Animalia- the Love Spore

This is my first Animalia story. please be nice. i also have to thank my beautiful editor Sliver Rose 27. without her, this story would be a dud. thanks Sliver

Chapter 1

Animalia belongs to Graeme Base, not me.

Chapter 1.

Alex's POV:

"Hey Sketch-Boy," Zoe said as she looked over my shoulder. "What are you drawing this time?"

I bit my lip. "I'm trying to draw you with your hair down but it's a little difficult because I've never seen your hair loose."

Zoe raised her eyebrows. "Okay then. I'll make your job easier." She pulled out her hair band and her hair fell like a waterfall, flowing past her shoulders. My eyes widen.

"It's longer than I thought," I murmured.

"I only take it out when I'm going to sleep," Zoe explained. "Look Alex, as much as I like you admiring my hair, it gets in my face and annoys me. Could you please draw so I can put it up again?"

"Oh, sure," I said, looking down and drawing quickly. In a few minutes, I was finished. I showed Zoe the picture as she pulled her hair back.

"Wow," Zoe said. "I look so different."

I looked at her and then at the picture.

"You look so beautiful," I said quietly. But obviously I wasn't quiet enough because Zoe was blushing.

"Thank you," she said. Then I felt it hit me like a ton of bricks. I always had a slight crush on Zoe. I admired her attitude and courage. I loved the stories she wrote and how brave she was. Going to the Land of Over and Beyond to rescue Zen and Zee from a dragon… But now I understood that I was in love with Zoe.

Zoe's POV

"Alex?" I waved my hand in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Alex looked at me. "Oh yeah, I'm fine." He suddenly stood. "I'm going for a walk. See you later." I frowned. Okay, something was wrong.

"Oh fair Zoe," a voice behind me said. I turned to see Iggy holding a purple orchid in his claws. "I pick this delightful flower for a beautiful creature." He then bowed and gave me the orchid. I smiled and kneeled to his level.

"Iggy," I said gently. "You're a great friend to me but we can't be together. I'm a human and you're an iguana. You should find someone who is like you and will be a lot better than I will. Do you understand?"

"I understand, sweet Zoe," Iggy said. "I suppose you are right, we are different. Is there someone else who you experience the great feelings of love for?"

I looked over to where Alex was before and picked up his sketch-book. I quickly flipped to the page of me and stared at it thoughtfully.

"I think I love Alex."

Chapter 2:

A few days later:

Alex's POV

I stared out at Animalia on the cliff were G'Bubu and Iggy showed us Animalia when Zoe and I first arrived. The view was spectacular and normally, at times like this, I would draw. But I couldn't bring myself to pick up a pencil. My feelings were eating my insides and I couldn't think of anything but Zoe.

"Hey, dude!" I voice called. I smiled without turning around. I knew it was G'Bubu before he even sat down. "What's the matter?"

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

"Sure, Alex. What is it?"

"What do you know about love?"

"Love?" The question had taken him off guard. "Well, I think it's something that you can favour. Like… I love bananas."

I smiled. I had obviously asked the wrong animal.

"Never mind," I said. "I'm going to visit Livingston. Could you give me a lift?"

"Sure." I climbed on his back and we swung down into the city of Animalia.

Soon, we reached the library. Livingston was studying different sections of the super spore and Reenie was checking out a book for Erno.

"Hey, Elni!" he called. "I found it."

"Well done, Love." Elni said as she came over. "Echo will love this story."

"Have a good day," Reenie called.

"CHARGE!" Everyone turned to see Rombolt run through the library with some purple flowers in his arms. He stopped in front of Reenie and presented the flowers to her. "For you, my dear."

"Oh," Reenie looked down with embarrassment. "You shouldn't have."

"Of course I did," Rombolt said. "I love you. You mean the world to me."

I felt my heart shatter. Love was in the air and everyone was falling in love or getting the ones they love. Everyone except me, that is.

I sighed and walked over to the core to sit down. I couldn't stand another minute of seeing all of these animals in love.

"Hey, Alex." a voice said. I turned to see Livingston. I smiled and he sat down next to me. "Everyone is worried about you, Alex. You've been very distant lately. You're not smiling, you've been reading depressing stories about heartbreak, and you're not drawing any more. Is there something you want to talk about? You know you can always tell me anything."

I looked into his eyes and saw honesty and trust. I sighed. "Okay… The other day, I was trying to draw Zoe with her hair down, but because I had never seen it down, it was difficult for me to draw. She took it out for me and I drew her, but then I realised how beautiful she was and that I'm in love with her..."

"So why don't you tell her?"

Zoe's POV

In the Swamp:

"Allegra," I called as I entered the swamp. "Bitsy, Snipsy are you here?"

"Howdy Zoe," Allegra said as she walked out of her house. "Are you here to see our progress?"

I nodded. I had been teaching Allegra how to sing lately, and she's been getting better at it.

"Okay," Allegra said. " Bitsy! Snipsy!"

"Yes, Allegra," they said as they walked out of the house.

"Let's show Zoe our progress," Allegra commanded.

"Got it!" Both girls said. Next they started to sing softly, Allegra soon followed suit and it was a soft, sweet melody.

Soon they had finished, but I wasn't listening. The song, the tune, and the sweet melody… It reminded me of...

"Alex," I whispered.

"Zoe," Allegra asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I have to go." Then I ran towards the library. As soon as I got there, I saw G'Bubu.

"Hey, big guy," I panted. "Have you seen Alex? I need to tell him something."

"He's behind the core, talking to Livingston," he answered. I quickly walked over and just as I was about to call out, I heard Livingston say "Why don't you tell her?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and pressed my back against the core as I listened.

"I can't," Alex was saying.

"Why can't you?" Livingston asked. "Just let your heart take control and tell Zoe your feelings."

My heart started to beat faster. Was Alex saying...

"Livingston, that's easier said than done." Alex answered. "I can't just walk up to Zoe and say 'Hey Zoe, I'm in love with you. Everything from your beauty to your attitude, I love.' It's not that simple and she'll never accept me."

My heart went off like a rocket. Alex loved me? I felt fireworks go off as one half of my body froze and the other wanted to run to him and say that I loved him too.

"Besides," Alex continued. "I'm not good enough for her."

That does it. I opened my mouth to say something but then I heard a rumble. Then the core cracked and the corespore blew into space. Not good.

Chapter 3:

Normal P.O.V

"Not again!" Alex groaned as he and Livingston watched the corespore fly away.

"Well," Livingston said. "You better go out and find it before some real damage is done. I'll look up and see which corespore blew."

"Okay," Alex said. He walked around the corner and saw Zoe. Immediately, his heart went off like a rocket.

"Hey Zoe," he said as calmly as he could, even though his hands were sweating. "Did you see the corespore fly off?"

Zoe nodded. "It looked like it was heading north."

"Let's go, then."

Above, Tyrannicus and Fushia had watched and heard everything.

"So," Tyrannicus said with a smirk. "The stink bug is in love with the other stink bug. I think I smell a new business coming."

"Are you sure, Boss?" Fushia said. "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea, playing with love."

"Don't panic, my dear Fushia," Tyrannicus said smoothly. "I know what I'm doing."

That's what he always says, Fushia thought as she rolled her eyes. And every time, something always goes wrong.

G'Bubu, Iggy, Zoe and Alex walked through the rainforest, looking for the corespore, when they heard a loud noise. It was Erno and Elni and they were fighting. G'Bubu, Iggy, Zoe and Alex watched in amazement. Erno and Elni never fought.

"I never want to see you or the kid ever again!" Erno snapped and he marched off. Elni fell to the ground and cried.

"Iggy," Zoe said. "Stay behind and try to comfort Elni. G'Bubu, you go after Erno and try to find out what happened. Alex and I will continue to look for the corespore."

"No problem," G'Bubu said as he walked in the direction that Erno went and Iggy went over to Elni.

Alex and Zoe continued to walk deeper into the rainforest, trying to figure out what corespore blew when they heard a voice cry. They looked up to see Zen the zebra.

"Hey Zen," Alex called. "Did you see the corespore fly towards somewhere around here?"

Zen landed his balloon and opened the door. "I saw it fly into the cave on the mountain. I'll give the both of you a lift."

"Thanks," Zoe said and both she and Alex climbed into the balloon.

Back With Livingston:

"Oh dear," Livingston murmured. Suddenly he heard crying. He turned to see Reenie with her head on the desk, crying as if her heart would break. Sighing, Livingston walked over and put a paw on her shoulder in a comforting way. Reenie looked up, sniffling.

"Have you found what corespore blew?" She asked. "I was looking through the library and all the novels of love are gone."

"Did you and Rombolt have a fight?" Livingston asked gently. Reenie nodded.

"Here's the reason why," Livingston explained. "The corespore was the corespore of love. It must have triggered when Alex was being doubtful about Zoe's and his feelings."

"How bad are the effects?"

"They affect someone who is in a deep and meaningful relationship," Livingston answered. "Like you and Rombolt, Zen and Zee and Erno and Elni."

Chapter 4:

"Zen," Alex asked. "Where's Zee?"

"We had a fight," Zen answered sadly as he steered the balloon.

"How come?" Zoe asked. "I thought you two loved each other."

"Not any more," Zen sighed. "She said I was too up-tight and serious and I said she's a scatter brain. But that's one of the things I love about her. I feel so bad but I can't go and apologise to her."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"The part of me that loves her has shut down," Zen said sadly. "It's like I've forgotten how to love her. Anyway, here we at the cave."

Quickly Alex and Zoe got out and Zen flew away. Zoe and Alex walked into the cave, trying to find the soft glow that was the corespore.

"Hey," Zoe cried. "I found it!" She picked it up and both Alex and Zoe stared at it. Unlike the other spores, which were just one colour, this spore was glowing different colours.

"Well, there's that problem solved," Alex smiled. "Now let's get back to Livingston."

When Alex and Zoe got back to the main area of Animalia, they saw that everyone was arguing with Tyrannicus.

"With Tyrannicus' Find Your Soul-mate Insurance, you'll be able to find the love of your life. Just pay 50% for the first month and 100% for the next."

Everyone continued yelling while Alex and Zoe looked at each other.

"Annoying stripes," Zoe groaned. "Will he ever give up?"

"One simple answer to that one simple question," Alex answered. "No."

Then they turned and walked to the library. Once inside, Livingston met the kids.

"Did you find it?" he asked.

Alex nodded and tried to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"Why won't it open?" Alex asked.

"You have to tell her," Livingston answered calmly. Alex's eyes widen and his cheeks turned red.

"I can't," he whispered.

Zoe rolled her eyes. They had clearly forgotten that she was there.

"Hey Alex," she said. "How about I make your job easier?" Then she grabbed Alex's shirt and pulled him towards her. As soon as he was close enough, she pressed her mouth to his. Alex's eyes widened, but then he melted into the kiss, lifting his arms to put around Zoe's waist and dropping the spore. The spore broke in half, revealing a red rose. Alex and Zoe broke their kiss in time to see Livingston place the rose back in the Core.

"You know," Livingston said. "In nearly every story, there's love and it always wins."

Alex and Zoe grinned. Then Alex turned around and kissed Zoe again, which she happily returned as Livingston smiled.

"Love will always find a way."