Chapter 20: Sid's Second Nightmare
Sid was carrying Flora bridal style to protect her and her baby as he walked through the jungles to find the others.
"How are you doing, Flora?" Sid asked.
"I'm doing okay so far, and so is our baby. I'm worried about Dad and Buck, though," Flora replied as she rubbed her pregnant belly while cuddled in Sid's arms.
"I'm sure they're OK. Now we mustn't stress too much. It wouldn't do well for the little bun in your oven," Sid assured his dear friend while he gently rubbed Flora's belly.
Flora chuckled and smiled at Sid as she replied with, "Alright, Sid. After all, I'm really happy to have you as my dear best friend."
Sid smiled back but yet worried about his herd friends and said, "I hope Manny and Diego are OK."
"Me too, and I hope that Diana lady is OK with my father and Buck," Flora said in agreement.
Soon, they saw that it was getting dark before Sid said to Flora, "We should find shelter for the night. Who knows what monsters are there?"
"I agree," Flora replied, shivering a bit.
Eventually, the duo found an empty cave that they could hide and rest for the night in until morning. Sid managed to find some editable fruits and berries for them both and they dug in as they could while keeping an eye out for predators.
Sid eventually lit a warm fire for them both before the sloth covered the cave like Manny did last night and soon, the sloth rested beside Flora.
"Thank you, Sid. Now the baby and I can rest in a warm environment," Flora thanked Sid.
"No worries, Flora," Sid replied, blushing.
Flora then moved closer to Sid, surprised at the fact that he doesn't even have a foul odor around him thanks to Diana's magic. She meanwhile looked up at the troubled sloth and said to him, "Sid...Are you upset about what happened back there?"
"Well...I guess," Sid said uneasily with a shrugged.
"I highly doubt the guys meant what they said or did to you back there. Something must have caused them to be nasty," Flora suggested.
"It seems like it because I didn't feel like I was in control of myself when I had that outburst at Manny and Diego before Carlotta turned them to stone," Sid sadly sighed.
"Sid? Are you sure you're alright?" Flora questioned in concern.
"To be honest Flora, I'm scared," Sid admitted.
"Scared of what?" Flora asked.
"Of letting things be the way they were before I met you and the tribe...Where the herd treated me with little respect, mocked me and made me feel...worthless," Sid sadly replied.
Flora's ears drooped at the answer as she walked over to Sid and lied close to him, facing the worried sloth before she said, "Sid, I highly doubt you and the others will return back to the days where you didn't get along with the guys."
"And yet I still fear it will happen...Think about it. My family hated me, the sloth kids hated me and even the half of the herd admitted that they hated me when Buck explained to me about the Chasm of Death experience," Sid vented a bit.
"But that was in the past. The herd does care about you, Buck cares about you and I care about you..." Flora said in comfort to Sid as she stroked his cheek and added, "When you told me about your real family and how they treated you all those years, it made me sick and upset...I've never met them, but I hate them for what they did to you."
"All I ever wanted was love and a family. Is that too much to ask?" Sid sighed.
"Of course not. You may be different but you deserve love, family and friends," Flora comforted.
"If only they'd show it to me more like I do...I feel like to them I'm just a little worm that they wish to pull me apart," Sid explained.
"Sid, let me assure you. The herd loves you, the tribe loves you and I love you...You're one of my best friends I've ever had," Flora reassured her sloth buddy.
"You really believe so?" Sid hopefully questioned.
"I truly do, Sid," Flora giggled as she kissed Sid on the forehead for comfort.
"Thanks, Flora," Sid thanked as she gently hugged the pregnant female weasel.
"It's what best friends are for," Flora giggled again as she returned the hug.
As the duo began to tuck in for the night, Carlotta was watching them from her stone-cauldron as she sneered at the sloth with, "You poor sweet little sloth. You have no idea what I know about your family, your past, everything...As soon as I obtained my powerful book, I've been watching you and that lunatic weasel. I've been studying your life and past through the magic of this book and boy does your past amuse me the most, Sid the sloth...Perhaps I can use this for my advantage to get rid of you, the source of the herd."
Carlotta soon opened the book and then added, "Let me come into your dreams where I shall slowly turn your nightmare into a reality."
Back at the cave, Sid was tossing and turning in his sleep as he was dreaming of being lost in a dark place.
"Hello? Anyone there?" Sid called out into the darkness.
Suddenly various giggles began to echo throughout the area, alerting the sloth as Sid rapidly turned over and over to see where the giggles were coming from.
"Who's that?! Who's there?!" Sid cried out.
"Dear Sidney. Don't you recognize us?"
The sloth soon turned to see his real family minus Granny standing before him as the male sloth shuddered in surprise and stuttered, "Mom? Dad? Uncle Fungus? Marshall? What are you guys doing here?"
"Oh just passing by and seeing the troubles you're making out so far," Marshall scoffed.
"You really can't win this time, Sid," Milton pointed out.
"He's right, Sidney. You have no chance on winning this battle with that wolf," Eunice agreed.
"But I cannot abandon my friends! I can't let her take over this world with her magic!" Sid protested.
"Well if you hadn't run away and stay out of trouble, then this would never happen," Eunice giggled, intentionally trying to scar Sid.
"What Carlotta is doing is not my fault and you know it," Sid stuttered.
"Who are you kidding, bro? You cannot help but cause disaster wherever you go. You're just a curse waiting to happen," Marshall mocked.
"Hehehe...Curse," Fungus stupidly chuckled.
"I'm sorry to say, but you guys are wrong! My friends and I will defeat Carlotta and I'll show you guys that I can do the right thing! I'm not weak or pathetic as you think I am!" Sid argued, standing up for himself.
"Yeah, yeah. That's nice, sweetie," Eunice said as she just yawned.
"Son, do you really think those carnivores including that whacko weasel are your friends? They don't seem to be so caring from my point-of-view," Milton pointed out.
"They are my dear friends! They are my family! They like me!" Sid protested
EUNICE:
Like you? Please, Sidney, that's demented.
This is why you never should have left
Dear, this whole herd that you've invented
Just proves you're too naive to be here
Why would they like you? Come on now - really!
Look at you - you think that they're impressed?
Don't be a dummy
Listen to mummy
THE MEN:
Mother –
"NO!" Sid exclaimed angrily.
The male sloths gasped and froze in horror, gazing at the mother superior as Eunice just gazed at Sid with a dark firm expression.
EUNICE:
No?!
Soon, Eunice smiled deviously at Sid and sneered, "Oh... I see how it is."
The men chuckled harshly at Sid as Eunice mocked him by singing.
EUNICE:
So Sidney knows best
So Sidney's so mature now
Such a clever grown-up tick
So Sidney knows best
Fine, if you're so sure now
Go ahead then give them this!
The sloth family revealed flaming torches in their paws as Sid gasped in alarm, "H-How did you-?!"
EUNICE: (wickedly)
This is why you're here!
Don't let them deceive you!
Tell it to them, watch, you'll see!
Sid glared at his family and snapped, "I will!"
EUNICE:
Trust me, my dear
That's how fast they'll leave you
THE MEN:
We won't say we told you so
EUNICE:
So Sidney knows best!
So if they truly love you so
Go and put them all to the test
"Mother! Wait!" Sid called out as Eunice walked to the men.
EUNICE:
If they're lying
Don't come crying
Mother knows best!
Soon the sloths vanished within the mist like the wind before Sid abruptly awoken from his nightmare, panting heavily as he looked to see Flora soundly asleep.
"...What is wrong with me?" Sid whispered to himself.
Carlotta grinned deviously that her plan worked, manipulating Sid within his nightmare as she looked on at the troubled sloth and sneered, "It won't be long before everything you fear will be your reality check."
What happens next?
Stay tuned to find out!
ALSO PRETTY PLEASE GIVE CREDIT TO DUSK19, FOR NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HIM
Mother Knows Best (Reprise) is copyright to Alan Menken and Glenn Slater