Shy Chef

**Shy Chef** is a Summer 2023 fanfiction based on *Muppet Babies (2018)*.

## Summary

A new kids at the daycare is too shy to play with the other kids.

## Synopsis

One evening, as the kids are preparing to leave for the day, Swedish Chef tells the other kids that his younger sister is finally ready to join the daycare. The other kids are excited to meet her, now that she has dealt with her shyness enough to want to be around other kids.

The next day, the kids are curious if the siblings' legal names are both "Chef", to which Miss Nanny clarifies that they have actual names (Tom and Clara). The doorbell rings, but when Miss Nanny and Miss Piggy answer, only one chef is there. It's revealed that only French Chef will be attending daycare that day, as her older brother isn't feeling well. Without her brother around, French Chef is very timid; she practically whispers her introduction and goes off to read by herself instead of playing with the kids. However, the kids aren't going to give up that easily; Gonzo comes up with a mystery game set in a diner, where French Chef can play the diner cook; that way, she can participate in the game without having to interact too much with the other kids.

Detective Summer begins to question the other kids on their alibis on the night of the third, when a string of pearls were stolen. First to be questioned is Kermit, who is very blunt with his answers. Summer, musing that Kermit is much too honest to play a good suspect, moves on to Miss Piggy, who gives a very elaborate retelling of what she was up to on the night of the third. When she is finished, French Chef has finally worked up the courage to come over and talk to the kids, delivering a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the table. She is bashful about the praise she gets, but retreats to the kitchen after a few moments.

The next two kids up for questioning are Fozzie and Animal, who give their alibis in the form of a joke, and simply yelling about drums, respectively. When Summer tries to pry more details out of Animal, he escapes to get some food from French Chef. Fozzie follows to ask French Chef is she's enjoying the daycare so far. While she is, she still misses her brother.

Watching the remaining questionings, French Chef informs Fozzie and Animal that she knows who really took the pearls, but she's too shy to tip Summer off. Meanwhile, Gonzo is being questioned, and is just prattling off the ingredients in the odd dinner he had on the third. Summer looks over to the kitchen, and asks French Chef for her alibi. French Chef thinks of what she did, and remembers that night, she and Swedish Chef were looking at a picture book, excited to go to daycare together, then remembers the disappointment and fear she felt when she learned she had to go alone. Upset, she hides under the counter. Fozzie calms French Chef down by telling her that even though she feels afraid right now, she ws still brave for coming to the daycare all by herself and playing along with the game instead of staying at home.

Summer brings Fozzie and Animal back for additional questioning, as they lacked solid alibis. Animal elaborates on his night; he also ate food and slept on the third. Meanwhile, Fozzie can't stop cracking jokes about what he did that night, making Summer suspect him ever more. French Chef, unable to sit idly while someone innocent is blamed, bursts into the game and announces the true culprit; Miss Piggy's alibi had a hole in it, as it did not rain on the night of the third.

Miss Piggy reveals herself to be the Pork Knight, a notorious thief, and challenges the kids to catch her. All the kids chase her, while Fozzie and French Chef stay in the kitchen. Miss Nanny comes in to inform French Chef that she and her brother will be able to attend daycare together. And indeed, the next day, Swedish Chef and French Chef arrive together, excited to play together again.

## Characters (in order by appearance)

* Fozzie Bear
* Chef Tom Breiner
* Gonzo
* Kermit the Frog
* Summer Penguin
* Miss Nanny
* Miss Piggy
* Chef Clara Fournier
* Animal
* Robin the Frog (mentioned only)
* Rozzie Bear (mentioned only)
* Hibiki Hojo (mentioned only)
* Robert "Rob" Lane (mentioned only)

## Trivia

* This fanfic was first published on August 4th, 2023.
	+ August 4th happens to be Mana Aida's birthday.