That was just another spit ball courtesy of me. I'm kind of obsessed with the name piggly wiggly, felt the need to shout it out.

My sister-in-law runs this resale shop - I may be able to get us in there. Bonus - there's a pizza place next door.

This is trendier...




Piggly Wiggly does offer a greater variety of food choices, though.

JJ @ 9/6/2022 19:43

This is trendier... Piggly Wiggly does offer a greater variety of food choices, though.

that one's near my favourite paintballing place!

It’s near my favorite spit-balling place.

"No you hang up.

Ok fine. See you tonight Percy." Carmen said with a giggle as she placed the phone on the receiver.

As she leaned back in her chair her shouldered slumped slightly.

"Just a friend eh?" A voice echoed behind her.

She jumped knocking the phone off the side table with a ringing clang.

"Who said that?" She honked as she jumped to her feet tightening her robe around herself.

"Someone you said was the only one for you, eh?" the voice continued to echo.

Carmen shook her head angrily.

"Stop this, you're not there. You're not anywhere leave me alone." She said haphazardly throwing a book in the general direction of the voice. It collided with a mirror leaving a crack down the middle. Where a male canadian gander looked at her with a concerned expession.

"It was one thing you seeing a different guy every night but don't you think this is getting too serious? Don't you care about the bond we shared eh?" The voice continued to echo accusatorily.

"Stop it. Shut up! Shut up!" Carmen yelled out.

"Hey dollface is one of your Johns roughing you up in there?" a voice called from the hallway.

"No Louis it's fine. And they're not Johns, god!" Carmen yelled out.

"Whatever you say. I support you just be careful not to rough things up too bad or we'll be out on our Deposit haha." Louis laughed as she heard him waddle down the hallway.

Carmen sighed and looked up at the mirror. Seeing only a cracked image of herself and no other voices in the room.

====

"What did you do to me?" Carmen said in stunned silence.

"They don't call me no mercy Percy for nothing!" Percival squwaked as her rolled over and got out of bed. She should hear him rustling about for something on the floor but she still had her eyes closed.

"I swear one night with you makes me feel as powerful as Son Gooseku!" Percival bellowed out.

"Oh... uh, yeah. From... Goose of Thrones?"

"Carmen! No! Son Gooseku is the savior of earth from the planet Wedgeta!"

"Uh... from?" Carmen said as she pulled the blankets up around her chest.

"Pff. From Goose Ball Z! Please Carmen I sent you my Netflaps account for a reason!"

Carmen didn't know how to respond to that but smiled to herself at seeing him get so worked out about his Animes.

The shadows were dark in the room at this hour but it was easy to make out Percival's white plumage in the darkness. He was standing in the middle of the room in his recently equipped tighty whiteys, his masculine gut hanging over the waistband as he spread his wings.

"Oh, aside from your media watching habits... While i've got you here I had a business opportunity for you. For us I mean. Well for the whole gang honestly!" Percival said with a satisfied grin.

"Really? Right now?" Carmen was caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone but was listening.



"The Sqwad is getting back together."

"What? For real? It's been so long. I haven't seen the crew.... well since before i moved up north... briefly." Carmen shakes her head to prevent herself from reminiscing too much.

Over the next half hour Percival relayed all the information he had been given. His arms flailing wildly at each point as he pitched to her while still in his underwear.

"Ok so. Let me get this straight. we need to steal this device which is expensive and can talk to animals but it is an animal and we need an xray... and. Something about a mob?" Carmen was having trouble following all of this but figured she had the basics.

"I mean... that's mostly right. But i can fill you in on all the details at any point." Percy laughed to himself.

"Dealing with mob ganders and some science chick wouldn't be a problem for me. Seems like a pretty straightforward easy payday?" Carmen was imagining charming the right gander and getting out of this pretty easily.

"Well... there is a bit of a snag." Percival rubbed the back of his head.

"What?"

"Well security seems to be a bit tighter than I first realised. It seems like she's trying to keep any would-be troublemaking animals in line. She hired a group of security guards from the National Hunting Association."

Carmen raised an eyebrow at this. Dealing with simple Ganders was one thing. But human hunters guarding the place would be something else entirely. Her track record with seducing a human had been less than stellar... to put it lightly.

"So they'd be ok with just murdering an animal over some silly technology?" Carmen was a bit flabbergasted at that.

"Well. Murder is a strong word I guess. As far as they are concerned, we are fair game. Heh get it? Game?" Percy snorted as he laughed.

"Dare I ask what hunting season this event is on?" Carmen asked

Percy looked dead to camera.

"Goose Season"

"..."

"But we'll make a ton of money if we succeed"

Carmen looked over at the broken mirror and felt the chill on the air.

"With that sort of money I could fly south for a lifetime and not have to worry about my regrets anymore." She murmured under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Uh, I said. You son of a bitch I'm in"

The Catch: Security is far tighter than initially reported. Dr. Doomore has hired private security from the National Hunting Association - human hunters who will shoot unauthorized animals on sight.

Carmen's Agenda: To get rich it seems, you tell me Mal! The last bit suggested a huge payout is her condition for joining

And Finally: Carmen takes a journey across the hall to convince her roommate Louis to join back up. JJ details the grand finale - how the crew plans on making a clean getaway after they've secured the device

Sorry, I added it in at the end. (:

Louis was settled into one of the cushioned patio chairs, enjoying the night sky and one of his cigars. He didn’t imbibe too much these days but felt he deserved it on this night. He drew in the thick cigar smoke and then tapped the ashes into one of his homemade ashtrays. Pretty good little piece of work if I do say so myself, he thought.

He wasn’t even that annoyed that the internet was down, and he couldn’t watch his favorite show, Dateline NBC. And he knew this episode featured his favorite host. A God among humans, as far as he was concerned - Keith Morrison. That silver-haired, silver-tongued man could certainly spin a tale. He could tell a story about murder in a small community like no other. Louise chuckled to himself. It always started the same way - no one could ever believe a murder could happen in their quiet little community. Didn’t they know by now that’s where the real creeps live?

But that didn’t matter tonight. He just wanted to sit and enjoy his cigar and glass of brandy. He looked to the chair next to him. On it sat a decorative-looking vase, glazed perfectly by 'yours truly.' He looked at it lovingly.

“Clarice, my love.” Louis raised his glass to his one true love. His late wife Clarice. They had been together since they were goslings. They had made a good life together, until hers ended prematurely. He had been on his own since then. It was a bit of a lonely existence, but he had his memories.

He took another drag on his cigar when suddenly the patio door swooshed open and Carmen was standing there, looking at him. He noticed she was a bit flushed.

“Hi Carmen,” Louis said. “How’s Percy?”

“Oh, he left.” She rushed out and was about to sit on Clarice, but Louis motioned to the urn. Carmen nodded and moved to an empty chair. He thought he detected a bit of an eyeroll. He dismissed it.

He was secretly glad Percy had gone. He could get some peace and quiet tonight. Ah, youth was wasted on the young, Louis thought.

Carmen didn’t waste any time and told Louis about the plans Percy had apparently just filled her in on. The Squawd was getting back together! This was a surprise.

After taking in all the details, Louis sat quietly for a moment. Then he looked up at Carmen. “This sounds intriguing, but also a bit risky.”

“Well, yes…” Carmen started.. “but I think we can do it. I know we can.”

“Carmen, I’m an old gander. While I see the allure, I don’t know if I want to take the risk. I’m set in my ways and-”

Carmen interrupted Louis. “Nova Scotia.”

Louis stopped and looked at Carmen. She had his attention.

“Nova Scotia,” Carmen repeated. “You can have it.”

“How are you so sure?” asked Louis.

“Commander Gander.” Said Carmen. “He said if you do this one last job, it’s yours.”

Louis and Clarice had always planned on moving to Nova Scotia to live out their days, but it had never happened. He had relatives in Canada, and they had picked out the perfect little cottage on the water. It had never materialized. The cottage wasn’t for sale, and they were never able to make it happen. He knew for a fact Gander knew about these plans and about the cottage.

“He said he can make it happen.” continued Carmen. “Guaranteed. And there’s a flock of Canadian Geese who can accompany you... and Clarice, of course... on the move after the job is done.”

Louis heard a hint of sarcasm in Carmen’s voice but ignored it.

“So, you’re saying if I do this one last job, he can guarantee I can have the cottage... for Clarice and I?”

Carmen nodded slowly and stared at him pointedly.

If this was true… oh my, thought Louis. What wouldn’t he do for this? What would he do?

His mind started working, surprisingly quickly for his years.

“We’ll need an escape plan,” Louis started, “and I think I know just the thing.”

Doomore’s mansion was in Gooseberry Hills which, contrary to the name, was nestled right on the water. It was on Duckbill Sound. It fed into a river and therefore offered an excellent escape route.

“There is a planned dolphin exhibition that night. I’ve heard about this from my sources. There’s a giant tank where Doomore will communicate with the dolphins, showing off her powers by making them perform. Rumor has it it’s going to be very impressive. I’ve also heard there will be many porpoises involved. Extras, you might say.

We’re going to disguise ourselves as porpoises. There will be so many of them milling about, no one will notice a few more. None will be the wiser. And we can escape through the sound.”

Carmen took this all in. She looked skeptical but interested.

“That’s it,” said Louis. “I think we can do this.”

“You son of a bitch, I’m in!”

Escape Plan: The mansion rests on Duckbill Sound, a lake that funnels into a river. Escape via water by disguising yourselves as some of the porpoises that will be involved in Doomore’s dolphin exhibit

Louis’ Agenda. Two words. Nova Scotia.

Next Up: The Squawd is finally reunited as Xander Gander meets with the team to go over the plan (in the morning!)

Louis makes some sketches before he retires for the night.

Spoiler	+

Date: June 9th, 2022
Time: 01:53
Location: The Skein

Ryan...is so much....cooler than Steve.