An Extraordinary Illusen Day

      Illusen's lips curled in a slow, knowing smile as she crouched down and the magic began. Shining sparkles of light and glowing green spun all around her. It was wonderfully pure earth magic. Leaves gathered towards her, dancing with the magic in the wind. Flower buds opened up and sang their songs at the sight of the magic that rushed forward to embrace them. Illusen's long red hair waved in the wind, filling her from her head to the bottoms of her feet with joyous magic.

     *

      Illusen cherished the moment. When it was over, she raced back down the path in the opposite direction to her glade. Neopians would be arriving soon, and asking for quests. She didn't want to make them wait any longer than they had to. The slender young earth faerie reached her glade quickly. A Neopian passing by rushed toward her eagerly.

      "A quest already?" Illusen asked, out of breath from her long run. She paused to inspect the Neopian. The Neopian was an adorable little baby Gelert. She was smiling up at Illusen and holding out a blank piece of paper.

      "No, I don't do quests, but can I have your autograph, Miss Illusen?" the baby Gelert asked shyly, placing the piece of paper and a pencil into Illusen's open hands. "Please?"

      Illusen was surprised. "My autograph? Why would you want that?" she asked, taking the pencil and signing her name with a flourish.

      The Gelert looked at her oddly. "Well, it's Illusen Day, isn't it? Why wouldn't I want your autograph? I'm your number one fan! I would have been named Illusen, but someone else had already taken that name."

      Illusen looked like she'd just been dealt a mighty blow. "It's Illusen Day? I didn't remember!" she exclaimed in surprise.

      The baby Gelert laughed, pulling out an Illusen Day Drink and taking a sip. "You'd better have a lot of quest ideas, because there'll be hordes of Neopians coming to you today for quests!" She grinned. "Bye!" Then she skipped away down a path, hugging the piece of paper Illusen had autographed.

      Illusen started thinking of the quest items she could ask Neopians to bring her. She was going to be pretty busy today. Just then, she remembered the flower garden outside her glade. She hadn't given it its share of magic yet today. The flowers needed magic to open up their buds and burst into full bloom.

      Smiling, Illusen went out to her garden, murmuring quietly to herself, "A faerie's work is never done." She settled down among the closed flower buds and stretched out her arms, releasing the magic from her outstretched fingers. Sparkles of magic floated over the flowers. Buds started to open up, leaning toward her. Flowers sang sweet melodies as they opened and bloomed healthily.

     *

      When she had finished, Illusen stood and went back into her home. She was hungry, so she ate an Illusen Day Hot Dog and drank an Illusen Day Drink. When her hunger and thirst had been quenched, she sat down and relaxed there for a while.

      A little later, there was a knock at the door. Illusen opened it and found her good friend, a pretty light faerie named Yasmin, standing there.

      "Who might you be?" joked Illusen. "Have you come for a quest?" She grinned at Yasmin, who was smiling and shaking her head.

      "Illusen, come with me," Yasmin said. "I want to show you my new dress." The light faerie crossed her fingers behind her back, and Illusen didn't notice. "Come on." She took Illusen's arm and they flew up into Faerieland.

      Yasmin dashed to her cloud home and flung open the door. "Let's go up to my room," she said.

      They flew up the steps two at a time. When they reached Yasmin's room, Yasmin opened the door. "I'll turn on the lamp," said Yasmin, reaching for the lamp's switch.

      As Yasmin flicked on the light, a group of faeries sprang out from their hiding places in the room, yelling, "Surprise! Happy Illusen Day!"

      The Soup Faerie, the Tooth Faerie, the Negg Faerie, the Space Faerie, the Battle Faerie, Zhaida the fire faerie, Diamond the air faerie, and Katrina the water faerie were all there. Katrina had been hiding in a bath tub filled with water under the bed.

     *

      "We wanted to do something special for your special day," Yasmin said, grinning at Illusen. "The swimming pool across the street is reserved just for us. We've got it all to ourselves. And we brought presents."

      "That's great!" Illusen exclaimed. "I don't get to visit the pool very often. What made you think of having a party at a swimming pool?"

      "Well," Diamond the air faerie said, "we all like to splash around at the swimming pool, and we knew it had to be someplace with water so Katrina could join in the fun."

      "Come on," said Zhaida the fire faerie, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Let's go. Who wants to carry Katrina?"

      "We will," volunteered the Space Faerie and the Battle Faerie. They picked up the bath tub, careful not to let the water splash over the side.

      The faeries flew across the street and in through the front doors of the building where the swimming pool was. They grabbed a few fluffy towels and headed into the locker room. They put their towels in a pile on a bench.

      "Wait a minute," said Illusen, slapping her forehead. "I didn't bring my swimsuit into Faerieland because I didn't know we'd be going to a swimming pool."

      "No problem," said Katrina. "My present to you is a swimsuit. Open it and tell me what you think." The water faerie handed Illusen a package wrapped in green wrapping paper and a white ribbon. "Here."

      Illusen grinned. "Katrina, you think of everything!" she said as her slender hands untied the ribbon and took away the wrapping paper. Inside was a wooden box. When Illusen opened it, she found a shiny green swimsuit with Illusen written on it in fancy white lettering. "It's the best! Thanks a bunch," Illusen exclaimed, embracing Katrina. "It's way better than my old one. I love it."

      Katrina smiled. "You're welcome," she replied as she lifted her long tail out of the water in the bath tub she was waiting inside. "Can someone take me into a shower room? I'm going to bathe."

      "We will," said the Soup Faerie and the Negg Faerie. They put the bath tub in one of the shower rooms and closed the curtain.

      Illusen changed into her new shiny green swim suit and tied back her hair so it wouldn't get in the way when she was in the swimming pool. Diamond changed into a blue swimsuit with little yellow flowers. Zhaida changed into a red swimsuit with a picture of flames on the front. Yasmin changed into a yellow swimsuit with a pink heart on it. The Tooth Faerie changed into a pink swimsuit with horizontal blue stripes. The Battle Faerie changed into a green swimsuit with a purple star on the front. The Space Faerie changed into a striped swimsuit of blue and red. The Soup Faerie changed into a sparkly pink swimsuit and blue goggles. The Negg Faerie changed into a green swimsuit with a picture of a Negg on it.

      The faeries took their fluffy towels from the pile and raced into the shower rooms. Katrina was already finished bathing.

     *

      When the other faeries finished their showers and dried off with their towels, they hung the towels on hooks in their lockers. Then they raced out of the locker room and headed for the swimming pool. Yasmin and Zhaida carried Katrina in the bath tub, holding it steady so that the water wouldn't splash out onto the floor.

      When they reached the swimming pool, Diamond and the Tooth Faerie helped Katrina out of the bath tub and into the swimming pool.

      Zhaida raced Katrina and Illusen across the swimming pool, splashing water as she swam. When the three faeries were tired of swimming laps, they joined the others, who were riding a huge waterslide and splashing down into the water.

      "This is the best!" Katrina squealed as she sat down at the top of the waterslide and was whisked away down the slide, soaring through the waters. Water splashed in her face. Her hair was wet and shiny. When she reached the end, she flew off under the water with amazing speed. A few seconds later, she surfaced, laughing uncontrollably. Then Illusen and the Space Faerie helped her up the steps to the top of the waterslide for another turn.

      Later, after they were too tired to play in the water anymore, the faeries helped Katrina into her bath tub and carried her into a shower room, where she took a bath. Then they got their towels out of their lockers and hung them on hooks on the walls of their shower rooms. The faeries showered and dried off with their fluffy towels. They changed back from their swimsuits into their regular outfits.

      Then they went to a table near the swimming pool and sat down. Yasmin brought a big Illusen Day cake with green and white icing on top.

      Illusen blew out the candles. Then they plucked out the candles and the Soup Faerie cut the cake into slices.

      The cake was delicious. It tasted minty and sweet. After the faeries finished eating, they presented their Illusen Day presents to Illusen.

      Yasmin gave Illusen a new skirt. It was a comfortable green skirt with pretty white shiny flowers lining the bottom and an emerald green belt. The Battle Faerie gave Illusen a new pair of comfy green boots that would help Illusen go faster and make no sounds when she walked or ran, which would be helpful when Illusen was trying to sneak up on someone. The Space Faerie gave Illusen a shiny green space rock that would grant Illusen three wishes. The Soup Faerie gave Illusen a beautiful new emerald green gown. Diamond gave Illusen a sparkling green charm bracelet and matching sparkly green earrings. The Negg Faerie gave Illusen a green Negg and a magical mirror with a green frame that could reflect attacks back at enemies. Zhaida gave Illusen a warm green scarf to wrap around her neck in the winter. The Tooth Faerie gave Illusen a green toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, some dental floss, green mouth wash, and a green anklet.

     *

      "Thanks," Illusen told her friends gratefully.

      "Wait, I too have a present for you, my old friend!" rang out a loud, cackling voice as another faerie rushed toward Illusen.

      Illusen gasped, freezing right where she was. She'd know that voice anywhere. It was Jhudora, a dark faerie and her greatest enemy. "Jhudora? What do you want?" she demanded, spinning around.

      The lights had gone out as Jhudora entered, making the building seem dark and frightening. Jhudora's long, wispy purple hair with green streaks swung over her shoulder. She wore a dress of purple and green. Her lips were curved in a scowl. She rode two vicious beasts with tusks and spiked collars. One of them was purple, and the other was green. Their eyes glowed malicious red.

     *

      "Greetings, faeries," Jhudora said with an evil twist in her voice. "Illusen, I have a present for you. I'd like you to meet--"

      "You want me to meet someone?" Illusen asked suspiciously. She knew not to trust Jhudora.

      "Actually, it's something, not someone," Jhudora replied with a wicked gleam in her purple eyes. "Illusen, prepare to meet your death!"

      Illusen narrowed her eyes into slits. If Jhudora thought she would meet death, especially today of all days, she was wrong.

      "I'm not going down without a fight!" Illusen declared, advancing towards Jhudora. "So if you think you can just barge in here and kill me, you've got a bigger head than I thought you had!"

      Jhudora grinned wickedly, pure evil showing on her face. "So, you think you're smart? Well, you better have spent a lot of time training for combat, or this is going to be all too easy!" She unsheathed a long, gleaming sword that she had been hiding earlier. "This beauty is going to hand me your head on a silver platter!"

      "I don't think so," the Battle Faerie burst out, unable to keep her mouth shut any longer. "In case you haven't noticed, Illusen isn't alone. And even if she was, today is the day she is most powerful, so if you've never succeeded in killing her before, how do you expect to do it now, especially on Illusen Day?"

      "Enough words!" Jhudora shrieked. She slashed at the Battle Faerie with her sword, only to find herself thrown back by the faerie's firm hands. Jhudora unleashed a stream of colorful language and terrible curses from her green lipsticked lips, but the Battle Faerie ignored her, watching Jhudora for an opportunity to knock her off her guard.

      "Enough," announced Illusen, taking the sword from the Battle Faerie. "This is my battle." Illusen leapt forward towards Jhudora, letting her earth magic flow out in streams of green and glowing sparkles that attacked Jhudora.

      Jhudora dodged, and the magic passed over her. She released a stream of purple magic from her hand. It flew towards Illusen's face.

      "No!" screamed Illusen as it hit her and exploded. She gasped with intense pain as she fell to the floor on her weak knees.

      Katrina let out a gasp. "Illusen, are you alright?" she asked, leaning out from the bath tub.

      Illusen opened her eyes slowly. "That…really knocked the breath out of me," she murmured weakly.

      "I have the power to heal. Stay still," Katrina told Illusen. She closed her eyes and sent glowing blue rays of magic from her fingertips. The water magic reached out and swept over Illusen, who leapt to her feet.

      "Thanks, Katrina," Illusen said to the water faerie. "I am healed." She slashed out at Jhudora with her sword, crying, "Yaaah!"

      Jhudora smiled and shook her head, holding out her wand and releasing a powerful wave of green and purple magic.

     *

      Illusen was ready. She held out the magical mirror she had been given by the Negg Faerie and reflected Jhudora's magical attack back at her.

      Jhudora was shocked as her magic turned on her and attacked her. "How did you get a magical mirror!?!" she screamed as her own magic sent her sprawling on the floor.

      Illusen used her powers to become invisible and slipped into the green boots the Battle Faerie had given her so that she could go faster and make no sounds while she ran. Now she could surprise Jhudora.

      Swiftly, Illusen ran up to Jhudora and slashed at Jhudora's shoulder with her sword. Jhudora wheeled back in surprise as her shoulder stung painfully and started bleeding.

      "Illusen!" she roared, opening her mouth to reveal sharp yellow teeth and releasing a wave of smelly breath.

      "Eew!" cried Illusen, stopping in disgust. "Brush your teeth, smelly breath!" She grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste the Tooth Faerie had given her, squirting the toothpaste onto the toothbrush. Then she attacked Jhudora's sharp, dirty yellow teeth with the toothpaste-loaded toothbrush until they were a clean sparkling white.

      "Leave my teeth alone!" shrieked Jhudora, disgusted by the cleanness of her now sparkly white teeth.

      Illusen took the scarf Zhaida had given her. She darted forward at Jhudora and, in the blink of an eye, wrapped the scarf so tightly around the dark faerie's neck that she choked, unable to breathe.

      Then Illusen released Jhudora from the scarf's grip around her neck. She ended her invisible spell so that the dark faerie could see her.

      "Had enough, Jhudora? Or d'you want some more?" demanded Illusen, throwing her enemy onto the floor.

      "This isn't the end! Just you wait until Jhudora Day!" yelled Jhudora as she rode away on her vile tusked beasts with spiky collars. She glared back at Illusen until she was too far way to see them.

      Illusen rolled her eyes. She and her friends collapsed on the floor, laughing until their throats hurt.

      "Did you see the look on Jhudora's face when she realized how white and sparkly clean her teeth were?" the Soup Faerie said, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face.

      Just then a faerie Tonu worker at the pool came in. "Your time's up," he said. "We can't reserve the pool any longer. There's a crowd outside waiting to get in."

      "Okay," said Illusen, gathering her presents in her arms. Diamond and Zhaida picked up the bath tub Katrina was inside.

      The faeries flew back to Yasmin's room. Diamond gave Illusen a bag to keep her presents inside.

      Illusen put the presents in the bag and flew back to her glade, waving goodbye to her friends before she left.

      Hundreds of questers were waiting impatiently for quests outside her glade. Illusen sighed as she walked into her glade and sat in her usual position.

     *

      "Welcome to my home…" she said to the first quester. It was going to be a long day for quests.

The End