Lupina Returns: Part Three

by thegreatlupelover

Paint Brushes

When they got off, most of the free pets set about laughing and talking. Amy knew they weren't safe yet, by a long chalk. Dr. Sloth had super-speeded private shuttles that were probably out to get them right now.

"Everyone, hurry! Run! Run to the woods!" Amy yelled over the commotion of happy voices. "We are not safe! Run! To the woods!"

Everybody hastened to follow her command. Lupina went last, rounding up the stragglers and glancing up at the sky.

When all the pets were safely under the cover of the treetops, Lupina marched them along at a cracking pace. Soon they were deep in the forest. They could hear the sound of a waterfall up ahead.

"We'll rest there for the night," Lily called. Amy nodded. It was getting late.

When they came to the edge of the trees, Lupina drew her breath in sharply. It was Lupe Moon Falls. Memories flooded into Lupina's head. How she had stood under that very waterfall from midnight to dawn, gaining her full magical powers. How she and Rosy had received a message from the Battle Faerie. How they had scaled the cliff. How she had saved Rosy from her doom in the midst of those very thundering waters.

Rosy, too, stood still, remembering. The joy she had felt when Lupina leaped from the waterfall. The tussle they had had afterward. The deathly cold and strength of the Falls.

As the others streamed into the clearing and made camp, Lupina and Rosy showed Emala, Lily and Amy the exact spots where everything had happened.

"And that's the ledge Lupina saved me from," Rosy concluded. The others had heard the story many times, but never actually seen where it had taken place.

As the five friends walked into the camp that the others had established, Seabreeze made her way up to Lupina's side. "Er, well, Lupina, thanks a whole ton for saving me today. And thanks to all of you, for helping us get out of that awful place. Oh, how would you like it if I went and searched for food? I mean you're going to have a time feeding all of us here, so I thought..." Lupina nodded gratefully.

"Thanks, Seabreeze. That would be a great help." Blushing, Seabreeze made her way out of camp.

Half an hour later, Seabreeze came rushing back into camp. "Lupina, Rosy, Amy, Limala, oops, I mean Emala, Lily! Guess what? Guess what I found?"

Amy smiled. "What is it, Seabreeze?"

The Faerie Kiko babbled on. "Guess, found, me, wow TONS! Lots lots lots. Brusher! Paint! Paint Brushes! TONS!"

Emala, quickly translating the confused babble, said, "Where, Seabreeze? Show us the way!"

Seabreeze flapped off excitedly, the friends hurrying behind her. As they came to a stop, Seabreeze said, "There! Under that stone! I couldn't fully lift it up all by myself." Soon the joint efforts of Rosy and Emala had the stone lying off to one side. The hole the stone had been concealing contained a multitude of Paint Brushes.

Lupina, Rosy, Lily, Emala, Amy, and Seabreeze came back into camp with broad smiles and armfuls of paint brushes. Amy recruited a band to go get the remaining paintbrushes with her, while Lupina found a group of willing volunteers to help her. She explained what they had to do.

"All these mutated pets-we're going to paint them back into their original colour. I want you to help with the painting. Are you up to it?" She was replied by a loud chorus of "Aye!" "Good!" she said. "Let's get going!"

Lupina stepped up onto a tree stump. "If you were mutated and wish to be painted back into your original form, come to the center of the camp!" she yelled. "We have 15 volunteer NeoPets and 8 PetPets, ready to transform you back into your original colour, or matter of fact, ANY COLOUR YOU WANT! If we still have Paint Brushes left over, non-mutated pets can also come up for a paint job! This is a great offer! DON'T MISS IT!"

Summoned by Lupina's loud voice, about 100 mutants came rushing to the area where Lupina had set up 15 painting tents.

"What colour were you?" Lupina asked the Techo at the front of the line. "Red," he replied. Lupina looked down at her list.

"Red, red," she muttered. Then she raised her head. "That would be Sneakers, Emala's Tigermouse', tent, right this way." She showed him to the correct tent. Five minutes later, a handsome red Techo emerged from the tent.

As Lupina registered each pet, they went to wait in front of the correct tent. Kacheeks, Chias, Kikos, Techos, so many mutant pets! Every time a beautiful little winged creature emerged from the tent instead of a hideous being with fangs or bulging eyes emerged from a tent, it filled Lupina's heart with joy.

Later on, Rosy started a new line near Lupina's. When she had registered about six pets, she saw a familiar-looking face, even though it was no longer as pretty.

"Sweetie!" Rosy exclaimed. "Soon you'll be back in your Faerie beauty, don't worry." Tears of gratitude filled the mutant Kacheek's eyes as she stumbled off to the tent.

Soon, all the mutants had been painted back into their appropriate forms. Lupina got back up on the stump. "Well, now if you're just a regular pet who want's to get a new paint job, here's your chance!" And soon there was a whole new collection of NeoPets lining up to be painted.

When everyone was satisfied, Lupina and her friends turned to the question of food. Seabreeze blushed. "Why, I totally forgot about finding food, I was so excited about the Paint Brushes."

A worried look crossed Lily's face. "How on earth are we going to find food for 200 NeoPets and one human?"

Amy frowned, then clapped her hands. "Of course! Emala, you've got that ability, Great Feast! You can find others who have it and together create enough food for everyone!"

Rosy immediately hopped up on the stump. "We need food! All pets with the ability Great Feast come to the center immediately!"

Soon, about 10 NeoPets were crowding around the stump. Rosy saw Sweetie among them and congratulated her. "Sweetie, you've got Great Feast! Good for you! You never told me."

Soon, the 11 NeoPets with the ability Great Feast were inside a tent, working their hardest to make enough food for several times more than were sitting there. As enough for each NeoPet was formed, Lupina sent the food magically to its recipient. Soon, all the pets were happily munching away.

To be continued...