Rated: Y7 or G
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Ghosts: Chapter One&-->
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Regarding Rataxes &--> By Sailor Lum&-->
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Disclaimer: The characters from Babar belong to Jean and Laurent De Brunhoff andNelvana. Any other characters are mine and may be used for other nonprofit fanfic (Just
note that they're mine if you use them.)
Continuity note: This story takes place after the last episode of Babar, "Mango Madness."
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Rataxes sighs as he signs, and then places, yet another piece of paperwork in the out pile.
It wasn't so much the paperwork that was getting him down though, but his ratings in the polls.
As usual they were dismal. Rataxes sighs again and stares into space for a moment before turning
back to his paper work.
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"Excuse me..."
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Startled, Rataxes looked up from his paperwork to see Flora at the door of his office. "Oh,
hello Flora," he said cordially.
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"Hello Lord Rataxes," said Flora as she made her way up to Rataxes' desk. "Is Victor here?"
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"No. He's out playing with...William." he replied trying to remember the name of his son's
friend.
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"Oh...," Flora said, crestfallen. A sad expression passed over her face. A sympathetic
expression grew over Rataxes' own face as he asked her what was wrong. "Oh...it's nothing," she
sighed. " It's just that...Father is with the boys on a father-son picnic, and Mother's busy with
Isabelle and Pompadour and Cornelius are busy with work and...um...I'm kinda lonely," she
answered in a small voice.
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"Heh, join the club," he answered almost inaudibly.
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"Huh?"
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"Oh, nothing," he replied.
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"You're lonely too, aren't you?" she asked with childlike earnesty.
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Rataxes was taken aback by her perception before replying fervently, "Who me! I'm not
lonely!" He paused for a moment. "And even if I was a little lonely it doesn't bother me a bit!" he
finished indignantly.
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Flora wasn't fooled for a moment by his bluster but before she could think of a way to reply a
guard appeared at the door.
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"Announcing the father of our fighting forces, a mountain of military munificence, General
Pomire!" the guard announced. As soon as the last word was spoken the General shoved him out
of the way.
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"Hello, your Lordship," Pomire said with a slight bow.
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"Hello, Pomire," Rataxes said with bored resignation. He knew what the General was here for
and it had gotten old long ago. "So what is it this time? What conspiracy theories have you
cooked up today?"
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"Theories?! Why these aren't theories, but cold hard facts! I tell you the elephants are gearing
up for war behind our backs!" he replied.
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Rataxes face quivered as he tried to contain a laugh at General Pomir's unintentional rhyme.
Finally he couldn't contain it and burst out laughing. "Ha ha ha! Facts! Backs! You're a poet and
you didn't know it Pomire!" he managed to get out before more peels of laughter erupted. Flora,
forgotten, quietly giggled in her seat.
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Pomire's face turned red and twisted into an expression of rage. "What is your problem
Rataxes! I'm trying to discuss serious matters and your making jokes! You really haven't
changed a bit! Oh you act like you have but you haven't! You're never going to be popular if you
don't start thinking like a real rhino king!" he bellowed and stood there huffing.
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Rataxes looked stunned for a moment then quickly recovered. "So would you like to be
executed now or later?," he asked with a quirk of his eyebrows.
"I don't find you amusing ," he said with utter disdain.
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"I don't think you find anything amusing Pomire," Rataxes replied sarcastically. "Should you
really be talking to your king that way?" he asked with a mischievous grin.
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"My apologies," he said insincerely and with an overdone bow.
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As he turned to leave, Rataxes said, once again with a mischievous grin, " Didn't you have
something you wanted to discuss with me?"
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"Not anymore sir," was his icy reply as he turned curtly and marched out the door.
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"What was that all about?" Flora said through giggles.
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"Huh? Oh Flora! I'd totally forgotten you were there!"
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"That happens to me a lot," she said with a half smile. "So, what did General Pomire mean when
he said you haven't really changed?"
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"Oh…um…er…nothing really," he stammered. "I wasn't always king you know."
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"What were you before you were king? What were you like? How did you become king?" she
asked in enthusiastically. "And tell me the truth," she added.
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"Wellll…if I lied it would be more interesting," he replied, trying to squirm his way out of
telling the truth.
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"Oh, but I bet that's not true! I'm very interested in hearing the real story. Please tell me. I'd love
to hear it!" she said trying to prod him into telling her a good story. After all, It's not like she had
anything else to do and she was kind of curious.
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"Well…all right. If you really want to hear about it. But you have to promise not to spread it
around. I have a reputation to maintain."
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"All right. I promise."
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"Which question do you want to start with," Rataxes asked.
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"Um, how about 'what did you do before you became king?'"
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"All right. Before I was king I was a Royal guard for my Uncle Phoebus, who was king at the
time. When the old Captain quit he made me Captain, but I started out as Revelry man."
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"So you inherited the crown from your uncle then?"
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"….Right…." Rataxes answered with a pause.
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"So you always knew you'd be king."
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"Actually, no. I'm only king because the others in line before me either died or refused the
crown."
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"Who would refuse to be king?" Flora asked.
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"….Well, my parents for one," Rataxes slowly admitted.
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"Really?!" Flora exclaimed, surprised.
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"Really."
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"Why would they do that?" she asked, puzzled.
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"It's kind of complicated," he replied.
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"I've got all day," she said prodding him on. "And who died?" she asked in a smaller voice.
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Rataxes let out a sigh. "A lot of people died actually. I guess I'm going to have to start at the
beginning."
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He let out another sigh as Flora looked at him with rapt attention as he began. "It all started
with the death of my grandparents in a war with the elephants. They died before I was even born.
In fact, they died before my father (Ferguson) and his sister (Francine) had even become adults.
When they died my uncle, the eldest at twenty-two, inherited the throne. In grief over my
grandparents death he set out to cast revenge on the elephants and warred with them, eventually
killing their king. My father and aunt were horrified and dismayed. Especially after my uncle
continued to war with not only the elephants, but also any other species that got too close to
Rhinoland. It was like he had to seek revenge with everybody. After time he began to claim that
it was all for the greater glory of Rhinoland.
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My dad was really anti-war and left Rhinoland with my mother (June) as soon as he could. She
was born outside of Rhinoland, and after the incessant wars began her family left Rhinoland for
good. My parents did come back to see my sister and uncle for a few months each year though.
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Dad begged my Aunt Fran to come with him, but she refused. She felt obligated to stay with
Uncle Phoebus, whom she had been very close to. She was a very devoted sister and a very
sweet lady."A sad expression grew over Rataxes' face as he said, "It's really a shame. She was
my favorite aunt."After a pause he said, "She was the one that died."
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Silence.
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And then Flora asked, "How did she die?"
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"…I'd rather not go into it in detail if you don't mind," he said softly. "The point is, she died
when I was ten and my parents and I moved up in line for the throne," Rataxes said, quickly
dodging the subject.
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Flora could sense that this was a very hurtful subject and didn't press him more. She couldn't
help but wonder though, what had happened.
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Rataxes went on. "So years later, when I was grown, I married and settled down to live in
Rhinoland. Lady Rataxes has lived all her life in Rhinoland and I didn't want to uproot her.
Uncle Phoebus insisted that I be a member of his Royal Guard. Actually, he insisted that I join
the Royal Army, but I managed to talk my uncle into letting me just be a guard for him.
Truth be told, I don't like war any more than your father does, and I really didn't want to have to
kill anybody.
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If I had my choice in the matter I would have been an actor. Before I was king I was the "class
clown" so to speak. It's how I eventually got people to like me, or at least like my presence.
Although, not every one was amused. Namely, Uncle Phoebus and Pomir. Humor was kind of
my defense mechanism, and when I became king I wasn't allowed to use it any more. I tried, but
what had them rolling in the aisles before made them uncomfortable when I became king. It's
like everyone lost their sense of humor or something."
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"Oh. That's too bad." exclaimed Flora. "I bet you would have been a really good actor! I
remember my father telling about the time you were in a ballet with my mother. He said you
were very good."
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"So, Babar told you about that huh?" was Rataxes' reply. "He's got a such a big mouth."
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"Anyway," he continued, "after a while, my uncle's warring finally caught up with him and he
was killed in battle. When my uncle's adviser, Claudius, offered the throne to my dad in front of
the entire kingdom he refused and denounced Rhinoland and its beliefs. As I said before, my
dad was very anti-war, not your typical rhino, and had become very bitter towards the whole
kingdom. It's understandable. After all, he did loose just about his entire family because of
Rhinoland's warlike and nationalistic bent.
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However, he probably shouldn't have let it all out in front of everyone because they were
really mad. They were seriously going to lynch both him and my mother. But, before they got
the chance, Claudius offered me the throne saying 'Well, how about you Rataxes. You're next
in line.'
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So I said, 'Why the heck not. It's better than being a guard.'
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I have to tell ya, I wasn't really thinking it through to well. I never really wanted to be king
(even though my uncle was trying to groom me for it) but I thought, How hard can it be. If I'm
king I can do whatever I want. Well, it turns out I was mistaken, because I soon found out that I
was expected to act a certain way and build and maintain a certain image. It's really a miracle
that I've managed never to go to war. … Well, except for that time that General Pomir tricked
me. But that hardly counts."
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"So you don't like being king?" Flora enquired.
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"Well I like some of it. You know… the power, the wealth,… and I can sorta do whatever I
want. Sorta. But sometimes I really hate it. Although I bet I'd love it if I could just get people to
like me!" Rataxes sighed and frowned thinking about his dismal polls again.
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"Well, I like you Rataxes," Flora said earnestly.
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Rataxes face softened into a bittersweet smile. "Thanks kid."
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"You're welcome," she replied. "Thank you for sharing your story with me."
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"Sure, no problem kid," he said with kind of a half smile. "Why do you like me?"
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&-->"Because your funny!" Flora replied cheerily.
"Oh." Rataxes said with a sigh and a smile. …"Wonderful!" he added with mock
exasperation, the smile still playing on his lips.
--- End of Chapter One
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Send all comments, flames, praise or critiques to This is my first ever fanficJ
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