It was the day after Carnival and the air reeked of desperation. The Branch, after being recently demolished by some marmosets, was now under construction. Birds from all over the jungle and the city were doing their part to help, but no one was more desperate for the new club to open than Nico and Pedro. Tonight was the night they were going to perform, and it still wasn't ready.
"Kind sir, please pick up those ravishing fruits over yonder," said a random british parakeet. Nico and Pedro shot over a confused glare.
"Now is not the time for random british ramblings! We gotta fix this!" Pedro said loudly.
Nico picked up some smashed fruit and threw the remains into the street for some unlucky bystander to step on. "Yeah! We got a performance to do tonight!"
Manfred, a brown-headed cowbird, walked over.
"Hey now, that there fruit was still good! Still good…*sniffle*" As the old looking bird began to weep, Nico and Pedro sauntered over and put out a comforting wing. Nico said reassuringly, "It's alright, we can get more fruit, we are in a fruit market!"
"No, I'm not really crying about that, but I am crying for the sake of The Branch! It's ruined! RUINED!" He sobbed and cried in such an emotional manner that Pedro had to leave. Nico stayed strong, and in an effort to comfort Mr. Manfred, he said to him, "We're all workin' real hard here, ya gotta cut these guys some slack! It'll be done by tonight man, it's all good." Manfred turned and ran away, but Nico was going to keep his promise!
"Hey everybody! Let's get crackin'! If this isn't done by tonight, none of you are getting fruit baskets!" At those threatening words, the rest of the birds got hard at work.
Pedro saw the sudden change in work ethic and came back, "Hey, is Manfred gone?"
"Yeah he uh…ran away…" After seeing the distant look in Nico's eyes, Pedro asked, "Well what's his deal?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but the guy's got issues."
"Oh, well ok. Let's just get to work and hopefully talk to Manfred later." The duo turned and started work, hoping to fix The Branch by that night.
The sandy beaches of Rio are home to many a romantic couple, none of which expect to be interrupted by an annoying hummingbird by the name of Molly. She was just finishing telling a couple the story of her life when she heard the wailing of a familiar voice.
"THE BRANCH! IT'S RUINED! AHHH!" Then a sudden flash of golden brown flew by and Molly recognized it as Manfred, the owner of The Branch.
"What…?" She listened a little closer to the screaming and crying.
"The Branch is ruined?" She double takes and gasps, "THE BRANCH IS RUINED!" She then flew away, leaving all the beach goers looking confused, and in a few cases, crying. After just a few short seconds she arrived at the scene, noticing all the little birds hard at work.
"Excuse me, what's going on?" She asked a small bird nearby.
"The Branch was attacked by marmosets. We're working hard to get it ready for tonight's performance. You won't believe who's here tonight! It's-" and he was cut off by a squealing Molly, for none other than Nico and Pedro walked in at that moment.
"NICO!" She flew over to him and seemed to squeeze the life out of him with her wings. Nico's eyes, wide as saucers, seemed to beg Pedro for help, but Pedro was too busy rolling around and laughing.
"Pedro!" gasped Nico, "Help!" Pedro didn't help though. He had to get up and leave. You see, Pedro isn't good with emotional situations, such as the one occurring in front of him. He also hates Molly passionately. It's terrible.
Nico gently unwrapped her wings from around his neck and pushed her away. She seemed to have been crying. Maybe even sobbing uncontrollably on Nico's shoulder, for it was sopping wet with salty teardrops. He gave Molly a look that was trying to not seem too mean, but at the same time not too sympathetic.
"Hey uh…It's okay," he said awkwardly, "What exactly are you crying about?"
"THE BRANCH! IT'S RUINED!" She threw herself at Nico again and cried into his chest. Nico groaned because he really hated this, and she did it at least four times a week. Sometimes five. Nico disliked Molly immensely. Maybe even hated her, but he tried to be kind to her, and sympathize with her feelings. This was much unlike Pedro who liked to walk away at every situation, but Nico took the hard way in life. Nico pushed her away again and said gently, "Don't worry. We're gonna fix it."
"What about tonight? You and Pedro are gonna do a performance!" She cried some more. Then Nico said, "We're still gonna perform tonight." Molly pulled away and wiped her eyes, and in a voice that you could tell had been crying, said, "How?"
Nico sighed and said, "Everyone's working really hard to make sure it happens!" Molly suddenly got really excited and wrapped her wings around Nico again, happily saying, "Yay! Can't wait!" Then she merrily skipped away, leaving behind a very dumbfounded Nico.
Upon realization of Molly's absence, Pedro walked back in.
"Hey, is Molly gone?"
Nico sighed and said, "Yeah, she just skipped away. Thanks for leavin' me man."
"Oh no problem." Pedro laughed at his own obnoxiousness and Nico rolled his eyes.
As the night rolled on, the many street lamps illuminated the finished club. The Branch was looking better than ever. All the birds that helped out got fruit baskets as Nico had promised, and Manfred stopped his uncontrollable crying. Nico and Pedro were super psyched for their performance up until they heard a familiar squeal from behind them. Pedro left and Nico was about to follow, but a pair of small wings were holding him back.
"Nico! I'm so excited to see you!" She shuddered seductively, "Yeah…". Nico was looking incredibly scared, and you could hear Pedro's laughter from his hiding spot up in the rafters. Nico glanced upwards and glared at Pedro, then turned around to face Molly.
"Yeah, wish I could say the same…" He stopped himself there, but he meant to finish with, "but I can't."
"Are you and Pedro gonna do your performance now?" She was holding on to his wings in a romantic fashion. Nico was trying to pull away from her, saying, "Yeah…We're gonna do that right now actually." He quickly ran away, leaving behind a happily squealing Molly. Nico ran up to the stage and met up with Pedro who had flown down from the rafters, still laughing.
"She really loves you, doesn't she?"
"She's obsessed." Nico shook his head disapprovingly. Pedro chuckled and said, "Are we gonna do this thing or what?"
"Oh yeah buddy boy-ee!"
Suddenly, the beat was poppin', the lights were droppin', and Pedro and Nico entered in a cloud of fog. This frenzied up the audience and a chorus of cheers erupted.
Everybodys looking for love. Oh. Oh.
Nico flipped his bottle cap off his head and rolled it down one wing, behind his head, over his shoulders and down the other. Just before it dropped, he caught it and placed it back on his head while smiling at the audience members in the front.
Aint that the reason you're at this club. Oh. aint gonna find a dance with him. No. a better solution for you girl. Oh. Oh.
Just stay with me now. Say the word and well go.
I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the rope,
you'll see a side of love you've never known
.I can see it going down, going down.
Pedro echoed Nico at the end of each line. Both spun around each other in a theatrical manner.
In my head, I see you all over me
In my head, you fulfill my fantasy
In my head, you'll be screaming no
In my head, it's going down
In my head, it's going down
In my head. Yeah. In my head. Oh yeah.
The end of this first chorus brought a bout of applause from the audience. Pedro flipped Nico over his head and spun around once, then twice, catching him again. Then his bottle cap fluttered down to his wing and Nico put it back upon his head. It was great.
Some dudes know all the right things to say
it comes down to it, it's all just game
enough of talking let me demonstrate. down to business lets skip foreplay
leave with me now. Say the word and well go.I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the rope
You'll see a side of love you've never known.
I can see it going down, going down.
Nico and Pedro seemed to disappear under the stage.
In my head, I see you all over me.
Nico came out with this line, flying high above the stage. Pedro stayed down, smackin' wings with the front row.
In my head, you fulfill my fantasy
In my head, you'll be screamin no
In my head, it's going down
In my head, it's going down
In my head.
Nico took off his cap and started to tap it like a tambourine as Pedro began to do some funky break dance thing. The audience couldn't peel their eyes away from his incredible dancing.
Break it down. Ay-oh. Come on. Ay-oh.
singing to me baby in my head right now.
Ay-oh. Ay-oh. Come be screaming out when it all goes down.
Pedro disappeared from the spotlight as it flew back to Nico. He began to sing again, but the distant screaming of Molly from the background was throwing him off. He pulled through it though. It was still great.
Just leave with me now. Say the word and well go. We can go.
I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the rope
You'll see a side of love you've never known.
I can see it going down, going down.
Pedro came back at the sound of the reoccurring chorus. Both started moon walking across the stage.
In my head, I see you all over me
In my head, you fulfill my fantasy
In my head, you'll be screaming no
In my head, it's going down
In my head, it's going down
In my head, I see you all over me
In my head, you fulfill my fantasy
In my head, you'll be screaming no
In my head, it's going down
In my head, it's going down
In my head
The music stopped after Nico sang his last line and the crowd went ballistic. Both Nico and Pedro disappeared off the stage again after taking a final, deep bow.
Pedro was crazy excited. He wouldn't stop freakin' about their performance.
"Dude, that was insane! Like, crazy insane! FLIPPIN' FANTASTIC!" Before Pedro started hyperventilating, Nico stepped in.
"Yeah, it was great! Now calm down, let's get out of here before-" Nico was cut off by none other than Molly, the fright of which he was speaking.
"OH MY GOSH! YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING!" Molly couldn't even handle it, she was so excited! She practically jumped on Nico because she loves him so much. Pedro had to leave again.
"Thanks, thanks for your support." Nico choked out with a disgusted look on his face.
"Now please get away from me. I gotta get home."
"But, but, but I just saw you! You were great! Can't you stay…with me…forever….?" Molly batted her eyes sweetly. Nico's eyes widened with terror.
"No, I really have to get home…" Nico felt the burning stare of Molly's eyes in his corneas. It felt like the presence of a stalker. He was incredibly creeped out. Molly leaned in to kiss him and Nico almost started to cry. He could hear an incredibly loud laugh from the rafters.
"Whoa now!" Nico backed away from Molly's puckering beak.
"I love you!" She whispered softly.
"Ah!" Nico turned and flew away, not wasting time on running. He called to Pedro, "FLY!" Pedro bolted his way out of the club, knocking down a few strings of lights on the way. Molly was tailing them, and it was just their luck that hummingbirds are incredibly fast, and Pedro was incredibly fat and slow, but that didn't matter. Molly was chasing Nico, not Pedro! He watched as Molly sped past him and shouted, "NICO! SHE'S CATCHING UP!" Nico wanted to cry so hard, but he stayed strong. He swooped through some buildings in an effort to throw Molly off, but she was sharp. Literally, her beak was like a knife. She was ripping right through lines of clothes that Nico was ever so carefully dodging.
"NICO! I LOVE YOU!" She exclaimed.
"I KNOW! THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!" Nico replied. He realized this was probably incredibly hurtful, but he didn't care. He had to get away. He had already lost track of Pedro, but he wasn't much of a help anyway. Nico had his heart set on one place, away from Molly!
I love you and thank you for reading chapter 1! Chapter 2 will be coming soon so review! :)