A Bugs Life

How Can You Be Circus Bugs!?

As Flik pushed Dim through the blades of grass, thoughts ran through his head, "How!? I messed up again!" But the worst thought was what scared him the most, "What will Atta say about this?" Flik had hoped that these were 'warrior' bugs. Big-time screw-up.

"Circus bugs? How can you be circus bugs?" Flik questions the second he emerges from the blades of grass.

"What?"

"Hey, hey, hey. You said nothin' about killin' grasshoppers, pal. You lied to us!" Francis accuses. "Ja!" Heimlich crossed his arms, each circus bug glared at the ant. "Are you kidding? Do you know what this is? This, my friends, is false advertising!" Flik shot back. Manny approaches the ant with a scowl.

"How dare you! You, sir, are the charlatan in this senario, touting your wares as a scout, preying upon the souls of hapless artistes. Good day to you, sir!" He turns away from Flik as he waves his hand dismissively.

The circus bugs turn their back to Flik and start walking away. Before Flik had the chance to say anything, Tuck and Roll march up to the ant and smacked his face. Flik stood there with his hand on his cheek, shocked.

"Get them!" A female whisper's near him. Flik turns his focus back onto reality after hearing her voice. "Wait! No, no! Wait, wait, wait, wait! You can't go." He runs up to them, "You have got to help me. Give me some time, I'll come up with a plan."

Heimlich shrugs, "Just go tell them the truth!" Flik pales and shakes each bug, "They can't know the truth. The truth, you see is bad. I will be branded for life. My children's children will walk down the street, people will point and say, 'Look! There goes the spawn of Flik, the loser!' Oh-- oh, you know, all right, fine. Yeah, okay. Just go. But if you could just do me a little favor before you leave. If you could squish me, that be great, because, uh, when they find out, I'm as good as dead." Manny shakes his head as Flik stops by Dim and puts his foot on his head.

"FLIK!" A feminine voice calls out.

Flik gasps, jumping back on his feet, and runs to the blades of grass, looking for whoever called his name. Francis nudged Manny and whispers, "Let's go now while he's distracted." All the circus bugs, quickly, but quietly ran to escape the ant while he spoke to whoever called him.

Manny spotted a flash of red once he turned his back on Flik, and nearly froze once he locked eyes with Maya. Maya shook her head at him, however, Manny quickly put a finger to his lips to show he wouldn't say a word as Flik yelps in surprise.

"Aah! Princess Atta! What a nice... surprise."

"Just what exactly is going on? I like to speak with the so-called 'warriors'."

"You can't! They are in the middle of a top-secret meeting right now, and they really should not be disturbed... now. Right guys?" Flik turns to see the circus bugs run off through the blades of grass. "Ah! Could you ex-- pl-- Could you excuse me, please?"

Flik runs off shouting at the bugs, "Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Please! Don't go! No!" He catches up to them and quickly latched himself onto Slim's leg. "Quick he's losin' it!" Slim shouts once Francis grabbed him and began taking off in the air.

"You can't go! I'm desperate!"

"Really? I couldn't tell," Slim sarcastically remarks as he and Francis looked at the blue-eyed ant. Dot was watching as she stood on the dandelion stalk, "Hmm. Come on, wings." Her wings tried to lift her in the air, till they gave out, making her hit the seed, breaking away. Dot quickly grabbed the seed, "Help!"

Once the circus bugs made it to the otherside of the river bed, they grew tired of Flik's complaints. "Okay, Flik, time to put ya down. Get him off me! He's cutting off the circulation." Slim shouts. Manny grabs Flik and tries to to pull him away from Slim's leg.