|
It was a drowsy, steamy evening on Earth Faerie Close, in
Faerieland. Both my Neopet and I were bored and had nothing to do but sit, sprawled
out on the tattered sofa and laze there.
Sparkly sensibly thought of the idea -- to actually
do something. "Let's visit another Neopian land," the Split Chia said thoughtfully.
"Maybe the VirtuPets Space Station. We haven't been there in ages. We could
play Gormball with each other and eat dinner in Grundo's Café. And afterwards
we could just do nothing in particular, like browsing shops. What a perfect
schedule."
After our previous adventure, encountering the
Snowager and having a long conversation with him about his childhood and past
life, I had full trust in Sparkly to accompany me in slightly risky adventures,
like spying on Lupes that tortured Chias, or sneaking about the hidden Sloth's
Lair. Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in my head.
"Let's explore Sloth's Lair," I suggested deviously,
and grinned. "I know where it's located… we'll get up to so much mischief,"
I said.
Sparkly gaped excitedly and held her head grandly.
"You are a genius," she commented. I gave a modest smile and thanked my Neopet.
"We could even defeat Sloth, just like the Space Faerie! I'd be the most popular
pet in Neopia… everyone would want to be my best friend. And the Chia Police
Officers would give me a special reward!" Clearly, Sparkly had an overactive
imagination.
"Good," I said contentedly. 'We'd better get
going now, if we want to sneak into the lair. Sloth locks his doors to make
sure his traitor minions don't escape when his guards are asleep as well. So,
come on," I urged. I reached out my hand to heave Sparkly up off the sofa, but
she didn't need it. She immediately bounced off.
We marched out of the house and caught the next
rocket to VirtuPets Space Station, marvelling over the simply gigantic stars
and gawping at the size of Neopia when you were so high in the sky. Later, we
arrived at our desired location - VirtuPets Space Station.
"Okay, hold out your hands and try to bump into
something around here. That will be the entrance to Sloth's Lair," I ordered.
Sparkly obediently obeyed. We waved out arms in the air everywhere, attracting
many Neopians' attention, and I finally fell through thin air. I was in Sloth's
Lair. Sparkly obviously realised where I had landed and she had followed me
through.
I looked on either side of me. Two Grundo guards,
both fast asleep and snoring noisily, were on each side of the large oak door.
I stifled a giggle and the Grundo twitched and shifted slightly. Sparkly squeaked
and shielded her face. The Grundo awoke and grunted. 'Intruders!' He bellowed,
snapping his Grundo companion out of his sleep.
"RUN!" I hollered. I grasped Sparkly's hand
and zoomed down the metal, winding stairs and down to the lower floor. Checking
over my shoulder regularly, I noticed that the two Grundos had given up, but
I couldn't be sure. In front of us was a long row of mechanical Grundos, carrying
heavy parcels, not even glancing at us, even if we were what they called, 'intruders'.
Sparkly and I looked at each other nervously, nodded and leapt over their heads,
coming face-to-face with a door, with a golden sign reading, 'FREEZE ROOM'.
We entered the room and locked the door. "We'll
have to wait here before we're certain that the Grundo guards have left," I
huddled up, my lips shivering. Icy breezes whooshed around the room at top speed.
In the middle was a massive igloo. "Let's go in there, maybe there's a fire,"
I said.
"This is Sloth's Lair, not a nice, cosy place,
Petal," Sparkly argued. I rolled my eyes and went into the igloo anyway. Sparkly
groaned and followed me in, as usual. "There's no fire," she said; satisfied
that she had corrected me.
Instead of a warm fire in the igloo, was a barred
area, and a female ice worm was imprisoned inside it. Sparkly and I frowned.
Was this in any way connected with our last adventure? Could this be the Snowager
transformed female by the Lab Ray?
"Go away!" the ice worm squealed worriedly.
"You're trespassing in Sloth's Lair! It's extremely dangerous - you can die
around here… Please go! Once you're trapped it's impossible to escape… young
Neopians, please go!"
"Snowager… what's happened to your voice?" Sparkly
asked the thick-lipped, pretty ice worm. "You look different! Why are you here?
Shouldn't you be in the Ice Caves? Your home?"
The ice worm's face fell, and slowly she slithered around her barred area.
"You're friends of Snowager?" she sighed. Tears trickle down her cheeks.
"Of course we are," I said soothingly, stroking
the ice worm through the bars, but backing away when I noticed her temperature.
"But, please ignore me if I'm rude, who exactly are you?" Sparkly and I waited
for the ice worm's answer.
"I am Silverwisp, one of Snowager's great friends.
I loved Snowager; I was very fond of him, and I would never dare to leave him.
Snowager was so sweet, friendly and generous. He'd do anything for me, and I'd
do anything for him in return. Centuries we spent together, laughing and exchanging
jokes until the night. We'd journey to the lake and ski on the frozen ponds
- my favourite hobby - and explore the enormous creak separating the two halves
of the Ice Caves.
Occasionally, a few Neopians came, intending
to steal our rare goods from all over Neopia like Hand Painted Scarabs and Hypno
Helmets, but I would always shoot an icy blast at them and Snowager admired
my talent, so I taught him how to do it, and now Snowager can do it as well
as me. We don't go barging into their NeoHomes and steal all their items, so
they shouldn't do it to us.
But one evening, I had caught the awful disease
of Sneezles. All the time, I was sneezing, and Snowager felt very sorry for
me. As soon as I came down it, he was always asking me: should he go and get
the medicine? Snowager did everything for me. Make sure I was comfortable in
bed, when we were skiing on frozen ponds and when I fell, he'd ask me if I was
injured, you name it. Snowager cared for me. On Thursday, Snowager went to buy
the cure. I was sneezing so badly that day, coughing all over the items and
nearly infecting Snowager. My nose was swollen and red, and Snowager had to
go.
As soon as he exited, a rocket came shooting
down and landed close to the cavern. I remained sheltered in the home, but suddenly
an army of Grundos came waddling up to me and picked me up, making sure I was
as uncomfortable as possible. I struggled to make them leave me alone, kicking
them, spitting at them, but they just cackled and marched with me into the rocket.
They threw me into the rocket and escorted me
to this lair, and trapped me in here. Sloth is developing a vaccine to infect
all his enemies with my horrible Sneezles, and I can't stop him, barred up in
this smelly place.
"I'd do anything to get Snowager back, honestly.
Snowager was the light of my life, my friend. And friends stick together," Silverwisp
said.
"You're Silverwisp?" I stuttered. "Wow… Snowager's
told us all about you, of course. He missed you so much." Echoes flooded the
room. Loud footsteps padded down the winding stairs.
"Sloth has the keys to every room!" Silverwisp
shrieked. "He's coming! Here, take this, and hold it, both of you. It'll transport
you to wherever you say. It doesn't function in here, because this is a jinxed
area, not allowing these charms!"
Sparkly and I held the charm tightly, and yelled,
"2080, Earth Faerie Close!" And, in a whirl, we whizzed back home. Home sweet
home. I flung myself onto the sofa, panting and gasping for breath. The charm
still remained in Sparkly's paw.
"We could use this. We could use it to reunite
Snowager and Silverwisp …" she smiled.
The End
| 
