When she got back to Koa, Chiroke chirped, "I found a Chia. Alpha. He said
that Larson is our Team Commander, and he knows where both flags are. He said
that Larson went over there. The flag is really guarded, though."
"I bet that Chia is Avery," said Koa. "Sergeant Larson? He's a Gelert. We ought
to keep an eye out for him. If we find him, that would be great. Let's should
go his direction."
"Oh," Chiroke the Pawkeet remembered. "The Chia wants to come with us. He's
following me."
"Another pet coming with us won't hurt," Koa replied.
"Er, you made sure nobody's following him, right?"
"I didn't think to. Oh, if they are, they'll find us!"
"Don't worry, Chiroke. Just keep your eyes open. C'mon."
They changed course for the path of Larson. He was a friendly guy, and Koa
wouldn't mind having him in the party. As for Avery, Koa thought he was sort
of dim and cowardly, but she was certain he wouldn't be detrimental.
"Koa!" a voice called, which she immediately recognised as Avery's. Then, the
little green Chia himself appeared and scurried to Koa.
"Koa! It's so nice to see you! We gotta find the flag real quick!"
"Yeah, shhh, I know. We can't reveal ourselves. We have to keep quiet..."
"...Yes...Yes... You have a Lightning Gun? Oh, good...I couldn't carry one...
Oh, Larson knows where the flag is..."
"Yeah, Chiroke told me."
"Chiroke?"
"My Pawkeet. She's off searching the area now. Don't worry. If anyone comes
near us, we'll know in advance. We need to get going."
Koa and her new comrade set out on their path. Seeing Avery made Koa wish Jerrio
hadn't been hit. She felt less confident with a Chia on her side that would
dive on the ground and cover his head at the sound of a weapon firing. On the
other hand, Avery was relieved and comforted by Koa's leadership. To him, there
was no greater friend.
After hours of endless walking, the young Wocky and Chia were exhausted. Deep
down, Koa knew this was a test of her courage and ingenuity as well as her strength
and stamina. No use giving up now.
At once their silent treading was broken by the speedy arrival of Chiroke.
She didn't even land. She just hovered through the air, flailing and screeching,
"Koa! Koa! Roque's near! I saw her, but she didn't see me! She's going the other
direction, but Koa, what do we do?"
Avery gasped, and Koa said, "Roque...We'll follow her. Maybe she'll lead us
to the flag...I..." Koa stopped and stared. Shortly after, Avery spotted it,
too. A moving shadow under the tree. The shadow of a bird.
It took off into the air hastily while scattering leaves from the branches.
"Chiroke! The Pirakeet!" Koa hollered while pointing.
Chiroke saw the PetPet zoom through the air and zoomed off after it. Roque's
Pirakeet! "Come on, Avery!" Koa said as she clawed Avery's arm and pulled it,
urging him to follow her.
The Pirakeet made every effort to outfly Chiroke. It flew zig-zag through the
trees, sometimes flying so low she thought it would smack into the ground. But
the Pawkeet was an outstanding flyer and not once did she stumble or rest. The
Pirakeet attempted to lose its pursuer by flying in a different direction, but
that quickly backfired, and Chiroke was getting closer.
Finally, Chiroke came close enough in the air to strike Roque's PetPet with
her claws. The creature screeched in pain and slowed down, eventually landing
on a branch. Chiroke kept close by. She struck the dark-feathered bird again,
this time causing it to lose its balance and drop to the ground. The sly-eyed
Pirakeet chirped with distress.
"Are you Roque's PetPet?" Chiroke asked, but she already knew the answer.
"What are you doing? How dare you!"
"Answer my question!"
"Yes! I am the PetPet of First Sergeant Roque! Your master will pay dearly..."
"Silence!" Chiroke squawked angrily. "You were spying on us!"
"So were you, you conniving little...!" Chiroke made a swift peck to the Pirakeet's
head, and its insult became a cry of agony. Chiroke asked, "What is your name?"
"Why should I tell y-?!" Another peck followed, and the Pirakeet spurted out,
"Tarjha! Tarjha! Tarjha!" then continued shrieking.
Koa and Avery came, panting with exhaustion. They had been running to catch
up. Koa looked at Chiroke and then to the Pirakeet. "You got it!"
The yellow Wocky pounced on Tarjha. With her claws, she clutched the bird PetPet.
"No more spying for you."
"You stupid little Wocky! I'll peck you 'til you..." A quick slash made Tarjha
silent.
"Even more annoying than Roque," Koa laughed.
The Pirakeet emitted a low chirp. Chiroke added, "Beedy-eyed little monster..."
Koa handed the beat-up Tarjha to Avery. "Don't let it go." Avery nodded. And
they went on in search of the two Team Commanders, Roque or Larson -- whichever
came first.
Roque wondered why her Pirakeet, Tarjha, hadn't come back from her flight.
Finding the yellow flag proved to be a difficult task, but with so many guarding
the red flag, she had all the time in the world to find it. Her main worry was
of Sergeant Larson, the Alpha Team Commander. If he were to secretly hit her
with his Rainbow Gun, that would be a grave insult to a person of her rank.
But she had a Grand Lightning Beam under her claws, and no NeoPet dared to risk
being blasted by it.
Suddenly, the Lupe heard a rustle in the trees. She looked up, thinking it
was Tarjha returning, but the sound was coming from elsewhere. She dove behind
a tree and held up her weapon, ready to spring and fire.
The approaching NeoPet was a Gelert -- Larson, of course. Roque growled softly.
This was her chance to extinguish her one worry and to ensure victory. The Gelert
walked unknowingly into Roque the Lupe's trap.
Roque pounced from behind her tree, then stopped in her tracks. She gasped.
At that very second, a Wocky and a Chia, with weapons and red armbands, appeared.
She barely evaded the stream of lightning and bubbles. Larson watched with shock.
He came to his senses, finally, and grabbed his Rainbow Gun.
Koa and Avery managed to surround Roque. They saw Larson coming to help, too,
but Koa would prefer that he didn't interfere. She had no say, however. Roque
was behind a large tree, ready to fire her Grand Lightning Beam at any moving
thing. It was three against one. Then, the red Lupe fired her Grand Lightning
Beam to the side. The blast of light was immense and its scream was so powerful
that Koa, Avery, and Larson had to cover their ears (well, Avery just covered
his head). They squinted their eyes and waited for it to stop.
All Koa could think was, That's a Grand Lightning Beam! Why would she choose
such a sloe, bulky weapon? After all, the Blumaroo said all we had to do was
hit them...power of the hit was meaningless... The answer came when Avery squealed,
dropped his Chia Bubble Gun, and ran away. The trauma from that gunshot was
too much for him, apparently. Immediately, Koa called, "Avery! What are you
doing?!" but then, seeing that it was pointless, directed her attention back
to Roque. It was now two against one.
"Hmmm," Roque growled. "Private Avery backed down. I think you two should do
the same."
"You're outnumbered. We even have your little Pirakeet. Just give up and tell
us where our flag is," Koa responded, not moving her eyes from the tree Roque
was behind. Larson stood by silently. Koa knew that he knew where the flag was,
but she was tempted to toy with her First Sergeant.
"Even if I told you, you still wouldn't be able to get it."
"Yeah, I know. Guarded. Whatever. I don't care. Tell us." Koa imagined Chiroke
flying into the treetop and taking the flag before the sentries below even knew
what happened.
"Not a chance."
Koa sighed. "All right, then, First Sergeant. Let's go, Sergeant Larson..."
Larson nodded, and the two held their weapons in hand as they prepared to ambush
the hiding Lupe. Larson found a desirable position where he'd be able to take
Roque down with his Rainbow Gun without being in danger of hitting Koa. He aimed
for her shoulder and pushed the trigger...
"Argh!!"
The blue Gelert froze at that sound. Seconds later, he found out what had incited
it. A dark object smashed into his face. The thing was thrashing and struggling.
It was none other than Tarjha, who had escaped, and was successfully rescuing
her master. Larson pawed at the beast and it flew up into the air. His paws
gripped the grass. The Pirakeet had stolen his Rainbow Gun!
"Koa, that Pira-!" Larson yelled.
"Larson, run, I still have mine! Just get behind a tree!" Koa yelled back as
she tried to pinpoint where Roque had escaped to. She saw the red NeoPet dashing
away hastily. "Larson!" she called.
"Koa!" called a voice. But it wasn't Larson's. It was Chiroke up in a tree.
"Koa! Roque is chasing Larson!" Koa gave no response but ran as fast as she
could to catch up with the Lupe and the Gelert. She grabbed her Lightning Gun
and fired a string of sparks but missed. She could see only a crimson dot in
the distance and hear only blasts. She had to get closer.
Chiroke flew overhead. It was fortunate that Roque had chosen such a bulky,
slow weapon. The Pawkeet could see that Larson was still running. The chase
continued. Koa was the fastest. She soon was in fifteen feet of First Sergeant
Roque and prepared to hit her with the Lightning Gun. Koa aimed, but suddenly
the Lupe turned around for a split second and fired her Grand Lightning Beam
right at the Wocky!
To be continued... | 
