Chapter 8
The chicks are two months old. They have grown remarkably fast.
The Articuno is getting some of its adult body feathers. The tail feathers are getting longer, and so is
the crest. The beak and feet are a little darker than from when it hatched.
The Zapdos was also getting its adult plumage. The wing feathers started to get their characteristic
spikiness, along with the head and tail. The beak is sharper and a little longer than at hatching.
The Moltres was in the same case scenario with the adult plumage. The flames on the wing, crest, and
tail feathers were much bigger and brighter. The legs and beak were a little longer.
The Lugia got some adult plumage, the adult feathers were slicked down. The spikes and eye thingies
were starting to grow more, and the same with the little notch or whatever it is on its beak. The neck
was longer.
The Houou (err, Ho-Oh) was the same thing; some of its adult feathers. The crest and tail feathers
were bigger. The designs on most of the feathers weren't there, so Christina, Jake, and I presumed that
that Pokemon had an immature phase. The beak was getting its adult curve.
Their sizes were much bigger than before. A head staff member took their measurements, and here
are their measurements at two months:
Articuno: 1' 2"
Zapdos: 1' 3"
Moltres: 1' 6"
Lugia: 3' 9"
Ho-Oh: 2' 4"
And they were strutting around the breeding center extremely fast. Man, how agile they are!
Jake was playing with the Zapdos, putting a Barbie doll hat on it. The Bird turned its head and shook it
off.
"Zap zap!" the little creature shouted at Jake as if it was mad at him. Maybe it was. For punishment, it
stood back and shocked Jake with a pretty good electric force.
"Ow!" Jake exclaimed, "Can you strengthen your attacks on the other chicks, not humans?!"
"Dos," the Zapdos then hopped under the nearest chair.
Christina walked around, holding the Articuno in her arms. She stroked it on its growing crest feathers.
"Look at that Totodile hatching," she pointed to a table where a Totodile was struggling out of its egg.
She then walked away and petted it more.
"Articuuuuuuuuno," the chick crooned.
Christina smoothed its down and feathers on its neck. The chick nestled its head back.
I spotted the Moltres in its cage. It looked at me and shuffled over.
"Molt!" it peeped as I opened the cage and set it out on the floor.
"Hey, come!" I patted my thigh lightly and the chick ran over and started pecking my shoelace.
"Ha ha, no, don't untie my shoe! I know you're practicing your attacks, but still!" I shouted as I tied my
shoe. The Moltres looked oddly at me and practiced preening its feathers.
Jake shouted at us from the large aviary.
"DAVE! CHRISTINA! COME HERE!" came Jake's voice.
We put the Moltres and Articuno chicks back and bolted out to the aviary. Jake was standing there
holding the Lugia. (On the ground, silly! It's over 3 feet tall, do you think he's gonna carry it? I DON'T
THINK SO!!!) The goose-sized Bird then broke out of his grasp and strutted over to Christina and I.
"Luu!" it chirped.
"Hello," we both said.
"Hey, guess what?"
"What?"
"It's finally learned."
Since it looked like and was the size of a goose, Jake decided to teach it how to honk. It did.
"Hey," Jake said, "Hey, Lugia, honk!"
"Arr-onk! Honk honk honk! Gia!" the Lugia said.
Christina and I burst out laughing 'till our sides hurt.
"HA HA HA HA! You- actually- taught- a- powerful- Pokemon- to- act- like- a- GOOSE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Christina laughed.
"What the heck? You've just traumatized the Pokemon for life! Now it's gonna sound like a goose and
drive everyone nuts!" I said.
"Well, it does look funny," Jake replied.
The Lugia then ran back to the building and hopped into the pond and took a swim.
The Ho-Oh was inside practicing its attacks on a young Spearow. It won. We all applauded as we went
back to work...