Copacabana.
~M~
"Skipper!" Marty called over the turbulence. "Alex wants to take out the dam!"
"Alright," Skipper shrugged and pulled down the speaker. "But it's his funeral."
"What?" The zebra struggled to hear that last part.
"Hard to Port." Skipper ordered over the speaker.
"Aye-aye Skippy!" Gloria said, turning the plane around.
"Bring it on!" Melman bellowed. "Bring it on! Woooo!"
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"Men, there is no sacrifice greater than someone else's." Skipper said affirmatively but it wasn't to last. A second later there was a single gunshot and the bullet flew straight through the plane window. He turned with a gasp of horror and the next second he had his love in his arms with a sob. "No! MEDIC!"
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Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would meringue and do the cha-cha
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?
At the copa (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana
At the copa (Copacabana)
Music and passion were always in fashion
At the copa... they fell in love
And then the airplane flew and dams were smashed in two
There was blood and a single gun shot
But just who shot who?
At the copa (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana
At the copa (Copacabana)
Music and passion were always in fashion
At the copa... he lost his love
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"This is ridiculous!" Alex exclaimed.
"Hush, hush!" Marty hissed over to his best friend crudely to his right.
The lion wouldn't quit. He didn't see a point. Alex threw his large paws up in annoyance. "Why are we even doing this?!"
"Alex…" The zebra rolled his eyes in his plead. "Have a little heart! The dude lost his girl!"
"It's a doll!" Alex responded too loudly.
"Shush!" Marty hissed, trying to quiet the wild cat. He glanced over at the penguins which were getting ready for the ceremony. "C'mon man you telling me you never had a love that made no sense whatsoever yet you go on after it anyway?"
"No!" The lion said louder. "I haven't! I'm not completely-"
"Hush!" Marty cut in.
"-psychotic!" Alex finished in a harsh whisper. He then returned to his normal voice, gesturing a paw over to the birds in bow-ties. "...Like they are!"
"Oh really huh? Now I know you don't want me bringing up that craaazy old steak problem of yours." Marty grinned a knowing and almost victorious grin.
"Hey I eat fish now," Alex defended and reassured. "I'm completely over steak."
"Good 'cause its gross!"
"Don't you TALK that way about steak!" The lion growled, lifting the zebra up harshly in his paws before realizing what he was doing and looking at the still going grin of victory on the zebra. Alex pouted and put his friend down. "Okay so I'm not over it…" He moped.
"And neither is Skipper!" Marty said, looking over to the flightless bird group that straightened each other's bow-ties, the smallest one getting a slap for adjusting the leader's too tight. The zebra grabbed the lion by the chin and made him look too. "Poor guy, now we gotta be the best supporting friends that we can be! C'mon now!" He shoved the cat forwards to the ceremony after fixing their own butterfly bow-ties, Marty in a white and Alex in a red.
"Oof!" Alex huffed as the zebra shoved the air out of him as well as his body with it. He rolled his eyes with a groan and reluctantly walked forward on his own. "Alright, let's just get this over with…"
"Now you're talkin'!" The zebra slapped his buddy on the back and the two joined the others.
Alex's mother and father, Florrie and Zuba, stood at the front of everyone and behind the little round hole in the ground.
Alex slid past Marty, Melman, the chimps, and Gloria, also stepping over the penguins cautiously to go beside his parents.
The lion leaned over to his father to whisper quietly. "Is all of this really necessary?"
Zuba laughed and put an arm around his boy. "Love is love, son! Now get on back over there so we can get this thing going!"
Alex sighed and sulked back over to stand with his friends, again stepping over the penguins. Why did THEY have to attend this? Couldn't like some of the other African birds came and they all could have socialized, giving their own little bird condolences? Whatever, they were here and nothing could change that so they may as well get this over quickly. All they had to do was bury it right? Go through with it and they could all get on with their lives. The lion stood there disinterestedly and so the ceremony began.
Zuba cleared his throat, his scepter in paw as he started. "Death transcends all differences-"
Alex rolled his eyes with a groan as the whole thing was interrupted when Skipper burst out crying into his flippers.
Kowalski and Private pat their leader on the back with looks of concern. Skipper only sobbed harder.
"Can we move this along?" Alex requested and was slapped in the back of the head by Gloria. He glared back at her, rubbing his skull.
"Yes, uhm…" Zuba started again and coughed, his mate patting him on the back. "Death-"
Skipper sobbed and sobbed on his knees.
Alex made a circular gesture with his paw. "We should probably move on." He suggested.
Zuba went on. "This woman, made of nothing but wood and a skirt made right out of dried grass, left behind a loving uh…" He blinked down at the birds as the leader one sobbed harder at that. The alpha lion shook his head and moved on. "…significant other-"
Skipper sobbed once more.
Alex couldn't take it anymore. "Oh for the love of-!" He picked up the beheaded hula doll and snapped her head right back on. "There, good as new!" The lion said quickly as he stood the doll in front of the penguins. "Can we go now?"
Skipper looked up, wiping his eyes with the back of a flipper. "H-Hula Girl? …You're alive!" The leader got up and spun her around, dipping her charmingly. "Oh doll-face, don't you ever scare me like that again!"
Alex rolled his eyes with a sigh as he walked away, ripping off his bow-tie and tossing it. Finally he was free of the penguins' psychosis for the day. Of course it was not to last as not even an hour later another ceremony was called to order. After being scolded and dragged along by almost everyone who was at the last one, the lion faked his way through it best he could.
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"Love transcends all differences…" Zuba began with a smile. "We are gathered here today to celebrate such a love. Do you take each other for better or for worse?"
The Zoosters looked down with smiles at the small penguins.
Without notice of anyone, Phil flicked the bobble head's head so it would nod.
Skipper rubbed his flippers together. "For better please."
Everyone cheered.
"Yaaaay!" Marty cheered.
Gloria laughed and clapped her hands gleefully with squeals as she and Alex tossed flower petals.
"Woo! Yeaaah!" Melman rooted.
Alex continued to throw his petals. "What a beautiful, weird couple!" He cheered, faking his enthusiasm.
Melman stared with a forced smile. "That's not gonna last…"