Happy Birthday, Tintin!
Disclaimer: OF COURSE I don't own them! Herge does! And speaking of Herge, I've put him and his first wife, Germaine Remi (nee Kieckens) into the story.
Author's Note: This story has been, in my words, officially rekindled and altered for Tintin's 83rd birthday. Though in this fic, there will be no age for him. I'll remedy that in good time.
Friends never Forget
"Great! I'll be expecting you in ten minutes then! 'Bye!"
Captain Archibald Haddock put the phone down for the gazillionth time that day and grinned cheekily to himself. Again. Nestor was nearby and would have smiled too, but, being a good and discreet butler, he didn't. This was the best thing that's ever happened to him, ever since that time he let his pet cat have Iago, the parrot the "Cataclysm" gave him, for dinner. He kept a feather in remembrance though, due to combined sentimentality and guilt. He then reviewed the day so far.
Professor Calculus was holed up all day in his lab with some whacked-out doohickey that the Captain wasn't too bothered about. In fact, he had nothing about the near-deaf scientist to bother about, because Calculus had, not too recently, undone the "damage" he'd done to the old seadog. The damage that involved pills which made the taste of alcohol seem disgusting to the drinker. That having been taken care of, the Captain thought "Now I have no need to bother about that blundering barbecued blister acting the goat again." He was wise enough not to think that thought aloud. You know why.
Haddock had then received a postcard from the Thom(p)sons, who were on vacation in Australia. They deserved it, having the need to shake off the trauma of being nearly executed in Tapiocapolis. They had also sent a special PS for Tintin, which was why the Captain had hid it in his jacket secretly after reading.
And where was Tintin on that day? That unforgettableday? Brace yourselves for some plot, Tintinologists! Not the dangerous kind though. I'm lame at that.
Tintin was out all day with Snowy. These were quiet and peaceful days. Nothing exciting was up. Rastapopoulos wasn't up to his old tricks at all. This puzzled Tintin greatly. Of course, we all know what happened to Rastapopoulos. And so does Snowy, who can only bark. Anyhow, it was Snowy, who knew what was happening on this day of days and only on a day like this will everyone ever expect to see a flummoxed, dense, oblivious Tintin, who had done nothing, but write his diary, whistle to himself and chat to Snowy, all at the same time, while lying on the grass in the meadow, where the gypsies had settled themselves eighteen months ago. "What's with the Captain?" he thought. He tried to think up various excuses for this, "He could have found another manuscript about treasure left by Sir Francis Haddock. No, he would tell me if he did. Had he found a long-lost relative? No, he would still tell me about it..."So he came up with a list of useless presumptions, which are not connected to this one unmissable day which he, of all people, actually had forgotten.
Tintin's faithful white terrier looked mockingly at his master watching the sky with a glazed eye. Snowy, of course, knew why the Captain was making so many calls to so many people and places. He knew why poor Nestor was wearing himself down by running around buying food and drink and decorations for Marlinspike Hall's interior. He even knew why he and that bane of a cat, owned by Haddock himself, had to make a temporary truce. But he won't tell Tintin. He can't anyway, for reasons mentioned previously.
It was his master's birthday. January the 10th. Snowy didn't know the year, of course, being illiterate. But neither do I. Nor you. Know the year, that is , not the illiterate part.
Still, Tintin, absorbed in his thoughts as he was, didn't notice the taxi that glided down the road all the way to Marlinspike Hall. The Captain was waiting for it, of course. "Ahoy there! How d'you like our humble abode?" He said politely to Chang, for it was none other than Chang Chong-Chen, who had gotten out of the taxi. "Ni Hao, Captain!" Chang politely greeted, as he shook Haddock's hand. "Wow this is a beautiful place! Tintin was right! Say, where is he?"
"Hmmm...hehehe," Haddock giggled gleefully at how well his plans were going so far. He had succeeded in pulling one over Tintin and he intended to keep it that way for the rest of the day. Then he realised that Chang and Nestor were watching and added with a cough, "Nestor, kindly bring Mr Tintin here,please..." The last word was said with puppy-eyes (Very OOC of him) specially directed at the poor huffing, puffing butler. Like he hadn't done enough already! But Nestor, being ever the faithful butler, complied with a weary smile and took off towards the Marlinspike meadows like a hare.
"Care for a drink, Chang m'boy?" Haddock offered him a glass of Loch Lomond, which Chang declined with a smile and they headed indoors to await Tintin.
Meanwhile, at the meadow, Tintin looked up to see Nestor sprinting towards him, "Hello, Nestor! What's the rush?" Tintin asked as he stood up.
"A visitor has come asking for you, Mr Tintin. The Captain told you to come without a delay; it's urgent," Nestor said slowly, trying to recover his breath. Tintin, without a word, ran to the Hall, with Snowy at his heels. Nestor walked on behind. The moment he entered the living-room, he saw his dear Chinese friend and they wordlessly bear-hugged and shook hands.
"My friend, it's good to see you again! Hello, Snowy!" Chang exclaimed and bend down to pat the happy terrier, who licked him. "So, Chang, it's been quite a while! How's it going?" Tintin asked.
"I'm on holiday. Baba Wang and Shushu Cheng from Kathmandu (Father Wang and Uncle Cheng) gave me enough money to personally pay you a visit. And don't worry, I checked the global weather forecasts before boarding the plane this time!" They all laughed as they remembered the episode with Tibet and the plane crash.
"Ah, Cuthbert! Out of the lab, I see!" Captain Haddock waved jovially to Professor Calculus, as the pint-sized professor saw himself in and shut the door, before Nestor could. Calculus smiled, "I was just taking a rest from constructing my newest brainchild, Captain. How on earth could you presume I was chased out by a banshee?"
Tintin and Chang covered their mouths to stop LOLing. That was when Tintin realised that Haddock had forgotten to yell at Calculus, who now saw Chang for the first time, "Why, look, we've got a visitor! Ni Hao ma! Wo jiao..." "Ah, yes, you're Professor Calculus! Ni Hao!" They bowed to each other.
While Calculus and Chang got to know each other (with a little difficulty), Tintin asked Haddock,"Um, Captain! Did you forget something? You seem quite unlike yourself today." "What's that supposed to mean?" Haddock turned to Tintin with an innocent expression, but Tintin knew a secretive smile, when he saw one. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Captain Haddock?" Tintin rounded up on the seafarer, but then Snowy tugged on his jeans with a whimper. The clever dog had come up with a plan to distract his master from his suspicions!
"What is it, boy?" Tintin inquired and looked down at Snowy, who ran eagerly up to the door. "Oh, you wanna walk? OK then. Chang! Wanna come with us?"
Chang's nonplussed expression lightened up as he agreed. The two guys and terrier then walked outdoors, waving at the Captain and the professor. Haddock thanked his lucky stars that Tintin was the owner of the world's cleverest dog, while Calculus? "Would you believe it, Captain! That boy drinks champagne!"
Now the Captain found his yell, "Thundering typhoons, Cuthbert! You and your champagne! That boy's name is CHANG! CHA-ANG!"
TBC. A review is in order please!