Last Night in Ookia

That age old feud was just like that wretched wall right now: gone.

The Dooka and Dookess of two previously separate nations finally put their differences aside and their denizens followed suit. From now on, they'd live in harmonious peace.

The following evening, in the Am-I's house, E.B. just got through apologizing to Guy for calling him a bad father. Over the course of the entire day, he'd been very caring to the newborn baby, Guy Jr., whom Michellee was nursing on the couch while the other two were preparing dinner.

After the meal, the family all sat in the living room, cuddling and playing with the baby. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Guy got up to answer it.

"Hey, best friend!", Sam exclaimed, leaping forward to hug Guy. Gluntz and Pam stood behind him.

"Hi, Sam", he responded. "Pam, Gluntz."

"Evening, Guy", said Pam. "Are you all busy right now?"

"Umm, not really. Why?"

"The Dookess has invited us to the palace!", Gluntz said enthusiastically.

"Really? All of us?"

"Yep", Sam answered. "Says she's got special awards to hand out to us."

"That's fantastic! When do we get them?"

"In five minutes."

——

They all rode in the back of a limo.

"You sure the Dookess asked for me too?" Michellee inquired.

"Uh-huh. She did say she met you too", Pam explained. "Also, you remember fighting those guards with me, don't you?"

The painter laughs. "Yes. Someone should've told those dummies that you don't upset a woman in labor."

"Hold on! Timeout!", E.B. interjected. "You fought off guards while in labor?"

Her mother shrugged. "I did."

The girl was in stunned silence for a good while before laughing. "You've really loosened up since Meepville now, Mom!"

"Okay, you all need to tell me everything that you did here", Gluntz requested.

——

A bodyguard led the group into the Dookess's office. Also standing in their was the Dooka and-

"Looka!", E.B. yelled out. She ran forward to hug him.

"Hey, E.B."

"That's him? E.B.'s little boyfriend?", Michellee asked Guy.

"Yep. Although, I guess saying 'boyfriend' was a bit of an over exaggeration on my part."

Overhearing that, Looka asked, "So..., am I your boyfriend or is that still undecided?"

E.B. stares at the floor for a moment and sighs. She looks back up and says, "I'd give it more time. Maybe when our parents aren't watching us."

He nods. "Fair enough."

The Dookess clears her throat. "Now that I have you all here, let's get this underway. His Royal Highness the Dooka and I present to all of you these medals of recognition for your involvement in ending the Great Butter Battle and preventing the loss of innocent lives."

And so, the Dookess gave each of them a medal with their names freshly engraved on it. After receiving their medal, they shook hands with both sovereign rulers. To his surprise, Looka was given one too, and not purely out of nepotism on the Dooka's behalf. It was due to both his and E.B.'s willingness to put their differences aside to really get to know each other as their love also played a part in settling the conflict.

Finally, when Guy was given his medal, the Dookess said to him, "Mr. Am-I, I'm terribly sorry for having you construct a bomb. It was horribly wrong of me to take advantage of your mechanical aptitude in creating a weapon. I also apologize for putting your wife at risk while she was with child-By the way, Mrs. Am-I, congrats on the healthy delivery-I know that was definitely over the line. Please forgive me if you can."

Guy shook his head. "Don't stress yourself, Dookess. I don't hold grudges."

"That's a relief. Now then. Since we're done, I must get ready for my interview with Who.S.A. Today in the morning. They'll be itching to hear our story."

"Just don't reveal that I'm a spy, please?", Pam asked.

"Ah, don't worry, Pam. Your secret's safe with me."

——

As they descended the steps of the palace, Looka came running after them.

"Hold on a sec!" When he reached them, he had to stop to breathe for a moment. "E.B. Here's my phone number." He hands her a slip of paper with the aforementioned number written on it.

"Oh, thanks, Looka!" She tucks the paper in her pocket.

"I'm really glad to have met you. I hope I can see you again."

"I know you will. I still need to show you my hometown."

He chuckled. "Can't wait for that!"

"You're only saying that because you don't know what it's like."

"Anything's a change of pace outside of Ookia."

E.B. figured she'd better stop slandering Glurfsburg. She didn't want Looka to change his mind about visiting it. "Well, I guess this is goodbye. For now."

"Yeah, uhh, I guess it is." He held up his pinky. "Promise to show me around town?"

E.B. hooked her own pinky around his. "I promise."

——

This time taking the trolley back to the house, Guy asked Pam, "By the way, Pam, what was that purple stuff you used to stop the bombs?"

"Goo-Lacka-Goo. Why?"

"Well, I figured, if it could stop explosions like that..."

"You think it could stop your own inventions from exploding?"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?"