| MARAQUA - As you all know, Maraqua
has been an underwater wreckage for quite awhile now. But one question is still
unanswered. Where are Maraquan Neopians now? We all know that the Maraquan petpets
have gone to a refugee at the Mystery Island but, where have the shopkeepers gone?
I have decided to find some of the former Maraquan residents and interview them
as a Neopian Times reporter. The first Maraquan I hunted down was the shop owner
of the utility fish store. I found the green Koi leisurely swimming in the shoals
of the Mystery Island's beach.
Me: Hello, I would lik-
Keikonna: Hiya, are you from The Neopian Times?
Me: Yes, I would like to interview you for the Times.
Keikonna: Shoot.
Me: So, how were you doing before the whirlpool catastrophe?
Keikonna: Catastrophe?!! You gotta be kidding me. Lemme tell ya, that
was the best event of my life. First of all, I longed for something to happen!!!!
It was so boring to make and sell utility fish all the time. To me, it
was a miracle. Seaweed soda?
Me: No thanks. So what did you do after the disaste- I mean miracle
occurred?
Keikonna: Celebrated of course!!! We partied late into the night!
Me: "We"?
Keikonna: Yeah, about a third of us, 38,458 to be exact. We are the
ones who are rejoicing over the happy event.
Me: So why is it so happy for you?
Keikonna: Well first of all, we have much more fun and freedom. There
were too many Maraquan rules. Now, I travel when, where and how I want to. I now travel and occasionally sell some hybrid utility fish.
I don't even have a constant schedule. Sometimes I don't open for weeks and
weeks. It's great.
Me: Well that answers my next question. Anyway, what is your government
like?
Keikonna: We really don't have a big government and big rulers. We
can do anything so long that we don't hurt anyone.
Me: Any important events that are happening?
Keikonna: We have events every day including the post, post, post,
and post seaweed day.
Me: OK, well that wraps up our interview. Thanks for your time.
Keikonna: No problem. I have also decided to try and cook too. Do you
want a fish dung club sandwich?
(I gag)
Me: No thanks!!
Keikonna, I found, was representing one feeling as a result of the whirlpool
event. He saw the event in a positive way and was happy.
The next Koi I interviewed was the red Koi KoKo. I found him underwater a
little more than 100 miles away from the wreckage. He had set up a shop nearly
identical to his old one. It was in a small village.
Me: Hello, KoKo how are you.
KoKo: I am fine thank you. You must be from the Neopian times.
Keikonna came by and told me you had interviewed him.
Me: Yes. So how were you before the catastrophe at Maraqua happened?
KoKo: Well first, I would hardly call it a catastrophe; more of a minor
setback. I was working in a nice life as a cook. Business was good too.
Me: So what did you do after Maraqua was destroyed?
KoKo: 41,210 Maraquans including myself gathered what we could and started
a settlement here. It is called Maraqua II. Here we do what we did in Maraqua
and carry on with our jobs. Although there are many less Maraquans, we carry
on normal lives.
Me: So you aren't at all depressed by the demolition of Maraqua?
KoKo: No one was hurt, so why should we be?
Me: Good question. Moving on, how do you organize your government?
KoKo: At this time it is mainly egalitarian. No one has rose as a leader
yet. So we follow our former Maraqua rules.
Me: Mm hm. So are there any big events?
KoKo: Not really, just ones from the Maraquans.
Me: That just about wraps it up. Thanks for your time.
KoKo: It's nothing. Hope to talk to you soon, bye.
KoKo represented the third of the Maraquan population that didn't really care
about the incident. On to the next interviewee. The next Koi I interviewed was
the ever-faithful Koi Warrior. I found him gazing at the rubbish along with
some others.
Me: Hello, I am from The Neopian Times. I am here to ask you questions
about how the once thriving underwater city relates with you now.
Koi Warrior: (says nothing and gives me a long sorrowful stare)
(Awkward pause)
Me: OK, what have you resorted to do now that Maraqua is no more.
(Heads of former Maraquans appear)
(More mournful glances)
(More awkward pause)
Me: Look, I know you are all sad but could you please, please answer
a few questions.
Koi Warrior: Fine. (In a long monotonous tone)
Me: Thank you. Now, how were you doing before the whirlpool catastrophe?
Koi Warrior: I was doing the best I have ever been. I was happy and
almost carefree. To us it was paradise. Then the whirlpool occurred. It was
a catastrophe. It was the end of the world to us. We all miss our homes and
jobs. Now, we have nothing.
Me: So what did you do after the whirlpool.
Koi Warrior: We waited for it to slow down. Then when it did, we gathered
what we could and tried to rebuild our city but most efforts have been futile.
But we persist in the midst of this crisis. We have exactly 40,332 faithful
Maraquans helping to rebuild our city.
Me: So where do you live now?
Koi Warrior: By night, we return to our hovels we were able to rebuild.
But when day comes, we return to work.
Me: Do you have any sort of a government?
Koi Warrior: Whoever helps us is welcome to lead us but otherwise,
we have no true government?
Me: Are there any events that have happened?
Koi Warrior: We have weeks of extra work to rebuild our city. Everyone
here has been greatly affected by the tragedy. The remembrance of our city is
what drives us to work. Me: Mmm. Very touching. Well thank you for your time.
Good luck.
This group obviously represented the negative side of the discussion. They
all mourn for the loss of their city. This wraps up my article, but maybe you
should think, which side am I on? Do I like the fact that Maraqua is gone, do
I not care, or am a greatly affected by this event? I leave you with that thought.
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