Prerequisites: Niccolo's Business Unusual, Flame of Hope

   Pay a visit to the item shop in Geo. If you've completed the requisite quests, Niccolo will be wandering around in here. Agree to help him collect greenballs and he'll join you. Do not let him leave the party (either by recruiting a new NPC or stepping inside your house) until the quest is complete, or it will be marked with an "X" mark in your diary and cannot be finished. You will, however, still be able to continue with the next quest in the Niccolo's Business line.

   Skip through the Pathways of Asceticism and visit the waterfall. Nic starts collecting greenballs. Talk to him once or twice, then exit to the right and take the passage to the right onto the town map. Visit the Cancun Bird nest, then return to the waterfall and wait around. Eventually, a faerie will appear on the log. Talk to it. Answer its questions however you want; the result is the same: Niccolo gives you 500 Lucre, a Greenball Bun, and either an Artifact or a piece of metal for helping him. The quest ends.

Li'l Cactus' quote: "Little bugs!"
Cactus Diary:
"Greenballs look like locusts without their wings. They don't look that yummy to me. I'd rather have fish for dinner."