My Little Heroines: FIM Episode 17 part 1

Stare Master

Fifi scrambles to clean up the mess that Minia has made, picking up the stuff as far as she could. Her little sister watches as the big one got the place back into order. Hopefully she isn't too late.

"Can you at least let me help you clean up?" Minia ask Fifi in concern.

"Non! Vous has helped moi well enough." Fifi said sternly to her little sister.

"Come on, sis, I said I was sorry. I just thought that maybe if I could help, I might find my special gift and finally get my talent mark."

"Well, I understand, it's just that...moi needs time to fill this order without further complications." Fifi said as she notes her sister looking at her palm unsettled. The poor dear is looking so anxious to find her talent mark. As Fifi put her yarn away her yarn away while her little sister hangs her head dejectedly, the older sister flips her last mannequin back into place. "Ah, all done. Okay, time for moi to get back to work. I've lost a lot of time and can't have any more interruptions."

Fifi heads back to her sewing machine. The skunk was about to get back to work when the doorbell rang, causing her to groan in frustration.

"Now what?!" Fifi demands in frustration. Is the universe so determined to keep her from getting her job done?

Just then, Bubbles came in with a basket and a blanket over the content. The girl, overhearing Fifi's snapping, nervously spoke, "Oh, sorry! When I saw the "OPEN" sign, I thought you were open." Bubbles backs away in worry. "I must've been mistaken..."

"Oh, Bubbles! Oh, forgive me. I was so wrapped up in my work that I forgot that you were bringing Fluffy back from her grooming."

"Oh, no worries, Fifi." Bubbles said with a smile as she came in. A fold of the basket came loose, releasing a familiar cat's face in the shade of it. "I've just left her there in the basket."

Fluffy grumbly meow as she jumps out of the basket, showing off her spotless coat. Fifi looks impressed. Her cat looks wonderful!

"Ooh la la! She looks great. Moi just don't understand how you are able to do it!" Fifi giggles, leaning down to Fluffy. The cat rubs her head against Bubbles's leg, purring happily. "Why, I can't even get near her without Fluffy swiping at me with her claws."

As if to prove it, Fluffy swipe at Fifi's nose before snarling at her, causing the skunk to frown. Her little baby can be grumpy around her.

"By any chance, did vous use...the Stare on her?" Fifi ask Bubbles seriously with widen eyes.

"Oh no! I wouldn't or couldn't! To be honest, I don't really got any control over when that happens. I-it just does! No, I'm really good with animals!" Bubbles explains that, although she is good with animals, the girl isn't over good in controlling a special power of hers. The girl kneels to nuzzle Fluffy's cheek as she continues, "It is my special gift after all."

"Well, you oughta have a picture of Fluffy as a talent mark instead of those butterflies, yes no?"

"Oh oh oh oh oh! I know! Maybe I can be good with animals too!" Minia exclaims eagerly, getting an idea as she rushes over to Fluffy. The cat however isn't eager with the idea of her taking care of her. This causes Fluffy to swipe at Minia, almost severing a part of her fur. The cat gave a nasty smile across her face that causes the little skunk to back off unnerved. "On second thought, never mind."

Minia rushes off, causing the girls to laugh a bit. Once they calm down, Fluffy chose that time to leave the room on her own.

"Well, sorry that moi can't invite vous to stay and chat, Bubbles. I've bitten off a bit more than I can chew with this order." Fifi said with a sigh, referring to her work.

"But you aren't eating anything." Minia points out as she stood by the sewing machine.

"No, no, Minia. Just an expression. It means that I've taken on more work than moi can handle. I've got 20 of these special robes to make tonight and they are due in Muppetopolis by tomorrow morning." Fifi explains. She ducks her head briefly towards the floor before coming up with the edge of glittering gold fabric that briefly waves. Bubbles gasps happily as her friend hold the material up. "See? I've lined them up in this special gold silk. It took so long to make, but I believe it just the right touch, don't vous think?"

"Wow, these are lovely, but twenty?" Bubbles asks in surprise, not noticing Minia who looks at the silk in amazement. "By tonight?" How will you get it all done?"

"Well, I, uh..."

"Oh, yes, I know! Maybe I could..." Minia stops as her sister gave a glare at her as if saying "don't even think about it". "...just..." The younger sister gulps as she walks away. "...just stand over here and keep watch."

Fifi sighs a bit. Her sister means well but she can be a problem. The older sister spoke, "I will manage, Bubbles."

"In that case, I should get out of your fur so you can work." Bubbles said with a nod. If her friend needs some time to get the work, best not to disrupt her right?

But as Bubbles is about to get to the door, four familiar kids rushes in past her, so close to the floor that you would've think they are going to home plate at a baseball game or something!

"Hi Bubbles!" Jim, Tim, Dani and Pistol calls out. Then they rush past Fifi. "Hi, Fifi!"

"Oh, hello boys, girls." Fifi said, seeing the three kids heading over to the glum little sister and stopping near the third member of the Talent Mark Crusaders.

"Hi, Minia!"

Minia is now all smiles, exclaiming as she jumps, "Pistol! Jim, Tim, Dani!"

"Ready for tonight?" Pistol ask Minia with a chuckle.

"Sure do! Talent mark planning is ready!"

"Ye4ah, everyone! Tonight is the night we will each try to find our own special talent!" Dani exclaims with a smile.

"Right, go where no kid has ever gone before!" Jim exclaims in determination as he held a fist up.

"Right!" Tim exclaims as he hits his brother's fist eagerly as if doing a pound.

"Even if it takes us all night!" Pistol exclaims with a laugh anxiously.

"I'm ready, you ready boys?" Dani ask her brothers eagerly as she leans over to her brothers.

"We're ready! You ready, Pistol?" The Possible Twins asks as they spoke to Pistol in determination.

"Oh very ready." Pistol said as she winks to all of her pals excitedly.

"TALENT MARK CRUSADER SLEEPOVER AT FIFI'S! YAY!!!" The TMC yells out loudly. It is enough to shake the whole building as well everyone in it. Even Bubbles and Fifi are shaken by the loudness of the kids' yelling.

"And check what I made for us!" Minia exclaims proudly as she puts on a cape. It has a blue patch that shows a yellow silhouetted of a caped person. This hears enthusiastic approval from her friends.

"Wow, what does that match on your cape stand for?" Bubbles ask the kids curiously.

"THE TALENT MARK CRUSADERS, YAY!!" The trio yells out loudly once more. Bubbles squinches her face against their intensity. Wow, those kids are loud!

"We're on a crusade, a big mission!" Pistol announces proudly as she held up a fist like a hero would during a mission.

"To find out talent marks!" Dani exclaims in agreement, holding up the same fist.

"Yeah, and look." Minia giggles cutely as she shows the inner lining of the cape...with a very familiar gold looking fabric. "I even lined them up with this special gold silk! Took so long so to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, right?"

"Oooh!" The other kids exclaims in awe. That gold stuff looks amazing.

However, someone else isn't so amazed. Fifi's face look slack with a very unpleasant thought as she looks at the cape lining. Her eyes widen to panic, one of them twitches on its own. No, she wouldn't!

Fifi groans as she rushes past everyone to get to her sewing machine. The skunk grabs the edge of the gold silk and pulls it free. To her dismay, there are five rectangular holes...which Minia cut out earlier! She did.

"Minia La Fume! What have vous done?!" Fifi demands, causing her sister to give out a sheepish grin to her. The skunk drops the scrap as she groans. "Sacre bleu! That was the last of the gold silk! Oh, now moi will have to make more! Oh, I hope I can make more. I'm going have to work all night. That means, sadly, kids...sorry. moi will have to cancel your little Crusade sleepover."

"What?!" Minia yells out in shock and downcast as the others just look downcast. Her determination to make the capes have caused the sleepover at Fifi's place to be cancelled.

"Le sigh. Moi won't have any time to watch any of vous. Moi must get these robes delivered on time."

"But..."

Fifi interrupted sternly, "No buts this time, Minia. Sorry, but it's just the way it has to be."

"Awww..." The Talent Mark Crusaders said as they drop their heads. The five were looking so forward to their sleepover too.

Bubbles looks concerned. She doesn't want the little ones to be disappointed. The girl walks up, saying, "Well, I...well, I suppose I could take them for the night."

Upon hearing that, the five's heads bob up, causing them to give out big smiles towards Fifi. Yeah! They could sleepover at Bubbles's! What could go wrong?

"Oh, moi couldn't ask vous to do that." Fifi said in concern. She knew Bubbles wants to help but the skunk fears that the five would be too much for her to handle.

"Oh, no problem at all." Bubbles insists with a smile.

"Oui, but have vous even met moi's sisters and her friends? Why, a problem is all it could be."

"But did I have a problem with Fluffy? You've seen how well I can handle small creatures."

The kids gave out smaller smiles now. She hopes that Fifi would say "yes" and allows Bubbles to take care of the kids here.

"Oui, that is true, I suppose." Fifi said in hesitation. "Plus, moi does have a lot of work to do."

"Come on, it will be fun." Bubbles insists, making the kids' smiles vanish a bit.

"I should assure vous. They're quite a handle."

"Awww, these sweet little angels?"

The kids' smiles become positively beautiful that halos appears over each one's head...of course, if they were little devils, it's easy to fool even the kindly of all people, especially Bubbles.

"Well...all right." Fifi said with a sigh, giving in.

"TALENT MARK CRUSADER SLEEPOVER AT BUBBLES'S COTTAGE, YAY!" The kids cheer out loudly as the five rush out the door. They get to have their sleepover after all!

The two grown-ups cringe as usual from the reaction. Yet Bubbles looks warmly after the kids as she comments, "So cute. Wait for me!"

Bubbles flew off fast as she rushes off after the five in a panic. Fifi, overworked, gave an uneasy moan to herself. She hopes Bubbles knows what she's getting herself into.

Author's note
Well, the time for the sleepover is here. In the next part of the episode, Bubbles watches the kids but will they be too much for her to handle? Read, review and suggest!