CROSSING OVER

CHAPTER 5: INTRODUCING.

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Kitty woke early the next day. The sun was just coming up over the sandy Neopian horizon, and the house was completely silent.

At least, completely if not for Fashir's rather guttural snores. Which coming from his throat, sounded as though he were growling at something.

"And that from across the other end of the hall…" Kitty muttered, standing and stretching. Nevertheless, she went to the bathroom, and ran a quick shower. Getting dressed, she wore a red and black plaid skirt, with a white tank top. Taking a quick glance in the mirror, she tried desperately to sort out her wet curly dark hair, which at the moment looked like a growth mass sitting on her head.

She left her room, and headed down to Fashir's room. After knocking twice and receiving no response but the same snoring, she let herself in.

Fashir was spread out on the bed, stomach facing the ceiling. His head hung down over one side of the bed, and he was stretched out rather comfortably.

At the moment, he looked like a murder victim.

"Fashir…Fashir wake up!" Kitty shook him, barely able to stir the enormous Lupe. She moved over to his head, and winced as the one of the Lupe's massive paws came around, catching her around the waist and pulling her to him like a rag doll. As his grip tightened, Kitty felt just like a stuffed animal on the verge of being squeezed to death.

With a sigh, Kitty reached down and managed to grab one of her socks. Tugging, she pulled it off, crumpled it into a ball, and daintily stuffed it into his mouth.

"Grrff…GAA," Fashir's eyes snapped open, and he reared up, coughing up the sock. "Wh....what are y...you trying to kill me?" he hacked, trying to dislodge a piece of string that had now become lodged in his throat.

"Well you wouldn't wake up...or shut up, for that matter," she muttered, smirking at his annoyed expression. "Come on…" She poked him playfully, then leaned over and hugged him, "...don't be cranky!"

"Being cranky is a part of my complicated design!" Fashir stated, butting her with his head, though he allowed himself a small grin. "Your socks taste like that stuff they used to feed me at the pound!"

"HEY!"

He laughed, a low noise which sounded somewhat malevolent.

"Despite that...I'm glad I ended up with you!" he said softly, remembering his last owner with a grim look.

"You…had it bad, huh!"

He nodded, then looked her straight in the eyes, his own big golden eyes filled with intensity of hatred.

"Do you have any idea, how painful it was...he used me for Lupe fights! Illegal battles they outlawed in Neopia years ago. Fights to the death…fights with no rules, no boundaries. Fights where if you wouldn't fight, your opponent or owner would end up killing you," he trailed off as he finally noticed her shocked expression, and shook his head. "Never mind. Look, I have places to show you today right? So let's get to it!"

After a moment of awkward silence, Kitty nodded slowly.

"Y…yeah, you mentioned that!" Her voice wavered, but relapsed quickly back to her usual tone. "So let's get to it lazy ass, come on!"

Fashir rolled his eyes, then yawned and stretched.

"Come on...hurry up!" Kitty whined.

Fashir grinned at her agitation, then mock-lay back on the bed, stretching some more to provoke her.

With a sigh, Kitty sat down onto the floor in front of him, raised her legs, and promptly set them both at his back. With that, she pushed as hard as she could, sending him sprawling down onto the floor in a heap of fur.

"HEY!"

Laughing, she ran for the front door with Fashir in tow.

"Very funny!" He huffed as they walked out together.

"I thought so!" She laughed. "So where to first?"

Fashir thought for a moment, then looked in every direction.

"The closest places to the furthest! So our first place will be…the Neopian Pound! We need to pick up something!" Fashir spoke mysteriously.

"What?" Kitty asked.

Fashir grinned, and motioned for her to follow. He crouched down suddenly, with a sly look on his face. "Would you like a ride?"

"You mean, ride on your back?" Kitty blinked.

"Yes, I think I can carry you...unless you weigh more than you look!" he smirked.

Kitty crossed her arms, but shrugged moments later, and found herself trying to climb up onto his back.

"Come on, just grab hold of some fur and pull yourself up!" Fashir snapped impatiently.

"Your so damn tall...crouch lower!" Kitty huffed, finally sitting down on the Lupe's back. "Now what?"

"Now you hang on tight!" he replied in a tone that reminded Kitty of a spider that had just lured a fly.

"Wha...AAAAARGH!?"

He took off a second before she could complete the question, cutting her question to a shrill scream. He ran on all fours at super-human speed, his rough paws hitting the sand and bouncing off with little effort.

"SLOW DOWN YOU PSYCHOTIC JERK!" She screamed, making him speed up even more. "SLOW DOWN OR I'LL VOMIT ON YOU!"

The moment those words left her lips, Fashir came to a startling halt, nearly throwing Kitty off his back but putting his head backwards to stop her ascension into the sky.

She nothing short of pounced off his back, landing on her rear and looking rather worst for the wear. After a moment, she seemed to regain her composure and stood shakily.

"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again."

Fashir grinned good-naturedly, but knowing that he was pushing his luck, nodded in submission to her rather murderous tone.

She opened her mouth to say the first thing she could think off.

"You f-,"

"We're here!" He quickly interrupted her, gesturing to a small building right in front of her. A sign above it read: THE NEOPIAN POUND. "And as I recall, we have a pickup!"

"Why? I don't have any other pet except you!" Kitty stated in a confused voice. "Unless..." She trailed off, a light of understanding lighting up in her eyes.

"Come on!" Fashir beckoned, already entering the building through its large double doors.

Kitty blinked, then followed tout-suite after him.

The main room on the inside looked fairly comfortable. It was moderately lit by a fixture on the ceiling, and had a number of metal chairs lined up against one corner of the room. In front of those was a small oak table, covered in various magazines and a newspaper that a closer look read "The Neopian Times".

A large counter stood at the furthest side, and a doorway at the side of it that led into what Kitty assumed was where they kept the cages with the different pets.

There was nobody at the counter, so Kitty walked up to it and rang the small silver service bell. Getting no response, she looked back at Fashir, who motioned for her to ring again. Shrugging, she rang again and turned back to the counter.

As she turned her head back to the counter, a hand came to rest roughly over hers, pulling the bell away.

"Can I help you?" A yellow Techo stared at her with a more-than- distasteful look on his face. His hair hung around his head in full but silvery-white long strands, as though something had taken his age away prematurely.

Gulping nervously, she took a step away from that look and the narrowed dark eyes. A sneer had began to form on the Techo's face, as he waited for Kitty to say something.

Kitty recognized him as she looked into his face, which was twisted into a glare.  There was no doubt about it, this had to be Dr_Death.

"Well? Is there any particular reason you're here? What, are you here on a whim, or did you come to abandon that Lupe?" He looked at Fashir, who was suddenly glaring at him dangerously, his canines showing.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Fashir growled in his lowest, more intimidating voice.

Kitty started, sensing the bad vibe in the air. Quickly, she stepped forward and extended her hand respectfully.

"You must be Dr_Death! I'm Dead_Doll00! I'm new here, and I'm here for.."

"Oh yes…*that* delivery!" Dr_Death interrupted her, though his voice no longer contained the same spiteful tone. "Well, my colleague is unavailable at the moment, so allow me!" With that, he left and headed to the back room.

Minutes later, he came back carrying a large carton box in his arms. Setting it down on the counter, he handed Kitty various sheets.

"Standard pick-up of property fill-ins. Nothing you can't manage, I'm sure," he muttered when he saw her looking at the papers sceptically.

As she filled the sheets in, Kitty listened with half an ear as Dr_Death walked around the counter and over to Fashir, who had calmed down considerably.

"Are you comfortable with her? Because if you aren't, you know it will not be a problem to find you someone better! After what happened…," she heard Dr_Death speak in whisper to her Lupe, who responded immediately.

"No! She's perfect. Show her some respect.  I know its difficult for you, but she's not as bad as all that!"

She didn't hear Dr_Death's response, and completed the paperwork quickly. As he came back around the counter, she handed it to him meekly.

"Very good, he's all yours!" Dr_Death reached inside the box, and pulled out a wriggling mass of midnight black fur. "Sepulchrave, I believe?"

Kitty nodded, taking the yipping-yapping creature into her arms. An Anubis, an adaptable Petpet to where they would now be living.

"A very...loving Petpet!" Dr_Death muttered, edging away from the hyperactive ball of fur, which was calming considerably now that it was out of the box.

"Why couldn't you get me something slow, fat, and lazy? Like a Warf!" Fashir muttered, looking nervously at the Anubis, which was looking back at him with huge black eyes.

Seconds later, it jumped out of Kitty's arms, and dove at Fashir, landing on his back, and started licking the larger Lupe's back until it got fur stuck in its mouth and started hacking.

"Thank you!" Kitty smiled gently, nodding towards Dr_Death, who stared at her for a moment, then slowly nodded back.

With that, the trio left the pound. Kitty walked beside Fashir, while Sepulchrave the Anubis rode on his back, scratching itself and sniffing the air.

"Now what?" Kitty asked.

"Now we head to the Esophagor.  He lives at the Haunted Woods. If you ever want important information, he's the one to go to!"

The round-trip took them a rough hour, there and back. The visit with the Esophagor had been less-then enlightening.

"He's the one to go to…providing you can feed him!" Kitty muttered, her head still aching from the sounds the Esophagor had made upon discovery that they had no food on them, and weren't willing to "throw him the Anubis".

"Well, one can hardly expect service for nothing nowadays!" Fashir shrugged.

Their next stop was the Snowager, and from there the Faerie Council in Faerie Land.

On the way to the Snowager, Kitty and Sep (which was easier then calling him by his full name), both rode on Fashir's back, who had slowed to a quick trot on Kitty's rather venomous order.

The weather changed considerably as they arrived at a snowy bank, from which a huge mountain reached towards the sky, white with snow.

"Welcome to Terror Mountain!" Fashir announced, heading upwards.

Kitty shivered, hugging both herself and Sep to Fashir's warm fur.

At about halfway up the mountain, there was a path that cut two ways. One led into a large, icy cave, while the other continued up the mountain. Fashir cut off towards the caves, ducking as they entered. The inside was crystal-like, covered in a blanket of ice. There were people walking around dressed in winter clothes, and Kitty wished she wasn't wearing a skirt, watching her legs turn blue.

There were numerous buildings inside, and a dark path that led into another hole within the cave. It was there that Fashir ducked inside, the silently, they went inside and found the path opened up to a larger section of the cave, lit by torches that melted the ice around them.

"Now, only whisper, you don't want to make him angry!" Fashir whispered, then motioned ahead.

"Make him…," Kitty trailed off as she got a good look at what she had previously believed to be an overly large shadow. Instead, coiled in the very back corner of the cave, was a gigantic icy snake. It's eyes were closed, and its body rumbled in sleep. Its huge, reptilian head shifted moment from moment, and Kitty had an overwhelming urge to run out of there as fast as she could manage.

Fashir nudged her back gently, urging her towards the large creature.

"Don't be afraid all right. Above all, just stay calm. Whisper his name, and when he wakes up, just show him this!" Fashir drew out a long pearl necklace from within his fur, hidden from sight.

"Why? Does he like to wear jewellery?" Kitty asked, her voice straining on hysteria. No graphic computer image could have possibly prepared her for the awesome size of the beast that slumbered in front of them.

"Funny…jokes like that will get you frozen...or eaten in any case! No, he loves collecting things. Junk, valuable items, whatever! Just offer it to him, and introduce yourself!"

Kitty took the necklace, then hesitantly made her way closer to the slumbering Snowager.

"Ex…excuse me..."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, and strained so much it sounded more like a squeal.

"Ease up will you…louder!" Fashir remarked from behind her. "Don't be scared all right, I'll protect you if he tries anything!"

"Right..." Kitty cleared her throat, and spoke louder, her voice echoing off the icy walls. "Excuse me, Mr. Snowager?"

Instantly, the creature's eyes snapped open, and Kitty found herself locked eye to eye to an oval, bright yellow gaze.

"Yesssss?" It's deep, rumbling voice caught Kitty off guard, and she couldn't help backing up a few safe paces. None the less, the held out her hand, which shone with the necklace in her tight grasp. "Ah...a gift, isssss it?"

Kitty nodded dumbly, her voice now lost on her. Fashir could see her panic, and stepped forward bravely.

"Snowager, please accept out humble gift! I am Fashir_00, and this is newcomer to Neopia, Dead_Doll00!" Fashir's voice never wavered, and he stood straight on four legs, gazing up at the Snowager, completely not intimidated.

"I welcome you to my home, and accept your gift!" His massive head swooped down suddenly, and Fashir couldn't help tensing as it reached Kitty, gently taking the necklace from her outstretched hand. The moment it was within his jaws, Kitty whipped her hand back, shaking visibly in fear.

"No need to fear me little one...your arrival is greeted with all gracesssssss!" the Snowager's voice rumbled as he noticed Kitty's shaking form. She looked just about ready to jump out of her skin.

After a moment's hesitation, the Snowager lowered his head, and picked up a different item from within his coils, where Kitty could now see poked traces of other items.

Laying the item down at her feet, Kitty could see it was a beautiful round object, painted in different colours.

"Accept thisssss from me, and I hope you vissssit me sssssssoon!" he remarked, looking down at Kitty. He looked up again, shooting a rather distasteful look at Fashir.

Kitty bent down, picking the object up into her hands.

"It's beautiful...what is it?" she asked, awed as it shone.

"Your lucky, he must like you!" Fashir spoke. "That's a rainbow Negg, very rare in Neopia, you can sell it for a lot of Neopoints!"

At his words, the great snake reared up, hissing in fury.

"NO! THAT ISSSS MY GIFT TO HER! YOU WILL NOT SSSSELL IT!" He roared, and rearing his head back, spat shards of ice in Fashir's direction.

"FASHIR!" Kitty cried out, but was relieved to see the Lupe had darted out of the way in the last second.

The Snowager meanwhile, had reared in preparation for another attack.

Fashir leapt forward, picking up Kitty in one swing and landing her on his back. At that, the Snowager paused, keeping back his attack.

"Go...but that is my gift to her!" He rumbled, calm again.

Without another word, Fashir turned and with Kitty and Sep on his back, ran out of the cave at top speed. Near the entrance into the main cave, he slipped and the trio found themselves sliding down the rest of Terror Mountain.

Near the bottom, they finally stopped sliding. Kitty was dazed, and clung to Fashir's fur as well as Sep's form.

"What...happened in there?" Kitty gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Fashir grimaced, looking back up towards Terror Mountain's Ice Caves.

"He…doesn't want us to sell it!" Fashir breathed, his aged voice cracking slightly from nervousness.

"Yeah…I 'kinda caught that part!" Kitty laughed, trying to calm down. "So he must like me huh?!"

"Notice he didn't try to attack me again when I grabbed hold of you!" Fashir stated. "Understand, the Snowager is centuries old. He has lived to protect himself and his treasures, which are pretty much his only company because everyone is so afraid of him…with good reason," he muttered before continuing, "he knows and can smell greed on a person, with all the people that come into the Ice Caves trying to steal from him. I guess...maybe he didn't smell it on you!"

"Good thing!" Kitty sighed, "Very good."

While Kitty, Fashir, and Sep sat on the snowy banks at the foot of Terror Mountain, Maggie's real family stood in chaos as they searched for her.

"Your sure this detective is as good as they say?" Mrs. Griffin asked her husband as they watched the stranger leave his car and start walking towards the house.

Mr. Griffin didn't answer, preferring to keep his own doubts in check as he went to answer the door. They needed assurance of their daughter's whereabouts, not excuses or lame explanations. Certainly not doubt.

"Mr. Griffin, I presume?" The man's voice was slick and boyish, like a High School Freshmen who had just decided he was a macho man after his first lay.

All in all, a rather disconcerting tone of voice.

"Yes! Are you Mr. Laughton?" Maggie's father inquired, his distaste for the younger man apparent only slightly on his face.

"Yes, and I understand your daughter's run away from home?"

"NO! She's…been missing! Kidnapped maybe.," Mrs. Griffin interrupted, her voice rising a few octaves. "All we know is we came home, and our house was half-ruined. We heard Maggie's voice from her bedroom, and an older man's. When we ran up, there was this bright flash of light…and she was just gone!"

Laughton nodded mechanically as Mrs. Griffin spoke, taking mental jots apparently.

"Is there anything else?" he asked.

"Just one!" Mr. Griffin cut in, and bringing his hand into his pants pocket, he drew out an object that Fashir, their daughter, or Mr. Crowley would have no doubt recognized.

Namely, a small black box.

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Maggie's family get ever closer to finding what they are looking for, while Fashir takes Kitty for a game.