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Untitled Document
"Welcome! You got mail!" My computer announced this like
getting mail was some sort of accomplishment. I groaned at its cheery tone. "Welcome
yourself, mister," I muttered. I went to the Neopets web site, fed my pets, got
some omelette, you know, the normal stuff. Since I was running low on Neopoints,
I decided to play a few quick rounds of Gormball at the Space Station.
Suddenly, the screen flashed a brilliant green.
The light stung my eyes, blinding me. Then, my monitor went dim again. Green
stars swirled around the screen. A hacking cough seemed to ring from the speakers,
followed by an almighty ACHOO!
A rainbow blur raced out of the screen and smashed
into a bench on the other side of the room. It was followed by a green figure.
A blue form started to get sucked out of the screen, but then shuddered and
returned to where it came from.
Cautiously, I approached the motionless figures.
"Oh my…" I stood, breathless and terrified over the limp, unconscious bodies
that were my two eldest NeoPets. Carefully, I dragged RubyRainbow333 and EmeraldFlame555
onto a carpeted floor where I thought they'd be comfortable. I gently placed
a pillow under their heads and wondered. How in the world did they get here?
A few hours later, Ruby awoke with an agonized
groan. "Oh, ouch!" the rainbow Uni tenderly touched the large bump on her head.
"Hey, Ruby! When did you get two horns?" Emerald
joked. Ruby shot the green Scorchio a poisonous look.
I quickly changed the subject. "So, how are
you feeling?"
"Like I confronted the Pant Devil without my
full Uni body armor," Ruby moaned.
"Really? I feel just fine," Emerald said cheerfully.
I gave them an ice pack each, knowing that Emerald's joyfulness was merely an
act. He considers himself the "man of the NeoHome" and he finds it necessary
to "fix" things that haven't even been broken. That is, they weren't broken
before he laid his destructive claws on them. Of course he'd try to act tough.
Definitely freaked out by this whirlwind of
bizarre events, I called the one person who I felt could help me cope with this
situation. My best friend Cathy (Neoname Musician*). She's normal. Nothing like
this would ever happen to her.
"Jen! Thank goodness you called! You'll never
believe what happened."
I admit it. I'm wrong. There's a first time
for everything.
She told me about how the virus had visited
her computer. Her two oldest NeoPets (Comet* and Indigo*) were now roaming around
the house, playing with her dog Shelby. "We have to get them back!" Cathy cried.
"They don't belong here! They're two colorful, out-of-place NeoPets. What if
some nutcase mistakes them for aliens or something and hurts them?" I told her
that the virus had done the same to me.
"Well, Cathy," I said. "I have to check on the
pets. Plus, that virus may have done damage to the computer. I should check
that too. Talk to you later!" "Bye." Cathy concluded.
I went on the NeoPets web site again. When I
went to the quick-ref section, things got a bit… weird. Instead of showing my
NeoPets and their stats and stuff, I was shown an exact picture of the living
room of my NeoHome SapphireCloud777 my blue Eyrie was lounging around on the
tiger sofa. AmethystSkye111 my purple Peophin was playing with his coloring
book. "Oh my goodness!" I was totally taken aback. Sapphire got up. Her feline
paws made next to no sound on the floor.
"Ridergirl?" she asked. "How'd you get in the
NeoHome window?"
That's when it hit me. I was the first human
to ever make contact with NeoPets. I beamed with pride as I continued to speak.
"Sapphie, get your brother. There's been a problem."
"What's the matter?" A blue figure with a witch's
hat loomed out of the darkness. Its voice was female, yet deep and husky. Then,
the mysterious thing came closer. It was a Kau with a golden star on her back.
Kauvara!
"What's Kauvara doing here?" I asked Sapphire.
My Eyrie sighed. "It's because of that Water
Faerie that she sold you last week. She is sick."
Suddenly, I realized the truth. "Wait! Faeries
can't get sick! They're bits of digital data in a computer! Come to think of
it, NeoPets are bits of data also! This is all a dream. I must be dreaming.
I can't talk to a NeoPet!"
Kauvara trotted right up to the screen. "But
we are real, Ridergirl. We are as real as the wind and the air. Just because
you cannot see it, does that mean that it doesn't exist?"
"But I feed my NeoPets from this side of a computer
screen! How can I have any influence on your lives if I'm over here and you're
over there and…"
Kauvara spoke again. "Everything you do makes
a difference, young one. By feeding your pets, you open an electronic gate,
or e-gate through space and time. E-gates are constantly opening and closing."
She paused in fear. "However, one gate remained open today. When e-gates remain
open for too long, they grow. Four pets were sucked into your world. If this
gate isn't closed soon, more innocent ones will fall prey to a ruthless foe.
Indeed, whoever created this e-gate is our foe, for it won't be long until all
of Neopia is in your world. Every building, item and petpet will be dumped onto
your streets. Now, our enemy is creating more gates, therefore twisting and
tangling the threads of space-time itself! But the maker of the gates is weary,
as are his or her creations. I'd give it another week until more pets are sucked
through."
I stared at her in amazement.
The starry Kau read my face like a book. "How
do I know this?" I have sources, young one. When I was a calf, studying brewing
in the Tower of the Light Faerie, I discovered a concoction that would give
me… powers. I can now sense things that occur in other galaxies. Unfortunately,
I only have limited magic. I can't sense details. I know that e-gates were built,
but not who made them. I know that our communication is only made possible because
the e-gate in question has expanded to twice the average size. I also know that
at this precise moment, a Lupe named Comet is covering his sister Indigo with
half-melted marshmallows." Sapphire laughed.
"Well," I said. "I have to go. I think Emerald
is doing something similar to Ruby. Kauvara, could you be back at my NeoHome
at ten o' clock tomorrow?"
"I believe so," Kauvara stated.
"Bye Sapphire."
"Bye Ridergirl!"
Kauvara had given me a lot to think about. Various
galaxies with not-so-alien life! Holes in space-time! It was like something
on the sci-fi channel!
I had to get our NeoPets back within the week,
or the world may fall into ruin. The idea gave me the chills, but at the same
time, I liked the prospect of a bit of adventure.
So much for a boring summer vacation.
To be continued...
Authors Note: Musician/Cathy and all of her NeoPets wish to remain anonymous.
Therefore, the numbers after their names will remain confidential.
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