Hello and welcome to this week's edition of The Neopian News Brief, your all-in-one source for the latest headlines from the world of Neopia. There are quite a few exciting new topics to go over this week, so without further delay, let's go ahead and get started...
 Our lead story this week is the long-awaited, much anticipated debut of Petpet Battles. No fancy weapons, long-winded spells, or arsenal of abilities here... just straight up, no-holds-barred fury! Owners squeamishly look on as they see their darling little Warfs and Symols unleash a torrent of unbridled whuppin', then cheer exuberantly as their pet victoriously exits the fray with another notch on their collar. With each win, your pet's pet gets one step closer to scoring ten points and gaining a level. Do your petpets have what it takes to prove their mettle against the most ferocious fighters around? There's only one way to find out...
 If wanton bloodlust isn't your cup of tea, then maybe you'd prefer trying this week's other new game, Rink Runner. The Happy Valley Skating Competition isn't too far off, so you'll have to start practicing now in order to be a contender. Swiftly make your way across the ice, catching notes in as few moves as possible... but look out! As you advance to the game's later stages, the ice will begin to crack. Find a way to keep up with the notes while avoiding the cracks, or else end up taking the plunge. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, you've also got to contend with some sharps and flats that'll turn up from time to time. If you can avoid the sour notes, while managing to stay out of the drink, then you'll be well on your way to making sweet music!
 Calling all Defenders of Neopia!!! On Wednesday, the sixth and latest mission was unveiled, as that wily scoundrel Commander Garoo was able to lure Captain K into his clutches. Apparently, the captain was on his way back from an interstellar mission, when some strange readings from a tiny planetoid piqued his curiosity. Now, after being lured in by Garoo and his despicable deputy Galproxx, it's up to you and the rest of the defenders to save the day... before it's too late! However, keep in mind that Commander Garoo is a formidable foe, with a burly arsenal of weapons (including a mighty battle axe whose wrath is a sight to behold!). Should you decide to take up the challenge, then we advise that you show up prepared for the worst... remember, you've been warned!
 On a much lighter note, the Toy Shop has continued to roll right along, coming up with one great product after another. This week saw three more fantastic releases, beginning on Tuesday with the unveiling of Battle Faerie snowglobes. With a rarity of ninety, you'd be lucky to get your paws on one of these, so if you happen to see one while mulling through the aisles, be sure to snatch it up!
 On Wednesday, some supercool new Lost Desert toys found their way onto shelves. Now, your pet can be entertained for hours, as they relish the clack-clack-clack sound made by their pull along scarab, or tightly hug their Anubis plushie. Last, yet certainly not least, was a trio of Darigan plushies that came out on Friday. These plushies are available in three great varieties: Drakonack, Draconian Skeith, and Draconian Moehog. Get yours while supplies last!
 There's plenty of merchandising news to report this week. For those who haven't read about it already in this issue's Editorial, the first wave of Pocket Neopets toys will come in three varieties, each with its own pet: Haunted Woods (Kacheek), Lost Desert (Aisha), and Mystery Island (Kougra). Still no word yet on a release date, or which stores will be carrying them (trust me, we asked), so stay posted for further details. On Tuesday, there were a pair of big announcements: the first was that Voice Activated Neopets toys will be available at Target stores in the US and WalMart stores in Canada.
 The second announcement was that Wizards of the Coast, the company who created the Magic: The Gathering trading card game, will be working on a Neopets trading card game. Then finally, on Thursday, it was revealed that the next Limited Edition plushie arriving at Limited Too would be: Shadow Aishas! There will only be ten of them at each store, so be sure to start calling and make your arrangements in advance...
 Okay, we know it's been a busy week and all, but you didn't really think that we'd forget to mention Zafara Day, did you? Of course not! This past Monday, scores of loyal Zafara owners celebrated their pets' special day, which was filled with tons of great new Zafara stuff. First up: the usual collection of books, baked goods, and Battledome treats (weapons, moves, and free training). Throw in two new paint brush styles (striped and white) and a quartet of fun images, then add special appearences in this week's Caption Contest, Pet Spotlight, and Art Gallery, and what have you got? Nearly two million happy Zafaras... hurray!
 The time has now come to check in with today's financial headlines. After last week's bust-out performance, many analysts predicted that the economy would continue to pick up speed and keep rolling along. Well, that's exactly what has happened, as the Big Board followed up last week's impressive thirty-eight-point gain with a staggering eighty-one-point vault. Leading the way, surprisingly, was Faerie Clothing Limited, whose shares skyrocketed an amazing fifty-six-points, the biggest single week gain since The Neopian Auction House jumped seventy-nine-points during the first week of December. A mere nineteen NP a week ago, FAER currently stands as the third most valuable company on the board, behind Peophin Water Parks and The Neopian Auction House.
 Speaking of TNAH, given last week's thirty-six-point tumble, many expected this economic superpower to spiral back into oblivion. However, The Neopian Auction House proved that they've still got plenty of fight left in 'em, bouncing back with a twenty-three-point gain, shooting back up to 239 NPs a share, still more than twice as much as their nearest rival, Peophin Water Parks. And what about PEOP, you ask? After incredible leaps of thirty-two and forty-one-points, their meteoric rise took a momentary detour, as their share price dropped a troubling twenty-four-points, the biggest loss of the week. And, as for Unis Beauty Salon, which we mentioned briefly last week, well... they failed to make the leap into the big leagues, stumbling thirteen points, back to 39 NP a share.
 So then, with The Neopian Auction House doggedly re-establishing their dominance, it looks like most of last week's contenders have been exposed (for the time being, at least) as pretenders. Will Faerie Clothing Ltd. be able to build upon this week's winnings, or will they succumb and join the rest of the pack? And what about Peophin Water Parks? Was this week a momentary setback, or should we just go ahead and count them out? I guess we'll just have to wait and see....
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