Pixie the Ixi

      Deep into the woods of Meridell, far past anywhere Illusen would dare send a devotee, traveled a pair of Neopets on their own quest.

      The slower of the pair, was an elderlyboy Ogrin who huffed and puffed. He could be heard from miles away whacking hanging branches off of the trial. The pastel Blumaroo who walked a good five paces ahead looked back in mild impatience every few minutes.

      "Tell me why we are here again?" Questioned the Blumaroo. He had begun to regret his decision to help the Ogrin for a measly 200 Neopoints. "This is so not worth it" he thought. "I could get more from helping Jhudora!" He quickly shook the thought as he remembered those long green nails and the sinister smile of the dark faerie.

      The elderly Ogrin shook his cane at the Blumaroo. "I told you twice now young one! The Grumpy Old King has put out a reward for anyone who finds this Ixi!" The Ogrin shoved a copy of the wanted poster he had saved for reference into the Blumaroo's face. On the poster showed the face of an extremely happy Ixi whose name was scribed in big bold red letters: Pixie.

      "I know that. But you never told me why she is so important or who she is? She must be important to the community of Meridell if the Grumpy Old King put her on a wanted poster."

      The Blumaroo was becoming quite impatient, as many younger Neopets do.

      The Ogrin sighed and stopped. This did not seem to be a story he wanted to tell. While the reward of 100,000 Neopoints split inbetween the two Neopets greatly motivated each partner, the Ogrin almost half hoped he did not find Pixie at all.

          He motioned for the Blumaroo to come closer so that he could speak in a barely audible whisper. The Blumaroo perked up in excitement for the first time since they had started their search two days ago. The Ogrin looked around to make sure no third parties were present.

      Then he began:

      "The story of Pixie is more of a cautionary phrase than an actual tale around some parts of Meridell. "Remember Pixie" they would warn when young Neopets would wander off too far from their tiny districts in Meridell.

      She was a beautiful Ixi long ago. We speak in the past tense for no one has seen her in quite a long while and even the ones who have claimed to wouldn't disagree that beautiful is no longer an appropriate adjective for the Ixi. She was nominated in her neighborhood to run for the Miss Meridell Prettiest Peasant contest. It was no high honor in the world of Neopia. But for the peasants in her neighborhood it was a small trinket of satisfaction she could hold onto for years to come.

      The contest must have meant more to her than anyone could have imagined. For as beautiful as she was, she wanted more.

      Now, no one knows quite how she got the lab pieces in her possession, for she was always secretive even then. But regardless of how, she set out to find the scientist. That was the last time anyone saw her. She left on the main trails of Meridell, waving goodbye shouting that the next time she came back would be to receive her crown as a beautiful faerie Ixi...

      Alas, none of those things came to pass. The contest came and went with no Pixie in sight. She never returned. The weeks trickled by until months had passed and rumors began sweeping the neighborhoods. A young Skeith with a reputation for an overactive imagination swore he saw a creature in the deserted forest fixing a den with twisting vines and thorn branches. He claimed it looked like some sort of mutated pet, resembling an Ixi in a terribly deformed way. The only thing he could make out in the darkness was a golden letter P dangling from a necklace around its neck. Whatever it was, it seemed to have moved its location soon after......"

      The Blumaroo gulped as fear began to work its way into his heart. The Meridell forests were beginning to come alive with different sorts of creatures now that nightfall had crept upon them. He had not noticed how time had flown by while he was busy listening to the Ogrin's story.

      Before he could plead with the elderly Neopet to abandon this creepy and foolhardy quest, the path had become too dark to see clearly. Nightfall was now upon them and they had no other option but to set up camp and stay for the night. They could only continue or perhaps go home, once dawn came and lit their trail once again.

      The Ogrin perhaps sensing the younger Neopet's fear broke into a laugh and poked the Blumaroo with his cane. "'Tis but a story you fool!" Comforted the Orgin. The Blumaroo let out a sigh of relief. "You almost had me going there" admitted the Blumaroo.

      The Ogrin shifted his eyes uncomfortably at noticing the surrounding darkness. "Err...it's getting late. We should start making our tent and get some rest."

      As the two Neopets began to gather their equipment and set up their camp, a rustle in the shrubs off -trail startled the Blumaroo.

      "Did you hear that?!" He whispered frantically. He looked around in the blinding darkness, but felt nor heard anything more. "It was probably a petpet lurking about in there causing mischief" replied the Ogrin pretending to sound unbothered. Yet he began to hurry his pace in making the tent.

      The rustling became louder and more frequent. The Blumaroo stood with the camp supplies, transfixed by the sound. There was now a small low humming sound coming from the shrubs. It was not pleasant, nor did it sound like any Neopet they had ever encountered before.

      "Do you hear that?" The Blumaroo asked, tilting his head to where he supposed the Ogrin was. It had become so dark that no regular Neopet could possibly see any longer. But there was no reply from the Ogrin. He had built the tent quickly and gotten inside without another sound.

      "Sir?" asked the Blumaroo.

      "Come inside boy, quickly!" Urged the Ogrin in a rushed whisper.

      "What's wrong sir?"

      "You seem paranoid. I thought you said that story was fak-" the Blumaroo never finished his sentence. There came a deafening clash of pots and pans as the camp supplies the Blumaroo had been holding were dropped on the very trail without another word.

      The elderlyboy Ogrin shook his head inside the tent but dared not make a sound. He waited with fear and anticipation, but the Blumaroo never finished his sentence.

      "Some day Pixie. I will capture you and bring you to justice" he swore to himself.

      The darker, less traveled woods of Meridell rustled in the wind with triumph as if they had been victorious in a battle only known to they themselves. Within the noise of the shifting branches and leaves lingered a soft humming that seemed to surround the entire woods themselves.

      The owner of such a soft pretty humming must be very pleased, for it continued long into the night. Not once did it cease. Only once the first signs of dawn were approaching did the humming begin to fade away.

      The End.