He slowly tried to open his eyes, but the bright lights and the white room hurt to look at. For the second his eyes were open, he only saw lights and a blindly white wall.

This was definitely not his bedroom, or any room in his place. Where was he? Why couldn't he remember?

He kept his eyes closed and stayed on his back. He felt around, and it seemed like he was on a bed, but it was hard and there weren't any blankets, only a small pillow under his head.

He listened carefully to his surroundings, every once in a while hearing what seemed to be footsteps coming down a long hallway.

Did he get sick last night? Was this a hospital, maybe?

The Chia continued to blink his eyes, and slowly he opened them fully as they adjusted to the light and his surroundings.

He sat up and looked around the too-bright room.

The first thing he noticed was...

In his peripheral vision, he saw flickers of flame that commanded his attention. He turned to see ornate wall sconces, both to his right and to his left. In the middle of the candles, however, is what truly made the Chia’s breath catch in his throat. Framed in firelight from the candles was the most opulent and vivid stained glass window he had ever seen. It towered over his makeshift bed, allowing streams of multicolored light to dance across the floor. He lifted his paws to play with a rainbow beam of light before remembering the pain in his head.

As the awe of his surroundings wore off, he began to panic.

“H-hello?” he croaked, his voice hoarse from lack of use. “Is anybody there?”

“Y-you’re awake?!” a mousy voice screeched from across the room. “We thought… We thought you were…”

Dark walnut benches sprawled out beyond the wall of roses, making way for a red-carpeted aisle in the middle. Down the aisle trepidatiously walked…

“CUT!!!” A sudden furious scream sounded behind one of the dark walnut benches. “Why is that Chia suddenly awake? That was the PERFECT take and now we have to start again! EVERYONE TAKE FIVE, and when we come back we better get that filmed in ONE take!”

Confused, the Chia blinked a few more times, as the blindingly bright studio lights were promptly switched off. The bed of roses and the beautiful stained glass window remained in the Chia’s view, but he suddenly became aware of the crowd that also surrounded him, though with their backs turned as they followed an intimidating-looking Grarrl out of the room.

“Uh, I’m so sorry, sir.” The small Korbat popped next to the Chia’s side, startling him. “We just needed one more take, because Director Grazzino had the a-absolutely highest standards, of course! We didn’t know you were going to wake -“

“Take?! Director? Can someone tell me what’s going on?” The Chia stammered, interrupting the Korbat. Somehow, he was even more bewildered and disoriented despite his senses returning.

“O-oh! Of course. The film! We’re down to the last scene. And you know, this movie is going to be a-a real hit!” The Korbat sheepishly grins as he sets his massive camera down on the ground. “It’s my first movie, you know?”

Still utterly discombobulated, the Chia shimmies off the rock-hard bed. Movie? What movie? Is he in the cast, and why does he not remember anything? And just why is there a portrait of him on the altar nearby? Ten thousand questions frantically raced in his mind…

“Me? Oh I’m Arlo. Set Director,” the Korbat said, shuffling his feet.

The Chia stared at him blankly.

“For the scene,” Arlo continued, pointing to the flowers and sconces. “I put this little bit together. I was just about to get a still shot when you woke up.” He patted his camera affectionately.

“How did I get here?” The Chia asked.

Arlo sighed. “I ask myself that all the time. How did I get to this moment in life? And then I question my worth… like am I really meant to be here? Do I belong or am I just an imposter?”

The Korbat was starting to make the Chia’s head pound again. “Look,” he said, taking a step away from him and searching for a door behind the benches. “I have to get out of here.”

“Wait!” Arlo cried, “You can’t leave. We haven’t finished the scene.”

“No,” the Chia snapped. “I don’t remember how I got here. I woke up in the middle of this bizarre movie set with a giant portrait of my face staring back at me.”

“If you leave, that’ll ruin my reputation with Director Grazzino.” He started to pace. “Part of my job is making the stars happy. He’ll blame me if you leave, and I’ll never work another movie again.”

“You have access to the casting sheets?” The Chia asked, getting an idea.

“Yes,” The Korbat squeaked.

“I’ll make you a deal.” The Chia stepped forward, towering over the other. “If you help me find out who I am and how I got here, I’ll play nice and finish the movie. Do we have a deal?…”

"In the... script..." The Chia blinked, waiting for the joke to fall flat, but Arlo's sheepish smile didn't waver. "I don't mean in the script!" The Chia blustered, "I mean who I really am. I don't think you understand, I have no memory of how I got here!"

Arlo's smile didn't falter, but it took on more of an indulgent air.

"Don't be ridiculous," He squeaked, "That doesn't matter. You signed up for this- it was all in the contract. You said you wanted to be a star, and we make stars."

Frustration mingled with fear in the pit of the Chia's stomach. Was this some kind of a joke? Arlo was clearly unstable. He would have to tread carefully if he wanted to make any progress.

"Look," The Chia began again, softening his tone, "Even if I did agree to this, which I seriously doubt... I need to have some idea of who I'm working with, right?"

"Well, um... I'm not really supposed to..." Arlo shifted from one foot to the other.

"Okay, then at least the script. How can I do anything without knowing my lines?" The Chia implored.To his surprise, Arlo brightened. This question, it seemed, was at least easy to answer.

"Oh, no need to worry. You don't have a speaking part!" He trilled. The Chia stared.

"Okay," He said, making a titanic effort to keep his tone kind, "what about my cues? Don't I need to know those?"

"Ha!" Arlo smiled again, which soon fizzled when he realized his "star" wasn't returning the grin. "...Oh, you're serious. You have no cues. You're supposed to be asleep. Speaking of which..." He made an odd, flapping gesture, as if indicating the Chia might be so kind as to promptly fall back into unconsciousness.

Feeling the dam of his frustration cracking, the Chia opened his mouth to make a final request when suddenly...

“That must’ve been what he used to put me to sleep in the first place, causing me to lose my memory…” the Chia thought to himself. Unwilling to succumb to more memory loss and unwanted sleep, the Chia dodged a zapping ray of light that was hurled his way at the last moment.

“I knew I didn’t subject myself to any of this willingly!” he called out, pulling himself up off the ground. “How dare you!”

“Just take a little Chia nap and this will all be over soon. I promise!” the Korbat giggled maniacally.

In a breakneck decision, the Chia lunged for Arlo’s script that was still protruding from his bag.

“Let me go or else I’ll destroy your precious script,” he threatened, holding it up to one of the sconces on the wall.

“You think that’s my only copy?” Arlo asked with a hint of nervousness that he couldn’t quite shake.

“Considering you’re the type of Neopet to kidnap your actors and force them into your productions against their will… I’m not sure quite how much you think ahead,” the Chia said with a snarl, edging the thick packet of paper closer to the flame.

“Fine!” the Korbat relented. “I’ll tell you what you want to know…”

The two looked at each other in a tense silence, until the Chia couldn't take it anymore.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULD TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!!"

"Well, you need to ask me a question first!!" The Korbat responded quickly, while beads of sweat dripped down his brow as the script was held even closer to the fire.

The Chia thought for a moment and asked, "Why did you kidnap me? Why go through all this trouble to make a movie? There are plenty of aspiring actors out there! Especially Chias!! We're so social!"

Arlo looked around before whispering, "We were given an incredibly large amount of Neopoints to make this film. There were specific instructions from our sponsor, the top being we needed to use you as poor Isaac Chiason."

The Yellow Chia tried as hard as he could to remember something, anything at all, though sadly nothing came to mind.

"Who is your sponsor? Tell me the name of this Neopian!"

Arlo was practically a puddle of sweat as he whispered the name...

The Chia remained confused, though it seemed as if he should've recognized the name. He couldn't care less! It didn't matter who it was or why this was happening. He couldn't help the anger building up inside him.

"Y-you just have to lay there, we're not doing anything bad, just making a movie!" The Korbat insisted, eyes now meeting the Chia's. He would've guessed it was desperation.

"I-" Heavy footsteps from outside interrupted the Chia.

"It had to be you, you were the only one fitting for the role!" The Korbat sounded almost frantic. "You're the Isaac Chiason we needed."

The Korbat sneaked up to the Chia. "But you refused.."

The footsteps outside grew louder.

"Don't anger Gary, just listen and you'll return home after, okay?" Arlo offered the Chia his hand.

"You're sick, It doesn't make anything okay, I can't forget this, in fact, there's nothing else I can remember!" The Chia shouted, slapping his hand.

The footsteps grew louder and louder.

"How can I return home if I don't even know where it is?"

The steps stopped.

"I won't just..!"

The Chia couldn't finish his sentence as the door opened...

How will this story end?

"Arlo! Why isn't our Mr. Chiason in his spot on the altar?!" The Grarrl placed the megaphone under his arm and pulled a dishevelled script from his back pocket, "The Dead Chia Chronicles need their star. The NeoStudios will not be pleased if this is delayed anymore."

The Korbat's wings fluttered anxiously. "Grazzino... Sir, I mean that is to say," Arlo's gaze met the Chia's bewildered stare, "Our star is a jot confused at the moment. He was just about to lay back down."

The Korbat leaned in so close the Chia could see a bead of sweat drip down to his tiny little pink nose. "Please, just thirty minutes on that altar. I have what you need once this scene is finished. " Arlo hissed through his teeth.

The Chia took a cautious step away from the set- but as soon as the Grarrl noticed his movements, Gary let out a roar so loud it shook the rafters. Lights and ceiling beams fought to stay standing.

A loud creak sounded above the yellow Chia and a stage light cracked him straight on the top of his exasperated head.

******

Faintly, the Chia awoke to a guffaw, "... That's a wrap, everyone. We will be in post-production for the next six weeks. After which I expect you all to be in Neopia Central for the premiere."

With crossed, blurred eyes and a pounding headache, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. He noted the same opulent stained glass window... same candles... He tentatively lifted his arm to shield his eyes from the bright lights.

A heavy footfall next to where he lay caught the Chia's attention. He peered up at the intimidating Grarrl, who now appeared jubilant. Sparkling white teeth reflected light directly into the Chia's eyes.

"Can you take a step back?" He croaked, his throat was dry, "The lights are making my headache fiercer than a Monoceraptor."

The Grarrl turned around and addressed the others in the room.

"Three cheers for our very own Isaac Chiason! When we found this starving yellow Chia outside the Battledome with a case of Achy Head, Gary Greyman looked right at me and said 'Grazzino, we have him, our movie is saved!' the Grarrl turned back down, and so quietly only the Chia could hear, "...and now I don't have to worry about that 500 million neopoint loan from Kiko Lake."

"ARLO!"

The Korbat fluttered to the other side of the Chia. "Sir, the Magic Goop as requested."

A cold, greenish goo was spread across the Chia's head. Oh my, did that feel nice! A contented sigh left his lips. His headache began to melt away as the chatter of stagehands worked around him.

Boxes were closed up, and Isaac fell into a contented slumber.

****

Six Weeks Later

Isaac was in Neopia looking for Movie Central, he swore it was near the Money Tree.

When he had awoken alone, he had been unsure how much had been a dream or real. Only the residual Magic Goop on his head, had him thinking it had not been his imagination. He could remember his home on Terror Mountain, his attempt at snagging a treasure from the Snowager, but after that he had a three-week lapse.

His only lead was here in Neopia Central. Isaac walked up to some young Zafaras, who appeared to be staring in his direction... whispering back and forth.

"Excuse me, do you be any chance know where Movie Central is located?" He smelled popcorn on their fur.

Awestruck, the one asked, "Are... Are you Dead Chia?!"

"I am Isaac Chiason," he started to say before the other Zafara cut him off.

"Dude, you were amazing! We scalped Flash Passes just to see Dead Chia Chronicles."

The Chia was genuinely confused, "Flash Passes?"

"Yea man. Our one friend bailed, sign my shirt and you can have our third pass!"

Following the lead, Isaac scrawled his name on the Zafara's shirt before being handed a pass. Whilst studying it, his body jolted into an opulent red gilt movie theater. A crush of Neopians were waiting for popcorn and sodas.

A familiar voice boomed from a hall to his right, "Why yes! I do believe we'll make a sequel! It is the Dead Chia Chronicles after all!"

The Chia rounded the corner to thunderous applause, "The one, the only Isaac Chiason!" Isaac was pushed through the crowd until he was standing next to the intimidating Grarrl from his frazzled reckoning. He could barely make sense of the surroundings, much less what this all meant.

"We'll begin part two this very night," whispered Grazzino to a shadowy Grey Skeith. His claw gripped one side of Isaac and the other flagged down a familiar Korbat.

Isaac turned to the Grarrl, "Begin what? Why will no one give me a straight answer!" His shrill tone cutting through the din of the crowd.

Arlo appeared behind Isaac. "I'm so sorry for this," as he fired that blasted sleep ray right between Isaac's eyes.

The only thing the Chia could think as he fell to the floor was, 'Not Again'.

The End.