PopCap-Topia: Neighborville has Moved!

Chapter Six: Something Evil

Neighborville is in absolute chaos. Another tremor ripples through the ground, stronger than any before it.

Matilda pants as she runs through the street, clutching her rake so hard her knuckles are turning white. She pulls a little peashooter out of the way of a falling chunk of debris. It thanks her, quickly, and then she's rushing to help more of them.

She's not sure exactly what's going on - the tremors haven't been acting up since that building toppled over days ago. But whatever is going on right now is more dangerous than any building falling over could be.

A crack the width of her foot spreads through the concrete beneath her. Come on, she thinks. Just a little farther-

She hits something.

Someone.

She gasps. “Evil Dave!” She shouts. The sinister, rat-faced man sneers at her.

“Well, well, well!” He cackles. His repeater, Peatrice, mimics his sounds from his shoulder. “If it ain't my brother's little girlfriend!”

“You're not his brother! And I'm not his-”

“Shut it!” Evil Dave yells. “This town's ours now!” He grabs her by the collar; she retaliates by kicking him square between the legs. As he doubles over in pain, she makes a break for it.

Running, running… she passes through an alleyway, getting as far away as she can. Unfortunately, she hits a dead end.

“No, no, come on!” She desperately searches for a way out - oh no, the footsteps are coming up behind her…

“You know, that was a real dirty move!” Evil Dave shouts. He stomps toward her.

“Yeah, well you fuckin’ deserved it!” Matilda hisses. She swings her rake at him. He catches it.

“Game over.” He laughs.

Suddenly, there's a thunk! Evil Dave crumples to the concrete in front of her.

“Ha!” The good Dave, Crazy Dave says, swinging his shovel around in his hand. “I have ALWAYS wanted to do that!”

“Davey!” Matilda jumps in to hug him. “Where have you been?! I've been trying to call you for days!”

“I'm sorry! I've been busy trying to fix-” There's a cry from nearby. “No time, Matilda, let's move!”

●●●

Dr. Zomboss flies Penny above the town, watching with bated breath as the battle wages beneath them.

“Can't we do anything?!” Patrice says, in the passenger seat. “We can't just let them fight alone!”

“You're right.” Zomboss says. “I have a plan.”

He tries to make sense of Penny's dashboard… oh, it's not that complicated, really. He frowns as he recalls how similar she is to his own work.

“Seriously, did he copy me entirely…?”

“Negative.” The van replies. “You just have very similar styles of work.”

“You know, I would argue, but we really don't have time.” He pulls up the map, tapping through a few settings. “Set a course for my manor, Penny.”

“Calculating… course set.”

“Good, good…” Zomboss mumbles. “I may just be able to do something yet.”

●●●

Dave kicks a doomlock out of the way, rushing past the explosive to rendezvous with Bjorn.