Alternate Destiny: Sloth's Reign

Author's Note: At last! The last chapter of this saga called Alternate Destiny!

I would like to give my thanks to my friend called Steph, (ileftmybraininmylocker) for coming up with the idea forthis Neopetsfan-fiction's mostoriginal ending!

My idea for the ending was similar to her's- but a lot more tragic)

Oh, and the song/poem in the last chapter belongs and is copyrighted to moi (me)... It is called Star Crossed Love.

Steal this/the poem and you'll find yourself being chased by Sloth's rabid Meepits! Or at least a rabid author (namely me)...!

Wahhh... This dark Neopets fiction is ending already! I feel so sad... But the story must end sometime...

People I would like to thank for reviewing:

Ileftmybraininmylocker, Sage (for correcting my grammar and storyline), DV2, Clara200, and all those people out there forreading this (and hopefully reviewing!


Yes, it is me- all of Artesia thought I had ceased to exist. But I have returned! - Quinn the Space Faerie


"Who or what are you?" exclaimed Kali as Elena hid behind her back, quivering with fear at the Faerie.

I am Quinn, the Space Faerie that balances worlds.

For all this time, I had watched the vicious events that befell this alternate world…

Consciously, I felt that this should not be and proceeded to use my magic to tweak the event around a bit.

"You have been watching us?" shouted Dana, her eyes were widening.

During that era, I travelled to the world of the spirits and met Dallas Edge-wing, who was eager to learn how to go to Artesia to help the Rebels. I told him, to be accepted he had to be a Wielder, and had to receive training from me…

"That's right," nodded Dallas as his eyes acknowledged the Faerie. "I became the Blue Wielder, upholder of justice and mercy. I wanted to be near my sister and protect her."

We had learnt of the Astral Gate Prophecy and were determined to set the future into motion, but there was one thing we completely overlooked, we missed a few lines.

"What?" shouted Dana uncharacteristically, "Which lines did you forgot?"

'The battle now rages, anger and fury burn-

Sacrifice is vital for curses to overturn.'

"So, this sacrifice refers to those who have given up their lives?" offered Artemis helpfully. No, it means that the Rebels, who sacrificed almost everything, will help remove Sloth's corruptive power.

Can't you see that now everything is beginning to be restored?

"How can my previous life be restored, knowing that Maxine is injured?" wept Sabrina looking at Max's injured face (she's a little depressed and traumatised right now), "It would be better if Maxine is fit again…"

Now, Rebels… Quinn sternly stated. You don't get a free lunch you know…

"OOoohh, free lunch?" yelled Parlrina happily, contrasting with his Owner. "FREE LUNCH!" The other Owners glared at him in distaste for ruining the tense atmosphere.

"Oops, sorry," apologised Parlrina.


This is my contract with the Rebels: In order for peace to reign, I will reset most of the Rebel's (and the rest of Artesia) time-lines to adjust with their new lives in Neopia Central-

As thoughSloth had been expelled from Alternate Neopia forever.

Owners will mostly have no memory of the previous time line- but some of you will have a new identify which is similar to your past names.

Each Owner will have all their Neopets back. Neo-humans will be normal again, Wielders will cease to exist but will be normal humans.

It would be better if each of you doesn't remember the pain that was inflicted in the previous life. Understood, Rebels?

Nobody will ever notice the eternal paradox of this space-time continuum (as this is too difficult for anyone else to understand).

"So that means that if we put our lives in your hands, Quinn, then we will mostly have no recollection of what had happened in this history?"

"Does it mean that we won't remember anyone from our group- friends? We won't meet again in the next life?" clarified Kali Star. Everyone was shocked by this revelation.

You might… There is still a risk factor though… But I will try my best to repair this shattered history.

The Astral Gate will close soon, taking all the spirit Neopets with it- along with other ghosts. You better say goodbye to Dallas, as this is farewell to him…

"Goodbye Dallas, dear brother. Thanks for helping me and Sabrina in Artesia. You were a great Wielder- even though you are a spirit." Dana tried to hug her brother, but he withdrew from her touch as though he was fading from her touch. To her shock he was...!

"I have to go back Dana, my duty is done for now… I feel so privileged that I got to restore Neopia back to the way it was. I'll see you again on the other side of the gate."

Dana thought she saw Dallas smile sadly before the spirit vanished forever…

"Just do it, Quinn… My only wish is to end the pain and heal Maxine…!" said Sabrina; tears were threatening to spill over as she held Maxine's pale body.

Quinn smiled mysteriously as she nodded slowly…

"Thy desire is fulfilled, Max will live... AND NEOPIA WILL RISE!" The Space Faerie suddenly shouted.


Then this blinding flash of light filled the Artesian Stadium and proceeded to overwhelm the darkened world.

The effect of the un-natural light momentarily seemed to stop time as a wilful wind blew around the heroic group…

Time itself seemed to change as 'space' was shifted by Quinn's commands and the Owners and Neopets knew no more as their memories were reset and their identifies were changed…

The last thing they saw was Quinn staring at them evidently interestedas the light consumed them all.


Cold… So ice cold… Darkness surrounded me. "Sabrina, Sabrina!" yelled an unseen familiar voice that belonged to someone I knew. Maxine? His face seemed to be vacant, covered by a spotlight.

But when I turned around, his voice vanished to be replaced by another voice. I ran towards him, but he seemed to ignore me. Maxine? Maxine? MAXINE!

I continued to call to him, but it was like he didn't recognise me. He seemed to be getting farther and farther away the more I approached him. I grabbed his hand, but he wrenched it away from me.

"I hardly know you!" he yelled, "Who are you? What do you want? DON'T call me like that!" Then he pushed away from me... NO! Maxine, come back to me!


Eyelids flicker. Dazed, Sabrina focused her gaze onto something in front of her. Mysteria yelped happily as the Lupe clambered onto the bed. "Look! It's our heroine!"
"Mystie?" yelled Sabrina, startled as the Lupe laughed in joy and licked her face…

Paws also crawled onto the bed as well as Parlrina cheered for her…

"Wait a minute… Let me get this straight!" said a confused Sabrina, this situation was giving her a head-ache! "Don't you get it?" chirped Kassiko, her red Lenny.

"You were in a coma for many weeks! Neopia was saved because of your sacrifice, but we managed to save you in-" Time seemed to freeze over for Sabrina, didn't Quinn say...?


"Looks like our heroine has concussion!" said a familiar good-humoured voice. What-? Artemis Wheeler?

"I'm Art Willis, but you can call me Arty." smiled the black-haired adolescent boy at the other end of the bed; at least he didn't have that creepy accent he had in the other reality.

"And this," he pointed to the blonde-haired girl next to him, "is Clara Saris. She's my new girlfriend and we used to be neighbours."

"I'm your biggest fan!" Kali Star? But she looks different!

Clara was wearing her hair long and natural, no putting it into a plait. Clara had an almost flamboyant look about her and gleaming gold glittered on her…. The only thing that looked familiar was her pale blue eyes.

"Hello!" Clara said loudly, petting her Aerie. "Don't you think that Darla looks beautiful? Of course, she's nothing compared to my spunky Art! Art is so gorgeous!"


"Darla? That's me, right?" said a cross voice as the young lady strode across the room.

The teenager had flighty violet hair and a hauntingly solemn look about her face. Dana Edge-wing? "I like your attitude!" the normally quiet teenager remarked to Clara.

"Nice joke, you had there! I wasn't able to smile ever since Dallas disappeared...!"

"Oh, is that supposed to be sarcastic?" challenged Clara as the violet haired girl shrugged. "No, not at all!" hesitated Darla, "I was just commenting on…"


"Hang on, what you two girls are fighting about?" yelled a well-known voice as a blue haired assertive boy entered the room; no injuries were inflicted on him.

A young brown Gelert pup scampered after him, stumbling comically.

"Rex, come here! I've just got him from the Pound; the little pup could only repeat one word…" the boy laughed as the little Gelert yapped, "Aye, aye!"

Maxine is healed! Quinn really kept her word! Sabrina was so excited at the possibility of him remembering her name.

"Maxine, is that you?" At the sound of Sabrina's voice the teenage boy stared at her…

"Don't call me Maxine, my name is Maximillan Quilt!" A strain of vanity was in his voice, proudly stating how much he h ad changed since then.

It was as if the old romantic Max from the Outlands had faded away, leaving his outer shell in place…

"Then… You don't remember-?" faltered Sabrina. He acted so different from last time!

"Of course not," snorted Max, "What sort of silly boy do you think I am? Neopia Central has been here as long as we can remember, isn't that right, guys?"

"I really have to attend to other matters." responded Art helpfully. "Duty calls, you know. I have to help the Soup Faerie as a volunteer. And my Uni, Blitzen, will help!"

"Hey, wait for me, dear Arty-pie!" cheered Clara as she zoomed out of there on Aerie, waving her hand. "We still have to visit Galatia (Gardenia) and her pet Fire Xweetok!"

("Sigh, do you have to call me 'Arty-pie'! It gets on my nerves…" Art muttered.)


Many hours later… Was Artesia all a dream? Sabrina wondered as she changed her clothes, vividly recalling the adventures she had in Artesia.

Of course, Quinn did say that she would reset the time-line, but still the previous events seemed unreal…

And I miss the old Max, the new Max seems so Arrogant and vain… But at least Sloth is not ruling anymore.

Just then, she gasped as she stared at her left arm, where Sloth had imprinted the crimson tattoo, the design was altered into another image, but it was still clear to her.

A red rose was embossed on her arm, instead of the red and white swirls that rendered her emotionless… What the-? The events in Artesia really did happen after all!


Months passed and Sabrina was enjoying her newfound freedom with her Neopets, playing with them and she loved them as much as the nearest Owner did...

But she really did yearn for the boy who was always for her when she was in Artesia…

Missed Max's warm smile, unyielding devotion- and even his caring selflessness for other people…

Granted, she was really famous now for saving Neopia - but even that seemed to come at a price.

Everyone knew her, but not the real her, just someone to look up to. Then one winter day, fate finally intervened… Or was it destiny?


Walking through the rain, all alone he came. The whispering of the wind pushed Max along as he trod towards the cold Neopian shops, trying to find Rex, who seemed to have scampered off somewhere. It was then that he saw her.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and that glance sent shivers down his spine. Who was that girl anyway? Rex seemed to have made his way towards that unknown girl, snuffling in her hand…

"Hello, Maxine." said the adolescent Asian girl. Maxine- oh god, how dense is that girl? She addressed me as that at least two times already!

The boy thought roughly of her, he almost wanted to tell her what was on his mind but decided not to...

"I see, you have returned," he announced in an awkward way. The Neopian heroine seemed to be overjoyed at seeing him, but what for- he wasn't exactly sure.

"My name is Sabrina, Maxine. Don't you remember?" Sabrina, the name of the mystifying lass with midnight hair sent thrills down his back, but the name was still very vague to him.

Quelling down his emotions, he responded: "Maybe we met in another life or something like that." He laughed, but the sound came out forced and audible instead of natural. The young lady didn't seem to appreciate the joke.

"I see," she said in a bitterly disappointed tone. "You never even bothered to memorise my name either." She turned around; her enchanting amber eyes still bore into him.

"Well, who am I then?" she dared him to reply. Maximillan blinked in mute surprise.

"You were a heroine of Neopia because you challenged Galatia to a match and nearly lost your life trying to defeat her."

The girl's eyes flashed angrily as the snow flakes fell down- why was she so irritated with him today? He didn't get it, girls were so strange.

"Wrong answer, dear Maxine." Her voice seemed to be on edge, frosty and poignant.

"I was so wrong about you. You could never remember what we did together in the other dimension." muttered the female softly; she was eyeing the drifting flakes.

"Maybe it's time we went our separate ways..." Max turned his back on her and started striding across the streets sadly.


Tears cascaded down Sabrina's cheeks. Couldn't Maxine remember me? Can't he at least tell me that he recognised me? Was Quinn right, we weren't supposed to be together? Our destinies were star-crossed?

Snow started to fall harder as the Owner continued to walk towards her destination, her Neo-home. Raw determination kept her going -despite the pain- despite the hardships she had endured…

Even I love you, I'll never leave you.

If the sky falls, I'll be there for you.

Even when hardships rain down,

The stars are crossed, lost are found

I'll be there for you, even now.

Suddenly, there was a loud shout. Looking eagerly towards the snowy horizon; Sabrina's eyes widened in astonishment as Maxine sprinted, the harsh wind blowing towards her. Could it be-? Maxine!

Max'slong legs lengthened as he loped across the artic winter land, smiling broadly with Rex at his side.

Planting himself in front of the startled Sabrina, he then proceeded to clutch her tightly and intimately, embracing her in the tight warm circle of his arms.

"I finally memorized your name." Max told the Asian girl who then smiled quietly.

"Your name is Sabrina. And my name is Max, Maxine Paquilt to be exact. I used to be from the Outlands, but now we're back in Neopia- as though Artesia never happened."

"I'm so glad you regained our past realities… And regained our relationship." smiled Sabrina, "There's no need for apologies for forgetting my name." she teased slightly.


Sabrina's sleek graphite hair contrast against the whiteness of the snow, her pale face was now blushing as her hero, Maxine grinned shyly.

Her personality looked more enticing than ever before and an inner light seemed to shine from her eyes, repelling the darkness that bound her to both Artesia and Sloth.


Meanwhile, Quinn bound the two Owner's affairs closer than ever before, pulling on the invisible strings of destiny.

"Sabrina, this is one thing I need to tell you again- I adore you and I will eternally…!"

Then Max pressed his warmly tender lips against Sabrina's -and the silently fleeting moment seemed almost magical to the two Owners- who stood there obliviously, not mindful of the snow that blizzarded around them.

Two separate destinies were confirmed and bonded together, even stronger than the tie of the two pasts…