Well, it began with my birth, she--whoever my mother was--had a red Zafara, and then her and whoever my father was chose the name 'Mericome', why? I have no clue. They must have just liked names that pop up in their head. How do I know this is my name? And how do I know all of this? Well, I only know half of my past because my past owner abandoned me and my brother (Whom I shall tell of later) after persumably my parents died. Gracie found me in the pound, with a blue ribbon on my tail and a name tag strapped to my wrist. Unfortunately, my brother had been adopted by someone else and then pounded again, and, Gracie having a heart, adopted him on her side. He did not wish to be her pet, and made a deal with her to only live with her.

Taking her new bundle of red fur into her arms and watching me suckle on my thumb she carried me back to her neohome, introducing me to the family as the new member to the group of Coopers.

I grew with a steady pace, and for a few years I was under the watchful eye of my eldest, Stumpy. He is the one who taught me in the ways of the sword. After a few more years of being the youngest, I received news of a new little brother named Shugumberries. Now, that did not go over well with me, no, not at all. The worst was yet to come...
When the hour came all that I had feared was true. There, cradled in Gracie's arms was a blue Xweetok, biting down on a toy. I dreaded the first few steps that my mistress took towards me, the small bag of fur getting closer. Uski wasted no time at all to see the new Neopet. She bounded up to Gracie, dumping a case of 'Snuggle-love' onto the defenseless pet. Stumpy sat back casually, having had started a game of chess with me. Gracie was soon shooing Uski away, passing I and Stumpy with the young Xweetok in her arms, into Stumpy's room. Little did I know that my mistress had no intention on pounding the horrid creature. Unfortunately for Stumpy, Gracie was too poor to have another room built, so to this day Stumpy shares a room with Shugumberries. I and Uski shared a room in the little neohome we live in to this day as well.

At the age of eleven is when I really began my journey.

One day Gracie decided to take one of the dark faerie's quests because of an incident including WereLupes and a King Skraal job given by Illusen. She ranted for a good long hour before she offered to take me to Faerieland. I of course--declined. But of course she--forced me to go. Agh! What a nightmare that place was; all the pink, blue and yellow made me blind for the first fifteen minutes I was there!! But my pleading did not appeal to mistress, oh no, she just picked me up by the tail and dragged me to a dark ominous cloud. Darkness? Why was I sensing the eternal embrace of my loving darkness?
Mistress cued softly, trying to calm me down. Pft. Like that was going to work.
I finally decided to ease Gracie's pain and keep still whilst she brought me to a halt. I was soon standing, dusting off my brown and blue attire. I was currently wearing my usual clothes; a baggy sleeved dark blue shirt, long dark blue skirt, brown leggings, brown strips of fabric wrapped around my wrists and a brown over-shirt with no sides and dark blue lines running over the leather decoration. I also had a blue ribbon wrapped at the end of my tail. I looked like a regular, oriental clothed, red zafara. Gracie took me by the hand, stepping lightly onto the floating dark purple cloud. Green and purple smoke engulfed us, tickling my senses and making my head feel hazy. Mistress ordered me to stay where I was until she returned to me and then went off into the dark clouds. I could decipher a few words being said, but some of the speech came from another being. One of which I did not know. Soon, I heard Gracie scuttling off--which was rather odd considering we shouldn't have been able to even stand on the large cloud in the first place.
-"I sense your need, young one..." Came that eerie voice as I felt a cold hand drop onto my shoulder. I felt all my instincts scream at once, telling me to tuck tail and turn around. Little did I know I would soon be facing my destiny.

-"My-my...need?" I stuttered, blinking my brown eyes at the two green eyes that looked out of the darkness.
-"Yes, my dear Zafara." The hand released its grip as it tenderly patted my head. "You are different from the others, this I am sure of. Am I wrong?"
I hesitated, unsure of what she meant. "Ma'am," I started, very sure that the voice I heard was female.
-"What do you mean by 'different'?" I finished, feeling a lump form in my throat.
-"You're not implying I'm wrong, are you?" The voice questioned.
-"No, no ma'am!" I shook my head, before a wisp of black smoke surrounded me. "Good..." The voice whispered.
-"Darkness, that is what you need." She repeated, this time out loud and unto me.
-"Darkness..." I replied thoughtfully, still unsure.
-"Yes, little Zafara. I can give you darkness," She told me as I cocked an eyebrow up at the ghostly figured shadow.
-"You can give me darkness?" I asked, confused. The sound of the very word sent shivers up my spine as I felt something tingle inside of me. Darkness, which is what I wanted. But why did I just realize this? Did I know it all my life?
-"Yes, I shall help you obtain darkness, if..."
-"If what?" I exclaimed, before amending my tone. "I mean, if what, ma'am?"
The voice did not answer at first, seemingly making a snarling noise before I heard a soft cackle.If you can obtain for me...A certain scroll, perhaps?"
-"Of course!" I replied, something triggering my exclamation voice again.
This time, the voice seemed pleased "Very good..."

I felt so alive that day!
My little mission for Jhudora was wonderful, I must admit. I was required to steal a document from the treasure volt...-Smirks- And you have to give me some credit; I did after all, take some gold with me. I was only eleven and I managed to get past the guards! Ha! And they call that 'guarding'?!
I was to travel to Meridell, sneak into the castle with what little stealth I had, grab the scroll and return to Faerieland. I must say that the only downside was I did this without the approval of my mistress. She had returned from her quest, to where she had left me and found that I was not there. I, in fact, was already home, stowing away my stolen gold in the small tunnels that were now abandoned by past digging Symols. The entrance to the tunnels I found, about half a mile from our neohome a year earlier. I had no trouble hiding the entrance, seeing how the vines and bushes growing around it covered it from the naked-eye. I soon went back into the house to find a raving Gracie shaking Stumpy by the scruff of his neck. After explaining to her that I went home because I was 'scared' of the misty place; she took me into her arms and shook me like a poor Evil Fuzzle. Luckily for me; she did not ask any other questions...Nor did I have time to even try to finish what I had said.
Oh and you are probably wondering what was my reward from Jhudora, aren't you?
Well, when I returned with the document I was to give her...
-"Well now, I do hope you'll return...You have done much better than I would have hoped..." Said the dark figure.
-"Thank you..." I said, bowing lowly.
-"Now, for your first reward..." A tall, purple clad dark faerie stepped forth from the mists, placing a bony hand on my shoulder. Immediately I began to change. What you see me as now is what she turned me into, and to tell you the truth; I do look much more evil without the blue -Giggles-. The only problem was; I had to make up this fantasized story as to why I looked different. Gracie then labbed me into silver�sounds odd, no?

Soon I was fourteen and still under the care of Gracie-Chan. Not much had changed. I continued to visit Jhudora and complete quests for her and advance in my rankings as a thief and soon to be an assassin for King Skraal. Yes, I am aware that that blasted king is on the 'good' side; but I had to keep up an illusion.
Other than my difference in the last few years; Stumpy had become a student at the University for Neopians in Shenkuu to get a degree in archeology, Uski had been turned into Gracie's labrat and was scheduled to be either turned into a White Draik or a mutant Ixi. As for Gum-shoe...? Nothing had changed about him really; other than he had become a Camo Xweetok through being the past family labrat...-Grumbles- Oh and Gracie? She had a small birthday planned for me the current week; for my fifteenth birthday. I also by chance was visited by a certain Zafara that year...

It had been a hot day in the Neopian market; and Gracie was shopping for supplies and avatar items whilst I had free rome of the market place. Soon I would be looking straight into the eyes of my past.
-"Excuse me, sir..." I muttered, clenching my grey cloak close as I squeezed between a cart and a tall blue Zafara. "Sorry, young one..." He muttered a reply, before catching my maroon eyes in his own dark brown ones.
-"Is...Is your name Mericome?" The Zafara asked slowly.
-"It depends; who wants to know?"
The older male placed a hand on my shoulder, now serious. "Her brother."
I gasped, doubling over as I pulled away. "You sir are not one of my brothers!" I said, frowning.
-"But I am." Said he, taking a step closer. I felt a deep hatred form in the pit of my stomach for the Zafara. Was he playing a trick on me? Gracie never had told me I had a real brother! She told me I was alone in the pound! I hissed deeply, my hand immediately dropping to the hilt of my sword Faelin.
-"Please, there is no need for violence." He said, raising his hands up in a gesture as not to attack. I glared at him, lowering my hissing.
-"You are not my brother; I have no real family." I said in a dangerous growl. The man shook his head, frowning. He took a step closer, taking my hands in his.
-"But I am." He insisted calmly. His persistence was beginning to annoy me.
-"Ask your caregiver, Gracie. She will tell you exactly what I have to tell you." Was he stalking me?! How did he know Gracie-Chan's name?
-"I am Mairace." He said soothingly. "Mareaice Yurochai." He added, smiling lightly. His smile faded quickly as he looked around. "We mustn't be seen together." He said, quickly pulling me behind a closed stand.
-"I do not believe you." I told him firmly, scowling. Mareaice only smiled again, ergh, what an awful innocent smile.
-"You do not have to believe me; but please listen." He said, crouching down so both of us were concealed by the cover of the stand. He withdrew a large breath, depositing a scroll and name-tag onto the ground in front of us.
I gingerly picked up the scroll, scanning over the orders. "This is signed by Lord Darigan!" I exclaimed, frowning. I lowered my voice, averting my gaze as I took in the news that had been given unto me. Mareaice sighed once more, looking over me. "I can tell you are surprised�" He muttered. "I don't blame you."
-"Why did Gracie never tell me this? You better start explaining!" I said coldly.
Mareaice nodded, folding his hands. "Let us start from the beginning�" He muttered, taking my hand. "Come with me�" He said, leading me out of view from the Neopian market.

There he was; a tall handsome blue Zafara. He looked rough; what with his dark brown vest and creamy khaki pants. His black boots were ridden with mud and some other mixture of red while his vest was tattered at the ends. His dark brown hair sagged over his back in a shaggy mess and his bangs hung over his brown eyes. He placed a small coin bag onto the lamp stand in his room. We had traveled back to the Neohotel where he was staying to discuss the scroll and my past.
Sitting down, he folded his hands in a steeple; gesturing with his eyes towards the chair in front of him. I looked around the small roach infested hotel room, taking my seat.
-"Alright�" Mareaice sighed, laying his steeple hands against his forehead as if saying a prayer. "It began with a storming night in the citadel of Darigan." He muttered, and then sat up straight. "Illas, your 'babysitter', was coming down the steps into my study. Little did I know she had no intention on giving the luggage she carried to me." He began. "She was leaving; she could no longer take my money; or the life that I had given her. She was an annoying Gnorbu anyway�" He whispered to himself. He waved the restless thoughts away, frowning. "In any case; she wanted to take you as well. She told me that I was no brother of yours and that I would most assuredly destroy you." "She stormed out of the citadel, heading back to the departure platform where a white Uni awaited her. I chased after her, now enraged by her leaving and trying to steal you away." He winced "We began verbally fighting each other; and soon my rage bested me and I became blind with anger. Taking her by the arm I shook her like the worthless dog she was, forgetting all about the small child in the sling carrier on her back�." He covered his face, almost as if he was hiding a shameful face. "I�I fell upon her with a fist and threw her off the side of the platform." He managed to choke out. "I thought nothing of it until it hit me that I had just killed not only my friend but also my sister."
-"But I am alive!" I protested, not seeing where he was going with this.
-"Yes, but I did not know that!" He said, glaring at me as if I should have known better. He then continued "I wept for the loss of the only two people in my life; refusing to eat, sleep or carry on with any of my missions." He said. "I eventually had to return to my duties, and on one of my assignments I met Gracie�" He fell to a calm tone, sighing again. "It turned out that she held a small red Zafara's hand�" "It was you." He finished that part of the story, before continuing. "You and Gracie were there for the archery tournament; along with two other pets." "I was there to assassinate a certain enemy Quiggle; and I passed you and your caregiver." He said, shifting his eyes from one wall to the next. He lowered his voice once more. "I knew it was you; and once I heard Gracie call your name, I was very sure of it." He said. "Forsaking my duty, I followed you and Gracie back behind the concession stand. Your eldest�brother�took you back to your seats and Gracie and I began to discuss some things�" He stated. "I cannot tell you everything about that point in time; but I can tell you that she told me that she found you in the pound, adopted you and took you to be her own. She was taking very good care of you, so I decided to leave you with them. I had also made a deal of sorts with her; but what about I cannot tell you." He paused "When I caught wind about you becoming an assistant to Jhudora I knew your true path had been revealed unto you. I was even more thrilled to find that you had become an assassin; a good one, mind you." He grinned broadly. "I asked several people about you, trying to relocate where you had moved with your family." He sighed. "I do not know much else; only that you are my sister and that you survived the fall somehow�" He muttered, then smiled "And I wish for you to come home with me."
I listened intently to his story, but those last words I could not endure. "Come home with you?" I repeated, frowning. "I could never leave my family!" I said, almost as if I wished to say yes. But I could not just leave; no, not yet at the least.
-"You are truly my brother, and I believe it. But I cannot just leave my family now!" I protested.
Mareaice sighed, nodding. "I understand; but know this�" He said, taking my hands in his again. "I will return for you, sister." He whispered. The lights flickered out, and then flickered back on. Before I had time to reply, before my very eyes, he had disappeared in the night.

Regretfully returning to the market place, I found Gracie holding a large stock of fuzzles, codestones and a Slorg. I did not dare say anything to her, nor to anyone else. All I knew was that one day I would be side-by-side with my brother�

So, that is what happened that year, and this year is not much different. I am now nineteen going on twenty, ready to become the next rank as bloodlust in my training, currently supporting my brother Stumpy in his dream to become a top scholar in archeology and living the life that I now live. As time passes, I suppose I shall meet friends and colleges from thievery and my job as an assassin, but until then; I continue on.