A beautiful day in Animal Kingdom, where animals of the savanna, humans, and creatures alike lived together in the harmony of the Circle of Life. Today was particularly hot, the perfect time to just lay down and relax...which is exactly what two Dream Defenders were doing at the roots of the Tree of Life right now.
"Awww, this is life...," Almyra sighed as she baked in the sun. One of the few days she closed her boutique and did not participate in a dancing show. Of course, she enjoyed both activities, but it was nice getting to relax and just do nothing every once in a while. She just laid over a smooth, comfortable stone, and allowed the sun to do its work on her.
"Yup, 100% in agreement," said Logan, who was lying right next to her. His eyes were closed and his head resting on his two hands. "That's one of the main reasons I decided to move in here: the heat remains even when summer ends. Back in my home country, we had to wait for several months before the warm temperature would return."
"You would've been happy in MY home country then; it's burning all year long... Though the nights are pretty cold, in contrast," the peahen mused.
Opening one eye, Logan gave a quick look at the Tree of Life and its animal-shaped trunk. Even after living here for an entire year, he never got tired of seeing this majestic tree standing proudly at the center of Animal Kingdom. Getting close to it always brought him a sense of peace and serenity - always a nice place to go when he wanted to take a break from all the excitation of the Magical World. He closed his eye again and listened to the wind blowing through the leaves, the trumpets of elephants in the distance, the chirping and cawing of birds above his head, the crying of two animals passing nearby, the squeaking of monkeys... Wait, crying?
The two Dream Defenders got out of their slumber and sat up to see two animals passing near the feet of the Tree of Life whilst crying. One of them was a meerkat standing on the back of a red warthog. Logan quickly recognized them. "Hey! It's Timon and Pumbaa!"
"Yeah, from The Lion King!" Almyra exclaimed, also recognizing the two animals. "They seem to be in trouble. Let's go see them!"
Logan and Almyra jumped down from the stone to approach the animal duo. "Timon, Pumbaa, what's the problem?"
Timon wiped some tears away from his eyes before looking at the young human. "Oh, this is terrible! Horrendous! A true catastrophe!" he exclaimed in a somewhat overexaggerated manner. "How could such a tragedy happen to us?! Our lives are over...?! Oh, my larvae and fruit beetle!" The little meerkat's eyes widened and dried almost as soon as he saw Almyra and her flamboyant feathers. A little grin forming on his face, he comically brushed his head to have a classy hairstyle and approached the female avian. "What may your name be, milady?"
"It's Almyra."
"Most happy to meet you, I am Timon, Hero of the Pride Lands, King of Meerkats, and Inventor of the Hakuna Matata Moto, First of the Name... But you may call me Timon." He reached for the peahen's wing and gave it a kiss, causing her to blush adorably. "Listen, Miss Almyra, I have walked these lands for decades, and I never have met any girl with eyes as breathtaking as yours or with such mesmerizing feathers."
"Awww, you're too much!" Almyra replied, fanning her face with her wings as she cutely looked away and blushed. "Say, why were you crying, just now?"
Timon tapped his chin, thinking about it. "... Strange, I can't seem to remember..."
Pumbaa rolled his eyes. "The spectacle, remember, Timon?"
"Oh, right! The spectacle!" Timon gasped. "You guys must have heard about our beloved attraction, the Festival of the Lion King."
"Yes! It's one of my most favorite activities to do here, in the Magical World!" Logan said. "It opened again last July, right? What happened, did they close it again?"
"No, it's our little baby cub, Simba!" Pumbaa clarified. "We were all supposed to perform at the Festival of the Lion King today - it was going to be so great; the theater is practically sold out! But then, drama struck, Simba fell sick, and he is in no condition to do anything. Without our little baby, the show will have to be canceled. All those poor people will be so disappointed..."
Logan and Almyra exchanged a look, the young man rubbing his beard. "That's pretty sad indeed... I wonder if there's something we can do to help you guys with this..."
"Of course there is!" Almyra declared, approaching the musical duo and gently touching them with her wings. "Guys, Logan and I can fill in for Simba's part and still have the festival take place on time."
"Y-You'd do that for us?" Timon asked.
"We'd be happy to!" the peahen replied with a tender smile, gently patting the meerkat on the head.
"Wow... Gorgeous and generous!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a sec!" Logan exclaimed. "Almy, I haven't played in a show of any sort for quite some time; I don't know if I'm comfortable doing it again."
Almyra gave a serious look, placing her wings on her hips. "Really, Logan? You literally just said that the Festival of the Lion King is one of your favorite activities in this entire world, and yet, you don't wanna help it in times of need? That's pretty hypocritical. Your talents and skills could be very useful in a spectacle like this." She crossed her arms, bringing her face dangerously close to Logan's. "Besides... You don't really have a choice. Until you pay me my 20,000 dollars back, you're in my debt and have to do everything I say. So you'll help me, willing or not, got it?"
Logan widened his eyes, swallowing a lump in his throat as sweat rolled down his head. "Y-Yeah... Got it...," he replied, understanding that any other response would get him in trouble. "I really need to start hunting more Heartless with Quackpot, otherwise, I'll be in debt forever..."
"Fan-tas-tic, mes amis!" Timon beamed, jumping back on top of Pumbaa and clapping his hands together. "Your help is much appreciated! Now, let' all go to the theater and get our new choreography ready with Nala and the rest of our friends!"
The ambiance was lively inside the Festival of the Lion King's theater, where the doors had just been closed. Logan and Almyra arrived at the building hours earlier, the peahen princess' knowledge in the art of putting on a show allowing her to help everybody come up with a new choreography to fill in Simba's. Right now, the crowd divided in four sections was talking amongst each other, eager for the show to begin.
"And... there!" Almyra said in the backstage as she added the final touch to Logan's costume. "We're all ready to go now!"
"I look ridiculous. People are gonna laugh at me," Logan whined.
"Nonsense; you look very handsome," Almyra assured with a cheeky grin. "I'm sure that Destiny would drool on the ground if she were to see you like this."
Timon clapped his hands to get the attention of everyone backstage. "Alright, everybody! The show's about to start; get ready!"
At the same time, the announcer talked to the audience inside the performance room. "And now, we proudly present the Festival of the Lion King!" he called, making the audience beam in excitation.
The curtains moved aside to reveal a group of four lions, two males and two females, who walked in a square formation to the center of the room. One of the males, who had a dark mane and a body built like a brick wall, was carrying a microphone. "Greetings, everyone! We have been expecting you. We are here today to welcome you one and all to the Festival of the Lion King!" The crowd cheered loudly in response.
With a beautiful music playing in the background, the four lions sang a modified version of 'Circle of Life', the crowd clapping their hands in rhythm as they did so. "We are avid singers who travel with Simba and his friends," the male lion continued. "Time for introductions: my name is Kiume, and I am the leader of our group. 'Kiume' is Swahili for 'Masculine' and 'Strong'." This explanation rose a lot of chuckles from the audience, seeing the lion take pride in his name. "Next, we have Msichana!"
"Which is Swahili for... 'Good-looking'!" the other male lion, this one skinny and without a mane, explained, making the audience laugh again.
"Hey, goody-goody!" beamed one of the female lions, who had dark fur and an elegant cobalt scarf with orange flower patterns wrapped around her waist.
"And this is Kibibi!" Kiume announced.
"Which means 'Impatient'!" Msichana said with a snicker, earning himself a glare from Kibibi.
"It means 'Princess'!" the lioness corrected.
Kiume laughed a bit at his friends' behavior before moving on: "And, finally, we have Zawadi!"
"Which is Swahili for 'The Gift'!" the second female declared. She was an elder golden-furred lioness with some folds here and there, but not any less gorgeous. "And if you wanna stay, 'Good-Looking', you better behave yourself."
"Whoa, okay, okay," Msichana agreed, rising his paws defensively. "Oh, everyone, I think I hear them coming!"
"And right on time," Kiume said. "Everyone, listen..." Many animal performers joined the lion quarter, taking place around them in a circle. "It is time!" Silence befell the room as all the performers lowered their head, the lights turning a glowing orange with the symbol of the Lion King being projected on the floor. Soon, a familiar song began playing.
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhm ingonyama
The crowd cheered, all of them instantly recognizing 'Circle of Life'.
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama
Siyo Nqoba
The animals started walking around the four lions whilst slowly dancing to the beautiful song.
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
"And now," Kiume spoke, "I present to you Her Majesty, the Queen of Pride Lands, Nala!"
Nala walked out of the backstage and into the room to a standing ovation from the crowd, the animal performers bowing down as she passed and got into the very center. "Greetings, everyone! Thank you all for joining us today!" The crowd once again cheered for her. "It is my regret to announce to you that due to an unexpected illness, the King of Pride Lands, Simba, can not be with us today. But do not worry, we will still give you a memorable festival. Naturally, Simba's absence means that we will have to stray away from our usual plans and have a different beginning. For this, I call forward a charming, young performer who kindly offered her help to fill in Simba's absence."
At this, Almyra walked out to join the Queen of Pride Lands in her new costume. An African-styled dancer's outfit with a golden top wrapping around her chest and shoulders and a tribal skirt designed to show the colors of the sun - starting golden-yellow all the way down to a crimson red - with the skirt itself covering most of the peahen's legs, but not to the point of preventing her from moving. An elegant scarf was wrapped around her waist, whilst her long neck and arms were decorated with tribal jewelry.
"Whoa, she's beautiful!" Msichana exclaimed in awe. Even Zazu found her to be quite the lovely bird and had to impose a lot of self-control not to gaze too much at her.
"Everyone, I present to you Princess Almyra, Dancer of the Mystical Veils!" Nala said. "She and her friend have gracefully accepted to help with today's presentation. She will be teaming up with me to kick off what I hope will be a pleasant festival for all of you! You're ready, Almyra?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the young peahen replied with a polite bow.
Nala walked to the side, giving her co-performer enough space to perform. With all eyes on her, Almyra took many deep breaths to calm herself and then nodded at Nala, ready to begin the show.
('Waka Waka' by Shakira)
Msichana:
Oooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehh!
As the catchy beat kicked in, Almyra began shaking her hips - sometimes thrusting them rigidly, and other times, swinging them in a snake-like pattern - and elegantly moving her wings around. Whilst she did all of this, the peahen looked down at herself to make sure all of her moves were done perfectly, before looking up at the audience and smiling when seeing the looks of awe on their faces. Soon, Nala approached her and began singing.
Nala:
You're a good soldier, choosing your battles
Pick yourself up and dust yourself off, get back in the saddle
Nala sang in a beautiful, pride-filled way, smiling with her eyes closed. Since the rhythm slowed down a bit, Almyra clasped her wings above her head (hard to do with a long neck like hers) and kept her back straight whilst lifting one hip after the other.
Nala:
You're on the front line, everyone's watching
You know it's serious, we're getting closer, this isn't over
The pressure's on, you feel it
But you got it all, believe it
The Queen of Pride Lands affectionately stroked Almyra's crest feathers and cheek during that part, making her blush adorably.
Nala:
When you fall get up, oh, oh
If you fall get up, eh, eh
Keeping her wings together above her head, Almyra gyrated her waist as she kneeled down at the end of the first part before doing the same while rising back up at the end of the second part. She could feel the magic building up inside her the more she danced.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Cause this is Africa
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Nala gave her a wink and quickly jumped away so that she could dance without getting in her way. With the beat kicking up a notch, Almyra started by shimmying her hips while doing graceful moves with her wings before thrusting her hips at the 'Waka waka, eh, eh!' part.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
As the song moved into the softer, but still pleasant part, Almyra slowed the tempo down, gently swaying her hips while undulating her wings and shoulders. Her feathers, talons and beak were cleaner than usual thanks to all the time she had spent getting ready with her friends, and they all shined under the theater's lights. By now, all the attention in the room was on her, her gorgeous body and her flawless dance moves. She had built enough magic from her dance to create different colors of magic lightballs that she spread around the place, not only impressing the watchers, but also creating an enjoyable ambiance.
Nala:
Listen to your God, this is our motto
Your time to shine, don't wait in line, y vamos por todo
Due to the lack of drum beats in this part, Almyra mostly performed fluid moves with her wings and also moved her midsection around like a river under the twilight, her tail feathers elegantly swinging behind her with every move she made with her hips. The audience noticed that a turquoise magic energy started emanating from her body and slowly moved around the room, cooling down the temperature.
Nala:
People are raising their expectations
Go on and feed them, this is your moment, no hesitations
Today's your day, I feel it
You paved the way, believe it
During this part, Nala teasingly nuzzled her face into the peahen's neck, making her giggle without losing her composure. Judging by the bright smile on her face, everybody could tell that she was having a lot of fun. "You got this, Almy!" Timon beamed before being shushed by Pumbaa.
Nala:
If you get down get up, oh, oh
Wings above her head, Almyra kneeled down whilst gyrating her waist.
Nala:
When you get down get up, eh, eh
Knees up, more waist gyrating.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Almyra span on herself, making her skirt and tail feathers float up a bit. She eventually stopped spinning and threw her hips far to one side then the other with every 'waka' sang by the lioness.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa-a-a
Holding her wings above her head, the blue and green Indian peafowl gyrated her hips while nodding her head in a cute way.
Nala:
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Almyra undulated her wings for a bit before bringing them down on her hips and performed two pitch-perfect belly rolls in tandem with the 'wakas'.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
The song changed tempo and Almyra opened her beak to sing whilst quickly moving with energy.
Almyra:
Awabuye lamajoni, ipikipiki mama wa A to Z
Bathi susa lamajoni, ipikipiki mama from East to West
Bathi waka waka ma, eh, eh
Waka waka ma, eh, eh
She quickly threw her hips one side and the other with ever 'waka' she sang.
Almyra:
Zonk' izizwe mazibuye 'cause this is Africa
The Mystical Dancer threw her head back and shouted that last part proud and loud before the song once again slowed down but kept the rhythmic drum beats, leading her to hold her wings in the air while still beating her hips to the rhythm of these. The calmer tone allowed her to glance toward Nala, who looked very proud of the performer. She also glanced toward Kiume, who smiled and gave a nod of approval. Finally, she looked at Timon, the little meerkat giving her two thumb's up.
At this point, her body was fully glowing with magic energy, most of which was sent in the air to keep it balanced for everyone. Nonetheless, she decided to save some for her colorful lightballs, turning them into animals that ran all around and touched the watchers, bringing them a fresh sensation. With all these colors moving around, Almyra was bathing in at least eight different color of lights, allowing her feathers and eyes to stand out and making her look even more radiant than before. It was time for the last part, so she got ready to dance with even more energy than before.
Nala:
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Almyra once again span on herself to make her skirt float up before stopping and thrusting her hips to both side. With all of her energy, some of the watchers began singing alongside Nala, making the two girls even more motivated.
Nala:
Tsamina mina zangalewa
Anawa-a-a
Tsamina mina, eh, eh
Waka waka, eh, eh
Tsamina mina zangalewa
This time for Africa
As Nala's voice echoed throughout the place while singing the last parts, Almyra never stopped moving even for a second. She was feeling loved and beautiful. Then, after shimmying her hips for a while, she waited for Nala to scream one last time: "This time for Africa!" before concluding with a beautiful pose and opening her trail of tail feathers behind her, looking stunning.
Not even a second after the song came to its conclusion, the audience stood up on its feet and gave the female performers a standing ovation. Almyra bowed respectfully as Nala returned to her side and patted her head with a smile. "Give it up for our beloved Queen and the Mystical Dancer, everyone!" Timon called as he entered. The two females returned backstage as Timon got ready to perform 'Tumble Monkeys' with his troop of primates.
"You did great, Almyra," Nala praised the young peahen, gently stroking her cheek. "I don't think I have ever seen anyone in the Pride Lands dancing like you did. Have you ever considered becoming a royal family's personal dancer?"
"Not really," Almyra admitted. Being complimented by a queen turned her cheeks into cherries. "I'll think about it. In the meantime, we'll have to go out there for our number once Timon's done, Logan."
"Yeah... Hopefully my reputation will survive this whole ordeal..."
Timon ended his number with the troop of monkeys and returned backstage. Zazu flew out and took his place at the center of the room. "And now, my dear guests, this is the part of the representation where I would be chastising King Simba whilst chasing him around, as I usually did during his youth... Most unfortunately, you know that he is not with us today. I am, therefore, left with no choice other than to reproduce the experience with a young human who, hopefully, isn't as big a troublemaker. Mesdames et messieurs, please give it up for Logan!"
The young Dream Defender stepped out, wearing an African tribal costume with a skirt of ankara and headdress made of feathers. He had a necklace of feathers around his neck, tribal painting on his face, and golden-yellow sun painting on his tummy. Despite his uneasiness, Logan did everything he could to keep his back straight and took position near Zazu alongside Almyra.
"See? I told you that they would like your costume," the peahen mumbled to her human friend, referring to the positive reception he got upon entering.
"Yeah, I guess you were right," Logan admitted, blushing a bit when he saw a few girls in the audience giggling at him.
Zazu sighed almost romantically at the duo. "Aww, just look at you two, little seeds of romance blossoming in Animal Kingdom. Your parents will be thrilled. Learning you'll be betrothed, and all."
Logan raised a curious eyebrow at this. "Be-what?"
Being a princess, Almyra understood the term and giggled in amusement. "He means that we'll get to be married, one of these days."
Now understanding, Logan widened his eyes and frowned in disgust. "Dude, I can't marry her; I already have a girlfriend!"
"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but you two turtledoves have no choice. It's a tradition going back generations!" Zazu explained.
Logan chuckled, placing his hands behind his head. "When I'm king, I'll get rid of that tradition."
"Not so long as I'm around."
"Well, in that case, you're fired."
Zazu chuckled. "Hmm, nice try, but only the king can do that."
"Well, he's the future king," Almyra argued.
"Yeah. So you have to do what I tell you."
"Not yet, I don't. And with an attitude like that, I'm afraid you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed!" Zazu affirmed, giving an annoyed glare.
Logan chuckled. "Not the way I see it!"
('I Just Can't Wait To Be King')
Logan:
I'm gonna be a mighty king,
So enemies beware!
Logan approached Zazu with a grin and a ferocious stance.
Zazu:
I've never seen a king of beasts
With quite so little hair
The hornbill stroke his wing on Logan's beard, twirling some of its hair between his feathers, looking unimpressed. In response, Logan pulled a page from his Magical Sketchbook and used his Drawing Magic to summon the drawing of a red lion's mane he made before the show started.
Logan:
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my roar!
Logan pumped his chest out, trying to look strong and brave, shaking his 'mane' around and giving a lion's 'roar'.
Zazu:
Thus far a rather uninspiring thing
Logan:
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Logan started showcasing his breakdance skills alongside Almyra who performed a belly dance next to him. Zazu crossed his wings, looking visibly irritated. "You still got a long way to get there, young man, if you think-"
Logan:
No one saying do this
Zazu:
Now when I said that-
Almyra:
No one saying be there
Zazu:
What I meant was-
Logan:
No one saying stop that
Zazu:
What you don't realize-
Logan and Almyra:
No one saying see here
The two Dream Defenders took turns giving playful shoves at the hornbill before stepping away, Logan turning into his little cute snowy owl form and flying around.
Logan:
Free to run around all day
Zazu:
That's definitely out
Logan:
Free to do it all my way!
The little bird landed in Almyra's hands, the princess dancing around whilst using him as a totem to help her. Zazu flew in front of them with an amusingly serious glare.
Zazu:
I think it's time that you and I
Arranged a heart-to-heart
Almyra got in Zazu's face, rubbing the feathers on top of his head in a condescending way.
Almyra:
Kings don't need advice
From little hornbills for a start
Zazu:
If this is where the monarchy is headed
Count me out!
Out of service, out of Africa
I wouldn't hang about!
This child is getting wildly out of wing
Logan briefly stopped dancing, turning back to his human form with a glare. "Hey! I'm no a child! I'm a young man, Banana Beak!"
"It's MISTER Banana Beak to you, snowball!" Zazu spat back.
"Guys, stay focused!" Almyra ordered, bringing back some order before the musical performance could be ruined. Logan took a deep breath and sighed before continuing.
Logan:
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
During the instrumental part, Logan and Almyra shared a dance together, working in a pretty good harmony. The Mystical Dancer clasped her wings together above her head whilst shaking her hips in an almost alluring way and winking at her partner. Logan blushed a lot, but managed to maintain his focus and keep dancing.
Logan:
Everybody look left
Everybody look right
The audience did just as he said, turning their head in the direction he pointed.
Logan:
Everywhere you look I'm
Standing in the spotlight!
Zazu:
Not yet!
Kiume, Msichana, Kibibi, Zawadi and other performers joined to sing in the number.
Everyone:
Let every creature go for broke and sing
Let's hear it in the
herd and on the wing
It's gonna be King Logan's finest fling
Everybody built a pyramid with the background performers at the bottom, the lion quartet in the middle, and Logan and Almyra together on top.
Logan:
Oh, I just can't wait to be king!
Almyra:
Oh, he just can't wait to be king!
Everyone:
Oh, I (he) just can't waaaaait...
To be king!
Logan and Almyra concluded the performance by jumping down, landing on the floor, and exchanging a high-five alongside the last note with everybody else taking a pose behind them. The audience once again gave a standing ovation as the performers bowed respectfully and got ready for the next part.
"That was fun!" Almyra beamed when they all returned backstage, wiping some sweat off her forehead.
"It's true that it wasn't as embarrassing as I thought it would be," Logan admitted. He then crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Say, what's with the winks? I could almost swear you were trying to flirt with me back there. Have you forgotten I have a girlfriend already?"
"Oh, fear not; I remember that your heart belongs to Destiny. I just love seeing your reaction whenever a pretty girl like me tries to flirt with you," Almyra explained with a giggle.
Logan rolled his eyes and shook his head with a little smile. "You should really meet my friend Aline. I'm sure you'd get along very well."
Timon, Pumbaa and the lion quartet finished performing the 'Hakuna Matata' number before all but Kibibi and Msichana left. The lights switched to a romantic light blue, the two lions taking place on the small stage they had used for the previous performance. Logan and Almyra, meanwhile, exchanged a nod and walked out to join them. The audience cheered for them as soon as they came into sight, excited to see them performing once more. This was going to be their final performance, so they were going to give it all.
Kibibi smiled at the two guest performers as they took place in the center of the stage and then began singing.
('Can you Feel The Love Tonight' by Elton John)
Kibibi:
There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind
Can be turned away
Almyra began the number by slowly spinning around while gracefully moving her wings around, almost like a ballerina.
Msichana:
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you
Logan got down on one knee, holding his hand out for Almyra as he asked her to dance with him. She accepted his hand, taking with hers, and holding him in her arms as they danced together.
Kibibi and Msichana:
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
Logan used the strength he developed through his wrestling training to lift Almyra off the floor and swing her around. Once she got back to the floor, the two friends performed a few slow, graceful movements in perfect tandem as if they shared the same mind. The gorgeous peahen then span on herself a few times before getting into her partner's embrace, falling down with him catching her... Exactly as he did with Aline during their movie marathon...
Kibibi and Msichana:
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
As the two lions stopped singing and allowed the beautiful instrumental part to play, Almyra once again glowed with the magic of her Mystical Dance, summoning a light blue dragon made of magic to fly around the room, wowing the audience. In return, Logan transformed into a little snowy owl and also flew in the air with his avian friend. At one point, they span together in the middle of the room, looking at each in the eye. Almyra gave a sweet smile whilst Logan actually laughed, so much he was having fun.
Kibibi:
There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
Almyra picked Logan up in her hands and gently swayed her hips whilst shaking him around (since his feet didn't touch the floor). The little snowy owl's eyes started glowing with tears as he wrapped his wings around Almyra's long neck and hugged himself against it.
Msichana:
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours
The duo briefly separated, Logan once again assuming his human form, as they performed their own solo dance before approaching, connecting their hands again. They looked at the backstage curtains to see Nala and Pumbaa smiling at them, whilst Timon looked slightly jealous.
Kibibi and Msichana:
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
As the song ended, the two friends exchanged a hug, causing the audience to happily cheer. Once they finished, the duo bowed to the audience and walked off the stage, returning backstage. "So? How did we do?" Logan asked the Pride Landers.
"That was beautiful," Timon said, trying to hold back his tears. "I haven't seen anything so romantic since the day of Kiara and Kovu's wedding!"
"Romantic? Whoa, there; we aren't together or anything," Almyra quickly clarified with a blush. She then looked at Logan with a smile. "Though I must admit you're quite the dance partner, Coach Logan."
"I return the compliment to you, Princess Almyra," Logan responded with a bow. He then leaned forward and mumbled: "Please, don't tell Destiny that we danced together; I don't want her to kill me." This demand made the peahen giggle.
"Congratulations young ones; I'm very impressed," Nala praised the two Dream Defenders with a smile. "I think I can safely say that you're the most gracious dancer I have ever seen, Almyra. You are very talented, too, Logan. Do you take part in musicals a lot?"
"Just a few times," Logan replied with a shrug.
"Thank you very much for helping us out. I will make sure that you are properly rewarded once the show is over," the Queen of Pride Lands said before walking back into the room alongside Timon and Pumbaa for the big finale.
Logan and Almyra sat together near the backstage curtains as they watched the Pride Landers pulling on the show's final number, mixing all the previous songs into one big choreography. During the number, Almyra leaned towards Logan and asked: "Say, Logan, why were you crying?"
"Huh?"
"You know what I'm talking. You had tears in your eyes during our last number. Why? Were you sad or something?"
"Oh. No, don't worry; I was fine. It's just..." Logan looked down. "When I was a kid, my uncle was dating that girl who would always sing 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' - the movie version - to my brother and I to help us fall asleep. Dancing to Elton John's version of the song brought back memories and made me feel a lot of nostalgia. That's why I cried a little." He noticed a little pin representing Zootopia's Gazelle holding a microphone, seemingly in the middle of a performance, stuck to Almyra's dancer top. "Hey, what's that?"
"This?" The peahen took the little pin between her feathered fingers. "It's a Harmony Pin given to me by your friend, the Dream Keeper, as an official proof of my status as a Dream Defender."
"Gabriel accepted you as a Dream Defender?!" Logan exclaimed in surprise. "That's awesome! Let's hope our other friends will qualify as well."
"I agree. Gabriel invited me to make costumes for people at the Hocus Pocus Bash; I will do my best to satisfy all my clients. And hopefully meet Gazelle there in the process."
"I'm sure it will be a lot of fun," Logan assured. "Say, for the Hocus Pocus Bash, do you think you could make me a Shinigami costume from Bleach? Disney has recently acquired the rights to stream it, and it happens to be one of my most favorite anime of all time. I'd like to celebrate the occasion."
"With pleasure... You know I'm gonna add it to your debt, right?"
Logan rubbed his eyes. "Okay, it's official. Starting tomorrow, I'm going around hunting Heartless with Quackpot to gain some cash. Otherwise, I'll be in her debts for the rest of my life..."
Author's note: I'm back, everyone! How you doing? This is the first chapter I publish since my return from my vacation at Disney World with my family. You must want to know how it went, right? To be honest, it wasn't very fun. Here's why: the very morning of my departure, I woke up with the back of my throat being itchy. It soon turned into a fully-fledged cold that lasted the entire week of vacation. It's pretty hard to have fun when all you wanna do is shove an iceberg down your throat to cool down the burning sensation, and when you can't breathe nor talk without coughing. Not only that, but my parents have done nothing but argue with each other from start to finish - it damaged the whole experience a lot. Then, there was my father's snoring problem. It's not easy to sleep when you feel like there's a big bear right next to your bed, let me tell ya that.
At least, there were a few good points: I attended the PhilarMagic Show for the first time, got to eat pancakes and drink chocolate milk all week long, and spend a little more time in the pleasant heat before returning home for the winter. I even got to drink Blue Milk for the first time at Galaxy's Edge and get my parents to buy me a Legacy Lightsaber edition of the Darksaber. That's something. Overall, the least pleasant of my vacations at Disney World, but still fun to a certain degree.
For the chapter, I've been wanting to write something on Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King show, since it's one of my most favorite attractions in the entire Magical World. And with it being a musical, I thought why not make a little reunion between Logan and Almyra? Before you start thinking Logan's cheating on Destiny, this entire performance between them was purely friendship, nothing more, okay? Also, since The Lion King takes place in Africa and Princess Peacock is a fan of Shakira, I decided it would be a good idea to have her perform to 'Waka Waka' since it goes with the theme of the festival.
Next time: It's time for Logan to reunite with some friends...