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Chapter 3: Good Times, Bad Times

The gang had dinner together at a Checkers. On their way out, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Howard, who told them that there was a place reserved for the Third Street kids and the dogs to stay. Each of them had a sheet of paper with directions. When they had checked off everything, they ended up at the ship-shaped house on the corner of Pfeiffer Street and Gaston Avenue.
"Who could imagine staying in this place?" Vince asked.
"I know!" Spinelli said, raising her eyebrows.
"I remember when we played Super T-Bone in this front yard and accidentally ruined Clifford's blue blanket," Cleo said.
"Let's find out what's inside, guys," T.J. said.
A key to the front door had been laid in front of the door. Gretchen picked it up, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it clockwise. The gang went inside and felt stunned by what they saw. There stood a spacious living room, a retro galley-style kitchen, a round dining table, and a spiral staircase with walls on either side.
"AMAZING!" Mikey exclaimed.
"I can't fit in there, guys," Clifford said.
"Don't worry, we've got you covered," Gus replied.
"Actually, I have just the solution to that problem," Gretchen added as she pulled one of her fancy gadgets out of her backpack. "This device, the Transformatron 6000, emits harmless lasers that surround what you want to transform."
"Can you turn something into anything you want?" Mac asked.
"Of course," Gretchen answered. "All you have to do is browse the list of ideas and select one of them. It's that simple. Watch."
"This had better work out right," Spinelli said as Gretchen went out the front door.
A minute later, Gretchen walked in with Clifford, who had just become a normal-sized anthropomorphic dog. He had his head and tail and the body of a human. He wore a yellow polo, a pair of khaki pants, and brown Steve Madden shoes. He also had a Rolex watch on his left arm.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"Gretch, that was a miracle!" T.J. chuckled.
"I wanna try it!" the other dogs said in unison.
"We'll do it under the starry night sky," Gus said.
Outside, the gang started to watch when it was T-Bone's turn to be transformed into anthro form. Rainbow lasers surrounded him as they got lighter and lighter until he was completely transformed. He still had his head and tail, but he had a human body. He was wearing a white Eminem t-shirt, red athletic shorts, and Shaq basketball shoes.
"Now I'm the real me!" T-Bone said.
"Looking rad there, T," Cleo said, grinning. It was Mac's turn.
"This has to be the coolest moment of awesomeness I'm experiencing," he said as he walked towards Gretchen. He was successfully transformed, and he kept the head and tail and had a human body. He sported a Denver Broncos football jersey, black shorts, and orange Mizuno running shoes.
"Now THAT'S what I call a true football jock," Vince told Mac.
"Oh, yes," Mac replied. "I couldn't be happier."
"My turn! My turn!" Cleo said excitingly, running up to the spot of transformation. A cloud of rainbow-colored lasers concealed her, and she reappeared as an anthro poodle. She kept her head and tail, but now she had the body of a human. In place of the fluffy chest fur was a pair of nice boobs. Cleo had a muscular, tomboyish build and sported a gray Rush t-shirt, blue jeans, and red Converse Chuck Taylor high-top sneakers. Cleo gasped as she looked at herself, finding out that her paws had become human hands. She flexed all ten fingers and gasped.
"I'M A POODLE GIRL NOW!" Cleo exclaimed. She started laughing and running around on two legs, just like a human, and much faster than she originally did in her non-morphic form. She hugged everyone afterwards.
Approaching the ship-shaped house was Emily Elizabeth, along with her parents, Jetta Handover, Charley Stanton, Vaz Garcia, Sheriff Lewis, and Mrs. Diller.
"They must be-" Mikey began.
"Clifford!" Emily Elizabeth said. "How did you start to look like this?"
"Smart Girl a.k.a. Gretchen Grundler holds the primary responsibility," Clifford said, touching Emily's shoulder.
"Heya, T-Bone!" Sheriff Lewis said. "You're the next 'real Slim Shady,' aren't you?"
"You bet!" T-Bone replied.
"Cleo! Oh, Cleo!" Mrs. Diller said. "You're the cutest girl ever!"
Cleo walked up to her and hugged her tightly. "Why, thanks. You know the Recess gang, don't you?"
"Of course. I remember watching that show with you a while back. I'm just thrilled to hear you talk!"
"We don't rule, we rock!" Mac said, pounding Jetta's fist.
"You handsome thing," Jetta replied.
The gang slept in their own dormitory upstairs in bunk beds. T.J. took the bottom bunk while Clifford took the top bunk; Mac took the bottom bunk while Spinelli took the top bunk; T-Bone took the bottom bunk while Vince took the top bunk; Mikey took the bottom bunk while Cleo took the top bunk; and Gretchen took the bottom bunk while Gus took the top bunk. In place of the hind padded feet, the dogs had human feet with five toes.
"I hate Birdwell Island! I hate this world!" Miss Finster's voice echoed in the wind. The gang suddenly laughed.
"Okay, lights out," Cleo said, flicking the light switch. "Good night, guys."
They dreamed throughout the whole night.

The next morning, Spinelli had to get up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for Mademoiselle Povlova's dance class. Her parents had to visit Miss Finster at the hotel she was staying at downtown, so after breakfast, the Howards drove up in their navy 2001 Ford Windstar minivan. Spinelli opened the sliding rear door and sat next to Emily Elizabeth.
"You've heard of Povlova, haven't you?" Emily asked.
"Always puts people to work," Spinelli replied.
When the van reached Mademoiselle Povlova's Salon of Independent Movement, Spinelli got out.
"Have a nice one, Spinelli!" Mr. Howard said.
"You too," Spinelli replied. Then she took a deep breath and said to herself, "Oh boy." She was about to head for the double doors when a voice called her name. She turned around. It was Mikey, who just got dropped off in Cleo's taupe 1992 Lancia Dedra sedan.
"Wait for me!" he said, running up to Spinelli. "I figured you would enjoy having me as a partner for this class."

Inside the studio, the ballet students, including the Ashleys, the Megans, and Jetta, were learning the ballet basics (pirouettes, arabesques, positions, pliés). Mademoiselle Povlova was pleased to have most of the students attending- all except Spinelli.
"Come along now, Ashley Funicello Spinelli, please," she said.
"You can call me just plain 'Spinelli,' thank you very much," Spinelli muttered.
"Come on, feel the movement inside you," Mikey said.
"That's it. I use Russian Army Carry," Mademoiselle Povlova said, smiling deceptively. "With the mark and the set and the-"
"Okay, okay! I'm comin' right now!" Spinelli yelled. She exited the ladies' room and looked terribly silly in her orange ski cap, pink tutu, and black boots. All of the students, except for Mikey, roared with laughter. "Nice boots, you disgusting puppet," Ashley Armbruster jeered.
"They're better to kick you with, bunhead," Spinelli spat.
"Oooh! Scandalous and ludicrous!" the Ashleys, Megans, and Jetta chorused. Mikey jumped, knocking the others down.
"Ah, thank you for intervening, Mikhail," Mademoiselle Povlova said. "Spinelli, we have a very special student who has excellent skills, and I'd like you and Mikhail to see." She clapped her hands twice. "Come on out!" she called to a door.
"One second!" a cute, raspy voice called back from the other side of the door. Then it opened to reveal Cleo in a burgundy t-shirt, a brown knee-length skirt, and real pointe shoes. She pirouetted across the studio to Spinelli and Mikey.
"Cleo?" Mikey and Spinelli said in unison.
"You didn't know about my dance skills, did you?" Cleo replied.
"Ah, you are familiar," Mademoiselle Povlova said.
"Cleo, I thought you were a tomboy," Spinelli said.
"I am," Cleo said. "On the contrary, this attire is more appropriate for a dance class like this."

Under Mademoiselle Povlova's watchful eyes, the students worked hard until noon, when class ended.
"All of you have worked very hard and improved your skills," Mademoiselle Povlova said. "And I give special congratulations to Ashley Spinelli, Mikey Blumberg, and Cleo Farley in assisting others. I have wonderful surprise for the three of you." She opened a treasure chest revealing costumes. "You're invited to our special holiday performance on Monday. And another thing. My Christmas presents to give you three are $500 gift cards to the new Pulsar Fun Center on Birdwell Island's boardwalk. Money for food and beverages, rides, game cards, go-karts, bowling, indoor mini-golf, ice skating, batting cages, and laser tag is included."
Spinelli sighed. "Birdwell's so cool," she added, taking her gift card.
"Thank you, Mademoiselle," Mikey said.
Cleo gasped. "Oh! I've always wanted to go there! I'm beyond excited! Woo-hoo!" She shook her skirt.

After changing back into their normal clothes in the dressing rooms, the students exited Mademoiselle Povlova's Salon of Independent Movement. T.J, Clifford, and the rest of the gang were waiting for Spinelli, Mikey, and Cleo.
"Dasvedanya!" Mademoiselle Povlova called to the students.
When Spinelli, Mikey, and Cleo drove up in Cleo's taupe Lancia, T.J. and Vince got in the back seat next to Spinelli. Gretchen, Gus, Clifford, Mac, and T-Bone took Mac's white 1990 Subaru Legacy sedan. The gang had lunch at Firehouse Subs.