Cup Crazy

     Finally, after what seemed like years to some, two neopets walked to the center of the field. Smiling with delight (for this was the most crowded game ever recorded), the two announcers picked up two microphones which had kindly been laid there for them a couple minutes before. The smaller of the two announcers, an Ixi, cleared her throat loudly into the microphone, making most people pause what they were saying and gaze at the almost-empty field.

     "Fellow Neopians," she announced with a booming, yet soothing, voice, "we are gathered today to celebrate another year of victory and teamwork. Sixteen teams have tried to make it to this day, but only two have prevailed. Everyone, please give a warm and friendly welcome to the following two teams of this years Altador Cup Championship..." The crowd was as silent as a Turmaculus, "...Darigan Citadel and Terror Mountain!" The crowd went haywire, yelling out their favorite teams and throwing items in the air to represent their team.

     The other announcer, a Grarrl, laughed. "Yes, folks, it is a splendid day for a Championship!"

     "Now, they are fierce and ready to win this game; please, everyone, give an even warmer welcome to..." The Grarrl looked to his right where smoke, the color black and purple, spread its way across a door marked, "Darigan Citadel". The five Darigans of the team stepped out of the smoke and smiled as the crowd exploded into applause.

     "Darigan Citadel, everyone!" said the Ixi, going over to shake hands with the members.

     The five members of Darigan Citadel stood in a straight line at the center of the field, waiting for their opponents.

     "Now, they may have coats - but don't let that fool you! Please give a warm... a freezing... welcome to..." The Grarrl now looked to his left where more smoke, the Terror Mountain colors blue and white, covered the door marked, "Terror Mountain." The five members of Terror Mountain now stepped out and smiled as fans yelled out their names and cheered for them.

     A referee walked out to the middle of the field. "To your places, everyone," he told the two teams. The teams went into the places assigned to them by their captain and waited.

     He held his hand in the air for a split second, and abruptly blew into his whistle, making a loud, piercing sound telling everyone that the games had begun.

      Now, while all of this was happening, a blue Techo wearing a Darigan Citadel shirt was trying to jump the 10-foot fence that surrounded the stadium. "Five thousand neopoints for one seat," the Techo murmured to himself furiously. "No sir, this Techo won't pay that much!" He was halfway up the fence when he saw the shadow of the lazy security guard, Brutus. The Techo quickly jumped down, biting his tongue so not to yelp with pain when he hit the ground, and hurriedly jumped into a nearby bush. The security guard continued walked down the side walk, slurping his slushie.

     "That was close," the Techo thought. "Now... how am I going to get across?"

     Suddenly, he spotted a red Kacheek selling many multi-colored balloons at the other side of the street. About five little neopets were hovering by her, begging for balloons. The blue Techo smiled, greedily. "That could work," he thought.

     He ran as fast as he could over to the Kacheek. Breathing heavily, he gasped, "Twenty-five balloons, please."

     The little kids looked agressively at the Techo. "He's taking all the balloons...!" whined one of them.

     "Listen, kid," the Techo said. "I'll do anything to see this game up close." The little neopet looked at him, not impressed. But he smugly took the twenty-five balloons, paid the Kacheek, and ran to the other side of the street.

     He tied thirteen balloons to one hand and twelve on the other. Waiting for a breeze to come, he put his feet together and raised his arms to the clear afternoon sky. "Come on, come on," muttered the Techo.

     Violently and suddenly, a strong breeze swept past the Techo and pushed the balloons upward. He was going up!

     "Yes!" shouted the Techo happily, "I'm going to get to the Cup, after all!"

     He could see the game going below him and he screamed with delight. "I gotta get down..." The Techo swayed in the wind and abruptly, four balloons popped. He went a bit lower.

     The Techo, gulped. Then all of a sudden, the rest of the balloons gave up and he went hurling down to the middle of the game!

     The two announcers shifted some papers and gazed at the game, excited.

     "This is some game!" the Grarrl shouted. The Ixi sitting next to him nodded. "Right now the score is tied two-two and there is only two minutes left," she said. She stuffed the papers away and said, "Darigan moves the Yooyuball down the court, it's almost to the goal and - oh! Terror Mountain steals it and takes it the other way!"

     The Grarrl gazed at the sky, "What in Neopia is that...?" he asked. The falling figure of the blue Techo was a dot from where the Grarrl was standing.

     The crowd, following suit, ignored the game for a second and looked up into the sky.

     "It's a bird!" said someone from the crowd, throwing his slushie to the side, hitting another neopet.

     "No, it's a blue meepit!" said another, pointing to the blue Techo who was slowly descending downward.

     "No, no!" shouted a reporter, who was wildly taking pictures. "It's a... Techo?"

     The Techo groaned as he landed smack in the middle of the Yooyuball field.

     Both teams (Darigan Citadel and Terror Mountain) crashed right into the poor Neopian. All the players lay in a big pile in the middle of the field, the blue Techo at the very bottom.

     "What is this?" asked the Ixi, looking at the crumpled heap of Altador Cup players... and the Techo.

     "I have no idea..." murmured the Grarrl, then quickly regained his senses. He picked up the microphone and shouted, "Everyone, remain seated, please! Do not get up from your seats...!"

     Since no one was paying attention to the Yooyuball (especially not the players, who were still trying to get up), it simply rolled into Terror Mountain's goal right when the buzzer rang for the game over.

     It took a minute for the crowd to comprehend what was happening, but then it burst into cheers.

     Darigan Citadel won!

     The blue Techo raised his head. "Yay...!" he croaked, then fell back down.

     Meanwhile, the little neopets, who wanted balloons, were watching all this from behind the fence.

     "That lucky Techo," said the one he had talked to earlier. "I guess he really did get to watch the game up close!"

The End