Where to go? The Shop Wizard could go anywhere
in Neopia for vacation. Hmmmm. Maybe he could decide over some coffee.
Looking up at the statue of Bill Shockspeare, the wizard quickly turned
the statue's hand, revealing a hidden staircase.
Descending into the gloom
of the fiery torches the price comparison master entered the deep catacombs
art gallery of Neopia Central. More importantly, the area where the Coffee
shop was situated. Opening a door set into a large mushroom (AKA it was
taller than most NeoPets) the Shop Wizard peeked into the coffee shop.
Sliding into a booth near the door, he ordered a Purplum Mocha and two
tea biscuits for Lint. Lint quietly munched his tea biscuits as his uncle
scanned the room. Only a few patrons were in the shop including a young
Mynci sipping a Zeenana cappuccino with cream in a booth at the back and
a Korbat and Techo whispering to each other.
The green Korbat occasionally sipped his tea as he listened
to the, also green, Techo The Shop Wizard turned back to his mocha taking
long, slow sips. "The Negg Faerie will strike again - you know that,"
Sanando whispered to Sythin his Korbat friend. Sythin took a long draw
of Earl Grey Tea, "I know." Closing his eyes behind the small oval-framed
glasses, Sythin savoured the taste of his favourite tea as it flowed smoothly
down his throat.
"Still, after chasing her away it was smart to destroy
her remaining Neggs. That should slow her while we grow more golden Neggs
- only that first bush bloomed instantly."
"Yes, it will. In the meantime we should avoid eating
Neggs and check if she has any other evil tricks up her sleeve. Let's
see...where could we find her secret base?" "That's easy," Sythin stated
confidently as he set down his teacup, "The Neggery, of course. We'll
leave immediately."
"I never could keep up to you when it came to thinking.
Let's go."
The Shop Wizard watched the pair leave. They seemed confident
about their destination, but a glance at their eyes told the wizard that
they had a hint of fear hidden in them. Wondering what would cause them
to fear anything in Neopia - besides Sloth of course - , the wizard shifted
his mind to the decision at hand - deciding where to spend his vacation.
Obviously Lint had been planning this for a while. While the wizard was
scanning the room Lint had flopped (pretty much the only thing Fuzzles
can do with their feet) a pile of travel pamphlets onto the table. The
wizard studied the pamphlets. One had a big coconut on the front holding
a sign saying, "Visit Mystery Island today!"
"Nah, too humid. Our fur will soak up into bunches with
all the moisture in the air. The Lost Desert? I'm hot enough as it is
with this fur coat in Neopia Central let alone some roasting desert."
Lint looked sorrowful. He must have wanted to go there. Not wanting to
be unkind to his nephew.
The Shop Wizard quickly picked up the next pamphlet and
read, "The Haunted Woods! Er...would that do?"
Eyes smiling, Lint tumbled over to his uncle and gave
him a big hug (with his feet, of course).
The wizard smiled, "You're welcome."
Sythin checked the straps on his little backpack as Sanando
and him waited for the passage to Terror Mountain. There was a larger
route by land but most Neopians chose to take the shorter route on one
of the two giant baskets that carried pets to the Happy Valley at the
base of Terror Mountain. The baskets were quite large and could hold up
to five hundred NeoPets. Naturally the baskets didn't float through the
air, but were carried by large birds made of ice known as Icewhits.
"Check when the next Icewhit arrives," Sanando said,
carefully shifting the weight of a small golden Negg bush that they kept
with them in case of emergency - they were going into the lion's den after
all.
The golden Neggs that grew on the bush were small, a
little larger than an acorn, but powerful. Having the power to revert
your pet back to a normal NeoPet if it had been mutated by one of the
Evil Negg Faerie's purple and yellow striped mutation Neggs.
As Sythin flapped up to look over the crowd of pets he
gave a gasp - the Icewhit was just landing. In the early morning sun the
Icewhit glittered and shone like ice crystals. A large wingspan spanned
the heavens, revealing clear icicle feathers on large powerful wings.
The long, pointed crystalline beak made the bird look like a pterodactyl
with eagle wings. This gargantuan bird clutched the handle of the basket
in frosty hawk-like talons. Only two of these birds had ever been created.
The Faeries had worked together with snow Faerie to carve them out of
ice and snow then the Faerie Queen and Snow Faerie cast a complex enchantment
which brought birds to life.
The birds had been also enchanted to desire to carry
these baskets between Neopia Central and Terror Mountain. Moving onto
the basket the mass of pets settled themselves on little benches hammered
into the side and center of the basket.
And then, with a gush of wind, the basket lifted off
into the air, heading toward Terror Mountain.
To be continued... | 
