Five Clues about Illusen’s Mysterious Valentine

     The apple of Neopia’s eye, the beautiful and kind Earth Faerie is beloved by all Neopets who cross paths with her. As a champion of the weak and the poor, Illusen works tirelessly help those in need. Her selfless actions have earned her a following that spans the entire world of Neopia. From the top of Terror Mountain to the depths of Maraqua, Neopians travel far and wide to visit her glade in Meridell, eager to help the benevolent faerie with her quests. Though she is beloved by all, by the weak and the strong, by paupers and kings, she shows favoritism toward no one; regardless of status, she treats everyone with the same gentle kindness and understanding.

     Everyone, except for one person. Her mysterious Valentine.

     Though she declines everyone else’s gifts, witnesses report that Illusen eagerly awaits the presents that will occasionally arrive on her doorstep with a magical flash of purple and green light.

     “I always try ‘n give ‘er my best bowls of Stone Soup, just to show my appreciation” remarks the Meerca running the Merifoods store. “She always says she can’t accept such generosity. But when those pretty packages pop up, Illusen goes wild. She gets as giddy as a Gallion, and she’ll rush to pick ‘em up and take ‘em inside before anyone else get a glimpse.”

     The Meridellian Faerie is incredibly secretive about the person who sent her those presents. Whenever Neopian Times reporters attempt to inquire about them, she simply says, “No comment,” with a coy, evasive smile. Then she offers them some delicious Flower Cakes, often causing the reporter to forget what they were asking.

     But through careful investigation, the Neopian Times has uncovered five key clues that might shed some light on the identity of her mysterious Valentine:

     1. Illusen’s Valentine likes the colour purple.

     Aside from the purple packages that she receives, Illusen has also been seen shopping at Unis Clothing, asking the shopkeeper about any purple jewellery in stock. When asked for more details, Illusen simply told the Uni that it was a gift for a friend.

     According to witnesses, Illusen often stops to play with the herds of Drackonacks roaming the Meridellian pastures. The Potato Counter Kacheek once overheard her say to a Draconack she was petting: “I bet she’d love you. You’re so cute and purple.”

     2. Illusen’s Valentine likes rare and expensive items.

     Illusen has frequently been asked about the purpose of the items she asks for in her quests. Illusen asserts that the items are all utilized in magical rituals that she casts to protect Neopia from harm. However, a faerie who agreed to speak with the Neopian Times on the condition of anonymity alleged: “Ugh, that little goodie-two-shoes has everyone fooled. Illusen asks questers for those super rare r99 items just because a certain SOMEONE likes them and Illusen wants to spoil them with expensive presents. I can’t believe people are willing to fetch them for her! And her prizes aren’t even that good! Who wants a useless Honey Potion? I have Ice Cream Machine Coupons and there’s still nobody who wants to do my quests!”

     This is a shocking accusation that the virtuous Earth Faerie would the items collected for her by her dedicated followers in such a way. We consulted Lawyerbot about the legal implications of this, and the suited robot replied: “Miss Illusen is under no legal obligation to disclose her intentions regarding the items she requests. As long as Miss Illusen pays the appropriate fees to the Tax Beast, she is free to do as she pleases with them.”

     3. Illusen’s Valentine lives near Faerieland.

     Despite moving to Meridell, Illusen has frequently been observed flying in and out of Faerieland. When she arrives in her hometown, she seems to use some form of invisibility magic to conceal her final destination, making it difficult for us to determine who she is visiting. However, when it’s time for her to leave Faerieland, she deactivates the invisibility magic and a Bartamus is often seen bidding her farewell. When interviewed about her thoughts on the fall of Faerieland, Illusen once remarked, “On the bright side, it’ll be easier for me to visit her now.”

     When questioned about the identity of "her," Illusen asked the reporter to keep it off the record. The request was not honoured.

     4. Illusen’s Valentine is a powerful magic user.

     We all know that Illusen has incredible magical abilities, but when complimented on her skills, the modest Earth Faerie will often shyly deflect the praise: “I’m not that good. I have a friend in Faerieland who taught me everything I know about magic – she’s the real magical genius. She’s got these amazing magical artefacts of ultimate power. I’m just trying to catch up to her.”

     Very few in all of Neopia can claim to match Illusen’s magical powers. Whoever Illusen’s Valentine is must be truly formidable.

     5. Illusen’s Valentine is cute when they’re angry.

     Once, when a quester showed up to deliver an item to Illusen’s Glade, they found that Illusen had fallen asleep. They heard Illusen giggle in her sleep. “Aw, don’t me cross with me,” she murmured dreamily. “You’re so cute when you’re mad.”

     The quester woke the faerie up to deliver the requested item and was rewarded handsomely, but when they asked Illusen who she was dreaming about, Illusen vehemently denied having had any dreams. However, the quester couldn’t help but notice the faint blush that had spread over her rosy cheeks.

     Despite all of these clues, the identity of Illusen's elusive Valentine remains a mystery. Several unscrupulous reporters even went as far as to stake out Illusen’s home in search of answers. (The Neopian Times would like to condemn this unjustified invasion of Illusen’s privacy. The reporters involved in this incident have been fired.)

     The reporters were unable to find any information, for their investigation was interrupted by an enraged Jhudora, who suddenly appeared in a magical flash of purple light and threatened to turn them into Mortogs with her Wand of the Dark Faerie. The reporters fled in terror as Jhudora cackled and disappeared, leaving behind a Bartamus familiar to keep a watchful eye over the area.

     It is unclear why Jhudora interfered in this way, but her actions suggest she may have some evil plan in store for Illusen. All we can do is hope that Illusen is able to protect herself and her mysterious Valentine from Jhudora's nefarious intentions.