There are ants in my Lucky Green Boots Circulation: 177,073,878 Issue: 334 | 14th day of Running, Y10
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The Illusen Day Kau


by guardianpinkneko

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Jhudora Day Bunny is credited to Carrotopian.

Stars slowly began to shimmer in the sky on the night of the 16th in the Month of Running, Y10. Kreludor could be seen over the distant trees of the Haunted Woods and over the high buildings in Shenkuu; all was peaceful in Meridell, or so everyone thought. Deep within Illusen's Glade, there was a mini plot going on. Illusen had just gotten over the "festivities" of Jhudora Day. Jhudora was her worst enemy and she hated the fact that Neopians actually celebrated her existence. Someone, titled the Jhudora Day Bunny, had even celebrated Jhudora Day by passing out Rotten Jhudora Neggs (though why anyone would want one, Illusen didn't know). She would show them! Nobody would forget Illusen Day this year. Illusen was going to show all of Neopia what a REAL Faerie Festival was about!

     The next day dawned bright and early. Many Neopians made sure they had the address to Illusen's Glade and the Shop Wizard right, for they would get a free prize for completing one of Illusen's quests today. A high-spirited Wocky waited impatiently in a long line of Neopets waiting at Illusen's Glade. The Glade seemed to sparkle today, of all days; the greenery of it shined and showed off the beauty of its flowers. Tiny bugs fluttered and flew around the hut made of plants; they seemed to be enjoying the day, too. The line of Neopets gazed at the gorgeous sight as they waited their turn to do a quest for Illusen. Yet the line never seemed to move. The Wocky heard someone call out, "Haven't you finished that quest yet? Let's get going already!" Someone else, the first Neopet in line, called back, "I haven't even started the quest yet! Illusen won't let me in!" Much muttering began at these words. Illusen ALWAYS let others in to start her quests, especially on the day that celebrated her. So why would she refuse to let anyone in, on today of all days? Something was fishy... and the Wocky, being at the end of the line, decided it was worth investigating.

     The Wocky sneaked away and headed towards the back of Illusen's Glade. Footprints led around here; someone had obviously come here to see if she was in the back, and to no avail. Stealthily, the Wocky pushed his way through the many plants that grew around the Glade. Nothing. The Glade was empty. The Wocky looked suspiciously around for anything that might lead to Illusen's whereabouts. Still nothing. Sighing, the Wocky gave up and pushed his way back through the bracken. Suddenly, something caught his eye. It looked like a pepperoni. But not just any pepperoni, this one came from an Illusen Day Pizza! It must be a clue! The Wocky carefully followed the way the pepperoni pointed to. After an hour of searching everywhere in Meridell, he gave up and sat, defeated, under a tree. At that moment, something with a strange, slimy feel to it fell on the Wocky's head. He picked up whatever it was and saw that it was an Illusen Day Pizza slice. Looking up quickly, the Wocky thought it saw a green faerie flying to another part of Meridell. And yet, the faerie was rather... larger than any faerie he had ever seen. What was it with all the mysteries today? The Wocky took a bite of the pizza and decided to keep the rest for evidence (mostly because of how awful it tasted), and walked back to the line, waiting outside the abandoned Glade.

     To the direct north of the world, lived a place that drifted on clouds; Faerieland. One cloud was quite different from the others. This was known as Jhudora's Cloud, where Illusen's rival, Jhudora, resided. The cloud was a disgusting purple in color. Green steam erupted from the surface. And in the very center sat Jhudora, on her throne. She hated today of all days, the day her worst enemy was celebrated throughout the world. A Chokato was crushed tightly in Jhudora's hand as she thought of the earth faerie. Then, something hit her head. She looked up, annoyed, and grabbed it. It was an Illusen Day Pizza slice. This did nothing to curb her mood. "Is this some kind of joke?!" she shouted as she threw the pizza slice off her cloud (which then landed on an unbeknownst Usul bystander who proceeded to scream and run off in the direction of Neovia shouting, "EVIL!"). When Jhudora looked up, she saw the culprit; Illusen.

     "Just what in Fyora's name are you do-" she cut herself off. It looked like Illusen, but it wasn't. Illusen was not nearly as fat as this creature. Jhudora flew up and grabbed the thing by its wing. Upon closer inspection, Jhudora realized that it wasn't Illusen, as suspected. It was a KAU! The Kau looked nervously at Jhudora for a few seconds, screamed, "MOO!" and flew out of Jhudora's grasp and out of sight. Confused, Jhudora drifted back to her cloud, where a Xweetok waited in the wings, wanting to start a quest. She would have to give that Xweetok a few stern words; Jhudora was definitely NOT accepting quests today.

     "Illusen's been kidnapped!" The news rippled across the line of Neopians waiting impatiently at Illusen's Glade. Apparently, someone in Faerieland, there to do one of Jhudora's quests, heard the news from Jhudora and quickly spread it around. Now everyone was in a frenzied panic; some worried, some excited, and some aggravated, for they wanted their prize.

     When the Wocky caught hold of the story ("Apparently, a Kau was flying around in an Illusen costume, dropping Illusen Day Pizzas on everyone's heads!"), he jumped up and began his investigation again. A Kau. Why would a Kau kidnap Illusen and pretend to be her? What good did that do the Kau? What was the point behind all this? Obviously, a very mean trick, the Wocky concluded. The Wocky decided to go back to the tree where the Illusen Day Pizza was dropped on his head. After waiting a few moments, he realized coming back to this spot would do no good; the Kau was delivering pizzas to every Neopian and it had already been in Meridell. It must have flown elsewhere by now. He was about to go searching for the Kau in another part of the world when he heard a shout and a ripple of excitement from behind him.

     "Illusen's back!" someone yelled in the line. The Wocky turned and, sure enough, Illusen was standing in her doorway. He made a mad dash to her doorstep and waited with baited breath, like everyone else around him, for her story.

     "Sillies. I was never missing," she explained with a wave of her hand. "I was fast asleep. I'm sorry for making you all wait. I'll be accepting quests now." She smiled. Every Neopian formed the line again, but the Wocky wasn't so sure that was the whole story. Illusen acted awfully suspicious when she explained her delay. The Wocky shrugged it off and walked to the back of the line, but he could have sworn he saw a Kau tail sweep behind the Glade.

     And Illusen got her wish; nobody would forget this festival anytime soon.

The End

Disclaimer: No Kaus were harmed in the making of this story, although the Usul is currently in the Neovia Insane Asylum.

 
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