There was a tiny thump followed by the sticky sound a crayon makes when you write with it. The Wocky who held the crayon paused and chewed his lip for a moment, glancing around the room.

There were lots of big empty rooms like this in the castle. The castle was enormous; it towered over the eerie Haunted Woods. But with so many rooms filled with nothing but air, the place might as well been inflatable.

The Wocky went back to writing in his journal.

Today is the day! I'm going to escape this creepy old castle and discover Neopia. When I get back I'll have so many great stories to tell, it will be so cool!

The tip broke off the crayon and the Wocky groaned. He would have been writing with a quill, but he hadn't had the patience to look for one. Too bad. There weren't any extra crayons in this room, there wasn't any anything.

It'll have to be good enough, the Wocky told himself. It's just a crayon; I'll be exploring Neopia soon!

...

In the castle an Eyrie was looking at a book about the history of the Haunted Woods.

She read the chapter title to herself, "Chapter Three: Yuanaan's Jinx."

She stopped.

Hey, I think you'd better hear this!"

...

The Wocky slipped through the empty corridors, headed for the night sky outside. As he passed the living room he saw all the castle servants crowded there. They were reading something out loud and there were occasional gasps and whispers of "oh, my".

None of them took notice of the Wocky as he reached the foyer, opened the tall wooden doors and snuck through to the wide world beyond.

...

."My goodness. I wouldn't have named him Yuanaan if I knew."

."You said it, I didn't think the rumors would be true, I thought..."

."My, oh my. Let's just hope that the less Yooyu knows, the less he'll have to endure."

...

."There he is! There he is, down there in the yard! Where's he going? Eh?"

."Jack. Calm down. First off, where do you think you are going?"

."We've gotta tell Yooyu! Now!

."What in Neopia are you two bickering about?"

."Um..."

."Oh, this is about Yooyu, is it? Pft. Shame on you, Jack. Please think next time before you come up with heroic plans. And Seahorse, I'd thank you not to say 'um' as the first word of your excuses. Am I clear?"

."Yes, Silence."

...

The blue-furred Wocky felt like a Tigermouse when he stood next to the monstrous castle. He nervously straightened his neckerchief. It had taken him months to plan his escape from this castle, but now he felt uncertain.

Yooyu, he was called. Though he wasn't half bad at the game of Yooyuball, he was called this because no one felt like remembering his real name, Yuanaan. It wasn't Yooyu's fault, and they could have dubbed him worse. He would miss "them", he really would.

Without realizing what he was doing; Yooyu had left the safety of the shadowy castle and walked beneath a pale grey tree. Now or never, now or never. Yooyu told himself. He gripped a shovel that had been leaning against the tree and began to dig.

Before too long he uncovered a plain wooden chest. With shaking paws, Yooyu opened it and looked at the neopoints inside. He took a deep breath. Now or never.

He ought to leave a few neopoints for the castle servants. Lots, maybe. He was supposed to be the king after all. It wasn't right to just run away without telling anyone. He would miss them...

He took just a small handful of neopoints and put them in the little leather bag that hung around his neck. I hope I didn't take too much. Should I take more? I'll need to buy food, after all.

Yooyu made up his mind and closed the chest, but not before he slipped a note inside.

A vague note is customary when one is escaping. It basically tells people that you're missing, which they should have guessed by now.

I sound from the castle made Yooyu jerk his head upwards. He saw the light from a torch on a high wall, it moved as though it were being carried by someone.

Hurry, hurry, now or never...

Yooyu shoveled earth over the unburied chest, then realizing what he was doing, he kicked it into the hole and finished covering it.

Run...

The last clump of dirt was tossed on the pile along with the shovel itself as the jittery Wocky lost his grip.

Run, run, run!

Yooyu's eyes snapped to the castle, then to the dark haunted forest. The castle suddenly looked inviting, but still...

Yooyu jumped. A cold wind seemed to blow from the castle.

RUN!

He ran.

...

The sun was shining, but the warmth would never touch these woods.

It's history that does things like that.

If only little Yuanaan knew that he was part of this forest's history. If only he knew that he would change its future.

...

."Hey! Where's he going?"

."I don't know and I don't care."

."Jack, leave Silence alone, she's not coming."

."Oh, I'm coming, if you two decide to go play follow-the-leader with Yooyu. I'm not getting you out of trouble again."

."Oh. Well. Hmm. C'mon, let's go!"

."I don't think so!"

...

Dear friends, I'm sorry to have vanished as I have, but I need to go out and see the world of Neopia. Don't worry about me. I'll return in a few days once I have seen the sights and all that. In this trunk I've left enough neopoints to last you 'till I get back. See you soon! ~Yuanaan

...

."Hmm..." Said Stitches. Stitches was called this because she was a halloween Kacheek with a ring of stitches around the top of her head.

She sat with the other pets and listened to the history of the Haunted Woods. Then she leaned over and whispered to an Ogrin sitting next to her.

."Pssst! I'm making it your job to watch that Wocky and make sure he stays out of trouble."

The Ogrin nodded and kept staring straight ahead.

Stitches laughed to herself. She liked to think that she was secretly an evil genius, and soon Neopia would be hers.

...

An Aisha moves quickly through the woods, her path almost missing Yuanaan's. Almost.

...

Three pets burst in to the living room. It was the Zafara, the JubJub and the Ruki who had left part way through the reading.

The JubJub opened and shut his mouth for a moment, deciding what to say.

."He's gone! Yooyu's gone!"

As a group, the rest of the pets stared and asked, "WHAT?"

...

Yuanaan's castle was a very fine castle. Most castles in the Haunted Woods were creepy and slimy, filled with moss and eldritch shadows. But Yuanaan's castle was as squeaky clean and perfect as a castle in Meridell. There wasn't a speck of dust in the place.

It was almost like it kept self clean. As if it was frozen in history. As if some magic spared it from time itself.

But now the king is gone. The cork is missing from the pressurized water bottle.

In a small forgotten corner in the top of a cold, empty tower, a cobweb sits. Collecting dust.

...

."Who are ye?"

."Who are you? Er, I'm Yooyu... I mean, I'd rather not say."

."Me name is AriShire. Please call me Airy, though."

...

I know the colors of your thoughts,
What hides beneath the sands,
But all this really means then is,
I'm someone no-one understands.

There's hope yet for tomorrow
Through the seeds of will I've sown.
I'm until then, misunderstood,
And forced to dream alone.

...

AriShire watched the Wocky and smiled to herself. Poor thing, he acted brave, trying to keep his face straight and emotionless, but Airy could tell that he was scared.

She gave him a hint of a smile, and the Wocky couldn't help but return it with a bigger smile of his own.

...

...Awake Harvester, guardian statue of stone. The king is missing. I sense danger to us, the books. If trouble comes to the library, you must seek help. Seek the new protector of the books. Remember: to return you must touch your staff to the wood of the door...

Seek help...

...

Jack lived in one of the castle's towers. With a mad grin the blue Zafara pranced about the room. A quest! How exiting, he was going on a quest to go find the king!

He grabbed a brown poncho off the floor and pulled it over his head. Then he let out a whoop and went to find the emergency supply of candy hidden under his bed.

."Jackovy! You in here?"

."Jack's head shot up and he howled in pain. Beneath the bed is not a good place to stand up.

Rubbing his head, Jack said, "What is it? Can we leave?"

Seahorse, a JubJub, shuddered at Jack's horrible cheerfulness. "Yes..."

."Yahoo! Let's go!"

Jack stuffed a stale chocolate heart from last year's Valentine's Day in his mouth. It was slightly green and fuzzy.

."Just come on." Said Seahorse.

."Yay!"

...

Sakosii was a shapeshifter. Right now he was a green Ogrin, and he was also scared stiff. As soon as he had heard the Wocky was missing he had gone to follow him, like Stitches had said. Now he didn't have the slightest clue where the Wocky was, or more importantly, where he himself was.

...

."Are we there yet?"

."You asked that five minutes ago. We haven't even left the castle. No. I do not know where we are going, so no. We are not there yet."

."...how 'bout now?"

."AURGH!"

."Stop being so mean. Want some candy? I still got some!"

."I can tell. Stop jumping on my head."

...

Yuanaan continued on his way, wondering where the strange little Aisha had come from. The Aisha, she had called herself Airy, had been trying to tell him to go back to the castle. Not a chance, it was now or never.

Yooyu quickened his pace.

His goal was to make it to Lost Desert before sundown.

He wasn't going back to the castle just yet.

...

Things at the castle were a bit strange.

The pets weren't the only ones panicking because Yooyu was gone. The castle itself was panicking.

Stitches swore not only that her reflection waved at her out of the corner of her eye, but tap-danced when she looked straight at that.

When the Ruki chef was cooking dinner she had to glue the potatoes to their plate or else they would stampede.

Socks mysteriously disappeared and beds unmade themselves, but that's normal.

Anyone trying to go downstairs should take the flight going up, but be careful not to step on rotten boards or slip on the fresh green slime.

Poor Jack and his JubJub friend Seahorse were having the time of their lives trying to find the front door.

...

A quilt of stars wrapped the desert sky as the sun began to set.

Yooyu adjusted his neckerchief. Behind him were the misty shadows of the Haunted Woods, before him lay a setting sun and endless fields of sand.

The world awaits.

He took a hesitant step forward. Nothing exploded. He felt free; he was going to see Neopia!

With that thought, he strode forward into adventure.

...

."Who are ye?"

*sniff*

."Who are ye?"

."I-I-I'm Sakosii the shapeshifter."

Well Sakosii the shapeshifter. Me name's AriShire."

...

Even during the evening the city was alive with sights and sounds.

As Yooyu stepped into the streets he was met with the smell of delectable Sakhmet foods. He heard the thump of wet clay and the clank of pottery, he saw pets all around buying and selling and playing and just having fun.

...

."Jack! Jack! Help me!" screamed Seahorse.

."Where are you?" Shouted Jack, popping a candy into his mouth. He fended off an attacking rug.

."I don't know! Get me out!"

Leaping over a table (at least, I think it's a table), Jack set off in the direction of Seahorse's voice.

...

."I already told you, I don't the neopoints to spare."

."Quite all right. You can play the Fruit Machine once a day for FREE!"

."This isn't like the wheel in the Carnival, is it? Then I'd have to pay anyways."

."Don't worry Mr, Mr... Yuanaan was it?"

."How did you know?"

."You are well known, sir. Even outside of the Woods."

."Oh dear. Let me give it a go."

...

Sakosii the shapeshifter was always a strange one. Shapeshifters often are. He had once been normal; he had been a Red Shoyru. He was that way for quite a time, but then he suddenly was able to change color and species. For a while he had been in control of it, but then he found that a bit of each species' mind stayed with him each time he transformed.

Eventually this gave the shapeshifter a bit of a stutter, and sometimes he would just stare off into space when someone was talking to him.

Stitches was the one who had convinced Sakosii to work in Yuanaan's castle. She also employed him as one of her minions. After all, Stitches was an evil villain and evil villains need minons.

...

Seahorse found himself being dragged from a pile of chanting silverware. He and Jack ran for the doorway to safety.

."Well," Said Jack, "Now that we've gone through the dining room, we just have the rest of the castle to escape."

...

."Don't worry, Shapeshifter. I can show ye the way back to tha' Castle."

."Really?"

."Yah. But I think it would be best to take a detour."

...

."Good job, Yuanaan! You've won a Juma petpet!"

."Um, thanks."

...

There's slime on the floor,
And all the books are dancing.
I am going mad.

...

Stitches crossed her eyes. It didn't help. Notebooks, coloring books, picture books and the like continued parading from the library into the attic.

She had come to the library in search of more books about the Haunted Woods. Now she was being flattened by a stampede of books.

."I give up." Moaned Stitches. An adventurous copy of Seeing Stars jumped off her nose.

Stitches trekked towards the doorway of the library and would have made it through if the door hadn't decided to close.

."OUCH!"

Holding her bashed nose, Stitches fiddled with the doorknob. "Open!"

A few older books seemed to stare at Stitches as she screamed at the door commanding it to open. A Waterlogged Book whose pages were caught tore itself free.

...

."Airy? I think th-this is the Lost D-Desert."

."Yah. It is."

."Why are we here? It's a bit far from the c-castle."

."Ye'll see, Sakosii."

...

Seahorse and Jack ran through halls that they knew should be much shorter.

I think we should... turn around." Panted Seahorse. JubJubs are made of mostly feet, so when they get tired they get really tired.

."Why?" Jack replied. He wasn't tired, he was enjoying this.

."Because the exit... should be right ahead of us."

."And...?"

."Everything's backwards and upside-down! It'll be wherever it... isn't!"

."Oh. Seahorse, did you hear anything?"

Seahorse stopped running. "No?"

."Back there, I think I heard something."

."Back where, Jack?"

."By the library door. It sounded like someone was trying to get out."

.I don't hear anything."

."Oh well. It's stopped now. Would you like a lollypop?"

...

."Wow, a Juma! I wonder what I should call you?"

*Amylin. My name is Amylin.*

."Whoa! What was that?"

*I answered your question?*

."It was rhetorical, I think. I didn't know petpets could talk."

*They cannot. I'm telepathic, sir.*

."I see. Somewhat."

*where are we going, sir?*

."Call me Yuanaan. Amylin, we are going on an adventure!"

...

."Hey, Seahorse! Where are we?"

."I think we're in the basement."

.Cool! Are there dungeons?"

."No..."

."Drat."

."I think we should leave, Jack. This is where Stitches lives."

."What's stitches?"

."You know, that creepy Kacheek. She'd get awful mad if she knew we were down here."

."Oh, she won't find out. What's this do?"

."Don't touch it!"

...

Thump...

CRASH!

Stitches froze. The sound had come from the basement, her "kingdom". If anyone was down there, they'd pay.

...Once she got the door open. It was still stuck.

Eventually Stitches let go of the doorknob and sat down. As she watched, the door opened and the books began to file out.

Stitches reached a paw out into the doorway and jerked it back when the door slammed shut.

Creepy, thought Stitches.

She picked up a random book and tried opening the door. Somewhat to her surprise, it opened. The door that is, but the book was also flailing.

Several large volumes attacked.

."Augh!" Screamed Stitches. "I'll put that back! I'll put the book back!"

The books paid no heed to her words, but instead buried Stitches in a pile of text.

...

Jack managed to crawl out from under the wreckage of a fallen shelf. Smashed bottles of potions and who-knows-what were all over the place.

Some glowing orange potion had splashed on Jack's paw, and was beginning to burn. "Ouch!" he said, and began to lick his injured paw.

."Don't do that, Jack!" Said Seahorse as he went to find something to clean up with. "Who knows what that potion is? It could turn you into an Angelpuss for all we know."

...

Yooyu wondered for a moment how the servants back at the castle were doing. They might be a little worried, but what could happen? Yooyu scolded himself. Of course they were all right, the castle was perfectly normal.

He and Amylin the Juma (whom he had nicknamed Amy) were going to see the sights at Terror Mountain.

Yooyu could hardly contain himself. He was thrilled.

The world awaits, it's now or never. Look out Neopia, Here I come!

...

."Seahorse?"

."What?"

."I think you were right."

."About what?"

."I'm turning into an Angelpuss."

...

Stitches smiled at her group of friends. If books could beam, these books would be beaming with happiness. Stitches' smile was more of the cruel grin of a tyrant. She had a very powerful army in her control.

."First things first," She said. "Off to the basement!"

...

."Seahorse stared in horror at Jack.

."Seahorse, what's wrong?" Asked Jack with a fading smile.

."You, you, you..."

."I already told you. I'm turning into an Angelpuss!"

."It was true. A pair of fluffy white wings had sprouted from Jack's shoulders and the outline of a halo could be seen floating over his head. Though the halo was only just visible, it was quickly becoming easier to see.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump...

The pair froze. They listened to the sound of hundreds of footsteps above them. There was something wrong with the way they sounded, like they weren't exactly feet.

...

A small picture book hobbled right behind Stitches as she made her way to the basement. To the books, she was a hero. Stitches had promised to move them to her own library downstairs, to read them occasionally, and to dust them off when they needed it.

The group charged through the door and down the slimy stone staircase.

Stitches stopped and cocked her head. Several books froze and listened as well. They weren't the only ones down here; someone was talking in a whisper.

...

."Over here!" Seahorse whispered urgently.

Jack followed Seahorse running through a maze of stone walls.

A shadow appeared in a tunnel up ahead, and Jack shrieked.

."They're after us!" Before Seahorse knew what was happening, Jack was dragging him off in another direction.

."Let go of me!"

Jack didn't let go, he was too scared. They sped into a large room and Jack finally released Seahorse. But he didn't stop running. Jack ran into the middle of the room, he was headed towards a door on the other side of the room.

Then he vanished.

...

So THIS is Terror Mountain, thought Yooyu. He was amazed. The quaint pastel shops were nothing compared to where they were hidden, in the shadow cast by the massive alp.

A herd of pets in winter gear passed Yooyu. One pet smiled at him. Another shouted "Catch!" and hit Yooyu in the face with a snowball.

."C'mon Amy, let's go see the Snowager, I hear he's pretty famous around here." Said Yooyu, spitting snow.

*Sounds good to me, sir!*

Yooyu took a step forward and tripped. As Yooyu fell face first, Amy saw a sparkle on the ground like blue glitter. Then it was gone and Amy was sure she was just seeing things.

...

The pack of books rounded a corner and stopped as they entered a rather large room. Stitches followed soon behind them and took in the sight. She was quite lost, for though she knew what room she was in, all the halls were re-arranging themselves about that.

She caught sight of Seahorse.

."You'll regret ever entering the basement, useless JubJub!" She howled. "You're life will be miserable! I'll-"

."Now right now."

Seahorse's response caught Stitches by surprise. She stared at him in shock.

."How dare you interrupt me?"

."Easily." He said. "Jack's in trouble, look."

Stitches bent over to see.

Jack was in a pit filled with a thick liquid. He was doing all he could to keep his head above it.

...

."No thank ye, we don't want ta play tha' Fruit Machine."

."It's free!"

."No. Come on Shapeshifter, we still have a bit o' traveling to do."

."I-I-I wanna go back to the c-castle!"

."Don't worry, Sakosii, we will soon enough."

...

."Augh! Get him out quick!"

."How? I'm a JubJub, I don't have any hands!"

."Oops. Hang in there Jack, I'll get a rope!"

...

."Wow! The Snowager, I never thought I'd meet him in person!" Exclaimed Yooyu. Several pets around him put their fingers to their lips and said Shhh.

*He doesn't even have the decency to wake up and greet his guests, though* Commented Amylin.

."That shouldn't be a problem," Said Yooyu. He faced the monster ice worm and shouted "HEY SNOWY! WAKE UP!"

SHHH!" Hissed a chorus of pets.

There was a low moan that echoed through the monstrous cave as the Snowager shifted...

...but stayed asleep.

There was a group sigh of relief.

."Don't do that again," muttered a Xweetok as it passed Yooyu. It was carrying an armload of rare neggs.

."Why?" Asked Yooyu, but the Xweetok was gone. In another moment everyone else was gone too.

Blue sparks glittered in the air around the Snowager as it sleepily opened one eye. Its gaze lazily swept the cave, then focused on Yooyu.

*Sir?*

."Yes?"

*I think we should start running now.*

...

Jack shivered in the warm black robe Stitches had given him. The robe didn't have any arm holes, but that was warm. He, Seahorse, Stitches and all the books were in a cozy library. It wasn't the library Jack was used to, it was Stitches' library. It was a bit smaller and had fewer books. Well, now it didn't, but all the books that weren't already Stitches' were "sitting" on the floor.

Jack's halo was almost fully visible now, and Stitches was staring at that intently.

."Where did you get that?" She asked. Then she glanced at the wings. "Oh no."

."What?" Asked Jack innocently.

."You drank my Angelpuss Potion?"

."Yup."

."I worked for months on that! Now I'll have to do it all over again!"

."Well, now you know it works!" Said Jack.

Stitches attacked. Seahorse couldn't bear to watch, but the books enjoyed the performance.

."Lucky for you, when you landed in my Potion of Doom it stopped your transformation."

Jack dodged a punch.

."Or maybe not so lucky."

Stitches grabbed poor Jack's Zafara ears and shouted into them.

."It was a Potion of Doom, after all."

...

."That was awesome, Amy! It-t'll be all over the Neopia T-Times tomorrow!"

*What, sir? 'Wocky wakes Snowager and destroys Terror Mountain'?*

."Aw, it wasn't th-that bad."

*Oh yes, it was.*

."Well, at least we got t-to meet the Snowager. Sort of. You know what I c-could do with right now? A nice warm c-cup of b-borovan."

*I'm with you.*

...

Jack and Stitches both collapsed at the same time out of exhaustion. Jack had a bump on his head and his halo had somehow migrated to Stitches' head. Seahorse sighed. Then he straightened up as much as a JubJub can. Something was wrong.

."Jack? What's up with your tail?" He asked.

."Huh?"

."The point's the wrong color."

Jack looked at the tail poking out from the bottom of his robe. Sure enough, it was off-white, and looked like bone.

...

Thank you so much for taking us to Faerieland!" Exclaimed Yooyu.

Hey, no problemo!" Said the Uni, "I don't mind giving people rides. Just climb on and we'll go!"

...

."Well," Said Stitches. She rummaged around in a pile of cardboard boxes leaned against a wall. "I can show you the subject I tested with the Potion of Doom."

After she found what she was looking for, Stitches turned around. She was holding a petpet.

The creature was small. It looked somewhat like a Pteri with arms.

."It's a Whoot." Said Seahorse.

The Whoot was wearing a robe similar to Jack's. But there was something wrong with the petpet. It was a skeleton.

When Stitches put that down, the petpet walked around normally, feathered wings flapping slightly as it tripped over annoyed books. But there was no mistaking the effects of Stitches' Potion of Doom.

Jack, not paying attention to his tail (which was slowly losing its fur), watched the creature with fascination.

Stitches spoke.

."Jack, you're very, very lucky you kept your head above water."

...

Alice the Spyder was one of the few petpets that could talk. She had learned by hanging around the Neoboards.

The three n00bs below her were only vaguely interesting.

The first, who had no arms (at least, no sleeves to put his arms through), was blowing on his tail as if it had caught fire. The second, who didn't have arms either, was shouting at the third who had crossed her arms and was trying to ignore them both.

The three were using normal speech, though. Alice couldn't stand talking to anyone who spoke normally. They always made her feel like a total newbie.

Alice made the finishing touches on the web she was weaving, then fell asleep.

...

."Here Jack, drink this quickly."

Jack took the bottle from Stitches.

."It isn't an antidote, remember. It only freezes the effects."

Jack nodded.

...

Yooyu picked Amy up and climbed onto the Uni. Just as it was taking off they heard a voice below them.

."Stop!"

The Uni hovered and Yooyu looked down. He swallowed; it was that Aisha, Airy.

."What is it?" He asked.

."Aren't ye Yuanaan?"

."That's my name."

."Ye need to go back to tha' castle!"

The Uni was starting to look a bit impatient. Yooyu scratched his head.

."Why do I need to go back?"

."Ye want to know? Read some history. And if ye do be quick!"

And they flew off, leaving Airy behind.

...

Seahorse looked at Jack. The tail that poked out from under Jack's robe was pale bone. As promised, Jack's head was fine (not counting his unnatural cheerful insanity).

."I never thought my best friend would end up being a halloween Zafara." Said Seahorse, to no-one in particular.

Stitches motioned the two towards the door to the upstairs. Though it would only send them back into the insanity above, it was better than the insanity of Stitches' domain.

As they headed up, Stitches called something after them.

."Jack, you may want to keep that robe."

...

."Seahorse..."

."What?"

."I dropped my candy back in the basement."

...

."Now my friends, we have a job to do."

Stitches grinned villainously over her cluttered desk at the books. With the knowledge in the books and Stitches' experience, a creature was summoned.

."Come, greatest minion. I have a mission for you."

With a stereotypical poof, a yellow Poogle appeared.

."I will do whatever you please." Said the Poogle, not looking up.

."You," Whispered a wide-eyed Stitches.

The Poogle looked up.

."Sis?"

...

."A-Airy?"

."Yah?"

."C-can we go back to the c-castle now?"

."Sure thing, Sakosii."

...

."Sis?"

."Yeah?"

."I know you're my sister, but I thought you were a blue Wocky."

...

Quite a time ago, Dr. Sloth visited to Yuanaan's castle. Yuanaan had just been hired and now the castle was nearly bursting with a strange power.

Dr. Sloth wanted to be in charge of that power. But after wandering around for a while he decided either there wasn't any power or he had the wrong address. Unfortunately for him, by then he was already lost in the castle's basement.

He was found by rather normal blue Wocky.

The Wocky's name was Ryadure, but she was better known by the nickname "Rya".

Rya, brave compared to most in the castle, offered to help Dr. Sloth find his way out.

Rya took Sloth to her small library and offered him some tea while she finished reading a Neopedia article she had begun. This research was very important to her, she explained.

Maybe Sloth was amused, or maybe he recognized the makings of a fellow villain when he asked Rya what she was researching.

Rya had been studying different Neopet species and colors. She was currently in Krawk.

."It all seems so fake," Rya had said. "You coat a pet with a layer of sticky paint and others naturally assume that pet is rich or wise."

."It doesn't make you wise?"

."No!" Then Rya's voice quieted. "A healing potion heals someone because it works inside. Coloring your fur won't change what you are like."

."I see."

Rya figured that the only experience Sloth had with paint brushes was in zapping them into soot.

Once Rya was done reading, she showed Sloth to the front door. Before he left, Sloth handed Rya a bottle containing a grayish-blue liquid. "A paint brush changes how you look, a potion changes who you are, right?"

Rya grinned; she couldn't have said it much better herself.

The door closed and Rya inspected the liquid carefully.

."A potion changes who you are." She repeated.

...

Ttayl and Rya were not only brother and sister, but also best friends. At least, that's what Ttayl the yellow Poogle liked to think.

Ttayl was always trying to get Rya to play games with him, maybe hide and seek? How about tag? I'll even play a board game if that's what you want!

In order to get some peace and quiet, Rya began wearing disguises. Unfortunately, Ttayl thought this was a new game. He soon became incredibly good at revealing Rya's aliases.

Rya soon needed a job to fund her wearable costume purchases. She found one at Yuanaan's castle.

That kept Ttayl off Rya's trail for a few months.

Yuanaan, king of Yuanaan's castle, needed more servants for his castle, so he began advertising throughout Neopia. The work was easy and the pay was well, and that caught Ttayl's attention.

Try NOT to picture poor Rya's surprise when she bumped into Ttayl (who was carrying a stack of dirty plates to the kitchen).

After the shock of realizing it was Ttayl (and the shock of dirty plates smashing noisily to the floor, AND the shock of the cook screaming at them to clean up the mess...), Rya chased her brother though the castle whilst throwing pieces of broken plate, priceless statuettes, and anything else that was handy.

...

As Dr. Sloth left the Castle, he realized that he was leaving empty-handed. He had even left one of his own Kacheek transmogrification potions behind.

Then he saw the little yellow Poogle playing in the front yard.

The Poogle gladly agreed to work for Sloth. After all, who doesn't want to work for Sloth?

...

The trio; Yooyu, Amylin and the Uni, landed in Faerieland.

Yooyu looked at Amylin. "Amy, do you know where we could find some history books?"

The Uni gave Yooyu a funny look. "You do know that petpets can't talk, don't'cha?" It said.

Amy snickered.

."I know where you can find a book shop here," the Uni started. "It's just over that way. Behind the little cloud."

."Thanks!" Exclaimed Yooyu. He tried to straighten his neckercheif, but when that failed he took it off and re-tied it.

."Like I say, 'no probelemo'! Catch you later!" Said the Uni, and it flew away.

There was a sparke of blue and a moment later it began to rain.

...

."Jack? Do you get the feeling we're being followed?"

...

."Hmm. Chapter three: 'Yuanaan's Jynx'?" Yooyu stopped reading. "That can't be right. I'm Yuanaan!"

...

A very long time ago, long enough that "once upon a time" would suffice; there had been a lush forest in Neopia.

The land itself was magical. Faeries had blessed the forest, and everything there thrived.

Only certain Neopians were allowed to live in the forest. If too many people came, the magic would be ruined. Most who were chosen were wizards and farmers who would help the forest grow.

A Yurble sorcerer ruled as king of the forest, second only to the Faeries. His reign was fair, and the forest people lived in peace.

...

."Augh! It's a bug!"

."No, Seahorse! It's that petpet, the Whoot!"

."Yuck!"

."Hi little guy! What can I call you?"

."What's he doing?"

."I think it's sign language. Cool!"

."I don't know sign language, Jack."

."Neither do I. I'll call you Bob!"

."Bob?"

."It's short for Taylor."

...

Near the edge of the forest there lived a family of farmers. A young Kyrii named Yuanaan along with his mother, father, sister and two brothers.

Though it was against the rules to leave the forest, Yuanaan the Kyrii went anyways. He soon saw that the rest of the world was much poorer than the forest.

The Kyrii knew that he was not allowed to invite others into the forest, but the sight of some poor neopets broke his heart and he asked them to come to his house for a bite to eat.

When the poorer neopets had seen how there was a forest full of good food to eat, and how it was all being kept hidden from those who needed it, they went back home to tell everyone else.

The forest was destroyed.

The faerie blessing only stayed as long as people respected the laws.

The faerie's blessing became a curse. The sun would never rise on the forest, and many of its inhabitants would never leave alive.

...

On the ceiling of a wide hallway, a Spyder *sigh*ed.

Alice recognized the pets huddled on the floor. Why oh why couldn't the n00bs leave her alone?

Alice watched them for a while and heard the word "help". This was her sort of conversation.

The two pets looked up as Alice scrambled down the wall towards them.

."hi ppl!!!" She exclaimed.

."Um." Said the JubJub.

."Hi! I'm Jack!" Shouted the Zafara.

Not that Alice really cared what the n00b's names were.

."il help u if u giv me nps!!!"

."Go away!"

Alice was utterly shocked. How could the JubJub refuse such kindness from her? She had only offered to help them, after all.

The Zafara looked sadly at Alice. "Sorry." He said. "We don't have any neopoints."

."ur stoopid n00bs!!!!!!!" Screeched Alice as she skittered down the hallway. She shouted various insults as she ran, but the JubJub and the Zafara didn't really care. It was easier to just ignore the Spyder.

Then they gave their attentions back to the other petpet, the mute skeleton.

..

Yuanaan gasped, then whispered, "Oh, my."

*Keep reading, sir.*

...

As the Yurble watched his kingdom crumble around him, he placed a curse on the name of whomever it was who did this.

...

."My goodness..." Said Yooyu. He took a deep breath, then continued.

...

The Kyrii named Yuanaan went mad a few days after. He kept shouting that "they" were after him. Wherever Yuanaan went strange things happened.

Eventually Yuanaan was ostracized by the townsfolk. He hid in a castle deep in the forest and was, from time to time, visited by adventurous young pets. They always left with teeth chattering and knees knocking.

...

*Sir, why are you called Yuanaan? This seems like too much to just be a coincidence.*

."Well, Silence, -you know, the Ruki who works in the kitchen- she named me."

*She named you?*

."Yeah. I used to be in the pound, but since I had no name I couldn't be adopted. After I was hired to be king they called me Yuanaan because the castle is called 'Yuanaan's Castle'."

...

Yuanaan the Kyrii became one of the great mysteries of Neopia when one day he simply vanished.

A family moved into the castle. They named it "Yuanaan" or "Yuanaan's Castle" just in case the Kyrii ever returned and thought the family had stolen his castle.

No one realized that the Yurble king's curse extended to inanimate objects as well.

The family abandoned the castle when strange things kept happening. Things would vanish and re-appear in the strangest places. Someone walking in the front yard may suddenly find themselves in the attic. The library seemed to have a mind of its own.

A great sorcerer (some believe it was a relative of the Yurble king) worked on the Castle for many years. The Castle began to calm down a bit, but people still avoided it. The hardest part of the job was the library. The sorcerer managed to anchor it to one spot only by the magic contained in the books themselves.

If the library's books were ever all removed at the same time, the room itself would wander the castle, shifting from doorway to doorway.

...

Back in the castle basement, Ttayl the Poogle looked at all the books on the floor (which somehow managed to look back at him).

."Where did all the books come from, sis? I don't remember you having this many."

Stitches smiled.

."I moved all the books down here from the library upstairs."

."All of them?"

."Yup."

...

Yooyu felt faint.

."I've got to get back to the castle. I have to warn the servants, that castle isn't safe!"

*But you yourself are half the problem, sir!*

."I don't care, let's go!"

...

."Hey, Seahorse! I think I can remember a bit of sign language."

."When in Neopia did you learn sign language?"

."OK, here goes..."

."Tell it we want to leave the castle."

."Where... is... the... front... door...?"

*sigh*

."WHOA!"

."How'd it do that?"

."Well, Bob. You're pretty good at sign language there. Could you slow down a bit?"

...

The upstairs library was no longer upstairs. It knew that that no longer had any books, now it needed a librarian to get that's books back.

In the hallway it saw a spooky looking Zafara who was practicing sign language with his feet. He was just the person the library was looking for.

...

Jack spoke out loud as the Whoot signed its speech.

."Jack..." Jack stopped, but the Whoot kept signing. "Hey Seahorse! That's my name! Bob knows my name! It said my name!"

."AURGH! Just tell me what that's saying."

."Ok. Jack." The Whoot started over. "Jack... follow... me..."

Jack smiled at the Whoot.

."Ok Bob, lead the way!"

...

Yuanaan twitched nervously. He needed to get back now, he had to warn his friends. But outside a terrible storm raged, which is all the worse when you live in the clouds.

...

."Ttayl, your first job shall be to find a way to make the entire population of Neopia into mindless zombies."

."Huh? Isn't the Zombie paint brush a little expensive?"

Stitches sighed and banged her head against the desk, scattering a few papers containing her evil plans. This was going to take a while.

...

."What? I was just following!" Shouted Seahorse. The Whoot was waving a very small scythe threateningly at Seahorse.

."What is it, Bob?" Asked Jack.

The Whoot waved its arms as if it were conducting an invisible orchestra.

."Really?" Asked Jack.

Bob directed the grand finale.

."Seahorse, Bob wants you to go away and leave us alone."

Scowling, Seahorse walked off to find the great outdoors on his own.

."So, Bob. You want to go to the library? I think I know where it is." Jack looked at a clock hanging on the wall. It didn't really matter, he couldn't tell time. "Come on, we'd better hurry."

...

Seahorse crept after Jack and the little Whoot. He couldn't leave his friend alone. Jack would probably get himself killed or something.

...

C ontending with nature, the

A isha and Ogrin run. Through

S hrubs and vines

T o the forest; home to the castle which

L ooms ahead. The place

E ven werelupes avoid.

...

Bob the Whoot stopped in front of a door, but Jack kept on walking.

Bob waved its arms frantically, trying to catch Jack's attention. When that didn't work, it tried whistling loudly. It sounded like a Miamouse sneezing.

Jack said "Gesundheit" and Bob pointed to the door.

Jack told the Whoot that the library door was still further up the hall.

Bob began to wave his hands in sign language. It took a while, but eventually Jack understood what Bob was trying to say.

Jack watched a rug slide across the floor, headed towards the foyer (not that there was a front door in the foyer, the front door was currently hidden behind a suit of armor being displayed somewhere in Jack's bedroom). He (Jack; not the rug, foyer or front door) told Bob that he was pretty sure the library would be inside the library door.

Even though the rooms in the castle had been moving constantly since Yooyu left, they always seemed to be behind the doors they belonged to.

Bob rapped on the door, then waited. After a few minutes, Jack became bored. Jack started to fidget and Bob looked like a main character who'd just forgotten their lines.

Eventually Bob picked up his little scythe, walked to the wall opposite the door, and charged. Using the stick as a battering ram, Bob tried to break down the door.

It looked pretty futile, but Jack thought that was cool. He started to applaud.

As soon as the scythe touched the wooden door it was if a magic word had been spoken.

Jack peeked into the dark room and saw bookshelf after empty bookshelf. He gasped and looked at Bob. Bob just stared back, so with a crazed smile the Zafara adventurer went in; to discover the unknown.

...

."Well, Rya, I DO happen to know a way of turning people into zombies."

."Yeah?"

."Um, I'm not exactly sure it will work on everyone though. People who can't read might not be affected."

."Why?"

."Well, you see... everyone who gets the Neopian Times... um. If they read it I mean, that does it."

."Eh?"

."After reading 'If you're reading this I'm in the NT' in EVERY. SINGLE. ARTICLE. COMIC. STORY. and everything else people kinda loose their minds."

."I see."

."And all the rocks and cookies they chuck at the Neopets Team."

."What in Neopia are you talking about, Ttayl?"

."No one has any imagination anymore. If you tell them the same thing over and over it gets pounded into their heads."

."Subliminal messages?"

."No..."

."Planting text into the subconsciousness?"

."I don't even know what that means. If you hear the same thing over and over it may get on your nerves; but you'll remember it."

...

."There are no books here. The library almost looks sad."

Silence

."What do you mean?"

Silence

."I didn't mean it like that. How can a library be sad?"

Silence

."But that's just a room, Bob."

Silence

."I'll see what I can do to get the books back."

Silence

...

."...You will stop speaking nonsense, Ttayl. You will stop speaking nonsense, Ttayl. You will stop speaking nonsense, Ttayl. You will stop speaking nonsense-"

Cut that out already!"

...

Seahorse ran forth and back through the doorway. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but that could mean danger for Jack. Seahorse could never forgive himself if anything happened to Jack.

...

Ever since Jack had been saved from being Stitches' 'lab rat', he had been a bit strange.

When Seahorse had started working at Yuanaan's Castle, he had believed Jack was a gloomy, miserable Zafara.

If Seahorse tried to talk to Jack he would be ignored.

Then Jack was bribed into being a lab rat by Stitches, then known as Ryadure.

Jack's one weakness had been riches. There were rumors that Jack had once been a thief, and Jack never tried to refute those rumors.

Jack became forgetful, when he was sent to do a task he often stopped in the middle of a room trying to remember what he was told to do.

...

Seahorse stopped and looked at the door again. Anyone watching would simply see a JubJub staring at the kitchen door suspiciously.

It was actually pretty jejune compared to the rest of the house.

Seahorse had watched Jack walk through THIS EXACT DOOR. In fact, Seahorse had been right behind Jack when he walked. Now both Jack and the Whoot were gone and Seahorse was in the empty kitchen.

...

One day, Seahorse had followed Jack into Ryadure's (Stitches') laboratory.

Staying hidden in the shadows was no problem, the entire room was dark as a tomb. There were no windows in Ryadure's underground territory.

Just to be safe, Seahorse hid behind a shelf island stacked with boxes. The labels had text like: "BISCUT PAINT BRUSH" and "GELERT TRANS"

Seahorse looked around the room, it was huge. The hall of heroes might be smaller. Might.

The room was rectangular. There was only one door with which to enter or exit. Seahorse realized grimly that that was on the other side of the room from him. It would be hard to escape quietly if needed. Come to think of it, how did he get to this end of the room unnoticed in the first place?

The faint glow which lit the room came from several jars placed on random shelves and counters. Seahorse thought he could see a light faerie trapped in the jar closest to him.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim room, Seahorse saw how cluttered it was. There were papers and boxes all over the place. Some bottles didn't glow, and Seahorse saw that they contained transmogrification and morphing potions.

Seahorse became aware of not two voices, but three. He could hear Jack and someone else arguing with Ryadure. Seahorse peeked out from behind the shelf and almost gasped aloud from surprise and fear.

There was Jack, tied with so much rope he looked like a mummy. On his head was something like a metallic hat. When Seahorse thought about that, he realized how much it looked like tinfoil.

Standing next to Jack was a blue Eyrie. Seahorse knew she worked at the castle, her name was Netonbiti. A strange name, thought Seahorse, but no worse than Jackovy, Jack's full name.

Netonbiti was attired similarly to Jack. She and Jack were screaming at...

...something.

It had Ryadure's voice, but that was not Ryadure. Seahorse knew that Ryadure was a Wocky. This things fur was a sickly green and its head was three times as large as it should be.

The light from a bottled faerie on Seahorse's shelf blinked twice, then went out. Seahorse thought he could hear a quiet snoring.

The creature stalked over to the shelf, picked up the dark bottle and shook it angrily.

When faerie awoke it began to glow again. The light gave Seahorse a clear view of the Ryadure monster. It was a Kacheek. A horrible, disfigured, mutated Kacheek. Its eyes glowed a furious red, and when the creature snarled at the faerie, Seahorse could see its sharp fangs. The worst thing was the huge brain the creature had.

It did not make the creature look wise, instead Ryadure looked very much like the villain she was.

Seahorse let out a little squeak. Ryadure heard.

Apparently Jack did too; before the Kacheek could look down and see Seahorse frozen in fear, Jack spoke up.

."I cannot stand this slimy dungeon any longer. Finish your experiment and be done with it!"

The thing that might be Ryadure sighed and walked over to a machine that looked suspiciously like Sloth technology.

She pressed a button (believe it or not, it wasn't red), and began to stereotypically laugh.

Netonbiti screamed and Jack shouted for help.

An antenna on top of the machine began to glow, getting brighter and brighter every moment. Then a beam of green light shot from it, hitting Jack's tinfoil hat.

The Ryadure-creature flinched, causing her to pause in her laughter. Then she resumed, the horrible guffaw growing in intensity 'till it echoed off the pale turquoise trees of the Haunted Woods.

Seahorse knew he should do something. The clichéd thing to do would be to find a mirror of some sort to reflect the beam back to Ryadure.

There was a mirror on the wall to the left of Seahorse, but that was twice as tall as Seahorse himself. Besides, it was stuck to the wall.

Not to mention Seahorse was a JubJub so he didn't have anything to hold the mirror with.

Seahorse watched the beam fly from Jack's foil hat to Netonbit's, connecting the two to the machine. The best thing to do, he thought, was to somehow block the beam.

With one foot, Seahorse picked a metal pipe up from the floor. He hopped silently to the cruel contraption, held the pipe over his head, blocking the beam, and freed his acquaintances.

Ryadure didn't realize what was happening until she heard Netonbiti breathe a sigh of relief.

Seahorse didn't hear it. He had fainted.

...

For a moment Seahorse stared dazed at the wall. Then he realized that he was having a flashback. Which of course made no sense, a flashback is part of a story. This was real life, wasn't that?

...

."Oh, come on!" Moaned Yooyu. "Will it ever stop raining?"

*Of course it will, sir. You just have to wait.*

."But that's now or never! What will happen if I don't warn my friends about the jynxed castle?"

*They'll learn about that themselves. Don't worry.*

...

."So," Said Stitches. "how do we get this 'subliminal messaging' to work? It's not like we can tell the Neopia Times writers to put 'Ryadure is queen of Neopia' on all their submissions."

."Er, I don't know." Admitted Ttayl. Stitches glared threateningly at him. "But I know of someone who does..."

...

The massive doors creaked open and a soaking wet Ogrin stepped into the castle's foyer. After a moment he was followed by an Aisha.

As the moment the Aisha's tail was inside the doorway she shrieked and jumped back into the pouring rain.

."Wh-what's wrongy Airy?" Asked the Ogrin shapeshifter.

."Me don't know that for sure, but me do know that Yuanaan had better get back quick. There's a strange magic here."

...

Stitches trudged up the stairs after Ttayl. It was hard being an evil villain and having a little brother at the same time. He was a pain.

Ah, well. At least he had good ideas sometimes.

...

*Sir! Sir!*

."Huh? What's going on?"

*You fell alseep. The rain's let up!*

."Goodness, let's be off!"

...

Stitches found herself in a fairly empty (and fairly dusty) castle tower. The only thing in the room was something tall and flat and covered with a cloth.

Ttayl removed the cloth carefully and revealed a huge mirror. It was an oval stood on it's end with an ornate frame around it. A ring of frost lay on the mirror, forming a cold white border just inside the gilded floral one.

The siblings looked at the mirror for a few minutes, then Ttayl tapped on his reflection. "Wakey, wakey?" He asked loudly.

Nothing happened.

Stitches walked up to the mirror and pinched her nose. Rolling her eyes, she spoke in an irritatingly high and squeaky voice.

."Mirror, mirror on the wall..."

A chill swept through Ttayl. Was it just him, or did the temperature in the room just drop?

."...Who's the fairest of them all?..."

The curling frost closed over the mirror's surface and a soft voice spoke to Stitches, "I dunno know, but they're sure not you."

...

Yooyu strolled out of the bookshop and took in the fluffy white scenery. To a Haunted Woods resident like him, it seemed like a pastel-obsessed artist had gone on a rampage here. Even the buildings had little pink faerie wings.

."Er, excuse me," Said Yooyu to a passing faerie Gnorbu, "do you know how I can get down from here? I need to get back to my castle."

The Gnorbu opened its mouth to speak, but something happened before it could speak a word. The clouds around Yooyu's feet glittered, then vanished. Blue sure is a nice color, thought Yooyu as he and Amylin fell towards the ocean.

...

Stitches fancied that she could see something glowing behind the frost. A pair of eyes, one bright white, the other dim and gray.

A chilly voice spoke. "You want to turn all the residents of Neopia into mindless zombies." It wasn't a question. The magic mirror didn't have to ask questions.

."How did you know?" Asked Stitches.

There was a squeaky sigh, then the mirror replied, "It's so boring waiting for you to ask your questions, especially since I already know the answer. I know because I'm a magic mirror. Magic. Got that?"

Stitches started to say something when Ttayl interrupted.

."'Scuse me, but what's going on with the castle? It's been going all weird lately."

."Ah, yes." Said the mirror. "You do know that your king has left."

Both Stitches and Ttayl nodded.

."You were reading about the jinx of Yuanaan, and how it's not just on your king, but the castle too."

They nodded again, and Stitches rolled her eyes as well.

."Well, when Yuanaan is at the castle his jinx cancels out the castle's jinx, and vice versa. But when your king left both jinxes were let loose. His will merely give him bad luck. But the castle is more powerful. It has been named Yuanaan for a longer time. This castle is part of the Haunted Woods because its namesake make the woods become haunted."

."I don't get that." Said Stitches.

."If Yooyu doesn't come back soon, the woods will grow. They will take over Neopia, making the whole place a haunted forest."

."Whoa," exclaimed Stitches, "that's awesome! If Yooyu doesn't come back I'll call myself queen of the castle. I'll let the woods take over Neopia for me!"

."Of course," continued the mirror, "when the two jinxes are together they also stop time, in a way. That's what kept the castle so clean and tidy before..."

Stitches wasn't listening.

."Ttayl, we must come up with a plan to keep Yooyu away. If he gets back to the castle my plans for total domination of Neopia will be ruined."

...

Dr. Sloth sat back in his huge fluffy chair. His mind was at a blank, he couldn't decide what to do next, none of his evil plans ever worked and he couldn't seem to think of one that would.

A robot that looked something like a Moehog clanked up to the chair. Using Grundos as minions was a thing of the past, the new robots couldn't think for themselves and that worked nicely.

A metalic voice from the Moehog said, -bzzt- Incoming message from... location... Yuanaan's Castle.

."Just tell me the message already." Said Sloth.

.-bzz- Message text reads... There was a crackling sound as the the Moehog scanned it's memory for Stitches' message. Dr. Sloth. I hear. You want. More minions. Sloth groaned, the problem with his robots was they couldn't talk like normal Neopets could. I know. Of a Wocky. Who will. Work for you. -bzzt- -bzzzz...

."Print the message, I want to read this myself." Said Sloth. A moment later he was reading a piece of paper.

If you ask the Wocky named "Yuanaan" to be your minion, I'm sure that he will agree. I know you work mostly with robots now, but as it turns out, this Wocky is the source of power you were looking for when you visited our castle that one time. Yuanaan should be arriving at the castle any time now, so you know where he is.

."Hmmm..."

...

."I hate to admit this Ttayl, but that is so cool! I knew you'd be the perfect minion. It's a good thing you used to work for Dr. Sloth."

."Um, yeah. About that. I worked for Sloth up until you summoned me, and I was fixing the doors because they were stuck closed. I didn't get to finish."

."Oops. Oh well, I sure hope Dr. Sloth has a transporter."

...

The Wocky and his Juma stepped out of the boat and began to run.

Thanks for the ride!" Shouted the Wocky at a bewildered Krawk in a rowboat.

As the Krawk headed back to his island he wondered who exactly that pet had been. He had just been out, minding his own business when a Wocky had fallen from the sky and asked the Krawk to row him to the edge of the Haunted Woods.

That's Neopia for you, as soon as you think you've got that figured out that comes up with something unexpected.

...

Jack the Zafara leaned against an empty bookshelf and began to snore. Bob jumped up and down silently, trying to wake him up. It eventually gave up and went to inspect a page torn from a waterlogged book.

...

A green Ogrin sat outside the doorway to the top of the tower. He shivered, not just because he was cold and wet, but because of what he had just heard from Stitches and Ttayl. He may have been a minion, but he was smart enough to know when there was danger.

It wasn't going to be good for anyone, including Stitches, if Yuanaan didn't come back.

...

I've got to warn them, thought Yooyu. Now or never.

His paws crunched dry leaves. The bag of neopoints had been left far behind Yooyu and Amy, it had caught on a branch. There was no time to go back and get that.

There was a sparkle of blue around a tree root and it moved a little to the right, just in time for Yooyu to trip over it.

."Ow!" Yooyu exclaimed. He scrambled to his feet and kept running. There was no time to loose.

...

Dr. Sloth watched the tiny blue Wocky on his screen as it drew nearer and nearer to the castle. A green finger hovered over a huge red button.

...

Yooyu could see the castle ahead. The drawbridge was alread lowered. He recognised the Aisha who stood beside it calling for him to hurry.

Run!

Eyes fixed on the doorway, Yooyu slipped on some slick grass and fell into a hole. He scrambled out quickly, the hole wasn't deep. There was an open and very empty wooden chest beside him.

He and Amy ran their fastest.

."We're coming!" Shouted Yooyu. "We're almost there!"

The Aisha smiled when she saw the gap between the two and the castle shrinking quickly.

They were only a tail's length away from the door and Yooyu dove for it.

I did it! I did it! Thought Yooyu exitedly. I can tell them now! I did it!

Yooyu's paw was a hair away from the doorway when-

-A flash of light glittering with blue sparks surrounded the Wocky.

Then he was gone.

...

In the jungle of Mystery Island a blue Wocky appeared, accompanied by an echoey sound, like a Morthog exploding in a cave. He straightened his neckercheif and cleared his throat.

Then he shouted at the top of his voice: What in Neopia just happened?