"Where is it? Oh, where it?" Connie wondered, "I'm usually so organized!"

Peridot walked in from her room with 6 gem shards in a bubble. "There were seven… I was certain there were seven!"

Connie glanced up from searching. "Peridot, have you seen my backpack? It's very important."

Peridot looked up from calculating something on her tablet and shook her head. "I'm afraid I haven't. However, I'm looking for something much more important than a silly backpack, have you seen a gem shard around? I must retrieve it."

"These shards have a powerful partial consciousness that has been harnessed by…"

While Peridot spoke, failing her arms around in great detail, Connie got to thinking…. It wasn't in the kitchen… or my room… I need it to take my library books back in it! Hm… after searching here, Peridot came in and… Connie glanced
up to see Peridot still talking. Oh no! This must be important! I can't start listening now… I'd be lost! … Like my backpack…

"And over all, the world would perish in flames." Peridot finished.

Connie bit her lip. "... Yeah…"

"Okay! I'm going to town and search there! The people might've seen it." Peridot said, slamming the front door closed.

"Well, I guess I should look for the shard here." Connie shrugged. She turned to see her backpack, but it was moving!

"What the-" The backpack ran away. "Hey!" Connie yelled, running after it.

She grabbed the bag soon enough and held it to her back. "You'll hurt my books!" She dumped out the bag and a crystal shard fell out.

"Huh? Is this what Peri was looking for? I'd better bring it to her!"

Connie ran down the bordwalk yelling out for Peridot. She stopped when she heard a cry of panic. "What is that?"

Suddenly, a boy in a fry costume ran right into her. "Help me!" The boy cried. Connie gasped and he stood. The boy was being attacked by seagulls. "I'M NOT FRIES!" He yelled, taking off the head of the costume and shooing
away the birds. He felt Connie staring and glanced at her. "Oh, did I know you over? I'm sorry, I'm-" Connie took his hand that hoisted her up but the door to the fries stand opened. A man who looked like the boy gasped. "Gah, where's
your face Frybo? Being part of the Fryman family means you gotta sell fries.." The two kids stared. "and be my son, which you are. So, you're already halfway there." The boy's father said. "Keep at it, Frybo!"

"It's Pee-" He closed the door. "dee…" Peedee sighed. He turned to Connie.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Oh! Er, I'm Connie! Connie Universe." Connie blushed. She was very shy and often stayed at home… She didn't go to school with the gems and her father looking after her.

"Nice to meet you, Connie…" Peedee sighed. "When I told my dad I wanted to be part of the Fryman family business, I didn't think it meant being stuck in a sweaty old costume." He put on the head. "Things used to
be different, Connie, nothing to worry about back then except making myself dizzy on the old seahorse ride at Funland."

Connie gave a small smile. "W-was that a joke?" She tried to force out a laugh but it didn't work.

"I wish there was a way for this costume to do its job without me in it." Peedee whispered.

Connie glanced at her hand which still held the glowing shard. "I… um… might have a way…"

"How?! You gotta tell me!" Peedee cried. Connie hesitated but showed him the shard. She slipped it into the costume and watched it move around for a moment. Peedee gasped in awe while Connie backed away slowly. Is this a good idea? She
wondered

"Stop!" The girl yelled. The suit did. Peedee gasped, "Uh, stand up!" It did that too.

"Do a little dance?" Connie asked.

The thing suddenly grew legs made of fries, making Connie and Peedee recoil. It did as told. Mr. Fryman came out and saw it. Peedee hid behind Connie. "Woah-ho, all right! It's about ti— I mean, good job, buddy! That's what I'm talking
about, Frybo! Keep it up!"

Peedee watched him go inside. "Free, I'm free!"

Connie gave a nervous smile. She had a bad feeling…

"You've got the job, Frybo, let's shake on it!" Peedee showed his hand but Frybo picked him up and literally shook him.

"Are you okay?!" Connie gasped.

"Ok, no more shaking. Put me down!" The suit did. "Just, go make people eat fries." Peedee said. He watched Frybo run off. Connie tried to run after it but Peedee grabbed her arm. "Let's go be kids!" He cried.
Connie relented and let him drag her away.

Connie laughed in joy as the jellyfish shook her. "I forgot how silly these were!"

Peedee didn't find her joy in the seahorse. He got very bored, very quick. "This seahorse used to make me so happy. Now it's just giving me whiplash. I feel like there's just no point to it, you know what I mean?"

Connie was too busy laughing to respond.

"You'll understand when you have a job." The boy sighed.

"I do have a job, I protect humanity from magic and monsters and stuff!" Connie said.

Peedee shook his head in confusion but accepted it. "I mean a real job, that you get paid for."

"I'm paid in the smiles across the town's faces." Connie replied calmly.

"I don't see anyone smiling." Peedee sighed. "You pick up a job to buy a house, or raise kids, or to... impress your dad. You work away your life, and what does it get you?"

"A… good feeling that you did justice?"

"No! You get cash. Cash that can't buy back what the job takes... not if you rode every seahorse in the world." The children looked out at the distance.

"Do you want to ride the jellyfish?"

They suddenly heard a scream. "That came from the fry shop!" Peedee gasped. He and Connie ran to the shop.

They got to the shop and gasped. Frybo was inside and forcing fries into innocent pepole's mouth.

"We didn't tell him to do that, did we tell him to do that?!" Peedee gasped.

"Please! No more fries!" Mr. Smiley cried, but the monster didn't listen.

"Frybo, stop!" Connie growled. The thing turned to the girl and she saw blue and red veins on it. She flinched involuntarily. Frybo picked up her friend Lars and threw him at her. She and Peedee ducked. "Why isn't it listening?!"
Peedee yelled.

"I don't know!" Connie cried.

Suddenly, Mr. Fryman came out. "Peedee, where's all this coming from?!" The monster grabbed him with fries. "Ah, I get it, I pushed you too hard. I thought you wanted to be as good a Fryman as you could be, you're a tough kid
for putting up with it as long as you did!"

"Dad!" Peedee cried, trying to run and help but Connie grabbed him. "Are you crazy?! It'll kill you in a instant!"

"W-what are you going to do?!" Peedee asked.

"My job!" Connie said proudly.

Frybo chucked Peedee's unconscious father on top of them. Peridot ran into the scene after hearing the screams and gasped. "Connie! Did you put the missing shard in that monstrosity?!"

Connie nodded. "I've never had a friend before! I wanted to help! I'm so sorry!"

Peridot gasped in horror. "CONNIE! Oh, you've truly messed it up now! Didn't you hear me talk about the many, many explosions?!"

"Wait, what?!" Connie cried.

"You weren't listening! Nothing can just blow up!" Peridot growled. She took out her metal pole and stabbed Frybo in the eye. It burst with ketchup on her. She dropped the other shards while Peedee rolled off his father. Connie ran to
Peridot and tried to help her up.

"Ugh! Ketchup! My one and only weakness!" Peridot yelled.

Connie noticed the gem shards and gasped in realization.

Meanwhile, Peedee was crying over his father when Frybo cornered him. "G-go away!" The boy sobbed, defending them with a plank. His father awoke and gasped. "Peedee?"

"You are awful! I hate you! I've always hated you!" Peedee yelled at the monster.

"You've always hated Frybo?" Fryman gasped.

Frybo then disarmed the boy, who cowered in fear with his father. Suddenly, a backpack hit Frybo in the face. "Connie!" The Frymans gasped. "What is going on?!" Peridot groaned.

Connie had her pants and undershirt on but the rest of her things were lined up like a battlefield. "Come at me, I dare you." She hissed to Frybo. It took her offer and charged. "ATTACK!"

The garments beat Frybo down. Connie ran up and grabbed the shard.

"Connie?! You got huge!" Peridot gasped, still blinded by ketchup and touching Fryman's face.

Later, Connie, the Crystal Temps, Fryman, and Peedee watched solemnly as Connie's garments put Frybo in the ocean.

"Why are we here again?" Jasper whispered.

"I… don't know." Peridot shrugged.

"You were great, Frybo." Fryman whispered. "The kids today just didn't understand. Now, they never will."

"Weren't people scared of it before he attacked them?" Peridot asked. Connie shushed her.

"It's time to send him off." Fryman whispered. He lit Frybo on fire and they watched him burn. "As greasy in death as he was in life."

Peedee glanced up at his father. "Dad? Uhm... I'll, are you going to get another costume?"

The father chuckled and put a arm around Peedee. "I don't need another Frybo, I got the fry man."

The tender scene was interrupted when Lapis used her powers to shove the remains of Frybo out to sea in a massive wave. "Woo hoo! Goodbye forever!" She cried.

They all glared at her.

"What? We all agree that was horrifying."

They nodded in agreement.