"Eh? Wha?" Dragona sat up, her blurry eyes slowly focusing on the blue Zafara sitting on her stomach. "What is it sweetie?" she asked, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"There's something wrong outside!" Zebopy exclaimed, jumping to the floor, then rushing to point out the window. "Looks like there's... NOBODY out there."

"Zebopy, it's six o'clock in the morning. There usually aren't a lot of people up at this hour."

"But Mom, there's always SOMEBODY. If there is one fact about Neopia, it's that you're never alone." Zebopy stamped the ground with her foot.

"Okay, okay, I'll take a look." Dragona said, realizing her pet really was distressed. She quickly got out of bed and got ready. "Now watch... we'll walk around and you'll see there are plenty of people and pets, just like there always are." She assured Zebopy as they headed out the door of their NeoHome. "I mean, just because no one is walking down the street... or playing games... or in the shops..." Dragona trailed off. All of Neopia Central was still and quiet. Not a single person was around. An occasional pet wandered by, sadly looking for their owner. The shopkeepers were present, as were all the natural citizens of Neopia, but there was no other owner in sight. "This is too weird."

"I wonder why you're the only human left?" pondered Zebopy aloud.

"SHHH!! Don't mention plot holes Zebopy!" Dragona whispered quickly.

"Oh, sorry! Err, I meant, that, uh.. amulet! That uh... the Faerie Queen gave you, must have- protected you!" Zebopy nodded vigorously.

"That's a smart girl!" Dragona said, patting her Zafara's head.

"Yep! Good thing you read to me so much!" Zebopy turned her attention back to Neopia Central. "What are we going to do about this? We have to find out where-"

"RESTOCK!!" Dragona yelled, running into the Magic Shop.

Zebopy's jaw gaped as she watched her owner run into one store after the other. She sighed to herself and hoped her owner would come to her senses. Sure, it was nice having Neopia all to themselves for once, but still, it just wasn't right. Sighing, the blue Zafara hopped after her owner...

"Yes?" answered Dragona, frantically collecting copies of the Neopian Encyclopedia.

"This stuff is for our shop, right? Who will buy it?" Zebopy wondered as she skimmed through a copy of Evil Spells.

"Oh my goodness, you're right! NO!!!" moaned Dragona as she slumped to the floor. "We have to find everyone!" she said with suprising enthusiasm. Zebopy beamed with pride for her owner. "But let me buy these first!" Dragona declared as she continued her mad rush around the store. Zebopy just sighed.

"Done." Dragona said as she sat down to rest.

"Finally... now what do you think was responsible for this?" wondered Zebopy as she started thinking really hard.

"Hm... well, it had to be someone with great power... as well as evil... Jhudora!!!" said Dragona.

"Ugh, you blame Jhudora for everything! Ever since you failed her Level 49 quest..." Zebopy pointed out as she continued to wonder about the guilty party.

"Grr! I was 1 minute late... seriously, it should have still counted," fumed Dragona as she stood up and started to wander around.

May as well start looking for clues, Zebopy thought. Evidently Dragona thought the same thing, because they both started looking around. "What's this?" Zebopy said curiously. "Wow, it looks like a bag. It's filled with items and NP! Maybe somebody dropped it?!?"

"Or left it as they were being taken away!" noticed Dragona, as her face started to go pale with fright.

"Gross! What is this weird stuff smeared all over the bag?" wondered Zebopy disgustedly.

"There seems to be a trail of it! Come on, we have to follow it! Maybe we can learn more about this mystery!" Dragona exclaimed as she started to follow the trail.

Wow, Dragona seems brave all of a sudden, and more focused, thought Zebopy.

Suddenly, Dragona screamed.

"I'm coming, Dragona... I'm almost there!" called Zebopy as she ran up the hill to her owner...

..."Get... get away from me!" Dragona shouted.

"Foolish child," the dark figure said, "You are the last to remain. Do not resist."

Zebopy gazed in a mixture of fear and curiosity at the man-like thing in front of her owner. It stood tall, significantly more so than Dragona. It was clad in a black cloak, and a hood covered its face. It creeped along the ground, as if using bent humanoid legs. A horrendous mottled gray hand was extended towards Dragona, reaching for her.

"Back off!" Zebopy shouted, as she threw a poison snowball at the thing. It struck the hood, and the figure leaped back, clutching at the cold snow.

"Foolish Neopet," it growled, "You allow yourself to be ordered around by the human. There is much more you could be, much more than a servant. If you would only cast away the shackles that bind you."

"I'm not her servant!" Zebopy shouted, "I'm her friend!"

The thing laughed. "We shall see," it smiled, "We shall see." Smoke erupted from behind the hood, and when it cleared, the cloaked figure was gone.

"What was that?" Zebopy asked Dragona.

"I don't know," Dragona murmured, "But I'm betting it had something to do with that weird slime. C'mon! Let's see if he left anything behind. Maybe it could help us."

"Why don't we ask Kauvara?" Zebopy suggested, dumping out a healing potion bottle and carefully scooping the slime into it. "I'm sure she'll know where it's from..."

"WOW! This is some powerful stuff!" Zebopy cried.

"Yeah, but that's not going to help us any. How can Kauvara tell us what this is then?" Dragona muttered.

"Maybe we can describe it to her? I mean how many slime substances can eat through glass?" Zebopy asked.

"Good point! Come on!" Dragona said as she started to run off.

When they got to Kauvara's shop, she was not surprised at their find.

"I suspected it would come back one day..." Kauvara muttered.

"What would come back?" Dragona asked.

"Along time ago, there was a Wocky who was treated cruelly then abandoned. Back then, it was unheard of, and there was no pound to place it in to seek a new owner. The Wocky was abandoned, alone, in a place of darkness. The legend tells it wandered the caverns of this place, desperately seeking the light, until slowly, the Wocky began to decay... into what, no one knows. Every century he comes back to make Neopia pay for what they did to him in some way or another," Kauvara sighed.

"But why's he so tall? And how can we stop him?" Zebopy asked.

"Who knows how the decay affected his body, I'm sure he hardly resembles a Wocky any longer. As for how to stop him, no one remembers. Anyway Dragona, you better watch your back," Kauvara said.

"I guess you're right," Dragona muttered as she turned around to inspect Kauvara's shelves.

"No seriously," Kauvara said in a weird voice. Dragona turned around to see...

...and screamed. Kauvara was no longer Kauvara. The mutated Wocky now stood in her place!

"Your time has come, human." With a snarl, the dark Wocky threw himself towards Dragona. WHAM! Suddenly, the demon was knocked to the floor.

"You leave Dragona alone!" Zebopy growled and stood in front of her owner.

"Foolish mortal! Do you not see what this world is like with humans? Pain! Suffering! Abandoned pets! Do you wish your life to be like that?" The Wocky narrowed his glowing eyes and prepared himself for another attack.

"Don't you see?" shouted Zebopy, "I'm happy! Do you know why? Because of her. Owners help us, feed us, take care of us, stand behind us no matter what, and discipline us so we can be wiser when we're older. Just because someone abandoned you, doesn't mean everyone is like that!" The dark creature paused. He seemed like he was considering what had just been said.

"True. But without humans, we, owners of ourselves, can do whatever we please! Don't you want that?" The Wocky attacked. He slid around Zebopy and launched himself at a screaming Dragona.

"Noooooooooooo!"...

The Zafara woke with a start. "Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. She had been unconcious for a few hours, and woke up sitting in a strange place.

The Wocky stood over her, arms crossed. "You are in my fortress." Zebopy shuddered, looking around for any sign of her owner. She noticed that everywhere in the room were pets... Neopets that were from Neopia.

"If you're looking for Dragona, you won't find her here," said the Wocky matter-of-factly, "she's gone now."

"G-g-gone?" stammered Zebopy. "But where?" Then the Zafara started screaming. "What did you do to my friend? Where is she? I want her NOW!"

"Ahh, little one, calm down." said the Wocky, running his paws through Zebopy's fur. "Don't worry... you won't be needing her anymore." Zebopy stuck out her tongue, and pushed his paws away.

The Wocky left for a moment, and brought back a platefull of food. It was the best looking food Zebopy had ever seen, and she stared eagerly at it. "Eat up," laughed the Wocky, and walked away.

She stared at the plate, mouth watering. Before taking a bite, she looked around the room once again. Zebopy noticed that all the pets had finished eating, and there were empty plates everywhere. She noticed an Aisha sitting nearby and asked her if she missed her owner as much she did. "Owner?" replied the Aisha, "What's an owner?" Zebopy was stunned. Other pets looked on to Zebopy with the same confusion.

"Wait a minute..." thought the Zafara. "This isn't right. There's something strange about this food. It must have something in it that makes the pets forget their owners!" Zebopy spit out the food in her mouth, and stared at the plate. She noticed a few little green specks on the food. "It's some kind of... potion to make us trust that evil Wocky! It's all part of his plan to destroy us!"

She threw down her plate of food, and it splattered across the floor. The Wocky rushed over to see what had happened. "So," he said. "You refuse to eat my food. You will when you get hungry enough!" he screamed furiously. The Zafara shuddered. She knew she would either have to eat this poisoned food or starve...

...She wouldn't give in so easily though. There was no way Zebopy was having her memory wiped. The Zafara had too many good memories of her owner. It was all she had left of her.

Zebopy sighed. All of those good memories came flooding back. She remembered a time when Dragona took her to Faerieland. They spun the Wheel of Excitement and won 10,000 NP! She remembered the time when Dragona and her finally finished their gallery devoted to Zafaras. They had always been together, ever since the first day Dragona had discovered Neopia. She felt so happy.

Zebopy was lost in thought. She shook her head and blinked a couple of times. Tears rolled down her cheeks; she hadn't even noticed that she'd been crying.

"Eat that food!" screeched the Wocky as he stormed over to her. "Eat it now, or you shall pay dearly!"

"NO!" yelled Zebopy. She stood up and faced the Wocky. To her amazement he backed away.

"Are you scared of me?" she asked. "Hasn't anybody ever stood up to you before? Well, they have now!"

Then Zebopy began to run, taking off as fast as she could. She could see a door in the distance, it was getting closer and closer. The Wocky was right behind her. He was gaining on her with every passing second.

If I can just get to the door! This thought raced through her mind over and over. The thoughts of her owner flew through her mind again. Her head was spinning, she was going to pass out...

She made it! Zebopy pushed the door open with all the energy she could muster and slammed it closed behind her. Leaning back against the door, her heart was beating wildly, and her legs felt like jelly, but she was through. Her eyes were closed. She opened them slowly and screamed, for what stood in front of her was the worst sight Zebopy had ever seen in her life...

"Dragona!" Zebopy yelled, running for her owner with tears in her eyes. She barely heard the door open as she reached through the bars to grab Dragona's hand. The girl blinked her eyes slowly, not focusing or responding to Zebopy's anxious shakes of her hand.

"What do you think?" came the menancing voice of the Wocky behind her.

Zebopy didn't answer, desperately trying to wake Dragona up. The Wocky must be feeding them the same awful food, she thought.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" carried on the Wocky. "I have great plans for them all."

This made the Zafara turn around. She looked at the deformed Wocky in his dirty cape, with mad red eyes, and felt only anger. Zebopy wasn't afraid anymore... not now, not after seeing the humans so poorly treated.

"I'm going to turn each and every one of these humans... into a SLORG!" the Wocky screamed with evil delight. "Then, they shall know how it feels to be imprisoned! Every human in Neopia will become a petpet, destined to serve us for the rest of their days!"

He peered at the little Zafara in front of him, and said, "My Slorg morphing potion is nearly ready, little one. There is nothing you can do to stop me now. My plan will soon be complete."

"Not if I have anything to do about it," muttered Zebopy, clencing her paws furiously. "How dare you! How dare you treat all our owners like this! You have no idea, do you? How wonderful owners are? How strong their love is?"

Turning to the cages, Zebopy began to scream at all the humans, "Wake up! Wake up! Your pets need you! They love you! Please wake up!"

She had almost given up hope, until Dragona began to stir.

"Zebopy?" she said. "What.. what's going on?"

..."It's the Wocky! The evil Wocky has captured has captured and imprisoned you! He's going to turn you and all the other humans into Slorgs! You MUST get out!" Zebopy screeched.

Behind her the Wocky cackled evilly. "Shout and scream all you want, but there is nothing you can do!" he laughed cruelly, "I will go and get my Slorg morphing potions NOW!"

He chuckled gleefully and marched out of the room. Then he slammed the doors shut, and Zebopy heard them lock.

She ran up to them and banged her fists hard on their wooden surface.

"LET US OUT!" Zebopy screamed, but the Wocky did not answer.

Crying desperately, she rushed back to Dragona's cage and knelt down.

"Oh Dragona," she wept, "You have to get out! Then we can save all the Neopets and humans. Please, please, you must TRY to get out!"

"I... can't..." Dragona mumbled feebly, "I'm... too... weak..."

"You HAVE to!" Zebopy urged, with tears spilling down her cheeks, "Try, just try, Dragona!"

So the girl pressed her hand against the bars and pushed, but it just slipped down and flopped on the bottom of the cage.

"Oh, Zebopy," Dragona sobbed, "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't worry!" Zebopy answered, "I'll get you out, I will!" Zebopy looked around frantically, before her eyes fell upon a loose pipe on the floor. Wedging it between the bars, she tugged with all her might. But how ever much she pulled, the bars remained where they were, locking away her owner. Zebopy slumped down, and covered her face in despair.

"Zebopy..." Dragona croaked, "Go now. Leave me. Save yourself. I... I'll always love you, forever and ever, no matter what happens..."

"Oh, Dragona," Zebopy wept, "I will always love you too." She decided to have one last go, and grabbed on to the pipe once again. Suddenly, Zebopy had an almighty flashback. She saw herself and Dragona playing in a field n a bright summer's day. They were buying ice cream from the Food Shop, and it went on and on, showing all the happy moments she had had with Dragona. Then, lastly, she saw herself being tucked up in bed by her kind, loving owner, and as she drifted off to sleep, Dragona whispered softly, "I love you."

The Zafara snapped out of her flashback, and knew that she'd never give in! She pulled with all her might, and suddenly the bars gave way at her new, powerful strength and bent open. Dragona was free!

"Dragona!" Zebopy yelled joyfully.

"Zebopy!" Dragona cried. The two embraced each other tight, and knew that no matter what happened, they would never be parted.

"We have to get out of here!" Zebopy shouted, tugging at her owner.

"No!" Dragona answered, "We to save the others, too!"

Then the doors banged open, to reveal the evil Wocky. In his paws he had many bottles, filled with a dark, swirling potion. They were Slorg morphing potions! He roared with rage when he saw that Dragona was free.

"You fools!" he spat, "No one can defeat me! Now feel the pain that I suffered!"

He put down the potions, all except one, and lunged forward. "RUN!" Dragona screamed, "Go! I'll catch up!"

"No!" Zebopy screeched, "I won't leave you!"

But the Wocky grabbed Zebopy, and shook her hard.

"Get off her!" Dragona cried.

With renewed strength, Dragona charged forward and knocked into the evil beast, making both him and Zebopy fall to the ground.

"HOW DARE YOU?!?" the Wocky roared, "NOW YOU SHALL BE TURNED INTO A WORTHLESS PETPET, AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR NEOPET AGAIN!!!"

He hit Zebopy hard, and she skidded across the floor. The Zafara watched in terror as the dark figure rose up and towered over Dragona. He pulled the cork off the Slorg potion, and got ready to tip it all over her!

"Dragona!" Zebopy wailed, looking in horror at the potion about cover her beloved owner and turn her into a slimy little Slorg. Suddenly...

"Our owners!" exclaimed the little Aisha, remembering at last what an owner was. The Wocky whipped around, dropping the morphing potion on the floor. It spilled open, soaking into the dirt-packed ground instantly.

Dragona was safe, for the time being at least. "Everybody, try to get your owners out of their cages!" she yelled, running over to the table where the Wocky had left all his Slorg potions. With one quick swipe of her arm, they were all on the ground, broken glass everywhere.

The Wocky yelled with rage, but then grinned slyly. "I have one more," he cackled, reaching into his cloak, and pulling out one last potion. Zebopy leaped between him and her owner, trying to grab the Slorg potion from him, but he was too strong. Even with her vain attempts to stop on him, the Wocky uncorked the potion, and pushed the Zafara off him. "Since I can't get your precious owner, I'll just have to settle for you." he said.

"Nooo!" shouted Dragona, racing over to him, and struggling with all her strength to bend his arm back towards him. Zebopy jumped up to help. Together, they took the potion from his hands. Now it was Zebopy's turn to smile. She held up the potion in her hand as Dragona held the Wocky still. "Ready?" she asked, then splashed the potion into his face.

There was a huge bang, and then a puff of cloud. Once the fog cleared, the owners with the pets on their laps gasped. There sat a pink Slorg, blinking and gurgling softly. Dragona hugged her friend. "You did it!" she said.

Zebopy smiled, "No," she said. "We did it. We did it together, just like we were made to do."

All the humans hugged their pets tightly, and everyone found their way out of the building without too much trouble. The last who exited the horrid place were Dragona and Zebopy. The Zafara held a small jar in her arms. It was the Slorg... who had once been a Wocky.

When they arrived at home Dragona pointed to the jar. "What should we do with it? Let's sell it as quickly as possible, and rid ourselves of its horridness."

"No," responded Zebopy. "I think it's about time he has a good, caring owner. I'll adopt him."

Dragona hugged her pet. "Oh Zebopy... I should've known. Ok then, if that's what you really want." The two embraced each other, and Zebopy looked up at her owner's smiling face, then down at her new Slorg's happy face.

Everything was back to normal at last; pets were visiting stores around Neopia (especially Dragona's, because it had SO much in stock) to buy their pets treats, and the little Wocky-Slorg was in good hands. At last, he knew what it meant to have an owner who cared.

The End