The Tower Journey: Part Three

"Hello."

     Toggerneo gulped and stared at the well-built Lupe. The tall figure was wearing a heavy cape, with a hood that hid the upper part of his face in daunting shadows. He held the sword loosely in one hand while gripping a shield in the other, and a symbol on the shield, that of a single yellow eye, scared Toggerneo witless for no actual reason. This fear wasn't helped when he saw a small bomb poking from the Lupe's pocket, yellow with a small black dot.

     The glistening-white armour clinked slightly as this strange figure stood up straight. When the blade was finally sheathed, Toggerneo breathed a long sigh of relief before fainting.

     "How did HE get in here?" gasped Eliv Thade, between useless gulps of air. Running flat out through a creepy castle isn't good or anyone's health, even a ghost who doesn't need to breathe. Von Roo was coughing as well, but far behind, trying desperately to cackle in between so as to regain his evil composure.

     "MWHAACK… MWHAHAoccoocooc… MWH… Mwh… what… WAS he… doing here? How… did he get in..?"

     "I asked first, you have to tell me."

     "I don't know!"

     "Then we may have a problem."

     "Kid, wake up. Come on, we've gotta get out of here."

     "Huh?"

     Toggerneo's eyes opened slowly, and he was staring into the face of the Lupe.

     "Who ARE you?" he asked slowly, rubbing his head.

     "A guy who doesn't like the paranormal. So I'm blowing it up." He waved the yellow eye-like bomb at Toggerneo, who yelled.

     "AAH! The fuse is on fire! Put it out! Put it out!"

     "Don't worry, it just hurts ghosts and the like. Unless you're particularly close."

     "It's IN YOUR HAND!" the Gelert screamed.

     "That's why we have to go."

     The tall figure dropped his bomb on the cobbled floor, and tugged Toggerneo to his feet. Soon they were speeding down the many corridors of the castle, heading towards the thick wooden doors. When they came into view they were blocked by two figures.

     "STOP!" yelled Thade, while Count von Roo just cackled insanely, clearly angry that no-one was taking him seriously.

     "You need a cough mint," the Lupe barked at Roo, before drawing his blade and swinging it towards the vampire. Count von Roo only just managed to stop the attack, by biting down on the sharp metal. Toggerneo just barged straight through the hovering spectre of Thade, who huffed madly and shot after the escaping pair, while von Roo clutched his mouth.

     "Oww! Ou maniacs! Wha di I e'er do oo ou?"

     And then the Gelert was out in the dull sunlight, followed closely by the Lupe. Eliv Thade screeched and slunk back from the weak beams of light, while the escaping pair slid to a halt. Toggerneo glanced up at the Lupe.

     "So what-"

     A deep boom came from behind, and Toggerneo turned to watch the Count be flung far away into the trees, followed by a moaning Thade.

     "It won't rid the world of them, but they'll be out of action for a long while. What were you doing there, kid?" The Lupe tugged his hood further over his head and turned to Toggerneo, who was breathing grateful sighs of relief.

     "I… uhh… I've been sent to restock the items from the Hidden Tower."

     "Oh! You have?" A grin spread across the hooded figure's face. "How is Fyora these days? Oh, it's been ages since I saw her! Fighting evil is a full time job."

     "You know the Queen? How? Who ARE you?"

     "I'm the Sunshine Monk, as she once named me." The Monk paused expectantly.

     "Uhh… do I know a Sunshine Monk?"

     "Haven't you ever read the little description note they stick on all my Ghostkerswords? Well, that they USED to until she retired them."

     "Ghostkerswords?! You're the guy I need to get some stuff off! THAT Sunshine Monk!"

     "The shield and bomb set, right? Very popular, I hear, but I can only make so many at a time, so quite costly. Sure, here you go." The Sunshine Monk handed over his shield, before pulling another bomb from his pocket.

     "Wow! How convenient! All I had to do was almost get eaten by madmen."

     "Now, I have to leave," the Monk sighed. "Go home, restock, have a shower- why do evil places always have to be so dusty? Monsters usually horde treasure, why not hoard a vacuum cleaner or two? Ah well. Gotta go. Evil does not wait for me to have chat to new acquaintances. Well, sometimes it does, but that's quite rare."

     "Well, thanks again! I Wait- can I borrow your sword?"

     The Lupe scowled. "I may be in a generous mood, but this sword is very important to me, and seeing as it isn't stocked anymore-"

     "I know, but Count von Roo bit down on it. I need to make some Fake Von Roo Teeth."

     The Sunshine Monk frowned.

     "Well, I won't give you the sword… if I did, I wouldn't survive the night in these Woods. But I'll swing by the Hidden Tower sometime soon, so you can make a cast of it. So long as I can have a pair for myself. I have a Halloween party soon with all the other heroes. They'll make a great costume. Oh, and Toggerneo?"

     "Yes?" the Gelert replied, wondering how the Monk had known his name.

     "Do you have any Werelupe Claws yet?"

     "Uhh… no. And I'm not looking forward to finding them."

     "Here." The Lupe produced a handful of jagged claws from his pocket, and threw them over to Toggerneo, who gasped.

     "What? But how did you get this many?"

     "I loose my claws every three months."

     "What? You're a-"

     The Gelert looked up, but saw nothing. The Sunshine Monk was gone.

     After a long day's walking through the ancient trees of the Haunted Woods, Toggerneo finally felt sand beneath his feet. Before him spread the Lost Desert, a grand sight that went on as far as he could see.

     "I'm thirsty."

     He dropped the backpack on the floor and opened it up.

     "HEY! CAN I GET SOME WATER HERE?"

     "No need to shout," came the annoyed response. "Here you are."

     A small bottle bounced from the pack, and Toggerneo gulped at it quickly. When he was finished he wiped his mouth and looked back at the bag.

     But the bag was gone.

     "Huh?"

     Something hit the back of his head, and he was out cold.

     "No, he's too ugly."

     Toggerneo woke up at that and scowled.

     "Are you referring to me? Hello?" He was tied up by his feet, but facing a wall, and couldn't see the speakers. Nothing but silence. "Hey, what colour paint is this? Autumn Bronze, right? My lampshade's this colour!"

     More silence, and then hushed whispers. Toggerneo sighed and tried to twist around, but it was impossible. Until the ropes around his feet were cut and he hit the ground.

     "OOF! Oww… why is that happening so much?" He rolled over and looked up into a Kacheek's eyes.

     "Hello," the Kacheek said simply. "I'm Bebob."

     "Bebob?"

     "Bebob."

     "Oh, Bebob."

     "Bebob."

     "Why did you attack me?!" Toggerneo exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "What's going on here?" He looked around the small hut, noticing two other Kacheeks stood around a large pot, which rumbled and shook.

     "We were going to add your bag to the Rainbow Swirly Potion. And you. The weirdest things help. But, it seems father doesn't approve of your tatty appearance."

     "Great. I'm so lucky."

     "We thought you'd appreciate that."

     Something struck Toggerneo. A boot.

     "OW!"

     "Go away, you idiot Gelert! We're busy!"

     Something else struck Toggerneo.

     "Hey, wait, this is where you make the Rainbow Swirly Things? You make the potion in that pot, right? And stand around it all day, caring for the beloved potion, making sure it's perfect!"

     "Don't be daft. That's dinner; Rumbly Stew, I like to call it." The Kacheek walked across to a large door and shoved it open. "THAT is where we make the Things."

     There, outside the door, was a huge metallic factory building, with hundreds of Kikos and Kacheeks bustling around it, carrying huge vials of the swirling potion that was integral to the Things.

     "Pretty good for an ancient civilisation, right?"

     "Uhh… yeah!" Toggerneo agreed. "Listen, I've been sent by the Hidden Tower-"

     "Oh! We have the next shipment ready, but the usual courier didn't arrive. I think he must have gotten eaten, or sludgified. But now you're here, that's just fine. Follow me!"

     "Wait, I need my bag."

     "The bag wasn't important, was it?" the Kacheek asked, clearly worried. "Only YOU weren't attractive enough. The bag's on the way to the swirly vat." Before he had finished Toggerneo was running towards the factory.

     The Gelert smashed through the metal doors and found himself in front of a huge conveyer belt. Loads of random items were sliding forwards, towards a gigantic glass pot that glowed hundreds of colours. Toggerneo gasped when he saw the bag so far away, only a few items back from the end.

     "STOP THE BELT! GET THAT BAG!" he yelled as he sped forwards, knocking over a pair of Skeith supervisors. The belt slid forwards as steadily as ever, and the bag was teetering on the edge when Toggerneo leapt forwards. He grabbed at the handles, gasped a sigh of relief when he had a firm grip, and then yelled as he continued forwards and fell headfirst into the Rainbow Swirling Potion.

     "Tastes like chicken."

     "Stop licking the potion and help me get him back to the hut."

     Toggerneo's opened his eyes and looked around. He was being carried from the factory, and could feel that his clothes were soaking through. They were also now multicoloured, as was the bag.

     "He's awake! Put him down!"

     The Gelert was dropped on his back painfully, and he coughed. When his paw came up to his mouth he stifled a scream.

     "AAH! My fur! I'm-"

     "Colourful."

     "Bright."

     "Pleasant to the eye."

     "RAINBOW! But… I…" He shook his head. "Turn me back!"

     "Sorry, we can't. The process is very complex."

     "… I guess I'm stuck like this, huh?"

     "Yep."

     The Gelert sighed and got to his feet, while a fourth Kacheek hurried forwards with a small sack. The Kacheek who had captured Toggerneo snatched it away quickly and drew a bunch of amulets out, waving them at the multicoloured-pet.

     "Your Things." The Kacheek smiled, and then pulled a strange robotic-type thing from his pocket, also rainbow, and shaped like a Grundo. "I believe you also need this, if the Neopian Times is correct."

     "Never trust a newspaper that expects you to actually READ it. Too smart for its own good. But thanks." Toggerneo took them quickly and shoved them deep into his bag, before looking up at the desert Pets. They were waving at him, obviously expecting him to leave promptly.

     "Which way to Coltzan's Shrine?" he asked as he checked through the rainbow-coloured list.

     "As soon as you leave the factory gates go left for a few miles. It'll be easy to see. Because it's huge. And the only shrine for miles, except the Potato Shrine, but nobody visits it. Potatoes aren't too popular here. More desert foods. Because this is the desert. I'm sorry, I babble. Go now."

     Confused, Toggerneo just nodded and hurried away.

     "Ahh, that's sweet! He's nervous!"

     The faerie burst into giggles again as she watched Toggerneo through the crystal ball. Fyora shook her head, and turned to their guest.

     "More tea, Hubrid?"

     Hubrid Nox did not look like his normal self. His nails glistened, his hair was combed back stylishly, and his moustache had been cut away. He looked pretty stylish, and loved it.

     "Go on then. Any muffins?"

     "Sorry, no. Hey, look! There's the shrine! Why's he going there, do you think?"

     "I'm betting he's after the Mask of Coltzan."

     "And… oh dear, he's gone straight up and tapped it. Coltzan won't like that."

     "He REALLY won't like Toggerneo kicking it, will he?"

     "The poor mite's angry!"

     "He's all different colours, has landed in snot, been almost eaten by madmen; I would have THOUGHT Coltzan would let him off the hook."

     The sand beneath Toggerneo's feet vanished, and the Gelert toppled out of sight.

     "I guess not."

To be continued...