He was going to lay down and recline, using his hump as an impromptu beanbag, and read the journal for a bit – when he heard a ruckus outside. A few loud snarls and the screaming of frightened piñatas.
He immediately placed the journal aside and sprang up, running towards the door and opening it just a crack, which he peeked through.
It was a downright disaster. Distraught piñatas were running everywhere and when he took a step outside, Ella Elephanilla ran over to him and tripped, landing on the unfortunate hedgehog-like piñata.
"…Wait, what am I running from again?" she asked herself and stood up, casually trotting away – but then she saw the thing she was supposed to be running from, gave a shriek and stumbled over Fergy yet again. The squashed Fudgehog angrily yelled something after her, but it went unheard. When he shook his head and looked to the central area of his neighbourhood, he saw a fierce, red-and-black coloured beast ploughing through the gardens like a bulldozer. He immediately recognized it as a sour – but not the Limeocerous from a few days ago. This one had a long snout, snaggly teeth, and twin tails that were poofy… poofy and–…
Fergy recognized him, even if it took him a while. That monster there was Paulie – albeit a primitive, aggressive version of the same Pretztail. He ploughed forth, coughing up those terrible sour candies as he did. Meanwhile, Fergy's jaw dropped at the sight.
When he saw the beast ram against a tree in an attempt to topple it over, he pulled a stick that was normally used to keep flowers straight from his garden, and held it before him like a sword – though it appeared brave, his posture told otherwise. Shaking knees and chattering teeth, accompanied by shifty, uncertain eye movements implied that he definitely wasn't enjoying this at all.
No. He realized something – if this really was Paulie, he would recognize his old friend. Fergy knew this. There was nothing to be afraid of – behind all those razor-sharp teeth and that pungent sour odour was still his friend. Behind those really sharp and frightening murderer's teeth…
This wasn't gonna work. He began wailing in fright, out of merely not knowing what to think or do, when the monster saw him. It came towards him with loud, heavy steps, growling menacingly.
"Paulie… I know you're in there! I'm not afraid! I'm not afraid of you!" Fergy yelped, but it didn't sound very convincing. His voice gave out and changed into a repetitive whine as he spoke. "You're my pal! Don't do this to me-hee-hee-hee!"
The monstrous Pretztail snarled, advancing towards the brave, small Fudgehog, driving him against a wall. It snapped, but missed – he was able to hold him off with the stick he had fetched. Poking it into the sour Pretztail's chest, he swallowed hard and looked it into the eyes.
His frightful expression changed – it changed into a brave one. A sure, certain frown. It had no effect. The monster lunged and snapped at him again, chomping only air. He was being held off with that measly stick.
"You… don't scare me!" Fergy piped. "You're my friend!"
No response. At least, no intelligible response – the sour Pretztail merely snapped again, and again, and again… but no bite ever hit.
While Fergy was doing all that was within his power to hold this monstrous version of what was once his friend off, his other friends came hurrying to offer eventual help. Hudson Horstachio, Franklin Fizzlybear, Ella Elephanilla, Tina and Teddington Twingersnap, even Les Galagoogoo.
"Dude, is that Paulie? What's happened to him?" Franklin asked.
"Who's Paulie?" That was Ella, obviously.
"Dear heavens, Fergy! You know I'm late for my manicure! What are you –…"
"Oh, will you shut up already, you bloody show Ponocky!" the distressed Fudgehog yelped.
Hudson frowned. "Show Ponocky? That's not very nice…"
Les squeaked something unintelligible while he pointed at Fergy.
"What's that? Oh! Hey, guys! I think Fergy here could use some help overpowering this beast!" Hudson suggested. Les face-palmed.
"You're holding a stick, Fergy! Use it!" Tina yelled.
Oddly enough, the monster didn't seem to react to everyone gathering around them. It was as if he had only eyes for that frightened Fudgehog.
"No," Fergy said resolutely. Tears prickled into his eyes. Because behind those green slits that were its eyes, and that frightening red shade of its paper, he still saw Paulie, his friend – the other half of the party crashers, as they so often called themselves. Though he was the only one who recognized him. "I… I can't do this..."
It took him much longer than he thought it did, holding off the sour version of what was once his best friend, but it was becoming increasingly tougher as time went on. Too tough. Too tough…
He was almost about to face his defeat gracefully, when he remembered something, something very important.
"The journal!"
His friends looked at each other with puzzled expressions.
"Guys! There's a journal on my bed – get that thing and look for an article on sour Pretztails!"
The gang of paper animals looked at each other and nodded in agreement, hurrying inside and carrying the book outside together. Hudson and Franklin held the book while Tina flipped through the pages – Teddy summed up the contents he saw. "Polollybear, Ponocky… Ah! Pretztail!" he said, and began reading through the page. "Yadda, yadda… appear requirements, romance requirements… ah, there's the sour… appear, tame, tame, where's to tame it… ah!"
Everyone held their breaths. But as soon as they read the requirements, their hearts sank and they looked at Fergy with an almost apologetic expression.
"What?"
Tina held up the book in a way so that Fergy could see it as well, and he almost dropped his stick when he read what was written there. His face turned pale and he looked even more frightened than he did before.
Resident requirements: has eaten one Fudgehog.
