Within the Games: Part Five

     Now for experienced Within the Game readers, you know what’s happened. But for newbies and forgetters, let me recap what’s happened in the past four parts of Within the Games.

     In Part 1, it was of course the beginning of the series. Marine the Zafara and AAA the Blumaroo started experimenting AAA’s invention called the Cyber-Port 2000, a crazy machine that can teleport you into any game in Neopia that you choose. Marine was the first to actually try the Cyber-Port 2000, but AAA thought that when she started her favorite game (Shenkuu Warrior 2), she was doomed.

     In Part 2, Marine was actually playing Shenkuu Warrior 2 with the character’s eyes. She went through the green landscapes, to the rocky cliffs, to the freezing summit! AAA was able to walk her through the world behind his invention, and because of this, Marine won the game. That was the day that they realized what the machine could actually do.

     In Part 3, you first get to meet Marine’s best friend Margo the Kacheek. Now in this part of the story, Margo is a little lazy and a hater of technology, ESPECIALLY video games! Marine was so fed up of how much Margo hated video games that she forcefully dragged her right to the Game Room. At the Game Room, Margo met a mysterious stuttering Wocky named Jeffery, who watched her play video games. Later, Margo found out about the Cyber-Port 2000 and accidentally used it to warp herself into Destruct-O-Match 3.

     And finally in Part 4, Marine got broke up in pieces because she thought that Margo vanished off of the face of Neopia, while Margo was actually in Destruct-O-Match 3! Marine and AAA saw Margo smashing different colored bricks one by one. During that game, something changed inside of Margo. She turned from a lazy bum to an ultimate gamer like Marine.

     Well then, now that you’re all caught up, let’s get back to Part 5 of Within the Games! Wait a minute, did you ask for what to expect here in Part 5? Well, let me give you three words to prepare you for what’s to come. Racers. Bravery. Faeries. Hope that equipped you! Now go enjoy Within the Games!

Marine the Zafara was walking into the Game Room, thinking of what she was going to play today.

     “Let’s see,” Marine wondered. “What game should I play today? Barf Boat? No, too gross! Snowbeast Snackrifice? Nah, I love Petpets! I’m not a cruel Zafara! Faerie Racers?”

     Marine walked over to Faerie Racers.

     “PERFECT!!!!” thought Marine.

     She remembered that she read a book about Faerie Racers cheats, and what better time to use that new, fresh knowledge?

     She started a new game and chose to be an Earth Faerie. The character that she always played. Why? Well, no reason, she just liked the color green and had a huge collection of Earth Faerie merchandise. One of Marine’s traits that annoyed the heck out of Margo. And no trip to the Cyber-Port 2000 can change that.

      Marine raced around, trying to stump her opponent by either making them run into her trail of leaves, or run helplessly into a tree.

     As she was playing, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.

     Marine paused her game and quickly turned around.

     She found AAA smiling at her and pointing in the direction of his office. She smiled back. She knew what this meant.

     They quietly walked to his office and shut the door.

     “So Marine, I saw you play Faerie Racers, is that what you want to play today?”

     “Yeah! That would be really cool to play for real!”

     “Alright, well, you know what to do!”

     Marine and AAA hopped onto the platforms like they’d done it all their lives.

     They disappeared into a flash of light, and found themselves plunging down to the clouds below.

     “AHHHHHH!!!!!” AAA and Marine screamed until they finally fell on a cloud.

     “HAHAHAHAHA!!!! That was cool!” said Marine.

     Yeah, it was pretty fun for Marine now. When she first tried the Cyber-Port 2000, she played Shenkuu Warrior 2, and for all you Neopets gaming enthusiasts, you know what that means! Rocks. Dirt. Gravel. Landing on the cloud instead of the mountain, well... you may have the ability to interpret that in any way you wish.

     “Wow... out here it’s... um...” AAA said.

     “Pretty?”

     “Yeah, Marine. Pretty.”

     And was it pretty? Heck yeah! It was a beautiful, heavenly wonderland of fluffy clouds and rainbows. There were Faerie Petpets happily flying around and little Harrises frolicking around everywhere. As you can hear from this description, it’s a girly-girl’s dream come true!

     They walked around the soft and sweet scenery, they found a Faerie painted Elephante at a ticket booth.

     “TICKETS!!! TICKETS!!! GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE FAERIE RACERS TOURNAMENT RIGHT HERE!!! SEE EVERY TYPE OF FAERIE FLY AT UNIMAGINABLE SPEEDS AS THEY TRY TO USE THEIR WITS TO STUMP EACH OTHER TO WIN!!!”

     “Excuse me?” Marine looked up at the Elephante in the Ticket Booth.

     “Yes, miss?”

     “Well, I’m Marine the Zafara and this is AAA the Blumaroo and-“

     “Oh! You must be the other participators!”

     “What? Oh! We just wanted maybe tickets...”

     The Elephante looked at his clipboard of participators. He found AAA and Marine on the list.

     “No! You’re participating, kids! The racers are over at that shack getting ready.”

     The Elephante pointed at the shack that was right in front of the ring.

     “Oh! Um... thanks. C’mon, AAA...”

     “Right!” He was pretty shocked himself.

     They had no idea how they were able to participate. Oh sure, they knew they were going to play, but not like racing. They thought that they would maybe cheer or something like that.

     They finally saw the shack and they knocked on the door.

     “No soliciting! We don’t accept guild requests or lottery tickets!” a voice proclaimed on the other side of the door.

     “Yeah! And no visits from the ‘Happiness Faerie’ neither!” This was obviously the Space Faerie.

     “No! We’re participating in the competition!” yelled AAA back.

     “Well, why didn’t you just SAY so?” replied a voice.

     The door opened and an Earth Faerie was on the other side.

     “HEY! You’re not Faeries! YOU’RE NEOPETS!!!”

     Marine was about to laugh hysterically, but she was able to hold it in. She was just thinking of her Earth Faerie collection back home, and what Margo would say if she told her that she met an angry Earth Faerie. WHAT??? She could just simply hear her.

     “Oh, don’t be so rude!”

     A lovely figure walked towards them. She had a nice gentle smile on her face. AAA gasped and Marine was just as amazed.

     “Hey, AAA! Is that...?”

     “Hello, kind Neopians,” the figure said to them.

     “FYORA!” they both exclaimed.

      “What are you doing here?” asked AAA.

     “I have come to observe the Faerie Racers Tournament. Are you here to see it as well?” she asked.

     “Well,” replied Marine, “We were actually thinking of competing in the Tournament!”

     “Oh! Well, in that case, please come in!”

     They walked into the house and it seemed to be that every Faerie that had their own fan club was there.

     “Hi! Hello! What’s happening?” all the Faeries asked happily to AAA and Marine.

     Both AAA and Marine smiled and shook hands to every Faerie.

     “Awww, you two are just so CUTE!!!” a Light Faerie exclaimed.

     “Yes, they are. I can’t remember the last time cuter Neopets were in here!” replied a Fire Faerie.

     “And their teeth are so clean! Not a single cavity!” exclaimed the Tooth Faerie, examining AAA’s teeth.

     “Say,” the Earth Faerie said to Marine, looking humiliated by her rudeness. “No hard feelings, right?”

     “Of course not! It’s the Zafara Code: Forgive and Forget!” replied Marine.

     “Is that really the Zafara Code?” AAA asked as the Tooth Faerie was looking at his mouth with amazement.

     “Actually, I don’t really know if us Zafaras really HAVE a code!”

     Everyone laughed happily.

     “So, are you two really going to compete in the Faerie Racers Tournament?” a Water Faerie asked AAA and Marine.

     “We sure are! If you don’t mind, of course!” they both replied.

     All the Faeries seemed excited that Neopets were actually going to compete for the first time. They were assuring Marine and AAA that it would be very fun with those two competing. Until-

     “HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!! YOU? You’re just Neopets!” A puff of purple smoke appeared before all of the Faeries. The shack seemed colder and darker. There were gasps that filled the shack.

     “Oh no... it’s a Dark Faerie,” whispered Fyora to Marine and AAA.

     “What are YOU doing here?” barked AAA.

     “I have come to regain my reigning championship title!”

     “Championship title?” Marine said questionably.

     “Unfortunately,” said Fyora to the Neopets, “she has won every Tournament we have had.”

     “What? Really?” AAA asked.

     “Yes! It’s true! But she cheats all the time!” a Snow Faerie claimed.

     “She never gives any of us a chance!” the Space Faerie chimed in.

     There were many claims of how unfair the Dark Faerie was, but the Dark Faerie still had a smirk on her face.

     “Now, sisters,” Fyora said, calmly trying to bring the peace back into that shack, “she has given you all a chance; she’s just... she’s just...”

     “BETTER THAN YOU!” the Dark Faerie exclaimed.

     “Now just wait a darn second!”

     “Who said that?” the Dark Faerie roared.

     “That’d be me! Marine the Zafara!”

     “And AAA the Blumaroo!”

     “We’re not going down without a fight! No matter what you dish out!”

     “Heheheheh. Fine. I can’t wait to get started,” the Dark Faerie said in a mocking tone.

To be continued...