BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Gene rubbed his temples as he reached for another orange juice and vodka. That blasted sound, it had been going on for WEEKS and for the life of him and the other residence of Fix-it-Felix Jr, they couldn't pinpoint the exact source.
For a while, they had thought that the howling had come from one the residence of East Niceland but as there were no werewolves living there, that was quickly cast to the side. It had been going on for WEEKS and with Halloween coming up, the pudgy Nicelander was certain that someone was playing yet another joke on the small people.
Why did they always have to come to them? After witnessing Ralph WARN other characters about going to their game (as well as the mayor himself going on a rampage due to such treatment over the years), Gene thought that people were smart enough NOT to try to joke.
But by now, it was obvious people hadn't listened.
"Urgh! THAT NOISE!" the man growled, slamming his empty glass on the table "That's it! I'm getting Calhoun! Maybe if she shot out a few BULLETS, it would stop!"
"Ya want me ta do WHAT?!" Calhoun said, a little stunned that Gene would ask her to do such a thing "Er, not that I would disagree ta blastin' off, don't ya think this is goin' a bit FAR?"
"FAR?!" Gene blustered "As if HOWLING at ear-shattering levels isn't bad enough!"
"We hear ya Gene…" Felix sighed "But so far, there has been no great damage done an' besides that, we can't even catch up with this wolf thing…"
"Maybe it's a programmed animal?" asked Calhoun "Ya got a few critters back there ya know…"
"No…" Gene sighed, shaking his head "We USED to think there was a bear back there but really? We don't have anything BIG or vicious….aside from Ralph of course."
Ralph, eating a slice of pie, glared over at Gene "HEY."
"What, I can't get a joke in now and then?" snickered the little blue man.
"Hey, hey, HEY. I don't want ANY of ya messin' up tha apartment…" growled Calhoun "But since you're so worried, I'll go out an' check. Will that make ya happy, MAYOR?"
"Yes, it will…" Gene said "And thank you. I'm certain if any of us were to go out there by ourselves…"
Gene looked down at himself, shaking his head again.
"Well, I don't think I can disagree we look rather, for the lack of better terms, APPETIZING to some folks around here."
Calhoun took to her duties, walking around the entire complex to see any tracks of the mysterious creature but even with her skills she found nothing that could lead her to the whereabouts of this unseen wolf.
"Really? Are ya serious?" she huffed "This thing has been braying about for WEEKS an' no sign-?"
SQUISH.
Calhoun looked down, noticing that she had stepped in something…SOMETHING RED!
"GAH!"
Blood?!
No, a sweet scent. A sweet scent she remembered.
She looked over, seeing the strawberry bushes before her. It was a few berries she had stepped in and as she looked again, she noticed paw prints.
Tiny paw prints.
Some big bad wolf. Whatever this creature was from the size of the prints, it couldn't have been bigger than a puppy. The marine snickered.
"A'course, with how tiny tha Nicelanders are, a puppy would be HUGE ta th-!"
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
It was close!
Calhoun got to her feet and dashed off to the woods, hearing the pitter-patter of paws running through but even with the speed she had, she had somehow lost the creature in the thick of the trees and shrubs.
"Darn it!" she cursed to herself "Where could it have gotten to that fast?!"
Another hour was spent as Calhoun looked around the game, finding so little clues to the nature of the creature….
Other than the fact that it likes STRAWBERRIES.
"Mary, sweetie?" Gene said, looking worried at his beloved "Are you okay?"
Mary was looking rather bushed, her usually neat and prim hair a bit tossed about.
"I-I'm fine dear…" she yawned "But that DARN…whatever it is. Its been keeping me up ever since it came here."
"Oh, honey…" the mayor cooed, holding the woman close and kissing her cheek "I have Calhoun on it and soon, you won't have to worry about any big bad wolf anymore…."
"I-I hope not…I can't get any pie making when I'm THIS tired."
"Just leave it to me!" the mayor smiled "I can take on your duties and more if you're exhausted!"
"Mayor Nicelander Gene!" Mary snapped, pinching the man's nose "I might be tired but I can still function! I just need-!"
Without so much as a warning, Mary felt herself picked up bridal-style by Gene, the chubby mayor carrying her to their room.
"You need rest."
Mary turned even pinker than her dress. How foolish of her; she was MARRIED to the man and yet she still felt as giddy and shy as a schoolgirl whenever he did such things to her. She squealed slightly, putting a hand on Gene's chubby cheeks.
"D-dear, I told you-!"
"Daaaw, is Pinky Farty Butt pouting?" Gene chuckled, putting his wife in bed.
The woman growled at her husband, clutching the covers over her "DON'T….call me that."
"But it's in our BACKSTORY, HAW."
"Oooh! Just let me sleep!"
"Okay, fine." Gene laughed, kissing Mary on the forehead "And don't worry. Things will be fine."
That night, the core four were on the watch, looking about for any signs of their mysterious wolf.
"So do ya think its s REAL werewolf?!" Vanellope said in excitement.
"How about a baby?" smiled Calhoun "It might be loud but I saw the prints of that thing."
"A…a BABY?" Vanellope said, her eyes wide and as bright as jewels "CAN WE KEEP IT?! I WANNA KEEP A WERE-PUPPY!"
"Keep it? Tha poor thing might be lost!" said Felix "We had a new game plugged in so who knows if it came from that."
"Well, it doesn't have an owner or parents, that's for sure…" thought Ralph "Otherwise, SOMEONE would have mentioned it missin'…."
"SHH!" said Calhoun "I think I hear somethin'!"
The four were silent as they hunched behind the bushes. The wind blew, the trees shook but nothing came about.
"I thought ya said there was a WERE-PUPPY on tha loose. LIARS!"
"I'm not crazy!" said Calhoun "I mean, we all heard it! It was here!"
Felix looked into the air, noticing the moon "Hmm, our moon animation goes at random…."
"So, what does that have ta do with anythin'?"
"Don't ya see honey? That thing only comes out when there's a FULL MOON animated. Any other time, tha place is quiet!"
"So you're tellin' me ya drug me outta a pad tai dinner at C-Butt for NOTHIN'?!" pouted Vanellope "YA OWE ME DINNER RALPH, BIG TIME!"
"Aw, is it MY fault? I mean I don't have control over tha moon here!"
"Well, even so we can always wait for tomorrow!" said Felix "Tha same animation never appears two days in a row an' if tonight we had a crescent moon….maybe we'll get lucky!"
Luck came indeed for the troupe as the next night….
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"Whoa, there it is!" smiled Vanellope "I wanna see it first!"
"Wait, don't go out there!" cried Ralph as he pulled the girl back "If this thing IS a werewolf I don't want ya near it!"
"Oh, as if YA turnin' inta a werewolf would be any better…" smirked the racer "Ya'd give us all fleas with yo big stanky butt!"
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"Its headin' ta the chicken coop!"
"Wait, ya guys had a chicken coop?" said Vanellope.
"Where da ya think we get our fresh eggs?" shrugged Felix, running over but by the time he and the others got to the coop it was too late. Tiny, chubby Niceland chickens were going EVERYWHERE, cackling and crowing in fright at a creature who chased them around.
"THERE!" shouted Calhoun "I SEE IT!"
"STOP!"
The were-creature looked over at the four running towards it.
And…that's when they saw it.
Wow, it WAS a were-puppy!
It spit out a hen and DOVE back into the bush, running about on tiny legs into the forest.
"Wait, don't go!" cried Vanellope "I wanna take ya home! I know tha others would just LOVE havin' ya!"
"Er, I don't think its havin' THIS!" said Felix, stopping as he looked around "Where could it have gone so fast? I don't see a trace of it!"
"At least tha chickens are okay…" Ralph said, carrying the lot of them in his huge arms, one perch atop his head "But what are we gonna tell that others? They're worried sick about this…"
Calhoun moaned, "Seems ta me we're gonna have us another stake out…."
The next morning, the Nicelanders were all a worried about the state of their game but of them all, both Gene and Mary reacted the worst, the husband and wife not sure what to make of what was happening around them.
"First that thing ruins the strawberry bushes!" Mary said "And then it nearly goes after the chickens?! W-what does it want?!"
"Um, room n' board?" Norwood chuckled, rolling his eyes "Hey. At least it hasn't come into the apartment ye-!"
"DON'T." said little Nel, reaching up and PINCHING Norwood as hard as she could on his nose "Don't say it butt-monster, because ya know it will come true!"
"Huh, maybe it's not a were-wolf…." Laughed Nolan "Perhaps it's a WERE-CAT an' Nory here is the culprit!"
The red-head scowled at his neighbor "Haha, FUNNY. But one thing is for certain. YOU can't be the culprit, Nolan."
"And why not?"
"Well, were-wolves are quite hairy aren't they?"
"Yeeees?"
"Well, seein' as this thing doesn't have a MASSIVE BALD SPOT, I couldn't be-!"
And before Norwood continued, Nolan SLUGGED him in the stomach "Can we use Norwood as bait? He has plenty of meat an' he taste like pumpkin pie."
"S-Screw you NOLAN!"
"Okay, that's it!" roared Gene, pushing the two men away from each other "Tonight! We ALL stake out! This thing has to be stopped and we're stoppin' it NOW!"
"Um, Gene?"
"I will NOT have the citizens of this game be in fear any longer, especially from some…some…CREATURE who seems to get enjoyment in seeing us in misery!"
"Gene."
"Once this is taken care of, I will make sure that we are never-!"
"GENE!"
"WHAT!?"
"Ya know tha whole 'the animation is never the same two times in a row" thing?" grumbled Felix "We might have to wait a while…."
"Oh…" Gene blushed, realizing he had gone a tad overboard "Right…."
AND IT WAS ONLY FOUR DAYS LATER WHEN THE FULL MOON SHOWED FORTH ONCE AGAIN
"Wow, that was a long four days!" said Lucy, munching on some popcorn as she hid in the bush with others, excited to see the creature "Who knew that in such a short time so much could happen!"
"The less said of what YOU did to me, the better…" Don growled, glaring daggers at the unimpressed young woman.
"Guys, shut up! I think I hear it…."
The moon was out and full. The entire group had set bait out EVERYWHERE and the only part left was to wait.
And wait….
And wait.
"Say…." Said Meg "Do you really think it was a good idea to try to bait a WOLF with STRAWBERRIES and PLUSH CHICKENS?"
Vanellope shrugged "Well, that's what it went for so…."
BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The howl!
"Everyone get ready!" Calhoun said "I hear it comin'!"
Indeed, the creature came forth from the woods and made a dive for the strawberries first! Its tiny form seemed to be in HEAVEN as it chomped away, little happy yips heard.
"WOW!" Vanellope gasped "LOOK AT IT!"
"What?! WHAT!?" Felix said in shock.
Vanellope pointed back towards the creature, which was now playfully rolling on its back.
"Its….PINK!"
"PINK?!"
Indeed! As the moon and stars lit the game, everyone finally got a good view of their little were-wolf.
And it was tiny.
And chubby.
And fluffy.
AND PINK.
"Wait, THIS is what we were scared of?" said Ralph, getting out of the bushes as he walked towards it "Ya gotta be kiddin' me!"
"Ralph! WAIT!" stammered Roy, the grey Nicelander reaching out for the wrecker.
"Here lil fella…" Ralph said, holding another strawberry in its hand "Ya want it?"
The pink wolf took one look at Ralph but then it noticed the strawberry in his huge hands. It let out a tiny howl and jumped forward, Ralph catching it and rubbing it between the ears.
"Aw, lil trouble-maker!" the wrecker chuckled, giving it the strawberry "All this worry for nothin'. Only thing we need ta know now is where ya came from."
The others slowly rose from the bushes, amazed that Ralph could tame the beast.
"I-Is it over?" meeped Gene.
"Looks like it." smiled Felix "Hey brother! Over here!"
Ralph turned, the were-wolf still in his hands "Yeah, what is it?"
"Bring it over here! Maybe it has a collar or somethin'?"
Ralph looked down, noticing that there WAS something around the creature's neck.
A band?
A FAMILIAR band?
The wrecker's eyes widened, noticing the material…as well as the silken flowers that adorned the band.
"W-wait a second-!"
"Ralph!" shouted Gene "B-Be careful! I-I know its small but-!"
"YIP!"
As soon as the sound of Gene's voice hit the wolf's ears it rose up in Ralph's hands but rather than looking anger and vicious….
"YIP YIP YIP YIP!"
"Why is it looking at me?"
It looked HAPPY!
The tiny pink creature LEAPT from Ralph's hands and made a beeline for Gene, the Nicelander SCREAMING at the top of his lungs as it ran towards him.
"WHAT DOES IT WANT WITH MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?!"
"YIP YIP YIP YIP!"
"Wait! STOP!" Felix yelled, trying to calm the tiny mayor down.
"AND LET IT GET ME?!"
"BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Gene tore throughout the entire area, only to rush into the apartments but what was there to follow him? The werewolf of course!
"Can't leave him alone!" said Felix as he chased after Gene, surprised to see that in his moment of fear he seemed to be faster than a speeding hedgehog "Gene, come back!"
No go. Gene wasn't stopping for this thing, even if the werewolf did appear friendly but he kept running, the creature only inches away from him and still yipping in delight the entire way.
"SOMEONE HELP ME! FELIX! SARGENT! MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARY!"
"Wait…" Vanellope said, looking around "WHERE IS MARY?!"
*CRASH!*
The sound of breaking glass and overturning chairs filled the air, the others running up to the Mayor's apartment to find him collapsed on the ground….the werewolf nuzzling him.
"G-Gene?! Are ya o-?"
Gene just nodded his head, patting the werewolf on the head "D-Don't say antying, young man…"
The werewolf then licked Gene on the face, the man crying out in disgust but he was quickly tackled, the pink fluffy thing taking a bite out of his tie and playing with it.
"W-what do you want with me?! I-I don't have any bacon on me, not this time!"
"Gene? Mayor…." Vanellope said, still not sure how to react "Why does that thing have Mary's flowers on its collar?"
Gene scowled, the werewolf not laying atop him "W-what do you mean by th-?!"
The man stopped, realizing as everyone was looking at him and the wolf, ONE Nicelander wasn't there.
MARY!
The blue in Gene's eyes shrunk down to pinpoints as he rolled over, a few strangled cries in his throat.
"D-D-DEAR?! HONEY?! LOVEYKINS?!"
"YIP!"
"H-How could this happen?!" Felix said in panic, not sure how to deal with a Were-Lander. Calhoun on the other hand wasn't even worried. She knew that after everything that had happened, Mary meant them no harm. She picked up the fluffy pink wolf, its tail wagging.
"With as many things that can happen here, I'm sure an explanation will come soon…."
And indeed it did. A few hours later, the sun rose in the arcade and the animation of the moon switched. Once the full moon was gone…
"Mmmm, what?"
Mary awoke to find herself on the couch, a blanket on her and Gene looking more than frazzled below her.
"Dear? Dear, what's wrong?"
The mayor blinked off, pulling the blanket a little tighter around his wife "Welcome back."
"Welcome ba-?" the pink pie maker was confused. Why were the core four in their apartment?
AND WHY WAS SHE NAKED?
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" she screamed, blushing pink and throwing herself atop Gene.
"MMPH! HONEY!"
"W-WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?! IS THIS SOME SORT OF PRANK!?"
Gene clutched onto his wife, holding her close to calm her down "Shh, shh! Its okay!"
"ITS OKAY?!" the woman screeched, grabbing Gene's cheeks and squishing them HARD "WHAT'S OKAY ABOUT WAKING UP NAKED WITH EVERYONE LOOKING AT YOU?!"
"OW! MARY!"
"Ma'am calm down…" said Calhoun "We just….we just need to know. Where have you been in the past few weeks?"
"What does THAT have to do with anything?!" the Nicelander said angrily, pulling the blanket closer to her "And what happened to the werewolf?! Weren't you going to-?!"
The woman stopped, everything suddenly coming together.
Oh.
SHE was the werewolf.
Mary gasped, turning even redder as she looked around.
She had never been so embarrassed and it wasn't because of the unfortunate event that had come upon her in the moment.
"I-I NEVER should have tried that pie!"
"Pie? What pie?" asked Felix.
Mary was kicking herself inside "A few weeks ago! I-!"
Gene reached over and clutched Mary's hands "Dear, tell me!"
"I-I went to Darkstalkers since Lilith wanted one of my pie recipes!"
"Wait, SHE did this to you?" said Calhoun "Huh, never thought the lil lady had it in he-!"
"No, no, no!" Mary cut in "It was JON!"
"He didn't bite you did he?!" Gene said, FUMING "I swear, if he did ANYTHING to you, I'll-!"
Once more, Gene felt Mary's hands squishing his face, a little squawk coming from his mouth.
"I-I have to take the blame for this one…." Mary said, still very much embarrassed "When I gave Lilith the pie recipe, Jon asked….he asked…."
"Yeah? Go on!" Vanellope said, sitting on pins and needles.
"He offered me some of his own pie….WOLF ROOT AND BLACKBERRY!"
And it was then….that everything became clear.
Mary had never felt so upset in her life. To think that after all this time, SHE was the cause of all the chaos and annoyance that had befallen the game.
And it was all because of pie.
"Ya know…" Ralph said, trying not to laugh "I would think it would be GENE who'd get into trouble because he was eatin'…..but Mary?"
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUB IT IN!" the woman shrieked, Ralph taking a few big steps back.
"So does anyone know of a cure?" said Calhoun.
"I think…I think perhaps if Meg were to brew you some Wolfsbane tea, then things should be fine." Felix said, taking off his cap "But if that doesn't work….I always have my hammer."
"Well, at least we put an end to this…" said Vanellope "So no more Were-Landers, right?"
Mary sighed, leaning on Gene for comfort, the man holding her tight "Y-Yes, I hope so…."
It didn't take long but thankfully, Mary found herself cured of her affliction and for the next full moon, there wasn't a werewolf to be found. On that night, Mary looked out the window, glad to find that she wasn't transforming.
"Oh, the full moon feels good tonight!" the woman tittered to herself, looking over to see Gene trying to sneak another slice of pie from the fridge "Isn't that right, MAYOR?"
The Nicelander in blue gulped the pie down, forcing a smile on his face "O-oh, RIGHT! I just-!"
Mary THREW herself on Gene, holding him tight "Mmmm, c'mere ya big blueberry!"
"Oh, someone's happy tonight…"
"Why shouldn't I be?" the woman smiled "It's the PERFECT fall night to….well…."
Gene was WAY ahead of his wife, the little man snickering as he placed a kiss upon her lips.
"Oh, does MARY wanna have some-?"
"HOWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAURGH!"
The couple COLLIDED with each other at the shout, both falling onto the floor!
"EURGH! Gene, HELP ME!" Mary cried, trapped on her back.
"I WOULD IF I COULD!" sobbed Gene, in the same position as his wife but seconds later, the two could hear frantic footsteps coming towards their apartment.
"GUYS!"
Norwood?
"URGH! NORWOOD!" Gene growling, finally rolling over on his stomach "What's the meaning of SCREAMING like that at this time of n-?!"
"GUYS!" the red-head said "ITS NEL!"
"What's NEL?!"
"SHE-! SHE-!"
A few moments later, the Nicelanders all ran outside towards the woods but there was no sign of the smallest Nicelanders.
"Honestly Norwood, this would go a lot faster if-!"
"GENE, LOOK OUT!"
The mayor gave a cry as something SAILED towards him, a great force knocking him on his butt!
"What was th-?!"
"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS!"
The tiny people screamed as they saw a figure rising above them, coming to a rest in a tree! Norwood shivered and shook, his freckled skin turning pale as he looked in the tree at his darling Nel, her tiny little hand clutching onto a peach from the orchard and with one sharp BITE from tiny fangs.
She sucked the life from it, hissing again as she glared down at her neighbors.
By now, it was obvious what had happened.
Felix slapped his forehead "Alright! I want NONE OF YA eatin' things from other games 'less ya know it WON'T turn ya inta a monster!"