Thicker Than Blood: Part Five

by shadowphoenix

Rivalry

The IceDome. Pets and owners are laughing, and crying, bustling about and training on empty patches of grass. There was water here, speckled with slabs of ice floating along the current. Steam rose from the water, and several pets were bathing in the hot pools to prepare for battle, or resting after a long and strenuous fight. Black steam rose from the massive dome itself; from a side vent, actually. It was the BI-product of the internal coolant system for the Dome.

“Wow…I’d heard of these, but…”

“Ah, you’ve never entered any of the Domes yet, have you?” Narcissus addressed Silverwatcher with interest, and Fortuneone stepped up to her side.

“Oh, it’s no big deal! I bet I could beat these guys at High-Stakes Gin anytime!” Synicle glanced at the small Jubjub and smiled to himself, then walked closer to the three pets. Silverwatcher glared with slight intolerance.

“You guys are serious. About joining.” Narcissus turned to Synicle and cocked his head, then scratched at his left flank with his nose.

“Sure, we’re serious. She’s here. This is where I first found the Jetsam beast, and I know they have something to do with its deformation. Rather it’s a rogue, or the NeoTeam in charge here…we’ll find out.” Narcissus felt bold from his gestures, but Synicle nodded him off and headed nonchalantly down the slope toward the Dome. Narcissus held back a sec, and then followed.

“Wait up!” called the small Jubjub, and he rolled down the hill and bounced onto Synicle’s back in a small display of acrobatics.

“I’ll catch up!” yelled SunTalon to the retreating gang. He then turned to Silverwatcher and placed his hand softly on her shoulder. She smiled up at him, and winked after sensing his tension.

“Why the bother, Talon?”

“I just want to be sure you’ll be okay. Won’t get into trouble you can’t handle? I mean this is a Dome. You may get challenged just by breathing out of the wrong side of your mouth. So…you’ll be okay?” The young Kougra grinned and glanced smoothly at the Shoyru, just before dashing down the hill toward the Dome.

“Me? I can’t get into trouble I can’t handle, because I can handle it all!” SunTalon smiled calmly, and returned his attention to his friend Narcissus. He, Narcissus, Diamonn and David all held a brief silence before SunTalon said what was all on their minds.

“We have no idea where Sundial might be in here, so…I guess we might at well have a bit of fun and loosen up until something goes wrong.” Everyone nodded with concession and then stood in silence. Sure, they were going in for fun, but none of the four standing on that hilltop felt much anticipation for the moments ahead.

Within the Dome was even more activity than was outside. Diamonn and Shadow went over to a group of attractive girls, who were training their Kacheeks and Scorchios, and the pets went about their way. SunTalon and Narcissus began looking for the others, and first came across Fortuneone calling out noisily.

“I’ve got your future here! C’mon, place ya bets! We’ve got 1:2 chances on the white Lupe, and on the other guy…oh, 1:500. Ya can’t lose! You know the outcome! C’mon, place your bets! Oh, hey you guys! Over here!” Fortuneone had caught a glimpse of the two on-looking pets and tried to get their attention. Narcissus could feel his skin glow with embarrassment as he and SunTalon approached the small Jubjub They turned to the arena to see what the fuss was over, and were met with shock.

Synicle heaved his chest with determined exhaustion, but he was no more worn than his opponent. A black Eyrie stumbled back into SunTalon and Narcissus’ view. The Eyrie’s flesh was shiny, like oil or leather, and his down was like silk. The wet look of his skin was likely from blood, but the Eyrie showed little pain.

“NecroLancer, flash him first, and then use Teleport to pull off the special Surprise combo!” An older man, about mid-thirties to early forties, was calling out strategy to the tired black Eyrie The Eyrie grinned to its owner and then faced Synicle with a sneer. Synicle calmly returned his gaze, and crouched cautiously.

“Eyrie Rainbow Fla-” the Eyrie was interrupted when a bolt of well-charged Improved Lightening struck him broadside. He looked around weakly, but couldn’t see where it came from.

“Grand…” The black Eyrie looked to the concession area and noticed a rather large Shoyru giving off an aura of flaming yellow. Its eyes were filled with rage and nothing more. The pupils were gone, and in its place was cold vengeance.

“Lightening Beam!” Electrical outlets begin to pop, and bulbs flickered and cracked throughout the arena. The Eyrie flinched and teleported. It materialized behind Synicle, hoping to avoid the attack and continue with the match as planned. As it materialized, a sharp heat racked through its body, and the Eyrie was lifted into the air. Its flesh began to burn with heat, and it couldn’t control the convulsions of its limbs as it was flung to the floor. Light grey smoke rose from the limp Eyrie’s body, and in its feeble attempt to crawl back to its owner, it passed into unconsciousness. Synicle stared in disbelief, but soon turned his mind to thoughts of contempt.

“You…you fried him…” Narcissus looked on toward the Eyrie, too shocked to finish his inquiry. Synicle was less shocked, and bounded over to the Shoyru in anger.

“Why? Why did you disqualify my match!?! You…better explain yourself quickly.” Pain and rage was failing to hide itself within Synicle’s features. SunTalon prepared to answer, but was interrupted by an unexpected sight. Across the room, Sundial was weakly stumbling in their direction. Her wings were torn, and she was bruised and bleeding.

“Sun…brother, this must…” Sundial collapsed into SunTalon’s arms and spit blood onto his chest in pain. “I can’t…make…I can’t get back. Back to my faeries. I’m hurt. Please…help.” She closed her eyes and her body went limp. SunTalon slung her over his shoulder and walked to a nearby table. He laid her body across the table and told Narcissus to bring the others.

“To help…what would you have me do?” SunTalon looked at Sundial’s face and began to recollect on the love and excitement of their childhood. Even with her interest in the Dark then, she was still a wonderful sister. Now, it has gone too far. She needs the Dark Force to survive. SunTalon wished then that he knew the whereabouts of the two faeries that had saved him and his sister’s lives. They could surely help. SunTalon turned his attention to the rink where many people were now screaming and running in scattered directions. He couldn’t see well, but didn’t want to leave his sister alone on the table. Then, hearing his name screamed out from the crowd, he reacted immediately and bound toward the commotion.

On reaching the inside of the crowd of terrified pets and humans, SunTalon could see what caused such a frenzy of terror. The black Eyrie, NecroLancer, was hunched in pain, and his wings were slowly but noticeably growing in size. His talons gleamed as they changed from ivory to steel, and his beak grew out of its natural curve into a more pointed, serrated tip. The creature’s down thinned out, and became more like quills or needles than feathers. It then threw back its head and released a sharp shriek into the air.

SunTalon noticed a thin beam of red focused on the creature’s back. He followed its trail to a shadow of something large, looming in the utility rafters of the Dome.

“Everyone, follow me! Narc! Syn! C’mon!” SunTalon dashed to the stairway across the arena floor, and jumped off the rail to a service ladder behind the stairwell. The others followed, not knowing why but not caring out of trust. The ladder seemed to climb forever, but soon they were near the top and SunTalon slowed down. In spite of the Shoyru’s attempt for stealth, the dark figure heard his approach and began to retreat from his view of the chaos below. The three pets followed pursuit swiftly.

Narcissus could see light gleam off of the large assailant at certain points of the chase, as it would off of steel, but didn’t mention it for two reasons. He figured the others saw it too, and he was hoping the others didn’t see it too. Narcissus lunged forth for the beast and slammed into its body hard, not forcing it to fall but at least causing it to stop moving. This impact not only hurt Narcissus, but proved that his metal inference from earlier was correct. The others caught up and slowed to a stop as well.

“You all…fools! Why do you chase me? I have work to perform!” The beast’s voice was oddly familiar to Narcissus, but he couldn’t quite place why. Then he recognized the source of the red beam that SunTalon had seen aimed on the Eyrie

“It…it’s not the Transmogrifier…we destroyed that with the lab…” The other pet turned to Narcissus in confusion.

“The what?”

“Transmogrifier.” Narcissus answered SunTalon. Synicle was still staring down the smiling mass of shadowed steel. Narcissus looked on in caution at the metal monster’s transmogrifying arm as he continued. “Dr. Sloth was…taking over when I was hatched. After I was smart enough to understand my world, David explained what was happening. This is one of the tools that Sloth used to conquer with. There was a rash of pets randomly dying or missing or…or hideously mutated at that time. He had done it to destroy us, but it has different effects on different animals. 1/3 of pets affected become amnesiatic. They usually wandered away from home after that or-” Narcissus paused a the iron giant started to move. It stayed, and he went on. “…or they’d go into fits and have to be sent into adoption. ½ of the pets are mutated into horrific monsters, and 1/6…1/6 of the pets die instantly.”

“Why so sad? Sloth dead too. I am built to insure you all remember him.” At that word, the metal monster blasted his ray at Synicle, and then began to run. Synicle dodged and chased in close pursuit. The others caught up, but knew not how to take this down.

“Hey, what’s hap-ahhh!” Silverwatcher had popped up on one side of the catwalk to find her friends, which she had seen run that way earlier. The steel beast shot her with his ray, and upon being hit, Silverwatcher fell from the walk and hit the arena floor 80 feet below. She landed on her feet, but the fall was so high that her knee snapped and she collapsed under herself in great pain. Sun Talon jumped from the ledge and glided down to Silverwatcher, as the other two pets chased the robotic menace. They reached the dark control room at the end of the scaffolding and slowed to a halt.

Synicle entered first, cautious and very attentive. Narcissus followed supportively, and entered the room facing the entrance. Synicle sniffed through the pungent odors of the dank space for trying to catch a trace of the foul creature, when the door slammed abruptly behind them, throwing them into deep blackness. They were both seized by the unseen hands of the metal phantasm and flung into the corner.

“You should have listened to his sister.”

“Wha-?” Narcissus rubbed his shoulder and struggled to his hooves. He glanced around urgently, looking for some hint of the creation’s location, but could find none.

“Vengeance IS the only solution. Unfortunately, her failure is too much more important to me than her victory. And I shall ensure that her death is imminent and complete.” With this being said, the beast began to glow a dull red, and shifted into a thin beam of red light that passed swiftly through the ceiling. The defeated pets went back out onto the scaffolding, where they found SunTalon, Diamonn, and David all standing over Sundial and Silverwatcher.

“Let’s head home.” Said Diamonn, lifting Silverwatcher into his arms. David was lifting Sundial into his own arms as Narcissus and Synicle reached the top of the service ladder behind him and began bounding down the stairway.

“We don’t have a home any more…remember?” David glanced over at the Peophin and Lupe quickly approaching, and forced a smile on his face. Synicle trotted over to Diamonn and slid under Silverwatcher, taking her onto his own back. Diamonn patted David on the shoulder, and smiled confidently.

“Sure you do, bros! C’mon, I’ll clean the den out for ya.”

“But that’s ice!”

Believe me, Shadow,” Diamonn began as they all headed slowly out of the ‘Dome, “after all the fighting that’s coming up for us…you’ll cherish a rest on that ice couch of ours!”

And so they were formed. The small band of Neopians set against the plot of demonic mutation formed by Sloth from beyond the grave. Fate has surely shone on them these past couple of days, and Time has secrets in store for our adventurers beyond their imaginations…

The End