Thieves Alike

     Nathan planned on hopping off the rickety old tugboat to ease it into place, but nearly fell off when the boat bumped abruptly into the dock.

     "Hey!" Nathan shouted, trying to sturdy himself.

     "Aye, guess I should've slowed her down a bit. She be good there!" Arch said. "Go on 'n tie her off, lad." Though against his natural instinct, Nathan bit his tongue and shook it off. He hopped down onto the dock and tied off the boat.

     The marina was booming with activity as vessels arrived and departed quicker than either Nathan or Zena could keep track. Zena disembarked the rustic tugboat with newfound appreciation for land. She appreciated Arch's help, but doubted she'd ever take him up on another ride again.

     "I'd be going to the Employment Agency if I were ye t' earn some coin, but ye may want t' visit the Soup Kitchen first fer a warm meal," Arch said.

     "Where's the Employment Agency?" Nathan asked. He wasn't one for accepting charity at a Soup Kitchen. He had other, more practical ways of obtaining what he needed.

     "She be in Faerieland, actually. But ye can hitch a ride there up that road a good five minutes walk. Ye'd be blind t' miss it. The Employment Agency's a very busy place, but ye can make a good sum o' Neopoints there if ye finish yer jobs quickly. I'd join ye, but I gotta catch up on some Z's before shippin' off again," Arch said.

     Zena felt the kid inside of her release once she realised that they were about to meet real-life Faeries. They were, of course, true magic users, and a huge inspiration of hers. Faeries seldom visited the outskirts of Shenkuu, where she grew up, so she never had an opportunity to meet one before now. She couldn't help but wonder if they could teach her a little magic.

     "Thanks," Zena answered. She could hardly contain her excitement. As for Nathan, unless they met a Dark Faerie that could show them some devious tricks, he was impartial. Zena looked up at the Weewoo resting on the crow's nest. It was already fast asleep on its perch. Zena mused that it was probably the first bit of real sleep it had seen in days.

     "Before ye go, take this," Arch said, holding out some ointment and gauze. "Ye will need t' reapply a couple more times before ye're healed up proper." Zena thanked him for the help and the two travellers continued on their way.

     **********

     "This must be it," Nathan said under a colourful Faerieland sign. The small building looked very inviting as though touched by magic. Thick greenery and lush flowers filled in any empty spaces around the building, making it look as though it was deep in the woods, even though it sat in the middle of Neopia Central. Zena found herself giddy as she hastily opened the door. They were greeted by a Light Faerie sitting at the front desk.

     "Welcome to Faerieland Tours. Please proceed out the back door," the Faerie smiled, pointing to a flowery door on the opposite end of the quaint little room. She wore a yellow sundress and dark-brimmed spectacles that blended in well with her chestnut-coloured hair. Zena struggled to hold in her excitement.

     "I've never met a Faerie before. Do you use a lot of magic?" The Green Ixi asked. The Faerie laughed gently.

     "I can, but around here I seldom do. The Earth Faeries take care of the landscaping. I find it peaceful sitting here, greeting new and old faces." Even sitting, the Faerie seemed to tower over both Zena and Nathan.

     "But if you use magic, why are you wearing glasses?" Nathan chimed in. He always had a smart remark in situations where he felt uncomfortable. Zena awarded his comment with a quick jab to his ribs with her index finger. The Brown Lutari jumped, but maintained the smirk on his face.

     "I don't need glasses, but I wear them to seem less intimidating to Neopians passing through. Lots of Neopians find Faeries intimidating," she said, lowering her glasses. Her eyes immediately became her prominent feature and Zena was instantly captivated by the Faerie's yellow pupils. She was so beautiful.

     "How much is it to enter Faerieland? We want to go to the Employment Agency," Nathan asked.

     "There's no fee. We love visitors. Fyora founded Faerie Tours to promote Faerieland. A number of us Faeries volunteer our time to help out. We love interacting with Neopians."

     "That's great!" Zena cheered. "This is going to be fun, Nate!"

     "One of our guides will greet you on the other side of that door," the Faerie said, pointing to the back door again with a smile.

     The door led outside behind the small building. Flowers in an assortment of colours spotted the many bushes as though Zena and Nathan had entered a rainbow garden. A wide path led to a gate where a sign was posted, reading: "Please form line here." A couple of Faerie Unis stood in front of the gate.

     "I think we get to ride Faerie Unis!!" Zena squeaked to Nathan as they approached, then turned to the Unis. "Will the two of you be taking us to Faerieland?"

     "Hardly," the larger Uni scoffed.

     "As if," the second Uni added with a disgusted expression. "Do you think we were raised on a farm?" The Unis began to laugh obnoxiously. Zena was lost for words. She meant no offense.

     "Hey, that wasn't nice, Ginny. Look at them. It's very likely they were raised on a farm. I think you may have insulted them," the larger Uni said with a fake shocked expression on her face.

     "Where are my manners?" Ginny said, dramatically covering her mouth as though she was embarrassed by her actions. "But I'm sure, being farmers, they're used to no manners. They definitely have none today." The two Unis laughed obnoxiously to each other again.

     Zena was still completely lost for words, but she hadn't fully comprehended the whole story. Her home village of Silver Hills was a farming community, and the conversation caused her to reminisce about her brother, Hector, and his herd of Capriors. Nathan looked at Zena and then back at the Unis. Being called a farmer didn't bother him, but their dismissive, entitled demeanour made his blood boil. He couldn't believe ol' "Zinger Zena" didn't have a comeback to their snotty remarks. Nathan began to mutter under his breath.

     "Oh, we offended this one too, Whinny," Ginny poked Whinny's shoulder, snorting out a chuckle.

     "I don't understand what he's muttering about," Whinny said. "Must be a farmer's dialect." Their laughter rose so loud that the nearby Beekadoodles flew out of the bushes.

     "I didn't expect you to understand. Most mutants don't," Nathan said sternly, without any expression on his face.

     "What did you call us?" Whinny asked, suddenly very serious. Ginny stared attentively at Nathan as well.

     "I always thought Unis were supposed to be attractive, especially so-called Faerie Unis," he smirked, keeping his gaze on the two Unis.

     "Of course we are!" Ginny chimed in. "At least I am anyway."

     "Maybe you should look in a mirror," Nathan said. Ginny pulled out a mirror from her pocket and gasped at the reflection glaring back at her.

     "Gwahhh!! What happened?!?! I'm hideous!" Ginny cried.

     "That's a bit extreme. I wouldn't say hideous," Whinny mocked and snatched away the mirror. When she examined her reflection, she emoted a similar remark. "I'm ugly! What happened?!"

     "You are?! I used to be the more attractive one! Look at me!!" Ginny said, snatching her mirror back. The two Unis continued their argument as they fought over the mirror before eventually galloping away with sobbing tears. Nathan fell to the ground, laughing hard and holding his belly firmly as though it would burst had he not done so.

     Zena had already snapped out of her trance, but was too befuddled to figure out what was going on. The two Faerie Unis were upset with their appearance, but to her, despite their attitudes, they were very beautiful.

     "What happened?" Zena asked.

     "Well, while you were standing there drooling about what to say, I cast a spell so they would look like Mutant Unis on any reflective surface. They were too vain to realise that the other looked perfectly normal," Nathan said through gasps of laughter.

     "I've never seen you pull off that trick before. Where'd you learn that one?" Zena said.

     "Oh I have a few spells up my sleeves that I use in case of emergency," Nathan said, finally catching his breath and wiping his last tears away. Zena gave him a crooked eye. The spell was a lot more sophisticated than anything she had seen him do. But she shook off the feeling. Whatever he did worked.

     "Well they deserved it. They were really mean," Zena said, then smacked Nathan on the shoulder for his remark. "And I wasn't lost for words. They triggered a memory of Hector. I miss him."

     "Bah! You'll see him again. Don't forget he left you first," Nathan said.

     "He needed space away from society. He would rather I came, but knew I wouldn't be happy," Zena corrected. She was horrified that he would say something so mean about her brother. Nathan was about to say something back when an Earth Faerie politely cleared her throat to catch their attention.

     "Are you two looking for a ride? A carriage has just arrived," the soft-spoken Faerie asked. She pointed to a nearby carriage that hovered slightly off the ground.

     "Oh, hi! Yes, of course!" Zena said, turning red in the face. She had forgotten why they were standing there. Nathan snickered to himself.

      "Climb aboard," she giggled. "I'll be your guide." Zena and Nathan sat down, and in an instant the carriage rose into the sky. The Faerie followed.

     "So are you making this thing fly?" Zena asked, taking in the shrinking landscape. The mountains in the distance, her homeland of Shenkuu, was breathtaking from this vantage point.

     "It runs on Faerie magic set up by Queen Fyora. I tag along for safety purposes in case someone doesn't follow the rules and falls out," she explained. "By the way, I saw what you did back there," the Faerie spoke to Nathan. "That sort of behaviour is highly frowned upon in Faerieland."

     "We can't practice magic?" Nathan asked defensively, ready to stand his ground.

     "Of course you can, but not maliciously," she explained. "I should have stepped in, but I was annoyed at how those Unis were treating you. They have the ability to fly themselves, but are too lazy to do that. They would rather everyone else do everything for them. They got what they deserved. Shh, don't tell Fyora I said that." Nathan relaxed, satisfied with her comment.

     "You don't have to worry about me. I'd probably be too awestruck to say anything anyway if I ever met her," Zena joked, more so at the possibility of meeting Fyora than being awestruck. The Earth Faerie laughed.

     "Are you a magic user too?" The Faerie asked

     "She can freeze moustaches," Nathan teased.

     "I've been trying some Earth magic lately. I was successful at making an acorn sprout," Zena said.

     "That's exciting! Like a new life emerging from a hardened shell," the Faerie said. Zena liked the analogy.

     "She's good at putting people to sleep with her demonstrations too," Nathan said.

     "I could do worse, you know," Zena snapped back with an annoyed laugh. She tried to jab him again, but he nimbly smacked away her hand to evade the prod.

     "It's always exciting to meet Neopians who have taken an interest in magic. It doesn't come easy to many," the Faerie said. "I could tell you were both magic users, but I'm sensing something unnatural around you. Something dark and ominous, but it's not emitting directly from either of you. I don't quite understand it, but I recommend being careful and observant. Something is lurking in your presence." Zena's heart skipped a beat and she shot a stare at Nathan. It probably had something to do with that book of his.

     "Oh, we're here! Sorry for the long trip. I slowed down because I wanted to talk," the Faerie said cheerfully. Both Zena and Nathan were impressed. The trip was much quicker than they thought it would take. "Enjoy Faerieland. I forgot to ask where you were headed?"

     "The Emploment Agency. We need to earn some Neopoints. Can you direct us?" Zena asked.

     "Of course! Just follow the main path. It's very easy to find. Oh, and you'll be passing the Healing Springs on the way there, so I recommend stopping there first to mend your hand," she said to Zena. Zena looked down at her bandaged hand. From all of the excitement, she had almost forgotten about her injury. The Faerie wished them the best before assisting Neopia Central-bound passengers onto the carriage.

     **********

     It wasn't long before Zena and Nathan found the Employment Agency. They made a quick stop at the Healing Springs first, where a Light Faerie used her blessings to heal Zena's hand. Zena could hardly believe how well the Springs mended her hand. It felt like new again and the fur that had rubbed off from the rope had instantly grown back.

     The Employment Agency towered a few of the neighbouring buildings and the wide lot in front of the building contained a large number of Neopians lining up in front of several large windows. It was a very busy place like Arch had described.

     "I guess this is the place," Zena said, nudging Nathan who was fussing with his jacket. "There's many more Neopians here than I thought there'd be."

     As they approached the building, more and more Neopians were arriving, most of which were carrying various items. They formed a separate line at a counter set up away from the large windows and dropped off their items before joining the rest of the crowd.

     Nathan and Zena approached the commotion with apprehension. Several queues were formed in front of a series of closed windows. Poles with signs stating "Do not cross until Window Opens" were positioned at the front of each queue. Zena glanced over at Nathan and gave an uncertain glance. Nathan shrugged.

     "What should we do?" Zena asked.

     "Not sure," Nathan answered honestly, looking around. He observed how everyone in the lot was staring intently at a clock above the closed windows. It appeared to be a timer. "I think we have to wait here until that timer counts down to zero."

     "Yeah. I had the same hunch. Kinda makes things exciting," Zena said, feeling unusually giddy about the situation.

     "If you say so." Nathan found his ability to roll his eyes again. A bit of relief that he still had it in him. Their hearts sped up slightly as the timer approached zero. Suddenly, a buzzer went, the windows flew open, and hordes of Neopians rushed out of the queues to the windows, shouting for jobs. Nathan, who had almost been trampled, was dragged through the ambitious crowd by Zena en route to the closest window.

     "Go to the next window!" Zena shouted. "It'll increase our odds. I have a feeling numbers are limited!" She shoved him away and he disappeared into the crowd. Nathan hurried to the next window, shovelling through several Neopians. By the time he made it to the window, it slammed shut, directly after announcing that all jobs were filled and to return to the queues.

     Frustrated and annoyed, Nathan made his way back to Zena. She was also unsuccessful, but was able to stand close to the window long enough to understand a bit more about what to do. Together they walked back to the queue. The clock had reset to ten minutes.

     "There are limited jobs," Zena said eventually, keeping an eye on the clock.

     "I figured that one out," Nathan said.

     "They have a list of jobs to pick from and whoever shouts them out first is rewarded the job." They both stood still and watched the time count down on the clock, while other Neopians slowly rolled in and lined up.

     "What kind of jobs are they?" Nathan asked.

     "Not sure. I think it has something to do with bringing requested items back to that counter over there for a monetary reward," Zena said. Nathan didn't answer, but kept his eyes on the clock.

     "Is this seriously what we need to do to get a job around here?!" Nathan snapped around the eight-minute mark. Watching the clock was painstakingly slow.

     "At least we're at the front of the queue," Zena said.

     "But what's the point of forming a queue? You saw everyone storm out of line as soon as the timer reached zero," Nathan said through gritted teeth.

     The crowd was increasing as more Neopians brought back their items, dropped them off at the counter, and joined the crowd. Zena agreed that getting a job wasn't going to be any easier this time around, even though they were at the front of the queue.

     While she watched the clock, a Zafara and Grarrl strolled over to a side window, dropped off some items, and received a new job. They stopped to watch the clock for a moment and chuckled at the massive crowd.

     "Hey!" Zena said, alarmed. "Those guys somehow got a job without waiting in line!" Nathan looked over with a glare.

     "That's Natasha and Grutee," a deep voice behind them spoke up. They turned around to see a Green Yurble in blue overalls watching the Zafara and Grarrl in clear admiration.

     "How'd they bypass the queue?" Zena asked.

     "Because they have a job coupon. You need lots of Neopoints to get one of those unless you have connections or win one," the Yurble said, not keeping his eyes off of the Zafara and Grarrl. "These guys are legends around here. Top of the list. Their reputation is great because they've never missed a job. Ever! It's remarkable. I don't know how they do it."

     "I don't trust them," Nathan grumbled and went back to watching the clock with the rest of the crowd. One minute remained and everyone started pushing their way up to the front of the line. Even though no one was in front of them, Zena was feeling claustrophobic. Natasha and Grutee were still watching, amused.

     Zena realised if they were going to be successful, she needed to think of something quick. She still wasn't entirely sure what to do when she got to the window, other than to shout out the job she wanted. And to make it less straightforward, it appeared that some jobs were more preferable than others.

     Thirty seconds left on the clock, then twenty. She began to feel panicky as she watched all of the eager faces count down with the clock.

     "Nathan," she whispered quickly, "ignore what I'm about to do and run as fast as you can to that window once it opens."

     "What?" Nathan asked, befuddled.

     "Shh! Just trust me!" She said abruptly. The seconds ticked down on the clock: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...

     "Wait!" Zena shouted at the top of her lungs. "My purse! I think someone just snatched it!!" Eyes broke away from the clock and watched her as she darted her head around aimlessly, searching around for her lost purse. A couple of bystanders scanned the perimeter for a potential culprit.

     Nathan almost questioned the outburst when the windows suddenly flew open after the countdown expired. He darted towards the closest window while the commotion Zena created slowed down the bulk of the crowd. Nathan still struggled a bit to bid on a job, but had a strong advantage against the smaller crowd.

     Zena stopped scanning around for her purse when she saw Nathan make it to the window. After several other Neopians grabbed tickets, Nathan emerged from the crowd waving one at Zena. She jumped with joy. Around her at least a dozen people were still looking for her purse.

     "Never mind," she said. "I forgot I didn't bring it with me today. Yes, I'm feeling quite embarrassed about it." She faked a blush and ran up to Nathan.

     "Nice work," Nathan smirked, studying the ticket.

     "You too, though I think we may have made a few enemies," she laughed. "Let me see it!" Zena grabbed the ticket and suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up at Nathan in front of her, who grew visibly pale in the face. She turned slowly around to see a giant Darigan Grarrl glaring down at her. It was Grutee. Zena's heart sank. He must have seen the whole commotion.

     "I believe this is yours?" Grutee said, lifting up a purse. He maintained a large smile as he spoke.

     "Uh, yes," Zena choked. "I never thought I would see that again. Thanks!"

     "Grutee!" Natasha yelled to him from a distance. "Lets get going. Time's running out!" The Grarrl grunted and turned around to catch up with the Zafara.

     "Who's purse is that?" Nathan asked.

     "No idea," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "Perhaps we should get out of here quickly before we find out." The two ran away laughing in their sleeves.

To be continued…