We'll Bite Your Tail, Geronimo! (Geronimo Stilton Spacemice #11) Read online

“Professor, how

  FAR

  is Photosyntheson

  from here?” asked Thea.

  “According to my calculations, it’s about

  three galactic hours

  away,” he replied.

  “Well, what are you waiting for,

  Grandson?”

  Grandfather

  William

  bellowed.

  “Don’t just stand there

  —

  take

  action

  ! Alert

  the crew that you’re going on an important

  mission to Photosyntheson

  RIGHT

  AWAY

  !”

  Solar smoked Gouda! Why did my

  grandfather have to be so

  bossy

  ?

  Of course I would organize a mission

  immediately.

  After all, I was the ship’s

  captain

  ! I

  cleared my throat.

  “Er, attention, spacemice!” I squeaked.

  “We will leave as soon as possible on a

  mission to

  Photosyntheson

  . Once

  we arrive, a crew of spacemice will

  explore the planet to find out what’s going

  on.

  Professor

  Greenfur

  will be

  green

  again in no time!”

  Everyone cheered.

  “Can we come , too?” Benjamin and Bugsy

  Wugsy squeaked in unison.

  “That’s the spirit!” Grandfather William

  smiled

  . “You should learn from these

  eager young mouselets, Geronimo.

  They didn’t waste a moment before they

  volunteered!”

  I sighed and tried to

  ignore

  my grandfather.

  “Of course you can come,” I told Benjamin

  and Bugsy. “Next stop,

  Photosyntheson

  !”

  Professor Greenfur, Benjamin, Bugsy

  Wugsy, Thea, Sally, Trap, and I began to

  prepare for the mission. But wait

  .

  .

  . where

  was

  Trap?! I looked around and realized

  my cousin had disappeared. Could he have

  gone to the Space Yum Café to get his

  energizing

  cheese

  shake

  ? Suddenly, my

  cousin reappeared. But instead of carrying a

  cheese shake, he was dragging an enormouse

  backpack with a

  zillion

  pockets.

  Mousey

  meteorites! It looked

  heavy

  !

  “Trap, where did you go?” I asked.

  “We’re getting ready for our

  mission

  to

  Photosyntheson

  —”

  “I figured,” he interrupted me. “That’s

  why I went to get a few

  indispensable

  little things you’ll need on your mission!”

  A few little things? My mission?!

  “What do you mean? You’re coming with

  me!”

  “No, I’m not.” He chuckled. “I’m staying

  right here.”

  “What?!”

  “You heard me,” he explained. “I’m staying

  put! You’re not the only

  writer

  aboard

  MouseStar 1 ,

  Cuz. I’m writing a book, too!”

  “

  A

  BOOK?!?

  ”

  I squeaked, incredulous.

  Trap wasn’t exactly a regular in the

  MouseStar 1’s library.

  “Yes!” Trap exclaimed proudly. “It’s called

  A Mousestastic Guide to

  Galactic Restaurants. It’s a

  guide for space foodies, and

  I’m on a deadline, so I can’t

  come. But relax! I packed

  everything you’ll need.

  You’ll be fine!”

  With that, he tossed me the backpack. I

  staggered under its enormouse weight.

  “

  Squeeeak!

  ”

  I yelped. “It’s really

  heavy

  !”

  “Don’t be such a wimp, Grandson!”

  Grandfather William scolded me. “A

  real

  captain

  doesn’t complain!”

  “It’s time to go,” Thea interrupted

  us. “The space shuttle is

  ready for departure. The

  planet Photosyntheson

  awaits!”

  Squeeeak!

  at the sPeed

  of liGht!

  “I’m programming the ship to travel at the

  speed of light

  ,” Thea announced once we

  were all aboard. “So hold on to your tails!

  Destination: Photosyntheson!”

  Holey craters!

  I’ll never get

  used to traveling at the speed of light. Just

  hearing those words made my tail knot up

  like a

  space cheese pretzel

  !

  Speed

  of

  light!

  I clung tightly to my seat and tried to take

  a deep breath.

  MOUSEY

  METEORITES! I felt incredibly

  nauseous! I was afraid I might

  toss my

  cheese

  !

  After what felt like a

  light-year

  , Thea

  turned things down a notch.

  “I’m disengaging the speed of light and

  will proceed at supersonic speed,” she

  explained.

  I sighed in relief. I could finally relax and

  enjoy the view.

  Stars and multicolored planets

  SHONE

  all around us. Cosmic space dust, what a

  fabumouse view!

  “There’s

  Photosyntheson

  !” squeaked

  Benjamin.

  The planet ahead of us was truly

  beautiful

  . It was a brilliant green

  and, from afar, it looked like a gigantic

  head

  of

  lettuce

  !

  We all crowded around the window to see

  better.

  “Look!” exclaimed Bugsy Wugsy. “The

  surface is completely covered with

  trees

  .”

  “Wow!” Benjamin squeaked. “There are

  so many different kinds!”

  “

  I’m finally going to see my home

  again,

  ” Professor Greenfur whispered.

  There were happy tears in his eyes.

  Thea smiled.

  “Everyone back to your seats,” she

  ordered. “We’re about to

  land

  !”

  We’re

  about

  to

  land!

  welcome to

  Photosyntheson!

  Thea gently landed the space shuttle in a

  soft green meadow in Photosyntheson’s

  astroport

  .

  “We’re here!” squeaked my sister.

  “Welcome home, Professor!”

  Benjamin and Bugsy Wugsy were the first

  to disembark

  .

  “What an awesome planet!” my nephew

  exclaimed. “It feels like we’re in an

  enormouse

  NA
TURAL RESERVE

  !”

  Professor Greenfur looked around,

  squeakless. He was so overwhelmed at

  returning to the planet where he had been

  born. He

  breathed

  in deeply,

  Friends!

  Photosynthesons!

  filling his lungs joyfully.

  I smiled at him. It was truly

  moving

  to see him so happy at his return to his

  home planet.

  A moment later, Bugsy Wugsy broke

  the silence. “Look!” she shouted.

  “Someone’s coming!”

  Welcome!

  We saw a group of

  Photosynthesons

  approaching. Some looked

  almost identical to

  Professor

  Greenfur

  , while others

  were much shorter or had

  colorful

  flowers

  on their heads. But all had

  brilliant

  green fur!

  “Welcome, Spacemice!” a

  distinctive-

  looking

  Photosyntheson greeted us kindly.

  “Your ship’s computer let us know you

  were coming,” he said. “I’m

  Leafyfur

  ,

  the governor of Photosyntheson. It’s an

  honor for us to have a visit from the famous

  space captain

  Geronimo

  Stiltonix

  !”

  Me? A famous captain? Huh?! A little old

  plant mouseoid with

  tiny violets

  sprouting

  out of her head came closer to the professor.

  “Gentiana, look!” she exclaimed. “It’s

  Greenfur!”

  The Photosyntheson near her squeaked.

  “Cosmic roots!” she gasped. “You're right,

  Violix!”

  Gentiana turned back to Greenfur. “My,

  how you’ve changed!” she said.

  “Er . . . I . . .”

  stammered

  Greenfur.

  “We’re your old

  tree neighbors,

  Violix

  and

  Gentiana

  !”

  she continued. “I

  remember when you

  used to sleep in a tiny little

  vase

  . And

  now look at you! You’ve grown so

  tall

  .”

  “Forgive me for asking,” Violix said softly.

  “But why are you so

  orange

  ?”

  “Unfortunately, he turned

  orange

  because

  there’s a problem on Photosyntheson,”

  Thea explained. “When plant mouseoids

  leave your planet, they become orange

  if something

  threatens

  their

  home planet. Have you noticed anything

  Violix

  Gentiana

  Greenfur!

  How

  you’ve

  grown!

  Come,

  friends!

  I’ll

  catch

  you!

  It’s

  so

  nice

  here!

  Hi,

  there!

  Ha,

  ha,

  ha!

  out of the ordinary lately?”

  Leafyfur shook his head, surprised.

  “No,” he said. “Everything here has

  been very PEACEFUL! Come, see for

  yourself!”

  Leafyfur, Violix, and Gentiana led us

  on a quick tour of the planet. It was

  INCREDIMOUSE

  . It seemed as though

  peace and harmony reigned everywhere.

  Could Benjamin and Bugsy Wugsy have

  misread

  the Encyclopedia Galactica?

  It began growing

  dark

  . Leafyfur invited us

  to spend the night at his house. So we said

  good-night

  to Violix and Gentiana.

  “I’m honored to have you as my

  guests

  ,”

  the governor squeaked. “My palace is bright,

  spacious, and surrounded by

  lush

  ,

  green

  plants!”

  leafyfur’s

  Palace

  I loved the idea of spending a night in a

  palace

  . I had carried the

  enormouse

  backpack

  Trap had given me for the

  entire day. I felt like a

  limp

  slice of Swiss.

  I was already drooling at the prospect of a

  delicious

  dinner

  followed by a long sleep

  in a

  soft

  , comfortable bed. But as soon as

  we arrived, I got a

  shock

  : Leafyfur’s palace

  was indeed surrounded by nature. It was in

  a very

  tall

  tree!

  Mousey

  meteors!

  To get to the palace,

  we had to climb all the way to the top!

  Leafyfur led the way.

  “Follow me,” he squeaked as he scampered

  up easily. “Welcome to my home!”

  Thea, Greenfur, Benjamin, and Bugsy

  Wugsy scooted up the tree. But I hung back,

  terrified

  . I’m so scared of heights!

  “Come on, Geronimo!” my sister shouted.

  Looking

  up

  at the tall tree turned my

  stomach upside down and inside out.

  Besides, I was still wearing Trap’s

  heavy

  backpack

  , which was going to make the

  climb even harder!

  Trying to be brave, I took the first step. But

  the heavy backpack made me tip backward,

  and I fell on my

  tail

  .

  “Oooouch!” I cried.

  Luckily , Leafyfur

  threw

  me a rope.

  “Grab the rope, Captain,” he called down.

  “We’ll pull you up in no time!

  Hold on tight!

  ”

  I grabbed the rope and took a deep breath.

  But before I could

  exhale

  , the elastic rope

  How did I always get myself

  into these situations?

  Climb

  up,

  Captain!

  Come

  on,

  Uncle!

  Argh!

  Hold

  on

  tight!

  I landed on

  my back right

  in front of

  the door. My

  friends stifled

  their

  GIGGLES

  as they helped

  me up. I was

  retracted and I flew upward

  at the speed of light.

  Galactic Gorgonzola!

  What a fright!

  greener

  than moldy Brie, but at least

  I hadn’t tossed my cheese!

  Leafyfur welcomed us inside.

  “Please sit down,” he said warmly.

  “Dinner will be served shortly. We’ll have

  Photosyntheson’s

  specialties: moss

  bruschetta, root soup, and

  wild

  berry

  pie.”

  Aaaaaaah!

  “Yum!”
Greenfur said happily. “My

  favorite comfort foods!”

  But I was still

  nauseous

  from my

  trip up to the top of the tree. I had no desire

  to eat

  root soup

  ! On the other hand,

  I didn’t want to be rude. So I tried to smile

  as I took a sip of the broth.

  Blech!

  It

  was

  awful

  .

  Gulp!

  Mystery at

  evergreen grove

  The following morning, Leafyfur, Violix,

  and Gentiana took us to visit

  Evergreen

  Grove

  , where Greenfur had been born.

  “Evergreen Grove is no longer

  inhabited

  today,” Gentiana explained.

  “Older residents like us moved to other

  parts of the planet, and the area became a

  natural

  reserve,” Violix added.

  When we got there, we were squeakless.

  “Our best gardeners planted rare plants

  and trees all around the park,” Violix

  continued. “Photosynthesons love coming

  Holey craters! It was fabumouse!

  I

  remember

  it!

  Awesome!

  Huff,

  puff!

  here to walk, play, and

  relax

  in the shade

  of the trees.”

  Gentiana

  took us to the old tree in the

  center of the park , where Greenfur’s family

  used to live. It was a big, tall tree with

  thick foliage

  . Greenfur smiled, tears

  filling his eyes.

  “Sprouting tree seedlings!” he exclaimed.

  “It’s just as I REMEMBERED

  it!”

  We stood there quietly admiring

  This

  is

  where

  Greenfur

  was

  born!

  These

  trees

  are

  very

  rare!

  the

  incredible

  tree. I took that

  opportunity to

  slip off the

  heavy

  backpack

  . I

  wondered what

  was in that thing

  —

  it weighed a

  TON

  !

  My back was so

  sore

  that I went to lean

  against the trunk of the tree for a little rest.

  I was so

  exhausted

  ! But I had

  barely even touched the trunk when the

  entire tree fell to the ground with

  an enormouse

  crash

  !