A Battle of Watts

Chapter 16: Bugged Out

Chapter 16: Bugged Out

"This is your fault!"

"How about keeping that shaver-mouth of yours shut to conserve your energy?!"

Mish-Mash and Vinyl were at it again, blaming each other for losing the others. These two never got along and fought over the silliest things. They were more focused on their argument instead of looking where they were heading: The Bug Tunnel.

"Oh, why don't you just keep your bug-eyed, woodpecker-head focused on the road instead of women for once?!" Mish-Mash snapped. "I saw you drooling all over her, you pig!"

"I wasn't!" retorted Vinyl. "I was watching the road in the direction Loumine was walking! And come on! She's single! Give a lonely phonograph a break, will ya?"

"I'll give ya a break!" Mish-Mash shouted. "Right in that Pinocchio-pointed nose of yours! I'm surprised it hasn't blossomed into a tree branch yet! You disgust me!"

"I can't help it." Vinyl scoffed. "I'm a guy! And just so you know, you're the last dame I'd ever go after! I'd be more attracted to one of those toilets you find at gas stations!"

"Well, even if you did like me, you'd be out of luck, bub!" Mish-Mash snarled. "I'm lonely too, but I'm not that desperate! The toilet can have you for all I care! You'd be perfect for each other! You're both nasty and horrible to be stuck with!"

"Mish-Mash..." Vinyl said in an uneasy voice.

"What?" Mish-Mash shrieked furiously.

"Where are we?"

Mish-Mash finally noticed they were not in the jungle anymore. The two had wandered into a pitch-black cave. Odd scuttling noises were scurrying past them, along with loud buzzes and chirps.

"Mish-Mash," Vinyl said quietly. "Turn on your lights. I feel something crawling on me..."

"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes and turned on her lights, which flickered every time she blinked. Mish-Mash looked at Vinyl and saw a huge tarantula sitting on his record. "Oh, circuits..."

"Wh-wh-what?!" Vinyl panicked. "What is it?! It isn't a spider! Please tell me it isn't a spider!"

"Hold still, you big baby!" Mish-Mash carefully picked up the tarantula with her plugs. "You don't want to scare these things. Tarantulas only attack when they feel threatened."

"Gah! Tarantula?!" Vinyl screamed. "Oh Gawd! Get it off!"

The tarantula snuggled against Mish-Mash affectionately. Thankfully, she was made out metal and plastic, so the giant spider's hairs wouldn't harm her like human skin.

"H-hey!" laughed Mish-Mash. "That tickles!" She pat the tarantula on the head and it bounced happily. "One sec, lil cutie." She slapped Vinyl over the head, making him stop freaking out. "Pull yourself together, you low-watt! You're scaring Fuzzy!"

Vinyl looked at the baby tarantula cuddling Mish-Mash. He wrinkled his 'nose' and grimaced seeing the spider cling to her neck like a monkey.

"Fuzzy?" he said apprehensively. "You named it?!"

"Not it, Vinyl." Mish-Mash said with a frown. Fuzzy whimpered, hurt by Vinyl's offensive word choice. "Fuzzy is a she." She pet Fuzzy on the head, making her warble happily. "I'm going to keep her as a pet."

"What?!" Vinyl squawked and moved back. "Ellie would never let you do that! She hates bugs too!"

"You're the only one with the bug problem, Vinyl." Mish-Mash said as Fuzzy snuggled her. "Fuzzy is an arachnid. Ellie was the one who told me about them anyway. We both like tarantulas."

Fuzzy looked behind Mish-Mash and squeaked, trying to warn her that someone wanted her as a pet too! Vinyl noticed a giant pink praying mantis towering behind Mish-Mash. The mantis, obviously an expectant mother by the size of her belly, raised her pincers over Mish-Mash. She was having cravings for tarantulas and appliances!

"Mish-Mash..." Vinyl said again.

"Wha-at?!" Mish-Mash sung sarcastically. "Is it another bug, chicken of the cave?"

"I wouldn't call me the chicken..." Vinyl lowered his eyes. "You're the one who's on the menu..."

Mish-Mash looked behind her and screamed. She dodged the mother-to-be right before becoming a third trimester snack for a very pregnant mantis. Mish-Mash fled, hitting a wall, and a secret door opened and trapped her inside.

The mother mantis glanced towards the wall and turned her head to the left confused. She twitched her antenna and looked at Vinyl.

"Uh! H-hi there..." Vinyl smiled and backed up. "I don't know too much about insects, but I thought praying mantis' laid eggs... Maybe you're a special species?"

While Vinyl was making small talk with the mantis, Mish-Mash and Fuzzy were stuck in a tiny room. There were no exits to be found, making a claustrophobic Mish-Mash panic.

"Vinyl!" she shrieked behind the wall. "Get me out of here, you son of a circuit!"

Vinyl looked at the mantis walking towards him. He shook as she sniffed him with her antenna.

"N-n-n-nice mantis..." stuttered Vinyl. "P-p-please don't eat me..."

The mantis shrieked suddenly and fell at Vinyl's base...

She was breathing heavily...

Vinyl's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He started searching for the secret door frantically.

"Mish-Mash! Mish-Mash! Help! Call 911!"

"Oh sure!" Mish-Mash replied sarcastically. "From a cave?!" she bellowed furiously. "Quit fooling around and get me out of here!"

Vinyl glanced at the mother mantis panting on the ground. He hated bugs, but felt sorry for this one strangely. Vinyl spotted a rock sticking out of place and whacked it with his plug. The secret door opened and both Mish-Mash and Fuzzy flew out, colliding into Vinyl.

"Thanks." Mish-Mash said flatly. She spotted the mantis and gasped. "Oh Gawd! Let's get out of here!"

"No Mish-Mash." Vinyl hopped over to the mantis and pat her on the head. "We can't leave her like this. Look, how about we just call it a truce?"

"What?!" squawked Mish-Mash. "Have you..." Mish-Mash frowned as the mantis shrieked in pain. "Oh... Very well. But just until this storyis over."

While the two appliances were witnessing 'the miracle of life,' Matilda and Augustus were walking towards the cave's entrance.

"So, this is the place his highness said to search?" Augustus said nervously. "I heard that it's the Giant Pink Cave Mantis' spawning time. Missy is more aggressive this season. Remember what happened to Stuart last week?"

"Yup..." Matilda shuddered. "Poor guy... Well, we can't keep his highness waiting. Better get this over with."

The two rats were just about to head into the cave when several, loud cries of newborn mantis' were wailing inside. Startled by the sound, Matilda and Augustus fled in the other direction.

Mish-Mash and Vinyl were being cuddled by Missy, the mother mantis, and eight yellow babies.

"Aww!" Mish-Mash picked up a squealing baby mantis and hugged it. "Four boys and four girls! Congratulations! Thanks, Vinyl. I'm sorry I misjudged you." She paused at looked at Vinyl. "Hey. What's the matter? Why are you crying?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Vinyl sobbed. "This is just too beautiful!" he bawled. "I'm so proud!"

Mish-Mash laughed and pat Vinyl on the head. Maybe he wasn't such a jerk after all...