Alvin and the Chipmunks
Home Again: A Noabeth Tale
My name is Noah Seville. You may know me as the Keyboard player of the Chipmunks. I also do a solo as the lead singer every St. Patrick's Day. This is a tale of a vacation that changed my life. It was the day before summer vacation. My brothers, (the Chipmunks), and our girlfriends, (the Chipettes), and I were in our last period of the day. The bell was to ring in 5 minutes, so we all took the time to plan where we were going to go for the first month of vacation. Well, almost everyone.
I stared out the classroom window and sighed. "2 years and three days, I've lived here, an American citizen. But, I feel… strange. I feel as though I want to go… home." I said to myself. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I turned. Simon was smiling at me. "You miss the Emerald Isle, don't you?" he asked. I nodded. "Yeah, a little, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I love being a Seville and all, but even though I'm an official American citizen now, I know that deep in my heart, I'm a son of Ireland." Simon put his hand on my shoulder. "Y'know, it's cool if you want to go back. We'll understand." I stared at Simon in shock. "Are you nuts? Leave you, Alvin, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette, Eleanor, and Annabeth behind just to go back home? Never, not in a million years would I leave my family behind." I said.
Later, as we walked home, Jeanette ran to catch up with me. "Simon says your feeling homesick." She said. I nodded. "You're not alone, you know. Annabeth's feeling the same way." I looked behind me. Annabeth was looking down at her feet. Oh, yeah, homesickness, alright. I took it upon myself to try to help my girlfriend heal.
Later at home, I went up to her room to talk to her. "Hey, Annabeth, I hear you're feeling homesick." I said. Annabeth looked up at me. "Yeah, I know it sounds stupid but…" I cut her off. "It's not stupid, Annie. We are children of the Emerald Isle. Even when we move, Irish we be. I'll find a way to get us home, I promise." I said. Annabeth smiled. "You really mean that?"
She asked. "Of course I do, Annabeth. Would a hug help you in any way?" I asked. Annabeth nodded. "Do you mind giving me one?" she asked. I held my arms out. "Get over here, my Irish rose." I said. As we hugged, Annabeth started to sing.
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valleys hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.
I sang the next verse.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
We sang the last verse together.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
"Thanks for helping me feel better, Noah. I love you." Annabeth said. "I love you too, Annabeth. I'm glad I could help." I said, kissing Annabeth's cheek. Next morning, when I went downstairs for breakfast, Simon greeted me with a certain tone. "Good morning, Noah. You ready to have a great vacation?" he was hiding something. "What are you hiding, Si?" Annabeth asked as she came down the stairs. "Well, the rest of were talking and… we decided that we're going to Ireland for our vacation." Simon said.
"What, no flippin' way in heck! Simon, are you messing with us?" Annabeth asked. "No, I am not messing with either of you. We all agreed that Ireland is our vacation spot." Simon said. "The only problem we have is we don't know where to stay." Alvin said. I smiled. "Why, O'Nihil Manor, of course. It's my family's summer home." I said.
6 hours later, we boarded a plane in first class, headed for Ireland. The trip would 15 hours, which meant we would spend the night on the plane. Annabeth sat in the seat next to me. "Ready to see the homeland again?" she asked. "Yeah, after a long time, I am ready to see my home. I'm just glad that I get to do it with my family." I said. Annabeth kissed me. "Get some sleep, Sweetie. We'll be home before you know it." She said. I closed my eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep. The next morning, Annabeth gently shook me awake. "Wake up, Noah. We are home at last." She said.
When we landed, I fell into a field of Shamrocks. "Aaahhh, Shamrocks, the lucky plant of my people."I said. Annabeth helped me up. "C'mon, Happy O' Joy, lead us to O' Nihil manor." She said.
I led my family through a field of shamrocks, past the alleged burial site of St. Patrick, around the charred remains of Blarney Forest, (Rest in Peace, mom and dad.), finally leading them to O' Nihil Manor. "Welcome to O' Nihil Manor, everyone. This little baby, built in 1995, comes equipped with over 200 bedrooms, a movie room, multiple pools, and a beautiful view of Ireland. You can pick any room except the one on the second floor with the solid gold doorknob. That's mine." I said. Alvin walked right up to me. "Why do you get first pick? I'm the oldest brother, so I always get first pick." He said.
He walked right up to the room. We all followed him. "I'm warning you, Alvin. Turn back now." I said. Alvin ignored me. But as soon as he touched the doorknob, disaster struck. POW! A force of green energy blasted him against the stairwell. Brittany ran up to him. "What was that?" she asked. "That was an example of old Irish sorcery. The people of the Nihil clan were mages in medieval times. That is why every Nihil has just a bit of sorcery in them. That is how we open that door. Only Nihils can open this door. My mother was a Nihil. That makes me a half sorcerer." I said.
I took my pocket knife out of my back pocket. I slit my hand and put it on the golden doorknob "Foladelaochra, macemerald, deontasdombealach isteach." I said. "What did you say?" Alvin asked. "He said 'Blood of warriors, sons of emerald, grant me entrance'. It was in Gaelic, the tongue of the Irishmen before St. Patrick came along." Annabeth said. I took my hand off the door knob and bandaged it. The blood left on the doorknob glowed gold, and disappeared. Suddenly, the door opened.
Everyone looked inside. The room had emerald green walls, a green bed, its own bathroom, and a closet. "All the bedrooms here look the same… except for one thing." I said, entering the room. My family followed me. I approached a wall with the O'Nihil family crest on it.
I put my hand on it. "Oscailte agusnochtann anruin." I said. "Open and reveal thy secrets." Annabeth translated. Suddenly, the wall opened, revealing a winding staircase. I started down. "Alright, everyone, stay here, only sorcerers can enter the catacombs." I said. "I'm coming too, Noah. I have the blood of a sorceress in me." Annabeth said. "I know, Annabeth. The McTaggerts were sorcerers as well." I said. We walked down the stairs. At the bottom, many stones were lined up row by row. They were the headstones of my ancestors. The newest row, the one closest to us had two stones side by side. "Roan Aaron Jagers and Moira Emily Nihil 1970-2004." one said. It was the stone of my parents. The other one said, "Alfred James McTaggert and Arianna Annabeth Scott. 1970-2003" That must be the stone for Annabeth's parents. "Um, why is my parent's headstone in the O' Nihil catacombs?" Annabeth asked. "Ask us yourselves." A ghastly voice said. We turned. 4 spirits floated above our heads. They were our parents.
"Alright then, Mum and Dad, why is my girlfriend's parent's headstone in my family catacombs?" I asked. "The Scotts and McTaggerts were long-time allies of the O'Nihils. We have shared territory since medieval times." Dad said. My Mom floated down to me, her blond hair (which I inherited) flowing behind her. "It wasn't chance you met Annabeth, Noah. It was destiny." She said.
Later, we climbed back up to my room. Simon ran up to me. "How was it, Noah?" he asked. "It wasn't any weirder than my last adventure in Ireland." I said. (See Noah's Lonely Christmas for more details-Poseidon 01). Later, we went to the shore to swim. "Cannonball!" I exclaimed. SPLASH! When I resurfaced, Brittany glared at me. "What, did I do something wrong?" I asked. Brittany held up a sopping wet magazine. I held my hand to it. "Repeluisce." (Repel Water). What did you do?" Brittany asked. "I made that magazine waterproof." I said.
"Where is Theodore? I haven't seen him since last night." I said. Eleanor looked up from her book. "He said he was going to show this boy named Ian O' Flannery how to make Irish Stew." She said. "No, no, no, that can't be true." I said, jumping from the lake and running towards the town. Annabeth ran after me. "What's wrong, Noah?" she asked. "O'Flannery is the biggest bully in all Ireland. Last time he asked someone for Irish stew, he jumped them in a dark alley." I said, rubbing my back, remembering what happened to me a week before I left.
I found Theodore in an ally, surrounded by goons. The dude leading the assault had red hair in an Elvis-style haircut, a leather jacket, and a switch blade comb in his back pocket. His posse was similar dressed. (60's much!) "Hey, O'Flannery, get your paws off of my baby brother or I'll give ya an American-style whooping!" I said. O'Flannery turned to me and sneered. "Noah Jagers, I see ya returned. Come back to get jumped again?" he asked. "I came to get my brother. Touch him, O'Flannery, and I'll give you a worse beating than a whooping." I threatened. O'Flannery sneered. Then, without warning, he swiped Theodore's leg, causing him to land on his back… hard.
Anger swelled in me, but I held it back. "O'Flannery, I swear, if you even touch a hair on my brother's head, you shall be a sorry little loc na mhuice! (Pig's rear end)" I yelled. O'Flannery gasped. "D'you kiss yer ma with that mouth?" "Just try to harm him, I dare you." I threatened. O'Flannery looked as though he would give up, then… BAM! He socked Theodore in the gut.
Anger exploded inside of me. When sorcerers get angry, the elements reflect our emotions. The sky went dark, wind whipped like crazy, lifting me into the air. "Ian Patty O' Flannery, you have taken your bullying too far. You shall pay the ultimate price!" I said, the voices of sorcerer ancestors joining my own. "Cráeternal,éisteachtmoghlao, gabháil leis an anaminadtaganndeiridh!" I chanted. (Eternal torment, hear my call, accept this soul in his final fall!) A fiery hole opened at O'Flannery's feet and swallowed him up.
The weather calmed down, as did I. Annabeth was staring at me in shock. "Did you just send him to…?" I nodded. "I'm sorry you saw that, Annabeth. That's a side effect of being a sorcerer. When angered, our powers increase." I said. I walked over to the unconscious body of my brother. I put my hand on his chest. "Soulsscamallsa spéirnónaoi, cabhrú le modheartháirleigheasach fíneáil!" I said (Souls in heaven or cloud nine, help my brother heal just fine.) Theodore opened his eyes. "What happened, and why am I not in pain?" he asked. I told the tale of what happened. As we walked home, Theodore asked me a question. "Noah, are you going to stay here? I mean, you were born here." I knelt down and hugged him. "Oh, Theo, even though I was born here, my home is with you. No matter what."
Later that week, as we boarded a plane home, I put my hand on the ground. "Trioblóide agus pian go blaincéid talamh seo, banish mé dhuit, de láimh féin mianach." I said. (Trouble and pain that blankets this land, I banish thee by mine own hand.) A green energy expanded over the island. As I sat next to Annabeth, I sighed. "Peace has befallen my home country."
THE END