It's Wacky, It's Crazy, It's Outrageous...

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"Wait, where are you going?" Plisken shouted after him.

"I'm going to collect the appropriate samples and return to Starbug to begin my research. My communicator is dialed to Channel Six if you need to contact me. Now if that's all Mr. Plisken I really must be going!" Artemis disappeared into the swamp, leaving Plisken and Jade at the entrance to the strange reality.
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Jade twitched from foot to foot. She was restless, frustrated even for numerous interrupty reasons. Pliskin's pipe was beginning to make her want to ram it down his throat. He took a long drag, the noise rasping like a file against wood. Jade cringed and glared at him. He continued his vigil into the forest. He exhaled long and low, the smoke billowing out in a plume of blue-grey fumes. The breeze carrying the gaseous emanations into Jade's face.

"Oh for smeg's sake Pliskin can't you go gas somebody else?" She snapped.

"Someone needs to stay here and watch for the others." He said nonchalantly, relaxing against a nearby real tree.

Jade huffed and began to pace about the swamp around the holographic tree. If it was visible, the bug that was latched onto her would have been seen to turn to glow a bright yellow.

"Isn't it a nice day though?"

"Huh?" Pliskin enquired at the strange turn of conversation, Jade was known for her renowned conversation attempts, but that was a leap even for her.

"I mean, the mud is so revitalizing and the bugs are so delightful!" She chirped, ecstatically pleased with her surroundings. Obviously confident in it's control, the bug, which was feeding of her raw emotions switched. Green, it fancied some jealousy.

"Yeah, it's great all right." The old man replied, frowning down his pipe at the Doctor.

"I'm... Ah... I'm going to go check on the others. Wouldn't want them finding Jay's cure first now. They might take it for themselves." And with that, she shot down the rope to the amusement park. A trail of glowing fireflies and mosquitoes buzzing after her.

***

She wasn't sure how long it had been, but she searched the entrance with no sign of anyone. The gun that had been pressed into her hand for safety drawn in the creepy half light of the park. The cold dull yellow of fear, cowardice. The original colour they had encountered, tailored her behaviour for the moment. Her breathing was shallow and quick, her pulse rapid and flighty. She was terrified.

The dark pressing in around her.

She rushed in the shadows caused by one dim pool of overhead lighting to the next. Her target in her sights. She could see them ahead. If she could take one of them out then the others might flee.

The big one.

The big armoured one was the threat. Scary half shark demons the lot of them. Lead by The Big One. He was the one that needed taking out.

***

"Yo! Zod dawg! My main pup! come on back, like this totally isn't righteous any more!" Jaxx complained, whining into the darkness.

"Face it shark boy, he's not coming back." Alex sneered, apparently his bug was still in anger mode. Maybe they weren't close enough to react together yet.

"Did you hear that? I heard something like a metallic click. Metallic clicks are not good. Is it a trap?" Jacky also complained. Alex rolled his eyes. Snapping his neck like a chicken would be so easy, all he'd have to do was reach out his hands and...

But then Jaxx would get cross, he might chase him and eat him. He'd eaten people in the past right? What was stopping him eating Alex right now? He fumbled with the gun in his pack. Fear driving his thoughts now. The other bug was within range, their field of influence stronger together.

***

BANG!

It echoed around the chamber, ricocheting off something metallic and then shattering the light bulb. The shot had gone massively wide, thrown off by her shaking hands.

"Oh no..." She whispered, as the emergency light flickered on overhead. Lighting her up, gun drawn and aimed at the group. "STAY BACK DEMONS!" She yelled, backing off.

"What the?" Evelina was the first to recover, standing up after everyone had hit the deck after the shot rang out. "Jade? Why...?"

"STAY BACK!" She yelled. Turning and fleeing into the closest building. It just so happened to be the Fun House.

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