Measures of Acceptability
Chapter 2
The Agreement
Flaky's red face nearly turned to white as she froze with fear. The seatbelts were too tight, and she was unable to release herself. 'Oh please let it be a dream. Or please let me die a quick death if it comes to that. Please snap Flippy back to normal.' She could only imagine what Evil Flippy was planning to do to her. She could see the road before her. There were no other vehicles—that much she can be thankful for. She could only imagine the carnage if Evil Flippy drove on a crowded highway and got stuck in traffic.
She could hear the excited but heavy breathing of Flippy. It was the breathing of the desperate and the angry, yet Evil Flippy's mood is clearly not angry or desperate. He could see that he was delighted in a sadistic sort of way. "Please! Where are you taking me?"
"As I said, I'm taking you on a date!" he laughed. "I think we'll go through with the double date with Giggles and Cuddles. It would be impolite to skip it, wouldn't you think? I'm going to enjoy their company—both dead and alive!"
"You're going to kill them?" Flaky shrieked.
"My dear Flaky! I'm surprised you even asked that question!" Evil Flippy said in mock surprise. "I thought you weren't dumb, but that last thing you said made me think. Can you count the number of times I killed both of them? Six? Seven? Those two are so killable, don't you think?"
Flaky decided to ask what she had in mind. "Then if you're going to kill them, what do mean by going through the double date with Giggles and Cuddles?"
"Let's just say that I'll make our date a little more interesting that what you're used to," he chuckled.
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Pop was driving home in his car. Cub was seated at the back at the infant car seat. He was happily cooing with his gameboy while Pop happily checked on him periodically through the rear view mirror.
Russell was in the front seat besides him. Pop could not understand half of the words Russell used, as he still spoke with sailor slang in his conversations. In fact, it was disconcerting to listen to an otter that starts every speech with 'Yarr.' Still, it was not difficult to discern what he meant. "Yarr! So what do ye think of the offer?"
"I'll think about it," Pop said. "It'll bring a lot of cash. And it would ensure Cub's future. But I am a single father, you know. Who'll take care of Cub?"
"Yarr! The museum will only need ye about three days a week. Ye can either choose Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday," the pirate replied. "And ye be raking in the doubloons if ye join!"
"Could you again repeat what I'm supposed to do if I accept?"
"Yarr! That's the spirit, matey! It's as easy as sailin' a ship with the wind and castin' anchor," the sea otter replied. "Ye be part of the staff of Admiral Lumpy in fixin' the museum tours and such."
"Who'll be the other members of his staff?" asked the bear.
"Yarr! Sniffles be already in," Russell responded. "Yarr! And Lumpy has his eye on Flippy as a cockswain on the landsmen of the museum. Cuddles and Toothy be the captain of ticket sales and such, while Petunia be quartermaster of grand, grand collections!"
"So why does Lumpy think that I'd like to work for him? I'm not exactly his biggest fan!"
"Yarr! He doesn't," Russell replied. "The position be as wide open as a whale's open mouth. He might or might not accept ye if ye apply."
"But how could it be an offer then? I'm not going to beg to get that job you know!"
"Yarr! But ye won't have to," Russell added. "Remember when I said Lumpy wants Flippy to organize the landlubber part of the museum, Matey?"
"Yes."
"Yarr! Lumpy doesn't think it's proper to directly ask the veteran if he wants the job," the one-eyed otter said. "If ye go and sway Flippy to apply, then Lumpy would be so grateful that ye be a shoe-in for the job."
"Oh I see! But what makes you think Flippy would listen to me?" asked Pop.
"Yarr! I don't know. Shiver me timbers, ye be not exactly close to him like Cuddles, Toothy, or Flaky. But he doesn't have a reason not to trust ye. He knows ye be an honest landsman. And both of ye be bears. Besides, ye know the good Flippy be a decent tar. Don't ye think he deserves to be on account?"
"Okay. I'll talk to him about the museum job. Is now a good idea?"
"Yarr! Nay. I've heard he be on a date with Flaky," Russell replied. "Oh look! Thar be Flippy's jeep!"
Pop could see the jeep's outline against the horizon in the straight road as it approached their car. "Wonder if we should stop them? I'd like to ask him about it now," Pop wondered.
The jeep was now closer. Russell could now see Flippy, though not his eyes. He could also see Flaky besides him. "Yarr! Nay," Russell replied. "He be with Flaky, and I don't think it be wise to shake 'em."
They continued on as Flippy's jeep passed them. There was, however, an object that was thrown from Flippy's car to Pop's car. The car window was open, so it landed on Pop's lap.
"Yarr! A grenade!" Russell shouted.
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Flaky gasped as she saw, in the rear view mirror, Pop's car explode from the grenade.
"That was convenient," Evil Flippy said as he closed the car window. "It saved me time. I would have made them suffer a bit if I'm not occupied at the moment."
"What are you planning to do tonight?" Flaky asked again.
"How many times have you asked that question, Flaky?" the green bear asked. "But since you asked, I'll tell you. And since you've been such a good little girl, I'll let you join in!"
Flippy described what he intends to do, and Flaky's part in it.
"No! Go ahead and do what you want! But don't make me do it! They're my friends!" Flaky cried.
"My dear Flaky, I'll make it plain so that even you can understand it," Evil Flippy said. "You want Flippy, right?"
Flaky could only nod.
"And you believe that I should not stand in the way, correct?"
Flaky on made incomprehensible sounds signifying her assent.
"Then I won't! But I have my price!" Evil Flippy shouted. He suddenly took something from his pocket and shoved it to Flaky's face.
The porcupine shouted as her fear jumped ten times over. She looked at the evil, the monstrous… little yellow baby chick. She however, saw in it something that would literally eat her alive and do serious harm. Her phobia's source was forgotten by the recesses of time, but her fear clung to her like adhesive. "Get it away! Get it away from me!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She was hyperventilating. "Please! That chick would kill us both!"
"Scream all you want! This jeep is soundproof. And don't think it'd flip me back," Evil Flippy replied. "It might have before Flippy engaged me in mental battle, but the same thing that made him more resistant to me, makes me stronger while I'm out. And to think that Flippy fell in love with a diffident girl who's afraid of a little chick." The bear put the chick back in his pocket.
"Flippy fell in love with me?" Flaky asked, even as she was still wrapped in fear. The pocketing of the chick had a calming effect on her.
"Oh you didn't know? He hasn't told you? That bear is as lily-livered as you," Evil Flippy mocked. "I might as well make it easier for you two. Yes, he is in love with you, though why I have no idea. There are a million girls who deserve Flippy more than you. But he made his choice. You have no idea how many times you appear in his dreams, how many times he mentioned you to me, how many times he made me sick by how he talked about you! That is why, as I told you before, I'm taking you out! To get to know you better! Now, let me ask you a question. You love Flippy, don't you? Because if you don't, then I'll make sure you die every day in the most painful and gruesome manner for leading him on! Now talk!"
"Yes, I do love him, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Flaky replied, still terrified, but happy inside at Evil Flippy's revelation. "And thank you for telling me that he loves me."
"Oh I only said that for my own reasons. Flippy is lucky. When he marries you, he'll have an extremely pliable wife who'll do everything he tells you to," Evil Flippy mused. "And from my perspective, it's even better. You want to be together with him, right? Of course you do! Do you want me to stop interfering?"
Flaky thought about it. Everything with the good Flippy was perfect. The only thing that strained their relationship was Evil Flippy. The only thing that made things difficult, and cast a sword of Damocles over their union, would be Evil Flippy. They were happy, but always with a fear of what his evil counterpart might do. Now she was being offered the chance that the fear of Evil Flippy in their relationship would be gone, or at least be tamed. And the offer was made by the object of that fear. She might experience total happiness with Flippy without any worries. Would she do anything to attain that dream of hers, especially as it was made a distinct possibility by Evil Flippy himself? Yes she would.
"Yes," Flaky replied.
"Good. But before we make the bargain, I'd like to state all the terms by which I'd make the offer. I'll lay all my cards on the table. You can either take it or leave it, okay?"
"Okay," she whimpered.
Flippy took out a piece of paper from the back of the jeep and turned the lights of his vehicle on. He began reading the document.
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"Here are my terms. I, the Evil side of Flippy, having attained the age of majority, veteran and war hero of the last war, and of legal capacity to enter into a contract, pledge that I would not interfere in the romantic life of Flippy and Flaky. I would not stand in the way if they propose to take the ultimate step of marriage, and I would not attempt to ruin the relationship in any way. I would make every endeavour to make their match full of happiness. I promise that if any children would come out of this union, I would not kill them. I promise that I'll also protect not only Flippy's life, but the life of Flaky and any children she might have with Flippy. I promise that I will respect her chastity. I would promote Flippy and Flaky's relationship, and I would do my best to hasten it.
"However, nothing in this agreement shall be construed to extend to any of Flaky or Flippy's friends or other relations and relatives, both collateral and conjugal, and I shall be free to do with them as I please. In other words, this contract cannot be invoked to stop me from killing, maiming, or torturing Flaky and Flippy's friends—and complete strangers.
"It shall be Flaky's option whether or not to keep this agreement secret. Nevertheless, it shall be binding whatever her choice will be.
"I affirm that I have read all the terms of this contract, and that if I sign, I sign with my full approval, without any reservations, and with my own free will.
Flippy then handed the document to Flaky. "Now it's your turn."
Flaky, shaking, took the contract and read the paragraphs pointed to by Evil Flippy. "In return, I, Flaky, the red porcupine of Happy Tree Town, having attained the age of majority, and with legal capacity to enter into a contract, will not interfere in any way, and would not do any activity that might produce, either directly or indirectly, such interference, when Evil Flippy decides to murder or torture other creatures, even if they are my closest friends.
"I, Flaky, promise that if and when Evil Flippy is in control, I shall do whatever he tells me, except if it would involve carnal knowledge before marriage, and if it would directly impugn my relationship with Flippy.
"If I should marry Flippy, then I'll give all the privileges and rights of my husband with respect to my property, my person, and my will, to Evil Flippy, except anything pertaining to carnal knowledge if I so desire it. But Evil Flippy, in return, shall not incur, or bear, any of the commensurate responsibilities of a husband, except that of protection and provision.
"I also would not break up with good Flippy or do anything to cause such break-up.
"I shall, if Evil Flippy requests it, give positive assistance in his projects and activities, no matter how repugnant it may be to me or my morals.
"Any ambiguity and disagreement on the terms of this contract shall be resolved in evil Flippy's favor.
"I affirm that I have read all the terms of this contract, and that if I sign, I sign with my full approval, without any reservations, and with my own free will.
"This agreement shall be perpetual, or until both parties mutually agree to terminate it.
Signed
Evil Flippy and Flaky
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"So what do you think?"
Flaky was astonished. Here was Evil Flippy not only tolerating her relationship with Flippy, but positively encouraging it. He was even willing to further it, to guarantee it, and was assuming that they would eventually be married. That was more than she wanted. Evil Flippy was even promising that he would protect her and even her children if it comes to that. All that Flaky ever wanted with her relationship with the good Flippy Evil Flippy was offering.
But what was the price? She loves Flippy, and she was willing to pay any price. But what is required of her?
"Basically, it's a quid pro quo. A compromise. I don't like all of it, and you don't like every word of it. But we'll both get something we want," Evil Flippy offered.
"I want to think about it," Flaky whispered. "I don't want to rush—"
"Don't sign now. Take all the time you need. But just to be sure you won't complain that you've been duped, I'll show you what it means. I'll show you the worst part of it, and judge by yourself if you still want it just to get the good parts!" Evil Flippy snarled. "Remember the activity that I earlier proposed we do tonight? Well, we're going to do it—regardless of your objections."
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Sniffles was at his desk studying a set of plans. Normally, he would have been at his laboratory conducting experiments with his chemicals, but he had finished early, and he was now occupied with plans of the opening of Lumpy's museum.
Petunia was beside him studying a different set of papers. The skunk has a crush on the anteater ever since the hostage situation with Shifty and Lifty, but Sniffles, despite all her efforts to flirt and to give hints, was oblivious, as he was stuck in his world of science and general knowledge. Supremely gifted in book smarts, he can be surprisingly naïve in certain things in life.
Petunia had used her obsessive compulsive disorder—being a neat freak—to good use by operating, with Giggles, a cleaning service. Her passion for cleanliness made her work easy and profitable. She made the offer of free cleaning for Sniffles allegedly to thank him, but really to spend more time with him. Furthermore, to increase the time she would spend with the anteater, she volunteered to be lab assistant of Sniffles. Sniffles initially thought that he didn't need one, but when his lab turned from topsy turvy to orderly, when his work output increased when he can easily find his instruments (organized by type by Petunia), when he didn't need to clean after—all because of Petunia, the skunk quickly became indispensable to Sniffles' life as a scientist. Furthermore, his dependence deepened when Petunia began to cook, to entertain visitors, to pay bills for Sniffles, to answer errands, to do the groceries, and in general, to make Sniffles life more orderly. It became such that Sniffles found out that he cannot do without Petunia's help. All exactly as the blue skunk planned.
Presently, Petunia, aside from her service to Sniffles, was also employed by Lumpy in his museum as organizer and administrator. Her OCD mind readily saw where things were messy and disorderly, and made the arrangements to make it structured and systematic. She was now in Sniffles house, and after helping Sniffles with an experiment, was studying, with the anteater, the plans for the museum.
"Lumpy's plan is full of holes. This wouldn't do for the opening of a shack, much less for a museum," Sniffles told Petunia.
"That's why Lumpy gave it to you. To modify and make it acceptable," Petunia replied.
"I don't think modify is the term. It should be scrap and make a new one instead," Sniffles replied. "So how's your work going along?"
"The new museum collection arrivals are all mixed up. I've divided the exhibit into five areas, corresponding to the number of halls of the building," Petunia replied. "There should be an exhibit on Ships and the navy, military weapons and uniforms, science, the disco era, and the environment. I've suggested, and Lumpy agreed, that the adviser on those on ships should be Russell, Military would go to Flippy, Science, of course, to you, the Disco Era would go to Disco Bear, and the environment should go to Giggles."
"Yes. You did a fine job, Petunia," Sniffles praised. "Lumpy already approached his friend Russell, and Russell accepted. But as you know, Lumpy was too lazy to do the rest, so he asked Russell to ask the others. Of course, there are still a couple of empty spots. Accounting and Finance I'll take, but marketing and administration are unfilled."
"Do you think it's wise to use Flippy as military adviser and guide? I mean he's got the requisite knowledge, but don't you think all those weapons would make Flippy flip?" Petunia asked.
"Flippy can control himself better this time," Sniffles replied. "Flaky is there to help him. Besides, what if he killed a couple of the staff and the customers? It's expected, and it's covered in the insurance. Lumpy already caused the death of several of the museum workers through his carelessness, but the work still goes forward."
"But would he accept?" asked Petunia.
"That's the big question mark," Sniffles responded. "Do you think I should call Flippy and ask him myself?"
"Silly Sniffles! You're too focused on your experiments and your work that you don't know what's happening around you!" Petunia playfully chided. "He's in a date with Flaky! In fact, he's double dating with Cuddles and Giggles."
"Oh I see," Sniffles replied. "Oh never mind. Let Lumpy take care of that problem!"
"So why don't you go out on a date?" asked Petunia with a barely disguised hint.
"Oh please! Flaky is taken and Giggles has Cuddles. And it's a waste of time! I have so much work to do! I can't afford to goof off! In fact, if it weren't for you, I've would have been behind schedule!"
"What if I find you a girl?" asked Petunia. "Will you agree then?"
"No thanks. If I did decide to go on a date, I would like it to be that I'd choose and court her myself," Sniffles replied. "I really don't like it if someone would be setting me up with anybody they fancy. I'll start dating if and only if I deem myself ready, and not a second sooner. And right now, I'm not. I'm just too busy."
Petunia sighed. This was his reply every time she suggested anything even vaguely romantic to Sniffles. Still she was patient, and she could wait. Her one consolation is that she has no rival for his affections, and with his attitude, she won't have one. It would take a long time for Petunia to make Sniffles see things her way, but it would be worth it.
The talk had drifted back to the museum when the doorbell rang.
"Could you please—"
"Yes, I'll see who it is," Petunia cut him off. The skunk quickly went to the front door.
It was Flaky, who was looking more nervous and fearful than usual. She was sweating profusely, and seems none too comfortable. "Flaky?"
"Hi Petunia," Flaky waved. "Um, what are you doing in Sniffles' house?"
Petunia blushed. "Don't you remember, I'm Sniffles lab assistant, and I'm also helping with the museum. Come in! I thought you were in a date with Flippy. Let me guess, he flipped out, didn't he? And you want to crash in while waiting for him to come to. Come in! I'll fix you up a cup of coffee and—"
"I-I-I-I n-n-n-n-need to talk to you, privately," Flaky stuttered, her eyes looking left and right, and she couldn't look at Petunia's eyes. "Please follow me," she directed.
Flaky began backing up, as Petunia followed her. Flaky stopped at the side of the road, but within the hearing range of Sniffles house. That's when Petunia noticed Flippy's jeep beside the road. "Flaky, what's going on?"
Flaky suddenly burst into tears. "Oh I'm so sorry, Petunia! Please forgive me!"
Before the skunk could reply, her chest was suddenly impaled, and she saw in horror a green hand holding her beating heart in front of her. She screamed as loud as she could. Flippy then withdrew his hand from her body as he watched her slump to the ground. He took a bite of her heart, before tossing it to Flaky.
Flaky screamed as she tossed the bitten heart away. She cried as she saw Petunia's lifeless and heartless body on the ground lying on the pool of her own blood. But she mostly cried over her own role in the murder. She turned, unable to look at the carnage, and cried her heart out.
"That scream ought to draw Sniffles out!" Evil Flippy chuckled at he disappeared into the darkness.
Sniffles quickly ran out when he heard the scream. He was shocked when he saw that Petunia was dead and Flaky was crying besides her. But he was not surprised that it happened. Such things, after all, were far too common in this town. He wondered what had caused it this time as he ran towards Flaky and Petunia, and whether he would be dead before the night is out.
"Not again! What happened?" Sniffles asked.
Flaky looked at him with eyes full of tears as a large heavy stick hit Sniffles' head. Sniffles fell to the ground in pain as Evil Flippy hit him repeatedly. His blood, then his skull, then his brains splattered all over Flippy and Flaky and the ground around them as it was struck perhaps a hundred times. Sniffles screamed for all he was worth—until death silenced him.
When Evil Flippy finished about a minute later, the various parts of Sniffles' head were scattered all over the place. "Hitting the anteater in the head was crude, but the screams of pain more than made up for it!"
Flaky fell on her knees, beat her fists to the ground, and sobbed as she never cried before.
Evil Flippy looked at Flaky. "Dry your tears. You know well enough that they'll be good as new tomorrow," he chided. "Isn't it exciting? Isn't it fun?"
"You're sick!" Flaky shouted.
"I know. Now you know what I meant when I said you'll do as I say, and if you sign the contract, you could never look at it any other way," Evil Flippy growled. "You were excellent, by the way. The way you looked pathetic and tearful—all drew them out, and they never knew what hit them! You are beginning to become more and more acceptable!"
In order to assuage her conscience, she began telling herself, "they'll be back, tomorrow!" over and over again, as she shivered at the memory of what she had just witnessed.
Was this the price she would pay in order to live in bliss with the good Flippy? That she would be an accomplice to murder?
"Let's go! I have something better planned for the evening!" Evil Flippy harshly barked, and Flaky meekly went to the jeep.
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Cuddles and Giggles were at the bus stop—the place where they were to meet Flippy and Flaky. They had arrived at least a half-hour ago, and they were done making out. Cuddles was wiping the kiss marks on his yellow cheeks when he looked at the time. "Whoa! We've been waiting here for half an hour! I wish they'd hurry up. I'm hungry, and it's getting late!"
Giggles was fixing her make-up. "I just hope Flippy didn't flip-out! Poor Flaky! To be stood up so many times by no fault of Flippy!"
"Yes, not to mention poor us! I couldn't anymore count the number of times we've been killed by that psychotic bear!" Cuddles replied as he began pacing back and forth under the light of the bus stop. "Still, at least we had a good time before we got killed. Oh I really love this town! Here, not even death could stop us! Death here is nothing really!"
"Stop talking about death like that! It's not fun, you know! That's why you keep getting killed!" Giggles scolded. "Flaky called and said she'd be late. I told her we'll be waiting for her no matter what."
"If Flippy did flip out, if we weren't killed first, then we'd be in for a long wait," Cuddles said as he lied on the bench, using Giggles' lap as a pillow. "Wake me up when they arrive."
Giggles simply laughed as she looked at Cuddles. He can so childish at times, yet she thought, so can she. They were adults, yet they still played hide and seek, had fun at the playground, conducted a school play, and went on field trips on school buses. Maybe it was because they looked like they were still children, even if their close circle of friends and acquaintances are either the late twenties, to the late teens. The oldest is Disco Bear, who's close to forty, next was Pop, who was 29, though he looks much older because of family tragedy, Lumpy, 28, and Flippy, about 26. The youngest is Cub, about two years of age. Next is Toothy, about 18.
Giggles was interrupted in her musings when she heard the distant motor of a jeep, and she knew that Flippy, and possibly Flaky, was coming. She looked on the road, and she could see two headlights coming their way. The jeep's outline was silhouetted across the starlit night horizon. "Hey sleepy head, wake up! They're here!"
Cuddles opened his eyes. "Already? But I was just getting some nice sleep! And I'm dreaming you're there!" He yawned as he stretched his arms and stood up. He jumped in front of the road and waved his arms.
"Cuddles! Stay out of the road! You might get hit!" Giggles shouted.
"Oh don't be like Flaky and be a scaredy-cat!" Cuddles said. "You haven't lived your life if you hadn't risked it! Besides, there are no other vehicles for miles around!"
The car headed for Cuddles at full speed. It slowed down as it approached the bus stop. For a few moments, it looked as if it might not be able to stop in time and would hit Cuddles.
"Cuddles, get out of there!" Giggles screamed.
"Don't worry! Unless Flippy's flipped, he'll stop just in time! If he flipped, we're dead anyway! Hey Flippy! What's up?" Cuddles shouted.
Giggles could only shake her head at the rabbit's reckless bravado, but the jeep stopped just a few feet in front of Cuddles. Flaky immediately popped from the side window. "Cuddles, are you okay?"
"Yes! Never been better!" Cuddles shouted as Flaky went out the jeep.
"Cuddles, look, I decided—" Flaky began, but was interrupted.
"Flaky! You've been crying all night!" Giggles interjected. "Are you okay?"
"She's never been better!" Cuddles heard Flippy say. But something was wrong. Flippy's voice was lower. He looked at the bear who was now outside and holding a rifle. His eyes were yellow, and his breathing ragged.
"He's flipped!" Cuddles shouted as Evil Flippy shot him. Cuddles winced as he saw a tranquilizer dart embed itself on his arm. He quickly removed it, but promptly collapsed.
Giggles screamed as she ran to Cuddles' car. She was about to start the engine when she heard the voice she most feared. "Going somewhere," he chuckled from behind. Giggles screamed, but was silenced when something hard hit her head.
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Flaky did not know what to do. The veteran did something unexpected. Evil Flippy had tied the two unconscious Tree Friends similarly—hands behind with rope, rope at the ankles, and mouths packed with cloth and sealed with duct tape. He picked them up, and dumped them at the back seat. Evil Flippy beckoned Flaky to get inside the jeep, and Flaky instantly obeyed.
"Why don't you just kill them?" Flaky asked, "Not that I wanted you to."
"Flippy promised a double date, and I won't renege on that promise!" Evil Flippy replied as both looked at the two sleeping forms. "But it would be a double date on my terms! And it isn't going to be pretty! Now, you know for sure what it means to be with Flippy, and to be with me! Are you going to sign the contract, or not?"
Flaky was uncertain. She really didn't want to harm her friends, yet the prospect of a happy and perfect life with good Flippy was such an enticing prospect that she could hardly doubt her choice. She wanted Flippy! She wanted to live with Flippy forever. And what she's doing now is not going to be permanent. No! They're going to be alive tomorrow! That, at least, would mitigate the damage she could cause while serving Evil Flippy. She would do no harm that's going to be permanent. And maybe she could at least moderate Evil Flippy's behavior if Evil Flippy would spend more time with her.
"Yes, I'll sign the contract," whispered Flaky, trembling as she signed the document.
"Excellent!" Evil Flippy said as he signed his name after Flaky signed hers. "I think a little celebration is in order."
Evil Flippy opened his bottle of water, and threw its contents at the faces of Cuddles and Giggles. Both of them came to and screamed when they saw Evil Flippy. The bear only chuckled as their gags silenced them. Both were fearful and nervous.
"Cuddles, Giggles, you're probably wondering why you're still alive," Evil Flippy began. "I won't tell you, but perhaps Flaky, after this day is over, might oblige you. Depending on how tonight will turn out, I might, or might not, kill you. Don't worry. If I decide to end your pathetic lives tonight, you two will be my last victims. So be on your best behavior and I might spare you."
Cuddles and Giggles can only look at each other and decipher what Evil Flippy's intentions were. It was too much of a surprise that it silenced them.
The psychotic bear turned to Flaky. "Now, let's make a list. Handy and Mole are already dead—they were killed at the construction site. Pop, Cub, and Russell died in their cars, and Sniffles and Petunia are gone. That's seven deaths already. Cuddles and Giggles of course are ours, so who's left?"
Flaky was unsure about how to answer the question.
"There's Splendid, but I'm homicidal, not suicidal, so he's out. Lumpy, Nutty, Toothy, Disco Bear, Mime, Shifty, Lifty, and Cro Marmot—about eight more to kill!" Evil Flippy proclaimed, rubbing his hands in barely concealed glee. "This would be so much fun, don't you agree Flaky?"
Notes:
SPOILER ALERT!
1) Since he was a pirate, I decided to use the following conventions for Russell's speech. (a) I always start his speech with 'Yarr' as it is the only thing he says in the cartoons. (b) You is converted to 'ye', yes to 'aye' and no to 'nay.' (c)All his tenses are present, and all his linking verbs (is, are, am) are converted to 'be'. (d) All words ending with a 'g' would have their 'g' replaced with a '. For example, sailing would be sailin'. Of course, there are others I might have forgot.
2) The chick phobia, is, as all of you know, from A to Zoo. I was originally going to make it as the weapon to force Flaky do Evil Flippy's bidding, but I decided it was too cheesy, and made it instead as something to illustrate the futility of her screams in snapping good Flippy back.
3) In Double Whammy, Flaky's scream apparently snapped Evil Flippy back. It was not, however, consistent, as she also screamed Keeping it Reel and didn't flip him back. However, I made it so, for the interest of the plot, that Flippy, after the battle in Double Whammy 2, would have stronger resistance to Evil Flippy when not flipped. Conversely, once he had flipped, Evil Flippy would develop greater resistance to the normal Flippy.
4) I was originally going make Flippy force Flaky help him in his murders, in exchange for mere non-interference with Flippy and Flaky's relationship. However, I decided to make it so that Flippy would offer something that Flaky genuinely desires, and it would be more of an agreement of equals. Why would Flippy do this? It'll be explained in future chapters.
5) The plot with Sniffles and Petunia, and that of Pop and Russell, are not simply to set up their deaths, but to foreshadow future plot elements. Their conversations, for example, may or may not have a dramatic effect in future chapters.
6) This story takes place after my earlier fiction New Troubles. It would be desirable, though not strictly required, that it be read first. However, the reader could easily follow the plot of this story without reading the first story.
7) Why did Flaky agree to set up Petunia even without signing the contract? Because of her timid nature, and her tendency to be easily pushed around by other stronger characters. Several times, Cuddles, like in Let it Slide, and Wrong Side of the Tracks, made her do things that she normally would not do, while in Snow Place to Go, the others volunteered Flaky to get the can of beans from the dead hands of Giggles because she's the least likely to refuse. If Evil Flippy, whom she is so afraid of, demands something for her, I don't think she can refuse, unless it's a matter of life and death. And she knows that the dead don't stay dead for long.
8) Petunia's death is like Giggles' death in Every Litter Bit Hurts.
Deadliving, thank you.
Light Through The Veins, oh I didn't see it. Thanks for the correction. I replaced chapter 1 with the correction you suggested.
It's more like evil Flippy finding out if he can stand Flaky. And Flippy will squeeze out every advantage that he could from the situation.
Thanks!
Laurentius Berry, thanks for the kind review.
Flipped Out Soldier, well, here it is! Thanks! It would probably very bloody.
To all my reviewers. Thanks you. I hope you liked this chaper.