//------------------------------// // Bad Memories and Lava Bridges // Story: Cinematic Adventures: Shrek // by extremeenigma02 //------------------------------// Following the events in Duloc, the motley crew of the Equestrians, Shrek, Donkey, Apple White, and Raven Queen found themselves progressing their way across the landscape in search of the princess Lord Farquaad wanted them to find. Things seemed to grow stranger the further they progressed along this leg of the journey. From meeting new and strange friends, fighting knights in Duloc, there seemed to be no shortage of bizarre occurrences as of late. One thing was absolutely certain: Things were only getting stranger from here on out. For now though, all they could think about was how they’d been walking nearly all day… and seemingly going nowhere. “Are we there yet?” Pinkie squeaked. “No…” The group answered in unison. “Are we there yet?” “No.” “Are we there yet?” “No!” “Are we there yet?” “NO!” For a moment all was quiet as the group silently eyed Pinkie Pie, who merely skipped about along the beaten path. After a period of nothing further, they slowly turned ahead to get back to the task at hoof… “Are we there yet—” “NO!!!” “Pinkie, please!” Twilight groaned. “We just passed that abandoned mill five minutes ago!” “Oh yeah… seemed like six!” Pinkie smiled. “Is your friend usually like this on every adventure,” Raven Queen asked. “No… not often this way…” Rainbow replied. “Usually it’s way worse!” “This may turn into the longest day of my entire life,” Shrek muttered. “Ooh! I got the perfect remedy for that!” Pinkie offered, pulling out a ukelele. “Oh no, I’m not interested—” Shrek began. But it was too late! Shrek knew this was going to happen. The group pressed on with the landscape rolling by over the following… “See? It makes the time go by faster!” Donkey smiled. Our heroes soon passed may bits of scenery. Amongst the butterflies and birds, they even passed a little bunny hopping by. “Aw, you see the little bunny?” Fluttershy pointed out. “Aye, he looks delicious,” Shrek nodded. The bunny’s eyes went wide, and he hopped away screaming. Before the others could scold Shrek, Donkey and Pinkie suddenly burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?” Applejack asked. “I just got the, ‘He must be compensating for something,’ joke!” Pinkie laughed. The group groaned in unison, as Pinkie and Donkey laughed at the joke. Eventually, the day turned into evening as the moon replaced the sun in the sky. But still, they marched on despite the sleepiness in their eyes. Spike at one point looked up toward the night sky for a brief second when a cow jumped over the moon. “Mooooooooooooooooo!” Spike stared blankly, then rubbed his eyes hard as if he were seeing things. Of course, they didn’t get any farther when a Dish and Spoon were running by shouting, ‘Run! Run! Are they still after us? Aw geez!’. The group stared blankly as the inanimate objects paused to catch their breath. A wailing siren in the distance sent them running again, as a police chariot was in hot pursuit. And just when they thought they’ve seen everything, a parade passed by. “I love that movie!” Pinkie smiled. “Oh man, what could be better than this?!” Donkey added. Finally, the group plopped onto a nearby field heavily exhausted from all the walking. While most of the group laid upon the ground, catching their breath and massaging their sore limbs, Applejack and Rainbow Dash immediately went to work. The cow pony gathered a couple logs from nearby, piled them up between a circle of rocks, and Rainbow Dash proceeded to take a stick and rub against the wood so hard… a fire sparked within a matter of seconds. “Sweet Celestia…” Spike groaned. “This trip will never end…” “Why are y’all complainin’?” Applejack asked. “Ya got wings, ya could just fly if ya need tah.” “I’ve been flapping all day!” Spike replied, exhausted. “My wings are so sore I swear they’ll fall off. And now my feet feel like they’ll break right under me.” “Come on little dude, we’ve been through worse,” Rainbow chimed in. “After all the monsters, demons, and everything else in between, you really think walking will beat you?” “Actually darling, I must agree with Spike,” Rarity piped in. “We’ve been walking an awful long time; it would be nice if we could rest a while.” Then Pinkie Pie bounced up alongside her friends with her usual bright smile and a ‘boing’ with every bounce she made. “Didn’t you get enough rest, silly filly?” She asked happily. “I know I sure did. I had this wonderful dream about an entire world made of candy. The clouds were made of cotton candy, the snow in the mountains were powdered sugar, the roads were made of fudge…” Twilight Sparkle quickly lit her horn to life and encased Pinkie in a magical noise-concealing bubble, while her pink party pony friend kept jabbering on and about. Shrek walked by as he watched her do this, actually releasing an amused chuckle. “Impressive,” He complimented. “Now can you do the same thing to Donkey?” Speaking of the little talking Donkey, he’d been sharing a conversation with Fluttershy over, you guessed it… waffles. “I’m tellin’ you Flutters, in my day I make the best fluffiest waffles you will ever eat in your whole life!” Donkey told Fluttershy. “When we get through saving the princess, I’ll whip us all a batch. I swear they’ll taste so good, that you’ll feel like you died and went to heaven.” “That sounds very lovely,” Fluttershy smiled. “Not the dying part, but I’d be happy to try your waffles.” As the group nestled themselves around the fire, Twilight Sparkle looked around and noticed two members of their little traveling party were missing. She looked back over her shoulder and spotted Apple White and Raven Queen isolated and staring up at the moon. As Twilight slowly approached, what little she could see of their faces, it seemed as though Apple was trying her best to keep from sobbing while Raven tried consoling the poor girl. Twilight felt terrible seeing the girls this way, but it also piqued her interest over a certain subject she still knew nothing about. ‘What happened to you before coming here?’, she thought to herself. Since they met, all the two princesses told them of their homeland was how it was attacked leading to their escape to some portal. But that much didn’t offer much information on ‘who’ attacked them or even for ‘what’ reason. Twilight didn’t wish to press the matter, seeing it clearly was a sore subject for the two teenagers. But with her curiosity growing increasingly, she couldn’t stand idly by forever. Making a quick decision, Twilight inched her way toward the girls, and slowly sat herself next to the two girls as they kept eyeing the moon. “You two doing okay?” She asked. Both Apple and Raven were slightly startled by the sudden voice, but quickly composed themselves. “Um—y-yeah, we’re fine,” Apple nodded quickly. “We just thought we could use the space,” Raven added. “It’s alright, don’t worry,” Twilight assured them. For another minute or two, all was silent between the three as the stars glittered in the night sky. “You don’t have to do that,” Twilight spoke up. “Do what?” Raven asked. “Keep everything bottled up inside,” Twilight responded. “I know a little thing or two about bottling up your emotions. And some very good friends of mine can vouch for me on the subject. Trust me, it never ends well.” “What do you mean, Twilight?” Apple asked. “In the short time we’ve known you two, you’ve never discussed ‘why’ you ended up here in the first place.” Both Raven and Apple eyed one another before turning back to Twilight. Only now, their faces were heavily sad and somber. “We don’t like reliving it,” Raven answered honestly. “Of all the terrible times we’ve endured, this one’s by far the worst,” Apple added, trying not to cry. Twilight nodded her head in understanding, having had her share of terrible times in her lifetime. “If you don’t want to talk, I understand,” She informed them. “I’m not expecting you to tell me or any pony else if you don’t want to. I just want you both to know we’re friends now. If you ever need to confide with us about anything, we’re always here to lend an ear. We want to help any way we can, but we won’t be able to… if we don’t know what’s going on.” Apple turned back toward Raven and the golden-haired teen closed her eyes before giving a small nod. Raven took a deep breath and released a long exhale. “It began on the night of Thronecoming…” Raven began. <> Flashback… In the magical lands of the United Fairytale Kingdom, the moon shined brightly in a sky filled with stars. At the very heart of these enchanted kingdoms stood the gigantic castle school of Ever After High, where the children of fairytale characters attended to find their destiny. On this night, however, there was only one thing anyone could think of. Thronecoming. The entire school had prepared for this most festive of celebrations for so long and finally the time had come. Already on that very same day, Ever After High once again won their biggest Bookball game, held the Thronecoming parade, and all the children were able to visit Heritage Hall and receive special gifts their fairytale parents left for them long ago. Now they reached the portion of the night for the inaugural Thronecoming dance. The music blasted (courtesy of Melody Piper), the disco ball gleamed in the light, and all the students were dressed in their finest ensemble. Suddenly, the doors to the Grimmnasium burst open and everyone halted what they were doing. They all turned to see none other than Apple White and Raven Queen, wearing their best dresses, making their grand entrance. Everyone stared in awe with wide eyes and mouths agape as the two teenage girls entered. Eventually, the awe passed, and everyone resumed conversing with one another and enjoying the party. Apple and Raven crossed through the Grimmnasium till they spotted a group of their friends off the side. The group consisted of Madeline Hatter, Cerise Hood, Lizzie Hearts, Blondie Locks, Briar Beauty, Ashlynn Ella, Darling Charming, and the O’Hair Twins. The two girls quickly made their way over toward their friends. “Spello everyone!” Apple greeted happily. “I can’t believe Thronecoming is here at last. I’ve been waiting for this ever since the semester began and now it’s finally here.” “I know what you mean, girl,” Briar agreed. “I’m going to party like it’s my last night alive. If I’m sleeping for a thousand years, I’m living it up now.” “Briar, you’ve been saying that for the longest time,” Blondie told her friend. “Remember, you don’t want to party too much or too little. You want to do it just right.” “Is that you talking or your mom?” Briar asked. “It’s hard to tell the difference.” “Come on guys, this is supposed to be a fun night,” Ashlynn spoke up. “After all, it’s only for one night and we must make the most out of it.” “I wholeheartedly agree,” Lizzie nodded. “For if not, I assure you heads will roll.” “And knowing your mom’s the Queen of Hearts, that’s frightening,” Poppy O’Hair said worriedly. “Totally,” Holly O’Hair nodded. Madeline Hatter stepped up beside her best friend Raven. “So, you give anymore thought on all that bibblebock of you following your destiny?” She asked. “Personally, I think all this tick-tock Jabberwock talk is absolutely insane.” “Trust me, nothing’s more insane than you Maddie,” Raven chuckled. “Thank you for noticing,” Maddie smiled. Raven continued to look around the area, seeing all the fun around her. However, she couldn’t help but notice something seemed off. All the staff and servers for the evening were people she didn’t know. They all walked about as though they were constantly checking on things. She also noticed most of them filled out the hall with many different chests. What was in them, she couldn’t tell. Her suspicious looks didn’t go unnoticed as her friend, Cerise, approached. “Something on your mind, Rae?” She asked. Raven quickly shook her head and got her mind back in order. “No, I’m cool,” She answered. “Just thinking is all.” “Were you thinking about how awesome it was when I hurled that bookball all the way from the in-zone to mid-field?” Cerise bragged. “Or was it about when I sacked that huge Sherwood guy so hard he lost three I.Q. points?” Raven couldn’t help but chuckle over her friend’s bragging. “We get it, Cerise,” She laughed. “You’re good at Bookball.” “Not just good, I’m the best!” Cerise smirked. Suddenly, the sound of a microphone caused everyone to turn toward the stage and saw none other than Headmaster Grimm standing upon the stage. He was still as pompous and posh as ever, but he was genuinely happy on this night. “Welcome everyone to Ever After High’s Thronecoming dance,” He announced to everyone. “The school tradition where we celebrate our stories and those who came before us.” The entire crowd erupted into cheers and applause of celebration. As this went on, Raven felt a weird feeling and turned to see the servers leaving the room. They proceeded to close and lock the door behind them as they went. As if that wasn’t weird enough, the orchestra started playing a strange yet haunting melody. This certainly didn’t sit well for Raven Queen. She quickly approached Apple and grabbed hold of her arm. “We need to go!” She said urgently. “Now!” “But I want to see who gets crowned Thronecoming Queen!” Apple protested. “Apple, I’m serious!” Raven persisted. “Something bad’s going to happen and we need to leave!” Up on the stage, Headmaster Grimm kept speaking to the students. He had no idea, however, of a mysterious figure in a hooded cloak walking up behind him. The figure drew back the hood revealing Venrys Baratheon brandishing a dagger. Venrys quickly jammed the dagger through the poor headmaster’s back, causing him to cry out in pain and drop his microphone. The assassin leaned next to the headmaster’s ear with a wicked smirk on his face. “Queen Cersei sends her regards,” He said menacingly. The students screamed in horror as their headmaster dropped to the stage, dead as could be. Suddenly, all the servers removed their disguise revealing themselves as Lannister soldiers, appearing up in the balconies armed with crossbows. They started firing at anyone and anything that moved. “RUN APPLE!!!” Raven yelled. “RUN!!!” The two started running along with the other students toward the doors. Many of them were shot down in the process as they piled against the doors but couldn’t open them. From the stage ran a multitude of Lannister knights and black knights behind Venrys, all brandishing weapons. Raven grabbed Apple and pulled her off in another direction as more of their classmates were shot down and others hacked to their deaths by the knights. Suddenly, a crossbow bolt impaled Raven through her right shoulder and she fell to the floor. “RAVEN!” Apple screamed. Apple raced over to help her friend off the ground as a few knights raced after them, armed to kill. Using what strength she had, Raven shot her hand and blasted them in the air with her magic. Apple helped her friend to her feet and was able to teleport themselves away from the area. Had she had all her strength, she could’ve saved more. Sadly, many of their classmates were cut down in what they could only describe as… the ‘Red Thronecoming’. <> “… We managed to escape the Grimmnasium only to find the rest of our world burning,” Raven continued tearfully. “If only I’d warned everyone else, if I’d been stronger, our friends would still be alive right now. And maybe… our home wouldn’t be burned to ashes.” Tears flowed down the faces of not only Apple and Raven, but Twilight as well. Hearing the poor girls’ recount of past events, perhaps the worst night of their lives, was undoubtedly heartbreaking to the pony princess. “I—I’m so sorry,” She croaked. “I-It just h-happened so s-s-suddenly,” Apple cried. “We d-don’t even know w-why.” “They just came in and killed anyone in sight,” Raven said somberly. “We don’t even know them!” That was the part which didn’t make sense in Twilight’s mind. What cold sinister people would come out of nowhere and just kill all in sight? Whoever they were, she hoped she’d never to meet them. “Well, just know if you ever need anything, my friends and I will be here for you,” Twilight assured them. “You’re part of our company now; as far as I know, that makes you honorary Equestrians.” The two girls looked toward Twilight Sparkle and smiled tearfully toward the Alicorn princess. Though they were still very sad, it felt good for them to know that they weren’t truly alone. And so they spent the period turning their attention back towards the night sky, as a shooting star passed by. <> Eventually, it was the following day and ergo time for the group to resume their journey. They had slight trouble with the fire as Shrek tried to stomp the flames out, only to catch his right foot on fire. But luckily, Rainbow Dash quickly zoomed in with a little black rain cloud and with a few quick stomps she cast a shower of water dousing out the campfire and the flame on Shrek’s foot. With one problem out of the way, the group proceeded to march their way onward toward their journey’s end. Once again, Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but sing a tune to pass the time… Pinkie Pie (Sings): I’m on my way from misery to happiness today Ah-hah (ah-hah) ah-hah (ah-hah) I’m on my way from misery to happiness today— “Hey guys, we’re here!” Donkey said loudly. “Oh, thank Celestia!” Rainbow sighed with relief. Twilight and the girls quickly made their way to join the rest of the group who went ahead. Soon as they reached their sides, they looked out at a barren landscape laying in the shadow of a volcanic mountain with a cloud of smoke billowing overhead. They continued their way across the landscape and eventually started climbing the side of the mountain. As they did, they suddenly got a whiff of something foul. “Oh man!” Rainbow cringed, covering her nose. “What died up here?” “Smells like a combination of burning rubber and rotting garbage!” Applejack added. “Ooh… Shrek, did you do that?” Donkey said in disgust. “Man, you gotta warn somebody before you just crack one off. My mouth was open and everything.” “Believe me, guys, if it was me, you’d all be DEAD!” Shrek emphasized. “I know what you mean,” Twilight said. “I almost died running into that skunk den during winter wrap up.” Shrek took a quick whiff of the air to determine what it was. “It’s brimstone,” He told them. “We must be getting close. “Yeah right, brimstone,” Donkey said skeptically. “Don’t be talking about brimstone. I know what I smell. It wasn’t no brimstone. It didn’t come off no stone neither.” “Let’s just keep going,” Spike suggested. “The less we think about it the better.” Eventually, the group reached the top of the climb and hoisted themselves up and over the ridge. They gazed over the volcanic crater and saw what lay ahead. The Dragon’s Keep towered before them, a dilapidated castle, burnt and black. Perched on a rock pinnacle, it was surrounded by a terrifying lake of molten lava. A single light shined upon the window of the tallest tower. Dark clouds blocked out the blue sky above them. Thunder struck and crows circled the castle. “Yeah… that’s not ominous at all,” Spike gulped. “Sure, it’s big enough, but look at the location,” Shrek joked. “Finally, there’s the bridge to the dragon’s keep!” Twilight pointed out. “Let’s keep going!” Shrek jumped over and approached the bridge, while the rest of the group followed behind him. The most nervous one, aside from Fluttershy, was Donkey. “Uh, Shrek?” Donkey said nervously. “Uh, remember when you said that ogres have layers?” “Oh, aye,” Shrek nodded. “Well, I have a bit of a confession to make,” Donkey said, gasping at the sight of a skeleton. “Donkeys don’t have layers. We wear our fear right out there on our sleeves.” “Oh trust me, Cranky back home sure has loads of layers,” Pinkie giggled. “But I broke through them all and actually got ol’ grumpy pants to smile!” “Wait a second, Donkeys don’t have sleeves,” Shrek pointed out. “You know what I mean,” Donkey counterargued. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights too!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Uhh… no. I’m just a bit uncomfortable on being on a rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lava!” Suddenly, hot steam spewed from under the part of the bridge they stood over. The hot wind came upon them so quickly, that the manes and tails of the ponies flew skyward as it did for the others. Eventually, the steam simmered down as the lake continued to boil below them. “Wow… what a warm breeze…” Fluttershy quivered. “It came so… suddenly…” “That’s because we’re on a bridge,” Rainbow pointed out. “Oh, I didn’t even notice. And… what bridge is this?” “The bridge to the Dragon’s Keep?” “Ohh… the bridge to the Dragon’s Keep…” Fluttershy nodded, growing suspicious. “And the intense heat I’m feeling comin’ up under my hooves?” “Only the lake of molten lava.” “Ohh… the lake of molten lava… THE LAKE OF MOLTEN LAVA?!?!” Fluttershy’s sudden outburst sent the bridge twisting, as the others hung on for dear life. It took the combined efforts of Applejack and Rarity to calm Fluttershy down, as her teeth chattered rapidly, and her body shook like a maraca. “Come on, you two!” Shrek ushered. “I’m right here bside ya, okay? For emotional support. We’ll just tackle this thing together one little baby step at a time.” “Really?” Donkey asked nervously. “Really, really.” “Okay, that makes me feel so much better.” “Um… I don’t feel I can do this…” Fluttershy whimpered. “There’s a giant dragon waiting for us… not to mention lava is not good for my coat… and this bridge doesn’t feel very safe…” “Oh, that is so interesting…” Shrek nodded. “Because… I happen to have the perfect remedy for that.” “Oh, you do!” Donkey smiled. Shrek and Rainbow Dash faced each other, and they nodded with mischievous smirks. They collectively turned Donkey and Fluttershy back ahead, slowly… and the pair started to get very nervous. “What are you doing?” Fluttershy whimpered. Shrek & Rainbow Dash (Sings): Sing a song. Yes, a travel song. That’s what you’ve done all day. “That’s not funny Dashie!” Pinkie called out. Shrek & Rainbow Dash (Sings): Before ya know it, You’re halfway with me! “Ignore the fire, and the peril, and the lava!” Shrek advised sinisterly. “SHREK!!!” Fluttershy and Donkey cried out. Shrek & Rainbow Dash (Sings): And I know, all I need, all along, (Donkey: Lemme off, lemme off!) Is a path, and a pal, and song. (Fluttershy: STOP IT!) So I’m singin’… (Donkey: Oh no!!!) And I’m pallin’… (Fluttershy: This is so wrong!) With you… “ALL RIGHT… FINE!” Fluttershy cried out, frustrated. “So pushy…” “It’s okay… I’m right behind you…” Donkey whimpered. “Just keep moving,” Raven advised. “And don’t look down.” “Okay, don’t look down,” Donkey spoke nervously to himself. “Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Keep on moving. Don’t look down.” Donkey (Sings): Why me… why me… (Shrek: There ya go!) Fluttershy (Sings): Why Celestia… why… (Twilight: Don’t look down, Fluttershy.) Donkey (Sings): I’m too old to wet myself, and much to young to die— All of a sudden, Donkey stepped through a rotting board, which made him slip and Fluttershy trip on top of him. Their eyes caught the board splashing into the fiery lava below. “Guys! We’re lookin’ down!” Donkey cried. “OH, FAUST!!!” Fluttershy crawled back. “I can’t do this! Just let me off, please!” “But you’re already halfway!” Shrek pointed out. “But we know that half is safe!” Donkey argued. “Okay, fine. I don’t have time for this. You go back.” Shrek tried to press on, while Donkey and Fluttershy tried making their way under Shrek. But between the ogre and the rest of their friends, not to mention how tight the bridge was, there was hardly any space. “Shrek, no! Wait!” Donkey cried out, terrified. “Just, fly across, Fluttershy!” Rainbow spoke impatiently. “You got wings!” “I can’t—too scared!” Fluttershy whimpered. “Will you girls just calm down!” Rarity called out. “This isn’t the best time!” “Just, guys—let’s have a dance then, shall we?” Suddenly, Shrek bounced on the bridge causing it to sway to the side. “DON’T DO THAT!” Donkey freaked out. “Oh, I’m sorry. Do what?” Shrek smirked. “Oh, this?” He bounced the bridge again, and some of the group hung onto the ropes for dear life. “Yes, that!” Twilight spoke. “Yes? Yes, do it. Okay!” And so the ogre continued to bounce and sway as he backed the group across the bridge. Doneky and Fluttershy were backing away terrified, while Pinkie Pie treated this like a ride at a carnival. “No, Shrek! No! Stop it!” Donkey begged. “I don’t like these kind of rides!” Fluttershy cried out. “I love these rides!” Pinkie cheered. “It’s like being at the carnival! WHEE!!!” “Well… least some pony is enjoying this…” Spike muttered. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…” Apple whimpered worriedly. “You said do it!” Shrek called out. “I’m doin’ it!” “NOT FUNNY, SHREK!” Raven cried out. “I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die…” Donkey whimpered. “Shrek, I’m gonna die…” “Goodbye, cruel world…” Fluttershy declared. “Uh, Flutters…” Rainbow pointed out. It was then that the group noticed that amidst all that insanity, they were currently standing on solid ground… on the other side of the bridge they took. They turned to look into Shrek’s eyes, specifically Donkey and Pinkie, realizing they were okay. Fluttershy breathing heavily, fainted toward the ground as Twilight and Rarity caught her. Donkey and Pinkie, meanwhile, smiled toward Shrek as it slowly dawned on them… Donkey & Pinkie (Sings): What did we do to deserve you, our pal evermore. We crossed a bridge together. What a beautiful metaphor. We’re singin’… (Why me?) And we’re pallin’… (Why me?) And we’re travelin’… (Why me?) Donkey, Pinkie & Shrek (Sings): With you-oo-oo-oo… “That’ll do, guys,” Shrek declared. “That’ll do.” But Pinkie Pie and Donkey wrapped their arms around the ogre, as the others smiled over the cute scene. The ogre merely sighed with a roll of his eyes before slipping out of their grasp and continued their way towards the castle. “So… where’s this fire-breathing pain-in-the-neck anyway?” Rainbow asked. “Inside, waiting for us to rescue her,” Shrek chuckled. “I was talkin’ about the dragon, Shrek.” “Do we have to fight the dragon?” Fluttershy asked. “We don’t even know how big it is.” “If it’s anything like the dragon I ran into when I stumbled into it’s cave… or that one-time you girls went to stop a snoring dragon from polluting the sky…” Spike recalled. “Yeah… we’re on their territory now.” “Let’s just hope that’s the only creature to worry about,” Twilight hoped. “The sooner we rescue the princess and escape the Dragon’s Lair, the sooner we can leave.” “Ooh! I love ‘Dragon’s Lair’!” Pinkie cheered. “A bit frustrating to play on hard mode, but the animation has that Don Bluth feel… and the characters are pretty cool… I even heard talk about an upcoming movie—” Pinkie Pie babbled on as the group slowly made their way through the crumbling archway into the Dragon’s Keep. Only two goals were on their minds: Rescue Princess Fiona… and get out. Of course, had neither of them looked back for even a brief moment, they’d have noticed a dark figure in a top hat watching them. “Whether skies are clear or dark and cloudy, you can’t hide from me… your Uncle Howdy.”