The Other Side

by crystalruby

Ckakoo and LiLKyootie sat in front of the fire with hot chocolate in their mugs. They were busy playing with their new Christmas presents, the Electronic Pocket games they gave each other, the identical televisions they received from Ivy, the cute Red and Green Chia Soft Toys from Ivy’s Aunt, and the only different presents they received from Elekbolt, who saved up her own Neopoint allowance, a Toy Train for Ckakoo and a Diary complete with a Blue Pencil with Eraser for LiLKyootie. Ckakoo was playing with her Toy Train and LiLKyootie was playing with her Green Chia Soft Toy when Elekbolt came in, carrying in the daily mail.

“There’s a letter addressed to us!” Elekbolt jumped up and down, smiling a big smile. The envelope was baby blue, and it was from Ivy’s Aunt.

Ivy came running in from the kitchen with flour smothered over her face. She read the letter from behind Elekbolt. It read:

To my favourite relatives,

My pets and I will be going up on our winter “Cottage” trip this week and we were wondering if you Would like to join us on this trip. Please respond as soon as possible for we need To know the answer. We will be skiing, snow shoeing, tobogganing, and sledding.

Your loving Aunt

“Well doesn’t that sound like fun!!” exclaimed Ivy, finishing reading the last of the letter, “Let’s reply now. LiLKyootie, would you like to write the letter? I’ll tell you what is to be written.” LiLKyootie opened her new Diary and took out a piece of letter paper, which was bordered with flowers.

She started, “Dear Ivy’s Aunt…” “…We’d love to join you on the trip. Could you phone Ivy with the details of when and where? Also, I’d like to thank you for the wonderful Chia Soft Toy you gave me. Ckakoo is enjoying hers and Elekbolt…err…she isn’t too happy with how easily hers did tear. She was practicing her hunting skills and it, well, ripped. Oh well, Ivy is teaching Ckakoo and I to sew so we’ll have it fixed in no time at all. Love LiLKyootie.” Ivy’s Aunt finished reading her niece’s letter to her pet Kacheeks and Lupes. She picked up the phone and dialed Ivy’s phone number.

“Hello? I see you got my letter! LiLKyootie is getting fabulous at writing on her own! I see you’ve got a little problem with Elekbolt’s Chia Doll. Don’t worry! I’ll buy a new one…” they went on forever before the real reason for the call was brought up.

“Yup, Wednesday at 6:30 sharp at my house you’ll meet OK? And it’ll be a four-hour drive up so bring something to do! Bye! See you on Wednesday!”

“So it’s settled! We’re going on a Winter Trip!!” Ivy smiled at her pets.

“Let’s pack now!” Ckakoo suggested and rushed upstairs with LiLKyootie by her side. Ivy laughed and called after them, “But it isn’t for another 4 days!”

On Tuesday night, no one could sleep. LiLKyootie had filled almost three pages of her diary before she got a bit tired. She then played NeoPoker with Ckakoo until the time was against them and Ivy had come upstairs to tuck them in.

“Come on you two! Up into bed now! We’re getting up early, you know!” Ivy giggled. Ckakoo and LiLKyootie turned out their identical nightlights (of blue Kacheeks) and went to sleep.

The next morning was a panic and a rush.

Last minute things to be done. “Have you packed our luggage into the wagon, Elekbolt?” Ivy stressed. Elekbolt nodded her head. They were going to pull over their wagon to Ivy’s Aunt’s house because Ivy was too young to own a car.

After their walk taking half an hour, they arrived at Ivy’s Aunt’s house. She was waiting outside with her twin Lupes and twin Kacheeks with their van packed and ready to roll. Everyone managed to climb inside over the entire luggage. Now, this car didn’t have seats inside, it had a nice, soft bed. The bed took up the whole back of the van, but it could fit everyone. After everyone snuggling under the heavy protection blanket (it was mostly like a seat belt) the car drove off at last.

It had already been an hour and a half before everyone had gotten bored. Their games had ended after fights and complaints and everyone had become sticky from the wool blanket they had on themselves. YummySweets woofed in hunger and Giggle Attack cried, realizing she’d forgotten her favourite bear. The noise was driving everyone crazy! Ivy’s Aunt’s pets didn’t have their own pet pets for them to care for, so they weren’t used to the complaints of Ckakoo and LiLKyootie’s Warfs.

“At the next stop I see we’ll pull over to grab a bite to eat. I guess you didn’t manage to eat anything this morning! But anyway it’s only eight in the morn’ so your bodies isn’t used to being up so early.” Ivy Aunt went on and on until a tiny hut was seen up ahead. The sign read ‘Grub Hut’ with the ‘t’ hanging off its nails.

As the nine of them entered the ratty old building, an old lady in a used-to-be white shirt asked to seat them. She was wearing really old jeans with worn out knees. As she sat them at an old fashioned table, which still smelled of the morning bleach coating, she stuffed menus in their faces. She gave each NeoPet a kiddy menu, which contained cheap names for regular boring food like “Mmm Mmm good Broccoli Soup” and “Ooey Gooey Yum Dish”. Their orders were placed, and the food served (it wasn’t as ‘Yummy’ as it seemed in the menu…). They were on their way again toward freedom of the white stuff.

It wasn’t until another hour until everyone became bored again. Game pieces thrown, pencil shavings there (From LiLKyootie’s pencil) and feathers from the pillow fight earlier. Everyone was pooped, and it was nearing to around nine.

Ivy’s Aunt told everyone, “Only one and a half hours till we get to the city our trip will be in.”

Everyone groaned. Only an hour and a half? Had she gone mad during this trip? Ckakoo and LiLKyootie had run out of card games to play and Elekbolt’s Chia Soft Toy was already fixed. What was there to do? After the hour and a half promised for the ending of the trip, they finally saw the mountains. They were sleek, white points row after row.

“This,” Ivy said, turning in her chair to talk to the exhausted NeoPets, “Is Winter World. Like it?”

Everyone was too much in awe to hear what Ivy said. This world was wonderful! They’d have such an adventure here, exploring the unknown. Ivy’s Aunt turned into a nice wooden lodge after a long, curving road. It was huge, and it looked fairly new. Everyone stretched out their legs and arms and took all of their belongings into the lodge before they caught cold.

Once inside, Ckakoo saw that the inside was actually bigger than it had looked. She looked around and saw that there were many other NeoPets checking in at the front desk. A prissy Usul with a really rich owner, a Korbat with a snowboard, and…Ckakoo’s heart leapt. Two Blue Kacheeks! And they were males!!!

Ckakoo and LiLKyootie ran over to their side in an instant. They looked older than they were, but they were very attractive especially with their ski suits on and their hair slicked back.

“Hi! I’m Ckakoo,” Ckakoo bubbled. LiLKyootie shoved her aside and added, “I’m LiLKyootie. We’re twins. And your names are…?”

“I’m AquaSurf. I’m a twin too. This is my brother Water Blast.” The male Kacheek closest to Ckakoo smiled. He sat down on the bench behind him and his brother. His brother also sat, and they tried to make conversation by adding, “Which lodge are you two staying at?”

“Um…I think it was Cozy Lodge.” LiLKyootie answered with a shy smile. AquaSurf’s brother Water Blast didn’t seem too friendly. He hadn’t looked at Ckakoo or LiLKyootie at all.

“Umm.” Ckakoo started to say, pointing to Water Blast.

“Oh he’s never very good at making friends,” answered AquaSurf, “I think you’ll be seeing us again though. We’re in the cabin next to yours.”

Ckakoo and LiLKyootie smiled identical smiles and looked at each other.

“Ckakoo? LiLKyootie!” called Ivy, “We’re leaving now!!”

LiLKyootie ran off to join her family followed by Ckakoo, who had to have a last look at Water Blast’s ignorance expression.

After the nine of them hiked up the side of the mountain nearest to the Check-In Lodge, they finally reached their beautiful home for that week. Ckakoo and LiLKyootie looked around, looking for AquaSurf and Water Blast’s cabin. They saw nothing but snow, snow, snow, and oh yeah snow!

“If you’re looking for other cabins, there aren’t any for another twenty kilometers up that road.” Ivy’s Aunt laughed. She pointed to a hole in the mountain, which led to…somewhere. It was hardly visible against the blowing blizzard, and it was so tiny you probably wouldn’t notice it at first glance even if it weren’t snowing so hard. Ckakoo sighed and sat on the snow, instantly sinking in. LiLKyootie felt through the layer of snow in front of the door for a handle. She sneezed as she felt the frozen metal doorknob.

“Don’t open the…” started Ivy. But too late. The huge layer of snow blocking them from getting inside caved in along with LiLKyootie.

“Oh boy. Taryru, get the shovel.” Ivy’s Aunt sighed at one of the Blue Kacheeks. Instantly he pulled a shovel out of his backpack and dug LiLKyootie out of the five-foot pile, which was rapidly growing.

After mopping up the floor, everyone sat by the fireside. Ivy shivered, rapping the blanket around her tighter.

“So who’s up to some skiing??” Ivy’s Aunt questioned, merrily. Everyone stared, their eyes narrowing.

"Okay, okay. Forget I asked.” Ivy’s Aunt backed away slightly and went off to the kitchen with her four NeoPets to help her brew something up for lunch.

“Ckakoo. Ckakoo!” whispered LiLKyootie, “C’mon let’s got visit AquaSurf!”

“Shouldn’t we get Ivy and Elekbolt to come with us? It looks pretty dangerous in that tunnel.” Ckakoo whispered back.

“Hmm?” Elekbolt looked up at the twins, “Me come too.”

“Oh great. I guess we’d better leave before it gets too late.” Ckakoo rolled her eyes. The three of them pulled on sweaters and boots before leaving into the tiny tunnel in search for the other twin Kacheeks Water Blast and AquaSurf.

As they entered the tunnel, Elekbolt started to whine.

“Where are we going? Where’s Ivy??” she whined. They had just started into the tunnel and Ivy’s Aunt said it was twenty kilometers! Ckakoo and LiLKyootie sighed.

Suddenly, the ground shook with great force. Everyone looked back and saw that the snow that fell earlier was caving into the tunnel. They rushed over, falling over every minute by the raging ground.

“Get back RUN!! AVALANCHE!!!!!!” screamed LiLKyootie. Everyone dove deeper into the tunnel just before the huge snow pile ensured they had no way out.

“Is everyone okay?” Ckakoo stood and brushed herself off. LiLKyootie and Elekbolt did the same and looked around. They had dim light since the huge layer of snow had blocked the sun out.

“Elekbolt, we need your Magic Torch.” LiLKyootie mumbled. Instantly, a flame burst out of Elekbolt’s tail. The tunnel was brighter now, and everyone started to walk. They walked until they thought they couldn’t anymore, and finally they spotted a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Let’s run. We’ll get there faster!” squealed Ckakoo. Elekbolt and Ckakoo ran but LiLKyootie stopped.

Looking back, Elekbolt asked, “What you find?”

“It looks like…” LiLKyootie murmured, “Another way out.”

After exploring this new way out, Elekbolt was the one who discovered the little cart on tracks. Climbing in, Ckakoo pushed off and the rusty cart was on its way.

The cart stopped after a very bumpy and very long ride to wherever they were off to. After the cart seemed to slow down, LiLKyootie yawned and looked out. She stood up to climb out but the cart jolted to a start and zipped straight downward.

Everyone screamed. There were no seatbelts, so they were almost about to fall right out. The cart kept flying downward like a bird hunted and shot. Finally it came to an end. Ckakoo and LiLKyootie jumped out dizzily and fell to the ground. Elekbolt flopped over the side of the cart and sighed a huge sigh.

“Where are we??” LiLKyootie asked. Ckakoo and Elekbolt shook their head, not knowing. Elekbolt looked up, but there were no railroad tracks. She looked down to see the tracks leading downward.

“Weird!!” Ckakoo yelped, jumping back.

The walls to the right of where they stood opened as huge steel doors. A Scorchio gasped as he saw them in the dark wherever.

“How…what are you…” he started. He mumbled something to himself and let them out to the fresh air and sunlight. Elekbolt put out her tail and raised her nose to the air. Lupes have another sense; a sense of direction. Elekbolt hissed to Ckakoo while they were following behind the Scorchio, “We aren’t on the same side of Neopia anymore. We are on…the other side."

Ckakoo shook nervously. Yes, they’d been in space before, but they had managed to escape from Dr. Sloth. But this place was undiscovered; unknown. They may come across different and more powerful evil. They may not return home. As they neared a tiny home, LiLKyootie became as nervous as Ckakoo had. What if they don’t see Ivy again? How long had they been gone for? How will we get home?

“You can rest here for the night, but tomorrow you must leave. Leave for your home immediately or he’ll get you.” The Scorchio trembled.

“Who?” Ckakoo asked. No answer.

“Just stay here. He hasn’t gotten this far yet. But you must journey home tomorrow or he’ll enslave us. Don’t worry about me, just produce a plan tonight. Good night.” The Scorchio shut the door. The cabin was tiny like it looked like from the outside, and it only had one bed.

“We could fly back home.” Elekbolt said quietly. Since Dr. Sloth, the most evil villain so far, captured her, experimented on her, she somehow gained wings. She now knew how to control the use of them, but she had no way to control how long she could use them for.

“Where will we go? Which way is north Elekbolt?” LiLKyootie asked. Elekbolt sniffed again and pointed right at Ckakoo.

“That way.” She answered. She looked down at her paws and hung her head.

“I know what you are thinking. Just think positive and we’ll escape this Unknown Place.” Ckakoo whimpered. They all lay in bed, throwing their winter gear in a pile in front of the fireplace. Sleep was impossible to get, but they tried.

A huge bomb explosion awoke the three NeoPets with a jerk. It was around three in the morning but in this place, the sky never showed any different light or dark.

“Evacuate the premises!!!” boomed a voice. A huge Grarrl stuck his huge head inside the cabin to find that Ckakoo, LiLKyootie, and Elekbolt had already escaped.

Running for their lives, Ckakoo and LiLKyootie followed Elekbolt in the air. Elekbolt flew low through the forest, low enough for the twins to jump on her. Her wings were out fully, adding around seven feet on her. The Grarrl followed, re-rooting trees all around her.

“Rarrrrrrrrrrrr!” growled the Grarrl. She had seen them tear off to try to escape. Elekbolt spotted a snowy mountain, and flew straight for it.

“Are you crazy??” screamed LiLKyootie. But Elekbolt went straight for the mountain still. In a split second, she flew upwards and around the mountain. The Grarrl wasn’t that fast and smashed right into the mountain.

“Great plan, Elekbolt!” howled Ckakoo. They zipped through trees, and finally saw a huge ocean. Nothing was moving in the ocean, not a Koi, not a Flotsam, not a Jetsam. Elekbolt flew elegantly over the still waters to find nothing but that. Not an island, not an island.

“Wait!!” yelped Ckakoo, “An island!!” Indeed, it was an island. Mystery Island!

“I’ve heard of this,” LiLKyootie thought, “Island. Usually there are friendly people there, but most likely they are going to be like that Grarrl.”

“Let’s land there anyway.” Ckakoo concluded. So Elekbolt again landed, but this time they were at least formally welcome. For these coconuts never saw a flying Lupe, they gave Ckakoo, LiLKyootie, and Elekbolt free rooms in exchange for time for them to examine Elekbolt.

It took these little coconut men four days to complete their experiments on Elekbolt, but they were on their way again to try to find home. After a very long time flying, Elekbolt reached a spooky land, which was covered by a blanket of black fog.

“The Spooky Forest. They love Halloween,” gulped Ckakoo. “Just what we need. I don’t think we need to stop here for directions, Elekbolt.” LiLKyootie frowned. But Elekbolt didn’t stop. Her eyes had a weird glow of red and her tail wasn’t its usual fluffy self. She was hypnotized! Ckakoo and LiLKyootie screamed, for they heard a creepy voice in their heads.

You will come back to me, you three. You got away once but this time you have no escape…

They had seen that Space Station before. Those beady red eyes, flabby green skin, and ugly horn-like things coming out of his head. He always wore that ratty, old, black cloak. It was Dr. Sloth’s Space Station that hovered above them. Elekbolt was floating toward the Spooky Forest. Weird black spirits hissed at the twins, who were still screaming, holding each other tight.

Muhahahaha!!!

“That’s the…Esophagor!” screamed Ckakoo.

An evil body slunk up out of the Forest and cackled evilly. He swiped his ghastly hand at them.

“Blah! Oh boy where are we…oh my gosh!!!” Elekbolt shook off the hypnosis and swerved out of the way in time.

"Don’t think you’re so smart, idiot pets."

Elekbolt bolted to the right, far away from the Spooky Forest. She flew faster than she ever did, toward some place up ahead. The Space Station tried to follow but was a poor flier. It wasn’t very quick either.

“Maraqua is up ahead,” Elekbolt puffed.

“What? That doesn’t sound good,” Ckakoo interjected.

“Hold your breath!” howled Elekbolt. She dove underwater leaving nothing but a faint splash behind. Elekbolt’s wings disappeared right when entering the water, and Ckakoo and LiLKyootie were running out of breath.

Instantly, Elekbolt, Ckakoo, and LiLKyootie could breathe again. They had somehow entered a sort of air bubble. Elekbolt let Ckakoo and LiLKyootie down from her back, settling them down next to the building. Out of nowhere, a shark attacked. Elekbolt smacked him with her tail and the shark turned quite embarrassed. Smiling, Elekbolt led the way inside.

It was a kitchen. A tiny lobster cook was busy cursing to herself and complaining about too much work.

“Um hello??” LiLKyootie said. The lobster whipped around.

“Oh, pesky visitors. Run along now, I don’t have time. Time is what I need, not have,” the lobster complained. The three turned right around and out the door.

“I don’t like this place. Let’s go home!!” Ckakoo complained to herself. Ckakoo climbed on Elekbolt’s back once again followed by LiLKyootie.

“This time, we’re going home,” LiLKyootie announced.

After Elekbolt reached the surface and found the nearest land possible, it had been more than two weeks since they had left. They hadn’t eaten for so long and missed Ivy very much. Once they found someone on land, they were told they were back home.

It took almost a full day to find their way to their city. On their way people and NeoPets who were told about the missing pets stopped them to say that Ivy was worried sick and she had returned to her home stopped them.

On the day of January 25th, 2001, they reached home, starving and very homesick. Even home, they still remembered their horrible experience with Dr. Sloth (again) and the Other Side. No, they won’t be going back any time soon. For now, they were just glad to be home at last.

No one asked them questions; no one dared to ask. They knew and found out about Neopia in a way they didn’t want to. Not through books like most, but through experience itself.

The End