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The laundry space of Boobers cozy hole was alive with bubbles.
The spears caught the light in rainbow prisms as Red playfully blew one thought the air in Poppy's direction. The little fraggle tried to reach out to grab it from where he sat, only to see it break a breath away.
Red giggled and made a funny face as Boober heated up bath water in the background.
"My name is Red. " She said slowly , pointing at herself in front of the toddler. "Can you say 'Red'?"
Poppy put a hand to his mouth and chewed seriously, a line of drool escaping the side. Finally, after a long pause he rewarded her efforts with a quiet:
"Ed."
Somewhere over her shoulder Red could hear the sound of Boober trying very hard not to say anything.
Nooo..' Red corrected "Not Ed..Red! Can you say Auntie Red?"
"Aunt..ie Ed?" Poppy answered, reaching out both arms in a silent plea to be picked up.
"Aww!" Red cooed, helpless but to agree.
Scooping the little fraggle, she spun them both around in dizzy circles before finally tiring of the game. They both fell over in a rain of giggles onto the floor at the same time Boober cut in.
"The bathwater's ready. Oh Mokey, you're back!"
Mokey walked in carrying an armful of greenery.
"What a nice clear day it is! I had to get lemon-grass, it's his favorite bath scent…"
Her eyes scanned the room in a worried gaze.
"Oh? Where are Poppy and Red?"
"I think Auntie Ed is permanently melted into a maternal puddle of goo..." Boober reported, trying his best to sound serious as he pointed with a soap-covered hand. "They're down there."
"Red, how in the world did you play yourself out already?"
"I guess… I'm just… talented!" Red heaved, handing Poppy off to his mother.
"Oh Mokey, he talked!" Red announced.
"Well, of course he talks!" Mokey laughed " His first word was..a year ago…"
"My mom always said my first word was 'swim'…" Red said, twisting the hair on her tail-tip in a vain attempt to sit still. "What was yours Boober? You remember it?"
"Dysentery." Boober said flatly.
"What? That couldn't be...That's not even a real word!" Red shouted, and then stopped as if hit by a thought.
"Say Mokey, how old is Poppy anyhow?"
"You would know if you read letters more often…" Boober commented mostly to himself.
"Why don't you ask him?" Mokey replied "How many are you Poppy?"
Poppy didn't hesitate at all this time, proudly presenting two fingers of each hand pressed together.
"Four years old and talking! Very advanced." Boober commented, tossing the lemon-grass into the tub.
"Yeah, I was six when I started…" Red said in a thoughtful tone.
"You know your numbers to, don't you, Sweetwater?" Mokey said, beginning to sing softly:
Give me one and give me two, cover me with muck and goo...
Poppy quickly put up two fingers, mouthing the word.
Red jumped into the song loudly
Give me three and give me four, cover me with guck and gore!
Poppy slowed, not use to the sound of Red's singing voice, but put up a spirited four fingers as both fraggles broke into song:
One, two, muck and goo!
Down my sock and in my shoe.
Three, four, guck and gore,
Spin me 'round and sing some more!
Boober was already bobbing his head to one side as he sang, dumping Poppy into the soapy water, clothing and all.
Give me five and give me six, Cover me with big, fat sticks.
Poppy shook himself, standing up in the knee high water and wigging all six of his fingers as the adults all sang in chorus.
Give me seven, give me eight. Cover me with slime and slate!
The little fraggle looked puzzled for a moment, having run out of fingers.
Five, six and big, fat sticks!...
Suddenly, as if an idea had stuck he began to tug at one of his now soggy socks, finally tugging it off, before falling over with a splash.
..an ice cream cone for me to lick!
Seven, eight, slime and slate,
Sing it now and don't be late.
Every was so taken in by the baby fraggle wiggling his toes as he continued to count on them that they did not notice two familiar looking figures appearing in the doorway. The taller one put a finger to his lips and motioned to the smaller as they crept up to stand just behind the group.
Give me, give me number nine, A bag of bones and a ball of twine!
Mokey sang happily
Give me, give me number ten, Run back home and start again!
Red nearly shouted, hopping up happily, only to have a set of hands cover her eyes from behind. She turned in that moment to see Gobo as he in Wembley suddenly joined in the ending of the song.
Nine, nine, a ball of twine!
First it's yours and then it's mine!
Ten, ten, that's the end!
Red sang with the others, giving Gobo a big bear-hug.
So run back home and start again!
Run back home and start again!
Poppy clapped with glee as the cave still rang with the memory of the five voices together.