Chapter 14: Grubhog Day/ Hop Pop and Lock
Grubhog Day
"Look at all this!" Marcy said as she, Sprig, Polly and Anne walked down the fairgrounds that were set up. "Food and games everywhere! Our first fair!"
"Welcome to Grubhog Day girls." Polly said. "It's the one day a year where no one works and the whole swamp cuts loose! It all leads to a big ceremony where the grubhog pops out of its official stump!"
"Yeah sure." Anne said completely disinterested. "Look I came with you guys, I've seen the fair, but now I'm going to leave."
"What?!" both Anne's siblings and the original versions of the humans said.
"Back then you would never skip out on a chance to have some fun, especially when no one would have a problem with it!" Ghost Sasha gasp.
"No, don't tell me that she's leaving to look for teen you again." Ghost Anne sighed. "I'm taking your disappearance much harder than I thought.
"Okay, so a weather predicting grubhog is not your thing." Sprig said. "But you got to join us on the vomit inducing, deft defying, unforgettable rides!"
"No Sprig!" Anne said as her little brother tried to drag her to a ride.
"Not so fast kids!" Hop Pop said jumping out of a bush.
"Hop Pop what are you doing hiding in the bushes?"
"I, I'm not quite sure myself Anne… but never mind that! Great news, Ralphie Underbrook has the plague!"
"That's horrible!" Polly said while the others gasped.
"Oh, he'll be fine. But now, someone has to take care of the grubhog, and I volunteered you Sprig."
"What?!" Sprig asked.
"This is a big deal! The last Plantar to do it botched the job so bad, we shunned him for life!"
"Botched how?" Marcy asked as Anne was barely interested.
"Let's just say he got hungry…and he ate it." Polly explained.
"That is bad."
"Isn't this exciting?!" Hop Pop asked Sprig. "You'll have to miss the fair of course but it's for a good cause! Come on boy, do it for the family. What do you say?"
Sprig hesitated with his answer. "Well… I uh… of course I will! There is nothing more important to me than family! Rides are for dum-dums anyway."
"That's my Sprig! I knew I could count on you! This guy everyone! This guy!"
Shortly after that the family was in the official grubhog tent. "Come on Anne, you have to admit he's cute." Marcy said.
"Well yes, like a little sock puppet." Anne said was a small smile.
"Careful, it spits acid." Hop Pop warned just as the grubhog spat on the floor, both sisters looked into the hole wondering how deep it went. "Don't stare into the abyss girls, after all it stares back. You got that costume on yet boy?" Sprig step out from behind a folding screen with a coat and tall top hat sighing. "I'm so happy I lived to see this."
Sprig read the scroll that came with the costume. "Congratulations lucky child. Keep an eye on the grubhog and "Don't pull a Plantar!" Ouch."
"Polly let's go spread the good news. The Plantars are back baby!"
"Okay well, I going to take Bessie, I'll be back home tonight then." Anne said.
"Say whaaat?" Hop Pop stopped. "But the ceremony! You'll miss Sprig restoring the family name!"
"I'm more interested in restoring the family period!" Anne snapped. "I can't enjoy anything in the fair knowing Sasha is out there missing it! You can forbid me to go all you want Hop Pop! But I' going to find her and you can't stop me!"
"I…I." Hop Pop couldn't come up with a good argument. "Just try to be back before the ceremony for Sprig, okay?"
"I will, and hopefully I be bringing Sasha with me to see it."
"Good luck Anne." Sprig said.
"She's really doing it? She is just going to leave Sprig hanging like that?" Ghost Anne couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Remember, she doesn't know that her sister is safe… sort of. And since the dare was her idea young you blames herself of Sasha going missing." Ghost Marcy said.
"I do hope she'll be okay." Hop Pop sighed. "Okay Sprig, we're heading out too. And remember, the family name is in your hands."
"In your hands." Polly repeated creepily.
"You don't want to do this, but you want to make Hop Pop proud so you're doing it anyway right?" Marcy asked.
"You saw those "I'm proud of you Sprig eyes!" I only seen them maybe twice." Sprig said. "You go and enjoy those incredible rides without me."
"No. If you or Anne or Sasha can't enjoy the fair then neither will I. We can always wait until next year. I'll help you out. At the very least try to keep you from getting bored."
"Really?"
"It's my family name too." Marcy smiled. "So, what does the grubhog do to predict the weather? I really want to know!"
"Oh, it doesn't "do" anything. At the end of the ceremony the mayor cuts the grub hog open and examines its organs." Sprig said, the grubhog shot up hearing this.
"What?!" Marcy looked horrified.
"Yeah, spots in the liver means two more weeks of winter as the saying goes."
"Sprig, I've read plenty of books and they all say that reading at animal entrails is wildly inaccurate! How can we as an enlightened society do something so barbaric to such a cute critter?"
"It's tradition! I don't like it either but…" As they argued they didn't see the grubhog spit acid at the back of its cage and crawl out of it and the tent. "…if I don't bring it over to the stump Hop Pop will be so disappointed."
"I understand that Sprig but once it's there I'm going to protest! How could anyone hurt something with that sweet face…" Marcy turned and saw the hole. "It's gone!"
"But we only took our eyes off of it for a second!" Sprig panicked. "If the ceremony is ruined then Plantar name will be ruined forever!"
"Let's find it. It's still just a little grubhog. He couldn't have gotten far."
"Right, we'll find him and bring him back without Hop Pop seeing us. I hope."
They left the tent and found the grubhog eating webby candy right out of the machine. "Okay cutey come to Marcy."
She reached for it from behind the vendor, but it jumped away and she ended up pushing the man face first into the machine. "Hey!" he yelled; face covered in the candy.
Next the followed it to the bumper bugs where the critter hitched a ride. Marcy ran in trying to get it but was nearly ran over by Sadie Croaker. "Watch it kid!"
Marcy and Sprig followed the grubhog to the carousel where it was climbing up on of the poles. Sprig ran in while Marcy switched the ride off making a lot of frogs mad. Sprig almost had it but had to avoid its acid.
They almost cornered it at the food stands, but Hop Pop and Polly were there so Sprig had to hide while Marcy tried to look calm waving hi to her oldest and youngest relatives while the grubhog started a fire.
They thought they lost the grubhog until they saw it come out of a face painting tent with a butterfly painted on its face. "How did…?" Sprig asked. While Marcy began to growl in frustration.
They then followed it to the Spider Spinner, but the ride had already started, the grubhog in one of the baskets. Marcy grabbed a lasso ant roped the basket only to be dragged along, knocking over tents and stands making the owners very angry.
"This is terrible! No matter how hard we try that grubhog keeps slipping away!" Sprig said.
"No!" Marcy yelled. "We are going to get that grubhog and the ceremony will be a success!"
"I thought you said it was barbaric."
"That little jerk deserves to have its guts cut out!" Marcy made a scary face. "I am Marcy Plantar! The most intelligent girl in Wartwood! I will not be outsmarted by a creature with a brain the size of a cashew!"
"Seems smarter than that." Sprig said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say if it weren't for it running or hiding from us, It seems like the grubhog is just trying to have fun at the fair."
Marcy was surprised and calmed down. "It does seem to be doing that. Maybe this thing is more intelligent than I give it credit for." Marcy activated her brain boost. "Looking at everyplace we've been to today, then only attraction the grubhog didn't go to is… that one!" Marcy pointed to the Snake Shaker that was against the setting sun.
"A new ride?!"
"Marcy!" It was Hop Pop.
"Go, I'll keep him busy. Get that grubhog!" Marcy whispered.
Sprig snuck off unseen by Hop Pop. "Marcy, I've been hearing all day about the trouble you've caused! Just because Anne's not here to make mischief doesn't mean you have to fill in for her!"
"One the one hand I'm disappointed since you my smart sister." Polly said. "On the other hand, I'm impressed! I didn't know you had it in you!"
"It's not like that! You know me. Clumsy, clumsy Marcy." Marcy tried to laugh the whole thing off.
"Well in any case you're sticking with me for the rest of the fair so I can keep an eye on you, young lady!" Hop Pop said.
Meanwhile. "Gotcha!" Sprig took hold of the grubhog in the car of the roller coaster and knowing it was caught relaxed, wanting to enjoy one last ride before the end. "Huh looks like I get to go one at least one ride." As the ride began Sprig had fun after the first big drop but one loose nail bumped the grubhog out of the car leaving it helpless on its back. "Hog overboard!" Sprig look around for something to do. "Wait I get him when I come back around! It's gonna be okay!" He made one last turn. "Steady, steady…" But then a large vulture swooped down and snatched the grubhog lying away. Then Sprig began to scream.
"Sprig what's wrong?" It was Anne. "Did something happen while I was gone?"
"The grubhog escaped! Marcy got into big trouble trying to help me catch it! But now a bird flew off with it and the ceremony begins in five minutes! Hop Pop's going to be so disappointed."
"I help however I can! There has got to be something we can do! Think!"
"Sock! Buttons! Don't know why you'd want'em but we got'em." A vendor yelled.
"There we go!" Anne paid and got to work. "If I can't find Sasha today then at least I can help my little brother. Presenting, one grubhog!" Anne pulled out a grubhog sock puppet.
"I don't know…" Sprig said before the puppet licked him. "He's a friendly little guy! Maybe… we can actually pull this off!"
"It's just got to pop out of the stump, right?
"And predict the weather, yeah."
"We totally got this!"
A bell rang and announcement was made. "The grubhog ceremony will begin presently."
"Let's do this thing!" Sprig and Anne fist bumped popping off one of the puppets button eyes.
"I can fix that." Anne said.
The town gathered at the stage with the stump. "Sorry! Sorry!" Marcy kept apologizing for the damage she did today. She was very nervous for Sprig
Then Mayor Toadstool came up on stage. "Frogs, friends! Welcome to the annual grubhog celebration!" the crowd cheered. "Now wait. Simmer down, simmer down, I know what to hand it over to the next town scandal just waiting to happen, Sprig Plantar!"
There were only a few claps now, most then coming from the Plantars. As Sprig stepped forward "Hello! Welocome fellow frogs. It is my honor to present the one, the only, the absolutely real and not fake gudbhog!"
The doors to the stand opened and out popped Anne's puppet. "Does the gurbhog look a little bit off to you?" one frog asked.
"Eh they probably changed its diet." His Friend said.
"That's what it is."
Marcy was not fooled, however. "Sprig what did you do? Where's the real grubhog?" she whispered to herself.
"I can't believe it! we're pulling this off!" Sprig whispered to Anne.
"Good cause it's hot in here!" Anne panted.
"Cute and cuddly, he's here! And now the ceremonial feed and cleaning of the grubhog!" Mayor Toadstool said.
Sprig fed the puppet a carrot that it spat back at him. "Hehe. That grubhog's got some sass in him!" Hop Pop laughed
"What are you doing?" Sprig whispered.
"Selling it!" Anne answered.
Sprig then began to bathe the puppet and Anne used it to smack Sprig make the frogs laugh again. "Okay you! Put'em up!" Sprig made like he punched and missed, and Anne grabbed his belt dropping his pants making the townspeople laugh harder.
"Well done my boy." Toadstool said. "I must say this is the best ceremony we've ever had. Consider the Plantar name restored in full!" There was a tear in Hop Pop's eye. "And now, the moment we've all be waiting for! It's time to cut open the grubhog!"
"Oh no!" Marcy gasped.
"Say what now?" Anne asked as Toadstool grabbed her puppet covered arm.
"Now remember, spots in the liver means…" Toadstool began.
"Two more weeks of winter!' the crowd finished. "Cut! Cut! Cut!"
"I love this part!" Polly cheered. Marcy sweated; she knew if she tried to protest now no one would listen to her after all the damage she'd done.
"You read its guts? Why didn't you tell me?" Anne asked.
"I told Marcy earlier and I didn't think about this part!" Sprig said.
Spring held Toadstool back. "What the matter with you boy? The grubhog taken over you mind?"
"I can't let you do this! The truth is…" Sprig looked at Hop Pop. "The truth is I lost the grubhog!"
The crowd gasped. "Leaping lily pads! What?"
"That's right. I lost the grubhog because I distracted myself talking to Marcy because I just wanted to go to the fair and it escaped. The reason Marcy got into trouble is because she was trying to help me get it back, but I lost it any and Anne and I tricked you to cover it all up. Marcy I'm sorry I shouldn't have dragged you into this."
Sprig kicked the stump making it fall over showing Anne and her puppet. "Hello everybody."
"Sprig, I don't understand!" Hop Pop said. "You said fixing the family name was important to you."
"I knew it was important to you." Sprig explained. "So, I played along. I just wanted to make you proud."
"Sprig, girls, I owe you all an apology. I put way too much on your shoulders Sprig and your sisters got dragged along. I should have just let you have fun at the fair."
"Well, Plantars you've ruined everything surprising absolutely no one." Toadstool interrupted. "I knew this goofy kid would mess things up somehow!"
"Hey! You make fun of me all you want but leave him out of this!"
"Wake up Plantar the night, heck the whole day is ruined! Most of the fair got messed up and we got no grubhog! All we got is a puppet the everyone seemed to love!"
Sprig had an idea. Later behind a curtain. "Chop the grubhog!" Sprig said with finger pupets.
"No! Chop you!" Anne said making the grubhog puppet attack Sprig's.
"Revenge of the Grubhog!" Marcy said holding up a cardboard sign. "And que the applause." The towns folk want an encore.
"They can't get enough!" Hop Pop said. "Sprig this puppet show was a great idea! You redeemed the family name after all. I'm proud of you, all of you! That whole killing the Grubhog stuff always was pretty severe."
"Not to me!" Polly said.
"I'm surprised it ever became a tradition at all. Marcy said. "Like I said before, reading entrail is wildly inaccurate. I check town records the prediction has almost always been wrong for the past hundred years."
They then heard Toadstool say the show was about to begin. "To the VIP seats!" Polly said.
"Marcy, Anne, thanks for helping out today. It was a ride I won't forget." Sprig said.
"Of course, we did. You're our brother." Marcy said.
"Anytime bro." Anne followed. "Real talk tough, I almost peed myself when they were going to cut off my arm."
"Yeah memories." Sprig sighed. "Too bad about that grubhog though, I hope he's in a better place."
High above the fair the grubhog was now ridding on the vulture's back. "Despite those children trying to recapture me I found they chase quite enjoyable" The grubhog said in its native language. I do hope the find their sister but, in any case, I must thank you for saving me, loyal subject."
"Think nothing of it, lord." The vulture squawked. "I have not forgotten the aid you gave my people. To where do we fly?"
"To war old friend. To war."
Hop Pop and Lock
It was a busy day in Wartwood, the sun was shining, but you could hardly tell that from the alley the Plantar family was in right now. "Now kids just because we lost the family stand doesn't mean we can't sell our produce out of a janky wheelbarrow." Hop Pop said next to said wheelbarrow.
"This, this is pretty sad." Anne said
"Agreed." Polly nodded.
"Yeah, 'm glad Sasha isn't here to see this." Marcy sighed.
"Ah, criminal activity, excitement!" Sprig said putting on a mask.
"Take that off!" Hop Pop snatched off the mask. "This is perfectly legal!"
"Then why are we hiding in an alley?" Anne asked.
"Eh uh, stop asking questions and follow my lead."
"Like I said, Sasha would have a fit." Marcy said.
Hop Pop approached an old green frog woman and whispered. "Hey lady, want to buy an eggplant?"
But when the woman turned around, she recognized him. "Hoppy!"
"Sylvia!"
"Hoppy?" Anne and Marcy asked.
"Come here you sweet potato." Sylvia gave Hop Pop a hug.
"I thought you moved away." Hop Pop said.
"Yep, but I'm back in town. And now let's take a look at your veggies." Hop Pop flustered as Sylvia went through the produce. "Oh, I'll take this one. I've always had a soft spot for the weird ones." She winked as she held up a gourd the looked like Hop Pop's head. Hop Pop just blushed and stuttered. Sylvia put a copper in his pocket and gave him a hug. "Goodbye Hoppy."
"Goodbye Sylvia." Hop Pop was finally able to speak.
"Hop Pop you spider!" Anne said.
"Glad to know you still have it in you." Marcy added.
"Huh?" Hop Pop didn't think he was that obvious.
"What happening?" Sprig asked.
"What's going on?" Polly also asked.
"Hop Pop is clearly in love!" Anne winked.
"Head over heels." Marcy said.
The younger siblings grew wide eye. "Whaaaat?" Sprig gasped
"I didn't think that was possible!" Polly said.
"Am not!"" hop Pop denied. "Okay, maybe a little."
That is so sweet!" Marcy squeaked.
"Oooh. You should tell her how you feel." Anne said.
"Oh, I wish a could." Hop Pop sighed. "But you saw how I was back there. I have trouble putting even sentences together! I wish there was another way I could let sylvia know how I feel." Then they hear something being nailed to the message board. "Kids, watch the wheelbarrow for a second."
Toadie had put up a poster. "Dance fever! With Family fun! Shenanigans! Romance! Tonight from 6 P.M. to Hmmm?"
Hop Pop thought for a moment when he heard Sylvia say. "Been a long time since I danced with someone. Might be nice to feel the embrace of a man."
"He, he, he. Mom!" Her daughter Felicia said.
"Wait, if Sylvia is Felicia's mom, then that makes her Ivy's grandmother!" Marcy gasped. "Sprig you don't have a problem with that do you?"
"Well, it's a little weird but it's not like we're going to double date or anything." Sprig said.
Then next thing anyone knew an old blue frog pranked Hop Pop. "Classic gullible Hopediah!"
"Oh, hey Monroe." Hop Pop said unhappily.
"Who's that?" Anne asked.
"That's Monroe, he and Hop Pop have been rivals forever." Sprig explained.
Polly picked it up from there. "Monroe wins at pretty much everything. Lawn bowling, shuffleboard, other old man activities."
"You're not seriously thinking of going to this thing are ya?" Monroe asked. "Wouldn't want to embarrass yourself like last year's barn dance fiasco. Ha, ha! See you round old timer."
"Oh, we'll see about that Monroe. We'll see." Hop Pop said.
Then Sprig yelled as a whistle was blown. "Hop Pop it's the fuzz! Everyone scatter!"
Later back at the farm Hop Pop wasn't having much luck learning to dance when he heard Anne and Marcy arguing in the basement. "Come on Anne you said you'd take the whole day off!" Marcy said.
"From searching, I'm marking where I looked and where I want to try next. I only agreed to not go out today because I want to make sure Sasha has a home to come back too." Anne said.
"You'll burn yourself out if you keep this up!" Then Marcy had a thought. "You know, I could make a better search pattern for you, but only if you try to have some fun. Let's dance!"
"I don't know Mar Mar. It wouldn't feel right without Sasha."
"Come on. If we don't practice, she'll say we've gotten rusty without her."
"Okay." Marcy pulled out a makeshift drum set made of an old kettle, an empty metal bucket and an empty barrel with a tarp tied tight on top. She began playing using some old spoons as drumstick and Anne danced with moves hop Pop never seen before.
"The girls can dance?" Hop Pop asked himself.
When Marcy saw her grandfather one of the spoons slipped out of her hand a hit him in the face making Hop Pop fall down the stair. "Hop Pop? What heck?" Anne said.
"Sorry! Are you alright?" Marcy asked.
"Girls, I need you help!" Hop Pop said.
"What?" both sisters asked.
He brought a copy of the dance poster. "And that's why I'm begging you. Teach me your ways! I can't tell Sylvia how I feel, but maybe I can show her, by dancing with her!"
"Never figured you for the hopeless romantic Hop Pop." Anne said. "Let's do this thing."
"Of course, we'll help." Marcy agreed. "Anyone can dance."
"Good but how did you learn to dance like that?" Hop Pop asked.
"Well, you know how it was, since we had to spend a lot of our free time in the basement." Anne said.
"We had come up with so many ways to entertain ourselves." Marcy explained. "The dancing was rough at first but after reading some books I was able to help Sasha and Anne really move."
"Guess you just raw talent." Hop Pop said. "Um, about these lessons can we keep this just between us?"
"You got it Hop Pop. Our lips are sealed." Anne said
"Woo hoo!" Sprig cheered at Hop Pop's lessons. "Dance it up Hop Pop!
"Shake that booty!" Polly added eating some popcorn.
"What happened to the zipped lips?" Hop Pop asked.
"Couldn't help it, this is just too juicy!" Anne said. "Besides when we're done with you, you and Sylvia will be locking lips by the end of the night."
Sprig and Polly were degusted by the image in their heads. "Come on!" Polly dropped her popcorn.
Marcy began to play her drums as Anne said. "Lesson one, footwork."
She showed Hop Pop some steps, but he tripped over his feet and into a fire ant hill. "Ahhhh! It burns! It burns!"
"Lesson two, rhythm." Marcy said banging on one bucket. When Hop Pop tried, he hit his foot with a hammer.
"Lesson three, Freestyle." Anne said. "Freestyle is expressing yourself in your own unique way." Anne, Marcy, Sprig, and Polly each did some great dancing.
But Hop Pop's just looked wrong. "I gotta say, that the first lesson I actually felt good…"
Anne interrupted. "Hop Pop, if you want to win over Sylvia, never do freestyle again!"
"When I said anyone can dance, that doesn't mean everyone should!" Marcy agreed.
They worked on lessons one and two and when it was over Hop Pop was actually getting very good. "I think you got it." Anne smiled.
"Wow such a dramatic improvement!" Marcy said.
"Thank you, girls." Hop Pop said.
"Guys! There's only ten minutes until the dance! Come on!" Sprig said.
"Oh, we gotta go!" Anne said as they ran.
We they got there the dance had begun and it seemed like everyone was having a good time. "I gotta say. As long as you're not being forced to date someone, dances ain't half bad." Sprig said.
"She's here!" Hop Pop pointed to Sylvia. "I feel like I'm going to faint! Can frogs faint? I don't know anything anymore!"
"Hop Pop calm down." Marcy said.
"You are the king of the dance floor!" Anne added. "You walk up to that lovely lady and ask her to dance!"
Hop Pop nodded. "I got this."
"Get it!"
"Go Hop Pop!" Marcy added.
"Sylvia I…" Hop Pop began nervously.
"Sylvia Sundew!" Monroe said. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
"WhaaaT" the Plantar children gasped.
"Why Monroe, I'd be delighted." Sylvia said.
"Sylvia! Dance with me instead!" Hop Pop yelled.
"Well, Hopediah…"
"Him? Ha! He can't dance." Monroe mocked.
"I can dance better than you!" Hop Pop answered. "I've been trained by the best, and I'm gonna take you down!"
"Is that so? Then let's settle this."
"The drama!" Sprig gasped.
"Come on guys, Hop Pop's gonna need back up." Anne said.
The children stood behind Hop Pop as the dance floor cleared to make room for the competition. "Oh, what's this?" Mayor Toadstool asked grabbing the microphone. "It appears two stallions have taken to the floor and are about to battle it out!" Hop Pop went first using almost everything he learned. The crowd seemed impressed as his grandchildren cheered. "A solid effort by Hopediah Plantar. But how will Monroe respond?" Monroe laughed as he took to floor dancing like a much younger frog.
"Oh no!" Anne gasped.
"Well looks that's it for Hopediah. Unless he has something special or unique to show."
"Well, we did our best, and isn't that what counts?" Sprig asked.
"What kind of loser talk is that?!" Polly yelled.
"I honestly don't know what to do! Monroe is just a better dancer." Anne said.
"If only we had more time to prepare!" Marcy moaned.
"Well, that I guess I'll just have to express myself in my own unique way." Hop Pop said.
"Wait you don't think he's gonna…?" Sprig asked.
"Oh no!" Anne said. "Hop! Hop Pop!"
"Sylvia…" Hop Pop began. "…I don't think ever be able to tell you how I feel about ya, but I can show ya! Hit it boys!"
"Uh yeah, we've been hitting it but okay." One of the band members said.
Hop Pop began to freestyle. "Unbelievable! I've never seen moves like those! It's horrifying!" Toadstool said and the crowd agreed.
Hop Pop continued, even setting the floor on fire and putting it out with the punch bowl. "
"Is it safe to look yet?" Anne asked with her eyes covered.
"No idea." Sprig said.
"Couldn't tell ya." Polly said.
"I'm afraid to open my eyes." Marcy sighed.
"Oh ho! Yikes!" Monroe said. "Well, I think it's clear who the winner is." The crowd agreed with Monroe.
"Come along Sylvia. No need to waste time with losers." Monroe said.
Hope Pop turned to leave when he heard Sylvia say. "Oh Hopediah!"
He turned to see Sylvia was freestyling just as strangely as he was. "She's as freaky as he is! The horror! The horror!" Monroe ran away screaming.
Hop Pop joined and the crowd was disgusted. "This is not for children's eyes!" one woman said covering her son's eyes.
"Why? Why?" Anne cried.
"They are made for each other in the worst possible way!" Marcy felt like she was going to be sick.
"Okay! That's enough that!" Toadstool said. "Pack it up! Dance is over! Everyone, go home!" Almost everyone cleared out.
Hop Pop tiredly laughed. "I don't get it, why?"
"I have a soft spot for the weird ones remember?" Sylvia answered.
Hop Pop blushed. "Shame the dance is over, I could dance for hours with you." It was then Sprig began to play his fiddle and Marcy began to sing along. "May I have this dance Sylvia Sundew?"
"Why yes you may Hopediah Plantar." The pair began to slow dance.
"May I have this dance Madam?" Poly asked Anne.
"Thought you'd never asked." Anne picked up the tadpole and danced along.
