Chapter 2

"Alright, so how do we get Crow to come out?" Vivo asked.

The brothers and Rachel were thinking about what to do. The seven Tickle Monsters wanted to bring Crow to the Tickle Realm for an official meeting and so that he couldn't escape them again, but they first had to find him. "Well, he came when Rachel was in danger," Jest said.

"So if she was in danger, he'd no doubt come out," Jovi said with a nod.

Rachel had an idea. "That's it!" She exclaimed happily, jumping up and making them look at her. "Crow will come if I'm in danger, so if we pretend that I'm in danger, he'll come."

"But won't he know that it's a trick?" Vivo asked.

"Not if I call out to him in fear," Rachel said. "But then when he realizes he's been tricked, I'll have to smooth things over with him."

"I'm sure he'll understand," Jocu said soothingly.

"But how are you going to be in danger, Rachel?" Amio asked.

"Easy. You guys are going to 'attack' me, and when Crow comes, you can teleport both him and I into the Tickle Realm," she said. "Wait for Crow to grab me and then you can teleport us."

"That's not a bad idea," Jest said approvingly. "But which one of us should 'attack' you?"

The young woman looked right at him. "You, Jest," she said with a smile. "Jocu can hide nearby while you 'attack' me and the others wait for us back in the realm."

"That just might work," Jape said with a nod. "You are fierce in a fight, brother. We've seen you against the Nitians."

"True, but that was Nitians, not a good friend," the eldest brother said.

Rachel went up to him and hugged him, gently scratching his chin, remembering that to be his weak spot. "I trust you, Jest," she said with a smile. "I know you won't hurt me."

"Never," he said, hugging her back while nuzzling her hand before nodding. "Alright."

Blithe, Jape, Jovi, Vivo, and Amio teleported back to the Tickle Realm while Jocu hid nearby and Rachel took a deep breath before looking up at Jest and gasping in shock, turning and running quickly. Jest, seeing that she was getting into character, followed her lead.

Rachel glanced back at him and felt him catch her, to which she gasped in surprise. "Crow, help!" She called out as Jest gave a playful growl in her ear, but to someone who didn't know him, it could sound like a menacing growl.

Crow, hearing Rachel's cry, ran like lightning back to the house, ready to help her. Hearing him coming, Jest smiled and nodded to Rachel. "Get ready," he said before vanishing. A second later, Crow appeared and went up to her.

"Rachel! Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

She smiled. "I am now," she said just as Jocu came up behind them and snapped his fingers.

Crow jumped in surprise before seeing he was surrounded by all seven Tickle Monsters.

What happened next was something they never expected.

Crow immediately shrank down to the ground in fear and began to cry. Before anyone could move, they were shocked to see the creature physically changed before their very eyes. He became frail and thin along with his coat becoming tattered and dirty.

"Good gracious!" Jape said in shock.

"What's happening to him?" Amio asked in worry.

Rachel, who was standing near Jocu, realized with a start what was going on. "He's scared," she said. "Whenever Crow gets really scared, it drains him of his power."

She at once went up to him. "Crow, it's okay," she cooed soothingly, gently petting his head. Seeing her come up to him, he tried to sit up, but was too weak to move. Seeing this, Rachel wrapped her arms around him and lifted him up so that he was sitting up and leaning against her. "Shh. I've got you. I'm here."

Crow wrapped his arms around her, his shivering calming down a bit as she continued comforting him. Rachel was thankful for her experience as an aunt and mother as it was now helping Crow. She remembered back when he would be afraid and she'd help him. He not only gave her comfort, but needed comfort himself sometimes too. He whimpered a little, to which she gently shushed him. "You're safe, Crow. I won't let anyone hurt you," she promised, cuddling him, not caring that his fur was tattered and dirty. She knew that once he calmed down and felt better, his appearance would go back to looking healthy. Rachel then petted his back, which helped Crow to stop shaking and he began purring, which made her smile as she realized that if he was purring, then he was starting to feel better. She now gave him a chin scratch and he practically melted against her, purring louder and cuddling her more. Giggling, the young woman placed a hand on his stomach and began gently scratching him there.

To her amusement and the brothers' surprise, Crow flopped over, purring though his laughter as one of his back legs kicked at the air happily. Rachel giggled again. "You silly thing, you," she said with a smile as she watched his appearance change back to his healthier look and he sat up, hugging her. "Feel better?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he said as they stood up, but when he saw the brothers, Crow grabbed Rachel and held her close, his yellow eyes wary.

"A bit possessive, is he?" Jocu asked with a chuckle.

Rachel chuckled. "Of me? Definitely," she said.

Chuckling, the brothers tried to approach, but to their surprise, Crow whimpered and hid behind Rachel, still holding onto her and keeping her between him and the Tickle Monsters. "He's still afraid," Vivo said softly.

"But why? We won't hurt him," Jape said.

Rachel couldn't understand why Crow was so afraid of the Tickle Monsters and so turned to her old friend. "Crow, what's wrong?" She asked gently. "Why are you so afraid of the Tickle Monsters?"

He looked up at her. "Because...they can literally drain me of all my power if they wanted to," he said, a note of fear in his voice as his coat started to become slightly tattered. "They'd take away my ability to eat laughter and positive emotions. They...They could destroy me."

The young woman caught him in a hug. "No, Crow. They won't do that," she said, her voice both firm and reassuring. "They'd never hurt you, Crow."

"How do you know that?" He asked, looking at her as he started to become weaker.

"One, I wouldn't let them hurt you, and two, they know you're my friend from childhood. They're curious about you and want to meet you," she soothed. "Yes, they're powerful, but they're nice people too. You can trust them, just like you trust me."

Crow knew Rachel would never lie to him and he trusted her. He looked at the Tickle Monsters before looking up at her again. "Do you trust them?" He asked her.

"With my life," she answered.

He knew that she wouldn't say that unless it was true and if she did say that, then it meant she truly trusted the Tickle Monsters. He nodded. "Just like you trust me with your life?" He asked.

"You and my whole family, which the Tickle Monsters are part of," Rachel said, smiling as she gave him a gentle ear scratch. "They won't hurt you, Crow. Though...they'll no doubt tickle you."

Her smile grew bigger when she said that and he quickly, but gently, clapped a hand to her mouth, making her laugh behind his hand as she knew why he did that. Jocu perked up at the word 'tickle'. "He's ticklish?" He asked Rachel, who nodded before playfully poking Crow's stomach, making him squeak and let her go as he wrapped his arms around his weak spot.

"Oh, he's very ticklish," she said with a grin. "Especially on his belly button."

The Tickle Monsters perked up. "Anywhere else he's ticklish?" Jovi asked curiously.

"Ears, underarms, ribs, sides, knees, hips, shoulder blades, and neck, in that order," she said.

"Not his feet?" Vivo asked with a grin.

"No, they're not ticklish," Rachel replied. "And Crow doesn't really like anyone touching his feet."

Crow looked a bit unsure, but then saw Rachel grin. "Come on, Crow. It's only fair that I get to tickle you after you tickled me. Not only that, tickling is how the Tickle Monsters greet new friends," she said.

He gulped, looking a bit nervous, but trusting her. "Brothers, get him!" Jocu commanded with a chuckle.

All seven Tickle Monsters and Rachel pounced on Crow, wiggling fingers tickling him all over. He squealed and laughed as they got his tickle spots and Rachel grinned again. "Hey, guys, watch this," she said, reaching up and scratching along Crow's jaw, being gentle.

The canine-like being froze with paralysis at that, unable to move, which made Rachel grin. "Get him good, guys," she said.

With mischievous smiles, the seven brothers continued tickling Crow, chuckling as he gave off bubbly snorts and squeals, but was unable to move as Rachel continued scratching his jaw before she took pity on him and moved back to his stomach, tickling his belly button.

He snorted and flailed his limbs in all directions at feeling that, his laughter filling the room as his appearance again began looking healthy and his fur was looking better.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed out. "STOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOP!"

"Tickle, tickle, tickle!" Jocu said teasingly. "We've got you, Crow."

Crow kept laughing until they could see he was getting a bit tired and stopped, letting him rest a moment, but then, he pounced on Rachel, making her gasp before giggling and looking up at him. "I almost forgot. When you get tickled, you get hungry," she said with a smile.

No sooner had she said that, Crow began purring into her neck and tickling her stomach, making her laugh as she squirmed, but was unable to escape his playful grasp before he let her up, looking much better now as he helped her up and hugged her. She returned the hug. "I'm glad you're back, Crow. I really missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," he said, snuggling into her hug.

The brothers smiled at the exchange and Jocu came up to them, glad to see that Crow didn't cringe away, but did look at him curiously. "Crow, would you like the stay in the Tickle Realm?" He asked.

He looked surprised. "Really?" He asked, seeing the brothers nod. He then looked at Rachel and hugged her and she smiled, knowing what was on his mind.

"The brothers often come visit me and the others and vice-versa," she said reassuringly.

He looked relieved at that before looking at Jocu. "Can I still visit Rachel?" He asked.

The red-skinned Tickle Monster smiled. "You can visit her anytime you'd like," he said. "Just let one of us know and we can teleport you to the Grant Mansion."

Crow looked at Rachel in surprise. "What happened to the Jocklin Mansion?" He asked.

"It's nearby the Grant Mansion," she said with a smile. "Both mansions house the aliens that I've not only befriended over the years, but have become my family too. My fiancée Rook gifted the Grant Mansion to me to prevent our friends from losing their home when the town tried to foreclose on it."

Crow looked a bit defensive at that. "No one's tried that again, have they?" He asked.

"No, thanks to our whole family, including Jocu and his brothers," she said reassuringly.

Crow's fur had bristled like a porcupine's quills at hearing that the Grant Mansion had nearly been foreclosed upon, but now his fur settled down again, making Rachel chuckle again. "Oh, Crow," she said with a fond smile, hugging him again.

The brothers chuckled too. "So, Crow, will you stay?" Jocu asked as the brothers smiled.

Crow happily nodded. "I'll stay," he said. "Thank you."

The Tickle Monsters cheered happily and Rachel smiled again, happy that her old friend was back and had a place to stay. She hugged Jocu, who hugged her back. "Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome," he said softly as they watched Crow try to escape another tickle torture from the other brothers, who laughed heartily as he laughed.

"Rachel! Help!" Crow pleaded with her.

Giggling, Rachel looked at Jocu, who nodded as they ran in to 'help' Crow before they all collapsed into a happy heap of giggles and laughter.

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