STICKING TO IT

Cricket (c) Emma Brown
Dylan (c) Dylan Rinald
Star (c) Katherine Gore
Yukon (c) Jerimy Bass
DJ (c) Jake Williams


At RRMC, Dylan, Star, and Cricket are eating breakfast : TWINKIES!!!

DYLAN: Thank goodness these aren't the low fat kind.

STAR: I wouldn't eat them if they were. Too tasteless, if you ask me.

CRICKET: I don't call it a breakfast, but I suppose a bit of sugar helps first thing in the morning.

Star finishes one package, then goes for another.

DYLAN: Two?

STAR: I'm a growing canine. I hafta eat, you know.

CRICKET: Oh please...

Yukon walks in.

YUKON: You guys, the Master wants to see us in the other room.

STAR: (her mouth full of creme filling) Mamf off a meconf.

YUKON: What'd she say?

CRICKET: She said, "Mamf off a meconf."

DYLAN: She means "Hang on a second."

YUKON: Oh....

The four walk into the briefing room. The Master is there.

MASTER: Rovers, since Hunter, Colleen, Exile, Blitz, Shag, and Muzzle are on vacation in Hawaii, and the others are off in Malibu ---.

STAR: MALIBU??? I WANNA ---.

MASTER: Star, don't complain! Your job is to investigate some strange occurances at the Milkbone Dog Biscuit Factory.

STAR: Mmmm. Lunch!

DYLAN: Oh geez....

YUKON: Doesn't sound hard.

MASTER: Also, you will be accompanied by a new Rover in the pack.

DJ enters.

MASTER: Rovers, meet DJ.

DJ: Hi.

CRICKET: Hi.

DYLAN: Hey. How's it going?

DJ: Actually, pretty decent. So when do we leave?

CRICKET: As soon as Star finishes thinking about food.

STAR: I am not!

YUKON: Look! HoHos!

STAR: WHERE???

The rest shake their heads.

DYLAN: See?

STAR: Hey, there's no HoHos...

After taking off in the SkyRover and flying for.....who knows how long....they arrive outside the Milkbone Dog Biscuit Factory.

STAR: (staring in awe) Woooooooooooooooooooow!

DYLAN: Not now, Star. Lunch can wait.

STAR: Oh...okay.

CRICKET: Good thing everyone went home for the day.

YUKON: Hey you guys, check this out!

The rest run over to Yukon, who's at the side of the building.

YUKON: There's a door back here, but it's blocked by a bunch of sticks.

STAR: So?

CRICKET: EEEEEK!

Cricket backs away.

DYLAN: Something wrong, Cricket?

CRICKET: Sticks......Oh I hate sticks!

DJ: I thought all canines liked sticks.

DYLAN: She's the only one I know who doesn't.

DJ: Why's that?

STAR: Long story....

DJ: Okay, tell me later then.

YUKON: Either way, help me move these sticks, will ya?

All but Cricket toss aside the sticks. Cricket dodges all that come near her.

STAR: There, all clear!

YUKON: C'mon. Let's head in.

Star, Yukon, and DJ open the door and enter. Dylan turns to Cricket.

DYLAN: You still coming, Cricket?

CRICKET: Ummm....I guess.

DYLAN: Don't worry. I'll stay with you. There aren't any more sticks to worry about now.

CRICKET: Oh...thanks.

She runs over to Dylan and the two head into the building.

Inside....

DJ: Sure is dark in here.

STAR: I'll get the lights.

She flicks a switch and a cool draft is felt.

YUKON: That's the air conditioner, not the light.

STAR: Oops...

She flicks another switch. The lights go on.

STAR: Got it right this time.

Dylan and Cricket come up from behind.

YUKON: What took you two so long?

DYLAN: Lack of safety.

CRICKET: Sorry.

DJ: Anyway, what're we supposed to be doing again?

YUKON: Looking for anything strange.

STAR: You mean like that?

She points in front of them and they look to see a pack of canomutants dashing at them.

YUKON: EXACTLY like that!

CRICKET: RUN FOR IT!!!!!!!!

They all sprint down the hall to the left, and the canomutants are in hot pursuit. DJ trips over a loose floor board.

DJ: Whaaaa!

Dylan stops and heads back to DJ. He quickly helps him up.

DJ: Thanks.

DYLAN: Later...c'mon! They're gaining on us!

They race to catch up with the others. The Rovers end up at an intersection.

YUKON: Right!

STAR: Left!

CRICKET: Who cares which way. Just go!

They run to the left, losing the canomutants, but come to a dead end.

DYLAN: Well, we lost 'em.

DJ: Yeah, but we hit a dead end.

STAR: I wish you wouldn't say "dead".

YUKON: Well, now what? There's nowhere else to go.

A creaking sound is heard.

DYLAN: ???

Suddenly the floor gives way under them and the Rovers fall through.

ALL: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

They land with a thud in a dark, secluded cellar, with no lights at all.

DJ: (getting up) Ow! Where are we?

YUKON: Who knows...just get off me!!!

DJ: Oops! Sorry.

All the Rovers get to their feet and try to look at their surroundings.

STAR: I'll get the lights again, okay?

DYLAN: Whatever.

Star fiddles for a light switch.

STAR: No switch.

VOICE: That's what you think!

ALL: Huh?

Torches light up along the walls, and glaring back at them is the hideous face of Parvo, the Groomer at his side.

STAR: Parvo!

PARVO: Who'd you expect, the Pillsbury Doughboy?

CRICKET: At least he's cute, unlike you.

PARVO: You sure talk big for a stupid dog.

CRICKET: And a heck of a lot better than you do.

GROOMER: Did you hear that? She thinks she's better than us.

YUKON: Obviously we all have more sense.

DJ: (to Dylan) Now what?

DYLAN: Just be ready for anything.

PARVO: You know, you Rovers are such suckers!

STAR: And why's that?

PARVO: Because I have the upper hand now!

At that moment, a large net flies from off the floor and catches the Rovers, but Dylan, Cricket, and DJ jump out of its way just in time.

DJ: Hey! No fair!

GROOMER: All's fair in love, war, and Rover-catching.

STAR: Hey you guys! Don't just stand there, get us outta here!

The net starts to rise and travel across the room on a pulley, out of the reach of Dylan's hand.

DYLAN: Shoot! Missed!

GROOMER: Two down, three to go.

PARVO: Sic 'em RoboRovers!

CRICKET: WHAT THE---!!!

Five robots resembling the original Rovers come from the shadows and rush at the three.

DYLAN: I thought we got rid of them!

CRICKET: Guess not...

They leap to the sides. Dylan is tackled by the Colleen and Exile robots, and DJ attempts to fight off the other three. Cricket shuffles back and forth and then joins in trying to pry one othe the robots off Dylan.

STAR: EEEEEEEK!

YUKON: You guys! Hurry!

Cricket looks up to see that the net is headed towards a giant mechanized saw blade at the far end of the room.

DYLAN: ACK!

DJ: HELP!

DJ is tossed across the room, and Dylan socks the Colleen robot in the face, but reels in pain from the impact.

PARVO: Ha! Isn't victory wonderful?

GROOMER: Ah, yes General. At long last, the end of the Road Rovers!

Dylan notices something.

DYLAN: CRICKET!! QUICK! OVER THERE! AHHH!

CRICKET: Where?

Dylan barely points to a long wooden pole leaning against the wall at the opposite corner of the room. Cricket freezes.

DYLAN: Quickly! Get that pole and jam it into the gears!!!

CRICKET: What?! It's a....a....STICK!

DJ: (moaning) Just do it....

DJ is being jumped on my the Shag robot. Dylan receives a blow to the midsection from the Exile robot.

STAR: Cricket, just grab the stick and stop this thing!

YUKON: And make it snappy!!! We're awfully close to being Rover cutlets!

CRICKET: But...

ALL: JUST DO IT!

CRICKET: (shaking in fear) Uhhh...okay!

She runs to the pole, but stops two feet away.

PARVO: What is she doing?!

CRICKET: Ohhhhhhhh.....

DYLAN: CRICKET!!!!!! NOW!!!

Cricket closes her eyes, runs to the pole and grabs it.

YUKON: Hurry!

Cricket, eyes still closed and sweating heavily, dashes at the gears of the saw blade. Yukon and Star are only seconds away. She raises up the pole and JAMS it into the gears, and backs away quickly. The machine sparks and makes screeching sounds as it comes to a halt, just missing slicing Yukon and Star to tiny bits, but close enough to cut a hole in the net. The RoboRovers stop and look in awe.

STAR: (jumping down) Let's rock!!!

All the Rovers attack the robots full force, dismantling them to scrap metal with their blasters and blades. Parvo and the Groomer, ticked by the turnaround, flee.

DYLAN: HA! Got 'me!

YUKON: But where's Parvo?

DJ: Must've gotten away.

STAR: Shoot! We could've had him!

DYLAN: At least we saved Milkbone Dog Biscuits.

CRICKET: (approaching the others) You guys I ---.

DJ: Cricket, you were awesome!

CRICKET: I was?

STAR: You saved us with the thing you hate most: a stick!

CRICKET: (smiling) I did it! I really did it!

DYLAN: See? We had faith in you the whole time.

CRICKET: (smiling) Thanks Dylan. You're very sweet.

Dylan blushes a little.

YUKON: C'mon. Let's blow this stack.

Yukon thros up a grappling hook and all the Rovers climb out and manage to leave the factory.

Back at RRHQ, it's dinner time and all five Rovers sit down to a hearty meal of...HoHos? Well, at least Star does...

DYLAN: First Twinkies, now HoHos?

STAR: I'm hungry.

YUKON: I thought you wanted doggie biscuits.

STAR: I changed my mind.

DJ: (munching his mashed potatoes) That was such a cool mission! Are they always that intense?

DYLAN: It depends on Star's attitude, I think.

STAR: Sometimes, just sometimes.

YUKON: So Cricket, do you feel safer around sticks now?

CRICKET: I dunno. Maybe...

DJ: (smacking his forehead) Oh geez. I forgot to brush before we ate.

STAR: (pulling out pack of gum) Here. Want a stick of Trident?

CRICKET: STICK?! WHERE?!

She shudders in fear, looks at Star, then the gum, then at Star again.

CRICKET: (clutching her chest) Whew! It's only a piece of gum.

YUKON: Watch what you say, Star.

STAR: What did I do?

DYLAN: Just about everything....

***THE END***