Chapter 2: Unexpected Friends

The Chipmunks and the Chipettes traveled on through the jungle in search of the islanders, if there were any there. They knew that there was a possibility that this island had been abandoned, but fishing tools that looked in pristine condition were a reassuring sign. As they walked on, Simon strained his ears to listen for any sign that the island really was inhabited. As he listened, the blue-clad Chipmunk signaled the others to be quiet for the moment. A few moments later, his ears were met with a familiar sound.

Drums!, he thought excitedly. This island is inhabited after all!

"Come on! Let's follow the sound!" Simon urged.

The two trios of chipmunks hurried on until at last they came to a grove of palm trees. Sure enough, there were native people living on this island. There were a few men dressed in kilts of red or blue fabric and a number of women in fabric dresses of red, blue, yellow, green or white. They were gathering coconuts from the palm trees, unaware of the Chipmunks and the Chipettes for the moment. Alvin was the first to walk into the open, and then Simon and Theodore followed with the girls.

As the group stepped into the sunlight, one of the men noticed them and jumped with surprise. The rest of the natives there hurried over excitedly and immediately began questioning the Chipmunks and the Chipettes about who they were and where they had come from, and it turned out that the locals knew English. The two trios were relieved to know that these islanders could speak their language, but they were a bit overwhelmed with all the questions. After the Chipmunks and the Chipettes had been trying to answer questions for a minute, Simon managed to stop the tumult and said, "Whoa, now! Just a minute. Let's just start this little information exchange from the top. Where are we?"

The islanders quickly ceased their talk and one of the men said, "You're right, little one. We apologize for our questioning, but we have not seen outsiders for a long while. You are on the island of Manumalono, and we are the island's sole inhabitants."

The Chipmunks and the Chipettes exchanged glances of curiosity as they registered this information. Then Brittany, always quick to talk, asked, "I don't suppose you have a chief or a village council we could talk to?"

"Of course we do, child," a pretty young woman in a red-flower dress answered. "Come. We will take you to our village."

And so, the Chipmunks and the Chipettes followed the islanders through the palm grove until they reached a large village of mud huts that were kept in place with bamboo reeds and topped with cone-shaped roofs of straw-like grass. As the two chipmunk trios passed through the village, the people there whispered among themselves at seeing them. Alvin and his brothers huddled together and Brittany held her sisters' hands for comfort. Eventually, the group was brought into the largest hut in the village, and got quite a surprise. Sitting on a throne of wood was a well-built man in a blue fabric kilt, and a crown of leaves, flowers, and seashells adorned his head. Beside him was a woman dressed all in green, and her crown was topped with the plumage of a great bird.

The man in blue, who was clearly the chief of the tribe, rose from his throne and approached the Chipmunks and the Chipettes, who huddled closer together out of fear. But the chief wasn't angry at their presence. He said to them, "Welcome, outsiders."

"Thank you, sir," Simon said politely. "And who might you be?"

"I am Tuiama, ruler of this village," said the chief. "And I and my people welcome you to our island home."

"But how… how on this earth do you know our language?" asked Alvin with excitement.

"English castaways, who came to our island hundreds of years ago," the chief Tuiama explained. "They taught us to speak the English language, and it has remained with us ever since."

Then the chief's wife asked the Chipmunks and the Chipettes, "But whomever are you, little ones? And how do you come to be here on our island?"

And so, the Chipmunks and the Chipettes told the islanders their story and Brittany made no secret of how her publicity stunt with the photos had gotten Alvin upset. When the Chipmunks and the Chipettes finished their tale, the islanders all felt sorry for them and wanted to shelter the children until such a time as they could be found. Chief Tuiama told the Chipmunks, "Do not despair, children. I have no doubt your father is searching for you." And he told the Chipettes, "And to you, dear girls, we can only hope you will see your mother again."

Then the chief said to all of them, "Until such time as you can return to your homeland, you are welcome to stay on Manumalono as long as necessary."

The Chipmunks and the Chipettes could hardly believe their ears. Perhaps spending time on the island until Dave found them wouldn't be so bad after all, especially considering that the locals were friendly to strangers.

Alvin said to his brothers and their friends, "Well, what do you guys think of this island now?"

"It sure beats sitting around on the beach all day!" quipped Brittany.

"And we have new friends to take care of us before Dave comes," added Jeanette. "I think I'm going to like a little stay on this island."

"First things first, we'd better get into some clean outfits. We haven't properly washed our clothes in days," said Simon.

…

A short while later, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore were dressed in fabric kilts that were the same color as their individual sweaters and were adorned with lei necklaces. Alvin felt like a true islander in this new garb and flexed his small muscles like he was Hercules.

"Oh yeah! I am back, baby! I am back!" he chortled.

"Oh, brother," Simon groaned with a sarcastic grin.

Then Theodore tapped Alvin and Simon on the shoulder and said, "The girls are here!"

Sure enough, the Chipettes were coming out from another hut to greet the Chipmunks, and when the boys saw them, they felt their jaws drop to the ground. Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor were wearing fabric tops revealing their stomachs and skirts that reached below their knees. Their feet were bare and they each wore an anklet of leaves on their right.

The Chipmunks came to their respective Chipettes and each thought the other looked good. After the Chipettes pretended to model their new outfits, Alvin asked, "Now who's up for a little fun while we wait for Dave?"

His brothers and the Chipettes all agreed to this, and Simon said, "Then let's get started."

"Dibs on sunbathing!" quipped Brittany.

"Wait for me, Brittany!" cheered Jeanette.

"I'd like some lunch," added Theodore.

"I'll go with you, Teddy," said Eleanor.

And so, the Chipmunks and the Chipettes looked for some fun activities to do around the village.