Randy and Amy are holding hands in front of the Magic Funporium. Randy himself is holding a pink bag in his right hand, while the brunette has a brown bag over her shoulder. Amy pulls out her phone to check the time, the boy groaning as he looks over her shoulder.
"Ugh."
"Where is he?" Amy asks in annoyance, glancing around. A purple car suddenly stops in front of them and Howard exits the car, waving to the driver.
"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Sledge!" The car speeds off and the three stare after it. "Sorry about your seats!"
"...Why is he-"
A siren interrupts her and a police car rides past them, chasing after Uncle Sledge. After seeing that, she was better off not asking further.
"You didn't tell me we were bringing purses! Should've known you'd hold Smith's," Howard accuses Randy, who holds up the bag.
"It's not a purse, and it's not Ames' either," Randy rolls his eyes. "It's a bag," He points to it.
"You didn't tell me we were bringing bags!"
"We aren't!" Randy elaborates to him. "I just needed something to put the Sorcerer ball in," He opens up the bag to reveal the same power ball inside. Amy has a concerned frown on her face, arms crossed.
"That thing made Booray monster out and go on a rampage, and then you bring it to Julian's birthday party?! Without you stopping him?" Howard points to Amy.
"I didn't know he brought it until I met him here," Amy explains to the obese boy. "Trust me, I've been trying to convince him for the past 20 minutes to go take it back."
"Wow," Howard chuckles after hearing this. "That is epically unsmart, Cunningham," He rolls his eyes with a big grin.
"There's no such thing as unsmart," Randy quips, taking Amy's hand again and walking off with her.
"Actually, unsmart is a valid word," Amy corrects him, holding up a finger. "You were better off leaving that thing at home."
"Okay, so unsmart is a word, but bringing it wasn't," Randy states confidently, kissing her cheek.
"Says the guy who brought a Sorcerer ball to Julian's birthday party," Howard trails after the two.
"What was I supposed to do with it? I couldn't leave it at home," Randy frowns at the bag and Amy places a hand on her forehead.
"Why not?"
"Don't get him started on this again..." Amy murmurs quietly enough for Howard to hear.
"Why not?" Randy turns around to Howard, pointing a finger at him. "I'll tell ya why not. What if a raccoon broke into my room and swiped the power ball?" Howard has a blank look that says 'really' as he's listening. Amy pinches her nose. She already heard this once before, and now she has to hear it again. "But he's got those little hands, so he can't hold it so good, so he drops it, boom, right into the sewer and an alligator-"
"Stop!" Howard interrupts him. "Just stop, Cunningham! That would never happen. You couldn't let Smith take it?"
"No, because as her partner and the guy she's going out with," Randy grins at the brunette. "I have to protect her, and I don't know what the power ball could do to her. Which will never happen because the ball's with me! At Julian's party. Un-unsmart! Me!"
"Oh, so you don't trust me?" Amy glares, narrowing her eyes as she crosses her arms. He flinches and turns to her.
"What? No! I'm not saying that I don't trust you. It's not that...I don't want you touching it and then turning all crazy like Booray," He chuckles anxiously from the look she's giving him.
"Oh, so first I can't take the ball, and now you think I'm too delicate to be able to handle it," She walks around them and walks backwards in front of the two.
"Ohh, you definitely walked right into that one," Howard looks at him.
"Ames, I-"
An axe falls in front of them and Randy pulls her away. "Axe!"
"You are making a huge mistake!" The employee's mood changes from threatening to happy. "If you don't get in Sinjin Knightfire's Magic Funporium right now!" He points to the door with his axe, which opens on its own.
"Ugh," Howard groans as they step forward. "Magic. I hate this place." They step into the Funporium, where there are games and other various stuff to do inside. "Why did we RSVP to this? We are leaving right after cake."
"Come on, Howard. This is Julian's birthday party," Randy looks to him. "Julian. He's one of our best...classmates."
"He also has a crush on Smith, who you brought here," Howard grins, pointing up to Amy.
"Julian hasn't been around me much ever since the whole...Nomicon situation," She coughs awkwardly. Technically, that wasn't really her who hurt Julian's feelings, but she can't tell him that. Sometimes he acted weird around her because of her 'bad girl phase,' which is what most people accepted afterwards. She is the class president, so it wasn't too out of the ordinary...
She could still feel the glares whenever she and Randy are in proximity of Julian, though. She wasn't entirely sure if him or Theresa ever really fully got over their feelings for their crushes or not. Neither of them talk to the two much for her to determine.
"Julian..." Randy growls slightly in jealously, earning wide-eyed looks from both of them. He clears his throat. "Anyway, water under the bridge!" He chuckles nervously as he glances at the two. "Right?"
"Right..." Amy replies anxiously. If he was going to act like that just by the mention of Julian's crush on her, why did he insist on all of them coming?
A hand suddenly takes the bag from him, and they look to see Julian holding it. "Ooh! Is this my birthday present? Did you bring this for me, Amelia? If so, I love it already!" He giggles and she sweats a little.
"Oh, um..."
Randy snatches the bag back defensively. "Hands off, Julian!" He stands in between them. "This is something un-present-like," He smiles nervously.
"Ooh. Un-present-like. How mysterious-ish. Tell me more," Of course Julian is intrigued by the phrase, being a goth and all.
"Un-present-like isn't something you tell someone like Julian," Amy whispers to Randy from behind.
"That's a good point," Randy whispers back, hiding the bag behind his bag. "We should change the subject. Let's talk birthday."
"It's a magic party," Julian reveals happily, laughing. "I'm something of an amateur illusionist myself. I mean, I'm no Sinjin Knightfire..." He glances to look at the same man himself, surrounded by a group of students.
"Is this your card?" He held a deck of cards with both hands, and then the card is revealed on his chest.
"It is!" The male student with glasses exclaims in awe. "That's my card!" The students applaud him.
Julian holds up a deck of cards, one of them in his mouth. "Is this your card?"
"...I didn't pick a card," Randy informs him after a few seconds. The card falls from the boy's mouth.
"I'll never be a great magician."
"Don't say that. You just need practice," Amy tries to encourage the saddened boy.
"You couldn't be a worse magician," Howard comments and Amy slaps him on the arm. However, it's too late as Julian whimpers, blinking back tears.
"My birthday's ruined!" He throws the cards away out of sadness. "Ruined!" He runs off crying and the two give Howard accusing looks.
"What? He literally couldn't be worse," Howard states, acting like he did nothing wrong.
"You should go apologize," Randy informs him before rolling his eyes, shaking his head. "But since you won't, I'll go after him."
"You go ahead. We'll be around exploring," Amy sighs wearily at the shorter boy. Randy kisses her forehead and walks off.
Howard chuckles after Randy leaves. "Classic us."
Randy peeks into the bathroom, having followed the trail of cards to him. "Julian?" He steps further inside, looking at the stall that Julian's in. "You okay?" He steps into the stall next to Julian, sitting down.
"Depends," He holds out a card to him. "Is this your card?"
"And again, I haven't picked a card yet," Randy murmurs, shaking his head. Julian wheezes, dropping the card.
"Forget it, Randy. I'm a failure."
"Do you wanna..." Randy slowly puts down the bag. "Talk about it?"
"Oh, I couldn't..." Julian takes a deep breath. "My love of magic started when I was four." Randy groans, leaning against the toilet. He didn't really want an entire backstory. "Or was it three?" He groans again, and Julian doesn't seem to notice it. "Better be safe and start at two." He groans a third time, putting his hand on his face.
The Ninja Nomicon chimes from inside his jacket. "Oh, Nomicon. Thank cheese." He opens up the book and when he gets shloomped in, he slides to a stop, right next to the bag.
Amy's Kunoichi Nomicon flashes from her bag and she looks at it, glancing around. "Howard, I'll be back, I gotta-"
"Yeah, yeah, go into the stupid book. I'll be here," He waves her off and she runs to the girls' bathroom. She opens up the door, gets into a stall, and opens up the book.
She and Randy fall towards a white light, falling onto various branches of a tree. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" The third one they hang onto and Amy places a hand on her forehead.
"Ow...how's Julian?"
"He's talking about his entire life of when he started to like magic," Randy rolls his eyes. "No thanks."
A green glow gets their attention and they look downwards to see that they're over a small lake. Someone in the shadows is walking up to the green glow that's coming from the lake. It's an ancient peddler moving a cart.
"In ancient times, a poor and wretched Peddler stumbled upon a great evil," He looks over the lake to see the power ball and he grins. He takes the power ball, turning his eyes pure green, and they narrow. "Weak of will and tempted by the awesome power," Using the power ball, the peddler uses the lake to open up the Land of Shadows. The same place that the Sorceress is trapped into now. "He gave himself to the darkness." A bunch of arms appear from the portal, surrounding the peddler. He's suddenly switched for the Sorcerer, who has an evil grin on his face. "And the Sorcerer came to be." The peddler is now trapped inside the lake, the Sorcerer leaving him there to perish.
The two are vloomped out, and they sit up in the bathroom. "Okay, that ball is bad news," Randy declares once he snaps out of it. "I'll just run it home, stash it under my bed, and be back before cake." He reaches out to grab the bag, only to see that it's gone. "What the juice?! Julian..." He slides out of the stall. "Julian?!"
Amy opens the door as Randy runs out of the boys' bathroom. She looks to Randy and sees his panicked expression as he stands behind Howard. He's eating popcorn with a soda in his left hand.
"Howard, I think Julian has the bag."
"What?!" Amy holds her head with wide eyes.
"You let Julian hold the bag?" Howard asks incredibly, slumping. "I wanna hold the bag!"
"I didn't let him...erg!" He drags his hands down his face. "I can't talk about this now. Ames, come help me find him!"
She nods and runs after him. "Julian! Julian!"
"Julian! Where are you?" Amy glances around for him. He sees green flashing and opens up the curtain to reveal that it's a photo booth. Flute Girl and Stevens are sitting inside of it.
"Do you mind? We're making memories here! You can have your turn later!"
Stevens lifts down his glasses to give them a look and Flute Girl closes the curtain. Another sequence of green flashing brings them to an aerodynamic attraction, and Randy opens it to see the same boy who picked a card from Sinjin.
"I'm flying!"
"Ah, he couldn't have gotten that far," Amy frowns as they continue walking, and they come to a stop. Right in front of the Lost and Found.
"Gah!" He facepalms at this. "Always check the Lost and Found! Ames, why didn't you suggest that to me?"
"After the whole Theresa being possessed into stealing my book thing, I tend to stay away from the Lost and Found," Amy states with a blank look. They slip inside to find Julian in the corner, mumbling to himself. The green glow from the power ball comes from the open bag. Julian has a big grin on his face as the effects of the power ball are getting to him. Especially since his eyes are a light blue.
"Julian? Buddy? You okay?" Randy grins anxiously. "You don't feel weird or strange or evil-ish?"
"Evil-ish?" Julian seems to snap out of it, his eyes turning back to normal. "Heavens no."
"We're just gonna take this," Randy takes it and Julian clings onto it. The taller boy snatches the bag away, crawling back into the open space.
Julian sobs on the floor, but looks up with pure blue eyes, laughing evilly. "Amelia..."
Randy runs off to go home and put the power ball back, only to be stopped by Howard. Amy skids to a stop, slightly bumping into him. Howard simply glares at Randy instead of saying anything.
"Don't look at me like that. I got it back. Just gotta get it out of here!" He runs past the still silent Howard, who crosses his arms.
"Um, Ran," Amy points to him and Randy runs back to his friend.
"What are you doing? Come on!"
"I'm not going anywhere until you admit that bringing that ball to this party was a terrible idea!" Howard argues back.
Before the conversation can be continued further, the lights change to purple. "Guests of Julian's birthday party," Sinjin speaks from a PA, getting everyone's attention. "There is no escape..." All of the doors are blocked off except for one. "From fun! In my illusionarium!" The doors to it open up, releasing smoke.
"Probably should'a waited till we got outside to rub it in your face," Howard admits, earning glares from the both of them.
"Ya think?" Amy replies, hands on her hips. They walk behind the crowd.
"Join me for a voy-yaj into the world of mah-jeek," Sinjin's voice announces as they're guided into an auditorium kind of room. Randy and Amy are the last ones to sit as he allows her to slide in first. Everyone sitting down looks bored, but it's not like they had a choice.
Julian peeks from the curtain, staring at Amy and chuckling evilly. He sees Sinijn preparing for the show. "Ace of spades, ace of clubs, ace of hearts, ace of diamonds...doves!" Doves fly out of his cape, and then he gets startled by Julian standing next to him.
"Master Knightfire," He says politely, "As the birthday boy, I have a special request!" His tone turns sinister, but Sinjin doesn't seem to point it out. Julian leans in his ear to whisper the plan to him.
"Uh-huh. I love it. I'm on it."
Electronic music plays as a spotlight falls on the stage. Smoke and lights appear and then Sinjin is standing in the light.
"I am Sinjin Knightfire!" He announces, flames coming out from the sides. Flute Girl swoons as there's scattered cheering, and her reaction irritates Stevens. "Welcome to the magical world of magic. For my first trick, I'm gonna need a few volunteers from the audience." Flute Girl eagerly waves her hand as Stevens directs his look to her. "Hold on, are there a...Rand-y Cunning...ham...and Class President...Ameli-a Smi...Smith, Randy Cunningham and Class President Amelia Smith in the audience?"
Both of them stiffen upon hearing their names.
"What?!" Amy whispers in disbelief, her mouth wide open. How he even knows their names and picks them specifically is beyond her. Or even that she's the class president in school to begin with.
"We can't go up there! I have to hold the bag!" Randy points to it.
"And the doors are locked too..." Amy frowns, glancing behind her.
"Randy! Amy! Randy!" Julian claps from the stage, and suddenly everyone except the three cheer along.
"Randy! Amy! Randy!"
Both of them have concerned frowns. How are they going to get out of this when everyone is begging them to? He should've left the power ball at home!
"Relax, I'll watch the bag..." Howard offers them. "If you admit you shouldn't have brought that thing in the first place!"
"Never!" Randy replies stubbornly, earning an annoyed look from Amy. "Just gonna slouch it out."
Amy takes off her jacket and covers her head with it. "Right over here!" Howard raises his hand in a jerk move. "These are them. Randy Cunningham and Amelia Smith! Here they are!"
"You're not helping!" Amy hisses at him.
"I'm not trying to help," He smirks knowingly and she grunts. They both glare at Howard and reluctantly get up. Randy takes her hand as they walk down the steps together, both of them groaning in annoyance.
"This is the box of transference," Sinjin tells the crowd, a coffin-like box appearing behind him. "A portal betwixt our world and another." He gestures to the two 'volunteers', noticing the bag Randy is clutching. "...You wanna leave her purse at your seat?"
"It's not her purse. And I can't," Randy defends, hugging the bag.
"Fine. Suit yourselves," Sinjin mutters, standing in front of them. "I will place them in the box!" He pushes both of them. They try to get out, but he pushes them back in with his foot. It's a tight space, not to mention, they don't wanna be up on stage... "And banish them from our plane..." He closes the box, spins it around, and when he opens up the box, the two are gone. This earns mild applause and a sign from Flute Girl that reads 'I heart SK.' Sinjin closes the door, spins it around, and then the two reappear, albeit dizzy. "Ta da!"
The two stumble out, spinning around. "Alright, put your hands together for the box of transference."
As the crowd clap, Amy and Randy snap out of it to realize that the bag is no longer in Randy's hands. "It's gone! My bag!"
"What bag?"
"Ugh. My purse?" Randy corrects in annoyance.
"He was holding it right in his hands," Amy insists, gesturing to him.
"I dunno, kid. Okay? What happens in the box of transference stays in the box of transference. Now beat it," He pushes Randy off the stage and Amy gasps, running over to him. Randy reluctantly walks away and Amy places a hand on his shoulder.
"I just don't know where it could've ended up..." Amy murmurs softly.
Julian is in the catwalk, laughing evilly as he's now holding the bag. He takes out the power ball, chuckling.
Amy frowns as Randy feels terrible. "I lost it. I lost the Sorcerer ball and I have no idea where it is!"
Thunder rumbles, causing Howard to look up. "I think I know where it is," He points behind them and they turn around to see lightning striking at Sinjin's feet. He jumps back slightly, confused.
"Lightning? I don't do lightning." The next strike knocks him off stage, causing him to scream. Julian floats down from the catwalk, blue lightning surrounding his hands. His eyes are pure blue, just like last time.
"But I do! Applaud before me, for I am the greatest magician in the universe!" More lightning strikes from his hands as he laughs evilly, spreading his power to the decorations from the ceiling. They come to life and fly off, the crowd running away in fear. Amy's mouth opens in shock and Julian turns to her.
"My muse...come before me!" He lifts his hands and she suddenly lifts up in the air.
"Aah!"
Randy jumps up to catch her, but she's too high up. "No!"
Julian gestures his hands forward and Amy is brought in front of him. "Do you like it, Amelia? I have more to show you!"
"Julian, this is crazy! It's the power ball making you this way. You don't really love me."
"Oh, but I do~" He grins evilly, creeping her out.
Before anyone can leave, an axe pierces through the door, blocking their way.
"You are making a huge mistake!" The knight declares angrily instead of happily.
"That is exactly what I said. Didn't I, Cunningham?" Howard looks around for his friend, who is no longer around. "Cunningham?" The knights storm into the room.
Julian uses his new power to open up a portal to the Land of Shadows. He gasps sharply as Amy looks behind him in horror.
"A doorway to another dimension! And I opened it, me!" He spins around, laughing evilly.
"Smoke bomb!"
Julian turns around and sees the Ninja standing behind him. "Ninja!" Amy smiles in relief.
"Julian, this isn't you! You're a regular weirdo. Not a wonkin' shoobiopath!" Ninja tries to appeal to him as students are being chased behind him. "Let Ames go!"
"I am a master of magic! No one can deny my power, and Amelia stays with me! She will be mine!" Cards appear out of nowhere and he throws one at Ninja. He backflips as it turns into lightning that skids across the floor. Ninja skids to a stop.
"Um...Missed me," A flying gargoyle snatches him up from behind and Amy looks up in worry. Not only does he need her help, but she can't even move to transform. Ninja kicks the creature so that it releases him, and then grabs one of the horns with his scarf. It flies backwards, taking him along with it.
Flute Girl and Stevens are running from another gargoyle. "Ninja! Save us!" She calls out.
"Little held up here!" He replies, swinging past them.
"Booo!" Howard jeers at him, the knight appearing right behind him. He turns around and yelps, dropping his popcorn. "Also save me, too!" He jumps just before the knight cuts the table in half.
"Ninja leap!" He jumps and runs across the wall, dragging the gargoyle to the floor. He jumps over it as Howard trips, looking up at the knight in fear. He backs away as Ninja turns around to the gargoyle that's making him fly.
"Ninja boom ball!" He shoves it into the gargoyle's mouth, and it explodes. The knight is about to attack Howard when the remains of the gargoyle hit him, knocking him back. The head soars into the air and Howard grins at his friend.
"Thanks, Ninja!"
He slides back as the head lands in front of him. He turns around to glare up at him. "Watch it! Huh?" He notices the bag nearby. "Hey! Found your purse!" He opens it up, lifting it over. "Ball's gone."
Ninja eyes Julian and Amy on stage as he's controlling the portal with his lightning. Snakes come out of it. "Welcome, evil ones," He tips his hat with a bow.
"H'oh boy. That's not good," Ninja murmurs to himself. He eyes Amy and she glances up at him, cringing nervously as he's standing right behind her. Both of them notice that the lightning is starting to lose its power because Julian is focused on the portal.
"Psst. Ninja," She whispers, jerking her head to the coils. Ninja pulls out a ring and throws it. It flies past her body, but the lightning attracts to the metal, separating from the girl and setting her free. She grins, but then it drops as Flute Girl and Stevens fly past them, being held by the gargoyle. It flies them over to the portal.
"Ninja ring!" He hits the gargoyle's hands, dropping the two students.
"Thanks for saving us, Ninja!" She waves before they're grabbed by the snakes, lifted into the air. "Ninja?! Need to be saved again!"
"Thanks for coming to my party," Julian waves to the two as they start to be dragged into the portal. He then gasps sharply at Amy being free and then guides a snake to her. It wraps her up completely except for the head and she grunts, shimming around and struggling. Ninja swings over to the three.
"Ninja sai! Ninja sai! Ninja ring!"
The three fall on stage, the snakes reaching out to Ninja. "No!" Amy gasps a little in concern and there's a gargoyle flying behind him. He tugs on his scarf as he slowly reaches the ground, then he flies just in time for the snakes to grab the gargoyle instead. They all go back into the portal, to Julian's dismay. Amy slowly sits up, dragging the cut restraints off her.
"There's nothing you can do. I'm a great magician. No! I'm a sorcerer!" He creates two orbs of lightning, which circles above his head. Amy rushes over to Ninja and he hugs her in relief. She looks over her shoulder.
"It's not you, it's the ball!" Ninja informs him.
"I'll have to remember to thank Randy Cunningham and you as well Amelia..." The ball appears in his hand. "For the best birthday present ever."
"Get it away from him now!" Amy points to the ball.
"Ninja ball-slap!" Ninja throws his scarf, slapping the power ball away from Julian. It bounces off stage and Ninja flips to go get it, only for a snake creature from the portal to snatch his leg. He gets dragged backwards and Amy rushes over to him. "No, don't!" She flinches at his warning. "Get the ball!"
"But-"
"Hurry!"
She runs past him, but Julian grabs her arm. "Don't ruin this for us! My regards to the Land of Shadows," Julian tips his hat to Ninja as he walks away with a struggling Amy in tow. Even though he looks weak, being possessed by the ball has suddenly given him some strength.
"Howard! The ball! Get the ball! But don't touch it!" Ninja calls out to him.
"Get it. Don't touch it. You got a lotta rules, Ninja," Howard retorts back.
"The bag, use the bag!"
"You mean the purse?" Howard jerks a thumb behind him.
"Oh, will you just-?!"
"Fine, yes, the purse," Ninja says quickly, getting lifted up into the air. Howard looks behind him and grabs the bag, crawling onto the stage.
"Hey Julian! Trade ya!" He holds it up.
"Howard, no!" The two call out.
"Howard, yes!" Julian grins eagerly, letting go of Amy.
"Ninja and my friend for the ball?"
Julian silently snaps his fingers, and the snakes drop Ninja. Amy bends down to him, glancing up at Howard.
"Give it here," He steps forward and Howard throws the bag up into the air.
"Catch!"
The snakes reach out for it and Ninja jumps on them to get to the bag. He grabs it and throws it towards the portal. Julian yelps and jumps inside to get it. Ninja spins around his scarf over his head.
"Ninja scarf save!" He grips Julian's leg and pulls him backwards. Amy comes over and pulls along with him, but the goth has a tight grip on the bag. "Let go of the bag!"
"It's my birthday present!" Julian whines slightly.
"It's not your present," Ninja rolls his eyes. Suddenly, white sleeves appear as another Julian separates from the real one. Ninja finally manages to save Julian, but the one in pure white has the bag. He clutches it as he laughs evilly, sinking deeper into the Land of Shadows. The portal finally closes and disappears into thin air.
"Whoa," All three of them murmur as Julian sits up, rubbing his head. Ninja bends down to him.
"Julian?"
"Did I miss cake?" He asks, meaning that he probably doesn't remember what just happened. Sinjin kicks himself out of the box of transference, gasping in horror at all the damage.
"My Illusionarium! You can forget about your security deposit, kid."
Julian groans as a piece of debris falls behind them. "So I'm gonna...smoke bomb!"
The trio walk away from the room, everyone else having left. "So you're saying I was right and you owe me for saving your cheeses," Howard points up at them with his drink.
"I am not saying either of those things. But thanks. Ugh, I never should have brought that ball to the party. I thought I could protect it, but instead I put everyone in danger. Including you, Ames," He frowns at her. "Epically unsmart."
"It's okay, Ran. At least no one got hurt...well, except for Julian's or his parents' bank account," Amy glances away, holding his hand.
"Cunningham...that is not a word," Howard chuckles at him.
"It is a word," Amy sighs wearily as he eats some popcorn using his mouth.
"Kinda wish I didn't throw the ball into the Land of Shadows, though. That's probably a bad thing," Randy rubs his neck.
"Which is why I didn't let you," Howard reveals, confusing them. He lifts over his popcorn bag over his cup, and the power ball falls into it, causing them to gasp. "Take this thing and hide it in a place no one will ever look," He hands Randy the cup. "Not your underwear drawer or your bra drawer. Because...I look there."
Amy gasps, putting her hands over her chest awkwardly. "Howard!"
"What?" He asks innocently.
"Howard, you are the cheese...and we also need to have a talk about privacy," Randy narrows his eyes dangerously. "But, wait, if you had the ball, what was in that bag?"
Inside the Land of Shadows, the other Julian is laughing evilly, thinking that he's won. Then his eyes widen as he sees the gargoyle head inside of it. He screams angrily upon learning this.
Randy and Amy wave to Howard as Uncle Sledge pulls off, with the police car still chasing him.
"That was my first fight without you fighting with me," Randy frowns a bit. "It felt...weird, to be honest."
Amy rubs the back of her neck awkwardly. "There was the time that I refused because of Ninja and Kunoichi Day."
"That doesn't count, O'Thunderjerk was built to overshadow us," Randy glares at the reminder.
"Anyway," She rolls her eyes. "I felt the same way...but it's not like I had the time to transform with other people there, and I couldn't risk doing it in front of Julian..."
"I know, but...we're a team. We shouldn't be fighting alone."
"There are gonna be times when I can't help you, and that you'll have to do things on your own." She wished she could tell him that it won't happen, but she could be busy, or not have her mask like during the drill. Eventually, they're both going to have to get used to that. "But that doesn't mean I'm not with you, Ran."
"...Thanks," He smiles softly, kissing her hand. She blushes and then remembers his reaction to Julian talking to her. He seemed annoyed, but if it wasn't for his insistence, they wouldn't have gone there in the first place, and maybe none of this would've happened.
"...Can I ask you something?" Amy asks cautiously, turning to him.
"Sure, Ames!" He smiles slightly.
"You seemed pretty mad with Julian both as you and the Ninja. If you have a problem with him, why did you want to come to his birthday party?"
"...Well, I thought it would've done me some good to be nice to him. After all, he still likes you. But sometimes, I just get so angry that he calls you his muse that I can't help it. Because...I think that you'll like him and then...leave me for him," He rubs his neck awkwardly.
"Ran, if I didn't like you, I wouldn't have sung to you when you asked me out. I don't do that for just anyone," She states with a small smile, causing him to chuckle.
"Good point. Then again, the whole Jacques thing was harder on me than with Julian."
"Again with Jacques," She rolls her eyes in amusement. "He's nothing on Randy Cunningham, though."
Randy smiles and hugs her. She hugs him back in reassurance that she still likes him, and nothing would change that.
