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Untitled Document
My name is Jen, and my Neoname is Ridergirl333. I told
my parents that I was to sleep over Cathy's house. Cathy told her parents she
was sleeping over my house. Sometimes the oldest tricks in the book are the
wisest ones.
Tonight, we were going to break into the library
to use their computer. I'll admit that I was terrified. But I had already ruled
out all of the other options. My computer and Cathy's computer were down and
our NeoPets needed a route to get back to Neopia. I couldn't trust anyone else
with our secret. Real live NeoPets... on this world. No one would believe me
anyway.
In the forest behind Town Hall, Indigo, Comet,
Ruby, Emerald, Cathy and I counted the seconds until 10:00. I had covered the
pets in black blankets, and Cathy and I donned black outfits. We blended in
with the darkness perfectly. We also looked like criminals. Then again, that's
just what we were. Images of wailing sirens and police cruisers filled my mind.
However, I knew that no matter how bad I had it, my NeoPets had it a thousand
times worse. They were faced with the prospect of death at the guns of the police,
the tabloids (claiming that they were aliens) or anyone who would want to "rescue
two pretty teenage girls from the scary monsters."
Finally, the dreaded moment came. I watched apprehensively
as a librarian locked the library's doors. When I was certain that she and her
co-workers were gone, I silently gestured for the NeoPets to follow me. Cathy
brought up the rear. When I reached the door, I realized that the lock on it
was too big to pick with the tiny bobby pins I had brought. Frantically, I motioned
for Cathy to look at it. While we were looking, Comet wandered off. When he
returned he was almost rolling on the ground with soundless laughter. "You humans
might as well have marked the exits with beacons! This Lupe's nose smells all!
There's a doorway to the meeting room. They forgot to lock it! In fact, they
didn't shut the door at all!"
So, we tiptoed in through that door, shutting
it quietly behind us. "The research computers are over here," I hissed. Cathy
sped up to catch up to me. "If we came in through an open door, are we still
breaking and entering?" she wondered out loud.
"I have no idea," I said.
At the research computers, I typed in the URL
for NeoPets.com. "Okay," Ruby said. "We're on, but how do we get inside?"
As we pondered this, voices echoed from outside.
"I could have sworn I'd left this door open!" an elderly woman muttered. A librarian!
I heard the faint rattling of keys and the creaking
of a door opening. "Ridergirl, you need to do some quick clicking!" Indigo said.
"We'll cover for you."
Moments later, I heard the sound of a bookshelf
being knocked over. The NeoPets were creating a significant diversion. Shaking
with silent chuckles, I focused on the task at hand.
Where could the e-gate be? I checked the quick
ref page. Nothing. I checked the Space Station. Nada. I looked in the Ice Caves.
Zilch. Frantically, I checked the Lost Desert, Meridell, Tyrannia, Terror Mountain,
Krawk Island, Mystery Island, the Haunted Woods and even the Jelly World. Nil.
Zero. Naught.
The remaining places on the Explore map seemed
highly unlikely. Nevertheless, I gave it a shot. Just as I predicted, he didn't
hide the gate in Neopia Central. That left only one location. But no, it couldn't
be.
Faerieland.
The floor began to vibrate gently. A black-colored
hole appeared in the screen, sending a rush of wind out to meet me, knocking
me off my feet. The NeoPets had obviously heard the wind, because at that moment
the sound of books hitting the floor ceased. They raced into the monitor screen,
one by one, and vanished. Finally, only Ruby remained.
"Ridergirl, go!" she gestured towards the screen
wildly.
I sighed sadly, "Ruby, I'm not going. What if
I become trapped in your world? I'd never see this planet again."
"But we can't fight Sloth without you," my beloved
Uni whined.
"You're going to have to," I said harshly. In
truth; I wasn't feeling so gung-ho. Luckily; the darkness hid my tears.
"But we can't," Ruby said. At that moment, the
librarian pulled up a shade. The silvery moonlight fell upon Ruby's tear-streaked
features. In her eyes… something was missing. The determined flame that made
the core of Ruby's being had vanished. Replacing it was something that looked
all too much like fear.
Grudgingly, I agreed to come with them. Cathy
came also, for what she called, "moral support." "You're the battler, Jen."
She had said. "That's your territory. You and Ruby have so much in common."
I then remembered the conversation I had overheard.
"Girl, you should have been born a Lupe.
You look for a fight. You search for a hunt. And you'd hunt far more difficult
prey than Chias."
Was I really like that? Was Ruby really like
that?
I shrugged my shoulders and stepped through the
portal. It felt like ice on every part of me that was unprotected. I found that
it was difficult to draw breath, and my lungs ached. Somehow, some sixth sense
inside of me told me to keep walking.
I emerged in a place that was totally unexpected.
Or perhaps I was expecting it all along.
To be continued...
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