"Hey, what's the big idea?" asked LJ.
"We're going first and you're not gonna stop us." Zelda glared.
"Uh, that's a bit bossy, don't you think?" Kimberly asked.
"Aw, shut up!" Zelda rolled her eyes. "My brother, sister, and I have been waiting for this opportunity ever since 2001! You don't get it, do you?" she then scoffed.
"Don't you talk that way to her." Chrissy glared.
"Or else what, Giant Forehead?" Zelda retorted. "Seriously, what's wrong with your head? You look like a blonde Julie De Longpre."
"Hey, nobody talks to my girlfriends like that!" LJ spat as he cracked his knuckles. "And I'm gonna show ya why!"
"You'd hit a girl?" asked Zelda.
"If provoked, yes," LJ replied. "Besides, the hammer of justice is unisex."
"Get her, LJ," Zofia added until Tracey grabbed her from behind. "Hey! Lemme go!"
"What's this all about, kids?" Garfield asked the Larsen siblings. "You said you wanted to come along to help me find the funny pond."
"Correction, Pussycat," Tracey glared as she grabbed Zofia tightly. "We only came along so we could have the funny pond for ourselves because no one cares about or remembers us after our Animated Adaptation failed horribly and yet everybody remembers other stories like you or Baby Blues after those Animated Adaptations!"
"Hey, at least you got a bit of a Colbert Bump from The Mysterious Mr. Enter, right?" Ambrose shrugged.
"That's not exactly a compliment if Mr. Enter is talking about you on Animated Atrocities, Brose." Kimberly whispered.
"Meh. Sometimes negative publicity is better than no publicity at all, right?" Ambrose shrugged at that.
"No matter, we're taking that funny pond all for ourselves and no one is gonna stop us!" Zelda scoffed and added out of dark determination.
"If that's the case..." LJ remarked. "Then just call me 'no one'."
Through the reeds and cattails, a mysterious stranger watched. "Hmm..." he murmured.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tracey glared at LJ.
"I think you know just what it means," LJ glared back. "You're gonna be sorry you tangled with us. Garfield, Odie, you might wanna step back so you don't get hurt." he then advised.
"Hey, not a problem." Garfield said as he backed off with Odie.
"Let's get dangerous." LJ declared as he sprinted into combat.
Odie looked curious as he backed out of the way.
"Nicholas kick your butts!" Nicholas proclaimed childishly.
"All right, allow me to start with a song." Chrissy soon said as she took out a microphone from nowhere.
"Another song?" Zelda rolled her eyes. "Is that all you're good for?"
Chrissy cleared her throat as she vocalized into her microphone. "La, la, la... La, la, la... LAAAAAAA!~" she sang as she then glowed suddenly as well as her amulet before she was engulfed in a crimson aura much like her amulet's color before she Sonic Screamed against the Larsen siblings, sending strong and dangerous soundwaves against them.
"Augh! My ears!" Tracey complained as she clamped her hands over her ears in agony.
"And that's my cue!" Kimberly declared as she put her hands out, shooting rainbow bands around Zelda and wrapping her up like a birthday present.
"Good work, girls." LJ smiled at Chrissy and Kimberly.
"No problem!" Chrissy and Kimberly smiled back.
Nicholas grunted as he soon came running suddenly, charging right for Zofia.
"Sorry about this, kid." Zofia said as she held out her hands and her eyes glowed almost pure white and a flow of electrical energy flared around her body and she soon shot Nicholas away with a big bolt of energy.
Nicholas screamed as he went flying in the air suddenly.
"NICHOLAS!" Tracey and Zelda cried out to their little brother.
"Ah, it's probably for the best anyway," Zelda shrugged. "He wasn't even in our original comic strip and added for the cartoon."
"...that's kinda cold," LJ commented. "But I digress."
"Everyone for themselves," Zelda shrugged. "That's my policy."
"You're horrible." Chrissy glared.
"You're just rude, selfish, and obnoxious, you don't even deserve to use the pond," Zofia scolded the Larsen sisters. "No wonder no one wants to remember your animated adaptation."
"Yeah, well, so what?" Zelda rolled her eyes. "What're you gonna do, erase out of existence or something else like that you'll just pull out of your butts?"
"We may not be able to stop you..." LJ remarked, before pointing upwards. "...but they can."
"Don't tell me you're getting religious." scoffed Tracey.
"What? No," LJ responded. "I meant the authors."
"Authors?" Tracey and Zelda deadpanned slightly.
Suddenly, everything turned into a computer screen shared between PerkyGoth14 and Sonic Thunder Saiyan Turtle.
"Whatya think? You done with these guys by now?" PerkyGoth14 asked her co-author. "I'm done whenever you are, I'm just asking before I pull in the big guns."
"This IS what we were building up to," S.T.S.T. responded. "And I do believe that these lot have served their purpose."
"I think so too," PerkyGoth14 nodded. Her next words were, "Rub them out like they solved that mystery involving Cow and Chicken in that one episode of I Am Weasel." waiting to see if he understood the reference before proceeding, especially since cartoon physics would be used without becoming annoying.
"I remember that episode!" Sonic Thunder Saiyan Turtle beamed. "Then I say we go for it!"
Suddenly, a giant eraser came down from the sky, attached to an equally giant pencil.
"What's that?!" Tracey cried out.
"It looks like a giant pencil." Zelda noted.
"Not just any giant pencil, Perkygoth14's pencil." LJ simply stated.
"AKA the main creator of all of these adventures," Zofia added. "Kimberly, Chrissy, get Garfield out of the way! Everyone else get in the bushes! It's about to get really messy around here." She then instructed everyone else while Tracey and Zelda would be properly disposed of.
Everyone quickly scrambled into the bushes, and Kimberly pulled Garfield and Odie out of the way as the giant pencil came down to rub Tracey and Zelda out.
Tracey and Zelda ran away only to trip over and fall on top of each other. "NOOOOOO!" they then cried out together.
The pencil soon pinned them down with its point before turning to the eraser side and suddenly rubbed them out of existence and out of the story.
"Nicholas get diplomatic immunity cuz Nicholas not from comic strip, Nicholas from failed TV sh-NOOO! Not me too! I can't keep up this cute baby-talk toddler act forever!" Nicholas smirked at his sisters' downfall until he panicked and the pencil began to chase him down next. "I'm better than Shelby Bitterman because I actually make sentences and add something to the cartoon series that the comic strip doesn't! Please, I'm just a kid!"
The pencil then erased Nicholas next and soon, that was the last anyone had ever seen or heard from the Larsen siblings.
"...Well, that was kinda grim for a family movie." Chrissy commented with wide eyes.
"Hey, they had it coming," Garfield shrugged. "They were lying the whole time, anyway."
"Right..." Chrissy replied.
"Now that that's over, back to the main plot at hand." Zofia suggested.
"You said it." LJ agreed with his sister.
"I just hope that Fun Fest can still wait for Garfield." Kimberly said to herself nervously.
BACK AT FUN FEST...
Eli was getting the stage lights ready, as the curtains closed and the house band began playing.
Charles pushed past the curtains and stepped forth. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Fun Fest," he said. "Our master of ceremonies, Garfield, has been detained. Perhaps he'll drop in later, so please welcome our guest emcee... R-R-R-R-Ramone!"
"Good evening, all you beautiful people," The handsome and showboat cat announced once he took center stage with a microphone. "My name is R-R-R-R-Ramone! Ever since I was a little kitten, it was my dream to one day leave my poverty-stricken litter box and perform for a wonderful audience such as you!"
The lady judges swooned at this and Rhonda even fainted with hearts in her eyes.
"Dude, Aunt Rhonda's in love with a cat." Zoe whispered to Hammie and Wren.
"Weird." Hammie muttered.
"Welcome to my show," Ramone then told the audience with a boastful grin on his face. "I love you, all of you!"
Everyone in the audience stood up while cheering and applauding for Ramone while everyone else got ready to take their positions for the show.
"Oh, guys, where are you?" Ambrose groaned as he checked his watch.
Martin and Jenny also began to look anxious since the show was starting without Garfield and Odie.
BACK AT THE LAKE...
Garfield was sipping from a coconut shell when the group saw a large, wise-looking old frog sitting on a lilypad.
"You appear to be thirsty, my young friend." The frog commented.
"Hm? Oh, no, we're not thirsty," Kimberly replied. "We're just here to get some funny water for our friend Garfield here."
"Yeah, and then I'll be out of here in a minute." Garfield added.
"Ah, but only the magic pond holds funny water." The frog clarified.
"So this ain't the magic pond?" Garfield soon asked.
"This so ain't the magic pond. We moved it years ago," The frog informed them "No, this is a sludge pit, fed by a drainage ditch from Grin City. This is where those Cabbage Patch Kid parodies called The Garbage Pail Kids hang around."
Soon, a bunch of disgusting and revolting kids named Split Kit, Elliot Mess, Terri Cloth, Patty Putty, and Clogged Duane could be shown playing around in the disgusting substance, using it as a pool. Garfield soon jumped out of the water in horror and spit out the gross water, looking repulsed and frightened while Odie patted down his tongue.
"Dang it, we rubbed out those Committed crazy kids too soon." Chrissy complained and crossed her arms.
"Sorry." LJ said sheepishly.
"That's okay, LJ!~" Chrissy and Kimberly hugged and soothed LJ together from both his left and right.
Zofia rolled her eyes a little before smirking.
"So, uh, this magic pond... Where is it then?" Kimberly soon asked the mysterious frog.
"Not so fast, impatient ones," The frog said suddenly. "Why do you wish to partake of the funny water?" he then asked.
"I've been getting these pop quizzes ever since I got to this place," Garfield groaned in annoyance. "Who do you people think you are, anyway?" he then demanded.
"I can't speak for the others, but I think I'm Freddy Frog." The frog simply stated.
Garfield and Odie gasped in disbelief.
"Wha... you..." Garfield stammered. "...you're real!"
"Y-You're Freddy Frog?" Zofia asked with wide eyes.
"But... You look so... Uh... What's the word...?" Chrissy added bashfully.
"Different from the storybook?" Freddy guessed.
"Something like that, yeah." Kimberly nodded.
"Yes, of course," Freddy replied. "I know, yes. That was many years ago before I had to start wearing muumuus." he then explained.
"Well, it's an honor to meet you, Freddy," said Garfield. "Now if you'll just direct us to the magic pond, I'll have a drink and be on my way."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple." responded Freddy.
"Nothing ever is." stated Garfield, annoyed.
"You must first attain a higher level of humorous enlightenment before drinking the water." explained Freddy.
"Is that a normal policy?" Kimberly asked.
"Ah, yes, of course," Freddy nodded. "I once met a young colt who came by here once while trying to impress a young filly who caught his eye and attention in his musical styles, especially making parodies of popular songs like a weird singing man in The Real World."
"You mean Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich?" Zofia guessed based on the stories she and LJ used to hear about from their parents.
"Yes, those were the ones," Freddy nodded. "I haven't seen either of them in many years though."
"Can I get enlightened in a hurry before Fun Fest?" asked Garfield. "I'm in a rush here, pal!"
"Then let's begin," said Freddy. He glanced around, until he found and picked up a stick. "What is THIS, round one?"
"It's a stick," replied Garfield. "And what's with the 'round one' remark?"
"Oh, I always give nicknames to my students," Freddy explained offhandedly. "But this is much more than a stick," He darted off, then returned with the stick on a plate. "Who ordered the frozen snake?" he asked, before he put the stick on an ER table. "How long have you been on this diet, sir?" he tossed the table away and started stumbling around with the stick jutting from his neck. "Can you get this splinter out of my neck?" he wheezed.
LJ applauded.
"Well, that was really something else." Zofia remarked while Chrissy and Kimberly clapped.
"Now, you do something with the stick." Freddy then told Garfield.
"I can't." Garfield replied.
"And why not?" Freddy then asked.
"Because you used up all the good stuff." Garfield simply stated.
Freddy then sighed and offered the stick over to Odie, who of course took to it quickly since he was a dog and it was instinct. The dog then used it as a pole and threw it in the air while running around. He then made it look like it landed in his chest and clutched it in pain, grunting and groaning before using the stick like a conductor in a music hall. he then put on a black mask and waved the sword around as he acted like Zorro and not Puss in Boots. Odie soon put the stick on the ground and walked over it, pretending it was a circus tightrope, then tripped over it until he picked it up again and had an Elvis pompadour haircut as he acted like The King of Rock and Roll and then finished his act while everyone applauded Odie for his efforts.
"There you go," Freddy then advised Garfield after Odie did what he did. "That's what I'm talking about."
"Thank you. Thank you very much." Odie then said.
"Mimes aren't supposed to talk." Garfield sighed and reminded the dog.
"Garfield, just give it a try," Zofia advised the cat. "It's like what I once heard for advice as a comedian one time. We've all got an itchy butt, it just matters what you do with your itchy butt." she then added.
"Sorry, but I don't do stick shtick," Garfield responded. "What else you got?"
"Boot camp, big boy." Freddy retorted.
LATER ON...
Freddy was demonstrating the art of slapstick comedy, by having Garfield slip on a banana peel. Next, he had him walk into a rake. Garfield took a step, then leapt around in pain from walking on the spikes, before crashing back-first into the rake, which shot up and smacked him.
"Insert Sideshow Bob noise here." Zofia muttered to herself.
Freddy soon took out a whoopie cushion for Garfield next, pressing down on it to bring out the infamous rude sound that came with it.
Garfield then sat down on his own whoopie cushion on a log, wiggling on it as it made a louder and longer farting sound.
Freddy then pointed to a chalkboard as Garfield and Odie were on a seesaw together. Odie was then sent flying high in the air, causing Garfield to shrug and walk away, but then Odie landed back down on the seesaw and Garfield flew in the air before crashing down on the ground in a goofy way.
Next, the kids took turns throwing cream pies in Garfield's face since Freddy told them to do so.
"What a waste of good pie," Chrissy sighed. "Oh, well, pie is fattening anyway."
"This is supposed to make me funny?" asked Garfield, wiping his face off.
"Not 'til you can snatch this pebble from my hand, grass-whopper." Freddy replied, revealing a pebble in his hand.
As Garfield reached out to grab it, it suddenly electrocuted him!
Freddy chuckled as he revealed a joy buzzer underneath the rock. "I never get tired of that." he sighed happily.
"That's messed up." Kimberly remarked.
"That's comedy!" Freddy replied.
"Hilarious." Garfield shook his head.
"A great Zen master once said... or was it W.C. Fields?" Freddy began to say before looking confused for a moment until he continued. "At any rate, 'Comedy is tragedy happening to someone else'. Especially if it's done well in some cases like when I met a troubled young man under the sea who found happiness by befriending a musical crab."
LJ and Zofia nodded as they knew who he was talking about then.
"Well, I don't do tragedy." Garfield then told the wise old frog.
"In that case, what you need is more of this." Freddy then said, putting his finger on Garfield's chest.
"More of what?" Garfield asked only to be flicked on the nose suddenly.
"More humility, O Rotound One." Freddy advised.
"Haha." Garfield mumbled as he held his nose.
"It's only when one humbles himself before an audience that he's able to ascend to a higher plane of humorous enlightenment," Freddy then advised Garfield. "Remember, it's about the audience, not you. Humor is in the ear of the beholder."
"Do all of you speak gibberish out here?" Garfield asked.
"...you really haven't been paying attention, have you?" Freddy retorted.
"Whaddya mean?" Garfield inquired.
"Every step upon your journey is a lesson to be learned," said Freddy. "If you were listening."
"Look Freddy, it's been nice meeting you," replied Garfield. "But I am way behind schedule here."
"Follow me, O One who is Great of Girth." Freddy advised as he led the way.
Odie chuckled at that remark until Garfield flashed the dog a look to shut him up as they began to follow Freddy.
"Hey, guys, any update on the show?" Zofia asked as she made a quick call to Ambrose and the Mazinsky twins.
"Well, the Baby Blues crew and Little Lulu did their numbers and there's about to be a tribute to the Peanuts kids from the 1950s." Jenny explained as she sat in the audience with Martin and Ambrose.
"Okay, how are the Harvey Girls holding up?" asked Zofia.
"They're a bit nervous, I think they're going next after the tribute to the Peanuts gang." Martin replied.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta looked a bit anxious and nervous backstage.
"Good luck... You'll need it~" Rodney smirked at the Harvey Girls.
"It's bad luck to say good luck on stage, Rodney!" Dot reminded firmly.
"I know~" Rodney smirked as he walked by with Megan and Shelby behind him. "Maybe you'll break someone's leg~"
"Oh, stuff you..." Dot glared before she looked softly at both Audrey and Lotta. "Don't listen to that bloogey boy, girls." she then comforted her best friends.
"What if he's right?" asked Lotta. "What if we fail?"
"Get the phone over to them," LJ instructed. "I think they need some encouraging."
"Right, let's go." Martin nodded as he, Jenny, and Ambrose soon came backstage.
"This would be a major bummer-ito if we messed up and we'd lose our big chance!" Audrey panicked. "Try not to panic, guys, BUT I AM FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW!"
"It's gonna be okay, I just know it!" Dot told them before she sounded like she was freaking out too.
"I WANT BUNNY HUGS RIGHT NOW!" Lotta cried out, speaking in a low, almost throaty voice.
"Harvey Girls? You have a phone call." Ambrose soon called, trying to calm the three of them down.
"Yes?" Dot asked.
"Hi, Dot?" LJ asked. "This is LJ. If I'm not on speaker already, then put me on speaker. This is for you and your friends."
"Uh, well, okay..." Dot shrugged before she pushed the speaker button so that everyone could hear him now. "We gotcha loud and clear, LJ." she then told him on the other end.
"Okay, I know you're feeling nervous," said LJ. "And I get that. But you've gotta remember: Rodney is never right. He's a stupid beetle-brain jerk. You guys know you're awesome, so you just need to make sure everyone else sees it."
"We... We're awesome?" Dot asked wearily.
"Of course you are!" LJ replied. "You all are in your very special and amazing way."
"Even if I say things that no other kids really say?" Audrey asked before rolling her eyes. "Blame my sister on that, she taught me all sorts of words when I was little just so people would think I was crazy or something like that." she then scoffed in annoyance.
"That just means you stand out more," LJ continued. "You three are extra-special and unlike anything most people have ever seen. And it might just be what they're looking for."
"I guess he makes some pretty good points," Lotta said to Audrey and Dot. "He did believe in us when no one else would around here, even if Mr. Director gave us a chance to participate in Fun Fest this year."
"Yeah!" exclaimed Audrey. "We are gonna be amazeballs! Shlonk what that little buttmunch Rodney says!"
"That's the Harvey Girls spirit." LJ smiled proudly from the other line.
"We can do this?" Lotta asked.
"No, Lots... That should be a sentence and not a question." Audrey told her heavy-set friend.
"We can do this." Lotta then said.
"Say it loud, say it proud!" Audrey cheered.
"We can do this!" Lotta and Dot both said, suddenly sounding determined.
"YEAH! We got this!" Audrey cheered at her friends as she came between them and put her arms around both of them. "Come on. Let's go show 'em what The Harvey Girls can do after all these years."
"Attagirls!" LJ replied. "Now if you'll excuse me, we gotta get back to the A-plot. Lemme know how you did!"
"See ya, LJ." The Harvey Girls replied.
"We'll check back in with you guys later," Jenny then said once she took the phone back. "I hope you guys are having decent luck out there at least in finding the magic pond."
"It's... a process, to be certain." replied LJ calmly.
"All right, we'll check back in with you guys later." Martin replied.
"How's that clown Ramone at least?" LJ asked.
Jenny and Martin glanced in deadpan toward the debonair cat who kept charming the ladies in the audience as well as Arlene.
"Don't ask." Ambrose face-palmed and groaned in annoyance.
Meanwhile, Freddy was leading Garfield to a rope bridge, while the group continued to watch. Garfield tried to keep his balance as he looked wary of the water from below. Freddy smirked a bit as he came to the end of the bridge and soon pulled a lever and the ropes closed in on Garfield, Odie, and the others.
"Hey! What the?!" Chrissy cried out.
"What's going on here?" Garfield added.
"A test in humility that even one such as yourself will understand," Freddy informed the cat. "You're on the Bridge Over Truthful Waters. Tell the truth, and you will pass unharmed."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Garfield then demanded.
"How would you describe your body?" Freddy soon asked.
"I have kind of a normal body, maybe a little on the stout side." Garfield shrugged in response.
"Somehow I don't think that's the right answer." Chrissy remarked.
Freddy pulled the lever, and the bridge spun about, splashing Garfield with water and seaweed, before it swung right-side-up.
"Okay, I admit it, I'm chubby!" Garfield insisted... before he got splashed and thrashed again. "OKAY, I'M FAT! I'M FAT!"
"Howwww... fat are you?" asked Freddy.
"Oh, come on!" Garfield groaned.
Freddy ominously reached for the lever.
"Just do it, Garfield," Chrissy urged the male cat. "It might help you out a little."
"Okay, okay," Garfield groaned as he tried something. "I'm so fat, every time I go to the beach, the tide comes in."
"Hmm..." Freddy paused, unsure about that.
"Try another attempt." Kimberly told Garfield.
Garfield rolled his eyes before he tried another thing. "I'm so fat, I never knew that 'I could eat a horse' was just an expression. I'm so fat, one time I got on a Ferris wheel and two guys on top starved to death." he then said.
Freddy nodded at that and soon pushed the lever up to free the male cat. "Very well done. That was very funny." he then approved.
"What's so funny about being fat?" Garfield complained.
"I think it's a method that some comedians call 'self-depreciation'." Zofia advised Garfield.
"It's a way of teaching humility," explained LJ. "If you can make fun of yourself, then it takes the opportunity away from anybody who's ready to heckle you!"
"Especially that one alien experiment Mother told us about when she visited Kokowa Town to help Lilo and Stitch out." Zofia added with a mutter to herself.
"The kids are absolutely right," Freddy agreed with LJ and Zofia. "Remember, it's better for someone to have laughed at your expense than never to have laughed at all." he then advised the cat.
"So what now?" Garfield asked.
"So now give me a hug." Freddy instructed.
"A hug?" Garfield asked.
"Just do it, you big lug," Freddy urged before he and Garfield soon shared a hug together. "I'm very proud of you. You've taken one step on a very long road." he then said, almost sounding fatherly.
"Is there gonna be a lot of this?" Garfield asked.
"Just this once." Freddy promised.
"Aww~" Zofia, Chrissy, and Kimberly smiled fondly as Garfield and Freddy shared a hug together.
"...okay," Garfield said as he broke the hug off. "So where's the funny water?"
"It is there!" Freddy said, pointing to a far-off mountaintop.
"Is this another riddle?" asked Garfield.
"No, seriously; it's up there!" Freddy replied.
"Is nothing easy?" groaned Garfield.
"Nothing worth having," clarified Freddy.
"Well... thanks for everything," said Garfield. "See you around, old man."
"Good luck to you, oh tabby-for-two." Freddy waved as Garfield and his friends left.
Odie snickered at that as they took off.
"I'm not sure I like all of this walking around and hard work." Chrissy complained.
"You're fine..." Kimberly told the blonde girl. "Besides, that's just what adventures are: hard work and walking around."
Chrissy groaned a bit in annoyance as they went after Garfield and Odie.
"No use in complaining, really," LJ said. "If it didn't have some sort of hard work, it wouldn't be a very interesting adventure."
"I guess that's true." Chrissy said thoughtfully.
"It'll be okay, Chris. We're all in this together." Zofia reminded her.
"Right, right... Friendship is magic..." Chrissy nodded. "Aunt Adagio told me all about that."
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE STUDIO...
Everyone was enjoying the performance, as the Peanuts kids left the stage with Snoopy and Woodstock.
"I hope you are all enjoying the show," said Ramone. "Up next ar-r-r-r-re the Harvey Girls, performing their new song!"
Rodney snorted. "This'll be a train wreck."
"Let's just try to be positive, okay?" Zoe suggested.
"Okay, I'm positive that this will be a train wreck." Rodney smirked.
"Hmph." Zoe rolled her eyes a bit at him.
"All right, ladies, this is it," Dot told Audrey and Lotta. "I hope you're ready."
"I have a strange feeling in my stomach, but I think I'll be okay." Lotta replied softly.
Audrey then peeked her head out of the curtain before seeing Martin, Jenny, and Ambrose who were getting ready to film the song and then waved once they saw the brunette girl. "Well, there's no turning back from here." she then told Lotta and Dot.
"Yep," said Lotta. "LET'S DO THIS!" she roared in a gruffer tone of voice.
Audrey and Dot nodded at that and they soon came on out. There was scattered applause for the three girls as a spotlight shined down on them. Rodney grinned and waved at them from the crowd, looking a bit impish and weaselly as always.
"All right, girls, let's see what you've got for us." Ramone said to the three girls.
"This should be good." Ambrose told the Mazinsky twins once he got his phone ready.
Nodding at each other, the girls started playing their instruments and singing their song. There were multicolored lights shining on each of the girls as Eli did his best to help them out. There were other kids in the crowd who seemed to be abandoned, including FruFru from the clothing shop who joined in on the song. Other kids such as a boy with bad pinkeye, a girl with a giant bow on her head, and even a boy with a crown-like hat on his head even jumped on stage as they sang along, seeming to make the song bigger and better than it already was.
"We're Harvey Kids, let's run, run, run this street~" Audrey, Dot, and Lotta concluded.
"WOW!" The girl with the giant bow concluded with an eerie, yet adorable grin on her face.
The crowd seemed to be stunned in silence for a few moments before erupting in thunderous cheers while Rodney looked wide-eyed and jaw-dropped after the song. Ambrose, Martin, and Jenny glanced at him, each of them smirking widely at his reaction.
"That was awesome, wasn't it, Rodney?" Megan beamed at her big brother.
"Sure... Real awesome..." Rodney groaned and rolled his eyes.
Zoe, Hammie, and Wren each applauded.
"...not bad, I guess." said Calvin.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta all smiled at each other.
"That was very lovely, girls," Ramone said to the three of them. "I think that song's going to be in my head for a while." he then added with a kind-hearted chuckle.
The Harvey Kids waved and took their bows as they walked off stage.
"And now, Jeff the dancing gate guard!" declared Ramone.
"You three were wonderful." Arlene smiled softly.
"Oh, thank you, Miss Arlene," Dot smiled back. "You're going to do just fine too."
"I sure hope so." Arlene nodded before she sighed a bit wearily.
Audrey, Dot, and Lotta then looked soft since Arlene was still clearly missing Garfield.
"Don't worry, Garfield is coming back." Audrey then said, trying to cheer up the female cat.
MEANWHILE...
Garfield and the others were making their way up a ladder that led to a massive mountain. LJ, of course, was carrying Chrissy on his back. It took them a long while, but they finally climbed all the way up to their destination. Garfield was completely exhausted, but the moment he saw the lake of Funny Waters, he knew his mission had not been a waste.
"Welcome, supersized one." smirked Freddy casually.
"What the?!" Chrissy asked with wide eyes. "How'd you get here so fast?" she then glared slightly.
"I took the elevator." Freddy said and pointed out the elevator.
"We could've used an elevator all this time?!" Chrissy groaned and face-palmed. "Why didn't you tell us?!"
"You didn't ask." Freddy replied.
"What?" The group asked out of confusion.
"Humor is all about questions, Donut Hopper," Freddy advised before demonstrating. "Why did the chicken cross the road? Hey, why the long face? Anyone here from Cleveland?"
Chrissy's left eye just twitched as she was clearly the most annoyed one out of the bunch.
"Chrissy? Sweetheart?" LJ instructed. "Deep breaths. Deep breaths."
Chrissy looked at him before closing her eyes and taking some deep breaths and then slowly calming down.
"Better?" Zofia asked.
"Somewhat..." Chrissy replied softly after a few moments. "If Aunt Sonata were here, she'd suggest we sing a song to cheer me up." she then added with a small smirk at how ditsy and child-like Sonata was in her parenting skills.
"...may I drink the Funny Water now?" Garfield asked, bored.
"If ya think you still need it." responded Freddy.
"'Still need it'?" Garfield retorted. "Why do you think I came all this way, NOT to drink it?"
"Is this the part of the story where you tell us that it was with us all along?" Kimberly guessed. "I've seen enough El Mago de Oz (Wizard of Oz) to know what happens next." she then added.
"I believe you're right, little lady," Freddy nodded. "Everything your chubby friend is already inside him."
"Easy with the chubby stuff," Garfield rolled his eyes in slight annoyance. "You guys and your riddles!"
"If you really think you need the funny water, then here." Freddy then said before giving a flask to the cat.
"Cool! Thanks," Garfield said before filling the flask with water from the lake. "Yes!" he then said before taking a sip of the water.
"Well? Do you feel any different?" Chrissy asked Garfield.
"Say, this stuff tastes a little funny." Garfield remarked.
"Funny! We get it. Very good." Freddy replied and nodded.
"Brother, maybe you should try some too?" Zofia suggested.
"Hmm... I dunno," LJ shrugged. "I already feel funny enough. Maybe I take some and save it for later." He rifled through his pockets before pulling out a canteen; he dipped it in and filled the canteen up before sliding it back in his bag.
"I think it's starting to take effect already." Garfield said hopefully with a rather Cheshire-like grin on his face before he began to pour the water all over himself and spun around hyperactively.
'You must understand that drinking the funny water alone will not fully prepare you for creating the kind of comedy you're capable of creating." Freddy advised the cat.
Garfield then jumped right into the water, acting all Looney Tunes, and even barked while flipping in and out of the water like a dolphin until he stopped and gasped, taking a look at the incoming sunset. "Oh, my gosh! I gotta go! Fun Fest is starting!" he then said before running out of the water. "Thanks for everything, Freddy. We gotta run, now." he then told the amphibian.
"I don't think you're quite ready yet." Freddy advised.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be, Pops. Come on, guys!" Garfield replied as Odie came beside him.
"One moment, my large charge," Freddy said, stopping Garfield again. "If you really must leave, you'll need something that will assure you swift passage to the Fun Fest." he then added.
"Whaddya suppose it is, Odie?" asked Garfield.
Odie grunted 'I dunno'.
"Maybe it's a charm with magical flying powers," suggested Garfield. "Or maybe it's a flying carpet... or a winged dragon that'll fly us right to the studio, where we'll arrive to cheering throngs!" He then went over to some roses, and plucked one before giving it a sniff.
"Maybe it's a Flapper-Wing-a-Ma-Thing?" Zofia suggested.
Garfield and Odie then looked over, giving her a strange look.
"Ah, never mind." Zofia shrugged that off then.
"Gimme a hand with this, will ya?" Freddy soon asked the others as he began to wheel in what looked like a hang-glider.
"We're gonna die!" Garfield panicked suddenly.
"There you go! This hang-glider will get you to the Fun Fest in a flash." Freddy informed.
"Uh, are you sure we won't crash?" Garfield asked out of concern.
"Every flight ends in a crash, my chubby child. Some are just a little worse than others." Freddy advised the cat.
"That's a comforting thought." remarked Garfield dryly, but he got onto the hovercraft anyway.'
"Well, off ya go before you lose what little nerve ya have." Freddy vociferated.
"Thanks for everything, Freddy. I'll always be grateful." Garfield said to the wise old frog.
"I still don't think you're ready." Freddy suggested.
Garfield and Odie soon moved the hang-glider near the cliff before looking down.
"I think I would've rather taken my chances with the flying dragon," Garfield said with nervous wide eyes and then faced Odie. "We're gonna push off on the count of three, okay?" he then said to his canine companion.
"Uh-uh." Odie shook his head.
"Why not?" Garfield then asked him.
Odie then grunted and held up two fingers.
"Oh, you can only count to two," Garfield then said before looking forward. "Okay, Odie, on the count of two. 1... 2..." he then said as they pushed the hang-glider off and they flew down rapidly.
"Whoa!" LJ yelped before glancing at the others. "Okay, so how are we getting back?"
"I thought you guys would know." Chrissy replied.
"I thought Zofia would know." Kimberly shrugged.
"I thought you guys had a plan!" Zofia said to LJ and the girls.
"So that's it... We're stuck here while Garfield and Odie come to Fun Fest!" LJ began to panic.
"Calm down," Zofia told her brother. "I'm sure we can think of a way out of this, especially with our own help while Garfield and Odie take the hang-glider."
"Right... right..." LJ said, trying to calm himself down. "Let's get to searching through my pockets for anything that could help. Anybody finds something useful, let me know."
Soon, LJ's pockets were starting to get emptied as several items were coming out, even random cartoon items. VROOM! Overhead of them, there was Snoopy and Woodstock in a plane as he looked down and waved at the kids down below.
"Would it be too much of a 'butt pull' if we got a ride from The Red Baron?" Zofia soon asked LJ after they saw the plane in sight.
"Nah, we should be fine." LJ shrugged.
The kids then cried out and piped up, trying to get the beagle pilot's attention. Snoopy continued to fly by until he saw that the kids needed help and soon began to come down and land.
"Oh, thank goodness, they actually saw us." Chrissy sighed in relief.
"Can you take us to Fun Fest, Mr. Snoopy, sir?" Kimberly asked the beagle.
Snoopy nodded and smiled in response as he allowed them to ride in his plane with him. One by one, the kids climbed in. Woodstock started the engines, and the biplane took off into the sky. Garfield and Odie were soon shown to be passing by them in the hang-glider before they looked over and waved at the group. The group smiled and waved back at the cat and dog duo. They soon passed by the trees, finding the birds they met earlier who told them goodbye and wished them luck as well as Junor and Mama Bear. Even Stanislavsky said goodbye to them.
"Well, they sure were pretty fun and interesting characters to meet probably this one and only time." Kimberly commented.
"Yeah," agreed LJ. "It was still nice, though."
"Looks like we're all good for Fun Fest at least." Chrissy commented.
"Indeed." Zofia nodded.