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Kayinna watched with delight as all the faeries, grumbling,
walked into the room, seating themselves in the vacant chairs. "You've called
us here. Now what?" Illusen asked Fyora with an annoyed tone.
"Well, I think all you Faeries know what this
is about. This is about castle-sitting for a month. This will be paid in Neopoints
and items and you will all be able to pick an item from my Hidden Tower. Is
this clear?" Fyora asked, her voice raising slightly. The Faeries nodded, including
Kayinna. "Alright, now before I pick a Faerie, you will have to do a special
task. You will pick out of a hat and if I believe you've done the task well,
you are chosen. Is this all clear?"
A murmur rippled throughout the crowd of faeries
and Kayinna gazed at the hat that had suddenly appeared in Fyora's delicate
hands. "Well," Fyora continued, "Maelstra, you're first. Kayinna, would you
like to pick Maelstra's task for her?" Fyora asked the Kougra, her tone gentler.
Kayinna nodded her head bravely and she walked slowly over to the hat. Her gnarly
paw slipped inside the hat and grasped a ticket. She pulled it out and read,
"Defeat the beast."
Another murmur rippled through the crowd. Kayinna
looked up at Fyora, only to see that the Faerie queen had a frown pasted upon
her face. "Oh dear," she said softly, "that's the hardest task."
Kayinna gulped and looked back at Maelstra.
A look of terror had overcome her and she looked at Kayinna, trying to comfort
the scared Kougra. Kayinna's stomach rolled and tumbled and she walked slowly
back to her seat. She heard comforting murmurs from the other Faeries, but she
ignored them.
Illusen had to sell all her possessions. She
immediately refused and left the ceremony. Taelia had to retrieve a baby paint
brush from the Snowager. She too refused and left. The other Faeries had slightly
easier tasks and they accepted. Kayinna felt bad for Maelstra and at the end
of the ceremony, she walked over to Fyora. "Can I possibly help Maelstra defeat
this beast?" she asked Fyora. Fyora looked at her with a stern expression. But
her face softened at the look of pleading in the Kougra's face and she sighed.
"Well since both of you would be castle-sitting,
then I suppose you can help. Good luck. I have to leave now with a meeting with
some distant faeries," Fyora said. Kayinna thanked her and she pounced over
to Maelstra, who was still in her seat.
*****
"So this beast… it's in Haunted Woods?" Kayinna asked nervously, peering over
Maelstra's shoulder as the two drove back home. Maelstra nodded miserably.
"Yes, and the worst thing is, it's gigantic.
I've read about it in Fyora's bookshop. It's secret," she added, seeing the
surprised look on Kayinna's face. Kayinna nodded slowly and jumped out of the
jeep as they pulled to a stop. "Well we better find good Battledome supplies,"
Maelstra added skeptically. She headed for back of the hut, Kayinna following.
"How much Neopoints do you have?" Kayinna asked
curiously.
"Over a hundred thousand," Maelstra said. "But
that won't get us a good Battledome item to defeat the beast." She sighed and
began to dig in a pile of mess, revealing a trap door. "I leave my Battledome
items in here. Even though nobody knows about this little 'world', I still like
to hide my good items."
Kayinna nodded her head and crawled through
the trap door, right behind Maelstra, pulling it shut behind her. Maelstra tugged
on cord and a bare bulb illuminated the room. It was dark and dusty; there were
no windows, causing the bulb to be the only light in the room. "Here's my battle
items," Maelstra said, walking over to a cupboard. She pulled the cupboard open
and Battledome supplies spilled out.
Kayinna gulped and the two began to rummage
through the pile of junk. Finally, Kayinna emerged with a lost desert dagger
in her hand and an ultra bubble gun in the other. Maelstra picked up a pile
of Chia flour and laughed. "I forgot about these! We'll defiantly win at this
battle for sure. Kayinna nodded happily and picked up a gunny sack, slipping
the Battledome items carefully inside of it.
*****
"Here goes nothing," Kayinna muttered to herself. The beast growled with anger
and agony as Kayinna threw the Chia powder at him, causing him to shrink to
a yellow Chia. Though his body was small, his voice was still very, very loud.
In an instant, Maelstra used the ultra bubble
beam and the lost desert dagger. Suddenly, the beast's hit points went down
to zero. "Whoo-hoo!" Kayinna exclaimed, rushing over to hug Maelstra.
"Very good you two," a voice said behind them.
Kayinna turned around to see Fyora coming toward them, clapping very loudly.
"I've studied all the other Faerie's tasks and how they completed them, but
your task was completed the best by far." She smiled warmly at them. "Kayinna,
Maelstra, you both will be rewarded eight hundred thousand Neopoints and a paint
brush of your choice. Kayinna, would you like to pick? I know you say your coat
is very ugly."
Kayinna looked at Maelstra nervously. "Oh yes,"
Kayinna said. "But I'm able to pick any paint brush?"
"Any kind you want," Fyora said happily. "And
you two will also be able to castle-sit for me. That means you get all the comforts
of my castle."
"Well," Kayinna began bravely. "I think I've
made my decision."
*****
Two hours later, Kayinna arrived at the Pound doors with her new plushie coat.
She walked into the pound with Maelstra and ignoring Heather, she walked straight
into the cafeteria. "Tracie?" she asked softly, tapping on the blue Uni's shoulder.
"What?" Tracie snarled, whirling around. "Who
are you?"
"Tracie, it's me, Kayinna," Kayinna said, her
courage all ready. She slowly took out a brown paint brush and Tracie's eyes
widened. "Here," Kayinna murmured, giving Tracie the paint brush quickly. "And
the I've had a talk with the Light Faerie and she's agreed to adopt you. You'll
be painted and adopted today."
Tracie looked at her suspiciously, but slowly
realized Kayinna was telling the truth. "Why are you doing this?" Tracie asked.
"Because I believe even pets like you need homes.
I was ugly and mutated, but I found someone who loved me for who I was. Sure
I painted myself plushie, but only because I wanted to try a different look.
I had a Kougra transmogrification in my safety deposit if I ever get tired with
my look," Kayinna explained softly. Tracie looked at her with wide eyes and
hugged her immediately.
"I'm sorry I've ever teased you," Tracie said,
crying. Kayinna patted her on the back.
"I'm sure you are," Kayinna whispered into her
ear.
As they left the pound, Maelstra stopped Kayinna
before they got into the jeep. "Kayinna," Maelstra said slowly. "I really do
love you."
Kayinna smiled back at Maelstra. "Maelstra,
I love you too. I would've never experienced happiness if it wasn't for you."
Both hugged tightly. "And I know that I'll never, ever be forgotten again."
The End
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