Author's Note (aren't you excited?): Just to keep things interesting--MUAHAHAHAHA!!! This week's story is inspired by the Adventure Generator! We're going to run it in that style. So, at the end of your section, offer people a few choices. For example: A) Take the stairs B) Look behind the curtains C) Climb down the ladder. However, unlike other "Choose Your Own" stories... you can NEVER go back or "Try Again"... MUAHAHAHAHA!!! *lightning crashes*

"I can't believe we're doing this," said Trikkana, hooves clomping dully on the sodden wood of the ancient porch.

Her Poogle companion shook, flinging the water off of herself. "Don't tell me you REALLY think his house is 'haunted'! It's just abandoned."

"But what if we see... a ghost?" asked the wide-eyed Ixi, still unconvinced.

"Then we'll ask them how they could afford such a nice paint brush! Sheesh... really, Triki!" said Corrine, rolling her eyes. "Now, let's go inside, before we catch the Sneezles from being out in the rain at night."

The Ixi cautiously nudged the door with her hoof. It let out a horrible creak, but swung open quite easily... too easily in Trikkana's mind. "Are you SURE about this? I mean, it's an old, abandoned house. You KNOW something bad is going to happen," said the Ixi, trying to stop her legs from shaking.

Corrine just sighed again. "Don't be silly, Triki! This is REAL LIFE, not one of those silly story tellings that you're always listening to in the Art Centre! Nothing is going to happen. We're just going to dry off and wait for the rain to stop. That's it," said the Poogle, pushing past her and walking inside. Trikkana slowly followed in behind her.

Closing the door behind her to keep out the cold, the Ixi and Poogle took a moment to adjust their eyes to the dark interior of the building. Ahead, the corridor led on into another room. Then, to the left, a rickety staircase led to the second floor. Corrine peered both ways, but it was still too dim to see very far. "Why don't we..."

1.) ...head up the stairs."
2.) ...continue down this hallway?"
3.) ...look around here some more?"

The Poogle started down the musty hallway, the mold and decay of the old building filling her senses. She shivered from what she'd convinced herself was the cold, but she knew that the looming walls and creaking floorboards were getting to her. She didn't want to be aalone in this place, as much as Trikkana hadn't wanted to come in. "Just watch out for ghosts!" she called back to her friend. It was a cruel joke, but she was rewarded as the Ixi's hooves echoed down the corridor, catching up with Corrine. She smiled, glad that she had company.

"Do you think this is it?" Trikkana asked for the umpteenth time, pointing to another one of the doors that practically covered the walls of the dank hallway. They had opened up many rooms, only to find libraries and studies, but had not yet found the kitchen.

"YES!" Corrine shouted as she opened the door Trikkana had motioned to.

"Kitchen?" The confused friend asked, shivering.

"No, even better! Look at that!" The Ixi's eyes grew wide as she entered the room after Corrine. It was a huge fireplace, which took up an entire wall of a dark lounge. "It's perfect, isn't it? Now, all we have to do is figure out how to get a fire started!" Finding no better means, they used two rocks to create a spark, catching it on some wood. It was a small fire, and semi-pointless, but the friends grinned with pleasure at their accomplishment.

Trikkana stood up from her kneeling position, passing through the room and finally stopping in front of the large window. "I don't think it's ever going to stop raining," she pouted while pulling back the moldy curtain.

The Poogle felt bad for her disheartened and scared friend. "It'll be okay, Triki--"

However, she was cut off from saying anything more, as a loud and mournful wail filled the room.

"Wh... What was tha... that?!" Trikkana cried out, tears springing to her eyes. "You sa... said there were no gho... ghosts!" She frantically started to back up towards the fireplace, tripping on something under the rug as she went.

"There... aren't, that's just stor... stories!" She dashed over to help her friend up, trying to convince herself more than anyone as fear started to well up in her stomach.

"What is thi... this thing?" Triki asked, pulling back the rug to see what she had tripped on and getting her stutter under control.

"It's a trap door!" Corrine concluded. "This is just getting too weird... I say we get out of this room now!" She ran to the door they had entered through, turning ghostly pale as she tried to turn the knob. Her Ixi friend looked like she was going to faint, as she, too, realized what was wrong.

"It's locked!" Trikkana yelled, officially losing her cool. "There's no way out... WERE TRAPPED!" She started to frantically run around the room. Corrine almost had to knock her down to get her to stop.

"Listen," she hissed, annoyed. "There is a way out, just not back into the hallway. We'll just keep looking, or go through that trap door from under the rug..."

Corrine trailed off as she heard a loud creaking and rumbling. Turning, she faced Triki, who was at the fireplace. Voice shaking, she pointed a hoof at a long spiral staircase that led down to another level behind the stonework. "Or, we can go through here."

"I think we should..."

1.) ...keep looking."
2.) ...go through the trap door."
3.) ...go behind the fireplace."

...go behind the fireplace!" Corrine finally said, smothering the fire. Just then, they both heard the insertion of a key, and the turning of a doorknob. Somebody was coming in!

"HURRY!" the Poogle hissed as she pushed her friend into the passageway. Just as Trikkana was about to run down the staircase, Corrine grabbed her back hoof. "Wait! Let's see who it is!"

"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU???" Trikkana replied in a frantic whisper. "It could be a monster, or an evil wizard, or--"

Before Trikkana could finish, a black hooded figure entered the room. He (or she, the girls could not tell) was carrying a bucket of smelly dead fish. The moaning that they'd heard earlier grew louder. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" the hooded one replied in a low voice (defining it as a male). The figure then removed his hood, revealing a mutant Scorchio. He bent down and lifted the trap door, then poured the dead fish in. The girls heard the sound of slobbering and munching. "There!" the Scorchio shouted into the door. "Satisfied?"

All this was very confusing to Corrine. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go out in the open and meet this character face-to-face. Neither did Trikkana, but something else made that decision for her. Dangling right behind the Ixi's head was a large Spyder. It reached its hairy legs out and rested upon the Ixi's head. When Trikkana felt this, she screamed loudly. Trying to shake the Spyder off her, she bolted forward, knocking both her and Corrine out into the room.

The Scorchio whipped around to see the two intruders lying before him. The Spyder then scurried away from the Ixi and climbed up into the Scorchio's hand, which placed it on his shoulder. Surprisingly, the mutant did not seem too shaken by this sudden event. "Well, well, well," mused the Scorchio to the Spyder. "What do we have here, Ocho?"

Corrine was desperate! She didn't trust this Scorchio, and didn't want to find out what he'd been feeding. She looked behind him to see that the door was still open, but they would have to run past him to get there. The staircase was still a safe option, but who knew what was down there? Then again, perhaps talking to the Scorchio would be easiest. Maybe he'd be nice to them... maybe. After quickly, but carefully, considering each option, Corrine decided to...

1) ...run past the Scorchio and head out the door.
2) ...turn and go down the staircase.
3) ...talk to the Scorchio.

"Run, Triki!" she shouted, grabbing her friend by the collar and pulling at the same time. Trikkana jerked herself free of Corrina's death grip, then ran just as madly.

"Hey!" the mysterious Scorchio yelled, sounding desperate, "Stop! Don't..."

However, the sound of his voice was lost to Trikkana and Corrina as they shot out of hearing range.

Both panted heavily as they continued their spiraling descent, nearly tripping on several occasions on the cobbled steps.

"Whoa!" Corrina cried as she discovered an unexpected surprise around a sharp turn. Her feet skidded, and she stopped just in time to avoid falling into the watery chamber that was the staircase's only end.

"Aaaaaaa!" Trikkana shouted. She had not been as fortunate as Corrina. Splash... she went flying head over heels into the pool.

Trikkana struggled in the murky water, flailing in a vain attempt to tread the water. "Corri!" she gasped, after swallowing a large mouthfull of water, "Help!"

Corrina pranced nervously at the water's edge; she never had been fond of water, much less haunted water. She mentally scolded herself for thinking it was haunted. After all, she she didn't believe in ghosts.

Just then, Corrina noticed a steady stream of bubbles, moving oddly in Trikkana's direction. A large "V" shape formed on the water's surface, its muddy complexion hiding whatever lurked beneath.

Corrina took a deep breath and sprung into action...

1.) ...she dove headfirst into the water, and immediately began a breakneck overhand stroke towards the distressed Trikkana.

2.) ...running quickly back up the staircase. Maybe that Scorchio would help!

3.) ...pulling a loose and rather large cobblestone off a step, she heaved it at the quickly approaching V shape.

...She dove headfirst into the water, and immediately began a breakneck overhand stroke towards the distressed Trikkana. The V shape was moving more quickly than ever, and Corrine knew she'd have to act quickly in order to rescue the Ixi in time.

She reached Trikkana quickly, with about ten feet between them and the approaching thing. "Triki!" Corrine cried desperately. Trikkana was flailing in the water, completely panicked. "Triki, calm down!" However, her words had no effect on the terrified Ixi, who continued to splash around, vainly attempting to stay above the water.

Corrine ducked her friend's waving hooves, grabbing Trikkana around the waist. She was an excellent swimmer, but Trikkana's weight alone would have slowed her down. Considering that Trikkana was terrified, stiff, and flailing madly, the going was even slower. Corrine fought against her friend for every inch that brought them closer to the staircase, and she couldn't help glancing behind her to see the V shape. It had drawn closer than ever.

Trikkana looked back as well, and her struggles against Corrine became even more frantic. "Trikkana, stop it!" Corrine screamed at top of her voice. Miraculously, the Ixi fell silent, hanging limp in Corrine's grasp. The Poogle moved faster, now that she didn't have to worry about Trikkana slowing them down, but not fast enough to outrun the V shape. Even as she reached out to grab the edge of the staircase and haul them both to safety, the thing gathered itself and went for them.

It was a Jetsam, the biggest one Corrine had ever seen. The look in its eyes did not bode well for either the Poogle or Trikkana. Corrine screamed, terrified out of her wits and frozen to the spot...

1.) ...The stone beneath her hand crumbled, sending Corrine and Trikkana tumbling back into the water

2.) ...Trikkana flung out a hoof, striking the Jetsam across the face.

3.) ...Suddenly, Corrine heard the Scorchio's feet pounding down the staircase!

"JAGGER, DON'T!!!" Corrine and Trikkana swirled around to see the Scorchio, gasping for breath with one hand raised at the Jetsam. "Come here, you two... slowly." The two girls made their way towards the Scorchio, being sure not to make any sudden movements. Trikkana bit her lip as she stared at the Jetsam, its eyes turning a light crimson.

Walking forward, the Scorchio flung another fish into the water. The Jetsam went after it immediately, and soon more V shapes appeared. Before long, three other Jetsams had shown up, all trying to get the solitary fish. The Scorchio turned back, putting his hood up. His eyes flickered towards the two, before he made a motion for them to go back upstairs. Trikkana and Corrine obeyed, walking ever so slowly up the staircase, wary that the Scorchio was right behind them.

Once they reached the top, Trikkana gave out a large sigh, then plopped down. She was cold, wet, and scared out of her mind. Why did they ever come in here? Corrine, who most definitely had the shivers, waited for the Scorchio to come upstairs. At the top, the mysterious Scorchio suddenly stopped. Then, moving an umbrella stand next to the inside of the door, he revealed a lever! The passage leading back into the room was covered by a hanging tapestry that was old and moldy.

"Thank you." Corrine managed to say behind her shallow breathing. The Scorchio blinked, giving a faint nod. He looked at Trikkana, who was still lying there, on the verge of tears.

"Is she all right?" he asked. Corrine, a bit taken aback, nodded. "Good. Now," he walked over to an overstuffed chair and put his hood back down, his large eyes glistening in the moonlight that shone through the many windows engulfing the room. "Why are you here?"

Corrine gulped and lowered her head. "Truly sir, we just wanted a place to get dry and warm; it's very cold outside. We're very sorry." she said, fearful he would punish them in some way. Looking up, she expected an angry face, but was surprised to find a pleasant smile.

"Not at all. It's been awhile since we had company here at Skeith Manor." Corrine cocked her head and allowed herself to smile. The Poogle turned to Trikkana, and helped her to her feet, reassuring her that nothing was wrong. "Now ladies, would you like...

1.) ...to get something to eat?"
2.) ...take a tour?"
3.) ...go meet the master of the manor?"

...go meet the master of the manor?" Corrine wasn't sure of the idea, and neither was Trikkana.

"Well..." Corrine mumbled. The Scorchio smiled as if there was nothing to worry about.

"Don't be scared, now. There's nothing to worry about! He would love to meet you. We haven't had guests for a while, not since those stories began to spread about the manor being haunted by ghosts." His smile vanished, and the Scorchio's eyes began filling with huge tears.

"So this manor isn't haunted?!?" Trikkana suddenly asked, with eyes wide open

"Well... not exactly." He looked away towards the window, staring at the full moon as it glowed silently. He didn't seem to want to tell the story. Finally, he took a deep breath and began...

"Master had a wife and lovely little daughter, whom he cared about more than anything. He spent his life making the little girl happy. Each time one passed the manor, they could hear his daughter laughing away as the master told her a lovely new joke. Meanwhile, the mistress would sit on the porch, sipping her jasmine tea. The master's house was filled with laughter and love, and he was happy with his life.

But one day, his destiny changed, and the mistress suddenly died from an unknown illness. They cried and cried, until the smiles were gone from their faces. Next was his daughter, who caught the same illness as her mother, and did not live much longer.

Master now spends all his time sitting in front of his fireplace, calling his daughter's name. People think he is mad, but we still believe that he could return to normal. Sometimes, he'll suddenly call his daughter's name and smile, then start to tell the same joke over and over again, as if he could hear his daughter.

All we could hear, though, is master laughing alone in the dark. The strange thing is... he never seems to hear us. When we go into his room, he is either sleeping or talking to his daughter. Poor master, such a terrible shock..." The Scorchio pulled out his handkerchief and started sniffing and blowing his nose hard.

"What was his daughter's name?" asked the Poogle, as the Scorchio blew his nose even harder.

"Her name was Corrine, if you want to know about her. Yes, yes. She was a lovely girl..."

"Oh my goodness, that's my name!!! How strange... my name is Corrine, too." There was a long silence, and the Scorchio stared at her with wide eyes, as if Master's dead daughter had come back to life.

"Yes, yes... you look just like her!!! Hmm... follow me." he said with tears of happiness filling in his eyes.

Corrine, however, did not want to go. She wasn't sure that she liked the idea of being the master's dead daughter. She grabbed Trikkana and ran, until they reached three doors.

"Whoa... that was close! Hmm, let me see... 'Corrine's room', 'Bathroom' and... there's no name on the last one. Which door should I choose?" Hearing the Scorchio running after them, and with no time to think, they ran into...

1.) ...Corrine's room.
2.) ...the bathroom.
3.) ...the last door with no name.

"Oh, no," Trikkana whispered, "we're in the master's room!"

"Quick, we've got to get out of here!" Corrine whispered back.

"Corrine!" came a sudden voice. Both girls froze, then slowly turned back towards the chair. "Corrine, come to Papa... I have a new joke for you!"

Corrine and Trikkana looked at each other. Was he actually speaking to her, or was he just talking like the Scorchio had told them? They turned back towards the door to see its handle turning slowly--trapped! The Scorchio came into the room, his eyes glittering brightly. "You have chosen wisely," he said very quietly. "You must laugh with him when he tells you the joke, even though it is very old, and probably not all that funny to you anymore." He walked in their direction, which forced them to move around to the front of the chair.

As they came around the chair, Corrine and Trikkana saw an elderly Acara sitting there. He looked verysmall and frail... absolutely harmless. The look in his eyes, however, was totally focused on a point just in front of the fire. Following his gaze, they saw a small cushioned stool. "Corrine, sit there," whispered the Scorchio.

"I really don't want to do this," she quavered back, "I have a home and parents of my own!"

"Corrine, if you don't do this, we may never get back home," said Trikkana. "I'll go with you; surely the master's Corrine had friends, too."

"Yes, yes she did," said the Scorchio excitedly, "and one was an Ixi, just like you!"

Now it was Triki's turn to get nervous. She really wanted to get home, though, so she gulped anxiously, grabbed Corrine's hand and yanked her over to the stool. The friends squeezed onto it together, and Triki nudged Corrine.

"What?" Corrine asked.

"Ask him to tell you the joke, dummy!" snapped Triki, "that way we can get out of here!"

"What is your joke, Papa?" Corrine asked.

The old Acara started in his chair, and peered studiously at the stool, which for so long had been empty. At his side, the Scorchio hopped nervously from foot to foot--would this be the act that would finally bring his master back?

The old Acara adjusted his glasses, and leaned back in his chair. He cleared his throat and...

1.) ...began telling the girls a joke.

2.) ...demanded to know who they were, and what they thought they were doing.

3.) ...returned his attention to the fire.

...began telling the girls a joke.

"Why did the Mallard cross the road?" asked the Acara. Corrine had heard this joke many times before, but remembered to play along.

"Why, Papa?"

"To get to the other side!" said the Acara, laughing heartily. Corrine remembered to laugh, too.

"It feels so good to tell you jokes again." he said warmly. Corrine didn't know what to say. "It's almost as if... you were really here. I know I'm just being a crazy old man, but whenever I tell a joke, I can almost see you there, sitting on that stool... and hear you laugh." The Scorchio grinned. His master finally realized he'd been hallucinating, that his daughter was no more.

"Master?" he ventured. "Shall I bring you something to eat?"

"Yes, thank you." the Acara said, addressing the Scorchio. The Scorchio practically pranced out of the room with joy. His master had talked to him! He was sane again! Corrine shifted uncomfortably. The Acara turned to her. "In all my years of hallucinating..." he said. "After I told a joke, you would usually disappear. Why are you still here? I thought I was better... I should not be seeing you, Corrine!" Corrine took a deep breath.

"Alright. It's true, my name is Corrine. However, I am not a hallucination. I am a real Poogle, from another family. This is my friend Trikkana, a real Ixi. We came here to get out of the storm. Your Scorchio servant found us, and worked out a plan. I would pose as Corrine, to possibly help you become sane again. I think it worked." There was nothing else to tell. The young Neopets sat silently, until...

1.) ...the Scorchio returned.
2.) ...the Acara began to rant and rave.
3.) ...the Acara said, "Thank you. Would you like to hear another joke?"

"YOU!" he shrieked, the loaves tumbling to the musty floor. He made a vain attempt to leap out of his armchair, but fell back onto it, his eyes bulging like tennis balls. "IT'S YOU!" he cried again.

The Scorchio frowned. "Keep your mouth shut, old creep. You're mad!" he ordered, his voice pinched with the effort of trying to stay calm. His ugly, blotted hand starting traveling to his pocket.

The old Acara grabbed Corinne. "C-c-Corinne..." he whispered, pale as a ghost. "Listen... y-y-you have t-t-t-to b-believe m-me... t-t-this Sc-sc-Scorch-chio is evil... h-he is the-the one who k-k-killed m-m-y w-wife and d-d-daughter."

Corinne gasped. Trikkana lunged for Corinne's arm and clung to it, looking petrified. "We should have never come here!" she whimpered. "Never, ever, ever. I want my mum!"

"I-I remember now," the Acara continued, "that this scoundrel is actually Johan Opperson. He was my butler. He had great ambitions. He wanted to be a Jetsam farmer, and since Jetsams are rare, he would make a fortune. However, he had no place of his own, so he used my house. My wife disapproved, and so did I. We refused to let him farm Jetsams in our basement. Johan was furious, and he secretly poisoned my wife. I was devastated, and depressed, but still I did not agree to Jetsam farming. When he realized how serious I was about not letting him farm Jetsam's, he decided I needed another loss. That's when he poisoned my daughter. I was tied up to a chair, and he made me to watch him as he put the powder in Corinne's juice, then force it down her throat."

He started to sob. "I loved Corrine. She was the best daughter anybody could ever want. After Johan had successfully murdered my wife and child, he locked me up in my room. I became delirious over the many years, thinking Corrine was still alive. Johan began to farm Jetsams in the basement, with no one to stop him.

A growl erupted from the corner of the room. They all looked up to see the Scorchio pulling a rainbow gun out of his pocket, aiming it at the old Acara. "So you actually DID come to your senses! I thought I might dispose of these two young meddlers aand blame it on you. Who would they believe? Me, a poor servant only wishing to please his master? Or you, a crazy old man who talks to himself? At last, I would be rid of you of you forever!"

"Drop the Rainbow Gun, Johan, you fiend!" the Acara cried. "Kill me, if you wish, but do not hurt this young Ixi and Poogle! They have no business with us... leave them!"

"No," the Scorchio hissed, "they know too much!" CLANG!!!!! Trikkana had picked up a candlestick from the mantelpiece and hurled it at the Scorchio. He collapsed, out cold, on the floor.

"Hurry!" Trikkana shouted, grabbing Corinne's shoulders and shaking them. "Go get help before he wakes up!" Corinne took off, skidding on the dusty ground.

An hour later, the authorities carted Johan Opperson away, and confiscated his Jetsams. Trikkana and Corinne were awarded with medals, and as for the old Acara, he enjoyed the weekly visits the two young pets now made to his manor, where they would laugh and tell stories long into the evening.

The End