Caution: Quills may be sharp Circulation: 194,363,486 Issue: 762 | 23rd day of Celebrating, Y18
Home | Archives Articles | Editorial | Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series
 

Your questions answered!


Read the answers to the most commonly asked Neopets questions this week in the Editorial section. Each week the most popular questions will be answered by one of the creators of Neopets, so keep checking back to stay updated.


Quote of the Week


As the Techo greedily snapped it up, Nusa said, “You were brave to come out here by yourself, little one. And to keep trying when others gave up.”

Nan shook her head. “I wasn’t brave, I was rather foolish. I knew the risk I was taking.” Kirven put a large paw on her head. “No. Courage is knowing the risk and doing what you feel is right anyway. Fear not—Giving Day shall come to Caxton Bank because of your efforts.”

“Aye,” said Nusa, “but first let’s worry about breakfast.”


New Year's Outfit Options



It’s almost that time of year again! Time to rustle through your closets to find the perfect ensemble for that exclusive New Year’s Eve bash. Does your pet have their look ready? From their hat to their shoes? If not, this article may be able to help out! Here you will find top-notch suggestions that are perfect for any type of pet and any kind of gathering they are attending

Your NeoQuest Addiction



Wise. Crazy. Powerful. All adjectives that imminently describe you. You wanted that avatar, the one with the weird squinty Cybunny on it. You put it off. “NeoQuest? Isn’t that the game that requires you to click 5 million times? That’s not even NeoQuest II? That was invented before Rukis were discovered? I don’t have time for that, I have a life,”

2016 Item Trends


If you were going to call 2016 on Neopets the year of anything, you would have a pretty strong case for going with The Year of Excellent Backgrounds. The quality of backgrounds and foregrounds this year was absolutely phenomenal. Even a whole section in this article is nowhere near enough to cover all the great backgrounds and foregrounds in-depth.

Other Stories
"Winter Thaws Us All" by phoenix_through_fire
H e finds her by the river, and tells her its okay. He approaches carefully, cautiously, hunched over and hand trailing over the dewy grass on the bank. He's whispering the entire way forward to her, and from where she cowers, she thinks this is a lot of effort if he just meant to hurt her. She lets out a soft, questioning chirrup, and watches him approach. She steps back further, so her feet are right where the river touches mud, so she can take off, into air or water, if she needs to, if he becomes a threat. He has kind eyes, though. Big, black eyes, an exact reflection of her own. They make her feel safer. "Hey there, little buddy," he whispers when he reaches her. He knees squelch into the icy mud as he kneels in front of her. Flecks of mud spring up to splash against his fur as he does so, but he doesn't seem to pay it any mind. He is more interested in her, never taking his eyes off of her, watching, it seems, for a cue. He slides his hand forward, making a sound in the wet mud like waves slapping, and stops short of where she sits. She puts a wing over her face, and then looks over it at him. She knows what he is, she just can't remember. Tall, black furred creature with a streak of white fur that runs down his back. She tries to remember. Are they one of the good pets? Or are they the ones she was warned off - like the ones who destroyed her home, with big, gnashing jaws that tore wings apart -- she doesn't want to think about it. He doesn't look like one of them, anyway. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe," he says, gently wiggling his fingers. "It's too cold to be out here on your own."

"The Most Significant Gifts We Never Give" by dewdropzz
"He's just tired. It's been a long day for him. We went out shopping today, didn't we Spence?" you overhear a pastel Aisha lady saying to some other pets, in reference, you think, to the child who cries in her arms. The baby, a Chia, is one of the few Younger-Than-Yous at the party. Though considerably younger, you can tell he's feeling exactly the same as you are. His parents are talking and he has no choice but to hang there, trapped until the end of the evening. You give him an understanding smile. And the strangest thing happens. The baby stops wailing, and smiles back. "Oho, look at you!" his mother laughs in surprise as her child breaks into a spell of delighted giggles. "All cheered up just like that! That's funny, he doesn't usually stop crying so easily," you hear her say to the Neopian beside her. "Maybe he's getting to that mood swing age." She doesn't notice you on the chair behind her, but you don't mind. You made a baby smile! You don't need any further thanks than that. To be honest, it's lifted your spirits a bit. Little you, in a chair against the wall — you don't know anybody and nobody knows you. Yet little you, of little significance, with the little influence you have in this place, were still able to make a baby smile. Just the thought of it is enough to warm your heart like the red flame kindling in the fireplace, and heating the whole room.

"That's a Wrap" by 77thbigby
Reluctantly, they returned, standing in the kitchen entrance. They fidgeted unable to keep still. Their sister fought not to smile at their eagerness. She envied their boundless energy. “Luke has kindly offered to go sledding with you. However, all three of you need to clean up the kitchen before you leave. Now, listen to your brother and I’ll see you this evening when I get back,” Maggie said, kissing all three of her siblings before leaving.Maggie had recently been promoted to a managerial position at the department store she worked at. The pay was excellent but she worked longer hours than ever. She enjoyed her job for the most part so the day sped by. She left work on a mission. She had to buy gifts for Pansy and Parker. Pansy and Parker were difficult to buy presents for. They were active and easily bored. Their likes were rather fluid, often changing from day to day. It was exhausting keeping up with them for this reason alone. Every year Maggie struggled to choose just the right gifts for her youngest siblings. This year was just the same as she scoured the toys available. She swayed from one decision to another, second-guessing every choice. She met fellow gift buyers in the same dilemma and helped them but she still felt stuck. She watched others talk with their friends about what to get and it struck her that she didn’t have that. She never had. The Christmas Kyrii felt sad about this. It wasn’t that she was difficult to like. It was just that she had no free time to herself. She couldn’t go out and make friends. All of her time was divided between work and her family.


Who Says The Giving Only Lasts One Day?


This week's issue is brought to you by: Stocking Stufftacular
 
Search the Neopian Times




Great stories!


---------

Snowed In
I guess there's always tomorrow...

Also by spurstrap

by suixx


---------

Nonlinear Companions: Dawn: Part Five
I was about to tell him, not to worry and that I was silly for even asking, when he cleared his throat and spoke. "Well, I guess I ought to tell you the whole truth, you deserve to know. But I'd really like it if we could wait until the end of the trip, I'd like to show you all the wonderful things there are to do up here. Then I promise, I'll explain everything."

Also by ukases

by _starryeyedsurprise_


---------

Christmas Special: A Fresh Baguette
This short story was inspired by a particular petpet, can you guess which one it is before you finish the tale?

by vanquishee

---------

Random Oddness
It's definitely the thought that counts with this one.

by mistyqee

---------

The Most Significant Gifts We Never Give
With your eyes half shut it looks like stars, flames in a forest sky, scintillating like candles warm in a window. Some are close to one another, nearly overlapping, while some are father apart, forming neat rows that are never perfect, but almost; horizontal and vertical. They form many constellations, if you look hard enough.

by dewdropzz



Submit your stories, articles, and comics using the new submission form.