Pepperland. Not much changes over the years in Pepperland. Even today the people are still the same.

Old Fred and the Lord Mayor sat amongst the tall flowers. It was a peaceful, sunny day as usual. The quartet played a lazy song and the huge sculptures that decorated Pepperland gleamed in many different ways.

Suddenly, there was a piercing scream from behind the enormous sculpture of the word "OK" and with a mighty creak, the whole thing began to crumble. Great fragments of glittering rock fell to the ground and shattered in to millions of pieces.

A huge hand the size of a house began to grasp the ruins of the statue and break them into yet more pieces. With a roar it flew up into the air and crashed down upon the ground, causing the ground to quake and tremble. But the strangest thing about the attacker was that it had no body, head, legs or anything at all except for the giant, clothed hand. The terrible Flying Glove was attacking.

"RUN!" Shouted Fred when he realised with a sickening jolt what was happening. "THE BLUE MEANIES ARE COMING!" Almost immediately a loud harsh cackle rang out. Nobody could see where the voice came from; and there was a frantic stampede of confusion, panic and fear.

"Greetings!" Rasped the voice. "Now, I think I owe you an explanation. I am Lord Indigo; and I feel that for too long the blue meanies have been the underdogs of this world! I am sure you will remember the time when the meanies were FEARED by you foolish people... but then... a terrible, evil force came and destroyed the blue meanies!"

There was a cry of outrage at this comment as the inhabitants of Pepperland realised that the "terrible, evil force" Lord Indigo was talking about was The Beatles, the group of brave heroes who had saved them from the meanies 50 years ago.

"The Beatles" spat Lord Indigo "ruined the legacy of the meanies. They transformed our leader into a stupid, hippy, PEACE-LOVING IDIOT and forced the rest of us into hiding!" Suddenly he let out a manic stream of laughter and cackled cruelly.

"The Beatles thought us meanies were gone! Doomed! Kaput! But little did they know that we have been waiting... gathering our forces... and half a century since our defeat we have risen again! The flying glove has been our ally all the way through... and is now bigger! Stronger! Surrender or we shall destroy you ALL!"

Almost in answer to this speech, a huge army began to appear in the distance. Even from so far away you could see it was led by a huge blue meanie, enormous and vicious with teeth and claws and spines as sharp as knives. Behind it was an army of smaller meanies, followed by ridiculously tall figures bearing large apples as weapons. The smallest were at least 10 feet tall. Yet more monsters brought up the rear, many of which Fred had thought to be extinct.

"Do you surrender?" Roared Lord Indigo from the head of the army. "Give in and no-one shall be hurt!" He was met by an outcry of defiance from the people of Pepperland which angered him so much he snarled savagely. "Very well" He growled. "DESTROY THEM!"

With a deafening, savage cry the army advanced.
"RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!" Somebody shouted and before Fred could restore order everybody was screaming and running and crying. Amidst the chaos three children fought to reach Fred.

"Fred!" Cried the eldest boy above the shouts of the army. "Fred! Help us! We know the story of how you got help the last time Pepperland was in danger! Help us again Fred!" The trio reached Fred after a desperate struggle. There were two boys and a younger girl. Fred knew them well. They often stopped by to ask for stories of his old heroism.

Looking at their young faces, Fred realised with a jolt how quickly time had moved on and he knew what he had to do. "Listen to me." He whispered sternly, pulling them close so they could hear him. "Pepperland needs new heroes. Only you three can help us. Go. Find The Beatles. You know how I escaped. Go the same way. Good bye. Good luck."

The trio gasped and looked at one another. Then they turned and ran.