The Lupe practically jumped off the ship once it docked on Mystery Island. The sun was shining brightly overhead in the tropical paradise. The sea breeze carried the smell of salt and the gentle sounds of waves crashing along the beach filled the air. A pair of Myncies were playing volleyball on the beach, while a Kacheek in a snorkel was about to go swimming.

It had taken Sachiel months to save up for this vacation, but standing here now on Mystery Island, he knew it was completely worth it. He had two full weeks all to himself. No complaining boss, no annoying customers, and best of all, no cooking at all.

Sachiel hated cooking, even though he was good at it. No, good is too weak a word. Sachiel was amazing at cooking, a gourmet chef without peer. Sachiel was the head chef at the AstroVilla, the highest of high class hotels in the entire Neolodge chain.

Granted, he didn't mind cooking for himself. After all, Sachiel knew that he had the talent. It was just that, every day, more and more customers were demanding fancier and fancier dishes. Each day it was something new, and every time, the hotel boss owner would go on and on about how he was the one who had to keep the customers happy with their meals.

If only they knew that it was Sachiel himself who kept the AstroVilla running. So many times he had to go out and find exotic ingredients and buy them with his own money. Even though his job paid well, some days, it just wasn't worth the frustration.

That was why the Lupe was looking forward to this vacation so much. He made sure to get the all-inclusive package. That way, he wouldn't have to lift a paw to do anything himself. The entire thing was paid for. All he had to do was sit back, relax, and be pampered for two weeks.

A group of Aishas in grass skirts doing a hula dance greeted the passengers as they got off the boat. Sachiel was offered a blue drink with a tiny umbrella in it by one of them, which he cheerfully accepted.

"Man, it feels so good to be on the other end," he thought to himself as he took a sip of the sweet tropical drink.

The other tourists started to go their own separate ways. A few of the coconut natives were holding signs with names on them. He spotted one of them holding up a sign that read "Sachiel."

"I'm Sachiel," he said to the native.

The native was silent and he led the Lupe to a rickety cart. There was a Techo in the cart waiting for him.

"Welcome, Sachiel!" he said. "I'm Tealkem, your tour director for the duration of your stay!"

"Tour director, eh?" Sachiel said. "Alright, then how about you direct me toward the beach and more of these drinks?"

The Techo got a sudden uncomfortable look on his face.

"Unfortunately..." he said, "That's what I would like to say, but a bit of a situation has come up."

"A situation?" Sachiel asked. "I made sure to get my reservation done in time. I should have the two week all-inclusive package!"

"Oh, you do, you do," the Techo said. "It's just that, well... your reputation precedes you."

"What do you mean?" the Lupe asked.

"Well..." Tealkem began, fidgeting more. "You see, when Mumbo Pango heard you were coming, he insisted on having us bring you to meet him..."

The words were out of Sachiel's mouth before the Techo could say any more. "Absolutely not," Sachiel repeated. "I came to Mystery Island to relax and be pampered, not to serve some eternally-hungry overgrown coconut, and definitely not to cook for him!"

Tealkem only fidgeted more at the Lupe's outburst. "Mumbo Pango is not one who is easily refused, Sachiel, and he only wanted to meet you. It is possible that he only wishes for an autograph or something equally as trivial."

Sachiel snorted. "Right, I'm sure. The answer is still no, and you can either take that and let me start my vacation or give me a refund so I can go somewhere else!" He paused for a breath before continuing. "Why isn't he easy to refuse, anyway?"

The answer to that question came immediately enough, as Sachiel suddenly realized just how many island natives had approached as he'd been speaking. Each of them was armed with a sharp, pointy spear, all of which were suddenly pointed at him and Tealkem. "He can be... very persuasive," the Techo said as the two were prodded toward the cart.

"I can see that!" Sachiel said before being forced to jump inside the cart, as was Tealkem. Once both were inside, the coconuts began wheeling it toward the jungle...

As Sachiel got closer to the heart of the jungle, the ground vibrated more and more, the sound of drums became more prominent, and a unique smell overtook the Lupe's senses. What food is this that I'm smelling? Sachiel thought to himself. The flavors were unlike any he had ever experienced before. They were powerful, powerful enough to make his eyes water.

His question was soon answered as the cart pulled into a brightly lit clearing, which was swarmed with natives. There were small straw huts everywhere, which had unusual symbols on them. In the center of the clearing was a fire pit, where many natives were cooking mysterious fruits that Sachiel had never seen before. At the end of the clearing, Sachiel saw a hut that towered over the rest. It was the equivalent of seven huts put together, and the sound of the bongos that he heard earlier seemed to be coming from there.

Tealkem and Sachiel rode through the clearing, with the island natives' dark, deep, eyes baring down on them...

"Bring him to me!"

Immediately two of the villagers nearest the cart approached, each holding out a hand to one of the occupants. Their gesture communicated very clearly to Sachiel and Tealkem what was expected of them. Grasping the hands closest to them, they hopped out of the cart and stood upon solid ground for the first time in hours. Groaning involuntarily as pins and needles danced up and down his legs, Sachiel stretched hugely, loosening up his cramped muscles. Before he had a chance to speak, however, he was grasped firmly under the left elbow. His escort pointed at a massive, yet ornate, hut directly ahead, which was clearly the abode of an important personage. Without further ado Sachiel was marched to the hut's entrance. Hazarding a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw Tealkem standing helplessly by the cart.

A native guard prevented him from joining his companion, but he was able to give Sachiel a quick thumbs up of encouragement. Quaking in his sandals, Sachiel knocked hesitantly on the door leading into the hut.

"Enter!" someone commanded from within. Sachiel did as he was told.

The hut was dimly lit inside, and it took his eyes a few moments to adjust. As they did so, Satchiel became aware that someone seated on a bamboo throne was staring at him. At least, he was reasonably certain they were staring. A coconut mask obscured the face completely, hiding the eyes most effectively. The native did not speak, and as the long seconds passed, Sachiel grew more and more uneasy. Finally, the silence was broken.

"I am SO hungry! Mumbo Pango demands delectables, and you are the one who can deliver them to me. Tickle my palate and you will be richly rewarded -- disappoint me, chef, and you will feel my wrath. Your kitchen lies without... prepare my feast!"

With a wave of his hand the chief summarily dismissed Sachiel. Angered by his treatment, Sachiel frowned. Gradually, however, a slight smile touched his lips, and he exited the hut as directed. He knew exactly what he needed to do...

"It's so obvious!" Sachiel whispered. "We both need to escape from here, right?"

"Definitely," Tealkem replied quieter, realizing that the island natives were watching. "I could be living life like I'm supposed to, rather than catering to these little coconuts."

"Tealkem, I'm catering to them," Sachiel pointed out. "Anyway, I just need to slip a sleeping potion into Mumbo Pango's meal." The Lupe grabbed a Splibean from one of the natives holding ingredients for Sachiel to use. "Then, once he falls asleep, we get out of here."

"Yeah," Tealkem said nervously. He started fidgeting again.

"Anything you need to tell me, Tealkem?" Sachiel asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Nothing," Tealkem said, although he was still fidgeting nervously.

"Great!" Sachiel said. "I never thought I would say this on my vacation, but let's get cooking..."

Tealkem idly watched the diligent Lupe. "Tealkem? Are you listening to me?" Sachiel's voice suddenly boomed, making him jump. "It's time to serve him!" They anxiously did and then swiftly left.

"I'll be! This is fantastic!" Mumbo Pango declared, shouting so loudly that they could hear him from beyond the walls. Sachiel breathed a sigh of relief. After what felt like hours, he demanded dessert.

At that moment, Tealkem abruptly turned pale. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you. We've had a lot of attempts at poisoning Mumbo Pango's food. Because of this, he now has someone test everything before eating it."

"WHAT? And you tell me this NOW?!?" Sachiel was in complete shock. "What am I going to do?"

Tealkem sighed. "I will give him the sundae while you escape. No one will put the fault on me, and you'll be safe. Trust me, by the time the chaos dies down, you'll be well on your way."

"Where's my food?" Mumbo Pango suddenly roared.

“Thank you so much! I shall repay you someday,” Sachiel smiled gratefully.

Tealkem left with dessert as Sachiel made his exit...

Sachiel was then suddenly barricaded by a band of coconuts.

The Techo followed up from behind. "When I said no one would suspect me," he started coldly, "it would be because I work for Mumbo Pango!" Tealkem cackled.

The monstrous roar shattered the Lupe's ears, and even moreso his spirit. "So, you lure me here, allow me to think you were my friend in this situation, and then backstab me at the most crucial point of my stay?" He wasn't so much in shock now -- he was downright mad.

"Clever boy," Tealkem replied in an incredibly low voice.

"The entire thing was a clever ruse just to get you into our hands," one of the coconuts interjected.

Rage building, the Lupe loudly commanded in a discordant tone, "Let me GO!"

"What, you want to go to Mumbo Pango?" Tealkem teased. "That can be arranged." Smiling mischieviously, he added, "Specifics are important, you know."

That was it. Sachiel launched himself at Tealkem and struck the Techo with a hard blow.

Panting and on the ground, the Techo demanded his contemptible counterpart be sent to the Coconut God at once.

Tealkem smiled with self-satisfaction as he held the handcuffed Sachiel. "I have brought you who you desired, sir." He bowed toward his master.

Still, Mumbo Pango seemed unimpressed. "Yes, that's very good... but, there's still the little matter of Island Doctrine, paragraph 9, subsection 7."

The Techo frowned. "Why? What does it state?"

"We cannot legally 'arrest' a master chef if he bests the greatest cuisiniere and cuisinier on the island in a cook off." He paused. "You know what you must do."

With a sigh, he commanded some low-level coconuts to guard Sachiel.

Tealkem had to find the Flotsam Chef and Jhuidah...

"Yep," Tealkem growled.

"Hmm. I would have thought someone like Mumbo Pango would have just set me in a dungeon and told me to cook for him for the rest of my life."

"Just hush up," Tealkem snapped. "Come meet your opponents."

Sachiel walked over to the Flotsam Chef and Jhuidah. He'd never met the faerie, but knew the Flotsam well enough. He come to the Astrovilla once.

"How's it been?" Sachiel asked the Flotsam.

"It's been fine," he replied, "but I see that, if you don't win, Sachiel, then your good times will be gone. Jhuidah and I will help you as best as possible."

"You're going to help me win?" Sachiel asked.

"Of course," Jhuidah said. "Mumbo Pango may be a god, but that doesn't mean he should be able to just lock someone up. At least the Flotsam Chef gets to stay at his cooking station."

"So, what do I have to do?" Sachiel asked.

"You just have to cook your best," the Flotsam Chef said. "We'll take care of the rest..."

Their three cooking tables made a triangle, and in the middle stood Tealkem, his beady eyes glistening with treachery in the sun. A smile snaked across his lips as he pivoted around on his feet to make sure that all of the chefs were ready to begin. "Mumbo Pango doesn't like to be kept waiting; you may all begin." He glanced over at Sachiel. "Oh, and don't try anything shady. I'll be watching you the whole time."

Sachiel gulped. He could hear the Flotsam Chef chopping furiously at his station, dicing up what looked to be a Molabean. Jhuidah, meanwhile, seemed to be taking things much more slowly, as she casually stirred a large bowl full of some red liquid. No doubt she'd be making some of her famous soup.

Tealkem snapped his fingers loudly in Sachiel's direction. "Not that I care much what you do, but shouldn't you start cooking instead of watching the others?" He still wore that smirk of his; it made Sachiel want to hit him again.

Instead of that, he grabbed some ingredients and started cooking as fast as he could. Every now and then he'd steal a glimpse at Jhuidah and the Flotsam Chef. They had completely opposite styles of cooking -- while the Flotsam moved about his station as fast as his fins would allow, Jhuidah calmly stirred the contents of her bowl. The two would occasionally smile at Sachiel if they caught him looking, which put his mind at ease a little. He was still unsure what they were planning to do, but he had no choice but to place his faith in them both.

"I am finished," Sachiel announced at last. As if waiting for him, Jhuidah and the Flotsam Chef both declared that they, too, were ready almost immediately after.

"Very well, then. I will bring the dishes to Mumbo Pango, and he will then announce the winner. Wait here," Tealkem said after surveying each of the dishes. Once he'd disappeared into the hut, the three chefs gathered together outside to listen.

When they heard Mumbo Pango cough abruptly, the Flotsam Chef clapped his fins together with glee. "That must be my Squirming Salad. I made sure to use the slimiest tentacles I could find. Oh, how he'll hate it."

A small smile edged its way onto Sachiel's mouth. So that was their plan -- they sabotaged their own dishes so that he would win and be free to escape from this horrible non-vacation.

"You think that was bad? Just wait until he gets a smell of my Gooey Bug Soup. I borrowed the recipe from Jhudora," Jhuidah said with a proud grin. The two chefs snickered as they heard more sounds of disgust from within the hut, and Sachiel himself couldn't help but laugh along, too. Just the thought of three chefs coming together to help each other out was heartwarming.

"Hopefully Mumbo Pango approves of the Oyster Salad that I prepared," Sachiel muttered. Before anybody had the chance to respond, Tealkem sauntered out of the hut and stepped to one side as Mumbo Pango followed him out.

"I'll not waste time with this. Two of those dishes were almost inedible. There is only one possible winner here. The best chef is..."

Sachiel's fur drooped and he involuntarily let out an exasperated gasp. It couldn't be!

The Techo strode in front of Mumbo Pango and bowed, a smile plastered on his slimy face.

Jhuidah and the Flotsam Chef were equally stunned. "How is this possible?" the Flotsam asked tentatively, his voice shaking.

Mumbo Pango calmly replied, "It's quite simple. I'm constantly served dishes like fish, coconuts, your wretched Squirming Salad, and your beastly Gooey Bug Soup." He pointed at the Flotsam Chef and Jhuidah, respectively, as he said this.

Sachiel bristled, his hackles rising. "What about me?!?"

Mumbo Pango's expression was difficult to read under his mask, but Sachiel could tell it was a thoughtful one. "I tire of Island-themed foods. Your Oyster Salad was delectable, but forgettable. It's a shame your results turned out that way. I had such high hopes for you." There was a hint of regret in his voice, as though he wanted to try more of Sachiel's cooking.

"So, what did Tealkem give you?" Jhuidah asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Tealkem kept his smug smile on his face as Mumbo Pango explained. "I crave faerie food. Not many Neopets know that. He prepared something simple yet zesty, a Peachpa Stuffed Potato. It was very tasty."

Tealkem strode forward and grabbed Sachiel's arm. "Now we can officially arrest you for trying to escape and trying to poison Mumbo Pango. That way you can cook for us forever!" He grinned wider, displaying slightly yellowed teeth.

Sachiel growled. "This isn't fair! You can't do this! I have a job back at the AstroVilla!" he struggled as the Techo and a few coconuts dragged him deeper and deeper into Mystery Island's thick jungles.

"Let him go!" Jhuidah and the Flotsam Chef protested, but they looked at each other, nodded, and ran off in the opposite direction. Sachiel grimaced. They were Mystery Island chefs -- of course they'd desert him.

Tealkem dismissively waved the hand that wasn't restraining the Lupe. "Come now, we will pay you better than that silly AstroVilla. We'll pay you in time. You'll have so many hours to live. Consider yourself lucky..." here he gave Sachiel's mane a jerk when the Lupe pulled away. "You did try to poison Mumbo Pango, and all we wanted was for you to cook for him, and you had to cook for him anyway." Tealkem sighed. "Too bad we had to do it the hard way."

"Suppose I ruin every dish I make?" Sachiel retorted bravely, his mind grasping at ways to escape the cursed island.

Tealkem chuckled. "You'll have to find that out for yourself, now won't you?"

Before Sachiel could react, there was a sudden squeaking of wheels that made both Sachiel's and Tealkem's muscles freeze up.

"And here we have the lovely Mystery Island jungles. If you look hard enough, you can see a few Petpets, and if you have especially sharp eyes, a Petpetpet. Over there is a Techo and some coconuts holding a Lupe captive and taking him somewhere I wouldn't want to be, and on your left is the beach, right where we started!" The tour guide gave this speech nonchalantly and monotonously. He was clearly bored with his occupation of driving the cart, telling everybody what was there, driving the cart, telling everybody what was there, driving the cart...

Sachiel swiped at Tealkem with a claw after recovering from the momentary distraction. He then broke out into a run, the Techo and the coconuts at his heels.

The Lupe panicked as he wove through trees and wound up deeper and deeper in the jungle. The trees seemed to have no end, and his pursuers knew the island better than he did. He thought as he ran, his thick fur heavy with humidity and perspiration.

A boat would take me away from here, but they probably have boats, too. It seems like my only option, though... Sachiel gulped. Even through the haze of the sticky, humid jungle air, Sachiel's experienced Lupe nose could smell it. Seawater. He was close!

The Lupe's battered paws cried out in relief as they moved from branches and hard dirt to soft sand. He spied a tour boat and sped toward it, glancing behind him to see Tealkem and the coconuts closing in on him.

Sachiel sped onto the wooden dock. He was so close to the boat! Sachiel leapt off the edge of the dock, hoping he would land on the boat.

Suddenly, he screamed as he felt the Techo's nails rake his back. Tealkem failed to grab him, lost his balance, and tumbled into the water.

Not concerned with his wounded back, Sachiel raced to the bow and paddled as hard as he could with his paws. The boat turned in the water slightly but did not quite move, as though not recognizing its current handler.

Sachiel flopped back onto the boat's bottom. They would catch him at any moment. It was over. He would be cooking for Mumbo Pango for the rest of his sorry life. He felt the boat move forward...

"The boat's moving forward?!?" Sachiel leaped to the stern and peered to see... the Flotsam Chef! He was pushing the boat away from shore with his fins, his tail switching to and fro, propelling himself and the boat forward.

"What are you doing?" Sachiel demanded. "You'll get in trouble for helping me again!"

The Flotsam Chef chuckled. "I can't get in trouble. Mystery Island is where I belong. They can't do anything to me, or else the Neopets who help me find ingredients will start protesting and demanding rewards from Mumbo Pango himself. He can't increase statistics." He grunted slightly as he shifted his tail, increasing the boat's speed.

Sachiel looked back. He couldn't help but let out a tiny whoop as the island grew smaller and smaller behind him.

His smile faded. Several rowboats, most with a coconut manning them, were following them. The leader of the V-shaped formation was none other than Tealkem, baring his yellow teeth. "Keep at it, boys! Put your backs into it! Don't slow down until that scoundrel is caught!"

Sachiel looked all around his boat to see if there was anything to throw at the vindictive Techo. The tour boat, alas, was completely empty. Sachiel let out a despairing wail. Would the islanders never let up?!?

A shadow fell over the boat.

Sachiel sat down in the tour boat and closed his eyes. Now the islanders sent an aerial force of coconuts against him. "At least they like what I do," he muttered, and waited for them to come.

Something grabbed Sachiel around the waist and hoisted him out of the boat. Tealkem began screaming various insults at Sachiel and... Jhuidah? Sachiel heard her name in there somewhere.

The Lupe opened his eyes and saw that his aerial captor was none other than Jhuidah herself! "Wha?" Sachiel was confused, but not ungrateful.

Jhuidah smiled down at him, her wingbeats maintaining a gentle rhythm as she flew. "You're wondering a lot of things, I assume?"

Sachiel nodded, speechless. He looked down to see the Flotsam Chef swimming swiftly away from the boats, waving to the pair as he leaped out of the water.

One word escaped him. "Why?"

Jhuidah laughed softly. "I'm helping you because you are just like us, Errol and I. The Flotsam Chef has a name, you know. I can tell you have talent when it comes to cooking, just like the two of us. We were also forced to stay here, but after a while we took pride in our work, and slowly, very slowly, began to enjoy ourselves. It helps if you have another chef to cook with, or to cook against, when those conditions arise." She squeezed the Lupe affectionately. "Our little cook-off was lots of fun, although the results were not anticipated."

Sachiel nodded slowly. His mind was swimming with questions, but he supposed he could deal with most of them later. He settled for one in particular that was quite important to him. "Where are you taking me?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. Sachiel gazed around him and saw nothing but the ocean.

Jhuidah giggled. "Isn't it obvious? You were on vacation, and you want to go to a place where the islanders will never find you. Terror Mountain is the perfect place to go. It's chilly, but warm indoors, and there's sightseeing, but best of all," she sighed dreamily, "you don't have to cook for a deity or mix anything in your cooking pot. Breaks would be nice every once in a while. You deserve one as much as anyone."

Jhuidah and Sachiel floated in silence the rest of the way.

"Welcome to Terror Mountain!" a Gnorbu in a woolen coat greeted the Lupe and the faerie as they rested on the peak at last. Jhuidah shivered, her bare skin complaining loudly from the cold. The Gnorbu offered her coat to the Island Faerie, which she accepted graciously.

"You two look tired. Stay in the cabin for tonight. And you," she eyed Sachiel up and down. His fur was icy in places where it was soaked in seawater and sweat, and his paws were very muddy. "You look like you need a vacation."

Sachiel sighed with pleasure as he pictured himself wearing a long, thick robe, sitting in front of a roaring fire and sipping hot chocolate.

"You have no idea."

The End