Tugger's Not So Happy Birthday
by Razzamazazz and JelliCat
It seemed like a normal day in the junkyard. All the Jellicles were going about their normal daily routines. But, they were all planning something special, but none showed it. Every Jellicle in the junkyard knew of this exiting occasion.
That is, all but one of them.
Tugger woke up in a good mood. He stretched and went straight for the mirror and started brushing his mane. Once it was up to his 'high' standards he looked in the mirror one more time, then said, "Yep...today it going to be great day!" He continued on with his morning.
Meanwhile......
Etci spoke to the group of curious Jellicles in front of her. "I think that, for Tugger's birthday, we should not only shun him for awhile.." the cats looked around confusedly, "..but also give him a surprise party! This is how it will work..."
Etcetera continued to explain, "Me and the other kittens will be sure to pay no attention to him, and the older Jellicles will pay him no mind either. Sometime today, one of us kittens will somehow get Tugger to go to Corico and Tant's lair, where the surprise party is waiting, tonight at dusk..." she continued for quite some time, making sure that everything was perfectly planned.
When Tugger looked out of the entrance of his den, he saw all the Cats gathered around Etci. So, he decided to go check it out.
Etcetera saw him approach and nodded to all the Jellicles, who knew that that was the sign to leave. All the Jellicles started to head towards their homes.
"But..but...." stuttered a disgruntled Tugger, "why is everybody leaving, now that I'm here?" hearing no reply, Tugger slumped back to his lair.
Sometime early in the morning after Etcy's meeting, Tugger left to try to find his fan club. He found them talking to one another and giggling, like they always were. When he came up to them, though, they stopped and stared at him incredulously. Getting the point of their stares, he slowly walked away again, only to hear them start to whisper fiercely, as if gossiping about someone.
"Someone?" he thought, "Me."
"What could they be saying about me?" wondered Tugger.
He shrugged and sighed. Today was turning out to be not such a good day, after all.
On top of it all it was his birthday. Why weren't they showering him with presents? They did that every other year.
Even the kittens weren't paying any attention to him. He shook his head sadly, and went home.
At home, he looked around sadly. No one coming over for dinner, that was for sure. Why were they neglecting him? Was there another stud cat in town? Another stud cat? Nah.... But then again...who could the kittens have been gossiping about? And.what was that meeting the Cats had that morning...that broke up we he got near? He sighed again. What an awful birthday he was having. He wondered if some inconsiderate person had started a rumor about him. "But what?" he pondered. "What could they possibly find fault of with HIM?" He quickly abandoned that idea. It was absolutely impossible.
After trying to find a reason why everyone was ignoring him, he gave up after about five more minutes. He decided that he would go ask the most reliable source in the junkyard to find out why he was being ignored. Within seconds he was on his way to see his brother, Munkustrap. He could always rely on him.
He entered and said, "Munku, I need to talk to you."
Munku just stared at him.
Feeling nervous, he said, "This is a serious question, Munku. I would like it if you didn't stare at me like that."
"I..I'm not staring," replied Munku, diverting his gaze to floor.
"That's better,"
Munk nodded still looking at the floor.
Tugger sat down next to his brother and sighed, "Come on, Munk, look at me when I have to ask you a question!"
"Then don't say that I'm staring," replied Munk, very calmly.
"Well, you were!" exclaimed Tugger.
Munk just sighed. "Just sit down, would ya? What's the problem?"
Tugger replied glumly, "Well, it's just that everybody's ignoring.."
Tugger stopped midsentence because Demi walked in saying, "Munku, the food is ready for the pa-" then she noticed that Tugger was there.
"Hi Tugger!" exclaimed Demeter, while looking at Munku like, "What is HE doing here?"
Munk gave Demi a stare in reply, which said, "I didn't ASK him to come here, he just CAME," while he was responding audibly, "Hi Demi! Why'd you come here?"
"J..just coming to see...if there has been any trouble with the Pollicles lately," Dem stuttered.
"Um..no.." replied Munk. Tugger just sat there, staring at them.
"Well, I'm gonna go home, " sighed Tugger as he got up.
"NO!" yelled Demi, louder then she meant to, "I'll leave...I can tell I'm interrupting your conversation,"
"Wait!" Tugger shouted. "No one leaves until I get a straight answer. Just WHAT is going on around here? Everybody ignores me, they just stare at me like I'm some sort of human!"
Dem and Munk just stared silently at each other, then at the floor, then at Tugger.
"See!" shouted Tugger, "I don't believe it!"
Munkustrap and Demeter both started 'explaining' at the same time, but they were both talking so quietly that Tugger couldn't understand one word they were saying to him.
"I give up!" exclaimed an exasperated Tugger, he 'thwupped' his mane and stomped out.
He stormed out and almost right into a hurried Pouncival. Pounce just stared at him and continued walking.
Tugger groaned and continued leaving.
"What's up with Tug?" asked Pounci.
"He's just a little miffed that everyone's not payin' him much attention on his birthday, and that everyone seems to be staring at him," replied Munk, who was almost on the floor from laughing.
He turned angrily to Munk. "Are you saying this is some sort of prank?" he asked heatedly. Everyone just stared at him.
"GAH!" Tugger shouted and raced back to his den, trying to get away from these crazy cats. He didn't notice that as soon he was out of sight they started cracking up.
"Isn't he gonna be surprised tonight!" commented Pounci.
"Yeah!" replied Demi, finally recovering from laughing.
Munk just kept laughing uncontrollably.
Pounci added, "Rrright..okay...So, Demi, how's the food coming?"
"That's what I came here for, to tell him" she motioned towards the tabby, who was still laughing, but was on the floor now, "that the food was almost finished," she continued.
"Well, I'll go check if everything is all right at Cori and Tanti's." Munku said, getting up off the floor, brushing himself off, and turning his goofy smile into a more serious one.
Demi waved. "Buh bye." she said sillily.
As the tabby walked out of his lair, he heard Demi and Pounci starting to laugh again. He shook his head and said to himself, "Silly Cats. Haven't they ever seen a Cat laugh uncontrollably before?"
Back at the lair, Demi and Pounci left and went their separate ways, back to their preparations for the party.
Alonzo muttered to himself as he paced around the Junkyard. "Lessee, we have balloons, party favors, cake.... wait! We don't have cake!" he ran off to find Jellylorm and Jennyanydots.
Alonzo quickly arrived at Jenny's lair. "Hi Jenny. Hi Jellylorum. Can ya'll make a cake for the party?" he asked frantically.
Jellylorum replied happily, "Of course we can, Alonzo,"
"Thanks, girls! I have to go see about the rest of the party stuff. Bye!" he replied hurriedly and he ran out the door.
With only two hours till the party, Jellicles frantically skidded around the junkyard. Yet Tugger didn't notice this. He was moping and sulking in his flat.
Tugger sighed. Why was his birthday going so badly? It's usually the best day of the year! Not this time. No. It was the worst day of his life.
He sighed again. The WORST day of his life. Outside people were running around. Probably having the time of their lives.
Tumblebrutus whispered to Pouncival, "We have pizza, right?"
"Uhhh... no." Pouncival replied slowly.
"But don't you know? The Rum Tum Tugger likes pizza!" Tumble sighed.
Mungojerrie rushed passed them. "Hey!" Pounce shouted, "Could ya go quickly get pizza? Hurry!"
Mungojerrie nodded and dashed off.
"Rumpleteazer!" Mungojerrie called.
"What?" asked Rumpleteazer, walking up behind Mungo.
"Don't scare me like that!" he yelled, then said in a normal voice, "we need to get a pizza for the party,"
"Pizza? Oh no! The deli just ran out! And the pizza parlor's closed today!" Teazer moaned.
"Well what are we going to do?" exclaimed Mungo.
"Maybe, Jenny and Jellylorum can make one?" suggested Teazer.
Jerrie shrugged.
"Wait, they're doing the cake..." Teazer murmured.
Just then the smell of pizza wafted toward them. Taking off after the smell, they ran to see where it was coming from...
They followed the smell....all the way to Tugger's lair. The burst open the door, to see Tugger staring hungrily at a fresh pizza.
"Stop!" shouted Rumpleteazer, "That's poisoned!" She smiled to herself for coming up with something so clever.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer scooped up the pizza and ran out the door, leaving a dumbfounded Tugger staring at where his pizza had been.
Tugger just sighed and thought to himself, "My birthday can't be any worse..." Just then, Misto burst in.
"Quick! We need your help! A pollicle is loose in Tant and Cori's lair!" he shouted.
Tugger sighed, "Why do you need me? Munk and Alonzo are probably there... and all the other toms.."
"Yes! They ARE there and they need help!" insisted Misto.
"Fine," Tugger agreed, "I'll come with you..." he stood up, brushed his mane unenthusiastically, and followed Misto out the door.
All was going to plan.
When Mistoffelees and Tugger neared Cori and Tant's lair, they heard evil laughter. Tugger looked oddly at Mistoffelees and asked, "I thought a pollicle was here..not Macavity.."
Misto stuttered nervously, "Uh...well...uh..Macavity wasn't here when I left..."
They quickly dodged inside Cori and Tant's den.
"SURPRISE!" everyone yelled.
Tugger just stared. Then he looked around frantically, expecting to see Macavity. Just then, Rumpleteazer held up an old tape recorder and the laughter started again, "This what you were looking for, Tugger?" she giggled.
Tugger just looked around, dazed and confused. Someone giggled softly. Before he knew it, everyone was rolling around on the floor laughing.
Tugger stood there, staring at all the Jellicles and thinking they were crazy. He finally said, "What's going on?"
All the Jellicles replied, "Happy Birthday Tugger!"
"Huh?"
Etcetera stood up and replied, "Don't you know a surprise party when you see one?"
Apparently Tugger was not quite all there yet, and he stared around in disbelief.
As Tugger kept staring at the Jellicles, they stared back at him. After a few minutes, Tugger got aggravated and asked, "So..what's going on again?"
Tugger sighed and Etci led him to a seat. With a silly grin Mungo brought out the pizza. The deli had gotten some more and they had raced to get it. "Look what I have." he taunted with a grin.
Instantaneously Tugger sat right up. "MINE!!!!!!" he screamed like a toddler and dived at the pizza. Mungo ran back, stumbling.
"DROP THE PIZZA AND RUN!" Teas shouted.
The rest of the Jellicles giggled as they watched Tugger devour the pizza. When he had finished, Tugger looked at all the cats and kittens that were staring at him and asked, "What?"
Etci whispered to Electra "Man, I never knew that Tugger was so obsessed with pizza!"
Electra and Etci both giggled for a few minutes, while Tugger watched them, oblivious as to what they were laughing at.
Now the cats started to get concerned. "Tugger, are you feeling ok?" Jelly asked.
Tugger burst out laughing. "HA HA!!!" roared.
This only made the cats more concerned.
"Fooled you!" he chortled.
"Huh?" asked Misto, slightly confused.
Tugger sighed. "Can't you see? Acting 'nipped was all an act! Got any soda? I'm thirsty."
The Jellicles sighed in relief, glad that Tugger was back to his normal, annoying, demanding, conceited self.
After a few days, Etci suddenly realized something, how in the world did Tugger find out about his party?
She figured she would ask the only cat in the junkyard to tell a secret like that.
"Did you tell him, Pouncival?" Etci accused.
Pounci looked at her nervously and then at he ground and mumbled, "Well..kinda.."
"Oh, Pounci," Etci giggled, "You are such a silly kitten, but you did kinda ruin the party ya know,"
"I know," Pouncival agreed quietly, ashamed of himself.
"But I still like you anyway," continued Etci and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out the door, giggling.
Pouncival just stood there, a little dumbfounded. But that's another story.
by Razzamazazz and JelliCat
It seemed like a normal day in the junkyard. All the Jellicles were going about their normal daily routines. But, they were all planning something special, but none showed it. Every Jellicle in the junkyard knew of this exiting occasion.
That is, all but one of them.
Tugger woke up in a good mood. He stretched and went straight for the mirror and started brushing his mane. Once it was up to his 'high' standards he looked in the mirror one more time, then said, "Yep...today it going to be great day!" He continued on with his morning.
Meanwhile......
Etci spoke to the group of curious Jellicles in front of her. "I think that, for Tugger's birthday, we should not only shun him for awhile.." the cats looked around confusedly, "..but also give him a surprise party! This is how it will work..."
Etcetera continued to explain, "Me and the other kittens will be sure to pay no attention to him, and the older Jellicles will pay him no mind either. Sometime today, one of us kittens will somehow get Tugger to go to Corico and Tant's lair, where the surprise party is waiting, tonight at dusk..." she continued for quite some time, making sure that everything was perfectly planned.
When Tugger looked out of the entrance of his den, he saw all the Cats gathered around Etci. So, he decided to go check it out.
Etcetera saw him approach and nodded to all the Jellicles, who knew that that was the sign to leave. All the Jellicles started to head towards their homes.
"But..but...." stuttered a disgruntled Tugger, "why is everybody leaving, now that I'm here?" hearing no reply, Tugger slumped back to his lair.
Sometime early in the morning after Etcy's meeting, Tugger left to try to find his fan club. He found them talking to one another and giggling, like they always were. When he came up to them, though, they stopped and stared at him incredulously. Getting the point of their stares, he slowly walked away again, only to hear them start to whisper fiercely, as if gossiping about someone.
"Someone?" he thought, "Me."
"What could they be saying about me?" wondered Tugger.
He shrugged and sighed. Today was turning out to be not such a good day, after all.
On top of it all it was his birthday. Why weren't they showering him with presents? They did that every other year.
Even the kittens weren't paying any attention to him. He shook his head sadly, and went home.
At home, he looked around sadly. No one coming over for dinner, that was for sure. Why were they neglecting him? Was there another stud cat in town? Another stud cat? Nah.... But then again...who could the kittens have been gossiping about? And.what was that meeting the Cats had that morning...that broke up we he got near? He sighed again. What an awful birthday he was having. He wondered if some inconsiderate person had started a rumor about him. "But what?" he pondered. "What could they possibly find fault of with HIM?" He quickly abandoned that idea. It was absolutely impossible.
After trying to find a reason why everyone was ignoring him, he gave up after about five more minutes. He decided that he would go ask the most reliable source in the junkyard to find out why he was being ignored. Within seconds he was on his way to see his brother, Munkustrap. He could always rely on him.
He entered and said, "Munku, I need to talk to you."
Munku just stared at him.
Feeling nervous, he said, "This is a serious question, Munku. I would like it if you didn't stare at me like that."
"I..I'm not staring," replied Munku, diverting his gaze to floor.
"That's better,"
Munk nodded still looking at the floor.
Tugger sat down next to his brother and sighed, "Come on, Munk, look at me when I have to ask you a question!"
"Then don't say that I'm staring," replied Munk, very calmly.
"Well, you were!" exclaimed Tugger.
Munk just sighed. "Just sit down, would ya? What's the problem?"
Tugger replied glumly, "Well, it's just that everybody's ignoring.."
Tugger stopped midsentence because Demi walked in saying, "Munku, the food is ready for the pa-" then she noticed that Tugger was there.
"Hi Tugger!" exclaimed Demeter, while looking at Munku like, "What is HE doing here?"
Munk gave Demi a stare in reply, which said, "I didn't ASK him to come here, he just CAME," while he was responding audibly, "Hi Demi! Why'd you come here?"
"J..just coming to see...if there has been any trouble with the Pollicles lately," Dem stuttered.
"Um..no.." replied Munk. Tugger just sat there, staring at them.
"Well, I'm gonna go home, " sighed Tugger as he got up.
"NO!" yelled Demi, louder then she meant to, "I'll leave...I can tell I'm interrupting your conversation,"
"Wait!" Tugger shouted. "No one leaves until I get a straight answer. Just WHAT is going on around here? Everybody ignores me, they just stare at me like I'm some sort of human!"
Dem and Munk just stared silently at each other, then at the floor, then at Tugger.
"See!" shouted Tugger, "I don't believe it!"
Munkustrap and Demeter both started 'explaining' at the same time, but they were both talking so quietly that Tugger couldn't understand one word they were saying to him.
"I give up!" exclaimed an exasperated Tugger, he 'thwupped' his mane and stomped out.
He stormed out and almost right into a hurried Pouncival. Pounce just stared at him and continued walking.
Tugger groaned and continued leaving.
"What's up with Tug?" asked Pounci.
"He's just a little miffed that everyone's not payin' him much attention on his birthday, and that everyone seems to be staring at him," replied Munk, who was almost on the floor from laughing.
He turned angrily to Munk. "Are you saying this is some sort of prank?" he asked heatedly. Everyone just stared at him.
"GAH!" Tugger shouted and raced back to his den, trying to get away from these crazy cats. He didn't notice that as soon he was out of sight they started cracking up.
"Isn't he gonna be surprised tonight!" commented Pounci.
"Yeah!" replied Demi, finally recovering from laughing.
Munk just kept laughing uncontrollably.
Pounci added, "Rrright..okay...So, Demi, how's the food coming?"
"That's what I came here for, to tell him" she motioned towards the tabby, who was still laughing, but was on the floor now, "that the food was almost finished," she continued.
"Well, I'll go check if everything is all right at Cori and Tanti's." Munku said, getting up off the floor, brushing himself off, and turning his goofy smile into a more serious one.
Demi waved. "Buh bye." she said sillily.
As the tabby walked out of his lair, he heard Demi and Pounci starting to laugh again. He shook his head and said to himself, "Silly Cats. Haven't they ever seen a Cat laugh uncontrollably before?"
Back at the lair, Demi and Pounci left and went their separate ways, back to their preparations for the party.
Alonzo muttered to himself as he paced around the Junkyard. "Lessee, we have balloons, party favors, cake.... wait! We don't have cake!" he ran off to find Jellylorm and Jennyanydots.
Alonzo quickly arrived at Jenny's lair. "Hi Jenny. Hi Jellylorum. Can ya'll make a cake for the party?" he asked frantically.
Jellylorum replied happily, "Of course we can, Alonzo,"
"Thanks, girls! I have to go see about the rest of the party stuff. Bye!" he replied hurriedly and he ran out the door.
With only two hours till the party, Jellicles frantically skidded around the junkyard. Yet Tugger didn't notice this. He was moping and sulking in his flat.
Tugger sighed. Why was his birthday going so badly? It's usually the best day of the year! Not this time. No. It was the worst day of his life.
He sighed again. The WORST day of his life. Outside people were running around. Probably having the time of their lives.
Tumblebrutus whispered to Pouncival, "We have pizza, right?"
"Uhhh... no." Pouncival replied slowly.
"But don't you know? The Rum Tum Tugger likes pizza!" Tumble sighed.
Mungojerrie rushed passed them. "Hey!" Pounce shouted, "Could ya go quickly get pizza? Hurry!"
Mungojerrie nodded and dashed off.
"Rumpleteazer!" Mungojerrie called.
"What?" asked Rumpleteazer, walking up behind Mungo.
"Don't scare me like that!" he yelled, then said in a normal voice, "we need to get a pizza for the party,"
"Pizza? Oh no! The deli just ran out! And the pizza parlor's closed today!" Teazer moaned.
"Well what are we going to do?" exclaimed Mungo.
"Maybe, Jenny and Jellylorum can make one?" suggested Teazer.
Jerrie shrugged.
"Wait, they're doing the cake..." Teazer murmured.
Just then the smell of pizza wafted toward them. Taking off after the smell, they ran to see where it was coming from...
They followed the smell....all the way to Tugger's lair. The burst open the door, to see Tugger staring hungrily at a fresh pizza.
"Stop!" shouted Rumpleteazer, "That's poisoned!" She smiled to herself for coming up with something so clever.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer scooped up the pizza and ran out the door, leaving a dumbfounded Tugger staring at where his pizza had been.
Tugger just sighed and thought to himself, "My birthday can't be any worse..." Just then, Misto burst in.
"Quick! We need your help! A pollicle is loose in Tant and Cori's lair!" he shouted.
Tugger sighed, "Why do you need me? Munk and Alonzo are probably there... and all the other toms.."
"Yes! They ARE there and they need help!" insisted Misto.
"Fine," Tugger agreed, "I'll come with you..." he stood up, brushed his mane unenthusiastically, and followed Misto out the door.
All was going to plan.
When Mistoffelees and Tugger neared Cori and Tant's lair, they heard evil laughter. Tugger looked oddly at Mistoffelees and asked, "I thought a pollicle was here..not Macavity.."
Misto stuttered nervously, "Uh...well...uh..Macavity wasn't here when I left..."
They quickly dodged inside Cori and Tant's den.
"SURPRISE!" everyone yelled.
Tugger just stared. Then he looked around frantically, expecting to see Macavity. Just then, Rumpleteazer held up an old tape recorder and the laughter started again, "This what you were looking for, Tugger?" she giggled.
Tugger just looked around, dazed and confused. Someone giggled softly. Before he knew it, everyone was rolling around on the floor laughing.
Tugger stood there, staring at all the Jellicles and thinking they were crazy. He finally said, "What's going on?"
All the Jellicles replied, "Happy Birthday Tugger!"
"Huh?"
Etcetera stood up and replied, "Don't you know a surprise party when you see one?"
Apparently Tugger was not quite all there yet, and he stared around in disbelief.
As Tugger kept staring at the Jellicles, they stared back at him. After a few minutes, Tugger got aggravated and asked, "So..what's going on again?"
Tugger sighed and Etci led him to a seat. With a silly grin Mungo brought out the pizza. The deli had gotten some more and they had raced to get it. "Look what I have." he taunted with a grin.
Instantaneously Tugger sat right up. "MINE!!!!!!" he screamed like a toddler and dived at the pizza. Mungo ran back, stumbling.
"DROP THE PIZZA AND RUN!" Teas shouted.
The rest of the Jellicles giggled as they watched Tugger devour the pizza. When he had finished, Tugger looked at all the cats and kittens that were staring at him and asked, "What?"
Etci whispered to Electra "Man, I never knew that Tugger was so obsessed with pizza!"
Electra and Etci both giggled for a few minutes, while Tugger watched them, oblivious as to what they were laughing at.
Now the cats started to get concerned. "Tugger, are you feeling ok?" Jelly asked.
Tugger burst out laughing. "HA HA!!!" roared.
This only made the cats more concerned.
"Fooled you!" he chortled.
"Huh?" asked Misto, slightly confused.
Tugger sighed. "Can't you see? Acting 'nipped was all an act! Got any soda? I'm thirsty."
The Jellicles sighed in relief, glad that Tugger was back to his normal, annoying, demanding, conceited self.
After a few days, Etci suddenly realized something, how in the world did Tugger find out about his party?
She figured she would ask the only cat in the junkyard to tell a secret like that.
"Did you tell him, Pouncival?" Etci accused.
Pounci looked at her nervously and then at he ground and mumbled, "Well..kinda.."
"Oh, Pounci," Etci giggled, "You are such a silly kitten, but you did kinda ruin the party ya know,"
"I know," Pouncival agreed quietly, ashamed of himself.
"But I still like you anyway," continued Etci and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran out the door, giggling.
Pouncival just stood there, a little dumbfounded. But that's another story.