An Interview with the Snow Faerie

     "Can you help me find something, young neopet?"

     I blinked, not realizing she didn't recognize me. When it finally hit me, her smile hardened and she looked quite impatient.

     "Oh, um, Miss, I'm here for the interview. From the NT?"

     "What? Oh, yeah. Alright. Come sit down, over here, neopet. And please, my name is Taelia." The Snow Faerie pointed to a snow chair in front of the cauldron of what she was stirring. I shivered, clenching my coat tighter around me. Seeing this, she turned and scanned the many shelves behind her, finally choosing a bottle of blue liquid. She tossed me it, and I, almost dropping it, let out a squeak.

     "Drink it. It'll make you feel warmer."

     I did so, and her words were true. Rummaging through my satchel, I took out some parchment and a pen.

     "So, Miss Taelia-"

     "Just Taelia, neopet."

     "Taelia, how is it living up here in Terror Mountains?"

     "Perfect. Weather is nice. I don't mind snowstorms."

     "OK," I murmured, scribbling this down. "Do you wish to leave if you wanted to?"

     "I don't see a reason why. I'm not one of the main fancy faeries, so I don't have to help that much." She took the ladle out of the soupy yellow mixture, licked it, then cringed and dropped something into it. It burst into a purple color. "I can just get one of you pretties that need a job to get something for me, give you a few neopoints and a gift back, and everything's good."

     "Are you ever lonely?"

     "No. I like being alone. It's great to do things your own way, not having to worry about others getting into your business. You get me?" She licked her ladle again, nodded contently, and grabbed an empty bottle of another shelf. Dipping it in the potion and filling the bottle, she corked it, and did the same thing to more and more bottles till the mix was gone.

     "Do you like your job as the Snow Faerie?"

     "Sure."

     "If you had this job forever, would you still be happy?"

     "I suppose I wouldn't mind going in that direction."

     "What would've you been if not a Snow Faerie?"

     "I was created to be the Snow Faerie, kiddo. I don't see anyone else doing it but the big T herself, am I right?"

     "How would you describe yourself?"

     "Smart, simple, ready. Whatever. I really don't think about myself that much. Like, what do you expect, for me to start reflecting to myself about how I feel about myself? That stuff is rubbish, it is!"

     A Uni poked her head in, smiling uncertainly.

     "Give me a sec, neopet," Taelia grunted, then gestured to the Uni. "Can you help me find something, neopet? You know you want to. Pretty please?"

     Awkwardly, the Uni mumbled. "Yeah. Sure."

     Taelia threw her hands in the air, icy wings fluttering as she let out a sigh of content, pulling some parchment out and handing it to the neopet. "I need white chocolate cookies, a bubble gum smoothie, and Fyora Gum."

     The Uni nodded, taking the parchment and scrambling away. Taelia strode back to me, rubbing a bit of fur on the hoodie of her thick clothing. "Where were we?"

     "What? Oh, um-" I looked down to the parchment, squinted. "Oh yes! Er, how are the others, the other Faeries, I mean, to you?"

     "Again, I don't go out much. I only see Jhudora at meetings, and the rest I suppose don't really mind me."

     "Do you feel unhappy about how others feel that way?"

     "No. I don't care what they think." Just as she finished her sentence, another neopet walked in. A Nimmo. He scratched his head, and before she could say anything, quickly started to talk. "This is the Ice Faerie's place, right? I'm Steveee2369, and I was told you give quests, right? I need a quest. I-"

     "Yes, I hear you, neopet. Here." She handed him another parchment from her robe. How in Fyora's name can she do that?! I made a note on the side of my parchment to ask her next time I came. Not bothering to tell the talkative Nimmo the ingredients, she waved him out, lips pursed with slight irritation as she watched him go. It was obvious that she wanted him gone as soon as possible. Making sure he was gone, she yelled, "Bye!"

     "Talkative ones are the worst." Taelia smoothed her robe. "I wish he would've left without a quest, I can't stand them when they come back." She then sighed, massaging her temples as she came back to me as another smile encrusted her face. "Go on-"

     Just as she started to station herself back at her spot behind her cauldron, another neopet walked in. This time, she didn't talk. "Can you help me find something, neopet? You know you want to. Pretty please?"

     Does she say that to everybody?

     The Ixi bobbed her head. It went on, Taelia handing her parchment-I needed to learn how to do that-and explaining what to get. I didn't listen.

     "Neopet? Neopet! Wake up!" she was yelling in my ear! Jumping, I shook my head, trying to stop the ringing. "Ow..." I mumbled, and looked up at her, with her crossed arms and impatient face.

     "Go on; I'm a busy person. I can't stick around waiting for you forever, neopet!"

     "Right-"

     Another neopet had walked in, interrupting me. He looked pretty nervous. Taelia strode over. I snorted. I should leave. This wasn't getting anywhere now! Oh well. I fumbled with my things, carefully capping my expensive red pen from Altador and rolling up my parchment so they wouldn't smudge, then carefully arranging them into my bag. Slinging it back over my shoulder, I made my way slowly to the exit, listening over Taelia's voice of her own footsteps.

     "Bye, Taelia!"

     The Snow Faerie was yakking away at the neopet about the ingredients she needed, and didn't turn to see me go, which I didn't mind, to be honest. You kind of got used to it, even though it's a bit much to say after me only being there for an hour or two.

     "See you later!"

     At this, she turned, waving. "Don't forget to tell everyone to stop by here and get a quest!"

     So. Everyone. Now you know what to do in your spare time, right? ;) I'm sure Taelia would be happy enough to reflect her feeling for you if you stop by to pick up a few things for her! (Just make sure not to yak too much, she hates it!) Maybe she can actually try making friends this time.

The End