The Second Chance: Part One

by vivienip

"Mommy, where are you going?" I called out desperately. A cloaked figure that was my owner, never turned around.

"I'm leaving now," she said, her voice filled with anger.

"You have disappointed me, Chico. There was no reason you should have lost in the Battledome."

"But, but, it was just one battle!" I cried. "One battle, and you're leaving me behind?"

My owner started walking. "Only one battle now, but sooner or later it will be another, then another, then another…." She shook her head. "I can't afford a losing pet."

I wanted to run back to her, to beg her not to leave me behind, to somehow find forgiveness in her heart. But some invisible force was holding me back. She doesn't care about you anymore, it said. You'll just be even more miserable if you follow her.

"Chicobreezedance," she said coldly. "You're nothing but a useless Lupe!!"

***

My eyes snapped open. I quickly sat up, breathing hard. True, this had been a dream, but just a few months ago, this had been harsh reality. I had eagerly waited to compete in the Battledome, training my hardest and doing every I could to prepare for it. But my first battle had been a total flop. I had been beaten, all too easily.

The very next day, the owner had dropped me off at the Neopian pound, and never came back ever again. I knew she would never come back. Owners never came back for their abandoned NeoPets. I had been hopeful that somehow, somewhere, someone would adopt me and take me back to his or her home. Someone who liked me for being me, and wouldn't care the least if I lost a battle in the Battledome. Sadly, nobody came.

Day after day, I waited in the pound, watching as dozens of joyful NeoPets were claimed by happy owners. Kikos, Aishas, Skeiths, Grarrls were all adopted. But nobody seemed to want plain old Chicobreezedance the Lupe.

Another month pasted by, and still nobody had adopted me. I had pretty much given up on that hope anyway. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I vowed, "From this day on, I, Chicobreezedance will live on my own."

To be continued...