Welcome to a new story! I hope you're having a good week; if not, come and have fun here! Our favorite group of travelers arrives with a new adventure. But this time, they must face a great challenge! Can they overcome adversity, or will their friendship be lost along the way? (Note: All characters in the story are adults.) ----- After a long journey, the bus stopped at a small station, allowing passengers to get off. Among they were our favorite trio of nomads: Prospero the cockatoo, Valiant the deer, and Ladon the gecko. After a beach vacation, the group resumed their constant journey, arriving at a new destination. “Say hello to Mercia,” Prospero said as he got off the bus. “A place rich in tradition and attached to its history despite the passage of time. With a medieval touch that enriches the visitor experience. And also—” “Ow ow ow! Another wedgie!” Valiant grumbled as he got off the bus, pinching the seat of his pants in an attempt to dislodge his underwear from his butt end. Prospero pinched the space between his eyes, looking annoyed. “Would you mind at least hiding it a little? I know your hero underoos tends to ride up. But that doesn't mean you should act so undignified in public.” “Give me a break.” Valiant wiggles his butt once his underwear has stopped bothering him. “I'm still recovering from that very long atomic wedgie at the beach.” “And whose fault was that?” Prospero crosses his arms, trying to hide a wince at the memory of how they spent hours wearing bikinis that were stretched into atomic wedgies during a beach concert. “You were the one who suggested the wedgies; I only suggested that the loser of the bet wear a bikini.” Valiant pouts. “As if that were a punishment for you, you even wore it again!” The cockatoo combs his feathers with a cocky grin. “What can I say? At least I looked really good. And the lifeguards confirmed that.” Valiant rolls his eyes and looks at the bus door waiting for his other traveling companion. “Ladon, are you okay in there? You’re taking your time getting out.” Ladon peeks his head out of the bus door. “Why did we have to come here?” The gecko looks around nervously. “We could end up running into a monster in the lake, ghosts of knights, evil sorcerers, or malicious jesters!” “I’m glad to see you know about the Middle Ages and its stories of old. But they’re just that, stories,” Prospero said with a slight smile. “Or you’re just making excuses because you wanted to stay with your little axolotl friend.” The gecko’s cheeks turn slightly pink. “Don’t bring Jaimito into this!” Ladon finally gets off the bus. “Besides, this doesn’t look like the kind of place you’d visit.” The group starts walking with their suitcases, with Valiant leading the way. “Yeah, it doesn’t look to me like this place has fancy hotels or a huge fashion store.” “The inn we’ll be staying at is pretty good.” Prospero assures his friends. “And the important thing is to know the great stories this place contains.” A mysterious voice appears. “You hope to gain inspiration to continue writing your manuscripts.” The group stops suddenly, looking around until they find the source of the voice. On the side of the road stands a person wearing a robe and a veil covering almost their entire body, revealing only green eyes. In front of the enigmatic person is a table of cards. “Come closer, travelers.” “Oh, great, a fortune teller.” Prospero said with disgust. Ladon becomes nervous. “How did he know you were trying to write books?” Valiant excitedly approached the mysterious person. “Great! Do you read palms or use a crystal ball? What is my lucky number? Should I keep wearing this underwear?” The deer seemed excited by this. Prospero reluctantly approaches, with Ladon nervously following behind him. The mysterious figure picks up the cards and shuffles them. “The cards carry messages from the near future. As a clairvoyant, my job is to read those messages and interpret them… for a fee.” He places the deck of cards on the table. “20 dollars per person.” “Let's get out of here. I already know how these people operate.” Prospero is reluctant. “He'll just tell us a lot of ambiguous things that can be interpreted as anything.” Valiant already had his wallet out. “Your loss.” The deer pays, so excited he shakes his backside slightly. “What's in my future? Perhaps great adventures?” “The cards show… a separation.” “Hah. Valiant doesn't have that kind of company.” Prospero sneered. “I'm not talking about the separation of the heart.” The clairvoyant clarified, then continued. “Adversity will separate you from your companions… you will find yourself in great danger. But a hero will come to your rescue, and you will become intimate with him.” Valiant smiles awkwardly, his cheeks flushed. “Do the cards happen to say anything else about this hero? Like, is a sexy girl or a handsome man?” “Horny deer.” Prospero crosses his arms with a suspicious look. “I think you should be more concerned about the danger of prediction.” Ladon said nervously for his friend. But curiosity got the better of him, and he paid for a reading. “And what about me?” The clairvoyant shuffles the cards again, revealing Ladon’s. “I see a reward for good karma, followed by adversity that will unleash your inner beast and an outcome that will affect an important relationship.” “My inner beast? Will I fight with someone?!” Ladon grips his hat tightly. “I don’t want to fight with anyone! Especially if it will make one of my friends angry with me!” “Rubbish.” Prospero said defiantly. “Ladon is a marshmallow who wouldn’t hurt a fly. No kind of prediction that comes from cards can be real.” The clairvoyant’s patience was reaching its limit with the cockatoo. "Your pride and sharp tongue will get you into trouble beyond your control. You'll start conflicts, and people will come after you. You'll finally seek refuge in your friends; they'll rescue you, but not before suffering for your poor choices." The clairvoyant didn't even use his cards for this. Prospero picks up his bags, annoyed. “I don’t need this! Good luck fooling grandmothers and superstitious people!” The cockatoo stomps away. “Prospero! Wait!” Valiant and Ladon grabbed their things and hurried to find their friend. The clairvoyant, annoyed by all the insults, draws a black card from his deck. “This should teach you better how to speak.” Suddenly, the card burst into flames, and a green smoke billowed up, then headed toward Prospero, who, without noticing, inhaled the smoke. Our group of travelers arrived at the town, which was certainly quite beautiful. The buildings, though old, were well-maintained, maintaining their splendor, the roads were decorated, the people were excited, and there were small street performances like minstrels playing songs or puppet shows about heroes and dragons. “Hey! Looks like we arrived at a good time!” Valiant looked around with interest. “Do you think they're celebrating something important?” “It's the Spring Festival.” Prospero informed. “If this sounds lively to you, wait until nighttime when the big shows begin, with food, drinks, music, and dancing.” “As long as we stay away from any lakes where a monster might emerge, everything sounds good.” Ladon said, eyeing the beautiful decorations with flowers and ribbons. The group arrived at the inn where they would be staying. Valiant felt a bit nostalgic as he smelled the home-cooked food coming from the dining room. Although Ladon was worried about the figure of the bear baring its claws and fangs. This time, the three boys would be sharing a room. It was quite simple and rustic, but at least it had a private bathroom, including a tub. “Nice! I feel like an adventurer finding a place to rest after exploring a dungeon.” Valiant jumped onto one of the beds. “It's quite comfortable, too.” Ladon opened the wooden blinds to look out the window, noticing a field of flowers not far away, the gentle breeze carrying the sweet scent. “The view is quite beautiful.” The moment was interrupted by a loud growl, surprising the boys, especially when they realized the loud growl was coming from Prospero's stomach. The cockatoo's cheeks were red. "What? I haven't eaten anything since breakfast!" Valiant couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha! That's what happens when you don't eat on the bus!" Prospero gives him a sharp look. "I'd rather eat herbs than bus food." "It's not THAT bad," Ladon pointed out. "Just check first that the wrapper isn't torn." "We'd better go downstairs for some real food." The cockatoo leaves the room. The three travelers go downstairs to the inn's dining room. People seemed quite excited about the festival and the good food. Laughter and stories filled the place as our protagonists ordered their meals. Although Valiant and Ladon were surprised to see a large number of dishes being placed on their table, most of them ordered by Prospero. Ladon looked at his friend. “Don’t you think you overdid it a bit? You could get sick.” “And you’ve never been much of an eater,” Valiant said, not only because of Prospero’s discerning palate, but the cockatoo always made sure to maintain a slim appearance. “It’s about tasting the local cuisine, that’s also important for the travel experience.” Prospero licked his lips as he placed a napkin around his neck and then began to eat. The cockatoo had started out eating calmly, maintaining impeccable manners. But he began to speed up, eating more and more hurriedly, making his face slightly dirty, and finally began to devour ferociously. Ladon and Valiant watched in astonishment as their usually fussy friend now ate as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. The same thing happened with the drinks, with Prospero finishing a large jar in one go and ordering more. “Yeah… the food is quite juicy,” Valiant said, barely eating half of his plate. “Prospero, are you sure everything is okay?” Ladon asked, worried about his friend. Prospero had finished devouring his food, his belly protruding slightly from his elegant shirt, and he was carelessly wiping his face. “Now I am.” He stroked his belly with a satisfied smile. “Ready for dessert?” --- The evening sky turned orange and gold, announcing that night would soon arrive. But before the crowd calmed down, the music began to play loudly, and people danced along the roads until they reached the spring festival. In the center was a huge wooden pole with long colorful ribbons. Ladies took the ribbons and danced around them until their husbands and lovers took their turn to dance with them. Joy and high spirits were everywhere at the festival. “*ñam ñam ñam* These apples with syrup and chocolate are delicious.” Prospero said as he somehow continued to eat the things from each food stall. “Prospero, slow down.” Valiant hurried to keep up. “I don’t remember the last time I saw you with this much energy and appetite.” “We could also end up lost if we’re not careful with so many p-huh?” Ladon came across a white bootie, which the gecko picked up and looked around in confusion. From the crowd, a female echidna could be seen with her baby, one of whose feet was bare. Although the gecko was nervous talking to strangers, he couldn’t leave things like that and approached the woman. “E-Excuse me, miss…” The female echidna turned around, looked at the gecko, and noticed he was wearing her son’s bootie. “Oh, dear! Thank you very much, young!” The woman put the bootie back on her baby. “This naughty little boy would take off everything until he was down to his diaper.” Ladon laughed lightly. “I’m glad I was able to avoid it.” Valiant looks at his friend after he's performed a good deed. "Ladon seems more confident after the trip to the beach. Prospero, don't you think so? ... Prospero?" Looking to his side, the deer realized his friend had left without saying anything. Valiant looked around, searching for the cockatoo that should stand out from the crowd. Ladon finished his good deed and returned to Valiant, immediately noticing Prospero's absence. Both friends were confused, as the cockatoo would never leave like this. Worried that his friend might have gotten lost, the gecko and the deer began searching for him. Ladon was especially worried, thinking something serious had happened. That concern only increased when after an hour they couldn't find him. "PROSPERO!!" Valiant shouted as the sun set and the stars appeared in the sky. Ladon looked worriedly at his friend. "Maybe he was kidnapped!? Those money-loving criminals must have followed us here!" "No, remember, they were captured." Valiant placed a hand on Ladon's head and stroked him reassuringly. “Let's try to find a sound system. Maybe we can shout his name so everyone can hear him. He's not exactly discreet with his clo-” “ROOOOAAAAAAR!!” A roar interrupted the music and made everyone stop. The festival crowd was confused. Amidst their gazes, someone noticed something terrifying. A large figure on one of the rooftops of a tavern, larger than any mobian bear, with thick arms, a thick torso covered in gray feathers and traces of something pink. His legs were only noticeable because of the ripped pants that had turned into battered shorts. “ROOOAAAAR!!” The creature roared at the moon. “GAAAAHHHHHH!!” The crowd panicked and started running, trying to get away. The enormous feathered creature leaps, and two men were unlucky not to have run in time. They saw the creature raise his claws and bring them down sharply as the sound of tearing echoes. Only it wasn't flesh that was ripped, but their clothes! Both men were now frozen in fear and wearing One Piece and 44 Cats underoos! “GAAAHHHH!” Both men snapped out of their stupor and tried to flee. But this only caused the creature to grab both of their underwear and forcefully lift them up, giving them both the biggest wedgie of their lives. “WEEEEEEEEKKK!!” The shrieks of both men filled the night sky. The creature made sure to bounce they both and then tossed them around like simple toys, causing them to become trapped in dangling wedgies! The creature continued to attack with his curious way of causing fear and humiliation, ripping clothes, pulling underwear, and leaving its victims in dangling wedgies. Some men tried to confront the creature, suffering a humiliating defeat. Valiant stood behind a barrel watching everything, staring closely at the creature. “Ladon, maybe I'm crazy and almost peed myself in fear… but that creature…” Ladon peeked out slightly from his hiding place inside the barrel. “Do you think that creature ate Prospero?” the gecko said in panic, hiding again. “No! Well, I hope not.” Valiant had a strange feeling. The creature turned toward the deer, like if him had heard what he said. “ROOAAR!” The creature started running toward it menacingly. Valiant tapped the barrel. “Ladon! We have to get out of here!” The gecko poked his head out of the barrel, looking at the deer, then turned around to see the creature above they, making the gecko turn pale. “Don’t think I’m scared of you!” Valiant got between the creature and his friend, his legs shaking like jelly, showing that he was indeed scared. With a swipe of his claws, the creature ripped the deer’s clothes, destroyed the barrel, and ripped the gecko’s clothes too! Valiant was left alone in his yellow underoos of Tails the Fox, while Ladon kept his hat and Ben 10 underoos. “I won’t let you continue this!” Before the creature could continue tormenting the two boys, a hooded archer shot suction-cupped arrows that hit their rear ends and pulled the strings to carry they both to safety on a rooftop. The creature growled in annoyance as it watched his prey flee. But a barrel was thrown at his back, shattering it. The even more annoyed creature turned around and found himself confronted by a rat dressed in green robes, a gray quail with a lute, another deer in clerical robes, and a red-clad sparrow who was also an archer. “Your fight is with us now!” Valiant peeked out with a big, excited smile despite the suction cup on his rear end. “It’s the Mercian Freedom Fighters!” He turns to see the man who rescued them. “That means you must be…” The archer removes his hood, revealing himself to be a green hedgehog. “Rob o’ the Hedge! At the service of all!” The hedgehog bows, then winks at Ladon. “Especially to those who help my wife and keep my son’s feet from getting cold.” “…Ohhh…” Ladon understood, realizing his prediction seemed to have been correct. Rob appears proud and confident. “Don’t worry! My team and I will take care of the creature and restore order to the festival!” “WOOOEEEEK!! THIS IS A BAD SYMPHONY!!” Down in the fighting area, Alan the quail is was in the middle of a yo-yo wedgie, his briefs decorated with musical notes stretching comically while his lute lies broken on the ground. Munch the rat was throwing punches in the air, blinded by an atomic melvin that only allowed him to see the cheese drawings on his underwear. Meanwhile, Friar Buck, the deer cleric, was trying to free Bow Sparrow from a barrel where he was trapped. Rob blushed slightly but became serious. “You guys stay here! I’ll go help my friends!” The hedgehog shot an arrow on a string at a nearby building, used his bow to slide down and double-kick the creature. “I’m your opponent now!” Valiant leans out with an excited smile. “We’re witnessing a real Freedom Fighter fight! Someone pinch me because I must be dreaming!” “Do your dreams involve being in your underwear and having suction cups on your butt?” Ladon questioned, then tried to peel it off his butt. “Do you think they can beat the creature?” Valiant grins at his friend, ignoring the aforementioned. “Sure they can! They’re the Freedom Fighters! They fight Eggman’s men daily. A feathered creature can’t defeat they! They are great heroes!” “EEEEEEKK!! WEDGIEEEEE!!” A feminine squeal interrupted the deer’s excitement, and both friends returned their attention to the battle with the creature. Rob had been disarmed and stripped down to his bright yellow briefs with hearts on them, which were now deeply stuffed into his round butt by a large wedgie. “Drop my briefs! They’re a gift from my wifeeeee!!” The hedgehog suffers a wedgie around the world and is used to hit his companions who were in similar situations. Valiant and Ladon watched as the creature was dominating the fight. Then the gecko felt something touching his shoulder. “Gyahh!” He cried out in fear. It was the female echidna from earlier, Mari-An, Rob’s wife. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” She apologized but hurriedly moved with her baby. “This way, we should stay away if we don’t want to get involved in the fight with that creature.” “But Rob seems to be in trouble! We should find a way to help him!” Valiant said bravely, forgetting that he was in his underwear and had a suction cup on his butt. “We should also look for our friend! Prospero got separated from us before the creature appeared!” Ladon said worriedly, not knowing where his friend was. Mari-An smiled reassuringly. “The only ones left here are the ones hanging from your underwear, so your friend should be somewhere safe by now. As for Rob, he's pretty clever; he'll find a way to deal with the creature. The best thing we can do is stay out of the way… and I can also give you something to wear.” Both boys blushed and tried to cover their underoos. Seeing they wouldn't win an argument with the echidna woman, they followed her to safety. Mari-An offered Valiant and Ladon a place to stay overnight at her home. Since it was so late, they accepted and spent the night in the guest room. Although Mari-An's younger brothers couldn't help but laugh at the sight of they both in their underoos. The next morning, fairly early, Valiant and Ladon walked out wearing blue and green robes respectively, with Mari-An escorting they to the inn. "Thanks again for the clothes. I wouldn't want to have to walk around town in my underwear on my second day here." Valiant said cheerfully, feeling like a part of the town with the clothes. "It's nothing. We have spare clothes for anyone who needs them, and Rob loses his pants a lot." Mari-An said with a light laugh. “Do you think it's safe to go back now? We don't know if the creature is still there…” Ladon said worriedly as he clung to his hat. Then some nearby bushes began to move. “THE CREATURE!! IT'S GOING TO GIVE US WEDGIES!!” Valiant stood protectively in front of the group. But everyone was shocked to see what was coming out of the bushes—or rather, who was coming out. “Prospero!” The cockatoo emerged from the bushes, covered in leaves, wearing nothing but his torn pants, which he had to hold onto so he wouldn't end up walking around in his underwear. Valiant and Ladon rushed to him and hugged him tightly. “We were worried about you!” “Arrgh! Don't get so close to me! What's wrong with you?!” Prospero tried to push his friends away, dropping his pants, exposing his slightly stretched-out MLP underoos. “You disappeared last night, and a creature attacked the festival!” Ladon exclaimed. “Of course we were worried! And it seems the creature attacked you!” Valiant begins examining Prospero’s body. “Do you have any broken bones? Any injuries? Come! I’ll carry you to a hospital! Or would it be better to practice first aid?” “Put your hands away! And what creature are you talking about?!” Prospero shouted, then picked up his trousers. Ladon, Valiant, and even Mari-An were surprised by Prospero’s question. They resumed their walk toward the inn, telling the cockatoo everything that had happened last night. Prospero remained reluctant to believe that a bird-man or whatever had appeared during the night. That was until he witnessed how the village was now decorated with scraps of underwear, even some people still hanging from it. “Wow… This has to be the most ridiculous monster in history.” the cockatoo commented. “Maybe so. But…” Valiant looked worried. “…what happened to you last night?” The deer finally asked. “You suddenly disappeared, and we couldn’t find you.” Prospero sighed in annoyance and rubbed his head. “I… was tasting the food at the food stalls… then I started feeling dizzy… maybe I fainted in the bushes.” “But the place where we found you is too far from here for that to have been it.” Mari-An said, having some suspicions. But then she saw Rob and his team helping people free themselves from their wedgies. “Rob!” The hedgehog, now in his spare clothes, saw his wife approaching and hurried to her. “Mari-An, you have to go home. The creature is still at large and might return!” “THE CREATURE IS STILL AT LARGE!?” Ladon was frightened to hear that. Munch snorted in disgust. “Got away.” he said, trying to defend his pride. “I was ready for round two when that thing ran off into the woods.” “All we managed to do was get this off it.” Rob held up the remnants of a pink cloth. “It seems the monster has a taste for fine clothes.” Valiant tensed, starting to connect the dots. “I think we should let the professionals handle this!” The deer said with a forced smile, taking his friends by the hands and running off. “Thanks for saving us last night! We can't see each other!” “Hey! Slow down! I'm losing my pants!” Prospero protested as he was dragged away. --- After arriving at the inn and Prospero taking a long bath, Valiant led his friends to find the clairvoyant who had read their cards the day before. “That guy must have put a powerful curse on you to turn you into a monster!” Valiant said, looking around for the enigmatic figure. Unfortunately, there was nothing left where they had first seen him. “This is ridiculous! There are no curses!” Prospero said, annoyed at having to wander aimlessly looking for a swindler and charlatan who deceived people. “Do you remember what happened in the Dragon Kingdom?” Ladon questioned. The gecko perfectly remembers how the cockatoo was bewitched by a gem that changed its personality and brought it good luck, while Ladon and Valiant had to endure the bad luck. Prospero opened his mouth to respond to that, closing it as he had no counterargument. "We must find a way to break the curse before nightfall comes again." Valiant said, pounding his fist into his palm. "We don't want Prospero to end up being lynched by the people for ruining the festival." "Huh... How do you know it'll happen again at night?" Ladon asked out of curiosity, since neither of they knew much about these things. "Perhaps it's a one-time thing?" He harbored a small hope that it was. "Curses always last for several nights until the hero manages to break the curse." Propsero commented. It's a classic feature of all stories involving these things. “That or they stay there forever, maybe until they finish off the monster.” “Let’s try the first option.” the deer said, wanting to stay positive. “Let’s search the village and ask for witches and wizards.” “…Hooray.” Prospero said sarcastically. “Let’s eat first. I remember a grilled pig with an apple in its mouth; it looked quite appetizing.” “Urgh… what if it gets dark before we find a solution?” Ladon asked worriedly. “We can’t let Prospero hand out wedgies again.” “Don’t worry! I have a perfect idea in mind!” Valiant said with a bright smile. Ladon became concerned when he saw that smile, and Prospero had a distrustful look on his face. However, the group's efforts proved fruitless. They searched the village for the clairvoyant but couldn't find him. They found other supposedly enlightened people in magic and divination. But none of them noticed Prospero's problem and tried to sell the group charms for good luck, finding love, and one even offered them underwear stain remover. If Prospero hadn't been busy eating, he would have yelled at him for insinuating such things. The sun began to set, leaving the group only a few hours before the creature re-emerged and caused more trouble for the villagers. But Valiant had complete confidence in his containment plan. --- "WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR ANTLER!!" The cockatoo yelled indignantly. The deer's plan is to… tie the cockatoo to his bed. Prospero had handcuffs on his wrists and ankles that held him to the ends of the bed, and he also had a harness with which he was secured to the bed. There was a question about adding a gag to silence the creature's roars, but it was quickly dismissed, and the deer put it back. "There! With all this, you won't be able to go around town giving wedgies!" Valiant said proudly. Ladon had a suspicious look. "... Since when did you have these things, and why?" "N-No time to talk about it!" The deer said, his cheeks flushed, looking nervous. "Even if we have Prospero in custody, we still have to find a solution to this curse." "You're the only curse tormenting me!" Prospero yelled as he struggled against his restraints. "Your ass is going to be so red when I get out of here!" “Hey, maybe if you hadn't been rude to the clairvoyant, we wouldn't be in this mess.” Valiant heads for the door. “Ladon, keep an eye on Prospero.” “WHAT? Should I stay?” The gecko disliked this plan more and more. “Relax, Prospero is fine. Just give him water and help him when necessary.” the deer said, confident that the cockatoo wouldn’t go anywhere. “And if Prospero needs to go to the ba-” Valiant left the room before Ladon could finish his question. “Maybe that guy will show up at the festival, attracted by the food and dancing…” The deer said to himself as he left the inn. But he bumped into someone shortly after. “Huh! Sorry! I was deep in thooood…” The one he bumped into was Rob. “Hah, it’s you! I was just looking for you and your friends… especially the bird.” The green hedgehog looked around. “Where is he?” Valiant sweatdropped, thinking that Rob had discovered Prospero was the creature and was looking for him to finish him off. “Prospero is… looking for a good place to see the dancing girls!” The deer lies, wanting to protect his friend. Although it's not a good lie. "Yeah! The truth is, he wanted to be a dancer, but he has two left feet!" "I'm sure he can achieve something if he keeps practicing." Fortunately for him, Rob swallowed the lie. "I'll send my men to find him. We need to talk to you. Now!" The hedgehog said, leaving no room for argument. "Come with me." Normally, Valiant would be excited to accompany a Freedom Fighter. But he fears they're becoming enemies. Especially since they'd kick his asses without much effort! Valiant had to think about something while he followed Rob. Rob led Valiant to a secluded part of town. No one was around, and the hedgehog entered an alley. The deer then remembered his prediction: an intimate encounter with a hero. He felt his cheeks heat up, thinking that maybe Rob wanted something from him alone and that the search had just been an excuse to take Valiant somewhere private. Although that theory was shattered when Mari-An showed up in that alley. She sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you're here. I was starting to get worried." “O-oh… Hello, Miss Mari-An.” Valiant said, with a mixture of relief and disappointment. “Where are your friends?” The echidna woman asked bluntly. “They need to hear this too.” She held a book in her hands. “They’re here for the festival, you know, appreciating local produce, being good citizens, maybe trying to g-” Mari-An interrupted Valiant’s lie. “We know your friend Cockatoo is the creature.” The deer gritted his teeth and shuddered. “H-How do you know that?!” The lady rolled her eyes slightly. “Valiant, remember I was with you when your friend woke up in the middle of the forest.” Yes, she was there. “It was also suspicious when you ran off earlier. But we understand you wanted to protect your friend.” “Really?” The deer was surprised by such understanding. “Of course! Your friend helped a woman and her baby; they're obviously good people.” Rob said with a smile. “Fortunately, I remembered an old story my father used to tell me when I was little. Maybe this is the same situation your friend is going through.” “Oh! Maybe we can solve this problem in record time!” Valiant said cheerfully. “Let's not declare victory so soon.” Mari-An opens the book and shows Valiant an old story. “Once upon a time, when magic floated through the air, a wayward prince refused to help an old woman, mocking her as well. But the prince made a grave mistake, because the old woman was a witch and placed a curse on the prince, a curse that would transform him into a werebully at night.” Valiant raises an eyebrow. “Did they really name the creature that way back then, or is it an update?” It certainly doesn't sound like a name that would have been used in ancient times. “That's not the point.” Rob pointed out. “The creature did things like steal armor and tear the clothes of the kingdom's people, including the king. Apparently, the witch didn't mean to cause real harm to innocent people.” The hedgehog shrugs. “Villains have changed a lot since then, I suppose.” “As much as I love fantasy stories, how do we help Prospero?” Valiant questioned, hoping the answer didn't involve silver weapons or something. “According to the story, the witch revealed to the people of the kingdom how to reverse the curse, giving the wayward prince a harsh lesson in humility.” Mari-An points to what appears to be an illustration of the prince in the middle of a crowd and… Valiant is stunned to see the illustration accompanying the story. “The king is spanking the prince in the middle of the people?” “Yeah… apparently the ‘lesson in humility’ was to punish and humiliate the prince to improve his behavior.” Rob said, rubbing his own bottom, recalling his naughtier times in the castle. “It certainly is effective and gets results.” “… Only we get these things.” Valiant sighs. The humiliation continues with the fourth member of their traveling party. “So I should spank Prospero so he’ll stop acting like a monster?” “I think the point of the curse is to humiliate, but basically, yes.” Mari-An closes the book. “So, what part of the festival did your cockatoo friend go to?” “Huh…” Valiant sweats slightly with a nervous smile. “My friends aren’t at the festival. The truth is, I tied to Prospero, and he’s in our room at the inn with Ladon watching over him to prevent him from causing any more trouble.” The pair of wives glances at the deer. “But that means we know where Prospero is!” After saying those words, the last ray of sunlight faded, and night completely dominated the sky. The three of them exchanged worried glances. “We don’t have time! Prospero will transform at any moment!” Mari-An said worriedly. “Rob, go ahead! We’ll just track you down!” The hedgehog nods decisively, shooting a rope arrow into a chimney, quickly climbing up, and starting to run across the village rooftops. “I must ask him to teach me how to do that!” Valiant said excitedly and then ran alongside Mari-An, taking a slower route to the inn. Rob hurried, but when he reached his destination. "ROOOAAAAR!!" With a roar, Prospero, in his monster form, smashed the bedroom window and fell to the floor with a heavy thud, then walked with heavy steps. "It's late..." Rob frowned at the creature. But something caught his attention. In one of its hands, it held a pair of ripped Dragon Tales Underoos. "The friendly gecko!" The hedgehog hurriedly jumped in through the hole in the wall. "Gahh!" Rob gasped as he was greeted by the sight of a large orange full moon! The hedgehog blushed at the sight of the gecko on the floor, now naked and with his rear end raised, probably from an intense wedgie. "So that's where he got the underoos from..." Rob rushed to Ladon's aid. "Oww! I'm going to need an ice pack! And I don't like the cold!" Ladon grumbled as he started to get up. Then the pain in his backside fades into the background as he realizes he's completely naked in front of Rob. "EEEK!! Don't look!" The gecko does his best to cover himself, unaware that Rob had already seen everything. Rob, still blushing, tries to calm the boy down. "We don't have time for modesty! Get dressed and we'll go find your friend to break his curse!" Despite what he'd said, Rob turns away, giving the gecko some privacy, feeling embarrassed as well. Ladon rushes to get his suitcase, feeling the intense heat of his cheeks. He could feel the heat spreading through his body as he took out his clothes... the heat seemed to intensify in his body as he dressed, and his vision began to blur... "We've already found a way to break your friend's curse. Although it will be harder to do anything with him in this form." Rob said, watching the path the werebully took. “Looks like he's going to find more people to continue handing out wedgies… Stopping a creature that's dedicated to handing out wedgies and is really strong sounds so ridiculous, right?” Rob turned around to see if Ladon was ready yet. The gecko was certainly dressed, but something else was happening to him. Ladon was… growing… Valiant and Mari-An arrive at the inn, seeing that there's now a large hole where the room's window should have been. "Prospero won't be happy having to pay that." "EEEEEEKK! WEDGIEEEE!" Rob's scream is heard. Valiant and Mari-An stop in front of the inn. Rob peeks out of the hole, hanging from his red briefs with drawings of cute forest animals. But instead of a large feathered creature, what emerged was a large creature with orange scales! "LADON!?" The deer recognized the gecko by his green cap and his somewhat torn clothes, barely holding onto his now much larger body. "Now he's the werebully!?" The second creature grabs Rob in one hand and with the other, pulls out his underwear like a slingshot. Sure enough, Rob is launched and sent flying through the air. "EEEEEEKK!" The hedgehog screams as he flails his arms and legs until he crashes into a hay roof. The new werebully is leaving for the festival while Mari-An and Valiant rush to check on Rob and get some answers. “Rob! Are you okay?!” the echidna woman asked, worried for her husband. The hedgehog comes out with hay stuffed in his clothes and his underwear stretched out behind him. “Yeah… I'm fine… but I'll need to buy more underwear after this.” “What happened? Why is Ladon now a werebully? Did the clairvoyant put his curse on him now?!” Valiant asks hurriedly, then adds. “Maybe we could go shopping together after this!” Rob begins to gather his long train of underwear. “I didn't see anyone when I arrived. I only saw your transformed friend smash the window and leave with some underoos in hand.” The hedgehog tries to stuff his underwear into his pants, which bulge out. “The friendly gecko was naked but fine… then he suddenly transformed!” “Did Prospero bite Ladon or something? It’s how werewolves and vampires multiply.” Valiant said, now worried about his two friends instead of one. “No, I would have noticed any wounds.” Rob tries to find an answer. Mari-An flips through the book. “Nothing is mentioned here about the creature spreading the curse or stripping people completely naked. Only how the creature would pull at the leather underwear worn at the time and humiliate its victims.” “Urgh. Leather briefs, they may be durable but very uncomfortable.” Valiant comments. Rob begins to have an epiphany. “Could that be the answer?” “You want us to wear leather briefs?” The deer grimaces. “Going comando would b—” “No! I mean how the curse spread to the friendly gecko!” Rob clarified. “Perhaps when Prospero ripped his undies, perhaps it was a catalyst.” “It sounds ridiculous… which is probably what happened to they.” Valiant admitted, as these things always happen to they. “Now we need to teach them both a lesson.” The screams of the wedgies’ victims interrupt the small gathering. It seems the werebully has reached the festival area and started causing trouble. Rob starts running, leading the way. “We need to get people to safety! We also need a plan on how to stop both werebullys!” Valiant was right behind Rob. “It would be easier if we could get they to stay still instead of running around handing out 10 wedgies a minute.” Mari-An then had an idea. “I think I know what might do the trick to distract both werebullys. But only if both of you are willing to do it…” “Of course I will!” The hedgehog said determinedly and without hesitation. “I will always fight to protect my people!” It doesn't matter if it's curses, Lord Mordred Hood or Dr. Eggman himself!" You can tell because he's the leader of the Mercian Freedom Fighters. The deer felt quite inspired by the hedgehog's words and determination. "You can count on me! I mustn't just save my friends! I also want to help the village!" Mari-An smiles; she was increasingly confident in trusting Valiant, and her love for Rob grows stronger every day. "All right, we'll need to make a quick stop. I hope the rest of the team can hold off both werebullys until we arrive." --- "We can't hold off these creatures!" Friar Buck exclaims just before Ladon throws him into a barrel of water, leaving his butt end sticking out and his legs dangling. "Alan! Help me get down from here!" Bow yells, flailing his arms and legs. The sparrow had been hung on a window frame by his underoos of cutes Chaos. While a high place is a good position for an archer, his bow lay broken on the ground. "We have our own problems here!" Alan exclaimed as he ducked, barely dodging a swipe from Prospero in his monstrous form. Only for the quail's pants to fall to the floor, revealing a pair of red boxers with musical instruments on them. "What a lie! I'm sure I avoided it!" He grumbled like a kid in a video game. "Hey! Bunch of feathers! You and I haven't finished settling our unfinished business!" Much said, trying to provoke Prospero. Perhaps this would be more effective if the rat weren't wearing his yellow with black-spotted briefs, reminiscent of cheese, stretched and strapped to his shoulders. This shoulder-length wedgie wasn't only painful, it also revealed much of Much's backside. "You'll be the one with your underwear over your head!" At least this time the citizens had managed to hide; the less fortunate suffered terrible wedgies and are left crawling around with a painful butt, accompanied by great shame. But with the heroes of Mercia losing more and more ground, they watch worried that they might become the next victims of these creatures. Ladon was busy spinning Alan by his boxer, and Prospero was making Munch's wedgie worse. It was at that moment that Mari-An slipped away and helped Friar Buck out of the barrel. The deer was soaked. "I think we're in time." "Mari-An, it's dangerous for you to be here." Buck said worriedly. "Where's Rob?" "Don't worry, we have a plan." The echidna woman said with a smile. "Don't get distracted, and help me gather the others to put the plan into action." "Distraction? What distraction?" Both werebullys suddenly left their victims, leaving them to fall to the ground with their underwear stretched out. They sniffed the air as if a scent had just appeared. "HEY!! UGLY!!" Two voices shouted, attracting all the attention. And even more to see who they were. They were Rob o' the Hedge and Valiant the Deer. But they were dressed in a rather unusual way. Both of they wore black shoes, plaid socks, brown shorts with suspenders, a white button-down shirt, and red bow ties. They were the very image of nerds! They even had their shirts tucked into their undies, causing it to peek out over the shorts. The creatures, the Freedom Fighters, and even the people hiding watched. The deer was a stranger here; it didn't impress much. But seeing Rob like this was shocking! “...I don't want to talk about this...ever!” The hedgehog said, feeling truly ridiculous. “We don't need to talk about this; the others won't let us forget this.” The deer said, equally embarrassed and quite aware of what was about to happen. He also tugged at his shorts slightly. “Urgh! These suspenders are ALREADY giving me wedgies!” “...I feel the same.” Rob admitted, equally embarrassed. “Let’s get this over with.” Then they both turned around, bent over, stuck out their butts, and shook they at the two werebullys to provoke they. Rob and Valiant even spanked each other on the butt! “Please don’t let they remember any of this when the curse is broken.” Valiant pleaded, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment as he heard a few chuckles. Both werebullys licked their lips; this was like finding diamonds. They didn't hesitate and started running toward Valiant and Rob. They'd taken the bait, so the pair of nerds started running away to buy more time and postpone hell for their asses. "For all the cheese in Mercia!" Munch exclaimed as he pulled his underwear from between his cheeks. "I'll be giving Rob wedgies every day after this!" "Keep your hands off my husband's underwear." Mari-An said firmly. "We have to hurry and set a trap for the werebully!" "Someone get me down from here!" Bow said, still on the dangling in his wedgie. --- Valiant and Rob couldn't run away for long; Ladon and Prospero are very fast in these monstrous forms. So they were trapped, and they know what will happen next. Prospero grabbed Valiant by his antlers, lifting him into the air. “Ow! Ow! Ow! OW! Watch out! It’s not time for me to change antlers yet!” Ladon grabbed Rob by the leg, holding the hedgehog upside down. “The gentle gecko I barely know is still inside you! Fight the curse!” The monster gecko’s response was tossing the hedgehog into the air and then grabbing him by the straps of his shorts. “Eep!” Rob could already feel everything rising in his rear end. Without further ado, both werebullys forced their respective nerd to spin around to grab the colorful waistband of underwear sticking out. The hedgehog and the deer squeezed their buttocks together tightly out of pure instinct, knowing they were going to suffer both physically and morally. Then Prospero and Ladon pulled their victims’ underwear skyward with monstrous force! “EEEEEEKK!! WEDGIEEEEE!!” Valiant and Rob screamed as they felt the fire rise up their butts like rockets in what must be one of the worst wedgies they've ever received... so far. Because this was just the beginning of hell for they. Both werebullys giggle, not only at the shrieks of their victims, but also at the underwear they were wearing. Valiant is wearing baby blue underoos with little smiling clouds and rainbows, while Rob is wearing pink underoos with unicorns! Both undies are as stretchy and durable as they are humiliating. An excellent choice for a good, long wedgie session to distract the monsters. Prospero and Ladon bounce Valiant and Rob on their wedgies, their voices shaking, but they also seem to be checking the quality of the underwear. The hedgehog and the deer lower themselves until they almost touch the ground and then rise with a bounce that's quite satisfying for the werebullys and painful for the nerds. Even so, the underoos don't stretch too much. "Too much quality!" Valiant yelled, feeling his ass invaded by the underwear. Prospero laughed and changed technique, throwing Valiant forward and with a flick, bringing him back, a yo-yo wedgie. "Gyaaah-ahhh-aahh-aah!" The deer yelled back and forth. Ladon was more playful, throwing Rob into the air to spin him around and then catching him by his underoos. "GEEEEEEEK!!" The hedgehog squealed in a high-pitched voice when he was abruptly stopped. A few more times of that and Rob's shorts straps came loose, causing them to slide down his thighs. After playing with the deer as if it were a yo-yo, the monstrous cockatoo decided to switch sides, grabbing the underwear by the front. Valiant panicked. "NO! No! No! Not a Melvin!" But his pleas were to no avail, and his adorable underoos were pulled and stretched out in front of his face in an instant. "EEEEKK!! THAT'S BURNING!" The deer grabbed his crotch. Prospero then twirled him around the world in a wedgie. "Wahh-waahhh-Wahh-Waaah!!" Valiant now felt the heat in his nether regions, and his shirt came off, then flew off, exposing his chest and stomach. Rob sighed in relief when his feet touched the ground again, believing Ladon had grown tired and his wedgies were over. But that monstrous gecko proved him wrong by grabbing a large handful of hay and shoving it up the hedgehog's rear end. "EEEEKK!" Rob couldn't help but squeal. "THAT REALLY STINGS!" The hedgehog actually felt the hay when Ladon tugged at his underwear again. "EEEEEEEK!!" Now it was getting deep, making Rob's eyes water. Back with Valiant, Prospero decided to hang the deer by the back of his underwear. “Gyaah!” Valiant fell for a moment, dangling from his underoos with rainbows sticking out, all the way to his stomach. “Could you at least decide on one side!?” Having his underwear pulled back and forth was like having his butt flossed. It was certainly going deep like that. “Grr garhh arrgh.” The feathered monster seemed to taunt the deer. Once the werebully’s hands were free, he used a new technique to torment his victim. He pinched both of Valiant’s nipples and twisted them in opposite directions. “GYAHH!!” Valiant yelled, grimacing and trying to push Prospero’s hands away. “Really? I thought you were only interested in underwear!” The deer now regrets having abandoned his “cool” briefs with pictures of Omega to use these much more embarrassing underoos… at least he liked the rainbows. Back with Rob and Ladon, the werebully also decided to change tactics, forcing the hedgehog to lie down on the ground. “Ow ow ow! What are you planning to do now?” the hedgehog questioned, his hands trying to pull the hay out of his butt, but the underwear tucked deep between his buttocks was a major obstacle in his way. Ladon didn't seem to pay attention, grabbing Rob by his nerdy shirt and ripping it off like a napkin, leaving the hedgehog only in his shoes, socks, and his pink underoos with ponys, slightly stretched. They were durable! The werebully places a hand on Rob's chest to hold him in and raises his free hand, then slaps the hedgehog's cute, round belly with a resounding slap. “Ow!” Rob could feel the heat making him shiver. “Really!? Red belly!?” Ladon’s response came in the form of another slap. “Ouch!” More slaps rained down on Rob’s exposed stomach, feeling the heat build as it turned red. It was hard to tell what was worse, the slaps or being in only his underoos during the process. Valiant was lifted into the air by his underwear, feeling his nipples burn. “I’m going to need three ice packs after this.” the deer said, feeling his butt and nipples burn. Prospero pulled Valiant down to grab both sides of the underoos and pull them both up to the sky at once! “GEAAAAK!!” Valiant felt his underoos now turn into a thong that tucked deep into his butt, dividing his buttocks and also his crotch. “OOOOOHH!! MAKE THAT FOUR ICE PACKS!” Valiant’s underwear was pinned to his shoulders, causing him to wobble awkwardly. “EEEEK!! I CAN’T FEEL MY BUTT ANYMORE!” Rob squealed. After Ladon had left his stomach red, the monstrous gecko stretched the hedgehog’s underwear to perform rope tricks. Now Rob was being rocked like a seesaw. “Where do you even think of doing these things? I can hardly give atomic wedgies!” The large, scaly werebully just laughs, interlacing his fingers and stretching the underoos in several different directions. The underoos' unicorns deform while Rob can do nothing but moan and cry like a nerd. Minutes passed, though to Rob and Valiant it felt like hours of underwear being stretched. The underoos would have to be removed with tweezers when this was all over. But now the werebully was finishing off their pair of victims. (An intimate close-up with my hero… I didn't think it would be something like this…) Valiant thinks as his lips press against Rob's. Both boys were in a forced kiss, their bodies pressed against each other while Prospero and Ladon stretched each other's underoos around their bodies, mummifying both of they with underwear! Well, they were certainly very close to each other, feeling the heat of each other's bodies, their breaths intertwining, and the involuntary touch of their p- Arrows lodged in the ground near the werebullys, who stopped laughing and searched for the source of the arrows. They were surprised once again. Bow Sparrow was standing with his bow, almost naked. He was only wearing lavender underoos with bunnies on them. "Hey! You two idiots on steroids! Why don't you come after someone whose underwear is still intact?!" Bow started running, his face red. The werebullys looked annoyed, dropping the tangled nerds to chase Bow. After all, it was still a long time until dawn. Valiant and Rob lay on the ground, their bodies pressed together, each movement resulting in the mummy wedgie getting worse for both of they. Fortunately, or to their humiliation, some people who had been hiding emerged from their hiding places to help they both. Which means there were witnesses to the events… --- “Damn toothpick draw! And damn my luck!” Bow yelled as he ran toward the town square in his underwear, with two monsters getting closer and closer. From her checkpoint, Mari-An saw Bow running with Prospero and Ladon behind him. “They’re here! Now!” She gave the signal. Friar Buck saw his companion running past and then pushed a large crate, causing several apples to roll onto the road. Ladon and Prospero began to skid out of control. Bow jumped, grabbing a rope that had been rigged to help him out of the way, while the creatures continued until they crashed into a wall! Both Werebullys rub their heads, sitting on the ground after the blow. “Garrgah gurrgahh!” They are incomprehensible, but they seem annoyed now. Above them are Alan and some townspeople with cream pies. “Hey! Here!” Ladon and Prospero look up, but their vision is filled with cream! “The fear and shame you caused will now be returned to you as pies!” Alan said, poetically. “That… sounds more like reward than a retribution.” Someone mentioned it. The last cakes were thrown, leaving Ladon and Prospero covered in cream. “ROOAAAAR!!” They both roared angrily and shook themselves clean of most of the dirt. “Gargach! Gurch!” Seeking revenge, both Werebullys began climbing the wall to reach Alan and the others to give them all a torment of wedgies. But almost at the top of the building, the wooden shutters opened, and Munch and other citizens leaned out with soda siphons in their hands. “Bath time! Comrades!” The mouse and the others used the siphons, spraying large amounts of soda in the faces of the cockatoo and the gecko! Their grunts and roars turned into muffled babbles, and the surprise water attack caused them to fall. “Bay bay.” “Now! Deploy it!” A group of citizens rushed to carry a rug to the scene and set it down on the floor. The rug had copious amounts of glue on it! The werebullys landed with a mix of *splat * with *pow*, and small cracks popped out from under the rug. "Garchargah!" Ladon and Prospero struggled to get out. At the same time, the citizens who had been hiding began to emerge. Fear was fading, and laughter began to be heard in its place. The creatures they once thought were unstoppable now seemed like cartoon characters falling for rather ridiculous tricks played by ordinary people. Mari-An and Bow, who was finishing dressing, approached noticing that the Werebullys seemed to have shrunk slightly. “I can't believe it! This is actually working!” Bow said, amazed that the absurd plan was actually working. “Shame is overcoming the curse!” “The good books never lie.” Mari-An said with a smile. “But this is still not enough. We have to make more progress with the plan.” A rabbit woman approaches them with two ropes with hooks in her hands. “We’ve finished the preparations, and the big pole is ready for the final phase.” “Great, we just need to get both of they out of their cl-” “ROOOAAAAAR!!” With a loud roar accompanied by the sound of ripping fabric, both werebullys manage to free themselves from the glued carpet and rise again in front of the crowd! But instead of running and screaming in fear, the people start laughing and pointing at the two. It wasn't the carpet that ripped, it was Prospero and Ladon's battered clothes, leaving both of they reduced to their underwear and the gecko hat. It was hard to intimidate someone when you were only wearing Powerpuff Girls underoos and Yo-Kai Watch underoos, respectively. Even in their monstrous forms, Prospero and Ladon looked down, looking quite embarrassed to notice that their underwear had been exposed to the public. “That makes things easier.” Mari-An said, seeing the unexpected development of the trap. Bow grabs the ropes and rushes toward the werebullys. Prospero tried to hit him, but Bow jumped on top of them to avoid it and positioned himself behind them. With quick hands, the archer rushed to hook both of their underwear. “Activate the final phase!” Mari-An said. “Activate the final phase!” a man shouts from his post. “Activate the final phase!” a woman shouts in the next position. They continue until they reach the center of the park, where one of the staff members activates the mechanism that spins a huge log with long ropes, which also had ropes tied to the top! Prospero and Ladon try to reach the hooks in their underwear, but their large bodies prevent them. Strong and fast, that's what both werebullys felt when their respective underoos was pulled! “AAAARRGHHHHHH!!” They both groaned as they were dragged by the wedgie in front of everyone's eyes! Now they were the ones suffering with their underwear and public humiliation! As the werebullys were dragged, their bodies shrank in size, and their appearance began to return to normal! "EEEEEKK!! / GYAAAAAHHH!!" Even their voices were ceasing to be guttural grunts and returning to high-pitched tones accompanied by pain and embarrassment. Prospero and Ladon reached the park and rose into the air, spinning around the trunk as if their super-stretched underoos were another set of ribbons. Dizzy, confused, and in pain in their nether regions, the cockatoo and the gecko had completely returned to normal! ...Although they continue spinning on their wedgies, just to be sure. "Ow... ow... ow... ow... ohh!" Rob walks toward the park, his legs bowed to avoid rubbing against his sensitive areas and trailing a very long pink underoos tail tucked deep into his rear end. Otherwise, the hedgehog would have been left naked. Rob thinks he has some dignity left to save. “Ouch… ouch… ahhh!” Valiant was next to Rob in a similar state, except his long, fabric tail was blue, and he was trying to cover his crotch as he waddled. “Please… tell us the plan worked…” The caretaker pulled a lever to slow the spinning as the townspeople gathered, hoping they were free of the monsters. The spinning finally stopped, revealing the results. Prospero and Ladon were hanging from their embarrassing Powerpuff Girls underoos and Yo-Kai Watch underoos, respectively; both were stretched out too thin. The cockatoo and the gecko hung there, their eyes spinning uncontrollably in anime-like spirals. At that moment, both of their underwear ripped, and both Prospero and Ladon ended up falling to the grass completely naked before everyone’s eyes. “AAAHHHHHHH!!!” Screams filled the town, this time with excitement and joy! And there were a few laughs too. But the most important thing is that the plan to humiliate the werebully was a complete success! Now everyone's underwear would be safe! "We did it!" Mari-An threw herself at her husband and hugged him tightly. "EEP!" Rob squealed. "H-Honey, I understand you're happy, but now I'm not..." The hedgehog's face was getting redder and redder. This was becoming their most humiliating victory after everything that had happened. But they managed to win and get everyone to safety, that was the important thing. Valiant limped over to his friends, ignoring their lack of clothing. "Guys? Please tell me you're really back and not hi-IIEK!" As he bent down, his underoos touched a still-tender spot. But the deer checked his friends. "My... butt... hurts..." Ladon mumbled, his eyes beginning to focus. "It burns... but... it feels... cold?" Prospero closes his eyes tightly as his mind returns, slowly recognizing his surroundings again. Between groans and headaches, Ladon and Prospero managed to get to their knees and look around in confusion. Then the cold breeze caressed places they shouldn't, causing both boys to look down, noticing their lack of clothing. "EEEEP!!" They both jumped up, covering their crotches and butts ends as much as possible so the people around them wouldn't see. Although it was already too late for that. "Why are we naked?!" Prospero shouted with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Ladon trembled, not knowing where to put his hands. "Please let this be a nightmare! Like the nightmare of going to school in pajamas or something!" "You're back!" Valiant jumped up to hug his friends. "EEEP!" "Argh! Valiant! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Prospero tried to push his friend away. "We're naked!" Ladon exclaimed, embarrassed. Not the way he'd like to hug his friends. Especially not naked in PUBLIC! --- The next day, our favorite deer, cockatoo, and gecko were having lunch with the Mercian Freedom Fighters in the woods by a river. "Oohhhh~ That feels so good~" Valiant said, closing his eyes, feeling very relieved. "I know, this is what we need after what happened last night," Rob said with a smile, sitting next to Valiant, relaxing. The hedgehog and the deer were naked, wearing towels to cover themselves. They were both in the river, letting the water cool their bottoms after spending the night receiving wedgies, struggling to get their underwear out from between their cheeks, and sleeping with an ice pack on their bottoms. Prospero looked up from his book. “I can't believe you can be so calm after what they did to us. I didn't plan on being at the festival naked!” Ladon was playing with a ball next to Mari-An's younger brothers, stopping and blushing brightly. “Even our torn underwear was left there next to the ribbons. I just hope it doesn't become a local tradition.” “Hey! It was our butts that suffered the most last night! Not to mention the nipple twisting!” Valiant reminded his friends. He too was sure someone was photographing the whole thing. Much, who was helping cook the meat, glanced at the cockatoo. “And, from what I understand, you were the one who brought that curse to the festival.” Prospero covered his face with his book, muttering curses under his breath. Mari-An laughed, holding her son so he could kick his feet in the water. “Come on, come on. The important thing is that everything is okay now and we’ve solved the problem.” Alan was sitting on a rock, calmly playing his lute. “Goodbye, werebullys~” Bow was preparing the salad when he stopped and looked away. “Is the curse really broken? How do we know they won’t transform again tonight?” To which Friar Buck replies as he sets the table. “The book didn’t mention anything about the curse returning after the prince had his… wake-up call.” “I hope that’s not the case. I need to rest for a few days.” Rob said, rubbing his bottom. Prospero slammed the book he’d been reading shut. “Do we have to keep talking about that ridiculous curse? Urgh. I don’t understand wizard humor…” “Excuse me, are we bothering YOU?” Bow was surprised by the cockatoo’s cheekiness. “You know this was all your fault, don’t you?” Munch grins wickedly. “Oh, I think I know how to be sure the curse won’t return.” The mouse puts down the meat and approaches the cockatoo from behind. “Something about burning sage or other superstitions?” Prospero said, trying to return to his book. But large hands invaded the seat of his trousers, and then… “EEEK!! WEDGIEEEE!!” Prospero was lifted from his seat, his yellow underoos with cherry blossom quickly secured on his head in an atomic wedgie. “Ha! I owed you some of this after all the wedgies you gave me!” Munch said with a proud smile as he watched Prospero struggle to remove the wedgie. “Go wash your hands before lunch.” Mari-An told Munch like a true mother. Valiant laughs, watching everyone having fun, and then turns to Rob. “Your team is pretty cool. Even after everything that happened, you stick together and have fun.” The hedgehog smiles. “Thanks. But you also have a pretty tight-knit team.” He points out, watching Ladon try to help Prospero unhook his underwear from his front. “It looks like you’ve had your share of adventures together, fun, and…” “…embarrassing moments?” The deer guessed. “Yeah… but then they’re memories to laugh about… mostly.” Valiant murmurs this last part with a shy smile and a slight blush on his cheeks. “Speaking of which… I hope Mari-An wasn’t upset about what happened to us last night, especially since it was kind of forced.” Rob raises an eyebrow in confusion. “She annoying? Why?” Valiant blushes more. “You know… being almost pressed together… with only underwear wrapped around us… and our lips together… really together…” “Ohh…” The hedgehog’s face begins to turn red, understanding what the deer is referring to. “Relax, Mari-An knows our love is genuine and that it wasn’t just about that.” Rob then looks away and scratches the back of his neck. “On the contrary, she couldn’t stop laughing when I told her.” “That’s… well, I guess.” Valiant laughs shyly. “I guess it’s not every day she sees her husband getting wedgies and losing his pants. Hehehe.” Rob looks completely to the opposite side to hide his blush while avoiding an answer. But that’s what his friends, more specifically Alan, were for. “Oh! Don't be fooled by his heroic appearance, Rob ends up walking home with his underoos on his head most of the week! If he didn't lose all his clothes! Hahahaha!” “ALAN!!” Rob exclaimed, embarrassed, and hurried out of the river to chase his friend. The hedgehog chases the quail around the place, forgetting his towel in the river. Friar Buck covers Mari-An's brothers' eyes while the rest of them laugh at the scene. “Hehehe. Looks like Rob's butt is already getting better.” Mari-An said, watching her husband's running behind. “Don't stray too far! Lunch will be ready soon!” “Relax, we've got plenty of buns with the gecko.” Bow commented. “Hey!?” Ladon blushed and covered his butt. Soon, everyone was sitting around the table, eating lunch together with lively conversation and a few laughs. The curse may have been pretty bad at first. But thanks to it, new bonds of friendship were forged. They even planned to go to the last night of the festival together. Hopefully, no one would end up with stretched underwear or losing their clothes... right?