True Sisters: Part Nine

     "Lyra!" I exclaimed, and she snuggled close to me. I smiled and put her near the other Fan, who received her just as warmly. Soon, the two were asleep and I looked on softly, wondering what would happen to us.

      When we arrived, Fan was immediately taken away to the hospital ward. I, alas, was not allowed to go with her, but I contented myself with eating a small feast of food set before me. While I eagerly shoveled the hot stew into my mouth, my clothes were washed and my cloak repaired. Soon, I was warm, fed, and clean clothed. However, I still couldn't see her, I was supposed to wait until they got confirmation from Sir Aaron.

      "But they won't get here for 2 days! Please. I must speak with her!" I yelled, angry with them for keeping me away from the girl I now considered my friend. I was, however, ignored. Sighing, I pulled Lyra behind some curtains and showed her my new skill. She jumped for joy and I realized why.

      "Oh Fan, this is great! Now we can talk to each other!" she exclaimed, and I realized that as a Petpet, I could understand the Petpet language!

      "This is great Lyra, but right now, we have to get to Fanteni. Follow me." And I took off down the hall, Lyra loping after me. We were relatively ignored again, many stray petpets roamed the halls, but this time it was good. Squeezing into Fan's door, I changed back and went up to her. She was lying in a big, fluffy bed. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even. She looked liked royalty, with the shadows of rain playing off of her face. I kneeled next to the bed.

      "Fan," I whispered. "Can you hear me?"

      She opened her star-bright eyes and smiled up at me.

      "Yes."

      "Oh, Fanteni, I was so worried! I'm so sorry that I hurt you like that."

      "Don't worry, I know. It's ok. You were just doing what you thought was necessary. Like I was. I was absolutely horrid, wasn't I? Oh dear. I do hope they'll catch Hovard before he gets any farther."

      "Hovard?"

      "The Skeith. You know his plan? I only found out about it last night, and I was going to talk to him about it earlier, but then you all came and everything just happened so fast." She sighed. "To think, take over Neopia. Sloth couldn't do it, why did he think he could?"

      "Beats me," I replied. "So, this whole battle, you thought you were getting back the flute? Over a big battle?"

      "I know, I know. Pretty dumb, wasn't I? But, my grandmother meant the world to me, and those people, they said it was my fault. I know now that it wasn't, but I thought that maybe I could bring her back with... with the flute. Do you have it?"

      I looked down at my floor. What should I say?

      "Yes, I have it."

      "May I...?"

      I cautiously handed it over. She examined the instrument, smiles fluttering on and off of her face. Before I could say a thing, she put the flute to her lips.

     The music was beautiful, so much more beautiful and heart wrenching than I had ever accomplished, that a tear fell from my eye. Seeing this, Fan immediately changed the music.

     "How did she do that?" I wondered; in all my experiences the flute had taken control, though I was able to tell it roughly what to accomplish. She merely winked and played on. When the beautiful song was over, she handed the flute back and popped right out of bed. I gaped at her but she smiled.

     "I knew she'd heal me."

     "She?"

     "My grandmother; she controls the flute and what it does anyway," she stated, as if it was a well-known fact. "Say, do they have anything to eat around here?"

     ***

      After another hearty meal, Fanteni and I retired to her room to discuss her future, which was currently looking pretty grim.

      "How are you going to get back?" I inquired, twirling the flute in my fingers. "If I claem you back, I might go back too, and then I'll have trouble getting anywhere and..."

      "Who says I want to go back?" she reprimanded. "There's nothing for me there anymore. No, I don't want to go back."

      "Well, do you want to stay here?"

      "No, that doesn't work for me either. I don't know anybody," she argued weakly. "Actually, what I was thinking..."

      The sound of stomping feet and cries of welcome caused her to stop. I perched on the windowsill and looked into the courtyard below. The soldiers were home! I heard the tramp of boots on the stairs and in rushed Tid, followed closely by Morbid.

      "Tid! Morbid!" I cried, running over to them, hugging them tightly. Both of them looked over my shoulder and saw Fan, automatically stiffening within my grasp. Releasing them, I turned towards her.

      "Fan, these are my sisters, Tid and Morbid. Tid, Morbid, this is Fanteni." Fan nodded politely, and my two sisters mumbled hello. Shaking my head, I pulled them outside real quick.

      "Hey guys, it's great to see you, but could you be, well, nice to her? She's feeling very guilty and confused right now, so it'd be great if you could just sit and listen."

      Morbid just nodded, but Tid spoke right up. "Why should we? She just tried to take over Neopia! Why should we just let her be?" She seemed genuinely angry, so I explained the whole situation to her under my breath in hurried terms. When I finished she snorted, annoyed, but followed me into the room quietly.

      When we got back inside, Fanteni was staring out the window, but she turned around the second we re-entered. She spoke, determinedly and without hesitation.

      "I want to move in with you."

     ***

      The next day was a flurry of packing and goodbyes. Fan, who was soon to become our sister, and the three of us were invited to a special lunch with Sir Aaron and Cinpate, but we politely refused.

      "We really must be going. My owner will be so worried!" I argued with Aaron, somewhat angry at his stubbornness.

      Aaron looked sad, and he hung his head. A rush of sorrow hit me: we would never see each other again.

      "Oh, Aaron, I didn't mean it that way..."

      "No, Fan. I understand." He looked up at me, and though his eyes glistened with tears, he smiled. "Your owner will be worried about you. I can't keep you guys all to myself." He wrapped me in a tight hug, his large paws shaking slightly. I hugged him back.

      "We're leaving in a little under an hour... you'll be there?"

      "Who won't be?" he joked, considering the kings were holding a large goodbye ceremony, which we planned to skip.

      Thirty minutes later, all six of us, Morbid, Tid, Fante, Cinpate, Aaron, and me, rushed into the attic of Aaron's house. Fante held to flute tightly and swiveled her head at the smallest sound while we said our goodbyes tearlessly, this was no time for dramatics. Then, we were formally presented with our weapons in a small ceremony conducted by Cinpate.

      "Carry your swords well and use them only for the best. Now, you must go. I believe I hear trumpets." He smiled weakly.

      Our words had run out... there was nothing more to say. Fante directed us to make a circle and we held hands tightly, petpets clinging to our backs. She put the flute to her beak and began to play...

     ***

      The process was the same, if not easier than the last time. Cinpate and Aaron faded away, the wood became old, windows cracked, dust settled...

      "FAN?!" called Summer, from downstairs. "What are you doing up there?"

      The four of us shook the dust off our shoulders and looked at each other with wide eyes. We were back, but it was the same time!

      "Yahooo!" yelled Tid, jumping into the air wildly. "We did it! We did it!" She began to dance, moving her horns this way and that.

      "Tid?" called Summer. "Are you okay?"

      "Okay? I'm great!" She grabbed her Exploration Suit and rushed down the stairs to tell Summer everything, Morbid hot on her heels. I, meanwhile, grabbed some extra boxes and stuffed our weapons away. I turned to Fante and she placed the flute in solemnly. We placed the box in the corner together and looked over at the staircase together.

      "Well," she said. "I guess this is it."

      I grabbed her hand and we descended into the house together... just like sisters should.

The End