/Chapter 13: The Bloominati

Wallnut was sleeping in his room. Bowling trophies lined one wall, and a wall of pictures was on the other. All the pictures had Wallnut with Peashooter or Chomper, occasionally with Sunflower too, or even all four. All of a sudden, Wallnut woke up and bounced out of bed. Looking at his alarm clock, which was set for ten, it said 10:10. Wallnut gasped and glanced at his calendar. It was October tenth. Wallnut's eyes widened in shock.

"The Bloominati."

Racing out of his room, bursting through the door, Wallnut ran right into Chomper.

"Chomper! The Bloominati!"

"What?"

"The Bloominati! The clock said ten ten, then the calendar said October tenth!"

Chomper groaned and went into Wallnut's room. Glancing at the calendar, it was, in fact, October tenth. The clock said 10:10. Chomper looked at the clock for almost three minutes. The clock said 10:10 the whole time. Chomper went into his room and looked at his clock. 10:15. Chomper growled as Wallnut came up behind him.

"Coincidence. The Bloominati is just internet junk."

"But the Bloominati is against L.E.A.F. and L.E.A.F. actually has records against them!"

Chomper hated it when Wallnut got smart like that. Sunflower exited her room and yawned. Seeing Chomper in a bad mood again, Sunflower sighed.

"Chomper? What's up?"

"Wallnut thinks that the Bloominati is real, and that this day has to do with it."

"Yup! See? There's mail!"

Sunflower and Chomper turned to the door, where a letter sat on the floor in front of the mail slot. Picking it up, Sunflower opened the letter. A piece of paper was inside.

"Is this a joke, Wallnut?"

"What?"

The letter said:

Dear L.E.A.F. Squad X, There's a safe in the Zomburbia Junkyard that has vital information against the zombies. We need that safe. We chose you because you have experience in Zomburbia, and we trust you. Do not fail. Let no one know what you are doing. Sincerely, The Bloominati

Wallnut gasped and Chomper groaned again.

"It's the Bloominati! A safe? The Zomburbia Junkyard! Is this a trap? I'm in anyway! Let's go!"

Wallnut rolled towards the door, which then opened, Peashooter standing there. His eyes widened as Wallnut came closer, then,

BAM!

Wallnut sat on Peashooter's head, looking around.

"Peashooter?"

Sunflower and Chomper raced to Peashooter as he replied, muffled. Wallnut noticed and jumped off Peashooter, who gasped and sat up.

"Not the welcoming I was expecting."

"Peashooter! You're back!" Chomper yelled, excited. Sunflower looked embarrassed and pleased. Peashooter said nothing, he just looked around.

"Where's Wallnut?"

Chomper and Sunflower exchanged glances. Chomper growled and Sunflower sighed in exasperation.

"Peashooter, have you heard of the Bloominati?"

"Yeah. My dad hates them. They're against L.E.A.F. and the army. He said that they're why my mom died."

Sunflower gasped.

"Your mother's dead?"

"Yeah. Killed in action. Had a funeral at the battlefield. I wasn't there."

Chomper growled again.

"That just makes the Bloominati more dangerous. We need to stop Wallnut."

"Ok, where'd he go?"

Sunflower and Chomper looked worried.

"Zomburbia Junkyard."

/Zomburbia Junkyard, 10:10 according to Wallnut's clock…

Wallnut looked at the safe. It was a simple safe, with a dial. Numbers ranged from one to one hundred. Wallnut smiled and hopped to the safe. Scrap metal lay everywhere, two rusting armored trucks behind the safe. A zombot head lay nearby, and a dented Robo-Zombie was laying in front of the safe. Having a safe out in the open would've made anyone suspicious, except Wallnut.

Bouncing forwards happily, Wallnut was right in front of the safe when he heard a smartphone take a picture. Turning, Wallnut saw Rustbolt, the zombie hero, taking selfies.

"Hey! It's you! What are you called? Tin Can? Bronze Man? Oh, I know! Rust Bucket!"

Rustbolt glared at Wallnut, his mask lowering.

"It's Rustbolt!"

"I knew it! Rust Bucket! Can I have your autograph?"

Rustbolt groaned and pulled out a pen.

"Have any paper, plant?"

"No. Ooh! Sign my face!"

Rustbolt raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Clicking the pen, Rustbolt signed Wallnut's face. Bouncing happily, Wallnut accidentally hit the safe, causing the dial to turn.

"Oops."

"Ugh! It took me forever to get the combination of that safe, and you just ruined it! I was just about to open it, but I took a picture first for my blog!"

"You have a blog? Cool!"

"Yeah. Where was I? Oh, right. Plant annihilation!"

"Who're you going to annihilate?"

Rustbolt pulled out his shrink ray.

"You."

Wallnut's smile disappeared. He looked around, then rolled away. Rustbolt cackled and shot shrink rays at Wallnut, who avoided them. Panicking, Wallnut ran into the Robo-zombie, and it activated.

"Robo-zombie, awaiting orders."

"Uh, protect me!"

"Yes, sir."

The Robo-zombie got up and saw Rustbolt. It held up its hand.

"Halt."

Rustbolt looked at the Robo-zombie in confusion. The Robo-zombie then opened a hatch in its hand, revealing a laser cannon. Rustbolt sighed and shot the Robo-zombie with the shrink ray. It shrunk to the size of an action figure, and it charged its laser. Rustbolt laughed as it charged, then the laser fired. Rustbolt flew across the junkyard, landing in a pile of rusted metal. Getting up, a bucket fell on Rustbolt's head.

"Hey, Tin Can!"

"Who's that?"

Chomper ran into Rustbolt and started to bite at him. Rustbolt got up and started to fly, but his thrusters were shot by a sun pulse. Spinning out of control, Rustbolt flew into the air and disappeared into the sky. Chomper grinned as Sunflower and Peashooter joined him.

"That was fun."

"Hey, guys! Look! It's the safe!"

The three plants turned to face Wallnut and the safe. Wallnut was grinning. Peashooter and Chomper smiled back. Sunflower walked to the safe and examined it.

"We went through the trouble. I guess we should take it."

Peashooter shook his head.

"No way. I don't trust the Bloominati."

Chomper grinned.

"What if we take it to L.E.A.F.?"

"Then I'd take it."

Sunflower tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. Peashooter tried, and held it in front of him, straining to hold it. Sunflower took the other end, and they carried the safe.

/L.E.A.F. Squad X squad house, 10:10 according to Wallnut's clock… still…

Peashooter let go of the safe and instantly fell on the floor, panting. Chomper examined the dial as Sunflower closed the door. Wallnut jumped off of the safe.

"Next time, Wallnut, don't ride the safe. Please."

"Sorry."

"So what's in it?"

Chomper examined the safe. Then, he turned the dial for a little bit. Peashooter and Wallnut watched intently. Sunflower got an ice pack and put it on Peashooter's back.

"Thanks."

Sunflower nodded. Then, a resonating click sounded. Chomper smiled and opened the safe. Blueprints sat in the safe.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the thing in the safe!"

Peashooter picked up the blueprints. Before he could open them, a hooded plant shot a tear gas pellet through the door's opening. It shattered and sprayed tear gas around the room, causing the four plants inside to faint.

/The Bloominati? 10:10, according to Wallnut's clock. Know what? Wallnut needs a new clock.

The four plants came to on the floor in the middle of a huge circle. Eight large pedestals surrounded them. Peashooter was the first to notice that on each pedestal, a hooded plant stood there, watching them.

"What the heck? Where are we? Who are you?"

"Enough!"

Peashooter fell silent. Wallnut gasped and bounced, until Chomper stopped him.

"We are the Bloominati. I-"

"I knew it!"

Everyone looked at Wallnut.

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, I brought you here for four reasons. Each of you will be escorted by a Bloominati agent. You each have questions that will be answered by these agents. Goodbye."

Four agents jumped down from their pedestals and grabbed the plants. A single corridor led out of the room, and it branched into five directions. Peashooter tried to say something as he was separated from the others, but his captor silenced him.

The corridor was not just a corridor, but a cave. Peashooter angrily cooperated with the agent as he was led through the corridor. Eventually, they reached a small room. The captor closed the door behind them, then released Peashooter.

"I can't believe it's you."

"Who are you and what do you want with me?"

The plant pulled off their hood. It was a female peashooter. Peashooter stepped back in shock, hitting his head on the wall.

"Peashooter,"

"You. You're dead."

The peashooter smiled sadly.

"I was almost dead. They held a funeral. Your father left me. Then, the Bloominati found me, as I was in a coma. They nursed me back to health, and in return, I joined their cause."

"You were with the Bloominati the whole time. Dad knew."

"No. I "died" after the Bloominati asked me to join them. Gatling didn't want me to go. I didn't want to either. But they got angry. They left, but zombie forces had been tracking them, and they found us. That's when it all happened."

Peashooter shook with rage.

"Years. You're happy here, neglecting your own family. But you don't know what I've been through. This," Peashooter showed her a scar he had on his head, "This could've been prevented. Threepeater never even knew you. You left me, a seven-year-old, to care for him. And LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! I LOST THE ONLY FRIEND I HAD! I ALMOST DIED! YOU DID NOTHING! And you expect forgiveness."

"I, I didn't know."

"BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T CARE!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it. I-" Peashooter had tears in his eyes, "I cried for years. Then I lose the only friend I had. I was alone in sadness, all my life. I've tried not to care for anyone ever again, just to prevent the pain. And now I learn that all my sorrows could've been avoided. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Peashooter was shaking, streaming with tears. He glared at his mother and his pods became clenched. Peashooter's mother looked at him sadly.

"Peashooter, please. Forgive me."

Peashooter looked at her with cold eyes.

"You aren't worthy of being my mother."

Peashooter's mother's expression saddened.

"It's the Kilithus in you. Bitter resentment. Don't do something you'll regret, like your father."

"MY FATHER DID NOTHING WRONG!"

"He killed his father."

Peashooter froze. His pods unclenched.

"He didn't."

"He, he did. Because his father killed his mother. Don't make that mistake, Peashooter. You don't have to follow in their footsteps."

"Then it's true. The Kilithus curse. I won't die until I take a life."

"Peashooter,"

Peashooter turned away.

"Then maybe I don't deserve to be your son."

"Peashooter, you can't fight what's happened. But you can stop it from happening again."

Peashooter sighed.

"I guess."

"Good. Because you have to leave."

Peashooter looked at his mother. Then, he hugged her. She smiled and hugged him back. Peashooter then let go and walked to the door, but it was still closed. Turning, Peashooter was confused.

"Um… can I get out please?"

"Sorry, but no. We have to knock you out first."

"I guess that makes sense. Will I ever see you again?"

"No."

"Where can I find you?"

"You won't be able to. I'm sorry."

Peashooter hugged his mother again. Then he sighed.

"Let's get this over with."

Peashooter's mother smiled and pulled out a pellet. Putting on a yellow mask with white markings, she threw the pellet. Peashooter smiled as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

/Squad house X, 10:10 PM, not using Wallnut's clock

Peashooter woke up on the floor of his home. Yawning, Peashooter looked around. None of his friends were there. Shrugging, Peashooter walked to his room. Then, he heard something behind him. Turning, Peashooter saw Chomper come out of his room.

"Chomper!"

"Peashooter? What happened?"

"Like, the whole day?"

Chomper nodded. Peashooter looked at the date. It was October eleventh. Peashooter smiled. Tomorrow is Threepeater's birthday. He'll turn seven. Then he can enroll in L.E.A.F. Academy next year. Turning back to Chomper, Peashooter smirked.

"We were asleep all day."

"Hmph. The Bloominati better not do that again."

Peashooter laughed.

"Yeah. Good night."

"Good night."

Peashooter and Chomper went to their respective rooms, each of them happy to be home.

Short, but who cares? I don't! By the way, I should really give Wallnut a new alarm clock. Anyways, seeya!