Chapter 21: Teaching them a lesson they won't forget

Authors note: Thank you all for the reviews! 70 and counting! I never thought it would be this popular. Anyway this chapter is the aftermath of last chapter's previous events. Beware there is some swearing and violence in this chapter. Blame Pansy! Such an evil character and now she's provoking her son to do the same. Oh and ever wondered how Tybalt got those scratches on his arm in the movie? This is how he gets them in my story in this chapter. Anyway enjoy!

"Get inside the garden Gnomeo," Blueberry said calmly as she led her sulking son through the gate. Gnomeo looked down at his smashed toy and frowned.

"She broke my toy car mummy!" Gnomeo wined as he stopped and turned to his mother. Blueberry had other and more important things on her mind than his smashed in car. And she knew she would have to confront her son about it sooner than later.

"Gnomeo what were you doing out there talking to that boy?" Blueberry asked sternly receiving a small shrug from Gnomeo.

"He was nice! And we both became best friends. Why were you fighting with that woman mummy?" Gnomeo asked innocently and Blueberry sighed. He had much to learn.

"Gnomeo dear, the reason why we were arguing was because we didn't want you two to be friends," Blueberry explained and Gnomeo raised an eyebrow to his mother.

"But why? What's the harm in us becoming friends?"

"You see Gnomeo dear, the red gnomes next door and us blue gnomes… we don't get on."

"Why?" Gnomeo continued to ask much to his mothers anguish.

"Gnomeo, the red gnomes wish to hurt us. They are not nice gnomes. We are enemies with the red gnomes and they will do anything to harm us. Do you understand why I don't want you to see that boy again? He'll probably grow up to be your rival and knowing Pansy, she'll teach him to be cruel and violent like her." Blueberry scowled a little and clutched her shovel tighter. Gnomeo glanced at his toy car and glared sulkily at it.

"That nasty lady broke my car mummy!" Blueberry looked down at her distraught son and crossed her arms.

"That nasty lady Gnomeo is the entire reason that this feud exists! She is so cruel and has no mercy in her at all. She is Tybalt's mother, heaven help him, and she will do anything to turn him against you. So you see Gnomeo, you cannot be friends with a red, it is now practically impossible." Blueberry explained this carefully and Gnomeo kept his full attention on his mother.

"That gnome was mean. Are all the other gnomes like her mummy?" Gnomeo asked curiously.

"Mostly, but mummy here teaches them not to mess with us blues! Lord Redbrick and Lady June hardly share a brain cell between them when it comes to having our banters. I win every time!"

"Ha-ha, no one messes with my mummy!" Gnomeo cheered.

"Indeed. So do you promise not to be friends with that boy, or any red gnome for that matter again?" Blueberry asked and Gnomeo nodded.

"Oh yes mummy. Those red gnomes sound awful!" Blueberry smiled in victory and patted her son on the shoulder.

"Good. Now why don't we see about getting you another toy car?" Blueberry asked down at her now grinning son.

"Really?" Gnomeo asked eagerly "awesome! Thanks mummy, you're the best!"

"No my dear son, you're the best. I wouldn't ask for anything else other than to have you and your father in my life." Blueberry said as she led her overly excited son off to get another toy car. His lesson had been learnt. And it wasn't as brutal as what another mother had in store for her unfortunate child.

…

"GET IN THERE NOW!" Pansy roared as she dragged her son by his tiny hat into the red garden. Tybalt was crying out in pain and telling his mother to let go as she did this. But she didn't pay any attention to his screams and cries. He deserved pain and scars for what he had just done. And that was what he was about to get.

"Mommy, please stop!" Tybalt wailed as she released his hat and slammed him to the ground heartlessly.

"Tell me why you were out there talking to THAT blue!" Pansy demanded still shouting her head off as Tybalt braced his arm around his face as he cried.

"He came up to me, I did what you said and tried to stay away from him," Tybalt explained his voice barely a murmur.

"Trying is barely ENOUGH!" Pansy screamed "what were you doing even talking to that gnome let alone playing with him! Didn't you hear my words that I said a dozen times? Those gnomes are bad. They'll do anything to destroy us, and then I find you of all gnomes trying to be friends with the leader's son!"

"I'm sorry mommy!" Tybalt cried.

"Pathetic… and you call yourself my son?" Pansy walked over to the grass nearby where a trowel lay there left by someone from earlier. Pansy fiddled about with it as she ignored her son's painful cries. "You should be sorry. You're a pathetic little twerp who deserves to be chopped up into tiny fragments of pottery and made into a new china tea set. You aren't a Capulet. You're like those Montague blue pieces of filth next door."

"WELL AT LEAST THOSE GNOMES ARE NICE UNLIKE YOU!" Tybalt blurted out loud directly towards his mother. He had times like this, while his mother ranted on how much of a terrible son he was, he would slowly get provoked and would end up shouting out his feelings and emotions towards his mother who would usually, like today, retaliate.

"YOU PATHETIC LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!" Pansy swore and did something much unexpected. She swung her trowel at such a force that it flew down at where Tybalt's arm went defending his face and gave him a deep but tiny scratch. Tybalt literally screamed out in pain as Pansy's trowel dug into his pottery skin. It left a very nasty scratch and he already had one from another time. But this one was much deeper and more noticeable to the average gnome eye.

Tybalt looked up at his raging mother in tears, not just from the pain he had just inflicted, but all the hurtful words she had told him. Tybalt had the right and reason to hate his mother, but he couldn't find it in himself to hate her. In fact he wanted her to love him like any other mother. He just wanted to feel loved for once in his life! But all he got was hate. Hate and anger. And slowly he was becoming less and less innocent and sweet as he once was. He was slowly turning into that selfish and arrogant gnome his parents were. And the sad thing was, he wanted love from the two gnomes who only had him for a plan. They would've killed him or gave him away otherwise.

Pansy didn't say or do anything when she realized what she had just done. She just stood there and kept her eyes fixed on her wailing son and the mark she had just left on his arm. She hardly noticed the other gnome behind her who had just witnessed the entire scene.

"PANSY!" Pansy turned around almost instantly and recognised who the voice belonged to. It was June. That was all she needed. "What the hell have you done to him?"

"None of your business!" Pansy shouted arrogantly and June chose to ignore her insults and rushed over to little Tybalt who was still crying helplessly while his mother stood there as if his cries was music to her ears.

"What has that witch done to you?" June asked as she approached Tybalt. Pansy was literally in another up raw when she saw her sister in-law place a gentle hand on his arm.

"Get away from him!" Pansy roared and June turned around and snarled up at the other gnome.

"No, you get away from him you heartless cad!" June replied.

"How dare you! He's MY son, not yours!" Pansy proclaimed which cause June to scoff.

"Ha, YOUR son?" June snapped "funny, you don't treat him as if he is YOUR son. In fact you show him no love and attention like he was YOUR son at all!"

"That's because the little brat needs to learn a few lessons. Don't get involved with things that don't concern you!"

"For your information Pansy, I am the joint leader of this garden. So I'm afraid your business is my business. Now I can see you're angry and upset so I shall take Tybalt away so you can calm down."

"By heck are you taking my son away from me!" Pansy refused as June helped Tybalt up carefully.

"I am, for your own good. Now don't fight me Pansy, or else something bad could happen to you," June explained.

"You can't! He will become like you!" Pansy shouted back grabbing her son by the arm and tugged him away from June. June fought back and grabbed Tybalt's arms and stepped in front of him in a defending manner. June shook her head and sighed.

"You are loosing it Pansy. I suggest you get some rest before you go completely insane," and with that June guided Tybalt away and Pansy stood there in some sort of mad yet dazed rage. Was she really going mental? Is this what she resulted to? If so, what evil deeds would she do next? It couldn't be good.

…

Blueberry took little Gnomeo over to Gnorman where he was able to get a new toy car. Blueberry and Gnorman watched their son lovingly as he played with his brand new toy car as Blueberry explained the incident in the alleyway to Gnorman. He listened closely and when she had finished, he decided to speak his own mind.

"You should have alerted me he was playing with that red. Why didn't you come and get me?" Gnorman asked crossing his arms while his gaze switched from his son, to his wife, and back again.

"Well you yourself were busy, and Pansy was out there. Goodness knows what she would've done to Gnomeo if I had arrived but a minute later. So I decided to handle her myself. It wouldn't be the first time," Blueberry reminisced the other times she had faced Pansy. Both times she had almost been smashed by her. And both times a certain gnome had saved her from that fate. Redbrick…

"You ok love?" Gnorman asked waving a hand in front of Blueberry's face. She had been in a trance for several minutes without realizing. She had been thinking of the bad and good times back when he wasn't around. Oh God she was at it again! How many times did she have to say the same thing to herself? She no longer had any feelings for that red gnome she once loved! But if she didn't, why did she keep have to keep reassuring herself over and over again?

"I am fine Gnorman, I was just thinking as all."

"About what?"

"Nothing," Blueberry then turned her gaze away from her husband and focused back on her son. She was still mentally reassuring herself about her feelings. This was one of many times she had done this. But why? She had a lovely son and a loving husband for crying out loud! And it was many years ago since those events occurred. Redbrick was meant to be her nemesis and arch rival, but it didn't seem like that at all. Sure they had their small banters and disputes but that was hardly enough to call it a full on feud. It seemed every other gnome in each garden was really at war but the two main leaders. What did that mean? And besides he had a daughter and wife himself so there would be no way he still had feelings for her. And Blueberry cursed herself every time she thought about this. 'I thought I vowed never to think about this again when I became leader! Get out of my head!' she screamed at her thoughts. She refused to give in to her past emotions. Her true love was her husband Gnorman. Not some illiterate red gnome next door! If only she could get that into her thoughts.

"Mummy, daddy, check this out!" Gnomeo called from below as he rolled back his toy car and let it drive up some small ramp and fly through the air before it hit the ground. Gnorman grinned and ran to pick the toy car up and had a go himself. Blueberry watched in amusement at the scene before her and came to a solid conclusion 'Take that you useless thoughts, your tricks don't fool me for a second. My real love is here in this garden with my son and husband!'

But none of them realized who was standing behind them while the family were having some bonding time. And he was about to ruin that worth while moment for good.

"Lady Blueberry I have a bone to pick with you!" Blueberry turned around to notice a not so friendly face poking though the other side of the fence. It was Redbrick standing there with his arms on his hips, and he didn't look too happy. Blueberry took in a deep breath before turning to Gnorman who was currently glaring at Redbrick.

"Why don't you go take Gnomeo to see Wisteria and I'll handle him," Blueberry whispered and Gnorman nodded. He knew how well she handled the red gardens leaders compared to himself. He decided to allow her to win the next sophisticated conversation while he visited a dear friend of theirs. Gnorman picked up Gnomeo and placed him on his shoulders.

"Come on little man, lets go visit aunt Wistie and your Shroom buddy," Gnorman explained as he carried Gnomeo away. He passed a wink in Blueberry's direction and continued to walk away. When Blueberry noticed they were far enough away she turned to face Redbrick whose face had now softened and became more distant.

"Your sons grown a lot," Redbrick said rather calmly "he sure takes after his father alright."

"You had a bone to pick with me Lord Redbrick?" Blueberry asked getting straight to the point.

"Oh… yes of course I did!" Redbrick said snapping back to reality. He lifted some kind of round blue object in the mid air and held it so Blueberry could see it clearly. "What on earths name do you call this?"

"Some kind of bottle cap Lord Redbrick," Blueberry said crossing her arms impatiently.

"Oh is it?" Redbrick asked examining the bottle cap closely "yes so it is."

"Listen, Lord Redbrick if you are implying that we blues had anything to do with putting this bottle cap in your precious red plants, then no I'm afraid we did not. It was probably your annoying big sister planting it there trying to frame us for the tenth time this month. Now if that is all Lord Redbrick I shall be off," Blueberry explained as she began to walk away.

"No wait!" Redbrick called after her much to her surprise. Blueberry turned back to see Redbrick standing there awkwardly with his hands behind his back.

"Yes?" Blueberry asked arching a confused yet curious eyebrow.

"That wasn't the only reason I came to see you," Redbrick explained quietly. Blueberry inched closer and Redbrick took a deep breath before replying "I was just wondering if I could enquire on how Wisteria is?"

Blueberry was taken aback. He had never asked how anyone was before (accept before the feud of course). She was under the impression he had completely forgotten about her. But she knew how much he was fond of her before the feud. It was almost as if they were close friends. And now after several years Redbrick had finally gotten around to asking about her. Blueberry had no choice but to reply.

"She is holding up fine," Blueberry began "and what suddenly gave you the idea to ask about her?"

"I don't know. I just wished to enquire about an old friend," Redbrick said causing Blueberry to scoff.

"We have no friends among the reds. Feuds end all relationships and friendships. Isn't that what happened to us Redbrick?"

"It's been a long time since you called me that," Redbrick pointed out and Blueberry automatically realized what she had just blurted out.

"I didn't mean to call you that! You are meant to be my arch rival for crying out loud. What do you think your wife would say if she caught you saying that a blue gnome was in fact your friend?"

"She would react in the same way as your husband if he found out. In case you have forgotten, I haven't told a soul but you and Wisteria about what happened all that time ago. And I wouldn't tell anyone today because…"

"Because we are meant to be mortal enemies…" Blueberry finished.

"Exactly," Redbrick said sadly "enemies…"

"Listen, everyone in our gardens are fighting with each other. It seems everyone is fighting but us! If we are going to be enemies Lord Redbrick, we should damn well start behaving like ones!" Blueberry snapped.

"What if I don't want to be enemies with you?" Redbrick asked keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. Blueberry shook her head and sighed.

"Then you aren't fit to be your gardens leader. Your garden started this feud, now you might as well live with it. Go back to your family Lord Redbrick, and forget about the past." And with that Blueberry turned away and began to head in the opposite direction. Redbrick sighed and glanced at the dirty floor beneath his feet.

"What did I just do?" Redbrick muttered to himself. He had just shown a big weakness and had yet again let his emotions get the better of him. Imagine what June would think if she would've heard him say those things! It was certainly not like him to let his emotions slip out like that. But like Blueberry he was experiencing past emotions that were creeping back on him again. Yet both gnomes knew it was just a memory. One they could never re-live. They were feuding now, the same feud that had split them apart all those years ago. And despite which, they had families now! Redbrick had June and Juliet to look after now! He couldn't live in the past and remain there; he had to look towards the future. But something was holding him back. It couldn't be love… could it? He didn't know whether he still had some sort of feeling for Blueberry still. And if he did he was keeping it secret and locked away deep inside him. But he loved June none the less and not even Blueberry could change that! But he could never tell June about what happened before she came to the garden. He didn't know how she would react. Also it was nothing to do with her because he refused to believe he still had feelings for a blue gnome! He couldn't! But deep down Redbrick knew that he still cared for her in some way as he did for Wisteria. But he could never show that he cared for the blues because they were meant to be fighting. Blueberry was right, he and her were the only ones involved in the feud that weren't fighting. Why was that? Was it past emotions preventing them from feuding? Or was it the fact both gnomes secretly wanted peace but couldn't achieve it because of the other gnomes who wanted to hate each other? This was all Pansy's fault! If she didn't get involved and smash Wisteria's hat all those years ago, there would be no feud and perhaps he and Blueberry would still be together. But fate it seemed had turned against the two lovers and diverted them down two different paths. And eventually their paths would meet again by the likely hood of their dear children WAY in the future. But no one knew how much hurt and pain they would have to go through to get to that point in time. It seemed like a life time! And so it would be…

"Redbrick!" Redbrick's attention was soon brought back to that point in time when he heard a familiar voice called out in front of him. It was June, and she seemed to be guiding little Tybalt with her. And he looked as if he was… crying?

"June there you are," Redbrick replied as he made his way over to her he looked down at Tybalt and noticed the child holding his arm out whilst sniffling.

"I swear Redbrick if this doesn't take the biscuit I don't know what does!" June fumed still keeping a comforting grip on her nephews shoulder for support.

"Why what happened June?" Redbrick asked as June pointed down at Tybalt's now cut arm. Redbrick's eyes widened and he pointed at it in shock. "Pansy didn't? Did she?"

"Yes, slashed it out good and proper with a gardening trowel! I swear she is becoming more and more insane with each passing day Redbrick, and now poor Tybalt is becoming a victim in it all." June exclaimed pointing to Tybalt who was sniffling quietly.

"And why did she do this?" Redbrick asked then kneeling down to Tybalt's height and smiling softly at him. "Tybalt why did your mother do this to you?"

"I can't say, she'll hurt me more!" Tybalt said fearfully.

"No she won't Tybalt dear, we give your our word that she won't hurt you while we are around," June reassured also bending down to his level.

"Ok, she caught me playing with that blue gnome called Gnomeo next door and she got awfully mad and beat me and swore at me," Tybalt muttered. June passed a glance towards her husband as they both took the story in. They could easily understand why Pansy was mad at him, but not for the actions she decided to take upon her son.

"Tybalt dear, you realize that we red gnomes don't get along with the blues right?" June asked gently.

"Yeah," Tybalt nodded still keeping his gaze on the floor.

"Well we mean it. We would prefer it if you kept away from the blues as they could harm us in any way if they had the opportunity. Do you understand Tybalt?"

"Yeah I understand," Tybalt said looking up "but what I don't get is why everyone hates each other." June and Redbrick passed each other different glances before Redbrick decided to make an excuse to his little nephew. He didn't need to know the full extent of the feud at his age.

"As you get older Tybalt you shall understand," Redbrick explained.

"But I'm old enough now!" Tybalt proclaimed.

"No, you're not Tybalt. You will be old enough to know later on when times get better for us. But right now you aren't exactly ready to get involved in the feud."

"Say Tybalt, why don't we go play a game?" June immediately changed the subject to prevent Tybalt's further persistent questions.

"Sure! Can we include Juliet in it?" Tybalt chirped and June smiled down at him as she led him away.

"But of course! She'll be glad to play with her cousin," June then turned to Redbrick and gestured to him to do something else while she walked away with her nephew. Redbrick just stood there and pondered with his thoughts for a while before deciding to do something useful.

…

"ARGH what am I becoming?" Pansy gasped her head as she went to a place of solitude. She had just done something she regretted, she gave her son some scars on his arm. How would he ever forgive her for this? Her plan was surely wrecked this time. And it was all because of her irrational behaviour.

Pansy leant up against the garden shed and glanced at her hands. They were slightly red from where she had clutched her trowel. Pansy felt completely unnatural. Sure she had done some pretty reckless things in her life, but not a severe as this! Her son would now never trust her again and her plan to dominate the garden was ruined. And soon word would get around that she was a child beater, and knowing her brother, he would probably try and take charge as always. But he knew nothing! Pansy had always known that her brother was never the right one for being a leader. But her father favoured him over her because he was a male. And she hated them all for it. And when the blues moved next door to the reds her life had yet again changed. She wanted to create some sort of conflict between them from the very beginning. She particularly hated the hippy gnome Wisteria because she wanted peace and serenity; all the things Pansy didn't want. She really took her anguish on her to make herself feel better. But she never knew that Wisteria would finally rat out on her to the blues leader. Pansy hadn't seen Wisteria in several years but her hate for her was still evident. She just didn't know how much.

"Its all that bloody kids fault! If he had not of been out there with that stupid blue, none of this would have happened! He's taunting me is that one. Just like my brother and that blasted hippy Wisteria," Pansy muttered to herself like a mad woman. Was she really going beyond insane? And if so, how would this impact her actions?

"I wish they'd all die!" Pansy whispered still staring at her hands "especially Tybalt… he's not my son. No one in this life understands what I wish to achieve! And I hate my life! And theirs! They have ruined me so much that I have been driven to this. And I want revenge. No longer will I stand by and let others push me around. Not even my own son!"

Pansy then glanced away from her hands and heard distant laughter from another part of the garden. When she finally found the source of that laughter she noticed Tybalt, Redbrick, June and little Juliet all playing together happily laughing and enjoying themselves. Pansy fumed but instead of rushing over to break it up she just leant back against the hard wooden shed and glanced up at the sky. As she did this she slowly began to chant to herself…

"Sometimes, I hate, the life, I made
Everything's wrong every time
Pushing on I can't escape
Everything that comes my way
Is haunting me taking its sweet time

Holding on I'm lost in a haze
Fighting life to the end of my days…"

Authors note: Well this is the chapter when Pansy is slowly venturing into the decay of madness or something like that. I used a part of the lyrics of a song called narcissistic cannibal by Korn. This song actually reminds me of her character and it's basically about someone whose thoughts revolve around their desires and they hate themselves and other people around them. That is kinda like Pansy is with Tybalt and Redbrick and the blues isn't it? Anyway I hope you enjoyed this because after the next chapter something BIG is finally going to happen! Oh and how did you like the Redbrick and Blueberry moment? I thought it was sweet but did it fit in with the chapter? I hope it did. And sorry but I will not be able to update for about a week because I have exams coming up and I need to revise. But I shall update soon! I swear! In the meantime please review! Thanks so much!