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Story
Up until I was seventeen my life was average, so I suppose that is where I should begin.
The sun shone brightly that afternoon and the grass sparkled from the periodic rain showers in the morning. Deran had been out since early morning so I took the chance for a brief outing. I wandered around town for a while without paying attention to where I was going. After a few hours I found myself in a strange area. The sky was dark with rainclouds. At first I wasn't bothered until I turned around to head back, only to be confronted with buildings not native to Neopia. "Where am I?" I asked aloud in a panic. Where do you think you are? A small voice questioned back.
My body tensed as the feeling of being watched crept up. "If this is a joke you can stop now Deran. I'm not going to fall for whatever trick you're pulling." There was no answer. Only the presence of small eyes. I turned back to see where I had been heading moments before; still not recognizing any scenery. "Watch it!" A familiar small voice yelped. I looked down. There was a Gruslen trapped under my tail. Apparently he had been sitting beside me in my panic. "You get what you deserve. Thats for trying to scare me." I muttered, moving my tail.
So what do you want anyway? Don't sneak up on people unless you want to help them afterwards." I stared down at him. He glared up at me. "As a matter of fact mister, I was sent here to bring you to someone." I laughed briefly. "And what makes you think I'm going to follow you to a complete stranger?" I scoffed. "There's no way I'm going." The gruslen looked up with sad eyes, as if his life depended on me going. "But Deran is there waiting for you." He mumbled. "Deran?" I paused. She was only ten, and I wasn't about to abandon her. "Fine. I'll go.
As the gruslen led me I learned his name was Jarong, and he had been waiting for me to arrive all day. "This is the haze world." He had said. "It's crawling with underground aliances, both scum and decent people. One can only come here when they reach a mental breakdown or a blood relative enters." That was when I realized there was more to my little sister then I had previously thought. I was able to recall a time, about a year prior when our parents had up and left. We survived on funding from our relatives and my part-time job. During this time Deran had left the house for hours on end. Once she had left for two days straight. When she returned home and saw how worried I was about her, she promised not to leave for so long again. This world was where she went.
Jarong led me to a small, run-down looking home. At the door stood a displeased looking Eyrie. She seemed to glare at me as if she held a grudge. "Is this him?" She asked Jarong in a surprisingly kind voice. "Yep." He replied. With a final clance of her cold, violet eyes she gestured backward with her head. "He's in the back talking to Bex." She finally said. "Thanks." Jarong said with a wag of his tail in appreciation. "C'mon. The Boss is 'round back!" He shouted, leaping ahead like an untrained puppy.
The back yard was dreary, all the plants had wilted and shrivled into thin crisps that broke in the wind. In the far left corner was a pond and at it's edge stood a Tyrannian Uni speaking to a face in the water. "What is he talking to?" I asked Jarong, only to find he was already beside the Uni and smiling at the face.
Ah, you made it just in time Jarong, I was about to send Ixion to find you." The Uni said with a small laugh. He turned to me and indicated I come closer. "Don't worry, friend, Jarong would not lead you into danger." He said, "After all, he is your petpet."
I looked at him as if he were crazy. "I'm sorry but I do not have a petpet, and I don't recall agreeing to take him in."
Really?" he mused, "That's too bad since he's been looking forward to meeting you for so long."
I looked down at the little white gruslen. He looked up at me sadly as if his dreams had been crushed. I suddenly felt very sorry for him. Shrugging, I looked back up to the Uni. "I guess I can look after him for a while then. As long as he doesn't bother me too much." He smiled and I felt as though I had played right into his hands.
Excuse me? Sorry to bother you two but I need to finish giving my report." I looked down to see the face in the water had surfaced and was talking through rows of jagged teeth. The figure resembled a Jetsam, though it looked as though his body had been merged with an octopus.
Sorry Bex, I forgot about you there." The Uni apologised. He turned to me, "Would you mind following Jarong inside to wait? You can talk to your sister while you wait."
Eagerly I left the backyard, trailing behind Jarong. We entered a kitchen, where Jarong moved a jar on the ground, opening up a staircase in the floor. "Just down here." He smiled.
I followed him cautiously, expecting to find Deran locked in a cage when we came to the end. Instead I found myself in a large, well-lit, cheery basement. Deran was sitting on a chair watching the Eyrie, who had been at the front door, play cards with a Korbat and Lupe. On her shoulder rested a Dragoyle whom she later told me was named Enkidu.
All of them turned to see who had come down. Immediately Deran jumped up and ran to hug me. "Firan, you were able to come here too!" She shouted. "Nor and Ray said you would be coming soon. Now I don't have to keep this place a secret!"
I looked down at her in surprise and chuckled at both her excitement and the Dragoyle that had been thrown of her shoulder in her excitement.
After she let go I moved into the room, for a good look around. "Who are Nor and Ray?" I finally asked, finding nothing that looked like it would attack us.
She looked up at me as if I should have known. "Oh thats right, you don't know. Nor's over here," she said, pointing to the Eyrie, who only flicked her tail in acknowledgement. "She's our technician and the one who decides how we carry out our missions. Ray's outside. He lets us know what we need to do."
Is he that Uni?" I asked.
Mhmm, he's a Uni and the leader." She said it as if it were a sales pitch and I couldn't help feeling they were all trying to make a mockery of me. "So then, what is the main goal of your missions?" I asked. It seemed foolish, all of them gathered in a hidden basement. It appeared more like a game to amuse Deran then something serious.
Deran looked up at me in confusion, trying to form the words, but unable to make them come out. I was answered by a female voice. "We're trying to get rid of this Haze World." It was the lupe's voice. "It shouldn't exist and no matter what we will all end up here for eternity unless we destroy it. However that is proving difficult." A frown crossed her face after she spoke. I couldn't tell if it was frustration or a poor hand of cards.
I looked at her, confused and then at the Korbat and Nor, hoping either of them would provide a better explanation. Neither did. I slumped down into an empty chair at the table, feeling exhausted. Jarong lay down beneith it. "So then... who are you guys?" I asked, no longer caring to ask questions that would get foolish answers.
The lupe replied first. "Celephire, weapon designer and specialist.
Noroxis, technician and babysitter to your sister." The Eyrie stated, saying the last part with irritation in her voice which was clearly directed towards me.
When the Korbat spoke he didn't look at me as the others had. "Elrentai, infiltration and sound record analysist." I looked at him carefully, wondering why he hadn't looked over. "He's blind." Deran pointed out, reather loudly. Following suit to the others she added, "Deranthius, um..." She trailed off to be finished by her Dragoyle, "Airial monitor and protector of the skies!"
Thanks for that, Deran." I mumbled, upset about her loud comment.
It doesn't matter if I'm blind as long as the work gets done. And what the little one means to say instead of 'protector of the skies' is Information collector." The Korbat chuckled and lay down his cards on the table. "If spades are trump, then I believe I have Eukre. Guess I didn't need Ray here to win this one after all." He said with a smile, knowing both Celephire and Noroxis were frustrated. He leaned over towards me and whispered, "You don't need to see the cards if you memorize the feel of each one."
Have you all been treating our newcomer kindly." The voice of Ray asked as he appeared at the bottom of the staircase. "Kindly enough." I replied.
Good. Now let's get down to buisness."
Buisness?" I asked rather irritably.
Yes, we the members of Miasma would like to request you join us in our battle to eliminate this world as our communication specialist. We will not force you though you have little choice."
I'll have to pass." I replied.
How unfortunate," he muttered. "Your sister said you would be more then willing to help us out.
I sent a glare towards Deran. "About her, I'm taking her home with me and we will not be coming back." The uni looked up at me in surprosed. "Not coming back? Poor fool, this world will slowly asimilate all living organisims from our world into here.
The rest of that conversation was a blur. I learned the Uni, Raynorax had created the Haze world accidently while performing an experiment which also altered Elrentai, Bexillion and Elrentai's father, all of whom had been lupes. I also recall being told Bexillion was in charge of underwater exploration, defence and communication.
I was given my task that day, I am now the comunications specialist.
A few days later Deranthius and I moved in with Bexillion since his home was closer and had plenty of room. Suprisingly he has a very dry home thanks to the human who also lives there.
I now work closely with all the members of Miasma since I have to be able to communicate with them at all times and provide equipment for them to stay connected while I am away.
It's been years since that day, and the mission to destroy the haze world doesn't seem to be letting up. We need to locate texts with the haze world's secrets, but as of yet we have no clue how to find them.