The Value of Neopoints

     Xaidao, the Royal Draik, looked out the window with his red eyes and sighed as the seaweed waved in the water in the garden of his new neohome. Dragon_Dragonwolf, his new owner, was busy with the Café and making sure everything was ready for tonight. Suddenly someone jumped on his back and knocked him to the floor.

     "Hey bro! Are you ready for tonight?" said a bold voice above him. Xaidao looked up to see his new brother Fireheart_Dragonwolf who was at the moment a Fire Techo because of the lab ray.

     "Fireheart! Geff oof me!!!" he wheezed. He then got up off him to let Xaidao get up off the ground. "What was that for and what do you mean are you ready for tonight?"

     "Today is Dress-Up Day! Dragon said we could go to a party while she and Kylilea take care of the Café. Dragon already got my costume; did she get yours yet?" Fireheart grinned as he jumped up and down. Xaidao couldn't help but laugh at his brother for being an idiot.

     "There is no way you can beat me in the Battledome the way you're jumping around. I don't know why Dragon won't let us fight each other," Xaidao said. Then it suddenly struck Xaidao that today was indeed Dress-Up Day. "Dress-Up Day? What should I wear?" He rushed out of his room leaving Fireheart in confusion at his sudden retreat. "Dragon?" Xaidao called out.

     "I'm up in the office!" a sweet, but distance voice called out. Xaidao climbed the stairs to the office and found a girl with brown hair going over some calculations about the income of the Café. "Hey Xaidao, how are you doing?" the girl said looking up. Xaidao couldn't help but noticed the emerald green eyes as the girl stared at him.

     "I'm fine, Dragon, but I have no costume for Dress-Up Day tonight. I want to go to a party!" he whined. Xaidao looked up at Dragon, giving off his big droopy eyes that looked to be in tears. Dragon sighed and got up walking towards the other side of the room. She got out a little silver key with a dragon engraving on the end. The desk that was over in the corner had a keyhole in one of the drawers, which had the same dragon engraving upon it. Dragon gave the key a turn and the drawer clicked open, then she opened it up. Xaidao took a peek inside and saw bags of neopoints inside. Dragon chuckled when she noticed Xaidao's eyes grow wider.

     "There is about five hundred thousand neopoints in there that I keep for the Café, but I will give you fifty thousand to go buy a costume," she said. Xaidao's eyes grew even wider; he wanted to take all of the neopoints and use it for other things as well. Dragon handed him the neopoints and walked Xaidao out the door. "Now go have fun picking out a costume. Fireheart is already dressing as Jeren but maybe you can be Sloth or even a ninja."

     Xaidao nodded at Dragon and went outside of his neohome and saw Diamond_Dragonwolf sitting on the steps looking sad. "What is wrong, Diamond?" he asked gently.

     "Tonight is a full moon, Xaidao. You should know what happens to me then. I am a Werelupe, after all," Diamond replied in a gentle, but sad voice. Xaidao looked at his new sister with concern and gave Diamond a hug.

     "I'm sure you'll be alright. Dragon won't let anything happen to you, Diamond," Xaidao replied. Diamond smiled and gave his sister a hug. There were tears falling from his eyes.

     "Thanks sister," Diamond cried. "I know I will be ok." He got up and went inside of the house. She poked her head out of the door. "Good luck finding a Dress-Up Day costume!"

     Xaidao made it into town and looked around the shops for a costume. He saw mostly Sloth costumes for sale in the windows, but nothing to his liking. Then he saw it, a costume that fit him perfectly. It was a robe made of a fine fabric that looked like silk. Around the waist was a dagger decorated with emeralds and rubies in a shape of a dragon. Xaidao looked at the price of the costume. "In trades for 200k! That is a lot of money!" Xaidao exclaimed out loud. Xaidao stared at the costume for about an hour and then turned to go home. "I want that costume… I'm sure Dragon won't mind me taking a few hundred thousand neopoints."

     Xaidao got back to the house to find it empty of the whole family. "Dragon, Diamond, Kyli, Fireheart, are you home?" he called out. When no answer came back, Xaidao went into the garden and found the secret staircase to the office. Oddly it was open and he went inside. Xaidao looked around and noticed that Dragon bought a new chair for the room, a Meepit chair in fact. "What is she thinking? I heard she is afraid of Meepits," he sighed. He looked over to the desk and saw that the drawer was slightly open and the top of one of the bags was poking out of it. The temptation just to take all of the neopoints was on him badly, but he knew that would leave him and the rest of his new family poor. So he took 150 thousand neopoints, which was just enough to get him the costume. Suddenly he heard screaming from outside and knew Dragon was home. He quickly rushed out of the office and flew off before Dragon noticed he was home.

     It was his at last and Xaidao was pleased. He saved about 50 thousand on the deal as well. Dressed up in his costume Xaidao went home and saw Dragon and Kyli on the front step talking to the Chia Police. "So where were your pets during the event of the stolen neopoints?" the officer asked.

     "I was with Diamond getting ready for the full moon and Xaidao was out shopping," replied Kyli.

     "I saw Fireheart leave for the Dress Up Day party down the street to my friend's neohome. I know he wouldn't steal it; Fireheart is too noble for that," said Dragon. Xaidao rushed behind one of the bushes and looked down at his claws.

     "I did something bad… I shouldn't have taken those neopoints from Dragon," Xaidao said in a low voice. Xaidao then wondered what to do to try to make up for the theft and suddenly got an idea. He then made plans for his idea to be executed.

     Dragon called his friend and told him to let Fireheart stay there for the night. Kyli went to make sure Diamond didn't cause too much trouble so she was home alone. She was also worried about Xaidao for he wasn't at the party and hadn't come home yet. Dragon sat there on the bed wondering about what to do about saving up the neopoints again. She needed that money to run her Café. A door slammed in the front of the house and she wondered if something happened to Diamond again.

     "Dragon? Are you here?" a familiar voice called out.

     "I'm in here, Xaidao," Dragon called back. He sighed with relief that the Royal Draik was okay. Xaidao came in with bags of neopoints in him claws and put them down in front of Dragon.

     "Dragon, I wanted to say I'm sorry…" Xaidao said, casting his eyes to the ground.

     "What with all the neopoints and what do you mean you're sorry?" Dragon asked in surprise. Xaidao looked up at Dragon and put his arms around her.

     "I was the one who took the neopoints! I wanted this costume that I saw for 200k in trades, so I came back and took the money from your drawer. I was wrong!" cried Xaidao, tears were rushing down his eyes. Dragon hugged Xaidao and smiled.

     "At least you told me the truth and you're feeling sorry for what you done. It's okay Xaidao…" Dragon said in a caring tone. Xaidao looked up at Dragon and smiled.

     "I got back the money, the last owner wouldn't do a trade-back so I've spent the day at the trading post trying to get someone to buy it. I was lucky too. This person traded me two million for it, so now I can give you back what I owe and 1.8 million more!" Xaidao said. Dragon laughed and hugged Xaidao.

     "I don't care about the neopoints, Xaidao. It's the fact you told me the truth is what I value more. The value of neopoints isn't important to me," Dragon said.

     "You mean you're not mad?" Xaidao asked.

     "I'm not mad. But now what to do with all these neopoints?" Dragon said laughing.

     A few days later the whole family was at the petpet store getting Xaidao ready to get a new petpet. The Royal Draik was all excited about getting a Fire Dragoyle. "I'll show you what I value more than neopoints," Dragon had said. Xaidao looked around the store until he spotted his petpet on the shelf. After purchasing his new petpet, Xaidao hugged Dragon.

     "I know what is more valuable than neopoints, it's family!" Xaidao said. And after that day the whole family lived together in everlasting happiness.

     "I'll beat you yet, Fireheart! I'll be stronger than you yet!" Xaidao yelled.

     Dragon could only sigh.

     Well, maybe not everlasting happiness…

The End

Author's Note: I hope you like my story! All pets belong to me, dragon_dragonwolf (Well, Diamond belongs to a friend and I got permission from him to use her). The moral of the story is: There are some things that hold more value than neopoints.