Early the next morning, Ginny was escorted to Prison Island by Fox, who was fully armed.
Seeing Ginny running toward him with a lunchbox in one hand and Sapling tucked under her other arm, Alvin's mood—after a miserable night—improved in an instant...
What did you call that? A thoughtful little sweetheart!
Knowing her dad would be bored in prison, the girl had even skipped school to keep him company.
Alvin happily crouched down to welcome her. Ginny obligingly handed him the lunchbox and Sapling, then wrapped her arms around her dad's face and gave him a big kiss.
Ginny quickly dealt with her dad's enthusiasm, then turned to Alfred, who seemed rooted to the spot by the restaurant entrance, and flashed him a sweet smile. As she ran over, she called, "Alfred, what's good to eat?"
Sapling wriggled in Alvin's arms, then shifted into a more comfortable position. The ill-tempered punk tree rubbed the dirt on his feet against Alvin's clothes, stuck out his tongue at him, and shouted with his little black-bean eyes wide, "I'M Groot! I'M Groot!"
Seeing Sapling's obnoxious, "I'm a thug" look, Alvin reflexively assumed he was swearing.
Then Mr. Battleaxe, who had no patience for this sort of thing, glanced at the muddy marks on his clothes. Grabbing Sapling by the neck, he grinned savagely and replanted him upside down in the lunchbox.
Fox came over with a smile and rescued Sapling, whose little legs were still kicking furiously. She gave Alvin a light, reproachful pat on the chest and said, "You're biased against Sapling..."
Alvin looked Fox up and down in her combat suit. A little displeased, he said, "What are you doing? Yesterday, you said you were just going to show up for a friend. Today, you're dressed like this?
Don't go thinking