Chapter 4: The Orange-Colored Monster

The Queen had decided to have a welcome party to host the arrival of the warrior bugs. We were all at the bench; Princess Atta was in the middle. I was on her right and Rosie, Francis, Slim and Heimlich were on my right. On Atta's left was the Queen; beside her were Gypsy, Manny, Tuck & Roll and Dim. Several ants were playing a large musical instrument. All the other ants were in the crowd. I was beating my hands in front of me in time to the music.

Suddenly it stopped. Everyone clapped. The Queen spoke up.

'And to make out official welcome complete; Mr. Soil!'

'Yes, your highness!' Mr. Soil stepped forward. The Queen said to Gypsy: 'He's our resident thespian. Last year he played the lead in Picnic!' She laughed briefly. Mr. Soil continued.

'The children-and myself-have quickly put together a little presentation in honour of our guests.' He clapped his hands and four kids stepped forwards, two of them holding a big, folded-up leaf. 'Dot, Reed, Daisy, Grub.' He stepped aside. Some of the warrior bugs remarked on the kids.

'Oh, aren't they adorable! Oh, they're cute!' I waved to Dot and she waved back. Grub stepped forwards.

'The South Tunnel, Elementary School, Second Grade Class, would like to present you with this –' Reed and Daisy unfolded the leaf, which had a painting on it '– a mural we have drawn of you bugs helping us fight the grasshoppers away.

The "mural" showed Dim chewing on one grasshopper, Francis sticking a sword through another, Slim chasing some away, and Rosie crushing one. Many grasshoppers lay dead, as did Heimlich. Rosie spoke up.

'Oh, look at the beautiful colors of the blood...' Dot gestured to Heimlich on the mirror.

'We drew one of you dying because out teacher said it would be more dramatic...'

I was pretty sure, of course, that when it came to the fight, none of the warrior bugs would die. Mr. Soil stepped forwards.

'I tell you a tale; of heroes so bold; who vanquished out grasshopper enemies of old!' He and the four children left the scene; one kid dressed as a leaf and two others were standing there.

The leaf kid fell backwards onto the ground.

'Look, the last leaf had fallen,' said one of the kids. Several other kids dressed up as grasshoppers rushed forwards.

'We are the grasshoppers! Where's out food?'

'Who will come to save us poor ants?' said the other ant. More ants rushed onstage, carrying fake warrior weaponry.

'We are the warriors, here to defend you!'

By the end, only one warrior kid was still standing. 'I die! Die, die!' He fell down and the crowd clapped briefly. Mr. Soil and the kids all bowed, saying "thank you." The Queen lent forward to Atta. 'Okay, honey; you're up.' Suddenly I had an idea. I quickly grabbed a spiral of grass and stuck a small stick through it. I crawled up to Atta, who was talking.

'We're all very, very grateful to have –' I passed the megaphone into her hands and she didn't even notice '– the warriors...' She stopped talking, looked down at the megaphone, then at me. I gave her a thumbs-up. She whispered 'Thanks,' somewhat sarcastically, then continued.

'First of all, I'd like to thank the warriors for helping us in our fight against the grasshoppers.' The crowd clapped briefly.

'Secondly, I would like to thank FLIK –' she turned towards me '– for his forthright thinking.' I grabbed the megaphone and stepped over the bench.

'Thank you, your highness. Oh, sure, I'd like to take credit for all of this, but, well that wouldn't be right, because it was YOU Princess Atta; you believed in me and you sent me on my quest. Now, I known that I've made a lot of mistakes in the past and I hope that this will make up...' Rosie tapped me on the shoulder, and I whispered back 'Not right now, Rosie; I'm making a speech.' I continued.

'Now, I truly believe that these bugs are the answer to our...' Rosie has just whispered to me asking if there was a circus around here. I whispered back 'No, there's no circus around here.' I held up the megaphone again. 'So, I... Huh?' I had only just realised what Rosie had said to me. I looked around at her, Slim, Francis, and Heimlich. Francis juggled a couple of small pebbles, and then the four of them all adopted a "Ta-Da" style pose.

The truth seemed to hit me at full speed from a good distance away. I didn't move for a moment. Then, I realized that I had to talk with the nine of them privately to find out if this was true.

I dropped the megaphone and ran over to Atta, knocking several things over. I wrung her hand while speaking.

'Your highness! The warriors have called for a secret meeting for circus, um circumventing the oncoming hoard, so they can trapeze, trap them with ease...'

'Shouldn't I come too?' she asked.

'No!' I said. 'Sorry, classified in the D.M.C., gotta go A.S.A.P, you know, strictly B.Y.O.B. Bye!' I led the warriors through the crowd. 'Sorry, sorry that I've got to take the warriors away so early, but they have a lot to get done, with the battle looming and all, so, uh, please, everyone enjoy the party!'

I led the bugs through to a stalk covering. I looked back and called 'Thanks again; bye, bye bye.' Looking around, Dim was still here. I pushed on him. Just get in there! Go, go go!' He ran in. I looked around to check that no one was watching, and then I dove in too.

'Circus Bugs!' I cried out in protest. 'How can you be circus bugs?' They responded rudely. Francis spoke first.

'Hey, you never said anything about killing grasshoppers pal; you lied to us!'

'Yah!' said Heimlich in agreement.

'Are you kidding?' I replied in protest. 'Do you know what this is? This, my friends, is false advertising!'

'How dare you!' yelled Manny, stepping forward. 'You sir, are the characin of this scenario touting your wares as a talent scout; praying upon the hungry souls of hapless outies! Good day to you sir!'

He and the rest of them walked away. Tuck and roll came up and slapped me on each cheek, then rolled after the others. I stood still for a second and then I ran after them.

'Wait! No no! Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait, you can't go; you have got to help me. Give me some time; I'll come up with a plan!'

'Just go tell them ze truth!' said Heimlich.

They can't know the truth; the truth you see is bad. I will be branded with this mistake for the rest of my life!' As I was talking I moved in between them. 'My children's CHILDREN will walk down the street and people will point and say "Look! There goes the spawn of Flik, the loser!"' I was now next to Dim. Suddenly I had an idea. Reverse psychology might work.

Oh, you know, all right fine. OK, just go. But, if you could just do me a little favor before you leave –' I placed myself under one of Dim's feet '– if you could just SQUISH me; that would be great, because, uh, when they find out I'm as good as dead.'

I then heard a voice far off say 'Flik!' I knew who that voice was. I ran out back to where we had entered from the clearing.

'I really do think I should be part of this meeting. Flik!' I pulled aside one of the grass stalks and saw Princes Atta.

'Ah! Princess Atta! What a nice surprise...' I said nervously.

'Just what exactly is going on? I would like to speak with these so-called "warriors."

'You can't! I mean, they're in the middle of a top-secret meeting right now, and they really should not be disturbed... now.' I looked behind me. 'Right guys!'

The circus bugs were all marching away. I gasped and turned back to Atta. 'Could you... Could you... Could you excuse me please?' I let go of the stalk, turned around and ran after the circus bugs.

'Wait! Wait wait wait! Please, don't go!' By the time I had caught up with them they were taking off from the same location that I had left Ant Island to go find them. I jumped and held on to Slim's legs as Francis flew him over the ledge. 'You can't go! I'm desperate!'

'Really?' said Slim sarcastically looking down at me. 'I couldn't tell!'

They flew across the gap and lowered their altitude. I cried 'No!' but they didn't listen.

'Okay Flik; time to put you down now. Get him off me; he's cutting off the circulation to my foot!' Manny grabbed my legs and tried to pull me off Slim but I held on; I would not relinquish my last hope. Rosie called out to me.

'Put the stick down. Flik, I mean it now; drop the stick, drop it!' I them saw an orange feather, and a nest with several eggs. This was a bird's nest. 'Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!' I let go of Slim and ran the other way as fast as I could. 'Run!' I didn't dare look back, but after a few seconds, I heard a loud bird cry, and the other screaming yelling. Looking back, I saw them all running after me, with the bird right behind them! I kept running, but the bird changed course and went up towards a floating dandelion stalk in the air that Dot was clinging to! Eventually we all reached a rock and hid behind it. Looking over it with Manny and Slim, I saw the bird trying to peck through a crack in the riverbed. I could hear Dot yelling for help. I them realized that Francis must be with her, as he wasn't here.

Good heavens, they're in trouble!' cried Manny.

'Francis Francis Francis Francis!' stammered Slim over and over. Suddenly I had an idea. 'You guys; I've got an idea!'

I told them my plan: Slim would hold Heimlich as a distraction for the bird, and when it got near them they would jump into a crack. Gypsy would assist them. Meanwhile, me and Manny would ride Dim, to the crack, where Rosie would lower a net with Tuck and Roll in it, and rescue Francis and Dot. Slim and Heimlich prepared the distraction.

Yoo Hoo! Mr. Early bird! How about a nice tasty meal on a stick! Come catch the juicy, succulent...' the bird went for them, once it was past the rock that the rest of us were behind, I cried 'Let's go!' and Dim flew out towards the gap. When we got there, I climbed down into the net and gave Rosie a signal to lower it down. Tuck and Roll dragged Francis into the net, while I held Dot. 'It's going to be okay, Dot!'

We then started to fly back towards Ant Island. Suddenly, Francis came to. 'Wha... My leg! Whoa!' Suddenly he tipped the net and all of a sudden, tuck and Roll were holding onto the net and Francis' legs, while I held on to his antenna, holding Dot in my other hand. Francis yelled out as his antenna was stretched. 'Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!' Dim stooped, trying to keep balance. Glancing down as he kept flying I saw a black nothingness. Suddenly Dot yelled out 'Flik!' Looking behind, I saw that the bird was now coming for us! We approached the cliff edge and Tuck and Roll cried out 'Ah!' Up-a, up-a up-a up-a up-a up-a!' Looking forwards, I saw the cliff edge. Dim flew up, but the bird was getting closer. As we approached the thorny plants, the bird was an inch from me and Dot; I held in my legs and waited for the end.

Suddenly we were all through! Looking back I saw the bird trying to squeeze through. It put its feet on a thorny vine and yelled out in pain. It then flew off, yelling in pain! With it gone, we all breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly we heard noise. 'What is that?' said Rosie, glancing around. Manny spoke up. 'That, my friends, is the sound of applause!' Looking down at the clearing we saw all the ants applauding us!

We all went down there. Gypsy then flew in with Slim and Heimlich. The whole colony was applauding us; even the Queen, the council and (my stomach did two back-flips) Princess Atta! We all bowed in return to the cheering and applause. Francis looked very happy.

'Applause; I'm in heaven,' he said happily, 'Ah...'

Approximate Chapter Running Time: 00:35-00:43