Minding The Manor
The royal coach landed by a manor, Sofia and Madeline aboard.
"Here we are, Princesses." The coachman opened the door. "The Duchess Matilda's manor house."
"Thank you." Sofia smiled.
"Wow. We've never been to Aunt Tilly's before." Madeline grinned. "This should be fun."
"Sure will." Sofia nodded. "Oh! And look at that gargoyle."
"And that one." Madeline pointed to another. "And that one."
"They're so ugly, they're cute!" Sofia gushed as they walked over to the front door. She banged the bird-shaped knocker. "Aunt Tilly, we're here!"
"Aunt Tilly?" Madeline asked, banging the knocker again.
"I heard you the first time." The bird's beak moved as it spoke.
The door opened, Aunt Tilly behind it.
"Sofia! Madeline!" She smiled. "My, you're growing like seeds in sunshine!"
"It's good to see you, Aunt Tilly." Sofia declared.
"Really good." Madeline added.
"Likewise, my dears." Tilly led them inside. "Thank you both for coming to help me set up for my garden party."
Tilly led them into the living room, where a fish bowl was sitting in a bird cage.
"I was just about to feed my fish." She declared, holding up a tube of fish food. "Open their door for me, would you, Sofia?"
"Why do you keep your fish in a bird cage?" Sofia asked, as she opened the door. Suddenly, the fish leapt out of their bowl, flapping their long fins like wings, and flying across the room. "Oh!"
"Can't catch me!" One fish yelled.
"Freedom!" Another called.
"Aunt Tilly!" Madeline yelped.
"That's okay, that's okay." Tilly declared. "It's good to let them get out and flap their fins." She sprinkled some food into the bowl. The flying fish flew back in. "Alright, here we are. Back you go. You too."
One of the fish knocked the tube out of Tilly's hand, spilling the contents on the floor.
"Oh!" A short, pointy-eared man popped up from behind a chair, brush and dustpan at the ready.
"Oh!" Sofia yelped.
"Fish food on the floor!" The man started cleaning it up. "That won't do at all!"
"Who are you?" Madeline asked.
"I am Spruce!" The man declared. "I make sure that the manor is in tip-top shape at all times!"
"It's nice to meet you, Mr Spruce." Sofia smiled.
"The pleasure is mine entirely." Spruce bowed. He poured the spilled fish food into a waste basket, then departed.
"Shall we get things ready for the party now, my dears?" Tilly asked.
"Sure, Aunt Tilly!" Sofia nodded.
"What do we need to do?" Madeline asked.
"It's all right here." Tilly handed them a list.
"Tie balloons to the mail box..." Sofia read.
"I already blew them up for you!" Tilly held up some balloons.
"...Make fresh vases for the flowers?" Madeline frowned.
"The flowers get tired of the same old vases." Tilly declared. "You can get new ones in the vase closet."
"...Take the rug for a walk?" Sofia blanched.
"Yep, all you do is..." Tilly whistled.
A rug in the corner of the room suddenly leapt up, panting like a dog.
"Uh, not yet, dear!" Tilly called.
The carpet flattened down, whining.
"...And tidy up the house." Madeline read. "Especially the music room."
"Where is the music room?" Sofia asked.
"Right this way." Tilly smiled.
Tilly led them to another room, one filled with musical instruments.
"What's this?" Madeline pointed to a music box.
"I'm a magical music box." The ballerina on top declared.
"Oh, you... talk?" Sofia gaped.
"And pirouette." The ballerina spinner. "And... a few other things I can't remember right now."
"She's a little forgetful." Tilly announced.
"I am?" The ballerina frowned.
"But her hearing's still good." Tilly admitted. "And she plays all these magical music rolls." She pointed to the contents of a row of shelves.
"What makes them magical?" Sofia asked.
"I'll show you." Tilly pulled out a rainbow colored roll. "Each of them plays a song that makes something magical happen." She put the roil in the box. "You just put one in the music box, and let the fun begin!"
As music started playing, a rainbow flew off the box and flowed around the room.
"Wow!" Sofia and Madeline gasped.
Tilly removed the roll.
"And if that doesn't tickle your toes, each roll does something different!" She smiled.
"Hmmm..." Madeline eyed an odd green roll.
"Okay dears, I'm off to get the snicker doodle sandwiches and broccoli bon-bons." Tilly announced. "While you two finish getting the house ready."
"Wait, you're leaving?" Sofia asked.
"Oh, yes." Tilly nodded.
"But we thought we were all going to set up together." Madeline declared.
"We are!" Tilly smiled. "Just not in the same place! Spruce will be here to help, but you two will be in charge while I'm gone."
"But I've never been left in charge before, Aunt Tilly!" Sofia protested.
"Neither of us have!" Madeline added. "What is something goes wrong?"
"Then I'm sure you two will make it go right." Tilly declared.
It's all a part of growing up.
You start a tiny little pup.
But soon enough, you're getting large.
And now it's time to be in charge.
Such responsibity.
To care for everything you see.
Cause trouble offer will arise.
Right before your very eyes.
Taking you quite by surprise.
So when it does, you mustn't fear.
You can face this new frontier.
Take a breath and do your best.
To make your problems disappear.
It's up to you to be the ones.
Who make sure everything gets dons.
Just take the time to think things through.
Because my dears.
It's up to you.
It's all up to you.
"I guess we can be in charge for a little while." Sofia shrugged.
"Yeah." Madeline nodded. "Between the two of us, it shouldn't be too hard."
"That's the spirit!" Tilly smiled. "I'm sure you two will take great care of everything."
"I hope so." Sofia frowned.
"I know so!" Tilly beamed.
Cause being in charge is not so tough.
If you're confident enough.
Just take a breath and do your best.
Prove that you really know your stuff.
It's up to you to get it done.
And fix the problems one by one.
You never know what you can do.
Until you make your big debut.
And so without further ado.
I leave it all up to you.
It's all up to you.
Spruce opened the front door for Tilly.
"Feel free to play my music box while I'm gone, dears." Tilly declared. "Any roll you like."
Tilly winked at Spruce, who smiled back.
"See you soon, Duchess Tilly." Spruce declared, as she departed.
"Thanks, Aunt Tilly!" Madeline smiled, as Spruce closed the door after her.
"Well Mr Spruce, we'd better get the house ready for the party!" Sofia announced, pulling out the list. "We don't want to let Aunt Tilly down."
"Yeah, let's do this." Madeline agreed.
"Ready when you are!" Spruce nodded.
As Sofia and Madeline rushed off, Spruce followed.
A short while later, Sofia and Madeline were attaching balloons to the mailbox.
"There." Sofia smiled as they finished.
The balloons suddenly multiplied many times over.
"Oh, that's a lot of balloons!" Madeline gasped.
Suddenly, a hole opened in the ground.
"Mr Spruce, look!" Sofia pointed. "It's a secret tunnel!"
"That could use a thorough cleaning, by the look of it." Spruce noted the cobwebs.
"Let's see were it goes." Madeline smiled.
"I'll clean the way!" Spruce declared, dusting the steps as they went down. "Thought you could hide from the dust master, did you?" He taunted the cobwebs.
As they reached the bottom, they saw it was a dead end.
"There's no way out." Sofia frowned.
"Don't be so sure." Spruce told her.
As Spruce kept dusting, a hatch on the ceiling suddenly swung open.
"A trap door!" Madeline gasped.
A ladder dropped down.
"And a secret passageway!" Sofia noted.
"After you, Princesses." Spruce smiled.
Sofia and Madeline climbed the ladder, and found themselves emerging in the kitchen.
"Huh." Madeline mused. "I wonder why Aunt Tilly has a secret passageway."
"One that leads to the kitchen, even." Sofia added.
"Your Aunt Tilly has lots of strange things." Spruce declared as he joined them. "Most of them messy."
"Maybe we should split up the jobs so we get them done faster." Madeline suggested.
"Good idea, Maddie." Sofia nodded. "I'll get new vases for the flowers, and you can tidy up the music room."
"On it." Madeline nodded.
"Then one of us can take the rug for a walk." Sofia continued.
"Ooh, delightful." Spruce smiled. "Please allow me to help you, Princess Madeline."
Moments later, Madeline and Spruce entered the music room.
"I'm going to put another roll in the music box while we clean." Madeline declared.
"Splendid idea, Princess." Spruce nodded.
"What kind of magic does this green roll make, miss Ballerina?" Madeline asked.
"Oh, that one is very special, Princess." The Ballerina smiled. "It... it... Oh, twirl my tutu! I can't remember!"
"It's okay." Madeline giggled. "Let's find out."
Madeline put the roll in the music box. As the music played, she danced along to it.
Meanwhile, outside, one of the gargoyles' eyes opened. He started moving, shattering the stone to reveal green skin underneath.
"Oh, yeah!" He cheered, taking off. "Feels good to stretch the old wings!"
The Gargoyles laughed as he flipped in mid-air. At the same time, another gargoyle broke free.
"We're free!" He flew up... right into the first Gargoyle.
"Watch where you're flapping', Gunk!" The first Gargoyles growled.
"Sorry, Muck." Gunk cringed, as he started to drop. "Ah!" He started flapping again. "Almost forget how to fly there!"
The third Gargoyle, Grime joined them.
"We're flesh and slime again!" He grinned. "hey, fellas! It's been to long-" He bumped into Muck and Gunk.
"Calm down, will ya?" Muck growled.
"It's just a very exciting time for us!" Gunk smiled.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of standing on the house." Muck declared. "I say we move inside the house!"
"Yeah!" The others whooped.
"Let's start packing'!" Gunk grinned. "Uh, wait. We don't have stuff, do we?"
"Listen up, Gunk." Muck ordered, sitting on the chimney. "First we get that magical music box before they play a song that turns us back to stone."
"Good point." Gunk nodded. "First we get the music box, then we take the house!"
"And the fun really starts." Muck smirked.
"Fun!" The others cheered.
"Let's fly, boyos!" Muck took off again. The others followed, but they flew into each other. Single file, guys. Single file!"
"After you, Muck." Gunk urged.
Back in the music room, Madeline examined the music box.
"That's weird." She frowned. "The song ended, but nothing happened."
Suddenly, there was a scratching noise.
"Wait, do you hear that?" Madeline asked. "What's that sound?"
Madeline looked up, seeing Muck flying over the skylight.
"Alright boys, let's find a way into this joint!" Muck declared.
"What is that?" Madeline asked.
"A gargoyle!" Spruce gasped.
"Oh, yes!" The Ballerina declared. "Now I remember! The green roll turns the stone Gargoyles into real Gargoyles! Green roll, green gargoyles!"
Muck tried to force open a window.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Spruce locked the window. "We can't let them in, Madeline! They'll slime up the house!"
"Oh, no!" Madeline gasped, as Grime tried to get in.
"Lock all the windows, quick!" Spruce urged.
"Go away!" Madeline told Grime, locking the window.
Spruce locked out Gunk.
"Nice try, troublemaker." He taunted.
Muck pulled open another window, but Madeline pulled it down.
"Cut it out, girly!" Muck struggled.
"You cut it out!" Madeline shot back.
"I told you to cut it out first!" Muck spat.
Madeline finally forced the window down, and locked it.
"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?" Muck growled, taking off. "This-a way, boys!"
"They're trying to find another way in!" Madeline realized.
"Lock the door!" Spruce urged.
As Madeline ran for the front, she heard Grime say "Let's go around the front!"
"The front door's wide open!" Muck flew down. "We're in!"
Madeline shut the door just in time.
"No, we're not." Gunk sighed.
"That should keep them out." Spruce smiled.
"But I have to tell Sofia what's going on." Madeline declared.
"The chimney!" Muck realized. "Dive-bomb!"
Muck flew into the chimney, kicking up some soot that blackened Gunk's face (to Grime's amusement).
Sofia was outside the study, changing the vases for the flowers, when she heard the racket.
"Maddie, what's that noise?" She asked.
"Well, you may not like the answer to that, Sofia." Madeline frowned.
Sofia peeked around the door way, and saw Muck come out of the chimney.
"I'm in!" Muck cheered.
"Maddie, you and I will be talking about this later on." Sofia glared at her sister.
"I just swept the chimney!" Spruce groaned.
"Whoops." Madeline cringed.
"I'm stuck, boss." Gunk groaned.
"Get in here!" Muck pulled him off by the horns.
Sofia and Madeline edged closer.
"Alright gents, find me that music box!" Muck ordered.
"Wait, why's that again?" Gunk asked.
Muck growled.
"So no-one can turn us back to stone!" He yelled at his comrade. "Like I just told you."
"the music box can turn them back to stone?" Sofia asked.
"We'd better not let them get it." Spruce declared.
"Okay, Spruce, you distract them, while Maddie and I figure out how to turn them back." Sofia instructed.
"Roger that!" Spruce nodded.
"Maddie, take me back to music box." Sofia instructed.
"Right away." Madeline nodded. "And... um, you won't tell Aunt Tilly about this, right?"
"We'll see." Sofia said sternly.
Sofia and Madeline took off down the hallway. At the same time, Spruce walked into the room.
"Listen up, you slimy brutes!" He called out to the Gargoyles. "As hobgoblin of this manor, I insist you leave. At once!"
The gargoyles laughed.
"How about we insist you leave?" Muck sneered. "At once!"
Spruce pulled out his feather duster.
"Prepare to receive the cleaning of your lives!" He declared.
"Get 'im, boys." Muck snarled.
"Engarde, you troublesome troublemakers!" Spruce waved the feather duster. "First, I'll dust you off..." He dusted Gunk.
"That tickles! Gunk laughed.
"Then I'll dust you off as well!" Spruce turned to Grime.
"Stop that!" Grime laughed.
"Hurry up, Princesses!" Spruce urged.
Sofia and Madeline rushed back into the music room.
"Miss Ballerina, can you turn the Gargoyles back to stone?" Sofia asked.
"Yes, yes I can!" The Ballerina nodded. "There's a music roll that will turn the Gargoyles back to stone."
"Which one?" Madeline asked.
"It's the... oh, plié, I can't remember!" The Ballerina groaned.
"We don't have time to look through all of them." Sofia told Madeline. "Aunt Tilly will be back soon!"
"Calm down, Sof." Madeline urged.
"Is it the silver one?" Sofia asked the Ballerina.
"No." The Ballerina answered.
"How about the golden one?" Madeline asked.
"I don't think so." The Ballerina shrugged.
Back in the living room, Spruce was still trying to hold off the Gargoyles.
"Alright fellas, give him the slime!" Muck ordered.
Gunk threw some of his own slime at Spruce. Spruce leapt out of the way, and Grime was hit instead.
"Not me, him!" Grime gagged.
"Sorry, Grime!" Gunk apologized, as Muck flew out of the room.
Back in the music room, Sofia and Madeline were still asking the Ballerina.
"Is it the red one?" Sofia asked.
"No." The Ballerina shook her head.
"The blue one?" Madeline suggested.
"Oh, pink point shoes, I just can't remember!" The Ballerina groaned.
"Oh, there's so many we don't know what to pick!" Sofia groaned.
Just then, Muck flew in and grabbed the music box.
"Got it!" He smirked.
"Sofia! Madeline!" The Ballerina yelled.
"No!" Madeline yelped.
"Mr Spruce!" Sofia called.
Spruce was fending off Gunk and Grime as Muck flew back in.
"Check it out, fellas." Muck smiled.
"You did it!" Gunk grinned.
"Alright, Muck!" Grime cheered.
"Unhand that!" Spruce demanded.
Sofia and Madeline rushed in.
"Give that music box back, Mr Gargoyle." Madeline urged.
"It's Aunt Tilly!" Sofia added.
"Not any more, it ain't." Muck chuckled. "And neither is the house."
Muck flew into the corridor.
"Show 'em out, will ya, Gunk?" He asked.
"You got it!" Gunk threw some slime on the floor, just as Sofia, Madeline and Spruce ran out. "Right this way!"
"Whoa!" The three yelped, as they slid down the hall.
"Mr Spruce, we can't stop!" Madeline gasped.
"Me either" Spruce gasped.
They slid out through the open door, and into the footpath.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Princess!" Muck sneered, as the Gargoyles closed the door behind them.
After getting back up, Sofia rushed back to the door, and pulled on the handle.
"It's locked!" She groaned. "They locked it!"
"Can you open the door?" Madeline asked the bird-shaped knocker.
"I am the door knocker, not the door opener." The bird declared.
"The windows are all locked." Spruce declared.
"Thanks to us..." Madeline sighed, as they looked inside.
"Hey, hey!" Spruce yelled at Gunk. "Get your slimey feet off the sofa, you!"
"Let us in!" Sofia banged on the window. "We're in charge here!"
"Yeah, Aunt Tilly trusted us to take care of the house!" Madeline added.
"Well, it looks like she trusted the wrong Princesses!" Muck jeered. "Make yourselves at home, boys!"
"Pretty music box..." Grime cooed. "Oh, oh! Let's play another song!"
"We can't do that!" Muck snarled. "One of those songs will turn us back to stone, remember?"
"Let's play one anyway." Gunk smiled.
"I can't trust either of you guys!" Muck groaned. "The only way we'll be safe is if we break the music box!"
"Break the music box?!" The Ballerina gasped.
"Break the music box?!" Sofia and Madeline chorused.
"Yeah, break the music box!" Gunk cheered. "Uh... h-how are we gonna do that, Muck?"
"I have no idea." Muck frowned. "Start thinking, boys."
"Aw, do we have;t?" Gunk groaned.
"Help!" The Ballerina called. "Sofia, Madeline, help!"
"Mr Spruce, Aunt Tilly's going to be so upset with me!" Madeline groaned. "I messed up everything!"
"It's not totally your fault." Sofia sighed. "It was my idea to split up the jobs. Maybe if I had been in the music room, we would have played another roll..."
"Oh, Princesses." Spruce smiled. "Your Aunt Tilly would not have left you in charge if she thought you couldn't handle a few little problems."
"A few little problems?" Madeline frowned. "Those are more like big, giant, slimey problems!"
"...True." Spruce admitted. "But what did the Duchess say you should do if problems arise? Did she say to fret and fuss, and throw in the fish towel?"
"No." Sofia admitted. "She said to fix them. But how?"
"Well, you're the ones in charge, Princesses." Spruce smiled. "You tell me."
Sofia and Madeline walked over to the window.
"Okay fellas, pull!" Muck urged, as the Gargoyles tried to pull the music box apart.
"Oh, that's great!" The Ballerina smiled. "I need a good stretch!"
As the Gargoyles pulled, the box slipped out of their hands, and they fell on the floor.
"Alright boys, start thinking of another plan." Muck ordered.
"Aw, we gotta think again?" Grime groaned.
"Okay, we can fix this." Madeline declared. "And I think I know how."
"I'm all ears." Spruce smiled.
"Go for it, Maddie." Sofia nodded.
"We need to find a way to sneak back into the house." Madeline declared. "Then, if Spruce is really quiet, he can sneak up, and grab the music box."
"I am a master of stealth." Spruce boasted.
"While we figure out which music roll turns them back to stone." Madeline finished.
"Ooh, 'tis a good plan, Princess Madeline." Spruce declared.
"It is." Sofia nodded. "But how do we get in the house when everything's locked?"
Madeline thought for a moment, then realized something.
"The tunnel!" She gasped. "We never closed it up!"
"Great thinking, Maddie." Sofia smiled. "Let's go!"
They rushed over to the opening.
"Now I see why Aunt Tilly has a secret passageway." Madeline smiled, as they rushed down the steps.
"It is time to clean house!" Spruce brandished his feather duster.
They popped up back in the kitchen. As they looked around, they heard Muck's voice.
"I know how to smash that music box!" He declared. "Gimme a screwdriver!"
"Come on, Mr Spruce." Sofia urged. "Let's go."
"Ow!" Muck yelled. "Not by that end!"
"Sorry, Muck." Gunk apologized.
"careful they don't see us." Madeline whispered.
"Right." Spruce started tiptoeing.
In the living room, Muck had daubed a slime target on the wall.
"There we go." He smiled.
As the girls and Spruce pepped in, they saw the Gargoyles working on a catapult-like contraption.
"This'll fling the box right into the wall." Muck declared. "And kablooey!"
"Ohhhh!" The Ballerina moaned.
"We've got to save her!" Madeline gasped.
Spruce rushed over.
"Ready, aim..."The Gargoyles chorused, just before Spruce snatched the box.
"Hey!" Muck yelled, leaning over the catapult.
"Fire!" Grime yelled, as Muck was flunk against the wall.
"Sorry, Muck..." Gunk cringed.
Muck slid down the wall.
"My hero!" The Ballerina smiled.
"We've had just about enough of you, hobgoblin!" Gunk snarled.
"I assure you, the feeling is quite mutual." Spruce glared.
"Looking for this?" Muck grabbed the feather duster. "Now give us that music box!"
"Hey!" Sofia opened the fish cage. "Go get 'em, fish!"
The flying fish swarmed the Gargoyles.
"Go, fish, go!" They chirped. "Go, fish, go!"
"Get 'em off me!" Grime yelled.
"Do something!" Gunk yelped.
"You do something!" Muck growled.
Sofia and Madeline rushed over to the music room.
"Which one is it?" Sofia looked at all the rolls.
"This one feels like it's made of stone." Madeline picked up a grey roll. "Green roll, green Gargoyles, stone roll, stone Gargoyles! If the green roll made them come to life, maybe the stone roll can turn them back to stone!"
"It's worth a try." Sofia nodded.
The fish were still pestering the Gargoyles as they returned.
"Mr Spruce, I found the right roll!" Madeline called.
"No!" Muck yelled. He threw some slime, causing Spruce to slip and drop the box.
"Ohhh!" The Ballerina yelled, as she flew through the air.
"Hah!" Muck smirked, catching the box. "I've got the music box, and there's nothing you can do about it!"
Sofia suddenly had an idea.
"Okay rug, it's time for your walk!" She called.
The rug, which was right under Muck, sprang to life, throwing the Gargoyle off his feet. The box flew into the air once more.
"Not again!" The Ballerina yelped.
"I've got her!" Madeline ran over and caught the box.
"Nice catch, Maddie!" Sofia smiled.
"Time for a new song." Madeline grinned, taking out the green roll.
"No, wait!" Muck yelled. "Let's talk about this! No, no, no, no!"
Ignoring him, Madeline put in the stone roll. The Ballerina started to dance as new music played. One by one, the Gargoyles turned back to stone.
"Well played, Princesses!" Spruce smiled.
"Thank you both." The Ballerina declared. "You saved my tutu!"
Both girls curtsied.
"You showed those Gargoyles who's in charge!" Spruce cheered.
"I guess we did." Sofia nodded.
"Oh, but this place is such a mess." Madeline realized. "I am so sorry for causing this."
"We can't let Aunt Tilly see her house like this!" Sofia declared.
"It would be my distinct honor to clean up everything, Princesses." Spruce waved his feather duster.
"Okay." Madeline nodded.
"Let's get the fish back in their cage, then finish getting ready for the dinner party." Sofia opened the cage.
"Back you go!" Madeline sprinkled some food.
"Thanks Princess Madeline!" The fish called.
"Thanks for lending a fin, by the way." Sofia smiled.
"Anytime, Sofia!" The fish chirped.
As they turned from cage, Sofia and Madeline were surprised to see the entire room was clean.
"Wow, you work really fast, Mr Spruce!" Madeline gasped.
"No kidding." Sofia pulled out the list. "Now, what's next?"
The rug leapt up, panting excitedly.
Over the next few minutes, Sofia and Madeline completed their tasks.
"Everything's spotless!" Madeline beamed.
"Except these guys." Sofia pointed to the Gargoyles. "We need to get the Gargoyles back outside before Aunt Tilly comes home."
"Yes, they don't match the décor at all." Spruce nodded.
They all tried to lift Muck, but he wouldn't budge.
"They're just too heavy!" Spruce declared.
"What do we do?" Madeline asked.
"Toodle-oo!" Tilly called, as she returned at last. "I'm home!"
As she entered the living room, Tilly saw the Gargoyles, and gasped.
"Are those Gargoyles?" She asked.
"Aunt Tilly, um..." Sofia mumbled.
"We can explain!" Madeline declared.
Tilly looked at the music rolls on a nearby table.
"They chose the green one, didn't they?" She chuckled.
"Actually, that was me." Madeline confessed.
"The most challenging roll of all!" Spruce smiled.
"But they stopped them together, right?" Tilly asked.
"Indeed." Spruce nodded. "And they were splendid!"
"Um... what are you two talking about?" Sofia frowned.
"Congratulations, Sofia and Madeline." Tilly smiled. "You've passed the test! I'm so proud of you."
"As am I." Spruce added.
"Test?" Madeline asked. "What test?"
"Why, the test that your Aunty Tilly just gave you!" Spruce revealed. "Each music roll created a magical problem for you to solve. And turning the Gargoyles back to stone was the hardest. It was all a big test!"
"A test of what?" Sofia asked.
"Oh, I needed to know if you two could be in charge, and solve any problem that came your way." Tilly sat down.
"Why?" Madeline asked.
"Because you'll have to know how to handle things when it comes time to face your destiny, my dears." Tilly declared.
"Our destiny?" Sofia frowned.
"What you're meant to do with your life." Tilly explained. "Your future. One must be prepared!"
"But... what is our destiny?" Madeline asked.
"Oh, only you know the answer to that question, my dears." Tilly pulled a book out of her bag. "but this will help you find your way."
"What is this?" Sofia asked, as Tilly gave the book to her and Madeline.
"Your reward for passing the test." Tilly smiled.
Madeline opened the book.
"A history of Enchancia castle." She read.
"Yes, you live in a very old castle, girls." Tilly nodded. "And that book tells you about all its secrets. Although there's one that's not in the book; When I was a little girl, I had your exact same bedroom!"
"You did?" Sofia smiled.
"Oh, yes." Tilly grinned. "I used to read in that window seat for hours. Anyhow, there are many more interesting tidbits in that book. And you must read it cover-to-cover, because knowledge is the key to everything!"
"Thank you, Aunt Tilly." Madeline declared, as she and Sofia held the book together.
"Now, how about we celebrate your success with a little garden party?" Tilly suggested. "I hope you don't mind if the garden gnomes join us?"
"Sure!" Sofia nodded.
"But... what should we do about the Gargoyles?" Madeline asked.
"Oh, leave that to me." Tilly declared, as she switched the stone roll with the green one.
"Wait!" Sofia yelled.
"Aunt Tilly, don't!" Madeline added.
As the music played, the Gargoyles sprang back to life.
"We're back, boyos!" Muck cheered.
"Now, now, fellas." Tilly held out her hand, stopping them. "We'll have non of your hijinks this time."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, anything you say, Miss Tilly." Muck nodded.
"Not a single hijinks." Gunk agreed.
"Good, boys." Tilly smiled. Alright, I want you all back outside where you belong. But if you promise to behave, then you can join us in the garden for a little party before we turn you back to stone."
"A party?" Muck smiled.
"Alright!" Gunk cheered.
"We'll behave!" Grime added.
"We'll be anything you want!" Muck pledged.
"Right this way, ladies and Gargoyles." Spruce declared.
The Gargoyles rushed outside, laughing merrily.
"Garden party in back!" Gunk whooped.
Sofia, Madeline and Tilly followed.
"Um, Aunt Tilly?" Sofia asked. "Are there any more surprises we should know?"
"Good question, Sof." Madeline noted.
"Oh, let's hope so." Tilly smiled.
As Tilly went outside, Sofia and Madeline looked back at a picture of a tree on the wall. Smiling at each other, they followed Tilly outside.