I'm sorry that I've taken so long and apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I wanted to add more details but decided not to at the last minute. Trust me, the next chapter will be much more interesting, and Lord willing, I will post it very soon if you want to find out what happens next! I hope I've shown enough of Nero's manner so you can understand between the evasiveness how our favorite toys are being treated. The next chapter will be better!
Andy rushed into his bedroom when his chores were finished so he could play with his toys. In this adventure he made up, Nero the Great had joined forces with Evil Dr. Porkchop and were holding innocent citizens as hostages to lure Sheriff Woody so that they could kill him and take over the country. Their prisoners included Woody's sweetheart, Bo Peep (as always), Mitsy the Flying Princess (her role usually involved giving Woody and his team tips, handy tools, and medical attention when needed), Widow Potato Head, other small toys, Buzz's Magnificent Jet R.C., and worst of all, Jessie's faithful horse, Bullseye and Woody's trusty dinosaur Rex! The only friend they had left to assist the sheriff and his two deputies was Slinky. On top of a hill, Woody and Jessie pulled back on the dog as a sling-shot which boosted Buzz and sent him sailing through the air, shooting his laser at the prisoners' chains and the jail. Then he distracted Porkchop and Nero while Woody freed the prisoners and Jessie led them to safety. The two villains had Buzz pinned down, with Nero about to pierce his head through with the spear, when a tremendous roar (the biggest in the world) blew them away. Woody was riding Rex, then Buzz joined Jessie on Bullseye and they all ran after the crooks. They surrounded them and Woody lassoed them both with his pull-string, then they threw them in jail.
Andy's toys enjoyed the playtime. They surely wished real life was like that where the whole world didn't revolve around Nero, or at least he didn't try to make it that way. Woody, Buzz, and their friends looked forward to playtime with Andy more than they could remember before, for it was when they had a break from the impressive, big-headed intruder.
"Okay, sons!" Mrs. Potato Head called to the three aliens. "It's story time." The threesome group rushed up to their 'mommy'. "Which do you want to hear? Just Dog or another Hank the Cow Dog?"
"Wait." Nero spoke up as he appeared. "You mean those three weird creatures are your sons?"
"Yes, they are." Mrs. Potato Head answered. "Got a problem with that? We adopted them."
"That's the silliest thing I ever heard." Nero shook his head.
"Well, nobody asked you."
"Hmm. Rather oddball looking aren't they?"
"They are not!" The lady spud spat. "They're lovely."
"Well, I can say one thing, they sure don't get their outer space looks from someone as lovely as you." Nero said smoothly.
"Oh, well, thank you." Mrs. Potato Head smiled, stroking the back of her head.
"I guess they take after their so called dad, right?" Nero grinned. "After seeing them, even someone as ugly as him doesn't look so bad."
"How dare you!" Mrs. Potato Head fumed. "When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it! And I didn't ask! Who gave you the right to walk around and insult people? Don't you have anything better to do then be unkind? You get out of here! Go on. Git!" When Nero just stood there chuckling, Mrs. Potato Head shoved him, pushing him away. "And another thing: you can't talk that way about my family!" Then she turned back to her 'sons'. "Don't listen to him, dearies."
"He's an intruder." One of them said.
"From the outside." One of the others agreed.
"He has invaded the humble abode." The third said. And that was just one example of how things transpired between Andy's toys and their so called guest.
That night during Andy's dinner time was terrible for his toys up in his room. Nero made everyone more than annoyed, they were miserable. If he didn't brag, he was insulting. And he said things in such a haughty but sometimes half-true way that it stung. Jessie and Mitsy heard whimpering under the bed and peeked in. It was Rex. "What's wrong, pal?" Jessie asked.
"Why are you crying?" Mitsy echoed.
"I'm just no good," Rex cried. "I'm just a big, green, plastic, fraidy cat. Nobody needs me. I'm just a big sissy."
"Who told you off so rudely?" Jessie inquired.
"Nero. Nero the hero." Rex moaned.
"Oh, Rex," Mitsy sighed. "Don't listen to him. He's just trying to make you feel bad. He thinks everybody's beneath him. We all love you, Rex, no matter how scared you are."
"That's right," Jessie agreed. "You are a scaredy cat, Rex. But more than that, you're a good friend. You're kind, outgoing, and sensitive to others. Besides, 'courage isn't the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.'"
"Yes, Rex. Being brave isn't not being afraid, it's being afraid but doing something anyway."
"I just wish I could do something brave," Rex hung his head.
"But you have, Buddy," Jessie smiled. "Remember the time when Wheezy, the Potato Heads, alines, and Little People were left in the front yard, and that big, mean, stray dog came up to eat them? No one was around. You were petrified, but you ran towards the brute, screaming and roaring. You bumped into him and tripped him. He tried to grab whatever toy he could but you kept hitting and bopping him, then you ran to the trash can, knocking it over and banging on it, remember? Buster came out of the door barking and Andy followed him, hollering. The dog ran away and you fainted when it was over. But you helped save our friends. Do you remember that?"
"I didn't think that anyone remembered that," Rex said, surprised. "I forgot too!"
"You're a good dinosaur, Rex," Mitsy smiled. "You may not be the bravest or fiercest, but who cares? Because you are definitely the sweetest!" She patted his shoulder fondly. "We wouldn't trade you for the most terrifying dinosaur that ever lived. Jessie's right: you are a good friend. Even if you're timid, you're always around to help if your friends need it."
Rex smiled. "Oh, thanks for trying to cheer me up. I just can't bear all this belittling!" Rex exclaimed. "From Nero, I mean. Not you."
Nero was being mean to everybody, and they all gave him a piece of their minds (for all the good it did), except Rex and Wheezy. The wolf especially kept picking on Slinky by trying to convince him that he was just an old piece of junk and the poor dog's protests didn't make any difference. "What a wolf," Slinky muttered under his breath.
"Hey, Big Guy?" Mitsy walked up to Woody.
"Hey," Woody chided solemnly. He was pretty tired from the day's tension.
"M mm. Tough day, huh?" She smiled sympathetically.
"Oh," Woody sighed. "Tough isn't the word for it. Invaded would be more fitting."
"Yeah." The princess chuckled. "Have you seen Slinky?"
"No," Woody mumbled.
"Okay," then she signed with her fingers. Woody raised his eyebrows in question, not in the mood to play guessing games. "It means 'release the dogs of war. I'm tired out of my mind.'" Mitsy laughed, and Woody nodded in agreement. She walked away to find her pal.
Woody felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to see a welcome sight: Bo Peep. "Woody, honey," she said softly, "just take a good, deep breath." Woody stiffened, then exhaled a very heavy huff. "There, there," Bo smiled. "Now don't you feel better?"
"Eh, I don't know." Woody groaned. "Fox had to put up with this guy for two weeks, Bo! Two weeks! Can you imagine?! We've only been with him one day, and I'm already dreading tomorrow!"
"I know, Sweetheart. But you have a few consolations."
"Oh, yeah? Such as?"
"Well, at least he knows he's a toy. That eliminates several problems. He's only a visitor. It's not like he's Andy's new toy. And he'll be out of here the day after tomorrow."
"Mmmmm. Now that's something to look forward to!" Woody grinned widely.
"I agree," Buzz remarked as he appeared. "Nero seems to think that he's actually the great emperor himself! If he isn't abased soon, we're going to have to do something. I don't think he's learning much about leadership by observance."
"Yeah, I know," Woody agreed. "I sure hope that Fox and his crew are enjoying their vacation!"
"Pardon me, peasants," Nero, the dreaded voice said behind them, and they turned to face him. "What are you all doing? Thinking of a superb way to honor my presence tomorrow?"
You have GOT to be KIDDING! Woody thought, almost aloud. "Yes, we sure are," he said slyly. Boy, will we ever if he doesn't cut it out!
"There you are," Mitsy declared. Slinky was inside Andy's toy box, sitting in the corner looking forlorn. "What's wrong, little buddy?" She climbed down and sat next to him. "Do you want to try and play a game of Checkers?"
"Not tonight," the unhappy dog sighed. "There's no point if the emperor is going to criticize every move we make."
"Yeah." Mitsy agreed. "It would be a relief not to hear any more of that. I still can't believe that someone could be so full of himself that he couldn't see beyond the end of his nose! I've never met any toy like him. It's really just a bunch of selfish nonsense, but he has a way of making you feel inferior. But that doesn't mean you are!"
"You sure are right about him making us feel inferior." Slinky huffed as he wearily lay his head in the princess's lap. She rubbed his head and ears they way she always did when the dog was down in the dumps. Slinky closed his eyes, sadly but gratefully accepting the much needed massage. "I am pretty old, Mitsy. Nero is right about that." Slinky sighed. All of the belittling was causing Slinky to definitely be feeling his years.
"Listen here, you sad old hound dog," Mitsy said half-firmly and half-playfully. "We are all glad that you're with us. And Andy still plays with you. He loves you. Woody loves you, and...and," she pulled his face up with her small, plastic hands. "And I will always love you, even if no one else does. You're one of my best friends." And she fondly kissed the top of his head.
"We should probably climb out of here," Slinky started to smile, "before Andy comes back up. And you're very dear to me too, Princess."
"Aw, thanks pal." Mitsy smiled widely. "But don't go just yet. We've all had a long day, and you're overdue for one. I think I know just the thing to loosen you up after all the belittling you've taken today."
"What?" Slinky asked curiously. But Mitsy didn't answer, and rolled him onto his back, then started scratching his middle coils, causing him to chuckle and happily wave and kick his paws in the air.
"There. You see?" Mitsy grinned. "You're feeling better already."
Nero was finally silent during bedtime. He stood proudly in the moonlight in the middle of Andy's desk where Andy had set him for the night. Bo Peep and Mitsy talked into hours of the night in Molly's room about their visitor. The toys in the toy box had plenty of discussions too.
"...I'll toss him out the window!" Potato Head snorted.
"Shhh! He'll hear you." Mrs. Potato Head said.
"I don't care!"
"Don't forget what happened the last time that tactic was used," Robot teased, remembering the incident with Woody trying to sabotage Buzz.
"Don't change the subject." Potato Head huffed.
Those who were on display in Andy's room whispered together.
The real trouble hasn't even started!