"Well, aren't you two the brightest stars in the galaxy?" Gazoo's voice dripped with heavy sarcasm. "I can't use my powers while I'm stuck in here, you dum-dums!"
Fred and Barney exchanged glances again, the thrill of adventure momentarily quelled by the insult.
"How are we supposed to know that, Gazoo?" Fred retorted, his pride stinging. "And how in the hell are we supposed to get you out?"
"Well, if you would stop yapping for a minute, I could tell you!" Gazoo snapped. He pointed a gloved finger at a bent latch on the side of his tiny spacecraft. "Here's how you work the problem. See that latch there? It's jammed. All you have to do is pry it open."
Both boys stared at the latch, then back at each other. "And just how do you suggest we do that?" Barney asked, his skepticism clear.
"Put those underused brains to work, boys. If you each use one hand and pull here, and also push there in just the right spots, it should pop right open," Gazoo instructed.
Gritting their teeth and gripping the tree with their other hands, the boys reached out and put their free hands on the indicated spots. With a grunt of effort, one pulled while the other pushed, the latch resisting their efforts at first. But with a sudden jolt, the latch sprang open, and Gazoo was able to push the entire canopy of his mini flying saucer open. He floated out, an air of smug satisfaction around him.
"Finally!" he exclaimed, stretching his arms. "Now, to get my ship down."
With a wave of his hand, the spaceship gently floated down from the branches, coming to rest on the soft grass below. Gazoo then turned his attention back to the boys, who were still gripping the tree for dear life.
"And as for you two geniuses," he said, snapping his fingers. In an instant, Fred and Barney found themselves also gently floating down, landing softly on the grass beside the spaceship.
"There," Gazoo said, crossing his arms. "Was that so difficult?" His smirk was enough to make Fred and Barney roll their eyes, but in their hearts, they knew this was just the beginning of something inexplicably incredible.
