Chapter 7: Face the Flowery Fury
In a dark void, DogDay appeared while saying, "Dad! Huh?! Wait! Where am I?"
Suddenly, CatNap appeared as he said, "Father…How do I-? What in the world?!"
"CatNap?"
"DogDay?"
Both of them hug each other in relief.
"Buddy, you're not going to believe what happened to me," said DogDay.
"You found yourself in a world that you like with copies of our friends, and suddenly, your parents showed up to wake you up?" CatNap asks.
"How did you know?"
"It happened to me, too."
"CatNap! DogDay! Over here," KickinChicken waved with the other Smiling Critters.
"Alright, the gang's all here," Hoppy Hopscotch said happily as CatNap and DogDay went to their friends.
But then the Nightmare Critters fell on top of the Smiling Critters' backs.
"Woah, are we dead? Or are we in limbo? Maybe we are still being decided where our souls should be placed," said Baba Chops.
"Shocker…I kinda thought we might drop in Hell," Icky Licky commented.
"No, you dropped on top of us! Now get off!" Kickin yelled.
"Oooh. You're so sweet to break my fall, kitty," Rabie Baby commented, but CatNap groaned in annoyance.
"You're crushing our backs! Please get off," said CraftyCorn.
"Sorry, Craftybaby," said Simon Smoke, gallantly getting off her and helping her up.
Once the Nightmare Critters got back on their feet before the Smiling Critters stood up.
"Do you Critters know what just happened?" Allister Gator asks.
"Judging how I got here and from experiencing the world I encountered, I think we ended up in our fantasy worlds. But due to our parents' interference, we could snap out of it and end up in the space between fantasy and reality," said Bubba Bubbaphant.
"Then it would mean the enemy has shown up and trapped us in our fantasy worlds to stop us from reaching Playtime Land. If we stay stuck here forever, we'll die from starvation," Touille suggested.
"That would be the case."
"How dare this enemy do this? Trapping us into our dream worlds. That's my job!" CatNap complained.
"Wow, dark for to admit," Poe commented.
"How do we get out of here and take on the enemy?" Bobby BearHug is concerned.
"Easy. We scare ourselves awake," said Maggie Mako.
"What do you propose we should imagine to scare us awake?"
"Mrs. Missy's wrath."
"No, no, no. That's too familiar. It has to be something we don't wish to experience every day. Something completely outside of our comfort zone," PickyPiggy suggested.
"Oooh, hey, remember that oath we took about talking about our first experience with you know what," DogDay upset.
"Who knows what?" Baba confused.
"The D word…But in our case, the V word."
"Not following and not caring."
"Doctors and Veterinarians."
Those words froze the Critters in fear. They recall being dragged by collars and leashes to their first doctor's appointment and coming out shaking with cones on.
"Oh, those words…," the Critters shuttered.
But then, a rumble sounded like it came from a giant foot stomp. Both Critter Crews slowly turned to see a giant doctor with a face in shadow and the name tag "Dr. Harley Swayer."
"Hehehehe, who's ready to get fixed!?" he said while taking out a needle and surgical knife.
In response, the Critters screamed at the top of their lungs. In the real world, the Critters struggle to remove the daisies from their heads. They claw, they pull, and they hit the flowers.
"Daisy, look at the Critters again…," said the Prototype on the Phone.
Daisy turned to the Critters and shouted, "WHAT THE-?!"
Daisy gets back before the Critters successfully remove the daisies off their heads. They were hyperventilating from the nightmare they created to escape.
"We did it!" DogDay cheered.
But the flowers tried to recapture them. The Critters quickly threw the daisies on the ground and stomped on them constantly.
"How dare you trap us in our dreams like that! ONLY I CAN DO THAT!" CatNap yelled.
Once they stopped stomping, Simon blew fire on the flowers to burn them to ashes.
"May your flowers continue to burn in the afterlife in the fiery pits of despair," said Simon.
"Hmph! I hate a certain flower for the first time," CraftyCorn crossed her arms.
"Me too. I like to get my hands on the person who used something beautiful to trap us in that state forever," said Bobby, cracking her knuckles.
"That would be me," said Daisy, showing herself.
"What the?! A talking flower?!" Baba surprised.
"That explains the flower fantasy façade," said Bubba.
Icky snickered, "Tehehe! You call this guy an enemy? What are they going to do, pollinate us to the death?"
The Nightmare Critters laughed in a mocking tone.
"Dummies! Did you forget that this flower just trapped us in our minds?!" Hoppy exclaimed.
"Uh, Hoppy. We're not the only ones trapped," said Kickin.
The Critters then notice all the Missies, even Kissy's family, especially the dying flowers.
"Okay, this is pure evil. We like to stomp on flowers and give people nightmares for fun, but this is far beyond our standards," Rabie yelled.
"Prepared to be trimmed and primmed in pain," said Maggie, baring her teeth.
"You will never leave Missy Meadows or live!" Daisy yelled before more daisies, acting like chomping Piranha Plants.
"Scatter, Critters! Move, move, move!" DogDay commanded.
Each Critter went in different directions as Daisy's daydream daises stretched after them. The Smiling Critters and Baba summon their weapons to engage in battle. DogDay and Baba slice through the flowers with their Bone Sword and Nightfall Axe. One flower tries to attack Baba from behind, but DogDay uses his Tennis Ball Shield to protect her.
"Nice," Baba commented.
"Baba, can you and your friends free the Missies from the flowers?" DogDay asks.
"If it means getting even for you saving my wool, I'm in."
"Great. Since my friends and I are the targets, we'll keep them busy."
"You better get to your kitty 'cause he's surrounded."
DogDay looked to CatNap, seeing the fantasy flowers about to pounce on him. But CatNap uses his magic to spread his Red Smoke among flowers, making them fall asleep.
"That's my feline of mine," DogDay smiled.
"Meh, I'll go," Baba left to try and hide her jealousy.
With Hoppy and CraftyCorn, they stab the flowers with the Carrot Spear and the Unihorn Lance so they'll be brought down. But more continues, so Crafty uses her Invisibility Color Cloak to hide herself and Hoppy. Confused about them disappearing, PickyPiggy took the chance to use the Truffle-Seeking Staff, so truffles grow and drain the fantasy flowers.
"This staff is something to be reckoned with," Picky commented, but a fantasy flower was behind her. She threw her Boar Tusk Dagger at it to defeat it.
KickinChicken uses his Gump Spur Gauntlets to punch out the fantasy flowers. But the flowers still stretch after him.
"You want some more? Then let's fly," Kickin said before activating his Capon Feathered Cape to fly up.
He comes down to the ground punch, which immobilizes the flowers unconsciously.
"Sick! Who's next?!" Kickin, putting up his fist like a boxer.
Bobby is looking at the ground while the fantasy flowers rise before her.
She said before enlarging her Cuddle Claws, "I would never hurt a flower…but if one wants to hurt me, my friends, and innocent people, I'm willing to accept their offer and claw them to their place."
She let out a bear roar before she clawed the flowers through their stems. As for Bubba, he swings his Trunk Mace around to hit the fantasy flowers on the heads. He uses his Shield of Truth to prevent their leaves from grabbing him.
"There's too many of them. We need to cut them up to root," Bubba suggested.
"Meaning we need to go after the enemy?" Hoppy asks when she and Crafty appear.
"Seems like it.
"DogDay got the Nightmare Critters to distract the flowers. Let's get to work," said Crafty.
Icky uses his tongue to rip the buds of the flowers. Rabie flew and shrieked bat sound waves to make the flowers stay still. Allister plays asleep to lure flowers to him, so he chews and slashes them off. Simon blew fire at the flowers. Poe used their nails to claw the flowers but even pecked them off. Touille and Maggie bite the flowers at their roots.
Baba came over and said, "Guys, we got a plan. We need to free everyone the flowers. The Smiling Critters will take on the boss."
"Why should we let them do it?" Icky annoyed.
"Have not seen them in battle?"
Baba gestures to her friends to show the Smiling Critters confidently running the battlefield as they swing their weapons. This amazed the Nightmare Critters by seeing their rivals acting differently from how they usually are.
"Woah…," Poe surprised.
"I don't believe it," Maggie nodded.
"Are they really the same Critters we've known for a while?" Touille questioned.
The Nightmare Critters start reminiscing about their school days. They remember seeing the Smiling Critters surrounded by others of the same shape. These Critters seem to bother the Smiling Critters until the Nightmare Critters scare the other Critters away.
"I'm so amazed how much they've changed," Simon said.
"Same here. Truly, they changed when they started their journey," said Rabie.
"Alright. Let's get everyone out of their worlds. Starting with Mrs. Missy and her family," said Allister.
The Nightmare Critters go to the Missy Family so they can pull them out of the fantasy flowers. Once they did, Baba chopped down the flowers.
"Oh, what happened?" Kissy Missy said.
"No time to explain. We need to free everyone," said Baba.
Kissy looked around and was horrified to see her people trapped in fantasy flowers. Her home was dying from the flowers, draining the natural life.
"There can only be one culprit for this: the members of the Flower Trio," Kissy said.
She looked around to find the Smiling Critters facing Daisy the Flower.
"You! You got some nerve to trap my friends and I in our fantasies, which is my thing so they can sleep with full rest. How would you like it if you get trapped in your fantasy?!" CatNap is showing his claws.
"You think you're better than me?" Daisy said.
"Oh, I know I'm better. Because I care about their health in sleep, but you want to keep everyone trapped."
"You will never get to Playtime Land! You will become failures just like your parents!"
This triggered the Smiling Critters to glow in their colors and their eyes with their faces angry, making the ground shake and all of the fantasy flowers die from the magical power surge, which freed everyone from their control.
"What's happening?!" Smacky Missy screamed.
"Are we having an earthquake?!" Smoochy Missy yelled.
"Look!" Ms. Pecky Missy was pointing to the angered Smiling Critters.
"Mrs. Missy, what's happening?!" Icky horrified.
"Their emotions are increasing their magic! Too much, and they're going to explode!"
Without hesitation, the Nightmare Critters ran over to the Smiling Critters.
"Wait! Nightmare Critters! Don't!"
"Smiling Critters, stop!" the Nightmare Critters hugged the Smiling Critters from behind.
They used their hands to cover the Smiling Critters' noses so they could calm down from the scent they had. Because of Nightmare Critters' scent, they stopped glowing, and the ground halted.
"W-what happened?" Bobby said.
"Nightmare Critters?" CraftyCorn questioned.
Once they let them go, Rabie said, "That was close. You guys were about to explode. Not sure if figuratively or literally."
"That Daisy insulted our parents, and I think we lost control," said Bubba.
"Jeez, we got lucky to step in and stop it," said Allister.
"And considering how we trigger you guys all the time, thankfully, we didn't reach it that far," said Poe.
"Good for you," Hoppy unamused.
"Hey! They're getting away!" Kickin noticed Daisy trying to run.
"Not on my watch!" CatNap is using his tail as a lasso.
Once he caught Daisy, he pulled her in as Touille commented, "Yeehaw! Right on, kitty."
"Good night," CatNap said while he breathed his Red Smoke onto Daisy, making her fall asleep.
"Ha! Enjoy the nightmares, flower freak," Simon mocked.
"It's time to unpollinate the Red Air from this flower," said CatNap, using his Silvervine Staff, which glows purple.
His staff extracts the Red Aire off of Daisy so she would shrink back to her original size. Then, the Smiling Critters showed their medals so they could glow and purify Daisy. They turned Daisy into her cute poster self.
"That takes care of this one," said DogDay.
"Guys, don't lose control again," said Maggie.
"Yeah, that's not a good look for you," said Baba.
"Getting scared of us now?" PickyPiggy smirked.
"Don't push it," said Icky.
"Just saying."
"Critters, are you alright?" Kissy coming over.
"All good," said the Critters with a thumbs up.
"After seeing what I've witnessed, it's clear the Nightmare Critters should go with you, Smiling Critters?"
"Really?!" the Smiling Critters in shock.
"Really?!" the Nightmare Critters said with joy.
"Of course. Who's going to keep the Smiling Critters from doing that again?" Kissy Missy answered.
"We can stay with them! Let's gooooo!"
As the Nightmare Critters cheered, Bubba said, "Again, where did they learn to say that?"
"Hello? Hello? Daisy?" a scary voice was heard.
Everyone looked down to see the Playtime Phone.
DogDay picks up, puts it on speaker, and says, "Hello?"
"That voice…so you are DogDay the 29th's son," said the voice.
"29th?! So, I'm the 30th?!"
"Duh, so are all of your friends and the Nightmares."
"Give me that! Hey, you! You're the Prototype, are you?!" Baba snatched the Phone.
"So, you found out what I'm called already. You Critters are more innovative than I anticipated."
CatNap takes the Phone and says, "You better pray to your God, punk! You robbed our childhoods by keeping our parents locked away! From all of the awful things you committed, we won't show mercy when we get to Playtime Land."
"Oh, so you're CatNap the 30th. It won't be long until you fall for me."
Everyone was confused until CatNap said while dropping the Phone, "What?! Ew! No!"
"Huh?... Wait! No, that's not what I- Ugh, forget it!"
When the Phone hung up, a robotic voice said, "This Phone will self-destruct in 10…9…"
The Critters panic and begin to run around in circles while the Phone continues, "8…7…6…"
"Get rid of it! Somebody, get rid of it!" DogDay yelled.
"What are we supposed to do with it?!" Baba exclaimed.
"5…4…3…"
Quickly, Bobby uses her super strength and throws the Playtime Phone into the sky.
"2…1…0"
The Phone exploded into fireworks, which amazed everyone, who said, "Ooh! Aah!"
"Well, we made contact with the Prototype. Can we eat now?" Maggie asks.
"Oh, yes. It's almost lunchtime," PickyPiggy agreed.
"Right. I'll get to work on the Missy Meaty Spaghetti," said Ms. Pecky.
"Yeah," the Critters cheered.
As the Critters and Missy Family leave, the nature of Missy Meadows reverts to normal since the fantasy flowers are gone. Kissy came back to carry the unconscious Daisy on her shoulders. The rest of the inhabitants shrugged and returned to minding their businesses.
At Playtime Palace, the Prototype's Claw crushed another Playtime Phone with Shadow Poppy Playtime and the chained Smiling Critters the 29th watching.
"How now, brown cow?" BB DogDay smirked.
"SILENCE!" the Prototype yelled, making the 29th Smiling Critters tremble.
"Now, now, my Lord. I'm sure there's another way to prevent the Smiling Critters the 30th from reaching us," said the Shadow Poppy.
"How?! Pianosaurus nor Daisy the Flower couldn't even take them on!"
"Simple. The next place the Critters are going is Wuggy Prairie. And you know what I mean?"
The Prototype's Claw snapped in realization and said, "Of course, Huggy Wuggy—one of my fierce generals. And since we used to live there, he can waltz in without detection. He remains the optimal outcome due to his sufficient intelligence and maximum obedience. Let's end the Critters' journey log for good."
The Prototype and Shadow Poppy laughed evilly until PickyPiggy the 29th yelled, "You are underestimating our children!"
"And they shouldn't underestimate us either," the Prototype sassed before leaving with Shadow Poppy.
"Hmph! Never thought an entity like the Prototype would be able to sass like that," said Hoppy Hopscotch the 29th.
"Our children could sass way better than that," KickinChicken the 29th agreed.
"I think you two are missing the point here. One of the former Playtime Generals is going after our children," Bubba Bubbaphant the 29th.
"What should we do now? Warn them again?" Bobby BearHug the 29th suggesting.
"Get crafty, everyone. They'll be on to us if we do it again," said CraftyCorn the 29th.
"Our kids are smart. They'll know a new enemy will come for them in Wuggy Prairie. It's good to know Kissy will allow the Nightmare Critters to go with our children. I'm afraid of what will happen if they go berserk again," said CatNap the 29th.
Outside of the room, the Nightmare Critters the 29th overheard him.
"They approve our children?" Baba Chops the 29th spoke.
"What a relief!" Icky Licky the 29th sighed.
"Same here. That would mean they can redeem our family names and free us all from this torment," Rabie Baby the 29th smiled.
"Luckily for us, breaking the Scent Shield only takes over months or possibly a year to power it down," said Allister Gator the 29th.
"But the Prototype is impatient," Simon Smoke the 29th worried.
"We just need to stall long enough before the children get here," said Poe the 29th.
"Despite the pain we'd endure, it's the perfect punishment for being cowards," Touille the 29th, showing his bandage arm.
"Good luck, children. Aid the Smiling Critters so they'll fulfill the prophecy," said Maggie Mako the 29th.
The 29th Nightmare Critters then left with hope in their hearts, as the 29th Smiling Critters felt the addition of their children succeeding.