An Animal Story: The Saga Continues #1
Sep 12, 2005 in Story-teller
PINKY BARKS FOUL AT LACK OF COURTESY
Slightly before arriving in Taman Negara two years ago, Tang had decided that here he would reign supreme once more like his forefathers did. Not a native of Taman Negara, but one who had found himself settling down in the lush green jungles surrounding the waterfalls of TN Falls, Tang loved Taman Negara like his own home. He was born and bred in a foreign zoo, groomed and cared for by human beings, cuddled to be so domesticated, that there was very seldom an opportunity for him to flex his tiger muscles.
Only two years ago was he released from capture into the wild reserves of Taman Negara. Yet being used to captivity had severed Tang from his hunting instincts. But the rowdy and vicious nature of this angmo-tiger still rumbled within his domesticated heart, bless his soul. .
Tang the Tiger was feeling mightily pleased today.He had given up on the opportunity to 'show off his stripes like a real tiger, a long long time ago, and today that opportunity had fallen into his laps with the arrival of The TN Gazette. Words carelessly uttered by Pinky the famous Poodle, like 'Rude Fat Elephant', and 'Cheating, Dirty Pig!', seemed like easy prey to pounce on, and Tang laughed heartily when he saw his own, usually, last page column, finally appearing on the cover. Tang the Tiger: In Defence of The TN Citizens.
It was a hit, and the citizens loved it. He was hailed as the local accidental hero, and he was loving every bit of the glorious attention.
His time had come at last, and the point that it was at the expense of an innocent wide-eyed traveller from a sanitized pet shop was not the issue. For years he had been seeking to receive honour and citizenship in Taman Negara, but his anglicized roars and tea habits made it obvious that he was an immigrant. Today his love for the TN community was sealed and confirmed, and no one could deny he was a TN citizen in heart and spirit.
Tang sank into his bed of rumpled angsana leaves, yawned lazily, and then drifted into a satisfied slumber.
Elsewhere in Pets 'R Us, Pinky was having a horrible time dusting off the effects of the atomic verbal warfare across the two animal nations that she had unwittingly set free with her emotion-led outburst, after a terrible holiday ruined by ruthless Taman-Negara-ians.
'You still shouldn't have said what you said,' said Kodomo the wise toy lion. Legend said that Kodomo was once a ferocious lion who lived in the jungles, but he cleverly transmigrated his strength and spirit into different stuffed toys all over the nation. This particular spirit-filled Kodomo toy only woke up in the middle of the night to talk to the real life animals.
Today he said to the distraught Pinky, 'You know-lah, you're famous. Everything you say is scrutinized. Being famous, you even have to sneeze with style, dig nose also cannot. Even if a fly flew into your nostrils, you have to hold it in and smile happily. What to do? You're famous!'
'Where got fair? I want to bark also cannot. I always bark, okay? And that's the way I do it. Hello, that's the reason why I'm famous. I always speak my mind,' she sniffled. 'Usually, they think it's funny, but this time, I feel so horrible… everyone seems to be laughing at me and making fun of me.'
Kodomo sighed. 'Well. You'll still have to mind your words from time to time. Pets 'R Us is a protected sanctuary for animals like you and me (a pseudo one though I am), but there is nothing I can do if your antics get noticed by the Travelling Animal Circus Troupe. If they get their hands on you, there it goes…'
'The Travelling Animal Circus Troupe?'
'It's a travelling band of evil trolls and gnomes, the Orc Horde, that spends its time capturing outstanding animals and strange creatures for a very very popular, but morbid circus set-up.'
'Oustanding animals…like you?'
'No. Like you. As for me, I decided to lay silent a long time ago. Hence I am now Kodomo Lion. But you, you're a living, breathing specimen, just waiting to be captured…'
'Captured, is it that bad? We are already in captivity… besides, its a circus troupe, doesn't it, urm, travel around? Travelling around is good, no? You can see things…'
'Yes, but with the Travelling Animal Circus troupe, your affiliation with fame will be sealed with a terrible price,' said Kodomo, sounding very very grave. 'You lose complete freedom. You get scrutinized for the tiniest things. When that happens, even if you shit, the trolls and gnomes that man the troupe will take your poo to do all sorts of experiments on. Getting into the Travelling Animal Circus Troupe is like a seal of damnation–your rights to freedom will be violated permanently. And to add on, you will be forever at the mercy of the ruthless Orc Horde, who will put you to an entire life of servitude. No no no … it is not good, to be captured by the Travelling Animal Circus Troupe.'
Pinky felt a cold cold shudder, and nodded appreciatively for this piece of information. She already knew the price of fame a long time ago (that pink connection had to continue for the sake of her image and the huge fanbase that she carried), and she didn't really enjoy its after-effects as much as the world thought she did.
She decided to lay low, very low.
Eshpie the Shorts Wearing Elf was restless. She had tossed and turned the entire night, but still she couldn't fall asleep. The nagging thought that kept on ticking at the back of her mind just wouldn't go away.
Eshpie, the native witch with magical powers who lived at the edge of Taman Negara, had the Gift of Foresight. But woe be on this gift, for it was really, a curse. She had this knack of knowing things before they happened, and today, a sudden vision had appeared before her eyes just as she was going to drink her daily dose of Ribenaberry juice.
She saw the quick galloping horses of the terrible Travelling Animal Circus Troupe, fast approaching the lands of Taman Negara.
She saw the caged-boxes that made up the caravans.
She saw an orang utan, a tiger, a dog, and worst of all…she saw herself, in shorts and all, sitting in a little cage, all by herself.
Eshpie winced, and tried very hard not to cry. She wished her visions were wrong, but alas, deep in her heart, Eshpie knew. She had never been wrong before, and the accuracy of her foresight was the rhyme and reason for her fame.
But how she wished she was wrong.
Next:the Travelling Animal Circus Approaches