HC (Story)

[Deleted]

What is HC? Call it a backstory. Not only of my persona, but of many of my characters, all of my oldest characters. What does it stand for? Originally I called this set of stories Huntercanon, but that's not quite right. Instead, I'll offer you some new ideas for what HC stands for with each part. This will be somewhat episodic, like AAI:UP was, so between each chapter there will be a short intermission. With that out of the way, it's time to begin...

CHAPTER ONE: HOME'S CALLING

Part I: Hostile Cards

{Create-A-Pet Adoption Agency
March 21, 2003}

I play Florg the Devourer!

I play Neoquest Hero! Since he's a lupe, he gets a bonus against chias! Attack!

*A yellow scorchio and blue chia are playing cards at a small table. The room they're in looks like a preschool. A young boy in a black hooded cloak walks in.*

: Oh hey! Interesting little avatar you've got there. I'm Jinzo879, but I just go by Jinzo. What's your name?

: I'm Rarehunter.

: I'm Marik118, ignore the numbers.

: Well, I guess I'm Rarehunter41, then...

: Eh, no worries. Your move, Marik.

: Flying Shoyru.

: What are you guys playing?

: We're playing with the Collectable Cards. There are no real "official" rules, but the guy at the shop made a ruleset to boost interest in the game.

: There's a tournament tomorrow, we're practicing. The champion's undefeated though.

: Edgeridge or something? Edgerich? ...Edgeworth?

: Rijkard. Rijkard Ludor.

: Right, that guy. Dunno what I was thinking, Edgeworth's a silly name... Anyway, I'm sure we'll beat him. We've got our strategies perfect!

: We'll see. Anyway, you here to adopt a pet? We know you're not going to bother with us, so feel free to look around.

: What do you mean, not bother with you?

: Oldbies don't want pets with numbers in their names, and newbies don't want two pets. And we're not splitting up.

: That's why we need to win tomorrow: The prize money will let us buy a home for ourselves so we can get out of here.

: Well... I actually think I'll take a look around Neopia Central a bit. I'll see you guys around.

: Uh, alright then...

: *walks out*

{Collectable Card Shop
The Next Day}

*Tables are set up all around the shop. The buzz shopkeeper is behind the counter.*

: *shuffling deck* You ready?

: Always ready, Jinzo.

Shopkeeper: We're just waiting on the champ to get here, then we can start.

*Somebody walks in the door.*

: You ready to lose!? ...Oh it's you, that Racehunter guy.

: I thought I'd come see you guys play.

Spectators? This is getting quite popular.

: *strides through the door* What was that you were saying about losing, little wyrm?

: Who's that?

: Rijkard Ludor, the champion.

: And one of the few characters in this rich enough for a last name.

Shopkeeper: Alright, let's get started folks. I'll put the matchup sheet here, just head over to your tables once you know where to go.

*The tournament begins. Jinzo does well for a while, but then gets knocked out. Marik, on the other hand, does well enough to get to the final match against, of course, Rijkard.*

: A chia against me? Predator versus prey, hmm, not a tough call.

: Let's go.

*They throw down their cards, barely taking a moment to think, as if they were trying to intimidate the other with speed. Rijkard has much rarer cards than Marik, but Marik has skill. They're down to their last cards.*

: Giant Grackle Bug!

: ...Really? Florg the Devourer, finish him!

Shopkeeper: Aaaand Marik118 is the winner!

: No! I refuse! *storms out, fuming*

: ...He left his deck.

: Free cards!

Shopkeeper: Congratulations, Marik, here's your prize money.

: I still wish we had found an owner... But I guess it's just us, Jinzo.

: What about me?

: Eh?

: I wouldn't mind being your owner.

: I dunno, you have to be pretty cool to hang out with u- OMG THAT CARD IS SO RARE *dives for it*

: We'd be glad to be your pets, Rarehunter. Let's go get our stuff, Jinzo.

*They walk out.*

{Neopia Central Alley
That Night}

: *leaning against the alley wall, clutching a bottle of Neorona* I cannot believe... I was beaten! By a brat I could've eaten in shadier parts of Neopia!

Would you like to have your revenge on them, Ludor?

: Who's there...

*A dark portal opens up.*

If you'd like my help, step through the dark corridor.

: *looks at the portal, contemplating* *throws the bottle aside and stumbles through*

[Deleted]

Part II: Hardwired Censorship

{Neopian Jungle
April 10, 2003}

: *hacking through the jungle with a Virtupets Energy Sabre, speaking into a microphone* This debate has plagued the Neopian science community for generations! Debate over the ridiculous Jelly World has resulted in slowed advancements, disagreements, even violence. Now I, Bastian Wexler, shall travel to the location identified by believers as the most likely location for Jelly World, and disprove it once and for all!

*Wexler puts away his microphone and continues walking.*

: I just need to push aside a few more plants... What!? This is unthinkable! This cannot exist! ...And it will not exist... Something that laughs in the face of science like this cannot be tolerated... I will destroy this place, and ANYONE who stands in my way!

{Virtupets Space Station Cafe
April 13, 2003}

*Rarehunter, Marik, and Jinzo are sitting at a table.*

: I can't believe we're in the Virtupets Space Station! So much technology, so much history...

: And so much food! This place is great!

*A mutant grundo walks out to speak with them.*

Gargarox: The food is good? That's good to hear.

: Compliments to the chef, for sure.

Gargarox: I'll be sure to tell him.

: Aren't you the chef?

Gargarox: Normally. I've got a young grundo I'm training working the stoves now. If you want to meet him, he gets off his shift in a bit.

: Sure.

: If you don't mind us staying here and playing cards in the meantime.

Gargarox: Not a problem. *walks back to the kitchen*

{Space Station Corridor}

: *holding a microphone and a smoking Virtublaster 1000* Infiltrating this area was simple... Such little security on such an amazing prize... *Wexler blasts the lock on the door in front of him, and strides into the control room.* Hmm... I could just fire an orbital laser and blast it off the map... But then I'd have witnesses... First... *presses a row of buttons* Deploy every escape pod but mine, empty. Then... to crash the station into the planet. *begins typing at the control panel, a grin growing on his face*

{Space Station Cafe}

: *walks out of the kitchen, drying hands* Sorry it took so long...

: You're the chef? This stuff was great!

: What's your name?

: Viris551. Or... just Viris, is fine.

: I'm Jinzo!

: Marik.

: I'm Rarehunter.

*a loud beep is heard*

: Oh, that's a loudspeaker. It's usually some random silly message for the tourists-

Greetings, cannon fodder! We've got a special event going on! As soon as this space station gets within range, it will drop from orbit and rocket to the ground, destroying Jelly World. This is just a warning that you may experience some slight turbulence followed by immediate death. Thank you, and have a good last day.

: That's... not a standard message though

: What do we do!?

: We... uh... go see Root! *Viris dashes off, the others follow him*

{Computer Room}

: *furiously typing away at a keyboard as the group runs up*

: Root, what's the situation!?

: That crazy person got access to the main control room. Obviously the security wasn't high before, but he put every wall and security system in the station together to protect him. And, since he's in the main control room, there's nothing we can do from here!

: That's bad.

: You're telling me! They're thinking about resorting to releasing Neopet V2 into the system just to mess things up for a while.

: Sloth's insane AI?

: Yes! So unless somebody cracks open the security and drags that nut out of there by force, we're relying on sabotaging our own systems.

: Bring it on, I can take him!

: *pulls out some blasters and communicators from under his desk and tosses them to everyone* I was hoping you'd say that.

: A bunch of kids?

: That's what I'm counting on that crazy person thinking too. The vents are too small for adults, so he probably didn't close those off. So pocket those blasters and get going.

{Main Control Room}

You will soon have some unexpected guests.

: Who's there!?

Isn't that a bit rude? Shouldn't you tell me your name first?

: My name does not matter. I am the Blocker of Worlds now!

Block it is, then... My name is of no importance. I only came with my warning, and an offer of assistance.

: I'm perfectly safe, and I don't need your help, whoever you are. If you're on this Space Station somewhere, you're going to die soon with everyone else.

Well, if you think you have things handled, I'll speak with you later.

{Ventilation System}

Alright, you can all still here me? You're getting close to the main control room. You're going to want to have your blasters ready, but be sure not to damage the equipment! Once you're there, somebody plug your communicator into the system, and I'll take it from there

: I'm going in first. This is my home, and I'm protecting it.

: We'll cover you, Vince!

*they climb over to the vent over the room, and they see Block inside*

: *pulls out his blaster and blows away the vent, dropping to the ground*

: Argh! *fumbles for his gun, accidentally firing shots around the room*

: *blasts it out of his hand*

: *flies down* Alley oop! *kicks Block out of the way and plugs in communicator*

Great work! Security will be coming soon to get him!

: *crawls along the wall and gets gun* *fires a blast at Jinzo*

: *flies out of the way* Hey, that's very impolite!

: *jumps down and punches the air, sending a fireball at Block*

*A beep is heard, and a low buzz signals the security system turning off. Two huge Mutant Grundos rush in and grab Block, and drags him off*

: ...

: Thanks for bringing us to the Space Station! We should do this again sometime!

: Maybe not this, but I'd be glad to have you visit again.

: And you could always visit us!

: Actually... I can't. As much as I'd like to travel, and learn from chefs on the planet, it's hard for a grundo to leave without an owner.

: You want to come with us?

: You'd do that?

: Of course, the more the merrier! Plus, you can cook for us!

: Jinzo.

: *laughs* I'd be glad to. Just give me time to get my stuff and say goodbye to Gargarox, okay?

: Of course.

*They walk back toward the main area of the space station.*

{Holding Cell}

Quite a predicament you've found yourself in, oh mighty Blocker of Worlds.

: Blocker of Worlds... Thanks to this cell, the world has been blocked from me.

So... Block. Would you like to join me? Your reputation as a scientist has been ruined, but I can help you get revenge on those kids, and get riches and fame in other ways...

: Anything to get me out of this cell.

*A dark corridor opens up, and Block walks through.*