It’s Tricorn Time

Hi everyone,

This is a story i started in a writing class last week and just finished. our prompt was to write a story about a normal world where only one thing has changed. See if you can tell what it is in my story.

 

It’s Tricorn Time,

Derek Bejuner woke up more excited than ever. Today was his big day! Today was the day his family would get a pet tricorn. These three horned unicorns were all the rage these days. He got up and walked out into his livingroom where his grandparents were already having breakfast.

“Morning Derek,” said his grandma, Connie through a mouthful of waffles. “Ready to get our first pet!”

“Oh yeah!” said Derek once he’d swallowed. “This tricorn’s gonna be awesome!”

“Derek, we’ve talked about this,” said Derek’s grandpa Paco. “We are NOT getting a tricorn. Those three horns could do so much damage. You don’t want this house demolished, do you? How about a smaller Wind Shrew or a nice Seera cat. They’re way less dangerous and easier to handle.”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeease,” Derek begged. “But tricorns are so cute and soft. Have you guys even seen one? They’re not dangerous at all.”

“Well,” said Paco. “How do you explain the rising number of pets and humans getting injured or even killed by tricorns?”

“They’re just known for having tempers sometimes. I promise we can keep it under control.”

“But we can’t risk the tricorn destroying this house.” Connie said. “And how would we even feed and take care of it?”

B.. but” Derek tried. But Connie and Paco weren’t backing down. Derek knew that if he were to get his family a tricorn, he’d have to take this a different approach. He had to somehow convince his grandparents that they needed the tricorn. He’d probably need to show them a real tricorn. But how?.

Later that week, Derek went on a beautiful hike in the woods with his grandparents, along with his parents, Gloria, and Michael, who were visiting from Montana, where Derek was born. There were huge trees all around them and so many birds around, they had a hard time dodging them all. Unfortunately, Derek hadn’t yet convinced his grandparents to get that tricorn.

“He’s been beggin for it all week,” Paco groaned to Derek’s parents as they hiked the rocky trail. “And in more ways than I can count.”

“From songs to dances to PowerPoint presentations,” Connie butted in. “Even a one man show imagining how happy he’d be when we got the tricorn.”

“I mean, it’s not a bad request,” said Michael. “It’s just those horns.”

“Exactly,” said Gloria. “The horns of tricorns range from three to twenty inches long and are thought to be sharper than a needle. You do not want to deal with a tricorn as a pet Derek. They’re super destructive and need attention every second of the day. I’ve had my share of experience as a tricornologist.”

Derek didn’t know how to defend his case with one of the most revered tricornologists by his side. The fact that it was his own mother, Gloria Bejuner herself made it even more intimidating. Derek’s mom was one of the most famous and knowledgeable tricornologists in the world. She had discovered some of the most important things about tricorns like that tricorns can’t swim, mate until they’re at least seven and defend against predators with an electric shock. But most importantly, Gloria had learned that tricorns are very solitary creatures. Derek was aware of this, but he couldn’t help looking at pictures and videos of them with their pudgy horse faces and three majestic horns and wanting one as his own. Derek rifled through the many tricorn facts Gloria had told him, from tricorns being the largest species of the multicorns to being able to run up to 58 miles per hour, but he couldn’t seem to think of any facts about tricorns that would convince his family that they NEEDED one. Going through all those facts as the grownups discussed around him, Derek started wondering if he didn’t need a tricorn. Maybe he just wanted one.

Suddenly, there was a rustling noise in the bushes behind the family. Everyone froze and turned to the bushes, silent. The bushes rustled some more and a small fuzzy purple horse head with three shiny silver horns and two blue eyes poked out. Everyone gasped. A tricorn was standing before them, in all its glory. Derek didn’t know what to make of this. The tricorn started grazing. It looked so contented, grazing there, unaware of the humans watching inches away. It was only about a foot tall. Perfect size for Derek to take home.

“Woah,” said Michael. “That’s a big one. Well… for a tricorn.”

“Can we…” Derek started. But Gloria cut him off.

“Son,” she snapped as quietly as possible. “We did not come all this way from Missoula, Montana to get you a tricorn. I’ve gotten my share of injuries studying them.”

Gloria must’ve been too loud, because right after she spoke, the tricorn looked up and bellowed an alarm that sounded like a cross between a horse’s neigh and a duck’s quack.

“Humans!” the tricorn shouted. Two more tricorns charged out and they all loaded up strong electric shocks.

“Run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” shouted Connie.

Not even Derek wasted any time escaping. The humans were fast, but the tricorns were much faster, bounding along on their short hooves. Derek could hear the buzz of the electric shocks as they gained on the family.

“WE SHALL NOT TOLERATE HUMANS DISTURBING OUR LIVES!!!!!!!” boomed the male tricorn. “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!!!!!”

The tricorns were just about to shock the whole family when Derek put up a hand to stop them.

“Halt tricorns!” he shouted. “We come in peace!”

The tricorns stopped and pulled back their shocks. The humans looked back at the tricorns, a male, a female and a baby, who looked confused.

“I want one of you as a pet,” said Derek, stepping forward.

The tricorns guffawed. “Pet?” the female spat. “Human, aren’t aware that because of the rising number of tricorns getting adopted by your kind, we are some of the last of the wild tricorns?”

“I… I guess.” Derek said. “But you’re so cute. I just want to take you home. Maybe just a few days. I promise I’ll release you soon. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?”

“He just really wants a pet tricorn,” Michael explained.

“Well,” said the baby tricorn, who hadn’t spoke this whole time. “There’s no way you can have us as pets, but if you promise to protect us and the entire tricorn race, we will rock out with you.”

The whole family promised and for the rest of the evening, they rocked out till they couldn’t anymore.