Author's Note: Hello again and thank you for coming! There's just one thing I'd like to say before this chapter! A massive thank you to Herring, Ace Reader and The Babyfaced Assassin for leaving some very nice comments on this chapter, hugs to you guys!
Luna's World
Tintin in L.A.
Chapter 2: A Trip of a Lifetime
"Tintin? Tintin? Tintin, are you still alive? TINTIN!"
Tintin opened his eyes slowly, a blurry image of the Captain standing over him, frowning and putting his hands on his hips.
"Oooh, what is it, Captain?" moaned Tintin, pulling the covers over his head. Mon dieu, he felt like there was a firework display exploding in his head!
"What is it? What it is, is that you're acting like a little child!" snapped Captain Haddock, his fingers tapping impatiently on the cabinet.
"Is that all?" yawned Tintin, his back facing the Captain. Captain Haddock growled and snatched the covers off Tintin, leaving him exposed to the freezing morning air. Tintin rolled up in a ball, shivering violently.
"Great Snakes, Captain, why is the window open!"
"What? It's about 27 degrees out there! It's boiling!"
"Are you sure it's not just you?"
"No it's not; the whole house is sweating buckets! Even though it's the beginning of January..."
"Fine, fine..." groaned Tintin, sitting up slowly and cautiously. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck in his head, causing him to clench his forehead in pain.
"OWWWW! Great Snakes, my head!" he exclaimed, leaning back on the headboard. Captain Haddock gasped and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Tintin with concern.
"Blistering barnacles, are you alright, lad?" he asked, inspecting Tintin's face, "My word, you don't look good at all!"
"Huh?" squeaked Tintin, staring at the Captain.
"I meant you don't look good health-wise." he said, feeling Tintin's forehead, "Thundering typhoons, your forehead is roasting! Say 'aah' for me."
"Aah..." said Tintin, opening his mouth wide, the Captain, inspecting his throat.
"My, my, your throat is red raw! Is sore, lad?"
"Very. It feels like sandpaper." said Tintin, his voice raspy and quiet. He clenched his throat, rubbing it slightly.
"Hmm, I think you've got the fever... Look at your cheeks, they've gone raspberry red as well! I think I'll need the Professor to come and take a look..."
"Wait a second, Calculus? But he's not a doctor!"
"Well, he's knows more about medical science than I do!" said Captain Haddock, standing up and walking out of the room to find the Professor. Tintin groaned as he grabbed a hand mirror off the cabinet and stared into it. Oh dear, the Captain was right, he looked awful! He turned to the side, placing his head on his hand. Suddenly he heard a yelp, as he felt something bumpy underneath him. He looked under the covers to find Snowy lying flat across the bed.
"Oh dear, sorry, Snowy!"
Snowy barked as he leapt up onto Tintin's lap.
"Morning, boy! Looks like you've had a good sleep!" Snowy barked in reply, licking Tintin's face. "OK! OK! Stop!" he laughed, swiping Snowy's paws off his chest. "I'm not feeling so good right now, boy, so don't be jumping all over me!" Snowy looked up and saw that his friend indeed didn't look right at all. He nodded, licking his friend's hand in sympathy. Tintin smiled warmly at his faithful companion and leaned back on the headboard, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh...
"What's this I hear about little Tinnie not feeling well?" yelled Bianca, bursting into the room and looking around frantically.
"Damn it, Bianca! You better not have that shotgun again!" yelped Tintin, hugging Snowy tightly.
"Uh, uh, my hands are clean!" she said, putting her hands up in the air, "Anyway, little bird told me that a certain reporter is not feeling too good!"
"Yes, that is correct. Though I still might have to go to work though..."
"No, no, you're staying in that bed, young man!" she sang, tucking Tintin up and popping a thermometer in his mouth, "There! Now I got a surprise for you!"
"It better not be a song..." mumbled Tintin, the thermometer hanging from his mouth.
"Nope, it's much better than that! But if you do want a song..."
"No! No! Its fine, Bianca! Just tell me what the surprise is."
Bianca giggled and clapped her hands. She ran out of the room and slammed the door. Tintin looked quizzically at Snowy, who was just as confused as him. He heard Bianca thundering down the stairs, indicating that she was running very fast down the stairs.
"She must be really excited about something... I wonder what it is, Snowy?" Tintin took the thermometer out of his mouth to check the temperature. His eyes popped as he read the reading.
"Great Snakes, 102 degrees?" he yelped, putting his hand to his forehead. Suddenly he heard giggling and whispering, as the door creaked open and Professor Calculus popped his head round.
"Hello there, Tinhead, how are you?"
"Not good at all... And don't call me Tinhead! What's up with that nickname?"
"Just trying to cheer you up!"
"Well, it's not working..."
"Maybe THIS might cheer you up then!" Professor Calculus disappeared behind the door, whispering quite loud, though Tintin couldn't quite catch what he was saying. Suddenly the door burst open and everyone ran in, Captain Haddock holding a birthday cake.
"What the blazes?" yelped Tintin, sitting up straight on the bed.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, dear Tintin, Happy Birthday to you!" everyone sang loudly, Bianca especially.
"W- wha- what i-is t-this?" stammered Tintin, as Captain Haddock placed the birthday cake on his lap, Snowy jumping out of the way, "You know my birthday isn't until the 10th!"
"Well, we thought that you can have an early birthday before your special birthday present this Friday!" said Professor Calculus, leaning over Tintin.
"Surprise birthday present?" Tintin looked quizzically at everyone as they smiled ear to ear, obviously very excited about something. Captain Haddock winked at Bianca, as she hid something behind her back. She was giggling like mad, hopping up and down like a little excited child.
"Well, come on then, lad, blow your candles and make a wish!" exclaimed Captain Haddock, jumping up and down on the bed.
Tintin shrugged his shoulders, took a deep breath and blew all his candles out. The whole room clapped and cheered, with Snowy barking enthusiastically. Tintin closed his eyes, crossed his fingers and mumbled his wish under his breath.
"What did you wish for then, Tinhead?" asked Professor Calculus, leaning in to try and see what he's mouthing.
"Silly! He's not supposed to tell you his wish!" said Bianca, slapping Professor Calculus lightly on the back of his head.
"Well, I don't know what to say, except thank you, thank you very much!" said Tintin, smiling warmly at his friends.
"Anyway, we have something very, very special for you! Show him, Bianca!" Bianca squealed and ran up to Tintin, kneeling down to face Tintin.
"Well... seeing as you are now sweet sixteen..."
"Wait a minute, he's sixteen?" exclaimed Professor Calculus.
"Yes... that's the whole reason why we gave him this present that has made us penniless and redundant..."
"Great Snakes! You have no money!" exclaimed Tintin.
"Well, technically yes, but that doesn't matter! What matters is that we have something that will blow you away!" squealed Bianca, whipping out a leaflet and shoving it in Tintin's face, "Read it! Read it! Read it!"
Tintin sighed and started to read it out loud.
"Congratulations on receiving the wonderful opportunity of vacationing in the sunny state of LA?" he yelped, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Keep on reading!"
"Not only do you get all the priorities for free, but also you have received a cruise trip to travel to the great country that is America!" he squealed, jumping up and down on the bed, "So, not only am I going to LA, but I get a cruise trip as well?"
"I see your pleased then!" giggled Bianca.
"Pleased? I'm absolutely over the moon! I've always wanted to go to LA! And I'm going on a cruise? Who did all this?"
"Well, we all chipped in with the money, but you might want to thank a certain someone for organizing all this..." giggled Bianca, looking over at Captain Haddock who was smirking insanely.
"YOU did this?" exclaimed Tintin.
"On the contrary... yes I did..." he said, grinning from ear to ear, glad to see that his friend is totally satisfied with the present that €1500 got flushed away. Tintin screamed with delight and leaped into Captain's Haddock's arms, kissing his cheek multiple times.
"Alright! Alright! Alright! That's enough! Get off!" yelped Captain Haddock , swiping Tintin off him.
"Thank you so much! I never realised you could be so sweet! Thank you to all of you!"
"And I thought you were sick, Monsieur Tintin..." said Nestor, peering from behind he door, "Anyway he needs his rest, so everyone skedaddle now!" He snapped his fingers and pointed to the door. Everyone sighed and walked out of the room, Tintin blowing kisses to them as they exited.
"Well, Monsieur, you are excited!" exclaimed Nestor, "A cruise trip to LA? Fancy way of celebrating your sweet sixteen! Anyway, I got a birthday present for you!" He revealed a tray of waffles and black coffee and placed it on Tintin's lap.
"Oh Nestor, thank you very much!"
"Your welcome. Now, bite on this." He shoved a thermometer into Tintin's mouth, "And don't let go of that! I need to check your temperature..."
"Oh don't worry, I already did that! It's 102 degrees..."
"Great Scott! 102 degrees? You really need to stay in bed then, Monsieur."
"But I need to hand in the article for Le Petit Vingtième! They'll kill me if I don't come into work today..."
"Well, too bad! You need to rest! And stop worrying about that blasted article, you'll be fine!" snapped Nestor, walking out of the room. Tintin snorted and grabbed his typewriter off the cabinet.
"Well, a fever's not going to stop me from getting this promotion!" he snorted, popping a piece of waffle into his mouth, "Now will it, Snowy?"
Snowy whined and hid under the covers. The human mind is just baffling to a dog like him...
And we are finite! Sorry if this chapter is a bit short and that it's took so long to write, but I wasn't feeling too well all week and I've just started this yesterday! But I hope you've enjoyed it, thanks for reading and please review!
Luna's World