The Beginning
by snow_squirrel
Thick clouds of smoke billowed furiously from the descending spacecraft as it made a swift landing into an open field below. Upon impact it was deathly still for several minutes. When the inhabitants were certain that they were alone, the hatch quickly flew open and the three figures jumped out of the ship. They inspected the area around them for a moment, daring anything to challenge them. Then they flipped a switch on the ship to activate its camouflage shield and sprinted into the nearby shrubbery.
Cautiously, they made their way towards the looming fortress visible to their north. Only several hundred yards away their confidence soared, for there was not a guard in sight. They must have arrived just in time for a shift change. As the group scampered across the large meadow, a piercing alarm invaded the air. It was a trap.
Guards burst out of the keep from each window and doorway and immediately filled the air with a barrage of bullets. The figures fired back skillfully, picking many of them off, but soon realized there was no hope of victory. Brave but not dim-witted, they dived down into a nearby trench.
Gasping for breath, the three pets nestled deeply into the muddy dirt hole. Wind whipped at their faces and explosions from the damp, grassy field above them vibrated through their bodies. Leaping up from the ditch, the island Eyrie scrambled across the battlefield towards the enemy line. ÒNoooo!Ó her Kougra companion cried, ÒtheyÕve launched the beams...Ó But it was too late. With a clash and a flash of green light, the spot where the Eyrie had stood was vacant. It had been Zipped.
*SIMULATION TERMINATED*
A loud groan escaped from the KougraÕs mouth as she frowned slightly at the Eyrie strapped next to her busily preening its flowery orange lei. ÒI think the island air finally started to get to your brain, TamÓ she said shaking her head. The two pets hopped off the virtual chairs swiftly as the Supervisor marched purposefully towards them.
ÒAt this rate, youÕll never pass the Neopian Defenders Training tests!Ó it said with an even face. ÒYouÕre a robot, Brightshade.Ó the Lupe stared wearily at the Kougra. ÒWeÕve upgraded all machine pets at the Academy to the latest navigation equipment. I hope you noticed that your ship in the simulation landed 2 miles from its intended destination.Ó Bri nodded, biting her lip.
ÒI donÕt think it was entirely her fault...Ó cut in the faerie Chombie, who had been quiet until this moment.
ÒOf course not. Tamsyn_NEO,Ó glancing at the Eyrie now loudly smacking some neocola-flavored gum, his starry fur bristling, ÒYour actions today were completely uncalled for, why ÐÒ
ÓThe nameÕs Tam,Ó she replied cooly. It was obvious her mind was in a far off place.
ÒRegardless, your actions in todayÕs lesson were absolutely horrific. It isnÕt apparent that you understand the circumstances. Maybe you need me to explain why youÕre here again?Ó Violent protest erupted from the three pupils; theyÕd heard this story countless times before. The Supervisor gave an exaggerated sigh and started up his speech as if he hadnÕt heard them.
ÒYou and your classmates, supposedly the top of your class (though I am beginning to think they took the bottom by mistake), are here as Defenders to save our world from the Oppressors.. theyÕre a very real force that can and has caused massive chaos.Ó Tam faked a loud yawn at this point. The Supervisor ignored her and continued. ÒBut their unconventional means of attack is what makes them a force to be reckoned with. Zipping is a technology we know little about. One poke from a Zip beam and youÕre teleported to-Ó
ÒTeleported to where? I donÕt believe youÕve ever mentioned that before.Ó Bri cut off the Lupe, but showed an amount of interest in the subject.
ÒWell, we arenÕt quite sure where they go yet, but it isnÕt from lack of investigation. Thirty squads of Defenders are out scouring every inch of space, but so far they haven't turned up so much as a single clue. As far as we know, once you have been Zipped you may simply be gone forever. ThatÕs the reason we keep this place such a big secret that not even your parents can know where you are. If we are attacked before final preparations are made, the result will be devastating to all of Neopia. Now, I suggest you go home and study a good deal tonight. ThereÕll be a quiz soon. For today however, you are dismissed.Ó Bri let out a little whoop as the three friends headed out the door.
Outside the door the trio found themselves in a vast hallway, with passages branching out in every conceivable direction. Indeed, it could be quite a maze if one was not accustomed to it.
Tam caught the eye of Charmed_Frost, a split Aisha she knew from back home, and waved. ÔHey there Frosty!Ó she said warmly. The Aisha waved back and gave a nervous grin. This made Tam frown a bit in confusion. At first all the pets at the Academy had seemed so friendly and confident. They knew they were the best at what they did and were proud of it. Yet lately everyone seemed preoccupied, and overall performance was slipping as a result. What did everyone else know that she didnÕt?
Each hallway was illuminated by the same fluorescent green glow, and titanium tiles clad the walls. After traveling through several hallways that were quite indistinguishable, the three pets arrived at an elevator that led down to the Habitation Quarters. A small hum filled the elevator as it sank gently downward. With a pleasant ding the doors reopened to display a much different scene than the drab corridors above.
Bright neon lights blinked on and off, spelling out trendy shop names like Kacheek Treats, Faerie Wear, and Ice Entertainment. The friends walked briskly over towards Grundo Grub, their favorite restaurant, burst through the door and abruptly hopped onto the nearest stools.
ÒThree Roast Gargapples, please!Ó they chimed in unison as each pet tossed thirty neopoints onto the counter.
There was an short silence as they waited for their food to be served. Bri and Tam seemed to be preoccupied with their own affairs. Mech gazed affectionately at his two friends. They were so brave, loyal, and assertive. He often wished he could voice his opinions as well as they did. Bri was your typical robot pet. Slightly smaller than the rest of the species, but twice as agile. Mech knew her encyclopedic brain held vast amounts of knowledge, though she rarely chose to show it. Tam was a friendly Eyrie, though slightly conceded, who was always brushing her fur, trying on new bracelets, or other such nonsense. Sometimes she overdoes it a bit and resembles the Chia Clown, Mech thought with a snicker.
His attention turned to a lonely Lenny staring out the window at the beautiful starry scenery that encompassed the entire Academy. The planet of Neopia was nowhere in sight. Beautiful stars glowed with the fiery force of a thousand Scorchios and icy asteroids traveled aimlessly through space as their dusty trails left vague reminders of their journeys. The Neopia Defenders had been right to choose this location for the Academy. Its obvious beauty was surpassed only by the fact that nobody would ever find them here. Ever.
ÒSo, what do you guys want to do tonight?Ó asked the Chomby after they had finished the meal. ÒWe could listen to the new Shrieking Lenny CD and have some Chocomato smoothies...Ó Tam nodded her head and grinned.
ÒSounds great, Mech! In fact ÐÒ
Suddenly the public announcement speakers boomed across the corridor. ÒATTENTION ALL RECRUITS. PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR POSTS IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WEARING FULL BATTLE ARMOR. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.Ó the speaker clicked off abruptly as if it did not quite realize the impact it had caused by this small statement.
Chaos let loose as everyone struggled back to their dorms at the same time and emerged moments later to join the current of people scrambling across the ship towards their battle stations. Mech sprinted forward until he had caught up with Bri. ÒThe war,Ó he whispered, ÒitÕs begun...Ó
Thick clouds of smoke billowed furiously from the descending spacecraft as it made a swift landing into an open field below. Upon impact it was deathly still for several minutes. When the inhabitants were certain that they were alone, the hatch quickly flew open and the three figures jumped out of the ship. They inspected the area around them for a moment, daring anything to challenge them. Then they flipped a switch on the ship to activate its camouflage shield and sprinted into the nearby shrubbery.
Cautiously, they made their way towards the looming fortress visible to their north. Only several hundred yards away their confidence soared, for there was not a guard in sight. They must have arrived just in time for a shift change. As the group scampered across the large meadow, a piercing alarm invaded the air. It was a trap.
Guards burst out of the keep from each window and doorway and immediately filled the air with a barrage of bullets. The figures fired back skillfully, picking many of them off, but soon realized there was no hope of victory. Brave but not dim-witted, they dived down into a nearby trench.
Gasping for breath, the three pets nestled deeply into the muddy dirt hole. Wind whipped at their faces and explosions from the damp, grassy field above them vibrated through their bodies. Leaping up from the ditch, the island Eyrie scrambled across the battlefield towards the enemy line. ÒNoooo!Ó her Kougra companion cried, ÒtheyÕve launched the beams...Ó But it was too late. With a clash and a flash of green light, the spot where the Eyrie had stood was vacant. It had been Zipped.
*SIMULATION TERMINATED*
A loud groan escaped from the KougraÕs mouth as she frowned slightly at the Eyrie strapped next to her busily preening its flowery orange lei. ÒI think the island air finally started to get to your brain, TamÓ she said shaking her head. The two pets hopped off the virtual chairs swiftly as the Supervisor marched purposefully towards them.
ÒAt this rate, youÕll never pass the Neopian Defenders Training tests!Ó it said with an even face. ÒYouÕre a robot, Brightshade.Ó the Lupe stared wearily at the Kougra. ÒWeÕve upgraded all machine pets at the Academy to the latest navigation equipment. I hope you noticed that your ship in the simulation landed 2 miles from its intended destination.Ó Bri nodded, biting her lip.
ÒI donÕt think it was entirely her fault...Ó cut in the faerie Chombie, who had been quiet until this moment.
ÒOf course not. Tamsyn_NEO,Ó glancing at the Eyrie now loudly smacking some neocola-flavored gum, his starry fur bristling, ÒYour actions today were completely uncalled for, why ÐÒ
ÓThe nameÕs Tam,Ó she replied cooly. It was obvious her mind was in a far off place.
ÒRegardless, your actions in todayÕs lesson were absolutely horrific. It isnÕt apparent that you understand the circumstances. Maybe you need me to explain why youÕre here again?Ó Violent protest erupted from the three pupils; theyÕd heard this story countless times before. The Supervisor gave an exaggerated sigh and started up his speech as if he hadnÕt heard them.
ÒYou and your classmates, supposedly the top of your class (though I am beginning to think they took the bottom by mistake), are here as Defenders to save our world from the Oppressors.. theyÕre a very real force that can and has caused massive chaos.Ó Tam faked a loud yawn at this point. The Supervisor ignored her and continued. ÒBut their unconventional means of attack is what makes them a force to be reckoned with. Zipping is a technology we know little about. One poke from a Zip beam and youÕre teleported to-Ó
ÒTeleported to where? I donÕt believe youÕve ever mentioned that before.Ó Bri cut off the Lupe, but showed an amount of interest in the subject.
ÒWell, we arenÕt quite sure where they go yet, but it isnÕt from lack of investigation. Thirty squads of Defenders are out scouring every inch of space, but so far they haven't turned up so much as a single clue. As far as we know, once you have been Zipped you may simply be gone forever. ThatÕs the reason we keep this place such a big secret that not even your parents can know where you are. If we are attacked before final preparations are made, the result will be devastating to all of Neopia. Now, I suggest you go home and study a good deal tonight. ThereÕll be a quiz soon. For today however, you are dismissed.Ó Bri let out a little whoop as the three friends headed out the door.
Outside the door the trio found themselves in a vast hallway, with passages branching out in every conceivable direction. Indeed, it could be quite a maze if one was not accustomed to it.
Tam caught the eye of Charmed_Frost, a split Aisha she knew from back home, and waved. ÔHey there Frosty!Ó she said warmly. The Aisha waved back and gave a nervous grin. This made Tam frown a bit in confusion. At first all the pets at the Academy had seemed so friendly and confident. They knew they were the best at what they did and were proud of it. Yet lately everyone seemed preoccupied, and overall performance was slipping as a result. What did everyone else know that she didnÕt?
Each hallway was illuminated by the same fluorescent green glow, and titanium tiles clad the walls. After traveling through several hallways that were quite indistinguishable, the three pets arrived at an elevator that led down to the Habitation Quarters. A small hum filled the elevator as it sank gently downward. With a pleasant ding the doors reopened to display a much different scene than the drab corridors above.
Bright neon lights blinked on and off, spelling out trendy shop names like Kacheek Treats, Faerie Wear, and Ice Entertainment. The friends walked briskly over towards Grundo Grub, their favorite restaurant, burst through the door and abruptly hopped onto the nearest stools.
ÒThree Roast Gargapples, please!Ó they chimed in unison as each pet tossed thirty neopoints onto the counter.
There was an short silence as they waited for their food to be served. Bri and Tam seemed to be preoccupied with their own affairs. Mech gazed affectionately at his two friends. They were so brave, loyal, and assertive. He often wished he could voice his opinions as well as they did. Bri was your typical robot pet. Slightly smaller than the rest of the species, but twice as agile. Mech knew her encyclopedic brain held vast amounts of knowledge, though she rarely chose to show it. Tam was a friendly Eyrie, though slightly conceded, who was always brushing her fur, trying on new bracelets, or other such nonsense. Sometimes she overdoes it a bit and resembles the Chia Clown, Mech thought with a snicker.
His attention turned to a lonely Lenny staring out the window at the beautiful starry scenery that encompassed the entire Academy. The planet of Neopia was nowhere in sight. Beautiful stars glowed with the fiery force of a thousand Scorchios and icy asteroids traveled aimlessly through space as their dusty trails left vague reminders of their journeys. The Neopia Defenders had been right to choose this location for the Academy. Its obvious beauty was surpassed only by the fact that nobody would ever find them here. Ever.
ÒSo, what do you guys want to do tonight?Ó asked the Chomby after they had finished the meal. ÒWe could listen to the new Shrieking Lenny CD and have some Chocomato smoothies...Ó Tam nodded her head and grinned.
ÒSounds great, Mech! In fact ÐÒ
Suddenly the public announcement speakers boomed across the corridor. ÒATTENTION ALL RECRUITS. PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR POSTS IMMEDIATELY FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WEARING FULL BATTLE ARMOR. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.Ó the speaker clicked off abruptly as if it did not quite realize the impact it had caused by this small statement.
Chaos let loose as everyone struggled back to their dorms at the same time and emerged moments later to join the current of people scrambling across the ship towards their battle stations. Mech sprinted forward until he had caught up with Bri. ÒThe war,Ó he whispered, ÒitÕs begun...Ó
