The 9 Worst Jobs in Neopia

      Have you ever stopped to think of all the hardworking people who keep Neopia running smoothly? There are countless characters we run into every day, most of whom we take for granted. Some of them may have it pretty easy, but others not so much. There are many out there who work at hard, boring, or even dangerous jobs to keep the rest of us happy, and what thanks do they get? None! That's why we've compiled a list of the nine worst jobs in Neopia, in the hopes that some of these underappreciated characters can get a little love and recognition. In no particular order, they are:

      Tyrannian Foods Shopkeeper -

      No one knows much about the Tyrannian Foods shopkeeper, but everyone should have some sympathy for him. The previous shopkeeper, Trrygdorr, lost his job under mysterious circumstances several years ago, and there's still some lingering bitterness toward the new shopkeeper - both from Trrygdorr himself, and from other Tyrannian locals. As far as we know, the new shopkeeper didn't have anything to do with Trrygdorr being fired, but most people fail to remember that he did nothing wrong. The shopkeeper can't even combat this unjust prejudice because he only speaks Tyrannian, and most Neopians can't understand a word he says.

      Lumi the Nimmo in The Usul Suspects -

      This poor teenager took on a babysitting job without really knowing what awaited her. All on her own, Lumi has to face endless numbers of baby Usuls shooting fireballs at her. It gets even nastier when some of the not-so-innocent kids are even sneaking behind her back, trying to knock her off the lift using brooms. Can you imagine how painful it is to fall down from that height?

      Shop Wizard -

      The Shop Wizard is, without question, the busiest guy in all of Neopia. He helps Neopians with thousands (maybe even millions?) of searches each day, and he's not shy about reminding you of the vast amount of user shops his search involves. The Shop Wizard always does his job with a smile, but even this magical Jubjub needs to take a break every once in a while. It doesn't happen often, but he does occasionally get frustrated with those who ask for too many searches. When that time comes, he not-so-subtly reminds the Neopian in question that he has other customers to serve, and that they should come back a little later after everyone else has had their turn. However, as long as you don't run him ragged doing too many searches in a row, the Shop Wizard will always work hard to make sure you find the cheapest prices in all of Neopia.

      The Yurble Janitor in Mop 'n' Bop -

      Do you know how big the Hall of Heroes in Altador is? It houses twelve massive statues of the legends of Altador, so the building itself must have been huge. Cleaning this vast area is a lot of hard work and the Yurble janitor takes his job very seriously. He isn't reluctant to whack Petpets with muddy dirty feet that keep wandering into the hall, leaving trails of mud on the recently cleaned floor.

      Blumaroo Court Jester -

      King Skarl is, without a doubt, the grumpiest Skeith in all of Neopia. The Blumaroo Court Jester has tried to turn Skarl's frown upside down for years, but doesn't usually have much success. He shouldn't feel too bad, since most Neopians can't even get a chuckle out of Meridell's king most days either, but at least Neopians at large aren't required to keep trying day in and day out. It must be exhausting for such a cheery Blumaroo, who tries so hard at his job, to constantly fail over and over again through no fault of his own. Nevertheless, the Court Jester perseveres in the hope that someday his king will crack a smile, and then it will all finally be worth it.

      The PPL Officers in Snowbeast Snackrifice -

      They were dispatched to prevent innocent Petpets from being thrown into the Snowbeast's cave as sacrifices. Not only do they have to deal with the angry and irrational villagers who practice the horrible ritual, but the officers also often have to sustain injuries from being hit by the Petpets thrown in their way. The worst part of this job is the psychological damage that they have to endure from hearing the horrified screams and pleas of the Petpets that they missed and couldn't save.

      Plushie Tycoon Tax Man -

      The Tax Man cometh! No one likes giving away their hard-earned Neopoints, but Neopians seem to forget that this poor (or rich?) guy is just doing his job. As far as tax collectors go, the Plushie Tycoon Tax Man is actually pretty fair and equitable; he never takes more than his due, and even lets you slide if you have less than 50,000 Neopoints on hand. So who can blame him for getting angry when players intentionally hide their profits by promptly reinvesting most of the Neopoints they've earned as a form of tax shelter? He surely has a quota to meet to keep his boss happy, but those greedy Neopians do everything they can to keep him from collecting. He wouldn't be at all surprised if they start opening offshore bank accounts soon…

      Magma Pool Guard -

      Have you ever visited the Magma Pool? If so, you may remember a particularly stern and unwavering Tonu guard who prevents unworthy Neopets from getting access to the pool. As yet, no one seems to know what item or activity grants official access, so what do they do instead? Try to sneak in! This guard already has to stand up all day, wearing full Moltaran armor, in a sweltering hot cave. As if that weren't enough, now he also has to contend with devious Neopets attempting to sneak into the pool while he's taking a well-deserved nap in the middle of his shift.

      The Yooyus in Crisis Courier -

      Have you ever wondered what Yooyus do during the Altador Cup off-season? After a month of constantly being thrown across the field in the game of Yooyuball, these hardworking Petpets have another job throughout the year. They were deemed fast enough to deliver urgent messages for King Altador. Working directly under a royal might sound fancy to some, but it actually requires great teamwork and good navigation skills. The fire, snow, mutant, and faerie Yooyus have to work together to defeat Minitheuses standing in their way.

      So, what do you think--are these jobs pretty awful, or what? Did you ever give any of these hardworking Neopians a second thought? That's okay, you're not alone. But perhaps now you will! Next time you visit their shop or play their game, remember that a smile and a 'thank you' go a long way.