The Shadows in the Light

As you will need it when you battle with Black.

A lovely white Zafara was playing happily with a shadow Lupe. They were two innocent young pets, their thoughts filled with happiness and joy. They planted flowers, everlasting flowers, as they were planted by pure minds and friendship. They planted trees of all kinds, which bore the most delicious fruit you could ever taste. But one day, a human came along, and claimed the pretty Zafara as his own. In the land the two pets had planted, he placed a fountain. He wanted to destroy the trees, and remove the flowers so that he could build a house right in front of the fountain. The Zafara cried out against him, but the human wouldn't listen. Then, the Lupe attacked the owner, angry at the human for claiming the Zafara as his. The Lupe pushed him into the fountain, but a strange thing happened-- the boy disappeared into the fountain, not drowning, not getting hurt in any way. He just vanished into the water.

     After that, the two friends raged against owners, walking the streets to warn pets, giving them a drink from the fountain-- which corrupted their minds. Any pet that could be led to drink from the fountain turned against owners, and forgot their full names and just remembered short versions of their real ones. They either turned shadow or white. Shadow was for the pets that didn't have owners, but just raged against people. White was for the ones with owners, who raged against their owner with a fierce hate, and against all other people with dislike.

     After there were many pets who had been captured, they all stopped going out in public, as some humans recognized them, and captured the pets to turn over to the authorities. Soon, the evil pets just ducked around in shadows, choosing victims. But when they were caught off guard by a pet, they captured him, too.

     Her laugh was of twinkling bells, her fur as white as pure snow. If you were to pat that mound of fluffy-looking snow, it felt as soft as a baby pets' fur. Her eyes were a piercing blue, her mouth ever turned up in a smile. She was the type of pet anyone would want. Yet, she was ownerless.

     She wandered the streets at night, and hid during the day. Although she walked the grimy streets, her fur never grew dirty or tangled--- it stayed fluffy. Despite her bright white fur, she was never spotted, unless by chance. And it was by chance I found her.

     "Who are you?" I asked, mesmorized by this pet. Me, a Kougra, entranced with a Zafara

     She turned around, startled. "I am Sila. I thought no one could see me..."

     She laughed her twinkling laugh.

     She had been standing under a bright light, yet you couldn't help but not notice her.

     "I... I am not quite sure how I found you," I replied, earnestly. This was true. I had just happened to glance her way, and my mouth spoke before my eyes adjusted and saw her.

     "Well, now, what is your name?" she seemed to want a change of subject. Since I also found that subject senseless, I didn't object.

     "Aqwuamarine..." I blushed a bit at my long name, which seemed foolish, now.

     "Then I shall call you Mar," said Sila decidedly.

     "Where is your owner?" it slipped out. I hadn't meant to ask that question, not yet, anyways. But it did seem such a beautiful, nice pet should have an owner.

     A shadow seemed to flicker over her bright blue eyes, but if there had been one, I either imagined it or it passed before it was really there.

     "My, my owner? Well, now... she is... she is... out shopping. Come with me, I'll show you my home." Sila smiled, showing bright white teeth that matched her fur.

     Before I knew it, I had agreed. I tried to object after I realized it, because my own owner would be furious if I went off somewhere without telling her.

     But Sila would take no excuses. "Come, come! We shall have fun!" she grasped my paw and danced away.

     Soon, from all the whirling and twirling of her dance, I was dizzy.

     "Please, stop. Or I'm going to be sick!" I pleaded with her. We twirled some more, but then we came to an abrupt halt.

     "Here we are!" I opened my eyes, the world spinning.

     I closed me eyes shut again, as I couldn't get a clear picture of where I was, and didn't reopen them until my lunch settled.

     When I opened my eyes, I let a gasp fall out. The place was beautiful. There was a wide range of lush, green grass. A fountain was a few feet before me, shooting water up into the air, and then flowing down gracefully. There were trees of all kinds spread out: Apple trees, orange trees, lemon trees, pear trees-- any kind of fruit tree one could imagine and more.

     There were flowers scattered randomly about, yet, if one stepped on them, they were not harmed.

     Then I noticed that there were many pure white pets about, all with the same fluffy coat of fur. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed shadowed pets, too. The fur on them looked soft and silky, but not quite as fluffy.

     I stared agape for a few seconds, soaking the scene in. Suddenly Sila's voice was ringing merrily into my ear, "Would you not like a drink, Mar?"

     Sila picked up one of the many cups that surrounded the fountain. I was surprised I had not noticed the glasses before. Then, she filled it with some sparkling, clear water from the fountain and handed the glass to me.

     "Thank you," I gratefully took the cup, aware that I was indeed thirsty.

     I drank the refreshing drink, not ware of a small, triumphant glint in Sila's eyes.

     Suddenly, I felt a small change come over me. Looking down, I noticed my once green fur, turning pure white.

     For a frantic moment, I thought about my owner, but discovered that my thoughts for her were turning evil. She is unkind... she treats you like a slave. Remember all those times she hurt you... wounded you... a voice was swirling about in my head, saying those untrue things about her. Yet, I found I couldn't over come them. Soon, it was fixed in my mind that she was cruel, thoughtless, and selfish.

     One tiny, quiet voice floated in, though: But remember how lovingly she called you, 'Aqwuamarine'.

     But that whispering voice was blocked out by Sila's flowing voice whispering, 'Mar' over and over in my head.

     So it was that I became one of them.

The End

A/N: If you want to Neomail for for one reason or another, go ahead. I don't care. Legilis.