Ladybug’s Mustache

Pudding zipped all over the walls of the library, hanging streamers everywhere she went. All around her, everybuggy was getting George and Tail’s birthday party ready. Zoot and Pudding were in charge of decorating, Marty and Tater were preparing cake and pizza, and Muffin and Sluggo were the gift wrappers. Ladybug was yelling “Hurry up wimps!” and “We don’t have all day!” Cricket was telling her to stop. Neither was contributing much.

Suddenly, a commotion happened in the room. Zoot was lifted into the air as he grabbed and detached a balloon from the weight it was held to. As the poor shrew was whisked up, Zoot’s spectacles fell off, leaving him blindly hanging from the balloon on the ceiling.

Everybuggy in the room rushed to Zoot’s aid. As all seven bugs ran toward Zoot, Ladybug stumbled over a bookshelf, knocking over Muffin, who flew into Sluggo, who sailed into the wall, knocking down streamers and popping balloons. Meanwhile, Marty tossed a pin to Pudding, who snatched Zoot’s glasses.

As Zoot writhed about, Pudding jammed his glasses on his face and stabbed his balloon. The balloon exploded so forcefully that it flew around the room. Zoot lost the grip of the balloon and was thrown into the wall, which caused more streamers and decorations to fall.

Cricket ran up. “Oh no!” he said. “What will we do? The party starts soon!”

Tater started to mumble something. Then he stopped. Cricket looked very hopeful. “Do you have an idea?!” Cricket cried.

Tater pondered some longer. “Yes, I think it will work,” he said finally. Tater began explaining. “I finished a project on a time machine that could travel to the past and to the future. I tested it, and it worked, but the only problem was when I went to the past and returned, I grew  a mustache. So, the risk is a mustache.”

Ladybug was overjoyed, “Let’s do it! Everybuggy into the machine!”

George opened the door. Everybuggy screamed “Happy birthday!”

George and Tail were pleasantly surprised. Then, they stared at Ladybug. “Uh, Ladybug?” said Tail, “What’s with the mustache?”