The Kiko Lake War: Part Three

Brian went to Lucy-Ann Kiko’s house to tell her about the war he wanted to start. Being a pacifist, she suggested a campaign and a petition instead. So Brian started his campaign and told all the Kikos in Neopia Central about it, and then decided to keep going to Roo Island. He’s got nine Kikos from Roo Island now, but with a poor-quality boat, will he be able to make it back?

The five boats all took off. Keith the Kiko, who was only about 15 or 16 years old, sat cramped behind Brian but kept quiet. It wasn’t bright and sunny anymore and it seemed rather dim; like at 5pm. It had been a long day for Brian. He just wanted to let the Kikos stay in the Neolodge for a night while he went to have a rest and in the morning, fresh as a daisy, he would be able to start campaigning with them. He also needed to get to Lucy-Ann’s house to get the petition off her.

     It began to get foggy again and the dimness of the sky did not help. Brian was tired and decided to ask Keith to take over for him.

     “Sure thing, Bri,” said Keith, and he took the oars of Brian. But Keith did not know the way back to Neopia Central. Neither did the other Kikos, and they all changed direction to... Kiko Lake!

     “Oh no!” shrieked Brian. “We’re going towards Kiko Lake! Turn around, everybody! Turn around!”

     Brian absentmindedly stood up on the boat and waved to all the Kikos in the other boats. “We’re going towards Kiko Lake! The Skeiths are going to get us!”

     “We can’t turn around!” yelled all the other Kikos. “The current is taking us away to Kiko Lake!”

     The boat, which was under great pressure of being stood on, broke into pieces, leaving poor Keith and Brian gasping for help in the raging rapids. They quickly flowed along in the freezing water, and flailed about. Their mouths were filling with water and they couldn’t even scream.

     Eventually they ended up in the calm waters of Kiko Lake, with all the other boats. All the Kikos, and Brian, clambered out of the lake, hoping that no one would see them.

     “Come on! Run away!” whispered Karen the Kiko, a friend of Keith.

     They quietly ran away, but the Skeith that Brian had been talking to earlier came running outside, roaring his round small head off.

     “HEY, YOU KIKOS!” he hollered at the top of his voice. “YOU KNOW TO STAY AWAY FROM HERE! AND NOW YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!”

     The Skeith stopped and saw Brian. “And you. I told you not to come back. And you didn’t listen!”

     Brian was terrified. “No, no... we were... the current--”

     “I don’t want to hear it!” screamed the Skeith. “I’ve had enough of you trespassers! I’m gonna bring you to Harold!”

     “No!” hissed a few people. “Not Harold!”

     “COME ON!” shrieked the Skeith. “FOLLOW ME!”

     The ten Neopets reluctantly followed the Skeith. The Skeith brought them into the big house in the middle of Kiko Lake, and brought them through a corridor. Then he pushed a door open and inside was a desk with a big bulky red Skeith sitting at it. The ten Neopets walked in, their heads hanging with shame.

     “Now. What have we got here, Ben?” asked Harold.

     “Sir, these ten were trespassing on our property,” explained the Skeith, whose name was Ben.

     “Oh dear,” said Harold, “Well? What’s your excuse?”

     The Kikos all looked at Brian. “Well... Well...”

     “What is it, child?!” demanded Harold. “Speak up!”

     “This one was here this morning,” said Ben.

     “Really? So, give me an explanation for both incidents, then,” ordered Harold.

     “Well, the first time I had never been here before,” replied Brian, “And I didn’t know that Kiko Lake was a restricted area.”

     “...Hmm. I guess that’s a fair enough answer,” grunted Harold. “But the second time you knew not to come here! And you brought Kikos with you too, just to annoy us even more!”

     “No! No! That’s not the scenario, at all!” cried Brian. “You see, our boats got caught up in the current... and...”

     “Why had you all these Kikos with you?” asked Harold.

     “Because... well...” Brian knew he had to tell the truth. “We were... we were trying to get the Kikos back into Kiko Lake.”

     Harold suddenly gave a furious shout.

     “I don’t believe this!” yelled Harold. “I am outraged! Yes, I would understand if a Kiko was trying to do this, but a Bruce!” -Harold stood up and beat his fists against the desk- “This matter doesn’t concern you, boy! Why get involved? I’m going to call your mother and tell her what shameful things you’ve been doing!”

     Brian stood up too. “I haven’t been doing anything shameful! You have! You kicked the poor Kikos out of their home and, worst of all, made everyone else suffer for something you had done! I’m the one who’s outraged here, and I say, give the Kikos back their land, for goodness’ sake! They’ve had their fill already!”

     There was a silence. Harold’s face went red and it swelled up. Just as he was about to burst, Ben interrupted.

     “The kid is right!” he yelled. “I’m tired of taking orders from you! And all the other Skeiths are too! They always say bad things about you! And I’m not proud of taking over Kiko Lake. I wanted to give it back Kiko Lake years and years ago, and I even told you, but no, you wouldn’t listen! You know why? Because you’re a dictator! But now me and the other Skeiths are going to do something we should have done a long time ago!”

     Ben ran out of the room and the ten excited Neopets followed, then Harold did. Ben gathered all the other Skeiths and went up to the nine Kikos and said: “You can have Kiko Lake back. We’re going to call up the Defenders and they’ll arrest Harold for treason.”

     Brian was delighted. Finally all he had done had paid off. Soon the Defenders arrived and arrested Harold.

     Soon Lucy-Ann, the Kiko Triplets, Irvin Kiko, Henry Kiko, Sanchez La Kikorinio, Greg and Kim Kiko, and many more Kikos arrived to have a party to celebrate their win.

     At the party there was a buffet table with chicken, potatoes, gravy, peas, carrots, steak, burgers and chips. For drinks they had cola, orangeade, lemonade, tea, coffee, water, milk, fizzy orange, ginger ale and fizzy water. And for treats they had cake, ice-cream, popcorn, crisps, chocolate, jellies, mousse and treat-size chocolates.

     Brian ate a lot and by the time his mother arrived to bring him home he was full-up and bloated.

     “I couldn’t possibly leave now, Mum,” smiled Brian. “I’m so full! I can’t walk home!”

     “Come on, Brian,” said Mother. “Tell me the whole story on the way home.”

     “Alright,” sighed Brian. “Well...”

     And Brian told his mother everything about what happened with great detail. He was very proud of himself and his mother was too. At the end of the story she stopped and gave him a squeeze.

     “Well done!” she beamed. “I’m so proud of you! See? When you’re determined enough to do something, your hard work pays off in the end.”

     “I know, but the strange thing is,” said Brian, “that we didn’t have to use the petition that we wanted to get Kiko Lake back at all.”

     “Yes, it is quite strange,” said Mother. “But sure, what are you gonna do?”

     Brian laughed. Then the two of them walked into their hut and Brian went to bed.

     “It’s been a long day,” he said.

     “It sure has!” chortled Mother.

     The next morning, there was a knock at the door very early. Brian went down to get it. It was Irvin Kiko, Brian’s best friend.

     “Hey, Brian,” he said. “Erm, this may seem out of the blue, but... I’m moving.”

     “What? Why?” exclaimed Brian.

     “Because Kiko Lake is open again.” The young orange Kiko smiled. “And even though I won’t be down the road anymore, I’ll still be quite near. So you can visit me at any time.”

     “That’s true,” said Brian. “And quite convenient too. I’ll be going to Kiko Lake a lot nowadays. It’s lovely there, isn’t it?”

     “Indeed.” Irvin nodded. “Please drop by as often as you can. We can go swimming and all. And you know the building that the Skeiths used to live in?”

     “Yes, I know it very well,” grinned Brian.

     “Well, that’s been turned into a leisure centre now,” said Irvin. “That means cinema, arcade, swimming pool and crèche. Obviously, we can’t use the crèche, but the swimming pool, the arcade and the cinema will be very handy.”

     “It will be.” Brian smiled. “Perhaps it’s better that you’re moving!”

     Irvin grinned and the two of them laughed. “Alright, well, see ya, Brian.”

     “See ya, Irvin,” said Brian, and he closed the door.

     Brian sighed. A lot of things were changing now. But maybe they were changing for the better.

     And for now, they were.

The End