#grudge au mr. puzzles

[grudgepuzzles]

So Grudge... Polls are gonna open up!

𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚍

You worried?

𝙸'𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢...

... 𝙰𝚕𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚐𝚘...

Well whatever happens, happens!

𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚎... 𝚄𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚊𝚡 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎..

You have nothing to coax them with-

𝙾𝚑 𝚜𝚑𝚞𝚝 𝚞𝚙...

𝙲𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜,

𝚅𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚕' 𝚖𝚎...

[mrtophat518]

(Grudge AU)

Bro is NOT happy in prison-

[fluffygiraffe]

i drew @mrtophat518's au, Grudge Mr. Puzzles!

i think he needs to be dunked in milk /j /pos

love this guy.

Bonus! I wasn't sure how to draw an interaction with two Mr. Puzzles Aus here, so.

yeah.

[grudgepuzzles]

I mean seriously... you should just vote for me..

𝕄𝕣.ℙ𝕦𝕫𝕫𝕝𝕖 𝔸𝕌 𝕋𝕦𝕞𝕓𝕝𝕣 𝕊𝕖𝕩𝕪𝕞𝕒𝕟 ℙ𝕆𝕃𝕃!!!!

Phase 2 - Part 1

Propaganda 👇👇👇👇

Man with spaghetti legs

Man with sick tricks

[wacker-jack]

Bunch of doodles I did for my moots these past weeks(?) Daydreamer belongs to @brownii-milkshake and Grudge belongs to @mrtophat518

[astro-vision-au]

@mrtophat518 I can definitely see Grudge trying to steal Av! Puzzles prosthetic leg, lmao

[thestuffiesheadquarters]

Finally back and able to post this!

@mrtophat518 with Grudge Puzzles!

Poltergeist is stunned as we can see

[mrtophat518]

WOAHHSHEHEHWYWYSHWHW OMG I LIVE THIS WITH A PASSION RN AGAGEGEGEGWGWGAG

Should've just applied for McDonald's 😔

(Au by @mrtophat518 )

[kuromipuzzles2000]

lazy doodles

congratulations to Gurdge Puzzles! even if it wasn't a surprise, no lie oki? wish you the best for the next round! you sure would need luck @mrtophat518 you deserved them votes more than me!

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vent tw

it's like a childhood memory...

...no hard feelings...but whoever recommended me...i hate you...

to the creator of Grudge Puzzles or anyone seeing this: here some apologies if this is seen as if i want victimizing myself but in reality not

just hope you all no see it as if i am mad and i wish the worst to Mr. Tophat or the fans of Grudge...i just am beating myself as i am used

[midnight1nk]

After watching the movie it got me thinking,

What's Puzzles modivation?

Why does he want Wpnz for???

He has no interest in fame or perfection anymore.. He has his own "friend" Leggy 2.0, but I have a little theory..

Experience every single possibilites

He said in WOTFI 24 that he and Leggy shall experience every possibilites in life. And maybe... Revenge is one of them.

Smg4 and crew took almost everything away from him. He's fame, his dreams, his first ever friend, etc.

I saw an AU of Puzzles who is hellbent on getting revenge on the Smg4 crew and going insane, losing his mind and sanity chasing that feeling of vengance.

But that begs the question, what does he need Wpnz for?

I have a theory that to accomplish his revenge, he needs someone to break him out, someone like Wpnz.

But this is all speculation! Just wanted to ask what you think of this theory, and maybe sharing your reasons as to what Puzzles is after?

What his new modivations are, what is he after now?

Thanks for reading! ^^

I think you've got a good point! Let's refresh ourselves on what he said months ago, for the people who need it:

"I was so foolish... All this time, I was chasing 5-star ratings and fame. Fame is but a fleeting shadow. What I really needed was a friend. Friends are eternal. Isn't that right, Leggy 2.0? And now we're free to chase NEW dreams, you and I! Perhaps we could express ourselves in painting! Or maybe we'll adopt an adorable little puppy! OR we could assassinate our enemies and anyone who's ever double-crossed us! The world is full of possibilities! We shall experience them all!"

I always found Mr. Puzzles to be a compelling and tragic character. How he ended up in the present day, it makes sense. Plus, it is something we can relate to: the pursuit of perfection, our dreams, people in our lives shutting us down every time we try. Especially for television, those are very high standards to set yourself in. And I would know, as someone who works in the production occupation field.

Without support, like friends, it's an uphill battle. At the end of the day, Puzzles' actions stem from him being lonely for years. And I think that's why he would have a small connection to WPNZ. Think about it: How did he know what happened to WPNZ? Who he is? Or the "Cat got your tongue" line", despite being something Puzzles would say?

While solitary confinement definitely did not help any of his problems, Puzzles IS still in there. But it's exactly what I theorized before; it's not going to stop her from contacting the outside world. Now with double the grudge he has for the Crew. More so on 4, with another reason added to the list: for putting him in jail. So, just as it was shown at the end of WOTFI 2023, Puzzles was watching. I mean, what else do you do when you're strapped to a cot?

Now look, as much as I love to hate on WPNZ, he's also a compelling and tragic character. Assuming that his limbs were bc of his genes (y'know bc of the kids), then he was practically born and forced to be a weapon. It would be no wonder why Hitman Inc. would take an interest in him, and for taking the job such as having a partner grown to trust in, it's a lonely upbringing. Even the movie shows that if you look at it closely.

There's definitely one thing yall should note: not all obsession or manipulation is bad, it's part of being human. We all have it and done it. The difference is that it reaches to be unhealthy and even dangerous. For example, someone doing puppy eyes is a form of manipulation but it's practically harmless when it's like giving a cookie to a kid. And just as we lightheartedly get obsessed with a character, it's an expression that we love them. In characters like Puzzles and WPNZ, what they've done is stemed from loneliness and even if we don't condone it, we get it.

Redemption is possible for these two. Like I said before, change is there for those who have the courage to seek it. There's a difference between "I need to change" and "I want to change", even if nothing is given in return. If the time comes, Puzzles and WPNZ can be redeemed, it doesn't mean everything is going to be forgiven, but based on the end of the movie, they decide on revenge. This is what they think is going to help solve all their problems, to destroy the people who they blame for: the Crew. If they're able to connect from this one thing, then surely they're going to gather up people who are just like them, like Marty.

Marty, throughout the whole time we've known him, was underappreciated and underestimated by his cardboard cutout appearance. And sure, we treat it like a bit, but we've also seen how incredibly capable he truly is. He's smart, cunning, physically strong, and just like our 2 villains, he lost his only friend and creator Mario by betrayal.

This revenge plan is an unhealthy way to go about it but when they have nothing left to lose, we get it. At least, we should recognize that it's the case. That is what I hope for the Team to go along with moving forward, character exploration of loneliness and drive. Perfection and authenticity. They have a common goal but they individually have certain skills that the others don't. Just like the Crew, the more skills they have, the more complete each other into a whole.

Plus, if they can easily go against the government, WPNZ and Marty could get Puzzles out of jail. And concept Ink would totally have her coming out of the wreckage in such a dramatic way, rise from the ashes dirt :)

thanks for the ask!

[grudgepuzzles]

He won... But with a chair to his head-

[mrtophat518]

𝚅𝙾𝚃𝙴 𝙼𝚁.𝙿𝚄𝚉𝚉𝙻𝙴𝚂!

Alrighty everyone! Today w- What HEY-

𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝙾𝚆𝙽 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞. *𝙰𝚑𝚎𝚖*

𝙼𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚜, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚞𝚙𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚃𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚛 𝚂𝚎𝚡𝚢𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝. 𝙷𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 @alelathedragon ! 𝙽𝚘𝚠, 𝙸 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎�� 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔- (𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗 𝚂𝙼𝙶𝟺 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜), 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚎! 𝙽𝚘 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊𝚋𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎!! 𝚂𝚘 𝚅𝙾𝚃𝙴 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝙼𝚁. 𝙿𝚄𝚉𝚉𝙻𝙴𝚂!

𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜... 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕~...

... Uhh VOTE FOR GRUDGE AU MR. PUZZLES!

[grudgepuzzles]

Uhhh you heard him!

VOTE FOR GRUDGE!!!

𝕄𝕣.ℙ𝕦𝕫𝕫𝕝𝕖 𝔸𝕌 𝕋𝕦𝕞𝕓𝕝𝕣 𝕊𝕖𝕩𝕪𝕞𝕒𝕟 ℙ𝕆𝕃𝕃!!!!

Phase 1 - Part 6

Links to Propaganda 👇👇👇👇

Trickster

Grudge

[wacker-jack]

Didn't initially include this because image cap-

But it felt wrong not to include the crackpot way in which Valentine breaks into Grudge's prison in my moot doodle dump

As always Grudge belongs to @mrtophat518

[wild-aloof-rebel]

Thanks in large part to Open Fic Night, there were over 120 new, completed fics posted since the middle of June, which made reading all of them and narrowing down recs quite the undertaking this time around. 

Before I get into what I particularly enjoyed these last couple weeks, let me just say that if you haven’t already, you should definitely check out the full Open Fic Night collection and give lots of love to everyone who took the time to participate and helped to collectively contribute another 600k words of fic to this fandom.

<1k words

Stay, don’t leave by HolmesApothecary (rated G) David Rose grows up. 

Well That’s Not English, Patrick by nilolay (rated T) Whisky helps Patrick write his songs. Whisky does not help Patrick write his vows (but it kinda does).

1-3k words

For All That You Are by Pameluke (rated T) Patrick sees David differently.

Helpless by codswallop (rated M) In the aftermath of a baseball-induced injury, Patrick needs help shaving; David comes to the rescue.

Pagliacci by nilolay (rated M) I promise this story is interesting but I don't want to spoil it by telling you why. Trust Me? ("I think you might have an easier time of it, and maybe a little bit more fun, if you just learn to trust people.")

we’re inches apart, even closer at heart by withkissesfour (not rated) He’s the one in blue. A series of Soft™ prompts, asked on tumblr, because this show makes me Very Soft™

3-5k words

At a Cruel Angle by leupagus (rated E) “What do you bet me?” This stymied David for a minute — but just a minute. “If I win,” he said, fairly wiggling in his seat, “Tomorrow night, we go over to that hotel Stevie and I went to,” he waved vaguely East, “And you have to pay for every karaoke song and drink. The whole night.” “Tomorrow night we have to be back home in order to open the store,” he reminded him. “But I’ll take you next weekend, how about that?” “Acceptable,” David said, grudging. “And if I win,” Patrick continued, “Then next weekend, we come back here… and go see the Elm Valley Common Loons play their home game.” David looked apprehensive. “Is that the—“ “The baseball, yes, I would make you come watch the baseball with me.”

just for us... by startswithhope (rated E) A soft, sexy moment between David and Patrick takes a turn into fantasy when they begin to talk about David's past experiences at a few gay bars.

now you see me by grapehyasynth (rated T) Stevie sets David up on a blind date.

Patrick Brewer has a boyfriend by sloganeer (rated E) Patrick had a boyfriend. Patrick never had a boyfriend before. He’d been a boyfriend, but that wasn’t at all the same thing.

we’re on each other’s team by drinkingstars (rated E) Intellectually, David knows it’s just fucking, and it shouldn’t mean anything has changed for them. But he can feel that it has.

5-10k words

101 by Hth (rated E) Still, it's true that Patrick can have his shy side. He likes to be a gentleman – Mr. Order Whatever You Want I'm Paying and Mr. Here Let Me Fix That For You and Mr. No David Not In the Backseat I Want It to Be Special – so David can't entirely rely on Patrick's willingness to charge forward for the greater good.

like a bird taking way by oh_la_fraise *Alexis/Ted* (rated G) Alexis makes a new friend, Ted learns to play guitar, and the Mullens-Perez feud comes to its inevitable conclusion.

Reunion by JessX2231 (rated G) David joins Patrick at his high school reunion

Rose, Alexis Rose by whetherwoman *Alexis/Ted* (rated G) Alexis just wants David to have a nice, relaxing day before his wedding. At least, until Ted goes missing.

The Sidelines by wildhoneypie (rated T) An AU where David becomes a wedding and event planner after the Roses lose everything. And Patrick is still...Patrick. With apologies for anachronisms, as I haven't seen the latest season.

you’ll find many ways to say i love you by goingmywaydoll (rated T) Budget spreadsheets, baby photos, wine tastings, and other things that happen on a Sunday.

10k+ words

Cards on the Table by bigficenergy (rated M) “I… feel something for you.” It's vague, but it's a start. “Um, something? Like… a general disdain, or...?” Patrick laughs. “Uh, nope. Kind of the opposite of that.” An AU where Patrick tells David upfront that he's developing feelings for him, in the interest of being honest as they go into business together.

holy sick divine by earlylight (rated T) He looks up to catch David watching him, a soft smile on his face, golden-cast in the warm light that’s suddenly filling the office, dust motes wheeling a scintillating symphony around him, and Patrick can’t help but let slip a kind of hushed, reverent, what are you? In the space of a second, the room is back to normal. Almost as if he’d dreamed it. David cocks his head, puzzled, evidently considering the question. “Hungry,” he decides. AU. One fateful night, Patrick meets a boy who’s literally out of this world. Unfortunately, winning David Rose’s heart involves entirely too much paperwork – but the pen is mightier than the sword, and by god does Patrick know how to use it.

i would give all this (and heaven too) by wardo_wedidit (rated E) "It sounds ridiculous to think when they’re literally on a spaceship, but David dresses like he’s from the future. It’s the first thing Patrick notices." Or, Patrick wins a ticket onto the first civilian voyage to populate New Earth, and he's determined to face his fears and change his life. The one thing he didn't plan on was David Rose.

Slowly I Turn, or, Niagara Falls by CartWrite (rated E) Even though David has volunteered to spearhead the wedding planning and should be good at it, he has been utterly paralyzed when it's come to making any decisions. And now he has to spend the weekend with Patrick's parents visiting some tourist trap and he is not okay.

Sometimes Good Things Fall Apart by blueink3 (rated M) What if David and Patrick didn’t survive the Rachel reveal? What if David fell back into destructive behavior and a pattern of bad relationships? What if, to get out of a bad relationship, he calls on the one person who actually truly cared about him?

[fontainebleau22]

Box of Frogs (Part 7)

From @tramstrams‘ not-at-all-serious prompt, ‘an AU with magic, but something has gone terribly awry and people are being turned into frogs. Only Sam Chisolm can stop this madness’.

Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here. Part 4 here. Part 5 here. Part 6 here.

---

‘What about your jobs?’ asked Emma. ‘Wasn’t there trouble about the time you’d missed?’

For a group of men who’d spent a week as frogs they seemed surprisingly unresentful, yet a residual guilt kept her prodding at the topic. On a golden afternoon like this, though, it seemed difficult for anyone to hold a grudge: the park was busy with sunbathers, frisbee-players, and old ladies sitting primly on benches gossiping with the pigeons.

They’d found a secluded spot under the trees where they could sprawl out on the grass: Red was setting up a barbecue while Jack unpacked an apparently bottomless cooler of food, and to Emma’s relief Gavin had ignored the promise of sausages and lolloped off to join in chasing the frisbee.

Faraday shrugged cheerfully. ‘Boss was pissed off I hadn’t turned up for a week, but just happened they’d had a big order come in that morning that he needs me to deal with, so it all worked out OK.’

Ale stretched lazily with just the smallest of sparkles to draw attention to the shift of his muscles. ‘Maria started shouting when I showed up at the cafe, but I smiled at her some and next thing she was feeding me blueberry pie to make up for all the crickets.’

Billy cracked one eye open from where he was lying with his head in Goodnight’s lap. ‘I just told them I was back and they should pay me for the break.’

The week since she’d met them all in such inauspicious circumstances had been like being picked up by a tornado, but in a good way: from that strange first evening when Josh had led them charging out to celebrate being human again, this ill-assorted group had adopted her into effortless friendship, filling her empty days with argument and activity and anchoring her again in the here-and-now.

Billy shifted a little, squinting against the sun in his eyes. ‘Teddy, could you?’ Goody asked at once. Teddy leaned over to lay a hand on the trunk and concentrated: the tree obligingly rearranged its branches to shade Billy’s face. ‘Better, cher?’ asked Goody solicitously.

Ale tsked disapprovingly. ‘He was just the same when you were a frog: humidity this, fruit flies that, is the heat lamp strong enough...’

‘Goody always takes care of me,’ said Billy with smug satisfaction.

‘Only the best for you, sweetheart,’ agreed Goody, stroking his hair. ‘Though I hope they’ll give me a refund on the equipment.’

‘I saw the size of his tank, with all those leaves and the little stream and everything,’ groused Faraday. ‘Mine don’t look much in comparison. You could’ve put more effort in.’

Ale batted at him, irritated. ‘I don’t know what you’re complaining about – I looked after you perfectly well.’

‘I was a frog the longest,’ declared Josh with a perverse pride. ‘What if I’d dried out? You could have got me one of those fancy misting sprays.’

‘Guero, I swear…’ Ale lunged up to tackle him, sending the two of them rolling on the grass; at that precise moment the Frisbee came zipping in, skimmed harmlessly over Josh’s head and bounced off Sam’s ear.

‘Damnation,’ said Sam resignedly; Gavin raced up, grabbed the frisbee and charged off again.

Ale had Josh pinned, knees on his shoulders, grinning as he squirmed. ‘I got in the tank with you, ingrato – did Goody do that?’

‘Not for lack of trying,’ said Sam, shuffling over to let Goody run a hand over his rapidly-rising bump.

Emma let the good-natured bickering fade into the background, closing her eyes to appreciate the warmth of the sun on her face, the rustling breeze in the branches above and the sound of distant excited barks.

Her grief was always with her, the sense of absence at her side a constant, but now as well there were Jack and Goody, gentlemanly and courteous, Teddy and Red with their shy smiles, Josh and Ale with jokes to distract her. You’d have liked them, she told Matthew silently. She opened her eyes again to Sam’s concerned gaze, and when she smiled he came to settle beside her on the plaid rug in wordless sympathy.

‘You know he kissed you to see if it would turn you back?’ Teddy was asking Billy.

‘Billy is attractive in every form,’ declared Goody, unabashed.

‘Oh, please.’ Josh pulled a face.

‘If anyone was a handsome frog,’ asserted Ale, ‘it was me.’

Teddy snorted. ‘You? You were just a green blob.’ Ale choked in outrage and Teddy smirked. ‘You had no neck.’

‘I have to say that Teddy’s right,’ agreed Goodnight, ‘you were a singularly unattractive frog. Plain as anything.’

‘Josh didn’t think so,’ said Ale, nettled.

Goodnight sat up straight and fixed them both with a severe gaze. ‘Do you have any idea what it was like once I put you in the tank with him? It was worse than the Discovery Channel – I was going to buy a screen.’

Gavin came galloping back to collapse panting at Emma’s side, and she buried a hand in his fur. Red appeared silently with a bowl of water which he placed in front of him, and Emma nodded her thanks as Gavin slurped enthusiastically at it. ‘You might want to be careful with the meat...’

They both looked over to Jack, pulling a string of sausages from his cooler. ‘No need to worry,’ he called heartily: he arranged the sausages precisely on the grill, then handed the tongs to Red and squatted down to scrub fearlessly through Gavin’s fur. Gavin writhed in delight. ‘We understand each other, don’t we?’ cooed Jack, and Emma stifled a stab of amusement at the similarity between the burly high-voiced man and her sofa cushion of a dog.

‘I hope you weren’t too inconvenienced by being…’

‘…a bullfrog?’ Jack beamed. ‘I found the whole experience quite refreshing, and Goodnight kept me out of harm’s way. He raised himself a little and put a hand to his chest formally. ‘Your hospitality was much appreciated, Goody.’

Goodnight looked pleased, though slightly puzzled. ‘I’m not sure I’d call a week in my bathtub hospitality, but you’re very welcome.’

‘Look,’ said Billy suddenly, ‘isn’t that Mrs McCann?’

Emma craned round and there indeed was Thelma, strolling along the footpath in the company of a tall ginger-haired man in a well-cut suit.

‘Is that her husband?’ Ale sounded incredulous and Emma couldn’t contain a giggle. 

‘No.’ They watched as the man drew Thelma to a halt in front of a rosebush; he reached out a hand theatrically and it burst into flower, the buds swelling and opening to full bloom.

‘Nice work,’ approved Teddy. The man picked one and offered it to Thelma with a flourish; she took it, eyes lowered coyly.

‘I did go over there and offer to turn Thomas back,’ said Emma thoughtfully, ‘but she said it might be best to wait a while.’ Ale nodded understandingly and they watched the pair of them wander away.

‘Though if you’re still game for some frogging…’ Emma turned to Josh warily, but winked, unabashed. ‘This oily little guy’s started hanging round the cafe, Bogue he calls himself, and Maria thinks he’s working to undercut her franchise: maybe you could come and have a look at him?’

‘You can’t solve every problem with frogs,’ said Emma primly, aware of Sam raising his eyebrows beside her, but Ale grinned brightly. ‘I think this is one you can.’

Calm had finally settled, everyone relaxed in the sun as the scent of browning meat drifted appetisingly on the air; Billy and Goody laughed low together and Gavin’s tail thumped lazily.

A striped balloon came bouncing over the grass towards Ale, its string trailing, chased by a small girl in dungarees. ‘Here, mija,’ said Ale obligingly, reaching for the string.

‘No!’ shouted the girl, skidding to a halt; Ale had already plucked the balloon from the air and made to hold it out to her, but as he did so his arm jerked up and he started to rise from the ground, tugged smoothly upwards. ‘What the…!’ 

‘Let go, quick,’ pleaded the girl; Ale, already at head height, looked down in consternation.

‘Your face!’ cackled Josh gleefully.

‘Don’t just stand there, grab his feet!’ Teddy jumped, but Ale had drifted beyond his reach.  

Emma turned to Sam. ‘Aren’t you going to do anything?’

‘Nope,’ said Sam contentedly, settling his hat over his eyes.

‘These things have a habit of working out on their own,’ Goodnight assured her, Billy still comfortable in his lap.

‘How high is he likely to go, miss?’ Jack asked the girl, and she shrugged helplessly. ‘Heavy people go up faster’n me.’

‘Red?’ asked Jack, and there was a flutter of feathers as his companion launched himself upwards. ‘He can puncture it with his talons, let him down gently.’

‘Noo!’ the girl’s wail of protest faded as she raced off after Red, waving her arms.  

‘Wait till you’re over the trees and then let go,’ called Teddy as he and Josh followed the ever-rising Ale across the meadow.

‘Or see if you can drift over the lake,’ offered Josh, earning a faint, ‘Pendejo’ in return.

Emma hesitated. Should she follow? Turning Ale back to a frog could hardly help at this stage, and no one else seemed worried; Jack was once more clattering industriously at the grill.

‘Hey, Sam,’ added Goodnight idly, ‘how was your thing? Never did get the chance to ask about it.’

‘Good,’ said Sam from underneath his hat, ‘always worth it.’

‘Never heard you say different,’ approved Goodnight. He settled himself more comfortably against his treetrunk.

‘And you?’ asked Emma. ‘You had the hardest week of anyone…’ The thought of how distraught he’d been still brought a pang, but Goodnight cut her off with a flashing grin.

‘I’m fine – we all are.’

 ‘Well, not Ale right at this moment,’ interposed Sam cheerfully. From the corner of her eye Emma could see a small crowd beginning to gather, shouting advice and holding outspread blankets.

She turned back to Goodnight. ‘Truly?’

Goodnight looked down fondly at Billy, dozing in his lap, then winked at her. ‘Fine as a frog’s hair split four ways.’

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