The white curtains fluttered in front of the open window. A long rectangle
of sunlight slanted across the bed. IcySakura, a purple shoyru, stood in front
of that window in his bedroom, smiling as a gentle breeze ruffled his fur. IcyKero,
his PetPet Mongmong, sat on his bed, inspecting his new Snow Blumaroo toy.
"Hey IcyKero! Want to take a short walk down Neopian Bazaar? It's such a fine
day today," IcySakura asked, turning his face away from the window and looked
at IcyKero.
IcyKero looked up from the Snow Blumaroo toy for a moment, before saying, "Sure!
I'm getting bored with this toy anyway."
Together, IcySakura and IcyKero made their way down the stairs. "Sherry! IcyKero
and I are going to the Neopian Bazaar! We'll be back soon!" IcySakura shouted.
Before Sherry, their owner, could reply, the door of their neohome banged shut.
Neopian Bazaar...
It was not very crowded at the Neopian bazaar today. The sun was burning down
and IcySakura and IcyKero were grateful for the light breeze that helped keep
them cool. Suddenly IcySakura smelt the aroma of cookies coming from the bakery.
He rushed to the bakery and pressed his nose against the window, looking longingly
at the newly baked delicious cookies.
IcyKero must have guessed what IcySakura was thinking, because he said, "Don't
even think about it. We didn't bring any NP when we left."
IcySakura looked up at IcyKero and muttered, "Yeah, right. I'll ask Sherry
to buy me a chocolate chip cookie when she comes for her shopping later on."
IcySakura glanced back longingly at the cookies once more, before rushing up
to catch up with IcyKero.
Suddenly, IcySakura came to a halt on the pavement and stood frozen to the
spot. His sixth sense told him someone was following him and he knew his sixth
sense never failed him. IcySakura looked back and saw no one there.
"IcySakura, what's the matter?" IcyKero asked.
"IcyKero, I think we're being followed. I can sense it," IcySakura whispered
to IcyKero. "Come on IcyKero, we're going to catch that culprit. There, you
hide in those bushes over there and I'll hide in the bushes on the other side.
When I count to three, we'll bounce on the culprit and hold him down. Understood?"
IcyKero nodded his head. IcyKero knew all about IcySakura' sixth sense and
he knew this was not the time to joke around. He flew to the bushes, pretending
to smell the flowers so that he would not appear suspicious to the person who
was following them. IcySakura had gone to the bushes on the other side.
Just then, the person who was following them stopped on the pavement between
the two bushes where IcySakura and IcyKero were hiding. He was wearing a hooded
cloak and they could not see who it was from their hiding place. IcyKero saw
IcySakura mouthed "1...2..." to him and at the count of three they jumped onto
that person. The person who was following them was caught surprised by the sudden
attack that he fell to the ground with a loud thud, with IcySakura and IcyKero
on top of him.
Suddenly, that person shot out his hand roughly and threw IcySakura to the
ground. Then he grabbed IcyKero, got up and fled down the street.
"IcyKero!" IcySakura screamed. He was frantic and he did not know what to do.
IcyKero had been kidnapped. IcyKero had been kidnapped! The thought kept flashing
through his mind. His body felt frozen, as if someone had cast a magic spell
on him, forcing her to hang in space for all time....
***
"Sherry! SHERRY!" IcySakura screamed at the top of his voice. "IcyKero had
been kidnapped! KIDNAPPED!"
"Whoa! Hold it, hold it!" Sherry rushed out of the kitchen and frantically
asked, "did you see who did it?"
IcySakura nodded his head. "It was someone wearing a hooded cloak!"
"That won't help us much," Sherry said. She was quivering with anxiety. "Did
you see anything about that kidnapper? Anything! Like a strand of his hair...or...
or..." Sherry stooped short, looking worriedly at IcySakura.
IcySakura thought for a moment. Images swam in his head as he forced his mind
to remember something about the kidnapper. Then he remembered seeing the tip
of a red tail when the kidnapper got up and fled. "The tip of a red tail," IcySakura
said.
Suddenly Sherry clutched the edge of a table for support. "No, it can't be.
It can't be!" Sherry said softly. "NO!"
"Sherry! Sherry! What is it?" IcySakura asked frantically, shocked at Sherry's
reaction.
Sherry looked up, her eyes dull with shock and fear. "It's the Red Grarrls
Gang... the Red Grarrls Gang... IcySakura, it's time you know this, IcyKero's
not an ordinary Mongmong. He was once the slave for the Red Grarrls Gang, the
most vicious Grarrls gang in the whole of Neopia. The red Grarrls bullied IcyKero
and mistreated him. One day I saw them ill-treating IcyKero so badly that I
couldn't control myself and I dashed forward, grabbed IcyKero and kicked the
red Grarrl leader's butt and stomped on his tail so hard that it roared in fury.
As I ran away from the Grarrls, I could hear the Grarrl leader cursing us and
swearing to get revenge one day... and this day has come..."Sherry stopped,
and IcySakura could see she was close to tears. He gave Sherry's shoulder a
gentle squeeze, comforting her with his little hand. Sherry glanced up at him
and gave him a grateful smile.
IcySakura could not stand it anymore. He looked at Sherry with determined eyes.
"Don't worry, Sherry. IcyKero is my pet and it's my duty to take good care of
him. I promise you, I'll save him!"
"But IcySakura, this is too dangerous!" Sherry argued.
"Don't stop me, Sherry! I've to do what I got to do. Now where do the Red Grarrls
Gang live?" IcySakura said.
"In the cave near The Lair of the Beast," Sherry murmured. She knew IcySakura
is a brave and determined shoyru and nothing could stop him from having his
way.
Outside the Red Grarrls Gang's cave....
IcySakura took a cautious step into the cave. He looked around the cave for
any signs of traps and kept his ears open for any signs of sound. When he was
sure the cave was safe to enter, he walked bravely in, following a rocky path
that stretched along deep into the cave.
Suddenly, the cave seemed to dim... and without warning the cave was surrounded
by darkness! Just then, the cave was brightened up by the glow of fire from
a stick held by a red Grarrl. IcySakura looked up and saw the Grarrl leader
standing right in front of him, grinning at him showing off his sharp, yellowish
teeth. In his hand, he held a cage and IcyKero was imprisoned inside!
IcySakura gasped at the sight of IcyKero. IcyKero was covered with bruises
all over his tiny body and his wings were injured. He lay there very still,
as if he was... dead.
"What have you done to him?" IcySakura snarled, narrowing his eyes and glaring
at the Grarrl leader.
"Just given him a bath," the Grarrl replied, grinning wickedly.
IcySakura was so enraged, his teeth clenched. He flew up till he was eye to
eye with the Grarrl leader. Then he punched hard at the Grarrl's eye.
"ARUGGHHH! GET HIM!" the Grarrl leader howled, rubbing his eyes furiously.
The other Grarrls surrounded IcySakura, closing on him.
IcySakura was paralysed with fear. His heart pounded recklessly in his chest.
Just then he looked up and saw a huge boulder wedged in between the rocky wall.
Just as one of the Grarrls was about to grab him, he flew up to the boulder.
Using all his strength, he pulled out the boulder and threw it onto the Grarrls,
crashing them beneath.
Thack! The Grarrl's leader's large red tail came swiping down on IcySakura
and begin caught unaware, he dropped onto the ground with a loud thud. Thack!
Thack! Thack! The Grarrl's tail kept coming at IcySakura. IcySakura's energy
had all been drained just now by pulling out the boulder that he felt weak,
unable to defend the Grarrl's swiping tail...
Meanwhile...
I thought I heard IcySakura's voice, IcyKero thought. He blinked opened his
eyes, and saw the Grarrl leader battling with IcySakura. IcySakura had become
too weak to battle on anymore.
"No... IcySakura..." IcyKero whispered. His whole body hurt from the beating
he got from the Grarrls just now. As he struggled to sit upright, he let out
a groan. His head was pounding. Suddenly IcySakura received a powerful blow
from the Grarrl's tail and knocked the wind out of IcySakura.
IcyKero stared, his eyes wide with terror. I had got to save IcySakura, he
thought. He ignored the pulsating pain in his head and willed himself to break
open the lock of the cage. He fumbled with the lock, and after awhile the lock
went "click". Yes! I did it! IcyKero thought. He turned his head and saw that
Icysakura was getting weaker and weaker. Just then, IcyKero caught sight of
the swiping tail of the Grarrl leader coming fast onto IcySakura and IcySakura
was unaware of it.
"NOOOOO!" IcyKero screamed. He flew out of the cage and stooped in front of
IcySakura. With the last bit energy he had inside him, he blocked the blow for
Icysakura, and everything went black.
***
A scream bubbled up out of IcySakura's throat and before he could hold it back,
it slipped out of his mouth and spilled out into the air. "ICYKERO!"
IcySakura willed himself to get to IcyKero's side. He cradled IcyKero in his
arm, tears pricking his eyes.
"Enough of this sweet talk! Now it's your turn!" the Grarrl leader thundered.
IcySakura staggered, but he managed to stand up and looked up at the Grarrl.
His eyes narrowed his teeth and fingers clenched, he growled, "Nobody touches
my IcyKero!"
With that, IcySakura's body glowed, his wings blazing with fire and his eyes
blazing with anger and hatred. Without any warning, IcySakura dashed at the
Grarrl leader, straight through his body. With a deafening roar, the Grarrl
slowly melted, and became a pile of sludge...
***
"IcyKero, wake up! Wake up!" IcyKero blinked his eyes and saw IcySakura gazing
down at him, He gave him a weak smile. "Thanks IcySakura," IcyKero whispered.
"I've a great time with you all these years and you've been a really good owner
to me. I will always be grateful for your kindness... thanks." With that IcyKero
closed his eyes.
"IcyKero, I'll miss you," IcySakura whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks.
When a teardrop splashed onto IcyKero's face, IcyKero glimmered and dimmed,
until he disappeared into a sparkle of lights.
The End |