| also by adoriblelapin
SilverEmerald flew in the wind tunnel, trying to ignore
the stares of the Scorchios beyond the glass window. SilverEmerald flapped her
wings, and electrodes attached to her detected how the flying was affecting
her body.
"Her heart rate is accelerating 7.9 percent
faster than the heart rate of the Eyrie we tested," muttered Azaarx.
"Yes, but the muscles are far more developed
than the Eyrie's," Tandard whispered in return.
"So it's agreed, we combine the small size and
power of Shoyru wings, the plumage of Eyrie wings as well as the best attributes
of other Neopet wings when building the machine," Azaarx finished. He flicked
the switch of the the wing tunnel and the wing rushing past her stopped. The
Tyrannian Shoyru, breathing heavily, landed back on the ground.
Azaarx and Tandard rushed in and grabbed SilverEmerald.
They dragged her back to the cages. It was noon, and that means it was time
for the 'zoo' to open.
***
The sounds of traffic and the conversations between other Neopets could be
heard by JadePaw and Lappiny as they reached the edge of the forest. Their leg
muscles were aching, but they knew the time to take a rest was not now.
"What's that?" the cloud Shoyru asked as he
ran up. The forest had ended, leading into a brick wall.
"In there must be the zoo!" JadePaw exclaimed.
The two dragons flew over the wall and looked
on the inside of the zoo. Hundreds of cages with different Neopets inside.
"This is sick," JadePaw spat. "Neopets looking
at fellow Neopets in a zoo? Who would do that?"
"Them," Lappiny replied as he pointed as the
many pets going from cage to cage. The two friends scanned the cages for some
sign of SilverEmerald, but they couldn't see her. They landed on the ground
and looked at the sign in front of the cage of a sleeping Lenny. It read: 'This
specimen is very dangerous, and has the supernatural power of breathing fire.'
"This can't be true! This creature is neither
vicious nor could it breathe fire!" the cloud Draik exclaimed.
"Well of course, these signs are just made up
to give the visitors a reason not to be disgusted. It's an easy way to make
a couple of bucks, right?" laughed a familiar voice behind them. Lappiny and
JadePaw spun around to see the familiar Tyrannian Shoyru they knew and loved.
JadePaw ran up to her and hugged her through the metal bars.
"Oh SilverEmerald! What happened?" she asked.
"These Scorchios came and--"
"Woah little girl, you don't want to touch her,"
Tandard said as he ran up to her. SilverEmerald scowled. "See, she's obviously
vicious! She might change herself into a Frost Cannon and bam; you're a block
of ice. You'd best not touch to creatures."
Lappiny took a glance at JadePaw, then back
at Tandard. He decided to play along. “Really, sir?” he questioned respectively,
looking as expressive as he could. “Could you show us?”
“Oh no,” Tandard replied, shaking his head.
“You had best stay away from that. When she transforms, there’s no telling what
she can do.” He looked hopeful as he said this and acting did not seem to be
his strong point. “We could go over and look at others…”
“I like this one, sir. Instead of her transforming,
maybe you could tell me about her. It must have been extremely hard to capture
one like her, wasn’t it, sir?” asked Lappiny curiously, sliding his feet away
from the cage. “She might hear us and be distracted, so could we talk over here?”
Lappiny inquired sweetly, motioning toward the ‘fire-breathing Lenny’s’ cage.
Tandard looked around. “Sure,”
Taking a glance at JadePaw and SilverEmerald,
Lappiny shuffled toward it, JadePaw whispering thanks. He nodded in reply and
began talking to Tandard about all the ‘creatures’.
“SilverEmerald, we’ll get you out of there!”
whispered JadePaw, glancing behind them to see if anyone was listening. “And
we’ll have to do it quickly.”
“Do I have time to ask you what you’re doing
at the camp, by the way?” asked SilverEmerald.
“I had to walk all the way here to look for
toothpaste…” muttered JadePaw angrily. “But never mind! Could you tell me what
happened from the minute you departed from Lappiny? He already told me the beginning.”
SilverEmerald scratched her head, a grin upon
her face. “You mean the burnt marshmallow part two?”
“Don’t get to the very details,” teased JadePaw.
“Please, tell me what happened before we have to flee from your cage.”
SilverEmerald nodded and began telling her story.
She explained how she was carried to the ‘zoo’, dragged along the paths and
forced to untangle herself from the net she was captured in as quickly as she
could. “Then they stuffed me into this cage!” she exclaimed. “It was damp and
cold here but I managed to hear them speak and see through their plan. They
said—”
“Excuse me,” called a voice from their side.
It was a guard who had spoken, gesturing his Tuskaninny flipper as he said his
words. “Please step away from the cage. Any contact you do with these creatures
is harmful for you and them alike.”
"But this one is my sis--" JadePaw caught herself.
The Tuskaninny raised an eyebrow. "Um... did I ever tell you... uh... I have
to go to the washroom!" JadePaw ran form the Tuskaninny up to a small building
which she assumed was the bathroom. But the Scorchio Lappiny was talking to
blocked her path.
"DON'T GO IN THERE!" he yelled.
JadePaw cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Uh... there's lots of dangerous equipment in
there... like cattle prods! You might trip on a cattle prod," Tandard said as
he nodded.
JadePaw backed away with Lappiny. "They're hiding
something," JadePaw whispered.
"I know," Lappiny whispered in reply. "He's
a really bad actor."
JadePaw hesitated. She remembered what SilverEmerald
had said... something about a plan. But with the Scorchio there not to mention
that annoying Tuskaninny, there wasn't much she could do. "We should come back
tonight when everyone's gone. Then we should be able to get a word in with my
sister."
Lapinny nodded. The two smiled to Tandard and
the guard and left, ready to return tomorrow.
To be continued...
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