Adventures of Jake the Snake V.I.P.E.R Part 2

By S.A. Maratex and Alberto Melim

SSSSYNOPSIS Every once in a blue moon... a HERO, a truly great character is born. Adventures of JAKE the SNAKE V.I.P.e.r. (Very Important Personality and Extraordinary Reptile) tells the story of just such an amazing Ssssuperstar! Jake fell to earth in an egg and the Goddess Reptia declared: "Jake, Jake you're the Chosen Snake, do good on the Pl

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jake And Kids Entertainment
• Release date: Sep 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9780957221895

Book preview

Chapter 1

In the Beginning....

Holding the earth together like the equator, a strong and slithery shoelace hugging the globe with an unbridled* passion to preserve the planet…. this is the life force that drives Jake the Snake V.I.P.e.r. from country to country in his quest* for a peaceful world.

Sitting in his favourite armchair in the cosy den at the highest corner in the Equatree on Reptisland, Jake the Snake continues writing his memoirs* which will be published this year by VIPER & VIPER. The advance price paid made publishing hisss..tory, with plans to translate into 76 languages worldwide. Of course Jake took on the task only if all the proceeds earned could be donated to the World Peace for the Planet Charity. For this selfless offer, it was not surprising that he received the Nobel Peace Prize and appeared on the cover of TIME magazine as SNAKE OF THE YEAR!

Jake put his international contact telephone the ‘Viperline’ on silence. After all, he knows if there is a desperate call for help, Sir Skat Cat or one of the Rakes, holding the fort at Control Centre up the Equatree, will find a way to alert him. But it has been a long day, and Jake is determined to devote adequate time to his writings, and put down on paper his adventurous recollections for all the world to share. Perhaps by these examples of spreading goodwill and quashing* evil, the planet will be a better place for all.

Jake turns the pages of his mammoth Souvenir Album VOL I.

So here I am folks, and I’m delighted to share my stories with you. Let’s start from the beginning.

A long, long time ago, it was sunrise on a distant island far out to sea. An amber sheath of light enveloped all the foliage, sprinkled with shiny dewdrops. The stillness of the vanishing night lingered until…. there was a mighty Whoosh!......a sound so piercing, that the leaves on the surrounding trees began to sway. The rhythm of the mystical winds almost felt like a shooting star was falling. And not unlike a twirling comet rushing at an enormous speed, here was an object tumbling as if hot lightning, descending from the sky.

It got closer and closer. The small dot cascading* to earth now grew in size, until it was recognizable as a giant egg with colourful hues of the rainbow drenching it. Was this some Easter egg mirage* played for an audience of flying night birds, as it twisted and turned to finally land on this deserted spot?

And land it did….with a thud!

All was quiet. The hush of the darkness was lifting, as the sun took its place up high, the heat of its rays beating down on this unique egg.

Crack! Crack!.... the hatching had begun. What or who would emerge*? The music of the winds on the trees stopped short. All was still, and only the sounds of the shell breaking could be heard. Out popped a small green creature… a newly born snake, looking with awe at his surroundings, as if he had just awakened from a dream.

And then the breeze carried a majestic and soothing voice to his ears:

Jake, Jake you’re the Chosen Snake, Do Good on the Planet, and all Good shall come to you.

Thus the Goddess Reptia made her declaration, and this decision marks the beginning of life for:

Jake the Snake, V.I.P.e.r.

(Very Important Personality & Extraordinary Reptile)

Jake made his home quickly on this piece of land, and christened it Reptisland! He realised from an early age that he had been endowed* with some magical powers, and knew that ever since an early ancestor gave away that famous free apple in the Garden of Eden, snakes have not had good publicity. Jake knew it was his destiny to change this prejudiced* attitude.

Being the clever Chosen Snake he is, Jake found ways to educate himself, by devouring* ‘How-to’ books, and exploring every course available to learn the Hisss….story of the world, and the who- what-where-when of it all. His magical powers growing stronger and deeper from the onset, every time Jake shed a skin, he would keep all the knowledge he had acquired. His one goal in life is to make sure that good triumphs over evil!

In this cause he is aided by the Rakes, a band of unlikely creatures who all have a shady past, and an unpopularity as species*---But! thanks to a break from Jake,-- a bright future was on offer, as they made a choice to join up and ‘toe the line’* with Jake as their mentor*.

Let’s review the Rakes line-up:

Marco Mortadella

A streetwise, trendy mouse of Italian background and ex-leader of the Bad Cheese Gang, Jake has put Marco’s crafty talents to legal uses, and now Marco hero worships the Right Thinking Reptile. Backing Jake up no matter what the dangers or consequences*, Marco also continues to challenge the athletic prowess* of Jake with on going competitions, ranging from ping pong matches to mountain climbing marathons*.

Marco is tuned into his I-Mousepod almost non stop, and solves crimes to the beat of his latest pop download. There is also one supersonic ‘snifter’ of a nose on this rhythmic rodent*. He can catch a scent in no time especially if it smells like a crime!

Tina Termite

The Carmen Miranda* of the termite world, tap dancing Tina is one hot tomato! Starting her career as a gun moll* for a Cuban cigar tycoon*, she later hopped across the world as a stowaway*, chewing her way through some of the finest ‘maritime mahogany’* in the process. She keeps a collection of old movie posters, as she longs to be a Hollywood star…claiming with her double set of legs she could be ‘Fred and Ginger*’ all rolled into one!

Tina can chew her way in and out of any suspicious* situation, thanks to her ‘JAWS’ denture collection. When our exotic gal shouts ‘Aie-yie-yie-yie’!, with a roll of her fruit encrusted* head, you can rest assured* her teeth are set for the big bite on chewing up crime!

Merc Magpie

Retired from life in the fast lane as an ex-mercenary* and citizen of the world, Merc’s guile* and expertise* are now put to good use in the name of justice. Underneath his eye patch he houses an extraordinary telescope to assist when searching for clues, but can serve as a jeweller’s eyepiece so typical of his species*; his weakness will always be sparkly stones.

Merc is the definitive* undercover agent, but can blow his ruse* by often putting his foot in his mouth. As if vaccinated with a phonograph needle, our soaring scavenger* spins stories which rival the best of the ‘Brothers Grimm’*, and he tries to shroud* his former life in shadows, by outrageously embellishing* his every tale of heroic bravery and brawn* from his days in the military. Though he admits to Middle Eastern origins, he’d like the other Rakes to use his nickname on occasion—‘Clint’-- and really make his day!

Jacques Webb

French spider, counterfeiter* ‘extraordinaire’, in his younger day—his fabulous success as a painter was short lived. The art world wasn’t too happy about his signing those exact reproductions ‘Picasso, Renoir, Monet’* et al!

Jacques now centres his life as the elder statesman of the Rakes on Jake, computer technology*, and gourmet* food. A well worn slipper houses his foot with an old French Foreign Legion* war wound, an accurate barometer* when he needs to predict the weather in whichever country the Viperwagen whisks our band of good guys.

Jacques carries his prime* weapon, the ‘Web Net’, which has unlimited facets* of technological* wizardry, including apps for ‘Snak-Book ‘ and ‘Slither Twitter ’, along with transforming into an amazing cable, so his superb lassoing skills can weave up a bundle of villains in no time!

Loti Locust

Daring and inventive, Loti brings all the mystery of the East to the Rakes. Losing her whole family in two major pesticide* spray disasters, Loti Locust grew up the hard way—looking after number one. Travelling the world has left her with a collection of ‘pen pals’* more than ready to provide information or help, on a global scale.

A lonely childhood left her with a chip on her shoulder; but thanks to her new family, the Rakes, this is softening. Now the enigmatic* insect is turning her attention to other chips, - silicon* ones-, with which she builds advanced communication equipment for Jake the Snake.

Loti has just one possession, a fan she calls ‘Fan-tastic’, but this kind of fan is all a girl needs to get by in a hard world. Where it came from is a secret she dares not tell—but what it does can be stunning—whether turning into a hi-def computer

screen, or utilizing its unique variety of search engines, which can set a timely trap—as more than one villain has found out to his cost! Under that oriental charm, Loti is one tough fortune cookie, who will never forget that ‘Jake-san’ gave her a break.

Viperwagen

This custom stretch Beetle, a honey powered hot rod, zooms Jake and the Rakes round the world from clues to conclusions.

Equipped with all the latest gadgets, even before they’re invented, the Viperous Vehicle is way ahead of the pack! Vipervid, Viperjector, Viperline.… with a snake, rattling, rolling mobile state-of-the-arts communication station under the bonnet.

Canyons, clouds, seas, skyscrapers, the Viperwagen can scale them all, chopping and changing into a Viperjet or a Snake-Sub, springing into action to save the day when Jake and the Rakes find their lives at stake!

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Jake looks up from his reading, and a smile spreads across his green face. How he remembers it all! Jake and the Rakes combat the activities of evildoers around the planet in the past, present and the future. No problem is too big or too small for this bunch, and the Viperlines ring 24 hours manned by Sir Skat Cat, so Jake and the Rakes can stay on top of their ‘arch foes’*. And their number one foes are none other than the fierce Mama Tallulah and her wimpy, demented* son, Toulouse Mongoose, who head up the Mongoose Militia, bent on destroying the planet and taking over the world for their own evil machinations*.

Turning the page to view an old photo of his right hand man, Sir Skat Cat, (and since Jake has no hands himself, this proves very valuable!) another broad smile sweeps across his face, as he remembers their first encounter*.

Jake felt fortunate that he met Sir Skat Cat unexpectedly, when he was slithering in a deserted patch of beach on Reptisland for some fresh air at dawn, many years ago. He could hear a clapping of hands, and tapping of feet coming from a little boat, floating down the adjoining waters.

And then he stopped in his tracks, as he heard the words coming from this stranger’s mouth. Eyes closed and his body bobbing, hands clapping, and feet tapping to the music emanating* from a karaoke* sound box he rapped:

In the beginning a long time ago,

Snakes were naïve not at all in the know…

Happy to watch the big garden grow.

Along came a Mongoose with an apple for Eve,

He told little Snakey go up that tree,

The rest of this story’s now history!

Queen Cleopatra was a powerful gal.

‘Snakey snake’ was her favourite pal.

He caressed her hair and rubbed her neck,

that same neck he gave a peck.

Her pet Mongoose had tricked our viper,

Into acting like a sniper.

When Snakey tried to hold a sneeze—

Mongoose gave his head a squeeze!

And all the rest is history!

Way back when the Greeks were Gods,

Snakey found the Mongooses odd.

Everyday they played a game,

Snakey struggled but in vain.

They pushed and pulled him like a rope

Until our viper gave up hope.

The God Aesculapius*

Stumbled on them, vials* tossed!

The medicines he spilled that day,

Put the Mongooses in a haze!

Eureka*! said the Doc to Snake…

A cure at last! It’s quite a break.

Come on Snakey, you’re so nimble…

How’d you like to be my symbol?

So hear me people, here at last

A Snake as HERO from the past!

Here was a cat that had a real hook on the lives of snakes. It was destiny that they should meet and greet each other!

And who is Sir Skat Cat you may well ask?

Sir Skat Cat

This highly respected educator, nicknamed the ‘Rapping Don’ by his admiring students worldwide, thanks to his hip history lessons, now mans the Telecommunication Centre in the Equatree for Jake the Snake.

Following his favourite motto: ‘Learn to love the world and it will loves ya back, man!’ Sir Skat Cat makes geographical observations from his satellite balloon ‘Brainstorm’, and collates* this information into the Vipervid, so data is always on hand about every country Jake and the Rakes visit in their action adventures worldwide.

Most of these adventures, outside of the few when they rescue curious cats from high branches in trees, (as the Viperline phone is open to any and all problems, no matter how big or small), revolve around the wrongdoings of The Mongoose Militia, headed up by Mama Tallulah and Toulouse Mongoose, her son and heir* to the throne.

As unpleasant as it will be-- let’s get some facts down about this dastardly* duo*:

Mama Tallulah

Mama Mia! …here comes trouble! Tallulah rules over the Mongoose Militia with a strong fist, and will until she feels