"I don't know." Zac frowned. "I just... did."
"Frog-fingers know telepaths when she sees 'em. Me lucky she no find out 'bout me yet. But if you no telepath, how come she doesn't realise her mistake?"
"I couldn't say. Who's Twinkles?"
"Aww," and Ripples blushed, "Twinkles is Ripples girlfriend. Me miss her a lot. She miss me too... maybe. Insect people no live long. Maybe move on."
The idea seemed to upset Ripples.
"I have a girlfriend too. Her name is Mary Anne. I miss her too."
"She miss you?"
"When she knows I'm away, I hope she does."
"She not know you away?"
"I don't know. Frog-features kidnapped me."
"Well dat wasn't very nice!"
"Maybe that's why she did it." Zac couldn't help but reply.
"No she wants to have your bay-bee." Ripples teased.
"Don't remind me."
"Hee hee, Mary Anne have some competition!"
"I don't think so."
"Ok, Gobble-features have some competition!"
"That's more like it."
"But she will never win da heart of the Zacky, powerful friend of the mighty Ripples!" Ripples declared enthusiastically.
"Never." Zac agreed.
"Ever, ever, ever."
Zac smiled, then sighed.
"What wrong?"
"I miss my family."
"And girlfriend?"
"Yes, and Mary Anne."
"Me miss my fam'ly. Me have twenty-nine bros and sissies. And sixty-two half bros and sissies. And lotsa cousins. Me miss 'em all."
"Really? You have a big family."
"Insects have big fam'lies. Lotsa mult'ple births." Ripples replied. "You have bros and sissies?"
"Yeah, I have three sisters and three brothers. I'm in a band with two of my brothers."
"Hanson."
"You've heard of us?"
"Insect people love music." Ripples replied, before bursting into song. "I like dat ol' time rock n' roll! Dat kinda music just soothes da soul!"
Zac grinned and joined in.