THRICE Upon a Time...

~*~2~*~

"Oh...my basket!" Snow White gasped. She tottered up to Blizzard and tapped him on his shoulder...if dragonflies HAVE shoulders. "Where's my basket?"

"Don't bother going back to retrieve it." Blizzard grunted. "We have searched it clean."

"You have taken EVERYTHING IN IT??" Snow White yelped. Rapunzel and Aurora, who were walking ahead, turned around at this outburst.

"A little extra food never hurts our village." Blizzard grunted.

"Nice way to welcome your GUESTS." Rapunzel shook her head. She planted her feet in the soil and sneered at Blizzard. "The stuff in that basket are USEFUL. Unlike, y'know, SOMEBODY."

"I know. That's why we took it."

"Give it." Rapunzel motioned with her hands. "GIVE."

"That is the Monarch's responsibility."

"ARGH," Rapunzel threw her hands up in annoyance and continued to walk. Suddenly, something hit her and she quickly turned back around. "Did we shrink?"

Blizzard grunted.

"How?"

"Vertical Powder, grounded up by our finest potion-makers." Blizzard grunted. "That is how we punish people who insult us."

Rapunzel looked around. The place was beautiful. She was weaving through the huge grass, brushing them aside with her hands. Everywhere was green, fine strands covering the meadow. Rapunzel was so short she could see the small clumps of dirt on the brown earth, and the little dents her little foot made in it with each step.

"Left." Blizzard grunted, interrupting Rapunzel's thoughts. She turned.

And then she burst out laughing.

A village. Insects actually have VILLAGES.

In front of her was a gate made from pebbles, stuck together by some weird orange liquid that could've been the gum of trees. Blizzard swung it open, waved the girls in, and latched it behind him.

Inside, the ground was paved with small strips of bark, representing a road. There were flies buzzing to each other, beetles scurrying through holes, worms lazing under toadstools.

Toadstools!

There were heaps of them! Red with polka-dots, brown with blue stripes, white with black spots, pink with green splotches. There were doors on each one, and animals occasionally poked their heads out to examine the new visitors.

Rapunzel was fascinated. She could see so much detail! The delicate antennas, the streaky, glassy wings, the big, shiny black eyes of insects so small.

"Blizzard, my man!"

 Rapunzel turned around at the deep, throaty voice.

A sleek green lizard was waving to them, standing on his hind legs. His yellow and emerald scales glittered in the sun, and his dark eyes were sharp and intelligent.

"Hello, Agent Bobby." Blizzard grunted. He nudged the girls forward. "These are our new guests. They're here to help us with the Case of the Stones. But I expect you already knew that?"

Bobby nodded. "It's A-OK, Blizz. I'll take care of these darlings. You, go protect Monarch Ice."

Blizzard gave a small nod. He fluttered his wings and flew off.

Bobby turned to the Three Assistants. "So, girls. I'm Agent Bobby, L'il Bob to my mates. Care to introduce?"

"Roe, Roanna, Roxy." Rapunzel yawned, her pink, dainty lips stretching wide.