Chapter 3: Ghost Therapy
Pinkamena is reading and says, "Ok things are not going so easy for the gang, and also once that last chapter comes, I will have picked the Light Elf's name from the 5 readers, or if not anymore come; may just be having to pick one of the 2 names or 3."
The others shrug at this.
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Spike's group screams as they run into the main foyer...and right into the Mane Six. They exclaims, "Twilight; Girls!"
"There you are! We were worried." Twilight said, relieved that her little brother/son is safe along with the CMC. "Where were you?"
"Did you run into those monsters too?" Rarity asks the young ones in concern.
"No...yes...sort of." Sweetie said, breathing in and out, exhausted from the galloping/running that she and her friends has done.
"Well, which is it?"
"We saw the three ghosts, they were mean yet cool." Scootaloo said. "Oh! But we also met a new friend who is a colt."
"Really; who is he?" Twilight ask, arching an eyebrow at the fillies. So somepony else is in the house? Who could it be?
Suddenly Calpepper appears, saying, "Hey, guys! Glad I found you!"
"A ghost," Rainbow screams as she and Applejack took out her ghost busting guns, preparing to fire at Calpepper.
"No, wait!" Apple Bloom screams as she pushes her sister and Rainbow, causing them to misfire and blast at the ceiling. As debris fell down, Calpepper yelps in fright as he flew into a suit of armor nearby.
"Apple Bloom, are yew plum crazy?!" Applejack demanded to her sister, shocked that she just did that, "Why did you do 'dat fer?!"
"Don't hurt Calpepper! He's our new friend!"
"Friend," The Mane Six ask in surprise. Their new friend is a ghost????
"Yeah. Come out, Calpepper, come out. It's okay." Nyx said to Calpepper gently. The colt ghost gently yet worried came out of the suit of armor. He follows the Alicorn filly back to the others. "Mom, aunties, this is Calpepper, our new friend. Calpepper? This is my mother and my aunts."
"Hi." Calpepper said, smiling meekly at the newcomers.
"Well, they aren't really my aunts. Just someone mom and dad picked as honorable one."
"Oh, hi, please to meet you." Fluttershy said, squeaking a bit. "I'm sorry for the fright. We just have a run in with three mean ghosts."
"Oh, sorry. My adopted uncles can be like that." Calpepper said with a smile, startling the Mane Six. "Oh! But I am not like them, no! They are cranky because people are trying to take their home."
"Wait a minute...are you the son of the inventor who died of illness? The son, not the inventor," Twilight said as she observes the ghost carefully. This must be the colt whose died years ago.
"Yeah, that's me."
"Hey...sorry for freaking out like that," Rainbow said seriously, rubbing the back of her mane while feeling guilty for her and Applejack blasting at him before. "We just had a bad time trying to bust your uncles."
"Yeah, though why yew hung around those fellers is beyond me." Applejack said. Why in Equestria would Calpepper hang around with ghosts who scared off ponies for a living?
"Yeah, it's a bad habit and a long story." Calpepper explains as he checks the ceiling. After making sure that there isn't any too much damage, he flew back down. "You see, my ghosts found me and well...try to make me scary. To be a honest...I am not quite fit in with their expectations."
"Because of your aunt, right," Spike ask in concern to Calpepper, making Twilight look at him, "Long story again."
"Yeah. My uncles are worried of losing our home. Even ghosts had to haunt somewhere, right?"
The Mane Six looks at each other, looking concerned. They've never thought of that. The girls were just trying to get rid of spooks who is getting in the way of work on an orphanage. The ghosts want to keep their home...but even orphans need a home too, right?
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"It's revolting that he rather sticks with the living then with his own kind!" Putrid exclaimed with a frown in not believing what was happening in their area.
"That colt's a menace." Stringbean snapped off in seeing Calpepper is starting to do things no ghost should ever be doing.
"Augh, I don't know." Porko responded off to A Stringbean's claim with a goofy thought over the matter. "I kinda liked him around." He spoke off this action that made Stringbean looked to his sib like he was crazy. "It was sorta like...a family. Even if we mistreated him, somewhere, it felt like we were quite the odds meet in having a little ghost around to living our days." Porko proclaimed this out with a goofy smile in imaging such a thing that they all & Calpepper are family, even if they are, but more...like a family that's there for the other.
"Am I Hearing This?" Stringbean covered his head's ears in not believing what he heard came from Porko, he actually makes it sound like he & the rest....actually care about Calpepper and don't want him to go or else it feels like they are empty or something.
"I can't help it!" Porko shrug off to say with a stump sorrow face in admitting his fault for speaking such actions to his sibs. "I 'FEEL' Stuff!" He sat down in saying it's not his fault for being emotional, even when he does be mean.
"Yeah, well feel this!" Stringbean grabbed something from the ground to whack the fat ghost to knock his senses back.
"Duuuagh," Porko showed a toothy smile while stars float around his noggin.
"A friendly ghost is a threat to all ghosts! And we know the rules in what happens and we'll be blame for the action cause he never bothered to listen to such warnings." Stringbean stretched up while Putrid & Porko floated next to him in hearing this claim. "So spread out & find that little polta-geek, and don't be too gentle about it if the fleshies start to get in the way again." As he gave out the order, he stretched his neck out in being specific about what to do while they begin to spread out.
Looks like things are really gonna be on a roll now.
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"So this was your father's library?" Twilight ask Calpepper curiously. The colt ghost decided to give his new friends a tour of the house to make up for the insanity that they've went through today.
"Yep; He likes to come in here, do research and do some thinking." Calpepper said with a smile. "Of course, when he wants to do some extra research, dad would go to his secret lab...if only I could remember where it is."
"Oooooh! Comic books," Pinkie giggles as she opens a chest and find comic books and looks through them. "Weird, they appear to be oldies."
"From years ago, what did you expect?" Rainbow asks Pinkie with a light chuckle. "Man, what's to eat around here?"
"Oh, I remember that we were making something until those ghosts scare us off." Nyx said in realization. The Alicorn filly frowns. "But that fat ghost Porko ate it."
"No worries, I can get more! Be right back!" Calpepper exclaims happily as he speeds through a wall of the library.
"Well, he's nice." Sweetie said with a smile. She notices a worried look on the Mane Six's face, "Uh? Is there a problem; Rarity; Twilight?"
"Oh, I don't know." Rarity said with a sigh. "We want to give the orphans an home but..."
"Is it right 'ta kicked them ghosts out? They need a place 'ta haunt too." Applejack said with a sad sigh.
Spike and the CMC didn't have an answer. They don't know how to respond to this. Suddenly a noise like a helicopter landing is heard, much to the concern of the living ponies and Dragon. What is making that noise?
Suddenly the 11 gasps as the song of 'Ride of Valkyries' are heard as three familiar bad ghosts appears, humming as they came into the room. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow got in front of the fillies to keep them safe while Spike got in front of the remaining mares to do so the same thing.
Once the song stops, Stringbean smells a bit then smirks while saying, "Ahh...I love the smell of freshies in the morning!"
Stringbean slams a fist onto the table...and suddenly the curtains of the room were suddenly flipped open. The three ghosts scream in a panic as they groan, "We're melting, we're melting, oh what a word..." The good guys looks bewildered as their tormentors until melting until they dissolve, disappearing from sight.
"Uh...what just happened?" Pinkie asks in confusion, not sure how to figure this one.
"I think...maybe they cross over." Twilight said with a small smile on her face. That must means that the Three Phantomteers are gone for good!
Suddenly more curtains flips over, startling everyone as Putrid is heard saying, "Wrong!" The living groans as they saw the three ghosts wearing shades.
"I don't think so." Porko remarks stupidly and in amusement.
"Guess again, fleshbags!" Stringbean exclaims then he and his pals laughs madly to the Mane Six, Spike and the CMC.
The 11 sighs in annoyance. This just isn't their day.
"Don't these guys ever stop?!" Rainbow complained.
"Word must not be in their dictionary." Fluttershy said with a sigh.
"Okay, seriously, what's up with you three dum-dums?" Twilight asks the Three Phantomteers in irritation.
"What is up with you; we're trying to scare you out. Hello! We got a gig in this place." Stringbean snaps in annoyance to Twilight. "We ain't losing a home because of some orphans."
"But 'de orphans need a place too. Can't y'all git share 'de place," Applejack suggest. Her friends look oddly as if she made a drunken suggestion.
"No!" The three ghosts snaps.
Just then Calpepper floats into the room. Stringbean snaps in annoyance, "Aha! There you are. And what are you doing?"
"Just bringing them something," Calpepper explains to his adopted uncle nervously.
"Good, more food for me!" Porko exclaims happily as he tries to swallow the stuff but Rainbow got in the way. "Hey! Get your own hay!"
"You have no right stealing the food for yourself, you greedy tub of lard!" Rainbow shouted.
"Oh yeah; How do you like it if someone barges into your own home and steal what's yours?" Putrid demands to Rainbow in annoyance, pointing out how the Mane Six is trying to kick them out.
"Technically, this house is Calpepper's, not yours. You are just his guardians." Nyx points out cutely to the trio.
"Yeah; well, no pony ask for your opinion, Mary-Sue." Stringbean sneers then he turns into a boot and kicks her forward.
The others gasp as the Three Phantomteers laughs cruelly. Rarity glares angrily while snapping, "You guys are disgusting, obnoxious creeps!"
The trio blinks then said at once, "Thank you!"
"M... Mary-Sue," Nyx asked tearfully, her feelings severely hurt from being called that name.
"What's your problem? She's just trying to help!" Scootaloo complains to the mean ghosts.
"Hey, shut up, skinbag!" Stringbean snaps to Scootaloo right back.
"Fly off!" Scootaloo snaps right back.
"Take a hike!" Stringbean scowls in return.
"Get a grave!" Scootaloo snaps.
"Get some wings, Chicken Little!" Stringbean sneers cruelly.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!" Scootaloo yelled loudly, hating being called a chicken.
"Guys, come on, come on." Calpepper said, getting between the two before a war breaks out. "Come on, can't we compromise?"
"Com-what now," Porko ask confused.
"Guys, girls, look, I got an idea. Ghostbusting doesn't appear to be working so far but I read something called 'ghost psychiatry'." Twilight explains proudly.
"Who are you calling ghost psycho?!" Putrid snaps, misunderstanding.
"No, it means studying ghosts, trying to figure out how to figure out their problems, what their unsolved business is, etc. then get them to move on." Twilight explains with a nod. "I'm doing some psychiatry myself."
"So yew're going 'ta try 'ta use this therapy stuff on these fellers?" Applejack asks Twilight skeptically.
"Yes." Twilight said with a nod. Then she whispers to the others, "And if those guys try anything funny, we will only blast them as a last resort."
"Got it." Rainbow agreed with a nod.
"I'm a... Mary-Sue," Nyx whimpered, from being called such a harsh word and then she was about to start wailing, almost in a worst manner similar to Sweetie's crying from the CMC tree house being taken over.
Before she could, though, Twilight hugged Nyx comfortingly as she said quietly, "It’s okay, it’s okay. You aren't a Mary-Sue. You're my little filly, mommy's little foal; Sssh; it’s okay, mommy's here."
Nyx hugged Twilight back, feeling very happy she was there to comfort her.
"What's this all about?" Calpepper asked in confusion and concern.
"Nyx doesn't like being called Nightmare Moon, but she definitely doesn't like being called Mary-Sue either." Apple Bloom explained.
"Yeah, especially because of those awful pictures and fanfic stories that are anti-Nyx materials, and Nyx hates it as much as we do," Pinkie commented, breaking the fourth wall.
"Awww, I don't know why, but I feel kinda guilty." Porko said, feeling a bit guilty for the Mary-Sue remark.
"You ate too much. Get it together." Stringbean snaps as he throws a book at the side of Porko's head.
"Uncle Stringbean? Can't you apologize? I mean, Nyx is a very special filly and you must've feels some guilt, right?" Calpepper ask Stringbean in concern.
"Hey, only if some miracle occurs and/or I start feeling emotions would I do that nicely!" Stringbean remarks dryly to his adopted nephew.
"Ahem, why don't you fillies and Dragon just head out for a while? We will take care of things from here." Pinkie said happily as she escorts Spike and the fillies, along with Calpepper out of the room.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Putrid teases the departing living ones.
"Drop dead!" Apple Bloom scowls to the Three Phantomteers.
"Too late," Stringbean remarks with a laugh.
"By that, she means drop into endless limbo, jelly-for-brains!" Sweetie shouted angrily.
Pinkie quickly ushers the fillies and Dragon out before closing the door. The Mane Six glances at the Three Phantomteers who glares at them. This may be a problem.
"Well, uh...look, I know you aren't happy with us being here...but maybe if we all calm down and let Twilight do her work, we can all be good friends and we can get through this nicely." Fluttershy said kindly, "So how about it?"
The three phantoms' response; they threw the food that Calpepper brought for his friends, getting it all over the mares.
As the ghosts laugh, Twilight frowns while remarking dryly, "Okay, the first round goes to you three."
"My Mane!" Rarity whined in disgust as she looked at her messy mane.
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Ben is in the middle of the pond, standing on the small rock. Small rocks are coming in. As the rocks were about to hit Ben's head, he made quick swift by dodging down. Then, the next rocks attacks at Ben's legs, but he quickly jumped up. More rocks shoot him but he quickly used his back leg and kicks them off, one-by-one.
Flash was nearby, watching with Big Macintosh, Tough and Phobos. He comments, "Phobos, guys, do you think Ben can survived Chase's training?"
Phobos shrugs while asking, "Why are you worried about that? I'm sure he's gonna be fine."
Phobos spoke too soon. The gang heard Ben yelling, "YEOW!" That's because he landed on the ground hard. Just before he could do anything, Ben noticed a small rock, coming in speed, shaking and frightened him off causing Ben to be unbalanced, and fell into the pond. Chase sighed as he held the small rock tight.
"Uh....... Okay, maybe not." Phobos remarks sheepishly.
"Still, Flash, are you being....... overprotective?" Big Macintosh ask Flash skeptically, concerned for the Pegasus's words.
"Kinda reminds me o' Brave Heart trying 'ta protect Rainbow Dash fro' getting hurt." Tough remarked in agreement.
Big Mac, Tough and Phobos laughed and chuckled loudly. Flash groaned in annoyance, "Overprotective?! Excuse me for being a responsible and caring friend to the one who I considered a family and........ a brother."
"Yeesh; No need to be harsh, Flash; It's just a joke." Phobos insists, assuring Flash that the trio was just having fun. "After all, we know your story of how much you care for Ben."
Big Mac nods while adding, "Eeyup. Just like me and Shining Armor caring for the little sisters of ours."
"So don't fussing up, partner. Ah'm sure Ben's fine." Tough assures Flash to calm down. "Chase's seems 'ta be 'de finest pony than Brave Heart. Boy, 'dat pony is rude."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh remarked. He and Tough are still upset over that lost battle against Brave Heart during the Alicorn's previous stay.
"Tell me about it." Phobos said with a nod of agreement. They all agree that Chase is no threat.
Flash sighed, "I know. But........I can't get the feeling that this guy........ is up to something." He doesn't know why, it's just this feeling that the Pegasus pony has.
Chase approached Ben who shook off his body from being wet. He then walked out from the water. Chase sighed, "Once again, Ben, you're lacking on your senses than eyes."
Ben groaned, "Can't I use the Master Sword? I thought you're gonna train me about using my Triforce Weapons."
Chase groaned as he hits Ben's head, making him yelp in pain. The retired (or so the others thought) one scolds the stallion, "What was the first rule, Ben?"
Ben groaned, "I'm not allowed to use any of Triforce Weapons until I am ready. So, what is exactly I'm doing until I'm ready?"
"Your tiger instinct and martial arts; Ever since I came to Ponyville, I heard and learned about your strength and weakness. Your strength is using weapons and relying on your friends, but your ultimate weakness: lacking any skills of your own. Without them, you won't have the chance to win and defeat your enemy. I believe the perfect example will be facing Hiko Sejiro and Shendu, facing Snake Demon, helping Twilight in restoring Tree of Harmony and bringing Fluttershy down when she was a Vampire Pony." Chase said, counting down what Ben had to face that he had trouble with in the past. "Tell me, would you like to go through that again?"
Ben sighed, "No."
"Good. But know this: those weapons don't simply appear and choose their master without its reason. And those who do not understand the true strength within them will never achieve the true strength and power of the weapons. Not only that." Chase said, making Ben gulped in worry. "You either hurt yourself........." Ben showed firm and determined eyes to Chase. He smiled. "Or hurt the ones who you claimed as friends, family and loves."
Ben's eyes turned into worry, he sighed, "I guess you're right."
Chase is satisfied that Ben got the message. He comments, "Good. Unless you learn true lessons of Tiger and Aura Instinct, you are not allowed to use any of your weapons, and even the Master Sword until you are ready."
Ben's eyes turned into determination. He remarks, "I will."
Chase smile calmly as he had thoughts, 'Good. Show me the will...... Show me the determination....... Show me........ how much do these things mean to you; Just how much Alicorn Iris Crystal mean to me before her death.'
Chase motioned Ben to go back. The Earth pony went back to the middle rock of the pond as they prepared for the next training.
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"Nyx, yew okay," Apple Bloom ask Nyx as the fillies play in Calpepper's room. "Ah mean, what Stringbean said was uncalled fer."
"Yeah, I'm fine, really." Nyx sighs a bit, assuring her friends that she's fine. "Seriously, Calpepper, why do you even put up with them?"
"Well, I will be honest: they took me in since the king of all ghosts would've taken me away to some ghost school easily. Yeah, they may be pains...but give them some food and some attention and my uncles are the nicest guys...or whatever." Calpepper remarks with a shrug.
"They are creeps, you know that, right?" Spike asks Calpepper dryly.
"True, but they're my creeps." Calpepper said with a shrug.
"Hey Calpepper, I gotta ask. What's the difference between you Ghost and Spirit Ponies and even Musical Spirit Ponies?" Spike asked off this question that has been on his mind recently.
"That's a good question." Calpepper scratched his head in being curious of such a thing. "I'm guessing ghosts scare people and Spirit Ponies, they probably help them or do musical magic stuff."
"Oh...." The CMC responded to this response of the strange question.
"Well, we can guess you or your uncles aren't like Mangani then." Spike shrug off his shoulders to say this fact.
"The Silver Pony Healer; you met him?" Calpepper asked off surprise to suddenly hear this news out of nowhere.
"Yeah, our pal Ben freed him from where he was imprisoned. So now he's roaming around to heal any that are hurt." Spike nods to reply in what happened that they know the Spirit Pony.
"Wow..." Calpepper responded in being flabbergasted, there isn't a single ghost that doesn't know about such a creature that is a spirit who's made himself a legend.
"I wonder if he could bring Calpepper back to life." Scootaloo said thoughtfully.
"Doubt it. Calpepper died years ago." Spike said with a sigh. "His body is probably too decaying for Mangani to do so. In fact, the only thing that could help at all is that weird invention that Calpepper's father has made."
"Wait, hang on, that's it!" Calpepper exclaims with a smile.
"What's what?" Nyx ask Calpepper puzzled.
"No time to answer, follow me!" Calpepper exclaims eagerly as he flies off, motioning his new friends to follow him.
"Hey, wait up!" Sweetie exclaimed as she, the other CMC and the rest of the group follow Calpepper.
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Twilight has her psychiatrist glasses on, glancing at her latest clients: three very mean, very rude and very unpredictable ghosts. She knew if she herself can figure out how to figure these three out, maybe the mare can get them to cross over and leave the house.
"Soooooo...how long were you three dead?" Twilight asks the Three Phantomteers curiously.
"As long as my arm," Porko comments as he made his own arm stretch. The mares roll their eyes; Showoff. "But I digress."
"More like disgust!" Putrid laughs as he sent fumes onto his sibling, much to the disgust of the living.
"Will you please not do that?" Fluttershy ask Putrid meekly.
"Why? Am I un-BEAR-able?"
"That doesn't even make sense!"
"Okay, calm down. You three want to stay here and haunt because it's your thing. I understand that." Twilight said to the trio of ghosts. "But what's wrong with Calpepper not wanting to do the same thing? He should make friends."
"Hey, filly! Don't you know? If we are too nice to you freshies, they will rise up against us like you almost did to us earlier!" Stringbean snaps to Twilight, pointing out what the Mane Six did to him and his pals earlier.
"Only because yew done attacked us first, sugar cube," Applejack points out with a frown. "Anyway, yew got plenty o' other places 'ta haunt."
"That makes things worst! If we try to invade a town, we would be scaring too much and they would still rise against us. Trust us: we've heard about the whole three tribe ponies invading during that Hearth's Warming Eve."
"There is a difference, darling. Those three won't let go of their hatred towards each other before we change them." Rarity explains the difference clearly. "You guys just scare ponies for a living...or death as the case may be."
"Hee hee; they called us 'darling'." Porko remarked, making some sort of blush. "I feel like turning into a toma-tah!"
"Okay, so you can't invade towns now, but what's wrong with Calpepper being nice?" Twilight ask curiously to the trio. "What, do you treat him like a slave?"
"The last thing we want is for him to become like our great aunt who got into trouble for being nice!" Putrid complains to Twilight. "She was special to us until the king of all ghosts Kaboomka...well, you know what happened to ghosts who don't scare?"
"Oooh, oooh, I know, I know! They get kicked to Limbo, right?" Pinkie asks eagerly. The Three Phantomteers blink a bit, looking bewildered that the pink pony knew that one.
"Uh, yeah, what she said."
"That's why we scare and if that Calpepper keeps being nice, he will be gone, vanished!" Stringbean complains a bit.
"Oooooh, so you three do care for him?" Rainbow asks with a smirk to the ghosts.
"Okay! This session is over!"
The trio of ghosts spins around, knocking the mares around. An explosion occurs before they disappear from sight, much to the notice of the Mane Six.
"Well, that went well." Pinkie said happily, though Twilight is concerned. Those ghosts may try to hide it but they care for Calpepper...
And what would happen if this Kaboomka were to appear?
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Pinkamena was checking out two new name ideas. She speaks, "Hmm two new names, Shiro halo and Halo Slayer, and um, whoever you are, Goldie's my brother, not uncle, and what does this reader mean 'Mares in heat'?"
Omega awkwardly answers, "Um I might know but how about we get back to things?"
"Indeed ." The Light Elf said in agreement.
"Ok." Pinkamena said, writing down the accepted name. "Ok name 3 on list, it will be Halo Slayer."
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In the center of the Underworld is the Ghost Fortress, home of the ruler of all ghosts Kaboomka, the most feared and horrible of all ghosts. The ghosts (most of them) all fear him and prefer to stay on his good side (which depends on where that 'side' is).
Snicker, Kaboomka's assistant, flies through a hallway, holding a list. He nods to two guards in front of the office who let him in. Upon entering, the ghost spoke, "Master Kaboomka."
The assistant yelps as he flew/stood/whatever in front of a huge green Alicorn like ghost. He didn't turn, just say, "Awww, the Underworld...gets worst every day. Ghosts scaring, werewolves ripping things apart, vampire ponies...it makes one glad to be dead."
"Yes, sir, very much dead. Uh...sir?"
"You are glad to be dead, right?"
"Yes, sir. Glad, nothing like it," Snicker said nervously while rolling his eyes a bit. "Anyway, I got a report for you."
"Yes, what is it?" Kaboomka ask, turning to glance at Snicker, making him yelp a bit. "It better be good!"
"We got reports involving the Three Phantomteers, apparently they are doing well with their scaring per usual."
"Yes. And their adopted charge Calpepper?"
"Well, err..." Snicker said, gulping a bit. He knows very well that his boss won't like this part of the report. "There had been some problems and..."
"You mean...HE'S STILL BEING NICE?!" Kaboomka roars angrily, making Snicker almost fly right out of the room; After calming down somewhat, he snaps, "Why?! He is their nephew, they should teach him to be a big scarer...like me! What could be going wrong?!"
"We got reports that he is making friends with a little Dragon and a couple of living ponies; nothing to worry about. I'm sure that the Three Phantomteers would take care of..."
"I gave those idiots plenty of opportunities and so far, the only thing Calpepper could possibly scare is a kitten! I'm going to have to go down there and take care of this problem myself!!!"
Kambooka roars as he flies out of the room through the ceiling. Snicker pauses then chuckles cruelly as he follows his boss. This he has got to see!