Apoc vs. Prince Jazan

      "Apoc, that's terrible!" MI cried when he had finished reading. "Prince Jazan has transported the entire Lost Desert into a parallel dimension! We have to help save them! I'm recruiting Junglecat into the war right now!"

      "MI, relax!" Apoc said. "Junglecat couldn't touch any opponents, and even if it had, if the Lost Desert is gone your Ummagines will triple in price!"

      "Apoc, you show some kindness to the Sakhmet citizens!"

      "Hey, Coltzan's Shrine and Sutek's Tomb are still here!" replied Apoc. "And Princess Amira never was really an ideal ruler. But why not? Sign Junglecat up! Maybe he'll get sick like last time!"

      "Apoc!" MI cried. "You know that was an accident!"

      "Yeah, the first two times!" Apoc muttered under his breath. He sighed, made sure his dubloon was safe, and followed his owner on the long road back to their home in Neopia Central.

      The next day at neoschool Apoc couldn't go three feet without someone talking about Princess Amira and whether they would ever taste Puntec Fruit again. He ducked into a supply closet and sighed. He might as well get used to the plot as it wasn't going anywhere for weeks to come. In fact, maybe he was going about it all wrong.

      As soon as the bell rang for class Apoc darted out of the closet and down the hall to room 38, in which a Tyrannian class was taking place.

      "Ugga ugg ug ugga. Where is the bathroom?" The Chia teacher turned to the class.

      "Ugga ugg ug-" The response was interrupted when Apoc burst in.

      "Min!" Apoc cried. The whole class turned to a yellow Tonu in the third row.

      "What is it?" asked Min. Apoc gestured outside and Min got up.

      "Now just a minute!" The Chia teacher turned on Apoc. "You are supposed to be in class, Apoc, and Min, get back in your seat!" He was too late. The two neopets were already long gone.

      "Wow Apoc!" said Min between breaths as they ran down a hall. "I guess there was a reason for MI raising our speed at the Training School!"

      "Yeah!" Apoc responded. "Now run faster. I think my teacher realised I'm not in class!"

      Min looked over his shoulder and saw a Kacheek running behind them, screaming and waving an Attack Fork. He sped up.

      The pets dashed home, losing Apoc's teacher near the book shop. When they reached their home Min climbed through a window and immediately spotted a Snow Kookith by the name of Cheeky scratching a Vernax on his leg.

      Min grabbed Cheeky and tossed him outside. Apoc caught him and Min climbed out. Now that they had Cheeky (and to a lesser extent his Vernax) they were ready for anything. Which left just one question.

      "Apoc, what exactly is it we're doing?" asked Min.

      "You'll find out soon enough. For now follow me, we're off to the Lost Desert!" Apoc walked off, Min and Cheeky hurrying along behind.

      After a while the pets reached the Lost Desert. It seemed much more desolate then usual, with only a few of the once many pyramids that once were scattered across the horizon. The city of Sakhmet was gone, not even a trace of its glory remained. A lone Anubis howled. It was creepy.

      Apoc darted over towards the former location of Sakhmet. He began sniffing around. Min followed behind, amazed at how he was gasping for breath, and Apoc hadn't even broken a sweat. Maybe there was something to Grundo's Gym after all.

      "You know, we might find what we're looking for if you tell me what we're doing!" Min glanced expectantly at Apoc.

      "Fine," the Bori responded. "I plan to ally myself with Prince Jazan and help him destroy Sakhmet in exchange for a portion of it when he gains control!" Min stared at Apoc. "It'll work, Min, just trust me!"

      Min thought back to the last time he had trusted Apoc, which led to a very painful experience involving a large whirlpool. But Apoc's insane plans always did have some shred of logic to them, so Min offered a suggestion.

      "There's a fortune teller a few miles east. We could go see her!" Apoc grinned and darted off, Min slowly jogging behind him.

      They entered a dusty tent. An old Kau wrapped in strange robes greeted them. She picked up Cheeky, who was making frantic meep noises.

      "So," she said to the pets. "I sense you have come to seek information on your future. What are your questions?"

      "Can the fortune teller act!" Apoc whipped out a Snowball Slingshot. With any luck, Junglecat wouldn't miss it. "Get us to Prince Jazan!"

      The fortune teller chuckled and set Cheeky down.

      "Alright!" she said and chuckled softly. She walked over to a tablet and uttered a strange chant. The tablet glowed and a swirling hole emerged. It grew and grew until it roared throughout the entire room.

      "Go ahead!" she shouted, pointing to the centre. "Best of luck!"

      "You go first!" cried Apoc to Min. "I'll be right behind you!" Min jumped. "Sucker!" Apoc cried. Cheeky ran up behind him, bumped him in, and hopped in right after.

      Min stumbled through the vortex and as suddenly as it had began, it stopped. He was sitting in a dark alley near a boarded up shop that looked like it had once sold some strange weapons. He thought he recognized some of them from when MI had taken him to the Deserted Fairground. He was distracted when Apoc and Cheeky stumbled through.

      "Great!" said Apoc. "This is going perfectly! Now let's find Jazan!"

      The pets travelled through several alleyways, occasionally ducking behind a wall when some monster came by. After a few hours they came to a square. Jazan was at the centre barking some commands to a terrified Skeith, who looked like he might faint on the spot.

      "Now the secret here is to be subtle!" Apoc whispered to Min. "We can't let him know we're here until-" Apoc was interrupted by a large whinny. He looked up to see a large ghostly looking Uni none other than the Nightsteed glaring at them. The Uni picked the three frightened pets up and carried them into the centre of the square, depositing them near Jazan's feet.

      "What are you doing here!?" Jazan bellowed, electricity flowing from his fingers. "You're not from Sakhmet, are you? No, that Kookith gave it away. And the heavy fur. But no matter. Identify yourselves!"

      Apoc stared at Jazan. He was smart. He assumed Jazan to be some nut raving about ancient prophecies who would soon be answering to Apoc's beck and call. But he was intelligent. Definitely time to consider a new plan.

      "Well, Prince Jazan," Apoc paused. "We are here to consider an alliance. My forces," he gestured to Min and Cheeky. "And yours!" He gestured to the creatures nearby.

      Jazan began to laugh. He smiled at the Bori.

      "So let me get this straight. You, your little friend and a petpet think you will be of any advantage to my conquest of Sakhmet?"

      "Well, Prince Jazan, in my personal belief the war has already been won. Sakhmet is here in your kingdom, and is at your mercy, correct?" Apoc smiled at Jazan.

      "As are you, you would be wise not to forget that!" Jazan's hands were still glowing blue, but more mildly this time.

      "What I mean is, would you not enjoy some supplies from Neopia. I could get you weapons, provide you with knowledge of the war, and assist you in a strategic and well thought out conquest!" Apoc tried to keep his voice calm. If Jazan decided to attack right now, it was all over. He needed to capture the prince's attention long enough to persuade him to accept his offer.

      "Yes it sounds wonderful. But what do you want out of this? Surely you must want something. Something tells me you are not doing this out of the goodness of your heart? Do you want revenge? Power? Or are you merely trying to betray me and seize control of Qasala!?"

      Apoc swallowed. This was not supposed to happen.

      "Of course I would want something!" he replied quickly. "Who wouldn't? Quite frankly, I'm tired of being treated as a cute little Bori when I consistently perform evil acts. So when the war is over, I would like my own page in the Gallery of Evil, as well as partial responsibility for this whole war. Also, five hundred million neopoints. So what do you say?"

      Jazan considered the possibility. This young Bori certainly was special. Him getting to Qasala alone was admirable. But if he was as smart as he appeared then he probably had a backup plan. The odds were that by even considering this he was giving the Bori more time to plot against him. He had to act now.

      "Sorry little Bori," Jazan's hands began to glow. "No deal!"

      As he began to blast electricity everywhere Apoc thought fast. This was going very bad very quickly. He was getting desperate. So he thought, what would Dr. Sloth do? Or Eliv Thade? Or the Shadow Usul? His thoughts were cut short by a zap of electricity going very close to his shoulder.

      "Follow my lead!" Apoc shouted to Min and Cheeky. He darted behind the Uni. Jazan zapped him, but in his rage hit the Nightsteed. The Uni cried out and Apoc jumped on, followed quickly by Min and Cheeky.

      "There you go!" Apoc cried to Jazan. "You can't hurt me because that would hurt your friend here! Now then, let's discuss my terms!"

      While Apoc was shouting impossible demands Min was getting worried. He had spent lots of time around evil masterminds. After all he worked for one. And evil geniuses usually wouldn't care about hurting their friends to get rid of their enemies. Better tell Apoc.

      "Apoc, I need to tell you something!" Min whispered to the Bori.

      "Not now!" Apoc was faced with the problem of both holding onto this Uni and cleverly negotiating with Jazan.

      "But Apoc! Jazan will attack us!"

      "No he wouldn't!" Apoc turned to Min. "He would hurt the Nightsteed. Would he put a friend in harm's way to defeat an enemy?"

      "You do it to me all the time!"

      Apoc considered it for a few seconds. Then he was faced with a horrible feeling. He slowly turned back to Jazan. His hands were glowing blue and he was chanting a strange spell. Apoc was overwhelmed with a feeling of doom. He closed his eyes. Jazan was raising his hands.

      Suddenly it hit. A thousand year old spell hit the three. They were overwhelmed by the spell. Apoc tried to scream but no words came out. He was almost out of energy. He blacked out.

      Apoc came to. The first thing he felt was pain. He tried to move his paw. Ouch. It felt sprained. He slowly managed to get up. But should he open his eyes? Who knows where Jazan had sent him? Only one way to find out.

      The ruins of Sakhmet lay nearby, with only a few remnants left. Min and Cheeky were laying near him. He saw Min's eyes flicker. Cheeky was already getting up. They were safe. Dazed, but safe.

      "What happened?" Min asked Apoc.

      "Got me!" Apoc said. "But I imagine the spell went wrong and sent us back to the Lost Desert!"

      "Well, I suppose that's another plan failed!" Min turned to Apoc. "Isn't it?"

      "Not even close!" cried Apoc. "We may have failed this time, but this isn't over! The war isn't over yet! We'll return, ready to succeed where we have failed!"

      Apoc turned away and began the long walk home. Min drearily followed him.

      "Just curious," Min began. "When we do return, we'll be fighting with the people of Sakhmet, right Apoc?"

      "Oh definitely!" replied the Bori.

The End