The Light Faeries Apprentice: Part Ten

NSQ went back in as well, and stood beside Neofaerie's bed.

     "Hey, Happiness?" Neofaerie was saying. "You know when you called Sloth's hair ridiculous to his face, and I said it was a stupid question?"

     Happiness nodded, grinning with the memory.

     "Well, It may have been a stupid question, but it took a lot of courage to stand up to Sloth like that. I know I could never do it! You're a lot braver than I am, Happiness."

     Happiness beamed.

     "Dr. Milnyk says you'll be out of here in 3 days," NSQ told him.

     "Yes!" cheered Neofaerie, grinning.

     "And then you're not leaving the house for another month."

     "Noo!"

     "And I think you should stay in an extra week, just to be sure."

     Neofaerie groaned loudly and rubbed his eyes. "I'll be fine by then, NSQ! Come on!"

     Neoangel tapped NSQ on the shoulder lightly and asked, "may I have a moment alone with Neofaerie, please?"

     NSQ blinked in surprise but said, "sure," and scooping up Happiness, she left the room. Neoangel sat down on the chair beside Neofaerie's bed.

     "Hey," said Neofaerie. "Happiness said you did some sort of healing magic. I'm really grateful for that. Thanks."

     Neoangel smiled sadly, gazing at the floor. "I don't deserve your thanks. I was too afraid too heal you properly. I hardly did anything."

     "You can say that, but it doesn't convince me. Happiness said you nearly fainted. And right after using up your energy crashing through that wall, too!"

     "I had regained enough energy back by then. I could have done more… but I only thought about myself."

     "Hey, everything turned out fine, didn't it?" said Neofaerie. "So don't worry about it! What's done is done. You can't change the past."

     "Sometimes I have trouble putting things behind me," said Neoangel quietly. She looked up. "But what I wanted to talk to you about, Neofaerie… is how you told NSQ that she was making you do everything."

     "Oh," said Neofaerie hastily, "I really didn't mean that; just the heat of the moment."

     "But you did mean it," said Neoangel firmly. "I talked to NSQ, and she agrees that she puts too much pressure on you. You should really talk to her."

     Neofaerie shrugged uneasily. "Like I said, what's done is done…"

     "Sometimes," said Neoangel prudently, "it is best to reflect on the past. You cannot go through life slamming into things as you hit them, Neofaerie; you have to learn from your mistakes. Not all things will go away over time."

     Neofaerie fidgeted. "Alright, I'll talk to her," he mumbled.

     "Thank you," said Neoangel, smiling. "Although… I feel like it is partly my fault as well. As the oldest, I should have taken more responsibility. I did nothing to help you."

     "You've been busy," said Neofaerie, "we all know you have important things and stuff to worry about. All this magic stuff, it's really time consuming…"

     "Nothing is more important that family and friends," said Neoangel sincerely. "And so I have decided to spend a little more time with you. However," she said, with a rare hint of mischief in her smile, "the job of putting out the fire when NSQ cooks is still up to you."

     Neofaerie chuckled, and it turned into a loud laugh. Neoangel never joked; and that was what made it about 3 times funnier.

     NSQ opened the door an inch and poked her head in. "Done yet?"

     Neoangel stood up, and NSQ squeezed in through the door. Happiness bounced in as well, and they both went to stand beside Neoangel.

     "Oh yeah, did you guys find out who that Draik was?" asked Neofaerie inquisitively.

     "According to Neoangel, she was just another villain," responded NSQ.

     "Wonder what she wanted with us," Neofaerie muttered. "Oh well, it's in the past now. Speaking of which…" he glanced at Neoangel. "Sorry about what I said back in the volcano, NSQ. About you not being responsible?"

     "Oh, that!" laughed NSQ. "Forget it. Besides, you were right. I'm not exactly a responsible owner. But then again, who's to say I'm not doing it on purpose? I could be making you learn how to think!" She winked.

     "Or you could be lazy," retorted Neofaerie with a grin.

     "Like half the other owners in Neopia!" NSQ chortled.

     Neoangel chuckled and shook her head. "I suppose I will never understand the way your minds work."

     "Believe me, you wouldn't want to," NSQ advised her. "Well, I guess we'd better get going now," she said, glancing at the clock sitting on Neofaerie's bedside table. "I'm hungry! Are they feeding you well, Neofaerie? Should we bring you back something to eat?"

     "Yeah!" said Neofaerie eagerly. "A Flower Cake, a Juppie Jam Sandwich, a Sausage Omelette, a slice of Flaming Fire Faerie Pizza, Hot Cakes-"

     "Or maybe we'll just bring you Happiness's leftovers," said NSQ sweetly, picking up the Cybunny and brushing a bit of dust off of her orange T-shirt, "how about that?"

     "Fine," sighed Neofaerie, half-heartedly flopping back against his pillow. "To have survived the terrors of flaming lava only to starve at the hands of your owner. Thanks, NSQ."

     "And we'll bring you something from the Chocolate Factory," said NSQ sympathetically. She took a few steps backwards and then turned around and exited the room. Neoangel waved to Neofaerie and left as well.

***

3 days later, NSQ, Neoangel and Happiness entered those swinging hospital doors again. Dr. Milnyk greeted them from behind the wooden reception desk.

     "Ahh, hello!" she said, pocketing a pair of gloves. "You're just on time. Neofaerie's already to stand up and go!"

     She guided them once more to room 16 (although they had quite memorized the route by then) and ushered them inside. Neofaerie was lying on his stomach, gazing wistfully out the window and looking most bored, his tail swishing sluggishly from side to side.

     "Hey, Neofaerie!" said Happiness brightly, writhing out of NSQ's hold and hopping up to him. Neofaerie's ears perked up hopefully, and he pushed himself up on his elbows.

     "I can finally go now, right?" he asked Dr. Milnyk keenly. She smiled and nodded competently.

     Neofaerie cheered and hopped out of the bed in one enthusiastic movement, landing easily on all 4 paws. NSQ cringed, but Neofaerie seemed perfectly fine.

     "And your bill," announced Dr. Milnyk, pulling a slip of paper out of her clipboard.

     "Oh, right," said NSQ. "Neopoints." She stuck her hand in her pocket doubtfully, and then looked around at her pets, but they all looked blankly back at her.

     "-Comes to 560 Neopoints," said Dr. Milnyk, smiling knowingly at them. "Since we really didn't do much to heal him."

     NSQ sighed in relief and handed her a small bag of Neopoints. "Thanks," she said appreciatively.

     "Consider it a discount for such loyal customers," laughed Dr. Milnyk. "I'll probably be seeing you again next week, right Neofaerie?"

     "You probably will," said NSQ thoughtfully, "were going to try and tackle Meuka again. But not while Neofaerie's not at full strength, of course."

     "Goodbye then!" said Dr. Milnyk. "The medicine will be waiting."

     Neofaerie gave a fake shudder, and together, the family walked out into the sunny day; much like, in fact, the one that they had left for Mystery Island for almost a week ago.

     Neofaerie grinned happily as the familiar feeling of the wind through his fur rushed up to greet him, and he breathed in fresh air. "I can finally go home!" he said ecstatically. Happiness jumped down onto his back and clung to his fur as he jumped about trying to catch a Veespa.

     Together they all walked down the dirt path back towards their Neohome. Happiness sat on Neofaerie's back, and they raced around laughing and pouncing on Poppits, which always spiraled away before Neofaerie's paws hit the ground. NSQ walked behind them, sometimes jogging to catch up to them, a light-hearted grin on her face, her hands in her pockets and Neoangel walked beside her, wing tucked in and tail relaxed.

     "It's a good day for a trip to Mystery Island," said Neofaerie suddenly. NSQ laughed, but Neofaerie continued, "no, really! We didn't spend a lot of time there last time."

     "How about we go to Kiko Lake instead?" proposed NSQ. "Or the Lost Desert?"

     "I vote for the Lost Desert!" piped up Happiness.

     "I'll come as well," said Neoangel quietly.

     NSQ seemed surprised at first, but her expression changed into one of delight. "Great! So we'll all go to the Lost Desert!"

     "Alright," agreed Neofaerie. "But you know, NSQ, you have to buy me two new Lost Desert Daggers! That other one burned in the lava."

     NSQ groaned and put a hand to her forehead. "That's going to ring in a couple thousand of Neopoints," she sighed. "Well, should we go buy them now? In case we run into trouble in the desert?"

     Neofaerie thought about this for a minute, then shook his head. "Let's just go and have a good time."

     "If we get attacked we can always scream and run in circles," suggested Happiness. "Then someone else will save us!"

     "Sure they will," said Neofaerie sarcastically. "Well, let's go back home first. I feel sort of… hmm, well it's a funny feeling…"

     "Homesick?" suggested NSQ.

     "Yeah, probably."

     They had left the main Neopian marketplace and were heading Southwest into the small forest that separated main Neopia Central from their Neohome. It was an 8 minute walk through the forest trail, and then they came to rolling, lush green hills.

     After a 2 minute walk over the hills, Neofaerie stopped. "There it is," he said happily, letting out a content sigh.

     They stood at the top of one grassy hill, looking down. At the bottom of the sloping mound sat their small cottage, looking calm and inviting. The gentle spring breeze swept through the knee-length fresh green grass at their feet. Scattered around beside the house, tall trees spread their long branches in welcome. NSQ smiled.

     "I'll race you down!" said Neofaerie, suddenly breaking everyone out of their thoughts. No one was sure who he had made the challenge to, so Happiness hopped of his back and she, NSQ and Neofaerie sprang off down the hill in a disorderly fashion. NSQ tripped over her feet and rolled all the way down, and Neofaerie leaped out of her way and fell flat on his face; Happiness dashed up to the curved wooden door and shouted, "I win!"

     NSQ sat up and brushed a leaf out of her hair. "Not fair," complained Neofaerie, chuckling, "NSQ tripped me! I demand a rematch."

     "Sore loser," said NSQ sticking out her tongue. Neoangel came over and helped her up.

     "Say," said Neoangel abruptly, "NSQ, about my rainbow brooch…" she paused. "No, I seem to have forgotten again."

     "You'll remember it," said NSQ.

     Neoangel shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I really have forgotten what I wanted to say this time. It probably would not have made a difference. What do you see in it now?"

     NSQ crouched down and peered into the mirror. "I see clouds," she said, "lots of fluffy ones. Looks like some spot in Faerieland that I've never been to before. There's this elegant looking Faerie Shoyru with glasses opening a big door to some building, and there's a striped Draik standing on the doorstep. She's saying something… she looks sad, or sorry, or something. Now the Faerie Shoyru is smiling…. and letting her in." NSQ blinked and stood up. "Anyone knows what that's supposed to mean?"

     Neoangel ran her finger gently over the brooch. "Not a clue," she said, content.

***

A young spotted Blumaroo was bouncing through the Light Faerie tower, a box of empty bottles clenched tightly in her clumsy grip. Today was only her fifth day as the Light Faerie leader's apprentice, and she was still getting used to everything!

     Tirikil, the Blumaroo, paused in front of the Light Faerie. "Here are your bottles," she said shyly.

     The Light Faerie leader turned around and smiled kindly. She seemed nice enough. "Thank you," she said in a clear, musical voice, "please put them over there by that marble desk. It belonged to my last apprentice, but I think we may need to get a new one for you. It is getting quite old."

     Tirikil nodded obediently and set the box on the floor. Then she watched the Light Faerie curiously. Recently, the Light Faerie leader had been immersed in something that involved her last apprentice, a magic ornament, and a mutant Draik. Tirikil had gotten most of the details, but there were still a few things that she wasn't sure about.

     "Mistress," she asked suddenly, "did you make the Christmas Zafara forget all her memories about the brooch?" She immediately put her paw over her mouth and said meekly, "I am sorry…"

     The Light Faerie held out her hand to quiet the Blumaroo. "That's alright," she said. "And yes, I did put a spell on Alithiora to make her forget the mirrored pin."

     "May I ask why?"

     "She is happy now, with her family," said the Light Faerie, gazing out one huge stone window. "If she had given the brooch back, she would have comeback as well. I could not remove her from her family, where she is finally at peace. It is not important that the pin should be returned; it was just a little trinket that I thought should be returned to a friend."

     "And," said Tirikil tentatively, "if I may ask one more question? Why was the Kougra unharmed by the lava? Was that your doing as well?"

     The Light Faerie shook her head. "No, I had nothing to do with that. I think there are a few different reasons why Neofaerie came out of the ordeal safely. Happiness's confidence in him had something to do with it, and I think that a little bit of Denriada's dark magic washed away from him when she came back as a striped Draik. And I think that Neoangel may have stronger healing powers than she knows."

     Tirikil nodded slowly, digesting this.

     "I think Alithiora- No, Neoangel, has finally found where she belongs. She has much to learn!"

     "Is this where I belong?" asked Tirikil quietly.

     The Light Faerie brushed a strand of thin golden hair away from her face. "We shall see with time," was her reply.

THE END

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed reading the story! I am NSQ, and Neofaerie, Neoangel and Happiness are all my pets. If you have any questions or comments, please Neomail me!