Okay, after a while, we're moving ahead to 'Sewer King'! At first, I wasn't sure how to approach this episode, but I decided to do a different story that just happened alongside that adventure! You'll see how it goes! Anyway, enjoy!

On Sunday, I was taking a walk around the mall with my parents as we went inside. I sighed in boredom.

"Mom, Dad, why do I have to go with you to these meetings?" I groaned. "It's so boring!"

"Honey, it's only for an hour." Mom sighed. "Besides, young lady, you've been spending like no tomorrow lately. The last thing we want is an empty house!"

I groaned. Apparently, Mom and Dad have been taking me with them to a few shopaholic meetings where some people attended to snap them out of their tendencies to spend like no tomorrow. Mom and Dad should know better. I don't spend my money everywhere I go!

...well, there was the one time I bought a pretty expensive vase for Daddy's birthday, using a few of Mom's funds, but that was when I was eight! Dad loved the gift, but berated me for spending their money on it! That was the only ti-

...okay, there was also the time I took two hundred bucks from Dad's wallet without him looking to buy a new suit... which Dad and Mom berated me for as well. I don't see what their problem is...

...fine, fine, at the time when I was getting the hat for the Arnold statue I was trying to make, I took a hundred dollars from Mom's wallet and spent it on the ring that's on my finger. Mom and Dad berated me, but they let me keep the ring.

Fine, maybe I was a bit of a shopaholic, but I can't help it! Every item I want is SO tempting to buy, I want to buy them! I try to stop, but there's just something so interesting. Mom and Dad were at least careful to put in locks in their purses and buckles in their pockets to ensure I didn't steal any money from them again. And the workers Mom and Dad have were told not to give me the combinations to their safe.

Well, Mom, Dad and I took our seats as a few more people gathered around. At least the bright side was that I saw my favorite clothes shopping clerk every time I go to the meetings. Sharlene always had a bit of a pep in her step.

As soon as some more people came in, Sharlene smiled as she sat down right next to me and got comfortable as she smiled to everyone. "Hello once again, everyone. Welcome to the Kids' Shopaholic Meetings for Kids!"

"Hi, Sharlene!" Every parent and kid said as some noted that she was a bit redundant.

"Now, as many people know, there are a couple new shopaholic kids present, so give them a big round of applause." Sharlene said as everyone started clapping a bit before stopping. "Okay, let's start, shall we?"

My mind sighed as they wandered over to other things. I clearly didn't want to be in this meeting right now. So as some people started to talk about their problems, I decided to have my mind wander off somewhere else...

Inside a small area, me, Nadearie and Arnoldo had teamed up inside as we were busy crawling inside, all three of us were in black jumpsuits.

"Okay, remember what Commander P has said." I told my two fellow comrades.

The two nodded as Nadearie pulled down her goggles.

"Good." I said as we started going deep inside the chasm.

"So, what is our mission exactly?" Arnoldo asked.

"Our mission, as we have chosen to accept, is to infiltrate the spy headquarters owned by Curlfinger Industries! We have to steal the secret weapon known as the Combo-Lock and bring it back to our headquarters in a heartbeat." I explained to Arnoldo as we got closer. I leaned my ear closer as I try to listen into what was going on. There seemed to be no talking. I came closer to the grate with Nadearie and Arnoldo following me along. I peered in and noticed nobody was in the room. "Coast is clear."

Nadearie nodded as she pulled out a small spatula, with Arnoldo getting a screwdriver from his pocket. Quickly as fast as he could, he unscrewed the screws from the grate as Nadearie put the spatula under the grate to pull it up. I then tied a rope around myself as I nodded to Nadearie. "Okay, I'm going down! Pull on the rope when I jump!"

Nadearie nodded as she lifted up the rope as I jumped down towards a pedestal where the Combo-Lock was. I then felt myself being pulled a little just as I got near the pedestal, indicating that Nadearie had got me up. I pulled out a spray can, shook it a bit, then I sprayed around the area to make sure there weren't any traps. Sure enough, there were a few alarm lasers surrounding the pedestal, but it was nothing my little laser mirror redirector couldn't fix.

I pulled out a small mirror from my pocket and put it on one of the lasers, redirecting it towards the source, which was a conveniently placed machine where the lasers were being produced. As soon as the laser force field was down, I gave a smirk as I carefully grabbed the Combo-Lock and put down my calling card as I pulled on the rope a few times, indicating Nadearie to pull me up. I was being pulled up, all right, but it wasn't by Nadearie.

As I was getting near the grate, I smirked as I turned to who I thought was Nadearie and Arnoldo. "I got the device, l-"

"And I got the girl of my dreams!" Curlfinger said as he was holding tight to the rope, a couple of agents that followed Curlfinger in already grabbed Arnoldo and Nadearie and pulled them off.

I glared at Curlfinger as I said, "Curlfinger! You little traitor! You'll never get away with this!"

"Oh, I'm afraid I just did." Curlfinger smirked.

I paused as I got an idea, aiming the Combo-Lock at Curlfinger. "Seems you didn't plan your attack too well, Curlfinger, because I have the Combo-Lock! And I'm not afraid to use it on you."

Curlfinger just laughed as I felt something breathe behind me. "Oh, sweetheart, did you really think I didn't plan ahead?"

The next thing I knew, I felt something large hit me, then everything went black.

I later woke up, finding myself strapped to a nearby bed. I yelped as I try to get out of it. "CURLFINGER!"

Curlfinger seemed to be nearby as he laid down, with his fingers crossed. "Don't worry, I just strapped you in. I didn't actually go THAT far."

"Knowing you..." I glared.

"Oh, but this'll be fun. Your friends are being taken care of elsewhere, and now you and I are stuck together... alone." Curlfinger gave a smirk as he wheeled his chair over to me as he put two fingers on my arm and did a walking stance with them to go up to my shoulder. "But don't worry, once the world succumbs to the Combo-Lock, you'll learn to accept me!"

"I will never accept you, scum!" I spat in Curlfinger's eye, which was pretty much his glasses.

Curlfinger frowned as he took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses with a cloth. "Pity. You got my glasses all dirtied up. Now I'll have to get a new pair. Be right back!"

I groaned as soon as Curlfinger left. I had to get out of there!

I carefully struggled and tried to get myself out of the ropes. Curlfinger had no doubt probably taken most of my spy gear... but there was one thing that Curlfinger neglected... and it was one of Gerald's new inventions... the invisible Glass Eye cutting laser. Inside my right eye was a small contact that when I made a certain glance, a laser would pop out of my eye and remove any surface, even cut through wood or stretchy materials, like a rubber band or a rope. It was a good thing I was tied to rope.

As I got free from my little stance, I got off the bed, grabbed most of my spy gear, and headed out into the room to find Nadearie, Arnoldo OR the Combo-Lock... while trying to be careful to avoid Curlfinger or his minions.

Sure enough, about a few minutes after I departed, I heard Curlfinger's voice from the speakers, "Men, Double Zero Ten AKA Rhonda Lloyd has escaped! Drop everything you are doing right now and find her!"

I kept running and running as I tried to turn a corner, but Curlfinger's minions were walking around, trying to locate me. Nearby, I swore I heard Nadearie's voice.

"Rhonda? Rhonda! Rhonda, it's your turn!"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my trance as I noticed everyone was looking at me.

"I said, it's your turn, Rhonda. Why don't you tell everybody what is up with you?" Sharlene said.

I paused as I sighed. "Hello, my name is Rhonda Wellington Lloyd..."

"Hi, Rhonda." All the kids smiled.

"...and I do have a slight problem in terms of shopping, which I can't easily help myself with." I sighed. "Sometimes, I do these for a good cause, but other times, I have a bit of a habit that I can never kick."

"That's why we have these sessions, Rhonda." Sharlene smiled. "To make sure to improve on your mistakes. Go on, give us an example."

I sighed as I started reciting one example of a time I took money from my mother's purse to spend it on a shopping spree for myself, which was hard for me to admit, but it had to be done and over with. I guess the shopaholic meeting does help a few times, but it doesn't make me feel any better.

I groaned as I finally arrived home. "Thank Jesus, that was brutal."

"Honey, it was only a shopaholic meeting." Mom sighed. "It was not the end of the world."

"It is for me." I groaned. "If my friends caught me doing one of these, I'd be embarrassed!"

"Young lady, you know you have that shopping problem. We need to at least improve that so that if you buy something, it won't be as expensive." My dad explained.

"Yes, daddy." I sighed.

"Good... honey, let me give you a test to make sure you can responsible with money." Dad said as he gave me a few bucks. "Just go down to the store and pick up a some eggs, butter, cheese and milk, then come home right away. Can you do that, honey?"

"Yes, daddy. I can do that." I nodded as I pocketed the money.

"Rhonda, we need you to be focused on the task. We don't want your mind wandering to other places, like the mall." Mom said.

"It's only because we love you, sweetheart." Dad explained. "We're just doing this to ensure the problem you have doesn't arise."

"I know, daddy, mommy." I said. "I'll focus on the task."

"Good girl, Rhonda." Mom smiled as she patted me on the head. "Now, your father and I are going out to dinner tonight, when you come back, one of the servants will likely let you in. You can put the groceries away, but leave the receipt AND the cash at the table so we can see them. Remember what your father told you."

"Eggs, butter, cheese, milk, come home right away. Got it." I nodded as I started to walk out.

"We love you, sweetie!" Mom smiled.

I can only nod as I started to recite it in my head. "Eggs, butter, cheese, milk, come home right away. Eggs, butter, cheese, milk, come home right away."

I eventually arrived near the store as I looked up. I nodded as this was the place. I kept repeating the little mantra in my head to indicate that I couldn't forget it, when I heard a voice that broke the tension.

"Oh, hey, Rhonda."

I looked up a bit, snapping to attention when I saw... "Oh, hi, Arnold!"

I then noticed Arnold seemed a little flustered. "You seem a little depressed and upset."

"I was busy rethinking my life." Arnold sighed. "That, and I'm getting Grandpa some milk."

"Hmmm..." I paused as I sat down. "You seem you want someone to talk to. I'm all ears if you want to tell me what's wrong."

Arnold paused as he sat down. "All right, I guess I can tell you about my day and how it went."

And so, Arnold decided to vent the story on his day. Apparently, his grandfather assigned him to pick up a watch that he trusted no one with except for himself, and apparently Arnold. Arnold kept his promise on the watch, and was on his way home when he met Gerald. After talking to Gerald, they both saw some construction going down and after looking too close to a big hole, the watch he was carrying fell down the hole. Arnold, along with Gerald, went down the hole where they travelled the sewers, and met some type of weirdo that lived there with a few rats. Weird people that has rats has companions? Creepy and disgusting. I kept listening in as Arnold explained that this Sewer King planned on keeping the watch as a royal icon, and Arnold placed the Sewer King in a bet where if he and Gerald won, he gets the watch, but if the Sewer King won, Arnold and Gerald would be slaves.

"And you defeated him how many times before taking the watch?" I asked.

"Seven." Arnold sighed. "But when we got the watch, the Sewer King went crazy and started chasing us around. We finally got out once we reached sunlight. It was pretty much a big escape."

"So, you gave your grandfather the watch, and then what happened?" I asked him.

"When Grandpa took the watch, he accidentally dropped it down the drain, it was too far to get it back... and then I learned that HE KEPT SPARE WATCHES, SO I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THIS FOR NOTH-" Arnold started to rant angrily... before taking a deep breath to calm down. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm upset."

"Oh, buddy, you have a little bit of a right to be angry, but come on, it's your grandfather. I'm sure he would have forgave you either way." I said.

"I know, but I wish he told me he kept spare watches ahead of time." he sighed. "Guess I feel a little betrayed."

"Aw, buddy, don't beat yourself over it." I said. "Besides, with the adventure you had, nothing could compare to my day."

"What was your day like?" Arnold asked.

Oh, whoops. Maybe I shouldn't have said something about my day. "I know this may or may not be hard to believe, but my parents took me to a shopaholics meeting."

"Oh, I see." Arnold said. "You've been spending a lot of money again?"

"I wouldn't say I was spending a LOT of money, but I'm still trying to control myself when it comes to expensive items." I explained. "Besides, Mom and Dad are giving me the grocery test. Get a few items and leave the receipt and money on the table so that I did do it."

Arnold smiled a bit as he put an arm over me. "Guess we have a different way of having a rough day... though mine was more of crushed determination..."

"And mine was more impatience." I said. "Yeah, I suppose so..."

"It's good we're friends..." Arnold sighed.

"And we got our friends and family too." I nodded. "And you got your pets. You know how Mom and Dad never let me have a pet. Unless I'm more responsible, they said I can have one. Apparently, I haven't reached too far yet."

Arnold paused and smiled. "Yeah... you know, maybe I can find Abner. He can cheer me up."

Arnold then got up as he headed into the store. "Want me to help you with your groceries on the way home?"

I smiled a bit. "Thanks, Arnold. That would be generous."

And so, after our little moment with each other, Arnold got his milk, and he was kind enough to help me with the eggs, butter, cheese and milk as I travelled home. As soon as we reached home, I took the bags from him as I bid him good night. Arnold smiled as we both headed our separate ways, me to my house, and Arnold to his home. All in all, it was a good night.

The next morning, I was yawning a bit as I was just finishing dressing myself up when I heard my cell phone ring. I paused as I dug around and pulled it out, noticing the name. I was surprised to see Arnold calling me. He never usually calls early in the morning. Nevertheless, I decided to answer. "Hello?"

"Rhonda, I need your help!" Arnold's voice sounded, like it was worried. "You know my pet pig, Abner?"

"Yeah?" I paused.

"...He's gone. He's missing! Come over here, I need help!" Arnold said in a panic as he hung up.

"Arno-" I started before I heard the tone.

Arnold sounded really worried on the phone if he was concerned for Abner. Well, he called ME for help, so that means... I smile a bit. He really trusts me around him.

There's the forty-third episode! How do you like it? Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!