"Fraidy, I really don't understand this fear," Oputuk said to his Lupe friend,
'Fraidy Fred'. That wasn't his real name, his real name was just, well,
Fred. But Fred had gotten the name Fraidy Fred from none other then Oputuk's
annoying pet, Cumulo. Then again, it was a good name for this Lupe, because
Fred was afraid of Chias.
"I really don't understand it either Oputuk, but every time I see a Chia my
wind pipe closes over and I get all dizzy," Fraidy said, looking up at the massive
cloud Chomby.
Fraidy was your average Lupe, cool and calm, except when it came to being around
Chias, which was everyday at school in Chiaology class.
"Did you ever think it was just an allergic reaction?" Oputuk asked, descending
down the hill which led to Sabreton, the Lupe Only Town which Sabre-X had founded.
Oputuk ignored the 'No Chias Allowed' signs and the many other ones with rude
comments on what would happen if a Chia dare step foot in Sabreton. He was just
happy that none of his family were Chias, though that time he had dressed Cumulo
up as a Chia and dropped him in the town square of Sabreton had been a good
laugh.
Oputuk laughed to himself, the images of Cumulo being chased by a pack of hungry
Lupes flashed through his head.
"Nah Oputuk, I talked to Dr. Lupenbaker and he said that there was no explanation
as to what was happening to me," Fraidy said, hanging his head.
"Fredrick!" came the high pitched voice of Fraidy's mother.
Oputuk looked to the big NeoHome at the end of Balthazar Lane and saw Fraidy's
mother waving a paw at them, "Supper Dear! It's your favourite, turkey dinner
and Thornberry Tea, with Chocolate Chia Truffles for desert!"
Fraidy sighed, "Well I'll see you tomorrow then Oputuk."
"We'll try and sort this out through the weekend!" Oputuk called, as Fraidy
began to strut home.
Fraidy gave a weak smiled and waved. Oputuk sighed and knew he had to talk
with his Mum.
***
"He's never gonna get over it Oputuk, he's gonna be scared of those annoying
fuzzy balls of fluff for the rest of his life!" Cumulo said factually, shoving
an omelette into his mouth.
"You're an annoying fuzzy ball of fluff and he's not afraid of you," Oputuk
smiled.
Cumulo snickered and mumbled under his breath.
"All right you two, Fraidy is enough to worry about without having you two
at each-other's throats," Blue said.
"Why should you sorry about him Blue, he's not your pet," Cumulo said, eating
another omelette.
"He doesn't have an owner to help him figure out this problem Cumulo, all
he has is his mother, and I don't think talking to that giddy Lupe is very helpful,"
Blue said, grabbing the omelette Cumulo was just about to eat, from his hand.
"I told him I'd help figure out his problem over the weekend," Oputuk said,
snatching the omelette that Blue had just thrown from the air and eating it,
"And that's what I plan to do."
Oputuk got up and left the kitchen, this was going to be a tough task and he
would need to prepare.
***
"Okay Freddy-Boy! This is a Chia plushie, are you experiencing any pain?"
Cumulo said, placing a red Chia plushie in front of the confused Lupe.
"Nooo," Fraidy said, looking oddly at Cumulo.
"Right then!" Cumulo said, tossing the plushie away, "This, is a Chia pencil
holder. Any pain now?" Cumulo asked, raising one furry eyebrow.
"No," Fraidy said, poking the plastic pencil holder.
"Right. This is a baby Chia, any pain now?" Cumulo said, placing a little purple
Chia down in front of Fraidy.
Suddenly Fraidy's pupils shrank and his eyes got blood shot and he began to
shiver and gasp for breath.
"Cumulo! We said not to bring out Shubby until later!" Oputuk yelled, jumping
in between Fraidy and the gurgling baby.
"No reason not to cut right to the chase, at least we know it's only real
Chias that he has this problem with," Cumulo said, pointing a finger smartly
at Oputuk.
"Cumulo, you really are weird," Oputuik, the glowing Korbat said. Oputuik had
offered to help.
"Well at least I don't have the urge to destroy Chia plushies constantly,"
Cumulo eyed Leopold, Oputuik's Christmas Doglefox.
Leopold hissed and ripped the head off the the Chia plushie.
"I think he's pretending it's you Cumulo," Oputuk said.
"Whose side are you on!?" Cumulo yelled, facing Oputuk.
Shubby yelled and clapped happily while everyone screamed.
"Come Shubby, you go bye-bye now," Oputuik said as he grabbed Shubby with his
tail and placed him back in his playpen where Fraidy couldn't see him.
"Is it gone?" Fraidy asked, peeking around Oputuk.
"Yeah Fraidy, he's gone. Now let's see if we can figure this problem out."
The two NeoPets and their PetPets tried all day to figure out what was causing
Fraidy to have this problem. They tried eye drops, and a cherry Chia drop inhaler
(in case he had a case of Chiafrenzics.) No good. The group now had one day
left to figure out Fraidy's problem. Would they solve it, or will Fraidy grow
up to live his life as a deranged freak of the NeoPet world and be stuck in
a museum for everyone to stare at! Okay... maybe things won't be that drastic,
but we'll have to wait and see.
***
"All right Fraidy, we have one more option that we think might work and--"
"It cost a fortune so you know we love you!" Cumulo cut in, jumping onto Oputuk's
nose.
"Cumulo, watch it!" Oputuk tore the Triffin off of his nose and pushed Fraidy
into a clearing and left him there.
"Oputuk, are you sure this is safe?" Fraidy asked, looking around.
"Yeah completely!" Cumulo yelled.
Then Fraidy felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned around.
"Ack mate! 'Ow have you been!" The Highland Chia gave Fraidy a hard smack on
the shoulder and picked him up, dancing a jig with the shocked Lupe strung across
his shoulder. Fraidy appeared to be to shocked and afraid to do anything. Then
when the highland Chia was finally done he threw Fraidy onto the ground and
pumped his fists in the air. "Hank you mate! I'm 'ere all week, shine the biel!"
Oputuk and Cumulo walked up to Fraidy, laughing hysterically.
"Good job MacNab, I think you scared last nights dinner out of him!" Cumulo
roared.
"That wasn't funny!!" Fraidy yelled, staring madly at Oputuk and Cumulo.
The two friends just laughed. "It worked Fraidy, your fear is gone!" Oputuk
said.
Fraidy turned and looked at MacNab. "You're right, I'm cured!!" Fraidy...
erm... Fred yelled.
***
Well, Fred is now cured of his fear and didn't grow up to be stuck in a museum
and poked at like a freak of the NeoPet world. No, in fact, he grew up to be
the first Lupe to raise a family of orphaned Chias. Don't you just love happy
endings!
The End | 
