Welcome back, dear readers! Buckle up, because this chapter is packed with unexpected twists, laugh-out-loud moments, and just the right amount of chaos. Things are about to get sticky—literally or figuratively, you'll have to find out! Hope you're ready for the fun. Let's dive in!


Chapter 18:

The sound of frantic banging echoed through the ornate compound, fists and tails pounding against the solid metal gate.

"OPEN IT!" Snake barked, his voice filled with sheer desperation.

"I SWEAR I'LL BE GOOD!" Piranha wailed, practically rattling the bars like an inmate begging for parole.

"CUDDLES, BIG MAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!" Webs yelled, typing furiously on air, still somehow convinced she could hack her way out of this nightmare.

Shark simply groaned, dramatically resting his forehead against the gate. "This is not how I saw my life going!"

Marmalade and Cuddles quickly headed downstairs to calm the four down.

Meanwhile, Wolf?

Wolf didn't move.

Not toward the exit. Not toward his panicked crew.

No—he lowered himself to one knee, leveling his gaze with Boy, who sat casually, still smirking, still radiating that frustrating ease, as if none of this was even remotely concerning.

Wolf clenched his teeth, his voice low, sharp, meant only for Boy to hear.

"You wanna tell me what the heck is going on, or do I have to start guessing?"

Boy tilted his head, still relaxed, still unfazed. "What's to tell? You see what's happening, don't you?"

Wolf's jaw tightened. "Yeah. I see you sitting way too comfortably in Marmalade's lair, acting like you're part of the team"

Boy chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Oh, Wolfie. I think you're missing the big picture"

Wolf narrowed his eyes. "Try me"

Boy leaned forward slightly, his smirk sharpening."You think this is just about me?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper. "You're looking at the first step to something bigger"

Wolf's voice was low, his words edged with barely restrained frustration.

"What are you talking about, kid?"

Boy simply smirked, his posture relaxed as he leaned ever so slightly closer. "You think I haven't figured you out, still?"

Wolf's breath hitched, his fur bristling slightly as Boy's hand came forward and he slid into the canine's chest fur, moving with eerily precise intent. For a split second, Wolf considered pulling back—until Boy's fingers curled around something deep within his fur.

Then—Boy pulled it free.

A tiny microphone gleamed between the kid's fingers.

Wolf stiffened, his pupils shrinking slightly, his tail flicking once in pure unease. He hadn't felt it. Hadn't known it was there.

Boy's smirk curled slightly, his eyes gleaming with something dangerously smug.

"Deep enough in there that even you didn't notice," Boy murmured, his voice low, edged with amusement.

Wolf began stammering, "H-How long has that been—"

Boy simply tilted his phone screen toward him, a smirk curling his lips. "Long enough," he answered smoothly.

And just like that—Wolf knew whatever was coming next wasn't good.

Then—a recording started playing on the kid's phone.

It was Wolf—using his own voice—his own words.

"Alright," Past Wolf muttered through the speakers. "We're going to pretend to go good. The Bad Guys become the Good Guys so we can stay the Bad Guys. This whole 'arrested' thing? Just a temporary setback"

Then came the voices of his crew—Snake's low hiss of agreement, Piranha's excited cackle, Webs' sarcastic remark, Shark's cheerful nod along.

Wolf's ears shot straight back, his pupils shrinking, his tail twitching in pure disbelief.

Boy leaned in close, voice just above a whisper, his breath warm against Wolf's ear. "Looks like someone forgot to wipe their tracks"

Wolf's jaw tightened, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs, his breath coming in slow, controlled exhales—but it didn't stop the unmistakable churn of panic in his gut.

Boy twirled the tiny microphone between his fingers, watching Wolf's reaction carefully, letting the moment stretch before finally speaking. "Relax, Wolfie," he murmured, leaning in slightly. "I won't say anything—yet"

Wolf's ears flicked, his skepticism unwavering. "Yet," he echoed, his voice low, measured, cautious.

Boy smiled wider, tapping the mic lightly against his palm. "As long as you and your dummies behave, I'll behave too. No problems. No drama"

Wolf's tail flicked uneasily, his sharp eyes locked onto Boy's every move. "And if we don't?"

Boy chuckled softly, slipping the mic into his pocket, his stance relaxed, but dangerous.

"Then we talk about it a lot sooner than later"

Wolf's stomach churned, his heartbeat felt even more heavier in his chest. The kid had him trapped—whether he admitted it or not. And he knew it. The atmosphere in the room had shifted, the earlier chaos settling into something tense yet deceptively calm.

Snake, Shark, Piranha, and Webs had finally reeled in their panic, trailing behind Marmalade and Cuddles as they approached the staircase. Their bodies still carried subtle signs of unease—lingering twitches, wary glances—but at least they weren't screaming anymore.

Marmalade, ever the picture of composure, turned toward the group with a radiant smile.

"Ah, now that we're all settled," Marmalade announced, his voice bright, rehearsed, and syrupy smooth, "It's time to begin the lesson" he turned toward Boy. "Alec, are you ready?"

Boy, still perfectly relaxed, gave an effortless nod. "Of course," he replied smoothly. Then—without hesitation—he reached out and patted Wolf's head, his fingers sinking into the soft fluff with intentional ease.

"I'm ready to teach good things today!"

Wolf's body locked up, his fur bristling just slightly, but he didn't react outwardly—he couldn't. Because inside, his mind was still spinning, still caught on what Boy had just shown him—the microphone, the recording, the undeniable trap lurking beneath it all. But he couldn't show it.

Not to Marmalade.

Not to his crew.

Not to anyone.

So, with a slow, practiced exhale, Wolf forced his muscles to relax, plastering a neutral expression onto his face. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, rolling his shoulders as if brushing off the moment, his usual smirk slipping into place, "Let's see what you got, kid"

Boy's smirk lingered, his knowing gaze locking onto Wolf's for a beat too long, before he turned away effortlessly.

Wolf exhaled again, quiet, controlled. This wasn't just bad—this was worse than bad. For now, he had to pretend it wasn't happening.


Boy casually strolled over to stand beside Marmalade, his posture effortlessly relaxed, hands stuffed into his pockets like he had all the time in the world.

Marmalade, ever composed, clasped his paws together, a warm yet calculated smile stretching across his face. "Now," he began, his voice carrying a practiced air of enthusiasm, "The first step to goodness—is sharing!"

The Bad Guys remained quiet, their expressions ranging from skepticism to mild irritation, but none of them objected—yet.

Marmalade turned to Boy, gesturing lightly. "Alec, why don't you enlighten our friends on what sharing is truly about?"

The kid didn't hesitate. Tilting his chin up with confidence, he took a step forward, locking eyes with the gang, his smirk curling slightly.

"Sharing," Boy began smoothly, "Is the art of giving up something that's yours—time, space, food, whatever—to someone else. Not because you have to, but because it's the right thing to do"

Snake raised a brow, looking cranky as always. "Oh, great, we got a philosopher now"

Boy smirked but kept going.

"You see, sharing is about trust, about knowing that when you put a little goodness out into the world, something good might come back"

Piranha scoffed. "Might?! That ain't exactly a guarantee"

"Nothing is," Boy countered effortlessly. "But you don't always share because you want something back. You do it because it means you're a part of something bigger than yourself"

Shark squinted. "Like a team?"

Boy nodded once. "Exactly"

Webs narrowed her eyes, analyzing him carefully. "And you really believe this, huh?"

Boy's smirk widened slightly. "Does it matter?"

Wolf, still quietly watching, felt his instincts flare.

Boy wasn't just talking—he was testing them.

Snake's tail flicked aggressively, his frustration bubbling up. "Oh, it matters. If you think I'm about to give up my stuff for some random act of kindness, you got another thing coming!"

Piranha pointed at Snake. "Yeah, same here! I worked real hard to get what I got—why should I just hand it over?"

Shark frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh…what if it's something small? Like, y'know…a piece of cake or something?"

Snake turned sharply. "And what if it's the last piece?"

"Then maybe the right thing to do is split it, Snake," Boy answered smoothly, watching him closely.

Snake hissed loudly, tail lashing behind him. "Oh, bite me, kid!"

Boy simply grinned, completely unfazed. "Sharing is about trust, remember? If you don't want to share, then maybe the problem isn't the cake—it's you"

The tension spiked, Wolf subtly shifting his stance, eyes darting between Boy and the others, sensing something brewing.

Webs raised a brow, tilting her head. "Okay, that was provocative"

Snake gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin. "Oh, you little—"

Marmalade, sensing the rising energy, clapped his paws together, his tone light but commanding. "Ah, see? We're already learning so much about ourselves!"

Snake turned toward Marmalade, furious. "The only thing I'm learning is that I wanna be anywhere but here!"

Wolf sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.

Marmalade decided to continue on with the lesson by approaching Snake. "Okay, Mr. Snake, I'm going to give you a Push Pop"

The moment the rich little guinea pig presented the Push Pop, Snake's pupils dilated slightly, his mouth watering at the sight of his prized frozen treasure.

"Great!" Snake hissed gleefully, snatching the treat with his tail, his tongue flicking in excitement. "Push Pop just for me!"

Without wasting a second, he tilted his head back, his jaws opening wide, fully prepared to devour it in one swift motion.

But then—

"No, to share"

Marmalade's syrupy smooth voice cut through the moment like a blade, stopping Snake in his tracks.

Snake froze mid-bite, his teeth inches away from sweet, frozen perfection. His eyes narrowed slowly, shifting toward Marmalade, his expression deadpan and unimpressed.

"Why?" he asked, bluntly, dryly, entirely uninterested in whatever nonsense was about to follow.

Marmalade feigned patience, clasping his paws together as he delivered his rehearsed speech.

"Well, Mr. Snake, on a fundamental level, it's about putting someone else's needs ahead of your own"

With dramatic elegance, he gestured toward Shark, who was sitting comfortably at the table, his grin smug, his one arm leaned on the table while the other was placed on his hip as if he was finally about to get what he had always wanted—Snake's Push Pop. The large predator chuckled smugly.

The limbless reptile was dumbfounded, his tail curling tighter around the precious Push Pop, as his expression locked in pure, unfiltered defiance.

"Oh, no. No way!" Snake snapped, his voice dripping with outright resistance.

Wolf exhaled sharply, before giving Snake a pointed look.

"Snake..." he muttered, his tone carrying just enough warning, just enough weight.

Snake hissed, narrowing his eyes. "No, don't you Snake me!"

Wolf held his ground, paws on his hips. "We have to do this. Like it or not"

Without making any other sort of excuse—Snake dragged himself toward the table with all the enthusiasm of a prisoner marching to his doom, his tail barely curling as he slid into the chair, his head hung dramatically low. "All right, all right," he groaned, his voice oozing pure defeat, every muscle in his body rejecting the concept of sharing with every ounce of his being.

Shark, meanwhile, was absolutely thriving.

The large predator tapped the table rhythmically with his fins, his massive grin bordering on villainous, his eyes gleaming with the rare opportunity to watch Snake suffer in real time.

"Oh, buddy," Shark mused, his voice dripping with amusement, "This is gonna taste extra sweet…'cause I know how baaad you want it"

Snake's tail trembled, his grip on the precious frozen treat loosening as he forced himself to comply with the dreaded lesson on sharing.

Shark, eyes gleaming with the sweet taste of victory, sat back, opened his mouth wide, and grinned.

"Pop me, please. Ah…"

Snake sweated bullets, his forked tongue flicking in absolute distress as the Push Pop hovered dangerously close to Shark's awaiting jaws.

The gang watched with full investment, Webs shaking her head, Piranha holding his breath, Wolf standing with arms crossed, his expression neutral—but his eyes watching.


Just as Snake's tail made the final motion, just as the sugary delight was about to cross into Shark's territory—

A hand shot out.

Fast. Precise. Interrupting everything.

It was Boy.

Snake jerked back, yanking the Push Pop away instinctively, his heartbeat spiking in sheer frustration.

"WH—HEY!" Snake barked, snapping his head toward Boy, his tail recoiling protectively. "WHAT IS YOUR DEAL?!"

Shark frowned, tilting his head in confusion. "Uh, yeah, not cool, little man. What's up?"

Boy stood calmly, his smirk just slightly wider than before, his stance loose but intentional.

"—maybe we should try this one with me" he suggested

Shark's jaw dropped, his fins shooting up in pure betrayal. "WHAAAT?!" he whined loudly, looking between Boy and Snake like someone had just robbed him of his life's greatest dream. "No, no, no—THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY MOMENT!"

Snake, still gripping the Push Pop with a visibly reluctant tail, glared daggers at Boy. "Oh, you wanna be the one?" he hissed, voice thick with irritation. "Why am I not surprised?"

Boy simply grinned, tilting his chin up slightly.

The room felt charged, the air thick with a mix of tension and anticipation.

Boy, ever the picture of calm, turned to Shark with a small, reassuring smile. "Relax, big guy," he said smoothly, his tone light but deliberate. "You'll get your moment. I promise"

Shark's shoulders slumped, his fins dropping to his sides as he let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Fine," he muttered, his voice tinged with disappointment. "But it better be a good moment"

With that, Shark trudged back to stand by his friends, his sad, frowning expression making him look like a giant, sulking puppy.

Meanwhile, Snake sat at the table, his tail still coiled protectively around the Push Pop. His expression was one of reluctance at first, his eyes darting between Boy and the frozen treat. But then—something shifted. Snake's eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a slow, sinister grin as an idea began to form in his mind.

"Of course," Snake said suddenly, his voice dripping with mock sweetness, "I'll share with the kid. What's the worst that could happen?"

Wolf, standing nearby, immediately picked up on the tone, his ears flicking back slightly. He knew that tone. He knew that grin. Snake was up to something. But he didn't say a word—neither did Webs or Piranha—though their knowing glances suggested they were just as aware of Snake's brewing mischief.

Boy, unfazed, calmly pulled out a chair and sat down across from Snake, his posture relaxed, his smirk unwavering.

He locked eyes with Snake, his gaze steady, almost challenging.

Snake, now feeling emboldened, leaned back slightly, his tail loosening its grip on the Push Pop. He looked more confident than ever—and by confident, he looked like he was ready to humiliate the kid in front of his private audience.

The stage was set.

And the Bad Guys in the room knew—whatever was about to happen next?

It was going to be messy.

Snake's tail hovered above the table, the Push Pop balanced perfectly at its tip, his wild grin stretching even further, practically radiating mischief.

Boy remained calm, poised, his hand patiently extended, his expression steady, unwavering.

"Pop me, please," he repeated smoothly, his tone light but challenging, as if daring Snake to follow through.

The gang watched with full investment, Webs biting her lip, Piranha stifling a snicker, Shark leaning forward eagerly, and Wolf standing with his arms crossed—sharp eyes analyzing every movement.

Snake's smirk sharpened, his tail beginning its slow descent, bringing the frozen treat closer, closer—

Suddenly—Snake's tail jerked back at the last second, his grin stretching wider, his eyes gleaming with pure, unfiltered mischief.

"Nope!" he shouted triumphantly, his voice ringing through the room.

Before anyone could react, Snake plopped the entire Push Pop into his mouth, the stick sticking out awkwardly, as he tilted his head back and let out a loud, victorious laugh.

(SNAKE LAUGHING)

"Sucker!" he hissed gleefully, his laughter shaking his entire frame, his tail curling in absolute triumph.

Shark groaned loudly, throwing his fins up in frustration. "Oh, come on, man!"

Piranha burst into laughter, slapping his knee. "That was evil genius level petty!"

Webs sighed, shaking her head. "This is exactly why we don't invite him to team-building exercises"

Wolf simply let out a dry chuckle, exhaling deeply. "Snake, you're impossible"

Boy, however, didn't react immediately. He simply watched, his expression calm, his smirk curling slightly as he leaned back in his chair.


However—Snake's laughter soon faltered, his smug expression wavering as an unexpected and strange taste hit his tongue. His brow furrowed. Slimy? That wasn't normal. The Push Pop was supposed to be sweet, cold, refreshing—not…whatever this was.

But Snake, ever the skeptic, brushed it off, trying to swallow it down the lingering weirdness as his tail lazily curled beside him.

Until—

His jaw locked up.

The safecracker's pupils shrunk instantly as an unnatural, tightening sensation spread across his entire mouth, holding it firm, rigid, completely still. Snake twitched, trying to move his jaw—nothing. He tried again—still nothing. His laughter was gone. His victory?—Vanished. His tail shot forward, desperately trying to pry his mouth open, poking, nudging, forcing against the unseen grip of whatever had just happened—

No movement.

His entire jaw was stuck.

Snake then immediately saw something that caught his eye. His pupils shrunk, his tail twitching violently as he stared at the stick jutting from his frozen, locked jaw.

Wait.

Wait.

That wasn't the usual Push Pop handle.

It looked too soft, too bristled, too—

It looked like the handle of a large brush.

And orange slime was oozing from it, thick, unnatural, nothing like the sweet, refreshing flavor Snake had expected.

His instincts screamed.

Then—he heard it. A soft, slow, deliberate licking sound coming from across the table.

Snake's eyes snapped up, and what he saw nearly sent him into a full-fledged crisis.

Boy—Calm. Relaxed. Completely unfazed. It revealed that the kid had the actual Push Pop in his hand. Licking it, casually. Like he had it the whole entire time.

Wolf stiffened, his ears flicking back, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly.

Shark's jaw dropped, his fins shooting up. "WHAAAAT?!"

Webs simply blinked, covering up her laughter. "Ohhh, I did not see that one coming!"

Piranha, fully invested, buried his face in his hands, cackling. "Snake, bro, you got PLAYED!"

Marmalade, ever the composed host, looked momentarily stunned, but quickly masked it with a polite chuckle.

Meanwhile, Snake's tail jerked, his body locking up, his entire soul rejecting reality. His brain was scrambling for answers, for an explanation, for why the universe had betrayed him so brutally.

Boy, without breaking eye contact, simply licked the Push Pop again, his smirk widening just slightly. "This tastes great," he mused, tilting his head. "How's yours?"

Snake let out an unholy, muffled noise, his jaw still glued shut, his frustration radiating like fire.

(CLEARING THROAT)

Snake's brow furrowed, his tail twitching as he caught Boy's calm, knowing tone.

"Follow the slime, dummy" the kid had said

Snake's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping in—until his gaze drifted downward. And then—he saw it. A thin, orange slime trail, glistening faintly under the light, dripping steadily from the brush-like stick jutting from his mouth.

His pupils shrunk, his breathing hitched, his entire body stiffening.

Wait.

What kind of Push Pop does that?!

His tail shot out instinctively, darting toward the side of his chair, where he spotted a small, discarded can. Gripping it with shaky precision, Snake lifted it up, his eyes scanning the label—

And then—the horror began.

His pupils shrunk to pinpricks, his tail visibly trembling, as he read the bold, unforgiving words printed across the can—the words were bold, undeniable, and mocking.

"SUPER GLUE"

Panic exploded in Snake's chest. His tail jerked violently, dropping the can onto the table with a loud clatter as his muffled voice tried to force out a response—only for his glued-tight jaw to betray him.

"Mmmph! Mmnnnh!"

His pleading noises carried across the room, his body writhing in absolute distress, his tail whipping back and forth, desperately signaling for help. He had just eaten a paint brush—with glue.

Shark and Piranha sprang into action, both rushing over as the realization hit them all at once.

"Whoa, WHOA—what's the matter?!" Shark asked, his fins hovering near Snake's frozen jaw, eyes wide with confusion.

Piranha leaned in, squinting at Snake's unmoving mouth, his gaze darting between the stick still poking out and the glue can rolling off the table.

Then—it clicked.

Piranha's eyes widened. "Ohhh, dude…his jaws are stuck!"

Shark blinked sharply, his concern lingering for only half a second before his expression shifted completely. The large predator's fins lowered, his shoulders relaxed, and—his grin returned.

"Good!" Shark announced, crossing his fins with absolute satisfaction. "Serves him right for not sharing!"

Snake let out a garbled, furious screech, his tail slapping the ground aggressively in protest.

Meanwhile, Boy sat back, arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with a smug expression of pure amusement.

Snake's body went rigid, his eyes wide with absolute discomfort as Piranha latched onto his face, his tiny fins desperately prying at the sealed-shut jaw.

"Hold still, bro!" Piranha grunted, tugging with all his might, his little body straining as he tried to force Snake's mouth open.

Snake, however, was not having it.

His pupils twitched, his tail whipping around aggressively as he let out a muffled, deeply unamused noise—something between a groan and a hiss.

"Mmmmph! Nnnrgh!"

Shark watched with full entertainment, arms crossed, grinning like he was watching the best show of the year. "This is fantastic," he mused.

Webs smirked and whispered to the canine,"You ever notice how the worst situations always happen to Snake?"

"Oh, every time," Wolf muttered, rubbing his temples.

Piranha, determined to succeed, narrowed his eyes before switching tactics. His fins darted toward the handle of the brush, gripping onto it tightly.

"All right, buddy, brace yourself!"

Snake's tail jerked violently, his muffled noises instantly turning panicked.

"MMPH?!"

Then—Piranha YANKED HARD.

A loud, wet squelching sound followed as the brush handle jerked forward—but nothing came loose.

Snake's head lurched forward aggressively, his whole body jerking along with it, his tail flailing wildly in absolute horror.

His pupils screamed betrayal.

Boy, watching calmly, tilted his head, casually licking his actual Push Pop."Wow," he mused. "This is so much better than expected"

Snake, now shaking with frustration, groaned deeply as Piranha yanked again, causing his entire head to jolt once more, his tail slapping the table in distress.

"Mmmph! Nnnrgh!"

Shark howled with laughter. "OH MAN, THIS IS PERFECT!"

Piranha wiped sweat from his brow. "C'mon, bro, just let it GO!"

Snake sent him the most murderous look possible, his tail thrashing uncontrollably. The safecracker's tail curled tightly, waving aggressively in the air like a tiny, furious fist, his muffled attempts at speech sounding more like garbled threats than actual words.

"Mmmph! Mmnnrgh!"

Boy simply grinned, resting his chin lazily on his palm as he watched the spectacle unfold with pure amusement.

"Aw, what's the matter?" Boy mused, his voice lightly mocking. "Your vocabulary suddenly feeling a little…restricted?"

Snake's tail jerked violently, his pupils burning with rage, but his jaw remained firmly stuck, his silent suffering continuing.

Meanwhile, Piranha had already bolted, his tiny legs moving at lightning speed as he darted toward the kitchen, his mind whirring with the newfound plan.

Marmalade, slightly bewildered by the sudden dash, lifted a paw but barely had time to speak before Piranha was long gone.

Webs leaned back slightly, watching Snake's full-body frustration with an amused smirk. "I gotta say, this is ten times better than whatever lesson we were supposed to have"

Shark crossed his fins, nodding in agreement. "Oh yeah, way more entertaining"

Wolf, exhaling deeply, muttered, "This is still a disaster"

Snake, still furiously shaking his tail-fist, sent one final glare at Boy, as if mentally vowing revenge—if he could ever open his mouth again.

Boy simply winked.

"Take your time," the kid said smoothly. "I'm enjoying this"

And Snake? Snake was practically boiling!


The moment Piranha came running back on the scene it revealed the tiny fish was coming with a steaming teapot. Jumping back on the table, the brawler revealed it to Snake. However, when Snake saw this—his pupils shrunk again, his tail jerking violently in sheer panic. Piranha, fully committed, lunged forward, gripping Snake tightly as the limbless reptile thrashed wildly, his muffled protests rapidly increasing in desperation.

"MMMPH?! MMNNRGH!"

"Relax, bro!" Piranha shouted over Snake's muffled cries, lifting the teapot higher. "Hot water always melts glue—it's science!"

Snake's entire body locked up, his tail flailing as he tried to wriggle free, but Piranha held firm, adjusting his grip to steady the target.

"MMNNRGH!"

Then—the pour happened. The boiling water rushed down, coating Snake's glued-tight jaw as steam billowed dramatically, the glue melting instantly—along with Snake's dignity. The moment the glue gave way, Snake's jaw SNAPPED OPEN, his mouth burning fiercely from the scalding heat.

And then—

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!"

His scream ripped through the room, loud, pained, and entirely miserable, his tail whipping violently, his eyes wide with suffering.

The paintbrush flew out, spinning through the air before landing with a sad, wet plop on the ground. Shark and Webs burst into laughter, collapsing into the table as Piranha cheered in victory, throwing his fins up.

"SCIENCE, BABY!" Piranha declared

Wolf sighed, facepalming himself. "Piranha, that's was the worst way to fix the problem!"

"It worked for me once—my grammy's the one who taught it to me" Piranha added

Boy, still calmly licking his actual Push Pop, watched as Snake writhed in agony, his smirk curling slightly. "That was so much worse than I expected," Boy mused. "I love it"

Snake, now gasping for air, glared daggers at Piranha, his tail twitching with pure vengeance. "You…are DEAD," he growled hoarsely.

Piranha simply grinned wider, unbothered. "Hey, you're talking again! You're welcome, buddy!"

Snake hissed murderously, his tail curling tight in absolute rage.

This was officially his worst nightmare.

And somehow—Boy had still won.

Marmalade, ever composed, strolled over with a calm, knowing smile, his paws neatly clasped in front of him. "Alec," he began smoothly, tilting his head slightly, "Why exactly did you do that to Mr. Snake?"

Boy, finishing the last remnants of his actual Push Pop, casually tossed the empty stick onto the table before turning to face Marmalade directly. His expression? Completely unbothered.

"Oh, Professor," Boy said lightly, tilting his chin up just a fraction, "It's simple"

Wolf stiffened, immediately on edge.

Webs squinted slightly.

Shark and Piranha leaned in, fully invested.

Snake, still recovering from his suffering, let out a weak, furious huff.

Boy's smirk curled. "Mr. Snake was supposed to learn about sharing, right?"

Marmalade nodded, watching the kid closely. "Of course. That was the whole point of the lesson"

Boy's smile widened slightly. "Then I had to make sure he really understood it"

Marmalade blinked. "And how does gluing his mouth shut help with that?"

Boy rested his elbows on the table, casually folding his hands together. "Simple," he repeated smoothly. "He took something for himself and refused to share. So I taught him that when you try to take too much, sometimes you end up with nothing at all"

The gang stared, the weight of the words hitting harder than expected.

Wolf exhaled slowly, piecing it together.

Webs raised a brow. "That's…kinda brilliant"

Shark chuckled. "Okay, evil, but brilliant"

Piranha snickered. "I mean, he did make a statement"

Snake hissed furiously, his tail twitching with deep offense.

Marmalade, ever the optimist, chuckled lightly. "Ah. A rather…unconventional approach, but it certainly left an impression"

Boy simply smirked, leaning back. "Good lessons stick, Professor," he mused. "Some more than others"

Snake whipped his tail forward, pointing aggressively at Boy. "I despise you," he muttered.

Boy grinned wider, "That's not very good of you, Snake"

Snake tensed, his tail coiling, his pupils burning with fury as he whipped forward, fully prepared to lunge at Boy in a fit of pure vengeance.

But—before he could strike—Wolf's arms shot out, his grip firm and immediate, catching Snake mid-motion.

"SNAKE, NO!," Wolf muttered, holding Snake in place, his strength effortlessly restraining the furious reptile.

"LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT HIM!" Snake snarled, his tail thrashing wildly, his frustration radiating off of him in waves.


Shark's fins drooped, his once bright amusement fading into disappointment as he let out a heavy sigh.

Webs, noticing the shift, raised a brow. "Whoa, what's up, big guy? You were having the time of your life a second ago"

Shark slumped forward. "Yeah, I mean—it was funny at first," he admitted, his voice carrying a distinct pout, "But I still didn't get my moment"

Piranha snickered from the side. "Aw, is the big guy feeling left out?"

Shark just let out another long sigh, his shoulders drooping even further.

Boy, still sitting relaxed, casually glanced toward Shark before tilting his head slightly.

"Hey, Shark," Boy called smoothly.

Shark lifted his gaze, still clearly bummed out. "Yeah?"

Boy smirked slightly, his eyes glinting with something mischievous.

"Look down"

Shark blinked, confused.

"Huh?"

Slowly, cautiously, Shark tilted his head down, his massive fin turning upward—and then—his eyes widened dramatically.

A Push Pop sat perfectly nestled in his grasp.

His moment had arrived.

The entire gang watched intensely, all their expressions shifting in real time as they processed what just happened.

Piranha let out a loud, hysterical laugh, while gripping his head. "YO! Did that just—? HOW?!"

Webs blinked her eyes rapidly. "I have so many questions"

Wolf crossed his arms, exhaling sharply, but even he looked mildly impressed. "Alright, that was smooth"

Marmalade, still keeping his polite composure, blinked, his paws tightening slightly behind his back. "Now, that's…unexpected"

Shark, still completely baffled, slowly turned toward Boy. "Kid..." he started, his voice barely above a whisper, "HOW?!"

Boy, ever the picture of calm amusement, simply grinned, resting his chin lazily on his palm.

"Some things aren't meant to be questioned, big guy," Boy mused smoothly, his tone dangerously casual. "They're just meant to be enjoyed"

Shark's pupils twitched, his stunned expression holding firm.

Then—

Shark's fins snapped around the Push Pop, gripping it tightly, his entire mood flipping instantly.

"OH YEAH! IT'S MINE NOW!"

Piranha howled with laughter, Webs shook her head with a smirk, and Wolf simply sighed again.

Meanwhile, Snake—still recovering from his personal suffering—sent Boy the most murderous glare imaginable.

Boy simply winked.

"Sharing is magic, Snake," Boy teased, taking another slow, deliberate lick of his Push Pop.

And Snake?

Snake was boiling once more.

Shark's grin had barely formed, his fins lifting the Push Pop toward his mouth, when—

SWIPE!

In one lightning-fast motion, Snake snatched the treat right out of Shark's grasp, his tail whipping back like a thief in the night.

"HEY!" Shark shouted in shock, his fins snapping outward, completely blindsided.

Without hesitation, the limbless reptile shoved the entire Push Pop into his mouth, his smug expression returning with full force.

"Mine now!" Snake mumbled around the frozen treat, his eyes gleaming with absolute petty vengeance. "Sucker!"

Shark's jaw dropped, his fins trembling with betrayal, his pupils screaming in disappointment. Now he was starting to boil—with fury! The moment Shark snapped, the entire room froze, eyes widening as the massive fish grabbed Snake by the neck with pure determination.

"THAT'S IT!" Shark roared, his grip firm as he lifted the squirming reptile, his frustration boiling over. "I'LL TEACH YOU TO SHARE!"

Before anyone could react, before Snake could even register what was happening—Shark opened his jaws wide—and swallowed Snake whole in one massive gulp.

Every single member of the gang stared, their expressions shifting from shock to disbelief in real time.

Marmalade blinked. "Oh my"

Shark simply rubbed his belly, satisfied, strolling toward Snake's empty seat and plopping down comfortably. "Mmm," he hummed, patting his stomach. "I like sharing. It's yummy!"

Then—

A muffled voice echoed from inside Shark's belly, slightly distorted but still very much Snake's unmistakable tone.

"TOTALLY WORTH IT"

The gang burst into reactions immediately

Marmalade's horrified expression remained frozen, his paws clasped tightly in front of him as he stared at Shark, who was now rubbing his belly contentedly.

"Well," Marmalade stammered, his voice trembling slightly, "That's… terrifying. Let's try something simpler, shall we?"

"Sure, Professor," Boy replied smoothly, his voice light and agreeable, yet carrying just enough hidden amusement to suggest he was perfectly satisfied with how things had unfolded. "Simpler sounds great"

Marmalade, still trying to regain his composure, cleared his throat and straightened his posture, attempting to steer the chaos toward something more manageable.

Meanwhile, Shark, still rubbing his belly, let out a satisfied hum. "Mmm, simpler's good—but I gotta say, that lesson tasted amazing!"

Webs crossed her arms, smirking. "I don't think any of this is what Marmalade had in mind"

Piranha wheeze-laughed. "Well, we had fun! And that's what matters!"

Wolf sighed deeply. "No, the lesson is what matters," he muttered

Boy, still effortlessly cool, turned toward Marmalade with a raised brow. "So, what's next on the agenda, Professor? You wanna try teaching them patience next? 'Cause I think that's gonna go even worse"

Marmalade simply exhaled slowly, moving forward to begin a new lesson.

There are, indeed, so many other ways that can help turn a Bad Guy into—a Good Guy.


How far will this go? Will Wolf and the gang manage to slip through, or is change closer than they think? Stick around and find out! And don't forget to leave a review—more chaos is on the way!