From Heaven to Darkness by mariclaudis102 |  |
"Vira? Where are you?" the tall girl stomped up and down
the flower field. The blooming flowers of Mystery Island gave off a thousand delicious
odours as she walked through them: vanilla, cherry blossoms, lilies… and many
others whose names have been long forgotten.
The girl was slowly becoming impatient. The
sun was high overhead, and lunch was on the table, but still her vain little
Acara would not appear… suddenly a small yellow blur tumbled into her path.
The little blur was a beautiful cream-colored Acara with long, streaming, butter-colored
hair and luminous blue eyes. Her hair was tied into numerous braids, each of
them adorned with intricate flower chains, and her face was delicately painted
with make-up.
"Vira, finally! I have called you a thousand
times already! Lunch was supposed to be half an hour ago. But no sense in arguing
over that again, just comes along. We are having some Mince pies for lunch,
and I also got us some smoothies." The girl took the Acara's paw and led her
off.
* * *
Vira was a very pretty Acara, and she knew it. Every day she woke up at nine
and was carefully groomed by her owner, who didn't hesitate in calling her "the
prettiest Acara on Mystery Island". She wasn't too bright, but that was easily
covered up by her beauty and grace. She spent every morning brushing and combing
her hair, every afternoon in the marketplace looking for new grooming items,
and she would go to sleep early, after smearing avocado face mask and hair treatment
all over herself. She just couldn't stop trying to be prettier.
Lately, Vira had discovered the flower fields
that grew near to Techo Mountain. She began to spend her days there, adorning
her hair with flowers and strolling amongst them. The smell and sounds were
almost as pretty as her, and so she preferred to wander there, with beings almost
as beautiful as she was.
* * *
Back at home, Vira was finishing lunch. She drained her cup in an instant
and began to prepare to leave again.
"Vira?" her owner called softly. She looked
worried and restless as the vain Acara turned to listen. "Have you noticed dear,
how many of the pets of the island have been disappearing?" Vira's attention
had been finally caught. "Of course, our very neighbour was also taken!" It
was indeed a strange situation. One day, you saw your pet come home tranquilly.
The next, he came home somewhat pale and later than usual. Finally, he disappeared
altogether. "Well, then I suppose you know what I shall say… Vira, I don't want
you to wander so far away from the inhabited area of the Island. Yes, that means
the beach, the Rock Pools and Techo Mountain." The Acara's face contorted with
rage. She was always allowed to go wherever she pleased, and now she was being
restrained because some silly Neopets had gotten themselves lost in the jungle!
It was totally unfair. Without any further words, she turned around, grabbed
her handbag and stormed outside. "Heed my words, dear! Please, I don't want
to lose you!" the poor girl yelled out the window after her, even though she
was sure it was a lost cause.
The little Acara strutted down the streets,
fuming. Why was her owner so worried? She had done what she pleased all her
life and nothing had happened to her ever! She just went on walking, letting
her paws take her wherever they wanted. She strode down to the beach.
* * *
"This is more like it!" The sun was going down. Vira had played, pranced,
jumped and ran in the beach all day. She had just found a little cove littered
with huge white, brown, magenta and black shells. The nacre was cool on her
paws as she walked, and the light marine breeze combed through her butter hair,
brushed to perfection. A peaceful silence reigned as she lay down on the sand
to watch the setting sun.
Darkness fell quickly. Vira was beginning to
get tired of the breeze, which was becoming stronger, and threatened to mess
up her hair. She rose to her feet and noticed a distant light shining far away.
The curious Acara clopped across the beach to the light, which was purple. It
came from a clump of palm trees, which grew very close together. She poked in
her head…
A blinding purple light hurt her eyes as she
stared. When she looked back, the light had shrunk into a host of purple whorls.
Beside them was a Usul, so beautiful that for the first time, Vira was impressed
by another's beauty. The Usul was painted faerie, and her fur was brushed so
brightly, it seemed to glow. Her face was indescribable. She seemed to thank
the whorls, who giggled and vanished. There was something in her voice… Vira
was suddenly aware. This Usul was Laverie, the horrible Mutant Usul who lived
near the Rock Pools. Her owner had accidentally fed her a Usul Transmogrification
potion, and to top it off, she was always hurt (she was forced to fight in the
Battledome, and her owner would bet massive amounts of money on her since he
had no other way of making Neopoints). Or at least she had been horrible, for
the Usul standing in the clump of trees was beautiful... enough to make Vira
look ordinary.
The Acara walked away in a huff. Her mind kept
trailing off to the image of Laverie, as beautiful as the Fyora herself. She
ran until her paws felt sore, and was forced to walk. Vira finally slowed down
and looked around. She had strayed far beyond the lights of the town and had
unknowingly reached the flower field, which looked heavenly under the moonlight.
Almost like a faerie garden. This is something no one has, she said to herself,
feeling her spirits rise. She lost no time and began picking them, braiding
some into her hair, making chains to wind around her neck…
The night advanced. Vira didn't care a raisin
for her owner, or the disappearances, or even the purple whorls that had been
in the beach. She just wanted to play amongst the flowers. After several hours,
Vira was thickly covered with flowers, and was beginning to feel drowsy; the
gentle smell of the flowers was making her droop as well. The little Acara lay
down upon a patch of daisies, and as she closed her eyes, the thought that had
been running around in her mind reached her crimson lips: "I want to be the
most beautiful Acara in the world", she said drowsily.
"Viraaa… Viraaa… Viraaaaaaaaa…." a black-toned
voice was calling her name. The Acara woke with a start. The air felt very cold,
colder than she had ever felt it. Abnormally cold for Mystery Island. She rose
to her feet, fearing to find the Ghost Lupe; still, she was alone in the darkness.
"Who is it!?" she yelled, and noticed that some flowers around. Wilted and burned,
although she was sure they had been perfect before she went to sleep. Had a
fire burned them? No, she would have been fried as well. Then the voice spoke:
"I am your friend, Vira… I heard you wish to be the prettiest…" As the voice
spoke, the night seemed to become darker, and the once comforting sounds of
the jungle in night time were swallowed up by a distant rumour of screams and
sobs. More flowers wilted either every word the voice spoke.
"She did say so, she did say so, we all heard
her!" hissed a chorus of voices behind her. The little Acara turned her head
to see a crowd of purple whorls. She finally recognized them as Dark faeries.
Darkness closed in around her, blocking the landscape five feet around her.
"My minions could change that Mutant Usul into a beauty… so imagine what I can
do… for you… just tell me… if you really said you wanted to… be beautiful" it
continued, although broken. By then Vira had no doubt she was talking to the
dark One himself. He seemed to be weaker out here, but Vira was sure he was
still powerful. For an instant she doubted in fear… but her pride took over
her, and she responded.
"I did, I did, and I did! Can you help me? I
will do anything!"
The shadowy voice laughed. "You are pretty…
but… only I can make you beautiful…" Blackness swallowed the entire field. Purple
light engulfed Vira, and the Acara felt she was being lifted.
Vira woke up, feeling incredibly well. In fact,
she felt joyous. Like the most beautiful Acara in the world; once more, the
dark voice spoke "You are beautiful, Vira. The most beautiful being of my domain.
But there are others, many others, who think they are even more beautiful than
you. You must use their vanity against them… and these mirrors will help you.
I shall speak to the ones you give the mirrors to, and take over them. You are
now my most loyal servant…" is said, and faded.
Vira nodded, and picked up a Sillie Daisy. She
kissed in, and the poor Sillie Daisy turned a violent shade of purple. It spluttered,
and poison came out, although it was still alive. The poison had no effect on
Vira, who laughed at the defenceless flower. She tried her wings, huge bat wings,
and lifted herself into the sky. As she flew, she lowered herself to the ocean
and saw her reflection in the sea: A beautiful white Acara looked back. Her
hair was very long, and shone like marble in the sun. Her crimson lips were
somewhat cherubic… but the shiny silver fangs that poked out made them look
less innocent. Her eyes were large and enticing… the pupils were now green.
The rest was red. Vira smiled wickedly: she was the most beautiful Acara in
the world. The most beautiful one. And the most evil one.
The End
Author's Note: Thank you to the Neopets team for publishing my story!.
I would also appreciate any comments/ criticism from the readers. It would be
nice to know someone actually read my story!
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