Branston's Story

by Neo_Petter_Katherine

Branston the Eyrie held his little sister, blue little Belle, in his arms. Her pink bonnet was bunched up at the back and the loving brother slowly smoothed it.

"Branston," snapped Melody from the kitchen of his NeoHome. "Come here, now, and feed Butch and Bermuda."

"What are you doing?" snapped Branston, hoisting his newborn sister onto his shoulder. She giggled in delight and pulled on his string necklace. He smirked and delicately pulled her hand off.

"Practicing Cheat! Of course," replied Melody "Now come here."

Branston walked into the kitchen to see his Mother, Melody, sitting at the kitchen table dealing out thirteen cards to each of four players, her three friends and she. Branston glowered at Melody.

Why did you bother creating us if you were going to act like this? Thought Branston, putting Belle on the ground. She scampered over to the Child's Table (dung with four straw chairs) and pulled herself onto the chair.

"Butch, where's Bermuda?" asked Branston, grabbing chicken breasts, peas, milk and baby food from the low fridge.

"I'm here," said Bermuda walking in.

"Wow!" exclaimed Butch, moving over to touch her fur. "You look great! How did you afford that?"

"You look great," admitted Branston with a grin. He rearranged his string necklace as it started to become warm against his golden fur and walked over to his sister, now Christmas painted.

"I found the paintbrush on the ground," she said happily, lifting her tail and moving in a small circle. Belle laughed out loud and yelled her happiness.

"Be silent," demanded Melody.

Branston lifted Belle and spooned her some food with one hand as he cooked dinner, served it, and left the second oldest (Butch) in charge. He walked outside, sat on the doorstep and tried to pull of his necklace. A burning pain ran through his neck, and he yelled out, and let the necklace fall loose.

He slowly thought back to the necklace, the curse that filled it, the reason he got it...

"My pet keeps on running away," said Melody, hoisting the month-year-old Branston on to her shoulder. "And he keeps on not coming back. And Dr_Death comes, holding Branston by the scruff, and I don't want him to keep on running away."

The Dark Faerie nodded. For the entire speech she had been sitting in a calm listening on the black sofa chair she called a throne. The Dark Castle, in Haunted Woods, was so hidden that only the most skilled could find it. "Well, I can fix him from running away-yes. Definitely. Sheer determination may however destroy him or give a very large ego..."

"He's not determined," said Melody with a cold laugh. She put Branston on the ground. He scampered towards a wall and scraped it with his claws.

"Very well. Hand me a necklace." The Dark Faerie pulled out her dark wand.

"Sorry, none," said Melody, pulling her pockets out.

"Fine." The Dark Faerie moved towards Melody and she cringed, eyes closed. The Faerie pulled the string binding the Faerie's hair back in a bun and tapped the string with the wand. She picked up Branston and fastened the necklace tightly around. Branston scampered towards the door, knowing he could get away, when a searing blind pain of burning slashed through him like lightening.

And still, Branston wore the necklace. It was just a piece of cheap string that was dirty with age. Belle, Butch and Bermuda were too loyal to need a necklace. Just Branston.

Branston gave a shaky sigh and walked inside. Belle was in bed with Bermuda (they shared a cardboard bedroom) and Butch was in the washroom. Branston touched his neck where a fiery pain still burned. He knew he could never take off the necklace. He knew it would be on him forever.

***

The years passed. Cheat! seemed to be in poor Branston's blood. Despite his hate for the stupid card game, Branston played it day after day, night after night, handing out countless prizes, crying and smiling when the necklace burned him. The Dark Faerie backstage watched with satisfaction.

Every four hours the Cheat! Players got a two-minute break. Unfortunately, Branston was forced backstage.

Once, just after Branston began the Cheat! Game professionally, the Faerie told him, "All the Faeries think I'm absolutely great! Apparently, nobody can make a 'Necklace Curse' like me!" the Faerie giggled happily in vain pride and touched her purple clothed chest. "So I guess I owe it to you and Melody. So, I'll give you a huge house...and I'll make you a wonderful dancer since Melody loves that...and I'll change that necklace."

Branston felt a numbing jolt through his body and he stopped dead in his tracks. The string that was around his neck unfurled was sucked into the air and disappeared and a golden chain medallion was fastened around his neck. Only when the chain was resting flush on his neck did his legs become relaxed. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground.

"Vain and beautiful publicly," read Branston, "but, however, you want in private. 12123 Faerie Route, Faerieland."

Branston sighed deeply. He said, "But I can't be vain...not with my upbringing! I was in charge of everything..." and then the pain he remembered flickered at him threateningly from the metal chain. He had to be vain---that was his only choice. He had to mimic the Faerie of Darkness and advertise her to the world.

***

Basically, this entire story contradicts the Neopedia article. Only in a way, however. During the interview, it is said that "Branston rearranged his medallion". Perhaps he was thinking of blurting out the story, hating to be so ignorant towards the world? And the pain started? In private life, Branston is a compassionate father and husband. He is married to a Disco Eyrie named Eyrie_343_232. He spends his time contemplating ways to remove the necklace... and perhaps in the future, he will....

The End

Author's Note: I would like to thank everybody who has pets named Belle, Butch, Bermuda, Belle, Eyrie_343_232 and Melody. Especially, I thank Branston for his important role in this story, and Spectre for opening the Cheat! Copyright laws so that I could expose Branston's true face to the world.