What Does Bond Mean?: A Tale of a JubJub

      OK, maybe I should start from the beginning. I'm Popsicle, a young JubJub. My hobbies usually include dangerous adventures and playing with doom. Fluffy would agree if he were here with me. It's my fault he isn't.

      I know you are wondering who's Fluffy? Fluffy is my snuffly. Well, he was. Before it happened.

      When Grave Danger came out I made Fluffy try it. "But it's dangerous," he whined. I told him "Petpets are for profit and this might make me money." But that was before. Then it happened.

      Seven hours passed, no sign of Fluffy. I wasn't sure why, but I was worried. Then after hours of waiting my sister, Sarah, came with my owner and they told me Fluffy wasn't coming back. I'm not sure why, but that second, tears rolled down my eyes.

      I stayed in bed for three days, looking down at Fluffy's bed and grieving over the fact he's gone. Then I couldn't take it, the guilt, the mysterious disappearance, or the adventure I'm missing. That night I ran away, into the catacombs.

      Then I asked myself questions a couple hours after I came into the catacombs, "Why am I doing this? Why do I feel guilty? Why is he missing?" Then I stumbled upon my current question, "What does bond mean?"

      Then a memory popped in my mind. Three weeks ago, when we met. It was a sunny day in Faerieland and I was going to Terror Mountain. I had a thousand neopoints to spend. Immediately, I headed to Wintery Petpets. I stared at them all and looked at my budget. Candychan: too expensive, Abominable Snowball: too boring, and then there was only one I hadn't looked at, a snuffly. He looked fine, so I bought him. "You are so fluffy! I'll call you Fluffy!" But then I realized I couldn't afford anything else. But I had an idea. That idea changed my life.

      I crept in the Snowager's cave. I carefully stashed his bounty in a sack. But then a negg fell out, and the Snowager awoke hearing the sound of it crashing on the ground. Yet I escaped unscratched and unharmed.

      That's what my family knew. I told them the story. But I left out one part. The Snowager used his icy blast. It was about to be hit me, but Fluffy jumped in the way of the blast. I took him out of the cave and went to the Shop of Mystery after trading those items for neopoints. I at least had to buy a souvenir before I left to heal my new petpet. I made him promise not to tell anyone he saved me.

      My family seemed proud of my courage, and I thought since they thought I was courageous, I became a daredevil. But instead of being brave I always hid behind Fluffy and gave him none of the credit. I felt guilty of my actions.

      Now I was all alone, and Fluffy couldn't protect me. I knew that I had to find Fluffy, or I would avenge him!

      I wandered for about an hour before I stumble upon a piece of fluff. It was all over the floor. I thought I was close. But then I gasped and fell to the floor. Tears rolled down my eyes. "It can't be!" But it was. This fluff was Fluffy.

      Sarah came in a couple minutes after I found the remains of Fluffy. She knew these catacombs well and told me to follow her to the exit. Then she saw me and "Fluffy". She wasn't very good with petpets, so I think she knew how I felt. She then offered to help me to find out who done this. I accepted her offer.

      We searched for a trail that could lead us to our culprit. We soon found a trail of jelly. "Is this the only trail?"

      My sister nodded.

      "Well, let's follow it! It's not like we can avenge Fluffy without following it!" I was so upset I was being sarcastic.

      We followed the trail for two hours before it ended. Then we saw a giant gelatinous non-cube. "Is that?" I saw what looked like an unconscious Fluffy inside the blob.

      "I believe so," replied my sister. I was filled with joy; my petpet could be alive. But then I realized something, it won't matter if he's eaten by the gelatinous non-cube. But there was still hope.

      Sarah was rushing to get Fluffy out. But she wouldn't do it alone. This was my mistake and I wasn't going to let her perish because of it. I rushed into the fight immediately. We punched and kicked him as hard as we could but it wasn't enough. Then with a lucky hit, he spit Fluffy out.

      I sighed with relief and ran to hug my petpet. He could of been less covered in goo, but he wasn't harmed. I was smiling and turned back to ask Sarah to show us the way out, but then I saw it. The blob grew ten times bigger.

      Sarah was brawling with the blob as I watched in horror. Then the gelatinous non-cube was about to deliver the final blow; my sister was too exhausted to block the attack. I was terrified. My sister was doomed. But Fluffy jumped into the blast and shot a beam of light into the blob. Jelly flew all around the catacombs. Fluffy fell.

      "Fluffy!" I ran over to my petpet. He was all worn out from the battle. "How did you do that?"

      "Well, I may come from an alternate dimension where petpets own neopets."

      Sarah ran over. "Thank you, Fluffy."

      "He needs help! Sarah, hurry! We gotta get to the exit!"

      Sarah carefully guided me to the exit while I held Fluffy. "You'll be okay, Fluffy!"

      "I know I'm in good hands."

      "Can I ask you something?"

      Fluffy nodded. "What does bond mean?"

      "Friendship," Fluffy answered before he fainted.

***

      "I think he's coming to!" Sarah said when Fluffy began to stir. We were in Faerieland, at the Healing Springs. "Thank you, Ms. Water Faerie."

      "Well, he definitely needs healing after that battle you told me about."

      After that we headed to our home in Faerie City.

      "Look, he woke up!"

      "Thank you, Popsicle, for helping me."

      "No, thank you. You saved my sister, even after I gave you no credit when you saved my life that first day. I promise I'll tell everyone the truth."

      "Is there something you want to say to Fluffy?" my owner asked when we returned and explained what happened.

      "I am sorry I lied about that first day and making you go to the catacombs." I ran and hugged my petpet. I cried, but these were tears of happiness. "So about this alternate dimension?"

      "Can we discuss this over a coffee?"

      "Fine! We're going to Roo Island! Oh, and Fluffy, we can play games while we're there!"

      "Yeah!"

      We were still chatting when we walked out. "Bye!" my owner shouted as we left.

      "Um, if they're going to Roo Island, won't they need to go through the Haunted Woods?" Sarah asked.

      "Wait! Sarah's going with you!" Sarah ran outside to prevent déjà vu.

The End

P.S. I got into the Neopian Times (Finally)