He needed to get out of there. It was just too much to deal with. The constant weird characters that showed up to try and ruin everything, constantly having to avoid Kelloway, his dead-end job, his nasty landlord... Frankly, the Coco Bongo wasn't even worth sticking around for!
Stanley Ipkiss was moving to another town. A town where he would hopefully be safe and happy. A town where he would hopefully have more friends.
He gathered all his things in boxes, and packed everything up into his car. He had so little, he didn't even need a moving van. In the front seat of his car sat his loyal dog, Milo. And in his pocket? The mask resided.
"Well, Milo, old pal, this is it. Time to get a fresh start on life." Stanley let out a soft sigh. Milo let out a soft bark. "I know, buddy, I'll miss it here too, but things will hopefully be better for us moving on. It's a nice, quiet neighbourhood... From the looks of it, not a lot of neighbours... Even some woods so we can go for better walks, whattya think of that, huh?" He rubbed Milo's head affectionately.
On the radio, he heard a commercial. "Dingo's Diner is back and ready for you! Sat g'day to delectable dishes inspired by my interdimensional travels! Enjoy the breeze with out innovative three wall dining room design! Dingo's Diner: health and safety rated 'D' for 'Delicious!'" A voice said, likely the owner of the restaurant.
"Warning: 'D' is a failing sanitation grade and does not stand for 'Delicious.'" An automated voice warned.
Stanley chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "Well, we're used to places like that, aren't we?" He remembered the many times he had nearly got food poisoning. There was a reason he tried to avoid eating out.
He had to give the owner of the place credit, though... He was certainly enthusiastic and passionate about his business.
He soon arrived at his new house.
Yes, his new house. He no longer had to pay a pushy landlord every month, he owned his very own house. It was nothing spectacular, just a simple little place with just enough room for about three people. It was perfect.
Stanley got out along with Milo and a few boxes, walking to the house and opening the door..
He winced, expecting someone to jump out at him and scream "Surprise!" But nothing of the sort happened, prompting him to let out a sigh of relief. He set down one of the boxes, then went outside to gather more.
He noticed one of his neighbours' doors open, and didn't think much of it, thinking they were just going about their normal routine...
"Ah-ha! I told you our new neighbour was moving in today!" A boisterous male voice sounded out. Stanley turned to see three people approach him, clearly of Japanesr descent. One was a well built man with jet black hair and a pair of glasses. The second, an auburn-haired woman with a rather initimidating gaze in spite of the cheerful smile on her face. And the third, a teenage boy that inherited his father's hair and his mother's eyes.
"Oh! Um... Hello there, neighbour, nice to meet you! The name's Stanley Ipkiss!" He extended his hand, which the large man grabbed enthusiastically in a vice grip that made him wince.
"It's good to meetcha, Stanley! You can call me Kenichi! And this is my wife Naoko and my son Subaru!" He broke the handshake and Stanley shook his hand.
"That is uh... quite a grip ya got there, heh..."
"Oh, that's nothing. You should try wrestling with him. If you don't know all his weak spots, he'll have you locked down." Subaru said with a friendly smile.
"With the stuff he pulls, he's lucky he's not locked up!" Came another voice from the house to their right, where a young man with a bowl hair cut was observing the scene.
Of course, as he was saying this, he was 'cutting' his grass with a flamethrower. "Sup! Name's Ian! I'm just dealing with all this overgrown grass!"
"Ian, your house is on fire again." Subaru said flatly.
"Eh. My mom will fix that." He dismissed.
As if on cue, a woman with blonde hair and glasses ran outside with a fire extinguisher. "Damn it, Ian, I told you to use the safety scissors to cut the grass!"
"Okay, I don't see why you won't just let me use the lawn mower!" Ian whined.
"Because I don't want to have to pay for you to get a new foot a twenty fifth time!"
"He's really lost his foot 24 times?" Stanley asked, shocked.
"Actuslly, that was just to the lawn mower." Subaru cut in. "We kinda stopped counting when we reached the triple digits. Ian gets himself into some of the craziest situations, especially when you get him together with Reese..."
As if on cue, a teenager with messy dark hair ran onto Ian's property. "Dude, Ian, I just saw a huge wasp's nest in my backyard! Wanna come huck rocks at it?"
"Uh, hey, Ian! Reese! That's probably not a great idea! You know? The bees might get mad and sting you guys?" Stanley tried to talk them out of it. Sure, he just met them and didn't HAVE to help, but he felt like he should. The Mask was the crazy one that loved to hurt people, not him.
Ian and Reese exchanged glances, then started laughing. "What, you think pain is gonna stop us? Puh-LEAZE!" Ian waved a hand dismissively,
"Yeah. A little pain us what gets us ahead in life. See, if you don't get hurt every now and then, you don't learn all those important lessons in life. Like don't take a nap in the middle of the driveway, or don't chug sewer water through a funnel for five bucks. If I never had these experiences, I wouldn't know not to do them now, so how will I really know throwing stuff at angry bugs is a bad idea if I don't experience it firsthand?" Was Reese's explanation.
Stanley was dumbfounded at this logic. "Is... Is he serious?" He asked.
"Serious as a flaming dump truck falling on your face! But it makes great stuff for YouTube!" Said a man in a black and red suit, a gun on each side of his hip and a pair of katanas on his back and he quickly followed them, filming on his phone.
Stanley watched the scene before him, then exhaled deeply.
"Well, I got away from the landlord, but I guess I'm just a crazy magnet." He said, shoulders slumping. Subaru grinned and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, no worries. Not everyone here's a total weirdo! Like me for instance! I spend the majority of my time indoors playing video games, just like your average everyday pathetic shut-in!" He remarked. Stanley looked at him with a raised brow. "Heh... That's...the part where you're supposed to chuckle..." Subaru rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
Stanley chuckled. "Nothing wrong with being a shut-in. I usually spend most of my time watching cartoons, anyway." Stanley said.
"Well isn't that nice? You two have something in common! I'm sure you'll be the best of friends!" Subaru's mother chirped merrily as his father nodded with a smile. Stanley and Subaru exchanged glances and chuckled.
Suddenly, Ian and Reese ran around from the back of the house, screaming and trying to run away from the bees, which was difficult because Deadpool, now somehow dressed in a beekeeper outfit over his costume, was holding the hive in his hands and following them. "Come on, guys! There's only 200, 000 of them left and they can only sting you once!" Deadpool cried out.
Suddenly, a loud vacuuming noise could be heard and the bees were suddenly pulled away, along with the beehive, pulled right out of Deadpool's hands and sucked into a strange cannon-looking device, wielded by... a dingo/crocodile hybrid!?
Dingodile grinned widely as he held the nozzle of his vacuum up to his face, peeking in. "Ello, little nippers. The buncha ya will get on real nice with the rest of me clan. Yeah, you'll give us enough honey to make a years supply of me famous honey pot pie, won'tcha? Hmm... Maybe just one little snack for the road..."
Then he reached in, grabbed one of the bees, popped it into his mouth and chewed it up, humming in satisfaction. "Ah, these are good ones! They'll do me well!"
Stanley's eyes widened in recognition. "Hey, you were the voice advertising Dingo's Diner on the radio!"
Dingodile smiled widely at this. "You've heard of me diner! Excellent! You'll have to come on down sometime! I finally got that 'D' health and safety rank to a 'C', for 'completely delicious!'" He said happily.
Stanley looked unsure, rubbing his shoulder unvomfortably. Subaru leaned in with a cheeky grin. "No worries. The food is actually really good over there. Dingodile can cook well, he's just a massive slob."
Stanley expected the mutant to take offense, but Dingodie just laughed heartily and waved his hand.
"Ah, long as ya enjoy the meal, a little dirt won't hurt ya!"
Stanley chuckled at this. "Well, this neighborhood is definitely a lively one. I think things will be a lot nicer here than back in the city." He said.
Then he noticed one of the houses seemed to be in a perpetual state of winter. The rest of the block was lush and green, but this one was a regular winter wonderland, snow falling all around and covering the property. And yet the owner of the home, a young woman with short purple hair, a loose sweater, a short skirt and thigh-high purple striped stockings was casually pouring a watering can over her garden as if trying to grow flowers.
"How is her house covered in snow like that?" Stanley asked looking around.
"Oh, that's Mizore. She's an Ice Woman. She may be cold, but she's also pretty hot!" Deadpool laughed.
The young woman noticed she was being looked at and turned to face Stanley. She tilted her head to the side, a blank look on her face. "Oh. You're the new neighbour. Hello there. I'm watering my petunias. Aren't they lovely?" The flowers in question were dead, wilted and frozen.
"Oh yes, they certainly add...character to your home." Stanley agreed awkwardly. Mizore didn't catch on to his hesitation and smiled.
"Your flowers are dead, Mizore! Even I know flowers die in the cold! That's why there's so many flowers in the desert where it's super hot!" Ian yelled at her from across the street... while apparently using the garden hose to take a shower, with his clothes still on.
Mizore frowned and tilted her head. Then she pointed her hand at the bowl-haired fool and launched a powerful blast of frigid air that froze him solid in a block of ice. Ian blinked twice, then let out a long, pitiful whine that was muffled by the ice. "My balls retracted into my pelvis it's so cold."
"How is he still alive?" Stanley asked, a bit horrified.
"We all ask ourselves that every day." Deadpool said.
As if on cue, the frozen Ian shattered into little cubes of ice. Despite the fact that he was literally in pieces, he still managed to scream out "OW! Damn it, that hurt!"
A feminine laugh was heard from another house. A girl with blue hair, a yellow sweater, a miniskirt and... generous assets emerged. "Ah, you just never stop putting your foot in your mouth, do you, Ian?"
"Oh, yeah? Well, maybe you should put those giant boobs in your mouth, Kurumu!" Ian shouted, somehow back in one piece. However, it didn't seem like he would stay that way, as the girl sprouted bat wings, a devil-like tail and shot her fingernails out to three feet long.
"You really wanna go down that road with me again, Ian?" She said dangerously, not losing the bubbly smile on her face. Ian winced and rushed inside. Kurumu smirked, then noticed Stanley and gasped. "Ohmygosh, a new neighbour!" She said excitedly, running over to introduce herself.
"Hi, there! Nice to meet you. My name is Stanley Ipkiss. And you are?" Stanley asked, holding out his hand... Although, due to Kurumu rushing at him so fast, she didn't stop in time and he wound up accidentally groping one of her boobs.
Kurumu tensed up. The two stood in awkward silence for several seconds. "Um... Let go?" Kurumu said, smiling sheepishly. Stanley blushed intensely and pulled back, sputtering his apologies. Kurumu just giggled and waved him off.
"S-so, what was your name again?" Stanley asked nervously, desperate to change to subject.
"Oh, my name's Kurumu! And you said your name was Stanley, right? Nice to meet you!" She grabbed his hand and shook it. "You're gonna love it here! This is one of those happy little towns where everyone knows and loves each other! Well...mostly, anyway."
"That's what I was hoping for when I moved here. Glad it seems like I made the right choice." Stanley said with a smile. "So, what do you guys usually do for fun around here?" He asked.
"Eh. A bunch of stuff. We're in a bit of a quiet period right now, but things get pretty hectic around here. But hey, there's tons of stuff to do over in town." Subaru answered.
"Great. I'll definitely have to check it out later after I get my stuff settled in. I guess I'll see you guys around later, then." Stanley said, finally going inside his house.
The neighbours waved him off, and he entered the house, sighing softly as he gave Milo a smile. "Well, boy, guess we're in a good spot for now, huh?" Milo barked his affirmation.
Stanley then got all his stuff organized in a manner to his liking, relaxing on the couch for a moment, before deciding what to do. "I wonder what I should do first?" He wondered.
Then, he heard a knock on the door. Blinking, he rose to his feet. "Now who could that be?" He approached the front door and pulled it open to find another neighbour he hadn't seen before. This one was a tall anthropomorphic rabbit wearing a long purple dress, and next to her was a smaller rabbit, around six if he had to guess, wearing a knee-length orange dress. The older of the two rabbits was holding a container containing what looked to be fresh cookies.
Stanley opened the door and smiled. "Hello, there. How can I help you?" He asked politely, looking back and forth between them.
"Hello there, sir, my name is Vanilla. And this is my daughter, Cream. We just came over to introduce ourselves to our newest neighbour. And I even baked some cookies for you." The older rabbit introduced.
The small rabbit gave a polte bow. "It's wonderful to meet you, sir." Stanley was impressed with this child's politeness, as well as just how neighbourly the older rabbit was.
"Well, it's very nice to meet both of you. Why don't you two come in? I'll throw on some coffee, and a glass of cocoa for the little one?"
"That would be lovely." Vanilla said.
"Yes, please." Cream agreed.
Stanley held the door open for them. Milo noticed the two newcomers and lay on the floor, tail wagging curiously as he awaited their response to him. "Oh, uh, this here is my dog Milo. He won't be any trouble, he knows better than to jump on guests and all, but he's fine to wait in my room for a while if you have any concerns."
"Oh, that's fine. We have no problem with dogs." Vanilla assured him.
"Is it alright if I pet him?" Cream asked.
Milo let out a happy bark and rose to his feet, tail wagging merrily behind him. Stanley chuckled. "Well, I'd say there's your answer." He replied. Cream let out a delighted squeal and rushed forward, taking a knee to run her fingers through the dog's fur.
"He's so soft." Cream said as she pet the pup, giggling as he rose up and licked her face.
'How does she know what he feels like with those gloves on?' Stanley wondered.
Cream picked Milo up and hugged him close. Stanley chuckled. "Yep, he's a good boy all right. Even without all the training we did, he's naturally a really mellow dog." Milo barked softly in affirmation.
"That's nice. We never had a dog, because dogs usually don't like rabbits too much. I do have a chao named Cheese, though. He had to stay home because he has a cold." Cream said, showing him a picture.
Stanley blinked as he looked at the picture. "A chao, huh? Never seen anything like that before. He's a cute little fella though... Wait... Cream... Cheese... Ah, I get it! Haha, that's pretty good!"
Cream giggles a bit as well. "Mama said that it was a good name and that it would be funny to name him that." She explains.
She looked down at Milo. "How come you named him Milo?" She asked curiously. Stanley shrugged his shoulders.
"Eh. He just sorta looks like a Milo, y'know?" Cream inspected the small dog and giggled.
"He really does!"
"How sweet." Vanilla said with a smile as she watched her daughter and the dog interact. Stanley chuckled.
"All righty, lemme go throw those drinks on..."
Stanley makes coffee for himself and Vanilla and cocoa for Cream. "So, how long have you guys lived around here?" He asked.
"Oh, about a year, give or take. A dear friend of Cream's moved away with her boyfriend a while back, and her other good friend was set out to greener woods, as he put it. So Cream and I decided to join him in his move so neither would get lonely. It was quite perfect, really. He moved into the woods near your house, and we moved into the neighbourhood."
Stanley blinked. "There's a guy in the woods behind my house?"
"Yeah, Mr. Big! Oh, but don't worry! He's super nice to everyone! I can take you to introduce you after you finish your coffee if you'd like!" Cream said eagerly.
"Um... Sure, yeah. That could be fun." Stanley said, putting on a convincing smile, trying to process this new information about a strange man living in the woods near his house.
He stirred his coffee and leaned back against his chair. Perhaps Cream was right, and this was a friendly guy he could get along with.
He could only wait and find out. "So, your friend's name is Mr. Big? That's an interesting name. I guess he's a big guy, then?" Stanley asked, trying to keep up the conversation.
"Oh yes, he's very big and very strong! He can break through big metal rocks like it was nothing! He was very helpful in the big final fight against that big scary Metal Sonic! We couldn't have done it without him!"
"Wait, aren't you a little young to be fighting rogue weapons of mass destruction?"
"Yes. Yes I am." Stanley turned to Vanilla, who sighed.
"I know it's... unorthodox to let my young daughter go on these journies, but she's saved my life enough times that I feel I can trust her with dangerous situations."
"Ah. Got yourself a real gifted little girl, huh?"
"Yes, I do. Thank you for noticing, Mr. Ipkiss." She said.
"Oh, feel free to call me stanley." He said.
"Stanley." Vanilla said with a warm smile. "It's so nice to have someone so mild-mannered in the neighbourhood. I love everyone here, but they're so very..."
"Exciteable?"
"I suppose that's one word for it."
"That's the only kind of people we had in the big city. Only with way less manners. My land lady only had one volume: screaming." Stanley said, shuddering at the memory of Mrs. Peenman.
"Dear oh dear... Yes, I had some awful landlords in my youth... Renting from another person is always a gamble. You may end up with a good landlord... or a complete jerk."
"That is definitely the truth. Sometimes I'm amazed I can still hear with all the yelling she constantly did. She even told me to stop thinking so loud once!" He said.
Vanilla and Cream giggled softly. "Miss Amy used to get like that sometimes too!" Cream chirped. "She was a very nice girl, but she could get so very grumpy at times, especially when Mr. Sonic was involved..." She sighed. "I have lots of friends here, but I still miss Amy..."
"Sorry to hear that. Does she have a phone number you could call, though, or some way to keep in touch?" Stanley offered, hoping to lift the girl's spirits in some way.
Cream perked up. "Oh yes! She calls me every week and tells me all about the places she goes with Mr. Sonic! They were in Italy last week! How wonderful is that?"
"Ah, gotta love their cuisine!" Stanley agreed. "They are so much more than spaghetti and pizzas!"
"Yes, it is really good!" Cream agreed.
"Oh, so you've been to Italy before, Mr. Ipkiss? You sound like you've been there many times." Vanilla said.
"Ah, well, ah... I have a friend that travels a lot. He brings back all sorts of stuff." Stanley told a half-truth. The Mask had s tendency to go to different countries to sample their foods.
"Well that sounds lovely. Perhaps you could introduce us sometime." Vanilla suggested.
"Well, it might be a little harder to get in touch with him now that I moved, but maybe." Stanley said.
He looked over to the drawer he kept the Mask in. He knew he'd have to give the spirit within some free time at some point... He just hoped he didn't irritate the neighbours too much and wreck his chances of making friends here...
'If only there was a way to prove that I'm not really the Mask.' Stanley thought.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Ipkiss?" Cream asked.
"Oh, uh... Nah, just doing a little self-reflecting. Say, weird question... If a guy with a green face showed up and started doing weird stuff around here that may annoy some people, would ya hold it against him?"
"Well, minus the green face part, that's actually more or less what Ian, Wade and Reese are like, and we all get along just fine." Vanilla replied.
Outside, Ian and Reese were getting beat up by Ian's Mom, Mizore and Kurumu. The reason? Who the hell knows with these two?
Stanley was a bit surprised at seeing the boys take such a beating like they were, but softly smiled, thinking he'd finally found a place where he and the Mask can belong. "I think I'm really gonna like it here." He said.
He swore he heard the spirit of the Mask cheering from within the drawer he had left it. Indeed, the Mask was inwardly excited. Finally, he might actually be able to get people in on his fun! Conga lines down the sidewalk, evening luaus, this place was gonna be a real party!
"So, Vanilla, what do you usually do for fun around here?" Stanley asked her as he tried a bite of one of her cookies. He swallowed and then smiled. "Wow! These are great by the way." He praised.
"Oh, thank you so much. As for what we do for fun? Well, in the neighbourhood, I typically go for walks, visit the neighbours, watch the strange situations the neighbours get into unfold... But there's lots to do in this town, so you're unlikely to be bored."
"That's great. What's life without a good time every now and then, eh?" Stanley said.
"Yeah! There's never a dull moment, here!" Cream declared.
Suddenly, Vanilla started as she looked at the clock. "Oh dear, I'm running late for a very important date!"
"Ooh, you're going out with Mr. Vector again, mama?" Cream chirped happily. Vanilla nodded.
"Hmm...I'll need to find someone to watch you and fast..."
"I'll watch her." Stanley offered with a smile.
"You would?! Thank you so much!" Vanilla said happily, hurrying off.
"So, who's Mr. Vector?" Stanley asked.
Cream smiled. "He's my mommy's boyfriend. He's a crocodile. You'd like him. He'a really nice and really funny."
"A crocodile dating a rabbit... Now I've heard everything." Stanley said, a bit surprised. "Still, I guess you really can find love anywhere." Stanley said, a bit hopeful for his own chances.
Cream seemed to catch onto this and smiled warmly. "There's lots of pretty ladies here that would probably love to be with you! There's Miss Nadia, Miss Tharja, Miss Cerebella..." Stanley smiled.
"Well, hopefully I end up hitting the dating scene soon!"
"Oh, I'm sure you will, Stanley. There's somebody out there for everyone. You two have a good time, okay? I'll come by a little later to get Cream. Thank you so much again, Stanley" Vanilla said with a bow before rushing out the door, leaving her daughter and new friend alone.
"So, Cream, what would you like to do?" Stanley asked.
"Oh! Can I take you to meet Mr. Big? I love introducing him to all my friends in the neighbourhood!"
Stanley smiled and nodded. "Sure thing. Lead the way!"
So the two of them headed to the forest, searching around for this mysterious Mr. Big. "So, your mom doesn't have a problem with you going into the forest like this?" He asked.
Cream shook her head with a smile. "Oh no! I've explored the beach, the city, casinos, canyons, forests, jungles, haunted castles and flying war ships way, waaaay above the clouds. I can handle some small woods, Mr. Stanley."
Stanley was a bit shocked at all the places she'd been, a few of them being places she definitely shouldn't have been, but he still smiled. "Wow, that's really impressive for someone your age. Or any age, really." He said.
Cream beamed at his praise. "Thank you, I'm proud of myself for having the strength to go against these kinds of odds despite my age... It was kind of scary, but now that I've gotten through these things, I'm not scared of much anymore!"
Stanley smiled at this. "Well, you're a lot braver than I am, Cream." He told her as they reached a river in the forest. "Wow, this looks like it'd be a nice spot for fishing." He said.
As if on cue, he saw a fishing line casted into the river. With a quirked brow, he looked over, and there on the shoreline sat the biggest cat he had ever laid eyes on.
"Oh, wow. Is he Mr. Big? He certainly fits his name." Stanley said as he observed the cat and the frog bouncing around beside him. "And is the frog his pet or something?" He asked.
Cream nodded her head. "Yes, that's his friend Froggy. Those two are very close." She waved to the large cat, catching his attention. Upon seeing the small rabbit, Big perked up, setting down his fishing rod and wading through the river to join up with her and Stanley.
"Well, hello there, Mr. Big. Nice to meet you." Stanley greeted the giant cat man, holding his hand out for a hand shake.
Big noticed the new face and smiled warmly. "Oh, hiya there, Mr. Stanley. It's nice to meet you. A friend of Cream is a friend of mine." The large cat returned the handshake, and while Stanley was expecting a bone-shattering grip, the cat, while strong, was also very gentle, and took great care not to squeeze his hand too hard.
"So, you live out here in the woods, huh? I bet that gets rough sometimes." Stanley said. Sure, he'd been camping on occasion, but could never manage more than a single night in the wilderness.
Big shook his head. "Not really. I've lived in the woods all my life. It's what I'm happy with. I like the city and have fun when I visit it, but the woods is where I think I reslly belong." The cat explained with a smile.
"Huh. Yeah, I think I get it. It's a good feeling to know you're in a place you can belong." Stanley said. He then noticed Ian and Reese sneaking up on Froggy, who was still on a rock near where Big was fishing. "Ian? Reese? What are you guys doing?" He asked, a bit concerned for Froggy.
The two young men stiffened in response, then Ian put a finger on his lips and shushed him. "Quiet, Stanley! We're looking for frogs!"
"Yeah, we need a frog so I can put it in my brother's bed!" Reese affirmed, nodding his head. Big picked Froggy up, then held him high out of reach.
"Come on, guys, I asked you nicely to leave my Froggy alone. There's plenty of other frogs yoj can use. I won't let anyone take Froggy!"
Then a bird swooped down and grabbed Froggy in its talons, flying high into the air with him.
"FROGGY!" Big cried out in a panic.
"I got him!" Reese reached into his pocket and pulled out a long tube and a small wad of paper, which he put in his mouth and began to chew. Climbing a nearby tree for a better shot, he aimed, then fired a spitball that hit the bird in the eye.
With a squawk, the bird swerved about uncontrollably, unable to see where it was going, until finally, it dropped Froggy... deeper in the woods.
"Oh, man..." Stanley said worriedly.
"Dang it, Reese! Now we have to WALK!" Ian complained, storming off in the direction Froggy was dropped.
As he walked, he tripped over a rock and fell into the river. "Awww, now I'm wet!"
Big looked down, his ears drooping sadly. "Aww man... Why does my pollywog pal keep getting taken away from me?" At that, even the troublesome duo felt a bit bad.
"This happens a lot?" Stanley asked, a bit concerned.
"Yes. It's happened at least twice now. Three times, counting this." Cream confirmed.
"Don't worry, Big! We'll find Froggy!" Ian said.
"Yeah! We'll put him in Dewey's bed first, then bring him home safe and sound!" Reese agreed, the two laughing merrily as they walked into the woods.
"...We gotta find Froggy before they do." Big said. He hated how mean Reese was to his little brother.
"That might be easier said than done." Stanley said. He almost considered rushing back home to put on the mask so he could find the missing frog quickly, but he didn't want him to already cause trouble with his new neighbors yet.
Cream turned to Big with a tilted head. "Maybe one of your neighbours can tell us where to find him?" Stanley gave the rabbit a questioning look. "Oh! Mr. Big isn't alone in the woods. Mr. Sarge and his friends live in a little base... Mr. Jack lives in his cave... Miss Rachel's mansion is just on the edge of the woods..."
"Wow. A lot more people live out in the woods than I would have imagined. And a sergeant even lives out here. Man, military benefits must be running out." He said.
"Yeah, Grif complains about that all the time. Then Sarge hits him." Big said with a nod.
"Sounds like he has an anger problem." Stanley said.
"Maybe. He's not as bad as Mr. Knuckles, though." Cream stated.
"Well, we're not gonna find the frog standing around here. And...I think I have something back at my place that can help us..." He decided to rip off the band-aid and just get the Mask...
"Okay. We'll keep looking." Big said.
"See you in a bit, Mr. Ipkiss." Cream said.
Stanley nodded and rushed back to his house as fast as possible...
And then, after a few yards, he tripped over something. He then heard whatever had tripped him speaking. But it was in Spanish, so he didn't understand a word.
"Pick your head up, Lopez, and stop droppin' it!" A gruff male voice called out.
Suddenly, a brown armored body without a head approached him, swearing in Spanish as it picked up the head and placed it on its neck.
Another soldier in similar armor then approached Stanley. "Well, what have we got here?" He asked.
Stanley looked up at the man. "Oh, uh, am I invading your camp? Sorry, didn't mean to, just trying to help a friend out..."
"Never seen you 'round these parts, son. Newcomer to the neighbourhood?" The man asked. Stanley nodded and rose to his feet, extending his hand to shake.
"Yes sir! Stanley Ipkiss. And you must be Sarge! Cream and Big told me about you and your guys."
"Hehe. She's a good kid. And Big's s good guy. Would've made a nice soldier if he wasn't such a gentle soul. Then again, some of my boys aren't exactly the spitting image of soldiers, either." Sarge said, grumbling about Griff and Caboose.
"SARGENT! HELP! MY HAND US STUCK IN THE TOASTER OVEN!" Caboose cried out.
"Where did you even get a toaster oven and when can I use it?" Grif asked.
"There's no power out here to use a toaster oven, fatass." Simmons said flatly.
"Well, you guys are certainly... interesting." Stanley said.
"Well, when you're trapped in box canyons for most of your life, you lose your sanity real quick." Grif said.
Stanley blinked at that.
"Yeah, I'll bet, heh... So uh... who are the rest of you guys?" He asked, addressing the rest of the armoured men.
"The fatass in orange there is Grif, the kissass in maroon is Simmons and the wonderful robot in brown here is our dear robot, Lopez." Sarge introduced them.
Stanley looked over. The three in question waved. "Oh, and uh... since Sarge here has it out for the rest of the team, there's also Church, Tucker and Caboose. Donut's around somewhere..." Simmons looked around.
"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you all." Stanley said.
Caboose suddenly rushed forward. "Oh boy, a new friend! Hi new friend!" He pulled Stanley into a bone-crushing hug.
"Ah! H-hey, there, Caboose. Nice to meet you." Stanley said through the pain.
"It is nice to meet you too, Stan Lee! I'm a really big fan of your comic books! Ooh! My favourite is Spider-Man!"
"Caboose, Stan Lee is dead! His name is Stanley. That's all his first name!" Simmons told him.
"Don't bother, Simmons. When it rains he thinks God's been eating Taco Bell." Grif groaned.
"Sorry ya have to deal with our resident dumbass here, Stanley." Church muttered, nursing his shoulder where Caboose had once again committed friendly fire earlier that day.
"Ooooh. I thought he found the holy grail." Caboose said. Stanley gave him an awkward smile.
"Uh... I can't feel my spine..."
"Oh no! Your spine is missing?! We gotta find it!"
"Dude, just run." Grif said.
"Caboose, leave the guy alone." Tucker told him.
"Aww... Okay." He set Stanley down. "Don't worry. I'll keep looking for your spine."
"But... I... uh..." Stanley rubbed his back, stammering in confusion.
"Dude, you might as well not even try. We've tried teaching him this stuff for years and it hasn't sunk in." Tucker told Stanley, helping him up and sending him on his way.
"Right... Yeah, I gotcha. He's not a bad guy though, I don't have anything against him...Urgh... My back might have a few issues with him though..."
"I hear, ya. Heck, he once broke Lopez in half with a hug once. And he's a freakin' robot, made totally out of metal!" Tucker declared, laughing at the memory.
(I have been plotting the stupid one's death ever since that fateful day. Thus far, he has managed to evade his fate. But the day will come.) Lopez said, despite the fact that no one understood.
"Uh... Does anyone know what he said?" Stanley asked.
"Oh, he said Caboose is his best friend!" Donut declared.
(I might kill you tonight, pink one.)
"Ah! Where'd you come from?!" Stankey exclaimed, startled at Donut's sudden appearance.
"Oh, I was just securing the perimeter. We've got a lot of enemies. You never know when they might try to sneak in from the rear." Donut explained, not catching his double entendre.
Tucker did, and he barked out a laugh. Stanley chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I see, I see." Hoo boy, the Mask would have a field day trying to one up this guy in suggestive comments... "Well, I'll see you guys around. I gotta go get something to help Big and Cream find Froggy before Ian and Anthony do." Stanley said.
"Oh, those two naughty boys. We really oughta show them some military discipline one of these days! I'll work them to the bone!" Donut said, again missing how dirty his statement sounded.
Stanley tried to hide his laughter, muttering out an "Oh God" in the process. As he heard Tucker trying to explain the dirty jokes to Caboose, he chuckled softly. And so he began his trip back home.
As he walked, however, he heard what appeared to be a soft croaking sound. He blinked, then decided to follow after it. "Maybe I won't need to bring the mask after all!" He exclaimed, chasing the croak...
He quickly found that it was not Froggy. This frog was much bigger than the one he was after. And it seemed to be the 'pet' of someone else. This someone was a petite girl with blonde hair, red eyes and an elegant black dress. The strangest part, though, was not only was she floating, she was holding an umbrella that looked like a black cat, and was followed by a small round red creature. The girl noted his presence with only mild interest at first, before blinking slightly as realized he was a new face.
"Hmm. It appears this gallery of fools has welcomed a new member." She said calmly.
"O-oh. Sorry. I didn't know anyone... else was out here. I was looking for Big's friend Froggy. I thought your frog was him." Stanley explained.
"Ah yes, George the 13th... Often I find he's snuck out from my manor to play with Big's little friend. So I presume Froggy has gone missing once more, then?"
"Yeah. A bird took him after Ian and Reese tried to use him for a prank." Stanley explained.
The girl's face morphed into one of displeasure at the mention of the resident troublemakers. "Hmph... I do not despise many of the inhabitants of this city... But those two insolent children..."
"Hmph! Indeed! Such ruffians!" The umbrella spoke.
"Yeah, they're jerks!" The flying blob chipped in.
"I mean, they don't really seem like bad guys, just children with literally no idea about what they're doing or that their actions have consequences." Stanley said.
The girl huffed. "Perhaps Reese has a glimmer of potential. He is quite an efficient cook, after all, even if he spends his days terrorizing others. Ian, however, is twenty six years old and still lives with his mother and behaves like a immature child. Hmm... I believe I've committed a social faux pas by not introducing myself. My name is Rachel Alucard. And what is your name, sir?"
Stanley realized he hadn't introduced himself either. "Oh, right. I'm Stanley Ipkiss. I just moved into the neighborhood. Nice to meet you, Miss Alucard." Stanley greeted.
Rachel gave him a nod. "Though your dialect is quite standard, you are at least a polite man. However, there is something rather off about you... An odd energy lingers... Have you been using some sort of artifact, perhaps?"
Stanley froze at the mention of this. Did she know about the mask somehow? Should he tell her? Things could be trouble if she were to get curious and try to find out on her own.
He sighed. "Okay, okay, you caught me. I have this mask in my house that turns me into a cartoon character that likes to throw crazy parties and terrorize crooks..." He admitted. "I'm actually headed over to my place to get it so it'll be easier to find Froggy."
"I've heard of such a mask before, but I never believed it was real. But, I suppose if you cause no harm with it, then I see no reason to confiscate it. And as long as you keep such foolishness away from me." Rachel declared.
Stanley scratched the back of his head. "I'll uh... try my best... It kinda has a will of its own, y'see..."
"I see. Then, try not to blame me if it inconveniences me and I have to harm you." Rachel said.
"Yeah. The princess really doesn't like getting pranked." Gii said, only for Rachel to grab him and start stretching him.
Stanley chuckled nervously. People like Rachel were the Mask's favourite target... If she just didn't antagonize the Mask...
"I'll do what I can to keep him out of your way... But honestlyl he's pretty sturdy, so if he bugs ya, you can do anything you want to him."
"Believe me, I shall." She declared.
"Best of luck to you, Mr. Ipkiss. Very few can survive our princess' wrath." Nago warned.
Stanley grinned nervously. "Well uh... I think I'll just be...going now... uh... See ya!" He rushed off. Rachel stared after him.
"Every new addition to this town makes things so very interesting..."
"If by interesting, you mean foolish." Nago said.
"Yeah, that guy seemed bonkers." Gii agreed, before Rachel snatched him and stretched him again.
"Bonkers, as you eloquently put it, he may be, but that is part of the entertainment value."
She looked over in the direction Stanley Ipkiss took off to and smirked lightly. "I suppose this mask lf his could bring some much needed excitement into our lives."
"But what if it brings too much excitement, princess?" Nago asked, a bit concerned of what this mask creature might try to do to his princess.
"Then he will learn his place, won't he? I'll deal with him the same way I deal with that nuisance Wade Wilson." Rachel replied haughtily.
From where he was in Kurumu's closet as he watched the succubus change, Deadpool suddenly felt a shiver up his spine. "Ugh. I think Rachel's talking about me. That's probably not good for me." Deadpool said out loud, causing Kurumu to hear him and rip the closet doors open to find him cowering in fear. "ALSO not good for me!" He cried out.
Stanley heard a shrill, girly scream sound throughout the forest. "Uh-oh... hope there's nothing wrong..."
"Worry not, friend. There is no danger to be found. Simply one of our own facing just retribution for their poor decisions."
Stanley turned to see a man sitting cross-legged on a tree stump. The man was of asian descent, and he wore white robes, and had long black hair tied up into a short ponytail.
"Oh. Hey, there. Didn't see you there. I like the whole samurai look you're going for." Stanley said as he walked up to the man. 'At this rate, Big and Cream are gonna find Froggy before I ever get the mask, but it's still nice to meet new people.' He thought.
"Ah, yes... I have long trained in the way of the samurai... Hmm... It was... several thousand years ago that I first begun my training... I was taught to use all manner of weapons,.. And I was taught the importance of one's garb."
"Several thousand years. Wow. You look really good for your age then." Stanley noted as he walked up to the man, sitting on another nearby stump.
"Oh! Thank you very much, my friend... I have never once stopped training my body, as there is always the possibility that an evil similar to the mighty Aku will appear once more..."
"Oh, yeah. I think I remember hearing about Aku. Thought he was just a myth..." Stanley said. Now he kind of wondered how the Mask would have stood up to such an evil.
Jack was surprised. "Hmm. I disposed of him thousands of years ago... I had thought no one read the tales..." He sighed softly. "The curse he left me with has been quite the emotional burden... I have become ageless after being thrown into a dystopian future where he ruled... Even returning to my original timeline and slaying him did not lift this curse..."
"Oh, man. I'm sorry." Stanley said sympathetically. For all its power, he doubted even the Mask would be able to help this guy... At least in a peaceful manner.
Jack looked to him with a surprisingly gentle smile. "Your concern is appreciated, my friend. However, all is well... One day my time will come, but until then, I will continue to find companionship in those who reside in this town."
"Well, I'm happy to be one of those people, my friend." Stanley said, shaking Jack's hand. The samurai gave him a smile. "Oh man, I gotta get going! I'll catch you later, okay, Jack?" The samurai could see the urgency in Stanley's eyes, and he nodded his head in understanding. Stanley dashed off, sprinting at top speed, before finally reaching his house and getting the Mask. "Alright. Hopefully Ian and Reese haven't gotten Froggy yet." He said, putting it on.
With a whirlwind of green, Stanley spun around in a tornado before coming to a stop, now sporting a green face and a yellow zoot suit. "Sssssssmokin'!"
The Mask smirked and put his hands on his hips."We green guys gotta stick together! So I'd better find ol' Froggy boy before those chuckleheads do! This looks like a job for..." The Mask said, putting a thumb in his mouth and blowing to give himself muscles, now wearing a suit similar to One Punch Man's. "Super Mask!" He declared, running with his arms extended out in front of him like Superman does when flying.
And then he actually did take off into the air, creating a streak of green energy that briefly lit up the entire neighbourhood in a dazzling display that left all who saw it in awe... Except the one called Stevie, who suffered a seizure. Not that anyone cared.
The Mask soon reached the place where he had been with Cream and Big. "Now, let's see... If I were a Froggy, where would I be?" He questioned, pulling out a pair of massive binoculars and looking around.
He saw the Reds and Blues arguing over their last marshmallow. He saw Rachel admiring a bush full of roses. He saw Jack meditating under a waterfall... A trio consisting of a purple reptilian creature, a green cat and a white bassett hound playing a game of hide and seek... A skeletal figure with a turban trying to get a TV signal... A strange purple monkey creature that looked right back at him and waved before swining off into the trees... And he saw Cream and Big walking right towards him, no sign of Froggy.
"Dang! I've seen everything else except that darn frog! Maybe I need... A bird's eye view!" He declared, tucking his arms in and flapping like a chicken would, until he turned into an eagle, but still with the same face and head. He then took off into the air and scanned the forest further than he'd gone before.
Big and Cream passed by where he had just been, Cream tilting her head in confusion. "That's strange... I could have sworn I saw a man standing here..."
Big sniffed the air. "Stanley must have been by here. His scent is in the air. I guess he decided to look on his own to cover more ground. Hmm? That's a funny looking bird."
"Alright, then! Let's see what we can spot up here." The Mask said, looking around. With eagle-like vision, he finally spotted Froggy, but Ian and Reese were coming in to scoop up the frog. "Uh-oh. Can't let them handle little Froggy boy. They'll get warts!" The Mask joked, before flying down and landing between the boys and Froggy, holding his hand out in front of him, which turned giant, causing the boys walked right into it.
"Sorry, fellas, this frog's not for pranking!" The Mask said sternly.
"Heeeey, come on, we found him fair and square!" Ian whined.
"Yeah! All I wanna do is use Froggy to scare my little brother because I think it's funny that he screams like a girl! Is that really such a bad thing?" Reese agreed.
The Mask put a finger under his chin and thought about it. "Y'know what? You boys are right! Here... You don't need Froggy! I got a better frog for ya!"
Reaching into his pocket, be pulled out a massive frog that was ten times bigger than any of them. And the frog in question seemed to be glaring angrily at them...
"Why does it look so mad?" Ian asked.
"Because that makes him look scarier!" Reese cheered.
They moved to grab the frog... and it punched Ian right in the face, sending him stumbling back. "Oooooowwwww! Why did you do that?!" The frog stood on its hind legs and cracked its knuckles, and at that moment, the two boys knew it was going to beat them up if they didn't get out of dodge.
"Sic' em, toady!" The Mask declared as the frog began to chase after Ian and Reese, who ran away screaming with their hands above their heads, flailing wildly in the air.
The Mask snickered and looked directly at you, the reader. "Ain't I a stinker?" He then turned his head to look at Froggy. "Well now, I think it's time we got ya back to your big purple friend, don't you?"
Froggy croaked happily. "Well, alright-y then!" He said, picking up Froggy and zipping around the forest until he found Big. "Hey there, big guy! My ol' pal Stanley told me you were looking for your Froggy friend! Well, here he is!" He declared, handing the frog to the cat.
Big and Cream were at first startled by the Mask's sudden appearance, but then Big saw Froggy and his face lit up. "Oh, Froggy, you're home!" He cheered, taking Froggy and holding him above his head happily. "Thank you, Stanley!"
The Mask blinked owlishly. Then, he changed to the garb of an elderly scientist, complete with glasses and full facial hair.
"Ah, yes!" He held a magifying glass up to Big's nose. "Ze feline's nose contains more zan two hundred meeleon odor sensors, geeving zem fourteen times more sense of smell zan ze average human! As such, ze scent of Stanley Ipkiss has lingered, and ze brilliant cat has picked up on it!" He spoke in a thick German accent.
Cream giggled. "You're acting silly, Mr. Stanley!" The Mask grinned broadly.
"That is the power of the mask, Cream and sugar! I put it on and I just go coo-coo crazy!" Stanley said, his head spinning around to the point it came off, but he quickly grabbed it and screwed it back in place. "I always did have a bit of a screw loose." He said.
Both Cream and Big laughed in good humour, and the Mask took a bow. "Always a pleasure to meet a pair of folks who understand good comedy when they see it! If there are any crooks, scoundrels, villains and ne'er do wells in this neck of the woods, I'll give ya a real show!"
"I think Mr. Deadpool is the closest thing we have to someone like that around here." Cream said.
"He's a little crazy and mean sometimes, but he's not real bad." Big stated.
The Mask's eyes widened as memories came back to him. "Ah, old DP's here too, is he? Ah, I haven't seen him since that killer prank we pulled on Wiz and Boomstick. Hahaha! Those were some great times!"
"We've heard of those two from Mr. Sonic and Ms. Amy. They don't sound very nice." Cream said uncertainly.
The Mask laughed. "Yep, I've read all the angry letters their combatants send them! Who'd have guessed they wouldn't be happy with those simulations of theirs portraying everyone as shameless murderers, am I right? Hahaha!"
"Huh? They think Sonic and Amy wanna kill people? But that's wrong." Big said.
"Yeah. They're such good friends to everyone." Cream agreed.
"Ha, they tried to use me to kill Wade off for good. Good thing we were onto 'em the entire time and had this bad boy!" The Mask held up the reality stone.
"Ooh, pretty." Cream said as she admired the stone.
"It's shiny. Kinda like my old lucky charm." Big agreed.
"Oh, it sure is." Pulling out two more, he handed them to Cream and Big. "Here, you two can keep these replicas. As for this one?" He tossed the real stone over his shoulder and it exploded. "Who needs it when I'm already wearing it on my face right here?" His head grew in size until he set it back to normal by popping it with a pin.
They both clapped at the display. "That is really cool. You're like one of those fun cartoon shows." Cream said happily.
"Yeah. That mask is fun!" Big agreed.
"Ooh, you bet it is! Buuut I should probably put Stan back in control now. He gets a little antsy if I'm out and about for too long. We'll have another get-together soon enough though! Toodles!" And with that, he removed the mask, giving control back to Stanley, who rubbed the back of his head as he looked at Cream and Big.
"Wow, that was really cool, Mr. Stanley!" Cream said.
"Yeah! Thanks for helping get Froggy back." Big said.
Stanley rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Aw, shucks, it was nothing. I'm just glad the Mask didn't do anything to make you mad at me, heh."
"We're pretty used to people doing crazy things around here. Mr. Ian, Mr. Reese and Mr. Wilson are always trying to mess with people, so we've learned to ignore things like that." Cream explained.
Stanley laughed in relief. "Wow, I really lucked out when I picked this place! Now I have a place where I can really feel like I belong!"
And so the trio began a walk back to Stanley's house, where he promised them a snack. On the way, he found there was a surprising number of neighbours living in the woods aside from Big, the soldiers, Rachel and Jack. There was someone named Achmed who lived in a cave and was described as being rather bony. Cream's friend Milla lived in a treehouse with her adoptive older sisters, Lilac and Carol. There was apparently a strange ape-like creature called Peanut living in the trees above.
"Wow, these woods sure are a popular living area. I think they've got more people living in them than the actual neighbourhood." Stanley said.
"Some people just like the woods better, I think." Big said.
"Or, they save money by not living in a house." Cream added.
Stanley blinked. "Huh. That makes sense..."
He remembered the days of struggling to find the cash to pay rent, and while he was well off now, he still had the bad memories fresh in his head. He could see why some would prefer to avoid that lifestyle.
"Yeah. But we also have neighbors who are willing to let them in and help them out with anything they need. This is a really nice place." Cream said with a smile.
"Yeah... And I get the idea of the woods life. Nature all over, peace and quiet..."
There was a gunshot and a dead bird fell at Stanley's feet. "Caboose, what did I tell you about firing your gun in the air?!" Church's voice yelled off in the distance.
"Tucker did it." Was the response.
"Or not..." Stanley said nervously, almost considering putting the mask back on. "So, why don't we go back to my place for a bit, away from the guys with guns?" He suggested.
"Okay!" Cream agreed, and Big cheered. The trio made their way through the forest, Big leading the way so they could safely get to the neighbourhood.
"Whew. Thanks, Big. With how far in the Mask took me, I would've been lost for sure if I had to remember my own way back." Stanley said, before opening the door to his house. "So, are you hungry? I don't have much, but I've probably got something that could make a meal for all of us." He offered.
"Oh! I brought some of my fish! You can use that if you want!" Big held up a rod full of fish, and Stanley's eyes widened.
"Whoa! You caught some real whoppers out there! How do those huge fish live in that little creek?!"
Big shrugged. "I dunno."
"There's a swordfish, some shrimp... a pufferfish? Big, you either have insane skills, crazy luck or some kinda secret superpower." Stanley said, bemused. Big tilted his head.
"Maybe they came upstream for migration."
"Um... Y'know what? That's the moat likely explanation we got. But hey, who's complaining? Let's take a look and see what we can throw together." Stanley studied the many fish on the lures. "Hmm... I got some pasta, I could probably throw together some seafood linguinni..."
"Oh boy! That's my favourite supper!" Big said.
"You sure can do a lot, Mr. Stanley." Cream said with a smile.
Stanley shrugged his shoulders. "Well, when ya live on your own, you gotta learnnto cook at some point. Can't live off of take-out forever y'know?" Big nodded.
"I learned to cook fish when I was eight years old. My mama taught me, and my papa taught me how to fish."
"Hey, that's great. Healthy bonding experiences." Stanley said.
"Yeah, my mama teaches me all kinds of stuff too. I wanna be just as talented as she and Mr. Big are" Cream agreed.
Big blushed and waved his hand bashfully. "Aww, I can do a few things, it's no big deal..." He chuckled softly.
Cream giggled at this. "Alright-y then. I'll get to cooking, you two just relax. It should be ready in about an hour." Stanley said as he went to the kitchen, put on an apron and started cooking.
He looked down at his apron and winced slightly at the 'kiss the cook' message written upon it. He quite honestly needed to get a new apron that was less... embarrassing to wear in front of friends.
"Jeez, you'd think the Mask would've snatched an apron on one of his adventures... Then again, he probably thinks this one is hilarious." Stanley thought as he got back to cooking. He swore he heard the artifact in question laughing at him as he cooked, and he gave his pocket an annoyed look. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up..." He mumbled to himself as he worked diligently on the food, pouring the noodles into the water.
Soon enough, he had created a masterpiece of pasta and fish anyone would be lucky to have for dinner. "Alright, it's ready! Come and get it!" He called to his guests.
Cream and Big entered the room with great smiles. "Mmm... It smells just like one of those fancy restauraunt places..." Big said, absorbed in the scent of the meal.
Stanley put the food on a plate for each of them and they started to eat. "Wow, this is really good, Mr. Stanley. My mom's a great cook, but she's never made anything like this." Cream said.
Stanley rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle. "Well, shucks, I'm flattered, Cream... Heh... Glad to know that I'm a rare specimen that can compete with a mom's cooking."
Cream giggled at this and ate a bit more.
"Wow. I usually don't eat this good. This is great." Big said. He took another forkful. "I usually just cook fish myself on a campfire. It's good, especially with those yummy spices Cream and Vanilla gave me, but stuff like this is even better because someone else worked really hard to make it for me, and that gives me a warm, cozy feeling inside."
Stanley smiled at this. "Yeah. Somehow, it always does feel nicer when you know the person cooking it put in a lot of effort for you and your friends." He agreed.
He fell silent as he remembered how little friends he really had before coming here. Everyone in this area was...eccentric, yet very pleasant to be around. Even Ian and Reese were amusing in their own way. Was he finally among friends?
Big finished and rubbed his belly in satisfaction. "Wow, that was great, Stanley. You're a real friend." Big said with a smile as he let his food start to settle. That was exactly what he needed to hear.
"Aww, it was nothing. I'm sure you'd cook for me if I came to visit you out in the woods too, Big." Stanley replied with a smile.
"Oh! You should come visit sometime! We can go fishing together!" Big said excitedly.
"Well, I'll definitely think about it if I get the time. I will have to start looking for a new job in the area soon, though." Stanley explained. He had some ideas, but hadn't decided yet.
He planned to enter town tomorrow and start job hunting. If the people in town were as kind as the neighbourhood, then he liked his odds.
"That sounds like a good idea. My mommy always says that getting a job is important, but it's also important to get a job you like." Cream stated as she finished eating.
Stanley chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, y'know, beggars can't be choosers... I got saddled with a pretty crummy job back at my old place... But here's hoping it gets better from here on in!"
They both nodded at this. Suddenly, Vanilla came in. "Cream, dear! I'm back! Did you have a nice time?" Vanilla asked as Cream came over to her.
"Oh, yes. A very nice time! We went to see Mr. Big and Stanley made us a really yummy dinner." Cream stated.
Vanilla beamed at Stanley and Big. "Hello, Big. I hope you're well." Big waved with a great smile on his face.
"Hiya, Miss Vanilla! I'm doing good! Are you?" The elder rabbit giggled with a hand over her mouth.
"Oh, yes, thank you. And thank you, Stanley, for watching my daughter while I was out."
"No problem. It was my pleasure." Stanley said with a smile and a small laugh. It really did seem like he had finally found the place where he belonged.
It was an eccentric neighbourhood, but certainly an exciting one, and he had made a good first impression with the locals so far. Even the Mask made fast friends with Cream and Big. Perhaps others would like him as well...
'Wait, did Ian and Reese get away from the frog?'
As if to answer his question, the two fools suddenly ran past his window, screaming as the frog still continued to chase them, running back and forth across the street as far as the window could see, almost like a cartoon.
Stanley rubbed the back of his head. 'I should probably do something about that...' By that point, the two boys had rushed into Ian's house and shut the door. The toad stood on two legs, shook a fist, and walked away with a tie and a business suit, hailing a cab.
"Or, things can just handle themselves." He said as he decided to turn in early tonight in order to get a good jump on job hunting tomorrow morning.
Indeed, his house guests were getting up to leave for the night. "Good night, Mr. Stanley." Cream said with a small bow. "Thank you for everything."
"Yeah, thanks, Stanley! It was fun!" Big agreed.
"Bye, guys! Glad you had a good time! This was fun, we'll have to do it again! I'll see you some other time!" Stanley said his farewells to his guests as they left.
As the door closed, Stanley let out a sigh and sat down on the couch. Milo laid atop his dog bed, happily chewing on one of his toys.
Stanley walked over and knelt beside his beloved dog, rubbing his back. "You're liking it here, too boy? Yeah, you are! I'm thinking this is really the place for us. Who knows, you might even find some nice dog friends." He told him.
Milo yipped out an enthusiastic response. The dogs back home typically tended to be a bit too... annoying and untrained for his liking, so he hoped to find some friendly pets to befriend.
Stanley chuckled and changed into his pajamas, before settling into his bed and reading a little bit to wind down, finally going to sleep once he felt tired.
He slept with a smile on his face. Frankly, it was the most peaceful sleep he had had in a very long time...
And now to explain where everyone introduced or mentioned comes from in case you don't know
Stanley Ipkiss, the Mask and Milo are from The Mask
Subaru Natsuki and his parents are from Re:Zero
Ian, Ian's Mom and Stevie are from Smosh
Reese and Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle
Deadpool is from Marvel Comics
Dingodile is from Crash Bandicoot
Mizore and Kurumu are from Rosario + Vampire
Cream, Vanilla, Big, Froggy, Vector and Cheese are from Sonic the Hedgehog
Nadia and Cerebella are from Skullgirls
Tharja is from Fire Emblem
Sarge, Simmons, Grif, Donut, Lopez, Church, Tucker and Caboose are from Red vs Blue
Rachel Alucard is from BlazBlue
Jack is from Samurai Jack
Achmed and Peanut are from Jeff Dunham
Lilac, Carol and Milla are from Freedom Planet