The Battle Faerie's Quest

      "You're a faerie, aren't you?" asked a little Kacheek. It looked up at her with big amber eyes. "Do you give quests? I'll do one!"

      Aloria stared quizzically down at the Kacheek. It had been a long time since she had given a quest; Queen Fyora wasn't too happy about the last one. "I can't give quests," Aloria said. "Against Queen Fyora's rules."

      "Please?" the Kacheek pleaded. "Just one, even if it's really hard?"

      Aloria sighed. She'd pay a big consequence for this. "All right, just one. It'll be hard, and dangerous," she warned, but the little Kacheek just stared and shrugged. "Go to the Snowager and get a..." Aloria blushed a deep scarlet. "...a Tuskaninny Plushie," she said really fast.

      "Okay! My name's Buddy, by the way!" The Kacheek ran out of the Battledome and raced off to find the Snowager's cave.

     The Ice Caves' icicles glittered in the dull sunlight. Buddy moved quickly on the ice, slipping and sliding. Cheerful Neopets waved and laughed at the clumsy Kacheek. But Buddy didn't care; he was going to get that Tuskaninny Plushie from the Snowager, no matter what.

      "Hey, hey!" said a Cybunny, being pushed onto the ground from Buddy running into it. "Where d'you think you're going in such a rush?"

      "Completing a quest for a Battle Faerie." Buddy answered hastily.

      "Ooo! What do you need? A sword, or a shield?" the Cybunny asked excitedly.

      "Nope. I have to get a Tuskaninny Plushie from the Snowager."

      The Cybunny gasped. "You're crazy! Well, not you, but that Battle Faerie is! What's gotten into her? Don't you know that Snowager is dangerous?"

      Buddy shrugged. "I'm hoping that Battle Faerie gives my friend a new name." He rushed off to the Snowager's cave, the Cybunny right behind him.

      "I'm more...used to this place than you are," she said when she caught up. They stepped quietly into the Snowager's cave, and sighed in relief.

      The Snowager was asleep.

      And, right at the bottom of the Snowager's endless supply of Plushies, was a Tuskaninny Plushie, just what Buddy needed. With extra careful steps, and with the Cybunny biting her nails, he inched toward the gigantic pile and grabbed the Tuskaninny Plushie.

      Just as he turned to leave, the Snowager woke up and gave a roar. The Cybunny screamed and dashed out of the cave. Buddy stood, frozen, staring at the glass worm. Suddenly, he felt angry. He grabbed a Plushie and threw it at the Snowager, who gave another roar and lunged, jaws open wide.

      Buddy quickly moved out of the way, the Tuskaninny Plushie still in his hand. He grabbed another Plushie and hit the worm with it. Plushie after Plushie blinded the Snowager as Buddy pelted it endlessly. It roared, but its mouth was soon stuffed with Plushies.

      Grabbing two Neggs, Buddy threw as hard as he could at the Snowager's eyes. An exact hit! The Snowager shook its head blindly and roared. Many Neopets had crept inside to watch the fearless Kacheek battle that fierce Snowager.

      Grabbing a spotted Negg, Buddy chucked it at the worm. Right on the nose! The crowd of Neopets gasped, some cheered, and Buddy kept throwing Neggs and Plushies until the Snowager was covered. Running for the cave entrance, he heard the Snowager's roar muffled under the pile of Neggs and Plushies.

      The crowd of Neopets cheered and lifted Buddy off the ground. Even Taelia the Snow Faerie and the Negg Faerie were there, smiling in awe and applauding with the rest. Lupes and Cybunnies and Kaus and Wockies and many other types of Neopets had come from Happy Valley to see what the commotion was about. Soon, after being told the story, they started cheering too.

      Remembering what he was here for, Buddy soon pushed his way through the crowd and dashed down the path that led through Happy Valley, the crowd following. The Cybunny Buddy had met earlier had caught up with him. She said her name was Lena, and she said how brave he was.

      "That Snowager could've eaten you for a snack!" Lena said.

      "I don't care! My friend needs a name, so when I saw the Battle Faerie at the Battledome, I knew she would give me a quest. She said to get a Tuskaninny Plushie from the Snowager, so I did," Buddy said carelessly, running down Terror Mountain.

      "But you battled the Snowager so fearlessly!" Lena complimented.

      "I need to get back to the Battle Faerie! Bye, Lena!" Buddy said and ran out of sight.

     Aloria waited at the Battledome entrance, a Grey Faerie beside her. Her name was Jenna, and she said she was a friend of Buddy's. She seemed hopeful about the quest, and Aloria seemed impatient. Where was Buddy? Not that he had a time limit (she never thought of those as useful), but she wanted to make sure he was alive.

      "BATTLE FAERIE!" Buddy yelled, almost running into her. "I got your doll!" He handed her the Tuskaninny Plushie, and Aloria took it carefully. She had always wanted a Tuskaninny Plushie, but never found the time to get one, with all the battles and things.

      She turned to say what did Buddy want for a reward, but saw him blushing as Jenna praised him for his battling. Aloria was impressed. Buddy fought the fearsome Snowager? She, a Battle Faerie, had never dared to face the creature, but a little Kacheek had.

      Buddy looked at Aloria. "Can you give Jenna a new name?" he asked quietly. Jenna stared and blushed a deep red. But she, too, looked hopefully at Aloria.

      The Battle Faerie stood there, stunned by the question. About one hundred faerie rules would be broken if she gave Jenna a new name. But, she was already an outlaw, so she nodded. Sitting next to Jenna, she gave the Grey Faerie a new name.

      Buddy yelped and jumped into his friend's arms and didn't let go.

      "Giving a Grey Faerie a new name!" Queen Fyora fumed. Aloria had been sent to the Faerieland Castle for a sentence. "You know that's against faerie rules!"

      Aloria remained silent, her chin in the air, proud for what she did.

      Queen Fyora stared at the defiant faerie. She had sent a Kacheek to get a Plushie from the Snowager, the Kacheek fought the Snowager, won, and completed the quest. Aloria stared back.

      "Take away my wings, but I'm proud of what I did." Aloria whispered.

      Queen Fyora was startled. Aloria, a rule breaking outlaw, was standing there, willing to give her wings away, proud of what she had done. Queen Fyora sighed. "So am I," she said.

      Now Aloria was startled.

      "You did what you thought was right, and that quest was completed. That shows bravery, even for you. One hundred rules broken, but you gave a new name to that Grey Faerie. Maybe I'm wrong, but one things certain: you are some Faerie."

      Maybe, just maybe, there's a little bravery in all of us. Whether it's battling the Snowager, or just having the bravery to stand up to what you think is right, we're all brave in our own ways.

The End