"Hee... YA!" CLASH! A stack of wooden boards split in half between the hands
of a Techo. "Good job, Spudd," praised the Techo, Yueghi.
"Thank you, Master Yueghi," replied Spudd, a strawberry Gelert. Yueghi smiled
and bowed to her. Bowing back, Spudd walked towards her locker while Yueghi
got another stack of wooden boards for the other students to crack in half.
Sherrie, Spudd's owner, never thought Spudd had enough exercise so she signed
her up for Martial Arts and Karate classes. And so far, Spudd had been enjoying
them. Yueghi had said she had a talent for Karate and if she trained enough
she could easily win a Karate Tournament. Entering her locker combination, Spudd
was about to open her locker until she heard a large bang. The wall opposite
from her cracked and burst. Armoured Gelerts ran in, howling and barking furiously.
Shocked, Spudd ran under Yueghi's desk and covered herself. After a few minutes,
all the commotion died down. Crawling out from under the desk, Spudd looked
around. All the other Gelerts in her class were also coming out from under desks
or behind some lockers. The room was in ruins and all of the Tournament Trophies
were scattered on the floor. And there, lying in the middle of the floor, was
Yueghi. Spudd ran over to her Master and so did the other Gelerts.
"Master, are you okay?" asked a shadow Gelert, Darky. Yueghi replied with
a groan. Darky and a cloud Gelert, Sky, picked up Yueghi and laid him on a desk.
"They... t-took... ughhh." Yueghi pointed his finger towards one of the trophies
lying on the floor. Spudd looked over at the trophy he was pointing at. It was
the tallest trophy. Going over to it, she picked it up and dusted it. Engraved
on it were the words:
Yueghi Nashataki Techo
1st Place National Neopian Karate Tournament Championships
"Wow, Master Yueghi's middle name is Nashataki. I thought it
was N," said Chaeos, a checkered Gelert. Sky slapped him on the back of his
head.
"That's his initial," said Sky. Turning back to Yueghi, she started slapping
his face with her paw. "C'mon Master, wake up."
While the other Gelerts tried effortlessly to wake up Yueghi, Spudd looked
over the trophy Yueghi pointed to curiously.
"This was the first trophy I ever won. I am very proud of it. It's big,
shiny, and it took me a lot of work to get it. I put every one of my prized
possessions in it....."
That was what Yueghi said when Spudd asked him about that trophy a few weeks
back. "...I put every one of my prized possessions in it...." Prized
possessions... With a Techo that old, Yueghi must hold a lot of old and valuable
possessions in that trophy. Reaching into the Trophy, Spudd took out a few Neggs,
some pictures of friends, a birthday card, and a Black Belt. "Geeze, if these
are his prized possessions, I would hate to see his junk," mumbled Spudd placing
the Black Belt back into the trophy. "Huh, what's this?" Spudd felt something
wrapped in the Black Belt. Unfolding the cloth, a little stone tablet fell out
and fell on the floor with a loud thud.
"What are you doing back there, Spudd," asked Darky walking towards her. Spotting
the stone tablet on the floor, he picked it up. Carved into the rough surface
of the stone were the words, "The Coral Crystal Map. Keep it safe brother. You
will find it enclosed in the red coloured envelope in your Neomail Box."
"Neomail Box.... wonder what that means..." pondered Chaeos, scratching his
head. Ignoring his unnecessary and dumb comment, the others started wondering
what the Coral Crystal was.
"It might be a rare diamond..." started Sky.
"...from the dark depths of Maraqua," concluded Darky.
"If Master Yueghi's brother told him to keep it safe, it had to be valuable
which means it's a prized possession..." said Spudd.
"Which means...." Sky turned to Spudd.
"It goes in the trophy. That's what the evil Gelerts were after," finished
Spudd.
"What's so good about some crystal made out of coral?" asked Chaeos, tracing
the engravings on the stone tablet with his claw.
"Well, like Darky said, it could be from Maraqua--"
"Master Yueghi's awake!" Spudd stopped dead in her sentence due to the interruption
of a rainbow Gelert. Spudd ran over to Kalore (the rainbow Gelert) and gazed
over Yueghi. Beads of perspiration dripped down his forehead.
"Did you find get the Coral Crystal back from the Gelert Pack?" asked Yueghi,
staring into the ceiling blankly.
"Gelert Pack?" repeated Darky.
"Check the shelves," replied Yueghi, still staring into the ceiling. "Did
you find the Crystal?"
Ignoring Yueghi's question, Sky and Darky went over to the shelves.
"Which book?" asked Sky. Yueghi didn't reply. Looking over the titles, Darky
picked out a few books that matched the description of "The Gelert Pack".
He opened the first one and started skimming through the pages. Sky also picked
up one.
Spudd stared at the pile of books Darky picked out. There was something strange
about it. Suddenly, everything started to blur and whirl. Squeezing her eyes
shut, Spudd opened them again. The first book that appeared was the book called
"Great Gelert Gangs." Picking it up, Spudd was about to open it but suddenly
it slipped out of her hands. The book fell to the floor, opened to a page. Peering
at the page, Spudd's eyes opened. In big letters, there were the words "The
Gelert Pack."
"Cool, you found it, Spudd," said Sky. Spudd looked up at Sky with a shocked
expression.
"I-I," she started but was never able to finish. Darky, Kalore, Chaeos, and
the other Gelerts came over.
"Good work, Spudd," praised Antlers.
"Now there's some good dictionary work," said Goldy.
"No wonder you're Master's star pupil," grinned Cheetah.
While the Gelerts praised Spudd, Spudd looked shockingly at the opened book.
Snapping out of it, Spudd snatched the book out of Sky's hand and read aloud:
"The Gelert Pack is a ruthless pack of Gelerts trained in the art of stealing.
They can come in and out of a house without getting caught. The Chia Police
has had various problems with this pack. They steal only the most valuable and
expensive items. Of all the other Great Gelert Packs, this one is the slyest."
Spudd shut the book and placed it on the floor.
"Spudd..." Spudd looked up to see Yueghi sitting up straight on the table.
"Master..." replied Spudd.
"Spudd," repeated Yueghi. "I- I know what you saw. I know how you found the
book." Spudd widened her eyes. Yueghi gave a little smirk. Turning to the class,
he said, "Piers, leave this room. Your pupil and I must talk." Respectfully,
the other Gelerts left the room. Spudd looked up at Yueghi with a crazy look.
"What did I see?" she asked.
"You saw a vision, clearly," answered Yueghi, getting off the table.
"A vision?" repeated Spudd.
"Yes, an image that would help you," said Yueghi, dusting his robe.
"An image?"
"Every one of us has a choice, a choice of intelligence and instincts. Many
would choose intelligence, for half of instincts is intelligence. But you, you
are one of the few who choose instincts," explained Yueghi.
"A choice between intelligence and instincts..."
"You are acting like a parrot, Spudd. Repeating every word I say," barked
Yueghi.
"Sorry, Master," apologised Spudd.
"Now, what you saw today was an image of instincts. Your instincts told you
which book in that pile was the right one, the same way your instincts can tell
you not to touch a flaming fire." Yueghi walked over to the book Great Gelert
Gangs and picked it up.
"Okay, so this explains why I hate learning. So, what path did you choose?"
asked Spudd.
"Eh, none of your beeswax," snapped Yueghi.
"Hey, if I chose instincts, maybe my instincts will tell me what path you
chose," laughed Spudd. Closing her eyes tightly, Spudd starting humming.
"This is not a joke, Spudd," said Yueghi sternly, raising his eyebrow. "You
are going to help me get the Coral Crystal back."
"Me? Says who?"
"Says me," replied Yueghi.
"But-but I--" Spudd didn't finish.
"CATCH!" Yueghi surprisingly threw the book Great Gelert Gangs towards
Spudd. Automatically, Spudd swished her tail and sent the book flying back towards
Yueghi, which dodged it. Yueghi began chuckling heartily. "You definitely going
to help," he said.
***
"Okay, tell me again why I agreed to do this!" whispered Spudd angrily to
Yueghi. They were deep in a forest and there was tall grass all around them.
"Be quiet!" scolded Yueghi. He parted the grass in front of them to reveal
a burning fire surrounded by dark coloured Gelerts in armour.
"IT'S THEM!" Spudd yelled. Yueghi slapped his hand against her snout. He pointed
towards a gleaming rock near the fire. The Coral Crystal. "Why do they want
it, Master Yueghi?" whispered Spudd.
"It holds great magic," Yueghi answered. "No more questions. I am going to
make a distraction. You go get the crystal." Nodding in reply, Spudd started
sneaking towards the opposite side.
Safely at the opposite end of Yueghi, Spudd gave him a paws up. Suddenly,
Yueghi stood up and jump-kicked one of the Gelerts surrounding the fire.
"It's the old guy!" shouted one of them.
"Capture him!" growled another. A pack of Gelerts then ambushed Yueghi and
pounced on him. Without thinking, Spudd leaped up.
"Master!" she cried. She jumped into the fight and started kicking at the
Gelerts. "Leave... him... ALONE!" Getting the last Gelert off Yueghi, Spudd
helped him up. "Are you okay?" Yueghi's head limped to one side. He was out
cold. "Master!"
"Who are you?" Spudd looked up and saw a rough looking shadow Gelert looking
over her. Swallowing the knot in her throat, Spudd answered, "Master Yueghi's
student."
"You? You are a pupil of Master Yueghi?" the shadow Gelert started laughing
hideously. "I thought he trained students to be martial artists. Not kicking
screaming Gelertesses." Spudd narrowed her eyes.
"I bet I can beat you in any match any day," said Spudd in a voice she never
heard before. The shadow Gelert started laughing again. "At least Yueghi teaches
pride," he said smirking. Gulping, Spudd laid Yueghi on the ground. "I challenge
you!" she shouted. Spudd then raised her leg and aimed for the shadow Gelert.
Dodging it, the shadow Gelert grinned. "Challenge accepted," he said, and the
fight was on.
***
The fight ended. Spudd won with a few bruised and a set of teeth marks on
her right front leg. Limping, Spudd went over to the Coral Crystal and picked
it up in her mouth. She turned to the Gelert Pack and growled. The Gelert Pack
silently retreated into the dark woods. Spudd rushed over to Yueghi, who had
long awakened from his unconscious state. "I am proud of you, Spudd," he said.
"You are going to top every karate class you enter. I am sure of it."
Spudd shook her head. "After this experience, I think I am going to drop karate.
Too much excitement in one day. Sorry."
"It's okay. Besides, in my opinion, if you learn any more karate moves, I
think your gonna be fit enough to beat Sloth." Yueghi laughed. Smiling, Spudd
handed the Coral Crystal to him and helped him get up. Together, they both started
for home...
The End | 
