The Easter Negg Hunt

     Sally had planned out this big day for months and had spent the early hours before sunrise to carefully set everything in place. Soon, the neighbourhood children were going to discover the largest Easter Negg hunt Neopia had ever seen. The first to arrive was her best friend, Maris, a Green Uni who had helped her plan the event. Maris giggled to herself when she observed Sally talking to one of the decorated neggs.

     “You are going to make someone very happy," she said after she carefully picked up a pale blue negg and inspected its swirling silver patterns. They both had spent the past week carefully painting each negg to a calibre that would surely meet the standards of the Negg Faerie, Kari.

     “You couldn't wait for me?" Maris said, causing Sally to nearly trip over some baskets scattered by her feet.

     “Maris, you spooked me!" She laughed, trying to catch her breath. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd set up early. I hope you don't mind."

     “No, of course not. I half expected you would do that," she laughed back. Her expression suddenly shifted to a slightly crooked glance when something unexpected caught her attention. "What's that?"

     A negg hidden beneath a nearby bush didn't just glitter, it pulsed with a strange glow. Sally gave an uneasy chuckle.

     “Oh, I added a few more neggs to our collection," she said, then redirected Maris' attention. "Could you help me hide these last few?" Maris happily agreed. Sally took one last uncertain glance towards the strange negg, then pushed aside the slight unease she was feeling and helped Maris spread out the rest of the neggs. It wasn't long before Neopian families began to arrive.

     A family of JubJubs bounced excitedly near the entrance, hoping to be the first to enter, while a group of Gelerts raced each other to be next in line. A few Skeiths lumbered towards them next, drawn by the promise of fun and snacks. Before long, neither Sally nor Maris could see the end of the line.

     Sally greeted everyone with a smile when she finally opened the gate. "Welcome! Welcome! The hunt will begin soon. Just make sure you have your baskets ready!" The two friends worked together to guide the families along the perimeter of the decorated field, ensuring everyone had an equal chance to gather some treats.

     “Before we start, remember to let the youngest children go first," Sally explained with a warm smile. "We want to make sure everyone has a fair chance to collect some goodies."

     “And for all the Tonus out there, we have some special treats just for you. We don't need anyone catching Neezles today," Maris announced, followed by some laughter.

     It was actually Sally's idea to include other non-negg-related treats, like Easter cookies and candies, so that Tonus, who has an allergy to anything that even resembles a negg, could join in the fun. She explained that she would hand out the baskets once the negg hunt had begun.

     “And most of all, remember to have fun!" They both cheered together. "Go!!" Then, as though watching a thrilling Poogle Race, the youngest children dashed towards the closest neggs, followed by the older children.

     Joyful chatter echoed across the field as Neopians scattered in all directions, uncovering hidden treasures tucked beneath bushes, nestled in tree roots, and even dangling from the lowest branches of some of the solitary spruce trees growing in the field. It was a scene of pure, unbridled excitement, unfolding exactly as Sally had envisioned. The excitement only got better when Neopians began to find the harder-to-find neggs.

     “Found one!" shouted a young Acara, holding up a bright pink negg that she found in a small hole in the ground.

     “Here's another!" called a Techo from atop a rock. Sally watched it all unfold, her heart swelling with pride. This was everything she had hoped for. That was, until the first strange thing happened. A tiny Kacheek picked up a shimmering green negg that he found hidden in an abandoned bird's nest and gasped. "This one's glowing!! And it's warm!"

     “Warm?" Maris said to Sally. Sally's heart sank slightly. It was one of the glowing neggs she hid.

     “Where did you get those?" Maris asked again after seeing Sally's uncertain expression.

     “I'm sure it's fine. I think they're magical neggs," Sally said, brushing aside her concern once again.

     “You think?" Maris asked in slight disbelief. She had always trusted Sally's decisions, but this time she couldn't help but feel a little doubtful. Sally was usually so confident when making plans. This was the first time Maris had ever seen her hesitate, even just a little.

     “The Wocky who gave them to me said they were magical, and..." Sally trailed off, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

     “Who?" Maris interupted.

     “I don't know... a magician of some sort," Sally explained. "She overheard me talking to a few families about our event and pulled me aside. She said these neggs would make our Easter Negg hunt unforgettable. I didn't think they did anything beyond glow. They weren't warm before."

     Suddenly, the negg the Kacheek was holding cracked open.

     “Uh, I don't think those are real neggs, Sally," Maris began, her eyes growing wide. "They're capsules of some sort!" Sally didn't answer, but watched the mystery slowly reveal itself.

     A green mist began to seep from the glowing negg, causing a number of Spring flowers to sprout from the ground around her feet and burst into bloom.

     “This is neat!" The Kacheek cheered, cupping a purple tulip to admire its beauty. The spectacle drew in a large crowd to get a closer look at the magic.

     “I have a glowing negg too!" A young Grarrl called out and dropped her negg purposely onto the ground. The golden negg capsule broke open, releasing a similar mist that caused the Grarrl and a nearby Scorchio to float a few inches off the ground before drifting back down.

     Elsewhere, a group of Meercas discovered a negg that, upon cracking it, released a flurry of glowing butterflies that danced momentarily through the air before vanishing.

     “Best hunt ever!" A young Blue Bruce shouted out after uncovering a deep violet glowing negg hidden beneath a rock. He tapped it lightly, triggering his negg capsule to also crack open. After a brief hum, a gust of wind spiralled upward, lifting leaves, grass, and even a few hats into the air, including his own. He grabbed at it and slapped it back on his head with a smile.

     Sally's smile, however, did not grow. This was not how she expected the event to go. The capsules seemed to be taking away from the magic of finding the neggs she and Maris had worked on so hard.

     By now, the entire meadow buzzed with unusual activity. Some negg capsules created lovely, harmless effects like ethereal music and light shows, but others were more erratic.

     One negg turned a patch of grass into bouncing jelly for several minutes, while another caused a pair of Lupes to swap voices. Before long, the magical chaos grew so wild that it became too hard to keep track of what was happening.

     “How many of those neggs did you hide?" Maris asked.

     “I don't remember hiding that many," Sally admitted.

     “When she said those neggs were going to make this event unforgettable, did you ask how?" Maris asked.

     “No. I guess I was just captivated with how beautiful they looked," Sally admitted, burying her face in her paws. She started to deeply regret her decision to take those neggs, especially after what happened next.

     The ground suddenly began to shake, causing everyone to quiet down and look around for the cause.

     At the far edge of the field, near a cluster of tall trees, a young Aisha was holding onto a small, unassuming negg that she found hidden beneath a fallen branch. It was dull and grey, almost invisible compared to the others. She dropped it in surprise when everyone's attention turned towards her.

     Sally didn't wait. She took off running, her small paws pounding against the grass as she raced toward the source of the disturbance.

     “Sally, wait!" Maris exclaimed, following closely behind. As they reached the edge of the trees, they saw a group of Neopians gathered in a circle, looking at something in the centre. Sally pushed her way through and stopped. The ground where the grey negg had landed was now cracked, thin lines spreading outward like a web. At the centre was a glow that shimmered brightly beneath the surface.

     “What is that?" Maris muttered. The young Aisha, who had found the negg, stood nervously aside, clutching her basket.

     “I didn't do anything! I just picked it up, and then it got really warm, and then…" The Aisha tried to explain before the ground trembled again. Sally's heart began to beat fiercely.

     “Okay. Okay, this is fine. It's just… extra magic. We can handle some extra magic," Sally said, trying to keep cool.

     “Sally, that doesn't look like magic. That looks like our cue to run!" Maris shouted as the glow beneath the ground intensified and the cracks grew wider as the capsule grew in size.

     The cheerful chaos of the negg hunt had come to a complete standstill. Neopians gathered together, eyes fixed on the glowing hole in the ground with growing concern. Whispers spread throughout the crowd as parents shielded their little ones, uncertain about whether this unexpected turn was part of the event or something more alarming.

     Despite Maris' attempt to stop her, Sally slowly approached the negg and called out to it. As if in response to her voice, several woolly claws poked out briefly from the capsule, then disappeared. It appeared something alive, and perhaps dangerous, was contained within.

     “Hello?" She called out again in a shaky voice. A foreign sound responded from within, seemingly like words but not in a language Sally recognised. The ground shifted again, causing the entire crowd to lean in towards that moment, every Neopian holding their breath as the strange, glowing cracks spread wider and wider.

     Then, with a sudden flash, something began to emerge. Sally took a step back. She knew in an instant what it was.

     When the capsule finally opened up, several eyes emerged and looked cheekily around before the creature fully emerged. It had six long, wiry horns and a grotesque beak for its mouth. The fuzzy Petpet squealed an obnoxious laugh and approached the crowd slowly, causing everyone to back up.

     “Wh- what is that?" Maris stammered, her legs trembling.

     “An Anansi!" Sally answered sternly. "They're nothing but trouble-makers! And I'm sure it's here to wreck our event!" The Kougra watched as the Anansi ran around, exposing all of the remaining hidden negg capsules and setting them off. One by one, they cracked open, releasing small bursts of mist and mischievous magic.

     Giant flowers grew from the ground, their giant petals enclosing several JubJubs. Countless Neopians soon began to speak in different voices and languages so they were unable to understand each other, and the wind picked up, blowing the poor Blue Bruce's favourite hat far into the distance.

     Panic began to settle in, but escape was nearly impossible when the grass turned into jelly, preventing anyone from fleeing the area. The Anansi cheered at its accomplishments, delighted in the chaos it was creating with its mischief.

     “What do we do?" Maris asked, hoping Sally had a solution.

     “I don't know," Sally shrugged, fighting back some tears. It wouldn't help the situation. Then something caught her eye. Someone was watching them from the treeline. Although it was hard to tell at first, she was almost positive it was the Wocky who gave her the neggs.

     “Look!" She shouted, pointing amongst a few gnarly-looking pine trees. Maris turned around just in time to see a Black Wocky emerge slowly from the trees, draped in a patchy blue cloak and a crooked, pointed hat.

     “Xenia!" Maris gasped, stomping her hooves on the ground to show her displeasure in the witch, then she looked over at the Kougra. "Don't tell me she's the one who gave you the neggs!"

     “She was in disguise," Sally admitted, her stomach twisting with nausea. The realisation hit her hard. She had just ruined the event they both worked so carefully to plan.

     “You're welcome. It looks like everyone's having the time of their life," the Wocky cackled. "You asked, and I delivered."

     “I didn't ask for this!" Sally snapped. "You suggested that I should add more excitement to the event! I thought you were trying to help me!"

     “A simple misunderstanding. It happens," Xenia replied with a shrug.

     “But you’re wrecking what's supposed to be a fun event!" Maris chimed in.

     “This IS fun," Xenia laughed. "Oh relax. No one's getting hurt."

     “Why are you doing this?" Sally demanded to know. "You set an Anansi loose when you know they love to play tricks on Kougras!"

     “Really?" Xenia said mockingly. "I've never heard such a thing. You must be making that up."

     “Then why did you unleash an Anansi of all Petpets?" she asked.

     “Because they're the best tricksters around," Xenia said with a grin, then added, "and if that's true, why is it playing tricks on everyone?"

     “Because it knows I helped plan this event, and it will make me look bad," Sally hissed. She knew she was only adding fuel to the fire, and that was exactly what the witch wanted. Xenia loved confrontation. But what else could she do other than cry, which was exactly what she felt like doing.

     “Oh, cheer up," Xenia scoffed. "Easter is such a dull holiday anyway. Yes, there are lots of treats like there is on a great holiday like Halloween, but where are the tricks?!"

     “You're enjoying this," Sally said, her voice tightening. "Does it make you happy, making children cry?"

     “It'll toughen them up," Xenia replied dismissively. "Besides, as I said, no one's getting hurt."

     It was pointless arguing. Xenia only laughed harder with every prank as the Petpet scurried about, cracking open more negg capsules. Sally and Maris tried to catch it, but it was far too fast, darting away before they could get close.

     “Xenia, you can stop this!" Sally pleaded.

     The Anansi didn't seem to tire. Even after it ran out of capsules, it continued pulling tricks, growing bolder with each one. Then, as if on cue, the Petpet did something that even the master prankster did not approve of. It tried to give a little Tonu a negg.

     “No! Don't eat that! You'll get sick!" Sally shouted from a distance at the young Tonu.

     Xenia's expression tightened, pursing her lips into a thin line of annoyance. With a sharp roll of her eyes, she snapped her fingers. The Anansi stopped where it was and looked over, its pincher-like beak twitching like an inquisitive ant, before turning back into a dull, grey negg capsule. The negg shrank to its original size and flew into Xenia's extended hand.

     “I've had enough of your whining," she said coldly. "It's irritating." She turned away, already lifting into the air on her broom. "Perhaps our paths will cross again on Halloween." Then with a sharp cackle, she vanished into the sky. Slowly, the mischievous magic faded, and everything returned to normal.

     For a while, it was quiet as the wind died down and rustled its last leaves. Sally wished for some noise, anything to break the heaviness in the air, but everyone remained frozen, still trying to process what had just happened. She realised she needed to break the silence.

     “I'm so sorry," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "This was supposed to be a fun event and I... I let things get out of hand." She turned to the Tonu family, her gaze resting on the Tonu who had been offered the negg by the Anansi. "Especially to you. That should never have happened."

     The youngest Tonu, who was no more than five years old, spoke up, his voice bright and innocent, "That thing scared me at first. It looked scary. But it was nice."

     “Nice?!" Sally and Maris exclaimed in unison.

     “Yeah," the young Pet continued. "It let me pet it, and it purred, and it was so soft and fluffy." The two hosts exchanged looks, unsure of how to respond.

     “But it tried to give you a negg," Maris said. The little Tonu laughed.

     “This?" He said, holding up a beautifully painted wooden negg. "It's just a decoration."

     “Of course it is," Sally muttered to herself, red in the face and feeling silly that the Anansi got the last laugh. But she also felt a huge sense of relief. "It just wanted me to think it was giving you a real negg."

     “Well, we're still sorry about everything else," Maris added, patting Sally consolingly on the back. Sally smiled back. "We had our hearts in the right place, but sometimes things just get out of control"

     “Actually, I kinda thought that was fun!" A Blumaroo spoke up, still bouncing on his tail.

     “Yeah, and being in those big flowers felt just like being in a tree fort!" a tiny JubJub called up from their feet. Sally glanced around at everyone standing there, and no one looked upset.

     “And look at all of the neggs we got!" A young Xweetok exclaimed, peering into her festive straw basket. "They're so beautiful!"

     Sally felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she could tell her Uni friend was just as moved.

     Suddenly, a hat ploped down in front of them. A Blue Bruce waddled up to it, picked it up, and slapped it on his head.

     “Best event ever!!" He cheered, and soon everyone else joined in.

     “We did it!" Maris celebrated with a cheer to her best friend, then teased. "Same time next year?"

     “Oh, definitely," Sally grinned, her tail shaking happily again. "But I wished Xenia hadn't promised to visit me again at Halloween."

     The End.