The receptionist of the Employment Agency leaned down to study the small blue Kau that was looking hopefully up at her. She then shifted through some papers. "Well, let me see what we have available..."

Delilah waited patiently as the pink Lenny receptionist waded through the stack, finally pulling one out. "Do you think you could manage to find three breakfast teas in 52 minutes, for a base reward of... 750 Neopoints?" she inquired.

Delilah smiled eagerly. "Oh yes, yes. I can do that!" The small Kau took the paper with the work order and hurried out the door. Stepping onto the fluffy clouds of Faerieland, Delilah smiled broadly. Her family would be so proud of her! She wasn't very good at playing games, and had terrible luck. Maybe she would finally be able to contribute to her family this way! Glancing at the list once again, she quickly headed over to the Faerieland Marketplace...

"Yes?" asked an old yellow-winged Korbat with a long handlebar mustache, flapping over to her. A pair of tiny square glasses balanced on the end of his small nose, and a greying hunched Beekadoodle sat on his shoulder.

"Are you PuffPuff?" Delilah asked.

"That I am. Would you like a tour of my Hot Drink Emporium and Gallery?"

"Actually, I'm looking to buy some breakfast tea," Delilah said, getting straight to the point.

PuffPuff laughed a gruff, gravelly laugh. "This is a gallery. I only deal in the rarest and most expensive hot drinks, sweetheart. I have a single serving of breakfast tea, which is in top condition, that I keep in that cabinet. However, I don't sell your typical everyday teas," he said with a wave of a wing. "If you just want some tea, why don't you visit Ye Olde Coffee Shoppe in the Deep Catacombs?"

"The D-d-deep Catacombs? Where are they?" Delilah asked, not liking the sound of such a place.

PuffPuff laughed again. "You can find them below the Art Centre, in Neopia Central."

Delilah smiled. "Thanks Mr. PuffPuff." Delilah said, smiling. "I'll be on my way."

PuffPuff waved as the little blue Kau trotted out the door. "Good luck, sweetheart!" he called after her.

So, Delilah called an Eyrie taxi and made her way down to Neopia Central. She looked at the clock by the Guild Headquarters as she passed. Oh, I've got lots of time, she thought to herself. The curious blue Kau made her way down to the Deep Catacombs beneath the Art Centre. She was a little scared by the weird shadows that the campfire's light cast on the walls, and by all the strange Neopets in berets, but she just had to get that tea. She spotted the well-lit coffee shop and headed on in. A pretty yellow Shoyru with a bonnet and blue eyeshadow greeted her. "How can I help you, dearie?" the Shoyru asked.

"I'm looking for some breakfast tea," Delilah explained.

The Shoyru shopkeeper pursed her lips in thought. "I'm afraid we haven't had a shipment of breakfast tea lately."

Delilah looked worried. "Oh no! What am I going to do now?" She hadn't found any tea yet, and there were only thirty-five minutes left...

..."What's the matter, dearie?" asked the Shoyru, placing a comforting hand on Delilah's shoulder. "I'm sure if you just wait a moment, the next shipment will be here in ten, maybe fifteen, minutes. Well, maybe a little longer, since it's the weekend..."

"You don't understand!" cried Delilah. "I have to get three breakfast teas for the Employment Agency in thirty-five minutes, otherwise I'll lose my job. Then they won't hire me anymore, and I'll be letting my family down. Why, I'll be nothing but a..."

Before Delilah could finish, the Shoyru gently calmed her down. "There, there! Just settle down... there's no need to get all worked up. You say you're working for the Employment Agency?" Delilah nodded. Then, to her surprise, the Shoyru let out a small chuckle. "Oh my, Dearie! Why didn't you say so? Just go to the Shop Wizard."

Delilah gasped. "I-I'm allowed to do that? My brother said you weren't allowed to consult the Shop Wizard for situations like this."

"Only on Faerie Quests are you not allowed to visit the Shop Wizard. For this, it's fine. There are others who pop in for a visit and some good advice all the time for Illusen, Jhudora, and the Esophagor. Oh, but listen to me, babbling away when you should be working. Just go to the Marketplace in Neopia Central and find the large building shaped like a wizard's hat. Be sure to tell him SPECIFICALLY what you're looking for, and you should have no trouble finding it."

After gathering her information, Delilah thanked the shopkeeper and set off towards the Marketplace. Upon her arrival, the blue Kau was amazed by what she saw... Delilah had never seen so many little buildings in one place before. Some were domes, others were cute little houses, and some were shapes she'd never seen before. As she walked, she saw all around her other Neopets going in and out of the buildings, carrying bags of items and whatnots.

That's when she saw the large, pointed wizard's hat in the middle of town, and knew she was in the right place. Delilah galloped to the Shop Wizard's domain, but when she got there her heart nearly stopped when she saw...

"Can you tell me where to find a shop with three breakfast teas?" asked Delilah. "The cheapest ones please," she added.

The Shop Wizard frowned. "I'm afraid not... something's wrong with my wand. It must need more magic, I reckon."

Delilah sighed. At this rate, she would never make it to the Employment Agency on time, but she couldn't give up. "Let's go to the Magic Shop and see if they have what you're looking for," she said desperately.

"Alright; it beats standing here, anyways..." replied the Shop Wizard. They bolted to the Magic Shop, and arrived there in no time.

When they walked through the front doors, : Delilah and the Shop Wizard were greeted by Kauvara. "What will it be?" she inquired.

"Ermm..." began the Shop Wizard, trying to remember the ingredients. "Oh yeah... one magic vial, one healing potion I, and one Fire Faerie, please." Kauvara nodded, and rummaged through the shelves. Within a few minutes she returned, carrying an armful of potions. The Shop Wizard and Delilah took them eagerly, then quickly carried them back to the hut, where they began repairing the wand. The Shop Wizard poured in the contents of the vial and potion, then sprinkled some essence of Fire Faerie. At this, it began to glow.

"Now I can transport you to the shop in no time," said the Shop Wizard. "However, you'll have to go home by yourself... oh, and here's a little something for your help. I can't quite remember what it does, so try not to use it unless it's an emergency!" He rummaged through his robes, and withdrew a strange glowing totem.

"Thanks!" exclaimed Delilah. The Shop Wizard chanted a spell, then waved his wand. In a bright flash of light, the Kau vanished.

"I'll be late!" cried Delilah as she ran towards the Eyrie taxi. She could have sworn that she had at least two more miles to go, until she'd arrived at where she needed to be. "But wait... the totem!" The Wizard had told her only to use it in an emergency, but this WAS an emergency...

...She gently reached a hoof into the pouch she had tied to her new collar, rummaging through the breakfast teas until she had found the totem. She withdrew it carefully, remembering her terrible luck.

"Perfect," she sighed, placing the strange object on the ground in front of her. The item started to glow a bright purple color, making the dirt around it jump as it shook. looked down at the totem, her eyes crossing in confusion. "Now what?" she mused to herself, "I have no clue what this thing does! I should have asked that crazy Shop Wizard. I guess my only option is to just start trying things!"

"Abra-Cadabra!" she yelled. Half expecting the totem to blow up, she shielded her face with her hooves, but nothing happened. "Drat!" Delilah yelled, scuffing the ground in anger. "What else can I do?" Thinking, she ran to a nearby tree, snapped off a branch, then came back to the totem and, hitting it, said some made up magic words in the process. Once again nothing happened. "I just have to keep trying," she decided.

Twenty tries later, Delilah was sitting in front of the totem on the ground, biting her tongue to keep her from throwing the thing against a tree.

"You're useless!" she yelled at the totem, like it was her adversary. Throwing a clump of dirt at it, she ranted some more, "I could've been to Faerieland by now, and probably been on time! Now, thanks to YOU, I only have 5 minutes left, and there's no way I'm going to get there!" The totem grew brighter, casting a purple glow on the ground around it. "Are you challenging me?" the Kau asked almost stupidly, bringing her face close to the object.

The totem shook, in what she took for a response. That was the last straw! Squinting one eye in annoyance, she picked up her glowing enemy and hurled it at the ground, a couple of feet away. Turning her back to it, she pouted. "I would've had more luck wishing on a rock! All I wanted was more time to get my job done--" A shattering sound cut her off. As she looked towards the totem, she saw that it was lying in two pieces on the ground.

"Oh geez, I broke the useless thing! That bizarre wizard is going to have my hoof!" She gingerly poked at the two pieces, as a swirling mist poured out of each half. "Maybe I can go get it fixed!" Delilah said. Picking the totem halves up, she ran back to the shops.

"Hello?" Delilah called meekly, as a bell signaled her arrival into the Magic Shop. "Kauvara? It's me, from before..." The blue Kau looked around the store, spotting her magical query behind the counter. "Oh! I'm so glad you're here! See, I broke this thing, and I didn't mean to bother you, but I was trying to get my job items back in time..."

She trailed off as Kauvara stood dumbly in front of her, not nodding her head in understanding, or even blinking for that matter. "Er, Kauvara?" Delilah questioned, thinking the Kau was mad at her. When she got no response, Delilah grew annoyed. "What is with me today?!" she shouted. Climbing a little onto the counter, she prodded Kauvara's shoulder, knowing she'd get yelled at for doing so.

Kauvara simply fell over, though.

"What?" the blue Kau gasped in surprise, quickly running out of the store in fear. Upon feeling the safety of the outside wall, she regained her frazzled nerves, and began looking around the streets to be comforted by the passing Neopians.

However, what she saw outside only made her more confused and scared. Everyone around her had stopped moving. They were all stuck it their daily tasks. Delilah looked across the street to a Blumaroo who was watering her flowers, but the water was stuck in mid-air, and the Blumaroo was stuck in mid-pour.

The small Kau realized that she was so busy planning on what to say to Kauvara, she didn't notice this happening in the first place. However, that's when reality thumped her on the head as she looked down at the now colorless, still, and broken totem.

"My wish came true." she barely whispered. "I have more time... because time has stopped..."

She walked up to the Blumaroo and prodded him gently on the shoulder.

"Move!" she yelled. "Please move, or... at least talk!" she sobbed as a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. Her efforts accounted for nothing, though. The Blumaroo remained as still as a statue.

What could she do now? She racked her brain for ideas, until she could hardly think anymore.

"The Employment Agency!" she yelled. "Maybe if I take the breakfast teas there, my wish for more time will complete, and the totem will turn everything back to normal!"

There was now a glimmer of hope, which made Delilah a little happier, and even more willing to try something. She searched for an Eyrie taxi, but couldn't find one anywhere. She strained her eyes to find one at the back of the marketplace. Running over, she asked it to take her to Faerieland.

"Excuse me?" she said, tapping on its wing. It wouldn't move. Panic swept through her body. OF COURSE the Eyrie wasn't able to move, let alone fly her all the way to Faerieland! It too had been trapped in time. Her hopes had been raised for nothing. How would she ever get to the Employment Agency now?

There HAD to be a way to get to Faerieland, though! Delilah concentrated as hard as she could. How could she manage it? Her eyes lit for a second as a thought entered her mind, but then she drooped her head again. She certainly didn't have the money for a Faerie paint brush. Sitting down in a heap, she thought dejectedly. At least I have time consider all my options. She looked around at the still world surrounding her. Lots of time...

...Delilah was feeling panicked there, lying on the ground thinking so hard that it made her head hurt. How was she going to reverse this if she isn't able to get to Faerieland? Everyone knew perfectly well Kaus can't fly!

Then it struck her. This was truly an emergency! Desperate times called for desperate measures. Maybe she just could...

She ran through the Neopia Bazaar, past Neopia Central, up and down many hills, around dozens of shops and past the Soup Faerie, who was pouring soup that was now frozen. Passing the Shop Wizard, she finally made it to the top 10 shops. She ran inside the first one she could find, hoping they had what she needed. There she saw it, the thing Delilah needed to save Neopia, unfreeze time, and still not fail her job! Upon the shelf was the very thing that she needed:

A Faerie paint brush.

She knew it was wrong, but there were hundreds in stock, and anyway, she convinced herself, unless they want to remain statues the rest of their lives, I need to take just this one! She quickly ran to the Rainbow Pool and began painting herself. Immediately she sprouted wings, purple fur, antennae, and a spiffy Faerie bell. Now with all the breakfast teas, and totem in hoof, she soared up into the sky. Stretching her new wings, Delilah felt the cool breeze lick her face. She didn't have to fly for long to find Faerieland.

After all, it was an enormous cloud carrying a dazzling purple city. She glided down, landing next to the Petpet Shop. Running full speed into the mighty violet building, she placed all three breakfast teas onto the counter, panting and sweating. She looked hopefully up at the still body of the pink Lenny. SURELY she would break the curse by completing her wish, right?...

"Oh NO!" Delilah thought, then she had an idea. Maybe her task WASN'T completed after all! It wouldn't do to just place the breakfast teas on the counter; there had to be a special spot for the "completed task" items! Quickly, Delilah raced behind the desk and looked in horror at the rows and rows and rows and ROWS of containers and bins, stacked neatly in the shelf under the desk. How would she EVER find the right one?

Frantically, she began pulling containers out and looking in them, searching for one with breakfast teas in them. She found quite a bit of interesting knick-knacks: a half-melted, sad looking strawberry shortcake, a lime slushie that had toppled over on its side, and... a totem that looked exactly like hers, except that it wasn't broken in two! Delilah's brows knitted in curiosity, and she made a note to return to that bin once she'd found one containing breakfast teas. It took her about 30 more minutes, working slowly through each of the containers, 'til she found one with an assorted mix of breakfast teas inside.

"Finally!" Delilah sighed and, hoof quivering with eager anticipation, placed the three teas in the container, one by one. She waited... and waited... and waited some MORE, but nothing happened. Delilah's eyes widened in horror. She had thought for sure that placing the breakfast teas in the right spot would break the charm that had been placed upon all of Neopia! However, it obviously hadn't.

Frantically, Delilah raced back to the bin where the totem that looked like hers was stored. It glowed slightly with a soft radiance, shimmering in her trembling hooves. Should I? she asked herself. You don't even know if it works the same way as yours, a voice in her head warned. Something, however, HAD to be done. The world couldn't stay frozen forever, and it was up to her, Delilah, to make time start again. Taking a deep breath, she gently, cautiously lifted the totem from its place...

...and said, "I wish time was unfrozen!" and hurled it at the wall. The totem broke in half, sending a pink mist swirling from its ends that covered her. She coughed, and when the smoke subsided... the pink Lenny's voice sounded.

"Oh good, dear... I see you found your breakfast teas, and in time, too! Plus you had time to get painted, how lovely!" Delilah felt her cheeks burn, and hung her head. She had found the breakfast teas, but not in time. She also hadn't had the time to get painted. To top it all off, she'd stolen that paint brush. She had cheated and stole, and felt very ashamed. So ashamed that she started bawling, then pouring out her story to the pink Lenny.

"It's alright, dear," said the Lenny. "You were desperate... you needed a job badly... and you'd told me you were quite unlucky. You didn't know how to work the wand, and the only way to save time was to steal the paint brush."

"I still feel bad, though!" wailed Delilah.

"Do you know how to make things right?" the Lenny asked, lifting up her chin. "Tell the owner what happened, and ooffer to pay them back for the brush. It may take some time to do so, but then you can continue life with a clean conscience. Oh, and take this, instead of the neopoints." The Lenny lifted another wand from behind the counter.

"Oh no, I couldn't!" said Delilah. "That is much more valuable! I couldn't..."

"Yes you can." said the Lenny, pressing it into her hooves. "You should wish for luck. Goodness knows what might happen to Neopia if your bad luck continues!" she laughed, and Delilah blushed. She studied the wand, then gave it back.

"I can't accept this," she said. "I resolve that whatever luck I have, I will make myself." The Lenny looked admirably at the young Kau. Someone so small had learned such a big lesson--all by herself.

"Well, at least take another job," said the Lenny. "Could you find me two top condition kraku berry mocha mochas in 37 minutes?" Delilah thought a minute. Where in the world would she find that?! She would need lots of luck to be able to find something that nice. She made her decision.

"Yes, yes I will!" she said. "Thank you!" She hurried out of the agency and headed to PuffPuff's emporium. Even bad luck can be made good with the right attitude, and she did have a good attitude, returning to the agency with the mochas and getting a reward. Her family was so proud. Soon, Delilah had become a master of getting jobs done, and was able to pay the (thankfully) understanding owner back for the brush.

Flying over Faerieland, seaching for three magic smelly socks, Delilah smiled to herself. Thanks to her growing confidence, her luck didn't seem to be so bad any more. She really had learned an important lesson that day.

The End