Chapter 4

"The Fall's Farewell Dinner Party: Part 2"

Well, things sure have gotten interesting. For the short period of time I have been in Gummi Glen, I have witnessed a toast gone sour and an elaborate appetizer collapse right before my eyes. But you know, I was enjoying myself just taking part in these activities. After letting out a laugh, Cubbi took two silver domes and banged them together causing everyone to get up and run around the table.

"Change Over!" he called and all the Gummies ran around the table crying "change over," over and over again. During this, Grammi and Zummi each pulled me and Sunni out of our seats and once the domes were banged together again, all of us sat down in new seats at the table. Something told me that Sunni had something to do with it, but it didn't seem that way.

"Why'd we do that, Sunni?" I asked, but all Sunni could do stammer her words, trying to figure out what was going on. Just then, we each heard Grammi dancing around with a spoon on her nose. To me, I found that more amusing than the pineapple flam bear.

"Excuse me, princess," said Tummi, diverting our attention away from Grammi. "Would you be so kind as to please pass-."

I was about to reach for a chicken drumstick when Tummi pulled something out of his formal shirt.

"Oh, never mind," he finished and with a small yell, he threw a fork out and it stuck on the drumstick, startling me and Sunni. Once the fork was attached, he pulled it in like a fish and brought it to his face.

"Moby Chick," he said, slurping his mouth as he began to dig into it. Gruffi came over next with what appeared to be a walnut in his hand.

"May I crack you a walnut, princess?" he asked and being how polite Gruffi was, I of course, accepted his invite.

"Why, thank you, Gruffi," I replied as he laid the walnut on the table. But, instead of cracking it like a normal walnut, Gruffi pulled out a large hammer and smashed the poor walnut to smithereens. I braced myself for the impact as bits and pieces of walnut went into my face and hair. Nevertheless, I found it to be just as amusing as the other stunts that the Gummies had pulled.

"Would you care for another?" Gruffi asked politely as he brushed off the hammer. But, although I was having a good time, I politely refused Gruffi's second offer. I looked over to Sunni who just sat there in silence and confusion of all the chaos that was happening around her. Apparently, Sunni was not having as much fun as I was. It was too bad Cavin wasn't here, I should have inviting him and it would have been as much fun with him here.

Speaking of Cavin, I looked over to see Cubbi bending over and clucking like a chicken. He made his way over to Zummi and produced to him two eggs before turning away, still clucking. The elder Gummi then made his way over to me with the eggs still in his hands.

"Nothing up my sleeves," he said, pulling his sleeve up for me to see. "Watch."

He then cracked an egg onto my tiara and a small white bird appeared, flying off and around the room. I was very amazed at what Zummi had did, being the magician that he was.

"Oh, bravo, bravo!" I cried, clapping my hands together.

"It's a Gummi tradition," he replied as I took the second egg from his hands and placed it on Sunni's head.

But, instead of cracking to reveal a bird, egg yolk fell down Sunni's face and while I found it amusing, I'd dare not laugh at my best friend, who was now very angry at what was happening around her. Swishing the egg off of her face, Sunni rose to her feet and stopped the tomfoolery that was going on around us.

"Stop!" she shouted and all of the Gummies stopped what they were doing. "What is going on here?!"

"Why, Sunni," said Grammi, balancing another spoon on her nose. "You want to do what the etiquette book says, don't you?"

"Well, yes," she replied, thinking that she did indeed want to follow what the etiquette book said. However, Gruffi said otherwise as we saw him balanced upside down on the table.

"And you did finish reading the book?" he asked and I looked over to see a look of nervousness on Sunni's face. It appeared to me that Sunni was so excited about impressing me that she did not finish reading the book.

"Uh, no not really," she said, shrugging her shoulders together in embarrassment.

"Good heavens," gasped Grammi as the spoon came off of her nose. The matriarch of the Gummies then dashed over to Sunni and whispered in her ear. "Then just follow us dear, we'll cover for you."

Sunni was unsure with what Grammi was saying, but knew that she had to trust with what Grammi was trying to get through to her. Just then, Gruffi, smiling evilly like Igthorn, hastily and swiftly left the dining room and headed towards the kitchen.

"Okay," she said nervously as Gruffi quickly ran back in from the kitchen holding with what appeared to be a bucket of pink liquid in his hands.

"Fine," he said as Grammi pulled away. "Then there is only tradition for us to fulfill: one only the hostess can accomplish."

Now, Sunni was beginning to get very excited about doing this one tradition that the Gummies wanted her to fulfill. I, too was looking forward to whatever the tradition that Sunni was told to fulfill. Being the Princess of Dunwyn, I had to fulfill many traditions so it was nice to see Sunni do something for a change.

"All right," she said excitedly, clasping her hands together. "I'll be happy to."

Gruffi smiled evilly as he placed the bucket in front of Sunni. At first, Sunni didn't know what was going to happen, but she was not prepared for what Zummi said next.

"It is the hostess' duty," he explained. "To dump this bucket of Gummiberry Sherbet over the head of her best friend."

Now Sunni was torn between a rock and a hard place. The thought of dumping a bucket of sherbet over my head was not something that she had in mind. However, I found it exciting, although it would ruin my gown.

"I can't do that," she said, her voice filled with shock and disbelief.

"You've got to," insisted Cubbi, standing on the table. "Its…"

"Gummi tradition," said the other Gummies as Sunni picked up the skirt of her long dark green dress and hesitantly climbed onto the table.

I was eager and ready to get myself covered in Gummiberry Sherbet, but I could not help but wonder if Sunni was…