Revolt of the Three Moopets (pt. 4)

As the pets stated in the preceding chapter, Constantine was in the Gulag, preparing his evil works. In the computer room of the place, Constantine, drinking his fifth Glenlivet, was on the phone with Lloyd. Wrath was written all across his face, when he received the news that Lips was alive.

"ALIVE?!" Constantine asked. "What do you mean, 'alive?' "

"Just like I said," Lloyd snapped on the phone. "Somehow, this loser managed to escape the hands of my brother!"

"Trevor Whitmire," Constantine shook his head. "The same man I had hired to kill him and those losers in the first place."

"Well, those fools killed him!" Lloyd grunted.

"And to top it all off, sir, the other Muppet vermin are still at large!" Sue Ellen added.

"Who is that?" Constantine asked rudely.

"This woman is Sue Ellen Scather, my girl," Lloyd said. "Sue Ellen will help me terminate these meddling kids."

"And any other fool who dares to get in the way," Sue Ellen added.

"Well, you will need some help," Constantine said thoughtfully. "And I have plenty of it for you. And they are spelled M-O-O-P-E-T-S." With a snap of his fingers, the Moopets, Janooce, Miss Poogy, Roowlf, Foozie, Kermoot, Scotter, Sketter, Boon Bunny, Gwendoolyn, Boonsen, Booker, and Goonzo. "These people will assist you on your mission. If anyone can terminate these termites, they can."

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The next day, at the Wee Little Muppets' school, Sabroona and Sugar Raye were teaching Sundae, Angelique, Katie,  Sarah, Jessy, Trey, Jason, Freddy, Kala, Elena, Lucy, Ricky, Kala, Elena, Angel, Dcat, Happy, Baelfire, Connor, Mary, Hunter, Kaitlyn, Oliver, Nick, Heath, Matthew Orlando, and eight new students: Sandy "Summer" Monster, Lexi, Paula Paloma, Derek Hawkstein, John Matthew "Jack" Stackhouse, Stephanie "Steph" Swallowwood, Marie Seaglewood, and Therese "Teri" Ryan how to dance. Lexi was a younger girl with red skin. Paula was a dove from Brasilia, Brazil. Derek Hawkstein was a hawkling from Concord, Massachusetts. Jack Stackhouse was a purple skinned boy with autism. Steph and Marie were a swallow and sea eagle from Chelsea, Michigan. Teri was a pink skinned girl with dyslexia. The technique they finished learning was swing dance.

"Did you guys have fun?" Sabroona asked.

"We certainly did!" Sarah and Jessy said.

"WOO! That was cool!" Sundae said.

"Totally groovy!" Dcat agreed.

"You'd said it," Baelfire panted.

"I love to dance!" Summer Monster cheered and twirled.

"Can we do it again?" Mary, Kala, Elena, Oliver, Kaitlyn, Matthew Orlando, and Connor asked.

"Can we please?" Angelique, Katie, and Lexi asked.

"I'm sorry, felines," apologized Sugar Raye. "Class is nearly over."

"Nearly over?" repeated Jack and Paula.

"That's right, kids," Sabroona agreed. "We have to stretch anyhow. This way we can elongate our muscles."

" 'Elongate?' " Trey, Jason, Nick, Heath, Freddy, Lucy, Ricky, Angel, Hunter, and Happy inquired.

"What's 'elongate?' " Derek asked.

"That's when you make your muscles longer," explained Sabroona.

"Yeah, when we work out, we shorten them," added Sugar Raye. "Now, we have to stretch them to make them long."

"Okay, alright," said Steph and Marie in resignation.

"Makes logical sense to me," Teri shrugged.

Neighboring the school was the Muppet Community College. Emerging from the doors were Buttercup, Crystal, Sammy, May, Olivia, Betty, Molly, Peggy-Belle, Penelope, Christelle, Lady, Mandi, Keri, Fiona, Penelope the violinist, Amber, Miss Joy, Sammy the Fig, Claire, Pretty Little Lila, Alison, Heidi, Kathleen, Vanessa, Maggie, Sophie, Telma, and Phylicia, now coming from the Muppet Science Lab. Dr. Elphanor Hopsy, Cici, and Digi-Hopsy came from the doors.

"Remember kids, you have a biology quiz on Friday," Dr. Hopsy called.

"So, study hard," Cici and Digi Hopsy added.

The girls groaned. "Oy, vey!" Buttercup grumbled.

"Not another test," Sammy, Claire, Fiona, and Amber moaned.

"That's the last thing we need," Mandi grunted.

"There goes the anime Wednesday," Keri Pan grunted.

Sammy the Fig stared at Keri in annoyance. "Aren't you too old for anime, anyhow?"

"Why couldn't we be in Miss Piggy's fashion class?" Maggie, Penelope, Lady, Christelle, Peggie the Pig, and Peggy-Belle whined.

"Or Miss Skeeter's karate class?" Pretty Little Lila wondered.

"I know, honey, right?" Olivia asked.

"Hey, what can we do?" shrugged Penelope the violinist.

"We need this class to graduate," Heidi said, being logical.

"And besides," Gwen said, staring at Lew Zealand walking by. "How bad can it be with a hot Teacher's Assistant?"

Miss Joy rolled her eyes. "Really, Gwen?!"

"Dude, grow the heck up!" May snarled.

"Dude, shut the heck up," counterpointed Sophie.

"Yeah, you a hater, May," Vanessa grunted. "That's what you is."

"Yeah, can't you see she's in love?" Alison asked.

"Love is beautiful," Phylicia said.

"Love is wonderful," Kathleen added.

"Love is magical," Telma added.

"Love can wait," Crystal said. "We need to be focused on our careers."

"That's right, girls," Molly concurred. "We can't afford to lose our minds over no boys, now."

"Looky, looky," Betty said, pointing to an ambulance. "Over there."

"Oh, my gosh!" Penelope the violinist was shocked. "It's Jimmy Balestrini!"

Two men had a young green skinned boy on the stretcher. it was Jim Balestrini! He had two black eyes and a black boot attached to his behind. Blue feathers were attached to the strings.

"Kill me," Jim cried. "These.....these my schoolpants.....my mama gon' kill me........"

Eddy, Douglas, and Ottoline ran to Paul, Billy, Breezy, Reggie, Robin, Pepe, Danny, Toby, Mike, Malarkey Eeyopp, Buddy, and Jeremy in alarm. 

"Guys, what happened here?" Eddy wondered.

"Yeah, what happened to Jimmy?" Ottoline agreed.

"And why is there a big boot attached to his butt?!" Douglas asked.

"Ask Professor Eagle," Paul answered.

"He's the reason Jim is laid up," agreed Billy.

"Excuse me?" averred Ottoline.

"Sam the Eagle did that?!" Douglas and Felix asked.

"Why?" Robin and Pepe screamed.

"Well, we were going over the different continents of the world," Billy responded.

"We were talking about the different countries in Africa," Reggie added.

"So, when Professor Eagle called on Jim to name one," Malarkey proceeded.

"He thought it would be oh-freaking-kay to mistake 'Niger' for the N-Word," Breezy interjected, laughing.

Eddy, Douglas, and Ottoline started to laugh. But, Danny, Toby, Buddy, Mike, and Jeremy, with their cold glances, stopped them.

"You guys care to be on the stretcher, too?" Mike asked.

"What that boy did was anything but funny!" Toby said.

"Well, what do you expect?" Buddy shrugged.

"We are talking about the Young Muppet who, along with Jeff, starred in the profane short-lived series, 'Salute Your Dookey Shorts,' " Jeremy noted.

"The name alone is reason enough for a show to get cancelled," Danny grumbled. "It is dirty and it makes no logical sense."

Coming from the Muppet Choir Department were Brad, Melora, Emily Anne, Jared, Nicole, Maddy, Clyde, Jeff, Hiro, Heather, Dominique, Sheryl, Akachi, Sabrina, Nathalli Pepper, Lizzy, Jenny, Mark, Sarah, Kylie, Lani, Whitney, Jayla, Abby, Lorielle, Lorelei, Madame Groovy, Sandy, Leah, Lulu, Brandi, Marni, David, and Rachel. They were discussing one of their song pieces.

"I can't believe we are doing a Spanish song," Maddy lamented.

"Yeah, the lyrics are hard," Sheryl agreed.

"Guys, quit complaining," Jared reproached.

"Yeah, the song 'Los Curtidores de Hongos' sound fun to learn," Nicole added.

"What are Los Curtidores de Hongos, anyhow?' Emily Anne asked.

"Oh, that's a carnival song from Uruguay," Heather answered.

"Sounds exciting!" Lorelei said.

"Sounds totally hot," Dominique smiled.

"I can't wait to start working on that," Sabrina said.

"Neither can I, Sabby, I'm just jumpy thinking about it," Akachi said.

"Say, why don't we head down to the Innerspring station and work on the piece together?" Hiro asked.

"I'd love to, but I can't," Clyde said. "I have to help my mother work in the garden. I totally can't wait for that!" She gave an angry snort. "Most of our gardening equipment are so run down. Heck, one of the hoes are all rusty."

"All the hoes are rusty, huh? Are the girls anyone I know?" Jeff asked. 

Clyde hit Jeff fondly, as everyone laughed.

"YEOOOOOW!" Jeff bellowed.

"That's what you git," Lorielle snarled.

"You need to quit," Brad and Melora giggled.

Meanwhile, Leah stared at the sky, sighing.

Kylie took note of this. "Why the cloud, Sunshine?"

"Yeah. why are you so blue?" Lani asked.

Leah looked at Lani as though she were out of her mind. "Aren't I always blue?"

"You know what she means, Lee-Lee," Lulu, Brandi, and Marni said, their hands on their hips.

"Well, excuse me for always being the worrisome one!" Leah rolled her eyes. "If y'all must know, I'm thinking about Loo-Loo."

"Ah, she'll be fine," Mark said.

"Sabroona and Loops, too," Nathalli said.

"What makes you guys so sure?" Leah queried.

"Well, Bunsen and Beaker are taking great care of them," Lizzy said.

"Exactemente," Jenny said.

Sarah and Whitney stared at Jenny. "Didn't we just leave choir class?"

"Well, we have to study the piece sometime," Abby said.

"Totally can't wait for that!" Madame Groovy smiled.

"I can," Sandy sighed, irritably.

"Like, couldn't we do a song from Ghost Town DJ?" Rachel wondered. "We should sing the song, 'My Boo.' "

"Oh, come on, folks," David said. "This is an International Chant class, not an R&B one."

As everyone left, Jayla came to Leah. "Don't you fret, my pet," Jayla consoled Leah. "Your pals are in the care of Bunsen and Beaker. They will ensure that they will be moral, educated, and kind-hearted human beings. I just know."

Leah then hugged Jayla. "Oh, thank you, Jay. You know, you are much smarter, wiser, and more mature than people give you credit for."

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In the Muppet Labs, Beaker and Bunsen were talking to Loops and Loo-Loo, as to how they were coming along with the reading lessons. 

"Well, Miss Loo-Loo," Bunsen said. "Loops has been telling me that you have been improving on your reading. Care to give us any examples?"

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Loo-Loo: "I before E except after C
Let's see:
I before E except after H,
No, I after E After C
I before E after -No, E before I after C!"

Loops: "When a word has a C for an ending,
Like Frolic."

Loo-Loo: "Or Colic?"

Loops: "Or Comic, and Mimic, and Picnic,You always add a K before appending!"

Loo-Loo: "Huh?"

Loops: "You know, sticking an E or I or Y."

Loo-Loo: "Oh sure!"

Loops: "For example – Colicky, Frolicker, Picnicker, Mimicker!"

Loo-Loo:"And Hickory Dickory Docker!"

Loops: "On the other hand, if suffix is maintained (page 43),Then E must be retained after C!"

Loo-Loo: "You mean before the ending able?"

Loops: "Right! That keeps the spelling stable!"

Loo-Loo: "So that’s why!"

Loops: "Of course, let’s try!"

Both: "Noticeable, Serviceable, Embraceable, Replaceable,Peaceable, Enforceable, Pronounceable, Intraceable!"

Loops: "Sleigh, Stein, Fahrenheit!"

Loo-Loo: "Excepting: Fiery, Hierarchy, Hieroglyphics!"

Both: "E I is also used in special words, that merit careful study
E before I after C –Seizure, Leisure, Seize, Skein, Protein,Weird, Either, Neither, Codeine, Caffeine!"

Loops: "Siege, however is spelled I E –"

Both: "Otherwise, use I E in Thief, Believe, Fiend, Niece,Field, Brief, Grief, Cashier, Achieve, Yield!"

Loops: "Only one word in the language ends in SEDE –Supersede!
Three others end in CEED –Exceed, Proceed, Succeed!
All others end in CEDE!
Accede, Concede, Intercede, Precede, Recede, Secede!
E before I after C
When a word ends in C like Frolic and Mimic and Picnic, Insert a K before adding a suffix!"

Both: "Beginning with F, I or Y,E I is used immediately after the letter C
The single exception is Financier!
E I is used in words in which it has the sound of A
Or the sound as I as in Height, Sleigh, Stein, Fahrenheit!
E I is also used in special words
Leisure, Seizure, Seize, Skein, Protein,Weird, Either, Neither, Codeine, Caffeine!
Use I E in Thief, Belief, Fiend, Field, Brief, Grief, Yield, Achieve, Cashier,
Except after C as in Accede, Proceed,Succeed, Exceed, Concede,Intercede, Precede, Recede, Succeed!"

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Bunsen and Beaker were so ecstatic with Loo-Loo's accomplishment. "Well done, Loo-Loo!" they said.

"It was all thanks to Loops," Loo-Loo cheered.

"Aw, Loo-Loo," said Loops. "It was a pleasure to help you."

"This calls for a celebration!" Bunsen said. "Let's go to Judah P's!"

"Oh, boy! Judah P's! Yippee!" Loops cheered.

"I so have to phone Sabroona!" Loo-Loo said.

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That night, Loops was in the Electric Mayhem house. He was upstairs in the bedroom, fast asleep. Suddenly, a dove flew in the window. The dove then transformed into a handsome mustachioed, African-American gentleman dressed in a blue Japanese suit came to Loops.

Awakened by the breeze, Loops stared at the gentleman. "Holy Toledo! Who.....Who are you?"

"I am Harold Virgil Parkington Brooks," the man said. "I have come to give you a warning."

"Harold? H-Harry?" Loops asked. "You----You were Miss Nina's boyfriend!"

"I was," said Harry, "until cancer claimed my life. I could have been sixty-nine on September 27, 2017. But, no, I had to get sick. So, now I'll never see 70. Oh, well, at least my Nina is in heaven with me."

Loops dried his eyes. "Lips had told me about you guys. How you both took care of him, his family, and Miss Nina's friends."

"Son, that's what friends are for," Harry smiled, as he picked him up. "You see, I may not be alive, anymore, but, as your personal angel, there is something I have to say."

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Harry: "And I never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned

I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe, God loves you

And if I should ever go away
Well, then close your eyes and try
To feel the way we do today
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Well, you came in loving me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way
I thank you

Oh and then for the times when we're apart
Well, then close your eyes and know
The words are coming from my heart
And then if you can remember

Keep smiling and keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
In good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for

Keep smiling, keep shining
Knowing you can always count on me, for sure
Cause I tell you, that's what friends are for
Whoa, good times and the bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for!"

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Loops hugged the handsome, pleasant poltergeist. "Oh, Harry! You are so cool!" That's why Nina and Lips loved you so much! Right now, I totally don't blame them!"

"Feeling's rather mutual, I'll say," Harry said. "But, I do have a slight warning. Tomorrow, you will be visited by Constantine and 12 Moopets. You must stop them, or someone you love will die."

"Die?!" Loops cried. "What can I do to stop that from happening."

"Relax," Harry consoled. "When you see a white rose anywhere, it will reveal a note that will tell you what to do. As mentioned before, I will be there for you. Always."

"Oh, Harry, I always wanted a personal angel!" Loops clapped with glee.

"Well, sonny," Harry hugged Loops. "You've got one now."

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Will Loops and Harry be able to save their friends from Constantine and the 12 Moopets? Tune in to the 5th chapter to find out!