Why hello there people! I've finally updated this story! This is both completely awesome and unbelievably bad. The awesome part is the fact that I'm writing again. The bad part is the fact that people want me to update a story that is not this one. My message to them; too damn bad! I DID have a nice, wonderful author's note written but when I hit the save button the site decided to be retarded and not only saved nothing, but deleted everything I had just written on my shiny new laptop with Windows 7 built-in. So, you can thank the site for this not-so-wonderful author's note, and the pissed off author. Neopets is not mine and never will be, a nice little line thingy indicates separation/change of POV, and this chapter starts out in Reggie's POV.
Reggie woke up slowly, gently easing his mind from the world of dreams. This was something he'd rather not do right now because he was dreaming that he had an all-access pass to the Faerieland Library and was halfway through the anatomy section. With the last clear image from his dream being a cross-section of a Faerie's wings, he wasn't too happy to wake up feeling sticky. This disapproval lessened slightly when he felt somebody curl their arm around his midsection. When he remembered what had transpired the previous night all negative feelings he was experiencing flew right out the window and, hopefully, straight down Sophie's bitchy throat. Shuddering, he quickly wiped her from his thoughts. Just thinking about Sophie made his hair rise. He really felt sorry for that poor Meowclops. Which somehow reminded him of Gilly which, in turn, somehow reminded him of the Brain Tree. Which, again, reminded him that he was planning on visiting it today so they could have a nice chat. Reggie was the only neopet alive that the Brain Tree actually considered an equal, and the only creature capable of speech in all of history that it liked to talk to. Reggie knew this because he, unlike all others, actually asked. So, carefully extracting himself from the arms of his brother he quietly got out of bed so as not to wake Bruno from his slumber. He quickly got dressed and was halfway out the door when he caught his reflection in body-length mirror attached to the closet door. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. His hair was ruffled, his shirt was sticky, his pants had a noticeable tent at the front of them and his tail was severely matted. This called for a shower.
The second he entered the bathroom Reggie knew his grooming would take a while. Mainly because the basket he used to hold all his grooming tools (the seven different brushes for getting his fur just the way he liked it, the shampoo and conditioner for his hair, the two-in-one shampoo/conditioner body wash, eye goggles to keep the water out and his hair dryer) was completely empty. That and the fact that the shower stall was completely covered in greenish slime. Before jumping to conclusions, however, Reggie conducted a closer inspection on his grooming basket and found it was indeed empty save for one, single strand of gray hair. Evidence collected Reggie could come to only one logical conclusion: his sister was here. Now, Reggie was usually very calm and collected and never rose to anger, but he had to go all the way to Neopia Central to get that damned shampoo/conditioner body wash and he had to wait over four hours for the shop to restock and the shopkeeper absolutely refused to haggle down from thirty-two hundred neopoints.
Miles away, in the middle of a swamp, a sleeping Meowclops was startled out of his bed atop a potions cabinet by the sound of furious cursing followed by Sophie's name. It was so loud it almost made Sophie drop the bottle of shampoo/conditioner body wash she was draining. Almost.
It took Reggie three hours to clean the shower stall, and he wasted another forty minutes trying, without success, to get rid of the smell. Thirty minutes after he gave up he walked out of the bathroom relatively clean, although his hair was still a little messy. He checked his wristwatch on the way out to make sure he still had time to visit the Brain Tree and completely missed the absence of his brother, as well as the fact that his shirt was still sticky. Walking through the Haunted Woods is always an... interesting experience, but this time it was even more interesting than usual. After all, it's not everyday that Ilere the Earth Faerie approaches you and says, "Reginald, we need to have a conversation of vital importance." Reggie replied, "I would greatly appreciate it if you would acknowledge me by the pseudonym Reggie." At this the Faerie raised an eyebrow. "As you wish. Now come, Reggie, follow me to my dwelling. And I would appreciate it if you would ignore the Ghost Meepits," she said. "Ghost Meepits? Why would the mighty Overlords weaken themselves by becoming ghosts?" Reggie asked. Ilere replied, "Who knows? It probably has something to do with the Master Plan or something." Reggie asked, "What Master Plan?" "I don't know, whenever something doesn't make sense it's usually related to a Master Plan. Like the Schmoo, for example." Reggie asked the Faerie, "What's a Schmoo?" "No such thing." "I don't get it," said Reggie. "Exactly."
Twenty minutes later Reggie exited Ilere's dwelling thoroughly disappointed and, at the same time, amused. Apparently the reason Ilere abandoned Sophie at the shack was the fact that the Faerie took one look at her and knew she was completely bonkers. Now, however, she was regretting that she even gave Sophie the means for survival. Reggie did, however, manage to con Ilere into getting his grooming supplies back, so at least the encounter wasn't a total loss. Although the Brain Tree was probably irritated that Reggie was taking so long getting there. After a grueling fifteen minutes of walking through the woods Reggie finally arrived at the Brain Tree's clearing. "Ah, Reginald, there you are. I was wondering when you would arrive. I was contemplating the various possible reasons you were delayed and decided that the most likely reason is that it had something to do with that insolent Sophie," declared the great tree. "You are indeed correct. Which brings to mind a question I have for you," said Reggie. "What question is this?" Reggie said, "What exactly was the 'bad experience' that occurred between you and Sophie?" "She attempted to climb me. She didn't leave with all of her toes."