The Beauty of Loyalty

by Yoshidudette007

Once upon a time, about 2 days ago, there was a beautiful rainbow colored Gelert. He was the only Gelert in Neopia to be born a rainbow colored Gelert without buying a rainbow paintbrush. Now, you would think that a rainbow colored Gelert would be VERY popular, but no, this one was not liked at all! It was sooo sad. Every single Neopian, the big and the small, the pets and the owners, absolutely despised him! They were afraid there was something very wrong with him, like some sort of disease, but there wasn't. This Gelert (since not having an owner because of his "disease") did not have a name. All of the other NeoPets called him the color freak. He hated it! He could not do anything about it.

Now of course a Gelert has to eat, but how could he get food without a master? He couldn't get anything from the money tree because you have to have an owner for that. So every morning when no one is awake, he steals food from people's inventory! Then, when the person sees a "something has happened" thing on the top of the screen and it says that your items are missing because a swamp ghoul has stolen them, well, it probably was not a swamp ghoul, but a costumed rainbow Gelert!

One day the Gelert was walking through a forest looking for wild growing food or maybe something some careless person had dropped when suddenly he heard an awful sound. "EHHHHHeeeeeehehaEEEEEEEooaeeee! I will destroy you!" screeched a creaky voice, "I will take the soul of the rainbow Gelert!" Now I don't know who wouldn't be afraid if they were a rainbow Gelert and heard that so you can't get mad at the Gelert for running away like a chicken. He ran sooooo fast that when he past a beautiful, wild, and fire colored Gelert he almost didn't stop. The cute female asked in a frightened yet still trying to be calm voice, "Is the Swamp Ghoul after you too?" Now rainbow Gelert knew what a swamp ghoul was, but he didn't know that that was what was scaring him so all he managed to say was, "Wha-wha-what's yer name miss?"

"The name? I don't have one...I have never had an owner."

Then she began weeping pitifully. Trying to comfort her, and, at the same time, saying joyfully, "Really? Same here! But why you? I don't have an owner to be warm and loyal to cuz' I was born with weird colors, so everyone thinks I have a disease."

"Wow, that's sad, I don't have a owner because every person I meet thinks I have a disease because when my old owner used the 'disco fever paintbrush' I turned fiery."

They both talked for hours until they heard an evil cackle from behind a mossy redwood. They dared not look at what was there so they RAN! They ran and ran, hearing the sound of the cackle behind them the whole time. They finally looked back and saw the most horrible, gnarled, ugly, evil, thing in the world: the king of the swamp ghouls. They ran and ran, but the swamp ghoul was VERY fast! (since he didn't have to run, he floated.) They weren't even looking where they were going. THUMP! They ran into a door. The evil creature had disappeared. In the distance they heard the shrill swamp king squealing. After awhile, they heard a little *pop*! They knew he was gone.

Both of the Gelerts knew that the only way that a swamp ghoul could be destroyed was if there was a REALLY powerful defence magic covering this area. Low and behold they looked up and saw a sign above that read: Chris' Magic Defences Store. They knocked on the door and an old man opened the door, "Hello young Gelerts, come in, come in!" The Gelerts had never been in a sheltered room before. They went in cautiously knowing not to mess with a wise old man that was more powerful than the king of swamp ghouls. He seated the Gelerts and told them, "I've been watching you since your birth," he continued, "In fact, I made the spell to have you be born the way you are. You are the most magical and powerful Gelerts in the world. I created you for one purpose: to protect the magic within this shop. The swamp ghouls could steal the items and rule all of Neopia, only you two and I can protect it from them." The fiery Gelert broke in, "Why us, if you've been watching us, then you probably know that the king swamp ghoul almost got us, if the king can destroy us, what is stopping the other swamp ghouls from doing it?" Chris answered smugly, "I was just getting to that, the swamp king is much more powerful than the other ghouls, they dare not come NEAR you!" Rainbow Gelert said, "Why don't you just guard it? You are more powerful." Chris said, "I wish I could take care of this store forever, but you see I am very old, I will pass away very soon. You must do it, but first I will give you the magical names so that you will be my pets and no one else can steal you, hurt you, or destroy you."

"I wanna be called Luna!"

"I wanna be called Rex!"

"I have to name you your MAGICAL names. You..." He pointed at the fiery Gelert, "You are Flaria!" Then Chris muttered some magic words and sparkles began to surround Flaria, "You..." He pointed a finger at the rainbow Gelert still muttering some spells, "You are Mortimer!" A sparkles began to surround Mortimer. The wizard Chris was chanting faster and faster. The more he chanted, the brighter sparkles. The wizard paused when the room was so full of sparkly dust that you couldn't see anything and shouted, "ALAKAZAM!" There was a big flash.

Mortimer remembered his whole life. He felt sorry for himself before, now he was feeling very optimistic and self-confident. A rush of happiness filled him, he wondered if Flaria was feeling the same. As soon as the flash ended, Mortimer found himself in a big room with a fire roaring beside him. How cozy. His new owner Chris told him and Flaria many stories and took good care of them for many years.

***

One day, Mortimer woke up to hear Flaria crying. He rushed to her side because Flaria rarely ever cried. He had only heard her cry once, and that was in the woods when the king swamp ghoul was after them. Then he noticed Chris beside her; he was not breathing. He was very sad, and he nearly cried himself, but then he remembered what his mission in Neopia was: guard the shop from evil.

So for many years he guarded the store with his wife Flaria. They had children who guarded the store after that. In fact, there are still the descendants of Mortimer and Flaria in a store. It is a lot different then the old store it used to be. It rarely has any defence magic because all of the defence magic from Chris's shop has been sold. The name has changed and the descendent of Mortimer has a different master. But the thoughts and souls of Mortimer, Flaria, and Chris still linger in the old shop.

The End