Having restored FirePrinse's hit points at the Healing Springs, Leslie cleared her throat and spoke to the Uber-Water Faerie. "Um, Miss Faerie, we had an encounter with one of Dr. Sloth's creations..."

"You have?" exclaimed the Uber-Faerie. "Are you positive it was one of his?"

"Definitely. It went into this whole little spiel about how it was a creation of Dr. Sloth, ruler of a thousand worlds, owner of Atlantis, avid comic book collector..."

"Did it say what it was?"

"A Hisslady."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

Leslie explained about the howl, how she'd seen the Hisslady choking FirePrinse, how she'd grabbed for it and dropped the Sacred Chalice. At the Faerie's request she related the story of how she'd gotten the Chalice, held it up, and described how the wand had come out of the Chalice and she'd used it.

"You mean...you became Sailor Lupe?" asked the Faerie in awe.

"Um, yes. Why?"

"This is more serious than I thought!" The Uber-Faerie started kicking her mermaid tail back and forth, the fish equivalent of pacing. "You'll need to see the Faerie Queen about this."

"It's that important?" asked a stunned FirePrinse.

"I think so. If the Sacred Chalice...you got it, and you got that wand...this is definitely a matter for the Faerie Queen!" The Uber-Water Faerie gave the pair directions on where to find the Queen, and off they went.

"A group of Dark Faeries attacked Neopia. There were very few pets at that time, and the small number of faeries were unable to defeat the rebel Dark Faeries; both sides were matched move for move. It took the Sailor NeoPets to kill these faeries. From then on the NeoPet powers lay dormant, ready to awaken in the descendants of the senshi when evil arose that the faeries couldn't handle.

"Then another evil faerie appeared, known as the Chaos Faerie. We think she was once a Dark Faerie, but she had become as powerful as an Uber-Faerie and ruthless. We were handicapped by our need to make sure that no pets or users were hurt. With the help of the Uber Faeries, the now-dead Uber-Space Faerie, and a few unique faeries like Negg and Tooth, I created a vessel of power, a cup of light which channeled the power of the Sailor NeoPets. That was known as the Sacred Chalice. Wielding its power we defeated the Chaos Faerie, and the Chalice was given to the Uber-Light Faerie.

"Since your power as a Sailor NeoPet has awakened, we must assume that this new menace is more than Dr. Sloth. It is something that the faeries cannot handle. That means it's up to you to defeat whoever it is. You'll have help, of course," the Queen added quickly. "I will assign a faerie to help you find the other Sailor NeoPets, although under these circumstances they should start appearing by chance."

"That's a lot," remarked Leslie. "I don't think I'm really up to this."

"You are," the Faerie Queen replied. "The blood of the first Sailor Lupe, leader of the Sailor NeoPets, is in you. What do you like to do?"

Startled by this apparently abrupt topic shift, Leslie stammered, "I like gardening."

"Good. I'll assign an Earth Faerie to help you." She snapped her fingers, and a sound like a bell rang out.

In fluttered a small faerie in a green dress. She had brown hair and green butterfly wings. "You called, Majesty?"

"I did, Kaen. This girl is Sailor Lupe, and she has awakened. You of all the Earth Faeries know your history and the old legends best. Accompany her and guide her, and search for the other Sailor NeoPets. Understood?"

"I understand, Majesty." Kaen fluttered over to Leslie and sat on your shoulder. "You don't mind me here, do you?" she asked.

"Not at all."

"One more thing," added the Queen as the trio turned to leave. "Leslie_83, your identity will be known only to the one-of-a-kind faeries, the Uber-Faeries, and any faeries which the Uber-Faeries choose to disclose this to. Please do not reveal to anyone that you are Sailor Lupe unless it is absolutely neccesary. This is for your protection."

"Can do," FirePrinse said. "She hasn't told anyone else yet, and no one was around when she first transformed because of the warnings."

"Good." The Faerie Queen waved a hand. "Go now, and remember that you can always come to me for help or advice."

"I hear you're the teacher's pet," remarked Abira88. "What are you? A Lupe? With your lupe-tail hair? Lupes aren't allowed to have other lupes for pets, you know."

"Go away, Abbie," said Leslie tiredly.

"You're the teacher's lupe," Abbie continued, ignoring her. "I guess you're a deformed  lupe, then. Of course, most lupes are deformed."

"And chias aren't?" Leslie asked acidly.

"Chias," said Abbie, owner of yellow EvilChia888, "are cool. Now you..." She narrowed her eyes and smiled slightly... "are, shall we say, otherwise...OWCH!"

Abbie jumped back and cradled her stinging hand. "What did you do, you little-?"

"Nothing," replied Leslie honestly. "I think that was Kaen."

"Idiot!" Abbie reached out to slap Leslie across the face, then screamed and drew back, clutching her hand, tears springing to her eyes. "What's going on?"

Kaen fluttered out of hiding and removed the spell, becoming clearly visible to Abbie. "You," she said, "are a snob and the rudest human I've ever met. If you are going to treat Leslie in this way then I shall have to intervene."

"An Earth Faerie!" gasped Abbie in awe. Then she smirked. "Are you a faerie's lupe too, teacher's lupe?"

Wordlessly Kaen held up a hand, and green energy gathered around it. But before she could strike a voice shouted, "Hey Lupe-tail Hair! Are you bothering my owner?" An orange chia ran up to the group as fast as he could on his short legs. "Chia Charge!" He lunged at Leslie, but was stopped by the blast of green energy.

"Was that your lupe?" EvilChia88 demanded. "I'll show him! Your lupe is the most pathetic in all of Neopia!" He got to his feet and tried to attack again, but stopped and shouted as a pair of thick lavender arms held him in place.

"What's this?" demanded Abbie. "Is this a trick of your toy faerie, Lupe-tail Hair?"

"It's one of Dr. Sloth's!" Leslie exclaimed as she realized.

"That I am," said the lavender creature. It looked like a giant grundo, but was lavender with bluish purple spots and ragged wings. "I am a Grunka. I have been assigned to take this Chia."

Abbie screamed. "You can't take my Chia!" she cried. "He's the best fighter in Neopia! EvilChia belongs to me!"

"Is that the only reason why you care?" shrieked Leslie angrily. "You only want your pet because he's a good fighter? Don't you love your pet? Lupe Neo Power, Make Up!" Sailor Lupe stepped between Abbie and the Grunka. "Release the chia," she ordered.

"That's a mighty short skirt you have there, Lupe," said Abbie. "And now you have lupe ears!"

"Do you want me to save your pet or not?" demanded Sailor Lupe. "Let him go!" she shouted at the Grunka.

"What are you going to do?" asked the Grunka warily.

"Force you to release the chia. I can be very persuasive when I need to be." The Grunka didn't move. Two green lupe paws came out of Sailor Lupe's outstretched hands as she shouted, "Lupe Lunge!" Within seconds the Grunka was nothing more than a pile of lavender dust.

"Well done," said a voice from behind Sailor Lupe, Abbie, EvilChia, and Kaen. "But how long can you hold out?" Whipping around, Sailor Lupe saw an assortment of green mutant Grundos and lavender Grunkas. "We've been directed to eliminate you," the Grundo at the front said.

"That might prove difficult," Kaen remarked. "Attack, Sailor Lupe."

"Lupe Lunge! Lupe Lunge! Lupe Lunge!" Over and over Sailor Lupe cried her attack, and Kaen blasted with green energy, but the Grunkas and Grundos outnumbered them several dozen to one and the pair was quickly exhausted.

"How dare they attack MY chia?" demanded Abbie. "MY chia!" And then, in a ball of glowing whiteness, the Sacred Chalice materialized in the air between her and Leslie. "What a pretty cup," she remarked absently. "I wonder how much it's worth?" And she reached out to touch it.

"Lupe Lunge...Lupe Lunge..." panted an exhausted Sailor Lupe. "Help me, Kaen!"

"I'm trying," moaned Kaen, wings going limp as she sank to Sailor Lupe's shoulder.

"Oh, cool!" Kaen and Sailor Lupe turned slowly to see Abbie pulling a wand out of the Sacred Chalice! It was identical to Leslie's but black and orange instead of dark green and cream. "This is really neat. Chia Neo Power, Make Up!"

A tower of yellow and orange light enveloped Abbie, leaving her in a black and orange sailor fuku! "Abbie, you're Sailor Chia!" cried Sailor Lupe in shock.

"Whatever. Does that mean I can blow up these jerks! They tried to steal my chia!"

Sailor Lupe sighed. "Yes. It does. Your attack should come to you naturally."

Sailor Chia held out her hands, and an insane grin came over her face. She cried "Chia Giggle!" then launched into a high-pitched laugh which made all present cringe. As she laughed orange energy gathered around her hands, exploding from them at the crowd of Dr. Sloth's creations. Not one was left after the blast.

"Thanks," sighed Sailor Lupe, detransforming. She was about to say more but was cut off by a slow, deep, husky voice coming out of thin air.

"You," said the voice, "fight . . . well."

"Duh," said Sailor Chia, detransforming. "What else would I be?"

"Would you . . . like a seat of . . . power?" asked the voice slowly.

"What sort of power?"

"Power over . . . the rest of . . . Neopia."

"You're trying to turn us over to your side, aren't you?" asked Leslie. "You must be the enemy! Well, we are the Sailor NeoPets and our job is to protect this planet-"

"Sounds interesting," remarked Abbie.

"Abbie? You can't be serious!"

"Why not?" asked Abbie, and when she turned to look at Leslie there was an evil gleam in her eye. "I could be queen of all Neopia! Have faeries at my beck and call! Outlaw Lupes! This is the best thing that's ever happened to me." She turned to the point in the air where the voice seemed to be coming from. "I accept your offer."

A swirling orange and purple portal appeared in the air, seeming to have a center of pure blackness. "Step . . . right . . . through," said the voice slowly, "and you will . . . be my right hand senshi."

"How do I know that thing's safe?" demanded Abbie.

"IT IS!" the voice thundered, speeding up somewhat. "I have the power to make a portal a thousand times this size, leading a thousand times further! I am as strong as any Uber-Faerie! I am the CHAOS Faerie!"

"All right, keep your hair on," Abbie snapped, unruffled. Before Leslie could stop her Abbie had stepped into the portal, EvilChia right behind her, and both vanished completely.