Chapter 2: Help with the Power of Magic
Close by the river, the Smiling Critters are setting up their campsite. The Nightmare Critters are sitting on the ground, looking annoyed, arms crossed, and wet, but water is sprayed on them.
"You know, trunkie, we could swim in the river and bathe," said Poe, shaking from the sun being on themselves.
When the water is splashed into the Nightmare Critters again, Bubba sucks up the river water with his trunk and says, "Let you contaminate our closest drink source, forget it!"
"But this isn't clean either, and you know it," said Rabie.
"Not to worry, my nose is always persistent clean from the inside."
"What, you pick your nose all the time?"
Rabie's words made her friends laugh, but they stopped when Bubba splashed water at them again.
"Laugh it all up. But it is a scientific fact that many people pick their noses. Studies have shown that nose-picking is a common habit among individuals. And by the way, I clean my nose. It's a huge difference."
"Whatever. But there's got to be a better way than this. Luckily, Crafty isn't watching," said Simon.
"Hey, everyone. I got you some soap," CraftyCorn says, bringing a bucket of soap.
With CraftyCorn here, Simon hid behind Maggie Mako and said, "Woah, Princess. You got to draw the limit to when things get serious."
"Uh…Simon, you're always naked?" CraftyCorn answered.
"Oh, yeah."
"Hey, Bubba. I'll take charge of Creep Cleaning duty now," KickinChicken stepped in.
"Hello, we're right here, Smiling Freak," said Icky.
"But I'm the only one who can spray them with water, Kickin," said Bubba.
"Dude, you forgot I got the Power of Willpower Manipulation. Watch this."
With his Star Medal glowed yellow, he used his willpower to form a Showerhead with a handheld set. The hose went into the river and sprayed water into the Nightmare Critters.
"Aw, Bubba's nose was better," said Touille while Baba and Maggie held him down to bathe.
"Here's your soap. Bobby is getting the towels ready," said CraftyCorn, passing down a bar of soap for the Nightmare Critters.
"Someone else cleans me," said Allister.
But after Maggie kicked him and said, "Do your own cleaning, lazy bones!"
"Uh, okay? Once you guys are gone scrubbing, I spray the water on you before Bobby brings the warm towels," said Kickin.
Crafty and Bubba go to the campsite, surrounded by tents in the Smiling Critters' colors, a fire pit, and a picnic table.
"We're lucky to have our magical backpacks," said Hoppy, finishing her tent.
"Yeah. The backpacks can even pack a picnic table, a grill, a cooler, and cooking tools," said PickyPiggy, making fish wraps, fruit salads, and trail mixes.
"I got enough water to help us go through these plain areas," Bobby said, holding filtration bottles.
CatNap is going through the water and holding a lot of fish while saying, "Picky, we got enough fish for tonight's dinner."
"Great, CatNap. Keep them coming so we can have enough for the journey," she answered.
DogDay looks at the map and says, "All these locations to reach Playtime Land. There must be a reason why we need to go through all 22 lands to reach our destination. Maybe for reinforcement? Supplies? Information? Practice for fighting and magic? At least we are getting close to our first land, Dino Plateau. Bubba, you got anything on Dino Plateau?"
"Yes, DogDay," Bubba continued. "From what I read, it's a vast, lush landscape filled with towering plateaus and vibrant greenery. The plateau is home to a variety of dinosaurs. The herbivores are Brontosauruses, Brachiosauruses, Triceratops, Stegosauruses, and Ankylosauruses. Now, we need to worry about the predators. There are Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus-Rexes."
"Yeesh, T-Rexs are the most we need to worry about. They're super scary."
"Good thing for us. The place has water and food over there."
Kickin showed up and said, "I'm done spraying on the Creeps, but their creepiness still stains them," Kickin joked.
The Nightmare Critters were wet before Icky said, "We heard that, Kicker Rooster."
"Now come to think of it. Since you're a male, why are you called KickinChicken instead of something male for your species, as Icky said? Are you perhaps like our raven-crow hybrid gender-confused blackbird here?" Touille asks while Bobby gives each Nightmare Critter a warm towel.
"Wait, is that what you guys see me?" Poe questioned.
"Like Poe always said, "Who cares?"" Kickin answered.
"Hello, what about my question to be answered?!"
"Where are we going after we sleep in for the night?" Baba asks.
"According to the map Mrs. Missy gave us, we should be going to Dino Plateau," DogDay answered.
"Dinosaurs, wicked!" Simon cleaned his pendant to make it shine.
"Idiot, not if they got carnivores that live there," said Rabie, finishing for her to fluff.
"Zip it, boyfriendless-Bat!"
"Take that back, girlfriendless gold digger!"
"Both of you shut up! I'm trying to catch some Zzzs," said Allister, lying on the grass.
"How do you guys even stay together if you argue a lot?" Hoppy asks.
"How do you and Kickin stay friends with all the fights?"
"Touche."
"Anyway, you got something sweet to eat?" Maggie Mako said.
"We got fish wraps, fruit salads, and trail mixes," Picky answered.
"I said we got anything sweet to eat, Picky. Oh, well. At least I packed some for emergencies."
"I'll take the scraps," said Touille.
Simon then blows fire onto the firepit so it will be lit.
"Thank you, Simon," said CraftyCorn, painting a fire-powered washing machine and dryer.
"No problem, Craftybaby. You got an unlimited fire supply so that no one will get cold," he said with pride.
When CraftyCorn makes the washing machine and dryer come out of her canvas, the Nightmare Critters toss their towels in the washing machine. Everyone takes their seat at the picnic table for PickyPiggy to serve dinner.
"Enjoy," said Picky, serving them.
"Yeah, fish!" said CatNap, taking a fish wrap.
Before he could bite into it, Touille swiped it with his tail.
"Hey! Don't make me chase like a Tom Cat would, ratface," CatNap responds.
"What?! I saved you there, Kitty. This one looks undercooked," said Touille, pointing out that the fish looked too light.
"But I like it that way. Grrrr."
"CatNap, there's another fish wrap for ya," said DogDay, giving him one.
"Mmm, tasty. Maggie, you got to try this," said Allister, chomping down on the wrap.
"Uggh, but it's got veggies into it," Maggie disgusted.
"Eat or die, Maggie. It was our choice to follow them. Also, you're a shark. You're supposed to eat this stuff," said Baba Chops.
"I hate it when you mention die. When you do, it means you're serious."
"Wait, what?" DogDay concerned.
"So, give it to us straight. How can you guys have magic, and we don't?" said Icky.
"All that we're told is that our magic comes from our medals, which are family heirlooms, too," Kickin answered.
The Nightmare Critters looked at their pendants with curiosity.
"Aw, why can't our medals give us magic? So lame," Simon complained.
"I always wonder…Why do we have these? Sure, they match us, but still," said Poe.
"Maybe your parents left them for you," Bobby guessed.
"Don't even mention our parents. Those jerks left us behind, and we know it," said Allister.
"Hey, have some faith. We communicated with our parents through our medals, and they're alive and still loving us," said Hoppy.
"Lucky you. I bet our parents are still around, but I don't care."
"Sheesh, you guys don't give second chances as an opportunity for hope," said Bubba.
"So, who's going to do nighttime watch?" said PickyPiggy, finished ten servings of dinner.
"I'll do it!" Poe shouted.
"And me as well," said DogDay.
"What?! Why?!"
"Because all eight of my Critters, including, did night watches. And it's my turn again."
"Kitty, knock him out with your sleeping gas when the night arrives."
"As much as I want to, he's telling the truth," said CatNap, about to have another fish wrap.
When Touille tries to snatch from him again, CatNap wraps him up with his tail and smacks him on the ground, constantly moving left to right.
"Nice try, Ratatouille," CatNap smirked.
Hiding in the bushes far from the Critters' Campsite, a dark figure is looking at them with a Wanted Poster of the Smiling Critters in their claws.
"I will devour Smiling Critters right after gathering Bron Dinos," they said.