Narrated by Don_Medusa
"Could I have your name, please?"
"It's Miss_dream, sir," Miss_dream said to the Chia Cop.
"All right, Miss_dream, what is it that you'd like to tell me about?"
"Weeeellll…" Miss_dream looked thoughtfully up into the sky, then looked down
into the Chia Cop's face. "My friends and I were doing a little brainstorming
last night over dinner, and we thought of something that maybe you guys hadn't
thought of concerning those bizarre thefts."
"Go on," the Chia Cop said.
"We think that whoever is behind this is giving the stolen goods to the Uber
Faeries in exchange for power."
The Chia Cop was silent. I looked at Riahli and whispered, "I don't know whether
this is a good thing or a bad thing."
"We will find out," Riahli said.
The Chia Cop burst out laughing. "That's the silliest thing I've heard in years!"
he shouted, while slapping what appeared to be his knee. "Don't you realise
that WE'VE already solved the case?"
"Uh, no," Miss_dream said, defeated.
"Someone in the Marketplace was selling ALL of the stolen items! Of course
we hauled them away, it was an open-and shut case!"
"I'm telling you, you probably have the wrong person," Miss_dream said.
"Take your Nancy Drew antics elsewhere. This is serious business! Now shoo!"
the Chia Cop said, waving its arms.
"Right. Let's go guys, to somewhere where they've got a clue." Miss_dream got
up and led us outside of the police station, where we stood outside dejectedly.
"That was…" Sallie_chan said.
"Rather rude!" Riahli said.
"Won't ANYONE believe us?" Nayo said, sighing.
Miss_dream looked up at the sky, deep in thought. "Well, someone once said…"
"Here it comes," I whispered to Riahli.
"If you can't do it right, you've got to do it yourself. We're off to see the
Uber Faeries!" Miss_dream said, pointing upwards.
A jet black Lupe with steely gray eyes padded his way into Malkus Vile's office.
"I must see Malkus Vile," he said, his voice deep and as smooth as Lost Desert
silk.
"Y-y-yes, Mr. Shadow, sir," Mildred said. "He's in his office right now."
The Shadow opened the door to Malkus' office, disturbing him as he looked over
another communiqué from Central Control. "Oh, it's you, Shadow," Malkus
said, smiling. "Sit right down and have yourself a little bite to eat. Mulvinn
brought me a few Golden Juppies."
"Thank you, but I am not hungry," Shadow said.
"All right. You have heard about the recent thefts that I've been controlling?"
Malkus said, biting into a Golden Juppie.
"The news is everywhere."
"Well, I received another message from Central Control telling me to begin
with Phase Two, and this is why I've sent for you. You see, Phase One consisted
of my less-experienced thieves stealing only puny items. Now we need to start
going after some of the more valuable ones."
"You mean-"
"Faeries, Codestones and magical items," Malkus said. "And you are just the
Lupe I need. I am sure you can break into Kauvara's store, as long as you provide
a good distraction for her. She is young and easily fooled, while you can loot
the place. As for the Codestones and magical items, they're also easy to find.
Just go into the Marketplace and steal whatever you can get your paws on as
long as the stall is pretty busy. Make sure you steal from the big stalls-if
it's too small, the owner will notice. Do you understand?"
"I do completely."
"All right. Here is a little bit of money to cover some expenses," Malkus said,
handing Shadow a bag of Neopoints. "Tomorrow you will come back here with whatever
you find, and then you'll receive your payment."
"Yes sir," Shadow said.
"Central Control is counting on you," Malkus said as Shadow walked out of his
office. "Good luck."
Later on that day, we found ourselves near the castle of the Faerie Queen,
standing in a small clearing.
"What are we doing, standing all the way out HERE?" I asked.
"I think it's around here somewhere," Miss_dream said.
"You mean-the Hidden Tower?" Nayo said.
"Yeah! I mean, how else are we going to be able to talk to the Faerie Queen?"
Miss_dream said, reaching out with her hand. Her hand bumped against something
solid, and she smiled. "I found the door."
"Mistress, perhaps you need to buy one of the treasures in order to talk to
the Queen," Riahli said. "And we obviously cannot buy anything of that high
a price."
"Relax, will you?" Miss_dream said. "Ah, there we go."
The hidden door swung open, and a tall, curved staircase seemed to appear out
of nowhere. Miss_dream led the way, with the rest of us nervously following.
What would the Faerie Queen say? Would she be angry at us browsers? I felt my
feathers shake as we climbed the narrow, winding steps.
"Here we are," Miss_dream said, as she reached a tall wooden door. She carefully
pushed against it and let it swing open.
"Wow…" she breathed. "They got new stuff in here…"
As we all came inside, we stared in wonder at the many magical things that
were in the tower. Riahli gazed longingly at the Rod of Supernova, while Sallie_chan
looked closely at the beautiful Crystal Boomerang. Nayo licked her chops eagerly
as she admired the beautiful, shining Everlasting Apple. The only thing I was
looking at, however, were the radiant figures of the Faerie Queen and the Uber
Light Faerie, who were engaged in a frank discussion.
"Your Majesty…this is obviously a cry for help," the Light Faerie said, handing
a trading card to the Queen.
"The letters SOS…Who gave this to you, Light Faerie?"
"A little green Grundo. Strange…I had a feeling of déjà vu when I saw him,
as if I had seen him before. But I see so many Neopets these days…"
Miss_dream stepped forward slowly, her head held high, waiting patiently for
one of the Faeries to acknowledge her. The Faerie Queen turned to see her, and
her look grew stern. "Are you wishing to buy something?" she asked.
"Your Majesty. My pets and I bring you a clue to the puzzle of the thefts that
have been plaguing Neopia," Miss_dream said. "And I bring this news to you,
as well: My efforts have shut down the shops selling the fake Battle Slices."
The Faerie Queen's stern look changed. She smiled softly at Miss_dream. "So,
you are one who has devoted her time to helping the less fortunate and punishing
those who cheat. I have heard of people like you, and admire them greatly."
"Your Majesty," Miss_dream said, "many small, common items have been stolen
in the past few days, with the thieves leaving the more valuable ones untouched.
These items are the ones that are being asked for by you and the other Uber
Faeries. Whoever is behind this thievery seems to be giving the stolen items
to your Uber Faeries in order to give their NeoPet great power."
The Uber Light Faerie seemed surprised. "The little Grundo that gave the SOS
to me on the trading card…do you think HE is the one that is being used?" she
said.
"I think," Miss_dream said. "Tell me, do you know who owns him? Is there any
way that you would be able to remember him if you saw him?"
"He always approaches me alone," the Light Faerie said. "I don't know what
his name is, or who owns him. But I remember, now. He is always nervous and
timid. He seems paranoid."
"If I may have permission to speak freely," I said, "would Your Majesty listen
to me?"
"Permission granted, young Eyrie," the Faerie Queen said.
"Your Majesty, may I ask if we four pets and one of our friends go with the
Uber Faeries for one day and see if one of them encounters this Grundo that
you have described. We are trying to unravel this mystery for ourselves."
"That is a very good idea," the Faerie Queen said. "Perhaps this young Grundo
fellow would warm up speaking to a NeoPet rather than a Faerie. Then we can
find out who may be behind all this."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said.
"Your Majesty," Miss_dream said, "I will help you and the Uber Faeries out
in any way I possibly can. I can provide them with anything they wish in return
for helping is. I have no idea what I can possibly do to repay the Uber Faeries,
but I will do whatever they deem necessary."
The Faerie Queen smiled. "My dear child, your efforts to rid Neopia of dishonesty
are quite enough. You have a good and pure heart that puts the needs of other
people before your own, and that is something that I admire in a person."
"Your Majesty, I insist on repaying you in some way," Miss_dream said.
"Nonsense! You have done so much and touched so many lives. Your dedication
to this cause is unwavering."
Miss_dream sighed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
The Faerie Queen smiled. "The four of you can shadow one of my Faeries for
the day. But we need one more NeoPet to help, because there are five Faeries
that requested the stolen goods."
"I think I know just the NeoPet to do it," Miss_dream said. "If you just wait,
I can borrow her from her master and take her to you."
"I will be waiting," the Faerie Queen said. "In the meantime, the four of you
shall follow me." She pulled on a silken bell cord and a secret door opened
behind one of the shelves. We followed her into a dark passageway, and when
we reached the end, we were surrounded by pillars of light.
"This is the Chamber of the Uber Faeries," the Faerie Queen said. "You will
wait here, while I assemble them and your mistress finds a fifth NeoPet to shadow
the Darkness Faerie. Feel free to partake in our Faerie Foods, but please do
not handle any of the magical items you encounter."
"Yes, Your Majesty," we chorused.
"I will return when I have assembled the Faeries. Please wait for me then."
There was a blinding flash of purple light, and the Faerie Queen was gone.
To be continued... | 
