In the 'Construct-A-Carnivore' store, Polly was busy looking over an assortment of toy parts.
She eventually makes her choices, and begins to bring them to a work table.
"Don't know why Anne thought this would be difficult-"
Just then, a random (human) baby takes one of her pieces. "Huh?!"
(("Build a custom plushy without fighting anyone...")) spoke Anne's voice within Polly's head.
Polly breathes out, and 'attempts' to be civil.
"Oh...hello there. I think there's been a misunderstanding. But that's-"
The baby then spits saliva at Polly. "What the-!?, HEY, LADY! Your chubby spawn is running my work!"
The baby's mother didn't appreciate Polly's choice of words.
"Did you call my kid a spawn?!" exclaimed the woman. "I DON'T EVEN LIKE THAT MOVIE!"
Polly grimaced upon catching herself.
(("Focus, Polly. Don't make a scene.")) spoke Polly, internally. "(*sighs*) Know what? It's fine..."
Polly tries to resume her work...only for Another baby take another toy part. "I'll just get more-HEY!"
Three more other babies take more parts...and One of those babies bite at Polly.
Polly is slowly changing from her usually dark pink, to a very DARK RED.
"Just...contain...FURY!" growled Polly, gritting her teeth.
[Elsewhere]
In the Gallery of (Bizarre) Art, Sprig was power walking past the exhibits
with his twitchy hands buried DEEP in the pockets of his coat.
The Pink Frog had a look in his eyes like someone who was nearing a panic attack.
"Whoooa...Such textures to explore." spoke Sprig, upon seeing an art piece that he LIKED.
(("-Then you can't be trusted to leave the house...eeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeer!")) spoke Anne's voice within Sprig's head.
"It's fine. Totally fine." spoke Sprig. "I can just look and appreciate from afar..."
Sprig continued walking, while nervously humming. But for every art he passes by, he get more, and more nervous.
Eventually he starts panting (which makes breathing difficult due to the mask over his mouth.)
Sprig then starts groaning at the sight of much bigger, and brighter artwork.
He momentarily weakens and starts to gets his hands ready to touch something.
...but he manages to gets ready to control himself.
Come on, Sprig, FIGHT IT..." Sprig then proceeds to...punch himself (and he's punching himself a lot)
Eventually Sprig's act of 'beating himself up' attracts a small crowd of people.
"Must be some kind of performance piece." spoke a Man.
[ALSO, Elsewhere...]
In the infamous 'Hall of Scammers', Hop Pop is nervously trying to get to the other end.
Which isn't very easy due to a barrage of sales pitches being thrown at him.
"Sir, how would you like a free gift card?!"
"You there, do you wanna regrow that hair? I know you do."
"Hey there, handsome. Wanna start your modeling career with some headshots?
Just need your ID. It's 100% no strings attached...(*in slow motion*) freeee."
Hop Pop groaned, but despite his attempts to resist he pulls out his wallet.
However, as he does, he sees a familiar looking Falcone perched nearby...STARING at him with glowing green eyes.
Hop Pop quickly slaps himself, and starts to power walk away.
Not far away though, a Mall Officer (named 'Mark') on a Segway dumps a tray of leftover food in a trash bin.
"That's the last time I get sushi out of the vending machine. Mmm?"
Officer Mark watches Hop Pop as he walks casually. he then looks at a sign that says [*STRANGER DANGER*]
and the silhouette of a man in a hat and mysterious clothes looks almost identical to Hop Pop's human disguise.
"Mark here." spoke Mark through a Walkie-Talkie. "Got a suspicious looking C.O.D. 'Creepy Old Dude', on radar. I'm in pursuit."
[Meanwhile...]
"So, how's it looking?" spoke Anne.
Olivier's eyes were glowing bright green, but then returned to their normal color.
"So far, so good..." spoke Olivier, looking at Anne.
"Hop Pop ALMOST gave in, and Sprig literally beating himself over all this."
"and, Polly?"
"Can't tell, since Fleetwing can't get in that store without being noticed." said Olivier.
"But there doesn't appear to be a riot happening, so I presume she is behaving herself."
Anne grinned. "All the same, having your bird watch the Plantars for us was a smart move.
I mean, we CAN see a lot from up here already. But I like having our own "Drone", too."
Olivier stared at Anne. "Fleetwing is a Falcon, not a Bee."
Anne chortled. "nevermind...I'll explain it to you later."
"O-M-G...Anne?, Is it really you?!" exclaimed a voice.
Anne and Olivier quickly turned to see a stocky girl around Anne's age standing afar.
Before either of them could react though, the girl ran up and hugged Anne really tight.
"Where have you been?!" exclaimed the girl. "Is it true you went missing, or ran away, or died, or something?!"
Olivier continued to stare, feeling VERY confused. "Anne...who is this?, do you know this girl?"
The girl then turned her attention to Olivier. "(*GASP*) and, WHO ARE YOU, Mysteriously Handsome Stranger?!"
Anne breathed out as she looked to Olivier. "This is Gabby, Oliver. She is a classmate from school."
"Ohhh, I see." said Olivier.
"Oliver?" spoke Gabby. "I've never met you before, Are you a new student?, Where'd you get those SCARS?!
Are you part of some GANG, or something? (*GASP!*) Was Anne kidnapped by your old Gang!?, Did you save her?,
are now both on the run from your old gang?, Is she hiding you at her house?, Are you Anne's 'BAD BOY' Boyfriend!?"
Olivier grimaced as he stared with wide, unblinking eyes at Gabby.
The girl was talking so fast, he barely understood most of what she just said.
"huh?"
"CHILLAX, Gabby..." spoke Anne, approaching the chatty girl.
"Nothing like that happened. I was just on my family's farm. In...Alaska...for five months."
Gabby silently pointed at Olivier, expecting another explanation.
"oh, uhhh...I met him at my family's farm. he's from...errrr, The Netherlands. we're also dating."
There was a brief silence...which didn't last very long as Gabby started talking again.
"Well, since you're back, I got to catch you up on all the hot gossip."
"Actually, Gabby. Me and Oliver are-"
Gabby ignored Anne, and continued talking.
"So, Bridget got mad at Carlos 'cause she thought Carlos went to the movies with-"
Anne tries to step aside, but Gabby pulled her back with her. "-Johanna, but it was actually Yoko-"
Anne tries to step the other way, but Gabby stops her again. "-So then Yoko and Bridget stopped being BFF's
until they both got mad at Tommy because Tommy said "We've only been dating since second grade, we're not soul mates-"
Anne looked at Olivier with desperate eyes, mouthing the words: 'HELP. ME.'
[Several Minutes Later...]
"...and Clover STILL won't tell me what happened during her vacation in Oregon,
I ask, and ask, and ask. and I get nothing. And now she screams bloody murder every time I eat nachos-"
As Gabby continued speaking, Anne and Olivier were back standing next to each other.
BOTH teens had stressed out expressions as they stared at Gabby with eyes refusing to blink.
*how is she still talking?* spoke Olivier (not even paying attention to what Gabby was saying.)
*I...don't...know.* answered Anne.
"...and then my cousin in Connecticut said he saw a giant snake lurking at night, and I said-"
*I swear, I am this close to jumping from this balcony right now.* muttered Olivier, in a deadpan tone.
*better not. at this height, the fall wouldn't kill us.* retorted Anne, also in a deadpan tone.
"...and when I saw the picture he took, I said: "Sammy!, that looks more like a giant fish to me."
Anne looked to Olivier. *I have an idea on how we can escape.*
*it isn't anything Crazy, is it?* asked Olivier.
*no, but it's pretty desperate.*
Olivier watched as Gabby (STILL) continued talking.
*do it.* said Olivier, bluntly.
"...And I read on this online forum that-"
"OH MY GOSH!" exclaimed Anne (pretending to be surprised) "is that Wendie Malick?!"
"Huh?, WHERE!?" Gabby looked around, but saw nothing.
When Gabby turned back...she saw that Anne and Olivier had disappeared from sight.
In another part of the store, Anne and Olivier breathed out sharply
having finally gotten away from Anne's talkative friend from school.
"thank frog we got away..." muttered Anne. "I wasn't sure that was going to work."
"I'm glad it did. that girl talked more than a Parrot hopped up on Caffeine." said Olivier.
Anne then looked around. "oh, crap! we lost track of the Plantars!" exclaimed Anne.
"No worries, Fleetwing is stil-oh. ohhh...crapbaskets." grimaced Olivier, his eyes glowing green for a moment.
"what?!"
"O-kaaay, I checked up with Fleetwing. and it seems A LOT happened in the past several minutes." began Olivier.
"First off. Hop Pop is being chased by some dude dressed like a cop on a scooter."
"Hop Pop is being chased by a Mall cop!?, WHY!?" exclaimed Anne.
"Apparently he went skinny dipping in a fountain, and tried to steal pennies." answered Olivier. "ALSO, he turned green."
Anne slapped his face in aggravation. "Anything ELSE?!"
"yes, Polly is being chased by women with baby strollers." said Olivier.
"of course she is...and, Sprig?!"
Before Olivier could answer...a GIANT Eyeball sculpture rolled by being 'riden' by Sprig,
who was trying to stay balanced upon it like it were a boulder rolling down a steep hill.
Anne's jaw hung open as she stared wide eyed, unable to comprehend what she just saw.
"well...THAT Happened." spoke Olivier.
Anne gave her boyfriend an unamused look. "sorry." apologized Olivier.
"Ok. First things first..." spoke Anne. "We gotta clean up this mess!"
Olivier nodded. "I'm with ya"
Anne smiled at Olivier. "thanks."
Anne and Olivier then slapped their hands together, gripping them tightly.
As they looked upon each other with determined expressions...their bodies glowed in a familiar blinding light.
"What th-!?" exclaimed Olivanne. "THIS AGAIN!? (*Groans*) I really DO need to start watching that "Steven University",
or "Dragon Balloon" thing to understand how this Fusion magic works, so I can learn to control it better."
Olivanne's eyes then lit up as they got an idea. "wait...This *might* be a good thing."
Olivanne then proceeded to run in the direction that Sprig was,
their now enhanced speed leaving a trail of light blue light behind them.
[End of Part Thirteen]