The 7D went home, back into their cozy clocktower cottage after a long day of swimming in the beach, yet again.
Grumpy was completely worn out. He hated the beach house, if it wasn't obvious enough. He decided to go into the kitchen and fetch some cheese.
Happy stared out the window, watching the view of the town. He smiled as he watched dwarfs run through the flowers and grassy fields, joy leaking out of them. As creepy as it was, watching people brought a smile to Happy. Especially people whom are happy in general.
Grumpy left the kitchen, munching on a roll of cheese until he noticed Happy's face smudged up to the window. Grumpy rolled his eyes in amusement. "Happy... stop being a weirdo. What are you even looking at anyway?"
Happy moved a smudge out of the way so Grumpy could glance outside as well. "Just look at everyone havin' fun!" He said, gleefully.
"So?"
"Isn't it pleasant?"
"No."
Happy shrugged, turning back to face the window and stare outside for a while more. Grumpy rolled his eyes as he finished up his cheese and sat on the couch, picking up a book about cheese.
Happy then had a sudden thought. Happy trailed his attention away from Jollywood and peered over at the forest, staring at the thicket as if Happy was hypnotized to gaze forever. "I wonder how Hildy's holding up." Happy randomly mumbled.
Grumpy abruptly looked up from his book. "What?" He asked.
"I wonder what Hildy's doin'." Happy repeated, continuously staring at the woods.
Grumpy appeared beside Happy, quickly closing the blinds. "No... no.. no... we're not doing this again. Hildy doesn't like us, therefore we don't like Hildy. Is it really that difficult to understand?"
Happy shrugged. "Well... maybe not for you. But I'm still worried. What if something bad happened to Hildy?"
"Good. I'm glad." Grumpy spat.
Happy gasped over exaggerated. "Grumpy!"
"I can say whatever I want. She's done so many awful things. I don't know why you still care about her. I mean- she left you in that cage to starve! Like, DIE! She would've killed you." Grumpy tried to persuade Happy that Hildy was no good.
Happy grabbed his guitar. "Hmm... well, maybe you're correct right now, but when I sing her this amazing song, we'll be best friends!" He squealed, hugging himself.
"Happy it doesn't work like th- wait... you're going over to Hildy's?" Grumpy paused. "Alone? It'd be dangerous if you went by yourself!"
Happy swatted his worries away like a bunch of gnats. "I won't be going alone."
"What do you mean?"
Happy stared at Grumpy for a while more, until his crabby friend finally got the hint.
"Oh no..." Grumpy murmured.
Hildy opened her door to be greeted to Happy strumming his guitar, and Grumpy standing next to him with a displeased look.
"Hello Hildy! It's Grumpy and Happy!
Hello Hildy! How are you on this-"
"What are you two doing here?" Hildy screamed, automatically stopping their singing. She leaned in a bit closer to them, as if she was telling a secret. "You can't be here..." She whispered, as she glanced apprehensively behind the two dwarfs in total fright.
Grumpy began to turn around to see what Hildy was worried about, but didn't see anything. "Uhh, Hildy, are you sick?"
Hildy wanted to growl at them, but instead took a deep breath. "No. I'm fine. I appreciate your concern about me, really, but this is not the time..."
Grumpy crossed his arms. "I smell heavy amounts of sarcasm..."
Hildy scrunched her nose in disgust, but didn't yell at them. "Look, please go. You and the Queen and everyone over there are in danger!" Hildy said, as she pointed out to Jollywood. "You two can't go near my house anymore."
"But Hildy, we just wanted to...-" Happy tried to cheer her up.
"GET OUT!" Hildy snapped, slamming the door right in their noses. She locked the door behind herself, hoping the two heard the lock click, so they could get the idea she didn't want to see them. They did, and full of sadness, Happy and Grumpy went back home.
"All I wanted was for us to be friends..." Happy murmured quietly to himself as he left.
Grumpy took hold of Happy's hand. "Hap, let's go back home where the rest of the fellas await. Hildy isn't our real friend, but everyone else in Jollywood IS our friend, and that's all what matters."
Happy smiled shortly, but that grin eventually faded. Happy took one last glimpse at Hildy's home as they exited the forest. Inside the manor, Hildy was sitting on the ground, staring at her choker in pure despair.
In the Queen's castle, Queen Delightful had on a much different attire than usual. The extreme weather caused her to wear short black shorts and a pink spaghetti-strap shirt. She had on pink, glittering sandals, crystals were embedded into the fabric.
Lord Starchbottom wore a grey short-sleeved shirt with denim knee-length shorts. He held his green hat in his hand, fanning Queen Delightful as quickly as he could; which wasn't fast at all.
The attire was nothing close to "royalty", but despite that, Queen Delightful quite adored wearing regular clothes. She felt free and at ease.
Queen Delightful beamed up at Starchy with a crooked smile. "Starchbottom, thank you much for fanning me, but you shouldn't waste all your energy on me. You look like you're about to faint!" She said, expressing major concern for her adviser.
Starchy coughed in response. "W-what are you talking about, your Majesty? Really... I-I-I'm f-fine..." He suddenly brought his arms down in fatigue. He began panting abnormally loudly as sweat poured down his head, and he stumbled about, although he wasn't even walking. Queen Delightful started thinking he was sick.
"Oh no! Lord Starchbottom- don't tell me you've gotten sick!"
Starchbottom just waved off her remark. "No-no, I'm fine. I just need water." He panted, barely able to make out a word.
Queen Delightful started feeling better about her advisor's health, until that spirit vanished once she saw Starchbottom's knees wiggle till the point he fainted in front of her eyes.
She gasped. "Oh no!" She cried. "This is an emergency for the 7D!" She pulled the Bing-Bong Bell out on her balcony and the 7D entered in no time at all.
"HEIGH HO! THE 7D REPORTING FOR DUTY" They all shouted.
"What's wrong, your majesty?" Bashful asked.
Queen Delightful walked over an unconscious Starchbottom. "He's fainted from the terrible heat!"
Doc smiled widely as he jumped next to Starchbottom. "This gives me a chance to try out my new invention!" He proclaimed, proudly. "Presenting: The Whoomty Doopdy Smoodly Sprinkler!" He announced, boasting a little too much.
Doc took off his hat as he told everyone his invention name, and then reached deep into his green and blue striped hat, pulling out a large machine.
Yes, somehow that large machine could fit into that tiny dwarf size hat. Doc smiled as he gestured towards his machine. The machine was wide and had a medium-sized container filled with bubbling cold water. There were multiple knobs, one which led to a hose in which you could use the hose to spray everything everywhere, and the other sides had other entrances where they'd open and have water splash on you or just sprinkles. Hence the name "Sprinkler".
Doc moved the machine hastily, and then twisted the knob with no hesitation.
The water flew out on Starchbottom, immediately waking him up. He coughed at first, sputtering cool water everywhere until he finally got up. He sighed. "T-thank you Doc." His voice was raspy, but at least he was conscious.
"You know..." Starchbottom continued, "...that was extremely refreshing! I think we all could use our own... whatever that's called..."
"The Whoomty Doopdy Smoodly Sprinkler!" Doc corrected.
"The Whoomty Doopdy Smoodly Sprinkler!" Starchy repeated.
And everyone agreed to that. Every day got warmer and warmer till the point they could all melt! But then a solution floated through Queen Delightful's head. Her eyes lit up as she faced her friends, telling them her idea. "Maybe today could be Water Balloony Day!" She squealed. "It could be a very new mini-holiday created by me!"
Dopey whistled excitedly whereas the rest of the 7D nodded approvingly, they exchanged glanced all around the room, bringing happiness to one another. "I like that idea, your Highness!" Lord Starchbottom admitted, giving her a thumbs up.
Queen Delightful skipped out to her vast balcony to shout out her announcement to all the Jollywoodians. "Hello every dwarf! I'm here to today to create a new mini-holiday! Since it's so devastatingly hot- to revive the pain I've decided to call this day: Water Balloony Day!" She asserted, grabbing the Jollywoodian's attention almost automatically. "This day will be for pure enjoyment and for families and friends to bond together aaaaand... FIIIIIIIIIIIGGGHHHT!~" Her tone of voice changed into a sweet tone all the way to competitive and complete roughhousing. The Queen swiftly snatched water balloons ((from the middle of no where)) and began chucking them out at the townsfolk. Some balloons managed to hit people, whereas others were sly and quickly dodged out of the way.
The 7D and Starchbottom glared at each other with sinister, but playful glares and separated from each other faster than ever, grabbing water balloons of their own to challenge each other with...
TO THE DEATH!
But from afar, deep in the forest, little did the Jollywoodians know Hildy staring out upon them, spying on them. But not in a bad way. In an almost... daydreaming kind of way.
Hildy sighed. "Just look at everyone havin' fun..." She murmured in a distant, but relaxed tone.
The Crystal Ball sat beside her and he gazed up at her with worry-some eyes. "So?" He questioned.
"Isn't it pleasant?" Hildy didn't even realize she was saying such kind words.
"No." The Crystal Ball retorted.
Hildy shrugged. She continued surveying the townsfolk and the Queen. She watched as Queen Delightful threw water balloons at Lord Starchbottom; each water balloons splashed in his face, causing him to fall backwards. Queen Delightful chuckled a bit before helping him up. Starchy even laughed too, but just at Queen Delightful picked him up, he tricked her by throwing a water balloon at her face, bursting right on her. Refreshing water soaked her hair, but she merely laughed anyway.
Happy threw multiply balloons at Dopey, until Doc ran in the middle of their battlefield, and instead of hitting Dopey, the balloons burst on Doc instead.
Sir YipsALot was extremely grateful to have all this water by his paws. The soggy pup began yipping and rolling in the water, licking the floors dry.
All that exhilaration and bliss made Hildy want to propel to the castle herself, just to spend a little time having fun with the 7D and Queen Delightful.
Am I going soft for Queen Delightful..?
Hildy backed up from her spot on the balcony from this sudden realization. She then shook it off, believing that she wasn't going soft for the Queen; that she was just in love with her necklace. Hildy would never fall in love with anyone besides her husband; especially someone as yuckie-uckie as Miss. Priss.
"You aren't going soft for Queenie... are you?" The Crystal Ball interrupted her thoughts, as if he could read them.
Hildy glared burning holes straight through the Ball. The Ball giggled nervously. "Just kidding Hildy Wildly..." He paused. "Did I ever tell you that you... you certainly look beautiful?"
Hildy glanced back at the ball. "Are you flirting with me?"
The Crystal Ball rolled his eyes. "No. I was complimenting you, but thanks for appreciating it..." He mumbled, sarcastically.
Hildy gazed out at the townsfolk, their water balloon war was gradually coming to an end. Hildy smiled softly as she saw the Jollywoodians finish their giggles, hugging each other with mere captivation. They then began to pick up their belongings and hurry home; soaked from the fight, but still happy.
The Ball peered up at her choker. "Hey- uhh Hildy, where or... who- gave you that girly-err.. sparkly choker right there?" He asked her.
Hildy looked at him with confusion. "I thought I told you..."
The Ball's eyes widened but they returned to their normal size as soon as they did. He chuckled. "Well, you were napping for three months... so uh, I must've forgotten! So uh..."
Hildy scrunched her nose up. "Queen Delightful gave it to me as a Christmas gift."
The Ball's mouth gaped for a moment. "R-right... yes! Yeah, I remember now." He gave Hildy a short and sheepish smile.
Hildy shook her head to herself. Gee... is there something wrong with him today? She thought to herself.
Hildy decided to go back inside as well. She wanted to eat something. And so she left the Crystal Ball outside, holding that same fake smile. Hildy stomped down the stairs to hear laughing from Grim and another voice. She reached the bottom of the stairs and was disoriented by the sight.
The Crystal Ball was sitting right next to Grim, as if he was never on the balcony to begin with. "Hey Grim- Did you hear about the man who got hit in the head with a can of soda? HE WAS LUCKY IT WAS A SOFT DRINK!"
Grim and The Crystal Ball laughed powerfully in unison.
"CRYSTAL?! What are you doing down here?" Hildy screamed.
The Crystal Ball gazed over at Hildy. "What do you mean? I've been down here all day!"
Hildy's eyes widened. "Oh no..."
"What's wrong? Hildy... you're freaking me out..." Grim asked in concern. He walked over to her and intertwined his fingers with hers. "You alright my horrible honey?"
Hildy gasped. "GRIM! I-I-I think..." She paused. "Hold on a sec." She practically screamed, as she tore away from her husband's embrace, stumbling to get back to her balcony, and when she reached the top, she twisted to the area the Crystal was, but he had vanished. Hildy zoomed back downstairs, breathing heavily she told her husband: "I THINK HE WAS HERE!"
The Crystal's eyes squinted. "Who?" He squeaked.
"OH! You mean- ANTANOUMOUS!" Grim randomly shouted.
"Who is an ant?" The Crystal bombarded Hildy with questions.
Hildy gritted her teeth in both annoyance and frustration. She was scared for her well-being, along with Queen Delightful's. "SHAPESHIFTER!" She growled.
The Crystal Ball rolled his eyes. "Hildy, you're losing it. You're going stir crazy! You haven't been out of the house for a long while...-"
"I WAS OUT JUST YESTERDAY!"
"Look-look-look, listen to me. You might have went out to meet Shapeshifter and his dumb little gang for an hour... which isn't even a long time." The Crystal tried to reassure her. "You're imaging things that you don't want to see- you're feeling emotions you don't want to feel. You are stir crazy. Maybe you and Grim should go out together as one for a date, just enjoy yourselves. And you know... Hildy, I hate admitting this, but... you were much happier before Queen Delightful gave you that dumb necklace. I frankly don't understand why you wear it. You were wild and free; not afraid to do the extreme of things! You had fun with your attempts at becoming Queen... even if it did end up with many failures."
The Ball paused. "Why have you unexpectedly lost interest?"
Hildy took in a large breath, cautiously taking off her choker, she smiled down upon it with weary eyes. "I don't know..." She admitted.
"I really, really don't know..."
Goldilocks fixed her curls, groaning and sighing every five seconds. Where is he?! She shrieked in her mind.
Shapeshifter appeared behind her, and snapped his fingers to gain her attention. She jumped, startled at first, but then turned around to face him with a child-like grin. "Weeeellll... what'dya learn?" She scuffed her right shoe on the ground in a coy way.
"Her girly necklace was a gift from Lotta Glamour..."
"Who?"
"Queen Delightful!" He snapped.
"Gee..." Goldilocks pursed her lips in a fake pout, "why so ruuude? You know I got feelings too!"
"HAVE." Shapeshifter corrected. "And I don't care."
"Well, why'd Hildy lie?"
"Because she was scared, of course." Shapeshifter answered blatantly. "I think Queen Delightful is growing on Hildy... which is NOT good..."
"Hmmm..." Goldilocks murmured to no one in particular. "How we gunna change her mind?"
"Either 1. We destroy the necklace..." He muttered, "...or 2. we turn the 7D against HER."
"Those ideas are stupid." Goldilocks shot Shapeshifter a sly grin, pushing his buttons. "I betcha if I were leader; Hildy would be on our side in a heartbeat."
Shapeshifter cringed in annoyance. "Yeah? What ideas do you have?" He growled over at her.
Goldilocks laid back on a tree stump nonchalantly, resting her hands behind her head and crossing her legs together in a pestering way. "Ooooh... I can't say... rememba? I'm just a lil' GIRL in your eyes..."
"And that's all you will be." Shapeshifter retorted. "Anyway- we have to stay cautious though. I don't want Hildy knowing I'm stalking her every move. She's already getting paranoid. Stir craziness really dehumanizes a person."
There was a long pause as Goldilocks fluffed her hair up. Shapeshifter stared up at Hildy's manor and sighed.
"Will I still be able to kill those 7D?" Goldilocks broke the silence.
"Sure." He replied.
Shapeshifter enjoyed the forest. It was dark, spooky and made him feel brave, although there were basically no threats in the forest besides owls howling every few minutes. From above, stars twinkled as if they were hundreds of blinking golden eyes. Shapeshifter grinned, sighing in remedy.
"Isn't it pleasant?"
Goldilocks glanced at him with confusion. "Hmmm?"
"The forest. Isn't it pleasant?"
Goldilocks smiled while situating herself in a comfortable position. "Yeah." She nodded.
"It sure is."