Pepperland - a Beatles fanfiction

Chapter 32: The Pyramid

"We're almost there now." Called Max, pausing his animated conversation with Jeremy so he could let the others know where they were.

"Those two get along like wildfire." Observed Roger, watching them talk cheerfully a few metres ahead. "They do, don't they though?" Replied Finn. He was finding this walk quite boring, unlike Emily, who was happily making her way through one of Max's apples. Apparently they were delicious.

Blue ambled slowly at the back of the procession, thinking to herself about all manner of things. She noted how everything in Pepperland was, really, quite beautiful. It was just in greyscale at the moment. She imagined it in colour and realised how beautiful it would be - it was simply a drawing that hadn't been coloured in yet.

She was so lost in her thoughts that when the group arrived, she tripped straight over Jeremy and landed in a heap on the floor. When she opened her eyes, the Boob was stood over her and looking down. "Mind your step!" He called cheerfully, and helped her up as well as he could, being so small.

Roger blinked when they realised where they were. "This can't be Lord Indigo's lair!" He said defiantly, staring at the structure in front of him. It was, in fact, the huge pyramid that the Submarine usually sat on top of.

"It is." Replied Max. "Well. I've done all I can for you, brought you where you wanted to go. Good luck defeating Lord Indigo. Bye bye Jeremy." With that, he started to walk away, whistling.

Finn was annoyed. How dare the Blue Meanies turn the pyramid into a palace for themselves? It felt, to him, like they were tainting a place sacred to the people of Pepperland. It was wrong.

"I think we need to get closer to have an effect." Finn said, making the others groan. The perimeter of the marble pyramid was guardian by a steady patrol of Meanies and apple bonkers. If they went any closer, they would certainly be seen.

Roger pointed this out sarcastically, muttering about "certain death" and other positive ways their adventure could end. "It's worth the risk." Replied Finn. "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

"Jolly good quote that!" Exclaimed Jeremy. "I must write it down before I forget!" He turned his clarinet into a typewriter, and write down what he wanted to know. The he grabbed the paper and hid it in his fur.

"How do we get closer?" Asked Emily, wary of the huge Meanies guarding the entrance to the pyramid.

"For that problem, I have a plan!" Explained Jeremy, and his typewriter quickly became a tub full of some kind of liquid.

Roger peered inside. "What's this?" He dipped a finger into the tub, and it came out bright blue. "Oh no." He groaned, and backed away from the Boob. "There is no way on earth..."

Finn grinned. "Sorry Roger. It's a good plan." Jeremy hopped around enthusiastically.

"Here's what we must do!" He exclaimed. He was far too excited to think of any rhymes. "We will cover ourselves in this magic paint - don't worry, it wears off after a while, all by itself!"

"Thank goodness." Moaned Roger.

"Then, we need to team up in pairs and stand on each other's shoulders, so we look the right height for a Blue Meanie! Then, we sneak in with the instruments, pretending to be one of the crowd. When we get to Lord Indigo, we pull out our music and destroy him! Simple!" Jeremy hopped around, unable to contain his excitement. Bubbling with joy, he let out a stream of nonsense rhymes and danced around happily.

"Okay." Said Finn, and he picked up the tub. Blue watched as he held it above his head... and spilt it all over himself. Soon, his clothes, hair and all his visible skin was bright blue. Roger snorted but he stopped smirking as soon as Finn started advancing towards him with the tub.

He backed away nervously, "Finn, if you dare..." he started, but his brother was too fast for him.

Soon, all four children and the Boob were covered in bright blue paint.

"Now then!" Said Jeremy cheerfully, "Pairs! Blue and Finn... and Roger and Emily!"

Roger sighed. "We did that same thing back in the cave!" He complained, but reluctantly bent down so his younger sister could climb onto his shoulders.

"Isn't this a bit sexist?" Asked Emily cautiously, "Making the boys carry the girls?"

Jeremy shook his head. "The only reason it is this way is that you are the youngest and Blue is the smallest!"

Emily shrugged. "Yeah, fair enough. I weigh less than Roger anyway so it makes sense."

Finn and Blue really weren't sure how to do this. Blue was in the most awkward situation she had ever been in, having to climb onto someone else's back. It was easy enough for Roger and Emily, being siblings.

"Umm... Jeremy?" Finn tried to resolve the problem, "I dunno if this is going to be comfortable for us...". The Boob assessed the situation and grinned.

"I can see what's happening here! The resolution is very clear."

"What is it then?" Asked Blue and Finn simultaneously.

"Get over it!" Jeremy laughed happily, and left them to it.

Finn gave her an unreadable look, and bent down. Awkwardly, she positioned herself on his shoulders. It was the first time, as far as she could remember, that she had been in this position.

When it was over and done with, it wasn't too bad. Finn was even surprised at how light she was, being so short.

Jeremy covered up the person on the bottom of the human-Meanies with a fluffy blue towel each, and then put black face paint on each of the people on top. When he was done, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. "Very nice! Sugar and spice!" He said.

"Let's go then." Roger said impatiently, his voice muffled by the towel covering his face. He was carrying a fairly heavy guitar and his sister, and it wasn't exactly comfortable. "Which way?"

Emily looked around. "Straight ahead she said, and they walked towards the pyramid, swaying as they went.

Jeremy had a sudden spark of an idea again. His clarinet became another tub of paint - a red one. He splashed it all over himself, and then used a slighter red to give the impression that he was shiny. Then, the tub of paint became a branch, which he held over his head. Blue laughed at the intelligence of the plan. Jeremy looked just like an oddly shaped apple.

The "apple" hopped scrambled up Finn, and Blue grabbed him gently. He wasn't actually very heavy, and his fur was soft and silky, albeit covered in paint. She held him so he was facing her, and he smiled happily. Blue could have cried at how cute he was.

"You tell the Meanies I am... umm... special prototype weaponry for the Apple Bonkers! Then they'll let you right up to Lord Indigo, and you can play your music to him!" He explained happily.

"Come on!" Called Roger, who was already almost at the pyramid. Finn followed the sound of his brother's voice until they had caught up. Blue nearly fell off at first, but soon got used to the swaying sensation. It was like riding a horse, she assumed, although she had never ridden anything before in her life.

The "Meanies" walked right up to the pyramid. Blue and Emily could see other Blue Meanies give them funny looks, but nobody tried to stop them. That is, until they tried to enter the pyramid.

Emily reached over to push the heavy metal doors open, when a fierce looking Meanie rushed towards them.

"What do you think you are doing?" He bellowed.