Thanks for your support: redBoobergurl, RedPiggy, ReneeLouvier, and AnimatedC9000. It means a lot to me!
Anyway, I have a treat for those who have been reading this fic. Two chapters! Turns out, Chapter 3 was so long that I needed to split it up into two chapters instead. I'm finishing up the final touches of Chapter 4 (the final chapter) and will post it shortly after Chapter 3 (within the hour).
Here it is!
Chapter 3
Miss Piggy had no idea who the frog standing outside her apartment door was, and she didn’t care. The amphibian claimed he was someone she used to know, which she knew wasn’t true, but she was willing to fly with that if he was willing to come inside. He was the man of her dreams, and she was grateful for the face mask she was wearing for hiding her deep blush…until it dawned on her how hideous she must look with the green goop on.
“Um….wait right there!”
Without waiting for his reply, and praying in the back of her mind that he wouldn’t leave, she closed the door and made quick work with straightening herself and her apartment up. Trying to make it look presentable, cringing at the dirty dishes piled up in the sink. Maybe he wouldn’t notice them?
With lightening fast speed, Piggy was back at the door undoing every single lock and bolt until she was once again face to face with the handsome frog. She was positively ecstatic at the sight of him, and worried whether or not she looked ravishing enough to be in his presence.
“I must have been a very good girl this year…” She mused as she welcomed him into her home, squealing with glee when he handed her a box of chocolates. “Oooohhhh!”
“Piggy, uh, Merry Christmas.” The gorgeous frog said to her as he looked around her home, seemingly stunned. What did he say his name was again, Korwin? “I can see you really like cats…”
She turned back to him, a little embarrassed with the way she had just reacted to the candy, and gave him a warm smile. “Doesn’t everyone?”
He stared back at her with a surreal look on his face, like he was overwhelmed, before taking another quick glance around her home. Maybe she’d get lucky, and would have to perform mouth-to-mouth on him if he fainted! She nearly swooned at the thought of what it must be like to kiss him, and quickly had to regain her composure.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Miss. Piggy offered quickly, shooing away her inappropriate thoughts while gesturing him towards her couch. “Have a seat…somewhere.”
“Oh, thank you.” The frog…Kermit, said kindly as he made a spot for himself amongst the clutter on the sofa. “You, uh, you look…good. So, uh, what are you up to?”
The pig, despite doing her best to make herself more presentable, thought she looked horrible. She sighed and turned away from him, until she heard him ask what she had been doing with her life. Perking up again as she thought back on her dreams of the past…and how she had tried to make it work out. While she wasn’t really living her dreams yet, she wanted to dazzle him regardless. “Well, actually, I do quite a lot of acting.”
“Really?” He seemed pleased to hear this, sitting up eagerly as soon as she mentioned it.
“Mm-hmm.” Her grin widened, she was thrilled that this seemed to impress him. “Of course, I do most of it from here now…”
It wasn’t quite what she had envisioned herself doing when she left her hometown after winning those beauty pageants; slaving away as a waitress for long hours while doing her telephone gig at night. But even now, years later, she was still hopeful of breaking out and becoming a big star. Recalling, sadly, how enthusiastic she used to be in her glory days as a beauty queen. She was a star back then, in her hometown and the ones surrounding it, and there was a part of her that wished she had pursued that lifestyle instead.
But being a beauty queen wasn’t what she had truly dreamed of doing…and if she had to work a little harder to get closer to her true goal, then it was worth it.
Suddenly the telephone rang, startling both of them. She knew what the call was for, and she did not want to show her dream man what she really did when she said she was an actress. Maybe if she just ignored it, then the phone would stop ringing and she could continue to woo her guest in peace.
Another ring cut through the awkward silence.
“Your, uh…your phone.” The frog said politely, silently telling her it was okay with him if she wanted to answer it. Which was just the problem…she didn’t!
After a couple more irritating rings, she gave a groan of defeat. “Alright already…” Piggy gave her guest another dazzling smile, as her face grew red with shame. “Excuse me.”
“Uh, sure.”
With another growl of annoyance, the woman made her way to the phone. Quickly grabbing her wig, despite the fact that the caller wouldn’t be able to see it, and reluctantly putting it on her head. She answered the phone in an enthusiastic Jamaican voice, and quickly explained to the caller her Term of Service. When she had dreamed of being an actress, this was the last thing she had ever envisioned she would be doing…
“Piggy, what are you doing?” Kermit asked her with a look of disbelief sketched onto his face. “You’re not Jamaican.”
“Yeah, well I’m not psychic either.” She snapped back at him over her shoulder, quickly bringing her attention back to her customer. “Now, as I was sayin’--” A loud click could be heard on the other end of the line, followed shortly by the dial-tone. “Hello? Hello? Aw, great…you just lost me a gig.”
It was amusing to her how she felt a mixture of both anger and relief that she wasn’t able to complete her act, she wasn’t really as upset as she let on. If only the frog would just drop it and start saying some sweet nothings into her ear. Kiss her, perhaps. Distract her from her wishes and dreams that were ever so slowly sailing out of reach with each passing day.
She didn’t want to think about her side job, about the lies she told her family and old friends in regards to her acting career. All she wanted was to enjoy spending the evening at home, on Christmas Eve, and bake the pies she was going to be bringing with her to her parent’s house the next day.
“Oh, no. You’re not a cop, are you?” She asked, worried when he made his remark about her phone gig. “Because if you are, you have to tell me.”
“No, no, no. I’m just a friend.” Kermit quickly replied; there was no hint of insincerity in his voice. Just warmth; and, surprisingly…love. “Look, what do you say you and I go out for a nice Christmas dinner, huh?”
Piggy was taken aback. Who was this frog, and why was he being so kind to her? She didn’t deserve that, not after he saw that she was a fraud. Besides, she didn’t even know him! The various cats around the apartment were suddenly her priority as she made her way to the tree. “But, but, but what about my babies? I mean, I still have to wrap Mr. Meow Meow’s present.”
She could feel tears begin to well up, and was grateful that she wasn’t facing the handsome frog. “Besides…I look terrible…”
Words couldn’t begin to express her surprise when he took a hold of her shoulder and told her that she was beautiful. That she was wonderful and talented, the words she had always wanted to hear ever since she gathered up her courage and left home all those years ago. His confidence encouraged her to stand taller, and the undisclosed love in his voice made her feel weak in the knees.
Continuing to remind her of the dreams, the silly dreams, that she had once fully believed in…
“I think you should leave now.” She didn’t want to keep thinking about her girlish hopes and fantasies anymore, up until tonight she had managed to let go of them as painlessly as possible. And now; in the presence of this kind and handsome stranger, it was all flooding back to her in a dizzying way. It was upsetting her, and that was the last thing she wanted to feel like on Christmas Eve. “Busy day tomorrow, lots to do. Clean. Decorate. Bake the Christmas cry...”
He seemed startled by her insistence for him to go, and then looked sad and guilty when a hint of her newfound sadness slipped out. There was pity in his eyes…and she wouldn’t stand for that!
“Pie.” Piggy corrected herself while looking back at him, getting angry by the concern in his face. “What? I’m not pathetic!”
Kermit continued to stare, shaking his head. “No…”
“I still have my phone acting!” She retorted, quickly advancing on him and steering him towards the door. He wasn’t welcome in her home anymore, she couldn’t bear it. “It’s just that kitties and I want you to leave now. Leave, did you hear me? Scram! Vamoose!”
“But, Piggy.” The frog tried to reason with her, seeming a little desperate himself.
She was on the verge of crying, and refused to allow him to be a witness when she couldn’t hold back any longer. “I said, OUT!”
The pig’s temper got the better of her, and she karate-chopped him through her apartment door. Retrieving the box of candy she had tossed out after him, before slamming her door shut and giving in to the tears. How dare he, a total stranger, come into her home and churn up her old hopes and dreams…remind her of the things she feared she’d never have the chance of doing now. The things she lied to her family about.
After a moment, Piggy composed herself and made her way back to the sink. Putting all her sadness and frustrations into her cleaning until her mood brightened considerably, and then soothingly preparing the pies she had promised her mother she’d bring. Making sure she made her father’s favorite. Happy to be distracted…
The phone rang, making her take a break to pick it up. She quickly grinned when she identified the caller, grateful to hear the sound of her friend’s voice. “Why Jenny, Dear, how good of you to call! Are you still going to stop by tomorrow to check in on my kitties? Do come over tomorrow evening when I get back, we could have a glass of sparkling cider and chat!”
Despite never really getting to live the life she dreamed of, and working a hard job, Piggy was comfortable with the life she did lead…when she didn’t include in phone job, and didn’t think about the acting career she wished she had…She had a wonderful and supporting family, and had a great friend in Jenny. She was grateful for the life she had, even though she wished for so much more, and soon forgot about the stranger that had visited her mere moments earlier.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Daniel heard Kermit’s frantic calls for him, but made no move to reveal himself to his amphibian friend. Instead, he remained hidden in the shadows outside of Piggy’s apartment building and watched as the frog began to panic. Determined to seek him out, desperate to leave this upsetting alternate reality behind.
“Daniel? Daniel, where are you?”
The human remained where he was; it wasn’t the right time to rejoin the troubled frog. There was one last thing Kermit needed to see, something he needed to do, before the accountant could take him back home. He only hoped, for the alien’s sake, that Kermit got back to the mall in time…
* * * * * * * * * * *
For nearly his whole life, Gonzo had been alone.
When he was a baby he had been found abandoned in front of a church, having no known family, and was delivered to the closest orphanage. There, he had grown up with no one coming to claim him, and no one wanting to adopt him into their homes. He was alone, and had no understanding of who or what he truly was.
He was simply a whatever, a very lonely and unwanted whatever.
Gonzo spent much of his time pondering over his existence. Wondering what he really was, and why no one had come to claim him. He often found himself starring longingly at the stars; but never realized their true significance. He was never given the opportunity to learn the truth about himself in this reality. And soon grew to accept that he was simply a one-of-a-kind freak, no more no less.
When he turned 18 years old he was kicked out of the orphanage to make a place for himself out in the world. Taking whatever odd jobs he could get…whenever anyone gave him a chance that is. Some people were hard to convince that he was trustworthy, thanks to the unfortunate existence of prejudice in the world. For a few years he was lucky enough to have a steady job as a plumber. That is, until a fanatical religious group ran him out of one town when they claimed he was some sort of demon that would poison the minds of the local children and bring bad luck to their community.
The truth was; it was just an excuse to get rid of him. They didn’t like people or creatures that were different from them. He was an outcast, and would remain so his whole life. With no one there to understand him or be there for him in support, no real friends who would stick by his side.
When he reached his mid-twenties, desperate to find his place in the world, he took up the dangerous pastime of being a daredevil. He loved the thrill of it, the danger of it, the cheers he earned from the crowds that would form at his events. It was then that he realized he loved to perform, and was finally beginning to make enough money to start supporting himself.
However, like his time as a plumber, it didn’t seem to last. And so; for the last five to six years he struggled to stay alive, to keep going, and with each passing day…it was getting harder.
This year, it felt like he had hit rock bottom.
No one would hire him, and he was earning less and less money with his music and oddball acts. He was a homeless thing on the streets with no home, no food, and a steady downfall in his desire to live anymore. Wondering to himself bitterly, after he had lost the only potential customer he had had all week, why he even bothered anymore.
It wasn’t like anyone cared about what happened to him, and at the rate he was going he was sure to starve or freeze to death soon if he didn’t make any money.
“What’s the point…?” Gonzo whispered to himself as he sat on the bench inside the mall, which was due to close in another 15 minutes, never before had he felt so depressed…so small and worthless. Soon he would have to venture out, starving once more, into the bitterly cold winter air outside. One of these nights, he was sure he was going to freeze to death. “Why not tonight…”
The disturbingly depressing thought lingered in his mind as he unconsciously allowed his fingers to strum a sad melody on his worn out 2nd hand guitar, unaware that he was being watched as he started vocalizing his misery into a song.
“I feel so small and useless. Ambiguous and clueless…I just can’t seem to get anything right. I feel…so invisible tonight.”
The stranger watching him, still unnoticed by the depressed creature, approached cautiously. They allowed the words to sink in as they got closer, and could see the misery on the whatever’s face as well as hear it crack emotionally in his melancholy voice.
“All the plastic Santa’s, doing hula dances; remind me that I don’t belong.” Gonzo continued quietly, the sad lyrics pouring out uncontrollably from his troubled soul. “All the fake snow falling, and my friends not calling, leaves me nothing but this song. On the most miserable Christmas of my life…the most miserable, horrible, obnoxious, intolerable Christmas…”
“Hey.”
The unique creature turned at the sound of the voice, surprised to see that its owner was the same frog that scared off the customer he had earlier. Any anger he had over that interference had long ago faded away, and he simply stared at the amphibian while politely waiting for him to speak. Wondering why he was even there, or why he was even bothering to show any concern on the whatever’s behalf.
“Don’t give up.” The frog said in a supportive tone, smiling reassuringly at him. “You just haven’t found the right audience.”
The words didn’t have the effect they were supposed to have, because the creature simply sighed in defeat and turned his attention back to the worn out instrument in his tired hands. After a moment, he began to softly resume the melody he had been playing before. “I’m so tired of scrounging…I’ve had my chance.”
That answer, one of complete and utter defeat, was not one that the amphibian would accept. And he quickly came around the bench to sit by Gonzo’s side, trying to reach out to him and pull him away from the black hole he was falling into.
Kermit had felt a very small glimmer of what his friend was feeling right now, and was afraid that the alien would take his misery one step further than the frog ever even considered in his own case of frustration. He himself had been dazed, and incredibly upset…but not once did the thought of suicide cross his mind! He had never been that upset, and had never understood how anyone could reach a point in their lives where they would want to throw it all away like that. Until now…
The Gonzo of this reality seemed like an empty shell of the one he knew and loved back home; and the look of utter defeat in the alien’s eyes deeply disturbed Kermit. Suicide was very much the determined thought process in this Gonzo’s mind, and that frightened the frog. He wasn’t going to stand there and watch his friend fade away, he was going to do everything in his power to drive such destructive thoughts from the alien’s mind.
He wasn’t leaving until he could fix this, he couldn’t!
“If only I could go back, and take another crack at all the things I’ve left undone. I’d do them right!” The frog glanced over at the alien with a supportive and comforting smile, already able to tell that his words were reaching out to the depressed creature. “If I had my friends and family here tonight, I’d have the most wonderful Christmas of my life!”
Kermit stared right at Gonzo, taking a gentle grip of his shoulder as he sang. “Everyone matters, everyone matters…even the smallest of the smallest, can make the biggest dreams come true. Everyone matters, for worse or for better…”
The misery that the creature had been feeling just moments before, seemed to gradually lift off his shoulders as he listened to the strange frog’s words. The comfort and support he felt radiate off the amphibian was overwhelming, and he soon joined him in song. "Everyone matters..."
“We can change the world around us…” They sang together. “With everything we do…”
Kermit looked back at the alien, relieved to see the suicidal look in his eyes disappear for good. “Even you…”
Gonzo grinned, tearfully. “Even me…”
The frog pointed at the whatever, and then at himself. His supportive smile never faltering as the music from the guitar slowed down at the climax of the song. “You and me…”
The two stared at each other silently for a moment, one with a look of emotional gratitude on his face while the other’s was full of relief and understanding.
After a moment of trying to compose himself, Gonzo set down his guitar and unloaded his life story upon the frog. Letting all his built up misery and frustrations spill out, while the quiet frog lent him his ears and offered kind advice. It wasn’t until the lights on the giant Christmas tree began to turn off, that they realized it was time to leave.
“Thanks pal.” The alien said with honest gratitude as he lugged his backpack, with his sleeping bag and a worn copy of the E.T. novelization within it, over his shoulder. “What was your name?”
“Uh, Kermit.” The frog replied; his face held a somewhat mystified look as all the events of this alternate reality came flooding back to him. How different and, at varying levels, how unhappy his friends were in this universe. How his involvement in their lives had really affected them all…
“Kermit.” Gonzo repeated, smiling. “Well, have a great Christmas Kermit.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll see you around the mall sometime…”And with that, the alien walked off with a far happier bounce to his step than he had that morning. Leaving the frog alone…until he was joined by his friend, the guardian angel who had brought him there, and they prepared to return to Kermit’s reality.
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