The Kacheek Club: Gretta's Revenge - Part Two

     "Actually, it's only been about thirty minutes, Bridgette," Xana corrected her, glancing at her wristwatch.

     "Well, it feels like we've been in here for six hours." Bridgette sighed.

     "I'm getting hungry," whined Sarina.

     "Ssshhh, I hear something." Gwen held up her paw to signal her friends to stop. They were in the middle of a deserted hallway with moss-covered walls. The Kacheek Club paused their chatter and listened.

     "Great, I can see them," whispered a voice. Gwen couldn't identify who the voice belonged to or where it came from.

     "Oooh, I see them, too!" whispered another voice.

     "Be quiet, they can hear us, you know!" a third voice whispered.

     "Um, are there any Geraptukicans that live in here?" Bridgette whispered to Xana.

     "Not that I know of." Before Xana could say anything else, the group was bombarded with arrows that seemed to fly out of nowhere.

     "Run!" Gwen started running to the end of the hallway. She could hear her friends racing after her.

     "What... was... that?" Sarina asked between gasps of air. They had just reached the end of the hallway and were safe from the arrows.

     "Well, the Deserted Tomb is supposed to be full of all sorts of traps," explained Xana. "Arrows included."

     "Hey, it looks like the arrow throwing fest stopped." Gwen pointed back to the place where they stood before. Arrows littered the cement floor, but the people who had thrown the arrows were gone.

     "Wait a sec." Xana raced back down the hallway and stopped to pick up an arrow. She examined it closely, then said to her friends, "These are plastic!"

     "You mean I ran for my life just to get away from some plastic arrows?" Bridgette scoffed. "I'm never going to visit Geraptiku again."

     "Hee hee, this tickles." Sarina continued poking her paw with one of the plastic arrows.

     "Someone really doesn't want us to be in here," Gwen concluded. "Let's get moving before they decide to come back with real arrows."

     Three minutes later, the group arrived in a deserted room. Plant vines grew from the ceiling all the way to the floor, and several torches were lit on the walls.

     "There's the way out!" Bridgette pointed to the cement door at the other side of the room.

     "Let's go!" Gwen exclaimed in excitement. But the minute she stepped inside the room, the light from the torches faded. They were left in complete darkness.

     "Wha-" Sarina began, but various shrieks suddenly pierced through the air.

     "What are these things?!" Bridgette tried to pull a petpet off of her head.

     "Lizarks! They're really common in Geraptiku and Mystery Island." Xana was jumping around the room, trying to keep the Lizarks from reaching her.

     "Aren't these petpets just the cutest?" Sarina smiled and held one up to Bridgette's face. "I mean, they're perfectly harmless once you get one to trust you."

     "Get that thing away from me!" Bridgette started swiping her paw through the air furiously. She couldn't tell where Sarina was standing due to the lack of light.

     "I'm going to try and feel my way to the door!" yelled Gwen. She started waving her paws in front of her, hoping to touch something solid.

     In a flash, the torches were lit once again. The Kacheek Club glanced at each other as the Lizarks ran single file out of the room.

     "Okay, that was a little weird," said Sarina.

     "C'mon, follow me." Gwen gestured to her friends. Soon they were walking back to their tents, the bright sun rays shining through the lush forest.

     "I can't believe there were that many Lizarks in the Deserted Tomb," said Xana, "I heard that there's only supposed to be a few."

     "And did you guys notice how Gretta, Autumn, and Lily didn't come for the second challenge?" Gwen pointed out.

     "Wouldn't it be funny if they were the ones responsible for this?" Sarina giggled.

     "Yeah, how funny," Bridgette said sarcastically. Finally, the tents came into view.

     "Hey, guys." Gretta waved them over to join her at the campfire pit. She, Autumn, and Lily were munching on blueberries.

     "You guys missed all of the fun," said Sarina, plopping down on the ground next to Autumn. She accepted the bowl of blueberries Autumn handed to her and continued, "We got ambushed by plastic arrows, then we met some harmless Lizarks."

     "Harmless?" Bridgette looked at Sarina in disbelief. "Those petpets were attacking us!"

     "Don't listen to her," Sarina whispered to Gretta, Autumn, and Lily, "She's been kinda testy ever since the whole Rockfish thing."

     "Where were you guys?" Gwen asked Gretta and her friends. "Did it take you a whole hour just to refill our water bottles?"

     "We got lost on the way back," Gretta replied, shrugging. "Lily said that you guys were probably on your way back from the tomb by the time we managed to find our tents again."

     "I did?" Lily had a confused look on her face.

     "Yes, you did, Lily." Autumn glared at her.

     "But I don't-" began Lily, but Gretta interrupted her.

     "So, um, what's the next challenge?" asked Gretta hurriedly. "I want to get these Jungle Survival badge challenges over and done with."

     "We have to go to the Island Mystic and get our fortunes read," replied Xana, popping a blueberry into her mouth.

     "Finally, something that doesn't involve Jetsam fins, arrows, or petpets," said Bridgette in relief.

     "Wait, I have to go to the restroom," Gretta said suddenly, "You guys go ahead without me. I'll go to the Island Mystic's hut when I'm finished." She caught Gwen glaring at her. "I promise I'll catch up with you guys this time."

     "Fine, let's hope you can keep that promise." Gwen started walking towards the Island Mystic's hut with Bridgette, Xana, Sarina, Autumn, and Lily in pursuit.

     "Oh, I will," Gretta muttered after her. "She'll see."

      *~*~*

     Gwen rolled her eyes. "Lily, you've tried talking to that Tuceet eight times already. Give. It. Up!"

     "Let me try just one more time!" insisted Lily.

     Gwen, Bridgette, Xana, and Autumn sighed. They were mid-way towards the Island Mystic when Lily decided that she wanted to try and talk to a stray Tuceet.

     "Squawk, treguna, squawk, blugorna!" Lily said to the Tuceet.

     "What are you saying to it?" asked Sarina. She seemed like the only one that was intrigued by Lily's attempt.

     "I asked it for directions to the Island Mystic's hut," explained Lily matter-of-factly.

     "Look, Lily, we already know where the hut is," Bridgette said impatiently. "There's no need to start asking random petpets for directions."

     "Fine. But when you get lost and end up in some sort of quicksand, then don't even bother asking for my help." Lily crossed her arms over her chest.

     "Will do." Bridgette rolled her eyes.

     "Okay, let's just stop fighting and get to the hut," Gwen said, adjusting her primrose flower clip.

     "I can't wait to get my fortune read," Autumn exclaimed as they resumed walking. "The Mystery Island elders said that the Island Mystic knows basically everything about Neopia."

     "That is, if you can even make some sense out of his fortunes," Xana added.

      *~*~*

     "This is going to be the ultimate payback plan." Gretta smiled to herself and tip-toed into the Island Mystic's hut. She hoped that Lily had distracted the group by talking to a petpet long enough so that she would have enough time to get things ready for their last plan. She adjusted her blonde wig before inspecting her costume in the mirror. While Gwen and her friends thought that she had been going to the restroom, Gretta had actually painted herself with tan-colored paint. She had a speck of white paint over her nose to add more island flair, and numerous gold bangles jingled from her wrists. Gretta hadn't gone as far as to place a bone in her nostrils, but she did have clip-on gold earrings.

     "I should have thought of wearing something like this for Halloween," said Gretta, looking at herself one last time in the mirror before getting to work. She looked in dismay at the miniature crystal balls, 'magical' deck of cards, and the mystical marbles that littered the Island Mystic's table. Gretta swiped the 'At Lunch Right Now' sign off of the door of the hut and slid it underneath a glowing blue orb. She seated herself in the bamboo chair behind the table and waited. The Kacheek Club and the Scouts of Neopia should be coming any minute now," she thought.

     The door opened and Gwen, Bridgette, Xana, and Sarina walked in. Autumn and Lily smiled at Gretta as they trailed in.

     "Welcome to my little hut," Gretta said in her most mystical voice, "My crystal orb told me that you were planning to come and get your fortunes read today."

     "I guess I'll go first." Gwen walked forward to the table and waited. After a few seconds went by, she asked, "Well...?"

     "Huh? Oh yeah, um, one fortune coming right up." Gretta stood up from her chair and opened a box of playing cards. After closely inspecting a three of spades, she announced, "You must leave Mystery Island immediately or suffer the consquences."

     "Uh, okay." Gwen, looking slightly confused, stepped back to let Bridgette have her turn.

     Bridgette skipped up to Gwen's spot and waited.

     Gretta shook a velvet bag full of marbles, then she picked a random marble out from the bag. "Aaah, a purple marble," Gretta said slowly. She hoped her act was convincing.

     "What does it mean?" asked Bridgette in a hushed tone.

     "You shall wake up one morning to find that your owner wants you to become a Mutant Skeith." Gretta stuffed the marble back inside the bag.

     Bridgette gasped. "A-are you sure?"

     "Positive." Gretta nodded.

     "This has got to be my worst fortune ever." Bridgette shook her head in disbelief as Xana stepped up to the table.

     Gretta looked into a glowing crystal ball. All she could see was a mass of swirling white and blue. "Erm, you are going to fail the math test you took last week," Gretta told Xana. "It seems that you will be very disappointed with your grade when you get your test results back."

     "Impossible!" Xana's jaw fell. "I mean, I know for sure that I didn't solve number sixteen correctly, but there's no way I missed that much!"

     Gretta shrugged. "That is what the crystal ball says," she replied.

     "My turn!" Sarina ran over to the table and smiled excitedly.

     "Alright..." Gretta looked around the table and picked up a paper fortune teller. After opening a flap with the number five on it, she said, "You shall become as intelligent as Bug Eye McGee."

     "Coool," Sarina breathed.

     "Sarina, I hate to break it to you, but Bug Eye McGee isn't that intelligent," Xana said to her friend.

     "Jealous," hissed Sarina.

     "Next!" Gretta paused as Autumn moved up to the table. "Your fortune is..." Gretta picked up a clear vial full of swirling pink liquid. She lifted it to her nose and took a sniff. "Eew," she muttered, then declared out loud, "You will receive an outstanding grade for the book report you did."

     "Really? Yay!" Autumn clapped her paws together.

     "That should have been my fortune," Xana whispered to Bridgette as Lily walked to the table.

     Gretta looked around the table, searching for something to tell Lily's fortune with. However, she realized that she had used all of the fortune-telling instruments already. "Um, your ability to talk to petpets will save you from a sticky situation next month," Gretta simply said.

     "Talking to petpets was always a rare talent of mine," Lily said excitedly.

     "Well, since I read all of your fortunes already, then I guess it's time for you to go. Shoo!" Gretta ushered the group outside. She was sure that the Island Mystic would probably be finishing off his lunch now and would be back to his hut in no time at all.

     "Wait a second... you're not the Island Mystic!" Sarina blurted out, pointing to Gretta. Her voice was filled with suspicion.

     "Heh, what are you talking about?" Gretta started wringing her paws nervously.

     "Sarina, that's not very polite," Bridgette said. She turned to Gretta. "Sorry, Mr. Island Mystic. We were just in the Deserted Tomb earlier today; my friend Sarina hasn't been feeling right ever since."

     "No, guys, I'm positive that this isn't the Island Mystic," Sarina insisted.

     "You're also positive that four times four equals forty-four," Xana reminded her.

     "Why do you think this isn't the Island Mystic, Sarina?" asked Gwen.

     "Well, my parents and I visited Mystery Island last month," explained Sarina. "We visited the Island Mystic while we were on the trip. The real Island Mystic looks completely different from this person. I suspected this the minute we walked into the hut."

     "Um, maybe we should go to Daisy's hotel now," Autumn said. "We can tell her that we finished-"

     "Since you guys won't believe me, I'm going to show you that this isn't the Island Mystic." Sarina pulled her Faerieland Team Water Bottle from her backpack and aimed it at Gretta.

     "What do you think-" began Gretta, but then she was doused with water. Her tan paint started trickling off, revealing her pink fur.

     "See? The Island Mystic that's been telling us these fortunes is actually..." Sarina turned around to face Gretta. "...Gretta?!" Her jaw dropped.

     "Explanation, please!" Gwen demanded, glaring at Gretta.

     Gretta sighed. "Okay, fine. All those bad things that's been happening to you guys - it's all part of a revenge plan I invented."

     "Sooo... the Jetsam fin, the arrows, the petpets, the unfortunate fortunes... they were all part of it?" Bridgette asked her in disbelief.

     "Yep. I planned all of it because I never actually forgave Gwen for ruining my petpet notes. I wanted to get back at her," explained Gretta, "So I decided that this trip to Mystery Island would be the perfect chance. I was the one that begged Mom to ask you guys to come in the first place."

     "And that's why you were never present for any of the challenges?" Xana said.

     Gretta nodded. "I attached the fake Jetsam fin to my swimming goggles for the first challenge. Autumn, Lily, and I were the ones that threw the arrows at you guys in the Deserted Tomb. We were also the ones that released the Lizarks on you."

     "Wait, how did you guys manage to turn off all of the torches in the room?" asked Bridgette.

     "Autumn was blessed by a Dark Faerie last week," Gretta replied, "She used her Nighttime powers to turn the torches off. Then Lily used her Magical Torch ability to light up all of the torches again."

     "I was also the one that made the Lizarks go single-file out of the room," Lily added, smiling proudly. "Yep, I suppose talking to petpets just isn't the sort of ability that bottled faeries can give you."

     "Um, what does the Nighttime ability do?" Sarina asked.

     "It darkens an illuminated area," explained Xana, "and the Magical Torch ability enables the user to light up dark areas."

     "Gretta, I'm truly sorry that I ruined your petpet notes." Gwen spoke up. "I shouldn't have just walked off without telling you how I'd try to repay you back. How about I re-write the petpet notes once we get back home?"

     "Deal." Gretta smiled and shook paws with Gwen. "And I'm sorry for the revenge plan I did."

     "Let's go to Daisy's hotel now," said Bridgette. "We'll finally get to leave Mystery Island." She grinned.

     "Agreed!" everyone said in unison.

The End