G5 Adventures in Garfield's Fun Fest

The rest of that night seemed to go smoothly for the Mane 6 after they fell asleep in the home of their new Cartoon World friends.

And honestly? They were really looking forward to Fun Fest in the next few days-- this felt like the perfect opportunity to really loosen up and have fun, since their previous Unity Quests were so serious.

The anticipation was also building to learn whether Garfield and his girlfriend Arlene were going to be the Fun Fest champions this year or not, since Garfield already started building a 29-year winning streak.

But, they had no idea of what adventures that the upcoming Fun Fest would bring for the entire group, not just Garfield... and it wouldn't be long until they found out.

XXXXXXXX

It was early that morning when Jasmine Wildbloom woke up in the bedroom with her friends, realizing that she must have fallen asleep there during the story that Garfield was telling the night before.

Then, she realized that it was time for one of her favorite traditions with Garfield and Odie before Fun Fest started.

Every year, Garfield would read Odie and Jasmine the story of how humor first began, and it was one of her favorite stories of all time.

She had to get her old friends and her new friends out of bed so they could hear the story too. “Hey, everybody! We gotta wake up! Hurry! We’re gonna miss it!”

The Mane 6 woke up with a startle alongside Lily, Diamond and Cobalt, fearing they missed something. “What is it?! What’s wrong?” Zipp looked around. “Are we under attack?!”

Jasmine giggled a bit, realizing why Zipp would think that. “Sorry, Zipp, I just wanted you guys up for my favorite Fun Fest tradition! Garfield is reading me and Odie a story before we head to the studio for work and for Fun Fest practice-- you guys can’t miss it! Come on!”

And just like that, she had run off as fast as her hooves could take her. “Oh, yeah,” Diamond yawned, “I remember Jasmine telling me about this-- it’s a special tradition they’ve had ever since the first Fun Fest that she watched Garfield totally crush.”

“Well, I never say no to a good story,” Sunny shrugged, “so I say we go see what’s going on with this tradition Jasmine talked about.”

XXXXXXXX

“Morning, Garfield! Morning, Odie!” Jasmine said as she hopped into the room with her friends right behind her. “Did you sleep good last night?”

“Eh, about as good as I usually do,” Garfield shrugged, scratching her behind the ear before he noticed the Mane 6 in the room too. “Hey there, guys. I hope the guest beds weren’t too uncomfortable.”

“No, they were perfect, actually,” Misty said with a smile. “Jasmine told us about the story you usually tell her before Fun Fest, and we wanted to hear it too, if you don’t mind.”

Odie barked and folded his paws together in sort of a begging manner, as if he was pleading to Garfield to let the ponies hear the story too. “Eh, sure. It’s just a story, but you guys can listen if you want,” Garfield shrugged. “Jasmine, you know where the book is?”

“Sure do! You know that we only break it out this time of year,” Jasmine said, trotting over to the nearby bookshelf, “so it’s left me plenty of time to memorize where you hide it.”

She levitated the book off the shelf and right into Garfield’s lap as he sat down on his cat bed, and Pipp managed to sneak a peek at the cover. “Ye Olde Funny Tale?” she read bluntly. “They sure got creative with their book titles.”

“It may seem a little cheesy,” said Jasmine as she sat down beside Odie, “but it’s one of my favorite stories!”

“Well, don’t leave us hanging, Mr. Pussy-Wussy Cat!” Izzy cheerfully rubbed Garfield’s face. “Start that story!”

As soon as Izzy stopped touching his face, Garfield cleared his throat and opened the book to the first page, prompting everyone to sit down and listen to the story. “A long, long time ago, within a mystical forest, on a magical pond, there lived a frog named Freddy. Freddy was no ordinary frog. Okay, he was sort of ordinary. Freddy was the first funny frog. Not only was he the first funny frog, he was the first funny anything. Not even clowns were funny back then. Clowns were teachers and lawyers and used car salesmen. Just regular folks, like you and me. Soon, Freddy was playing to packed houses. The creatures loved Freddy, and they wanted to be funny like him, but, alas, they didn't know what made him so funny.”

“Oooh, oooh, oooh!” Jasmine squealed. “This is my favorite part!”

“One brave bear cub stepped forward, conjecturing that the pond water made Freddy funny. He took a sip, and he became funny. Soon, creatures came from far and wide to drink from this magical pond. They loved the good feeling they had after they laughed. Life seemed so much more manageable when they approached it with humor,” Garfield said, reading the last few lines of the book with a smile. “Thus was the story of the creation of humor.”

“Garfield! Odie! Ponies!” Jon then called from downstairs. “Breakfast!”

“And they all lived happily ever after. The end,” Garfield said, quickly closing the book and tossing it onto the ground. “Let’s eat!”

“Good idea-- I’m starving!” Lily said. “Race you guys downstairs!”

“Oh, you’re so on!” Cobalt cheered before the ponies followed Garfield down the stairs. Odie looked at the book on the ground for a moment before he throwed it away and followed the group downstairs. They went to the dining room, where it was dark for some reason. “That’s weird,” Diamond said with a raised eyebrow. “Why is it so dark in here?”

“Do you think the power went out?” Misty asked. “No, the power in the rest of the house is fine,” Zipp said in thought. “Something else is going on…”

But before Zipp could speak further, disco lights began flashing, catching the group offguard. Dancing in the room was Jon Arbuckle as pieces of toast launched from the toaster and onto the plates while he grooved. “Whoo! You go, Jon!” Pipp said, shaking her hips to the groove. “Work those hips! Put some real feeling into it!”

Jon, having heard her, flipped the eggs on the frying pan and served them on plates for everyone. “Good morning, boys and girls!” he said, presenting the eggs and toast for everyone before putting ketchup on Jasmine, Diamond, Garfield and Odie’s dishes, making smiley faces on them. Diamond and Jasmine giggled at each other before diving in, and the rest of the ponies shrugged and followed suit, but Garfield frowned at what was in front of him. “Am I supposed to eat those?”

“Come on,” Jon said to Garfield urgingly, “cheer up!”

“Jon… it’s morning,” Garfield said, getting the newspaper and skimming through some of it. “Winning the lottery wouldn't cheer me up.”

“Aw, get with the program, big guy!” Cobalt said as he took a bite out of his toast. “Tomorrow night's the big talent show.”

“I know.”

“It’s Fun Fest!!” Diamond said with an excited grin. “I know!” Garfield repeated before tossing the newspaper toward the window, turning off the music in the process. “Hey, Garfield!” Pipp huffed. “I was listening to that!”

“Yeah. How else is Pipp supposed to be ‘stayin’ alive’?” Izzy asked, giggling at her own pun. “Disco puns! You gotta love ‘em!”

“All right, Mr. Grumpy,” Jon said to Garfield with a frown before becoming excited again. “Bet you can't guess what I'm going to do for Fun Fest this year.”

“...the same dance routine you've been doing since 1978?” Garfield raised an eyebrow. “The same dance routine I've been doing since 1978,” Jon confirmed. “But this year, I feel it, Garfield-- this is my year!”

“Jon, you know I love you,” said Jasmine, trying her best not to laugh, “but that might have had a good chance of winning if it weren't for the whole… ‘disco is dead’ thing.”

This caused Garfield, Odie and the rest of Jasmine’s friends to snicker until Sunny bumped Garfield on the shoulder to stop them. “Okay, laugh, you guys,” Jon rolled his eyes, looking toward Garfield in particular. “At least I'm putting some effort into it, as opposed to someone I know.”

“Relax. Who wins every year? Let's see… I do,” Garfield brushed it off like it was nothing. “Arlene and I will knock 'em dead with our stand-up routine.”

“Garfield, from one show-pony to one show-cat,” Lily spoke up, “I think you should forget the stand up and do a dance with Arlene-- she's wanted to do that for years.”

“Lily,” Garfield said, putting an arm around the lavender unicorn filly, “read my lips. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, okay?”

“Ooookay...” Lily sighed, rolling her eyes before going back to her breakfast... at least until Misty broke the silence, turning to Odie with a question. “What are you doing this year, Odie?”

To show his friends what he would do, Odie got off his chair, left the room, returned in a black suit, and put flour on his entire face. “Ta-da!”

“Ooh, I love charades!” Pipp said before inspecting Odie’s costume and humming in thought. “Hmm… this is a tough one. Maybe you could give us a hint?”

Odie nodded, and then, he used ketchup to put marks on his face, which made Garfield growl a bit in annoyance, and walked out of the dining room, confusing the Mane 6 a bit.

After a few moments, Odie reappeared in the kitchen, acting as a mine, while dancing like Michael Jackson with a tune of music sounding similar to Smooth Criminal. “Oh, I think I get it!” Cobalt said. “He’s gonna be a mime! Man, those guys are hilarious!”

Then, Odie began to dance like a robot, and after he was through, he bowed to the group as if they were a huge audience. “Ooh, bravo!” Sunny said as they clapped. “Great job, Odie!”

“Hey, what did you think, Garfield?” Jasmine nudged her best friend/adoptive brother on the shoulder. “I think it's embarrassing enough that I live with a dog,” Garfield deadpanned with a frown. “Now I'm living with a mime dog.”

Diamond sighed as Odie hopped up next to her. “Well, we thought you were great, Odie. You’re gonna do great at Fun Fest, no matter if you beat Garfield or not.”

Odie barked in pleasure, licking her on the face and causing her to giggle before Cobalt noticed the time. “Holy tornados! We gotta get going so we can pick up Arlene and Nermal before we head to the studio!”

“Oh, you’re right!” Jon said, snatching Garfield and Odie’s plates and putting them on the counter. “All right, everypony, to the car! And don’t dawdle!”

XXXXXXXX

Luckily, they were all able to get into the car, thanks to the extending feature that Jon added a few weeks prior.

On the way, they stopped to pick up Arlene and Nermal at their houses (which were right beside one another, if anyone was wondering), and they happily sat by Cobalt and Lily while Diamond smiled at them. “Good morning, guys!”

“Good morning!” Arlene and Nermal said back with smiles. “Guys, this is Sunny and her friends from Equestria,” Jasmine introduced. “They’ll be staying with us until they complete their mission.”

“But, until we do,” Hitch said, “we’ll be able to stay for a while! And it’s a good thing-- big day tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah!” Nermal cheered. “Fun Fest!”

“What are you going to do for your talent this year, Nermal?” Zipp asked curiously, wanting to get to know the gray striped tabby kitten a bit more. Nermal only smiled in response. “I am so glad you asked.”

“Oh boy…” Lily said nervously, already dreading Zipp’s question since she already knew what Nermal's talent this year was. “You shouldn’t have asked that question, Zipp.”

“Really?” Zipp raised an eyebrow. “Why's that?”

“Air guitar solo!” Nermal shouted before beginning the worst-sounding air guitar solo that the Mane 6 had ever heard, causing them to cringe, cover their eyes or cover their ears, since they couldn’t cover both their eyes and ears at the same time.

However, Nermal seemed to in tune with his solo that he didn’t notice. “Fun Fest! Fun Fest! Nermal's the best! Number one…!”

“Are we there yet?” Garfield asked with an exasperated look on his face. At the same time, a cartoon superhero flew by, rocking out to Nermal’s air guitar solo. “Fun Fest, Fun Fest!” Nermal continued with his solo. “I’m gonna be number one best! Number one!”

The superhero wasn’t looking where he was going, however, and he hit a pole, causing the Mane 6 to cringe again. And as he walked away, the pole fell right on the superhero.

After Nermal had finished his solo, Garfield took the opportunity to speak. “You gotta get by Arlene and Me first, pal,” he said, looking at Arlene. “Right, Arlene?”

“Yeah,” Arlene nodded, “which reminds me, I was thinking that maybe…”

“Not to worry,” Garfield interrupted with an 'over-confident' grin plastered on his face. “I have our routine all figured out. I'll run you through it when we get to the studio.”

“Hey,” Nermal then spoke up, finding something about all this unfair and confusing. “Why can't I ever get to be in a routine with you guys?”

“Well, Nermal,” Jasmine hesitated, not wanting to hurt Nermal's feelings, “how can we say this nicely…?”

“You suck,” Garfield interrupted, offending Nermal greatly. “I do not suck!”

“Oh yeah,” Diamond nodded. “Like a vacuum cleaner.”

“Hey…!”

“You're too young and too short,” Garfield continued, “to perform with pros like us.”

Nermal crossed his arms-- er, paws at this. “Am not!”

“You're so short, you could pose for trophies.”

“Boys,” Sunny scolded with a frown. “Be nice. Nermal may be small, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do anything.”

“Thank you!” Nermal said, causing Sunny to smile before he turned back to Garfield. “See? She gets it.”

“Garfield,” Arlene cut in, “I'd really like to do that dance number this year.”

“Come on, Arlene, why mess with a good thing?” Garfield asked her. “Comedy kills.”

“More like kills the mood,” Pipp whispered to Izzy. “He’s totally harshing Arlene’s vibes!”

“Tell me about it,” Zipp whispered in agreement. “I get he wants to win, but… this is kinda wrong.”

“For once, why can't we do something I wanna do?” Arlene then argued. “I mean, it's not like I'm asking you to bring me a bouquet of roses.”

“Now that,” said Garfield, “would be pushing it.”

“You totally take me for granted!” Arlene accused, but Garfield just shrugged and sat back in his seat. “That's what the marble statue said to the art dealer. ‘Don’t take me for granite’.”

“Good one, Garfield. Granite…” Izzy giggled to herself. “That's your killer comedy?” Nermal scoffed. “You are so going down this year, fatso.”

Garfield turned back to Nermal with another insulting name. “Pipsqueak.”

“Fatso!”

“Pipsqueak.”

“Fatso!”

“Pipsqueak!”

Jon groaned to himself as Pipp tapped his shoulder with a question of her own. “Are we there yet…?”

“Not yet, Pipp, but we will be soon,” Sunny told the pegasus mare. “And if our mission really is with Garfield and our new friends… we may really have our hooves filled with this one.”