"I can't believe we get to dig at the ancient burial tomb of King
Coltzan I on our first archaology trip!" exclaimed Bludragn3, a blue
dragon. "This is so neat." p
"Honestly," scoffed his partner, Leb388, "this is the only place in the Lost Desert where there's anything to dig for."p
The pair was digging, sifting, and chipping away in a large archaology site, where ruins of an ancient burial tomb were being uncovered. Leb and Bluey volunteered to be assistant archaologists for a day for "experience." But all they were doing was brushing sand away in the hot sun Several other archaologists, some Neopets, some humans, surrounded them, and they weren't content, either. p
"There's nothing here," Leb muttered. "We need to look for something, oh...," she glanced at a stone box half-buried in the sand a few metres away, "there."p
"Are you sure?" Bludragn3, or Bluey, queried. "I don't know...."p
"C'mon," Leb said simply. She picked up her charts and walked over to the box. "Start digging or something."p
"Okay," Bluey agreed, knowing that digging was more fun than charting anyway. He gently pulled off the cover of the box and started digging with a small tool.p
After a few minutes, they heard a soft clunking sound. Leb looked up instantly. "What was that?"p
"I found something." Bluey brushed away some soil and pulled out a dirt-crusted figure of a dagger. "I...I think it's a weapon."p
"Spiffy," Leb said. "This is more exciting than when I found Chet Flash living in my basement!" She took a brush and started cleaning off the artifact. "Ooh, it's...glimmering. This looks valuable. Wait a minute. Bluey!"p
"Yeah?" he said, staring at the artifact. p
"Bluey, this is a iLost Desert Dagger/i! But--it has different markings than a normal one...."
"Oh! I've read about this. It's the king's customized dagger-- according to legend, it has magical powers. We've got to tell the others," Bluey said excitedly. "Quick, chart where you--"p
"BLUEY! YOU'VE CHIPPED IT!" Leb exclaimed. She held up a broken fragment of the dagger as a few other workers stopped, stared, and then turned away. "Ugh, look! I wish it would be all in one piece!"p
Suddenly, the dagger glowed and the broken-off piece floated in the air and connected seamlessly to the rest of the weapon.p
Leb gaped in amazement. "B-b-bluey!"p
"Yeah, I saw it," Bluey replied, not taking his eyes off the artifact. "The legends must be true! This thing grants wishes and can control minds!"p
Leb held the dagger protectively. "No one but us can know about this," she said sternly. "No one."p
center~*~/centerp
The next day, Bluey boredly came over Leb388's house. He found Leb in the living room reading the Neopian Times.p
"So, Leb, have you told anyone about the magical Lost Desert Dagger yet?" he queried conversationally.p
"Of course not!" she replied. "This is just between us."p
Bluey thought for a minute. "Oh, so we can do cool things with it like rule the world with an iron paw?" p
"Yeah. Or with a pair of camouflage pants," Leb added randomly. p
"Uh, sure, we could do that...actually, I'm kinda hungry. Could you wish me some food?" Bluey asked. p
"Of course! I wish for Crown Roast Beef," Leb proclaimed. Almost instantly, a pair of the meals appeared on the table. p
Suddenly, Dr. Sloth walked into the room and squealed, "Ooh! Crown Roast Beef!" p
"Dr. Sloth!" Bluey exclaimed, stepping back precariously. p
"Oh, don't worry. He's a regular visitor to my Neohome," Leb explained. "Ever since Darigan took his place as top villain, Sloth's been down on his luck." p
"Yep," said Jamezbfod, Leb's older brother, who randomly walked in as well. "Do you have any sandwiches or anything?"p
"Sure, have some Crown Roast Beef."p
Jamez sat down to eat a sandwich and started lecturing Sloth on the importance of buying stocks.p
"Does everyone you know just appear randomly when you have stuff they like?" Bluey asked Leb.p
"Yeah. And when they're bored of this place, they disap--" began Leb, but she was suddenly gone. p
"What the?" Bluey exclaimed. A bit disturbed, he slowly walked out of the Neohome.p
"Hey," Leb called, "do you think you could help me down?" p
She was on the roof.p
"Okay! I'll rescue you with my super jump!" Bluey primed himself for a huge dragonlike leap. Nothing happened. "Oh, right, I don't have super abilities yet." p
"Why don't you just fly up here? You've got wings, right?"p
Bluey looked over his shoulder. "Oh, pointing out my bad memory, are we?" p
Finally Bluey rescued Leb and they chatted conspiratorily. It was a sunny day and warmer than usual in the month of Storing.p
"So, what should we do with the dagger?" Leb queried.p
"We can take over Neopia! What world should we start with? I like Neopia Central, myself," Bluey suggested. "It'd make the perfect location for the capital of Bluopia."p
"No, Lebopia," Leb countered.p
"No, Bluopia!"p
"LEBOPIA I TELL YOU!" p
"I'll have none of this, it's Bluopia, blast it!" Bluey argued.p
"How about BluLebopia?" suggested Sloth, who'd followed them outside. p
"Yeah, that sounds good...I mean, SLOTH?" Leb exclaimed. "Go away! This is secret!"p
"Aw, you guys never let me have fun," Sloth murmured sadly, mosying away. p
"Anyway, how will we do this? Like, should we wish for super powers or just for control of the world?" Bluey inquired.p
"Hmm...it needs to be small and gradual. We can't just suddenly take over everything. That violates my brother Jamez's villains code of ethics. How about, one day we'll own all vegetables? The next day, fruits. Then pastries. And slowly, the Neopians."p
"Ooh! I get it! Let's get started! Just hand me the dagger and--" p
"No!" Leb exclaimed. "It's mine!" p
"Oh, no, it isn't!" Bluey retorted, snatching it. "I dug it up!"p
"Give it back! By chipping it, you lost all control over it!"p
"That makes absolutely no sense!" he protested. p
"Well, fine! Keep the lousy artifact, then!" Leb angrily stormed off to her Neohome.p
"Fine," Bluey muttered. He felt guilty, since it wasn't just his dagger. iI'd better leave this inside,/i he thought. He left it on Leb's kitchen table, not noticing Sloth eyeing the priceless treasure. p
After Bluey seemed to be gone, Sloth reached over and grabbed the artifact. "All of Neopia will be mine!" he said gleefully. "First I'll wish for all the Crown Roast Beef in Neopia. Then I'll wish for more. All right, grant me Crown Roast Beef, weapon!"p
Nothing happened. p
"I wonder how one makes a wish on this," Sloth wondered aloud.p
"Dude, are you altering the fate of Neopia?" Jamez asked.p
"Yeah."p
"Okay, then." Jamez went back to thoughtfully eating his sandwich.p
"I wish you'd stop touching Leb's stuff, Sloth!" came a voice. Bluey was standing at the door, holding his trusted Shocking Staff. "Put it down. Now."p
"NEVER!" bellowed Sloth. "This is my one chance for fame, glory--"p
"You've had your chance!" Jamez countered. "You know that stocks are the only way to reach glory! Give me my sister's priceless item!" p
"Quit yelling," said Leb, oblivious to the arguement. She ambled into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a small carton of apple juice. Then it dawned on her. "Give me that artifact!" she yelled, dropping the carton. p
"Oh, so you think you three can take me down! I wish to make them all White Weewoos!" Sloth proclaimed.p
A White Weewoo appeared in each Bluey's claws and Jamez's and Leb's hands. p
"No, not like that! Make them iinto/iWeewoos!"p
Nothing happened.p
Suddenly, Jamez pounced on Sloth. "Give me the weapon!"p
"Never! I wish you would let me go!"p
Jamez suddenly released Sloth, overpowered by the dagger's ancient magic. Not much else can stop him. p
Sloth ran out, but slipped on the puddle of juice Leb had spilled. The weapon rolled from Sloth's green hands and into Bluey's grasp.p
"Weewoo wee wee woooooo!" Bluey's Weewoo weewooed as it was dropped and almost fell, but flapped its wings and lightly touched the floor.p
Bluey tossed the weapon to Leb, who in turn dropped her Weewoo. "You'll never get this, Sloth--ahh!" Leb's Weewoo was biting her foot. She screamed and the artifact flew out of her hands.p
"I'll get it!" Bluey yelled, lunging for it.p
"No, I will!" Leb said, reaching out for it.p
"It's coming toward me!" Jamez shouted, holding his Weewoo protectively in one hand.p
SMASH! It fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Bluey and Leb landed on the floor with a thud. Sloth slipped away in the confusion, and the Weewoos vanished.p
The trio was silent for a moment, then Bluey moaned, "I can't feel my wings." p
"You never could," Leb pointed out. p
"Oh, pointing out my bad memory, are we?"p
"See, for once I was smart. I didn't lunge for the weapon-thing," said Jamez, who'd surmised all the weapon was capable of and thought better that it be destroyed. Or at least for the shards to be in his possession for his own purposes.p
Leb sighed. "Well, I guess it would've been hard to run Lebopia anyway," she said thoughtfully, getting up. "Plus, we found some of the first White Weewoos in Neopia."p
"Yeah, I guess so," Bluey agreed. "And it was Bluopia."p
"No, Lebopia!"p
"Bluopia, I say!"p
"Tell you what," said Jamez, "just forget the whole thing and be friends again, and make me some Crown Roast Beef."p
"Deal. And no more archaeology," Bluey added to Leb.p
Leb nodded.p
Two of Leb's Neopets, Li, a Desert Aisha, Conspicit, an Island Poogle, and their cousin, Keira, a Baby Poogle who was entrusted to Leb's care, walked in.p
"Was an extreme power battle going on just a few minutes ago?" Conspicit queried conversationally.p
"Yep," Leb confirmed.p
"All right," said Li, as she walked out with Conspicit.p
"Just checking," Keira added, joining her cousins. p
Leb, Jamez, and Bluey collectively shrugged and went and got a broom to sweep up the mess.p
"Hey, where'd Sloth go?" Jamez wondered aloud.p
"Oh, it doesn't matter. He'll come back. And the Weewoos disappeared since the magic was gone once the dagger was broken, but after 24 hours the wishes would have worn off anyway," Bluey chuckled and scooped artifact shards into a trash can. "So I guess our kingdoms would've been pointless!"p
Leb gasped. "You knew that, all this time? Why didn't you tell me?"p
"Er, um...the thrill of wishing?"p
"Honestly," scoffed his partner, Leb388, "this is the only place in the Lost Desert where there's anything to dig for."p
The pair was digging, sifting, and chipping away in a large archaology site, where ruins of an ancient burial tomb were being uncovered. Leb and Bluey volunteered to be assistant archaologists for a day for "experience." But all they were doing was brushing sand away in the hot sun Several other archaologists, some Neopets, some humans, surrounded them, and they weren't content, either. p
"There's nothing here," Leb muttered. "We need to look for something, oh...," she glanced at a stone box half-buried in the sand a few metres away, "there."p
"Are you sure?" Bludragn3, or Bluey, queried. "I don't know...."p
"C'mon," Leb said simply. She picked up her charts and walked over to the box. "Start digging or something."p
"Okay," Bluey agreed, knowing that digging was more fun than charting anyway. He gently pulled off the cover of the box and started digging with a small tool.p
After a few minutes, they heard a soft clunking sound. Leb looked up instantly. "What was that?"p
"I found something." Bluey brushed away some soil and pulled out a dirt-crusted figure of a dagger. "I...I think it's a weapon."p
"Spiffy," Leb said. "This is more exciting than when I found Chet Flash living in my basement!" She took a brush and started cleaning off the artifact. "Ooh, it's...glimmering. This looks valuable. Wait a minute. Bluey!"p
"Yeah?" he said, staring at the artifact. p
"Bluey, this is a iLost Desert Dagger/i! But--it has different markings than a normal one...."
"Oh! I've read about this. It's the king's customized dagger-- according to legend, it has magical powers. We've got to tell the others," Bluey said excitedly. "Quick, chart where you--"p
"BLUEY! YOU'VE CHIPPED IT!" Leb exclaimed. She held up a broken fragment of the dagger as a few other workers stopped, stared, and then turned away. "Ugh, look! I wish it would be all in one piece!"p
Suddenly, the dagger glowed and the broken-off piece floated in the air and connected seamlessly to the rest of the weapon.p
Leb gaped in amazement. "B-b-bluey!"p
"Yeah, I saw it," Bluey replied, not taking his eyes off the artifact. "The legends must be true! This thing grants wishes and can control minds!"p
Leb held the dagger protectively. "No one but us can know about this," she said sternly. "No one."p
center~*~/centerp
The next day, Bluey boredly came over Leb388's house. He found Leb in the living room reading the Neopian Times.p
"So, Leb, have you told anyone about the magical Lost Desert Dagger yet?" he queried conversationally.p
"Of course not!" she replied. "This is just between us."p
Bluey thought for a minute. "Oh, so we can do cool things with it like rule the world with an iron paw?" p
"Yeah. Or with a pair of camouflage pants," Leb added randomly. p
"Uh, sure, we could do that...actually, I'm kinda hungry. Could you wish me some food?" Bluey asked. p
"Of course! I wish for Crown Roast Beef," Leb proclaimed. Almost instantly, a pair of the meals appeared on the table. p
Suddenly, Dr. Sloth walked into the room and squealed, "Ooh! Crown Roast Beef!" p
"Dr. Sloth!" Bluey exclaimed, stepping back precariously. p
"Oh, don't worry. He's a regular visitor to my Neohome," Leb explained. "Ever since Darigan took his place as top villain, Sloth's been down on his luck." p
"Yep," said Jamezbfod, Leb's older brother, who randomly walked in as well. "Do you have any sandwiches or anything?"p
"Sure, have some Crown Roast Beef."p
Jamez sat down to eat a sandwich and started lecturing Sloth on the importance of buying stocks.p
"Does everyone you know just appear randomly when you have stuff they like?" Bluey asked Leb.p
"Yeah. And when they're bored of this place, they disap--" began Leb, but she was suddenly gone. p
"What the?" Bluey exclaimed. A bit disturbed, he slowly walked out of the Neohome.p
"Hey," Leb called, "do you think you could help me down?" p
She was on the roof.p
"Okay! I'll rescue you with my super jump!" Bluey primed himself for a huge dragonlike leap. Nothing happened. "Oh, right, I don't have super abilities yet." p
"Why don't you just fly up here? You've got wings, right?"p
Bluey looked over his shoulder. "Oh, pointing out my bad memory, are we?" p
Finally Bluey rescued Leb and they chatted conspiratorily. It was a sunny day and warmer than usual in the month of Storing.p
"So, what should we do with the dagger?" Leb queried.p
"We can take over Neopia! What world should we start with? I like Neopia Central, myself," Bluey suggested. "It'd make the perfect location for the capital of Bluopia."p
"No, Lebopia," Leb countered.p
"No, Bluopia!"p
"LEBOPIA I TELL YOU!" p
"I'll have none of this, it's Bluopia, blast it!" Bluey argued.p
"How about BluLebopia?" suggested Sloth, who'd followed them outside. p
"Yeah, that sounds good...I mean, SLOTH?" Leb exclaimed. "Go away! This is secret!"p
"Aw, you guys never let me have fun," Sloth murmured sadly, mosying away. p
"Anyway, how will we do this? Like, should we wish for super powers or just for control of the world?" Bluey inquired.p
"Hmm...it needs to be small and gradual. We can't just suddenly take over everything. That violates my brother Jamez's villains code of ethics. How about, one day we'll own all vegetables? The next day, fruits. Then pastries. And slowly, the Neopians."p
"Ooh! I get it! Let's get started! Just hand me the dagger and--" p
"No!" Leb exclaimed. "It's mine!" p
"Oh, no, it isn't!" Bluey retorted, snatching it. "I dug it up!"p
"Give it back! By chipping it, you lost all control over it!"p
"That makes absolutely no sense!" he protested. p
"Well, fine! Keep the lousy artifact, then!" Leb angrily stormed off to her Neohome.p
"Fine," Bluey muttered. He felt guilty, since it wasn't just his dagger. iI'd better leave this inside,/i he thought. He left it on Leb's kitchen table, not noticing Sloth eyeing the priceless treasure. p
After Bluey seemed to be gone, Sloth reached over and grabbed the artifact. "All of Neopia will be mine!" he said gleefully. "First I'll wish for all the Crown Roast Beef in Neopia. Then I'll wish for more. All right, grant me Crown Roast Beef, weapon!"p
Nothing happened. p
"I wonder how one makes a wish on this," Sloth wondered aloud.p
"Dude, are you altering the fate of Neopia?" Jamez asked.p
"Yeah."p
"Okay, then." Jamez went back to thoughtfully eating his sandwich.p
"I wish you'd stop touching Leb's stuff, Sloth!" came a voice. Bluey was standing at the door, holding his trusted Shocking Staff. "Put it down. Now."p
"NEVER!" bellowed Sloth. "This is my one chance for fame, glory--"p
"You've had your chance!" Jamez countered. "You know that stocks are the only way to reach glory! Give me my sister's priceless item!" p
"Quit yelling," said Leb, oblivious to the arguement. She ambled into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a small carton of apple juice. Then it dawned on her. "Give me that artifact!" she yelled, dropping the carton. p
"Oh, so you think you three can take me down! I wish to make them all White Weewoos!" Sloth proclaimed.p
A White Weewoo appeared in each Bluey's claws and Jamez's and Leb's hands. p
"No, not like that! Make them iinto/iWeewoos!"p
Nothing happened.p
Suddenly, Jamez pounced on Sloth. "Give me the weapon!"p
"Never! I wish you would let me go!"p
Jamez suddenly released Sloth, overpowered by the dagger's ancient magic. Not much else can stop him. p
Sloth ran out, but slipped on the puddle of juice Leb had spilled. The weapon rolled from Sloth's green hands and into Bluey's grasp.p
"Weewoo wee wee woooooo!" Bluey's Weewoo weewooed as it was dropped and almost fell, but flapped its wings and lightly touched the floor.p
Bluey tossed the weapon to Leb, who in turn dropped her Weewoo. "You'll never get this, Sloth--ahh!" Leb's Weewoo was biting her foot. She screamed and the artifact flew out of her hands.p
"I'll get it!" Bluey yelled, lunging for it.p
"No, I will!" Leb said, reaching out for it.p
"It's coming toward me!" Jamez shouted, holding his Weewoo protectively in one hand.p
SMASH! It fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Bluey and Leb landed on the floor with a thud. Sloth slipped away in the confusion, and the Weewoos vanished.p
The trio was silent for a moment, then Bluey moaned, "I can't feel my wings." p
"You never could," Leb pointed out. p
"Oh, pointing out my bad memory, are we?"p
"See, for once I was smart. I didn't lunge for the weapon-thing," said Jamez, who'd surmised all the weapon was capable of and thought better that it be destroyed. Or at least for the shards to be in his possession for his own purposes.p
Leb sighed. "Well, I guess it would've been hard to run Lebopia anyway," she said thoughtfully, getting up. "Plus, we found some of the first White Weewoos in Neopia."p
"Yeah, I guess so," Bluey agreed. "And it was Bluopia."p
"No, Lebopia!"p
"Bluopia, I say!"p
"Tell you what," said Jamez, "just forget the whole thing and be friends again, and make me some Crown Roast Beef."p
"Deal. And no more archaeology," Bluey added to Leb.p
Leb nodded.p
Two of Leb's Neopets, Li, a Desert Aisha, Conspicit, an Island Poogle, and their cousin, Keira, a Baby Poogle who was entrusted to Leb's care, walked in.p
"Was an extreme power battle going on just a few minutes ago?" Conspicit queried conversationally.p
"Yep," Leb confirmed.p
"All right," said Li, as she walked out with Conspicit.p
"Just checking," Keira added, joining her cousins. p
Leb, Jamez, and Bluey collectively shrugged and went and got a broom to sweep up the mess.p
"Hey, where'd Sloth go?" Jamez wondered aloud.p
"Oh, it doesn't matter. He'll come back. And the Weewoos disappeared since the magic was gone once the dagger was broken, but after 24 hours the wishes would have worn off anyway," Bluey chuckled and scooped artifact shards into a trash can. "So I guess our kingdoms would've been pointless!"p
Leb gasped. "You knew that, all this time? Why didn't you tell me?"p
"Er, um...the thrill of wishing?"p