The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 9

Week 1

We already had a plan in mind, but we couldn't put into action yet. At least, not until the week after next week. Meanwhile, the tension was killing me. I kept wondering whether it would work or not in class. Too bad that the Kyrii master finally seems to snap out of it- we're having real lessons again.

"Since it's January, we'll start out with the same assignment before, with a bit added into it," he declared. "Do you remember last year's resolutions and hopes?" We all nodded. Thieves rarely forget anything. "Say them out loud one by one, and tell you fulfilled it. Then give us some new ones. Hanso, you start."

"Again?" I complained. "Fine. My resolution was to make a few new friends, which I did, sort of. Timmy wasn't actually what I had in mind, but he's great. Plus, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have met Charlie and Hazel." I smirked. "Though of course I wouldn't have met Ebony, either." At that, the class frowned. "My hope that Kanrik would get out of prison, which with a bit of my assistance-"

Everyone glared.

"-Okay, okay, our assistance, he succeeded." I paused. "My new resolution…well, help a few people as best as I can. And for my hope: that I'll be able to."

"Kayley? Your turn to share," he ordered.

We were all curious; she said that last year that hers was too personal. She took a deep breath. "Mine was to…well, Hanso's assignment wasn't allowed yet back then. My resolution was to snap him out of it. It didn't really work." I smiled, and she shrugged. "It's come in handy, so I won't try that this year, I guess. My hope was to help the guild, in some way. I thought assisting Mortak was how to do it at first, but he turned out to be so cruel. But I managed to do that anyway, with getting Kanrik out of jail."

"And your new ones?" The Kyrii pressed.

Kayley bit her lip. "I've been kind of a jerk sometimes, haven't I? I guess both my resolution and hope is to fix that." She glanced at me sideways. "I've already started."

"My resolution was to be a better thief," Razor piped up. "I'm okay. Better than last year, at least. My hope was that we all got along. It did work; I mean, after a few fights, everyone was alright. But I broke it myself- Kayley wasn't the only one who was a jerk this year. So my hope is that it won't happen again. And," he said as his eyes shone. "My resolution is that to use all what Dr. Kent taught me.

"You mean in life or death situations?" I asked drily.

He wavered. "Well, use it not too seriously. Like, if someone was sick or something."

"Juliet?" The Kyrii asked. But this time the twins spoke together.

"Last year, we both had different resolutions for the first time," Julius began. "I wanted to be nicer to everybody. I did kind of succeed. Sort of."

"Mine was to spend less time with Julius," Juliet continued. "But you all know who I am now, right? I don't think that's necessary anymore. So our resolution for this year-"

"Never fight again!" It was the first time they ever acknowledged it actually happened, and I had it feeling it would be the last. "Oh, and our hope is to learn more skills."

"Well," remarked the Kyrii, impressed. "That's actually-"

"WITH CANDY!" They shouted, and laughed it his stunned face. Then the bell rang.

It's going to be one heck of a new year.

Week 2

Apparently it's going to be more dangerous, too. Today we had a little field trip- our first in a long, long time. Razor actually did improve: he wasn't asking for my help again, at least. I'm not saying that he'll ever be the most skilled thief, but from how many pockets he picked, I'd say that he'll be alright.

It also gave me more time to focus on myself. Kayley did say that she was going to be nicer, but that didn't mean she was going to go easy on me. Again, we were partnered up, and every time she saw a rich person she expected to steal from them. That was okay, but it didn't leave me much time to catch my breath.

Then we had to give our loot, which Kayley volunteered to do. "And if you see any guards," she said, and then hesitated, "Might as well talk to them. Oh, wipe that smug grin off your face!" She snapped, and then went on her way, staggering under the weight of the bag. Between her and me, we got a ton of stuff.

"Impressive," said a voice. "Kanrik taught you well." I knew that everywhere. I whirled around, clutching my dagger. "Oh, don't be silly. If I wanted you dead, you already would be." The green Acara stepped out of the shadows. This time I definitely knew it wasn't Marie.

"Masila," I seethed.

She tutted. "That's no way to treat a lady."

"I don't see one around here."

She raised her eyebrows. "You've been taught the wrong things about me, Hanso. Yes, I know your name," she said sweetly. "It's the least that a good thief would learn. You should have understood that you should never make assumptions about people. Besides, I've come to offer you a deal."

I hesitated. I knew that I shouldn't, but didn't Kanrik himself once say that anything was better than violence? "I'm listening."

She straightened up, smiling radiantly at me. "Kanrik's losing his touch- you of all people should know that. Don't deny it!" She said before I could protest. "But his apprentice…that's another matter. You're an amazing thief, Hanso. I know you're young, but you're important. But other guild members don't see it that way." I instantly thought of that fiasco by the river, and all those bitter members glaring at me. "Don't you feel tired of it?"

"In my guild," she continued. "You'll be like a hero. People will be made to bow at your feet. You'll be one of the most prominent, and who knows, maybe someday take over the guild when I'm gone." She smiled. "So, what do you say?" Tempting…but I wasn't interested in power.

"You're evil!" I cried. She frowned. "Don't think I forgot that you came at Kanrik with a knife. I bet that little speech was the same one when you gave him the same offer."

"You misunderstand," she purred, but I interrupted her.

"Whatever comes out of your mouth is just a bunch of baloney," I said. "But the way you say it is persuasive enough so that people wouldn't notice. It won't work on me." Somehow, I knew it was true. I don't know why, but her talking just never affected me the same way. There was power in her voice, that much was clear, but I wasn't lulled with it.

I think it showed that I was being honest, for once. Her face contorted into an angry expression, and she didn't look pretty at all. "Oh, you're just like that Ha-" She stopped herself.

I crossed my arms. "Like who?"

"Never mind," she muttered. "But with or without your assistance, Kanrik will be destroyed."

"Not gonna happen," I said. "You should know that I'm going to do everything to stop you." I held out my dagger.

All she did was laugh. "Go on, try it. I'm most skilled at the combat of thieves." There wasn't an ounce of sugar in her voice anymore when she said it, but I knew it was true. "Yet I'm not foolish enough to try and crush you yet. That would cause too much mayhem."

"Lucky me," I said sarcastically.

"You should think so," she replied. "But know this: If you won't help me, you will not stand in my way either."

"What makes you think that?" I queried. "I barely follow my own teacher. Why should I listen to you?"

Her wretched smile returned. "Because if you don't," she answered. "I will kill your little guard friend. Brynneth, isn't it?"

My jaw dropped. "How did you-"

"Again, it's the least a good thief would learn. You have…a sort of devotion to her, yes?" She smirked. "That never ends well. And it's certainly gotten you in trouble before. Refuse me, and she will die in an instant."

"You're- you're bluffing," I stammered. "She's safe; nothing can get to her."

"Am I? Do you want to risk it?" She inquired softly. Her manicured fingers brushed through my hair. "I can use this threat to get you on my side, Hanso. You know I can. But since I'm nice, I'll let you stay-"

"Right," I butted in. "Of course you're going to let me stay because you're nice. The only reason you are is because I'll be more use to you here, probably to scare Kanrik."

"You're a smart one," she observed. "I see there is no point to try and convince you otherwise. But I'll let you have one tip." She leaned in close, right next to my ear. "You have a traitor in your midst- one that can play any part well." Just like that, she was gone.

"We should have both carried it," Kayley grumbled, returning. I jumped. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

A traitor. The word echoed in my head. I cursed inwardly- she knew it would do this. One that would play any part well.

"Are you alright?" Kayley repeated, waving her hand in front of me. "You're looking at me funny."

I blinked. I knew I couldn't tell anyone about this, even her. "Yeah…I'm fine."

"You're lying," she told me.

I shrugged, suddenly irritable. "So what else is new?"

Week 3

To our convenience, we had another field trip. They Kyrii Master was really busy- maybe even more than when Kanrik got captured. Well, it was lucky for us. This was when we were going to put our plan into action. But my first mistake was telling the class that we were going to do something.

"Really? What?" Razor questioned.

Kayley glared at me. "Why'd you tell them that?" She hissed.

"What would happen if they come and say hello? The girl would never talk to me," I said. "I meant for them to stay away."

"Stay away?" Juliet asked, hurt. "Why?"

"Oh, it's- it's about Brynn," I blurted out.

"Oooooh," the whole class said simultaneously. They smiled. "Okay."

"Do you need to make a quick getaway later?" Julius queried.

"Um, no," I replied, and then grinned. "Were you going to offer me some candy?"

"Don't insult the candy!" Juliet scolded. "They really are useful. You'd be amazed what a fire-up bar would do." She took one out. "I wish we'd known it when we were little. Then maybe we wouldn't have been so hyper all the time."

I was about to ask what she wished she knew, when Kayley grabbed my ear. "Time to go."

She led me to a small nook, near the book stall. A disco Zafara stood there, examining the books with longing. Both me and Kayley instantly knew her- Sophia, Brynn's new roommate, and our target. A girl, who I recognized was Sharon, was tapping her foot impatiently. "Like, hurry up! I wanna go back to the castle. It's nearly time for a new hairdo!"

"This looks interesting," the Sophia murmured, ignoring her. It was like she was in a world of her own.

"Okay," Kayley whispered to me. "Grab her attention."

I bit my lip, abruptly remembering what Masila said. A traitor in our midst- one who could play any part well. Then I realized something. Kayley could do that. She imitated the good-girl act just fine with the shopkeepers. Why not a thief? Was even her resolution all part of it? Was she going to betray me right now?

"You idiot!" Kayley squealed. "She's getting away!" Sophia had put the book down reluctantly, and was walking to the palace slowly.

"I only have some influence over Brynn," I told her. "What if she throws me in prison?"

Kayley stared at me. "You're having doubts now? Then I'll break you out, fool!"

"Right," I muttered. "Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cover it," she snapped. "Now we have to wait another month."

"No we don't," I shot back. Sophia was returning. It seemed that she had forgotten her sword.

Kayley closed her eyes in frustration. "That was lucky. Now get her attention."

"But…how?" I asked.

She gritted her teeth. In one swift movement, she snatched a book from the shelf and threw it straight at the face of Sophia. "Ow!"

Kayley pushed me to her. "Um, sorry about that," I said, helping Sophia up. That was one problem solved.

"That's okay," Sophia replied. From her sad tone of voice, it looked like she was used to getting picked on a lot. I took the book, and then saw it was Darkest Nights! Kayley must have chosen it on purpose.

"You should buy this," I said.

Then Sharon appeared, hands on her hips. "Pfft, what do you know? Sophia, come on! I'm late- my hair's getting all frizzy and stuff."

"It looks fine," I commented. "Now about the book- it's amazing." And handy- for breaking out of jail and scaring little kids! "It has a sorceress, a knight, a king, a kingdom, even a princess…"

"Okay!" Sophia smiled. "You've convinced me."

"Great," I said as I took it back. I went to the cash register and put the money on the counter. The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows, but accepted the coins.

"You don't have to pay for it-" Sophia began, but I stopped her.

"I didn't. I used your neopoints." I gave her back the pouch.

For a moment, a shroud of suspicion clouded her face, but it cleared quickly. "Well, you have quick fingers then."

"Sophia, you are so stupid!" Sharon insulted her again. "Books are a waste of time. You should never have bought it."

"In my opinion," I said. "It was worth every penny."

Sharon gave me the evil eye. "You weren't the one buying it."

"Neither were you," I answered. She threw up her hands in defeat and left.

"That was very nice to stand up for me," Sophia complimented. "But you shouldn't have done that. I mean, she does let me sit with her in lunch and stuff." She started heading back to the castle.

I went in step with her. She looked confused, but she didn't say anything. "Well, why don't you sit with someone else? She seems like an in-it-for-herself type of person."

"I'd like to. But I don't have any friends." Then she gasped, as if she couldn't believe she just revealed that to a complete stranger. "Ignore what I said."

"Will do," I promised. She opened her book and read while walking. "Wow, you're good."

"Thanks," she said absent-mindedly, turning a page.

"Why don't you have friends?" I pressed.

She scowled, slightly annoyed. "For one thing, there's Sharon. I'm totally eclipsed by her. Another, there's this guy called Harry. He bullies me."

"Now why would he want to do that?" I inquired, even though I already knew the answer.

"For power," she replied.

"Bullying an eight-year-old girl gives him power?"

"I'm not the only one he does that to," she said. "There are some strong people in his gang, and they fight anyone weaker than them. There's this girl, she's in my dorm now, and she gets it too."

"Then why don't you be friends with her?" I asked. She didn't answer, still reading. I repeated the question.

"Huh? Oh, she wouldn't want to be friends with me. She's so great with sword-fighting and stuff, and I'm just…" She sighed. "A silly old bookworm."

"Did you try and ask her? She might need a friend as much as you do." We reached the palace, but like Kayley instructed, I carefully led her around it.

"Am I that obvious?" She said, gazing upwards for a second. Then she blinked. "What are we doing here?" We were at the fields.

"Ever try reading outside?" I queried. "It's awesome. You should try it. Like, now."

"Um…okay," she said. "I'll just put my sword back in my dorm."

"But you will read outside, right?" I insisted. "And talk to your roommate?"

"Uh, sure." She was a little freaked out, but I knew she would do it. She inched towards the door.

I relaxed. "Oh, and say hi to Brynn for me," I added.

She whirled around. "How…"

I winked at her. "She'll understand." Then I ran away before she could ask any more questions, trying to find Kayley. It wasn't that much of an effort.

She was speaking to Harry. "Her sword is in her room," she seemed to be continuing. "She'll be completely defenseless, so you can take your revenge or whatever on what she's done."

"I thought I told you it was a one-time thing," Harry said, but he didn't seem that angry. He grinned. "Are you stalking me?"

I nearly died laughing. Kayley resisted the urge to slap him, but her hand twitched. I knew one more thing would set her off. "No."

"Why are you telling us this?" A Kyrii questioned. He was the guy who tried to save me from him last time- Sam, I think. He looked more tired and broken-in, as if he didn't have much courage any more to answer back to Harry. But he was still defiantly scowling.

"Let's just say…I have a grudge on this particular guard," Kayley replied calmly. She was a brilliant actress.

He turned to the whole group. "Are we trying to beat up little kids again? Don't you think that's a bit unfair?" Again, his voice was smooth and cogent. It creepily reminded me of someone.

"Sam," Harry growled.

He backed down a little, but stood his ground. "You said yourself we shouldn't trust thieves."

"This one doesn't lie," he promised. "I've had…dealings with her before, regarding Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."

"But-" Harry held his hand up. Sam became silent, although he sighed with irritation. "Fine."

"Oh, look, there she is now," Kayley pointed out. Sam glared at her, but she quickly disappeared. For awhile even I couldn't find her, but she yanked me under the bushes. "Now we watch. If we both did are jobs right, the girl's safe for now. If we didn't…"

"She'll be in for a beating," I said glumly.

She shrugged. "That's not such a loss." I glowered at her. "I said I'd be nicer. I didn't say I'd like her."

Brynn cheerfully came inside the field. When she saw Harry, her whole demeanor changed. She stiffened, and her eyes widened. She tried to go back, but Harry's gang blocked the gate. Smirking, Harry went right up to her and pushed her down in the mud. I wanted to help, but that would ruin the whole plan. Kayley, who probably guessed my thoughts, kept a firm grip on my arm.

"So what should we do with her?" Harry taunted. "Kick her? Punch her?" He started listing the ways they could beat her up, and with each one I became madder and madder. Brynn seemed to have given up hope on getting away, so she just looked up at the sky. I could see why she did that- it's always very comforting, seeing the clear, perfect blue.

Then a flying book whizzed by. It hit Harry on the back of his head, and he jolted forward. His eyes burned, and he spun around to see who did it.

"Pick on someone in your own age group!" Sophia yelled. I admit, I had my doubts about her earlier, but it seemed like she really did have guts. "Better still, don't pick on anyone at all."

"You're going to regret that!" Harry spat. He and his gang forgot about Brynn, and were advancing to her. Sophia glanced at Brynn, but she kept her head held high. She stared at Harry boldly.

"Let's see if your guard friend is as nice as you say she is," Kayley muttered. Brynn was having an inner conflict. She grabbed the book and was deciding what do with it. Then she glimpsed at Sophia, and a new determination crept back in her eyes. She threw the book at Harry's head.

"That's it! I've had it!" He screamed. If looked daggers at Brynn. "Don't think this is over, girl," he snarled before he left, his friends following him. I saw Viola- um, Violet- with them, and I gritted my teeth. Sorry excuse for a friend.

Brynn snatched Sophia's book from the ground. She gaped when she saw what it was. "I've read this!"

"I haven't actually," Sophia told her. "I bought it on my patrol. Sharon said books are a waste of time and I shouldn't have bought it, but I did anyway."

"It's a very good book," she commented.

"I was actually looking for you," Sophia said. "On the way back, I started reading the book. I'm very good at walking whilst reading. Anyway, this blue Ixi said it was a good book, and to say 'Hi to Brynn.' He said you'd understand, because I'm really confused."

"Hanso," she whispered under her breath.

"Hanso?" Sophia reiterated, appearing very alarmed at my name. "Wait, isn't he that thief who keeps escaping?"

"He's not that bad," Brynn assured her. I couldn't help but grin.

"Okay, Brynn," she said, clearly wanting to change the subject. "Anyway, lucky I found you when I did!"

"Very lucky!" Brynn agreed.

Kayley and I exchanged smiles. Little did they know, luck had nothing to do with it.

Week 4

We had free time, and Kayley spent much of it searching through the records. "We need one more recruit," she told me. "The leader. Once we have him or her, we won't need to get anyone else. The person, who'll preferably be older, will also protect the target-"

"Brynn," I corrected.

"Whatever." She continued. "He or she will also get other people to help, too, so it'll rather be somebody persuasive."

"I know just the guy," I said immediately.

She raised her eyebrows. "It's that Kyrii person, isn't it? The one in Harry group, with that…voice." She frowned. "He nearly convinced me that I was untrustworthy, and with just a few words! I'll definitely look into him. But then again, he is in Harry's gang. We might want to choose someone more convenient."

"Trust me, he's amazing," I pressed.

She shrugged. "We'll see. You going to do anything productive today?"

"Uh, yeah," I answered. "I was going to pay somebody a visit."

Her eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Just a person."

She sighed. "If it's your guard friend, you don't have to keep it a secret anymore, remember?"

"I'll keep that in mind." Then I raced to the Kyrii Master, who tiredly gave me his permission. After that, I headed straight towards Marie's house.

I needed to know what happened. The stakes were getting higher- now there was a spy among us. I had to end this as soon as possible. Tripping over the cobblestones, I made my way to the door. I hesitated briefly, and then knocked.

This time, the door opened at once. I was about to open my mouth, but Marie took one look at me and pulled me inside by the coat. "You!"

"Um, me," I said, confused.

"You're that child who visited me a few weeks ago," she went on. "Before the announcement of Masila's return. You know something." She scrutinized me from head to toe, and then sighed. "Stupid of me not to realize before. You're Hanso, aren't you? Kanrik's apprentice."

"Not exactly," I told her. "I mean, he's my mentor, but…"

"He refers to you as his apprentice," she replied. That shut me up. Did he really? I didn't know what to think. Scared? Annoyed? Pressured? One thing I knew: happiness was in the mix. "He has already come and talked to me, swearing to tell no one exactly what had happened in the armory. But you were there, weren't you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she murmured. I was surprised. What did she mean by that? "The things she must have made you do…you were lucky to have that fluke…"

"What?" I asked.

She shook her head and sat me down in a table, and then gave me cookies (fresh from the oven!) and milk. "Eat these," she ordered. "It'll relax you enough to discuss...what you need."

I wasn't going to argue. I bit into the warm biscuit, savoring the melted-chocolate flavor. Mom could have probably made some as good, but she never had the initiative. It was as if I flashbacked to when I was only a few years old, when she spent some time off of thieving to take care of me. "Thanks, lady."

She smiled slightly. "I have a son, you see. I know boys adore them. My husband did, too, until he…" Her voice trailed off.

"Hello? Er, Mrs. Marie? Are you alright?"

In what seemed like a trance, she said, "He was a general, once. He was even one of the best in the guard, and in charge of a little group of his own. Always brilliant, always indomitable…"

"Wait," I said, shocked. "You were a thief, and you married a guard?"

For awhile, she gazed at something. I turned to see what she was looking at: On the mantelpiece was a photograph of two Kyriis (one seemed to be the father, and the other a son) and an Acara (a much younger and happier version of her). Then she seemed to come to herself. "I'm sorry, what?" I repeated the question. She shook her head. "Of course not; I had to quit the Thieves' Guild when we got engaged, but when he- he died, I rejoined. A relationship between a thief and a guard could never work."

"Oh," I said. Quickly, I changed the topic. "What did you mean by it being a fluke?"

Her brow furrowed. "Meeting Masila, weren't you controlled by her voice?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I know it had power and all, but it didn't fool me much."

She wore a contemplative expression, and then resumed. "What do you want to know?"

"Exactly what happened in the Ice Caves," I answered. "How'd Kanrik beat Masila in the first place?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "It all began when Galem found a bunch of old scrolls," she started. "They were covered with runes. One of his wise scribes was able to decipher a few; it was the location of some sort of unimaginable treasure. Naturally, he sent his best to find it."

"Which included Kanrik," I guessed.

She nodded. "Unlike the other thieves, who greedily began hunting around all of Neopia, he knew he would need help. He enlisted the assistance of a certain treasure-hunter extraordinaire: Hannah the Brave. She was…surprising. Strong, smart, masterful, she was a diamond in the rough. Or rough house, I should say." She smiled at some memory.

I didn't have time for this. "Ahem."

"Sorry, dear," she apologized. "It's been a long time since I took a trip down memory-lane, and I want to reminisce. As I was saying, Hannah was an amazing Usul. There were stories about her far and wide that said of her bravery and quick-thinking. With a bit of…convincing-"

"It involved something shiny, right?" I smirked.

"Yes. With a bit of that, she agreed to help him find the treasure. Their lead was that the ancient runes appeared to be like the ones she encountered in the Lost Desert. Along the way…" She paused. "Well, he really liked her."

"So?"

"He became much attached," she told me.

"Yeah, I get it," I said irritably. "Could you please get on with the story?"

"I think you're not getting the point." She stared at me. "He really, really liked her."

What was she talking about? All she was saying was….it clicked. I nearly spluttered the milk out. "He was in love with her!"

"Perhaps I shouldn't be telling you this," she murmured. "I'm not completely, hundred-percent sure myself. But it appeared so- he told her about his dead sister, at least. He was supposed to think up a cover story; he's very good at that, you know. But instead, he told her part of the truth. It was one of his most painful pieces of his history, and yet he shared it with somebody he'd only known for about a week."

I tried to wrap my mind around this. "But what about Masila?"

"With her, it was just an infatuation," she said. "An infatuation caused by lies and empty promises- nothing more. She had to work for months before she won his heart. He was very loyal to Galem, though he was unfair. The old guild leader wanted the riches for himself; he never thought about the guild. I think that realization, and that Masila was the one who was whispering it to his ear, was the main thing that drove him to her in the first place. Even though I warned him not to."

"So then what happened?" I said eagerly.

"Like I said, Kanrik was very loyal. He took his affection towards Hannah as a dishonorable sign to Masila. That caused him to act rashly, later. As soon as he got the 'treasure' (which was an old coffin, by the way), and even though Hannah got marked by a curse, he left her in a ditch to die."

My jaw dropped. I never thought that Kanrik would be able to do that- this was definitely not part of the story he told me. The only thing he said was the word 'betrayed,' then quickly skipped over it. "Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"He confessed to me that he hated himself for it later. Anyway, he was too muddled to make sure she perished properly, and even carelessly spoke the location of the hideout. Hastily, he tried to return. But Masila intercepted."

"She commanded him to release the monster," I recalled.

"Not commanded," Marie said. "Convinced. She said that using the beast's power, they would be able to rule the Guild together." I shivered involuntarily. "But it failed, and Galem captured Kanrik. And he wanted to kill him." She stopped. "Perhaps it would have ended there, if not for Masila's own feelings for Kanrik."

"What?" I yelped.

"No heart is completely made of ice," she told me. Strangely, it reminded me of what I thought of Kayley last year. "She was fond of Kanrik, at the very least, though of course she schooled her emotions so not as to care about him too much. She got Kanrik kicked out of the Guild instead- and to thieves…"

"It's a fate worse than death," I completed. I'd been taught than line ever since I was old enough to understand it, and I knew that it was true. "Then?"

"Kanrik was poisoned and left stranded- but he had a fighting chance to live. With good fortune, he found Hannah and a Bori called Armin camping in a cave. He regained their trust; but after a brief scuffle, that is." She shook her head. "Armin told him about the Bori civilization. It was a war: Hannah with her friends and the Boris against the Thieves' Guild. In a deadly duel, Kanrik killed Galem." When I was seven, I thought that was pretty awesome. Now? Not so much. "I know what you're thinking; and I have to add, he gave it up. Remember, he never did it again. There's nothing much worth telling after that, except that Masila escaped, swearing revenge. Kanrik saved Hannah from the curse by taking her Taelia. They keep in touch, but not much."

"But then…how did Kanrik defeat Masila?"

She stared at me sadly. "Don't you see? She escaped- there was never a battle. He never beat her." That hit me hard. I'd been relying on an old technique or weapon or something. Now I knew there wasn't one- we'll have to find a solution from scratch. Seeing my despairing face, Marie continued, "There is one more piece of information you should hear, though."

"What?" I asked.

"In the world, there are three types of people." She held up a finger. "One is the followers: They can be great in their own way, they can even be at times resistant, but when in came down to it, they let others tell them what to do. There's nothing wrong with that," she added. "Some simply respect authority. Some can turn out to be both a great leader and follower, though that's tricky. Which leads me to my second one-"

"A leader?"

"Yes," she answered. "These are the most persuasive, the most skillful, the most ambitious. Kanrik himself can motivate people, if you've ever seen him demonstrate it." I thought back, to the first time when I saw Brynn at the tournament. He said this huge oration that made everyone feel good about themselves. "He isn't as cogent as Masila, but he is at a fair degree. All leaders must be." Then she bit her lip. "But whether they are leading them to something good is another matter."

"So who am I? I gotta admit, I'm none of those things."

"You, Hanso, I believe belong in the third category: The truth-speakers. They are exactly what it says they are: They are completely honest, and they tell the truth in a blatant way. Sometimes it's a truth you might not want to hear, but it's real nevertheless. Of course a leader could earn people's loyalty through rightness and facts, but again, all leaders must tell a few white lies; even if they think it is accurate at that time. Kanrik thought that he'd be able to get the whole Guild prosperous. I'm afraid it wasn't so, and some are a bit bitter about it." She shook her head. "They are also almost completely resistant to persuasion, too. In fact, sometimes they can counteract it, depending how good they are. And no, Hanso, I'm afraid you're not strong enough for that yet," she supplemented. "It was enough to get Kanrik to listen, but he already had faith in you. For someone who just doesn't want to hear it, you'll have a more difficult time."

"Oh," I mumbled. "I guess I have to think about all this."

"You should," she agreed. "Avoid making rash decisions, like….well, you know. As I said, you are a truth-speaker. And," she smiled slightly, "Though she was slightly prone to exaggeration as well, Hannah was, too."

"Thanks, lady," I said as she closed the door.

She nodded. "And Hanso?"

"Yeah?" I said.

She flinched, as if she didn't like what she was going to say. "I have to tell you: If Masila decides to seek shelter here, I will not contact the Guild. I will help her. As deceitful I think her actions are, she is still my sister; I'm afraid nothing will ever change that."

I got back to the classroom just as they were leaving. My head was still in the clouds, so I only came back to Neopia when Kayley stomped on my foot. "Ow! Hey, what'd you do that for?"

"I found some information," she explained. "And you might not like it." In the cafeteria, she spread out a few folders on the table, and then picked on up. It read 'Sam.'

"Oh, the guy in Harry's gang?" I asked.

"Mmm-hmm," she said. "But there's something you should know about him." She pulled out a family tree paper from his folder, which looked like it was done when he was little. "This was an assignment he had to do when he was about seven; before he was warned not to display too much information." She pointed at a name. "Do you know who Marie Ritch is?"

"Yeah," I answered. In fact, I just finished visiting her.

She took a deep breath. "She's his mother."

My jaw dropped. I thought of the younger Kyrii in the picture. "That means-"

"Yes," she told me. "He's related to the Mistress of Double-Cross herself."

Sorry for not updating- this took sooooo long to write, and again, I had homework in the summer. D: Hopefully I made up for it by, well, the information and stuff. I think that the next one will probably be the same; sorry!