CHAPTER 9: SETTING THE STAGE
A few days later at Joe's Café, Violet, Shermy, Patty, and Ox were having a double lunch date. They were enjoying themselves when a group of scuzzy-looking girls came in. One was almost as large as Ox, and another was tall and skinny. They were a pair of Lizard Ladies doing Tarantula's bidding. They sat next to the quartets table and started in on them.
"Mm-mm, those fries look mighty good, don't they, Skink?" asked the large girl.
"Dey shore do, Komodo Dragon," said Skink, the skinny one who also had a southern accent. "Why do we have a little ol' taste, shall we?" And they started to dig in Violet's fries.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, you scum?!" said an upset Violet.
"Now be nice, Pollyanna," sneered Komodo Dragon. "We haven't had a bite in a while and we're parched."
"Yessim, I haven't had any vittles in a mighty long time thar, baby," added Skink.
"Did you just call me 'Pollyanna'?" asked Violet.
"Did we stutter, Pollyanna?" said Komodo Dragon, in a threatening way.
"All right you had your fun, now leave my girlfriend's food alone!" said Shermy, trying to intervene.
"Please leave us alone and let us enjoy our food," added Ox.
"Look at that one thar, Komodo," said Skink about Ox. "He's a biggun! Perfect for you."
"That's my man, you cretins!" exclaimed Patty.
"You stay out of this, Mary Sue!" threatened Komodo Dragon. "Getting back to the skinny dude here, if you wanted us to leave, all you have to do is just ask. We will kindly leave you folks alone. After we take Pollyanna's food here!" And they snatched up Violet's food and they started eating it all.
"SHERMY, DO SOMETHING!" cried Violet.
"We need help over here!" shouted Shermy. One of the cooks came from the back.
"Are you two causing trouble?" asked the cook.
"No," said Komodo Dragon. "We already caused trouble. Now we're eating. And the little prissy one here was nice enough to share her food with us."
"You cretins took my food!" Violet protested.
"Okay, you two can leave here right now!" ordered the cook.
"Come on, Skink," said Komodo Dragon. "We need to meet up with Tarantula, anyway." Shermy gasped when she said Tarantula.
"Okey dokey, pokey!" said Skink. And the two girls complied and left without a fight. But they had one more thing to say to Violet.
"We'll see you soon, Pollyanna," said Komodo Dragon. "And thanks for the meal."
Violet tried to go after those two girls, but was stopped by Shermy and Ox. Patty pleaded with her, "Leave it alone, Vi! They're not worth you landing in the hospital!"
"Listen to yer friend, Mary Sue, thar, Pollyanna," teased Skink.
"LEAVE!" shouted the cook, losing patience. And the two troublemakers left for Tarantula's hideout.
"I'll remake your food," the cook said. "All of your meals are now on the house."
"Thank you," said Shermy. Violet calmed down after that. Her day was almost ruined but was saved when the cook offered her a free meal. Shermy thought to himself, "She can't be back! Can she?"
Elsewhere at Ace's Ice Cream Shop, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Marcie, and Hans were enjoying some sundaes. Two other Lizard Ladies members walked in. One was small and had a hat on her head hiding most of her face. Another was average height, and sported red hair with black tips. They sat next to the two couples.
"Hey those sundaes look yummy," said the short girl. "Don't they look yummy, Gila Monster?"
"Absolutely, Agama," agreed Gila Monster.
"Uh, can we help you?" asked Peppermint Patty.
"Oh don't mind us, big nose," sneered Gila Monster. "We don't make it in here too often. We just want to know what kind of ice cream they have here."
"Yeah," added Agama. "We just want to try out these sundaes, Jenny Durante!"
"What did you call me?!" said Patty through gritted teeth.
"She don't like being called 'Durante', ladies," warned Marcie. "For obvious reasons."
"Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha, Schnozola!" teased Gila Monster. That was enough for Patty.
"All right, you jerks!" yelled an angry Patty. "I know I have a big nose! I don't need reminding of it! Especially from a pair of Reform School rejects!"
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots!" joked Agama. "How about you, Gila?"
"Terrified!" said Gila Monster, sarcastically.
"Bleib ruhig, Patricia*," said Franco. "Diese Hexen sind es nicht wert!**"
"You two scuzzoids got about ten seconds to exit this place with your insides intact," warned Patty.
"We're leaving, girlie, we're leaving," Agama said.
"I suggest getting a rhinoplasty, Schnozola," joked Gila Monster, getting in one final dig at Patty's expense.
"Don't leave, you haven't met my two friends, RIGHTY AND LEFTIE!" And it took Franco, Hans, and Marcie to hold back Patty from trying to start trouble. The girls left laughing.
"Cool it, sir!" said Marcie, trying to calm her friend down. "They're gone! They're gone!"
"Sorry, gang," said Patty, regaining her composure. "I just hate it when someone besides myself talks about my nose."
"We understand, Patricia," said Hans. And the kids continued to eat their sundaes. Patty hoped she would see those girls again, so she could deliver a knuckle sandwich to both of them. Little did anyone know that the Lizards were just scouting the Serpents favorite hangouts, while heckling people in the progress. Worse was about to happen.
NEXT CHAPTER: INFERNO!
(*) Keep calm, Patricia.
(**)These witches aren't worth it!