Happy Easter

[Yuna Leonhart]

Well, Easter's right around the corner. And because I'm in such a good Easter mood, for no reason at all, I have a little fanfic for you guys

Happy Easter​

Chapter One

A Nice Little Show

It was a nice day in late March. It was very warm, especially when one stood directly in the sun’s toasty rays. Spring had fully arrived as the grass was getting greener every day and the flowers slowly began to bloom. The nice weather had awoken the Muppets who were tired of winter and had given them new energy. With vim and vigor they rehearsed for their next show every day. Scooter, Beauregard, Gonzo and Walter worked together to remove the poles and tub from Gonzo’s act for the next sketch rehearsal, which happened to be Miss Piggy’s. Said sow was currently in her dressing room with Hilda, Janice, Camilla and Julie. Hilda had just finished Miss Piggy’s dress for her act and she wanted to see if she had to make any changes. The dress was midnight blue and pink and red hibiscus flowers were printed on the hem of the skirt. Her blonde hair was down and ended in curls.
“I like it”, said Julie with an approval smile. “It’s different from what you usually wear and I think it’s perfect for your act.”
“It rully is, fer sure”, Janice agreed while Camilla was clucking her approval.
“Of course, moi looks good in everything”, replied Miss Piggy as she twirled in front of her mirror.
“A pig’s praise in her own mouth stinks”, commented Julie so quiet that only Janice could hear her. The Electric Mayhem member put a hand on her mouth to stifle a chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”, wondered Miss Piggy as Janice let a chuckle escape.
“Nuthin’”, she said, which in turn made it hard for Julie to prevent a chuckle.
“Don’t worry, it’s just spring fever combined with Muppet craziness”, said the German girl. Miss Piggy raised an eyebrow:
“Are vous serious?”
“No, I’m Regulus”, replied Julie before she burst out laughing. Miss Piggy, Hilda, Janice and Camilla watched her for a moment, wondering if she recently had hot chocolate.
“I always wanted to say that”, she declared after she had calmed down. A knock distracted the others from her.
“Miss Piggy, it’s time for your rehearsal”, they heard Kermit on the other side.
“Coming, monCapitan”, answered Miss Piggy. By now, Julie had entirely calmed down. She stretched herself after she stood up.
“Alright”, she said before pulling out a dictionary. A few minutes later she added: “Госпожасвинья. And I have no idea if I’ve pronounced госпожаcorrectly, but I know I pronouncedсвиньяcorrectly. Let’s go to the stage to see your rehearsal.”
She then left the dressing room, leaving behind four astonished female Muppets. Astonished because they had no idea Julie could read Cyrillic script and pronounce the words. Camilla, who was at the door, clucked the others to hurry up and they left for the stage, too.

The stage was set up to look like a meadow, albeit not a pretty one. There were hardly any flowers and if there were any, they were trampled. Not only that, but the meadow itself looked so barren and depressive. Miss Piggy stood in the center of the stage. She was the only positive thing around. Music started, played by Rowlf on his piano, and Miss Piggy began to sing Where Have All The Flowers Gone. She did really well with that song but Kermit found it a little too depressing. Not really something the network would add in The New Muppets Show. At least, that was what they told him when they saw the script.
“You were great”, he commented after Miss Piggy had finished singing. “But I think we need something more cheerful.”
“But Kermit, there’s not time for her to practice another song”, Scooter said. “The show’s tomorrow. I doubt we find a more cheerful song for her to sing.”
“And what if we cut her act and let The Electric Mayhem play one of their songs instead?”, suggested Kermit.
“HIII-YAH!”
Scooter suddenly found an empty seat next to him and a fuming Miss Piggy in front of said seat. She glared at Kermit’s direction, who was somewhere in the back rows. With a huff, she whirled around and left. A minute later, Kermit reappeared in his seat.
“Are you alright? That one looked like it hurts really badly”, said Scooter.
“I think I’m okay”, replied Kermit, rubbing his shoulder.
“I think I go check on Miss Piggy”, announced Hilda.
“I’ll come with you”, said Julie and both women left together.

Hilda and Julie found Miss Piggy soon enough. She was currently in her dressing room but both were a little scared to go in. Hilda hid behind Julie and urged her to knock, but she only hid behind the elderly Muppet. It went on for minutes, with each of them saying “No, you knock.”. This was actually how Rowlf found them when he arrived on the scene.
“What’s going on?”, he asked. Both women jumped and whirled around. Hilda recovered from her shock first.
“We’re here to cheer Miss Piggy up”, replied the elderly Muppet.
“Shouldn’t you two be inside her dressing room then?”, the dog Muppet responded.
“Yes, but we’re also afraid of facing her wrath”, said Julie, who had recovered from the shock and moved a little away from the other two. Rowlf nodded to this and proceeded to the door to knock.
“Come in”, replied Miss Piggy. Rowlf opened the door and entered, followed by the other two. Miss Piggy was not facing them but they could see her face in the mirror. It showed faked calmness but her eyes betrayed disappointment and anger. Rowlf approached her.
“Hey, it’s not that bad”, he calmly said, putting a paw on her shoulder. “You still have a part in the next show. And maybe your next solo will be much better. I’m sure Kermit’s trying hard to come up with something.”
“Then why did he write it in the first place?”, responded Miss Piggy in a forced calmness. Nobody answered her question. The only thing Rowlf, Hilda and Julie did was to look at each other concernedly. Eventually, the young German girl took a deep breath and calmly said:
“The network didn’t want it. I overheard them telling Kermit that yesterday when they looked at the script.”
That got Miss Piggy to turn around and face her. Julie bit her bottom lip and wondered if she should not have said it but she never averted her eyes.
“The network thought it was too depressing and not really something to show when Easter’s right around the corner.”
The other occupants said nothing after her statement. It was true that it was a little too depressing but, as Scooter said, there was no time for another act. Miss Piggy began to understand why Kermit suggested her number to be replaced, although he could have said the real reason in the first place.
“Maybe you get the chance to wear that dress in another number”, said Hilda gently.
“Yeah”, agreed Julie. “Maybe as a nymph, a goddess, the representation of spring, as a flower girl living in the slums, as the only one who can save the world from a thousand year old monster.”
“You see, it’s not so bad. And I can only repeat what I said, Kermit’s sure to write something better for you. He may even write a duet for the both of you”, contributed Rowlf. Miss Piggy smiled fondly at them before straightening up and walking to the door.
“Moi thinks moi is going to give him another chance.”
“But please not in the broom closet”, commented Rowlf.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen, but then again we didn’t expect it to happen there either”, commented Julie. Miss Piggy glared dangerously at them, which caused Rowlf to hide behind the vanity table and Julie to hide behind the chair she had been occupying. The pig still glared at them before leaving the room. Both sighed in relief that nothing worse had happened.

Miss Piggy found Kermit a few minutes later in his office with Scooter. Both were in a deep discussion as Kermit pointed at something on a piece paper. There were a few crumbled sheets of paper around the waste basket. Apparently, these two had been trying to write something since she left the stage and Kermit had missed the basket when he threw a sheet away. Miss Piggy cleared her throat to get their attention.
“Hello, Miss Piggy”, greeted Scooter.
“Hi ho, Miss Piggy. You’re not still mad, are you?”, Kermit looked concerned as he asked her that. She thought he looked cute when he was worried. Trying and succeeding to hide her smile, she approached them. She moved some sheets a few centimeters away from where they were before and casually sat down. Her posture was straight and perfect, as if she was posing for some photos. Kermit found himself staring at her with his mouth wide open. There was something alluring about her; he seemed to have forgotten everything that had happened in the last few minutes.
“Why would vous think that?”
“Because I’ve decided to cut your act”, Kermit said that in a trance-like state. Miss Piggy gave him a knowing smirk:
“Don’t vous mean the network didn’t want it?”
“Y… yes…”
He wondered how she knew that but he decided it did not matter. They leaned forward, never breaking their eye contact. Scooter had long since left them alone. The frog and the pig leaned closer until their lips touched for a sweet, little kiss. After breaking apart, she slid off the desk and tried to take a peek on what he was writing.
“What have vous written for moi?”, she asked curiously. But most if not all the words were crossed out and it did not really seem like a script. From what she could tell, it was a list of songs. Some words, she still could recognize but some were not readable anymore.
“Sorry, but I wanted to decide on a song before I write your act”, Kermit gave her an apologetic smile. Then he sighed and added: “But I can’t seem to find a song.”
“For what?”, asked someone. Julie stood in the doorway and looked curious.
“You know, you should have closed the door if you wanted to be alone. But is it about Miss Piggy’s act?”, asked the glass wearing blond. The other two were nodding while she walked over to them.
“How about Heidenröslein? Then again, maybe not, considering what’s it about.”
She reached them and held out her hand.
“May I see? Oh, and Kermit, Beauregard wanted to speak with you about something. I think it’s about the stage light that still needs repairing.”
Miss Piggy looked a little sheepish at the last part while Kermit was thanking her. Julie looked over the list. She raised her eyebrow at the unreadable words.
“Seems like he’s embarrassed with these suggestions”, she mumbled to herself. After finishing reading, she placed the list on the desk and added: “Give me a day to come up with a few suggestions, okay?”
“Okay”, replied Kermit. “I’m gonna see Beauregard. See you two later.”

The next show started with Rowlf’s recital of his season poem. Every time the season would change, it would either rain or snow heavily, obscuring everything from view, safe for a few outlines. When everything was clear again, the painted background would have changed to something that would fit the current season and other Muppets were occupying the background. Scooter stood next to the weather machine backstage.
“I would’ve never thought that one of Bunsen’s inventions would work”, he muttered with an unbelievable smile. He would compliment his friends and colleagues when they were done with their part of the act. When the act was done, every participating Muppet came back on stage to take a bow. Among the ones for springs were Floyd, Janice, Foo-Foo, Bunsen, Beaker and Bean Bunny. Summer included Miss Piggy, Pepe, Clifford, Sam, Doctor Strangepork, Wanda and the Hillbilly Singer from The Muppet Show episode guest staring Candice Bergen. Robin, who was wearing a vampire costume, Sweetums, Uncle Deadly, Mahna Mahna, Behemoth, several Whatnots, Tom, Dick and Harry were included for the autumn part. Fozzie, Gonzo, Link, Annie Sue and The Ghost of Christmas Past were among the Muppets for winter. Rowlf stood in front of everybody else as they bowed to the audience. The curtain closed and the stage was cleared in a jiffy. Sam announced Wayne and Wanda’s performance. The curtain opened to reveal a lush meadow, full of flowers and a few trees at the edge of the stage. Wayne and Wanda were dressed in nineteenth century clothes as they walked down the path.
“And how’s it goin’?”, asked Crazy Harry, who had joined Scooter backstage, among with Gonzo, Rizzo, Fozzie and Camilla.
“Well, nothing has happened so far but we’ll see”, said the go-fer. Fozzie leaned against the weather machine as he watched the act. A beep was heard, which made them look at the machine strangely. The beeping noise gradually became faster until wind began to howl. A storm emitted from the weather machine, followed by rain and snow. The driving sleet was the reason the Wayne and Wanda act ended in a disaster. They, along with the props and background were blown away.
“Pay up”, said Scooter, holding out his hand as Crazy Harry, Fozzie, Gonzo and Rizzo paid him. He cheerfully pocketed the money as Bunsen and Beaker tried to turn the machine off.
“Oh my, the weather machine is broken”, said Bunsen a few minutes later.
“Gonzo, you’re next”, informed Scooter the blue whatever after an act involving the current guest star. Gonzo left them to change while Thog, Sweetums and other large Muppets moved the poles and the jello and custard filled tub on the stage. The dancers covered the stage with rat traps when they were done. The curtains lifted when everything was ready. Gonzo, wearing his stuntman outfit, was on top of the right pole, on his unicycle with oranges, peaches, apples and a pineapple in his arms. He had a blindfold over his eyes.
“Ladies and gentlemen! From up here, I will ride the unicycle to the center of the rope and jump in the jello-filled tub with my eyes closed and while juggling these fruits! To the music of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries!”
The music started as the lights dimmed, except for the stage light, which focused on Gonzo. Simultaneously he started to ride the unicycle and juggled the fruits. The audience, as well as the Muppets backstage, watched in awe as he threw the oranges, peaches, apples and pineapple in the air before jumping gracefully into the jello and custard, the fruits falling in shortly afterwards. He emerged from the tub, covered in green and pale yellow, and bowed while the audience was cheering. After they had calmed down, he went back to the others, somehow avoiding the rat traps.
“Great show, Gonzo”, complimented Kermit as Gonzo removed the blindfold. He was a little surprised to see Robin sitting on Rizzo’s back.
“Did I miss something?”
“No, he was just preventing Rizzo from eating all the jello while you were up there. I could’ve sat on him, too, but I think I would have flattened the poor guy”, Julie said the last part in a nonchalantly manner. Then she pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it over to Kermit. “My song suggestions, as promised.”
“Thank you, I’ll look over it after the show”, he answered as he took the list. He then handed it to Robin and asked him to put it on his desk in his office. The little frog obliged. Kermit went to the stage to announce the Wild Western sketch.
“Say, Scooter, how come Hilda’s making Miss Piggy’s costumes and not some super famous designer?”, asked Julie as the sketch started and Walter, Rowlf, Wayne, Wanda, Annie Sue, Link and Miss Piggy were all dressed in Western attires.
“Well, um, the last time she’s been to see him, he ate pork loin in her presence”, replied her red-headed friend.
“Ah, I can imagine her reaction”, said Julie with a nod. Robin and Sweetums joined the two a few minutes later to watch the sketch, with the former sitting on the large, brown-furred Muppet’s shoulder. They snickered when Fozzie and Kermit drew a picture of each other, as did the audience. The latter laughed even harder when these two revealed their pictures. The act ended to a great applause.
“You were great!”, praised Robin as Kermit and the others arrived backstage. Several “thank you’s” were heard as they passed him. Sweetums gently put him down to help to set the stage up for the next act. A few minutes later, Kermit went back to the stage to announce the Electric Mayhem. The band’s song started with a long guitar riff by Floyd and Doctor Teeth began to sing:

You can't take no for an answer!
You can't take no for an answer!
You can't take no for an answer!
No, no, no.

The second verse began with a sax solo, courtesy of Zoot. Then Backup Singers joined Doctor Teeth:

Whenever there's a dream worth a-dreaming (dreaming!)
And you wanna see that dream come true (dream come true!)
There'll be plenty people talking
"Forget all about it"
Say "it isn't worth the trouble—
All the trouble that you're going through!" (it ain't worth it-NO!)
Well, what can you do?

You can't take no for an answer! (you can't take no)
You can't take no for an answer! (no no no no)
You can't take no for an answer!
No, no, no.

The Backup Singers sang alone:

No no no no no no no no no.
No no no no no no no no no.

Dr. Teeth, along with the Backup Singers, continued singing:

What’cha gonna do when the dimes get tough
And the world's treating you unkind?
You gotta hang on to your optimistic outlook
And keep possession of your positive state-of-mind
(state of mind, state of mind, state of mind, state, state, mind!)

You can't take no for an answer! (you can't take no)
You can't take no for an answer! (no no no no)
You can't take no for an answer!
No, no, no.

No no no (No no no no no no no no no)
No no no (No no no no no no no no no)
No no no (No no no no no no no no no)
No no no!

The song ended with a sad, blues melody from Zoot.

After the song ended and received enormous applause, the stage was set for the last act of the show. The last act had a dark swamp setting. Trees cast ominous shadows. The dark sky was covered in stars, one of them shining brighter than anything else. A moss-covered log lay near the equally moss-covered and cluttered with lily-pads water. In fact, the water was so covered; there was no water to be seen. Robin sat on the log as he looked up to the bright star and began softly to sing:

Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are?
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky
When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light, twinkle, twinkle all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark, thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go, if you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep, and often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye, 'till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveler in the dark,
Though I know not what you are - twinkle, twinkle little star.

His performance was met with applause both from the audience and backstage. He looked to his side to see his uncle, along with several other Muppets, cheering on him. Smiling brightly, he bowed to the audience until the curtain closed for the final time and Kermit said goodbye to the audience.

---

What Julie calls Miss Piggy early in the chapter can be translated as Miss Pig. Госпожа is pronounced like "Gospoja", with the J just like in Jenny, and свинья is pronounced like "Swinya", with the I like an "ee".

 

[Misskermie]

Loved it! And... Heh Heh... "Swinya..." That's hilarious. Informitive, but hilarious. That's german right?

 

[Yuna Leonhart]

Nope, it's Russian
I just thought it would be fun to have Julie speaking a little Russian but her Russian isn't very good, which is why she carries a dictionary with her around
But she sings something in German in the second chapter.

 

[Misskermie]

Woot! I love foreign languages! And great chapter!

 

[Yuna Leonhart]

Thank you
I love foreign languages, too

 

[Yuna Leonhart]

Hey there, here's the next chappie:


Chapter Two

How About A Vacation

After everything had been put away, the Muppets had gathered in Kermit’s office. He had an announcement to make:
“Miss Piggy and I have realized how childish we have acted and how this has affected you all. So as an apology, Miss Piggy and I have decided, and Veronica was able to convince the network, to give you all a vacation for Easter.”
His announcement was met with cheer and excited talking. Questions of what the other is going to do were answered differently, so that it was difficult to distinguish each answer. Some were just simple ones, like relaxing or visiting relatives. Others were things like going to a fair or a theme park. All in all, the mood was uplifted. It actually took Kermit a while to calm them down.
“We also had the idea to go on vacation together”, he added after everyone was quiet. “Or at least those who want to go on a vacation.”
Several Muppets, as well as Julie, raised their hands or whatever they had. He could see Gonzo, Camilla, Scooter, Sweetums, Robin, Rowlf, Walter, The Electric Mayhem, Rizzo, Clifford, Bunsen and Beaker raising their hands, wing, flipper and paws.
“Alright, tomorrow around two pm, we’re all going to decide where to go to”, said Kermit. “But now, let’s go home.”
Everyone left the theater and Julie said goodbye to them before walking home, with a song on her lips:

Feierabend, wie das duftet
Kräftig, deftig, würzig, gut.
Pommersche aus dem Buchenrauch
Naturgewürzt und das schmeckt man auch,
Pommersche aus dem Buchenrauch
Frisch auf den Tisch, so ist’s der Brauch.

“Now I’m hungry for rolls with sausages”, she remarked.

Kermit closed the Muppet Theater while Miss Piggy was waiting for him. She had a suitcase, a rather large one, with her.
“You do know it’s just for one night, right?”, Kermit remarked.
“Well, moi needs so much, mon grenouille”, answered Miss Piggy. Seeing his confused face, she added: “That’s French for ‘frog’.”
“I didn’t know you know the French word for ‘frog’.”
“Well, moi didn’t live in France for nothing.”
Kermit smiled at her as he took her suitcase and offered her his other arm. Arms linked together, they walked through the city in a leisure pace. Street lights illuminated their way as they strolled along. Only a few people passed them in this chilly night, most of those were couples, too. Kermit enjoyed the time he got to spend with Miss Piggy. They still lived in different places and as he usually worked on the show, they would not get some time for each other very often. Thankfully, the scripts for the next show were already finished. The only thing he had to worry about was to decide where to go for vacation. He felt Miss Piggy leaning her head against his. She sighed contently. It sure was nice to have somebody by one’s side. Kermit started to sing:

Everything is great
Everything is grand
We’ve got the whole wide world in the palm of our hand

Miss Piggy sang the next two lines:

Everything is perfect
It’s falling into place

Kermit sang alone:

I can’t seem to wipe this smile off my face

Both sang in duet:

Life’s a happy song
When there’s someone by your side to sing along

The Boarding House found Rowlf playing Für Elise on his piano. Only a small lamp was the source of the little amount of light. Robin lay on the couch, half-asleep. Fozzie was speaking to someone on the phone. Everybody else was in their room, tired from the show. It was very quiet in the Boarding House, save for the music. Fozzie hung up and sat down next to Robin.
“And what’d she say?”, Rowlf asked.
“Ma’s happy to know I come over for a visit”, replied Fozzie in a quiet voice as to not disturb Robin. Still, the little frog sat up and yawned while rubbing his eyes.
“Is Uncle Kermit there yet?”
“No”, said Rowlf as he stopped playing. He looked at Robin and added: “Go to bed. We tell Kermit to check on you.”
“But I’m not ti-”, the last part was swallowed by a huge yawn coming out of Robin’s mouth. Rowlf smilingly shook his head at this. Fozzie, also smiling, picked Robin up.
“C’mon, let’s get you to bed”, he said. There was no protest when he left the room. Rowlf turned back to his piano and started playing again in the solitude of the night. The smell of coffee filled the room as heard someone entering the almost dark room.
“Hey”, Walter greeted him as he sat down on the spot that had been occupied by Robin a few moments ago.
“Hey there. Can’t sleep?”, the piano playing dog turned around to look at his friend.
“Not really”, said Walter. He and Rowlf stayed quiet for a while, with Walter occasionally sipping his coffee. “I guess I still can’t believe what happened over the last months. You know, with you guys getting back together and working hard for the new show.”
The brown dog nodded at this.
“The way you said it makes it sounds as if it wasn’t much. But everybody knows it was so much more. All thanks to you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No, Rowlf’s right”, Fozzie had appeared in the doorway. He walked over to them and sat down next to Walter. “If it weren’t for you, we would still be separated; we would have lost the studio and our name.”
“And everybody’s happy now”, said Kermit. He and Miss Piggy had arrived right after Fozzie. Both brought the chilly night air in the room, which made the others shiver a little. Kermit walked over to the other and Miss Piggy, who had taken her suitcase, walked upstairs to take a bath.
“She does know she’s only here for one night, right?”, Fozzie wondered. “Or is she going to move in?”
“Well, she did say she needs much” replied Kermit. “That’s the Miss Piggy we all know and love.”
“Especially you”, replied Rowlf in a warm voice. He had stopped playing once again and was facing his friends. Kermit looked around to see his friends’ eyes on him. None looked at him in a teasing manner, no one smirked; their faces all beheld an expression of genuine happiness for him. These were moments where Kermit was grateful of having friends like them, even if they were a little weird.
“Yeah”, Kermit agreed with a warm smile on his face. He sat down next to Fozzie and, sitting on the comfortable couch, he suddenly noticed how tired he really was. After all, it was exhausting to put on a good show every week. Good thing they were going on a vacation after the next show.
“Hey, Kermit, have you got a plan where we could go?”, asked Walter.
“No, not yet. But we’re going to discuss it tomorrow. Maybe I get Eighties Robot here and ask him for advice”, replied Kermit. He let out a hearty yawn, which he could not suppress.
“Go to sleep, you don’t have to keep us company. Besides, you should better check on Robin”, said Rowlf. “Who knows if he’s still asleep?”
Kermit nodded.
“I will. Good night.”
A chorus of “good night” followed him as he left the living room and ascended up the stairs.

Sure enough, when Kermit checked on Robin, the latter was wide-awake. The little frog sat by his bedside lamp with a little book on his lap. He looked up when he heard the door open.
“Uncle Kermit!”, he exclaimed with a beaming smile on his face.
“Robin, shouldn’t you be asleep by now?”, said Kermit in a mock-stern voice. If Robin had teeth, he would be biting his bottom lip, but upon seeing his Uncle’s smirk, he let out a small laugh. Kermit, also chuckling, sat down next to him. He took a look at Robin’s book, seeing that it was The Frog Prince.
“You want to read with me?”, Robin offered. In response, Kermit moved the book a little, so that both frogs could read it. So, in a dark bedroom, with only the bedside lamp providing light, an adult frog read to his nephew a fairytale. His voice was the only sound in the nocturnal stillness. Thrice, he heard someone walking past the door. Robin leaned his head against his arm, his eyes dropping. At the end of the fairytale, the little frog was asleep. Kermit smiled warmly at his nephew when he closed the book and laid it on the bedside table. He tucked him in and whispered “sleep well” before turning off the light and sneaking out of the room.

When he entered his room and switched on the light on the bedside table, he immediately noticed a suitcase lying next to his wardrobe. He briefly wondered if Miss Piggy had accidentally forgotten it while getting ready for the night. Something on his bedside table caught his eye after he had gotten cozy in his bed. Upon inspecting it, Kermit discovered that it was the list Julie had given him some time during the show. While contemplating whether or not to read it now, he heard the door open and close. Looking up, he saw Miss Piggy, dressed in a silk nightgown, coming closer to him.
“Bonsoir. Kermie, please move over a little, thank you”, she said. Unconsciously, he moved a little, making space for her. He was going to tell her that no one had moved into her old room after she had moved out, but for some reason the words were stuck in his throat.
“What have you got there?”
Kermit regained his voice after Miss Piggy asked him her question:
“It’s the suggestion list Julie had given to me. You want to look over it?”
“Of course”, replied Miss Piggy. But what both saw were just songs they had never heard of:

My Song Suggestions For Miss Piggy’s Act

For her to sing:

Eyes On Me
Melodies of Life
Simple And Clean
Sanctuary
Suteki Da Ne (English version by Susan Calloway, except Miss Piggy can speak Japanese)
Love Will Grow
Never Knew I Needed
Time of My Life

Songs just for the background

Aria di Mezzo Carattere
To Zanarkand
Aerith’s Theme
Terra
Yuna’s Theme
Why
The Price of Freedom
My Mind
Rose of May
The Place I Return To Someday
Cloud Smiles
Someday The Dream Will End
Waltz For The Moon
Suteki Da Ne (Japanese version by Rikki)
Theme of Love
Pure Heart

“Have you ever heard of any of these songs?”, asked Kermit, looking bedazzled at the song list.
“No”, answered Miss Piggy while looking over the list, too. “I only know Time of My Life.”
“That’s the only song I’ve heard of, too. But some titles sound nice.”
“Oui, they do”, agreed Miss Piggy. She gently took the list out of Kermit’s hand and laid it back on the bedside table. Then she snuggled closer to Kermit and wished him a good night before closing her eyes.
“Good night, Miss Piggy”, he softly replied before turning off the light. He was fast asleep at once.

“Önywone moor panaycak-a?”
“Yes, please!”, replied Rizzo eagerly.
“Yeah, Swedish Chef!”, said Fozzie
“No thank you”, replied Sam calmly.
“Not for me, I’m stuffed”, declined Bunsen politely.
“I’d like some more”, said Robin. It was a typical morning in the Muppet Boarding House. Breakfast consisted of pancakes but also bread, rolls and cereals. It was actually a miracle that there was enough food for everyone everyday but no one questioned it. The day after the show was usually a day to relax before starting on the next show. Of course it was not like they got only a week to prepare their acts, but during rehearsals they put special attention on their week’s number. After all, the shows had to be successful and each and every Muppet worked hard to achieve that.
“Hey, Swedish Chef, can I have more pancakes, please?”, asked Rizzo, after finishing about two thirds of his pancakes.
“Don’t you ever stop eating?”, responded Gonzo, who had built something that vaguely resembled Big Ben out of his pancakes with the clock’s face made out of syrup.
“Hasn’t anyone taught you to not to play with your food?”, retorted Rizzo as he got he refill. Gonzo only shrugged and stuffed his Big Ben pancakes in his mouth. One by one, everyone left the kitchen until only Swedish Chef was in there to wash the dishes. Marvin Suggs and Rowlf were there to help him. The Swedish Chef would wash the dishes, Marvin would dry them and Rowlf would put them in the cupboard.
In the living room were Robin, Bunsen, Beaker and Fozzie. Robin looked at the downpour outside and sighed. He had hoped it would be a nice sunny weather to go to the lake with some friends but that plan got cancelled. It was simply no fun being outside in such a miserable weather.
“It’s a pity the weather machine is broken. I would have liked to know if it could have changed the weather for real”, said Bunsen thoughtfully as he watched the rain fall. Nothing was recognizable outside, although if one squeezed his eyes, he could see blurred outlines of trees, buildings and whatever there was outside.
“Mee, mee, moo”, nodded Beaker wisely. Fozzie, meanwhile, sat on the couch with the television remote in hand and channel-surfing. He stopped at the local weather station.
“Today will remain sunny with no cloud in sight. Maybe we’re lucky and summer has decided to come early”, said the weatherman, laughing at his summer comment.
“In which part of the world does he live? Sunny Majorca?”, wondered Fozzie as he switched off the television. He put the remote away and lay down on the couch. While he was playing with his bow-tie, Bunsen and Beaker left to work on a new invention. Robin sat down next to Fozzie.
“Do you have an idea what we could do?”
“No”, the bear shook his head. Robin sighed. The downpour had put a damper on his mood. It seemed it would be a boring day if Walter had not arrived with a DVD in hand. Both the frog and the bear had greeted him when they noticed the DVD in his hand.
“Hi, I thought I could watch The Muppets Take Manhattan again. You want to join me?”, offered Walter. The response he got was an eager “yes”. Walter turned the television and the DVD player on and put his DVD in the latter. After a short while, the movie started.

The weather had not improved by afternoon. If anything, it had gotten worse as a storm was added to the rain. The only resident of the Muppet Boarding House who was outside was Gonzo. He had tied a rope around two streetlights and danced in high-heels on the rope while balancing an umbrella on his nose and holding his teddy. Kermit, Camilla, Zoot and Scooter tried watching him from the window but could only see his blurred outline.
“He’s an alright fella, but he’s crazy”, commented Zoot.
“Which one of us isn’t?”, responded Kermit, to which Camilla clucked in agreement. The door bell rang and, a minute later, Eighties Robot arrived with a very wet Julie, who carried a satchel.
“I’m not dancin’ and singin’ in the rain”, she said dryly while taking off her jacket.
“Well, at least you’re punctual”, said Fozzie. After he looked at the clock, which showed it was twenty minutes to two o’clock, he added: “Over-punctual.”
“Well, if I had taken the next bus, I would have arrived way too late. And I’m not keen on walking in this weather. That weather reminds me too much of last summer”, responded Julie, who sat down next to the fireplace, where Miss Piggy, Floyd, Janice, Scooter and Rizzo were. “By the way, since when does Gonzo own high-heels?”
“Like, what high-heels?”, asked Janice.
“Red ones, they have a slight resemblance to Dorothy’s red shoes in The Wizard of Oz.”
“Is the wizard related to Frank Oz?”, said Rizzo.
“Not that I know of.”
“Those are mine! How dare he take my shoes!”, exclaimed Miss Piggy suddenly. She swiftly left the house and returned a short while later with her shoes. Gonzo followed her in the living room, his teddy in hand and the umbrella stuck up his nose.
“You should try to have your umbrellas in your noses, too! It’s neat!”, announced Gonzo good-naturedly. No one said anything.
“Oh!”, exclaimed Julie suddenly, startling those next to her. She opened her satchel and took out a CD case. “I burnt the songs I have written down on CD, Kermit.”
Julie walked over and handed him the CD.
“And you better be grateful. I stayed up all night to burn the CD.”
“Thank you, I’ll listen to them later”, said Kermit, taking the CD. Julie gave him a friendly smile and returned to the fireplace. Kermit and Eighties Robot went to fetch the others who had agreed to come with them on vacation.

Gonzo, Camilla, Scooter, Sweetums, Robin, Rowlf, Walter, The Electric Mayhem, Rizzo, Clifford, Bunsen, Beaker, Julie, Kermit, Miss Piggy and Eighties Robot all sat around a map of the USA.
“I say we go to Miami”, said Clifford, pointing to Florida.
“How about New York?”
“Las Vegas, perhaps?”
“New Orleans?”
Eventually, everyone suggested different places in mayhem, making it hard for Kermit to understand a word they were saying. If they would not quiet down, he would get a headache.
“QUIET!”, he exclaimed and everyone stopped talking, except Janice:
“Look, I’m not gonna walk around the beach naked… Oh.”
She quieted down when everyone looked at her.
“If we can’t decide on a location, I’m going to cancel the trip”, Kermit threatened. Miss Piggy laid a hand on his shoulder, making him look at her:
“Or we could simply let Eighties Robot take us somewhere.”
This was the others agreed to.

A week and a show later, a number of Muppets and a human were all seated in the Electric Mayhem tour bus. Eighties Robot was the driver. Their bags were all stashed at the back, right behind the instruments. The Electric Mayhem provided for some background music, Gonzo planned new stunts with Camilla sleeping next to him, Sweetums, Walter, Scooter and Robin were in a conversation, Rizzo and Julie ate sandwiches, Bunsen worked on something with Beaker nervously looking on and Clifford simply took a nap.
“Where are we going, Eighties Robot?”, asked Kermit.
“I shall take the liberty of using the Travel By Map Button”, replied the robot.

---

The song Julie sings in the beginning of the chapter is an advertising jingle for sausage, hence her remark afterwards. And her statement that the bad weather reminds her of last summer is how the last summer actually was like around here, with little sunshine and a ridiculous amount of rain.

 

[Misskermie]

YaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaY!!!! I love it!

Never knew I needed is by Ne-Yo, right?

Anyways, great chapter! I could imagine everything perfectly!
More please!

 

[Yuna Leonhart]

Yeah, Never Knew I Needed is by Ne-Yo. It's played in the credits of The Princess And The Frog. In the German version, that song is performed as a duet by Ne-Yo and Cassandra Steen, who also happened to be the German voice of Tiana (but did a terrible job on the speaking parts).
The other songs are from the Final Fantasy games, with the exceptions of Time of My Life (Dirty Dancing), Simple And Clean and Sanctuary (both Kingdom Hearts).

Thank you for your review and the third chappie is currently in progress

 

[Misskermie]

Thanks 4 the info! And YaaaaaaaaaaaaY more story coming!!!

 

[Yuna Leonhart]

Chapter Three

The Vacation Begins

After using the Travel By Map feature, which they had built in some time after the telethon, they arrived in a town. It was neither a big city nor a small town, just a medium-sized town. The tour bus drove past a school, where children with their parents and teachers were decorating the schoolyard. As the Muppets drove through the town, they noticed a lot of decorations for Easter. There were even life-sized Easter bunnies made of straw left and right of the entrance of their hotel. Upon stepping out of the bus with their bags and approaching the hotel, they noticed several chicks and chickens, also made of straw, around the Easter bunnies. When they entered the hotel, they noticed the interior was larger than the exterior would suggest. Most of the space was occupied by a sitting area, where a number of elderly people were talking with each other.
“Hey, don’t you think these two look familiar?”, remarked Scooter. Indeed, there two balding, elderly Muppets. One looked older with a white mustache and white hair while the other had gray hair. Both wore suits in dark colors and when they heard them laughing about something, their identities were confirmed.
“What are Statler and Waldorf doing here?”, wondered Robin.
“No idea. But come on, let’s get checked in”, replied Kermit. He and Eighties Robot led the others to the reception area, where the manager was talking with a bellboy.
“Excuse me, we’d like a room”, said Kermit, making the manager and the bellboy look at the group. If both had been surprised to see various animals, along with a human and a robot, checking in, then they did not show it.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t have a room to accommodate you all. You have to check in more rooms than one”, replied the manager. She was a middle-aged woman, around her mid-forties, with a stern face. Her dark, graying hair was pinned-up. She looked at each individual Muppet and at Julie, doing a head count. “I see you’re a group twenty-one, so…”
“Um, Eighties Robot doesn’t need a bed. He’s going to spend the nights in the bus”, Kermit politely interrupted her.
“Oh, well, in that case”, the manager typed something in her computer and, after several minutes, handed the groups a couple of keys. “Here you are, and Reginald here will take your luggage up to your rooms.”
Reginald was the bellboy with who she was talking to before. He was a young man, in his thirties, with straw-colored hair and emerald green eyes. Reginald smiled at them before taking their luggage, having trouble lifting Miss Piggy’s. In fact, a few others bellboys had to arrive to the scene to help him carry the luggage.

Reginald and his colleagues stopped in front of a few rooms.
“So, every room can accommodate two. Who’s sharing a room with whom?”
Julie was about to suggest the girls should share rooms, but a glare from Miss Piggy left her suggestion unfinished. The human girl simply decided to share a room with whoever was left. In the end, the pairings were divided in Bunsen and Beaker, Gonzo and Camilla, Floyd and Janice, Doctor Teeth and Animal, Lips and Zoot, Walter and Scooter, Rizzo and Clifford, Sweetums and Robin, Kermit and Miss Piggy and Rowlf and Julie. The latter looked a little unhappy at the result but did not voice her dissatisfaction. By now, their bags were all in their rooms.

The day was bright and sunny, a stark contrast to the day before. Children were on the playground, having fun. Adolescents and adults were in the park, either playing with their dogs or having a picnic. Floyd decided to take Animal out in the park and Janice accompanied them. If Animal had not been held back by a chain, he would run around wildly, just like a dog. Every once in a while, he exclaimed “WOMAN!” in a deafening voice to scare a passing female. Dogs would sometimes bark at him, only for him to growl and the dogs whimpered in fear. Other than that, Floyd and Janice appeared to resemble a young couple taking their dog out for a walk.
“Hey, Dad, you’re going to come to the Easter party in our school?”, asked a little boy, who was playing with a soccer ball while his father was watching on.
“Of course, son, for the third time”, his father replied laughingly. Floyd and Janice sat down on the grass, not far away from father and son. Animal, still held back by his chain, chased a butterfly around until it flew far away.
“BYE BYE”, called Animal after the butterfly, waving after it. The drummer felt a little hungry but, to his dismay, they had not thought to bring some food along with them.
“Hungry…”, he murmured, as he walked back to Floyd and Janice and collapsed on his stomach. The father seemed to have heard him, for he turned around and said:
“There’s a hot dog stand not far from here.”
“Thank you, man”, said Floyd. He and Animal stood up and walked over to the hot dog stand. Janice remained where she was and watched the little boy playing soccer. He was slightly sweaty from running around but his face showed so much joy. It was apparent that he was having fun. The little boy let the ball roll to the direction of his father. He walked over to him and took his bottle of water. Right after taking a drink, he spotted Janice.
“Hey, you’re one of the Muppets”, he said cheerfully, walking over to her. “I’m Jeremy and I’m a big fan of The Electric Mayhem.”
He offered his hand.
“Nice to meet ya, Jeremy”, replied Janice and shook his hand. Jeremy sat down next to her:
“You guys are great! I never miss a show! I even got your first movie and the first season from your old show on DVD on my birthday!”
Jeremy spoke everything so fast Janice had trouble keeping up. But the excitement in his voice and on his face made her smile. It felt good to know that they had gotten new fans. Even Jeremy’s father, who revealed himself to be a Muppets fan, joined the conversation. They talked about the revival, if new movies were coming up or planned. Janice tried her best to answer but she could not answer every question as certain things had not been discussed yet. During their conversation, Floyd and Animal returned. Janice introduced Jeremy and his father, Bob, to them.
“Hey, Jeremy, what Easter party were you talkin’ about earlier?”, asked Floyd.
“We’re having an egg hunt on the school grounds. Kids and their parents are invited, but we can also bring guests. Some kids even perform on stage and a band’s going to perform!”, exclaimed Jeremy happily.
“And you too?”, asked Janice.
“Yep”, replied Jeremy, beaming proudly. “Me and my friends are performing Rumpelstiltskin! I’m playing Rumpelstiltskin.”
“That sounds interesting, little man”, said Floyd. “Maybe we can convince Kermit and the others to come and watch your play.”
“Really!?”
“Really.”
The pink-skinned bass player smiled at Jeremy’s excited face. The little boy’s green eyes were sparkling as he looked alternatively at Floyd and Janice. The former ruffled his brown hair before he stood up.
“Well, we gotta go. See you at your performance”, he said.
“Bye!”, replied Jeremy. Bob, Animal and Janice also said goodbye.

Meanwhile, Kermit, Rowlf and Walter were taking a walk through the town. As they walked past the elementary school, they heard two people talking.
“This is a disaster! We have no band to perform! The band just cancelled their performance”, exclaimed a man. “Please, Miss Taylor, tell me every child is going to put on an act.”
“I’m sorry, Mister Page, but there’s only one group performing”, said Miss Taylor with an apologetic smile. “It’s Jeremy Tyler and his friends with Rumpelstiltskin.”
“That’s not enough. Oh, it seems we have to cancel the event”, Mister Page was shaking his head in despair.
“What a shame. The children were so excited for it”, sighed Miss Taylor. “Only a miracle can help us now.”
Kermit, Rowlf and Walter decided it was time to step in.
“Excuse me, but what are you two talking about? Maybe we can help”, said Kermit as he and his friends approached the two. Mister Page and Miss Taylor were surprised to see the Muppets but the latter recovered from her surprise quickly and went on to explain:
“Hello, I’m Lily Taylor. I’m the Music teacher here. We were going to have an Easter party here on Sunday with a band performing and children doing an act or singing. But, sadly, the band got called off and only one group of children is performing.”
Miss Taylor looked saddened at this. She was a fairly young woman, no older than thirty. The brown-eyed woman had long red hair, although it looked dyed. She looked from the Muppets to Mister Page, as if waiting for him to continue.
“Timothy Page’s the name, I’m the principal”, he introduced himself, offering his hand. He looked like he had a healthy appetite with his large stomach. Unlike Miss Taylor, who was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans, he was dressed in a dark suit. His dark hair was graying and he was balding. “I know you from my childhood. I know you’re great performers. Do you suppose you could help us?”
“I have to ask the others. You see, we’re only here on vacation. But I’m the others will agree to help you out”, replied Kermit.
“We certainly are going to help you out”, said Rowlf.
“Yeah, you can count us in”, agreed Walter. Both Mister Page and Miss Taylor’s corner of the mouths turned upwards as they heard that.
“Thank you”, the young teacher said gently.

The sun had begun to set, emitting the town in a red-orange light. The air had become cooler, making several strollers rubbing their exposed arms or putting on their jackets. Children ran home, young couples were out to see a movie. A certain group, however, found themselves in a hotel room. Most of them were wondering what Kermit wanted. So when he asked for their attention, everyone’s eyes turned to him.
“I have something to ask all of you. Earlier today, I walked past a school with Rowlf and Walter. We met a teacher and the principal of the school and they told us they have a problem”, explained Kermit, pausing for everyone to let it sink in.
“And… what kind of problem, mein froschiger Freund?”, voiced Julie what most other occupants were wondering.
“Well, there’s going to be an Easter party with a band and the children doing little acts. The trouble is, the band had called off and only one group is performing a fairytale. I think it was Rumpelstiltskin.”
“Hey, we met a kid who’s performing that fairytale, green stuff”, said Floyd. “He’s a big fan of us.”
“And he, like, was really excited for it”, contributed Janice. “You can count us in, fer sure.”
That got the other members of The Electric Mayhem to agree to help, too. They had been told about little Jeremy earlier that day, after Floyd, Janice and Animal had returned from the park. From what they heard, he was a good kid. Robin, Sweetums, Gonzo and Scooter almost immediately volunteered.
“Sure, why not?”, said Julie. “Maybe I can find a way to help out, too.”
“Bawk, bawk, ba.”
Everybody eventually offered their help. Some even started planning what they could do right away. Kermit was glad to know that they all want the children to have a great party; even it meant to work during their vacation. He tried to voice it but someone would always hush him one way or another.

By the time the sun had fully set, the others had left the room to do their own stuff. Kermit stood outside on the balcony, feeling the cool night air caressing his green skin. It had begun to drizzle. He outstretched his arm to feel the raindrops while he thought about the day’s events. At first, he was a little nervous about telling his friends the news. After all, he had promised a vacation, so he was glad that they so readily agreed to put on a show. The following day, he would go over to the elementary school and talk to the principal. Mister Page would be glad to hear the news, as would be Miss Taylor. But for now, Kermit would simply relax and let his mind wander before spending quality time with a certain, bathtub occupying, pig. He heard a knock on the door and went to open it. Rowlf stood behind the door, smiling innocently like a puppy.
“Oh, hey, Rowlf. Why don’t you come in?”, invited Kermit and stepped aside. Rowlf entered before turning around to face Kermit.
“Hope I’m not interrupting some nice quality time with Miss Piggy.”
“Don’t worry, she’s still in the bathroom”, replied Kermit as he took a seat on the couch. His canine friend sat down next to him. “But what can I do for you? Did Julie throw you out?”
“Um, not exactly”, replied Rowlf, nervously scratching his ear. “I wasn’t sure if I should go to our room. She wasn’t very happy when it turned out that we have to share a room.”
“Yeah, yeah, now that you mention it. She did look unhappy.”
“Hm-hm”, Rowlf nodded. “And she always seems to try to avoid me.”
“Yeah, I noticed that, too. But it’s not only you; she avoids every dog she comes across. Hm, I wonder why?”
Rowlf shrugged and supported his head on his paw. He looked straight ahead while thinking about what he, or any other canine, might have done in the past to offend her. But she had acted that way since she started working with them. If Julie had to speak with him, then she did it in a polite voice but with some distance to it. Whatever her reason was, Rowlf would like to know.
“I’m going to ask her”, he decided, standing up so abruptly that he startled Kermit a little.
“Um, okay. Let me know how it turns out”, replied the amphibian. Right after Rowlf left, the door to the bathroom opened and Miss Piggy, clad in a bathrobe emerged. She gracefully walked over to where Kermit sat and sat down next to him. Well, actually, she almost sat on his lap. She leaned her head against his and took his hand. She put her other arm around his waist before closing her eyes and sighing in content.
“Um, Miss Piggy, how about some music?”, Kermit suggested.
“Oui, moi would love that, mon grenouille”, Miss Piggy. She moved a little for him to stand up and walk over to his suitcase. Kermit soon found a CD, the same Julie had burnt for him and he had not yet gotten around listening to it. He saw she had put a note inside the case but it was only a list of the songs, albeit in alphabetical order. Kermit turned on the television and the DVD player, putting the CD in the latter. Then he returned to Miss Piggy and both resumed their previous position as the first song started.

When Rowlf entered the room he shared with Julie, it was pitch-black. He felt for the light switch and when he turned on the light, he saw her in her bed. Approaching her, he noticed she was fast asleep, with her glasses on the bedside table alongside a camera and a book. Rowlf took a look at the book; it featured two boys, one black-haired and the other red-haired, inside a flying car. The he looked at Julie, who was snuggled up under the bedcover in. From what he could see, her legs seemed to close to her chest, making her look like an embryo. He also noticed that she held a frog plushie close to her.
“Well, I think that explains why Kermit asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend”, he thought before leaving her side. Rowlf decided to not wake her up. Kermit had told him how she reacted when he once woke her up early on a Saturday morning and Rowlf did not want to risk it. No, he had no death wish.

Clifford, Sweetums, Rizzo and Scooter were currently in the bar of the hotel. Jazz music provided by a band served as background music, while other people were dancing or just drinking. On some unoccupied tables were empty glasses, which a waiter retrieved. Another one was cleaning the tables.
“Hello, what can I get for you?”, asked a waitress the four Muppets. She looked fairly young, not even twenty. Her hair was black and tied together in a ponytail, with just a few strands framing her face. She wore purple make-up and the earrings she was wearing resembled skulls. The four friends each ordered a cocktail, which the young waitress handed them.
“By the way, you guys look like these guys who were on TV last year, that Muppet Telethon”, she commented. She leaned a little closer to them. “Great show, but at a horrible time. My little sister couldn’t watch it ‘till the end.”
“Well, this was the only time slot we could get”, replied Scooter. “Besides, we have a new show at a better airtime for months now.”
“Ah, yes. Look, I have to serve the other guests, too. I’m not getting paid for holding conversations”, said the waitress before she left them. The four Muppets shrugged simultaneously.

The Muppets and a human were again the room Kermit and Miss Piggy were sharing. They noticed that one bed looked like no one had slept in but decided to not say anything. Breakfast had been ordered for everyone, from bread, rolls, croissants over pancakes to cereals. Kermit was the first to finish and, while everybody else was still eating, took of notes of what each and everyone would do and with whom. So far, he had Gonzo doing a stunt with Rizzo as his assistant, Clifford would sing a song and that was about it. Bunsen and Beaker finished at the same time.
“Kermit, Beaker and I are going to create something for our act”, said Bunsen. “Come along, Beaker.”
“Mee!”, responded Beaker, looking helplessly at the others. No one paid him any mind.
“Alright, everyone, who else is going to do something?”, Kermit asked.
“I’m playing Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite”, replied Rowlf.
“And I’ll whistle Dance of The Flutes”, said Walter. Kermit wrote it down.
“Anybody else? Doctor Teeth, what are you and the band going to perform?”
“Hm, we don’t know yet”, said the green-skinned Muppet with the lengthy arms.
“Hey, Kermit, why not let the four ladies sing a song and Doctor Teeth’s band provides the music?”, suggested Clifford.
“Actually, that’s a good idea, Clifford”, agreed Kermit. The four ladies looked at each other before looking at the frog and nodding in agreement. At least that was settled. But he still had to worry what the others are going to do.

---

Mein froschiger Freund = my froggy friend