Triccity's Travels: Mystery Island

     The day that I had been working towards my entire life. I was born and raised in Moltara by my grandfather. Our dream had always been to expand our horizons by leaving Moltara and exploring Neopia together. But then…Grandpappy had fallen ill. He had never gotten the chance to fulfil his lifelong dream. So, I was gonna do it for the both of us.

     It had been a long, hard road to get to this point.

     And now, after years of trial and error, crashes, setbacks and everything else that could possibly go wrong, the day had finally come. The completed airship was now above ground, fully operational. It was time to get this airship and our long-held dream off the ground.

     "It's finally happening, Grandpappy," I said softly, heartbreaking at the thought that he wasn't there to share in this incredible moment with me.

     I hesitated at the door of the airship. I almost couldn't bear to go through with it. At the same time, staying in Moltara had proven to be even worse. Everything reminded me of Grandpappy. It was too painful to stay. Besides, leaving the long-held dream that we had shared unfulfilled didn't feel right either.

     So, here I was.

     She couldn't stand there, caught between her painful past and the hope of something better in store for her future. Steeling herself, she stepped over the threshold. As soon as the door shut behind her, she felt the finality of the moment. But she also felt the thrill of starting something new. She was leaving her childhood behind her for good. Her new life of travel and adventure awaited. She clambered up the ladder that led to the control floor.

     The floors and brass fixtures were freshly polished, the window that gave her a 360° view of the jungle that made up the land above Moltara was clean and unobstructed. She grinned as the significance of the moment hit her. She gripped the lever that started the airship and pushed it up. The lever glided smoothly up and with an almost imperceptible whirr, the airship came to life. She felt a gentle thrum in the floorboards as the engine room kicked into gear.

     She saw the view outside falling away as the airship rose straight up. With the thick undergrowth, the airship needed rather strong propulsion and control in order to do that. That had been one of the toughest challenges that she and her grandfather had had to overcome. It had taken time and just a little ingenuity to figure it out. But at last, they had.

     In moments, the jungle was below her, a green smudge of land. On all sides, was the intense, clear blue of the sky. No intense heat, no dark, gloomy caverns, no crowded, noisy city. Just her and the open sky.

     Her adventure had truly begun.

      It was smooth sailing for the next few hours. I was surrounded by the unbroken blue of the sea and sky. Though, it was a complete novelty to me. I had only ever seen such a view in pictures. It was mesmerizing.

      I looked at the map next to the control panel. My grandfather and I had studied and discussed this map many a time, debating our route, what we wanted to see first and where we wanted to go. I didn’t have to look at it as I had long ago memorized it but I had brought it with me, just in case. So, I knew that my current route would take me over an island known for its pristine beaches and thick jungles. It sounded like as good a place as any to make my very first stop on the surface.

      Soon enough the island loomed on the horizon. As I neared I saw boats on the water and packed beaches. The jungle was a thick green mass on most of the island with a volcano at its center. There were no obvious places for me to land the airship. Though, a close, careful sweep finally revealed a small, secluded beach.

      I landed the airship and disembarked, feeling sand beneath my feet for the very first time. I marvelled at how unstable it felt, and spent a few moments, running it through my fingers. Though, I eventually dusted off my hands and took in the rest of my surroundings. The beach was sheltered by a high cliff. Studying the cliff face, I could see why this beach was secluded, with no easy path up.

      I was accustomed to climbing up narrow, rocky paths as I traversed mining shafts in Moltara. So, this first obstacle hardly daunted me. I trusted the airship would be safe here and began to pick my way up the cliff face. The wind buffeted me but I felt invigorated by the challenge. At last, I reached the top, none the worse for wear.

      The jungle pressed in on every side with no obvious paths to take. I had no map of Mystery Island but I had made note of the more populated areas of the island. I struck out in the direction I thought those areas were. I walked for about an hour or so without making any progress. I wasn’t discouraged as the island wasn’t exactly small, or familiar to me.

      This was all a part of the experience.

      “I haven’t seen you around before.”

      I paused to look around me and saw a yellow Techo lounging in a tree.

      “I’ve just arrived from Moltara,” I said.

      “Are you lost?”

      “I-well, no-” I began before realizing that I didn’t know where I was or where I was going. I was the definition of lost. “I guess I am.”

      The Techo slipped off the side of the branch he was lounging on and landed in front of me. “Where are you trying to go?”

      “Um…” How to say I had nowhere specific to go? This Techo appeared to be a native and who better than a native to give me the best info? “Where do you suggest?”

      The Techo blinked at me in surprise. “That depends. What would you like to do?”

      “What do tourists normally do?”

      “Visit the beach, stay in bungalows, take a tour, buy souvenirs.”

      “Oh, I’ve already been to the beach. I guess I wouldn’t mind a tour though.”

      “Then come with me. It's about a half-hour walk to the tourist district.”

      “Thank you-” I began, trailing off with a questioning look at my guide.

      He obliged with an understanding smile. “I’m Kaleo.”

      “I’m Tris,” I said, introducing myself with my childhood nickname. Being called Triccity would remind me too much of home and I wanted a new start.

      As we walked, Kaleo told me more about the island and what life was like there. He allowed me to stop as often as I wished to take pictures and answered my questions. We topped a small rise to see a packed beach and bustling boardwalk below.

      “Thank you for getting me all this way and being so helpful. I believe I can manage from here but, before you go, I’d love to take a picture with you, if that’s alright?” I gave my guide a hopeful look.

      Kaleo flushed with surprise. “With me? Are you sure?”

      I nodded. “Yes, I want to remember everything about my travels, not just the places I’ve been but the ‘pets I met along the way.”

      “Very well.”

      I quickly stopped a passing Zafara to assist with this endeavour. He obliged as I quickly looped my arm over Kaleo’s shoulders. We smiled at the camera, the Zafara clicked the pic and we parted ways. Kaleo had been extremely helpful and I felt far more equipped to explore on my own. I tucked my camera into my satchel and then strode down the slope to the beach.

      Kaleo had explained to me that ‘pets didn’t just visit the beach to walk on the sand or enjoy the view. They built sculptures out of sand, sunbathed, played a game called volleyball and even went swimming in the ocean! Who knew such a barren location could offer such entertainment? I wanted to try them all! I cast my gaze across the crowded scene, trying to decide which to try first.

      It appeared that sand sculpture building was a favourite pastime for children but then my gaze caught on a trio of Moehogs with a couple that appeared near my age.

      “May I join you?” I asked them.

      “Sure. The more the merrier,” one, a faerie, answered.

      “We’re trying to build Faerie Castle,” a pastel one explained. “So, jump in wherever you’d like.”

      “I confess I’ve never built a sand sculpture before or been to Faerieland,” I said.

      “No?” The pastel Moehog gave me a curious look. “You should visit sometime. It’s a beautiful place.”

      “I plan to but Mystery Island was closer to Moltara.”

      “Is that where you’re from then?” the faerie asked.

      I nodded. “Yes, born and raised.”

      “And what do you think of the surface so far?” the pastel Moehog asked me.

      “Well, I haven’t seen much of it as I just left Moltara this morning but it's completely different from what I’m used to or what I imagined it would be like.”

      “It was quite a shock to the rest of Neopia when Moltara was discovered.”

      I smiled. “I can imagine. We always knew you existed but contact had long ago been lost between us. Though, I’ve always dreamed of seeing the surface for myself. It feels almost unreal that its finally happening.”

      “Well, consider this your personal invitation to Faerieland,” the faerie said.

      “And who may I ask is doing the inviting?”

      “Anna and this is my sister, Charlotte,” the faerie introduced herself before waving a hand to the pastel Moehog beside her.

      “Nice to meet you both. My name is Tris.”

      “Can we get back to building the sandcastle please?” a younger blue Moehog popped up between the sisters.

      “And this is our baby brother, Benny,” Anna introduced.

      I gave the young Moehog my best salute. “At your service.”

      Benny looked me over curiously. “Alright, then grab a shovel and start packing sand into moulds and I’ll tell you where to place them.”

      I hesitated, uncertain of what he meant. I was familiar with shovels, of course, but what did he mean by packing sand into moulds?

      Reading my confusion, Anna was quick to explain. “The two materials one needs to build sandcastles are sand and water. Tools like shovels, moulds and buckets are optional but they make the job easier.”

      Benny gave his sister a confused look. “Why are you explaining that?”

      “She’s never built a sandcastle before, Benny,” Charlotte informed him.

      The young Moehog whipped his head around to look at me in surprise. “You’ve never built a sandcastle before?!”

      “She’s from Moltara,” Anna put in.

      “Oh, so that’s why she’s dressed funny,” he observed.

      “Benny!” Anna gasped, horrified.

      I chuckled. “It's quite alright. I’m clearly out of place in these clothes.”

      I was wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt, a high-waisted burgundy skirt and sturdy brown boots. While it was a standard Moltaran look, it was a far cry from those around us dressed in brightly patterned shirts, shorts and sandals.

      “Even so, he should have better manners,” Charlotte said pointedly with a stern look at her brother.

      “Perhaps but I was taught that an observant mind and honest heart are traits to be valued,” I said with a smile at Benny.

      Benny smiled back at me.

      With this new understanding, each of us took up our respective tools and busied ourselves with the task. Given my inexperience and lack of vision, I followed the direction of the others: carrying buckets of sand and water and shaping towers and arches. Little by little, the Faerie Castle came together. I was amazed by the utility of sand. Despite its almost fluid makeup, bonded by water, it held its shape well.

      We stood back to admire our handiwork.

      “This is incredible!” I exclaimed.

      “The real one is even better,” Anna assured.

      I looked over at my new friends with a smile. “And I look forward to seeing it someday.”

      “Let’s take a picture together with the castle!” Benny exclaimed.

      I was about to pull out my own camera when Anna beat me to it.

     She drew a sleek, silver box from her pocket. “I got it.”

     My eyes widened in surprise. “That’s a camera?”

     “Uh huh. And a phone, too.”

     “What?!” I stepped closer to get a better look. “How does it work? Is this new? Does everyone have it or did you invent it yourself? Or is it powered by faerie magic?”

     Anna gave me a bemused look at my rapid-fire questions. “Its run by a computer chip inside. Its relatively new but the technology’s been around for a few years now. I did not invent it myself; I’m not smart enough for that. It’s not powered by faerie magic.”

     I itched to inspect it but I also didn’t want to just overwhelm my new friends with my curiosity. If this was a common technology on the surface, I was at least assured that I would have future opportunities to get an up-close look at some point.

     “Can we take the picture now?” Benny asked, all impatience.

     I quickly stepped away and we all gathered around our creation while Anna asked a passing Kiko to snap our pic with her phone. I asked him to take a pic with my camera as well. A few moments later, our respective devices were returned to us. He hadn’t had too much issue using my camera so that gave me hope that I would be able to develop all of the pictures I had taken and planned to take in the future. I hadn’t thought about the disparity in Moltaran and surface technology before.

     I would definitely have to take this into consideration from now on. From what little I had heard, the surface was more technologically advanced than Moltara. I would have a lot to learn in adapting to the surface world not only in culture but technology. Though, this was exactly why Grandpappy and I had wanted to travel in the first place. I felt confident that I was up to the task.

To be continued…