I have another Question haha:
Should I change the cover of this book? To something a little more serious haha?? Or should we keep it because stinky Pete is pretty icon 🤪
Y/ᑎ ᑭOᐯ
"Harmony, hone. Sunscreen." The little girls mom calls out. We had ended up at the park, being pushes on a swing gently by the little girl. It's been great but it time we head out, and fast. Bonnie has to be awake by now and I can only dread the thought of her worried face, seeing the forky isn't with her.
"Okay. Be right back, ragdollys." The girl skips off and as soon as that back is turned we slide of the swing unnoticed
"Okay. Antique store, antique store..." Woody utters as we try to weave our way through the playground, heading right back to the store
"Wait no, this way!" I guide the cowboy and we hop onto a toy construction truck after giving it a push. Keeping our heads low we ride to towards the road, it's almost too easy. I shouldn't have gotten excited so soon because a yellow school bus pulls up. Great.
It breaks to a stop and we scamper out of the toy truck before the kids come running out, right in our direction. Woody leads me right back into the playground, swinging in to take cover in a sandbox which isn't ideal, I don't want to get sand suck between my joints. Just got to be careful.
"Did you see 'em? How many are there?" An eager, ice cream scoop wearing toy pops out, surprising us.
A second toy flies over and lands in front of us.
"We got a busload of campers!"
Three Combat Carl action figures run over to the sandbox cheering "hut, hut, hut!" as they do. Where are these toys coming from? "Aha! Here they come, playtime baby!"
"Huh?" They all drop as the ground below us starts to rumble. I though this only happened in earthquakes, how many kids are there? Little pieces of sand fall from the wooden wall as the kids cheers grow closer and closer. Nuh uh, we ain't hanging around.
We book it just in time to disappear as if we were never in the sandpit. We dash straight into the playground, feeling like this is tuned into a wild goose chase before dropping quickly as a kid slides down the yellow slide, a little shark boat beside them. As soon as they arrived, they were soon gone and we cower behind the slide. Toys are flying in the air, dashing around and like the shark, crawling back up the slide "Oh, baby! It's a good day to play, huh? Am I right?" Why are all these toys just here? We're they left behind... or do they live here? I don't understand, where are their owners?
I see Woody's head whip around, catching sight of something which he immediately wants to chase after, out of curiosity. But it's just not safe, their is too many kids!
"Woody wait, there's-" I try to reach out to the cowboy to pull him back but he dashes away too fast. With a scoff I hang closer to the play equipment, watching the cowboy closely while dashing to hide behind a landing on the end of the monkey bars as Woody drops, seeing a kid rolling around on the merry-go-round to stop in front of him. She gingerly picks him up and introduces him to... to-
To her.
"Hello, Mr. Cowboy. How are you today?" The little blond girl greets, Little Bo Peep in her right hand. She's actually here, too many emotions and thoughts are running through my mind. Relief, shock, grief, excitement, disbelief, disappointment. I don't know whether to be optimistic or not, she's back, and she's here. I never thought we'd see her again. "Do you like riding horses?"
Bo looks a little different, I mean for starters she dressed differently, her flawless delicate pink dress now replaced with her blue undergarments attire, that's an odd choice, there's a few bandages on her arms as her crook as something tied on it too. Did I child do that? She still is sporting her polka-dot skirt but her bonnet is no where to be seen, now a pink bow sits on her hair. As the little girl holds the two close, time feels as though it slows down, just like it did all those years ago. Their closeness, their warmth for each-other, them in general seems to all come flying back to my mind, my worries are back. They were always so close for so long, I don't want to be jealous but, I'm scared. The guilt and the fear... I thought this was left in the past!
Their moment is cut short when another child speaks to the blond girl holding my partner and his ex "Wanna play on the swings?"
(Damn)
"Wait for me!" The girl puts the two toys down and runs off. I see Woody move just a little but Bo cuts him down with her crook. A child dashes by until the coast is clear.
With a yank and spin Bo pulls the cowboy up with her as she manoeuvre her way through the playground in a way that indicates she knows this place. She grabs onto a flying disc and the use it as a cover, passing right by me and rolls it towards the bushes. Chasing after them I see them take a tumble into the leaves where their proper reunion begins.
"BO?!" Woody picks himself up from face planting the ground in their crash landing.
"Oh, I can't believe it's you!!" Bo turns to excitedly greet the cowboy. I slow my approach down and quietly step closer, still hiding out of sight from any nearby kids.
"Bo Peep?!" Woody has the biggest smile on his face, they were always made for each other. I knew it then and I know it now.
"I never thought I'd see you again!!" With her crook, Bo pulls Woody up adjusting her hat that had fallen too low over his forehead with a ginger touch. She always use to fix his hat for him, until I took over once she left. The moment grows a little awkward as she brushes a leaf from his shoulder as he sort of holds his arms out. I take my time to flick my legs over the Wooden stumps that lined the playground to enter the bushes with them. Hearing the tussling I made Bo looks to meet my eye and her light up with absolute glee.
"Y/n! Oh I've missed you." She beams grasping my shoulders and looking my face over absorbing my details.
"I never expected to see you here Bo" I smile resting my hands on top of hers also looking over her face. She's got a few scratches now, I wonder if she got them on her travels or after ending up her in the playground. For the most part she looks pretty much the same, distantly familiar but kind old Bo.
"So Y/n, tell me which one is yours?" She turns me around to look out at the playground filled with kids running around a giggling together.
Just as she asks this Woody behind me rats his hand on my shoulder and asks the same question to Bo. "Which one is yours?"
"None."
"No one."
All our voices overlap and I was surprised to her Bo's answer, it seems Woody was too. "Wait, you're- you're a lost toy?"
"You're a lost toy?" Bo asks again, at the same time.
"That's awful." Woody frowns.
"You poor thing" I gasp.
"That's great." By smiles but instantly she questions us "Huh?"
"I mean awfully great that you are lost out here." He tries to both understand and accept all a while trying to stop the conversation from turning awkward. Before it can a whirring sounds out and in the distance I see a rabid animal come charging at us
"Skunk, skunk, skunk!" I point and cower back. Where do we run? There's no where to go!
"Watch out!" Bo cries out, oddly getting in front of us with her crook. Woody and cower behind her looking on confused. Why is it revving at us?
It becomes clear that it's not an actual skunk but rather a remote-controlled skunk. The "skunk" backs up as Bo follows it down a the light hill. "You almost ran 'em over." Woody and I slide behind to see her push the skunks back open, and there sits her three little sheep, who were driving this remote sort of 'car'.
Seeing Woody, they tackle him to the ground, excited to see him again with a happy 'barr'.
"Oh, hey, guys! Whoa! Whoa! Hold on there! Okay!" I giggle watching him suddenly overwhelmed with their excited spirits licking and barring "I missed you, too. If it isn't Bobby? Gus? Uh... Lefty?" Woody points to each sheep and earning a glare as he got each name wrong. I have noticed that the shed have little glittery stickers stuck on their coats, where have the been? What's going on?
"Billy, Goat, and Gruff." Bo pops an eyebrow, her crook confidently held in her hand while the other rests on her hip. She's just so different, from the way she speaks to the way she holds herself, I'm just not use to it.
"Right! Right! Right!" Woody takes it in quickly as the sheep trot back to Bo next to me. "Sorry, guys."
Woody picks himself up as they shoot him another glare. This is kind of funny to watch, I like this!
"Girls..."
"Girls! Of course!"
"Come on Woody, even I knew that." I laugh, watching the sheep grumble around disappointed with Woody.
"Why didn't you give me a clue" He wonders up as Bo usher he sheep off, a tired "alright coming from her lips."
"Because this was too funny." I smile innocently as Bo stands back up smiling at my joy.
"Okay, let's get a look at you. Either of you need any repairs?" She moves her crook around each of us, looking for any issues or little problems that may have occurred with us.
"Repairs? No, We're fine." Woody brushes off her concerns as Bo looks over my face, just like she use too all those years ago.
The sheep trot up to bring Bo a safety pin which she gladly accepts. Why does she need an old, grubby safety pin. One of the main things Andy, Molly and even Bonnie were taught is to not pick up random object that we don't know where they have been. "Hey! Nice find, girls."
"Where did you get all this stuff?" Woody asks as she takes the pin to put on the inside of the skunk car.
"Here and there. You know, some kids play rougher than others, so I try to be prepared." She tosses her things away and her skirt which now just seems to unbutton like an accessory, rather than her outfit.
This sounds awful, I can't belive she's had to deal with this. I thought she was going to go to a hood home all those years ago, what happened? "Oh Bo, how long have you been out on your own?" I ask feeling very pitiful but she just has the biggest smile on her face.
"Seven fantastic years!" She beams, lazily resting against the wheel of the skunk.
"Seven?!" Woody and I hawk at her, I'm shocked this is not what I expected at all! Why is she acting like this is a good thing?
"Wha- excuse me? We were in Andy's toy box like seven years ago." I try to get this time frame into my head while Bo reaches out to grasp my hand, happy to tell me about her time roughing life.
(Bro Insert Mr potato head from the second movie "are you crazy?" 😂)
"You would not believe the things I've seen." The sheep bring in a grape soda bottle cap, which Bo declines. "Uh, no." I feel like I need a moment to process this. Why on earth has she survived out here? Well actually this kind of makes sense as to why she's a big tougher and dare I say rougher now. She goes over to a Polly Pocket style compact and knocks on it. "Gigs."
What's a gig?
Yo!
"Come on out! There's someone I want you to meet." She talks to whoever is inside.
The compact opens to reveal a tiny toy that seems to be a sort of Polly pocket toy. She hops down, running down a few steps and driving a car to the edge closest to Bo held out arm. "Be right down." I feel Woody slink his arm over my shoulder as we look at Bo and her friend. I feel like worlds have collided, two universes that are polar opposites are greeting. Almost like two different art styles, it's just such an odd feeling. "What's the situation? We heading out of town or..." the Polly pocket toy hops on Bo's shoulder and looks over at us "Whoa! Who's this?"
Woody's attention is caught by the sheep who bring him a plastic straw. I watch as he smiles at the sheep but can't help but ears drops on the lower voices of the pair in front of us.
"You remember the rag doll I told you about?" So she's thought about him since she left. I mean of course she would but she had brought it up years after leaving Molly. Did she bring me up? Am I overthinking this? I think I'm freaking myself out over nothing.
"The cowboy?"
"Yep! And this is his partner." Oh she didn't forget about me, that makes me feel a little better.
"No way!!" The little toy giggles as the sheep approach Woody and I again. The sheep give Woody an old, red bandaid. That's a bit gross. Woody tries to offer it to me to hold but I shake my head, thanks and all but I don't want to be a part of that. He rolls his eyes with a smile and places them down on the skunk as the whispering pair approach us.
"Woody, Y/n, this is Giggle McDimples." Bo introduces us.
Giggle chuckles again as Woody and I greet her "Hello."
"Oh, hi, Giggle." Giggle notices Woody's sheriff badge and is instantly very excited I've this detail.
"Whoa, you didn't tell me he was a cop." She gasps and hops over to his shoulder, sporting a set of shades "Howdy, Sheriff. Officer Giggle McDimples. I run Pet Patrol from Mini-Opolis. Yeah, search and rescue. Ants, caterpillars, miniature poodles, spiders."
While they are having a chat Bo, steps closer to me, guiding me closer with a gently hand hold. "Oh Y/n you look so beautiful, even after all those years!" She nudges me gently in the shoulder a playful smile on her face.
"Oh stop Bo" I grin back "I see you've got a new looking going on..."
"How great is it! I'm so much more free, I can move. Boy, you don't know how restrictive dresses are until you get rid of them. One of the best decisions I've made" she motions to her shelf before crossing her arms confidently. It's nice that she's so happy but I can't help but notice how she's just a bit different now. I know that people change and experience can space people differently but, this is just... it's Bo, but now I feel like this is a distant Bo. Or maybe a different version of Bo, well now that I'm thinking about it sue kind of is. I remember her being a leader, but she was never this gruff, she was a dainty, calm delicate woman that I really looked up too. I guess it's just a shock to the system, I need to let it go. "Has life been treating you well?"
"Well we've had our ups and downs-" I begin to explain, thinking about how we have made it through like Sunnyside and dealing with forky together.
"Between you and Woody?" Bo cuts me off before I could clarify myself looking confused.
"Oh no no, we've been all good. I meant like the issues all of us have dealt with. I'll tell you about it at some point, they were whole stories." I try to stop the concerns, I hope I didn't make it seem like Woody and I aren't getting along, we really are. I should have worked it better. My panicked thinking stops with Woody's voice. "Oh well you'd be pleased to meet my deputy."
"Really? No way! Why didn't I know about this? That is so power couple, like a duo-" As Giggle talks, the three Combat Carls from earlier head towards us. Let's hope they distract from my bashful behaviour from Giggles words.
"Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!"
"Carl! Where you headed?" Bo calls out to them, interested.
"Combat Carl just heard there's a birthday party at the playground on Main Street." One of them calls out. These guys are like the ones we met at the motel when we were stolen by that iguana. Hmm, fun times. I'll have to tell Bo about that! "Rumor has it, they got two pinatas."
"That could be 20 to 30 kids."
"Nice!" Bo high fives Giggle who's now hopped back to her shoulder.
"Oh, yeah! Combat Carl's gettin' played with!" Two of the Combat Carls high-five each other while the other one is left hanging, poor thing "You guys in?"
"You bet!" Bo agrees "Woody, Y/n, you are gonna love this!" Bo smiles, getting ready to in that skunk again.
"Uh, no, we can't, sir." Wordy salutes the combat carls, hoping no one will take it too badly "Bo, we need to get back to our kid."
"What?" The combat carls question "You got a kid?"
"We do" I confirm.
"Way to beat the odds, soldiers." The two Carls high-five Woody while, once again, the other one is left hanging. I can't let that happen. No toy gets let out or behind "Meet you at the playground, Peep. Combat Carl's got a pinata party to crash. All right, move out." While the cars talk to Woody I reach my ah d out for the third Carl to high five. Can't leave him banging twice. The carls go "hutting" off.
Bo Peep wonder up, a little surprised with us "So, you're, uh, with a kid? It's not Andy, is it?" Bo looks between the two of us, waiting curiously.
"No, no, no, no. He went off to college. But he gave us to Bonnie!" I speak up, excited to talk about Bonnie.
"Aw, She love you Y/n, she's just-" Woody starts to gush a genuine smile graces his face while motions to me, resting his hand on my shoulder as Bo's face lights up at the sound of a girl.
"You have a little girl?" Bo smiles, excited to hear the news.
"No way!" Giggle smiles along too.
"Yeah, yeah. It's why I'm out here. Her other toy is trapped in this antique store,l" as Woody explains I see Bo's smile fades and quickly "and we have to..."
"Second Chance Antiques? We know that store." Bo cuts in again, but looking kind of upset with what she's heard so far.
"That's great. That is great! If you know the store, you could really help us find him..." Woody's head ticks over, the pieces are falling together in his mind.
"No way." Bo snaps. "We wasted years there, just sitting on the shelf, collecting dust." She crosses her arms firmly, unwilling to discuss our issue.
"Oh, Bo, that's awful. But I don't have a choice. I have to get that toy from Gabby." Woody frowns and the look on Bo and now Giggle's face makes me frown too.
"Woah. Steer clear of that weirdo." Giggle grumbles, I mean yeah she was a little scary but that's a big harsh. She sounded like the genuinely had a problem she needed help with. We just don't want to do it her way, there's always alternatives.
"If I were you, I'd cut my losses and go home." Bo brushes our problem off, turning her back and heading closer to the skunk.
"But Bonnie needs him to get through kindergarten." Woody looks at me and I nod along. He has no reason to second guess himself. No doesn't understand.
"Uh Bo, have you met us? We don't leave toys behind" I speak up and feel Woody slip his hand into my own. One of the last things Bo did before Molly have her away was help rescue a toy form the rain. Is this a part of her new attitude? Giving up on others. Is this why she's got no kid and out here roughing it? Argh! I'm being rude and harsh, I need to be more open minded about this. I don't know so I shouldn't judge.
"Oh, kids lose toys every day. Bonnie will get over it." Bo scoffs, I don't like this new attitude Bo has adapted. Maybe all those seven fantastic years has done more than she realises. I think she's lost a grasp on how importing a child is and our role in their life. This comment just rubs me the wrong way, how dare she comment on something she doesn't properly know about.
"But Bo, you see right now Bonnie need him just as much and like..." begin trying to relate this to something she would understand. And that's when it hits me "like when Molly needed you." Woody and I strut up to Bo, feeling a little desperate. The sheep get excited by Molly's name which is a little sad. Molly loved them.
"Aw, no. Sorry, girls. Molly's not here." Woody leans down to pat the sheep who seem a little disappointed with the news. Molly must be in her mid teens now. I wonder how she is going now.
"Molly? Bo, I didn't know you had a kid." Giggle questions, acting like this is completely new information to her.
Bo Peep: That was a long time ago." Bo brushes giggle off, moving away hoping to stop talking about it. Hmm, so she's got this act going on. Not all been so truthful to her friend about her past.
I look up at Woody, a smile gracing his face as we silently agree we both remember the love Molly had for Bo and the absolute adoration Bo had for Molly. There's no hiding this anymore Bo. I rest my back on the skunk as Woody's leans onto it too.
"Oh, Bo's kid was something so special. She was the cutest thing, sweet little girl, but so afraid of the dark." I smile, thinking back to little Molly running around, watching her brother with big, curious eyes.
"It was just a phase." Bo states, still not too willing to be involved with the conversation. I really don't understand why, there's no hard in being there for you kid.
"Oh, you weren't there in the beginning." Woody speaks up describing how Bo came to be. I listen in carefully, I wasn't even there when Bo was first brought I to the family. "Hearing Molly cry each night, it broke every toy's heart. And then, Bo came into the room. Her lamp was the only thing that made Molly feel safe." I nod along, remembering the faint conversations Molly and her mom would have all the way from next to Andy's bed "Mom would let her keep Bo on all night."
"Ha! Who knew you were such a softy?" Giggle chuckles like it was a funny or even a little bit of an embarrassing thing. Which I don't agree with, it's an honour to take care of a kid, helping them shouldn't be something to degrade bri 'soft' about.
"And Molly would fall asleep with her hand resting on Bo's feet." I gasp, this small detail of the memory coming to mind.
"I remember when Molly would beg to take you-" Woody thinks of something else but is cut short by a rolled up thing of elastic hits him.
"Okay! Okay. I get it." Bo laughs it off.
"Bo, Y/n and my kid really needs this toy. Will you help us? For old times' sake." Woody pleads, motioning between himself and I.
She looks at him and switches her view to me. I give her my best pitiful face, hoping that she will see our desperation and listen to it. "All right, all right." Bo gives in.
I dash at Bo and hug her so tight squeezing her with joy.
"Thank you! Oh! Oh, thank you!" Woody cheers coming up behind us and hugging us both tight. I can feel the warmth between them awakening again. I hope deep down that it's not going to happen, which is so selfish, maybe I'm over thinking this, I should be thinking about how we are going to her Forky back. I need to calm down.
"All right. Guess we're doing this." Giggle flicks her shades back on "Let's ride!"
I pull myself up into the skunk vehicle along with the others, but make sure to be cautious of any moving parts that might snag my clothing. I'm not fully open to roughing it like this yet, I belong to a toy and have self discipline. No I need to be more open minded, I have to stay in my current condition for Bonnie. That's better.
"Second Chance Antiques, and step on it." Bo calls to the sheep who for some reason are driving this thing and closes the top of the skunk. Let's see how this goes.
Please feel free to vote and comment as this really helps out my book!