Twins Missing in Dual Worlds: Chapter 32: Bizarre and Bizarrer
Merry Christmas.
Mabel was looking for cooking ingredients.
"What are we supposed to be looking for again?" Sprig asked.
"Mushrooms. Berries."
"I can find those." He said, holding a paper, a list of poisonous foods and what they look like.
"None of those!" Mabel said, rolling her eyes at this tomfoolery.
"That's the idea for the list." Sprig pointed out.
"Oh good," Mabel wouldn't put it past him to have it as his collection list.
"I'll double-check it when he's not looking," Polly told Mabel.
"My hearing is fine, thank you for asking." Sprig grumble.
"Yeah, no one here was asking," Polly said.
She laughed at that
"Hey, don't you have a girlfriend to bug?" Polly asked.
"We are not dating." It would help If Sprig knew how to ask her out.
"Oh yes, you are! I even made you a ship name. Sprivy." Mabel said.
"Mabel let me translate what he just said, 'I Sprig Plantar is too much of a coward to ask her out'," Polly said, somehow doing a perfect impersonation of her brother as she spoke.
"Am not." Sprig stomps his foot on the ground in impediments.
"Haha, coward!" Mabel said.
"Burn sister." She said, "Give me some knuckles."
Mabel gave her a fist bump.
"Come on I am not that useless."
"Oh yes, you are."
"Rude Mabel." Sprig said, did she think that little of him?
"Harsh, I love it," Polly told Mabel.
"I'm just teasing you silly." Mabel thought, maybe I had been letting Polly influence me a bit too much.
"Boo, we want brutality." She said raising her fist at this.
"Seesh, don't show me all your love at once." He said in response to his sister's bloodlust.
"Haha!" Mabel was starting to like the two
"Hey, what are those things?" He asked, seeing animals that seemed to lack mouths and were shaped not like animals but shapes with limbs attached to them. "Whatever they are they're cute." He said, walking towards the tree they were coming from. "Huh?" He asked looking at something.
"Wait, you don't know?" Mabel quickly drew one in my journal.
"Wait I know what this is." He said pulling out an egg, looked fancy and had plenty of designs, had an hourglass slash ticket symbol on it. "Whoa! Guys, look what I found! I think it's an entry ticket for the Bizarre Bazaar!"
"The what bazaar:?" Neither girl knew what he was talking about.
"The Bizarre Bazaar. I've never been, but I've heard stories. It's a mysterious night market that passes through once a year. Exotic foods, games, mysterious treasures." Sprig said.
"IF only we knew someone who happened to use something like that, maybe in a box form that makes music." Polly is not too subtly hinted at.
"My music box?" Technically it was the store that Anne stole it from, but why bring that up to the kids?
"She can teach." Polly said, "What do we have to lose? You and I are unstoppable together." She said, seeing the smile on MAbel's face.
"It's after your bedtime." Sprig said.
"Mabel, you're on your own." Polly's attitude did a 180 on helping.
"I'm sure Sprig and I can handle it."
"Try not to get eaten, again," Polly said.
"I only do that on Fridays."
"And Tuesdays as well." Sprig a playful rib at her. She laughed and playfully punched him. "Oh, you're so mean to me, oh wow was me." He said hamming it up for the girls. Mabel fell over laughing.
Polly had her fun, "Well we probably should get going."
"Should we tell hop pop?" Mabel said.
"I don't see why not." Sprig said, thinking he was on their side. "He would love for us to go and get more culture."
(At the Plantar household.)
"What do you don't want us to go?" Sprig asked.
"I mean what I said, From what I've heard, that bazaar is full of greedy degenerates. Wave that thing around, and it'll get stolen for sure. Mabel I already got some frogs looking into the Music Box, and it will take more than a day to get it back. Don't worry they will have the answers you're looking for."
Mabel was surprised, "You do? Tell me!"
"What did you think I did with the music box when you handed it to me?" Hop Pop asked.
"I didn't think about it." She just trusted him with it.
"Don't worry, you can have a nice relaxing evening here with no trouble." He said, trying to reason with her.
She had an idea. "Good idea. Maybe we should just go to bed early."
"That seems unlike you, you are not planning anything are you?" Hop Pop asked.
"Hop Pop, could this face lie to you?" He asked looking extra cute.
Mabel made a cute giggle. "If there's a big festival people will be hungry tomorrow so the stand will be busy so we should rest."
"She is smart as well as a good cook. That reason enough to let your guard down around him." He said.
"I suppose you make a good point." Hop Pop was rubbing his chin.
She grinned. Victory! Then ran off to their room.
"Want to read me to bed Hop Pop?" Polly asked, the two would need a distraction. "Pwease?" She asked making her eyes wide.
He was easily distracted.
The two snuck out of their bedroom window.
Mabel did a spin showing off her grappling hook. "Super spy time."
"Secret Agent Frog, secret Agent Frog. They've given us a number
And taken away our names." He said he had been listening to some of Mabel's music when she was sleeping.
"Oh, we need to watch more spy movies together. I didn't know you liked them." Mabel and Sprig might have had some rough patches but she did want to be friends with him.
"I only saw one song, but I would like another movie. We can have another civil war." He said, much to Mabel's chagrin.
"Oh, no way. That was pure chaos." Mabel would draw a line at this.
"Embrace the chaos, Mabel." He said, doing a perfect impersonation of her voice.
She stole his hat. "Let's go!" Putting it in her bag.
"Hey, get back here." He said.
She made her way with him to the bazaar.
He shows the guard his egg. They were allowed in. "This place is massive." Sprig said, looking at all the supplies.
"How did they set this all up?" Mabel didn't see any construction gear or giant bugs.
"I don't know." Sprig said, "Isn't this exciting just the two of us? All by ourselves, not a familiar face in the lot."
"Hey, Sprig," Wally said walking by.
"Hey, Wally." Sprig said with a smile as Wally walked out of hearing range.
"We'll about the no familiars," Mabel asked.
"Yes, Mabel?"
"Hope he won't tell Hop Pop is all."
"You think Hop Pop would believe him."
Mabel thought about it, "Touche."
"So what should we do first?" Sprig was so excited.
She looked around. "Wanna get snacks?" Mabel was a bit hungry from sneaking around.
"That sounds like a great idea." Sprig said.
"Woo!" She ran with him, cheerfully rotating her arm.
He happily leaps on his feet and legs next to her.
Mabel and Sprig had some spending cash so use it wisely.
"Want a dumpling?" Sprig asked, the food looked a whole lot like a dumpling reminding her of the time Anne would have the group hang at her parent's work. She wonders what they will do to Anne if they learn what she was doing before the bright light. Did Anne make it home or did she get dragged along with Mabel? She wished she knew.
"Crazy. This reminds me of Anne's parents' place." Mabel said.
"The friend of yours with crazy hair?" He asked if he was trying to remind all of Mabel's friends. He got a picture from her phone but memory was not so good.
"Ya. She was cool. Her family owned a restaurant." Mabel got a few free staples from Anne, although she was not sure if her parents knew that.
"Shame she didn't come with, she could have helped with Stumpy's." He said. "How you manage to improve that with just the two of you is beyond me. I would have thrown in the towel sooner."
"That's why. I will never give up." Mabel just wanted to help.
"That the spirit." He compliments her.
"And you shouldn't give up either. Ok?" He did have the same problem as her, only going through with what he felt was fun.
"Can do Mabel." He said happily while eating his bug feel dumpling.
"You know there was a time this would have grossed me out. Oh well," nom nom nom.
"The crickets give it just that extra bit of crunch." Sprig complimented, he would have to see if he could get the recipe.
"They really do, don't they." She would have to see if there were any bug-eating clubs at her school.
"While we are looking for someone to help your music box. We can see if there are any foods there that remind you of home. I mean who wouldn't want to sell unique food."
"Ya, I guess we might find somebody." She just wanted to see her brother and family badly.
"Woo hoo." He said, "Now let's see what they have hmm giant worms boring, big lizards thing nope, talking ducks try again, some old picture that have what looks like an exact copy of the music box, let's go for five..." He said to dismiss that one.
She grabbed him. "Sprig!"
Sprig felt that "Yes Mabel?" He asked.
"It looks like the music box!" Mabel pointed out.
"We should investigate it, good idea."
"Let's go!" Mabel said raising her hands and pointing in the direction they should be heading.
As they walked they saw no one there but a sign saying that they were out to lunch late at night during the busiest day of the year.
She groaned at the announcement.
"So Mabel has any plans on what to do while we wait?"
"Yes actually. We'll take turns exploring" Mabel said, not realizing Sprig wanted to spend time with her, and that would be the opposite.
"Okay." He wanted to spend time with her.
Mabel was able to take the hint, "Or we can just chill here if you want."
"I would like to spend time with ya." He said.
She grinned. "Me too."
"Head down." He said, "Flying accord...never mind." he said, as one hit her on the back of the head anyway.
"Wonder how long they will be." Rubbing the back of her head.
"I hope not long," he said, tapping his finger on the chair on which he happened to be sitting.
Sprig got bored and reached out to look over one of the trinkets. Only for his hand to get slapped.
"Do not touch it young one." A strange figure appeared she appeared to be some kind of lizard person, she had one eye open and the other looked like she was squint. She had one of her sleeves stapled over and a glove on her tail. Her outfit seems to be old and patched together. She moves the lunch sign to available, much to the youngling delight, now time for some action.
"Are you the owner here?" Mabel asked curious.
"That is correct, strange creature." She said. "I am lady Valerina."
"My name is Mabel. I'm a human from another world."
"That is very interesting." She said, her tone of voice suggests the opposite of the truth.
"You don't sound surprised. Normally there's more surprise." Mabel liked it.
"When you travel from one coast of Amphibia to another you learn about strange creatures and history!" Her voice said she had a long time of adventure.
"You've seen other humans!?" Mabel wasn't alone.
"Only on pictures." She said she pointed at a picture of what might be a human or a poorly drawn newt, it was old like centuries old.
"Oh... Too bad." Probably not
"I have the feeling something has led the fates to have the two of us meeting."
"Really? Why is that?" Mabel was so excited.
Sprig spoke, "Give us an answer woman."
"If I had known that U wouldn't have asked."
"Yes. I suppose so." Mabel shrug.
"So what has gotten your attention?" she asked.
"That!" She pointed to the music box. "I… I have that music box."
"Oh really?" This got the one-arm hermit's full attention, "May I see it?" She asked.
"It's with my caretaker right now. I didn't think it would be a safe thing to bring here."
"Then I can not help you." She said unless Mabel had something she could use.
"I can show a picture." She took out her phone and showed her.
She reaches around for her bag. Mabel was curious. Her bag was missing. "Someone stole my bag!"
"Wait, I think I see it with that creepy short guy in the mask. At 7 o'clock." Sprig said, pointing in that direction.
"We'll be back mystery lady!" Mabel said waving bye like she was talking to a friend.
"I can't believe it, we looked away for no more than ten seconds and it got stolen." He worried they were not very good.
"Hop Pop was right about this place," Mabel said, upset at the fact.
"I should have kept an eye on it. My hat was in it." He said nervous.
"Are you ok?" She had the feeling that it would be extremely important but wanted to avoid trying to tell him how to feel. She thinks she heard it was from his parents.
"Don't worry, we get your bag, we get my hat. Nothing wrong there." Sprig said, wanting to avoid trouble.
"Of course we will!" Mabel's die attitude is on full display here.
He stopped at his stand and put it on the wall.
He had straps and pretend he didn't just steal from them. "Greetings. Come to try your luck at my fun and exciting game?"
Mabel saw through this immediately and decided to take a page out of Stanley's book, "Oh sure. What are the rules?" She asked, getting Sprig confused by her choice of words.
The con man's smile reminds her of Gideon for some reason. He presses a button causing the wall holding onto her backpack to move to the side he walks towards what looks like a track with some bugs chasing each other. "Two opponents race, and the winner gets yo-er the bag." He said.
The second his back was turned she reached over. Grabbed the bag. And booked it!
"Let's book it." Sprig yelled running with her.
She laughed as they ran out of the Bizare.
"Must go faster," she said, as a blue beetle hit the guards giving the two of them room to escape.
"Well, that was lucky!" Mabel felt so pumped.
"Now we just have to wait for them to leave, and asked the scary one-arm lady."
The high fives.
"I feel so Alive!" Sprig declare.
"Grunkle Stan taught me that move"
"Don't ever introduce him to Polly, no telling the damage she would do with that knowledge."
"Oh, it would be chaos."
"Now let's find a place to hide before they give the area a second look." Sprig said, wanting to think things through.
Mabel suggested they go to the lady.
"I think we will have to wait for her to go out?"
"Why is that?" As if Mabel forgot about what just happened to the two of them.
"You want to deal with the guards again?" Sprig couldn't take them down.
"Haha. You of little faith. Disguise time!" SHe pulling a bag of disguises out of somewhere.
Sprig got a mustache as part of his disguise.
She had a fake eyepatch
He looked at her, "You sure you can see with that on?"
"Oh ya!" She walked into a poll.
He watched her, the frog did not think she was dumb but worried she might be over her head.
"Well, that was great timing," Mabel said.
"Agree, let's just keep our head down." He saw a toad on the ground unmoving, "He sleeping." Sprig said oblivious to this.
"Indeed he is." As was Mabel.
"Now where are we going, I can't find her?"
She looked around. "There!"
Sprig rushed towards her wanting to make sure they didn't get caught.
Mabel went behind the counter to hide
"Mabel you can't do that." Sprig was used to being told that.
"Desperate times." Mabel pointed out
Sprig thought long and hard and decided not to argue with her about it.
Mabel went to the one-eyed lizard and showed her the picture finally.
"That object has not been seen In over a thousand years, may I ask what happened to it?"
Mabel explained the whole situation.
"So was there another with you?"
"Yes." She explained exactly what happened.
"I will remember that," Valerian said, rubbing her chin.
"So what can you tell me?" Mabel was so excited.
"It was a gift from a divided being to help with travel."
"Go on." Mabel had her elbows on the counter and her head lifted by her fists.
"It was found by the royal family," Valerian stated.
"How did it get to Earth?" Mabel asked.
"Rumor has it was stolen by one of the royal servants, there a reason why is unknown other than it was taken to their grave."
"That's pretty crazy," Mabel said, listening to the weird newt tale.
"But those are just stories from a bygone age." She said, wanting to dismiss the human.
"Yet you are carrying pictures of it around." Mabel pointed at it.
"What is your angle?" Sprig asked.
"Those images are sacred to my tribe." The newt answer.
"What else you got?" Sprig asked his curiosity getting the better of him.
She brought out a strange robotic hand.
"What is that?" She asked, Mabel, getting a bit too close to the age-old replica for anyone's comfort.
"It's a relic from the ancient times." Her leader is the captain.
"Doesn't seem to be any way to put it on." Mabel got on the other side of her, having to try to look with one eye, dumb eyepatch.
"We do not believe it was a glove, but rather a part of a bigger machine/
"That is so cool," she said, getting it down in her journal.
"Indeed. I'm always seeking more pieces of the past. It got…lost." she said, looking to the side as if worried someone was watching.
"My brother would love ya."
"Of course he would, I am delightful," she said, in a very not delightful way.
Mabel laughs at this, "He is a massive nerd, into geek stuff."
"What is a... geek?" She was looking at Sprig, a normal boy who could help out.
"It's a whole thing with her, best to not ask." Sprig said.
"I see then. I won't."
"Mabel the guards are starting to get close, they might notice us." Sprig wanted to make a break for it.
"Oh, man. We gotta get out of here." Mabel said, making a pointing gesture with her thumb.
"Sorry, creepy one-eye lady." He said.
"I have two eyes, one of them is just squinting!" She yelled out.
"I like her." Mabel laugh.
"I doubt we will ever see her again, nope never." Mabel laughed at what Sprig was saying.
Next time:
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To be Continued…
Reviews: RonaldM40196867 chapter 31 . Dec 3:
I think she just might, I have once or twice but never good at it.
ZoyeZest chapter 1 . Dec 19:
If you are going to try to scam me, try not to make it so obvious.