The Other Kau Girl

Q: First things first: tell us a little about yourself, Allita. We rarely hear mention of the other Kau girl that comes from the most well-known family of magical shopkeepers in Neopia.

A: Well, there's not much to know, if I'm to be quite honest with you. I'm actually Kauvara's older sister by three years. Most Neopians tend to assume I'm her little sister. I guess they think being older means you should be the one that's smarter and achieves more. I suppose that's true of a lot of other siblings, but not with us. From a very young age, Kauvara was interested in the sciences, especially chemistry. Our parents got her a beginner chemistry set before she was even old enough to attend school. Me, on the other hand? I can't stand the thought of being stuck in a lab, experimenting with potions all day. I've always preferred being out in the fresh air. I got average grades in school, but I definitely remember having trouble paying attention in class because I was always too distracted by what was happening outside. As a child, I spent most of my free time hiking and exploring the forests near our house. I was lonely much of the time because I could never convince Kauvara to come outside and play, but she would never convince me to join her in the lab no matter how hard she tried.

Q: Wow, you two seem like polar opposites. Did your parents ever ask you to run the Magic Shop in Neopia Central?

A: No, they never bothered. They went straight to Kauvara when the time came for them to retire. If they had asked me, I would've turned it down, but I have to admit it hurt my feelings that they didn't even ask, you know what I mean? I at least wanted the option to be available. But they obviously thought I didn't have enough business sense to run the shop, because when Kauvara turned them down, they hired on that wretched Tyrannian Kyrii, Raygar.

Q: Was that the shopkeeper that was selling bunk items?

A: Yes! And before the customers figured it out, I already knew. I was keeping an eye on him. I didn't trust him from the very beginning. Kauvara was away at the tower of the Light Faerie, studying potion making, and my parents were taking long vacations since they finally had the time to. I was the only family member keeping watch on Raygar and the shop.

Q: After they fired him, did you ask your parents for the position?

A: I did. I had been the one to uncover Raygar's dirty secret and I warned our customers of his dishonest dealings. My parents still turned me down. I believe they thought Kauvara would be the better option because she was already being recognized as one of the premier potion makers in Neopia by that time, even though she was still in training. Our customers would be more comfortable buying from a shopkeeper that had so much firsthand knowledge of magic. I think they made the right decision in that sense.

Q: Are you not bothered by the fact that they didn't even consider you, even after you proved so useful in getting rid of Raygar?

A: I've thought about this a lot, and I have to say: no, I'm not bothered by it anymore. I think my parents know me better than I know myself, sometimes. They realized that even if I could handle being a shopkeeper, I never would have enjoyed the role. Like I said before, I'm not a fan of being cooped up inside all the time.

Q: Do you have any hand in what goes on at the Magic Shop these days?

A: I actually spend a lot of time on Roo Island. Kauvara needs arbiter berries picked very frequently so she can make her famous strengthening and healing potion. Most of the time I make these trips by myself because she is too busy to leave the shop. There are those rare times when she is able to tag along and help me. I wish it happened more often. I do love spending time with my sister, even if we don't have much in common! And obviously berry picking allows me to spend as much time outside as I want. When Kauvara can't come with me, sometimes I'm able to get King Roo to join, when he gets tired of playing Dice-A-Roo.

Q: Just one more question for you, Allita. I've noticed your sister seems to release a brand new potion each time we celebrate Kau Day. If you could have her invent any potion you could imagine, what would it do?

A: Sometimes I really wish magic and potions didn't exist. There is so much more to life than that. Hmmm, I guess that's my answer then, if I have to give a real answer to this question. I wish Kauvara could invent a potion that would replicate her. So we could have one Kauvara to run the Magic Shop and one Kauvara to spend time with her older sister, exploring the world together. That's really what I'm missing out on.