Cherry's left eyelids were being pulled and stretched around as a bright light flashed in her eyes. The older man was leaning over her as he examined her to make sure that she was still alive.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Henry asked.
"She'll be fine, Henry," The man replied as he checked Cherry over. "I guess she just had a bit of shock."
"Did she die?" Dylan asked.
"No! I hope she didn't die!" Eve pouted.
"Relax, she didn't die," The man told them before he stopped what he was doing. "She should be fine in a few minutes."
"Okay, what's going on here?" Cathleen asked them. "Who are you and what are you doing in my home? What's this about an evil spell?"
"It's what's going on!" Henry urged. "You have to come home with us."
"No way!" Cathleen said before trying to wake up her friend. "Cherry, wake up."
Cherry soon groaned and woke up, rubbing her head. "The heck is going on here?" she then asked. "Cath, I just had the craziest dream."
"I'm afraid that was no dream, dearie... Please, let us explain," The man soon said which caught her attention as she focused right on him. "My name is Richard Cedric Gold... You may refer to me as 'Mr. Gold' and only 'Mr. Gold', and don't you be forgetting that now, dears."
"I'm gonna call the cops if you don't tell me what's going on and why you're in my friend's house." Cherry scoffed.
"Well, if you would listen for five minutes, you wouldn't be in this situation," Mr. Gold told her sharply as he narrowed his eyes. "I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare very fast. Which would you prefer?"
"You don't get out of my face, Hook Nose, you'll find out what I will be to you!" Cherry retorted sharply.
"Oh, Cherry..." Mr. Gold tutted and shook his head. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You used to be so obedient, especially to me..."
"I don't even know you!" Cherry retorted.
"So you think..." Mr. Gold flashed a fanged smirk as he looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes, a bit lighter than his own smoldering sepia eyes. "Now... Sit down and listen to my grandson and his friends... Or I will quickly get under your skin and you don't want to know what I mean by that."
Cherry narrowed her eyes before letting out a cry of anguish before she went to sit down with Cathleen.
"All right, what's going on?" Cathleen asked.
"You have to come with us to what used to be Cartoon Network City," Henry urged. "Someone cast a spell on the classic characters and took away their adventures and happy endings. It's almost like what my mom once did before she changed her heart."
"...Okay?" Cherry shrugged at that.
"And what does that have to do with us?" Cathleen added, sounding a bit skeptical.
"Because you're the Toon Saviors," Henry told them. "You have to help save the people of Cartoon Network City and help them get their adventures and happy endings back."
"Saviors..." Cherry repeated in strong disbelief. "...Right. And I'm a teenage witch who lives with her eccentric aunts and talking cat."
"The characters knew you once too," Dylan soon added. "You were cursed too and you just don't remember your adventures in CN City before it changed."
"It's really important that you come too," Eve frowned. "Otherwise the consequences will be dire... Especially to me and Dylan."
Cherry and Cathleen glanced at each other as they decided to huddle together and talk this over.
"Whatya think?" Cathleen asked Cherry. "Personally, I think that these kids and old guy are nuts."
"Maybe we should just humor them," Cherry shrugged and rolled her eyes. "I have no idea what's going on myself, but I guess we could just play along, maybe sleepover wherever they wanna go, then we'll hightail it before they wake up."
"Hmm... I guess..." Cathleen replied before nodding.
Mr. Gold, Henry, Dylan, and Eve waited as the two huddled together.
"I'm not sure if they believe us." Henry said to the older man.
"They will," Mr. Gold replied as he narrowed his eyes and firmly placed his hands over top on the handle of his cane. "Believe me, Henry... They will once I deal with them. Especially the darker one."
Eventually, Cherry and Cathleen got out of the huddle.
"Well?" Dylan asked. "Are you coming?"
"All right, we'll go with you," Cathleen replied. "Just give us some time to pack and we'll meet you outside."
"Excellent decision." Mr. Gold nodded his head, though he didn't smile.
And so, Cherry and Cathleen dressed in more casual clothes. They soon gathered their things while Mr. Gold waited in his car with the kids in the back.
"So we're really doing this..." Cherry said to Cathleen. "You could've talked me out of it."
"Well, if you had an idea, I guess we could've just gone with it," Cathleen shrugged. "After all... It's my birthday."
Cherry rolled her eyes as she soon sat down on her suitcase and clicked it shut. "All right," she then said. "Let's get out of here."
"Goodbye, crappy old life. Hello, new start." Cathleen soon said once they grabbed their luggage, though both girls were sure that they would return very quickly.
The girls then came back over to the group that was expecting them. They made it over to Mr. Gold's car which was a black 1990 Cadillac Brougham. Once he saw the girls, he rolled down the window after propping open the trunk of the car.
"Put your stuff in the back and do it quietly," Mr. Gold told them in a hushed tone of voice. "The kids are exhausted. Once of you will have to ride in the back and one of you will be up here with me."
"You like riding shotgun, right? Well, here's your chance." Cathleen said as she playfully punched Cherry in the arm before dashing off with her own luggage.
"Ah! But!" Cherry yelped before groaning and rolling her eyes. She then glanced over at Mr. Gold and chuckled sheepishly with a wave at him as he narrowed his eyes at her annoyance of riding up front with him.
"Don't stain the upholstery, dearie." Mr. Gold firmly said as he gripped the steering wheel.
Cherry nodded as she backed away to move her luggage over to the trunk. Once the luggage was put in, the girls closed the trunk and Cathleen sat down in the back with the kids and clicked on her seat-belt. Cherry then sat down up front and clicked hers next and once they were sitting down and comfortable, the car started and they began to leave town to go away into somewhere else.
"It saddens me that you don't remember me, Cherry," Mr. Gold said as he drove, keeping his eyes firm and forward. "We've had such good times together... Aside from this Toon Savior nonsense which you will remember later once I'm through with you."
"And what is that supposed to mean, Dick?" Cherry asked sharply, calling him that since his name was "Richard", though she was bitter in tone. "All I wanted to do was take my friend out on her birthday and maybe watch a couple of movies and sleepover... I didn't ask for an adventure, you know."
Mr. Gold chuckled a bit.
"...What?" Cherry asked.
"You sound just like your old self," Mr. Gold smirked as he kept his eyes on the road while she glowered at him. "You'll see what I mean eventually. Why don't you get some rest? It's a long drive."
Cherry rolled her eyes before she leaned a bit in her seat as she moved some cold air her way so she wouldn't get sick. She then had her eyes flutter before they closed shut as Cathleen also fell asleep in the back with the kids.
"You'll see, Cherry," Mr. Gold whispered as he watched the perky goth briefly while mostly paying attention to the road. "Once you come with me after we get settled, you shall see what I mean~"
Some time had passed and it was still a bit late at night as Mr. Gold went to drive them into somewhere called "Storybrooke City". All of the passengers were fast asleep as Mr. Gold did his best to stay awake and luckily, he did, and he soon drove across the town line as a shimmer of light shined through that no one else noticed except for him. After taking the kids back home, who snuck back in their respective homes before anyone would realize they were gone overnight and well past their bedtime, he soon drove over to a place that was known as "Madame Foster's Bed & Breakfast" and stopped the car. He then lightly shook Cherry as she lightly snored.
Cherry groaned as her eyes slowly opened up. "...Huh?" she then mumbled.
"We're home," Mr. Gold told her in a hushed tone as the other girl began to slowly wake up before looking to the back. "Cathleen? You'll stay here for a while, just tell Madame Foster and Frankie that Mr. Gold sent you and I'll deliver your friend back to you eventually. Ask for a map if you'd like."
"...Whatever, man..." Cathleen mumbled a bit as she rubbed her eyes. "Cherry, where are you going?"
"Yeah, Dick... Where am I going?" Cherry added sharply once she realized she wouldn't be in the Bed & Breakfast with Cathleen.
"You're coming with me, dearie," Mr. Gold told her. "We'll have a quick drink."
"Well, I guess it's 5:00 somewhere..." Cherry said with a yawn.
"Yes... Welcome to Storybrooke City..." Mr. Gold nodded. "I'll return for you by sunrise, Cathleen."
Cathleen mumbled as she went out the door and went to get her stuff. Mr. Gold waited until she was at the door and the girl stepped inside the Bed & Breakfast, ringing the bell on the way. Once she was inside the door, the black car soon drove away after dropping her off.
"Hello? ...Hello?!" Cathleen called out as she moved her suitcase. "I know it's late, but I need a place to stay for the night."
Eventually, out came a tiny old woman who had round glasses with silver hair tied in a bun, a light yellow undershirt, a green sweater on top, a purple skirt, and black shoes. "Yes?" she then called. "Do you have any idea what time it is, dear?"
"I'm sorry, but I was sort of brought here against my will," Cathleen shrugged. "So, uh, I'd like a room."
"Really?" Madame Foster asked, sounding surprised.
Cathleen nodded.
"Would you like a forest view or a square view?" Madame Foster soon asked as she fetched a book suddenly and had a pen in her free hand. "Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due, I'll wave it."
"Square is fine." Cathleen shrugged.
"Now. What's the name?" Madame Foster soon asked.
"Ross," Cathleen replied. "Cathleen Ross."
"Cathleen..." Madame Foster repeated as she wrote down the name, though she seemed to have a glimmer in her eye that appeared from nowhere before it went away. "...What a lovely name."
"Thanks..." Cathleen said.
"So... How long will you be with us?" Madame Foster soon asked.
"A week," Cathleen shrugged. "Just a week."
"Great," Madame Foster said before handing an old-fashioned key over to the girl. "Welcome to Storybrooke City. You enjoy your stay, dear."
"By the way, Mr. Gold sent me." Cathleen soon added.
Madame Foster looked a bit wide-eyed, though she calmed herself down. "I-I see... You may stay as long as you like," she then said. "You have fun now and have a great stay. Just don't make any loud noises or complications during your visit."
"Thanks." Cathleen said as she took the key and soon went to go upstairs, following the number that the key had on it and went to get settled as she yawned, instantly falling to the bed once she saw it and shut the door behind her, locking it, going to sleep instantly.
Meanwhile...
"Can I go to bed now?" Cherry complained. "I get grouchy when I'm tired."
"You must always be tired then..." Mr. Gold smirked. "Looks like we'll have to pass on that nightcap."
"What?!" Cherry glared.
Mr. Gold chuckled, not intimidated by her snippiness. They soon pulled up into a house which resembled that of a mansion.
"Ugh... You want me to spend the night?" Cherry asked. "I swear, if you unloop your belt after you take me into the bedroom-"
"Ah, ah, ah~..." Mr. Gold wagged his finger as he tutted to her, looking sharply in her eyes as a warning. "Do not assume from me, my dear. It could end horribly for you... I just thought you would like a nice, warm bed to stay in..." he then smiled. "I want to show you and your friend something tomorrow so you can do your task as the Toon Saviors."
Cherry just groaned and rolled her eyes. "This sounds like a bad TV show," she then said. "When I wake up tomorrow, I better wake up in my own bedroom or Cathleen's couch."
Mr. Gold chuckled as he patted Cherry on her head which made her wince and grimace. They soon unhooked their seatbelts as Cherry yawned and followed him over to the door. Mr. Gold unlocked the door and led Cherry inside, though when the door was shut after Cherry grabbed the doorknob, a shimmering light seemed to pass through.
"...What?" Cherry muttered as she thought she felt something.
"Miss Butler?" Mr. Gold soon called, making her turn her head over to him. "This way..."
Cherry blinked before putting her hand down to her side with a shrug as she shut her eyes with a sharp sigh. She then went to follow him, rolling her suitcase that dragged behind her. Eventually, they made it to a guest bedroom which was a bit small, though still large considering the living area.
"Now... If you need anything..." Mr. Gold spoke as she came into the room after the door was opened and she sat down on the end of the bed. "Don't hesitate to call for me."
"Sure thing, Dick." Cherry replied.
Mr. Gold firmly frowned as he narrowed his eyes which nearly flashed a hellish red color. Cherry looked slightly wide-eyed to that, but didn't scream or yelp, she just looked surprised and startled.
"Good night, Miss Butler..." Mr. Gold said sharply as he shut the door behind him.
"...Night." Cherry nodded as she shook chills down her spine before she went to unzip her jacket and kicked off her socks and shoes and soon dropped right into the bed.
Meanwhile, Henry was shown to be in his bedroom that night, still awake. He then saw that the clock tower's hands had moved as they hadn't moved in over 20 years which was a story that had yet to come. Overall, it was a sleepy evening that night in Storybrooke City, but the big question was... What did Cherry and Cathleen have to do as the Toon Saviors and what did that mean for them?
