This is the tenth entry in a series created by brave kid and me, more of which he and I will be working on together in the future(Pictures of this story's characters are also now available on my blog, the Keeper of the Fun blog!). The storyline is based on that of a Tom and Jerry Cartoon entitled, "The Invisible Mouse" and the title is based on that of a book written by the author of "Babe the Gallant Pig." Please enjoy!(BTW brave kid, thank you very much for all of the story suggestions you've given me. I've had a lot of fun working on these stories with you, and I very much appreciate it. I look forward to writing future stories with you.) :)
It's a pleasant day in New York City. In the yard out back of Dot's Puppy Pound, the Pound Puppies and Kennel Kittens are happily playing when they hear the gate swing open; they turn to see a large, long-legged Great Dane, gently holding the paw of a smaller Great Dane enter the yard. "Excuse me, friends," he inquires politely. "Might this, perchance, be Dot's Puppy Pound?"
"Well, yes, sir." Lucky replies.
"We're the Pound Puppies and Kennel Kittens." Rebound pipes up.
"Such a pleasure to make your acquaintances. My name is Henry and this is my niece Spotty(1)." He's a black and white Harlequin Great Dane with one blue eye and one brown eye, wearing a black top hat with a red band, a white collar fastened with a red bowtie, and white cuffs with gold buttons(2). Spotty wears a blue dress trimmed with lace and a blue bow in her hair; like her uncle, she also has one blue eye and one brown.
"Hello. Enchanted to meet you all." Spotty says politely, as she and her uncle shake the dogs and cats' paws.
"Well, we're pleased to meet you too." Rebound replies.
"Say," Cupcake inquires. "Would you like to join our club?"
"I say, friends, that sounds most delightful." Spotty replies happily.
"What brings you to our pound, Henry?" Cookie inquires.
"Well, dear Spotty and I have been seeking a home, and wonder if we might please inquire of you fine dogs and cats to assist us."
"We'll be more than happy to help you both," Lucky says with a smile. "We Pound Puppies and Kennel Kittens always look out for animals in need."
"Why, this is quite neighborly of you, lad." a contented Henry replies.
Just then, Strudel's robot assistant Toyoshiko traipses out into the yard and approaches Strudel. "Excuse me, Ma'am. I don't mean to interrupt, but I've come to tell you that your latest invention is finished."
"Ooh, how wonderful!" Strudel replies excitedly. She then turns to the group, "Say, I hate to be a bother, but I need to check on something in my lab for a second."
"No problem, Strudel." Lucky replies, as the group, followed closely behind by Henry and Spotty, traipse inside.
Upon entering Strudel's Gizmo Lab, the Dachshund leads the group over to a large red and blue machine, which her two squirrel assistants Mr. Nut Nut and Sparky are busily tinkering on. "This is my Invisibility Ray," Strudel explains. "It can turn any person of your choosing completely invisible."
"Wow!" "That's really cool, Strudel!" the very impressed group replies.
Spotting a large bluish-purple button on the machine's control panel, a curious Niblet quickly rushes over. "Ooh! What's this button do?"
"Niblet, wait, please!" Mr. Nut Nut exclaims urgently.
"Don't push-" Sparky begins. Unfortunately, their warning comes a bit too late as Niblet presses the button. A blast of energy then shoots out of the machine and hits Lucky. ZZAPP! Everyone gasps in horror. "Lucky!"
"Don't worry, guys, I'm fine." the grey dog replies reassuringly. At this moment he looks down to see that his feet have disappeared and gives an apprehensive gulp. "Or maybe not!"
Lucky's legs then disappear, then his tail, his belly, his chest, his arms, his head, and finally his ears(3). Strudel gasps, "Oh no, what's happened?"
A perplexed Niblet begins looking all around him. "H-hey, Lucky, whered'ya go?"
"I'm right here." Lucky replies.
The big sheepdog scratches his shaggy grey hair. "Gee, I can hear him but I jus' can't see him."
"That's 'cause he's invisible." Rebound replies.
"Invisible? What's that mean?"
"Well you see," Strudel explains. "It's like the wind. You know how the wind can blow leaves down the street, move your toys, and even ruffle people's hair?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, you never see the wind do any of these things because it's invisible."
"Ooh, I get it!" Niblet replies. "Now that Lucky's invisible, he can blow leaves down the street jus' like the wind."
"No, it means ya can't see him, void brain!" Squirt replies irritably.
"Ohh."
"How can we get Lucky back to normal?" a concerned Cupcake notes.
"Well," replies an equally concerned Mr. Nut Nut. "There is a reverse switch, but we haven't been able to get it working yet."
"We may have to tinker with it for a little while." adds Sparky.
"Oh dear." despairs Strudel.
"Don't worry, you guys," Lucky says reassuringly. "I'll see what solution I can find in the mean time." He then traipses out the door with the group looking on worriedly.
As Lucky traipses down the sidewalk with only the paw prints he's left behind visible, he passes by the Johnson's yard, where a mean pitbull named Bruiser lives. Upon hearing the sound of footsteps, Bruiser quickly rushes up to the fence and is about to start barking and growling, but when he sees no one there, he gasps and quickly scurries back into his doghouse.
Just then, Lucky hears the sound of a truck pulling up to a nearby curb, and whips around to see Catchum disembarking his dogcatcher's wagon. "Heh heh," Catchum snickers. "Gonna nab me a buncha' stray pups and kittens!"
"Not on my watch he won't!" a determined Lucky whispers. "Time to teach this dogcatcher a lesson."
"But first," Catchum notes. "A little snack." As the dogcatcher seats himself on the curb and opens up his lunch box, Lucky quietly sneaks up to him. Catchum takes a sandwich out of the lunchbox; before he can take a bite of it, however, Lucky takes a large bite. The dogcatcher stares blankly at this, upon which Lucky gobbles up the rest of the sandwich and audibly licks his lips. Catchum scratches his head in perplexity. "Hmm...odd."
As Catchum slowly rises to his feet, Lucky quickly reaches down and ties his shoelaces together; the dogcatcher takes one step and promptly trips and falls on his bum. "Something...strange is going on here..." No sooner has he said this when Lucky grabs Catchum's dogcatcher's net and drops it over his head.
The dogcatcher's eyes grow large. "I-I must've been workin' too hard. I'm seein' things! Sheww, I gotta get some rest." He then hops in his truck and drives off, little knowing that Lucky has stowed away in the(Fortunately empty) back. "And now the fun really begins." he whispers with a slight chuckle.
As the truck arrives at Shelter 13, Lucky quickly hops out of the back and hustles into the main room, where Catchum is talking to Milton Feltwaddle, the villainous pound supervisor. "Something ate your sandwich while you weren't looking? Honestly, Catchum, what would you have me believe?"
"But honestly, it is true," the dogcatcher elaborates. "Something even tied my shoelaces together and caught me in my own net, and I never figured out who it was."
Feltwaddle gives Catchum an odd look. "Catchum, is...this your way of telling me that you need some time off?"
While this is happening, Lucky spots a glass of water on Feltwaddle's desk. Seeing the opportunity, he quickly scrambles up on the table, grabs it up, and dumps it on Feltwaddle's head. "Ughh," he splutters irritably. "Very funny, Catchum!"
"I-it wasn't me, boss. I didn't even touch the glass."
"Well, someone did, and you and I are the only ones in the room!" Feltwaddle replies in an accusatory tone. As Feltwaddle then reaches for a stack of papers on his desk, Lucky quickly tugs the papers away. "Huh?" Feltwaddle then reaches for the papers again, but Lucky tugs them away again. "Catchum, aren't we getting a bit old for practical jokes?"
"But honestly, boss, I haven't done a thing."
Spotting a piano behind them, Lucky quickly hops up on the bench and taps out a tune. Dum-dum-dum-dum-DUUUUUUMMMM-dumdumdumdum. A shiver runs down Feltwaddle's spine. "Uh, C-Catchum, I...think I might be ready to believe you." Lucky gives a small, near silent chuckle at this.
As Lucky slowly climbs off the bench, Catchum sees the dog's shadow under a nearby lamp. "Aha! So there's an intruder here! Well, I'll get the better of you, just see if I don't!" Spying a bag of flour nearby, the dogcatcher grabs it up and tears it open. "Now I gotcha!"
At this moment Feltwaddle's nephew Morton enters the room. "Hey Uncle Milton-" He barely has time to finish his sentence when Catchum quickly begins dumping the flour everywhere; at the last minute, Lucky dashes out of the way, causing Catchum to dump the flour all over Feltwaddle and Morton.
The dogcatcher blushes and sweats profusely. "Ahh, heh heh..." Feltwaddle and Morton's only responses are disdainful glares. At this moment Catchum notices paw prints in the flour on the ground, upon which he quickly grabs up his net. "You won't get away from me this time!" He then swipes his net down; shortly thereafter, Lucky writes, "Missed me" in the flour, then runs out of the room, leaving floury footprints follows the footprints into the next room; once he reaches the end of the trail, he swishes his net down and succeeds in catching Lucky. As he lifts his net up, Lucky quickly pulls Catchum's hat down over his eyes, causing him to drop the net and Lucky to escape. "H-hey, what's going on here?!" the dogcatcher exclaims irritably as he tries to, and eventually succeeds in pulling his hat back up.
Spying a large throw rug on the floor, Catchum is suddenly hit with an idea. He snatches up the rug and hides behind a nearby wall; as he observes a trail of floury footprints coming toward him, he quickly drops the rug down and gets on his hands and knees, pinning each edge to the ground. "Hah! Try gettin' outta that, wiseguy!"
Unbeknownst to Catchum, Lucky was able to slide underneath the rug, sight unseen, and runs around and kicks the dogcatcher in the bum. "Ow!" Lucky then runs away again, upon which Catchum grabs up his net and gives him chase. "You won't get away from me again, you trickster, I'll catch ya and I'll catch ya good!"
Catchum chases Lucky's trail of footprints out of the pound; at this moment, Bruiser comes strolling up the walk. As Bruiser draws near, Lucky quickly dashes behind him just as Catchum swishes his net down, causing him to net Bruiser instead. The pitbull growls angrily at this; Catchum begins to shudder and sweat profusely. "Uhm, nice doggy, good doggy, eh, no hard feelings, right?"
Unfortunately for him, Bruiser was not swayed by this in the least. He runs angrily after the dogcatcher, growling and snapping fiercely. "Yow! Yipe! Ack!" Catchum yells as he dashes down the street with the pitbull in hot pursuit. From the sidewalk, Lucky gives a small, silent chuckle as he looks on at this. "Hmm," he then muses. "It's getting late. I'd better head back to the pound before the others worry." upon which he begins heading back home.
As the very concerned Pound Puppies and Kennel Kittens wait in Strudel's lab back at the pound they suddenly see floury footprints coming down the stairs. "Lucky?" Strudel inquires.
"Hi, folks," Lucky replies. "Sorry to be gone so long; there was a little something I had to take care of."
"Well, it's great ta see ya again, Lucky." Niblet replies. "Uhm, that is, as much as we CAN see!"
"And we're so glad you're safe." Cookie adds.
"Ooh, that reminds me," Sparky pipes up. "We've gotten the reverse switch on the Invisibility ray fixed."
"And we should be able to bring you back to normal now." Mr. Nut Nut adds, as he and Sparky turn the ray toward the spot where Lucky's footprints end. "Ready, Lucky?"
"Ready."
"All right!" Mr. Nut Nut presses the reverse button, causing another ray to shoot out and hit Lucky, upon which he gradually reappears; his ears reappear first, then his head, arms, chest belly, tail, legs then feet.
"Yay! It's great to have you back, Lucky!" the Pup Club cheer while hopping up and down excitedly.
"Thanks, you guys." Lucky replies; a concerned look suddenly crosses his face. "Gosh, with all that's gone on, I've forgotten to help Henry and Spotty find their perfect people!"
"Don't worry, Lucky," Strudel replies consolingly. "We've been looking on the F.K.D. and found their perfect matches a little while ago."
"Gee, thanks, guys, that's really kind of you." Lucky replies graciously. He then turns to the two Great Danes, "Say, would you like for us to take you to meet your perfect people?"
"Oh, that would be smashing, lad, simply smashing!" Henry replies happily.
"Mercy, how lovely!" an equally delighted Spotty adds.
Moments later, the Puppies and Kittens are gathered outside a large purple house with Henry and Spotty standing on the front step. Tiny rings the doorbell, upon which the Puppies and Kittens quickly dash into some nearby bushes. Shortly thereafter, a little girl with short red hair answers the door, followed closely behind by her mother. "Look Mummy, a couple of dogs!"
"Oh, what dear things they are!" her mother says. She looks at Henry sentimentally. "The big one reminds me so much of our last Great Dane Rupert(4)."
"Can we keep them, Mummy? Can we please?"
"Certainly, Janey Dear(5)." her mother replies. Upon hearing this, Spotty scrambles into Janie's arms and begins happily licking her face, while Henry gives several happy barks. Janie and her mother laugh merrily as the familiar glow of Puppy Power sparkles around all of them.
From their hiding place in the bushes, the dogs and cats smile and sigh contentedly. "It's so wonderful when pets find loving homes." Kugel sighs.
"Yeah," Tiny agrees. "It's always nice t'be able ta do our part for our fellow animals."
"I quite agree," Lucky replies. "There's certainly nothing transparent about that notion!" He punctuates his sentence with a chuckle.
The end.
Voice Cast
Lucky-Eric McCormac
Cookie-Yvette Nicole Brown
Niblet-John DiMaggio
Strudel/Kugel-Alanna Ubach
Squirt-Michael Rapaport
Rebound-Brooke Goldner
Cupcake-Cree Summer
Patches/Janey-Jessica DiCicco
Toyoshiko/Spotty-Ashley Johnson
Mr. Nut Nut/Janey's Mom-Grey DeLisle
Milton Feltwaddle-Jim Parsons
Morton Feltwaddle/Sparky-Jeff Bennett
Catchum/Henry/Bruiser-Frank Welker
(1)Henry's name and appearance are based on those of the dog from the book "The Invisible Dog"; Spotty's name is based on one that Janey, the girl from the original book, suggested for her dog.
(2)His outfit and mannerisms are based on those of Barkerville.
(3)Jerry gradually disappeared in a similar way in "The Invisible Mouse."
(4)In the book "The Invisible Dog" Janey's family originally had a Great Dane named Rupert who died.
(5)Her name and appearance are based on those of the girl from the book "The Invisible Dog."
