Gusto was rummaging through his art supplies in his studio.
"No, no, no, no! None of this will work. I need something new and original!" the gummi artist exclaimed.
"Everything you do is an original," replied Gusto's toucan, Artie.
I need to create something different. Even for me! I need some new material."
"This means...," began Artie.
"Fieldtrip!" shouted Gusto and he dashed out of his studio. If he was going far enough to find something new he would have to ready a long- range quick car. He would also have to make sure to leave before any of the other gummies tried to stop him. They just don't understand what it takes to be the best artist ever in gummi history.
~:~
The following day near midday Gusto brought the quick car to a stop. He had been traveling since before daybreak and he was starved. He had covered quite a bit of distance and deserved a break. After satiating his appetite, and that of his grumbling toucan, Gusto and Artie resumed their trip in the quick car. The trip went by uneventfully until Gusto finally decided to stop late in the afternoon on the second day. He finally found a territory that was completely foreign to him and he loved it.
"I'm bound to find what I'm looking for here," he said.
"What exactly are you looking for?" asked Artie.
"Something new - something that sparks an inspiration!" replied Gusto.
"Oh, brother," groaned the Toucan. "We'll never get to go home. He doesn't even know what he's looking for.
As evening approached, the pair looked for a place to make camp. Gusto stopped in his tracks and held the grumbling Toucan's mouth shut.
"Quiet, Artie. I thought I heard something," said Gusto.
"That's just my rumbling stomach," groaned the Toucan. He did, however, quiet down and tried to hear what Gusto heard. Sure enough the faint sound of music drifted through the forest.
"Now that sounds promising," Gusto said as he eagerly followed the sound of the music.
The music, he discovered was coming from a gypsy camp. A group of five colorful wagons encircled the camp. Each wagon had black and white patched horses that were all tethered together outside the camp. Inside, colorfully garbed gypsies were gathered around a fire. They were all laughing and having fun and looked like a living rainbow. With the fading light of day gusto sketched the scene as fast as he could before he ran out of light.
"Come on out and dance for us, Shelli," called out a large and rather fat gypsy.
"We don't have a paying crowd, Vanier, let me be." replied a feminine voice from one of the wagons.
"Consider it practice or consider being whipped for insolence!" growled the fat gypsy called Vanier.
Reluctantly a small figure emerged from the wagon nearest Gusto. He figured that it must be Shelli but could not see her well since her back was to him and she was still in the shadows. When she stepped into the firelight his breath was taken away. This was no gypsy girl this was a gummi! An incredibly beautiful gummi. She was tall, like him, but not taller. Her fur was a soft pink color and her long flowing hair was just slightly darker. She was dressed in an outfit like the other gypsies were wearing. Her skirt was a pale green and her blouse was white. She also had on a belt of small gold coins and a sash in her hair that matched her skirt. As she drew near the fire the gypsies playing the instruments ended their song and got ready to play a new one. Shelli clapped out a beat for them and the new song began, playing the same rhythm. As the new song played Shelli danced. Her moves were in time to the rhythm of the song and her kicks and twirls were captivating. Gusto sat mesmerized. He was yearning to sketch the scene of Shelli dancing but there just wasn't enough light left.
After a few minutes the song and the dance ended. Gusto, however, was still mesmerized. Shelli was perfection! He needed her to model for him. The artist couldn't bring himself to leave the gypsy camp. He didn't want to take the chance of losing Shelli.
"I'm going to stay here until I get a chance to meet my new inspiration," vowed Gusto.
"Well, I'm outta here," replied Artie. "I'm going to find a nice, warm place to nest and hopefully something to eat."
Gusto hardily noticed the toucan leaving; his attention was fixated on the female gummi.
The gypsy called Vanier was apparently her master. He treated her like a servant but Gusto could not see why Shelli put up with it. She didn't wear any chains and Vanier only became more abusive as he got drunk off wine. Gusto couldn't understand why this beautiful gummi would let anyone treat her so poorly. Luckily for her it didn't take long for Vanier to pass out in a drunken stupor. Relieved, Shelli went back to the protection of her wagon. Gusto waiting awhile longer hoping that she would come back out. Finally the artist gave in to his own exhaustion. He waited as long as he could but he felt himself nodding off a time or two. Quietly, he crept over to Shelli's wagon and took shelter underneath. He figured that from here he would be able to hear when Shelli emerged again.
Gusto slept peacefully until daybreak when steps on the floorboards of the wagon woke him. Soon after he heard the wagon door open and saw dainty pink feet come down the steps. He quickly scrambled out from underneath the wagon and dusted himself off.
"Good morning," he said to Shelli as she started to walk away. Shelli startled at the new voice and turned.
"You're a gummi!" she exclaimed with a shocked face.
"I have been since I was born," Gusto said with a smile. "What I want to know is why a lovely gummi like yourself is doing with that mean gypsy."
"What are you doing here?" replied Shelli. "Are there more gummies? Are you alone? What's your name, anyway?"
"I'll answer your questions if you answer mine," laughed Gusto.
Shelli blushed. She hadn't meant to be so rude but she was just so shocked to see another gummi.
"I have chores to do before Vanier wakes. Help me and we can talk," Shelli replied smiling. "I'm sorry for being so rude. It's just that I didn't expect to ever see another gummi. My name is Shelli, by the way."
"I'm Augustus Gummi, artist extraordinaire. You can call me Gusto for short. I came from gummi glen and I'd be happy to help you."
"I have to get some water from the stream over there and start some breakfast. Tell me more about gummi glen while we get the water."
"There are six other gummies at the glen," replied the artist as he took the bucket from Shelli and they walked to the stream. "The Glenn is about a two day trip from here by quick car. The bears there are real nice and I know they will welcome you if you come. I'm not originally from there and they treat me as one of their own."
"Your really think they wouldn't mind having another gummi around?" Shelli asked as Gusto scooped some water from the stream.
"I know for a fact that Grammi and Sunni will love it - they are the only two female gummies in the glen. As for the rest of the gummies, they won't be able to say not to a gummi as exquisite as yourself." Answered Gusto to the furiously blushing female gummi. "Which brings me to another thing - you have to let me make a sketch of you. I saw you last night and have been waiting since then to make a sketch.
"Maybe later. I don't want you to be around when Vanier wakes. He'll find a way to use you for a profit. That's why he makes me dance. People pay to see a dancing bear and pay even more for a dancing gummi bear. He'd have a fortune by now if he didn't spend his profit on alcohol."
The pair had reached the gypsy camp and had lowered their voices.
"It will still be some time before Vanier wakes," Shelli continued. "You will be safe here for a little longer but stay in the wagon so no one else sees you."
"Can I sketch you while you fix his breakfast?" asked Gusto.
"Sure," Shelli smiled. "I'll tell you have I ended up here, too."
They entered the wagon and Gusto settled down on a cushion bench. He readied his art supplies and started to sketch as Shelli worked on Vanier's breakfast. Shelli began her story about how she ended up with the gypsies.
"No, no, no, no! None of this will work. I need something new and original!" the gummi artist exclaimed.
"Everything you do is an original," replied Gusto's toucan, Artie.
I need to create something different. Even for me! I need some new material."
"This means...," began Artie.
"Fieldtrip!" shouted Gusto and he dashed out of his studio. If he was going far enough to find something new he would have to ready a long- range quick car. He would also have to make sure to leave before any of the other gummies tried to stop him. They just don't understand what it takes to be the best artist ever in gummi history.
~:~
The following day near midday Gusto brought the quick car to a stop. He had been traveling since before daybreak and he was starved. He had covered quite a bit of distance and deserved a break. After satiating his appetite, and that of his grumbling toucan, Gusto and Artie resumed their trip in the quick car. The trip went by uneventfully until Gusto finally decided to stop late in the afternoon on the second day. He finally found a territory that was completely foreign to him and he loved it.
"I'm bound to find what I'm looking for here," he said.
"What exactly are you looking for?" asked Artie.
"Something new - something that sparks an inspiration!" replied Gusto.
"Oh, brother," groaned the Toucan. "We'll never get to go home. He doesn't even know what he's looking for.
As evening approached, the pair looked for a place to make camp. Gusto stopped in his tracks and held the grumbling Toucan's mouth shut.
"Quiet, Artie. I thought I heard something," said Gusto.
"That's just my rumbling stomach," groaned the Toucan. He did, however, quiet down and tried to hear what Gusto heard. Sure enough the faint sound of music drifted through the forest.
"Now that sounds promising," Gusto said as he eagerly followed the sound of the music.
The music, he discovered was coming from a gypsy camp. A group of five colorful wagons encircled the camp. Each wagon had black and white patched horses that were all tethered together outside the camp. Inside, colorfully garbed gypsies were gathered around a fire. They were all laughing and having fun and looked like a living rainbow. With the fading light of day gusto sketched the scene as fast as he could before he ran out of light.
"Come on out and dance for us, Shelli," called out a large and rather fat gypsy.
"We don't have a paying crowd, Vanier, let me be." replied a feminine voice from one of the wagons.
"Consider it practice or consider being whipped for insolence!" growled the fat gypsy called Vanier.
Reluctantly a small figure emerged from the wagon nearest Gusto. He figured that it must be Shelli but could not see her well since her back was to him and she was still in the shadows. When she stepped into the firelight his breath was taken away. This was no gypsy girl this was a gummi! An incredibly beautiful gummi. She was tall, like him, but not taller. Her fur was a soft pink color and her long flowing hair was just slightly darker. She was dressed in an outfit like the other gypsies were wearing. Her skirt was a pale green and her blouse was white. She also had on a belt of small gold coins and a sash in her hair that matched her skirt. As she drew near the fire the gypsies playing the instruments ended their song and got ready to play a new one. Shelli clapped out a beat for them and the new song began, playing the same rhythm. As the new song played Shelli danced. Her moves were in time to the rhythm of the song and her kicks and twirls were captivating. Gusto sat mesmerized. He was yearning to sketch the scene of Shelli dancing but there just wasn't enough light left.
After a few minutes the song and the dance ended. Gusto, however, was still mesmerized. Shelli was perfection! He needed her to model for him. The artist couldn't bring himself to leave the gypsy camp. He didn't want to take the chance of losing Shelli.
"I'm going to stay here until I get a chance to meet my new inspiration," vowed Gusto.
"Well, I'm outta here," replied Artie. "I'm going to find a nice, warm place to nest and hopefully something to eat."
Gusto hardily noticed the toucan leaving; his attention was fixated on the female gummi.
The gypsy called Vanier was apparently her master. He treated her like a servant but Gusto could not see why Shelli put up with it. She didn't wear any chains and Vanier only became more abusive as he got drunk off wine. Gusto couldn't understand why this beautiful gummi would let anyone treat her so poorly. Luckily for her it didn't take long for Vanier to pass out in a drunken stupor. Relieved, Shelli went back to the protection of her wagon. Gusto waiting awhile longer hoping that she would come back out. Finally the artist gave in to his own exhaustion. He waited as long as he could but he felt himself nodding off a time or two. Quietly, he crept over to Shelli's wagon and took shelter underneath. He figured that from here he would be able to hear when Shelli emerged again.
Gusto slept peacefully until daybreak when steps on the floorboards of the wagon woke him. Soon after he heard the wagon door open and saw dainty pink feet come down the steps. He quickly scrambled out from underneath the wagon and dusted himself off.
"Good morning," he said to Shelli as she started to walk away. Shelli startled at the new voice and turned.
"You're a gummi!" she exclaimed with a shocked face.
"I have been since I was born," Gusto said with a smile. "What I want to know is why a lovely gummi like yourself is doing with that mean gypsy."
"What are you doing here?" replied Shelli. "Are there more gummies? Are you alone? What's your name, anyway?"
"I'll answer your questions if you answer mine," laughed Gusto.
Shelli blushed. She hadn't meant to be so rude but she was just so shocked to see another gummi.
"I have chores to do before Vanier wakes. Help me and we can talk," Shelli replied smiling. "I'm sorry for being so rude. It's just that I didn't expect to ever see another gummi. My name is Shelli, by the way."
"I'm Augustus Gummi, artist extraordinaire. You can call me Gusto for short. I came from gummi glen and I'd be happy to help you."
"I have to get some water from the stream over there and start some breakfast. Tell me more about gummi glen while we get the water."
"There are six other gummies at the glen," replied the artist as he took the bucket from Shelli and they walked to the stream. "The Glenn is about a two day trip from here by quick car. The bears there are real nice and I know they will welcome you if you come. I'm not originally from there and they treat me as one of their own."
"Your really think they wouldn't mind having another gummi around?" Shelli asked as Gusto scooped some water from the stream.
"I know for a fact that Grammi and Sunni will love it - they are the only two female gummies in the glen. As for the rest of the gummies, they won't be able to say not to a gummi as exquisite as yourself." Answered Gusto to the furiously blushing female gummi. "Which brings me to another thing - you have to let me make a sketch of you. I saw you last night and have been waiting since then to make a sketch.
"Maybe later. I don't want you to be around when Vanier wakes. He'll find a way to use you for a profit. That's why he makes me dance. People pay to see a dancing bear and pay even more for a dancing gummi bear. He'd have a fortune by now if he didn't spend his profit on alcohol."
The pair had reached the gypsy camp and had lowered their voices.
"It will still be some time before Vanier wakes," Shelli continued. "You will be safe here for a little longer but stay in the wagon so no one else sees you."
"Can I sketch you while you fix his breakfast?" asked Gusto.
"Sure," Shelli smiled. "I'll tell you have I ended up here, too."
They entered the wagon and Gusto settled down on a cushion bench. He readied his art supplies and started to sketch as Shelli worked on Vanier's breakfast. Shelli began her story about how she ended up with the gypsies.