Ode to TNT

[Shinko]

The recent celebration of Neopets 15th anniversary says a very great deal for the site- that an entertainment website revolving around virtual pets has lasted so long indicates how very much it means to the userbase. Neopets isn’t just about feeding and grooming digital dogs a la gigapets, or making them fight like digimon. It has flash games, art competitions, writing competitions, puzzles, story based plots, thousands upon thousands of items and avatars to collect, and so much more. The site’s diversity of content has made it an important asset in the lives of many, many people. That being the case, of course we were devastated when we heard about what happened on March 6th. The loss of the team that has given it the life and personality we all love is one that all Neopets fans will be feeling for some time.

But we here today have decided to look beyond that. For there to be sadness, and anger, there has to have first been joy. For there to be a sense of loss, first you have to have had something you deeply treasured. So, we of the Neopian Times Writers Forum hatched a plot. We reached out as far as we could, calling to Neopets fans on the Neoboards, on deviantArt, on Tumblr, and even on Facebook. Active Neopians and retirees alike answered our call, and it is with great humility that we present to you the results of our efforts.

As most of you will remember, every week the Neopian Times had a “Happy Thoughts” feature, where people could express their appreciation to TNT for the things they enjoyed about the site. With this in mind, we fans of Neopets present to you our final farewell- a Happy Thoughts culmination of fifteen years of fun, friendship, and fond memories.

Warmest Regards,

The Neopian Times Writer’s Forum
And all fans of Neopets everywhere.

[Shinko]

Dreamweavers (Tribute to TNT) by ♥ Azzie

Art by Lizica

Strife said:

I don't know why, but something about Neopets and the fictional world of Neopia captivated me as a young kid and inspired me to create and express myself. It's funny to think about, but in a manner of speaking, Neopets has changed the course of my life through some seemingly small things.

I joined Neopets during its humble beginnings as a flash website made by college students - back when Bruces were butlers and Fuzios were all the rage. I dropped out after a year of messing around, then came back around 3 or 4 years later and became really engaged with the antics of the villainous Dr. Sloth. I masqueraded as one of his most dedicated minions, amassing riches, weapons, and powerful robotic Neopets in his name and forming a club called the United Sloth Loyalists, which at the time was the most popular pro-Sloth club on the site. At the same time I joined the Neopian Times Writer's Forum, and I was floored by the amount of talent and creativity that its members had. I met my future wife on this forum whom I would eventually have a beautiful daughter with.

I lost interest in Neopets as inflation spiraled out of control and my game design career kicked off, but I still fondly remember those early years when the passion and creativity of The Neopets Team really shined through. I feel like my time in Neopia is what drove me to create video games that are colorful Saturday morning cartoon-styled adventures despite the rest of the industry leaning towards mature, gritty stuff.

Wherever your lives may take you, I hope that you're able to work on something that you love. Thank you for being awesome.

- Stephen DiDuro

Green Roc said:

Neopets was the first website I ever made an account at. It is the place where I first used my name Green Roc. If I ever told my story of my life, I would have to mention Neopets, no doubt they had a part in shaping my online existence. I made so many friends via Neopets, many of whom I still talk to today.

My favorite memory of TNT is when I met several of them at San Diego Comic Con years ago. I had a lot of interaction with Marketing Maggie (they might remember me? I am the lady in the red scooter with the clear poster roll and the PetPet clip-ons... Maggie took pictures ^_^ ). I asked them if I can tell people I had met the real TNT, and they (jokingly) said they are not the real TNT. They claimed they were an army of Sloth Clones with a secret plot to take over the world. I kept the secret for years *cough cough* until now. Their imagination is unlike anything else I've ever seen. Love it.

At the con, they were drawing pictures for fans. I asked for one of my neopet Rocavian. Love it so much! Mutant Eyries were pretty new, and I said to one of the artists that I loved the new look. Another artist perked up, bright eyes, and exclaimed that they did that. The sight of her joy is forever stuck in my mind. Good memories. The enthusiasm they have for their creations is awesome.

I have much respect for you guys. You are all awesome. I hope your future is filled with joy <3

Ashten said:

To the TNT that I know and love,

Thank you for shaping my life. I first joined Neopets when I was seven years old, and now I'm turning nineteen soon. You guys have changed my life with the beloved characters, wonderful stories and events, and competitions that were the reason I tried drawing or writing. I remember HatIC being my first plot, and how much I loved Hannah as a character. She was strong and brave and at eight years old she was my role model. Even though she was a girl she was tough and fought pirates and went on adventures. That was something really important to me.

I also loved Gilly's character; she was closer to my age at the time and it felt really cool that even though she was scared, she still kept fighting and ended up saving Neovia. The ToW plot was a big deal for me because it came out when I was ten, and that was the year my chronic depression really started to take hold and kids would bully me daily by going as far as punching me and leaving me in the hospital from it. This was the first year I contemplated suicide but Gilly and the whole story of ToW played a part in helping me get through it. I had the mindset that, "if Gilly can be brave, even though she's a little girl, then I can be brave too."

Because of Neopets my vocabulary is also much better than it ever would have been. I've fought dyslexia all my life and it's just so hard for me to grasp words. But the Neopian Times gave me a clear goal, write a story with this many words. It took many years but I eventually did improve my writing and vocabulary enough to get published. It was called "My Tiny Friend" and it was about the little Kacheek from the Seekers. That story was really fitting because it was about bullying and it really represented how far I came to reach my goal.

I really just can't thank you guys enough for all that you've done. Neopets has helped me through lots of pain and depression, and because of you guys that help was possible. You saved my life. You helped me to be strong through the wonderful relatable characters you've created. I don't know who I would be today, if I would still be here today, if it weren't for you guys. I hope that you guys can stay strong and continue to be amazing wherever life takes you. Always remember that you have done great things for so many people and have helped many and have changed so many lives. Thank you again for all that you've done. I'll never forget you guys.

-Ashten

Art by Rainbowmoonlightstar

Herdy said:

A Farewell to Nox:

SPOILER: Click to show

There is death in Neopia. It is a land of magic and beauty but sometimes, that magic is dark and the beauty is twisted. Sometimes, people leave us. For those left behind, grief can turn to rage and blame all too easily. Some cannot accept the truth, and work to return things to the way they were before.

For as long as there has been magic, there have been those who wished to undo death. To return their friends, their masters, even their enemies from the grave. But things once lost can never be regained. Change, however minor, is forever.

This is a tale of Hubrid Nox. And what his followers did next.

***

Neovia was dark at that time of year. Darker than usual, at least. Between the mists and the howls from the woods beyond, most people stayed indoors during the witching hour. All except for one.

The cloaked figure made his way through the winding streets, glancing behind him as he went. Not a night to be followed. Not a night to be caught.

He ducked down an alley, finding a heavy bolted door. There was a slit in it, allowing the people inside to see out into street without opening. A sure sign that the occupants are up to no good.

The cloaked figure knocked twice - hard knocks that echo in the mist.

The slit moved back, two eyes staring out into the night from within.

“What?” the man inside demanded.

“I have information you’ll find interesting,” the figure in the cloak said.

“Not tonight, you don't,” the doorman replied.

“Please,” the figure said. “Magax is on his way here, he knows what you are planning.”

The man inside looked worried for a few seconds.

“He’ll be here too late to stop us,” he said. “We’re too far along now.”

“You don't know what he's got with him,” the figure said. “It could stop everything you’ve worked for. Please, just let me speak with Artemis.”

The doorman seemed to relent a little at the sound of the name.

“If you’re on our side, you’ll know the password,” he said. “Give it to me, and I’ll show you inside.”

“Nox lives,” the figure said, not missing a beat.

The doorman nodded, closing the slit in the door. A moment later, the locks inside began to slide back. The door opened inwards, revealing the yellow Nimmo inside.

“Just who are you anyway?” he asked. “And why are you helping us?”

The cloaked figure dropped his hood - a blue Wocky with a distinctive scar running down his face. One the Nimmo recognised. The fear in the Nimmo's face lasted only an instant - the Wocky discharged a blast of green magic, knocking the doorman back against the wall.

“My name is Magax,” the Wocky said, stepping over the unconscious body. “And I'm here to see an old friend.”

Down the passage there was a central room - large, probably the building’s old dining room before it had been repurposed. Now, the furniture had been removed and it hosted a circle of robed figures. A grey Techo stood in the centre of them, a ragged black book in his hands. There had been discussion before Magax entered, but it stopped abruptly as soon as they noticed his presence.

“So the traitor comes,” the Techo mocked. “Trying to stop us at the final hour, Magax? A task set you by the Brute Squad?”

“This is a personal errand,” Magax growled in response. “Give me the book, Artemis, and we’ll say no more about it.”

“This book?” Artemis asked innocently. “So you know what it is?”

“Loosely,” Magax replied.

“Then you don't know anything,” Artemis laughed. “It’s Kayannin, you know? Hubrid found it, before his untimely death. It details a rite - so powerful as to prevent the death of the user. A means of returning them from the grave. You’ve seen the ghost that now roams Neopia, yes? A fragment of his soul, trapped here by the magic of the spell. An anchor - and we, the League of Nox, will pull that thread and return our glorious master to life.”

“No, you won’t,” Magax replied. “I’m here to stop you.”

The glow of green magic returned to his hand, forming his fabled Darklight Axe. Then, it all happened in an instant. The gathered robed cultists all converged on Magax as Artemis moved backwards - he began to chant from the book as Magax fought back his attackers, the tingle of magic filling the room.

Up above them all, a ghostly form materialised - Hubrid Nox, the vampiric Chia. Or rather, what was left of him. His ethereal form looked almost sad, somehow, at the proceedings. Gradually, he was being drawn down towards Artemis and the book as the spell worked to make him whole once more.

A bright green flash filled the room as Magax expended most of his magic to force his attackers back, leaving just him and Artemis.

“You don’t understand what you’re doing!” he shouted.

“I understand more than enough, traitor!” Artemis replied.

“You think so?” Magax shouted. “I was Hubrid's apprentice - I followed him for years. You think I didn't know about the Kayannin anchor? I helped him make it, for Fyora’s sake! But Hubrid was wrong - that's why I left. This thing, it doesn't make you immortal. What it brings back from the other side - it isn’t a soul. It’s something far worse. Why do you think the Kayannin died out?”

“Then... if you don't believe this will bring Hubrid back, why are you here?” Artemis demands.

“Look at him!” Magax said. “Just look at him, Artemis. He’s been trapped here for almost five years. Can’t you see his pain? I'm here to release him.”

Artemis looked up towards the still descending figure.

“No,” he shouted. “You’re here to kill him!”

“Exactly.”

Magax darted forwards, slicing his axe towards the book and cutting it. The injury is enough, the magic is released in a shockwave that sends both Magax and Artemis to the floor.

Magax looked up at the ghost of Hubrid Nox, now fading. For a moment, the Chia looked relieved.

***

“Sometimes people die. Things change, and for those left behind there is nothing but grief. We rage against it all, but even if we were to get back what we had lost, it would never be the same again. Not truly. Now you’re gone. And this time, there simply is no way back.”

Magax walked closer to the grave, a single flower in his hand. A ghostly pink orchid.

“You always wanted immortality, Hubrid. But the truth of it is that while nothing lives forever, as long as there is a single person left who remembers you, then you never die. I may not have always agreed with you, old friend, but for better or worse... I am what I am today because of you. Entirely. I’ll never forget you, Hubrid. And I hope... I hope that is enough.”

He placed the flower down against the headstone.

“Goodbye, old friend.”

Ian Wolf-Park said:

To the esteemed members of the Neopets Team,

It must have been a whirlwind of a day when you guys found out that you no longer held a job with the site. Despite the mainly negative reaction to the news by the community, I want to let you guys know that you will hold memories dear to our hearts.

I’m probably one of the many Neopians who first joined soon after the site was launched by Borovan (Adam) and Pop Tart (Donna). I was not that active back then, but I still did my best on my now deleted/purged account, bradid. If there’s one thing that I remembered from my ‘first’ visit to the site, it was the Ski Lodge Murder Mystery. Despite getting a participation badge (if memory serves me well), it was a badge of honour.
Fast forward to 2007. I had quietly left the site prior for various reasons, but a university friend reintroduced me to it (sadly, not by the referral system). My first reaction was ‘Wow, so much has changed since I left’. However, with my hiatus (if you can call it that), that meant that I had missed out on several site events/plots and the controversy surrounding the sale to Viacom. Looking back now, that may have been a blessing in disguise for me as it meant I was not clamouring for the past as other users may have done once the sale was finalized.

With the ‘second’ visit, I ended up being more active than my now purged account, participating in more site events such as the Altador Cup. On another note, you guys ended up being one of the catalysts that ended up jump starting (no pun intended) my fledging career as a writer. If it was not for the Neopian Times editor, Droplet, accepting my first series ‘Lupe Pack Detectives-Case of the Missing Statue’, I would not have discovered the NTWF and discovered like minded people. With that being said, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without the NTWF being there to support me with my endeavours, I probably would have not lasted as long on both sites as I did, eight years (and counting).

Despite the various highs and lows over the years, if there’s one thing that you do best, it’s the fact that you inspire people, whether it’s hope, creativity, or something completely different and the best part is you do not have to look that far to see that. The proof is in the site itself, even though it is now in different hands and you’re no longer a part of it.

I wish you guys the best of luck in the future. Who knows, we may even cross paths again, one way or another, even if we don’t know it.

Lupe_hunter_7

Breakingchains said:

***HAPPY THOUGHTS***

Well, TNT, I'm sitting here trying to think of the words to say to convey what you guys and your work have meant to me over the years. I have been a Neopets player since 2001; when I was young, I was kind of "the weird kid", and I often felt lonely. It wasn't long after my family first got internet access that I discovered two things: first off, I wasn't alone, and the internet was swarming with other kids. (Even other weird kids!) Second, every one of them seemed to have a "My neopet!" badge, proudly displayed on their single-page websites amid animated backgrounds and glitters. It was after seeing about the dozenth badge that I decided to click.

Within a year, my entire family was playing. I spent hours racking up neopoints on the flash games, often a mere 200 at a time; I painted my gelert cloud, my shoyru silver, my zafara Christmas. I freaked out when I found a poisonous lollipop, sure I was one mistaken click from killing my neopet. I remember when Meridell was discovered; I remember when Jeran fell from the citadel and my little heart just about stopped. I remember the release of Neoquest. I bought and traded, collected items, set goals and met them. I remember the lore and the memes and the strange running jokes. I bought the plushies. I entered the beauty contest and read NT comics every week. I talked to others and joined a guild and I stopped being lonely.

As time went on a lot of new and shiny games came out. MMOs boomed, facebook games and mobile games exploded, the console wars continued to do their thing. I played all of these things. I must have played, loved, worn out, and gotten sick of hundreds of different games. But something always kept me going back to Neopets. There was a particular element of fascination to that site that nobody could manage to replicate; a certain something there that never wore out. It'd be easy to sit here and speculate what that thing is but this is for certain: it came directly from you guys.

Every one of you contributed to that weird and wonderful site that kept on pulling me back. I've been playing neopets for 15 years out of my 25; your work has added things to my life. The memories of your plots and your characters are still as fresh in my mind as ever but even past that, there were significant concrete effects on my skillset and my character. As a writer, the Neopian times helped me learn new skills; drawing, well, I'd probably have just completely given up on it without the beauty contest. Petpages and userlookups taught me to code. All the shinies and goodies to save up for taught me to work for the things I wanted, to set goals and make solid plans to reach them. From Adam and Donna to every programmer who ever fixed a bug, the neopets team shaped my experience of growing up in ways I can't forget.

So this letter is my thanks to every single one of you. I know there were times when that office must have been crazy. I remember a "riot" one day on the neoboards that got them closed down for two days. I remember the hysteria and a new rumor every week and the neopocalypses. But you guys still cared about your work and your users, and worked so hard on the constant fresh content and the "WHY is the code doing that, WHY!?" moments and the mass panics and the meepit invasions. I'm grateful to you guys, for your willingness to do something so unique and to make a game worth playing for so many years. You did so much and you did it with flair, with that goofy epic spirit that cannot be duplicated. That spark isn't part of Neopets, specifically, so much as it is part of all of you; for that reason, I know that any other projects you go on to do will continue to capture the imagination, and to inspire creativity in others.

Now I am going to stop before this gets so corny you could stuff it in a bag and pop it in the microwave. Thank you, TNT; never underestimate the impact of your work and your creativity. I wish every one of you the very best.

Art by mac

thedoggirl said:

Dear TNT,

As of now, I have been on Neopets for about 5.5 years. Through the years, I have enjoyed the panicked rush of the Daily Dare, the intriguing plots and much more, admiring the creativity of users and staff alike. All of the events captured my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

The biggest plot I was a part of was The Faeries’ Ruin. Oh, that plot! I had so much fun reading it and participating in the activities. My cousin guessed that Xandra was a villain, but I was sure fooled! (I’d probably try to deny it if she tried to bring it up.) From the prize shop, I got the coveted Faerie Paint Brush. I had planned to paint my Xweetok Faerie if I ever got the chance. It made me so happy.

I love all of my Neopets. My first Neopet was a red Lupe. I had based his design and personality partly on one of my former dogs. He has since passed away, but my Neopet reminds me of him. That makes me smile. I adopted my Xweetok from the pound and based her personality on the person I want to be: kind, strong and confident. My Bori is smart and dignified. My Ogrin is silly and spontaneous. These characters are cherished…. I love to write about them and share my joy.

The Neopian Times holds a special place in my heart. I wanted to be a part of that…. to bring my beloved pets’ stories to life. Finally, I submitted a series and it was accepted. I had been so excited. My dream had come true! Looking back at it, it is in no way perfect; however, it strengthened my interest in writing. I wanted to do better, to write more! So I did. I found kind users who took the time to give me feedback and encourage me.

I hope you all know how much you are appreciated. Every one of you worked so hard to keep this beloved site the best it could be. Every one of you has so much talent. I know you can do great wherever you end up. Thank you for putting your time into Neopets—whether it was a few years or a decade. May your new chapters in life be filled with wonderful opportunities and happiness.

Thank you. ~Gina (thedoggirl_97)

Tiger said:

My name’s Tiger. I love stories, and it turns out, a huge part of mine intersects with a part of yours.

Some eleven years ago, I’d just moved to a new town. I managed to make a friend, and she introduced me to Neopets. My first pet was a yellow Kougra I adopted from the pound. Like I said, I like stories – so when I found out about descriptions and petpages, I was immediately interested. This of course necessitated learning html and css (This will be a plot point later).

Before I really got into the html and css, though, there was a more obvious place to tell stories – the Neopian Times. I was not a good writer - way more telling than showing, cliche plotlines, cheesy dialogue...I’m also pretty sure having dual-colored pets was against the rules even back then.

But you published me anyway, and ran a twelve-part series about a starry Kougra and a magical necklace. It was the first time I’d published something outside of a class project, and wow did it feel good.

Some people enjoyed it enough to send me mail, even, and among those messages was an invitation to the Neopian Times Writer’s Forum. It took a while, but I eventually joined it. Today, the community is still going strong, and I’ve made some amazing friends and participated in some amazing stuff there – and it would never have happened if not for your website with its newspaper of user-contributions, something I have yet to see even close to replicated on any other pet site.

As time went on. I created more pets, and wanted to write stories for them. There the petpages and descriptions were, blank and just waiting to be coded. I got back into coding, devouring your html tutorial and learning about css (to this day, css calls to mind a royalgirl Kougra named csshelp, from whose petpage I learned a great deal of coding).

High school came, and I was still writing, but in my junior year I realized how risky it was to try and bank a career on publishing novels. I needed a new plan – and, well, I’d always liked coding. So I went into college studying computer science, and about two years ago, got an internship as a web developer. I’ve learned a lot from them, too – but I can’t forget that it was your choice to offer a place for users to build webpages from scratch that gave me the opportunity and motivation to learn most of what I needed to know in the first place.

I’m still writing - much better these days - and still coding - much better these days as well - and I have an online community of friends who I can talk to while I’m chained to the computer working on novels and webpages and definitely not ever procrastinating by playing on the internet.

So it was very, very sad news to hear that so many of the people who really helped inspire important parts of my life had been suddenly let go. Neopets has always been a pinnacle of a virtual pet site, and one I’ve assumed I’d never leave - and a huge part of that was the team behind it.

Nobody’s really sure where the site goes from here, but regardless - I wanted to thank you all for making a site that was not only such great fun to play, but also had such a huge impact on my life. I can safely say I would not be where I am today without you all. I wish you all the best for the future – wherever you end up is going to be very lucky to have you.

Nut said:

Dear TNT,

I don’t know where to begin this. I’ve had weeks to participate in this project and I’ve held off until the last minute because I can’t find the words. I want, of course, to thank everyone who has worked at Neopets for so long and helped shape the site over the years. I would not be who I am today if not for the talented and creative minds at Neopets, and wherever life takes me in the future, I will always be grateful to Neopets for being a safe and encouraging creative outlet for me in my early years. The site’s existence was a gift to me and many, many other people; thank you for being there for us for so long.

Neopets has been a part of me for half of my life now. I joined the site when I was 11; it was the first online community I was ever an active participant in. At the time, I was on a dial-up connection and I was only allowed to use the internet for an hour every day, and it had to be after a certain time in the evening so the connection wouldn’t block important calls from coming through the family phone line. I remember how eagerly I looked forward to that time every day, how I would read a page or two in a comic book while I waited for the screeching sounds from the dial-up modem to stop, and how after each day’s session I would fill my journal with excited notes about what I got from the dailies or what games I played instead of writing about my real life.

I spent all my free time drawing pictures of my pets or making up stories about them, long before I had any notion of what a fan community was. I filled about 500 pages with handwritten stories about my pets, which were too childish and inane to ever try to publish on the site, but which I still have collected into three binders on my shelf because the nostalgia is too much to let them go. I spent hours sitting in the kitchen scribbling little cartoons about my pets:



Whenever I had a couple of hours to kill listening to a long talk, I would draw group pictures:







I wasn’t the kind of kid who talked to people or participated in anything; I didn’t like to show people my work or do much but sit away by myself reading or making things. But seeing user-submitted creative content getting featured on Neopets and rewarded with site prizes gave me a motivation I hadn’t had before. When I got my first acceptance letter from the Neopian Times when I was 12, I was so excited I could barely think about anything else; it felt like being recognized and acknowledged, like being published for real for the first time, and that kind of positive feedback was a huge inspiration to me and a lot of young artists and writers back then. I want to thank TNT so much for going out of their way to recognize and reward user-made content, for not only creating and sharing their world full of characters and lore but encouraging others to add to it and make it bigger, broader, more real. That early recognition helped many of us develop the courage we needed to put our work out there in the world outside of Neopets, as well.

I want to thank TNT for working so hard to always bring us new content and things to do. Even when we complained or criticized, it gave us something to talk about, to bring us together and distract us from real life for a while. Neopets gave me community and friendships to fall back on when things in real life were difficult; for a long time, no matter where I went in the world, it felt like my home that I could always come back to and be welcomed and supported. The community I became part of thanks to Neopets was one of the most supportive and encouraging environments I’ve ever known, and I’ve made some of my longest-lasting and most important friendships because of it. I can’t imagine my life if Neopets hadn’t been there.

I want to thank the people who ran the creative contests for giving me the reward incentive I needed to keep making things, and for having the good judgment to reject the worst stuff—over the years there have been so many things I occasionally remember and cringe over, thinking, “I can’t believe I submitted that.” In my early, more arrogant years the rejections were reminders that I could do a lot better, and in later years the acceptances were welcome reassurance at times when the competition and criticism in the rest of the world had shaken my self-confidence. I loved that the way they were judged made it equally possible to use Neopets contests as serious practice for creative work as well as to cut loose and just have fun. Although they were contests, I never felt a strong vibe of competition; the user communities behind them tended towards support and collaboration, and it was truly a joy to be involved. Thank you, TNT, for inspiring a community spirit that I can only hope to find again elsewhere.

Thank you to all the staff members who took the time to interact with users; getting a sense of their personalities and the real people behind the website was a huge part of my enjoyment of the community and made the site feel more real and human. Thank you also to all the staff members constantly doing work behind the scenes to keep everything running so we could count on the site to be there for us. And thank you to the people who made stuff on the Artists’ Days Off, whoever you were, because those were truly my favorite holidays in the entire existence of the site and the results need to be immediately framed for posterity.

(...On a more personal note, if this gets to them, thank you to Snarkie for liking my Obelisk War drawing that had a Portal 2 reference, I was incredibly flattered to see that on tumblr /////; Also Droplet thank you for changing that comic thumbnail image for me way back when, I am sorry I never replied to your PM but it actually surprised me so much when you said you like seeing my comics that I didn’t know how to respond but thank you for that also!! ////)

Thank you, TNT, for giving me and many other people a safe and supportive place to grow up, one that encouraged our talents and helped us see what we were capable of. Thank you for helping to raise part of a generation of creative people; you will always be one of my first and main inspirations and I hope to keep spreading the things I’ve learned from you. I wish all of you the best wherever you go and I hope the future brings you someplace awesome.

Thank You TNT by Mail

Manglekit said:

Thank you for creating a fun environment where I could meet new and exciting people and form friendships that I otherwise would not have formed.

Vanessa1357924680 said:

I remember, back in sixth grade, listening to a few kids discuss some odd website. As I eavesdropped, I distinctly heard them mention the word "jelly" and was convinced that I had overhead them incorrectly. I eventually realized the website was called neopets, and I immediately created an account in computer class.

My friends help me start my account. They sent me extra items, and told me which games were the best. But by far, my favorite part of the site was The Neopian Times. I was in awe at the authors who had published so many stories, and it became my goal to get published as well. My first story--a short two-part series starring faeries-- was published April 8, 2005. You can never know how happy I was when that first story was published--I ran out of the computer room and startled my mom who was blow-drying her hair in the bathroom! And I still get excited every time a story of mine is accepted. Getting a custom picture, quote of the week, or even just a neomail about my story, always had the power to brighten my day. And I really want to thank all of TNT that was involved in the NT. You helped foster a love of creative writing in me and in several people I know. Thank you so much and good luck with all your new endeavors.

Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff) said:

I wandered, lonely, trying to find
My place on Neopets, until
A host of Chias took me in,
And I, a poet, live there still.

Breik, Breik, Breik
Against the cold, grey minds, to free
A drop of clarity, a race
Rewarded with the silver face
Not many can obtain.

“Hannah,” Small girl me
Rolled the stories in her mind.
“Can I be like her?”

No pirate treasure
Inside New York City but
I could find my own.

Tentative pen strokes
Lurching on the flight back home
About Blumaroos

Alstaf Poogle’s card
Mine at last! A far cry from
My beginning verse.

Coloring the lines
Not inside or outside them
I’m on a tightrope

Refrigerator
Gallery—In, 20 times.
Maybe I’ll draw more.

Unbeknownst to me
You’ve been my teachers and I
Can draw, write, speak, be.

There’s the last collab, up there on the wall
Marked Six-Three-Oh. ‘Twas Halloween week. Call
It what you will, as one our keyboards clicked,
Ribboning what wrapped up the story. Quick,
Before you nod and move along, take note
Of friendship and more coaxed from nervous throats.
In stories told, newness may spawn. You bet
This collaboration tale’s not done yet.

Art by Shinko

Chuckie_the_clown said:

I wish I could write poetry or a story, draw a picture or in some way creatively express my thanks to the TNT team who led Neopets for so long and now have been laid off. I am not that creative so instead I will express my thanks in words, however, simple they are.

I have been with Neopets for almost 10 years and joined at the request of my sister. I completed plots, played games, entered contests and stayed up way too late too many nights to complete a task. I collected items, built a fishy gallery, dressed my pets and spent way too much money. I whined and complained when problems occurred and insisted I would quit if TNT did not solve a problem. But I stayed.

In ten years, in my real life, I experience many challenges from cancer to job changes to the losses of friends and family and through them all I could come to Neopets and let them all go for a while. I still look at my first neopet -- my beautiful uncoverted Kougra --
MyTushie, and I smile. I laugh that I stopped going to Turmaculus
because I loved my petpet too much. I dearly hold onto to my
wonderfully creative utility fish even though people offer to buy them
all the time.

I may not have the most creative gallery or an amazing look-up or an
incredible pet page, but I have memories...good, no, I would say, great
memories.

I have TNT to thank for that. All I can offer is my heartfelt thanks to
all of the team. Actually, I will also offer a few words of
encouragement from someone who survived a layoff.


You will survive. At times, you will doubt yourself and your abilities,
but remember, you have something special and you have done something
special. On the days you wonder if life will get better, remember you
gave us great memories, you made us laugh, and you made us think.


Thank you, TNT, thank you. You have much to be proud of.

Amaya said:

A Storm to Weather

SPOILER: Click to show

Rain battered against the panes of the café whilst Tamius gloomily spooned more stew into his mouth. Having got the notice just this morning, he realised that he should have been expecting it. It’s not as though he is one of the more indispensable employers. The idea of losing his job to a much younger and more qualified employer made his heart burn with the unfairness of it all and then guilt burdened for even feeling that way. What complicated it all was that he knows that his family’s lifeline is threatened with that notice, they may have to take the children out the school that they’re attending and he’ll most probably have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Provided he can even get a job first, given that it is not easy to get employed these days.

“How am I going to tell them?” thoughts were interrupted by
“Tamius, that seat taken?”

Tamius looked up to see one of the senior employers from his department; Serge eyeing the empty seat opposite him.

“No Serge, go ahead.”

“Thanks,” Serge sighed, took his seat and dug into his meal.

For a while both sat in silence as Tamius finished his stew and Serge was halfway through his meal before he commented “Some weather today, huh?”

“Yeah, some weather,” agreed Tamius politely but with non-committance.

“And by the looks of it, you’re having tough day too. I take you got the notice?”

“Well…” there was no point hiding it. It’s not as though telling would change the fact that he is about to lose his job. Besides, he didn’t mind telling Serge; since he’s one of those seniors who would and went out of their way to help any of the new recruits.

“Yeah. I guess I am making that pretty obvious.”

“I’ll say. Oh well, you’re not the only one though. Shouldn’t be a surprise, with all that upheaval and changes in management end of last year.”

“Huh. Anyone that you know of that’ll have to leave?”

“Let’s see… As far as I know for now; five from accounting, three from management and three more from our department aside from you and me.”

“What?? You too?” Tamius asked in shock.

“Yup, me too.”

“But, you seem to be taking all this quite well,” remarked Tamius.

“Really? Hmm… maybe it’s because I anticipated something of this sort to come? Then again, this has happened to me before… not that it makes my second time any easier though,” laughed Serge.

“No… it probably won’t.” replied Tamius, not sure whether to be stunned about the fact that his senior had once (or twice in this case) lost his job or that he was laughing about it. He knows for a fact that the Gelert has to support a bigger family than his, Tamius would have thought that Serge will have more to worry about and told him so.

“That is true. It doesn’t make it easier that I do have an extra two more mouths to feed since that other job. But I know all this will eventually work out.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, for one thing, I’ve got family support. It’s really heartening when you feel hopeless about your situation and you weren’t sure how they would take it. I mean, the pups all were willing to have a cut in their allowance and Aliya; you met her during the company annual dinner, right? She even looked for and worked part time jobs to help with the expenses. And that was during the first job loss, so I can be sure of it. What more this time round, the two older pups can help out more around the house now and I know my younger brother can be relied on to help in any way if need arises.”

“Wow… Hopefully my family will be as supportive as yours…”

“I don’t know about that. But if what I’ve heard from you and seen during annual dinner is right, you’ll be more than fine on that front. So, no worries!”

“Well, there’s also the worry that-”

“That you might not be able to land yourself a job?” Tamius nodded.

“I’ll admit that I am also nervous about my chances in landing another decent paying job this time and even more so with my age. To be honest, I may not get as good a pay as I am getting here. But I’ve experienced this before, so I know of people and places to find out about any job openings. Helps that I’ve have gained experience in three different companies already, including the one where I had my first job loss and this one.”

“Really? But what if I don’t have the skills for the job required or something…”

“About that… a friend of mine went for workshops and seminars to improve his writing skills while he was on the lookout for job openings. If anything, I would take leaf out of his book. When you’re not busy with work, you’re free to do pretty anything to improve or learn any skills that can be of help.”

“Hmm. Never thought of it in that way…” Tamius mused with a little less worry in his demeanour now that he has some ideas to handle his problem.

Serge looked over the young Vandagyre, knowing that he had helped a fellow employer in some way through this talk with him and through that, felt a warmth within him that the rainy day wouldn’t chill. As the lunch hour drew to a close, both senior and junior employer left the café with agreements to help each other out in weathering the storm their notices brought, knowing that they’ll be able to overcome it.




***I want to apologise first, if this story was inaccurate or insensitive in any way in portraying the issue of job loss. However, I do hope it was encouraging in some way. And I also want to thank the staff who will be leaving, for all their work and time in Neopets. Many thanks for being a part of my growing years, for creating a place where I can unwind, a place where I can escape from the scary place that is the Internet for a while and for giving us a place where we can hone our creative and IT skills.***

Art by June Scarlet

Geo 🇺🇦 🌻 said:

When the Weewoo Sings

SPOILER: Click to show

There in the grassy prairies of Meridell, on top of a small rolling hill, sits a lone oak. If one only glanced at this oak, they might have missed a nest full of White Weewoos. You see, this family of Weewoos has called this lone tree their home for many years, perhaps even before the discovery of the White Weewoo.

The Weewoos seem to go about their business throughout the night, but shortly before dawn,
they fill the area with a soothing melody. The song is the same each time, ever since they’ve
lived there. It brings back nostalgic feelings of the many years I have made Neopia a home.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of my first Neopet.
His name has long slipped my mind,
But I do remember that he was a Green Lupe.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of my newbie days.
When trips to the Soup Faerie,
were the norm for my pets

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of the epic Lost Desert plot.
Although I never finished it,
Because I was certain my hours were 2am-3am.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of my former guilds.
Despite lots of drama,
I made quite a few Neofriends.

When the Weewoo sings,
I remember my Neofriends.
Many have left Neopia,
But I still try to keep in touch.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of all the HTML and CSS I learned.
Thanks to you guys,
I now code for a living.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of my Neopian Times debut.
Sometimes I still cringe at my old writing,
But all writers started somewhere.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of the NTWF and JCW.
Two awesome writing communities,
That encouraged me to keep writing.

When the Weewoo sings,
I remember the Altador Cup.
Where my loyalty to the faeries,
Seemed amusing to the Krawk Islanders.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of The Faeries’ Ruin.
My favorite plot of all time,
Because Queen Fyora is my favorite Neopian.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am reminded of your patience,
Because I wasn't an angel,
But you gave warnings and many chances.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am thankful.
All these years we great,
Because you all worked hard.

When the Weewoo sings,
I am realizing how much I will miss you all.
Best of luck in future endeavors,
And thanks again for all the good times.

Hi TNT! I'm not so great with the whole "words" thing so I'll try to keep this short, but I just have to thank every one of you guys for making Neopia what it is - the lore, events, art, and everything else! The stories and characters you created, besides being really awesome, have played a huge part in inspiring me to draw and make stories myself - actually, the fanart I submitted to the Neopian Times and Art Gallery was some of the first stuff I ever shared with other people on the Internet, which was a really cool experience! So, thank you all for being the life behind this world and community for so many years, and for giving us your characters to play with. I've drawn so many things because of you guys! Thank you so much!!

Wintersunboheme said:

I have been playing Neopets on and off for a very long time. I have seen the side bar change. I have seen lands emerge and Faerieland fall to the ground. Through everything, the TNT has always been there. It makes me very sad to think that you are not there any more. I will miss all the personalities that mixed together to give Neopets a sense of community. Nothing was ever dull or dry; there was always flair and character in everything. You will all be missed very much. I tell myself that change is not a bad thing, but its hard to see things change so much in so little time. I wish all of you all the best in life. I wish you all the happiness that Neopets has given me over the years. I hope that you find yourselves in a better place after all of this. Goodbye and good luck.

Art by Komori

Carolyn said:

It’s hard to believe that almost a decade has passed since I first joined Neopets. So many great memories have been forged over the years. From wonderful neofriends—some of which I’ve maintained contact with for well over eight years!—to incredible plots, Neopets has been the source of joy for countless Neopians throughout the ages. None of this would be possible without the TNT staff, an impressive bunch of fun-loving and talented people with a true passion for bringing Neopia to life. I wish I could list every single moment in which your staff has left an impact on my life, but I’m afraid that might drag on for too long. Instead, in no particular order, let me list for you a few of my favorite memories.

1) The Neopian Times, Mr. Coconut (and the many NT gags). Let me just start off by thanking your staff for creating the Neopian Times. Truly, your newspaper changed my life and the lives of countless other players. Submitting through this venue gave me the confidence to share my work, but far more importantly, it showed me that writing could be fun—should be fun—and that anyone could be a writer if they had a drive to improve and a love of the subject. Your editor, Droplet, is enthusiastic, encouraging and caring. She has themed the Times on multiple occasions around user-suggested topics, and provided the positive reinforcement that every artist needs to grow. Her work is just one example of many in which your staff has gone above and beyond to make Neopets the wonderful creative outlet that it is. And who could forget Mr. Coconut? Born of an editorial question, this flamboyant, hard-shelled fruit has shown he means business. My twin (he also plays Neopets) and I still end our phone conversations with GOOD NIGHT, mr. coconut almost every time, and we don’t plan on breaking tradition any time soon!

2) Mr. Insane’s Plot Beard. Okay, so I know this is a bizarre one to mention, but years after TFR, I can still vividly remember the half-shaven face of Mr. Insane. Snarkie, I recall, was in the background, desperately trying to stop her colleague from doing the unthinkable. Was it goofy? Very much so. But that’s part of what made it so endearing. Given how quickly those comic pages were published, I’m sure your staff pulled many late nights to provide us with, in my opinion, the best plot ever published on the site (and that’s coming from a diehard Darigan Citadel fan, too). The boards said it all: “epic.” And you know what? It was. But so is the staff that made it all happen. Who else but TNT could make such an engaging storyline? With puzzles galore, unforgettable characters, and the BEST. TWIST. EVER. Chapter 13 page 2, enough said. That image will live on in Neopian history as the most amazing moment ever. It’s been five years now (crazy, right?) but I can still look back on those months during the Faerie’s Ruin and smile. Your team should be proud of their accomplishments; they won’t be forgotten, that I can promise you.

www.neopets.com/faerieland/tfr/beard.phtml

3) Artist’s Day Off is a testament to your team’s humor. These works of creative genius never fail to brighten my day. It is plain to see your staff had a blast with the news on these occasions and, trust me, so did the players. You’ll be happy to know that Snarkie’s “how to draw a pet rock” tutorial inspired me to draw a creation of my very own. Perhaps it pales in comparison to the masterpiece shown within the guide, but it remains on the fridge as a constant reminder of the days when programmers, support team, and perhaps even the famous Lawyerbot had their chance to share their creative visions with the site.
www.neopets.com/art/petpets/rock.phtml

4) It is astounding how many items your artistic team has made over the years. The fact that new NC items have been produced five days a week for over seven years speaks volumes of your team’s creative ability. Some of my favorite works include the Hanso wig (a classic! Who doesn’t love a little roguish charm?), the butterfly dress (seriously, though, that image is so intricate. The detail that went into that one dress is amazing), and the simple elegance of your rooftop background (Sherlock Holmes, anyone?). In addition, the Neopoints wearables you design (especially those multi-colored shrubs and various other foregrounds) provide an excellent alternative to NC items. Over all, the way your staff has handled customization is to be admired. Years after the mall has opened, NC is still an optional feature. You’ve created a game that anyone can enjoy, not just those with real world funds. It’s very much appreciated, I promise.

5) Staff tournaments have given us a peek at the personalities of your crew members. From the silly character quotes to the final prizes (the “TNT staff” still cracks me up) these tournaments provide all sorts of entertainment for your playerbase. Even better, these events give us a visual representation of your staff members—a face to a name. Coupled with the Altador Cup, it becomes even easier to form a personal connection with your staffers. Comastar, you’ll forever be known as Krawk Island’s MVP. And Snarkie? I’m sure Dr. Sloth is most pleased with your service to team Virtupets. Dragona, Dirigibles, Lawyerbot, Jimmy James, Bancha Ninja, Marketing Maggie… the list goes on, but even years later, I can clearly remember your team affiliations (and the fun neoboard users had backing their favorite staffers). So thank you, TNT, for giving us that personal connection.

6) Aaaah, April Fool’s Day, the most wonderful time of year. Neocharge, forced pet adoptions, Neoplants (one of which I subsequently named “Bob.” He wears a sombrero) and even the pick-a-prank joke all share one thing in common: a lasting memory. Now, I’ll be honest here, my friends and I had been really upset by Neocharge at the time of its creation. Yes, you got us all hook, line, and sinker. Looking back, I can laugh at how serious our reactions were. “If this isn’t gone by tomorrow, I’m going to leave the site!” I recall my real world friend, also a Neopian at the time, shrieking. Three girls of fourteen, all of us relatively new players, heartily agreed with her sentiment. It has been over eight years since that fateful day. …I still remember it like it was yesterday. Now that I’m the last of our trio to stay with the site, it serves as a reminder to how we bonded over Neopets. This is even more the case now that we’ve all gone our separate ways in life, separated by hours of travel time. To the many Neopians who have seen real life friends come and go here, I’m sure you can relate. Neopets will continue to be a reminder of—dare I say—“the good old days,” and I’ll remember them fondly as I age with the site.

Trust me, TNT, you have done so much for your players. We’re so thankful to have shared these memories with your team.

GOOD NIGHT!

Fraze said:

After five years of friendship and three more of romance, I'm getting married this June. I met my eventual fiancee through Neopets, since we're both members of the Neopian Times Writers' Forum. We've each flown across oceans and continents to see each other, and have been living together for the past two and a half years. I'm now happy in a way I never really thought I would achieve.

I know you never intended to bring people together. "Neopets is not a dating service," the rules told us. And that's fine, it's understandable, and I think that's why things turned out for me the way they did. I met my best friend through Neopets, and eventually it turned out that I loved her. For that, I owe all of you my happiness. Thank you, so much.

(P.S.: We both still play Neopets.)

Art by Huntress

Pixie said:

Thank you so much TNT for all you have done throughout the years! I remember my first account and how much fun I had then even though I was totally clueless. I adored the faeries, their beauty and variety, so much and I still do adore them. I have changed a lot since then, but through it all there was always something worthwhile on neopets from me. I loved how you guys were always there for us.

I especially enjoy how vast and rich Neopia became. I think it’s an amazing and beautiful thing to have created a site with something for every sort to enjoy. I found fun games that were a respite from everyday life as I got older, and intriguing events or the tiniest of things that sent me into utter excitement. I liked the creative community I discovered when I came back as a teenager. I realized that Neopia was a catalyst for intriguing writing and gorgeous art. My newfound love for these parts of the site led me to places where I ended up making lots of close friendships.

I am very flighty, but Neopia had substance and potential all the same that was almost magnetic. I kept finding myself drawn back to a place that was exciting and grand and inspiring. It gave me a place to go to through all these years- something always new and innocent and exciting. Even if it wasn’t strictly new, there was always something to discover or rediscover. Many an afternoon was pleasantly spent with something like the Neoadventures or the creative tales in the Neopedia and the Neopian times.

I loved when you guys took something that the players liked and made it even more awesome. Like the Plumpy stuff or the Zafara Digger. I loved how Neopets had a playful and expressive air that led to it being both a great escape and a great source of inspiration that was ultimately a lot of fun.

Duke Pikachu said:

Characters’ Thoughts on TNT’s Farewell

SPOILER: Click to show

The departure of most members of TNT has been a shocking and sad experience for all Neopets players. For my farewell piece to TNT I thought I’d look through the eyes of several Neopets characters to see what they would have to say about it. To keep things going I had the characters talk about a certain aspect of the site, also in a way sharing my thoughts on it too. So without further adieu, Neopets characters thoughts on the people who created them leaving:

King Altador

“Truly I’m shocked to have heard such news. I remember how I and my kingdom were introduced at a time Neopets was expanding its reaches to other medias. A magazine, a trading card game, and even a game on the PlayStation 2 which was about Altador’s return to Neopia, “Neopets: The Darkest Faerie”. It was an exciting time and lead by the minds behind the site. We may have now gone down different crossroads, but as we both continue forward the memories they created will not be forgotten.”

The Brain Tree

“Even I, the smartest being in all of Neopia, would have never thought this could happen. In these moments I am thinking many things about them, but the most prevalent comes whenever a Neopian asks for a quest. Though I am the smartest being in all of Neopia, I’m not the only quest giver. TNT had provided plenty of competition, err, I mean fellow quests and other kinds of dailies and contests to keep Neopians coming back. Surely wherever TNT go next they’ll bestow upon them their knowledge and creativity. But Neopia has nothing to fear, as I am still here to provide my genius... as long as they feed the Esophagor two times to tell me when someone died within a certain amount of time. YES IT’S IMPORTANT I KNOW THIS!

The Duchess

“This... was an unexpected turn of events. I’ll need to meet with my agents after this. But for now, I guess I can share my personal thoughts on TNT considering the circumstance. While I and The Sway try to keep Neopia “organized”, I must admit that I admire TNT’s way of mixing things up. Take the War for the Obelisk as an example, out of nowhere a mysterious Obelisk appears which draws in not two or three but six factions, each with their own personality and lore, to fight in a never before seen six-sided war. And not soon after having introduced a new Battledome, no less. But not resting there, afterwards we got such events like the Spooky Food Eating Contest, The Coincidence, and Desert Diplomacy. They always did their best to keep things random, a bit to The Sway’s bother but alas we persevere. I wish TNT the best, their destiny is now in their own hands.”

Queen Fyora

“It’s with a heavy heart I have to bid farewell to TNT. I’m one of the oldest characters here, being around since the early days when we Faeries didn’t even have faces. I’ve witnessed most of the changes that have happened in Neopets and now looking back I’m surprised all the plots and events that have shaped Neopets into what it has become. Not only did they add but also changed, one needs to look no further than Faerieland for that. Who would have ever thought before the Faeries’ Ruin that the land best known for being a city in the sky would end up in a crater? It showed TNT weren’t afraid to change the status quo, which made Neopia feel like a living and ever changing world. May wherever TNT go they be blessed and successful. I’m sadden they had to leave during a Faerie-related event, but they left assuring Faerieland has been rebuilt which for I thank them.”

Governor Gavril McGill

“Real unfortunate, I wouldn’t have ever bet on it happenin’. TNT always had a way of surprising us Neopians, one day we’d be followin’ our daily routine and the next a giant squid is tearin’ apart Krawk Island. And after everything is cleaned up they have a nice new redesigned map ready to go. Havin’ put Krawk Island back together I can respect all the work they put into redesignin’ a map. Not only is it nice artwork, but they also manage to capture the feelin’ of that world too. And while most are done after big events such as with Krawk Island, Tyrannia, Faerieland, and Roo Island, that never stopped them from doin’ one just to surprise us like with Haunted Woods, Terror Mountain, and even Faerieland just before the Faeries’ Ruin. May they keep on workin’ to delightfully surprise wherever they go. That’s a bet I’d be glad to make.”

King Hagan

“With all the wisdom I have gathered I would have never predicted this happening. I’m not only speaking for Brightvale but as well for Meridell and Darigan Citadel as I can talk with less bias. Speaking of which, while I wisely chose to have Brightvale stay out of the first Meridell-Darigan War, the moral dilemmas behind it was rather interesting. While most two-sided wars had a good and evil side, the first Meridell-Darigan War was one of grey morality. Meridell stole the Darigan Citadel’s orb to heal their kingdom but ended up cursing the Darigans. Darigan Citadel is trying to get their orb back to lift the curse but are willing to destroy Meridell to do so. There was no good or bad, each side had their own reasons to fight which presented Neopians with a conflict of interests not presented to them before. TNT always tried to make us think, whether it be with puzzles or a story. May their wisdom guide them to a prosperous future.”

(Ghost of) Hubrid Nox

“Now that’s shocking. And here I thought I’d be the one to chase away TNT, but much like with my life that too has been taken from me. Words for the gone? Well they certainly weren’t afraid to shock us, present company as proof. Of course I was not the first character to be killed, many villains behind plots like Kass and Galem too perished. But no one saw my death coming, I was a mere casualty. Daring to take such risks as killing characters showed TNT had respect for Neopians to be able to accept such things. Of course that never stopped them from making macabre jokes about it either which some may say is another sign of respect. So go TNT, go out and spread your sardonic sense of humor to the masses! MUAWAHAHAHAHA!”

Igneot

“Had only if I asked the coals I would have known, but that would mean I thought it was possible. To think it was over 5 years ago when Moltara was introduced to Neopia and to this day still the newest land. No one was expecting a new world to come about from a small plot, let alone one like Moltara. An underground, steam punk city combined with a magma and obsidian village, it seems like an odd mash-up saying it out loud but TNT made it work and provided a whole new world of potential. TNT tried their hardest to make all the worlds intriguing and the Altador Cup had showed these efforts don’t go unnoticed. I’ve asked my coals about TNT’s future and they burned brightly, a very good sign.”

Hanso & Jazan

Hanso: I feel ridiculous.
Jazan: Now now, it’s for a good reason.
Hanso: And the reason is ridiculous too! How can they just let go of the people who helped make Neopets?
Jazan: It does seem odd, but it’s best not to focus on the past. Right now we’re here to talk about how great TNT made the Neopian Times.
Hanso: I’d rather talk about how great they made me into one of the most popular characters. *smirks*
Jazan: And I’d rather talk about how great they made Qasala, but we all can’t have what we want. In any case, the Neopian Times was something every Neopian looked forward to each week. It allowed the average Neopian to show off their writing and drawing skills with articles of interest, stories, and comics.
Hanso: Hey now, you’re forgetting everyone’s favorite section, the Editorials!
Jazan: I did not forget the Editorials, I was just saving the best for last. While I wouldn’t say it was everyone’s favorite section, it was a popular section. It allowed Neopians to directly ask questions to TNT and get answers, sometimes “creative” answers but that just added some charm to it I suppose.
Hanso: Of course TNT aren’t the only ones who answered questions.
Jazan: Yes, a few times TNT would get creative and let some characters answer questions, such as I and Hanso. It showed their clever and creative sense of humor.
Hanso: And let’s not forget all the memes that they created and referenced. Send them off, Mr. Coconut!

GOOD BYE, TNT!

Judge Hog

“It hits me harder than any villain could to hear such news. Though also a source of chaos, many of the stories TNT created showed they were defenders of justice and righteousness. Of course they knew even heroes need help and provided a way for Neopians to do so!... Oh, and I suppose also create an activity for Neopians to compete in. The Battledome is one of the main features of Neopets, being an integral part to several plots and events. Many Neopians spend a lot of their time training their Neopets, buying equipment, and of course battling challengers and other’s Neopets. It’s such a popular feature that TNT updated it a few years ago with animations, difficulty levels, prizes, and redone Faerie Abilities. It was a huge undertaking which turned out successful. Let wherever they go they continue to uphold their passion!”

Keeper of Time

“A sad thing to hear, especially with all the time they put into Neopets. I can speak of a few things about what TNT have accomplished. One of these things is how they put effort into making each species of Neopet look different and unique. I remember when they introduced the Bori to Neopia and how they involved our return in the Hannah and the Ice Caves plot, even offering a special Ice Bori. The Hissi was announced via a special message to Neopians, the Lutari are connected with the mysterious Lutari Island, Gnorbu came about because of a popular April Fool’s prank, and even the new Vandagyre was introduced during their big 15th Birthday celebration. They made all sorts of Neopets of shapes, sizes, and personalities. Let TNT carry with them this ability to create such varied and unique things and be remembered for them.”

Malkus Vile

“Ah, I heard about that. Real shame, TNT made a lot of nice items, and not just on Neopets. I remembered years ago when Neopets was at its height of popularity and they started to release many kinds of real life merchandise. They made real Plushies, plastic figurines, a TCG with multiple expansions, a magazine, and many other kinds of miscellaneous products. And of course they made sure each product came with a code you could use to redeem an item on Neopets, many of which I’ve personally had passed along my hands, hehe. I’m sure they’ll do fine wherever they go, you don’t get so popular by not knowing what you’re doing.”

King Roo

“My, what sad news. To think the people behind all the great games in Neopia are now gone. TNT were good game designers, able to create all variety of games. They made so many games that when the Games Room was redone and moved to Roo Island they based that year’s Daily Dare around it. But of course the games in the Game Room weren’t the only games TNT created, they also had games such as Key Quest, Neoquest, and how could I not mention Dice-A-Roo? With such creative minds I’m sure they’ll bring much fun and joy to what they do next. I think I need to play a few rounds of Dice-A-Roo to cheer me up a bit.”

Dr. Sloth

“WHAT?! TNT is... is gone? I-I didn’t know. I just finished planning my next invasion of their headquarters. Seems kind of pointless now that they’re not there... I suppose I should say a few words about my fallen foes. TNT were a worthy opponent, though they of course did not match my intelligence, together they made for a scrappy bunch that gave me some difficulties to deal with. Despite us being enemies that didn’t stop them from making me one of, no, THE greatest villain on Neopets, even honoring me with my own day. Yes, we have had plenty of grand battles, I being behind many of plots. My only regret is that it wasn’t I who defeated them. I guess that’ll do, now if you’ll excuse me, I need to be alone or a bit... *sniffle*”

Techo Master

“It is hard to believe as it is as hard to say goodbye. TNT not only worked hard, but they encouraged Neopians to work hard as well. Neopians are put in charge for caring for one or several Neopets to feed, to play with, and keep healthy. But not only that, TNT made sure to include many hobbies and goals they could do with their Neopets. Neopians could train and equip their Neopets for the Battledome, increase their Intelligence by reading books, morph and paint their Neopet with Morping Potions and Paint Brushes to become their desired Neopet, customise their Neopets with all sorts of clothing, and participate in competitions, events, and plots alongside. TNT worked to not only improve themselves but also teach Neopians how to improve. Though one door closes for TNT, I see many more opening or them.”

Me (Pikachu315111):

I couldn’t think of any better way to end this article but with my final thoughts. I could go on and have other characters talk about things like the Altador Cup and Advent Calendar, but I think I’ve covered mostly everything I wanted to say on the parts of the site. TNT, you did an amazing job with the site, who would have thought a simple virtual pet site would have blown up as it did and lasted this long? There have been many ups and downs, and many criticisms thrown your way, but know that those criticisms weren’t from malice but from love for the site and the work you did on it. Who knows what direction JumpStart plans on taking Neopets, but I think I can safely say that everyone will remember the Neopets you had made. You made Neopets into what it is, and it won’t be the same without your brand of creativity, drama, and humor. You had a good run TNT, but now you have the rest of your life ahead of you.

Art by The Scrac that Smiles Back

Celestial said:

Dear TNT,
I don't have a lot to say but nevertheless, I am very thankful for you and Neopets. I think it's probably fair to say that this website, with its creative contests and the encouragement of user generated content, has changed my life. Even since I was little, I loved making up stories but I never got the chance to every write them. I simply had no incentive, nor did I have the confidence. You gave me that incentive and a reason to overcome my insecurity with the Neopian Times. At first I tried comics, to no success, but then I got in with short stories. I still remember how exciting it was, to have a work that I had written be somewhere where people could read it. The few fanmails I got sent me over the moon. I actually felt like I had accomplished something wonderful, something which had been exclusive to other people but not for me. Writing was some otherworldly talent people had that I didn't. Except I did then.

That was about seven and a half years ago. I confess, I haven't done much with my writing abilities. I haven't gotten published, I haven't gone into creative writing as a field of study, nothing as life-changing as that. But nevertheless, I still am very grateful for helping me discover this hobby. Because writing is something that genuinely gives me pleasure, and you helped get the ball rolling. Perhaps one day I'll do something with it, perhaps I'll always just use it as something I do to entertain a small group of people I trust. But either way, thank you. I don't think I would have ever become a writer without the Neopian Times.

Even besides the NT, I'm just grateful for all your work on the site in general. It helped me a lot to have goals and work towards things, even something like a pixelated pretty picture of a pet, because it meant that I had something to strive for even when other things in my life weren't as great. At the end of the day, you've provided me with a lot of fun and entertainment, a nice distraction from everyday, dull life.

I've met a lot of great people in part thanks to Neopets too. And I'm very thankful for those friendships. These are friendships that were started on the basis of a virtual pet side yet they are still as important to me as my real life friends. And since I'm quite introverted, that is worth more to me than you can imagine.

I guess, between the writing, the goals and the friendships, you have helped shape me as a person? Which...yeah, I know it isn't much, one person, but it means a lot to me. You've made a difference.

I'm sorry to see you go but I won't forget what you've done. And I wish you luck on your endeavours, whatever they may be.

Best wishes,
Celestial, NTWF Mod.

Kozma said:

Dear TNT,

Like so many other Neopets users, I would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication in making Neopets into what it was. I have been a continuous Neopets player since 2000 and I have experienced all the wonderful features the site has to offer; from the games to the world of Neopia and the plots and site events. You guys have created so many fantastic adventures for me and my pets to enjoy, such as the Battle for Meridell to the wonderful Lost Desert Plot and the amazing Faeries' Ruin. These past 15 years have been a wonderful experience for me and it is all due to your work on Neopets.

Neopets has been one of my favorite things in my life and Neopia is most certainly my favorite fantasy world. I'm quite sad to see that you won't be working on it anymore. The site has been a great inspiration to me to express my own creativity. Because of Neopets, I am interested in art, writing and storytelling. I have tried many things since I found the site; things that I probably wouldn't have tried if Neopets hadn't existed so without Neopets, I'd hardly be expressing my creativity at all. I guess the only thing to say is thank you for opening up my creative side.

Neopets has meant a lot to me. My pets themselves are very important to me. They are my original characters that I have developed and grown over the years. They have been on many adventures; adventures that you have provided them with via plots and site events. I have had an amazing time with my pets thanks to what you all have done and I just want to thank you for this as well.

My pets would like to thank you as well for all the adventures they've had. My wocky, Eevee and his friend, Zapphire the zafara, have been working together for many plots and site events. They've battled together in many wars and solved many puzzles together. They loved everything you've done these past 15 years and they would have loved to see more adventures from you. We are all sad that you have had to go.



Thanks again for making Neopets into what it has been for the past 15 years. Your hard work has meant a lot to me and many other users and we are all saddened at these recent events behind the scenes. We can only say thank you for all that you have done for us and Neopets and good luck in your future endeavors. We hope that good things await you all and we'll miss you very much.

Take care,
Kozma

Art by Twillie

saramar said:

SPOILER: Click to show

My lovely friends, my dear old TNT, I’d like to tell you a story. It’s a bit different from other stories you might have heard before… but I hope you will like it. It’s the story of how a Virtual Pet Site burst into a woman’s life, an unexpected joy. It’s the story of how you made someone happy, a show of gratitude… and a proof that you’re awesome. It’s, actually, a pretty humble story; the experience of one of many Neopians. But it is also, in a way, a part of your own story… since you are the ones who made it possible. 

You see, the person we are speaking about is not your average Neopian old-timer. Her name is Sara, and she’s not the typical child who grew up wandering around Neopia. As I told you, her story is different. Neo was never that popular in her country. Unfortunately, she only discovered your great world when she was —wait for it— twenty-eight! It was the end of Year 14 when a special person showed her Neopia for the first time. He showed her some pet species, games and dailies, and he introduced her to his eccentric Buzz. Sara understood she didn’t have a choice. She had to experience all that magic by herself! The 30th of Celebrating was a turning point in her life: she became a Neopian.  

Together with her friend Zimelda_Blue (her first Neopet: an adorable Blue Ogrin), she started exploring everything. She discovered different lands, activities and species. Her Neopian family got bigger, and she developed a weird obsession with Buzzes. She got familiarized with the fascinating Neopian lore. She unleashed her creativity. Today, two years after she joined the site, Sara is very proud of her pets and her achievements. But, why am I telling you this? you might ask. The reason is simple: this happened thanks to you! 

I hope you get what I’m trying to say: I think you created something big. It’s great. It never, never stopped being great. You created a site with a heart. That’s amazing. As I said once, if you managed to captivate a 28-year-old with your site, even after an extremely long run of over a decade… man, you did something well! I guess it’s not difficult to deduce that I am, actually, that Neopian called Sara. And I can’t even start describing what Neopets means to me. It’s a part of my life. Neopia is more than a fantasy world: it’s a place where I can be myself and feel happy. My pets are more than simple pixel creatures: they’re my characters. My friends. They make me smile. Whenever I come back home from my job, sick and tired from real life, those guys are there for me. Neopia is there for me, too, always full of adventure, surprises and wonderful stories.  

This is your doing. It’s your legacy. You are the people who made Neopets what it is. If this is just the experience of a single user… imagine all the joy you have spread! 

I’d like to say thank you for everything. Thanks for your wonderful art and designs; thanks for creating loads of cool items, Neopet colours, and fabulous wearables. Thanks for the fun. Thanks for all the nice games, and the different activities and dailies. Thanks for the events. Thanks for your major plots, even if —sadly— I wasn’t there when they happened. Thanks for the Neopian lore, its great stories and characters. You made your world come alive. Thanks for the Altador Cup (yes, the Altador Cup!) It may not be perfect, but I love it. Thanks for turning Neopets into a fantastic little creative let-out. Thanks for the Neopian Times, the Art Gallery, the Poetry Contest, or the Beauty Contest. I got three Pet Spotlights. Thanks for that, too. I loved seeing my pets’ back stories being appreciated. Thanks for letting us (and our Neopets) express ourselves through Lookups, or through Petpages. Thanks for Zime, Reed, Phili, Baby Donian, Princess Flyzzabella, Milorf and Yandrick. And, above all… thanks for caring about us. Because I know you were there until the end. 

I guess everything I’ve got left to do is wishing you the best luck in everything you do. Keep being brilliant; let your great talent shine. I sure hope your will have a bright future ahead. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I don’t mind where the paths of your lives might take you, remember this: you’ve got friends in Neopia. And you left a mark on their hearts. 

Lasaramar

Art collaboration by Princessdiva7737 and Morganjoisle

Allison said:

Neopets Nostalgia: The Comfort of Community
By: Allison JOY Egley (Neopets Username: Fhn_ladybug)

I've sat down to write this a couple of times now, and I've found I can't quite find the right words you. You'll have to forgive me if this feels a bit jumbled, or to use one of my favorite words, discombobulated. It just resembles my brain at most moments in time. Also, please ignore any typos for the same reason.

I have been a member of Neopets for over 14 years. Neopets was a mere toddler at the time. Fourteen years. Wow. So much LIFE has happened in those years. I've graduated high school, started college, gotten my driver's license (in that order), received my Bachelor's degree, and, like so many others, am now working in a field that has little to nothing to do with my college major. Although, I must say, I do laugh at the irony that here I am, an elementary education major, I've never taught a day in my life, my actual work has little to nothing to do with education, but I still get to say I work for the state department of education. Go figure.

I can't say I've ever been a "Neo Addict," and my account assets resemble that of a newbie. I've never been into the games (except Meerca Chase) and the earning and spending aspects as much I have the community. And that is what you created. You created a community.

I recently discovered the community of The Neopian Times Writers' Forum, and that prompted me to step out of my comfort zone a bit and write something for the NT. I have been writing for years with a Christian writing website called "Faithwriters.com," but have done very little writing outside that website, so writing for the NT was something new and "out of the box" for me. My first article, "Professor Pachino's Pet Peeves," was published in the "Brightvale University" collaboration issue. Not only that, but my first ever NT article also received a custom picture (THANK YOU to whoever created that for me. I now love Professor Pachino even more.) and the "Quote of the Week." I felt like a child on Christmas Day when I saw the custom and the quote of the week.

Another aspect of community I've enjoyed is the broader community of Neopians. There have been times I've taken hiatuses from Neopets, but I'm always drawn back by the annual events and the plots. I love the event and plot boards and the community behind these boards, with people helping each other out.

I've posted this as an editorial "Happy Thoughts" entry that didn't get published, and I posted it on the Neopets Facebook page a few months ago, but I was never sure it really got to the "right" people. So if you've heard this before... sorry. But I wanted to share one of the most significant Neopets events for me on a personal level: The Obelisk War plot/event.

First, I'd like to provide a bit of background information. As a baby and young child, I had a bunch of medical issues that doctors could not (and still cannot) explain. One of the most significant issues is that when I was nine years old, it was discovered that my hips were out of the sockets, and had been that way for years. In January of 1993, I had major hip surgery to put both hips back in the sockets. I had no problems for years, but then in 2011, I started having hip pain. I wanted to ignore it, due to my earlier problems, but it finally got to a point where I couldn't ignore it. At age 27, I learned I had severe arthritis of the left hip.

Just over two years ago, on February 13, 2013, I had hip replacement surgery at age 29. Certainly not something I was expecting to have to endure before I turned 30! If you recall, the "bigger" events Obelisk War plot started almost exactly on my surgery day. The Obelisk War gave me something new and different to do as I was recovering and helped me take my mind off of things. The community on the faction boards was amazing, and on the Seekers boards, I met some of the most amazing and encouraging Neopians I have ever met. They would ask me how I was doing, and helped keep my spirits up.

I also got into battling for the first time, and was training my pet as I was doing my own "training" with my surgery recovery. Even the delay in awarding the prizes was just fine with me, because it gave me something to look forward to each morning. "Hey, maybe they'll release the prizes today!" and if you didn't, I knew the boards were still around, and my "band of Seekers" would be there. I credit the Obelisk War plot with helping me keep my sanity throughout my recovery. That and God. (Uh oh... Don't send me a warning, TNT! ) Actually, I think God may have used Neopets to help me through my recovery. So even though you may not see it this way, please know that Neopets has been a comfort to many who are facing struggles. For just a bit, we can escape and think about something else.

I was so sad to hear the news about the layoff. Any job loss is difficult, but its especially difficult when you've been with the same group of people for so long. Please know that I am praying for you. Not only that you will find new jobs that you love quickly, but also for the emotional impact of this loss. Thank you so much for the memories, TNT. Neopets just won't be the same without you.

Art by Rabbit ♠

SPOILER: Click to show

Liou said:

Dear, dear TNT.
What can I say, I would not be half the person I am today if it weren't for you.
Among everything I learned while growing up on Neopets, one of the most important things was how to write a lot of happy silly times and have fun with it. So that is what I thought I'd do here, for the good times. I er, got carried away. But then again, that does tend to happen when Neopets is concerned, so no surprise there. =D
But just in case the message isn't clear enough, please picture an entire planet neatly carved into the shape of the words "THANK YOU!!!1!"
May the Meepits take you to all the loveliest places. May the Faeries bless your existence - actually never mind them, I bless your existence!
Stay awesome, you perfect, beautiful people. I love you.

A Fun Thing That Kept Growing, or What Happens When You Do Not Give Me A Word Limit

SPOILER: Click to show

Hanso helped himself to a few energy bars while he waited for Brynn in the Faerieland guards' break room. He had not asked for permission before using the room for his comfort - why should he? All employees of the Faerieland crown were caring, sharing people, so surely they didn't mind seeing him sprawled on their comfortable couch. He was, after all, probably the Neopian most warmly welcomed in Faerie City.

The Kougra finally burst into the room, marching like an efficient, well-organised hurricane, though a bit dishevelled. She went straight to grab her neatly cut sandwiches and water bottle and did not even bother to sit down before taking a bite.

"Hoy, Captain!" Hanso greeted her. "Tough morning? Rival officer trying to starve you?"

Brynn nodded, her mouth full, and motioned for him to wait for her to finish chewing.

"Aw," the Ixi continued, "I hope we get a mission together soon, just the two of us. Even that will give you a bit of a vacation..."

"Tell me about it," Brynn gasped between two bites. "Strange happenings everywhere today, stranger than usual - things getting frozen and unfrozen, staffs going haywire - they haven't figured out the source yet, so we just have to inform the civilians and secure any buildings at risk. Speaking of which, while I have you at hand - you have to go see the Queen, she's asked for you to come as quickly as possible, though her secretary might not have found you yet -"

"Aah, so it's up to the dream team to fix this problem?" Hanso stretched and sat up straighter.

"No, not us. She only asked for you. I'll be out all afternoon and probably tonight." Brynn raised her water bottle, but set it back down without taking a drink. "You'll be fine, Hanso, she just needs your help."

"Of course I'll be fine, what else would she want from the hero? I'll see you at the party to celebrate my next epic deed!"

It was with great confidence that Hanso strutted out of the break room, running his fingers through his hair to give it that casually rumpled look. A small part of him couldn't help but be a little less confident than he appeared, though. If he had not been summoned with his usual partner, there was a chance that he might be told off. Being told off by the Faerie Queen was slightly different from being told off by an average guard. One couldn't simply not listen to her, for instance.

As soon as Hanso had been let in by the guards at the entrance of her study, the tiny spike of unease flared up and achieved a state of fully-fledged annoyance.

"Pardon my intrusion Your Majesty, I should come back later," he said, already backing away, but Fyora rose from behind her desk, gesturing for him to sit down.

"You have come at exactly the right moment, Hanso. Please make yourself at ease, and I shall explain."

It was not Fyora, with her tranquil smile and soothing presence, who had caused this reaction in the Ixi ex-thief, but rather the tall, red-furred, white-robed person next to her, a person glaring at him with the concentrated wrath of five jars of guyliner.

King Jazan of Qasala seemed at least as displeased by this meeting as Hanso felt. It turned out that he had not, in fact, asked the Queen to summon Hanso in order to punish him for the latest episode of their prank war - which was good, as the Ixi couldn't even remember what he had done this time.

"Of course I am willing to help, Your Majesty - but is there really no one better suited to accompany me?" Jazan asked after Fyora had briefed them on their mission. "A courier, perhaps?"

"I am afraid there isn't, King Jazan. You and Hanso are exactly the right team for this. They would not have wanted anyone more or less."



That is how, after a few more minutes of listening to Fyora's very specific instructions and carefully avoiding each other's eyes, Jazan and Hanso found themselves travelling at breakneck speed in a vortex of distorted space and time, protective Faerie magic, and unfettered irritation. The coordinates of their destination were programmed within a small device provided by Fyora.

As if it wasn't enough to be Brynn-deprived and stuck with Jazan, Hanso also had to deal with the rather crushing company of a heavy crate and sack that the Kyrii had allowed him to carry, in what was obviously a display of trust. The quiet elevator music -most probably selected by Fyora- that filled the silence between them was just adding insult to injury.

At last, a solid surface slammed into their feet. The elevator music ended with a "ping". The pair managed to keep their balance and quickly stepped away from each other. This was not the first time they had travelled and landed that way, after all.

What struck them upon arrival was the low, omnipresent whirring of many machines, as if a swarm of robotic petpets with buzzing wings were hidden inside the walls. Despite its loudness, it filled the entire space like a heavy silence.

Jazan took a few steps into the main room, between the desks. The impressive collection of plushies, action figures, artwork and other decoration was just as it had been left, but apart from those, the desks were empty, almost eerily tidy.

"She really meant it when she said they were leaving," Jazan muttered, running his hand over the top of one of the block-shaped machines.

"They probably learned that you were coming and fled so as not to have to see your face," Hanso suggested. He huffed and panted, still dragging their luggage. "Shall we get started, then?"

"Yes, go ahead. I shall supervise." Jazan folded his arms and leaned against the side of a cubicle; his head nearly bumped into a row of plushies.

"Ah, you're leaving it all for me? Don't worry, I can share, I love sharing!"

"Be reasonable now, thi- Hanso. Of course Queen Fyora did not call upon me to do a delivery boy's job. I am here to make sure that every thing is set in its proper place, and that no item is... lost. I do not know where they will be taken next, but that is far beyond our knowledge."

Hanso finally managed to heave the crate onto the desk nearest Jazan. "No, really, have you looked in here? We're definitely going to need two people's brains to figure out what to do with all this stuff," he said in a grim tone.

The first things he pulled out the sack were a wide collection of autographed Yooyuball gear and limited edition merchandise. Jazan peered at the scribbles on the nearest shoulder pad.

"Ah, yes. I believe that should go on... the desk, with... the machine, and all the toys above it."

"You'll have to help me if we ever want to make it out of here, you know."

Slowly, the gifts found their way to different cubicles, aided by indications such as "the one that smelled of shrimp", "the one with all the creatures staring into your soul", or "leave that in the utility closet - trust me".

While Hanso pinned greeting cards neatly under a string of lights, Jazan opened the crate and unpacked several carefully wrapped trophies.

"... Medals from a Doctor F. Sloth?"

"Office over there," said Hanso, pointing somewhere to his right. He was distracted by his latest finding, a huge stack of photographs all depicting the same young green Zafara with an eye-watering toothy grin. In some of them, another green Zafara was pointing proudly at him. "Who would even want all of these?"

Jazan glanced at the photographs over his shoulder and cringed. "How... thoughtful. Why don't you leave all of those in a neat stack by the entrance. I'm sure someone will be delighted to find them."

Hanso dumped the stack unceremoniously on a table, leaving just one of the signed pictures with all the other greeting cards. He had arranged them under a large poster of an all-Neopian team of Yooyuball MVPs, who grinned down at the office, posing victoriously under their own autographs. He then went back to the stack of deliveries. They were making progress. He hoped that the rest would go as smoothly.

The next items he unpacked left him rather perplexed.

"Half a razor and a half-full can of shaving cream?"

"Don't try to understand, Hanso. It won't help your fragile little mind - and stop staring at my beard."

The Ixi smirked, mentally filing away a new idea for further entertainment. He removed the last item from the sack, a large parcel.

"Er... Jazan. Tell me I'm not seeing things - this is a care package from a Dr_Death?"

The Kyrii was busy inspecting a greeting card from Princess Amira, which somehow sounded more courteous than anything she had ever sent him. He was about to remind Hanso to use his royal title, but the description of the item left him speechless too. He shrugged. By now, both he and Hanso knew that they should not be surprised by anything that happened in this particular place.

Hanso sniffed the box. "Yep, that one is for the fridge," he said, taking it away at a brisk pace.

Jazan nodded absently, examining precious trinkets sent by the governor of Krawk Island. By the time he realised the full implications of Hanso's words, it was too late.

"Hanso, no, not the FRIDGE!" bellowed the king as he dashed into a smaller room off to the side.

Pulling up one side of his headdress to cover his mouth and nose, he barely had time to slam the doors of the infernal machine shut and to drag the dizzy Ixi away before the full impact of the stench could hit them. Hanso slumped against a wall, his hands over his face, taking deep breaths.

"I... I'd forgotten," he gasped, then started to chuckle nervously as an after-effect of the shock. "I've never seen so many different stages of the life cycle of a cake all at once."

Jazan, who had been prepared to slap him back to consciousness, lowered his hand dejectedly. "Did you touch anything that was in there?"

"Nah, I just shoved in the box. It'll feel right at home. Oh, I did find these, though - want one?"

He offered Jazan a bowl of innocent-looking jelly beans. The Kyrii recoiled as if they had tried to bite him.

"You fool!"

"Hey, they're just jelly beans, they weren't even in the fridge. I deserve a treat for all this work -"

Jazan took him by the wrist and dragged him unceremoniously back to the nearly-empty crate. "I know cursed food when I see it," he snapped. "Stay still, for once!"

From the small stack of gifts still waiting by the crate, he withdrew a handsome, ancient amulet on a chain, which he looped tightly around Hanso's wrist and forearm.

"But... but jelly beans," whined the Ixi. "Oh, now this is shiny! From Altador?"

"Precious gift from the Lady Jerdana," Jazan said through clenched teeth. "Enchanted, of course. You were exposed very briefly, so it will only need a few seconds to have a counter-effect. Now put it back."

Hanso gasped in mock terror. "B-but Your Majesty, what if I'm still c-cursed, you wouldn't let me succumb, would you - hey!" He gave a yelp as Jazan yanked on his arm again to put the talisman back where it belonged. The king placed all of the precious items inside a display case, which he locked right in front of Hanso's doleful eyes.

"Don't be so careless," snapped Jazan. "We still have important messages to gather."

"And to answer."

"I doubt there will be anything besides ridiculous questions about jelly worlds and boo-yahs..."

"Oh come on," said Hanso, "she did say we could answer the last ones. For the good old days. We check the mail, we water the plants, this sort of thing. Speaking of plants -" The Ixi grabbed a half-full water bottle from the counter and went over to a row of potted plants. "I've never seen anything like these. Are they some of your weird desert plants?"

Hanso was interrupted by a high-pitched chirrup. His mouth fell open, and so did the plant's, for a small face had appeared in the center of its shaggy mane of foliage. Hanso rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had inhaled too much of the cake fumes. The plant stared at him unblinkingly. More faces popped up on its neighbouring plants, and in a perfect ensemble, they all began to sing.

Hanso backed away. "I don't think these want to be watered right now," he whispered to Jazan.

"Enough! Never mind them," the Kyrii whispered back, pulling Hanso towards another small room. "Let's get this over with."



They found themselves in front of a plain table with a set of chairs. They had never seen more than a square inch of that table before, as it had been covered by towering stacks of papers every time they visited. The only things on it this time were two sets of top hats and monocles with stick-on moustaches. After some hesitation, the duo put on the top hats. It just seemed like the right thing to do. A large lever loomed over them from the opposite wall.

Hanso sat down on top of the table. "Wow... I can't believe this is where they seated us every time. You remember the Jelly Crab Legs?"

"Who could forget them. Now, I hope you're ready." Jazan pulled the lever.

"Oh no!! An evil mechanical hand emerges from a panel and steals 100 Neopoints from you!!" Hanso playfully reached for Jazan's pocket, wriggling his fingers.

"Quiet," he snapped, and slapped the Ixi's hand away. Nothing had happened around the lever. "It's empty, of course. Not even a Meepit joke."

"So you say." Hanso casually hopped down and crouched under the table with his arms folded over his head.

Jazan scoffed. That was when the rumbling began. The panel below the lever started to rattle. Suddenly, it burst open and a great stream of cookies poured out, knocking Jazan down. There were gingerbread cookies, Meepit-shaped cookies, Angelpuss-shaped cookies, asparagus cookies, but also rocks mixed in with them, apples, muffins, plushies, and once the last Negg had toppled out of the tube, a stack of letters finally fell on Jazan's head.

Hanso slinked out of his hiding place and stretched languidly. "Told you," he said, helping himself to a few envelopes.

The king of Qasala let out an unintelligible grunt and pried a cookie out of his mouth, where it had landed with uncanny precision. He gazed at it thoughtfully, then took a bite out of it with the kind of sound that might have been produced by an unfortunate petrified pie.

Hanso paused in the middle of unfolding a letter. "I thought you could tell when food is cursed?"

"That?" Jazan swallowed his bite. "It's... it's only a little stale," he said, avoiding Hanso's eyes. "Not even a year old. Quite fresh by Qasalan standards, thank you very much. We, er, do not condone the waste of food."

"Well as you apparently condone great big burning creatures, maybe you could answer this." Hanso switched to an insistent high-pitched voice and batted his eyelashes. "Just how DOES one go about getting unlimited access to the magma pool?"

Jazan groaned. "This one again? It's perfectly clear! Become well-versed in the ways of Moltara. Or, if you're in a hurry, test the temper of the Moltarans living near it. If I had a magma pool, I would certainly grant some people immediate access to it."

"Excellent!" Hanso set the first letter aside. "We're on a roll. This is another one for you, aren't you delighted? Why does the ghost of the king of Sakhmet give out money from Krawk Island?"

Jazan slowly stopped rubbing his temples. "Why yes, old Coltzan does give out all sorts of coins, but never any proper Sakhmetian currency. I don't know why, but I'll bet they have a very good reason, oh yes... we need to get in on this. A valid remark, Neopian."

"Economic intrigue in the Lost Desert? How interesting, do keep me posted." Seeing Jazan's pointed glare, Hanso added hastily: "I won't involve any guilds, of course, if there is anything to be involved in at all."

"Your turn," said the Kyrii, who had stood up with a letter in hand, brushing the last cookie crumbs off his shoulders. "Can Weewoos fly, as in, do they have- No, not the Weewoos again... Perhaps this one. Do faeries need sleep?" Hanso let out a laugh and Jazan immediately regretted reading that question.

"I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'need', but they can sleep, and they sure can kick up a fuss if you wake them up. It's kind of hilarious, having a faerie screaming at you with her face covered in goo. Well, it's funny until she starts to fire spells. Next!"

With no one around to write down their answers, Jazan had resigned himself to the task, covering the back of a discarded letter with his sinuous handwriting. He grabbed the next question he had set aside.

"Why is ice-cream so popular in a place like Terror Mountain?" Hanso's obvious confusion at the question brought a small smirk to Jazan's face.

"Well... because it's a lot cheaper there? Or for the same reason that, um... room-temperature food is popular in other parts of the world, I guess? Because they have a lot of cool people? Wait, scratch that out, give me another one!"

"You are the one who insisted on answering them. Not so easy, is it? Now, tell us... What's in a Skeith Juice Cocktail and what do ninjas want with a lantern full of worms?" Jazan flipped the paper over. "(And what's the meaning of life?!)"

Hanso stared blankly ahead. Then a smile slowly etched itself onto his face. "I can answer that one! There was a Skeith Juice Cocktail in the fridge! That might let me answer the second part of the question too, actually! And maybe even the third part at the end -" He had started to wander back towards the door, but was interrupted by a sharp tug on his collar.

"Not the fridge."

"Right. Well, have a question then." Hanso grabbed an envelope at random. He grinned stiffly. Then he laughed. And then he leaned on Jazan's shoulder and doubled over to laugh.

The Kyrii shrugged away. "If you do not stop fooling around this instant..."

"Shhh Jazan - hold on. Jazan, listen to this - you listening, Jazan?" Hazan held up his finger, cleared up his throat, then read with a dramatic flourish: "Will Xandra ever be let free?"

Jazan froze too. They stared at each other for a while. "Why certainly," said the Kyrii, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Of course. They did need an extra pair of hands to help at the Hidden Tower, didn't they?"

"Sure! To stand at the entrance and hold everyone's coats!" Hanso could not hold back any longer and burst out laughing at this.

Jazan shook his head, smiling, and tried to remain serious. "The road to redemption is a long and difficult one, I'm afraid. We cannot give this question a definite answer at the moment," he said out loud while writing down his answer.

Hanso, still stifling his chuckles, tossed a few notes covered in doodles to the side and held up another one. "Last question, then. Ha! It's about you! And your face! Oh, lighten up - hey!"

The Kyrii immediately grabbed the note out of Hanso's hands. "WHY HASN'T DARIGAN BEEN PUT IN THE GALLERY OF HEROES ALREADY?! oh and jazan needs to be in there too." As he read it under his breath, his frown gradually faded. "... Aw." He glanced at Hanso, then folded the note and pocketed it. "Well, if the Neopians request it... I shall have to show it to Altador at the next gathering of heroes, then." He cleared his throat.

"Well wasn't that adorable!" cooed the Ixi, pretending to pinch Jazan's cheek.

"It is done. Enough playing around, we have to gather all the documents. This is the tricky part, so focus!" Jazan stood up, holding the sheet where he had written all of their answers.



They walked back to the main area with the cubicles and all the way to the other side. The further they went, the louder the whirring sound grew. There was a conglomeration of machines at the end of the room, somewhat similar to those on the desks, but larger. They stood all the way to the ceiling. Jazan pulled a small object out of his pocket: the round device that Fyora had given them to send them through. It was unlike anything crafted by Faeries, and much more similar to the machines of this place.

Hanso and Jazan had already seen similar devices before, every time they had been summoned for mysterious rituals of questions and answers. They had never even imagined that the Faerie Queen had such a thing at her disposal at all times, though. Now the duo discovered that several more devices of the same type existed, lodged in sockets around a cluster of cables. Each of them had a logo upon it, some of which looked more familiar than Jazan cared to admit - that couldn't possibly be Sloth's emblem, or the symbol of the rumoured Sway.

Jazan inserted Fyora's device into the last empty slot. The whirring sound instantly changed, acquiring a brisker pattern punctuated with rattling and clunks, and startling Hanso as it did so. A wide slit lit up on one of the machines, then a long stream of paper poured out, covered in neat ink characters.

Jazan patiently waited for the end of the scroll to drop onto the floor. He rolled up the whole thing, as reverently as he would handle an ancient Qasalan manuscript. Hanso was not standing by his side anymore. The king whirled round, ready to deliver a tongue-lashing in case the Ixi was fiddling with items he shouldn't touch. Hanso had not wandered much further, though. He had found a small stack of folders on one desk. With a strange little smile, he beckoned Jazan over.

The Kyrii sighed. "We have to leave everything in place, you know!"

"They left these for us. Here..." He thrust a folder into Jazan's hands.

The king opened it with raised eyebrows and examined the sketches within. It was just a draft, he supposed. Rough, curved lines criss-crossed on the paper. He ran a finger over them, watching them slowly coalesce into a familiar figure. His beloved Nabile's face beamed at him from the page. He flipped through, watching the young Ixi thief slowly evolve into the lady he knew now. Rough sketches of rings and dresses appeared as well.

When he took the second folder Hanso had laid out in front of him, he briefly noticed that his fingers were trembling. The cardboard unfolded, revealing a startlingly familiar figure. That furious glare, that vengeful attitude had long faded away as mere reflections in his mirror. Jazan turned the page, watching the birth of his life. His features evolved across the paper, growing into emotions that he inexplicably found himself reliving. In came Qasalan creatures, his dear friend the Nightsteed, and all the events that had changed him for the better.

Hanso remained quiet next to him, poring through folders of his own. His shoulders quivered every now and then. Jazan knew that the powers behind the scenes must have given him something similar. Thinking about the people who had left these folders here for them brought up too many world-shattering questions; it made their heads hurt and their minds flee from those trains of thought.

What they did keep firmly in mind was the tenderness of the pencil strokes that had shaped them, the infinite amount of detail, the evidence of all the hard work and energy that had been poured into their stories.

One of the two broke the silence at last. "They've brought us far, haven't they."



Hanso and Jazan made their way back towards the entrance, their new discoveries cradled in their arms. The folders' front covers had been labeled simply with their names. There had been a few others for some of their friends and acquaintances.

They had just passed the middle point of the central alley when a tall silhouette zoomed straight towards them on what appeared to be wheels, with loud metallic clanks and bangs. Jazan's hands immediately shot up, bluish magic crackling around them, while Hanso ducked behind him. The black-robed figure halted with a screech and a shower of sparks. Its mechanical arms extended, holding out a large crate, several sealed envelopes and a long staff that threatened to roll off the stack every time the machine tottered on its wheels.

Jazan kept his defensive stance. Hanso reached out tentatively and took the items. He had to refrain from prodding the three hair-like protrusions on top of the figure's head. As soon as it had been relieved of its burden, the machine performed what looked like a few robotic dance moves. It then zoomed ahead. Hanso and Jazan watched it hurtle towards the back of the room, slow down in a loud screech of brakes, and disappear in an opening behind a sliding panel in the wall.

Hanso shrugged. "You never know exactly how they're going to deliver their stuff."

The duo walked on, unperturbed. As they neared the entrance, Jazan left the sheet with their answers to all the questions on a desk and checked for anything they might have forgotten. Something gazed back at him through small, beady black eyes, then took flight. With a gasp and a jolt of recognition, Jazan dashed after it into the entrance hall. It was nowhere to be seen. There was a wide window, but it was closed.

"I didn't dream it," he muttered in disbelief, "it was a Crokabek delivering one of their messages..." He stepped towards the window.

Hanso came in behind him, not particularly pleased by the prospect of carrying another crate. He peered over Jazan's shoulder, wondering what the Kyrii was brooding at this time.

There was no sign of a Crokabek outside the window. A huge silhouette hovered in front of them, as large as a building. Myriads of small pink shapes flocked on its sleek metallic ledges. Hanso and Jazan stared. The pink shapes stared back, a sea of huge, unblinking eyes.

More Meepits hopped onto the ship from somewhere overhead. Hanso realised that it was the roof of the building they were in. After a moment of stillness, one of the foremost Meepits made a movement with its stubby little paw. It was saluting. The rest of the Meepits copied it. Having thus bidden their farewells, they all disappeared inside the ship, filtering through various openings in the hull.

Hanso and Jazan watched all the fluffy pink tails waddle out of sight. Then the ship vanished, as if it had never been there.

The duo stayed frozen on the spot. The loud splattering of a mop woke them from their trance-like state and they finally turned to look behind them.

"Well then, out you go! We haven't got all day, yaknow!" roared an orange Yurble. "Why are you standing there watching? Argh, and you brought even more clutter! So much to clean and so little time and it makes me so mad! And those plants that keep singing! Arrrgh, they're terrible singers!"

Jazan crossed his arms and stepped up to the Yurble, towering over him. "Is this how the workers of this place address the king of Qasala, sent on a mission by the Faerie Queen herself?"

The Yurble stood on his tiptoes to have a better glaring angle, unfazed by the wrath of the guyliner. "ACH!!! Your eyes are all smudged and dirty! Giddown here so I can mop it all off yer grubby face!"

The Kyrii was shocked speechless for a second by the janitor's impertinence. He grit his teeth and was about to retort when Hanso took him by the shoulder.

"No need, thanks, we were just leaving, he can have a shower at home."

"Leave faster than that, ye little Moffitts!"

They had to dodge a smack of the mop aimed at the back of their legs. Jazan was still seething. Hanso rubbed his shoulder soothingly - "There, there..."

They found themselves in front of a door. Fyora had mentioned that they would need to return via a different route.

"Where...?" Hanso turned back to look at the Yurble, who had leaned down to stroke a happily purring Petpet.

"Schnelly's not dirty," he was crooning, "Schnelly's always nice to me, who's a good Petpet..." When he noticed Hanso's raised eyebrow, he straightened up hastily, pulled a conductor's cap out of his pocket and put it on. "Ach! One-way return trip, all passengers aboard!" He pressed a button on a remote.

A small red light lit up above the door and a click was heard from the handle. Jazan turned back one last time and bowed at the offices. ("Argh, you call that an apology?" growled the Yurble, misinterpreting the gesture.) Hanso gave them a nod. His stomach and throat felt tight.

He took a deep breath and opened the door. A blinding white light flooded their eyes. They heard a little mew at their feet, then everything was gone.



Hanso emerged very slowly from a deep sleep. He shook his head and immediately winced. His entire body felt as though it had been filled with lead. He gradually managed to open his eyes and take in his surroundings. He was back in Fyora's study, all crumpled up in one of her chairs. Jazan was slumped in the seat next to him. On one side of the room, Casandia the Air Faerie was stroking a Schnelly curled up in her arms.

Fyora peered down at them with a sympathetic smile. "Welcome back," she said, gesturing towards a tray laden with coffee cups on her desk.

All of the items they had collected sat neatly near the coffee. While Jazan was emerging, Hanso helped himself to one of the cups.

"I cannot thank you enough," said the Faerie Queen. "You have brought everything we needed. They will serve us well." She was holding the envelopes that had been addressed to her and the plain wooden staff topped with three red cylinders.

"Dare I ask for any further explanations, Your Majesty?" Jazan said without much hope in his voice.

"I am afraid that I know little more than you do."

Hanso rubbed his temples. It was so easy to believe that all this had been nothing but a dream. "Will... will we remember all this? I remember all the other times we came back... but on any average day, I never remember that place. Can you at least tell us if it's real?"

"The Neopian mind has ways of shutting out anything it should not know," said Fyora. "It takes a collected person to deal with such high-level... phenomena. You have both been very brave. Indeed, you will not be able to remember today's trip at any time. It might take a few days for the cross-dimensional memories to quiet down. I am sorry that we cannot do much to relieve you in the meantime, but your headaches and fatigue should be over soon."

Hanso had managed to stand and step up to the desk. The large box that he had carried back still sat there. He checked its label.

"That one is for me," said Fyora.

Hanso picked up the folders full of sketches of them. "Despite all the mysteries and hush-hush... we can keep these, right?"

The Queen gave him a gentle, knowing smile. "Of course you may."



When Brynn returned that evening, exhausted and satisfied, Hanso was waiting for her near her locker rooms as usual. As tired as she was, she couldn't help but notice that he seemed a little out of sorts.

"You're still in the building? Hi again!"

He smiled and put an arm around her. "How was your day, Captain? Report, please."

"All major catastrophes averted. All unpleasant civilians, er, most of the unpleasant civilians calmed down. And I'm in one piece."

"I expected no less from you."

"I'll give you the full tale after I've had a shower." She eyed him suspiciously. "How did it go with the Queen, then?" When he didn't launch into his usual chatter, she added: "If something happened, better spit it out now!"

"Oh no, nothing bad, don't worry! It was just... a weird ride? I'll tell you later, too. I'll have things to show you." He sniffed the air next to her head and made an exaggerated grimace. "Go and freshen up, you need it!"

She gave him a playful bump on the shoulder and headed away. Just before going into the locker rooms, she doubled back. "Hanso - what's that you're chewing?"

"Hmm?" The Ixi absent-mindedly pulled something out from between his teeth. A sock.



Alone once more in her study, Queen Fyora strode back to the other side of her desk, contemplating the plain wooden crate upon it. Even she, infused with all the wisdom of her kind, could not be absolutely certain of what awaited her within. What she did know for sure was that, if it had been sent from that place to the Faerie Queen herself, it had to be of momentous importance. Nothing that she could not handle, of course. If she had any limits, they would surely know.

It was their very last message to her. It might shape the future of her entire world. The Lady of the Western Skies paused to breathe deeply before resting her slender hands on top of the crate. The full might of her magic simmered beneath her calm exterior, ready to take action if necessary. Her fingers slid over the hooks and undid them.

She slowly lifted the lid, and was greeted by a raging, flaming, brown-furred orb of concentrated fury that hurtled out of the box, shouting to anyone who might hear:

"GOOD NIGHT!"



Bigthanks to Shinko for organising this and to everyone who participated.
Thanks to: Shinko, Scrac, Geo, Carolyn, Saramar, Twillie, Strider, for sending me questions <3

Neopets - Something Beautiful [TNT Tribute] by ummagine3284