Nyla's Embroidery: Part Three

      "What about my family?" pleaded Nyla. "I want to see them!"

      "I don't want anything to happen to you, so I have to say no. I'm sorry. Do you understand?"

      Nyla sighed. "Yes, Fyora, I understand. I will come straight back." Fyora patted her head and walked away.

      Nyla quickly put on a blue satin collar and a scarf, slipped a blue bandana over her lavender head, and finally put on a pair of Kacheek earmuffs, then slipped out the door of the palace into Faerie City. She carried her blue Feepit T-shirt and Taelia style coat. In the pocket of the coat there were 5 Neopoints, just enough to buy a grackle bug on a stick. Then, without hesitation, she walked to the west edge of Faerieland and jumped.

     ~ ~ ~

      Kaila's Jitters were getting worse. Last time, she had been wrapped up in her sister's embroidery, and had felt much better. This time, though, there was no embroidery, no Nyla, and no getting better. She couldn't stop bouncing in the blanket. Her owner had spent all of their Neopoints on painting them, so buying a 14,000 point potion of containment was completely out of the question, and so was Nyla coming home. Basically, there was no hope for Kaila to get better. Jitters were misery. Zini suggested an herbal remedy from her garden, but she quickly said no. When Nyla had Ugga-Ugga, Zini had made her eat songflowers until she could talk again- which just *happened* to be after she had some sporkle syrup, but nobody told Zini that. When Anya had D'achoo, Zini made her stare at a starflower all day, claiming that the pretty colour would make her sore eyes feel better, but all the staring did was make it worse, so their owner bought some Neopkins. Zini now wanted Kaila to eat a Drabby rose, saying that the sadness of the flower would make her tired and would let the blanket work. Kaila didn't believe her, so she bounced some more.

     ~ ~ ~

      Nyla hurried to the Money Tree, grabbed a bunch of wool, and then raced over to the Shop Wizard. She bought a Grackle bug on a stick, then took off her coat and shirt and flew to Faerieland.

      The trip was long and hard. Nyla was stronger, but not that much stronger. It was hard for her to carry a heavy coat, a T-shirt, a wooden bowl filled with cotton, and a Grackle bug on a stick 10,000 feet up in the air! Eventually she made it into her room, where, once more, she collapsed on her bed and fell asleep.

      Nyla woke up, ate an Omelette of the Faeries, and embroidered some more. She had finished Ember's gown (which Ember absolutely loved), and was almost done with Illusen's dress, too. All she had left was Baelia's and Nereid's, and maybe her own, if she had time. It was Fyora's idea.

      There was something strange about that necklace. It seemed to match the exact shade of purple, yellow, or pink she was wearing at the moment. It kind of scared her, but at least it matched.

      On one trip around Faerieland, Nyla met a beautiful Faerie Draik named Iliyana. She had lived there all of her life, and knew where the secret hidden tower was.

      "I can show you where it is, if you want me to," said Iliyana.

      "But then it wouldn't be hidden," responded Nyla.

      "It doesn't matter. Do you want to come, or not?" she asked impatiently.

      "Uh, okay..." said Nyla uncertainly. Somehow, she knew that this would lead to trouble.

      They made their way to a random place, then they stopped and Iliyana said, "Well, we're here! Want to go in?"

      Nyla was about to say yes, then stopped herself. "How do I know you're not just playing some kind of trick on me?" she demanded.

      Iliyana smiled and said, "By my doing this." She grabbed a piece of air, twisted it, and pushed. Suddenly, Nyla saw a doorway to a room. They both grinned at each other and stepped inside.

      Behind the invisible door were all kinds of treasures, from paintbrushes to piles of battle dung. Fyora hurried to greet them, and was surprised to see Nyla, but didn't say that because of her friend. Nyla was glad that she had been wrong about thinking that something would go wrong.

      Unfortunately, Nyla had thought too soon. A mob of mutant pets, from Grundos to Usuls to Scorchios, stormed in at that moment and fought over the paintbrushes.

      "We're sick of being ugly!"

      "Transmogrification potions stink!"

      "I hate Sloth!"

      "I always wanted to be royal, and now I will be!"

      "That paintbrush is mine!"

      "No, mine!"

      Nyla and Iliyana watched in horror as all of the paintbrushes were stolen by the mutant pets.

      "Call the Defenders of Neopia! We need their help!" cried Fyora.

      "I know my way around; I'll do it, Fyora," offered Iliyana. "Farewell, Nyla." She rapidly flew off to the DoN Headquarters.

      "Oh, I do hope we get the brushes back! I'll have to shut down the Hidden Tower!" Fyora let Nyla and herself out, and then locked the door. Nyla sighed and made her way back to the Palace, where she continued to embroider.

           ~ ~ ~

      Iliyana made her way off the edge of Faerieland and to the games room, where she found the Defenders of Neopia HQ. She went to talk to Judge Hog, who immediately put pets on the case. She felt better and decided to go on a little shopping spree in Neopia Central. Just as she was making her way past an alley in the Marketplace, something grabbed her with two hands and pulled her into the alleyway. She tried to scream, but a large hand clamped over her mouth. Iliyana looked around wildly for someone to help her, but found no one. She tried to fly, but another hand held her wings together. What has four arms and two legs? she asked herself. Then she froze. A mutant Krawk was the only thing it could be. She remembered the Hidden Tower, and wondered why the Krawk wasn't Baby or Darigan or Royal. Finally, when they reached their destination, wherever they were, she hissed, "So, why haven't you been painted with one of the stolen brushes yet?"

      The Krawk (she was now sure that it was one) simply smiled and said, "Tor? Come here. This is the one."

      A mutant Grarrl walked out of the shadows and smacked her in the head with a club. Iliyana's vision blurred, and the last thing she remembered before everything went black was the Grarrl saying, "One down, two to go."

      ~ ~ ~

      Fyora and Nyla were getting worried. None of the guards had spotted Iliyana around Faerieland, and she hadn't shown up at the palace, either. After a few hours of watching out her window for Iliyana, Nyla gave up and started embroidering. She was now partway done with Baelia's dress, and began to imagine what she would embroider on her dress, which she was sure she would have time for now. She thought for a moment, of her family and friends, and Meridell, and knew what she would embroider.

      ~ ~ ~

      When Iliyana woke up hours later, it was dark. The first thing she noticed was that there was rope around her arms, legs, body and wings, and that she couldn't cry out because there was tape over her mouth. She also realized that she was being carried by something scaly. The events of last night flooded back to her, and realized that it must be the mutant Krawk. Eventually, they stopped walking, and they set her down so that the rest of them could rest. Iliyana looked around to see where they were, and was surprised to find that they were in a forest near Meridell; she could see the castle nearby. Wait a minute- she remembered Nyla telling her that she lived on Turnip Row in Meridell! If she could just remember the addresses... wait, she had it! She could talk to Nyla's sisters, and they could get rid of her ropes! She made sure that the mutant pets were asleep, and then rolled away in the direction of Meridell.

To be continued...