The Price of Fame (Camelorum Adventures episode)

The Price of Fame (Camelorum Adventures episode) 0 7198 46707 46706      2016-08-22T20:24:46Z IvanRider 3545644 /* External links */ wikitext text/x-wiki The following is about an episode of Camelorum Adventures''. For the unrelated album by Bow Wow, see here. For the unrelated French film, see here.''

Synopsis
With help from the basement inmate Melody Trank, Candace is sent to the world of Teen in Terror Life by Jaleel Cohm, to stop Rita from destroying the author's vision completely and destabilizing the multiverse in the process - with her dramatic and mischievous rewrites being made using equipment stolen from the Jens during one of Kisha's attempted escapes.

After battling some of the monsters Rita creates, Candace gets herself arrested on purpose so she can use the van that a young woman named Anna Ford is set to be placed on as a means to hijack the van and track Rita down. The plan appears to be successful, but Rita creates one more monster before being defeated and sent back to Camelorum's basement. After two weeks living with Anna, Candace's powers being to fade. However, she musters up the courage to save the girls from a giant monster that attacks the juvenile facility - using advice from a Percolation of Candi Flippo (who dealt with similar experiences.) Upon Candace returning to Camelorum however, she discovers that a clone of Anna has been made. Carly, a bit too eager to see Candace safe and sound, gets too close and turns the clone of Anna into a frog by accident. Stan has Carly, Candace, and the frog sent to therapy. He promises the frog a job as his new secretary - if she wants it.

Part 1
One fateful evening, the Jens decide to close shop early on a new set of wands they were developing for summoning the Percolation Warriors with. They entire staff at Camelorum assumes all will be well. However, Kisha launches her latest scheme in order to stage an escape, and cuts the power. She also releases Rita from her cell, encouraging her to wreak as much havoc as possible. The Jens realize too late that Rita overheard them talking about the Percolation Wands, and contact Antonio for help. As Antonio, Julie, and the Jens make a break for the science lab to stop Rita, she steals a Percolation Wand and charger, and vanishes. The Jens try to trace her signature, to determine which universe she's invaded. Stan awakens the Camelry, and they all assemble in the science lab to discuss what should be done. Frank is put in charge of keeping the Cheshire Pig entertained, so Cheshire can't interfere.

Melody Trank from the Purple Pekins Gang suddenly shouts out for help from the basement. Pat goes to explore what's happening, and she reveals that her Jaleel Cohm graphic novel Teen in Terror Life is becoming "all messed up," and the pages are telling a very different story from what was originally written. Melody blames it on Carly, but Katrina explains that Carly is on duty that evening - assisting a team of animal control with catching a tiger. Melody is called up to the science lab to discuss the graphic novel, and the Jens are able to locate a signature.

In a quick hearing, they decide that it's best if Candace went alone to help capture Rita. The Jens advise against sending Carly for backup, as that would "make things even worse." That drawing Carly out "may be exactly what Rita wants." Wanda offers to go, but Stan objects that Wanda would probably abandon the mission the second she got a chance to steal kangaroo jerky - to which Wanda concedes that as a high possibility. Anita is ruled out because she is a flight risk. They decide they don't want to risk Gwen harming the wildlife in a foreign universe. They determine based on Melody's graphic novel copy that they need to contact the author and fly him in for advice on how to stop Rita.

As the Jens inform Candace of the gear she'll need, Stan contacts Jaleel. He informs them that he is well aware that the comic has doubled in size, and that key events are changing. He demands to know why Anna Ford's trial was for mutating a man into a giant mantis abomination with lobster claws, rather than for involuntary manslaughter. Stan concludes that the stolen Carly hair samples from the Jens' lab may have been planted in the young girl's bedroom by Rita, leading to the dramatic plot change. Jaleel demands to know if Stan's "Agents of SCREW" can fix things, and Stan responds that he's got things handled.

Meanwhile, Candace reminds the others that she began having visions of Xironooti, and believes that Xironooti is trying to build a psychic link to take control of her out of revenge for the death of Xiboruty. He's shown Candace visions of her own power growing out of control and driving her mad. She shares with Jenny Kay her concerns that Xironooti might try to use Candace's own power to corrupt her, and asks if the girls can arrange for a therapist if she starts acting strangely. Jen assures her that she'll inform Stan, and make sure a therapist is there to talk to Candace as soon as the mission is finished.

Stan charges in, and lets the girls know that they don't have much time to lose. Shantal and Barry are sent out with Pat to hunt Kisha, and Pat kisses Candace on the cheek to wish her well as she prepares to be sent to the world of the graphic novel. Melody asks if she can help; and Stan assures her that she can supply feedback from memory on what is supposed to happen - since Jaleel himself still has to book a flight to visit Camelorum. Jenny Jane hooks Melody up to some equipment, so she can consult the comms being planted inside Candace's ears. They set up the wand to activate the Percolation Wave to send Candace to the other world for a total of 2 weeks - more than enough time to find and stop Rita.

Tobey tries to attack Bonny, but Bonny is able to swat him away. Pat releases her from her cell to join the hunt for Kisha, right as Kisha escapes out the emergency door on the first floor hallway. Pat and his Camelry friends take off in hot pursuit, followed by several other guards.

Candace is sent to the other world, and is informed to go straight to Anna's trial. When asked what she is supposed to say, Melody tells her to pretend to be only 17, and to otherwise tell the truth. Candace warns that nobody in that world will believe it; but Melody insists Candace not worry: Anna is supposed to go to jail according to the original comic. If Candace gets embedded in that population, it will give her an opportunity to be on the van route that will grant them a perfect opportunity to cross paths with Rita.

After seeing some giant frog men hopping around one neighborhood, Candace asks if that's from Carly's hair or if it's Rita's doing. Melody insists that they don't have time to find out. Candace learns that she arrived a whole day before the trial, and uses some of her money to buy an outfit to mask her real age.

She arrives at the trial a day later, and is appalled to find that there's no lawyer present for the defense nor a jury present. She presents the truth that Rita was the one who really did it - and even recounts how Rita framed both Anita and Gwen as well. The judge sentences both Candace and Anna to Rumplewarton Juvenile, with special notes that Candace be kept on special watch for "potential for psychotic breakdown," with transfer to a mental hospital recommended if necessary. They only agree to let Candace keep her gloves after she reminds them that she blew up a courtroom once when her gloves were removed."Armed and Citrus"

After a demonstration of her power in the holding cell, Candace promises to protect a very confused Anna. Right as the two of them are in the van to be sent to Rumplewarton, however, news reports erupt of "the Twisted Noodle" wreaking havoc not far from the highway. Candace turns the van driver, who ignores the warning, into a red delicious apple. She hijacks the van, and urges to the other girls that they need to all step up and act as Camelry in order to defeat Rita. To her surprise, a majority of the girls agree to the plan. The arrive at a warehouse where Rita is wrecking things, and the girls all provide diversions for Rita using random objects they can improvise as weapons.

Rita is eventually successfully diverted, allowing Candace to sneak up and steal the wand back. She breaks the wand over her knee, forcing Rita to Percolate back to the first floor hallway of Camelorum. Luin activates an invention of hers that prevents Rita from further escape attempts. However, lack of the wand means that Candace has no way to go home - until her temp status expires and the Percolation naturally sends her home. She changes the driver back into a man again, and the girls all get aboard the van in a show of goodwill. Many of them begin looking up to Candace as a "gang leader," though Candace shows displeasure with this status.

Freddy Button, the warden, acts completely comfortable talking the girls down until Candace enters the room. From there, he gets very uneasy, and leaves in a hurry. Meanwhile, Jaleel arrives at Stan's office in a panic, convinced his novel will be ruined forever when Candace starts showing up sassing her way through various pages.

Part 2
Candace is informed by the Jens that by the end of two weeks, her connection to the XomiaFaeCore will weaken, and she may run out of ability to charge her powers. In spite this, Candace finds herself sticking up for Anna, and being frequently tempted to abuse her powers. The visions of her becoming a monster continue to haunt her. As Anna takes Candace's advice on how to stand up for herself without drawing the ire of gangs, and without giving in to other temptations, a misplaced keyboard leads to Anna having fantasies about working as a secretary.

Kathy, a young woman who was bullying Anna at first, discovers that Candace won't tolerate it. This leads to a feud between the two, and Candace slowly drives Kathy insane. Candi briefly Percolates, and tries to warn Candace that simply trolling Kathy is not the answer, channeling her own memories of Amirah. However, Candi Percolates back to Earth-G7.2.1 before getting the chance to fully explain herself. Candace convinces Kathy's gang to gather improvised materials to build instruments, and trains them to a punk rock band in their spare time - modeling their style after The Offspring.

Meanwhile, Jaleel is informed that he's needed back in Hollywood. He encourages Melody to "write a better ending, not a worse one," admitting that his original vision is beyond saving after the damage Rita and Candace caused. Melody is flattered by the prospect of getting to change the ending, but soon discovers Freddy to be growing wise that Candace is a plant. Freddy separates Candace and Anna, and calls Candace into his office to interrogate her. When she (and the Dromedeverse censors) repeatedly sabotage his efforts to sexually taunt her, he instead tries to tempt her into abusing her powers.

Candace finally gives in to the temptation to remove her gloves, which blows a hole in the roof and causes Freddy to grow extra June bug appendages. However, she notices her signal getting weaker already - and tries to run when Freddy assaults her with his new arms. She continues resisting, even able to draw Freddy out into the open. His own men quickly turn on him when they see his new bug-like attributes, and they quickly tranquilize and subdue him. City officials are called in, and Candace is confirmed to be physiologically older than 17. She admits to being 21, and is transferred to a mental hospital with the prospect of being sent to an adult prison.

Melody panics, asking Candace what to do. Candace asks the girls to track down M.O.D.M., as he is the only one that can protect Anna now. Melody confesses to never knowing how much value her own life could have, until getting a chance to see what the second floor residents were doing with theirs. She asks Candace how she will defend herself when her powers are gone, and Candace states that M.O.D.M. might have to come rescue her eventually too if things get too bad. But that protecting Anna is a top priority until then.

After repeatedly getting runaround from staff that cannot understand why Candace has no family in that universe, Candace reflects that she "now knows how Carly feels." MODM is able to arrive back in the Dromedeverse, but only briefly. Stan reveals to the Jens that MODM is his nephew, and a large part of the reason Camelorum exists. The Jens scan MODM's Percolation signatures, and manipulate his pulses so that the next universe he visits will be the one Candace is in. He travels to Rumplewarton and breaks up a fight between two gangs by puppet-mastering them into dancing to a song styled after "Freeway of Love" by Aretha Franklin.

He nabs Anna amidst the ensuing chaos, and flies her away on a disco rainbow to a spot outside the center. They set out to rescue Candace together, but Anna questions if MODM rescuing her was the right thing to do. She fears that her universe might actually be destroyed completely by her being rescued. MODM assures her that if they don't rescue Candace, the resulting instability could lead to further invasions via the Percolation Wave that might actually destroy the universe. The two of them head to the mental center, but find Candace has already been transferred to an adult prison. They attempt to stay one step ahead of the law in order to figure out where Candace is, and rescue her before further catastrophe ensues - or MODOM is teleported away to yet another universe!

As Candace gets settled into her new environment, some women attempt to make trouble for her bunkmate in the cafeteria. She pulls out some "poison-detecting chopsticks" from her pocket that MODM slipped in on a hunch, saying to the cafeteria staff: "Nice try!" They attempt to jump her for interfering with a contracted hit; but she announces to the entire cell block that any single one of them could be the target of a poisoning attempt. A riot ensues, and Candace slips away to find a way to access the power grid and temporarily recharge her powers. Her plan works just long enough to turn the fleeing poisoner into a cherry, and then she uses the remaining energy to quell the riot.

As Candace is about to be placed in solitary confinement for her antics, the facility comes under attack from a giant metallic goose. Candace acts frustrated that the guards won't allow her to help them combat the monstrosity, in spite her experience with Xomian abnormalities. She tries to zap a guard, but her powers prove too weak. She instead uses her wits to break into the control room. She announces to the whole facility what the creature is, and how to defeat it. She announces her name and origins, making sure that the CCTV system captures everything.

As MODM scans for feeds, he discovers this live feed and confirms where she is. MODM and Anna head there per Melody's seal of approval. MODM disposes of the monster easily, while Anna helps Candace escape. MODM summons a converter and attaches it to the prison power grid, allowing him to infuse XomiaFaeCore connection to Candace long enough to recharge her powers just enough that she is able to turn the panicked guards and other inmates into dragonfruits for 7 hours. MODM, Candace, and Anna flee the area and find a cabin in the woods to hide in. Candace reminds them that this is the second time she's had to do this.Cagegiggles.

After running into the cabin owners' daughter and friends and making up a story, they're able to stay with the new crowd - where they stop a masked killer from breaking in and killing everyone. However, earthquakes begin happening across the nation. Rock monsters shaped like mammoths come out of the ground and begin tearing up cities. Anna tells the others that the "mammothquakes" are most likely happening because her new friends made too many changes to the timeline, destabilizing the entire universe. The trio head to the nearest town and being fighting off the mammoth rock monsters there. Candace jokes about how she wishes Laney were around to help them fix things.

As they are about to head to another town to save that town as well, Anna insists that she be allowed to stay behind. Reports come in that in one town, the rock creatures are covered in frogs. Anna turns herself in to local authorities, and states that she needs to inform the head of Homeland Security about how to defeat the mammothquakes. She is promised transfer to Roswell - far away from Rumplewarton. Candace and MODM head to the next mammothquake to battle it, but are Percolated home before the battle is over.

Upon return to Camelorum, Candace is given a huge hug by Carly - who is just happy to have her (like-a-sister) Candace home alive. MODM vanishes again immediately, and Stan congratulates Melody on her promotion to 1st floor. The girls suddenly discover a frog on the ground - with Anna's voice. The Jens quickly scan the frog, and determine it to be a xerox of Anna that most likely became a frog by being too close to Carly when being Percolated through. The frog inquires of what to do now, and Stan offers her a job as his new secretary.

Melody looks at the graphic novel, and is very confused by the mammothquake battles happening on the final pages. Stan recommends the girls to the counseling room, while Candace says she could sure go for a game of Polar Battleship. The Jens also offer the Anna clone a chance to "run some tests" - assuring her that none involve needles or dissection, just electronic scans. Candace refers to Anna as "Anna Rana Catesbiena," to which Jenny Jane explains is just "Latin for bullfrog." After accepting the explanation, Anna follows the girls out of the lab.

Central cast

 * Stan Woudean: The charismatic-yet-aloof warden at Camelorum. He wants to stop Rita's latest rampage and also recapture Kisha, but must make a dangerous gamble with others' lives to pull it off.


 * Candace Mason / Lemon Witch: A superheroine residing at Camelorum ever since she turned a mall cop into a lime a year ago. She agrees to travel to another universe to retrieve Rita, unaware of the full extent of the consequences.


 * Anna Ford: A teenager framed by Rita for turning her stepfather into a hideous, mutated monstrosity that had to be put down. Candace makes protecting her a priority, but this only makes things worse in short order.  The Camelorum girls are shocked to find a clone of her Percolating to Camelorum - and said clone turns into a frog when she gets too close to Carly.  Anna Ford is a parody of the character of Anna Nix from Jailbait, as portrayed by Sarah Malakul Lane, with the joke being "Ford" as a successor to "Nix(on)."


 * Rita Rigatoni: A deranged prankster who escapes from Camelorum and decides to wreak havoc on the multiverse for fun. Recapturing her is made a top priority by Camelorum staff, even more so than the search for Kisha.


 * Mike Oliver-Drake Monsoon / M.O.D.M.: The self-described "Master of Offscreen Dark Matter." He is a reality warper almost as powerful as Carly, but with a lot more control.  As a consequence of his interactions with the Percolation Wave and the XomiaFaeCore, he cannot stay in any universe for too long.  He is Stan's nephew, and Stan is seeking a cure for Mike's condition.


 * Melody Trank: A basement-level inmate trying to win Stan's approval to be transferred to 1st floor. She is an expert on the world of Jaleel's graphic novel, and becomes a tour guide for Candace as she navigates that world.


 * Jenny Jane: One of three mad scientist inmates at Camelorum, who helps monitor the frequencies that link the two universes together to provide Candace with critical feedback about her visitation risks.


 * Jenny Kay: Another mad scientist inmate, who designs the comms for inter-universal two-way conversation.

Supporting cast

 * Luin Kim: The third mad scientist inmate at Camelorum, who helps design a trap for Rita.


 * Barry Navoz: The recently-ascended "Ion Boy." He agrees to help track down an escaped Kisha.


 * Carly Rancine: A semnipotent reality-warping amnesiac residing at Camelorum, who lacks conscious control of her powers. This has earned her the nickname of "the Maddening Rod."  She is set to join the Camelry along with Candace, and is currently helping animal control catch a loose tiger.


 * Pat Pitterson: A guard at Camelorum who has a mutual crush on Candace.


 * Katrina Cantina: A graffiti artist in Camelorum.


 * Kisha Lowpound: A woman who was framed for destroying an entire stage and putting several performers in the hospital. Offended to be constantly in the presence of Xomifieds, she frequently plots to escape from Camelorum.  In this episode 2-parter, she helps Rita escape to provide a diversion for her own latest attempt.


 * Bonny Boggidy: A second-floor inmate who can talk to Rita through the vents. They usually pass the time telling Dr. Seuss jokes.  However, Bonny feels she needs to help out when Kisha and Rita escape.  Bonny can turn into a human bouncing ball.


 * Antonio Martinez: A guard at Camelorum of Mexican descent. Shantal is one of the few who take him seriously.  He works with her to track down Kisha when Kisha escapes.


 * Shantal Luminoso: A newbie at Camelorum with flashlight hands.  She is sent to help look for Kisha, and gladly volunteers.  She was originally arrested for launching extremely-illegal fireworks - for science! - without a permit.

Guests

 * Jaleel Cohm: A parody of Jared Cohn. Jaleel is the author of Teen in Terror Life, a graphic novel that everyone in Camelorum thinks is garbage - except for Melody.  Teen in Terror Life is a parody of 17 & Life, the basis of the Asylum film Jailbait.  The character's first name is also inspired by Jaleel White.


 * Kathy Compress: A bully at Rumplewarton who wants to gangpress Anna and Candace. Much like Amirah Rose from Ciem: Inferno, she is a parody of the character Kody from Jailbait, as portrayed by Erin O'Brien.  Much like Amirah, she is driven crazy her failure to crush the spirit of a Candice/Candace.  However, she isn't given a sympathetic background like Amirah.


 * several other side characters

Inspiration
As much of the early ideas for Camelorum humor were inspired by Jailbait - which was watched as research for Sodality: Vindication and Ciem: Inferno in 2015 - a tie-in parody seemed appropriate. This two-parter becomes a justification for a parody of Anna Nix (Anna Ford) to become a regular in Camelorum Adventures, by having a clone of her come to be. The story serves as an origin story for the clone.

That the clone Anna becomes a frog, and is teasingly called "Anna Rana Catesbiena" at one point, are inspired by jokes the Dozerfleet founder heard back in high school. The episode 2-parter also helps the Camelorum crew better understand the responsibilities that come attached with world-hopping - which they'd mostly overlooked before.

Anna's stepfather turning into a mutated Lovecraftian horror is a replacement for the original 17 and Life graphic novel having him die by way of a freak accident. Monster attacks and traumatizing mutations also substitute for the original's plots involving rape and realistic violence. Candace's "smart chopsticks" are inspired by an old video advertising such a product, which also suggested poison-detecting chopsticks that change color. Her use of them to bust the kitchen staff for poisoning inmates is inspired by an episode of Prison Break.

Suggested music
The current suggested end credit songs for this episode, are "Seven Deadly Sins" by Flogging Molly for part 1, and the "Take On Me" cover by Reel Big Fish for part 2.