Friendly magic

"I hate it when you are this upset with me Darrell"

"Well, Drek, I have a lot going on my plate now and If you weren't so busy trying to win your Nina,

maybe with a glance, you will have learnt to care"

"Oh, I do care alright. Is this not me following you to see the rolling mantis?"

'But damn Darrell, a rolling mantis, has to be delusional imagery."

"I am telling you my eyes weren't deceiving me."

"But since you so doubt, Drek Thomas, how about you wait until you see for yourself"

"Drek Thomas? is that a new name for me now Darrell?"

"How is Nosey Darrell my given name Drek?"

"Well, fine"

"Fine… arrh hate you sometimes Drek."

"Just sometimes?"

"Yup just sometimes"

"Admit it, Darrell, I am a fine specimen of a male."

"Well, I and Nina think differently. and don't dare to say she's been rejecting your love offer because you called her the only cockroach in your cupboard"

"Now that hurts, I only told her she's the one that bugs my thoughts,

she just misunderstood the whole dang thing, now how is it..."

"Shhhhh"

"I guess it's your turn to say stop now Darrell."

"My Shhhh is way better than when you say, stop, halt.

But stop making them noise though, we are getting close to the most magical place"

"Alright then, I can't wait to see this magical place."

****

"Well, Darrell, this place looks normal to me."

"No...no...no, something is amiss.

This right here is exactly the spot, see this? It's where I fainted while the hippopotamus held me."

"Let's forget about the hippopotamus aspect first, Darrell, You said you fainted."

Darrell shakes her head, too sad and confused to talk.

"See, it has to be delusional imagery, a possible effect of your fainted impact."

"Speak all the grammar you know Drek, but please don't tell me what my eyes saw."

"Well, since all there is here are just normal bushes and grass, can we now turn to leave?"

"But…"

"Don't worry girl…everything will be alright, you're just thinking about this scale thing a tad long.

Drek holds Darrell to himself in a comforting hug.

Turning to leave, all the animals that had stayed to witness this touching scenery have this to say.

"Aged one, do something, the girl is grief wrecked as it is; the mantis said to the tortoise'

"And risk exposing ourselves to the male?"

"Yeah I agree with you on this one, we don't even know if this crek male is a good friend of scale"

"Aria, I think you meant to say Drek, replied the lion.

"Well both Crek and Drek all sound same to my ears"

Responded the hippopotamus to the lion

****

"Did you hear that? Darrell asks Drek"

"Darrell, this is a forest, it's phenomenal to hear noises."

"Phew, what? Drek do you always have to speak long grammar in times of confusion?"

"Forget it though before you end up speaking a longer one."

"Now, Darrell, do not be like that, if it's a mantis that will make you happy, then I promise to catch as many as possible for you, okay?"

"It's more than that, but thanks anyway."

"You are always welcome, now come here for a quick one."

Confused as heck as to what just happened, Darrell naturally draws close to Drek,

and then Drek proceeds to place his hands securely on Darrell's shoulders comforting her in a tight brotherly hug

It was not until these two childhood friends had long left did the jungle animals come back alive.

****

"Here comes miss ugly and dumbbells, don't they make for a cute loving couple, boys?"

"Oh yes, they truly make for a mighty fine couple."

"More like a scary clown couple, one must wonder what their children will look like"

"Oh, they will give birth to ugly dumbbells alright,"

"Yeah, and then our Oakland shore will be filled with tiny dull brains."

And all of the cent's crew chorused out in laughter following their mockery of Darrell and Drek,

While it's rude to laugh at self-cracked jokes, these two friends, however, have this to say

"Pay no attention to them, Darrell."

"what? But though it hurts like a dang, I am learning to ignore and endure their scaled jokes."

"Let's just follow another route away from them."

****

"Boo, where are you two running off to?"

Cent asks the moment it jumps unexpectedly in front of Darrell and Drek's new path

Holding Darrell under his shoulders, Drek tries to stir clear away from the gang of bullies.

"Oh come back now, don't be in such a hurry to leave I am just getting started, ugly and dumbbell."

"Call me that again and regret ever being born." said Drek.

"Ah well, the clown speaks". Responded Cent, directing his talk this time towards his crew. Sure enough, it earns him the next round of laughter.

Done laughing his butt off he has this to add.

"And you ugly Darrell, how about you come with me, at least only I can manage to friend you,

Like heck, I will even not mind switching off the damn light every night."

"Oh really? Well, thank you cent. The last time I checked, you were busy mocking my unborn children"

"Did I say that? I must have forgotten. But how about you come with me now before I get to change my mind?"

"Dude, you must be joking, Darrell let's be on our way," Drek said dragging his friend along

"Hey, I wasn't done yet."

"Touch me again and watch me pounce on you."

"Pounce on me, this dumbbell ain't even scared of the four of us boys?"

"Yeah, he is like a dumbbell with a ball"

"Well from here all I hear is a cry for help, now Darrell let's keep going."

"A cry for help? Me a cry for… Dumbbell you must be out of your dang mind"

Cent said at the same time throwing a punch towards Drek. While Drek manages to duck on time, Darrell however comes face-to-face with Cent's fists.

The magnitude of a male fist connecting to that of a woman immediately had Darrell falling to the floor.

Blood gushes by the side of Darrell's mouth

Cent and his crew stood shocked, though he has often mocked Darrell, at the end,

he has always liked and is often jealous of seeing Drek spending time with her hence his consistent mocking.

Infuriated by the bloody scene, Drek rushes with a connecting punch of his own,

hitting Cent who did nothing to dodge Drek's fist.

Both concerned about the welfare of Darrell, rushed to where Darrell lay fallen to the earth's surface