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"Bummer about your science experiment, Flurry." Scales
sympathized as he patted the starry Lupe’s back. Killerflurry, the miserable
Lupe in question, sighed as he wiped the last remnants of vinegar off his muzzle.
"I don’t understand it! How did the food coloring
make the vinegar explode?" he asked, rubbing his temples feverishly.
"I don’t know, Flurry. But then again, this
is Neopia, and anything can happen here." Scales replied, flapping his sparkling
golden wings to dislodge the small flecks on vinegar that had splattered against
them when the test tube exploded. Killerflurry snorted.
"I think that Zarrelian just has that affect
on things… When he comes near, most choose to just self-destruct rather than
to face him," the Lupe grumbled. Scales chuckled, slinging his knapsack over
his golden shoulder as he began to make his way out of the emptying classroom.
"Have a nice evening, Flurry," the Scorchio
called as he melted into a throng of chattering Pets.
Killerflurry sighed and leaned back in his seat.
After the unfortunate vinegar incident, he and Zarrelian had been given double
servings of detention. Personally, he thought that it was atrociously unfair,
but he didn’t dare to question Mr. Bronston’s orders. The Draik had the potential
to, well… Do something very, VERY nasty. Killerflurry’s only comfort was that
Zarrelian was also sharing in his misery. The Lupe sighed again and pulled out
a novel that he was reading, eyeing the clock over the top of the book. Only
two more hours until he was free to go…
***
Zarrelian sniggered as he watched his science partner, an overgrown starry
Lupe, wander into the classroom and meet up with his friends. Pah! Friends,
who needs them? The young Halloween Ixi didn’t need anyone or anything, well,
except for his Hypno Helmet and Mallard, of course. Zarrelian was secretly very
pleased with himself. He had already managed to score the clueless Lupe a double
detention.
Now, it was the beginning of yet another boring
school day. Zarrelian yawned and lay down on his desk, pulling on a pair of
mirrored shades so that he could sleep without the teacher becoming suspicious.
Mr. Bronston, said teacher, came gliding into
the classroom, soaring above the heads of his land-dwelling students on his
leathery, Draik wings. Zarrelian chuckled at the Draik’s love of impressing
his students and drifted off to sleep.
Mr. Bronston rolled his eyes and shook his head
as he watched Zarrelian. Honestly, exactly how dumb did the Ixi think he was?
The Draik cracked his knuckles and cleared his throat, exciting the flame glands
that resided in his smoky gullet. With a cavernous roar, Mr. Bronston released
a red-hot jet of fire into The Ixi’s face, jolting him awake in an instant.
The Draik took a great flourishing bow, grinning as his students cheered. Zarrelian
glared daggers at him.
"Now," Mr. Bronston began, after calming down
his students. "Today I have very special to introduce." The Draik grabbed a
piece of bright white chalk and began to write on the vast green surface of
the blackboard. (Greenboard, really). Mr. Bronston slowly read what he had written.
"The third annual Neopian Public School Science
Fair. Choose a project that you care about and work on it with a good friend!
Loads of fun prizes and fun. Participation is voluntary, but if you don’t join
in on the fun, then I fail you."
The Draik examined his claws and glanced at his
class. "Now, I’ve made a few changes this year. Instead of choosing your own
project, I’ll be choosing them for you because I want to win this year. I mean,
I want one of YOU to win this year." Mr. Bronston lowered his voice to harsh
snarl. "Every year that idiot Kougra Mr. Cooldude wins, well not this time!"
He straightened back up. "Also, You won’t be working with a friend, but with
your science partners."
Killerflurry groaned and slumped down onto his
desk. Mr. Bronston yawned and pulled out the same musty top hat that had sentenced
Killerflurry to his doom just yesterday by pairing the poor Lupe up with Zarrelian.
The Draik grinned.
"Now, each project in this hat is something
ultra fun and educational. They’re all works of genius, and I spent all night
making them. One Pet from each partnership draws out a project, and that’s what
you’ll both do." He cast a glare across the classroom.
"Well? What’re waiting for? Hurry up!"
As quick as they could, one Pet from the each
partnership scrambled out of their seats and dashed down to the front of the
room, shoving their paws, claws, wings and flippers into the hat and drawing
out a project. Killerflurry was about to rise and select his assignment, but
he caught sight of Zarrelian, who was already selecting their project. Judging
by the infuriated look on the Ixi’s face, Killerflurry guessed that they had
been landed with the dud of the batch. How typical. For a fleeting moment, the
starry Lupe wondered if what the Island Mystic had said about imminent doom
in his future just before he had left Mystery Island was true. Killerflurry
sighed. Now he wished that he had bought the lucky rabbit’s paw that the shaman
had recommended instead of calling it rubbish and accusing the Mystic of fraud…
Zarrelian, who was standing directly in front of his desk and glaring down at
him, jolted the Lupe out of his thoughts.
"I got our project, Killer. It’s a dud." He
drawled. Killerflurry rolled his eyes.
"No kidding. And how many times do I have to
tell you, the name isn’t Killer, it’s Flurry, okay?"
"Killer’s better. Flurry sounds like some sort
of dessert."
"What if I called you Zarrelina?"
"Flurry it is!"
Killerflurry sighed and propped his star-spangled
muzzle on his paw. "What’s our project? It couldn’t be that bad, could it?"
Zarrelian laughed, "Oh, it is. Here, take a look."
The Ixi slammed a sheet of paper down under the Lupe’s nose. Killerflurry’s
eyes widened as he read the bold header atop the sheet.
"The life cycle of a Mortog?" he asked incredulously.
"Yup," Zarrelian replied. "According to the
project guide, we have to go and catch a real Mortog and observe its lifestyle.
You know, Mortad to Mortog to prince… or guts, or course."
Killerflurry wretched. "Ugh, I think I’m going
to be sick!" he groaned.
Zarrelian sniggered. "We can go down to the Meridell
bog after school and catch one… Hope you don’t mind ruining that fancy starry
coat, Lupey."
The Lupe sighed, "Normally, I would. But I’d
rather get a little muddy than roasted…" he said, eyeing his flame-spewing teacher.
Based on the Draik’s determination to win the science fair, Killerflurry had
a feeling that Mr. Bronston wouldn’t hesitate to bring out the fire if things
didn’t go his way….
To be continued...
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