Disclaimer: I don't own Neopets. Never did, never will.

Author's Note: Well thanks for reviewing and sorry this is taking so long.

Chapter 11

The Then And Now

I must tell you a little more about the black Usul whose eyes are burning holes through me right now. Kaymara is my sister, yes, I've told you that much, but I'm sure there's a question in your mind about that. How on earth can such a violent Usul be related to me, a cheery little thing that thinks violent thoughts but rarely goes through with them?

"Is there someone in the house!?" Kaymara said urgently. Since the fire she's become very protective of this place. The place that almost took her life.

"N-no!" I answered quickly, "I just want to know what you do down here all day." For a brief second I thought I saw my sister's eyes soften to the soft yellow they usually are when she leaves after sunset. That's the only time I see her eyes calm. Not the fiery red they are when she comes home before the sun. But alas the only reaction that phrase conceived was a suspicious glare.

"You're hiding something aren't you Katherine?" My sister said. Katherine, my sister was one for properness back then, my name's probably the only thing Kaymara hasn't changed.

"Nooo." I said shaking my head, "I really want to know what you do here all the time." The expression on my sister's face to that line was the same as always, or at least when both of us were alive.

~Flashback~ (Third Person)

"PA! Kaymara won't let me in her room!" A young orange Usul in a pink dress wails as she clumsily runs down the wide spiral staircase. As she reaches the bottom an older, purple Usul leans over the railing and shouts down, "Father not but a day ago you said that Katherine was prohibited from the room in which I sleep!" As she starts climbing down the stairwell to contradict her father's decision, the purple Usul continues, "Besides Katherine will most likely mess up my room and leave me to clean the disarray she has caused when she grows bored."

"Will not!" the younger retorts.

"Let's not start that. Besides what do you want in my room anyway?"

"I really want to know what you do here all the time." The orange Usul says a matter of factually. The disbelieving expression on the elder sister's face told all that the siblings had had the argument several times.

"Nothing that would concern you." The purple Usul said simply.

~End Flashback~ (End Third Person)

"You're hiding something." Kaymara repeated. "I should know. Since when do you use stairs?" My sister's glare made me uncomfortable, which really didn't help the situation.

"I can use the stairs if I want to!" I said. I sounded whiny, something that the old Kaymara couldn't stand and apparently still couldn't. At least a fight would stall for time.

"Stop being a brat!" Kaymara shrieked, raising her hand as if to strike. Then she put her hand down, "If you weren't insubstantial I would kill you." She said coldly. "Now leave!" I nodded and left quickly noting tears forming in my sister's eyes. I was met by Skip at the top of the stairs.

"Is this a bad time? Because I can go, the rain's stopped." Skip said. There was a look of worry on his face.

"Yeah…" I said. "Kaymara doesn't want me to have guests here." Which in a way was the truth. Skip nodded a silent farewell and left. Meanwhile I stood at the top of the stairs wondering whether or not to go back down there, whether of not Kaymara was going out tonight and whether I should meet up with Skip tomorrow…

Author's Note: This isn't going too well. I'm wondering if I should take this off the net because I think the chapters are starting to get too short and short means boring.