Hello Saints and Sinners! CJzilla with another update! Thanks for waiting; I had to fight with this one XD. Now, in this chapter our two favorite royals are forced to interact and in the morning, it's anyone's guess if Sheba and Julien didn't tear each other to pieces. Enjoy.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love... Hate... Reivew.


Chapter 7

Shake It

Julien sat with his back against the door and his head tilted to the ceiling. It'd been exactly three hours since he and Sheba, the bird of paradise, had been locked in the Zoovenirs Shop. The kingly ring-tailed lemur listened to the music boom and then fade within the last half an hour. Pathetic, really. If HE was out on the dance floor, he'd still be shaking his booty; the other animals just didn't have the party-drive like he did. Then there was a clatter from the far end of the shop. A scowl rippled across Julien's face. He was reminded that he shared this souvenir prison with another. The lemur couldn't help but listen to Sheba's aggravated grunt as she hopped along window.

Sheba scratched her manicured claws on the glass, trying to force the cracked window opened just a little more. Her attempts were beginning to look absolutely useless. The female bird of paradise finally snorted and flew off of the window's ledge. There were two other windows in the accursed building; she WOULD get out. Sheba had scarcely landed at the second window when she heard a loud sigh from her unwilling cellmate.

"Be giving it a break, all ready." The ring-tailed lemur pleaded as he got to his feet. "Dere is no means of escape."

Sheba turned up her beak and continued to claw at the window. Julien walked to the middle of the shop's floor and watched her.

"I will not remain another second in this place!" She fumed. "This is defiance of the highest degree!"

Julien shrugged.

"Eh. You get used to it." He responded lazily, bored with sitting around. There was a pause from the female bird.

"You mean… your subjects are ALWAYS this rebellious?" Sheba gave him a look of genuine surprise.

"De solitary confinement is slightly new." Julien admitted, scratching his nose absentmindedly. "But yes. Dey are bold with their defiance."

Irritation came to the bird's face.

"Well, congratulations." She sneered. "You have a strong-minded kingdom."

Julien brightened.

"Oh! So you are admitting dat I am king?" He questioned slyly. Sheba sighed.

"You have some degree of royalty to influence the animals' lives as you have today. They themselves admitted it." The bird squeezed out. She stole a glance at the lemur's face.

Sheba saw a child-like giddy grin on Julien's expressive face. The lemur gave a jovial giggle before climbing up onto the counter, just below her.

"And why shouldn't my subjects be troubled when their king is suffering?" Julien put a paw haughtily on his chest. "Dey love me like dat."

The bird of paradise gave a mocking smirk.

"Love you enough to lock you in here?" She bit. The lemur returned her mocking smirk.

"With you." He returned. Sheba's smirk vanished.

The female bird grunted with frustration as she pressed her head against the glass.

"My bubble bath is getting cold." She whined, longing to take another bath. "And don't think just because I am talking to you that I am any less angry with you."

Julien quirked a brow, looking confused.

"For the MUD you threw at me, you dense primate!" Sheba snapped, reminding him. Julien suddenly remembered but was equally angered by her insult.

"You gave me a bath of old pudding!" Julien fired back. "And I require an apology of de sincerest magnitude!"

He turned indignantly. Within in that same second, he heard Sheba's flapping wings and her dainty form land on the counter where he was standing.

"Apologize?! YOU threw MUD on me!" The female bird spat. "You deserved getting covered in that moldy statue!"

The ring-tailed lemur whirled around and looked Sheba in the eye.

"And you deserve a splat of mud in your face, bird!" Julien's fur rose off of his back. Sheba returned his glare.

"You deserve to be shaved." The bird of paradise retaliated.

"You deserve to be plucked." The lemur growled back.

"You deserve to be manhandled!" Sheba retorted. "Oh, wait. That all ready happened yesterday."

Julien smoldered.

"You drew the first drop of blood, harpy!" Julien's fur rose off of his back. "You came to MY kingdom and do de hostile takeover!"

"I'm the REAL royal here!" Sheba barked. "You are nothing but a silly raccoon!"

Julien face-palmed, muttering inaudible curses under his breath. Without another word, he stomped off the counter, dropped to the ground and trudged back to the door. Sheba watched him sit in a huff and couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt. His kingdom… Sighing, the female bird returned to her window ceil where she watched the New York cityscape off in the distance.

Another hour of unsettled silence passed. Given the amount of time and his short attention-span, Julien was busying himself with a stuffed lemur doll made in his likeness.

"All right little dolly." He started talking to the plushie. "I, King Julien, am de number-iest one in de whole zoo, right? I mean, I am de kingliest of kings? I am still a king? TELL ME I AM A DE REAL ROYAL HERE!"

He shook the doll like a maraca. Julien gave the plushie a hopeful look but its head merely popped off. Sighing, he rolled his eyes.

"Thanks for not being a source of assist at all." The lemur mumbled. He felt another wave of boredom wash over him as he looked back at the doll. "I am still wicked hot, right? I still de most delicious lemur in all de land! My subjects love my ferociously handsome bod!"

He had barely squeezed out that sentence when he felt someone watching him. Looking up at the nearest display, he saw Sheba perched on it. She cocked her head curiously at him.

"Who are you talking to?" The bird of paradise questioned. The ring-tail lemur narrowed his eyes at her.

Sheba opened her colorful wings and drifted to the floor. Now standing in front of him, Sheba could see the distaste on Julien's face. Upon spotting the headless doll in his grasp, the female bird gave him a funny look. The lemur turned his back to her, sticking his nose in the air.

"So…" She began awkwardly as Julien held his back to her. "I understand you like dancing?" She moved around him and tried to get him to look at her. "Are you any good?"

Still, the lemur frowned, folded his arms and turned his back on her again. Sheba gave a small giggle as she rounded him again, letting her tail-feathers brush against his fur.

"Oh. Giving me the silent treatment, are you?" The female bird pried. Julien's face remained annoyed. "Very well. I was going to ask if you would like to dance but it looks like you have something else to do."

Sheba tossed a glance at the doll in Julien's grasp. The lemur was firm in his pout; his expression hadn't changed. In a weird mix of relief and disappointment, Sheba opened her wings and flew into the air. Upon landing on the cashier's counter, the female bird of paradise. Sheba hopped to a small AM/FM radio being the cash register. Flicking it on, she searched for a music channel. In just a few turns of the dial, music poured out of the radio. Sheba smiled as her foot began tapping. Before she knew it, she was dancing.

Transported to a magical realm where dancing took her, Sheba hadn't realized that Julien was on his feet and peering up at her from on the floor. He watched her dance until he finally admitted something to himself. It looked like fun. Throwing his headless doll over his shoulder, the lemur made a break for the counter. Climbing up to the dance floor, Julie barely dodged Sheba's tail-feathers. Scrunching his nose, Julien hopped over to the radio and changed the channel. Sheba immediately stopped dancing.

"Hey!" She objected. "I was-!"

"I know of a better, booty-shaking channel." Julien cut her off, spinning the dial of the radio. Sheba rolled her eyes and waited.

And then better, more pulsating dance music filled the air. As the lemur stood, he saw Sheba giving him a pleasantly surprised look.

"I am a professional when it comes to de radio." Julie gave her a smile. The female bird was delighted.

"I LOVE it!" She cheered. Now it was Julien's turn to look pleasantly surprised. "It's just so-…"

Sheba didn't finish as she started to dance again. Julien smiled and started to dance himself. He scarcely started to move when Sheba's long and large tail-feathers knocked off his crown. As it clattered to her feet, the lemur stiffened, irritated again. The female bird of paradise's hopped over to him. Sheba picked up his crown and moved over to him, raising his crown to put it back on his head.

When she her wings came down over him, Julien was hit with rich hues of greens, green-blues and purple. Sheba was indeed colorful and regal. Pulling those two things together made her beautiful. He didn't realize he was staring at her until he felt his crown fall back onto his head. Sheba dropped her wings. With a big music-intoxicated smile on her face, the female bird of paradise mouthed the word "sorry". And then she dropped to the floor and picked up where she left off.

Julien instinctively straightened his crown and watched her dance. Her spins and hops were no where near as good as his but the multi-colored, nearly shimmering light that came from her fanned feathers were mesmerizing. The lemur's smile exploded off of his face as he scampered back to the radio. Turning up the volume, Julien hopped to the floor.

Sheba opened her eyes when she heard Julien turn up the radio. He was dancing right next to her. The female bird paused for a few long moments, watching the lemur dance. Sheba was enchanted with what she saw. Julien was an avid dancer and the moves he pulled left the bird dazed. It seemed that the best dancer she'd ever seen was this spoiled, eccentric lemur!

Julien tossed his arms in the air and felt the music come in through his fingertips, bounce inside him and flow out of his tail. The lemur jumped around before he felt Sheba at his side. Opening his eyes, Julien saw the female bird of paradise looking at him with charmed, half-opened eyes. Sheba held her eyes to his as she danced around him, fanning her feathers and showing him even more colors within her beautiful plumes. The lemur watched this dance with eager curiosity. The bird stopped in front of him, covering her face with her wings. Julien smiled and cut a rug, spinning and break-dancing. Sheba peeked through her wing. Julien was really rocking; she would go so far as to say absolutely amazing.

Julien stood, striking a pose before catching his breath. Sheba opened her wings, hopped to the left and hopped to the right. Then she jumped high into the air and landed dangerously close to him. Julien took the hint. He smiled back and grabbed her. The two royals began to dance together and into the night.

Monday morning. It was pretty early; too early for the zoo staff to have arrived yet. Then penguins and Maurice and Mort stood in front of the Zoovenirs Shop. There was a long silence from the animals.

"Do you think they ate each other?" Mort, the Goodman's mouse lemur questioned, his tail coiled around his body. Kowalski gave a dry laugh as Private looked fearful.

"Not impossible so I will say probable." The tall, brainy penguin responded. Even Maurice looked a little guilty and frightened.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that this was a bad idea…" The aye-aye stated, looking at Skipper. "When Julien gets his freak on, there ain't much stopping him. Including Sheba."

Skipper gave Maurice a slightly-concerned-but-more-irritated look.

"We move in once Marlene gets here." The lead penguin returned. "Then we'll know the gruesome truth in horrifying detail."

Then they all heard the pitter-patter of the otter's feet on the concrete walkway. The animals turned and were surprised to see a large fruit-hat on Marlene's head.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late." The Asian otter immediately apologized. She was met with a stunned silence as her friends could just stare at her head. "It's-… uh… my new look. What do you think?"

"Fruity!" Rico pointed before flopping on his back and laughing his nutty head off. Skipper cast a scowl at Rico before pointing at Kowalski.

"Kowalski." The brainy penguin nodded before leaning over and slapping Rico. Skipper stepped up to Marlene. "You're with me. We're just about to crack this Pandora's Box open and since everyone else is too lily-livered to join me, it's up to you Marlene."

He gestured for the otter to walk beside him. Jumping up to the lock, Skipper hit the doorknob. Instantly it opened. The otter and penguin walked inside as the door swayed shut on them.

"Question Marlene." Skipper said to his friend as they walked into the dark shop. "What's with the head-gear?"

Marlene gave him a coy smile before twiddling her thumbs.

"I'm experimenting with my look, is all Skipper." She was lying and it didn't take Skipper's colorful years as an interrogator to determine that. The penguin shook his head.

"You're fibbing, Marlene." He told her as he reached up and plucked the hat from her head. "Disregard Queeny's comment about your looks. You're straight up perfection to me."

The otter thanked the darkness of the room as her face was turning red.

"Thanks Skipper." Marlene responded, eyes on her feet. Skipper gave a less than friendly grunt as he was trying to hide the blush on his own face.

Tossing the fruit hat over his shoulder, he cleared his throat and continued the search.

"You're welcome. Now; let's find Queeny and Ring Tail's remains; IF there is any." The penguin ventured deeper into the store. Marlene followed close behind as started calling out for the two royals.

"Sheba! Julien! Where are you?" The otter glanced around the darkened room. Nothing.

Skipper stopped and sighed.

"Keep your feet planted right here, Marlene. I'm hitting the lights." Marlene heard Skipper slide off. Within two seconds, the large fluorescent lights came on.

The otter blinked, adjusting her amber eyes to the new light. And then the penguin was at her side again.

"Ring Tail! Queeny! Sound off if you're not dead!" Skipper called out. Marlene swatted his shoulder. "What? They could very well be dead."

Finally there was a groggy moan from atop a display of T-shirts. Marlene and Skipper turned to the multi-tiered shelf.

"Identify yourself!" The penguin barked. Finally they saw Julien sit up.

He had fiercely-messy bed-head and looked like he'd just fell to sleep. Giving a loud yawn, Julien could barely keep his eyes open.

"What is with all de racket of noise? Can't you see dat I am attempting to sleep?" Yep; the lemur was just stirred from a deep sleep. Skipper and Marlene glanced at each other.

"Good morning, Ring Tail." The penguin quipped. Then he got serious. "Where's Queeny?"

Julien blinked and took a moment before Skipper's question sunk in.

"Oh. You are meaning Sheba." The lemur returned. Marlene and Skipper looked surprised; Julien used Sheba's name. "She's right here."

Then he turned his head and shook the bird of paradise that was sleeping right next to him. Sheba raised a wing and then rolled over, trying to get back to sleep. Well, needless to say, Skipper and Marlene were thunderstruck. They just stared, jaws on the floor and utterly shocked.

"Rise and shine, my little pigeon." Julien cooed, nudging Sheba more. It was at that point that Skipper and Marlene were just speechless. "Be waking up now. De zoo opens in a few minuets."

Finally Sheba got to her feet. Her eyes were still closed but she was awake. Julien swung his legs over the side of the display and gave Skipper and Marlene a sheepish grin.

"Uh… Big night." The lemur explained, shrugging a little. Then Julien hopped off of the top tier display.

The still asleep lemur hit every shelf on the way down to the floor. Giggling, Julien stood. Marlene and Skipper were still silent with surprise. The lemur shook his fur before patting his head; his crown was not with him.

"Sheba! Please be tossing down my kingly crown." He looked up. Sheba blinked sleepily before snatching his crown from the T-shirts.

She placed it on her head before gliding down to the floor. Julien took it carefully from her head.

"Thank you, my little dancing queen." The lemur purred. Sheba gave him a wily look before giving a big grin.

"Any time, Julien." The bird of paradise pressed her head to his cheek. The two royals embraced and Marlene and Skipper were more flabbergasted than before. "Well, I have another appearance in two hours. I would like to make an announcement promptly at noon."

"Of course. I shall be telling everyone of it!" Julien beamed. Sheba left the lemur's arms and smiled.

Then the bird of paradise flew to the nearest window and flew out of it. Julien giggled to himself before realizing that Skipper and Marlene were still staring at him.

"What? De window? I opened it last night. It got to be wicked hot in here." With that the lemur walked to the door and left the shop. There was a loud silence that then followed.

Marlene and Skipper glanced at each other.

"I saw what I thought I saw, didn't I?" Marlene questioned. Skipper shook his head but the shock was still on his face.

"Affirmative. We've just witnessed a peace treaty of… disturbing proportions." The penguin responded. "I will be seeing that in my sleep tonight."


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