Wait-a-minute," Vinnie exclaimed. "How are ya gonna punch us in the face when we're trapped in these cages?"

"Well," the towering clown chuckled. "I mostly meant punching Sunny in the face. I've always wanted to pulverize that little pipsqueak since she joined our trope!"

"Well then," Sunny said, smiling. You'll have to catch me first."

The child clown cartwheeled out of the way right when her massive adversary stifled a grab at her. Vinnie held his hand to his mouth and looked at Monica. "How's dis tiny dame gonna beat this giant circus freak! He could squash her."

Monica managed a knowing smile. "Hey, you're the one who had faith in her senor. Just think of it as a battle between Sunny and Goliath."

"Dats right," Vinnie said. "Just gotta have faith! You go tiny clown dame!"

Sunny nervously looked around. There was no big clubs she could drop on his head or a comical size bowling ball to drop on his toe. As the massive clown man gave chase, Sunny ran towards the lion cage where John Lion continued to sob like a big blubbering baby. She quickly pulled out the key ring to unlock his cage, but as she reached for the lock, she stumbled and tripped, following flat on her face.

"Oops!" She cried as the keys tumbled from her hands.

"Gimme those keys, you little ingrate," the giant clown cried and he made a mad dash for them.

Sunny crawled towards them, but the clowns legs were longer. Unfortunately for him, he tripped over her small body like someone tripping over a rock and he crashed into the cage. There was a loud bang and when Sunny opened her eyes, John Lion's cage had been shattered. Both the lion and the clown sat dazed on the floor, but he came too first. "Look what you made me, you little runt," the clown man hollered. "You made me let loose the world's laziest, stupidest, dumbest lion in the Four Great Seas."

Once John Lion shook the dizziness from his head, he started to whimper and cry. Sunny's frown turned into a smile. "Mr. Lion," she said in her south sea voice. "Are you gonna take that...lion down!"

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Tears watered in the big beast's blood red eyes. "I appreciate the pun, madam," the lion said, in a somewhat stuffy voice. "But whenever I protest. They hit me with whips!"

"He can talk?!" Monica and Vinnie can exclaim. The clown did too.

Sunny's mouth was so awestruck by his speaking feat that it just hung open.

"Why yes," John Lion said. "I did study language at Goatre Dame. Oh wait, that joke doesn't work since I'm a lion! Anyhoo, I'm nothing but a beast of burden for this carnival."

"Aw, that's not true," Sunny answered. "You've clearly applied yourself in learning a language!"

"Actually," the towering clown man exclaimed, pulling out a whip. "He IS nothing but a beast of burden, and I'm gonna whip him until he builds his cage back with him inside."

"Oh no!" John Lion exclaimed. "The triggers. They're all returning."

Sunny turned her head to her new friends who were also in cages. She looked back at John Lion. The words of her father echoed in her head. "We're all in cages, m'dear," she repeated in his deep country dra. "Only the size differs. It's up to our minds to free ourselves."

"Huh?!" John Lion said scratching his head. "That's oddly poignant. But how exactly do we do that?!"

"Do you want freedom, Mr. Lion?!"

"Yes, more than anything. I want to leave this two bit circus and become an accountant!"

"Then..." Sunny shouted. "I want you to march right up to freedom and take a big bite out of it. And by 'it' I mean that clown guys sorry buttocks!"

There was a glimmer in the lion's red eyes. He held his paw to his chin and looked over his adversary. "I am free," he shouted. "To become an accountant!"

And without warning, John Lion ferociously sunk his teeth into the clown man's rear. He screamed as loud as he could as the lion ripped his pants straight off, leaving him in his underwear. Everyone marveled (or winced) at his hot pink underwear with red hearts dotting them.

Sunny's eyes widened. "My my, those are little girls undies. I should know. I got the exact same pair."

"I'm a sensitive soul deep down!" The big clown cried and he stomped off in tears.

"Who's cowardly now?!" the lion boasted, making muscles.

Monica and Vinnie applauded him at well. Vinnie in particular was floored. "How now, Sunny, dat was amazing. Maybe if yer such a failure as a clown, you can become a pep talker. Dey also make people happy, but without da slapstick."

"I guess I was wrong," Monica said in her sly accented voice. "Not all clowns are meanspirited jokers."

Sunny grinned to herself. "Ya know, if I ever get off this island, maybe that's what I'll do! I'll use my words to make sure everyone's got a pep in their step!"

She grabbed the keys and headed over to Vinnie and Monica. "But first, we have some big baddy baddertons to stop! I think your friends need you!"

Monica and Vinnie smiled to each other. They knew they had found a new ally.