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Printed from https://writing.com/main/campfires/item_id/1752482-Rise-of-the-Anti-Manimals
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by Twiga Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 18+ · Campfire Creative · Fiction · Animal · #1752482
As awareness of Manimals grows Humans begin to resent their presence
[Introduction]
It started like this, Bill, Jim, Ichabod and Bob went to their local Baskin Robbins for Ice Cream...Well Bill, Jim and Bob got Ice Cream, Ichabod had a glass of water.

No one noticed the sneaky looking character slip some potion into somebody's banana split.

"Mr Wisner." The Lady at the Counter said "Your Banana Split."

"Aw Thanks Ma'm." A large young Black Man who might have been able to play Mr T on a celebraty look a like show, took his sundae and headed to the corner table to devour it.

He took one taste of the chocolate ice cream scoop of the left side of the sundae...It tasted particuly good to him so the Young Man began to devour his treat greedily.

Suddenly everyone in the Ice Cream parlor heard an ear splitting roar! They looked to their left and saw the young man mutating into a gorilla manimal!

"Oh...shit..." Bill said "Everybody on my word we grab him."

"Are you sure that is wise?" Ichabod asked

"Better that then let Animal Control put him to sleep!"
Bill looked at the poor young man slowly mutating into a gorilla.

He gave the signal and the four teenagers jumped on him

"Sir!" Bill said "Please calm down! I know it's strange but everything will soon be explained."

"WHAT?! What the hell is happening to me?!" Mr Wisnor schreeched in an ape like voice.

Meanwhile in the small town of Fordingham, Mrs Barrington was baking a cherry pie, it was her son Tipp's favorite pie, she made one once a month since he had dissapeired last spring.

There was a knock on the door "Now who can that be?" She said to herself

She opened the door and was almost knocked over by a tackling hug!

"Mama! I've come home!" Said a voice that sounded like her own little boy, she looked down it was her son all right but something was differnt, he had animal ears and tail! at first she thought it was some sort of costume but when she tried to tug off the ears and tail she found they would not come off!

"The wolf man told me to give you this note." Tipp said

Mrs Barrington looked at the note, she turned pale, it read 'I'm sorry to inform you but your son has beeen used in a genetic experiment and has been crossd with a western grey squirrel..no the ears and tail are not part of a costume.'

Meanwhile the four teens had dragged the Gorilla out of the ice cream parlor he was weak shivering

"Strange..."The Ape-Man said quietly "Something similer happened to a co-worker of mine... "
"Well, I hope he or she was alright, and made it to safety," Bill said. "There are more than a few nutjobs out there."

"So, what are we going to do?" the Ape-man asked.
"We're going to get you some help." Jim said "We're going to take you to this Wolf-Man James..."

Just then Mr Wisnor who had been studying Bill's face suddenly reconyzed him

"Billy? Is that you?"

"Um...Maybe..."Bill said "Do I know you?"

"It's me Henry! You know from the old gang!"

"Henry?" Bill asked "It's been so long I was 14 when I last saw you..."

Meanwhile Tipp was enjoying a big slice of cherry pie while his mother called his stepfather to tell him what happened

"It's the strangest thing!" She said "He has squirrel ears and tail! No! I'm not making this up!"

Meanwhile Ichabod checked his watch and remembered something

"I got to leave..." He said quickly "I promised my guest I would pick up a burger and fries from Carl's Jr for her lunch..."

"Just who is this guest?" Bill asked as he comforted Henry "You hardly ever let us see her.."
"Well, it's hard to explain," Ichabod said. "She's very shy."
Ichabod ran home as fast as he could

"Marzipan..." He whispered to himself "I love you to death but you're really causing me a heap of trouble."

Henry looked at Bill with his new animalistic sense of smell he could detect a bovine scent coming from him...

"Bill..." He said slowly "You're Minotaur..."

"No I'm not." Bill said quickly

"Yes you are." Henry said "I can smell the bovine on you."

Meanwhile at a house in 4th Avenue a 30 year old woman sat on a swing hanging from an oak tree branch, She thought about her son Hadrian how she had lost him in the Early Spring.

She didn't realize that her Son was right behind, his new wolf-like stealth had made him able to move without a sound, he saw his mother and he wanted to say something but was afraid to on account of his wolf ears and tail
"You can either reveal yourself to your loved ones, or make them think you're dead," said a familiar voice.

Turning his head, Hadrian saw a familiar wolf man.

"James," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Keeping an eye on you and the orthers," the old wolf said.

"What would you do?" the boy asked.

"I stayed dead," James said. "My wife died believing I died in a training accident. My son, well, he found out that I was alive when I saved his butt from an ambush a few months back."
Hadrian was about to sneak away, but Mrs Marrows had very good ears she heard whispers

"Hello?" She asked "Is someone there?"

She caught sight of a fluffy tail disappearing into the shrubbery

"OH MY GOD!" She said she called to her husband "Julian! Call animal control! There's a coyote in the neighborhood!"

"What do I do?" The Wolf Cub asked

"Let her think you're a coyote." James said "You'll be out of here in five minutes flat."

But the neighbors heard the shouting and began to panic.

A brave but foolish little boy said "don't worry Mama I'll kill it!"

With that the little boy through his strawberry ice cream cone into the bushes, it hit Hadrian in the mouth, unfortunately Hadrian was allergic to strawberries and started hacking and throwing up.

Mrs Marrows who heard the commotion came over to investigate, imagine her surprise to see her little boy in the bushes with wolf ears and tail!
"Oh my God," she said, covering her mouth. "It's my son. What happened to him?"
He started throwing up bile and she realized he must have eaten something with strawberries in it.

"I didn't want this to happen." James said "But your son was used in an illegal genetic experiment where he was crossed with the grey wolf.

"Oh my poor baby boy..." Mrs. Marrows said as she took Hadrian into her arms.

Meanwhile Marzipan was sitting on the sofa waiting for her lunch when Ichabod came inside.

"Here's your greasy fast food!" Ichabod said as he dropped the bag on the table "Personally I don't understand how you can like this junk!"

But Marzipan was ravenous she tore into her burger and fries like it might run away from her

"Gee..." Ichabod said "You really were hungry."

Meanwhile Bill, Jim and Bob used the Control, Alt Delete touch to get Henry back to normal
However, Henry was upset. His head now had a full head of hair.

"Great," he muttered. "Now I'll have to do some shaving again."

The town of Green Meadows was all abuzz about the rash of kid-to-manimal conversions going on. The headline of the next morning's Green Meadows News read: Manimal Kids, Why Now?

The article was full of errors James noted as he threw the newspaper down in disgust.

"That reporter knows nothing! If he had interviewed me I could have set him straight."

Bill picked up the paper. "Hmmmm, according to this article the full moon has a lot to do with it."

"Poppycock!" James said. "If this keeps up they are going to start thinking we are werewolves."

"That could get dangerous. I'm picturing night time, a mob, and torches and pitchforks."

"Tell me about it," James said. "People go crazy when they think the occult is involved. Why can't they understand it's bad science causing manimals?"

"Bad?" Bill said.

"I don't mean bad as in evil, I mean bad as in sloppy bookkeeping, dirty test tubes, and accidentally mixing up DNA samples."

"Oh. Klutziness. Klutzy science. The worst kind. Except if it wasn't for all those mistakes I wouldn't be here with the heart of a bull. So I can't really complain, can I?"

"Life is a mystery," Tipp said. He had only heard the last of the conversation. "At first I thought I would hate this bushy tail, but now I find it sweeps up behind me as I walk. That's very handy. I can eat crackers and not worry about dropping crumbs on the floor."

"But doesn't your tail get dirty?"

"I still take a bath every day! Zheez!"
Meanwhile Marzipan and Ichabod were watching TV together when a sudden new bulieten came on

"We interrupt this program to bring you an important news flash!" The TV said

"There seem to be a wave of mutations happening across the world! Most notably Japan."
Meanwhile, James was busy looking for a certain reporter known as April O'Neil, who was a friend to the Mutant Turtles.

He found her sitting in a Starbucks drinking a mocha caliente while she tapped away on her laptop.

"Writing another error-filled story?" James asked.

"What?" April looked over the top of her sky-blue glasses at James. "Are you trying to put me in a bad mood, Jamesie?"

"Naw, why would I do that? But you must be trying to annoy me. Your manimal story in today's paper got it all wrong. I'm not a werewolf."

"I didn't say you were!"

"No, but all that full moon talk of yours sure implied it. Manimals are the result of sceince gone wrong, not the return of Satan to release his demons on the earth."

April shrugged. "Science is boring. Ten times more people will read a devil story."

James shook his head in disgust. "Whatever happened to honest journalism and respect for the truth?"

"I don't know James. I think when people stopped buying newspapers everything changed. Anyway, this is the new age and I'm a new age reporter so get with the program, baby!" April laughed and went back to her typing.

James watched her for a moment and then remembered the other thing he wanted to discuss with her...
(OK I thik you just wrote April O'Neil horrbly out of character let's pretend that addition never happened)

Meanwhile in Japan a young woman named Momo Kashi was lying in bed looking pale and sickly, her mother came into the room on laid a covered dish on the bedside table, weakly Momo lifted the lid it contained a bowl of udon noodles

Momo put the cover back on the dish and turned away

"Next time bring me only what I ask for." She said

"You can't just live on fruits and vegtables dear!" Her Mother said

As soon as her Mother left Momo's body gave a shudder she turned into a triceratops manimal
Not again, she thought. There must be a way for me to control these transformations.
Bill, Jim and Bob walked Henry back to his apartment

"So...Who was this Co-Worker?" Bill asked

"She was some lady from Ireland called Iris Ogg." Henry said

"Iris Ogg..." Bob said "Why does that name ring a bell?"

"She ate a burger from Burger King one day and she suddenly morphed into an enormous bat!" Henry said shuddering quietly

"Was it scary?" Jim asked

"Hell yeah!" Henry said "To be honest I'm not sure if it was scarier for me or for her?"

Meanwhile Ichabod and Marzipan were sitting on the sofa thinking about what they saw

"It's really scary isn't it? Marzipan asked "All these people mutating into monsters."

Ichabod thought it strange that a Cat-Person would refer to the snake-people and rat-people they saw on TV as Monsters but said nothing
Meanwhile, James, who was wearing a Middle Eastern-type outfit, was still talking to April.

"Let's cut to the chase," he said. "I know you know that people like me and others arn't like you're printing in the paper. I'm guessing your boss is trying to make money with hyped-up stories."

"That would be just like him," April said with a chuckle.

"However, there is a name that interests me, this young catgirl. Where'd you hear about her?"
April took a picture out of purse

"I took this picture outside my house." She said

The Photo was in black and white but you could clearly see what was going on.

A Cat-Girl and a Human Boy running together hand in hand they looked frightened

"I know that boy." James said "That's Jonathan Crane's boy!"

"Oh really?" April said "I thought he was just a regular St Sebastion's boy"

"St Sebastion's?" James asked

"A Catholic School not far from where the I took the photo." April said.

Meanwhile in a secret lair beneith the city a Young Man kneeled before his Father.

He was not human however he took the form of a Humanoid Lion.

"I'm sorry Father." The Lion said "I failed you."

"Leo." The Older Man said "As he caressed a whip with two fingers...How did this happen?"

"I went to Hardee's and I ordered a Burger." Leo said "As I walked home I felt this sharp pain in my stomach...I started morphing into this creature..."

"Leo..." The Older Man said "You have caught a virus...A very serious virus...You are no longer human you are...a beast...a thing."

"Yes Father." Leo said a tear going down his leoline face

"I will not kill you Leo because you are my only son." The Older Man toyed with the whip

"But we must not allow the others who have been infected to spread the infection..." The Man looked his son in the eye Leo flinched

"You are my tracker..." The Older Man said taking his Son's furry chin in his hand "You hunt the other beasts down and kill them."

Meanwhile at Ichabod's house Marzipan was staring intently on a coffee machine making coffee...When it beeped she took the coffee pot and poured it into into a mug she drank deep She hacked and coughed

"HOT!" She cried "So HOT!"

"What are you doing?" Ragdoll asked tapping her foot

"Oh Ragdoll!" Marzipan said "Being a flesh and blood creature is wonderful! I never knew these senses I never knew exsisted...."

"Marzipan..." Ragdoll said "The potion I gave you is going to wear off very soon."

"What?!" Marzipan exclaimed "That can't be!"

"Yes." Ragdoll said "The Purple Potion will wear off by the next full moon!"

Marzipan couldn't take that, she threw herself on the floor and started having a tantrum."

"Oh Marzi don't act like a child." Ragdoll said firmly

"It's not fair!" Marzipan screamed "I WANT TO BE ALIVE!"

"Marzipan..." Mr. Cat asked walking into the room "The only way you can become a living creature permantly is to win the love of your owner and then you will become...a normal cat not an anthropomorphic cat."

Just then Ichabod walked into the room..."Marzipan..."He said "You're a doll?"

Marzipan looked at Ichabod with a tear stained face Ichabod felt a sob in his throat

"Marzipan..." He said "You're that doll whom I lost when I was nine years old weren't you?"

Marzi looked at him and started to cry Ichabod felt his chest tighten

"She is your doll." Ragdoll said "She was made a flesh and blood creature to protect you from harm."

"Why?" Ichabod asked

"Because we love you." Ragdoll said "You are our last chance to become real and gain immortal souls."

"A toy can think and speak and even love." Mr. Cat said "But without out an immortal soul we don't go anywhere when we die we just get swallowed by the Earth."

Ichabod felt as if the Earth just moved for him, he knelt beside Marzipan

"Don't cry Marzi." He said "I'll make sure you become real...all of you"
Meanwhile, as James sipped at some tea, the old wolf was busy digesting the information he'd heard.

"There must be a reason Ichabod felt like he couldn't talk about her," he said. "Then again, the kid's shy at times."

"Most boys seem that way," April said as she drank her coffee. "I've noticed that the guys don't like talking about girls around me, especially Donatello."

"Yeah, but there is the story," James said with a huff. "You need to rewrite it."

"How do I do that without exposing you and all of the others?" April asked.

"Tell your boss you've got a live one, a mutant who's willing to be interviewed on television; me," Jemes said, with a grin under his dark colored face wrap. "I'd be happy to dispell more than a few myths."

"I'd have a feeling that my boss would bring in some very irritating people, just to boost up the ratings," April said with a sigh.

"Have you ever gotten shot at?"

"A few times."

"An interview should be relatively easy to handle compared to a prolonged firefight."

"I wouldn't count on it. I wouldn't."

Bill and Henry were having a discussion about which was stronger, an ape or a bull.

"Why don't we settle this with a wrestling match?" Henry said.

Bill shook his head. "No, that would give you an unfair advantage. Everybody knows gorillas wrestle better than bulls. Let's have a tug of war."

"No," Henry said. "Everybody knows a bull can pull a heavier load than a gorilla."

Jim looked up from his comic book. "Why don't you guys just agree that each is stronger in his own way?"

Bill and Henry looked at each other.

"You know," Bill said. "I am constantly amazed at how a squirrel can come up with such good ideas. Shake hands with me, Henry. We'll agree to be different."

Tipp rolled his eyes and went back to reading his comic book.

Bill and Henry went to the Wise Old Turtle Manimal who lived in the woods...The Turtle said

"I've got a patch of five hundred watermelons." She said "Let's see how many each of you can hold, I'll start you off with twenty melons, then I'll add one at a time The One who holds up the most melons wins this Gold Watch."

"Where did you get that watch?" Henry asked confused

Meanwhile Jim was busy heading over to Ichabod's house...He was concerned about him...Thinking he was spending too much time with his 'guest'

He walked over to the front window, there he saw Marzipan sitting on the sofa gorging herself on a bushel of fruit.

"Is it just me or has she gotten...rounder since the last time I saw her?" Jim said to himself

Marzipan saw him, waved at him and got up to let him in "Hello Jim welcome!" She said "Would you like me to make you an omelet?"

'Geez!' Jim thought 'I thought I was obsessed with food!'
"Um, what's going on here?" he asked.

"Oh, not much really," Marzipan said as she bit into an apple. "Ichabod's parents are out, and he's upstairs in his room asleep."

"Is that fruit good?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Marzipan said. "it's delicious. This is my second bushel."

Jim's eyes bugged out. "Gosh, Marzipan! That's a lot of fruit. Don't you think you might make yourself sick eating so much fruit?"

"I can't seem to stop eating, Jim. Do you think something is wrong with me?"

"I KNOW something is wrong, Marzipan. I better go upstairs and wake up Ichabod. Something strange is happening here and I think he needs to know about it."
Marzipan and Ichabod went upstairs...Ichabod was asleep.

"Ichabod..." Jim said as he rubbed Ichabod's shoulders "Ichabod wake up!"

"Huh what?" Ichabod asked sleepily

"I found a newspaper on my way over to your house." Jim said pulling a newspaper out of his pocket "I think you better take a look at it."

Ichabod rubbed the crust off his eyes and looked at it.

The Headline read 'Lion Man Kills Young Girl' there was a photograph of a Lion-Man feeding on a teenage girl.

"Jesus..." Ichabod said "Something is definatly going wrong "First all those mutations we saw on the news NOW THIS?!"

Marzipan who had been quiet this whole time spoke up "Ichabod...' She said "When I looked outside one night in Febuary I saw something that looked like a Lion walking on his hind legs outside..." She hestiated "At first I thought it was a dream..."

Meanwhile deep underground, Leo was seated beside his Father in the Feast Hall of 'The Pure Ones' as they called themselves.

Leo was wrapped up in a Middle Eastern Cloth much like James, as he nibbled at the food he couldn't help thinking how nice some raw meat would taste right now.
James, meanwhile, was at the Public Libarry, on the internet, "researching" the various anti-mutant groups out there. He was also checking out their leaders, such as their criminal records, which most had, their military records, which a few had, most having been dishonorably discharged. However, there were those who were into politics, with ambition to want key positions in government.

"Looks like things are getting difficult for you and your friends," said a familiar voice.

James looked up, and saw the man sitting at the computer across from him.

"Nice to see you to Bishop," James said, with a low growl. "Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't kill you now."

"You're in a public libarry," the suited man said, with a short chuckle. "Too many witnesses for us to have a fight."

"What do you want?"

"You look like you need some help. I know about the Anti-mutant groups out there."

"What about them?"

"There is one you might want to watch out for. 'The Pure Ones' is what they call themselves. Highly dangerous. Their leader is a rouge oppritive."

"Let me guess, you want me to kill him."

"Her actually. Many of her men are former inteligence agents, like CIA, M-6, KGB, just to name a few. All of them are 'Patriotic' for their country, but not to any real country. Also, they are all dangerous."

"Then why don't you do the job yourself?"

"Tried that, and she killed the whole team, single handed. They were amongst my best."

"Okay, anything else?"

"This batch of mutants was not my doing. There's another group out there, and they stole my group's information."

"You want me to take care of their leader as well?"

"No, that's being taken care of as we speak."

In the Feast Hall of the Pure Ones, the Father watched his son Leo eat. Sometimes it disgusted him that his son was only partly human. At other times it made his heart glad that he had been given such an instrument of retribution, because he saw that through his son Leo he could rid the world of the manimal menace.

That was the way the newspapers were portraying it now, the Manimal Menace! No one made the effort to distinguish the good mutants from the bad mutants. They were all being lumped together and considered a menace.

Leo wiped his mouth. "Father, I need to eat some raw meat now."

"I know you do, son. Look at this photograph. That will be your next victim. Here is her address. Feast well on her, my son."

"Thank you, Father. I will." Leo bounded out of the room like an animal.
Leo looked around, he was at times square in NYC...He knew who he was too look for a Girl named Lucinda Briggins.

Lucinda was a girl from England like Jim's girlfriend Jordan, and like Jordan and Jim she had been fused with a red squirrel

She had an unuaul affliction she switched between squirel form and human formeverytime she hiccuped!

Suddenly, Leo felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"I'm sorry young man," said a deep voice. "Could you help me out?"

Leo turned his head and saw a man wearing an outfit similar to his. However, the eyes held his attention; they were deadly serious.

"What do you need help with?" Leo asked nervously.

"One of my old wounds is acting up," the man said. "Help me to that bench over there and I'll give you something for your trouble."

"Like what?"

The man squeezed his shoulder, causing Leo to gasp in pain. Leo then saw claws on the man's hand.

"Some advise might be a start," the man said. "I know your kind, and I know who you and your father are. Your father's dead as far as I'm concerned. You, you might still have a chance at life, but if I find out otherwise, you'll be as dead as he will be."

"What are you talking about?" Leo asked as he started walking.

"There are plenty of anti-mutant groups out there," the man said. "As far as I'm concerned, their members are as good as dead, especially those of the militant groups. You and your father are in one of those groups."

"And just who are you?"

"The names James, and I was one of the first mutants."

"I've heard of you," Leo whispered. "I thought you were a legend."

"No, I'm as real as the nose on your face," James said. "I believe there is still a chance for you to save yourself, my young lion friend. Why are you in New York?"

Leo kept his mouth shut, not wanting to tell James that his mission was to eat Lucinda Briggins.

"Your silence speaks volumes," James said. "You are up to no good, that's for sure, or you would tell me. I repeat that now is the time to save your sorry ass by making big changes in your attitude. If you continue in your evil ways then you are doomed. Do you understand?"
Ichabod and Marzipan were watching the news and eating fruit together

Marzipan saw something out the window it looked like Jim but had long blond hair...Lucinda
"I wonder who that is," she said out loud.

Marzipan noticed something else outside the window. She nudged Ichabod. "Look at that!"

"What?" Ichabod said. "I don't see anything."

"There is a mutant lion man following that long-haired squirrel girl."

"So what? Don't we have enough problems of our own? Why do you want to go looking for problems in other places?"

Marzipan looked at him with big sad kitten eyes. "But Ichabod, I have a bad feeling about this. I think... I think that girl is about to get assaulted. Can't we do something?"

Ichabod took a moment to feel the warm comfort of his favorite chair and finish off the pear he was eating. "Do we have to?"

But Marzipan was already heading for the door. "Yes! We have to! Come on! It may already be too late!"
Lucinda climbed up a snow covered tree and chittered at the Lion who was pacing ad growling at the trunk.

It wasn't that he couldn't climb but the branches might break
A sound caught the lion's ears, causing him to look in the direction of the houses.

From out of a split-level ranch house came a tall red-haired boy accompanied by a girl with green cat eyes. "I love girls with cat eyes," Leo thought. "Hey, it looks like she wants to talk to me..."

"Lion man!" Ichabod called out. "Leave that squirrel girl alone!"

From up in the tree Lucinda yelled, "My name is Lucinda Briggins. I think he wants to rape me!"

Leo roar laughed. "I don't want to rape you. I want to EAT you!"

Lucinda squealed. "Skinny boy! Please help me!"

"We're coming!" Ichabod called, and he and Marzipan confronted Leo. "I've already called the police," Ichabod said.

Leo snarled. "Why? I haven't done anything. It's no crime to walk down the street."

"I heard what you said! You want to eat that girl!"

"Haha! What an imagination you have. I already had my supper, bozo."

Leo started to walk away.

"You wait here until the police arrive!"

Marzipan tugged Ichabod's sleeve. "Never mind. Let him go. The main thing is we got rid of him." Then Marzipan looked up in the tree. "You can come down now, Lucinda. Do you live very far away?"

"No," Lucinda said, "but I sure don't feel safe walking home by myself."

"We'll walk with you."
(Marzipan has BROWN eyes, Not green ones)

Lucinda shivered and hiccuped and turned back into her human form

"Not again..."She whispered "This happens every time I hiccup!"

"Gee that sucks." Ichabod said
James had seen the whole thing. The old wolf was following Leo from a distance.
(Leo is color blind *Smile* )

Ichabod and Marzipan walked with Lucinda to her house. Every time Lucinda hiccupped she changed form. First squirrel, then human, then squirrel, then human.

"You're making me dizzy," Ichabod said.

"I'm sorry. You sure were brave standing up to that lion."

Ichabod shrugged. "It was no big deal. I didn't think he would try anything right out in public like that."

Lucinda wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. "I really believe he was going to hurt me."

Ichabod stopped walking. "Maybe we should have waited for the police."

"If they are going to be so slow getting here it serves them right."

"Well... But I don't want to get a ticket for sending in a false alarm. You guys go on. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

After Ichabod explained to the cops what had happened they assured him they would keep an eye out for the lion man. By the time he was done with them Marzipan was already on her way back from Lucinda's house.

"Sweet girl," Marzipan said. "You liked her, didn't you?"

Ichabod knew a dangerous question when he heard one. "Liked her? Uh, she seems okay. I didn't really notice her that much. All my attention was on you." He had a crooked smile on his face.

"Oh you!" Marzipan said and lightly hit his arm and then grabbed it so they could walk close together.
Marzipan and Ichabod walked over they felt a cold wind...They shivered

Suddenly they heard the sound of crashing wooden boxes! They turned a corner and saw what looked like an enormous pteradactal smashing things with his mighty wings

"Somebody help!" A Man with a Bleeding Arm said "I that mutant begged me for food...I gave him some and all of a sudden he chucks a psycho!"

"Wait WAIT!" Ichabod said "What did you feed him?"

"I gave him some cranberry juice I had in my backpack..." The Man said "Then he...went fucking nuts!"
"Maybe he's allergic," Ichabod suggested. "Did you ceatch his name?"

"A Rodan something."

Ichabod slapped the top of his own head. "Cranberry juice is very bad for him! We need to find an antidote."

"I'll go rummage through the kitchen," Marzipan said. "Cranberry is red and sour so we need something green and sweet."

"There is nothing in the kitchen that is green and sweet!" Ichabod said.

"There has to be!" Marzipan said with an edge of panic creeping into her voice.

"Go look then. I'll see what I can do here."

Ichabod and the man tried to talk Rodan down from his cranberry high. The gawky reptile had a sharp beak and he was clumsily swinging it this way and that.

"Watch out you don't get slashed!" the man said. "Look what he did to my arm."


In the kitchen Marzipan was throwing open cabinet doors, dragging out cans and boxes, frantically searching for something green and sweet. "There has to be something I can use!" she said.
Rodan was smashing wooden boxes...Cranberry Juice acts something like speed for pteradactals...but he was beginning to wear out

Two Manimals a Panda named Andy and a Wolf named Jake sneaked up behind him and caught him

Rodan screamed but he was already too weak

"Do not worry citizens!" Jake said "We have this firmly under controll!"

Andy got a rag with cloraform on it and had Rodan breathe it in. He went limp as a sack of rags.

Marzipan rushed out of the house to make sure Ichabod was OK

"i''m fine." Ichabod said "Someone else took care of it for me."

Meanwhile Matoka was talking with Zander about the danger of the Anti-Manimals "We have got to do something Zander!" She said "The forest is trembling!"

"I know! I know! But what?" Zander was pacing back and forth furiously
"Well, I did hear something about someone having an interview," Matoka said.

"Now who in their right mind would do that?" Zander asked. "That's a good way to get killed."

"Not necessarily," Matoaka said. "Those interviewer types can be pretty sharp. They go into a lot of dangerous situations. They know how to look out for themselves."

"Maybe," Zander said. "It's not a job I would want to have, but I guess someone has to do it."

"You're getting a little fat," Matoaka said.

Zander stopped pacing and stared at her. "What?"

"I'm sorry. It's just... I suddenly noticed how your belly is poking out a little more than it used to. Maybe it's because you're walking with your hands behind your back?"

Zander put his hands by his side and pulled in his stomach. "How's that?"

"Better. But you're holding your breath. Relax."

"This is silly," Zander said. "Why are you worrying about how much I weigh when we've got more important things to deal with?"

"I'm not worrying about it. I just said I noticed it. Can I help it if I notice things?"

Zander put his hands up. "OK, OK, I don't want to argue about it. Let's just say I've gained weight and move on to the big problem. What are we going to do about the Anti-Manimal Movement?"

"We could try to get some pro-Manimal stories in the news," Matoaka said.
Zander was alarmed he had been gaining weight, after all a fat bird can't fly...he looked and saw what his wife said was true.

But then he felt a rumble in his gut, he needed to use the bathroom quick!

"I'm sorry sweetie I got to go!" He said he raced upstairs towards the bathroom, Matoaka could hear moaning and groaning loud enough to shake the house

"I wonder what Zander ate..." She said to herself than she remembered what she had made for dessert sugar coated Victora plums! She knew
Maybe I ought to give him some strawberries tonight, she thought. That would make things interesting.
Matoaka was not considering the implications of fat she said, strawberries did not merely make Aves horny it gave them a burning desire for sex that was so bad it hurt.

It also increased an erections normal size, Matoaka thought she could handle it, but in reality if she fed him a strawberry she would be walking into a world of hurt.

She walked into the kitchen to see if she had any strawberries, but when she walked in to her surprise was a young jackal manimal eating a fish Zander caught earlier that morning

"Please don't be mad at me!" The Jackal Cub said hiding the fish behind her back "I went home but Papa kicked me out of the house because he didn't want monsters in the house."

"You poor thing." Matoaka said "What your name?"

"Beth." The Jackal said
"I guess I'll let you stay," Matoaka muttered. "It wouldn't feel right to kick you out."

"Thanks."

When Zander came down from the bathroom he was surprised to see the jackal. "Oh! Uh... hello."

"This is Beth," Matoaka said. "The anti-Manimal craze has affected her dad and he kicked her out."

"That's awful," Zander said. "Something has to be done about this rising craze before there are a thousand homeless manimal kids walking the streets."

Matoaka said, "You can stay with us for a while, Beth."
"Thank you..." Beth said in a whispering voice "I should tell you something...My father is the founder of BFM Oil"

"BFM?!" Matoaka screeched she stamped her hoof "I hate that company!"

"What does BFM stand for?" Zander asked

"Big Fucking Motors." Matoaka said "They're the guys who want to drill for oil in the grand canyon and other natural wonders..."

She turned to Beth "I'm sorry my dear I will no ill will towards you but your Father is one of my biggest enemies."

"You know I don't mind so much." Beth said "He said to my mother "She's not our daughter she's a dog faced freak."

"Would you like a little rice pudding sweetheart?" Matoaka said "Or some candied apples" She reached into the fridge "I am very good at making desserts, my friends say good things about my meals."
Well this disrupts things a bit, she thought. There is no way I can give Zander strawberries with this girl around. It wouldn't look good if Zander lost control of himself around someone else.

Andy, Jake, and Ichabod had put Rodan on a cot in the basement.

"Should we tie him down?" Andy asked.

Ichabod shook his head. "No. I think by the time he wakes up the effects of the cranberries will be over. He'll probably wonder how the heck he got down here."

"But maybe to be sure you should tie him down?"

"I'll just lock the basement door," Ichabod said. "There's nothing he can hurt down here and when he wakes up and pounds on the door then I'll let him out if he's okay."

Later, in the kitchen, the three of them sat around the table eating cheese puffs while Marzipan made some tea.

"We were on our way to a meeting of the MPG," Andy said. "Want to come with us?"

"I never heard of the MPG," Ichabod said.

"It's the Manimal Protection Group. I thought since you were with her..." Andy pointed at Marzipan "...that you might know about the MPG."

"I never heard of it either," Marzipan said.

"It's not very big yet," Andy said. "It's just some manimals getting together to discuss ways to protect ourselves. You know there is an anti-manimal craze building, don't you?"

"Oh yes," Ichabod said. "It's all over the news."
Marzipan was hesitant to speak she didn't know how long it would be until the spell wore off and she be would be a normal toy again.

Ichabod sipped some of his tea and sighed

"It's really becoming quite dangerous to eat at restaurants" He said "People are transforming left and right because some random person is slipping a transforming drug into food and drink."
"There has to be a way to stop this," said Marzipan. "But the question is How."

"Yeah," Ichabod said. "There must be a way."

Bill and Henry had finally left the house of the Wise Old Turtle Manimal Who Lives In The Woods. There had been a lot contests and camp meals and campfire singing, but Henry ended up with the gold watch. He flashed it at Bill as they walked along. "Looks like I am the winner! Ha!"

"It's a turtle watch," Bill said. "It probably runs slow."

Henry shook the watch. "It better not! I had to tote a lot of melons to win this watch."

Suddenly a scream echoed throughout the forest!

"What was that?!" Henry asked

"Sounds like trouble!" Bill said "Come on Henry time to learn what being a Manimal is all about!"

A farmer's wife came outside to bring the cows in from the pasture, she couldn't help but notice one the cows were laying down in the middle of the field, The Farmer's wife came over to wake the animal up and to her shock and horror it was her own pet cow Bessie still alive but drained of most of her blood!


"Who would do this?!" She wailed "George!" She called to her husband "We've got Cow Vampires!"

Bill and Henry heard the commotion but hesitated to approach the grieving woman when something landed behind them

They spun around and met the Vampire Bat-Girl Sarah who had blood dripping off her lips

"Don't be mad!" She said quickly "I meant no harm! I need blood or else I'll get sick and wither away! I must have taken more blood than I usually do tonight!"

"Don't worry!" Bill said "We'll get you home!"
"Are you sure we can trust her?" Henry asked.
(I'm sorry Steve I just can't tolerate this addition)

"Of course we must trust her!" Bill said "She's just a little girl and anyway Matoaka taught it's not a predator's fault it has to kill other animals it has to it to survive!"

"You sure?" Henry asked

"Sure as sugar." Bill said "After all Matoaka taught me all animals are equal in the eyes of nature."

He keeled before Sarah and "Don't worry sweetie we'll get you home."
Henry and Bill made there way threw the forest Bill said "I know where this is!" This is where Matoaka's house is!"

"Matoaka?" Henry asked "Who is she?"

"She's a Unicorn." Bill said "And the greatest zoologist who ever lived."

Meanwhile Matoaka and Zander were showing Beth their Baby Amalthia

"Oh my gosh!" Beth exclaimed "She's the most beautiful baby I ever saw! She's like a my little pony only she has feather's on her arms!"

Matoaka looked at Zander's belly "You're stomach has gone back to normal!" She said 'I guess you were not getting fat you're stomach was distended from eating all those plums."
"I still don't feel so good though," Zander said.

"Well, I know something that might help you out," Matoaka whispered.
Matoaka turned to Beth "I'm going to go into the bedroom with Zander,you can be safe with little Ama won't you?"

"Oh yes. Very Safe!" Beth said with a dog-like enthusiasm, Matoaka had no need to doubt the sincerity of her voice.

She entered the bedroom with Zander who was looking more confused than anything.

"All right Matoaka." He said "Want to let me in on the joke?"

"Ever since you nearly cheated on me with Tiamat do to circumstances beyond your control I've wanted to try something."

"Try what?" Zander asked beginning to get nervous

Matoaka said nothing but pulled out a strawberry from her pocket

Zander gasped "No!" He said "Mattie you can't be serious!"

"Why not?" Matoaka asked "Why can't you?"

"Because my erection grows to over twice its normal size!" Zander said in a harsh whisper "You can't handle it."

"Oh I'm sure I can." Matoaka said

"Oh no you can't." Zander said "And also I become a raging beast under the influence! If you told me to stop I wouldn't even hear you."

"But I'm young and strong and healthy enough to fend you off if something goes wrong.' Matoaka said "Just try it...For me?"

'I'm going to regret this.' Zander thought as his long frog like tongue snaked out and wrapped around the strawberry and gulped it down.

Right away the change was instant, Zander's eyes changed from green to bright red, he snarled like some kind of wild animal! Matoaka was beginning to have second thoughts

But it was too late to anything about it now! Right away he leaped on her and started to dig into her, Matoaka gasped, this wasn't like anything she had felt before, his erection was much too large it felt like she was being punched in the gut!

"OH GOD!" She screeched "GET OFF!"

But she couldn't push him off he had her pinned down in such away she couldn't fight back, she was trapped!



Meanwhile, James was busy shadowing Leo. He stayed on the other side of the street, sticking with a crowd of others who were dressed similar to himself, and so on. He wanted to know where Leo's group was, as Bishop forgot to give him that info.
James followed Leo down several streets and then Leo entered an alley. James hung back so it wouldn't be obvious he was following, then he entered the alley. Leo was nowhere to be seen. He must have entered a doorway that opened onto the alley, but which one?
Meanwhile Matoaka was trapped, she was pinned down, she couldn't fight back couldn't free herself could't do anything.

This experience was really beginning to hurt her and she was beginning to get nauseous.

So she did the only thing she was capable of doing, she screamed.

This was not a human like scream it was a deep throaty animal like cry!

A deep throaty neigh!

Zander, despite being in the throes of lust heard that scream, he looked down and saw his beloved, terrified and in pan

In an instant he scooted off the bed and landed with a thump on the floor, he pulled himself into a corner.

He did not say 'I told you so.' or 'I knew this would happen' he just put his face in his hands and cried.

Matoaka realized just he hard this had effected him, how much gentlemanly conduct was important to his psyche, she saw a trail of semen on the floor and she knew his body had a semen dump.

There was a knock on the door it was Beth "Is everything OK?" She asked in a frightened voice "I heard screaming."
"It's alright," said Matoaka. "Things just got a little intense for me and Zander."

James listened closely at each doorway in the alley and sniffed the doorknobs. He found a door he thought must be the one that Leo had entered. But should he just barge in or wait? It might be a trap.
James thought Leo was going to his Father, and Leo was but first he got distracted by a dead rat he found in the middle of the alley.

Having no luck at capturing Lucinda Briggins Leo had to be happy to feast on a sewer rat.

Meanwhile...Matoaka and Zander were in a tricky situation, there was a seven year old girl at the door asking to be let in, but...Both Zander and Matoaka were half naked and there were puddles of semen on the floor, there was no way they could let a prepubescent child into the bedroom with both themselves and the room in such a state.

"Matoaka? Zander?" Beth's voice was sounding more and more like a sad puppy by the minute "Ama is crying I don't know what to do!"

Matoaka who was wearing her old buckskin dress (But nothing underneath) tried to get off the bed, but when she tried to stand she gasped in pain!...She looked between her legs, blood was dripping onto the floor, something had obviously been torn.

Zander, despite being shell shocked a few minutes ago, knew he had to take action, he quickly put on a pair of gym shorts he had laying around and whispered "I'll handle this."

He opened the door a crack, Beth had Ama in her arms, both were crying.

"I'll take Ama." Zander said "taking his daughter, Don't worry...Matoaka just slipped and sprained her ankle I'm taking care of her."
Meanwhile, James was checking out the door. A turn of the handle showed that the door was unlocked. Slipping his hand underneath his robe, James got out his two handguns, a Colt Peacemaker and Colt 1911. Putting a round in the empty chamber of his Peacemaker, and an extra round in the clip of his 1911, he had a total of fifteen shots for the first round. However, he also had plenty more guns, knives, a crossbow, and more. He was ready for a war, if need be.

I just hope I can make it to my interview with April, he thought with a grin

James jumped through the doorway, crouching into a ready stance. He turned from side to side with his pistols raised but the room appeared to be empty. However, there was a door in the opposite wall that opened into a corridor. James opened it and heard footsteps running in the distance. He took off running after them.
Zander took Ama into the bedroom, he used his large hand to shield her eyes so she did not see the puddles of love seed on the floor

"What do we do?" Zander asked "There is no way we can tell that little girl the truth!"

Meanwhile Henry and Bill were walking Sarah back home, they had come to a poor Hispanic Part of town, Henry seemed nervous.

"This is not the place to bring a gold watch." He said

"Oh stop whining!" Bill snapped
"Besides, this isn't the worst part of town."
"What is the worst part of town?" Henry asked

But they were interrupted by Sarah saying "Mama! Papa! I've come home!"

A Pair of Mexican Immigrants opened their arms wide for their daughter, she ran into the arms of her Father.

"Hello Sunshine!" The Father said "Did you have a nice flight?"

"I think the farmers are beginning to suspect me." Sarah said "I don't know what else to do."

"We'll find away to feed you." Her Mother said "Even if we have to steal from the blood bank!"

"Needles make me woozy." Her Father said.

Bill and Henry beat a hasty retreat..."I got to get home." Henry said "My Mom is making my favorite dessert, Apple Pie."

"Don't let Jim hear you, that Rodent goes through pies like Ronnie Regan through Jelly Bellys!

"Do you think I'll ever get used to being part gorilla?" Henry asked

"If you can't no one can." Bill said

Meanwhile Zander put Ama in a cradle the Pair kept in their room in case of emergencies, she had stopped crying and started to suck her thumb contently.

"What are we going to do!" Zander asked "The floor is covered in seamen you're injured there is a small child in the house..."

"Zander...I want to say I'm sorry for telling you to eat the strawberry." Matoaka said "You were right I couldn't handle it."

Zander turned and looked at her "You are aware how large my erection is its normal state are you not?"

"Well yes...It looks to be at least six inches."

"Seven." Zander said firmly

"Well... My...lower half is larger when I'm in unicorn form so I figured..."

"You figured wrong." Zander said "Don't you understand my penis and you're vagina fit each other just they way they are there was no need to get any bigger and..."

There was a scritch-scritch at the door, Beth was making frightened puppy noises.

Zander sighed "She probably heard everything,"

Matoaka was beginning to feel a slight numbness where the pain was, she was beginning to wonder if she needed a doctor. "Take Beth to the family room, let her choose a DVD to watch and maybe give her a little snack to eat, all the DVDs I have are Nature Documentaries but I don't think she will mind."

Beth settled down to watch a nature documentary DVD called "Life on the Serengeti".

Zander and Matoaka lay down on their bed exhausted and tried to get some rest. Suddenly there was a pounding on their bedroom door. From the other side came Beth's voice. "I am a Golden Jackal! I just saw it on the TV! My ancestors lived in Africa and Asia!"

Zander sighed. "We need to buy some cartoon movies."
Beth was settled down after a while after Zander gave her some chamomile tea with honey.

Matoaka leaned over and whispered to him "You're such a good man."

"I know, I know." Zander said as he leaned in and kissed Matoaka on the neck"But what are we going to do about your injuries."

Meanwhile Ichabod had fallen asleep on the sofa thinking hard about the Manimal situation, the dream he had was not pretty it was a nightmare he hoped to never have again.

He dreamed he was tied to a bed he was stark naked and his bottom was exposed for all to see.

Bob came in wearing Leather and wielding a riding crop "At last Ichabod." Bob said with a sneer "I have you in my clutches, to have my way with you to the way I want to..."

"Please let me go!" Ichabod said "Please PLEASE let me go!"

Bob didn't answer with words instead he wacked Ichabod's behind with the riding crop.

"I think that answers your questions."
James meanwhile, was having his own problems. The place he was in was pitch black.

Should I risk using a flashlight or not? was what he was wondering.

A scuttling sound made him make up his mind. He had an all too vivid memory of the giant spiders who had inhabited the last dark place he had been in. Where was that? James had so many adventures they tended to run together in his head. But he remembered the spiders well enough. He clicked on the flashlight.

Immediately something loomed out of the darkness and into the light straight for him, something with a huge gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth. Without thinking, he threw the flashlight at it. It swallowed the light with a quick gulp.


In dreamland Ichabod was wailing, "Please let me go!" as Bob slapped his butt again and again with the riding crop.

"Come on, you big red-headed giraffe!" Bob yelled. "Let's ride the clouds!"

"Noooooo!" Ichabod cried. "Marzipan! Help!"

Then he heard a voice saying, "Ichabod! Wake up! You're having a nightmare," and he opened his eyes and saw Marzipan standing by the sofa in her bathrobe rubbing his forehead with her hand.

"Whew!" Ichabod said. "I hope I never have THAT dream again."
Marzipan sighed as she took a damp washcloth and mopped Ichabod's damp sweat forehead with it.

"I'll be turning back into a toy soon." She said "Got any idea on how you'll make me real?"

"Gosh Marzi..." Ichabod said "I've got so much too think about right now that I'm hard pressed to figure out how to make you real."

Ichabod looked at the clock it was 5:30 Still dark, his mother and father still were not up yet.

"I feel gross." Ichabod said "I need a shower." He took off his pair of shorts, (Which was the only thing he had been wearing)

"Aye Chihuahua!" Marzipan exclaimed eying his fanny and balls for the first time

"Shoot!" Ichabod said quickly covering himself "I keep forgetting you're not a toy any more"

Meanwhile Zander and Matoaka had a troubling sleep Zander was having strange erotic nightmare and woke in sticky sheets

'Shit." Zander whispered to himself "I better see if I can remove these sheets without Matoaka noticing"

But as he got out of bed, his body had another semen dump...He cried out "I keep jizzing myself! Oh Matoaka what have you done to me!"
He looked at the puddle of seamen and floor and said "Most guys need Kleenexes I need towels...Oh I am cursed"
Meanwhile, James was dealing with his own nightmare. From the brief look the flashlight had given him, he know that he was dealing with a large reptilian, and carnivorous, creature.

"Great!" he muttered. "They've got themselves a dragon! Let me guess, you can shoot flames from your mouth, and rear end right?"

"Ha! Ha! You're funny," a deep voice said, in a childish manner. "Of course, your treat wasn't very tasty."

"Wasn't meant to be a treat," James said, as he tried to locate the creature. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to have some fun, before I kill you."

"Others have said that to me, but they tended to end up dead."

"Oh, are you immortal?"

"No, just tough to kill."

"I like my food tough," the creature said. "It exercises my jaw muscles and gives me a firm jaw. Did I tell you that I was handsome?"

"No," James said, thinking maybe vanity might be one of the creature's weak points, "but in the brief glimpse I had of you I did think you had that certain something special about you. If you cough up my flashlight then perhaps I can get a better look."

"Is that what that morsel you fed me was? A flashlight? No wonder I almost broke a tooth on it. Sure, I'll cough it up. I like my food to know what a beautiful predator I am. I am a perfect predator, you know. I have a big mouth with lots of teeth. It's a food motel. The food checks in, but it doesn't check out."

"Yeah," James said. "I can hear you have a big mouth even if I can't see it. How about that flashlight? I want the last thing I see before I get eaten to be your pretty face."

"You've got a good attitude," the creature said, and hacked up the flashlight.

It was the moment James had prepared himself for by quietly picking up the biggest rock he could find. When the flashlight came popping out of the creature's mouth, still on and shining, it gave James just the glimpse he needed to estimate where to throw the rock. It landed right between the creature's eyes with a satisfying thud.

"What have you got to say for yourself now?" James asked. There was no reply. James grabbed up the light and aimed it at the creature. It was unconscious but still breathing. James was surprised to see that it was almost all mouth with just a tiny body. He picked up the large rock and smashed all the creature's teeth out. That should give it something to think about.

James wiped the flashlight clean and continued on his way. Hopefully, those Big Mouths were loners. He wouldn't want to run into two or three of them at once.
James found Leo laying on a the floor of a public restroom, he was breathing hard he looked poisoned.

"What the hell happened to you?" James asked

"Rat..." Leo gasped "Was poisoned."

James used his wolf nose to smell the lion's breath and determined he had salmonella

Meanwhile Matoaka was still asleep, Zander was in the kitchen looking through the various fruits and vegetables and nuts and grains trying to see if there was an edible item that could cure his sexual problems.

"There has to be something to counter act the effects of the strawberries!" He said to himself...He pulled out a red radish.

"Maybe this will help!" He ate the radish but it was too spicy for him and he ended up drinking five glasses of ice water.

"Zander..." It was Beth's voice, she was curled up on the sofa "What are you doing? It's not even morning."

Zander looked at his shorts and saw he had a throbbing erection "It's just morning wood." He whispered to himself he put ice cubes down his pants hoping the cold ice would make his erection go down faster After he did this he went to the fridge again pulled out an apple and munched on it saying "Oh don't worry about me dear I just got a little hungry in the night."
"Um, okay."
Zander looked at the frightened little Jackal Cub, his erection had gone down, he felt confident enough to step out from behind the counter.

"Were you having a bad dream?" He asked

"Yeah..." She said "About my Dad."

"Was he mean to you when you transformed?" Zander asked

"He was always kind of mean, not just to me but to my mother..."

Meanwhile Hadrian Marrows had gotten cleaned up and healed of his allergic reaction, soon he and Tipp were playing in the park riding the see-saw together.

"It's nice our children can play together nicely." Mrs Marrows said

"Yes." Mrs Barrington said "It's so strange normally wolves and squirrel are enimies aren't they?"

"I think wolves are nomally uninterested in low calorie-squirrels."
Meanwhile, James was checking over Leo.

"Looks like you have it bad kid," he said. "That rat you ate has killed you. Now it's just a matter of how long you've got left."

"What are you talking about?" Leo groaned. "I'm not dead. It was just a rat."

"The rat you ate could of eaten something that killed it, like a poison tablet," James said. "Also, you're not the first deader I've seen."

James kept his face solemn, but on the inside, he was laughing. The lion would be alright in a day or two, but he would be quite sick. James had seen it before; too much raw meat eaten too fast would give one a very serious stomachache, and a few other things.

Zander realized he had just called Beth "dear". He hoped she didn't think he was trying to be fresh with her. It must have been the darn erection talking. Matoaka just had to play around with strawberries. And now Matoaka was sound asleep in their bed while he had to stumble around putting ice cubes down his pants. It just wasn't fair.
Beth's sharp Jackal eyes must have saw the look of discontent on his face and asked "Is something wrong Zander?"

"Oh...I'm fine Beth." He said a little sadly "I'm just having...grown up problems."

"Is it about your private parts?" Beth asked

Zander looked at her and Beth tugged on her ears

"Ever since I was mutated I can hear what people are whispering two rooms across from me! And I'm not an ignoramus I know what the names for private parts are! My Mom got me a big book about puberty and body changes for me to read when I was in middle school I sneaked it in to my room and read it when everybody else was asleep!"

Zander couldn't help but laugh, this little girl reminded of himself when he was a small chick, precocious and far too eager too learn

"Ah...You make me laugh." He said "Thank you I needed that."

Meanwhile Marzipan was bringing Rodan some food, she was not sure what he would like, so she got a can of sardines in oil, a glass of milk and some assorted fruits and vegetables from the kitchen.

Rodan felt like he had been hit by a bus, he was sick to his stomach and felt like he was about to throw up
"What happened?" he asked. "Where am I? How'd I get here?"

"You're at Ichabod's house," Marzipan said. "You drank some Cranberry juice."

"Why did I do that?" Rodan said. "It's very bad for me!"

"You probably didn't know what it was. A man gave it to you. He didn't know how it would affect you. At least, I don't think he knew. Did you know him? Do you think he did it on purpose?"
"I don't know..." Rodan said as he leaned back against the bed "Oh I feel sick!"

"Maybe you should eat something." Marzipan said

Meanwhile Zander had gotten his erection to go down completely he wondered if he should see if Matoaka was awake yet.

"I probably should check on her." He said "She might still be a little weak."

He went upstairs to the bedroom, the sunbeams were already trailing into the bedroom...Matoaka was asleep on the bed, she looked so peaceful and serene that Zander could not help but stroke her furry cheek.

Matoaka woke up, her furry hand clutched Zander's "I think you were right about the strawberries." She said quietly "I feel too weak to stand."

Zander couldn't help but feel distraught, she was suffering just as much as he was if not more so

"Don't worry.."He said "I'll carry you."

Matoaka was shocked he could lift her "How can you lift me?" She asked "I'm heavier than you!"

"Doing hard labor under the years of Betta Occupation made me stronger than the average Ave." Zander said with a wink
"You know, we haven't heard from those guys in a while. I wonder what they are up to."
"I think they have gone back to their doomed home planet." Zander said as he carried her to the kitchen "They realized there is no point in invading other planets so they went back to their own."

"That doesn't mean they aren't up to something. They might be planning another invasion."

"They might be," Zander said, "but I don't want to think about it. I just want to enjoy life for awhile."

Matoaka lifted her shoulders. "We can't just stick our heads in the sand and ignore any dangers out there."

"You're talking about ostriches, aren't you?"

Matoaka looked puzzled. "Not directly. It's just an old saying that goes: don't stick your head in the sand."

"No, I studied this when I was studying earth customs. It's something ostriches do and since ostriches are birds and I am like a bird you compared me to an ostrich."

"Zander! I didn't do it on purpose! It's really just an old saying that everybody uses. it doesn't have to be about birds."

"But you admit it IS about birds?"

"So what if it is? I LIKE birds! I like you! I LOVE you!"

Matoaka put her arms around him as she said that.

Zander smiled. "OK, sorry. I guess I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder. Blame it on the strawberries."

Matoaka laughed. "The strawberries did it."
Zander felt somewhat uneasy...How long would it be until the strawberries completly wore off? The Last time he ate a strawberry he was only under the effects of it for an hour no more no less


'What if the effects last longer the more I eat them?'' Zander thought to himself 'What if I get addicted like a drug what if...'

DING DONG! It was the doorbell

"Beth!" Matoaka said "Could you get the door for us?"

"OK." Beth said she wet to open the door standing there was a white Japanese Dragon

"Hello Belladonna!" Matoaka said "What a lovely surprise!"

The White Dragon looked at the two of them, Zander holding the Unicorn like a groom does a bride

"Am I...Interupting something?" She asked "Someone delivered a package of jams ad jellies to our home in the sewers....I didn't think me or the turtles ordered it so I think it is yours..."

"I did order some preserves." Matoaka said slowly "But why someone would deliver them to the sewers is beyond me...Come in please Don't mind me I just...hurt my ankle last night."
"Okay," Belladonna said, with an understanding smile. "Perhaps we should look them over. You never know who could have actually sent them."

Belladonna and Matoaka unpacked all the jars of jams and jellies and lined them up on the table.

"Do you notice anything strange about them?" Belladonna asked.
"Yeah..." Matoaka said narrowing her eyes "They all smell off a little..."

"What do you mean?" Zander asked

"I mean they all smell like they've been tainted with mutagen and not the kind that turns humans into Manimals that stuff is virtually scentless and if anything causes whatever food it's put in to taste better...No this is a different mutagen!"

Belladonna instantly knew what she was taking about.

Meanwhile at Ichabod's house...with a little coaxing Marzipan managed to get Rodan to eat some of the food she had brought for him.

He ate all of the sardines, and tried the strawberries and blackberries, but would eat no more of the fruits and vegetables than that

"So, what are we going to do today?" Ichabod asked.

"We're going to take care of Rodan," Marzipan said.

"What? All day?!" Ichabod had his hands on his hips.

"He needs looking after."

"I'm not going to stay inside all day playing nurse to a pterodactyl."

"Ichy! Don't talk mean about him! Poor thing, he has been through a lot."

Ichabod looked up at the ceiling. "Oh gee... I'm going out for awhile."
Ichabod grabbed his scarf and coat and went for a walk along the forest's edge.

Along the way he spotted two women a very young brunette and a middle aged blonde, they were talking about something.

Ichabod hid behind a tree and listened to them
"Gesh! I wonder where we should go for dinner," the one said.

"Yeah, all of those places being affected will Salminalla at the same time," said the other. "Maybe McDonald's is safe?"

"How about some Mexican food?" the brunette said. "Taco Bell?"

"Noooooo," said the blonde. "You know what I'm in the mood for? Waffles!"

"Waffles! That's not a meal."

"They sell other food. I'll get waffles and you can get something else."

They were still arguing as they walked away.

Ichabod stepped out from behind the tree and watched them go. "Food makes the world go round," he muttered.
The Brunette started to clutch her stomach as the two of them were walking.

"I don't feel so good." She said "I feel positively ill!"

"What are you blathering about?"
The End

The End!

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