Post by RielCZ on Apr 25, 2024 14:25:44 GMT -5
I ended up putting in a Y1/90s period piece starter (very very loosely based on Hey Arnold!) and you bet I'm gonna enter it again next time.
I don't usually try entering first-week slots these days, but I'll be busy next week, and I quite liked the idea that came to mind to me that I whipped up for the 4th slot. I don't believe I can make it usable anymore, so here it is:
I don't usually try entering first-week slots these days, but I'll be busy next week, and I quite liked the idea that came to mind to me that I whipped up for the 4th slot. I don't believe I can make it usable anymore, so here it is:
...A wicked grin spread across Clara's face. "You're not the first seeker of that chest, with some contrived story about your relationship to Mr. Howto, you know."
Walter was dumbfounded. "Well, er, ma'am... can you tell me anything about my, er, uncle's chest?"
"I just said, I don't remember much about it," the Kyrii replied, letting a hint of irritation show in her demeanour. "And even if I did, why would I tell you rather than any of the others that came by here searching for clues?"
"Oh yes, er, you did say as much," the Blumaroo weakly agreed. And then another thought pierced his mind. "What about my... aunt?" he said meekly, taking a shot in the dark. "She'd been staying with Uncle Horace that evening."
Clara scrunched her face at Walter, scrutinizing him. "You're the first Neopet who knew that Horace was here with his wife..." she trailed. "Most Neopets knew Ilsa as his assistant, but they were married, a fact she only shared with her best friends and close family." Clara frowned pensively, and it was clear to Walter that her mind was racing. "Maybe you DO have a legitimate stake in this." She gestured for him to follow her to the kitchen just beyond the foyer and to take seat on one of the chairs.
The Blumaroo sat. "Can you tell me what you know about my, er, Aunt Ilsa?" he inquired. "There aren't many Neopets in the family that know those details, whom I could ask."
Clara nodded and joined him on a seat nearby. "Your aunt, Ms. Ilsa Howto, was devastated when her husband disappeared, of course," she started, shaking her head. "Devastated... but somehow unsurprised. I can still remember her high-pitched stammer -- 'Oh, I just knew something like this would happen to him'," the elderly Kyrii continued, seeming to mimic this supposed Ilsa. "That Aisha and I actually became friends over the years, she moved to a NeoHome not too far from The Black Barnacle. But she always said she'd take the secret of her husband's chest to her grave. It's always... haunted me, in a way."
"Hmm... maybe I should go visit, er, Aunt Ilsa," Walter mused, more to himself than to Clara. What would Ilsa know?
Clara raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "I should hope you would know that your aunt Ilsa passed away two summers ago and is buried in the cemetery on the far west of Krawk Island?" She groaned inwardly, suppressing her apparent sadness, and shook her head. "At least, so I've heard. I've never visited there myself, I could not bear it. She was taken from this world at far too young an age."
Walter just looked up at her and blinked. "Er... my condolences, Lady Clara."
"I should say the same to you, Walter..." Clara breathed a heavy sigh. "Whether you actually are her nephew, you need not confess. But I think it would be wise if you'd stop 'soliciting' to this here poor ole woman and leave."
The Blumaroo nodded slowly... but continued nodding, more and more resolutely. "Indeed. Thank you for your time, Lady Clara," he said. "Though, I believe I will go visit my aunt." He paused for dramatic effect as she looked up at him with confused eyes. "And you're coming with me."
Clara gave a little gasp. "What?"
"You said she said she'd take the secret to her grave. Let's see what we can find there..."
Walter was dumbfounded. "Well, er, ma'am... can you tell me anything about my, er, uncle's chest?"
"I just said, I don't remember much about it," the Kyrii replied, letting a hint of irritation show in her demeanour. "And even if I did, why would I tell you rather than any of the others that came by here searching for clues?"
"Oh yes, er, you did say as much," the Blumaroo weakly agreed. And then another thought pierced his mind. "What about my... aunt?" he said meekly, taking a shot in the dark. "She'd been staying with Uncle Horace that evening."
Clara scrunched her face at Walter, scrutinizing him. "You're the first Neopet who knew that Horace was here with his wife..." she trailed. "Most Neopets knew Ilsa as his assistant, but they were married, a fact she only shared with her best friends and close family." Clara frowned pensively, and it was clear to Walter that her mind was racing. "Maybe you DO have a legitimate stake in this." She gestured for him to follow her to the kitchen just beyond the foyer and to take seat on one of the chairs.
The Blumaroo sat. "Can you tell me what you know about my, er, Aunt Ilsa?" he inquired. "There aren't many Neopets in the family that know those details, whom I could ask."
Clara nodded and joined him on a seat nearby. "Your aunt, Ms. Ilsa Howto, was devastated when her husband disappeared, of course," she started, shaking her head. "Devastated... but somehow unsurprised. I can still remember her high-pitched stammer -- 'Oh, I just knew something like this would happen to him'," the elderly Kyrii continued, seeming to mimic this supposed Ilsa. "That Aisha and I actually became friends over the years, she moved to a NeoHome not too far from The Black Barnacle. But she always said she'd take the secret of her husband's chest to her grave. It's always... haunted me, in a way."
"Hmm... maybe I should go visit, er, Aunt Ilsa," Walter mused, more to himself than to Clara. What would Ilsa know?
Clara raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously. "I should hope you would know that your aunt Ilsa passed away two summers ago and is buried in the cemetery on the far west of Krawk Island?" She groaned inwardly, suppressing her apparent sadness, and shook her head. "At least, so I've heard. I've never visited there myself, I could not bear it. She was taken from this world at far too young an age."
Walter just looked up at her and blinked. "Er... my condolences, Lady Clara."
"I should say the same to you, Walter..." Clara breathed a heavy sigh. "Whether you actually are her nephew, you need not confess. But I think it would be wise if you'd stop 'soliciting' to this here poor ole woman and leave."
The Blumaroo nodded slowly... but continued nodding, more and more resolutely. "Indeed. Thank you for your time, Lady Clara," he said. "Though, I believe I will go visit my aunt." He paused for dramatic effect as she looked up at him with confused eyes. "And you're coming with me."
Clara gave a little gasp. "What?"
"You said she said she'd take the secret to her grave. Let's see what we can find there..."