The Quest!: Part Four

      "Quit bragging! You cheated, you know it!"

      "You've always been a bad loser! I knew it the moment you refused to admit I could climb those quarry rocks faster than you!"

      "And you've always been a cheater, you never climbed anything. You have wings! But that's no excuse not to use your brain sometimes!"

      "Ha, ha. That's just a mere, insignificant detail! You're coming up with excuses, as usual!"

      Jex and Lunia were arriving at Neopia Central. Finally! By the time they finally entered the city, you could hear Christmas Zafaras chanting with joy in the distance. Not really, but that'd be pretty cool, wouldn't it? Caham, back to the story. The two neopets stopped arguing the minute they realized where they were. Around them, you could see hundreds of neopets - and petpets, and even petpetpets - walking around dressed in the most bizarre clothes, and painted at the most different colors. There were at least 25 neohomes at every street they came across, and many, many stores.

      "How are we going to find a plushie in this immensity?" Lunia asked.

      "I have no idea, but it's getting late. We should find shelter first. This city's even bigger than Sakhmet, there could be thieves here too. It's dangerous being alone at night in one of Neopia's most populated cities." Jex said, with a preoccupied voice tone.

      "You really are the most pessimistic pet I've ever met."

      "It doesn't matter. Can I check on our money?" the Acara handed him the NP bags. "Seems like we're running out of neopoints."

      "What do you mean, running out of neopoints? Lunia asked, incredulous.

      "This is one of those situations in which I mean exactly what I say."

      "Do you have anything at the bank?"

      "No. Do you?"

      "Not a single NP."

      "Well, that's frustrating."

      "There's got to be something we can do. I have to save most of the NP I brought to buy the Plushie."

      "Well, I personally think staying alive is a little more urgent than completing a faerie quest."

      "Do we at least have enough money to spend a night at the Neolodge?"

      "Let's check if we can check in."

      Lunia and Jex then headed to the Neolodge building. There, they were welcomed by a tall Techo.

      "I'm sorry, but this isn't enough money to afford even one night at the Cockroach Towers," said the Techo.

      Disappointed and homeless, the two pets went back to the streets to try to figure out their next move. After examining the place, Lunia's face expression suddenly started to change into a big hopeful smile.

      "I have an idea, but it's not going to be easy."

      Lunia and Jex hurried to the center of the Neopian Central main shops area. Lunia told Jex about her plan and he didn't seem to like it.

      "Oh, no, not another tree!"

      "Be quiet! I'll try to approach the tree, I have to be quick or someone else can get in my way."

      Making her way through the piles of dung and old rotten footwear, Lunia managed to catch a small bag of neopoints and run away from there.

      "I got it, I got it!" she said, with a big smile on her face.

      "Open it!"

      "Wow, there's a lot of neopoints here! It must've been dropped by one of those ghosts!"

      "Let's go back to the Neolodge!"

      As soon as the two walked back in, the tall Techo received them with a welcoming smile.

      "I see you are back. Hm, let me see. Well, this seems to be enough for a 5 stars Cheap Hotel. Two suites. One night. How about it?"

      "Seems great to me!" Lunia said.

      "It's all right," Jex said.

      "Very well, I don't intend on questioning your suspicious ways of managing to get money so fast, but I should ask..."

      "We've done nothing wrong," Jex said, with an angry look on his face.

      "Very well, then..." the Techo shrugged. "Here are your keys," he said.

      The two pets followed the paths that led to their suites and slept until fully recovered. The following morning, after having as much soup as they could at the soup Kitchen, they headed to the bazaar, where Lunia hoped she would find the plushie she'd been searching for.

      After looking for it the whole afternoon, she couldn't find it anywhere. By nighttime, she was sitting on a park bench with Jex, crying over her desperation.

      "I can't find it anywhere! I just can't. I searched every store I could find, I went through neggs, usuki dolls and codestones, but couldn't find my plushie!"

      "Look, maybe this wasn't such a great idea. You know, we're too far from home and very poor at the moment. We are risking our lives by living in these conditions, walking miles every day, trying to survive in all these cities, instead of just living. Right now we could be in our cozy Altadorian homes, but instead, we're here, at the Neopia Central. With almost no money and no hope. I think you should listen to me when I tell you, please, it's time to abandon this quest."

      "I never thought I'd ever say this but, you're right. We put everything at risk just to get here and found nothing. We better depart tomorrow. To Faerieland! I'm abandoning this quest, and I'll never, ever accept a faerie quest again!" Lunia said, while shoving the tears away from her eyes.

      "Everything will be fixed soon, Lunia. I know it."

      "You know, you were right about the sky here, too."

      "Huh?"

      "It's starless. It's such a depressingly sad view!"

      "Calm down, we'll be back to Altador sooner that you think."

      #~#~#

      Lunia and Jex had left the Neopia Central in hope of getting to Faerieland safe and sound. They crossed the same meadows they had crossed before, but this time, going at the opposite direction. They had one goal, and one goal only: reach the Faerie city, so they could abandon a Fountain Faerie quest before getting back home. How? They didn't know either.

      After almost two days of travel, the two managed to reach Faerieland. The fallen city was astoundingly beautiful. Pink, purple and blue were commonly seen colors everywhere. So many shiny distractions got on their way, but the pets were really determined to reach the Faerie Quest building on Faerie city. While on their way, Lunia was surprised:

      "What's that on that tree?"

      "Huh?"

      "There's something on that tree!" she said as she pointed to a tree on the grass besides the road that led to the Faerie City.

      "Oh, no. Not this AGAIN! Another tree? Are you some kind of tree addict?" Jex asked.

      Lunia went closer to inspect.

      "It's a Grundo, hanging there! How did it end up there? It seems so sad!"

      "That thing? It's just a toy, Lunia."

      "Hi, cutie, are you okay?" Lunia asked, seeming disappointed when the little blue pet didn't respond.

      "Well, just leave it, already! We have to cross the Faerie Lane if we want to get to the Faerie city..."

      "Ok, ok, I'm coming." she started saying, as she tripped and fell on the floor "Whoa!!! Ouch!"

      "Are you alright?" Jex asked, while helping Lunia get back on her feet.

      "I am, I am. How funny, I tripped on something."

      "Why are you always so clumsy?" Jex asked.

      "HOLY GOSTKERCHIEF! Look! It's the Desert Usul Plushie I've been looking for! Lunia said, while staring at the plushie, hanging on the grassy area near the tree.

      "What? Can't be!!! How come we didn't see it there!? Is this a prank or something?"

      "I don't know! Goodness, I feel this has something to do with this little Grundo!" she said as she proceeded to walk over to the hanging Grundo to smack its nose. "Thank you, my little friend. For whatever you've done!"

      "This is all so surreal!"

      "Why, don't you believe in magic?"

      "Why should I?" he asked.

      "Life is very mysterious, Jex, but change comes when we least expect it to! And I almost forgot about the most important thing of all: hope." I know you think I'm a loony dreamer, Jex, but maybe I'm right when I say believing is the key to success. We should wait for the good things with our arms wide open!"

      "You mean, metaphorically, right?"

      "Of, course, Jex, of course. Why don't you try being a little less skeptical and just enjoy the little good things? That's what life is all about, isn't it?"

      "I don't know." Jex replied, seeming bothered by something.

      "Let's go! We have to get to the Faerie city! Lunia said, as they both started running to the Faerie Lane.

      After running a lot, the two pets reached the Faerie Quests building, in which they proceeded to enter. There they found many faeries in the process of preparing the ingredients for the most amazing and diverse spells. Lunia was mesmerized by the faerie's beauties, and as soon as she entered the building she started looking for Naia, who was waiting, sitting at her very own lake.

      "That's her!" Lunia pointed at the beautiful faerie whose hair was golden, with shades of aquamarine blue.

      "Is she a faerie or a mermaid?" Jex asked, confused.

      "Shush, let's go!" Lunia exclaimed before running in Naia's direction.

      Lunia came to Naia and handed her the Desert Usul Plushie she had struggled so much to get.

      "Very well, my dear neopet, you deserve to be rewarded for you have helped me more than you can imagine."

      "Are you working on fixing those crazy Meepits, Miss Fountain Faerie?" Jex asked.

      "Well, my spells are a secret I can't reveal, my dear Shoyru. As for you, miss Lunia, I now grant you one swim at my Rainbow Fountain. Shall we get there first?"

      The faerie snapped her fingers, and soon the three of them found themselves in the proximity of a beautiful rainbow waterfall. The magical waters fell in every visible color shades, from infrared to ultraviolet. Lunia faced Naia with a dazzled look, to which the faerie replied with a comforting smile. Lunia gave her first steps among various other lucky neopets that has just been subjected to the fountain's magical water's powers. She saw a Faerie Usul, a Pirate Yurble and even a Maraquan Acara. All of them looking satisfied with their brand new colors, and ready to impress the whole Neopia.

      "Well, here I go!" Lunia said, as she got closer to the colorful waters, before she jumped on the Fountain, raising a big amount of water drops on the air. She seemed to have disappeared for a while, under the fountain's smooth waters, but soon bubbles started to form on its surface. And then, just a moment later, there she was, emerging from the fountain, as a beautiful Starry Acara!

      "Wow!" Jex said, hypnotized with the fountain's magic.

      Lunia left the fountain yellow and blue, as starred as Altador's sky, and thanked Naia for everything before she and Jex left Faerieland, ready to go back to their homes, near the calmness of the docks, to rest from such a long and tiring adventure. The two neopets had no idea how they would manage to get home, being as poor as they were. But they would find a way. After all, they had the stars to guide them.

      "You know, you actually came out a little less ugly than I expected you to," Jex said as they forwarded home.

      "Just shush, Jex. Just shush."

The End