Wander Finds An Owner

by MagicDream

Wander woke up to a bright sun and the sounds of a noisy street. Groaning, she got up and looked around. Nudging her companion awake she muttered, "Come, Neopia is awake."

While her friend tried to wake up she thought about her life. She was a plain blue Aisha, after being abandoned by her birth-mother, she had escaped the Neopian Pound and now lived on the streets. She never had a name, so everyone called her Wander because she wandered all over Neopia and other worlds. She stole food, and had never been caught. Her one friend was Chabany the Chia. They had met each other one night while fighting over Streaky Bacon on the street. It was stolen from them by a gang, who tried to kill them, but they fought side by side and had won. This started their friendship and over the days it blossomed.

Shaking her dirty fur Wander decided she was hungry. "Cab, I'm hungry. Let's find something to eat." With a despairing sigh Chabany stood up. "You are always hungry, Wander. Fine, I guess we could go to the Charity Tree." This was the street nickname for the Money Tree, highly because most people donated for the poor and the "street brats" while casting an ugly glance at the street NeoPets.

"No, we went to the Charity Tree last time," reminded Wander, who always went in a pattern. "This time we have to steal, want to try the baker's shop?" She pointed to a busy shop full of fighting people. "Sure, we will be sure to get something there!" Chabany agreed, but she looked a little nervous. Wander knew why. The shopkeeper had a reputation for being the meanest, toughest Human in Neopia.

As casually as possible, they walked into the shop and stared at the shelves, looking for an easy meal. After at the people around her Wander decided it was safe and murmured to Chabany, "Coast clear."

Nodding, Chabany went over to the other side of the store and screamed at the top of her lungs, "HELP!" as she made a stack of empty boxes fall on her. While a crowd of people went to help Chabany, Wander sprang into action.

She swiped two Milk Chocolate Nimmos off of the shelf and bolted toward the door. The shop owner, seeing Wander out of the corner of his eye, yelled, "Stop, thief!" and grabbed her paw just before she reached the door. Not wanting to lose her prize, Wander immediately crammed both chocolates into her mouth and swallowed them.

Furiously, the shopkeeper shook her. "This, this thing must be taken out of Neopia at once! It must never come back! It does not deserve to live like a decent NeoPet! It steals and eats my things in front of my own eyes!"

He raised Wander up off the ground so everyone could see her more clearly. "Who will take this creature to the Dark Faeries for punishment, eh? C'mon, someone has to do it!"

Slowly, a figure approached. For the first time in her life, Wander felt fear. Like a cold, suffocating blanket it surrounded her. The Dark Faeries would surely torture her, maybe send her to be eaten by the Swamp Ghouls! She inwardly shivered. How cruel! All she could do was hope for the best.

As the figure came closer, Wander noticed it was a girl around the age of 13.

How can a mere child take me to the Dark Faeries? Wander wondered. That can't happen, she will not be able to stand their dark power. Again, Wander shivered.

"I'd like to adopt this poor NeoPet," the girl spoke in a loud, clear voice that everyone heard.

"What?! You don't know what your talking about!" sputtered the shopkeeper. Wander, too, could not believe it. No one had ever said this about her before.

"Really?" Wander gasped in delight. "You truly would?"

"Truly," smiled the girl. "I would be glad to adopt you. I have been looking for a good NeoPet, and I have everything ready for you. I will take this NeoPet away now, Mr. Shopkeeper."

The shopkeeper looked at her in horror, speechless.

"I see you have no objection," the girl said smoothly. "So I will take the poor dear and be on my way."

The shopkeeper, regaining his senses, growled, "You owe me for those 2 Milk Chocolate Nimmos. You also need to pay for that pet, it would have escaped if I hadn't caught it."

"That sounds reasonable," soothed the girl. "How much do I need to pay you?"

"Forty-five for the pet, and twenty each for the Nimmos. That adds up to eighty-five Neopoints, no haggling."

Wander couldn't believe how much the shopkeeper was cheating the girl. Forty-five would by a very handsome, decent, and clean NeoPet that wasn't spoiled by street life. Surely this girl wouldn't pay such a high price for her, Wander? The Aisha that spent her entire life living in the streets? It would easily have been easier and more profitable to create a pet! Wander hoped the girl would choose her anyway. She looked up at the girl.

The girl looked back at Wander, smiled, then said "All right, it's a deal." She looked into her money bag, and ,Wander was shocked to see, the money bag held exactly eighty-five Neopoints.

"Is that all the Neopoints you have?" Wander questioned.

"Every last one," came the reply.

The girl paid for Wander, then turned to her, and said kindly, "My name is MagicDream, because I dream strange things that usually have a meaning. Just call me Magic or Dream. Oh! Speaking of names, dear, what's your name?"

"My name?" repeated Wander, blankly. "Oh, my name." She shuffled awkwardly, embarrassed. "Well....er....I don't really have a name....everyone just calls me Wander."

"Well, then we must give you a name at once, poor thing. What's your gender?"

"I'm female."

"Well, let's see, you're blue....the color of cold.....what is cold?....wind....fear, but we mustn't name you that....ice....yes, that will do....something with ice....there are ice cubes....and iced over water...."

"The boy at her side said, trying to be helpful, "Glaciers are made of ice."

"Glaciers...." said MagicDream, thoughtfully. "I like it. But plain old Glacier won't do. Let me think....maybe something with my name in it....what do I want you to be? Well, I always took a fancy to the Battledome...that's it!" She snapped her fingers suddenly.

"What's it?"asked a very puzzled Wander.

"The Battledome! You need powerful magic to win there, so you shall be called Magic. Yes, MagicGlacier. What a splendid name! How do you like it?"

"I love it! Thank you so much!" and the Aisha flung herself at her new owner, the Aisha called MagicGlacier.