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The Guardian: Fyora's Best Quest


by alt1981black

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Long ago, when Faerieland was still floating far above Neopia on an enchanted cloud, and a small discarded Grundo plushie sat forlorn, ignored by passersby, things were very different in regards to the Rainbow Fountain. Everyone had access to it. A Neopet could visit at any time and get whatever new colour he desired.

     High above, in her tower, Queen Fyora closed the doors to the Hidden Tower and began to take the inventory, one overcast afternoon. Fyora looked out of a window, watching a group of gleeful young Neopets making a beeline for the Rainbow Fountain. She shook her head and pursed her lips. Fyora was very tired of watching silly, ungrateful Neopets have easy access to the Rainbow Fountain. It was high time something was done, in order to preserve the magic of the fountain waters.

     "Your days of free access are over, young Neopians," Fyora murmured, and began to formulate a plan in order to make the Rainbow Fountain special, not something out of the common that could be used at will by anyone.

     The quest was on in search for a special faerie guardian for the Rainbow Fountain. Fyora began to think of who might be best suited to the guardianship of Faerieland's most special feature. It was no good to get Jhudora involved, or even Illusen. Fyora decided to go to the Healing Springs, where Marina, a sprightly young water faerie, stood on guard to greet those who came in search of magical healing potions, or to soak in the waters of the Healing Springs itself.

     Marina had been in charge of the Healing Springs for quite some time, already. Several young Neopets were currently soaking in the warm, magical waters, hoping to be healed of various ailments. Marina glanced up quickly and noticed the Faerie Queen standing over her, and snapped out of her daze.

     "Your Majesty! I didn't see you! What brings you here?" Marina gave a formal bow, as best she could, in spite of possessing a tail for swimming. She smiled at the young Neopets who were exiting the Healing Springs, and then she rose up to sit on the edge of the cloud pool, noticing that Fyora looked rather troubled about something. The good queen cut to the heart of the problem at once.

     "Marina, I've decided to close the Rainbow Fountain. I'm tired of looking at those greedy young Neopians running to it every day like it's anything ordinary, not special. Something must be done about the situation, and now I'm stuck with either closing it altogether, or tasking a faerie to guard over it. I thought perhaps you might know of a faerie who might be able to help my cause."

     Marina folded her hands together and thought about it for a moment. "I can't do it," she said at last, apologetically. "My place is here, with all due respect. The only other faerie I can think of who might be willing to help you is Ilere, and even she might not be of any assistance. She might not want to help at all, come to think of it. Of course, there's also Psellia. She rides the winds and travels everywhere, so perhaps in all her journeys, she might know of a more worthy faerie suited to this task. Perhaps, indeed, Psellia could be of better help to you than I."

     Fyora nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Marina. I think I will talk with Psellia. Ilere is best left alone, I agree with you that she might be of little help, or even none at all." Fyora vanished in a cloud of lavender light and took to the sky in order to look for Psellia, the air faerie who took a special interest in the citizens of Meridell.

     It took a while, but Fyora finally discovered Psellia riding along the winds over Brightvale. The air faerie listened to her queen with a sorrowful smile, then gave a gentle sigh that blew over a field of clover. Psellia was secretly relieved to hear of Fyora's decision, having shared the same sense of disgust at how heartless those wild Neopets could be.

     "I think I know of someone who can be of help," she said at last, and smiled at the troubled Faerie Queen. "There's a water faerie who swims very near Maraqua sometimes. No, she's not connected with the Drenched," Psellia added quickly upon seeing the alarm in Fyora's face, "she's a very good faerie and I believe she will do the job well enough to where Your Majesty will find no fault. Her name is Naia."

     Queen Fyora found Naia where Psellia had told her she would be, singing sweetly near the shore of Mystery Island, on the northern shore, where she came to watch Neopets on the land, in between her journeys out to Maraqua. Naia was very surprised to see the Faerie Queen, and even more so when Fyora asked her to fulfill a special job, "for the better good of all Neopians everywhere." For a moment, Naia was silent. She knew Fyora's task came with a slight price. Her days of swimming freely, to do as she wished, would have to come to an end. Could she do it? Could she grant the quest of her queen?

     "If this is Your Majesty's wish, then I shall gladly fulfill it," Naia murmured at last, then lifted her head and stared at Fyora out of lovely turquoise eyes. Fyora nodded, and transported Naia to the Rainbow Fountain, and installed her as the Fountain Faerie. Fyora graced Naia with a special water drop mark on her forehead, thanked her for coming to fulfill a great role in the future of Faerieland, and said that as the Fountain Faerie, Naia herself could choose how to set the quests for Neopians.

     Not very long after this, a young blue Acara, whom we'll call Billy, was looking at the silent Rainbow Fountain, whose magic seemed to be all used up. "Awww, I guess I'm too late to get a new colour, cos the water's not pretty anymore," he grumbled, picking up his bat and mitt and turning away in disappointment.

     Suddenly, a brilliant, rainbowy light appeared in front of Billy, and out of it appeared Naia, smiling kindly at the startled Acara. "It's not too late, young Neopet," she said in a voice that matched her appearance. "But before you can use the Rainbow Fountain, you'll need to fulfill a task for me, first."

     Billy looked at Naia in startled silence. "Who are you?" he asked at last, finding his voice."

     "My name is not important, but if you must know, I am the Fountain Faerie," came the pleasant voice from that beautiful faerie. Billy nodded in acquiescence.

     Far above, Fyora watched the scene from her tower window. "Thank you, Naia," she whispered with a warm smile, then proceeded to take the inventory of her Hidden Tower's merchandise, and this time she was able to do it with a heart as light as a summer wind that blew through the trees.

     Queen Fyora's troubles were over. The Rainbow Fountain was soon seen as a great privilege, the way it deserved to be. Billy told his friends about the appearance of Naia, and though there were groans amongst the crowd, it wasn't very long before eager eyes began to watch for that cloud of rainbow light, and be graced with a visit from Naia, the Fountain Faerie.

The End

 
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