The next morning, as Garfield was sleeping, Odie snuck into his room as a mime. "Oh, little magic pond. Just one sip. I'll be funny again. Oh, yeah," he then murmured in his sleep. "The Larson family from Committed when they had their TV Show spin-off really could've used it... 13 episodes feel thrice as long while watching that snooze fest..."
Odie soon mimicked the sound of an alarm clock ringing, causing Garfield to wake up and see the dog.
"What? Good morning, Odie." Garfield then muttered once he woke up and saw the dog.
Odie then imitated an alarm clock again.
"I mean, good morning, alarm clock." Garfield then said for Odie's sake.
Odie nodded, then pointed to the doorway.
"What's the rush?" Garfield pressed.
Odie stopped, before he juggled some apples, and then ate them before producing a match, which he lit and then blew fire into Garfield's face; fortunately, he wasn't harmed. Odie snapped his fingers and turned it into a flower, which squirted Garfield in the face. Tossing it away, Odie pulled out a horn and blew it. "Ta-da!" he exclaimed.
"I know, I know, tonight's the big night. Fun Fest," Garfield said to the dog. "But the only way for me to win tonight is to come up with a funny act, and fast."
Odie barked and nodded in agreement.
"I keep reading this storybook, hoping there's an answer in here somewhere." Garfield sighed as he took out his storybook, looking a little forlorn.
"Boys, girls, breakfast!" Jon's voice called out.
"Or maybe the answer's in my oatmeal. Let's eat," Garfield then said as he dropped his book until he looked concerned. "Wait a sec... What does he mean by 'girls'?" he then realized. "I hope Drusilla and Minerva aren't back in town."
The two then shuddered together before Garifled left, but he missed something that was hidden in his book. Odie then noticed something in the book and picked it up to see that it was a sealed envelope which made him look a little hopeful.
"Garfield, I hope you don't mind, but Audrey, Lotta, and Dot wanted to come for breakfast." Jon said to his cat once he made it into the kitchen and luckily it wasn't Drusilla and Minerva after all.
"Sheesh... I almost had a heart attack." Garfield grunted to himself.
Jon smiled as he served breakfast at the table. Audrey, Dot, and Lotta waved at Garfield and Odie as they were given their own breakfast. Soon, Odie walked into the room next.
"Good morning, Odie. Looking good," Jon greeted the dog with a warm smile. "Did you know my costume is double knit? I kind of like it." he then added.
"That's because you're 'kind of geeky'." Garfield replied with air quotes.
Odie then came up beside Garfield, trying to tell him something as he had the envelope in his paws.
"Now what?" Garfield complained until he saw the envelope. "Oh, I get it, you're a mime mailman, and you're pretending to deliver a letter." he then said.
Odie shook his head as he tried to show the male cat the envelope.
"Odie, please. I'm trying to eat," Garfield told him. "We'll play your game after breakfast, okay?"
Odie groaned and pouted in defeat.
"Would you girls like a lift to the studio after breakfast?" Jon then asked.
"Yes, Mr. Arbuckle, we'd appreciate that immensely," Dot replied as Audrey stuffed her face rather noisily. "Audrey, please, show some manners in someone else's home." she then scolded the tomboy a little.
"Oh. Sorry." Audrey said before she swallowed the massive mouthful she had; following it up with a swig of orange juice to wash it down.
Dot rolled her eyes slightly before smiling.
"Great breakfast BTDubs." Lotta told Jon.
"Oh, I hope that means that you like it." Jon replied, confused at her slang at first.
"Oh, it does, we all like it," Lotta nodded and reassured him. "It's the best breakfast we've had in a while."
"Oh! Then great!" beamed Jon.
SHORTLY AFTERWARDS...
Jon was driving to the studio when Odie tried to give Garfield the envelope, but the cat just waved him off. Suddenly, they all heard a honking sound.
Turning to see, they saw it was Ramone, driving in a big fancy car. "Make way, slowpokes!" he laughed as he drove past them... to pick up Arlene.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta rolled their eyes slightly at Ramone, but were surprised to see that he was picking up Arlene as she came inside. Garfield was the most surprised and upset by this.
"Eat my bubbles~" Ramone smirked as he then drove off after Arlene came into his car.
Garfield frowned before coughing from the smoke as Jon then continued to drive them off to the Comic Studio, passing by Bizzy's van as she had Rodney, Megan, Shelby, Zoe, Hammie, and Wren in her backseat. LJ, Zofia, and their friends also began to make their way over to the Comic Studio to see how they could help Garfield from here since the Fun Fest was closer than ever now. Odie soon slid the envelope over to Garfield, trying to get his attention again once they made it to the cafeteria.
"Hey, uh, Garfield? I think Odie is trying to tell you something." Zofia spoke up to the male cat.
"Enough already, Odie," Garfield groused. "Not now! I need to find out what Charles is shooting for Ramone's strip!"
Odie groaned as he looked very frustrated with Garfield right now before he dashed away.
Garfield opened the cafeteria door and gasped, seeing Odie suddenly right in front of him.
"Garfield, maybe you could humor Odie just this time and see what the big fuss is about?" Dot suggested. "I do the same for Audrey and Lotta even though I usually know where their conversations are going."
"All right, all right, you want me to open this?" Garfield then asked and gave in to Odie.
"Duh!" Odie replied as Garfield took a look at the envelope.
"That looks pretty old, Odie," Dot commented. "Where did you find it?" she then asked.
Odie then began to mime opening up a storybook and explaining the best he could since he couldn't talk like Garfield, Arlene, or Nermal.
"Whoa! Why didn't you tell me this before?" Garfield then asked out of shock.
Odie soon groaned and face-pawed a bit.
Garfield then opened up the envelope and his eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa!" he then said once he found a map from inside the envelope that looked like it could help answer his prayers.
Meanwhile, the kids from the comic strip known as Committed, Tracey, Zelda, and Nicholas Larsen happened to see and overhear what was going on.
"You guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Zelda asked her older sister and younger brother.
"Yeah..." Tracey replied before glancing down at Nicholas in confusion. "Since when was he in our comic strip?"
"Nicholas comic star too!" Nicholas defended, speaking like the toddler he was.
"No, no," Tracey shook her head and face-palmed before she explained to them. "I know what that map is, it can help you be funny and maybe we can use it for our stories so we can be relevant again after our TV show bombed even though we had celebrity voice actors in it and had a unique spin with our show focused on Mom and not Dad like other dysfunctional family shows."
"That sounds pretty complicated..." Tracey commented.
"Just come with me so we can ambush and stop Garfield from being funnier than us and maybe people can give us more of a chance after the failure of our TV Show spin-off." Zelda told her siblings.
Tracey and Nicholas shrugged before they went to hide with Zelda while Garfield was on his way to the auditorium.
At the auditorium, Ramone appeared to be speaking with the director. "Nonsense. I am beautiful from all angles." he then told the human.
"Fine." Charles responded, as Arlene entered the auditorium.
"Arlene! My precious flower~" exclaimed Ramone as he strode over to her. "I hope you had time to think about what I asked you in the car this morning. Please! Say you will star in my strip today~"
"Oh... gee... uh," Arlene struggled to say. "...I dunno, Ramone."
"Of all the lovely ladies here, you are the most r-r-r-ravishing beauty to ever grace my presence," Ramone continued. He waved his hand over his clenched fist, and from it emerged... a bouquet of roses!
"Oh, brother..." Rodney rolled his eyes. "And I thought Hagar the Horrible was over the top."
"Oh, my!" Arlene replied. "How did you know these were my favorites?"
"Ramone always knows what the pretty ladies like," Ramone grinned at the female pink cat. "Please, say that you will be my damsel."
Arlene thought for a moment and sighed.
"He's not worth it," Zofia told Arlene. "I know Garfield let you down, but Ramone is just no good."
MEANWHILE...
Garfield and the others were in the waiting area, looking over the map.
"This is a map to Freddy Frog's magic pond!" Garfield exclaimed. "All we hafta do is follow the directions to the mythical land, through the mystical forest, to the magic pond, where I drink the Funny Water, and get funny in time for the show tonight!" he grinned.
"...uh-huh." Odie murmured.
Garfield's demeanor deflated. "...yeah, it's a little hard to believe, isn't it?" he asked as he got to his feet and headed for the auditorium. "So much for magic maps... guess I'll have to rely on my good looks for a victory tonight. Who needs a magic pond, anyway?"
"Alright, let's shoot, people." Charles told everyone in the auditorium from his chair.
"Huh?" Garfield asked as his eyes widened.
Arlene could be shown on horseback along with Ramone, looking like they were living in a romantic fairy tale setting together.
"And, action!" Charles then called out.
Arlene then sighed and swooned over Ramone as their picture was taken by Dilbert while he was about to kiss her, emotionally crushing Garfield at the display.
"That's it. I need that magic pond," Garfield said angrily as he turned away from the scene. "I'm gonna need some help. If anyone wants to come, now's the time."
"Say, Garfield, why don't WE help you out?" Zelda asked as she walked by with Tracey and Nicholas, trying to look innocent. "You can trust us, we're your comic friends too~"
"...maybe. Just don't get in the way," Garfield replied.
"We're coming too!" LJ called as he brought Odie, Zofia, Chrissy, and Kimberly.
"You guys want in on this?" Chrissy asked Martin, Jenny, and the Harvey Girls.
"Of course, that's why we're here." Martin replied.
"The more the merrier, right?" Jenny added.
"Hmm..." Audrey paused thoughtfully with a glare.
"You don't wanna join us, Audrey?" Chrissy asked the tomboy based on her reaction.
"I just don't know if I can trust those guys," Audrey said as she pointed at the Larsen siblings. "Somethin' 'bout them rubs me the wrong way."
"Well, all the more reason for you to come with us," LJ whispered. "That way if they do try to betray us, you'll be able to watch our backs and help stop them just in case."
"Well, all right... I do try to look after my friends," Audrey nodded. "I just hope we make it back in time to show everyone at Fun Fest what we're made of."
"We'll try to get you guys back in time," Zofia reassured Audrey, Dot, and Lotta. "This could be your big chance after all and we help everybody who needs it, just like our parents before us."
The Harvey Girls then smiled hopefully at that.
"Aww... I wanted to come along and do something useful," Ambrose spoke up. "I stayed behind here for the first part, can't I go on the quest too to that laughing pond or whatever it is?" he then asked.
"Funny pond, Ambrose, not laughing puddle," Zofia corrected. "The laughing puddle is where the comedian Boneless Chicken hosts his comedy shows and invites his cousins Cow and Chicken for free shows."
"Whatever!" Ambrose rolled his bi-colored eyes. "I just wanna come along."
Martin and Jenny looked at each other then.
"Well, maybe we could stay behind and keep an eye on Fun Fest and wait for the others to come back?" Martin suggested to his sister. "Just this time?"
"And maybe we could stall for them in case it becomes too late?" Jenny added.
The Mazinsky twins then nodded at each other before looking back at their friends.
"On second thought, guys, we're gonna hang around back here." Martin soon told the rest of the group.
"Oh, that's so thoughtful and brave of you, Marty and Jennifer~" Tracey smiled innocently as she batted her eyelashes at him, trying to seduce him slightly. "You're real pals and we'll keep an eye on Garfield and the Harvey Girls and your friends here for the time being~"
"...uh-huh." replied Martin dryly.
"Good luck, guys," Jenny responded. "You might just need it."
"So glad that you understand~" Tracey smirked warmly.
"I have a funny feeling about her." Martin whispered to his sister.
"I do too, but we should just play along for now and see what happens next." Jenny whispered back to her brother.
"All right, now we got our map and team," Ambrose soon said to the others. "Let's hit the road to a brand new adventure."
"Oh-kay!" LJ declared as he and the others headed out onto their adventure.
The Mazinsky twins then parted ways with their friends as they stayed behind in the Comic Studio to keep an eye on things in their absence.
"I'm gonna be the new Fun Fest king!~" Jeff the security guard announced to himself as he practiced his own routine as Garfield, Odie, and the others with them soon left on their adventure. "Kick, two, three, four~"
However, once they left, Arlene rushed out of the studio before looking a little sad. "Oh, Garfield..." she then frowned to herself.
"Don't worry, he'll be back along with our friends." Martin tried to comfort the female pink cat.
"...I guess." Arlene relented as she walked off, feeling bad.
"It's going to be okay," Martin told her. "They'll be back in time."
"How can you be so sure?" Arlene asked.
"Just trust us," Jenny reassured the female pink cat. "Things could always be worse."
"Here's hoping nobody tempts fate." Martin replied.
"That's why that's all I'm saying." Jenny said to him.
Martin nodded in response.
"Oh, Garfield..." Arlene sighed as she continued to wait outside while the Mazinsky twins kept her company for now.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group continued to follow behind Garfield and Odie, going down the road, almost like the yellow brick road from the land of Oz, then across a stone bridge, and even scorching desert sand under the beating sun as they all began to pant heavily from the intense heat until it was dark and stormy with lightning flashing, then they shivered as snow was falling all around them and caused them to shiver from the bitter cold. Speaking of snow, the cliff they stood on soon broke and they fell, rolling into a snowball onto a peaceful looking meadow where a butterfly once was before getting crushed by them.
"Anybody else feel like that might be... overkill?" LJ grunted as he popped out of the former snowball.
"Maybe just a little bit... I'll have a question to that answer when the world stops spinning..." Zofia said as she looked and sounded a little dizzy once she wobbled out of the snowball along with their friends.
"Well, I think it was simply awes-mazing if you guys ask me." Audrey smirked.
"No one was asking, but I'm glad you enjoyed it." Dot deadpanned slightly.
"Up and at 'em, guys!" called Kimberly. "We gotta keep on going!"
"Alright, alright, we're comin'," Garfield told Kimberly before looking back at three hills that had sunshine, snow falling from the clouds, and a rainstorm all together at once oddly enough. He and Odie then shared a glance with each other before he looked forward and gasped. "Yes, I think we're on the right path, Odie. That appears to be the mystical forest." he then told them as he checked the map and the area all around them.
The mystical forest was soon shown and there seemed to be a giant X floating in the sky above it. They soon ran that way, speeding off like The Roadrunner and came to see the mystical forest up close before walking into it.
"We made it, you guys," Zelda told Tracey and Nicholas. "It won't be long now until we find that pond."
"And then we'll be the ones getting all the laughs!" Tracey replied.
"Nicholas be funny comic star!" Nicholas cheered.
Tracey and Zelda looked briefly annoyed.
"Hey, are you guys coming or what?" Lotta asked the Larsen siblings.
"Oh, we definitely are coming~" Tracey replied as they walked off after the group. "Coming to curb stomp over you in the funny pages."
Unknown to any of them though, they were being watched as they traveled through the mystic forest. The group soon continued to walk around and soon found a rather large tree with a sign that read "Showtime in 2 minutes".
"Showtime in two minutes?" LJ read. "Wonder what it could mean out here?"
"Maybe it's for some sort of show?" Kimberly suggested.
"In the middle of a forest?" Dot wondered.
A hand switched the sign to say "Showtime in 1 minute".
"We don't have time for this nonsense," Garfield complained. "It's only hours 'til Fun Fest. Let's go."
Popping out of the tree hole was a squirrel in a ranger cap. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stand back there, sir." he then said to the orange male cat.
"Pardon?" Garfield soon asked out of confusion.
"You may not enter the mystical forest until you've seen the informational presentation," The squirrel then said. "So keep your pants on, sir. The presentation will commence in a few seconds."
"Ohhhhh... that must be the 'showtime'." commented Chrissy.
"Yeah, I guess so." Kimberly added.
"So, uh, who are you supposed to be anyway?" Audrey asked the squirrel. "A squirrel Yogi Bear knock-off?"
"Very funny," The squirrel rolled his eyes at her. "I am the mystical forest ranger, Officer Stanislavsky. Please be seated, ladies and gentlemen." he then requested from his guests.
With a shrug, LJ and the others each sat down. Garfield and Odie followed suit, and Zelda, Tracey, and Nicholas took their seats as well. The curtains were soon opened as it now appeared to be showtime.
"Welcome. Beware, all ye who dare to enter the mystical forest," Stainislavasky informed as a cardboard bear came down on the stage. "Beware the bear with the sinister smile. I sometimes scare myself." he then flinched as he looked briefly scared.
"Can we get past now?" Chrissy asked, impatiently and unimpressed while Odie was shivering nervously.
"Silence! I'm almost finished," Stanislavsky scolded before a cardboard two-headed alligator dropped down next. "And beware the alligators at the stream crossing. They would really like to snack on your bones." he then added.
"Look, pal. I really don't have time for this," Garfield glared while Odie still shivered out of fright. "Maybe you can tell us which way to the magic pond with the funny water?"
"Of course. The shortcut is through one of those curtains." Stainislavasky replied as he opened the main curtain and showed two pink curtains like on an old game show.
"Just tell us which one's the shortcut, okay?" Ambrose asked, sounding agitated.
"First, you must answer one question honestly. Tell me about yourself," Stainislavasky soon spoke to Garfield. "Are you a solo act, or do you rely on others?" he then demanded.
"I'm strictly solo, pal," Garfield scoffed. "I don't need anyone's help. These kids are helping me out for now, but I don't need their help to win Fun Fest." he then added.
"Hmm... Very well, sir," Stainislavasky soon said as he opened the curtain on the left to let them go through. "Right this way."
Garfield and the others went through the curtain. "What a goofball that guy was..." muttered the cat as he continued on his way.
Crossing through a thicket of brush, Garfield, Odie, and the gang soon found themselves right back at where they'd just started out!
"Uh... Guys? I think we might have gone in a giant circle." Ambrose spoke up out of concern.
"Hello~" Stainislavasky greeted and waved at the group who came back to him again.
Odie waved in response.
"Hey, what kinda shortcut was that?" Chrissy glared at the squirrel.
"Perhaps your cat friend hasn't learned his lesson." Stainislavasky replied innocently.
"And perhap-th, I have," Garfield scoffed. "I'm taking door number 2."
And so Garfield stomped towards the second curtain, and walked through. Stainislavasky waited for a few seconds, and Garfield came back out of the bushes... back where he started again.
"Garfield, I think you might wanna change your answer and outlook on things in order for us to pass through." Dot advised the orange male cat.
"Maybe you're right," Garfield complained before approaching the squirrel in impatience and annoyance. "Ha-ha, Mr. Wise Squirrel. Okay, what do I do?" he then demanded from the squirrel.
"Tell me about yourself," Stainislavasky soon prompted. "Are you a solo act, or do you rely on others?" he then asked.
Garfield relented and sighed in defeat. "I need all the help I can get." he then answered.
"Yes," Stainislavasky nodded as he then opened the curtain on the right. "Right this way."
"So... This is the right path, right?" Lotta asked the squirrel.
"You always take the right path when you choose to be honest with your audience," Stainislavasky replied as they soon walked through the curtain together to find a new path. "And please enjoy your stay." he then added.
"Okay, thanks!" said Dot as she and the others ventured on into the forest.
"What a lovely young lady." Stanislavsky remarked to himself.
"Back off of her, she is spoken for." A skunk with a yellow balloon tied to his tail glared at the squirrel.
Stanislavsky seemed to roll his eyes at that while another squirrel looked grumpy about what the skunk said about Dot.
The group soon continued along the path, finally finding another way and found dancing flowers with big smiles on their faces.
"What is this place, Wonderland?" Zofia commented about the smiling and dancing flowers.
"Goodness, no," LJ muttered. "That's a bit too much adventure, even for us!"
Zofia shrugged since there were singing and dancing flowers out in the open.
"It's like a 20s/30s cartoon anyway." Ambrose commented.
Suddenly, two beings with a cup for a head and a mug for a head, both having straws and appearing to be rubber hose cartoon characters.
"Cuphead and Mugman?" Kimberly asked out of surprise.
"You folks see anyone by the name of Li'l Tootie Braunstein?" Cuphead asked before taking out a wanted poster of what looked like a monochrome little girl with her hair in high pigtails and wearing a school uniform with a giant lollipop in her hand.
"Hmm... nope, can't say we have," LJ commented. "But if we do, you'll be the first to know. Any reason why?"
"Let's just say that she's wanted by The Devil." Cuphead replied.
"The Devil?" Kimberly asked as her face paled slightly. "El Diablo?"
"The very same," Mugman replied. "Just let us know if you see anything strange or suspicious around these parts."
"Of course we will, walking and talking kitchen utensils," Chrissy replied in slight deadpan since Cuphead and Mugman were anthropomorphic. "We'll let you know if we see Betty Boop."
"Toot Braunstein." Cuphead and Mugman corrected.
"Right... What'd I say?" Chrissy shrugged in innocent defense.
"Anyhoo, good luck to you two." LJ said as he led the others off on their journey once again.
Cuphead and Mugman then ran off together, pointing their fingers around while shooting bullets in the air. The group looked at each other before shrugging as they then continued along, passing by the laughing and talking flowers.