Click. One of the Bruces snapped a picture. “So this is the famous Wheel of Mediocrity we’ve been hearing so much about,” he piped excitedly. In his eagerness to get a closer look, he stumbled forward and knocked into Plesio.

“Forgive me, sir!” He squeaked. “This is our first time in Tyrannia. We are from Happy Valley you see.”

“Uh-huh,” the Flotsam grunted and glanced at his watch. “One hundred Neopoints a spin.”

“Ohhh! Can I do the spin, mom?” A younger Bruce tugged at his mother’s skirt.

A matronly-looking Bruce chuckled. “Alright, dear,” she said, reaching into a velvet purse and pulling out a handful of large gold coins. She dropped them into Plesio’s fins, and the young Bruce eagerly stepped forward and gave the wheel a vigorous spin.

Click, click, click... The rickety wheel creaked and groaned, amplified by years of frequent use from Neopians of ages past, then slowed and stopped.

“ROAR!!!” A deafening sound echoed through the area. The five Bruces shrieked and bolted away. Plesio yawned.

“First timers, eh?” A Red Grarrl stepped out from behind the wheel.

“Hard to believe there are Neopians out there who can still get excited about this,” Plesio sighed.

“Well,” The Grarrl checked his watch. “That’s it for us today. I’ve got tickets to go see Chomby and the Fungus Balls tonight with the boys, so I’m going to clock out. See you tomorrow, Plesio.”

“See you, Garrett,” Plesio gave a small wave, before turning to pack up his things. “Same as always.”

Plesio paused and sighed again. This was supposed to be a temporary job, something to keep him busy while he was still a young Flotsam finding his way. But somehow, time slowly trickled away and over twenty years had passed. Plesio grimaced at the thought. Has it really been that long?

He swung his rucksack over his shoulder, ready to leave, when…

"Caught ya right before closing didn't I? Didn't think the wheels ever closed," the young Kyrii stated.

Sighing at having to stand at his post for a minute longer, Plesio sat his rucksack down and wandered back over to the wheel.

"Kid, just so you know I'm the only one here," Plesion said, "So if you land on a certain spot well jokes on you but you're not getting much."

Plesio sat there thinking nobody really gets much at all from the wheel. Sure you could break even or even get a small chunk of change for the cheap price of One Hundred Neopoints, nothing to write home about though.

Just like the last twenty years, there hasn't been much to write back home to his folks about.

Plesio and the Kyrii stood in silence as the wheel came to rest on a dark grey puddle of sludge. Plesio had seen this countless times before, but just as he was about to share another disinterested condolence, the Kyrii interjected. "Alright! So what did I win?"

Plesio muffled a chuckle and gave a *shrug*. "Win? I'm sorry kid, that was not a winning spin. In fact, you better check your inventory because i'm quite sure you might be missing something". The young Kyrii's expression froze. "What do you mean I might be missing something?"

Oh boy, Plesio thought. Another newcomer. "Just step to the side and check your bag, i'm sorry to say that some of the prizes are much more... mediocre than others..."

The Kyrii immediately swung her backpack around and untied the string. She peered into it and Pleiso watched as the colour drained from her cheeks. She dove her hand into the bag, franticly pawing inside, and then she locked eyes with him. "WHERE IS IT!" she yelled, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH IT?".

Plesio stood his ground and prepared to deliver the bad news. "I'm sorry, all spins are final, now if you'll continue on your way, i'm ready to leave". The young Kyrii snapped back "You don't understand, you don't understand... where has it gone? I can't lose this, it belongs to...

Plesio furrowed his brow. He dug his ears just to make sure and made the kid repeat her words.

"I SAID, THIS ITEM WAS REQUESTED FROM THE ORACLE HERSELF. I NEEDED TO BRING IT TO HER!"

Great, the kid not only had decided to not bring this so-called important item directly to the Obelisk immediately, she decided to try her luck at the wheel first.

"Look kid, it ain't my problem so I suggest you hit the-"

"I'll tell the oracle herself you lost her item."

Cheeky brat. With a sigh, the Flotsam packed his stand and flipped the sign to 'Closed'. "Okay kid, fine, your item would normally end up in the tar pit a few miles away. We might be able to find it if you're up for some tar diving."

______

"And for the last time, stop calling me Kid, my name's Kyriggan!" The young Kyrii retorted as she walk along the edge of the tar pit.

"Fine, sure thing Ki- Kyriggan. Now get your diving suit before you fall into the tar. It's dangerous even with this breathing suit."

With the unlikely duo suited up, the pair dove deep into the pit. Multitudes of items floated around them; smoothies, neggs, even a nerkmid that an unfortunate soul has lost to the pit.

"By the by, what exactly are we finding?" Plesio spoke into the cup-and-vine connecting their helmets together. A primitive yet ingenious form of communication.

"You can't miss it, it's glowing bright and it's doesnt have a regular shape!" Kyriggan chirped back.

The Flotsam could only give a small tut under his breath. Glowing doesn't really help, considering the tar makes visibility close to nil, along with the fact that her description was as good as useless. And thus they swam, deeper and deeper into the pit. It was clear the young Kyrii was growing more frantic and scared - as her item was not in sight, all while being encompassed by the murky darkness of the tar. Just before Plesio decided to call it off - they saw it. A small glow right beneath them.

"You're in luck Kid, seems like we found it."

"Wait, stop! Don't touch it!"

It was too late. Plesio had already reached out and grab the item, only to...

"Run!" yelled Kyriggan, who had materialised beside Plesio. Her shrill voice made his ears ring; they were still connected by the cup-and-vine helmets. She grabbed his tar-stained fin and dragged him along as she sprinted for cover, too focused on avoiding the flying arrows and swinging swords to notice the goopy trail they were leaving behind. They eventually found a secluded spot in a rock shelter and removed their helmets to catch their breaths.

"I can't believe you did that!" Kyriggan huffed angrily.

"Your fault, kid. You didn't tell me what not to do. Don't say I didn't help you," Plesio said with a shrug. "Now, if you will, which way is it back to the wheel? I've spent more than enough time on this search and I prefer to head home as soon as possible."

"You can't just leave like that!" Kyriggan exclaimed. "It's your wheel that got us into this mess in the first place! I don't care what it takes but I'm making sure you're bringing that item back to me!"

Plesio was about to retort when a pair of young Wockies trudged into the rock shelter, their unblinking eyes staring into his and spoke in turns.

"We think you have-"

"-what we want..."

"There in your-" "-satchel, we see it-" "-glowing!"

The creepy Wockies stared, unwavering, as Plesio glanced back to see his satchel was, indeed, glowing. He immediately took it off and threw it against the wall of the shelter, lest he accidentally touches whatever-it-was and be transported to who-knows-where.

Kyriggan and the Wockies simultaneously gasped as the satchel landed with a thud. The Wockies gave each other a gleeful look as they darted over to snatch the glowing item for themselves. Kyriggan scrambled to beat them to it, but the Wockies were too fast. Before Kyriggan knew it, a blinding glow enveloped them once again, and the shelter was void of inhabitants once more.

______

This time, a sickly sweet smell stung Plesio's nostrils as he opened his eyes, the light fading to reveal a strange... colourful... world around him.

"CANDY! CAKE! Yippee!" The Wockies exclaimed, clapping their paws in perfect symmetry with one another. Plesio blanched as the twins started shovelling handfuls of dirt into their mouths. But looking closer, he realised it wasn't dirt... it was actual cake, and it sure was messy.

"Wha.. where are we?" Plesio muttered as he took a taste of the chocolate soil. "What's going on? Look, kid... I mean Kyriggan, I think you owe me an explanation about this mysterious 'item' of yours. A world made of candy is interesting, but I really would like to get home."

Just as Kyriggan was about to answer...

Kyriggan twisted midair and dove into a pile of meringue looking bushes, narrowly missing the claws of a giant Eyrie which dove at the glowing satchel. Lucky for them, the Eyrie missed and flew up.

"Grab the satchel!" Kyriggan gasped as she struggled to climb out of the meringue bushes onto more solid ground. Plesio grumbled a complaint under his breath. "Hurry!"

The Tyrannian Flotsam rolled his eyes but rushed over and grabbed the satchel. A distant screech made him peer over his shoulder. With horror, he realised the massive Eyrie had wheeled around and was on its way back towards them. He sped over to Kyriggan just as she finally managed to dislodge herself.

"Now what do we do with this thing?" he grumbled, holding the satchel with the tip of his fin as if it would bite him if it swung too close to his body.

"You give it to me," the Kyrii stated as she snatched it out of his hands. She eyed the approaching blob that sped toward them at an alarming rate. "And we quickly figure out how to use it to get out of here."

"You don't know how to use it?!"

"I was instructed to not touch it! You're the one who got us in this whole mess, how did you use it?"

"Me?? If you had just let me close the wheel-" Plesio's objection was cut short as Kyriggan launched herself at him, knocking them both flat on the ground. They held their breath as the Eyrie passed over them. Kyriggan's fur fluttered and she scowled. An angry screech sounded above them.

"Let's figure this out before we become food." She peered at the Wockies who had slumped against each other filled with sugar. "Should we take them back?"

Plesio sighed. "I don't know, I just touched it and suddenly we were there." Kyriggan resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Alright, let me try this time." She reached out one paw and touched the glowing object in the satchel. Nothing. "Huh?"

"Can you hurry? The Eyrie is heading back." Plesio said agitatedly.

"I'm trying!" Kyriggan's brows furrowed as she desperately tried to think of the destination she needed to go to.

"Any second now!" The Eyrie's wing flaps were getting louder and louder. The Tyrannian Flotsam reached around the young Kyrii and slapped a fin on the satchel. Both of them squeezed their eyes shut as the shadow of the Eyrie came closer and closer.

skreeEEEEEEEEEE- A flash of bright light engulfed them and their surroundings changed once more...

“What the—“ Plesio said, staring up to the sky. The wall of color nearly went up to the first visible cloud. The Tyrannian Flotsam backed away from the obstruction before him, not realizing what was behind him.

“Watch out!” Kyriggan said, reaching out to her companion, but it was too late. Plesio fell backwards and bounced off of a neon green blob behind him.

“BLEGH!” he cried in disgust, ricocheting off the gelatinous blockade and falling into a puddle of liquified goo. “What in the Giant Omelette is this?!”

“Is… Is this Jelly World?” the Young Kyrii asked in a hushed tone. Jelly World was just a rumour. It was something little kids teased each other about and fantasized about in their play pretend. It wasn’t a real place… Was it?

“What are those two doing here and how are they still eating?!” Plesio asked, flicking little gummy chunks off of his backside.

Off in the distance, the two Wockies were lodged in a glob of bright purple jelly, still eating to their hearts’ content.

“Focus! How did we transport?! How did we escape that Eyrie?” Kyriggan asked.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the one with that answer?” the Flotsam retorted with a roll of his eyes.

The young Kyrii ignored him and continued, “Do you think it responds to emotions?”

Plesio wasn’t paying attention and started to poke the Giant Jelly before him, obviously fascinated by the possibly fictitious gigantic gelatin.

“At first, I caught you by surprise. When you touched it, I screamed. The second time we were transported, the Eyrie was about to attack us. We were both scared,” Kyriggan postulated, mainly to herself.

“I think I have an idea…”

Plesio whipped his head around, an incredulous look on his face. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but if strong emotion is what it takes to activate the item, we've got no choice but to try," Kyriggan said and pushed the satchel into Plesio's fins. He flinched at the touch but she ignored his reaction and pushed him towards the direction of the Wockies from the back.

"Woah there, kid!" Plesio resisted and halted in his tracks. "Why should I do it?"

Kyriggan thought for a moment before responding wittily, "do you really want to see a kid get into trouble and cry for help?" Plesio opened his mouth but couldn't come up with an answer so he closed it again. "I thought so too."

The Flotsam sighed, defeated. He turned his attention to the Wockies, who were lying on their backs above a jelly dome, their eyelids shut and dirty lips curled up into contented smiles. Steeling his nerves, he grabbed a blob of jelly from a nearby cluster and flung it at them, hitting the Wocky on the left square on her stomach. "Hey! Let's fight!" he managed to utter.

However, the Wocky didn't even spare Plesio a look; she merely picked up the piece of jelly and dropped it into her mouth, chewing it slowly to savour the taste. Plesio repeated his action on the other Wocky, who responded in an identical manner. It wasn't the reaction he'd been hoping for, but he also breathed a sigh of relief he hadn't noticed he was holding.

"Okay, that didn't go as planned," Kyriggan muttered, a short distance behind Plesio. "We need a plan B. What else can trigger it?" She paced back and forth for a few seconds before her eyes lit up with another idea. "I've got it! Maybe excitement works too! That's how the Wockies brought us to the candy world. Quick, try to think of something exciting!" she instructed the Flotsam.

Plesio was hesitant. He didn't know if anything 'exciting' had happened in his life for the past twenty years. Regardless, he wracked his brain, trying to recall what few significant memories he had...

Last year, there was a solar eclipse over Tyrannia. It was dark and really cool. And... he was still there, manning the wheel. He didn't even get a good look at the lack of sun. Nope, not exciting at all.

Six years ago, the old Grarrl retired and was replaced by Red Ed, and they went out for drinks to commemorate Ed's new position. Did anything interesting happen that night? No, because Plesio got sick and had to go home early. He was very disappointed, and they hadn't tried it again.

Ten years ago was the start of the Battle for the Obelisk. He wanted to go out and join a team, but... The wheel was his obligation. His given purpose. He didn't need to fight, he just needed to facilitate the spin. Plesio sighed.

Anything further back he couldn't even recall. It was just day-in, day-out at the wheel, and all the days blended together into both mediocrity and monotony. (And he didn't even have to count the times he had to sub in for that Quiggle at the other wheel.)

And then... 20 years ago. His mind struggled to overcome that forced mental block. But with great effort, it did.

Shortly after the Tyrannian Invasion concluded, Kyruggi, head of Tyrannian's Council of Elders, gave both Plesio and his counterpart Sabre-X -- respectively, the young captains of the sea and land divisions of the army -- menial temporary jobs to "appropriately reintegrate into common and useful post-war Tyrannian society." He thought back to how the temporary job just... became permanent, after a while. Same for Sabre-X and guarding the Omelette. No wonder Plesio was unfulfilled.

Nevertheless... there was a certain thrill to being on the battlefield. Even earlier that day, he'd felt it, but it was too repressed that he immediately sought the safety and comfort of his wheel and wanted to go back. He'd called it his "home".

Was that what the wheel had evolved to after all these years? The circular boundary of his comfort zone? An ingrained sense of spinning stability? A mediocre literal rock? (Or was it petrified wood?)

With growing resolve, Plesio realized... He had to get out. He had to leave. It was time for a new adventure. (Insofar as manning the wheel had been one.)

For the first time in a long time, the Flotsam felt just a tinge of... thrill? The idea of leaving the wheel was scary, and the future was uncertain, for he was no Oracle. But he let the little feeling grow, and he actually chuckled. His chuckling became shaking laughter, and Kyriggan looked at him like he'd finally gone mad. And maybe he had, but, for the first time in around twenty years, he felt genuine--

"Excitement!" Plesio roared as he reached into his satchel to grab the glowing rod...

How will this story end?

Plesio and Kyriggan blinked. They could hear gentle music, trickling water, and a soft fluttering of wings. The air tingled with grassy scents. As the mist cleared, the Flotsam and Kyrii found themselves seated in a glade in Faerieland, not far from the Wheel of Excitement. The music turned out to have been emanating from the wheel.

The Light Faerie in charge of the wheel beamed and handed a bag of Neopoints to a Disco Grarrl.

"Now wait a minute!" the Grarrl roared. "That's 311 fewer Neopoints than what I paid to spin this wheel!"

"I'm sorry, wheel spins are non-refundable." The Light Faerie continued to smile politely. "Come back for another spin in a couple of hours."

"You can bet your wings I won't!" The Grarrl stormed off.

Plesio and Kyriggan looked at each other. "Now you know how I felt when I lost, haha," said Kyriggan.

"Yeaaaah." Plesio grinned. "But hey, I got you your artefact back."

"Well, it's the Oracle's, but yes, you did! And we managed to come back to Neopia too. Thank you." Kyriggan shook Plesio's fin. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish my delivery for the Oracle."

Plesio waved. "Just be careful not to spin any more wheels before you get there!"

"I won't!"

And Plesio watched the Kyrii recede into the distance.

For a moment, boredom set in once again as Plesio relaxed in the glade. Technically, his work shift had ended long ago, but he still felt restless and jittery. A voice cut into his consciousness--

"It looks like fun, right? Come spin the Wheel of Excitement!"

Plesio looked up into the Light Faerie's far-too-cheerful face. "No, sorry, I'm not in the mood for that at the moment," he said in his habitual drawl, and then caught himself. He didn't have to sound so mediocre all the time. And neither did this Faerie need to sound so excited all the time. They were far more than mere guardians of their respective wheels. "Hey," he said suddenly. "Do you ever get bored of running your wheel?"

The Light Faerie blinked. "Do you know, no one has ever asked me that before in all the years I've managed it."

"I was assigned to my wheel after the Tyrannian Invasion," Plesio explained.

"And me, after the fall of Faerieland!" said the Light Faerie, her eyebrows arched in understanding and surprise.

Plesio felt a sudden need to talk to someone about all the things he'd been through. "Want to talk over a cup of tea at Faerie Foods after your shift?"

"Sure," the Light Faerie replied. "I'll be off work in about fifteen minutes."

Plesio relaxed in the glade and watched the Wheel of Excitement spin in the sun. For the first time in twenty years, he felt like he had something to look forward to.

The End.