A New Home?

by holly176

Nemmaso sat in a damp cage. His white fur had turned to a brown colour and had knots mangled into it. He curled up and shivered. Someone was walking toward him and he perked up his ears. "Be me, be me." he thought. The young man looked at him and then to the yellow Skeith that was Nemmaso’s roommate. "I believe I’ll take that one." he said sternly to Dr_Death. Dr_Death walked over and grabbed the Skeith by the neck and pulled him out. "Another battle pet, Author?" Dr_Death questioned. "That’s none of your business." Author stared at Dr_Death who was closing the cage.

It had been about a week since Nemmaso lost his roommate. Still, no one came to replace the Skeith. Nemmasso stood up and stretched. He didn’t mind the pound that much. Besides, this was not the first time he came to just ‘visit’. Both of his two previous owners had given him up for various reasons. He was never told why. Then, Dr_Death started walking toward his cage caring a terrified looking Usul. "Here you go," he said to the green Usul. "At least you’ll have a friend." he whispered silently.

The Usul looked at Nemmaso and burst into tears. He went over to comfort her but she quickly ran to the other side. "I’m not going to eat you." Nemmaso smiled. The Usul didn’t say anything. "Um, my name is Nemmaso." The Usul just starred at him. After a few seconds she whispered, "I’m Popsicle."

"Well, Popsicle," Nemmaso tried to sound happy, "you don’t have to worry. It’s not that bad here."

"I’m going to get eaten," she wept. Nemmaso couldn’t help it. He laughed which was the wrong thing to do. Popsicle broke down.

"Oh! I’m sorry. I just-you’re not going to be eaten." She looked up. "Besides, I’ll make sure you’re okay."

"Do-do you promise?" she said quietly.

"I promise."

And with that they curled up together.

After that first day they became very good friends. Nemmaso kept to his promise. When other NeoPets would pick on Popsicle Nemmaso would come to the rescue. Most pets didn’t know why Nemmaso had been here so long anyway. His level was 2 (which is good for pound pets), his speed was amazing, and his defense was armored. Nonetheless, no one would adopt him or Popsicle. Popsicle didn’t even want to be adopted.

When she saw someone with three pets she’d hide behind Nemmaso. One day, that almost changed. "Ooooo! What a cute little Usul. It’s exactly what I was looking for," said a small girl accompanied by her father.

"We will take that one," said the father.

Dr_Death walked over to the cage and opened the door. Popsicle backed up to the very back of the cage. Her eyes turned pure white and her soft fur sharpened. She tried to bite him but he pulled his hand back quick enough.

"Here, I’ll get her," the father pushed aside Dr_Death. The man picked her up by the scruff of the neck before she could bite.

"No! NO!" she pleaded.

Nemmaso couldn’t stand it anymore. He attacked. Quicker than lightning, Popsicle free and the man’s hand slashed open. Everyone was frozen. When the little girl screamed and the man yelled out in pain. The man was about to kick his attacker but Dr_Death closed the cage before he could.

When his hand was wrapped up he started yelling at Dr_Death. "That Lupe should be shot!"

"You know we can’t do that," Dr_Death retorted. "He was defending his friend. It was YOUR fault you got bitten!"

No one had ever seen him so mad. "I thought you hated pets," the man said coldly.

"Not these," Dr_Death said simply.

The man’s face turned bright red. "Fine."

And with that he and his daughter, who was still crying, left.

None of the NeoPets even talked to Nemmaso. He never slept and didn’t eat the few pieces of food they got. He just walked back and forth, back and forth. Popsicle was getting worried.

"He needs a home," she worried. "Nemmaso?"

Even though there was a hateful look on his face his voice became soft and placid. "What is it?" he answered.

"Do-I was-do-eh. Do you ever wish you had an owner that would never get rid of you?" she managed to get out.

"Everyday," was all he said.

Popsicle woke up and looked around. It was still the same dreary cage. She was relieved when she saw Nemmaso asleep next to her. Rubbing her eyes she looked at the cage door. To her surprise she saw a girl staring at them. Thinking that the girl was thinking of adopting her she stiffened and tried to look ferocious. When she started growling Nemmaso opened his eyes. Instead of looking worried, the girl stepped in the cage, closed the door and sat down. A little confused, Popsicle stopped growling and Nemmaso just sat there.

"Is Nemmaso your friend?" the girl said abruptly.

"Eh, yes," Popsicle managed to answer.

The girl looked from Nemmaso to Popsicle. "How would you like to come home with me?"

Popsicle was overjoyed. "Yes, we would love to come home with you!"

"Wait," Nemmso said. "You aren’t using her for battles, are you?"

"What do you mean?" she answered smiling.

"Both of you are coming-if you want to."

"You mean you’ll take both of us?" he said suspiciously.

"I’m going to adopt both of you." Popsicle turned toward Nemmaso and shook her head yes.

"You’re lucky," Dr_Death said to Nemmaso and Popsicle. "You adopt all your pets here, don’t you, Holly?"

"You bet," she said, a smile still on her face.

"That will be 94 Neopoints," he told her.

She handed him 94. "Thank you," she said and opened the door. "Don’t worry you guys," she told them, "you’ll be staying with me for-"

"Yeah, that’s what previous owners told me," Nemmaso inturrupted.

Holly didn’t say anything. Popsicle looked at Nemmaso. "Do you promise?" Popsicle asked her.

"I do promise that, Popsicle, Nemmaso, you’ll stay with me until the ocean dries up, the sky falls, and I dye my hair orange," she laughed. And for the first time since Popsicle had know him, Nemmaso smiled.

The End