The clock overhead on the wall ticking had grown nearly rhythmic to the three pets lounging about around the living room,each preoccupied by their own self-interest of choice at the moment.An ice Bori sat at the edge of the couch with his nose stuffed in a book fitfully entitled:Forty Different Ways To Tell If You're In The Correct Family,while a rugged appearing Desert Kougra was seated at the computer checking her rows of Neomail and a brown Lupe sang softly to a cartoon playing that was obviously intended for pets quite younger then himself.Still,they managed co-exist with one another for the most part.

"When did Raz say she was coming home with that new pet again?"Koilembala,having grown tired of pretending to reread the same page for the last twenty five minutes,inquired over nonchalantly."I suspected she'd do it more quickly,seeing as how she just adopts the pet and then paints them."

Maui020304 sighed wearily."It isn't about the painting,"She told him and swirled around in her chair to face him pointedly."Our owner cares enough to go out of her way,adopt a pet and paint it a fairly decent color to return it to the pound so it'll have at least a fair chance of getting adopted."

"Yeah!"Canislupus84 chimed in suddenly,turned his shaggy umber head in their direction."How else would I get a new friend each and every week or two?"A proud smile slid across his muzzle.Maui turned to look at him,knowing his tendency to be naive.

"Well,"she offered him a kind smile in return."That's pretty close but I'm sticking with my opinion.Which is that although looks aren't important,they are sometimes necessary."

"Yes,an opinion which also reeks of a teenage girl Kougra who can't get a date on Saturday night."Koi sniggered under his breath,adeptly ignoring the glare of daggers his older sister shot at him from across the way but the sound of a handle jiggling open caused the previous tension to die almost immediately.

The normal anticipation rippled through the siblings and they hurried in almost stampede formation all the way into the kitchen,their claws clacking on the tile floor until they halted to a stop as their owner entered with a grin glued to her visage and naturally sensing the curiosity,stood over to one side and made a sweeping motion over to a creature that they appraised with fairly friendly gazes.

"Koi,Maui,Canis.Meet your new little brother."She placed a hand atop it's head as she went on to tell them his name proudly."This is ghostodrakanak or as he prefers,Drak."

"Nice to meet'cha."The brown Lupe wasted no time greeting the Scorchio,clasping the younger pet's claw and shaking it enthusiastically."I like Neo-soccer.Do you like Neo-soccer?In our school that's all we play.So yeah,I can tell right away from looking at you;you're Neo-soccer material."

"Thanks,"His voice was meek and his small smile shy."But I've never played that before."

"Well,Drak.You are new around here."Maui told him."It's going to take time for others to adjust.But whatever few weeks you're here,it'll improve once you get a proper painting and a new home."she smiled at him reassuringly when he frowned."Oh,don't worry.Hasn't Raz told you?She'll turn you a more sensible color then mutant and then return you-"

"Ahem,Maui."Her owner interjected,seriousness flowing in her eyes."You're brother is staying this way because he likes it.You're right though,it will take a little time to adjust to it though."

Koi's jaw went slack and he covered an ice encased paw over his face to conceal his eyes."Don't tell me this is a permanent pet."He turned pleading,glassy eyes on as if to make her change her mind."I beg of you,take anything of mine you want but tell me it isn't true."

Raz shook her head patiently."This is you're new brother,love.Now and forever."

"You mean..."Canis's ear's fell to the back of his head,whimpering some."For a few weeks,right?Then he'll go to a nice new mutant loving family and we'll get a new pet."

"Raz."Maui began in a level tone."You can't really mean..."She moved her paws back and forth from the now awkard appearing pet to the rest of them."...that this mutant pet..."a disturbed look settled onto her creamy furred face at her owner's steeled gaze."...is a brother that is going to be a real brother,and...oh,darnet,what's the use in trying to convince you."

It was easy to see why they all were uncomfortable with the fact that not only would the innocent faced pet be not re-painted but also be staying with them as a full-time member of the family.He was dark blue in color,with huge winged ears scaling down and large emerald eyes that were currently filled with uncertainty.His black claws were more noticeable then the three and unsettling to look at but what really got them was the pointed and curved crests running the length of him from behind.But it was pointless to argue,once their owner's mind was made up,then there was no point in trying to haggle,beg or bribe her.

Raz extended her hand down to the pet as he had begun to shrink back from the pet's completely unaccepting glares."Come along,Drak."she said softly."It's time for you to see you're new room."

When they had disappeared from the kitchen and up the stairs that were only partly in view from where they were,the three exchanged looks of correspondence.It was not often they agreed but when the occasion called for it,they banded together and all three knew right away that they'd need each other more then ever if they were to protect that which was highly valued in their eyes and the eyes of many young pets who attended their school;reputation.

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The Monday noon sun shone brightly down upon the arrays of school pets several weeks after a certain family's new addition.Maui chatted animatedly amongst a few of her friends over on a picnic table,while Canis and his friends traded battling cards some distance away and Koi finished the imaginary triangle across the school yard with a stack of books piled up behind him.Each of them feeling accomplished in avoiding Drak thus far in their school.

A rustling noise made him look up."Koi!"Came an oddly chipper voice that nearly startled the Bori out of his skin as an exaggerate purple Gelert with wide rimmed glasses came over to him,his puce hue paws spread out far as if to try to embrace the surprised pet."How have you been this wonderfully carefree and joyously cheerful day so far,my dearest,bestest friend?"

"Fine,"he anwsered coolly,returning to his book."Though this would be the sixty-fourth consecutive time you've asked me this year to move you from Secretary to Vice president in the book club..."

The Gelert flinched a bit as he paused to turn a page,perhaps hopeful for a more reasonable reply this time the Bori speculated.."...which I have constantly replied to as,no,it's occupied."

"Well,"Todd chuckled after a long pause,his voice an undertone."There's a slight difference now."

Koi still didn't acknowledge him with his gaze."Such as?"

"Such as being a political pet with siblings whose coloring ranges outside of the norm."

Catching on quickly,the offended pet tossed his book onto the ground where it landed on it's thick cover and Koi stood to face his long time rival;clenching and unclenching his frozen fists as he sized up his choices on how to act in a most unfair circumstance.Here he was,doing everything he was suppose to do and he might be getting impeached because of his mutated brother.Slowly,anger stole over him.

"I'll have you know."His voice had risen above his averge volume,to where it was slightly shrilled as he glowered at the Gelert."That I never had one say about my brother.My owner just got him and that was that.Yes,I know,he's a freak of nature.But there's nothing I can do about it and to make a big deal as to try to get me thrown out of the club is just wrong."

Todd's brown eyes had lowered and fallen behind the Bori."Um...Koi."

"Yeah,go ahead and laugh!"He continued,undaunted."Hardy,har,har.I'm stuck with a hideous little freak of a on,ummagine head.Take a good,long laugh at me."

A small,familiar voice suddenly cut him off."You really think I'm a freak?"

Cringing on a bad taste in his mouth,the guilt stricken Bori turned to see his younger brother right behind him.It was odd that he was near him,since he was two grades younger then him but there he was;his bat ears drooping and his lower lips trembling as he held his gaze up at Koi.The two of them,facing one another for the first time inside of school.

"Drak.I didn't..."

But before he could finish,the younger pet lifted his large wings and made a fleeting escape in the direction of the Haunted Woods.Which,every pet knew,was strictly forbidden from entering at all hours of the school day.And yet that's where he went to,without looking back,in the edge of the baleful forest which seemed to almost beckon for someone to come take a chance and explore.

"Were going in after him."Maui said resolutely as she went up beside her brother.

Canis also appeared on Koi's side but seemed more hesistant."We are?"

"Yes,we are."

Into the woods...

The lovely summer sky had taken on a grey,bleak color that was partly due to the thick blanket of blue eerie fog looming over head,as the trio of pets moved cautiously single file down a trail that looked to of been deserted for quite some time.Maui lead,her head held high and her shoulders brought up dominately,followed by a somewhat cowering Canis and a sorely grumbling Koi behind them.

"It's not like he hasn't probably heard it before."He spoke up matter-of-factly.Maui shot him a look.

"We all agreed to keep comments like that to ourselves,Koi."She reminded him harshly.

Canis gulped from where he was in between and inquired."Guys,d-did it just get a little quieter?"

Before either pet could respond,the sound of a twig snapping brought all three to alertness and caused them to roam their eyes around dartingly.After a few moments of merely solid silence,they started to relax.Maui took a minute to calm herself and as she turned to finish what she wanted to say,the ghastly image of the Pant Devil materialized in front of them.Sneering at them,he cracked his knuckles and then wiggled his fingers a bit,apparently aiding for a more sinister sort of effect to his already unexpected and ghoulish entry.

"All right,"His deep,unappealing voice sounded."Which one of you wants to be the first to hand me all of your items?That is..."he smirked devilishly."...if any of you wish to get out of here in one piece."

"Stay close behind me."Maui warned her brothers,being the most fight worthy.Koi rolled his eyes.

"Oh."he stated sarcastically."Big sister is going to ward off our attacker,don't I feel safe."

Ignoring his comment,the Kougra hunched down and bared her gleaming fangs.Slowly but surely,the two started to circle one another in a sort of stare down,before the Pant Devil could get to where he could go for the two male pets;Maui sprinted forward and brawled for a bit with the felon.Letting loose every spare attack she could muster and for the first minute or so both seemed formidable but he caught her off guard once and sent a strike down that sent her flying a ways from the others,over onto the dirty,winding path they had came down.

"Maui!"Canis yelped in worry,his umber eyes landing on her momentarily motionless form."You."a rare growl erupted from his throat and he dashed forward boldly,only to have a smugly smirking ghost utter a single B word,which sent him scampering away with his tail between his hind legs."You're up Koi."He told his brother,as he made a hasted dash over to their fallen sister who just starting to stir and getting to her feet.

"Well?"The voice came more demonic then he had remembered,as he faced the levitating creature that was starting to drift towards him."What about you?Are you frightful enough to take me on or are you just going to melt from sheer terror?"he threw back his head to laugh.

Feeling his limbs grow numb and his mind becoming scattered,he inched away from the phantom who didn't even have to barely try to get a reaction out of the usually haughty and rude Bori,which in turn made him feel resentful.He was the second oldest and oldest brother who should be setting a sort of example of protecting them but the longer he locked eyes with the crimson eyed creature,the more he began to realize...not only were they ill prepared but they were also missing something or maybe in the sense,someone.

"We don't have something that he's got."Koi mused wisely and then exclaimed."We need-"

"Get..."Came a menacing voice."...away..."it drew up louder as something bashed into the rib cage of the Pant Devil and sent him crashing into some nearby brush."...from MY family!"

Koi's eyes enlarged to the size of saucers,as a hissing and raring Drak came in the place of where their attacker had been,his eyes piercing and his appearance more frightening then ever before.But as the Pant Devil regained his composure and went for him again,the Bori expecting a huge rumble to go down,saw the phantom only had to gaze down upon the mutant Scorchio to get the general idea he was out matched and out spooked;which caused him to take the covering of trees in from which he had been lurking in.

"That,"Maui came limping over a bit with the occasional support of Canis at her side."That was incredible,Drak.The way you managed to defeat him with such ease.Incredible."

A simpering,excited smile curled across the brown Lupe's muzzle."I'll say!He scared that bad guy off so bad I think I can still here him crying for his mommy all the way home."Koi nodded his head a little in agreement.

"The kid did all right."His voice held some satisfactory.

But Drak shook his head sadly,normalcy returning to his features."It was still too scary to ever be able to fit in with this family."he glanced around and told them fondly."This really is more of my kind of place,it's just somewhere I think I better stay from now on.Do you think Raz would understand?"

At that,Maui offered him a pleased smile."Why would you want to stay here?You're a hero,Drak."

"Definitely."Canis added,grinning winningly at him."This will do wonders for your reputation."

"I don't want to be popular for this."The Scorchio explained stubbornly."If pets don't like me all on account of my appearance,that's their problem.Don't get me wrong,I'd like friends but not friends I have to pretend to be someone I'm not around.Sorry if you guys don't agree,I can't help who I am and it just seems that I can never quite find a home no matter how hard I try."

Before he could start away,Maui put a hindrance to his path with her large paw."Don't go."she sighed and then took a siting position,her golden eyes soulful."You're right,we have been judging you all because of how you look.And,"a short laugh escaped her muzzle."these dumb reputations seem to be clouding our judgement as well.It's just that,we never expected her to actually do something like this to us.I mean...I guess what all I can say is,I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault,"Canis said kindly and then he perked up."Hey!If you stayed with us longer,that would mean I could teach you Neo soccer all year round;I couldn't before with all the foster pets because they left too soon but it'll be perfect now that your here for good."

A smile lit Drak's visage."That sounds fun."but then his gaze caught Koi's indifferent one."But,no,I really think the best way to spare you guys the humiliation of having a pet like me around is to go.I wanted to be painted this,so I guess I should live where it's accepted."

The Lupe and the Kougra exchanged unsuccessful looks and were about to turn to Bori,completely bound to give him the third degree,when to their immense shock they saw he had moved away but not back to the playground.No.Instead they saw him stroll up casually behind the retreating back of their brother and carefully place his paw at the tip of Drak's tail,keeping him from moving long enough to make him look back.

"I've seen your interest in books the last few weeks."Koi commented and an intentative glint flickered in his cool eyes."And if you're willing,I think there might just be a place for you on the book staff.It will be some work though and you'll be the youngest one on there."

A moment of tension was set forth between the two but at long last,a slow grin crossed the younger pet's face."Yeah,"he replied,blushing a little modestly."I'd really like that Koi...I-what about Todd?Isn't he going to have something to say about us both being on it?"

"Oh,"he grinned cleverly."I think taking care of his ranking will be your first assignment."

Maui breathed in and out happily,watching as the two started back in an up beat chatter."It's gotta be moments like this that were going to look back on and cherish for the rest of our lifes.Right,Canis?"

She received a sniffle in response."Now who will I pass down the legacy of Neo Soccer to?"

"When were allowed to have another sibling,I'll let you be the first to know."She laughed.

And as all four made their way back from the depths of the darkened forest,the bright and beautiful Neopian sun was there to greet them like a beacon of hope and the freshly trimmed green grass met beneath their paws smoothly.Grinning to one another,they went together with their differences toward their younger brother put aside and their hearts brimming anew.For,although there would always be someone out there who disapproved of giving those who were different a chance,the four pets knew they were no longer among them.

The End.