Chapter 3: Timon's birthday

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIMON!" shouted Ma and Uncle Max together, just a few days after the first golden ticket had been found.

"Ah, guys, ya shouldn't have," stated Timon, as Ma handed him a package.

Timon unwrapped it and lifted his gift up.

"Aw, a remote control digger!" Timon exclaimed.

"It's so you don't have to dig tunnels anymore while we're living underground," explained Ma. "You can just let this digger do the hard work for you. I know you're probably thinking 'how many Cockroach Crunches could have she bought for the price of this digger?' but the digger is actually cheaper - turns out there's not much of a demand for them. And besides, Timmy, you're never going to find one of those tickets. There are only five tickets in the whole world and millions of bars."

"But just in case she's wrong, Timon, I bought you another Cockroach Crunch," stated Uncle Max, presenting it to him.

"Aw, thanks Uncle Max!" exclaimed Timon. "Let's give it a look, shall we?"

Timon ripped open the package to find, once again, nothing but a regular Cockroach Crunch bar.

"Ah well," stated Ma. "It just wasn't meant to be. Say, let's turn the TV on. I'm sure in five minutes we'll all have forgotten about Mr. Womba's Insect Factory!"

Ma pressed the power button and turned the TV on.

"We are here in the Pridelands where the second golden ticket has just been discovered," stated a leopard reporter.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Ma groaned.

"Princess Kiara," the reporter continued, standing next to the lion cub who was chewing a piece of Termite Toffee. "How did you find the second golden ticket?"

"Mom and Dad know someone Italian, and he went to Mr. Womba's factory and made them an offer they couldn't refuse. Unfortunately I never see Mr. Womba's prized zebra anymore."

"Well isn't that fantastic?" replied the leopard. "So who are you taking as your guest? Your dad's already going, what about your mother?"

"I was going to," stated Kiara, "but then I remembered there's someone in the Pridelands who likes bugs a lot more than Mom. Someone who couldn't be with me here today, but he has been very important in my upbringing, and I'm looking forward to taking him to the Insect Factory."

Timon's eyes lit up.

"So," added Kiara, "I wanted to take this time on TV to let you know that I'm really looking forward to taking you to the Insect Factory later this month, Zazu."

"AH [censored]!" exclaimed Timon.