A/N: We're back! The reason me and the Author were gone so long is we had to return Johnny Depp back to his wife and kids in France. Thanks anyway AnonyMiss.
Mlle.Fox: It's the thought that counts!
But, Mlle. Fox wants the real Jack Sparrow...
Mlle.Fox: CAPTAIN!
Uh...not...just the guy who plays him. Since she got Dead Man's Chest on DVD for Christmas, the Author was inspired enough to update. So, read and review!
Mlle.Fox: You always call Jack 'Captain', you know that!
Editor: Yeesh, I'll tattoo it to my forehead alright?
"Wow Ziggy, I like your use of colors!" Tara exclaimed to Ziggy as he painted a bright lollipop. The paintfight had calmed down, and the giggles had subsided to concentration as the kids worked on their art work.
"Thanks Tara!" Ziggy said.
"That paintbrush is mine!" Ziggy insisted to Trixie.
"No it isn't!" she said.
"Okay you guys, cool it! Jessica and Nick got along better than the two of you." Tara quipped.
"Well Tara! We've been painting for over an hour now and I'm still not any better at art! I want to paint like you!" Stingy said.
"Yeah, my computer can make a better picture than me right now." Pixel said.
"Oh guys come on. It takes years to be a good artist." Tara told them.
"Years?!" chroused the kids.
"But...I want to be a good artist now!" Trixie whined.
"I'm sorry guys, but no one can become a world class artist overnight." Tara told them with a shrug.
"Oh pish posh!" cried a voice.
"Who said that?" Stephanie asked. A tall blond man in black clothes and glasses stepped out from behind the bushes. He sauntered up to them and said,
"You don't need practice if you have a gift!"
"And...you would be?" Tara asked folding her arms.
"Randy Warthog...world class abstract artist...in person...Did I mention I'm a genius?" he said polishing his nails.
"Really? Never heard of you." Tara said suspiciously. Randy grinned and chuckled,
"Oh really? Well I've had shows in Milan, Paris, New York, LA, Freeport...Where was your last gallery opening?"
Tara shrugged and admitted,
"Oh uh...you wouldn't know it..."
"Well, that's probably because we world class abstract artists don't associate with...common amatures."
"Amatures? Listen Buster..." Tara started.
"Randy's the name...not Buster. And...I was searching the world for fresh talent I could mold for greatness, for glory, for fame, for adoration! And wouldn't you know...I found it right here! In this quaint little town called Hazytown!" Randy said as the kids listened animately.
"That's Lazytown." Stephanie corrected him.
"Whatever...Listen Cats and Kittens...You kids don't need to practice art to be good artists. You can't practice art it just...happens!" Randy told them.
"But Mr. Warthog, Art does take some formal training and..."
"Did Michelangelo have formal training? Da Vinci? Mick Jagger?" Randy Warthog demanded passionately.
"One of those is a singer not a artist." Tara said.
"Whatever! Point is only those without talent think they have to practice art! Kids...one hour with me and you'll be asked to repaint the Sistine Chapel. What do you say?" Randy asked as Tara pouted, her feelings hurt by his harsh comment.
"Well...how do we know you can really paint?" Trixie asked. Randy laughed hauntingly,
"Ha! Step aside!"
He snatched up Tara's brush from her hands, approached a blank canvas turned from them and pretended to dip the brush in the paint. He sized up the canvas with his thumb and then rapidly made as if he were doing furious and passionate brush strokes aganist the canvas. Then he dipped the brush in the black paint and put one small dot in the centerWhen he was done, He put down the brush and paint, and turned the canvas around, revealing it's whiteness.
"Uh...there's nothing there." Ziggy said as he, Tara and the kids cocked their heads to the side trying to see anything.
"Oh well...to those with no talent and or vision or imagination yes...but if you look closely, you can just make out the delicate brush strokes, with the light catching the shadows clearly making this a portrait of a polar bear in a snow storm...with his eyes closed." Randy said stepping back and evaluating the piece. The kids nodded,
"Oh!"
"I see if!" Stingy said.
"Me too! Me too!" Ziggy said.
"Wait a minute guys! There's nothing there but a little black dot!" Tara insisted.
"Ah, to the untalented and untrained eye yes. Any true artist would see though, that the polar bear with his eyes closed is symbolic of ignorance to the world around him. Wouldn't you agree?" Randy asked.
"Well I..." Tara said unsure.
"Tara! You do see the polar bear...don't you?" Pixel asked.
"Well..." Tara said.
"Gees Tara! I thought you were a real artist!" Trixie said.
"I thought I was too. Excuse me." Tara said walking away.
"Trixie! That was really mean!" Stephanie told her friend.
"Oh come on Pinky! She'll get over it!" Trixie said.
"Ooh ooh ooh! Mr. Warthog will you take over the art class?" Ziggy asked.
"I'd be honored!" Randy Warthog said with a smile.
"But what about Tara?" Stephanie asked.
"We can talk to her later. But let's become world class artists first!" Stingy said as they followed Randy to the center of the park. Torn between fitting in, and helping a friend, Stephanie sighed as she reluctantly followed the kids back to the art class.
Meanwhile, Sportcus had just finished playing one on one basketball with himself, when he spotted Tara nearby.
"Tara! Now's my chance! Okay, stay calm...relax...you like her and she likes you...I hope..." Sportacus told himself before taking a deep breath, exhaling it, throwing the ball away, doing six back flips and a twist in the air before landing on the wall by Tara.
"Hi Tara! How are you?" he smiled.
"Oh...Hey Sport." Tara said softly. Seeing her sad expression, Sportacus furrowed his brow in concern and stepped down from the wall asking,
"Hey...Are you okay?"
Smiling up at his handsome face, Tara gave him a small smile,
"Sure...I'm fine...I just found out my whole career has been pointless and I'm a no talented hack but...I'll live. Want to get a smoothie? Maybe twelve?"
"Uh sure..." Sportacus said as she led the way. He sighed and said under his breath, "Women!"