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Untitled Document
A strange Yellow Chia looked out at the brand new day.
This Chia was different from all others, for he was Nigel the Chia, and very
famous and rich. He had monthly 5,000 NP haircuts, plus new suits and items
whenever he so felt the desire. Wherever he went, people looked up to him and
admired his intellectual genius. Nowhere else was there a more respected Neopet.
Or so Nigel thought. In reality he was hated
and unpopular, especially with Stock investors. This particular day is an example
of such.
"Good day, Mr. Chia. THE MARKET COULD CRASH AT
ANY MOMENT!"
"Hello, Johnny!" Nigel called cheerfully to his
Red Scorchio assistant. "How's the market doing?"
"Stocks look good about now. THE MARKET COULD
CRASH AT ANY MOMENT!"
"That's great!" Nigel replied, not paying attention
to Johnny's words. "I'll check the Neodaq." He waddled over into his office,
where old Neopian Times issues stacked up next to a state-of-the-art laptop,
and a Pencil of the Earth Faerie that said NEODAQ CORP., INCORP. lay on the
desk. "Ah, yes... BOOM is down 48 points, while PEOP is up 12. NTV is closed,
have to take that off... Ooh, NEGG is up 21 points...."
Ding-dong!
"Visitors?" Nigel murmured, annoyed that his
thoughts were so rudely interrupted. "Hmm...that's quite unusual. Oh well, maybe
they're just fans." He opened the door to see an angry-looking Neopian girl.
"Nigel, what is that?" she demanded.
"What is what?" he asked, confused. "My stunning
handsomeness?"
"No, that!" she exclaimed, pointing an accusing
finger outside at Nigel's red Neorvette. "A car. In Neopia! I have to walk everywhere
and you get a car?"
"Now, now, I worked long and hard for that car,"
Nigel defended. "My intellect alone didn't buy it."
"Oh yeah? Well, every time someone sells some
of their stocks, you get 20 NP. Multiply that by maybe 10,000-- at least how
many people probably trade daily--and that's your daily salary, just for sitting
here doing nothing. And Neopets Team made the system, not you."
"Come, come, you're very much so mistaken," he
insisted. "You're leb388, are you not? I've read some work by you in the Neopian
Times. You're good, but not great. I'm sorry, but my methods are far too complex
for your mortal mind." With that, he slammed the door and locked it.
Walking over to his desk, he picked up the latest
Neopian Times and began to read. His thoughts were interrupted with the sound
of the doorbell once more.
Ding-dong!
"Hello!" Nigel said cheerfully, opening the door.
A dark-haired boy was standing there, looking
irritated, and a Blue Shoyru stood beside him looking equally upset. "BOOM dropped
nearly 50 points today. You sold your stocks in it when it was 143," the boy
pointed out. "That's unfair. Insider trading!"
"And you have a car," the Shoyru added. "A car!
And your assistant has a laptop and gives bad advice!"
"Yes, yes, I know I'm handsome and brilliant.
Thank you!" With that, Nigel slammed the door shut.
"Ugh, he didn't listen!" the Shoyru protested
to his owner.
"He who steals," the owner grinned, jingling
a set of keys, "gets pickpocketed."
"Aw, Jamez... leb388 won't be happy."
"Who has to know?"
***
Nigel once more looked at The Neopian Times. "What pitiful articles on the
stock market! Totally inaccurate. And they completely ignored my brilliance."
Ding-dong!
"Oh! More fans!" he exclaimed, walking to the
door. He opened it and his jaw dropped.
A whole crowd of Neopians, hundreds at the least,
was there carrying a variety of Battledome weapons ranging from cheap to from
the Hidden Tower, and were shouting and lighting torches.
"Cheater!"
"Embezzler!"
"Neopoint-theif!"
"Braggart!"
"Now, now," Nigel called, stepping outside. "I
know in the past, all of what you say has been true. But if we work together,
with my leadership and your help, we can create a fair and honest--RELEASE THE
HOUNDS!"
A gate behind Nigel's office opened, and two
giant Lupes, looking gruesome and mutated, stepped out from the shadows and
licked their lips eagerly. One had three heads, and the other had glowing red
eyes. Everyone screamed and began to run.
"Thanks, Pete. Thanks, Pal." Nigel leaned over
to pet his petpet and Johnny's. Nigel's Bearog had three heads but all were
kind and gentle, and Johnny's Doglefox's eyes only seemed to glow from the shadows.
"How about a treat at the Grooming Store? Let's go. We'll just get in my--"
Nigel gasped. "MY NEORVETTE!"
The End
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