Quest Searching at the Faerie Festival

      Some time ago, Francisco had had a random run-in with the fearsome Dr. Sloth himself before he had been imprisoned in the Space Faerie’s token. The mad conqueror had appeared with a mad cackle, asked for unquestioning loyalty, and handed off a strange potion before leaving. Without much thought or hesitation, Fracisco took a quick swig of the newly acquired potion. Curiosity did always seem to get the best of him. Maybe he should have first checked the fine print on the bottle or have known not to trust unknown items given by evil villains, as he now found himself to have become a Mutant Gnorbu.

      Francisco himself didn’t have a problem with Mutants. He never tried to draw conclusions before getting to know someone and had met plenty of kind Mutant Neopians before. But now being a Mutant himself, he felt the judgment others gave just at first glance, especially living in the city of Faerieland. Most residents were brightly coloured or had elegant Faerie wings matching the theme of the land. Francisco would often leave locals with shocked faces when he would enter the busy streets.

      Most would be gentle and keep their thoughts to themselves. It was the young Neopians that often had no filter. They would comment on Francisco’s smell, apparent by the swarm of flies that kept him company. They’d point out the never-ending drool that spilled from his lips. Some laughed at his lack of fur, only small patches sparse throughout his body. Francisco could see in the mirror the deformities in his face that differed from other Gnorbus, but he still put a smile on his face every day.

      Even through his positivity, the Mutant Gnorbu was growing weary of the negative talk and discrimination. He had always admired the Faeries and was envious of their wings. He dreamt of looking beautiful, having a body full of soft fur and the ability to fly around at will. Francisco still had appreciation for Mutants, but he was ready to move on. He had tried to save up for a Faerie Paint Brush to be able to make the change on his own, but the cost always seemed to be just out of his grasp. His next idea was to help the Faeries with their quests, hoping he could get lucky, and Naia would request his assistance.

      Francisco made his way to the gathering spot for this year’s Faerie Festival. The area was already flooded and bustling with Faeries and Neopians, quest after quest being given and completed. He looked around for the Fountain Faerie, but he couldn’t find her at first glance. The Gnorbu knew he had a few different chances to help her with a quest, so he instead made his way over to a Dark Faerie that had just glided in.

      “Hi there! Did you need help today in getting a supply?” Francisco said with a toothy grin to the Faerie.

      The Dark Faerie looked him up and down with a look of disgust on her face. “Get me Poogle Marbles. Don’t ask questions and maybe I won’t turn you into a Blechy.” She then crossed her arms and sat down on a rock, tapping her foot as she waited for the Gnorbu to start the quest.

      Francisco felt a slight hurt at her words and actions, but tried not to take it to heart, knowing that Dark Faeries often had a harsher demeanor. He quickly recovered his composure. “On it! Be right back!” This quest would be easy for him. The Gnorbu recalled having stuffed some old toys under his bed long ago, and knew he had those very marbles kept in a small bag.

      The Gnorbu was back at home in no time and went straight to his bedroom. He knelt next to his bed, finding dust that had gathered on the many items over the years. Francisco spotted the cloth bag and reached, pulling it out. He opened the bag and looked – three small marbles, coloured green, yellow, and blue, with smiling Poogle faces printed on them. “Perfect!” he said, heading back out to meet with the Dark Faerie.

      The Dark Faerie was still sitting on the rock, still looking impatient. She scoffed as Francisco approached her with the Poogle Marbles. “Oh, please. A Petpet could have found this faster than you. Still, I suppose you want a reward…” She effortlessly flicked her wrist. “For your efforts, your health has increased.”

      The Dark Faerie got ready to take off, and she vanished before Francisco had a chance to respond. “Thank you!” the Gnorbu said to no one. The Mutant went back home, ready to come back the next day and try again.

     ***

      Francisco woke early to go to the Faerie Festival. “Maybe if I’m one of the first ones there, Naia will still need help,” he said to himself as he walked up to the clearing. He again searched for the Fountain Faerie, but she didn’t appear to be there at the moment. “Where could she be…” he said quietly. The Gnorbu then jumped with surprise, startled by a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned around, meeting a Grey Faerie standing shyly before him. “Baelia! It’s good to see you, I hope you’ve been well. Did you need some help?”

      “Oh, hullo. Don’t suppose you can find me a Buzzer?” the Grey Faerie asked with a weak smile.

      Francisco always had a soft spot for Baelia. He knew she also struggled at times, and he remembered this when he would have hard days. “Certainly, I know just where to look! Wait here, and I’ll be right back.”

      The Mutant left the festival and went to a known meadow that was nearby. There were large flowers that grew there, and in turn plenty of Buzzers inhabited the area. He walked through the field, using his ears to listen for their recognizable buzzing. Francisco swiftly detected where one was hiding and happily trotted over. “Aha! Gotcha!” he said with a fast swipe. He looked at the Buzzer he was holding. “Baelia is going to take great care of you, I promise!”

      Baelia was found chatting with another Faerie when Francisco returned to the Faerie Festival. The Grey Faerie turned to give the Gnorbu her attention when she had spotted him walking up. “Welcome back. Were you able to find me a Buzzer?” Although she gave a bashful smile, her gratitude showed when the Gnorbu handed over the Petpet. “Thank you for showing me kindness, fair Neopian. I’ll not forget your deed. I have no magic of my own to reward you with, so I’m asking for help from another faerie. Rainbow Fountain Faerie, come and bestow your blessing upon this Neopian! I cannot abide a debt that is not paid. She will allow you to take a dip in the Rainbow Fountain!”

      Francisco’s jaw dropped open. He was almost convinced his droopy ears deceived him. “The Rainbow Fountain! I didn’t realize you had that capability. You have no idea how long I have been dreaming of this, I can’t thank you enough!” the Gnorbu exclaimed as his yellowed eyes filled with happy tears.

      Baelia responded by giving him a hug. “Well thank you for taking the time to help me! I believe Naia is over at the Fountain now if you’d like to swing by.”

      The Mutant Gnorbu was jumping for joy on his race to the Rainbow Fountain. And just like Baelia said, Naia was sitting in her pool beneath the eternal magical waterfall.

      The Fountain Faerie welcomed Francisco with her arms stretched out wide. “Thanks for completing that quest for Baelia, I know she really appreciated it. As a reward, you can go into the fountain and select a great new colour! Almost any colour you want!”

      Francisco took a moment to soak it all in and enjoy his last few moments of being a Mutant. Although being a Mutant had sometimes made life difficult, he felt like he had learned to be kind and not judge others quickly. But he was now ready for his new journey. “I’d like to be Faerie, please!”

      Naia invited Francisco into the pool, and he slowly felt his body start to tingle. He noticed that his fly companions flew away, and the chill of the wind became less harsh. He looked in the pool’s reflection and found a new image – a Gnorbu staring back at him, full of colour and looking healthy. The mint green ruff around his neck was thick and shiny, and behind him he spotted delicate pink wings. Francisco realized he felt as light as air; he concentrated on his wings and found himself floating just above the pool. “I can fly! Oh, thank you Naia! I couldn’t be more grateful!”

      The Faerie Gnorbu was amazed and pleased with his new appearance, but he would never forget the lessons he learned from his time as a Mutant. He swore to himself he would continue to advocate for those in need and to treat others with kindness and respect.

     The End.