Peep and Locket materialized in his bedroom. He looked at the date and time on his computer's home page. 11:55pm. "Impossible!" Peep plopped down into his black swivel computer chair and went to "settings."

Locket watched Peep furiously click away at the keys. She lay on her tummy suspended in air. With her hands on her cheeks she asked, "Whatcha doin?"

"Although we've been gone most of the day this computer indicates we've never left."

Locket swirled around and sat criss-cross applesauce in mid air. "That's right. Silly boy, there's no time in Cartoon World. We could have stayed 100 days and when we returned no time would have passed."

"How is that even possible?" Peep continued searching through settings and thought he'd better run a virus check just to be safe.

"Peep you'd better get some rest. You've got school tomorrow remember?" From where she hovered Locket magically pulled back Peep's Power Ranger comforter and fluffed his pillows. "You're gonna hafta cover up the Lisa Simpson tat. Do you have a turtleneck sweater?

Peep didn't look up from his computer. "Turtleneck sweaters? Ew... no. What am I some sort of Beatnik?"

Locket magically opened Peep's dresser drawers looking for ideas. "What's your favorite color?"

Peep grumbled, "Black."

Locket shrieked. "Eeeeek! I've got a marvelous idea. I've been learning to knit. She pulled out a tiny grey, white and black scarf from her glittery gold pouch. She felt its pleasant softness against her flawless blue cheek. The scarf was fashioned from brushing dwarf triplet alpacas in her care. Daily she would brush her furry friends, take the puffs of angel soft hair and wind them into balls of the softest of yarn. The triplets looked nothing alike. There was a midnight black one named Timtom, a pure white one named Snowy and a mottled grey runt named, Egg-fog. They were born last Christmas Eve.

Peep picked the wee scarf off his keyboard. He rubbed it between his fingers. It was the softest thing he'd ever felt. Much softer than Taz and a thousand times softer than Hello. "The stitches were perfect and so unique. The pattern and design looked unearthly. It reminded Peep of a monochromatic computer chip made into a scarf. "This is brilliant Locket. You've got hidden talents."

Locket blushed.

"There's only one problem Locket. It's a bit too small for my neck. It wouldn't even made a good eye patch." He held the scarf across his eye and said, "Arrrgh matey."

"Very funny Peep." Locket snatched the scarf from his eye. "Do you think fairies make normal things?"

"No..." Peep answered. "There is absolutely nothing normal about you Locket.

"Indeed." She held the scarf out to Peep. "Go on, wrap it around your neck."

Peep felt silly. If he had a little sister he could imagine her throwing tea parties and trying to dress him up in lacey pink Barbie clothes. Since winning an argument against Locket wasn't an option he put the bandaid-sized scarf on the tattoo of Lisa Simpson's face. Like a magic-carpet the teensy scarf encircled his neck three times. With each revolution the scarf grew until it fit Peep's neck perfectly. For now, the Lisa Simpson tattoo was out of sight (but never out of mind.)

Locket clapped her hands with glee. "Oh Peepers it fits perfectly. You look so handsome."

Peep crossed to the mirror which sat on top of his black laminate dresser. He admired the scarf. "I love it."

"You do???" Locket was very pleased with herself.

"People are gonna wanna know where I got this. Or worse—they'll try and steal it." Peep put a finger inside the scarf to loosen it a bit. It didn't budge. It's as if it had become one with his skin.

"Oh no Peep. No one can ever steal it. It's a gift from a fairy. Only the giftee and the gifter may remove it."

"What if Coach Rodgers makes me take the scarf off in P.E?"

"Locket scrunched her nose. "P.E?" There were still some earth terms she was unfamiliar with.

Peep shook his head and laughed. "P.E. stands for physical education, sometimes it's called gym class. We wear shorts, tee shirts, sneakers, but no scarves."

"But Peep, all of your tattoos will show won't they? This is a dilemma. Can you get out of gym class?"

"I'm afraid not. It's so lame." Peep looked dejected.

Locket's mind buzzed and smoked as she thought and thought. Then she asked, "Is there a type of gym glass where you get to wear your clothes?"

"Only one type... and it's the worst type of all gym classes." Peep did not want to tell her. He shuddered. It terrified him.

Locket insisted, "Oh go on... Tell me. It can't be that bad."

Peep sighed. "Square dancing."

Locket looked hopeful. "You can wear regular clothes during this Square Dancing?"

Peep scrunched his face. "Worse... you can wear cowboy boots and cowboy hats and--"

Locket gasped, "--and scarves?" I'll be right back. She zipped out of Peep's room and reappeared in 15 seconds. "It's done."

Peep looked suspicious. "What's done?"

"Coach Rodgers agreed, tomorrow is the perfect day to bring back Square Dancing!" Locket held out a pair of grey/black faux snakeskin cowboy boots to Peep. "I gotcha another present. These will match your scarf. You'll be the envy of all the kids."

"Locket, a kid can get beat up for wearing stuff like this. I'm not wearing them. Besides boots look stupider without the cowboy hat."

Locket flew over Peep's head and shook. Icy glitter fell from her wings. She exclaimed, "Done!" One stark white cowboy hat now sat atop Peep's head.

Peep looked in the mirror then glaring at Locket he drawled, "You're killin' me Smalls."

-End of Chapter 24-

Author's Note: I love LOVE writing about things from our childhood! I hope you enjoy this fun chapter! Peep and Locket make me smile everyday!
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