That night, Gnomeo and Shroom met inside the Blue garden’s toolshed. They went over their plan to get revenge on Tybalt. They assembled the tools they would need and strapped on their weapons.

Gnomeo was dressed in camouflage from head to toe. He looked into a mirror to check his outfit. Perfect.

Shroom shook his head nervously. No amount of camouflage could make him feel better about this plan. Breaking into the Red garden was serious business!

Gnomeo turned to Shroom. “This mission into Red garden territory is going to require maximum stealth,” he said.

“Well, you won’t get much stealthier than this,” Benny replied, spreading his arms wide as he stepped into the light. “Hello!”

Gnomeo was shocked. Benny was disguised as a big, bright yellow flower. He looked ridiculous! He also had a can of spray paint slung over his shoulder that clanked whenever he moved.

This is going to be a long night, Gnomeo thought, shaking his head.

Across the fence in the Red garden, Juliet was making plans of her own. She tiptoed through the darkness toward the garden’s back gate. She carefully slipped through the shadows to avoid the rotating searchlight that swept its beam over the ground from a tall ornamental lighthouse.

As she sneaked behind a sleeping fishing gnome, the line on his fishing pole went taut.

Juliet quietly pulled on the line—and discovered a stone fish at the end of it. She quickly lifted the fish off the line.

“Swim away. Be free,” Juliet whispered.

“Thank you,” replied the stone fish, before its weight caused it to sink straight to the bottom of the pond. “Oh,” burbled the fish from under the water.

Juliet took the sleeping gnome’s fishing pole and sprinted the rest of the way to the garden gate. She used the fishing line to undo the latch. Silently, she peered across the dark alley at the greenhouse. The orchid was still there.

“All this for a daffy flower?” Nanette’s voice cut through the darkness. Juliet shushed her but was relieved that it was just her best friend.

“Yes, and I’m going to need you to cover for me, Nanette,” Juliet said, locking eyes with her friend. She hoped Nanette could see how important this was to her. “If my dad asks, just tell him I’m washing my hair.”

Nanette looked confused but agreed to do it. She practiced the lines, saying to herself, “I’m washing my hair. I’m washing my hair—”

“No. I’m washing my hair,” Juliet said, then sighed and gave up.

Juliet opened the gate and peeked into the alley. Grrrrr! She came face to face with a growling bulldog!

“Aaaaahh!” Juliet jumped back into the garden, narrowly missing being bitten. “I’m too easy to see. I need some kind of disguise,” she said, thinking out loud.

Nanette’s eyes lit up. She loved a good wardrobe challenge. “Oh, a new outfit! I’m on it,” she replied, heading for the clothesline.

Juliet peered cautiously into the alley once more. It was all clear now.

Nanette returned a few moments later, looking excited. She threw a bright pink sock with green polka dots over Juliet’s head. “Here! Now, that is cute!” she cried.

Juliet looked down at her disguise. Anyone would see her coming a mile away in this thing! “Er…maybe something a tad less fluorescent pink?” she suggested.

“How much less?” Nanette asked, resting a finger on her chin as she considered the options.

“Try black,” Juliet said.

Nanette huffed off to the clothesline again, in search of something less bold. She tugged a black sock off the line and returned to Juliet.

“Trust me,” Nanette said. “Nobody is going to pay you any attention in this.”

She handed the sock to Juliet.

“Then it’s perfect,” Juliet replied.

Juliet pulled the disguise over her head and quickly made holes for her arms, legs, and face. She twirled once to show off her handiwork, then gave a kung fu kick for good measure.

“I’m going in,” Juliet whispered as she slipped away into the darkness.