The blue shoyru smiled brightly. �Me too,� she said. �That Pant Devil sure packs a wallop.�
�Indeed,� Agent_Standish agreed. �We were, however, successful in our endeavor, thanks to Max�s skillful distraction.�
�Yeah,� Agent_Webb agreed. �Not only did we get our ball back, but Ezra snatched a bunch of other stuff that went into the Agency shop.�
�Excellent job,� the director congratulated them. �Now I have another assignment for you.�
�Okay,� Clayton said seriously, piling his papers together and giving her his complete attention. �What is it?�
The director sighed and said, �We�ve had reports from neopets near the Rainbow Pool of some kind of strange and frightening creature roaming the area. I�d like you three to go check it out.�
�Alright,� Clay said. A short time later, the three set out for the Rainbow Pool to investigate the reports and see the creature for themselves.
**
Agent_Webb was bounding along beside Agent_Standish, while Agent_London flew above their heads. For every ten paces Ezra took, Clay went five. Somewhat annoyed, the aisha turned to his partner and said, �Clayton, must you leap back and forth across my path so?�
The ixi paused and scowled slightly. �I�m an ixi, Ezra,� he grumbled. �It�s how we get from place to place. Koi swim, Shoyrus fly and ixis bound. Get used to it.�
�Boys,� Max scolded, landing just ahead of them on the trail. �We�ve got work to do and it doesn�t involve you two bickering over inane details.�
�He started,� Clay muttered, and turned to bound ahead of the other two. Pausing again, he turned back and said, �Are you two coming or do I have to investigate this �strange and frightening creature� all by myself?�
�Coming,� Ezra said irritably and scurried along the trail to catch up with the ixi.
Agent_London flapped twice and launched herself into the air. A moment later, she was flying just over Clayton�s head. �What do you suppose it is, anyway?� she asked, sounding a bit nervous.
The ixi rolled his eyes. �Probably just some pteri playing a practical joke or an elephante with a toothache or something equally commonplace and none threatening.�
�They said it was making horrible sounds, Clayton,� Agent_Standish reminded him.
�Fine,� The ixi sighed. �What do you think it is, oh wise and magical aisha?�
Ezra scowled at his partner and replied, �We�ll know soon enough, we�re nearly at the location the sounds were reported in.�
�Shh,� Max said, landing beside the others. Turning to them, she asked, �Do you hear that?�
Agent_Standish cocked his head to one side and tipped his ears and antennae in the direction the sound was coming from. �It sounds like�� he started.
�Sobbing,� the other two agents finished.
Continuing up the path more quietly, the small group made their way toward the sound. Soon as it seemed they were nearly on top of it. Agent_Webb peered through the bushes and paused. �Hello,� he greeted gently.
�Huh?� the one who�d been crying replied, pulling back in alarm. He � at least Clay assumed he was a male � didn�t look like anything Clayton had ever seen. It kind of looked like a faerie, but without the wings. He had dark brown hair on the top of his head and large round violet-colored eyes. His skin was pale for the most part, though his cheeks were bright pink from crying so hard. He wore a long robe and a tall pointed hat � rather like the shop wizard. The creature stared at him for a moment, then said, �Um�hello.�
�Hello,� Agent_Webb repeated. �Can I ask, why were you crying?�
�I � I�m lost,� the being replied. �My name�s Keenan Meadows�I � I was trying to do a transportation spell, but something went wrong and I ended up here. I don�t know where I am, so I can�t figure out how to get back home.�
�Does crying help?� Agent_Standish asked gently.
Keenan wiped his eyes and shook his head. �No,� he whispered. �All I got was a headache and a stuffy head.�
�I�m Agent_Webb,� Clay stated. �These are my partners � Agent_Standish and Agent_London. We work for the Neopian Intelligence Agency.�
Keenan nodded and sighed deeply. Locking eyes with the ixi, he asked, �Where am I, exactly?�
�In Neopia Central, near the Rainbow Pool,� Ezra replied.
�This world�s called Neopia, then?� he asked softly.
Clay nodded. �Does that help any?� he asked.
�Yes,� Keenan replied. �I can do the spell to get home now, but I�m going to need a few things in order to open the portal.�
�Like what?� Agent_London asked.
Keenan looked thoughtful for a moment, then began ticking off objects on his fingers. �A toenail from a wolf, whiskers from three rabbits, a hair from a cat, a scale from a dragon and feather from an orpinicus.�
As he�d recited the list, Agent_Standish had dutifully written it down. �Alright,� he drawled. He repeated the list back and asked, �Is that everything?�
�Yes,� Keenan replied. �Can you help me get them?�
�Sure,� Max replied.
�Great!�
�I have a few questions, though,� Clay interjected. �What�s a wolf and a rabbit and a cat and a dragon and an orpin�orpine��
�Orpinicus,� Keenan finished. Sighing, he asked, �You don�t have them here?�
�I don�t think so,� Clay replied sadly.
Keenan bit his lip and shook his head. �What am I going to do?� he whispered.
�We don�t have those creatures here,� Agent_London offered. �But maybe we have something that�s close enough. What are they like?�
Keenan sniffled and looked up at the little shoyru. �You kind of look like a dragon. Do you have scales?�
�Lose a few everyday,� she said happily.
Brightening some, Keenan turned to Ezra. �You resemble a cat, could I have one of your hairs?�
�Okay�� Ezra said dubiously. Reaching into the sleeve of his shirt, he brushed a few hairs into his paw and handed them to Keenan.
Keenan smiled and said, �Um�a wolf is�it has pointy ears and a long fluffy tail and it howls at the moon.�
�That sounds like a lupe,� Clayton offered. �What about the others you listed. The rabbit and the�orpinicus?�
�Rabbits�um, they have long ears and short stubby tails and like to hop around in the woods,� Keenan answered. �Orpinici have feathered wings and beaks and furry legs and long tails with tufts on the end.�
�Cybunnies hop,� Agent_London offered. �Maybe they�re like rabbits.�
�Orpinici remind me of Eyries,� Agent_Standish interjected.
�Do you know where I could find a lupe, three cybunnies or an eyrie that might help me?� Keenan asked nervously.
�We have a young lupe working at the agency,� Clay replied. �She�ll help if I ask her too.�
�My cousin�s an eyrie,� Ezra added. �I�ll ask her for one of her feathers.�
�That just leaves the cybunnies,� Agent_London said, grinning broadly.
Clay frowned and nodded. �Those are really rare,� he said sadly. �After we get the feather and the toenail, we�ll ask around and see if some would be willing to help us out here.� Turning to Max, he added, �Meanwhile, you take him back to the apartment and get him settled in to wait for the other things he needs.�
�Right!� Agent_London replied. �Our place is this way,� she told Keenan, pointing back toward the main part of town.
�I really appreciate this,� Keenan said softly, as he followed her down the trail.
**
While Max got Keenan settled in their apartment, Clay returned to the Agnecy�s Headquarters and peeked into the records area. As he knew she would be, SamCarterONeill was sorting through the files and getting ready to return to their proper locations on the shelves.
�Hey Sam,� the ixi greeted her softly.
�Hello Agent_Webb,� the lupe replied formally. �Jack�s not here at the moment.�
�That�s okay,� Clay said, waving a hoof in dismissal. �I�m here to see you anyway.�
�Really?�
�Mm-hmm,� Clay said. �You know we were sent to investigate a strange creature in the area of the Rainbow Pool, right?� When she nodded, he said, �Turns out he�s�he�s a wizard and he needs our help to get back home.�
�Really?� Sam asked. �Can I do anything?�
Clay grinned. �Actually, you can,� he said. �You see, in order to get back home he has to open a portal. He needs a few things to make the potion and one of them is a lupe�s toenail.�
�The whole thing?� Sam asked, looking down at her claws apprehensively.
�No,� Clay assured her. �Just a clipping.�
�Well,� Sam said thoughtfully. �I guess I can do that then.�
A short while later, Clay caught up to Ezra. �I got the toenail,� he proclaimed. �How�d you do with your end?�
�Elsa was most accommodating,� the aisha replied, holding up a pale blue feather.
�Great,� Max said, coming up behind them. �That just leaves the cybunny whiskers and it just so happens that some of our agents were able to track down three of them.�
�Let�s get cracking then,� Clay said, as Max handed him a file on one of the cybunnies.
Ezra quickly read over his copy and then said, �Max can approach Mashi. I will discuss the situation with Miss Amaleya and, Clayton, you can speak with Miss Kastaelia.�
�Sounds like a plan,� Clay agreed.
**
Max flew down into the clearing where their agents had reported she could find Mashi. Just as she�d expected, the large mutant cybunny was sitting a few feet away. �Hello,� she called, as she landed.
The cybunny turned to face her and glared. �What do you want?� he growled.
Max smiled sweetly. �Just a moment of your time, sir,� she said. �I have someone who needs your assistance.�
�I don�t know you,� Mashi grumbled. �Why should I do anything to help you?�
�That�s the beauty of it,� Max said gently. �You don�t have to actually do anything. I just need one of your whiskers.�
�That�s it?� the cybunny asked. �Just a whisker?�
�Yup,� Max replied. �Then I�ll leave you alone.�
Mashi sighed deeply and pulled a whisker from out of his cheek. �Ow!� he grumbled. �Here, now take it and leave me be.�
�Thank you, Mashi,� Max said, taking the whisker. �Neopia is in your debt.�
�Whatever,� the cybunny grumbled as he hopped away.
**
Ezra padded into the Happy Icy Fun Snow Shop in Happy Valley and glanced around. Stifling a shiver, he noted that the elegant cybunny named Amaleya she was enjoying a raspberry brucicle. �Hello,� he greeted her softly.
The cybunny looked up from her ice-pop and said, �Hello.�
�Allow me to introduce myself,� Ezra started. �I am Agent_Standish � Ezra � and I am an agent with the Neopian Intelligence Agency.�
�I didn�t do it,� the cybunny exclaimed.
Ezra grinned. �Oh, it�s nothing like that,� he chuckled. Sobering slightly, he said, �Miss Amaleya, I come to you today to ask a favor from you.�
�What kind of favor could the NIA want from me?� she asked quietly.
Ezra sighed deeply. �Alas, a stranger has come to be lost in the lands of Neopia. He wishes to return home, but in order to do that, he needs our help.�
�Wow,� Amaleya breathed. �What�s he need from me?�
�Only a whisker from your delicate face,� Ezra replied gently.
�A whisker?�
�Indeed,� the aisha drawled. �In order to complete the potion that will return him to his home, he needs a cybunny�s whisker.�
�Well�� Amaleya said thoughtfully. �I suppose a whisker isn�t too much to ask. Here you go,� she said, pulling a whisker out of her cheek.
�Thank you,� Ezra said softly, taking the whisker. �Enjoy your treat.�
�I am,� the cybunny grinned, turning back to her brucicle.
**
Clay found Kastaelia watching a match of Shapeshifter in Meridell. �Hello, Sinsi,� he called softly to the gamekeeper.
�Hello, Clayton,� the ixi called back.
Agent_Webb glanced over at the cybunny, who sat all by herself, somewhat removed from the rest of the spectators. She wasn�t like any cybunny he�d ever seen. Rather than being cute and round like most were, she was sleek and elegant-looking. Her fur was jet black and she had beautiful purple tufts on her tail and around her neck.
He walked over to where she was and smiled shyly. �Do you mind if I sit here?� he asked.
�Fine,� the cybunny said shrugging.
Clay sat down on the grass beside her and pawed at the turf slightly with one hoof. Looking back up at the shapeshifter match, he mumbled, �I wish I could think of a way to help him.�
�Help who?� the cybunny asked.
Clay blinked in surprise and said, �Sorry, I � I didn�t realize I�d said that outloud. I�m Clayton.�
�Kastaelia,� the cybunny replied.
�Nice to meet you,� Clay smiled. �I work for the NIA and�well, we found this wizard. He was trying to do a teleportation spell and ended up here in Neopia. In order to go home, he needs the components of a magic potion. Ezra and Max were both able to give a little to the potion, but he didn�t need anything from me.�
�So you don�t feel like you�re helping enough?� Kas asked softly.
The ixi shrugged. �Probably silly of me. I mean, I�ve gotten just as many of the components as my partners have, but still��
�Can I do anything to help?� the cybunny asked.
Clay smiled. �Mm-hmm,� he replied. �In order to complete the spell, he needs three whiskers from cybunnies. My partners went to get one each.�
�And you came to ask me for one of mine,� Kas finished.
�If you�re willing,� Clay replied.
Kas smiled and nodded. �Sure,� she said. �This one was loose anyway,� she added, gently pulling a whisker out of her cheek.
�Thank you,� Clay said earnestly.
Kas looked into his eyes. �You�re welcome,� she replied.
Clay stayed a few moments more watching this intriguing bunny; then he stood up. �I have to be going,� he said softly. �Maybe I�ll see you around?�
�Maybe,� Kas agreed.
Clay winked at her and then bounded off in the direction of his apartment.
**
When he returned, he found that Keenan was sitting in the middle of the living room floor stirring a large pot. Looking a little doubtful, he handed the black whisker to the wizard, who smiled his thanks.
�That�s the last component,� Keenan said softly, as he dropped it into the thick brew. Turning to Clay he said, �I have to thank you for helping me.�
�We were just doing our job,� Max argued.
Keenan shook his head and reached into his pouch. He brought out eight small pendants. Two were pale blue, three were violet and three were green. �The blue ones allow you the ability to fly for short periods of time, the violet ones allow you to see the truth in what someone says and the green ones are said to bring luck to whomever wears them.�
�Thank you,� Clayton said softly, as he took the gifts from the young wizard.
�Thank you,� Keenan repeated. Then he turned back to the brew he�d mixed. Holding his hands over it, he said, �Neopia Central to Dark Castle, there I go, there to stay�� The mixture in the bowl glowed for a moment and then there was a pale doorway in the center of the room. Keenan turned to the three agents and inclined his head; then stepped through. Instantly, the portal vanished and when Max peered into the pot, she found it empty.
�Well,� Clay said softly. �That was�interesting.�
�Indeed,� Ezra breathed.
End