Divided Family part 3: The chase is on!
By Wolf the jedi (AKA Wolfielupus)
(The Deep Catacombs)
Mick began his search for S.A.O.N. HQ in the deep catacombs. The catacombs could be a maze of twists and turns, seemingly unending. It was formed into the cliffs near Neopia Central by constant wind and water running through them, forming caves and tunnels that were mostly smooth due to erosion. There were some stalagmites and stalactites that hung from the ceiling and rose from the floor. Most of the stalagmites and stalatites were worn away due to time and pets messing with them. There were many different levels of tunnels and caves in the Catacombs, while most pets and shops were in the upper levels of the caves, that weren't so confusing or twisted. Not many pets would go looking farther into the caves, but that was were Mick found himself looking, as he couldn't imagine a secret crime fighting Headquarters in a much used area. But he still couldn't find its location.
I've looked every where, it's just not here! Thought Mick as he continued to walk in the deep Catacombs. I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go, I don't know what to say, I am utterly helpless! I can't even find my best friend! If she still wants to be my friend, Mick ended his thoughts on a sobering note.
Mick looked into yet another tunnel and decided to randomly shout out, "Lighting! Are you there?! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for saying those things to you! Please come out!"
"So, you're sorry for saying those things, are ya?" Replied a deep voice that echoed through the catacombs.
"Alright, you got one more chance to say the right things. If you mess it up again, I nor anyone else will be able to help you. You'd just have to do it on your own, if she is still willing talk to you. Follow the Wadjet, he will show you the way to her," continued the voice.
"What Wadjet? Where, I don't see- oh..." Mick started to say but stopped once he saw the Wadjet that had appeared out of nowhere. It just stood there and looked at Mick, and Mick stared back at the petpet.
Then the Wadjet turned and started to slither into the catacombs. So, I follow you, eh? If I get to talk with Light, then its fine with me, thought Mick to himself as he followed the little petpet. They went through tunnel after tunnel, heading deeper in to the Catacombs. It seemed like it would never end, when at last, they came to a door that looked like a part of the wall. The door blended almost perfectly with it, except for the door handle that looked like it came jutted from the wall. The Wadjet knocked on the door with it's tail and the door opened for them to go in.
They went through a back door, which lead straight into Dogboy's workroom. As Mick looked around the room, he noticed shelves of items that were combined and some that were still works in progress. Then he noticed the doglefox sitting on his little chair in front of his desk, where item parts were scattered across the table top. The doglefox turned from his work to look at Mick with disapproval in his eyes. The wadjet lead Mick to the desk and the doglefox, then proceeded to leave the item room from the front way.
"Hi... Um, is my friend still here? Or did she leave already?" asked Mick in a small voice.
"Why do you want to see her? From what I and the others saw, she is upset. Though she won't show it. Wants to give a good impression. She won't speak to anyone and she is determined to take care of herself. So if you said something to her that made her upset, you'd better make it right again or else!" Scolded the Doglefox.
"I know... and I'm sorry... I just ... I wanted her to see reason and not go on that foolish mission." Finished Mick, as he stared hard at his paws, hoping they would take him away from this place and his troubles. But that would mean not talking to Light, so I'm just going to have to say sorry.
"Yes, you should be sorry! If you had said something like that, no wonder she's depressed! You of all people should know how she has been trying to get a mission. Plus not only should you know that, but you also trained with her, from what she's told us before. You should know by now what she's like!" Stated the Doglefox, with anger plain on his face. "You should be ashamed of yourself."
"Yes, yes, I know...I mean, it must be good that she finally has a mission and all... I never thought of it like that..." Mick mumbled on to say. After a moment of silence, Mick yells, "LIGHTING! I AM SO SORRY!"
"Yes, yes, that's really nice when it's all said and done. And I'm even surprised that she finally has a mission-Whoa! Since when did you know about- Where did you learn- What mission? Err, I don't know about any mission..." Dogboy stumbles on to say, while he tried to deny the whole 'mission' thing.
"It's OK, Dogboy. I told Mick and my friends that I had a mission. It's good to know that you're sorry. But I'm still going to prove to you and the Chief and everyone else who doesn't believe me that I can take care of myself." Said Light as she stepped out from behind a row of battle items.
As she finished talking Mick caught her up in a big hug as he exclaimed, "Light! I am so sorry for how I acted before! I'm so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?"
"Oh Mick, of course I'll forgive you, but first I must prove to you and everyone else that I can do this. I've got to go. My stuff is packed and ready. I must go, for the good of everyone." Light said as she picked up a big duffel bag filled with things she might need on her mission.
She hugged Mick and Dogboy, and Robot since he had just arrived to watch her go. Light gave one last wave as she headed out the back door, and into the world on her mission. Mick and the two petpets just stood there watching as she heads into the distance. "Good luck and come home safely." Mick called to her softly as he sighed, knowing that she would probably get into some trouble, because it was her nature. "Right, what now?" Mick asked the two petpets as he turned to them, waiting for their answer.
"I suggest that you leave soon. It will get a bit hectic around here, with Light going and all." Said Dogboy to Mick as he turned toward Mick to answer him.
"What do you mean?" asked Mick as he looked from one petpet to the other.
"You see, its a bit of a story to explain, if you want to know why." Replied Robot as he, Dogboy, and Mick headed for the front entrance door.
"Well... I'd like to hear it... but because I can be such a jerk, I won't press it." Mick said more to himself than to any one else.
"Because you are very humble, I'll tell you," Robot said to Mick's apparent joy as Dogboy just grunted in reply to Mick's statement. "You see, all of us petpets are friends of Light. Not that she knows each and every one of us, she's just polite and says hi, even if she doesn't know all of us. However, she does knows most of us because she hasn't had missions." Robot starts to explain.
"Not that we hold it against her, she just spends her time doing the paper work and doing little jobs, like catching some little thief or some such. Because she doesn't get missions, she often talks and plays with us, since we have to work here all the time. She can go home and get out every now and then. We don't often get to go out and she is sad for us, even if we're not. We like to work here, we even like it better because she plays with us." Robo went on to say in a way to explain the petpets' feelings for the lupe.
"We are happy when she is and we're sad when she is. She's grown on us and we on her. Even the ones that don't like many other Pets like her. And so even though she is on a dangerous mission, we're happy for her. To finally prove to others and herself that she can do it... it brings a smile to my face even now." Dogboy finished with, indeed, a smile on his face as he thought of how happy Light was to get a mission.
"Wow, I never thought of that. She doesn't even show any disappointment for not getting a mission before. Well, I'd like to join in the celebration of her getting a mission. If its OK, that is..." Mick asked looking at the Doglefox and the GX-4 Oscillabot.
"If the others don't mind, I don't," Robot replied with a smile while he looked at Dogboy for confirmation.
"Yeah, might as well. Just don't go trying nothing, got it?" Dogboy said as they walked deeper into the HQ.
"Of course not." Mick replied in all seriousness as he smiled at the old Doglefox.
(some time later, in Neopia)
Why must all the bad guys come out RIGHT NOW?? Light thought to herself as she was thanked yet again for stopping another robbery. The robbers had tried to rob the chocolate factory, and had used water guns as weapons. The silliest crime I ever did see Light thought as she began to walk again. Ever since she left HQ, she had stopped robbery after robbery that day, and if it wasn't a robbery, it was a kidnapping, or a hold up or something else altogether. Light sighed at the mere thought. If only it didn't take up so much time, she thought to herself as she continued on the path that would take her out of the city.
That's when she heard someone shout, and another growl something back. She looked down a side-alley. It was a dead end alley, with a few piles of trash along the walls. In the middle of the alley were three pets, a Halloween Buzz and a Pirate Kyrii, bullying an Island Nimmo. It looked like the Nimmo was the one who had shouted a question, and the Pirate Kyrii had responded with a nasty reply.
Light started down the ally, wondering what was going on. As she got closer, she heard more of what was happening.
"You gonna give us your Neopoints, or do we have to take them?" The Buzz growled to the Nimmo.
"Why should I give you my hard earned Neopoints? I could always stop you. Come on, show me what you got!" The Nimmo said with a passion. He raised his hands in front of him, like he was going to fight them both. The Buzz and Kyrii just laughed at him while they stepped up to start the fight.
Light quickened her pace, and she ran right into the duo headfirst, knocking them down. As they lay there, dazed, Light turned to the Nimmo. "Are you alright? They didn't get ya, did they?" Light asked once she faced the Nimmo.
The Nimmo looked a bit shocked at her sudden appearance. But he hid it quickly, and responded with a semi-even voice. "Yeah, yeah, they didn't get to me yet. Though I could have taken them, if you hadn't just showed up, and all." He said looking down at the stirring troublesome duo.
"Oh, yeah, them. I'll take care of those two, you just go and get the Defenders of Neopia." Light said as she started to walk back to the now standing duo.
"Right!" The Nimmo said as he dashed off to get the Defenders of Neopia. By the time they got there though, Light had finished the job and the two Neopets were tied up and gagged.
"We'll take it from here." Said Judge Hog, as he and two other Defenders grabbed the two pets and took them away.
"Now, where did that Lupe go?" The Island Nimmo said to himself as he puzzled about Light and her disappearance.
"Now, if I take this short-cut, then pass there, and head that way, I should get out of Neopia Central in no time." Light said to herself as she examined a map, trying to find a quicker route out of Neopia Central than the one she was using. She was sitting on the sidewalk, in front of the Smoothie Shop.
"I believe the quickest route out of Neopia Central is to not get so distracted by the crimes going on around you." The Island Nimmo from before said as he stepped up to Light. "I followed you, even after you gave me the slip. Of course, I had to find you again, but it was easy. I just had to look for trouble and there you were, stopping it. So why do you need to get out of Neopia Central?" The Nimmo continued, as he sat next to Light.
"I've got to be somewhere, and soon too. And I can't help getting distracted, I have to help pets when they are in trouble." Light said as she looked at the Nimmo, not very surprised that he followed her. She would have done the same thing. And besides, she knew that she was being followed, she just didn't have the time to lose him. "Besides, its none of your business what I do or where I go."
"Normally I would agree with you. However, I saw your talisman and was wondering, how are you connected to S.A.O.N.?" The Nimmo asked straight out. "By the way, my name is WereLeo. But you can call me Leo."
"Warrior of Lighting, Light for short. And I have to- Wait a moment! I- I don't have time for this, I need to get going." Light stammered. She stood up to leave, but couldn't really go, because it would be rude to leave while someone was talking to you. It was the way Wolf had brought her and her sister up.
"Hold up, hold up! Look, I know all about S.A.O.N. and I can tell that you know as well, so I'm coming with you. I need something to do. Besides, I haven't seen a talisman like that in a long, long time." Leo said as he too stood up to go.
"You sure? You have no idea what I'm going to do." Light said as she started to lead the way, out of Neopia Central.
"Maybe I don't, but you can tell me on the way there. It would be much easier. Besides, I can keep you from being distracted along the way." Leo said as he followed her.
"Alright, if you say so. Don't say I didn't warn you." Light said as she started to explain her mission, while Leo kept her from being too distracted. Together, they left Neopia Central and headed for Tyrannia, where they would wait for Chaos and stop her evil deeds.
"The agent is on her way, Boss. She is being accompanied by an Island Nimmo." Said a Shadow Kyrii into a dark speaking orb.
"Good. Fallow them, while I send the ninjas. Be sure to take care of both of them." Replied an evil voice at the other end.
(Tyrannian Plateau)
Light and Leo had finally gotten to Tyrannian Plateau when it started to get dark. The rocky layout was nearly barren, since most of the pets that lived there were either at home or heading home. Light and Leo found a ledge that stood above the giant omelette, to put a stakeout there. From that view point, they could see the entire plateau easily. They watched the main entrance, the concert hall, the town hall, even the lair to the beast. From there, they watched for Chaos of the Night.
"You sure that Chaos of the Night will come?" Leo asks in a tired way, for they had been hiding out for three hours, waiting for Chaos of the Night to show so they could stop her. Once they got set up they started the stakeout, but nothing had happened yet. Nothing what so ever.
"Light? What do you think?" Leo asked when he got no reply to his first question.
"Light? Light, you there?"Leo asked again as he noticed that his new friend was nowhere to be seen.
He started to get up to look around, but then he was knocked down.
"Tie him up. And make sure, it is tight. It seems, that he is less of a fighter than his friend." One of the three Shadow Ninja Techos said to the other two, while the others did as he commanded.
While Light and Leo watched the ground in front of them, they didn't watch behind them. So the ninja techos had came unnoticed. They attacked while Light and Leo were watching for Chaos, and Light was the first to succumb. She had tried to fight, but she couldn't keep up with the ninjas' speed and tricks. While two of the three ninjas tied up Light, the third had came up behind Leo, and since Leo wasn't much of a fighter, he was easily brought down. They then brought their tied up and unconscious victims to the ground level, so that the ninjas could be easily reached by allies.
"I have them, Master. They are on their way as we speak. They were not a problem. Have no fear, Master, for they cannot be of any trouble now." Said the chief Shadow Techo Ninja into a dark speaking orb.
His master replied from the dark orb.
"Good. Very good indeed. Send them to me and you may take the rest of the night off. The Grarrl will take them off your hands."
"As you wish, my Master." The Techo ninja said as he pocketed the dark orb. He turned to the other ninjas and said to them, "Come my brothers, the night belongs to us!"
And with that the trio of ninjas disappeared into the night as a Grarrl came and hitched a cart to a pair of Moehogs, while he put Light and Leo in it. He sat up front as he lead the Moehogs to Chaos at her headquarters. He rode away in the night, and no one noticed nor cared.