Chapter 10: Revealing the Secret
"Where is our money?!" Bada cornered Julien, Maurice and Mort shaking behind him.
Bing was running around trashing the place, throwing fruits all over and tearing down their decorations.
"Well, eh, you see, there is a pressing situation –" Julien tapped his fingers together but Bada cut him off.
"I think you're in a more pressing situation." Bada growled and moved closer to the lemurs.
Isobel had to think fast. Her bow and arrows were too far away, and there was no time to run and get the penguins. She moved her heavy ring to her right middle finger, should she need it.
Mikhailov. She thought. She already knew he could feel her pain, but could he feel her panic?
She would have to try.
"Bada!" She shouted, heart hammering.
He looked over at her, and she put her hands on her hips, standing up straight.
"Well." Bada smiled. "You didn't tells me this was your girl."
"Yes, everyone is always so surprised." Julien rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I thought she was one of them penguins' girls, she's always hanging around over there." Bing commented.
"Ha!" Julien laughed. "As if."
Bada only turned and growled at him. "Ain't nobody talkin' to you, King Clueless."
Isobel gritted her teeth, walking a little closer. "What are you doing here?"
Where are you, Mik?
"Well your royal boyfriend Sir Doofus ovah here asked a favor of us yesterday." Bada smirked, also stepping closer to her. "It's a pretty big one, and he owes us."
Isobel whipped her head in Julien's direction. "You did this?"
Julien opened his mouth to speak, but Bada beat him to it. "Sure did. And we need payment. Immediately."
Bada eyes flicked to Isobel's hoop earrings, glittering with diamonds. His eyes widened.
"Those'll do!"
Isobel was shocked that he actually tried to reach for them, but she was ready, and she moved her weight to her right foot, arching back her shoulder.
Pow!
She punched Bada right on the cheek, and he side stepped, reaching up to feel his stinging face. Isobel's ring had left an angry red stamp shaped like the Atlantean symbol.
The other lemurs gawked, mouth agape, and Isobel shook her wrist. It had hurt to throw a punch that hard and she was sure she made a connection with his cheek bone.
Both Bada and Bing looked stunned. But that quickly wore off and turned to rage.
Before Isobel had a chance to decide what to do next, she heard a familiar flap of wings, and Mikhailov dropped down in front of her, swishing his tail and splaying his wings out to make himself look larger. He faced the two gorillas, a low growl rising from his throat.
"Can I help you?" He asked intimidatingly.
Now Bada and Bing looked terrified. Bing took off back to their habitat, and Bada stood there stammering.
"Well, uh, you see, they, uh – Nope! No time for this!" He also ended up running off, no promises of vengeance.
Once they were out of sight, Mikhailov let out his breath, and lowered his head.
"Are you alright, Mikhailov?" Isobel asked him.
"I flew vrom New Jersey." Mikhailov rolled his eyes up towards her. "Lady Aysobel vhy do you attract the villains?"
Isobel crossed her arms now. "It wasn't me this time."
Mikhailov caught his breath, and he looked over at the other lemurs coming out of their corner.
"You?" He focused on Julien. "You put her een danger?"
"Look, I wasn't meaning to!" Julien relaxed with the two toughs gone. "I just…I was planning something special for Valentine's."
Isobel's face softened a little, but she let Mikhailov speak.
"Oh, that ees funny!" Mikhailov rolled his eyes. "Bringing thugs near her. Some romantic geeft."
"Ha, you're funny." Julien crossed his arms now, not laughing in the slightest. "We're actually going to Brazil." And then his eyes went wide, realizing he had made a mistake by revealing that. "I mean…Yeah, I don't even know what that could have sounded like."
"Brázil?" Isobel said quietly as she unfolded her arms and walked over to Julien. "Tonight?"
Julien smiled at her, knowing she wasn't mad anymore. "Yeah, it is Carnaval this week. I thought you would like it."
Isobel's eyes glittered and she smiled back, but before she could say anything, Mort jumped between them and said, "Yayy, carnival! Cotton candy!"
"Not like that, Mort!" Julien pushed him down. "You wouldn't understand."
"Who will come with us?" Isobel asked him.
Julien frowned a little, but he understood she probably wouldn't be comfortable going with only him just yet. "Well, whoever you want. But you gotta decide like right now cos we're already late!"
Isobel thought quickly. "This is a one chance opportunity."
Julien nodded a little and shrugged. "Well I mean it happens every year but sure."
She looked up at him. "Let's take the penguins. They are lonely. And Mort and Maurice, of course."
Mikhailov ruffled his feathers, and Isobel looked over at him, asking if he wanted to come.
Mikhailov shook his head. "Nyet. Ees not my scene." And then he glared sternly at Julien. "But you vatch over her like hawk. I am not vlying to Brazil."
"No problem." A sly smile crossed Julien's face and Mikhailov growled a little.
Isobel and Julien hurriedly ran over to the penguins' while Maurice packed their things in a rush. He figured they wouldn't be staying long, but he didn't want to under-pack.
Isobel dropped down through the fish dish, and the penguins turned around. They were in the 'living room' watching an action movie.
They saw that she had obviously run there, but she looked happy, so it wasn't a matter of life and death.
Skipper raised an eyebrow. "Isobel, what-"
"Come to Rio de Janeiro with us."
Well, looks like they're going on an unexpected trip! Also, just for anyone that doesn't know, Carnaval is an annual celebration in Brazil that occurs about 45 days before the Catholic fast of Lent, which is one month before Easter. Anyways, Carnaval is this huge week-long party basically. There are parades and dancing and festivities and all that. They display it well in the movie Rio. Thanks for reading and remember to review! (: