Friends

Willie Trombone and Ed sat down in front of the nursery for some time and told each other their wild stories.

Ed gasped in delight, and nodded wildly. "Yes, yes!"

"Kay," Willie smiled and stood up, "Come, come. . .follow me!"

Ed got up and rushed to Willie's side. Willie walked into the explosive shack, kept the door open for Ed. Klenn Many Stemmer was in there at the time putting together new explosives. He turned his attention to the door as Willie and Ed walked in.

"Hello Willie!" Manies dropped his experiment and walked over to the two visitor.

"Hiiiii Manies!"

Manies then turned to Ed, "Who is this?"

"This me brother Ed!"

Manies smiled at Ed and moved over to him to shake his hand, "Greetings, Ed!

Have ya been here long?"

"Dis me first day," Ed answered.

"Neat!" Manies replied, still shaking Ed's hand. Willie then moved to the opposite door.

"Willie take Ed to meet new friends. Manies wanna come?"

Manies let go and shook his head politely, "No thanks. I gotta finish this new experiment. But for asking." Manies opened the door for Ed and Willie and waved to them as they exited. Willie and Ed then started moving for the mulberry tree where three klay beings, who were under the tree, talking and eating apples.

"Doodles! When you get here?" Willie screamed with joy and ran over to Doodles to hug him. Ed followed, timidly.

"Hi Willie!" Doodles hugged Willie Trombone then looked at Ed.

"This me brother Ed! He new here," Willie explained. "This brother Doodles! He real good drawer! Mebbe he show you later."

Ed waved, "Hello! You be me friend too?" Doodles nodded wildely, clapping his hands, "Yes!"

"Yay!" Ed shrieked and hugged Doo.

Doodles grinned, "Welcome to the Neverhood!"

"This is Tramen, friends call him Toast! He a great mechanic!" Willie added.

"Hi there," Tramen looked down at Ed. "Want an apple?"

Tramen pulled a berry off the tree and tossed it gently to Ed.

"Thanks!" said Ed, taking a bite of the apple. Then Willie pointed to the third klay being. "That Gnimen!"

Gnimen put down the klay mouse he was holding and waved to Ed.

"Hello Ed! How are you?"

"Me good. . . ."

Soon though, a forth klay being came walking from the red klay wall car.

"Hi Sarlakk!" said Doodles. Sarlakk looked back at the house, still sitting on the large klay wall.

"Where'd that come from?"

Ed shuffled his feet, "That me house."

Willie pushed Ed towards Sarlakk, "He me brother Ed!" Sarlakk smiled.

"Hey Ed! Ever seen one of these before?" Sarlakk opened his right hand, revealing a tiny crab-like creature.

"Cool! You found Pinch!" exclaimed Gnimen. Doodles took a step back towards Tramen.

"It's called a 'weasel'," said Sarlakk, seeing Doodles' reaction.

Ed reached over to touch it, "Cute."

"That's easier to say when you haven't seen the big ones, "replied Tramen, laughing mildly. Ed smirked, then looked up at his house. He walked over to the wall the grabbed the rope, still hanging down from the house. Doodles turned to Ed. . .

"What you doing?"

"Me stuff up there. . ." answered Ed, not really sure, and then he started climbing the rope. As soon as he reacted the top he ran into his house. A few minutes later, Ed came out and climbed back down. Ed, then wondered over to Willie

Trombone, and handed him a framed picture, "For you."

"What this?" Willie looked at the picture, and immediately recognized it. Tramen looked over Willie's shoulder, curiously.

"Hoop-heads? Who. . .are they?"

Ed answered, "Ottoborg. . . .and his first seven sons." Ed pointed to each

person in the picture, saying there name, "Hypen Nupen. . .Petri Alfonzo. . .Willie Trombone . . .Aloh Al. . .Creeker . . .Hondo. . .Ed. . .and daddy, Ottoborg."

Willie hugged Ed, "Thanks brother!" While Willie showed the picture to Doodles, and the other klay beings, Ed walked back over to towards the wall.

"GAAAAHH!! I'm gonna get ya Doo......HEY! You not him!" A nasty looking klay being had jumped from behind a wall, surprising Ed so

much it caused him to fall backwards.

"Who do you think you are?!" the being screamed looking at his hoop.

"Aww...geez another one?!"

Doodles groaned, "Leave us alone, Maloon!"

Maloon glared evilly at Doodles and the others who were watching, then back at Ed.

"Make me!" Maloon growled, grabbing Ed's hoop and pulling him to his feet. Still holding Ed by the hoop, Maloon started stomping towards Doodles and Willie.

"OW! Lemme go!" Ed screamed.

"Hey. . .who wants to play ring toss?" Maloon cackled.

"Not funny. Let Ed go, and leave!" Tramen demanded, stepping forward, daringly.

"Hey!", unexpectedly, Pinch jumped out of Sarlakk's hand. He crawled over to Maloon and pinched his foot. Maloon looked down at the tiny weasel. Growling, he kicked it away. . .

"Pathetic creature!"

Once Pinch landed, he zipped behind Gnimen's leg. Gnimen looked at Pinch, and then stared at Maloon, "That's mean!"

"Well. . .duh!" snapped Maloon. Then he looked back at Ed, who still had his hoop in Maloon's hand. "I can tell your new! No one in the right mine would hang out with these idiots!" Ed, pulled back hard, getting his hoop out of Maloon's grip.

"Tell ya what. . ." Maloon slapped Ed in the back, "OUCH!" Maloon jumped away shaking his hand. "You got spikes!" he grumbled. "Pretty sneaky, you. . ."

Maloon moaned, clinching his fist. Ed quickly ran over to his new friends, whimpering. Maloon paced over to the tree, pushing Doodles and Gnimen out of the way harshly as he approached. He snatched an apple from the tree and puts the whole thing it his mouth at once. The klay beings watched him, angrily.

Then Willie caught Maloon's attention. He looked at the object Willie's hand. Willie glanced at Maloon, and then griped the picture tighter.

"Give me that, " Maloon said in a hash tone. Willie Trombone turned his back on Maloon and started walking away, "No! It no for Maloon!"

"Maloon. . .why must you be so mean?" complained Sarlakk.

"Your never going to make friends this way, " Tramen added, while Doodles nodded. Maloon looked over his shoulder at them. "Klogg didn't NEED friends!"

"Klogg evil. . ." Willie mumbled. Maloon then reached out a and grabs Willie's shoulder. "I told you to give me the picture, hoop-head!"

Ed, took a deep breath then walked up to Maloon. He tapped him on the back, and as Maloon turned, Ed growled angrily. . .

"Leave me, me brother, and me friends alone!" Tramen, Gnimen, Sarlakk, and Doodles, close behind, followed Ed. Maloon noticed they were ganging up on him. Suddenly he pushes Willie over and ran for the explosive shack. Just as he reached the door it flew open smacking Maloon into the wall.

"Check it out guys!" Manies came walking out holding up an explosive. Then he saw everyone crowed around and realized he must of done something. Klenn looked concern. . . .

"Uh oh. . .what did I do?" He walked all the way out of the shack. As the door slammed back shut, he turned around he saw Maloon lying there, knocked out,

"Maloon? How'd he. . ."

"Ah. . .he'll be fine," Gnimen said, gleaming. Ed fidgeted, unsure of what to do next. Doodles noticed Ed. . .

"Unfortunately the Neverhood has fiends too."

Ed nodded slowly. Then Manies looked at Ed, "Have ya ever used an explosive before?"

Ed shook his head, "No. What they do?"

"Well. . .depends. This one I got here is 'pose to be a fireworks type, " Manies explained. Though, Ed still looked confused.

"Erm, lemme show you, " Manies continued. He set the explosive a safe distance away. Lighting the fuse he ran back to the others. A large blasts came out of the explosive. Seconds later bright colors appeared in the sky, in all sorts of designs. Everyone clapped there hands and glazed in awe.

"Ooo..purdy! Ed like fireworks!" Ed mentioned to Manies, smiling. Next thing, Gnimen pulled out a box, and opened it. . .

"Klaycandy, anyone?"

Doodle licked his lips and walked over to Gnimen. Gnimen grinned at Doo.

"Of course." and gave Doodles some.

"Thank you!" replied Doodles, before stuffing the candies in his mouth. For the rest of the night, the group of klay beings watched the fireworks and snacked on klaycandy.

~WW~