It was a rainy day in Meridell. Panjora was stuck in the alley, shaking as the rain hit her body. She climbed into a box, and shivered. How very simple it was to forget about her, like her old owner once did. Her old owner didn't abandon her, he left her in the alley, and they had never seen each other since then. She then fell asleep in the cold box.
- - - - - - - -
"Yes, that's the one I want. That's her alright." A voice said.

Panjora got up. She was in the warm, Neopian pound. Someone must've got her out of the alley. She looked up, and saw a girl with a cat's tail, cat ears, and very short dark yellow hair. Panjora looked very confused. An Aisha with a wizard's hat on was beside the girl, and a Buzz was flying around the girl's legs.

"Who are you?" Panjora asked.

"Skeekak." The girl replied, nodding. "But, you can call me Skee."

Panjora nodded. She curled into a ball on the Neopian Times below her, and watched a bit of rain fall from the roof.

"Hey," Skeekak said. "you're comin' with me."

Panjora got up quickly, and asked, "Me?"

Skeekak nodded. Panjora let out a squeal of excitement, and leapt into her new owner's arms. She began to cry. It wasn't a sad cry, it was a cry of happiness. Her eyes twinkled, and she snuggled into Skeekak's sweater.

"Aren't you going to pay ME?" A very cold, evil voice said.

Skeekak turned around and saw DrDeath. She gave him a disgusted look, and threw some Neopoints in his hand. She walked away, caring Panjora in her arms.
- - - - - - -
Skeekak had of course bought tickets for the next train, which led to Terror Mountain.

"Oh, oh, Skee! You live in Terror Mountain? You must be rich!" Panjora squealed with excitement.

Skeekak nodded, and replied, "Yes, I live on Terror Mountain."

They went in the train, and the door closed behind them. TOOT TOOT! The train started. Up the hill it went. It had been a few hours. Skeekak had fallen asleep, when the little Chia driving the train said, "Terror Mountain, Terror Mountain! First stop Terror Mountain!"

Skeekak woke up quickly, and rushed out, her two other Neopets following her. She looked over at a small hut. It was really small.

"Is that where you live?" Panjora asked, looking disgusted.

Skeekak didn't answer. She opened the door of the small hut. Inside there was only one room, and hardly any furniture.

"That's not what MY old owner's house was like!" Panjora said, snobbily.

"Well, this is what your new owner's house is like." Skeekak said, putting her new Ixi down.

Panjora skipped around the room, looking everywhere. It seemed like a fairly nice place, it was nothing like the palace her and her old owner had lived in, so long ago. But, it would do. The Aisha poked Panjora on the shoulder.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Panjora."

"That's a nice name. My name's HPIsthebest, but you can call me Harry, don't call me by my full name, unless you're lookin' for a fight." The Aisha replied.

"Oh yes, and my name's Moioo." The Buzz said, looking side to side.

"So, you're my new brothers..." Panjora said.

"You mean your new brother and SISTER." Moioo snapped.

"Oh, it's not often that you see female Buzz." Panjora replied, feeling very stupid.

"Well, this is your new home. It's not much, but I hope you like it." Skeekak said.

"Home..." Panjora whispered, rubbing her head against a pillow.

"Come on, I'll show you where you'll sleep." Skeekak said.

Skeekak walked off, and Panjora skipped along behind her. Skeekak opened the window, letting a cool breeze through. She pointed to a small petpet bed, with a pillow in it.

"Sorry, it's all I could afford." Skeekak said, shrugging her shoulders.

Panjora looked disgusted, but then she replied, "I guess it'll do."

Panjora squeezed into the small bed, and fell asleep.

The next morning, Panjora got up and went to the small table. Skeekak, Harry, and Moioo were sitting around the table. Panjora sat down as well.

"Neocrunch cereal for breakfast?" She asked, looking disgusted.

"Mmm hmm..." Skeekak replied, with her mouth full of cereal.

"UH, okay..." Panjora said, taking a bite of cereal.

She had never tasted cereal in her life, let alone Neocrunch. It tasted pretty good. It was nothing like the expensive gourmet foods her old owner used to give her, but it would do. She finished off her breakfast quickly, and then plopped down in the sofa.

"No maids, no nothing..." She thought, sighing. "It will have to do. I will learn how to live, this way."

She let out another sigh.

"I'll see what's new in Neopia." She said, grabbing the Neopian Times.

NEW!
A astroid has hit Neopia! No one knows how it got here, or where it came from, but, it seems extremely big, shiny, and rare.

Panjora tossed the Neopian Times into the garbage. Nothing new. It was last week's news. She was beginning to think that the latest Neopian news was getting a bit dry. As dry as the Lost Desert. She tossed and turned on the couch, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't fall asleep. She got off of the couch.

"I can't have a nice nap on a horrible sofa like this!" She said, kicking the couch.

"She's STILL getting used to it?" Moioo asked.

"Yes, I don't think she'll be able to adapt very well. She did have a richy rich owner before, after all." Skeekak replied.

"Why don't we show her how much fun it can be to be poor?" Harry asked.

"That's a wonderful idea, Harry!" Skeekak said. "We'll show her that you don't have to be rich to have fun!"

Skeekak patted her Aisha on the head, and got up.

"Come on, Panjora, we're taking you to the arcade with us!" Skeekak yelled.

Panjora skipped over to Skeekak, and nodded.

"Ooo, the arcade?! That should be lots of fun!" Panjora said, bouncing up and down.

"Yes, it will be fun." Skeekak said.

Skeekak put on her coat, and gave her Neopets their coats. She then tossed an old furry coat to Panjora.

"That's your coat. It was Harry's old one." Skeekak said.

Panjora looked disgusted, but put the coat on anyways. It was very itchy, but fuzzy and warm none-the-less. Skeekak went outside, with her three Neopets following her. It was extremely cold, but when you were in a nice warm coat, you didn't seem to notice it. They then walked up to a building that had the word 'ARCADE' on a large sign pinned to the building. They went inside, and slipped off their coats.

"Does it cost anything?" Panjora asked.

"Of course not, silly! It is FREE, it's the arcade!" Skeekak said.

Panjora nodded, and saw Usuki Frenzy.

"OH, oh! Me and my old owner used to play that together on our NeoBoy!" Panjora squealed.

She rushed over to Usuki Frenzy, and began playing. It was very fun. Harry was playing Carnival Of Terror and Moioo was playing Meepit Juice Break. Panjora stopped playing, and gave Skeekak a hug. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be poor after all.

THE END