The Tower Journey: Part One

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The stock of the Hidden Tower is always changing, so by the time you read this I doubt the items will be the same. So I asked Pucca_Xero to put a list of the items in a little essay he's doing for school, so just check out his Petpage, where I stick all notes and good work, to check which items Toggerneo needed to collect.

I'll stop annoying you now. I hope you enjoy the tale!

1st day of Gathering, Year 6

"Three Baby Paint Brushes, two… sorry, what? Two Werelupe Claws? Do you mean two of our Amulets, each with two claws, or just one? Two… OK… not too helpful, but still… and… some Slorg Flakes. OK, I've got that down, and you can tell them that their delivery will be with them as soon as possible. That comes to… eighteen and a half million Neopoints. Thank you! Goodbye."

      The faerie sighed as she dismissed the messenger Draik, and wiped her brow.

      "Excuse me, how much is this?"

      "No rest for me, then… that's eight and a half… excuse me, just one moment."

      A tall, deep-red Gelert had just walked through the door, almost bumping into two Kacheeks in a hurry to get out of the crowded tower. The faerie started to walk across to this long-eared figure quickly, and he smiled as he saw her.

      "For a Hidden Tower, this place is very popular, Fyora."

      "I know! Where have you been! We need every hand on deck RIGHT NOW! That pair over there are considering some Battle Dung. I told them it wouldn't help their flower garden, but I don't have time to explain. You do it."

      "Sure thing, Fyora."

      "You do realise I could fire you right now for using my first name, don't you?" she asked with a scowl.

      The Gelert laughed, and nodded.

      "Yep. But you won't, will you?"

      "Just get to work!" But the Queen was smiling as she turned on her heel and walked towards a little old Lenny considering some Asparachucks. The Gelert smiled as well, and walked to the squabbling pair.

      "Maybe you can help us!" the Skeith exclaimed. "What's your name?"

      "I'm Toggerneo, your friendly Tower faerie. Well, apart from not being a faerie. I'm quite friendly though. See?" He grinned broadly, and the pair just stared at him. "And, uh, I here you want to buy some Battle Dung," he continued, adopting a serious tone.

      "Yes, but we're debating whether Starry would be a better variety. You know, for the light, to keep the flowers growing all night. Now, I-"

      "AHHHH!"

      The scream made everyone in the cramped Tower jump. It had come from the storeroom, and Toggerneo was the first to react. He spun and ran quickly towards the open door, shot through, and found-

      Fyora was staring around at a totally bare room. Toggerneo reached her within seconds.

      "What is it? What happened?"

      "CAN'T YOU SEE?!" she yelled, startling Toggerneo again. "We've run out! Of everything! Oh no, oh no oh no…"

      Toggerneo inspected the large room. No windows, not loose floorboards, so no foul play. They really had run out.

      "But how is that possible? I thought…" He turned, and found Fyora already walking out into the main shop.

      "This shop is closed indefinitely! I'm sorry, I really am, but you'll all have to leave…"

      "What?"

      "You can't be serious!"

      "But…"

      Toggerneo came out to a round of moans and grumbles. He sighed and started pointing towards the exits.

      "Please, leave quickly… I realise it's a long way to come for nothing… not that exit, the stairs are out... too late… yes I really am sorry…"

      Within moments the last grumbling Nimmo had left, and Fyora sat down on the desk, her head in her hands. The other work faeries were looking at other with a mixture of shock and disbelief, while Toggerneo leant against the door.

      There was silence for a few seconds, and then one of the faeries spoke up.

      "So, Miss, what do we do?"

      Fyora looked up and shook her head slowly.

      "I don't know. Our usual suppliers are all missing, although that is to be expected… getting claws from Werelupes isn't too easy… but I should have kept an eye on supplies… it's all my fault."

      "No, no, it's not!" Toggerneo straightened up and smiled at her. "Well, it is, but don't worry! We'll just make more stock, right? Use that plaster cast of Von Roo's teeth to make more fake ones, sew some dolls, we'll be ready again in no time!"

      He looked around, and on seeing nothing but sad faces, frowned.

      "What?"

      "Well, I might sorta kinda sold that cast by accident…"

      "The dolls can only be made by the people they represent, so we could only get the Faerie Queen Doll…"

      "The paint brushes are very rare, hard to find…"

      The Faerie Queen moaned.

      "We're ruined!"

      "No, no, I know!" Toggerneo exclaimed.

      "You no?"

      "No, I know!"

      "Oh no…"

      "Stop it!" shouted the Gelert. "Here's my idea. We'll send someone to go get all these things. I mean, how hard can it be?"

      "Apart from the danger of monsters, magic and madness?"

      "Even with those dangers, monsters, magic and madness, that sort of thing, how hard can it be?"

      "Don't forget the dung!"

      Toggerneo frowned.

      "You aren't helping. Yes, even with the dung… how hard can it be?" His voice, however, wasn't as full of confidence as it had been. The Faeries were staring at him strangely. Fyora suddenly looked up, grinning.

      "You're so kind and brave, Toggerneo! How can I ever repay you?"

      The Gelert was confused.

      "What? Wait- I didn't mean me- I-"

      "Ladies, get the Emergency Weapon Kit…"

      Quicker than you can say "DUNGDUNGDUNG" Toggerneo was dressed out like a true hero. Thick boots, thicker gauntlets, a heavy suit of armour, a large blade across his hip-

      "He looks like an idiot."

      Fyora rolled her eyes and winked at Toggerneo.

      "No you don't. Now, here's your list. I would advise you to go to Jhudora first, seeing as she's in Faerieland already. Put everything you get in this backpack." She waved a small cloth rucksack at him, and he frowned.

      "How am I meant to get everything in there?"

      "It's a direct link to the Tower. A little too small for your… portly size…"

      "You're calling your knight in shining armour fat?"

      "You're not in shining armour!" exclaimed one of the faeries nearby. "Not like Jeran… oh, what a dream boat… can you get his autograph for me?"

      Toggerneo shook his head in exasperation and turned his attention to the list. The first things were:

      JHUDORA'S BEWITCHED RING

      JHUDORA'S CRYSTAL BALL

      JHUDORA DOLL

      "Off you go then!" Fyora nudged the Gelert's back pointedly, and he nodded, before walking out the door slowly, not looking back. It would have been very dramatic, if the door didn't sing when he did so. He left to a medley involving socks and how wonderful they are to all faeries.

      The dark purple cloud was separated from all the others slightly, and as lightning crackled from it Toggerneo gulped. Jhudora's Cloud was definitely spooky, but he had a job to do. Apparently.

      He took a couple of steps back, and then took a running leap. His feet landed on firm… well, cloud, and the crimson Pet smiled with relief before looking around.

      The cloud he was on was huge, and very cold. At the other end was a small throne, with its back to Toggerneo, and that was where he headed. As he approached he saw a small crowd of pets, all stood around the tall seat as high-pitched commands were barked out.

      "YOU! Get me my truffles! Three minutes! And… YOU! More truffles! YOU! Truffles! YOU! Truffles! TRUFFLES!"

     A pattern was emerging here, one involving truffles, to Toggerneo's sharp mind. He continued forward until he was mixed up amongst the crowd. Finally he turned and saw-

     "Jhudora?"

     The tiny faerie spun and glared at him. Strange, Toggerneo thought, I thought Jhudora would be a bit… older...

     "Yes? What do you want? From the looks of you, I doubt you want to be a part of my quests. The stench of good magic is on that blade."

     "What… what happened?" Toggerneo asked, suppressing a grin.

     "Boochi! That's what happened! He came crawling along, and I thought, for one small instant, 'Ahh, how cute,' and then HE ZAPPED ME!" She scowled and looked down at the cloud beneath her throne. "I've got him locked up at the moment, considering his punishment while I create the 'Truffle-rific' cure. So?! What do you want?!"

     "Ahh, umm, well, Fyora sent me, to ask-"

     The baby faerie groaned and flicked her finger at him. The cloud below him suddenly felt looser, more liquid-like, and before he could even call out he fell down, for a few feet. He landed on much harder cloud, and struggled quickly to his large paws, when suddenly everything went a shade of dark purple. The cloud above had sealed over again. The Gelert was almost blind in the darkness, and somehow hit his head on a wall. Three times. The same wall as well.

     He was rubbing his forehead when everything lit up again and the tiny Jhudora floated down into the cell. Illuminated by the light, Toggerneo managed to walk unsteadily over to her.

     "What are you doing? Let me out of here!"

     "What did Fyora want?"

     "Straight to the point, ehh? I like that. See, I like you! Let me out!"

     "Tell me quickly or I turn you into a Lenny."

     "OK, OK, listen. The Tower's run out of stock, and we need you to give us some stuff. I've got this list…" He produced the long piece of parchment, and the dark faerie snatched it quickly from his hands. She looked down it with little interest, and then tossed it back.

     "OK, fine."

     "What?" Toggerneo asked.

     "I said OK. I'll go get the stuff. Back in a moment." With a flick of her hair, the faerie vanished in a puff of smoke. She reappeared almost instantly, clutching a large bag that seemed to squirm. "I'm assuming this goes in the bag, a straight link back to her, right?"

     "Uhh… right! Right! Thanks!" he said, although not convincingly. He didn't think rings or dolls squirmed. "But, uh, I have to check it first-"

     Jhudora grinned and pointed at his bag, which slid from his shoulders quickly and spun to her hand. She opened the top and her evil smirk widened as she tipped her own sack upside down.

     In the Hidden Tower a ping came from the store room, and Fyora looked up from the doll she was making.

     "That was quick!"

     She stood quickly and slid the door open, to see a smiling Boochi. A smiling Boochi with his ray gun.

     ZAP!

     A faerie who was creating Faerie Fog nearby (you don't want to know how it's made, really) gasped in horror and with one kick knocked Boochi out the window and into the sky.

     "Fyora, Queen, are you OK?"

     "Do I look OK?!" squeaked the baby Fyora.

     "Hey!" Toggerneo yelled, seeing Jhudora's grin. "You can't do that!"

     "I can do whatever I want, you silly Lupe!"

     "I'm a GELERT!"

     "Whatever. Goodbye." Suddenly everything went dark, and Toggerneo tripped on something beneath his feet. As he fell forwards, however, light lit everything up again…

     Because a large hole had materialised beneath his feet. The startled Gelert suddenly started to fall the ten thousand feet to the ground, his bag fluttering down behind him…

To be continued...