The Meepit War: Part One

It was a bright morning in the month of Gathering. Jenn, a pretty much normal Neopian, was just getting up. She was enjoying the quiet in front of her window with her elbows on the window sill, watching the baby Weewoos open their eyes for the first time. Suddenly, a scream broke the silence. Startled, Jenn tore herself away from the window, hastily putting on a bathrobe as she ran down the stairs. She was just tying the sash when Aaeeli, a silver Kougra, crashed into her at the bottom.

     "Mom!" she cried. "Look what Xurokai and Kinii did to Gigi!" She held up the normally blue Greeble, now brown with mud. Two circles of green covered its eyes. Its feet were bandaged in pink, which on closer inspection turned out to be pieces from a pink table cloth. On its head a small hand towel was glued. Jenn reached up and pulled off one of the green circles, wiped the mud off, and popped it in her mouth.

     "It's cucumber!" She giggled. Then, putting on a more sober face, she comforted Aaeeli. "It's alright honey, I'll deal with it. If we need to, we'll get her a paint brush." Aaeeli smiled a little at the prospect, wiping tears from her silver fur. Jenn picked up the poor Greeble, thinking as she did so, "And I know who will be paying for it."

    A checkered Kau ran into the kitchen, where there was placed a red bucket, filled with mud. Beside the bucket were slices of cucumbers, scissors, and a bottle of glue. A green Kougra stepped into the kitchen beside him, carrying his sister's bag of make-up. He and the Kau looked at each other in surprise. Where was their patient? "KINII!! XUROKAI!! COME HERE THIS INSTANT!" A few seconds later, the two mischievous Neopets peeked around the doorframe leading to the dining room. "What do you gentlepets have to say for yourselves?"

     "Uh, we were grooming it as a surprise for Aaeeli! She said mud is good for the skin, and that cucumbers will make your eyes soft! Why you would want that, I don't know." The checkered Kau smiled sheepishly.

     "It's for the skin AROUND your eyes, not for your eyes, Kinii!" Aaeeli said.

     "The point is, you did this without her permission," said Jenn.

     "But it was a surprise! And she was surprised alright, right, Xurokai?" The two pets giggled.

     "Maybe, but would you like it if she did this to Kiki?"

     "No... but she wouldn't do that!"

     "You never know!" Aaeeli put in.

     "I'll take care of this, Aaeeli," said Jenn. "Now, I want you two to say you're sorry to Aaeeli."

     "Sorry." Kinii and Xurokai looked at the floor, still smirking.

     "You don't look sorry." Jenn smiled inwardly.

     "We are, but the look on her face was so funny! She was like this:" Xurokai proceeded to show them. Kinii, Aaeeli, and even Jenn burst out laughing.

     "I do not!" Aaeeli pounced on Xurokai, who was pretending to be an Aaeeli-zombie.

     "Ooogh! My poor Gigi! Ooobleaurgh - Hey!" Aaeeli and Xurokai rolled on the floor, silver and green twisted together. Jenn put a hand over her face, moaning. Kinii stood by, laughing as he helped Xurokai chase the silver Kougra throughout the house. Five other Neopets, who were playing a board game, joined in, not even knowing what was going on. Soon a game of "capture the flag" was going on. Then it was girls against boys, racing through the house, sneaking along corridors, hiding under beds.

     ~~~~~

     Jenn sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a cup of hot Borovan. A blue Shoyru flew into the room, narrowly avoiding a purple Eyrie, who had just crashed into the wall.

"Mom?"

     "Yes, Maritoma?"

     "I was wondering if you could help me with this History thing I have to do for school. I'm good at Math, but not History."

     "Sure, what's the problem?"

     "Well, I keep forgetting what year it was that Sloth attacked Neopia."

     "Let's see, did you bring your History book?" The Shoyru handed her a blue book.

     "Thanks. Ok, page 28... ah, yes, here we are! It was year - OW!!" A blue Gelert crashed into her from behind, knocking her from her chair.

     "Sorry, Mom. You'll pay for that, you evil green Kougra!" the Gelert yelled over her shoulder. Snickers were heard coming from another room.

     "That's okay, Myyki. What were you doing? Oh, never mind. Go play, but remember you're supposed to help me make breakfast."

     "But - "

     "I'll do breakfast!" Maritoma piped up. "That way you can help me with my History."

     "Thanks, Maritoma. I'll do laundry for you later!" Myyki bounded after Xurokai without waiting for Jenn's answer.

     "Oh, well. Come on, Maritoma. You can make the pancakes while I read to you."

     "Ok, can we have Chokato pancakes today?"

     "Sure. Ok, now let's see... alright. Sloth attacked Neopia just before..." She trailed off, as she sniffed the air. "Oh, yuck! Don't tell me Kinii hasn't had his bath again. Well, I'll deal with that later." She opened the book again, as the Shoyru chopped and stirred, and finally the pancakes were ready. Jenn finished reading, went to the refrigerator, and got out a container of Kau Kau Milk, as well as a bowl of fresh Juppie fruit. Suddenly Brightmoon the Uni skidded in, hurtling toward the counter.

     "Sorry I took so long, Mom! I'll set the table now."

     "Thanks, Brightmoon. Don't forget, put out bowls for the fruit."

     "Yes, thanks for reminding me. Hey, Maritoma, did you get that History figured out?" Brightmoon set a pile of silverware on the table, and started placing them around the table.

     "Yeah, I did. Now I'll be ready for that test. I forgot to ask you, where did you get that cool binder for school?"

     "That? The Shop Wizard helped me out. Ok, Mom, I'm done! Come on, Maritoma! Let's go!"

     "Hold it, you two. It's breakfast time, and I want everyone here. Go call the others." The two Neopets ran off in different directions. The good thing about having such a big household was that when you needed something done, there was always someone around. Ten Neopets came running into the room, skidding and sliding into chairs. After order was restored, Jenn was just about to give thanks when there was a knock on the door.

     "I'll get it!" Kaedakaeda the purple Eyrie ran to the door. He fumbled with the latch, and then opened the door. He looked about, but no one was to be seen. "Uh, hello?" he called. He heard a snicker close to his feet. "What?"

     The rest of the family heard a scream coming from the doorway then a crash, and all ran to investigate. There was Kaedakaeda, with his back to the wall beside the door, which had been slammed shut. The Eyrie just stared, quivering all over. Brightmoon walked slowly over. "Kaeda? What's the matter? Who was at the door?"

     "From the look on his face, it must have been the Shadow Usul."

     "No! Mee-" Kaedakaeda spoke.

     "What?" Jenn looked at him closely.

     "No! No! Meepits!! Help!"

     "Meepits? There were Meepits at the door? Are you okay, Kaeda?" She put her hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes. He didn't move.

     "We had best take him to his room. Kinii, would you see if whoever it is is still there?" Xurokai, Aaeeli, and Maritoma helped Jenn carry the frozen Eyrie up to his room. Kinii cautiously opened the door, then drew back quickly, putting his hooves over his nose. "What's the matter, Kinii?" A blue Kougra stepped forward, then also stepped back. "Oh, what's that smell?"

     "I don't know, Alohaalo. I'm going to find out. Hey, Xurokai, come here." Xurokai came bounding down the stairs.

     "Yes?"

     "Come help me - you too, Prince!" He beckoned to the yellow Uni, who nodded. He stepped out carefully, the others behind him, holding their noses. He walked out onto the sidewalk, looking this way and that. Nothing was in sight. They stalked into the back yard, being careful not to make any noise. As they came to the rear of the house, beside the passage that led to the courtyard, and Kaedakaeda's garden. As they rounded the corner, the stench grew stronger. They heard maniacal laughter, accompanied by loud snorting noises. They peeked around the corner of the building, and what they saw astonished them. Two hundred or so Meepits gathered around a chair, in which was seated a large Meepit, with a crown on his head. The Neopets tried to get closer, being very quiet.

     Just then, Xurokai slipped. He had stepped on one of the many banana peels scattered around the area, seemingly to trip up intruders. The green Kougra fell flat on his face. The noise stopped, as all the pink petpets turned to look.

    "MEEEP!!" The Meepit with the crown on his head, who seemed to be in charge, pointed at the strangers. A surge of pink fur came to greet them. Bared teeth and pink furriness scrambled over the Neopets, biting them in various places.

    "RUUUNN!!" Kinii yelled. "I'll hold them off! Xurokai, go!!" Kinii stepped in front of them, sweeping his head to and fro. His horns scattered many of them, but it was too much, and he went under, as the pink creatures piled on top of him.

"Kinii, I'm coming!" Prince bounded into the fray, alongside Xurokai. Claws and hooves battered pink paws and fur. Prince was clearing an escape path, as Xurokai grabbed Kinii.

"Let's go!" he shouted. Xurokai and Kinii fought their way to Prince, and out alongside the wall. "Prince, come on!" Kinii looked back. There was no Prince. A Meepit appeared where he had stood. "Meep!!" It pointed a paw at them, and there appeared behind him at least fifty Meepits. Though they hated to, Kinii and Xurokai turned tail.

     "Jenn! The Meepits got Prince!" The battered Neopets hurtled through the door. Jenn was just coming down the stairs, dressed in blue.

     "What are you talking about? Where's Prince?"

     "The Meepits got him!" Xurokai panted.

     "You mean the Meepits that Kaedakaeda was talking about?"

     "What other Meepits are there around here?"

     "But they're just petpets. They wouldn't be attacking us." Jenn sat down on the bottom stair, staring into space. Suddenly she gasped. "Meepits!" Kinii and Xurokai turned to look at where Jenn was staring. She was staring at a window, through which they could see about a dozen Meepit heads. They looked to the other windows. The same thing - pink glaring Meepit faces. They ran around the house, checking the windows. Not one window, not even the upstairs windows, was not blocked by staring Meepit faces.

     Kinii was just rounding a corner into the kitchen, when he saw them - the Meepits had gotten in through an opened window. He rushed in, bawling his war cry.

     Brightmoon rushed into the room. "What's wrong? What are those pink things!?"

     Kinii stopped just long enough to reply. "They're Meepits! Help me out here!" A Meepit bit him on his tail, and he retaliated by stomping on the Meepit's tail.

     Brightmoon hesitated. "Uh, I don't battle very much... and besides, I might mess up my mane. I just brushed it!"

     Kinii was getting buried. "You can brush it later! I'm getting bitten!"

     "Oh, fine. But if I mess up my hair, you're paying for an appointment at the Grooming Parlor." She jumped in, hooves flying. Within five minutes, all the Meepits had been stuffed back through the window. Brightmoon shook her rich brown coat. "Whooh! I haven't had that much fun since, well, since the last time I battled, which was a while ago. Are you okay?"

     "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's check on the others." He trotted off to find Jenn.

     "Wait!" She hurried after him. "You haven't told me what happened yet! Why are there Meepits attacking our house?"

     "We don't know yet. But we have to find out."

To be continued...

Author's Note: Neomails are appreciated! Also, many of the Neopets mentioned here are on my spare accounts. ~ Jenn