A Closer Look at the Mysterious Xweetok
Xweetoks have been a mystery ever since they were introduced to Neopia, and no one has found the solution to this mystery. Some Neopians believe that Xweetoks are evil. Some believe that they were Sloth’s runaways. Nobody knows the Xweetok’s true origins, or why they sport their unusual features. So I decided to take a closer look at this mysterious Xweetok and find out what their unusual features are for.
FUR COAT: Neopians believe that this thick fur coat is used to hide weapons, but that theory is completely wrong. After all, most Xweetoks’ fur isn’t even thick enough to hide a chocolate bar! So what is this thick fur coat for? It’s for keeping warm underground. Even in the summer, it is cold underground due to heavy rains. Rainwater gets cold once it seeps through the soil and under the ground, so Xweetoks have a thick fur coat to keep warm. The fur coat is even more useful in wintertime, when the temperature drops.
FIST: The Xweetok’s fist is a difficult mystery to solve. In the Xweetok’s new, converted pose, one of the paws is clenched into a fist. Neopians think that Xweetoks constantly shake their fist at the world angrily, but the Neopets Team says that the fist is for holding wearable items.
This feature is different from other four-legged neopets, who simply just stand on all fours. The reason behind the fist is because of the Xweetok’s long hind legs. Also, Xweetoks aren’t the only neopets with a fist – Cybunnies have fists too!
Cybunnies also possess long hind legs and a fist. So there is a fist because the Xweetok is sitting instead of standing. The Neopets Team can’t draw it as standing because it would just look plain weird.
FUR COLOUR: Unlike other neopets, Xweetoks are mostly brown instead of mostly the basic colour (red, yellow, green, or blue). Many Neopians think that eating large amounts of chocolate is the cause of this strange colouration, but they are wrong. In the motherlands of most Xweetoks, the cocoa beans used to make chocolate are unavailable, so the Xweetoks can’t even make chocolate. Instead, just like the common chipmunk or squirrel, the colour develops naturally.
The brown fur is used for camouflage, matching the colour of the ground or tree bark. The coloured stripe looks like a snake at the first glance, which startles enemies and protects them from danger. Xweetoks are one of the smallest neopets of Neopia, so camouflage is necessary for them to survive.
You may think that Xweetoks artificially changed their fur colour just to blend in with their surroundings, but they did not. After all, Xweetoks aren’t the only neopets that are mostly another colour besides the basic colour. Usuls, Cybunnies, and Korbats are, too! Considering the fact that these neopets are not brown, you may not be convinced yet. But one day I dug through the fur of my green Xweetok and looked at her skin. It was whitish peach, which meant food was not a factor in the Xweetok’s fur colour.
EYES: The Xweetok’s eyes are the most mysterious of all. After all, they are large, mysterious, and almond shaped, like a hawk’s. The mysterious glare Xweetoks seem to give fellow Neopians was the reason why Neopians thought Xweetoks had something wrong with them, but Xweetoks do not.
After all, Xweetoks are one of Neopia’s smallest species, so they fear many Neopets that look like predators, such as Kougras and Eyries. In the wild, Xweetoks use these large eyes to spot predators before it’s too late. Then they all run and hide. Their eyesight is very keen- in fact, Xweetoks have the best eyesight of all neopets.
But why do Xweetoks keep on flittering their eyes around? It may seem strange, but they are actually detecting their surroundings for danger. After all, one day there was a thief in my house. My Xweetok flittered her eyes around and spotted the thief before anyone else could.
EARS: Xweetoks have wonderful hearing, too! Though they are not large, the ears stick straight up and are always wide open. The Xweetok’s ears are hollow, so they help them hear enemies to hide from danger.
HIND LEGS: Xweetoks may look strange with long hind legs, but long hind legs are very useful in their species. Not only do they assist Xweetoks in digging burrows, they also help Xweetoks climb trees to escape. The hind legs are very strong, so Xweetoks are powerful runners and jumpers.
TAIL: The Xweetok’s tail is very, very useful. Unlike other neopets, whose tails are short or covered with very little fur, the Xweetok’s tail is long and bushy. Actually, this bushy tail is used as a blanket to keep warm while sleeping. The furry tail swishes when the Xweetok is angry, so other Xweetoks can tell its mood. In battles, the tail is used both as a weapon and shield.
ORIGIN: While some people believe that Xweetoks are runaway followers of Dr. Sloth, others disagree, saying that they were naturally there and were discovered by the Neopets Research Team.
The real truth is that Xweetoks are naturally found from all over Neopia. From the freezing cold of Terror Mountain to the tropics of Mystery Island, Xweetoks live in tribes, each having their different way of living.
Unfortunately, however, Dr. Sloth discovered them before anyone else could. This was the first time he had discovered a new neopet, so he thought of an evil plan. Dr. Sloth captured six Xweetoks: One each of Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Striped, and Cloud. Then, using his weird and wacky technology and machines, he managed to clone them, but gave each of them a different personality. He wanted them to help him take over the world.
The cloned Xweetoks didn’t like it, so they piled into a spaceship, flew away, and landed in a jungle. Yet, please be aware that only 10% of all Xweetoks were Sloth’s runaways. It is hard to tell runaway Xweetoks from normal Xweetoks, but the most obvious way is feeling the Xweetok’s fur. If its fur is very, very, soft, then the Xweetok is a runaway. However, most Xweetoks are natural residents of Neopia, so you need not worry.
PERSONALITY: The Xweetok’s personality varies depending on its origin. Most Xweetoks possess all or some of these qualities: Kind and sweet, active and lively, brave and loyal. Terror Mountain Xweetoks are the kindest, Mystery Island Xweetoks are the liveliest, and Meridell Xweetoks are the most loyal. Runaway Xweetoks are also strangely mischievous. All Xweetoks, however, have a hot temper. Xweetoks can be quite fearsome when they lose their temper so they caused Neopians to think that they were evil. But if you talk to your Xweetok about self-control, your Xweetok will lose its temper less often. Despite all these qualities, all Xweetoks possess enough kindness to take tremendous care of any petpet given to them.
So, hopefully now you know more about the Xweetok and understand that they are not evil. Neopians who thought Xweetoks are evil are all wrong. Instead, they are presented with the kind, sweet Xweetok.