A Miniaturization with Molly McGee

by birby6

When something goes awry, a thirteen year old with a ghost would never be on someone's emergency list. After an incident at school with a girl named Molly McGee, a younger girl named Nancy suddenly falls into one of the most drastic perspective changes of her life. Now at the size of a bug, only Molly and Scratch could potentially find a way to undo it...with situations to boot!

5. Chapter 5: Best Buds

The incident with both Molly and Nancy in the Ghost World provided the wake up call they needed. While Molly felt some eagerness as she started up the "MISSION Squad" again, she couldn't ignore the underlying anxiety that left a rather sour taste in her mouth. The two have clamped their mouths shut about the incident from such a devastation, and to know they became the crux of it brought out some rather foreboding terror. It even caught Scratch's attention because next to nothing brought Molly down a peg or two in mood. For the most part her joy and enthusiasm left her in high spirits throughout nearly everything, and yet the one incident cracked her. Nancy already maintained immeasurable amounts of sadness ever since she butted heads with Molly, and yet even she thought of someone like the overjoyed McGee as unbreakable when it came to her emotions. She still never forgave Molly after she procrastinated due to her attention span for others, because if she provided any toward the one struck most by her antics they likely would have obtained some progress toward…whatever happened to her. They learned that the accident in the cafeteria punished Nancy even more than just a simple reduction, and they made zero progress up to that point. Suffice to say, the "Mission Squad" whirred back to life in a rather shaky state.

Despite the rather dire setbacks, Molly put in the work during the next couple of days. Even though Libby carried the interests in literature, the head of the group dipped her toes throughout the pages as if she wanted to make amends from all of the time spent on nothing. Nancy expected her to just skim over the words since her usual eagerness left a few signs that she probably would do so, but in a surprising twist that ended up not the case. She combed through several books and never once left a single footnote unread. She started around the normal quarters of the library before she took a detour into the underground archives, which Nancy never knew existed. She lived in Brighton throughout her whole life and never once learned about such a secretive storage of knowledge until she saw it with her own eyes. As much as she disliked all of the dirtiness, especially all of the cobwebs and dust bunnies, she understood that since very few knew about the place the less likely anyone felt the need to clean everywhere. Libby also attended their constant treks into the archives since she understood most of what existed down there, although she still missed a few aisles that stuck in her mind to get to later. As much as Molly desired to group the rest of the group members together for research, because of their own jobs such an outcome never happened. Olivia masqueraded herself as Nancy and couldn't leave her post even for a brief moment, and Katrina…

The less Molly and Libby thought of Nancy's friend the better.

Despite their parts in the "MISSION Squad", Molly never actually informed them about the excursion in the Ghost World. She told Libby because of her vast knowledge on superstitions and supernatural theories, but nobody else outside of their inner circle knew about how the once overzealous tween almost took the Ghost World down as a giant saddened wraith. Even though Nancy insisted that Katrina might understand a thing or two due to her dark hobbies, she fell on deaf ears compared to Molly's priorities. The tiny girl seemed like the only one sane enough to hang around her to the point where she called her a close friend. She doubted Molly wanted to keep the incident a secret because Katrina wouldn't understand and more so because she truly desired to stay away from her creepy tendencies. If she wanted to form a friendship with her she probably would have done so by now, but the fact she never even attempted once painted a pretty bleak picture for Nancy. Molly's interests maintained priority over hers from what she saw, which Nancy speculated from the fact that she only told Libby and not the others. If she didn't keep an equilibrium with everyone else it made her out as someone of less impotence despite the naming of the "MISSION Squad". She found it quite ironic that the one person who called everyone a close friend singled out certain specifics on her blacklist.

She still heavily disliked her, and at times Nancy thought Molly deserved a steaming cup of burning hot coffee to wipe that grin off of her face.

They scanned over all of the historical pages and superstition records for any signs of something similar that related to the phenomenon Nancy went through, but while the archives contained riches between the lines they only displayed a finite amount of information. Even though Brighton may not have the most extensive backlog of content, one would call themselves foolish if they assumed no such cataloged information existed in a town in the middle of scenic nowhere. However, while the books offered a deep wealth of knowledge throughout their pages, in terms of strange occurrences similar to Nancy's…they came up empty. Throughout everything detailed in the lines, nothing came close to a description of the weirdness behind such a shrinkage. Not even Libby and her sleuthing practices determined even a small detail on could possibly relate to the tiny girl's problem. At one point even Scratch delved into books rapidly for even a slight clue, but always came up empty handed. For such a grand return to form for the group, Nancy's issue still remained unexplained.

With a series of days that went absolutely nowhere behind their backs, the group took some time off to wring their minds back to normal thinking. Their first couple of steps into what they stood for gained no traction and ended up right where they started. While some felt disappointment, for Molly it only incentivised her to try harder. As much as Nancy liked her enthusiasm to continue forward, she still heavily disliked her for starting all of the problems in the first place. She may have trusted her, but that meant nothing in terms of a potential friendship. One didn't simply fall head over heels for their captor overnight, at least to Nancy, and Molly still had a LONG way to go until the tiny girl called it. Out of everyone in the vicinity to possibly solve the case, she'd rely more on Libby than Molly. As much as she tried, she still failed to gain Nancy's good graces.

Their relaxation period continued as a certain motor home rolled into town, and while it didn't stand out too much, the family inside told a different story. They came out with droves of plants and flowers in their hands before they proceeded to set up shop. While their finished work didn't go through the night, it still took a few hours to finally place everything in their correct spots. However, everything came into place in the end. Before too long, the center of Brighton became decorated in long rows of beautiful flowers and plants while dozens of stands set around the premises. It almost seemed like a bustling marketplace on surface level, and not long after everything settled into place the townsfolk poured in. It seemed unreal to see such an environment take shape in the little town, and their eyes lit up at all of the stunning sights. Plants of all shapes and sizes took center stage to the point where anyone could find one that fit their personality. Dozens upon dozens of palettes dotted around the petals of each flower that captivated the ones walking by, and some even negotiated some well earned cash for their prized plant. Soon enough the whole town buzzed about all of the perfect botany surrounding the town central which brought more people into the mix. Gardens had nothing compared to what the citizens of Brighton saw in their midst from all of the greenery.

Of course when new events became known throughout the community, one joyous happy tween needed to witness them herself. The supernatural theorist and her family also set their sights on the botanical marketplace, and before long the friends joined up again. Scratch, despite his great disinterest in "green bland slates", tagged along and let the others perform most of the talking. Molly obviously kept Nancy snug in her pocket while she scanned every inch of the area and felt her eyes sparkle from all of the spectacular sights.

"How beautiful…and delicate!" Molly said as she got up close to some colorful orchids. "It almost seems criminal to ruin these precious flowers!"

Soon after the three girls picked up a rather loud slurping sound which caused them to immediately turn around. Their faces went flat pretty quickly once they saw the usual grumpy ghost chugging through a flower, complete with a proboscis formed mouth, as he sapped all of the honey out of it. He rather enjoyed himself and even buzzed like a honeybee until he noticed the intense stares of Molly and Libby aimed straight at him. Blatantly caught in the act, Scratch stared back in a rather guilty manner before he sluggishly sipped at the flower one more time.

"What? Can't a ghost enjoy sipping some honey in peace?"

"Not if it comes at the expense of beautiful flowers!" Molly replied.

Libby added her two cents to the mix.

"Ummm, he's technically sipping from a Bee Balm flower Molly. They tend to provide the best honey when it comes to flowers, soooooo…"

"Bee…what?" Scratch asked. "Well, whatever the case, I'm taking as much as I can. Just give me a few more minutes."

"At that rate, he'll most likely get sick from drinking too much of it…" Nancy thought.

Molly and Libby sighed deeply and left while Scratch enjoyed his sticky treat. Once he completely drained the flower he tossed it aside and went for another. Before he guzzled down the next Bee Balm, he quickly pulled out a piece of paper that listed all of the exotic foods he ate along with others he desired to eat in the future. Specifics included french baguettes, Japanese sushi, Italian noodles, and even Chinese moon cakes, although one description was heavily crossed out in pen. He pretty much learned the hard way that Fried Egg Jellyfish didn't fit in the same category, and he even wrote underneath all of the crossed out lines "NOT A DELICACY" so he wouldn't miss it. Just because the name seemed innocent enough…

He wiped his tongue a few times from the stark reminders.

Once he found one particular section of the list, he jotted down a single check mark right next to the words "Sweet Honey" before he sipped at the flower again. His ectoplasm fluctuated, but he paid no attention as he downed another flower.

As for the girls, they couldn't take their eyes off of the endless rows of botanical goodness. From large pitcher plants, rafflesias that punished anyone with noses, elegant roses with thorns everywhere, to even plentiful posies, Molly, Libby, and Nancy obtained their eyefuls as they browsed the greenery around them. Libby in particular took an interest in one distinct plant, but before she read its description it spewed a barrage of seeds that bopped her right in the face. She fell to the floor rather harmlessly but still had some excess seeds stuck to her face as she got back on her feet. As Molly helped her friend back up they finally learned what type of plant they came across, and once they read its inscription the girls' expressions went flat.

Stickemup Jerkweed

Fires its seeds at anything that moves, especially dimwits. If you're reading this you were likely just attacked.

They made sure to never walk across another.

Eventually the girls settled near several bouquets of exotic sunflowers that nearly reached their full heights. Whatever fertilizer the particular family poured across the soil performed splendidly, and the three definitely saw the results. Molly couldn't take her eyes off of the bright yellow petals as the sunshine hit the plants just right.

"I love how stunning and happy these flowers look! I can see how they can enhappify anyone who comes across them…like me!" Molly said as she expressed one of her trademark infectious smiles.

Libby giggled.

"Heheheheh, yeah. I can totally see you as a bright sunflower. Maybe I'm more of a…turtlenip type?"

"I'm pretty sure…that doesn't exist…" Nancy said from Molly's pocket.

Libby angled her sight down at the shrunken girl for a second.

"Hey, you never know!" Libby answered. "We live in a big world after all, and once I learned that ghosts exist I basically concluded that anything-"

She never finished her sentence when her eyes slightly turned to the side and almost immediately something caught her attention. Her pupils contracted as she reeled back and loudly gasped straight ahead, which took the other two girls by surprise. They too followed her line of sight and figured out almost instantly what her eyes caught, which, since they knew Libby's interests, didn't surprise them once the visuals hit. While it set in a rather average sized clay pot, the plant itself maintained multiple qualities that captivated the girl in more ways than one. The green foliage bundled up rather tightly to the thin stems that held all of the leaves in place, and yet the appearance of the round greens pretty much fit Libby perfectly. Dozens of dark teardrop spots and long light green craggy lines ran across the leaves in a display similar to a certain aquatic reptile, which seemed like something straight out of a fantasy novel for the three girls. Lots of long stems hung over the rims of the pot and dipped down toward the ground like vines, and each one showed many of the appealing leaves. Some even stayed hidden underneath entire coats of them, and yet they more so delighted Libby even more. It basically screamed for the girl's attention as if reality specifically crafted a plant for her interests, and the girl herself answered the call.

Libby almost couldn't find the words to describe how she felt.

"Nuh…nuhnuhnuhnuhnuh…nuhnuhnuh… No…no…NO WAY!"

As if on instinct she zipped right up to the plant and nearly got up close to its attractive leaves. Her attitude took Molly and Nancy by surprise, but they still followed close behind as Libby touched every single available leaves her eyes scanned over. She acted like a kid in a candy store in an instant, and her fingers couldn't let go of such splendor. She clearly wouldn't pass through a museum with a no touching policy at her current rate.

Her mind went wild with such amazement.

"I've only heard about these from nature magazines, and yet here I am… It actually exists! A String of Turtles…only seen in rain forests. So beautiful…with the perfect patterns! I NEED IT!"

She firmly grasped the pot from below and refused to let go for anything, which creeped Molly and Nancy out a bit. Usually Molly acted like the crazy one who fell head over heels for anything within her interests, and yet it seemed like Libby completely swapped personalities with her. Her eyes twitched, her grin stayed crooked, and her hair frizzled all over the place as if she placed her soul into the object. They knew Libby had a thing for turtles, and yet a plant surely looked the part and enamored her in every single aspect. It almost unnerved them in a sense to possibly pry her away from it, and yet they needed to get a move on before everything else sold out. Libby found a soulmate…in a green inanimate plant.

"Uhhhh, Libby?" Molly asked. "You sure you have the money for-"

Libby instantly leered back at her in a cheesy fashion and hissed as if the sunlight burned her skin. She inadvertently spit in Molly's face as she firmly clasped the pot like her life depended on it.

"DO NOT SEPARATE ME FROM MY PRECIOUS PLANT! WE SHALL PLANT THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS AND REAP THE REWARDS OF SOCIETY! PARADISE AWAITS…ONCE I FIND THE CASHIER!"

Before Molly or Nancy could speak further, Libby hoisted up the String of Turtles and rushed off to find where she could pay for such a marvel. The two almost stood dumbfounded at what they just witnessed, but shook it off a short time later. She found her moment of excessive eagerness and they more the less knew not to mess with such emotions. Molly essentially felt it on a daily basis after all.

"Ummmm, we should probably…let her have that moment." Nancy stated with slightly wider eyes.

"Agreed." Molly added. "Even besties need their time alone. Besides…now we can have a moment together! We still need to strengthen our relationship between big girl and tiny girl after all! Come on, you feel it too right?"

Nancy held back the urge to deeply groan and rolled herself up instead for comfort.

"I'll never forget the time we first met…and yet I'm still trying." Nancy thought before she replied back. "You…really consider this necessary? I mean…we already go around together daily."

"Yeah, but not just the two of us!" Molly replied. "With Scratch and Libby off on their own for once, well, we can finally have that Molly and Nancy girl to girl activities together!"

Molly briefly paused as she stared off into space for a moment. She then started to lowly hop up and down which told Nancy she thought about another possible "Molly Moment".

"Oh. My. Gosh. I never thought this moment would come this soon! Shoot, I really should have followed that fortune cookie about a wealthy foreseeable future! That list… Darn it! Left that back at home! Don't waste this moment Molly, THINK OF SOMETHING! Okay, okay. Calm down a bit. Just come up with something simple for your shrunken friend and not blow everything out of proportion! Don't overthink things… DON'T OVERTHINK THINGS MOLLY. A simple game of Hangman? Nonononono! Uhhhh, how about-AAAAUGH, TOO COMPLICATED! Nancy might… How about…"

Molly's mind raced for something to do between the two of them, which always circled back to one particular topic and left her in an endless loop of back and forth to herself. Conclusions became a hit or miss when it came to her train of thought, and usually her enthusiasm left an invisible third option that resulted in pandemonium. If all went well she probably had some crazy scheme in the back of her mind that required some thorough searching before the wheels halted, and Nancy held on for the ride. She understood why Libby came up with more of the well thought out ideas over Molly's outrageous plans, and her living example loomed over her like she set her thinking cap too tight. While she almost never let her own ideas loose, for the most part others prioritized their ideals over hers anyway. Nancy wouldn't become the next Einstein anytime soon, but at least she never fell to the same bar that Molly stayed around…at least in her eyes.

Molly got so caught up in her own scattered thoughts that she never noticed a certain plant pass by her until it literally came flying at her face. Libby didn't become the only one of the group have seeds pelted at her, as a particular customer walked by with the plant which instantly shot at anyone within the vicinity. He wore a study helmet over his head for a reason, and yet multiple people fell to the ground from all of the shot seeds. The young tween unfortunately became one of its next victims, and before she even knew what hit her her body swerved backward until she hit the ground, which sent Nancy airborne. The shrunken girl blamed her interest in all of the flowers around her and the desire for a closer look for the reason she hung around near the lip of Molly's pocket, which bit her back as if someone just launched her out of a cannon. She sailed through the air and managed to briefly scream before she landed in some kind of heap. It took her a moment to get back up, but she didn't get hurt in the impact. Even when alone with her tiny friend, Molly couldn't go two steps without something happening which Nancy still hadn't gotten used to despite the months with her.

It confused her at first to figure out where she landed, as the only major trait she picked up on was the endless meadows of yellow balls that stuck across her body. She never fancied a ball pit before, and yet she found herself somewhere similar to one. The balls though stuck to her and required some hard tugs to pull off, and she particularly hated the ones that entangled into her long brown hair. They lacked weight for the most part at least, but it still didn't help the fact that they stuck to her like someone smothered them in some kind of adhesive. To add to the complications, her nose watered like crazy which caused some large sneezing fits. She already wanted out of wherever she ended up, and yet the yellow balls made sure she couldn't move too much. Her arms and legs barely became visible underneath all of the sticky orbs, and the sheer amount of them weighed her down despite their weightlessness individually. She would have called out for Molly if in an isolated area, but because of the bustling marketplace she couldn't let the public know about her tiny presence. In the end, she found herself somewhere out of her control, and she became the useless damsel in distress yet again.

She really wished she could act on her own again, and yet her shrunken size shackled her to her helpless fate.

As for Molly, she, along with the others stricken by the shot seeds, got back on their feet and surveyed the damage. Once they found out that nothing terrible happened, they went back to their regular schedules and browsed all of the flowers on display. However, the one outlier of the incident scanned for something else that nobody else should know about other than the ones closest to her.

She made sure nobody had their eyes on her before she glanced down toward her pocket.

"Hey Nancy. You okay?"

Her heart lodged in her throat soon after. She dug through the empty space, but her fingers felt nothing that hinted towards the tiny eleven year old's existence. As much of a tiring task it felt to always watch over the one smaller than everything, she made a promise in the end. She knew Nancy likely felt tired and annoyed that the same scenario happened over and over, but she maintained no such control over everything that desired her speck of a body. Hopefully over time her butterfingers toughened up so she wouldn't lose Nancy constantly, but for now she worked with what she had. She kept somewhat of a leveled head after the previous incidents, but she still worried for Nancy's life. The "MISSION Squad" maintained a decent time after all, and failure never stood out as an option.

At first Molly took a couple of deep breaths to calm down before she examined the ground and area around her. Once she found the all clear she made certain baby steps just in case while she gazed over the stands close by. If Nancy landed anywhere nearby it seemed logical to look there in her search, and it would have continued if Molly's type of attention span never felt like a trapeze act at a circus. The instant she started across the rope, she collapsed and fell off as something struck her nose. As if something straight out of an old cartoon, Molly's eyes went lopsided while she walked toward the source. Eventually, she arrived at another stall which hosted dozens of bouquets that her sense of smell couldn't get enough of. From elegant roses to pretty posies, they served a delight of scents and provided Molly a near endless supply. The satisfaction and relief poured all over Molly's face as she stuck her head in a few and allowed her nose to smell them out for her. While she came across dozens of flower fields in her travels until she settled in Brighton, none provided such rainbows and palettes across the board for the young tween. She learned in school that the sense of smell functioned very similarly to the sense of taste, enough to the point where if one of them went inactive the other usually followed. Under that same relation, Molly definitely felt like a glutton at a buffet.

She ran her nose across all of the flowers she could.

"Ahhhhh, so refreshing…" Molly said. "Who knew such flowers…soothe the soul…"

Her relaxation cranked up a few notches, but she kept at it. She never actually had the chance to fully embrace such botany before, and after today she kept the idea in the back of her head. She thoroughly kicked her sense into overdrive as she identified multiple flowers by smell alone, and she eventually reached a bouquet of white posies near the back. Normally such a decision carried no such harm, as it seemed innocent enough on the surface. Molly would never hurt a fly after all, and her curiosity left her to experiment further.

…except if a particular tiny girl never landed there in the first place.

As Nancy attempted to pry herself free from all of the yellow balls, which included some more excessive sneezing, she never noticed another presence until the lights almost went out from above her. Her attention set on some yellow balls stuck in her hair when a dark shadow cast over her, and when she glanced up she figured out why. The wheels in her head turned and she figured out where she ended up soon after. Once she concluded on the facts, she hastily attempted to stand up and shouted at the behemoth of a girl for attention. She wanted to stay out of another unintended situation by all means necessary.

"Molly! I'm down here! Please look down! I'm right here!"

The yellow back weighed her arms and legs down which prevented movement, which likely wouldn't have helped much but any extra effort counted for survival. Despite Nancy's yelling though, Molly seemed to stay entranced by all of the fumes of the flowers around her. In fact, her next target set on a few posies…where one of them housed the shrunken girl.

"Mmmmmmm, these must smell really good."

Nancy watched in horror as Molly lowered her head down and brought her nose closer to the flower Nancy stayed stuck on. The yellow balls left Nancy in a crowded heap while Molly's unaware face loomed over her like another planet on a collision course. Her massive face stayed above her while Nancy struggled, but before long the inevitable happened. Molly set her nose right above and strongly sniffed the exquisite smell of the posie below, which kicked up an incredibly strong gust of wind that sent yellow balls upward. Entire clumps disappeared into the depths of Molly's nostrils, and the sheer strength of her inhale started to lift Nancy from the ground. It seemed like Nancy just waltzed right into a hurricane, one started by an innocent gigantic thirteen year old girl, and she barely clung to the ground from the balls. Eventually though, even the yellow balls faltered as the winds slowly lifted Nancy into the air.

"Molly, please! Don't do this! I'm right here! PLEASE DON'T!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as the yellow balls finally failed to keep her grounded. Countless balls flew into the void and took Nancy with them.

"MOLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

The shrunken girl vanished through one of Molly's nostrils as the titanic one gave one final strong sniff. She never knew she inadvertently caught the one she promised to protect in the crossfire, and her inconsistent attention span left her completely obvious.

"So pleasant… Such a sweet aroma… I might have to buy these for myself!"

Nancy watched as the light disappeared and hundreds of large nose hairs smacked against her nonstop. The winds remained viscous and sent her whirling like a rag doll against her will. Constant thwacks again nose hair and mucus left the tiny girl screaming for help as her body went in deeper into Molly's nasal cavity. Eventually all visuals ceased to the pitch black while Nancy stayed completely helpless against everything that left an impact against her. From her back, head, legs, and arms all of them suffered at least one major hit that Nancy felt throb soon after. Of course she couldn't see her status, but at the time she didn't need to. She fell into a deadly twister of pain and snot as Molly literally sniffed her up into the dark caverns of her nose.

After what seemed like forever, Nancy finally smacked one more time against something hard and flabby that finally stopped her in her tracks. The winds continued to blow past her, but whatever set against her back kept her in place for some kind of safety net, and her relief knew no bounds. She finally found a moment to breathe and relax before she tried to think of a way out, but the pitch black darkness didn't help. The fact that she saw absolutely nothing brought out some underlying nervousness as she had no idea how deep she flew inside Molly's nose. Some excess mucus splatted against her face which completely grossed her out, and even though the winds died down to a point one wrong step possibly meant she wouldn't see the light of day again. At least no such frigid temperatures wafted through the air, and yet the constant flow of Molly's breathing alleviated some of the intense worry. When she got a moment to calm down, the breezes gently flowed through her hair like a slow day throughout endless greens. She never realized just how relaxing Molly's slow breathing provided while she stayed stuck against one of her nose hairs. It almost seemed like a warm afternoon breeze, and while she appreciated the relaxation, she still needed to find a way out and fast. She didn't want to become an everlasting booger inside the nose of Molly McGee.

On the outside, Molly's remained completely unaware that she accidentally inhaled Nancy through her nostrils, and due to her attention span she required a couple of seconds to completely bring herself back to reality. She sniffed a few more flowers close by, which brought in more strong winds for Nancy to endure, and enjoyed every single scent.

"I never knew botany maintained such quality standards!" Molly said happily. "I'll definitely make note of some flowers later just in case. Now then… Wait a minute. What exactly did I have on my mind before? I think it carried some importance… Errrgh, WHAT WAS IT?"

She clenched her teeth and hit her forehead a couple of times for some type of spark, but it never came. She then muttered some incoherent nonsense as the wires failed to connect, but before long someone else took notice of the young tween…to her millions of online fans. Out of everyone to possibly waltz around in their free time admiring flora from all over the country, the snobby rich girl kept a rather decent chance. After all, a good public image provided a healthy relationship for everyone around them, especially during live streams.

For Andrea Davenport, it became necessary from every possible angle.

"…which I wholeheartedly adore from the bottom of my heart. Thanks to all of you for believing in me, as I wouldn't keep these going without your support! I shine brighter than any beautiful flower on the planet, and I wouldn't miss a single rose for-"

Andrea perked up a little more once she caught sight of the infamous joyful tween of Brighton. As if on instinct, she instantly zipped up to her and put on one of her popular smiles her online audience loved so much.

"Well, well, well! Looks like someone here ordered a wedding cake in need of a crushing! How quaint!"

The chat on her phone went wild with cake emojis and remarks about how the infamous "Cake Crasher" presented herself to Andrea. Her remark stirred Molly out of the stalemate in her head, but brought her attention over to the popular live streamer.

"That name completely phased out, Andrea." Molly replied. "That happened ages ago!"

Andrea gazed at her like Molly lost a million brain cells.

"Oh, you never phased out in the slightest, Cake Crasher Molly. It takes only one viral touch to become forever known under a certain moniker, and you've made SO MANY fans over the world wide web. The internet doesn't forget after all!"

Andrea then immediately turned to face her phone camera that live streamed to thousands.

"Hear that FAndreas? She still doesn't understand how popularity works! Granted, she hasn't gotten accustomed to fandoms yet like I do, but because I'm close friends with her I'll give her some of the limelight. How about it? Show how much the Cake Crasher means to you!"

Almost instantly, the chat flooded with tons of positive reception towards the girl who drenched a younger girl in cake frosting. At first it started as nothing more but positive words, but as the sentences rolled down more positives appeared. Fan pictures and drawings of the incident poured in followed by some fan fictions that seemed written by amateurs, but the thoughts always counted over quality in Molly's eyes. Some even described her as a girl so massive her head hit the clouds, and any who made a cake incorrectly suffered a large stomping session from her pink and yellow sneakers. The most touching though came as some type of superhero who always makes sure a cake is one hundred percent safe for consumption, complete with complementary drawing of Molly's supposed alter ego heroine. It almost shocked the young girl to see so much support her way and the positive vibes that surrounded it, which made her a bit warm inside. She always desired to make he world a happy and joyous place, and while she only managed to accomplish such a task in Brighton, Andrea's chat showed that she reached far beyond just a small town. Molly became not just a hero of Brighton, but the world.

Molly couldn't take her eyes off of the waves of support provided by Andrea's fans.

"I…I don't know what to say…" Molly said rather sluggishly in astonishment. "I never knew…all this time…"

"Yeah, I understand." Andrea said. "I pretty much felt the exact same way when I suddenly surged in popularity. Finding yourself starstruck for the first time comes and goes as it pleases. Friends help each other out, especially for someone with an ire for pastries! You really embarrassed that one girl good…and my fans can't get enough of it!"

The live stream chat became flooded with oblivious fans in support of their favorite online presence, but for Molly the last sentence she heard served as a chilling wake up call. While she may have gained endless popularity from her stunt, it came at the expense of a certain individual. On paper it sounded like a harmless act with no consequences afterward, but she knew the full story…and the horrendous aftermath. Nobody other than her, Scratch, Libby, Katrina, Olivia, and the affected one Nancy understood all of the terrible occurrences after the situation in the cafeteria, which left others to fill in the blanks themselves. The scenario they concluded on couldn't have strayed further from the truth, and it punched a hole in Molly's heart. While a hero on the outside, she really carried a status of anti hero on the inside.

"Errrm, uhhhhh…" Molly stuttered as she bit her lip. "She…actually has a name, you know. Maybe you should let off the intense hate just a-"

Andrea's phone went off before the tween finished. The rich and snobby girl immediately turned towards her phone and grinned once she saw certain words cross the screen. While she already had tons of money in the back she still maintained a common donation box that came with every live streamer, and one distinct donation caught her eye along with the comment below.

$5.00 donated by IonizedOverAndrea: Take a picture with the Cake Crasher please!

Andrea couldn't agree more. Two internet icons next to each other already shot numbers through the roof, but she needed to seal the deal.

"Well, I can't deny words like that! Thank you for the extravagant idea!"

Almost immediately after she shot a rather serious glance at Molly. It took a moment for Molly to read out the donation herself, and while she appreciated her status in the presence of Andrea's fans something in the back of her head nagged at her for attention. She swore she thought of something else in mind and the importance around it, but she didn't want to ignore Andrea. After she called her out as a close friend in the past they've stayed somewhat close, and any opportunity to strengthen their friendship spoke Molly's language. No friend deserved ignorance after all.

"Well, I can't say no to an offer like that."

"Yay! Thank you Cake Crasher Molly!" Andrea said as she zipped up and took a stylish position.

The rich Davenport smiled cutely to the camera while Molly expressed one of her signature smiles. The chat kept spiraling into complete amazement at two such amazing internet icons together for one quick memory, which included some that didn't want the moment to end. One certain user tried to explain their superiority in intellect midst all of the text, but one of the moderators banned them very quickly…which resulted in more crazy text. Something about "the scouts will get it" followed before another moderator issued a ban, and soon after everything went back to normal idol Andrea chat. Everything seemed too good as the pieces set into place, and it only required one quick snap of the phone's camera for internet history between two idols.

…but not for one on the inside.

Nancy heard some muttering from the outside, including Molly's overzealous tone, but she couldn't figure out anything else. Even so, her focus centralized on a possible escape route. The caverns of Molly's nasal passage blew a nice warm air across her body, and everything else remained completely black. She made her wild guess and estimated that she managed to take hold of one of Molly's gigantic nose hairs for a temporary safe zone. Any possible exit method raced through her head, and after a few minutes…she found one. In all of her panic she completely skipped the one obvious reflex one's nose used when something hazardous entered the nostrils. In a certain way it surprised her that it never triggered when Molly inadvertently sucked her inside, but it served as a ticket out nonetheless. However, the fact it didn't happen gave Nancy the impression that she shrunk to such a tiny size that not even Molly's body knew what had occurred. In that case, she likely needed to put in some extra effort to trigger such a reaction.

She just hoped Molly wouldn't chastise her in the end.

Her options for a potential upset stayed somewhat limited, especially since the darkness left her current area under assumptions, but if all went well she only required very little for the final result. She started somewhat simple with a few pushes against the nose hair in the back, but nothing happened. One push later and still no dice, which finally got Nancy to plant her feet against the ground…in Molly's nose. Molly's breath through the nasal passage pushed her ever so slightly, but she managed for the most part. Once she brought her feet down, she pushed at the nose hair again and dug her feet down, which actually slightly shook the whole area around her. At that point, she knew she struck survival gold.

"Please don't…attack me for this Molly." Nancy stuttered.

She bashed at the hair again and dug her feet, which caused more rumbling and some mucus to drip down by her feet. The more she moved around the more the inner caverns of Molly nose upset in Nancy's favor. She got covered in head to toe in Molly's snot, but getting down and dirty became a much better fate than staying stuck for all eternity. Nancy carefully walked around and moved even more of Molly's nose hairs around, and as the inner nasal cavities shook the winds slowly picked up in speed. As they grew in power, Nancy fell back on one nose hair so she wouldn't find herself blown backwards, but she still continued to move and touch every inch for a possible gust forward.

"Come on Molly… Just one…quick…blast…" Nancy muttered as she shook the hair behind her.

As for the effects of her meddling, the signs outside indicated a certain success. As the two girls agreed to seal their friendship with a picture, some slight irritations tickled Molly. She thought nothing about it at first, but as the seconds passed her nose started to twitch. She kept up her smile for the most part, but then the annoyances slowly manifested more and more to the point where hiding them only made it worse. Her teeth clenched underneath her smile as Andrea moved in for the final touches, and by that point her irritated nose became impossible to miss.

As for the one on the inside, Molly's breathing picked up the pace and nearly blew her back. She knew the giant one on the outside started to pick up steam, so she firmly grasped the one swaying nose hair behind her and prepared for takeoff. As much as she felt iffy about roller coasters and rocket launch rides, it became pretty much required to escape the bind she found herself in. She couldn't have found a better time to hold Molly's nose hair either, as right as her fingers dug into the strand a large gust blew Nancy back and bent the hair backward until she dangled over a bottomless pit, or at least the lack of some sort of ground underneath her said. She yelped and held on for dear life, but because snot covered the hair she slowly started to lose her grip over time. She knew where the pit underneath headed, and it Molly didn't act immediately she would accidentally have Nancy for a snack. Her heart raced, and yet she could do nothing but hold on for as long as possible. Everything relied on Molly and her timing.

"Molly, please. MOLLY, PLEASE!" Nancy shouted as her fingers slipped one by one.

Her lost more of her grip as Andrea fired up her camera for a snapshot from the outside. Molly's nose flared up even more to the point where she couldn't take anymore. Her eyes winced as the pressure came forth.

"Ahhhh… Ahhhhhhhh... Ahhhhhhh…"

Nancy's fingers slipped one by one as Molly's voice echoed around her.

"Ahhhh… AHHHHHH…"

Andrea hovered a finger over the snapshot button while she stuck near Molly and smiled for the camera.

"AHHHH… AHHHHHHH…"

Nancy completely lost her grip of the hair and tumbled down toward the chasm of Molly's esophagus, which caused her to scream.

"CHOOOOOOOOO!"

…then instantly rocketed upward until light hit her eyes and snot flew everywhere. Molly unleashed one crazy sneeze right as the camera flashed which also caught Andrea in the crossfire. It left a rather humorous image in the end, but it also covered Andrea in excess mucus. The shrunken girl sailed straight out of Molly's mouth and lasted only a split second from the sheer speed until she smacked right onto another surface. Her unintended escapade left her covered in head to toe in Molly's snot and saliva, and she required a few seconds to wipe some of it off for clear visibility. She required an extra firm scrubbing when Molly inevitably goes back home with her, but at least she managed to escape Molly's body.

…again.

As for the two giant girls around her, Molly wiped her nose a little for some satisfaction after her sneeze while Andrea…didn't exactly take the action too lightly. Her deadly gaze aimed straight at Molly as if she upset the balance of the universe, and her fury grew exponentially underneath the facade of a simple frown.

"You…you…are so GROSS!" Andrea exclaimed as she vigorously wiped some mucus off of her shirt.

The chat on her phone combusted as if a bomb went off and instantly mountains of text flooded the stream from all angles. Every time a simple "bless you" showed up truckloads of other words from "SOMEONE CLIP THAT", "OH MY GOD", and "HAHAHAHAH" appeared quickly after like a piranha infested feeding frenzy. It went by so quickly that it became almost impossible to read every single statement, and it likely would have stayed that way if the situation never slowed down. They seemed to have gotten the message once Andrea furiously leered at Molly like she had a death wish and slowed down their typing. The unexpected proved greatly pleasurable for all of her viewers, whether she wanted it or not.

Molly tried to alleviate some of the stress brought by her action.

"Oh my gosh! I'm SOOOOOOO sorry Andrea! I didn't mean to because, you know, when you have to, uhhhhhhhh, clear your sinuses…"

She nearly choked on her own words once they came up short. When it came to "supportive words on the spot" she usually trailed at the end of the path. Scratch remarked on multiple occasions that someone always had her listed at the bottom when another mentioned improv, and it showed when situations called for something similar. Her mind lacked some instant maturity, and nobody could blame her due to her age. Over time she got through to others, but on the spot she still required some extra skills.

Andrea pinched her forehead angrily before she got back to her chat and put on a smile.

"I'll have to cut this short. I have to take a VERY long shower just to rub this out. Until then, SEE YOU LATER FANDREAS!"

With that said and the chat still rolling, Andrea shut the stream down then quickly went to her photo storage and deleted the ruined picture. After the unexpected activity brought upon by Molly, her patience wore rather thin. Molly prepared for the worst either way.

"You…are SOOOOOO darn lucky that I consider you a close friend." Andrea stated with fire in her eyes. "If anyone else went for that specific stunt on one of my live streams, hoohoohoo, they just poked a large grizzly bear."

"Well, heheheheh, at least it, ummmmm, only lasted a brief moment, right?" Molly said rather tepidly as nervousness crept in.

It likely wouldn't have escalated further between the two of them if a certain shrunken girl never set foot into the mix. She required a few extra minutes to clear her eyes from all of the mucus, and once her eyes kicked back up into gear she finally realized where she landed. Molly's sneeze shot her out pretty quickly, but something else seemed to have caught her mid flight. She only required a single glance of some light light clear blue until the one spark lit up in her head. If Molly aimed a few degrees off target Nancy likely would have sailed far beyond where she actually ended up, which became both a blessing and a curse. While she never flew millions of yards away, she easily preferred a better landing space…over Andrea's long clear hair.

The intense stickiness left behind from inside Molly nose kept her firm on one long strand of Andrea's hair, but even then she slowly started to lightly slide down over time. She gripped the strand nonetheless while he held on for dear life as Andrea turned her head over and over, which made her a little sick from the motions. Because she found herself in Andrea's hair from behind, she couldn't see anything up front as her hearing performed the heavy duty work. At least her minuscule size meant nobody likely saw her unless they focused hard on one particular spot…which also included Molly. She needed to get her attention while alerting nobody else of her presence, but such an outcome set a rather perilous road ahead.

"More like a moment of utter humiliation!" Andrea said. "Cover your dang mouth next time! I think I still have your gross snot in my hair!"

Andrea's hair swayed as she turned to the side, which gave Nancy a very jerky ride. She held on for dear life despite such a minute turn, and she even shut her eyes for a moment just so she wouldn't scream. For once the smoothness actually backfired and left Nancy with less grip to work with. Andrea's cleanliness for the cameras brought terrible circumstances for the one stuck among her very long strands, and it soon became worse. As Nancy slowly slid down the one hair strand she grasped for her life, her heart nearly sank once she glanced up after a shadow cast on her. Andrea's titanic fingers took hold of a dozen or so strands and seemingly smoothed or wrung them out of anything Molly might have covered them with, and they headed straight for the tiny speck. Nancy barely had enough to pivot closer to the opposite side as Andrea's teal fingernails came within mere inches, from Nancy's perspective, of the tiny girl's body. Andrea didn't just perform such a motion once though, for she straightened them out a few more times and always missed Nancy. While the shrunken girl felt glad that Andrea never grasped the one hair she stuck to, she lacked appreciation toward all of the grotesque visuals the giant popular girl's fingers gave when they got up close. Andrea would definitely sing a different tune if she learned just how horrific everything appeared when miniaturized, including her own dazzling body. The huge beauty queen left a diminished girl literally hanging by a thread…or hair.

Nancy refused to look down while the other two girls still conversed with each other. While Molly tried to apologize again and again for her misdeed, especially since it went against her happy attitude, she only needed one slight turn from Andrea for something else to snag her attention. Ever since she took Nancy in after the freak accident, Molly pretty much needed to train her eyesight so she could keep an eye on her at all times. She ate dozens of carrots for a week straight one time, even though Scratch insisted that such a superstition maintained a false caliber, and continuously went to Brighton's only eye examiner, which drove her nuts until she issued a soft ban against her. Combined with the fact that she desired to wear a pair of glasses with lenses the size of footballs, eventually she stopped so nobody else would get driven into insanity. Even after all of the prep work, the end resulted in negligible changes even though she stated multiple time that she swore her eyesight improved. Still, it seemed she became more attentive of her surroundings in very specific circumstances, which seemed to have come into effect during the moment. Even as Andrea moved side to side Molly barely distinguished a very tiny speck in the popular girl's long hair. Once she cranked up the focus by a little bit, Molly gasped as her pupils shrank. Suddenly all of the details came together and formed the picture she completely missed out on. Nancy worriedly glanced back at the stunned girl, and both of them knew what needed to be done next. Andrea wouldn't like it, but they had no other choice.

"Molly! Earth to Molly! Get your head out of the clouds!"

Andrea's words brought Molly out of her brief out of body experience. Her mind became so screwed up over the last few moments, from sneezing Nancy out to finding her in Andrea's hair, that she fumbled through several incomplete ideas for some type of rescue plan. She lacked the same brainstorming power of her best friend Libby, so she scrambled as Andrea still didn't get her answer.

"Okay, I think I get the message." Andrea said. "If you need me, the shower calls for its warming embrace. I can't walk around in public after YOUR stupid stunt."

She then turned her back against Molly, where Nancy held on for dear life entwined in her hair, but right before she could make her leave…"

"Wait! I, uhhhh, still need something!"

Her words did the trick, as Andrea halted rather quickly and brought her attention back to Molly. This inadvertently left Nancy on another large ride as Andrea faced the young tween.

"Really?" Andrea said. "I don't have time and need to clean myself ASAP. What could you possibly want at this time?"

Molly's brain went into overdrive for some kind of excuse, and at times it felt like she really squeezed for a single drop of inspiration. She rubbed the sides of her head and mumbled a bit until she found a rather decent idea.

"I, ummmm, demand, errrrrr, a photo do over!"

Andrea's eyes shot daggers in her direction.

"Reeeeaaaally?" Andrea asked rather flamboyantly. "You, out of everyone in Brighton not named me, care about your image? The last I checked you cared about what's on the inside. Do I need to bring up the one time you tried to become friends with those monkeys at the Brighton Zoo?"

Molly's mood dipped a little.

"Hey, I can't limit friends to just people, you know! They looked like they wanted open hugs!"

"…and yet you just waltzed up close and agitated them. Combined with that ash tray nearby…"

"Okay, okay, I get it! How was I supposed to know that their droppings were flammable?!"

"Molly, they sent multiple people to the doctor after they tossed-"

"I know, I know! They were treated for turd debris burns! Cut me some slack here!"

Andrea's eyes narrowed as she stared at the nervous Molly. Her reputation as a very terrible liar came back to bite her in more ways than one. From a bad outfit complete with blue shaggy hair to stress hives all across her arm, she typically gave herself up the moment a question passed over to her. Scratch gave it to her at one point for keeping Nancy a secret for months at that point, but for the most part that became an exception since nobody asked about such a set of circumstances. Olivia performed her role and nobody suspected anything, while alleviated tons of stress off of Molly's shoulders. Even so, she still couldn't keep her mouth shut for the most part when it came to holding secrets, but she tried her hardest. No such "white lies" left her lips for the most part, and when they did…it strained her out for the most part.

Andrea then pulled back and lightly smiled.

"…I like the way you think. I'm still super popular anyway, and one silly mistake won't ruin my reputation at all. You helped me in the past after all, so I can at least give you this one solid…as a close friend."

Molly let off a large breath as the relief poured all over her.

"Phew! Thanks Andrea! I won't mess up this time! I promise!"

"I know you won't." Andrea answered as she smiled.

Because it seemed as if she got the point, Andrea brought her phone back out and booted it up. She scrolled through the apps until the camera icon showed up, which she tapped to activate it. Molly walked into position as Andrea brought her arm forward for the best angle, and as it happened Nancy still held on for dear life in Andrea's hair. Because she landed in the back, the camera never noticed her which Molly took advantage of to possibly reach for her. As Andrea set the countdown on her phone, Molly slowly moved her right hand behind her which she played up a friendly facade up front. She smiled for a perfect phone while she carefully wriggled her fingers everywhere behind Andrea for a small feel of the shrunken girl. As for Nancy, she couldn't see anything up front but still heard everything between Molly and Andrea. Even though she should have expected something coming, she still bound herself tightly once the huge digits prodded around for her. If she moved too much she risked a potential fall, and if Molly didn't tread carefully she could alert Andrea especially if she accidentally tugged on her hair. Both sides stayed cautious for their rather convoluted rescue attempt.

Nancy took some deep breaths as she witnessed Molly's gigantic fingers move closer and closer to her worried self. The unease around all of the different visuals while small still never completely left yet. Still, they came to get her out of her trouble, so she tried her hardest to reach for one of Molly's huge fingers without too much movement. Her arms extended pretty far, but that basically equaled next to nothing due to her small height, which left Molly as the one with the heavy duty work. Nancy made sure not to scream despite the visuals, for Molly came to get her out after all, but as her gigantic index loomed toward the tiny girl Nancy's cheeks puffed. She held back so much screaming once a massive wall of skin lightly prodded against her speck of a body followed by a hard bop from Molly's gigantic fingernail. At first the signs set in the background, but once Nancy witnessed the index and thumb as they slowly circled around her she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. The digits slowly came in closer and closer until they touched her again, which basically meant her entire body, then prodded at her for a few seconds. Soon after the thumb came up from behind as the two fingers carefully pinched the tiny speck of a girl between two large walls of skin. Once she felt like Molly caught her enough, Nancy let go of Andrea's hair as the two massive fingers cautiously lifted her away from her snagged imprisonment. Despite all of the factors against them, it seemed with Molly's help Nancy escaped another accidental location in one piece.

For such a sluggish state of circumstances that happened behind the scenes, on surface level everything occurred perfectly fine. Andrea set the countdown on her phone and after a few seconds both her and Molly showed up all happy and glad within the borders of the device. Once Andrea made extra sure the picture remained clear of all obstacles, she gave the all clear while Molly kept a tightly bound Nancy safe between two fingers behind her back.

"Ooh, this looks REALLY nice!" Andrea said with slight glee. "I'm absolutely fabulous as always! Oh, and you look well too."

Molly smiled.

"Thanks Andrea! I had to make it up to you after all. Soooooo…we good now?"

"Yup! Absolutely." Andrea replied. "I…may have acted a bit harsh on stream initially, but I'll just call that a knee jerk reaction and end it there. Thankfully, I'm popular enough to recover from slight mishaps. Because my audience really adores your Cake Crasher presence…I'll keep in touch for a possible collab."

Molly perked up more than usual while Nancy struggled between Molly's fingers from behind.

"Wow! Uhhhh, really? I mean, after what I just did?"

"That's all in the past Molly. My audience knows an unintended mistake when it happens." Andrea replied. "Still, I have to take an intense shower despite the near flawless picture. We'll talk later, okay?"

"You got it." Molly answered while she cutely winked in her direction.

Andrea adorably winked back at the tween then hastily made her leave. A couple of patrons glanced at the two girls for a moment before they went back to their own duties, but thankfully none of them noticed the one small dot between Molly's fingertips behind her back. Once the matter sorted out into something positive for both parties, Molly slowly walked off into a more secluded part of the market before she ducked behind one of the unoccupied stands. She made extra sure no one had their eyes on her before she brought one of her hands forward and glimpsed between two of her fingers, which kept the one shrunken girl in check. Nancy barely held herself together as the giant girl's fingertips bound her from both side, and Molly's carelessness left one of her huge fingernails close to the tiny girl's squishy body. Despite how uncomfortable of a stance she put her in she escaped with Nancy in check, and now they could discuss what happened in private away from the public. Both sides required some insight from the other's perspective to clear the air around the happenings.

So Nancy could have a better place to speak, Molly placed her other hand underneath then let go of the shrunken girl so she safely landed somewhere less rigid. She kept an open palm as Nancy picked herself up and gazed at the huge face of Molly McGee overhead.

"Well…that happened, I guess." Molly said. "You okay?"

Nancy coughed a few times but answered soon after.

"For the most part…I'm fine. Grossed out…but fine."

"Umm… Did I really…?" Molly asked before she stuttered a bit.

Nancy glared at her for a moment.

"If by really you mean…inhaled me up your nose, then yes."

Molly lightly gasped then covered her mouth with her other hand.

"Oh my gosh, I…I had no idea! I'm SOOOOO sorry you went through that! If my attentiveness cranked up a little bit more I could have noticed…"

"I…I don't blame you." Nancy replied. "We never saw all of it coming…until it happened."

"Yeah, we couldn't have predicted any of that, I guess." Molly said. "So…you caused me to sneeze, right?"

Nancy twiddled her fingers a bit.

"I couldn't think of…any other way to get out of there. So much grossness…in one single area…"

"Well, you won't have to go spelunking in the caverns of my nose again now that I'm aware of it." Molly responded. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Yeah, hopefully…" Nancy said.

The tiny speck of a girl sat back down in the center of Molly's hand and curled up before she sighed deeply. She still contained some sticky mucus and snot over her from the giant one's sneeze, and while she felt somewhat lucky to live and tell the tale so many other thoughts surged through her head like static electricity. While not one to explain her feelings on her own, even as a mere dot the one who encapsulated her barely noticed her choices of stance. All of the "high excess visual training" as Molly called it paid off as the signs showed up within her planet sized eyes.

"You, ummm, have something on your mind Nancy?" Molly asked rather cautiously. "Do you mind, uhhhhh…sharing with me? I can help if you give me the chance."

Nancy stared downward and shuddered while she held herself close.

"Well…I just…well…I just find it really dumb…that I'm always the damsel in distress."

Molly cocked an eyebrow in her direction.

"Umm, what? I don't quite understand."

Nancy sighed again.

"I'm really miffed that I can't go for two measly seconds…without finding myself in trouble. The unpredictability that came with this stupid reduction…and I can't do anything about it unless…you ride in clad in shining armor. I want to act on my own…and not act like I'm completely incapable of everything. This stupid shrinkage left me as the most useless person on the planet…completely unable of performing simple tasks I can one hundred percent do…and I don't want to continuously rely on you for bailing me out…of situations."

While not the most elaborate of explanations, she got the point across rather short and sweet. Her diminished height meant most, if not all, of a mundane routine became completely impossible unless someone like Molly hung around close by, which consequently left her unable to fend for herself when circumstances went against her. She wanted to act on her own again and not act like a princess locked in a castle straight out of a fairy tale. It left her in a rather weak state, and ever since it really irked her. She helplessly watched from afar while the one she despised ran to her aid every time, and it always reminded her of how the worst of the worst occurred once her head dunked in frosting. She never deserved it.

Even after Nancy spoke, Molly lightly smiled and responded the best she could toward the speck in her hand.

"You really feel miffed over that addendum? I don't really consider it a problem at all!"

Nancy almost instantly glared right up at the tween's planet sized face above.

"Oh, uhhhh, I mean, I understand your plights that come with your reduced size! You can't exactly go about on your own and constantly find yourself in situations beyond your control, which I understand must feel devastating to you. In fact, your shrinkage gave me problems just as well!"

Nancy's eyes narrowed for a second.

"Really?" Nancy replied since she didn't buy it at first. "You still have your height…while I've taken the brunt of your mistake. You even stated how much…you enjoy me like this…as if you want to not solve this problem."

Molly recoiled back a bit.

"Oh sweet baby corn, no! I've already stated countless times that I'm dedicated to changing you back no matter what! Sure, I may still have the height while you squirm about…between my fingers…like I'm the biggest girl ever…"

Molly slowly drifted off into her own thoughts since her attention span pretty much ran out instantly if not provoked. She smiled as all of the eager happenings went through her head, especially ones that involved her as the biggest friendly girl in existence. The entire planet settled in her massive hands, she booped a few continents with only one finger, and her smile stretched across the entire stratosphere. So many bright ideas lingered through her head and she found herself lost in them, much to her enjoyment. She meant it when she told Scratch about her "gigantic" dreams, and despite his warnings none of it mattered. To exist as someone bigger than everything else-"

"Errrr, Molly? You, uhhhhh…okay?"

Nancy jolted Molly awake with her question and steered everything back on track.

"Oh, right! Ummmm, yeah! Definitely fine! Nothing to see here, heheheheh. Uhhhhh…what were we talking about?"

Nancy lightly frowned while she refused to move.

"Well…about how you still have your size…"

"Ahhhh, okay! Yeah, that thing!" Molly said as it came back to her. "Soooooo, right… About my normal size compared to you…"

She brought the topic back on track.

"Okay, sure I may still stand at my normal height while you took a downsizing, but in return…I can't leave you out of my sight even for a second. Do you know how straining it feels to always have a keen eye just for something barely visible like you? Heck, you probably have a much easier time! At this rate, I'll probably fail babysitting duties when I'm older from all of the failures I've went through after losing you again and again! Let me tell you…I can only rip out so much hair before others say I'm balding!"

She let loose a mini rant that took Nancy by surprise. The tiny girl spent most of her time paying attention to her own survival that she never fully paid attention to how Molly must have felt. The fact that she always made sure to have eyes on her left some really scary underlying tones that Nancy wanted no part of. If she went to very strenuous lengths just to get her out of a terrible bind, Molly must have really gave her all for Nancy's safety. In retrospect, she basically spelled it out for her the moment she separated from her body and became a wraith again just to get her away from a crazy doll loving ghost. Nancy thought her time as a speck in Molly's grasp ended up as the worst set of circumstances imaginable, but the bigger girl made her point for something equally as bad. Molly made extra sure she looked out for Nancy after that accident, and she went through whatever if goings got tough…which took a toll on her in more ways than one.

"Wow, ummmm, that sounds…not too pleasant…" Nancy responded.

"Yeah, definitely." Molly said. "You see Nancy? We both have problems we have to go through ever since we butted heads that one fateful day. It won't happen overnight, but until we finally reach the end we just have to live with it. We'll get through all of this together and help each other along the way, for friends do that for one another. As long as we stay friends, you won't have to handle any problem on your own. Don't think of it as only your problem, but OUR problem, okay?"

Nancy really wished she could believe her and her happy joyful expression, and yet many factors, such as her shrinkage in the first place, held her back. After such terrifying changes in perspective, such close friendships with anyone else fell flat across the pavement. Even Libby, who Nancy related to more than Molly, never quite reached the same level next to someone like Katrina. Her head stayed scrambled to where nothing stayed safe in her eyes, and she pinned Molly near the center of everything. She wanted her own life back more than anything, and despite Molly claiming the same thing she still wouldn't freely invite her over for a sleepover or anything. In fairness, she earned her trust with the tiny girl after a trust exercise between them, but friendships remained out of the question. Nancy's thick outer chromium shell still warded off Molly's attempts like the plague.

Their trains of thought screeched to a halt once one distinct voice hit their ears. Molly quickly stood back up while Nancy accidentally fell onto her behind, but once their fixated their gazes in one direction they saw who arrived in the marketplace…rather crazily. Even multiple people currently browsing the stand took notice of the one demented girl with frazzled hair and a bushy plant in her arms. Her eyes twitched while her head swerved left and right like a squirrel on too much coffee, which even caused Nancy to take a few steps back despite standing nowhere near the girl. Her limbs shook and shuddered while her breathing shortened into brief bursts like someone let loose toxic gas throughout the area. Just to reinforce her changes in mindset, she even displayed thick foam around her mouth that left many dumbfounded as to what she had on her mind. Molly and Nancy knew her as a rather timid but friendly girl, who flipped a one eighty the moment she witnessed the one plant on sale that stirred her interests perfectly.

Her slightly red eyes raced across the premises before she bellowed her first words.

"ALRIGHT, WHICH ONE OF YOU MAINTAINS THE ALMIGHTY CASH REGISTER AROUND HERE?!"

As if they wanted no part in anything that involved her, the spectators around the vicinity instantly disappeared in a puff of smoke in a rather cheesy fashion. In response, the girl shouted before she ran past Molly and Nancy in an attempt to find such a person herself, which stunned the other two girls.

"Uhhhh…when did Libby…?" Nancy started while surprised.

"There's still some parts I'm trying to comprehend myself." Molly finished with an equal expression.

Just to make sure she didn't actually hurt anyone, Molly placed Nancy back into her pocket before she ran off after her. Despite all of her super sleuthing skills, Libby couldn't pin down the one person within the marketplace that kept the title of "cashier" as if it became the first word in the dictionary that she couldn't compute. It completely eluded both Molly and Nancy as to where she would end up next, as she made good footwork in her crazed insanity for a final goal. On the surface level most expected Molly to act like she lost her marbles, so when Libby lost her sanity it became a spectacle in of itself. Suffice to say, nobody expected a young prodigy like her to drop a few rungs on the IQ ladder.

Eventually, they witnessed Libby stop in front of possibly the vehicle used by the family of botanists to reach Brighton. One might have expected something rather compact and bland, but such expectations flew out the window in an instant. Not only did they arrive in something burly and big, but also a full blown motor home. It easily exceeded the size of a small house and length of an average backyard, which seemed unheard of for a lot of the townsfolk around the marketplace. In terms of shape, while rather rectangular its front stood at a slight angle for the clear windows, likely for better visibility. The four wheels failed to stand out as something viable to hoist the whole vehicle, but since it seemed to not tilt or wobble they appeared to do something that maintained stability. The teal color near the bottom complemented the sky blue picture across the sides where lush fields of flowers and dandelions spread across the open plain that really made everything pop for any onlookers. It almost appeared like a caricature of some long distant memory within the bowls of one's personality, and most people couldn't get enough of it. While a few windows on the outside obstructed certain sections of the picture, they covered inconsequential portions to the point where none of them mattered. On first glance it could have easily made someone like Andrea blush, and yet it somehow fit the lifestyle of the family in question. For many, they would die to have an exquisite ride like the floral behemoth.

A few floral stands surrounded the large vehicle while a young girl stood behind one of them on the side. She seemed to have some connection to the family that set up the marketplace as she quietly handled money exchanges from multiple people and kept the "almighty" cash register nearby. Because she currently had her back facing Molly such details remained in the dark, but the two girls could see long black hair tied in one long braid behind her head for a stylistic hair choice. She wouldn't get too settled into her comfort zone at the moment as a ravenous and deranged Libby made a beeline toward her like an angry bull. She pushed and shoved basically anyone out of her way until she settled right in front of the young botanist with her String of Turtles in hand. A bunch of angry customers got up in arms about how she never waited for her turn, but they never actually confronted her about it. If her mood didn't tip them off already, they likely saved themselves a dangerous hassle if they tangled with a crazed Libby. After what seemed like a very long time, Libby finally found the cashier for her reptilian devotion.

A couple of seconds passed before the cashier turned to face Libby, which provided her full appearance instantly. She stood around the same height as Molly, albeit likely off by a few inches, and while her skin maintained a darker hue than Molly, and even Libby, it was only by a few minuscule digits. Her shining jade eyes provided a captivating glow that helped her stand out from the norm, although the patches of dirt over her provided some deductions on the appeal scale. Her cheeks puffed forward around her smiling mouth and even showed a few freckles here and there not too unheard of around Brighton. In terms of attire, while not the most visually pleasing, helped exemplify the professions the girl enjoyed. From large green overalls with straps around her shoulders and two large brown buttons near the bases, only ones that specialized in grimy dirty work usually shared those typical interests. Molly made a couple of mental notes just in case, since she went through multiple jobs already that required down and dirty parts, and yet the girl hoisted them up tightly like a pro. A white short sleeved undershirt set underneath the overalls since just those couldn't cover everything, and to round everything off two large buckled brown boots covered her feet rather snugly inside. They also seemed as if some fluff lingered inside for maximum comfort, as some small cotton balls fell out from the tops when the girl moved sometimes. While not the most attractive set of visuals imaginable, one could easily guess what she did for a living from the surfaces alone. Nothing but a young girl fascinated in greenery stood before them, all bundled in a nicely knit package.

The girl took a few steps back as the crazed Libby marched up to her with her String of Turtles in hand.

"Oh, uhhhhhh, well then…" the girl started before she recomposed herself. "I see you've taken interest in that magnificent plant there."

"YES, AND I WANT IT MORE THAN ANYTHING!" Libby responded with a few screws loose. "HOW MUCH?! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

As the girl's voice hit their ears, Molly's head perked up more than usual. Her eyes opened a little further before she tilted her head and gazed at her in a rather puzzled fashion, which Nancy picked up on. Molly expressed herself all across the rainbow in the time spent since she took her in after her shrinkage, but never what painted across her face in that moment.

"Molly?" Nancy asked at a rather lower volume. "You, ummmmmm, have something…on your mind?"

Her voice stirred Molly out of her trance for a moment so she could address the tiny girl in her pocket.

"Oh, uhhhhh, nothing much. Just a bit of…curiosity is all."

Nancy would have spoken up again, but then both her and Molly heard the girl again as she calculated the cost on a small calculator. She punched in a couple of numbers until she obtained the result.

"Okay, I have that String of Turtles down as…around thirty five ninety nine."

Libby glared intensely at the girl, which made her sweat a little.

"WHAT?! HAVE YOU GONE MAD WITH POWER?! WHAT SORT OF FIENDISH HIERARCHY DEMANDED SUCH A PRICE?! I SHALL STORM THEIR ESTABLISHMENT AND DEMAND COMPENSATION!"

"Errrr, sorry there." the girl shakily answered while her back stiffened. "You brought up a rather…popular item around these parts. They don't exactly grow natively around here…or even this country…"

Libby snorted fumes from her nostrils while the girl did her best to stay calm and collected in front of a foaming Libby. A bit actually fell in front of the register while the capillaries in Libby's eyes filled to the brim with intense red. Despite all said and done between the two parties, Libby steamed up the place in rage, complete with a loud utterance of a bull from the background, before she reached straight into her pocket and forked over the required amount right in front of the girl. She let everything loose without a single word, and it was for the better on both sides.

"Errrrm, uhhhhh, enjoy your plant there." the girl said tepidly as she finished counting the money. "We're all, ummmm, young sprouts around here, heheheheh…"

At that moment Nancy witnessed Molly in a completely new light she'd never seen before. Her pupils contracted as multiple wrinkles appeared underneath her eyes. Her legs shuddered and shook while she mumbled some incoherent nonsense under her breath. Her color never changed, but the air around her shifted a bit as if someone else took her place on the spot. Molly constantly shook her head lightly as her head gyrated like she found herself snug in a massage chair. All signs pointed to negativity, and yet Nancy knew it required more to knock any amount of joy out of the overzealous tween…like an incident in the Ghost World. Still, it carried some importance when Molly changed out of her happiness for another emotion.

"It…it can't be…" Molly muttered.

Nancy would have asked what she meant, but Molly instantly addressed her.

"Nancy…I…I need this time for myself. Please stay quiet for now, okay?"

Now Nancy understood the importance behind her mood swings, even though she still didn't learn of the meaning yet, so she immediately knew what to do. To comply with Molly's request, Nancy ducked down a little into Molly's pocket and lightly nodded at her huge face. She still hung around the lip, but she only kept a portion of her upper head visible just in case as Molly walked toward the girl. Libby carefully walked past Molly with her plant in tow, and she completely simmered down from the initial encounter.

She tried to start some slight banter with her friend.

"Oh, nice to see you again Molly! I finally bought that String of Turtles I've always… Uhhhhhh, Molly?"

Her statements went completely unanswered as the once joyous Molly walked closer to the cashier up ahead. Libby stood rather confused at such a lack of response, while Nancy stayed silent just in case of something dicey. The girl at the register currently handled another waiting customer and just finished counting their earnings before Molly finally made her way up to the counter. The girl finished off her last payments and quickly organized them before she looked up towards Molly. She locked eyes with her for a few moments before she lightly chuckled and scanned over her. Whether she liked her style or not though, it didn't matter in the end.

Molly refused to speak first, especially in her current mood, so the girl took the opportunity for her. Libby ran up shortly after.

"Oh, uhhhhh, you a friend of…that girl?" the girl said as a few drops of sweat fell down her face. "You…have an interesting taste! Well, ummm, can I help you with anything?"

She seemed more focused towards Libby and what she forced her through earlier, and yet Molly only had one particular thought on her mind. Nothing mattered other than one single word in her head, and it came from the depths of somewhere she never trekked through before then.

"…Penny?"

The girl on the other end lightly gasped quietly while her eyes widened for a split second. She instantly turned her attention towards Molly and couldn't take her eyes off of her.

"Who…who are you? Do…do you need assistance or what? I'm, uhhhhh, very busy today!"

Now Molly's eyes widened even more and seemed taken aback by such a response. It almost stunned Libby and Nancy to see her act in that particular way.

"No way…no sweet baby corning way…" Molly muttered. "It…it really is you. I can't believe it…"

"You…you pulling my leg or something?" the girl stuttered. "If so…I'm…I'm not laughing, okay?! Stop messing with me…"

"I'm not joking around…" Molly replied. "I recognize that tone of voice anywhere. The…the Best of Buds…"

The girl instantly shot herself back and nearly plastered her back against the motor home. Her breathing shortened while the others could tell that her heart rate shot through the roof, and yet she never completely bolted from sight as if something held her back from completely losing it. While not instant, her mood dipped back into somewhat normal territory, but she still shuddered all over. From such brief exchanges, both parties nearly broke themselves.

The girl's pupils contracted one more time as her breathing dragged a little before she asked the inevitable.

"Mol…Molly?"

As the doors of emotions slowly showed cracks, Molly mustered up one final heartfelt smile between the two of them before she finally broke the ice.

"…I never thought I would ever see you again."

The others watched as both Molly and the girl squealed in pure delight before they ran up to each other. Once they both held their arms out they embraced each other and never let go for a few seconds, which took Nancy along for the ride from Molly's pocket. They laughed and shook with pure joy as they lightly hopped and swiveled around on the spot while their arms stayed locked. Before long they pulled back and kept their hands on the other's shoulders while they happily gazed at each other in the eyes, although Nancy almost felt sick to her stomach. The tiny one's eyes became dizzying swirls as she sagged down deep into the pocket to recover from all of the sudden motions outside. Molly clearly connected with something the others didn't understand at first…and left Nancy on the "McGee wild coaster ride".

The girl stared Molly with her big adorable eyes and simmered down a little, but still contained a lot of excitement built up.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! I haven't seen you since, like…forever!"

"I could easily say the same thing!" Molly replied while equally as excited. "The last time I ever laid my eyes on you…and now look! No more tiny tots for us!"

"I know, I know! We've grown so much since then, and I have to say…you look as joyful as ever!" the girl said with glee. "Even after all of those years, I can easily recognize that smile of yours from a mile away!"

"Well, I always leave a trail of sunshine everywhere I go!" Molly answered before she quickly changed topics. "Ooh, ooh! Remember our special code?!"

The girl's eyes lit up and widened slightly as giddiness flowed through her.

"How could I not?!"

The two girls then took one step back as they gleamed over their faces and prepared. Libby and Nancy watched from the sidelines, although Nancy basically also had no other choice than to hold on for dear life. What followed consisted of actions one could only consider normal when in the presence of Molly McGee. It started with a few weird looking claps, including some that only utilized very few fingers, followed by some cheek clapping, rigorous stomps, funky facial expressions, and even the worm dance across the gravel combined with some large gasps. They finished up in one dazzling move as they locked their shoes high from the ground, locked eyes fiery passions, then pushed each other in the opposite direction with a rather crazy twist. The force of the push sent Molly and the girl into speedy whirls on their backs that made them appear like two furious twisters, but after a few more seconds they started to careen closer to each other. Right when it seemed like they would collide, the constant spinning screeched to a halt and when the dust cleared both girl struck a rather stunning pose combined with some really appealing smiles. They had a hand on one of their knees while the other held their head all while the stunningly gazed straight at their charmed audience, which pretty much included only Libby. Various rainbows shined from behind them as the applause hit their eardrums in droves to the point where one could have easily taken a picture of them for a billboard or advertisement of some sort. For such a brief time together, Molly already had perfect sync with the girl as if she became a genius on the spot…which didn't seem like the happiest girl of Brighton in the slightest.

The two glanced at each other one more time before they laughed it up and got back on their feet.

"Wow, heheheheh, just wow! You still got it alright!" the girl said before she laughed a few more times.

"Yeah, hahahahah!" Molly answered while she also laughed. "Just like old times, heheheheh! Despite our older age, we still got it all these years later!"

The two laughed it up a bit more until Molly turned and saw Libby on the sidelines. She stood almost completely bewildered at the display while she still held her precious plant in her arms. Once the image struck her brain the realizations came back to her, but she couldn't leave Libby in the dark about everything. She deserved to know after all.

"Umm, am I interrupting anything?" Libby asked as she walked up to the two.

"Oh, uhhhh, not at all, bestie!" Molly responded. "I've just hit a…stroke of nostalgia for a moment with…her."

The girl glanced over Libby for a moment before Molly finally provided some introductions.

"Libby, meet a close childhood friend of mine, Penny. Once my family made a pit stop for around half a year in a bustling city, I enrolled in an elementary school there where we connected pretty quickly. Once my dad finished up work, we had to leave on our travels again…which meant our final goodbyes."

Her tone dipped a little before she rubbed one of her shoulders and looked at the grown up Penny, who finished up from there.

"We…we felt really devastated that day. I always knew Molly traveled everywhere, but I never expected to see the day…so abruptly. I never imagined I would ever see a friend like her again, and yet…"

The two of them exchanged warming smiles.

"Never in a million years would I have expected the stars to align for once."

Just the mere glances between the two displayed their unbreakable friendship, and Libby understood how it felt despite her shorter time with Molly. The distinct angle of their eyes and their heartwarming stances left a mark only true friends ever kept close. It almost looked charming in a sense, as if something deep down laid dormant for centuries until the doors flew open. It only required one small piece to finally lock true friendship in place once more, and it warmed Libby's heart to see two long lost friends reunited once more. She experienced such splendor first hand when she finally found a true friend in Molly, and while she lacked a lot of time with Nancy if given the chance she could easily connect with her as well. She learned herself that friendships made everything better, and from the looks between Molly and Penny they stayed rooted deep down even though they haven't seen each other in years. It made the situation that much more special.

She watched as Penny stepped up toward her, although she shuddered a few times in her presence.

"So, uhhhhhh, I take it you've taken over as best friend in my absence? You…put on quite a display back there! Even so, you seem really nice underneath!"

Libby comically sweat a few drops.

"Yeah, heheheh, sorry about that. I go somewhat cuckoo when it comes to certain hobbies. We cool? I'm Libby by the way."

"None taken. Apology accepted." Penny answered. "If only I had some extra time I could totally-"

Before Penny could finish, a low subtle ringing noise interrupted her train of thought. Her back slightly straightened up before she glanced down toward her overalls over to a certain pocket. She reached inside and rummaged around before she found her target. In one quick pull she brought out a cell phone and looked at the screen for a moment. She held up a finger towards Molly and Libby for a split second before she pressed a button to answer the call.

"You got Penny. Yeah. Uh huh. Ooh, okay. Just to let you know, I came across someone special you may want to see. Ah. Gotcha. Okay, see you soon."

Soon after she pressed a button to end the call before she got back to the other girls.

"Good news. My parents should arrive back soon, so I can finally take a well deserved break after holding the fort for a bit. A few hours can really place a number on you and I'm practically standing on rigidity stilts right now."

Molly's eyes widened a bit.

"You handled all of this plant work…by yourself?!"

"I guess you could say that." Penny replied. "I basically took on the duty of this market since my parents headed off for the perfect spots to plant in this town. While I'm only thirteen, I done this a million times before so I'm really used to it. Unless something really serious comes up, I usually get the breaks I deserve."

As if reality loved to throw a wrench into everything surrounding Molly McGee, the motor home close by the group suddenly shook as one loud boom sent the entire establishment shaking. Luckily it remained upright, but it sent a minor shock wave throughout the area. The girls, along with a group of bystanders close by, stood stunned by the impact for a brief moment, which left them toward the source atop the vehicle. It only required a couple of seconds until the happening revealed itself, although most of the people likely never saw a thing. In fact, only a select few truly noticed the culprit as he writhed and groaned until he fell to the ground below. Molly and Libby stared right at the gluttonous mass right next to the huge vehicle as he tried to float and hover back into the air, only to splat against the ground from the sheer amount his eyes caught more than his stomach. Molly wondered where her ghost bestie wandered off to, and she finally found him.

…in his fat gluttonous form.

Scratch let his appetite do the talking for the most part, and it came back to haunt him. He made like a busy bee around the whole area and indulged on honey like they desired his scrumptious tastes, although his bottomless stomach seemed not so once he literally came crashing down before Molly and the others. His gut measured up to one of the stands and his busy bee getup wouldn't suffice any further. His tiny buzzing wings failed to hoist up his fattening form, which left him groaning across the ground like a spoiled child. While ironic in a sense since his tiny wings couldn't pull his fat formless shape off of the ground, he learned his lesson. Even though he may have perished, ghosts still had setbacks.

He tried to push himself back up to no avail.

"I may have indulged too much…but I have no regrets." Scratch muttered.

Because a majority of people couldn't see him, it only confused them even more.

"Uhhhhhh, what just happened?" Penny asked as she gazed at the roof of the car.

"Oh, uhhhhh, nothing noteworthy!" Molly replied in a rather cheesy manner. "You, ummmm, have anywhere to hang out and, errrrrrrr, catch up on times?"

"Oh, right! Yeah, I do!" Penny said. "I always have the family motor home we travel around in!"

She then turned toward the waiting lines of people she kept on hold since she connected back with Molly.

"Ummmm, sorry everyone! My parents will arrive any minute, so, uhhhhhhh, just hold tight and they'll handle you shortly!"

While Penny controlled the incoming customers, Molly finally came to a realization as well. Once she made extra sure nobody had their eyes on her, Molly zipped over behind one of the stalls, where Libby also followed, and hastily looked into her pocket. Inside she saw the one shrunken girl she promised to change back…and she had her dazed and woozy body against the bottom. Her eyes became swirly wheels while her head swayed from the pure green painted across her face. It didn't take a genius to figure out how she got that way.

"Oh, shoot! I'm VERY sorry about all of that Nancy!" Molly said. "You okay?"

Nancy mumbled some incoherent nonsense before her mangled voice uttered some recognizable words.

"So many spins…and yet so many Mollys above…like twins…twins…"

"Maybe I should hold onto her for a bit…for safety." Libby stated as she worriedly looked at Nancy.

"Considering I just met a long lost childhood friend that unleashed so much excitement I never knew I kept locked up before…you make an excellent point." Molly responded pretty quickly.

---

Once Molly traded the shrunken girl over to Libby's nervous grasp and Penny settled the lines of customers, the group finally found the time to go into the large family motor home. Because Libby lacked pockets she carefully placed Nancy in her long lush hair, which the tiny dot seemed to not mind as much. She still shakily recovered a little from all of the constants motions Molly put her through, but she kept enough to maintain some awareness around her so she wouldn't act like a sitting duck throughout everything. Unfortunately for them they still had one more to tag along, and his chubby girth told them everything they needed to know. Because Molly needed to keep Penny occupied, she placed Libby on Scratch duty, and she…didn't exactly like where things headed. Once Penny's parents arrived to handle customers from then on, Libby took the moment and tried to drag him by the arms into the large vehicle. Since the customers had their eyes on their own purchases, Libby didn't get rather befuddled gazes as she attempted to pull…nothing. Nancy held one of Libby's strands tightly while the girl towed a gluttonous blob of a ghost across the ground. A snail and an amoeba passed by them.

One prospered while the other failed.

As Penny and Molly headed inside, the young McGee's eyes showed stars while her head dashed everywhere. While seemingly cramped from the outside, the inside displayed the true large scope. The main area easily supported at least a small crowd, although Molly doubted many stayed in the vehicle for too long to reach the particular numbers. While the pristine fuzzy flooring colored itself blue, the ceiling and cupboards showed typical wooden coating. Some light comfy blue chairs set close to the entrance while a small white table nestled between them, which made way for the passenger seat next to one of the chairs. Thanks to the large clear windows that seemed to have matched the height of both the large driver's and passenger's seats, any sort of driving issues that fell on muddy visuals pretty much stayed in the low percentages while some very sturdy wooden cup holders made sure no drinks carried a risk of a potential spill. Even above the seats kept something interesting, as Molly saw one large flat screen TV hoisted in a large wooden cove above them, and one of the open cupboards close by revealed what appeared as a DVD or Blu-Ray player. For such a luxury, a young girl that worked with plants on the road likely stayed near the bottom of people to expect and yet it didn't stop there. Various small cupboards dotted near the ceiling to wear someone like Penny or Molly could easily reach them, which included behind the driver's seat where a long cushy couch laid dormant. The fact that part of the floor near it appeared to have lifted right off indicated some sort of slide out technology, which Molly heard came as a functionality for motor homes that seemed a bit cramped. Even so, one could easily fall asleep for the night on the couch since it extended to about the same length as an average adult. In terms of a potential cooking area, such space existed right near the entrance and even included a small sink and cupboards above it. In terms of heat, a large stove set next to it, although nobody turned it on yet from what Molly saw. For somewhere to lay down and eat, one needed to look no further than straight across from the sink where a large table set next to the slide out couch. While a bit cramped at first glance, once Molly considered the small family Penny had it made total sense. Further off to the left some more cupboards and cabinets littered the walls before two doors showed up in a small hallway. One stood on the right while another at the end, where one possibly lead to a bathroom of sorts. The other obviously lead to the family bedroom, at least from what Molly guessed. Penny really lived a fairly straightforward life on the road with no labyrinthian passageways in sight. Some could have easily called her lifestyle a deluxe luxury at first glance, and yet her appearance showed quite the contrary.

Molly's ecstatic nature swelled up in her from all of the sights.

"No way! You live in a pad like this?! I never managed to travel in such luxuries, like, ever!"

Penny blushed and lightly chuckled.

"I mean, when you got to prepare for anything on the road…you kind of go overboard. Blame my parents for trying to think one step ahead, heheheheh…"

Molly widely smiled and stuck her head in basically everything like a guinea pig just to take everything in at once, all while nobody took into account the other tween who tired her arms out as she pulled as much of a fat ghost inside as possible. For a girl of her age, she actually painstakingly brought Scratch about halfway inside until she inevitable planted her feet on him for some extra leeway. Nancy strongly held onto Libby's hair as she did her best, but at one point she almost lost her grip when Libby tugged so hard that she accidentally shot herself back across the room. She crashed into the back couch and ended up with dozens of objects on her after they fell out of the cabinets above, but luckily none of them were harmful. Surprisingly, Molly and Penny never noticed all of the struggles that progressed between her and the ghost, which didn't help matters in the slightest.

The bloated Scratch only had one thing to say about all of the troubles he found himself in, and he said it in a very flat tone.

"Oh, bother. I'm stuck."

As Libby proceeded to rush on over for another attempt to pull him out, Molly received her eyeful of what the motor home had to offer. She instantly turned to Penny with one of her signature smiles.

"So much here, and yet so little time! I'm SOOOO jealous to see your abode like this! How can you even afford everything?"

"My family…sort of runs a successful business if you couldn't tell from earlier." Penny replied.

Molly tilted her head.

"You mean all of that plant work?" Molly asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

Penny smiled and nodded.

"Yup. All of our efficiency with botany around these parts granted us a very successful business sustainable through our interests. My mom and dad perform most of the work, but because I'm still not exactly old enough I work on more of the side jobs. I don't mind them at all, for I still get out and help in any way I can. While a bit stereotypical to call us as having 'green thumbs' and whatnot, it mostly fits in the end."

"All of this…from plant work?" Molly asked, seemingly not believing it at first.

"Hey, it works out!" Penny replied. "You won't believe certain customers that pay top dollar for an exquisite plant! In fact, I'm here for that very reason!"

Molly perked up more than usual, all while Libby in the background grabbed a crowbar and placed it behind Scratch to potentially pry him loose.

"Wow, really?" Molly said. "I was actually just about to ask why you came to this small town considering what you do! However, I don't recall anyone around here with…that much of a knack for flowers."

Penny chuckled and snickered happily just as Libby's crowbar snapped from the pressure, which irritated both her and the bloated Scratch. She ran off for something else while Penny walked over to a fridge next to the stove, which Molly failed to notice before. Once she opened the door she ran her hands through some objects for a bit until she found the one she wanted. She then ran her fingers through one of the cupboards for a small bowl before she found one and set everything up. Before long, Penny came back with a small bowl of fresh strawberries in her hand ready for consumption. Even when she found the time to relax she still put herself to work from what Molly saw.

"Want some? We grew them ourselves!"

"Sure!" Molly said as she took a seat.

Penny sat across from her and set the bowl between them, to where Molly grabbed a strawberry and bit into it. Her face lit up with joy, despite the fact that she showed it on a daily basis, once her taste buds touched the scrumptious fruit. While a bit light in flavor, the tender sweetness left her mouth watering on several occasions. She went for another instantly after she finished the first, for her long lost friend made something special.

"Yum! I love these!" Molly said with glee.

"Thanks! My mother pays extra attention when she grows them." Penny replied. "While we mostly focus on flowers and plants, we sort of grow small fruits on the side like grapes and strawberries. We don't usually share them freely, but you easily stand out as one of the sole exceptions!"

"Aww, thanks Penny!" Molly answered.

She helped herself to another while Penny suddenly perked up and stood toward a cabinet close by. As she scanned for something specific, Libby also searched through multiple cabinets for something extra to pull Scratch loose, only to find nothing remotely useful. She deeply groaned before she went over to a window and opened it as Penny finally found what she wanted. Before long, Libby hoisted herself halfway through the opening only to find herself somewhat stuck right as Penny set something across the table for Molly to look over herself. The marksmanship maintained somewhat questionable interpretations of places Molly understood around Brighton, but she got the gist of it. As to why Penny kept such a piece, she still needed to find out.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, but as to why my family came here, well, for this place exactly."

Penny pointed to a rough spot on the draft where a large X set a decent distance away from what Molly interpreted as the town's capitol building…despite the odd caricature of it drawn on the paper. Libby flailed her feet for a few seconds until she brought her weight forward and leaned out through the window. Unfortunately, she never accounted for the landing and when she did so outside some loud crashing blared through, which surprisingly didn't catch Molly's or Penny's attention.

"That looks like near…the mayor's office?" Molly said.

"Around that general area, but yeah. I'm not great at artistic talents." Penny responded. "Anyways, he found out about our services and called us up for a rather exquisite, yet deadly if not prepared for properly, kind of plant to attract tourism. While he said that he appreciates the community Brighton has, any sort of spectacle to boost tourism helps in the long run."

"Ooh, really?" Molly asked with intrigue. "What kind of plant do you have in mind?"

Penny took a couple of deep breaths before she calmed herself a bit and answered.

"The Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower."

Molly lightly gasped, despite her obliviousness of the subject, as the stuck Scratch tried to wriggle around before he moved his head inward into his gelatinous fat body. His voice soon came out from the other side, presumably to Libby.

"Hey, use your shoulder why don'tcha?! I can barely feel anything from up here!"

"I'm trying my hardest, okay?" Libby said from outside. "Maybe you should loosen up on eating too much next time!"

"And not taste the scrumptious foods a ghost like me dreams of? Yeah, I don't think so, sweetie." Scratch said.

Soon after, Scratch's face reappeared up front as his formless shape jerked around from Libby pushing against him. He groaned under his breath just as Molly spoke up again.

"Oh no, not that…whatever you just described! Errrr, uhhhh, can you explain what exactly-"

"No problem!" Penny interjected before she explained. "In terms of deadliness, the one plant the mayor just so happened to pick out can become very violent and dangerous if anyone plants one incorrectly. They typically grow down south in less populated places, but in all of the right circumstances they make for very elusive decorations. Only botanists and gardeners with the perfect know how can truly soothe the salvage beast, and we just so happened to acquire a seed just to plant within Brighton's walls. Ironically my parents already had their hands full when they handled the plant successfully, so likewise I'm up next, and as a prolific young botanist I'm totally ready-"

Some small musings from outside went through her hearing before she could finish, but unlike any normal person Libby and Scratch never made an impact. Molly sat slightly startled as Penny opened a nearby window and stuck her head out.

"HEY! DON'T MESS WITH THOSE SNAPDRAGONS UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO GROW SOME SNAPNECKS IN THEIR PLACE! I'LL KNOCK ALL OF THE RASPBERRY JAM OUT OF YOU!"

As soon as she started with her exclamations, she instantly ended them and got back to Molly with a smile…only to blush soon after.

"Heheheh, uhhhhh, sorry about that. I can get a bit defensive when I see any ruffians handle our stocks poorly. You break it you buy it after all!"

"I…can see that." Molly answered while slightly unnerved. "You, ummmm, feel okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have to prep myself for the large plant after all."

Almost immediately after she spoke, her eyes opened further than normal while her her long braid stood up a little.

"Wait a minute. Since I finally met you after all this time…"

Her eyes scanned over Molly with distinct fascination while the tween herself became slightly startled at her friend's mood. Penny mumbled something under her breath while she glanced all over Molly's front like a born detective, but before long she snapped back in place. Her smile almost matched Molly's as she placed her hands on her cheeks and shuddered toward her close friend.

"Oh. My. Gosh. That means…YOU CAN FINALLY SHOW ME HOW TO SOLO A DEADLY PLANT!"

As it came through to her, something slowly crept up and waited for its turn. The cracks formed underneath as the indications lingered close by, but at the time such minor quirks only stood out as an inconvenience not worth the attention. They repeatedly chipped away and the more they went at it the true nature revealed such intensity. The ooze leaked a foul stench and corroded the surface as all of the light sapped into scenic nothing, and her chest pounded once it seeped into her soul. She almost hurled on the spot and the vaccinations just delayed the chilling appendage that dripped black. Long and disregarded, silent but deadly, yet everything left her in such a stasis. None wielded the red coated knife, but such infiltration lead up the road to ruin. Nancy likely carried some on a daily basis, but never the one intended to set everything right. All of the whispers strangled the innocent light in a long awaited arrival beyond its poison oozing tentacles.

"Oh, uhh, you, heheh…still remember that…all these years later." Molly shakily said with a jagged smile. "How…FUN."

"Of course I still remember!" Penny answered. "How could I NOT forget a deep childhood promise? You said so yourself!"

"You…DON'T SAY." Molly responded as her smile fell into more and more uncomfortable territory. She shook all over while her eye twitched continuously, which Penny seemed to not catch up on.

"Say, you should totally show me your skills with the deadly sunflower tonight! My family leaves by tomorrow morning since we have a business and all, so it would feel so great to finally see a childhood friend FINALLY fulfill those words from long ago before we head off! Best Buds for life, after all!"

She endlessly prodded at her heart which Molly couldn't ignore. The dazzling stars in her eyes told her everything she needed just to rub it in. Out of everything to possibly come up, she brought up the absolute worst. Molly gripped the side of the couch during the conversation, and the further Penny probed the stronger she squeezed. At that point some loose cotton slowly spilled out as Molly's fake smile displayed absolutely nothing wrong on her side…despite the stark contrary. Nothing perfectly summarized her hidden turmoils more than a destroyed side of a couch.

"Thank you so much Molly! I know you wouldn't let me down!" Penny said. "So, you'll come by the area tonight?"

Molly's teeth rubbed against each other like sandpaper, and if she continued she would have to put on dentures early. Cracks formed in her smile and yet she still acted as though nothing went wrong in her head.

"Of…COURSE. How could I…NOT reject a BEST FRIEND?" Molly replied while on a breaking point.

Almost as instantly as Molly finished, a fast blur shot across the room behind them. Unlike the previous times, it did catch their attention once it loudly crashed into the large sofa nearby. Feathers flew and rained everywhere which required a few extra moments to clear up. Once Molly and Penny received their visuals though, their reactions varied mostly due to the traits of a certain specter. The timid and often nervous friend of the ecstatic McGee finally set foot inside the large establishment after a long and agonizing process with a ghost that refused to slim down. Her dizzied body slumped weakly in the ruined couch while her eyes practically turned into wheels. Her legs and arms twitched on occasion, but for the most part she seemed not too seriously hurt. As for the one who started the debacle, his gelatinous splatter spread across the back window above Libby, and while he too felt a similar migraine to Libby he still had enough willpower to speak to Molly. As for Nancy, she basically got her second bumpy ride but miraculously held on tightly and never flew off from all of the jerky actions Libby went through. She finally obtained her break after the crash, but fell against one of Libby's long hairs from pure exhaustion. The two finally reached their end goal in a rather messy fashion, but also inadvertently sent Nancy on another roller coaster ride

"Well…this fell flat." Scratch stated. "At least…I slimmed down in the process…"

Soon after he peeled off of the window and collapsed on the top of the couch.

"Yeesh, what happened with her?" Penny asked.

Molly only had one thing to say to her.

"Welcome to Brighton, Penny."

---

The group headed back once a new influx of customers arrived, which forced Penny back into the worker's circle. Luckily for them, nobody had to push Scratch out of the door again much to Libby's massive relief. Molly provided a cliff notes version about what transpired, and due to Libby's deep knowledge she connected the dots rather nicely. Even so, Molly kept her mouth shut for the most part as they walked back to her abode, which set alarms off in the others' heads, and often turned away from them like poison. At that point, they KNEW something was wrong beneath the mask, as Molly never shirked from her friends in any capacity. Even Scratch, who normally liked to bottle his emotions, saw the red flags and kept Molly in his sights. Out of everyone present other than Molly, Nancy's care still remained about average toward her despite the circumstances. She still brought her into the whole shrinking mess after all, and that fact stood out more than anything else on her end. Her friendly gaze pretty much served as a reminder of her newfound eternity as a tiny toy for the friendly girl and her miserable ghost that she couldn't let go of. She still kept her eyes on Molly, but not as suspiciously and thorough as Libby and Scratch. They saw Molly, but also an impostor at the same time.

They made a brief pit stop over at Libby's so she could drop off her plant, but soon after they made their way over to Molly's. The group arrived and took their breaks back in Molly's room, and since they made it back to private quarters where nobody had their eyes on them, Libby no longer needed to keep Nancy tangled in her hair for safety. She made extra sure to place one of her huge hands before her forehead until the shrunken girl carefully made it onto one of Libby's fingertips. Once she did so, the nervous friend of Molly brought her hand back down to see the tiny dot of Nancy in her palm. She usually didn't get a lot of chances to hold the tiny girl, so to know that she finally found one served as a rare kind of moment. She sort of understood Molly's enjoyment of acting like she just became huge when she held Nancy, and after she had her moment…she shared equal emotions. While not as excited to see herself in a different light as Molly, it intrigued her to wonder just how different everything would appear if she somehow took on a massive growth spurt of her own. So many perspectives, and yet it drove her curiosity forward. While Nancy may not want to stay as the tiniest person in existence, for Libby…she wanted to jot the changes in a notebook of some kind.

Almost instantly the moment they arrived Molly rapidly grabbed her large round stuffed elephant she used for stress and squeezed it nonstop while she paced around everywhere. Her legs practically turned into large blurs while she chewed her fingers and muttered to herself again and again.

"Sweet baby corn, sweet baby corn, sweet baby corn, sweet baby corn, OH sweet baby corn…"

Her anxious paces caught Scratch's attention almost immediately, so he floated on over to her while Libby checked up on Nancy for a brief moment after all of the crazy antics she found herself in. Once she concluded that she came through all right, the girl turned their attention over to the endlessly worried Molly McGee.

"Okay Mol, you can't keep everything bottled up forever. Let it out."

Molly's eyes dashed a rather busted gaze toward the ghost while she squeezed her barking elephant even more. Her mouth shot straight while her heart nearly thumped out of her chest ceaselessly.

"WHATSORTOFPROBLEM?!" Molly blurted out before she slowed down…but not by much. "Oh, uhhhhhh, heheheheh! Nothing wrong here! Scratch, why would you accuse me of such…OBVIOUS guilt? Besties don't betray each other after all!"

His eyes instantly went flat before he got up right in her face. The two locked eyes for a few moments until Scratch broke the ice, all while Libby and Nancy watched as innocent bystanders.

"You know what? You make an excellent point."

Molly's eyes stayed wide, but her breathing slowed a bit.

"I…I do? Oh, right. Yeah, EVERYTHING correct in this noggin right here! No sirree!"

"Yeah, you totally set the records straight." Scratch responded. "I know I can't doubt you in any aspect. Friends don't go after friends like you said, and I can't go against that."

"Wow, uhhhh, really? I guess I never thought of it like-"

"Say, you want to take a friendship selfie just between the two of us?"

Molly's eyes lit up slightly.

"You…really want to go through with that? I mean, as much as I love doing them-"

Almost as instantly as Scratch seemed to have fit in with everything Molly said, he completely flipped the table and deeply frowned straight at her.

"See what I did there? THAT was acting! What you have going on right now feels like I'm watching a carp dry out in the sizzling sun!"

To see the ghost perform a complete one eighty may have appeared impressive at first, for the most part it highlighted the incompetence behind Molly's stage play. She'd done it before, and yet it only painted her in bright neon lights. Even so, something clearly struck Molly the wrong way, and the more she looked the more it hurt on the inside. She may think of her as the one that held the keys to her freedom and sadistic torturer, but even she couldn't help but feel for someone hurt on the inside. If it happened to anyone else she likely would have expressed more than just minor subtly, and yet her chest really constricted to the point where she had to clutch it at times. For someone that wanted nothing to do with Molly, she couldn't explain why such pain erupted underneath the more she watched her anxious state. The tween's intervention shrunk her in the first place after all, so it seemed like she deserved it at face value. However, no matter how she tried to ward it off her chest still flared up as Molly's anxiety built up. She stayed quiet about it for now, especially because of more pressing matters, but if it continued she likely wouldn't hold back much longer.

Eventually, Libby chimed into the whole situation.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Scratch on this one. You've really begun to act up ever since we left. Don't make me break out the Bloodhound of Truth now."

Both Scratch and Libby shot daggers at Molly that worsened her rather paper thin act. Because of how flimsy her defenses set everything, it only took a few seconds for her to crumble. She pretty much choked her stuffed Mr. Fluffums on the brink of death, as most of the cotton inside sprayed across her bed and his eyes gouged out in a googly fashion. His voice box fell to the floor and he even held onto a tiny white flag that deliberately said "SAVE ME" across it. Molly really let her stress toy have it until she finally broke before the others.

Molly quickly wailed for a split second before she fell onto her bed defeated by the majority.

"Okay! Okay! I get it! I clearly have something I wanted to keep to myself! Can't I get at least SOME peace before I open the floodgates?!"

She dropped the ruined Mr. Fluffums on the floor while she covered her drained eyes with one of her hands. While she never dropped any tears, it appeared as if she wanted to. The other three felt her waves of emotions as they looked at her, and they told them that she required their help. As close friends, they supported each other.

"Well…I'm not a therapist, but I'm sure you just got the worst part over with." Libby said. "You just admitted that you had something wrong, so…"

"Yeah, that must count for something." Scratch said before he got back to Molly. "I'm not going anywhere Mol, so you might as well get to explaining."

Molly grabbed one of her bed's pillows and lowly groaned into it. She then seemed to have mumbled something, but before anyone could ask she took a couple of deep breaths and clutched the pillow like it became her new stress toy. They others didn't need to wait long until Molly's saddened expression revealed itself as she tossed the pillow to the side. She dismally gazed up at the ceiling as the memories flooded back to her, despite her insistence to never revisit them for as long as she lived.

"If you really must know…it all started a couple years back…"

---

Even though something like a field trip sounded trivial to someone like Molly, she had to admit it beat any sort of extra work in the classroom. She pretty much sawed off her fingers on the last homework assignment that almost drove her to a large yelling fit into the family toilet, so any break for the ten year old girl served as a blessing from above. In terms of location though, she would have preferred somewhere more…robust, but the city's major garden area still brought eager stars to her eyes. Her best friend Penny, also ten years old, already had some connection to the sort after all since her parents maintained professions in botany. If she thought of any extra facts Molly wouldn't know, it appeared like no better time to do so. While Penny never set foot in Molly's abode, because of Molly's father's job none of it mattered when they inevitably move again. Despite the setbacks, they made the most of their time together at school, and while somewhat short lived Molly made extra sure that they stayed close. To think it all started from an apple juice pouch and a ham sandwich…

She had to give it to Penny for knowing quality when trading lunches.

Even though they still had a lot to learn about each other, from what they gathered they easily related to situations and hobbies like collecting everything bright and adorable. When Molly learned about their field trip she became elated. She snatched as many shiny and glittery stickers from her stash as possible and plastered them all over her lunchbox for "maximum enthrallment". While Penny found it weird, it never bothered Molly at all as her smile did most of the talking. All in all, just another joyful day for the young Molly McGee.

As their bus pulled into the parking lot before they piled out, the eye candy captivated the young girls like kids in a candy store. Instant greetings came in the form of a large arch coated to the brim in dozens of flowers across the rainbow. While seemingly stereotypical for a garden, it set the records straight for what might come in only a couple of steps. The pathway lead a bit further down before it branched off in one direction and further down the other, but spectators could witness the few large greenhouses in the distance where one of the paths headed. Even so, the students obtained instructions to head down the earlier path, so they did and found themselves in another more appealing set of placements. Molly almost felt her heart stop from how many sensational colors filled her eyes, and before long her head swiveled in every direction just so she could see everything in one go. The path opened into a small enclosure, almost like a miniature stage, where a small hut stood in the back colored in light and dark purple all over like a minor winter. Some long slabs of rock situated like stands set a good distance away, where already some students got the picture and sat on them. While at first it didn't quite catch Molly's eye, once she saw a small train set that seemed to make rounds above them she instantly wanted it. It spouted some non damaging smoke as it passed through dirt, bouquets of flowers, garden statues, and even small garden tunnels. He always considered small trains almost on the same level as unicorns and kittens, and the more she watched them the more she wanted one for herself. Even though the train already sold her on location, it only appeared to get better once she stared off to the left of the small stage. What appeared like a small hedge maze structure stuck out on the side, and even a little garden gnome peeked out near the entryway. She couldn't see too much inside, but she could barely make out some type of floorboards in the shape of a small piano keyboard. Once a small toddler in the distance ran over the keys which let off some soothing chimes, she knew she desperately wanted to try them out when given the chance. Seemingly the inside contained a lot more than what she saw, which immediately made her want to go in there. From beautiful flowers, large greenhouses, and a colorful maze, she stumbled into a gardener's paradise of magic and wonder.

The stone seats filled up pretty quickly, so Penny and Molly made their way over to some available spots for the both of them. They still needed to wait for everyone else's attendance, so they had a few moments to chat.

"Oh my gosh! This place looks SOOOOO incredible!" Molly said with glee. "Did I just stumble onto royal grounds because it seems like only pure royalty can exist here!"

Penny giggled.

"You really have such great imagination, don't you?"

"You don't know the half of it." Molly replied. "Call me the harbinger of joy and imagination, for I have SOOOOO many ideas tucked away in my noggin."

"Yeah, I can easily see that for myself." Penny responded. "These gardens totally beat my residence of greenery my miles."

"Heheheheh, yeah." Molly said while she lukewarmly chuckled. "Still working on it though?"

"Oh, definitely." Penny answered. "My parents just imported some exotic posies from South America, which cost quite a hefty amount, and they plan the sow their seeds around for visual flair when they get the chance."

"Ooh, sounds interesting!." Molly responded. "I might need to drop by sometime to see them!"

The two would have spoken further if the show didn't seem to start shortly after. Everyone's attention soon turned to the center part of the area toward the small shack, and after a few seconds of the nob turning the presenter revealed himself to the public of young kids. While he seemed a bit middle aged and in some dirty overalls, he sported a big smile on his face as he held two large pots of plants. Before long, he introduced himself and instantly spoke about the general topic of gardening and how others don't consider such activities too seriously. Some more explanations followed until he got to show the special plants he brought out and all of their respective traits. Eventually he talked about the processes behind gardening and all of the special plants one could grow if given enough time and dedication, which intrigued the students including Molly and Penny. Over time he presented more interesting facts and exotic flowers he kept hoarded in the shack as he rambled on to the interests of everyone who watched. It became apparent as to why their teacher brought them to such a place for a field trip, and the students took everything in hook, line, and sinker.

The presentation went on for a while, but surprisingly nobody grew bored. Everyone stayed awake to all of the special eye candy the presenter had it store, and he seemingly saved the best for last. He even had an assistant wheel in such a monster in a large wheelbarrow, and it only took one enamored gaze to figure out why. Not only had a gargantuan plant showed up, but THE gargantuan plant. Its yellow petals hit the sunshine gloriously while its smooth center soaked up the heat as it sparkled to the joy of many. It huge green stem and leaves flapped in the wind as the wheelbarrow teetered left and right supposedly from its weight. While it may have shared an appearance with another common plant, the most obvious outlier made for something spectacular. It easily towered over the small shack and measured up to a medium sized house, which completely took everyone else by surprise. To know such a behemoth existed and still maintained a weight easy enough for a human to carry in…on wheels sent shock waves throughout the students in a manner only young kids truly felt deep down. Someone dangled some very enticing keys before them and they couldn't take their eyes off of it.

While the presenter provide the introductions and facts, Penny required none of it.

"Whoa! Now that's a huge sunflower if I say so myself!" Molly said as her eyes lit up.

Penny shook in pure joy.

"No Molly. Not just ANY huge sunflower…the Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower!"

"The Giant…uhhh… What did you just say?" Molly asked.

"The Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower!" Penny stated. "I've only heard about them from my parents, for just one wrong move and they gobble you right up!"

"Ooh, sounds dangerous!" Molly said. "Then we should, ummm, probably find shelter, right?"

"Nah, for they seemed to have planted it right." Penny answered. "Only when planted incorrectly do they get irritated to the point where they desire your bones. If given the care and love they deserve from gardeners, well, you can see for yourself."

They only needed another glance at the giant plant to understand what she meant. For something classified as a "man eating" plant, it appeared completely unfit for the role. It swayed calmly in the breeze while its bright yellow petals reflected under the sunlight. If it carried the particular title the presenter probably wouldn't fathom the thought of displaying it before children, especially students. Such beauty and poise from the stunning flower left pretty amazing impressions across all of the students, and if not for its name the facts behind its viscous behavior completely flew under the radar of many.

"So sparkly…and beautiful…all in one giant package." Molly said while enamored at the flower. "I wonder how it would feel…to also have those traits."

"You…want to exist like that giant sunflower?" Penny asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Uhhhh, sort of." Molly responded. "Just imagine standing up and seeing everything below you smaller than basically everything! I can spread my joy everywhere and not break a sweat! Look out world, for Giant Molly has arrived to make your days happy and great!"

"Heheheheh, yeah. Imagine you bigger than reality itself." Penny said after she giggled. "You could probably subdue every Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower in existence while they never come close in height to the bottom of your shoes."

"Yeah, that would feel amazing!" Molly said while her eyes sparkled.

"Kind of makes me wish I can grow one like my parents."

The last statement caught Molly by surprise.

"Wait a minute. Your parents…ACTUALLY GREW ONE OF THOSE?!"

She made sure to keep her voice down a few decibels so she wouldn't interrupt the presentation on display for everyone else, although she still caught the attention of some around her. Luckily it only lasted for a few seconds until they got back to the actual show before them.

Penny sighed a little toward her friend.

"While not the easiest task in the world, they pulled through and grew one of those beasts. Again, one wrong move and they go haywire, so they took extra precautions but got it done in the end. After everything they've done, you can imagine how eager I am to get my chance to possible grow one. However, I'm still…too young to try…"

Her head drooped down a bit while her mood dipped a little negative. The sadness encased within her cranium leaked into reality to the point where she held her head in her hands and shook her head. Just from the tone of her voice Molly could tell she likely thought about it for a while, so it became a first to see her best friend with such built up emotional baggage. As a pronounced "forerunner of joy" though, when misery reared its ugly head she always desired to rid of it in any way possible, especially ones she cared about. Even so, such deep baggage left a pretty hard print that wouldn't go by overnight, so she needed something strong. Penny deserved some light her way like the giant sunflower she intended to grow like her parents.

"Well, maybe I can show you how!"

Such a statement arrived out of nowhere from between her lips, and she had no idea why she even said so in the first place. She possibly scrambled for a solution and selected an option prematurely, but before she could correct herself Penny perked up a little as some of her sadness wiped away.

"What? I don't quite understand. Have you…done it before?"

Parts of Molly's hair stood on end while her chest throbbed, and yet she never let Penny know her true feelings underneath.

"Uhhhh, well, yes! I've totally grown one of those oversized pea shooters! They called me, ummm, Green Thumbed Molly early in my career!"

From there Penny's intrigue slowly surfaced toward her friend. Her misery seemed to have taken a back seat as she curiously stared in Molly's direction, while Molly herself seemed to have sweat built up across her back.

"All this time…you had a knack in growing plants…and never told me? I thought friends don't hide secrets!"

"Well I, uhhhhh…" Molly said as she struggled internally for words. "I, errrrrr…couldn't find a more appropriate time! Yeah! I, uhhhhhh, wanted the perfect moment to say it to my bestie! My family taught me how, ummmmm, early on in my life! I'm a prodigy and have grown those plants, errrrrrr, for years!"

Penny tepidly chuckled as her gaze pierced into Molly's facade of a story. Her mouth locked shut while her skin itched all over to the terrible tales she said to her friend. Penny's eyes narrowed as Molly scratched herself like it just became dry skin season. The two girls exchanged their own unique stories from their expressions alone, and yet they said no words. One sat nervous while the other sat curious, although only one came out on top.

After a rather intense stare off, Penny pulled back and smiled.

"Aww, I know you wouldn't lie to me. Maybe you can show me how to do so sometime? I want to prep myself one hundred ten percent for the inevitable planting, and considering that most gardeners have one or more with them when planting the beast…to know that I have someone who soloed one is SOOOOO incredible! Please show me your skills-"

Their conversation suddenly became interjected when some very stunning blasts erupted in front of them, and one single glance forward revealed why. The petals of the Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower released some small seedy pods that blew up into small clouds of sparkles, which caused the crowd of children, including themselves, to gawk in shock and awe. The presenter seemed to get in on the fun too as his feet became frenzied from all of the blasts. Soon after, both girls seemed to have forgotten what they had on their minds and just enjoyed themselves like everyone else.

…at least at first.

---

Molly finally shut the pages on her rather long but informative explanation, and even after all of it she still appeared to have some emotional baggage left in her. She kept her eyes to the floor while she sighed a couple of times, which sent waves over to the others. To think she still thought of something from that period indicated its rather utmost importance, and yet some factors still remained up in the air. Nancy even made her way up atop one of Libby's fingertips to hear and see everything better despite the stark pains in her chest. Molly really thought of the one reclusive memory as something that struck her where it really hurt, and it showed.

Before anyone could ask question, Molly cleared the still air a bit more.

"I said all of that to keep her happy, and I blame my younger mindset for coming up with a blatant lie like that. She meant it too, and she went on and on about her excitement which sent so much anxiety down my spine I couldn't sleep at all that night. Before I even knew it though…my family hit the road a day later and I haven't seen Penny since…"

She seriously looked at Scratch, Libby, and Nancy straight in the eyes.

"As much as I feel so incredibly joyful to finally see someone I left throughout all of my travels, to hear that unfortunate promise once again…it really, REALLY hurts. I don't have a "Get Out of Jail Free" card this time, and she expects me to pull off something I've lied about before we separated! Did I mention how STRESSED I AM?!"

Molly groaned before she collapsed onto her bed again in a very sour mood. She finally set everything out for the others to catch them up to speed, and reactions varied. Libby thoroughly sympathized with her bestie and slowly sat on the bed next to Molly while she slightly frowned. Nancy understood Molly's pain but not on the same level as Libby, since she still had mixed feelings toward the tween due to the cake incident, but any further focus fell to the wayside from the pains in her chest. Scratch showed no visible changes, but that meant nothing since he desired to keep his emotions and thoughts hidden for the most part. Deep down though, all three stood by for her comfort.

"You feel upset…over a stupid plant." Scratch said rater flatly. "What am I not surprised to hear this from you? You've pretty much dealt with something similar beforehand with Libby here!"

"You…actually have a point there." Libby added before she got to Molly. "Why don't you just give her the honesty like you did me?"

"I want to…but not with YEARS upon YEARS built up since then!" Molly said. "You have no idea how much BAGGAGE gets towed behind you from then to now! I don't want to lose that long lasting friendship!"

"Have you, ummm, tried to…grow that plant before?" Nancy asked from Libby's hand. "I mean, you've traveled around the country…until you settled here."

"If I ever came across another Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower, I would have told all of you by now." Molly answered. "I'm a rather open book when it comes to memories and stories after all!"

"Yeah, I learned that the hard way after you went on and on about that one bathroom that locked from the inside."

Molly immediately shot up with a disgruntled face.

"Hey, the custodian had it out for me that day! HE GAVE ME THE LAZY EYE ON HIS WAY OUT!"

"Suuuuuuuuure he did." Scratch responded as he rolled his eyes.

Molly glared at him for a second before she fell back onto her bed again.

"I'm in SOOOOOOO much trouble right now. I just…I just need some time to think about things right now. If I'm going to take on such a behemoth flower, I'll need to-"

Libby's back stiffened for a second which caused her to jerk a little forward. Such a minute action sent Nancy off of her fingertip and into the air, but Libby already kept some attention on her so she snagged her very quickly before she could fall far. Nancy never even found a moment to scream before Libby caught her, who she felt extremely thankful for, but attention still stayed on Molly for the most part. Even so, Nancy carefully made her way back atop one of Libby's fingertips as the giant nervous girl provided her two cents on the matter.

"Wait a minute. You fully intend to try and grow that flower?!" Libby exclaimed. "But…but you said from your story that going solo wasn't recommended! I'll help in any way I-"

"No Libby, I have to do this on my own." Molly interjected. "Penny is my childhood friend, and I made this mistake, not you. I don't want it to involve you and potentially cause unintended consequences."

Even Scratch couldn't believe his ears as Molly spoke nonsense.

"Yeah, I'm siding with Libby on this. From what I heard that plant carries SO many dangers, and I don't want to see you picking daisies anytime soon."

To hear Scratch offer his own advice spoke volumes to how much they worried about her safety, especially with something where one wrong move could end in disaster. Even Nancy, the shrunken girl that detested her for the most part, didn't want her to act alone, despite the fact that her size meant very minimal assistance. Sure, she wanted her size back more than anything, but not at the cost of someone's demise. Molly didn't deserve the onslaught ahead, and the others knew it too well.

Soon after though, the mood in the room shifted as Molly opened her eyes a bit wider than usual. She glanced at the other girls and Scratch for a second before she spoke up again.

"You know what? You make a pretty excellent point there, Scratch."

The others contained so many mixed emotions from such a response that they couldn't answer at the moment. From complete misery to utter realization seemed unorthodox and odd, but then they reminded themselves that they had Molly in the room. If anything stirred someone's suspicions about something weird and strange with a pinch of unpredictability, more than likely Molly schemed up something and acted on it. Out of everyone else in existence, her likelihood of situations going crazy became guaranteed in only a couple of seconds. Libby and Scratch bonded in a happy friendship just to keep watch of Molly and her antics among other reasons after all.

Eventually, Libby added her own thoughts to the mix.

"But…but I brought that up first! He just reiterated the point I made!"

"Aww, who cares who stated it first?" Molly said. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions quickly, okay? This whole plant business has screwed up my train of thought, and this locomotive needs to go 'choo choo' back to the station."

"That sounds…fine then." Nancy responded. "As long as you…don't get killed."

The tiny girl's back then stiffened once some strong hot air wafted across her back. She almost didn't want to turn and face the source, but with eyes everywhere in the form of the other three her safety remained in check…as much as two tweens and a ghost could handle. Once she inevitably made her move she lightly yelped for a split second as Libby's humongous face took up her entire sight, which almost sent her off of her fingertip yet again. Her planet sized eyes gazed down at her with intense concentration, and she never let up even for a second. After the enigmatic phenomenon behind her shrinkage, it became obvious that some maintained more interest in the happenings more than others.

Once she noticed that Nancy almost fell off again, Libby snapped somewhat back to Earth .

"Oh, uhhhh, I'm terribly sorry! I almost never get my chance for moments like this, so I'm taking in as much as I can. No offense, errrrr, Nancy."

"Uhhhhh…none taken…" Nancy muttered.

"Has there been anyone NOT interested in Nancy's situation at this point?" Scratch replied. "I swear she might become the next cultural sensation if not for her secrecy!"

Somewhere in the distance a certain internet celebrity that often butted heads with Molly felt a sharp pain in her side. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to amp up her social influence for the future.

---

After everything settled for the day, the group called it in and headed back to their homes for the night before it got too dark. Libby kept Nancy for a few more minutes until Molly needed her back, so she plopped the shrunken one back in Molly's happy grasp before she left. Nancy still felt some type of pain in her chest, but her fatigue reached high levels which countered it for the most part. The two girls and ghost went back to Molly's room and prepared for a good night's sleep, especially Scratch since he apparently "let a few winks loose" yesterday and required some deep sleep.

…and in all that time nobody realized that Nancy's hair appeared to have shortened to a certain length and darkened to a certain degree.

Scratch immediately miniaturized himself and headed into his personal abode while Molly got out a small ball of cotton and cloth for Nancy atop the bookshelf. She made herself comfortable, as much as planks of wood provided, before she turned around and went to sleep. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for the giant one, although her shrinkage made her a bit difficult to see anyway. Molly wanted to make some type of tiny bed for the girl since she stayed with her for a few months at that point, although her craftsmanship for her specific size scale made it pretty difficult. She put a pin in it for later, but for now she'll have to make do with less than stellar substitutes. She considered her part of the family after all despite her reluctance to cooperate with the one who started all of her troubles.

Molly then shut the lights off carefully before she headed into bed herself. She set her head against her pillow and pulled up her comfy blanket for a good night's sleep. She glanced over to Scratch's small house then up to the bookshelf when she placed Nancy before she slowly shut her eyes. She'll inform Penny about her absence when morning came, as such danger and lies put herself at risk. She knew Penny would understand, and before long her eyes drifted off to sleep.

…

…

…

…

…

…for a decent while.

Molly's eyes flipped awake as she made a very careful observation toward Scratch's place and the shelf above. Scratch usually sawed logs and fell into deep sleeps very quickly, so she felt some form of relief from those facts, but she still had one more to pay attention to. Once she slowly got up from her bed she peeked over the shelf and focused on the dot among the dust. She smiled once she noticed Nancy fast asleep, which also served as the final precaution for what she intended to do next. She still made extra sure she made no noise as she got out of bed, and once she put her shoes back on she took a couple of deep breaths. Her intentions remained clear for her adorable eyes.

"Sorry, but I have to go through with this alone. I can't let her down."

She precariously tiptoed a bit past the small house where Scratch slept before she silently opened the attic door and crawled through down the ladder. Her face showed seriousness as a steady rock tune played combined with a breakthrough march.

The Dishonorable Shoes

Molly: Lies, deception, all to save face.

To the expectations of a loving embrace.

(She then holds up a picture of herself and Penny as toddlers)

What do I do? How do I act?

Hopefully she doesn't go overreact.

(She puts the picture away and closes her eyes in might)

My mistake, my problem, only for me.

Nobody should suffer while I act gutsy.

(The scenery changes to a frozen still of the incident at the garden)

One goal ahead, going in solo.

Alone, solitary, like an angry rhino!

(Scene changes to Molly in a lieutenant's outfit climbing up a treacherous mountain in the rain. She gazes up and sees both her and Penny smiling in the clouds)

I can't ignore such blatant reflections

When my close friend has such blatant complexions

(She glances back down and climbs up the mountain as the heat increases)

Up to the knees, anxious and dire

Fiery burns to fuel all the burning desires!

(Speed and tempo increase as the ground ignites)

Nostalgia can hold blind to one's perception

To the point as it gets to self-deception.

(Fire burns from the cracks before a fiery face of Molly rises and cackles at her)

Where does this go? How will it feel?

Can someone else come and take the wheel?

(The fires simmer down as the world quakes and forms endless fissures before her)

No matter what, I can't bear her misery

(She takes a leap across and slows down in midair)

For I have to win with joyful victory.

(She lands and process forward across the destruction)

No more distractions, no backing down

For joy always wins, no need for a frown!

(The rain lets up as the ground forms back up)

Nobody deserves such terrible fates

But I have to go in with two ton weights.

(She reaches the top, only to see a charred picture of herself and Penny with Penny side burnt off)

And yet I know nothing and can't refuse.

All while I'm in…the dishonorable shoes.

(She sits down and cries before she glances toward her burnt shoes)

The dishonorable shoes!

Molly gazed up at the entrance one final time before she deeply frowned and sighed. It really hurt to know that she willingly went against everything she acted on. While her happiness and joy helped to shared all of the positivity she expressed twenty four seven, she needed to finally settle some deep emotional baggage she completely neglected for years. As much as she wanted to go back and tell Scratch and Nancy about everything she intended to do, she thought it best to not involve them in any capacity. Like she sang earlier, she needed to deal with the problem on her own.

She felt a few tears in her eyes before she turned away.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I have to settle this alone."

After a moment of reflection, Molly took a deep breath before she silently opened the front door and headed out. She didn't want to test Penny's patience after all of the years spent without seeing her once, and she clearly thought of Molly as a true friend. She might suffer a few bruises here and there, but she couldn't let her long lost friend down. She cared for Penny as much as anyone else she knew and loved, which came at a rather discomforting and terrible price.

As Molly mutely escaped from everyone counting sheep in her house, some hit their REM cycle and fell into their deepest slumber. Scratch and Nancy ended up as some of the first, and while Scratch's basically meant endless buffets, which included him munching on his pillow, Nancy's mind conjured up something…rather gruesome. In her time ever since she became stuck to Molly and Scratch after her miniaturization, she kept a constant cycle of nightmares that either ranged from relatively harmless to full on red. For tonight it tipped the scales between innocent and dangerous as a gigantic and sharp toothed Molly bound Nancy to a leash while she constant brought her giant pink and yellow sneakers over her head to crush her. Nancy couldn't even get that far either, for every time Molly uttered her name, regardless of where she tried to hide, a vile force shoved her out right back into the limelight for more deadly activities. Her nightmare literally placed her into the same circumstances Scratch went through when he cursed himself to Molly, but in terms of Nancy's perspective Molly never acted so merciful. Whenever her devious mind wanted her out in the open, she only needed to say her sorry name to drag her out like an astute servant, even though Nancy wanted none of it. Her cold and demonic gaze left an impact that sent Nancy's emotions into overdrive, along with a pair of eyes that glared over both of them, but no matter what the tiny girl still thought of her as the warden that always dangled the key just out of reach to her freedom. Even after all of the months spent with her, Nancy wanted to separate and restore her normal size more than anything.

Her constant dark thoughts of her tween captor continued for a while until her body started to act up again. It started off small with only a couple of jerks around the waist, but soon enough it felt like she may have swallowed something she shouldn't. A few minutes in and her slumbering self began to dry heave followed by puddles of saliva. Not until her heaves caved in more loudly had the young eleven year old flipped her eyes open, and right before she even knew what happened she already puked out a small pool of bile. Her eyes turned into saucers before she heaved out even more that left her as a shaken shadow of her miserable self, and as time progressed her hurls resulted in more out of her than a birthday pinata. It left her withered to the point to where she couldn't utter anything without hurling out something, and the pain only increased even more. From one nightmare to another, she suffered while everyone else slept like nothing went wrong.

Her constant gross noises eventually reached another who still had many winks to catch. As her condition worsened by the minute, it took one loud heave before the often grumpy ghost creaked his tired eyes open. Red streaks of capillaries cracked over his eyes as his grumpily snorted and floated out of his comfy bed. He took one stern glance out of a nearby window and aimed his line of sight straight at the shelf where Nancy slept. He wouldn't have it any more.

"HEY MIDGET! WOULD YOU SHUT YOU STUPID PIE HOLE AND LET ME CATCH SOME-"

His focus fell a little as his sight caught another rather strange sight. If his normally joyful friend still snoozed under the covers he likely would have continued to berate Nancy for waking him up prematurely, but since the blankets fell to the side empty his attention almost instantly turned toward the empty bed. Because of his dreariness it took a couple of seconds for his brain to finally connect the dots, and when they did his crankiness soon changed to worry. Almost instantly he floated out of his house and expanded to his normal size for a closer look, and he didn't like what he saw.

"Oh no. She wouldn't…she definitely wouldn't…"

As if sirens blared in his head, Scratch quickly flew up to the shelf where Nancy currently emptied out her stomach. Her condition worsened as she could barely hold herself up, which added more problems to the mix for the ghost. While he couldn't see her fully, he definitely heard her pukes from a mile away.

"Midget! We have a problem!"

As if on instinct, Nancy instantly turned around to face him. While nobody would have paid attention to such a mundane motion, for Scratch after he focused in on her he yelped and shot himself back. At first Nancy considered that he probably saw all of the buckets of bile and her drained expression, which she would have followed through with if the ghost never addressed the extras she failed to notice.

"SWEET MOTHER OF GHOSTS!"

Even after he shouted, everyone else still in the house kept their craniums in their pillows. While it benefited the other two wide awake, they had their own problems as Scratch warily floated back up to the suffering Nancy. She puked again as the ghost spoke up.

"Uhhhh, midget? Am I seeing you down there?"

Nancy thought such a question seemed obvious, but she barely found a moment to answer him anyway.

"Errrrr, uhhhhhh, yes. I don't knOW WHY YOU WOUld-"

She temporarily stopped her puking as a familiar tone escape her mouth. While only a very brief moment, she already clasped her mouth shut and refused to speak further. She even grasped the wood floor and backed up completely terrified until she hit the back of the shelf. Her heart accelerated in split seconds while her pupils nearly vanished, which petrified her eyes forward. Even Scratch got taken by surprise and also backed up a bit, but not to the same level as Nancy. They've went through a similar song and dance before, but at least that time Scratch caused it with no influence from Nancy. It added to the weirdness surrounding Nancy's condition and further piled on the list of abnormalities that occurred since.

As for what they heard, they couldn't forget such an infectious amount of joy from anywhere.

Nancy's impulses continuously wanted her to keep heaving, but the sheer surprise kept them at bay for the moment. Even so, Scratch needed to inform her about what displayed before his very eyes.

"Whoa! I know Molly influenced a lot of people since she moved here, but never…to THAT degree."

Nancy shuddered and shook at over.

"Errrr… What… Why aM I HearING…"

Her voice shifted rapidly between hers and the exuberant tween's that sent chills down her spine, although she found a few moments to hurl out some bile in the process. She bundled herself up tight as Scratch got up close for a better look.

"Yup. I'm definitely getting my money's worth from all of the strangeness about you. Have you looked into a mirror lately, midget?"

"ScrATCH, what DO yOU-"

Before Nancy could finish, she watched as Scratch, as the amorphous entity of the bunch, quickly changed his overall appearance to that of a rather weird appearing mirror. His eyes stuck out near the top, but it never impeded with the reflection as Nancy gazed into it. Upon the sight of what she looked like, her eyelids and pupils nearly vanished. Color drained from her face, and she let loose a deafening scream that would have woken up everyone if she still had her normal size.

While she never considered Molly as an idol, from her appearance she may as well have become her greatest fan.

While some of her typical appearance remained, a majority of them took a hike for something more akin to the brightest girl of Brighton. Her hair greatly shortened until it reached her neck, and already she inherited Molly's brown color and small braid. Her skin became a stark mix of light and dark from their different skin colors, and her eyes basically mimicked those particular changes as well. Her gray shirt that normally displayed a decal of a shield split and revealed a white undershirt while the one on top took on the display of Molly's minus the color. It even supported the small button near the top, although Nancy's currently appeared black instead of light blue. Her blouse already took on Molly's lighter magenta color, and her black and white sneakers mirrored the tween's in terms of overall appearance. No such extra utterances became necessary to understand her obvious changes in voice. She really appeared like a mangled mix of herself and Molly in more ways than one, and it didn't help that she still lacked her missing height.

Nancy almost couldn't recover from all the changes her body seemed to have gone through.

"As if I nEED…MOre troubles riGHT NOW!" Nancy exclaimed as she shifted between hers and Molly's voices. "I caN'T GO AROUnd like thIS!"

"Eh, you probably wouldn't go out there as a midget anyway." Scratch replied while he shrugged his shoulders.

He gave Nancy a chance to puke out some more before she could respond. However, right as she desired to speak, something else caught their hearing. It seemed to have come from the bedroom window, so Scratch carefully picked up the malformed Nancy and set her on one of his shoulders before he floated on over. Once the two had a good look, it became obvious as a small rock continuously hit the glass which luckily never broke it. Both Scratch and Nancy tilted their heads before they peeked out, and only one glance down revealed Molly's closest human bestie with a clump of rocks in her hands. It appeared as if she would have thrown another if she never saw Scratch up close to the window, so she smiled and waved toward him instead from the ground below. She likely would have shouted if the neighborhood currently didn't sleep, but it became evident that she wanted their attention. For once her ability to see Scratch benefited her, for the ghost easily got the message and carefully opened the window. After he silently closed it, he floated down and met up with her as Nancy sat on the sidelines. For such a simple tactic, it became effective in the end.

"You know, you could have awakened the other McGees with that stunt." Scratch said.

"Well, it worked for decades and the movies!" Libby responded. "Besides, I'm already pressed for time standing out here. I had to wait for the right hour before my mother knocked herself out, and I have no idea when she'll suddenly wake up."

"Yeah, I don't exactly see you as a 'Sneaky Sneakerson' type." Scratch said.

"Hey, the Bloodhound of Truth would like to have a word with you!" Libby responded before she hastily changed the subject. "Anyway, I assume Molly already ran out on both of you?"

Both Scratch and Nancy raised their eyebrows.

"Yeeeeeaaah." Scratch responded while slightly astonished. "How did you know?"

"Oh, Molly doesn't exactly hide her intentions well." Libby answered. "I have to admit, her twitchy eyes and submissive attitude pretty much provided everything I needed to know."

"Right. Another bad acting job." Scratch said. "I told her already that she never had a chance as a stand up comedian at her current rate. At one point she tried to rhyme-"

Before anyone else could speak further, Nancy's mouth filled up which forced another hurl into the grass down below, which sent some really rudimentary goosebumps across Libby's and Scratch's back.

"Ugh…disgusting…" Nancy muttered as her changing body shivered all over.

At that point she already caught the attention of Libby, who loomed in for a better look…then recoiled back once the visuals hit.

"SWEET MOTHER OF DISCOVERY!"

"I pretty much felt the same exact way." Scratch flatly said.

Libby took a moment to calm herself down before she walked back up as Nancy puked again.

"Nananana…Nancy actually looks like…" Libby stuttered.

"Like MoLLY?" Nancy said as her voice kept shifting. "YeAH, I'M FREAking out…as mucH AS YOU RIGht now."

"I put a pin in it as just another weird happening for the midget since the accident." Scratch said. "She'll probably get through it for now, but we should keep an eye on her just in case."

Nancy worriedly took a few slow breaths and bundled her deformed body up close to her knees for some kind of comfort. As she dry heaved a few more times, Scratch and Libby noticed her skin changed completely to mirror Molly while her shoes lost their normal black and white to Molly's typical pink and yellow. It seemed as time progressed more and more of Nancy's unique identity disappeared for something more akin to the joyful girl of Brighton, and she clearly didn't want what strangeness her body continued going through. One could attribute such traits to simply getting older, but when it came to what the shrunken girl currently went through such assumptions went null and void. No such maturity boiled down to morphing into a clone of someone else, especially when clothes changed with your body.

Libby quickly shifted the topic back just to get everything back on track.

"Anyways, do you have any other details as to when Molly left?"

"Unfortunately, no." Scratch said. "When I get under the covers, I REALLY get into it. I conked out almost instantly and stayed that way until the midget woke me up.

From there Libby's hair became frazzled and stuck out everywhere as her back stiffened.

"Oh no. Oh nonononononono! This just went from an angry buffalo to a COMBUSTING VOLCANO! She won't make it out in one piece!"

"You mean with that stupid plant?" Scratch asked.

Libby hurriedly nodded before she let loose an information bomb that shook the other two.

"I've done some last minute investigations once we split, which involved A LOT of tiptoeing after library closing time, and once I placed my eyes between the lines of a certain botany book I learned that Molly REALLY provided very vague details in her story. The Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower requires ABSOLUTE PERFECTION when you plant it, and just one mishap spells your end in an instant!"

"Uhhhh, MolLY KIND Of…tolD US That already…" Nancy said while she shuddered from hearing Molly's voice out of her mouth.

"And yet she left out a VERY important detail." Libby responded. "There's a reason why botanists choose to plant the flower with a partner. The book stated that not only does the flower get enraged, but it also…"

Libby gulped and shuddered before she finished.

"…goes on a destructive rampage for at least ten miles!"

Both Scratch and Nancy went wide eyed from Libby's statement, but not for the reasons she expected. Sure, they cared for Molly and wanted her back before something terrible happened, but something else caught their interests as well.

"Seriously, I've heard of hard to grow plants, and then that stupid giant monster one shows up with a can in its leaves. How the heck does ANYONE want to grow beasts like that?!"

"Now you know why so very few like to talk about them…and their scarcity." Libby said. "We've got to find Molly STAT!"

"…as if I didn't come out for that already." Scratch replied rather nonchalantly.

The two prepared to head off, but before they did so Scratch thought it best that Libby should take hold of Nancy just in case. The shrunken girl watched as Libby's huge hand reached out and plucked her right between two fingers. She kept her in the center of her palm while the messed up tiny bundled herself up and kept her knees close to her face, which brought Scratch's and Libby's attitudes down a peg. She set off a couple of alarms in their heads towards a rather uncooperative stance, and thanks to Libby's super sleuthing she only needed a few extra details before she pinned down the cause. However, she didn't like what she concluded on.

Just because she found herself dragged along constantly meant nothing if it helped someone she despised.

"Hey Nancy, you feel okay?" Libby asked.

Nancy kept her mouth shut. Her breathing slowed while she shirked all of the attention her way, and the less she looked at herself the better. While she cared for Molly a little bit, most of it remained buried under mounds and mounds of disdain that muddied the grounds of something helpful. The primary reasons she found herself in Molly's presence prohibited most positive natures toward her and left her as nothing but a captor with a facade of a friendly disposition on the surface. While she made some progress on her case, the facts still remained and the more she stayed mini the more she wanted her own life back. She only needed to hear and see herself at the moment to reinforce her ideals. All of the misery she accumulated because of Molly outweighed most of the joy warded off from the black clouds of a never ending thunderstorm. They had no idea just how much negativity clouded Nancy's judgments toward her new life as the smallest person in existence.

"Nancy, I know you still don't like Molly that much after what she did to you, but just put it aside for once so we can help her. We don't deserve an angry sunflower rampage throughout Brighton. She would easily do the same for you if you screwed up in some way, for she did so for me. If one of your friends ended up in a bind like her, I'm certain you would attempt to help. Just because you don't like her doesn't mean everyone else does. She's my friend…and I know you don't detest me. Do this for me, okay?"

"Think of it this way, midget." Scratch said. "If she goes…so does your chances to reverse your shrinkage."

All of the additional thoughts aimed straight where it hurt, and yet many rebounded off. She wanted to help, but the fact that her captor was the one in need held her back a ton. It sounded so counterproductive to assist the one against you, and yet all relied on the situation for justification. While Libby spoke the truth behind how she considered her not on the same detestable level, she never got that much time with her to begin with. Not only that, but Scratch made an excellent point about her chances basically becoming nonexistent if Molly perished. Even if she attempted to help though, her size hindered her so much…

Nancy held her head from all of the compounded thoughts as they conflicted for a final outcome.

---

Molly pulled back brush after brush as her shoes sunk into the dirt. If she remembered correctly, she should see Penny close by in a lush field. In all of her months spent in Brighton, she never knew that the town had an open area for activities such as growing plants. Not until Penny revealed its location did Molly find out about it, and to think that she knew beforehand indicated the seriousness behind her intention. She didn't appreciate the trek there, for dozens of trees and bushes stood in her way that blocked sightings up ahead which left her to make guesses about where to go next. While Molly traveled a lot before settling in Scratch's house, at least those times only involved a car and some elbow grease. She never required extensive footwork from place to place, which likely contributed to why she never heard about the town's open field until her childhood friend told her. At points she understood all of the trials Nancy went through before she saw the tiny girl as a dot on the floor, for such situations likely never became easy for her. Despite her experience with the outdoors, she'd rather stay in more lively neighborhoods that whacking stray branches out of the way.

"Just keep moving…and don't think about it too much…" Molly thought. "You have to do this for the sake of everyone else. Only I truly understand Penny…and nobody else!"

It really hurt to know that she willingly went against her friends for the sake of a baggage she never fully released for years, but she couldn't see a viable outcome any other way. If she never made the unfortunate promise way back when she never would have resorted to such tactics, and it went against everything she knew and loved. In many ways it felt like the polar opposite of joy, which she never desired to act upon. She fought back multiple tears in her eyes as a branch nearly whopped her across the face, but the quicker she got everything over with the better. Penny relied on her trust and friendship after all, and she didn't want to lose her after she came just across such a long lost friend. As long as she went through with all of the plant business flawlessly she wouldn't shatter their friendship, and Molly always wanted as many friendships as possible. If Penny wanted a powerful and stunning plant for all of Brighton to see…Molly made sure she got it.

She moved piles of leaves and twigs out of the way before her leg snagged against a branch. It required a brief moment to untangle, which Molly did, and she would have gone off forward again if something else never abruptly appeared right in front of her face.

"You've become an insomniac too?"

Molly lightly shrieked for a split second before she fell back across the ground. A couple of leaves got tangled in her hair, but for the most part she suffered no serious injuries. As she picked herself back up she cleared her head and glanced forward to see the culprit. Out of everyone to come across in the dead of night, one particularly came up as a decent pick. While she hadn't seen her for months, likely due to the job she undertook for the MISSION Squad, her image never left Molly's head…especially when she hung upside down from a tree branch above. Oddly, her pink toadstool shaped hat never fell off or tilted despite the gravity shifts. Despite all that had happened up to that point, she still smiled in a goofy fashion while the blood flowed to her head.

"Yeesh! Olivia?!" Molly said while slightly dumbfounded. "Shouldn't you have a million Zs under your belt and, you know, have Nancy's appearance? If her parents find out…"

Olivia swung back and forth while her smile never faded.

"Relax! Everyone knocks themselves out at night, and Nancy's parents have already done so! I've done this thousands of times before and always make it back in time before the sun rises! Besides, even shape-shifters need moments to themselves, and what better time to finally loosen up…than night!"

Olivia yukked it up for a few seconds while she performed some rather unique flips and acrobatics all while she stayed attached to the tree branch. However, as she enjoyed herself in an energetic fashion, Molly walked under her and pushed her aside like a vertical saloon door. Olivia hung upside down and slightly confused before she twirled and landed impressively back onto her feet like a pro gymnast. She could hear some faint applause before she followed Molly close behind.

She quickly got in front of Molly's and gazed into her eyes with her own endearing ones.

"Hey, why the long face? The Molly I find so FASCINATING always lightens up the darkest of patches, but now…you blend in like you've blown out the candle! Hello?! Am I speaking to Molly or an impostor? OOH! Maybe I finally met another fellow transformer! Please, you have to tell me-"

"Not now Olivia." Molly interrupted as she pushed her aside.

Olivia gazed toward her befuddled before she puffed up her cheeks and ran back up to her.

"Ohhhhhhh, you have something serious going on? I find that VERY interesting coming from you! Imagine someone like you all gruff like-"

As if her cue came up, Olivia eagerly pulled her signature pink mushroom hat down across her face until it completely covered it. One release and snap later, Olivia completely changed into an imitation of Molly in a skimpy war general uniform. She even expressed a cheesy stern face while she spoke as a carbon copy of Molly's.

"TEN HUT! DROP THOSE LEGS AND GIVE ME TWENTY! DO IT IN TWO DOLLAR BILLS THIS TIME! GIVE ME THE CHANGE LATER, SOLDIER!"

"Olivia, I'm not in the mood right now." Molly replied. "I have something to do alone, okay?"

Olivia pulled her changed hair down until it completely covered her face before she snapped it back, which brought her back to her normal appearance. She then tilted her head toward the devoted tween.

"You mean as in…going solo? Yet another first I've heard from you." Olivia replied. "Judging from all of your other actions, I assumed you always wanted to handle events…with others."

Just to reinforce her point, Olivia pulled her hat back down and snapped it back up, which revealed that she changed into a copy of Molly once again, including her voice.

"Friends make everything better! I can't wait to see what friends I'll make today! Maybe I'll give my good friend Olivia a visit!"

The changed Olivia instantly ran up to Molly and gave her one of her own signature hugs, which left the original struggling to breathe. Olivia kept up her own mimicked expression of Molly's bright smile while the original Molly tried to pull her away.

"Olivia…choking…can't breathe…"

Once Molly's face turned blue, Olivia caught on rather quickly.

"Whoops! Heheheheheh! Sorry Molly!"

The transformed one released her grip and allowed Molly to gain air into her lungs. She bent over and placed her hands on her knees for a moment while Olivia kept up her Molly facade for a little longer.

"Yes, I get it Olivia. I know I've said that already." Molly said. "However, sometimes things can get a bit…personal. I'd rather not get other involved…in those circumstance. You understand, right?"

Olivia, under the guise of Molly, walked up to her with a skeptical expression.

"Yeah, I'm not seeing you as me. I always desire to have the most friends as possible, even when the goings get tough, and I ALWAYS look out for them too! More friends equals MORE FUN, including tough times!"

Molly slowly began to get irritated with Olivia's antics. She didn't need sentences she already knew about thrown at her face like a mirror, and she still needed to get to Penny before time ran out. She knew Olivia liked to play around and act kooky, when it interrupted something important her patience wore thin. Not everything settled on fun and games.

"I get it Olivia. You don't need to rub it in." Molly replied. "Can I please just get going before I run out of time?"

Molly watched her mirrored self slowly dip into a frown before she sighed and pulled her hair down over her face. One snap back to Olivia later and the weird but also friendly girl kept her frown toward the once joyful one.

"I'm just saying, your new attitude doesn't fascinate me in the slightest. Just because you feel like it doesn't mean it's right. I'll leave it at that, but keep what I said in mind. If you need me…I'm going to enjoy myself while the moon shines."

Molly watched as Olivia pulled down her pink mushroom shaped hat over her face and snapped it upward yet again, which revealed that she changed into no one else but the rich snob Andrea. She giggled to herself before she quickly climbed up a nearby tree and went back to swinging on thick branches. She used her legs, arms, and her hands as she performed some very impressive flips and spins straight out of a professional gymnastics class. As she happily swung around she yukked it up yet again as she made her way from tree branch to tree branch until she disappeared out of sight. Molly had to admit she rather liked seeing Olivia perform so well but her current mission locked most of the enjoyment away. The fact that she took on Andrea's appearance also added more visual spice to the cake. In the end, Molly wished to get her own situation over it so she could get back to her own personality again, as Olivia showed front and center.

She also wondered how Olivia slept if night became her go to time of day.

With that exchange out of the way, Molly went back to moving through greenery forward. She couldn't Penny waiting much longer, especially for a cherished long time friend like her, although she would have preferred a more linear route. She already felt multiple scrapes and scratches against her ankles despite her protective shoes. At that point she questioned whether she learned of the right spot, for if she wandered around aimlessly she probably would find herself lost rather instantly. Even so, she trusted the directions given to her, and it also gave her an excuse to discover more of Brighton than she initially learned about. She'd gotten used to worse locations after all.

Molly narrowly avoided a clump of leaves in her mouth by the time the trees started to thin out. Soon after they made way to the final destination only spoken about by her friend, and while not the most visually pleasing she understood its purpose. Her eyes twinkled while she placed her hands on her cheeks to the rows and rows of dirt by her feet, which extended for what seemed like a couple of miles. The whole place became covered around the outskirts by trees, so it stayed pretty well hidden and gave her an excuse as to why she never knew about such an area of Brighton. Each row stuck up slightly in small mounds as it appeared as if something remained buried, but after she witnessed a couple of nightly badgers dig into one unsuccessfully she concluded that no pirates with treasure maps would wander about anytime soon. Nothing but a decent hidden dirt field existed on the outskirts of town, and from the lack of anyone else it seemed nobody found such a place in a long while.

Molly gazed across the field until she found the one other person within the confines of the enclosed field. She had her head down toward the dirt until she glanced up and saw her once long lost friend.

"Oh, Molly! Hey, over here!"

Molly wasted no time as she rushed over to see the young botanist and her friendly grin. At first she saw Penny from the distance without any supplies, but as she met back up with her up close she realized she came prepared. Near her boots set a small decent sized watering can along with a bag that smelled like a thousand horse butts, which left even more of a nervous breakdown behind the scenes of Molly's friendly face. Never had Molly felt so much pressure and emotional baggage that even her bright smile showed some small cracks here and there, which Penny's seemed to not notice. At points she didn't know whether she held up her end of the bargain or a dozen beached whales across her chest. The pain became excruciating for the McGee and she couldn't weasel her way out anytime soon. Either she went through with an inevitable failure or admit to everything and possibly shatter their friendship forever.

She settled on the former rather than the latter.

"Yay, you came! I've already brought the supposed requirements for growing it, so everything should go by swimmingly with your expertise!"

"Riiiiiiight. Yeah, my obvious expertise…with that huge sunflower." Molly stated while her smile hid away her true feelings.

Penny looked at Molly with slight intrigue.

"Uhhhh, do you feel okay?"

"Me? NAAAAAAAAH!" Molly replied as more cracks formed. "I'm just so…happy to finally go through with this!"

Her eye twitched uncontrollably while her hands became tight fists, and yet Penny never appeared to react to them.

"Oh, good! It feels great to know that I have a friend like you! Here, I have the seed just for you!"

She reached into one of her pockets on her overalls and ran her fingers through until she found what she wanted. Once she showed it Molly, it didn't quite catch Molly's interest at first. While not an expert in flowers and plants, she saw enough through others means to notice how much the seed of the dreaded monster flower…didn't stand out. While she saw nothing but a black dot in Penny's hand, to think such a common appearance kept a huge plant in check sounded something straight out of a folk tale or something similar. However, Molly knew better after that fateful day in the garden. Her friend didn't fool around and held what seemed like a common seed, but if she messed around too much she would get it.

"Oh, uhhhhhh, you came rather…prepared." Molly said as her voice shook.

"Yup! I couldn't miss such a monumental occasion from you of all people!" Penny said with a smile. "Go ahead! Show me how to plant such a beauty!"

Some color slightly drained from Molly's face as Penny dropped the seed into her friend's grasp. At that moment she knew escape became impossible, and the entire process started from that moment on. Penny eagerly awaited Molly's next move while the once joyful girl felt repeatedly felt the life in her chest draining of comprehension. Penny's vibrant expression only worsened her unfortunate fate as the reminders of her promise resonated echoes throughout her being. Her legs refused to move, her arms changed into stilts, and all of the baggage reared every terrible thought back at her. She didn't want to continue, and yet she needed to. Their chains of friendship rattled as the acid rain corroded upon their surfaces.

Molly nearly lost it as she got on her hands and knees toward a specific mound with the seed in hand. Her emotions left her in a stranglehold for control, and her mind raced for some kind of safe haven.

"Wait! Uhhhh, I can't do this yet!"

Molly hastily got back on her feet as Penny looked at her like she lost a million brain cells.

"Yes, you can. This ain't rocket science, Molly."

"Well, uhhhhhh, I forgot to perform, uhhhhhhh…sweet talking the seed! Yeah, definitely that!"

Penny's eyes narrowed while she placed her hands on her hips.

"Really? I've never heard of such a step in my life. Sounds…weird."

"Well, I'm the expert at growing these! Trust me, for I know better!" Molly responded as her skin itched.

Penny never flinched as her gaze aimed straight into Molly's soul like a predator. While she looked Molly down, the one currently in the spotlight constantly itched her arms to the point where she glanced at them from the corner of her eye. As she expected when it came to binding situations she found herself in, dozens of stress hives bulged outward and more appeared by the second. She wouldn't have found them noteworthy if their sheer sizes never stuck out too much from her skin, but for the current situation she could almost easy mistake them for golf balls. All of the stress and baggage built up over the years that she failed to account for came back like vultures waiting for their inevitable meal, and she almost couldn't hide them from Penny. Molly's stress hives grew rapidly, and they served to bring the uncomfortable nature of everything beyond max.

Penny never took her eyes off of Molly as she spoke to the seed.

"Uhhhhhhh, you've waited for this, uhhhhhhh, your whole life, little guy! Just hand in there a bit more and, uhhhhhhhh, you'll become a strong plant! Did I mention how much, uhhhhhh, I love you? Yeah, uhhhhhh, I…love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love you, love, love you-"

"I think you've given enough encouragement for one day." Penny interjected.

"Don't, uhhhhhhhh, interrupt me!" Molly responded. "I know, uhhhhhhhh, what I'm doing!"

---

Molly made sure to implement as many extra steps as possible to delay her promise, which didn't bode well for her itchiness and stress hives. She sang a cheesy lullaby to the seed, made sure the fertilizer had the correct brand, emptied and refilled the watering can several times, forced a local sleepy doctor to make sure the area lacked a chance of disease, and even had one of the local bulls plow over the spot repeatedly until Molly thought the soil ended up "just the right amount of messiness". This resulted in lots of extraneous procedures just to provide more and more delays, which wore Penny's patience thin after she made sure Molly had everything in working order. The repeated trips and left her exhausted, and she couldn't take such steps anymore. She had her time, but now Molly needed to get a move on.

"Alright, Molly! I've had it up to here with all of these extra steps!" Penny said as she stomped a boot into the dirt. "If we lose too much moonlight we won't have much time left!"

Stress hives completely covered Molly's left arm at that point, and they crawled across her right like a deep infection. It required tons of will to not inadvertently scratch them in front of Penny, and yet she couldn't hold on much longer. She exhausted all possible ideas in her young mind for delaying everything, which only left one option remaining. Her chest pounded like no tomorrow further beyond anything before, and the main event didn't even start yet. After everything said and done, it left her defeated. Nowhere left but the final failure, but she hoped Penny would take all of it easily when the truth came out.

"Okay, okay! I get it! Uhhhhhhh, I…guess I'll finally get going then! Expert Gardener Molly has officially, uhhhhhhhh, entered the premises! Just, uhhhhhh, have your notes ready!"

Penny smiled and nodded as Molly took a few moments to breathe slowly…and scratch herself behind Penny's back. She held back multiple tears as her heart squeezed even more at all of the lies spilled by her own lips. After everything though, she finally got back on her knees toward the one mound set before her.

With the seed in hand, she finally started.

"Ohhhhhkay…" Molly said while she stuttered a bit. "I'll, uhhhhhh, start with the seed now…"

She used her open hand to dig a small hole in the dirt, which appeared a lot bigger than the seed, before she carefully placed it inside. She then glanced for a second over at Penny who didn't flinch, as she reached for the watering can and dragged it over.

"Heheheheh…" Molly tepidly chuckled toward her friend for some comfort. Unfortunately she never received any as Penny still watched over her.

"Next, we, uhhhhhhhh, go and water it like so, heheheh…"

Molly then tipped the can a little bit until she saw some water stream out and left it like that for a few seconds. After a few more seconds, she provided one final large torrent of water before she pulled back. She thought her eyes fooled her for a moment, but she swore she saw the dirt that covered the seed shake once she finished. Penny seemed to have also bit her lip for a split second, but Molly ignored such oddities and proceeded with her inevitable failure.

"Hey Molly, you know, if you need any assistance I could possibly-"

"No, Penny! I can totally handle this by myself!" Molly retorted.

She tried to focus more and went for the bag of fertilizer next. Her stress hives itched to high heavens as she reached inside and brought out a handful of the smelly stuff. She sprinkled some on the mound which may have made it shake if she paid more attention.

"Molly, I'm serious. It really seems like you have no idea what to-"

"I can do this Penny! I don't need any help whatsoever!" Molly interrupted.

At that point she poured more of the fertilizer on which made the dirt shake even more. As if she flailed about for some comprehension, Molly then went for the watering can again and poured some more water on the spot. Penny watched with wide eyes as she trembled and mumbled something inaudible to Molly, which only gotten worse when she saw her friend grab one final handful of the smelly fertilizer.

"MOLLY, DON'T PUT THAT THERE!"

Unfortunately, she exclaimed too late to change the outcome as Molly dumped one final clump of the fertilizer on the mound. From there the dirt patch shook like an earthquake just hit, which surprised Molly and made her instantly fall back. Despite all of the red flags aimed their way, Molly still attempted to make herself appear like the expert.

"Oh, uhhhhh, don't worry about, uhhhhhhhh, that! It's, uhhhh, completely normal! Nothing but plant speak saying, uhhhhhhhhhh, how much it enjoys what I did! Please believe me, because I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!"

Molly started to break character when reality checked in at what she'd done and screwed up big time. Even Penny understood the magnitude of the upcoming crisis and immediately shot a glance over to Molly in nervous astonishment.

"No Molly, you clearly DON'T understand what you've done. I've tried to remain quiet, but…"

She couldn't finish her sentence as the sirens blared in both of their heads, but as if fate loved to mess with them they didn't have to witness the troubles alone. Once the signs became more apparent than ever that Molly screwed up the precise steps, two more girls, along with a ghost, arrived on the scene almost out of breath. However, only one of them remained visible for Penny as the ghost only became seeable to others granted the ability to do so, while the tiny girl stayed hidden atop Libby's head within her long hair. After what seemed like an eternity, Molly's other friends finally tracked her down.

…but too late.

The three only managed to witness the problems begin as the soil shook rapidly before Molly and Penny.

"Oh no…" Libby muttered before transitioning into a panic. "Oh nonononononononono!"

"Shoot! That does NOT look good at all!" Scratch exclaimed.

Nancy just watched in terror and held a strand of Libby's hair like mad while Libby and Scratch rushed up to the other two, who also appeared as worried and terrified as them.

"Libby?" Molly said as her friend ran up. "Why…why have you come here? In fact, how did you track us down?"

"We don't have time!" Penny exclaimed. "We have to get away before-"

Before any of the others could react further, the soil's shaking suddenly stopped. It only last for a brief moment though, as immediately after a massive green wall rose from the ground. Everyone instantly got taken by surprise and scrambled backwards for safety as they figured out that such an oddity stood out and not just a wall. In reality, one of the largest stems in existence shot straight out from the dirt and extended far into the air until it reached about as high as a skyscraper. Leaves sprouted from the sides as a large bulb appeared at the top and expanded in scope. Trees shook and the surrounding area suffered intense quakes that sent almost everyone off of their feet, and any sleeping animal nearby awoke to an alarming sight that sent them packing for somewhere safe. Even other parts of Brighton felt the pressure from such immeasurable tremors that rattled the roofs of many houses, but miraculously a majority of he people stayed in slumber land for the most part. It seemed like the small town had another great predicament on its shoulders, and like the others that occurred it involved Molly to some extent.

The bulb soon slowly began to open until it bloomed and revealed the flower inside, but it showed no such beauty. Like the namesake of the behemoth plant, its petals stretched outward and revealed the bright yellow that captivated so many people. Its brown circular center also became pretty standard for the type, but what existed in it stood out from the norm. Right smack in the middle of the center cracked a wicked sharp frown which provided more than enough to reinforce the abnormal nature surrounding such a wrongful case of gardening. The head shook and rattled while its leaves flailed about akin to a really maddened and infuriated temper tantrum all while the culprit watched in horror and what she created. Molly stoked the wrong side of the plant and awakened its rage, something that came with dangerous and destructive consequences.

The field around them started to crack as the giant sunflower roared and whipped its leaves against the dirt in pure madness, which sent the ones below scurrying everywhere for cover. Once they made it to the outskirts against a tree the giant plant roared again and thrashed about on the spot. Its head loomed over every tree while it fixated its gaze toward the town in the distance. It swung its leaves around and set off a series of deadly quakes before the ground below it became concave as it slid its stem toward its target. It left behind divots and underworld deep ruts in its wake while any unfortunate tress keeled over instantly upon contact. Birds few from their nests and animals ran for the hills before they got steamrolled into oblivion. A barren and destroyed trail left behind showed signs of what used to exist there, but no more. The Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower attacked in a grumpy rage.

Once everyone got out safely in the open, they stood worried and terrified at what they just witnessed. Nobody wanted to break the ice and state what just occurred.

…

…

…

"WHAT THE HECK AM I LOOKING AT?!"

…except Scratch.

Everyone except Penny shot him a quick glance as they processed the situation.

"The flower…literally got up…and…" Molly said in very long stutters.

Her chest ached all over while the sense of disbelief smacked her across the face. Her arms went limp as her mouth hung agape from the craziness in those last few minutes. Penny probably took the experience the best out of all of them and stayed upright, although she still felt a bit shaken up. Libby had her mouth wide open while Nancy couldn't believe her own eyes and held on tighter to a strand of Libby's hair. Scratch floated almost completely flabbergasted at what just occurred, and even took a moment to take his eye balls out, blow on them, and reinsert them back into their spots just to make sure they didn't deceive him. No matter what everyone felt though, the unfortunate outcome stayed the same.

Penny became the next one to break the ice.

"Yup… You definitely performed the process wrong…" Penny said before she slowly turned to Libby. "You kind of came in a bit too late…"

"Well, I never knew somewhere like this existed in Brighton!" Libby responded. "Cut the Bloodhound of Truth some slack here!"

"Except you clearly ran around in circles for minutes on end." Scratch added. "Got your scents mixed up back there? Probably. I'll leave it at that because of…whatever just happened now."

"Well…at least you arrived just in time for…that." Molly said while more distraught than ever.

"Yeaaaaah, about that…" Penny said. She then faced Molly and slightly frowned toward the troubled girl.

"So Molly, you completely caused a ruckus and now Brighton might fall to that enraged plant. Didn't you say that you knew how to grow them flawlessly…WITHOUT a partner? Care to explain?"

Molly chest emptied out and turned into a hollow hole toward all of the ones she wronged, especially Penny. She willingly lied to her for many years and left Libby, Scratch, and Nancy alone to right those wrongs on her own, which worked as the polar opposite of lenient. She didn't just hurt one, but many due to her shaky decisions, and all of the stress hives across her arms proved it. While many called her a beacon of light, for now she became a murky shadow. She needed to explain everything.

It took a couple more seconds for her to finally muster up the courage to admit everything, and she almost completely broke down crying. She fell to her knees before her childhood friend and couldn't find the strength to stand.

"OKAY! OKAY! I'M NOT THE EXPERT GARDENER I BRAGGED ABOUT BACK IN THE DAY! I LIED TO YOU ALL OF THOSE YEARS AGO JUST SO YOU WOULDN'T FEEL BAD AND DITCH OUR FRIENDSHIP! I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT OF IT, BUT YOU SOUNDED SO SAD AND I WANTED TO CHEER YOU UP! I'VE NEVER GROWN A PLANT IN MY LIFE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME, FOR I NEVER MEANT FOR IT TO GO THIS FAR!"

From there Molly completely threw herself to the ground, and then the others witnessed something almost unheard of when it came to the always cheery girl. Right out from under her eyes some light drops fell until they became thicker over time, which indicated one very distinct emotion. The others watched in total surprise to see such a rarity from someone of her personality, although she did completely "break" from the incident in the Ghost World, for she really thought of such a problem seriously. She took it to heart between her and Penny while she alienated everyone else for the sake of setting everything right, which came at a very awful cost. Her carelessness also contributed to the tragedy since she only saw the end goal and not the road underneath. If anything else added themselves to the picture she might have gotten away with it, but for now all of the consequences came back to haunt her…but not by a ghost. She messed up and paid the price.

Everyone else held back on speaking up for a bit since they didn't want to upset her further, but soon after Penny ended up as the silence breaker again. She got to her knees and placed a hand on her friend's back.

"You…really thought of the whole planting job that seriously, huh?"

Molly's soggy face lifted up from the dirt a little and slowly nodded. Snot poured from her nose while she couldn't see much from the buckets of tears.

"I…I didn't…want to lose you…after so long…" Molly responded before she sniffed a few times.

"I…I understand." Penny answered. "You must have had so much valor to actually go through everything just for me. I actually…feel a bit jealous."

From there Molly's head stood up a little despite her sloppy appearance.

"What? Wha…what do you mean?" Molly asked while she wiped some tears away.

Penny sighed deeply a few times before she answered.

"Molly…I knew from the start that you lied about your knowledge of botany."

In any other circumstance such a revelation would have probably garnered more surprise and astonishment if nobody knew better. However, because of her admittance to the others back at her house, no such feelings came from the onlookers. Scratch admitted already that Molly shouldn't take on theatrics and stand up comedy, so it came as no surprise to see someone else not buy it. Acting basically stayed out of reach for her, especially from some of her corny takes. Shakespeare's ghost would have likely thrown her out immediately if given the chance.

…and Scratch heard him say that first hand.

Despite the others understanding immediately, Molly took the news differently.

"You…you did?" Molly asked.

"Kind of hard to miss from all of the stress hives on your arms." Penny responded. "Next time, try to use some coverup to hide those."

Her stress hives yet again showed the true colors underneath. It happened with Libby beforehand and now Penny caught on too. Granted, Penny didn't know about Scratch which meant she lacked the ability to see him, but the current topic pretty much fell under the same umbrella including Molly's desire to not reveal the truth. Out of everything learned, Molly attempted a job as a secret spy but ended up as a clown in a circus. In all fairness, she fit the criteria pretty well.

Penny didn't end there though.

"Molly, I have a confession to make myself."

The others tilted their heads in slight confusion as Penny lightly frowned and rubbed the back of her head numerous times.

"I thoroughly expected all of this to happen…for the most part. In reality, I wanted to plant that monstrous flower in a pair with you. I wanted to act like planting it became one of my lifelong dreams and reminding you of that promise you made would amp you up as much as me. I actually didn't expect you to…break down like this. I sowed a few seeds before you arrived here, which explains why I have all of these gardening supplies, and when you came you would begin gardening a little before I revealed everything. However…I instantly realized that my plans basically went absolutely nowhere and tried to get you to stop, but, well…"

Nobody took their eyes off Penny as she even she started to sniff and break down a little. For once not only Molly felt terrible for her actions, but even her close friends she cherished for years after they separated. After hearing her explanation, it became obvious that nobody knew what they were doing when they planned everything, which actually left dangerous consequences for all of them. Penny's idea for getting back with Molly made almost no sense whatsoever, which actually made her not so different from the ecstatic tween. Molly's schemes also went nowhere a large majority of the time which resulted in more pandemonium, so to hear her long lost friend fumble sounded like nothing but a Tuesday to her. Molly's screw up also displayed a name etched out underneath, and it only required a clean eraser to see what other name resided there.

"Molly, I'm terribly sorry about not telling you sooner. I should have acted up front and not brought up that stupid promise all those years ago. I just wanted to be together again one more time before I left. Please…please forgive me!"

Before long, Penny instantly lunged forward and embraced the sad girl like she really meant everything. She cried and cried while Molly suddenly stopped and sat still in utter shock at her friend. The others didn't know how to feel and stayed quiet, but even they never expected Penny to stoop to the same level as Molly. They truly acted identical in so many ways yet also different at the same time, which contributed to their everlasting friendship. It became no surprise to see how they remained close despite their absences between them, and they loved every second of the other's company.

Soon after, Molly pushed Penny back so she could see her soggy face, which allowed both of them to see their sad expressions. They stared at each other for a few moments before Molly cracked a small smile followed by Penny. Some of their tears dried up as they soon exchanged chuckles, which provided the motivation for one final action. After their smiles slowly became more apparent, Molly and Penny held their arms out and exchanged one distinct and unforgettable hug that left Libby, Scratch, and Nancy astounded at such pure friendship. They went from miserable piles to recoverable slouches thanks to their need to have each others' backs.

"Penny…of course I forgive you." Molly said quietly. "Friends look out for each other after all. I'm glad you realized that."

"Thanks Molly. I forgive you too." Penny responded quietly. "Guess we're both screw ups in the end then, huh?"

Molly lightly chuckled before she sniffed again.

"Definitely worked up friends crying over spilled milk."

Both of the girls giggled before they brought themselves back to see their faces. They appeared like wrecked shadows of their former selves, but such rumors proved untruthful. They required some deep confessions, but in the end they got through and fixed each other up like true friends.

They likely would have stayed together more if a very distinct roar didn't hit their hearing. It made their hair stand on end and shot them up back on their feet. Scratch, Libby, and Nancy also felt their backs stiffen from the noise, and even though they stayed quiet for the most part for the two girls, they finally spoke up once they heard trees collapsing in the distance.

"Okay, you finally reconnected with your distant friend and all that, but we still have that…THING on the loose." Scratch said. "Brighton ain't becoming a ghost town yet…although I guess it sort of counts from all of the extra visiting spirits on occasion…"

"Not helping!" Libby replied. "Let's focus on the GIANT RAMPAGING FLOWER before it destroys everything!"

While Penny had no idea what Libby meant by her first sentence, she understood the second.

"Right. We still have THAT issue." Penny said.

Molly looked at Penny in slight desperation.

"Please tell me your expertise on plants includes how to stop that thing."

Penny giggled.

"If I didn't know how I would have said it already."

"Oh, good!" Molly stated. "So, what do we do?"

Penny half grinned in Molly's direction.

"You know the rumor about how speaking friendly to plants improves their growth?"

"Uhhhhh, maybe?" Molly responded.

"Well, you already apologized to me…"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what Penny meant, and it sounded so preposterous that it could easily end up as the solution they needed. Molly's pupils contracted a little while she took a few steps back, yet everyone else just gazed at her like the instantly figured it out. Penny made her point about forgiveness as they exchanged words, and it all started because of her ignorance. It seemed reasonable that she should also…

"No… Oh, nonononono." Molly said while stuttering. "But…but that flower has like a bajillion feet over me! I can't get my point across…to THAT."

"Sorry Molly, but Penny speaks the truth." Libby replied. "I read up about the flower before I arrived, and it clearly stated such a method as the answer to a potential rampage. I'll back you up if you need it, but it has to come from you since you started it."

Scratch flatly glanced over to the young genius.

"You just had to make this problem more stupid and crazy, didn't ya? Just when I thought I'd heard everything… Ugh, MY BRAIN CAN ONLY HANDLE SO MUCH WEIRD!"

Molly stood in shock at what she needed to do to stop that rampaging flower. After everything she did to try and impress Penny, all of it flew back at her like a boomerang. It seemed like an improbable mission at first, but then she remembered that Scratch basically went through almost the same thing after she grew to endless heights and almost destroyed the Ghost World. The possibility to end everything by kind words lingered in her head, and if Penny and Libby approved she saw no other option. Like Scratch said, it sounded crazy and stupid, but Molly went through so much it sounded like another Tuesday to her.

She took a few deep breaths just in case.

"Okay, I got it. If I also have to apologize to that overgrown plant, then I'll go for it. I'm worried about what might happen, but I know all of you have my back."

"Thanks Molly." Penny responded. "We still best friends?"

"Oh, definitely!" Molly eagerly exclaimed.

After everything said and done, all of the girls came in close for a group hug. They embraced each other with large smiles and warming hearts, but for one she almost lost her footing. Molly barely managed to glance up and saw the one minuscule dot in Libby's hair as she held on for dear life, but something else about her caught her attention more than anything.

Almost nothing left remained of Nancy's unique identity as she appeared more and more like Molly, and even more so than earlier. In fact, one could have easily mistaken her for a mirrored tiny version of her if they never noticed the last two minor differences left. The blue tips that Nancy usually displayed at the end of her long hair still existed but only on the small tuft where Molly usually kept a pigtail, and her vest still kept the color scheme of her normal wear that showed the large image of a shield. Other than those two though, she pretty much changed into a miniature Molly completely.

Molly held back her urge to yelp at the sight while the changed Nancy kept her mouth shut for the most part.

"Oh, sweet baby corn! Nancy… What happened to you?" Molly whispered in slight disbelief.

"I…I really wish I knew." Nancy muttered in her new Molly voice. "We have so much going on…right now…"

At that point's Nancy's voice completely disappeared in lieu of Molly's, which sent chills down both of their spines. Libby shot Molly a look that indicated that she and Scratch also knew about the transformation, and yet Penny's reaction differed from the others. Despite their whispers, she still picked up on Nancy's voice, and since she sounded like her best friend.

"Uhhh, Molly? Did you say something?" Penny asked.

"Not important right now!" Molly quickly retorted.

---

The Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower waltzed into Brighton in no time at all, and the quakes it sent left some rubbing their eyes early. Almost instantly though, once they placed their eyes on such a monstrosity they jolted awake and ran for safety. Before long most of the town's citizens became aware of the terrible dangers which sent them into pure pandemonium. As everyone panicked and ran around in their pajamas, the giant plant roamed throughout the streets and destroyed everything in its path. From street lamps, roads, and even the occasional building nothing stayed safe from the angry flower. Its leaves slammed into the roofs of buildings while it split roads in two as it moved since its roots remained embedded into the ground. Sirens blared into the night as the whole town basically changed into the set of a cheesy monster movie, although a giant killer plant seemed bottom tier compared to reptiles from the depths and evil space aliens. Even so, nobody seemed willing to go up against it for good reason. The massive flower left the entire town of Brighton as its personal construction site fit for giant creatures like itself.

With refusals from all parties to go against it, only a select few stood a chance…and they didn't even reach puberty yet. Their legs practically ignited from all of the running back into town, but they needed to hurry for the best results. Molly and Penny lead the pack while Libby and Scratch trailed behind. Nancy stayed hidden within Libby's hair while her nervousness only grew worse the closer they got to the monster. Nobody wanted to get up close, but if Molly wanted to stop the giant plant she needed to. Her words needed to reach it.

"So, got any bright ideas?" Libby asked as she puffed from all of the running. "I can't think straight from that monster's rage!"

"I've pretty much strained my brain out already from the insanity!" Scratch exclaimed.

"You got anything, Penny?" Molly asked as she ran.

"Not exactly an easy one, but a plan nonetheless!" Penny responded. "It's the one backup plan botanists resort to when these plants go crazy! I haven't managed to pull it off myself-"

"Just tell us the plan! We don't have time!" Libby interjected.

"Okay, fine!" Penny answered while she wiped sweat from her brown. "Because the sunflower won't listen to anyone while angry, one must softly rub against the single pressure point somewhere on its stem. As to where, it varies from each individual sunflower."

"So, just find the spot to calm it down long enough so Molly can speak to it?" Scratch asked. "Yeesh, that sounds…awkward."

"Wait a minute. Does that mean one of us…" Molly stuttered as she point at the flower's green stem. Penny breathed deeply for a moment before she nodded and answered.

"You better get your hiking boots checked, because it won't be a steady climb."

Molly frowned from slight unnerving tension, but she knew Penny understood the best when it came to plants. As much as she wanted to not get near the huge flower, it required her kind words to soothe it into submission. She really found herself in situation after situation ever since she intertwined with Nancy, and while she couldn't have felt happier to know such things when it came to outrageous troubles like a rampaging plant…it left a sour taste in her mouth. Nevertheless, she went along for the ride with her friends alongside her.

Penny then brought her attention over to Libby.

"Libby, I need you to act as a distraction."

As if on instinct, Libby instantly felt her chest contract like someone just punched her and ran away.

"Wawawawa… WHAT?!" Libby answered as she panicked. "Why me?!"

"Do you see anyone else here that can fill in that role?" Penny asked while she cocked an eyebrow.

As much as Libby wanted to answer truthfully, she knew she couldn't. Scratch even gravely chuckled then outright laughed at her misfortune, which made her situation worse. The less anyone knew about Scratch the better, and she stood out as one of the very few that could see him. Even so, although she didn't get stress hives like Molly, she needed to provide a white lie in the end.

Libby deeply sighed, shot a very brief glance at Scratch, then got back to Penny.

"No, I guess not. Can't you distract the flower instead?"

"I would if I didn't carry so much botany knowledge already." Penny answered. "I know some good rough estimates on where to look for that sweet spot, so I should back up Molly on this."

"Heeheeheehee. You heard the lady, Libby." Scratch muttered just to mess with her.

From a brief time with Libby, Molly instantly shot Scratch a rather menacing look for a split second which seemed to have shut him up.

"What? I'm just reinforcing the plans, Mol. Nothing offensive about that!"

For what seemed like an eternity since she last spoke, Nancy finally let her changed voice be heard, albeit at a lower volume. She couldn't blame herself though, since the overjoyed tone and pitch of Molly replaced her own by then.

"Well, that doesn't mean you should…do so even though…that girl can't see you…"

"Uhhhh, did you say something again, Molly?" Penny asked after Nancy spoke.

Once she realized what happened, Molly immediately went in for a cover up.

"Oh, uhhhhh, I'm just…a bit nervous! Nothing important here! Heheheheheh…"

The blatant guiltiness in her tone and obvious expression would have gotten more attention from Penny if the giant rampaging plant never existed.

"Ohhhhkay." Penny confusingly answered before she went back to the plan. "Libby, you think you can go through with this?"

"And not panic from my role as potential plant food?" Libby responded rather shakily. "Yeah, this won't go over well for me."

"Good enough." Penny stated. "Let's BREAK!"

As more panicked people ran past them, the group ran in separate directions. Molly and Penny went to the left while Libby and Scratch ran to the right. The latter also included Nancy since Libby still kept her tangled in her long hair, but because of her stature as the tiniest girl alive assistance from her fell to near nothingness. Even so, the fact that she morphed into a perfect replica of Molly, minus the size, made her very uncomfortable to the point where she focused on herself more than her surroundings. Time to finally execute the plan, and it required three inexperienced girls to follow through with everything.

The huge plant screamed and yelled while it fell onto a row of buildings, including a local cafe, and wrecked them on impacts. Thankfully, nobody still lingered inside since everyone ran for the hills, but it left the places as nothing but rubble. It swung its leaves around in the process which took the small theater district with them Any sort of props and backgrounds became nothing but scrap as high quality cameras shattered into millions of sparks which unaffected the flower. Because one particular girl in town utilized the area for commercials, it came as a rather hefty loss while destruction reigned supreme. Somewhere in the distance a spoiled rich girl felt a disturbance that left her wondering what suddenly irked her, but it only lasted a brief moment. No end stayed in sight for the monstrous plant, although it lacked eyes to see in the first place, and it used Brighton as its personal playground.

Eventually the nervous girl and unimpressed ghost arrived on sight just as the giant sunflower got up to leave for another district. Libby shuddered like no tomorrow, which left Nancy to hold on for dear life, while Scratch floated next to her with massive relief.

"Man, do I feel sorry for you!" Scratch said to Libby. "I mean, distracting that large green loser with your life on the line? Oof, that has to hurt!"

"Not helping, Scratch!" Libby replied as her legs shook. "I have a huge amount of pressure in me right now! Give me a moment!"

"And not witness history in the making? Yeah, sorry toots. I'm not going anywhere." Scratch replied.

Libby twiddled her fingers for comfort as the plant tossed around another car and threw it into one of the town's grocery stores, which destroyed both on impact. Glass flew everywhere which forced Libby to take cover for a moment, but Scratch didn't need it due to his existence as a ghost. The shards still flew through him though and sliced him into long ribbons, which required a quick change.

"Sheesh! Pay attention to your surroundings, why don't ya?!" Scratch exclaimed as he flew up close to the flower. He shook a fist at it and snorted angrily through his big nose, but as he got up close he realized something.

"Wait a minute. I could EASILY search across the monster for that pressure point instead of the girls! I mean, I'm completely invisible to most! Why didn't I think of this ear-"

He soon found himself at the receiving end of a huge leaf. He splatted hard against the ground and sat there in slight dizziness before he got back up.

"HEY, YOU OVERGROWN KLUTZ! WHY DON'T YOU WATCH…where…you…"

A dark black shadow completely covered him as the ghost glanced upward, only to witness something one could claim as their worst nightmare. Right over his unfortunate self, ready for a beating, stood the gargantuan flower, and its head angled down at one distinct angle…straight at the sorry specter. It growled and stomped in place that shook the entire area around it, and he swore he saw steam as it rose from its petals. Even with all of the foreboding signs though, Scratch stayed put. He knew better than something that existed solely to decorate porches.

"Heheheheh, as if that paperweight could actually see me." Scratch said as he chuckled and rolled his eyes.

As if reality had it out for him, the plant immediately got down and roared straight in the ghost's face. The power behind it completely blew Scratch's ectoplasm away bit by bit until only two loose eyes and a brain remained where he once existed. His pupils contracted a little once he finally realized the situation in full.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. So you CAN see me…" Scratch said as a large drop of sweat fell from his brain.

The flower snorted steam in Scratch's eyes which caused the ghost to lightly squeak. As if a switch flipped in his head, almost instantly his eyes and brain rolled and hopped rapidly away, but the plant didn't appreciate it. It roared one more time before it chased after the loose body parts in hot pursuit.

Libby took cover behind some trash cans as Scratch and the monster zipped past her, and as they rushed into the distance she only had one thing to say.

"Still feeling like laying it on me one more?!" Libby exclaimed with a snarky grin.

"JUST SHUT UP AND HELP ME!" Scratch exclaimed as he avoided a snap from the flower's jaws.

Libby's didn't need to hear it twice as the flower's stomped rocked the town, so she hurried off behind them. Nancy held on for dear life in Libby's hair as she put her legs to work and keep up. As Scratch's loose parts rolled and hopped to the best of their abilities, the giant angry flower stayed close behind, which left two other girls to themselves. Molly and Penny stayed relatively close to the chaos and only made very slight movements between hiding spots like trees, bushes, and trash cans. They waited for the perfect moment to swoop in for the next step, which luckily they didn't have to wait long. Scratch's brain and eyes attempted to find safety in a shack near one of the grocery stores, and once they rolled in and shut the door tightly, despite their lack of limbs, the huge flower attempted to force him back out through any means necessary. This meant destruction of property became an option, which it immediately settled on. Libbt took cover in an alleyway as the plant shook the roof again and again, which left it open for Molly and Penny. Time for the next part to the plan.

As the plant's attention stayed on Scratch, Molly and Penny finally found their opening and ran over to its thick stem. One gaze up told them everything about how much they needed to climb, which made them lightly shudder. It almost looked like a large beanstalk from their perspective, and Molly and Penny served as the ones to go up and reach for the skies. Just the sights of it alone provided Molly with a pretty clever idea for a game she could play with Nancy when given the chance. She needed some appropriate clothes, albeit micro sized to fit the shrunken girl, any kind of stiff and sturdy flower, and maybe a small empty sack. Once she climbed to the top, Molly could finally act like the giant girl she always wanted and go "fe fi fo fum" all over her. It stirred a bit of excitement for Molly, so she made extra sure to remember it for later. For now though, she needed to climb her own personal beanstalk.

"You think it will feel us as we climb up?" Molly asked. "It looks…daunting, to say the least."

"As long as it keeps its attention elsewhere we should have a chance." Penny answered. "They LOVE to hone in on something when on a rampage, and whatever Libby did got it HOOKED tight."

Molly glanced over at Penny and locked eyes with her. Before long, a small grin of valor formed on Molly's face which mirrored over to Penny, and then they exchanged one valiant nod. The two girls finalized everything as they locked hands and held them strong before they looked bravely forward.

"Let's do this Penny."

"I'm ready when you are Molly."

After their actions of friendship, Molly made the first move. She ran forward and firmly grasped the strong green wall before she scrambled upward like an angry monkey. Penny followed soon after but handled her climbs more cautiously, which gave her friend an early lead. She did her best to keep the pace, but Molly rapidly put her arms and legs to work upward which separated them further. Molly went further up while Penny stayed near the bottom to cover as much ground as possible. They crawled everywhere like spiders for something that stuck out throughout all of the green placed before them, which worked better on paper.

Molly checked near some of the plant's leaves before she hollered back to Penny.

"Found anything?"

Penny gazed up and shook her head.

"Nothing unfortunately. How about you?"

"Nope. Abosultely nothing." Molly answered. "You sure we picked the right place?"

"Yes, I'm certain!" Penny responded. "Just look for a color that stands out from green! It should-"

The entire stem started to rumble uncontrollably before Penny could finish. It left the two hanging on for their lives with next to no extra areas to grasp. Molly even dug her fingernails into the green as she nearly lost her traction, which the giant plant seemed to not care about, while Penny braced herself. They couldn't see up front about what happened, but they definitely heard some rather questionable stuff. Part of it stayed completely inaudible for Penny, but she didn't miss out on much. Clearly the altercations between the behemoth flower and the other group took a turn somewhere else.

As for the actual cause, the shack that Scratch stayed cooped up in for safety eventually lost all of its durability from repeated beatings of the huge sunflower. It only required one final smack of the leaves until it finally fell into rubble, which revealed the ghost almost petrified at the giant flower right above him.

"Couldn't you at least given me a few more minutes of bliss?"

He got his response when a loud monstrous roar bellowed all around him. He only had a split second to escape before the plant could plant its deadly leaves across his ectoplasm. It would have went after him in hot pursuit for a second time if something didn't smack it upside the head. Almost instantly it glared back down toward the ruined streets, and once it noticed what happened it didn't appreciate it one bit. Scratch finally got his big break, but at the cost of a normally nervous girl with a bag of empty cans she picked up from a garbage bin. No need for the ghost to drive now, because Libby took the wheel.

She threw another can at the flower and yelled straight at it.

"Hey, you overgrown weed! Over here! How about you look over here, you bloody idiot!"

The huge sunflower took massive offense to her words and fell for the bait. Libby and Nancy watched as it steered its attention away from Scratch over to them. Nancy's eyes became huge dinner plates as the plant made its first couple of movements toward them, which prompted Libby to book it. As Scratch wiped some sweat off of his brow, Libby found herself chased by the huge monster right on her tail. She actually managed to maintain a steady pace away from it, although she still worried for her life since she put herself, and Nancy, in danger for the sake of stalling for more time.

"You really…sure about this?!" Nancy said through the rushing wind. "I know Scratch…could get away with it because he's a ghost…but you…"

Libby had to constantly remind herself that she heard Nancy speaking and not Molly. The fact that Nancy perfectly matched her voice gave her the creeps, which added to all of the strange factors around the shrunken girl's condition. Even so, Libby knew better. Nancy never wanted to become a miniature version of Molly in the first place, and she thankfully didn't unintentionally fool Libby.

"Hey, I've done a lot of running in the past!" Libby responded. "When the Bloodhound of Truth needs to find clues before a deadline or some other factor, well, I've practically taken on the unintended title of marathoner! Trust me, for these feet know how to put in work!"

"I sure hope…you aren't lying…" Nancy said rather nervously.

Libby ran for the hills as the huge flower rushed after her and divided streets in the process. Even though it seemed like Libby became the one in the hot seat, Molly and Penny had a much harder time hanging on. The plant jerked and swiveled all over the place as almost sent them overboard, which forced them to grip the green even more. Their eyes raced all over the place for any sign of the particular sweet spot, only to find themselves empty. It didn't help from all of the incoming colors of the plant's rampage after Libby, as steadiness practically became an impossibility for them. For a set of tweens, they actually held their ground fairly well despite the troubles around them.

Penny shouted to Molly above her near a set of leaves.

"Found anything yet?!"

Molly glanced down to answer as her fingers gripped the stem from all of the jerking around.

"Do I have to answer the obvious?!"

"Well, I haven't seen anything down-"

The plants jerked to the side again, which almost sent the girls off balance. At their current rate they won't have enough time to hold on and search thoroughly, and the giant flower only made their situation worse. They crawled around as if their lives depended on it, but found nothing. After one strong pivot to the right from the plant, Molly nearly careened off of the stem and only held on with one hand that made both girls panic. It last only a second, but it stirred fear in both of them. Molly made extra sure to hold herself tighter so it wouldn't happen again, but they still needed to find one specific spot to stop the monstrous flower in its tracks.

It almost seemed hopeless for the two of them, but as the plant turned one final time something caught the corner of Molly's eye. Even though the subtly left it as near indistinguishable from the common green, she barely managed to find something suspicious she failed to account for. Throughout all of the endless seas of green, some of it lightened up from a brief splash of yellow near one of the monster's leaves. She initially missed it because she didn't want to get whacked off, but as she focused the more it intrigued her. She crawled a bit closer until she got within arm's reach of it, but she didn't strike it immediately. She needed more context first.

As for Libby, her legs nearly ran on steam from the sheer running that made professional athletes jealous. Sweat poured from her hair, which Nancy needed to avoid, while the monster plant remained up and about. At that point they lost Scratch, and yet focus stayed impossible from the huge plant behind them. Libby needed a break, but she couldn't stop.

"Libby…it's getting really close…" Nancy said as her heart raced.

"I'm trying…as much as I can!" Libby answered between breaths. "These jelly legs…can't hold out much longer!"

At that point her mind ran on fumes, and before she even knew it Libby sharply turned right expecting another open road. Unfortunately, her perception on upcoming hazards ended up severely flawed in her exhaustion, and as a result she found herself in a different place…inside a dumpster. Her legs flailed in the air as some old mashed potatoes covered her face, and Nancy lost her grip in the confusion. She landed face first into some rotten cheese, which made her almost hurl on the spot, as she pulled her head out and witnessed Libby covered head to toe in garbage. Their eyes changed into wheels for a few seconds before they shook themselves off, although they couldn't exactly move too much from the piles they landed in.

Libby required a couple of moments to locate Nancy among the filth, to which Libby only had one thing to say.

"Uhhhhhh. Feeling down in the dumps, Nancy?"

The awkwardness only lasted briefly as a dark shadow cast over them. The two looked up and felt their hearts stop upon the sight of the incredibly ticked off flower who eagerly awaited their demise. They received an earful as it roared in their faces like a madman, and at that point they knew they ran out of time. Either Molly or Penny found the required sweet spot, or the giant sunflower had their behinds on the menu. Their outcome seemed bleak in every aspect, and it made the two panic. They couldn't even get away as the garbage held them down. Their attempts at delays had finally run out.

Once Molly heard Libby scream, she knew everything relied on a specific dice roll. She already found something slightly abnormal throughout all of the green, and she lacked the time to search any further. While too young to gamble, she pretty much had no other choice with lives on the line. Either she guessed right, or Scratch just found two more ghost friends. She clenched her fists as she held the dice in her hand ready to roll.

"Please have this work, please have this work, please have this work…"

With no more time left, Molly reached forward and brought her hand down upon the slightly light greener spot. She then proceeded to slightly rub and scratch at it so she didn't inadvertently harm the flower even further while she awaited the final outcome. If everything lined up correctly from what Penny claimed, she shouldn't have to wait too long.

The angry flower held up one of its massive leaves to slam down upon Libby and Nancy, and it screeched that nearly took out their eardrums. It swung downward as Libby snatched Nancy while the two screamed.

…

…

…

…but it halted midway through.

The giant sunflower tried to move it, but it stayed locked. It growled and grumbled to no avail as Libby and Nancy's eyes became full moons, but as time progressed they realized something happened with the other group. Before long, the flower's stem stiffened while it teetered left and right until it fell backward against a building, which horrifically still had Molly and Penny on it. Luckily for the two, because the plant already had its stem pretty close to the wall they suffered next to no injuries, but because of Molly's position near the top it left her stuck between green and brick. She could still breathe through her nose, but not her mouth. Her gamble came out lucky, but at a cost.

Penny, because she positioned herself near the bottom of the stem, didn't have the issues Molly currently, but once she witnessed her friend stuck she accelerated upward until she reached her. She tried to pull her loose, but to no avail.

"Oh no! Oh, NONONONONO!" Penny exclaimed. "Molly, you okay?!"

While she couldn't speak, Molly still provided a quick thumbs up to her friend. She tried to wriggle free, but the pressure kept her in place. As much as Penny wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, she didn't have time to.

"I can't believe you actually pulled it off, but we don't have time. We have approximately five minutes before the monster becomes active again. We need to get you to speak to it NOW!"

At that point, the seriousness escalated ten fold. With such a strict time limit Molly needed to get herself loose before the flower rampages again, which would have been a lot nicer if Penny told her beforehand, but from her current position it might as well call it quits. Such pressure against the stem and brick halted such actions and likely cut her time in half, and when she finally pried herself loose such remaining time wouldn't end up feasible to get all of her points across. The climb down also added to the lost time which complicated everything even further. Molly needed to rush, and FAST.

Just to make sure everyone ended up in the know how, as Libby used the time to pull herself and Nancy out of the dumpster, Penny shouted down to them.

"WE GOT FIVE MINUTES!"

At that point the plant struggled to move again while it pinned Molly between itself and a building unintentionally. It roared and wiggled as it tried and move again, but continued to fail. From there options remained limited, for Molly couldn't get down in time and yet still needed to express her apologies for her actions. Libby and Nancy wished they could do something, but the plant wouldn't listen to anyone but her since she started it. All hope seemed to drain from their faces since Molly definitely never stood a chance to get down and speak before the plant became active again.

…if she didn't have an accidental stunt double from all of the strangeness surrounding her.

She kept her mouth shut just so she wouldn't hear herself, but no other time became more appropriate for such an oddity than that very moment. Even so, she hesitated at first since she still heavily disliked Molly, but she still served as her ticket to normalcy if progress continued toward her troubles. It never occurred to her that she kept a very slim chance to help until she literally saw Molly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her nervousness and timid nature held her back a bit, for she desired to stay out of the spotlight for the most part, and yet she saw the opportunity. Decisions weighed in on their final judgment until one came out victorious, which made her heart throb from all of the anxious pressure built up.

She slowed her breathing just a tiny bit and wiped some anxious tears from her face before she finally lent in her current strangeness.

"Giant flower, I'm very sorry for what I did! I'm truly sincerely sorry for everything!"

From there she caught everyone's attention, although Molly and Nancy remained high up to the point where she became impossible to see, and Libby's pupils changed into dots toward the girl atop one of her fingers. Even the giant plant stirred from such a voice as if it knew who brought it into a rampage in the first place. It seemed as though Molly currently stood before it in person, and yet the truth stayed somewhere else. For once the weird status behind Nancy's transformation into a tiny version of her came to the forefront in her stead, at least until the actual Molly got down from the stem. If the flower fell for the bait, she may have given the other girls extra time.

Libby gazed down at the "Mollyfied" girl like she just witnessed some horrors behind the curtain.

"Nancy…you actually…"

The tiny girl shot Libby a very brief glance to where she understood her intentions completely. The flower's head tilted down toward the two girls on the ground, despite the fact that it couldn't move its body, which provided some split second shines of hope as Penny continued to pull Molly free. So far, so good.

She used her changed voice again.

"I never wanted to go this far just to impress someone I cared deeply about, but I didn't want to lose Penny again after years separated from each other. I made your situation worse because of my inexperience, and I could tell from the screams of pain that you never wanted this. I put you in the crossfire, and I admit that I've made some of my biggest mistakes in the span of a single day."

The giant plant's head perked up a bit upon certain choice words, but at that point it still growled lowly in her direction. Nancy shuddered all over and almost felt her legs give out from all of the sheer nervousness built up, and yet she couldn't stop there. At that point, the real Molly managed to pry most of her body out of such a bind with Penny's help. Only an arm and leg remained, and yet even after she still needed to climb down quickly.

"No matter how much you screamed and ran through town all of it happened because of me, and I accept full responsibility of the consequences. You should have shined in the brightest of lights and I made you the darkest of shadows. If you give me a chance, I'll make sure you end up as a shining beacon of Brighton and a true treasure to everyone around you. I know it might seem weird to ask but…"

The plant shook again while it stopped growling, and soon after its deep frown straightened out into a flat line. At that point some of its leaves began to move again, which indicated that time ran down on the flower's stiffness, but luckily Molly finally pulled herself loose as it happened. Molly and Penny exchanged brief hugs before they raced down the stem in a rapid hurry.

Nancy almost couldn't find the words and clamped her mouth shut, but eventually she said the inevitable that felt like something straight out of Molly's own mouth.

"Do you want to be friends?"

The upper part of the flower wiggled, which almost shook Molly and Penny off, before it uttered a weird puzzling noise. Libby and Nancy understood nothing as to whether her words soothed it somewhat, but before they could think further the other two girls finally approached the ground. For the sake of keeping her secret and over safety concerns, Libby quickly raised her hand near her head so Nancy could hide. The shrunken one got the memo and jumped off into Libby's hair once again as Molly and Penny approached her, and while a friendly conversation seemed likely one made sure to take the wheel due to a greater problem. Nancy held the fort down for a bit, but now the real Molly needed to perform her duty.

Surprisingly, she added onto what Nancy ended on perfectly.

"I know it sounds weird, but I know looks don't mean anything when it comes to friends. In fact, I wholly embrace the strange and weird to the point where I have friends of all kinds! All of my plushies, a flock of seagulls, to even a tiny bug I can barely see…"

Both Molly and Nancy shot a glance that lasted for a fraction of a second, and from there her final example became clear. The tiny one in Libby's hair backed up a bit and curled up from nervousness in response, but she mustered up a very small smile in Molly's direction at the same time.

"…I don't have any limits on what constitutes as a friend. I want to make it up to you after the mess I put you through, so I'll make extra sure you become a symbol of Brighton to where EVERYONE will know of you! I want you to become my very first GIANT FLOWER friend! Please, I'm incredibly sorry for creating you like this!"

From there the giant sunflower seemed to have regained all of its mobility, and almost immediately it loomed its head downward while its mouth still fell straight. The heart rates of the girls increased a bit as the large head got up close and personal to Molly, and while she sweat buckets her contagious smiles still remained across her adorable face. It grumbled a bit and prodded her with one of its leaves before it reeled back and bellowed a loud, powerful roar that shook the whole town. It still angled its head toward Molly, and by then Libby and Penny took a few steps back to give the two some space. If everything went well between Nancy's and Molly's words…

The flower's head then got up close to Molly again, which caused her sweat to fall even faster, and by then her demeanor started to crack under the pressure. She still stood her ground and waited for one final response from the huge sunflower. From there it moved up right into Molly's personal space…

…

…

…

…then gently planted a large kiss as its frown turned upside down.

Everyone stood stunned at what just occurred, including Molly, but once the initial shock wore off the flower nuzzled Molly's chin and gave her another massive kiss. The tween herself gazed at her newfound creation and couldn't help herself.

"Aww, thank you so much! I glad we finally see eye to eye…even though you don't have any!"

She instantly held her arms out and gave the giant plant one of her signature hugs, which made it shudder, likely from sheer happiness. Libby and Penny walked in close with smiles on their faces while Nancy lightly smiled in her direction.

"Molly…I can't believe it!" Penny said. "You performed the unfeasible most gardeners dream of! You actually tamed the beast…all by yourself!"

Molly turned back to face her other friends before the plant gave her another kiss.

"Easy there! I need to talk to my other friends for a moment, okay?" Molly said.

The flower understood and stayed dormant on the sidelines while Molly set the records straight.

"Well, technically I had help from all of you. I can't take full credit." Molly replied. "In the end, WE calmed the flower down and made a new friend doing it!"

The giant sunflower smiled and uttered some happy noises their way, which made the others smile with it.

"Yeah, I guess we did." Libby responded. "I got to admit the dial cranked up on the craziness this time."

"You mean like basically every single day in Brighton?" Molly replied as she raised her eyebrows a few times. "I'm just glad I finally managed to sort things out with my ol' bestie here! I promise I'll never say such outlandish claims again!"

"Yeeeeeaaaah. Sure you will." Penny replied as she playfully rolled her eyes and giggled.

The three girls joyfully laughed together while the flower got up close to Molly again and provided yet another giant kiss across her face. After so many of them, it started to irk her but not enough to completely dampen her mood.

"Wow, you…REALLY love to kiss, don't you?" Molly said as she wiped herself off again.

"Oh, that's just one of traits the Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower has when it recovers from an angry rampage." Penny responded. "It mostly does it as a way of expressing thanks…and to show joy that it made a new friend."

Before long, the giant flower went into overdrive and instantly went for seconds. It brought its head down and immediately sent Molly to the ground in one ravenous kissing fit that left her scrambling to get up. As much as she wanted to get up, she couldn't ignore the absolute happiness the flower built up since she calmed it down. She laughed it up while the flower unleashed all of its joyous kisses across her face.

"You, uhhhhhh, think we should help her?" Libby asked.

"Let's give her a few more minutes." Penny said before she lightly giggled.

As all of that happened between the regular sized girls, Nancy silently watched from the confines of Libby's hair. She had to admit the way the giant sunflower repeatedly kissed Molly in sheer happiness provided some light comedy for Nancy to enjoy. Throughout all of the troubles she went through to calm it down, it seemed reasonable to finally have some time without too much pressure. As the kisses continued though, for a moment it appeared that the flower ever so slightly turned toward her before it went back to Molly. While she considered it as nothing much, it almost seemed like it knew the whole time that the initial voice of Molly didn't come from her. Even so, she didn't think too much of it. She lightly giggled to herself though at such a funny sight before her.

…but Molly's voice never came out.

Her heart skipped a beat as she halted everything and immediately looked down upon herself. No darker skin in sight, and once she got to her shoes their respective black and white colors stood out as something she greatly appreciated. Her breathing accelerated as she glanced down one more time upon her shirt, which revealed the recognizable shield emblem front and center in just the right spot. One grab of her hair later and the light brown with blue tips displayed like the next sensation. She didn't need to look at herself in any other way to figure out what happened, which brought a wave of relief that made her legs wobble.

No longer did Molly's image reflect onto her body, as her original appearance came back.

She wanted to squeal in delight, but because she didn't want attention, especially because of her tiny stature, she stayed quiet for the most part. The others, minus Penny, would find out later when they found a moment to themselves, but for now she watched everyone else. While completely baffled as to why it happened in the first place, for now she didn't care. Everyone already knew something else happened, besides the miniaturization, during her initial meetup with Molly, so it mostly just added to the long list of weirdness around her situation.

As Molly got slobbered with kisses while the others watched, another presence arrived on scene after a brief absence. Almost immediately Libby and Nancy witnessed a huge pile of cans within his arms, which obscured his vision ahead. She made extra sure Penny didn't look their way before she finally spoke to him.

"I take it you had your fair share while we busted our humps back there?" Libby said while she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"Hey, I saw an opportunity and went for it! I would have helped otherwise!" Scratch replied. "You have no idea how many broken vending machines littered the streets in the rubble. Once I realized that particular gold mine, well, let's just say it was all hands on deck."

"And WHERE do you intend to hide those?" Libby asked rather disappointingly.

"I…have my methods." Scratch responded. "This ghost would be getting thirsty anytime-"

As he spoke, he gently placed the pile of cans on the ground where he finally saw what laid ahead of him…which instantly became Molly as she found herself endlessly kissed by a giant sunflower. At first nothing appeared to happen as he just stared at the two and hovered in place, but after a few more seconds one of his eyes twitched. Without moving his body an inch, Scratch turned to the side and slowly floated over into the nearby woods. Once he went out of sight between the trees, Libby and Nancy heard one very loud scream that shook the nearby trees.

He could only contain so much bizarreness since that fateful day after all.

---

Rebuilding the town wouldn't happen overnight, but already when the sun hit the sky construction crews had their cranes at the ready. Apparently the mayor thought one step ahead once he heard about the potential dangers if one planted the Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower wrong, so he invested in some town insurance ahead of time. The rest of the citizens came out of hiding once word of the past danger reached the edges of town, and soon after they went back to their daily lives. The families of Molly, Penny, and Libby instantly checked up on their missing daughters where they instantly gave their reliefs. Penny's parents even stated that they would have gotten out to search for them, but once the ravenous plant rampaged throughout the two they had no choice but to take cover. In the end, everyone managed to get away despite the destruction left behind, although Scratch took a detour back to the McGee household to hide away his "soda stash".

As for the flower, everyone made sure it ended up planted in the right spot. While the enclosure still lacked widespread attention, the mayor hoped with such a rare plant within the grounds of Brighton it would attract more tourism to the small town. A majority of the town pretty much knew it existed at that point, and they had to admit when it didn't go around destroying buildings it lived up to its namesake. Even though it smiled in the sunlight though, once Molly and Penny planted it in the correct spot it kept its movements to a minimum. As much as it hurt to see, they understood why. More movements possibly meant more injuries for onlookers, but that didn't mean it enjoyed all of the alone time. As time passed the Giant Dazzling Man Eating Sunflower would stand out as one of the true landmarks of Brighton, which added more extravagant life to the small town.

Unfortunately for Molly and Penny, good times didn't last forever. After most of the construction work hit the middle levels, the sun started to set. In that time frame Penny and her parents already packed all of their exquisite plant collection, which meant their stay in Brighton ran out. Amazingly, their motor home and supplies suffered only a couple of dents and scratches during the flower's destruction. This meant they required minimal repairs, and by the time they finished they packed everything and prepared to leave. They still had a traveling business after all.

Molly, Scratch, Libby, and Nancy stood close by as the very last plant went into the vehicle. Penny smiled and took a deep breath.

"Whew! That took a lot out of me!" Penny stated. "Thanks so much for the help with the packing."

"No problem Penny!" Molly responded. "I'm always ready to help when my friends need it!"

"I pretty much learned that the hard way." Scratch muttered rather nonchalantly.

"I find it rather unfortunate that you have to leave before I can get to know you better." Libby said. "Your knowledge on botany had me curious of many aspects about it."

"Yeah, it really stings that you have to leave so soon." Molly added. "It feels like we just gotten to know each other after so long!"

Penny smiled in a heartwarming manner.

"Aww, thanks you two! It feels great to know that you'll always remember me. Of course, after today, I'll keep in touch when you need me."

Almost instantly she reached into her pockets and pulled out her personal cellphone, which just so happened to have both Molly's and Libby's numbers in her contacts. The other two girls also brought theirs out, which revealed that they added Penny's number as well. Thanks to them, the girls will always have a way to communicate no matter where they end up, which especially rang true with Molly. She didn't want to lose her again, but now all of the emotional baggage vanished completely. If she wanted to see her long lost friend again, she always kept her on speed dial.

"Penny, we have to head off!" her father exclaimed from the driver's seat up front.

"Hold your horses for a few more minutes, okay?" Penny hollered back before she got back to the others. "Well, I best be heading off before I see the moon. After such a busy and hectic day we definitely need some shut eye."

"Oof, yeah. I can imagine that." Molly replied. "Make sure to tell us about your travels, okay?"

"Oh, I will." Penny stated as she happily nodded. "Since you've found yourself a permanent home here someone has to do all of the traveling around these parts. We still have plenty to sell before the cold weather comes."

"Heheheh, I bet." Libby replied while she giggled. "Make sure to stop by Brighton again sometime, okay?"

"I'll bookmark this place for the future. No worries." Penny replied while she slightly winked.

"PENNY! LET'S GO!" Penny's father exclaimed again.

The girl held back her rage as she took a deep breath through her nose and pinched her forehead for a split second.

"Guess I can't delay this any longer." Penny muttered.

"Yeah, you should probably get going to not anger your parents." Molly replied.

Penny pretty much got the message and provided one final heartwarming smile to the others before she turned around to leave. However, Molly grabbed her shoulder for a second before she could make her first steps.

"Wait Penny. One more thing."

"Yes?"

Right under the bright sunset behind them, almost in a rather cliché fashion, Molly expressed one of her friendly light smiles toward her once long lost friend. Penny understood her intentions and happily smiled back while the others watched.

"Penny…I'm so incredibly happy to know that I won't ever lose you again."

"Same here Molly. Same here." Penny replied.

As a few tears rolled down Libby's and Scratch's face, which caused the latter to change his eyelids into windshield wipers, Molly and Penny went through one final action that solidified their dedication. As their friendly hearts ignited, the two walked forward and embraced each other in one strong hug that only true friends went through. They even shed a few tears behind each other's backs to the point where they didn't want to let go, but all good times came to an end at some point. After what seemed like a full minutes of silence as the two hugged it out, they finally separated and shared warming smiles. They left an impact in each other's lives, and they didn't want to forget each other.

"Goodbye Penny."

"Goodbye Molly."

From there they left each other's arms as Penny waved and headed inside the family's large vehicle. The two girls waved as Penny drove into the sunset until she disappeared.

Molly stood still in the one spot and refused to move, although the others worried that they'll upset her if they attempted anything. The once enthused energetic girl continuously kept her eyes glued to the spot as her smile faded into a straight line. They heard her sigh deeply as her backed slumped forward a bit, and after a couple of seconds their ears picked up a few sniffs. From there they knew they needed to act for the sake of their friend, for friends always supported each other.

Libby placed a hand on Molly's shoulder.

"Don't feel sad Molly, for you know it doesn't end here. We have her number after all, so if you wanted to…"

Molly turned to face her other human bestie.

"Yeah, I know that, but it still hurts to see her leave again. It feels like we just got back together again…"

"Easy Mol, for you still have us." Scratch said. "I mean, you got me to turn over a new leaf, and now look! I don't mind you at all!"

"I…pretty much learned that after we took on the Ghost World." Molly replied. "I'll probably get over this…but I still find it nice to know that I always have friends like you two."

Molly would have given the two one of her trademark group hugs, but she wanted to hear from the last one in the group first. Just to remain on the safe side, she headed on over to a nearby alley, followed by Scratch and Libby, before she took one good look around then held out a hand before one of her pockets. Before long, the tiny dot of a girl slowly made her way aboard where Molly then brought her up close to her face. She kept her atop one of her index fingers, although she contemplated having her sit on one of her fingernails instead at one point.

"You know I couldn't forget about you either, Nancy." Molly said to the speck on her finger. "I still needed to thank you for your help with that flower. I never would have guessed you would use my own voice to stall for time! Come on, you have to admit the genius behind that, right?"

Nancy kept herself bottled up for the most part, but she provided at least a small smile in response.

"Yeah…I…I guess…" Nancy replied while she stuttered. "I'm just glad…that I don't look like you…or sound like you…anymore…"

"I think all of us feel relieved that we don't have a second Molly anymore." Scratch responded. "I can tolerate one, but another…YEESH!"

His felt some rather disturbed chills down his back as Molly got back to him.

"What? Can't handle all of the EVERLASTING JOY I provide?"

"No, I can handle that." Scratch responded. "I'm just worried about TWO of your joyfulness side by side if it ever comes to that. In all seriousness…you would likely rip apart the planet if another one of you appeared."

He spoke some truth to such a theory. They already had their hands full when Molly sent the Ghost World on a collision course, so it seemed believable that two of her would let history repeat itself. Just the statement alone unnerved Libby and Nancy to the point where they stayed quieter than usual, for such power much end up uncontested to the point where it could end in destruction. They somewhat kept Molly in check and out of trouble by virtue of their friendship, but one slip up could spell disaster in a millisecond.

Before the situation became more awkward, Molly set the topic back on track.

"Still, she showed that she still cares deep down midst ALL of her…current issues right now. I see another increase in her friendliness chart in the future! Come here, Nancy!"

Before she even knew what hit her, Molly immediately brought her in close and pressed her against one her huge cheeks. Nancy basically got an eyeful of Molly's skin as the tween rubbed her gently in pure affection toward the shrunken eleven year old. Libby actually found the action quite charming while Scratch crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at the display. For Nancy, she barely had time to breathe as Molly's finger bound her tightly between surfaces, and yet she had to admit…it warmed her heart a bit. Her cheek kept a soft and smooth surface that almost lulled the tiny one to sleep at times, and she made sure to angle her fingernail away which Nancy appreciated. She had to admit she may have stepped a bit over the line of nervousness a bit to help Molly out of her problem, but for the most part she still clammed up. She never deserved her prison sentence and reduction in the first place despite Molly's claims. The road ahead remained perilous, and she still needed to walk a LONG way before she reconsidered everything. Molly still miniaturized her in the first place after all.

The moment wouldn't last though, as after a couple of seconds a few large dots shot right into the back of Libby's head, which caused her to fall to the ground. While not completely hurt, it didn't take long to figure out where they came from. Only one turn right became required to see one particular plant close by, which immediately made Scratch grin a little.

"You know, I might have to buy one of those after all!"

Both Molly and Nancy's expressions fell flat as they heard that.

The Ghost and Molly McGee!