Now I'm sure you must be asking yourself a few questions right now. Like, what in the hell are NeoPets, or why in the name of all that's good and decent have I written this? If you're here in this section and reading it then I'm guessing you at least know a little something about NeoPets, so the first question needs no answer. However, as to why I wrote this, well, it's just what I do. I made this just because. I write shoujo-ai/FemmeSlash stories, and I like to think I'm fairly good at it. I know I took quite a few liberties with Capara, but she just struck me as a strong, masculine leaning type. Plus throughout the entire "Brucy B and the lucky coin" thing she looked like she was wearing a leather jacket and jeans. Why a chaptered story you might now ask? Simple, because I've got a lot to work on and I don't feel like making it all one big clump. Besides, if I do it chapter by chapter then I'll be freer to be detailed to keep people interested.
Disclaimer: All characters, places, and whatnot belong to NeoPets.com, not me. I did the story and nothing but. Please don't hurt me or sue me, I am making no money off of this at all, I swear. I am making no copyright claims and am just using the characters for the purposes of fun and entertainment, not profit.
What do you think? Write to me at DeMachina@cs.com Flamers: Give it a rest, will ya? MSTers: It might be interesting to see the first-ever MSTed NeoPets story. Regular comments: Sure thing!
"You're cheating, Timmy. Show 'em."
Capara smiled inwardly, giving herself a moment of joy. She knew she had the rotten little tuskaninny. Playing three aces on his last hand when she had one. It wasn't much of a gamble to call him on it. She'd finally beat him at Cheat.
"Sorry, Capara. Three aces." Little Timmy showed off the last three cards in his hand. The ace of spades, clubs, and diamonds.
Capara snarled softly as the pile was shoved her way, even though the game was over. She tossed down the last card she held, the ace of hearts, and stormed away from the table, leaving the others to mutter about how she was a sore loser.
"So what if I'm a sore loser?" Capara thought as she removed all the make-up she wore during competition, and all the costume jewelry as well. "I have a right to be. Life's a living hell, and this is my one last chance to get a better life for myself."
It was true. Capara's life was a living hell, in a soft way. She had lost both her parents early in life, leaving her to be bounced around from one orphanage to another without care for her personal feelings. Because of this she grew up getting harsh and mean-tempered. She would get into fights almost every day, sometimes with creatures bigger and stronger than herself. The proudest day of her life was when she took down a jetsam thug barehanded. It was a defining moment in her life.
Another thing about her was her dress. She'd been wearing unisex clothing most of her life, and just got into the habit of wearing boy's clothes because they seemed to fit better, and cover more vital spots during fights. Now it was hard to tell she was a girl in her street clothes. It was frustrating, especially when she needed to use a public restroom. Always, it seemed, there was someone in there that didn't think she was really a girl. So she often had to show that person that she was, resulting in a lot of shocked expressions.
After running away from her orphanage she'd managed to eke out a living by stealing, panhandling, and tricking suckers on the street with old reliable cons like the shell game, and card games. She'd become rather good with the cards, and was able to afford a meager apartment by finding floating poker games and raking in some good money.
It was during one of these floating games that she heard about Cheat. The name alone intrigued her, since she did it all the time. The more she heard about it, the more she liked it. Winning money for cheating, and getting more when you catch someone doing it. The perfect game for a deceptive little kyrii. She started frequenting the little Cheat games held in the city, really bombing at first, but eventually getting the hang of it and actually doing quite well. Several times she was told to go to the Cheat championships in Neo Vegas, where all the big money changed hands and where there was a chance for serious prize money, especially for anyone who could beat the reigning champion, Spectre. Rumors flew that the prize could even be a million bucks.
Nothing attracts a poor gambler like the chance at big money. So she used what little savings she had to catch a bus to Neo Vegas with high hopes of winning big. To aid her in that end, she decided to use further trickery. Since most of her opponents there were men, she really got dolled up each time she played, being flirty and cute, even though she hated it. In truth, she rather hated men. She'd always fought them in orphanages, and that developed into a hatred that she kept under control. Really, all others she couldn't stand, but she found women to be at least a little bearable. Every night she'd slather on make-up, put on costume jewelry she picked up in a pawnshop and try to distract her opponents while she cleaned up. It worked fairly well against the lower division players, and netted her a fair sum. But against the major players, those after the mystery pot, it seemed to be failing. Often she lost, or got a lousy ranking. It was defiantly not her time now.
"Ah well, nothing to do about it but let it go and try to make up in the next competitions. The new arrivals for the upper rankings arrive tonight. I think I'll check out the newest crop of pigeons I'll have to try and fleece. It might be fun." After changing into some denim pants and a loose white t-shirt she slipped on a pair of sneakers and slid a leather jacket on, looking more like a street tough than a flirting Cheat player. And that was exactly the look she was going for. Only her face gave her away, since it still bore a certain feminine softness.
Silently she slipped out onto the streets of Neo Vegas, like most of Neopia a clean and friendly place, but still bearing the aura of tiredness and social decay that a gambling center will naturally possess. The streets were full now, night being the busiest time for the city. All around her hustled pets of all types, laughing if they've won, grumbling if they didn't. At a glance, it was quite easy to tell the winners from the losers, a good skill in that town. Capara ignored them all, including some stray sighs and giggles from female pets. It always happened. One of the disadvantages of looking so masculine.
Eventually, she made it to the bus station, and started to push her way through the crowd gathered there to move up front and glance at the newest arrivals for the championships. The bus pulled up and gave a sigh of escaping air, as though glad to be rid of its passengers. The doors opened and disgorged the motley collection of cheaters, chomping at the bit for a chance to win very big. One of the exiting persons intrigued her more than the rest did, however.
"So, even royalty is getting in on the act. That pampered princess should be an easy score..." A princess had indeed gotten off the bus, seemingly on her own. The well-known Princess Fernypoo, only child of the king of Aquamarina. A very rich kingdom of acaras. Capara grinned broadly as she imagined playing against the Princess, who probably bought her way into the upper division play. She'd probably make a lot of mistakes and cheat when it was not in her best interest to do so. Or she'd call someone on cheating when they obviously were not. Capara started making her way past those ahead of her, to try and talk to Fernypoo for a moment. Perhaps she could establish a good rapport and then take her for all she's worth. But before she could get there, Fernypoo was gone, whisked away by a taxi to one of the hotels lining the Neo Vegas strip.
"Dang, missed her. Not a problem, I'll be seeing her in the competitions. She'll get hers." Capara grinned at the luxury hotels, where Fernypoo was likely staying. "Hear that, Princess? I'll be living in there someday."
Somehow, the appearance of Fernypoo helped Capara to concentrate on the prize, perhaps because the vast difference in their fortunes and the unfairness of her situation made her more cunning and eager to win. She soundly trounced opponents like Timmy and Branston, and somehow managed to squeak past Chuffer Bob by holding four of a kind until the very end.
"At least that pipsqueak Timmy was good for something. That move might only be good once, but it's gotten me here." Capara had made it to a slightly more advanced level. She wouldn't be seeing Spectre for a while, but she was finally up against the one who had given her the determination to be there. Princess Fernypoo was right across the table from her, singularly unimpressed with Capara and all the others around the table. To Capara's left was the suave, confident Agent 00 Hog. He absolutely infuriated Capara, being such a collected, calm individual who seemed to have no cares in the world. Also at the table was a hapless looking Usul with a bad haircut and a polka dot bow tie. No clue how someone like that got there, but no matter. All she cared about was beating Princess Fernypoo. "Good luck, Princess. You're really going to need it." Capara gave Fernypoo her biggest, most insincere grin.
"Humph! Commoner. Don't worry, I will win." Fernypoo had the air of spoiled confidence that usually followed people who had no marketable skills at all, and who relied on others for everything.
"Don't get your hopes up, Princess. I hate to brag, but I am quite good at this game." Agent 00 Hog smiled winningly at Fernypoo, but only got the cold shoulder for his troubles.
"The girl's got the taste to recognize a worthless smooth-talker when she hears one. Gotta give her that." Capara thought as she watched Fernypoo.
The game got underway very quickly. The order was established as Oliver Usuliko (The geek in the bow tie), Capara, Agent 00 Hog, and finally Princess Fernypoo. Capara marveled at the Princess, who turned out to be quite a canny player indeed. She caught Agent 00 Hog cheating when Capara was certain he had been truthful about his cards. However, Capara soon discovered the real power player of the game was Oliver Usuliko. He was a nerd, yes, but a mathematics wizard. He kept track of cards in his head and did quick probability calculations every time he saw someone set cards down. In the end he was the big winner. And as it turned out, Agent 00 Hog was the big loser. Quite possibly because Capara had been gunning for him the entire time.
"Good thing that's over. This makeup was starting to make me itch." Capara removed her makeup and costume jewelry, taking a long, hot bath to wash away the indignity she felt after using such cheap tricks to try and win when they weren't even working anymore. "Those lecherous losers didn't have any talent, which is why I got them so quickly. Now that the stakes are higher it's all about the talent. I might as well just forget about my plans and go in there like I really am. Then again, no one would recognize me. They'd all wonder who the mysterious new man in the game was. It might not be such a bad idea to start things anew. I could have a whole new life somewhere if everyone thought I was just another guy."
Capara allowed herself to slide below the surface of the tub, letting the water flow over every part of her body, her fur lightly waving in the gentle current of the tub. Capara looked up at the ceiling through the wavy wall of water before her eyes. Everything looked hazy and indistinct, wavering with the slightest move of any part of her body. That, Capara realized, was very much like her life so far. She was looking out at life and seeing everything distorted, waving about and being unclear. She had no plans for life, no future that didn't hinge on the luck of the draw and a few flicks of her wrists. And that kind of life, like lying under the water, was slowly killing her. She slid back up, taking a deep breath of air when her head cleared the water. "But unlike this bath, I can't surface from life..."
Capara's mind then drifted to Princess Fernypoo, whose life seemed the exact opposite of hers. Spoiled, cared for, provided with everything she needed. A cushy existence with a sharp and certain focus. No chance, no variation. Sharp as a razorblade, and just as sure to kill as a sea of uncertainty. How odd, feeling sympathy for the Princess. "Princess Moneybags probably isn't giving me a single thought. I'll be she's one of those types that hates all of us so-called commoners. She can just go ahead and continue down that sharp and clear path. She deserves the unhappy life that's coming to her when she finds out she's trapped in her little jeweled box. She'll look just lovely hanging off of some Prince's sleeve." She laughed at the thought of the pampered Princess reduced to a mute and powerless companion for some horrible and callous Prince. "It would serve her right if nothing else..."
Letting the water drain slowly in the tub Capara worked herself over with the blow dryer and a brush. "Even us commoners have to look our best. It's not just the rich who get to groom." As Capara ran the brush over the fur atop her head she realized that she was spending an awful lot of her time thinking about Princess Fernypoo, which was very unlike her indeed. "Inequity is one thing, but seeing it right in front of you is quite another. Yea, that's it. Just one of those things you can't help but think about because it was staring you in the face all night looking cute... Cute? Yea, helpless and cute, like a Puppyblew."
Capara slid on her jeans and white t-shirt, her jacket coming next, completing her look perfectly. "Now I look like I feel. Rough, tough, and ready." She smiled at her image in the mirror, a very handsome face staring back at her. "Androgyny is beautiful..." Capara thought, as she walked out the door into the NeoVegas night. Another warm night with swarming streets, everyone pushing against everyone else. Pickpockets abounded, and several times Capara was forced to twist the wrist of an ambitious thief who thought he was slick. Capara made her way to a less-populous portion of the strip and leaned herself against a streetlight, formulating a plan to use against Fernypoo and the others tomorrow.
"Well hello there." That voice... Sweet and laced with a cultured air. The voice of someone who could afford to be both sweet and cultured. "You look a little lonely. Mind some company?"
"Princess Fernypoo?" Capara's voice deepened a little, as it usually did when she wasn't in competition. Before her was the Princess, wearing a fine powder blue dress and a simple coral tiara. No bodyguards either. She had guts, but not much sense.
"I see you recognize me. No need for introductions on my part I suppose. Who are you, handsome boy?" Was she... flirting? She was no good at it, clearly unpracticed, but she was flirting alright.
"My name is Cap... Uhh... Yea, Cap." Capara smiled a warm looking smile at the Princess and desperately tried to think of what to do now.
"It is a great pleasure to meet you Cap. Do you live around here? I'm so very lost and really could use a guide around the city." Fernypoo winked at Capara, her long lashes stirring a fait breeze in the still air of the night. The sweet scent of her perfume floated past Capara's nose.
"A guide? Oh sure." Here was a chance to learn about the Princess. All the better to shut her down in play. And maybe just string her along a little bit. Perfect. "I'd be happy to take you around. Trust me..."
To be continued...
Capara: I can't believe she really thinks I'm a guy.
Ferny: He's so handsome.
Capara: Well, I can believe it, but I can't believe she'd want to date me.
Ferny: So suave and debonair.
Capara: I never knew royalty was so gullible.
Ferny: I never knew commoners could be so attractive.
Capara and Ferny: No Problem!
Capara: Smooth sailing... I hope.