FelixMoon, PI

     I set up a small office in the shadow of the Money Tree--nothing fancy, just room enough for me and Quoth, a crokabek with a big mouth and an addiction for jellied eyeballs. No big cases yet, but whoever wanted to find me, could.

     A few hours went by when Quoth flew in and told me a new client had arrived. I poured another glass of cherryberry krawkade, wondering who was going to need my services.

     Quoth showed her in. She was well dressed, obviously a royal, but she tried to hide her colours with a black cloak. As she sat down, she removed the hood and her Cybunny ears popped up. She sat there silently, and we stared at each other. Finally, as I took a sip from my krawkade, she spoke.

     "I have a situation." She spat out the words as if they could bite. "I hope you can assist with it."

     I leaned back.

     "Maybe." I raised an eyebrow. "I'll need some details first."

     "My name is Lottia. I belong to a family of all royal pets. There is me," she tilted her head a tad to the right, "then Lucas, a Lupe, Queztan, a Chomby, and finally Lisa, a Draik."

     She paused, and her eyes shot through me as if she wanted to check that I understood the importance of it all.

     "I'm listening," I replied.

     She opened an expensive-looking purse--not your average pink flower one, if you know what I mean--and pulled out a picture. It showed a young royal Draik having fun at the Deserted Fairground with several other neopets of all colors and species.

     The Cybunny in front of me looked like she just drank a whole gallon of rancid dung coffee.

     "That's Lisa. She's been hanging out at the Fairground far too often, and we have no idea why. She's been keeping to herself, and we fear she might repaint herself ghost. She took a large amount of neopoints out of our account and didn't tell us about it. So we need you to make sure about what she is doing there and why."

     I hesitated. Was this all about a paint brush? Did I want to get involved in a family argument about cross painting? But then again, my bank account was set on "Bronze Saver," and I could do with the business.

     "Okay," I finally muttered. "I will look into her activities."

     Quickly the Cybunny leaned forward and hissed, "She must not know you are checking in on her, understand? We don't want her to know that her siblings are worried. After all, we love her very much."

     I spent a few minutes reassuring her that FelixMoon Investigations is the most reliable, professional bureau around, and showed her out.

     Then I pulled my Halloween costume out of the closet and put it on, underneath my Neovian jacket. I instructed Quoth to watch the office and to stay away from the eyeballs in the fridge.

     What did a young royal seek in the Haunted Woods, I wondered as I headed outside. Not a place where most Neopets felt at ease.

     Me, of course, I was at home there like a Kacheek on the beach. Still had some siblings living there, though this was probably not the best time for a family reunion.

     * * *

     I finally arrived at the edge of the Haunted Woods, and as I stepped through the stone entrance, I could feel the graveyard chill crawling underneath my skin. I grinned.

     "It's great to be home," I thought as I watched some giggling ghost petpets tumble all over each other.

     Shoulders up, I hurried past the Esophagor. I still owed him a candy skull, and I never did get around to buying that for him. He has an awful taste in foods, and a nasty memory, that one.

     As I stepped through the crooked gates of the fairground, I noticed there were a lot of young neopets there; not your usual crowd of Werelupes (no one can gamble like a Werelupe) and Darigan Aishas, but checkered, blue, striped and even the occasional sketch neopets were cluttering amongst the attractions.

     I sat myself down next to the Coconut Shy, watched and waited. A large part of this job is spent waiting. It can get pretty boring, but of course I'd never say that when I'm asked about my nine to five.

     Eventually, I saw her. Lisa. Couldn't miss the bright purple and clear turquoise as she flew gently just a few inches above the ground. A group of neopets was following her.

     "C'mon, guys," she laughed. "Let's go throw some coconuts! It's great fun!"

     I didn't move as they walked past me. The Draik was handing out small pouches, and her friends entered the shy one by one. Finally, she was alone. Still smiling, she shook her wings and rested on a small bench right next to me. She looked around, saw me, and nodded.

     This was my chance.

     "Nice day to be out," I said. "Seems like your crowd is having good times."

     "Oh, yes," she replied with a smile that lit her up even more. "They don't get out much, you see, so coming here really is a treat!"

     "They're not from around here then?" I persisted.

     "No, not at all." She lowered her voice a little as she continued. "They all live in the pound, you see, some even for a long, long time. I take them out as much as I can, and I love coming here." She paused for a bit, then chuckled. "The neopets around here, well, they all stand out of the crowd, don't they. They don't look twice at a basic or striped Kougra, so pound pets feel safe here."

     Her face saddened.

     "You wouldn't believe how some fear the other places in Neopia, thinking they won't be welcome if they don't have some glamorous color . . . . I tried explaining that nobody will judge them, but they just don't believe me."

     At that moment, a checkered Skeith came running out of the shy. "Lisa, Lisa, I won! I knocked one over, come and see, I've got great prizes!"

     "That's amazing, skeith545454! Hang on, I'll be right there!"

     She turned to me and waved. "Nice talking to you," and then she followed her friend.

     I grinned into the dark woods. As easy cases go, this one had really turned out to be a free ride on the Merry-Go-Round.

     The rest of the day I followed Lisa and her pound friends as they visited all the attractions of the Fairground. Some won, most didn't, but they all had a blast.

     I learned nothing new. The royal siblings had been worried for nothing, and instead of fear they should feel pride.

     Case closed.

     However, I spent a few days in Neovia, getting back together with the old crowd and telling stories about life in Neopia Central. Filled myself up with scones and crumpets because nothing beats home cooked pastries.

     I could declare my expenses, after all, and I wouldn't be FelixMoon if I didn't take a bit of advantage.

     Back home, I invited the Cybunny back to my office and explained how her sister spent neopoints on making sure pets in the pound could have some fun times as well.

     She listened quietly, and when I was done talking she remained silent for a long time.

     "But why didn't she come to me?" she said. "I would've helped! Charity is after all something we royals have been doing for ages!"

     I could've spoken; I'd have been pretty accurate on why her down-to-earth sister hadn't. The best charity is the one done without wanting applause or pats on the shoulder, at least in my opinion, but I didn't say anything. I just handed over my invoice and showed her out.

     Might still need her business in the future.

     I'm FelixMoon. And for a private eye, I sure know that neopoints make the world go round.

The End