NEOPIAN BORDER - A new trend in Neopia is the creation of Limited Edition pets.
If you'll notice, however, one or two more have slipped through than the number
the Neopets staff wanted to release. At the time of this writing 4,012 (out
of 4,000) Ixi have made it through. The Draik has been seen to have 2,003 (out
of 2,000) released and the Poogle has 330,001 (out of 330,000). So,
how is this happening? Are the immigration laws not tight enough? Need
more security at the borders of Neopia? Going on a search I decided to try to
find some of the owners of these "negligent" pets who have managed to bypass
Neopian security and slip into our country unnoticed.
After checking a lot of the seedier (and scarier) places of Neopia, I came
up with zilch. I finally came home to do some research. First of all, this did
not used to be a trend. If you look at the number of limited edition pets who
were released awhile back, like the Jetsam, you'll notice that the two numbers
are happily the same. How could that be? Could it be the land of origin?
At first this seemed like a really great idea based on how often this occurred
in Draiks and Ixis. There is rarely a time when the two numbers DO line up.
However, I could find no real correlation between Poogles, from the North, Tonu,
from Tyrannian, and the Draiks and Ixi from Meridell. Back to the old drawing
board.
Could it be a common occurrence based on the aggressiveness of the species?
This was well-supported by the Poogles (with their sharp teeth), the Tonu (who
love to charge around and cause havoc), and even the Draik (who appears blowing
fire from his mouth). But what of the cute, dainty Ixi? They don't seem vicious
or aggressive at all. No, instead they are presented as a sweet woodland creature,
happily cavorting about in the woods. Besides, wouldn't there be more of the
unfriendly and vicious Jetsam? Therefore species aggressiveness had to be thrown
out.
By this time my head hurt and I went out to get a Purple Juppie Java. At the
Coffee Shop I was greeted by my friend healinghearts
who was taking her pets out for some artistic influence. After trying to get
the three rambunctious Tonus to finally calm down enough to listen to the poetry
readings, healinghearts looked ready for a Juppie Java herself! As soon as she
had one, too, she informed me that she had recently gotten a Draik! She explained
that there had been a commotion at the Immigration Office and she had abruptly
found a green Draik in her arms. Curious, I explained my article and received
a huge grin and permission to interview her Draik. Quickly ordering a Tigersquash
Iced Bun for the Draik, I started the interview:
Me: What is your name?
Z: ZephyrWindseed
Me: What is your species?
Z: Draik
Me: What number were you?
Z: 2,003.
Me: Out of how many?
Z: Out of 2,000... isn't that why you're interviewing me?
Me: Uhm, yes... How did you get by?
Z: I slipped by using my quick instincts, fast wits, and magical capabilities...
and I got lucky.
Me: Could you go into a little more detail?
Z: I could, but then I'd have to kill you.
Me: *nervous laughter* Uhh, yeah...
Z: I'm serious.
Me: OOkkaayy... moving on. Why did you want to come to Neopia?
Z: My friend SundarenNatsuku made it through as one of the first legitimate
2,000 Draiks to make it through. I couldn't let him just skip out on me! We've
been working together forever and he thinks he can just leave me back there
alone? I don't think so! Sometimes he is SO arrogant! I will NOT just stand
by-
Me: *Ahem.*
Z: -and let him ignore me completely! What does he think I am? A pet
rock?!
Me: Uhm, Zephyr?
Z: I am worth more than that! Well, I wasn't going to just stand by
and let him-
healinghearts: Zephyr!
Z: What?!
healinghearts: The interview!
Z: Oh, yeah. Oops...
Me: So. . are you glad you came?
Z: Oh, yeah! Neopia is a real kick! I've been having so much fun! I've
already gotten a cool, REAL Neopia petpet, Phishee a Snarhook.
Me: What could be improved by Neopia security?
Z: What, like I'm going to tell you?! What about all my friends from
M-*CLASSIFIED* ?? If these Immigration Laws don't let up, I want them to be
able to make it through as well. Do you think I'm selfish? I'm not keeping this
to myself!
Thanking them for their time, I then proceeded to search all through Neopia
for more pets who managed to slip through, but still no one stepped forward.
Confused, I went to talk to Zephyr again.
Me: Why would the other pets not want to be interviewed?
Z: They're probably afraid of being shipped back.
Me: Aren't you afraid?
Z: Nope! I have sharp teeth! *snaps teeth a few times*
Me: uhhhh... nice!
Z: You betcha!
Me: ...
At this point I decided I just wasn't going to get anymore useful information.
My theory is that while the legal pets are being checked through Immigration,
another pet causes a commotion and then there's, basically a stampede. A lot
of this is based off of how hyperactive ZephyrWindseed the Draik is and how
she probably caused the disturbance for everyone else.
Z: I HEARD THAT!!!!!
Uh-oh! Gotta run! If you have any questions, feel free to Neomail
me!
Author's notes: Most of this article is fiction, though the numbers are
indeed correct... well, we *think* Zephyr really was the 2,003 Draiks in Neopia,
but even that can't be proven...
At the time of submission, Ixi were no longer Limited Edition (Yeah!), however,
Draiks and Tonus still are. Tonu count was: 25,352 (out of 25,331). Thank you! | 
