Chapter Text
In the Nelson house, it was Duncan, Abby, and unfortunately, Janet. Kendra and Drew were out to work. Janet was sitting in the living room and reading a book like a good little girl, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her. Duncan and Abby stood at the top of the staircase, holding balloons overhead their younger sister.
"Ready?" Duncan whispered. "On my count. One..."
"Two..." Abby counted with him.
"THREE!" Duncan and Abby then let go of the balloons.
Janet was then soaked in raw sewage as the balloons popped on her head. "My hair!" she screamed.
Duncan and Abby laughed and high-fived each other.
Janet scowled at her older siblings. "I'm gonna kill you both!"
"Cry us a river, Janet." Abby mocked.
"Yeah, loser." Duncan added.
"What did I do to get stuck with two rebellious siblings?" Janet growled to herself.
Duncan and Abby laughed.
"That was a good one." Abby smirked.
Duncan then felt his phone vibrating and took it out. "Sorry, Sis, video chat."
"Yeah, yeah, go ahead with your Princess of Darkness." Abby walked off with a teasing laugh.
Duncan rolled his eyes, he went into his bedroom and answered the video chat to see the blonde member of the Hex Girls.
"Hi, Duncan." Dusk waved to him.
"Sup, Princess?" Duncan greeted.
"Oh, nothing much..." Dusk replied casually. "How'd you like to go on a cruise?"
"A cruise?" Duncan asked. "I dunno... Mom told me about her dates with Pops on his private yacht when they were younger..."
"Well, you're invited with some friends, especially that sister of yours," Dusk replied. "The girls and I have a gig in the Australian Outback."
"Really?!"
"Yup."
"Well, in that case, I'm in."
"Fantastic." Dusk smiled.
Duncan smiled back. "What's the occasion anyway?"
"There's a music festival and it ain't a party unless the Hex Girls are there." Dusk chuckled.
"Oh, definitely," Duncan agreed. "But, we'll be there, Princess."
"Sounds good to me." Dusk smiled back.
Duncan smiled to her. "I'll round up some people when I can, then get back to you."
"Sounds good." Dusk agreed.
Duncan nodded, then talked more with her until she needed to go.
Meanwhile...
Cindy was with Maxwell, Kaitlin, Robin, Johnny, and Mike. Cindy was surprising her friends as they walked together and she even walked alongside the railroad tracks, having been afraid of trying to do that before with an incoming train possibility.
"There's nothing to be worried about." Robin said.
"Except for that motorcycle with someone coming our way." Johnny cautioned.
"WHAT?!" Cindy panicked.
"OUT OF MY WAY, ASS BAGS!" the driver yelled out.
The kids jumped back out of the way.
"Excuse you!" Kaitlin glared at the motorcyclist.
The motorcyclist stopped ahead of the children and took off its helmet to reveal a familiar sex symbol character.
"Betty Boop?" Robin guessed.
"I thought she was dead." Mike whispered.
Cindy walked over and looked up.
The monochrome woman coughed heavily and set her helmet down as she jumped off the motorcycle. "Hey, kiddies!"
"Toot Braunstein?!" Cindy recoiled in shock. "What're you doing here in the city?"
"Mike invited me to visit her for a while." Toot explained.
"Toot Braunstein?" the other kids asked.
"Well, that was nice of her..." Cindy smiled, putting her hands in her pockets.
"Where you kids off to then?" Toot asked.
"Cartoon Rookies clubhouse," Cindy said. "I'm expecting a call from... My uncle."
"Hey, I wanna thank you and Mike and your other friends for protecting me and the other housemates a while back." Toot smiled then.
"No problem, I still can't believe that your mom was the one who organized hit men to kill you guys." Cindy replied.
"And now she's dead," Toot added. "Thank God."
"Hey, Cindy, who's that woman?" Robin asked.
"You ever hear of 'Drawn Together'?" Toot asked her.
"Oh... We're not allowed to watch that show." Mike said.
"But some of us watch it anyway," Johnny smirked. "You're that old fat chick."
Toot narrowed her eyes then whacked the back of his head.
"Ow!" Johnny glared, rubbing his head.
"Everyone, this is Toot Braunstein," Cindy introduced. "Toot, these are my friends, Kaitlin and Maxwell Hartman, Johnny Test, Robin Snyder, and Mike Believe."
"Man, you hit hard." Johnny groaned at the monochrome woman.
"Oh, well, thank you." Toot cooed.
"Where are you off to, Toot?" Cindy then asked.
"To the diner," Toot replied. "I'm meeting up with Mike, her cousin, and Ling-Ling."
"Oh, Sky's pretty cool, just don't mess with her or her sister or else." Kaitlin warned.
"Yeah." Johnny agreed.
"Seems kinda empty around here with Brianna and Trent gone with Mystery Inc to Australia." Robin said.
Meanwhile at Pop's Diner...
"Come on, Mike, you should come with us." Duncan begged.
"Duncan, Toot is coming over to visit." Mike explained why she wouldn't come with him and Abby to Australia.
"So?" Duncan shrugged. "We can just take her with us."
"Is that a good idea?" Sky asked. "I mean... No offense, Mike, but your friend Toot has an... Interesting diet..."
"She's controlled herself," Mike promised. "Besides, if I go with Toot, I'm taking Ling-Ling with me."
"Well... Okay..." Sky shrugged.
"What is that Ling-Ling again?" Duncan asked. "A dog?"
"No, he's a battle monster, he's like a Pokemon." Mike explained.
"Well, where is he?" Duncan asked.
"I'll call him." Mike said before blowing a special whistle.
Ling-Ling was snoring heavily in a room, then his eye pricked up. He then jumped up with a growl as yellow spikes came out of his back and he ran straight into town.
"He should be here any second now." Mike said.
Ling-Ling was zooming by the other citizens, looking very determined.
"I hope your new pet doesn't attack us." Duncan hoped.
"Nah, not unless you try to hurt me," Mike said. "Ling-Ling's pretty harmless."
Duncan looked out the window and spotted the incoming battle monster. "He looks like Pikachu."
"Are you sure he's not a Pokemon?" Sky asked.
"Pretty sure..." Mike said. "Maybe he's Pikachu and Raichu's long-lost brother or whatever..." she then shrugged.
Ling-Ling busted the door down and struck an epic pose. "HYAH!"
"Hey, Ling-Ling." Mike greeted her pet.
"Mike, Ling-Ling heard the whistle, are you hurt?" Ling-Ling rushed over to the tomboy, checking her body over for wounds.
"No, no, I'm fine, I promise," Mike soothed. "I just wanted you to meet my friend Duncan."
"Duncan...?" Ling-Ling turned his head to see the punk rock-like juvenile delinquent.
"Sup?" Duncan greeted the battle monster.
"And his sister, Abby." Mike then added in.
"Abby..." Ling-Ling then said.
"And this is my cousin, Sky." Mike then introduced.
"Hello." Sky smiled and waved to the battle monster.
"Ling-Ling did not know you had a family outside of Jen and Jamie, Mike." Ling-Ling said to his new owner.
Mike was about to say something until she heard a motorcycle running and then crashing on top of Dennis's car.
"Someone destroyed Dennis's hasbeen car!" Abby called.
"MY CAR!" Dennis yelped.
Toot laughed as she came into the diner with the six younger kids. "That was amazing!"
Cindy looked deathly pale. "That was amazing... 'Scuse me a sec..." she wheezed before going to the water fountain, then drank some water and restored her natural skin color after catching her breath. "Phew!"
"SOMEONE IS GONNA PAY FOR THIS!" Dennis yelled.
"What's his problem?" Toot asked. "It was just an accident... Oh, man, I could really use some pickles and ice cream."
"Uh, Miss Braunstein, no offense for my asking, but... Are you pregnant?" Kaitlin asked.
"Yeah, why?" Toot glared from hormones.
"Oh, nothing personal, it's just a lot of pregnant women eat that." Kaitlin explained.
"Yeah, I'm pregnant, and I can't tell you how I'm pregnant." Toot replied calmly then.
"Well, it's obvious how you are..." Maxwell said. "We'll just stop talking then."
"Hey, Toot, glad ya could make it." Mike high-fived the monochrome woman and shook hands with her.
"Oh, Mike, I'm so glad to see you," Toot smiled. "Even if you look more like a boy than you used to."
"Yeah, I've been working out." Mike admitted.
"I can tell," Toot giggled. "Let me feel them."
"Well, if you insist." Mike said before flexing her arms.
Toot giggled and felt her muscles. "Nice!"
Mike smiled back.
"Oh, I just hope I can find a stable man someday..." Toot sighed.
"Want my Uncle Bubba?" Cindy mumbled under her breath. "You both eat as much as a Tyrannosaurs Rex on rampage."
"It's too bad Xandir is gay," Toot sighed. "He seems like such a nice guy."
"Don't worry, Toot, you'll meet someone," Mike promised. "There's someone out there for everyone."
"What about you, Mike?" Toot asked with a smile. "Have you finally found someone?"
"Yeah, her name is Lil DeVille," Mike confirmed. "She's awesome."
"Where is she?" Toot asked.
"Oh, she's with her brother and parents, they had a family thing," Mike explained. "You'll meet her sometime, I invited her to come over sometime."
"And now we're going to Australia." Duncan then said.
"I heard about this boy named Cody goes on heroic quests in the jungles with his animal friends in Australia." Cindy spoke up.
Kaitlin and Robin giggled, sounding like fan girls.
"We were hoping you could come with us." Abby invited the monochrome woman.
"Sure, I'd love to." Toot accepted the invitation.
"Ling-Ling will go if Mike go." Ling-Ling stated.
"I'm going too, don't worry about that." Mike promised.
"Me too." Sky added.
"You gonna go too, Cindy?" Duncan asked, ruffling up the little girl's hair.
"Yeah..." Cindy chuckled nervously. "Adventure... W-What's the worst that could happen, eh?"
"Great, we're gonna go on a cruise ship." Duncan said.
Cindy gulped. "Cruise..." she then squeezed her eyes shut as sweat beaded down her face.
"We're gonna see Duncan's girlfriend again~..." Abby smirked.
"Shut it." Duncan glared.
"The one he calls 'Princess'." Abby continued.
"How about you when you talk about Levin in your sleep?" Duncan retorted.
Abby bit her lip and blushed as the others chuckled.
"How soon until we go?" Mike asked.
"Day after tomorrow, should give you plenty of time to pack." Duncan said.
"YOU FATSO!" Dennis stormed into the diner and glared at the monochrome woman.
"Here we go..." Cindy sighed exhaustedly.
"Aw, shut up, it was an accident." Toot glared at Dennis.
"I'm gonna sue you for all you're worth!" Dennis glared. "If I wanted some tubby to crash my stuff, I would've ran into Tony Sampson!"
"Well, you shouldn't have parked in my spot." Toot defended.
Toot and Dennis roared and yelled at each other until Toot grabbed a bottle, smashed the end of it, grabbed Dennis by his collar and held the sharp ends close to his throat. "I'LL CUT YOU IF YOU DON'T BACK OFF!"
"Whoa, whoa, take it easy there, Piggy." Dennis replied.
"PIGGY?!" Toot roared.
"He's dead." Mike told Sky, Duncan, and Abby.
"I didn't mean it like that," Dennis replied. "I-"
"WHAT?!" Toot roared.
"Can I go now?" Dennis begged.
Toot snarled and threw him out the doors, slamming them shut after he was thrown out. Dennis hopped to his feet and ran off.
"Good riddance..." Toot scoffed. "Man, what a dork!"
"Toot, that was awesome." Mike beamed.
"Oh, really?" Toot asked before giggling. "Oh, go on..."
The others laughed.
"So, Cindy, you going to Australia with them then?" Mike B asked.
"I guess I have no choice now..." Cindy shrugged. "Eh, what's the worst that could happen to me?"
"Once again, you're going with them." Maxwell pouted.
Cindy sighed, then walked over to Duncan and Abby. "Can the others come too?" she then asked. "Please... They really cleaned my clock the last time I went away with you guys without them."
"Sorry, kiddo, but there's only room for one more, so choose wisely." Duncan advised.
"Fine, I'll choose Robin to come with us." Cindy replied.
"Why don't you ask Maxwell?" Mike asked.
"Maxwell?" Cindy's eyes widened and she blushed slightly. "He's too hot... NOT MY TYPE! Not my type..."
"We heard that." Abby teased.
Cindy bit her fist nervously.
"I think you should ask Maxwell, Cindy..." Sky suggested. "Besides, it might be good if you two spend some alone time together... Get to know each other better..."
Cindy shuffled her foot and shrugged. "Well... It might be good for him to get a break from his sister."
"Ling-Ling thinks you should ask him." Ling-Ling advised.
"Right, whatever he said." Cindy agreed, even if she didn't understand the strange creature.
"Good boy." Mike pet her battle monster on the head with a smile.
Ling-Ling smiled back and hugged Mike.
"Aww~..." Sky cooed.
Cindy walked over to her friends around her age demographic. "Hey, Maxwell... Ya wanna go to Australia?"
"Are you sure you don't want your older boy crush to come, like Dean or Hank?" Maxwell huffed.
"Maxwell, please..." Cindy pouted.
Maxwell folded his arms with a low scoff. "Well... All right..."
Cindy hugged him with a smile. "You won't be sorry!"
"Whatever, knowing you, when we get there, you will have a crush on an older person like always." Maxwell replied.
"Maxwell..." Cindy pouted.
"Sorry, but I know you..." Maxwell sighed.
"Maxwell, I promise I won't do it again!" Cindy put her hands together.
"Yes, you will." Maxwell defended.
Cindy pouted with a small sigh.
"Cindy, I swear, if you do it, I'm leaving you..." Maxwell lifted her face up. "I'm not messing around, I will really do it and I don't care what happens to me after."
Cindy sniffled. "I'm sorry... But sometimes, I can't help it."
"One more chance, Cindy..." Maxwell said. "You got that?"
"Yes, Maxwell..." Cindy stood up then. "I p-p-promise."
Maxwell then shook hands with her. "All right then."
Cindy smiled to him. "You won't be sorry."
"Man, he was harsh," Abby overheard their conversation. "It's not her fault, girls tend to do it."
Sky was sipping her milkshake, then looked up. "What's up?"
"Just listening in on Cindy and Maxwell," Abby replied innocently. "He's being tough on her and I don't like it."
"What's he saying?" Mike asked.
"If he catches her having a crush on an older guy, then he will leave her for good." Abby replied.
"Dang..." Duncan, Mike, Toot, and Sky cringed slightly.
Cindy walked back over to the others. "Maxwell's on board."
"Don't worry, Cin, if he intends to hurt you, I will rip out his spine and use it for Halloween decorations." Abby promised/threatened.
"Uhh, okay?" Cindy shrugged.
"Just lookin' out for ya..." Abby patted Cindy on the head roughly.
Cindy winced at the rough handing, then shrugged.