Chocolate Factory Madness

      Being a little fire Kougra with a knack for cleaning, I whizzed around cleaning and washing my modest home, working as fast as I could so I didn’t set anything on fire, stacking books, wiping tables, and putting things in their places. I finished in record time and had another cup of chocolaty borovan before showering.

     “Whew! Now I just have my floors to wash when I get back from running my errands.”

     Showered, fur brushed, and dressed fashionably for my afternoon at the bazaar, I headed out into the sun, which had just appeared. You never know who you’ll bump into while out and about; it could be your friends, a salesman, your doctor or even a photographer looking for his next prized beauty contestant... Oooo! Wouldn’t that be exciting!

      I made my way to the main shops, which were really crowded, but with the joyous atmosphere it made it all worthwhile. I walked over to the post office to drop in my mail and pick out a stamp or two for my stamp album, then hopped over to the bank to collect my daily interest and make a withdrawal. Have you ever noticed how friendly the bank staff are? Especially the green Skeith manager who always smiles and greets his clients pleasantly. What I like the most about the Neopian Bank is that they are open twenty four hours a day. Now tell me where can you get better service than that?

     I skipped over to the Money Tree to make a donation and drop off my unused and unwanted items, then I jumped over to the bazaar to do my groceries and browse the many interesting shops. The toy shop is always a favorite place to have fun and see what’s new. Maybe I’ll stop in on my way home, I thought. On my way to the health food store, my mental note popped into my head. 'Chocolate flakes from the Chocolate Factory'; I must remember that.

     I strolled through the door of the health food store. Eeeck! That Quiggle shopkeeper always has a knack for scaring me. I wonder if all this health food is getting to him? Whew! Out of there and over to what seems to be every Neopian's favorite shop, the Chocolate Factory! Wow! It’s a very big place; it’s actually an old castle turned into a factory with lots of people in it. The front of it is where the chocolate shop is and the rest is the factory itself. There’s always a lot of Neopians here browsing or buying and I was one of them today.

     I crammed myself into the crowd that was moving forward, while looking for a sign of the chocolate flakes on the many shelves that were placed along the walls and in the aisles of the store.

     “Geez,” I said to myself. “I’ll never find anything with this crowd!” I made my way over to the shopkeeper to ask him where to find chocolate flakes. He was a pleasant Kiko in a blue top hat holding a chocolate covered candy cane.

     “They would be over there,” he said, pointing with his cane to the third shelf in the center aisle. Then he said to me with a tiny smile and a gleam in his dark blue eyes, “If there is none, we restock every eight minutes or so.”

     I squeezed my way through the loud crowd to the third aisle, where I skimmed the shelf looking for the chocolate flakes. None. I guess I’ll check back soon.

     As I was leaving with my parcels in hand, I noticed a sign above the door that read, 'Nobody ever goes in... Nobody ever goes out, but we sell chocolates by the truckload.' I grinned as I looked back over my shoulder.

     “Heehee, how much more wrong could that be?” I said to myself as the doors closed behind me.

     Back home I put my parcels away and sat back with a hot cup of Kabuggle Mocha and a copy of the Neopian Times I had picked up at the art center on the way home. After reading the Times, I put in the recycling pile and got out the mop and pail. While washing the floors, my mental note popped into my head again.

     “Oh no!! I forgot to go back and get my chocolate flakes!” I cried. Dropping the mop, I rushed out the door, to the Neopian Bazaar.

     “I hope I’m not too late,” I said breathlessly as I walked as fast as my little legs would take me.

     Once I got there I stopped to catch my breath. Whew! I entered the factory and noticed a sign on the door. 'Open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.' Oh, D’oh! I should have known that; this is Neopia after all!

      I entered the store and was greeted by the shopkeeper, who smiled. Boy, it’s still crowded! Hopefully there’s some chocolate flakes left, I thought, heading to the third aisle to look. Geez, still none! Chocolate sure does sell fast here. I’ll stick around and browse; maybe it’ll restock soon. Well, let me tell you I was there for much more than a few minutes. I was looking at the different assortments of chocolate and candies... Oooo, milk chocolate Lupes, white chocolate kacheeks, strawberry gummy flotsams, yummy! Assorted neodrops and wow! A red buzz lolly, just to name a few. I reached for the red buzz lolly, but someone from behind me grabbed it before I could wrap my paw around the stick.

     “You have to be faster than that in here,” they said, walking away with what was supposed to be my lolly. I stood staring after him with my mouth wide open. I left the shop that day with nothing in my hand but a promise to myself that I’d be back, and I was for the next eleven days.

      On the first to the third day, most of my waking hours were spent searching the shelves in each of the aisles at the Chocolate Factory for those rare and elusive chocolate treats. The only time I wasn’t checking those shelves was when I wandered home to sleep for the night, disappointed because I had seen some rare chocolates and candies, only to have other neopets swipe them up.

     On the fourth to sixth day, I woke up much earlier and ran to the Chocolate Factory, after my shower and cup of hot chocolaty borovan, just to get a good chance at nabbing a rare treat. It didn’t matter what it was. I admit day five and six were spent wandering back and forth from the Games Room to the Chocolate Factory, hoping against all hope that I hadn’t missed the restock. By this time too I was getting a little quicker and remembering some of the names to the rarer chocolates and candies. But, oops, I was missing a few restocks, although I wasn’t giving up.

     Well, it's day seven to nine and I still had no rare chocolate to show for all my searching and running, but I was going prepared now. I decided last night (day seven) before going to bed frustrated that I was really going to give it my all; I was set on getting that elusive chocolate. Besides, I thought the shopkeeper was almost busting a gut laughing at my attempt or getting really upset that I was always messing up his neat, organized shelves. Day eight and nine, I was a little distracted and started singing a new song that went something like this... Oops I missed it again! I missed the restock, oh baby, baby! By day nine I had pretty much memorized what the red Pteri in the box at the bottom of the screen said and was answering him back. Ooh, that’s not a good sign!

     Day ten and still no rare chocolate. This was the day I decided to write about my adventures at the Chocolate Factory. The Chocolate Factory wasn’t the first thing on my mind today, although I did drop in from time to time throughout the day. A few real close catches today, but nothing to write home about. By now you must be thinking she’s crazy to be doing what she’s doing. I wouldn’t do that. Noooo, not crazy, just patient and stubborn. I don’t give up too easily on the things I want badly enough.

     On day eleven, I woke up feeling rejuvenated. I knew it was going to be my lucky day. I could feel in it the depth of my bones. I went about my daily errands before heading over to the Chocolate Factory. I took a cruise to Mystery Island to visit the Island Mystic for my daily fortune... Hmmm... it's not too cheery... 'You will defend yourself against a herd of angry Ixi.' I looked around fearfully before leaving his hut. I scurried over to play Tombola. Whew! I made it without having to defend myself. I stuck my paw in, pulled out a ticket... 'YOU ARE A WINNER!!... You win 177neopoints and these items! Nice win.'

     Back on the waters heading to the Lost Desert, where I visited Coltzan’s Shrine. ‘You hear maniacal laughter in the distance...' Awww, nothing happened. Oh well, over to the Fruit Machine, where I won 50 NP and an ummagine. Ermm. It's turning out to be a 50/50 day. Over to Neopia Central and the Chocolate Factory, where nothing was going to make me move out of there today, not even my distractions.

     “Back again?” asked the shopkeeper.

     “Yep. This is it! Today is the day I will get my rare chocolate... and if it isn’t, I’ll never step foot in your shop again,” I exclaimed confidently.

     I watched as everyone bustled to and fro. I picked my spot in an aisle and waited patiently, looking, searching and then running through the aisles trying to grab anything rare I saw. Finally at 12:58:58pm NST I managed to nab a kau sundae that had just been put on the shelf. I ran to the shopkeeper, all out of breath and paid him the nine thousand neopoints they were asking for it. I dropped to the floor after he accepted my payment and stared at my kau sundae. Whoever said “Patience is a virtue” couldn’t have been more right, because it paid off for me and can for you too!

The End