A Hero's Journey: Mystery Island's Mystery Monster

     The Blue Acara practically skipped from the porch of White Shores Inn and onto the pristine sands of Omara Beach, leaving her three friends, two large beach umbrellas, a few thick towels and blankets, and a whole basket of food in the dust. The sun reigned in a clear sky, and the waves gently lapped at the beach where several Neopians were already frolicking.

     “We’re coming,” grunted a red Techo toting three towels. “Gotta put down all our stuff first, y’know!” he added, raising his voice to be heard over the lively chatter and the equally lively sea.

     “Where do we even put this all down?” the White Blumaroo carrying the umbrellas and a couple of bags asked. He looked around; quite a few spots on the sand had already been occupied by kids making sandcastles, or older Neopians converging in groups to chat or catch some rays, or in one case, a group of alien Aishas opening up a bottle of Mutant Ketchup that made him wrinkle his nose. “Maybe we should call her back, Velm.”

     “I found a good spot!” Both of them glanced up to see the green Eyrie with their picnic basket and the blankets slung over her shoulder already hovering in the air and pointing to an empty space a few paces away from the snack bar and the locker rooms. Then she flew ahead, gesturing for them to follow her.

     Velm breathed a sigh of relief and beamed, his smile rivalling the sun. “Talinia, you’re the best. C’mon, Rohane, we'd better hurry before someone else calls dibs on it!”

     “I’m hurrying! Where’d Mipsy go, anyway?”

     “She can’t have gotten far, she wouldn’t hit the water before the rest of us do, right? Right?”

     They scrambled to meet Talinia, who was already spreading the blankets and setting down the basket.

     A hulking Purple Skeith boasting muscled, tattooed arms approached them and opened his mouth to speak. The three of them braced themselves for an eviction before they could even put down all their things.

     But then, the Skeith changed his mind and gasped. “No way! You’re the adventurers who saved Faerieland! And the Haunted Woods, and the Lost Desert, and…” He raised his arms as though surrendering, never mind that there was no fight to surrender. “Yeah, you guys can take this spot.” The Skeith gestured toward a group of Neopians who looked more like bouncers or bodyguards than beachgoers. “It’s them, those international adventurers! Let’s go somewhere else.”

     “Oh, thank you,” said Velm, grinning as his gaze flicked to the Skeith’s buff arms. “You guys come here often?”

     The Skeith let out a chuckle so deep it was like the chipper beat of a bass drum. “Mmm-hmm, the guys and I are friends with the owner. We’ve known each other since we were practically in diapers. Mystery Island pride!” He pumped his fist and whooped. “Besides, we gotta help our own and all.”

     “Help your own?” Rohane repeated as he sat down on the blankets to catch his breath.

     “Tourism on Mystery Island has been booming lately,” a Yellow Hissi built as a battering ram said. “The beaches are filling up with hotels and resorts faster than you can say, ‘Tiki Tack’. Problem is, the locals are steadily getting edged out by those fancy pants moguls from Shenkuu and Neopia Central and who knows where, building entire hotel chains that put the cosy inns and mom-and-pop stores out of business.” She turned as if to spit on the sand, but thought better of it. “Oh, if only Omara could see this now.”

     “Omara? Isn’t that the name of this beach?” Velm swept a hand toward the general direction of the shore where it met the sea.

     A short but stocky Darigan Buzz with an eyepatch shook his head. “Not just that. Omara is the name of the spirit who watches over this area of Mystery Island. You could say she’s a goddess of sorts, whose powers have waned over the years.” He frowned, stroking his bearded chin. “Few Mystery Islanders these days believe in the old island myths, so the gods faded away until they’re either shadows of their former selves or totally gone. Her shrine is just off the coast, on a tiny island.”

     “Like the Snowager, then?” said Talinia.

     “You could say that. Many folks believe she’s gone for good, ‘cause nothing happens to these bigwigs moving in. They offer jobs to the locals who lost their businesses, but we hear it’s worse working for them. You get yelled at just for existing.”

     The Yellow Hissi sighed. “There are even rumours of a monster showing up around these parts.”

     “A monster?” Rohane, Talinia and Velm stared straight at him.

     “Mmm, looks like a Flotsam, except bigger, and scarier. It was seen last near…uh, Omara’s Bounty Hotel. Not far from here.” The Hissi jerked a wing westward with an expression that told everyone else just what she thought of that specific hotel. “That hotel ate up the taverns and stores nearby. Hopefully the monster doesn’t show up here.”

     “Yeah, because we came here for a vacation. Not another monster-hunting adventure,” Velm grumbled, folding his arms over his extremely loud and garish Zeenana-patterned shirt.

     Clearing his throat, the Skeith said, “Anyway, we’re glad you came to White Shores Inn. Run by Mystery Islanders, for Mystery Islanders.”

     “That’s precisely why we chose this inn.” Talinia finished propping up the umbrellas and watched as Velm lay down and stretched on one blanket, making a show of getting into Rohane’s personal space, much to the latter’s chagrin. “We wanted to support a local business. We’ve heard of the growing tourism here, but we didn’t know…that some businesses were losing out.”

     “We can give you a heads up on which places to go for food or gifts or tours,” said the Buzz. “We’ll be around here for about a week. Maritess did say she wanted some help organising the surf contest in a few days. Any of you surf?” His gaze swept over the trio.

     “I can barely swim,” answered Velm, who shrugged. Talinia shook her head.

     “If any of us knows how to surf, it’s probably Mipsy, but I’d be willing to learn,” said Rohane.

     The Purple Skeith’s face lit up, and he clapped Rohane on the back heartily – so heartily that the White Blumaroo stumbled forward slightly. “Great! Feldiwell here would be willing to teach you!” He pointed to a Shadow Lutari who had been silently lounging under the nearest coconut tree the entire time. The Lutari’s stoic expression suddenly exploded into a grin a mile wide, and they jumped up and down with glee, creating little clouds of sand that rose from their feet.

     “I’d be honoured to teach the great Sir Rohane a thing or two about surfing!” Feldiwell crowed. “Please, my classes are always open!”

     “Oh, er, thank you. I’ll probably take you up on that, but for now, my friends and I have plans.”

     “Right, see you around!” The Skeith and his group, including the Shadow Lutari, waved and vanished into the inn.

     “Hey! What’s taking all of you so long?”

     Rohane, Talinia, and Velm all whipped around. Mipsy was standing in front of them, raising an eyebrow. She was still wearing her floral sundress over her bright pink swimsuit, completely dry except for sweat beading her forehead.

     “Well, hey!” Velm put his hands on his hips and said with mock sarcasm, “Look who finally remembered us! Is your throne to your liking, Your Majesty?” He swept an arm grandly over their spot, fully furnished right down to their bags tucked under one of the umbrellas.

     “Why, thank you.” The Blue Acara made an exaggerated curtsy. “As the queen of the beach, I decree that all of us should have fun today, and during our entire vacation!”

     Talinia swept a hand over her brow. “Good, because I really want to cool off after we set up the umbrellas and everything.”

     * * *

     “Of course I know how to surf! Didn’t I tell you I learned when I was ten?” Mipsy splashed Rohane and laughed. “Come on, how long have we known each other?”

     “I don’t remember if you told me, cut me some slack!” he answered, splashing her right back so forcefully that Velm and Talinia were caught in the crossfire.

     “Are you going to take up Feldiwell’s offer, then?” asked Velm. He trod water more closely to the shore than the others and trained his eyes on the strip of pale white sand and their inn. “I’m somehow not surprised you’d be up for it.”

     “It does sound fun, and maybe Jeran will stop gloating about how he surfs on his shield if I tell him I can surf, too.”

     “And then we can go surfing together!” Mipsy gushed, splashing him again. “What about you…Talinia? Hey, Talinia?”

     The Green Eyrie was suddenly more focused on a small atoll surrounding an island, which was empty except for a patch of greenery, a beach more pristine than the one at White Shores Inn, and a stone structure that appeared to be a simpler, miniature model of the abandoned temple in Geraptiku.

     “What’s that?” she asked.

     Velm squinted toward the direction Talinia was pointing. “That must be Omara’s shrine that Feldiwell’s group was talking about.”

     “Want to go check it out?” Mipsy said.

     “Looks kind of far.” The Red Techo’s eyes darted back to the shore – to the inn, to the other Neopians, and to civilisation. “You think I can swim all the way there?”

     “Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!”

     “Why do I have the feeling that when you say ‘we’, you really mean ‘me’?” Rohane commented suspiciously. But before he knew it, Talinia had taken flight, and Mipsy and Velm were already paddling toward the island, leaving him in the dust – or rather, in the surf.

     * * *

     Talinia landed so neatly and quietly on the island that she barely sent up a cloud of fine, powdery sand in her descent and didn’t disturb a nearby Crabby colony. She glanced over her shoulder at her friends, who were emerging from the water.

     “What a workout,” Velm mumbled, bending down with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. “I’ll probably be feeling this in the morning.” He straightened up and stared at the shrine, which was nestled in a copse and appeared undisturbed for years. The figurehead’s features had been smoothed away as though its sculptor had decided to start their work anew and then forgot about it. Vines had begun to creep over the weathered, cracked stones, and the carvings thereon were barely recognisable – apart from the scratched words in modern Neopian that said things like, “Chet Flash Wuz Here” or recorded names, dates, and for some reason, names and dates inside poorly drawn hearts.

     “Looks like Neopians are still paying a visit to Omara…even if they forget to pick up after themselves.” Mipsy winced as she picked up an empty Thornata Juice tankard, one of several strewn on the sand. Crumpled snack wrappers and crushed Neocola and Achyfi cans were left to the mercy of the elements.

     Velm pinched the bridge of his nose. “No respect for the environment, or even for the goddess who once lived here. Maybe that monster they mentioned was the embodiment of Omara’s wrath or something. Vandals, litterbugs…”

     His voice trailed off when he saw Rohane raise a hand – and one ear – abruptly. Whatever the Techo was going to say next was overwritten by something completely different.

     “Did you hear something, boss?”

     Rohane discreetly pointed to a patch of palm trees ringed by thick flowering bushes. At first, all they heard was a loud rustling which caused a few Pawkeets to fly away and the Crabby horde to skitter away into a burrow.

     And then they heard a low, ululating growl which seemed to reverberate through the ground, and through their systems like they were lightning rods conducting electricity. All of them shuddered and instinctively drew closer together.

     And then they saw it.

     A creature resembling a large Swamp Gas Flotsam, twice as tall as Talinia, suddenly materialised before them, baring sharp, jagged fangs in a huge, foul-smelling maw. The Flotsam made a terrible, scraping cry that made them flinch – but they did not flinch for long.

     “Protection of Infinity!” Velm shouted, raising his hands high. A delicate, gossamer curtain sparkling with power settled over himself and his companions. Kicking up sand and grit like smoke, the Flotsam lurched forward and raised a fin bigger than a kickboard toward Mipsy. Talinia pulled her away just in time while Rohane grabbed a stick of driftwood that was, unfortunately, a poor excuse for a sword.

     The Flotsam hissed again and snapped at the Blumaroo. He jumped aside, made a slashing movement with the stick, and watched as his only weapon vanished into a mouth like a spike pit – a mouth that issued a wail of pain and a plume of sickly smoke in response to a shower of stones overhead.

     Talinia was hovering in the air, flinging stones with deadly accuracy. But in response, the Flotsam shrieked a single, discordant note that sent the Green Eyrie falling. Rohane stretched out his arms to catch her in time, but the two of them were immediately bowled over into the shrine when the monster whirled around and clubbed them with its tail.

     “M-Maybe we should run?” Mipsy suggested. She managed to avoid the swinging tail by stumbling into the shallows. “Or…or swim?”

     “Time for me to practice again!”

     Velm was the first into the water. But once it was up to his waist, he heard Talinia cry out, “The giant Flotsam’s gone!”

     “What?” The Techo whipped around. Sure enough, apart from broken twigs and disturbed greenery and the absence of petpets in the vicinity and his three friends slowly picking themselves up, there was no sign of the Flotsam anywhere.

     “They…they vanished!” said Mipsy. She, Rohane and Talinia had begun to wade back into the sea. “Oh my Fyora, we should probably go warn White Shores Inn and everyone else!”

     “I agree. That Flotsam might come back,” said Rohane grimly. “And reappear on the beach this time.”

     * * *

     “You…you saw the monster, which looks like an overlarge Swamp Gas Flotsam,” the brown Peophin said slowly. She smoothed out her neat white sundress with woven patterns in Mystery Island colours and fiddled with her necklace of shells.

     “I knew it, the monster was still around! Probably the embodiment of Omara’s wrath…” The Yellow Hissi paced – or rather, slithered across the floor of White Shores’ dining area, which was next to the lobby.

     “That’s what I said!” exclaimed Velm as he helped himself to Seafood Pasta Salad. “And I just said, we’re here for a vacation, not more monster-hunting adventures!”

     “On the bright side, Maritess, they said the monster was seen on the island where Omara’s shrine is,” the Purple Skeith pointed out, looking up from his Vanilla Tea. “As long as it doesn’t come to White Shores or hurt anyone…”

     Talinia contemplated the platter of Cheesy Cod and Tofu Burgers. “Who owns Omara’s Bounty Hotel?”

     Maritess’ face darkened, as did the Skeith’s and the Hissi’s.

     “Cade McCaden,” Jhun said, his voice an ominous rumble. “Says he wants to preserve his father and grandfather’s hotel business, but he’s expanded it until the place took up a rocky cliff over the beach. He’s shuttered the beach below it for some reason, except that he’s working on something, supposedly. Locked it up with a magic barrier, to boot.”

     “He and his family were descended from Meridell conquerors who tried to take Mystery Island centuries ago,” the Hissi added. His eyes swept over Rohane and Mipsy, who shifted awkwardly in their seats. “He claims his ancestor was part of the Ghost Lupe’s crew and those conquerors were just trying to help.”

     “But the Ghost Lupe was – “

     Jhun shook his head and cut Mipsy off. “The Ghost Lupe was a coloniser. He attacked the natives first, and they only sought to defend themselves and their land. Mystery Islanders know the real story, and we’ll tell it to you when we don’t have to deal with a monster that could haunt our beach again.”

     “So, it’s true! White Shores Inn has some very illustrious guests. Guests who can help all of us in our time of need.”

     Everyone paused. Striding across the lobby and into the dining hall, ignoring the clearly miffed guard and receptionist, was a tall, imposing Woodland Cybunny in a pinstripe suit that clashed terribly with the flowers in his neck ruff. He doffed his hat and smiled in a way that had likely been rehearsed several times in a mirror before facing everyone in the lobby – but neglected to rehearse any semblance of warmth.

     “Oh, pardon me,” he said, clearing his throat loudly, “I’m Cade McCaden of Omara’s Bounty Hotel, owner, CEO, president, head honcho, and all o’ that. I heard of the latest sighting of the Omara Beach Monster, or the OBM, which is what I’ll be calling it from now on, and also heard that those who sighted it were none other than the four adventurers who saved Neopia!” He spread his arms and bowed like a thespian desperate for the spotlight.

     “Word travels fast,” Jhun whispered from the corner of his mouth.

     “We figured,” said Velm, who squinted at Cade as though the latter had brought along a large, bright and very obnoxious spotlight.

     “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Rohane, who at least made some effort to sound like it truly was a pleasure. “And you mentioned that…you need your help.”

     Cade clasped his hands together; everyone could see that half his fingers were adorned with rings. “We absolutely do, Sir Rohane of Trestin, one of Meridell’s champions! You see, the OBM haunted our hotel, and just when we thought it wouldn’t return, you and your friends see it with your own eyes, and oh, it’s only a matter of time before it shows up on our shores again! You have to stop its reign of terror for good so we can continue working on Omara’s Bounty.” He rubbed the thumb and forefinger of his right hand together. “I’ll reward you handsomely, of course. A free stay at our hotel, a seaside massage and – “

     Rohane looked at Mipsy, and then Talinia, and Velm. The girls slowly nodded their assent, while the Red Techo blew out a sigh and threw up his hands.

     “Look, even if you didn’t offer anything, I don’t think we can leave Mystery Island without taking a crack at this case. Our boss won’t let us – ow! Don’t slap my shoulder like that!”

     “Thank you,” said Maritess before Cade could say it. “We’ll consider the rest of your stay free if you can find answers for all our questions about the monster. And we’ll help you, in every way we can. Right, Jhun, Hara?”

     The Cybunny snorted, fiddling with an overlarge pearl ring. “And what sort of help can you country bumpkins offer these world-class heroes?”

     “More than you’ll ever know, cooped up in your cushy air-conditioned office,” was the swift reply. “If you have no other business, you may leave our inn. I trust you can find the door on your own?”

To be continued…