Main Page Go to Short Stories Go back to Articles Go to Comics Go to Continued Series Go to Editorial Go to New Series

Show All | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22 | Week 23 | Week 24 | Week 25 | Week 26 | Week 27 | Week 28 | Week 29 | Week 30 | Week 31 | Week 32 | Week 33 | Week 34 | Week 35 | Week 36 | Week 37 | Week 38 | Week 39 | Week 40 | Week 41 | Week 42 | Week 43 | Week 44 | Week 45 | Week 46 | Week 47 | Week 48 | Week 49 | Week 50 | Week 51 | Week 52 | Week 53 | Week 54 | Week 55 | Week 56 | Week 57 | Week 58 | Week 59 | Week 60 | Week 61 | Week 62 | Week 63 | Week 64 | Week 65 | Week 66 | Week 67 | Week 68 | Week 69 | Week 70 | Week 71 | Week 72 | Week 73 | Week 74 | Week 75 | Week 76 | Week 77 | Week 78 | Week 79 | Week 80 | Week 81 | Week 82 | Week 83 | Week 84 | Week 85 | Week 86 | Week 87 | Week 88 | Week 89 | Week 90 | Week 91 | Week 92 | Week 93 | Week 94 | Week 95 | Week 96 | Week 97 | Week 98 | Week 99 | Week 100 | Week 101 | Week 102 | Week 103 | Week 104 | Week 105 | Week 106 | Week 107 | Week 108 | Week 109 | Week 110 | Week 111 | Week 112 | Week 113 | Week 114 | Week 115 | Week 116 | Week 117 | Week 118 | Week 119 | Week 120 | Week 121 | Week 122 | Week 123 | Week 124 | Week 125 | Week 126 | Week 127 | Week 128 | Week 129 | Week 130 | Week 131 | Week 132 | Week 133 | Week 134 | Week 135 | Week 136 | Week 137 | Week 138 | Week 139 | Week 140 | Week 141 | Week 142 | Week 143 | Week 144 | Week 145 | Week 146 | Week 147 | Week 148 | Week 149

Neopia's Fill in the Blank News Source | 28th day of Running, Yr 26
The Neopian Times Week 1 > Short Stories > Perspective

Perspective

by Gameaddict

“Archie was a kind Lupe loved by everyone, and shall be sorely missed. He had a plethora of achievements, such as fighting for the Tyrannian Army,” the Air Faerie said solemnly. “With these words, we go forth to celebrate his life.” With that, the coffin containing Archie the Lupe was lowered into the ground. His family and few friends, some teary, watched as they saw the last of Archie.

“Hello, Archie,” a deep and commanding voice said. Archie glanced around, but could see nothing but a black void stretched infinitely.

“What? Where am I? I-I-I caught the Mombo Flu, and--” Archie started.

“That is not relevant,” the voice intervened.

“Who are you?”

“That is not relevant.”

“What am I doing here?”

“Archie, true you lead a life full of helping the community around you. But, what community exactly?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“You chose who to like, who to accept, who to help. Deeds are not good if they are accompanied by bias.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you like Lennys?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like Bruces? Do you like Koi?”

“Yes! What are you getting at?”

“You chose who to accept certain people instead of accepting the whole. You used past experiences with a certain species to join an elite group set out to wreck havoc on many species not meeting certain criteria, which should not exist. Gelerts were a target among others, and you set out to ruin a species’ life.”

“Yes! Gelerts, they’re lazy, and don’t care about anyone except themselves. They--”

“Tell me, are you aware of Trog E. Gelert? He helped save Neopia from political madness and utter revolution from citizens. Hemard the Gelert saved Neopia from economic disaster.”

“This doesn’t matter! Those are two people, oddities among their own backward, wrong species!”

“You are the type to learn the hard way. You will learn.”

“What? What are--”

A simple white light took Archie away from the voice.

“Hey, Ert! Come on over here!” Someone called behind Archie. Archie, assuming that someone else was being called, looked in wonder that he was back into Neopia, specifically Little Oak town where he grew up when he was a teenager.

“Ert! Come here!” the voice yelled louder. Then Archie heard a clatter of feet and felt a paw on his shoulder.

“Ert?” Archie turned around and saw it was a group of three Gelerts!

“What? Who are you?! Get your paws off of ME!” Archie said hysterically twisting and turning.

“What’s with you?” the Gelert raised his hands off of Archie’s shoulders.

“Just get away from me now!”

“What, why Ert? I’m your buddy!”

“I really don’t think I’d be a buddy with someone like you.” Archie turned the other way and strode the opposite direction.

Seeing all of his hometown from his adolescent years gave Archie an unusual giddiness. He found all the places he used to hang out, and even saw people who were a part of his life. But, he had a mission to figure out how and why he came back from death. That mysterious voice must be the reason why he’s there Archie reasoned. But, why his childhood years?

“Hello, Ert. Here to buy more trading cards?” An unusually jolly Grarrl shopkeeper chuckled as Archie walked in.

“I am not Ert.” Archie glared at the shop owner.

“Why, I’ve known you since you were a baby. I’m pretty sure you are Ert.”

“Well, I’m...” Archie trailed off as he saw a mirror pointing towards him. Instead of a grey face with silver hair he saw...blue. Huh? He thought. He raced over to the gold lined mirror and glanced into it. He saw a Gelert and dropped the mirror in horror. It shattered, leaving jagged edges all over the floor.

“Hey, I’m not the one to get all angry, but, kid, that was expensive! I think you’re gonna have to pay for it.” The Grarrl frowned.

“I don’t have any NP on...” Archie stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out a handful of coins. “Will this be enough?”

“Yes, here is your change. Just be careful next time.” And so Archie was out the door.

Archie’s mind raced as he tried to figure out why he was occupying a Gelert body. Obviously, that voice had something to do with this, but no one had the power to do this. If he was a someone. Archie shuddered. He was going to find out why he was here.

After finding nothing to attribute to why he was, he felt discouraged. After hours, he was no closer than he was when he first got here. “Hey!” A familiar voice called. Archie turned around to see spit come flying at his face. “That’s for scamming me, and being a Gelert, rubbish eater!” Archie wiped the brow of his face and saw it was himself!

“What are you doing?” Archie asked.

“You scammed me, scum.” The other Archie replied.

“What, but I didn’t... do anything to you.” Something dawned on Archie. Ert, was one of the first Gelerts he met. Ert scammed him out of NP, and never gave it back. He not only hated Ert, but also began to have distaste for his race. It only took a few more incidents before he gone all out to hate the race. He had judged the whole on the individual. Archie opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn’t muster anything out. Archie felt a tightening, and watched as himself turned into Ert. Ert glanced at him confused, but waiting for confrontation. “I-I’m sorry.” Archie croaked out. As the unforgettable light flashed, Archie saw Ert’s tears and smile.

“So. I suppose we shall talk about what you have learned, if hopefully anything.” Archie looked around and saw he was in the same void. “Yes.”

“Well, please, enlighten me.”

“I realised I was wrong.”

“Is that it?”

“No. I now know that being mean is nothing more than alliteration of power. Power can consume you. If we can conquer something, even a person, we feel power. We conquer other people of other beliefs, and looks, and feelings. But, what we don’t realise is that unless we stop this then the whole will fall into a place devoid of kindness and compassion where people are treated with not treated with dignity, but an endless cycle of atrocities.”

“I see. You haven not only changed yourself, but your future. I must depart now. Good luck to you.”

With a light, Archie was gone.

“Get 20 Cc’s of Magic Goop!” A doctor said urgently. Archie laid on an operating table unconscious.

“Wait, I think he’s coming around.” The EEG beeped steadily. Archie slowly opened his eyes and looked around. “What, where am I?”

“Calm down. You just had the Mombu Flu and we nearly lost you.” As Archie’s vision cleared, he saw it was Ert! “Ert?!”

“Now sit down, I don’t want my best friend to pass on. You’re going to have to keep calm for the next few days.” Ert smiled.

Archie look at him in confusion, but smiled and held his paw in joy. Archie just received a second chance at life and with a friend.

The End

Week 1 Related Links

The Chia/Lupe Debate: What Side Are You On?
It's hard to pick a side, but can't we all just get along?

by iluvsasami


The Strangest Lupe: Part One
A pack of Lupes adopt a baby Eyrie and treat it as their own, but not without a few problems here and there.

by Tdyans


Lupina IV and the Ring of Power: Part Four
The last thing I saw before I plunged into the depths of the volcano was the faces of my friends, frozen with horror.

by thegreatlupelover


Lupes and Chias Don't Mix: Part Four
It was the Month of Hiding now, and Griffin sat on his comfy green sofa in the largest room in the NeoHome, the party room, watching the news.

by dragonshark173


De Soto the Lupe
De Soto goes to the beach.

by julez69



Search :
Other Stories

In a Pickle
As they were walking through the Dark forest they heard strange and scary noises; Weird and ugly animals, and mushy and disgusting swamps...

by tinybutterfly


Mount Usulin High
Another Usul raised her hand...."Umm it's like when you like totally put like hair spray in you like add like gel and like sparkly stuff Teehee!!"

by pretty_pink_pajamas


Mutating Neopia
It started out normally, we all took our seats and tuned in to hear what the Techo master had to say.

by Black_Ace


Oputuk Takes on The Fungus Balls
The challengers were knocked out one by one until there were only three left: Chomby, Oputuk, and Fiver.

by blueberry13579


And That Was All There Was To It
After everything goes horribly wrong, a Shoyru finally finds a stable home.

by pacificpet_preventor


Neopets | Main | Articles | Editorial | NeoMarket
Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series | Search