The Second Chance: Part Four

by vivienip

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. I had a witness. A boy about 10 entered in along with a very young looking Gelert.

"Are you sure you saw the whole robbery, Solarflaire?" the boy asked.

"I'm sure of it!" Solarflaire insisted. "The Lupe who committed the robbery was a green colored Lupe, and the one you've got is blue!"

The Grarrl eyed Solarflaire suspiciously. "Are you sure, little one?"

"I am sure!" Solarflaire said defiantly. "I swear by the Faerie Queen that the Lupe that stole the chocolates had green fur, not blue!"

The Grarrl shuddered slightly. Anybody who swore by any faerie (and the Faerie Queen in particular) had to be deadly serious and telling the truth. Otherwise, the faerie would punish them for lying. "All right," the Grarrl said finally. "I believe you. We'll set your Lupe friend here free."

The cell door creaked open and I was free! "Thank you so much," I said. "I owe you guys one."

"My name's Steven," The boy said, holding out his hand. We exchanged a brief hand/pawshake. "What's your name?"

"My name is Chicobreezedance, or just Chico for short," I replied.

"Chicobreezedance, that's an original name," Steven said.

"My owner was an original person," I replied back. "I really liked her. That was before…before she left me at the pound."

Steven patted Solarflaire's head and he whimpered slightly. "I used to have two pets, an Aisha and a Usul, both girls. I loved them both dearly, but then they have gotten married and moved away."

"I felt lonely," Steven replied. "Both my pets had their own lives to lead, and I needed another pet. However, I did not feel like having to raise another pet all over again. Then I thought of the pound. I could make a difference in a NeoPet's life. Hundreds of NeoPets are being sent to the pound every year. So why not adopt one? That would be one less NeoPet in the pound. That's where I met Solarflaire."

Solarflaire tugged at his owner's jeans. "Steven, we discussed this, remember?"

Steven smiled. "Of course, how could I forget? That would be two less NeoPets in the pound. What an honour. I just might get to make a difference in two NeoPet's lives."

My heart skipped a beat. Did I hear correctly? Did Steven actually want to adopt me? It was almost like a dream come true. "I'll expect both of you guys to compete in the Battledome," Steven said with a smile. "But it doesn't matter if you win or lose. What matters is that you guys are happy."

I thought back to the time when I was abandoned. It was wrong of my previous owner to abandon me. We had more reasons for living than simply to compete and win in the Battledome. NeoPets were breathing, living creatures. We felt everything humans felt. We had feelings as well. And sometimes those feelings get hurt.

"Come on you guys," Steven said, as he began walking. "Let's go home."

As we started walking, I thought back to when I was born. I'd thought I'd met the perfect owner for me during the first few months of my life. I was wrong. But now, my heart told me Steven was another great owner. I had found my second chance at life. Second chances don't come very often, if at all. But I knew I had found my second chance.

The End