Shelleylou tensed her leg muscles, and prepared to spring. Wham! she leaped
right at the bright red sandbag, and proceeded to tear it apart.
"Ahh... well done, young Gelert you have earned another strength point," Ryshu
the Nimmo said.
Shelly nodded at the Nimmo, panting slightly from her training course.
"I'm getting stronger everyday! soon I'm going to fight the Tombola man in
the Battledome," said Shelly.
Ryshu nodded slowly, and blinked a few times. Shelly turned, and then walked
swiftly out the door. Her owner, battlesunn, (commonly known as sunny) was waiting
for her at the tropical food store, Shelly fought off a few hunger pains, she
hoped the sunny had bought some juppies for lunch.
Shelly trotted blissfully down the road, gazing at the inhabitants of the
isle. She was admiring a beautiful tree when someone bumped into her.
"Ooff!" Shelly said, as the stranger hastily backed off.
"Sorry, so sorry. Here, let me give you a small... gift, as a token of my
apologies." The stranger had a very silky, slithery sort of voice. He lowered
his head, and picked something out of his cloak. It looked like a piece of paper,
but Shelly couldn't really see the whole thing.
The man quickly passed it to Shelly, and then rushed off faster then Shelly
could blink. She stared quizzically at the paper, and read the words written
in loopy, purple ink.
"Good for one FREE Hidden tower item. See fine print for details"
Shelly's mouth slowly opened, was this some sort of joke? If it wasn't.....
she could get a Hidden tower item, free!
Images of wining every single battle popped into Shelly's head. She would
get a zaptwig! no, a golden butter knife! or maybe an attack chive! She grinned,
or if she wanted, she could sell the item! they would become millionaires! she
grasped the coupon tightly in her paw and ran towards her owner.
***
"Wow, Shelly this thing is pretty spectacular! But, you know, it might...
well, it might just be a joke. All I'm saying is don't get your hopes up." Sunny
was holding the coupon in her hand, studying it from every angle.
"But Mum, it might be real! And just think... it would be great to have a
Hidden tower item, I would win so many battles with one!" Shelly said.
Sunny sighed, their was no getting around Shelly when she got an idea in her
head. "Well, if you really want, we could go and see if this thing is valid."
Shelly's face brightened immediately, "Really Mum? we could go and see?!"
Sunny smiled. "Sure, we might as well."
Shelly ran to the phone and called her friend, a faerie Gelert named Poloroe,
he would be so excited! Shelly picked the receiver and punched in Poloroe's
number. She heard the phone ring, once, twice and then the voice of Zaveeni,
Poloroe's brother came on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey Zav, this is Shelly, could I talk to poloroe?"
"Sure thing.... HEY POLOROE! SHELLY'S ON THE PHONE!"
There was a pause, and then poloroe came on the line.
"Hey Shell, what's up?"
"You wouldn't believe it Poloroe! When I was in Mystery isle today some guy
bumped into me and gave me a coupon for one free Hidden tower item!"
"WHAT!?? are you joking?!! hang on, can I go over and check it out? Erm...
Marlly wants to come to."
"Sure Poloroe, Marlly's fun. I'll see you in a bit!"
Marlly was another one of Poloroe's brothers, he was a lab ray addict and
was currently a red Lenny.
About five minutes later, Poloroe and Marlly burst in through the door.
"Hi Shelly! can we see it?"
"Sure, I'll go and get it."
Shelly went and returned with the lavender coupon. She passed it to Poloroe,
who carefully turned it over and over, studying it just like sunny had.
"It looks pretty real Shell, and I would suggest getting to Faerieland ASAP
to turn it in, you never know when it might expire."
Shelly nodded. "I just don't know what kind of item to get, should I get a
ubikiberry bag, a rainbow swirly thing... what?"
Marlly smiled. "I've visited the Hidden tower every day and I know what items
are good and which ones are a waste of money. And I would suggest that you either
get a bag of clockwork Grundos or a tiki bomb bag."
Poloroe grinned. "Marlly knows his hidden tower items, that's for sure!"
Shelly was ecstatic. "I'll get a tiki bomb bag and win ALL of my battles!
of course, I'll lend it to you when I'm not using it."
Marlly shook his head. "Not necessary, but come on, lets hurry up to Faerieland
and cash this baby in!"
Shelly started talking: "Okay, let's book a hot air balloon and.... "
Poloroe interrupted her. "You don't need to book a balloon, we can ride there
on me!"
Shelly looked doubtfully at Poloroe's pale, thin wings. "Are you sure you
can carry a Gelert and a Lenny on your back?"
Poloroe snorted. "You insult me! I could carry a Skeith, an Elephante, a Grarrl
AND a Chomby without getting tired!"
Marlly winked at her. "He's not lying, I saw him do it!"
***
In less then half an hour they were up in Faerieland. There were so many distractions
there! they had to keep on reminding themselves what the purpose of this visit
was, to get the item and leave.
Marlly knew exactly where the Hidden tower was, and they were soon inside
the beautiful, shimmering castle. There was a thin, crystal hallway leading
to the Faerie Queen's throne, and sitting on it was Thyora herself!
Behind her throne there was a shelf, and in the shelf were all the hidden
tower items in Neopia.
The trio of pets approached the majestic faerie, and Shelly held out her coupon.
"Excuse me miss.... erm, your majesty, I have this coupon for one free Hidden
tower item and, well I was thinking..... "
The Faerie Queen held out her hand, signaling for Shelly to stop. She reached
out to Shelly's outstretched paw, and took the coupon.
She studied it for a moment, reading it thoroughly, and then her face broke
into a smile.
"I'm sorry little Gelert, but this coupon is expired!"
The End
Author's note: I would like to thank Zigzagbart for letting me use her pets
in this story. It wouldn't have been the same without them! | 
