Mimi made a face when she saw the stray Puppyblew standing in front of her gate. "Ugh, I hope he hasn't scratched my fence or anything," the Uni sniffed, nudging disgustedly at the Petpet with her hoof. "Shoo! Shoo!"

"Aww, c'mon, Mimi!" her friend Reyna chided. The Moehog cooed at the Puppyblew and scooped it up into her arms. "Look at how cute he is!" she said, holding the Petpet up to the Uni's face.

"Ick, get it away!" Mimi said. "Who knows what kinds of Petpetpets are on that mangy thing?!"

The Moehog gently set the Petpet down on the sidewalk and watched it scurry away. "You know, I'll never understand why you hate Petpets so much," Reyna mused. "They're so adorable!"

"Because they're such a nuisance, that’s why," corrected Mimi. "They dig up garden plants, ruin furniture, constantly annoy you into feeding them... having one is like a job! I also don't think that they're particularly cute at all. Just spoiled and pesky."

"All right, I get your meaning," Reyna said with a laugh as they headed indoors. "Still, you should try to see it from their point of view..."

Mimi yawned as she woke up. Her room seemed brighter than usual. Had she slept late? Mimi struggled around in her blankets for a bit, feeling a little disoriented, before finally falling to the floor in a heap.

"Ow..." she muttered. The floor had been an awfully long way away. Mumbling, she trudged toward her mirror and blinked sleepily...

...then screamed.

For standing before her was not a delicate faerie Uni, but a snorting little Alabriss...

Two...

“Mimi! Are you home? Hello? MIMI?”

Startled, the Alabriss clattered to her feet. That was Reyna’s voice! When she caught sight of herself in the mirror again, however, she gave a groan of despair. So it wasn’t a dream... She didn’t have the slightest idea how something like this could have happened, but if anyone could help her now, it was Reyna. With this in mind, Mimi trotted out of her bedroom and into the hall of her Neohome, then down a flight of stairs to her front door.

It was at this time that a new and unforseen problem reared its ugly head. How was she supposed to answer her own door?

A loud knocking echoed throughout the nearly empty house as the Moehog outside rapped her hoof impatiently against the doorframe. Mimi frowned to herself before, with a shrug, she began scrabbling against the other side of the door, hoping that Reyna would take it upon herself to open it.

“... what’s that sound? Mimi, is that you?”

Success! She could hear the latch clicking as the doorknob was cautiously turned, and the door swung slowly open. From a new and unfamiliar perspective, she saw her friend peering to and fro with a confused expression on her face before she thought to look down.

“Oh, hey there!” Reyna exclaimed, surprised, before stooping down until she was nearly eye level with the Alabriss. “Don’t tell me Mimi decided to get a Petpet after all? Well, she certainly picked a cute one; you even look a little bit like her.”

“Reyna, no, it’s me!” Mimi wailed -- or tried to. But all that came out of her mouth was a high-pitched whinny.

“Well, if she isn’t home, then I suppose we’ll just have to find her, won’t we? I wonder if she decided to head to the park without me. Come on, you two!” And with that, the Moehog was off down the walkway.

Mimi sighed. This was shaping up to be a real... wait. Two?

She realized then, with a sinking feeling in her gut, that there was a small, scrappy, and very familiar Puppyblew staring at her from her front step...

Mimi blinked. It talked. That Puppyblew was talking. Petpets didn't talk. They squeaked. Or yelped. Or broke valuable personal possessions. But they did not talk like intelligent pets.

"You look like you just saw a Ghostkerchief," the Puppyblew continued.

"Y-you talked?" Mimi squeaked.

"Of course I talk. We all talk. Did that annoying Neopet bonk you on the head or something?" The Puppyblew yipped with laughter. "Come on! That Rey-pet is leaving us behind! I love the park, so lets go!"

With an increasing amount of astonishment, Mimi trotted after the Puppyblew. She had so many questions! Since when could Petpets talk? Why couldn't Reyna hear them? How did one navigate when one was so close to the ground? But one thing the Puppyblew had said sunk in.

"Annoying Neopet?!"

"Yeah, there's this evil Uni that lives in that house you were just in," the Puppyblew shot Mimi's house a dirty look. "All the Petpets know to stay away from there. Yesterday my friend Krala dared me to touch her fence, and then she came out and nearly kidnapped me to eat! But this Rey-pet saved me!" He wagged his tail, smiling at Reyna.

Mimi was torn between amusement and indignation. "I don't eat Petpets!"

"Of course you don't. That Neopet does. Ya know, she's the stuff of legend 'round here! There was this one Snoogy who went in there and never came out."

Mimi snorted as she jumped over a twig. It was surprising how big those things looked now. She remembered that Snoogy. It had snuck in through the bedroom window, broke a vase, and she had given it to her friend Charl, who had happily adopted it. Hmph. "Never came out" her hoof.

However, the thought slid from her mind as she gazed up at the park. There were hoardes of Petpets... and they were staring at her...

Mimi stopped short of the field, seriously debating whether or not she wanted to go. The decision, though, was soon made for her as the Puppyblew darted forward, meeting a few of the Petpets and announcing Mimi's arrival.

"Hey guys, come check out the new Petpet on the block! You've gotta meet her, she's one of the bravest Petpets around!"

The Puppyblew's wagging tail slowed as the group of Petpets stared boredly. "Oh yeah?" questioned the self-proclaimed leader of the group, a young and newly painted Gruslen, "And why is it that this... Alabriss... can be called brave?"

The Puppyblew blinked before giving into a sly grin. "Because," he said, "she came from the evil Uni's house."

The mention of the house was enough to have the whole group gasping and staring at Mimi. The Gruslen, especially, was staring the Alabriss down as if she had grown an extra head.

"She came from the house then, did she?" The Gruslen marched around Mimi, his tail flicking to and fro rhythmically. He stopped once, in front of her, before moving again to circle, making sure he showed off his new white coat in the process. "Well then... prove it."

"Prove it!? How can she prove it? You want her to go back in or something?" the Puppyblew barked, the fur on his neck standing up.

Meanwhile, Mimi sat back and watch as the other Petpets glanced back and forth between the bickering couple. Was it really necessary to fight over something this stupid? After listening a few moments more, Mimi rose, waving a hoof between the two to end their senseless arguing. "Look... I came out of the house, all right? I really don't see why it's such a big deal..."

"A big deal? She doesn't see why it's such a big deal." The Gruslen practically purred this as he made his way back to the front of the group, seating himself once he was there. "Many a Petpet has been lost in there, and making up a lie like the one you're riding is considered forbidden. You don't lie about something as serious as that house."

"But I'm not lying." Mimi tilted her head a bit, obviously confused at the Gruslen's words. There were rules to being a Petpet?

"I still don't believe you. You see, you've got to have a way to prove it. I, for example, went in there and came out with this scar." The Gruslen extended a paw, quickly drawing it back while frowning. "Well, you can't see it too well with this new paint job... but it's there! You, on the other hand, have nothing to show for it, do you?"

Mimi thought for a moment. The Gruslen had no scar, and from the way the group "oohed" and "aahed" over him, it seemed as though they had never heard the story. "I have something to show for it," she said smugly, making it up as she went, "I've got..."

"A description of what?" he asked.

"The house!" said Mimi. "From the inside. And you should know. You've been in there. So, you'll know what it looks like yourself."

The Gruslen paled.

"Er..." he stuttered. "Yeah. Of course I've been in there. So," he challenged, "What does it look like?"

"Well," began Mimi, "As you go in through the door, the first thing you'll see is a picture hung on the..." She stopped. This needed to be a description from a Petpet's point of view. She started again.

"There is a tall table on the left as you enter," she said, ignoring what was on the table -- from three inches off the floor, the vase tucked away on the top was not particularly visible. "There are two doors on the left, and a staircase on the right. Going up the staircase, you'll see another few doors, one of which leads into my... her bedroom." She stopped, and glared at the Gruslen. "Isn't that right?"

"Er..." stammered the Gruslen again. "Er...yes. Wow. Wow!" He began to get excited. "Wow! You've actually been in there as well! And you've come out! How did you do it?"

The excitement level was rising. All the Petpets were beginning to make their various noises in excitement.

"Well, I... I just escaped," Mimi improvised. "She just... she left the door open, and I ran for it."

The other Petpets looked awestruck, including the initially-doubtful Gruslen.

"Well," the Gruslen said, "Seeing as you've survived the house, I think you can join the House Invasion Squad for certain!"

"The... House Invasion Squad?" asked Mimi.

"Sure!" said the Gruslen. "You've heard of it, surely. We're planning to invade the house, and make that Uni pay..."

Her mind whirled frantically. What was she to do? Did the Petpets really hate her that much? Was she wrong to treat them as she did?

She was riffled from her thoughts by the sudden realization that everyone was staring at her. She hadn't even begun to consider the amount of damage a group of Petpets such as this might inflict upon her beautiful abode. However, she was immediately certain that she didn't want to know.

The Gruslen was still smiling at her, obviously captivated by the fact that she -- unlike him -- had actually been inside the house and presented an indisputable description of the interior. "Are you in?" he asked with a slight hint of desperation in his voice. Suddenly Mimi realized that the Gruslen needed her -- just as a Petpet might need a Neopet. A feeling welled within her that she could not describe and she found herself shaking her head 'yes' despite her apprehensions.

As she looked around the gathered Petpets, her eyes stopped on each individually and she found that she had a profound desire to own her very own tiny, furry companion. She vowed at that moment that -- should she ever be free of her Alabriss form -- she would change her ways for good.

Reyna's Puppyblew approached, smiling widely, tongue hanging free from its massive round head. "Shouldn't we wait for Rey-pet to come back?" he inquired passively. But Mimi was already shaking her head.

"No," she said softly, putting a hoof gently against the Puppyblew's soft shoulder. "This is a mission for Petpets only." In response, the gathering of Petpets gave grunts and purrs of approval.

"Follow me," Mimi beckoned, leading the Petpets away from the park and quickly towards her home. She knew exactly what she had to do and she hoped that her idea would not only sate the Petpet's desire for revenge, but also leave her house relatively undestroyed. She turned back towards the rushing group of Petpets, her smile broad, her hopes high.

"So," she began dramatically, "here's the plan..."

The Gruslen grinned at her. "We could throw 'em in the trash and be gone long before she realized we're there!" Suddenly he frowned. "But what if she catches us?"

Mimi grinned. This was looking better all the time. It seemed she could get out of this without losing anything more than a few childhood playthings she had long since outgrown anyway. "That's the best part. She's out for the day. I saw her planning a... shopping trip, before she realized I was there."

The Gruslen's eyes widened even further. "So, why DID you go into the house, anyway?"

"I... just wanted to see if I could."

A murmured chorus of astonishment filled the air. The Puppyblew stepped forward. "Maybe you could scout it out -- you know, find out where the 'jewels' are and make sure the Uni is gone."

Mimi nodded, privately relieved that the Petpets wouldn't be tearing her bedroom apart in their search for the toys. "All right. I'll signal you from the bedroom window if I find the coast is clear."

A few minutes later, Mimi flitted in through an open window, trying to appear as furtive and cautious as possible. It wasn't difficult, for she had never before seen her Neohome from the viewpoint of a little Petpet, except for the first few minutes after she'd discovered her predicament -- which, of course, had been a moment in which she had not been overly inclined to stop and take in the view.

Now, as she stared around wide-eyed, she found herself briefly intimidated by the size of the objects that surrounded her. Shaking away the feeling, Mimi made sure the other Petpets could see her through the window as she trotted up toward the bedroom.

Reaching the top of the stairs, the Alabriss approached the half-open door to her bedroom and froze as quiet movements caught her attention. Pinning her delicate ears back against her head, Mimi poked her face into the bedroom and gasped.

There, standing in front of the mirror, was a beautiful Faerie Uni, who wept in bitter despair as she stared at her own reflection.

Mimi felt her jaw hanging slack, but was unable to force her shock-numbed to close it. Finally she found a whispery remnant of her voice, and leaning further into the room she gasped, "You... you're ME!"...

"I... who... are you?" sputtered Mimi. "Why are you in my house?"

The Uni shook her head quickly. "Please, I can't understand you... not like I used to."

Used to? Mimi returned the Uni's gaze, finding her eyes confused and fearful -- they lacked the easy confidence that she would have had. They looked more like...

More like the eyes of a transformed Alabriss. Gasping sharply with the sudden realization, Mimi suddenly knew what had happened.

She and the Petpet had somehow switched bodies.

But how was she to communicate this discovery to the Petpet inhabiting her body? Or get them to change back, for that matter?

A noise startled her -- one of the Petpets waiting outside had tossed a pebble against the window to call her attention. They were probably getting worried; she was taking far too long. They might even come in after her.

First things first, though. Taking a deep, calming breath, Mimi smiled reassuringly at the stricken Uni...

The Uni's mouth turned upwards into a weak smile. Her eyes brightened up a little but not so much that Mimi couldn't see the worry on the transformed Petpet's face. It was worrying for her too, and she had what seemed like a dozen ominous questions flitting through her head.

What if the Petpets came in? What would happen to the Uni? What if they were not able to change bodies? What did the future hold for the both of them?

Suddenly another pebble was flung at the window, startling the both of them. The Uni ducked her head as if sensing that the window would smash. It didn't and Mimi saw this as her oppurtunity to divert the mass of Petpets' attention away from the house.

She grabbed her box of fake jewels quickly and darted to the window. Opening it she yelled at the crowd and told them to hold out their hands.

"Everything's going well," she said. "And I managed to find her jewels easily. Catch!"

Each Petpet held out their hands, paws and fins each caught one of Mimi's fake jewels. Shouts of triumph and cheers echoed through the street, and when the noise had calmed down, Mimi told the Petpets to go back to the park and that she'd meet them there.

"What are you hanging around there for?" asked the Gruslen, with a suspicious face. She wished, just for one second, that he would get out of her affairs and leave her alone to sort this problem out. This was the very reason why she disliked Petpets in the first place, although she could not blame them now. It was hard not to try to be involved in the world around you when everything was so big and interesting.

"There's something I'm going to do," she said, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice. "Look, meet me in the park."

The Gruslen shrugged and finally walked away, following the rest of the Petpets. Mimi was relieved. Now she could finally sort this mess out.

She looked back at the Uni who was crying again, silently. She really hadn't liked Petpets because of their seeming neediness, but to see one as distressed as this, it made her feel some sympathy for the poor little mite. The more selfish side of Mimi surfaced, and she felt rather sorry for herself, too. That Petpet was in HER body.

Both Neopet and Petpet turned to the doorway as heavy footsteps reverberated through the hallway outside. They were coming up the stairs! Mimi felt her heart turn into a lead weight. Who was it? And what did they want? Were they here to cause trouble? Had the Gruslen informed someone of what he thought was going on in her house?

Mimi's heart suddenly lifted as her good friend Reyna stood in the doorway of her bedroom. Immediately, the Uni's face lifted too, and she bounded towards the Moehog.

"You have to help us!" she exclaimed. "That Alabriss and I... we've switched bodies! Please help us!"

Mimi tried to explain what had happened too, but she figured, by the confused look Reyna gave her, that all that could be heard were frantic whinnies. Still, the Uni seemed to have conveyed the story across, for Reyna said, "Oh my, I must help you fix this..."

Reyna pushed into the room, continuing to grin smugly at both the Uni and Mimi. She moved over to Mimi's bed and seated herself carefully on a soft down-filled pillow.

"Come," she said gently, motioning for Mimi to join her, "I have something I must confess."

Mimi's eyes widened. She knew where this confession would lead! She couldn't believe her friend would stoop to such a level as this... and then she let go of her anger and let Reyna tell her story.

"Mimi, it's not just the Petpets that have noticed the way you mistreat them. In fact, I was asked by the Pet Protection League themselves to do what I have done. The told me where I could find a morphing potion of a different kind. Apparently Kayla had been experimenting with a new flavour of morphin potion and instead she managed to create the potion I gave to you... do you recall?"

Mimi did recall! Earlier the day prior, she had been at Reyna's for a spot of tea and her tricky little friend had told her to try 'something new'. Mimi gasped loudly, drawing the attention of both Reyna and the Alabriss-in-Uni's-clothing.

"So you're beginning to understand," Reyna spoke solemnly now. "I never meant to betray you, you were always such a good friend to me, but something had to be done to change your disposition towards the loveable Petpets. And the rumours -- of the Petpets going into you house and never coming out -- is it true?"

Mimi wanted to scream out in denial, but she knew that in the Alabriss' body it would do no good. Instead she fixed her closest friend with her sad eyes, and shook her head 'no' with all the conviction she could muster.

Reyna smiled. "I never believe the stories," she began, a deep sadness in her voice, "but I had to be sure."

Mimi grunted indignantly but couldn't help feeling sorry for her friend. The Petpet Protection League could be quite persuasive when it came to protecting Petpets. Then a question suddenly sparked in the back of Mimi's mind but, as if reading her thoughts, the Alabriss which currently inhabited her body spoke first. "How long does the potion last?"

Reyna's smiled nearly took in her ears. "One day!" she exclaimed happily, "and I think everything has worked out wonderfully!"

Mimi was a little angry. A little irritated. A little betrayed. But at that moment, the joyful realization that she would soon be back in her own body overwhelmed all other emotion.

She would berate Reyna, gently, in the morning. Then she would get a Petpet and love and care for it in a way that put the Petpet Protection League to shame!

All in the morning. For now, after an exhausting day as a Petpet, all she wanted to do was sleep...

...In the morning, both Uni and Alabriss were relieved to find themselves returned to their normal bodies. Mimi looked back at her wings in satisfaction, then looked down at the Alabriss, who had slept that night in her room. A look of complete understanding crossed between them.

"I assume you were chosen to switch with me because you didn't like Neopets lording over you, and thought you could do without them?" Mimi asked. The Alabriss whinnied softly in agreement.

"Looks like we both learned a valuable lesson," the Uni smiled. "How about we start with a clean slate -- together?"

The Alabriss whickered and nodded in agreement. Then she turned towards the door, as if she had something left to do, and Mimi nodded her head swiftly in approval. Tammy -- the Alabriss's name, as she had said the night before -- dashed off downstairs and out the door. She zoomed up to the Petpets but before she could say anything, the Gruslen spoke.

"Why are you so late? Where have you been?" he demanded.

Tammy heaved a sigh and then replied, "Well, I got to know this Uni, and well... she's sort of nice. All the stories you've heard -- they're not true, just greatly misinterpreted. I'll explain later in more detail if you wish. I'm sorry to let you all down, but you all know what it feels like when you have an owner that you love. That's how I feel about this Uni." Tammy looked up at the Petpets.

All their faces were blank, and to her surprise the first one to speak was the Gruslen, "Bravely spoken words, Tammy. We may not like this Uni, but you do. We will leave this house alone, now that you're in it."

The Gruslen nodded his head to the Alabriss respectfully before turning to the crowd of Petpets behind him, signalling for them to go. The Puppyblew winked at her before trotting behind them.

Tammy grinned before turning around and trotting up to Mimi's room. Mimi scooped her up and cradled her in her hooves, and at that moment, they both thought the same thing... I'm home!

The End