Right Back to Where I Started

      "Hello, I'm Dan!" the boy greeted.

      "I'm Cojiro," the Lupe replied, a bored look in his eye.

      Dan suddenly turned his head to read the sign next to Cojiro's cage. Dan looked back at Cojiro and raised his eyebrows. "Is that sign true?" he asked, a bit of fear in his voice.

      "Oh, that? No, no, of course not. They just don't want me to get adopted. Just because my last owner told them lies about me," Cojiro explained.

      Dan smiled and walked over to the Uni that was sitting at the desk. Dan said a few words to her, then pointed to Cojiro. Then he pulled out a sack of Neopoints. The Uni counted them, the trotted over to Cojiro's cage. Taking a silver key in her hand she delicately opened the cage door and allowed Cojiro to jump out.

      "Good luck with him," the Uni sighed as she made her way back to the desk.

      Dan ignored her and walked out the pound doors with Cojiro at his side. Dan stared at the ground and asked, "So, uh... how old are you?"

      "I'm pretty young," Cojiro answered, his voice perky.

      "Ah," Dan said, squinting at Cojiro. He paused and noticed a huge chunk of Cojiro's ear was missing. Dan questioned, "Hey, why is part of your ear missing?"

      Cojiro's eyes widened. Then he stammered, "I... uh, well, I sort of... you see... I accidentally cut myself when I was... chopping wood! Fire wood!"

      Dan didn't buy the lie, but he understood that Cojiro didn't completely trust him yet. Dan just grinned a little. The rest of the walk was quiet.

      "This is your new home," Dan sighed as they walked down the path to a small home that was made mostly of wood. The house next door looked mostly like a farm. Cojiro flicked his tail from side to side and shrugged.

      "It's okay," he said, a little interest beginning to spark in his eyes.

      "You'll get to like it," Dan replied as he walked up to the door and pushed it open. It was a cozy enough home, just big enough for two. Dan walked Cojiro down a short hall and opened the door to a tiny room.

      "This is my room?" Cojiro assumed, stepping inside. He eyed the bed and two toys that were laying on the desk.

      Dan nodded and answered, "Yes, it is." He looked at the Techo clock that hung on the wall and added, "Wow, it's getting late. You better get some sleep."

      Cojiro yawned, "Okay... good night." Dan left while Cojiro got in his bed and got comfortable. Cojiro sighed and turned to lay on his right side. Then he turned on his left side. Then his right. Then his left. Finally he sat up and decided that he just wasn't tired yet. Cojiro lazily moped out of bed and down into the kitchen. He was about to grab something to eat, when he heard a noise outside. Cojiro froze but his tail still swayed slowly from side to side. Cojiro lowered his head and made his way towards the door. Looking around, Cojiro pushed the door open with his nose and stepped outside onto the wet grass. He looked up at the bright moon that provided enough light to see where he was walking. Cojiro trotted toward the fence that divided Dan's house and the neighbor's house. He sat upon the fence and rested his head on one of the posts. His ears perked forward at the noise he heard in the kitchen. Cojiro lifted his nose and smelled something. Squinting, he looked beyond some bushes and saw a Snorkle, playing in the mud happily. Cojiro smiled a little, wagging his tail faster. He looked behind him, making sure that Dan wasn't anywhere near. Cojiro leaped down off the fence and into the neighbor's property. Cojiro trotted towards the Snorkle, lowering his head and growling viciously. The Snorkle squealed and dashed out of the mud, kicking up some of the mud as he ran. The mud that the Snorkle kicked up hit Cojiro's face. The Lupe howled with anger and chased the Snorkle all around the area. Cojiro wiggled through some small spaces and leaped over high bushes, knocking over anything in his way. The Snorkle suddenly tripped and landed flat on it's face. Cojiro grinned victoriously and walked closer to the Snorkle then...

      "Stop!" a voice yelled.

      Cojiro leaped up with surprise and asked, "What? Huh?"

      "Get off of my property!" the voice yelled again. A boy, about sixteen, walked out from the house with a weapon in his hand, that almost looked like a lightning gun. The boy stormed over to Cojiro and aimed the weapon right at him. "Get... off... of... my property... now," he commanded, narrowing his eyes at Cojiro.

      "Okay," Cojiro whimpered, his ears folding back as he quickly made his way towards his home. Cojiro dashed down the path and froze when he saw Dan, standing by the door, arms crossed while he impatiently tapped his foot. Cojiro gulped and slowly walked towards Dan. He looked up and awaited his lecture.

      "Cojiro," Dan hissed, glaring deep into Cojiro's eyes. "This is your first night here and you already caused a whole lot of chaos. You should never go to Greg's petpet farm!"

      Greg, Cojiro thought. That's the name of that boy...

      Dan interrupted his thoughts. "Cojiro!" Dan nearly screamed, stamping his foot on the ground, making a long echo. "You're... you... ugh! Just go to bed right now."

      "Okay," Cojiro whispered, walking past Dan and through the open door. He dashed into his room, slammed the door, and began to cry.

      Cojiro awoke early in the morning to find a note on his door that said that Dan had gone out to buy some food. Cojiro crumpled up the note and tossed it behind him, then walked into the hall. Cojiro's jaw instantly dropped. Cojiro looked forward and couldn't even speak as he observed the mud that covered the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. Did Dan do this? Oh no! What if someone framed me? What if Dan gets rid of me? What if he thinks this is me and he grounds me? What if it's Dan that's framing me? Cojiro thought, panic filling his mind. Cojiro suddenly looked down and saw a mud covered Snorkle rolling around on the floor, leaving a mess everywhere he went. Cojiro curled his lip and the hair on his back stuck straight up. The Snorkle looked around, then looked up. Seeing Cojiro's rage, the Snorkle squealed and scampered out the door, with Cojiro right behind him. Cojiro's jaw was just inches from the Snorkle as they leaped over the fence and onto Greg's property. Cojiro knew he shouldn't be there and that he'd get in so much trouble, but the Snorkle would be his excuse. Cojiro dashed through some mud as the Snorkle fell into a pail of water. Cojiro laughed as he approached the pail and looked inside. He saw the Snorkle stuck in there, trying to wiggle its way out. Seeing the Snorkle completely helpless, Cojiro grinned and began his revenge.

      Dan was whistling a happy song as he walked down the stone path to his house. There, in front of his door, he saw Greg with a Snorkle in his arms, along with Cojiro sitting nervously at his side.

      "Keep your Lupe off my property," Greg demanded, pointing at Cojiro.

      Dan stared at Cojiro and asked, "What did he do?"

      "He nearly killed my Snorkle!" Greg yelled, showing Greg his injured, bruised Snorkle.

      "Cojiro, why did you hurt the Snorkle?" Dan asked, attention now directing at the Lupe.

      Cojiro explained, "When I woke up, the house was covered with mud, and I saw that Snorkle, so I took care of it!"

      Greg said, "Yeah, right! My Snorkle was perfectly clean while you... you're covered in mud!"

      Cojiro stared at his fur. It was true. He was completely covered. "It's not what it looks like!" Cojiro screamed. "The Snorkle got stuck in a pail of water which cleaned it off and I chased the Snorkle through some mud!"

      "Makes sense to me," Dan muttered, scratching his head.

      "It doesn't to me!" Greg yelled. "That's the worst excuse I've ever heard!"

      Dan stated, "Greg, I believe Cojiro. It'll be okay. Cojiro and I will help you clean up the mess he made."

      "No, I don't want you to. That Lupe will only cause more messes," Greg said, patting the Snorkle on the head. "Okay, he'll get away with it this time. But if he causes any more trouble... he's gone!" With that, Greg stormed off, leaving Dan and Cojiro alone.

      "Cojiro, don't worry. I believe you," Dan said, smiling.

      "Why doesn't it feel like it?" Cojiro sighed, moping inside. Once again he crawled into his room, slammed the door shut, and cried his heart out.

      That morning, Cojiro awoke early in the morning and had breakfast and talked a lot with Dan. By now, Dan and Cojiro were very close. They went out, ate some chocolate, and visited Terror Mountain. Cojiro felt as if he had never had a better friend.

      That night, Cojiro decided to get a little fresh air and take a walk alone. Dan trusted him not to return to Greg's house. Cojiro trotted down the road, then turned back. While walking home, he noticed that Greg's front door was wide open. That isn't very safe. Someone could just walk right in and steal something, Cojiro thought, biting his lip. But I promised Dan I wouldn't go there... I'll get in big trouble if I break something or knock something over... Cojiro sighed and looked at the ground. He suddenly perked up when he thought, Well, I won't goof off! I'll just go over there and shut the door. Cojiro made sure he wouldn't do anything to harm Greg's property as he strode up to the front door, lifted his paw, and slammed it shut.

     SPLAT!

      Cojiro heard something. He turned around and faced the door. The door slowly opened. There stood Greg, cake coating his face. A plate that had once had a huge cake atop it was now empty except for a few crumbs. Frosting and bits of cake were found on the door. Turned out that Greg had left the door open so he could easily move the cake outside. Right when he was walking out the door, Cojiro slammed it shut. Greg wiped the frosting off of his face. Even through the darkness of the night, Cojiro could see the rage and anger in his face. Cojiro instantly turned around and took off running towards his house.

      "You are in so much trouble!!" Greg screamed as he ran after Cojiro.

      Please don't let him get me! Please, oh, please, oh, please! Cojiro thought over and over again, looking over his shoulder, seeing that Greg was quickly gaining on him. Cojiro slipped through the fence and dashed down the path. He shoved the door open with his nose and finally thought he was safe, when he felt someone grab his tail and yank back, making Cojiro tumble backwards onto the grass.

      "No!" Cojiro screamed, trying to get up, but he was much to tired to run again.

      "I finally got you! Now you're going to pay!" Greg panted as he pulled out a cage.

      "No! Please! Please, no! You can't!" Cojiro begged.

      Greg grabbed Cojiro and stuffed him into the cage. He yelled, "Too late!"

      "Is everything okay out here?" Dan asked as he dashed outside. He saw Cojiro in the cage. Dan called, "Cojiro! Dan, what do you think you're doing?!"

      "Taking care of something," Greg replied as he began dashing towards his house, trying to get his bike.

      "Stop! Greg, get back here! You can't do this!" Dan shrieked as he ran behind Greg. But Greg was too far in front of Dan. Dan could never catch up. Greg grabbed his bike, threw the cage in the back on it, and rode off. Greg was left in the dust, collapsed on the ground, crying.

      Cojiro was whimpering and howling as Greg opened the pound doors and threw a sack of Neopoints in front of a red Techo that sat at the front desk. The Techo grabbed the cage and allowed Greg to leave. The Techo peeked inside the cage and saw Cojiro, huddled in the back of the cage, shivering. "Heh... nice to see you again, Cojiro," the Techo chuckled as he opened the cage and put Cojiro into another. Cojiro looked around and saw everyone that he had seen before, when he was still in the pound. He still had the sign next to him that said:"Please handle this Lupe with care. Can get out of control at times." Cojiro collapsed on the ground, right back to where he started.

The End