Friday Game Night

Every Friday nights at precisely 7:37 pm NST, the King of Cards would walk into the Games Room with exactly 1,337 Neopoints on hand, no more, no less.

      He would saunter around the area, with his black hooves emitting a loud clicking sound on the marble floor with every step that he took. From time to time, he'd step into the Puzzles Game Room, browse around the Strategy Room, and in a very unlikely chance, peruse through the Adventure Room. However, even with the vast array of games that the Games Rooms has to offer, he would always end up entering the Card & Board Room.

      Once he stepped inside, he would be bombarded with an uproar of applause and cheer from avid gamers in the room. Neo-citizens who are unaware of this petpet's amazing skill with card games would take notice of the change in atmosphere and question why he was getting all this attention.

      Now if you just look at the King of Cards, you wouldn't expect him to garner so much attention. In fact, other than this signature smirk on his face, he appears like any other petpet in Neopia. However, do not underestimate his demeanor because that is your downfall. Many Neo-citizens have misjudged his looks and abilities, and subsequently lost to him - now you know why you should never judge a book by its cover.

      The interesting fact about this petpet is that he accepts challenges with the stipulation of never having a financial gain. Rather, the prize that he offers is more lucrative than Neopoints... it is advice. Now I'm sure you're wondering why Neo-citizens would even bother to play against him if there isn't a lucrative payout, but he isn't dubbed the King of Cards for nothing.

      For those who are unaware of the King of Cards origin, his story began on a particular Friday game night...

      He was bystander at a final round of Cheat that determined whether a hopeful Neo-citizen would win the 400 Neopoints prize payout on the table. The opponents this particular Neo-citizen was facing were Princess Fernypoo, the young and spoiled debutante who is not accustomed to losing and Agent 00 Hog, the suave and sophisticated player with one of the best poker faces in all of Neopia.

      However, those two players are nothing compared to Spectre the Jetsam, the self-appointed and undisputed ruler of cheat. Neo-citizens cringe just hearing his name as he has an odd penchant of winning every single game of Cheat. Rumour has it that Neo-citizens have lost *millions* of Neopoints to him, and his greed rivals Snargan, the crooked host of the Double or Nothing game in Meridell Castle.

      Initially, this petpet did not plan on challenging him to a game of Cheat, but Spectre was getting so egotistical when he won the game that he was making the entire Games Room unbearable. To add insult to injury, he rattled off saying that he was the best player in Neopia, bragged that no one can rival him, and outrageously said that he has more Neopoints than Queen Fyora and Dr. Sloth combined! Spectre was so veraciously disrespectful that his opponent cowered in fear and humiliation, and ran away with his tail in between his legs.

      Finally, the pink petpet stood up and challenged him in a game of Cheat. Initially, Spectre was shocked. No one ever challenges him, and even so, one has to earn the right to challenge him by winning all six rounds of Cheat. Spectre merely smirked at the petpet's impudence and teased, "What's the point? Just give me your Neopoints and be on your way!"

      The petpet remained completely quiet and simply grinned at him in response. He retrieved exactly 50 Neopoints from his coin purse, the customary fee one has to pay to play Cheat, and the game had begun!

      At first, the petpet was mercilessly teased by the arrogant Jetsam as he tormented the petpet by making disrespectful remarks about the features: his snout on his nose, two pointy ears, and abnormally withering pink complexion. You would think one would cower away from his domineering attitude and bullying, but this petpet stood his ground and continued playing the game.

      The first few of rounds went by relatively quick, but by the fifth level of Cheat Spectre was beginning to get uneasy. He saw how quickly Kalora the Kau and Brucey B were out of the game, but thought nothing about it since they are simply above-average Cheat players. However, Princess Fernypoo is an advanced player who Spectre thought would take the little petpet out, but that didn't happen when he heard her scream in fury and whine about losing.

      Round six ensued, and Spectre badgered about the petpet's inevitable loss by facing Agent 00 Hog, one of the best bluffers and Cheat players in Neopia, but with complete ease and oddly enough, less time than the previous round, the pink petpet came out on top and advanced to the final round of Cheat – the round where he has to face Spectre the Jetsam.

      Initially the Games Room was quiet as a mouse, you could hear a pin drop and the anticipation was palpable in the air. Onlookers were on the edge of their seat, waiting with excitement to see who'll be the victorious. Towards the end of the game, Princess Fernypoo had six cards in her hand, Agent 00 Hog had four cards, and Spectre the Jetsam had two, while the pink petpet had five. Obviously, Spectre had the upper hand and the petpet's odds were not in his favour. Just when Spectre placed his second to last card in the game, the pink petpet's outcome all of a sudden began to change. It was almost as if the cosmic universe was shining down on him as his card count dwindled down, while everyone else's increased.

      Finally, when it was the pink petpet's turn, he placed his final card on the table. In response...

      Spectre the Jetsam accused him of cheating,

      but he was NOT CHEATING!!! - D'OH!

      Spectre the Jetsam gets the pile added to their hand!

      The room was completely still. Neo-citizens from all around were in complete and utter shock as they wondered how Spectre could lose to a small pink petpet. All of a sudden that room erupted with cheer and applause when they realized that the domineering and narcissistic Spectre the Jetsam had finally been dethroned! Of course, he did not take his loss well - he berated the petpet's ability and ironically suggested that he cheated in the game! Spectre, the self-appointed Ruler of Cheat refused to accept his loss with grace and declared a rematch. Of course, the petpet won that game and Spectre left the Games Room in a huff.

      From that day on, the petpet was unofficially nicknamed the King of Cards, and that title is well-deserved because he also has a knack with other card games. He has a perfected every single card game in Neopia, whether it is Neopoker, Go! Go! Go!, Guess the Card, JubJub Blackjack, Sakhmet Solitaire, Table Poker, Dueling Decks, and even Pyramids!

      Neo-citizens have asked him to give them advice on how to cheat at every card game, however the King of Cards, also known as Pinklet, would always respond with, "I'll tell you if you beat me in a game of cards."

      Pinklet Trivia: Devious and swift, a Pinklet will give your Neopet advice on how to cheat at every card game!

The End