EPILOUGE:
Back at headquarters, Tiggerpaka marched around inspecting
his offices and minions. He found many
minions to be in contempt of his orders as they did not carry on TFEOBB during
his absence as he instructed.
He ordered his minions to go out and complete their drills
in triple time to give him time to ponder their punishment. But he had Nutello stay behind for
debriefing.
“Nutello, I am afraid
it is the end of an era. Time to
dismantle headquarters, I need to figure
out how to break the news to the minions.”
“What do you mean, Sir?”
Nutello asked
“Well, with Pokemon and Tireblade thoroughly defeated, we have no enemies to
conquer. I wonder if it is time to
retire.” Tiggerpaka looked sadly at his
super computers.
“What do you mean, Sir?”
Nutello was confused. “You have
tons of enemies! Everyone hates you.”
Tiggerpaka whipped around and glared at Nutello. “I, I, I mean,”Nutello stammered.
Tiggerpaka raised one glared eyebrow at Nutello, “Yes?”
“Uh, I, uh…..the pirates!”
Her body relaxed as she went on, “The pirates that kidnapped you! Wouldn’t they be suitable enemies for you to
obsess----I mean, focus on?”
“Hmmmmmm” Tiggerpaka
stroked his chin thoughtfully. “There
was one.” Tiggerpaka explained. “As I was on that ship I was hypnotized by
a dastardly dog named Scoobeedoo. She
had a powerful weapon---greater than any we have ever devised---she
had----hypno goggles. And while I was
under her control I am sure she learned all of my secrets, so she would know what a formidable enemy I
would be! Which would explain her
eagerness to flee the wedding….”
Tiggerpaka’s thoughts drifted off to that day, and he smiled fondly and
sighed, then whispered a soft, “meow.”
“Yeah, what a horrible day!
You were definitely under the effects of
that evil Scoobeedoo’s hypno-goggles!
Why else would you leave Helga for a
squirrel!” Nutello punched her
fist into her paw. “Yes, definitely
worthy of replacing Pokemon and Tireblade on your number 2 list!!”
“I wasn’t under hypnosis then, you moron!” Tiggerpaka argued. “Scoobeedoo hypnotized me to write that
stupid letter demanding to be rescued!
She wanted to get rid of me, jealous of the attention the Captain was
giving me! I was their pampered guest. That old crow loved me! Best vacation ever!” Tiggerpaka sighed recalling the events of
the summer.
“Wait a minute! You
didn’t want to be rescued?” Nutello said
in dis-belief.
“Rescue? From
what? A pirate themed cruise? Beautiful squirrels?” Tiggerpaka was pacing circles, arms flying as
he talked. “I was the happiest I had
ever been….except it was cold. I didn’t
like that.” Tiggerpaka stopped pacing. “Put that island on my number 2 list as
well!”
“What about Helga?”
Nutello asked.
“I don’t think she should be on the number 2 list,
Nutello” Tiggerpaka said very
seriously. “She is after all the mother
of my kits!”
Nutello face pawed.
“No, that’s not what I meant. How
could you be on that island about to marry that squirrel when you are married
to Helga?!”
Tiggerpaka froze in his tracks and shuddered. Then relaxed and said, “All part of my master
plan, a, uh, a ruse, yes, that’s it, it was all a ruse.”
“But that makes no sense,” Nutello said.
“Oh ye of little brain” Tiggerpaka said as he walked out of
HQ, turning out the lights on Nutello, “Making no sense IS my master plan.”
Chapter 27
As the balloon began to lift off, Helga rushed and
leaped. She grabbed the side of the
basket and back flipped ninja style into the basket landing in between Pokemon
and Tireblade. The basket began
bouncing wildly in the air, hovering about three feet off the grounds. All kinds of noises could be heard----screams
and beggings for mercy. Pokemon tried to
escape, blood streaking his face, horror in his eyes as tiny meerkat paws yoked
him back in.
Captain Jack looked at Tiggerpaka. “Shouldn’t you be helpin’ the old gal, there
Tiggerpaka? After all, it seems that
she is your beloved wife.”
Tiggerpaka could not take his eyes off the basket of the hot
air balloon. “I never thought I would
see the day, “Tiggerpaka was barely more than a whisper, “That I felt sorry for
Tireblade and Pokemon.”
^^^^^^^
“Captain!” Jacquelyn
nudged the large sparrow. “Look up
there!” She pointed to a sled pulled by
reindeer, that appeared to be falling from the sky. “It’s the flying ship! The Red Pirate is here!”
“Well I’ll be scally-wagged!” Captain Jack sputtered. “It worked! My Plan worked!”
Crystal and Jacquelyn
looked at each other. “Uh, Captain?”
“Yes me pets?”
Captain Jack couldn’t take his eyes off the plummeting sled.
“Mal is sleeping in a fetal position at the alter, Astra is
gone, takin’ the Hurl, Koobedoo and his hypno-goggles.”
Captain Jack snapped back to reality. “Drat!
My plans be foiled!” At that,
Captain Jack flapped his wings and took to the air, “Me ladies!” He hollered to the crew, “Take the rest of
the day off!” Then he added, “Without
pay, of course!”
Jacqelyn and Crystal exchanged glances of disgust and
anger. “Me thinks Astra had the right
idea!” Jacquelyn muttered.
“Perhaps it not be too late to catch up with her,” Crystal
said. “C’mon, help me get Mal outta here.
I think I knows where the Black Hurl be headed!”
^^^^^
As he beach cleared of pirates, the Island guests looked
around at the confusion. “So much for
this wedding!” Charlie pouted in a soft
raspy voice. “Guess I’ll just go home
and go to bed and start dreaming about the next wedding.”
“I haven’t any dreams left to dream,” Dolly cried.
“Hey, what’s that?”
The cowboy pointed to the sky.
“It’s Santa! It’s
Santa!” Charlie began jumping up and
down.
The sled landed gently on a nearby frost covered dune. Motion sick anthro’s crawled out of the sled, throwing
up from the turbulent ride. The
elves hopped out wondering what their problem was, as to them that was a
normal, smooth landing. Charlie, Dolly
and the Cowboy rushed over to joyfully great the elves and Santa. “Who are all these people?” Charlie asked.
Hermey tried to explain “We are looking for ---Tiggerpaka!!” The meerkat had leaped onto Hermeys head,
frantic.
“You gotta get me outta here! Now!
Now! NOWW---TELLO???” Tiggerpaka perched on Hermey’s head watching
Nutello wretch. “What are you doing
here? Huntress? Tiggerkat?
Cookie?”
“Mimi!” Mimi
responded, “Not Cookie!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Tiggerpaka jumped off of Hermey’s head and stood straight and tall,
attempting to take command over his minions.
Nutello wiped her face and looked at Tiggerpaka with relief
and disbelief. She rushed over and scooped
him up into a bear hug. “You’re alive!”
“Not for long you oaf!
Put me down!” Tiggerpaka could
barely breath. Nutello set him down then
saluted and remained at attention.
“Nutello reporting to duty, Sir!”
But just that quick, Tiggerpaka had disappeared. Dazzle started squeeking from inside the
sled. “Pipe down you rat!” Tiggerpaka hissed. “Santa!
Quick! Get this thing moving!”
Everyone looked at Santa, to see his reaction to Tiggerpaka’s
orders. But Santa wasn’t reacting. He was
watching the basket of the hot air balloon.
The basket was bouncing and screeching and sounds of pain came from
it. The suddenly, it went dead still
and silent.
Everyone watched as Helga stepped daintily from the
balloon. As she stepped to the ground,
she gingerly brushed some dust off of herself, then delicately picked up her parasol. Helga used the tip of her parasol to push
at the basket and the hot air balloon lifted and drifted higher and higher,
disappearing in the sky.
Helga batted her eye lashes at Tiggerpaka who was staring in disbelief from the
sled. “Ah, my sweet Paka, always so
thoughtful and romantic! I see you have arranged for a beautiful
carriage to take us home!” She climbed
in the sled and put her arms lovingly around Tiggerpaka.
Chapter 26
In a fury, Tiggerpaka rushed over to a funny looking boy
with big round glasses and a roughed up black jaguar and leaped onto them. They were like a bouncing dust ball of fur
and fury rolling all over the beach.
“Captain? What should we do?!”
Jacqueline’s eyes were wide with excitement.
Before Captain Jack could respond Helga marched over to the
tussling ball and began beating incessantly with her parasol. The ball fell into a heap of meerkat, boy and jaguar. Helga reached in and yoked Tiggerpaka by the
ear. She kept pulling his ear, yoking
him away from Pokemon and Tireblade.
“Paka! What has gotten in to
you?! You leave these nice young boys
alone!”
As she yoked Tiggerpaka into an upright stance and began
brushing dirt and sand off of him. He
glared at his mortal enemies and they snickered and stuck their tongues out at
him. “Enough of this foolishness! It is time to go home!” Helga looked over at Pokemon and Tireblade,
“Boys, prepare the balloon for our travels home, please.”
Pokemon spoke up as he and Tireblade scurried to the
Balloon. “Ha! You’re on your own you old wind bag!”
^^^^^^^
“We are coming up on the Island now.” Santa hollered to the group as the wind was
rushing around him, making it difficult to be heard. “We are going to begin our descent, so please
fasten your seat belts!”
“Seatbelts?”
Tiggerkat said curiously. “What
seatbel----“
The sled turned so sharply that everyone fell, tumbling
against the side of the sled. They sled
began to spiral downward through the clouds towards land below. The turning was so fast that the forces held
everyone in. As they got closer to the
ground they could see that they were approaching a beach. And below they could see several people—I
mean anthro’s,---- gathered at what looked like a wedding ceremony gone awry.
^^^^^^^^
Tiggerpaka froze in fear.
He had never been so afraid in his life.
No one, and I mean NO ONE talks to Helga like that. Helga’s eyes narrowed as Pokemon and
Tireblade ran, laughing and giving each other fist bumps of congratulations,
back towards the hot air balloon. As
they jumped into the basket, a wisp of steam escaped Helga’s nostrils. As they pulled in the weights that anchored
the balloon, one of Helga’s feet scraped the ground like a bull about to
charge.
^^^^^^
“Ow!” Mimi dropped
her ruby.
“Bumpy ride!” Avvy
said, clutching Huntress for dear life.
“No—not that” Mimi looked confused. “My ruby---its glowing
red hot. It has never burned like that
before!”
“What does that mean?”
Nutello asked, holding Dazzle with one hand and holding the side of the
sled with the other.
“I’m not sure, but something horrible is about to
happen!” Mimi said as she looked Nutello
in the eye. “I think someone is about to
die!”
Chapter 25
“Paka, dear!” A plump and cheery meerkat climbed out of the
balloon’s basket, hold a lacy pink parasol over her head. “You are late for dinner!” She frowned slightly and looked down at her
watch. “8 weeks late to be exact.”
Tiggerpaka rushed to her side. “My Sweets!
Thank goodness you got here! I
was held captive by these pirates! It
was terrible! They tortured me!”
Helga giggled, “Oh Paka, such imagination you and your
little friends have!”
Captain Jack, Jacqueline and Crystal were trying to take it
all in. “What’s going on?” Crystal asked.
“More guests for the wedding, Tiggerpaka?” Captain Jack
called, trying to regain control.
“Wedding?” Helga said.
“Oh, I love weddings! Who is
getting married?”
Tiggerpaka tried to command himself invisible as Captain
Jack said, “Why Tiggerpaka is of course!”
^^^^^^
The Ruby in Mimi’s paw glowed more intensely. “We have to hurry!” Mimi pleaded.
“It doesn’t look good! I think if
we don’t get there soon----he’s going to die!”
Nutello let out a gasp, then fainted.
^^^^^
A flicker of red flashed through Helga’s eyes. But Captain Jack continued. “Won’t you join us? And your friends as well?” That is when Tiggerpaka noticed Helga was not
alone.
“Pokemon! Tireblade!” Tiggerpaka hissed.
^^^^^^
When Nutello came to, she found herself in a sled---Santa’s
sled---flying high in the sky being pulled by reindeer.
“WHHhhhhheeeeeeeeee!!”
Tiggerkat yelled cheerfully.
Nutello turned over to Huntress, “Where are we? Where are we going?”
“WHHhhhhhhhheeeeeeee!!”
Tiggerkat continued.
“And how long has she been doing that?!” Nutello gestured at Tiggerkat.
Huntress replied, “We are over the North Pole. We are headed to the Island of Misfit
Toys. And for about 10 minutes now.”
Chapter 24:
Chaos began to ensue as elves began denying they were
pirates, as accused by Tater. Some were
beginning to look at each other suspiciously, Santa was losing his patience.
“Oh no!” Mimi said,
bringing everyone’s attention to her.
She was holding her ruby, it was glowing. “Something is wrong, Tiggerpaka is not
happy----he’s scared----terrified, actually!”
^^^^
“Helga!” Tiggerpaka
exclaimed as he hopped down from the stool and rushed to the balloon. “Helga my sweet!!” Tiggerpaka blushed and laughed
awkwardly. “I-uh-I can explain!”
^^^^
“Santa!” Nutello
pleaded. “We have to find Tiggerpaka and
save him!”
“Fine, Hermey! Fire
up the locator beam!” Santa
ordered. Heremy ran from the room.
Tater eye rolled.
She began to point to specific elves stating them to be pirates. It was about 15 of them, and they began to
look around nervously. That made Santa
suspicious, so he whistled loudly.
Suddenly a security force rushed into the room. They were abdominal snowmen in uniforms. They rounded up the elves for
interrogation. But before they could
even ask the first question Avvy ran over and began to eye them up and
down. She finally settled on one
particular elf. She walked up to him
and tweaked his neck in such a way he was paralyzed, but still able to speak.
“Spill it!” Avvy demanded.
A bead of sweat rolled down the paralyzed elf. Then he whimpered and whispered, “Aye. It be
true.”
A gasp could be heard throughout the room. Avvy released them and the security removed
them from the room. Santa smiled
broadly. “Well, well! Put Avvy back on the Nice List!” and an elf quickly complied. “And Tater too.”
Tater growled. “I
don’t want to be on the Nice List! I
just want to fight pirates!”
“He may still have a chance, “ Heremy spoke as he re-entered
the room holding a report.
“I’ve found Tiggerpaka---he’s nearby---and being held by Captain Jack.”
Chapter 23
“I know he sometimes is not nice,” Nutello said softly, wanting to defend her boss.
“Sometimes!!!” Santa
was truly shocked. “Sometimes?” Santa face palmed. “Hermey, bring us the book for
Tiggerpaka. Hermey left the room, then
came back with a wagon. In the wagon
was the biggest book anyone had ever seen.
Skittles got excited, hoping it was a dictionary, or maybe even a text book. But then she saw the cover, which said,
“Tiggerpaka”.
“Open to any random page,” Santa challenged.
Nutello opened the book, it took all her strength just to
get to the middle. Santa leaned
over. “Yes, the episode where Tiggerpaka
kidnapped Tiggerkat.” Tiggerkat
shuttered in memory of the event. “Now
turn to another spot.”
Nutello turned several handfuls of pages. Santa leaned in again, “And this is the
episode where he broke into Little Billy’s house---thinking he was at some
fictional pokemon’s HQ.” Nutello
blushed, because she had been there with him.
“There has to be one nice thing in here.” Nutello
insisted.
“IF you can find it------“
Santa was cut off as a huge commotion came in through the front
doors. Everyone turned to see a group
of about 20 elves dragging a large net, inside which was----Tater!
“Now what?” Santa
asked the elves.
“This one tried to kill us!” said one elf.
“She kept calling us pirates!” said a second elf.
“You are a bunch of gnarly pirates!” Tater bellowed.
“Release her!” Santa
ordered. As the wolf struggled free of
the net, Santa sighed. “Tater, it’s
you.” Tater’s eyes narrowed. Santa turned to the group, “She is number 2
on my naughty list.” He explained.
“You may want to re-think that!” Tater challenged Santa.
“Excuse me?” Santa’s
eyes narrowed.
“Your elves have been compromised,” Tater scanned the room,
“By Pirates!”
^^^^^^
“That has to be the easiest mutiny ever!” Astra laughed as Koobeedo pulled anchor and
she took the wheel. A wind puffed out
the sails of the ship and they headed out of the cove. “The Black Hurl, she be all mine now!”
^^^^^
Captain Jack spoke,
“I hear by pronounce ye, man and wi-----me ship!! ME HURL!” Captain Jack began to run down the
aisle. Jacqueline and Crystal blocked
his run, and restrained him. Jacqueline
whispered into his ear, “Calm ye Captain, we shall get the Black Hurl later,
finish the ceremony!”
Crystal emphasized, “We be so close to settin’ the trap fer
the Red Pirate! Legend sez he can’t
resist misfits and what be a greater misfit than these two married!”
Captain Jack broke free but stood in place, watching his ship shrinking on the horizon. He sighed,
“I knew all along they be plannin’ a mutiny.
Now they be fallin for me other trap.”
Crystal and Jacqueline looked at each other, not sure if he was serious
or just trying to save face.
“Let’s finish up!”
Captain Jack returned to the couple about to be wed. The remaining guests were unsure of
everything they had seen, and were now looking at what appeared to be a hot air
balloon approaching from the sky.
“I know pronounce yee, Man and Wife!” Captain Jack said with a flurish. He leaned over to Tiggerpaka and said, “Yee
may kiss da bride!”
As Tiggerpaka raised on this tip toes a deep, deep chill
went through his spine as he heard, “Yooooo Hoooooo!!!”
Chapter 22;
“S-s-s-santa!”
Tiggerkat said, chocolate and peanut butter smeared all over her hands
and face. She looked at the mess she had
made, then her hands and quickly hid them behind her back. She tried to scoot in front of her pile of
reese cups and wrapper.
“Tiggerkat!” Santa
said and then he looked at each and every one of the others, “Avvy, Quinn,
Mimi, Huntress and Skittles….you are being very naughty right now, you
know.” And elf was busily erasing
several items off of one paper list and writing several items on a second list
as Santa spoke.
The group hung their head in shame. Dazzle continued to eat her cheese. Since she technically was a pet, she was off
the hook!
“And you Nutello.” Santa continued. “You seem to be the only
nice one here.” Then the elf was erasing
one thing off the second list and wrote one thing on the first.
“What do you want us to do with their presents?” Hermey asked.
Santa sighed. “We
will have to see how well behaved they are until Christmas, but for now, gather up what you can and take them
back to the work room.” Hermey and other
elves did as directed, but left Dazzle with her cheese, because, again, she is
technically a pet. Dazzle grinned then
stuck her tongue out of the group as their gifts were taken from them. Then she ate another chunk of cheese.
“Nutello.” Santa
began, “Now that you are on the Nice List, what would you like for Christmas?”
Nutello had tears welling up in her eyes. “Just one thing, sir.” Her voice was barely
more than a whisper. “To bring
Tiggerpaka home.”
At the sound of his name, Santa’s eyes grew wide then
narrowed and his face turned red.
“Tiggerpaka?! Tiggerpaka!! Do you realize he
is at the TOP of my naughty list?”
^^^^^^
Captain Jack continued the ceremony. But sounding a bit subdued, almost
monotone. The audience stared blankly. Except for Astra and Koobeedo. “What we be doin’ next, Astra?” the dog asked in a whisper.
“Me thinks it be time to head back to the ship.” Astra whispered.
Koobeedo continued, “What about the rat? You said you wanted to see him free. Should I go snatch him?”
Astra smiled and whispered.
“He will be free soon enough,”
she looked up into the sky at a tiny dot
that was slowly growing as it was coming closer. “I think he be rescued very soon in
fact.” And with that the two slipped off
the shoreline and returned to the ship.
Chapter 21
“You forgot the ring?!?” Captain Jack was shaking in anger.
Jacqueline quivered in fear. The Captain was angrily and rapidly
approaching her, a wing raised for a strike.
“Here it is! Here it
is!” a pirate dog with funny looing
goggles atop his head came running up to Captain Jack. He presented a twisted loop of wire to the
Captain.
“What in blue blazes is this piece of junk!” Captain Jack
roared.
The dog nodded his head causing his goggles to fall over his eyes. “It be a perfectly good ring, Captain.” The dog said calmly. Then the dog looked through his goggles at
the entire group, “A beautiful ring to boot!”
and the crowd obediently oohed and ahhhed.
Captain Jack seemed confused, but calmed and took the wire
loop back to the front of the service.
The dog joined the group, sitting next to Astra, who was wearing unusual
green sun glasses. Astra leaned over to
the dog, “Good job Koobedoo,” she smiled and continued to whisper, “I see you
got yer hypno-goggles fixed up!”
Kobeedo smiled, tail
wagging at the praise. “Yep, it be fixed
up just in time to carry out yer plan fer de ole’ cap’n!”
^^^^^^
The bus drove through Christmastown. The group looked at all the small houses
(which were still too big for Avvy, Quinn teased her tiny friend) and in the
distance they could see a factory where
all the toys were made. Near the factory
was a beautiful castle, decorated like Christmas time with beautiful Christmas
trees, red and green lights, candy canes and other fantastic things.
As the bus approached the group was speechless at its
grandeur. The bus stopped at the
massive front door that was flanked with two elves. Hermey got off the bus and spoke with
them. Then as the group unloaded from
the bus, the elves blew long trumpets and the doors slowly opened before them.
A warm glow and the smells of every tasty thing you could
imagine wafted through those open doors.
The group about knocked all the
elves over trying to get inside. It was
so colorful and brightly lit. Glowing
Christmas trees and brightly covered packages with beautiful ribbons could be
seen all over.
“Is it Christmas already?”
Quinn said as she turned circles to take it all in.
“Maybe we time traveled on that boat.” Avvy speculated.
Hermey laughed, “No, it’s still September. We just have so many gifts to deliver that
it is an all year job!”
“Lookie here!! Lookie
here!” Tiggerkat was under a huge tree
that stood beneath a sign that said “Belize”.
She was tearing open the orange wrapping paper to expose a giant box of
Reese Cups. “You were right
Nutello! There is a Reese Cup
Treasure!!”
Nutello groaned, but everyone else ran over to find their
gifts. Everyone found their package and began to
tear them open.
Avvy found her gift to be a candy making machine. “It’s
portable! Now I can make candy
anywhere!” she hugged it gleefully.
Quinn was admiring her new fishing pole and Skittles was
already reading the new set of encyclopedias.
Nutello walked past Mimi and Huntress as they admired each other’s
gifts. Nutello was getting angrier by
the minute, then she found Dazzle----she was sitting on a huge block of cheese,
leaned back and munching on a chunk in her paw.
That was the last straw for Nutello. She began to yell, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
PEOPLE!?! WE ARE ON A MISSION!
IT IS NOT CHRISTMAS TIME!”
She continued to rant, creating a scene.
All the elves stopped what they were doing and were staring at her. They were no longer smiling. Even the music came to a halt.
But Nutello was stopped when she heard a booming voice,
“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS?” The
group turned to find Santa Claus, standing next to them, hands on hips---and he
did NOT look jolly.
Chapter 20
Chaos ensued aboard the tiny boat stuck on the ice at the
North Pole. Nutello was in the face of
Tiggerkat screaming, but Tiggerkat simply looked bored as she munched on some
reeses pieces. Skittles and Huntress
were trying to calm Nutello down. Avvy,
Mimi and Quinn were making wagers as to the outcome of the pending fight. Tater smirked and continued to sharpen arrow
after arrow. Just as things seemed to
reach a fevered pitch, the group was startled by a crashing sound. They turned to see the plankway was lowered
onto the ice and a small grey and white rat was disembarking the ship. She scurried along the ice towards the
shoreline where a crowd of elves had gathered.
“I think Dazzle has the right idea, let’s get off this ship!” Quinn motioned to Avvy and Mimi who trotted
along with her down the plankway. Skittles and Huntress joined them followed by a bouncy Tiggerkat. Nutello sighed and said, “Come on Tater,
guess we can at least get to shore and see if the elves can be of any help.”
“Nah.” Tater replied. “I smelled pirates, I’m staying here
in case they shows”
“Suit yourself” Nutello responded as she left the ship.
^^^^^
“Beloved, we be gathered here today,” Captain Jack began, “To
be witness to the union of Tiggerpaka and Mal”
Tiggerpaka grinned, looking lovingly into the brides eyes---which were
glazed over and still under the effects of the medication that had been slipped
into her drink.
“Mal, do yee take Tiggerpaka, no matter how annoyin’ he be,
to be yer husband?” Captain Jack waited
for a reply. He leaned in to look closer
at her, then smiled, “Well, I be takin’ that fer a yes.”
Then he turned to the meerkat “Tiggerpaka, do you take Mal, to be yer wife,
no matter how bossy, or fat or mangy she may get?” Tiggerpaka smiled, “I do”
“The ring please”
Captain Jack said, looking around.
“Who be havin’ the ring?”
Everyone looked around, but no one stepped forward to say they had
it. “Jackie!” Captain Jack shouted. Jacqueline had fallen asleep and snapped to
attention.
“Yes Cap’n?!” She
said, eyes red with sleep.
“The rings, lassie, where be the rings?” Captain Jack asked.
Jacqueline patted herself all over, the crowd began to
murmur amongst themselves.
^^^^^^
As the crew reached the beach, the elves had gathered
around. The lead elf had blond hair with
a large curl in the front. “Greetings,
friends! I am Hermey, Welcome the North
Pole!” The crowd of elves starting
shouting their greetings as well and it became quite noisy with all the squeaky
little voices.
“You look cold” Hermey noticed. “We have to get you warmed up!” The elves swarmed the crew, covering them
with warm blankets and leading them up from the shoreline to an elf bus waiting
nearby. As they got on the bus Hermey
handed out hot coco and he said, “Sugar free!
Because we want to keep your teeth healthy and strong!”
“Do you have reese cup flavored coco?” Tiggerkat asked
hopefully.
“Of course, Tiggerkat!” an elf smiled and handed one to
her. “And we have a nutella hazelnut flavored
one for you, Nutello, and cheese flavored for Dazzle!”
The elves knew everyone’s name and their favorite
flavors. Candy sweet flavored for Avvy
and Quinn, and blueberry coco for Mimi. The elf that gave one to Huntress, kept
calling her “Carrot” and she addressed Skittles as “Akili” and the crew learned
that was their real names.
The bus was a bit small for the crew (except Avvy) but the
warmth filled them and everyone was happy as they headed into Christmas town.
“Wait! What about
Tater?” Quinn asked.
“I don’t think Tater would like to come into Christmastown.”
Hermey explained. “She, uh, she is
usually on the naughty list, so I don’t think the big guy would approve.”
“The big guy?” Avvy asked
“Santa!” Tiggerkat bounced in her seat. “We get to see Santa! He has all the best reese cups!!”
Hermey smiled. “Tater
will be fine.” He assured Quinn. “I have
a special crew of elves going out to her as we speak!”
^^^^^
“Aha! There be you
gnarly pirates!” Tater drew her bow and
began shooting arrows at a group of elves that were approaching the ship by
ice.
Chapter 19
“Don’t worry, Nutello” Mimi put her arm around Nutello’s
shoulder. In her hand she held her ruby,
which was glowing warmly. “My ruby tells
me Tiggerpaka is alive and well…..and happy?”
Mimi looked at the ruby closer, rubbed it with a paw and then held it up
to look even closer. “Yes, he’s happy.”
“Happy? How can he be
happy?!! He’s still lost, probably still
being held captive, maybe being tortured!” Nutello looked grieved. “How can he be happy without HQ? Without….me?”
“Tell us about these pirates,” Tater interrupted, as she
sharpened the blade of an arrow.
“They be a funny sort of pirate. There be many, but they be small.” Huntress began.
“Small like me?” Asked Avvy.
“Uh, no. Not that
small.” Huntress said, then held up a
paw about 3 feet off the ground, “Small like this.”
“What did they look like?”
Skittles asked.
“They were strangely dressed. All in green.
With pointy shoes, pointy hats and pointy ears.” Huntress said.
“Pointy ears? All in
green? And its super cold?” Nutello suddenly realized where they
were. “Elves! TIGGERKAT!!
You buffoon!! You brought us to
the NORTH POLE !!!”
^^^^^^
“Mr. Tiggerpaka, sir”
Captain Jack knocked on a cabin door. “Be you dressed and ready to go?”
The door slammed open, hitting the Captain in the beak. “Beautiful day, my good Captain! Beautiful day.” Captain Jack rubbed his soar beak and glared
at the meerkat who was oblivious.
Tiggerpaka was dressed in a tux and as he passed the captain he tugged
at his cuff links, then snapped his fingers at Captain Jack and said, “Let’s
not keep the bride awaitin’! Hurry
along! And don’t forget the rings!”
As Captain Jack fell in step behind Tiggerpaka, he gave a
signal to his first mate. Jacquelin
nodded and rushed ahead to lower the plankway which she had covered with a red
velvet runner. She fell in step with
Captain Jack behind Tiggerpaka and the three walked down the plankway to the
beach.
There was a chill in the air, but otherwise a lovely day. A
gazebo had been erected with white streamers, paper wedding bells and colorful
balloons bobbing gently in the light breeze.
The crew was seated on rocks or logs covered in white cloths that were
lined up as pews in a chapel. Under the
gazebo was a lovely red flying squirrel, in a beautiful wedding dress. The train of her dress concealed the leg
chains that bound her and the bouquet covered the cuffs on her hands. A scrutinizing eye could see that she was
slightly, uh,
medicated. Her eyes were droopy
and a bit of drool had gathered at the corner of her mouth.
“Ah, there you are my lovely Meow!” Tiggerpaka smiled with all
the charm he could possibly muster. “You
are a stunning vision, my sweet!” He
hopped onto a stool pulled next to the red squirrel so that he could take her hand. Even on the stool he wasn’t even shoulder
high to Mal. “Meow, what lovely silver
bracelots!” Tiggerpaka commented as he saw her cuffs. “A family heirloom? A little something “borrowed”, maybe? Well I am a traditional meerkat. I have a little something for you, my dear.” He began to dig into the pockets of his
tux. “I see you have something “old” and
something “borrowed” covered, and I have,” he pulled his hand out of his pocket
dramatically, “Something blue!”
The crew flinched and recoiled in disgust as Tiggerpaka held
out a fat blue grub to Mal. It was dead
and oozing from being in his pocket. “Oops,
sorry about that.” Tiggerpaka pushed the
grub back into his pocket. “Guess they
don’t make grubs like the used to!” He
laughed nervously at his own joke.
“What about something “new”?” Crystal called out, amused at the spectacle. Astra snickered beside her.
Tiggerpaka shot them a look of anger. “Watch it you two----or do I have to tell you
about my number two list again?!”
“Oh no! Not the number
two list” Crystal and Astra reeled back feining horror.
“Settle down you scurvy lot!” Captain Jack admonished. “Our guests are beginning to arrive.” Over the snowy dune came a group of unusual
looking individuals.
In the lead was a funny looking fellow in a polka dot
outfit. He introduced himself as
Charlie. Next was a pretty girl who
introduced herself as Dolly. She was
clutching several tissues as she said she cries very easily. Finally there was a Cowboy who was tying up
the Ostrich he rode in on. The group smiled and greeted everyone and took
their seats.
“Ahh, now that everyone is here, let the ceremonies………begin!” Captain Jack said dramatically. He positioned himself between the bride and
groom and began the wedding service.
Chapter 18
Tater sat back, leaning against the boat's rail. “We are slightly outnumbered. We need a plan.”
Nutello perked up.
“We need reconnaissance.”
“Recon-a-cents?” Tiggerkat looked
perplexed, then a look of understanding swept her face. “Reconnaissance! I love reconnaissance! We have a reconnaissance fair out my way
every year in the fall. It is such fun. We dress up in old timey clothes----Ow!” Tiggerkat rubbed her head where Nutello just
rapped her.
“ReCONnaissaince!
Not Renaissance!” Nutello face pawed.
“Ok, Huntress, fly high out of their sight range with this spotting
scope and see what you can learn.”
“Sir, yes sir!” Huntress saluted, took the scope and flew
straight up and out of sight.
Moments later she returned with her report. It was not good news. “There are 1000’s, Sir. 1000’s.
And no sign of Tiggerpaka anywhere.”
She lowered her head sadly, “Perhaps we are too late.”
Nutello looked crest fallen.
^^^^^^
“Captain!” Jacquelyn stood at attention. “Festivities ashore
are complete and ready for that annoy---er, I mean our special guest, sir!”
“Ahhh! Good work,
first mate Jackie!” Captain Jack smiled
broadly across his beak.
“Yes.” Jacquelyn replied.
“And the meal prepared?”
“And Balloons?” the
captain looked dreamly, “I like balloons.
There will be balloons, mate?”
“Er—yes.” Jacquelyn was beginning to wonder who this party
really was for.
“And a very special cake?
Exactly as I ordered?” Captain
Jack leaned closer.
“Yes, Capt’n. Exactly
as you ordered.”
“Bully Jackie! Good
job!” Captain Jack held up his spotting
scope and scanned the shoreline. “And
the others, they know what is expected?”
“Yes, Capt’n…but Mal, she ain’t none to happy, sir.” Jacqueline snickered.
^^^^^^
“I HAVE TO WHAT?!?!!”
Mal’s face reddened with anger.
Crystal choked back her laughter. “Aw, c’mon Mal. It ain’t so bad. Just think, you get ta wear somethin’ pretty!”
Mal shot a total look of evil at the tiger.
“It’s Captain’s orders, Mal.” Astra was not amused, but then
she seldom was.
“I don’t think even Koobedoo’s hypno goggles could make this
work.” Mal eye rolled.
“Where be that salty dog anyway?” Crystal looked around.
“Last I be seein’ her she be tryin’ to hypnotize some sea
birds” Astra smirked. “Fer what purpose
I not be knowin’”
“Nay, not birds. That
looney dog be tryin’ to hypnotize sea turtles.
She be sayin’ they be mighty handy transportation.” Mal explained. “And I don’t care what Cap’n’s orders may
be---I will NOT be marrying that rat!”
Chapter 17
It was dark. No moon, no
stars. The boat was bobbing gently in
the water. The group lifted themselves
slowly up from the deck and peered out.
“Where are we?” Quinn
whispered.
“I don’t know.” Avvy whispered back.
“B-b-b-ut I’m c-c-cold!”
“Snow?” Mimi looked skyward and
put a paw out. “Do I see snow falling?”
“TIGGERKAT!” hissed Nutello loudly. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW!?!”
“SSSHHHHH!!” Tater whispered
harshly, the peered over the boat’s railing.
“I smell pirates!”
“Do you smell Reese Cups?” Tiggerkat whispered. “Because I don’t smell Reese Cups.” She continued
with a furrowed brow. Nutello nudged her
and put a finger to her mouth to signal quiet.
Then she gestured for everyone to get to peek stealthily over the edge of the boat.
They found they were behind an icy large rock outcropping . They
were very near the shoreline, and the waters between them and land was frozen
solid. “Where’s the pirates?” Skittles
asked.
Tater pointed towards a frozen hill above the shoreline. Dozens of men could be seen milling about the
treeline. Wide eyed, Skittles whispered, “That’s not
pirates….that’s a pirate army!”
~.~.~
A fire crackled and spat as it warmed the pirates gathered around
it. There was a definite chill in the
air and a light snow was beginning to fall.
“How much longer you ‘spect Cap’n’s gonna keep that annoyin’ little rat?” muttered a wolf who was stoking the bonfire.
“Aw, C’mon Jacquelyn,” A second wolf replied. “He’s not that annoying,
I kinda feel fer the little feller.”
“Astra, you be one crazy wolf, feelin’ sympathy for that rat” A tiger replied as she turned something over
that was cooking in the fire.
Astra jumped pulling a sword on the tiger. “You wanna see who be the crazy one, there,
Crystal?”
Crystal looked at the sword that
was barely an inch from her nose. She
smiled and nudged it to the side. “Save
yer energy for later, Astra. It ain’t
time to be fightin’ just yet, besides, it’s
all Mal’s fault, anyway.” She pulled
the cooked critter from the fire, it was black and crispy, no longer
identifiable to what it may have been.
Then in one bite, Crystal ate it, then used the stick like a toothpick
to clean her teeth.
Astra sheathed her sword and glared at Crystal. Then she relaxed and smiled, “You can’t
really blame that rat for falling in love with Mal….she is a beauty.”
~.~.~
“Captain! Permission to speak, Sir!” A beautiful red flying squirrel approached a
shadowy figure.
The figure in the darkness sighed.
“What is it now, Mal?” The figure
was seated at a table, finishing a meal.
As it looked up at the squirrel it became apparent that the creature was
a large bird, an oversized sparrow to be exact, with oily black feathers. It had a bandana around its head with beads
dangling from it on one side. Some
braided feathers/ whiskers hung from its beak.
The bird put on a tri-corn hat and leaned back as Mal continued.
“That obnoxious little rat won’t shut up! He’s driving me crazy, singing---“ Mal
looked like she was going to be sick, “Singing Love Songs to me!” She clamped her delicate paws to her ears
and closed her eyes as if in pain.
“Obnoxious is in the eye of the beholders,” the bird smiled and
approached the flying squirrel. “Or so
the saying goes.”
“Cap’n Jack,” Mal sighed, “To what
use do you see in keeping that worthless rat?”
Mal continued. “He orders us all
around, babbles on about tires and blades and poked men. And he thinks he’s an emperor of some country
called ‘Bloggosphere’. Crazy as a loon,
he is!”
“Crazy yes, worthless no.” The
bird stroked his chin, then turned and looked out onto the snow covered beach. He could see his crew by a bonfire. “You see, my dear Mal. There are legends some locals be tellin’. ‘Bout a red pirate of great wealth, with a
passion for funny lookin’ critters and this
funny looking rat is going to help us to catch him.”
“Aye, I’ve heard the legends, I hear it told that this red pirate has a
ship that can fly and is rarely seen in these parts.” Mal elaborated.
“Aye, Mal. And when he comes to
these parts he snatches up the natives, for what purposes we know not,” the
captain commented, “Surely an evil fellow, this one!”
There was a noise at the doorway of the captain’s cabin. “Meow, my sweet! Where are youuuuuu?” sang a voice. Mal rolled her eyes, “For the last
time! It’s MAL! Not Meow!”
The door burst open, a meerkat scampered in, carrying a bouquet of
mashed up orchids. “Ah, my lovely Meow,
here you are!” He presented the messed
up bouquet to the flying squirrel. “A
tribute to your loveliness, my dear.”
Mal grabbed the flowers roughly and stomped out of the cabin. The bird chuckled in amusement. “Ah, Captain Jack! I did not see you there!” The meerkat hopped up on the table.
“So my good man, when do we set sail?
I am getting bored of this cove and I am certain my travel agent
mentioned more warmer climates than what you’ve shown me these past few weeks!” The meerkat leaned into Captain Jack and
pulled his chin whiskers tugging the bird closer to the meerkat’s nose. The meerkat said in a low tone “You ain’t
holdin’ out on me, now are you?”
Captain Jack brushed the meerkat aside and chuckled at his
boldness. “No, dear Tiggerpaka, I do not
intend to be deceptive. I be plannin’ a
great celebration in your honor sir, and I be needin’a little more time.” The sparrow took off his hat and swept it
across him as he bowed.
“A celebration you say?” The
meerkat’s eyes brightened. “Now that’s more
like it!” He hopped from the table and
started out the door of the cabin. As he
left, he waved off the captain dismissively and said “Carry on, my good Captain, carry on!”
Chapter 16
“Not if I have anything to say about it!” The squirrel pushed the two aside and hopped
out of the boat over to the group that appeared to be in riot mode. Except for the starfish that continued to
hide, and the blue squid who was taking video of Mr. Crab’s pending doom.
“Ok you land lubbers!”
The squirrel marched up to the group “It is time for you to go!”
“Sandy! Help me!” Mr.
Crabs cried.
“I’ll help you Sandy!” said Spongebob bravely. “Heeee---ya!”
and he karate chopped through the air wildly with his spatula. He spun around and around, until he ended up
facing the wrong direction. He grinned,
“Hey Sandy! I scared them all off! They’re gone!”
“Uh, Spongebob?”
Sandy said, “Over here.”
Spongebob turned around, “Oh.” He laughed nervously, sweat
dripping. “Uh, I uh, think I hear Gary
calling! Gotta go!” and he ran over to a pineapple and went
inside of it.
The squid began to laugh giddily. “This is the best day ever.” He smirked.
“Squidward!” Sandy
ordered, “C’mon, we gots to help Mr. Crabs!”
“Why?” Squidward said
flatly.
“Ugh! Lousy no-good
squid. Alright you varments! Looks like its just all of you and me
now!” Sandy rolled up her sleeves and
looked murderous. “Last chance to leave
Mr. Crabs alone!:
“Not until he tells us where Tiggerpaka is!” Nutello glared at Mr. Crabs.
“Er, what’s a Tiggerpaka?”
Mr. Crabs asked. “If I knew what you were talking about maybe I could
help ye find some?”
“Nutello?” Huntress
asked. “I don’t think he’s the right
pirate.”
“Pirate?! Mr. Crabs?!” Sandy began to giggle uncontrollably. The minions released the crab, who scuttled
over to Sandy.
“What’s so funny there, you sorry sea rat?!” Mr. Crabs was angry.
Sandy stopped laughing.
“Sea Rat?! Who you callin’ a sea
rat? I ain’t no stupid rat!”
Dazzle perked up at that comment and her eyes glowed red
with anger. She ran up the mast and chewed on some ropes,
releasing a net that swooped down on Sandy and scooped her up. Then Dazzle ran over to the dangling
squirrel and squeaked angrily, shaking a paw at Sandy, then bit Sandy’s tail.
“Ye-OWWWW!!!” Then
Sandy’s eyes turned red and steam blew out of her astronaut’s suit.
“Uh-oh,” said Mr. Crabs, “This don’t look so good!” and he scuttled behind some rocks. Squidward dropped his camera, “Every man for
himself!” and disappeared into a Tiki
statue, you could hear several locks clicking to secure the door.
The steam grew and the squirrel was breathing heavily and
angrily, and was actually growing
larger and larger.
“uh guys?” Huntress
began backing away, “let’s get out of here!”
“RETREAT!” Nutello
ordered and the group scrambled back into the boat.
Once in the boat, Huntress began to draw shapes on the
deck. “Hurry!”
Mimi shouted as the squirrel broke free of her net.
Huntress shouted rapidly:
To the east and to the west
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
Huntress looked around wildly, “this….this……
“REESE CUP!!” Tiggerkat shouted,
throwing her the Reese cup.
Huntress held it high and the world began to spin. Sandy, now a giant squirrel, was stomping
their way like a giant Frankenstein.
Just as she made a swipe to smash the boat, she disappeared.
The group relaxed----but not for long, when the sound came. A sound that surrounded them and filled the
air, over and over again they heard “Hoo--Hoo-Hoo-Hoooooo!” and the sky grew
orange and black striped.
The group covered their ears----but not Tiggerkat, who stood calmly and
grinning. “It’s so prett—eeeeeee!!” She shouted gleefully. A giant tigger appeared in the sky,
bouncing around in the swirls. Then
the giant tigger reached for the Reese cup.
Tiggerkat stopped smiling. “Oh no
you don’t!” and she bounced towards
Huntress.
“No!!!!” Huntress shouted, “You
can’t come in the shapes!!” But it was
too late, Tigger bounced into the center, snatched the Reese Cup and bounced
out. The giant tigger looked down at
the boat, “Where’s My Reese Cup?!” It demanded.
Tiggerkat pretended to throw it overboard.
“There it goes,” Tiggerkat pointed, “Go get it!” The giant tigger disappeared under the
boat.
The swirling, spinning world stopped.
Chapter 15
“So did you knuckleheads find your dear meerkat this time?”
Tater asked dryly.
Nutello shot Tater a dirty look, which made Tater laugh, and
she knew all she needed to know just from that look.
“One more chance,
Nutello!” Huntress pleaded, “I know I
can do it!”
Tiggerkat chimed in, “Take us to Hershey, Pencil
Vani-ya!” Then she leaned over to Mimi
and whispered, “That’s where Reese Cups come from!” Mimi responded with a single raised eye
brow.
“No, I’m going to get us to Tiggerpaka, if it’s the last
thing I do!” Huntress vowed. And she
began to draw on the boats deck.
Everyone covered their ears anticipating the worst.
This time Huntress drew two interlocking triangles. She stood in the middle and began her chant.
To the east and to the west
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
“NNnnooooooooooooooo!!” Screamed
Nutello as the world began to spin. Her
protests were futile.
As Huntress held up the crabby patty a deafening and annoying high
pitched laugh filled the air and could be felt deep into your bones. Everyone clasped their ears and fell to
their knees, eyes squeezed tightly shut as a large yellow square appeared
floating before them.
The yellow square had large eyes and a long nose and two large buck
teeth in a grotesque smile. The square
grabbed the crabby patty and began to sing, “I like krabby patties, I think
they’re swell, can you not tell? Laaaa
lalalalalala!”
“Shoot him! Shot him now!”
Nutello howled on her knees with ears in pain.
Tater drew her bow and loosed the arrow which sank right into the heart
of the yellow square. The yellow square
stopped singing, looked down at the arrow, pulled it out and laughed
obnoxiously and disappeared.
“Ugh!” Mimi groaned,
“Where are we now?”
“We seem to be underwater!”
Avvy said.
“Tiggerkat!
Tiggerkat, stop!” Avvy urged.
“Here, give her this.”
Mimi handed Avvy a reese cup.
Avvy held it under her nose and Tiggerkat grew still, a dreamy smile
breaking across her face. She took the
reese cup, sat up and calmly ate it.
“Nutello?” Huntress
asked, “You’re the Intelligence Officer, where are we now and how is it we are
breathing underwater?”
Nutello shrugged.
“It must be a dream!”
Quinn suggested.
“Or we are all dead.” Nutello muttered.
“Dead?” Came a voice
from a nearby rock. A starfish popped
out from under it, looking terrified. In
a shaky voice it whispered, “I see dead people.” Then he shouted, “Hey Spongebob! I see dead people!” and the starfish laughed
a doofus kinds of laugh.
“Well, they are not very nice dead people, Patrick” said the yellow square with his arms
crossed. “That one shot me with this
feathered toothpick!” He held up the
arrow and shook it angrily at Tater.
Tater shrugged and said, “She told me to,” pointing to
Nutello.
Nutello shouted angrily, “That infernal noise he was making
was so, so, So Annoying!”
“I like that one,” came a third voice, this time from a blue
squid. “She must truly be your Intelligence Officer!”
Then a southern twang was hear, “Intelligence Officer? Did I hear someone say Intelligence
Officer?!” A squirrel in an astronaut’s
suit walked up to the boat. “Well I’ll be hornswaggled! I would love to spend time with you
contemplating the mysteries of the universe.”
The squirrel jumped on board and took Nutello by the paw.
Nutello pulled back and looked at the squirrel like she had
three eyes. “What’s the matter there,
fuzz face, ain’t you never seen a squirrel before?”
“SQUIRREL ?!?!”
Tiggerkat shot up, her head twisting rapidly left and right. “Where’s
the squirrel?!”
“Ok, that one I do NOT like,” said the blue squid flatly.
“Now Squidward, that isn’t nice!” The squirrel said. “You really should---“
“Who in Davey Jones’s Locker are these scallywags?!” A crab scuttled over to the boat.
Before anyone can answer, Tater shouted, “Pirate!”and jumped
over board and pinned the crab to the ground.
She was quickly followed by Nutello and Huntress. They surrounded the crab, all of them had
weapons drawn.
“Hey! Hey now! Hee Hee,” the crab laughed nervously. “Er, what can I do you fellers for?”
“Finally, this is getting interesting,” the blue squid
smiled.
“Where is Tiggerpaka?!”
Nutello demanded.
“Tigger---wha??” The crab sounded confused.
“Leave Mr. Crabs alone!”
The group turned to see Spongebob, with a colander on his head, a pizza
box for a chest protector, shaking a spatula at the minions.
“Oh no!” Quinn said,
she was watching the action from the boat.
“What is it?” asked Avvy.
Quinn frowned “I think there is going to be a huge fight!”
Chapter 14:
(no, you did not miss a chapter!
13 could bring bad luck to the characters, so I skipped it!)
After the group
cleaned up the destroyed section of the forest, including scrubbing the yellow
brick road with toothbrushes, Glinda allowed them to return to their ship.
“Tater! Wake up!”
Nutello pushed the hammock making Tater fall to the floor. The group began to laugh, but Tater sprung
up so fast, sword drawn and pointed into Nutello’s nose. It was so fast that Nutello didn’t have time
to react. The group tensed up,
wondering what would happen, holding their breath.
Tater smiled and
then sheathed her sword. The group
sighed relief. “Never wake me from a
sound sleep” Tater warned, “You just might loose a body part” She chuckled. “So what did the great explorers discover? Did you find Tiggerpaka? Did you leave me some pirates to kill?” She snickered.
“I think you
already know the answer to those questions” Nutello muttered. Then she turned to Huntres. “Okay, think you can get it right this
time?”
Huntress stuck
her tongue out at Nutello, then reviewed her book. She erased the previous drawing on the deck and this time drew a
square surrounded by a circle. She got
into the center of the shapes and reminded everyone to be silent. Then she closed her eyes and chanted:
To the east and to the west
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
“Pie?!” Nutello
faced paw, “Now the gods want piiiiiiiiieeeee—“ and again the world spun wildly
into a blur, but the boat did not move.
“I hope we don’t see Kit Kat again!” Tiggerkat looked upwards. There began another annoying droning
sound. “oh no” Tiggerkat said
flatly. Everyone covered their ears as
a “Woof! Woof! Woof!” sound repeated
over and over and over, getting louder and louder. But it wasn’t a cat, this time is was a small dog----in a taco
shell, pooping confetti.
He swooped down and grabbed the pie and disappeared, three
arrows flying after it, one after the other.
The noise disappeared and the world stopped spinning. “Almost got it!” Tater growled.
“Where are we this time?”
Quinn asked.
“I smell candy!” Avvy smiled. “Just like what I used to make a long time ago,” Avvy got a far
off look on her face, then frowned.
“But I don’t want to talk about it”
Tiggerkat was wiping big drops of drool from her lips, “I
smell Chocolate! And Peanut Butter!”
“Look!” Mimi
pointed. “A factory!” You could make out the smoke stacks just
over the hill from where the boat was standing. But it wasn’t smoke pouring out of the stacks, it was a rainbow
of colors, and a rainbow of smells!
Chocolate, blueberry, cherry, grape, peanut butter and more!
I’m getting hungry just describing it!
**Author takes a break**
**15 minutes later, wiping chocolate from mouth**
Ok, where were we?
Oh! They didn’t wait
for me!!
The group is already up to the factory doors, and Nutello is
knocking on the front door!
**Author runs to catch up**
“About time!” Nutello looked over her shoulder at the
author.
“Who is it?” came a voice from the other side of the door.
“Nutello and crew!”
Nutello answered
”Do you have your golden ticket?” the voice inquired.
“Uh, yeah, sure!” Nutello lied.
The door opened.
Before the group was a strange looking man wearing purple clothes and a
red top hat. “Welcome! My Name is Mr. Wonka, and this is my
Chocolate Factory!” He spread his arms
wide in a welcoming motion.
He looked at the group, showing a large, wide cheerful
grin. “Now, present your tickets
please!” Everyone looked nervous, and
looked a Nutello.
“Tickets?” Mr. Wonka asked again. Nutello hung her head and everyone looked at her angrily.
Mr. Wonka’s arms dropped to his sides. “NO TICKETS! NO CANDY!” and he slammed
the door shut in their faces.
”Way to go Nutey-o!”
Tiggerkat glared angrily at Nutello.
“Well it’s a waste of time anyway,” Nutello turned to head
back to the boat. “It’s not like Tiggerpaka’s here anyway.”
“But I smell Reese Cups!!!” Tiggerkat wailed woefully. She collapsed in a dramatic heap on the
ground.
Mimi, Avvy and Quinn rushed to her side. “I think she’s dying!” Mimi exclaimed.
“No she’s not” said Nutello who had already started walking
away.
“But she’s not breathing!” Quinn shouted after Nutello
“She’s fine!” Nutello called back
“I can’t find a heartbeat!”
Avvy hollered to Nutello.
“Nutello, shouldn’t you do something?” Huntress asked. Nutello stopped. Huntress and Skittles
looked concerned.
Nutello sighed, turned to face the group. “I was saving this for an emergency, but I
guess now will do.” She reached into her back pack and pulled out a bag of
Reese Cup miniatures. She ripped open
the bag and waved a hand to make the smell waft back towards Tiggerkat.
When the smell reached Tiggerkat her nose began to sniff and
wiggle. A huge smile broke across her
lips and she actually floated in the air!
Then her eyes popped open, “Reese Cups!” and she landed bouncing on her
tail and pounced Nutello to the ground.
Tiggerkat sat on Nutello’s stomach and dug a paw into the bag of candy
and began chowing down.
“Ugh!” Nutello
grunted, “Get off!”
Tiggerkat obliged, Skittles helped Nutello to her feet
and the group returned to the boat.
Chapter 12:
“What the heck!”
Nutello cried out. “I think my ears are
bleeding!”
“I wanted to
shoot that thing with my arrows,” grumbled Tater, “But I couldn’t let go of my
ears!”
“Did that think
actually poop rainbows?” Tiggerkat
asked.
“Kinda, sort of,
but not really,” Huntress replied.
“Wow!” Said
Nutello dripping in sarcasm, “Great explanation.”
“Where are
we?” asked Avvy.
“It looks so
strange! But Colorful! And
pretty!” Mimi studied the new
surroundings. It was like a dense green
forest. But with large colorful flowers
and mushrooms. “And there is a road
that looks paved with yellow bricks!”
“Let’s
explore!” Skittles said excitedly and
jumped off the boat. “Come on
everyone!”
“Do you think its
safe?” Quinn asked.
“My ruby doesn’t
seem alarmed.” Mimi replied.
“Good enough for
me!” And Tiggerkat bounced out of the
ship.
Nutello
sighed. “C’mon, let’s go.” Dazzle was already in place on her
shoulder. The group began to climb out
of the boat. Except for Tater. “Are you
coming?” Nutello asked.
“Someone has to
stay and guard the ship.” Tater replied.
“Suit yourself”
Nutello said as she hit the ground.
“I always do”
Tater replied as she fashioned a hammock to nap in while everyone else
explored.
“Its so
pretty!” Mimi said again, taking it all
in.
“And huge!” Said
Avvy who was dwarfed by the giant mushrooms.
Skittles ran all
over, around the flowers and mushrooms.
She was a blur amongst all the colors. Tiggerkat bounced from mushroom to mushroom shouting in glee. Mimi, Quinn and Avvy were sampling some of
the fruits. Huntress began to soar at
the top of the forrest.
“I see
something!” Huntress said.
“Tiggerpaka?”
Nutello asked.
“I don’t think
so, its too pretty for pirates or Tiggerpaka.
It’s some kind of village” Huntress answered. “And there are lots of people---little people. And they’re headed this way!”
“Minions to
Battle Stations!” Nutello ordered,
getting into a fighting stance.
Skittles ran up and posed in a fight stance next to Nutello and Huntress
swooped down to do the same.
“What about
us?” Avvy asked.
“You are honorary
minions, come to battle station!”
Nutello ordered.
Quinn, Mimi and
Avvy looked at each other. Mimi
shrugged and the three lined up along with the three real minions. But they stood there looking awkwardly. “Fighting stance, minions!” Nutello ordered.
“We don’t really
have one” Quinn said.
“Yeah, I’m more
of a free lancer, kinda do my own style” Avvy explained.
“Uh, guys? Where’s Tiggerkat?” Mimi asked.
The group looked around. Avvy grinned and pointed at an orange and
black striped mushroom---with a tail.
“Just leave her there, she will be the most help when she is no help”
Nutello said.
Just then there
was a rustling sound. A group of
colorful, but very small people emerged.
Only Avvy and Dazzle were smaller.
Nutello smiled, feeling no threat of danger from these little people.
“Hello, I’m
Nutello, Leader of this group,” Nutello smiled in a friendly manner. Suddenly Tiggerkat’s head shot up from
behind the mushroom.
“But I’m the
Captain!” Tiggerkat then hid again.
A murmur broke
across the group of little people and the leader spoke up in a squeaky voice,
“What was that?” The leader approached
Tiggerkat and as he went around the mushroom, Tiggerkat moved around the
mushroom, so each were circling it around and around. Then the leader turned around and said “Gotcha!” and threw his arms around Tiggerkat.
Tiggerkat
panicked and began to bounce wildly around.
The little man was flopping wildly, hanging on for dear life! “Heee—llll---ppp !!” he cried out.
“Tiggerkat!
Stop!” Nutello ordered, “They’re friendly!”
“He won’t let go
of meeeeee!!” Tiggerkat panicked
further. The group of little people
became alarmed. They started chasing
Tiggerkat in circles, jumping and trying to catch their leader. Then Quinn, Avvy, and Mimi started chasing
the group that was chasing Tiggerkat and the little man stuck on her. The entire situation crumbled into
chaos. Nutello was running around
shouting for everyone to stop, but no one could hear her. Huntress and Skittles were running around
trying to stop Nutello. Flowers were
being trampled, mushrooms knocked over and leaves torn from trees.
Suddenly there
was a bright white flash in the air.
Everyone came to a grinding halt.
A beautiful woman in a sparkling white dress appeared before
everyone. She looked angry. Hands on her hip, one of them holding
a magic wand. The little people
immediately bowed.
“What is going
on?” the woman demanded in a tone of authority.
The leader had
finally gotten to his feet, but his head was still bowed as he approached her
to respond, “My dear Glinda, strangers have entered our land. This bouncy one,” he pointed to Tiggerkat,
“Tried to kidnap me!”
Tiggerkat’s eyes
grew wide with surprise, “Me? What? You?” she stuttered. “You tried to kidnap
me!”
Then arguing
broke out on all sides, the noise growing louder and louder. Glinda put her hands over here ears,
“Enough! Stop this! Stop this now!” The group fell to silence. “Who among you strangers is the
leader?”
Nutello and
Tiggerkat looked at each other, then at Glinda, then back to each other. Simultaneously they pointed at each other
and said, “She is!”
Glinda face
palmed. She looked at Huntress. “You there, with the beautiful wings” Huntress blushed. “Please explain yourselves to me”
Huntress began,
“We are looking for our leader, Tiggerpaka, he was captured by pirates.”
Glinda looked surprised, “Pirates?” she laughed. “I assure you, there are no pirates here! You are looking in the wrong place!”
Now Nutello face
palmed and looked evilly at Huntress.
“Nice spell.”
“Maybe I wasn’t
supposed to use the cake” Huntress pondered thoughtfully.
Chapter 11:
“So how does it
work?” Tiggerkat asked Huntress.
Huntress closed
her eyes. “I will need absolute
silence.” She ordered.
The group stood
still. A low grumble could be
heard. “Shhhh!” Huntress warned. She began to draw a large triangle with
chalk on the boat’s deck. The grumble
sound grew louder. “Shush!” Huntress spoke harshly. Then she drew a circle around the triangle
and stood in the center of the shapes.
The grumble growled again.
Huntress put her paws on her hips, “Who keeps doing that noise?!” She demanded.
The group looked
around and Tiggerkat blushed. “Sorry,”
she said, “It’s my tummy, I haven’t had a reese cup for a couple of hours now.”
“Well get a reese
cup so you can be absolutely silent!”
Huntress waited impatiently while Tiggerkat disappeared below deck. Five minutes later she returned to an
impatient group, wiping peanut butter and chocolate off her face. There was one glob still hanging on her
whisker and it bounced as she walked.
Avvy and Quinn saw it and cracked up.
Then the rest of the group saw it and pointed at Tiggerkat and laughed.
“What did I miss
something?” Tiggerkat wondered
aloud.
“Enough!” And a
sword swiped Tiggerkat’s face, narrowly missing her nose, but slicing off the
globbed whisker. Tiggerkat wrapped
both paws around her muzzle and glared at Tater who sheathed her sword. Tater was getting restless and
impatient. “Hurry up, Huntress. Cast your spell and get us moving!”
Huntress cleared
her throat and began to chant:
To the east and to the west
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
Huntress produced
a small cake, and held it upwards in the air while bowing.
The group
remained silent, heads bowed. Then one
by one, they looked up and around, waiting for something to happened. Then Nutello broke the silence. “Cake?” Nutello asked. “Cake? The gods want cake?”
Huntress glared
at Nutello. “Yes, they like cake.”
Nutello
responded. “Well? Nothing seems to be happening.”
Huntress began to
look concerned.
“Maybe you said
it wrong?” Quinn offered helpfully.
Huntress picked
up her dusty old book and reviewed the spell.
“No, I think I said it right,” she said.
“Ugh! Worthless
spell!” Nutello began stomping around in anger. “We are stuck here! We
are nev---“ And suddenly the world
began to spin, faster and faster, into a blur.
The boat itself did not move.
The world was a blur of colors, nothing was recognizable, then it seemed
to explode around them, into stars…and rainbows. A droning sound from distance grew louder and louder. Then the sound became more clear, it was a
repeating sound, a single word---a single, obnoxious word, “Nyan! Nyan! Nyan!”
over and over again.
“Kit Kat!” Tiggerkat pointed upwards.
“She’s stuck in a
strawberry poptart!” Mimi exclaimed.
“That’s NOT Kit Kat!” Tiggerkat covered her ears
“It’s worse!!” and her voice was
drowned out by the “Nyan Nyan Nyan!” noise.
Everyone covered their ears, tears slipping from their eyes, gritting their teeth in pain from the
noise. The creature scooped up the
cake and disappeared. And the noise
too. The spinning of the world
slowed. And ever slowly, the world
came back into focus….a world no one recognized.
Back at headquarters, Tiggerpaka marched around inspecting
his offices and minions. He found many
minions to be in contempt of his orders as they did not carry on TFEOBB during
his absence as he instructed.
He ordered his minions to go out and complete their drills
in triple time to give him time to ponder their punishment. But he had Nutello stay behind for
debriefing.
“Nutello, I am afraid
it is the end of an era. Time to
dismantle headquarters, I need to figure
out how to break the news to the minions.”
“What do you mean, Sir?”
Nutello asked
“Well, with Pokemon and Tireblade thoroughly defeated, we have no enemies to
conquer. I wonder if it is time to
retire.” Tiggerpaka looked sadly at his
super computers.
“What do you mean, Sir?”
Nutello was confused. “You have
tons of enemies! Everyone hates you.”
Tiggerpaka whipped around and glared at Nutello. “I, I, I mean,”Nutello stammered.
Tiggerpaka raised one glared eyebrow at Nutello, “Yes?”
“Uh, I, uh…..the pirates!”
Her body relaxed as she went on, “The pirates that kidnapped you! Wouldn’t they be suitable enemies for you to
obsess----I mean, focus on?”
“Hmmmmmm” Tiggerpaka
stroked his chin thoughtfully. “There
was one.” Tiggerpaka explained. “As I was on that ship I was hypnotized by
a dastardly dog named Scoobeedoo. She
had a powerful weapon---greater than any we have ever devised---she
had----hypno goggles. And while I was
under her control I am sure she learned all of my secrets, so she would know what a formidable enemy I
would be! Which would explain her
eagerness to flee the wedding….”
Tiggerpaka’s thoughts drifted off to that day, and he smiled fondly and
sighed, then whispered a soft, “meow.”
“Yeah, what a horrible day!
You were definitely under the effects of
that evil Scoobeedoo’s hypno-goggles!
Why else would you leave Helga for a
squirrel!” Nutello punched her
fist into her paw. “Yes, definitely
worthy of replacing Pokemon and Tireblade on your number 2 list!!”
“I wasn’t under hypnosis then, you moron!” Tiggerpaka argued. “Scoobeedoo hypnotized me to write that
stupid letter demanding to be rescued!
She wanted to get rid of me, jealous of the attention the Captain was
giving me! I was their pampered guest. That old crow loved me! Best vacation ever!” Tiggerpaka sighed recalling the events of
the summer.
“Wait a minute! You
didn’t want to be rescued?” Nutello said
in dis-belief.
“Rescue? From
what? A pirate themed cruise? Beautiful squirrels?” Tiggerpaka was pacing circles, arms flying as
he talked. “I was the happiest I had
ever been….except it was cold. I didn’t
like that.” Tiggerpaka stopped pacing. “Put that island on my number 2 list as
well!”
“What about Helga?”
Nutello asked.
“I don’t think she should be on the number 2 list,
Nutello” Tiggerpaka said very
seriously. “She is after all the mother
of my kits!”
Nutello face pawed.
“No, that’s not what I meant. How
could you be on that island about to marry that squirrel when you are married
to Helga?!”
Tiggerpaka froze in his tracks and shuddered. Then relaxed and said, “All part of my master
plan, a, uh, a ruse, yes, that’s it, it was all a ruse.”
“But that makes no sense,” Nutello said.
“Oh ye of little brain” Tiggerpaka said as he walked out of
HQ, turning out the lights on Nutello, “Making no sense IS my master plan.”
Chapter 27
As the balloon began to lift off, Helga rushed and
leaped. She grabbed the side of the
basket and back flipped ninja style into the basket landing in between Pokemon
and Tireblade. The basket began
bouncing wildly in the air, hovering about three feet off the grounds. All kinds of noises could be heard----screams
and beggings for mercy. Pokemon tried to
escape, blood streaking his face, horror in his eyes as tiny meerkat paws yoked
him back in.
Captain Jack looked at Tiggerpaka. “Shouldn’t you be helpin’ the old gal, there
Tiggerpaka? After all, it seems that
she is your beloved wife.”
Tiggerpaka could not take his eyes off the basket of the hot
air balloon. “I never thought I would
see the day, “Tiggerpaka was barely more than a whisper, “That I felt sorry for
Tireblade and Pokemon.”
^^^^^^^
“Captain!” Jacquelyn
nudged the large sparrow. “Look up
there!” She pointed to a sled pulled by
reindeer, that appeared to be falling from the sky. “It’s the flying ship! The Red Pirate is here!”
“Well I’ll be scally-wagged!” Captain Jack sputtered. “It worked! My Plan worked!”
He turned to his crew, “Ladies! To battle stations! The Red Pirate has arrived!”
Crystal and Jacquelyn
looked at each other. “Uh, Captain?”
“Yes me pets?”
Captain Jack couldn’t take his eyes off the plummeting sled.
“Mal is sleeping in a fetal position at the alter, Astra is
gone, takin’ the Hurl, Koobedoo and his hypno-goggles.”
Captain Jack snapped back to reality. “Drat!
My plans be foiled!” At that,
Captain Jack flapped his wings and took to the air, “Me ladies!” He hollered to the crew, “Take the rest of
the day off!” Then he added, “Without
pay, of course!”
Jacqelyn and Crystal exchanged glances of disgust and
anger. “Me thinks Astra had the right
idea!” Jacquelyn muttered.
“Perhaps it not be too late to catch up with her,” Crystal
said. “C’mon, help me get Mal outta here.
I think I knows where the Black Hurl be headed!”
^^^^^
As he beach cleared of pirates, the Island guests looked
around at the confusion. “So much for
this wedding!” Charlie pouted in a soft
raspy voice. “Guess I’ll just go home
and go to bed and start dreaming about the next wedding.”
“I haven’t any dreams left to dream,” Dolly cried.
“Hey, what’s that?”
The cowboy pointed to the sky.
“It’s Santa! It’s
Santa!” Charlie began jumping up and
down.
The sled landed gently on a nearby frost covered dune. Motion sick anthro’s crawled out of the sled, throwing
up from the turbulent ride. The
elves hopped out wondering what their problem was, as to them that was a
normal, smooth landing. Charlie, Dolly
and the Cowboy rushed over to joyfully great the elves and Santa. “Who are all these people?” Charlie asked.
Hermey tried to explain “We are looking for ---Tiggerpaka!!” The meerkat had leaped onto Hermeys head,
frantic.
“You gotta get me outta here! Now!
Now! NOWW---TELLO???” Tiggerpaka perched on Hermey’s head watching
Nutello wretch. “What are you doing
here? Huntress? Tiggerkat?
Cookie?”
“Mimi!” Mimi
responded, “Not Cookie!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Tiggerpaka jumped off of Hermey’s head and stood straight and tall,
attempting to take command over his minions.
Nutello wiped her face and looked at Tiggerpaka with relief
and disbelief. She rushed over and scooped
him up into a bear hug. “You’re alive!”
“Not for long you oaf!
Put me down!” Tiggerpaka could
barely breath. Nutello set him down then
saluted and remained at attention.
“Nutello reporting to duty, Sir!”
But just that quick, Tiggerpaka had disappeared. Dazzle started squeeking from inside the
sled. “Pipe down you rat!” Tiggerpaka hissed. “Santa!
Quick! Get this thing moving!”
Everyone looked at Santa, to see his reaction to Tiggerpaka’s
orders. But Santa wasn’t reacting. He was
watching the basket of the hot air balloon.
The basket was bouncing and screeching and sounds of pain came from
it. The suddenly, it went dead still
and silent.
Everyone watched as Helga stepped daintily from the
balloon. As she stepped to the ground,
she gingerly brushed some dust off of herself, then delicately picked up her parasol. Helga used the tip of her parasol to push
at the basket and the hot air balloon lifted and drifted higher and higher,
disappearing in the sky.
Helga batted her eye lashes at Tiggerpaka who was staring in disbelief from the sled. “Ah, my sweet Paka, always so thoughtful and romantic! I see you have arranged for a beautiful carriage to take us home!” She climbed in the sled and put her arms lovingly around Tiggerpaka.
Chapter 26
In a fury, Tiggerpaka rushed over to a funny looking boy
with big round glasses and a roughed up black jaguar and leaped onto them. They were like a bouncing dust ball of fur
and fury rolling all over the beach.
“Captain? What should we do?!”
Jacqueline’s eyes were wide with excitement.
Before Captain Jack could respond Helga marched over to the
tussling ball and began beating incessantly with her parasol. The ball fell into a heap of meerkat, boy and jaguar. Helga reached in and yoked Tiggerpaka by the
ear. She kept pulling his ear, yoking
him away from Pokemon and Tireblade.
“Paka! What has gotten in to
you?! You leave these nice young boys
alone!”
As she yoked Tiggerpaka into an upright stance and began
brushing dirt and sand off of him. He
glared at his mortal enemies and they snickered and stuck their tongues out at
him. “Enough of this foolishness! It is time to go home!” Helga looked over at Pokemon and Tireblade,
“Boys, prepare the balloon for our travels home, please.”
Pokemon spoke up as he and Tireblade scurried to the
Balloon. “Ha! You’re on your own you old wind bag!”
^^^^^^^
“We are coming up on the Island now.” Santa hollered to the group as the wind was
rushing around him, making it difficult to be heard. “We are going to begin our descent, so please
fasten your seat belts!”
“Seatbelts?”
Tiggerkat said curiously. “What
seatbel----“
The sled turned so sharply that everyone fell, tumbling
against the side of the sled. They sled
began to spiral downward through the clouds towards land below. The turning was so fast that the forces held
everyone in. As they got closer to the
ground they could see that they were approaching a beach. And below they could see several people—I
mean anthro’s,---- gathered at what looked like a wedding ceremony gone awry.
^^^^^^^^
Tiggerpaka froze in fear.
He had never been so afraid in his life.
No one, and I mean NO ONE talks to Helga like that. Helga’s eyes narrowed as Pokemon and
Tireblade ran, laughing and giving each other fist bumps of congratulations,
back towards the hot air balloon. As
they jumped into the basket, a wisp of steam escaped Helga’s nostrils. As they pulled in the weights that anchored
the balloon, one of Helga’s feet scraped the ground like a bull about to
charge.
^^^^^^
“Ow!” Mimi dropped
her ruby.
“Bumpy ride!” Avvy
said, clutching Huntress for dear life.
“No—not that” Mimi looked confused. “My ruby---its glowing
red hot. It has never burned like that
before!”
“What does that mean?”
Nutello asked, holding Dazzle with one hand and holding the side of the
sled with the other.
“I’m not sure, but something horrible is about to
happen!” Mimi said as she looked Nutello
in the eye. “I think someone is about to
die!”
Chapter 25
“Paka, dear!” A plump and cheery meerkat climbed out of the
balloon’s basket, hold a lacy pink parasol over her head. “You are late for dinner!” She frowned slightly and looked down at her
watch. “8 weeks late to be exact.”
Tiggerpaka rushed to her side. “My Sweets!
Thank goodness you got here! I
was held captive by these pirates! It
was terrible! They tortured me!”
Helga giggled, “Oh Paka, such imagination you and your
little friends have!”
Captain Jack, Jacqueline and Crystal were trying to take it
all in. “What’s going on?” Crystal asked.
“More guests for the wedding, Tiggerpaka?” Captain Jack
called, trying to regain control.
“Wedding?” Helga said.
“Oh, I love weddings! Who is
getting married?”
Tiggerpaka tried to command himself invisible as Captain
Jack said, “Why Tiggerpaka is of course!”
^^^^^^
The Ruby in Mimi’s paw glowed more intensely. “We have to hurry!” Mimi pleaded.
“It doesn’t look good! I think if
we don’t get there soon----he’s going to die!”
Nutello let out a gasp, then fainted.
^^^^^
A flicker of red flashed through Helga’s eyes. But Captain Jack continued. “Won’t you join us? And your friends as well?” That is when Tiggerpaka noticed Helga was not
alone.
“Pokemon! Tireblade!” Tiggerpaka hissed.
^^^^^^
When Nutello came to, she found herself in a sled---Santa’s
sled---flying high in the sky being pulled by reindeer.
“WHHhhhhheeeeeeeeee!!”
Tiggerkat yelled cheerfully.
Nutello turned over to Huntress, “Where are we? Where are we going?”
“WHHhhhhhhhheeeeeeee!!”
Tiggerkat continued.
“And how long has she been doing that?!” Nutello gestured at Tiggerkat.
Huntress replied, “We are over the North Pole. We are headed to the Island of Misfit
Toys. And for about 10 minutes now.”
Chapter 24:
Chaos began to ensue as elves began denying they were
pirates, as accused by Tater. Some were
beginning to look at each other suspiciously, Santa was losing his patience.
“Oh no!” Mimi said,
bringing everyone’s attention to her.
She was holding her ruby, it was glowing. “Something is wrong, Tiggerpaka is not
happy----he’s scared----terrified, actually!”
^^^^
“Helga!” Tiggerpaka
exclaimed as he hopped down from the stool and rushed to the balloon. “Helga my sweet!!” Tiggerpaka blushed and laughed
awkwardly. “I-uh-I can explain!”
^^^^
“Santa!” Nutello
pleaded. “We have to find Tiggerpaka and
save him!”
“Fine, Hermey! Fire
up the locator beam!” Santa
ordered. Heremy ran from the room.
“And now for you and this pirate nonsense!” Santa turned to Tater.
Tater eye rolled.
She began to point to specific elves stating them to be pirates. It was about 15 of them, and they began to
look around nervously. That made Santa
suspicious, so he whistled loudly.
Suddenly a security force rushed into the room. They were abdominal snowmen in uniforms. They rounded up the elves for
interrogation. But before they could
even ask the first question Avvy ran over and began to eye them up and
down. She finally settled on one
particular elf. She walked up to him
and tweaked his neck in such a way he was paralyzed, but still able to speak.
“Spill it!” Avvy demanded.
A bead of sweat rolled down the paralyzed elf. Then he whimpered and whispered, “Aye. It be
true.”
A gasp could be heard throughout the room. Avvy released them and the security removed
them from the room. Santa smiled
broadly. “Well, well! Put Avvy back on the Nice List!” and an elf quickly complied. “And Tater too.”
Tater growled. “I
don’t want to be on the Nice List! I
just want to fight pirates!”
“He may still have a chance, “ Heremy spoke as he re-entered
the room holding a report.
“I’ve found Tiggerpaka---he’s nearby---and being held by Captain Jack.”
“I’ve found Tiggerpaka---he’s nearby---and being held by Captain Jack.”
Chapter 23
“I know he sometimes is not nice,” Nutello said softly, wanting to defend her boss.
“Sometimes!!!” Santa
was truly shocked. “Sometimes?” Santa face palmed. “Hermey, bring us the book for
Tiggerpaka. Hermey left the room, then
came back with a wagon. In the wagon
was the biggest book anyone had ever seen.
Skittles got excited, hoping it was a dictionary, or maybe even a text book. But then she saw the cover, which said,
“Tiggerpaka”.
“Open to any random page,” Santa challenged.
Nutello opened the book, it took all her strength just to
get to the middle. Santa leaned
over. “Yes, the episode where Tiggerpaka
kidnapped Tiggerkat.” Tiggerkat
shuttered in memory of the event. “Now
turn to another spot.”
Nutello turned several handfuls of pages. Santa leaned in again, “And this is the
episode where he broke into Little Billy’s house---thinking he was at some
fictional pokemon’s HQ.” Nutello
blushed, because she had been there with him.
“There has to be one nice thing in here.” Nutello
insisted.
“IF you can find it------“
Santa was cut off as a huge commotion came in through the front
doors. Everyone turned to see a group
of about 20 elves dragging a large net, inside which was----Tater!
“Now what?” Santa
asked the elves.
“This one tried to kill us!” said one elf.
“She kept calling us pirates!” said a second elf.
“You are a bunch of gnarly pirates!” Tater bellowed.
“Release her!” Santa
ordered. As the wolf struggled free of
the net, Santa sighed. “Tater, it’s
you.” Tater’s eyes narrowed. Santa turned to the group, “She is number 2
on my naughty list.” He explained.
“You may want to re-think that!” Tater challenged Santa.
“Excuse me?” Santa’s
eyes narrowed.
“Your elves have been compromised,” Tater scanned the room,
“By Pirates!”
^^^^^^
“That has to be the easiest mutiny ever!” Astra laughed as Koobeedo pulled anchor and
she took the wheel. A wind puffed out
the sails of the ship and they headed out of the cove. “The Black Hurl, she be all mine now!”
^^^^^
Captain Jack spoke,
“I hear by pronounce ye, man and wi-----me ship!! ME HURL!” Captain Jack began to run down the
aisle. Jacqueline and Crystal blocked
his run, and restrained him. Jacqueline
whispered into his ear, “Calm ye Captain, we shall get the Black Hurl later,
finish the ceremony!”
Crystal emphasized, “We be so close to settin’ the trap fer
the Red Pirate! Legend sez he can’t
resist misfits and what be a greater misfit than these two married!”
Captain Jack broke free but stood in place, watching his ship shrinking on the horizon. He sighed,
“I knew all along they be plannin’ a mutiny.
Now they be fallin for me other trap.”
Crystal and Jacqueline looked at each other, not sure if he was serious
or just trying to save face.
“Let’s finish up!”
Captain Jack returned to the couple about to be wed. The remaining guests were unsure of
everything they had seen, and were now looking at what appeared to be a hot air
balloon approaching from the sky.
“I know pronounce yee, Man and Wife!” Captain Jack said with a flurish. He leaned over to Tiggerpaka and said, “Yee
may kiss da bride!”
As Tiggerpaka raised on this tip toes a deep, deep chill
went through his spine as he heard, “Yooooo Hoooooo!!!”
Chapter 22;
“S-s-s-santa!”
Tiggerkat said, chocolate and peanut butter smeared all over her hands
and face. She looked at the mess she had
made, then her hands and quickly hid them behind her back. She tried to scoot in front of her pile of
reese cups and wrapper.
“Tiggerkat!” Santa
said and then he looked at each and every one of the others, “Avvy, Quinn,
Mimi, Huntress and Skittles….you are being very naughty right now, you
know.” And elf was busily erasing
several items off of one paper list and writing several items on a second list
as Santa spoke.
The group hung their head in shame. Dazzle continued to eat her cheese. Since she technically was a pet, she was off
the hook!
“And you Nutello.” Santa continued. “You seem to be the only
nice one here.” Then the elf was erasing
one thing off the second list and wrote one thing on the first.
“What do you want us to do with their presents?” Hermey asked.
Santa sighed. “We
will have to see how well behaved they are until Christmas, but for now, gather up what you can and take them
back to the work room.” Hermey and other
elves did as directed, but left Dazzle with her cheese, because, again, she is
technically a pet. Dazzle grinned then
stuck her tongue out of the group as their gifts were taken from them. Then she ate another chunk of cheese.
“Nutello.” Santa
began, “Now that you are on the Nice List, what would you like for Christmas?”
Nutello had tears welling up in her eyes. “Just one thing, sir.” Her voice was barely
more than a whisper. “To bring
Tiggerpaka home.”
At the sound of his name, Santa’s eyes grew wide then
narrowed and his face turned red.
“Tiggerpaka?! Tiggerpaka!! Do you realize he
is at the TOP of my naughty list?”
^^^^^^
Captain Jack continued the ceremony. But sounding a bit subdued, almost
monotone. The audience stared blankly. Except for Astra and Koobeedo. “What we be doin’ next, Astra?” the dog asked in a whisper.
“Me thinks it be time to head back to the ship.” Astra whispered.
Koobeedo continued, “What about the rat? You said you wanted to see him free. Should I go snatch him?”
Astra smiled and whispered.
“He will be free soon enough,”
she looked up into the sky at a tiny dot
that was slowly growing as it was coming closer. “I think he be rescued very soon in
fact.” And with that the two slipped off
the shoreline and returned to the ship.
Chapter 21
“You forgot the ring?!?” Captain Jack was shaking in anger.
Jacqueline quivered in fear. The Captain was angrily and rapidly
approaching her, a wing raised for a strike.
“Here it is! Here it
is!” a pirate dog with funny looing
goggles atop his head came running up to Captain Jack. He presented a twisted loop of wire to the
Captain.
“What in blue blazes is this piece of junk!” Captain Jack
roared.
The dog nodded his head causing his goggles to fall over his eyes. “It be a perfectly good ring, Captain.” The dog said calmly. Then the dog looked through his goggles at the entire group, “A beautiful ring to boot!” and the crowd obediently oohed and ahhhed.
Captain Jack seemed confused, but calmed and took the wire
loop back to the front of the service.
The dog joined the group, sitting next to Astra, who was wearing unusual
green sun glasses. Astra leaned over to
the dog, “Good job Koobedoo,” she smiled and continued to whisper, “I see you
got yer hypno-goggles fixed up!”
Kobeedo smiled, tail
wagging at the praise. “Yep, it be fixed
up just in time to carry out yer plan fer de ole’ cap’n!”
^^^^^^
The bus drove through Christmastown. The group looked at all the small houses
(which were still too big for Avvy, Quinn teased her tiny friend) and in the
distance they could see a factory where
all the toys were made. Near the factory
was a beautiful castle, decorated like Christmas time with beautiful Christmas
trees, red and green lights, candy canes and other fantastic things.
As the bus approached the group was speechless at its
grandeur. The bus stopped at the
massive front door that was flanked with two elves. Hermey got off the bus and spoke with
them. Then as the group unloaded from
the bus, the elves blew long trumpets and the doors slowly opened before them.
A warm glow and the smells of every tasty thing you could
imagine wafted through those open doors.
The group about knocked all the
elves over trying to get inside. It was
so colorful and brightly lit. Glowing
Christmas trees and brightly covered packages with beautiful ribbons could be
seen all over.
“Is it Christmas already?”
Quinn said as she turned circles to take it all in.
“Maybe we time traveled on that boat.” Avvy speculated.
Hermey laughed, “No, it’s still September. We just have so many gifts to deliver that
it is an all year job!”
“Lookie here!! Lookie
here!” Tiggerkat was under a huge tree
that stood beneath a sign that said “Belize”.
She was tearing open the orange wrapping paper to expose a giant box of
Reese Cups. “You were right
Nutello! There is a Reese Cup
Treasure!!”
Nutello groaned, but everyone else ran over to find their
gifts. Everyone found their package and began to
tear them open.
Avvy found her gift to be a candy making machine. “It’s
portable! Now I can make candy
anywhere!” she hugged it gleefully.
Quinn was admiring her new fishing pole and Skittles was
already reading the new set of encyclopedias.
Nutello walked past Mimi and Huntress as they admired each other’s
gifts. Nutello was getting angrier by
the minute, then she found Dazzle----she was sitting on a huge block of cheese,
leaned back and munching on a chunk in her paw.
That was the last straw for Nutello. She began to yell, “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
PEOPLE!?! WE ARE ON A MISSION!
IT IS NOT CHRISTMAS TIME!”
She continued to rant, creating a scene.
All the elves stopped what they were doing and were staring at her. They were no longer smiling. Even the music came to a halt.
But Nutello was stopped when she heard a booming voice,
“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS?” The
group turned to find Santa Claus, standing next to them, hands on hips---and he
did NOT look jolly.
Chapter 20
Chaos ensued aboard the tiny boat stuck on the ice at the
North Pole. Nutello was in the face of
Tiggerkat screaming, but Tiggerkat simply looked bored as she munched on some
reeses pieces. Skittles and Huntress
were trying to calm Nutello down. Avvy,
Mimi and Quinn were making wagers as to the outcome of the pending fight. Tater smirked and continued to sharpen arrow
after arrow. Just as things seemed to
reach a fevered pitch, the group was startled by a crashing sound. They turned to see the plankway was lowered
onto the ice and a small grey and white rat was disembarking the ship. She scurried along the ice towards the
shoreline where a crowd of elves had gathered.
“I think Dazzle has the right idea, let’s get off this ship!” Quinn motioned to Avvy and Mimi who trotted
along with her down the plankway. Skittles and Huntress joined them followed by a bouncy Tiggerkat. Nutello sighed and said, “Come on Tater,
guess we can at least get to shore and see if the elves can be of any help.”
“Nah.” Tater replied. “I smelled pirates, I’m staying here
in case they shows”
“Suit yourself” Nutello responded as she left the ship.
^^^^^
“Beloved, we be gathered here today,” Captain Jack began, “To
be witness to the union of Tiggerpaka and Mal”
Tiggerpaka grinned, looking lovingly into the brides eyes---which were
glazed over and still under the effects of the medication that had been slipped
into her drink.
“Mal, do yee take Tiggerpaka, no matter how annoyin’ he be,
to be yer husband?” Captain Jack waited
for a reply. He leaned in to look closer
at her, then smiled, “Well, I be takin’ that fer a yes.”
Then he turned to the meerkat “Tiggerpaka, do you take Mal, to be yer wife,
no matter how bossy, or fat or mangy she may get?” Tiggerpaka smiled, “I do”
“The ring please”
Captain Jack said, looking around.
“Who be havin’ the ring?”
Everyone looked around, but no one stepped forward to say they had
it. “Jackie!” Captain Jack shouted. Jacqueline had fallen asleep and snapped to
attention.
“Yes Cap’n?!” She
said, eyes red with sleep.
“The rings, lassie, where be the rings?” Captain Jack asked.
Jacqueline patted herself all over, the crowd began to
murmur amongst themselves.
“Uh….I think it be back on the ship, sir.”
^^^^^^
As the crew reached the beach, the elves had gathered
around. The lead elf had blond hair with
a large curl in the front. “Greetings,
friends! I am Hermey, Welcome the North
Pole!” The crowd of elves starting
shouting their greetings as well and it became quite noisy with all the squeaky
little voices.
“You look cold” Hermey noticed. “We have to get you warmed up!” The elves swarmed the crew, covering them
with warm blankets and leading them up from the shoreline to an elf bus waiting
nearby. As they got on the bus Hermey
handed out hot coco and he said, “Sugar free!
Because we want to keep your teeth healthy and strong!”
“Do you have reese cup flavored coco?” Tiggerkat asked
hopefully.
“Of course, Tiggerkat!” an elf smiled and handed one to
her. “And we have a nutella hazelnut flavored
one for you, Nutello, and cheese flavored for Dazzle!”
The elves knew everyone’s name and their favorite
flavors. Candy sweet flavored for Avvy
and Quinn, and blueberry coco for Mimi. The elf that gave one to Huntress, kept
calling her “Carrot” and she addressed Skittles as “Akili” and the crew learned
that was their real names.
The bus was a bit small for the crew (except Avvy) but the
warmth filled them and everyone was happy as they headed into Christmas town.
“Wait! What about
Tater?” Quinn asked.
“I don’t think Tater would like to come into Christmastown.”
Hermey explained. “She, uh, she is
usually on the naughty list, so I don’t think the big guy would approve.”
“The big guy?” Avvy asked
“Santa!” Tiggerkat bounced in her seat. “We get to see Santa! He has all the best reese cups!!”
Hermey smiled. “Tater
will be fine.” He assured Quinn. “I have
a special crew of elves going out to her as we speak!”
^^^^^
“Aha! There be you
gnarly pirates!” Tater drew her bow and
began shooting arrows at a group of elves that were approaching the ship by
ice.
Chapter 19
“Don’t worry, Nutello” Mimi put her arm around Nutello’s
shoulder. In her hand she held her ruby,
which was glowing warmly. “My ruby tells
me Tiggerpaka is alive and well…..and happy?”
Mimi looked at the ruby closer, rubbed it with a paw and then held it up
to look even closer. “Yes, he’s happy.”
“Happy? How can he be
happy?!! He’s still lost, probably still
being held captive, maybe being tortured!” Nutello looked grieved. “How can he be happy without HQ? Without….me?”
“Tell us about these pirates,” Tater interrupted, as she
sharpened the blade of an arrow.
“They be a funny sort of pirate. There be many, but they be small.” Huntress began.
“Small like me?” Asked Avvy.
“Uh, no. Not that
small.” Huntress said, then held up a
paw about 3 feet off the ground, “Small like this.”
“What did they look like?”
Skittles asked.
“They were strangely dressed. All in green.
With pointy shoes, pointy hats and pointy ears.” Huntress said.
“Pointy ears? All in
green? And its super cold?” Nutello suddenly realized where they
were. “Elves! TIGGERKAT!!
You buffoon!! You brought us to
the NORTH POLE !!!”
^^^^^^
“Mr. Tiggerpaka, sir”
Captain Jack knocked on a cabin door. “Be you dressed and ready to go?”
The door slammed open, hitting the Captain in the beak. “Beautiful day, my good Captain! Beautiful day.” Captain Jack rubbed his soar beak and glared
at the meerkat who was oblivious.
Tiggerpaka was dressed in a tux and as he passed the captain he tugged
at his cuff links, then snapped his fingers at Captain Jack and said, “Let’s
not keep the bride awaitin’! Hurry
along! And don’t forget the rings!”
As Captain Jack fell in step behind Tiggerpaka, he gave a
signal to his first mate. Jacquelin
nodded and rushed ahead to lower the plankway which she had covered with a red
velvet runner. She fell in step with
Captain Jack behind Tiggerpaka and the three walked down the plankway to the
beach.
There was a chill in the air, but otherwise a lovely day. A gazebo had been erected with white streamers, paper wedding bells and colorful balloons bobbing gently in the light breeze. The crew was seated on rocks or logs covered in white cloths that were lined up as pews in a chapel. Under the gazebo was a lovely red flying squirrel, in a beautiful wedding dress. The train of her dress concealed the leg chains that bound her and the bouquet covered the cuffs on her hands. A scrutinizing eye could see that she was slightly, uh, medicated. Her eyes were droopy and a bit of drool had gathered at the corner of her mouth.
“Ah, there you are my lovely Meow!” Tiggerpaka smiled with all
the charm he could possibly muster. “You
are a stunning vision, my sweet!” He
hopped onto a stool pulled next to the red squirrel so that he could take her hand. Even on the stool he wasn’t even shoulder
high to Mal. “Meow, what lovely silver
bracelots!” Tiggerpaka commented as he saw her cuffs. “A family heirloom? A little something “borrowed”, maybe? Well I am a traditional meerkat. I have a little something for you, my dear.” He began to dig into the pockets of his
tux. “I see you have something “old” and
something “borrowed” covered, and I have,” he pulled his hand out of his pocket
dramatically, “Something blue!”
The crew flinched and recoiled in disgust as Tiggerpaka held
out a fat blue grub to Mal. It was dead
and oozing from being in his pocket. “Oops,
sorry about that.” Tiggerpaka pushed the
grub back into his pocket. “Guess they
don’t make grubs like the used to!” He
laughed nervously at his own joke.
“What about something “new”?” Crystal called out, amused at the spectacle. Astra snickered beside her.
Tiggerpaka shot them a look of anger. “Watch it you two----or do I have to tell you
about my number two list again?!”
“Oh no! Not the number
two list” Crystal and Astra reeled back feining horror.
“Settle down you scurvy lot!” Captain Jack admonished. “Our guests are beginning to arrive.” Over the snowy dune came a group of unusual
looking individuals.
In the lead was a funny looking fellow in a polka dot
outfit. He introduced himself as
Charlie. Next was a pretty girl who
introduced herself as Dolly. She was
clutching several tissues as she said she cries very easily. Finally there was a Cowboy who was tying up
the Ostrich he rode in on. The group smiled and greeted everyone and took
their seats.
“Ahh, now that everyone is here, let the ceremonies………begin!” Captain Jack said dramatically. He positioned himself between the bride and
groom and began the wedding service.
Chapter 18
Tater sat back, leaning against the boat's rail. “We are slightly outnumbered. We need a plan.”
Nutello perked up.
“We need reconnaissance.”
“Recon-a-cents?” Tiggerkat looked perplexed, then a look of understanding swept her face. “Reconnaissance! I love reconnaissance! We have a reconnaissance fair out my way every year in the fall. It is such fun. We dress up in old timey clothes----Ow!” Tiggerkat rubbed her head where Nutello just rapped her.
“Recon-a-cents?” Tiggerkat looked perplexed, then a look of understanding swept her face. “Reconnaissance! I love reconnaissance! We have a reconnaissance fair out my way every year in the fall. It is such fun. We dress up in old timey clothes----Ow!” Tiggerkat rubbed her head where Nutello just rapped her.
“ReCONnaissaince!
Not Renaissance!” Nutello face pawed.
“Ok, Huntress, fly high out of their sight range with this spotting
scope and see what you can learn.”
“Sir, yes sir!” Huntress saluted, took the scope and flew
straight up and out of sight.
Moments later she returned with her report. It was not good news. “There are 1000’s, Sir. 1000’s.
And no sign of Tiggerpaka anywhere.”
She lowered her head sadly, “Perhaps we are too late.”
Nutello looked crest fallen.
^^^^^^
“Captain!” Jacquelyn stood at attention. “Festivities ashore
are complete and ready for that annoy---er, I mean our special guest, sir!”
“Ahhh! Good work,
first mate Jackie!” Captain Jack smiled
broadly across his beak.
“Have all the invitations been sent?” he asked
“Yes.” Jacquelyn replied.
“And the meal prepared?”
“Yes.”
“And Balloons?” the
captain looked dreamly, “I like balloons.
There will be balloons, mate?”
“Er—yes.” Jacquelyn was beginning to wonder who this party
really was for.
“And a very special cake?
Exactly as I ordered?” Captain
Jack leaned closer.
“Yes, Capt’n. Exactly
as you ordered.”
“Bully Jackie! Good
job!” Captain Jack held up his spotting
scope and scanned the shoreline. “And
the others, they know what is expected?”
“Yes, Capt’n…but Mal, she ain’t none to happy, sir.” Jacqueline snickered.
^^^^^^
“I HAVE TO WHAT?!?!!”
Mal’s face reddened with anger.
Crystal choked back her laughter. “Aw, c’mon Mal. It ain’t so bad. Just think, you get ta wear somethin’ pretty!”
Mal shot a total look of evil at the tiger.
“It’s Captain’s orders, Mal.” Astra was not amused, but then
she seldom was.
“I don’t think even Koobedoo’s hypno goggles could make this
work.” Mal eye rolled.
“Where be that salty dog anyway?” Crystal looked around.
“Last I be seein’ her she be tryin’ to hypnotize some sea
birds” Astra smirked. “Fer what purpose
I not be knowin’”
“Nay, not birds. That
looney dog be tryin’ to hypnotize sea turtles.
She be sayin’ they be mighty handy transportation.” Mal explained. “And I don’t care what Cap’n’s orders may
be---I will NOT be marrying that rat!”
It was dark. No moon, no
stars. The boat was bobbing gently in
the water. The group lifted themselves
slowly up from the deck and peered out.
“Where are we?” Quinn
whispered.
“I don’t know.” Avvy whispered back.
“B-b-b-ut I’m c-c-cold!”
“Snow?” Mimi looked skyward and
put a paw out. “Do I see snow falling?”
“TIGGERKAT!” hissed Nutello loudly. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW!?!”
“SSSHHHHH!!” Tater whispered
harshly, the peered over the boat’s railing.
“I smell pirates!”
“Do you smell Reese Cups?” Tiggerkat whispered. “Because I don’t smell Reese Cups.” She continued
with a furrowed brow. Nutello nudged her
and put a finger to her mouth to signal quiet.
Then she gestured for everyone to get to peek stealthily over the edge of the boat.
They found they were behind an icy large rock outcropping . They
were very near the shoreline, and the waters between them and land was frozen
solid. “Where’s the pirates?” Skittles
asked.
Tater pointed towards a frozen hill above the shoreline. Dozens of men could be seen milling about the
treeline. Wide eyed, Skittles whispered, “That’s not
pirates….that’s a pirate army!”
~.~.~
A fire crackled and spat as it warmed the pirates gathered around
it. There was a definite chill in the
air and a light snow was beginning to fall.
“How much longer you ‘spect Cap’n’s gonna keep that annoyin’ little rat?” muttered a wolf who was stoking the bonfire.
“Aw, C’mon Jacquelyn,” A second wolf replied. “He’s not that annoying,
I kinda feel fer the little feller.”
“Astra, you be one crazy wolf, feelin’ sympathy for that rat” A tiger replied as she turned something over
that was cooking in the fire.
Astra jumped pulling a sword on the tiger. “You wanna see who be the crazy one, there,
Crystal?”
Crystal looked at the sword that
was barely an inch from her nose. She
smiled and nudged it to the side. “Save
yer energy for later, Astra. It ain’t
time to be fightin’ just yet, besides, it’s
all Mal’s fault, anyway.” She pulled
the cooked critter from the fire, it was black and crispy, no longer
identifiable to what it may have been.
Then in one bite, Crystal ate it, then used the stick like a toothpick
to clean her teeth.
Astra sheathed her sword and glared at Crystal. Then she relaxed and smiled, “You can’t
really blame that rat for falling in love with Mal….she is a beauty.”
~.~.~
“Captain! Permission to speak, Sir!” A beautiful red flying squirrel approached a
shadowy figure.
The figure in the darkness sighed.
“What is it now, Mal?” The figure
was seated at a table, finishing a meal.
As it looked up at the squirrel it became apparent that the creature was
a large bird, an oversized sparrow to be exact, with oily black feathers. It had a bandana around its head with beads
dangling from it on one side. Some
braided feathers/ whiskers hung from its beak.
The bird put on a tri-corn hat and leaned back as Mal continued.
“That obnoxious little rat won’t shut up! He’s driving me crazy, singing---“ Mal
looked like she was going to be sick, “Singing Love Songs to me!” She clamped her delicate paws to her ears
and closed her eyes as if in pain.
“Obnoxious is in the eye of the beholders,” the bird smiled and
approached the flying squirrel. “Or so
the saying goes.”
“Cap’n Jack,” Mal sighed, “To what
use do you see in keeping that worthless rat?”
Mal continued. “He orders us all
around, babbles on about tires and blades and poked men. And he thinks he’s an emperor of some country
called ‘Bloggosphere’. Crazy as a loon,
he is!”
“Crazy yes, worthless no.” The
bird stroked his chin, then turned and looked out onto the snow covered beach. He could see his crew by a bonfire. “You see, my dear Mal. There are legends some locals be tellin’. ‘Bout a red pirate of great wealth, with a
passion for funny lookin’ critters and this
funny looking rat is going to help us to catch him.”
“Aye, I’ve heard the legends, I hear it told that this red pirate has a
ship that can fly and is rarely seen in these parts.” Mal elaborated.
“Aye, Mal. And when he comes to
these parts he snatches up the natives, for what purposes we know not,” the
captain commented, “Surely an evil fellow, this one!”
There was a noise at the doorway of the captain’s cabin. “Meow, my sweet! Where are youuuuuu?” sang a voice. Mal rolled her eyes, “For the last
time! It’s MAL! Not Meow!”
The door burst open, a meerkat scampered in, carrying a bouquet of
mashed up orchids. “Ah, my lovely Meow,
here you are!” He presented the messed
up bouquet to the flying squirrel. “A
tribute to your loveliness, my dear.”
Mal grabbed the flowers roughly and stomped out of the cabin. The bird chuckled in amusement. “Ah, Captain Jack! I did not see you there!” The meerkat hopped up on the table.
“So my good man, when do we set sail?
I am getting bored of this cove and I am certain my travel agent
mentioned more warmer climates than what you’ve shown me these past few weeks!” The meerkat leaned into Captain Jack and
pulled his chin whiskers tugging the bird closer to the meerkat’s nose. The meerkat said in a low tone “You ain’t
holdin’ out on me, now are you?”
Captain Jack brushed the meerkat aside and chuckled at his
boldness. “No, dear Tiggerpaka, I do not
intend to be deceptive. I be plannin’ a
great celebration in your honor sir, and I be needin’a little more time.” The sparrow took off his hat and swept it
across him as he bowed.
“A celebration you say?” The
meerkat’s eyes brightened. “Now that’s more
like it!” He hopped from the table and
started out the door of the cabin. As he
left, he waved off the captain dismissively and said “Carry on, my good Captain, carry on!”
Chapter 16
“Not if I have anything to say about it!” The squirrel pushed the two aside and hopped
out of the boat over to the group that appeared to be in riot mode. Except for the starfish that continued to
hide, and the blue squid who was taking video of Mr. Crab’s pending doom.
“Ok you land lubbers!”
The squirrel marched up to the group “It is time for you to go!”
“Sandy! Help me!” Mr.
Crabs cried.
“I’ll help you Sandy!” said Spongebob bravely. “Heeee---ya!”
and he karate chopped through the air wildly with his spatula. He spun around and around, until he ended up
facing the wrong direction. He grinned,
“Hey Sandy! I scared them all off! They’re gone!”
“Uh, Spongebob?”
Sandy said, “Over here.”
Spongebob turned around, “Oh.” He laughed nervously, sweat
dripping. “Uh, I uh, think I hear Gary
calling! Gotta go!” and he ran over to a pineapple and went
inside of it.
The squid began to laugh giddily. “This is the best day ever.” He smirked.
“Squidward!” Sandy
ordered, “C’mon, we gots to help Mr. Crabs!”
“Why?” Squidward said
flatly.
“Ugh! Lousy no-good
squid. Alright you varments! Looks like its just all of you and me
now!” Sandy rolled up her sleeves and
looked murderous. “Last chance to leave
Mr. Crabs alone!:
“Not until he tells us where Tiggerpaka is!” Nutello glared at Mr. Crabs.
“Er, what’s a Tiggerpaka?”
Mr. Crabs asked. “If I knew what you were talking about maybe I could
help ye find some?”
“Nutello?” Huntress
asked. “I don’t think he’s the right
pirate.”
“Pirate?! Mr. Crabs?!” Sandy began to giggle uncontrollably. The minions released the crab, who scuttled over to Sandy.
“Pirate?! Mr. Crabs?!” Sandy began to giggle uncontrollably. The minions released the crab, who scuttled over to Sandy.
“What’s so funny there, you sorry sea rat?!” Mr. Crabs was angry.
Sandy stopped laughing.
“Sea Rat?! Who you callin’ a sea
rat? I ain’t no stupid rat!”
Dazzle perked up at that comment and her eyes glowed red
with anger. She ran up the mast and chewed on some ropes,
releasing a net that swooped down on Sandy and scooped her up. Then Dazzle ran over to the dangling
squirrel and squeaked angrily, shaking a paw at Sandy, then bit Sandy’s tail.
“Ye-OWWWW!!!” Then
Sandy’s eyes turned red and steam blew out of her astronaut’s suit.
“Uh-oh,” said Mr. Crabs, “This don’t look so good!” and he scuttled behind some rocks. Squidward dropped his camera, “Every man for
himself!” and disappeared into a Tiki
statue, you could hear several locks clicking to secure the door.
The steam grew and the squirrel was breathing heavily and
angrily, and was actually growing
larger and larger.
“uh guys?” Huntress
began backing away, “let’s get out of here!”
“RETREAT!” Nutello
ordered and the group scrambled back into the boat.
Once in the boat, Huntress began to draw shapes on the
deck. “Hurry!”
Mimi shouted as the squirrel broke free of her net.
Huntress shouted rapidly:
Huntress shouted rapidly:
To the east and to the west
To all spirits high and low
We call upon your wisdom and your strength
To guide us to where we must go
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
To take us away from here super quick!
We ask for swift and safe passage please
In exchange we offer you this ……
Huntress looked around wildly, “this….this……
“REESE CUP!!” Tiggerkat shouted,
throwing her the Reese cup.
Huntress held it high and the world began to spin. Sandy, now a giant squirrel, was stomping
their way like a giant Frankenstein.
Just as she made a swipe to smash the boat, she disappeared.
The group relaxed----but not for long, when the sound came. A sound that surrounded them and filled the
air, over and over again they heard “Hoo--Hoo-Hoo-Hoooooo!” and the sky grew
orange and black striped.
The group covered their ears----but not Tiggerkat, who stood calmly and
grinning. “It’s so prett—eeeeeee!!” She shouted gleefully. A giant tigger appeared in the sky,
bouncing around in the swirls. Then
the giant tigger reached for the Reese cup.
Tiggerkat stopped smiling. “Oh no
you don’t!” and she bounced towards
Huntress.
“No!!!!” Huntress shouted, “You
can’t come in the shapes!!” But it was
too late, Tigger bounced into the center, snatched the Reese Cup and bounced
out. The giant tigger looked down at
the boat, “Where’s My Reese Cup?!” It demanded.
Tiggerkat pretended to throw it overboard.
“There it goes,” Tiggerkat pointed, “Go get it!” The giant tigger disappeared under the
boat.
The swirling, spinning world stopped.
Chapter 15
“So did you knuckleheads find your dear meerkat this time?”
Tater asked dryly.
Nutello shot Tater a dirty look, which made Tater laugh, and
she knew all she needed to know just from that look.
“One more chance,
Nutello!” Huntress pleaded, “I know I
can do it!”
Tiggerkat chimed in, “Take us to Hershey, Pencil
Vani-ya!” Then she leaned over to Mimi
and whispered, “That’s where Reese Cups come from!” Mimi responded with a single raised eye
brow.
“No, I’m going to get us to Tiggerpaka, if it’s the last
thing I do!” Huntress vowed. And she
began to draw on the boats deck.
Everyone covered their ears anticipating the worst.
This time Huntress drew two interlocking triangles. She stood in the middle and began her chant.
To the east and to the west
To all spirits high and low
We call upon your wisdom and your strength
To guide us to where we must go
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
To take us to Pirates and Tiggerpaka, me laddies
We ask for swift and safe passage please
In exchange we offer you this krabby
patty!
“NNnnooooooooooooooo!!” Screamed
Nutello as the world began to spin. Her
protests were futile.
As Huntress held up the crabby patty a deafening and annoying high
pitched laugh filled the air and could be felt deep into your bones. Everyone clasped their ears and fell to
their knees, eyes squeezed tightly shut as a large yellow square appeared
floating before them.
The yellow square had large eyes and a long nose and two large buck
teeth in a grotesque smile. The square
grabbed the crabby patty and began to sing, “I like krabby patties, I think
they’re swell, can you not tell? Laaaa
lalalalalala!”
“Shoot him! Shot him now!”
Nutello howled on her knees with ears in pain.
Tater drew her bow and loosed the arrow which sank right into the heart
of the yellow square. The yellow square
stopped singing, looked down at the arrow, pulled it out and laughed
obnoxiously and disappeared.
“Ugh!” Mimi groaned,
“Where are we now?”
“We seem to be underwater!”
Avvy said.
Tiggerkat began to panic, “But I can’t swim!!!!!! Help!
Save me!” She laid on the bottom
of the boat flailing her arms and legs.
“Tiggerkat!
Tiggerkat, stop!” Avvy urged.
“Here, give her this.”
Mimi handed Avvy a reese cup.
Avvy held it under her nose and Tiggerkat grew still, a dreamy smile
breaking across her face. She took the
reese cup, sat up and calmly ate it.
“Nutello?” Huntress
asked, “You’re the Intelligence Officer, where are we now and how is it we are
breathing underwater?”
Nutello shrugged.
“It must be a dream!”
Quinn suggested.
“Or we are all dead.” Nutello muttered.
“Dead?” Came a voice
from a nearby rock. A starfish popped
out from under it, looking terrified. In
a shaky voice it whispered, “I see dead people.” Then he shouted, “Hey Spongebob! I see dead people!” and the starfish laughed
a doofus kinds of laugh.
“Well, they are not very nice dead people, Patrick” said the yellow square with his arms
crossed. “That one shot me with this
feathered toothpick!” He held up the
arrow and shook it angrily at Tater.
Tater shrugged and said, “She told me to,” pointing to
Nutello.
Nutello shouted angrily, “That infernal noise he was making
was so, so, So Annoying!”
“I like that one,” came a third voice, this time from a blue
squid. “She must truly be your Intelligence Officer!”
Then a southern twang was hear, “Intelligence Officer? Did I hear someone say Intelligence
Officer?!” A squirrel in an astronaut’s
suit walked up to the boat. “Well I’ll be hornswaggled! I would love to spend time with you
contemplating the mysteries of the universe.”
The squirrel jumped on board and took Nutello by the paw.
Nutello pulled back and looked at the squirrel like she had
three eyes. “What’s the matter there,
fuzz face, ain’t you never seen a squirrel before?”
“SQUIRREL ?!?!”
Tiggerkat shot up, her head twisting rapidly left and right. “Where’s
the squirrel?!”
“Ok, that one I do NOT like,” said the blue squid flatly.
“Now Squidward, that isn’t nice!” The squirrel said. “You really should---“
“Who in Davey Jones’s Locker are these scallywags?!” A crab scuttled over to the boat.
Before anyone can answer, Tater shouted, “Pirate!”and jumped
over board and pinned the crab to the ground.
She was quickly followed by Nutello and Huntress. They surrounded the crab, all of them had
weapons drawn.
“Hey! Hey now! Hee Hee,” the crab laughed nervously. “Er, what can I do you fellers for?”
“Finally, this is getting interesting,” the blue squid
smiled.
“Where is Tiggerpaka?!”
Nutello demanded.
“Tigger---wha??” The crab sounded confused.
“Leave Mr. Crabs alone!”
The group turned to see Spongebob, with a colander on his head, a pizza
box for a chest protector, shaking a spatula at the minions.
“Oh no!” Quinn said,
she was watching the action from the boat.
“What is it?” asked Avvy.
Quinn frowned “I think there is going to be a huge fight!”
Chapter 14:
(no, you did not miss a chapter!
13 could bring bad luck to the characters, so I skipped it!)
After the group
cleaned up the destroyed section of the forest, including scrubbing the yellow
brick road with toothbrushes, Glinda allowed them to return to their ship.
“Tater! Wake up!”
Nutello pushed the hammock making Tater fall to the floor. The group began to laugh, but Tater sprung
up so fast, sword drawn and pointed into Nutello’s nose. It was so fast that Nutello didn’t have time
to react. The group tensed up,
wondering what would happen, holding their breath.
Tater smiled and
then sheathed her sword. The group
sighed relief. “Never wake me from a
sound sleep” Tater warned, “You just might loose a body part” She chuckled. “So what did the great explorers discover? Did you find Tiggerpaka? Did you leave me some pirates to kill?” She snickered.
“I think you
already know the answer to those questions” Nutello muttered. Then she turned to Huntres. “Okay, think you can get it right this
time?”
Huntress stuck
her tongue out at Nutello, then reviewed her book. She erased the previous drawing on the deck and this time drew a
square surrounded by a circle. She got
into the center of the shapes and reminded everyone to be silent. Then she closed her eyes and chanted:
To the east and to the west
To all spirits high and low
We call upon your wisdom and your strength
To guide us to where we must go
We plead to you, oh mighty ones
To take us to Pirates and Tiggerpaka, oh MY!
We ask for swift and safe passage please
In exchange we offer you this pie!
“Pie?!” Nutello
faced paw, “Now the gods want piiiiiiiiieeeee—“ and again the world spun wildly
into a blur, but the boat did not move.
“I hope we don’t see Kit Kat again!” Tiggerkat looked upwards. There began another annoying droning
sound. “oh no” Tiggerkat said
flatly. Everyone covered their ears as
a “Woof! Woof! Woof!” sound repeated
over and over and over, getting louder and louder. But it wasn’t a cat, this time is was a small dog----in a taco
shell, pooping confetti.
He swooped down and grabbed the pie and disappeared, three
arrows flying after it, one after the other.
The noise disappeared and the world stopped spinning. “Almost got it!” Tater growled.
“Where are we this time?”
Quinn asked.
“I smell candy!” Avvy smiled. “Just like what I used to make a long time ago,” Avvy got a far
off look on her face, then frowned.
“But I don’t want to talk about it”
Tiggerkat was wiping big drops of drool from her lips, “I
smell Chocolate! And Peanut Butter!”
“Look!” Mimi
pointed. “A factory!” You could make out the smoke stacks just
over the hill from where the boat was standing. But it wasn’t smoke pouring out of the stacks, it was a rainbow
of colors, and a rainbow of smells!
Chocolate, blueberry, cherry, grape, peanut butter and more!
I’m getting hungry just describing it!
**Author takes a break**
**15 minutes later, wiping chocolate from mouth**
Ok, where were we?
Oh! They didn’t wait
for me!!
The group is already up to the factory doors, and Nutello is
knocking on the front door!
**Author runs to catch up**
“About time!” Nutello looked over her shoulder at the
author.
“Who is it?” came a voice from the other side of the door.
“Nutello and crew!”
Nutello answered
”Do you have your golden ticket?” the voice inquired.
“Uh, yeah, sure!” Nutello lied.
The door opened.
Before the group was a strange looking man wearing purple clothes and a
red top hat. “Welcome! My Name is Mr. Wonka, and this is my
Chocolate Factory!” He spread his arms
wide in a welcoming motion.
He looked at the group, showing a large, wide cheerful
grin. “Now, present your tickets
please!” Everyone looked nervous, and
looked a Nutello.
“Tickets?” Mr. Wonka asked again. Nutello hung her head and everyone looked at her angrily.
Mr. Wonka’s arms dropped to his sides. “NO TICKETS! NO CANDY!” and he slammed
the door shut in their faces.
”Way to go Nutey-o!”
Tiggerkat glared angrily at Nutello.
“Well it’s a waste of time anyway,” Nutello turned to head
back to the boat. “It’s not like Tiggerpaka’s here anyway.”
“But I smell Reese Cups!!!” Tiggerkat wailed woefully. She collapsed in a dramatic heap on the
ground.
Mimi, Avvy and Quinn rushed to her side. “I think she’s dying!” Mimi exclaimed.
“No she’s not” said Nutello who had already started walking
away.
“But she’s not breathing!” Quinn shouted after Nutello
“She’s fine!” Nutello called back
“I can’t find a heartbeat!”
Avvy hollered to Nutello.
“Nutello, shouldn’t you do something?” Huntress asked. Nutello stopped. Huntress and Skittles
looked concerned.
Nutello sighed, turned to face the group. “I was saving this for an emergency, but I
guess now will do.” She reached into her back pack and pulled out a bag of
Reese Cup miniatures. She ripped open
the bag and waved a hand to make the smell waft back towards Tiggerkat.
When the smell reached Tiggerkat her nose began to sniff and
wiggle. A huge smile broke across her
lips and she actually floated in the air!
Then her eyes popped open, “Reese Cups!” and she landed bouncing on her
tail and pounced Nutello to the ground.
Tiggerkat sat on Nutello’s stomach and dug a paw into the bag of candy
and began chowing down.
“Ugh!” Nutello
grunted, “Get off!”
Chapter 12:
“What the heck!”
Nutello cried out. “I think my ears are
bleeding!”
“I wanted to
shoot that thing with my arrows,” grumbled Tater, “But I couldn’t let go of my
ears!”
“Did that think
actually poop rainbows?” Tiggerkat
asked.
“Kinda, sort of,
but not really,” Huntress replied.
“Wow!” Said
Nutello dripping in sarcasm, “Great explanation.”
“Where are
we?” asked Avvy.
“It looks so
strange! But Colorful! And
pretty!” Mimi studied the new
surroundings. It was like a dense green
forest. But with large colorful flowers
and mushrooms. “And there is a road
that looks paved with yellow bricks!”
“Let’s
explore!” Skittles said excitedly and
jumped off the boat. “Come on
everyone!”
“Do you think its
safe?” Quinn asked.
“My ruby doesn’t
seem alarmed.” Mimi replied.
“Good enough for
me!” And Tiggerkat bounced out of the
ship.
Nutello
sighed. “C’mon, let’s go.” Dazzle was already in place on her
shoulder. The group began to climb out
of the boat. Except for Tater. “Are you
coming?” Nutello asked.
“Someone has to
stay and guard the ship.” Tater replied.
“Suit yourself”
Nutello said as she hit the ground.
“I always do”
Tater replied as she fashioned a hammock to nap in while everyone else
explored.
“Its so
pretty!” Mimi said again, taking it all
in.
“And huge!” Said
Avvy who was dwarfed by the giant mushrooms.
Skittles ran all
over, around the flowers and mushrooms.
She was a blur amongst all the colors. Tiggerkat bounced from mushroom to mushroom shouting in glee. Mimi, Quinn and Avvy were sampling some of
the fruits. Huntress began to soar at
the top of the forrest.
“I see
something!” Huntress said.
“Tiggerpaka?”
Nutello asked.
“I don’t think
so, its too pretty for pirates or Tiggerpaka.
It’s some kind of village” Huntress answered. “And there are lots of people---little people. And they’re headed this way!”
“Minions to
Battle Stations!” Nutello ordered,
getting into a fighting stance.
Skittles ran up and posed in a fight stance next to Nutello and Huntress
swooped down to do the same.
“What about
us?” Avvy asked.
“You are honorary
minions, come to battle station!”
Nutello ordered.
Quinn, Mimi and
Avvy looked at each other. Mimi
shrugged and the three lined up along with the three real minions. But they stood there looking awkwardly. “Fighting stance, minions!” Nutello ordered.
“We don’t really
have one” Quinn said.
“Yeah, I’m more
of a free lancer, kinda do my own style” Avvy explained.
“Uh, guys? Where’s Tiggerkat?” Mimi asked.
The group looked around. Avvy grinned and pointed at an orange and
black striped mushroom---with a tail.
“Just leave her there, she will be the most help when she is no help”
Nutello said.
Just then there
was a rustling sound. A group of
colorful, but very small people emerged.
Only Avvy and Dazzle were smaller.
Nutello smiled, feeling no threat of danger from these little people.
“Hello, I’m
Nutello, Leader of this group,” Nutello smiled in a friendly manner. Suddenly Tiggerkat’s head shot up from
behind the mushroom.
“But I’m the
Captain!” Tiggerkat then hid again.
A murmur broke
across the group of little people and the leader spoke up in a squeaky voice,
“What was that?” The leader approached
Tiggerkat and as he went around the mushroom, Tiggerkat moved around the
mushroom, so each were circling it around and around. Then the leader turned around and said “Gotcha!” and threw his arms around Tiggerkat.
Tiggerkat
panicked and began to bounce wildly around.
The little man was flopping wildly, hanging on for dear life! “Heee—llll---ppp !!” he cried out.
“Tiggerkat!
Stop!” Nutello ordered, “They’re friendly!”
“He won’t let go
of meeeeee!!” Tiggerkat panicked
further. The group of little people
became alarmed. They started chasing
Tiggerkat in circles, jumping and trying to catch their leader. Then Quinn, Avvy, and Mimi started chasing
the group that was chasing Tiggerkat and the little man stuck on her. The entire situation crumbled into
chaos. Nutello was running around
shouting for everyone to stop, but no one could hear her. Huntress and Skittles were running around
trying to stop Nutello. Flowers were
being trampled, mushrooms knocked over and leaves torn from trees.
Suddenly there
was a bright white flash in the air.
Everyone came to a grinding halt.
A beautiful woman in a sparkling white dress appeared before
everyone. She looked angry. Hands on her hip, one of them holding
a magic wand. The little people
immediately bowed.
“What is going
on?” the woman demanded in a tone of authority.
The leader had
finally gotten to his feet, but his head was still bowed as he approached her
to respond, “My dear Glinda, strangers have entered our land. This bouncy one,” he pointed to Tiggerkat,
“Tried to kidnap me!”
Tiggerkat’s eyes
grew wide with surprise, “Me? What? You?” she stuttered. “You tried to kidnap
me!”
Then arguing
broke out on all sides, the noise growing louder and louder. Glinda put her hands over here ears,
“Enough! Stop this! Stop this now!” The group fell to silence. “Who among you strangers is the
leader?”
Nutello and
Tiggerkat looked at each other, then at Glinda, then back to each other. Simultaneously they pointed at each other
and said, “She is!”
Glinda face
palmed. She looked at Huntress. “You there, with the beautiful wings” Huntress blushed. “Please explain yourselves to me”
Huntress began,
“We are looking for our leader, Tiggerpaka, he was captured by pirates.”
Glinda looked surprised, “Pirates?” she laughed. “I assure you, there are no pirates here! You are looking in the wrong place!”
Glinda looked surprised, “Pirates?” she laughed. “I assure you, there are no pirates here! You are looking in the wrong place!”
Now Nutello face
palmed and looked evilly at Huntress.
“Nice spell.”
“Maybe I wasn’t
supposed to use the cake” Huntress pondered thoughtfully.
Chapter 11:
Chapter 10
“Yes, yes, THIS
is the map” Tiggerkat said with a
cough.
Tater and Nutello
gathered around Mimi and Tiggerkat.
Mimi was holding her ruby again in her paw. It was on a necklace, but when it was held in her paw it seemed
to have a slight glow.
“When I was
looking at the map, and holding my ruby, I could see Tiggerpaka.” Said Mimi.
“Where?!?!”
Nutello said excitedly.
“Here” Mimi
pointed on the map, “Near this island”
“Great! Let’s go, get this boat moving!” Nutello said eagerly.
“Not so fast” Tater cautioned. “That island is very
dangerous. It is guarded by a fearsome
Lion. And all the natives are very
strange, they look weird and act even more weird.”
“Then that is the
obvious place to find Tiggerpaka” Mimi
laughed.
Tiggerkat smirked. She picked up the map to study it.
“What are
you doing?” Nutello asked in a tone of frustration.
“I’m looking for
the best route to the island!”
Tiggerkat glared back.
Nutello snatched
the map from her, turned it around, then gave it back.
“Whoopsie”
Tiggerkat blushed. She cleared her
throat, then traced along the map in a path from where they were currently
floating to the strange island. “Here. This looks like the best route”.
Tater looked over
Tiggerkat’s shoulder. “Yes, but that
route will take 6 months to travel.”
Nutello face
pawed. Tater took the map and studied
it further. “I don’t see any path that
would be much shorter than a few months.”
Nutello
slumped. “Unbelievable. I can’t wait that long to get Tiggerpaka!”
“And I can’t wait
that long to get those Reese Cups!” Exclaimed Tiggerkat. “I’m down to my last
100 dozen!”
“No worries, dear
friends!” Huntress chimed in
cheerfully. She presented to everyone
the old dusty book she had been reading.
“I have been working on my magic and I have just about perfected my
teleportation spell!” She said proudly.
“Just about?”
Nutello asked doubtfully. “What is your
success rate?”
“Well, I, uh, I
prefer not to brag,” Huntress looked a bit embarrassed.
“Do tell us”
Nutello urged with a sly smile, “Because I don’t remember anything about
teleportation in your monthly minion reports.”
“Well, I do have
one success……” Huntress started, then looked down, “Sorta.”
Tiggerkat
interrupted. “Can you teleport me to a
Reese Cup factory?!”.
“Or me to some
blueberries?” Mimi asked
“Or me! Me to my favorite fishing spot!” Quinn was jumping up and down.
“Me! Me! Send me to the biggest library in the
world!” Skittles was getting excited
too.
“Sqeak! Squeak! Squeak!” Dazzle was dancing on her hind feet.
“No, Dazzle,”
Nutello explained, “She can’t really teleport us anywhere. If you want some cheese there is some in my
back pack.”
Dazzle looked
disappointed. The entire group looked
disappointed. Nutello reviewed the map
again the spoke, “Well Huntress, I guess we may as well try, what do we have
to loose, Tiggerpaka won’t last six months with those pirates.”
Huntress did back
flip spins in the air in joy.
“Yes, yes, THIS
is the map” Tiggerkat said with a
cough.
Tater and Nutello
gathered around Mimi and Tiggerkat.
Mimi was holding her ruby again in her paw. It was on a necklace, but when it was held in her paw it seemed
to have a slight glow.
“When I was
looking at the map, and holding my ruby, I could see Tiggerpaka.” Said Mimi.
“Where?!?!”
Nutello said excitedly.
“Here” Mimi
pointed on the map, “Near this island”
“Great! Let’s go, get this boat moving!” Nutello said eagerly.
“Not so fast” Tater cautioned. “That island is very
dangerous. It is guarded by a fearsome
Lion. And all the natives are very
strange, they look weird and act even more weird.”
“Then that is the
obvious place to find Tiggerpaka” Mimi
laughed.
Tiggerkat smirked. She picked up the map to study it.
“What are
you doing?” Nutello asked in a tone of frustration.
“I’m looking for
the best route to the island!”
Tiggerkat glared back.
Nutello snatched
the map from her, turned it around, then gave it back.
“Whoopsie”
Tiggerkat blushed. She cleared her
throat, then traced along the map in a path from where they were currently
floating to the strange island. “Here. This looks like the best route”.
Tater looked over
Tiggerkat’s shoulder. “Yes, but that
route will take 6 months to travel.”
Nutello face
pawed. Tater took the map and studied
it further. “I don’t see any path that
would be much shorter than a few months.”
Nutello
slumped. “Unbelievable. I can’t wait that long to get Tiggerpaka!”
“And I can’t wait
that long to get those Reese Cups!” Exclaimed Tiggerkat. “I’m down to my last
100 dozen!”
“No worries, dear
friends!” Huntress chimed in
cheerfully. She presented to everyone
the old dusty book she had been reading.
“I have been working on my magic and I have just about perfected my
teleportation spell!” She said proudly.
“Just about?”
Nutello asked doubtfully. “What is your
success rate?”
“Well, I, uh, I
prefer not to brag,” Huntress looked a bit embarrassed.
“Do tell us”
Nutello urged with a sly smile, “Because I don’t remember anything about
teleportation in your monthly minion reports.”
“Well, I do have
one success……” Huntress started, then looked down, “Sorta.”
Tiggerkat
interrupted. “Can you teleport me to a
Reese Cup factory?!”.
“Or me to some
blueberries?” Mimi asked
“Or me! Me to my favorite fishing spot!” Quinn was jumping up and down.
“Me! Me! Send me to the biggest library in the
world!” Skittles was getting excited
too.
“Sqeak! Squeak! Squeak!” Dazzle was dancing on her hind feet.
“No, Dazzle,”
Nutello explained, “She can’t really teleport us anywhere. If you want some cheese there is some in my
back pack.”
Dazzle looked
disappointed. The entire group looked
disappointed. Nutello reviewed the map
again the spoke, “Well Huntress, I guess we may as well try, what do we have
to loose, Tiggerpaka won’t last six months with those pirates.”
Huntress did back
flip spins in the air in joy.
Chapter 9
“YOU SHOT
HIM?!!!!??” Nutello fainted.
Tater
laughed. “I didn’t say I killed
him!”
Skittles rushed
quickly to the ocean and came back with a bucket of water and threw it onto
Nutello’s face. Nutello sputtered and
sat up and looked around blinking.
“What did you do to Tiggerpaka?!”
she had a panicked look in her eyes.
“I shot him”
Tater smiled. Nutello was just about to
faint when Skittles threw a second bucket of water on her. (Skittles is really,
really fast!) Nutello sprang up and leaped
at Tater trying to put her paws on Tater’s neck.
“But she said she
shot him!” Nutello glared at Tater.
“Yep, hit him in
the butt”
Mimi, Avvy, Quinn
giggled. Tiggerkat busted out laughing,
then Huntress, Skittles and Tater all laughed.
Nutello glared at them, then noticed even Dazzle was laughing! “Ugh!
I give up!” Nutello began to stomp away.
Tater
straightened up. “C’mon there,
Nutello? Right? That’s your name?”
Tater put a paw around her shoulders.
“I bet I can help you find your Tiggerpaka, and maybe even get to kill
some pirates in the process!”
^^^
With Tater’s help the group was able to fix the boat and
push it off the beach and out into the sea.
It was a tight fit. Avvy and Dazzle, being the smallest, climbed
up the mast to share the crows nest to keep watch for the pirate ship.
Quinn was
concentrating on staying dead center in the boat, as she had a fear of
water. Huntress was reading a dusty old
book, while Skittles was reading a…..uh…Dictionary?
And Tater was
gripping her head in her paws, trying to keep from exploding with irritation as
she watched Nutello and Tiggerkat argue over who should be Captain.
“As the highest
ranking minion, I will be Captain!”
Nutello asserted.
“Soon to be the
lowest ranking minion!” Tiggerkat shot back.
“Why do you think
that?” Nutello asked with gritted
teeth.
“Well, you’re the
one who lost Tiggerpaka!” Tiggerkat said as she bounced a circle around
Nutello.
Nutello took a
swipe at Tiggerkat who bounced out of the way.
Nutello took out a weapon and started to take aim when Tater jumped up
and took it away from her.
”You trying to sink the ship before we get anywhere?!” Tater shouted in
Nutello’s face. Tiggerkat grinned then
stuck her tongue out at Nutello.
Nutello lunged for her, but Tater stopped her. The group became aware of the commotion and gathered around.
“What’s going
on?” Huntress asked.
“They can’t
decide who should be Captain” Tater explained.
“Well I am the
highest ranked minion!” Nutello asserted again, pushing Tiggerkat behind her.
“But Tiggerpaka
picked me to come find him!” Tiggerkat
said as she bounced back in front of Nutello.
The two began
pushing at each other and the group began to argue among themselves as to who
should be Captain. The ruckus was
growing when the ears were pierced by a sharp, loud whistle. The group fell still and looked at the
source of the sound….Mimi!
“Tiggerkat should
be Captain.” Mimi said.
“Wha???” Nutello
was dumbstruck.
“I was holding my
ruby, which can see the future and it shows Tiggerkat as the Captain---and me
as First Mate.” She said sincerely.
Nutello was
suspicious---she knew the two were best friends. She began to protest when Quinn spoke up. “Her ruby is never wrong, everyone along the
river knows this.”
Tiggerkat gloated
and grabbed an old paper to fold up into a hat. She placed it on her head and took the ship’s wheel. “Hoist the sails! Swab the decks! Get to
work you scallywags!”
Avvy, Quinn,
Huntress and Skittles saluted awkwardly, bumped into each other, turning left
and right, tripping over ropes, falling on each other into a pile. Tater had stayed in the back, away from
everyone, sharpening her arrows, snickering at the chaos.
Nutello did an
eye roll at the group as they untangled themselves then said to Tiggerkat,
“Fine Captain” she said the name dripping with sarcasm. “Just where are
we headed?”
Tiggerkat looked
at Nutello confused. Then she looked a
bit nervous and unsure of herself. She
laughed nervously, then looked over at Mimi, who’s arms were crossed, staring at
Tiggerkat in disbelief. “The map,
Tiggerkat, look at the map!”
“Map? What map?”
Tiggerkat was clueless.
Mimi sighed.
Then took the paper hat off of Tiggerkat’s head and smoothed it out,
revealing itself to be-------a map.
Chapter 8:
The group worked day and night on fixing the boat. They stopped only for meals, made up of the
fish caught by Quinn and fruits found by Mimi. On the third day Tiggerkat and Nutello were trying to position
the mast upright when arrows began to whiz by their heads. “We’re under attack!” Nutello yelled,
pulling Tiggerkat down to safety.
“Minions! Counter attack!”
Huntress took to the sky, out of range of arrows, where she
could hopefully detect this enemy. She
saw something shiny glinting in the sunlight across a gorge on the side of a
hill. She signaled Nutello and
Skittles. Nutello gave the signal and
Skittle raced into position behind the archer.
She moved so swiftly that she was undetected.
With the minions in position, that is when Nutello
realized…they had not brought weapons with them. She growled in frustration.
“What’s wrong?” asked Tiggerkat.
“I forgot the our weapons.”
Nutello replied.
“No problem!”
Tiggerkat grinned. She pointed
to a grove of coconuts growing above the archer. Nutello squinted then saw Dazzle at the tops of the palms. She was gnawing the coconuts loose! The fell towards the ground, disappearing
into the bushes.
KLUNK! KLUNK!
“Ow!” KLUNK! “Ow!
Stop it!” A gray and white
spotted wolf stood up from the bushes, rubbing her head. “Cut it out you dumb rat!” Dazzle squeaked angrily and gnawled another
coconut loose. The wolf dodged it, lost
her footing and fell down the hill into the gorge.
Avvy and Quinn reacted swiftly, entangling the wolf in one
of Quinn’s fishing nets. Avvy grabbed
the wolf by her whiskers and demanded an explanation. The others arrived as the wolf began to talk, “I am Tater! This is my cove and I don’t allow any tigers
here! I shoot all tigers I see!”
Tiggerkat looked around, confused. “You mean Avvy?”
Tater looked at her captor---her eyes went cross as she
tried to focus in on the tiny tiger holding her whiskers. “You mean this striped rat?”
“I ain’t a rat!”
Avvy yoked harder on the whiskers.
“Ow!” Tater
growled. “You ain’t a tiger either!”
then she looked at Tiggerkat with disdain.
“But that one there is!”
Tiggerkat looked right, left, over each shoulder and between
her legs behind herself.
Then she realized Tater was looking at her. “Me?!
I’m a tigger, not a tiger!
That’s T-I double Ger-Er!---”
“Oh no” Mimi groaned, “Here she goes”
“—and that spells Tigger! And did you know..” and she began
to sing and bounce all round Tater and the group:
“The wonderful thing about
tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!!”
Tater looked over at Avvy and Quinn and
whispered, “Is she really the only one?”
“Ok, Ok, I’ll take it from here!” Nutello finally spoke
up. She pulled Tater upright and pulled
the net off of her. Tater stood up and
aimed her bow at them. Then she
lowered it. “Aw Dang! You ain’t pirates!”
“No, but we are
going looking for pirates!” Skittles
said.
“They have Reese
Cup Treasure!” Tiggerkat grinned.
“Never heard of
any Reese Cup Treasure.” Tater shrugged.
“Of course
not! It is a super duper super
secret!” Tiggerkat folder her arms and
threw up her chin.
“And we are
trying to find our leader, Tiggerpaka.
He’s been captured by pirates.
Ever hear of him?” Nutello asked.
“Tiggerpaka?” She looked at Avvy and Quinn. “I thought you said that (she gestured
towards Tiggerkat) was the only Tigger!”
Tiggerkat looked
insulted. “Tiggerpaka is Noooooo
Tigger!” and she bounced off in
disgust.
“Tiggerpaka is a
meerkat” Huntress explained.
“A crazy meerkat”
Mimi elaborated.
“A crazy
meerkat?” Tater looked like she was beginning to remember something. “About a month ago a crazy meerkat came up
to me demanding I take him to sea in that broken ship over there. Said he was looking for traitors….” A look
of realization came across Tater’s face.
“He was looking for you! He said
Tiggerkat and some other fella……Great, uh, Great, hmm. Oh! Scott! Yes he was looking for Tiggerkat and Great
Scott.” She smiled at Tiggerkat, “Guess
he didn’t find you.”
Tater looked at
Mimi. “He was definitely crazy. Thinking we could sail in that busted up
boad. When I told him to go stuff it he
started calling me a traitor, called me a Poke something or other.”
“What did you
do?!” Nutello asked.
“Oh” Tater smiled looking down at her bow and
arrows. “I shot him.”
“YOU SHOT
HIM?!!!!??” Nutello fainted.
Tater
laughed. “I didn’t say I killed
him!”
Skittles rushed
quickly to the ocean and came back with a bucket of water and threw it onto
Nutello’s face. Nutello sputtered and
sat up and looked around blinking.
“What did you do to Tiggerpaka?!”
she had a panicked look in her eyes.
“I shot him”
Tater smiled. Nutello was just about to
faint when Skittles threw a second bucket of water on her. (Skittles is really,
really fast!) Nutello sprang up and leaped
at Tater trying to put her paws on Tater’s neck.
Huntress flew in
between them. “Stop, Nutello! Tater
didn’t kill Tiggerpaka!”
“But she said she
shot him!” Nutello glared at Tater.
“Yep, hit him in
the butt”
Mimi, Avvy, Quinn
giggled. Tiggerkat busted out laughing,
then Huntress, Skittles and Tater all laughed.
Nutello glared at them, then noticed even Dazzle was laughing! “Ugh!
I give up!” Nutello began to stomp away.
Tater
straightened up. “C’mon there,
Nutello? Right? That’s your name?”
Tater put a paw around her shoulders.
“I bet I can help you find your Tiggerpaka, and maybe even get to kill
some pirates in the process!”
^^^
With Tater’s help the group was able to fix the boat and
push it off the beach and out into the sea.
It was a tight fit. Avvy and Dazzle, being the smallest, climbed
up the mast to share the crows nest to keep watch for the pirate ship.
Quinn was
concentrating on staying dead center in the boat, as she had a fear of
water. Huntress was reading a dusty old
book, while Skittles was reading a…..uh…Dictionary?
“Affirmative”
Skittles tells the narrator, sounding very smart. Mimi was reviewing a map, holding a beautiful red ruby in her
paw.
And Tater was
gripping her head in her paws, trying to keep from exploding with irritation as
she watched Nutello and Tiggerkat argue over who should be Captain.
“As the highest
ranking minion, I will be Captain!”
Nutello asserted.
“Soon to be the
lowest ranking minion!” Tiggerkat shot back.
“Why do you think
that?” Nutello asked with gritted
teeth.
“Well, you’re the
one who lost Tiggerpaka!” Tiggerkat said as she bounced a circle around
Nutello.
Nutello took a
swipe at Tiggerkat who bounced out of the way.
Nutello took out a weapon and started to take aim when Tater jumped up
and took it away from her.
”You trying to sink the ship before we get anywhere?!” Tater shouted in Nutello’s face. Tiggerkat grinned then stuck her tongue out at Nutello. Nutello lunged for her, but Tater stopped her. The group became aware of the commotion and gathered around.
“What’s going
on?” Huntress asked.
“They can’t
decide who should be Captain” Tater explained.
“Well I am the
highest ranked minion!” Nutello asserted again, pushing Tiggerkat behind her.
“But Tiggerpaka
picked me to come find him!” Tiggerkat
said as she bounced back in front of Nutello.
The two began
pushing at each other and the group began to argue among themselves as to who
should be Captain. The ruckus was
growing when the ears were pierced by a sharp, loud whistle. The group fell still and looked at the
source of the sound….Mimi!
“Tiggerkat should
be Captain.” Mimi said.
“Wha???” Nutello
was dumbstruck.
“I was holding my
ruby, which can see the future and it shows Tiggerkat as the Captain---and me
as First Mate.” She said sincerely.
Nutello was
suspicious---she knew the two were best friends. She began to protest when Quinn spoke up. “Her ruby is never wrong, everyone along the
river knows this.”
Tiggerkat gloated
and grabbed an old paper to fold up into a hat. She placed it on her head and took the ship’s wheel. “Hoist the sails! Swab the decks! Get to
work you scallywags!”
Avvy, Quinn,
Huntress and Skittles saluted awkwardly, bumped into each other, turning left
and right, tripping over ropes, falling on each other into a pile. Tater had stayed in the back, away from
everyone, sharpening her arrows, snickering at the chaos.
Nutello did an
eye roll at the group as they untangled themselves then said to Tiggerkat,
“Fine Captain” she said the name dripping with sarcasm. “Just where are
we headed?”
Tiggerkat looked
at Nutello confused. Then she looked a
bit nervous and unsure of herself. She
laughed nervously, then looked over at Mimi, who’s arms were crossed, staring at
Tiggerkat in disbelief. “The map,
Tiggerkat, look at the map!”
“Map? What map?”
Tiggerkat was clueless.
Chapter 8:
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!!”
Chapter 7
The group followed Tiggerkat who was bouncing along the
banks of the river. The river was
growing deeper and wider as it came closer and closer to where it met with the
Caribbean Sea. As they approached the
sea the group admired it’s sandy white beaches and azure blue waters. The sun shone brightly, but a steady ocean
breeze kept it from becoming too hot.
Nutello, Dazzle riding her shoulder, was first to step out
of the forest and onto the beach.
“Wow! No wonder
Helga always wants Tiggerpaka to take her here!” said Nutello, “It’s beautiful!”
She looked turned around to the others---but no one was behind her . She
spun her attention back to the beach—but did not see minions dedicated and
ready to for their mission.
This is what she saw instead: Avvy and Mimi were playing in the warm waters. Quinn was building sand castles while
Tiggerkat was bouncing over the gently crashing waves. Huntress soared above the waters taking in
the view. And Dazzle---Nutello couldn’t
believe her eyes! There was Dazzle,
collecting sea shells with Skittles!
Nutello exploded. “WHAT
IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!!??!!”
The group froze in their tracks, suddenly feeling badly,
guilt washing over them, for playing
cheerfully and enjoying the moment, knowing that Tiggerpaka was probably
suffering greatly at the hands of his captors.
Just kidding! They
ignored Nutello and kept on playing!
Just as Nutello was about to explode with anger, Huntress
came swooshing down, exclaiming, “Guess what everyone! I found a boat! We can use it to look for the Reese Cups! Uh---I mean, Tiggerpaka!”
Nutello relaxed, relieved that the mission was finally about
to get underway. Huntress led the group
down the beach and around a jetty and into a secluded cove. Indeed, there was a boat. Beached onto rocks. Broken sail masts and a large hole in the
bow.
“Great job, Huntress” Nutello groaned sarcastically.
“You don’t like it?” Huntress said with a pout.
“Huntress, there is a giant hole in it! We have no tools! How will we ever fix it and take it out to sea?” Nutello
responded in distress.
“Well, you’re so smart, you figure it out!” and Huntress flew off to another part of the
cove.
Dazzle began squeaking. “Not now” Nutello said, depressed about the situation. She sat down under a palm tree and closed her eyes, hanging her head low.
“Well, back to fun in the surf!” Tiggerkat announced gleefully and she and the others went back to
playing.
But not Dazzle. She
climbed the palm tree just above Nutello’s head and began to gnaw. After a few minutes, sap began to run out
and drip onto Nutello’s back.
“Dazzle! Stop! That stuff is sticky!” Nutello was trying to
wipe it off, but it stuck to her fur.
The more she tried to clean it off, the stickier it became. Even water couldn’t wash it off.
“Wait! I have an
idea!” Nutello froze in
excitement. “Hey everyone! Round up any lumber you can find! We can use the sap like glue and patch up
that hole!”
Chapter Six:
The group had been walking along the banks of the river for
a couple of hours when Skittles asked, “So guys, what’s the plan?”
“Ask Tiggerkat,”replied Nutello
“Me??! I thought YOU
had the plan!” Tiggerkat stopped and
stared at the Intelligence Officer.
“In the note Tiggerpaka said you would know how to find
him!” Nutello shot back.
Tiggerkat stopped bouncing and took on a very rare, serious
expression. “Why would I know how to
find him? What exactly did that note
say?” Nutello handed her the note and
she read it aloud to everyone:
Minions!
You
must come at Once!
I
am being, uh, detained
by
Pirates!!
I
have attached a map of my location to this bird......
Stupid Bird!
Come Back Here!!
Fine!
You are on my # 2 List!!!!
Fine!
You are on my # 2 List!!!!
That
was my only map, but Tiggerkat will be able to locate me!
Go
Get Tiggerkat!
Sincerely,
Your Beloved Emperor of the Bloggosphere
The
One and Only
The
Greatest
The
most awesom.....
gotta
go!
Come Quick!!
Everyone scratched their heads and thought really hard about
the note. Tiggerkat held it to the sun,
turned it upside down and backwards, with a perplexed look on her face.
Then, she sniffed it…then licked it! “I know where he is!!” she exclaimed with excitement.
“Huh?” Nutello was puzzled.
“What could you possibly figure out by sniffing the note?!
Tiggerkat grinned with pride. “Well, my dear Intelligence Officer” Tiggerkat began, the
she bounced away singing “That’s for me to know and you to find out!”
Chapter Five:
Tiggerkat looked at Nutello triumphantly, arms folded.
“What?!” Nutello
glared back at Tiggerkat.
“I have provided THREE helpers to our mission. I don’t see you coming up with a single
minion!” Tiggerkat gloated.
Dazzle squeaked angrily at Tiggerkat, defending
Nutello. Nutello stroked her to calm
her down and replied to Tiggerkat, “Just wait, my friend, just wait.” She dug around on her toolbelt and pulled up
a two way radio and spoke into, “Nutello to all Minions! Attentinon! Nutello to all Minions! “ she spoke with
authority. “I need all minions to report
to the river bank immediately! We are
organizing a rescue mission for Tiggerpaka, so you must come at once!”
Nutello smirked at Tiggerkat. “You better stand back, when the minions
arrive you will be knocked off your feet for sure!”
The group scanned the skies and forest, up and down the
river, waiting for the minions. Five
minutes passed, then ten, then twenty.
Nutello was starting to sweat.
Tiggerkat tried to stifle a laugh when something appeared in the
sky. Nutello relaxed and smiled, “I told
you they’d come!” The dark spot grew
closer and closer. But it was only one
minion---a Pegasus, no a fox, no---a unicorn?
“Huntress!” Nutello announced as the Fogius (fox/unicorn/Pegasus)
landed gracefully next to the group.
“The others must be close behind!”
“Uh, Nutello?”
Huntress began.
“Yes?” Nutello replied.
“There are no oth---“ Huntress began to tell Nutello
something but was interrupted by crashing sound in the forest as a black blurr
raced out of the woods, past the group on the river bank, down the shoreline,
turned and ran back at the group coming to a sharp halt in front of Nutello.
”Minion Skittles reporting to duty!” said an unfamiliar Timber Wolf.
Nutello looked blankly at the wolf, then looked at Huntress,
“What’s going on? Where are the
others? Who is this wolf?”
Huntress laughed nervously, not sure where to start. She would try to speak, then closed her
mouth, then try again, then sighed in defeat.
“The minions are gone, I don’t know who this is, she just showed up this
morning, claiming to be the newest minion.”
“I submitted my resume a week ago and Tiggerpaka the Great
did not call or email me, so I knew he was testing my level of commitment, so I
came today for the job!” Skittles
replied.
“Tiggerpaka didn’t reply because he’s missing!” Huntress
explained.
“Sssshhhhh!!” Nutello
tried to hush Huntress and leaned to her trying to whisper, “Atthay olfway
ightmay ebay away yspay orfay okemonpay!”
Skittles did an eye roll. “Pig Latin? Really?” she sighed.
“I am not a spy. I do not work
for Pokemon, or Tireblade.”
“How’d you know about Tireblade?!” Nutello demanded. “I never said his name!”
Tiggerkat responded, “Again, everyone knows about
Tireblade. And Pokemon. And HQ.
And all the nonsense that Tiggerpaka goes spewing about.”
”It’s not nonsense!” Nutello defended her mentor, again. “Huntress, where are the others? Where’s Hedley? Milne? Nota Ben? Umbrello? Draco?”
”It’s not nonsense!” Nutello defended her mentor, again. “Huntress, where are the others? Where’s Hedley? Milne? Nota Ben? Umbrello? Draco?”
“Uh,” Huntress looked a bit embarrassed. “Well, when Tiggerpaka left, we, I mean they,
saw it as an opportunity for a vacation.
Tiggerpaka works us really hard you know! Sending us to New York ,
then back to HQ, then rebuilding HQ, he never gives us a break.”
”Of course not, you lazy minion!“ Nutello went on, “Being Emperor of the Bloggosphere requires lots of hard work from lots of dedicated minions! I am going to have to issue you a demerit!”
”Of course not, you lazy minion!“ Nutello went on, “Being Emperor of the Bloggosphere requires lots of hard work from lots of dedicated minions! I am going to have to issue you a demerit!”
“But Nutello, I’m here!”
Huntress defended herself.
“Me too!” Skittles interrupted.
“You are NOT a minion!”
Nutello shouted.
“Then you can’t give me a demerit” Skittles smiled.
Nutello face pawed.
“Ugh! No demerits for anyone!
C’mon let’s go” she grumbled.
The group walked along the banks of the river when they saw
a fox swimming playfully in the river.
“Cookie!” / “Mimi!” Nutello and Tiggerkat yelled at the same
time, then looked puzzled at each other.
“That’s Cookie.” Said Nutello.
“No, that’s my bestie, Mimi!” said Tiggerkat.
“You are confused, again, Tiggerkat, that’s one of
Tiggerpaka’s minions, Cookie” Nutello rolled her eyes.
“Mimi!” Tiggerkat shouted to the fox who was climbing out of
the river and shaking off the water. “Will you explain to my friend “Nutty-o”
that you are Mimi and not some stupid minion of Tiggerpaka’s?!” Nutello gave Tiggerkat an evil glance.
The fox sighed.
“Tiggerkat, Nutello, I can explain.”
She looked at Nutello, “My real name is Mimi. Tiggerpaka likes my cooking and calls me
Cookie – and I hate that name—and he thinks I am one of his
minions, but I’m not. I mean, really,
Nutello, how often do you see me at HQ?”
“Psssshhhhh!” Nutello
clamped a paw on Mimi’s mouth. “Don’t
mention that place, you might reveal it’s secret location!”
“Oh, you mean Tiggerpaka’s play house under that old phone
booth?” Avvy’s eyes twinkled.
Quinn laughed. “Now it’s a port-a-potty! With a welcome mat
and when you step inside it is really an elevator!”
Nutello was getting quite anxious and nervous. “Uh, no, no, of course not! Heh heh heh.” She laughed nervously. “Why would you think that was a, uh, Secret
Headquarters?”
“Nutello,” smiled Tiggerkat, “Everyone in the woods
knows. Tiggerpaka is always going around
to everyone braggin about it, and then pretending like he didn’t say it.”
“Yeah!” Avvy was laughing harder “He goes around telling
everyone how he is going to be the emperor of some bloggosphere and that he was
hunting down some imaginary enemies named Pokemon and Tireblade!”
Nutello face pawed.
She wanted to call them liars, but she knew in her heart that was the
kind of thing her mentor would do. She
would have to re-build HQ in a whole other location----but that is for a
different story---maybe on TFEOBB.
Mimi giggled. “That
is why I let Tiggerpaka think I am a minion and why I cook a grub for him every
now and then. He is so funny in his own
demented little way!”
“Okay, okay, you’ve had your fun!” Nutello fussed with the group. “But Tiggerpaka is in trouble and he needs
our help! So are you in or not?”
The group kind of looked here and there, up and down, not
saying a word.
“Oh, and there is a giant Reese Cup Treasure!” Tiggerkat added.
“We’re In!!” they
shouted in unison
Chapter Three:
“Well we can’t go without Quinn!” Avvy said.
“Who’s Quinn?” Nutello asked
“She’s my BFF! C’mon!
Let’s go find her!” and the tiny tiger bounced off.
“I like the way she moves!” shouted Tiggerkat as she bounced
off after Avvy.
Nutello sighed.
“C’mon Dazzle, let’s go.”
The group came near to a river and saw a Cat fishing along
it’s banks. Avvy ran up to her and gave
her a big hug. Nutello could hear them
talking excitedly. When she got closer
she saw a grey cat with white paws and muzzle, neck and belly, holding paws
with Avvy and showing her catch of fish to an impressed Tiggerkat.
“It took me almost two days to catch all these!” Quinn said.
“Wow! You are really
dedicated, that was a lot of hard work!” Avvy said.
“So what’s up?” Quinn asked.
“We are going on a super secret mission!” Avvy said.
“Really?” Quinn was impressed. “To do what?”
Nutello answered, “To rescue my mentor, Tiggerpa—“
“To find a Reese Cup Treasure!” Tiggerkat grinned.
“I’m in!” Quinn
quickly dumped her bucket of fish back into the river and picked up a back
pack. “Let’s go!”
The group exchanged glances.
“What??” asked Quinn.
“That was two days work, you just dumped it!” Nutello pointed out.
Quinn groaned as she face pawed, realizing what she had
done.
Chapter Two:
When Nutello and Dazzle caught up to the site of the
commotion, they found Tiggerkat swinging on a tree branch suspended in a large
net. Nutello expected her to be hurt
or scared, but Tiggerkat was kicked back, lounging in the net.
“What the heck happened?!” Nutello wasn’t sure if she should
be mad or concerned.
“Just waitin’ for you guys to catch up.” Tiggerkat
smiled. “Now, can you help me down?”
Nutello felt a little steam come from her ears but she
swallowed back her frustrations. Dazzle
left Nutello’s shoulder and climbed the tree and out onto the branch that held
the net. She began chewing the rope
until it broke and Tiggerkat in the net came crashing down on top of
Nutello.
“Get off of me!”
ordered Nutello.
“Sheesh, Nutty-o, that’s no way to thank a friend!”
Nutello thought she would implode, “Help!?! Friend!?!
Why I …”
“RRRRrrroooAAARRRRR!!”
A very loud, fierce sound frightend Nutello who hopped
into Tiggerkat’s arms for safety.
Tiggerkat looked confused and set Nutello down, Dazzle reclaimed her
spot on Nutello’s shoulder.
“WHO GOES THERE!” demanded a booming voice.
“WhoooWhoo, Who is that?” Nutello trembled.
“It’s Avvy!” Tiggerkat replied cheerfully, calling out,
“Avvy! Its me, Tiggerkat!”
The bushes rustled wildly as Nutello trembled anticipating a
large fearsome beast to emerge, and was surprised to see a……Tiger?? A tiny, tiny tiger! The size of Dazzle!
Dazzle squeaked in laughter and rolled off of Nutello’s
shoulder, hitting the ground laughing and pointing at Nutello.
“Hi Tiggerkat! Who’s
your friends?” the tiny tiger bounced about.
“Oh, no.” Nutello groaned, “Not another bouncing tiger!”
Tiggerkat and Avvy looked at each other confused. Then Tiggerkat introduced Nutello and
Dazzle to Avvy and explained their mission.
Tiggerkat expressed admiration for Avvy’s handiwork in making the net to
protect her home, where the tiny tiger made sweets, including Reese Cups! So you can see why Tiggerkat and Avvy are
good friends! Tiggerkat thought Avvy
would be a great asset in helping them find Tiggerpaka.
“I think I remember that meerkat,” commented Avvy. “He once asked me if I could make sweets
with grubs! Blech!” she grimaced. “I
refused and he said some not so nice things and scurried off. I don’t think I should help you guys, the
forest is better off without him.”
Nutello looked alarmed that anyone could think such things
about her boss. Then she said
snobbishly, “Fine. I am sure you would be more of a burden than a help
considering your tiny size.”
Tiggerkat looked panicked.
“Take that back! Don’t make Avvy
mad!”
Nutello smirked, “and why not? I don……..aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!”
And in an instance, Nutello was hanging upside down by her foot from a
tree. Avvy approached her and pulled
Nutello’s ear, holding it, causing a bit of pain for Nutello.
Avvy looked at Nutello angrily and said, “Look Nutello! I may be small, but I am a master at
interrogation! I would be a valuable
team member for your cause!”
“And she makes the best Reese Cups!” Tiggerkat said
dreamingly.
Chapter 1:
"Sheesh, Nutello!" complained Tiggerkat, while looking back over her shoulder at the heading. "We're not that late, it's only Chapter One!"
"The longer we wait, the more danger Tiggerpaka might be in!"
Tiggerkat responded with a yawn.
"And" grinned Nutello evily, "The more Reese Cups get eaten out of that Treasure Chest!"
Tiggerkat bounced straight up in the air in fright.
Nutello laughed. As Nutello moved onward into the forest, a small white and grey creature climbed up her leg and onto her shoulder. "Hello Dazzle" Nutello smiled. The small rat smiled when she squeaked in reply. Then the rat squeaked rapidly at the black anthro wolf that carried her. Nutello smiled and said, "I don't know, Dazzle. Tiggerpaka's note said only Tiggerkat could help. And yes, we will definitely go along with Tiggerkat. I can only imagine the trouble she would get in without our great intellect guiding her!"
Tiggerkat rejoined the two and bounced ahead of them saying, "We must get a crew together! See which of Tiggerpaka's minions can help us!"
"What about you, Tiggerkat? Don't you know anyone who can help?" Nutello asked.
Tiggerkat bounced back to Nutello and Dazzle and bounced energetic circles around them as she grinned and said, "Buddy-Wolf, Ole pal! You are in for a real treat!! Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoooooooo!!" And she bounced ahead and out of sight.
Dazzle and Nutello looked at each other, confused. Dazzle squeaked and Nutello replied, "I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! I know, Dazzle, I know! We won't lose herrrrrr......." then they heard a horrible crash in the distance ahead and a faint "Hoo Hoo Hoo Hooooooooooooo" and a cough, a wheeze, then silence.
Prologue:
It was a dark and stormy night. The ship creaked as it tossed in the brutal waves. The winds pounded rain like heavy nails into the sailors as they tried to secure the sails and masts. The Captain called to his crew to stand fast and strong and show no fear to the gods of the sea!
In the dark recesses of the ships bowels a small creature hid, shivering in the cold, his fur soaked to his bones. His eyes shone wide with fear. The little meerkat whimpered, too scared to even cry out. The meerkat was alone, captured by those mangy pirates, wondering what fate awaited him----IF he survived the storm.....
"Tiggerkat!"
"You have spent enough time in the tub! It is bedtime! So hurry along!"
Sheesh! Mum sure can spoil a good start to a story!
**tosses aside toy boat**
**tosses aside toy boat**
@Chapter 1 -
ReplyDeleteWonder what happened. o:
Good start!
ReplyDeleteWhen am I coming in? At least, Mimi.
ReplyDeleteI'm bringing peeps in the order the3y signed up...I think u r chapter4
DeleteAhahaha,... HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
ReplyDeleteLol :p.
Tiny and fearsome!
Chapter 4= Interesting Chapter! :D
ReplyDeleteAkili/Skittles
Ha-ha! Good story! Thanks for Mimi/Cookie!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm usually a husky at Tiggerpaka's, as I can shape-shift with my neckalce. [You needn't write that if you don't want to!] :D Thanks again!
Also, do you want pics? I'll get you some if so!!
ReplyDeleteI don't plan to use pix in the story, but if you want to send some art related to the story that would be cool!
DeleteOkie-dokie!
Deletesorry Mimi for replying to your comment
Deletewell any way I will not be here for a while huntress carrot elizabeth whatever you call me
Thanks for bringing Skittles in! Great chapter!
ReplyDeleteAkili/Skittles
wait did i say tigers i ment loins sorry to ofend you
ReplyDeleteloins?? i love loins! sirloins, tenderloins.....huh? what, nutello? Oh, you think she means lions??!!
DeleteLions are annoying, unlike tiggers!
What about purrloins?
Deletecan i be in the story sorry to be late on signing up
ReplyDeleteyou made the cut! email me the info on your character tiggerkat101@gmail.com
DeleteWhen's the UPDATE???????????
ReplyDeleteSniff? Lick? Would you EAT the letter?
ReplyDeleteHmm... What if the bird knew he/she was on the #2 list?
ReplyDeleteAkili/Skittles
Cool! Tiggerpaka ought to be shot he is really nuts!
ReplyDeleteCliff hanger!
ReplyDeleteAkili/Skittles
GAH.
ReplyDeleteNutello is gonna whip Tater upside the head. D:<
I hope.
Lol.
That jewel is going on the #2 list. >:U
ReplyDeleteNo way!
DeleteHa-ha!!! Tiggerkat'll mak a great captian!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Dictionary = Powerful Weapon in Disguise.
ReplyDelete:D
Wow, alot of fantasy!
ReplyDeleteI wonder where Avvy would go if she could teleport....
ReplyDelete...not a candy factory...
...or a fishing spot...
...or cheese...
...or a library...
...I think...
...she would go to her old home in the candy forest!
Fun!
ReplyDeleteAaaaah!! Rainbow poops! Of all things why did you go to Lilliput?
ReplyDeleteWilly Wonka? I've seen that movie!!
ReplyDeleteSame here! :D
Delete13 is lucky in the flying magic fox kingdom
ReplyDeleteMr. Wonka must be in a grouchy mood...
ReplyDeleteDun dun dun.... Huge fight!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any bow and arrows, but I have a dictionary that I can throw at enemies, and a thesaurus that I can trip enemies with.
ReplyDeleteSkittles: I believe it's Hershey, Pennsylvania, located in some place called the United States of America.
ReplyDeleteAvvy was very confused. She slowly became so annoyed, she began to grow to her full potential! A full grown tiger, strong and muscle indeed. She roared, loud and clear. Everyone stopped and stared. She roared again, sounding my like Godzilla than a tiger. "Now, everyone stop attacking everyone.." She said in a deep voice. Squidward, Patrick, Sandy and Spongebob huddled under the rock Patrick sprung up from earlier. All the crew was stunned. "Not get up on your feet! Everyone!" Everyone stood up in a military fashion, so did Mr. Krabs. Then he suddenly noticed where he was, and scuttled over to the rock with the others. "Huntress, now PLEASE do a spell for.. lets say, fish. Crabs. All the food that pirates can probably manage, so we can maybe get sent to them scallywags on boats!" Huntress, clearly frightened, stumbed to the middle of the boat and was ready to do her magic. Nutello, Tiggerkat, go off and try to manage the boat! EVERYONE ELSE STAND AROUND AND ACT USEFUL!
ReplyDeleteEveryone stood still motionless. "MOVE." Avvy shouted. "Quinn stay here." She ordered. "Now get me some sushi!" Avvy roared. "Pronto!" Quinn rushed off, and with quick paws created a master sushi. Avvy gulped it down and turned to normal size. "When I get cranky, everyone listens TO ME." She roared. This time it sounded like a kitties meow. Everyone giggled. Avvy glared at everyone, and they all became silent. Even though she was still small, she roared ferociously.
Spongebob Square Pants meets Tiggerkat's story.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... Is my character there? I quite forgot who she was cuz you deleted the sign-ups.
ReplyDeleteOoh, blueberry coco, yumm.........!
DeleteAnyway is my pirate there [again]?
SNOWWWWWWWW * flys around eating snow ignoring everyone*
ReplyDeleteA wedding ceremony! How... exciting!
ReplyDeleteYou don't know the excruciating pain I endorsed during the horrific event of a wedding.
DeleteThe crew meets elves, and now Santa?
ReplyDeleteSorry, that was me on my extra, before I created "Akili", Blogger account, I don't know how I logged into that one.
DeleteMr. Claus does not sound very pleased.
ReplyDelete"I'm on the Naughty List?!"
ReplyDeletedun dun dun dun!!!!! ( NOOOOO NOT THE NAUGHTY LIST!!!!
ReplyDeleteTo dear Santa,
ReplyDeleteOh, sorry, Santa, I was just looking if there were a blueberry pie for me, as I wished, and a box of magic powers, as you promised me last year. :( Am I on the naughty list? Pleeeeeze, it's my birthday tomorrow please forgive me.
Yours faithfully,
Mimi
Island of Misfit Toys?
ReplyDeleteI think huntress would be flying beside the sleigh saying "Like uh wow this is almost like the storm giAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"
ReplyDeleteand then she falls into the sliegh
I hope Tiggerpaka dies! Mwahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou don't know how much agree with you....
DeleteBEST ENDING EVER!!!!!
ReplyDeleteXD
Deletehang tight! There is an epilogue!
XD
DeleteOh, I saw the epilogue now!
DeleteBTW, I'm gonna update the ancient RC story. It's almost ancient now! XD
I certainly do not approve of this. Anyway, Tiggerpaka, if you had a wife, why did you want to marry me?!
ReplyDeleteI am a refined squirrel and I will not settle for disgusting RUBBISH like yourself. You where quite a gentleman but this... A disgrace!
Cute ending! Tiggerkat, your the best!!!!!
ReplyDeletehi did i get in i didnt check the story yet if im in tell me the chapter please!!!!
ReplyDelete