The Mystery of the Stolen Gem: Part Three

Also by Irisks and Karatekid445

Indigo walked out of the room, to see all her guests lounging around, and enjoying themselves. FierceFire and Ale were in a very deep conversation about which was better; a Water Faerie Backpack or a Fire Faerie Backpack. Many were playing limbo. A boom box purchased from the Space Station was playing on top of Indigo's mahogany drawer corner piece. Ruby was the only one alone. This made Indigo sad.

      *Ahem* All the Neopets looked up at Indigo, pretending they hadn't seen her enter earlier. "The results of the questioning was inconclusive," said Indigo in a loud clear voice. But then she looked down at the floor "I'm not sure what to do now." Her eyes welled up with tears. Starlight went over to her, with everyone watching. Ale bounded to the boom box and slapped it hard on the top, so that it turned off.

      After a few moments of hushed noises and people exchanging glances, Starlight said, "How about this? We disperse for ten minutes so the person that has the Gem can put it in an obvious place, like the middle of the room or a hallway." After some thought Indigo agreed. Needless to say, it didn't work.

      Fifteen minutes later, the Neopets assembled in the Billiard Room, though it lacked a billiard table. The horseshoe set was still lying on the floor, remnants of Ale's defeat. Indigo thought back to when they were playing. It all seemed so long ago, and yet at most, only an hour or two could have passed since the game. Amianale chimed in with her squeaky high voice, "You know, I won that round of limbo."

      The general consensus just grunted but Grig replied, "Oh you don't know how low this Grundo can go!"

      The Neopets entered and sat down. "Well, we didn't seem to find anything," said Indigo, looking downtrodden.

      Ruby stood up, and ignoring Indigo's gaze said, "Wouldn't it be simplest just to search everybody?"

      Indigo looked up in alarm. "Search everybody? But that gem's too big to fit in anyone's pocket."

      "No, not like that," said Ruby. "I mean search their bags and things. Maybe someone stuffed it in their bag." Indigo thought about this for a moment, then, deciding she had nothing to lose, agreed.

      They went into the hallway, where everyone had dumped their brightly colored backpacks, rain boots, and umbrellas. Everyone stood back and watched as Indigo carefully sifted through all the contents of the backpacks (Some of Grigknot's were unrecognizable. Indigo didn't think she even wanted to know what they were.), shook the boots, and opened every umbrella. Finally, after what seemed like months instead of minutes, Indigo stood up. "Well," she began. "I didn't find the gem, but I did find your lock pick, Grig." She held it out to him and he took it with a puzzled look on his face. "It was in the toe of your boot."

      "Why would it be there? I wouldn't hide my own lock pick, I never let it out of my grasp," he wondered aloud.

      "Maybe someone put it in the wrong boot?" Torissa suggested, trying to prove her intelligence. "Maybe they were mad at you. Maybe you took something of theirs and they wanted to get you back." Everyone looked at Amianale.

      "I didn't take his lock pick! What would I do with an ugly thing like that?" Ami tried to keep her cover. "He gave my lipstick right back."

      "What about your Cybunny plushie? He kept that for a while, didn't he?" Ruby pointed out. Ami didn't know what to say about this.

      "Maybe he just…forgot?" She attempted a weak grin, but stopped soon after. This wasn't something to joke about. "Okay, look. I didn't take that dumb old lock pick. What would I do with it?"

      "It is made out of silver, isn't it?" Indigo started in a quiet voice. "You can melt it and make a ring or a pair of silver earrings."

      "I didn't take the pick!" By now, Ami was getting angry. "Why won't anyone believe me?"

      "Everyone's a suspect, Ami, even you," Ruby said calmly.

      "So are you!" Ami yelled back at Ruby angrily. Now, Ruby was really upset. She flew over to Ami and pounced on her stomach.

      "Get off of me you evil rainbow of fur!" Ami screamed at Ruby. The big blue Ixi threw the Uni off of her and got up in a ready for battle position. Ami charged at Ruby, head down. Then, Ruby and Ami were in a huge battle.

      "Popcorn anyone?" Ale asked the crowd.

      "Shut up!" Fire yelled as she threw a pillow at his head.

      "It's true. They're in a fight that's too good to be true," Ale answered back.

      "They could be on NWE!!" Torissa yelled.

      "What's the NWE?" Grigknot asked.

      "Don't you know? It's the Neopian Wresting Entertainment!" Torissa yelled.

      Fire, Grigknot, Indigo, Starlight and Ale stared at Torissa, blankly. "What?" Grigknot asked.

      "I made it up when I was playing dolls. A long time ago," Torissa quickly added in.

      Fire, Indigo and Grigknot ran over to Ruby, grabbing her and holding her away from her opponent. And Starlight, Ale and Torissa did the same to Ami. "What has gotten into you lately?" Fire asked Ruby.

      "It's just that Ami gets on my nerves and I KNOW SHE DID IT!" Ruby yelled.

      "You get me frustrated, too!" Ami yelled back at Ruby.

      "Guys! Can we please stop fighting?" Torissa yelled.

      "Torissa's right. We need to stop fighting. I hate to see our friendship get ruined, because this is all my fault," Indigo yelled as tears came out of her eyes.

      "Ohhhh, Indi, we didn't mean to put it this way. See, we're friends now," Ruby said as she put her arm around the blue Ixi.

      "Ewwwww!" Ami yelled. Then, Ruby gave her a look and Ami looked at Indigo. "I mean, ewww, I stepped in used gum!" Ami yelled.

      "That's what I thought you meant," Ruby muttered.

      "Oh, I didn't know there was gum on the ground. I'll be right back and clean it up," Indigo yelled as she ran into the kitchen. Evidently, she didn't know that Ami wasn't serious.

      "You don't have to… and no one listens to me around here!" Ruby yelled. Then, Noel jumped on Ruby's hoof.

      "I think he's thinking, 'I pay attention to you… NOT!!!'" Ale laughed.

      "Whatever," Ruby muttered.

      Surprisingly, Starlight was silent throughout the entire fight. She was wearing an oddly reflective look, as though her mind wasn't in the room. And her lower lip was trembling. "Guys…" she whispered, "we're all friends here, right?"

      "I want you to be honest with me. If you knew who stole the Gem, would you turn her or him in to Indigo? Would you risk one friendship over another?"

      For a moment, no one spoke. Then, Amianale broke the silence. "Starlight… what are you trying to tell us?"

      Ruby darted to her fellow Uni. "Do you know who did it?" Starlight was silent. Ruby continued to badger her, wearing a look that seemed almost like relief. "Starlight, it's important that you tell us. This person is a merciless bandit, and we need to capture him."

      "Or her," Ale snapped. Ruby shot him a look that could melt glaciers.

      Ruby turned back to Starlight. "Star… we need that information."

      "It was a hypothetical situation," Starlight said hastily. "You know, one that begins with the word if!"

      "Don't get smart with me!" Ruby cried. "I know you know who did it!"

      "Ruby!" Amianale snapped. "Cut it out."

      "Heh, one Uni seems to be picking fights today!" Ale said giddily.

      The bantering and arguing was pierced by a scream. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

      "What was that?" Everyone yelled. Then they all ran into the kitchen. They were all surprised to see what they really saw.

      Forks and spoons were scattered all over the ground like leaves in a whirlwind. Drawers had been torn out of their cupboards and broken into boards. Rutted scratches scarred wood, plastic, anything that wasn't rock-solid. A portrait of three Gelerts running had been torn off the wall and lay on the ground with a rip right through the middle of the canvas.

      In short, the kitchen was a wreck.

      The color drained from Indigo's face as she surveyed the room. "Wha… What could have possibly happened here?"

      "Don't know," Ruby said solemnly. "But I'm surprised we didn't hear it."

      "I'm not," Torissa said. "We were so wrapped up, watching Ruby and Amianale fight…"

      "So it couldn't have been either of them," Indigo muttered, pacing around the kitchen restlessly. "Could this be tied in to the stealing of the gem, somehow?" She seemed to ask this more to herself than to anyone else as she paced.

      "It is," said Ruby. The total lack of doubt in her voice made Indigo turn around in surprise. "Why do you say that?" Indigo asked.

      Ruby paused. Paced around the room. Stopped to look at Indigo, then at one of the shattered drawers. Her eyes, wide and fearful, scanned the room, as if looking for something. A kitchen utensil that might double as a Battledome weapon. Then she nodded, her fears confirmed.

      "Because your silver butter knife is missing."

To be continued...