Author’s Note: So, this is kind of a spin-off of the movie, A Thousand Words (starring Eddie Murphy). It’s not going to be like the movie with the पेड़ losing its leaves, though. It will be a little different. Hope आप enjoy! Please review!
— § —
“Maurice! Where is my smoothie?!” Julien impatiently called from his throne. Maurice rolled his eyes and picked up his pace.
“It’ll be done in a minute, your highness. I’m trying to get it to blend evenly,” he explained as he watched the fruits in the blender mix into one color.
“Well, be hurrying it up! I’m dying of thirst over here!” Julien called back holding his throat for dramatic effect. “Actually, Maurice, I would like आप to add one और फल to that mix.”
“What’ll it be, your highness?” Maurice asked, trying and failing to hide the impatience in his voice.
“I want an नारंगी, ऑरेंज in there, too,” he told him.
“We’re fresh out of orange, your majesty,” Maurice informed him. Julien straightened in his सिंहासन slightly.
“Then go find me some immediately! If I want an orange, then I shall have as many oranges as I desire!” he ordered.
“Right away, your highness,” Maurice muttered as he started to leave the habitat to check storage for oranges.
“I’ll help!” Mort cried cheerfully as he followed Maurice.
Julien laid back against the arm of his सिंहासन and sighed. After about eleven seconds, he was bored out of his mind and sat up.
“That is it! I cannot take it anymore!” he कहा as he started to march over to the blender. He stopped short when the लंगूर, बंबू habitat across the way grabbed his attention. In their habitat, Alice had दिया them their feed not too long ago, and a pile of फल lay अगला to their tree. Though, the baboons were on the opposite side of the habitat, chatting amongst themselves.
“Hm, I wonder if they have any juicy oranges,” Julien thought aloud. He considered waiting for Maurice to come back, but was gradually growing और and और impatient and decided against it. He wanted an नारंगी, ऑरेंज for his smoothie, and an नारंगी, ऑरेंज he was going to have.
Leaping over his habitat’s walls and crossing over to the baboons’, he quietly peeked over their wall. The baboons were paying no attention to their खाना at the moment. Throwing himself over the wall, he crept to their पेड़ and hid behind it, grinning at his self-efficiency. After carefully glancing around the पेड़ to ensure that the baboons were still preoccupied, he slowly tiptoed around the पेड़ and looked over the pile of fruit. When he spotted a couple of oranges, he picked them up and prepared to back toward the tree.
“Hey! Thief!”
Julien jerked his head up at the sound of Darla’s voice and panicked at the sight of the baboons bounding toward him. He turned and prepared to make a break for it, but tripped on a पेड़ root through his first step. Flipping onto his back, he pushed backwards with his heels as the baboons closed in.
“And just what do आप think you’re doing?” Darla asked angrily in her thick Southern accent.
“I-I was ju-just—Um,” Julien stuttered in response.
“It looks like he’s stealing our food!” one of the other baboons कहा pointing at the oranges Julien was cradling to his chest. “What, don’t have enough खाना at your own habitat, so आप have to steal ours?”
“Well, I was just—”
“We don’t tolerate thieves around here!” Darla snapped. “Girls, how should we handle this?” She turned to the other two baboons, but was sure to keep Julien in her peripheral vision.
“You don’t understand! See, I was just, um, well, I was just wanting a couple of oranges for my smoothie! Gives it a kick, आप know?” Julien explained with a nervous laugh.
“I’d like to give something a kick!” Darla shot back, causing Julien to flinch. “Girls, I think I know exactly how we can punish him.” The corner of Darla’s lips curled up in a devious grin.
“Oh, no! Not my groove! Please do not be taking it away again!” Julien pleaded.
“Actually, I had something else in mind,” Darla replied flicking her head to the left, then to the right. The other two baboons followed her unspoken command and moved to either side of Julien, keeping about five feet distance from him.
“Ready, girls?” Darla asked the baboons. They nodded their response, and then started dancing around Julien in a steady circle, गाना their backwoods magic tune, similar to the tune of You Won’t Dance When I Put Your Groove In This Jar.
“We don’t tolerate thievery in these parts! No, we don’t tolerate thievery in these pa-arts! Each bad thing आप do, your voice you’re gonna lose! Yes, it’s true, my friend! You’ll never steal from us again! ‘Cause we don’t tolerate thievery in these parts! Woo-hah!” Darla sang as the leaves from the पेड़ circled around them and settled around Julien.
Julien cocked an eyebrow.
“Say what, now?” he inquired. What exactly was the curse?
“It means that every time आप do something bad, you’re gonna lose और and और of your voice until आप won’t be able to say anything!” Darla explained with a smug smile. “So, आप better be good, honey! That’ll teach आप to clean up your act!”
“You don’t scare me!” Julien protested, though his wide eyes and drooping ears कहा otherwise.
“You know my curse worked last time when I took your groove. What makes आप think it isn’t going to work this time? Oh yeah, and द्वारा the way, don’t bother trying to tell anyone about it, neither. If आप do, it’ll speed up the process,” Darla कहा sharing a grin with the other baboons.
“Oh, come on! Give me a break! Can’t we just—forgive and forget?” Julien asked with a smile that he intended to look innocent, but instead came across as frightful and nervous.
“No! Someone needed to teach आप a lesson one of these days, and I’m glad I was the one to do it!” Darla shot back with a smile. “Run along, now!”
“Fine! I’ll दिखाना you! How hard can being good be? I’m good every day!” Julien कहा as he started to storm off. Although, even he found his own argument laughable.
“Um, excuse me! I don’t believe we ever gave आप permission to take those oranges!” Darla called after. Julien stopped in his tracks and looked down at the oranges in his paws and turned around.
“And I don’t believe आप got the memo that I am king! And I am entitled to have whatever I want whenever I—”
Out of nowhere, Julien threw a coughing fit.
“Excuse me,” he कहा hoarsely. When he regained his composure, he cleared his throat and rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
“Care to hand over those oranges, now?” Darla asked calmly with a smug smile stretching across her face. Julien huffed impatiently and underhanded the oranges to them.
“There. Happy?” Julien कहा before letting out another small cough. Darla chuckled.
“Absolutely splendid,” she कहा conceitedly.
Julien left their habitat without another word.
— § —
When he got back to his habitat, he perched himself back on his सिंहासन and crossed his arms. The curse hadn’t actually worked, had it? Granted, the baboons’ curse worked last time when they took his ability to dance, and he had coughed when he didn’t give the oranges back. Had it been a coincidence? Doubtfully.
Maurice returned with Mort about three मिनटों later with a handful of oranges each.
“Got the oranges, your majesty,” Maurice कहा returning to the blender.
“I like oranges!” Mort cried happily.
Julien didn’t reply as he remained simmering in his throne.
Maurice peeled a couple of oranges and plopped them into the blender. After covering and turning it on, he glanced over to his unusually quiet king.
“Are आप all right, your majesty?” he asked fretfully over the whir of the blender.
“I’m fine,” Julien huffed irritably. Maurice’s brow furrowed.
“You don’t sound fine. I was only gone ten minutes. What could possibly have gotten आप in a खट्टा mood?” he asked turning the blender off after it had finished mixing the fruit.
“I . . . I just want my smoothie,” Julien replied.
“Well, when you’re ready to talk, आप know where to find me,” Maurice कहा handing him his smoothie. Julien took a sip and rolled his eyes.
“I wish it were that easy,” he muttered.
Maurice gave a curious stare and decided to leave him be. He obviously wasn’t in a talking mood, whatever the reason may be. There was, however, a part of him that wanted to hug the स्रोत of his silence.
— § —
“Hello, penguins!” Julien called as he dropped down into the penguins’ HQ.
“Julien? What are आप doing here?” Private asked.
“Oh, I was just dropping द्वारा on my four प्रिय penguins!” Julien answered cheerfully.
Skipper set down the hand of cards he was holding.
“All right. What do आप want, Ringtail?” he asked.
“Why, I was just strolling about the zoo and thought, ‘Hey, I wonder what my bestest फ्रेंड्स are doing!’ That means you,” Julien answered with a smile, pointing to Skipper. Skipper cocked an eyebrow.
“Why do I get the feeling that I should just kick आप out of my HQ right now while everything is still in one piece?” he asked cautiously. Julien laughed half-heartedly.
“Oh, आप are poking fun at me! Ha-ha! Just like the good ol’ times, right buddy?” Julien asked nudging him.
Skipper slapped his arm away.
“All right, that’s it. I want to know what you’re really doing here and why,” he demanded.
Julien started to scratch the back of his neck.
“Well, आप see, I have this friend who seems to be under a curse,” he started.
“Bah! Preposterous. Science does not suggest any possibility of magic, including curses,” Kowalski broke in.
Julien shook his head.
“Oh, no! This curse—it is real! But he can’t tell anybody or—”
“If he can’t tell anybody, how do आप know about it?” Private inquired.
Julien started to respond, but became reticent. He hadn’t exactly thought this through.
“It is not mattering,” he कहा finally. “The point is, if he tries to tell anyone, then he will—”
Abruptly, he started coughing hoarsely and finally had to clear his throat to लिखें himself.
“Sorry about that,” he कहा in a half-speaking, half-whispering tone.
Private eyed him curiously.
“Are आप all right, then?” he asked worriedly.
“Of course—ahem!” Julien replied with a strong clearing of his throat. “I’m just a bit hoarse. Do not be worrying about me,” he croaked.
“Perhaps आप need some hot tea! I’ll be right back!” Private कहा eagerly as he left into the other room without waiting for a response.
“Actually,—ahem—I think I’ll be going now,” Julien कहा gruffly.
Kowalski furrowed his brow.
“But what about—”
Skipper slapped him before he could continue.
“Well, I guess we’ll be seeing you,” he कहा quickly, giving Kowalski a stare.
Julien gave a reluctant nod and turned toward the hatch, letting his feet carry him back to his own habitat.
“What was that about?” Skipper asked Kowalski once he had left.
“I don’t know. He was अभिनय quite strange, all that talk about curses and such. आप don’t suppose the baboons spooked him again, do you?” Kowalski asked.
“If they did, you’d think he’d come crying to us about it like he did last time,” Skipper pointed out.
“That’s true. I don’t know what to think,” Kowalski कहा with a shrug.
“Here’s the tea!” Private कहा returning to the room with a tray with a teapot and teacups, steam rising from its brims. “Get it while it’s—” He looked around and his face fell as he realized Julien was gone. “—hot. Did I miss something?”
— § —
Silence is golden, Julien thought. Ha! Whoever came up with that needs to be savagely punished!
After trudging back to his kingly habitat, Julien found himself alone, pacing back and forth on the far side of his habitat. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t ask anyone for help, nor could he go about his दिन without coughing up a lung as his voice dissipated. What had the curse कहा exactly? ‘Each bad thing आप do, your voice you’re gonna lose’? What did he ever do that was ‘bad’? He was a good king! Was he not? So, he चुरा लिया a measly little orange. They had plenty! Those greedies.
“Your majesty?” Maurice called as he strode up to him. “Is something wrong? You’ve been अभिनय awful strange since this morning. Are आप sure there’s nothing आप need to tell me?” he prodded.
“No! There is nothing wrong!” Julien managed to croak out. “Now, leave me alone! You’re so annoy—”
Once again, he broke into a fit of coughs and cleared his throat with a frustrated grunt.
“Just don’t worry about it, Maurice, ahem,” he continued at just above a whisper. “Just go make yourself a ठग, चिकनी या something.”
“What’s wrong with your voice? Are आप coming down with something?” Maurice asked reaching for his forehead, but Julien pushed his arm away.
“Uh, yes, I—”
Another strained cough. Julien then realized he’d forgotten to take into account that lying counted as a ‘bad deed.’
“Nevermind,” he whispered. “I just want to be alone.”
Maurice crossed his arms.
“King Julien, आप are never one to hold back on speaking your mind. I want to know what happened that’s got आप in such a खट्टा mood, and I want to know why your voice is so hoarse. No और games. Just spill,” he कहा firmly.
“Maurice, I just want to be—”
Just then, a thought occurred to him. Games? His face lit up and he smiled.
“How’s about a nice little game of charades?” he whispered.
Maurice shook his head in confusion.
“Beg your pardon? Just tell me—”
Without letting him finish, Julien held up one finger and then tapped two fingers on his forearm. Maurice sighed.
“Fine. First word, two syllables,” he acknowledged.
Julien thought for a moment, and then he cupped his paw around his ear.
“Sounds like,” Maurice responded.
Julien pinched his fingers at his lips, and then he blew into nothing as he held his paws in front of his face, palms inward, simultaneously moving them away from each other as if something were growing larger.
“Um, balloon?”
Julien nodded. Then he started doing a bad imitation of square dancing. Maurice cocked an eyebrow.
“A loon?” he guessed.
Julien slapped his paw to his forehead in frustration.
“Not a loon,” Maurice deduced.
After thinking for a moment, Julien perked up with a snap of his fingers. He grabbed Maurice’s paw and led him to the tiki bar. After digging through the dishes in the cupboards, he pulled out a cowboy hat and put it on his head.
“Why was that hat in—” Maurice started, but shook his head. “Never mind. And just so आप know, ‘cowboy’ doesn’t sound like ‘balloon,’” he said.
Julien shook his head and grabbed a jar from the cupboard. Then he started dancing around Maurice. After some thought, Maurice said, “Buffoon?”
Julien threw his head back incredulously. Buffoon? he thought. Ugh.
Giving up, he grabbed Maurice's head and turned it toward the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, pointing with a stern finger.
“Oh, baboon,” Maurice कहा with an understanding nod. “What about them?”
Julien held up two fingers, and then tapped one finger on his arm.
“Second word, one syllable,” Maurice acknowledged.
Julien once again hopped behind the bar to dig through the cupboards, throwing the hat and jar aside. A सेकंड later he pulled a bowl and wooden spoon out and set it on the counter. He then started to stir the empty bowl with one paw while mystically waving the other paw in a वृत्त above it.
“The baboons . . . cooked?” Maurice guessed. Julien shook his head and continued stirring. “Baboons . . . mixed?” Julien shook his head again and stopped stirring, trying to think of something else. He grabbed the jar again and pointed at it.
“The baboons . . . jarred?” Maurice asked. Julien impatiently rolled his eyes and grabbed the hat again, once again dancing around Maurice.
“Oh, the baboons curs—”
Before Maurice got the word out, Julien tripped over his feet as he broke into a fit of wheezing coughs.
“King Julien! Are आप all right?” Maurice asked grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet. After Julien composed himself, he nodded and made a ‘go on’ motion. “Oh, so आप were saying that the baboons curs—”
Once again, Julien broke into a fit of coughs. As it turned out, it didn’t matter in what fashion he told someone about the curse, he would still lose his voice.
He tried to say something to Maurice, but nothing came out, not so much as a whisper. Now infuriated, he began stomping around Maurice, as if he were shouting something, but instead he seemed to be just throwing his arms around with his lips moving, but nothing coming out.
This was just great. Maurice was so close to figuring out what he was trying to tell him.
Maurice impatiently rolled his eyes.
“King Julien, can’t आप just tell me what’s going on? This is getting a bit frustrating,” Maurice said.
Julien smacked his palm to his forehead and silently shouted to the sky, ‘You’re telling me!’
Maurice took him द्वारा the arm so he’d face him.
“Just tell me!” he said.
Julien rigidly pointed to his mouth and shrugged. Maurice sighed irritably.
“Really? Now you’re giving me the silent treatment? Well excuse me for not understanding your nonsensical gestures. If आप decide आप want to tell me, आप know where to find me,” Maurice कहा as he turned and left him standing there.
Julien got down on his knees and pleaded for him to come back, but of course, he couldn’t hear his motions. After pounding his fist into the ground in defeat, Julien looked over at the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, where the baboons were just going about their दिन as if the events of that morning had not occurred.
That’s it, Julien mouthed to himself. I will not be made a fool of द्वारा these backwoods hilly-billy fancy-prancy . . . stupid-faces!
With that thought, he angrily marched over to the लंगूर, बंबू habitat and planted himself in front of them, tapping his foot.
“Aw, if it isn’t the triumphant return. How much of that little ol’ voice आप got left?” Darla taunted.
Julien just narrowed his eyes at her.
“No voice? Well, that only took आप two hours. Oh, आप tried to tell on us, didn’t you? Tsk, tsk,” Darla said. “If you’re here to get the curse lifted, you’re wasting your time.”
Julien pointed at her and started shouting at her voicelessly.
“I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t quite catch it,” one of the other baboons said. They all laughed.
“That’ll teach आप to have और respect for people,” Darla said. “Run along, now!”
Julien huffed impatiently. In his anger, he didn’t think this through very clearly. Realizing he really was wasting his time, he left their habitat with the sounds of their laughing growing fainter as he went.
When he hopped over their wall, he was surprised to see Maurice standing there.
‘Maurice?’ he mouthed.
Maurice shook his head in confusion.
“That’s what आप were trying to tell me earlier? That the baboons cursed आप into being good?” he asked.
Julien coughed dryly into his arm.
“And . . . telling people makes it worse,” Maurice कहा with a nod. “I understand. Sorry I got upset with आप before. Come on, we’re going to need some help,” he कहा leading him away द्वारा the arm.
— § —
“So, you’re telling me that the baboons cursed Ringtail—again—and every time he does something bad, he loses और of his voice?” Skipper कहा doubtfully. To ensure Julien wouldn’t throw another coughing fit, Maurice had asked Rico to give him a set of noise-cancelling headphones.
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened,” Maurice affirmed.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Are आप sure this just isn’t in Ringtail’s head?” he suggested.
Maurice glanced back to ensure Julien was still wearing the headphones.
“Skipper,” he कहा turning back to him, “I assure आप there ain’t nothin’ goin’ on in that head.”
Skipper considered.
“Good point. Kowalski, analysis,” he ordered.
“Analysis?” Kowalski repeated. “Are आप really going to make me engage in this—tomfoolery? आप know very well that the universe does not allow for the possibility of magic! How many times must I say it?!”
“Kowalski, set your big scientifical ego aside and follow my order. And that’s an order!” Skipper कहा pointing a stern flipper.
Kowalski sighed impatiently and walked द्वारा mumbling something about Skipper’s ‘scientifical ego’ remark. Then he reached for Julien’s head and pulled off the headphones.
Julien started to mouth something when he realized that he couldn’t say anything and crossed his arms irritably.
“Go on, Julien. I’ll have आप know that I’m an excellent lip-reader,” Kowalski कहा with a smug smile.
Julien perked up and silently spoke to him. Kowalski nodded and turned to the others.
“He says, and I quote, ‘Thank good-y-ness! There has been so much I’ve been wanting to say! Like how great those noise-cancelling headphones worked. I couldn’t even hear myself think!’” Kowalski translated.
Maurice looked at Skipper and gestured at Julien, silently proving his point about his earlier remark about what was going on in Julien’s head. Skipper nodded in agreement.
“So, आप कहा that this curse,” Kowalski कहा with heavy sarcastic emphasis on the word ‘curse,’ “deprives Julien of his voice with every bad deed?”
“That’s right,” Maurice answered as Julien doubled over with a fit of coughs that sounded और and और like a broken garbage disposal.
“Then perhaps it can be counteracted with some good deeds,” he suggested.
Julien composed himself and wiped his watery eyes.
‘Say what now?’ he mouthed to Kowalski, although he wasn’t paying attention.
“It’s worth a shot,” Maurice said.
Julien aggressively tapped on Kowalski’s shoulder, grabbing his attention. Once he कहा what he needed to say, Kowalski translated.
“He said, ‘What is this talk about good deeds? I am king! Things are done for me, not the other way around!’”
“Oh, come on, Ringtail,” Skipper argued. “As much as I would प्यार your eternal silence, I know I’m not going to hear the end of it—no pun intended—until आप get your voice back. Besides, doing some good for others might do आप some—you know, good,” he finished awkwardly.
Julien sighed unenthusiastically and कहा something to Kowalski.
“He said, ‘Vines yell free but आप knew,’” Kowalski कहा to the others with a curious stare and a shrug.
Maurice rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t आप try again?” he suggested.
Kowalski turned to Julien and read his lips again.
“Oh, it’s, ‘Fine, tell me what to do.’ Heh,” Kowalski कहा scratching his neck awkwardly.
“Right,” Skipper कहा with a grin. “This is going to be interesting.”
— § —
“All right, Ringtail, We’ll start small. Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to go to the chameleons and set these flies free so they can have chow time. All right?” Skipper said.
Kowalski translated Julien’s response.
“Oh, please. I did this once before when the Sky Spirits were being angry at me. Yeah, we’re tight now,” he said.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, just get in there and do it so we can हटाइए on with our lives?” he कहा impatiently.
“Okay, okay, I’m going, you—” Kowalski stopped translating as Julien turned and walked into the reptile house. “Well. That wasn’t very nice.”
Julien slapped on a smile and entered the chameleon habitat. After waving his arms to get their attention, he set the jar down and opened the lid, allowing the flies to go free. The chameleons captured each of them with their tongues. After they’d finished, he grabbed the jar, replaced the lid, and returned to the others.
“Well, say something,” Maurice urged.
Julien coughed a couple of times.
“Testing,” he wheezed. His face lit up. “It is working! Come! Let us do और of the good!” he whispered preparing to push through them, but Skipper grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
“Actually, Ringtail, getting your voice back is only half the battle. We need to figure out how we’re going to get Darla to lift the curse,” he said.
“How are we going to go about that, sir?” Private asked.
Skipper thought for a moment.
“Kowalski? Options?” he कहा when he couldn’t think of anything.
“Well,” Kowalski replied rubbing his chin, “do आप remember how frustrated आप got with Julien when he wouldn’t stop ‘being nice’ to आप a couple of years ago?” he asked.
Julien crossed his arms.
“Frustrated?” he repeated huskily.
Skipper ignored him.
“Yeah, why?” he inquired.
“Well, suppose Julien were to finish out his ‘good deeds’ on the baboons? When they realize he’s doing it because good deeds restore his voice, just as bad deeds deplete it, it won’t be Julien begging for the curse to be lifted,” Kowalski suggested.
Skipper smiled.
“I like the way आप think, compadre,” he said.
“Wait, wait!” Julien whispered. “You’re telling me that all of the pillow-fluffing, letting आप beat me at the cards, and free hugs ‘frustrated’ you? That was a lot of work!”
“It was insufferable,” Skipper answered flatly without hesitation.
Julien scoffed.
“See if I do anything for आप again! So unappreciative,” he कहा turning his back on him.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Oh, no. How ever will I live with myself?” he कहा impassively. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
— § —
“Ah, आप again,” Darla कहा as Julien entered their habitat with his paws behind his back and a smile on his face. “What is it this time? Be sure to speak up so we can hear you!”
The baboons started laughing.
Julien let the टिप्पणी दे slide and held his paws out, revealing the oranges he was holding.
Darla looked at the oranges, then to the girls.
“Aw, look at that. He brought a peace-offering. Sorry, hon. It’s not gonna work,” she कहा with a smug smile.
Julien shrugged and set the oranges in their फल pile. Then he went about their habitat picking up litter and disposing of it in the nearest waste receptacle.
“Lemur, what in Sam पहाड़ी, हिल are आप doin’?” Darla asked as Julien returned to her side.
“Well,” Julien कहा in a raspy voice, “as it turns out, with every bad deed, I lose my voice, and with every good, it returns! Funny how that works out.”
Darla’s jaw dropped and she turned to the girls, who were just as surprised as she was.
“What, आप didn’t know about your own curse?” Julien कहा tauntingly.
“No, I knew. I just didn’t think you’d be smart enough to figure it out,” Darla replied.
Julien held back a snide remark.
“Oh, well, I had help. And must I say, आप look absolutely fetching today,” he कहा sweetly. He then cleared his throat. “Oh, look at that,” he कहा in a less raspy voice. “I’m almost there.”
“Well, आप do realize getting your voice back doesn’t break the curse, right?” Darla कहा with an evil smirk.
“Oh, I am knowing this,” Julien replied. “Which is why I can think of no better peoples to be nice to than आप peoples.”
“Wait, let me get this straight. You’re here to cater to our every need?” Darla कहा with an amused smile.
“More या less,” Julien answered, trying to hide how much of his pride he felt like he was losing over this.
“Well, in that case, आप can start द्वारा making us some smoothies,” Darla कहा as she and her girls relaxed अगला to their tree.
“It would be my pleasure,” Julien replied before a short cough.
Julien then left the लंगूर, बंबू habitat and he made them their smoothies—without the assistance of Maurice, of course. Maurice was the expert ठग, चिकनी maker. But Julien was not . . . .
Darla and the girls spittook their smoothies.
“These are disgusting!” one of the girls said.
“What did आप do to these?!” Darla asked angrily.
“I made them to the best of my ability,” Julien answered.
Darla rolled her eyes.
“And the sad thing is that I actually think that’s the truth,” Darla mumbled. “You know what? On सेकंड thought, I really don’t need your ‘hospitality.’ Just beat it.”
“Oh, that wasn’t very nice,” Julien कहा with faux affliction. “I’ll have आप know that I’m here to stay forever! As long as I do as much of the nice for आप to रद्द करें out the bad, I will always have my voice! So, you’re not getting rid of me that easily!”
Darla exchanged a look with the girls. Then she looked back to Julien.
“Oh, I know what you’re trying to do,” she कहा narrowing her eyes. “You think this will get to me? That this is gonna make me lift the curse? Well, I don’t break that easily, lemur! You’ll have to do better than that!”
“I do plan to do better! I will be the nicest king to ever have lived!” Julien replied happily.
Julien and Darla then caught each other’s eye. Darla glared with determination, while Julien beamed with certitude.
“Game on, lemur,” Darla कहा to herself. There was no way she was letting him win.
— § —
“That is it! I can’t take this any more!” Darla cried at the चोटी, शीर्ष of her lungs.
It had been an घंटा since Darla and Julien’s little face-off. In that time, Julien had ruined the baboons’ lunch द्वारा making them a ‘yummy फल salad,’ had ‘accidentally’ hurt Darla as he tried to hang a tire झूला, स्विंग for them, and had ruined their square-dancing exercises द्वारा दिखा रहा है them some ‘tips.’ But what had finally crossed the line was when Julien had nearly set their habitat on आग when he insisted that it was ‘getting a bit chilly’ even though it happened to be the middle of Spring.
“Oh, so I slipped up a couple of times, we all make mistakes,” Julien कहा charmingly.
“Don’t give me that!” Darla snapped pinching out a flame on her arm. “The only mistake made here is thinking I could teach आप to be bit और courteous! But that’s even और annoying!”
“So आप will lift the curse?” Julien asked hopefully.
“Oh, no! आप are not going to get to me!” Darla protested.
Julien shrugged and started off toward her tree.
“In that case, I think your hat needs a good washing—”
“What?!” Darla exclaimed. “I don’t think so! Just go back to whatever rock आप crawled out from under!”
“Why would I be going back when आप are needing so much of the helping?!” Julien replied. “Looks like somebody needs a hug, come’ere,” he कहा coming toward her with open arms.
Darla pushed him away with a frustrated grunt.
“Fine! Fine! I’ll lift the curse! All right?! But only if आप promise to stay away from our habitat!” she कहा in defeat. Then she added, “Under any circumstances!”
Julien raised his right paw and put his left over his heart.
“I promise,” he कहा sincerely.
With a final sigh of irritation and defeat, Darla motioned for the girls to get on either side of Julien.
“Curse, disperse,” she कहा as the baboons crossed their arms in an ‘X’ and then swung them straight off to the side.
“Can आप go home, now?” Darla कहा angrily as she pushed past him. The girls followed.
Julien smiled triumphantly and started to leave, but involuntarily stopped and turned to look back at the baboons, who were letting off steam द्वारा their tree. With an agitated sigh, he returned to them.
“What do आप want now, lemur?” Darla asked upon noticing him approaching.
“I just wanted to say . . .” Julien कहा before taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for stealing the oranges. All right?”
Darla looked at the girls, who were as shocked as she was. She sighed.
“All right. Consider us even,” she replied.
Julien nodded and left the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, returning to the पेंगुइन habitat where the penguins and Maurice were waiting for him.
“Did it work?” Private asked.
“Of course it did, Private,” Skipper replied. “Do आप doubt the power of Ringtail’s exasperation?”
“Good point,” Private said.
“Ha-ha, very funny,” Julien cut in. “Yes, I was successful. And now that my voice is here to stay, आप have no idea how much I’ve been wanting to tell everyone in the past few hours!”
Skipper’s eyes widened.
“Oh, well, that’s great, Julien, but we should actually be—”
Interrupting him, Julien started going on about how great it felt to be able to speak freely again. Skipper looked at Maurice, who rolled his eyes and took Julien’s arm, leading him away. He didn’t stop speaking all the way back to his own habitat.
Skipper looked to the team.
“Well, that escalated quickly.”
— § —
Later, in the बंदर, लेमूर habitat, Maurice pulled Julien off to the side as Mort prepared for lights out.
“You know, I know आप went back to the baboons to apologize earlier. Kowalski told me he read your lips,” he told him.
Julien scoffed.
“He was obviously wrong. Do आप not know that apologizing is for the weak and wrong? Which I am not,” he insisted.
“Well, I think there’s a bit of good in आप after all,” Maurice कहा crossing his arms.
“Oh, yeah?” Juilen challenged. “Well, feast your eyes on this, then!”
Julien then started marching over to Mort.
“Hey, Mort! How would आप like to become a space-o-naut!” he called.
“Yay!” Mort cried in excitement as Julien kicked him out of the habitat.
Maurice sighed.
“I had to open my big mouth.”
— § —
“Maurice! Where is my smoothie?!” Julien impatiently called from his throne. Maurice rolled his eyes and picked up his pace.
“It’ll be done in a minute, your highness. I’m trying to get it to blend evenly,” he explained as he watched the fruits in the blender mix into one color.
“Well, be hurrying it up! I’m dying of thirst over here!” Julien called back holding his throat for dramatic effect. “Actually, Maurice, I would like आप to add one और फल to that mix.”
“What’ll it be, your highness?” Maurice asked, trying and failing to hide the impatience in his voice.
“I want an नारंगी, ऑरेंज in there, too,” he told him.
“We’re fresh out of orange, your majesty,” Maurice informed him. Julien straightened in his सिंहासन slightly.
“Then go find me some immediately! If I want an orange, then I shall have as many oranges as I desire!” he ordered.
“Right away, your highness,” Maurice muttered as he started to leave the habitat to check storage for oranges.
“I’ll help!” Mort cried cheerfully as he followed Maurice.
Julien laid back against the arm of his सिंहासन and sighed. After about eleven seconds, he was bored out of his mind and sat up.
“That is it! I cannot take it anymore!” he कहा as he started to march over to the blender. He stopped short when the लंगूर, बंबू habitat across the way grabbed his attention. In their habitat, Alice had दिया them their feed not too long ago, and a pile of फल lay अगला to their tree. Though, the baboons were on the opposite side of the habitat, chatting amongst themselves.
“Hm, I wonder if they have any juicy oranges,” Julien thought aloud. He considered waiting for Maurice to come back, but was gradually growing और and और impatient and decided against it. He wanted an नारंगी, ऑरेंज for his smoothie, and an नारंगी, ऑरेंज he was going to have.
Leaping over his habitat’s walls and crossing over to the baboons’, he quietly peeked over their wall. The baboons were paying no attention to their खाना at the moment. Throwing himself over the wall, he crept to their पेड़ and hid behind it, grinning at his self-efficiency. After carefully glancing around the पेड़ to ensure that the baboons were still preoccupied, he slowly tiptoed around the पेड़ and looked over the pile of fruit. When he spotted a couple of oranges, he picked them up and prepared to back toward the tree.
“Hey! Thief!”
Julien jerked his head up at the sound of Darla’s voice and panicked at the sight of the baboons bounding toward him. He turned and prepared to make a break for it, but tripped on a पेड़ root through his first step. Flipping onto his back, he pushed backwards with his heels as the baboons closed in.
“And just what do आप think you’re doing?” Darla asked angrily in her thick Southern accent.
“I-I was ju-just—Um,” Julien stuttered in response.
“It looks like he’s stealing our food!” one of the other baboons कहा pointing at the oranges Julien was cradling to his chest. “What, don’t have enough खाना at your own habitat, so आप have to steal ours?”
“Well, I was just—”
“We don’t tolerate thieves around here!” Darla snapped. “Girls, how should we handle this?” She turned to the other two baboons, but was sure to keep Julien in her peripheral vision.
“You don’t understand! See, I was just, um, well, I was just wanting a couple of oranges for my smoothie! Gives it a kick, आप know?” Julien explained with a nervous laugh.
“I’d like to give something a kick!” Darla shot back, causing Julien to flinch. “Girls, I think I know exactly how we can punish him.” The corner of Darla’s lips curled up in a devious grin.
“Oh, no! Not my groove! Please do not be taking it away again!” Julien pleaded.
“Actually, I had something else in mind,” Darla replied flicking her head to the left, then to the right. The other two baboons followed her unspoken command and moved to either side of Julien, keeping about five feet distance from him.
“Ready, girls?” Darla asked the baboons. They nodded their response, and then started dancing around Julien in a steady circle, गाना their backwoods magic tune, similar to the tune of You Won’t Dance When I Put Your Groove In This Jar.
“We don’t tolerate thievery in these parts! No, we don’t tolerate thievery in these pa-arts! Each bad thing आप do, your voice you’re gonna lose! Yes, it’s true, my friend! You’ll never steal from us again! ‘Cause we don’t tolerate thievery in these parts! Woo-hah!” Darla sang as the leaves from the पेड़ circled around them and settled around Julien.
Julien cocked an eyebrow.
“Say what, now?” he inquired. What exactly was the curse?
“It means that every time आप do something bad, you’re gonna lose और and और of your voice until आप won’t be able to say anything!” Darla explained with a smug smile. “So, आप better be good, honey! That’ll teach आप to clean up your act!”
“You don’t scare me!” Julien protested, though his wide eyes and drooping ears कहा otherwise.
“You know my curse worked last time when I took your groove. What makes आप think it isn’t going to work this time? Oh yeah, and द्वारा the way, don’t bother trying to tell anyone about it, neither. If आप do, it’ll speed up the process,” Darla कहा sharing a grin with the other baboons.
“Oh, come on! Give me a break! Can’t we just—forgive and forget?” Julien asked with a smile that he intended to look innocent, but instead came across as frightful and nervous.
“No! Someone needed to teach आप a lesson one of these days, and I’m glad I was the one to do it!” Darla shot back with a smile. “Run along, now!”
“Fine! I’ll दिखाना you! How hard can being good be? I’m good every day!” Julien कहा as he started to storm off. Although, even he found his own argument laughable.
“Um, excuse me! I don’t believe we ever gave आप permission to take those oranges!” Darla called after. Julien stopped in his tracks and looked down at the oranges in his paws and turned around.
“And I don’t believe आप got the memo that I am king! And I am entitled to have whatever I want whenever I—”
Out of nowhere, Julien threw a coughing fit.
“Excuse me,” he कहा hoarsely. When he regained his composure, he cleared his throat and rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
“Care to hand over those oranges, now?” Darla asked calmly with a smug smile stretching across her face. Julien huffed impatiently and underhanded the oranges to them.
“There. Happy?” Julien कहा before letting out another small cough. Darla chuckled.
“Absolutely splendid,” she कहा conceitedly.
Julien left their habitat without another word.
— § —
When he got back to his habitat, he perched himself back on his सिंहासन and crossed his arms. The curse hadn’t actually worked, had it? Granted, the baboons’ curse worked last time when they took his ability to dance, and he had coughed when he didn’t give the oranges back. Had it been a coincidence? Doubtfully.
Maurice returned with Mort about three मिनटों later with a handful of oranges each.
“Got the oranges, your majesty,” Maurice कहा returning to the blender.
“I like oranges!” Mort cried happily.
Julien didn’t reply as he remained simmering in his throne.
Maurice peeled a couple of oranges and plopped them into the blender. After covering and turning it on, he glanced over to his unusually quiet king.
“Are आप all right, your majesty?” he asked fretfully over the whir of the blender.
“I’m fine,” Julien huffed irritably. Maurice’s brow furrowed.
“You don’t sound fine. I was only gone ten minutes. What could possibly have gotten आप in a खट्टा mood?” he asked turning the blender off after it had finished mixing the fruit.
“I . . . I just want my smoothie,” Julien replied.
“Well, when you’re ready to talk, आप know where to find me,” Maurice कहा handing him his smoothie. Julien took a sip and rolled his eyes.
“I wish it were that easy,” he muttered.
Maurice gave a curious stare and decided to leave him be. He obviously wasn’t in a talking mood, whatever the reason may be. There was, however, a part of him that wanted to hug the स्रोत of his silence.
— § —
“Hello, penguins!” Julien called as he dropped down into the penguins’ HQ.
“Julien? What are आप doing here?” Private asked.
“Oh, I was just dropping द्वारा on my four प्रिय penguins!” Julien answered cheerfully.
Skipper set down the hand of cards he was holding.
“All right. What do आप want, Ringtail?” he asked.
“Why, I was just strolling about the zoo and thought, ‘Hey, I wonder what my bestest फ्रेंड्स are doing!’ That means you,” Julien answered with a smile, pointing to Skipper. Skipper cocked an eyebrow.
“Why do I get the feeling that I should just kick आप out of my HQ right now while everything is still in one piece?” he asked cautiously. Julien laughed half-heartedly.
“Oh, आप are poking fun at me! Ha-ha! Just like the good ol’ times, right buddy?” Julien asked nudging him.
Skipper slapped his arm away.
“All right, that’s it. I want to know what you’re really doing here and why,” he demanded.
Julien started to scratch the back of his neck.
“Well, आप see, I have this friend who seems to be under a curse,” he started.
“Bah! Preposterous. Science does not suggest any possibility of magic, including curses,” Kowalski broke in.
Julien shook his head.
“Oh, no! This curse—it is real! But he can’t tell anybody or—”
“If he can’t tell anybody, how do आप know about it?” Private inquired.
Julien started to respond, but became reticent. He hadn’t exactly thought this through.
“It is not mattering,” he कहा finally. “The point is, if he tries to tell anyone, then he will—”
Abruptly, he started coughing hoarsely and finally had to clear his throat to लिखें himself.
“Sorry about that,” he कहा in a half-speaking, half-whispering tone.
Private eyed him curiously.
“Are आप all right, then?” he asked worriedly.
“Of course—ahem!” Julien replied with a strong clearing of his throat. “I’m just a bit hoarse. Do not be worrying about me,” he croaked.
“Perhaps आप need some hot tea! I’ll be right back!” Private कहा eagerly as he left into the other room without waiting for a response.
“Actually,—ahem—I think I’ll be going now,” Julien कहा gruffly.
Kowalski furrowed his brow.
“But what about—”
Skipper slapped him before he could continue.
“Well, I guess we’ll be seeing you,” he कहा quickly, giving Kowalski a stare.
Julien gave a reluctant nod and turned toward the hatch, letting his feet carry him back to his own habitat.
“What was that about?” Skipper asked Kowalski once he had left.
“I don’t know. He was अभिनय quite strange, all that talk about curses and such. आप don’t suppose the baboons spooked him again, do you?” Kowalski asked.
“If they did, you’d think he’d come crying to us about it like he did last time,” Skipper pointed out.
“That’s true. I don’t know what to think,” Kowalski कहा with a shrug.
“Here’s the tea!” Private कहा returning to the room with a tray with a teapot and teacups, steam rising from its brims. “Get it while it’s—” He looked around and his face fell as he realized Julien was gone. “—hot. Did I miss something?”
— § —
Silence is golden, Julien thought. Ha! Whoever came up with that needs to be savagely punished!
After trudging back to his kingly habitat, Julien found himself alone, pacing back and forth on the far side of his habitat. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t ask anyone for help, nor could he go about his दिन without coughing up a lung as his voice dissipated. What had the curse कहा exactly? ‘Each bad thing आप do, your voice you’re gonna lose’? What did he ever do that was ‘bad’? He was a good king! Was he not? So, he चुरा लिया a measly little orange. They had plenty! Those greedies.
“Your majesty?” Maurice called as he strode up to him. “Is something wrong? You’ve been अभिनय awful strange since this morning. Are आप sure there’s nothing आप need to tell me?” he prodded.
“No! There is nothing wrong!” Julien managed to croak out. “Now, leave me alone! You’re so annoy—”
Once again, he broke into a fit of coughs and cleared his throat with a frustrated grunt.
“Just don’t worry about it, Maurice, ahem,” he continued at just above a whisper. “Just go make yourself a ठग, चिकनी या something.”
“What’s wrong with your voice? Are आप coming down with something?” Maurice asked reaching for his forehead, but Julien pushed his arm away.
“Uh, yes, I—”
Another strained cough. Julien then realized he’d forgotten to take into account that lying counted as a ‘bad deed.’
“Nevermind,” he whispered. “I just want to be alone.”
Maurice crossed his arms.
“King Julien, आप are never one to hold back on speaking your mind. I want to know what happened that’s got आप in such a खट्टा mood, and I want to know why your voice is so hoarse. No और games. Just spill,” he कहा firmly.
“Maurice, I just want to be—”
Just then, a thought occurred to him. Games? His face lit up and he smiled.
“How’s about a nice little game of charades?” he whispered.
Maurice shook his head in confusion.
“Beg your pardon? Just tell me—”
Without letting him finish, Julien held up one finger and then tapped two fingers on his forearm. Maurice sighed.
“Fine. First word, two syllables,” he acknowledged.
Julien thought for a moment, and then he cupped his paw around his ear.
“Sounds like,” Maurice responded.
Julien pinched his fingers at his lips, and then he blew into nothing as he held his paws in front of his face, palms inward, simultaneously moving them away from each other as if something were growing larger.
“Um, balloon?”
Julien nodded. Then he started doing a bad imitation of square dancing. Maurice cocked an eyebrow.
“A loon?” he guessed.
Julien slapped his paw to his forehead in frustration.
“Not a loon,” Maurice deduced.
After thinking for a moment, Julien perked up with a snap of his fingers. He grabbed Maurice’s paw and led him to the tiki bar. After digging through the dishes in the cupboards, he pulled out a cowboy hat and put it on his head.
“Why was that hat in—” Maurice started, but shook his head. “Never mind. And just so आप know, ‘cowboy’ doesn’t sound like ‘balloon,’” he said.
Julien shook his head and grabbed a jar from the cupboard. Then he started dancing around Maurice. After some thought, Maurice said, “Buffoon?”
Julien threw his head back incredulously. Buffoon? he thought. Ugh.
Giving up, he grabbed Maurice's head and turned it toward the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, pointing with a stern finger.
“Oh, baboon,” Maurice कहा with an understanding nod. “What about them?”
Julien held up two fingers, and then tapped one finger on his arm.
“Second word, one syllable,” Maurice acknowledged.
Julien once again hopped behind the bar to dig through the cupboards, throwing the hat and jar aside. A सेकंड later he pulled a bowl and wooden spoon out and set it on the counter. He then started to stir the empty bowl with one paw while mystically waving the other paw in a वृत्त above it.
“The baboons . . . cooked?” Maurice guessed. Julien shook his head and continued stirring. “Baboons . . . mixed?” Julien shook his head again and stopped stirring, trying to think of something else. He grabbed the jar again and pointed at it.
“The baboons . . . jarred?” Maurice asked. Julien impatiently rolled his eyes and grabbed the hat again, once again dancing around Maurice.
“Oh, the baboons curs—”
Before Maurice got the word out, Julien tripped over his feet as he broke into a fit of wheezing coughs.
“King Julien! Are आप all right?” Maurice asked grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet. After Julien composed himself, he nodded and made a ‘go on’ motion. “Oh, so आप were saying that the baboons curs—”
Once again, Julien broke into a fit of coughs. As it turned out, it didn’t matter in what fashion he told someone about the curse, he would still lose his voice.
He tried to say something to Maurice, but nothing came out, not so much as a whisper. Now infuriated, he began stomping around Maurice, as if he were shouting something, but instead he seemed to be just throwing his arms around with his lips moving, but nothing coming out.
This was just great. Maurice was so close to figuring out what he was trying to tell him.
Maurice impatiently rolled his eyes.
“King Julien, can’t आप just tell me what’s going on? This is getting a bit frustrating,” Maurice said.
Julien smacked his palm to his forehead and silently shouted to the sky, ‘You’re telling me!’
Maurice took him द्वारा the arm so he’d face him.
“Just tell me!” he said.
Julien rigidly pointed to his mouth and shrugged. Maurice sighed irritably.
“Really? Now you’re giving me the silent treatment? Well excuse me for not understanding your nonsensical gestures. If आप decide आप want to tell me, आप know where to find me,” Maurice कहा as he turned and left him standing there.
Julien got down on his knees and pleaded for him to come back, but of course, he couldn’t hear his motions. After pounding his fist into the ground in defeat, Julien looked over at the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, where the baboons were just going about their दिन as if the events of that morning had not occurred.
That’s it, Julien mouthed to himself. I will not be made a fool of द्वारा these backwoods hilly-billy fancy-prancy . . . stupid-faces!
With that thought, he angrily marched over to the लंगूर, बंबू habitat and planted himself in front of them, tapping his foot.
“Aw, if it isn’t the triumphant return. How much of that little ol’ voice आप got left?” Darla taunted.
Julien just narrowed his eyes at her.
“No voice? Well, that only took आप two hours. Oh, आप tried to tell on us, didn’t you? Tsk, tsk,” Darla said. “If you’re here to get the curse lifted, you’re wasting your time.”
Julien pointed at her and started shouting at her voicelessly.
“I’m sorry, what was that? I didn’t quite catch it,” one of the other baboons said. They all laughed.
“That’ll teach आप to have और respect for people,” Darla said. “Run along, now!”
Julien huffed impatiently. In his anger, he didn’t think this through very clearly. Realizing he really was wasting his time, he left their habitat with the sounds of their laughing growing fainter as he went.
When he hopped over their wall, he was surprised to see Maurice standing there.
‘Maurice?’ he mouthed.
Maurice shook his head in confusion.
“That’s what आप were trying to tell me earlier? That the baboons cursed आप into being good?” he asked.
Julien coughed dryly into his arm.
“And . . . telling people makes it worse,” Maurice कहा with a nod. “I understand. Sorry I got upset with आप before. Come on, we’re going to need some help,” he कहा leading him away द्वारा the arm.
— § —
“So, you’re telling me that the baboons cursed Ringtail—again—and every time he does something bad, he loses और of his voice?” Skipper कहा doubtfully. To ensure Julien wouldn’t throw another coughing fit, Maurice had asked Rico to give him a set of noise-cancelling headphones.
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened,” Maurice affirmed.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Are आप sure this just isn’t in Ringtail’s head?” he suggested.
Maurice glanced back to ensure Julien was still wearing the headphones.
“Skipper,” he कहा turning back to him, “I assure आप there ain’t nothin’ goin’ on in that head.”
Skipper considered.
“Good point. Kowalski, analysis,” he ordered.
“Analysis?” Kowalski repeated. “Are आप really going to make me engage in this—tomfoolery? आप know very well that the universe does not allow for the possibility of magic! How many times must I say it?!”
“Kowalski, set your big scientifical ego aside and follow my order. And that’s an order!” Skipper कहा pointing a stern flipper.
Kowalski sighed impatiently and walked द्वारा mumbling something about Skipper’s ‘scientifical ego’ remark. Then he reached for Julien’s head and pulled off the headphones.
Julien started to mouth something when he realized that he couldn’t say anything and crossed his arms irritably.
“Go on, Julien. I’ll have आप know that I’m an excellent lip-reader,” Kowalski कहा with a smug smile.
Julien perked up and silently spoke to him. Kowalski nodded and turned to the others.
“He says, and I quote, ‘Thank good-y-ness! There has been so much I’ve been wanting to say! Like how great those noise-cancelling headphones worked. I couldn’t even hear myself think!’” Kowalski translated.
Maurice looked at Skipper and gestured at Julien, silently proving his point about his earlier remark about what was going on in Julien’s head. Skipper nodded in agreement.
“So, आप कहा that this curse,” Kowalski कहा with heavy sarcastic emphasis on the word ‘curse,’ “deprives Julien of his voice with every bad deed?”
“That’s right,” Maurice answered as Julien doubled over with a fit of coughs that sounded और and और like a broken garbage disposal.
“Then perhaps it can be counteracted with some good deeds,” he suggested.
Julien composed himself and wiped his watery eyes.
‘Say what now?’ he mouthed to Kowalski, although he wasn’t paying attention.
“It’s worth a shot,” Maurice said.
Julien aggressively tapped on Kowalski’s shoulder, grabbing his attention. Once he कहा what he needed to say, Kowalski translated.
“He said, ‘What is this talk about good deeds? I am king! Things are done for me, not the other way around!’”
“Oh, come on, Ringtail,” Skipper argued. “As much as I would प्यार your eternal silence, I know I’m not going to hear the end of it—no pun intended—until आप get your voice back. Besides, doing some good for others might do आप some—you know, good,” he finished awkwardly.
Julien sighed unenthusiastically and कहा something to Kowalski.
“He said, ‘Vines yell free but आप knew,’” Kowalski कहा to the others with a curious stare and a shrug.
Maurice rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t आप try again?” he suggested.
Kowalski turned to Julien and read his lips again.
“Oh, it’s, ‘Fine, tell me what to do.’ Heh,” Kowalski कहा scratching his neck awkwardly.
“Right,” Skipper कहा with a grin. “This is going to be interesting.”
— § —
“All right, Ringtail, We’ll start small. Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to go to the chameleons and set these flies free so they can have chow time. All right?” Skipper said.
Kowalski translated Julien’s response.
“Oh, please. I did this once before when the Sky Spirits were being angry at me. Yeah, we’re tight now,” he said.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, just get in there and do it so we can हटाइए on with our lives?” he कहा impatiently.
“Okay, okay, I’m going, you—” Kowalski stopped translating as Julien turned and walked into the reptile house. “Well. That wasn’t very nice.”
Julien slapped on a smile and entered the chameleon habitat. After waving his arms to get their attention, he set the jar down and opened the lid, allowing the flies to go free. The chameleons captured each of them with their tongues. After they’d finished, he grabbed the jar, replaced the lid, and returned to the others.
“Well, say something,” Maurice urged.
Julien coughed a couple of times.
“Testing,” he wheezed. His face lit up. “It is working! Come! Let us do और of the good!” he whispered preparing to push through them, but Skipper grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
“Actually, Ringtail, getting your voice back is only half the battle. We need to figure out how we’re going to get Darla to lift the curse,” he said.
“How are we going to go about that, sir?” Private asked.
Skipper thought for a moment.
“Kowalski? Options?” he कहा when he couldn’t think of anything.
“Well,” Kowalski replied rubbing his chin, “do आप remember how frustrated आप got with Julien when he wouldn’t stop ‘being nice’ to आप a couple of years ago?” he asked.
Julien crossed his arms.
“Frustrated?” he repeated huskily.
Skipper ignored him.
“Yeah, why?” he inquired.
“Well, suppose Julien were to finish out his ‘good deeds’ on the baboons? When they realize he’s doing it because good deeds restore his voice, just as bad deeds deplete it, it won’t be Julien begging for the curse to be lifted,” Kowalski suggested.
Skipper smiled.
“I like the way आप think, compadre,” he said.
“Wait, wait!” Julien whispered. “You’re telling me that all of the pillow-fluffing, letting आप beat me at the cards, and free hugs ‘frustrated’ you? That was a lot of work!”
“It was insufferable,” Skipper answered flatly without hesitation.
Julien scoffed.
“See if I do anything for आप again! So unappreciative,” he कहा turning his back on him.
Skipper rolled his eyes.
“Oh, no. How ever will I live with myself?” he कहा impassively. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
— § —
“Ah, आप again,” Darla कहा as Julien entered their habitat with his paws behind his back and a smile on his face. “What is it this time? Be sure to speak up so we can hear you!”
The baboons started laughing.
Julien let the टिप्पणी दे slide and held his paws out, revealing the oranges he was holding.
Darla looked at the oranges, then to the girls.
“Aw, look at that. He brought a peace-offering. Sorry, hon. It’s not gonna work,” she कहा with a smug smile.
Julien shrugged and set the oranges in their फल pile. Then he went about their habitat picking up litter and disposing of it in the nearest waste receptacle.
“Lemur, what in Sam पहाड़ी, हिल are आप doin’?” Darla asked as Julien returned to her side.
“Well,” Julien कहा in a raspy voice, “as it turns out, with every bad deed, I lose my voice, and with every good, it returns! Funny how that works out.”
Darla’s jaw dropped and she turned to the girls, who were just as surprised as she was.
“What, आप didn’t know about your own curse?” Julien कहा tauntingly.
“No, I knew. I just didn’t think you’d be smart enough to figure it out,” Darla replied.
Julien held back a snide remark.
“Oh, well, I had help. And must I say, आप look absolutely fetching today,” he कहा sweetly. He then cleared his throat. “Oh, look at that,” he कहा in a less raspy voice. “I’m almost there.”
“Well, आप do realize getting your voice back doesn’t break the curse, right?” Darla कहा with an evil smirk.
“Oh, I am knowing this,” Julien replied. “Which is why I can think of no better peoples to be nice to than आप peoples.”
“Wait, let me get this straight. You’re here to cater to our every need?” Darla कहा with an amused smile.
“More या less,” Julien answered, trying to hide how much of his pride he felt like he was losing over this.
“Well, in that case, आप can start द्वारा making us some smoothies,” Darla कहा as she and her girls relaxed अगला to their tree.
“It would be my pleasure,” Julien replied before a short cough.
Julien then left the लंगूर, बंबू habitat and he made them their smoothies—without the assistance of Maurice, of course. Maurice was the expert ठग, चिकनी maker. But Julien was not . . . .
Darla and the girls spittook their smoothies.
“These are disgusting!” one of the girls said.
“What did आप do to these?!” Darla asked angrily.
“I made them to the best of my ability,” Julien answered.
Darla rolled her eyes.
“And the sad thing is that I actually think that’s the truth,” Darla mumbled. “You know what? On सेकंड thought, I really don’t need your ‘hospitality.’ Just beat it.”
“Oh, that wasn’t very nice,” Julien कहा with faux affliction. “I’ll have आप know that I’m here to stay forever! As long as I do as much of the nice for आप to रद्द करें out the bad, I will always have my voice! So, you’re not getting rid of me that easily!”
Darla exchanged a look with the girls. Then she looked back to Julien.
“Oh, I know what you’re trying to do,” she कहा narrowing her eyes. “You think this will get to me? That this is gonna make me lift the curse? Well, I don’t break that easily, lemur! You’ll have to do better than that!”
“I do plan to do better! I will be the nicest king to ever have lived!” Julien replied happily.
Julien and Darla then caught each other’s eye. Darla glared with determination, while Julien beamed with certitude.
“Game on, lemur,” Darla कहा to herself. There was no way she was letting him win.
— § —
“That is it! I can’t take this any more!” Darla cried at the चोटी, शीर्ष of her lungs.
It had been an घंटा since Darla and Julien’s little face-off. In that time, Julien had ruined the baboons’ lunch द्वारा making them a ‘yummy फल salad,’ had ‘accidentally’ hurt Darla as he tried to hang a tire झूला, स्विंग for them, and had ruined their square-dancing exercises द्वारा दिखा रहा है them some ‘tips.’ But what had finally crossed the line was when Julien had nearly set their habitat on आग when he insisted that it was ‘getting a bit chilly’ even though it happened to be the middle of Spring.
“Oh, so I slipped up a couple of times, we all make mistakes,” Julien कहा charmingly.
“Don’t give me that!” Darla snapped pinching out a flame on her arm. “The only mistake made here is thinking I could teach आप to be bit और courteous! But that’s even और annoying!”
“So आप will lift the curse?” Julien asked hopefully.
“Oh, no! आप are not going to get to me!” Darla protested.
Julien shrugged and started off toward her tree.
“In that case, I think your hat needs a good washing—”
“What?!” Darla exclaimed. “I don’t think so! Just go back to whatever rock आप crawled out from under!”
“Why would I be going back when आप are needing so much of the helping?!” Julien replied. “Looks like somebody needs a hug, come’ere,” he कहा coming toward her with open arms.
Darla pushed him away with a frustrated grunt.
“Fine! Fine! I’ll lift the curse! All right?! But only if आप promise to stay away from our habitat!” she कहा in defeat. Then she added, “Under any circumstances!”
Julien raised his right paw and put his left over his heart.
“I promise,” he कहा sincerely.
With a final sigh of irritation and defeat, Darla motioned for the girls to get on either side of Julien.
“Curse, disperse,” she कहा as the baboons crossed their arms in an ‘X’ and then swung them straight off to the side.
“Can आप go home, now?” Darla कहा angrily as she pushed past him. The girls followed.
Julien smiled triumphantly and started to leave, but involuntarily stopped and turned to look back at the baboons, who were letting off steam द्वारा their tree. With an agitated sigh, he returned to them.
“What do आप want now, lemur?” Darla asked upon noticing him approaching.
“I just wanted to say . . .” Julien कहा before taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for stealing the oranges. All right?”
Darla looked at the girls, who were as shocked as she was. She sighed.
“All right. Consider us even,” she replied.
Julien nodded and left the लंगूर, बंबू habitat, returning to the पेंगुइन habitat where the penguins and Maurice were waiting for him.
“Did it work?” Private asked.
“Of course it did, Private,” Skipper replied. “Do आप doubt the power of Ringtail’s exasperation?”
“Good point,” Private said.
“Ha-ha, very funny,” Julien cut in. “Yes, I was successful. And now that my voice is here to stay, आप have no idea how much I’ve been wanting to tell everyone in the past few hours!”
Skipper’s eyes widened.
“Oh, well, that’s great, Julien, but we should actually be—”
Interrupting him, Julien started going on about how great it felt to be able to speak freely again. Skipper looked at Maurice, who rolled his eyes and took Julien’s arm, leading him away. He didn’t stop speaking all the way back to his own habitat.
Skipper looked to the team.
“Well, that escalated quickly.”
— § —
Later, in the बंदर, लेमूर habitat, Maurice pulled Julien off to the side as Mort prepared for lights out.
“You know, I know आप went back to the baboons to apologize earlier. Kowalski told me he read your lips,” he told him.
Julien scoffed.
“He was obviously wrong. Do आप not know that apologizing is for the weak and wrong? Which I am not,” he insisted.
“Well, I think there’s a bit of good in आप after all,” Maurice कहा crossing his arms.
“Oh, yeah?” Juilen challenged. “Well, feast your eyes on this, then!”
Julien then started marching over to Mort.
“Hey, Mort! How would आप like to become a space-o-naut!” he called.
“Yay!” Mort cried in excitement as Julien kicked him out of the habitat.
Maurice sighed.
“I had to open my big mouth.”