AVOCADO
A tribute to Carpdime’s Avocado
Chapter Eleven – Orientation
continued from Chapter 10
Two men were standing before a makeshift wall of alabaster white. Both men were students at a nearby university who were making a trip to the nearest shopping centre, following upon a rumour they had heard on the grapevine. It was during this excursion that one of the men had decided to show his friend a significant facility in the area, one that would have relevance to him.
“So, this is the daycare you’re talking about? It seems pretty big!”
That came out of Mark, a brown-haired Caucasian, and our bright young man who had purchased our little green foal Avocado all those months ago. Things were picking up for him, and he was well on his way to receive his Master’s in Business Administration.
“Well yeah. It’s the foal daycare portion of the larger school.”
That came out of Huey. A young African-American, Huey was a friend that Mark had made while the two were taking similar electives in Business. It was through Huey that Mark learnt about specific lessons for fluffies, and it was Huey who mentioned about the daycare that was close to the university. But as Mark could see, the daycare that was under renovation was but a small part of a much larger building.
“Larger school?”
“The daycare that you’re seeing here is actually a part of West Celestial Academy. It’s one of those places where really gifted fluffies are being sent to train so that they can enter the workforce.”
Recalling something he had heard on the news, Mark mentioned, “Yeah, I heard about those kinds of places in the news.”
“Yes. The daycare is more of a side operation, as there are fluffies owned by residents of the nearby town. The foals who attend this daycare don’t all have the chance to go to the Academy, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to enter their foals here. Its why they had the renovation – they’re expanding the size of this daycare due to its popularity.”
“Huh. So, they don’t take adult fluffies?”
“Oh, they do. I did say this was the nearest daycare for most of fluffy owners especially at our school. Plus, it’s not like they can just admit any adult fluffy into the academy itself.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
As Mark said this, the cacophony of a ringing bell shook both men in their places. Within moments, various fluffies started to trot out of the entrance of the academy, some with their owners. They came all in shapes, colours, gender and sizes, but one thing that they had in common was that they wearing a uniform of some kind.
Mark marveled at the uniformed and well-behaved nature of the fluffies on displayed. “I haven’t seen anything like that before,” he remarks.
“Yeah, not just any fluffy can get here though. I like fluffies, but most fluffies aren’t that smart. We value them as pets and companions, but most fluffies aren’t cut out for working in jobs. The kind of fluffies they admit here are the kind that have to be really special. Like, either really smart, or have some kind of talent that can be trained.”
“I guess,” noted Mark. With his eyes to the little orderly crowd that was, he wistfully thinks in his own mind, “it would be nice if lil’ Avo could come here.”
~
That was a few months ago.
Now, Mark was standing in front of the same place. But this time, Avocado was by his side. During the school break Mark had done his research about the academy. He also took the time to travel back to his hometown to collect his little bundle of joy. Now all that’s left was to enter the building again, but this time with the intended participant.
“Woah! Dis am so big, daddeh!”
Walking along the hallways of the Academy, Avocado was amazed by what he was seeing. The place reminded him of his daycare, with all the fluffies attending classes, but it was way bigger and larger than his little daycare could ever be. He could see all kinds of facilities and amenities, and things he had never even heard of, like the “jim” and the “sains wab”.
“Indeed it is, Avo! This is going to be your new school.”
Avo’s green eyes widened as he heard that.
“N-nyu skuul?!”
“Yup!”
In that moment, the thought of an entirely new place to study, complete with so many exciting places to explore and learn, overtook Avocado. “Yippeee!” cried out Avo, as he got on his hindlegs and threw his two front limbs up in the air. Mark chuckled, as he bent down to pick him up.
“Now let’s get you registered, little guy,” said Mark, as the duo made their way to the Administration office.
~
Later that evening, Mark was at his table. The new academic year was about to start for him, and he was feeling optimistic. He knew what he was going to strive for, and he knew what classes he was going to take. In addition, he was already in talks with Huey about starting a small firm with Huey, taking advantage of his program at his university that encouraged start-ups. His young mind was filled with the plans he was going to work on with Huey, and what he was going to get out of this experience.
Tap, tap, tap.
It caught him off guard, but Mark who knew it was. Looking to the left, he finds out little green boy, tapping on the table with his hoof.
“Hey there lil’ guy. What’s up?”
Avocado looked at his father figure with a thoughtful look. Despite all his jubilation and happiness about the prospects of going on an adventure in an entirely new school, there was something he had realized he had forgotten.
“Daddeh, Abo hab saddies.”
Putting his thoughts and work aside, he asked “You want to talk about it?”
“Yus daddeh.”
Mark carried Avo up on place on the table, as he addressed him, “So, whats making you sad, my guy?”
“Daddeh, Abo miss Bwu. And Buttew. An Chiwwi’. An’ Bonnie. An Gowdiwocks. An’ Mumma Candy. Su, su many fwens fwuffy hab at da owd skuul.
An’, Abo dunno ib fwuffy wiww eba meet dem egen.”
Mark sighed. He was surprised that Avo didn’t mention it earlier. It was likely that Avo was caught in his own little world of books and studies, as well as being reunited with his father figure that, for the current moment, he had completely forgotten about the friends he made in the past year.
“I know, my little dude. It is difficult. I remember how I left my school when I was younger and went to high school for the first time. As well as my first time going to the college around here.”
“Cowwej?”
“It’s a School. A college is a special kind of school for us humans. But, when I first went to the school here, I was feeling very lonely. I didn’t really know or mingle with most of the people, so I was looking for a friend. Then one day, I met your mummah. And that’s how I met you.”
Avocado’s face lights up, as he remembered the story Mark told him over a year ago.
“Abo ‘memba!”
“Of course you do! I took you home. I was feeling lonely, Abo, but you were one of the first friends I met here.”
”Bu’,” Avocado objected, pointing out, “Daddeh am not onwy a fwen, daddeh am famiwy!”
Mark let out a hard laugh, as he acknowledged, “That is true, my little cherub.
What I’m saying is, Avo, is that you never who you’re going to meet when you move to a new place, or if you have to leave your old friends. It was difficult for me to leave my own family, but I got to meet you. And, I am liking this new school you’ll be going to.”
Avocado stands on his hind legs and, mimicking a soldier’s salute, he says, “Abo wiww do am bestest’!!”
Mark smiles, “I know you will.”
“Oh daddeh.”
“Yes Avo?”
“What am a chewub?”
~
Little more than a few miles away, the Auburn was in an apartment. Lying on her bed, she was playing Kid Daedalus on her Playtendo Shift.
“Mummah, it am time for sweepies.”
“Oh come on Candy, I want to finish this level.”
“Amba, ‘ou hab to go hab gudd tawkies wif da skuuw daddeh in da bwite time. Amba must hab guud sweepies!”
It’s not always that Candy referred to her own by name. but when she did, it was when she was being serious or had to make a point. The Auburn sighed, seeing the truth in her words. Besides, she could always sabe the game.
“Alright, alright,” said the Auburn, placating her companion. “Let me at least get a glass of milk before I head to bed.”
“Otay mummah!”
And with that, Candy retreated to her own little bed at the Auburn’s side.
Walking out of the fridge, having just finish her glass of milk, the Auburn took a quick survey of her current abode. The Auburn had spent most of the past month getting settled. She remembered the first day when she unpacked the boxes she had received from home, and had started reading the books that she received, about the protocols at West Celestial Academy, and what was required of being a sports teacher at this school. This new apartment was a bit dry and drab compared to the last house. Some of her stuff was still back home, as she couldn’t bring everything with her, yet. But this was where she was going to stay for at least the foreseeable year, or perhaps even more.
~
The following evening, Mark took Avocado to the shopping centre that Huey and he visited all those months back. He wanted to show Avo the arcade that was built here, as well as buy the first set of stationaries that he was going to need for his classes at West Celestial Academy.
While that was going on, the Auburn was currently in the supermarket. It was her first time doing sundries in the area, as she had mostly relied on takeout for sustenance. While it was convenient, being too reliant on delivered food, as well as its fatty quantities had resulted in her putting on an extra pound lately. She needed to get stay in shape, and she had to spend a bit more time checking the specifics on the goods she was buying.
“Oh hey Amber!”
The Auburn was examining a cereal box when she heard a familiar voice. Looking up, she saw the face of Kiryu Hiro, “Oh hello Hiro!”
Hiro was a teacher who managed the science classes at West Celestial Academy. He was introduced to the Auburn earlier that day. Since their introduction was rather brief, this chance meeting gave an opportunity for the young Hiro to ask the Auburn a question on his mind.
“I heard that you transferred all the way from the East Coast. That’s quite far!”
“Well, I was reviewing the various colleges, and West Celestial Academy just seemed to be in line with what I was looking for.”
“True, we are one of the best. But I figured you would pick something like St Muffins. I mean, it is located at Smokestack City!”
“Well, I understand St. Muffins is run by the De Lasalle group, and I’m not really the religious type.”
“Oh, I get that. The school is actually secular though, but the monks merely provided the funding.”
Hiro was still wondering the Auburn would pick this particular school over fluffy academies closer to her own hometown. But the Auburn didn’t seem to budge. And perhaps now was not yet the right time to press for an answer.
“Well, I’ll see you around Amber!” he smiled, and gave a quick hand wave.
“You too, Hiro!”
Having finished her shopping, Amber was now waiting in line for her shopping to be cashed out. Since she was near the cashier, she eyed the various chocolate bars on display. Feeling a bit peckish, she was tempted to buy one.
“Mummah, dat choco nummie am empty cawwowies!”
Ah, Candy. Ever vigilant of her owner’s health.
“Oh c’mon Candy, a bite can’t huwt.”
“Mummah, ‘ou says ‘ou am hab biggest wowwies abow bein’ fattie. Choco nummies am nu guud.”
While faking a pout, Amber relented with an “Alright, alright, fine,” and placed the bar back.
~
Avocado was ecstatic. He had spent a good half hour playing on a dancing game within the arcade. He wanted to try out the special monster battle games, as well as the fishing game, but Mark mentioned that they had to buy the stationary, as well as groceries.
“Aww.”
“Come on Avo. I’ll bring you back here on the weekend.”
“Yay!”
The bookshop that the duo was in was a local brand that specialized in providing school supplies like textbooks, foolscap paper, pens, markers and the likes for school children. But Mark started to notice that this shop was also selling these items, but with fluffies in mind. One of the more unique devices was kind of attachment that allowed the user to hold a pen using their mouth. The idea behind this device was that a pen or marker could be mounted onto the pen holder, through which the fluffy could hold the device using his or her mouth. That way, the fluffy could handle the marker or pen more comfortability and greater stability, and not get ink on the pen. In addition, the store was also selling markers and pens with a sort of “mouth grip”, as these were designed to be held by the fluffy’s mouth.
Much like pens at a bookshop, different versions of these pens and devices were placed for a fluffy to try out. Bending down, Mark proceeded to place the first product in Avo’s mouth.
“Tuu hawd!”
He then switched to another utility by a different company.
“Feew funny.”
Mark settled for a third. Avocado was liking how he was writing with this utility.
“Abo wan dis wun, daddeh!”
~
The Auburn was heading upstairs to the bookstore. Carrying a bag of shopping in one hand, and Candy in the other, she ascended the escalator.
Mark and Avo were heading downstairs, with Mark carrying some of the pens and the pen holder that he just bought.
Both the Auburn and Candy were looking into the distance, noticing an event that was going on in the foyer of the mall. Mark was also noticing the event. Avocado, however, noticed the familiar hair of one of the women going down the escalator. He also noted the fluffy she was holding, which reminded him of his fluffy teacher from back at East Side Daycare.
~
Avocado was seated in a trolley being pushed by Mark. He was wondering about that woman he saw going down the escalator, with a rather mature looking pinky fluffy in her arms. Was he just imagining things? After all, there were other women who had the Auburn’s hair colour, and there were other fluffies like Candy. But it just seemed so coincidental. It was a big word, one that the humans have used, and there was no equivalent in fluffspeak, but Avocado could understand that not all similar things that happened were exactly the same. Maybe this was such a case.
“Hey Buddy! Want a can of spaghetti as a special treat?”
His train of thought interrupted, Avocado sees Mark holding a can of spaghetti. Avocado recognized it as one of those canned spaghetti treats that was marketed to fluffies. He tried it before, but knew that their taste couldn’t compare to real spaghetti cooked by the hummehs. If anything, he’d rather have spaghetti flavoured kibble, which was sold in a larger volume, and had a much better taste.
“Daddeh! Giv Awocado sketties kibbwe…. Wits biggest den sketties can!”
~
It was another peaceful day at East Side Day Care. Chilli and Buttercup were racing again. And, as usual Buttercup won.
“Fwuffy win!”
“Chi-,” Chilli pants, as she tries to assert herself, “Chiwwi wiww beat ‘ou someday.”
The two fluffies then walked up to the middle of the day care to catch up with their other friends. Lately, Bonnie, Blueberry and Goldilocks who would usually play with a tea set at this time. Upon reaching there, however, both Buttercup and Chilli noticed that three fluffies who were sitting together had been rather quiet.
Buttercup walked up, and asked “Wut am wong?”
“Avo,” all three fluffies said,
“Bonnie miss mummah Amba,” Bonnie added.
“An mummah candy.”
“An Abo. Bonnie miss Abo da mostest.”
Chilli, remembering that it was Avocado who encouraged her to compete with Buttercup, noted, “Chiwwi miss Abo too.”
~
Miles away, in his owner’s dormitory, Avocado was using his new implement to draw a series of pictures. On one picture, he drew what he could remember of East Side Daycare. It was a small building. But it was a happy building.
And, on the next picture, he draw what he could remember of West Celestial Academy. It was so big, and he felt like he hadn’t even see a fraction of what the Academy was to offer. And he knew he was going to be having his first day at this school next week.
Avocado was excited. What was the new school going to be like? What was he going to learn there? What new adventures were in store for him there? For now, all he could do was happily imagine.
(Sigh)