The Adventure of a Lifetime

      Brujyh threw another turned tooth at the target, missing by a long shot. Growling as only a frustrated Peophin could he galloped after the weapon. His training had been going great up until then. He was a few short weeks away from the secret ninja training school but after eleven months it seemed farther away than when he started. “I need a distraction!” the dimensional Peophin said to himself, planting his turned tooth into the sandy bank near the water. He shook his head, the iridescent sea monster styled hair flying in all directions as care free as his spirit. “Let’s see if Deca is up for an adventure,” he muttered to himself and set of swimming in the direction of home. Deca referring to Pure_Decadence a chocolate Peo and his sister and partner in crime.

      The two siblings lived in a small cottage nestled in a forgotten grove near Maraqua. One could see the Kelp restaurant, where Bru sometimes worked as a waiter, from the back window and on certain days the smell of pasta wafted in through their open window. “Deca!” the older Peophin called as he swam into the house. “Oh Deca! Where are you?” Brujyh peeked into his sister’s room to no avail. Sighing he decided she was probably off with her friends for the day. “Fine, I don’t need a player two. I can storm a castle all on my own.” He said and set off on his journey. Swimming out of his house he headed south keeping an eye out for the flash of chocolate and purple that would let him know his sister was around. Not paying attention, Brujyh almost crashed head first into a class of leeble. Brujyh apologized and moved out of their way to let them pass.

      Suddenly a great whirlpool descended on the blue Peophin and he was swept up. Spinning in circles Brujyh tried to free himself by swimming out of the whirlpool but it was to no avail! Waves crashed at him from each side and he accidentally smashed his tail into a discovered treasure chest before being able to figure out which side was left and where the surface was. Brujyh, ignoring his smarting tail, swam towards the pale blue that denoted the sky above him.

      With a gasp he broke the surface and took a shaky breath. Gifted with both the ability to breath underwater and above the breath wasn’t needed but it helped him to orientate himself. He took a quick inventory check of his person and noticed that the pain in his tail was already fading. He reached for his backpack and frowned when he realized it wasn’t on his person. Sighing again, he looked around him.

      A frown broke across his face. “I’m… in the swamps near the Haunted Woods? How even..” He muttered then shrugged for one should never question the magic of whirlpools and their ability to transport someone to another land. Brujyh crawled out of the murky swamp water and shook himself off much the way a lupe shakes off the rain. He groaned in disgust and with a flick of his tail launched a piece of sponge algae off his tail and back into the water. He looked around him again and his gaze settled on a tower off in the distance. “Well that sure looks like a place to have an adventure!” He remarked cheerfully, already over the ordeal of the whirlpool.

      He walked along the woods, whistling a song softly to himself, completely unaware of the shadow that was slipping through the trees. Brilliant moonlight lit the path in front of the young explorer and he had no issues following the dirt road up to a set of gates. Naturally, as is the case with all dark and creepy places, the gates were locked. With a small shove though the gates fell off their hinges, weathered away with rust and decay. Brujyh looked around, for the sound he had made in opening the gates was a rather larger one.

      “Hi” said a soft voice.

      Brujyh jumped and cast another bewildered look around him, his eyes landed on a Blorpulous and he laughed to himself. “He must have just been saying whoo like an owl. Everyone knows petpets don’t talk.”

      “Tis true, it is known” agreed the same voice from before.

      Bru let out a startled whinny and turned his head this way and that, his mane flying wildly and his powerful tail swishing behind him. “Who is there?!” He demanded.

      “Just I, large Uni.” The voice replied, barely a whisper on the wind.

      Brujyh stomped his hooves. “I’m no Uni! I’m a Peophin!” He exclaimed slightly aggravated. “Come out and show yourself! Or better yet bring me to your arena and I’ll show you just how tough I am.”

      The voice laughed, a sound similar to the leaves rustling in the trees. “I’m right in front of you silly Peooooo” she said, dragging out the last word in a mocking tone.

      Brujyh leaned forward, a hoof outstretched cautiously in front of him. He jumped in fright when he came in contact with something solid. “What are you?!” He asked.

      “Ow!” the voice cried, “You just hit me in the face. I’m Sca, a Kacheek, and if that leaves a Scar….”

      Brujyh sighed already over the mystery. “Ok Sca.. I’m assuming you’re one of those invisible types right? Well please kindly move out of my way I’m on an adventure or I suppose you can tag along. I could use a player two, especially in such a spooky area.”

      The sound of clapping hands seemed overly loud in the quiet desolate woods. “No one has ever invited me on an adventure before! Where are we going?” Sca asked, clearly delighted to have made a new friend.

      Brujyh pointed off into the distance. “We’re heading to that place over there!”

      The invisible Kacheek peeked around her new friend and noticed where he was pointing. “We’re going to the Haunted House?” She asked cautiously, clearly terrified with the idea.

      Bru noticed her discomfort and coughed awkwardly. “Uh.. no I was pointed to the building behind that” he quickly stated, covering his original idea.

      Sca’s eyes got incredibly large despite the fact that no one could see her. “Edna’s Tower! You want an adventure in Edna’s tower! What in Sloth’s name possessed you to want to do such a thing?”

      Brujyh shrugged like the typical teenager he was. “I was bored, so you know this Edna? Perfect let’s go.”

      Sca shivered but followed her new found friend. The two skirted around the Haunted House. Brujyh in front with his head held high, Sca slightly behind with timid footsteps. Bru’s eyes lit up when he saw the game graveyard. “Maybe a side trip is in order?” He started to ask but stopped when he felt the invisible Neopet beside him shiver with fear. “Ok perhaps not. Plus look we’re already here!” He cried out and looked up at the tower.

      Standing tall against the dark woods around it the tower was a deep grey and the windows seem to glow green with a life of its own. Brujyh smiled, this was just the adventure he was looking for. “Let’s see if she’s home!”

      He rapped one hoof against the door, paused for a second then knocked again. Sca curled up closer to him. “Perhaps she’s not home. We should go!” she said. Brujyh started to agree when the door creaked open and out hopped Edna.

      “Welcome to my home! I’m glad you’re here. I need you to go and hunt for the missing spell ingredients for me… if you do it, I’ll reward you with something special.” She cackled.

      Brujyh shrugged “well that is what we are here for.”

      Edna frowned at him, clearly surprised that he wasn’t as frightened of her as most People would be. “Fine then I need you to bring me… bori gardener gloves! You have two hours. Go get them or don’t come back.”

      “Alright let’s go!” Bru said swinging around to go get the item. He stopped when he felt Sca put her paw on his shoulder.

      “I’ve actually got some gloves right here!” Sca said and handed the item to Edna. Both Edna and Brujyh frowned again.

      “Yes yes well.. thank you for the ingredients. Now I can finish my spell of bubbling wand of chia stretching. For your efforts I’ll give you 145 Neopoints and a blumaroo steak.”

      Brujyh looked at her. “Really?”

      Edna rolled her eyes. “Fine take this avatar too and please don’t ever come back. I can’t stand teenagers.”

      Brujyh shrugged, pocketing the avatar. “Well I made a new friend but this was the most boring quest ever.”

      The End.