It was like an escape from the zoo. Everybody running around, loud noises everywhere. The only one wise enough to lay low, was observing from his dogbed. Kuzco was amazed.

 

 

It seemed like the world  turned upside down. Kuzco is usually the one who is jumping, running, and barking, but today everyone except for Kuzco is doing so. Joyce is running after Benjamin. Benjamin is trying his best to avoid.

 

 

Jools is angry at everyone for being in such a fuzz, and Ramon is trying to help Joyce while brushing his teeth.

 

 

Toothpaste is dripping everywhere, and all the hair flying in the air from Benjamin’s evading maneuvers, eventually stick to the toothpaste that fell on the ground, making it look like little ants wearing a fur coat.

 

 

Eventually Benjamin was caught, making a very dramatic cry while he was put in his carrier.

‘O dear, why is Benjamin in a carrier? Something must be terribly wrong!’ Kuzco got out of his dog bed, and sniffed at Benjamin, who’s head pushed at the bar of the carrier.

 

 

‘Why are you in there Ben, where are you going?’ Kuzco asked Benjamin. But Benjamin was in shock, he was so scared he couldn’t answer. While it was very amusing to see what happened earlier, this made Kuzco rather upset.

Joyce and Ramon put on their coats, and left with Benjamin in his carrier.

 

 

‘O dear, o dear’… Kuzco kept mumbling in himself. He looked out the window and saw them leave in the car. The car is usually a sign of fun stuff happening, but even Joyce and Ramon looked worried when they left. He grabbed Jaap in his neck, and shook him around.

 

 

‘Gggrrrrwwww!!! Why is nobody telling me what’s going on?’ Kuzco let go of Jaap, and while Jaap was ready to land, stuffing came out of Jaap’s nose and leg. ‘O no, I’m sorry Jaap! You’re hurt. When Joyce comes home, I will ask her to fix you.’

He didn’t have to wait for long, because Joyce came home. But without Benjamin and Ramon.

 

 

‘He there, my lovelies.’ Joyce smiled when she came into the room. She sat on the ground, and Kuzco and Jools were sitting next to her. ‘Ramon is going to work, and Benjamin is at the vet. He is a little sick, and has to be examined to get better. Tonight we can pick him up again. But then you both have to be real nice to him. Because you both know that it is no fun being at the vet.’

Jools gave her a nod and a purr, and went back to her spot to lie in the sun again. But Kuzco started crying. ‘O no, it’s all my fault,’ he sobbed.

‘You silly Kuzco, how can this be you fault?’ Benjamin is just a little sick, and needs to get better. The vet will do that. You know that right?’

‘No, no, Benjamin is sick, and I have hurt Jaap, because I was angry because I didn’t know what was going on. And now Jaap is hurt and so is Benjamin, and if Jaap isn’t getting better, so won’t Benjamin!’

 

 

Joyce smiled and wiped Kuzco’s tears dry. ‘Come and help me get Jaap. I will get my sowing kit, and clear the table so I can make ‘Operation Jaap ’ happening.’

Kuzco watched how Joyce was working on Jaap. He was proud of his little friend Jaap, for not making a peep during procedure. He taught him well.

 

 

When Joyce was ready, she wiped her forehead with the bandage that was left. ‘Here is your friend dear Kuzco, be careful with him the next hour, because he has many stitches. It was a lot of work, but he made it through. You can go cuddle with him now, but don’t lick the bandage off, or it will leave an awful scar.’

‘O Joyce, I’m so happy. I know Ben is going to be alright now too.’ He gave her a kiss, and grabbed Jaap carefully in the neck to take him to his dogbed.’

 

 

A couple of hours later, the phone rang, and Joyce left to pick up Benjamin. Off course Kuzco kept a keen eye on Jaap, but his ears were focused on outside. When he heard the car pull over, he jumped around, he was so nervous. The carrier was put on the ground, and when Joyce removed the bar, Benjamin carefully stepped out.

‘Benjamin, Benjamin, how are you doing. Did they hurt you. Jaap was hurt too, but Joyce fixed him, so I knew you would be alright as well. Are you-are you?’ Kuzco jumped on Benjamin, sniffing, and asking all his questions.

 

 

But Benjamin needed his space to recover, so Joyce told Kuzco to stay back, and when Benjamin would wake up, he could calmly approach Ben and ask his questions calm and quietly. Kuzco kept staring at Benjamin, he had a giant hole in his fur, and little pieces of dried blood on the pale skin. He couldn’t wait to ask all his questions.

When Benjamin woke up, he was surprised of all the attention from everybody. He felt a lot better after his sleep, so he was all ready to tell his story to Jools and Kuzco. ‘Wow, Benjamin, you don’t even have a band aid on, even while you’ve been stabbed by needle. Jaap is stabbed too, but he does have a band aid.

 

 

You rock Ben!’ Kuzco gave Benjamin a tab on his shoulder, and Benjamin smiled his biggest smile knowing he was missed, worried for, and loved. Even by those whom he thought, wouldn’t.