The group soon went to go into the auditorium as Audrey, Dot, and Lotta went in ahead of them, looking a little glum that they were being snubbed out right now.
"Hey! Hello!" LJ called over to the trio. "Excuse me? Could we talk?"
"Huh?" The three girls asked.
"Just a moment of your time, please." Martin added.
"Uh... Who are these guys?" Audrey asked Lotta and Dot.
"I don't think I recognize them from Harvey Street." Dot replied.
"We're not from Harvey Street or any comics for that matter," Ambrose explained. "It's a long story, but we go on adventures and help people in need and you girls look like you could use some help, or at least temporary help."
"Who wants to know?" Lotta asked protectively as she tried to keep Audrey and Dot safe.
"LJ Schwartz and Friends," LJ responded as he handed them a small index card with those exact words written in pen on it. "I couldn't help but notice your plight, and I figured we should ask what's wrong, and if there's anything we could do to help."
Lotta took a look at the card while Audrey and Dot looked at the group curiously.
"Well, as it's been established today so far, Fun Fest is coming up." Dot began to say.
"What exactly IS Fun Fest if you don't mind us asking?" Jenny soon asked.
"Fun Fest is basically an annual contest where we show our talents," Audrey explained. "It's really excite-mazing."
"Uh... Excite-mazing?" Zofia asked curiously. "Was that English?"
"Forgive her, but let's just say that Audrey has a unique way with words." Lotta explained bashfully.
"Alrighty!" LJ said. "So Fun Fest is coming up. Go on."
"And we wanna be in it this year." Dot then said.
"So... What's stoppin' ya?" Chrissy asked. "I never miss an opportunity to be in a talent show, especially for singing."
"Yeah, who says you can't enter?" Jenny added.
"Well, actually, that's just it," Audrey groaned. "No one really wants us in the show, especially Director Windbag over there." she then glared and pointed at Charles in annoyance.
"How come nobody wants you in the show?" asked Zofia.
"Cuz we're old news and we haven't been relevant in a long time." Audrey sighed and frowned.
"Some people around here tend to think of us as has-beens." Dot added with narrowed eyes.
"You guys are has-beens," Rodney smirked. "Even Little Lulu is more relevant than you guys are and she's pretty much a rip-off of Audrey."
"That's enough, Rodney Bitterman." Dot glared at him.
"Why don't you come here and make me stop? Betcha can't." Rodney retorted as he crossed his arms.
"Maybe she can't, but I can, you little punk," Martin retorted. "So back off before I make you."
"All right then, let's go," Rodney glared. "Just you and me."
"Rodney, we don't have time for this," Zoe told the ruffian boy, trying to move him out of the way. "Charles wants us all to sit down right now."
"...aw, alright," relented Rodney. "You got lucky, bozo. Next time, you're toast."
"Yeah, I'm really scared," Martin rolled his eyes. "Take off, why don't ya?"
"Pfft. Whatever." Rodney rolled his eyes before leaving with Zoe to sit with Hammie, Wren, Megan, and Shelby.
LJ, Zofia, and their friends soon found some seats and decided to sit there.
Garfield soon decided to go and see Eli as he was at his station behind the scenes. "Hey, Eli." he then greeted the worker.
"Hey, Garfield. Ready for another Fun Fest?" Eli replied and asked.
"I'm ready to win another Fun Fest." Garfield said boastfully.
"I heard a rumor about a new strip, and this new guy is supposed to be some tough competition." Eli advised the cat.
"Nothing can knock me off the top spot." Garfield retorted before suddenly leaving.
"You might wanna keep that ego in check," Eli suggested until he saw Garfield suddenly leaving. "Uh... Buddy?" he then asked.
Soon, Charles came on stage after everyone else took their seats. "Welcome to the dress rehearsal for the 30th annual Fun Fest, where the act that's the most fun, wins!" he then told his audience. "As you know, tomorrow's talent show will be judged, and the winner's comic strip will be placed in the coveted top position on the comics page. The Garfield comic strip has enjoyed quite a long run on top, but will it prevail again?" he then asked to add dramatic tension.
"You bet your bippy, Monocle Boy." Garfield smirked in reply.
A few people laughed, although Arlene just rolled her eyes.
Charles cleared his throat. "Before we start rehearsal, I'd like to introduce this year's Fun Fest judges," he stated. "First, my assistant director, Betty."
The audience applauded as Betty got up and waved.
"From the 'Life Stinks' strip, we have Bonita Stegman." Charles continued.
The crowd applauded as the large-nosed, blue-haired woman got up and accepted her applause.
"I thought we were going to do something together in the show this year, Bonita." said Wally.
"That would be beneath me, Walter." Bonita responded.
"...yes, dear." sighed Wally, deflated.
"Man, that guy's totally whipped." Martin commented.
"Yeah, who wants a frigid wife anyway?" Jenny added as she crossed her arms.
"Definitely not me." Ambrose added.
"Next, we have Billy Bear's wife, Bonnie Bear." Charles then announced.
Bonnie smiled as she enjoyed the applause and some people even whistled for her.
"You know who to vote for, don't you, Bonnie?" Billy asked his wife.
"Don't ask me to play favorites, Billy," Bonnie told her husband. "I take my duties as judge seriously."
"What if I were to, say, do the dishes for a week?" Billy then asked innocently.
"Are you bribing a judge, Mr. Bear?" Bonnie asked suspiciously.
"No, sir. Ma'am. I gotta go polish my nose now." Billy replied nervously before suddenly leaving.
"You better polish your act if you want my vote!" Bonnie then called out to her husband.
"And rounding out the panel, our new judge who was insisted by the MacPherson kids to be a judge, Baby Blues' very own: Rhonda Wizowski." Charles then announced.
Hammie and Zoe beamed hopefully for their aunt as she came on stage, looking a lot like her sister Wanda, but had straight, short black hair that stuck up at the top, wearing a skirt, fancy top, and earrings, as opposed to her sister's usual casual wear.
"Why, Aunt Rhonda, what a surprise to have you here," Zoe grinned innocently as she came on stage next to the woman. "I believe anyone who wronged you is wrong and you are right... And I think you lost weight!"
"Yes, Aunt Rhonda, you look wonderful today, like a movie star," Hammie added as he came from the other side. "We wish you could babysit us more than those guys from Pearls Before Swine in that one crossover special."
"Nice try, kids, but if you want my vote, you're gonna hafta earn it." stated Rhonda cheerfully.
"And now, some opening remarks from the master of ceremonies and the perennial winner of Fun Fest, please welcome Gah-field." stated Charles.
Everyone cheered as Garfield waved and stepped up to the stage.
"Thank you, Charles," Garfield smiled. "It's so great to be hosting Fun Fest, and to be honest it's so great to be winning Fun Fest again this year."
Everyone booed in response.
"Heh... but seriously, this year I'm so confident I'm gonna win, I'll tell you the secret of my success." Garfield stated.
"You bribe the judges?" asked Billy Bear.
"Nope." said Garfield.
"Your mom counts the votes?" suggested Randy Rabbit.
"No, not that either," riposted Garfield. "In order to be a great comedian, you hafta be a great dramatic ac-tor."
This was met with jeers and derision.
"Oh, I'm so sure, Fatso!" Nermal called.
Garfield growled under his breath as some people chuckled at the gray kitten's remark. Arlene sighed a bit as she could tell that this was going to take a while.
"Let me demonstrate," Garfield then said while trying to ignore Nermal. "Of course, I'll need my lovely assistant."
Arlene soon walked across the stage as some people cheered and acknowledged her presence, though she looked very dead inside.
"She looks dead inside." Zofia commented.
"You're sure about that?" Kimberly asked.
"Zo and I know that look on Mom's face anywhere." LJ nodded.
"Poor Arlene." Kimberly frowned out of concern.
"Arlene and I will do our winning routine from last year, where I perform all the great scenes from all the great movies in 30 seconds," Garfield soon told the audience before the set changed and it turned into the 007 barrel POV. "Bond, James Bond," he then said in a British accent before firing a cork from his toy gun and the set then turned into a set from the 1930s in a very dramatic fashion. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn," he then said before going out the door and suddenly, the two cats were at an old school Café. "Here's looking at you, kid," he then quoted until the set turned into a jungle set with the two cats in a tree together. "Me, Tarzan. You, Jane," he quoted before they suddenly had a mad scientist laboratory with Arlene strapped to a metal chair like Frankenstein's monster with him as Dr. Frankenstein. "It's alive! It's alive!" he then called out eagerly until he suddenly was in a boxing ring with gloves and acted like he was in deep, agonizing pain. "Adrian!" he soon called out until soon, the set showed an emerald city in the background with a yellow brick road. "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," he then said while wearing ruby slippers and soon, the set changed into an alley with the two cats at a table, slurping spaghetti together like Lady and the Tramp. "Mmm~" he then smiled before the scene changed yet again and the two were on a popular ship together. "I'm the king of the world!" he then called out as they finished their act, causing the audience to cheer with Garfield enjoying their performance, but Arlene looked bored to death. "Yeah, thank you, thank you." The orange cat told the audience happily.
"I thought it was pretty good," LJ commented. "Even if Arlene wasn't really feeling it."
"Alright, people; work with me and I'll work with you," said Charles as Garfield and Arlene left the stage. "Can we have the first act up for rehearsal, please?"
While the two clown brothers juggled chihuahuas, Nermal noticed Arlene was not happy.
The prop boy was soon walking up to the female cat and she ten noticed him. "Hi." she then greeted.
"Hey," The prop boy replied before giving the female cat a bag. "There you go, Arlene." he then told her.
"Thanks." Arlene said glumly.
"Hmm..." Ambrose paused thoughtfully before he decided to go and talk with Garfield.
"You handle that, and we'll handle helping the Harvey Girls." LJ responded as Garfield was about to leave the auditorium.
Ambrose nodded as he continued that way.
"You're gonna try to help us?" Lotta hopefully asked LJ, Zofia, and their friends.
"Well, sure," Zofia replied. "It's what we do."
"If you think you can," Audrey responded. "Then if so, we'd be super apprecia-grateful!"
"Appreci... what...?" Chrissy muttered.
"Don't judge the way I talk." Audrey narrowed her eyes.
"Sorry. Sorry." Chrissy said sheepishly then.
"We'll still help you guys in any way that we can." Zofia added.
"We appreciate that," Lotta beamed. "Don't we, guys?" she then asked Audrey and Dot.
"Of course we do, Sand Lots," Audrey nodded. "Even if it might be hopeless in the end."
"Forgive Audrey, we've just been shelved for a long time." Dot told the new group of friends.
"Nothing is hopeless," LJ said. "First let's get you some new threads!"
"And by that, we mean new clothes." Zofia added.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta all looked at each other curiously.
"I guess we could use a new look." Lotta remarked with a shrug.
"Especially that kid Calvin over there who dresses like Linus Van Pelt." Audrey added with a slight snark.
"Hey! It's rustic!" The boy retorted, standing with his tiger.
"Mm-hmm..." Audrey nodded and rolled her eyes a bit.
"Come on, let's see what we can do for you guys." Zofia said to Audrey, Dot, and Lotta.
"You guys go on ahead, I think I'll stick around here." Ambrose told the group he came with.
"Alright, Ambrose, just stay out of trouble." Chrissy replied.
"You know me, guys~" Ambrose grinned.
"Mm-hmm..." The group agreed as they continued along.
Meanwhile, Garfield and Arlene were in a room together.
"Okay, here's what we're going to do this year," Garfield began to tell the pink female cat. "Here are your setup lines, and we walk out together, and you say..." he then prompted.
"'Gee, Garfield and I feel like mummies tonight'." Arlene recited.
"And then I say, 'Yeah, pressed for time'," Garfield replied as he reminded her what they had to do today. "Laughter, laughter, laughter. And then you say something like, 'Oh, Garfield, where do you come up with that stuff?' And then I say..."
"Garfield, I really had my heart set on doing that dance number this year." Arlene interrupted as he tried to be assertive.
"Arlene, we win with this stuff," Garfield reminded her. "Doing something else would be heresy."
"Some things are more important than winning, Garfield." Arlene defended with a frown.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Garfield retorted.
"Come on, Garfield, let's do something I wanna do this year," Arlene frowned. "Do it for me."
"...here we go," Garfield replied as Randy, Wally and Billy walked into the room. "What dance did you have in mind?"
"The tango!" Arlene beamed. "Garfield, it'll be so exciting! So romantic... and you'll get to wear THIS!" she pulled out a little outfit.
Randy Rabbit laughed, and urged Wally and Billy Bear to come back and get a look. Ambrose soon came in to check on the two cats, especially Garfield.
"Say what?" Garfield asked as he was taken aback by the outfit.
"This outfit, you can't do the tango without the proper costume." Arlene said as if it was obvious.
"Uh..." Garfield gulped before glancing over at Billy, Randy, and Walter, who were about to burst with laughter while Ambrose just stood there.
"Put it on." Billy urged the orange cat.
Garfield then growled at them before looking at the female pink cat. "No way, Arlene, I can't go there." he then told her.
"But you promised we'd do the dance this year." Arlene reminded him as Ambrose opened the door and stepped inside.
"I said I promised I'd think about it," Garfield countered. "My comedy routine is a guaranteed winner. If you really wanna do the tango, you'll have to find yourself another partner."
"But who?" Arlene wondered.
"Puss in Boots?" Ambrose suggested with a smirk.
Just then, the doors flew open and a tall, brawny feline strolled inside. "I will dance with you!" he declared. "Allow me to introduce myself... I am R-R-R-Ramone!" He knelt down and gave Arlene a kiss on the back of her hand, making her blush.
"I smell a r-r-r-rat." glowered Garfield.
"I think I was close enough." Ambrose shrugged to himself.
"Garfield, are you sure you don't wanna dance with me?" Arlene soon asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Garfield replied. "You go ahead and dance with Raymond there."
"Ramone." The handsome cat corrected him.
"Whatever. I'll work up a solo act." Garfield said softly.
"Good luck." Arlene told him with a frown as he began to leave.
"Good luck to you, too." Garfield replied before he walked off.
"Ya know, Garfield, maybe doing what Arlene wants wouldn't kill you." Ambrose suggested.
"Would you dress up like that even if everyone was laughing at you?" Garfield asked.
"I thought you liked people laughing at you." Ambrose replied.
"I like people laughing if I'm funny," Garfield retorted. "Not if I look like a doofus. Laughter from amusement and laughter from derision are two very different kinds."
"I guess that's true, but maybe you should try other things for your partner so that she'll be happy," Ambrose suggested. "Otherwise you'll end up sleeping on the couch for a while."
"Sleeping on the couch?" Garfield asked out of confusion.
"Just some food for thought," Ambrose then explained. "After all, my parents sometimes get in a lot of trouble with certain behavior, like the way you're acting, whenever my dad gets my mom upset."
"We're not married," Garfield retorted. "Besides, I'd make a lousy father anyway. That Raymond guy isn't such hot stuff."
"Uh... Well... Maybe..." Ambrose stammered as he kept trying to find ways to help Garfield.
"I'll see ya around, kid. I'm going to someone else for help now." Garfield said as he suddenly walked off.
"Dang it, I suck at this... Now, now, don't give up, I'm persistent if a failure," Ambrose said to himself as he followed Garfield. "Just like my mother... At least that's what Aunt Zelda says."
"You got room for both of us up here?" Garfield asked as he came to visit Eli.
"Both of you?" Eli asked out of confusion.
"Me and my ego!" Garfield announced.
"Just like my father." Ambrose snarked to himself.
"Sure." Eli responded.
"Well, I met the new shooter," said Garfield. "His name's Ramone."
Eli turned back towards the auditorium. "Looks like Arlene met him, too," he commented as he saw Arlene and Ramone going onto the stage, dressed and ready as they began doing a tango. "Wow, look at that guy move!" he then exclaimed.
"Eh, he's not so great." Garfield scoffed.
"And here I thought cats don't dance." Ambrose chuckled to himself.
Garfield gave him a bit of a look. "You better leave the jokes to me, kid." he then suggested.
Ambrose rolled his eyes in response to that. The women seemed to be impressed with Ramone's dancing on the other hand.
"Oh, baby~" Betty cooed.
"You said it, girl." Bonnie Bear agreed.
"My sentiments exactly." Bonita added.
"Oh, if only he were a human, then maybe I could finally meet a nice and sturdy man in my life in a stable relationship, get my mother off my back, and finally be just like my sister." Rhonda smiled hopefully.
Melinda soon appeared as she smoked one of her trademark cigarettes. "Hi, Wanda. How's the baby?" she then greeted.
"I'm Rhonda." Rhonda corrected the unstable woman.
"Yeah, sure you are," Melinda muttered as she looked over to Ramone and Arlene. "That cat's got pretty good moves, but he can't beat Carl when we first met at the roller disco when he was King Carl~" she then smiled dreamily.
"Whatever." Rhonda responded.
"Let's hear it for Arlene and R-R-R-Ramone," Charles said. "Very nice in-deed. Up next is Gah-field."
"Showtime." Garfield said.
"You've never done this without Arlene before." Eli reminded the cat.
"I'll be fine. Just watch." Garfield reassured as he left.
"Well, good luck." Eli replied.
In the auditorium, Charles looked around, starting to look curious. "Where is Garfield?" he soon wondered.
"Here I am." Garfield told the director as he came to his side.
"And what are you calling this routine?" Charles then asked.
"'Whatever It Takes'." Garfield informed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Garfield the cat doing 'Whatever it Takes'." Charles then told the audience.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Ambrose said to himself before he took out his phone to film the events to show his friends when they would come back.
Meanwhile, at a clothing shop, the group was greeted by a young fair-skinned girl with dark blonde hair and blue-green spheres for earrings who looked like she was in a school uniform, wearing a blue shirt, black blazer, gray skirt, long white socks, and teal high heels. "Welcome to the Machoufru Family Clothing Outlet where I'm their best customer as their daughter," she then greeted in a bit of a snotty, Portia Gibbons-like voice. "You can have whatever clothes you find that don't have a sticker with my face on them because those are reserved and if you even dream about wearing them, my daddy will have you FIRED!" she then glared darkly before smirking smugly. "Enjoy your visit and just know that you'll never be as cute or gorgeous as me~" she then added.
"Thanks for that glowing encouragement," LJ responded dryly. "Anyways, we need to help our buddies out here and find a new look for each of them."
"Yeah? Lemme see who I'm working with." The girl demanded as she put her hands on her hips.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta soon came around and showed themselves to the snotty girl.
"Hmm... Yes, yes, I see..." The girl said as she approached them and examined their outfits closely. "Those dresses and shoe combo are so 1947. These ribbons in your hair, what're we trying to say, Daddy's Little Girl troublemakers? No! Let's work with me here," he then said as she took Audrey, Dot, and Lotta by their hands and took off with them into a salon suddenly to give them proper make-up. "And don't get me started on your hair!"
"What's wrong with our hair?" Audrey asked. "Though I guess mine's a bit girly and I'm not into that sorta thing." she then shrugged and admitted.
"Exactly! You guys need to get with the times!" The girl told them before smirking. "Now let Auntie FruFru work her magic and you'll become brand new comic girls once I'm done with you~" she then said before taking out some hair dye and a giant pair of scissors.
"There's a hair salon in a clothing store?" Dot asked.
"Don't question the genius at work, now let's see what I can do." FruFru said before she jumped into a cartoon cloud with the three of them and suddenly changed their hairstyles into something more modern.
"Hmm... I like it." LJ responded, impressed.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta now had new hairstyles: Audrey had unique pigtails, even a strand of hair at the top of her head, Dot had more round hair, and Lotta's hair was cleaner and neater while down, but she had a couple of red barrettes in her hair instead of her hairbow.
"Wow, you're good," Zofia said to FruFru. "Maybe you should go into fashion like our Aunt Rarity."
"I'd love nothing more than that, Miss Rarity is a genius, even topping Coco Chanel from the 1950s or Baroness von Hellman... Now for outfits," FruFru nodded as she looked at the three girls. "Hmm... This part might take a while even if I believe that school uniforms are the new black," she then said as she looked down at her new outfit before looking back at the three girls. "Perhaps we should be alone for a quick new outfit montage." she then suggested.
"Right, then." LJ said as he stepped outside.
The group soon waited in the next room, looking through magazines to pass the time which seemed to have People magazines based on comic characters.
"You guys really think a new look will help out Audrey, Dot, and Lotta?" Kimberly asked. "I mean, I thought we were on a mission to help Garfield."
"We are, but that doesn't start until the next day," LJ responded. "Besides, we need something to kill time here."
"Well, okay then," Kimberly nodded as she took a look at her magazine. "Hm... Patty Cake."
Zofia was then reading something called Newlydead magazine which involved the courtship of two folks known as Lenore Lynchfast and Ragamuffin.
After a while of waiting for what felt like hours and hours, a girl was shown surrounded by cats who had curly blonde hair with a red bow in her hair, a red jumper, a short-sleeved green shirt, white socks, and gray shoes. She also seemed to have a collar around her neck with her name and address on it as she licked her leg like a cat before she and the cats were suddenly scared away once a pair of double doors slammed open.
"Ladies and gentlemen... I give you the new and improved... Audrey Smith, Dot Polka, and Lotta Plump!" FruFru soon announced before she gestured to the three girls who stepped out, wearing their new outfits.
Audrey was now wearing a long-sleeved pink shirt with a lightning bolt, blue pants with folded cuffs, and a pair of baby blue high-tops, Dot was now wearing sky blue earrings with a blue polka-dotted dress, purple leggings, and sky blue flip-flops. Finally, Lotta was now wearing a light blue short-sleeved hoodie, a pinkish T-shirt underneath her hoodie, a pink tutu, peach-colored pants, and dark gray and yellow boots.
"Whoa!" Martin exclaimed.
"Primo!" beamed LJ with a thumbs-up.
"Nice... Very nice..." Chrissy approved.
"I like it a lot." Kimberly added.
Jenny grunted with a shrug, though she smirked to show she liked it somewhat.
"You guys really look nice in those new outfits." Zofia added to the girls.
"I definitely love mine." Dot beamed since she was still wearing dots.
"As long as I don't gotta wear a dress, then I am fine!" Audrey grinned.
"Fine by me, though I would've probably gone with something with a bunny motif." Lotta added.
"You guys still look great, especially you, Audrey." Kimberly said as she and Audrey had familiar clothes and not just the colors.
"Thanks, I gotta say this is rather-" Audrey began to say.
"Amaze-citing?" Kimberly guessed.
"Eh, I was gonna say awesome, but that works too." Audrey nodded.
"So then! Let's head back so you can show off your stuff!" Zofia declared.
"Yeah!" The three girls beamed as they high-fived each other.
"What're you gonna do anyway?" Zofia then asked. "Juggling bunnies? Playing baseball with a beach ball? Doing origami?"
"Those all sound very good for our individual talents, especially that last one..." Dot began to say before Audrey took out a notepad to add that second thing on a Saturday/summer bucket list to try out. "But since we're all so close with each other after being nobodies for the past decades, we decided to do a song and dance number together with the three of us."
"Oh? Well, in any case we'd love to see it!" said LJ.
"Really?" The three girls asked hopefully.
"But of course," Kimberly replied. "I can't speak for your director, but we're a lot more open-minded than him."
"So whatya say?" Zofia added. "Think we can get a sneak peek?"
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta looked at the group before they decided to go into a huddle together.
"I think these guys seem trustworthy and nice enough, you guys," Lotta smiled. "Especially a lot more than Charles the Director or Rodney Bitterman."
"He's an unruly little punk," remarked LJ. "I just call him 'Rodney Buttface'. And you have my permission to use that name to address him. That or 'Rodney Beetlebrain'."
"Heh... I think I like this kid." Audrey chuckled and smirked at LJ.
"They do seem like good friends, so I guess we could stick around them until time for the Fun Fest." Dot then said to the others.
"Let's go for it then," Lotta nodded as the three girls then broke out of the huddle. "New friends from far away, you've got yourselves a deal in you helping us out and seeing what we have planned for Fun Fest, even if no one else wants to give us a chance." she soon told LJ, Zofia, and their friends.
"Oh-kay then!" Kimberly smiled.
"All right, ladies. Let's show 'em what we got." Dot told Audrey and Lotta.
"Right!" Audrey and Lotta replied as they soon went to get into some positions together.
Some music began to play as the three girls got ready with blue, yellow, and pink backgrounds.
"One, two, three, go!" Audrey counted, waving a pink flag that seemed to have a white bunny head on it.
"Woah, oh-oh-oh~" The three girls sang together.
"That's my drummer~" Dot began as she played the guitar.
"This is my beat~" Lotta added as she played her drums.
"Woah, oh-oh-oh, We're Harvey Kids, gonna run this street!~" The three girls sang together as they performed for LJ, Zofia, Martin, Jenny, Chrissy, and Kimberly. "Run, run, run this street (run, run, run this street), It's Saturday o'clock, come on, get on your feet!, The world's our dance floor, our moves are sweet, We're Harvey Kids, gonna run, run, run this street~" they soon finished together and had their own logo appear that read "Harvey Kids Forever".
For a few seconds, the kids were silent.
"...that was awesome!" LJ exclaimed, piercing the veil of silence as Martin, Kimberly, Chrissy, and Jenny applauded.
"It was very beautiful and free-spirited!" Zofia declared. "As though it were encapsulating the very essence of child-like wonderment!"
"Really?" Audrey grinned. "You really loved it?"
"To put it simply: how could we not love it?" replied Martin. "It was... it was... spectacula-mazing!"
"Heh, I couldn't have said it better myself." Audrey smirked as she put her hands on her hips.
"It's good to have an audience for once." Lotta beamed.
"Tell me about it," Dot replied. "Thank you all, we just hope it's good enough for Fun Fest too."
"Even if it's not, I'll fight for you to be able to compete too." Chrissy promised them.
"And that goes ditto for us, too!" LJ chimed in as Zofia and the others agreed.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta soon looked hopeful.
"Have a nice day or whatever," FruFru soon said as she began to put on nail polish. "Not like I have anywhere to be besides working here since I don't have my own story."
"Alright, then, let's get back to the studio," Jenny said. "And thank you!"
FruFru then waved them off as she continued to put on her nail polish before she sighed to herself, looking a little left out and sad, but tried to keep it to herself as they headed back to the Comic Studio.
Back at the studio, Ambrose was looking at his phone. "Oh, boy, the guys are probably not gonna enjoy this." he then said to himself while looking over the footage he had filmed in his friends' absence.
"Hey, Ambrose!" LJ called as he and the others returned to the studio interior.
"Over here, guys!" Ambrose called out as he put his hand up to gesture them over.
"Hey, Ambrose, did we miss much?" Zofia asked.
"Heh... Well, that's actually a funny story." Ambrose chuckled a bit sheepishly because of what he saw without them.
"...How bad is it?" Jenny asked as she crossed her arms.
"You guys know how Garfield thinks he's the funniest person in the world, or should I say cat? Well... His rehearsal wasn't so good this time around." Ambrose said nervously before he held out his phone and played the video he filmed of Garfield bombing on stage since Ramone and Arlene appeared to be going to dance together.
The kids all winced in unison.
"Whoa, that is painful." Audrey managed to say.
"Tell me about it," Ambrose replied. "It looks like Garfield and Arlene are putting their relationship on the rocks like when my dad says something stupid and my mom makes him sleep on the couch." he then added.
"Well, Garfield did have to work up a completely new act off the top of his head," LJ had to admit. "So of course it bombed."
"I think this is what we're here for, to help Garfield find his funny back or at least be a better boyfriend to Arlene," Ambrose replied. "...If they're even dating I mean, are they boyfriend and girlfriend officially?" he then asked LJ since he would know better than anyone else he knew.
"Well, yes," LJ nodded. "I think I understand what's up. Garfield thinks he's lost his comedic edge... and with Ramone on the scene, he thinks he's in danger of losing his girlfriend too."
"So this is what we have to help with?" Ambrose then asked LJ.
"Uh... yeah." LJ nodded.
"Oh, boy... time to get comfortable." Ambrose then said.
"I thought you guys were gonna help US?" Audrey pouted.
"We are, but also need to help out Garfield." Zofia reassured Audrey with a small smile.
"We can do both." LJ responded.
"Promise you won't forget about us?" Audrey frowned.
"We promise," Zofia reassured. "I promise you, Audrey, once this adventure is through, you, Dot, and Lotta are gonna have a lot more adventures together, whether in the Comic World or anything else."
"Whoa... That's a pretty epic promise..." Audrey remarked. "Ya think you can live up to that deal?"
"Yeah, Zo, can ya?" Jenny asked.
"Sure! Have we ever let anybody down before?" Zofia replied and reminded her.
"Not that I know of." Martin stated.
"Exactly, so we got this." Zofia nodded.
"Wait, did you just say your name was Zo?" Audrey asked with narrowed eyes.
"Zofia actually," Zofia clarified. "Zofia Michelle Schwartz."
"Ah, okay then," Audrey nodded. "Nothing personal, but for some reason, I never really liked the name Zoe."
"Hey!" Zoe MacPherson complained once she overheard that.
"No, it's not you, it's me," Audrey told the redheaded girl before smirking. "Though it's mostly you."
"Duly noted." Zofia replied with a small shrug.
"So, what do we do next then?" Audrey soon asked since Ambrose showed them what happened with Garfield.
"Well, I guess all we can do now is wait and try to get Garifled back on his feet." Dot suggested.
"I can agree with that." Martin nodded at Dot.
"Yeah, that story doesn't kick off until tomorrow," LJ stated. "So we've got a few more hours until then."
"All right, let's get settled for a while then." Zofia suggested.
"Right." Ambrose nodded.
Soon, the group went off to get some sleep until the next day would come so that they could help out their comic strip friends in need. Eventually, they woke up to the sound of a rooster crow, the shining sun, and a caption from comic stories that read: "THE NEXT DAY..."
"See? We told you it wouldn't take long," Zofia said to their friends. "Now we can help Garfield with Fun Fest."
"Gotta love that kind of convenience!" LJ beamed.
"Bueno," Ambrose remarked. "Let's go then."
"Right." The rest of the group agreed as they began to head back to the Comic Studio.