Chapter 1

The Desire For The Experience Of Freedom

It was November 1, 2019, and Daria Hart, now in her early 30s, was sleeping in her comfy bed, in her authentic ranch-themed apartment. Suddenly, she was woken up by the sound of her alarm clock at 5:45 a.m. The sleeping beauty raised her left arm to shut off the alarm and sat up straight, stretching out her back, arms, and legs to remove the sleepy feeling from her body.

She then got out of bed. At the same time, her cat Ambrose who was sleeping on the bottom right corner of the bed, woke up and also stretched. Ambrose was a 3-year-old male, short-haired, orange tabby, wearing a red collar with a red heart-shaped tag with his name engraved in it.

As Daria headed toward the kitchen to make some morning coffee, Ambrose jumped off the bed, speed-walked to the kitchen meowing "good morning" to his mama, and jumped onto the kitchen counter while simultaneously making an adorable purring sound. His mama then turned to her baby and tickled him underneath the chin and behind his ears.

Once she had had her coffee and breakfast, Daria got into the shower to get ready for her daily shift at the conservatory. She put on her favorite t-shirt and skinny jeans, completing her unique style with her galaxy converse sneakers. Daria wore her long auburn hair in a casual braid. As she left for work, Daria turned to Ambrose and gave him a kiss goodbye.

Daria arrived at her conservatory at 8:45 a.m. and parked her white and seafoam green Volkswagen into her reserved parking lot. As she walked towards the entrance, she greeted Sam, the old security guard. Sam, by the way, is a dead ringer for Stan Lee.

Daria looked forward to working, for today was the day to release the bats into the wild, just in time for their migration to Hibernaculum. In addition to that, she would have to be traveling to Orlando, Florida to assist another conservatory.

Before she ended her shift, she decided to pay a quick little visit to a dear little friend. The young scientist walked to the elevator and pressed the button to go to the top floor. Daria walked straight down the hall; passed the lab with an artificial jungle, towards a highly restricted lab that contained a forest. She then took her ID badge, sliding it through the security access scanner and entered into the man-made forest.

Inside the forest, were the Gold-wing bats that her late Aunt Katherine secretly cared for. There were so many of them that Daria lost count. There was one particular Goldwing who looked forward to this visit more than Daria. A young teen female named Rachel. She was a very unique little Gold-wing bat. She had tan fur with a bright yellow mane, and long flowing brown hair from her crown. Rachel's golden wings glittered with gold dust, and she wore a silver band on her left arm.

Ever since this young Gold-wing bat was born, Rachel had a special bond with Daria. Everyday, Daria would come to visit Rachel for a daily check-up, but mostly to socialize. Often, Daria would bring her cat Ambrose to the lab and to guard the Gold-wing bats. And true enough, Ambrose and Rachel became BFFs. There were even some times that Daria would sing songs from her favorite childhood movies (including Disney songs) to the little Goldwing just to make her smile, because she was mesmerized by Daria's voice.

After their little social visit had ended, Daria kissed her index finger, slightly tapped Rachel on her nose, and then gave her a loving scratch behind her right ear. This was always the way they ended their visit and how they said goodbye. Daria then made her way to the exit and securely locked the door.

At the sound of the door locking shut, Rachel's loving expression faded into a sad, lonely, and neglected expression and she retreated to join her colony. She had always been fond of the humans, especially Daria, for their kindness, their love and their care towards all the bats. However, when it came to the time that the humans would release the other bats into the wild, the young Goldwing felt that both she and her colony would never be given the same opportunity. 'Oh Daria,' she thought. 'When will you ever let us go out there to migrate with the other bats? When?'

Rachel loved both her colony and Daria with all her heart, but the one thing that she longed for more than anything in the world... was the chance to be free. She wished for the chance to escape the artificial world and be able to roam freely around the outside world. The chance to fly without walls or cages and the chance to meet all different kinds of animals and other bats. Experience life like a real bat and migration. To feel the call of the wild.

Her colony, however, believed that they would be safer and a lot happier within the walls of their artificial forest. Some of the Goldwing adults thought Rachel was a bit... well... odd; not just because of her beliefs about freedom, but mostly because of a very particularly yet mysterious fact about her that has never been explained before. You see, whenever Rachel sings with her strong beautiful voice... her gold-dusted wings glow!

One young, shallow, conceited Goldwing named Roland who wanted to claim Rachel for his mate, thought it was absolutely ridiculous to believe or even dream about freedom. He believed this simply because it has never been done before. Rachel's parents and her older sister Jill, have always shown love and support and believed in her, and knew that one day Rachel would set them all free.

That night, after eating a few mosquitos, Rachel roosted on a high branch near an air vent, where she liked to go to be alone. As she gazed up at the night sky through the tiny glass dome, and sighed deeply, wondering when she will ever get the chance to go out there into the unknown. The chance to gain experience and finally feel free. As she started to sing, her gold-dusted wings slowly began to glow.

Guess we all are born with parts to play

As Rachel continues to sing, she gazes down to her colony as they sleep cozily in their roosts. Her wings of gold dust sparkling and glimmering like the stars in the night sky.

Some of us are stars and some are just in the way

The sad teen then turns back towards the stars.

I knew I was meant for glory, but that's never what my story brings

And yet I keep on waiting

Standing up on her branch, Rachel flies over to the air vent, staring at the wall, unaware that someone on the other end of the vent, was listening to her sad song.

When you have the passion and the drive,

You expect your moment center stage to arrive

She places her right hand on the wall, thinking back of her recent visit with Daria. And the flashback faded.

She walks a little until she was right in front of the air vent.

I show up with heart ablazing, ready to achieve amazing things

Her two hands formed into fists as she held them close to her heart, closing her eyes with determination. She then hung her head down while her arms simultaneously slackened until they dropped, hanging down at her sides.

But I'm left waiting in the wings

Rachel lifted her head and made a quick left turn to gaze up at the stars in despair and walked forward as she continued singing.

I hear my cue, and yet, I'm kept there waiting

Know what to do, and still, I stand there waiting

She stops, placing her left hand on the wall.

It's always someone else who sings,

While I'm left waiting in the wings

Rachel clenched her hands into fists out of frustration, turning towards her usual perch, spreading out her illuminating wings and then took off into the air as she sang.

And so I keep on keeping on

The young Goldwing landed on the rim of the glass dome, with determination.

My chances come, and then I blink and they're gone

Always overlooked unfairly while pretending that it barely stings

But it stings; yes, it stings

Spreading out her arms, with her wings gleaming and shining even brighter than ever before, Rachel let go of the heavy weight of anxiety, frustration, and sorrow from her chest as if they were like binding chains of agonizing grief.

And I'll shed no tears, I'll only keep on waiting

If no one cheers, well, I can keep on waiting

Who cares how loud the silence brings?

She then went silent, feeling relieved after letting herself go from the weight of her distress. Then she ended her song with a soft lonely tone in her voice, wrapping herself in her wings like a comfy blanket as their glow slowly faded back to normal; hanging from her lonely branch once more.

You'll find me waiting in the wings

A few sad moments later, Rachel turned to hear a sympathetic chuckle and she knew right away that it was the colony's leader, Nicodemus.

He was an elder male Goldwing with pale fur, creamy blonde hair and a matching long beard. His brown mane now faded with a golden streak, and faded vintage gold wings. His bright yellow eyes were filled with wisdom, and he too wore a silver band (slightly worn from age) on his left arm.

Just behind Nicodemus was Rachel's father, Markus. Markus had the familiar markings as his daughter, with the exception that he had a goatee. He too, as do all Goldwings in captivity, wore a silver band on his left arm.

"My dear, you have a beautiful voice," the elder spoke with such sympathy. "Along with those beautifully yet mysteriously glowing wings."

"And she always has," her father added.

Rachel gave them a warm empathetic smile and a soft little chuckle before letting her head down as smile quickly changed to a lonely frown. Nicodemus and Markus both frowned as well, because they knew exactly what was on her mind. The two males decided to join Rachel on her branch. Nicodemus roosted to her right, while Markus took her left.

Markus then wrapped his right wing around his daughter in comfort. "I think I know what's on your mind, Rachel" he began. "But tell me sweetie?"

Rachel let out a deep sigh, knowing that she can never keep anything from her father, and began to share her feelings. "Dad? Nicodemus? Do you think I'm... odd?"

Markus knew the answer was "no", but he decided to play along humorously just to cheer her up. "Hmm. Odd?" He tapped his chin, pretending to be in deep thought. "My daughter? Odd? Now where did you get an idea like that?" he smirked.

Rachel chuckled a little and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh I don't know. The other Goldwings talk."

Markus didn't say anything. As parents, both he and his mate, Sharyn, constantly worry about their daughters. Mostly Rachel, for she has never really had anyone in the colony to talk to except her sister, Jill. Even Markus wants his daughter to be safe; more importantly... he wanted her to be happy.

"Rachel," he began, "the walls of this artificial forest might make our world seem small, and our colony might seem small minded at times." Then he looked both ways to make sure that no one else was around. "Not that I'm complaining." He muttered that last part, which made both him and his daughter laugh, before he continued, "But small also means safe."

"I know. It's just that… well… " Rachel paused for a moment. "Have either of you or anyone in our colony ever wondered what it would be like to live out there? Outside the human city? Somewhere where there are no concrete walls to shutter you in? Somewhere in the world where you can be and feel free?"

Her father went into deep thought for a moment and then he softly responded, shrugging his shoulders. "Well... I can't say that I have, Rachie."

Rachel hung her head down, knowing that her father would say something like that.

Nicodemus, on the other hand (or wing in this case), was a wise and understanding elder. As leader of the colony, he always wants what is best for Rachel and the Goldwings. He knew how much this free-spirited young Goldwing wanted to go out there into the world, thirsting for excitement and experience.

Then the elder's eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head. He quietly hummed while stroking his long beard, pretending to be in deep thought. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a try," said the wise leader, breaking silence.

Suddenly, both Rachel's and Markus's heads jerked up and looked at Nicodemus questioningly.

"What?" the teen asked surprisingly. Rachel had never expected that from her elder.

"Nicodemus?" Her father added, unsure what was going on in the elder's head.

"Hmm?" The elder smirked, giving them a hint.

Neither Rachel nor Markus knew what Nicodemus was planning. But then it finally came to them. Rachel's eyes lit up with joy and a smile slowly spread across her face with glee. Markus smiled, realizing that Rachel was finally going to get her chance.

"Perhaps Nocturna has blessed you with glowing gold-dusted wings for a reason," he continued. "I believe she has given us a sign. I believe she wants you to take on this great once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Nicodemus," Rachel couldn't help but chuckle, "do you really mean it?

"Come," the elder encouraged, nudging his head. "I think we should share this news with the colony." The three Goldwings took off from their perch and flew down to the colony, where the elder will make an announcement of this grand adventure that the spirited Rachel will finally be embarking on.

Goldwing16's Note(s):

Hiya everybody! That is Chapter 1! I hope you all enjoyed that along with Rachel's musical number.

FUN FACT(S):

1. Ambrose the cat. He was base off of a cat of the same name from one of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies, Nine Lives Of Christmas. I just love the name Ambrose and I think it's a great name for a cat. Also I created Sam the security guard based on our legendary, dearly departed Marvel Comic creator and fellow Avenger, Stan Lee. May he Rest In Peace.

2. As for Rachel's musical number... well when I first heard the song Waiting In The Wings, I thought it was beautiful and strong and epic, and I thought it would be both perfect AND clever to use in this fanfiction. Get it? Wings? Bats? Haha!

3. And on top of that, scene of where Rachel's father Markus and their elder Nicodemus joined Rachel on her branch for a nice little chat, was based on the scene of Belle and her father from the 2017 live action version of Disney's Beauty And The Beast... With a little humor on my part.

Now the REAL question is... What is Nicodemus's plan? And what will the other Goldwings think? Stay tuned for Chapter 2!