The Dice Bringer

      There was a sigh, and a bored look. King Roo placed a paw on his cheek, and yawned. There was nothing to do. Many neopets had traveled across all of Neopia just to find a way to cheer him up. But every attempt led them out the door.

      King Roo slammed a paw on his throne. "This is so frustrating!" he shouted. "I just wish this would end and I would be happy!" He sighed.

      No one is here to fulfill my desire, he thought. I am talking to nobody, and nobody will be able to enlighten me.

      "I am talking to nobody," he said out loud. But he didn't know someone was listening to his every word.

      The figure moved quickly and darted out of the palace grounds. There was a small smile on his face, and he left without a trace, his green tail dragging behind him and peeking out of his dark, brown cloak.

      Though his name was unknown, he had a well known slyness for things. He could slip into dark spaces easily without being discovered, as well as eavesdropping on information that was important to his needs, though no Neopet knew what. Of all things, he had a knack for dice.

      Now in a strange, deserted alley, he slid off his hood, to reveal a clever, grinning Blumaroo face. "Désin!" he commanded. "Report to me!"

      There was a noisy crash of tumbling cans, and falling cardboard boxes. Then a young Blumaroo, completely covered in purple except for a couple orange freckles, bounded over, a slight frown on his face. "Sorry for the noise, master," he said meekly.

      The green Blumaroo rolled his eyes, and replied, "I wonder how you get around retrieving info without being noticed. Now, back to the present. What have you found out, Désin?"

      Désin's face became sullen. "Nothing, sir. Day by day I watch the entertainers come, day by day I watch them being led out by guards. All of them have failed, sir. Why is that important? Why do you want to make King Roo happy?"

      "Let's just say we need the Neopoints, and that I have a knack for dice," Désin's master replied, his tail leisurely swaying from side to side. Désin sighed. This meant his master was up to something.

      "Désin, go scout out for one of those posters that King Roo has hung," his master commanded. "Get me one. And could you smuggle a paintbrush set? Go now." Désin scurried away out of the dark alley.

      As soon as he was gone, the green Blumaroo had a crafty smile on his face. "And," he whispered, "It's time for me to use a little magic." He put on his hood. He waved his arm in a circle, leaving a glowing sphere of sky blue, intricate designs. The Blumaroo placed a paw on it, and then disappeared.

      Suddenly, the Blumaroo was sitting at a table opposite of King Roo, who, strangely, was in Krawk Island playing a game of Bilge Dice. Again and again the green Blumaroo watched the King frown as he lost a little more NP. Finally, after drinking a grog and reading an article on how to steal a Draik egg in an age-old Neopian Times that was all raggedy, the green Blumaroo silently watched as King Roo stood up with an upside-down smile.

      "This game is intriguing," he proclaimed, and the three Bilge Dice contestants smiled, thinking they would earn the NP, "but it is simply not exciting enough for my taste." The three looked downwards at the pile of NP and the scattered dice. "I am sorry," was all the king said before leaving. The green Blumaroo placed a dubloon on the creaking table, and thought. Then, he had an idea. A marvelous one.

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      The green Blumaroo zapped back to the alley, and noticed a sky blue sphere dematerializing. Désin was there, waiting, with a ripped poster in one paw, and the paintbrush set in the other with the price tag still dangling.

      "I brought them, sir," he said, and handed them to the Blumaroo.

      "Good, good," his master replied. "Désin. Bring me five different coloured dice."

      Désin retrieved it, and handed it to the Blumaroo. There was red, blue, green, yellow, and silver, all seemingly shining and quivering.

      "I knew you'd choose these five," the green Blumaroo murmured, and turned away from Désin. "Wander off now, Désin, and come back in about an hour."

      Désin bounded off, and his master opened the paintbrush kit. He stared at the poster. There was a reward for 100,000 NP, and he had to get it. He turned back to his dice. He held the brush, covered in black paint, and delicately began to paint a black check on the small, red die...

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      "As if juggling could cheer King Roo up," remarked Désin, watching the Jolly Jugglers grasp and then toss the balls to each other at the exact time with his master.

      "Shhhh," his master warned.

      "No, no, this is not what I want," the pair heard King Roo shout. "Get them out!" The two watched the jugglers being led away by his guards. Désin smiled at his master, who gave him a thumb up. Then, his master disappeared, and a glowing blue sphere was left.

      The green Blumaroo silently stood behind King Roo. "I think I have something you will be interested in," he said softly.

      King Roo spun around. "Who are you, and what could you possibly have that would interest me?" he inquired.

      "My name is not important, but I bring you a gift." He handed King Roo his five dice. "Each roll of these magical dice brings a surprise. No two games are the same." The green Blumaroo smiled; "May you never be bored again." He created a blue sphere, and disappeared back to where Désin was waiting. But King Roo had never noticed a small, quivering die leave the green Blumaroo's paw and fell into the small pouch that had contained the five other dice.

      "So, how'd it go?" Désin questioned. His master gestured to watch King Roo, and the two watched as King Roo's smile grew larger and larger. The two turned to walk back to their alley.

      "What is your name?" Désin said.

      His master smiled. "Let's just say you can call me Gaudior."

      "More joyful," Désin whispered, and the two disappeared into the dark alley.

      Though Gaudior was never seen again, living a life of secrecy, you may notice, around Roo Island, a small, purple Blumaroo with orange freckles hopping around, holding many items in his paws with the price tags still on. And if you manage to find the right alley, you may manage to find a stash of 100,000 NP. And it is probably still sitting there today.

The End