A/N: Moogs, I am SO SORRY! I know I told you that this next chapter would be one you haven't read yet, but I had totally forgotten that I had broken this chapter into two parts :o

Disclaimer: Athough I DO NOT own the TMNT, Casey, the toves, the bandersnatch, the jabberwock, or any of the riddles, I DO OWN THE POEM "THE REAL JABBERWOCKY" PLEASE DO NOT COPY WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!!!


The two toves, Casey and Ennuyeux started out for the Fortress of the Enigma.

"After we get to the fortress, you'll have to be very careful. It will take a lot of convincing for the gate keepers to let you in. But after you're inside, you'll see a lot of strange things, so be prepared."

"Dude, my four best buds're giant mutant turtles, I'm walkin' around a place with talkin' corkscrews an' a blue dude. I don't think weirdness's goin' ta be a problem."

"Ok, just don't say I didn't warn you," the bandersnatch muttered.

After about an hour of walking, they reached an enormous, stone and metal structure.

"HALLOOOOOO?" Ennuyeux called out.

There was no answer.

"HALLOOOOOO?" he called again.

Still no answer.

Frustrated, Ennuyeux stretched his super-long neck up so that he could see over the battlements.

"There's no one on the grounds," he called down before dropping his head back to its normal height. "This is weird," said Ennuyeux, puzzled. "There's normally a regiment of troops stationed on the wall."

"What do you think happened to them?" asked Guts.

"I…well, uh…I have no idea," stammered the confused bandersnatch. "I guess we'll just have to open the Gate of Riddles."

"The what?" Casey didn't like the sound of that.

"It's the side door. It has a special password protection, so it won't open unless you can solve its riddles. It's a real pain in the brain," Ennuyeux explained.

"Well, let's get goin'. I ain't half bad at riddles," replied Casey.

Together they walked around the side of the fortress until they reached a small door in the wall. It was not a very imposing door, just made out of simple planks of wood. Ennuyeux knocked on it twice and said, "Open up, open up! Let four come in."

Suddenly, a face appeared on the door and spoke.
"You know that phrase is just no good,
Since I am made of wood.
I just can't let you come on in
By the hairs on my chinny-chin-chin.

So tell me, travelers one and three,
Just whom and what might you be?
And please don't say 'oh, it's me,'
'Cause I don't know you, can't you see?"

"See why I said this door was a pain?" the bandersnatch whispered to Casey. Then Ennuyeux announced, "I am a frumious bandersnatch, these two are slithy toves. The last of us is human, though what he is nobody knows."

"At least he didn't say you're a monkey," Blood whispered to Casey.

Then the door continued.

"OK, so you just might get in,
If my little game you win,
Want to give this a go
To see the answer if you know?"

"Sure, we'll give it a try," Ennuyeux replied.

Guts muttered under her breath, "or I think these rhymes will make me die!"

A huge grin crossed the door's wooden face.

"Oh, good, now rule number one,
Before you can get in.
You must answer my riddles three
If you want to win.

Rules three and two,
Here's what you do,
You miss one, the game stops.
Two guesses each:
The limit's reached,
And no more tries per pop.

Do I make myself clear
Or have I talked off your ear?"

Casey groaned. "Enough with the rhymes, already!" he exclaimed. "Just ask us the stupid riddle already!"

The door huffed, annoyed.

"You think my poem's annoying?
How dare you think such a thing!"

"Easy, human," Ennuyeux told Casey. "You don't want to get the door mad or it won't let us in."

"Couldn't we just bust it in?" Casey whispered back.

"No," explained the bandersnatch. "It's protected by a powerful magic. Nothing can break it."

Casey's face fell. "Aw, crud. I was hoping I'd get ta break somthin'."

All the others rolled their eyes.

"Just ask us the riddles, already," Blood said impatiently.

"All right, all right,
Riddle number one;
Think with all your might
And have some fun.

Thirty white horses
On a red hill.
First they chomp, then they stomp,
Then they hold still."

Casey laughed triumphantly. "I've got that 'ne since I was a kid back in school. It's teeth!"

The door's face lit up yellow, and then replied in a taunting voice:

"Correct, though that's no surprise,
Now for riddle two,
This one's much harder, realize,
Whatever shall you do?

It's the beginning of eternity,
The end of time and space.
The starting of everywhere,
And the end of every place.

Now before you roll your eyes,
Try to guess what am I?"

"Uh, uh…" Casey was at a loss.

"Fall back, we'll discus this, then be right back to you, Mr. Door," Guts suggested.

"A very sensible idea, sister," commented Blood.

The four travelers withdrew to a sort-of huddle.

"Any ideas?" Blood asked.

Ennuyeux was the first to answer. "I actually remember this riddle from my days in the training academy. It is really quite simple."

"Well, then what is it?" both the toves exclaimed impatiently.

"Yeah, dude, out wid it!"

"OK, here it is," Ennuyeux replied. "E."

"Huh?" Casey was confused.

"E," Ennuyeux repeated. "Eternity and everywhere both begin with the letter E. Time, space, and place all end with the letter E. Very simple."

"I thought space ended wid a C," Casey muttered under his breath.

Together, they turned back to the Door of Riddles.

"The answer is E," Ennuyeux announced.

Once again, the door's face glowed yellow.

"Very good, there's left now just one.
Get it right, and then you're done.
This last one is very small,
And, I promise, that is all.

Give me food and I will live;
Give me water, I will die
Tell me, friend, what am I?"

This time, even Ennuyeux did not know the answer, so they fell back again to discuss it.

"What could it be?" Blood wondered.

The bandersnatch shrugged. "This is a new one to me. I've never heard it before."

By now, evening was beginning to creep across Tulgey Wood.

"Well, we might as well get settled for the night." Ennuyeux dejectedly flopped down onto the ground. "Who wants to get food for the fire?"

Blood and Guts suddenly stared at each other excitedly. "We know the answer! We know the answer!" They danced around in a circle, chanting.

"What'cha waitin' for? Spill it!" Casey exclaimed impatiently.

"Ok, ok, here it is," Blood began eagerly. "You know how you have to get brush to 'feed' a fire?" Guts continued. "And use water to put the fire out?" interrupted Blood. "Well, that's the answer!" they finished together, triumphantly.

Casey and Ennuyeux glanced blankly at each other.

"What is?"

"Fire, of course," Guts announced with annoyance.

As if it had overheard them, the Door of Riddles' face once again lit up yellow.

"Correct, you've solved my riddles three.
So now, as we did agree,
I guess I'll have to let you in
And hope your battles you shall win."

The Door of Riddles opened up to reveal a long tunnel leading to the Fortress of Enigma's grounds. After a moment of walking, the tunnel opened up to reveal an enormous grassy area surrounding a massive, glass-like structure.

"Whoa!" an astonished Casey exclaimed.

"Oh, yes, I forgot to mention. The Fortress was designed to be bigger on the inside than it is on the outside," Ennuyeux explained.

As Casey was trying to figure this out, a loud roaring came from up near the top of the building, followed by a flash of light and more roaring.

"That roaring was Fred!" Blood exclaimed. "He must have gotten out of the Time Freeze!"

Panic showed in the bandersnatch's eyes. "He'll eat me for sure, now!"

"We won't let him eat you," Guts consoled Ennuyeux. "Let's just get in and get out before he can find you."

"Yes, yes, and maybe find out what happened to the warlocks," the flustered bandersnatch calmed himself.

As the fading sun was glinting on the glass of the fortress, the four adventurers hurried forwards towards the entrance. Together, Ennuyeux and Casey pulled the doors back, revealing another long passageway made entirely of stone. It was, however, wide enough to allow both of the toves, the bandersnatch, and Casey to walk through side by side.

"Be very careful. This hall is laden with booby traps," Ennuyeux announced softly.

Almost immediately, the ground fell out from under Blood and Guts and they fell into a deep pit.

"DUCK!" the bandersnatch yelled, puling on Casey's pants leg. Casey dropped to the floor. Less than a moment later, darts flew overhead and embedded themselves on the opposite wall. Casey rolled over, gasping. Little did he know that his arm hit another stone, making it sink slightly. Panting, Ennuyeux crawled over to the edge of the pit.

"Are you two alright?"

"Never better," was Gut's sarcastic reply.

Casey joined Ennuyeux at the edge. The pit was so deep that he was unable to even see either of the toves.

"There should be a small tunnel leading out of there and into a secret exit," the bandersnatch called down to the trapped Blood and Guts.

"Yeah, I see it," Blood called back up. "But it is too small for either of us to fit through!"

"Any ideas?" Guts called up.

"Uh, nope. I got nutin'," Casey called back.

"I don't know what to tell you," Ennuyeux added. "It's just the right size for bandersnatches. Of course, it also helps that some of us can shrink…" his voice trailed off.

"What'cha thinkin', dude?"

"About noses," responded the bandersnatch.

"How's a nose goin' ta help 'em out of dat pit? Can't ya think of somptin' useful?"

"It is useful," Ennuyeux argued.

"Well, just tell us already," Blood yelled. "I don't really like it down here!"

"Ok, ok, sheesh! Don't get your knickers in a twist!" the offended bandersnatch muttered under his breath. "Do you think you can gimble the edges of the opening to make it bigger? The actual passage is just behind it and is much larger."

They heard a grinding noise from below them. "Yeah, but it will take a little while," Blood called up.

"You guys go on ahead; we'll meet up with you once we're out."

"Ya sure 'bout that?" Casey yelled back.

"Why Mr. Jones, I thought you didn't like us very much," Guts teased.

"Well, I, uh…." Casey's face turned bright red. Luckily, or perhaps, unluckily, he did not have a chance to answer, as the ceiling was starting to slowly lower down to the floor.

Ennuyeux looked up. "RUN!"

He and Casey took off for the door on the far side of the passageway. To Casey's great surprise, the bandersnatch easily outran him and was at the door in a flash. Finally, he caught up and Ennuyeux pulled him through the door and into the next room. From behind them, they could hear the dull thud of the ceiling hitting the floor.

Casey pushed and pulled the door frantically, but vainly.

"What are you doing?"

Casey did not answer, just slumped up against the door and slid to the floor. "I can't git the stupid door open, an' the corkscrews're still in dere!"

"First of all," Ennuyeux started, "DUH! You couldn't get in there even if you were as tiny as a mome rath's twelfth split. Second, don't worry, they're in that pit, remember? The ceiling stops at the floor level. They're probably safer down there than we are up here. Now come on, we don't have time for this. The sooner we get this done and over with, the sooner you'll go back home and I won't be eaten."

Casey got back to his feet. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But I still don't like leaven' the two of dem back dere."

"They will be fine," Ennuyeux assured him. "Come on."

This room's long walls were covered in mirrors and other mirrors were placed strategically throughout so that every inch of the room could be seen regardless of where one stood. These were no ordinary mirrors, though. They were like the type you would find in an amusement park or carnival. Casey nervously followed Ennuyeux, while out of the corner of his eye watching himself become tall, thin, short, fat, and other much-distorted shapes.

"Uh, any more traps I'd need ta know 'bout, dude?"

The bandersnatch shook his head. "None. Usually, nothing can get through there unless it's a bandersnatch. All the traps are activated by stepping on booby-trapped tiles. We're just lucky that they didn't all go off."

"How come you can get through?"

"Bandersnatches don't actually walk on the ground. We float precisely two millimeters off the ground. That means we can't trigger any of the traps," explained Ennuyeux.

They continued on in silence for a few minutes until Ennuyeux stepped back behind one of the protruding mirrors, swinging it to reveal a cleverly hidden elevator door. As he pressed the up button, the mirrors surrounding the room began to leave the walls, floating around until settling in a maze behind them.

"Standard security procedure," Ennuyeux shrugged.

A bell dinged. Casey and Ennuyeux entered the elevator.

Soft music played in the background as the elevator shot up to the top floor. Ennuyeux rocked back and forth impatiently.

"You ready?" he asked, glancing over at Casey.

"You bet!" An excited twinkle was in Casey's eye as he pulled out and eagerly stroked his metal bat.

"Um, just so you know, human, no other creature is supposed to be in the upper rooms, so try to not make the warlocks angry or they will fry you."

Just then, the doors opened to reveal a smallish storage room. The walls were lined with shelves holding every sort of gadget and doodad Casey could imagine. However, the most interesting sight was in the middle of the room. There was a large, empty pedestal surrounded by twelve pairs of boots at regular intervals.

Ennuyeux swore.

"That's where the Jabberwock was," he said, pointing to the pedestal. "And those boots belong to the warlocks."

A small door off to the side had been torn off of its hinges and the opening was busted larger.

"Aw, man!" Casey complained. "I was hopen' for sum action!" He swung his bat around, almost knocking a shelf over.

"Easy. Let me just grab your part, then we'll find out what happened." Ennuyeux started searching the shelves for the right part.

Meanwhile, Casey was looking around the room. Suddenly, he heard a slight whimper from under the dislocated door. Ready for almost anything – or at least he thought he was – Casey pulled the door over. It was a lot heavier than it looked. Cowering where she had been hiding was a tiny, female bandersnatch. Everything about her, from her hair to her skin to her dress, was pure white.

"Please don't eat me!" she begged.

"What is it with you guys thinkin' I'm a'goin ta eat you?" Casey grumbled.

"Hey, Any You, this your girlfriend?"

Without turning around, the bandersnatch replied, "First, my name is Ennuyeux. Second, I don't have a girl friend. What are you talking about?"

Bawling, the girl stood up and ran to him, grabbing him as he turned around and refused to let go. Casey burst out laughing.

"Hey, let go, Selena! What happened?"

"It was terrible! Just terrible! All of a sudden, the warlocks all went poof and the Jabberwock woke up!"

"They just went poof?" Ennuyeux repeated incredulously.

She nodded her tearful head. "I was bringing them their afternoon bubble berry juice and suddenly, one after another they just disappeared with a poof! Then the Jabberwock yawned, jumped down, and chased me around the room until I threw the juice into its face! Then it ran out of the room screaming! Oh, Ennuyeux, I was so scared!"

"There, there," he consoled her. "Everything will be all right. Why don't you use the transporter and go to the safe house for a vacation. You need it."

"OK," Selena said hesitantly. "Are you coming too?"

"Not just yet," Ennuyeux smiled.

"We've got a Wokky ta clobber!" Casey hit his palm with his fist. A crazy grin crossed his face, although he wished that he still had his hockey mask.

Selena backed away a little. "Um…I'm going now. Are you sure you won't come with me right now and leave that big behemoth behind to fight the Jabberwock, Ennuyeux?"

Casey crossed his arms and scowled.

With as much bravado as he could muster, Ennuyeux replied, "And leave this goofball to have all the fun?"

"Just don't let him eat you, please?" she begged.

"Hey, it's me!"

"I know. That's why I'm worried." She pulled a green ring off of a nearby shelf. "Last chance!"

"Go, I'll be fine." She placed the ring on her tiny finger and disappeared with a flash.

With a smirk, Casey teased, "Don't have a girl friend, huh?"

Ennuyeux gave Casey a withering look. "That was my sister, goofball."

"Oh, uh…well…" Casey stammered, embarrassed. "Let's go find that Wokky"

"Just let me get something to fix your transporter." Ennuyeux grabbed a small wire off of another shelf. "Before we go on, I really should fix this…"

But Casey had already gone out the broken door frame after the Jabberwock. Ennuyeux sighed and chased after him. Casey ran through two more rooms before coming to an enormous atrium filled with all sorts of colorful, exotic plants. Finally, Ennuyeux caught up to him. The bandersnatch stayed in the doorway as Casey was searching around the planters.

"Find anything?" Ennuyeux called.

When Casey turned around to answer, his jaw dropped. Creeping up behind the bandersnatch was a Jabberwock twice the size of the imitation one that Ennuyeux had used, and it was ready to pounce.

"DUCK!" Casey yelled, pointing at the Jabberwock.

Instantly, Ennuyeux dropped to the floor just as the enormous beast leapt over him. He skidded along the pale, slippery floor tiles as it tried to stop and turn for another pounce. Then, with a bang, he crashed against a large Tumtum tree, rupturing a sprinkler. Casey ran towards it. The Jabberwock picked himself up, its silvery scales glistening as water from the sprinkler sprayed upon it.

"GOOOONNNNNGGGGAAAAALLLLLAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Casey charged, his bat raised high in the air.

With little effort, the Jabberwock grabbed Casey around the middle, lifting him up off the ground. Casey whacked the Jabberwock's arm with all his might, but to no avail. The Jabberwock merely growled and threw Casey forwards. Right before Casey hit the floor, a green stasis field surrounded him and lifted him back up to the Jabberwock's eye level. Out of the corner of his eye, Casey could see the Jabberwock lift his other arm out towards the bandersnatch. To Casey's dismay, Ennuyeux was also surrounded by a green stasis field and was floating up to the Jabberwock. Though they tried with all their might, neither Casey nor Ennuyeux could move. They were caught.

Hovering only about a foot away from the sharp, razor-like teeth of the Jabberwock, Casey braced himself for the worst. He was shocked when the beast began speaking.

"Why do you humans and bandersnatches always attack us Jabberwocks?"

Its voice came out in a deep – though almost sad – rumble.

"We have never done anything to you, but yet you persecute us endlessly."

"You eat us and you attack humans!" Ennuyeux managed to grunt out through clenched teeth.

The Jabberwock only looked at him sadly. "First of all," it answered. "No self respecting Jabberwock would ever eat a bandersnatch, or any other living thing. We're vegetarians. Sadly, we're always being confused for snarks. They are the vicious, bandersnatch-eating ones. And about the humans? Well," the Jabberwock sighed, "They never quite got their facts right. That actually happened to my grandfather when I was quite young. Let me tell you what really happened:

"''Twas brillig and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wade;"
Or so did the story go
Upon that fateful day.
The jubjub birds were in a mood
–Attacking everyone they met.
The bandersnatch was being rude
And stole four voices a' fore sunset.
The Jabberwock was feeling shy;
Its jaws refused to bite
And it couldn't get its claws to catch
Though he tried with all his might.
Then to make all matters worse,
A beamish lad did come along
Swinging 'round his vorpal sword
And breaking out in tuneless song.
The Jabberwock, it tried to flee,
To far away from song so rank
But song so bad, it filled his ears
And wouldn't let him think.
So turning back gainst better thought
The Jabberwock attacked.
Bright tears shone in his eyes
And spikes rose from his back.
The noisy lad did stop and gasp
At such a fearful sight
As a Jabberwock driven to tears
Attacked with all his might.
So closing his eyes real tight,
The lad did blindly swing his sword
Hoping gainst luck that he could win
And not be Wokky gored.
Suddenly, silence filled the air;
The lad allowed himself to peak.
The sight that filled his eyes took
Away his will to speak.
Before the boy, upon the ground
– To his utmost shock –
Lying there without its head
Was the former Jabberwock.
Pride glistened in his eyes
As he lifted up the head
Perfect would this present be
And back to home he sped.
Kneeling to his father,
The boy held forth his prize.
As his father looked upon the corpse
Horror filled his eyes.
"My son, oh, what have you done?
Know not you what you hold?
Endangered, is the Jabberwock!"
So did the father scold.
"But my father," the boy cried,
"It attacked me without reason.
I did not know, it's really true,
And that nothing to sneeze on!"
Hurrying back to where he left
The Jabberwocky's body,
He knelt beside the lifeless corpse;
His nose becoming snotty.
Finally he could wait no more,
And the tears began to flow.
He put the head down and cried
"How was I supposed to know?"
Standing up, drying his tears,
The boy picked up a shovel
And began to dig the creature's grave
Among the tiny gravel.
Soon the awful deed was done
With no one else to know
About the Jabberwock who died
So home the lad did go.
The jubjub birds were flying high,
The toves were eating cheese.
And the bandersnatch and borogoves
Were slinking 'midst the trees."

The Jabberwock sighed again; a tear appeared at the corner of his eye.

"I came along at the exact moment that my grandfather's head was chopped off. I stayed hidden in the bushes because I was afraid of that boy. However, I did follow him to find out what had happened. He even went whistling back to his father. I have never heard such an awful din as that was."

The Jabberwock shock his head quickly, composing himself. "But I digress. Now, what should I do with you, little warlock and strange warrior? Wait…" he sniffed Ennuyeux. "You aren't a warlock, are you? You don't even have a magical aura."

The Jabberwock dropped both arms and instantly Casey and Ennuyeux fell down on the floor with a thud.

"Sorry about that misunderstanding. I just knew that if you were a warlock, you would not hesitate to use your magic to try to destroy me."

"That's fine," Ennuyeux replied, rubbing his head. "It seems like there's been several misunderstandings around here."

The Jabberwock nodded his enormous head graciously.

Casey scrambled to his feet. "Wait! Ya mean there's no bashin' after all? Man! Whata rip!"

"Just one question," Ennuyeux said, his brow furrowed. "How did you get away from the warlocks and where did they go?"

But before the Jabberwock could answer, the floor beneath them began to rumble and crack. Suddenly, over near the door, a large hole opened up and another, smaller Jabberwock jumped up through it. Much to Casey's delight, Blood and Guts followed it up through the opening.

"DADDY!" the small Jabberwock cried, running over to them.

"Hi, Fred! Hi, Mr. Jones! Hi, Ennuyeux! We knew we'd find you!" Blood and Gut's both said at the same time.

The little Jabberwock embraced her father tightly. "I'm SO GLAD my spell worked, Daddy. I missed you so much," Fred's daughter babbled.

Her father patted her gently on the head. "And what did you do?"

"I sent all of those mean ol' warlocks to fourth-earth."

Ennuyeux gave a sigh of relief.

"At least that's just one dimension away. They should be safe there."

"Oh, how rude of me," Fred suddenly exclaimed. "Let me introduce my daughter, Bethany. She's been studying magic with the Plevels of the Garden of Labyrinth. By the way, honey, how did you meet up with my old friends, the toves?"

Bethany shrugged. "They just ran into me."

"We had just finished gimbling out of that pitfall trap and into the secret corridor," Guts explained. "That tunnel has a lot of twists and turns," Blood added. "We were coming around one from one side and Bethany was coming around from the other. We didn't see each other and crashed into each other as we turned the corner." "Then we decided that it would be much faster if we went together to look for the three of you."

"And now we found you!" Bethany kept holding on to her father, almost seeming to purr like a kitten. "Ah, but we can't stay here much longer, my darling," the large Jabberwock said tiredly. "The warlocks will be back any moment after they've regained their strength. They would not hesitate to harm you."

"Maybe I can help with that," Ennuyeux piped up. "I can get you both out of the Fortress and into the Forest through secret passageways. But after that, it will be up to you."

"Wait just one flippin' second," Casey interrupted. "We came all this way ta get here an' now we're just leaven' just like that?"

"I have the right part for your transporter," Ennuyeux reminded him, holding out the string-like piece. "It really doesn't matter where we fix it, now."

"Well, OK," Casey muttered, still not happy about the situation.

Ennuyeux led them back down through the secret passageways and out into the courtyard surrounding the Fortress of Enigma. They encountered no problems with the Door of Riddles as they left, although the Door did call out after them, but it was seemingly unintelligible.

"When you leave, it talks to you backwards," Ennuyeux explained briefly.

The bandersnatch appeared nervous as they continued farther into the forest until the Fortress was out of sight. The stars were now wheeling in their courses as they all reached the glade where Ennuyeux had first tried to attack them with his machine. It was time for good byes.

"Thank you, friend bandersnatch," Fred exclaimed warmly, gently shaking Ennuyeux's hand. "And good bye, strange human," he nodded to Casey.

"See you soon!" The two toves waved as the two Jabberwocks, Fred and Bethany, faded into the trees.

"OK, let me fix this thing," Ennuyeux sighed, sitting down.

Casey sat down against a nearby tree and was soon fast asleep.

--------------------

Perhaps an hour later, he awoke to find that Blood and Guts had both curled up next to him. Ennuyeux was just closing up the outer covering of the transporter. After a moment, the two toves stirred and also awoke.

"It's finished," the bandersnatch announced softly.

"Great!" Casey jumped up.

"There's just one thing…" Ennuyeux muttered nervously.

"What?" Casey asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Would you take me with you?"

The question surprised Casey. "Why dude? Looks ta me like you've got a pretty sweet gig goin' on here. Whatcha wanna leave it fer?"

"I don't think the warlock council would agree with you there," Ennuyeux said with a sad smile. "I'm a criminal now. I've committed several capital offenses. I abandoned my post, allowed a strange being into the Fortress's most secret and inner chambers, and consorted with and released our most dreaded enemies, the Jabberwocks. The punishment for any one of these is," he gulped, "the removal of one's head."

"You did all that for us?" Guts asked in awe. "Why?"

"It was the right thing to do," Ennuyeux hung his head. "But I doubt that the council would see it like that."

Even Casey was not untouched by this revelation. And so, he squatted down next to the distraught bandersnatch.

"Ya know, man, you're a cool dude. If ya wanna come, you can. I'll introduce you to the guys, Master Splinter, and my main girl April. They'll know what ta do better than anyone else."

"You mean it?" Hope filled Ennuyeux's eyes.

"Yeah," Casey grinned sheepishly.

All this emotion was making him uncomfortable. "Now," he said, straightening himself up, "let's see if that doohickey works now."

Immediately, Blood and Guts were on them, hugging them both tightly. "We'll miss you!" they wailed.

"Come back someday, OK?"

Casey and Ennuyeux waved, and with a push of a button, they disappeared into a flash of light.