Alternate Destiny: Sloth's Reign
Author's Notes: I'm baaacck! This is just a recap of what happened before Sabrina had joined the Rebels and why she is the way she is now. :-D Neopets should do a storyline or a game set in an acolpyscal Neopia (how do you spellit?). Speaking of which,should this storybe setin the Alternate Universe (AU)genre? Who knows...
It was my birthday thirteen days ago! YAY! As a celebratory chapter, I made this chapter an extra page (3 pages) long! How's that for size! Enjoy this new chapter, I did too!
Three and a quarter years ago…
A teenage Asian girl walked through the Palace's double doors; her eyes were downcast as her family of Neopets followed her down the dark foreshadowing corridors of the Palace. Acute and tainted eyes tracked their swift movements, calling names at them, figures of distant people chanting in the background.
The human and ever ethereal eyes of the audience were blinded by hatred and mercilessness. The afternoon was long and the atmosphere was stifling in the Palace as the 'great and mighty of Artesia' were seated. For now, Sloth awaited at the other end of the extravagant Palace, ready to hand down harsh sentences.
The Neo-humans snarled at their tear soaked faces, the other Artesian humans (most of them controlled) just looked on in disgust at the Rebel- obliviously another radical Neopian-wannabe. Arte-Sols jingled in their deep pockets.
Various insults were yelled at Sabrina as crystal tears ran down her cheeks- didn't anyone want Neopian owners?
Must she and her Neopets always face prejudice and stony glances? What will that Dictator Sloth do to her family? She looked down at her Neopets; they were shaken to the core at their fate- imagining their worst fears being invoked.
A closer inspection showed that the entire family was being watched closely by the insulters- who were none other than their accusers, the witnesses who used them as testimonies. 'You opposed the mighty Sloth! Neopian-idealist! Rebellious owner of these unclean things! Not of Artesia!' The cries went on, rejecting the Owner and her Neopets from the ever cruel society.
The crimson Lenny fluttered near her, but the girl was too sad to notice. The yellow Lupe whimpered softly as his multicoloured Wocky brother, Parlrina comforted Mysteria in their bleak situation. "Will they take us away?" asked her young Kougra called Paws, frantically.
"Oh, please, don't let the Neo-humans take us from you! The Arena… The Death-Arena… NO! I don't want to be a slave to Arena Master Gardenia!" The green Kougra clutched at his Owner's hand with pure terror, his paws were trembling.
Sabrina's other Neopets did the same, pleading with intention. Sabrina really wanted to help her family, but she could do nothing- for the foul rulers, along with Sloth, were watching them intently.
"Paws, Mystie, Kass and Parly- one day I'll come back for you guys and set all of you free from the Death Arena. This is my promise. Remember it with all your hearts." She smiled sadly as her Neopets wailed…"So, Sabrina…" Sloth boomed at the Owner. "I've heard that you said some things about me- eh-eh."
Sabrina glared at the Dictator, how dare he laugh at her! "What proof do you actually have of this then…?" she yelled at him. Sloth laughed menacingly.
"Why don't you ask them?" He gestured towards the booing crowd.
The owner just avoided their mocking gazes. It only made them jeer louder.
"She doesn't deserve to live, Sloth! Why don't you do it to her?" One spectator yelled.
"Other decent Artesians will respect you for this deed!" screamed an Ixi-transformed Human, his short dark-shadowed horns crowning over his furred head, a black hoof-hand glinted in the afternoon glare- the crowd was restless.
"This no-good human has disgraced the name of Artesia- by proclaiming!" The Ixi-human's wicked fangs gleamed in his mutated maw. One of the thirteen leaders (Sloth) hissed as Sabrina pleaded before the leader, asking the thing to spare her life. "Please, I didn't do anything wrong!" Tears dropped from her eyes as her glasses fogged up. "Don't transform me into some hideous being!"
"SILENCE!" roared the masked leader, immediately, the room fell silent.
"I don't think you're worthy enough to be controlled by an Artesian (Sabrina shuddered) or transformed… Instead- the worst punishment I can give you is- Your life being bound to the capture OR your Neopets' life." The Asian girl- being reduced to pure resolute chose the first option. The leader grinned horribly as she just realized what had happened. Sloth had tricked her.
"In submitting to me in choosing capture- you ignorant Owner- you will lose the thing that makes you whole-" Sabrina knew what was coming, she could feel it. Sloth wasn't one to play games with- he was pure cat and she was the mouse.
"What?" she said, she already feared the answer…
"Love- affection, emotion- whatever you call it…" Sabrina's reaction was utter outrage, "You can't do this to me..." she said angrily to the dictator. "Nothing else can make you so vile- so repulsive."
"Do you want your dear Neopets to be tossed out to the Artesian streets?"
"No, of course not- I just wouldn't allow it. I'm their Mum." retorted the teen.
"Then you must submit to me and be captured. Wouldn't that be a pity?" Sloth said sarcastically. The crowd, to the Owner's horror, just shook their heads.
"Take her away," Sloth shouted to the Guards and just then he whispered lithe conspiracy to them, "And ask Gardenia to take her Neopets to the Arena!"
The Guard (called Kana) obeyed his master, as the shocked family scattered…
In the dismal present, a lone yellow Lupe looked out to the darkened Stadium in her iron-clasped cage. Mysteria could see twinkling stars in a calm twilight sky. Pearly tears ran down her fur like rain. I miss you, Sabrina… Please, rescue us! There was a brief, haunting howl of restless longing. Soundsof distant pain- and then a fading silence...
