Nico and Pedro were outside The Branch waiting for Nicole and Patty.
"Are you sure they didn't blow us off" Pedro asked.
"Why would you think that?" Nico asked in return.
"Well. for one, they were supposed to be here 15 minutes ago"
"Relax, everyone's late occasionally"
"I guess you're right"
XXX
"I thought you knew where that club was" Patty said.
"I know where it is in the daytime not the nighttime" Nicole explained.
"What's the difference?"
"For one, I can't really see considering that it's pitch black out here! I don't even think we'll find it-"
"Found it"
Patty pointed to the tarp covered club which was slightly out of view due to the nighttime. They could see Nico and Pedro outside.
"Hey there!" Nico called out when he spotted them "Where have you two been?"
"It's kinda hard to find a club in the middle of the night" Nicole stated, she and Patty flying towards them.
"that's okay" Nico took Nicole by her wing and led her inside, Pedro and Patty flew away somewhere else "C'mon, let's get started"
Nicole got a little nervous and pulled away "W-what? we're gonna start now?"
Nico nodded "Yeah, are you alright with that?"
"Uh...Yeah but, I didn't know we were gonna start so early"
"Don't worry Nicole, you'll do fine. besides, no ones gonna pay attention" Nico saw Nicole's nervous/desperate expression "but, if you really want to, we can go to a less crowded place"
Nicole sighed in relief "thanks Nico"
The two canaries flew over to a part of the branch that was less crowded and noisy.
"Okay, let's get started have you ever sang before?"
"I already told you, no. wait a sec" Nicole thought for a moment "does humming and whistling count?"
"Nope"
"Oh. in that case no"
"Alright then, let's start with something simple, sing doe, Rae, mi"
"Alright...d-do you mind turning around?" Nicole asked sheepishly
"Um, okay...sure" Nico obliged.
"And closing you're eyes?"
"Why?"
"Just do it"
"I'm just asking why"
"I SAID CLOSE YOUR EYES!"
"okay! okay! there closed"
"Good" with one sharp breath and a braking, shaky, quiet voice, Nicole ever so quietly sang the first note.
"Doe"
'okay, that was scratchy' Nicole thought 'no matter Nicole, on to the next note'
"Rae"
'better, a little squeaky...and I could be louder'
"Mi"
'ooh, a little monotone'
"Fa"
'oh, I like that'
"So"
'oh yeah, way better'
"La"
'Alright! I'm getting the hand of this'
"Ti"
'oh! I didn't know I could reach that note'
"Doe"
'wow, I 'got a nice voice'
Nico finally turned around, a look of amaze on his face.
"Wow" He said breathlessly "you're a fast learner, I mean the first few notes were a little sour but everything else...are you sure you've never sang before?" Nicole nodded.
"I'm pretty sure I've never sang before" She said.
"Like I said, you're a fast learner...you think you can add a few words now?"
"Probably"
"Okay then, how 'bout doin' a little improv?"
"Okay"
Nicole started tapping her foot, and humming a tune. She decided to sing a personal favorite of hers
"I got somewhere to be, I want you to come with me see I've put my sneakers on cause I'm gonna be dancin' after they all go home ..."
She trailed off, that's all she could remember from the song.
"Impressive" Nico said smiling "who knew you had such a nice voice?"
" I didn't even know" Nicole reminded him.
"Hey Guys" They heard Pedro, who had found them say.
"I hear the singing lessons going great"
"Were you eavesdropping?" Nicole asked suspiciously.
Pedro sputtered in disbelief "I can't believe you would even think I would do such a thing" he said in a hurt voice.
"Were you?" Nicole asked again.
"Yes. Nicole, I never knew you could sing" Pedro said trying to change the subject.
"I've already heard this like twice already"
"Sorry"
"I didn't say I didn't like it"
Patty came up from behind Pedro "Hey there guys! so Nicole, I was talking to a few birds and they loved us when we preformed Blow"
"you did all the singing, I just danced and opened a Perrier bottle" Nicole reminded her.
"Which is why they told me that they wanted to see you perform"
"What? Me? B-but I only had one lesson...and I never finished it"
"That don't matter Nicole" Patty insisted.
"I still don't know"
Nico put a wing on Nicole's shoulder.
"Nicole, if you're nervous, how 'bout I sing with you?"
Nicole aw'd "You'd do that for me Nic?" She pronounced the little nickname as "Neek"
"Sure, why not?"
"Oh thank you! I have a li'l song in mind" she whispered something to Nico that Patty and Pedro couldn't hear.
"you know that song?" Nicole asked.
"Like the back of my wing" Nico replied
"Good, now what are we doin' standin' around? we got a song to sing" grabbing Nico, Nicole ran/flew towards the performance room.
"Hey there party birds" Nicole Shouted to the crowd "So I hear that you liked Patty's singing" the crowd cheered "Well then" Nicole continued "I'm no singer like her but no matter, I have a great guy here to help me out" she gestured to Nico.
"Pedro! Patty! give us a beat"
The second The two cardinals started playing Nicole sang.
Nicole: La la la la la
La la na na na
La la la la la
La la na na na
she glanced over to Nico.
Nico: Girl I've been all over the world
Looking for you
I'm known for taking what I think I deserve
And you're overdue
He winked at Nicole. she lightly giggled.
And if you listen you can hear me through my radio
In that bright white noise
What I been missing in my life
What I been dreaming of
You'll be that girl
You'll be that girl
You'll be-
Nicole: -Everything you want so let me get up there
I'm the baddest baby in the atmosphere
Tell me what you want so we can do just what you like
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You, you make me feel that
Get a little closer to me girl
And you'll understand
'Cause if you want a guy that knows what you need
Well, then I'm your man
Nico grabbed in Nicole and twirled her around.
And if I listen I can hear you through my radio
In that bright white noise
What I been missing in my life
What I been dreaming of
You'll be that girl
You'll be that girl
You'll be-
he let go of Nicole, who did a rockstar slide.
Nicole: -Everything you want so let me get up there
I'm the baddest baby in the atmosphere
Tell me what you want so we can do just what you like
Ooh
Everything you know I'm flipping upside down
Take you 'round the world
You know I like it loud
Tell me what you want 'cause we can do just what you like
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel, oh
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel, oh
Nicole: La la la la la
the music stopped for a moment
Nicole: Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Let the lights drop
Let the lights drop
Make my world stop
Make my world stop
she paused then struck a pose before singing again.
Nicole: La la la la la
La la na na na
Both: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico:You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel, oh
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel so
Nicole: La la la la la
Nico: You make me feel that
Nicole: La la la la la
The crowd went wild.
"So, how was that?" Nicole, who was panting asked.
"It was good" Nico answered
XXX
"That was awesome you two" Patty complemented after Nicole and Nico got off the stage.
"Thanks, I never thought I would ever sing in front of a bunch of birds"
"Well you did girl" Pedro said as he patted her on the back.
"I don't even think you needed that "Lesson"" Nico stated.
"What do ya mean?"
"I think you were just too scared, like you weren't uh...Pedro what's that thing Ralfy always tells us about?"
"Feel the rhythm of your heart?"
"Yeah that, you didn't feel the rhythm of your heart"
Nicole nodded "that makes sense...I guess, whose "Ralfy?""
"Only the king of Carnevale" Nico answered "we'd introduce you to him but, its like 12:30"
"wow, already?" Patty asked particularly no one.
"In that case we should get going" Nicole left the club but just as she stepped outside she saw a black figure of a cat that disappeared quickly.
"That's weird" She said to herself.
"What's weird?" Patty asked as she, Nico and Pedro left the club.
"I thought I saw a cat"
Pedro and Patty started chuckling when she said that.
"What?"
Patty waved her away "Nothin'"
Nicole shrugged and flew to where she saw the cat figure, but she didn't see anything.
"but I could've swore..."
She looked closer, only to see two bright green eyes staring at her.
"GAH!"
"Hello Nicole" it took her a few moments to figure out who the pair of eyes were.
"Mouze?"
"The one and only. Now what are you and Patricia doing at this time of night?" Mouze asked.
"None of your monkey business"
Mouze chuckled and walked out of the shadows.
"then why don't you come back home where its safe?"
Nicole thought for a moment. she couldn't just leave, Patty would worry about her, that and she just made two new friends.
"No" she answered sternly.
Mouze scoffed "'No'? aren't you scared that Amanda-Jo would be worried about you and Patricia? She won't care about me, I'm a has been...But I'm sure it'll break her heart if she found out that her favorite pets disappeared"
"As tempting as that is...No" Nicole said.
Mouze death stared at her for a second "fine then" she finally said, she turned around and started to walk away "Go get lost in the city, in the jungle for all I care, I'm sure you'll be back before Amanda-Jo wakes up"
"Fine" Nicole flew away. When she was a good distance away, Mouze turned around and followed her again.
"well..." Patty said when Nicole returned.
"I did see a cat" Nicole answered "It was Mouze"
"What?" Patty complained "She followed us here? oh that's just great"
"Whose Mouze?" Pedro asked.
"The cat we were talkin' to you boys about earlier today" Patty explained.
"she's not gonna be a problem will she?" Nico asked.
"No" Nicole looked in the direction Mouze was walking in. "Can we crash at your guys place?"
Nico and Pedro shrugged "Sure" They said "Just follow us"
The four birds took off to the jungle.
XXX
"Here we are" Nico said as they reached their hollow "Casa del Nico y Pedro"
Nicole looked around "Wow, its..."
"Disgusting" Patty finished.
"No, I was gonna say 'messy'"
"We don't care what you call it" Pedro said jumping on the bed of leaves which acted as his bed.
"Yo Pedro" Nico whispered.
"what?"
"Where they gonna sleep?"
Pedro sat up "oh, I never thought of that" He looked at the two girls who had made themselves at home.
"They could sleep in our beds for the nights" Nico suggested.
"That's fine with me" they turned back to the two girls.
"Hey" Nico called "you girls wanna sleep in our beds for the nights? It's the least we can do"
Nicole and Patty looked at the two boys then looked at each other.
"alright" They said.
"you two don't mind taking the floor?" Patty asked them.
"what? we'll be fine" Pedro insisted.
"Good enough for me" Patty fluttered into Pedro's bed and almost instantly fell asleep.
"Thanks for lettin' us crash here" Nicole said as she climbed into Nico's bed.
"Anytime Nicole" Nico said, Pedro was already sound asleep.
"Just holler if you need us" With that, he turned over and let sleep take over him.
Nicole turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling.
'I wonder what happened to Mouze'
XXX
Mouze roamed the jungle alone,Hoping she'd find Nicole are Patty, she stumbled across a marmoset camp a few trees back but they were just annoying and useless.
"This was a complete waste of time" she said to herself "Why did I follow those two anyways?"
Her thinking out loud was cut short when she heard a rustling in the trees.
"Who's there?" She called out.
She heard the same rustling only this time she saw a figure silhouetted the full moon.
"Come out! show yourself!"
The figure landed, the full moon was the only source of light and the figure was standing in the shadows of the trees.
"who are you?" The figure asked.
"why do you want to know" Mouze asked bitterly.
"oh no reason, can't a lone bird just fly around asking whose who?"
Mouze scoffed "Well if you must know, I'm a domesticated feline who has escaped the hollow loneliness of pet-hood to find two escapee birds...My names...Mouze"
"What?" The figure asked.
"Mouze" she said again, her nasal voice becoming even more nasally.
"what"
"Moh-Zay! just c-call me Moh-Zay, its easier anyways"
"Hmm, well then...Moh-zay, I know we just met and all but, I need to ask you a favor"
"Which is...?"
"For months I've been planning revenge for two certain Macaws, but I can't do it alone. I need a partner in crime, someone whose stealthy and quick"
"Hm... No. But, I think You'll be perfect for a job I can't do by myself. You see, the escapees I'm chasing belong to my owner, and they've been pampered and spoiled all their life while I was left to rot in the past. Well I'm sick of it, I want those two hunted down, and squashed"
"why should I help you, if you won't help me?" The figure asked.
"My plan involves...execution" Mouze said "execution" with a sing-song voice.
The figure thought for a moment "alright" It finally said "But afterwards, you help me with my macaw problem"
"Deal. Before we start though, what's your name?"
The figure finally stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight, revealing itself to be a Sulpher-crested cockatoo.
"Nigel"
A/N: you have NO IDEA how long it took me to finish this! oh well, i'm done anyways, I'm so sorry this chapter is So choppy, I'm sorry. On the bright side, since my birthday's coming up, I got a lap top.
-HTTYD and Rio forever.