Billy's POV:

If I'm being completely honest, I have no idea what I'm doing. And that scares me. More than Grim running off with Eris. More than dealing with the new babbling 'Mandy.' More than that one time I walked in on my Mom coating my Dad with peanut butter. Ugh!

I continue to walk along the street as a cooing sound much like one a baby might make comes from beside me. I glance over at 'Mandy' who is skipping and giggling. A monarch butterfly flies close to her face and she shouts in glee, suddenly sprinting after it. I cover my ears and moan. Then inwardly cringe in guilt. How many times has she put up with my 'stupidity' and I feel like I can barely handle this. I catch up with her in a few easy strides, I'd grown quite a bit since we were kids while she stayed small.

I grab her hand and gently slow her down so Irwin can catch up. Once he does, I realize that he doesn't seem to be paying attention to the doom and gloom of our situation. Normally, he'd be a mess at a time like this. He must think I have a plan. Great, now I feel even more guilty!

Over the horizon, I can see a giant structure that just screams 'CHAOS!' It has multiple spires of black and purple and green. The whole thing is slowly being shrouded by a dark and ominous cloud. I have to think up a plan now if I want to save the world from the evil that is chaos and death combined.

I stare at 'Mandy' woefully, what would you do? I want so badly to ask her. More than anything, I want the old Mandy to suddenly appear and take over this mission of doom. I know she won't, can't though. For once, the fate of the world is my responsibility. I don't know if I can do it, the weight seems to great for me to bare. How did you do it Mandy? You always found a way… admittedly she did have help. (Not usually mine). Looking back, I realize that Mandy usually involved more people (or creatures) for her plans to work. Of course, most of the time she'd have to manipulate (sucker-punch, blackmail, whatever works) to get others to stand and fight beside her. I'm not like that, I could never hurt a fly (purposely). But I am smart, maybe I could do some outside the box thinking and create an army my way...it's worth a shot. The only question now is who do I recruit?

As we continue our trek down the road, I notice a gleam from the corner of my eye. The low muttering of a man's voice comes from nearby. It is the familiar mad muttering of an old friend of Grim's that I recognize all too easily.

"Hotshot. Who does he think he is? We were going to take over the world together and then...stupid Goddess of Chaos. How dare she mess with my babies!"

I spare a quick glance at Irwin who looks annoyed but he nods, gesturing toward the low wall of hedges beside us. The closer, I creep to the bushes, the more I can see of a gleaming bald head.

The bent figure of General Reginald Skarr comes into view and I can see him trying his best to cut down a group of unruly weeds. The tips of which, have grown heads with gleaming, yellow eyes and tiny pricker-like teeth. I watch for a moment as the retired war general battles it out with some puny plants. It's actually kind of funny and if I were still playing dumb, I would yell as loud as possible to get a reaction that would ultimately get him hurt. I can picture it in my mind's eye, heh!

Instead, I take a deep breath. I open my mouth to start up a conversation but it appears as though the weeds had heard my intake of breath. With a screech, the little creatures lifted their roots and jumped at the man before me. Skarr yelped and jumped back, instinctively grabbing at his face to confront the plants. I have to keep a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing at the scene before me. If I want his help, I should concentrate on not being a troll for once.

I race forward to help. The weeds sense my interference and the next thing I know I have a bunch of the annoying little things all over me. Tiny pricks of pain lace through my body as the sharp thorn-teeth pierce my skin.

"Yow!" I cry out, "Knock it off!"

Of course, the creepy little plants don't listen. They continue to bite and prick. I can hear the general yelling obscenities (and it seems like not all of them are directed at the plants) and a babbling sound. It only takes me a second to recognize it. Oh no, Mandy! My instincts tell me to deal with the plants first, but all I can think of is saving the empty shell that was my best friend.

As I attempt to swat the weeds away, I hear 'Mandy' scream as if in pain and Irwin yell something. Then the weeds seem to swallow me whole.

'Mandy's' POV: Earlier:

The flying thing is pretty.

It is orange, like friend Billy's hair.

Billy.

So nice.

So cute. I giggle.

He is cute...like really cute.

The flying thing is getting away.

I must catch!

I must give to Billy.

He like it, I know.

He like everything.

Chase, chase.

Thing is fast.

I am fast too.

I reach out a hand to grab it. The thing comes quietly.

I must hold on to it.

I give to Billy later.

Maybe as birthday gift-ee.

Billy comes now.

Holds my hand- hehe!

We walk.

I hold pretty thing.

I hold Billy's other hand.

We walk some more.

Hear grumblies.

Billy walks away.

Sad.

Why he leave?

Other boy grabs my hand.

Don't like other boy.

He smiles and I smile back.

Polite.

He is Billy's friend.

We wait for Billy.

Wait some more.

Can't wait anymore.

Billy?

I hear grumbles.

Near bushes.

I go.

Other boy yells at me.

I ignore.

See Billy and old man.

See weeds.

They are ugly.

They jump at old man.

He yells, goes down.

I giggle.

The plants jump at Billy.

I gasp.

Open hands to run.

The pretty thing flies away.

I cry.

Other boy hold me back.

Billy goes down.

I scream.

Plants screech.

They run.

I go to Billy.

Are you ok?

No response.

Don't die!

I love you….

A/N: I'm so sorry this chapter is kind of short but I literally had the first paragraph for like a month and couldn't decide who they should run into first...I know it's kind of lame but I really want to get this story right and I finally decided on Skarr. Again, I'm sorry I made you wait and I'm sorry for the shortness. I just figured you guys deserve something after waiting so long.