The Battledome Quest: Part One

by devil__007

"So, what kind of Battle Magic do you have today Shopkeeper?" Jekins the Lupe asks the Shopkeeper.

"Well, we have that Lightning Gun you wanted. I'm selling it for 64 NPs. So what do you say?" The Shopkeeper nods towards the goldish lightning gun sitting in the corner of the shop in a small glass case.

"64 NPs? That's crazy, I'll give you 51 NPs." Jekins laughs.

"No way. That's practically giving it away. How about 60 NPs and that's final." Shopkeeper stamps his foot and looks straight ahead into Jekin's eyes.

"Fine, 60 NPs it is. I'll be needing this for when the Battle Dome opens. I hope Cora will let me play in it. She is so protective of me. ____CUTIE___2000 says that her owner magic__002 is protective too, and she won't let her play in the Battle Dome. All of the Pets in Neopia have been waiting for this." Jekins sighs, takes his lightning gun out of the case and slouches out of the store back to his owner Cora.

Outside the store, Jekins sees people rushing around holding their NeoPets on leashes, in backpacks, or holding them in their arms. Jekins looks around to see Cora nowhere.

"Where could she be? She was right here a minute ago." Jekins turned his head and saw a pack of girls all huddled around a Bruce called Mortimer who was painted in a Christmas colour. Just to the left of Mortimer there was a girl named Dandy12 who was surrounded by boys.

"Oh, Jekins, I'm so sorry!! I never thought I'd be that long!! All of the stores just restocked and they're so busy!! I thought that this would be great on you!!" Jekins turned around to see Cora, his owner holding a bag with a label on it that said 'Uni's Fashions'. Jekins gulped.

"Come on Jekins, lets go home." Jekins took Cora's hand as she led him down a dusty dirt path that past the movie theatre, the toy store, and then the Pet Store.

Jekins pulled backwards towards the Pet Store as they past. Cora tugged on him.

"Jekins, please!! Stop that right now. Your making a scene. Cora let go of Jekins and he fell over. She reached for her backpack and pulled out a silvery long strap. Jekins looked up to see Cora grabbing his hand. She pulled him towards her and on went a bright red collar. Jekins tried to slip away, but she was holding to tight. Then, the silver strap came down from behind her like it was in slow motion, then boom. Jekins was now on a leash! That silver thing was a LEASH!!

"How demeaning Cora!! No, I will not be put on a leash! I refuse." Jekins snorted and squirmed.

"Well, that's what you get Jekins. No more walking around loose for you. You had your chance. Oh well." Cora looked very angry, but walked with her head up high.

"NO!! I will not stay on this contraption!!!" Jekins jumped up and down and tightened his muscles. He finally heard a snap and his collar fell down beside him. He looked up at Cora and she was just staring at him with her bright green eyes.

The group of handsome boys that were huddled around Dandy12 were now looking awkwardly at Cora. Cora's face went red with embarrassment. She turned to the boys and said: "Umm, you see, Jekins had a tantrum... and he didn't want to be on a collar, so......" Cora slightly choked on her words and her voice went shaky.

"So, your pet is not well behaved? Maybe you should see Dandy12's pets. They stand perfectly still and like to be admired. Take notes, okay?" The boys laughed under their breath and watched Cora fidget uncomfortably.

Jekins looked up at the boys and barred his teeth. His blue fur started to spike.

"Ha, like this thing is going to hurt me." One of the boys, who seemed to be the leader laughed at Jekins and the rest of the group did too.

Jekins lunged at the boys and growled, knocking two of them over while the rest of them fled. Jekins started to tear the head boy's clothes when Cora called him.

"Jekins, get off of him! Now!" Cora screamed at the top of her lungs making everyone hear her. All the heads in the village turned to see Jekins attacking the boy.

Jekins leaped off of the boys chest and over to Cora. Everyone in the village went back to what they were doing and the two boys left on the ground scampered away. "How could you? What were you thinking?" Cora's eyes filled with tears.

Jekins could not stand to see this. He felt so bad that he dashed away whimpering and Cora ran home.

An hour later Jekins found himself at a pier, in a line waiting to get aboard a small sailboat that had a name on the side. The SS Ms. Islander. Jekins figured this was the ship to Mystery Island that Cora had always talked about. Cora always went to different worlds by herself without Jekins. She thought it was too dangerous, in case the ship sank or something. Little did she know that Jekins could swim. He had read that book 'Learn to Swim' over and over again after Cora gave it to him for a summers reading.

"Is it just you coming aboard? We have room for one more person." A ruff sandpaper voice startled Jekins' thought.

"Um, yeah. It's just me. That's all. Just me." Jekins looked down at the dock and watched little animals down below scatter and swim.

"Kinda glum aren't you pup?" The dock man asked.

"Yeah, really. I did something terrible that I'd rather not talk about." Jekins walked silently forward towards the boat and hit something hard. He looked up to see the man's arm in front of him.

"You still have to pay. That'll be 5 NPs please." The man held out his scarred hand.

"Oh, well I don't have any Neopoints. That's why I'm going here. Cora left me some Neopoints here in case I ever got lost. What if I pay you when I get back. Or when I get some Neopoints?" Jekins held his head high like Cora.

"No. I'm mean yes. I guess so. But the only way out of Mystery Island is to come through here, so sure. By the way, my name is Ralph. Here's your ticket." Ralph handed Jekins the gold and red ticket. Jekins took it in his mouth and proceeded.

Jekins walked up the plank and handed the ticket to a small boy who was taking them.

"Thanks boy. Do you do tricks? Let's see you roll over." The small boy smiled softly at Jekins. Jekins looked up at the boy.

"Do you really expect me to do silly tricks boy? That is like me saying to you sit, stand and play dead!!!!" Jekins fiercely walked by the boy and knocked him over.

To be continued...