Chapter 1

 

“Ace, are you ready to go now?” Pan babbled.

 

“I am so full, Pan,” Ace grumbled. “I don’t think I can move,” he said, swinging upside down from a tree branch like a monkey grunting.

 

“You’ve eaten enough apples to last you a week, Ace,” Pan jabbered. “Now, come on and let’s go.”

 

“Oh, alrighty then, geez,” Ace mumbled.

 

Ace stopped swinging upside down from the tree branch and jumped down, landing on both feet.

 

“I’m all ready to go now, Pan,” Ace laughed.

 

“Don’t go using up all of your energy from all of the apples you’ve eaten,” Pan said, walking behind Ace. “I don’t know when we’ll get to more food.”

 

“You don’t know when we’ll get to more food? Bummer!” Ace griped.

 

“That’s right! So, stop hopping and skipping and save some of that energy,” Pan said.

 

Ace did what Pan asked him to do. He walked side-by-side with Pan, just sulking away.

 

As they got deeper into the forest, they came upon a small pond.

 

“Aha!” Pan said in surprise. “Just what I needed,” he said, running to the pond and leaning forward to drink the water.

 

“No, Pan wait!” Ace screamed. “There’s…”

 

All of a sudden, Pan was dragged into the pond by tons of small piranhas.

 

Cham, chomp! Cham, chomp! Cham, chomp! went the sound of small piranhas biting on Pan.

 

“Argh! Argh! Argh!” Pan yelled in agony.

 

“Hold on, Pan!” Ace said. “I’m on my way!” he yelled, running towards the pond.

 

“Hurry, Ace!” Pan cried. “I can’t get free! They are tearing a hole into me!” he gasped.

 

Cham, chomp! Cham, chomp! The sounds got louder and louder as the piranhas gnawed and gnawed on Pan.

 

“I’m coming!” Ace hollered.

 

When Ace got to the pond, he walked midways toward Pan. He placed both of his hands in the water, grabbing a hold of Pan by his neck and pulling with just enough strength to get him free from the sharp teeth and powerful jaws of the piranhas. Once Pan was free, Ace threw him out of the water onto the ground far away from the pond. Just as Ace got ready to get out of the water, the flesh-eating piranhas begin circling around him with snickering grins on their faces.

 

Gnash! Gnash! Gnash! Gnash! came the sound of the piranhas’ teeth striking together as they got closer and closer to Ace.

 

As they got ready to attack Ace, he bent both of his knees into the water while lifting both of his hands completely out of the water. He jumped out of the water onto the ground, landing next to Pan.

 

“Argh!” Pan cried. “Thank you, Ace, for saving me from those vicious little creatures.”

 

“Aye, no problem, Pan!” Ace replied.

 

After several minutes of panting, Ace and Pan began their journey.

 

Ace and Pan walked, and walked, and walked. After what seemed like hours of walking, Ace and Pan came upon a small village.

 

“Pan, I could really go for a…”

 

“Ace, you better not think about it. Well, I’m just saying you couldn’t be hungry, you just finished eating an entire branch of apples,” Pan argued.

 

“Well, you see, Pan, I got rid of all those apples saving you from those vicious, aggressive, razor-sharp-toothed piranhas,” Ace laughed.

 

“That’s not funny, Ace!” Pan griped. “Those things tried to eat me alive, without any mercy,” he cried.

 

“Can we just stop and get something to eat?” Ace asked. “You haven’t eaten anything, Pan. I know you’re hungry.”

 

“I’m hungry, Ace, but not starving like you,” Pan argued.

 

“Hey! I’m not starving, Pan! I just need to replace the food I lost fighting those small, vicious, hungry piranhas off of you.”

 

“Well, I guess you’re right, Ace. You did use a lot of energy fighting those things,” Pan admitted.

 

“See, I told you,” Ace agreed.

 

“We can find a market here in this small village to get you something to eat,” Pan said as he looked around.

 

“Oh, alrighty, Pan! But wait, how are we supposed to get food?” Ace asked.

 

“Just leave everything up to me, Ace,” Pan snickered.

 

“Uh, oh! We are going to get in a heap of trouble.”

 

“No, we won’t,” Pan laughed.

 

“Oh, boy! We are going to get in a lot of trouble.”

 

Ace and Pan followed a trail through the small village until they came upon a small market. There were people everywhere. Some of them were walking alone, with a child, or with several children. Some of them walked side-by-side with a rope around an animal’s neck guiding them through the village. You could hear sounds from all different types of animals.

 

“Ar rooff!” was the sound of dogs barking all over the place.

 

“Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop!” was the sound of horses walking.

 

“Baa!” was the sound of a sheep being pulled along by its owner.

 

 “Chirp, chirp, chirp!” was the sound of birds sitting in the trees above.

 

“Chirr, chirr, chirr!” was the sound of grasshoppers close by.

 

“Bleat!” was the sound of goats being dragged by their owner.

 

“There are all kinds of different animals walking in this small village,” Pan said as he walked around.

 

“Coo, coo!” was the sound of pigeons nearby.

 

“They even have rabbits hopping all over the place, leaving their droppings everywhere,” Pan said.

 

“Eee-aaaah, eee-aaaah!” was the sound of donkeys as they were pulled by their owners on a rope.

 

The people in the village didn’t pay them any mind. They just went by on their business.

 

“I would like some fish and apples! What about you, Pan?” Ace said with excitement.

 

“Yuck! No, I don’t think so, Ace,” Pan griped.

 

“Why not? That’s some good eating, Pan,” Ace replied, licking his lips.

 

“No, that’s gross, Ace. Apples and fish don’t go together. I just need some cold water.”

 

“What? You’re kidding me! Just some cold water?”

 

“Yep! That’s all I want, Ace.”

 

“You were just in a lake full of water, Pan.”

 

“What are you trying to say, Ace?”

 

“I’m just saying, you could have gotten some water while you were in there.”

 

“How, Ace? I was being attacked by those flesh-eating fish. Why don’t you drink from a pond filled with those small vicious piranhas?”

 

“Nope! No way! That’ll never, ever, ever happen, Pan.”

 

“Come on, let’s get you something to eat so we can be on our way,” Pan said.

 

Ace and Pan entered the small market. As they were entering, a boy that looked a few years older than Ace stared at them from head to toe and from toe to head. He was wearing a red shirt with a blue belt tied around his waist, black pants, red shoes with white specks all around them and white shoelaces. His spiked red hair was just below his shoulders and as the air entered the market, it blew his hair every which way the breezy wind took it.

 

“Who do you think you’re looking at?” the young boy asked while walking out of the market.

 

“Don’t say anything to him, Ace,” Pan said to him telepathically.

 

“Why not, Pan?” answered Ace telepathically.

 

“That boy is looking for trouble,” Pan replied to Ace telepathically.

 

“You can tell by just looking at him, Pan?” Ace questioned him telepathically.

 

“Yes, Ace, and you can, too,” Pan replied telepathically.

 

“What do you want, little boy?” asked an old, wrinkled man that looked as old as dirt. 

 

“Would you happen to have some fish and some apples?” Ace replied while rubbing his stomach and licking his lips.

 

Cha-ching, was the sound the cash register made while the old man rung up some corn and eggs for a middle-aged woman.

 

“Bwahaha! Did you say you want some fish and apples?” the old man laughed.

 

“What’s so funny, old man?” Pan questioned. “Have you looked at yourself? You’re wearing a red, blue and gray long-sleeved, ripped shirt and a pair of old pin-striped, holey pants! And by the looks of it, you’ve eaten all of the apples, fish and more. But you think it’s hilarious that my friend Ace wants apples and fish?”

 

“Ahem! Did that animal just speak?” the old man asked while clearing his throat.

 

“Animal! Animal! Who are you calling animal?” Pan replied, walking up to the old man.

 

“Ahahah! I knew it!” the old man yelled. “That little boy’s pet is talking!”

 

“Why are you yelling?” an old lady wearing a long, white dress with big, colorful wild flowers all over it asked.

 

“That lion cub just spoke!” the old man babbled hysterically.

 

“Have you gone mad?” the old lady asked the old man while she stroked a yellow baby chick in her hands. “That animal can’t talk,” she

argued.

 

“No, I haven’t gone mad!” the old man cried. “That lion cub can talk, I tell you. I heard it with my own two ears.”

 

“Ace, can you please get some freaking apples, so we can leave?” Pan said to him telepathically. “I can’t believe these old people are calling me an animal.”

 

“If you are not an animal, then what are you, Pan?” Ace asked.

 

“Well, technically I am an animal, but they don’t have to say it,” Pan mumbled. “Now, hurry up and get some apples.”

 

“But I want some fish, too, Pan!” Ace cried.

 

“The old man doesn’t have fish, Ace,” Pan replied telepathically.

 

“But I…”

 

“Let’s just go, Ace!” Pan yelled.

 

“Aha!” the old man said while pointing at Pan. “I knew it! I knew it! That animal can talk!”

 

The old lady became speechless. She stood in the middle of the market with her mouth wide open and her eyes bulged so wide they looked as if they were going to pop out of her face at any moment. She stood there holding on to the baby chick, speechless.

 

“Come on, Ace!” Pan said, walking towards the door.

 

“Sorcery! Sorcery!” the old lady yelled. “That’s what they are!” she cried. “Save yourself!”

 

“See, I told you!” the old man cried. “I bet you a dozen eggs they are little thieves!”

 

“Who are you calling thieves, old man?” Pan yelled. “And sorcery, you fat old lady?”

 

“Hahahahaha!” laughed the boy who was wearing a red short-sleeved shirt with a blue belt tied around his waist, black pants and red shoes with white specks.

 

“Why’re you laughing, DunDun? You can get out of my store!” the old man yelled.

 

“DunDun! What kind of name is DunDun?” Pan mumbled.

 

“And who are you to talk, Cubby-Cub?” the boy laughed.

 

“DunDun! I will not ask you again to leave my store!” the old man yelled, pointing at the door.

 

“Fine, old man,” the boy said, walking towards the door. “You don’t have anything in here I want anyway. You are always selling the

same old stuff and nothing new and nothing different.”

 

“Get out!” the old man yelled, still pointing at the door.

 

Ace and Pan stood there, looking from the old man to the young boy. They were just happy the old man wasn’t kicking them out.

 

“What’re you two doing still standing there looking like two lost geese? I want you two to leave my store as well,” the old man said, pointing from them to the door. “I know you don’t have no money, little boy, and as for that lion cub, he doesn’t have on any clothes that will hold money. Scat! Get!”

 

“Can I just have some…”

 

“No, little thief! You can’t have nothing out of my store!” the old man yelled. “I want you and your sorcerer lion cub to leave my store!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.

 

“Come on, Ace,” Pan said telepathically. “We can find you something to eat somewhere else.”

 

Ace and Pan started walking towards the door to exit the store when all of a sudden, the old woman with the small yellow chick in her hands ran by them so fast she almost knocked them to the floor. She ran out of the market still holding onto the small yellow chick, screaming at the top of her lungs.

 

“Hey! Hey!” the old woman yelled from outside.

 

“Boy, she is really loud!” Ace laughed hysterically.

 

“There’s black magic inside of the market!” the old lady cried, holding on to that small yellow chick. “Run! Save yourself!” she cried.

 

“Black magic! Black magic in the market!” Ace yelled. “Come on, Pan, let’s save ourselves!”

 

“She’s saying I’m the black magic, Ace, because I’m an animal and I’m not supposed to talk,” Pan mumbled.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Yep! I really believe she’s gone mad,” Pan replied.

 

“Bah! Ahh-ha-ha-ha!” Ace laughed.

 

“What’s so funny?” Pan asked Ace.

 

“Duh! If you couldn’t talk, how am I supposed to understand you?” Ace laughed.

 

“Because she doesn’t…”

 

“Bah! Ahh-ha-ha-ha!” Ace kept laughing.

 

“Ace, do you see that old man?” Pan asked, looking around the market.

 

“No! I don’t see him,” Ace replied, coughing and out of breath from laughing so hard.

 

“I bet you anything he ran out of the market behind that old lady,” Pan replied, looking around the market.

 

“I think he went to get some fish to go with my apples,” Ace replied while licking his lips and rubbing his empty stomach.

 

“Ace, all that wrinkled old man sells are vegetables, fruits and eggs,” Pan replied. “He probably doesn’t have any milk either.”

 

“Let me go see where he went,” Ace said.

 

Ace started walking towards the door to see where the old man went. When he got to the door, the old man was standing in the middle of a crowd of people, yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs as if he was being robbed. While he was talking to the crowd of people, he was pointing his finger back at his market.

 

“Boy witch!” the old man cried, pointing at Ace.

 

The crowd of people looked at Ace.

 

“And his pet, too!” the old man yelled.

 

“You know there’s no such thing,” laughed an old lady carrying a basket of eggs.

 

“You can say what you want, but I know he’s a boy witch and his pet is a sorcerer!” the old man cried.

 

“What happened to the old lady that was inside?” Pan asked Ace while walking up to him outside the market.

 

“She’s over there by the horse,” Ace replied. “I think she likes us.”

 

“No, no, no, she’s trying to get you two hung,” DunDun said, ready to take off running. “That big fat grease spot is always causing

trouble in this small dump of a town. If you want to live to see another day, follow me!”

 

“Why should we trust you, DunDun?” Pan replied.

 

“Because I’m the only one that doesn’t think you two are sorcerers that use black magic,” DunDun replied. “Now, come on unless you want to be hung by your neck.”

 

Kata-kata went the sound of DunDun’s feet when he took off running down the graveled dirt road. He was moving so fast, the only thing they could see was a trail of spinning dirt behind him.

 

“Get them!” the old lady cried. “They are sorcerers! I’m talking about nothing but pure evil black magic! I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”

 

All of the people stopped what they were doing, looked over at Ace and Pan and back at the old lady. They then looked down the hill and saw nothing but a pile of dirt moving at a very fast speed, spinning like a tornado. They turned their heads, looking back at the old lady.

 

“The animal can talk!” the old lady yelled, pointing at Pan.

 

Ace and Pan looked at each other. They turned their heads and looked at the crowd of people carrying pails of fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk. Some of them were pulling sheep, cows, goats, chickens, dogs and horses. They then looked over at the old lady and the old man standing in front of his store.

 

“Ace?” Pan said telepathically.

 

“Yes?” Ace replied telepathically.

 

“Ruuuuuuun!” Pan yelled telepathically, running in the direction of DunDun.