From Lost and Pound to Safe and Sound

      I was sitting in my cage with Lily, my Magaral, comforting me. I was sick, for almost a year. I couldn't say many words due to having Ugga-Ugga. I just laid on my straw bed, starving, and waiting. Waiting for one person to come and save me from this terrible place. However, nobody had been near my part of the pound in months, and they adopted a Uni in the next cage over.

      Lily would fly about, trying to get attention of potential owners, but we were so far deep into the pound, her attempts went unheard. She was my best friend, and I could only hope that if we did get adopted, my new owner would let me keep her.

      It had been almost a year. One year, since I was stuck in the pound. Tomorrow would mark the anniversary, and it would be official. It was December 1st at the moment, and the first day of Advent Calender. Most Neopians were busy getting ready for the holiday season, and the pound was extra cold, due to the snow that had fallen outside.

      After a few minutes, I could hear the adoption Uni faintly unlock the doors of the pound. It would be a busy day apparently. Many owners would adopt a pet around Christmas, if only to foster it. I was the exception to that rule though. Hearing the doors unlock made me cringe because no one would know of my part of the pound.

      "lunaleinchen06? She is right this way. I am surprised someone knows of her." I heard the adoption Uni say. That was my full name. I couldn't speak or get up off of my small bed of straw to see who it was. Lily was flying about though, quite excited. I turned my head ever so slightly to watch, for what seemed like hours, an owner come by.

      Instead of an owner, I saw a brown Xweetok with a holiday themed bow in her fur and a beautiful snowflake cape on, plop down in front of my cage. She was well groomed, her mane shining, even in the dim lights of the pound. In her arms was a grey Snorkle, who was smiling (if that's even possible). "Ilanin, don't wander ahead," I heard a girl call after the Xweetok.

      Soon a tall girl, with brown hair, and hazel eyes, came to the front of my cage, curiously looking towards me. Then, the adoption Uni unlocked my cage and let them come inside to meet me. "She is sick with Ugga-Ugga, and much like most pets in the pound, we cannot afford to feed or heal her," the Uni said solemnly.

      Lily, who was sitting between them and me, waddled over to the Xweetok. "Here Schnukums, say hello," Ilanin said as she sat down the Snorkle. They touched noses and then squeaked. That means they got along. As Ilanin began to play with the two petpets, her owner walked over to me. She sat down next to my straw bed and patted my head. After a few minutes, she got up.

      "Alright, the adoption fee is eighty-nine neopoints. Also, just sign these two papers." The adoption Uni handed them to the girl after she nodded in approval.

      "I wonder if we have a cure for Ugga-Ugga? Maybe it's in the bag you brought?" Ilanin asked her owner.

      "Perhaps. I brought five cures for the most common ailments..." The girl dug through a medium sized bag and pulled out some kind of peppermint medicine and smiled.

      With some help, I sat up and took the medication from a cup. I instantly began feeling better, and Lily was jumping for joy. After a few drinks of water that the girl brought with her, I was able to speak. "Thank you," I said shyly.

      The girl stood up and smiled. "I'm Ashley, and this is Ilanin, your new sister. You have another sibling at home too." Ashley grinned.

      I stood up slowly, and realized I had full strength again. Having been sick since I was dumped in the pound, I forgot what standing was like. Lily flew up to me and squeaked happily. Once I was able to walk (which was pretty fast), I had Lily sit on my back and I walked towards the door with Ashley and Ilanin to leave the pound, for good. Before we went outside, Ashley handed me a simple fur lined cape so I would stay warm in the snowy conditions.

      "So where do you live?" I asked Ashley.

      "Brightvale. It's a quaint area, and is very lively," Ashley responded.

      "Actually, we are staying in our Neopia Central home right now. We always do for the holidays," Ilanin corrected as Ashley rolled her eyes and smiled. I laughed for the first time in almost a year. So after our conversation, we ended up being somewhere that I had only dreamed of. Neopoint Ave. was were we turned towards.

      I hesitated a bit and then realized that I was adopted into money. The homes, er... mansions on this street were spectacular. All made of marble, gold or something more expensive than that. I looked around and saw nothing but rare neopets or well dressed neopet owners. I just followed along with Ilanin and Ashley, who led me to a mansion made of marble and stone. It had a gold railing leading up the stairs to the front door.

      After Ashley unlocked the front door, an orange Kougra jumped up into her arms. "This is Kris. He is a little immature for his age," Ilanin stated, fixing her cape. Kris leaped down from Ashley and nudged Ilanin playfully.

      "So you have a petpet too?" Kris asked as he pointed towards Lily, who jumped down to greet the Kougra. I nodded and then out of the corner of my eye, saw a yellow Cobrall slither out of the door and up onto Kris' shoulder. "This is Slinder," Kris said proudly.

      We walked in after the introductions and inside was basically a palace. Not to mention, it was all decorated for Christmas. "Well, here we are," Ashley said as she hung up our coats and capes. Ilanin took it upon herself to show me my new room. We walked up one (quite large) flight of stairs to the second floor, and after walking for about a minute, Ilanin opened a door to the left.

      "THIS is my room!?" I looked around at the regally designed room, fit for a princess. Ilanin smiled and told me to get settled in, and that Ashley would be up to get me when lunch was ready. I sat down Lily in a soft petpet bed that matched my bed, and looked around at the usuki dolls and plushies that lined the room. So this was my new home?

      Before long, Ashley came upstairs. "Lunch is ready, Luna," Ashley said while I was still in awe. "There's lunch for you too, Lily," she added as Lily hopped out of the room with me. When we got downstairs, Ashley led Lily and me to the dining room.

      "We are having grilled neggs for lunch," Ilanin piped as Kris scarfed down some neggs.

      "So, have you ever wanted to be painted?" Ashley asked.

      "Well, I never gave it much thought, but it would be nice," I said after I ate the last bite of my negg. Ilanin and Kris looked at each other and grinned.

      "Why not go to the lab ray?" Kris asked.

      "You have access to the lab ray?" I asked Ashley, who nodded 'yes'. Apparently, Kris had been to the lab ray to get better stats and Ilanin was zapped brown by it.

      After lunch, I agreed to go to the lab ray, and just to make me feel more comfortable, Lily agreed to go to the petpet lab ray. We arrived pretty quickly, considering we just used the exploring map to 'poof' us there. Inside was a yellow Scorchio, who looked a little off. He handed me a blindfold and I walked on the red 'x' while he set up the machine.

      "Just put the blindfold on and count to ten," Ashley instructed. By the time I had counted to ten, it was over. I was not any different on the outside, but when I walked towards Ashley, I felt faster.

      "Ahh, she gained two movement points," the Scorchio said to Ashley and me. Next we went next door and watched Lily get zapped, but the machine shut down and we were chased out by the little Kookith.

      We soon went home to tell Ilanin and Kris the results, or lack of. "Don't worry, I lost three defense points before I turned brown." Ilanin reassured me. I took Lily and went to my room with Ashley. I had a few questions, and was a little discouraged by the lab ray results. The biggest question was probably going to be why she adopted me. I wasn't unhappy, quite the opposite. I was thrilled to be in a home.

      I sat down on my new bed and sighed. "Why me? I'm not unhappy or anything, but... how did you know about me in the pound?" I asked curiously. Ashley smiled, "There are lists of pets that are stuck in the pound. But I used one in particular that listed pets who truly needed homes, ones that were sick or something along those lines. To answer your first question though, I knew you needed a home, not just wanted a home." She hugged me. "So tomorrow, we can try the lab ray again?" I asked. Ashley nodded.

      That night, I could hardly sleep. Lily was pretty anxious too. Laying in my new bed, I was thinking of possible colours I could be. Ilanin was already brown, so that wouldn't work. Perhaps white? Or maybe spotted? Faerie would be nice, but I couldn't picture myself as that. Finally I decided to go to sleep, and I suppose Lily decided on that too.

      I woke up to the sound of Lily playing with one of her new toys. "Ready for the lab ray, Lily?" I asked. She chirped in agreement to me. I ran downstairs to see Ashley sitting in the living room, and heard Ilanin playing on the grand piano, with Kris relaxing next to Slinder. "I'm ready for the lab!" I exclaimed. Ashley looked up from the Neopian Times and giggled. We put on our capes and walked outside to use the map.

      "Back again, eh?" the Scorchio asked as he handed me my blindfold. Before I went to the red mark, the little Kookith came and took Lily to the petpet lab ray. We would be zapped at the same time. I put the blindfold on and started counting. Before I got to ten I heard a gasp from Ashley.

      "Success!" the Scorchio shouted as he led me to a full length mirror. I untied the blindfold and looked at my reflection. I had a purple horn, and silver hooves. My pelt? A dark shadow colour.

      "You look beautiful, Luna!" Ashley ran over and hugged me. Not much longer after that, I heard a very high pitched 'boo' and saw a faerie Ghostkerchief fly out of the room that Lily had been in.

      "Lily! You look great!" I said as she snuggled up to me. I decided then to rename Lily, Boo. Considering that was her favorite word now. We thanked the Scorchio and his Kookith, and we went home.

      "Oh my gosh! You look stunning!" Ilanin fawned. Kris patted Boo on the head as she went off to play with Schnukums and Slinder. I couldn't imagine that two days ago, I was still in the pound, sick with no one to help me, and now I was in a warm, loving home with an amazing family! I couldn't be happier!

The End