Edna's First Strike

     Lila, the Red Zafara turned around slowly. Her fists were slightly shaking and she was silently praying he wouldn't see it, but the smirk on his face showed her that he already had. "What are you doing out here, little missy?"

     A Ghost Lupe who was wearing a police uniform was suddenly shining his flashlight on her. Lila raised her hands to her face, shielding her eyes. "I'm lost. Every street looks the same around here. I'm just not used to it, sir."

     "Lost?" The Ghost Lupe snickered silently. "In the Haunted Woods? Not a really good place to get lost now, is it?"

     "No it's not," she admitted. "I'm from Mystery Island. It never gets this dark back home, not even at night."

     "Well, missy, this isn't Mystery Island. And it's too dangerous walking out here alone at night, especially for a pretty little thing like you." He grinned maliciously. "Come with me."

     "What makes you think I'm going to go anywhere with you?" Lila started backing away slowly.

     "Oh, I'm not asking."

     At that moment, a green cloud of smoke appeared beside the Lupe. He didn't seem surprised that a Halloween Zafara was suddenly standing beside him. "Edna, you're just in time. This is... What's your name?" He turned looking at Lila.

     "Li-Lila."

     "Lila, a Red Zafara. How utterly boring of you." Edna laughed hysterically. "Luke, please tell me you're not seriously thinking of bringing this creature back to my tower. She's too plain, too normal. I can't possibly use her."

     "I wasn't thinking of her as an ingredient. We can kidnap her and ask for ransom money from the Defenders HQ. You know how crazy they are about justice and all that jazz." Luke was still eyeing Lila like he was ready to pounce on her. "And if they don't bite, I could certainly use a snack. Pun intended."

     Edna smiled at Lila. "Alright then. My lieutenant here has convinced me that somehow you'll be of value to me. You're probably worth around 2,000 NP, no more than that. That's only a small amount really but money is money and I still need it."

     With a wave of her hand, green smoke started to surround the three of them and Lila suddenly felt herself being pulled off the ground. The next thing she knew, they were inside a dark stone room with torches all around the walls. There were vials and flasks with strange liquid on a shelf beside a crackling fireplace. In the center was a gigantic black cauldron. The muddy green substance inside it was bubbling and gurgling.

     "Like my home?" Edna didn't wait for Lila to answer. "Good. Because you're going to be stuck here, chained until the hodge podge of a judge gives me my money."

     * * *

     At the Defenders HQ, Judge Hog was leafing through some files that he needed to look over. His secretary entered abruptly.

     "Judge Hog, there's a situation in the Haunted Woods. Edna's kidnapped someone," Shannon, his secretary, said urgently. "Would you be personally handling this or shall I call one of our agents?"

     "I'm swamped with work at the moment. The Faerie Queen is having problems with her royal guards and I need to fly there tonight. Have Agent Annie take the case," Judge Hog replied tiredly.

     "Excellent, sir. I shall send her to fix this right away."

     * * *

     Tiffany, the Yellow Kacheek, was ushered on the official Defenders H.Q. jet as soon as she got to the office. Shannon told her that the case file was already on board and that she need only to read and review it. Tiffany, or more commonly known as Agent Annie to her colleagues, was one of the best agents in Neopia. She had received numerous awards for her bravery and excellence in her work. The protocol in the H.Q. was to send their agents by rotation, but Judge Hog believed that Annie was the best and would almost always send her to do the cases that came into the office.

     Annie looked at the file in the envelope Shannon had given her.

     Case#50984

     Villain Name: Edna the Witch

     Crime: Kidnapping

     Notes: Offender is asking for 2,000 NP as ransom for the Red Zafara she is holding captive.

     As soon as she stepped off the plane, Annie was greeted with a funky smell. It wasn't hard to spot Edna's tower. It was looming over the entire city. Annie started to walk toward it, almost fast walking. It seemed like forever before she reached the doors of the tower. She paced around the castle and found a back door.

     "Typical castle," Annie mused to herself as she entered the wooden door. There was nothing but a staircase and there was nothing to do but go up. She made her way up the staircase that never seemed to end. After what felt like forever, she finally made it to the top where she was greeted by another wooden door. "Well, here goes."

     Annie opened the door slowly and peeked inside. Edna was sitting by the fireplace conversing with a Ghost Lupe. On the other side of the room was a Red Zafara, left leg chained to the floor. Annie caught Lila's eye and motioned her to be quiet. Lila nodded with much excitement. She had been listening to Edna and Luke argue about which flavor of ice cream was better. She couldn't take it anymore.

     Annie silently made her way to Lila. Edna and Luke weren't paying any attention to her. They were now on the topic of how to redecorate the castle. Lila was already standing up, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Annie finally reached Lila and started picking the lock with the Defenders H.Q. paperclip she always had with her for moments like these. When the cuff clanked, both Edna and Luke turned just in time to see Annie pulling out a slingshot.

     Edna and Luke guffawed. "Really??? You're seriously going to throw pebbles at us. Puh-lease," Edna said in between laughter. "You're hilarious! Whoever you are!"

     "Excuse me, but my name is Agent Annie and I'll have you know that this isn't just any ordinary slingshot, it's the Elephante Peanut Launcher. And these peanuts? They're not just ordinary peanuts. These are Peanut Bombs." Annie smirked and started flicking Peanut Bombs in their direction. At first, nothing happened, but a few seconds later, the peanuts were popping a few at a time and Edna and Luke were jumping around trying to avoid getting hit.

     "Sayonara!" Annie pulled Lila and they ran for the door. "Until next time, Edna!"

     "Curse you, Agent Annie! I will not forget this!" Edna hollered while still trying to avoid the peanuts. "I shall have my revenge!"

     Annie laughed as she hurried Lila down the staircase. They found the Defenders jet waiting at the edge of the forest. "Really, Rick? Parking in front of the forest? Classy," Annie told the pilot sarcastically.

     "Well, Annie, it's got to be a crazy entrance and exit, or none at all!" Rick winked at her and took off.

     * * *

     "Thanks, Agent Annie." Lila smiled at the Kacheek. "You were awesome back there with your peanut throwing."

     The two were back at the Defenders H.Q. They had passed Judge Hog on his way to his flight to Faerieland. "Good job, Agent Annie. I knew you could do it," he had said to Annie.

     "No problem. I learned a lot from the case. Apparently, Edna's tower is just full of stairs. There's actually just one room in the whole thing. And here I was thinking how rich she must be," Annie said, beaming. "What's your name, by the way?"

     "It's Lila."

     "Well, Lila, I should take you home. Where in Neopia Central do you live?"

     "Actually... I don't live around here. I live in Mystery Island and I was actually in the Haunted Woods for vacation."

     "The Haunted Woods for vacation? Really?" Annie tried not to laugh. "Well, you can sleep over at my house until you can get a ticket back to Mystery Island."

     "That sounds great! Thank you!" Lila said. "This is a great opportunity for me. I'm a journalist major and can I ask you a few questions about your work? I'm really a big fan of the Defenders H.Q. and I just—"

     "Lila, we can talk about this over a cup of hot chocolate at my place," Annie told her and started walking.

     Annie and Lila walked home side by side, as Lila went on about how 'cool' Annie's job was. It wasn't really anything amazing and today was just another day at the office.

The End

First ever short story!