Episode 11: Temple of the Porcelain God

Omgods I had an awesome dream of Verge and Penn last night xD I'd feel bad if I had to say it all when I know it's not all about her, so I'll just say the brief version. Long story short, it had something to do with an exploding spider, a riddle, Verge not wanting to leave Penn to fall to his death, and a super emotional near-death hug. Oh, and a confession.

On with the story! Enjoy!

"So, Phyllis. Remind me why I had to call everyone here again?" Verge asked.

"Because!" the mechanic said. "There is something very important that need to show you children."

"What could possibly be so important that you had me call everyone to get here on a Sunday?"

"Top secret information that you do not need to know yet."

The fairy groaned as she transformed to human size and sat down in the cinema seat and rested her head in her hand. Phyllis had asked her to come over that afternoon, just so she could call her friends for a quick gathering. Sundays were the days where she would just have some time to herself in the daylight, flying around and making sure no one bothered her. But now, Phyllis had to interrupt that.

"Besides…why'd you ask me to get them?"

"Fairies fly. Flying makes travel easier."

Verge rolled her eyes. "Well, I did fly, but only bothered to leave them a note."

Sashi raised her eyebrow at the paper posted on her closet door. Meeting at Odyssey. 5pm –V

Boone took a bite of his meatloaf and his eyes widened. He reached into his mouth and found a piece of paper. Meeting at Odyssey. 5pm –V

Penn snored as he hugged his teddy bear, opened his eye, and looked to see something taped to his forehead. Meeting at Odyssey. 5pm –V

Phyllis shrugged. "Good enough."

Verge heard the door open up and her friends entered the cinema. "Verge?" Penn's voice called. "Vergie? Divergent?"

The fairy raised her hand up. "Over here." As her friends walked up to them, Penn raised an eyebrow.

"So, what's up? Haven't seen you all day. Thought you'd be flying."

"I was."

"Then…"

"I asked her to bring you." Phyllis dropped in on them and Boone yelped back. "Have a seat."

The three turned to Verge for an answer. She just boredly shrugged her shoulders. They took the seats beside her. (A/N: Just think of four seats beside each other rather than three)

"Enjoy the show," Phyllis called.

She pressed a button and suddenly a video popped onto the screen like some old film.

Everyone was falling off a cliff screaming. Verge was flying after her falling friends, trying to catch up to them. Penn and Boone took hold of each others' hands as they fell. Sashi found herself running across the wall. She quickly jumped to catch hold of a vine, stopping the fall. She caught Penn and Boone on the way. Verge was glad they still lived, but now she had to dust them quick.

For a giant, angry toilet was trying to eat them up.

"Verge, hurry it up!" Penn called. "Hang on, Sash! Or we're about to get the biggest swirlie in history!"

The clip paused and the quartet looked at each other curiously. They had no idea what was going on. Phyllis walked before them.

"Today, we are doing something different," she announced. "I am showing you mission you just completed, to teach you very important lesson."

"Oh, cool, yeah," Penn said quickly. "That sounds great. But, um, I have an important report due tomorrow, so…I gotta…yeah…"

Before he could leave, Phyllis appeared before him. "This report, she is about what?"

"Science! And Life. You know, Home Ec." Phyllis stared blankly. Penn groaned. "Fine. My Science Life Home Ec report can wait!"

Boone raised his hand. "Uh, Miss Phyllis? My mom is making her famous meatloaf tonight. It's made the cover of Beef World mag three times!"

"Your loaf of meat will wait," Phyllis said, jumping onto her platform and playing the film again. "We watch from start!"

The clip rolled again.

"Awesome," Verge grinned, staring at her jungle clothes. "I feel so protected from the dangers of nature."

"So you admit nature's dangerous?" Boone asked.

"Of course! I may love it, but I'm not stupid."

"Well, wouldn't want to say that in front of ya," Penn commented. "All righty, Sash! Check the Specs."

"Our mission is to return the Sacred Idol to the Temple by sundown or the jungle and everyone in it will be swallowed into the Earth."

"Let me see here," Penn said, checking his bag.

"Why do you have a purse?" Verge questioned.

"It's a man purse, Verge! Know the difference."

"So…you admit you use women's accessories."

"Man purse. It's a man purse."

"All right, all right. Whatever you say, Penny."

Penn rolled his eyes and took the Idol out of his "man" purse. "All right, Idol. Let's get down to business!"

"Looks like a roll of toilet paper," Boone chuckled. "Hope you actually don't get down to business!"

"I don't get it," Verge frowned. Boone blinked at her.

Sashi rolled her eyes. "Boone, please. It does not look like toilet paper."

The clip paused. Penn bolted up from his chair. "OK! Sashi was wrong. It did look like toilet paper. No need to punish all of us!"

"I will not be thrown under the bus!" Sashi shouted. "But I will be ride the bus home."

"Oh, Sashi's leaving? Well, ah, I'm gonna go off to my, ah…doctor's appointment. You know, with my doctor…medicine…guy."

Boone checked his watch. "And I could still make the meatloaf carving ceremony in time to sing the meatloaf anthem." He cleared his throat. "~Oh, say…~"

Verge looked up at Phyllis, who raised an eyebrow at her. "Hey, you interrupted my scheduled flying. I have nowhere else to be."

Phyllis rolled her eyes and pressed a button. "There is no escape!" A giant claw appeared and brought the three back to their seats. "Keep it up, and I make you watch seven-hours director's cut."

The clip rolled again.

"Let's forget about what the Idol looks like and continue on with our mission, huh?" Verge suggested as she transformed to human size and flew above them.

Penn put the Idol back in his bag. "Verge is right."

"You better close that properly, Zero."

"Relax, it should be fine! Anyway, go fly, Verge."

The fairy nodded and started to fly her way up into the top of the trees. From there, she could see everything perfectly. "The Temple is just up ahead! If we keep going north, we'll make it!"

"All right! Let's go!"

And so, they preceded their journey into the forest.

The heroes realized that there were many weird things in the jungle that weren't supposed to be there. "What's with all the pipes and gross bathtubs?" Penn questioned. "I guess they worship plumbing here or something?"

"Now, that can't be normal…" Verge mused.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of tires wheeling up to them. Everyone screamed and ran away. But a jungle buggy cornered them. The lights blinded them and Rippen popped out of it. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "Their Idol's a golden roll of toilet paper! I'll get top dollar for it on the bathroom-themed black market! Throw me the Idol! I throw you the whip!"

"Uh, why would I do that?" Penn asked.

"It's a quality whip! Trust me, you'll love this whip."

"I've seen better whips."

"OK, we'll see if you tasted better whips!"

"Are you sure that whip's long enough to reach them?" Larry asked.

"Larry."

"I'm just sayin', we could've gotten the sixteen-footer!"

Rippen snapped the whip, but it indeed wasn't long enough to even reach Penn. "Your whip doesn't even reach sixteen feet!" Penn gloated. "Run for it!"

As they escaped, Rippen glared and turned the buggy around.

The heroes came across a Plumber Bridge. It didn't look safe. But Rippen was on their tails. "Go!" Sashi shouted as they got on the bridge.

"Run run run run run run run!" Penn yelled.

"Doing the opposite!" Verge shouted, flying over him.

"Hang on!" Boone cried out. "It's hard to run in flip flops!"

"Boone!" Verge screamed out to him. "Again with the flip flops!"

"Excuse me for liking flip flops!"

Larry stepped onto the bridge, causing it to unravel and Boone to hang by his foot.

"It was Boone's fault," Sashi accused. "He should have worn shoes."

"That flip flops thing became a problem way back before too," Verge added.

"You know flip flops are my thang!" Boone protested. He turned and pointed at the back of his tank top, which said, "FLIP FLOPS ARE MY THANG"

"Back to show!" Phyllis shouted out.

Boone was still screaming as he dangled. Penn got one plumber and tied it to a vine. He flung it and it stuck to the rock. Penn swung, saved Boone, and landed on the other side atop each other. The Idol fell out of Penn's bag.

"Penn!" Boone scolded. "You didn't tie your man purse shut!" Penn deadpanned at him.

"Thanks for the delivery," Rippen said, picking the Idol up and getting back on the buggy. "I'd tip you, but I'm fresh out of small bills!"

"I've got some ones!" Larry piped up.

Rippen groaned. "Just drive, Larry!"

As they drove away, Verge flew over and landed to help the boys up. "Verge, you could've dusted Boone!" Penn cried out.

"If I dusted Boone, I couldn't be able to dust Sashi," the fairy smirked.

They turned back to the buggy to find the girl underneath it. She managed to take a screw out, causing Rippen's buggy to detach and fall off a cliff. The Idol fell out and Penn jumped for it.

"Yeah!" he cheered, tiny fist bumping a now-small Verge and putting the Idol back in his bag. "Now, onto the Temple, with no more unseen dangers!"

Oh, he was wrong. The moment he took a step, a brick on the floor sank in, causing a hole to open up and the heroes to fall in it.

"Penn's fault," Verge, Boone, and Sashi piped up. Penn frowned in embarrassment.

Everyone screamed as they fell. Verge was about to dust them, but they landed in a bathtub. It moved along the railroad tracks like some kind of bathroom roller coaster. Everyone was shouting, especially when Rippen and Larry were right behind them.

"We have company!" Boone shouted.

"I got this!" Verge conjured snow up to block Rippen's bathtub, but he rolled right through it. She tried vines, but he cut them away. She tried water, but that didn't seem to have any effect at all. The water only ended up splashing on them as they went through a loop.

"Really?" Penn shouted.

"Verge's fault, Verge's fault!" Penn cried out, pointing.

"At least I was trying to help." Verge said, slapping his head.

The quartet came across a split track and had to go through the second one. Rippen's bathtub went through the first. The heroes found them on the upper tracks later.

"Whee!" Larry cried out, but Rippen caught him.

"Hey, Penn! Think fast!"

Rippen threw Larry at his face, and the old man held on. "Should've tied your man purse shut!" he cried, taking the Idol out from it.

"Guys, look!" Boone cried out.

There was another loop up ahead. Everyone screamed. The heroes hung on tight and Larry fell. He tried grabbing for the Idol but Penn held on tight. Larry fell back into Rippen's bathtub cart unharmed.

"How is it you never get hurt?" Rippen questioned.

"I see the light!" Verge cried out. Penn grinned, but Rippen was slowly nearing them.

He reached out and tried grabbing for the Idol. "Give me that Sacred TP—" He got cut off when his bathtub cart fell into another hole.

The heroes grinned, but when they saw the exit, they found it blocked. They shrieked, thinking they'd run into it, but the bathtub cart quickly skidded to a halt.

"That worked out well," Penn commented.

"Not for long!" Verge called out. Behind them, they heard Rippen and Larry's screaming. She dusted everyone, and pushed them into the entrance in the wall. Rippen and Larry crashed out into the exit.

"Don't worry, I'm OK! Rippen's soft body broke my fall!"

"Can't some things be private?"

But the heroes were too busy screaming down the entrance to hear them. Verge saw the Idol fall out of Penn's bag and tried to get it. She failed.

"Zero!"

"Verge!"

But Penn and Sashi separated with Verge and Boone before they could say anything. "Ugh. Wait, where's the Idol?" Penn asked.

"Where're Boone and Verge?" Sashi asked.

"Yeah, but where's the Idol?" Penn groaned. "Must've forgotten to shut my man purse again. It's the, it's the little lace, it's just…"

Meanwhile, Boone and Verge had fallen in a different route. "Ow!" Verge yelled out when Boone landed on her. It especially hurt while she was still in a small size so she transformed to human. "Boone! Get off!"

"Oops. Sorry." As he got off, he looked around. "Where are we?"

"Where're Zero and Sashi?"

"I don't know, but where are we?"

Verge got a bad feeling about this as she bit her lip. She took a lamp off its holder and handed it over to Boone. "Guys!" Boone called as they walked. "If you're looking for us, we're in what looks like a toilet museum! I have no idea what the suggestive donation is."

Verge's eyes widened when she found another entrance to something. She flew forward and gasped when they saw something huge. Boone made the fire light brighter, and they could see it was a giant toilet.

"Whoa," they chorused.

"I'd hate to see the butt this was made for," Boone said.

"Was that a joke?"

"Probably."

Verge then snapped her fingers and a small light appeared in her hand. She flew up to inspect the giant potty. Boone was confused as he climbed it.

"You have light powers?"

"Well, yeah. I don't tell you everything."

"Why haven't you used them before?"

"They were never important before." Verge stuck her head in the seat, but not deep enough for her head to reach the water. She could swear she saw a faint light in there…

"I wonder if it works," Boone wondered, reaching for the flush.

Verge lifted her head. "I probably wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?"

"Beware the flush."

A creepy, ominous voice echoed out through the room. The wind rustled, and leaves entered in. Boone and Verge stared.

"Probably because of that."

Boone shrugged and still reached for it.

"Beware the flush."

"What could that possibly mean?" Boone questioned, still reaching for it.

"I said, beware the flush. And I'm speaking directly to you, Boone. Who is with the fairy named Divergent. Who is about to flush it. I'm saying don't flush it. I'm being very clear about this. Don't flush it."

Boone and Verge exchanged a look. Then he turned and reached for the flush. "Boone, don't—!"

He flushed it.

Boone waited for something to happen, but found nothing. "See, Verge, this thing's junk."

"I wouldn't be so sure!" she gasped, pointing.

Glowing yellow eyes appeared on the toilet. It stared down at the two and all they could do was stare back.

Before they knew it, Verge was carrying Boone as he shrieked his girl-like scream away from the toilet. They didn't even notice they'd passed by Penn and Sashi.

"How can that be his scream?" Penn said, stunned.

"Get over here!" Verge threw dust at the both of them, and they started to float. They only started moving when they saw the toilet and started screaming.

"Sashi's fault," Penn said.

"Penn's fault," Sashi said.

"Boone's fault," Boone said.

They suddenly heard the sound of tinkling and looked up to see Verge had spelled out the words "Verge's Idiots" out of her floating dust. Everyone looked at her. She smiled innocently and waved it away.

The heroes managed to make it out alive. But the rogue toilet was still chasing them. They soon came across a waterfall that Verge recognized immediately. "The Temple's up there!"

"Great work!" Penn said. "But we don't have the Idol!"

They turned and found the Giant Toilet still chasing them. "I can't dust you!" Verge cried out. "The water might affect it!"

"Then let's climb!"

The three started to climb. Verge went ahead and flew up, staying away from the waterfall. Once she was on top, she took hold of the vine and started pulling at it. Her friends were almost there.

But then the vine had to snap.

"No!" As Penn, Boone, and Sashi fell screaming, Verge gasped and quickly tried to fly after them, hoping she could make it.

The clip paused. "So," Phyllis said. "Does anyone know yet why you are here?"

"OK," Penn admitted. "I dropped the Idol three times. I was supposed to lead the team. I take full responsibility."

"Wrong! You did lead team. Watch."

The clip rolled again to when Sashi was holding onto the vine with dear life. Verge finally caught up to them. She conjured up a great big ball of dust and quickly sprinkled it on Sashi. But before the dust reached Penn, he had a plan.

"Guys!" he shouted. "I have a theory, and a gross and crazy solution!" That solution was letting go.

"Penn! No!" Sashi shouted.

"Zero!" Verge yelled, trying to fly after him. But she couldn't. The water in the Giant Toilet was now spraying everywhere and she couldn't get in. Sashi finally let go of the vine and she and Boone landed on the ground safely. They joined Verge and held out their fists.

"Give us back our friend!"

It wasn't listening. They suddenly heard a toilet flush and the Giant Toilet looking relieved. The three gasped.

"No!" Verge shrieked.

"Why?!" Boone cried out, breaking down into sobs. The Giant Toilet looked sad.

But then they saw the Idol come out. A hand was grasping it tightly. "Penn?!" Sashi cried.

"Zero, is that you?" Verge called, a little grossed out.

Penn's face appeared, and he grinned. "No wonder this guy was so mad. The Idol was clogging him!"

Boone made a face. "But you just opened your eyes in toilet water. So that makes you disgusting."

Verge only laughed. "I don't care!" She quickly flew over to her friend who smiled. "I'd hug you, but you're wet, which is going to put a big effect on me."

"Heh, it's OK."

Sashi then pointed at the sky. The sun was setting. "Guys! We'll never make it in time!"

"Yes, we will!" Penn insisted. "Because this potty is trained!"

The Giant Toilet went and picked Boone and Sashi up and placed it in his seat. "To the Temple!" It made one giant leap, and Verge grinned as she quickly flew after it.

Once they were all up, everyone hopped out. "Thanks, Flushie!" Penn called. The Toilet nodded.

Creating a gust of wind, Verge cleansed them from the toilet water droplets and quickly dusted them. They floated in the air and flew up towards the Temple. The entrance was slowly closing. They managed to make it in, but Boone's flip flop got caught at the closing wall.

"Boone!" Sashi shouted. "Leave the flip flop!"

But the boy wouldn't listen. As soon as he landed in the Temple, he reached back outside and quickly pulled his flip flop back.

"I'm not going into a giant bathroom with bare feet!"

"OK," Penn announced. "It's Idol time."

He brought the Idol out, slowly about to place it in its holder, but Boone stopped him.

"Penn! You're putting it in wrong!"

"No, no, no, it goes with the paper coming out from the bottom."

"That's how an inconsiderate person would do it."

" 'Out the bottom, for your bottom', that's the saying."

"No one says that! You want the paper coming over the top!"

"Who cares?!"

"Everyone should care about bathroom etiquette!"

"What we should care about right now is how you're both acting like complete idiots!" Verge yelled out at them.

"The sun's almost down!" Sashi cried. "Just do it, stupids!"

The boys were staring at how the girls had just shouted at them at that, but quickly snapped out of it. Penn had no choice but quickly put it in the way Boone wanted it.

For a moment, nothing happened. Until a light from the sun shone down on the toilet paper and bounced off into the entire Temple. All the bathroom doors opened up and a green, horrible-smelling gas came gushing out.

"Thanks for the TP," the voice from before called out. "You might want to light a candle."

At that point, everyone felt like barfing.

Everyone blinked as the credits rolled. "OK," Penn started. "So, what did we do wrong?"

"Nothing," Phyllis said. "This is best mission ever!"

A party tooter sounded out, and balloons and confetti fell over the heroes' heads. A banner with the words "Best Mission Ever!" hung above them. Verge grinned as she flew downwards and landed by Penn's side.

"You learned lesson, you helped Toilet, very satisfying. Phyllis is very proud." She then placed crowns on each of their four heads. Verge marveled at her own crown and shrunk to her tiny form, examining the now-shrunken crown.

"Awesome! Thanks, Phyll!"

"Do not call me Phyll."

"Phyllis. I meant Phyllis."

"Wow!" Penn grinned, holding up his crown. "These are heavy! What are they, real gold?"

"Of course, Phyllis is not cheap!"

Sashi quickly took her crown off and hugged it. "Thank you! I'll think of you when I melt this down and sell it for cash!"

"Raise your juice boxes! Hooray for Phyllis!" Boone cried.

"Hold that thought," Phyllis said. "Watch."

She rolled another clip, and this time it was one of recent events. "While you watch film, I disguise myself as Boone and sneak out. I eat meatloaf. Then come back here."

Boone glared. "Lower your juice boxes! Down with Phyllis!"

"Wow, Phyllis," Penn said. "That's a lot of trouble to go to for some meatloaf."

"Is very good meatloaf," she smiled and winked.

Boone was pouting. Verge flew over to his shoulder and patted his cheek. "Hey, Boone, if it makes you feel any better, I asked your mom to reserve some meatloaf for me last night. We can share it at school tomorrow."

"Raise your juice boxes again! Hooray for Divergent!"

The fairy chuckled and flew in front of her friends. "Let's get heading home, huh guys?"

"Sure," Penn agreed. "Oh, and uh, I need help with my homework tonight. I was not kidding about that Science Life Home Ec report."

Verge chuckled. "Sure. Not like I have anything else to do."

"Now, hold on, just a moment," Phyllis spoke up.

"What now?" Sashi asked.

"The fairy needs to stay. Must have a word."

"You get home, Zero," Verge told Penn. "I'll follow. See you guys in the morning."

Penn, Boone, and Sashi exchanged curious looks and shrugged. They left the Odyssey without another word.

"What's up, Phyllis?" Verge asked, as they stepped onto Phyllis' mechanic platform.

As she fixed her controls, Phyllis said, "Have been receiving many mixed signals from a certain world. World of magic. Very, strong magic."

Verge's eyes widened. "You…you've been getting signals from Fairy World?"

"Phyllis is doing as asked. Is faint, but might receive word of Fairy World. In time. Definitely not in the near future…"

"I-I don't care!" Verge practically shouted. She found herself grinning like an idiot. "Thank you, Phyllis!"

"Do not thank yet. Signals are very weak. We are not sure."

Verge grinned and gave Phyllis a quick hug. "Still! Thank you, so so much!"

She flew off the platform, did a little loop in the air, and exited the cinema, laughing.

"Finally!" she shouted out into the world. She finally had some evidence that her world was trying to call out.

'Six years. I've been waiting for six years. I hope the answer comes soon.'

Too bad for her, the answer isn't going to be coming out "soon". u-u Ah, well, see you in the next chapter!