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Penelope Plumtree was known for her peculiar pets. She had a talking parrot who only spoke in riddles, a goldfish that could do surprisingly complex math, and, most recently, a pigeon named Percy. Now, Percy wasn't just any pigeon. Percy was purple. And he had bright yellow polka dots.

Penelope had found him looking rather lost and confused in her garden, amidst the prize-winning petunias. She’d initially thought he’d flown through some particularly vibrant paint, but the purple seemed to be…natural.

Percy was a friendly fellow, if a little clumsy. He had a habit of bumping into things and occasionally mistaking Penelope’s hat for a nest. One sunny afternoon, Penelope decided to take Percy for a walk in the park. She’d fashioned a tiny purple harness for him, and he hopped along beside her, pecking curiously at stray crumbs.

Suddenly, a gust of wind snatched Penelope’s favorite floral scarf right off her neck! It swirled through the air, heading straight for the duck pond. Penelope gasped. Before she could react, Percy took flight.

Now, Percy wasn’t the most graceful flier. He wobbled a bit, and his polka dots seemed to blur as he flapped his wings. But he was determined. He swooped over the pond, narrowly avoiding a bewildered swan, and managed to snag the scarf in his beak.

He returned to Penelope, dropping the slightly damp scarf at her feet with a triumphant coo. A small crowd had gathered, marveling at the purple, polka-dotted hero.

“Oh, Percy, you wonderful bird!” Penelope exclaimed, giving him a gentle scratch on his head. From that day on, Percy wasn’t just Penelope’s peculiar pet. He was Percy, the purple, polka-dotted hero of the park. And everyone agreed, he was a rather dashing pigeon indeed.