Chapter 90 of 99 · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

Chapter 90 — The Vengeance float; Carl leaves the party

Book: A Parade of Horribles · Part: Horrible Two · Previous: Chapter 89 — Every screen; the Tome of Gatekeeper; the Lucky Shot patch · Next: Chapter 91 — The horribles · Floor: Floor 11 — A Parade of Horribles · Series: the series

Opening

We headed back to the garage.

Summary

In ninety minutes they have built a procession: five vehicles, three giant animals, and a marching band of Mongo, Rend, Simoom, Gonk and Bianca (the sluggalos went to Florin). The chicken truck brings up the rear with a diorama on the roof and Tipid driving; Hedy takes the ice-cream truck, a gremlin the stair truck, Jamal the cabless Tundra, one arm on the wheel and one on the pedals; Sweety leads with Prepotente and Jurgen; Rosetta rides Onikuma in a red gown, and Samantha and Bigs ride Old Shuck. Donut's Gurkha class dressed them all — kukri claw caps for Mongo, black-and-gold mount blankets with Steady Charge, Gurkha hats — and her Sprout Forest supplied thousands of Requite Dahlias. The Vengeance theme was Carl's idea.

Florin is not really trying for Resolution; Betrayal chose something biting, with Bodi driving; Decision took Donut's joke of a giant menu; Destruction is Chinese crawlers with Makana and Sarah Hayse, an Abrams and a Fleetwood RV, all weapons out.

Then Carl leaves the party. Imani will rejoin his room to the guild, and his crafting tables stay on Donut's side so she loses nothing if he dies. He leaves the Royal Court of Princess Donut, his personal space is segregated, he accepts Safehome Yolanda's invitation, and a second door opens on one room with a bathroom and his food boxes. Both their royal bodyguard titles vanish, and Donut cannot add a new one. Bucket Boy comes out of Carl's new room, pink-lit and blaring Samantha's music, and sits this one out. Carl calls Penny over for a snack as a stuttering system message summons all participants to the staging area.

Characters

• Carl — Leaves the Royal Court; joins Safehome Yolanda; Penny, 'come here. I got a snack for you.'
• Princess Donut — 'I can’t even add a new one!'; Requite Dahlias by the thousand.
• Tipid — Drives the chicken truck.
• Hedy — Allowed out; drives the ice-cream truck.
• Jamal — One-armed in a cabless Tundra.
• Prepotente — In front on Sweety with flowers.
• Jurgen — A circlet for the tapir.
• Rosetta Thagra — A red gown and a Gurkha hat on Onikuma.
• Samantha — On Old Shuck; her decorations messed up.
• Kandy Bigs Newton — A thimble hat on an eyestalk.
• Florin — Not trying for Resolution.
• Elle McGibbons — Wanted heads on pikes.
• Imani — 'that sounded more like something for our float'
• Bodi — Drives Betrayal.
• Makana and Sarah Hayse — Destruction: an Abrams and a Breaking Bad RV, all weapons out.
• Bucket Boy — Sits this one out in Carl's pink room.
• Penelope — A snack.
• Old Shuck and Onikuma — A giant puppy who needs no jockey.

Locations

• The garage and the cul-de-sac — Five vehicles, three animals, a marching band.
• The parade route — 'P-p-p-please proceed to the staging area.'

Motifs

• The Parade of Horribles — The Vengeance float built in ninety minutes.
• Plan Carl — Out of the party so Donut loses nothing if he dies.
• Carl's family — Both royal titles gone.
• The enriched pet biscuits — The snack is the biscuit.