Alternate Destiny: Sloth's Reign

Author's Notes: Wow, the fifth chapter! I can hardly believe it! This is the start of another day for the Arena Neopets, but hang on- Parlrina's missing from his cage! Dictator Sloth is NOT impressed with Gardenia...What drastic actions will the Arena Master, Gardenia,take to find him?

As a side note, I decided to make a new currency for the city of Artesia: Arte-Sols. They are equivulent to about1 NP per 20 AS, so the Artesians are quite rich compared to the Neopians of olden days! No wonder they like to bet in the Arena!

The cloaked Artemischaracterwas(sort of) inspiredfrom a cool story I read called 'Pokemon Master' by Ace Sanchez... I sort of borrowed the 'cloak' logo from that story... Mind you, Artemis's pretty mysterious! Gardenia talks about Sabrina in this chapter, so don't miss it out!

Dawn arrived as the Arena Neopets awoke to prepare for another grueling day. They stretched in their cramped metal cages as they bared their ferocious teeth at their Master, Gardenia… The Master smirked, her skin-deep, once pretty face laughed at them, "There's nothing you can do about it," she told them… "NOTHING!" Gardenia's cape whirled around her like a wild-fire- being draped around her shoulders. Her emerald eyes were gleaming. The Neopets shivered of fear… They were doomed.

Sloth entered the room as Gardenia did the daily inspections, showing him each Neopet getting ready for battle. She smiled with wicked glee as she presented them. But when it came to the last Neopet, Sloth frowned. Something wasn't right… One of the cages was empty! In an outrage, he turned on the Arena Master. "YOU ARE INSOLENT! Where is the stupid Wocky?" The foul-mouth Sloth demanded. Mysteria cheered in her icy cage, pacing the full length of it.

"There are over a thousand Wockies here, sir!" sneered Gardenia, "How do I know which one you wanted?" Sloth put his ugly mug right up to her, his huge eyes glowed crimson. "The RAINBOW coloured one, Gardenia… Don't let yourself fail me next time... Find him now- before the next battle starts!" The saffron haired girl nodded civilly, she knew Sloth's orders were final… She dared not oppose him for fear of demotion. "Right away Dr. Sloth." The door slid behind him as Gardenia glared at the captive Neopets. They cringed away.

Parlrina the Rainbow Wocky darted across the alleys- skidding as the sound of prolonged shouting reached his ears. He was almost there! The betting continued as the Artesian people squandered all their Arte-sols on their next battle. But just as he reached the exit, he found that the doors were locked.

Instead when he turned around, he saw a Spotted Skeith block the way. Despair filled Parlrina's heart. The fat lazy Neopet laughed at the tiny figure. "Going somewhere little 'un?" The dragonish scaled Skeith asked Parlrina, "There's no escape from the Arena!" Picking up the poor Wocky by the scruff of his pink mane, the Skeith guard wanted to toss him- but decided not to. Was he going to eat me after all? Oh no!

"You're lucky I didn't eat you," confessed the Skeith, "I'm full after all that jelly, here have some." Delicately Parly ate some of the wobbly stuff. It was the most delicious stuff he had ever eaten. "Thank you," he praised the Skeith. It winked at Parlrina; it did have a heart of gold after all!

But then, Parlrina remembered his once whole family and it made him sad…

"Hey, what's wrong?" said the Guard, seeing his new friend's face saddened.
"It's… It's just my family… Some of them are missing." admitted Parlrina.
"Oh, that. I get that a lot. Don't tell the Arena Master about me being pals with you, okay? It's a secret! I'm Conrad536." said the Guard of the Arena.
"I'm Parlrina888." introduced the Rainbow Wocky quietly.

"You better get back into your cage little 'un; rumour's that Sloth is going nuts over your disappearance… And so is Gardenia." commented Conrad.

"But I don't want to," protested the little furry Rainbow Neopet.

"I'm 'fraid so," said Conrad. Parlrina heard something from behind, was it the Arena Master? He panicked and hid behind his unlikely companion. It wasn't.

Instead, Parly saw a cloaked intruder with polished eyes watching them…

"It is you, the Rainbow Wocky. No Neopet should flee ever." said the stranger eerily, he held an energized palm as the glow intensified around his darkly flared eyes. Suddenly, the huge figure of Conrad was shifted to the side roughly- and the Skeith groaned as he fell unconscious. Parlrina was revealed to all the spectators as the person watched them…! There was a cry of horror as he turned to flee, but the rainbow Wocky was snatched up by the controlled person.

"Gardenia, here's your Wocky!" shouted the stranger as the Arena Master arrived, striding. Gardenia actually flashed a triumphant smile at the hissing ball of multicoloured fluff that squirmed… "Well done Artemis the Wielder, here's your reward as promised: Five thousand Arte-Sols paid in full." There was a clatter of silver coins as two bags filled right to the brim were given to Artemis.

Then the Arena Master gathered the poor Wocky and tossed Parlrina into the cage he previously escaped from, forcing him through the opening.
"There is no escape from the Arena, Parlrina," She told him strictly and harshly. "Those that try to escape have to reply to Artemis the Wielder- or go back to Artesia's streets which they came from." Parlrina growled apprehensively.

"Ah, don't you miss your Owner?" Gardenia's voice dripped with sarcasm and honey, but Parlrina just sulked. "Sabrina's not here to help any of you guys after she was taken away- I know. Now- LIVE with it. She's not coming back."

"Yes, she will! She promised us she'll be back!" yelled Parlrina. "I don't believe you…"

The Arena Master had a look of incredulity. "Just go to sleep, will you?"