Well... if anyone is looking for an explanation, here it is. It is hard to keep up an obsession when there are no new episodes, and some other reasons that I'd rather not say. I don't even read PoM fanfiction anymore, but I was listening to some PoM songs earlier and I remembered how much I love this show. I've also always felt guilty for not having finished this story. Apparently, the last time I worked on this chapter was September 27, 2012.
I doubt that any of my old readers are still on here, so I shall reintroduce myself. I am InternetGirl123, or Anna, whichever you prefer. I previously wrote humanized PoM stories. This is my newest one, I guess. I like to think that during my almost 2 year hiatus, I have matured as a writer.
Quick refresher: Most everyone is 8 years old. Mort is 4. Josh is Mort's brother (16) and Kylie is Maurice's sister (4).
And of course, thank you to my chapter six reviewers: EstelliPinKemo (it's weird typing your new username after typing your very long old one for so long :P), TheSkySpiritsTalentShow, and Karenkook. Cookies for all! Also, thank you again to everyone else who has reviewed my story.
So, without further ado, after 718 days, I give you chapter seven. :)
When They Came
Chapter Seven: January 2
When the airplane finally began its descent into New York City, every passenger heaved a sigh of relief. Mostly because they could be free of the annoying little kid who claimed to be the king. Free of his talking. And his singing.
Julien, who had finally been released back to his old seat, had his eyes fixated on the window. When he looked out the window taking off, he had seen the African plains surrounding the runway. Now, as they were landing, he couldn't see anything because there were so many more planes here.
When the plane had landed, the passengers had departed the plane, and baggage had been collected, the clan of 'lemurs' headed for the exit. All five kids, even the boring Josh, let out a gasp of amazement when they stepped into the New York air.
A parking lot. Full of cars. A taxi station. And the crisp, chill weather of a typical Manhattan winter day. Oh Sky Spirits.
"Alright, how are we going to split up?" Julien's father asked. "Because we'll definitely need at least three taxi cabs to get us all home."
"What is a taxi cab?" Julien asked.
"It's a car. You saw the cars at the airport in Mozambique?"
Julien nodded.
"Taxi cabs are cars. You pay the drivers money to take you places instead of driving yourself."
Satisfied with his father's answer, Julien began to search for a cab that was worthy of driving his royal self around.
The adults worked out who would ride with who, and they gave all the cabbies their new address: The Central Park Apartments building.
Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private had been spying through the rails of the stairs since 0900 hours. The latter three were bored and slightly annoyed with their paranoid friend, who was looking through his toy binoculars.
"Skipper, you've been hyped up about stuff before, but this is ridiculous," Kowalski said.
"Hold it!" Skipper said, shoving his hand in the air. "A cab just pulled up!"
The other three boys peeked through the railing and the glass door; a cab had pulled up. But they soon learned it was not alone.
"Uh, Skipper?" Private said, though not entirely sure he wanted to keep going. "There are two more behind it."
Skipper dropped his binoculars; fortunately, they were on a strap around his neck. "It's worse than I thought! An invasion!"
Private rolled his eyes. "Don't you think that there's a slight possibility they're friendly?" he asked.
Skipper glared at his friend. "Do I look stupid to you? They're spies, collecting information. Or worse: space squids. Coming to suck out our brains!" Skipper conveniently pulled out a martian comic book to prove his point.
The 'penguins' quieted down when the front door opened, and a man walked up to the front desk, followed by three more adults, an annoyed looking teenager, two giggling little kids, and two boys who looked to be about the same as age as our heroes.
"Skipper, my precise head count has concluded that there are nine people moving into the building, an approximate three people per apartment," Kowalski said. Skipper's eyes didn't leave the intruders.
"They have kids, Skipper," Private said happily. "They look our age. Maybe we should go talk to them."
"Are you crazy, Private?" Skipper scolded. "They're spies, I tell you! We can't just go walking down- what are you doing?!" It was too late; Private was already walking down the stairs. Kowalski and Rico soon followed him. Skipper heaved a heavy sigh and caught up with them.
Upon entering the building, Julien had noticed the four mysterious boys looking down from the staircase. And when the smallest one started coming down, his royal brain had an idea. He leaned down to Maurice. "Maurice! I am having an idea!" he whispered. "I'm going to play a prank on these peoples. Do not be ruining it!"
"What are you-" Maurice was cut off by Julien's hand as the four boys approached them.
"Hello," Private greeted. He knew they weren't spies, and he didn't want Skipper to give them the wrong impression.
Julien smiled sneakily before responding. "Manahoana. Julien no anarako. Iza no anaranao?"
Private looked at him, confused. Julien looked back, just as confused. "Miteny gasy ve ianao?"
Skipper looked at the boy suspiciously. Kowalski leaned over to him. "I don't think he speaks English."
"Well, duh." Skipper hissed back. "So what is he speaking?"
"I'm not sure, but I believe it is some sort of African language."
Julien put a nervous look on his face, though he was restraining himself from laughing. "Miala tsiny aho. Tsy mahay miteny anglisy aho."
At around this moment, Josh walked up behind Julien, and when he was done speaking, he asked him, "What are you doing?"
Julien looked behind him. "Josh, shushies!" he whispered. "You will be ruining my joke!" Unfortunately, it was too late, because Skipper heard him, and was now glaring at him. Julien sheepishly looked at the four boys and laughed a little. "Heh heh, uh, mangatsiaka be ny andro, eny?." Skipper continued to glare.
"Alright, you have caught me with the red hands. I was only playing a little joke. Is that so wrong? No, it is not."
Private decided to try again. "Uh...well, hello. My name is Private, and this is Rico, Kowalski, and Skipper," he said, pointing out each of his friends.
"My name is King Julien Daniel Ringers... the thirteenth." He pointed to Maurice. "And that is Maurice, but nobody cares about him." Maurice glared at him.
"King Julien?" Skipper questioned. This kid, a king? Skipper thought. Yeah, right.
"Yes, king." Julien said. "I am the royal king of Madagascar!"
"Ah, Madagascar, an island of the southeastern coast of Africa. The fourth largest island in the world," Kowalski said matter-of-factly. Everyone else gave him looks; the penguins, an annoyed glare, the lemurs, a confused look. "What?"
"Anywho..." Julien said. "Now that your new king has arrived, you may feel free to bask in my glory!"
Julien's father, who was at the desk signing paperwork, looked back at his son. "Julien, we've been here less than five minutes. Don't irritate the people."
Skipper smirked. This so-called "king" was already getting on his nerves. "You heard the man."
Julien scoffed. "Pffffffft. He is not being the boss of me!"
"What was that?"
"Nothing, Father!" Julien rolled his eyes at his "boss". "Hmmf. Parents. What are you gonna do, right?" Three of the 'penguins' nodded in agreement, yet Skipper continued to glare at his new neighbor.
However, Skipper's attention was soon directed to whoever had just tapped on his arm. He looked down to find a curly-haired, smiling four-year-old boy with large eyes staring up at him.
"Hello!" the boy greeted, in a high voice.
"...Hello." Skipper said, confusingly looking at the little child.
The boy continued smiling. "My name is Mort!"
"Good for you." Skipper was more concerned with the "king" than he was with this squeaky voiced boy, so he gently pushed him on the head to get him away. Mort didn't seem to care and happily started running around the lobby. Kylie noticed and began to join him.
Julien's father had finished his paperwork. Noticing that the four-year olds were causing mayhem and that his own son likely was as well, he decided it would be best to get all of the kids out of the lobby.
"Alright, children," he said. "Ready to go see our apartments? All the way up on the seventh floor, should be an excellent view."
"Yes!" Julien said, with a fist pump. "Hey wait, no! I'm not going up all those stairs! Maurice, you get to carry me."
"Oh, do I, really?!" Maurice said sarcastically, which, of course, Julien did not pick up on.
"No one's carrying you, Julien," Mr. Ringers said. "Remember the escalators at the airports?" The kids all nodded. "We're going to ride on the elevator, which is a little like an escalator but not quite."
"Where is this elevator thing?" Julien demanded to know. Julien's dad walked over to the elevator and pushed the button. The doors opened, which fascinated most of the kids, except for Josh, who rolled his eyes at their amazement.
"Okay, everybody grab your suitcase and let's go," Mr. Ringers instructed. The five kids grabbed their bags. Well, Julien grabbed his and then threw it at Maurice when his father wasn't looking, but that was expected.
The moment the elevator doors closed, Skipper made a run for the stairs, his comrades faithfully following behind him. With the speed and energy only eight year olds have, they made it to the seventh floor just before the elevator.
Yeah, I'm just going to end it there. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated, of course. Hope you enjoyed! High school is rough, so no promises on updates. I just needed to at least finish this chapter. Thanks for reading!
Also, Julien was speaking Malagasy, one of the official languages of Madagascar. Here are the translations (from wild madagascar . org)
Manahoana = Hello; How are you?
Julien no anarako = My name is Julien
Iza no anaranao = What is your name?
Miteny gasy ve ianao = Do you speak Malagasy?
Miala tsiny aho = I am sorry
Tsy mahay miteny anglisy aho = I do not speak English
Mangatsiaka be ny andro, eny? = It is very cold, yes?