Hi, my name is BloodBowler. Well, that is my neopets account name anyway. I’m here to tell you my experiences playing this game.
It was a long time ago when I first started playing Neopets although I remember little bits of it well. A friend of mine had recommended the site to me and I decided to give it a try. Well my first impression was good, it was a vast world waiting to be explored. Thus, I created Murphy2k2 (A blue Lupe) and set out to explore it.
I got to grips with all the basics within a few weeks, I was spending about 5 minutes a day on Neopets. I was still at school and had just enough time at my lunch break to log on to one of the computers, feed, groom and play with my pet.
As I started to frequent Neopets a lot more I decided to explore beyond the small places I had been to. I learned a lot about how to take care of my pet and the many, many things that can be done.
I remember daydreaming through my lessons, envisioning me and my faithful Lupe at my side, exploring the vast worlds of Neopia: The barren dunes of the Lost Desert, the tropics of Mystery Island, The vast plains of Merridell. From The clouds of Faerieland to the snow of Happy Valley we went everywhere in my mind. Whenever I logged on and explored I would see these dreams played back. I tell you, that pet was the greatest thing to happen to me.
One day I logged in and looked twice at a picture in Pet Central: The tearful penguin. I visited the pound and learned of what it was. I was horrified by the fact that people just dumped their pets there. ‘ How can it be? ‘ I asked myself, ‘ My pet has bought me such happiness yet people are more than willing to leave them behind. To dump them in the arms of a stranger. ‘ I wanted to do everything I could to help give these pets a second chance, so I adopted three new pets and loved them just as much: A red Eeyrie (Silver_Paw_King), A red Grarrl (Collossus2712) and a Blue Kacheek (Kacheek_uk_2k2).
I’d been getting into the games a lot more and had a surplus stashed away for any unforeseen costs I might have had. For example if my Neopet was ill and the healthcare cost more than I thought. I broke open my bank and splashed out: Toys, Grooming Brushes, A little nice food to celebrate. I felt wonderful that I had given these Neopets a second chance and they had a loving owner.
I had it all planned out: My Grarrl would be my battledome fighter, strong and tough and would protect the other pets I had. My Kacheek would be the smart one, poring over books, expanding his intelligence and working out the solutions to any problems we’d face. My Eyrie would be the job searcher, questing out for items needed and making sure nobody ran out of NP for a new ball or plushie. The Lupe my first and main pet was the all-rounder, jack of all trades and always there in a pinch.
I always felt good logging on to Neopets, because I new my pets were there waiting for me. Running to me for a cuddle when I came in through the door as it were. It used to light up my heart whenever I would feed them, play with them, groom them and they’d say such wonderful things. ‘ Mmmm That was great! ‘ They’d say, ‘ Thanks BloodBowler! You’re the best owner ever! ‘
True I was poor. I was always feeding my pets at the soup kitchen or on omelette. I scoured the money tree when I had a minute or two to spare for any donations that might have been there and was always going around for every freebie I could. But I was happy and my pets were happy, which made me even happier. Any neopoints from games, finds, donations, quests or any other source went straight into my neopets.
I even developed a system for them. I’d save up all NP that wasn’t used and store it in the bank. If they had been good all week I’d treat them all on the Friday. It wasn’t much at the most of times and the treat would consist of maybe us all going to Neopia central for some chocolate and a smoothie each. Other times it might have been a faerie, or a book, or some training. Since it’s impossible for pets to misbehave it happened every week. Although it was sometimes reduced when I hadn’t been online much and the Grarrl had eaten the Lupe’s brush or something.
Over time however I started lose sight of all that. All the joy had gone from Neopets. It started small, I learned that even if a neopet was dying of hunger you could just put it up in cockroach towers for one night and for 5NP it’d be back next day stuffed to the gills/ears/horns/eyeballs/whatever your neopet has on its head. It was a small start to a big mistake.
I started maltreating my pets. I didn’t play with them, I didn’t groom them, I rarely fed them. Yet whenever I did they still looked happy and cheery and told me I was great. Looking back on it now it hurts to see what I was, what I became.
My motives changed within the game, instead of wanting pets I wanted points. I trained them hard. They still had their roles but all the love of the game had gone. I starved them and put them in the hotel when I remembered they were dying. I played games and went to all the freebies still and locked all the money away in the bank. No more brushes, no more toys, no more nice food, no more chocolate and smoothies in Neopia Central every Friday lunchtime. Just cold hard training.
Then, I did the unforgivable. I abandoned three pets at the adoption agency. The same three pets I adopted all those years ago. I lost sight of what the adoption agency was, a cruel place for unwanted pets. Where thousands of pets would be fed slop that was barely edible. Where thousands of pets would fight for the few toys that were there and those that were there, were broken, or ripped, or had pieces missing. Where thousands of pets would have the sleep on floors and in hallways because there were so few beds. I only thought of myself. ‘ Why bother with four pets? ‘ I told myself, ‘ It’s a drain on money and time to feed them all and keep them all happy. Why bother having four pets, each good at one thing, when you can have one super pet that is good at them all? ‘
I horded and I horded, consumed by my own greed. I started spending more and more time on Neopets so I could gain more wealth. More money that would be locked away in a bank vault and left to rot. I saw only item prizes. Paintbrushes, Cool Neggs, Rare Battledome Equipment, Millions of NP’s all flashing before my eyes. I abandoned my pets and became self-centered.
It’s only as I write this that I truly learn just what happened to me. This morning I was still cold and still brutal. I remember perfectly emptying my shop till of 9,000 NP’s and stuffing it all in the bank, which incidentally has almost 300,000 NP’s in it.
It brings a tear to my eye to see what I was and to see what I became. Sounds silly doesn’t it? A teenager (I’m 17 at the moment) with eyes filling with water over a game. I’m ashamed in myself to have let myself become what I did. I started out with the best of intentions. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for my pets and I had a heart the size of a planet. I turned, I turned into what I hated most. An abuser, a person who mistreated his pets. At the very second I type this, I realize just how far I’ve come. Now it’s all comes back to me and it all comes back round. Full circle, I’m back at the start.
I don’t like what I am and I vow to change that. I can’t undo what I have done, but I can learn from it. Whilst this might sound harsh, I do not regret my actions. Hear me out on this. My actions were horrible, however, I learn at this second a valuable lesson. A lesson I could never have learned without making such a mistake. I mistake I now intend to make good on. Excuse me for a few seconds, there is something I must do.
I’ve just done a quick search on Neopets and am overjoyed to see that all three pets have found new homes with new owners. It warms my heart to see them getting the attention and the care that they deserve, the attention and care that should have come from me. I will now however, reverse that mistake.
Now it’s time to come close to finishing off. So let’s start with a couple of final paragraphs. My first set of words are to the Neopets creators. I remember reading a warning on Neopets once, whether it is still there or not I do not know. I do remember though what it said: ‘ Neopets.com is a virtual pet site, however it may seem these pets are virtual. Remember: however much you may love them it is impossible for them to love you back. ‘ Whilst everything said in that warning is true and it is physically impossible for these pets to love you. It’s also physically impossible to love something that does not exist. If you love your pets, then they must exist, otherwise we couldn’t love them. In our own minds and hearts we create our pets. When we play with them or groom them and they look into our eyes and tell us what wonderful owners we are, we feel marvelous. When they are out of HP, are dying of starvation and have an illness, we feel sad. When we mistreat them, we feel guilty. Neopets.com is a wonderful thing. A start, a guideline, the spark that creates the warming flame. It inspires us to create these pets and explore the vast world that is Neopia.
This next paragraph goes out to all Neopians whoever you are or wherever you may be: Please, treat your pet well. Feed them regularly, groom them everyday and play with them whenever you can. Reward them for good behavior and help them grow and mature, even if you don’t believe they are real. I believe they are real. We create them in our own minds and hearts. They are a projection of what we want. They are friends who will never leave us, pets that are always loyal and always will be. Treat them well, be nice to them and they will make you feel amazing. Take heed from my words and be wary of the mistakes I have made. Try not to fall into the hole that I did. Your pets can make you feel marvelous, treat them well and they will love you forever.
It’s been a long journey on Neopets so far and I know I have much, much further yet to go. Where I will go next? Who knows. I know only this though, I have learned a lesson and a lesson well learned. Wherever I go next, whatever happens, I will always keep my pets by my side. I’ll groom them every day, play with them every day, feed them every day and lavish as much as I can upon them. I’ll never become that which I had been and will become who I once was.
If anyone out there has any questions they want to ask, similar experiences they want to share, suggestions, ideas, comments, criticisms, anything at all. You are all more than welcome to send me a NeoMessage in game. My username is BloodBowler and I would love to hear from you all. Also if anyone happens to be in Neopia Central this Friday about midday, keep an eye out for me and my pets. We’ll be at the fountain with choccy’s and smoothies ^_^
Good luck to you all and god bless,
BloodBowler.