Fire-Born: Part One

      Vineti walked along the little forest path, humming to herself as she went. Eventually the trees in front of her parted and she came across her owner, a human girl named Lina. Lina looked up from the book she was reading, startled.

      “Vineti. How did you find me?”

      The Chocolate Aisha lifted her shoulders delicately. “I just knew.” She knelt down in the grass, setting her basket next to her. She opened it and took out a small checkered blanket, smoothing it out on the grass. Next she took out some tea cups and plates, setting them up on top of the blanket.

      Lina set her book down and shuffled a bit closer, taking one of the cups that Vineti offered. “I only brought hot tea. Is that okay?” Vineti asked, pulling out a thermos.

      “Yes, it’s fine.”

      Vineti poured tea into Lina’s cup and then some into her own. Lina took a small sip, and then sighed. “You know, you never really expect to enjoy a cup of tea on a warm day like today, but it really is relaxing.”

      Vineti nodded. Her eyes scanned the forest as petpets slowly began to crawl into the open, getting used to the two intruders in their midst. Lina finished her cup and then poured herself some more.

      “We should be heading back,” Lina finally said. “The others will be wondering where we are.”

      Vineti started packing up the cups and plates, and Lina folded the blanket back up. She reached for the basket just as Vineti did, and their hands brushed.

      “Woah, Vineti,” Lina said, reaching for her hand again. “You’re really warm.” She leaned forward and placed her hand on the Aisha’s forehead. “Do you have a fever?”

      “I don’t think so,” Vineti replied. “I feel fine.”

      “Come on, let’s get you home, just to be sure,” Lina said, pulling her back along the path.

      Soon their Neohome was in sight. Lina found the thermometer and had Vineti put it in her mouth; after a few minutes, it began to beep and Lina took it out.

      “Yup, you have a fever.” She turned the thermometer so that Vineti could see. “Why don’t you go on up to bed?”

      “But I don’t feel sick.” Vineti put her hand to her skin; it didn’t feel warm at all to her.

      “Yes, but your fever is pretty high. I don’t want you to risk anything.” Lina set the thermometer down. “Tell you what, I’ll go into town for some medicine, and while I’m there, I’ll buy you a present. Sound good?”

      After a moment, Vineti nodded. “All right. But you don’t have to buy me anything.”

      “Nonsense, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten you something nice. Go on up to bed; bring a book if you’re not tired, but you should get some rest.”

      Lina grabbed a small bag of neopoints and headed out the door; for a moment, Vineti watched her through the window. She really did feel fine. She put her palm to her forehead again, then flipped to feel her head with the back of her hand. Despite what Lina and the thermometer said, Vineti didn’t think she felt hot at all.

      Still, Vineti walked up the stairs to her bedroom, her pale pink sun dress fanning slightly as she did so. Her bedroom matched her skin-tone; the walls were painted a milk-chocolate color, with white trim decorating the lining of the floor and the ceiling. Her canopy bed had a light-blue and white patterned quilt, and she snuggled underneath this as she waited for her owner to return. Even though it was the middle of the day and she felt fine, Vineti slowly found her eyelids sinking. It wasn’t long before she settled into a peaceful nap.

      Out in Neopia Central, not far from where Lina was, a rather mismatched pair of Neopets were walking along a little side road. The taller of the two was a Sketch Quiggle, who looked almost as if he had been stretched out on a torturing device; whenever he hopped forward, his top would wobble dangerously. The other was a short, squat Blue Peophin, who wiggled after the Quiggle with great difficulty, sweating and panting profusely.

      “Be quiet,” the Quiggle hissed at the Peophin. “People are looking at you.”

      “Take smaller steps, then!” the Peophin hissed right back. The Quiggle obliged somewhat; he shortened his stride, but made up for this by taking many more steps, causing the Peophin to continue to struggle after him. “Besides,” the Peophin finally panted, “if you didn’t want to stick out, why did you get that ridiculous trench coat?”

      The Quiggle tightened the trench coat a little closer around himself. “It’ll help me blend in with the shadows,” he said defensively.

      “You’re painted sketch! If you wanted to blend in, just carry a poster board behind you!”

      “Shhh!” the Quiggle said, not being able to think of an appropriate comeback. “Focus!”

      The Peophin turned his head this way and that, staring boldly at the many Neopians who were giving the pair odd looks. “How in Jhudora’s name are we supposed to know what she looks like?”

      “How many Chocolate Aishas do you think there are in Neopia Central? We see one, we grab her, there’s at least a 90% chance it’s the right one.”

      “Well, she could have moved,” the Peophin pointed out. “Or she could have been painted. It’s been two years.”

      “Shut it, will yah? It may be a long shot, but I’m definitely not going back to the boss without her.”

      “Neopia Central could be another false lead,” the Peophin continued. “Remember when we were convinced she was in Tyrannia? We spent three months trying to decipher whether ‘Ugga Ug Ug’ meant ‘Chocolate Aisha’ or ‘runny nose.’ And then we wasted the whole summer in Moltara for no other reason than-“

      “I SAID SHUT IT!” The Quiggle finally shouted. A pair of Boris stopped walking and stared at him open-mouthed. “What are you looking at?!” He yelled at them, causing them to blink and continue on their way.

      “Look,” the Quiggle muttered when the Boris were finally out of earshot. “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll camp out in Neopia Central for two weeks and see if we can find the Aisha. If we do, great, the boss’ll be happy. If not, we go to Terror Mountain and pray to Coltzan that she can’t find us.”

      The Peophin nodded, accepting the plan, before saying, “Can we stay in Hotel Opera?”

      “Do I look like a walking sack of Neopoints to you? We’re staying in Cockroach Towers, and I better not hear you complain…”

      Back in the Neohome on Market Street, Vineti awoke from her nap with a start. She had had a dream… she couldn’t remember what, but it had been very vivid. A fine layer of sweat clung to her skin, making her chocolate fur clumpy. Maybe I do have a fever, she thought.

      Downstairs, she heard the front door open and Lina call to her other Neopets, before tromping up the stairs. Moments later, Vineti’s bedroom door opened.

      “I’m back, the pharmacist says that your fever might be an early sign of Neo Flu. I got you some Jelly Pills. You should take a handful now and then another handful tomorrow if you’re not better,” Lina said, setting the box of lime-flavored pills next to Vineti, who opened it. “Here, I’ve also brought you a book.” Lina put Sunset on Mystery Island on Vineti’s nightstand. “That way you could enjoy a story in bed.”

      “Thank you,” Vineti said.

      “You’re welcome, honey.” Lina stroked Vineti’s fur for a moment before turning around. “If you need anything, just call out,” she said as she shut the door.

      Vineti looked at the green pills in her hand for a moment before chewing them and swallowing; they tasted like jelly beans. Then she reached for her new book and opened it:

      ‘The waters of Mystery Island glowed bright blue underneath the morning sun; on the beach, a thatched-roof building sat, the sand billowing around its wooden supports as if threatening to swallow the building whole. It was too this humble house that Rosetta walked, her Xweetox paws making dimples on the beach as she went. It was her sister’s beach house, but it had been lent to Rosetta for that night while she was visiting. ‘The home is empty,’ her sister had said, ‘we haven’t had a chance to be there all year, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you, will it?’

      Rosetta opened the screen door and unlocked the house; the front door opened inward on a gust of wind. For a moment, the Red Xweetox hesitated; she should be back home, there was a pile of manuscripts on her desk that needed to be edited. But no, she told herself firmly. She had earned this break. Determined, she stepped onto the shiny wooden floor of the tropical-themed house.’

      Vineti yawned; despite the fact that she had just taken a nap, she was tired again. She must be getting sick. Her eyes followed the words on the page, but after a while they seemed blurred. Somebody’s been in the house, she thought as her eyes closed. If the house had been empty for months, the floors would be dusty, not shiny.

      And then Vineti fell asleep. Now she really did feel warm, as if someone had turned a hair dryer on in her direction. Flames danced in front of her, but Vineti didn’t think they would burn her. There was an image of a girl among them; was it Lina? Vineti thought she had brown hair. Vineti smelled smoke; was the girl burning?

      Her eyes flew open as the smell of smoke registered. With a final burst of light, the book in her hands disintegrated into ash. It ruffled slightly when Vineti sat up, staining her bedcovers.

      What in Coltzan’s name had just happened?

      To be continued…