Usukiland's Mystery

     Fenrir, always ready to help, jumped out of his bed and shook the sleep from his head.

     – What's wrong, Tipulin? What do you need?

     Mili, however, said a single word before rolling over and going back to sleep.

     – No.

     Torn between waking Mili up and getting to the point, Tipulin almost vibrated in place. Finally, the Wocky couldn't contain the news - or herself - anymore.

     – The owner of Usukiland has gone missing! Her shop is just... there! Doors open! Lights on! But no one is home!

     Fenrir frowned. The Varwolf knew that, even in a place as safe as Neopia, leaving a place unattended could end in bad news. He approached Mili's sleeping form and nudged her gently with his paw.

     – Mili, please wake up. This is important.

     – No.

     The Aisha put a paw over her head and tried to go back to sleep.

     – But Mili! Fenrir is right, this is super duper important! It's a mystery! A conundrum! A puzzle! A riddle! A... a... a... a challenge!

     – Mili, the owner of Usukiland, is missing-

     – That's not my fault!

     Both Tipulin and Fenrir paused and looked at each other. Then, the Varwolf tried again.

     – I... I would hope not, but... we need to help!

     Mili sighed, opening a single eye.

     – When has she ever helped us?

     Neither Tipulin nor Fenrir could think of a single time the Usukiland owner had helped them. In fact, they couldn't think of a single time she had talked to them. In fact...

     – Tipulin... how did you even find out? We've never visited Usukiland.

     – That's not important right now, Fenrir! We need to help!

     – No, no, it is a bit important...

     But Tipulin was already vigorously shaking Mili again, trying to wake her up. It did work, of course. Better than she even imagined. Not only did Mili wake up, she even got out of her bed... and hissed at Tipulin!

     – Do it again. I dare you. I dare you! Tipulin, you're dead meat!

     – Eeeek! Fenrir! Save me!

     The Wocky finally found some wisdom and hid behind her older brother, dodging a swipe of their older sister's paw.

     – Mili, please calm down! And Tipulin, don't make her mad!

     After a while, Fenrir finally managed to make Mili stop hissing and huffing (and even growling!), and by then, the Aisha was so completely awake that there was no way she could possibly go back to sleep.

     – Fine. Fine! Let's go! If I find this shopkeeper, you'll let me sleep, right?

     – Right! I promise! Pinky promise!

     Being an Aisha and a Wocky, neither had pinkies to make a pinky promise, but Mili was still satisfied. She quickly groomed her fur and moved to their NeoHome's exit, followed by Fenrir and Tipulin.

     The trip to Usukiland was quick, since they lived close by, but Mili and Fenrir still had to bodily drag Tipulin away from the Bakery, Hubert's Hotdogs, and, of course, the Chocolate Factory. Not even Health Food was safe from Tipulin's constant hunger.

     Finally, they arrived at the flower-shaped shop. Just like Tipulin had described, the doors were open, the lights were on, and, by all accounts, it looked like a normal open shop. Except for the lack of a shopkeeper, that is.

     Fenrir started sniffing around, hoping to figure out where the Blumaroo had gone, but...

     – Can either of you find something the shopkeeper owns? I have no idea what she smells like. And do either of you know her name?

     Both Mili and Tipulin shook their heads. Tipulin was more interested in plushies than Usukis, and Mili was well past the age when she cared about toys. Fenrir just sighed. They clearly had their work cut out for them.

     He moved behind the counter, trying to find any personal objects, but it was suspiciously empty. No ledger, no forgotten scarf, not even a box of mints.

     Just when he opened his mouth to communicate his findings to his sisters, the shopkeeper's bell rang. A young Kiko and her mother had just entered the shop. Tipulin flashed them her best innocent smile.

     – Welcome!

     Mili raised an eyebrow (contrary to popular belief, Aishas do have them, although they're more like lashes), but didn't comment on her sister's sudden greeting.

     The Kiko and her mother simply smiled and started browsing the shelves. All three siblings went back to their investigations. Fenrir, having forgotten what he was just about to do, decided to try opening the cash register just in case. It was completely empty.

     He wasn't too familiar with the nuances of customer service, but it still struck him as odd. Before he could say anything, however, the Kiko's mother, a Clay Cybunny, placed a Magical Hair Usuki on the counter and handed him five hundred Neopoints.

     – Oh. Uh. I don't work-

     – Thank you for your purchase! Come on, Fenrir, ring her up!

     Varwolves don't have eyebrows to raise, so Fenrir simply did as Tipulin asked, too shocked to argue. He placed the Neopoints inside the cash register before wrapping the Usuki in a Usukiland shopping bag and handing it to the Cybunny.

     The mother and daughter exited the store, happy with their purchase, and Fenrir stared blankly at Tipulin. Mili was the one who broke the silence.

     – What... Just happened?

     Tipulin, always the helpful Wocky, smiled widely.

     – We helped! Unattended shops are bad, right? So we're attending it!

     – That's not how it works-

     But many Neopets must have been watching the mysteriously empty shop, because suddenly there was a heavy influx of customers. Everyone wanted to see the newest employees (who most definitely weren't getting paid), and most of them even bought Usukis.

     Luckily, each Usuki had a price tag to help the three siblings haggle for it.

     – I'll give you one thousand Neopoints for this Beautiful Bride Usuki!

     Tipulin frowned. The price tag said 2,024, so she just said a random number when rejecting the offer.

     – I won't take less than 1,932 Neopoints for it.

     – You drive a hard bargain... 1,500 Neopoints!

     That sounded good... but she saw Mili shaking her head over the customer's shoulder, so she decided on another random number.

     – Surely you would pay at least 1,518 Neopoints for this item?

     Mili sighed. Tipulin might as well have accepted - and the customer obviously thought the same, because the beautiful Royal Acara nodded.

     – Agreed! Thank you!

     Tipulin vaguely felt like she'd been duped, but quickly forgot about it when another customer approached her with a Maraquan Usuki.

     After what seemed like hours later (but had actually been 42 minutes), the shop was finally empty again. Fenrir, Mili, and Tipulin sighed in relief.

     – So... did anyone find a clue about the shopkeeper's disappearance?

     Fenrir and Tipulin looked at each other and shook their heads. They had completely forgotten about it. Mili simply sighed.

     – Well, have fun tending to the shop - for no pay, might I add. I'll go look in the back room.

     – There's a back room?!

     Fenrir chuckled at his little sister's surprise.

     – Of course there's a back room, Tipulin! See those curtains behind the armchair? There's a draft coming from there.

     Mili nodded as she moved the curtain aside and disappeared from view. Fenrir started returning the merchandise Neopians had given up on while haggling to its original places on the shelves, and Tipulin peered out of the window, looking out for more customers.

     After a while, Mili came back, a sheet of paper in her paw.

     – You can't believe what I found. A letter from the shopkeeper!

     She placed it on the white table in the centre of the store, and all three siblings read it together.

     “To whom it might concern:

     It is with my deepest apologies that I confess I had to leave my dearest shop, the jewel of my crown, behind. The truth is, living in Neopia is far too dangerous. Just yesterday, two more Neopets were turned, Grey. I feared for my health, my safety, and, above all, my beautiful Blue color!

     I've been struggling with this decision for far too long, but I can no longer delay it. As much as I love Usuki Dolls, my shop, and my customers, I had to prioritise myself. That's why I've left for Dacardia, a land that hasn't been affected by this terrible affair as of yet. I've heard they've been rebuilding ever after that awful storm, and everyone who shows up is being built a whole house! My hope is to set up shop there, and I've taken as much of my stock as I could - which isn't a lot - with me.

     I've considered New Faerieland as well, of course. They've also been building houses for free there, and I've heard commerce is even better developed in that land, but I just have this strong fear of heights, so it wasn't meant to be.

     Still, I couldn't stop thinking of my shop and the wonderful memories I've made in it. Not to mention all my stock. And that's why I am humbling myself and asking - no, begging - a kind soul to take over my place and be the new Usukiland shopkeeper. I'll even let you keep all profits, as long as you promise to take care of the shop as if it were your own - which it will be, if you send a courier to Dacardia asking for the land deed.

     All for the small price of two million Neopoints!

     Please, think it over. With love and hope,”

     Mili snatched the paper before they could read the shopkeeper's name.

     – So! Mystery solved. Let's go home.

     – But Mili-

     – No.

     – But she-

     – No.

     – But Usukiland-

     – No.

     – But we have the money-

     – No! We are not wasting two million Neopoints in a store none of us had ever set foot in before today! Absolutely not! If she wants someone to tend to it, she can come back from Dacardia and do it herself. No, no, no, and no!

     Tipulin hit Mili with her biggest weapons: a cute pout, adorable kitty-Wocky eyes, a trembling bottom lip, and even some Krawk tears. All to no avail. Mili, as the responsible and older sister, did not budge. So Tipulin tried to hit Fenrir with the very same attacks, but he quickly turned his head aside, determined not to look at his adorable and heartbroken little sister.

     Tipulin sighed and sat on the plush armchair, visibly sulking. Mili and Fenrir didn't spare her a glance, but their heartstrings did get pulled, so they looked at each other, warring with themselves.

     – Maybe... we could find someone else?

     – I suppose.

     Hearing Fenrir's suggestion and Mili's agreement, Tipulin bounced out of her seat.

     – Yay! Yay! We're going to help! Yay! So, who do we choose?

     The siblings looked at each other, unsure. Who, indeed? Mili was the first one to think of something.

     – Wasn't there... That one guy... You know? That guy...

     – From the adverts? The "Usuki!!!" guy?

     – That one! What species is he, again?

     None of the siblings knew the answer. None of them knew how to contact him, either. So they tended to the shop for the rest of the morning (after being roped into it by Tipulin, of course), asking every customer for information on that guy or really anyone who would like to buy the shop. Finally, a bit after lunchtime, their efforts bore fruit. The shopkeeper's bell rang, and all three turned their heads to the door, just to see...

     – Usuki guy!!!

     Tipulin had to be held back by Fenrir from pouncing on the poor chap. Looking closely at him, the siblings still had no idea what species he was, but that was hardly important right now.

     – I'll jump right into business. Would you like to buy this wonderful and thriving shop for the low, low price of two million Neopoints?

     Mili handed him the letter from the Blumaroo shopkeeper. He read it all before laughing.

     – Boy, would I! I sold this shop to her for five million!

     – ... What?

     Mili was as shocked as Fenrir, but didn't allow that to stop her.

     – Sold! Have fun! Tipulin, Fenrir, we're leaving! Right now! Bye bye!

     Neither the Wocky nor the Varwolf had any chance of reacting before the small Aisha was bodily dragging them all the way back home. Tipulin was still trying to understand what had happened as Mili burrowed under her blanket and finally went back to sleep. Fenrir, for his part, just shrugged.

     – All's well that ends well... I guess?

     The End.