Episode 23: Amber
Deciding the plot for this story was really difficult. It made me cry a little (OK a lot) and I wanted everything to be perfect. Amber's so pretty omgods I love her :3 I think today's episode was a little fail, but then again, most of the new ones are xD Since the real episode didn't really have a starting point or anything, I made my own! I do that some times, don't I heh xP Enjoy~
"Whoa! Gah! Quit it!"
"Huh?"
When Penn ran out of his house and scanned his front yard, he gasped when he saw a certain small fairy being chased by what looked like a giant hawk.
"Verge?! Where did this hawk come from?!"
"I have no idea!" Verge yelped a bit as she ducked another hawk attack. It screeched, continuing to swoop down and attempting to bite her. "I think one of our neighbors bought one!"
~Elsewhere~
"Screechy?"
"Hyah!" Verge summoned her garden power and the flowers on some grass seemed to grow longer and tie the hawk down. It screeched again, and started to bite through the stems, trying to break free. Verge seemed confident now as she prepared for a grand finale.
"Whoa!" Penn quickly took the hawk and picked it up, not caring if it started to peck him. "Ow, ow, ow…"
"Well, now you help?"
"What were you thinking? Why didn't you go human size?!"
"Don't be a sourpuss, I just wanted to return the hawk to its owner! Thought a little fairy magic could tame him…Look, I had it in the bag!"
"You know hawks are fairy enemies! I'll ask Uncle Chuck to find his owner, but now we've got to check you for injuries."
"I'm fine now, Zero! Nothing to worry about."
"But you could've died!"
"I didn't! I had it under control!"
"You call screaming and running away under control? Look, you have a broken wing!"
"It's not broken, it's just a little sore. It'll heal."
"Stop being stubborn! We need to get it fixed."
"Stop being overprotective! I said I'm fine!"
"Just because you being small doesn't always mean you're fine!"
The two glared at each other, and it wasn't exactly easy with Verge being so small. "Ahem." They turned and suddenly found Boone and Sashi staring at Penn like he was crazy.
"…Verge. Smaller."
"You do know you look like a lunatic from afar, right?" Sashi said bluntly.
"I'm sure he was aware," Verge grumbled, going big sized and putting her vest on. "Just handle the hawk and let's get to our mission. I'm walking ahead."
Once Verge was out of sight, the two looked at Penn for answers. "It's just another fight," Penn said, waving a hand. "She'll get over it. Go ahead, I'll catch up with you guys."
Once Penn was gone, Boone and Sashi exchanged a look and followed the fairy.
They all reunited at the Odyssey, with Verge still being silent and avoiding eye contact with anyone. As they all stepped onto the platform, Phyllis called out to them.
"OK, today you go back to world you have visit before."
"Well then this should be a piece of cake!" Penn exclaimed.
"No! Piece of Cake World you will never go back to. So much blood…"Verge didn't even have a comment this time, and the three exchanged a look at that. "Good luck!"
With that, they got zapped.
"Whoo! Dinosaur Cowboy World!" Penn cheered. "Yee-ha! Ah, I miss this place."
"Did you miss me, Hawkosaur?" Verge whispered at her dino. "Hawkodactyl? Whatever they call you."
"Big Butt!" Boone cheered as well. "What up?!"
"Butte," Sashi pointed. "It's pronounced Butte."
Verge examined the small, peaceful town and was a little confused. Everything seemed to be in order. It didn't look like the place needed saving. "This place is almost just as we left it," she noted.
When she saw Boone had just finished milking his cow and had a full bucket with him, she almost facepalmed. "Ah, nothing like freshly squeezed dino milk."
"Guys," Sashi said with seriousness. "Just because we've been here before doesn't mean this mission will be easy. Rippen's been here before too."
"And we smoked him!" Penn said. "So check the Specs, Sash, 'cause unless Rippen has concocted some game-changer to win this time—"
"Sashi, look out!"
Verge was a little too late with giving out the information. A giant claw swooped down and plucked Sashi off of her dino, lifting her into the air. "Sashi!" Penn gasped.
"Hawkosaur!" Verge commanded.
The fairy's dino screeched, and flew at the giant dino. From there, Verge could see the rider controlling it.
"Game-changer?" Rippen laughed. "Ya'll can't win the mission if ya'll don't know what it is!"
The two flying dinos were clawing at each other, screeching and howling. "Sashi, hang on!" the fairy called.
But it was Verge that needed hanging on. The Pteranodog reached over and nipped the Hawkosaur at its wing. Hard The flying dino screeched in pain as both it and Verge started to fall.
"No!"
"Verge!" Sashi shouted.
"Verge!" Penn quickly got off his dino and went to help the fairy up. "Why didn't you fly?!"
Verge only ignored him and groaned as she held her head. She gasped when she saw her dino's state. It lifted its head, moaning, before collapsing back on the ground.
"Oh no!"
"Helmet!" Larry sang, putting one on Sashi.
"Verge! Penn!"
"Sashi!" Verge shrieked, trying to fly. But Penn held her back.
"Sash?!" he yelled. But the Pteranodog was already out of their sight.
"Where did they take her?!" Boone panicked. "How are we gonna win the mission if Sashi didn't tell us what the mission is?! Why am I yelling everything I'm worried about?!"
Verge bit her lip, gaining determination as she knew the only right thing to do. "I'm going after th—"
"Are you crazy?!" Penn shouted. "They could get you too!"
"Zero, I have to—"
"No, we're not going to risk you getting captured." Verge almost looked ready to explode. "Wait. I know who can help us! The same guy we helped last time we were here! Sheriff. Scaly. Briggs!"
"Then let's go!" Boone shouted. Then he paused. "Uh, which way to get to him?"
"Follow me," Verge said. "I think I can track him." But then she remembered her dino and frowned. "I can't leave him here though."
"Take him over to Crazy Bubba's. He'll be better there."
"…All right."
Once Verge made sure the dino was all safe and treated, she lead her friends over to the place she believed the Sheriff was in. "He's right around—Gasp!"
"What is it?" Penn asked.
When they went inside his house, they gasped as well. For Sheriff Scaly Briggs was found in a coffin.
"Oh, this is terrible!" Boone cried.
"Shh!" Verge hushed, suddenly growing a flower and handing it to Penn. "The dead need their rest."
"Oh, Scaly," Penn sighed, as they were gathered around him. "I didn't know ya long, but I really admired everything you stood for. Rest in peace, my friend."
The moment he set the flower, the Sheriff burped, and his teeth came out and bit him in the cheek. This caused Verge to yelp and Boone to shriek.
"He's alive!"
Penn gagged. "From the smell of that breath I'm not so sure!" As he put the teeth back, Verge helped the not-dead Sheriff stand up from his "bed".
A man suddenly came out of nowhere and started announcing stuff again as he did last time. "It's weird that Sheriff Scaly Briggs sleeps in a coffin!"
"It's the cheapest bed I could buy!" the old man protested as he straightened his back. "Plus it's great for my back."
"Sheriff Scaly Briggs should have his back examined by a born-certified orthopedist!"
Annoyed, the Sheriff closed his window. "Now if you don't mind, I've got work to do."
"Sheriff Scaly Briggs never got a—"
Scaly shook his keys and the old red dino came in and swallowed the announcing man whole. "Listen, stranger, I'd love to talk, but I gotta board over that skyline."
Penn was confused as he and Verge exchanged a look. "Stranger, what are you—Scaly, it's us! Remember? We helped you save the town's gold and served as a catalyst for your unexpected redemption story? I mean, pretty important to, you know." He got a blank stare in response. "Look, you have a photo of us on your wall."
"I thought that just came with the frame."
"Old man business," Verge muttered. "Don't question it."
"Agh, it doesn't matter. We need your help. Our friend was kidnapped by bandits on a Pteranodog!"
"Look, I'd love to help you ladies, but the town's Cowosaur's keep getting stolen by bandits on a Pteranodog!"
"…That's literally what I just said, I said bandits on a Pteranodog."
"…Well, I wasn't paying attention! Let's ride."
"OK! Come on, Boone, Verge." But then penn suddenly realized they were one person short. And it wasn't Sashi. "Wait, where'd Verge go?" Boone shrugged.
Suddenly, they heard a loud screech and Penn gasped as they all went outside. He stared up in horror at the sky when he saw a certain winged creature riding on another, all-healed winged creature.
"Verge?!"
"Giddyup!" Verge shouted, riding her Hawkosaur. "Sorry, Zero. But I'm doing this my way."
"Verge!"
The fairy continued to scan the skies for Sashi. Suddenly, she came across a big barn atop a rock and an old abandoned mine. She saw Sashi trying to fight someone there and couldn't help smiling.
"Yes! This will teach Penn. Hawky, bring me down!"
Her dino screeched, and swooped in. The girl Sashi was fighting gasped when she saw her just drop in before them. "Verge!" Sashi exclaimed, glad her she was all right. When the fairy saw Sashi all tied up, it made her mad.
"Let my friend go!" Verge commanded.
The brunette girl that bested Sashi laughed. "Or you'll do what?" she asked, her Western accent rolling off her tongue.
Verge did the next thing she could do. She summoned a cactus that was growing somewhere and flung it at her face. The girl gasped and rolled away, but Verge didn't stop. She took pieces of the same cactus and got her slingshot, shooting prickly pieces at the brunette.
Unfortunately, even that girl seemed to dodge. She was almost as quick as Sashi. The girl lunged at Verge but the fairy had to fly up to dodge that attack. "Cow fairy," she spat.
"I still don't understand where the term cow is in the name…" Verge murmured.
At her distraction, the brunette took her lasso and got Verge tied. As she brought the fairy's body down, she didn't bring down the spirits. Using her force field, Verge easily got out of the ropes. "That all you got?"
"Always carry a back-up!" This time, when the girl flung her lasso, she was aiming at the wings.
"Gah!"
"Divergent!" Sashi shouted.
The fairy winced as the brunette finally got to her and took the rope off. "It's OK…I'm all right."
The brunette seemed to laugh at her pain. "That wasn't even my hardest! Fairies are so delicate."
Verge glared up at the girl. "It will heal."
"But not in time for me to lock you gals up."
"I see you've met Amber," Rippen said, finally coming out of the barn to greet her. "Our little safety net. Back to the barn! Neither of you are getting anywhere."
"Like we have the choice."
The sun was just starting to set as Amber locked them up in a big cage. Verge was at human size, rubbing her wings to ease the pain. As Sashi helped her, she explained the mission. "Rippen has to steal all the Cowosaurs in Big Butte."
"Really? That's it? That's a dumb mission. But hey, most of ours are."
"With the last Cowosaur with Boone and with the boys coming over to save us, we'll fail!" The dark-haired girl sighed. "I'm sorry I got us into this."
"It's not your fault, Sash," Verge muttered. "It's mine. I guess I should've…ugh, trusted Zero."
Sashi looked at Verge for a good long while. "Verge...are you and Penn all right? Earlier you-"
"We're good, Sashi. It's probably just another thing about my size. I dunno. I don't tell you everything."
"Hold on, can't you shri—"
"Shhh!" Verge hissed, silently pointing at Amber. She may have been outside, but she was still within earshot. "…I guess I just wanted to prove I could take care of myself."
"And you can, Verge. I think Penn was just worried. We all think you're tough." When Sashi smiled, Verge had to smile right back.
"…Thanks, Sash. You're the best. But now I'm a little focused on that Amber girl. She's a little too good, don't you think?"
"For a bad guy, I couldn't care less. But her skills are impressive. She knew just where to hit you."
"Hmmm…" Verge continued to think until the sun finally went down.
That night, Amber was practicing her lasso skills by breaking bottles. She seemed to be showing off because she did it in front of Verge and Sashi. "You're a pretty good bad guy," Sashi commented. "How'd you end up on the wrong side of the law?"
"Well, I tried to be a good guy but someone didn't think I was tough enough."
"Ahem." Amber raised an eyebrow at Verge, who had coughed. "Sorry. I just know how you feel."
"Who is it you're trying to impress?" Sashi asked.
Amber handed the two the stick of beef jerky she was eating and the friends split it up. "My pa," Amber took a bite as she continued, "Scaly Briggs."
Sashi's eyes widened as she also chewed with her mouth full. "Sheriff Scaly Briggs?"
"Sheriff Scaly Briggs."
"Sheriff Scaly Briggs?"
"Sheriff Scaly Briggs!"
"Girls," Verge said, when she swallowed her bite. "Please."
Amber sighed. "And I don't wanna talk about it! But I will go to the roof alone and sing my backstory to myself."
She just took a guitar and left.
Sashi and Verge exchanged a look of confusion. "You still want to get out?" Verge asked.
"Oh, yeah. But I guess I can hold it down one night. Go on and see what she's up to."
Verge finally shrunk down to her small size and flew out of the cage. Sashi waved as the fairy quietly flew up to the roof.
Once there, she heard music. Really sad music. And then she realized Amber was singing:
"Moonlight bright, please light the way
My heart longs for ponder days
When Pa would take me down the trail
See the world from a dino's tail
But he'd never let me ride by his side
As his deputy
To him I was never tough enough
So I chose this life of crime for me"
It was enough to bring a tear to Verge's eye. It didn't really help when her fairystincts acted up. Now, she appeared to hear someone else singing from far away. And later she realized (much to her confusion) that it was the said Sheriff Scaly Briggs' singing along to the same tune:
"Moonlight bright, won't you light the way
My little girl has gone away
How could I let her ride with me?
Life's too dangerous as a deputy
But I sure do miss my Amber so sweet"
"I miss him, my Pa, tonight"
They even started singing together (still for some reason):
"But he's/she's still 'round, so I sing out this song
To the lonesome moonlight bright
To the lonesome moonlight bright…"
Once Amber strummed the last string and Verge finished hearing Penn and Boone crying, she decided to come out of hiding. "That was the sweetest thing I've ever heard!"
Amber whirled around and gasped when she saw the fairy. "What are you—How did ya'll get out?!"
"Uh, cow fairy? I can shrink, grow…didn't your Pa tell ya anything?"
"He rarely does…"
When Verge saw Amber's sad face, she felt her heart soften up. Growing to human size again, she put a hand on the cowgirl's shoulder. "Look, before you toss me back into jail again – I'm sure you know now it needs to be a bit smaller – let me just say one thing. I know what it's like to lose your family."
At those words, Amber paused and stared. "You do?"
"Mm-hmm. Although I was separated from them when I was really young, you still have the chance. Look, I've been misunderstood like you. I know what it's like. But on some days, I just need to learn to understand. I was so obsessed with finding my old family, I forget about my new one. I can't keep running away from a person that really cares about me. And neither can you. Love is supposed to be stronger than anything. You need to understand that you can't let anger get in the way of those that matter to you."
The brunette paused for a moment, not even wanting to look into the fairy's eyes. She sighed as she brought her rope out and tied Verge's hands again. This time, she didn't even fight. "Maybe you're right, fairy. But I chose this life. It's my decision."
As Amber locked Verge again, the fairy only felt a little confidence. Because she recognized the girl's expression now. It was those of one's hesitation.
The next day, Sashi had to shake Verge's birdcage to get her to wake up. "Huh? What? Where are—"
"Today's the day."
Rippen and Larry seemed to be playing a game in the corner, and Amber was getting real frustrated. "Ugh! What are we waiting for?! We got one last Cowosaur to rustle. Why aren't we rustlin' it?"
"Oh, don't worry. I have a plan."
"Rippen smells like my Cowosaur's utter!"
"Ooh, they're here!" Rippen opened the barn door and quickly rushed out. "Get that Cowosaur!"
Sashi struggled to pull at the bars, and suddenly, Penn dropped in. "Zero!" Verge cried.
"Where's Boone?" Sashi asked immediately.
"He and his Cowosaur are distracting Rippen."
"Oh no!"
"Why what'd we do?"
"The mission is rustling all the Cowosaurs," Verge explained. "And now with the last one in his grasp—"
They were too late. Rippen had already cornered Boone. "You brought me the last Cowosaur!"
"Oh wings," Verge muttered. "Quick, open the cage up!"
It took a while, but with some rope and elbow grease, Penn was able to open both the big and small cages. And by then, Sheriff Scaly Briggs had arrived and cornered the villains this time. "Easy, easy," Rippen said. "That prickly pear looks pretty prickly!"
"Your fancy alliteration won't get you out of this situation."
But when the Sheriff directed his slingshot at the third villain, his eyes widened. "Pa?" Amber exclaimed.
The Sheriff didn't say anything. He could only stare at his daughter, all sad-like. He couldn't bring himself to shoot as he lowered his slingshot down. Penn and Sashi stared while Verge sat on Penn's shoulder, actually crying silently.
Rippen just had to ruin the moment. "Yes, well, this was a charming reunion, but it's winning time. There's a new Sheriff in town!" He took the Sheriff's hat, proceeding to put it on Amber's head.
But then something fell out of it. "Aww," Larry cooed. "He kept this sweet picture of them!"
"…Probably because he only liked how he looked."
"Aww, he kept your drawing!"
"Probably just for scrap paper."
"Aww, her baby teeth, baby childhood book, and first spurs, awww!"
"How can all that fit in one hat?" Verge questioned. Penn and Sashi shrugged.
"Larry, you were more helpful with the bag of snakes and avocado."
This was all enough to bring Amber to hug her father. "Oh, I'm sorry, Pa."
Sheriff Scaly Briggs smiled. "The best advice I ever got was don't pass gas in the sauna. But the second best advice was from one of these nameless drifters who I just met who told me I needed to tell you how I feel." When Sashi looked at Penn, he just looked back with confusion. "I was overprotective. But I always knew you were tough."
"Thanks, Pa. I got some good advice too from the cow fairy over there. I should've understood how you felt about me. I let my anger get in the way. But it won't happen again."
"Attagirl," Verge whispered, smiling. Penn reached up and they did a tiny fist-bump.
"Fine!" Rippen said, ruining the moment yet again. "I'm making me the new Sheriff in town! Thank you, Me. I accept. Now, to go win by myself."
Everyone raced out the barn, but Rippen was just too fast. "I'mma lock you up and throw away the key," Scaly taunted.
"You mean that key." Rippen shot a prickly pear at the ring of keys at Scaly's belt. They fell off, creating a jingle, and the T-Rex instantly gulped the old man down.
"Pa!" Amber shouted.
"I'm OK. It's actually more comfortable in here than in the coffin."
"Hee-yah!" Rippen got on Boone's dino, leading it away.
"He's gonna get the last Cowosaur in the corrale!" Penn gasped.
Rippen whistled, summoning his Pteranodog, and it picked him up, taking them both into the sky. "I don't know what's better!" Rippen shouted with glee. "Actually winning, or having a bird's eye view of you people losing!"
"Amber, I wish there was a more proper ceremony," Scaly called from the dino stomach. "But I hereby deputize you!"
Amber grinned. "I'm on it, Pa!"
"Penn, he's gonna win!" Sashi exclaimed.
"I don't think so!" Amber took her rope, but Verge stopped her
"I'm helping you!" Verge declared, flying up.
"What can you do, cow fairy?"
"Save your strength, girl!"
Conjuring a ball of dust, she flung it down over the girl's head. Amber was both surprised and amazed as she started to fly up toward's the dino and land in its saddle. "Time to bust this birdosaur!"
As she tugged the reins, the dino let go of both Rippen and the Cowosaur. "Nooo!"
Boone shrieked as his Cowosaur began to fall. But Verge was already there. She swooped right in and quickly dusted the dino. It's falling slowed down, and it gently landed in the hay and onto the ground safely. "Moo."
Unfortunately for Rippen, he wasn't so lucky as he landed in the cow manure. Everyone looked away in disgust.
Amber got off the flying dino, flying back safely into the ground. She landed just before the red dino and scratched at its stomach. Its eyes widened as he threw the Sheriff up. The heroes all smiled at the brunette's bravery.
"Thank you kindly, cow fairy," Amber nodded at Verge.
Said cow fairy smiled and tipped her hat. "Just doing my job. Guiding everyone and all." She looked at her friends as they all exchanged smiles.
"You know," Sashi started, smiling at the cow girl. "for a pretty good bad guy, you're not a bad good guy."
"I didn't really follow that, but thanks."
"Amber, you done good," Sheriff said, smiling as well. "Give your Pa a hug."
"Maybe after you've showered…"
"Oh, that's not a problem," Verge said happily.
She turned to human size and summoned up some water. After she gathered a few, she instantly dumped it over the Sheriff. He spouted out water from his mouth, but he smelled a little better now. Despite him being damp, Amber went over to her father and hugged him tightly. Sheriff Scaly Briggs couldn't help smiling.
Penn and Verge smiled as they looked at each other. But then Verge remembered their situation and looked away. Penn frowned at that. "Verge, I'm sorry, OK? I guess I was overprotective too. I know you can handle things. You just can't have too much of a good thing, right?"
Verge paused for a moment before breaking into a grin and turning back to him. "I'm sorry too. I know now you were just looking out for me."
"Hey. That's what best friends do."
"Yeah, sure, OK." But the fairy softened her smile.
In the background, Boone and Sashi smiled as well.
When Penn held his fist out for a fist bump, she just stared at it for a little while. Instead of bumping it with her own, Verge quickly enveloped him in a hug. Penn was a bit surprised, but he almost immediately hugged her back.
With that, they got zapped back.
When Phyllis saw the two hugging, she raised an eyebrow. Once they realized they were back home, the two friends quickly moved away, looking away like nothing had happened. Phyllis only sighed.
"I will never understand generation of today."
Next episodes come out in June 22! See you guys at the 23rd! Hehe ^^ Please remember to leave a review or a favorite~
