Littlest Pet Shop: Guinicula

Halloween stickers were on the windows. A fake skeleton was by the door. A fake corn maze was in the center of the room.

"So?" Blythe asked, showing the pets at the Littlest Pet Shop her red costume. In her hand was a basket.

"Oooh!" Penny Ling squealed. "You look so cute in that costume, Blythe. Um, who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Little Red Riding Hood." She answered. She showed them her basket. "This is my basket. Tonight, it will be filled with all sorts of yummy candies." All the pets oohed and ahhed.

"Are we going to have some of the candy?" Penny Ling wanted to know. Blythe thought a moment.

"Maybe." She said. "I have to check with Mrs. Twombly. I don't want to give you anything that'll make you guys sick."

"That's a good plan, Blythe." Russell said. "Better safe, than sorry."

"Right. Well, I got to go now. Bye! Be good to Mrs. T."

"Bye Blythe!" The animals all called as the girl went out of the room.

"Bye Mrs. T!" Blythe called as she went out the front door. More Halloween stickers were on the windows and another fake skeleton in the corner. Mrs. Twombly was reading a book. She was dressed as a witch with a hat on her head. She had black cat earrings on her ears. A fake black cat was perched on her shoulder as it was attached to the costume.

"Bye Blythe!" Mrs. Twombly responded, not taking her eyes off of her book.

Blythe was about to go to the bus when she saw something in the bushes.

"What the?" She knelt by the bushes and picked up a guinea pig. "What are you doing here, little fella? Are you lost?"

"I vas vith my owner vhen ve got separated." The guinea pig answered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She looked around, then back at the guinea pig. "Well, I can't help you now. I got to go to school but Mrs. Twombly, the store owner, will take good care of you, okay?" The guinea pig sighed.

"Fine!" He said. "But I must find my owner before sunrise tomorrow." Blythe was confused.

"I know you want to find your owner, but why before sunrise?"

"I just do, okay?"

"Okay, okay!" She then noticed his pointy fangs.

"Gosh, what pointy teeth you have." The guinea pig was paranoid.

"Yeah, yeah! Just get me inside."

"Right!" And with that, she went back into the shop. "So, you got a name?"

"It's Guinicula."

"Guinicula? That's a strange name. It's almost sounds like 'Dracula'." Guinicula was about to say something when Blythe spoke to the storeowner.

"Mrs. Twombly," She began.

"You're back already, Blythe?" She wanted to know. She put down her book and looked at the clock. "Did you forgot something or is my clock wrong?"

"No Mrs. T, your clock's not wrong. I just got another furry visitor to drop off."

"Oh, you do, do you?" She looked at it. "Oh, a guinea pig!" She went to her and petted the animal's head. "Are the owners nearby?" Blythe shook her head.

"No. I just found it in the bushes. I looked for it's owner but didn't see anyone. I think he's lost." Mrs. Twombly frowned.

"Oh, what a shame."

"So, could you make 'pet found' posters and put them around town? I got to go to school."

"Sure." She grabbed the guinea pig from Blythe.

"Thanks, Mrs. T!" And with that, she scurried out the door.

"Pets!" Mrs. Twombly called, carrying Guinicula into the day-care. "I got a new friend for you to meet!" The pets scurried to her; eager to see their new furry visitor. Mrs. T put the guinea pig on the floor. "Well, get acquainted and I'll make those posters." She petted the guinea pig. "Hopefully your owner will come soon. Poor little guy." She then left. The pets came up to the guinea pig.

"Hi there!" Russell greeted. "Welcome to the Littlest Pet Shop; we're the Littlest Pet Shop pets. I'm Russell, this is Zoe, Penny Ling, Minka, Senil, Vinnie, and Pepper."

"Hello!" Every pet greeted.

"Delighted to meet you all." Guinicula said. Mrs. Twombly came back with some food for the guniea pig and a camera. She placed the food down

"You must be hungry." She said. The guinea pig went to the food and began eating it.

"Boy, you were hungry, weren't you?" Mrs. T smiled and stood back, ready to take a picture with her camera. "Now, as you excuse me, I'm going to take your picture so your owner can recognize you." Guinicula looked at her. "That's it; stay still." She flashed the camera. "Got it!" Guinicula hissed, showing his fangs. A scared Minka hid behind Russell. Guinicula went crazy, running everywhere in the room. Mrs. Twombly ran after the running guinea pig. She managed to grab him when he ran in the corner. She looked at the shivering guinea pig. "Oh, you poor thing. I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I'll turn the flash off." She aimed the camera at the guinea pig again.

"Okay; let's try this again, shell we?" The camera took the picture. She looked puzzled. "Hmmm, that's weird. You're only a blur." She tried again and again with the same result. "Well, I'll be! What is wrong with this thing?" She then stood up. "Oh well, maybe your owner will recognize you just by your description. See you!" She then left.

"I wonder what that was about." Russell said. "Only a blur in the camera? Strange!" He then went closer to Guinicula. "So, why did you run when the camera flashed?"

"I hate the light." Guinicula answered. "Can't stand it."

"It's alright now." Penny Ling assured him. "The camera's gone. So, you don't have to be afraid anymore."

"We won't do anything to hurt you." Zoe added, comforting the guinea pig.

"Vhank you." Guinicula responded. "Vhank you all. You are all very nice pets.'' The pets smiled and let Guinicula be. The guinea pig drank in his water bowl. Senil went up to him.

"You'll really like it here." The mongoose told him. "You'll be sad when you have to leave." Guinicula looked up at him.

"Vhanks!" He said. "I'm sure I vill." Guinicula drank in his water bowl some more. Senil was about to leave when he saw something, or rather he didn't see it. He saw that Guinicula was drinking out of his water bowl…but didn't see his reflection. Senil screamed and ran to Vinnie. Guinicula looked up, confused to why the mongoose just screamed and ran off. He shrugged it off and resumed eating.

"VINNIE!" The mongoose screamed, running to his gecko friend, who was dancing to some music on his stereo. "VINNIE, VINNIE!" Senil ran into Vinnie and the two friends fell on top of each other.

"Senil!" Vinnie moaned. "You made me mess up my dance moves." He got off and stood up. He turned off his stereo and looked at his friend.

"Sorry." Senil apologized. He stood up as well. He put his hands on Vinnie's shoulders. "But you have to listen to me Vinnie; something strange is going on with Guinicula." Vinnie looked puzzled.

"Strange? What sort of 'strange'; besides his name almost sounding like Dracula?"

"Come with me and I'll show you." Senil grabbed Vinnie's hand and the gecko was forced to follow.

They came near the guinea pig, who had stopped eating. Senil pointed to Guinicula's bowl.

"See?" He told Vinnie. "No reflection!" Vinnie looked at the water in the bowl.

"Well, duh there's no reflection!" He said to him. "He's away from his water."

"Huh?" Senil turned to Guinicula who was about to fall asleep in the corner. The mongoose went over to him. "No! Don't fall asleep yet!" The guinea pig looked at him.

"Vhy ever not?" He asked. "I'm awfully tired."

"Just have another drink out of your water dish; please?"

"Vhy? I'm not thirsty."

"Then just go by your water bowl and look into it." The guinea pig looked at him like he was crazy.

"Vhy?"

"Just do it, please?" The mongoose looked at him, puppy-eyed. Guinicula sighed.

"Fine!" The mongoose cheered as the guinea pig went to his water bowl. "I'll do it although vhy it'll amuse you is beyond me." He looked into his water dish. Vinnie and Senil looked in as well and gasped and screamed. He had no reflection! Guinicula looked at Senil. "See? Happy?" He went over to his corner.

"Wha-where…" Vinnie stuttered. "Where is his reflection?" Senil shrugged.

"I don't know." He replied. Vinnie then noticed that all of the pellets in Guinicula's food bowl were all white. "And why is Guinicula's food all white?"

"Huh?" Senil went near him and saw that the food was indeed white. He screamed. "I don't know!"

"Senil, do you remember what Blythe told us about vampires?" Senil nodded.

"You think that Guinicula is a vampire?"

"Well, think about it. His name sounds like 'Dracula', his food is all white like he sucked all the juice right out of them, like how vampires suck blood from people's necks, and he has no reflection. And I bet he's from Transylvania, judging from his accent."

"Have you ever been to Transylvania?"

"No, I haven't, have you?"

"No, but if you've never been there, how do you know what they sound like?"

"I don't; I'm just guessing that if he is a vampire, that is where he'll be from. If you don't believe me; let's go ask him." Senil nodded.

"I think that'd be a good idea." And so Vinnie and Senil went to the sleeping guinea pig. The guinea pig opened his eyes when he sensed their presence. He looked at them.

"You again?" He started. "Vhat does a guinea pig need to get a decent sleep around here?"

"We couldn't help but notice your accent." Vinnie began. "Where are you from?"

"Transylvania." Guinicula answered. Vinne and Senil screamed. The guinea pig sighed and left.

"Oh, Senil, you were right." Vinnie told his friend. "Guinicula is a vampire!" The boys ran to Russell.

"RUSSELL; RUSSELL!" They shouted, running to him. Russell was reading a book on the sofa. When he saw Vinnie and Senil, he looked at them.

"What is it?" The hedgehog wanted to know.

"Guinicula is a vampire!" Senil blurted out. Russell sighed.

"Oh, boy!" He said with an eye roll. "Here we go again." He put his book down and hopped off the sofa.

"You'd better run Russell," A shivering Vinnie told him. "Otherwise that guinea pig might get you and suck out your blood."

"RUN!" Senil yelled. "RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!" Russell sighed again. He looked at the frightened mongoose and gecko.

"Look guys," He began. "Just because his name sounds like Dracula, Guinicula is not a vampire! You two are taking this way out of proportion just like when you two thought a werewolf was in the Littlest Pet Shop, when it turned out to be Blythe's dad all along. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to resume my reading." He was about to jump back on the sofa when Vinnie and Senil grabbed his ankles. Russell glared down at them.

"Guys!" He scolded.

"We're not making this up!" Vinnie said.

"Yeah!" Senil added. "We have proof!"

"Guys!" Russell said, trying to get free from his friends' grasps "The only proof you are proving is that you two have completely lost it."

"We'll show you!" Vinnie said, dragging Russell to the guinea pig.

"Vinnie!" Russell snapped. "Let me go, now!"

"Don't worry Russell," Senil told him, following them. "Once you see some proof, you know that we are telling the truth."

"Guinicula is not a vampire, Senil." Russell said to him. Senil shook his head.

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Poor naïve Russell." Russell sighed.

"Fine; let's wait a while and see if Guinicula does any vampire related things." They went up near Guinicula and spied on him. Half an hour went by with no

such luck."

"See?" Russell told Senil and Vinnie. "A half hour went by and no proof."

"You got to give him more time, Russell." Vinnie told him. The hedgehog

sighed. Zoe then passed by them.

"Let's ask Zoe." Russell said. "Maybe she'll knock some sense into you two." Russell went to Zoe. "Hey Zoe!" Zoe turned to him.

"Yeah?" She wanted to know.

"Get this." Russell said to her. "Senil and Vinnie thinks that Guinicula is a vampire; can you believe that?" Fear came to Zoe.

"Guinicula is a vampire?" Russell took his paw to his forehead. He shook his head.

"Oh-no!" He groaned. "Not you too!" He was about to snap the dog out of it when Zoe called to everybody.

"Everybody come here!" She called. "There's something we must discuss!" The other animals came up to them.

"What is it?" Penny Ling wanted to know.

"Dear friends, Senil and Vinnie have found out that our guest Guinicula is…is…a vampire." All the other pets gasped.

"Vampire?!" Minka asked, hiding behind Pepper and shivering.

"Now, now, now!" Russell said to them. "Calm down. There're no vampires. Vinnie and Senil have got it all wrong."

"No we don't." Russell said to him. "We don't have it wrong. Guinicula is a vampire."

"No, he isn't." Russell argued though clenched teeth.

"Yes he is."

"No, he's not!"

"How do you know, Russell?" Pepper asked. "I mean his name does sound like 'Dracula', and that accent of his."

"He said he was from Transylvania." Senil said. The pets gasped.

"Pointy teeth, from Transylvania, name sounds like 'Dracula'," Minka said. She looked at Russell "Oh my gosh! He must be a vampire!"

"No Minka." Russell told the spider monkey. "He's not. That's a stereotype. All people who live in Transylvania aren't vampires."

"But how do you know?"

"Because there's no such thing! Besides; Vampires die when exposed to the sun; how is he living then?" The pets thought about this.

"You got a good point there, Russell." Vinnie stated.

"If that's true," Senil added. "Then I guess Guinicula isn't a vampire after all."

"You see?" Russell said. "All is resolved and you two have learned to not judge people or animals by their appearance. Now that this mess is all over; I'm going to read that book." He then left and stopped and thought about something.

"Although it could be because of his thick fur that he's surviving in the daytime," Russell told himself. He then shrugged it off. "Nah!" He went back to the sofa.

"I'm so glad that Guinicula isn't a vampire!" Vinnie sighed heavenly. "Now we can have a nice and relaxing Halloween."

"No!" Senil snapped at him. Vinnie looked at him. "I'm not giving up that easily and you shouldn't ether. We know the truth. Guinicula is a vampire. Now, let's go and get some garlic and a cross to ward him off and also a wooden stake and hammer."

"Awe!" Vinnie protested. "But Senil!" Senil had his arms folded across his chest.

"I am sorry Vinnie but I am not going to let a vampire rodent ruin my Halloween. Now, are you with me or not?" Vinnie sighed.

"Fine!"

"Lunchtime, pets!" Mrs. Twombly called. The other pets scurried to their dishes. "Sorry it's late. I got so absorbed in the daily crosswords that I lost track of time. Eat up!" She left.

"We'll go right after lunch." And with that, Vinnie and Senil went for their food.

"Okay," Senil told Vinnie once they were done. "First; let's go get some garlic." Vinnie and Senil went out of the room.

Mrs. Twombly was busy doing a Sudoku puzzle in the day's newspaper when Vinnie and Senil crept down the stairs.

"Shhhhh!" Senil hushed Vinnie. "Don't make a sound." Vinnie was paranoid.

"I'm not!" He whispered loudly. "I'm quiet as a mouse!"

"Well, keep it up then. You're doing really good." Vinnie sighed and followed Senil to the kitchen.

Senil opened the fridge, looked, and saw the a dozen cloves of garlic.

"Jackpot!" He said to himself and picked them up one by one. He turned to Vinnie and gave him some.

"This should do." He said to Vinnie when they had all of them.. He closed the fridge door. "Now, let's find that cross." Vinnie nodded and followed the mongoose, carrying the garlic.

As soon as they left, Mrs. Twombly came into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and looked for the garlic. She is surprised when she didn't see .

"Well, that's odd." She said to herself. "I brought a dozen cloves just yesterday and all of them are gone." She shrugged, shut the fridge and went off.

"I got the cross." Senil said when he came out of Mrs. Twombly's office. "It took me a while to find it, but here it is."

"And I got the wooden stake from the display window." Vinnie announced, holding up a fake wooden stake. "And also this hammer." He held up the hammer.

"Alrighty then!" Senil said. "Let's go back to the day care." And so, the animals went back to the stairs. On their way, they bumped into Blythe, who just came back from school.

"Hey guys!" She greeted them.

"Oh, hey Blythe!" Vinnie said.

"Hey." Senil added. Blythe saw what the gecko and mongoose were carrying. "So, that's where the garlic went." She then was confused. "What are you guys doing with them?"

"We're warding off a vampire." Senil told her.

"Okayyyyyy." Blythe said, confused. She then changed the subject. "I'm going to check up on Guinicula."

"Uh, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Vinnie responded. Blythe was confused again.

"Why?" She wanted to know.

"You're not going to believe this." Senil started to tell her. "But Guinicula isn't what he seems to be. He's a vampire!"

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds and then Blythe laughed.

"You're right; I don't believe it, but I see what you are doing since this is Halloween and Guinicula sounds like 'Dracula,' you are trying to scare me by telling me that I brought a vampire guinea pig into the Littlest Pet Shop Good one, guys!"

"This isn't a joke!" Senil snapped at her. "And it isn't just because of his name. Guinicula is a real, living vampire!" Blythe laughed again as she went up the stairs.

"Oh, you guys!" Senil and Vinnie ran up after her.

"No, it's true!" Vinnie protested. Blythe continued to laugh.

"Guys; stop it!"

"She's not buying it." Senil told the gecko.

"How are we going to make her believe us?" Vinnie asked Senil as they saw Blythe pet Guinicula and greeting the other pets.

"Easy!" Senil told him. "We're going to show her the proof. Follow me." The mongoose went to Blythe and the guiniea pig. Vinnie followed.

"And get this?" Blythe said to Guinicula. "Vinnie and Senil think you are a vampire. Isn't that hilarious?" The guinea pig was about to say something back when Senil spoke.

"Blythe!" Senil said. "So, you still believe that Guinicula isn't a vampire."

"I'm positive." Blythe replied, standing up. "You guys can stop now; this isn't really funny anymore."

"Oh; I'll stop. But maybe this garlic…" He held up the garlic. "Will convince you otherwise." Vinnie held up his garlic.

"Guys!" Said Blythe. Guinicula backed away as they came closer with the cloves of garlic.

"What's the matter, Guinicula?" Vinnie taunted. "You don't like our garlic?"

"G-get those away from me!" Guinicula said. "I-I hate garlic!"

"Hmm, I wonder why, Vinnie!" Senil teased. "Could it be because he's a vampire?"

"Cut it out; I'm highly allergic to garlic!" Senil and Vinnie laughed.

"Vampire!" Vinnie said. Guinicula broke out crying and hid behind Blythe.

"And how about this cross?" Senil said, holding up the cross.

"And this wooden stake!" Vinnie added, holding up the stake. They laughed and laughed as they saw Guinicula's scared face. ""And hammer!" He held up the hammer as well.

"Senil!" Blythe shouted. "Vinnie! Don't you two have any shame?" Vinnie and Senil stopped laughing.

"But Blythe…" Vinnie stated.

"No! I have had enough of this nonsense! Guinicula isn't a vampire and that's final!"

"But…but…" Senil protested. One look at Blythe told Senil that he wasn't going to win. So he just stayed quiet. Blythe petted the guinea pig.

"They didn't mean it." Blythe told him.

"Yes we did." Vinnie admitted. Blythe glared at him and Vinnie gulped.

"Now, say you're sorry to Guinicula." Vinnie was about to say something when Senil shook his head.

"It's not worth it, dude." The mongoose told him. "We have lost the battle." Vinnie sighed. He and Senil looked at Guinicula.

"Sorry!" They both said together. Blythe smiled.

"Now, you three play together while I go home and get ready and meet with Youngmee, Jasper, and Sue. I just came to check up on Guinicula." She then left, but not before saying goodbye to the other pets. Russell came up to them.

"I hate to brag." He began. "But, I told you so, I told you so!"

"We get it, Russell." Vinnie said to him. "We were wrong and you were right."

"Boy, was I right. I was so right!" He then left. Senil looked at Guinicula.

"So, what do you want to do?" He asked. He looked at the corn maze. "Want to do the corn maze?" Guinicula shrugged.

"Sure! Vhy not? It might be fun." He said.

"Guess what, little guy?" Mrs. Twombly said to Guinicula who was on her shoulder opposite the black cat. They were all at the entrance as Mrs. Twombly was handing out candy to the trick- or- treaters from her cauldron-shaped basket. A broom was nearby. Mrs. Twombly hung up a cordless phone.

The pets were all dressed. Minka was an artist, Russell, a librarian, Penny Ling, a ballerina, Pepper, a comedian, and Senil and Vinnie were pirates. The pumpkin lights were on outside the shop. "That was your owner. He saw one of my fliers and he's coming right over." Guinicula squeaked with joy and jumped down. He scurried to the pets.

"So, you're going, huh?" Russell said to the guinea pig. Guinicula nodded.

"Yes, and not a moment too soon."

"What does that mean?" Vinnie wanted to know.

"We're sure going to miss you." Penny Ling told Guinicula.

"I vill miss you too." Guinicula said back. "You vere all very kind. Thank you for letting me stay at your Littlest Pet Shop."

"Thanks for stumbling upon the Littlest Pet Shop." Pepper said. Guinicula laughed a bit.

"You have such good humor." The skunk blushed.

"Thanks; I try."

"I am here my pet!" A man said. Guinicula looked at the man, who was dressed in a black and red cloak and had fangs like him. He then turned back to the pets.

"I bid you farevell." He said. And with that, he turned to the man again and ran to him. He jumped in his arms.

"Oh, I missed you too." His owner said to his pet. The man looked at Mrs. Twombly.

"Thanks you, Mrs. Twombly." He told her with a bow.

"It was my pleasure." Mrs. Twombly said back. Guinicula's owner looked at the pets.

"Thank you for playing vith my Guinicula." He told them. He bowed to them as well. "And now, me and my Guinicula are off."

"Do you want anything for the road home?" Mrs. Twombly asked. The man shook his head.

"No, thank you." He then left. Mrs. Twombly waved him goodbye.

"Bye!" She called after him. "Have a safe trip; you are welcome to visit anytime!" The pets ran to the window and all waved.

"Well," Russell told the gang. "Blythe will be happy that Guinicula is home safe and sound."

"I'm going to miss him." Vinnie said. Senil nodded.

"Me too." He agreed.

"We're all going to miss him." Russell said.

"At least we know that he isn't a vampire." Pepper put in. The pets all laughed.

"Yeah." Russell said. "So we can all sleep well, tonight knowing that." He then saw something out of the window and couldn't believe his eyes. When he looked out again, he saw two bats fly under the moonlit sky.