The Discarded Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity

How "Bert" Ended Up To Be The DISCARDED Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity

Have you ever noticed the itty-bitty dot on a cloud in Faerieland, just outside of the Faerie City? Well I did, and being as nauseatingly curious as I am, I went to have a look-see. There, on the cloud, I saw the cutest, saddest looking plushie I have ever seen in my three years as a Neopian! He looked so lonely! Not being the brightest person, I tried to talk to the poor guy. No, of course he didn't respond. I began to wonder how this little toy ended up way up there in the clouds, all alone. Immediately after I left Faerieland, I embarked on a frustratingly long and torturous search all over Neopia for the little blue plushie's story. Here is exactly what I found…

     He wasn't ALWAYS the Discarded magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity, oh no. Once, a long, long time ago, he was the Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity (not so hard to believe, is it?). Okay, I don't think my hands will survive the telling of this story if I keep saying "Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity", so here's what I'm going to do. From here on out, for my fingers' sakes, let's call him Bert. Bert was an original, the one-and-only, the most perfect toy ever made! Nobody knows who created him, or where he came from maybe someday I'll embark on THAT journey, just not today), but Bert somehow ended up in the hands of one very lucky king; none other than King Coltzan III!

     At that time, the Lost Desert was in the midst of the worst drought in Neopian history (worse than the norm for deserts, I mean). King Coltzan sat on his throne, staring out at his barren lands. He picked up his favorite toy (Bert, of course!) and played with him for a few minutes, wishing desperately for some sort of relief from this terrible drought. Now, being the Magical Blue Grundo Plushie of Prosperity, Bert heard Coltzan's despairing wish and brought rains upon the desert. Coltzan and his people cheered in joy and relief and brought great glory to Bert. The desert city thrived once again.

     After several years, the people of the Lost Desert forgot that it was Bert who brought their city back to life, and King Coltzan passed away. The people mourned, and Bert was thrown into a box, alone and forgotten. Weeks went by, until some pirate traders from Krawk Island looted the late Coltzan's palace, taking everything (including the box Bert was in) with them.

     Depressed and unaware of what was going on, Bert was carried far away to Krawk Island, where pirates prospered. Bert was sold to a pirate child, the son of a shipmaster, for a single dubloon. Even though this was a week's allowance spent on a whim, the boy screeched in delight and sprinted to go show his friend's what he had bought. To his disappointment, his friends were not impressed, and they left the boy to go play Pirates and Maraquans. The boy didn't care though, and left to go play with his new toy.

     The boy grew up with Bert, taking him EVERYWHERE (even to the bathroom…yuck!) Bert started to get ragged and torn as the years dragged on. He was dropped, kicked, thrown, hugged, pushed, pulled, everything you can think of! His stitching began to come apart, his color faded. The pirate child grew up, and Bert was sold to a collector.

     The plushie collector realized that this toy was a one-of-a-kind, and carefully repaired the poor, beaten plushie. Bert was placed delicately into a glass case, with a sign that read "Not For Sale." The collector traveled around a lot, taking everything he had with him. Bert saw the world! He traveled to the beaches of Mystery Island, the canyons and plateaus of Tyrannia, the legendary Snowager residing in Terror Mountain, even the Space Station! But Bert could not find happiness in any of these places.

     Then, one hot day hot day in the Month of Relaxing, the collector took Bert to a place that felt very familiar. The collector toured the pyramids and Sakhmet Palace. Everything looked and felt…even smelled!!…so familiar to Bert.

     The collector arrived at a curious looking shrine. There was a hole cut out in the shrine, and in it was a crown. Bert knew that crown!! It was King Coltzan III 's crown! Bert would recognize that anywhere. Finally, he was in a place he knew, and he felt his mood lightening at the thought of being back home again.

     The collector placed his things at the foot of the shrine, and began talking to his tour guide several paces away. Bert sighed, his frame of mind in a much better place. He glanced up at the sky, and yelped. (Okay, he didn't yelp, or make any other form of noise, but he would have if he had the vocal chords to do so!) There was the face of Coltzan, hovering in the air above him!! The form smiled down at Bert, winked, and disappeared.

     Bert stared sadly at where his old master's form had floated only moments before, wish for it to come back. That was the last he ever saw of old Coltzan.

     Years and years passed, and the collector finally sold Bert. You will never guess who bought him. That's right! None other than the Queen Faerie herself! She placed Bert on her windowsill in the Hidden Tower, admiring her new purchase. After a few moments, looking at Bert approvingly, her stomach growled. She frowned slightly, but ignored it. She picked up Bert and arranged him back on the windowsill so that he was facing outwards. Her stomach growled again, loud and insistent. She sighed and gave in to her stomach's wishes, and left to go find some lunch.

     In her absence, the Queen Faerie's maid arrived to clean the tower. She hummed as she worked, carelessly dusting off the merchandise sold in the tower. She played with almost everything, humming and dusting, dusting and humming. She skirted her way around the Rancid Battle Dung, holding her nose in disgust. She spotted a yoyo and picked it up, playing with it. She continued her chores, dusting and humming and yoyo-ing. Care to guess what happened?

     No? Fine. Sheesh, no need to get huffy about it. The maid was yoyo-ing and humming and cleaning, and of course she was not watching where she was walking. As she bent over to dust off a crystal ball looking thing, she accidentally knocked Bert out the window!! He tumbled down hundred of feet, the wind carrying him a little ways outside of the Faerie City. He landed softly on a cloud outside the city, alone again.

     That's the end of Bert's story. He is still there, lying on the cloud. Why don't you go visit him? He's looking a little lonely….what a poor unwanted little guy, maybe you should talk to him... no, he's just a toy, he won't answer you. Don't be silly!

  The End