A Frontline Report: The Cooty vs Mootix war

     War is nothing new to the world of Neopia, from the Lost Desert to the current conflict of the Obelisk, Neopians are familiar. But unlike other wars, which have come certainly, if slowly, to a close, one conflict has outlasted them all, and been largely ignored by the.. larger inhabitants of Neopia.

     I’m speaking of course, of the Cooty War, in which the Petpetpet, Cooty, is rebelling against their (as they see them) “oppressive overlords”, the Mootix. I’m here today on the frontlines.. which happens to be a couch in a rather cozy neohome, watching the battle unfold on the back of a Warf. I’ve managed to secure interviews with participants from both sides to bring you all you need to know on this age’s long clash.

     I met first with General Harry Danger, of the Mootix Clan. He was smiling gruffly, watching the action below from his high perch on my hand.

     Thank you for meeting with me, I’d like first to ask how you received your middle name?

     Danger? They call me Danger because whenever there’s trouble, I’m ready.

     And I don’t have a last name.. so it helps to tell me and the other Harry’s apart.

     What’s your motivation for fighting against the Cooties?

     The Cooties think they’re being oppressed, but quite frankly, they’re not. They started this war but it’ll be us who end it. The Mootix have always looked out for all Petpetpets. We’re small creatures, often forgotten, sometimes stepped on. Some might say we’re a pest, a hassle, but Mootix have risen to the top of the Petpetpet hierarchy. With our power we’ve bright light to the plights of Petpetpets, and rather than being grateful, the Cooties went and started a war. By fighting against them, I’m defending all Petpetpets, the Mootix, the Blechy, Jiggybug, and even the Wormoeba.

     How do you feel the Mootix side of this conflict is perceived by the general Neopian public?

     The public? Well they can’t hardly be bothered to look down at the situation happening right on their Petpet's backs! But you have to look at the facts, the demand for Mootix and Mootix themed items is much greater than that of Cooty items. The public loves us, I think that’s clear enough. Haven’t you been to the boards lately? See our supporters bearing our Mootix standard? There’s no doubt, you never see any Cooty decorations now do ya?

     When will this conflict come to an end? How can the world of Petpetpets move forward without further struggle?

     An end? Not soon I expect. Those rebels are in it for the long haul and until we get some help from above- to help deal with their aircrafts- the conflict will continue just as it has been. For every one parachute they manage to hit with their honey crossbows, we’ll still get two good Mootix on the ground. Perhaps once the bigger conflict- the Obelisk battle- is finally over, the pets will again pay more attention to their own pets, and the battles happening in their backs yards.. on their backs really.

     As for moving forward? I think it’ll come easily enough, maybe with a bit more Mootix gear in the shops, the whole thing will be forgotten and Mootix can go back to their rightful place as Neopia’s favorite Petpetpet.

     A note for readers, no polls or studies have actually found that Mootix are more beloved then the other Petpetpets. However, there are currently 47 items containing the “mootix” name.

     I returned Harry to the battleground (getting a bit splattered with honey as I did), and met up with Commander Cooty, a longtime believer in the freedom of Cooties, and who desires a future where all petpetpets have the same opportunities.

     Commander Cooty, thank you for taking a break from your hot air balloon to speak with me.

     Of course, it’s important that the public be made aware of what the situation is like here on the ground.

     And what is the situation like on the ground?

     Not good. We’ve been at a stalemate with the Mootix for a long time now, we don’t have much support from the higher up-if you know what I mean- so making our hot air balloons is a challenge. But don’t worry, we’ll persist. The days of the Cooties suffering under the oppressive rule of the Mootix is over!

     What do you perceive of the response, or lack thereof, from the other Petpetpet types?

     It’s been disappointing. We understand the desire to keep the status quo, but we all deserve better treatment, and that’s what we’re fighting for. I do sometimes wonder how the tide of the war could change if we were able to bring in the Lightmites from their mines, the Spingabee and the Dragonfly Nymph would also be immensely beneficial to our cause. On the other hand, they haven’t joined the Mootix either, and I think that’s important to remember.

     How do you see this conflict ending?

     With greater representation for the Cooties and all other Petpetpets, representation that is equal to that of the Mootix. They’ve had the upper hand for years now- did you know that there are no other Petpetpet related avatars? Neopians are not given a choice, they are told to support the Mootix. We just want a fair shot. The Mootix overrepresentation has led to them feeling entitled to the softest Petpets, the most comfortable of homes, and the easiest ways of doing things. Meanwhile, Petpetpets like the Lightmite, carry more than their fair share of the weight. Our war will end with the end of the Mootix oppressive rule.

     And the battle continues. The Cooties in their hot air balloons with their honey cross bows, and the Mootix strapped into their parachutes. For the moment, the conflict seems endless, neither side is willing to compromise or even willing to speak with one another. Representatives for the other 39 Petpetpet types could not be reached for comment on the war, or why they’re chosen to not join either side. While the Cooties and the Mootix battle on, the Neopian world continues to focus on other things, one day perhaps, this war will come to an end, but which side deserves to be the winners? General Harry Danger? Commander Cooty? Who will you choose to support?