Okay, here's #3! Since I really couldn't think of how Age's telling his family that Hayley's alive would go, I kind of just improvised the whole thing. Hopefully I'll have songs this time that aren't mine. Not that I'm tired of such thing of course =). Anyway, I have this whole story planned out in my head so I can assure there'll be one more chapter, and that's it. No worries though, this won't be my only HF FanFic, there'll be more. But for now enjoy chapter 3/4. By the way, after a review from a friend of mine…I'll give you a warning, things are going to get intimate with Age and Hayley, Bo and Erik, but nothing will happen in writing! Thanks Danielle for the heads up!
What are Friends For?
Chapter 3
Proving It
Age was so busy thinking about Hayley that he didn't consider how his family would react if he told them. He quickly went through a number of ideas through his head and decided to slowly ease it into the conversation. Because I mean come on, your supposedly long time dead love turns out to be alive, and she wants to prove she loves you? How do you tell someone that? Age made his way home and on the way he passed his brother Erik, he'd been so happy about Hayley he had completely forgotten about the events earlier in the day. Age extended a casual greeting, but Erik just seemed ready to fall apart.
"Hey Erik, where you off to?" he asked, but Erik kept spinning in circles, looking in all directions for Bo.
"Um…dude? Hello, I'm talking to you…" still no answer, just more frantic spinning, "HEY!" he yelled. This knocked Erik down to his feet. "What's wrong with you?"
"Oh, uh, hi Age, look I really gotta find someone right now, so whatever this is, could we please talk about it later?" he really seemed to be in a rush, and so because Age was in such a good mood,
"Fine, but I'm not telling mama or pa without you."
"Deal, now, would you happen to know where Bo went?" He asked his little brother.
Bo? Why would he need to find her? Unless… he thought he had a reason, and proceeded to improvise, "Uh, she went to the ocean to go for a swim, uh, yeah, she said she needed to get away from it all." He said this kind of sloppy, but good thing he wasn't in training to be an actor.
"Thanks Age, I'll see you later!" he said, he then got down on his belly and slid his way over to Bo's favorite spot where they all swam together. But when he arrived, she wasn't there…
Meanwhile, Age was still making his way home and had to pass through the main gathering area where all the social events and parties took place, his head was down, so he didn't notice he was about to run into another penguin. Their heads hit and each fell back.
"Ow! Hey, watch it!" Age said, but he looked to see, it was Bo. "Oh, hey Bo. You alright?"
"Oy, now I know how Erik felt this morning. But yeah, I'm fine, hey have you seen him by the way?"
Okay, now this is just getting freaky! Why would they both need to find one another at almost the same time? Something is definitely up. Age had a hunch, but just brushed it off because it seemed to out there, so he figured he try to pry the reason out of her.
"Um, nope haven't seen him, but could I talk to you for a minute?" he asked her.
"Uh, sure, I guess, I mean a minute can't hurt right?" she said, having no idea of what she was about to get into.
She then was walked into a small ice curve that hung over head and spun back to the ground. It served as a pavilion, where penguins would go to talk and hang out, or get out of the rain or snow. Age lead her into the ice and made her stand up against the wall.
"So, you and Erik are getting sort of…close, right?"
"Yeah, he's hanging out with all of us a lot more often than usual you know."
"Uh huh, yeah, and might I ask why this doesn't bother you?" Bo had a feeling of where this was going and started to panic.
"Uh…well, he's my friend and friends hang around with one another right?"
"True, but if friends hang out with one another how come I see Atticus with the two of you about half the time?"
"Well, that's…uh…well, I uh…"
"Mmm, that's what I thought, so now what exactly is the reason behind all this? You seem to have the urge to spend more and more time with him, and I want to know why." He was very determined to prove his theory correct.
"I…can't tell you Age. You're my friend, and I really don't wanna keep secrets from you, but this is sort of private." She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions.
"Well why does it have to be private, friends don't keep secrets from one another, it makes me feel like you got something to hide."
"I don't have anything to hide! I just don't you finding out about it!" she said and tried to walk away, but Age stopped her.
"Well what don't you want me finding out about?" he said hoping she'd crack.
"That…that…that…" she gave one last sigh and couldn't take it anymore, "That I'm in love with Erik okay! There I said it, and I think he loves me too!" she yelled at him so just he could hear, and then she stormed out of the ice and quickly waddled away. Age couldn't believe it, his superstitions were correct; Bo had a crush on Erik.
Age was just beginning to walk out of the ice when he noticed some moss. He guessed that the global warming that he'd heard about from Sven a few years ago was no myth. He then walked down to the edge of the cliff, ready to jump in to cool off, when he noticed something else. It looked like a floating can of something, and a little orange box was stuck to it. He didn't know what it was, but he felt an urge to get it. But he couldn't do it by himself, he needed help. Just then, as if on cue, Atticus showed up.
"Yo Age! Would yoself happen to have that info I be looking for?" he obviously had something that needed doing.
"Depends, what exactly is it you need info on?" Age wanted to make the fact that he also had something to do, so he asked with an equally stern voice.
"Bo's bein' really upset, I saw her running off, sobbing her eyes out. She didn't speak to me, but I know she's been looking for Erik. I'm thinking he doesn't like her back." Age was caught off guard by this, he thought she told no one.
"Wait, you know about that?"
"Please, you'd have to not have eyes to not see the connection those two have. I'm really kicking up for 'em, howeva, that doesn't mean you didn't have somem' to do with this." Age glared at Atticus, and then back down to the debris, he had an idea.
"I'll make you a deal, if you help me with those alien things down there, I'll tell you everything I know. If not, then I'm not talking." Age was persistent, Atticus however was shocked at Age's behavior, he'd always been the goodie two shoes penguin, why was he suddenly acting all badass?
"Fine, just make sure you don't waste my time." Atticus didn't like Age's attitude, so he wanted to get this done as fast as possible.
Age just grinned, with a devilish smile, and flung himself backwards to the water below. Atticus was still confused, but he also jumped down and help Age pull the junk onto the ice. Together, they pushed and shoved, and hauled the alien items all the way up the ice. It wasn't easy, but the two accomplished it through sheer teamwork.
"Aww geez, that wasn't easy." Age said collapsing on the nearby moss.
"No kidding!" Atticus said, letting his chubby body fall onto the moss as well. Then, Age got up and quickly examined the strange objects he and Atticus had fished up. Age looked over the can, he saw it had a hole in it. Atticus saw the bow and noticed it had a small amount of clear liquid inside. Likewise, the big can had a thick black liquid inside.
"Uh, dude…" Age looked at Atticus with the same confusion he felt, "What would this stuff be?"
"How should I know?" Just then he accidentally spilled out some of the liquid onto the moss where they were standing.
"Aww great! Now what?" Atticus asked. Then an unfamiliar voice hit Atticus' ears, but Age knew it all too well. It was Duke, the penguin who had always teased Age about not singing.
"You can just sit around and tell us all why you can't sing! Haha!" Duke was an absolute jerk, he never ceased to be annoying in any way, shape or form. Even though Age had just disrespected him, Atticus was quick to help out, a lesson he learn from watching Erik cover for Bo, earlier in the day.
"Hey whoa, lay off Duke, if ya looking for a battle, then why don't cha roll my way?"
"Oh, how sweet the big tuby wuby penguin wants to cover for his friend, fine, meet me in the center in two minutes…" he rolled his head and cracked his flipper "I need some warn up time anyway." Duke and his buddy walked away, while Atticus turned around to Age.
"Age I have no idea how we're, I mean, I'm going to win this." Atticus said still assuming that Age wouldn't sing. But his encounter with Hayley had given him the strength he needed to finally step into the light, so he was prepared to step into the light with his friend, and give him a heart attack.
"No Atticus, you're right, I'm not letting you go out there on your own. I'm with you," looks and the liquids they fished up. "And I even think I know how to win this battle." Atticus' beak dropped down to the ice.
"You…you're gonna…I mean…I, ah…" Atticus fainted. Age just looked at him with a smirk and a slight nod, and then very New Yorker style yelled,
"ATTICUS!" he shot right back up.
"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." He said with his flippers out talking to some penguins who were watching. Then he turn to Age with a dumbfounded face, "But dude, you're really gonna sing? What happened? Last time we saw you said we'd never hear your voice."
"Something…happened. But that's not important, come on Atticus, let's show Duke who's the Sing King of this nation. Oh and bring the liquids." And then he snatched up the can with the black stuff and allowed Atticus to carry the small box with the clear stuff.
They made their way to the center of the gathering site where Age had passed through before to interrogate Bo, but now he was here for something bigger. He was going to sing in front of everyone, so when he arrived, he leaned over to a penguin and said, "Go get Mumble, he needs to be here for this." The penguin then ran off and Atticus poured the black stuff all over the moss surrounding the area and he waited for Age's signal to use the clear stuff. In the meantime, they watched Duke and his posse of performers practice. To Age, they were actually pretty good, but Atticus was quick to jump in.
"Don't worry dude, with you singin' we gonna win by default." Age just nodded as Mumble showed up and watched the event take place. He was told to come because his son wanted him, but now he couldn't even see him. He also leaned over to another penguin and asked a friendly question.
"Excuse me, but what's going on here?" he asked a young male penguin from the graduation class.
"Well Mr. Mumble, I believe Duke has challenged Atticus to a song battle, and Age is gonna help him." Mumble had no words for what he just heard.
"What?"
"It's true! Look they're over there getting ready now." As he pointed over to the mounds covered in a black substance. Then he saw Age turn around and look at him.
"Stand by Pa, I'll need your help in a sec." Mumble just nodded and waited for his son's cue.
Duke had stopped practicing and had walked up to Atticus to do normal pre-battle trash talk. "So, intimidated at all? I knew you'd be, it's impossible to resist the fire of Duke." Atticus just smiled, and said,
"Actually Duke, I won't be the one kicking your butt in this battle." Thinking he backed out of the fight he mocked him.
"Oh so the big bad rapper penguin decided to let someone else get the butt kicking. So, who's sorry butt am I burning up?" he asked so confident in the idea he'd win.
"He, will be kicking your butt." Atticus said pointing to Age who was waiting behind Atticus. Duke didn't bother to flinch because he figured he was joking.
"This, is going to be so much fun." As he turned around and got in position.
"You ready for this Age?" Atticus asked.
"No worries, besides you're gonna help, just start free styling when I give you the signal."
"Alright, if you say so."
"Oh and, don't forget to light the black stuff with the clear stuff." Atticus nodded.
"When?"
"You'll know…" Age said and then walked out onto the field ready for whatever Duke had planned for him. (Okay, so I realize there's a lot of party songs involving fire, so I just simply picked the first to I found, I didn't write either of these.)
Duke got his dance crew ready, and they seemed like they had in all in the bag.
Go Go Go
Go Go Go
Go Go Go
(let's go)
Go Go Go
Go Go Go
Go Go Go
Nobody's gonna wanna get next to me
Cause they know (they know)
I take what's mine I won't let it go
Doesn't' matter how you approach the scene
Just know (just know)
You're everything and more when you hit the door
I dare you to challenge me
You'll be begging for mercy please
Just watch! I'll give you something to follow
Cause I've been waiting so patiently (to the let the)
Fire come outta me
And watcha up again, just letting you know
(I keep givin you the)
Fire
I'm a heat it up
Under my control
Here's the night that you've been waiting on
Fire
Ima light it up
Gotta make it hot
The stage is mine
Let's set it off
Fire!
Duke was all done and the people went mad. He may be a jerk, but was one heck of a performer. Age wasn't worried though; he knew that despite what he was up against, this would be no problem. (Will someone please tell me if I got the lyrics wrong; Fire- Matthew "M Dot" Finley) Age walked up to his opponent and clearly stated he wasn't scared.
"So, you wanna play with fire? Then I'll give you the whole inferno!" He said flunking his flippers in his face.
"Fine, try to best my flames, but when you back out like you usually do; I'll be laughing until I have soaked myself." Age just shot him a scowl. Age had his whole plan in the bag, he knew exactly how this was gonna go, but since he used his spare time setting up for the pyrotechnics, he had no time to tell anyone the plan, so instead he just trusted everyone to know, when.
"Pa! Come on out here!" he yelled to Mumble, and then Mumble went out to his son.
"You're really gonna do this Age?" He asked, still not believing what he was seeing.
"Yes Pa, no worries, I made a promise to someone and I intend to keep it." He then saw Mumble smile, and then Age looked at Duke and his gang. "Yo, could I get like three some penguins beside me please?" he said to the crowd. And 6 penguins made their way to his side in a V shape. And he leaned over to his Pa and whispered, "Now…give me a beat." Mumble started dancing the beat he wanted, and from there, Age was at home. (Fireball- Willow Smith ft. Nicki Minaj)
Atticus was given the signal and he said,
Uh Oh…
And from there, Age took control,
Um, hello, can we get the party started, yeah!
Um, hello, can we get the party started...
Young Money...
Atticus felt it was the right time, so he quickly dumped the clear stuff on the black stuff, and all the piles of moss burst into flames, real flames.
I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire
I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire
I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire, Fire, fire, fire
Since I landed here, I gotta phone up Obama.
Shook the world up, now I caused a little drama
Leader of the new school, and yes I'm gonna
Light up the block to the stage when I wanna
Brighter than the stars now I head on the curb
Don't got' walk it out jigga walk with the splur
Levitating in my moment suit me with the fur
I'ma rock the world til they following her
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fire,
I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, fire, fire, fire, fire
See I ain't never been the one to toot my own horn,
beep, beep Now watch me put it on
I set fire everywhere I play, make them all go insane,
L.A to UK
Now Imma burn it up, when I step on the scene
My whole crew is Fresh and they rollin' with me
You can turn me up yeah to the extreme
Imma rock the world til they following me
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
fire, fire, fire, fire
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire
Mumble was still dancing, smiling the whole time at his son's performance, and then Age shot Atticus a quick look and gestured for his to start rapping. Atticus jumped in and felt right at home, Seymour was watching too.
"Emperor Land, Atticus!" Age shouted to the crowd as his friends came out. The fire was still burning strong, and Age disappeared in them, but no one noticed.
Hey yo A-Age, didn't I just see you in China?
You're real major even though you're a minor
Your daddy keep ya in designer
You're gully, gully, gully, yeah you're gully, kinda
Okay, I'm the street fighter, call me Chun-Li
And it's going down like a bum knee
Built the guest house to put the coupe in
Cause I'm a fireball, hadouken!
Put you under my wing, I'm the top boss
Ain't from Louisiana, but I'm hot sauce
Cut the mountain just to go and build a house off
So I ain't never gonna worry what the house cost
If they coming at you, tell them raise up
When it's time to whip your hair, put your braids up
Tell them escalator, elevator, you're the mean to step your weight up,
Ain't nobody greater, will and jada is my neighbor hater
Atticus pointed to the fire and Age was in the middle of it, but he wasn't burning at all, Atticus winked saying he was done and Age jumped right back in out of the flames.
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
fire, fire, fire, fire
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
fire, fire, fire, fire
Watch the fire burn...burn, burn
Watch me heat it up
Watch the fire burn...burn, burn
Watch me heat it up
Watch the fire burn...burn, burn
Watch me heat it up
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
fire, fire, fire, fire
I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire I'm the fireball of the party,
I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,
fire, fire, fire, fire
Yeah!
A sharp wind blew out the fires on the last note, a stunning performance, unmatched by any in a long time. And the stars of it…what's to be said about them?
There were no words to describe several things in the moments after the song and dance was done, the wildness of the crowd, the proudness that Mumble and Seymour felt in their sons, and of course, the look on Duke's face, him and everyone else. The celebration for the victory the two scored over Duke went on late into the night and Mumble was sure to give his comments last. Overall, Age had given the performance of the year, if not the generation. It was in everyone's best opinion afterwards that he be deemed top of the class, but Age insisted on waiting for Erik and Bo to come back. What no one knew was, Bo had never left. A she was in a pavilion crying after Age spoke to her, and she had been there to watch the whole show. She like everyone else was speechless, but still to her, no one was better than Erik. When Age had a brief moment of peace and no congratulations, she stole him away.
"Hey Age…" she said weakly to him. He turned away from a penguin he was just talking to and noticed her.
"Oh, Bo! I thought you were off with Erik?" he asked her. But Bo had no such luck.
"Age, I never left, I was crying too much after I told you my secret. Oh, by the way, just amazing show you put on with Atticus! I can't believe that was you." Bo was just as impressed as everyone else.
"Thanks, I've been getting that a lot. But hey, there's no reason to be ashamed of have a crush on my bro. Why would he not be thrilled to have you as a mate?" Age was not exactly a great one to one talker, but he knew how to talk to someone who was feeling alone.
"I don't know Age, it's just…it's just hard. He's the son of Mumble and Gloria, the two most unique penguins of their generation. I'm just another penguin who had great parents, but not good enough to stand out. And you…you were born from the death of your nation, that must've put hundreds of songs in your heart, and now that you've found a reason to sing you'll be unstoppable." She thought about her last sentence for a second, "Hey, you found a reason sing?"
"Yes, I did, and it was the best feeling I ever had." He said remembering when he sang with Hayley in the ice.
"What was it?" Bo asked. Age looked around and decided it was time to make another deal.
"I'll tell you if you tell Erik how you feel." Age made a good point; she was going to have to tell him at one point or another.
Bo thought very hard if it was worth it. Telling the penguin she loved how she felt just to get a piece of information? She stopped to think about the possibilities of Erik saying yes. Jake or Tori might become a reality and he really would say how much he meant to her. On the other flipper, if he didn't, she make a fool out of herself, and she'd probably ruin their friendship forever. And Erik might even go so far as to avoid her out of awkwardness. She made up her mind and was ready for whatever may come.
"I'm not going to tell him for you Age, I'm telling him for me." She said turning away. Age called after her.
"Bo, he's gone to where you guys hatched, over by the ice chasm, I suggest you start there." He yelled to her, she turned and smiled. (This is where it'll happen between Age and Hayley)
By this point the day of singing to one another was two days away, and both Age and Erik had already set their hearts on other penguins, Age was in love with Hayley, and Erik was in love with Bo. The only difference between the two couples was that Age and Hayley were about to prove they loved one another, Erik and Bo weren't even sure of how the other felt. Age had gone to the secret hiding place where he and his love went to think at exactly where they wanted at the exact time she told him. She waited patiently for him and a set of assurances went through her head.
Alright Hayley, you can do this…how hard could it be? You love him, and he loves you. He'll do it, I mean it couldn't be that weird right? Oh, who am I kidding, of course he'll do it! He wants to be with me, we're meant to be. The way he sang, the gentle voice of his, the way he's always picking me up even if it seems lost, oh gosh, he's going to be a great father someday!
Hayley was still waiting in the hideout as Age made his way up to it. He also had a set of thoughts but his were more towards excitement.
She wants to prove she loves me how? Maybe she wrote a song for me. Oooo, maybe it's a dance! Or maybe it's even a huge thing of fish! Eh, who do I care, I love her, so whatever I have to do to prove it, I will.
When he reached the entrance he took a long, deep breath and walked inside. He saw her standing in their spot where they'd watch the ocean, but instead, seeing as how it was late at night, she was staring at the moon. Her black feathers gleamed in the pale light, and to Age, he thought he was staring at the penguin goddess of beauty.
"It's nothing compared to how beautiful you are." He said to her, and she turned around. And smiled a huge smile, Age loved her smile; it was one of the best things he ever saw.
"Hello Cold…" she said to him.
"I told you Hayley, call me Age…Cold died the day our nation did, I can't be reminded of that past." She was instantly sorry for what she said, she'd forgotten how much more he'd been hurt by the event than she was.
"Oh I'm sorry Age, it's just…that's what I'm used to calling you, it's gonna take some time to get used to your new name. Did your new family give you that name?" She asked him with a loving grin.
"No…I did. The day it happened I gave myself this name, with all the lost souls of our nation to put their faith in, I took the name and carried it on with the survivors."
"Well in that case, I think our fellow penguins are going to be very happy for us this night." Age looked at her in confusion.
"Hayley, what do you mean?" he asked her.
"Age, I said be here, so I could prove I love you, and I will, the best way I possibly could." She then leaned over his ear and whispered something into it. Age just closed his eyes, and nodded.
(Back at what used to be Emperor Land, down in the hole)(And now to Erik and Bo)
Erik wandered around the giant hole in the ground that made what was his home into nothing but a seemless death trap for the unlucky penguins that happened to be in here when the glacier rolled in. He remembered how his Mama sang to him from down here after his Pa yelled at him in front of the whole nation, how he helped free them all by dancing, and the lessons he taught countless of Antarctic creatures by staying strong in the toughest of times. He wished a certain penguin was here with him, and she was already on her way. Bo was tired from walking all this way, back to the previous Emperor Land, but she knew it would be worth it. She was careful not to fall over the edge, and looked out over the vast ice and found a single black spot in the surrounding white.
"Erik!" she yelled to him. He turned around at the sound and looked in shock and surprise.
"Bo? Is that you?" he yelled to her.
"Of course it's me! I came to find you!" she shouted to him.
"You came to find me? Why?" he yelled again to her.
"Long story Erik!" she shouted, again.
"Come down here I need to talk to you!"
"Alright, I'll be right there!" she said.
Erik decided that since they were all alone, and he loved her with all his heart it was time to tell her how she felt. Bo on the other hand was simply hoping that whatever happened here it would be for the best. She dodged many ice chunks and rock while sledding down to Erik. Once she stopped, she got up and walked over to him, but he signaled for her to go into the ice formation in the center of Emperor Land, where all the Elders used to stand upon. Once she got it, she found him staring down into a small pool of water near the back of the opening. She didn't what was wrong, but she didn't have a good feeling about it. As she walked up behind him, he suddenly broke the silence and said what he was thinking.
"Who am I Bo? What have I become?" Bo was confused, she thought he was going to tell her how he felt, but being the good friend she was, Bo cared and helped anyway.
"You are Erik, the friend to me and so many, and you haven't become anything, you're the same caring, and free spirited penguin I've known since we were chicks."
"But I want to be more than that Bo…I feel like something's missing from my life, that's why I came here. I was hoping I could find it, somewhere here in our old home." She was tempted, but didn't say it.
"There's only one way you could know what's missing Erik, you have to see it, and then you could believe it, or disregard it. All I can tell you for sure, is it's out there in the world, you just gotta be sure of it went you find it."
Erik turned around and looked at Bo for the first time since the incident with Age at Catch or Chorus. She never looked more beautiful to him, and he suddenly felt he had found it. He was ready to risk everything with his next words.
"Some might say its right here with me. But…I think they're right, I feel like it is here with me." Bo could speak, she wasn't sure if he had just said what she thought he said, so he waited for him to speak again. "Scratch that, I know it's here with me, just by looking in your eyes I know it's there." It was now Bo's turn to risk everything.
"Erik, I'm falling in love with you…"
"And I'm falling in love with you too Bo." Bo suddenly had so many questions, none of which could come out except for one.
"When…when did you start feeling this way?" she said pushing her beak up against his in a tight cuddle.
"Since you went to Adelie Land all by yourself, the courage you showed, the kindness you showed for your nation and everyone in it. It was enchanting." She blushed at his comment, and then he rotated the question. "When did you start loving me?"
"Well, at the time, I didn't know it was called love, but after I saw you and your Pa dance with the elephant seals, and how much spirit was in your heart during and after the event, you just seemed so much more…different."
"Sounds like we started liking each other at about the same time."
"Yeah, who knew? Look I know I love you Erik, but I just wish I had a way to prove it." Erik though for a second and then spoke again.
"Well…I can think of one way, but maybe we should wait a few days, you know after we sing to each other?" Erik said. Bo instantly knew what he was saying, but her passions took control.
"Oh Erik, I don't think I can wait. I love you too much, besides, we could always…do it again?" he smiled.
"Bo, if it means that much to you, I will mate with you, but know this is for you."
"We're old enough Erik, and with the pairings being a short time away, no one will suspect a thing." Bo was ready for this, mentally and spiritually. They both smiled at each other, being warmed up by the closeness to one another and only two things were left to be said.
"I love you Erik."
"And Bo, I love you too."
(Back at the hideout with Age and Hayley)
Age and Hayley had been sleeping for some time now. The glow of the moon shown on the two, they had proved they loved one another, and they were ready to move on into the future in each other flippers. Suddenly, Hayley stirred, she was then awoken by the sound of footsteps. Her head shot up and got up and slowly and carefully looked around the opening to see what was there. She saw two other Emperor penguins looking around as if they lost something. She gasped and slowly turned around and rushed to wake Age up.
"Age, Age!" she continued to shake him and whisper his name. "Age! Wake up, please, wake up!" After that his eyes slowly opened and her immediately showed concern for his love.
"Hayley, what's wrong?" She shushed him and told him to whisper.
"My Uncle and boyfriend are out there…" she said gesturing to the opening where she came in. Age didn't care, her boyfriend?
"Boyfriend? Are you cheating on me with him?" She started to cry quietly, but they were tears of joy. She then shook her head.
"No Age, I'd never, I'm cheating on him with you. See after the disaster, I held you in my heart, but I figured I should move on to other penguins, but none would ever be better than you." Age understood how she felt, so he didn't mind, she was with him now anyway. Just then, they heard one of the two say,
"Hey, I think I heard something over here." Hayley began to panic and tried to shoo Age away.
"Go, go, go, Age! I'll find you later." But Age refused to go.
"Hayley, what's going on here?" he questioned not in a demanding voice, but in a caring and calm voice. She was readying to answer when the world froze.
"Trixie? What's going on here? Who's this?" It was Hayley's boyfriend, Bandit, nickname of course.
"Bandit, how nice to see you…" her uncle walked in, "And you brought my Uncle Richie with you, that's nice." She was speaking in an extremely nervous tone.
"Trix…I'm playing games, who's this? And why is there a goofy smell in the air?" Bandit said sniffing the air. (Why? Penguin research, look it up…)
Her uncle was the next to step in. "Trix, you're coming home with us right now, geez you had me worried sick, disappearing in the middle of the night to see this boy, and I took you for the faithful type!" She was quick to protest.
"Uncle Richie I am the faithful type, faithful to my heart." Richie stopped pushing her along looked at her and brushed off the comment and kept moving. Hayley stole a quick look at Age and watched Bandit walk up to him.
"Look man, I don't know what you did to my girl, but if I ever catch you with her again…" Hayley couldn't take it, she broke free of her uncle's grip and shoved herself between her ex and her love.
"Stop it Bandit, leave him alone!" Richie was one to question her behavior.
"Trixie what has gotten into you? Just last week you told Bandit you love him."
"I did…but then…" Bandit interrupted.
"First of all who's this guy?" Hayley looked at Age and said what her heart told her.
"He's Cold, the chick from my chick hood, he's alive, and he still loves me!" she told Bandit.
"Seriously Trix? What could possibly make you chose this icicle over me?" he and her uncle crossed flippers and awaited her answer. She was readying to answer when Bandit interrupted again. "And don't bother saying you love him! Obviously those words mean nothing to you seeing as how you used them twice in the same week on different penguins!"
Hayley wasn't sure what to say. She considered telling them the truth, but she'd have to run for her life if she did that. She quickly thought up a number of lies, but none seemed good enough. She looked at Age and he gave her a slow and final nod. She knew it was time to say how she felt, she was ready to leave.
"Because…I'm carrying his egg…" both Bandit and Richie got wide eyed, but Bandit acted first.
"You…!" he said and lunged at them.
"Age run!" She commanded, and they both flung themselves out of the other side of the hideout and belly sledded down the mountain side.
They heard a terrible cracking noise, and Hayley looked back just in time to watch the whole hideaway give in. She started crying, because her Uncle Richie was still in there, and didn't stop until they reached the bottom near the edge of the ocean. She never saw Bandit again, and they never went back to that place. Age had felt horrible, he felt like the whole thing was his fault. He stared endlessly into the ocean as he had just before Roxy died, but this time, Hayley was there to comfort him.
"What did we do Hayley?" she knew what to say.
"We proved it; we proved we loved one another. Age I promise you, I have no regrets." This made him smile. He felt a song awake in him, a song for two, and a song they had already sung together. (This is the full song from the previous chapter, I wrote it, it's called For You (What it takes). Tell me what you think.)
I know what it takes to fly
I know what it takes to forgive
Take my flipper and we'll be learning
For the time of the heart is yearning
And we all must give, to see, to do
For somehow, someway, someday…
Her head rose from her sorrow, and she listened, body and soul.
A child weeps, somewhere
He sang as he put his flipper on her belly,
A mother's lullaby could show how to care
A steady rain, and the vanish of, pain
No one, no way could be an image
Be the hero, they never had, and be true
This time however, she started to sing with him. To give the chick inside her a true mother's lullaby.
I know what it takes to fly
I know what it takes to forgive
Hold on to my heart, and we, will
For the time of peace, a winter's chill
And we must see, to have, to share
For someone, somewhere, someday
They looked at each other, then back down to Hayley's belly as they sang this line of the song.
I dream of your smile, and a laugh
Take my flipper, I'll show you something grand
A land of love, a land of life
And a land of laughter
Somehow
For someone
Someday
(Come with me, I'll show you the way)
This is my prayer
For
You…
The last time they sang this was to each other, this time, it was to their baby. The proof of their undying love for one another. They fell asleep that night in each other's flippers, safe, warm, and soon to be parents. Far away in the ice formation, Erik and Bo lay sleeping as well, new life growing inside her too. But to anyone who found out about their actions that night, the real magic was between Age and Hayley, and their egg, just waiting to be laid.
Okay, so you were warned. If you find it unsettling, just please read the next chapter, it'll all make sense.
