Author's Note: I'm sorry I haven't been writing for so long, but I was taking
a break, albeit such a long one. I've missed the 'Times! So I made an eight-part
series to make up for my eight-issue absence :)
***
Ixi the Faerie Ixi was considered a hero, by the Faeries
of Neopia, for he had once saved
Neopia against the evil Dark Faerie Jhudora. He usually kept away from
his owner, Jane, instead preferring to hang around Faerieland, where the Faerie
Queen Fyora and all the other Faeries sang his praises.
"I know two very noble NeoPets, noble as you
are," said Fyora on one of their almost-daily talks. "Luperusse and Skeithena.
They managed to bring me an Air Faerie's Sword from Jhudora very swiftly, quicker
than I imagined. They did it in less than a day, Ixi! They are very brave pets,
just like you. I am sure that you would like to meet them." (At this point,
Ixi tried - unsuccessfully - not to look too pleased.)
The Ixi was instantly interested. "Really? I
would like to meet them, Your Majesty! Can I? Can you ask them? Can you write
to Oopus and Skeena, or whatever their names are?"
Fyora smiled. "Of course, Ixi. Anything for the
hero who saved Neopia!" Ixi puffed up his chest and she glanced up at the Faerie
dust-powered clock on the wall. "It's late now, your owner will be waiting for
you. Please go back to her."
Ixi groaned but he obeyed. "Yes, Your Majesty.
See you tomorrow.
The Faerie Queen waved, and said softly, "No,
not tomorrow. You'll be going to Luperusse and Skeithena's house tomorrow, if
I can manage it."
The Ixi didn't know whether to look pleased or
disappointed. In the end he decided to grin - honestly. "Thank you, Queen Fyora."
***
The next morning, Sharon, owner of Luperusse and Skeithena, opened the mailbox.
A single envelope dropped out. It was large and very official-looking, and written
in pink ink was To Luperusse and Skeithena. Sharon sighed in disappointment.
No mail from Jess, her best Neofriend.
"Skeithena!" called Sharon. Sharon knew not to
call Luperusse, who was, in the morning, very grumpy - which was his usual state
anyway. "Skeithena, you and Luperusse have a letter!"
Skeithena arrived. She was a yellow Skeith, but
she was unusual. Unlike any other Skeith, she was even cleverer than a Lenny,
and rather than being lazy and using others to do things for her, she was hardworking
and very kind. (She ate very little, too.) She turned the envelope over and
looked at the stamp. "It's the symbol for Faerie Queen," said Skeithena,
looking mildly surprised. She walked into the living room, where Luperusse was.
"Open it," Luperusse snarled. Luperusse had once
been Jhudora's slave, and he had mutated into a 'Jhudora-coloured' Lupe. He
had purple fur, and lime green fur on his face, tummy, and the tip of his tail.
He also had Shoyru-like wings. "Go on, open it," he snapped again.
The Skeith sighed. She was a bit of a "goody-two-shoes"
and very used to his temper. She didn't answer, but she opened the envelope,
trying not to break it. Whether or not the envelope would be thrown away, the
gentle Skeith didn't like to tear or break anything.
"It is from the Faerie Queen!" gasped
Luperusse. "What would she Neomail us for?" They both read the note silently,
together:
To Luperusse and Skeithena:
I believe that you have heard of Ixi, the
Faerie Ixi. [At this point, Skeithena had to explain to Luperusse who Ixi
was, as she had read about him in a book.] I have told him of your courage
in returning an Air Faerie sword to me, and freeing a Baby Aisha from her slavery.
He would very much like to meet another pair of heroes. Would it be all right
if he visited your house tomorrow?
Please reply to my Neomail as soon as possible.
Signed,
Fyora, the Faerie Queen
"I don't fancy a visitor here," grumbled Luperusse.
"Oh, don't be so grouchy!" said Skeithena, excited.
"It'll be fun! Please, Luperusse? I'll... when it's your turn to do the dishes,
I'll do them for you!" she offered. "That is, if you let Ixi come! Please!"
"You always do the dishes," pointed out
Luperusse. Then, watching his sister's face fall, he said, "Fine then. But if
it weren't for you, I wouldn't - "
"Yay! Thanks Luperusse!" She hugged him hard.
"Okay, okay. Stop strangling me!"
***
"Yes, Jane, I'm allowed to go to Luperusse and Skeithena's house," said Ixi
to his owner.
"You'll be safe there?" asked Jane, concerned.
She was a good owner, and she provided him with everything he needed. She loved
her Ixi, but he didn't seem to love her in return.
Ixi gave a slightly exaggerated sigh. "Yes, Jane,
these are heroes like me!" He did not trouble to be too polite about
it. After all, he was a hero, wasn't he?
Jane glared at him. "Don't get too bigheaded,
Ixi! Just because they're - "
"Well Queen Fyora said, so too bad!" snapped
Ixi. He slammed his bedroom door, and threw himself on his bed, but almost instantly
it was opened again by his owner. She was fuming, but only slightly.
"Ixi, what's happened to you? You were such a
sweet Ixi when I first adopted you - so nice and polite, and humble -
but now... you practically ignore me! All you need me - want me - for is to
have food, toys, extremely expensive furniture and a roof above our heads! Do
you know how hard I work for you? I spend half my time playing games to earn
Neopoints, and all you give me in return is... not even love or a thank you!"
she stormed. Her voice rose enough, Ixi thought, to make the roof jump up in
the air and the floor beneath them tremble.
The Faerie Ixi allowed his owner to carry on
for several minutes before falling asleep, not even replying. Jane sighed unhappily
and left the room.
Sapphire
scurried off into the darkness. DellaNeve watched his Puppyblew go away, and
looked at his blue Alarm Clock. Midnight. Della sighed and went to bed.
He trusted Sapphire. After all, the Puppyblew
always found his recipients, even without an address. But nevertheless,
he wished Sapphire good luck.
***
"Huh?" Skeithena said groggily. She listened, and again she heard the knocking
on the window. "What's happen - " She started at the sight of a terrified-looking
Puppyblew, with an envelope in its mouth. "Another letter. Luperusse!" she hissed
at her younger brother in the neighbouring bed.
Luperusse was a very heavy sleeper, and it took
several slobbery licks (on his face) from the Puppyblew for him to wake up,
even groggier than Skeithena.
"A letter. Again." Luperusse quickly regained
his wits and looked wide awake, ripping open the letter. It was written in a
messy scrawl that was just legible in the darkness. Skeithena silently
thanked Adam; she didn't want to wake Sharon up by turning on the light. Her
own handwriting was always perfect and oh-so-neat, but somehow she was
very good at reading bad handwriting. Perhaps it had something to do with her
eagerness to help, and living with her (messy) brother. She lowered her eyes
and read the letter.
Luperusse and Skeithena, this is DellaNeve.
I hope that you remember me, I was the one at the Tyrannian Plateau when Luperusse
was nearly starved, remember? I'm sorry that this letter is so messy and all,
but this is urgent.
I heard that Luperusse was once Jhudora's
slave, so I guess that you know all about Jhudora-slavery. Now before you gape
in shock at the fact that I know that Luperusse is an ex-slave [actually,
this was exactly what they were doing], I'll tell you why. It's because my
sister Ghicaccio insisted on visiting Jhudora, and now she's a slave. She was
fed a Jhudaberry (a new, apparently incurable way of enslaving pets) and Jhudora
says that she doesn't know any way of curing it. Maybe you might?
Please, please, please do your best to help
me. I can't do anything because Ghicaccio put a spell on me, I can't tell anyone
(ha, but I can write!). I guess you probably can't help but I think it would
be good if you knew. Jhudora has FULL control of Ghicaccio like she did of Luperusse...
only Ghicaccio's more powerful now.
Thanks, send your reply to me by giving it
back to Sapphire (that's my Puppyblew, who brought you this letter in the first
place). Don't use Neomail or it's a fair chance that Ghicaccio gets her hands
on it. Don't BOTHER telling anyone, no one will believe you. It'll sound like
a ridiculous story and Ghicaccio can cute-eye anyone into anything, even as
a slave. I love my sister, I want her back and I don't want her in any danger.
If Jhudora finds you, she will enslave Luperusse and probably... do something
else to Skeithena and my sister.
Please help, from a Worried DellaNeve
Luperusse stared at Skeithena. "Well my wise
and wonderful sister, what should we do?" he said, with only a slight hint of
sarcasm.
She overlooked his sarcasm and answered with
no hesitation. "Help him of course. He helped you out before."
The ex-slave laid a paw on his sister's shoulder
in mock patience. "Noo, sister. I knoww that you'd want us to help him. But
how can we help him? We don't haave a solution, aand - "
"Stop elongating your words and listen to me,"
snapped Skeithena. Luperusse instantly obeyed out of shock at Skeithena actually
snapping. "Look, just tell him that - that we'll do our best.
"Not much help, that," said Luperusse, but he
agreed. "You'd better be quick, then, Skeithena - Ixi is visiting tomorrow."
To be continued...
What will happen when Ixi comes to visit? What's going to happen to DellaNeve
and his sister? Read the next issue to find out :) Meanwhile, feel free to Neomail
me with any comments, complaints, questions, suggestions, or just to have a
friendly chat! Thanks and have a nice day :)
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