Chapter 2

With the Annual Evergreen Spring Fling Contest underway, almost everybody in town wanted to join in. Of all the entrants, only one group wanted to make to the top: Lloyd, Floyd, and Boyd and their wives Alicia, Melanie, and Zoza. That night at the Sneer Mansion, the pigs worked together to create something they knew would blow Madame de la Fleur's mind.

"What's going on down here?" shouted Cyril Sneer, coming down the stairs. "I can't sleep with all this racket hammerin' into my head!"

Floyd replied, "Sorry about the noise, boss-we're just working on our newest project to enter in the upcoming Annual Evergreen Spring Fling Contest. Would you like to see it?"

"No! All I wanted was some peace and quiet!"

"Well, if you insist..."

As soon as Cyril left, Alicia said, "How's the work on the project going, boys?"

"Right as rain," answered Lloyd. "But we gotta be quiet because our boss needs some sleep. Oh, we can't wait until we unleash it; everybody will be impressed!"

"Unlike the last time we entered the contest. We got 3rd Place for a float we did, with a fawn made completely out of old soda cans and metal wiring."

Boyd replied, "We know that. But THIS time, we managed to construct a foolproof way to launch us into 1st Place in no time. Behold!"

They removed the white sheet to reveal a giant robotic rabbit in a black tuxedo (with matching top hat), red bow tie, and it was holding a basket of easter eggs in both its paws. Zoza asked, "What's that?"

"The Easter Bunny, what else?" said Floyd. "Besides, spring wouldn't be spring without this big guy. If you turn up the switch on his back, he'll say 'Happy Easter' in ten different languages and he can even sing 'Here Comes Peter Cottontail' while doing a little hopping dance. Boy, will Madame de la Fleur be VERY impressed!"

"I gotta admit it's so impressive. But...perhaps you should've used a different spring theme."

"And ruin our chances to beat Bert and the other contestants? I don't think so. We built it to be the best and it's going to be the best! What's the worst that can happen, anyway?"

He tapped on the bunny, but just as he did that the bunny began to shake and come apart. Floyd chuckled nervously, "Heh-heh...guess it's back to the drawing board again."

Later that same night, the ghosts of Prince Alan and Princess Alanna had already escaped from their picture prisons and left the museum. Stretching his arms and yawning, Prince Alan muttered groggily, "Ohhhhh...finally...after all these years, we are free!"

"I am not quite sure," replied Princess Alanna, delicately stretching her tired legs. "That evil wizard had trapped us in the wedding portrait that had been painted for us. But, I seem to wonder...who woke us up? Whoever or whatever it may be, the person who revived us may have had the same goal as ours."

"And what could that be, my dearest Alanna?"

"Vanquish the wizard who placed a curse on us in the first place-if that deed is accomplished, we will then rest in peace."

"That is exactly what I have been thinking. Only one problem stands in the way, though...we're no longer mortals. However, I have a plan-what if we found two mortals in our image, took over their bodies, and used them to track down Old Astrus and force him to remove the spell on us?"

Princess Alanna stared at him. "You mean...those two mortals who were scrutinizing us earlier in the day, who go by the names of George and Nicole Raccoon? You must be out of your mind, Alan! There's no way we'd be doing that! If they saw us, they'd run away-you know how mortals are terribly afraid of ghosts like us, right?"

"Alanna, I assure you that they WON'T see us. Besides, do you recall what one of the raccoons said before leaving the museum?"

Princess Alanna looked back on the words Nicole had uttered before she and George left, which probably was the driving force in bringing the royal couple back from their long and deep slumber: "If we had the same youth and vitality this couple had in times past, we wouldn't have to worry about growing old any more..."

"You know, you could be right," she replied. "It is preferably a good idea to possess the couple, only on one condition: if we want our wish to come true, we'd have to fulfill theirs first."

They floated on into the night, until they reached George and Nicole's house. Gazing at the sleeping couple through the bedroom window, they knew they had chosen the perfect two mortals to do the job, and with that they flew in and took over their bodies. Once inside them, they controlled them and sent them sleepwalking to another museum to steal Renaisance-era royal costumes. The mission to destroy the wizard would start tomorrow...

The spring decoration contest was only a week away; so far everyone had been busy. The busiest one of all, Angel wanted her project to be as perfect as can be-no faults, no mess-ups, or anything of that sort. Unfortunately for the residents of Evergreen, she proved herself to be much of an "art nazi".

"Pink and red roses?" asked Molly puzzledly, as she watched Angel bring in bunches of said flowers. "You should be aware that those are flowers that bloom in the summer, not in spring."

Angel replied, "I understand that, but I figured the roses would add a unique touch to the house, besides the hyancinths and irises. They certainly help to bring out the magic of the season. Now, what else can I-" She gasped and saw Ron and Hillary rearranging the baby forest animals. She ran over to them and shouted, "No, no, NO! What did I just tell you? The plastic fawn goes to the right and the lamb to the left."

"But we thought you wanted them the opposite way," answered Ron.

"That wasn't what I said. Now put them back!"

Just then, Bentley ran over. He shouted, "Guys! Something's wrong with Mom and Dad!"

"What are you talking about, Bentley," said Bert. "We're still busy."

"I know, but this is important! When I woke up this morning and went down to eat breakfast with them, I could not believe what I was seeing. They were speaking in some sort of British accent and they were wearing costumes-medieval costumes, if you know what I mean!"

Lucky scoffed and muttered, "Get real. What could make you POSSIBLY think your parents would do something like that?"

It was only when they looked up that they saw George and Nicole approaching the Shorthair house-Nicole was wearing a beautiful red princess gown with a gold crown and George was wearing a blue-and-white prince's uniform. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

George bowed politely and said, "We send you greetings and good tidings, dear peasants. It is I, Prince Alan of Raccoonshire, and beside me is my beloved Princess Alanna. You need not be afraid of us-our main goal is determining the whereabouts of Old Astrus, the wizard who had bound us under a curse many years ago. Perhaps you have seen him?"

Bentley was right all along-there was something about George and Nicole that didn't seem right. Dressed in Renaissance costumes...speaking in British accents...claiming to be a prince and princess...had they really gone mad?

Snooper said, "Uh, George? Nicole? Are you two all right?"

"If you ask us, we are very well," replied Nicole with a smile. "In fact, we've never felt this alive in years! And to think we'd be stuck in that old wedding portrait for the next 600 years or so. Now, would you be so kind as to tell us where the wizard is?"

The people looked at each other. Jenny asked, "What IS wrong with them?"

"They must've hit their heads or something," commented Thomas. "In that way they wouldn't remember who they really are."

"Well, it's either that...or they've been watching too much of 'Faerie Tale Theatre'."

It was then that the gang decided to determine what was going on with George and Nicole. Who is Prince Alan and Princess Alanna? And why are they seeking someone called "Old Astrus"? The answers to those questions were just what they were about to look for.