The Co-Worker and the Missing Sister: Part Two

     "Well, it is quite clear from my point of view you have Kikoughela." The doctor leaned over her clipboard at the patient. "Sore throat?" The Aisha nodded. "That's settled then. Take two spoonfuls of Kikoughela Syrup and you'll be fine by tomorrow morning." She stood up and turned to get the Syrup and heard a gasp from the patient.

     Exchanging the syrup for neopoints, the doctor asked, "What is it?"

     "It's just..." The Aisha tried to remain tactful and failed. "You don't have a tail."

     "I was born that way." The plump doctor shrugged. "It's not something that has ever bothered me." She stroked the scar on her face below her left eye and sighed. "That'll be all, Miss Lime. You can leave now."

     She stood up, nodding. "Thank you very much. I'm sorry about your tail." And that was that, she left, coughing once more as the door closed behind her. The doctor didn't try to repeat the fact that not having a tail had never bothered her; it was too much effort and she was tired.

     Doctor Engtortia didn't use to be this tired. She remembered a time when she was young neopet, full of dreams of being a detective and following in the footsteps of those who solved millions of mystery cases of missing neopets. Only yesterday a baby Acara was found lost in the Haunted Woods by Elise Leonardo, the most famous detective of the current time. Engtortia leant back in her chair and closed her eyes. She didn't want to be a doctor. She had followed in the footsteps of her mother.

     The Gelert opened her eyes and leaned forward, staring at the certificates and pictures on her walls. In particular, the pictures of her parents framed just in front of her.

     Rose opened the door to the empty bungalow and stared straight in front of her for a few minutes without blinking. Engtortia placed a hand on her arm comfortingly. They'd come back from the hospital, not sure what to do now. It was as if the family home had changed completely. As if it had known what had happened. The bare wallpapered walls screamed silence and dust. It was as if the house had aged a hundred years. Almost like they were the first to set foot in it for that long. The scratchy carpet, a familiar feel under the younger Gelert's toes, settled her emotions slightly. They would have to live on, they couldn't dwell in the past. It was something James was always telling her. Now, Rose jerked suddenly, like a broken toy coming to life, and strode towards the kitchen. Yesterday's breakfast was still on the table; the food covered in small bugs and smelling something rotten. Rose sniffed indignantly. She imagined cleaning the place one last time couldn't have hurt.

     She hadn't ever had to clean up before in her life by herself (her parents always helped), but set up washing the dishes in silence. The clink of the sink and plates made enough noise for Engtortia to follow her into the room. Together, they cleaned up the kitchen. Engtortia hesitated for a moment before passing the half finished plate of omelette to Rose, the last thing her father had eaten.

     Engtortia placed two fingers on the scar she would have for the rest of her life. It was a constant reminder of what had happened to them. Why did they go to a fashion shop anyway? They didn't even like them. Without meaning to in the first place, Engtortia found herself blaming Rose for everything, and grew angry inside.

     "We will have to move to an even smaller house."

     Rose broke the silence in a matter-of-fact tone. "You haven't started to work yet, you're too young, and my job can't support this house for just the two of us to live in."

     "Fine." Engtortia didn't even care. She glared at her sister behind her back, and it was then she felt guilty. It wasn't Rose's fault, after all. Accidents happen all the time.

     "I'm going to become a doctor," Engtortia told Rose to keep the conversation going. She wiped a plate clean, then packed it away in the top cupboard. When she turned back around, Rose was staring at her in surprise. "I want to make Morgan proud," Engtortia admitted.

     Rose frowned. "Make Morgan proud," she repeated, slowly. "Follow your dream, Joanna. Don't let someone else control your life."

     They finished the dishes with no dialogue after this, and though Engtortia knew Rose was right deep down, she still wanted to imagine her mother and father with smiles on their faces.

     "Are you proud, Morgan?" Doctor Engtortia wondered to herself. "Or should I have listened to Imogen and become a detective? I know which I'd rather."

     Morgan's photo smiled back at her, unresponsive. The White Gelert always smiled in pictures, but rarely elsewhere. In fact, as Engtortia peered at the photo, she was having trouble remembering when this was taken, because Morgan looked so happy and relaxed. The mother she knew was never relaxed. She was always doing something or other, muttering to her father about important job matters. Next to Morgan in the photo was the easy going James. Engtortia smiled. It had been sixteen years since the accident, but she still thought about her parents a lot, especially with their pictures all around the office she was in every day, but she didn't miss them. In fact, after the initial shock, it was easy to live without them, as they didn't take a great deal of interest in her anyway. They meant well, but they disappeared often and Engtortia had grown used to that.

     There was a knock on the door. Engtortia blinked, startled by the sudden sound, but cleared her throat loudly to signal they could come in. It was a father with his son, who was already clearly from here suffering from Ugga Ugga, as those were the only words coming from his lips.

     At least solving other people's problems was easy, Engtortia thought with a small smile.

     * * *

     Walking home, Engtortia stared at the stars. It was getting late; Rose would be wondering where she was. Oliver, too. But they could both wait. Right now, the sky was just beautiful, and Engtortia could look at it for hours and hours. Kreludor hung high in the distance, and Engtortia wondered what was going on over there right now. Was that where Sloth originated? No, that was Virtupets station. Hang on. Engtortia frowned. She hated not knowing things. Oliver would know; she'd ask him. Tossing that thought aside, Engtortia exhaled deeply and allowed herself to smile and feel completely relaxed for a moment. It only lasted a moment because as she was walking with her head pointing upwards, she crashed into someone who was also not looking where they were going.

     "Watch where you're going," they both snarled at the same time. They blinked at that, a little surprised that they would both be so impolite.

     This was a blue Gelert, Engtortia saw, that was very thin and only had one eye, the other covered by a patch. He saw her staring at his missing eye and scowled. "That'll be 50 neopoints, please," he told her.

     "What are you on about?" she asked, puzzled.

     "Well, you're looking at me like I'm an attraction at some amusement show so I'd better get my money for it," he replied snidely. Then without a backwards glance he pushed past her and carried on to wherever he was going, muttering darkly under his breath about neopets these days.

     How rude, Engtortia thought. I mean, I know I wasn't the politest neopet in the world but there's no need for sly comments like that.

     She continued her way until she reached Oliver's home and knocked at the door three times, then followed it up with four quick knocks. It was the way she always knocked on a door and that way Oliver knew it was her and not someone else so he would hurry up and answer. Engtortia didn't half hate waiting around. She was a very impatient neopet.

     "Coming, Engtortia!" Oliver called, in his high innocent voice, and he opened the door with a wide grin. He was carrying a few books, which he tucked under his arm, then stepped out and closed the door behind him. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner. Are you sure Rose won't mind?"

     "She's used to you by now, stupid." Engtortia muttered. Then she remembered her thoughts earlier. "Oliver, where is Dr Sloth from?"

     Oliver eyed her curiously. "Such a question! Why does that need to be answered?" He swallowed at the cold, impatient look Engtortia threw him and answered hurriedly. "Well, no one is quite sure where he came from exactly, but we first heard of him when he was in the Virtupets Space Station. He went to Kreludor though and convinced Neopets to follow him promising them all their dreams would come true, when actually he just lead them to his lair and turned them into mutants, workers for him for all eternity." He paused, swallowing. "Unless they managed to escape. But I think only one or two managed this. Out of thousands. Maybe even millions."

     Engtortia nodded, sealing this bit of information away. She knew Oliver would know. He was always walking around with books under his arm, and his intelligence was far higher than anyone's she knew. Funnily enough, he was content with simply working in a bakery with his friends rather than putting his good knowledge to use. It always interested Engtortia that he would choose a job he loved over something that would make him a good asset to Neopia and she envied him for it, not that she would tell the orange Grundo this.

     Oliver was Engtortia's best friend. The only friend she had, in fact, because he was the only one who could put up with Engtortia's insults and sharp tongue. He was shy but determined and loved to read. He had read every book in Neopia thrice times over. The clothes he wore were practical, unlike Engtortia's. While she was in her doctor's uniform right now, she and her sister Rose wore elegant gowns with the best of them. Engtortia's favourite outfit was her posh trouser suit, and she was always talking to Oliver about how he should get one, but he just smiled and shook his head. Engtortia might have been a strong character while he was shy, but he didn't let her command him about and Engtortia respected him for that.

     However, Oliver did now own one after finally growing bored of Engtortia's pleads for him to get one. He still hadn't worn it, though.

     Now, Engtortia let them both into her home and they walked into the dining room, where the dinner was all laid out and candles were lit. Rose was sitting at the head of the table, arms folded, looking cross.

     "Oh, what is it now?" Engtortia sighed at the sight of her sister. She sat down and helped herself to two of the bread rolls in the basket then offered it to Oliver, who took one to be polite and put it on his side plate.

     Rose frowned. "You're late. Again. The dinner is almost cold – it's lukewarm, and only twenty minutes ago it was absolutely delicious smelling."

     Engtortia pointed at the full plate Rose had in front of her. "Why didn't you just start eating without us?" she asked.

     "It's polite to wait for the entire party to arrive before eating yourself," Rose answered coldly. "Well, that was a waste of two hours. Oliver, I'm sorry, there are some omelettes in the cupboard. I can make them for you if you want."

     "What about me?" the younger sister snapped.

     Oliver started buttering his roll as something to do while the two sisters argued. He took a small bite of his dinner and relaxed. It was fine to eat still. "This is wonderful, Rose," he told her. "It's still warm as far as I can tell." His voice was quiet; he was always shy around people, even Rose, though he had known her many years now. At least he could talk to her, though.

     "Glad someone likes it," Rose murmured, then picked up her plate and turned to leave.

     Engtortia scowled. "Stop being such a baby about this. I was only late by what, half an hour? I bumped into some rude Gelert –"

     "That's what you get for looking in mirrors." Rose smiled sweetly. "This is the thanks I get for making dinner for you, Joanna. Well, fine." She banged her plate back down on the table and stormed out of the room. Moments later, the door slammed shut.

     "Should we go after her?" Oliver wondered guiltily. He did so hate the arguments Rose and Engtortia had and the fact he was always in the middle of them. He ate another bite of the meal to please the absent Rose, then lay his fork down on the plate and sighed.

     Engtortia had subsided, though she was irked by the mirror comment. "This always happens, Oliver. You should be used to it by now. She's probably gone to see if there's any work about for her to do."

     She cleared the table, Oliver promising he'd had enough to eat, and then the two of them played a game of Cheat! while they waited for Rose to return. Their arguments always only lasted as long as the actual fight did, there were no grudges held after. If there were, it'd be unbearable to live here, Engtortia realised. Because she and her sister fought about something or other every single day.

     That was how things were now. The kind older sister she confided everything in was gone. And this was the person Engtortia missed.

     * * *

     The Mynci lay on the ground, panting for breath. Rose stood over him with a satisfied smirk on her face. Another one down, another one to face the wrath of King Skarl.

     She picked up the bag of neopoints the Mynci had stolen and handed them to the elderly Aisha who was standing cautiously next to her. She accepted it graciously and rewarded Rose with a big smile as thanks. Rose shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say all in a day's work, which it was. Then she scooped down and picked up the Mynci by his T-shirt and dragged him along the path towards the castle. People living by it were used to this sight by now. The other Defenders tried to be more secretive, but Rose didn't care who saw her. And someone was watching her right now, not that she knew.

     The guards at the front door of the castle nodded as she asked to be let through. The Mynci struggled to get away but Rose was stronger than she looked and had a firm grip. Eventually she came to the throne room where King Skarl was sat on his throne looking grumpy as usual. He brightened when he saw her pulling a criminal behind her and beckoned them closer.

     "Now, now, Rose, what do we have here?" he boomed, sounding surprisingly cheerful. But then he always was. The grumpiness was a simple act to bring his name out there more – and there was also the fact he really did get grumpy listening to the same Peophins joke every day at least a thousand times.

     Rose wrinkled her nose. It was a habit she'd picked up from her mother. "Thief. Tried to steal a bag of neopoints from an old Aisha."

     "I didn't do nothing!" the Mynci said in a gruff voice, scowling. He wrenched himself free of Rose's grasp but sensibly stayed where he was. "This Gelert just picked on me right, and I was doing nothing."

     King Skarl rose from his sitting position and stretched, yawning. He stepped down and squinted the Mynci, then exchanged a glance with Rose, who rolled her eyes. "I suppose I should be used to appalling grammar after listening to the number of jokes I have. That is a double negative."

     "You what?" the Mynci said stupidly. "I dunno what you're talking about."

     The King exhaled impatiently. "Guards." He nodded at a Tyrannian Grarrl that was stood a few metres from himself. "Take this Mynci and have him spin the Wheel of Monotony for two weeks. That'll teach him to steal again."

     Dragged kicking and screaming away, King Skarl ignored the cries of the Mynci begging to do something else for punishment and turned to Rose, who was standing with a hand on her hip looking bored. He smiled. The Gelert was his favourite Defender and the best he'd had, but he did so wish she'd let loose once in a while and just have some fun. She was so dedicated to her job and it was late in the evening as it was.

     Rose was a Defender of Neopia. She sorted out anything, from battling the Pant Devil to dealing with small time thieves like the Mynci. Judge Hog hired her when she was just sixteen, and made sure she took jobs only in Meridell, Brightvale and Darigan Citadel so she wouldn't have to travel far from home. Now that she was an adult, she travelled all over Neopia, but still preferred jobs in Meridell, her home country. King Skarl was a good king and he and Judge Hog were on great terms so any business Rose sorted out could go straight to him rather than Headquarters. King Skarl was who she got her missions from too; Judge Hog only contacted her in emergencies.

     "I'd like to take the evening off now; I'm tired." Rose rubbed her beautiful eyes and covered her mouth as she yawned. "I had a row with my sister earlier and I suppose I'll have to clean the kitchen when I get back."

     King Skarl retreated back to his throne and slumped on it. He didn't believe in sitting up straight. "How is your sister? And your home life? Of course you can have the evening off. All you ever do is work." He leaned forward, bemused. "You needn't ask, Rose."

     "Thank you, King Skarl." Rose's tone turned cold as she continued. "You know my sister. Spoilt, uncaring, doesn't realise what I do for her. She's ridiculous."

     "Does she know... what you have done for her?" King Skarl asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully and wishing he had a long beard.

     Rose laughed. There was no humour in her laugh. "Of course not. She's too wrapped up in her own minimal problems she turns from symolhills into mountains. She has no idea."

To be continued...