It's No Fun Being a Grown-up/Bright Kids, Big City is a Precocious story arc. It ran in 2011 and consisted of strips #720-803. While the story arc consists of two smaller arcs, they blend into each other.
Central character(s)[]
Mike's timing needs work.
- Sky Et
- Uncle Mike
- Michelangelo Et
- Frida Et
- The Et twins
- Tiffany Et
- Bud Oven
- Autumn Pingo
- Jacob Linkletter
Overview[]
Uncle Mike interrupts one of Sky Et's rare moments of peace with a surprise visit, and then poorly times his announcement about a trip to the big city with Tiffany and Bud. A misunderstanding leads to a disaster at home, and with Tiffany, Bud, and Mike loose in the big city, there will be crimes committed...
Action[]
Sky Et is enjoying a rare moment of peace when Uncle Mike arrives unannounced (and gets decked by Sky). After waking the Et twins (and unintentially making them sick), Mike and Sky have a long discussion about the single life, including a disturbing rendition of the Bachelor's life.
Sky leaves to pick up Frida, though not without threatening Mike one more time. Mike avoids disaster while watching the twins (they were sleeping the entire time), so he offers to watch both twins AND Frida while Sky gets Michelangelo. He keeps the house standing a second time, by means of bribery. Tiffany and her friends arrive, as Sky slips away to reclaim her free time. With the arrival of Mr. Oven and the Poppinstock kids, order decends into chaos.
Amidst the barbeque goodies Gene Et brings home, Mike announces that he wants to take "the kids" to see the big city...an announcement he soon realizes was poorly timed.
The next morning, all the kids are lined up to go. Mike grabs Tiffany and Bud without a second thought and leaves the rest behind. Sky is left with a crushed Jacob, Autumn, Michelangelo, and Frida.
Meanwhile, the Pingos prepare for a day without children...and have that plan shattered by a fuming Autumn, Jacob in tow. After unsuccessfully attempting to convince the Pingos to drive them into the city to meet up with (and beat the living daylights out of) Mike, Bud, and Tiffany, Ivy grounds them both.
So, as Autumn and Jacob attempt to find entertainment in an encyclopedia, a freshly-caffeinated city-bound trio wades through Metro transit (you'd be disappointed in Tiffany if she didn't get stopped at bag check!)
After "interacting" with three museums, and being escorted out of and banned from each, Mike decides to call home and learns of the bet going on between Gene and Sky, regarding the trio showing up on the evening news. Before the news crew actually can catch up with them, some misguided soul asks Tiffany, Mike, and Bud to watch his miniature model, incindiary devices, and monster make up. We don't exactly see the aftermath, but the smoke says it all.
Meanwhile, a released Autumn and Jacob arrive armed at the Et household to 'greet' the intrepid explorers.Sky sits back in satisfaction as the slighted children beat the living daylights out of Mike, even as the day's disasters are aired on the evening news.
Needless to say, Gene lost the bet.