Qasan's Quest: Part Two

     Approximately one hour later, Bailey was pulling one tired JubJub up the icy slopes of Terror Mountain. Being small horse like creatures, Bikas are remarkably strong petpets, Qasan thought. He was recalling the day when he had read about Bikas in the encyclopedia, and right then, he knew he wanted one. He needed something strong, because he was so afraid all the time.

     Qasan was headed for Taelia’s home on the highest peak of Terror Mountain. He knew that if he were to succeed in this quest of his, this was the place to begin.

     Increasing their ascent, the snow began to swirl around them, and suddenly, Bailey had plunged into the snow, and whinnied.

     Qasan had to act fast, or he might lose his best friend forever. He hopped around and felt his way for his petpet in the frozen wilderness, calling Bailey’s name desperately.

     As quickly as Bailey fell in, a warm silhouette emblazoned itself across the horizon line. It knelt and pulled a certain petpet and its owner out of the snow, and snuggled them against its warm fur coat. A comforting voice spoke to them.

     “Do not worry, young ones. I will look after you.”

     ***

     Qasan felt a warm cloth being wrapped around him some hours later, though it had felt like years to him. Qasan opened his eyes. A tall and beautiful woman stood over him. She had short black hair, deep blue eyes, and a pale face reminded him of someone... She looked so familiar. Then he noticed her wings. It was Taelia, the Snow Faerie. Just the person he wanted to see.

     “Taelia, I’m Qasan Kingston. Perhaps you know my sister, Dari, Karmeliza, and Resmerelle?”

     “Yes. They came by a few days ago, but never returned to your home.”

     “Yeah, well – hey! How did you know that?”

     “My sister, the Negg Faerie, came by. Queen Fyora has been watching your family very closely since... oh never you mind. Ah – would you like a hot cup of Borovan?”

     “Wait! Queen Fyora? But why?”

     “Because- Well, let me start at the beginning,” she said, reaching for a mug and the tea kettle. She sighed and took a long drink of the piping hot Borovan. Then she began.

     “Well, Dr. Sloth had begun to clone evil Grundos some time ago, but he still needed one special item. The Rod of Dark Nova stamp, the one I asked your sisters to fetch for me. This stamp was- and is -the only way to protect Sloth from getting the final item he needed. Queen Fyora has long held the stamp in her custody in the Hidden Tower. Since your family members were frequent visitors, and particularly wealthy, we chose you to fetch the stamp in an undercover errand, disguised as a quest. The reward would be more than just Neopoints, mind you, but eternal glory for foiling Sloth’s evil plans once more. Here, I’m getting off track. Anyway, Sloth wanted the stamp for himself, so he went to the Hidden Tower in disguise. Fyora denied him entry, because she knew it was him in disguise. Seething, Sloth then searched every Faerie’s home for it. He soon figured out that Fyora didn’t have it anymore, so he even checked Jhudora’s home, and the Dark Faerie offered him a piece of advice. She told him that there was an undercover operation going on between the Snow Faerie and the Faerie Queen. Sloth was too smart to think that I myself had it, so he knew that I would give a quest out for it. He asked random passerby if they had a Taelia quest.”

     “But how would anyone answer to Sloth himself?” Qasan wondered.

     “If I am right (as most Faeries are) then he was in disguise again. However, if I am right again, he took the guise of the Negg Faerie when she was visiting me. So that means-”

     “So that means that the Negg Faerie I talked to on my Utility Fish Phone was-”

      Qasan started, gaping.

      “Was Sloth, yes. He now knows that you have the stamp and will stop at nothing to get it from you. He found the Kingston name and address and searched the house right after the REAL Negg Faerie met your family stopping by for one of your sisters birthday presents. Your owner and sisters still had the item in question with them. Since they were not home, Sloth decided to wait there. They disturbed nothing inside but Sloth savored that award winning stamp collection. As soon as your owner and Resmerelle, Karmeliza, and Dari walked into the house, Sloth acted. He set his minions upon him, but being strong, your sisters managed to fight them back.” Taelia broke off.

      “But my owner knew, she knew about this. Fyora, forgive me, would not only confide in just you. One of the Kingstons would have had to known. Otherwise, the stamp wouldn’t still be in my Neohome.”

      Taelia began again. “Yes, she knew. While your sisters fought off the evil Grundo minions, your owner slipped away and placed the stamp on her desk beside her stamp collection. She had one of each stamp ever printed, remember? It would be a good temporary hiding place for it. However, Sloth had slipped away too, bringing with him the second most powerful man in his arsenal. Sloth released his most evil and powerful servant: Commander Garoo. Commander Garoo was too much for your sisters. He overtook them all, even your owner. He then stuffed them in his spaceship with Sloth, himself and the unconscious Grundo minions and headed off to Sloth’s lair in the most secret area of the Space Station, where he locked them up.”

      Qasan was angry, but he managed to keep his cool. If he lashed out his anger, he would feel horrible afterwards. He wanted to punch Taelia, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t Taelia’s fault. It was the evil Dr. Frank Sloth that was to blame.

     “Wow, thank you, Taelia. Thank you so much for everything. But how do you know all of this?”

      “Fyora was keeping a close eye on this matter, remember?”

      Then Taelia threw back her hood and pulled off a mask. Qasan realized that Taelia wasn’t Taelia at all, but Queen Fyora herself.

      “Oh my, I thank you, Queen Fyora.” Qasan exalted.

      “No need for that now. You and your friend must go back home at once and retrieve that stamp. I will be waiting at the cooking pot, disguised as Juidah, and please call me so. She will be attending to the Hidden Tower. Ah! And here is your little friend now.”

      Qasan and Bailey were thus reunited.

      “Now hurry! This must not fall into the wrong hands! No one must know! Go!” and with that she disappeared.

      “Wait! If you are Fyora, then where is Taelia?”

      “She was also taken.” A voice whispered in his ear. “And you, my young one, are a very smart JubJub. Fare thee well, Qasan Kingston.”

      A few minutes later, Bailey and Qasan departed from Taelia’s home on the top of icy peaks. The descent was slow, but safe. Qasan liked it that way.

      Once they were back in Happy Valley, Qasan decided to review his current situation. Although he didn’t like it, the fact that his family had been captured by Dr. Sloth made Qasan shake with anger. He took out that anger by playing Whack a Kass, and he made it onto the high scores list and received a trophy. If I ever see my family again, they will be so proud, Qasan thought. No, WHEN I see my family again, he thought, this time stubbornly. As one hour slowly ticked by, Qasan had forgotten all about his task. On his way through Faerieland, just having finished a spin on the wheel of Excitement, Qasan accidentally ran into a Faerie Cybunny. She had with her a few bottles of colored sand two bottles of red, one of blue, and one green. Qasan had knocked over one of the red bottles.

      “Oh my, I’m so sorry!” Qasan said.

      “That’s okay. I still have enough sand to make a sand sculpture at Pango-Pango’s. Don’t worry about it.”

      Everything came back to Qasan in a flash.

      As he started running with Bailey in his arms, he screamed over his shoulder a quick Thank You.

To be continued...