The earth Faerie was so used to the recipe by now. With deft hands, she decorated the cookies with mint cream, making sure to add a little extra since it was a special day.

It was a day that was dedicated solely to her, after all, and she wanted to thank the Neopians sincerely for that.

Every year on that day, Illusen would have double or even triple the number of Neopets visiting her, eager to fulfill her quests. The Faerie would give out more cookies than the usual days; she would reward the newbies with her famed Illusen's Cream Cookies regardless of whether they passed or failed her quest, resulting in her supply of cookies diminishing at an alarming rate.

After several years of experience of that particular day, she was finally able to gauge the approximate number of cookies to prepare so that she needn't have to rush to the kitchen to make new batches and let the poor Neopets wait with salivating mouths. As Illusen finished the final touches to her last batch, something was nagging at the back of her mind.

Hordes of Neopets would be queuing to receive her quests well before dawn arrived. However, the sun had already risen but no one had visited her glade yet.

"It doesn't seem right."

The Faerie cleared her kitchen quickly and washed her hands before heading out to the front door to see what was going on ...

An unwelcome thought creeped into the back of Illusen's mind. There was no way that everyone could have forgotten... No, Illusen mentally shook herself. There was no way. There had to be an alternative explanation. Illusen glanced around for someone she could ask where all the neopets could have gone off to. There could be an emergency, afterall, the neopets might need her help! She spotted a blue Ixi trotting nearby. She fluttered over to investigate.

"Hey! You!" Illusen called. The Ixi looked around at her call, before spotting Illusen. The Ixi trotted over slowly.

"Illusen! Can I help you?" the Ixi asked.

She smiled kindly at the Ixi.

"Hello, dear. How are you on this wonderful day?" Illusen asked with a wink.

The Ixi stared at Illusen like she'd grown another head.

"Is this a trick question?" The Ixi cautiously replied.

"No!" Illusen snapped, before calming herself. So what if this one Ixi forgot about her holiday? She needed to keep her cool in order to get to the bottom of this, so that all the neopets could come and get some of the delicious cookies she'd baked.

"Why would you think that was a trick question?" she asked.

The Ixi shrugged. "I guess I just didn't think you of all people would be too excited about Jhudora Day."

Now it was Illusen's turn to look at the Ixi like he had grown another head. Jhudora Day? That didn't make any sense. Jhudora's holiday was in winter, when things were still cold and dark, like her heart. Hers was right at the start of spring, when things were getting green.

"Yeah, it's Jhudora Day." The Ixi said, "I figured you'd be taking the day off."

"I... I see...?" Illusen said, a bit confused. Did she get the date wrong? No, that wasn't possible. Just, why would he think this was Jhudora Day?

"Yeah, you know. The fourth day of Awakening is your day, Illusen." The Ixi said, "The seventeenth day of Running is yours."

Well, the dates were right, but the holidays were mixed up. But the fact that no one else was here implied that it wasn't just the Ixi who was mixed up. But what caused the mix up in the first place?

"I must have been busy and forgot." Illusen said.

"Well, it just happened recently." The Ixi replied.

Now that was new information. Illusen's eyes lit up when the Ixi said that.

"What happened recently?" The earth Faerie said.

"Oh, I thought you knew. Cronjobba announced the change a few days ago."

Illusen had no idea who this Cronjobba was, but she was certainly going to get to the bottom of things. This was her day, and no one was going to get in her way.

"Do you know where I could find him?" Illusen asked.

"Umm ... you mean her?" The Ixi had an insulted look on his face, as if the earth faerie had just mocked someone dear to him. "The great Cronjobba is seated on the throne in Meridell. She might allow you to be in her presence if you come bearing a joke."

"Indeed," the faerie responded, giving the Ixi a few cookies for his help. "Thank you very much."

Illusen was quite alarmed. First, her special day was taken away from her. Now Skarl was not on the throne? How could she have missed so much in one day?

The earth faerie flew to the castle in a hurry. A line was forming at the gate; visitors awaiting to see their leader. Illusen could hear as pets of all species rehearsed their funniest comedic material. While they were busy, she sneaked to the front of the line, making sure that she would be seen as soon as the gates opened.

After a few moments, the bridge was lowered and the gates were opened. A guard swiftly escorted Illusen to the throne. A beautiful voice pierced through the silence.

"Tell me your joke ..."

"Excuse me...?" Illusen spoke.

Cronjobba turned to her direction and frowned. "What is it that you want, Earth Faerie?" she spoke with a drawl.

Illusen's face turned scarlet at the disrespect she was faced with. Even though Illusen was one of the more humble faeries, she still expected a bit of respect from the Neopians, royalty or not. Even Skarl, the most laziest Neopet she knew, always announced Illusen's arrival with dignity.

"...Your majesty..." Illusen spoke calmly with a gentle smile. "I seem to be a bit lost on where I am."

Cronjobba laughed shrilly, causing her subjects to follow. Illusen kept calm, knowing fully well something worrying was happening.

"You Earth Faeries are so silly!" Cronjobba spoke between shrill laughs. "Now, that was a funny joke!" Cronjobba motioned to her servants on her side with her fingers. The servants hurried over with a extravagant robe towards Illusen. "Take it!" Cronjobba said. "You earned it."

Before Illusen could say anything, she was scurried off with her prize to outside of the gates.

"What's happening?" Illusen muttered to herself.

"Illusen!" A voice whispered behind her.

Illusen turned around.

"Jhudora?"

"It's me alright," Jhudora snarled.

Illusen gasped as Jhudora almost fell to the ground. Illusen noticed that Jhudora's hair and complexion was beginning to turn grey. Normally Illusen cared less about what Jhudora was doing, but seeing her in this state made her ponder that something must be going wrong in Faerieland.

"Jhudora, what happened to you!"

Jhudora grinned and and sighed. "The Darkest Faerie taking over Faerieland happened. I didn't expect at first because she was disguised as Kaia."

Jhudora almost falls over again, but Illusen helps her before she falls.

"What about Kaia? Isn't she supposed to be helping us against the wraiths?" Illusen asked.

Jhudora giggled and then starting laughing like a madwoman. "She did, but ever since she returned from the Wild Woods something didn't seem right. I reckon that she's currently possessed by the Darkest Faerie."

Illusen gasped. She heard a few rumors that the Darkest Faerie had returned. She even heard that she had a dedicated band of followers who would carry out her whim.

"What should we do?" Illusen asked.

"Nothing. Aetheia is handling the Darkest Faerie. However, we must get rid of the impostor who's been posing as me and robbing me of my power."

Illusen nodded understandingly. "What do we need to do, Jhudora?"

“Okay,” said Illusen. “But who are we up against? Who has stolen your powers?”

Jhudora’s face contorted further. Her eyes began to look like small slits carved into a rock face. She opened her mouth to respond, her words emerging like the hiss of a snake: “Jennumara.”

Illusen gasped. Could it be true? Could the second dark faerie have emerged to continue her attempted imprisonment of all faeries? Was she part of the dark faerie’s band of followers? And how did Cronjobba fit into all of this chaos?

She studied Jhudora inquisitively. It had been so long since Jennumara had attacked a faerie that Illusen had begun to wonder if the story of the grey faerie’s imprisonment had been little more than a dream. Then Jhudora turned around and, low and behold, there was a slit in the middle of her left wing.

“She tried to take my wings,” Jhudora explained. “ I escaped just in time… but as you can see, her attempts to steal my wings, my greatest power, have left me greyer than before.”

Illusen nodded. She tried to keep her voice calm, though her stomach was leaping with anxiety. “Jhudora,” she said. “We can’t do this on our own. We need help. We need the only faerie that has met Jennumara and lived to tell the tale. We need to talk to the grey faerie…”

"Good luck with that," Jhudora said. The Darkest Faerie had sealed the Hidden Tower shut and to top it off she turned the strongest of the Neopet guards into wraiths."

Illusen gasped and furrowed her brow. "What about the other Neopets and the rest of the faeries?"

"Jennumara probably turned them all grey by now," Jhudora said. "Without an army of your own it's impossible to reach the Hidden Tower."

Illusen nodded and began pacing back and forth. After ten seconds, Illusen had an idea.

"We'll head to Brightvale," Illusen said with a glimmer of hope in her eye. "King Hagan should be able to help us out and I believe the newly appointed writing faerie should be there as well."

Jhudora looked at Illusen as if she had gone crazy. "Writing Faerie? Never heard of her."

"Fyora told me about her during the Faerie Festival. She's constantly writing new books and spells," Illusen said. "However, she was finally able to finish moving to Brightvale."

"Who is she?" Jhudora asked.

"I don't know, but she's definitely whimsical. We'll learn more in Brightvale."

Illusen and Jhudora began making there way to Brightvale. However, Cronjobba sent a Vandagyre scout to spy on the two faeries.

How will this story continue?

There was only so much one faerie could handle - well, one and a half, given Jhudora's weakened state. Illusen started to feel rather sluggish herself. She wanted to do right by all Neopians, but...

Guilt trickled at her stomach as she considered giving up. She could hear, in her head, the cries of the Neopians she would be letting down. They were calling her name, pounding at the door of her Glade, she'd have to leave Meridell...

Illusen sat bolt upright in her bed with a gasp. Early morning sunlight streamed through her window. And out that window, the Earth Faerie could see a line of Neopets stretched out, waiting for her to answer. Illusen pulled herself together quickly and answered the door.

"I'm terribly sorry, everyone," she said breathlessly.

"Can I have a quest, Illusen?" the Shoyru at the head of the line asked.

Illusen ran a hand through her brown hair. "Ah, how about you just tell me what day today is?"

"It's the 17th day of Running, Illusen," the Shoyru said, shocked. "Your day! Did you forget?"

Illusen smiled and handed the Shoyru one of her Cream Cookies. "No, I remembered. I just wanted to make sure. You would not BELIEVE the dream I had last night."

The End.