara once more came to the counter.

      "Hi. I'd like to buy this Paint Brush," she announced cheerfully.

      "Alright then. You have the proper amount this time, I trust?" the Zafara said with a slight grin.

     Jenny nodded, now so excited that she couldn't trust herself to speak. She handed the neopoints to the shopkeeper, who nodded, and chuckled to herself as the excited girl left the store.

      She walked all the way home, letting the full impact of her fabulous find sink in. When she finally arrived back home, her owner, Ness, to Jenny's delight, was back. She trotted over, and seeing the look on Ness' face, told her the entire story of that day's adventure.

      Her owner looked bewildered. "Congratulations, Jenny." She grinned. "You just made your first restock."

      She liked the sound of it. Jenny. Restock. Yes.

      Of course, Jenny rather liked her cloud look. She made a decision to sell it. After all, she needed to pay her sister back, and hey, who knows. Maybe she'd buy an Icklesaur with the extra.

      She went straight to Mystery Island, and immediately set up a trade lot at the Trading Post for "550,000 pure."

      Then something caught her eye-someone. She peered around. Then, she saw it. She gasped, seeing the mean old Skeith from the petpet shop.

      The minute he saw the trade he came running over. "You only want 500,000?" he asked, already shoving his hand into his pocket. He pulled out a big pile of coins.

      After counting them carefully, his face went pale. "I only have 499,999 neopoints! Can…can you let it go by?" he asked. Jenny beamed. Through her big grin, she managed to say, "If you don't have the cash, you don't get the stash!"

     A distance away, watching Jenny through the crowd, the starry Zafara smiled.

The End

This is my first submission to the NT. Feel free to send me feedback anytime :)