Sorry for taking so long in update, but my health has not been the best lately and I guess that had affected my creativity.
Don't worry, now I'm a little better. Still, I think that this chapter will not be the best of my works… but, at least it would introduce more deeply the story.
By the way, StarSource: I regretted what I said (Mua ha ha ha ha)
Just kidding XD I'm still planning to do what I told you ;)
Well, I don't want to steal more of your time… so, here's chapter three ^^
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Chapter 3: Doubts again?
"Where… where is Erik?" Mumble asked as soon as he arrived to his cave. He was singing along his kind of student, Katherine, when Gloria saw them dancing together (and very close to each other). Instead of getting mad, she had told Mumble that Erik was calmer now and that he should speak with him about the last day. But the cave was empty.
"Well, he is visiting his grandparents. My mum didn't know him, so I thought it'd be a good idea" Gloria, who was at the entrance of the cave, replied.
"Oh… well, that's good. Well, if he is not here, I guess I should find him" He said as he walked toward the exit, planning to go to Maurice's cave; but Gloria stood in front of him preventing him to advance "Honey, what are you doing?" He asked, confused by the behavior of his mate.
"Well…" She said, as she crossed her flipper and narrowed her eyes "Happens that I spent the whole night without sleep, thinking that my husband had hurt my chick's feelings and that if he would be ok as well. That maybe my husband was suffering or that he could be worried that he wouldn't be able to speak to his chick anymore… but I found him really calmed… singing and dancing very romantic with another female!" She shouted the last part, in a tone of voice that made Mumble's blood run cold. He had never seen her so angry. (Come on! You really thought that Gloria would be so forgiving? Seeing a penguin dancing and singing with another is almost the same that seeing him kissing with another penguin)
"But I-I-I thought... you didn't care… you said it"
"I didn't care? That I didn't care?" Gloria laughed, but was an aggressive laugh that told Mumble that he was in serious troubles "I don't like to make my problems public… but how the heck you could think that I wouldn't care the fact that my mate is cheating me?" She shouted again.
"Honey, we were just singing together. We didn't…"
"Oh, you were just singing together! Now I'm really better. Come here, give me a kiss and let's forget everything" She said sarcastically, but soon she returned to her threatening voice "My parents sang together too one time… ONLY ONCE! And look!" She said and pointed to herself. Mumble got the message pretty well.
"Honey, I wasn't singing with her for… that…" He replied, blushing at the only thought of what Gloria had insinuated.
"Stop calling me 'honey'!" She shouted.
"But… I'm your mate"
"Apparently, not anymore. Now it seems that you want to be the mate of a school girl. She is a chick, Mumble. She didn't even finish school! What did you see in her?"
"Gloria please, stop!" Mumble shouted this time "Listen to you! You are talking about your best friend and your mate and father of your child like if they were the worst rubbish of the world! We were singing in a party and that's it! We sang together because the Elders wanted two penguins to open the show. I tell you that nothing happened between us, why you don't believe me?" She didn't answer anything. Instead, she turned around with her flippers crossed. "Look at me" He commanded, but Gloria didn't move. He then forced her to turn around with his flippers "Loot at me eyes" He commanded again. Gloria this time did what Mumble had asked.
"Ok, now what?"
"Tell what you see…" He asked. Gloria was too angry to pay attention to what she thought it was a kind of game to avoid the issue.
"Mumble, I'm not in good mood for jokes right now. If you…"
"Are these the eyes of a liar, Gloria?" Mumble raised Gloria's face with his flipper, almost forcing her to look into his eyes. Only then she really focused on them… those deep blue eyes. As soon as their gazes met, her anger just disappeared. How those eyes could always calm her with only one look? Those eyes didn't belong to a liar; they belonged to Mumble, her entire life's love.
Now, without the anger blinding her mind, she was able to think coherently. Mumble could have gotten any female in the colony if he wanted… and still he chose her. He traveled to the end of the world to save the colony and also convinced Noah to let her graduate. He loved her and she loved back, they had a chick to prove it. Why would he ruin all that after all he had being through? It didn't make sense.
"No…" She replied dropping her head, after two minutes of awkward silence "I know you wouldn't do that but…"
"What Gloria? I'm your mate, you can tell me"
"I'm scared, Mumble" Gloria replied "I'm scared that you leave me alone"
"That I leave you…? Gloria we had had this conversation hundreds of times! Look, my pa had sung with other females in the past, apart from my mom, but just for fun! Not for love. And I'm sure that your pa had done it too"
"But my situation is different, Mumble. If your parents or mine had problems or doubts, they sing together and everything turns alright. If any female sings her Heartsong in front of your pa, he pays no attention to it because your mom's song is in his head and heart… right?" Gloria explained.
"Well… yeah, I think so"
"But if you ever get interested or you even if you like another girl's song…"
"Sweetheart, you are overreacting. I…"
"Mumble, it's ok… I mean, you are male and that's natural…" That confession was rather hard to do, judging by her tone of voice "B-b-ut if you began to doubt… I-I-I wouldn't have anything to bring you back to me… because I can't sing" Traces of nervousness began to appear in her voice, which became more evident with each word "That's why I'm always overreacting. I'm just afraid, Mumble, and confused too. I have no way to show you that I love you. I wish there was a way to prove you my love, but the only way we penguins has to do that is by singing, and since I can't, I just… I just…" She took a deep breath and dropped her flipper "I just wouldn't know what to do if you leave me…"
Mumble admitted that she had a valid point. He actually had doubts about his relationship with her; he had them since the first day he began to get closer to her. But what it was bothering him the most in that moment was the fact that he had actually enjoyed of Kath's singing very much and also he had liked the sensation of her body close to his. What if Gloria was right? What if he actually was having a kind of crush on his student, who still was technically a chick? Was that wrong? Or it was right? Guin was playing with him again? So many thought were dancing in the fluffy feathered head of Mumble. if only Gloria could sing, they could erase all those doubts.
But Gloria was his mate and mother of his child and that was all that mattered. What it's more, although he had never heard Katherine's Heartsong; he knew that like he sang in that weird style called Opera, it was impossible that her song fitted in his. Maybe that's why he chose Gloria, because her silent complemented him.
Gloria, due the time Mumble spent thinking, began to think the worst. Mumble noticed that she began to sob and as soon as he regained control of his body, he pulled her into a hug, pressing their bodies against each other.
I love you when you're happy, I love you when you cry
I love you when you're silly, or when you're feeling shy
Mumble began to sing in a softly and melodious voice, like if he was singing a lullaby to a little child.
I love you in the daytime, I love you through the night
I love you when you make mistakes, or when you get it right
Gloria relaxed and snuggled into her mate's neck, as he continued his song.
I love you when you're working, I love you when you play
Oh, I'll love you forever… and I love you today.
I lo…
"How I wish I could sing with you, Mumble" Gloria sighed, interrupting the song. Her sadness in this phrase was more than evident "Tell me something…"
"What you want to know?"
"Is… is Katherine a good singer?" She just was curious about what Mumble thought about that girl.
"She is a quite... talented girl. I'm sure that she has a bright future" Gloria wasn't surprised at all. Like she never learned to sing, she couldn't judge other penguin's singing; but many penguins had commented to her that Kath was a remarkable singer. She was one of the candidates to be the top of the class of her generation. Gloria had another question, though; one which answer she didn't know if she wanted to hear it.
"What do you think of her? You know, not as a friend or student. I mean as... female"
"You are still worried about that, Gloria?" Gloria nodded.
"Yes… I suppose I'm kind of jealous of her… because she could sing with you and me not"
"Compared with you, Katherine is like… a krill to me: tiny and simple, nothing special" Mumble said, causing Gloria to smile
"You are so mean… and I love that part of you" She said playfully "So, if she is that… what am I?"
"You are… you are… you are… like a whale" Gloria's eyes widened.
"Oh, Mumble, you are so cu…" It took her a while to understand what Mumble had said, and when she did, she didn't like it "Because I'm fat!" She asked (shouting, actually), shocked by the comparison.
"No, of course not. Because you are majestic, the queen of the seas; sweet and loving, but indomitable and wild at the same time"
"Oh, Mumble…" She said, as she tightened the hug "That was the weirdest and most romantic thing that you had ever said me"
"Believe me, I've got betters than that. But my mind can't think clearly right now" Gloria giggled at Mumble statement.
"Twinkletoes…"
"Yes, honey?... I-I-I can call you honey, right?" Mumble teased.
"Of course you can… and I think you are forgetting something"
"Really?" Gloria nodded.
"I asked for a kiss some time ago, and I haven't received…" She said seductively, but she wasn't able to finish because Mumble's beak unite with her.
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Far away from Emperor-Land, the big floating iceberg had already re-entered in the Antarctic waters and also began to speed up due to the wind. Even some bug ice pillars weren't able to stop it. The iceberg just destroyed them as soon as it crashed.
Its course was a straight line to Emperor-Land
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Mumble and Gloria were still doing their saliva exchanging, when suddenly…
"Oh, Guin…" The young couple stopped and directed their gaze to the voice owner, who turned to be Gloria's mother, Michelle, who was standing a few step outside the cave "I think we are interrupting something" She said, giggling. Mumble and Gloria looked down and notices the little Erik in his grandma's feet, with his eyes covered by Michelle's flippers. The two lovers blushed as they broke their hug and walked to greet the visitor.
"Good morning, Mrs. Michelle" Mumble greeted. He always had showed respect to his mother-in-law every time they met, that's why Michelle liked him so much as husband of his daughter.
"Hi mom, did you have problems with Erik? Gloria asked.
"He is an angel" Michelle replied "And I was about to ask you how you were, but judging by what I just saw, I guess that you are more than just fine" She added, laughing at the end of the statement. Mumble and Gloria looked at each other and blushed. They loved each other and they weren't afraid of showing it, but Gloria was kind of shy and didn't like other penguins knew about their intimacy… and less considering that that other penguin was her mother. Michelle bowed her neck and pushed gently Erik out of her feet. The chick, who didn't have said a word since they arrived there, walked in silence and hid between her mother's legs.
"Son, are you… are you still mad with me?" Mumble asked, but he hadn't got a replied. Instead Erik did a gesture with his flipper, asking his mother to approach her head. She did that and Erik whispered something to her.
"Excuse us, but Erik wants to talk with me in private" Gloria said, and walked back inside the cave. When Gloria was away from them, Michelle took her chance to talk to Mumble about something that she wanted to say him since yesterday.
"Listen, Mumble…" She said, gaining his attention "I know your parents are friends of Maurice. I like you singing, you are truly amazing. I also think you are a nice guy… and Gloria seems to be really happy with you"
"Well, thank you. I…" He tried to speak, but was cut.
"But if you ever make my grandchick cry like you did yesterday… I won't kill you…" She wasn't speaking with his usual sweet voice anymore. Her voice now could terrify to Guin itself" She leaned her head and approached her beak to Mumble's hear "But I swear that I will make sure that you won't have another egg… never again… and the girl won't be the problem" She pulled her head back "Got it, handsome?" Mumble just nodded. He was too scared to speak "Good… now if you excuse me, I have some fishing to do" Michelle said and waddled away.
As he watched her disappear in the crowd of penguin, Mumble was thinking that maybe the famous saying 'messing with a grandmother is suicide' wasn't so exaggerated after all. His attention now focused in his family, and especially, in Erik. He walked into his home, finding his wife and son whispering things to each other. His curiosity took control of him, so he hid behind a rock, trying to hear what they were talking but remaining unseen.
"…at least give him another change, I'm sure that he didn't do it with bad intentions. He only wanted to tease you, like he always do with all his friends…" Gloria told to Erik.
"But I'm not one his friend, I'm his son. He shouldn't do that with me" Erik whispered in replied.
"Erik, he is your father… the only one you will ever have. He won't do anything to harm you, son; he would die for you, if it was necessary"
"I doubt that, mom"
"Sweetheart, you haven't spent so much time with him as I did. You don't know him as I do. You don't know the kind of action he is capable of when one of his beloved penguin needs help. I know that maybe he acted like a dope in front of your friends…" Mumble narrowed his eyes "…but don't you remember how he treated you before that? Or how happy you were playing with him?" Erik took his time to think about it. He remember the happiness of his father when he first saw him… and also the face of sadness that his father had when he shouted to him. He really seemed to regret the things he said, and what he said wasn't something so bad. It was exactly what he had told him, and he never mentioned that it was a secret, so how Mumble was going to now that it was.
"Mmm… I guess that you are right, ma. Maybe I reacter… oviracted… over... ARGGG!" He shouted, angry with himself because he couldn't pronounce the right word "How is it, mom?"
"You 'overreacted'" Gloria corrected "And that's a bad habit that you apparently inherited from me, son. Try not to do it again, it won't take you anywhere. Believe me, I and your father had argued several times because of that"
"I think now I own dad an apolo… apolo…" He sighed in defeat realizing that he had lost the word again "I have to say I'm sorry" In that moment, Mumble got out of his hideout and walked to his family as he hadn't heard anything.
"Hi family" He greeted and faced his son "Erik, I know that I behaved like a dope, but I swear it wasn't my intention" Gloria was proud that Mumble accepted his mistake, though she was surprised that Mumble used almost the same words that she did, but she thought it was only a coincidence. Mumble actually didn't mean to use them, but as soon as he faced his son, he got so nervous that he couldn't think in any others "Please, forgive me son. But I'm your father, and you are my only son and I… I… I'm just nervous… I don't know what to do, I…" He stopped talking because he felt his son little flippers hugging his leg.
"I… I forgive you pa… I'm sorry for shouting at you" The little chick said.
"It's me who have to apologies, son. I didn't know that I couldn't say that in front of Bo. I just wanted to make you a joke… I'm not very good, like you could see… but I have an idea" Erik released his father leg and took some steps back. Gloria approached to her family, because she got interested in what Mumble may propose "The party in the square isn't over yet. So how about if we go to the square and we sing together for the colony? Just you and me, like father and son"
"Mumble, are you sure about this? Isn't he a little… little to sing? And if he turns out to be… like me?" Gloria asked.
"What do you mean with that, ma?" Erik asked.
"Well… I can't sing…"
"But we'll never know if we don't allow him to try it, Gloria. Come on! Don't worry, baby. Is only singing! What could go wrong? Besides, I will be with him in every moment" Gloria nodded, though she wasn't very convinced. She still thought that Erik was too young to sing; but knowing Mumble, even if she denied to the proposal, he would find the way to convince her and take Erik to the square anyways "So what do you think? Are you in, champ?"
"Ehm… ok" Erik simply replied. He wasn't convinced too, but he wanted to improve his relationship with his father.
"Alright! On my feet, son. Today we will show Emperor-Land what the Happy Feet's men are capable of!" Erik jumped into his pa's feet and walked out of their cave in the direction of the main square. Gloria wasn't very sure if she should go or not. She still didn't like public events since she couldn't participate in them; but if her son was about to sing in front of everyone for the first time, she had to be there to hear and support him. She just really hoped that he wasn't like her.
If only they had known what was going to happen that day…
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Three chapters and I have not even told the first 10 minutes of the film O.o
Gosh, this is going to be a long fic :/ I wouldn't surprise if this end with 20 chapters ¬¬
By the way: I got the idea of Michelle's treat when I was doing a zapping in Tv and I saw that in some random movie XD and I thought that it was a good idea for my fic, so I modified it and included it here XD. Liked it?
Well, thanks for reading.
Review and tell me what you think.
Read you soon ;)