Freedom Fighter: A Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted One-Shot.

~M~

For a moment he was free. For sixty seconds a great burden had been lifted from his entire being. He could do anything. He felt like he could do anything in that moment and he couldn't stop the smile from widening any more than it had on his face.

That was it, the end of his suffering. He was free. Free of annoyance, free of hatred, free of his prison. The gates on his jail had been opened and he had been allowed to step out. King Julien just died. The ring-tailed lemur was gone now, no longer able to suppress anything in him anymore.

He had waited for this day. He knew it would come. He knew that one day the king would slip up, one day he would fall somewhere and not be able to get back up again. He just didn't think the day would come so soon and happen so quickly as this.

Now don't get him wrong, he wasn't a hateful person. He would never wish excruciating pain on anyone. He was positive the king's death had been quick, maybe even painless. It was way too quick to be agonizing. One moment Julien had been smiling happy, laughing even, eyes open with so much life and liberty. The next, they had fallen hard and were gone from sight, just like that.

Of course there were those upset over the lemur king's passing. Alright so most everyone was upset by it. It was a tragedy and it happened in a moment's notice. It was so quick. No one had even expected it.

They wouldn't be able to recover the body, not enough time to. So quick. A flash and the king was gone forever, out of sight, out of hearing distance, silenced to infinity all in the blink of an eye.

Julien would be missed. He livened up the place and those around him. Well, when he was not being his usual self that is. Dude did know how to throw a party though.

However none of that mattered because now he was free. No more king to…well… No more of…

"Maurice, did you see that?"

"Welcome, giant pansies! Please feel free to bask in my glow!"

"Shame on you, Maurice! Can you not see that you have insulted the freak?"

"How long is this going to TAKE?!"

"That's ok, I've got a bigger crown! It's got a gecko on it. Look at him shake! Go, Stevie, go!"

"Maurice, my arm is tired. Wave it for me. Faster, you naughty little monkey!"

"Cannibals, where!?"

"Oh, it's just the freaks. Maurice, I thought they left already. I hope we're still charging them rent."

"Mort! Stop drumming already!"

"False alarm, everyone! Back into hiding. It's just a cruel hoax."

"Every year, on the twenty-fourth of Julienuary..."

"Until I return with the spoils of the new country, Stevie will be in charge!"

"Sorry. Would you mind going back? It's first class. It's nothing personal. It's just that we're better than you…"

"Raise your arms, Maurice! It's more fun when you raise your arms like this!"

"I can fly!"

"You know what else I would do? I would invade a neighboring country and impose my own ideology even if they didn't want it!"

"You've got to march right up to this woman. Right? You look her right in the eye. You lean forward. Just a little or almost all the way. Then you let her lean forward a little until you're just a lips' distance away from each other. And then you just tell her... how much you hate her…"

"My sacrifice goes in the volcano. Then, the friendly gods eat up my sacrifice… 'Mmmm, very nice. Thank you for the sacrifice.'… 'Please, have another sacrifice.'… 'No, I've had enough for today.'… 'Listen, I'm gonna be very insulted unless you have another.'… 'I don't want another sacrifice okaaay?'… 'Look at you, you look skinny!'…'No, I think I've had enough, is that clear?!'"

"Cheeseburger!"

"Uhh, I wouldn't eat that side of the cake if I were you…"

"Now?"

"I'm a bit busy right now..."

"Paparazzi! Don't take any photos. Please. Hi! Here I am! Don't take- any...photos...heheheh..."

Everyone else may have been upset when King Julien plummeted off the hotel building in the penguins' luxury assault recreational vehicle but he had been one of the very few who hadn't been. Three of the penguins had remained indifferent to the death they had just witnessed but he had been the only one smiling and it went gone unnoticed by all.

So when the king came back from the dead a moment later, 'flying' above everyone. It had a reverse effect.

The smile on Maurice's face had vanished a second later and slowly drooped into a frown. A frown that was swallowed and camouflaged by the smiles and cheers of the other animals of the restored life of the king Julien.

For a moment he was free. Maybe one day he'd be free again. Maybe one day he wouldn't have to be an adviser to the royal. But until then…

"Hey! This is not first class!"

A/N: Oh stop it Maurice, you know you love Julien! XD All quotes are from the illustrious king himself and are taken from all three Madagascar movies in order. Review!