Chapter 10: Cancelled

"Are you kiddin' me? Are you, sir, kiddin' ME?!"

Gerald was speaking on the phone in the Boarding House as Arnold stood next to him with a worried look.

"You mean to tell me, after this long, that you and your other big business guys decide to pull the plug, right after that?! …. What do you mean it's complicated?! … So what, can't you let a bird spread their wings and sing in the sky after finishing that worm? … Don't give me those big words, I want a straight answer …. Well if that tune did flop over at the next cage, why not reel the fish back in?... it was just one more, just one more! … If that how you want to act, then you can ….." Gerald shook his head and placed the phone back. "They hung up."

"What's the matter?" Gerald and Arnold looked in the living room with Miles and Stella sitting.

"You will not believe how long it took to get in touch with those guys and find out what's up with Yo Earnest."

"Yo Earnest?" Miles raise an eyebrow while Stella looks just as curious.

"It's a T.V. show." Arnold said as the boys took a seat. "It's really good, but for some reason it got cancelled."

"And your argument didn't sound like it was from low ratings." Stella said with a soft smile.

"Oh it does have the ratings." Gerald said. "But apparently the creator didn't want to sign this long contract because he wanted to work with some other channel."

"Well that's complicated." Miles said. "So the channel wants to hold him back, but yet the creator just wants to leave them behind?"

"Oh it wouldn't be so bad." Arnold said with his head resting on his hands. "It's just that …."

"Yo Earnest needed only one movie, just one movie to tie everything up."

"One movie?" Stella asked. "Anything important with that?"

"Anything important?!" Gerald practically gasped. "In the last and very final episode, Earnest found his uncle's video documentaries about his life in the swamp."

"So?" Stella folded her arms. "Can't this Earnest ask his uncle about his fishing trips?"

"That's just it." Arnold rose his head up. "Earnest's uncle went missing in action years ago."

"You don't say." Miles smiled. "Any trace?"

"Nope." Arnold answered.

"But they've been building it up for the last two seasons." Gerald spoke up. "Earnest been digging up some weird stuff about his uncle. Secret gadgets, government documents, a possible double life, and that crazy eye symbol they've seen everywhere."

"Now that sounds exciting." Miles smiled with enthusiasm.

"Exciting is an understatement." Gerald stood up, looking a bit more happy. "On its own, the show is amazing; but the atmosphere they had, all the drama, and don't get me started on the last episode where they spend the whole day watching those video documentaries where we found out so much stuff."

Arnold spoke up as he counts his fingers. "How he met his wife. Sighting of some elf-like people, his wedding, dangerous adventures, and some moments of Earnest as a baby."

"But what gets my eyes glued to the screen was that very brief shot of some villain named, the Shadow." Gerald said, giving an evil appearance when he said 'shadow'.

"And don't forget that treasure named the Heart." Arnold added. "They were in for a few moments, and then they never go back to it."

"I just know that treasure is not as it appears." Gerald held onto his hands. "I bet it has some magical powers that can end the entire universe."

"But then we get the ending." Arnold sigh as Gerald returned to his depressed state. "After an emotional goodbye which the Uncle believed it would be short, the video ended with some weird scribbles at the end."

"Which turned out to be a secret message reading 'To the Heart of the Swamp, it sleeps." Gerald said as he waved his fingers. "And then roll credits. That's it, game over, that's all folks." Gerald lay on the couch. "I mean who wants to know the mystery of Yo Earnest, I'm sure we'll all get bored out of our young minds."

Stella held her arms and shook her head. "Wow; that does sound stupid."

"Sooooooo, stupid." Gerald slapped his face. "I wish we can do something."

That's when Arnold's old lightbulb lite up as bright as ever. "What if we can?"

"Here we go again." Gerald sat up. "So what's the plan?"

Miles and Stella watch their son and his best friends go over a plan to get the show back, involving fans and artwork.

"If they see how much everyone loves the show, they'll get the movie made."

Gerald felt his chin. "We do know some good artists; and with my talent of tales, there's no way I can't get more people interested."

"And then we can spread the word to other cities, then the states, and then the entire country!"

"Oh Arnold." Stella said as the two adults smiled at the kids' goal to save the swamp movie.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's do it!" Gerald and Arnold performed their handshake and bolted out the door to either find their other friends to help out, ask the mayor for help, or heck probably the radio station.

"Well they better pull it off." Stella laughed as she and Miles stood up. "That actually sounds like a good show."

"Let's see if it's on." Miles suggested as he turned on the T.V.

The adults managed to find the show and watched a couple of episodes. They found it very enjoyable with its characters and humor, but also very intrigued by how much adult it can be, especially the episode Robin Man.

But as they watched more episodes, something came to mind for Stella. "Ummmm, Miles?" Stella looked at her husband with an unsettling look.

"Yes, honey?" Miles asked his wife, feeling concern for what she's feeling.

"Doesn't this show all seem …. Familiar?"

End of Chapter

A/N: And that will be the last chapter until after the official jungle movie airs. How will the movie effect the overall fanfiction? ….. eh, we'll cross the bridge when we get there.