Adoption Rescue

by TsukiNeko

Day 1
"Assemble!" At this cry, all the various NeoPets in the main room of the pound stopped whatever they were doing and scrambled to line up as fast as possible. One small, blue Aisha stood in their midst, confused as to what was happening. "Hey, you!" a Kiko whispered to the Aisha, "Get in line before-" The blue Kiko fell silent and fell back into line as the door opened and a small, green Wocky daintily stepped into the room. Though he seemed harmless, shiver of fear passed through the perfectly straight line of pets as the Wocky slowly made his way down the line, calling out numbers.

"2433245!"

"Present!" a red Nimmo called from the line.

"2000940!"

"Present!" a ferocious-looking yellow Jetsam yelled.

"23432234!"

"Present!" this time the blue Kiko answered.

The Wocky stopped in front of the young Aisha, and smiled evilly. "Well well well, what do we have here..."

"My name is NateB2000, sir, and I just arrived today."

The Wocky looked at him with a mask of false sweetness. "Aww, you poor little thing. Abandoned so young... well, you will learn soon enough! My name is Dmitrov, and you will obey my every command without question. As for you, you will no longer be known as NateB2000, but as 1422000. Remember your number, for if you do not answer to it you will be severely punished," said Dmitrov. "Since you were not in line with the rest of the worthless scum here, you will receive no food tonight. You are dismissed," he called to the other NeoPets.

They dispersed quickly. Nate was assigned to a cage with the blue Kiko he had seen earlier. He was very cold, scared and hungry. He shrank away as it approached him. "There's no need to be frightened of me, matey!" called out the Kiko in a friendly manner.

"I just wants to help 'e so Dmitrov won't eatcha for breakfast! My name is 23432234, but everyone here call's me Pud. Yer Nate, right?" Nate nodded.

"Well, yer a regular young'un!" Pud said, looking Nate over. "Don't worry, I'll help you. All you got to do is keep yer head down and answer when called, and you'll be fit as a fiddle, mate! Now, get to sleep before the Green Devil catch's you awake!"

Nate, a bit comforted by the fact that he had a friend in this horrible place, fell into a fitful sleep. He dreamed that a yellow Aisha opened the door to his cage, smiling and telling him he was free. When he woke the next morning, he had no memory of the dream.

Day 3
Nate awoke to the soft hum of many human voices. Pud was near the front of the cage with a sad, depressed look on his face as humans passed by their cage.

"What's wrong, Pud?" asked Nate tentatively.

"Shhhhhhh, be quiet and look sad!" whispered Pud out of the corner of his mouth. "It's the only way for you to get adopted!"

Nate began to follow his instructions, but shrank to the back of his cage as he saw an evil-looking figure approach the cages. He was definitely not human, and Nate did NOT want to be adopted by this guy. His slit red eyes narrowed as he passed the rows of cages, every once in a while pointing to a NeoPet. They all seemed happy to be adopted, but Nate had a funny feeling that this guy wasn't going to be a very good owner. Aside from him, Nate tried his very best to be adopted by looking sad, but most people just passed right by and picked a pet that was level 2 or higher. Finally, Dr_Death switched off the office lights and locked up.

Dmitrov opened the cages and the NeoPets all jumped out of there cells to stretch and talk. Some of the younger ones were even playing games. Nate could hardly believe that they could all talk and chat, laugh and gossip like nothing was wrong. Pud caught Nate's look and whispered to him.

"They all act like that because they have hope. Hope that they, their friends, and their family will all be adopted someday. It's no use to sit around and mope, we just try to live day by day in this horrible place."

After an hour passed, Dmitrov walked in and bellowed for them to line up. Nate quickly stood beside Pud as he called out numbers. When Nate's number was called, he answered promptly and clearly like all the others, and Dmitrov moved on without a backwards glance. Soon after they were dismissed for food.

Day 6
A friendly-looking blue Gelert was dishing out some of the disgusting vending machine food, some getting ant-eaten ham while others received salmon sandwiches (still with the scales). Nate noticed that whenever a child reached the counter where food was being distributed, the Gelert would reach under the counter and pull out a bitten apple (about the best thing they had to serve). When he and Pud reached the counter, the Gelert greeted them.

"Hey Pud, seems like you've taken this young one under your wing!" He handed Nate a bitten apple as the two conversed like old friends. "Hey Nate, this is Gogepaloji, but everyone just calls 'im Palo. Never could meet a finer Gelert!" said Pud.

"Well, I try my best to keep the little ones well fed," he remarked modestly, "but that's nothing to brag about. I hope you find a home soon Nate," he added.

"Most of the younger ones stay here a long time before being adopted." Nate nodded as he swallowed the rest of the apple. "I wish you luck as well."

Pud and Nate went back to their cell and settled in for the night. Nate already felt years older from the hardships he had endured on his first day. He had learned so much, and knew that he still had much to learn yet. As he shifted position drowsily, he thought of the days ahead, he imagined being adopted, and he swelled with happiness...he knew that someday he would be adopted, he just knew it. As he drifted into sleep, he remembered how Pud said that all they had here was hope, and he felt, in his heart, that it was true.

Day 9
This time, Nate made sure to wake up early so that he had a greater chance of being adopted. He looked extra sad today, trying to increase his chances. By noon, neither Nate or Pud had much luck. Other NeoPets waved good-bye to them happily as they were led off by new owners, and when the afternoon came, Nate and Pud didn't need to pretend to be gloomy. Nate stood at the bars of his cage, shoulders sagging at the thought of the afternoon ahead. The words of Pud echoed through his head. "We can't lose hope, Nate, it's all we've got."

Nate was just about to give it up when a yellow Aisha and her owner stepped through the sliding glass doors of the adoption agency. Nate felt pity for the Aisha; only pets who were to be staying permanently every entered the adoption center. But, apparently, he was wrong. In fact, he could hear what the girl was saying to her Aisha, "Go ahead, Kiiroi, you can pick," she insisted. "After all, whoever it is will be your brother or sister, not mine!"

"I'm so excited!" she exclaimed happily. "I have been an only pet for so long...can I pick an Aisha?"

The girl laughed at her pet's enthusiasm. "You can pick any one you want!" The Aisha scanned the cages carefully, moving very slowly so as not to miss a thing. It was odd, as most usually took the first cute-looking pet they laid eyes upon. He could feel power radiating from her, and he guessed she was about level 10. She would most likely adopt one of the stronger pets. When she approached his cage, he just sighed and slumped down, tears welling in his eyes. He just couldn't bear the fact of being passed over again.

The Aisha peered through the bars with a combination of curiosity, sympathy and affection on her face. "Please, I want him to be my brother!" Nate stood stock-still, eyes wide in shock.

"You've made a good choice, Kiiroi." Her owner smiled as Dr_Death grumpily opened the cage and took Nate out. Nate was about to bound out happily, when he chanced a backwards glance. Pud and Palo both looked sad, but were energetically encouraging to go. KiiroiTomodachi, his new sister, saw what he was looking at and squeezed his paw.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "They will be adopted too, someday. . ."

And so Nate left the agency, headed toward a new home, and a new life.

Epilogue
Nate was well fed and trained by his new owner, TsukiNeko. He is currently at level 7 and spotted. True to her word, both Pud and Palo were adopted soon after Nate, and, as in most stories, they all lived happily ever after.

The End