"Are you still fishing?" the exasperated Cybunny asked her Krawk companion, who had been sitting at the dock with his line in the water for the better part of ten hours. Sure, hanging around the underwater fishing hole was fun, but even fun had its limits.

"I told ya, I'm not leaving until I catch something!" the Krawk stated defiantly.

The Cybunny sighed. There wasn't much she could do if the silly old Krawk insisted on staying put. He had the worst luck of any fisherman that she had ever seen. Literally hundreds of Neopets had entered the cave, reeled in some kelp, or a fish, or an old sandal, and in all that time, the Krawk's line hadn't so much as tightened once. Still, feeling bad for the Krawk and whatever possessed him to continue such folly, the Cybunny attempted to be helpful. "Do you... need some better bait, perhaps?" she suggested.

"No siree! I've got the best bait ever! Slow-grilled Patrapiller," the Krawk cheerfully replied.

The Cybunny's nose wriggled in disgust. What in Neopia would eat THAT? she wondered, turning around to leave. At that moment, the Krawk began to shout.

"I hooked something! I hooked something!" he hollered, leaping to his feet. The Cybunny turned back around to watch, sharing his excitement. With one final tug, the Krawk pulled up his line...

"A Negg!" shouted the Krawk excitedly. "A huge delicious Negg! I'll eat omelettes for a week!"

"It's very big for a Negg," said the Cybunny doubtfully. Careful not to touch the nasty slimy sea creatures, she tapped on the shell. Her claws made a squeaking sound which she'd certainly never heard from a Negg before. "Why, it's made out of metal. Perhaps it's fallen from Kreludor!"

"Kreludor or no, I mean to make a meal of it."

"However will you crack it open?"

"Never you fear!" Spinning around, the Krawk fetched the Negg a tremendous blow with his tail.

The Negg wobbled, then fell over on its side, making the dock shake. From inside, the Cybunny heard a quite distinct whirr of gears, and then another sound, tock, tock, tock, like a giant clock. They both leaned closer, straining to hear.

"Whatever can it be?" asked the Cybunny.

Tock, tock, tock...

Louder and louder, and faster and faster grew the noise, and closer and closer they leaned. The tocking sounds blurred together, until quite suddenly the noise stopped, and the Negg chimed a single loud BONG! The echoes ran around the underwater cave, and the Negg quivered.

"Do you think--" began the Cybunny.

"I think that--" the Krawk said.

They looked at one another and together they exclaimed, "It's hatching!"

The Cybunny started back in alarm, because it looked very much as if they were right. With a sound like a hundred Lennies all hatching at once, the metal Negg split in half right down the middle, and the two halves fell ringing to the dock...

The blank looks on the two friend's faces were evident enough, especially the Krawk who looked like he’d been denied the most epic encounter of all time.

It was the Cybunny who eventually decided to speak up. "Err, rather anti-climatic wouldn't you say, Kecyl," she said with a shrug.

"It would indeed, Drusilla," the Krawk agreed resignedly.

I wouldn’t think so.

Kecyl and Drusilla glanced at each other. "Did you say that?" they uttered in unison, pointing at each other. "It wasn’t me," came their simultaneous reply.

Drusilla looked confusedly at her friend. "But if it wasn’t you or me then..."

Both heads turned to regard the mottled green and white egg sitting innocently on one side, about the same size as the metal shell it emerged from.

You know, it's quite rude to stare, a miffed voice, thick with an unfamiliar accent, resounded in the two friend's heads. Drusilla's eyes widened in shock and she started pointing at the egg.

“You... you can--"

Talk? Well if you count putting words in your empty heads then yes, I can talk.

Despite his surprise -- and disappointment that he wouldn't be having omelettes after all -- Kecyl rounded on the egg, brandishing his claws threateningly at the obvious slight. "Now see here, you upstart!" he snapped, a little embarrassed at speaking to an egg. "You better stop insulting us or--"

Or what? You'll tell Mommy? Please spare me your theatrics, Krawk, I'll have none of it. Then to Kecyl and Drusilla’s surprise the egg quivered and righted itself before slowly sliding, like butter on a hot pan, towards their feet. Now please stand aside lesser mortals, I have wasted too much time trapped in that cage to fully implement my plans.

"And what's that?" Kecyl replied warily, unnerved by the creepy, creeping egg. A mental grin floated through the Krawk’s head.

Cliché as it is I plan to rule Neopia...

Oh, you needn't worry yourself with details, the egg replied coldly. Just know this; any who stand in my way will be eliminated. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a planet to conquer. With that, the egg glided toward them, expecting them to move out of its way. To the egg's displeasure, Kecyl and Drusilla remained rooted to the spot.

Fear locked Drusilla's limbs, preventing her escape. Kecyl remained immobile for a different reason. There was no way he was going to allow an egg to waltz past him and conquer Neopia. The mere idea was ridiculous! To his surprise however, the egg seemed not only able to speak telepathically, but also to hear in the same manner.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, the egg intoned menacingly. My plan is to conquer Neopia, and destroy any who try to oppose me. By standing there gawking at me you are impeding my progress, and thereby opposing me. Merciful as I am, here a hint of sarcasm entered the mental voice, I shall give you one last chance. Now move.

The last word was spoken with so much malice that Drusilla leapt back with a frightened squeak. Kecyl remained motionless.

"Listen here you," he mumbled in the most threatening voice he could muster. "I'm not gonna move unless you tell me what in Fyora's name you are. An' don't think I'm kidding, because... I'm not!" he finished lamely, brandishing his fishing rod in a vaguely threatening manner.

A sinister chuckle flooded his mind. And what do you plan to do with that? Poke me to death? The egg sounded amused --not exactly the reaction Kecyl had been hoping for. Now listen Krawk, the evil egg continued, and listen well. I gave you a second chance, but my patience is wearing thin. I'll give you one last chance to get out of my way before I destroy you. With this threat, the egg began to hum. Tiny motes of green light pulsed and condensed around the egg's shell, forming a menacing ring of glowing light...

"Yeah?" he returned hoarsely, clearing his throat as an afterthought. "You think that pokin' you is all this thing is good for? I'll give you a second chance, whatever y' are--" here, Drusilla opened her mouth as if to say something, but she stopped and merely raised an eyebrow at Kecyl, "--this 'ere rod can blast you to pieces before ya take another ste-- er, move another inch."

Right. Weak bluff, but it was all he could think of off the top of his head. Kecyl readied himself for the pain, the explosion -- anything, really -- but nothing happened. Instead, the egg-creature dimmed slightly, the voice coming in softer, almost thoughtful tones.

Well. How foolishly brave and noble of you.

"I wouldn't call it foolish, sir," this with a somewhat mocking edge to the Krawk's voice, though he stared determinedly past the egg and hoped that it couldn't see through his bluff. "I'd hardly lie, so ya better just tell us what you are or -- or go back to wherever ya came from, you hear?"

Huh. For a moment, Kecyl thought that it would attack anyway, or explode and blast them into tiny bits; but the menacing presence faded, the voice becoming fainter and fainter as it did so, as if it were preparing to leave somehow. You amuse me. In that case, I will let that slide... but just this time. You see, I am true evil, and I will not reveal my plans and tell you all that my first plan of action is to raid the Hidden T-- forget I said that. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be on my way...

But don't you? came the now-familiar voice in his head. The Krawk was saved what would doubtless have been a snappy and pointless retort as the egg trembled with hidden energy. Before he or Drusilla realized what was happening, the egg rocked on its base and tumbled with alarming speed --

-- directly into the first thing it crossed. Which, coincidentally, was Kecyl's knees.

He cried out in pain as it cracked against his shins, costing him his balance. After a moment of panicked flailing in which he (unsuccesfully) struggled to gain his feet, he looked around for where the egg had disappeared. It was clattering haphazardly down the uneven planks of the dock, merrily ignoring the common courtesy that required it to avoid running things over.

Acting in the only way he could think to, Kecyl brought his fishing rod back and cast it in the direction of the egg. Hours of fishing had given him exceptional aim, and he wasn't particularly surprised with the tug that told him he had found his mark.

He was a bit taken aback, however, as the aforementioned tug was immediately followed by a cracking sound as a piece of the shell was ripped away, and a bout of distant laughter...

"GET HIM!" cried Kecyl, racing toward the Kiko, brandishing the fishing pole like a spear in front of him. The Kiko screamed, and started to run away from the rampaging Krawk. Drusilla grabbed the back of his tail and tugged, sending Kecyl crashing into the ground face first. "What did you do that for?" he asked angrily. "The egg is getting away!"

"You can't just go up and attack people! Even if dangerous megalomaniacs are hidden in their luggage. What could he do, anyway? He can't get to the Hidden Tower with a group of Kiko tourists."

"You were saying," Kecyl said wryly, holding up the brochure that the Kiko had dropped. Across the brochure in large blue letters was inscribed:

Drusilla looked incredulously at the brochure. "The Hidden Tower Tourism Center. Well, that's ironic."

Kecyl looked off in the direction the Kikos had left in. "Well, what are we waiting for? We've got Neopia to save!" With that, the two took off after the group of tourists...

Meanwhile, inside the bag itself where the egg hid, it struggled to keep the side where the fishing pole tore a hole open upward, to avoid having anything from inside of it spilling out into the contents of the bag, which would not only give away his position, but completely spoil his plan.

I must not lose my precious contents, it thought to itself, as it struggled to keep its ruptured side facing upwards as the bag was lifted and jostled about. If my plan is to succeed, I will need all the white and yolk I can maintain!

It soon came into a relaxed state, and laid back peacefully on the toothbrushes, hair combs (not really used by Kikos, but still there for some reason), and bottles of toothpaste and mouthwash. Yes, I will need all of it... all of it must be saved for the sunshine shield and portable kiln I shall steal from the Hidden Tower! For once I have those items, it continued thinking to itself, then, and only then, should I spill my contents onto the sunshine shield, with the portable kiln underneath it. It almost stood upright in pride at its plan, although it was soon stopped by the ceiling of the bag. For then the portable kiln will bake my contents on the sunshine shield... bake it into an omelette! The most perfect, most delicious omelette Neopia has ever seen! And when that foolish Faerie Queen Fyora, sitting in her cozy throne room overseeing the Hidden Tower, lays her eyes on it, this omelette of magnificence made from my body, she will devour it ravenously... and when she does, I shall control her mind! And when I control her mind, I SHALL RULE NEOPIA!

If it could laugh out loud maniacally, it would have, but laughter inside its mind would have to do. It was cut off, however, as its "head" was bumped once again on the ceiling of the bag.

"Um... doesn't this seem funny to you?" Drusilla said quietly to Kecyl as the two shadowed the group of tourists, hoping not to be seen by them lest they run in panic remembering Kecyl's near-rampage. "The Hidden Tower, having a tourist center? Wouldn't it be more secret than to openly reveal its location to a bunch of tourists?"

"I wouldn't question the logic of the faeries, especially the Queen, Fyora," replied Kecyl, albeit still just as stumped as his friend was at the concept. "Faeries... well, they just... think differently than we do."

The two eventually came to another set of docks, these docks being the main arrival point for the travelers interested in the fishing caves beneath Maraqua, the caves being below the surface of this island which hovered right above. The dock wasn't full of its usual hustle and bustle with native Maraquans escorting foreign tourist pets up to the docks, as this wasn't a peak season for fishing. Instead, a lone floating cloud was parked at the end of the docks, a glittering air faerie at its helm, greeting the Kiko tourists warmly as they arrived and slowly boarded the fluffy but solid cloud.

"Wow, these Kikos sure know how to get around," exclaimed the Krawk.

"But how are we going to get around onto that thing?" questioned Drusilla in dismay. "There's hardly any room for anyone else on that cloud aside from the Kikos and that air faerie, and there are certainly no overhangs to hang off of, or any trunks to hide in!"

Both Drusilla and Kecyl stood in deep, but rushed thought as to how to stow away on... a cloud. Obviously, not much was coming to mind. And then, with a quaint sputtering sound, the cloud emitted little puffs behind it, and was starting to move.

"Oh, no, it's getting away!" cried Drusilla. Her heart sank as she saw the cloud pick up speed. But at that moment, a wry grin spread across Kecyl's face, and he brandished his fishing pole.

"No way," said Drusilla incredulously.

"Way!" exclaimed Kecyl, as with all his might he cast out his line, heaving it farther than he ever thought he could, and the hook snagged itself on one of the bags of the Kiko tourists, the bag with the evil egg, to be precise. Kecyl grabbed onto Drusilla's hand, and she wrapped her other arm around Kecyl's waist, and the pair screamed for their wits as they were pulled onward and upward...

He did, however, notice the two screaming pets that abruptly attached themselves to the bag with a fishing rod.

Allowing himself a fairly girlish shriek, the Kiko was dragged backward, struggling vainly to stay on the cloud despite his lack of legs to brace himself with. Several of his companions twisted around to help him, before realizing that they, too, had no legs. It wasn't until the air faerie leapt up and aided them -- leaving her controls to do so -- that the situation was steered into the semblance of control.

It rapidly spun out of that illusion as the cloud bucked wildly. Kecyl and Drusilla, dangling below with no view of what was going on above, pushed their now-hoarse voices to even greater heights, their screams reaching an octave once thought impossible.

The air faerie sprang back to her station, leaving the unfortunate Kikos to fend for themselves. She apparently decided that the best course of action was to accelerate as much as possible and hope to reach Faerieland before someone fell off.

Miraculously, it worked. The haphazardly flying vessel melted into the great clouds that supported Faerieland, depositing its passangers unceremoniously. It took a collective four seconds for the Kiko tourists to gather themselves and turn on Kecyl and Drusilla.

In the following yelling, arguing, and occasional punch, the egg slipped from the bag through a large tear caused by the fishing hook. Suppressing a very unvillain-like giggle, it rolled with increasing speed towards Neopia's worst-kept secret, the Hidden Tower...

"What is the meaning of this?" snapped the Kiko whose bag had been their lift. "This was genuine Kau-skin! Now there's a big old rip in it!"

The air faerie who'd driven them wore an even bigger scowl. "Stowaways, hmm? Think that we in Faerieland are thick enough not to notice a couple of fisherpets dangling from our clouds? Didn't feel like coughing up a couple of Neopoints, eh?"

Drusilla, sensing that the mounting anger of the faerie and Kikos was nearing dangerous proportions, waved her hands frantically for attention. "Listen, please -- there's an egg... it's going to take over the world... it rolled toward the Hidden Tower!"

The Kikos stared at her, their mouths hanging slightly open, and even the air faerie stopped her ranting. For a fleeting moment Drusilla's hopes soared--

--then they all exploded into laughter.

"Egg taking over the world!" one roared, slapping himself in the belly.

"Rolling toward the Hidden Tower!" another wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye.

The air faerie toppled down to the ground, she was laughing so hard. "Of all of the ridiculous excuses.... Wait till Fyora hears this..."

"Let's not give her that chance," whispered Kecyl. "Quick, while they're distracted!"

The two pets tip-toed across the puffy layer of clouds, the screeches of mirth of Kiko and faerie echoing behind them. They turned around a bend, and found a large, delicately ornamented sign:

"But why--" began Kecyl.

"Faerie logic; don't ask," replied the Cybunny quickly, and grabbed his claw. "Come on, before those Kikos catch on that we've left."

At last, thought the egg. If it would have had a mouth, it'd have been beaming. They are too late. The world shall be mine.

Before him stood, in complete preparation, the sunshine shield atop the portable kiln. Steam rose and hissed across it, lighting the shield in an eerie yellow glow. Millions of NP of weaponry, and I shall use them against the very faerie who protects them.

Laughing inside his mind, he tipped forward, letting his contents pour out of his hole in a mixture of white and gold onto the shield. The heat blazed with the contact, beginning its transformation.

"Hurry up!" cried Drusilla desperately, tugging at her friend's claw. "We'll be too late."

Up and up the stairs they went, but despite Drusilla's rush, they had to tread carefully, for invisible steps tended to be treacherous. Some illogical faerie architect had decided to design it as a spiral staircase without taking into consideration that its aesthetic appeal would be lost.

It was a long time before the two dragged themselves to the top, huffing and puffing with shortness of breath, muscles aching. Bursting open the door, they gasped. "We are too late -- it's started to cook!"

Despairingly they looked toward the shield, hardly daring to glance at its contents. It was Kecyl who finally worked up the courage. His face was still for a long moment, and then he turned back to Drusilla.

He was smiling.

"What is it?" asked the perplexed Cybunny. "He's done it, hasn't he?"

"Overdone it, more like," replied the Krawk. "Poor egg burned itself to a crisp. No one to take him off the heat."

They stared in wonder at the blackened ruin of charred egg, returning to reality only when the thundering footsteps of a Kiko touring group made its way up the invisible stairs.

"They're not going to be happy to see burnt egg all over the artifacts," muttered Kecyl.

The Cybunny shrugged, smiling. "Somehow, I think worse could have happened."

The End