Questing for Kateils

     Pika grabbed a pink tutu off of one of the shelves and held it up to Gardo. "Hey Gardo! Maybe you should try this on!"

     "Haha, funny, Pika," replied Gardo, rolling his eyes. "But I'll stay with my boy clothes, since I am a boy."

     Pika giggled and went to look at the dresses at the shop next door. Pika was distracted by a pink usukigirl dress when the most beautiful Faerie flew down from the sky. Gardo's jaw dropped and tried to grab Pika, but she was too pre-occupied by all the sale items.

     The Faerie had shiny flowing purple hair, pearly skin and a beautiful lavender gown. She had a perfume about her that smelled of flowers and springtime. Gardo smiled at the Faerie.

     "Oh young Neopet!" exclaimed the Faerie. "I'm in some need of your assistance! Would you be able to help me?"

     Gardo had heard of Faeries giving neopets quests from time to time and rewarding them by making them stronger. He wouldn't mind being stronger, then maybe Pika would look at him with more seriousness. "Of course I'll help you," decided Gardo.

     "Could you please fetch me a Kateil? They are such beautiful petpets and I long to have one so..." asked the Faerie.

     'A Kateil?' thought Gardo. 'I've never even heard of those before.'

     "Of course I'll get one for you! I see them around here all the time," lied Gardo.

     Then the Faerie laughed and said, "Come find me then when you find one!" And with a snap of her fingers, she was gone.

     Gardo ran inside the shop to grab Pika and tell her what happened. He explained to her about how the Faerie and come and given him a quest. He asked Pika if she would come with him, and of course she agreed.

     "This will be easy," cried Pika. "Let's just go ask the shop wizard! He'll be able to find one for us right away."

     Pika and Gardo wandered to the marketplace to go ask for the wizards help. When they got there though, they were in for quite a shock. The JubJub looked at them and chuckled.

     "Well, who sells Kateils?" asked Pika.

     "Do you expect me to tell you everything?" asked the wizard. "It's a quest. Go find it yourself."

     “What do you mean go find it ourselves?” Pika snickered. “Isn't that what YOU are for?”

     “I don't assist with faerie quests, silly Lupe. That would be cheating,” replied the wise JubJub.

     Pika and Gardo left the shop wizard and started brain storming on how to find this Kateil. They sat on a mossy rock by the Money Tree and thought for a good twenty minutes before Pika came up with a plan.

     "I've got it!" exclaimed Pika. "Let's just go to every petpet shop in Neopia, we'll be sure to find it!"

     First, the pair started off in Neopia Central. They walked into the shop and asked the kind Usul at the counter where they could find a Kateil. The Usul looked around at petpets and scratched her head.

     "A Kateil?" she questioned. "I have never heard of a petpet called that. Must not be something from this land. Can I interest you in an Angelpuss instead, perhaps?"

     "No thank you," said Gardo. "We have to find this Kateil!"

     Pika and Gardo ran to their Neohome and packed their suitcases. It was going to take traveling all over Neopia to find this Kateil. They first traveled to Meridell and had just about as much luck as they did in Neopia Central. Then they made their way on to Tyrannia.

     They walked in to the Tyrannian petpet store and the Elephante keeper was working in the back. Pika walked up to a cage with a slithery reptillior sitting inside. The reptillior did not look too amused with Pika and hissed, lunging for an attack.

     "Eek!" cried Pika. "The Kateil CANNOT be in here. Let's get out of here!"

     Gardo and Pika ran from the Tyrannian store and pondered where to go next. Happy Valley was close to Tyrannia so they decided to visit the Wintery Petpets shop. The snow was sticking to their shoes as they once again, could not find a Kateil at the Wintery Petpet shop.

     "Brr..." shivered Gardo. "Let's try somewhere a little warmer." They traveled to the Haunted Woods, the Lost Desert, Altador, Shenkuu, Moltara, Mystery Island, and finally made their way to Krawk Island. It had been five days since Gardo had gotten the quest, and Mazie's birthday was in two days! They had to find the silly Kateil, get to Faerieland, find Mazie a present, and get back for her party.

     Pika and Gardo walked up the creaking, wooden plank into the Little Nippers petpet shop in Krawk Island. Inside were a couple dozen different petpets squawking around the store. A peg-legged pirate Kyrii, who smelled of salt, walked up to them.

     “Yarr! How can I help ye, maties?” growled the pirate Kyrii.

     “Umm... we're looking for a Kateil. Do you happen to have one?” asked Gardo.

     “Sure we do!” replied the pirate, pointing to the two beautiful birds in the corner of the store. “We has an Island Kateil at 52 dubloons and we has a regular Kateil at 30 dubloons. Which do ye have yer heart set on?”

     Pika and Gardo looked at each other. “What are dubloons?” inquired Gardo.

     “Yohohohoho!” laughed the pirate Kyrii. “Dubloons is our currency here at Krawk Island. Did ye not know that? Everything is paid for in dubloons. Yer neopoints are worth nothing to me.”

     “Erm, we'll be right back,” said Gardo. Pika and Gardo left the shop and started walking along the beach, the sand crunching beneath their toes. “What are we going to do?”

     “It'll be okay, Gardo,” comforted Pika. “Let's just go back home. I'm sure the Faerie can find someone else to find her that silly Kateil.”

     “No,” argued Gardo. “I refuse to give up. The Faerie asked ME for a reason. I'm going to find a way to make some dubloons and get the Kateil.”

     As Gardo and Pika continued to walk along the beach, deep in thought, a suspicious looking pirate Usul happened to be following them. He jumped in front of Pika and Gardo, “Arr, maties! I hear ye looking for some dubloons?”

     “Yes, we are!” cried Gardo. “Do you take neopoints by chance?”

     “I think I can help ye out with that,” replied the Usul. “How many dubloons ye looking for?”

     Gardo looked at Pika, “How much did he say the Kateil was?”

     “Uh, I think he said 52 for and island Kateil, and 30 for just a regular one,” replied Pika.

     “Well, I don't know what kind of Kateil the Faerie wanted... so I guess I want one of each, just to be safe. How much would 82 dubloons be?”

     “Well, that would be 200,000 neopoints,” stated the pirate Usul.

     “Are you kidding me?!” squealed Pika as Gardo reluctantly handed over the neopoints. The pirate Usul handed Gardo exactly 82 dubloons and the pair headed back the the Little Nippers petpet shop to purchase the Kateils.

     Squawk! Squawk! cried the Kateils as they traveled to Faerieland to deliver the quest item.

     “Ugh, do they EVER shut up?” complained Pika.

     “Don't worry, we're almost there,” pointed out Gardo. He didn't even hear the screeching of the Kateils. All the could think about was how big and strong he would be after the Faerie blessed him for returning her Kateil. Then, he could finally impress Pika.

     The duo reached Faerieland and walked towards the giant purple castle. A beautiful purple sign that said “Faerie Quests” stood outside the building. Pika and Gardo opened the big blue doors and walked inside.

     Right as they walked in, a beautiful blonde Faerie wearing a blue dress greeted the Neopets. “How can I help you?” smiled the Faerie.

     “Hello, I'm Gardo and I'm here to turn in a quest,” announced Gardo.

     “Well, of course you are!” giggled the blonde Faerie. “Now what kind of faerie sent you on this quest? That will make it easier for me to get you to the right wing of the castle.”

     “Erm....” squirmed Gardo, “I'm not really sure what kind of Faerie she was. She had long beautiful purple hair, she was wearing a lavender dress, and smelled wonderful.”

     “Oh!” gasped the Faerie receptionist. “That can only be Fyora, the Faerie Queen! How lucky you are to get a quest from her. Follow me!”

     Pika and Gardo followed the Faerie down winding halls and up many flights of stairs. Finally, they arrived in a very high tower, hidden in the sky next to the castle. The blonde Faerie knocked on a large wooden door.

     “Enter,” cried a musical voice behind the door. Gardo and Pika entered the tower room to find the magical Faerie Queen surrounded by many beautiful items.

     “Oh, it's you!” cried Fyora. “I knew you'd find me a Kateil. I hope it wasn't too much of a trouble!”

     “Actually...” started Pika, when Gardo elbowed her to be quiet.

     “No, not at all!” lied Gardo. “I'm happy to be of service, your highness. There was only one problem, I wasn't sure if you wanted a regular Kateil or an Island Kateil, so I brought you one of each.” Gardo offered the Faerie Queen the cage of squawking Kateils.

     “Oh you are so thoughtful!” sang Fyora. “I only wanted a Kateil, though, so you may keep this Island bird. And now I'm sure you'd like your reward!” Fyora pulled out her large staff and wove it over Gardo's head.

     In an explosion of purple sparks, Gardo felt stronger, faster and smarter! His muscles grew larger under his fur. Pika's jaw dropped in awe. Fyora smiled at the pair and waved her wand once more. A misty purple fog filled the room and the two pets couldn't see anything. When the fog lifted, they were back home in Neopia Central, just in time for their friend Mazie's birthday party.

     “Oh Gardo! You look so handsome,” cried Pika. “Everyone at Mazie's party won't even recognize you.” Then Pika gasped, “Oh no! Mazie's party, we forgot to get her a gift!”

     Gardo grinned and held up the cage with the Island Kateil. Pika sighed in relief and grabbed Gardo's paw. The two walked hand in hand down the lane, their friendship stronger than ever before.

The End