Fairest

     "It's marvelous, Celeste," she had said, clapping her hands together in excitement. "I know exactly which one you'll choose, and it will go so well with your color!"

     "A what?" Celeste had inquired.

     "That's for you to find out. Go yourself, I'll probably give it away if I come with you. It will look so pretty on you!" She grinned. And Celeste went.

     She reached the small caravan near the gate as Lydia had told her and went inside, curious, nervous, excited. And she knocked on the door...

     "Ah, hello!"

     A Cybunny with glossy blue hair stared back at her. She's not scary at all, thought Celeste, and said, "Hey. My owner told me there was a new addition to the Faire--"

     "Oh, your owner? Was she that girl with the Sketch Xweetok?"

     "Yes! That's her! Probably," said Celeste. "My sister's a Sketch Xweetok. Marikoa."

     "Nearly destroyed one of my masks, that Xweetok did," the Cybunny said, but she seemed more amused than angry. "Anyway, come in, come in. I'm Saskia."

     Celeste did.

     Inside the caravan there were old, dusty red curtains, old, dusty white curtains, an old, worn wooden floor, and plenty of cobwebs. But Celeste didn't notice, because she was staring at the five masks on stands in the middle of it all. They glowed like Kreludor at night. They were beautiful, almost as beautiful as the cape she coveted in the Hidden Tower, the one that cost two million NP or something, the one that she could never, ever have. And there was one mask that was the fairest of them all.

     "They're so pretty," said Celeste, "but what... should I do with them?"

     "Oh, just put one on," said Saskia.

     Celeste reached almost instantly for the feathered mask of purple and pink and blue, but stopped and said, "Put one on?"

     "Yes, I need you to do some testing," Saskia said. "So just put one on and I'll tell you what to do next."

     The mask glowed, though there was little light. Purple and pink and blue... Celeste picked up the mask slowly, as if it would break or disappear, and then slipped it onto her head. Something blue and filmy slipped over her eyes, and she saw nothing but cerulean, but then it cleared and she could see normally again.

     She felt ecstatic. Beautiful. She had never felt this way before, and she twirled around for a moment before she saw Saskia staring at her. Embarrassed, she stopped and stood still.

     "So... what now?" she said, awkwardly.

     But Saskia was smiling.

     "Alright, take off the mask."

     Dejected, Celeste did. Was that it? The one time she could wear such a beautiful thing?

     But, then, she had never worn the cape in the Hidden Tower even once. So she was--so she should be--grateful. Still, she looked at the mask with longing as she began to place it back on the stand.

     "Look inside," said Saskia.

     Celeste stopped, realizing that she wouldn't have to let go of it just yet, smiled, and looked on the underside of the mask. But there was nothing.

     "There's nothing but a tag," she said, disappointment clouding her face.

     "Read it!" Saskia said cheerfully.

     "'Standing guard over Tyrannia's primary food source can get lonely... luckily, there's a place for those in search of a playful Petpet pal.'" She looked up. "So...?"

     "So wear the mask and look for the place!" Saskia said. "And I'll collect data. Win-win."

     Yes. Yes, wearing the mask was a win. Celeste put the mask back on, immediately feeling the beauty flood back into her. Yes, with this mask, she was gorgeous. Without it, she was just another Faerie Uni. She had to keep it on as long as possible.

     "Thank you!" she shouted to Saskia as she ran out of the caravan and took to the skies. Her pink wings matched the feathers on the mask.

     Tyrannia.

     So that was where she had to go. She couldn't fail.

     Petpet pal. Petpet pal. She landed in front of Tyrannian Petpets and walked in.

     Heads turned, and she knew they were looking at her and her wonderful mask. She lifted her head a little higher and walked up to the Elephante at the counter. "Do you know anyone who stands guard over Tyrannia's primary food source? While feeling lonely?"

     The Elephante stared off into space for a few moments, then mumbled, "That's a tough one... well..."

     He mumbled a few things about being hungry and then mentioned the Giant Omelette.

     And then it clicked.

     That Lupe. She thanked him and flew off.

     It had been a long time since she had been to the Giant Omelette. She landed in front of the large yellow thing and found Sabre-X looking as though he was waiting for someone.

     Her.

     She took a slice of omelette as he stared at her. No--her mask.

     He looked at her mask for a long time before tossing her a plushie and some rock candy.

     Celeste looked at it, said, "Thanks," and headed back to see Saskia. Because she had succeeded. Perhaps she would get a few more minutes with the mask as a reward?

     "I see you've returned--what, that was fast," Saskia said cheerfully. "Excellent job! Oh, and your reward--here's a prize for you."

     She handed Celeste an omelette.

     "But I already took one when I was there," Celeste protested weakly. Really, she was disappointed that she wasn't allowed to have the mask anymore.

     "Well, here's a second piece. Not everyone can say they have THAT," the Cybunny replied. "Come back tomorrow--there will be another quest."

     "But the mask--" Celeste said, instantly regretting that she had said it. She could have walked out with it. Perhaps Saskia would have forgotten. Perhaps.

     "Keep it!" Saskia said. "Now, off with you! I have to make some notes. You look lovely, by the way. Good-bye!"

     Celeste walked outside of the caravan and stood, shocked. Then she felt the weight of the mask on her head. And she flew.

     Celeste landed in front of her Faerieland home and stepped gracefully through the front door.

     Immediately, she was attacked by a speeding Scritchy Sketchy blur known as Marikoa.

     "Cel! You're back! Did you see the coconut? I tried to kill it but Lydia wouldn't let me!"

     "Marikoa!" Lydia shouted, standing up and trying to catch the Xweetok. "Seriously, stop zooming around, you'll break something else. Stop!"

     Marikoa stopped and sat. "Nice mask, by the way, Celeste," she said, staring at the feathered thing. "But did you see the evil coconut? Its eyes were GLOWING and all!"

     "Its name is mr.coconut, Mari," Lydia said. "No capitalization. Oh, Celeste, you look like the fairest Uni in all of Neopia. That mask is stunning."

     But Celeste had walked over to her vanity table, staring at the mask, not hearing a word. It was so beautiful. It matched her color perfectly. She moved her head from side to side, making the feathers sway. She did not respond.

     "Celeste?" Lydia again, but her voice sounded as if it was from down the hallway. Or even farther...

     The Uni stared at herself. The blue eye coverings made her eyes look a solid, pupil-less, light cerulean, but it looked better, a lot better, than her other eyes, dark blue with pupils and reflection. These eyes looked mystifying, glowing gently like the rest of the mask. Not like the boring Faerie Uni that had walked into the caravan. She would go again tomorrow. Go to that magical caravan. Yes, she would.

     "Celeste!" Lydia, sounding almost like she was screaming. But why would she, when the world was so beautiful? When SHE, her oldest Neopet, was so beautiful? Celeste gave a long, contented sigh and let her eyes wander around the mask.

     The jewel at the center of the mask was enthralling. It was the connector of the whole mask, the link that made the whole thing go together. Without it, the mask would disappear.

     And so would she, she realized. Without the mask, she was ordinary. She couldn't be ordinary anymore.

     She would never take it off.

     As she stared in the mirror, at the blue jewel, and the feathers, and she never noticed the screams, or the cries of her name behind her. She never noticed the hands and the paws tugging at her, and somebody shrieking, "Get her away from that mirror!" She only stared and stared and thought one thing, one thing only: I am the fairest.

     Sometime her vision clouded blue again, and then it faded to black. But she didn't care, because as long as she could think that one thought, she was happy. I am the fairest. I am the fairest. I am the fairest.

     Somewhere in the Haunted Woods, a blue Cybunny smiled. Day One had been a marvelous success.

The End