Newcomer

     My name is Allen_Walker_The14th. I'm a snow Shoyru. I live with my mom in Darigan Citadel, I'm a week old and an only child, but that's about to change hopefully!

     Yesterday, my mom told me we would be going to a place called the pound, and that I would be getting a new brother or sister!

     Timcampy, my yellow catamara, looked up in surprise as I hurried past his bed beside the stairs, and into the kitchen. Timcampy got followed me.

     "Morning, Mom!" I said, running over to the sink and washing my hands, "Good morning, Allen," Katrina, my mother, said, smiling at me.

     Timcampy climbed onto my head and eyed the food on the table as I sat down and started to eat.

     "You get to choose who we're going to adopt from the pound," Mom said as she sat down for breakfast. "But what about you? Don't you want a say in it?" I asked between mouthfuls of food. "Not this time, Allen. You get to choose who we're going to adopt from the pound," Katrina repeated.

     For a moment I wondered why Mom would want me to choose, then I remembered that she knew I was good at reading a pet's emotions from their eyes.

     "And don't talk with your mouth full," she scolded me, as she started eating.

     "When are we going to leave?!" I asked as I gulped down my orange juice.

     "After I finish eating, and you've taken a shower," Katrina said, nearly dropping her toast as I ran by her and up to the bathroom.

     * * *

     "Allen! Slow down!" I heard my mom's voice call from behind me, as I hurried towards the boat that would take us from Meridell to Neopia Central.

     "Sorry, Mom," I said, stopping. The sudden stop made Timcampy nearly fall off my head, where he was sitting.

     I smiled at my mother apologetically, as she caught up to me, panting a little.

     My mom is really tall! She has blue/gray eyes (like me!) and short, slightly pointy, black hair.

     "I know you're excited to get a brother or sister, but Allen, you sure need to slow down!" Katrina laughed. "We'll get to the pound sooner or later."

     I pouted, but nodded. "I hope it's sooner rather than later!" I exclaimed, once again bouncing off towards where the boat was waiting. I heard my mother sigh behind me.

     * * *

     It took what seemed hours, but was only a half an hour, to get to Neopia Central.

     "We're here!" I exclaimed happily, flying off the boat and onto dry land. "We're here! We're here! Here!" I said, flying in circles just above Katrina's head, Timcampy clinging to me.

     "Allen Walker!" Katrina called, "get down here or we won't go!" She sat down on a bench, watching me.

     I flew a couple more circles before landing next to Katrina. "Mommy! Let's go! Let's go!" I said, bouncing up and down. Katrina laughed, "Okay, okay, we'll go now, sheesh." I continued bouncing up and down as we walked to the pound, we were greeted by a pink Uni at the front desk.

     "Adoption?" the Uni, who said her name, was Rose, asked.

     "Yep! Yep!" I exclaimed, still bouncing. "I'm going to get a brother or sister!" I announced, smiling at Rose.

     The Uni smiled back at me. "And don't forget, the pet you choose get's a new family and home," Rose told me.

     I grinned and nodded. "Come on!" I said, pulling Katrina over to the door that lead into the place where I would get a big brother or sister. Rose opened the door.

     Beyond the pink door was a room that I didn't even think could exist. Cells lined the whole room, which was larger than one would think. In each cell were two or three pets.

     When we entered the room, I heard whispering everywhere; the good mood I had all day seemed to disappear as we entered the room. I clung onto my mom. Wide-eyed, I glanced into a cell as we passed.

     Three pets were pressed against the bars, watching us, hopeful looks on their faces. In the cell were three beds, with blankets, and a book or two.

     I felt sad for all these pets here. We looked into the cells as we passed. There was a bunch of different pets in them.

     "See anyone you like?" Katrina asked.

     I shook my head. "No..." At the end of the row of cells, in a cell sat a single red Aisha. Unlike the other pets we had passed, this one sat in a corner, head drooping, the Aisha just looked up at us.

     My eyes met the Aisha's; they were lonely, sad, the eyes of a pet who had lived his whole life in the pound. The Aisha's head drooped down again.

     "Mom?" I said quietly, letting go of her arm and walking up to the cell. "What about this one?" I asked.

     I saw the Aisha look up again; this time, I could see hope in his eyes.

     "This one?" Katrina asked, walking up beside me. I nodded. "Okay then, we're going to adopt him," Katrina said, turning to Rose.

     I saw Rose smile as she opened the cell. "Thank you," the Aisha said, smiling softly.

     "Of course!" I exclaimed. "My name is Allen_Walker_The14th," I said, pulling the Aisha out of the room, and to Rose's desk. "What's yours?"

     The Aisha let out a small chuckle. "I'm Rin_Rodkay," he said.

     "Rin?" I asked, as we watched Katrina fill out the adoption forms Rose handed her.

     "Yeah..." Rin said in his soft voice.

     "This is Mother!" I said, waving a paw at Katrina, who had just finished filling out the papers. "Katrina is her name, but I call her Mom, Mommy, and Mother," I said, bouncing slightly when I felt something jump onto my head.

     "Oh, yeah! Sorry, Tim." I said. I had almost forgotten about Timcampy, who was frowning at me. "This is Timcampy," I said, pointing at my petpet.

     "Hi, Tim," Rin said, smiling at the catamara. Tim just looked at him, not sure what to think of this new pet.

     "Come on! Let's go home! I'll show you your room, the kitchen, the bathroom," I said, talking all the way back to the boat that brought us here. Katrina was smiling as we got onto the boat, while Rin was too. Even Tim! I grinned at them all.

     I have a wonderful Mom, a great petpet, and now, a big brother!

     I pulled Rin into the house, and took him to his room. I watched as he sat down on his bed.

     "We'll have to get you some more stuff," I said.

     Rin smiled. "Yeah... Allen?" he asked, looking up at me.

     "Yeah, Rin?" I watched him as he started to grin.

     "I think I'm going to love it here."

The End