Chapter 6: Banished
When we got to the place where Lovelace is, we got in line and waited for our turn. It was almost our turn for Mumble to ask his questions about the mystic beings. I wondered if they were talking about me because I am a human.
"The devotion, please," Lovelace said. The penguin in front of us threw a pebble at the rock tower. "Oh yeah. And now your question." Lovelace said. "Senor Lovelace. My wife has disappeared. Is she still alive?" The penguin asked. The penguins begin singing.
"Is she alive now? Separated from the other truth from the jive. Speak to me, oh mystic beings. Yes! She's happy and you're in your thoughts." Lovelace said. "Is she with another male?" The penguin asked. "One pebble, one question. Next!" Lovelace shouted. The other penguin moved up when the other penguin left.
"Oh, Senerne one. Please ask the mystic beings, will I ever be as rich as you?" The penguin asked. "Mm, in your dreams Jean. Next." Lovelace called. "Go ahead, go ahead. Get up there, big guy. That's it, don't be scared gentlemen, please! One at a time." Lovelace said. "Um, we with them," Rinlardo said. "Yeah, we together." Ramon agreed. "He's got a beautiful question. Go." Ramon said. "Do it, do it. Just don't look at him in the eye." Nestor said.
"Have you ever been abducted by aliens?" Mumble asked. "What kind of a question is that? Next!" Lovelace said. "No, wait, senore." Nestor called. "I met a Suka once. With something like that on his foot. Said he was abducted by aliens. This, friend, is my sacred talisman. Bestowed on me by the mystic beings... Mystic beings. During my epic journey of enlightenment to the forbidden shore. Forbidden shore. Oh, say it one more. Forbidden shore. Oh, yeah." Lovelace sang.
"Wait, you saw mystic being?" Mumble asked. "I hear them! They speak through me! Oh yeah. There's a power that makes me stand upon this tower!" Lovelace said. "Did they have front-way eyes? Did they prob you? Tie you up? Strap you down?" Mumble asked. "Enough! Did they prob me? Too many questions! You don't have enough pebbles, fool." Lovelace said. "You haven't answered any of my questions," Mumble said. "How many questions he got? We've all got stuff to ask!" The crowd shouted. Everyone began raging and was becoming impatient.
"ENOUGH!" Lovelace yelled. Everyone stayed quiet.
"You bring this stranger before me. He doubts my power. He compares me to a Suka. The voices are shrieking through my head. They say, 'Lovelace, who is this fool? Tell him! Tell him to go forth and multiply. Come to think of it, why don't we all go forth and multiply?" Lovelace said. "Ooh, Lovelace." The penguins said. "What's he saying? It's mating season. Already? Raul said.
"I will retire now to my couch of perpetual indulgence. Okay, ladies, who's first?" Lovelace asked. "Me!" The ladies said. "One at a time, don't touch the tailsmen, baby, please," Lovelace said. "Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute. What about us?" Raul asked. "Lovelace, Lovelace, Lovelace." Everyone chanted.
"Hear me! There's not enough love in the world. Turn to the penguin next to you. Put your flippers up. Fluff him up a little bit. And give him a great big hug. Okay, ladies. Oh, make that little noise again, girls." Lovelace said.
"Hey, what are you hugging me for?" Raul said. "He told me to," Ramon said. "Get away," Raul said. "No, you like it," Ramon said. "Get off him, Ramon," Nestor said. "Hey, stretch, human girl, got any stones where you come from?" Ramon asked us. "We don't collect stones," Mumble told him. "You don't? Why not?" Ramon asked. "We live on ice," Mumble asked. "So, how you win the heart of the ladies?" Ramon asked. "Well, we sing." Mumble explained. "Stop! That's crazy! You're kidding, right?" Ramon said. "No. We sing to each other. If someone special likes your song, you know..." Mumble started.
"Oh, and you have someone a-special?" Nestor asked. "A tall beauty in your dark romantic place?" Lombardo asked. "Of which you never speak?" Raul asked. "Well, sort of," Mumble said. "Hey, let's go check it out. Maybe she's got some friends. I like 'em tall." Lombardo said. "It's never gonna work," Mumble told them. "Hey, big guy, it's the loving season," Rinlando said. "All you gotta do is sing," Nestor said. "That's the problem. I can't sing." Mumble said.
"You a bird, ain't you? All birds can sing." Ramon said. Everyone began singing. "All right," Mumble said. Oh no, he's gonna embarrass himself again I thought. I covered my ears when Mumble did his loud honking noises.
"I heard an animal once do that, but then they rolled him over, he was dead," Ramon said. "Yeah," Nestor said. "And when she sings, it darn near breaks your heart," Mumble said. "You in tragic shape, man," Raul said and chuckled. "Don't worry, we can fix it," Ramon said. "We can?" Mumble said hopefully. "Absolutely. We can. We can." Ramon said. "We can?" Everyone said. "Really?" Mumble asked. "Yes! Let me tell something to you. Come closer, come closer. You wanna sing?" Ramon said. "Yeah," Mumble said. "You sure?" Mumble asked. "Absolutely," Mumble said. "You making fun of me? Then this is very easy, no." Ramon said. "Really? Gosh, if I could sing, that would change everything." Mumble said. "You will sing. You just got to do exactly what I say." Ramon said. "Okay," Mumble said.
"Did I say 'Okay?'" Ramon said. "No," Mumble said. "No. What did I say?" Ramon said. "Do exactly what you say?" Mumble said. "Exactly what I say," Ramon said.
Seymore: "Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my... it's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under."
Gloria: "Midnight creeps so slowly into hearts of those who need more than they get. Daylight deals a bad hand to a penguin who has laid too many bets."
Male penguins: "I'll make love to you like you want me too and I'll hold you tight baby all through the night."
Gloria: "The mirror stares you in the face. And says baby..."
Male penguin: "Shake-a boon bon shake-a."
Gloria: "It don't work. You say you're prayers though you don't care. You say your prayers though you don't care."
"Boys! Boys! Boys!" Gloria yelled. Everyone became quiet. Gloria gasped and saw Mumble, who was pretending to sing something in Spanish. As Mumble was singing in spanish, I began to sing my heart song, Kill This Love.
"Mumble?" Gloria said. Our amigo's friends came up from behind Mumble. As I was singing my heartsong, and Mumble was pretending to sing, he turned to Gloria.
"Oh, hi Gloria. Hola." Mumble said. "Hola," Gloria said. "Hi, Gloria," I said. "Hi, Lana. You teaching you're brother how to sing?" Gloria asked me. "Hehe, kinda," I said. "And this is you?" Gloria said to Mumble. "Sure, it's me. Ha-ha. You like?" Mumble asked. "Well, I would, if it we're really you," Gloria told him. "Well, it is me. Sort of." Mumble said. "Yeah. Turn around." Gloria said. "Why?" Mumble asked. "Well, why not?" Gloria asked. Gloria pushed Mumble a bit, revealing Ramon.
"Well, what do you know?" Gloria said angrily. "Gloria," Mumble said. "Mumble, how could you?" Gloria said with disappointment in her voice. "Hello. I know size can be daunting, but don't be afraid, I love you." Ramon said to Gloria. "Gloria, please," Mumble begged. "I love you!" Ramon said. "Gloria! Gloria! Gloria!" Mumble shouted. "Gloria!" Everyone shouted. "Please, Gloria, wait," Mumble called. "Please, Gloria, wait for me!" Ramon shouted. "Ramon!" Mumble yelled, pushing him back with his foot.
"Mumble, what could you possibly be thinking?" Gloria said. "I don't know what else to do," Mumble said. Gloria put her flipper around me and walked me back to our group.
"I'm sorry Gloria, I-I didn't mean to embarrass you," I said. "No Lana, it's not you're fault," Gloria said. "I um, actually wanted to tell you something. Could you... sing you're heartsong again and I'll sing mine?" Gloria asked me. "Yeah, sure," I said. I sang my heartsong, and Gloria sang hers. When we finished, Gloria and I hugged.
"I think I'm in love with you," Gloria said. "Me too. I had kinda a crush on you since you were little." I said. "Really?" Gloria said. "Yeah. But I need to ask my husband and my wife first before we become official." I said. "Alright," Gloria said. The boys continued singing, trying to win Gloria's heart.
"Oh, Gloria, no," Mumble said sadly.
Gloria: "Daylight deals a bad hand..."
"Gloria, sing to this," Mumble said as he began doing his tap dance. "Mumble, you're embarrassing me." Gloria sobbed. Gloria sighed. "Baby, uh-uh it don't work," Gloria said. Mumble kept doing his tap dance.
Gloria: "Baby uh-uh-uh. Uh-uh. Uh-uh-uh, uh-uh-uh. So slowly... So slowly, into hearts of those who need more than they get. Daylight deals a bad hand to a penguin who has laid to many bets. The mirror stares you in the face. And says baby, uh-uh. It don't work. You say your prayers though you don't care. You sing and you shake the hurt. Dance!"
The next minute, we begin singing and dancing.
Boogie wonderland, Midnight creeps so slowly into hearts, Of men who need more than they get, Daylight deals a bad hand, To a women who has laid too many bets. The mirror stares you in the face and says "Baby, uh uh it don't work"
you say your prayers though you don't care. You dance and shake the hurt, Dance.
"Mumble!"
Boogie bonderland. Dance, dance.
"Mumble!"
Boogie wonderland
Yo soy raúl, pingüino mas cool, Latino por supuesto, 100% español, My brothers (que?) Loco me llaman, Una señorita me sirve como flama, La fiesta! Baila baila muchachita, Mi corazón, tiene dinamita (boom) Exacto, te como en un taco, Déjame ser! Tu papi pingüino!
Baby penguin: "mumble!"
All the love in the world can't be gone, All the need to be loved can't be wrong, All the records are playing, And my heart keeps saying, "Boogie wonderland, wonderland", Dance, Boogie wonderland, Dance, Boogie wonderland
After we finished the song, Mumble did a couple of tap dances. Everyone copied. Mumble did a couple of more, everyone copied again. Mumble did a hard tap dance move to follow so we just did a tap of our foot on the ground. Then, we all begin a dance party.
"STOP! STOP!" Noah yelled. We didn't hear him at first because we continued on with our party. "STOP THIS UNRULY NONSENSE! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Noah yelled. Everyone stopped but Mumble continued to dance.
"Mumble!" I shouted. "What? What?" Mumble said. "Noah," I whispered.
"A little self-control if you please. You bring this disorder, this aberration to the very heart of this community. Have you lost your minds?" Noah said angrily. "We're having fun." A boy argued. "Harmless fun." Another girl said. "Harmless? Is this the kind of backsliding that has brought the sacristy?" Noah said. "Excuse me slimy. Can you speak plain penguin please?" Nestor said. "He thinks the food shortage has something to do with me," Mumble said. "And me," I said. "Do you not understand that we can only survive here when we're in harmony? When you and your foreign friends lead us into your easy ways you offended the Great 'Guin. You invited him to withhold his bounty." Noah said.
The elder penguins walked up to us.
"He rules the seasons. He giventh and can take it away." The elder said. "Wait a minute, Happy Feet can't cause a famine," Mumble said. "If this kind of page display did not cause it, then what did?" The elder asked. "I think it comes from outside, way beyond the ice. There are things out there, things we don't understand." Mumble said. "Mysteries," Raul said. "Mind-boggline mysteries. Yeah, aliens." Mumble said. "Yeah, aliens. I hear there smart." Mumble said. "He's insane." The elders said. "They might be smarter then all of us, who knows?" Mumble said. "He drove the fish away and now he's ranting this rubbish!" The elders shouted.
"Hey, let me tell something to you," Ramon said, walking up to the elders. "Don't touch me, you filthy vermin!" The elder yelled as he slapped Ramon. "Hey, hey, watch it!" Mumble yelled. "Leave him alone!" I yelled. "And so it follows, dissent leaving to division and division leaves us to doom. You Mumble Happy Feet, and you Lana Mason, must go." Noah said. "Wait, why me? What did I do?" I said.
"Because you might be one of those mystic beings that Mumble's talking nonsense about, and you're lesbian that's not allowed in Emporer Land," Noah shouted. "You never said anything about this before until now!" I shouted back. "Well, I changed my mind. You and you're brother, leave now!" Noah yelled. "Don't you take one step sweethearts. You have as much right to be here as any of these daffy old fools." Norma Jean said. "Mommy?" I said.
"Yeah Lana, you don't have to leave," Johanna said. My family walked up to us. "Norma Jean, I'll deal with this." Memphis said. "Pa?" Mumble said. "Daddy?" I said. "Mumble, Lana, you must renounce your so-called friends. You're peculiar thoughts and your strange ways." Memphis said. "Memphis!" Norma Jean yelled. "If we are devout sincere in our praise, the fish will return." Memphis said. "But pa..." Mumble started. "Listen kids, I was a backslider myself, and was careless. And now we're paying the price." Memphis said. "What's this got to do with Mumble?" Normal Jean asked. "It's why he is the way he is." Memphis said. "But there's nothing wrong with him!" Norma Jean yelled. "Face it, our son and daughter is all messed up!" Memphis yelled. I felt nervous as my parents we're arguing. Katniss and Johanna did their best to comfort me.
"They are not messed up, do you hear me?!" Norma Jean yelled. "Believe me, I know they are!" Memphis yelled back. "How can you say that?!" Norma Jean yelled. "'Cause when he was just an egg I dropped him!" Memphis yelled. Everyone gasped. "Memphis!" Norma Jean shouted. "Mumble," Gloria said sadly. "Oh my," Katniss whispered. "Oh, my poor little Mumble." Norma Jean said. "But mom, I'm perfectly fine," Mumble said.
"No, no you're not kids. For all of our steaks, you must stop this freakiness with the feet. And Lana, you must stop loving girls, and love boys like all of us do." Memphis said. I felt sad about what Memphis was saying. Like, how could my own daddy do this to me?
"He's right Lana. You must stop this nonsence with the whole girl love." Cato said. "But I thought you let me be with Johanna," I said. "I used to. I don't know anymore." Cato said. I felt heartbroken. "It's okay sweetie, you don't have to change who you are for them," Katniss said.
"So, what's it gonna be Lana? Divorce Johanna, or stay with her and be banished from Emporer Land." Cato said. "Your father and your husband speak wisely. Heed his suffering heart and repent," Noah said. "But it just doesn't make any sense," Mumble said. "Then your arrogance leaves us no choice," Noah said and held up his flipper. "No, wait." Memphis said and held up his other flipper.
"Please son, please, Lana. You can do this. It ain't so hard." Memphis said. "Don't ask me to change pa, because I can't," Mumble said either. "I can't change either, daddy," I said. "And that my brethren is the end of it. You and your sister, begon." Noah said. Mumble and I said nothing.
"Leave, now!" Cato yelled as he shocked me. I cried in pain. Cato hasn't used the shock collar on me in a long time.
"Mumble, Lana." Norma Jean said. "No Ma, it's okay," Mumble said. "It's okay mommy, I'll be fine," I said. "Let me tell something to you. When we find out what's happening to the fish, we'll be back." Mumble said angrily. "Can you let me through, let me through? Mumble, Lana, you don't have to go." Gloria said. "Let it be. Gloria," Maurice said. "No, dad, this isn't fair!" Gloria shouted. "Gloria, listen to your father," Michelle said firmly.
"Don't worry babe, I'm coming with you," Johanna said. "So are we." Clove said. I was surprised to see Marvel, Clove, and Glimmer walking up to us. "Clove?" I said, confused. "We don't want to be around someone who betrayed us." Clove said. "No, you are to stay here!" Cato yelled. "You know what, Cato?! We're done taking orders from you! We're not some dogs, follwing orders for you! And until you learn to become a real friend and not boss us around all the time, we're leaving!" Glimmer yelled. "What?! You can't do that!" Cato yelled. He seemed furious. "Yes, we can. Come on Lana, let's go." Glimmer said.
"I'll come with too. Make sure you're safe." Katniss said. "No Katniss, just stay here." Peeta said. "Are you sure?" Katniss said. "Yes. I'll make sure she's safe. You stay here until we get back." Peeta said. "Okay," Katniss said. With that, Mumble, the amigos, the three careers, Johanna, and Peeta, and I began walking out.
Nestor: "My folks we're always putting them down."
Amigos: "Down, down, down."
Nestor: "They say he came from the wrong side of town."
Amigos: "He came from the wrong side of town."
Nestor: "They told me he was bad."
Amigos: "So bad."
Nestor: "But I know he was sad."
Amigos: "So sad."
Nestor: "I'll never forget him, the leader of the pack."
Ramon: "We sing the heart of our true friends, Mumble and Lana. You are a nation of peeny-weeny piffiling-piccolinie, piddly, diddly poofed! Pfft!" *Kicks snow with foot*
Noah: "Together we prevail."
All: "In the wisdom, we trust."
Memphis: "We trust."
Amigos: "Look out, look out, look out. Look out, look out. Look. Look out."
With that, Mumble and I left Emporer Land, feeling heartbroken.
A/N: Wow, this was a long chapter to write. But anyways, I hope you all enjoyed reading and please review! I would like to get at least one nice review on this store, please. No mean ones.