Chapter 9

"Princess!" cried Blundig as she ran toward the two Fraggles who just mysteriously appeared in the Great Hole, as the bald Fraggles called it. She noticed the Princess tense up as she embraced them both. "Are you alright? How did that happen?"

Princess Gwenalot stood up and looked around. The Great Hall was filled with Fraggles with caps and there were even some Fraggles with hair here and there. A gentle snow drifted in from the hole in the cave ceiling. The cave reverberated with what sounded like a low moan among the mutterings of the crowd. She looked at Blundig with a sad surprise. "You really care about me?" she asked.

Blundig's jaw dropped. "Of course we do – we all do!" she replied, amazed such a question could come out of the Princess' mouth.

"But we saw you and Fishface," Princess Gwenlot countered, pointing at Fishface, who wore a solemn expression, "and we saw you both agree that you didn't want me to be leader anymore."

Blundig opened her mouth to reply, but Fishface stopped her, placing his hand on her shoulder. His expression didn't change. He stared intently at the newly arrived pair. "Fraggle leader not doing job. Job is --."

Princess Gwenalot shot up and pushed him away. "How dare you!" she screamed. "I'm risking my life to protect you Fraggles and no matter how hard I work, you always find something to complain about!"

"Princess," gasped Blundig and Sir Blunderbrain.

Fishface swallowed hard and eventually shook his head. Bowing slightly, he protested in monotone, "Job of leader to be there for Fraggles, not just protect them. We see Fraggle leader need help. I," he continued, pausing with disgust at what he was going to say, "only … want to … help Princess." He glanced briefly at Blundig, who nodded slightly and smiled. He glanced back at the Princess. "We have Legendary Rum-poop. Princess not read it. Blundig and Fishface read it."

"We're looking for ways to stop that monster," Blundig offered. A small yellow-green male Fraggle with a thick green robe with red trim and white floral patterns appeared, taking a thin collection of paper out from under his yellow-green cap. Blundig took them from him. "Thank you, No-Neck," she told him, making him smile sheepishly. She looked at the papers and frowned. "The Legendary Rum-poop says that the monster is indomitable."

"Huh?" asked Sir Blunderbrain.

Blundig glanced over at Fishface with a worried expression. He nodded and sighed. "Means monster can't be hurt," he grumbled.

"Well, how does one defeat the undefeatable?" asked Sir Blunderbrain.

"It doesn't say," Blundig responded thoughtfully.

"Some all-knowing book," Princess Gwenalot grumbled, glaring at Fishface, making him avoid eye contact briefly.

"The only answer is to lay down and kiss your tails good-bye," boomed the deep voice from the Crystal Cavern. The falling snow turned into a thick mist that swirled around the Great Hall. When it stopped and dissipated, flowing purple and green robes fluttered in the air, soon filled with a green-skinned being with an upturned nose and purple wispy hair. He played with his gold earrings a bit, laughing to himself, his beady black eyes sparkling. Now that he had materialized, his voice no longer reverberated. "You Fraggles are a bunch of Doozers, you know dat?" he asked. "All you care about is cleanin' your room and actin' wit' manners and pretendin' to act all cheerful when ya do it." He shuddered. "Life is wort' livin', folks. Dat's the honest truth."

Princess Gwenalot didn't hear the frightened screams of the other Fraggles. She didn't hear the bellowed orders of Fishface.

All she could do …

… was think of Crooner.