A Stop at the Magic Shop

It's just another day in Neopia Central for you, right? Yes, well, part of your daily routine is to binge in the Magic Shop, stopping in to find one thing, and later walking out to find yourself with a bunch of useless possessions you just couldn't resist buying. But, all the same, it is part of your routine... so, just a peek?

You fall victim to your weakness and begin to walk yourself over to Kauvara's Magic Shop. Oh well, you might get lucky and find something to resell today.

...

Psh, yeah right. You're just too curious.

Shrugging, you open the door and walk in. It's crowded, as usual. Ah, the sweet sound of people arguing at the top of their lungs, especially when you feel a migraine coming on.

Oh GREAT. A migraine, wonderful, and at a time like this...

Can I help you? you hear someone say behind you. Startled, you turn to see who it is.

Oh, no, I don't need anything today. Just came in to browse, you tell the owner of the shop, trying to ignore the splitting headache you feel coming on.

Well, I wasn't exactly wondering whether ya were buying anything, I just came to ask if ya needed anything to help ya feel better- ya look like crap! she says, laughing to herself.

Ohhh man, do I? you ask, groaning and trying to cover your ears from the mass of people talking at once.

Yeah, I'd say so. What's the matter, gotta headache? she asks you.

Err, yeah, I can feel a migraine coming on.

Well whoooooie, don't wanna let that get into full swing. C'mon, I'll try and see if I have something to help ya.

But I don't have any mone-- you start to say, until she interrupts you.

Oh phooie, I don't need no money. Lookit all these people. Ya think I need money? C'mon kid, let's go find something.

Thanks, you mutter to her, not even sure if she can hear it over all of the noise. But you really are grateful...

She leads you over to a corner of the crowded room, where a couple of cabinets leaned against each other are. They look old enough to be antique, but you know that all the magic items that have been sitting there probably haven't done the poor things much good. Then, after awhile, you notice a small door at the top of a steep set of stairs. You don't want to seem too curious, so you sneak a few looks at it when you think she isn't facing you.

S'what's so interesting about my attic, hm, kiddo? Haaahaha, don't be so surprised, I'm used to so many things by now, in my time. Hm, strange though... no one usually notices the attic. What's gotcha so interested? she asks, genuinely curious. It must have been a rare occasion that she found someone looking at it. It isn't so noticeable, especially in a room of yelling people. Oh, that darn migraine again...

Well, I don't know, I just never even noticed it through the thousand times I've been in your shop, you know? What's up there? I mean, if you don't mind me asking, you say, realizing that you are being a little discourteous if she were to be offended by your asking. Still, it's too late...

Well, ya might not believe it... but I have a king in my attic, she says, in a matter-of-fact tone.

Oh, and this migraine's just gonna go away by itself, you say sarcastically. It actually could happen... your migraine going away by itself, that is. But when you said it, you were trying to imply that it would be just about as possible as there being a king in her attic. PUH-leeze.

It's true, kiddo. You don't believe me? You know, I actually might have something to help you up there. Wanna go check it out? she says, mischievously.

I don't really kno-- you start to say, but she abruptly grabs your arm by surprise, and drags you along with her up the narrow staircase to the little attic door.

She tugs on the rusty little handle a few times before it swings ajar.

Aw kiddo, I was just joshin' about there being some kinda medicine for you up here. I thought you might wanna stay in here for a bit, to get away from the noise. The light's pretty dim in here too, I got those little magic lights floatin' around, but I can dim 'em down for you if you want, too. So, s'that okay with you? You wanna rest up here for a bit? I'll go look 'round some more for that medicine, she says in a motherly tone of voice.

That'd be perfect, Ms. Kauvara, but I have to ask... why did you say there was a king up here? you say.

Because there is, kid, she says, smiling and winking.

Then, she turns, closes the little door, and leaves you all alone in the magically lit room.

It's very peaceful, and the lighting's perfect-- you can barely see at all. You stand up, having been crouching to get through the door, and try to look around as best as you can. Your vision's blurring already, great. Ugh, you just wanna go home...

Oh well, Kauvara's really great-- great enough to let you stay here... where ever here was. You walk around leisurely, trying to get your mind off of your... well, mind, technically... however impossible that's gonna be.

Well, might as well find a nice place to lie down and rest, huh? You crouch to the ground again, and feel around with your hands to find something to lay on, maybe a blanket or pile of sheets. It's an attic, anything could be up here.

Finally, after searching around for what feels like forever, your hand brushes something soft.

Ahh, good! I can finally get some shut-eye... you mutter to yourself, when...

Halt, halt I say! Who goes there, mon dieu, who is up in this attic? Who dares to touch his royal majesty? And who turned down the lights? I cannot see what I am shooting my webs at, oui? I must be able to see, you see, someone in a french accent said. You're so stunned and scared that you can't even say anything! What was a french person doing up in Kauvara's attic?

Wha-- wh-- who? Are-- who are? you stutter, probably sounding like a freak to whoever is here. It's so dark that you can't see a foot in front of you, so you automatically assume something along the lines of... 'ghost'! But, realizing that's stupid, and probably the work of your migraine in progress, you calm down and try to address the voice more properly.

Who's there? Who are you? you ask, holding your worsening painstaking head in frustration.

Mon dieu, who are YOU? the voice asks.

Well I'm guest! Not that you would know who I am or anything, but... well? Who are you? I asked first, you say, in a voice that sounded incredibly similar to a child's pouting voice.

Moi, I am Monsieur Guilliaume, royal assistant to His Majesty, King Qinsha, of course! the voice says, scoffing.

Well, are you a... ghost? I can't see you anywhere!

Ghost! Oh ho ho, ghost! Oh dear mon amie, non, mais non! I am a Moach, a french Moach! I am probably so tiny that you cannot see me in this blessed darkness! Why is it so dark in here, by the by, do you happen to know, mon amie? he asks, rambling a bit.

Well, Miss Kauvara probably turned down the magical lights for me, because I have an extremely bad headache, you tell him. So much for trying to forget about it.

Oh, mon dieu, I am so sorry! I did not realize, or I would have been a bit more quiet with my surprise, oui? Oh ho ho! Well, what are you doing up here? Why do you not go lay down in the comfort of your home?

Well, you see, I live pretty far away, Mr. Guilliaume, and Kauvara was kind enough to let me spend the night here, in this... attic, you say, still so grateful to her, but... you just can't help thinking about how bad it will be to stay in this dingy attic all night. At least she cares... right?

Ah, well, mon amie, I will try and be as hospitable of a host as I can be to you, oui! Ah, I must be off for a minute, though, I will inform His Majesty that we have a guest so he does not feel threatened or put in danger, oui, he says, and though you can't see him, you can tell that he was probably nodding while he's talking.

Oh, er, okay? I don't exactly know who King Qinsha is, but I certainly wouldn't do him any harm, you say, squinting in the darkness.

Oh! Sacre bleu! You do not know of His Majesty? Oh! Oh, mon dieu! I would ask you to follow me to the King, but you cannot see me anyway, and I risk getting stepped on. Mais non, I will ask His Royal Majesty to come to you, I am sure he will not mind. He has not had an audience in years, besides those who live here all of the time. Oh, here, here is a spot for you to lie down on, while I go and inform His Majesty, he says, and like magic, you see one of the dim, floating orbs come down to reveal a spot with pillows and cushions.

Perfect, you sigh, and lay down on the pillows. No sooner than your head touches the pillows do you fall into a light, dreamy sleep...

Ah, mon amie! Please, wake up, I have brought you to the attention of His Majesty, and he would like to meet you now, M. Guilliaume says, waking you from your blissful nap. Groaning, you turn to the direction you heard the voice from. But... there's no one there.

Somewhere near you, you hear the sound of little jingle bells. They aren't happy jingle bells, like the ones you might hear in a rendition of the holiday carol "Jingle Bells". They are ugly, old, rusted sounding jingle bells. The resemble nails on a chalkboard quite a bit, to you.

What is that awf-- you say, before the Moach cuts you off.

AH-HE-HE-HEM, he coughs, His Majesty is extremely sensitive to his current situation, my dear guest, and I would strongly advise you not to comment on any noises you may hear in this attic, understood?

Er, um, sure? I didn't mean-- well, I didn't know... wait, what? you say in UTTER confusion. What in the WORLD is going on?

Presenting His Royal Highness, King Qinsha! the little french voice says, and you imagine little trumpet noises as you watch a little jester-like plushie inch towards you.

Your... Majesty? you say, bowing your head a little to the plushie. But you're a--

AHHHH-HEEEEMMMM, M. Guilliaume coughs, stopping you once more.

OKAY, okay, I get it! you say, annoyed at the squeaky throat clearing noise of a Moach. You wonder how many times you're gonna hear THAT throughout the course of your migraine.

Mr. Guilliaume, could you please tell me what is going on here? you ask him in frustration.

I thought you'd never ask, he says, with pleasure.

Once, long ago, I had been the assistant of the great king of a beautiful country. He was a beautiful faerie, adorned with flowers and garnishes all grown in the land of the sky, which you may now know in, how you say, the modern times, as Faerieland, oui? Ah, yes, that is it. Anyway, yes, I had been the great king's trusted assistant, and he was always very gracious and kind to me, as well as all of the inhabitants of the country of Faerieland. He trusted me with the most desperate tasks, and I always did my best to accomplish them. I never did fail him, and I did not plan to at any time.

You see, but one day, the king disappeared, just out of the blue.

Ah, but maybe it was not out of the blue, oui? His evil, jealous sister, who had taken up witchcraft after her brother succeeded her to the throne, had visited him on birthday, with the sad excuse that she would like to give the brother of hers that she had not seen in over 28 years a birthday present. Hah! The nerve of her! I did not believe her, and I did my best to keep her from entering, but, of course, I am but a small spider, and there was not much I could do. Unfortunately, when I had tried to stop her, she just about tried to squish me to death, though she probably could not have even stood on the clouds without falling through them, which is probably why she was flying... but I did not want to take any chances, mais non! What if she had squished me with magic or the like? Ouuhh, but I digress.

So, she went in, came out with a smile on her wicked face, and left. It was most certainly strange, oui. I swung on my webs as quickly as I could, just in time to find the king was missing! Oh là là! It was such a great catastrophe that I did not even know what to do! All of the guards had said they had not noticed a thing when I had asked them about it, and they would not believe an old spider like moi, so I knew it was my job now to find my king and great friend.

I left out of the castle in a hurry, clinging my webs to whatever I could so that I did not fall through the clouds. Suddenly, as I was swinging so frantically, I had come across something that caught my eye. It was a shadow down in the clouds, and as I approached it, I identified it as naught but a child's toy. I scoffed in relief at first, but then I started to become curious as to why this little toy had not fallen through the clouds yet. I looked around, then landed on top of it. A small patch in the shape of a broken heart had been sewn into it, with these words on it;

It was a strange name for a toy, indeed, and it did not seem so magical to me, mais non. Then, I looked underneath the words at some subscript, which read, "Long live King Qinsha, ha!" 

A most terrifying idea then popped into my head! What if the king's evil sister, who is known as Jhudora, had put a curse on the great king!? I looked into the plushie's eyes, wondering if he could see me if he was in there. It had no feelings, it was like it could not even move! I felt that I had to come up with a plan... but what could I do, so small and helpless a creature that I was?

But ah, mais oui! I could help him move! I spun some webs around his wrists, the bells around his ears, his armpits, and his feet, then shot my webs upward to the tops of the floating buildings... and it worked! I could move the king like a marionette! It was brilliant, I could even say so myself. I walked him to the castle, and showed him to the guards... who, of course, all laughed in my face when I told them that the toy was their king. The toy looked like a joker, which was the farthest thing from a king, I would say. There were bells on the ends of his ears, and a hat was sewn onto the back of his head with another bell. He was wearing torn clothes that were sewn into him, rags of an ugly blue color.

Looking at him closer, I had noticed the king's Petpet was sewn as a marionette onto his hand as well, and that the bells on his head were sewn on to mock his love of music. She must have sewn this doll and then transferred him into it somehow, with black magic. It was apparent that the sister of his did not care much for him, seeing the way this doll that he now was was sewn so badly. I also noticed that there was a twist switch on the back of the doll hanging from his arm, and when I had twisted it, even the tiniest bit, an excruciating song played out; yet another way to mock him. I felt horrible for the king, and I did not know what to do next.

So, what did I do next? I swung myself and the king through the door to the castle, and made our way up to the throne room... but mais non!! Yet another misfortune had occurred! Sitting in the throne, with a big, fat, ugly smile on her face, was none other than...

Madame Fyora? What are you doing here? I had said to her.

She replied to me that she was now the new queen, in light of the king's disappearance. She had not even the smallest bit of pity for the missing king on her smug face, I could tell! I was disgusted that the Faerieland officials would elect someone as the likes of her to be their queen, ough! So, I asked her why she had been elected, and she told me that she had been next in line to the throne, because even though she was not a blood relative, her high rank in the Faerieland Militia overcame the king's sister's blood right. I was not complaining after I realized that if she had not taken the throne, that Jhudora would have been the next in line... and I knew that that must have been her plan when she transformed her brother into a child's play thing. I also realized that Fyora would be the next target on Jhudora's list, and that I should warn her about it.

So, I did... and she did not believe me! No one believed this tired old Moach, non. It seemed that I was out of luck, though I was the king's most trusted assistant and comrade, no one wanted to put any of their faith in me.

Could it have been that they were all involved in the evil sister's scheme to claim the throne? Had she threatened them if they did not join with her forces? It could have certainly been, I had thought to myself. Yet again, though, that same persistent question arose;

What to do? And if that had been the case, then why would Fyora be so clueless about all of this going on? It could not have been that, surely, she is not that stupid, oui?

Ahh, but then I thought to myself... this could be used to our advantage, this whole happening with the king, mais oui! How, you may ask? How could something this stupidly terrible be useful in the slightest? Oh ho ho, my dear child, listen to me now. Now that the king had been transformed, and no one will believe what had happened, I could find a way to change him back, and prove everyone of Jhudora's evil ways and, well, Fyora's stupidity, ho ho ho! So then, I had to come up with a plan to change him back, and the first person that came into my head to go to for help was...

Madame Kauvara! I had said aloud.

Fyora had cocked her head at me, like a naive puppy would, then realized what she was doing and stopped. Then, when she had finally asked me what I meant, I just shook my head and laughed to myself. I had a plan for us then, and it was the time to put it to action!

I spun a tighter web around the king and myself, then started swinging myself out of the room. I looked back in time to see Fyora's head tilt to the side stupidly again, and chuckled. Hah! I knew we were on a time crunch then, oui. I did not have a guess of how long Faerieland might survive under her care. I then started at full speed, madly shooting my webs this way and that. Then, I had remembered... I did not know the way to Neopia Central! Mon dieu! What was I to do?

I swung in my spot, trying to wave down people with the king's arm, but no one noticed. My, if I had been going by, I think I would have noticed a strangely crafted toy waving at me. But, oui, I did not catch anyone's attention in the slightest. I then swung us up to the top of the nearest building, where we sat for awhile.

Then, oddly enough, I heard a bell jingle. I did not know where it had come from, at first, and then I remembered; mais oui! The king had bells on his head! Had he actually moved? There, then they moved again, and that time I had seen it! I did not know what it meant, so I tried asking him something.

Your majesty, might you know the way to Neopia Central? I believe that Mademoiselle Kauvara may be able to help the state you are in right now, oui?

He jingled his right bell! That must have either meant yes or no, seeing he had two bells that could stand for either. So, I asked him this;

Your majesty, if you mean yes, jingle your right bell, and if you mean no, jingle your left one, if you would, s'il vous plaît.

And again, he jingled his right bell. So, it must have meant that he did know the way! Oh, but even if he did know, there was no way he could tell me... maybe if I asked him questions on the way, and he just jingled yes or no, we might have been able to make it! Oui, and that is what I decided we would do. I, of course, asked his permission before we disembarked for our destination, for the plan I had come up with, and he jingled his right bell. I figured that it may be slightly difficult to see which bell was jingling while we were in the wind, flying downward, but alas, it was the only thing we could do, non? So, at that point, we took off for our far off destination, Neopia Central.

I was hoping then that we were not doing this for naught-- in other words, I hoped that Madame Kauvara would be able to help the king, oui? I had no way of returning to Faerieland if that were the case, either, for I could not fly, and I did not know another way back up. So, I kept my fingers (or feelers, if you please) crossed, and then...

Jumped! As further and further we fell, I began to lose the initial butterflies I had about soaring downwards to the land you could touch- as I said, I had not been anywhere other than Faerieland all of my life, and oui, I was nervous. But after falling for so long, I had kind of began to grow out of it, and though it seemed as if it was taking forever, I knew that when we landed at last, it had been but a couple of minutes. It was strange, indeed, as was the great luck we had learned we'd had when I turned around and saw a sign, a glorious sign that I was not even sure we would ever come across.

Kauvara's Magic Shop, I said out loud in wonderment.

I praised the heavens for the great, great luck we had! Ah, oui, but we had no time to waste, so I tightened my webs around the king and his pet again-- after falling so far, they had begun to losen again-- and realized that I did not have to swing the marionettes I had in my webs, for we were on solid ground... and, not so surprisingly, I became uncannily curious as to what this 'ground' I'd heard so much about felt like. But, ah, it had felt just like standing in a building, except with scratchy green flooring, which I would have soon come to know to be called 'grass'. Ah, but the unimportance of that.

I shot webs to bring ourselves towards the front door of the shop. Ah, the glorious shop! And when we had reached the front door, I came across a problem...

No Petpetpets allowed in the shop.
-Management

Mais non! This could not be happening! I am a french Moach, but a Moach nonetheless, and Moaches, unfortunate as it is, are classified as Petpetpets. I had to come up with a plan to save the king, I reminded myself, no matter what it takes, oui! So, I had a not-so-brilliant idea, but it turned to have worked out-- I am the same shade of green as the king's plushie body was, so, I positioned myself on his face in the exact way I had planned, and then...

*swing!* The door swung open, and Madame Kauvara herself stood in front of us.

Ah, good day to ya, mustache-- er, I mean, Monsieur! she said aloud, noticing his french mustache, which had actually been me, but it did not matter, as long as my plan worked.

I disguised my voice as a muffled, low sound that would result from a fabric-covered mouth as best as I could. She seemed not to understand the words I was saying at first, as I explained the king's situation, but then, she replied, Oh, why deary me! That's just horrible! I can try and find a way to help ya and yer Petpet, but it won't be easy... and it'll take time. Lots o' time, she said in an apparent voice of feeling sorry for him.

I asked exactly how long it might take in my disguised voice, oui, and she replied with an answer which made me come to realize that our luck had begun to run out.

...Months, even years, maybe... five years, at the most?

I knew that five years was plenty enough time for the evil Jhudora to plan an attack on Fyora, and I had not expected such an answer, and did not know what to say to it.

I have a place you can stay here if ya like, Monsieur... er, plushie. Or, do ya have somewhere already...? she said, obviously confused.

We do not haff a pwace to stway, so dat would be vewwy kind, fank yew, I said in my muffled voice.

And so, she let us live in her attic.

((Summary: Jhudora wasn't actually the one behind the dark magic- Fyora was the evil culprit all the time, trying (and succeeding) in gaining the throne of Faerieland! That's why Jhudora hates her so much. Also, Jhudora comes to help them sometime in the story, and they overthrow her and her Faerieland Militia. However, Kauvara hasn't found a cure for Qinsha as it ends, so the story is left hanging! He returns to the magical attic where he can move on his own (but he can't anywhere other than the attic), and where he's made friends with the other plushie residents of the attic. Kauvara eventually realizes that Qinsha's mustache is actually a Moach, and grows to like them and allows Petpetpets in her store, haha. Since his story has no ending, you may imagine any ending you would like to for his story.))

Now, being able to see him, you grow a lot more fond of him than you had been at first. The main reason for that was...

NICE mustache, you say, smiling widely.

It is my pride and joy, mon amie, I am glad you noticed. But, is that all you can say after the horrible story I have told you? he says, almost disappointed.

No! I do have another question... if you're over here, and he's over there, you say, squinting in the directions you're indicating, well, how is he moving on his own?

Ah! But mais oui, this is a magical attic. His soul is free up here, and he can, though he is not living in the same sense that you are, move, think, and act for himself.

Another pathetic jingle sounds a little closer to you, so you look around yourself for the source, once again. You know what he looks like now, though you haven't seen him, but you still can't stop your curiosity.

Your Majesty, you say, addressing the king in the darkness, if you would, please come and sit with us. I would very much like to meet you in... er, person.

Then, around the corner of a bookcase, you can see a tiny figure inching closer. Its shadow is shaped like the jester you'd heard about in the story. You know that he will probably be a bit shy about his 'current situation,' as the Moach referred to it as, so you try to be as courteous as possible.

Your Majesty, you say, bowing clumsily. Your headache is starting to make you feel a little dizzy.

Now, he reaches the light, and you can really see what a poor little thing he is. The dingy old fabric, the offsetting colors, those rusted, pathetic jingle bells... anyone would feel sorry for him, even if they hadn't known he was a king, for the little plushie is in a terrible state.

Oh! you exclaim, realizing your impoliteness. I am guest, very pleased to make your acquaintance.

Then, the most bizarre thing of all happened... the plushie started doing sign language! Sign language! It was the most magnificent thing you had ever seen! A tiny old plushie, filled with life, signing you his thanks... even though you don't know sign language, it's so rewarding to have gone through listening to his whole story and see him making progress with his situation! Qinsha, then, as if from out of nowhere, drags out a signing chart for you to look at.

He can do these signs with one hand, so he signs everything one letter at a time, Guilliaume explains.

That's... so... COOL!! you say, laughing with glee.

Do you happen to know any sign language, mon amie? he asks you, curiously.

Not particularly, but I think it's great that you're dealing with your situation so well, Your Majesty! It's fantastic! I would love to do something to help you, if I could! you say to the plushie.

Then, he starts signing something to you. After a couple of minutes of trying to decipher what he's saying, you figure it out.

I would love it if I could just talk with you, really!

Well, you're in luck, Your Majesty, you say with a smile, talking is something I'm very good at.

So, what would you like to talk about? I would love to learn more about you, if you wouldn't mind that, you tell Qinsha, smiling at him. His appearance interested you.