Zaira

Of course I remembered! I'm your apprentice. It's my job! Plus, I've been so worried about you. You saved me all those years ago, and yet I feel like I haven't done nearly enough to repay you. And now, I can't even help you when you need it most.

Really?

I... I would love that!

H-hello! Thank you for coming to this year's Festival of Neggs. My na-name is Zaira, and I will be your host.

N-no, Kari. I was saying it because they are already here.

Th-thanks Kari. I will not let you down! Hi, since Kari is still afflicted by the grey curse, I volunteered to put to-to-together and run this year's festival. You can probably t-tell I'm a little anxious, but I have practised all year for this, so I promise I will do my best to live up to the fun standards that Kari set. Okay, for all you ne-newcomers, and anyone who would like a refresher, let me explain h—ow the festival works. (Deep breaths. You practised this over and over again. You can do this.) Each day, I will hide a bundle of neggs around Neopia and give a clue as to where you can find them. Except for the first and second days of the event, I will only hide one bundle, as I want to give everyone time to get into the swing of things. You can come visit me anytime for the clues to each day's hidden location, and you will have until the end of the festival to find them. However, there will be extra prizes for finding them all on the days I first give out the clues. So be sure to check in daily! When you find a bundle of neggs, you will be able to pick one of the three I have hidden there to keep for yourself, but choose wisely, as you will only be able to pick once at each location. Once you have chosen a negg, it will grant you one of its unique prizes inside! Do not be afraid to choose the same negg multiple times at different locations, as I will make sure you do not get any repeat prizes until you have gotten all that negg has to offer. Once the festival is over, I will tally up all your participation and grant you any extra bonus prizes the next day, so be sure to check back in anytime after the event ends to collect them. That is all for the basics for this year's festivities. If you have any more questions, be sure to check out the festival's FAQ at any time for more details. With th-that said, let the festival begin! Visit me again when you are ready for the first clue.

Oh ya, you are here! I was a little worried n-no one would come back. I know my first riddle may not have been all that good. Kari was a big help in teach-teaching me the logistics of the festival, but she was adamant that I make my own riddles, so I am n—ot sure they are as good as hers... I just really want to make her proud. I know it may seem h-hard to believe, but I was sort of a delinquent before Kari took me under her wing and helped me tr-tra-transform into the faerie I am today. So no matter what, I do not want to bother her. She has enough to worry about, and I will not add my stress on t-to hers! Come visit me again if you would like another riddle.

emocleW kcab! I epoh uoy'er gnivah a taerg emit. N-no...not-not-not again. (Breathe... You're just flustered or something. Deep breaths and try again.) emocleW kcab! Aagh! I am not sure what is going on. Sometimes I can t-talk fine... others it is almost like... like h—ow I used to be. But I always... always can not say the riddle I created for the day! Please, I can not let this festival be a failure. I know it may be difficult to understand. But I am going to t-try again. Come visit me once more if you would still like to try and find t—oday's bundle.

I am so h-happy to see you. Thanks to you and other kind visitors, we discovered I was talk-talk-talking in reverse. I am oddly relieved... My stutter can get worse when I'm overwhelmed, but I've n-never experienced anything like this. I know I should probably have Kari ta-take over until I can figure this out... but she h-has done so much for me. I can put up with whatever this is for a bit longer. I have called in a friend to see if she can h-he-help. She will be by soon, but for now, maybe I can just give clues to where the neggs are. Okay, just itisv teh. Agh, oh no! Why can not I even say th-tha-that! Am I cursed or something? It even sounds different... We just have to go a little longer. Please, maybe th-this one can be sorted out as well.

Yes... Well, I mean, n-n-no, but I'm physically okay. But...but I th—ink I may be cursed.

N-no! I really do not want to involve Kari. If I am really speaking in puzzles, th-that means visitors will still be able to solve where the neggs are. Which means the festival can still go on as planned!

Th-th-hen stay here. Study me while I give out riddles or puzzles or whatever.

T-that is okay. I will just give out clues like I h—ave been for you to study.

So what n-now?

Th-that is okay. I promised Kari I would see this through, and I intend to do so, n-no matter what.

Really? Th-that is great. What is it?

Oh wow... that-that-that is eerily similar to me.

N-no, I mean. Like her life story, it is very close to mine. Before Kari took-took me in, I kind of... ran with the wrong crowd.

So, maybe th-this will just go away on its own?

So, it is a curse?

It's okay. I kn-know we will figure it out.

I've been so worried about this festival. My biggest fear was that I would mess this up somehow. Mostly th-that my stutter would come back full force and n-no-no one would be able to understand me. And in a way, my worst-case scenario came t-true. And yet, things still worked out. Old me probably would h—ave shut down. In fact, old me did. I used to get so ner-nervous in the past that anytime I tried to speak, I would stutter so bad I could barely be understood. It got to the point where I just fully stopped ta-talking out of fear of the mockery. It was then th-that I got mixed up with some not-so-nice individuals. They did not need me to t—alk, as long as I could punch, steal, and fly fast. I never really liked it there, but I was young and scared. But Kari got me out. It took a while for me to trust her, but she was patient and caring. She h-helped me find what I was passionate about, let me become her apprentice at the Neggery, and even got me speech-therapy to help mitigate my stutter. I never would h—ave imagined running a festival like this before I met her. Yet, here I am. My literal worst fear came true, and n-n-not only did no one mock me like before, but they took the t—ime to understand me. It may t-t-take longer than we wanted, but we will get there.

What do you mean?

Oh no-no-no! I'm so sorry! This is all my-my fault!

I should have sto-stoped this whole event. I should h-h-have listened to you and just called Kari. I just-just wanted h-her to be p—roud of me.

Kari? You-you're h-here? W-why?

I am so s-sorry. Kari, I m-messed up. And-and-and n—ow she is cur-cursed too.

Oh my goodness. How cute!! Th-this little guy is what is causing our fears to become reality?

But why is he h—ere? And why is he scared?

Awww! It's okay, little guy. No n-need to be scared. I would love to be your friend.

Oh wait! I still have one more riddle to give. What do you say, little buddy, let's use that anxiety for good one last t-time and give a real brain scratcher to all the festival-goers!