The Guardians of Jelly World

     She heard Timu, Spike, and Craze behind her, Craze laughing maniacally. He would-he didn't get his nickname for nothing.

     The Kougra landed on her feet, absorbing the impact. She heard Timu land next to her. Craze flew out, Spike behind him and carrying the lantern.

     "Good, we're all here. Timu." At the mention of his name, the Tyrannian Lupe raised his head. "Air check."

     Timu sniffed the air. The fur along the back of his neck rose. "Someone's here."

     She growled. "Spike, the lantern."

     The Tyrannian Uni snuffed out the flame and all was dark.

     Sashi looked around with her night vision. She saw a Grarrl and his owner stumble around in the dark. She quietly made her way over.

     "Hello?" the owner called. "Is anyone there? I heard voices!"

     "Get out."

     "Huh?"

     "Get out." Craze began to cackle. Sashi saw the owner look around nervously.

     "I-I'm warning you! Ben has high Battledome stats," the owner said, his voice breaking slightly.

     "Get out, get out, get out!" the Gelert sang, laughing hysterically.

     "Leave us alone!" The Grarrl glared at the darkness.

     Sashi reached her destination. She knocked four times on the entrance to the cave. She felt something move. Suddenly-

      "SSSSCCCRRREEEEEEE!" A roar rang out through the cave. The Beast was awake.

     The Grarrl and his owner screamed, running away from the Beast. Craze laughed, adding to the terror.

     Once they were gone, Spike relit the lantern. "Nice work, Craze. That should scare them for a nice, long while."

     Craze cackled. "Get out, get out, get out!"

     "We get it, Craze." Timu looked at the Beast. "Back to sleep, Beastie. Sleep."

     The Beast yawned and retreated to its cave. Sashi walked back to her brothers. "We've wasted enough time as it is. Let's go."

     The others followed her across the room, looking for the cave painting. "Ah. Here." Timu gestured to the painted jelly. He placed a paw on it.

     The wall rumbled and they backed away as it moved. Light shown through, along with various colors. Spike blinked. "Well, here we are."

     Sashi nodded and walked forwards, stepping foot into the place she hand her brothers had sworn to protect.

     The fabled Jelly World.

     ********

     Star took a deep breath. "Okay, tell me again what happened." She handed the boy a glass of water.

     The younger owner took a sip. He was terribly pale. "W-We were down there a-a-and we heard voices, then they stopped. Then one voice told us to get out, over and over again. It was laughing, then the monster, then-" he shook his head.

     She sighed. Another owner who thought he and his owner were ready to face the Beast. "I think you had better take your owner home," she told the Blue Grarrl, Ben. "You both should get some rest."

     The Grarrl nodded and began to lead the boy through the crowd.

     Star sighed. Only one pet yelled, 'get out' over and over again. Only one pet from one family.

     Hers.

     ********

     "So you weren't seen?" the Jelly Wocky asked.

     Sashi shook her head. "No sir." She took a bite of her Cornupepper Jelly. "We were careful."

     "Will he recognize Craze's voice?" The Wocky looked up at the Gelert, chasing Jelly Pteris through the sky before trying to gnaw on the buildings.

     "No. The boy looked like a newbie. He won't remember. He'll be too scared to come back, which was the point," Timu said.

     The Wocky nodded in satisfaction. "Well, guardians, feel free to stay for a while. Meanwhile, I have to stop people from taking second helpings of jelly." He ran off in the direction of the Giant Jelly.

     Spike shook his head. "He's a lot like Sabre-X. Just, you know, different appearance."

     "I still think my theory is correct." Sashi finished her jelly and wiped her claws. "It makes the most sense."

     Spike snorted. "What, that this is an alternate version of Tyrannia created by Dr. Sloth? Get real, sis."

     "It could be true."

     "If this is an alternate version, where's the Obelisk?" Spike challenged.

     "Enough with the Obelisk." Sashi groaned. "War's over."

     "Enough, you two. You might upset Craze." Timu pointed to the twitching Gelert. They both fell silent.

     "Get out, get out!" Craze lunged at the statue of the Jelly Chia. He bounced off.

     "Craze, I've checked. Not the real Chia," Timu called after him as the Gelert lunged again. He was ignored and shook his head. "I can think of one thing more mysterious than the secret of Jelly World."

     "What?" Sashi asked.

     "The secret of how Craze lost his mind."

     The other two laughed.

     ********

     Star tiptoed through the room, holding out a small lantern. She heard loud breathing, like a giant someone was sleeping.

     At the end of the room she saw a painting... of... jelly? Confused, she crept over. Yep, it was of jelly. What was it doing in the lair of the Beast? She placed a hand upon it.

     Suddenly, the wall shook. She jumped back as it slid slowly to the side. Her jaw dropped as she saw what had lain behind the wall. "No. Way."

     ********

     Timu looked sharply behind him. "Someone's opened the wall."

     "What?" Sashi stood. "Impossible."

     "Improbable, sis, because someone's doing it." He squinted, then his eyes widened. "Uh-oh."

     "What? Can you see who it is?" Spike asked, flying upwards a bit.

     "We are in so much trouble."

     "Who is it?" Sashi asked, growing impatient.

     "It's Star."

     Behind them, Craze perked his head up at the name of their owner. "Get out?" He stretched his wings.

     Out of the corner of her eyes, Sashi saw him. The Kougra whirled around. "Craze, no!"

     She was too late. The Tyrannian had taken off, flying towards his owner. They were in so much trouble.

     ********

     Star squinted. A large shape was flying towards her. Was that... Craze?

     "Get out, get out, get out!" Yep, it was Craze.

     He landed in front of her, grinning. "Get out, get out!"

     She hugged him. "Craze! What are you doing here's? I thought you and the others were at the concert."

     "Get out, get out, get out, get out."

     She sighed. "Never mind. Can you take me to the others?"

     He rose up into the air and grabbed her upper arms. She felt her feet leave the ground as he flapped in the direction of the town.

     ********

     "Oh, we are in so much trouble," Spike groaned as she shape of Craze carrying Star became clearer.

     He set the human down in front of them before landing, laughing. "Get out!"

     She crossed her arms. "So," she began."Anyone care to tell me what's going on?"

     "Um, we were... sightseeing?" Spike tried.

     She shook her head. "Whole story."

     Timu sighed. "Fine." He sat down. "Do you remember last summer, when you first took us all to Tyrannia shortly after adopting Craze? The four of us went exploring while you looked around with your friend. We decided to check out the lair of the Beast."

     "We brought in a special lantern that wouldn't go out as long it was in the dark," Sashi added. "That way we'd be able to see."

     "Yeah. We'll, the Beast was asleep, so we poked around. We saw a cave painting of a piece of jelly. We were curious, so Sashi pressed it."

     "The wall slid open and we found this place. Jelly World," Spike cut in. "We met the Wocky who guards the Giant Jelly, who happens to be mayor. We talked to him and he told us to be careful while we looked around. He said that the real Jelly Chia was on the loose."

     "Obviously, we weren't careful and Craze found the Jelly Chia." Timu looked at the Gelert. "We chased him off together. The people here were so grateful, they made us the guardians of Jelly World."

     "That's why we come to Tyrannia all the time. It's our job." Sashi shrugged.

     Star rubbed her face. "Certainly explains why we never run low on jelly," she muttered. She looked back at her pets. "And why Craze only knows two words."

     "Get out!" Craze said happily.

     "So... what now? Are you going to ground us?" Spike asked.

     Star smiled and shook her head. "Naw. You guys have fun here. Besides." She grinned. "I want to know everything about this place."

     The other three appeared taken aback before Timu grinned and stepped forwards.

     "Welcome to Jelly World," he said. "Let us give you the tour."

The End