Chapter 7- trouble for Rafael's big family, outside and in
Quaoar happily flew along with the flock of twenty-plus toucan chicks, the oldest ones like Sofia, Manoela, Carlos and Miguel being teens now and old enough to look after their younger siblings (or should be). In the trees around the group, animals continued their activities like gathering food and chatting with friends. A hyacinth macaw was talking with some friendly marmosets while some blue-and-gold macaws were performing an aerial group dance rehearsal for a dance competition planned by Nico, Pedro and Chip-I-Am. Quaoar gazed at the aqua blue, green, darker blue and yellow or orange-yellow parrots enviously and often wished that he could go to the club duo and their honeycreeper friend's club one day. However, Luke and Hauyne have always strictly said, "No! Their club is for grownup birds only," each time the young Lear's macaw asked his parents. This made sourness boil within Quaoar as he wanted to attend a birds' club one day when he was old enough. But unlike Blu and company, Luke and Hauyne were also against bird clubs, often seeing them as lousy places where birds get up to a variety of senseless things though Nico, Pedro and Chip have insisted their clubs have strict rules their visitors must abide by for the safety of each other and other birds. However, Luke and Hauyne adamantly refused to allow their son Quaoar to go to their clubs and so; those areas were strictly off limits to Quaoar to his frustration. It was clear that his parents were sometimes overprotective of their son but it was understandable; Quaoar was their only son and chick Hauyne had managed to conceive and successfully hatch. After all, Hauyne had severe fertility issues and all the other eggs she did successfully lay were infertile despite Luke having no problems with his fertility. Then the poor female Lear's macaw and mate of Luke had to undergo surgery when she suffered egg-binding, a VERY serious medical emergency in female birds that can be fatal if it was not treated straight away and since that surgery, Hauyne had NEVER been able to conceive and produce another egg again. This heartbreaking stormy flight for the mother was the reason why Quaoar was highly valued by his parents.
"Hey, Quasar," said one of the older toucan chicks, Carlos as he led the flock through the forest on the group's search for their next adventure, "Have you heard about those two unusual hawks and owls in the Aviary?"
Quaoar snapped out of his thoughts about his parents and why they valued him so much and gazed at the toucan and his siblings as they smiled at him. However, he did not hear that Carlos had got his name wrong.
"Um, what?" asked the Lear's macaw with a jerky headshake of confusion.
"The two unusual hawks and owls in Tulio's Aviary, Quincy," said Sofia, "They're apparently the last two members of each of their species."
A frown formed on Quaoar's face at what Sofia had just called him. "My name is Quaoar. Quincy is the name of one of Mr Sirius and Mrs Samara's sons."
"Your parents certainly have given you a silly name," giggled Manoela. She did not mean that in a malicious, mocking context but it still stung Quaoar and made him wince.
"I'm sorry," said Manoela apologetically, "But it seems unusual that your parents would give you such an odd name."
"There's NOTHING wrong with my name, okay!?" snapped Quaoar angrily, "I'm just named after a small outer Solar System object called a dwarf planet. Anyway, what are we gonna do?"
"We're gonna play a brill, wicked game, Quasar," said Carlos with a smile on his orange and black beak, again calling Quaoar by the wrong name. Carlos and most of his siblings looked more like their toco father Rafael and had only his black and orange beak and black feathers. The only feature these particular toucan kids had inherited from their keel-billed mother Eva was her red-rimmed face and belly patches. However, a few of the toucan kids did show more inheritance from Eva with them having lime green and magenta beaks instead of orange and black, and one of the younger ones' beak was orange, black, lime green and magenta all on the same beak, the beak colours of her parents having mixed together. The only other toucan kid to have this beak trait was Diantha but she was back at her large toucan family's nest with Nemo, Fabio and Cleo. Nemo and Fabio had Rafael's beak while Cleo had Eva's beak. Quaoar glared at Carlos and corrected him but Carlos smiled and continued to lead the group through the canopy.
Moments later, Quaoar and the flock of toucan kids came within the vicinity of a tree belonging to a flock of small birds; honeycreepers similar to Chip-I-Am but of various species, and finches. These honeycreepers and finches lived in the branches of the tree, those branches having been hollowed out and perforated. The perforations served as windows and entrances/exits to these little birds' large hollow and this flock of small birds lived together as a community all of their own in this tree. At points where the hollow branches lay on the branches of neighbouring trees were dips and from those dips grew flowers. This mini community of finches and honeycreepers liked gardening and growing flowers to decorate their home. The small birds were up to their usual activities around this unusual home with some of them, among them Tiny the green bird, tending to the flowers. A wide smile formed on Carlos' beak.
"Here we are," said he to the others and with that, the flock descended into a nearby tree and hid in its leaves. After this, Carlos nodded to several of the toucan kids who carried leaf bags (which they had kept concealed from Iris and Sputnik before leaving with Quaoar) and they came forward. While Carlos spoke to the leaf bag carriers, Quaoar gazed at the finch and honeycreeper tree.
"Why are we here?" he asked the toucan kids.
"You'll see in a minute, Quentin," said another toucan kid named Darla, a streak of mischief present in her voice tone and beak smile.
"My name is Quaoar, QUA-WAH!" snapped Quaoar in irritation. A small giggle escaped Darla's mouth as she went to Carlos and the other toucan kids who were gathered around the leaf bag carriers. Quaoar continued to gaze at the honeycreepers and finches' home as the little birds continued their activities with Tiny tending to her flowers in one area until finally, one of the toucan kids called his name.
"Here," said the toucan kid and as he said this, his wing clutching a stick appeared. Quaoar gazed at the stick, took it and examined it. He peered through one end of the stick and saw that it was hollow, like a tube or drinking straw he once saw Nick, his father Luke's human companion; use to sip lemonade from a glass. Quaoar then gazed at the toucan gang and saw that many of them were decked out in attire made from plant material, paint on their faces and bodies and their beaks and wings clutching more hollow sticks and some smaller leaf bags. Carlos wore a solid piece of fruit shell tied to a vine over his eye and had yellow pollen paint smeared on his face and wings to make him look more intimidating. Then Sofia, a leaf-bandana tied to her head, stepped forward and handed Quaoar some supplies. They were a leaf bandana, a small leaf bag and a red flower.
"Here, Quincy," said the sister of Carlos, "Decorate your face with the red pollen from the flower, put the leaf bandana on your head and take these seeds."
Quaoar gazed at the supplies and slowly took them. However, a horrible feeling at what the toucan kids were planning to do began to well within him, especially as he gazed at the seeds in the small leaf pouch and the hollow stick.
"What... are we... gonna play?" the Lear's macaw adolescent asked slowly. The mischievous grin on Carlos' orange and black beak widened as he gazed in the direction of the finch and honeycreeper home.
"We're gonna play 'Pirates', Quasar," he said in a tone of voice to match his grin, "And our choice of birds for our prank are those finches and honeycreepers out there, among them Miss Tiny..."
"Wait, you mean we're gonna jump out at them and whip up trouble on those small birds, among them Miss Tiny!?" blurted out Quaoar but Manoela rushed in and clasped her wings over his beak to shut him up.
"Pipe down, Lear's macaw," she hissed as she did it, "Those finches and honeycreepers could hear us and if they are alerted to our presence, that's our plan of our Pirates game SUNK!"
"Yes, show some stealth, Quincy," put in Sofia in irritation, the impatience in getting on with the 'game' biting at her like a louse.
"And dress up and get prepared with your shooting seed ammo in addition," added Rita while Darla near her checked her seed and filled her hollow stick with some. Then Manoela released Quaoar's beak and joined the other toucan kids, ready to implement the 'Pirates' game. Quauar then stared at the toucan gang and moved his gaze from them to the honeycreepers and finches and their hollow and back to the toucan kids again. Finally, he made his decision. Placing the seeds, the hollow stick, leaf bandana and red flower meant for painting his face down at Carlos' feet, the Lear's macaw glared at him and his siblings present.
"I'm sorry," he said, "But if I participate in whatever HORRIBLE prank you're planning to do on those small birds, my parents back in the Maimed Animal Enclosure would be giving me an UTTER earful..."
"You coward," snapped Darla angrily. Some of the other toucan kids including Manoela and Sofia then hissed at Quaoar but Carlos rebuked them into being quiet. Carlos then glared at Quaoar.
"Well, if you don't wanna participate with us in the fun, Quasar, then it's your loss," said he, "Not ours. Since I have spent so much time planning this prank, WE are gonna go through with it anyway as it would be a waste of time if we didn't implement it but if you don't wanna join us, then that's your problem."
Then before Quaoar could protest, Carlos called for his siblings and with that, the flock of toucan kids left their cover with the ammo and began to sneak up on the finches and honeycreepers' hollow without being seen. Quaoar peered out and watched the toucans then divide into groups and go to different locations to launch their 'attack'. Then what happened next threw EVERYTHING in the air around the hollow into CHAOS to Quaoar's HORROR. One minute the finches and honeycreepers were enjoying a peaceful atmosphere but then the next minute, that peace was shattered like the glass of a window by a rock thrown by a vandal as the poor little birds, Tiny included, were set upon by a barrage of seeds. Quaoar watched on in UTMOST horror as the toucan kids launched their attack on the poor finches and honeycreepers, pirate-like cackles escaping their colourful beaks with some more colourful beaks blowing through the hollow sticks and firing seeds at the small birds and the hollow. The air was then filled with small colourful comets as finches and honeycreepers launched into the air in panic from the marauding toucan kids. Tiny was among them and as soon as the flowers were left alone and open by their tenders, more toucan kids rushed in and began to destroy them, cackling as they did. Other toucan kids, the flower pollen in their possession, then proceeded to paint graffiti all over the finches and honeycreepers' hollow. Quaoar stood in the tree, rooted to the spot by stun and horror as he watched the toucan gang continue their relentless attack on the small birds and their home. One finch rushed by in a vain attempt to dodge one of the lasers of seeds fired by one of the smaller toucan kids from his hollow stick like a peashooter while two honeycreepers flew by trying to escape a larger toucan kid as he chased them and flung his leaf bandana at them in an attempt to 'catch' one of them for the fun of it. However, this was NO fun NEITHER was it funny and Quaoar could clearly see this as plain as a blue butterfly on a brown tree trunk. Then after a few more minutes of this frenzied attack by the toucan kids on the finches and honeycreepers and their hollow, it was all over and the toucan kids soon regrouped to admire their 'work' and cackle at it. Quaoar looked and drew in a sharp breath, inflated his eyes and covered his beak. The honeycreepers and finches' hollow was covered in pollen and fruit juice doodles and many of the small flower patches, among them Tiny's had been destroyed, the flowers torn up form their little furrows and cast aside like shredded coloured paper, the finches and honeycreepers' hard work in growing those flowers literally uprooted and destroyed. Some of the finches and honeycreepers were dazed from being pelted from the seeds by the toucan kids but these weren't the worst injuries. One of the yellow finches appeared to be grasping its wing, its eyes screwed shut in agony. Quaoar winced when he saw the poor finch, knowing that meant one thing as he had seen a macaw like this in Tulio's Aviary once. Then a shout from Tiny pierced through Quaoar's stun and snapped his attention to her as she and countless other finches and honeycreepers glared FURIOUSLY at the toucan chicks. Nearby, a small flock of adolescent green-winged macaws flew by, having gone out on a trip and they were carrying bags of flowers and fruit juice. However, they had NOT gone out on a trip to graffiti all over someone's hollows. They were, in fact, an art group who used pollen and fruit juice as art supplies though a few used manmade art supplies like pencils and crayons as well, similar to Bia and one of her younger brother Neptune (who has yet to see Rio with Arrokoth, Chrysocolla and the others born to Blu and company in the Amazon).
"Toucan kids, did you destroy our flowers and doodle all over our hollow?" demanded the little green honeycreeper as the toucan kids giggled. Then Manoela came forward and pointed a talon at the group of young green-winged macaws passing by.
"No, it was THEM, Miss Tiny," she shouted.
"That art green-winged macaw group did it," added Sofia. The furious scowls of the honeycreepers and finches moved from the toucan kids to the green-winged macaws who stopped in stun at the focal point and also at the sight of the messed up hollow. Then Quaoar decided to do something. Leaping out of the tree towards the honeycreepers and finches, he screeched, "No, it were those t..." however, a black, pale red, white and orange blur shot in and tackled into the Lear's macaw to knock him away. Quaoar released a screech of surprise as he flung onto another branch by Carlos. The Lear's macaw then looked up at the lead toucan kid who then scowled at him hostilely.
"Don't even think about spillin' th' truth to those honeycreepers and finches an' gettin' us into a LOTTA trouble, Lear's boy," he hissed, "Or you'll end up like your one-winged FATHER!"
THAT scathing and insensitive comment and threat sent OUTRAGE exploding through Quaoar like a shockwave from a volcanic eruption and he rose to his feet, his eyes blazing turquoise fire.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST..." the Lear's macaw blurted out in retort but he soon found himself on the receiving end of more hostile toucan kid glares. Darla, Manoela, Sofia and some of the other older ones came in to back up Carlos. Then what came out of Carlos' beak vaporised all confidence and outrage Quaoar had.
"Teach that Lear's macaw a lesson, my bros and sissies," said the oldest toucan. Then a split-second later, the flock of toucan kids around Carlos turned into a tsunami of black, white and red feathers with orange, black, magenta and lime green beaks as the flock SURGED towards Quaoar. Quaoar, however, had already whirled onto his belly and had flapped into flight the moment Carlos' command to his brothers and sisters escaped his beak. Then within moments, a chase erupted as a dark blue comet with a colourful meteor storm rocketed through the canopy.
Quaoar flew faster than he had EVER flown before and was flying like a pigeon trying to escape a peregrine falcon. His dark blue wings, fuelled by a MASSIVE surge of adrenaline from the chase, beat the air furiously to propel him forwards and keep him ahead of the aggressive toucan kids as they furiously chased him down to catch him. Quaoar flashed a look back at his chasers and saw their menacing glares as they pursued him. Frightened, Quaoar continued on, flying like a dark blue rocket through the forest with the flock of adolescent toucans in hot pursuit. As he rocketed on, regret at joining the toucan kids on their 'adventure' began to well within the Lear's macaw and he began to utter to himself, "Oh how I had HEEDED Mr Sputnik's advice about those big-beaked marauders... and how I IWSHED I'd stayed near Miss Iris' side..." suddenly, a barrage of small seeds flew in and struck Quaoar in the back, sending repeated stings ripping through there and making him cry in pain. Quaoar flashed another look back at his chasers and saw that one of them was firing seeds at him through her peashooter stick. Cackles escaped from his chasers' beaks as he cried in pain from the seed laser. Then Darla broke away from the group briefly, seized a mango and rejoined her group, and then tossed it at Quaoar, shouting, "Hungry, Lear's macaw boy, have some MANGO!"
The green and red ball flew like a rock fired from a giant catapult from Darla's talons towards Quaoar but the Lear's macaw dodged it. The mango flew downwards and struck an unintended target on a branch below: a marmoset wearing a paperclip in his hair and a golden wristwatch around his waist. The marmoset, after having his head struck by the mango, shot his glare skyward but to his surprise, he saw a dark blue comet flying ahead of a flock of black and colourful comets.
"Bothersome family members an' friends of those Spix macaws," hissed the marmoset, "I sure hope those two dog-faced rats with wings have disciplined their son and daughters for peltin' me and my pack with fruit."
With that, he resumed his activities such as foraging for his pack or planning his next looting trip on some tourists.
Quaoar continued to fly like a rocket from his toucan chasers, more seeds and fruit flying at him from them. This chase lasted for a few more terrifying minutes but soon, and without Quaoar noticing for he was too focussed on escaping his chasers, the toucan kids gave up their chase and turned back, the Lear's macaw flying too fast for them to keep up and attack. However, Quaoar continued flapping like mad on; his wings beginning to have fatigue creep into them. Though he was still a teen Lear's macaw and only half the size of an adult of his species, he was flying as fast as one. Teen Lear's macaws should not be able to fly this fast but because Quaoar was so flooded with adrenaline from the fright caused by the toucan kids, he was able to do so but that ability was beginning to wane as his wing muscles had begun to complain of tiredness. However, still Quaoar flew on, thinking he was still being chased by the toucan kids. He flew on and on, unknowingly heading in the direction of the city itself and a certain cottage. Later, Quaoar's wings became so tired that they could no longer keep up with the demands of flying at this top speed. Furthermore, Quaoar was panting heavily from all that flapping and flying so fast but he was beginning to slow down. As he did, the cottage in which Aurora, Bellatrix and Sirius' human companions Brendan, Matthew and May lived came into view. Recognising this to be also the home of a certain pair of Dalmatians, especially as he saw the couple watch over five puppies as they played in the garden, Quaoar decided to descend to here and rest, so he did. The Lear's macaw fluttered down and landed clumsily on the fence and began to breathe heavily. As he gasped for air and clutched his aching breast where his flight muscles were, those muscles severely fatigued from the rocket flight, a male white dog with black spots appeared; a disapproving scowl on his face. However, Quaoar was too tired to flinch from surprise at the Dalmatian's appearance.
"Quaoar, what are you doing here and why did you fly in so fast like that?" demanded Milo. Behind him, Ellie talked with the five puppies, Kayla, Katrina, Kay, Kimberly and Kevin about the history of the domestic dog and their descent from the grey wolf from a book about dogs, the five puppies' eyes widened in fascination at this fact. Quaoar continued to breathe heavily until finally, he was able to control his breathing enough to answer Milo.
"S-s-sorry Mr Milo," he replied, "I-I-I was trying... to escape those... toucan kids when they... tried to get me to... graffiti all over the tree of... some honeycreepers and finches and... destroy their flowers... they chased me to here when... I tried to tell those little birds..."
"You've still got a LOT to learn about bad company, Quaoar," said Milo sternly, "It is important that you stay with the more experienced birds and animals until you can be trusted with keeping out of trouble and being safe when you become old enough to go out on your own. If you cannot do that, you're gonna have to stay in the enclosure with your parents Luke and Hauyne until then," as he said this, Ellie walked in, having seen a dark blue bird on the fence. However, she knew it was Quaoar. She had left the puppies to discuss among themselves about the domestic dogs' descent from the grey wolf as a group learning method. Milo continued.
"You're their ONLY son you know and they want you to grow into a good-mannered, respectful Lear's macaw."
"Also, both your parents cannot accompany you, Quaoar," added Ellie, Milo flashing her a gaze, "especially your father who is permanently grounded due to the loss of his left wing at the clutches of that BEASTLY cockatoo when he fought him to save your mother from his torture methods and because of that, she has to stay behind to care for him."
"And to add," continued Milo, "Those toucan kids of Rafael and Eva except a few of them like Diantha and NOTHING but UTMOST trouble. Our oldest son Sunspot, his girlfriend Titania and their vegetarian cat friend Vegetal became victims of that borderline-malicious pitfall trap trick of theirs, and Vegetal suffered a broken shoulder in his left shoulder from the fall."
Quaoar flinched violently when he heard this. "B-b-but I thought city cats can right themselves to land on all four feet when they fall."
"They can but that pitfall trap took Vegetal, Sunspot and Titania by so much surprise that the cat didn't have time to react and he ended up landing badly on his shoulder," said Ellie, "And I was ESPECIALLY worried for Sunspot and Titania as well, fearing that they have suffered injury from that fall but thankfully, they haven't."
Quaoar gazed at the two adult Dalmatians and parents of Sunspot and Sputnik as Milo continued.
"But as I've said before, if you cannot be trusted with being sensible on your own, especially if you're gonna get yourself entangled in bad company like Rafael and Eva's problematic toucan children; you WILL have to stay in the enclosure..."
"But I WANNA learn about the outside world," protested Quaoar, clearly finding that idea repulsive for he was an adventurous chick, "And as for me joining the toucan chicks, Miss Iris and Mr Sputnik allowed me to do that."
When Milo's ears picked this up, an angry scowl formed on the male Dalmatian's face. Turning to Ellie and telling her that he wants to do something and to look after Quaoar until he got back, Milo left the garden by jumping over the fence and headed off in the direction of Francisco's family's house. He was not only cross with Quaoar, but Sputnik and Iris as well. Then after finding said family's cottage and garden and seeing that Sputnik and his owners were present, Milo went and gave Sputnik a SERIOUS reprimand for allowing Quaoar to join the toucan kids. He also told a green parakeet to send word to Iris and tell her off for allowing the macaw adolescent and only son of Luke and Hauyne she had been entrusted with looking after to go off with those naughty birds and that she SHOULD know better since, after all, she was an experienced babysitter, especially of chicks. After that, Milo returned to his family and owners' cottage and called for another parakeet to come and take Quaoar back to the Maimed Animal Enclosure and report to Luke and Hauyne about what happened to Quaoar's dread. Then as soon as Quaoar was back with Luke and Hauyne in the enclosure, he was grounded for a month for going off with such badly behaved toucan kids by his parents and told to never leave the hollow for the first week, to Quaoar's UTMOST displeasure. However, it was clear that a lesson MUST be learned for the adolescent Lear's macaw after all.
Rafael and his massive family's tree
In a certain big tree, an aging toco toucan peered out of his tree hollow.
"I sure hope that Carlos and the others are alright," said he. Then breathing a sigh, the toco toucan, Rafael withdrew into the hollow and walked over to his keel-billed mate as she admired the latest clutch of four eggs.
"How are our lovely chicks-to-be doin, my hot mango," he crooned lovingly.
"The kids inside are dreamin', my handsome love hawk," replied Eva lovingly. She then lovingly leaned onto her toco mate's shoulder as the pair gazed into the nest and its precious contents. As they did this, a young female toucan who was also an adolescent but younger than Carlos and some others, came by and gazed at her parents. This daughter of Rafael and Eva was quite colourful. Her feathers were jet black and her face mask and belly were pure white like her toco father and she had his brown eyes. However, her eyes were a lighter shade. The toucan had a feather ruffle and a lithe build similar to her keel-billed mother but her most striking feature was her beak. Her beak started orange near her face but it faded to lime green towards the tip. The tip itself was black and magenta. The splash of colour on her beak was clear evidence of the toucan's hybrid heritage as though her father's orange and black beak and mother's lime green and magenta beak had been mashed together. The toucan also had natural eye-shadow on her eye lids but unlike Eva's which were purple, her eyelids were fuchsia. This toucan kid was Diantha and she was the eighteenth chick born to the toco/keel-billed couple. When she had been still an egg, Rafael and Eva had met Blu and Jewel when they had been chained together and she had been shook by her older siblings though Rafael told them time and time again that eggs were NOT maracas. Rafael had referred to the chick in the egg as 'he' as he LOATHED calling his eggs 'its' and since the gender of the chicks is not revealed until they hatch, Rafael always referred to his eggs as 'he'.
Diantha, unlike so many of her siblings, was sensible though she started out mischievous at first, but she has since abandoned her siblings' 'hobbies'. She ABSOLUTELY loathed her siblings' activities and the results they caused but what the loathed MORE was her siblings' constant habit of lying and directing the blame at other birds and animals for the results of their antics. The toucan kids had done just that with Sandalwood, Acerola and Hermione, the three (now oldest) pups of Orion and Ahsoka when they caused trouble for Mauro and his marmoset gang with the fruit. They directed the blame at the three poor flying fox pups and Mauro and his marmosets got revenge by throwing the trio into a pile of rotting fruit and getting a snapshot of them which they then duplicated and spread throughout Tijuca Forest. Furthermore, the toucan kids lied to their parents and they believed their story. ALL that was what shattered the friendship between Rafael and Eva and Orion and his family and Diantha was STILL furious with her siblings even now. Three other toucan kids who were also sensible and loathed their siblings' rotten antics, Cleo, Nemo and Fabio, were on the same perch as Diantha. Diantha and the other three's refusal to participate in their siblings; antics had put the four at loggerheads with the rest of their siblings and that had been compounded by what had happened to Orion's family because of them, and Diantha, Cleo, Nemo and Fabio did not believe their siblings' lies that Sandalwood and his sisters were the ones to pelt Mauro and his gang with the fruit. Thus the damage was not only between this large toucan family and that of Orion but WITHIN the family as well as Diantha had tried to tell her parents that Sandalwood and his sisters would NEVER do that to Mauro and his gang over and over again only for the naughty siblings to cut her off and often, fights, whether physical or verbal, broke out, and Diantha even had brutal word fights with her parents over the flying fox family. To add, Rafael's banning of his chicks from ANY association with those bats added to the friction under the threat of DIRE consequences. Then another thought entered Diantha's head. She had overheard the discussion between her parents and Blu and Jewel in the Amazon via the phone that Orion and Ahsoka had recently had two new additions to their family, twin sons named Ganymede and Gordie. Diantha feared for these two new pups if Orion and his family ever decided on visiting Rio and what sort of trouble they would face from the Tijuca Forest community. As Diantha thought about these things, her mother's voice pulled her out of that pond and in her and Rafael's direction.
"Those winged furballs are planning on coming to Rio with Blu and the others this summer, aren't they?" said the keel-billed mother, "Well, if that is the case, then they will NOT be allowed ANYWHERE near ANY of us OR our hollow."
"No, not after what they had done to that pack of pesky marmoset looters and what that ginger bat had done to you, my lovely gem," said Rafael. Rage tore through Diantha and she began to quiver.
"They've also got two new pups," said Eva, "Do you think they're banned from meeting us too?"
"Yes, absolutely," said Rafael with a growl, dislike of the flying fox family lacing his voice tone, "And if that family of bats is ostracised by the community because of what trouble that older son and two daughters have caused Mauro and his gang and those marmosets' revenge on them, I wouldn't be surprised."
"Mr Orion and his family did NOT deserve that, Mom and Dad and they STILL don't," Diantha finally spoke, pulling her parents' attention to her.
"What did you say, Diantha?" asked Rafael angrily.
"Sandalwood and his sisters did NOT pelt those marmoset thieves with the FRUIT!" snapped Diantha in a harsher voice. She had spoken to her parents like this quite often since that incident last year and while it was true that children should NOT use that tone of voice when talking to adults, especially authority figures like their parents, Diantha had good reason to be angry with her parents. However, this had been going on for too long and Rafael and Eva had been driven around the trees by her attitude. Then Eva stepped forward to rebuke her daughter.
"Don't you EVER speak to your parents like THAT, young lady," she snapped with a wing point to Diantha.
"Yes, your attitude has been going on for far too long," put in Rafael.
"You believe the FOUL LIES of Carlos and his prankster bunch ABOVE the truth told by Mr Orion and his family, Mom and Dad," snapped Diantha, "Is it ANY wonder they do NOT get on with us anymore!?"
"Diantha, go to your room," barked Rafael, anger at his daughter's attitude finally pushing him to breaking point. Diantha then glared at her father.
"I don't even know why you even CARE to look at the whole incident again to find out what REALLY happened and make up with Mr Orion and his family, Father," she retorted sourly. Rafael's eyes blinked in UTMOST stun at this response and with that, his patience's walls containing his anger finally buckled.
While Rafael yelled at his daughter from within the hollow, another toucan, a male toco like Rafael but with a muscular build and blue eyes, and a green parakeet flew towards the tree. This pair had come to Rafael and Eva's hollow with a complaint and had been sent by Milo to deliver it. The pair flinched when they saw a colourful comet rocket out of the entrance/exit hole of the hollow. The comet with a colourful beak flashed a volcanic look back at a toco toucan and screamed something at him before finally rocketing off. The muscular toco toucan and the parakeet exchanged wondering looks with a raised eyebrow for a second before finally approaching the hollow as Rafael, the toucan at the hole, angrily watched his daughter Diantha rocket away from the hollow.
"We have a fruit shell to pick with you, Rafael," said the muscular toco toucan, pulling the slimmer toucan's gaze his and the parakeet's way.
"Several fruit shells in fact," said the parakeet. Rafael's outraged glare melted to a greeting smile.
"Jean-Luc, Federico," said he with excitement, "What a nice surprise."
"Yeah, well lucky for you, that surprise is some fruit shells to pick," replied the muscular toco toucan, Jean-Luc in a not-so-friendly tone of voice that melted Rafael's joyful gaze from his face.
"Why? What's wrong?" he asked. The parakeet named Federico then touched down on the lip of the hole, making Rafael back away to Eva's side. From one of the holes leading to one of the rooms in which some of Rafael and Eva's almost-thirty children slept, three small heads peered around the corner. The three all looked alike but two had orange and black beaks like Rafael and the other, a lime green and magenta beak like Eva. The trio stared at the two newcomers at the entrance of the hollow as they told their parents that their toucan kids had been up to a serious manner of mischief.
"Oh dear, Fabio and Nemo," whispered the lime green beaked chick, a female, to the other two orange beaked chicks who were male, "That does NOT sound good."
"Where's Diantha?" asked one of the males. The other male left to look for the older colourful beaked adolescent. However, the three were unaware that Diantha had flown out of the hollow and simply assumed that she was in her room, so the male went there to check her nest.
While Cleo, Fabio and Nemo wondered where Diantha had gone, Jean-Luc continued his complaint to Rafael and Eva with Federico.
"Milo the Dalmatian has sent us to you with a complaint about some pitfall trap your kids had apparently dug in the forest floor which resulted in a bird-friendly city cat friend of his oldest son and girlfriend suffering a broken shoulder," said the hulking toucan. Rafael and Eva and also Cleo, Fabio and Nemo (who emerged from Diantha's room after finding her not there) flinched in horror when they heard this.
"Oh no," said Eva with her wings over her lime green and magenta beak in shock.
"We have also had a report from Tiny that some of your chicks, particularly your older ones, attack an adolescent Lear's macaw outside her and her family and friends' vandalised hollow as well," put in Federico the parakeet.
"Quaoar?" asked Rafael when he identified the chick mentioned.
"How would Quaoar involve himself with our children?" asked Eva, "He-he should be with his parents in that enclosure for maimed animals."
"And according to Milo, those chicks had chased Quaoar for some time resulting in him flying to his family's building," said Federico, "Apparently over not participating in some prank those kids of yours were planning on playing on the honeycreepers and finches..."
"Our children would NEVER go about vandalising anyone's hollow," snapped Rafael in denial.
"Yes, Carlos and the other older children of ours are MUCH too sensible to cross that line," put in Eva. Just then a small flock of hybrid toucans appeared and entered the hollow, stopping in stun when they saw two visitors talking with their parents. The oldest one at the front looked on.
"Uh, is there a problem?" asked he innocently. Then Rafael commanded the flock to enter the hollow, which they did. As they did that, Diantha flew back, having seen this group turn up. Once Carlos and his group were in the hollow, Jean-Luc retold the complaints of the pitfall prank injuring a city cat friend and also what happened with Quaoar and at the honeycreepers and finches' hollow. However, Carlos immediately lunged forward and began to do what he had ALWAYS done.
"We did NOT do the pitfall prank OR vandalise Miss Tiny and her family and friends' hollow and flowers," he protested, lying as usual to cover up the truth, his siblings nodding and throwing in their agreement protests.
"It was a group of city dogs that dug up that hole and covered its entrance with the sediment," added Darla, "Sunspot, Vegetal and Titania must have unknowingly walked over it and fell into it resulting in the cat hurting his shoulder..."
"Seriously, you lot, that poor bird-friendly cat will now have to put off his dog-and-cat-only club duties with his Dalmatian friends for a GOOD while until his shoulder heals," said Jean-Luc angrily.
"Sunspot and Titania will have to run the club themselves until then," put in Federico.
"Our kids would NEVER, EVER do such a prank as STUPID as that," protested Rafael in defence of his children.
"Our children may be rascals but they are NOT malicious delinquents capable of such heinous tricks," added Eva in agreement. Carlos and company nodded in innocent agreement. However, this was manipulative behaviour to get their parents on their side. Jean-Luc and Federico, however, were not convinced. Then Rafael stepped in.
"We'll have a word with our children," said he and with that, he placed a wing on Jean-Luc's back and guided the muscular toco toucan who had been one of his childhood friends, and Federico to the entrance/exit hole. "You two get yourselves off and we'll deal with this. We are, after all, their parents."
"Then make sure that they GET disciplined," snapped Jean-Luc, "because otherwise, that lot will grow up to become a problem group and that is the last thing ANY of us in Tijuca Forest needs."
"If my own chicks did ANYTHING like a pitfall trap," said Federico in agreement, "I would severely ground them for a MONTH."
"Yes, INCREDIBLY dangerous and injurious, such traps are," added Jean-Luc. He then stepped aside to allow Diantha who was still sour-faced, into the hollow. Then after seeing off the pair and waving goodbye to them, Rafael and Eva turned to face Carlos and company. However, before they could prepare to have a word with them about pitfall pranks, they were greeted with a crowd of inflated eyes with shining black pupils. The toucan kids had entered puppy dog-eye mode, putting on a cuter, innocent front as a way to beg their parents to believe their lies and not punishment. Rafael hesitated at first but then he spoke.
"Kids, did you know that pitfall traps are incredibly dangerous?" he asked them sternly. None of the toucan kids answered and kept their display of innocence up.
"Seriously, children," said Eva, "If it's true that Vegetal had suffered an injured shoulder because of some pitfall prank you pulled off on him and Sunspot and Titania, then I'm afraid we're gonna have to bestow upon you some form of punishment."
"Oh, PLEASE don't punish us, Mommy and Daddy," protested Carlos, his eyes still puppy dog-like.
"We didn't do ANYTHING... HONEST!" added Sofia.
"Like we've said before," said Darla, "It was a pack of city dogs that did it, NOT us."
"We're INNOCENT!" said Manoela. The other toucan kids, their inflated eyes resembling saucepans or a certain orange swashbuckling cat in the series with a green humanoid as a protagonist when he puts on that cute front, Rafael and Eva began to hesitate. They were not sure whether to punish them or let them off. However, the atmosphere suddenly exploded like a crack of thunder as Diantha stepped in, OUTRAGE plastering her face once again.
"For goodness' sake, YOU LOT!" she bellowed at her siblings, "If the FRUIT SHELL regarding the pitfall trap on Sunspot and two of his friends fits, then WEAR IT! I cannot BELIEVE THAT YOU would DO THAT TO THOSE THREE..."
"STAY OUT OF IT, DIANTHA!" snapped Carlos, his puppy dog front vanquished in an instant. The others with him also threw down their puppy dog eyes and glared at Diantha.
"Diantha," began Rafael but his own daughter cut her off and began to furiously vent her wrath at her siblings and their behaviour.
"THIS IS... the PROBLEM!" she screamed, tears beginning to well in her eyes which spewed volcanic ash plumes coloured pale brown, "YOU KNOW WHY MR ORION AND HIS FAMILY CANNOT GET ALONG WITH YOU!? It is because of THEM," she gestured angrily to Carlos and company as she said this, "THEY were the ones who got SANDALWOOD, ACEROLA AND HERMIONE into trouble with Mauro and his marmoset gang and THEY are the ones responsible for the SHATTERED FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN US and that FLYING FOX FAMILY!"
"Oh, for the last time, Diantha, we did NOT PELT THOSE MARMOSETS with the FRUIT," retorted Carlos.
"THOSE THREE BAT PUPS DID!" added Darla. The others with this pair screeched in agreement. In one corner of the hollow, Fabio, Cleo and Nemo cowered and shivered at the thunderstorm occurring in the main room. Then that thunderstorm finally exploded its lightning when Carlos approached Diantha and did the unthinkable.
"You seriously HAVE A PROBLEM distinguishing truth from lies, don't ya, SIS..." bellowed the oldest son of Eva and Rafael and with that, he pounced onto Diantha and within moments, a fight exploded. The other chicks on Carlos' side joined in the fray and they began to subject Diantha to an avalanche of feather pulling, throttling, kicking and punching with Carlos having his wings around Diantha's neck. Then Rafael's temper exploded.
"RIGHT, THAT DOES IT YOU LOT!" the toco father bellowed at the top of his lungs, halting the tempestuous pond of fighting toucan kids, "TO YOUR ROOMS, ALL O' YA!"
Then like a large pack of mice escaping a cat, all twenty-plus chicks stopped their brawl and scurried to their rooms. Some collided into each other on the go. The last to leave apart from Diantha was Miguel and he collided with Sofia as she fled. Miguel landed on his backside in front of Rafael before trembling before the enraged father and scurrying off to his room after the others. Fabio, Cleo and Nemo also left for their rooms to avoid the stampede. Only Rafael, Eva and Diantha were left and Diantha began to vent at her parents once again.
"I'm gonna sit on those four eggs I think," said Eva and with that, she left for the nest to do just that.
"And I'm gonna see Mr Orion and his family when they DO decide to come here," snapped Diantha.
"I told you, Diantha, ANY association with those BATS is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN!" bellowed Rafael, "Now GO TO YOUR ROOM with EVERYONE ELSE!"
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT that OUR FRIENDSHIP with MR ORION AND HIS FAMILY IS BROKEN, DAD," screamed Diantha, louder than she had EVER screamed before.
"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT, YOUNG LADY," Rafael and with that, he cuffed her, "IF YOU EVER ASSOCIATE WITH THOSE BATS..."
"I HATE YOU!" Diantha screamed back and with that, she stormed into her room. Then a MASSIVE explosion of sobbing burst from her room as she broke down hysterically. Rafael then looked on, guilt at cuffing Diantha like that welling within him. Then he made his decision.
"Eva, my love," he said in a calmer voice tone to his keel-billed mate, "I'm gonna go and see Nico, Pedro and Chip-I-Am to cool off a bit. I will talk with our kids later. Also reinforce the strict rule of no contact with Orion and his family with them, okay?"
"Okay," muttered Eva as she sat in the nest to incubate the four eggs and with that, Rafael went to the entrance/exit hollow, opened his wings and took off. Diantha then peered out of her room, her eyes weeping a MASSIVE torrent of tears and sob-gasps entering her beak. She had secretly decided to make the decision to see Orion and his family if they decide to come to Rio and apologise to them for her siblings' behaviour and parents' refusal to believe her lying siblings, something she NEVER got the chance to do due to her parents banning her and the other kids from meeting them after the incident where Ahsoka insulted and slapped her mother. As Diantha wept, she was joined by Fabio, Cleo and Nemo who reached an agreement with her to go and meet Orion and his family to apologise to them.
Things were indeed an ABSOLUTE mess for this large toucan family but it was not just from their broken friendship with Orion and his family.