Princess Lunara - Kidnapped or Hiding?

It all began when the princess was alone in her room; she was extremely bored and not even her petpet Kazeriu could cheer her up. I have questioned the emperor and he has confirmed that he heard a struggle coming from inside the princess’s room, but he was too late. By the time he arrived, the princess had been kidnapped. I arrived at the crime scene one hour after the attack; I saw that a note that had been left behind by Dr. Sloth and I immediately knew that the princess had been kidnapped.

I traced my steps through the guards answering questions about Neopia, Neopian culture, and notable Neopians. After answering my first three questions, I passed the guards and found a clue, a grappling hook, and an item Dr. Sloth had used to interrogate his minions; mutant Grundos. I picked it up and pocketed the item; I may have needed it in my future quest. I was a quarter of the way to rescuing the princess. But again, another guard was standing in my way; I had to answer another three questions. After answering my next few questions, I came across an abandoned camp site; it seemed to be up to two hours old. On the camp site I found a tent, which seemed to have been put up but not used, and a map. I didn’t trust the map; I believed it to be a detour. Again I had to answer three more questions; I passed them all and got past the third guard.

I followed the pathway and came to a deserted city. I walked along a rickety bridge then decided to stop and ponder on my thoughts. To my amazement I looked up and saw the princess walking along on the bridge above me; I called out to her. But she didn’t respond, as though she wasn’t her right mind. It was at this point when I knew she had been brainwashed. I decided I’d hang around to see if she made any more appearances; I crept around the town hiding behind pillars, rocks, and empty rooms. I saw the occasional Grundo; all the Grundos that made an appearance seemed to be going in the same direction. I made the decision to follow them.

To my horror I saw a large tower, with cracks in the walls; it looked to be at least four stories high and at the very top was a large lightning rod, with blue lightning hitting it every few seconds, even though there was not a cloud in the sky. I tiptoed towards the building, keeping to the shadows; there were three bridges, and I was crawling along the far left bridge in the shadows. There were two monstrous mutant Grundos guiding the entrance to the doorway. I had to create a distraction, but how? I pondered and remembered that mutant Grundos were only amazed by one thing; shiny objects. I pulled the grappling hook out of my pocket and threw it over the two bridges on my right. To my utter astonishment the Grundos saw the object and ran after it like two year olds running after a little dog.

I took my chance and made a run for the door. I was five meters away from the door when I felt a sudden jerk from behind my neck. My feet were lifted off the ground and I was left suspended in mid air. I turned around and saw a moderately sized Grundo grimacing down at me, baring all his teeth. He carried me away from the door, and into one of the abandoned rooms I had hid in earlier. He pulled a long rope out of his pocket and tied me to a post in the middle of the room. He walked out and I heard a click as the door closed.

I had fifteen minutes at most before Dr. Sloth himself came to investigate. I put my hands into my pocket with great difficulty and rummaged around to see what I had; wallet, plushie, purple blob potion, omelette and a pocket knife. A pocket knife! I pulled it out and started to cut away at the rope. Within a few minutes I had cut through the rope and I was at the door, trying to unlock the keyhole. It took me only a few second to unlock it, I ran out the door and back in the direction of the lightning tower. I had been discovered; there was no point of me hiding.

I reached the tower and opened the door quietly, to find a table with leather straps over the ankle, waist and chest area. Lying on the table was Princess Lunara, tied down and a metal object hanging from the ceiling with a blue laser coming out of it pointing at her chest. There was one Grundo on either side of her, tightening the straps. I crept to the side; the Grundos had not seen me. I waited for the Grundos to leave, then walked over to help the princess out. She came out without a fuss. I spoke to her.

“Princess, you must come with me; you have been brainwashed. I will take you to see Queen Fyora, and she will create a magic potion.”

Her reply amazed me; she seemed to follow anyone’s orders. Dr. Sloth had forgotten to make the command that only he could control her. It would be around twenty minutes before anyone would notice I had escaped the empty room and come to the tower. I took the princess and led her out of the tower into the open skies. We crept through the shadows until we reached the entrance to the deserted city. From there I took her to Faerie City to see Queen Fyora. I left the princess there so I could leave to tell the news to the emperor. Fyora made a potion and returned Princes Lunara to her father. Dr. Sloth wasn’t seen again. So, ladies and gentlemen, witness the greatest cover-up in Neopia’s history. Dr. Sloth still alive and Princess Lunara kidnapped and not playing a silly children’s game.