MARKETPLACE - "Who is the Auction
Genie?" my Grarrl, PenPeN asked me. It seems like we haven't been to
the auctions. Not daunted by his question, I set about to have an interview
with this mysterious creature… I decided to start off by asking a few people
about this creature known as the auction genie.
The Neopets help section should have something, I thought to myself. With
that, I went on to find Sarah the Zafara.
Sarah the Zafara: Huh? Auction Genie? Who's that?
Gin84: You're supposed to know everything about Neopia. Why else are you
in the help section?
Sarah the Zafara: Sorry, I cannot find anything matching that.
Disappointed, I decided to try the Shop Wizard. He might know something, I
thought.
Shop Wizard: Searching for... The Auction Genie
Gin84: What's this? Why did you give me an auction genie card?
Shop Wizard: Didn't you want to buy something? Why are you here then?
Oh well… I should have known better than to ask the Shop Wizard for something
like that. "Why don't we look at the Auction Genie card?" PenPeN reminded me.
I looked at the card and it read:
The Auction Genie: A magical creature blessed with mysterious powers of
perception. This Wocky can help you find many a bargain in the Auction House.
Of course, the Auction House! How could I forget? I mean, you cannot blame
someone who hasn't been to the auctions before. With that, my Grarrl and I headed
down to the Auction House in Neopia Central… entering the cone-shaped building,
we finally met up with the Auction Genie.
Auction Genie: Hi, I'm your friendly guide to on-line auctions.
Gin84: Hi there, I've finally found you. It wasn't easy at all! Now
if you're free, may I have an interview with you?
Auction Genie (AG): Sure! I've been waiting for quite sometime already.
Somebody interviewed the Shop Wizard one month back and he actually appeared
in Neopian Times! Oh, this makes me so jealous. I was wondering when you'd appear
and here you are.
Gin84: Oh, so there is something going on between you and the Shop Wizard?
AG: Of course there is. Can't you tell? There's a constant rivalry
between him and me. We even compete in Buried Treasure to see who is better
at searching.
Gin84: Wow that is so interesting! So how did you end up in the Auction
House?
AG: First of all, you see that Scorchio standing at the entrance of
the Auction House? He picked me up, just like that. I am a genie, you know,
and so the whole story goes about me being locked inside a lamp and he finally
found the lamp somewhere in the Lost Desert. I'll leave the details out. Basically,
I gave him a wish, he wished for me to help him out at the Auction House. Well,
here I am.
Gin84: Amazing. I didn't know there are magic lamps to be found in
the Lost Desert. I noticed that you don't look like a desert Wocky. Are you
by any chance a faerie Wocky?
AG: If you would just go check out Faerie City, you'll find out there
isn't such a thing as a faerie Wocky I'm in fact an Arabian Wocky and there's
only one of my kind around.
Gin84: You pretty knowledgeable! I really have to check out those paintbrushes
one of these days. You mentioned that you were granting a wish when you help
out at the Auction House. Does that mean you work here for free?
AG: I really don't have a choice. It's the life of a genie to work
for free. Fortunately, my boss is very kind to provide me food and lodging at
the Neopian Hotel. I also dabble in shares to earn some income myself. Have
you heard of The Auction Genie shares (TAG)? You'll be helping me if you buy
some of those shares.
Gin84: I really wish to help, but I'm low on Neopoints as well. So
what do you do during your free time?
AG: When I am free, I play games like Kacheek Seek and Neggsweeper.
It trains my searching ability so that I can beat the Shop Wizard the next time
round. Most of the time, I've to process about 1000 auctions in six minutes,
so I've very little free time for my self.
Gin84: That's so sad. You should take a vacation some time. Just one
last question, help me search for the cheapest wand of supernova please.
AG: What are you talking abo… oh that. Just a moment, searching for
... Wand of Supernova… There's one going for 4,000 Neopoints and it's ending
in 1 minute.
Gin84: Whoops. I've to go. It's been a pleasure talking to you. (To
PenPeN) Quick! We've to go grab that Wand
of Supernova! | 
