The Legend of Premium Bat

Battius woke as Thorn wheeled above Faerieland and directed him straight to the castle. He smoothed his rumpled clothing as they landed in the castle courtyard. A young faerie flew out to greet them.

      "You must be Battius Battington." The flittering faerie smiled at them. "Queen Fyora has asked me to bring you directly to her. What an adorable puppy! May I hold him?"

      "His name is Fauton," Battius told her as Thorn scooped Fauton up off the ground where he sat and handed him to her. "He pushed me out of the way when Boochi took a shot at me, and was shot himself. He'll need help too, to be returned to his proper self."

      The faerie hugged Fauton close, her fingers finding the magical spot behind his ears and rubbing gently. He laid his head on her arm, eyes closing as she stroked his ears, nudging her hand with his muzzle when she paused while listening to Battius. She smiled down at the Lupe and tickled him under the chin.

      "This way please," she told them.

      Crossing the courtyard, she led them through the front doors of the castle. The interior was under re-construction. Battius could see where large cracks in the walls and ceiling looked as if enormous stress had been placed upon them, but nothing could hide the elegant lines of the structure. Crews of faeries and neopets worked together repairing the damage.

      Their faerie guide led them past the work crews and up a sweeping double staircase, then down a large hallway to an elegant doorway carved with a lifelike scene of forest life. She stepped up to the door and rapped softly. Quick footsteps were heard within, and the door swung open. Queen Fyora, with the faerie baby balanced on her hip, stood smiling in the doorway.

      "Welcome, Battius," she greeted him, smiling. "I see you have managed, despite all odds, to return to us what we need."

      "With the assistance of these companions, Your Majesty." He bowed courteously to her. "Allow me to introduce you to Thorn. He flew us into the area, saving days of travel and giving us the advantage of surprise on meeting Boochi."

      Thorn bowed smoothly to Queen Fyora as she murmured a greeting to him.

      "The Lupe pup is Fauton," Battius told her. "He bravely risked himself to save me from Boochi's ray gun, and got hit with it himself. I need help to put it right Your Majesty, to change him back."

      "Of course Battius," she assured him. "Of course we will help your friend. Gather close to me and I will provide transport to the Healing Springs right now."

      Thorn and Battius stepped up near Fyora. The young faerie holding Fauton also drew close. The Faerie Queen murmured a soft word and suddenly there was a bright flash of purple light, and the smell of fresh lavender filled the room. When the light cleared, they were standing beside the Healing Springs, and all around them was the sound of the magical waters. The Healing Springs Faerie herself stepped into the room.

      "Greetings, my Queen," she greeted Fyora, nodding her head to the Faerie Queen respectfully.

      "Greetings, Marina, my Sister," the Faerie Queen replied, smiling gently. "All is ready now to restore our sister to herself. We have come to ask your assistance in this. We must place the Space Faerie in the waters of your fountain. There is also this brave Lupe that needs our help."

      "Of course, my Queen," Marina replied. She gestured to the faerie carrying the Lupe to bring him nearer, and gently took him into her own arms. She carried him to the burbling spring waters and set him down in the shallow edge.

      Queen Fyora joined her and placed the baby Space Faerie beside Fauton, seated in the shallow waters at the edge of the pool.

      "Whenever you are ready, Battius," the Queen said.

      Battius had unstrapped the ray gun from his back and flicked off the safety. He stood ready. The weapon aimed at the ground.

      "I'm ready, Your Majesty," he replied.

      Fyora and Marina stepped back out of the water. Battius took careful aim with the ray gun, aiming first at the Space Faerie, and squeezed the trigger. The sharp "Pzzapp!" of the weapon sounded through the room. The waters of the spring frothed and bubbled and before their eyes the Space Faerie grew, and grew even more, returning to her adult size in seconds. As she was making her transformation, Battius took aim once more, this time at Fauton, and again pulled the trigger. Again, the waters of the Spring frothed and bubbled, and the Lupe was a pup no longer. Fauton looked around himself in surprise.

      "What happened?" he asked, a dazed look in his eyes.

      Queen Fyora and Marina each had an arm around their sister. They supported her as she recovered from her transformation. The Space Faerie was once again her normal size and age. The spangled glitter of stars in her blue hair and dark skin caught the muted light in the room and gleamed with cold white fire.

      Battius flicked on the safety of the ray gun and hurried to Fauton's side. Thorn helped him lead the Lupe out of the waters of the pool.

      Stepping forward toward Battius, Mira held a hand out to him. Battius came to her and took that gracefully offered hand, bending over it gallantly. No sound reached his ears, but in his head, he heard a soft but strong voice.

      "Thank you, Battius, I don't think we have met formally. I am the Space Faerie." Mira spoke in the minds of all in the room. "You and your companions have saved me, and all of Neopia. I would offer to you a boon. What might you ask from me in repayment for your bravery, for your consideration of the citizens of Neopia above your own safety and well-being?"

      Battius straightened and shook his head.

      "My own safety and well-being are assured by your presence in Neopia," he told her. "That is all the reward I need. I did give my word that I would return this weapon to Boochi. I don't think I'm ever going to be a favorite of his. Perhaps you would return it to him? You might have some few words to direct at him yourself?"

      Somehow Battius could hear the grim smile of the Space Faerie inside his head. The communication was beyond the spoken word and more an instant understanding from one mind to another. He offered her the weapon, and it lifted through the air to her hands. She checked the safety, quirking an amused eyebrow at Battius for the humor of the gesture, and slung it to her back. With a courteous nod of farewell, Mira vanished from the room.

      Battius looked around and noticed that Queen Fyora and the Healing Faerie were gone as well. He turned to look at Thorn and Fauton and noticed their young faerie guide remained in the room.

      She smiled at the three of them and gave each of them a small glowing-golden gemstone strung on a thin leather thong. The gemstone was shaped like a tear or a drop of water, and seemed to gleam brighter when they looked directly at it.

      "If you find yourself in need of faerie assistance, these gems will bring a faerie to your aid. Once used, the magic will leave them, and they will be a simple jewel. You have the thanks of all Faerieland for saving our sister, and thus Neopia," she smiled at them. Then she was also gone from the room before any of them could thank her.

      So ended the adventure that restored the Space Faerie to Neopia.

      Balance was returned to the lands. Ruffians and thieves were given the ultimatum of changing their ways, or being exiled forever. The crime rate dropped overnight, and after reports of Space Faerie sightings around Neopia. The citizenry were certain she had dealt with them appropriately.

      Premium was once more the bustling center of commerce and consideration it had been previously. Each citizen knew the story of Battius. The nickname Premium Bat was given to him, in honor of his heroic actions to save their town. To show by example that to fight injustice one must first be willing to fight, not with bullying and nastiness, but with reason and courage.

      Breanna from Mystery Island enrolled in the Training Academy, and it is rumored, went on to advanced studies at the exclusive Ninja School. She was determined to follow in the footsteps of Battius, her personal hero, and be ready to take action to protect her planet. Her story made all of Neopia more aware of recent issues, and put them on the alert to stop anything like that from happening again.

      Boochi still runs around Neopia zapping Neopets, but it is a known fact that his weapon no longer works on faeries. He was convinced to give up his unlawful activities. There is much speculation around Neopia about how that decision was made.

      Thorn and Fauton returned to Terror Mountain and remained friends with Battius for the rest of their lives. The three traveled the world, seeing many sights. They had many adventures together... but those are stories for another time.

The End