"Come on, Timothy! We're going to be late!" yelled Owner.
That's the only way Timothy knew his owner, just by Owner. She was a girl of
about 17, and cared for Timothy deeply. He loved her, and she loved him. That's
all that he needed. Timothy pulled on a jacket excitedly, for they were going
to The Rainbow Pool. He bounded out of the room, accidentally knocking over
a vase from the Lost Desert. But he didn't care he was getting painted!
The two walked down The High Street, past the
Money Tree, and to the Rainbow Pool. It was very empty (being 4:00 in the morning!)
and there were only a few owners hanging around the Money Tree, waiting for
the Ghosts to drop off some Neopoints. Owner and Timothy ignored them, but didn't
notice as a young mans eyes followed them. He had no Neopets of his own, and
looked longingly at Timothy. He disappeared behind The Book Store.
"Hold still, Tim!" Owner whispered harshly. "I'm
gonna smudge you!" Timothy stopped moving immediately. He didn't want to be
smudged. Owner stepped back to look at him. "Perfect! Let me go get a cloth
to wipe of your left ear...it's a little drippy." She left to go get a cloth,
and that's when Timothy saw the boy come out from behind The Book Shop. He walked
up to the Tonu. The boy was about the same age as Owner, with small brown eyes
and shiny brown hair. "Hello!" he said in a raspy voice. "I'm Jake Masters.
I don't have any Neopets of my own. Where's your master?"
"I don't have a master." Timothy said confusedly.
He didn't know why he would have a master; Owner always said to be the master
of yourself. The boy looked slyly at Timothy.
"No one feeds you? Tucks you in your bed? Takes
care of you?"
"Well, yes, of course! There's Owner!" The Tonu
was getting very confused now. Why was the boy asking all his questions? He
should be getting a Neopet of his own! It was a second before the boy talked
again. He whispered in a low voice, "And where is Owner?"
Timothy was thoroughly stumped by now. Where
was Owner? She had left to get a cloth for his ear. The boy sensed his unawareness.
"We will take you to the pound where you can have a real owner!"
Meanwhile, Owner was waiting by the Money Tree,
hoping for someone to drop off a Piece of Cotton. She spotted on, and scooped
it up as fast as she could. Owner ran back to the Rainbow Pool. "Timothy, I
-" she stopped dead. Timothy was nowhere to be seen! She retraced her steps,
just to be sure he hadn't followed her. No, he definitely wasn't there. Panic
flooded her heart. She had heard of these people, who thought that all Neopets
were being mistreated. They took each of them to the Pound. Owner looked back
at her footprints. Yes, there were hers and Timothy's leading toward the pool.
But...yes, there were hers leading to the Money Tree...but, wait! There was
another set of footprints. The looked like a big foot, and also something getting
dragged. She investigated. Every so often, the drag marks became some footprints.
Oh my gosh! thought Owner. Those are Timothy's footprints! She
ran in the direction of the prints. She stopped only once, to investigate a
small drip of striped paint.
"Hello, Dr_Death! I am here to leave my Tonu
within your care! He is very sweet." The boy said, carefully choosing his words.
Dr_Death looked suspiciously at him. "Why don't you want him anymore?"
"I don't have enough Neopoints to feed him."
"Have you heard of the Soup Kitchen? Free Omlette?"
"Yes Sir, but I also think I should raise some
more Neopoints"
Timothy stayed silent. This was part of the plan.
The Boy had said if Tim said anything, that he would hurt Owner. Timothy didn't
want that. Dr_Death spoke in his spooky voice. "A Striped Tonu will go very
fast. Okay, give him here."
Just as Dr_Death took Timothy by the horn to
lead him away into the cages, Owner burst through the door of the Adoption Centre.
"Stop right there!" Her face was red, and her breath laboured. She stamped right
up to Dr_Death. "I have the Adoption Papers here! Look!" She shoved a yellowed
piece of paper right underneath the dirty Techo's nose. "It says: Timothy the
Tonu, was adopted by Juni Summers on the fifth of November, 1999. I have had
him for a long time. I am Juni Summers, and this is Timothy." She waved her
hand at Timothy, who nodded.
"I've heard of you. You must be Iunia Onit. That
weirdo that thinks all Neopets are being mistreated." Dr_Death growled. Then
he turned to Owner. "Juni, I think this little guy belongs to you." He shoved
Timothy toward her. "Take him. I have to call the Chia Police on this guy. He
was even wanted is Maraqua, before it was destroyed." He took Iunia Onit by
the wrist and led him out.
'Timothy! Your safe!" Owner cried, flinging herself
around his neck. "I love you so much!" Timothy licked her face, and then the
two of them walked out of the Adoption Centre. Iunia Onit growled when he saw
them, "I'll get you yet, Timothy."
The End | 
