The Caucus Race/Befriending Phil and Lil

*(Once through the Doorknob's keyhole-shaped mouth in the bottle floating in the sea of tears now turned into an ocean, Arren and Therru sat around quietly until they heard someone singing in the distance)*

Arren: What was that?

Therru: I don't know.

*(They peeked from the opening of their bottle and noticed a human-like bird singing while sailing on an opened umbrella. And a bird was pushing him through the sea)*

Skeeter: **Oh, a sailor's life is the life for me**

**How I love to sail on the bounding sea**

**And I never, never ever**

**For the weather never ever does a thing for me**

**Oh, a sailor's life is the life for me**

**Tiddley-um**

*(He honks his nose twice)*

Skeeter: **Da dum dee-dee**

**And I never, nev....**

*(He suddenly sees Arren and Therru waving at him)*

Skeeter: Ahoy! More nautical expressions! Land ho, by Jove!

Bird: (Saluting) Where away, Skeeter?

Arren and Therru: (Confused) Skeeter?

Skeeter: (To the bird) Three points to starboard. *(To Arren and Therru)* Follow me, friends! Have you at port no time at all now!

*(He chuckled and then began to sing again)*

Skeeter: **Oh, yo-ho-ho**

**And a bottle of sea**

**We love each time....**

*(Shrugging, Arren and Therru peeked up from their bottle and paddled away to where they're going. Then they saw a group of monkeys named Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Candy Kong, Dixie Kong, Bluster Kong, Funky Kong, and Cranky Kong on the shore. They were all running around a rock as they, the bird, and Skeeter were singing)*

Skeeter: **Forward, backward, inward, outward**

**Come and join the chase**

All except Arren and Therru: **Nothing could be drier**

**Than a jolly Caucus Race**

**Backward, forward, outward, inward**

**Bottom to the top**

**Never a beginning**

**There can never be a stop**

Skeeter: **To skipping, hopping, tripping**

**Fancy free and gay**

**I started it tomorrow and will finish yesterday**

*(Arren and Therru finally reached the shore)*

All except Arren and Therru: **Round and round and round we go**

**Until forevermore**

**Once we were behind**

**But now, we find we are....**

*(Arren and Therru gets out of the bottle and a wave washes them to their spot on the beach)*

Skeeter: **Forward, backward, inward, outward**

**Come and join the chase**

**Nothing could be drier**

**Than a jolly Caucus Race**

**Backward....**

*(Skeeter, the bird, and the Kongs suddenly saw Arren and Therru and ran to them to help)*

Skeeter: I say! You'll never get dry that way!

Arren and Therru: (Confused) Get dry?

Cranky: Of course, children.

Funky: You have to run with us, kiddies.

Candy: First rule of the Caucus Race.

Therru: But, how can we...?

*(Then the Kongs got them to join in)*

Diddy: Now, that's more like it!

Bluster: You'll be dry in no time!

Arren: But no one can *ever* get dry this way!

Dixie: Nonsense!

Skeeter: I'm as dry as a bone already!

*(Arren and Therru took a closer look while running and realized he's right)*

Arren: I'll be.... You are dry.

Therru: So this'll work?

Skeeter: Yep!

*(They ran some more until Arren and Therru collapsed in exhaustion on the grass near the beach. Skeeter's group came up to proudly)*

Funky: That was tubular, dudes!

DK: Banana Slamma! You're dry already!

Arren and Therru: (Panting) Thank you....

*(Arren and Therru then saw Bugs' group wash up on the beach, riding in an umbrella. They turned it over and was drenched in water)*

Arren and Therru: The gray rabbit's group!

*(They then called out to them)*

Therru: Mr. Rabbits!

Arren: Mr, Ducks!

Plucky: Oh my goodness!

Daffy: We're late!

Bugs: We're late!

Arren: Hey, don't go away!

Therru: Wait!

Bugs' group: We're late, we're late, we're late!

*(Arren and Therru quickly shook Skeeter and the Kongs' hands)*

Arren and Therru: Thank you for drying us! Goodbye!

Skeeter's group: Goodbye!

*(Arren and Therru then ran after the four into the woods. By the time the four disappeared behind a tree, Arren and Therru made their way into the glade of the woods, calling out their names)*

Arren and Therru: Mr. Rabbits?! Mr. Ducks?!

Therru: (Pondering) I’m sure they did go this way….

Arren: They could be hiding around here somewhere.

*(Little did they know that there were two teenage twin siblings, one boy and one girl, hiding behind a bush. They both have short brown hair, and the male is wearing a magenta short-sleeved jacket over a green tanktop, blue shorts, white socks, and blue shoes. And the female is wearing a pink bow on her hair, a pink short-sleeved shirt underneath a green sleeveless vest, a green skirt, white socks, and pink shoes. They watched Arren and Therru behind the bushes in confusion and curiosity)*

Arren: Where could they possibly be hiding?

*(They looked behind a tree. The twins moved between the bushes and the tree, yet they were hidden within a shadow. As Therru and Arren turned toward an open log, the twins moved next to the tree and they stood right behind them)*

Arren: Not here….

*(Therru knelt down to the log’s level as Arren went to the other side)*

Therru: I wonder….

Arren: Yeah....

*(As she crawled into the log, the twins looked at each other and skipped on top of the log in unison, before stopping in front of the other side of the log, getting Arren's attention)*

Twins: Whatcha doin'?

Arren: Oh, um....

*(Once Therru came out from the log, she stood still for a moment and brushed the skirt part of her dress with her hands)*

Therru: I suppose they....

Arren: Therru?

Therru: What?

Twins: Hi.

*(Therru finally noticed the twins)*

Therru: Why, twin siblings.

Twins: Yep!

Female twin: Guess our names.

Male twin: Go ahead.

*(Just then, after thinking it over, Arren and Therru shrugged)*

Arren and Therru: Don't know. What?

Male twin: (Chuckling with his sister) The guess our name was just a joke!

Female twin: My name is Lil Deville and that Phil Deville.

Male twin: Contrariwise, I'm Phil Deville and she's Lil Deville.

Arren: Well....

Therru: Nice to meet you both.

*(They shook hands)*

Phil: If you think we’re made of wax at first with the guessing our names, you ought to pay to see us, you know.

Lil: If you think we’ve come to life because of the guesses, you ought to say something to us if you didn't know.

Phil: Anyway, wanna see us do a trick?

Lil: Yeah, you wanna?

Arren and Therru: (Shrugging with a nod) Sure.

*(The twins then hopped on the log and made themselves balance on it like a trapeze performer, humming a circus theme. Then they pretended to lose their balance, much to Arren and Therru's concern at first, but then they recovered and landed on the ground)*

Phil and Lil: Ta-da! That’s logically cool!

*(Arren and Therru applauded a bit)*

Arren: That was cool.

Therru: Got a little worried, but wow.

Phil: What're your names?

Arren: My name is Lebannen, but my real name is Arren. Just call me Arren.

Therru: And I'm Tehanu, but my real name is Therru. And just call me Therru.

Phil and Lil: Nice to meet you. Welcome to Underland.

Arren and Therru: Wonderland?

Phil and Lil: (Chuckling) No, "Underland."

Therru: So, that's what this world is?

Phil: Yep! It's a huge kingdom beneath the ground.

Lil: And usually, the only way there is either through a magic rabbit hole or a magic mirror.

*(Realizing, Arren and Therru nods in an understanding way)*

Phil: And you mistakenly called it "Wonderland?"

Arren and Therru: (Realizing) Oh, yes. *(Apologetically)* Sorry about that.

Phil and Lil: No, no, no.

Phil: You can prefer Underland as Wonderland if you like.

Lil: We don't mind.

Arren: Thank you. Now if you'll excuse us, we must get going immediately.

Therru, Phil, and Lil: Why?

Therru: Arren, I understand we're after those rabbits and ducks, but we just met these kids.

Arren: Then I guess we'll explain to them why we're following them.

Lil: Really? Follow them?

Phil: Why you following them?

Arren: Well, Therru and I are curious to know where they're going.

Therru: Just out of curiosity.

Phil and Lil: "Curious?"

Lil: The oysters were curious, too, Philip.

Phil: Yep, and you remember what happened to them, Lillian?

Lil: Yeah. *(Sighs sadly)* Poor things.

Arren and Therru: What?

Therru: What did happen to the oysters?

Arren: Did something bad happen?

Phil: It's kind of sad, but full of morality.

Lil: I don't think you can handle it.

Arren and Therru: We have time.

*(Glad to see Arren and Therru becoming interested, Phil and Lil got happy)*

Phil and Lil: Then I'll tell you!

*(They then glared at each other)*

Phil: No, I want to tell it, Lillian!

Lil: No, me, Phillip!

Phil: No, me!

Lil: Me!

Phil: Me!

Lil: Me!

*(Arren and Therru broke up the fight)*

Arren: Stop it!

Therru: You can tell it together.

*(A short pause)*

Phil and Lil: (Happily) That'll work!

*(Arren and Therru sat on the log to listen. Phil and Lil began)*

Phil: The Tale of Homer and Bart Simpson!

Lil: AKA The Story of the Curious Oysters!

*(They then began dancing and singing)*

Phil: **The sun was shining on the sea**

**Shining with all his might**

Lil: **He did his very best to make**

**The billows smooth and bright**

*(The scene then faded to within the story with the sun and moon together in the sky at the beach and it's half day, half night)*

Phil: **And this was odd because it was**

Phil and Lil: **The middle of the night**

*(Two figures emerged from behind a stone on the night side of the beach as they were walking side by side into the day side. One is a chubby yellow skinned man with a bald head, a five-o-clock shadow, and wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, blue pants, and gray shoes. He is Homer Simpson. The other is a yellow skinned boy with a short spiky top for hair, and wearing a red short-sleeved shirt, blue shorts, white socks, and blue shoes. He is Bart Simpson, Homer's son)*

Phil and Lil: **Homer and his son, Bart**

**Were walking close at hand**

**The beach was wide from side to side**

**But much too full of sand**

*(As the two were walking, Bart’s left foot sank into the sand and he yanked it out, only to discover that his shoe was full of sand. He then pulled out his shoe and hammered the sole, before a huge pile of sand, shells, and a starfish came out of it)*

Lil: "Dad," said Bart, "My brain begins to perk! We’ll sweep this clear in half a year, if you don’t mind the work!”

Homer: Work?!

*(He cleared his throat)*

Homer: The time has come....

Phil: Homer said....

Homer: ....To talk of other things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.

*(Then he began singing)*

Homer: **And why the sea is boiling hot**

**And whether pigs have wings**

*(Homer then skipped around Bart and swiped his hammer, much to his son’s befuddlement)*

Homer: **Calloo-Callay, no work today**

**We’re cabbages and kings**

*(With Bart’s hammer, Homer pulled Bart out of the sand, sending him toward a rock near the ocean. Bart’s head splashed into the water as his hammer landed right next to him, and he opened his eyes to see an old oyster and her sleeping baby oysters with a hungry expression on his face. That frightened the aquatic creatures and her little ones, causing them to hide in their large green and small violet shells altogether. Once he dipped his head out, Bart whistled loud enough to grab Homer’s attention and pointed to the ocean. He even licked his lips hungrily as he rubbed his slender stomach. It had indicated that he had found food for them. Homer, also licking his lips in hunger, frantically ran across the sand before stopping to see Bart trying to get in the water with his hammer on hand. He yanked the young boy by the neck with his cane and placed him back on the stone, giving him a bonk on the head with it and wagging his finger back and forth. Then, Homer walked into the ocean as he twirled his cane and stopped in front of the shells. The baby oysters took a quick peek, before closing up their shells again. Homer’s cane tapped two times each of the first two oyster shells, and Homer bowed to show respect to the old oyster and her precious babies)*

Homer: Oh, uh, oysters. Come and walk with us. The day is warm and bright. A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk would be a sheer delight.

*(Homer’s offer of a walk on the sunny beach made the baby oysters open up their shells again and had happy smiles on their faces. Just then, Bart submerged his head back into the water to speak)*

Bart: Yes, should we get hungry on the way. We'll stop and, uh, have a bite.

*(That irked Homer and made him hit Bart on the head many times with his cane, even though the two were underwater. He didn’t want their grand plan to backfire on them all because of his son’s foolish mistake)*

Phil: But Mother Oyster winked an eye and shook her head sadly.

Lil: She knew that this was no time for her to abandon her beautiful green shell and her lovable oysters from the deep blue sea they had called home.

*(At the same time Phil and Lil said this, Mother Oyster did this and glanced at a calendar hanging right next to her. It had the month of March with the thirty-one days shown to Homer and Bart)*

Mother Oyster: The sea is nice. Take my advice, and stay right here.

Lil: Mom said.

*(Homer was unamused by what Mother Oyster had just answered, and he rose up from a stone he had sat on a moment ago)*

Homer: Yes, yes, of course, of course, but....

*(Homer chuckled as he shut Mother Oyster’s green shell with his cane, thus not taking her advice. He was now ready to lure the baby oysters out of the ocean, with a pleasant song, of course)*

Homer: **The time has come, my little friends**

**To talk of other things**

**Of shoes and ships and sealing wax**

**Of cabbages and kings**

**And why the sea is boiling hot**

**And whether pigs have wings**

*(A pinch on the cheek from Homer made one little oyster blush and giggle, with the other smiling at it)*

Homer: **Calloo-Callay**

**Come, run away**

**With the cabbages and kings**

*(After Homer sang these three lines, he held his cane like a flute and started playing it. The little oysters heard the whistling tune and joyously followed him in a single file line, as they had hopped out of their beds. The song had also lured some fish in the ocean, though they chose to stay there afterward. While Homer had returned to shore with the little oysters still in line, Bart, with both his shoes on again, was gathering ship debris that had been abandoned on the sandy shores and considered using them to build a seafood restaurant for them. The little oysters were skipping merrily on the sand as they were still close behind Homer, who was still using the cane as a flute to keep them close to him. Bart built the seafood restaurant out of the ship debris at a very rapid speed, just in time to let himself, his father, and the little oysters inside. A slate-colored sign in the shape of a fish had the words “fish dinners” written in purple as it was hanging above the door. Once everyone was inside the restaurant, Homer tied a light blue handkerchief around his neck as he and the little oysters were sitting at a picnic table that had a white-and-red-striped tablecloth on it)*

Homer: Well now, let me see....

*(Just then Bart took a seat and held up a knife and fork with a hungry expression on his face. Homer had something else in mind for Bart)*

Homer: Ah, a loaf of bread is what we chiefly need!

*(Giving him a wink of approval, Bart dashed out of the table and into the back room, which was a kitchen for him to make the food. Homer had a greedy smile on his face as he held two of the baby oysters in his right hand, only to see Bart open the two doors to ask him something)*

Bart: Listen, how about some pepper and salt and vinegar, huh?

*(Homer frantically put the oysters down and held up the menu)*

Homer: Well, yes, yes, splendid idea! Very good indeed.

*(Once Bart went back into the kitchen, Homer placed the menu back on the table)*

Homer: Now, if you’re ready, Oysters dear. *(Chuckles)* We can begin the feed.

Phil and Lil: (Concerned) Feed?!

*(Homer then picked all the oysters up)*

Homer: Oh, yes. The time has come, my little friends, to talk of food and things.

*(Meanwhile, Bart was whipping up a special sauce for Homer to dip the oysters in and slicing a whole loaf of bread with a saw, as he sang a short little tune)*

Bart: **Of peppercorns and mustard seeds**

**And other seasonings**

**We'll mix them all together**

**In a sauce that's fit for kings**

**Calloo-Callay**

**We'll eat today**

**Like cabbages and kings**

*(With a bottle of vinegar on his head and holding a tray the bread and sauce with his right hand, Bart whistled as he merrily approached the table and placed the tray onto it)*

Homer: (Wiping his tears away) I, I weep for you. I.... *(Hiccups while the tears stop)* Oh, excuse me. I deeply sympathize, for I’ve enjoyed your company, oh, much more than you realize.

*(Little did Bart notice that Homer was full, as he had eaten more than a bite while he was gone. Bart held up a fork and knife eagerly)*

Bart: Little Oysters? Little Oysters?

Phil: Unfortunately, an answer came none....

Lil: This was quite odd for the young boy....

*(As Bart crawled onto the table and peeked from behind the menu. His eyes suddenly widened in shock and his jaw dropped down in reaction to the discovery: Every one of the oysters had been eaten by Homer)*

Phil and Lil: They've been eaten, everyone.

*(Homer was sweating apprehensively as he slowly tiptoed and grabbed his cane, letting out a short nervous laugh. However, Bart’s face was turning red as he was glaring at his father with his hammer out, as he wanted to seek revenge on him for eating all of the oysters before he had the chance to try at least one)*

Homer: The time has come!

*(He darted through the door at a rapid pace. The furious Bart chased right behind him, swinging his hammer in an attempt to hit Homer as the two were running down the sandy beach. Once the two had disappeared into the night, the sun and the moon reappeared with the faces of Phil and Lil and they sang the very last line)*

Phil and Lil: **With cabbages and kings**

*(Back in reality, the twins landed on the grassy terrain once the story was over, and they stood up with their index fingers pointing upward)*

Phil and Lil: The end!

*(Arren and Therru applauded happily)*

Arren: That was a very sad, yet beautifully told, story.

Therru: Indeed.

*(After the applause finished, Phil and Lil spoke up)*

Phil: And there’s a moral to it.

Lil: Yep.

Arren: Oh, yes, there’s a very good moral indeed.

Therru: If you happen to be an oyster.

*(They got up)*

Phil: So, what about you guys?

Lil: What's your story?

*(Later, Arren and Therru have explained their journey so far)*

Phil: Wow, so that's how you got here.

Lil: Well, if you want, we could show you the way through Underland if you like.

*(Phil nods in agreement. Surprised, Arren and Therru spoke up)*

Arren: Really?

Therru: Are you sure?

Phil and Lil: Yep!

Lil: We'll both go with you.

Phil: We'll help you find out where those rabbits and ducks are going and then help you get home to this London.

*(Full of gratitude, Arren and Therru thought it over and nods)*

Arren and Therru: Very well.

Phil and Lil: Thanks!

*(They begin walking to the right direction where Bugs, Daffy, Buster, and Plucky disappeared through)*

Phil: Wanna hear from me and Lil the story of Father William?

Therru: While we walk?

Phil and Lil: Yeah.

Arren: Sure.

*(Then Phil and Lil began to tell the story of Father William to Arren and Therru as they walked deeper into the forest)*

***Coming up: After finally catching up to Bugs' group, Therru accidentally eats two bites of Upelkuchen and gets stuck in Daffy's house. After that, Arren, Phil, and Lil and even Bugs' group, as well as Skeeter and Ron Stoppable, agree to help get a Pishalver in the water lily garden in the backyard to shrink Therru down.***