Summary of last chapter: The pets are at their daily meeting place when
two outsiders appear - a Gelert and a Kacheek.
*** - Scene change
Italics - singing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: The Mystery of the Princess
"So, let me sum this up. You name is PrincessAchika52, and you...like
mints. But, where are you from?" Greeny asked.
"First of all," Chika said, stepping up to Greeny. "You should call
me Chika, I hate full names. And for where I am from, that doesn't
matter now." The pets stared at each other for a while. The
Kacheek finally said, "You must have been wondering who I am." The
other pets nodded. "Well," she continued, "I am called Lutra, Lutra_Makibi.
I am the guardian of Princess Chika."
"A gwadian? What dwoes a gwadian do?" Spike asked, leaning
closer to Lutra. The Green Kacheek backed up with a look of disgust
written on her face. (AN: Not really written like in pencil! It's
a term!)
"What strange speech he has, Princess." Lutra whispered to Chika.
Chika nodded her head. "Listen, little one," Chika said to Spike,
"why must you speak that way? Why do you not speak...normally?
Like the other pets? Like me?" Spike sniffled, trying not to cry
and to look brave and strong. "Cwase......cwase...I'm wike dis.
Why mwust you bwe so mean?" Spike said.
"Listen, little twerp. I am the one inquiring the questions here,
okay? Do not disregard me." Chika said.
"HEY, you leave my brother alone!" ZimDragon yelled.
"Um, Spelling!" Kylii said. "What does 'inquiring' mean?"
"It means asking." Spelling answered.
"What does 'asking' mean?"
"It means...to wonder about something and tell someone out loud in
the form of a question."
"What does 'question' mean?"
Spelling gave Kylii a mean look, but didn't yell this time. "It's
those things that you're asking...I made them up, okay?"
"Wow, Spelling," Kylii said, getting excited, "You make up the BEST
things!"
"And that pet," Chika said, turning to Kylii, "she must not have had
any schooling. She is as bad as the Starry Zafara!" Now both
Spelling and ZimDragon were outraged. Zim, Dratini, and Shoyruki
were glaring at Chika, giving her the "evil eye". Spike and Kylii
stood together, mostly confused at the princess' behavior. Dude stepped
up to Chika and said, "Look, just because you're a princess, doesn't mean
you can boss us around. We don't know where you came from.
We don't care. If you want to stay with us, fine, just try and be
nicer. If you can't do that then leave."
"WHAT!?" Lutra exclaimed, jumping up to Dude. She thrust her
arm out at him. "You...you evil, little, UGLY INSECT!! NEVER,
EVER INSULT THE PRINCESS LIKE THAT!!!" Lutra was...really angry.
"Wow, she really protects her little princess..." Shoyruki whispered.
"And gets mad easily, too" Dratini whispered back.
"That's an understatement. She gets...royally cheesed off."
Zim said. The other two pets started giggling. Lutra turned
around. "HEY, I HEARD THAT!!!"
"Keep walking, we don't want you here." Spelling said. Chika
looked a little hurt. She looked over at Dude. She said to
Lutra, "Let's go, we're not welcome here." The two Neopets walked
away through the forest. Spike yelled after them, "Go 'way, and neffer
cwome bwack!"
"At least that's over...I'm glad they're gone." Magik said. The
other pets agreed, nodding their heads. Dude looked to where Chika
and Lutra had been standing. He then sighed, sadly. Spelling
heard him and turned. "What's wrong, Dude?" Dude just sighed
again and said, "I can't stop thinking about Chika...will she be alright
in Neopia?"
"Of course she will." Spelling said. "She has that Kacheek with
her, she's a princess, and who would want to talk to her? What, do
you like her or something?"
"I think I do, Spelling, I think I do like Chika." Dude answered.
He ran ahead to the others, leaving Spelling behind. Spelling just
shook his head.
***
Chika and Lutra had been walking for thirty minutes. They were
completely lost. "Um, Lutra, where are we?" Chika said.
"I think we are in the Haunted Forest, not a pleasant place to be."
Lutra answered. Then, the bushes started to rattle. A strange
creature jumped out. "Who are you, and what do you want!?"
Lutra yelled at the creature.
"I am the Shadow Usul, I will beat you to a pulp!" The creature
cried. It charged at Chika.
"AHHHHHHHH!!! Lutra, HELP!!!" Chika screamed. Lutra
jumped in front of Chika, taking the blow for her.
"Princess..." Lutra said, weakly. The Shadow Usul had hit her
very hard. "Go...find someone strong....bring them back here.
I will fend this evil being off until then. GO!" Chika ran
off. Lutra continued to fight the Shadow Usul, but not well.
***
Shoyruki, ZimDragon, Spike, and Ryo were talking about Tenchi again.
Dude was sitting alone, Spelling was with Kylii, Shadow, Kira, and Magik
talking about good books, and the others were playing a game of some sort
with a ball. The bushes in the forest rattled. Warning pricked
up her ears. "Now what?" she said. Chika jumped out, panting.
"It's really bad....Lutra and I.........walking....Shadow Usul!
Lutra....fighting it......needs help, please come!" she said while
trying to catch her breath.
"Why would we want to help you?" Dragonite said. "You insulted
us, and hurt others feelings"
"I apologize for being so inconsiderate. But please, you have
to help Lutra!" Chika screamed. She started crying. Dude
walked up to her.
"Hey, don't cry. I believe what you said about apologizing.
I'll come help you." he said, comforting her. Chika looked
up and said, "Thank you, you're so kind." The two went off to help
Lutra.
***
Lutra wasn't faring well against the Shadow Usul. She was beaten
and bruised in many places. Finally, just in time, Chika and Dude
appeared. "LUTRA!!!" Chika cried out. Dude ran up to
the Shadow Usul and started to fight it. Chika ran over to Lutra.
"Lutra..." Chika said with tears in her eyes.
"I will be alright, my princess." Lutra said. Then they
heard a terrible screech. Dude had beaten the Shadow Usul!
"He did it, he won!" Chika exclaimed. She ran up to Dude
"Thank you for saving Lutra and me! What is your name?"
"My name is DUDEIAMCOOLNESS, but just call me Dude for short."
the Desert Shoyru said, blushing.
"Listen, Dude, do you know anypet that Lutra and I can stay with?"
Chika asked.
"You could stay with Kira and Shadow. They probably won't mind."
Dude answered. The three pets then walked out of the Haunted Woods,
back to Neopia Central.
***
Later that day, everyone was back in the field, safe and happy.
Kira and Shadow had let Chika and Lutra stay with them in their Neohome.
"Chika," Shoyruki said, "Lutra told me that you can sing very well.
Why don't you sing something for us?"
"Okay, I know a good song." Chika said, standing up. "Listen
everyone! I just want to sing something for all of you, just for
being so kind to Lutra and me for letting us stay with you."
"Yay! A swong, a swong!" Spike exclaimed happily. The pets
sat down around Chika. She turned on a CD player, chose the song,
and hit the play button. She started to sing.
I see the fancy life you've been chasing
That's a pretty car you've been racing
You mention your vacations, the beach at Bali
Well good for you
But that doesn't matter much to me
'Cause it's only money
Before this you were funny and charming
What's been going on is alarming
'Cause now you only value the things that you pay for
Well get a clue
It's money, no more
Yes, it's money, no more
Less important than a little smile
No, I can't be around your money no more
No, no more
Do you remember
How simple it all used to be
For you and for me
We were happy
Who cares what we had or had not
You came up in the world and forgot
Dude was amazed at how well Chika sang. She was...perfect, perfect in every way to him. He kept listening to her song.
You called me from the phone in your pocket
To say you're moving up like a rocket
Whatever is in fashion is what you pine for
You know you do
It's money, no more
Yes, it's money, no more
Less important that a tender word
No, I can't be around your money no more
No, no more
Do you remember
The pizza we eat in the park
We'd walk until dark
By the river
And we never hurried our pace
Or cared if we were going someplace
Oh I remember
The man I imagined you were
The one I prefer
Your compassion
For people you grew to ignore
This world of yours is money no more
When Chika was finished singing, every pet clapped. Dude clapped
the loudest. Now he knew, that he truly loved Chika.
~~~
...TO BE CONTINUED...
Yep, REALLY mushy, I know. I'm a romance person! I like
that song...it's one of my favs that's why I chose it. So, stay tuned
until the next chapter, written by TaitoGurl!