Chapter 4 - Then again, maybe not

Penny smiled politely, though she started to wonder why Yakko was staring at her for so long.

Growing up seemed to have done him some good.

He was still wearing those ridiculous khaki trousers, and they were still far too big for him. But in retrospect, they kinda suited him. Not much else of him had changed; he'd grown much taller, slightly broader, and he looked…well…cute!

Penny took a double take. Had Yakko always been cute? She didn't remember that! All she remembered was the annoying yakking, the incessant poking, the constant insults, the ferocious fights and the occasional wedgie prank.

Yakko had definitely not been cute when he was younger; or had she just never noticed?

Dot meanwhile, had sauntered over to her brother, and with a knowing smile on her face, started poking him.

"Oh, big brother, dear," she said gently, "time to come back to earth… Come on now, you're embarrassing poor Penny."

But Yakko was still in a daze. Penny was freaking gorgeous!

When did this happen? And, more importantly: why hadn't he been informed sooner?

"Wakko," Dot said with the air of a patient mother. "Our big brother has gone into cloud cuckoo land. Could you fetch him back, please?"

Wakko giggled uncontrollably. Even he knew what was going on.

Approaching Yakko from behind, he swiftly whammed him with the sledgehammer; then promptly returned it to Penny, who took it back, looking completely bewildered.

Yakko fell to the ground, stars circling his head. But he jumped up again in quick recovery.

"Right! Hi Penny," he said, casually approaching her, his expression full of charm and confidence. "It HAS been a long time. How you been these last 9 years?"

Penny slid her sledgehammer back in her pocket.

"Not bad. Been living in an old farmhouse with my dad's old servant Benji, keeping my identity a secret, and living constantly under the threat of bad guys finding and kidnapping me. You?"

Yakko smiled. "Pretty good. My parents procreated more, as you can see;" He motioned to his siblings; "And, we've been living in a water tower in these studios. We did return to Warnerstock at one point, and got rid of old Saladbar, or whatever his name was, but he came back and burnt the whole kingdom down, so we ended up back here: doing cartoons, playing and stirring up as much trouble as we possibly can."

He said this last part with pride and puffed out his chest, making Penny giggle.

'Aaahhhh! What a beautiful sound,' he thought dreamily.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Penny," he continued, after a moment, "You're not quite how I remember you."

"How do you mean?" Penny asked curiously.

"Well, for one thing, you're far more beautiful than I remember."

As he said this, Yakko moved his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner, and Penny turned scarlet.

"Well… I wouldn't go that far," she mumbled awkwardly, trying to hide her face. She'd never been called beautiful before… She kinda liked it!

"No, seriously," Yakko insisted, "that's why I was gaping at you like an idiot just there, it was such a shocker! It's like the transformation of the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan."

Everyone in the room froze. Dot's jaw dropped like an anvil.

He DID NOT just say that! Did he?

"Erm, ugly duckling?" Penny said with an irritated twitch. "Are you saying I was ugly back then?"

"Well, I'm not gonna lie to you, Penny," Yakko continued, obliviously, "You definitely were NOT a looker. Your nose kept running like a candle – that was gross. Your hair kept doing this weird frizzy thing every time you were outside, and you had more freckles than a ginger-haired geek."

Penny's nostrils flared in anger. She had never considered herself a cute baby; which was why she paid so much attention to her looks now. But it also made her very sensitive of ANY references made about her infant looks.

"Well, you weren't exactly the cutest kid on the block either, you know!"

Wakko cautiously snuck under the table, but Dot stood her ground, her hands on her hips and an "I knew this was gonna happen," expression on her face.

"Oh, don't take it like that," Yakko replied. He realised he'd made a mistake, but had not lost any of his cool. "It could've been worse – It could've been the other way round."

"And if that were the case," Penny retorted, "you would've remained the obnoxious little squirt you had been back then?"

"No, I – "

"So, the only reason you're being nice to be right now, is because you think I'm pretty?"

Penny looked like she was going to explode. "You are the shallowest, most arrogant twit I have ever met!"

"Twit!"

It was Yakko's turn to get angry now.

"You heard me!" Penny rolled her sleeves up, preparing for a fight.

"Sorry, for a moment I thought I was talking to an actual person there," Yakko said, squaring up to face her, "but my mistake. I seem to have awakened the beast."

Penny growled and yanked out her sledgehammer.

"See! There it is, right there!" Yakko cried pointing at her. "THAT'S the Penny I remember! The devil child!"

They were circling each other now in predatory fashion.

"Guys, cut it out," Wakko pleaded from under the table.

"Yeah, we were getting along so well, there," Dot piped in.

"You haven't changed at all," Penny spat, "You're still the same annoying little worm that talks so much crap you could bore a fly!"

"Yeah, well, you HAVE changed," Yakko returned, "you're much, much worse than when you were little. You've evolved into a Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde hybrid. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the Mr Hyde!"

"Why you big – "

"Bring it on – "

The door to the office flew open and several pairs of hands grabbed at them, and tore them apart.

Mr Plotz looked aghast at his desecrated office.

"Who the hell did all this?" He cried.

Wakko crawled out from under desk and shrugged his shoulders.

"Got me," he said innocently.

Scratchansniff and Dot pulled Yakko back to a couch beside the window, and tried to calm him down, while Benji held onto Penny, his giant hands completely immobilising her; though it didn't stop her from screaming.

"Let me at him! Let me at him! I'm gonna skin him alive and use his fur as a rug! C'mon, Benji, this isn't fair let me go!"

Benji sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

Nothing had changed.

Izma had been pacing up and down her lair for hours. Her employer had been breathing down her neck every hour, on the hour, and it was only after she "politely" pointed out to him, that he was causing disruption with his constant check ups, that he finally left her in peace to think.

Yet, still she could think of no way of finding the child. She didn't even know where to begin.

In a corner of the room, Harold snored loudly.

"Harold!"

Harold jumped in fright and clung to the light on the ceiling. Izma looked up at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I disturb you?"

"Sorry, Izma," Harold said, climbing gingerly down, "But you kept me up past my bedtime the other night, and I've been working flat out ever since with no rest. I need to sleep!"

"You'll be in eternal sleep if you don't shut up," Izma grumbled with a threatening glare. But Harold was not to be thwarted.

"Come on, Izma. It's not healthy, all this working. You're no good to anyone if you make yourself sick. Oh! I know! Why don't I make you some camomile tea and bring out your fluffy pyjamas? That'll relax you."

"I can't!" Izma hissed, "I can't rest until I find this girl! It's ridiculous! All the powers of the dark arts at my command, and I can't find this one girl! It's eating away at my brain like piranha."

"Ooh, that sounds painful."

Izma ignored him, and looked at the clock. It was going into late evening.

"And where the hell is Lucy," she grumbled, "how dare she make me wait. When I get my hands on her I'll… You DEINIFITELY did send for her?" She rounded on Harold who shrank back.

"Yes, definitely, definitely," he said in a squeaky voice.

"Because the last time you said that, you went to the wrong place, and I ended up being delivered a life-size inflatable Marilyn Munroe."

"Oh, yeah! I've still got that somewhere."

"HAROLD!"

At that moment, there was a soft knock at the door. Taking advantage of the distraction, Harold ran over and opened it. A little girl came in, no more than seven years old. She was a dog-like creature, similar to the Warners, except that she had a pink button nose, sapphire blue eyes, and black hair in a long bob style that shone cosmic blue under the light. She wore a simple, grey tunic with a silver belt, black leggings and little black booties. On her head, she wore a little French berry.

She shuffled in timidly; it was clear she would rather be anywhere else but here.

"You're late, Lucy," said Izma, towering over her.

"I'm sorry Izma, I – "

"You know I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Yes, ma'am, I – "

"If you turn up this late again, I'll throw you in the chest. Understand?"

Lucy shivered at the mention of the chest and nodded her head furiously.

"Yes, ma'am, I understand. I'm sorry – it won't happen again."

"Good."

Izma took her arm and pulled her towards her desk, which was covered with various scrolls and magical apparatus.

"Now," she said, "I have a little job for you. A little challenge for your unique talents."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Our latest employer is searching for some kind of treasure, or weapon, I don't know which. But he believes it is in the possession of a young girl. I want you to find her."

"Yes ma'am."

"Her name is Princess Penelope Gilmore, though she could be hiding under some other name. She is the daughter of the King of Kallas Dawn, which was destroyed a few years ago. She could be anywhere – devote all your efforts to this, Lucy, I don't care what it takes."

Lucy cast her eyes to the ground. She looked tired, and neglected, and her body seemed to shrink smaller at the prospect of work.

"Well, don't just stand there! Go, Go!"

Lucy scrambled away at full speed.

"And don't come back till you find her!" Izma's voice chased after her in the night.

"WHAAAHAAAAHAAHAAAAA!"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Yakko exclaimed in exasperation. "How long has she been going on for?"

Wakko looked at five watches on his wrist.

"Two hours, twenty seven minutes."

"What?"

"TWO HOURS AND TWENTY SEVEN MINUTES!"

"Seriously!"

It was night time now, and after a very eventful day, the Warners had taken Penny to the water tower. It was there that Benji had decided to say goodbye.

He made it quick, his poor old heart unable to bear it, for he loved Penny dearly; and he left blubbering in the back of the taxi.

The result was, Penny was inconsolable and had been sprawled out on the living room couch, bawling her eyes out ever since.

"Will you chuck it?" Yakko yelled, "ever heard of a phone? It's not like he's dead!"

All this did, was make Penny cry louder. Yakko pulled at his ears in frustration.

"Back off Yakko!" Dot screeched, making him jump. She was carrying a tray with a teapot, cups and saucers, and food.

"Oh, great! Is this what it's gonna be like having her here?" Yakko asked, "Her crying like a baby, and you constantly at my back? I know her game – she's just doing this to get some attention. She's just a spoilt little brat!"

"Go away!" Penny wailed at him, "Leave me alone! I don't care what you think! Go away, go away!"

"Fine!"

Yakko stomped out the room, and over Penny's crying, they heard his door slam violently shut.

Dot knelt on the floor beside her. "There, there, now," she said gently, "Don't pay any attention to Yakko, he just doesn't like crying – Doesn't know how to deal with people who cry. Cheer up now, it'll be okay."

She began setting out the cups and teapot on the coffee table. Wakko timidly climbed up on the arm of the couch, sitting directly above Penny's head. He looked about, wanting to help but not quite knowing how. In the end, he settled on tentatively patting her head. Gradually the crying dulled down to a pathetic whimper, though Penny still kept her face buried in the pillow.

"Hey," Wakko said, "If you want, I'll let you have a shot of my mallet? I got it all nice and shiny clean yesterday."

Penny looked up; her eyes were red and bloodshot, and tears still streamed down her face. Dot shook her head in sympathy; she was the expert on fake, attention-seeking crying, and this was definitely genuine.

Penny smiled at Wakko. "Thanks, Wakko," she whispered, wiping her eyes.

"Come on now," said Dot, "sit up and have some tea. I got toast, and muffins, and teacakes, and scones – although, you should know food here is on an "if you're not fast, you're last" basis. Trust me, Wakko eats the entire fridge. Literally!"

The rest of the evening went by pleasantly, and Penny, though not one hundred percent, was much better. When they finished, Wakko left them to go to his room, which he shared with Yakko. Dot pointed Penny in the direction of her own room, wanting to clean up first, before going to bed.

Dot's room was exactly as Penny had imagined: pink, stuffed with toys and completely girly. On her bed, was a mountain of toys, neatly stacked in order. Immediately beside this, was Penny's bed; neatly made, and completely bare. At least, that's what she thought. Coming closer, Penny saw with surprise, a teddy bear had been placed on her bed, with her name on a little placard wrapped round its neck.

Who would've done that?

Penny picked it up, and caressed it fondly. It looked remarkably like the teddy she had when she was little.

In its little paws, it held out to her, a tiny bunch of bluebells.