Author's Note: Created by RandomFanFictionPressGirl2014 and I. I want to thank her very much for writing this fun story with me and many more! Review for us guys! :D
~Natty.
Not the Hippies!
~PoM and M~
It'd been a week since they'd gotten back to the zoo, a week since they were locked in these caged habitats and everyone was...content. Well naturally everyone except Alex...
The lion's stomach growled louder every day, as did his irritability.
Every day, the zookeeper would walk to his cage and look in. Every day, he would go to say something, but he never would. Every day, that woman would walk away without giving him anything!
He was STARVING here! Everyone ELSE got food! What the heck was going on! They had to have SOMETHING! ANYTHING! Maybe the universe hated him...
"Hey Alex!" Marty trotted up to the fence next door.
But he had to put on this facade for his friend's sake and...for his own. Alex forced a smile and a wave. "Hey Marty!"
"So? How's the zoo life been treating ya?" The zebra asked. "Just like good ol times?"
"Y-yeah..." The lion looked off with a fake chuckle and a gritted maw. "Just like old times..."
"Your fans still love ya?"
"Uh..." To be honest apparently he was a washed up star, but for his friends... He sighed. "Yeah and I love THEM!" Alex gave a thumbs up.
"That's great!" He exclaimed. "Look, I should get going. The gates are gonna open any minute."
"Open?" Great...Just GREAT... Alex forced his look of disgust into smile. "Right uh...bye."
The zebra started trotting away. "Oh and Alex!" Marty turned back.
"Yeah?" The facade was back on the cat's face.
"I'mma be seeing you at that party at Julien's!" The zebra winked. "And you BETTER show off some of your moves!"
"Oh, right! The party!" He pretended to be excited. "Yeah, heh. I'll be there all right! Wouldn't miss it for the WORLD!" Alex said the last part in sarcasm but his friend hadn't caught on.
"Good!" Marty nodded and started trotting off. "Later, Al!"
"Yeah, later..." As soon as he was out of sight, the cat's scowl returned to his face.
This was STUPID! He didn't want to go to a welcoming party, especially when his return to the zoo had been so…Absolutely nothing like he ever expected ever.
The gates opened, allowing the crowds in to the once empty zoo.
Alex watched as a group of kids ran up to his habitat. He simply laid down, turning his back to them.
They weren't fans of him. No little kids were. He kind of underestimated the time he'd been gone. Going to the zoo used to be an adult AND kid thing. Now it was just kids and a parent or teacher or two. What the heck?
Oh and another thing…It didn't seem anyone even knew who he was! And when he TRIED to tell them, the kids just started crying and were ushered away by the parents that gave him disapproving looks.
He didn't need this! Maybe he should just-
"Hey, Adrianna," One little boy asked. "What's up with the lion? He's not doing nothing."
"He looks dead." Another boy with an obnoxious voice observed. Then he tugged on the zookeeper's pants. "Is he dead?"
"No, all of our animals are perfectly healthy." Alice spoke in her monotone voice.
Another black haired boy raised his hand. "What's his name?"
"How the heck should I know?" The zookeeper shrugged.
"How about how old he is?" A nerdy looking boy pushed the glasses he wore on to the bridge of his nose.
"Don't know." Alice answered carelessly.
"Where he's from?"
"Where would I know?"
"When did he get here?"
"I don't remember, look can you stop asking me questions now? Jeez, I don't know what I look like to you kids!" Alice put her hands on her hips.
All of the kids began to grumble, turning away from her and back to the animal.
Alex had his back to them, and he didn't get up. He tended to ignore the crowd nowadays because whenever he DID try to dance for them.. the reactions he got were undesirable.
"What is he doing?"
"That lioness is weird, mommy."
"Doesn't he know any NEW dances?"
So, he just decided not to. It would be a whole lot better than the mockery he received.
ANYTHING was better than the mockery he received. Well that was what he thought until he saw the penguins waddle freely by his caged habitat. They were free, just look at them! They weren't in a cage! They got all the zoo-goers attention. THEY were the new stars of the zoo. THEY lead the zoo. It was THEIR zoo now. THEY took his life away from him.
Soon enough Alex the lion was watching their smile and wave routine as the crowd cheered for them. Also soon enough he found himself hating the penguins beyond how much he ever hated anyone in his life.
The lions stomach growled. Or was that from the back of his throat? Either way they both happened whenever he stared at one thing: The penguins.