(Song in this chapter: Two Tickets to Paradise by Eddie Money)
Following everything that had happened that day, the battle against Vor, Sofia getting pulled into her amulet and being rescued by Cedric, then having her being named as Protector of the Ever Realm, Sofia and her friends and family were more than ready for some down time. The graduation party was winding down at last, and Sofia, Amber, James, and all their friends were going to have a huge slumber party that night.
As they passed by the royal zoo, James saw his pet baboon reaching out to him. "Don't worry, Eddie," he said as he tossed him a few peanuts, "I know you probably saw everything, but Sof's okay.
"Eddie?" Hugo repeated.
"Eddie Monkey," James explained.
"Oh, I get it! Like the singer!" Vivian smiled. "But I thought the singer's name was really Eddie Money."
"It is, and can you blame me, Vivian?" James smirked, "I was only eight when he adopted me, and that's what I thought the singer's name was!"
"And we all know how great James is with words!" Desmond agreed.
"I think I sense a story coming on!" Dorrie grinned.
"Okay, I can tell you the story," James agreed. "It all started when Amber and I went to the Golden Wing Circus with Mom and Dad for the first time…"
Flashback
Eight-year-old James and Amber were excited following their first trip to the Golden Wing Circus. They had come back loaded with souvenirs, and they couldn't stop talking about all the things they saw, and as the family went inside the castle, Roland and Melinda said that James would have to go outside if he wanted to re-enact the jugglers' feats and the acrobats' tricks. They also thought he and Amber might be too keyed up to sleep that night, but the kids crashed immediately after dinner.
Later that night, everyone awoke to strange sounds. Flanked by guards, Roland went out to investigate.
Suddenly, they saw a figure approaching them. The guards moved forward, but they heard James' voice. "Dad, is everything okay?"
"James, what are you doing up?" Roland asked.
"I just wanted a glass of milk, then I was going back to bed," James said as he saw the guards with him. "What's going on?"
"We're investigating those noises that woke everyone," one of the guards, Talbott, explained. "Did you hear anything, Prince James?"
"No, I didn't hear anything," James shook his head. "Can I help too?"
"All right," Roland smiled, but he was surprised that James didn't notice anything, since he woke up for every little sound. But then he figured, since James had been in the kitchen getting a snack, he probably wouldn't have heard the noise. "Just stay close to us."
The group made its way out to the castle courtyard and were just about to start hunting when they saw a strange shape, which was making an even stranger noise.
"What's that?" James asked as the noises continued.
"That's what we're about to find out," Talbott's partner Barnaby assured him.
When the guards got closer, everyone was able to see it better. They saw that it was a small baboon that Roland and James had remembered seeing with the circus, who had possibly escaped, and had gotten himself tangled in some flower bushes. He squealed and grunted as he tried to free himself.
"So that's what those noises were," Roland smiled, thinking that he and Melinda would have a good laugh over being scared by a baboon.
"He made a monkey out of all of us!" James grinned, finding the situation pretty funny himself.
"Good one, Prince James," Barnaby smiled, ruffling his hair.
"Well, now how are we going to get him out of here without scaring him?" Talbott asked.
Suddenly, before anyone could stop him, James knelt by the baboon's side. "It's okay," he said softly, "I can help."
"Be careful, James," Roland said, but he kept the guards back so James could help it.
"I will, Dad," James smiled, then he turned back to the baboon. "Hey, how about this to help you? I don't have any food, but do you like music?"
Using a trick Queen Melinda always used when he or Amber got hurt, James started singing to the baboon as he started freeing him, and it was a song he'd heard the guards sing on occasion, Got a surprise especially for you
Something that both of us
Have always wanted to do
We've waited so long
Waited so long
We've waited so long
Waited so long
The baboon looked up at the new voice. He tried to reach up to James, but he couldn't move his hand.
"Don't move," James murmured, "I'll get you out of there." He smiled as he untangled him and continued the song, I'm gonna take you on a trip so far from here
I've got two tickets in my pocket, now baby
We're gonna disappear
We've waited so long
Waited so long
We've waited so long
Waited so long
"Well, this monkey knows good music when he hears it," Barnaby smiled, hearing one of his favorite songs.
"Prince James knows good music when he hears it too," Talbott smiled, recalling how James would sing along with the guards sometimes as he watched them.
At the same time, James was singing, I've got two tickets to paradise, won't you
Pack your bags, we'll leave tonight
I've got two tickets to paradise
I've got two tickets to paradise
Oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-ooh-oh-oh
"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, he likes it," Talbott smiled, hearing the baboon grunt as if he was singing too.
"Who doesn't like this song?" Barnaby chuckled.
"What's that phrase Melinda uses, music makes everything better?" Roland smiled.
Liking this song, the baboon grunted at James, who obliged by finishing the song.
I'm gonna take you on a trip so far from here
I've got two tickets in my pocket, baby
We'll disappear
(Know why?)
We've waited so long
Waited so long
We've waited so long
Waited so long
By now, even the guards and Roland finished the song with him, I've got two tickets to paradise, won't you
Pack your bags, we'll leave tonight
I've got two tickets to paradise, won't you
Pack your bags, we'll leave tonight
I've got two tickets to paradise, won't you
Pack your bags, we'll leave tonight
I've got two tickets to paradise
I've got two tickets to paradise
"Well done, Prince James," Talbott smiled as James got the last few vines untangled. "And the song wasn't bad either!"
When the baboon was free again, he jumped on James' shoulders, knocking him over.
"You're just like your mother," Roland chuckled as he helped him up, "But I don't think you or Amber ever did that when we took out your splinters and thorns."
"And it doesn't look like this monkey will be leaving Prince James' side any time soon," Barnaby agreed.
"Well, it seems like you've got yourself a new pet," Roland smiled, scratching the baboon's head. "Any thoughts on a name for him?"
James grinned. "In honor of the song, I'll call him Eddie Monkey!" In fact, that's what James had thought the original singer's name was, before his mother set him straight.
"You're good with words, and music too," Talbott smiled.
"You're definitely your mother's son," Roland smiled. "Now, what do you say we let him sleep in the royal zoo tonight, then in the morning we show your mother and sister the 'monster?'"
"Okay!" James smiled.
End Flashback
"James loves to sing!" Eddie smiled.
"He sure does," Sofia agreed, "And you were there when we learned why he wasn't singing in public before."
"He's singing now!" Eddie cheered, doing a few flips.
At the same time, even Amber was smiling. "Yes, I remember Daddy led Mother and I out to the castle zoo the next day and showed us 'the monster!' Eddie jumped around, and we all agreed that he could stay with James."
"That was a great story, James," Vivian smiled.
"Yes it was," Sofia agreed. "Does anyone else have a pet story?"
Author's Notes
Talbott and Barnaby are my own characters.
For a variation on this classic story, check out chapter 2 of Do You Want to Sing Together XXIII.
As I said in a previous installment of Do You Want to Sing Together, I now know that James' baboon's name is Freedo, but I didn't know that when I first used him in chapter 3 of my story The Secret Love Song. I'm going to be using the new name for consistency in my songs and stories.
If anyone else has an idea for a pet's backstory, please let me know.