Chapter Sixty: Circus Bugs?!

Soon the sun began to rise as they flew over grass back to Ant Island.

"So you see it was our fault" Flik said.

"Our fault?!" Jason repeated.

"Okay my fault that Hopper coming back and then Princess Atta boy she one in a million, she let me go out to find you and after seeing you fight off those fly's, boy those grasshoppers are in for a big surprise" Flik said to Tuck and Roll and laughed as the two twins laughed.

Tuck then spoke in a foreign language to Roll probably asking 'You have any idea what he's saying?' as Roll shrugged.

"There it is!" Jason said spotting the island.

"This is it! This is Ant Island!"

"Flik! Over here!" Dot yelled jumping on a clover.

"Hey!" Flik said waving as they flew to the Anthill.

All the ants then saw the shadow flying down as they all reacted by running and hiding as the bugs all land in.

"TADA!" Francis said with all the bugs in a group pose as Jason and Max sweat dropped at the empty area.

"Eh, once again our reputation precedes us" Manny said.

"Hey everybody! Hey I'm back! Hey guys! HEY! Look who here with me!" Flik said.

"Flik! You guys are back! I knew you could do it!" Dot said running in as all the ants began to come from their hiding spots.

"Look at this" Flik said as Gypsy flashed her wings on her back to show off her natural defense of a scar looking face as ants gasped.

"OH!"

"What are you supposed to be?" a boy asked Slim.

"He's a stick stupid, you hit bugs with him" the other said.

"Uh not actually that's a common over simplification" Slim said.

"That's right kids like this!" Francis said picking up Slim and hitting Heimlich on the head with Slim.

"OW!"

"Wow!" some kids said going under Dim

"Uh kids he's kind of ticklish come on out, careful" Rosie said as Dim laughed and stomped his feet shaking the ground as the ant children screamed and ran as the Queen laughed.

"Well my boy, you came through Avi and I are very impressed" the Queen said.

"Princess Atta! Hey guys this is Princess Atta! She the one who sent me to find you!" Flik said showing the circus bugs the princess.

"Atta Atta! Did you see that really big bug over there?" Dot asked excitedly.

"He looks absolutely ferocious!" Mr. Soil said.

"They're our ticket out of this mess!" Thorny said.

"They came just in time!" Dr. Flora said.

"That's right!" Cornelius said.

"Oh now you prudes are happy with something Flik did?" Jason sad crossing his arms.

"Princess Atta what do you think?" Flik asked.

"No no no wait! This was not supposed to happen!" Atta whispered to the others.

"Mayday mayday were losing the job" Slim whispered to Francis.

"We got to sweeten the deal" Francis said flying up on Dim horn, "you majesty! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages our troop here grantees a performance like no other! Why when your grasshopper friends get here we are gonna KNOCK THEM DEAD!"

The Ant colony then began to cheer as Jason and Max glanced at each other.

"This is not going to end well" Jason said.

"Oh yeah" Max said.

Soon a party began with music playing and the honored guests sitting with the royals as the Queen leaned over to Atta.

"Honey, relax. You should be proud of yourself your instincts on that boy were right on the money" the Queen chuckled as the music ends and everyone claps.

"And to make our official welcome complete, Mr. Soil?" the Queen called.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Mr. Soil asked.

"He's our resident thespian, last year he played the lead in Picnic" the Queen laughed.

"The children and myself have quickly put together a little presentation in honor of our guests" Mr. Soil said.

"How nice" Jason said.

"Dot, Reed, Daisy, Grub?" Mr. Soil said as the lids came forth with a rolled up leaf.

"Oh, aren't they adorable! Ooh, they're cute!" Gypsy said as Flik, Jason and Max waved to Dot who waved back.

"The South Tunnel Elementary School second grade class would like to present you with this, a mural we have drawn of you bugs helping us fight the grasshoppers away" Daisy said as they kids rolled out a mural of a bloodbath as Jason and Max jaws dropped like the circus bugs.

"Oh, look at the beautiful colors of the...blood" Rosie said.

"We drew one of you dying because our teacher said it would be more dramatic" Dot said gesturing to Heimlich slice in half in his own blood as Rosie gasps and they looked to Heimlich who paled as the began Ants Applauding.

"Am I eating one of them in that picture?" Jason paled.

"Oh my" Max paled as Mr. Soil came in playing a harp

"I tell you a tale of heroes so bold, who vanquished our grasshopper enemies of old!"

Three ant children then stood as the one dressed as a leaf fell over.

"Look, the last leaf has fallen!" one said as more kids came in wearing grasshopper masks.

"We are the grasshoppers! Where's our food?!" they all said.

"Who will come to save us poor ants?"

"We are the warriors, here to defend you!" another group said with shield and swords.

Later that day Slim covered Heimlich eyes and Manny patted Gyspy back as they watched the play come to an end.

"I die! Die! Die!" a kid said falling over as the ants began cheering and Francis fell over passing out.

"...oh" Jason groaned seeing Tuck and Roll clap.

"You two have no idea that was for you do you?" Max said.

"Thank you, thank you! Oh, thank you!" Mr. Soil said.

" Hey, hey, hey! - I say we go" Francis whispered to the other circus bugs.

"Okay, honey, you're up" the Queen said to Atta.

"Oh. Um!" Flik said as he began to make a megaphone.

"Oh, oh, l-l-We're all very grateful to have the warriors" Atta said with Flik putting it in front of her amplifying warriors "Thanks" she said as she clears throat, "I'd like to thank the warriors for helping us in our fight against the grasshoppers" she said as the circus bugged argued in their huddle as the ants cheered.

"Secondly, I would like to thank Flik for his forthright thinking-" she began as Flik took the mike.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Oh, sure, I'd like to take credit for all of this, but that wouldn't be right because it was you, Princess Atta, you believed in me-"

"Tell that ant that we need to talk to him right now!" Franics said to Rosie.

"Okay, okay!" Rosie said going to Flik.

"I know I've made mistakes in the past, and I hope that this will make up-"

"Flik!" Rosie whispered tapping his shoulder.

"Not right now, Rosie. I'm making a speech."

As she grumbles and whispers in his ear.

"Now, I truly believe these bugs are the answer to our-"

"No, there's no circus around here" he said covering the mike. "So, l...huh?" Flik said looking over to see Francis juggle before they went into a group pose and Flik eye widen.

"Your Highness! The warriors have called for a secret meeting to plan for a circus-circumventing the oncoming hordes so they can trapeze-trap them with ease!" Flik said to Atta.

"Shouldn't I come too?" Atta asked

"No!" he said as he laughs nervously "No, classified in the D.M.Z. Gotta go A.S.A.P. You know, strictly B.Y.O.B. Bye!"

"Go go!" Jason whispered as they headed to the grass.

"Sorry. Sorry I have to take the warriors away so early, but you know they have a lot to get done, with the battle looming and all so, uh, please, everyone enjoy the party!" Flik said.

"B.Y.O.B.?" Atta said.

"Thanks again. Bye. Bye-bye! Okay, just- just get in there. Go! Go! Go, go, go!" Flik said as they disappeared into the grass.

"Circus bugs?! How can you be circus bugs?" Flik yelled.

"What?" Heimlich said.

"Hey, hey, hey you said nothin' about killin' grasshoppers! You lied to us!" Francis said.

"Ja!" Heimlich said.

"Are you kidding? Do you know what this is? This, my friends, is false advertising!" Flik said.

"How dare you! You, sir, are the charlatan in this scenario-touting your wares as a talent scout, preying upon the hungry souls of hapless artistes! Good day to you, sir" Manny said walking away as Tuck and Roll stood on top each other shoulder s the top slapped Flik before the two rolled away.

"We need a plan here!" Jason said.

"Wait! No, no! Wait, wait, wait, wait! You can't go! You have got to help me. Give me some time, I'll come up with a plan" Flik said.

"Just go tell them the truth!" Heimlich said

"They can't know the truth. The truth, you see, is bad! I will be branded for life. My children's children will walk down the street, people will point and say, 'Look! There goes the spawn of Flik, the loser!' Oh-oh, you know, all right, fine, yeah, okay. Just go but if you could just do me a little favor before you leave. If you could squish me, that would be great, because, uh, when they find out, I'm as good as dead" Flik said putting Dim foot on his head.

"Flik that is a coward way out we need a better plan here!" Max said.

"Flik!" they heard Princess Atta call as Flik got up.

"I really think I should be a part of this meeting! Flik!"

Flik then pulled some grass apart to see the glaring princess.

"Aah! Princess Atta! What a nice... surprise."

"Just what exactly is going on? I would like to speak with the so-called "warriors'."'

"You can't! They are in the middle of a top secret meeting right now, and they really should not be disturbed... now right, guys?" Flik asked seeing them walking away as Jason and Max ran after them.

"Could you ex- pl- Could you excuse me, please?" he said before closing the grass on Atta,"Wait, wait, wait! Please, don't go!"

"I'm not going anywhere, what is going on? Flik?" she asked pulling apart the grass to see him gone, "Flik! Ooh, I knew it!"

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Please! Don't go! No!" Flik yelled as the bugs began to fly off.

"Quick, he's losin' it!" Francis said as Flik jumped and grabbed onto Slim as Jason tested his wings and took Max as they flew after them.

"You can't go! I'm desperate!"

"Really? I couldn't tell" Slim said.

"Okay, Flik, time to put ya down. Get him off me! He's cutting off the circulation!" Slim yelled as they all landed and Manny tried to pull him off.

"No, no, no, no!"

"Let go!" Slim yelled.

"Please, please, don't go!" Flik yelled as his eyes widen to see a nearby bird feather and a next next to it.

"Put the stick down. Flik, I mean it, now!" Rosie yelled as Flik drop the stick and screams.

"Run!"

"Flik?" Jason said.

"Boy, he runs fast for a little guy" Heimlich said as something large landed behind them as they all turn around to see a large bird chirp and roar at them.

"Tweet-tweet! Tweet-tweet!" Tuck and Roll yelled as they ran.

"AHHHH!" Jason yelled running.

"I am never looking at birds the same way again!" Max yelled as they heard screaming and looked up.

"Help!" Dot yelled holding onto a dandelion seed.

"Dot!" Jason said.

The bird then flies up at Dot as Dot screams and lets go as she falls to the ground below scream as Francis hears her and gasps.

"I gotcha! I gotcha! I gotcha, I gotcha!" Francis said catching her as they fall into a crack in the dried up lake with a grunt as a rock lands on his leg.

"Oww!" he yelled as a rock it his head, "Oooh" he said falling over.

"Over here!" Jason yelled as they all hid behind a rock and hears dots screams.

"Dot?" Flik said.

"Good heavens, they're in trouble!" Manny said.

"Francis, Francis, Francis, Francis, Francis, Francis!" Slim said.

"Oh, you guys, I've got an idea!" Flik said.

IIIIIIIIIII

"Please, ma'am, wake up! Wake up!" Dot said shaking Francis as the bird roars above and she pulls Francis out of reach of its pecking beak.

"Help! Help!"

"Yoo-hoo!" Heimlich yelled getting the bird attention as it looks over to see Slim holding him up, "Mr. Early Bird! How about a nice, tasty worm on a stick?"

"I'm going to snap. I'm going to snap!" Slim grunted.

"Nice and juicy, succulent!"

The bird then moved away and towards them as Flik away their opening.

"Let's go!" Flik yelled as they flew with Rosie down under Dim holding a web net.

"Do you see them?" Max asked.

"There they are!" Flik yelled pointing to where the two were.

"Flik! Help!" Dot called.

"Okay" Flik said as Rosie lowered Flick, Tuck and Roll down with her web as Jason flew down.

"Flik!" Dot yelled running into his arms.

"It's going to be okay, Dot" Flik said as Jason looked over to the bird who was getting close to Heimlich and Slim.

"Ooh-hoo-hoo! Bye-bye, birdie!" Heimlich said as Slim jumped into a crack but Heimlich got caught in the small crack, "help! I'm stuck! Pull me down! Schnell, schnell, schnell!"

"Heimlich!" Jason yelled as the bird was now in front of him.

"AHHH!" Heimlich screamed as Gypsy flew down flashing her back side of her wings at the bird and began to lower the bird away.

"Suck it in, man!" Slim yelled pulling Heimlich down.

"Hold on guys" Jason called as Francis began to wake in the net they flew in.

"Ow. My leg!" Francis yelled making them fall over as Tuck and Roll held onto Francis and Flik on his antenna with one hand and used the other to hold onto Dot as he saw the bottomless darkness below.

"AHHHH!"

"Flik!" Dot gasped as they saw the bird flying their way.

"Up-a, up-a!" Tuck and Roll yelled as they flew up the side of the island with the bird beak inches from Dot and Flik as they flew into the safety of a raspberry thorn bush and landed on a leaf as it roared and flew off.

"That was terrifying! I hate birds! Never want to see another one again!" Jason panted.

"Dito!" Max panted as they all hear a distant applause.

"What is that?" Rosie asked.

"That, my friends, is the sound of applause!" Manny said as they looked down to see the cheering ant colony as they flew down.

"Applause-I'm in heaven!" Francis sighed.

Later that day they all stood in the infirmary as Francis lay on a flower with a cast on his foot.

"Our Blueberry troop salutes you bugs for rescuing our smallest member, Princess Dot and as a tribute to Miss Francis, we've changed out bandannas!" the Blueberry member said as they turned around showing their spotted bandannas.

"We voted you our honorary den mother!" Dot said as the girls cheered.

"What? Great" Francis said bitterly as Tuck and Roll spoke their foreign language most likely saying 'isn't that sweet!'

"All right, girls. Let's move your keisters outta here now rhe patient needs her rest, you know. Come on" Flora said leading them out of the room.

"Excuse, me, Flik. Can I talk to you for a second?" Atta asked.

"Huh? Oh, sure" Flik said acidenttly knocking over the lift of Francis cast making it hit the flower.

"Oww!"

"Again, thank you all, very, very much!" Atta said.

"Oh, stop it" Rosie said.

"You're too kind" Gypsy said.

"Thank you" Manny said as they bowed and Flik and Atta exit the leaf door and Jason and Max listened in.

"You don't think I've offended the warriors, do you?" Atta asked.

"You? No" Flik said.

"Oh, good. Because, you see, when you first brought them here, I thought you'd hired a bunch of clowns" Atta said walking down the tunnel.

"Ya did?" Flik said laughing nervously.

"Don't tell 'em I said that, boy, that's all I'd need, another royal blunder like that."

"Princess, you're doin' a great job."

"Thanks, you're sweet. You're wrong, but sweet I know what everyone really thinks."

"I don't follow you."

"Everyone-the whole colony. Nobody really believes I can do this job it's like they're all watching me- just, just-"

"Waiting for you to screw up" Flik said as she glares at him and realizes he was referring to himself.

"Flik, I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"Well, I haven't been that nice to you, and... I'm sorry if there's any way I can make it up to you-hey! I know! How would you like to be the queen's official aide to the warrior bugs?"

"Me?"

"Oh, sure. You've got a great rapport with them, especially after that rescue- it was very brave."

"Really? Naw, naw."

"Well, not every bug would face a bird, I mean, even Hopper's afraid of 'em."

"Yeah, well, I guess maybe l-say that again?"

"I said, even Hopper's afraid of birds."

Flik then disappeared running down the hall but came back taking Atta hands.

"Thank you" he said kissing her cheek before disappearing again.

"Hopper's afraid of birds!" Flik yelled running back into the infirmary.

"And I don't blame 'im!" Francis said.

"Oh, oh, oh, this is perfect, we can get rid of Hopper, and no one has to know that I messed up, you just keep pretending you're warriors" Flik said.

"Whoa, Flik, honey, we are not about to fight grasshoppers, okay?" Rosie said.

"You'll be gone before the grasshoppers ever arrive. Here's what we do-"

"Not another word! I don't know what you're concocting in that little ant brain of yours, but we'll have no part of it!" Manny said.

"Excuse me?" they heard as they saw two any boys at the doors, "could we get the warriors' autographs?"

"Autographs?! Ja!" Heimlich said taking a pen from a flower.

"Wow!"

"Great!"

"So, you fellas catch the action today?" Francis asked writing on the leaf paper of theirs.

"Oh! The bird went whoosh and it just missed you!"

"Aren't you sweet?" Gypsy said signing.

"And the way you pretended to be stuck in that crack!" he said as Heimlich chuckled.

"Oh, that's just all part of the plan" Heimlich said.

"And then you dive-bombed into the bush!"

"There you go, my boy" Manny said signing.

"Wow! Thanks!"

"M-M-Maa-jor-"

"That's Major Manny, young cadet! I outrank everyone here. Remember that" Manny said.

"Yes, sir!"

"Dismissed!"

"Wow! When I grow up, I'm gonna be a praying mantis!"

"I'm gonna be a stick bug!" they said leaving the room.

"Oh, they're all so cool, I can't pick!"

"Delightful lads. You were saying, Flik?" Manny said.

"Oh you want part now?" Jason smirked as he chuckled.

"All right, we are going to build a bird a bird that we can operate from the inside, which would then be a bird that we can operate from the inside, which would then be-" Flik said as the plan was then showed to the Ant Council where Manny and the Circus bugs demonstrated.

"..hoisted above the anthill and hidden high in the tree. Then, right when Hopper and his gang are below, we'll launch the bird and scare off the grasshoppers!" Manny said as later Atta held a microphone and repeated what she said to the Ant colony.

"Now it's going to take everyone's involvement to make this plan a reality. I know it's not our tradition to do things differently, but if our ancestors were able to build this anthill, we can certainly rally together to build this bird!" Atta said as the Ants began cheering.

"So we got a plan, let's hope it works" Jason said.

"Yeah, Hopper and his crew are going to be a problem" Max said.

A.N. Please Review