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Author's note: This little story here is a sequel to "Skies
Above Tyrannia", which was in the short stories section of issue 98. I recommend
reading it before reading this, but you don't have to.
A Pteri sat in his nest, preening his fawn and green
feathers. His name was Vogel, and, one year ago, he had won the Pteri Flying
championships with the help of his best friend, Brillo, a silver Shoyru, and
his other friend whom he had met at the competition, Kuudes, a pink Pteri who
preferred to go by Kuude. Kuude had flown to her home in Mystery island with
her five brothers and sisters and Vogel hadn't heard from her since, and often
wondered how she was doing. Brillo, however, was still living in the hollow
tree stump a few Grarrl lengths away from Vogel's nest. He was happy to have
one friend left that he could talk to, but that day, Brillo happened to be sleeping
in, which meant no Brillo until ten o' clock.
Vogel sat impatiently as he waited for the silver
Shoyru to awaken. Brillo yawned and opened his eyes, rubbing them a moment later.
Then he stood up and gave Vogel a sleepy hello, "Hi, Vogel, what's up t'day?"
"Nothing much, I just wanted someone to talk
to, and stuff, you know?"
"Vogel, you really need a petpet, ya' know that?"
Vogel thought about that for a few moments and
answered, "Yes, yes I do!"
Brillo washed his face in a nearby stream as
Vogel was thinking, "I wasn't bein' serious, bud! All I really meant is that
we should go somewhere and make some friends or somethin' like that…"
"You know, you're thinking today, Brillo!" said
Vogel. "I think we should go to Mystery Island! We've never been there after
all, and Kuude said that she lived there with her family. We could meet them
and all that if we go."
Brillo smiled at his friend's eagerness to visit
Kuude. He finished washing his face, stood up, and walked over to his feathered
friend. "Let's go."
"What?" Vogel questioned, looking confused at
his friend's sudden statement. Did Brillo mean let's go to Mystery Island? Vogel
continued his question, quickly, "Let's go to Mystery Island?"
"Eh… yeah," replied Brillo as he gave Vogel
a hearty slap on the back and smiled. The Pteri laughed at his friend as they
both jumped up into the air and began flying south from their home in Tyrannia.
***
Vogel, who had often traveled the strong winds of the Ocean during his training
for the Championships, was faring better than Brillo, who had never been on
the open ocean. "How d'you manage these winds, Vogel?" the Shoyru called, "It
feels like they're tearin' up my wings!"
"Well, if they were tearing up your wings you
would be in the water down there with those Jetsams, wouldn't you?" he answered,
pointing at a passing school of multicolored Jetsam. Brillo shivered. "You have
to keep your wings tilted at a certain angle, and stretch them to full length,
like this." Vogel demonstrated.
Brillo tried it and exclaimed, "Hey, yer right!
Thanks, bud!" As the two glided along side by side above the rolling waves,
Brillo looked down over the rippling water and saw a swarm of orange shapes
moving about. "Hey, whaddya think that down there is, Bud?" he asked Vogel,
motioning towards the shapes with his eyes. Vogel followed his friend's gaze
and quickly saw what he was looking at. The Pteri squinted his eyes as to see
better but to no avail. "Let's check it out."
The pair dove down towards the waves and stopped
five feet clear of the water. Brillo tilted his head as he noted, "It's a swarm
o' Ghoti... I wonder what they're doin'?"
"It looks like…" Vogel tried to find out himself
as he answered, "They're… they're… oh no, they're attacking another Ghoti!!"
The two Neopets took action quickly and swooped
down to grab the Ghoti that was being attacked by its own kind. It calmed down
considerably in the feet of the Pteri and Vogel could tell that it had had an
owner before. The Pteri handed the distressed Ghoti to Brillo and the pair of
Pets quickly flew over to a rock jutting out of the Ocean to check the petpet
out.
Immediately, the petpet arose and looked them
straight in the eyes. Brillo started to check for broken bones, poking it lightly.
Then the Shoyru came to the tail and moved his hand towards it. "Careful, they
sting," mentioned Vogel, eyeing the Ghoti's tail.
"I took a Neoschool class on aquatic petpets;
this one's had its stinger removed. It's definitely been owned before," Brillo
replied.
Vogel looked on, impressed by the Shoyru's knowledge
of petpets. "There's no damage done to 'dis little guy!" Brillo announced. Both
pet's smiled in relief. Then Vogel realized. What would they, two traveling
pets, do with it? It had once had an owner, but obviously that owner didn't
want it any more, so maybe they should take it to Mystery Island with them.
Brillo seemed to be thinking the same thing until the Ghoti started to squeak.
The two pets looked at each other. This was… an aquatic pet breathing out of
water, slithering around as well! The Pteri and they Shoyru were dumbfounded.
Vogel turned to Brillo, "You took the Petpet
class! Are they supposed to do that?"
Brillo was staring at the Petpet with wide eyes.
"No, they're not!"
When the Pets had recovered from their shock,
they quickly agreed that this was no ordinary Petpet, and that it should come
with them to the island. Vogel knelt down and spoke to the Ghoti. "Hi, there.
You look all right, physically in my friend's eyes. Do you want to come to Mystery
Island with us?"
The Ghoti looked up, as if to ponder the question,
and then nodded enthusiastically at Vogel. The Pteri smiled at the orange stingray
and then asked him how he would come along with them. The Ghoti replied by tapping
on Vogel's talons. Vogel lightly wrapped his feet around the Ghoti's soft body.
The ray didn't even flinch. Vogel wondered if it had had another flying pet
as an owner before. Vogel looked at Brillo. "Well, should we be going?"
***
The trio had flown through the night, and by the time they landed in the shifting
shores of Mystery Island, they were very weary, even the Ghoti. The Ghoti was
poking at seashells when Brillo spoke up. "When're we goin' to go to Kuude's
house, Vogel?"
The Pteri looked up at his friend with tired
eyes, "I don't think I'm doing anything at the moment, Brillo, I'm… I'm… *yawn*
… tired… I just want to sleep."
Brillo closed his eyes, stifling a yawn of his
own, "Well, I think I'd agree with that, but first we've got ta' find some shelter."
Vogel looked up at a low growing palm tree and
blinked. The Ghoti had curled up by the Pteri's feet and fallen asleep. Brillo
smirked at Vogel. "Think that that tree would make a good nest for the night,
Brillo?" Vogel asked.
"Sure will in my book," said Brillo, "it's better
than that buoy over there…"
Vogel chuckled at his friend's sense of humor
and flew to the tree, Brillo carrying the Ghoti as he followed. The two pets
selected a branch each and lay down upon them, Vogel putting the Ghoti on a
separate branch before doing so. The pair didn't have time to discuss anything,
as Brillo had quickly fallen asleep. Sheesh, and he woke up the latest today!
Vogel thought before shutting his eyes himself.
***
It was near noon when the trio awoke to find a young Kougra at the bottom
of the tree. It was a rather small orange Kougra, and it was looking quizzically
up at the pets and the petpet. "What are you pets doing up there?" it said in
a voice that held a child's curiosity tone. Brillo craned his neck down from
his branch to get a better look at what was addressing them, "Uh… we WERE sleepin',
but I guess we're not now. So, what's yer name, Kougra?"
The Shoyru landed on the ground with a thump
as he jumped out of the low tree. Vogel did the same after grabbing the Ghoti
and placing it in a nearby tide pool. The Kougra smiled and flicked his ears.
"My name's Raya. I live here with six Pterii. They're really fun! My favorite
one's name is Kuude."
This comment woke Vogel up entirely, "Kuude?
Oh, we were looking for her, Raya! Do you know where she is?"
Flicking a huge ear, the Kougra blinked and
said, "How d'you know Kuude?"
"I met her at the Pteri Flying Championships
last year. Now do you know where she is?" Vogel asked persistently.
"Yeah, I sure do!" Raya replied, his tail swinging
back and forth.
"Oh, Brillo, could you grab Ghoti from that
tide pool?" Vogel asked his friend.
"Sure." Brillo did as Vogel said and picked
up the orange ray. It squirmed and wiggled in his arms and he let it go. It
made it's way towards Vogel's foot and the Pteri glanced at it. Brillo remarked,
"Uh… I think it likes you better, bud."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now, could you
show us the way, Raya?"
Raya tilted his head and replied, "Sure. I just
hope you're telling the truth about knowing her."
"You can count on us for knowin' her, little
bud!" Brillo said, making up a nickname for Raya. The Kougra sighed with acceptance
of the two pets and the petpet, which Vogel had named 'Ghoti.'
The group began to head for the semi-dense jungle
surrounding the interior of the island. Vogel and Brillo had done practically
nothing but gaze around at the many tropical items and pets, some of which they
had never seen.
When Vogel and Brillo put their feet into the
jungle for the first time, they saw amazing sights. Fruits, Petpets, and plants
liked never before. They were amazed, since they were used to the mostly barren
Tyrannian Plateau. Raya seemed to know every pawstep of the way through the
lush forest, turning here and there and stopping once or twice a minute to look
around.
After what was five minutes, the group arrived
in front of a beautiful tree that had Elppa fruits growing from vines attached
to its branches. In front of the tree there was a Funnydew and Nurako garden,
obviously cared for by an experienced gardener. Vogel could already sense the
homey feeling of the place. Brillo, eager to see who lived at the tree, asked,
"Is this the place, Raya?"
The tiny Kougra looked up at the tree's branches
and smiled. "Sure is. Now I just have to get one of 'em down here."
Raya leapt up the tree and began to climb a
branch at a time. Vogel thought he was going to fall more than once, but the
Kougra always recovered within a second and continued the climb up the colossal
tree.
Vogel could make out a large hut like structure
near the middle of the tree's height. He could also see that there was a door.
Raya knocked upon the Bamboo door and a Pteri's head popped out. It was an orange
Pteri, but neither Vogel nor Brillo could tell if it was a male or female from
their position at the base of the tree.
Raya and the Pteri started a quick conversation.
The Pteri nodded and hopped back inside the hut. Meanwhile, Raya scrambled back
down the tree to sit by Vogel, Ghoti, and Brillo. "They're coming out," Raya
gasped between breaths.
Vogel and Brillo were about to question the
Kougra further when, almost out of nowhere, a group of eight brightly colored
Pterii flew down and landed beside them. The colors consisted of, orange, electric,
white, fire, checkered, starry, glowing, and… pink. Vogel's eyes lit up at the
sight of the pink one. Kuudes!
Kuude looked up at him. Was this the Pteri she'd
met one year ago? She quickly decided when she saw Brillo standing beside him.
"Vogel!" She said out of memory. The other Pteri looked at her like she was
crazy. Then the male electric Pteri gasped, "Vogel was the name of that Pteri
she told us about that won the Pteri Flyin' Championships!"
Then he looked at Vogel. "Wait…that is the Pteri
that won!" He hopped up to the dumbstruck Vogel and the two shook talons. "My
name's Tercer. Nice to meet yah'."
Vogel replied to the sudden greeting, "I'm Vogel,
and this is Brillo, and this --" He held up Ghoti, "is Ghoti."
The Fire Pteri sniggered at this, but was quieted
by the white one. Brillo stepped up to the group of Pterii. "Should we get acquainted?"
All had to agree.
***
Soon, all ten of the pets (and petpets), had learned each other's name and
were now relaxing on the beach. Brillo and Vogel had found that the White Pteri
was the mate of the Fire one, and they were the parents of the six other Pterii,
Kuudes being the last one to be born.
In return, Brillo and Vogel had been asked to
tell their family histories. They gladly did so. Brillo stated his, "I think
I was jus' born from the create-a-pet center or somethin' like that… I dunno
much about mine, sorry."
Vogel couldn't remember much of his family either,
so he just stated so, "Well… I really don't remember much about my family. I
think I was just created, like Brillo was…"
The eight Pterii nodded in silence. The outgoing
glowing Pteri, Tercer walked up to Vogel and Brillo. "Well, it's okay. Let's
stop all this sad talk and relax on the beach! It's not often we have visitors
here in the forest!"
Vogel smiled; this electric Pteri was sure to
be a good friend. He hopped over to Kuude and said to her, "Let's go!"
Brillo scooped up Ghoti and agreed. The other
Pterii quickly followed the green one's lead. Then Vogel paused and laughed.
"I don't know which way it is out of this place! Raya? Where are you?"
The orange Kougra hopped out of the Funnydew
melon patch with one of the fruits in his mouth. "Yesh?"
Suddenly, the white Pteri jumped up from her
perch on a Lemwart tree. "Raya, how many times have I told you: no eating the
ripe Funnydew Melons without permission! Bad Kougra! Bad!"
"Aww… why do you have to scold me like that
in front of guests?" Raya asked in a whiny voice. "She does it because you are
a bad Kougra," replied Tercer. "We don't eat the Funnydew when mother tells
us not to. She's trying to teach ye' a lesson, Raya."
Kuudes smiled along with her favorite brother,
while Raya blushed until even the tips of his large ears were pink. "Come on,
Raya, let's go to 'da beach," Brillo said, rolling his eyes. Raya wiped the
last bits of juice from his mouth as grumbled as he led the way out of the forest
and to the beach.
While the group of twelve tread through the
forest, Vogel brought up a question, "Hey, Raya, where's your home?"
The Kougra flicked his tail and replied, "My
home is with Kuude and her family. They adopted me when they found that my parents
left. They… never came back…"
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to--" Vogel
started to say as he stroked Ghoti's back with a wing.
"No, it's okay, Vogel, I'm used to saying it
by now. I didn't know them well, anyway. I just adapted well to living with
six other siblings. My favorite is Kuudes, though I think you already knew that."
He turned respectful eyes towards the pink Pteri walking next to Vogel. "But
I really like all of my siblings, and my mom and dad have been great as well.
I just hope that…"
"Hope what, Raya?" Vogel said, Ghoti squeaking
with agreement. "Well…ever since I met you and Brillo and Ghoti you all seemed
like really good friends, and I… I really wanted you to stay, or something.
I mean, stay with my family and me. I think it'd be really cool having a champion
living with us…"
The Kougra wasn't much more than a kitten, so
Vogel could understand Raya's shyness. Still, the Pteri pondered this. What
would happen if he stayed with this huge family? It would definitely be more
fun than the isolated life at the tree where he and Brillo lived in Tyrannia.
But he might end up missing his home. He decided upon a temporary answer, "I
think I'll talk it over with Brillo and Ghoti for now, Raya. Now, on to the
beach!!"
Raya grinned, 'whenever Kuude says that, it
means yes! I know it!'
When the group got to the beach, Raya, Vogel,
and Brillo, jumped at the beautiful sight. The water was an aqua blue, and the
sky was baby blue with white clouds drifting here and there. The colorful array
of pets, petpets, and owners were eye catching, and that combined with the landscape
was very dazzling. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad living here after all…
Vogel thought as the group made it's way down to the shore.
Ghoti was overly excited to be back by the water,
as he was jumping up and down in Vogel's feathers. "All right, all right, you
can go into the ocean!" Vogel said to the ray as he dropped it into the ocean.
It splashed with joy as it was reunited with the water, which it had previously
called home.
Vogel, who was not very acquainted with swimming,
hesitated for a few moments until he saw Kuude and Tercer jump into the Ocean
without a care in the world. Then he decided that swimming might not be so bad.
He joined the siblings, Brillo following close behind. "Yeehaw! We're ready
fer' a blast, eh' Vogel?"
The green Pteri smiled and hopped in, creating
a huge splash. He came up feeling wetter than he had probably ever been in his
life outside the egg. Brillo felt the same, seeing as he got into a splash fight
with Tercer and Raya, totally ignoring the water that covered his silver coat.
The white Pteri mother and her mate, the fire
Pteri, were carefully watching their chicks while relaxing in the cool, yet
comfortingly warm water of Mystery Island. Vogel was really enjoying his "vacation".
After much pondering he finally decided on his
choice: He would stay. Now all he had to do was convince Brillo to stay with
him. Vogel pulled aside the Shoyru, who was now glimmering with water droplets,
making his coat shine even brighter. "Hey, Brillo…I've been meaning to ask you…
Raya asked me a question a while ago." Vogel said, "He asked me if he would
stay here with he and his family. He wanted you to stay, too."
Brillo replied by nodding.
"And, I'm staying with him on this island. I
need to know if you'd like to stay as well. I know I'd be lonely without you,"
Vogel said.
Brillo thought for a moment and replied to his
friend's statement, "Well, now that ye' mention it, I really like it here. I
also like Raya an' all of his buddies. Tercer's cool, too. So is the rest o'
his family. I think I'd have te' say yes to little Raya's request, Vogel."
Vogel's eyes lit up, "So… so that means you're
staying, too?"
"Yes," Brillo replied. "Yes, it does."
"Well, then, we'd better go inform Kuude (he
blushed) Raya and the rest. What d'ya say, Brill?" Vogel chirped.
"I'd say yes… again."
The two friends swam over to the happy family
of pets and told their news, which Kuudes and Raya were happy to hear, indeed.
The End
Authors Note: Well, now, the sequel is done. I hope you all enjoyed it.
To find more info about future projects visit my Zafara's petpage. I'm hoping
to make another story in the "Skies Above" series, so, until then, happy reading!
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