From Green to Faerie, from Ogrin to Grarrl

     Born an Ogrin, she loved the forests. Sometimes she'd wander aimlessly among the palm trees of Mystery Island. But it wasn't enough. Eventually she came across the lost city of Geraptiku when she and her friends were playing Hide-and-Go-Seek. Being a creature of the night, well-equipped with eyes to see in the dark and quick, nimble legs, she had no fear of whatever lay in the depths of these mysterious ruins. Because of this, she was alone.

     Upset at what had become of her life, she begged her owner to change her. She didn't want to be an Ogrin anymore. She didn't want to be the only one. She wanted more friends like her.

     Eventually her owner gave in and decided to change her into a Grarrl. Not only was she happy being such a common pet, she was a simple, warming, welcome color. A white Grarrl. Simple. Clean. Ordinary. Just a white Grarrl.

     With a boost of newly discovered self esteem, she paraded around the lands. She forgot of her obsession with Faerieland for the meantime. Instead, she came across some free-spirited pets begging her to come see their home. Excited yet naive, she followed them to a small gypsy camp. Unaware of where she was, she began to feel a little uneasy. Her friends urged her to go with them to the deserted fairgrounds. She agreed, since she didn't know the way back, and her adventurous spirit wanted her to see new places, no matter how frightened she may be.

     They began wandering through the ominous forest. She had never been in a forest like this one before. All the trees looked dead; all the plants looked mangled. She began to wonder if these pets could be trusted. Then came nightfall, and she had forgotten she was a new pet. With shorter legs, she couldn't move as fast. Her eyesight was not as keen in the darkness of the forest. She wished a random event would bring her a flashlight or torch. At least her pale skin reflected what little moonlight was apparent.

     Being behind the group of these friends, she decided to walk slower... and slower... trailing behind... She wanted to sneak away. She decided to follow the first clear path she could find. Luckily, the gypsies were too enthralled with each others' stories to notice their newest friend wander off on her own.

     Walking aimlessly for the night, she thought she spotted civilization, or at least an edge of this spectacularly horrifying forest. To calm her nerves, she looked at the sky to see Faerieland hovering above. With a look of longing and despair, a tear fell from her eyes. Lying down against a tree, worn out from travel, she closed her eyes and let another tear fall down her cheek.

     Then, as if it had been willed by this wondrous land, a wise water faerie felt these tears fall into the earth. She descended from her home to comfort this pet.

     Helping her float, still in a deep sleep, the water faerie guided her through a small stream back towards Neopia. Before they reached their destination, Fyora willed this water faerie back to her home. Faerieland had been attacked. She had to go back and help protect Faerieland, leaving this Grarrl floating downstream.

     Following nothing but the current, she steadily made her way towards Neopia. Still asleep, she did not notice her path start to deviate as she started following the stream lower and lower. It started getting warmer. Hotter. The water steamed a little. Starting to sweat, she finally awoke after a few hours of sleeping. Shocked, she had no idea where she was. Everything looked like the inside of a clock. It was hot down here. Everything looked a little bit red. Everything was metal.

     She was floating backwards, watching the land unfold behind her. She was in shock, in such amazement at this new place. Everything seemed mechanic, but it looked nothing like the robots from the Space Station. This was all new to her, yet it looked so old. She heard a sizzling sound behind her, so she turned around. She gasped quickly and splashed down a small waterfall just over a meter high.

     When she came up out of the water, she saw a Tonu resting standing up, leaning on a spear. He looked like he was on fire, but not in the way the other fire pets were. He looked different somehow. With him being the first person she saw in this strange land, she got out of the water. Except it wasn't water, it was... Magma?

     Shocked again with curiosity, she hurried out of the pool of lava, wondering why she hadn't burned up. When she reached her hand to grasp the nearest bit of land, she looked different. Pulling herself out of the pool, she examined her body. She looked like the volcano in the distance. She looked like the Tonu, who started talking quietly in his sleep. She looked at him, and then his eyes opened. Shaking the sleep out of his eyes, he saw her out of the corner of his eye.

     "What are you doing here?"

     "I seem to be lost."

     "Who let you enter the Magma Pool?"

     "I seem to have fallen in here."

     "From where?"

     "I... I don't know. The last I remember, I was off in the Haunted Woods after some friends lead me astray."

     "Come with me."

     She followed the Tonu, not knowing whether or not to trust him. She hoped this would turn out better than the last time she wandered off.

     The Tonu lead her to the front of a small rock cave.

     "Go inside," he told her.

     There was an odd looking Gnorbu inside. He looked at her, laughing and talking at the same time.

     "Ah.. I see you have a question for Igneot. What is it that you wish to ask?"

     "Can you take me home?"

     "The coals burn brightly in favour of this."

     "How far away are we from Neopia?"

     He looked at her and just started laughing. He stuck his hands in the fireplace, moving the coals around, helping the embers burn brighter. He took her hand, closed his eyes, and threw his stone sphere into the fireplace. "This may have some side effects," he warned her. Then, in a puff of fire and smoke, she was suddenly back in Neopia, as if nothing had happened. A few pets looked at her, wondering where she came from, but disregarded it. No one wants to think they're crazy.

     She looked down to see if she was still sporting her new look, but to her dismay, she had turned blue... in more ways than one.

     She heard a loud crash and a lot of noise in the distance. Looking around, she had no idea where it was coming from. She looked up into the sky, and saw Faerieland. But today... Today it was falling... From the sky... What?

     Faerieland was falling? She was more confused than scared, but there was nothing she could do. It looked like a thousand meteors were falling down above the city. Then it looked as if it were all brought together again. Still falling, but more in one piece. All the pieces were falling violently fast, and they were getting close. Stunned and scared, she just waited with her eyes closed.

     Then someone grabbed her. Someone snatched her out of the way. Her eyes were still closed. She was still scared of being squished by Faerie City.

     She heard the loud crash of all the buildings and structures in Faerieland, or what was Faerieland, shatter on impact. Everything was turned to dust. Everyone was okay, but their wonderful world was no more.

     Astonished, she finally opened her eyes to see the wreckage. She had never been to Faerieland, but she could tell it was not supposed to look like this. All the shops were demolished, everyone's homes were destroyed, and there was nothing left of the city but rubble. Standing there with her mouth gaping open, she was approached by the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. She was a faerie, for sure, but she was so much more beautiful than the rest.

     "My child..." she began. "I see you are young, courageous, and full of hope. Help us protect and rebuild our city."

     "Who are you?"

     "I am Queen Fyora, and I wish to protect my kingdom. Would you like to enter Faerieland?"

     "I... It's always been my dream... to see Faerieland... to go there..."

     "Come with me, child."

     She followed this magical faerie queen to a small lake.

     "I'm afraid our revered Rainbow Fountain has been destroyed, but I think I can do something else..."

     "What are you going to do?"

     "Would you like to fly like us faeries? Would you like to experience the magic that we have?"

     Her face lit up. She smiled. It was like a dream come true. She followed Fyora closer to the pool, now noticing the beautiful rainbow shining bright from the water's edge.

     They urged her to wade into the warm, gentle waters. She stepped into the pool, where Fyora gently rubbed her back with what felt like soft, plush bristles. Turning around to see the one and only Faerie Queen was painting her in the colors of her native land, she couldn't believe just how beautiful she looked as a dragon.

The End