Before you read this story! Shoutout to Bunny-CarrotHunter for inspiration for this. :) They gave me the idea, and I couldn't be more excited! Remember to rate and review, and this is the first chapter of many more to come!
Mischievous, curious, and green. What did these words all have in common? They described her children. Mrs. Potato Head persistently walked around Bonnie's room, dragging her feet in exhaustion. She had spent half an hour looking for her alien children, and couldn't remember the last time she walked rapidly without stopping. Though she was tired, she was in somewhat of a fury. This was the fifth time this month they have done this.
One season was ending, and a new one was beginning. Leaves just started to hit the ground. It was a Thursday afternoon, and Bonnie would be home soon. The toys were all indulged in their daily activities as usual whilst the house was empty of it's owners. However, judging by the time, everyone should start being cautious about the little girl and her parents' arrival.
Thus, Mrs. Potato Head's worry only grew as time slipped.
"I told those boys to be back in the room an hour before Bonnie comes home." Mrs. Potato Head mumbled to herself, looking under the bed for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Lookin' for something, Mrs. P?" Slinky asked, coming out from under the bed. Mrs. Potato Head fumbled back a bit, startled from the dog's sudden appearance.
"Yes." She said, brushing off her surprise. "You weren't under there when I last checked."
"Er, you last checked twenty minutes ago." Slinky admitted to her. Mrs. Potato Head sighed.
"Anything I can do? I've been told I've gotta good nose for finding things." Slinky said, wagging his tail and puffing his chest out all proud-like. Mrs. Potato Head cracked a smile at the dog's smug behaviour.
She put her hands on her hips. "Can you find three green aliens?"
"On it." Slinky said, shoving his nose to the ground, speedily walking around in loops around the room. He past Woody, who lifted his foot out of the way for the incoming dog speeding past, deep focused in his search. The cowboy looked towards Mrs. Potato Head.
"What's he looking for?" Woody gestured to the slinky dog who began sniffing underneath Bonnie's cardboard space ship. Mrs. Potato Head shook her head in amusement.
"My children. You haven't seen them have you?" She asked the sheriff.
He shrugged in response. "Sorry." The cowboy said. "Bonnie's gonna be home soon, shouldn't they be coming back to the room?"
"That's exactly what I've told them over, and over." Mrs. Potato Head admitted. "They're in so much trouble when I find them."
"Well, let us know if there's anything we can do." Buzz said, as him and Jessie approached. "Always up for a little mystery."
"This is merely three mischievous boys who think they can sneak past their mother." Mrs. Potato Head said. "Not on my watch."
"Have you tried asking your blockheaded husband?" Jessie laughed. Mrs. Potato Head looked across the room at Mr. Potato Head, who was heavily invested in a card match of poker with Hamm. The piggy bank put his pile of cards down while giving a smug smirk to Mr. Potato Head, who threw his arms up in frustration and said something that looked like an aggressive challenge for a rematch.
"He's really focused on their game." Mrs. Potato Head said, not wanting to interfere while he was in that state of anger. "I think it's best if no one bothers him."
"Couldn't agree more." Woody said, eyeing as Mr. Potato Head slammed his fist in frustration when looking at his new set of cards.
"Are you kidding me?" Mr. Potato Head spoke to Hamm on the other side of the room. Hamm leaned back in his seat, continuing to smirk while holding his cards. Mr. Potato Head clenched his cards, creating dents in the material.
"Don't lie to me, swine. How come I keep on getting a bad set of cards?" Mr. Potato Head accused, pointing an aggressive finger at his friend.
"Oi, why don't you just give up now and hand over the moustache." Hamm said, putting his winning set of cards down. Mr. Potato Head glared daggers at him, while hesitantly reaching to take his moustache off in utter anger. He stopped part way, when he noticed his wife across the room. Slinky approached her and shook his head while saying something. Mrs. Potato Head let out a sigh while running a distressed pair of hands on the temples of her face.
Mr. Potato Head looked back at Hamm. "I'm putting this cheating game on hold, alright? The missus looks like she needs me."
"Don't try and make excuses." Hamm responded. Mr. Potato Head rolled his eyes.
"Excuses-shmuses." Mr. Potato Head waved a hand. "Don't believe me? Come ask what the problem is with me then."
"Fine. Anything for you to stop complaining." Hamm said, already making his way over. Mr. Potato Head followed, watching as his wife asked Pricklepants something, the hedgehog shrugging his shoulders and looking apologetic in response.
"Dear, are you alright?" Mr. Potato Head asked, his voice all of a sudden soft and meaningful. Hamm let out a snort.
"You haven't seen the boys, have you?" Mrs. Potato Head asked. Her husband looked at the clock on Bonnie's shelf. Bonnie would be home soon.
"It's past their curfew." Mr. Potato Head said, looking back at his wife. "That's like, the fifth time this month." Mrs. Potato Head nodded.
Hamm looked at Mr. Potato Head with wonder while raising a sharp eyebrow. A few years ago, he would've let their boys wander aimlessly at Andy's. Now, he was considerate of their curfew? Even the piggy bank somewhat appreciated the change in the spud's ways.
"Yes, and I can't find them." Mrs. Potato Head said.
"Did you try the kitchen?"
"Yes."
"I'll check, again." Mr. Potato Head assured her. Mrs. Potato Head gave him a look that her husband swore her eyes sparkled with happiness, thanking him for his efforts.
"What about you, pork belly?" Mr. Potato Head said, prompting for Hamm to help him.
"Yeah, sure." Hamm said, not that enthusiastically. They proceeded to go to the kitchen while Mrs. Potato Head continued searching around the room.
The spud and pig walked down the narrow hall of the house. They could hear the faint voices of Rex and Trixie yelling, assumingely playing video games on the computer.
"Rex, watch out!" Trixie's screechy voice echoed.
"Ah!" Rex yelled back in response while some serious tapping on the keys can be heard along with the over done sound effects on the computer. Mr. Potato Head and Hamm both exchanged an unamused look, regretting having agreed to this search now.
They turned the corner, looking up at the two toy dinosaurs tapping like maniacs on the key board.
"Oh, I hate these jump scares!" Rex's shaky voice said, as he repeatedly tapped on the space bar. Mr. Potato Head gave a mischievous smirk to Hamm, who nodded in response while also smiling. They both looked up at the two dinosaurs, again.
"Bah!" They both shouted. The plastic of the two dinosaurs practically turned white, as they jumped around and screamed in response. Rex jumped behind Trixie in fear while realizing it was only their two mischievous, and somewhat mean friends. Mr. Potato Head and Hamm proceeded to howl in laughter on the floor, as the shaken dinosaurs looked at each other in shock.
"Th-that's not funny..." Rex said coming out from behind Trixie.
"It's pretty funny from here, lizard boy." Hamm said, wiping his eye in amusement with his hoof.
"Is that all you came here for?" Trixie asked, trying to act tough, though she was still pretty frightened herself.
"Pfft, no." Mr. Potato Head said, calming down. "You geeks haven't seen my kids, have you?"
"No." Rex said, playing with his claws trying to calm himself from the scare. Hamm shook his head.
"I'll give you that, spud head. Your kids are smart at hiding." The piggy bank said, proceeding to look around the kitchen for any signs of the aliens.
"They should be, they are raised by the best." Mr. Potato Head gloated, put his hands on his hips proudly.
Hamm rolled his black marble eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself, spuddy."
Mr. Potato Head opened his mouth to say something snarky back, until he heard a familiar squeaking and childish giggling coming from somewhere. The four toys looked towards the oven.
"It's coming from the oven!" Rex said, pointing out the obvious as him and Trixie jumped onto the floor from the desk. Mr. Potato Head and Hamm both shook their heads, while approaching the oven.
"Help me get his open, will ya?" Mr. Potato Head said. Hamm, Rex, and Trixie approached the oven, while beginning to create a toy latter for Mr. Potato Head to climb up on. The spud wobbly made it to the top while holding the handle of the oven. Rex stood as the base, shaking while holding the three others.
"Okay, start backing up, Godzilla." Mr. Potato Head ordered from the top. Rex began to back up, but not very steadily. The four toys all flailed backwards, opening the oven door and exposing the little green aliens that stood inside. Mr. Potato Head hit the floor, as many of his parts scattered everywhere.
"It's not my fault!" Rex said, nervously.
"Everything is your fault, Godspilla!" Mr. Potato Head hissed, putting his parts back in. Hamm approached the open oven, looking at the three green aliens who looked at the adults in shock.
"Is that any example for your boys?" Hamm snickered, motioning to the aliens with a head thrust. Mr. Potato Head put in his last part, and marched up to the open oven.
"You three are in so much trouble," Mr. Potato Head said, all parent-like. "You got your mother worried sick."
"Sorryyy." The aliens spoke, apologetic. Mr. Potato Head shook his head.
"You'll just have to hear it from her." He said, prompting for them to come out of the oven. The three aliens exchanged a look of playfulness, before jumping out of the oven. They all landed on top of Hamm.
"Ah!" Hamm yelled, as the aliens bouldered on top of him. "Spud head, tell your kids to stop!"
"Oh, I wish I had a camera." Mr. Potato Head snickered, watching the scene before him. "Keep at it boys, uncle Hamm loves you."
"There you are!" A familiar, feminine voice said. The aliens stopped, while the toys looked towards who came. Mrs. Potato Head, Woody, as well as the rest of the gang entered the kitchen. Mrs. Potato Head went up to the aliens, proceeding to take them off Hamm.
"Thank you. At least someone helped." Hamm said, eyeing Mr. Potato Head. The three alien boys lined up all guilt-like in front of the Potato Heads, as their parents gave them very stern looks.
"What have we told you, over and over?" Mrs. Potato Head said.
"Be in the room an hour before Bonnie gets home." One of the aliens said.
"Why is that?" Mr. Potato Head continued.
"So we don't get caught..." The second alien said, in his normal alien-like voice with a hint of guiltiness.
"Because...?" Mrs. Potato Head prompted for them to finish.
"If we get caught, everyone gets caught..." The third alien finished.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head both exchanged a look and nodded.
"You three just lost half of your 'out of the room' time." Mrs. Potato Head said. "Now, go back."
"Noooo." The aliens all said.
"You heard your mother, go." Mr. Potato Head said, sternly. The aliens waddled with sadness over to Totoro and the Peas in a Pod. The giant fluffy toy proceeded to take the play school toys back to the room.
"Okay, everyone back to the room. Bonnie will be home any minute." Woody said to all the toys, standing with Buzz and Jessie. All the toys proceeded to walk back down the hallway to Bonnie's room.
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head began walking, before they were stopped.
"Not you two." Woody said. The Potato Heads turned around to look at Woody, Jessie, and Buzz. The five of them now stood alone in the kitchen.
"Guys, this is getting out of hand." Woody said to the married couple. "They've been caught outside the room close to Bonnie and her mom coming home, way too many times."
"You don't think we know that, sheriff?" Mr. Potato Head snapped. "You try being a parent."
"Don't try an' put this on us, Potato Head." Jessie said, accusingly.
"Woody's right, guys." Buzz said, trying not to be too harsh. "They're putting a lot at risk for everyone."
"I know, we're sorry. They've really been stepping out of line." Mrs. Potato Head said, distressed. Her husband put a comforting arm around her.
"You know, I read a study somewhere that kids respond better when you use their names for discipline." Buzz explained to the two of them. "Maybe if you guys try using their names strictly they'll better listen."
The Potato Heads once again exchanged a look, before looking back at the trio awkwardly. The three all budged their eyes at them in shock.
"Holy cow, you guys haven't named them?" Woody said. "And you've had them for what, years?"
"Hey, we've never been associated with stuff like that." Mr. Potato Head defended. "Take a look at us, we have our names because some guy invented it like that!"
"But ya didn't think of somethin' to at least call the critters by?" Jessie said. "Ain't that kind of rude?"
"You wanna talk rude, cowgirl? It's not like you guys ever bothered to ask what their names are!" Mr. Potato Head batted at her. The cowgirl proceeded to lower her hat in an aggressive manner, challenging him for a fight. Buzz held her back, while Mrs. Potato Head held her husband back.
"Guys!" The cowboy shouted getting in between the two. "Okay, I get it, being a toy with a brand name restricts stuff like that. But, I think Buzz has a point."
"What's a space ranger doing reading parenting tips, anyway?" Mr. Potato Head ridiculed.
"It wasn't on purpose, Andy's mom had a book like that that she just left open one day." Buzz explained, "come on guys, at least try."
"We will, we promise." Mrs. Potato Head spoke for her and her husband. Mr. Potato Head wanted to continue and argue, but heard the distress in his wife's voice. He had to draw the line at some point, and that was it. He took hold of her hand and squeezed it.
"Don't fret, guys." Woody assured. "I'm sure all parents feel-"
Before the cowboy could even finish that note, the toys tensed at the sound of keys jiggling at the front door near the kitchen. They were home. All five toys took off faster than a blink in an eye, speeding back to Bonnie's room before the little girl could make it there first when she entered the house soon after they bolted.
The sounds of the girl's larger footsteps could be heard trailing not that far behind them from around the corner of the hall as they made it back to Bonnie's room. They ran through the bedroom door like a flock of frightened birds. The rest of the toys took notice to their actions, and all ran to place as well. Woody went limp on the carpet along with Jessie and Buzz, as Bonnie had left them. The Potato Heads ran across the room, their plastic feet working like motors out of instinct. They came into a shaky halt going frozen right as Bonnie entered.
"Hi, toys!" Bonnie's squeaky voice greeted as she threw her bag down. It took no more than two seconds for Bonnie to pick up Hamm and indulge into another playtime session with her toys.
"Oh, no! Dr. Porkchop kidnapped the villagers!" Bonnie exclaimed as she flew Hamm around the room, grabbing some of her other toys in the process. Though the Potato Heads remained in their lifeless toy state, their eyes flickered at each other quick enough to express the same feeling.
That was far too close.
Later that night, the house was quiet. While autumn days were windy and louder, the nights brought an extra amount of silence to the entire room. So much, it made the toys extra careful to not wake Bonnie if they weren't asleep themselves.
Mrs. Potato Head looked up at Bonnie in her bed from the floor. The little girl slept softly with Woody tucked in her arms. The sheriff also slept pleasantly in her warm grip. Despite having a joyful playtime that recent afternoon, Mrs. Potato Head couldn't help but feel grief while looking at the two sleep.
"They're sleeping." Mr. Potato Head whispered, having just tucked in their three alien children. He walked from the corner of the room where his kids all slept silently near the Peas in a Pod as well. "Your turn tomorrow night."
Mrs. Potato Head didn't respond and continued to look up at Woody in Bonnie's arms. Mr. Potato Head looked at where his wife was looking and shook his head.
"Don't listen to that sheriff." Mr. Potato Head ridiculed, eyeing the sleeping cowboy bitterly. "I'd like to see him try an' raise three kids."
"Sh." Mrs. Potato Head quickly turned and shushed her husband. She looked back at Bonnie, who merely shifted in her sleep. The married couple relaxed.
"Sorry." Mr. Potato Head said quietly, again. The Potato Heads sat on the floor for the time being. It was clear to both of them that neither wanted to go to sleep. But to another, one was clearly conflicted.
Mr. Potato Head took hold of his wife's hand. "Why do you care what he thinks?"
Mrs. Potato Head looked at her husband with tired eyes. "We almost got caught, today. Bonnie nearly saw us."
Mr. Potato Head's face softened, and he looked towards their alien children. The three still remained asleep while huddled close to each other like the real brothers they were.
"And what about next time?" Mrs. Potato Head continued. "If we don't get them to realize how unsafe they're being, Bonnie or her parents might just catch them."
Mr. Potato Head let out a sigh. He couldn't disagree. The thought alone about what would happen if their boys were caught sent chills through him, as well. Mr. Potato Head looked back up at Woody sleeping in Bonnie's arms.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this..." Mr. Potato Head began. "But, I guess Woody's right. If we name them properly, I think we have a better chance at showing them how to be safer on their own."
"That would sure take a lot of pressure off us." Mrs. Potato Head said, relaxing for the first time in a while. Mr. Potato Head put an arm around her, and she rested in his embrace.
"You're right, every toy should learn the necessary precautions." Mrs. Potato Head agreed with her husband. "Especially in case..."
The female spud drifted off, and her husband squeezed her shoulder. One of the many deepest fears of these two toys, besides maybe seeing the love of their life being sold in a yard sale, was the thought of their kids being sold. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head had a thousand more times of a chance to never be separated, because they're a toy set together. But no human would ever recognize the aliens as being a part of their family. It was so simple, and could happen at any moment.
But as parents, they couldn't fear the worse. All they could do was love their kids, and prepare them in case heaven forbid they were separated and they needed to survive on their own.
"I know, dear." Mr. Potato Head responded, though she barely even said it. "But remember, they were safe before I even found them."
"As a car mirror dangler." Mrs. Potato Head said, bitterly. "Being a toy is a whole different spectrum."
Mr. Potato Head merely held her closer. The silence of the house felt creepy all of a sudden, and having her nearby was comforting.
"You think we're bad parents?" Mrs. Potato Head asked. Her husband felt an unsettling feeling wave through him, again. At the same time, he looked at her with disbelief.
"Honey, you work harder as a mom than anyone ever could." Mr. Potato Head simply said. "Trust me, I doubt you're a bad parent."
For a woman like her, it was hard to convince her for most. But, her husband somehow had a way of doing so. Mrs. Potato Head smiled, and adjusted her husband's crooked ear. She straightened it back to place. "You're not so bad, yourself."
The Potato Heads remained in their seated position, holding each other close. It wasn't long until that seated position was no more, and they were both lying on the ground. They still held each other, both getting tired by the second. Mrs. Potato Head was the first one to fall asleep.
"Goodnight, sweet potato." Mr. Potato Head whispered, before falling asleep himself.
Across the room, one of the aliens peered over his shoulder. He looked at his sleeping parents from afar. The alien turned back to lying on his side, looking at his two other brothers that were also lying down and looking at him.
"Curses." The first alien said in a hushed voice. "There will be no midnight walk tonight, brothers. We must regain energy, instead."
"Remember when we walked around the pizza mobile of power?" The middle alien said, recalling their days in the Pizza Planet truck. "And then she got mad-"
"SH!" The two other aliens quickly covered their middle brother's mouth. He squeaked in the process, their hands hitting his material fast. The first alien looked over his shoulder again, to make sure none of the toys had awoken. Everyone scattered around the room remained asleep, including their parents.
The two uncovered their hands from their third brother.
"We don't speak of that, brother." The first alien said.
"Mommy could never know."
"Whyyy?"
"It would hurt her feelings." The first said, peering over his shoulder to look at their mother again. She remained sleeping in her husband's arms.
"To know we had a mother alien before her."
Across the way of the suburbs in town, in an auto shop right at the crossing line of the downtown part of the city, a Pizza Planet delivery truck sat in the garage. The workers of the shop had just turned the lights off and locked up for the night.
The Pizza Planet delivery truck that was being fixed sat locked there. The glass panel of the trunk into the drivers seat began to shift, something opening it. Two objects jumped into the front seat.
Two toys, or inanimate objects, from Pizza Planet stood there. One of them was a rubber version of a pizza with muscular white arms and rubber red converse on his feet. His face consisted of fake pepperoni with bulging white eyes and black pupils, and a red mouth and pepperoni nose and moustache.
The other toy was a green, female alien. She was taller than the pizza toy. She was a squeaky toy, with eight long, stiff rubber legs that held her up. She wore a blue jumpsuit with a cape in the back. She had three bright blue eyes, an antenna, and a golden crown with the Pizza Planet symbol on it. Her ears were large and pointy, and her face had a lurking look of displeasure in her triple ice blue eyes.
"From what the mechanic said, this truck should be up and running by tomorrow." The pizza toy said in a gruff, humble voice.
The other toy didn't respond, and looked up at the driver's mirror of the car. A piece of broken string hung from the mirror, where three green little aliens use to remain.
Her eyes flickered with anger. "It's been over ten years." She spat. "Ten years since they've been gone."
The pizza toy rolled his eyes. "This, again? You'd think you'd get over it after a DECADE."
The female alien toy turned to look at the pizza with anger. "Don't test the mother alien! I saw it with my own three eyes."
"I'm the only other toy here, I've heard this over and over. I was THERE for it." The pizza complained. "Do you have to repeat it?"
"That day." The mother alien said through gritted teeth. "If only we weren't locked in the trunk, I could've stopped them from being taken. By that...thing."
The pizza toy arched an eyebrow. "That potato toy? Don't you remember him saving them from falling out of the window? We saw the whole thing from behind the window of the trunk."
"And then he stole them!" She snapped.
"They followed him..."
"Bah!" She looked up at the moon out the window. "We're lucky the owners found the truck at the airport before we were towed. But, we still need to find them."
"Give it up, will you? It's been practically eleven years, there is no way of finding them."
"Never say never, my pet." The mother alien said, continuing to look at the moon from the high window of the garage. "Never say never..."
To be continued...