As Mellisa waits, Sonia scuttles around, teleporting out of the mall, and hiding through the gardens. Peering through one of the large bushes, Sonia trails her eyes from side to side.
"Strange…" Sonia commented, "The amulet took me out here… but why?" Sonia shifted out of the bush and snuck around. Sonia held her sword tightly in hand, and kept a watchful eye as she wandered deeper into the garden. The ginger placed her hand onto an oak tree with fuchsia colored leaves and waited.
Shuffle shuffle shuffle! A noise was heard from the bushes. Sonia snapped her head towards the sight of the bushes and took on a fighting position. She waited silently as the sounds of the bushes grew louder and louder. Sonia gripped her sword tighter and extended one of her legs, leaning it further than usual due to the stretchiness of the leggings. Just then… WHOOSH! The unidentified object flies out of the bushes. Sonia yelled loudly as she started to swing her sword, causing a familiar voice to cry out, "NYEEEE-EEEH-EEE-EEE-EEEHH!!!!" Sonia recognized the scream and pulled back on her sword slash, just narrowly avoiding hacking the familiar being to pieces.
"Scruffles!" Sonia exclaims as she hugs her pet cat tightly, "Oh, thank goodness it's you!"
"Great…! Because you nearly turned me into Fickle Feline Tater Tots!!" Scruffles complained, slapping Sonia's cheeks with her soft paws. Another beast emerged from the bushes, but this time it was a little yellow dog. The dog pants and stretched his backside from running and says, "Oh bloomin' 'eck… I'm knackered…" Sonia calls out to the dog, "Matthew!" as she puts down the cat and pets and gives the dog some good scratches. Sonia tends and cares for the dog, saying stuff like, "Who's a good doggy? Who's a good-good doggy~?" Matthew pats his foot in enjoyment from Sonia's care. Scruffles clears her throat loudly to interrupt the moment.
"Not wanting to be rude here but Sonniyer… what are you wearing?" Scruffles commented on Sonia's new outfit, "You 'n' Mellisa goin' dancin'?"
"It's a long story with a mix-up of clothes and-," Sonia stopped herself, shaking her head and getting back into the situation, "Why'd you guys call? What's this talk about these spiky gremlins?" Scruffles then began to explain everything. For some reason, during an ordinary day in the backyard, Feliferi appeared to warn them of a beast that ripped through space and time to come to Earth. The two pets diligently began to investigate the neighborhood for clues. However, during a walk through the beginning area of the countryside, a dissenting roar was heard in the distance. Scruffles and Matthew ran over to inspect the sound until these tiny gremlin beasts popped out of the ground, surrounding the cat-and-dog duo.
"These things were CREEPY-lookin'!" Scruffles described.
"They had no sort of arms except for two tiny little pitchforks, while their legs were as long as a grasshopper!" Matthew added, "And teeth sharper than a saber-tooth!"
"They chased us out of the countryside and back to the suburbs, trapping us into a payphone which is how we were able to call you in the first place!"
"But…" Sonia asked with confusion, "How'd you get the money to use a payphone…?"
"That's not the point. The point is, as we were running, they just chased us in droves! Outsmartin' them didn't work either 'cause they just kept comin' back!"
"They multiply like rabbits, and can pop out of the ground at any-"
KA-POW!!!! An army of gremlin monsters penetrate through the grounds of the garden, surrounding Sonia, Matthew, and Scruffles.
"-moment…" Matthew finished, drooping his ears in fright. The pets huddle behind Sonia's legs as these creatures hopped closer and closer to her. A little creeped out, Sonia asked the animal duo if THESE were the gremlin creatures that they spoke of earlier, and they confirmed that these were so the creatures that chased them here. One of the little freaks hopped in front of the ginger with a face that even a psycho would be afraid of. Worse was when it began to speak backwards before c in communicating in English.
"We are the SCROWLERS, Stalkers of Day and Night! CHIK CHIK CHIK! And we have come to- chikchikchikchik- destroy you! AHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" The little beast called out, laughing insanely in the process. With no hesitation, Sonia chopped the scrowler in half with her magic sword. The little creature dropped both halves of its body onto the grass with a splat as Sonia pulled back her sword. Sonia commented, "How's that for being destroyed?" with a smug smile. However, the scrowler's halved body shakes some before popping, creating two scrowlers right in front of her. Sonia takes a headtake in surprise then swings her sword again, cutting up the two beasts in fourths. Just like before, the cut down scrowlers multiplied into more scrowlers, extending the army even more. The beasts then chortled its calling card, "Chik chik chik! Chikchik-chikchik Chik!" while stomping on the ground in vicious harmony. Sonia was getting steamed! If this was the danger, then it was surely an annoying one. The ginger girl let out a battle cry/scream of rage as she waved her fists in the air. Sonia then lunges into the air as she screams even longer, preparing to swing at the invasive army.
Meanwhile, Mellisa sat at the bathroom hallway, diligently waiting for Sonia. The day was ending however as the sun began to set, resting between the hills of the Twin Trees. The dozens of patrons that packed the mall earlier were slowly dwindling in numbers, either going home or just plain leaving. There were still enough people that stayed, but since closing time was nearing its way, there wasn't much of a reason to stay at the mall until then.
"I won't move until Sonia gets back," Mellisa commanded to herself as she adjusted her seat on the hard, wooden bench. Mellisa stayed there in the lone bathroom hallway like an obedient friend and waited…. And waited… and waited… and waited… and waited…
TWO HOURS LATER
"...zzz…" Mellisa mumbled as she sat there waiting… and sleeping… A sound then erupts from a nearby intercom, waking Mellisa as it announces, "Attention everyone! Attention! The Hilltop Skylines is about to close. I repeat, the mall is about to close." The intercom shuts off and the lights began to down down. Mellisa stretches and yawns, repeating the words, "...The mall is closing…" before closing her eyes.
CRACK! Mellisa's eyes beak open when she shouts, "Whuh-buh-buh-buh-buh! The mall is closing?!" Mellisa looked to the bathroom, believing that Sonia still hadn't come out yet! She dashed to the ladies' room and kicked the door open, unknowingly slamming another woman into the wall. Mellisa ran inside and tried to investigate, only to find one of the shopping bags from Jacob's filled with Sonia's dirty clothes. In a panic, she grabbed all of her shopping bags then dashed out of the bathroom hallway.
"Sonia? SOOONNIIIIAAAAA!!" Mellisa hollers, searching every closing store, bathroom, ceiling fan, pet store, phone store, restaurant, and everywhere else she could think of, but she just couldn't find her missing redhead ginger friend. In a last ditch effort, Mellisa whips out her cellphone and attempts to call Sonia. The phone rang for minutes, but thankfully she got an answer.
"Hello?" Sonia asked.
"Sonia! Oh, I got so worried sick while I was waiting!" Mellisa sighed in relief, "Where are you by the way, friend?"
"Oh, I'm outside. I was in a call with my dad and- YEEEEOOUCH!!!" Sonia suddenly exclaimed.
"Oh my, Sonny, are you okay?"
"Yeah! Just a little… nick on the leg, if you know what I- KYAH!! -mean. Listen, uhh…. Wait at the front entrance of the mall, and I'll see you there, okay?"
"Okay!" Mellisa agrees with a smile, "Bye, Sonia~!"
"Bye!" Sonia ends the call as she, and her pets, run for their lives. The scrowlers had multiplied to the dozens like an unstoppable army of cockroaches bursting out of your house walls! Now that's a situation you don't want…
"How we gonna stop these things?!?!?" Scruffles cried, clinging to Matthew's back with her sharp claws. The trio then climb up a tall oak tree, clinging to one of the high branches. The scrowlers surround the oak tree, chirping their dangerous little chant. As our heroes hide within the tree, Matthew began to assess the situation. The yellow dog began to imply, "Physical attacks just seem to give them reason to multiply… But what could kill a beast that only multiplies?" Matthew observed the little creatures even further, finding that some of them were slowly melting from the tops of their heads. A light bulb pops up above Matthew's head as he concludes, "That's it!! The scrowlers love when their top's mopped off, but hate extreme temperatures!"
"You mean…"
"We gotta melt 'em!"
"But where's a decent that always seems to emanate extreme temperatures…?" Matthew asks himself. Sonia and Scruffles then turn around to find a construction zone just a mile away with an open sewer pipe smack-dab in the center of the road.
"The sewers!" Scruffles shouts with joy.
"Eww… Do we have to…?" Sonia asked with disgust. Her pets, however, stare at her with a condescending attitude, making her groan. Sonia leaned over to grab Scruffles, placing the cat on her back. She is the first to jump down while Matthew followed suit. Sonia chucks her sword into the scrowler army to make a path for her and Matthew, and the trio immediately book it to the city. However, the scrowlers were on the prowl again, yelling, "Chik-chik! Chik! Chik! Chik!" as they charge towards Sonia and pals. The trio scream loudly as possible before flinging their legs around and speeding into a fast sprint.
Sonia and the others ran, ran, ran as fast as they could, but the scrowlers were very fast and very frequent, easily trailing behind Matthew and Scruffles. One of the lead gremlins even began jabbing poor Matthew on his backside. Scruffles sees his canine friend in deep pain and decides to take care of the situation. Running past a fruit shack, The black cat stretches her arm to grab some fruit from the local fruit stand and yelled, "Juiced in time, freaks!" then pelted the invasive leaders with dozens of fruit, slowing them down immensely. The heroes might have gained a proper lead, but Scruffles was running low on fruit ammo. Thankfully, they were almost to the sewers.
"Okay guys! I have a plan!" Sonia informed her pets.
"What's the plan?!"
"First! We're gonna-!!" CLANG!!! Sonia slams onto a "Construction Zone" sign. Matthew and Scruffles sprawl their legs, trying to screech to a halt, but end up flinging themselves over the manhole and into the sign post as well, knocking it and Sonia to the gravel floor. Scruffles and Matthew slowly get up, only to find the scrowlers charging closer to them. Matthew and Scruffles holler in fear as they were about to meet their doom. The scrowler army charged their way closer and closer, claws sharpened and ready to strike.
"CHIK! CHIK! CHIK! CHIKCHIKCHIKCHIKCHIKCHIKCHIKCHIKCHIK- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!" The scrowlers exclaim, plummeting down the manhole and into the humid sewers below. Once every last annoying scrowler fell into the boiling sewage, Matthew throws the manhole cover onto the hole, seals it in place, and assures that it will never open up. Scruffles wipes her brow in relief as Sonia picks herself up. Matthew presses his ear onto the manhole cover, listening to the evil little gremlins scream in total, boiling agony.
"My friends. I assume that we will not have to deal with such pesky pests ever again," Matthew concludes. Scruffles and Sonia stand on the manhole cover and began to take ease that not only was the problem eradicated in record time, but the town didn't get destroyed again. The celebration might have been too soon however, because the manhole cover began to shake violently as the trio stood atop it.
"Uh Oh…" Scruffles utters.
Back at the mall, Mellisa waits at the front entrance outside with all of her bags, diligently waiting for Sonia to come back. During her wait, she was in a phone call with Julianna, whom for a while has been enjoying the cruise she's on so far. Unbeknownst to Mellisa, an explosion occurred from across town, flinging Sonia, her pets, and a manhole cover high into the air. Suddenly, KA-CRASH! The trio are drilled into one of the parking lot's many grass fixtures. In surprise, Mellisa ends the call with Julianna then dashes to aid Sonia.
"There you are, Sonia!" Mellisa exclaimed as she pulled Sonia and her pets from out of the grass, "I waited patiently for you like you wanted." A staggered Sonia stands up and started to brush the dirt off of herself. She obligatorily thanked the cheery latina for helping her and waiting for her too. However, Mellisa went silent. A blank look painted on Mellisa's face as she stared at Sonia. A little creeped out, Sonia tried calling to Mellisa, asking if she's okay. Mellisa suddenly blurts out, "Saaaaaay… that's my casual clothes I bought!" A drip of sweat fell from Sonia's face like a caught delinquent. Sonia clammed into a stuttery position as she tries to give a proper explanation to why she's wearing Mellisa's clothes. Mellisa, however, just began to giggle, stopping Sonia mid-sentence. The cheerful latina even compliments on how beautiful the outfit looks on Sonia, going so far that it even fits her dyed hair. Sonia rubs her arm, feeling embarrassed, covering her face with her long hair while she looks down at her sneakers, but her hiding isn't making things better especially with her hair still smelling like fruit punch.
Sonia felt like a wreck and just wanted to go home and cry, but suddenly, two arms wrap around the confused redhead ginger. Mellisa was giving Sonia a loving hug, comforting the poor girl. Even with Sonia looking down, Mellisa proceeded to apologize for everything that happened today, from Cindy's teasing to Sonia's accident. The apologetic goofball of a girl even explained that she was just trying to keep Sonia from getting hurt and just wanted Sonia to spend the day with her. To Mellisa, things were different was her bestie, Julianna, wasn't around, and because she and Mellisa never truly hung out together before, she wanted to make a good impression, but is unsure if things were working out. Mellisa looks down at herself, then slowly looks up at her again and asks her for forgiveness. In her heart, Sonia was still in ways a bit angry at Mellisa for today, but feeling the sincerity out of Mellisa's apology slightly made up for it. The redhead ginger fixes her hair up, gently smiles and replies, "Ya' know what? Water under the bridge."
"Water under what bridge?" Mellisa questioned dumbfoundedly.
"No, ya' goof! It means that I forgive you!" Sonia snickered, gently nudging Mellisa on the arm.
"Ohhhhh!" Mellisa replied with a laugh, "Your American analogies still go over my head." The girls then began to have a laugh together, budding what could be a young, but heartfelt friendship between each other. During this sincere, fun laugh together, Mellisa says, "Hehehe, you know? We've been out here for so long that we missed the bus to go home! Hahahahhahaha!"
"Hahahahhahaha- eh!" Sonia stopped mid-laughter, "WHAT?! WE MISSED THE BUS!??!? OH MAN!!" Sonia hopped up and down in a panic, "My dad's gonna kill me if he finds out I'm home late!" Mellisa grabbed the hopping redhead ginger and hops with her, stating, "So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-nia-a-a-a-a-a-a-a! I'm! Sure! We! Can! Find! Our! Way! Home! If! We! Walk!" Mellisa explained with every hop. Sonia argued that they wouldn't make it in time by just walking. It wouldn't be fast enough.
Just then, a car horn was honked from the distance, alerting the two girls. Coming nearby was a sleek, white, modern convertible with dual headlights, a cutting-edge design, and tires that would make the Michelin Man jealous. The car parks in front of Sonia and Mellisa, then the windows roll down.
"Hey girls! What leaves two pretty young things like yourselves just sitting around out here?" The driver asks smoothly. Inside the car were a group of riders that consisted of three guys and two girls, all in their mid-teens. Mellisa walked up to the driver and happily introduces herself.
"Hello there! My name is Mellisa! And over there is my friend Sonia! We missed the bus and need to get home." Mellisa happily obliges and explains.
"Friend?" the guy in the passenger seat next to the driver asks, taking a peek and whistling at Sonia's good looks, "You mean that pretty little redhead over there?" Mellisa nods goofily as Sonia tries to look away and ignore their stares. The two guys look at each other then back to Mellisa, asking her, "Are you sure you girls wanna go home? We were just headed out to Tuesday's to grab some grub and we were hoping that you'd like to join us."
"Hmm… I am both parched and hungry," Mellisa thought to herself. She then turns to Sonia, asking if she's hungry. Sonia lies and says she isn't, but her stomach makes a sudden, and quite loud, growl. The redhead ginger blushes some as she hides herself behind Mellisa. The guys ask the girls once more, giving them the puppy-dog stare to try and seal the deal. Mellisa giggled at their silly faces and accepts their offer while Sonia caves in and follows right behind her. The two friends hop into the convertible, get comfy in their seats and start driving off to Tuesday's for a good meal.
"Hey! You forgot about us!!" Scruffles shouted, waving her fist at the distanced convertible, "Come back 'ere, ya skinflint, signpost rammin' dunderhead! COME BAAAAAAAACK!!" Finding that the car was far out of earshot for anyone to hear her, Scruffles groans, dropping her paw back down on the floor while she hunches over. Matthew chuckles as he pulls two collars from his back pocket and asks in a friendly manner, "Well. Better get our walk on, eh, ol' chap?" as he hands Scruffles her collar. The peeved black cat drooped her ears and tail in annoyance as she stared at the car drive away and put her collar on. As the pets find Sonia and Mellisa out of distance, they turn around and start to walk home together. A manhole cover then crashes down into the middle of the parking lot, scaring the cat and dog and chasing them out of the mall area and on their way home.