MERIDELL - A thought that has been floating in my brain for a while now is
one that I simply cannot answer: "What exactly ARE Ixi?" The pop-up Ixi description
doesn't clearly explain the Ixi origin, and I can't help but ponder what they
are. I went through studies of other magical creatures along "history" (most
commonly mythological creatures) and have come up with possible solutions to
what they are:
Centaurs
According to Greek legends, there once were magical beasts that roamed throughout
the lands named Centaurs. These beasts were supposedly half-man, half-horse.
Could Ixi be these Centaurs? Right now you're probably thinking "Definitely
not! These Ixi don't look like humans OR horses!" but just listen to what I
have to say, please. Would NeoPets really use creatures in a certain country's
myths? I mean, that would be like saying "We like so-and-so best, because we
used THEIR myths!" and many people would get annoyed. Could the Ixi be somehow
related to the Centaur? Unfortunately, no study has shown the answer.
Reindeer
I hope you haven't forgotten about good old Santa, have you? In case you
haven't noticed, Ixi have the beginnings of little antlers, like Santa's reindeer.
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem too likely, since Ixi appeared in June and
Christmas is in December. This did seem likely at first, since Ixi can even
be painted brown!!! Well, time to get a move-on...
Goats
At this word, probably most of you Ixi-owners said "Oh no! A GOAT is my
NeoPet? Never!" and didn't believe me. Yet please, just examine the facts. As
I said before, Ixi have the beginnings of antlers, or possibly horns. Could
Ixi (If not goats themselves) could be ancestors of goats, or could goats be
their ancestors? I mean, there are a few family(?) resemblances if you look
at an Ixi...
Lab Ray Gone Bad?
Unfortunately, (Or fortunately if you didn't want your Ixi to be a goat
or such) none of these animals I have mentioned are near the same height as
an Ixi. The Ixi I studied (Illusia, LadyKamille's yellow Ixi) was 57cm (Around
20 inches) tall. I know that Centaurs are much taller than that, and although
I've never actually SEEN a Reindeer, I assume that they're taller than that.
Besides, Ixi are obviously domesticated, since a purple collar around their
neck is clearly visible. So, there seems to be only one possible explanation
left: The Lab Ray I mean, lots of people think that machine is crazy, yet nobody
has actually been able to prove it. Could it be that, in the experimental stage
of the Lab Ray, instead of changing NeoPets to other NeoPet species, it changed
it into some sort of mutant?
Other People
Well, right now you've really only read my opinions and ideas. Along the
way in my studies, I came across other Neopians, and asked them. I looked at
my guild (~Fire&Ice~) and asked some members there, as well. Here's what some
people said:
Ajennsis: So, what do you think Ixi actually are?
Maddie_Cool_Chik: Well, in ye olde England (ages ago) goats roamed
through the forests...
Sadru: Well, they're sort of like deer...
LadyKamille: Well, the closes I can think would be a cross between
a deer and a goat. They're spry and light, I'd say more deer like, because their
ears don't flop, like goats do. Nimble quick and light, that's Ixi.
Wendy_2211: They might be reindeer...
PrincessKelly1618: I think they are a reindeer
Mattdaddy2002: Ixi to me look like a baby goat. Judging the size of
the nose and shape of hooves, Ixis highly resemble a goat. Yet also Ixi have
more of a reindeer face. So it could be a cross!
Ze_Devilish_One: I believe the Ixi are a mutated goat. They are evil
and use their cuteness to wrap everyone else around their little finger (er...I
mean hoof). Soon they will get total power and their owners will be useless
and used only as followers to their evil plot. Yep. Ehehe.
Pmagente: I agree with Ze_Devilish_One...not!
SweetLittleBabe: Ixi, in my opinion, are deer, but they have been mutated
somehow, but in a good way, if you get me. This is because I've also looked
at the Ixi' animation, and they do kind of run like deer, and they have the
same ears and I suppose they also have the same sort of bodies. Anyway, that's
all I could think of, so there you go.
I also asked other Pets...
Ilussia, a Yellow Ixi (owned by LadyKamille): What are Ixi?
We, we're Ixi! We always have been. Maybe the rest of Neopia didn't know about
us but we are what we are: fun and mischievous. We love nothing more than to
run and play!
Ajennsis, a Rainbow Acara (owned by Ajennsis): Ixi are really
just creatures that walked in, uninvited to Neopia. Ixi are simply Neopets that
came from an unknown world. I personally think that they are evil little creatures,
but that's only a theory.
Junivelle, a Faerie Kacheek (owned by Wingoffire): I agree with
my owner, Ixi are just like Bambi! They are even closer to Bambi since there
are rumours of a war in Meridell, and will Ixi become an endangered species?
Peyopha, a Purple Peophin (owned by Sadru): Ixi are little playful
creatures, especially with Peophins. They sort of remind me of goats, but also
like deer. | 
