13 LETTING HER HAIR DOWN

CHAPTER 13 LETTING HER HAIR DOWN These ants are gi-normous!" said Alexander. "Gi-norm-ants!" Nikki said. The ants were each about the size of a football. They finished eating the cookie, and then turned toward Rip, antennae wiggling. An ant nuzzled against Rip's knee. Rip knelt down.

"Careful, Rip!" said Alexander. "They're not going to hurt us, Salamander," Rip said. "I hear more clicking it's coming from the ants!" "They're communicating with you?!" asked Alexander. "Yeah, I think so!" Rip said, petting a gi-norm-ant. "All these ants remind me of the time that ant farm broke, during our battle with the P-Rex..." Nikki's eyes widened. "Rip!" she said. "These are those ants! You and the ants ate monster candy that day! Remember?" "So now you turn into a monster when you eat sweets, and so do they!" said Alexander.

"That's what I was afraid of," said a cold voice. Principal Vanderpants pushed her way through the curtains. Alexander, Rip, and Nikki all gasped. "Uh-oh," whispered Alexander. "She wasn't supposed to show up until we were ready for Step 3!" Principal Vanderpants addressed Alexander, Rip, and Nikki as though she had caught them chewing gum.

"First, you troublemakers let my forkupine escape," Ms. Vanderpants said. She looked at the giant blue ants zigzagging away from her. "And now I've got monster ants to deal with." "You're the one making trouble!" said Nikki, stepping forward. "We saw your secret file in the UPSTAIRS BASEMENT!" Ms. Vanderpants paused. Her face turned as red as a gummy worm. "Yes. I've been watching you. But you need to trust me, I—" "Trust you?!" said Alexander. "The way we trusted Dr. Tallow? The teacher you hired who tried to destroy us? Never! Now where's the notebook? We want it back!" "Excuse me!" Mr. Mingus's head appeared through the curtains. "Could you keep it down back here? I'm trying to rap about table manners!" He popped back out.

Alexander gave Rip a look as he wiggled the brownie in his hand. Rip nodded back. Ms. Vanderpants sighed. "You're totally right, Alexander. If I want you to trust me, I should be honest about who I am." Then she balled her hands, arched her back, and, with a growl, burst through her gray suit. She had a leathery shell on her back, a long tail, and scaly feet with sharp claws. She pulled a few pins from her hair and uncoiled her braid.

Alexander's jaw dropped. Ms. Vanderpants had a sharp, silvery horn growing out of her head. "What kind of monster are you?" asked Nikki. "A unicorn-turtle?" said Rip. "A turtle-corn?" Ms. Vanderpants groaned. "No, Ripley. I'm a nar-madillo. Part narwhal, part armadillo. And now, you three have a choice. You can listen to what I have to say... or you're doomed!"