NEO’S ADVENTURE

Neo had a long tiring run through the rat's hole to Alrodes' house. He sighted Alrodes.

"Shuw shuw" He begged for attention, but Alrodes wasn't looking. After some minutes he thought of what to do. Neo went into Alrodes' plate of pasta when Alrodes went to draw some drinking water.

"Hmm yummy, now I must eat" Alrodes rubbed his hands as he sat to eat. Opening the plate's cover, he was astonished to see that his pasta had been eaten and a big rat laid in it. Angrily he made to kill it. Running around to kill the rat, Michael and Andrew came in.

"Join me to kill this wicked rat" Alrodes shouted angrily at them. They joined.

"Wait! Don't kill me! I have a message!" Neo shouted loudly. They stopped the hunt in bewilderment.

"A talking rat!" They said.

"Please listen, Julie sent me" Neo added quickly.

"Julie!" They settled down to listen.

"Tell us! What's the message" Michael said impatiently.

"You have to be patient dude!" Neo ordered. They remained calm.

"First I need a package of honey and bread just a little, Julie needs to eat" Neo ordered. Michael brought a drop of honey on the little ball of bread.

"This will do," Neo said.

"This? Is little" Andrew said.

"Do as the rat says" Alrodes shut them up.

"I am Neo, not rat" Neo corrected.

"Neo" They whispered.

"Down to business. Julie is in a dungeon in the underground of Naomi. She is been held by the wicked lady Derila, she would kill Julie a day after tomorrow. She wants you to know where she is. As for her escape, it is left to us. She wants you to expose Derila. Julie is safe with us" Neo delivered.

"Oh thank you Neo," Alrodes said.

"Yeah thank you, but please tell us about this underground dungeon," Michael asked.

"It is the royal dungeon for very terrible offences. It is closed in darkness and the keys are only with the royal dynasty. How Derila got it we don't know. She will be there the day after tomorrow to execute Julie. Your job is to ensure that she is caught red-handed. Urgh, am hungry!" Neo said as he started munching the ball of bread with honey packaged for Julie.

"And how will this little thing satisfy Julie?" Andrew asked.

"Bring another bread and I will show you" Neo ordered hungrily. Michael brought in another and Neo chanted some words as they watched the bread rise and grew bigger.

"Wow! Now I understand" Andrew said as others agreed too.

Neo left after delivering the message.

"Let's swing into action," Michael said.

"We need Aries here" Alrodes added.

"True" Andrew agreed.

"Run to the palace and bring Aries here, no one must know about it," Alrodes said. Andrew rushed out fearfully.

The palace with its guards all around it. He needed to get the prince. He saw a lady, she is a maid. He tells the lady that he is an old friend of the prince and should call out the prince. The maid went not suspecting anything. Nesa saw the transactions.

"My lady. One of the rope walkers is come to converse with the prince" Nesa alarmed. Very much trusting her magical powers.

"Let them converse, they would never tell where that brat is" Derila showed no interest.

Aries got to Alrodes' place. They all chatted about how to catch the kidnapper.

"Well it is Derila your fiancé" Alrodes informed.

They explained all to Aries.

"I never thought she would go this far!" Aries said surprised.

"Well you need to be on the guard, you shall not go to the palace because she plans for you" Alrodes warned.

"The palace would be alarmed!" Aries said.

"Well don't stay in your chambers, go to another, Derila wants to use your hair in making a love charm. This would make you love her" Alrodes revealed.

"How do you know?" Aries asked.

"Black magic?" He added with fear.

"No, white!" Alrodes said.

"Go off," Alrodes said. Aries went out feeling alarmed.

"What are we to do?" Neo asked when he came back to report on the assignment given to him.

"We will discuss after the meal," Romen said. Julie divided the ball of honey, while Romen chanted to make the bread larger for all of them. After eating, Romen called for attention. The scorpions and insects were all there. After putting heads together, they came up with a plan.

"Now Neo, go tell Alrodes to expect Julie tomorrow," Romen said. Neo set out.

Neo got to Alrodes dead in the night.

"Shuw shuw, Alrodes" Neo tickled Alrodes' ear. Alrodes woke up.

"Neo!" He gasps.

Michael heard the sound, he turned sleepily on his bed, too tired to go and check.

"Romen our king ask me to tell you that Julie would be here tomorrow. She would be changed to a rat, so you will have to prepare another cloth for her when she is transfigured again, she would be naked. Make sure some plan is hatched to catch the wicked Derila" Neo said.

"I want meat this time, and more water"

Alrodes gave it to him and he zoomed off.

The next morning

"Where have you been my love?" Derila made to hug Aries, but he skillfully dodged her.

"Been in my chamber of course" He replied being very sensitive to Derila's tendencies. He knows now that she practised black magic. As he had seen the secret chamber.

"I did not see you" Derila winced.

"You are not serious" Aries laughed briefly. Derila raised her eyebrow to say a yes.

"Anyway" Aries dismissed.

"I am here," He said.

"Has the alien been found?" Derila pretended to care.

"Of course not" Aries played along.

"Pity! Well, am happy she is not found, although am also sad she is lost" Derila feigned sadness.

"Oh, Derila" Aries put his hands on her shoulder "She would be found, and I promise to banish whoever is behind this!" Aries said. Derila shivered as Aries left, headed to Alrodes.

"And where are you going?" Derila asked.

"To take a walk" Aries answered.

"May I join?" Derila asked.

"No!" Aries rudely declined.

"Oh" Derila sighed angrily. She went to tend herself and prepare to kill Julie tomorrow.

***(Author's note: I added this chapter to cover up for my absence and I will add one more for you)**

"Neo said, Julie would be here in form of a rat, so prepare her another cloth to cover after her transfiguration" Alrodes instructed Michael.

"Well we wouldn't want to be looking," Andrew said.

"Maybe we'll drop the cloth in her room, and she would have to be transfigured there" Michael advised.

"Of course" Alrodes agreed.

Aries came knocking.

"Who is it?" Andrew asked.

"It is Aries" Aries replied.

"It's the prince" Andrew reported.

"Let him in" Alrodes instructed.

Andrew did just that.

"Your highness" They all bowed.

"Good day," Aries greeted.

"Have you seen Julie yet?" Aries asked.

"Well not yet! But why do you care?" Michael asked.

"My Lord!" Andrew quickly completed for Michael.

Michael nodded at his omission.

"Hmm um" Aries stammered. Michael, Andrew and Alrodes laughed and said amidst their laughter "You like her"

Aries nodded now at ease.

"Well that's normal my lord," Andrew said.

"Yes," Michael agreed.

"Of course," Alrodes said too.

"Well I don't only like her, I love her. I want her for a wife" Aries confessed.

"Ooh dear, you will have to tell her then. But what about Derila? I mean she is your fiancé?" Alrodes said.

"Well, she is not. I never liked her, not to talk of love. She disgusts me, and for what she has done now, I hate her and would do everything to expose her and get her out of Naomi for good. Ever since she came for holiday, she has refused to go back, so I have promised to banish the kidnapper" Aries said as they all laughed.

"Good news!" Alrodes said.

"What?" Aries asked.

"Julie would be arriving today!" Michael completed.

"Arriving?" Aries said.