Chapter 16
Carnival Sonata: Pranknaissance

~Tiago~

Friendship is probably one of the most powerful and significant thing ever existed in one's life, I mean- can you imagined your life without a companion? Or at least someone you can depend upon to? Well, I believe I won't survive a day without it anyway, while I do know that my pranks sometimes can mess my relationship with others, I never really know just how harmful a prank could be until the Carnival took place, tasting my own medicine sometimes probably the thing I required the most one of these days; the main reason is probably I wasn't aware the kind of mayhem I could bring when I do that, and the premise of what I called "Harmless" would be changed within the Carnival once for all.

Carnival, yeah, smell the air, feel the wondrous scent of excitement and jubilation from people and birds alike, that was probably one of the best moment in my life – well aside for some future happiness.

In the wake of the crowd, sometimes I just wanted to enjoy myself and be free out of my mischievous mind that continuously injected into my head, a series of random calculation and probability on what could I alter to make the circumstances became more.. Let's just say- exciting.

After Mom and Dad immersed into the crowds with Uncle Rafael, I knew that tonight would be a blast, because not only I hyped for the festivities, it was also a perfect time to have "fun"; and with what I was saying as "fun" was something you might already guess. Bia and Frost was asking me to get Carla and bid her some of the greetings and supports before her big show. Frankly said, the idea bored me to the bone, so I declined their offer and instead, immersed into the crowd, searching for something that could spark my excitement from the heated Carnival.

Carnival only lasted once per year, and when others remarked that Carnival was the biggest celebration in the world, I guess I believe them, just looking at the massive crowd of humans, so enthusiastic with their dances and exotic outfits, not to mention the floats and the fireworks, cheers and thundering applauses, the music so-loud-it-almost-break-my-eardrum; so yeah, it was indeed the grandest celebration in the world.

I quickly fluttered into the edge, scanning the view below for the floats and dancing humans, Dad told me before about what happened during his first Carnival with Mom, and I have to admit that cheesy story had some quite decent material for my soul to ingest.

Growing up, probably the whole reason I started to tolerate more of them, while I still loathed them to be rubbed on my face (which is sometimes happened quite often) I valued them now and then. I mean- just seeing (sometimes) my sister having an romantic relationship with someone else put me into the brim of jealousy sometimes – because I think that having such relationship would be a blast, just caressing someone you loved with your wing… errr… why do I talk about this? Skip.

Okay, so we returned back to the celebration. My mind was amazed and enchanted with the pulsing light from the floats and humans below, the noise started to overload my input device, overflowing the neuron system with a rush called excitement (I've got to thank Bia for that vocabulary).

My stomach however didn't sync with the excitement that currently spawned into my soul, the low energy reserves from the void in my belly succumbed me into the state called hunger, otherwise, I would past out before the main event started. It didn't take so much time to spot the pile of assorted fruit in the center of the crowds, where several birds already dug their beak into their respectable meal; I unfurled my wing and rapidly closing the distance between me and the table, eying the delicious-looking strawberry on the table.

Alas, someone else managed to snatch them before I could reach the table, and left me with a sigh to puff out of my lungs. I scanned the other options available, the round-and-chocolate husk was my eyes main priority tonight, and so I set my dinner course with a nut – bad pun, I know.

The effort to crack open the shell was almost drenched me with a lot of sweat – even it's not biologically possible – and after the fifth attempt to split it open with my beak, the chasm was formed and easing my continuity effort to open it in a half, revealing the golden-brown tasty goodness inside. I immediately dug my beak and savor the nuts in my taste buds, two seconds later, my face already donned with grimace.

I didn't know how that nut could tasted so horrid, I mean- even if you compared the "ordinary" one in the Amazon with this, it's like heaven and earth. The fate of the nuts was predictable; quickly I ditched them into the ground while I drank greedily the water source nearby to wipe away the horrible taste out of my beak.

I clenched my beak and swallow the water rather quickly to spare the fleeting after-taste from the nut. My eyes once more scrutinized the other meals accessible, and set myself to a safer alternative, a mango instead. Delighted, I let out a sigh of exhilaration and swallowed the juice with a satisfying gulp before resuming my attack on the fruit.

To be honest, I didn't have anything to think that night aside from just enjoying the celebration – I know it may seems like a miracle that I don't think about pranks- but bear with me that I honestly didn't that moment, mainly because I was just eager to enjoy the night with my eyes rather than with my beak, plus with Carla performance, I knew something awesome might be happening.

But my insidious and mischievous mind still turning its gear to scan for any opportunity where I could plant my devious plan to gain some more thrill from the festivities, but the lack of enthusiasm from my soul terminated them or perhaps simply suppressed their suggestion from injected into my consciousness, hence I simply enjoyed the night.

It didn't last long though the moment my eyes caught a glimpse of cobalt and white in the midst of the crowd. The first impression I got was probably perplexed, I mean- Miguel, by standards, was actually Frost in a harpy eagle's body, with some exception that he was more nervous, speaking in Spanish and having more adventurous spirit than Frost, the rest… well, they are basically twins; And again with the fact that he was here, in the crowded celebration, walking… I don't know what was snapped him to join in the first place.

Ignoring my thought and rapidly reduced the fruit into naked seed, I quickly fluttered to Miguel after I ditched the seed with calculated throw, ensuring it would land on a place where no one was present to greet it. It took me more time to reach him than what I was expecting thanks to the waxing crowd, and greet him, "Hey, Miguel!"

He turned his head to see me and quickly his beak formed a smile. "Oh, hey there, Tiago."

"You came here huh? I thought you don't like crowds."

His face quickly dampened, although I could notice that he tried to mask it. "Oh, yeah… uhm… I guess not a single bird wants to miss the Carnival." He stated, faking a smile.

I snorted a laugh. "If you aren't comfortable then you can always tell the truth, Miguel," I then added. "You seem so nervous; I bet everyone will notice that."

He then sighed in defeat. "I know I always been that obvious am I? I don't like it here. It's too crowd and noisy, but I don't want to make my parents worry about me when they have their performance, so yeah… I guess I don't have a choice."

Perhaps what you need is some help to brighten the mood, I guess I will be bored too if I stay on this level of "excitement". I mused.

"Hey, tell me what, do you want to get something to do tonight? I think we can do something together to cease the boredom, perhaps pulling some stories of yours or pranks will be nice. What do you say?"

He looked hesitated. "Well, you see- I told my parents that I will stay here… they will look after me if I just disappear into thin air, perhaps I'll stay here."

I wrinkled my eyebrows. "Oh come on! It's Carnival! We should enjoy it, Miguel. I think your parents will be just fine, besides you aren't that small anymore, I mean- how old are you now?"

"Seven years old."

"Well, that's pretty old to me… Come on, we can do something rather than just stay in here… it will be so much fun now, what do you say, amigo?"

His face showed me a pondering that currently happening inside his head, but it didn't last until finally he beckoned his head to agree. "Okay, perhaps some time won't hurt, so what we are going to do?"

"Well, I don't exactly have anything in my mind, how about you? Do you have something running in your head?"

"No," he replied, "Not exactly."

I frowned and quickly brought my mind to find the ingredients to boost the fun level, and… it failed. I couldn't come up with a better solution on what should I do with him, not to mention my list of jokes was probably started to get old, besides, I was thinking to find something more "extraordinary", perhaps doing something usual but more complicated and amusing.

I kept my eyes opened until I froze and stared at the abundance puddle of red sticky juice in the middle of the celebration, and my mind started to racing rapidly; doing a mental calculation and a series of events on how the prank would be pulled, and the corner of my beak started to risen up as the devious prank finally made inside my head with a vivid blueprint for my next action. "I think I know what to do."

If you say that planning a prank is something useless, then you probably right. The main reason I do this because I didn't want to disappoint Miguel after I managed to persuade him in doing something beyond his usual activity. Plus, the addition of companionship from him made me wanted to impress him with my mind, something that came up quite randomly tonight as I wasn't planning to put a prank before, and now I already involved myself inside it once more.

After a series of calculation, placement and finalizing, I smiled at my own creativity in front of me. Let me explain the prank, first, we got some easily-break vines concealed by the leaves and dust above, the series of that vines were connected with the shell that filled of red-sticky juice up there, and the last one would be the usage of some feathers I snatched from the performer's outfit down there (which involved a lot of scream when Miguel trying to grab them) and covered them with the multi-colored feathers.

The problem was, setting the feathers to quickly be pulled with the gravity wasn't easy, and I was desperately required for Bia's assistances for this particular problem. I pondered quite a while on the placement of the last components that would surely add the laugh on the gag. It took me several trial-and-errors before I finally realized how easy that was to put the feather straight, and instantly get back to my creation.

My soul was tickled with the kind of amusement this prank would bring until I didn't realize that I already stepped on one of the concealed vines. I could see Miguel eyes widened the moment I stepped on the vine and heard the snapping noise underneath me. Turns out, the placement of the feathers was supposedly the least of my concern, the string that hold the shell wasn't sturdy enough to endure the tension of the jolting vibration sent from the snapping vine, and therefore, my world tumbled into chaos of red – of sticky ooze.

I was covered completely with the repulsive juice, the moment I dared to open my eyes, the dripping gunk slowly form a river down into my knee before puddling up on the ground. I soon realized that the accident involuntary succeeded in soaking some other birds nearby with the same stain that covered my body. The sight quickly brought a laugh inside my soul.

I soon realized a vigorous laugh that resonated into my eardrum; Miguel was laughing his heart content, and his likeable-laugh was infectious.

We both shared the laugh while trying to act innocent in front of the birds that currently scolding in Portuguese as they flew away from the "crime scene", shaking their bodies to send the juice away from their body.

My laughter, however, didn't last too long as the repulsive substances that covered my body started to get real unbearable, but yet Miguel laugh showed any sign to desist. "You really like this prank huh? "

He crossed his wing across his belly and kept laughing, tears rolling down his white plumage. "Yeah! It was really funny!"

I suppose my prank could be so amusing, but I didn't think this prank was that amusing, and to my disbelief, he added. "I mean look at you! You look ridiculous with that red juice on your blue plumage! It's just too rich!"

Wait… did he… did he just laughing at me? I know that my jokes are funny but did he laugh because of me? He laughed at me? Unbelievable.

My smile rapidly ceased and replaced itself with a frown, feeling a surge of heat rapidly engulfing my body, the emotion called anger and shame. I didn't laugh… I didn't laugh at all, it's like having someone you trust to spend your time with and in the end, they just slapped you to the face. It's harsh and I loathed it a lot. Miguel was still too caught up with his laugh until he didn't see the altered demeanor I was having.

It didn't last until his laugh reduced into minor hiccup and finally he registered my damped face – well not from the juice, "Something wrong?" He baffled.

I wiped the juice from my face before replying. "No, everything is fine." I told him; even my voice was obvious filled with sarcasm.

He didn't take the clue and simple smile once more, it gave me a stab because I my emotion biased my thought that he tried to taunt me. I mean- while I do know if I managed to get ourselves into a fight, I wouldn't stand a chance against him, mainly because I had a disadvantages with my sticky coated plumage, and the fact that he is a harpy eagle, the same species that tore a scar in Frost's face.

Donned with a mask, I returned his smile, forcing myself to ignore the stinging pain and rage within my soul. Then again, I was too naïve when I believed that all birds could be trusted. Miguel however, started to feel the anger that radiated from my soul, perhaps because my mask was cracked soon after and revealed my true emotion.

He looked at me guiltily as if he was doing something beyond unforgivable, but before any words could escape the prison of his beak, something else interjected. "¡Ah, ahí tiene!"

Miguel rotated his head and quickly found himself face to face with his father, and by the looks of it, he wasn't content. "¡Papá!"

"¿Te dije que te quedaras? ¡Tu mamá está muy preocupada por ti!" [Did I tell you to stay? Your Mom is worried sick about you!]

"Lo siento, Papá" He scratched the ground with his talon. [I'm sorry, Dad.]

"¿De todos modos, ¿qué estás haciendo?" [What are you doing anyway?]

"Estábamos jugando, es Carnaval, entonces pensé que... " [Tiago and I were doing some fun, it's Carnival so I thought…]

I was completely out from their alien language conversation, and quite intimidated when César directed his vision at me with the kind of looks I remembered from the Amazon. The expression crumbled soon after and replaced with befuddle and promptly asking me. "Dios mío! What happened to you?" [Oh, my!]

I tried to devoid myself from my agitated nerve, but the efforts taking too much toll on me, barely I could contain myself from bursting up. "Oh, it's just an accident, I dropped my drink accidentally."

I fathom that Miguel might be get some trouble if I ever told his father that we were planning a prank, and Miguel's face already shot me with an apologetic one, saying mutely. "I'm sorry."

"You sure he wasn't the reason of this right? I mean if Miguel was the…"

"No no no César, no, he wasn't. I'm just clumsy enough to get my drink spilled." I faked.

César was looking at me momentarily until his warm smile returned to his face. "Well in that case, be careful next time, Tiago! There's a pond near here you might use a bath place." He stated, pointing south with his primaries.

"I'll get there, César. Thanks for the information."

He nodded his head. "Ok, nos vamos." [Okay, now off we go]

Miguel and César's departure allowed me to release the true emotion that lingered inside my soul, the presentation of humiliation and frustration I bore with a frown expression pasted firmly on my beak. The celebration noises were muffled in my ears, their intensity lowered a few decibels as my infuriation started to get the best of me. I sighed in defeat and pondering over the recent event that brought a gloom to my mood. Friends were supposedly to laugh with you not at you, or perhaps… I was too sensitive this time?

I mean, I never been known how it felt to be the victim of pranks, well- let's just say that I did ever get myself into one from my peers, but they were laughing with me, not at me. I'd just known Miguel for roughly two days, that was perhaps the reason why I got my heart stabbed when he laughed with (or at) me.

I rolled my eyeballs to spot anything that could cheer me up, but nonetheless, I was doomed with the damped mood for the rest of the night. Miguel's laugh echoing inside my eardrum, resonated a vibration down to my spine and taunting my brain. Nothing much I could do with this, only unsolved distress possessing my soul.

It was also when the voice that belonged to my Mom snapped me out of my trance. "What?! What happened to you?"

I rotated my head and saw two pairs of eyes asking for explanation over my juice-coated situation. "Oh hi Mom, Dad." I replied plainly.

"Tiago Gunderson! Explain this." Mom remarked. "What happened to you?"

I sighed internally and donned myself with a smile. "Let's just say that I got inside my own prank." I replied huskily. "Yeah… it didn't work so well."

Mom and Dad was struggling to contain their laughter and failed altogether when Mom stifled a small laugh that infected us all, it was sincere laugh, something was different from Miguel's. I suppose, because I knew that my family would not laugh at to me.

"Taste your own medicine eh, little bird?" Mom quipped.

I still drenched within the laugh, mended some of the walls that crumbled inside my mood when a mischievous plan injected once more into my brain and my beak possessed a sly smile. "Mom, I need a HUG."

Mom was caught up on surprise the moment I lunged towards her and sent the juice in my plumage to her, stained his blue cerulean feathers with red stain. Dad's eyes were shrunk into pinpoints the moment he realized that I already prepared myself to make him my next victim. Amusing as it seems, Dad was running as fast as he could, while I gleefully chasing him with all of my speed. It wasn't last more than one minutes as Dad stumbled himself onto the ground, sealed his eyes tightly when he saw me lunged onto his spongy belly.

The fair amount of red-colored juice was now coated his blue plumage, the time with my family was filled my soul with jubilation, and eradicated my earlier distress with ease. The kind of occasion struck me with hindsight, that my family was the most genuine one. That said, I formed the series of words of my love for them. "I love you Mom, Dad."

Mom looked surprised the moment I uttered my words to them, her demeanor softened and replied with her silky voice. "Love you too, Tiago." She enveloped me with her wing and nuzzled my head.

"Mom, can we do this later, I mean…"

"Nope!" She interjected. "This is what you want, right?" and she tighten her hug.

When you face the love of your parents, the moment they are shameless to show just how significant your presence within their life, I'll say that you will bow to the majestic fire of their love and that's what happened to me tonight, the kind of radiance, so powerful and regal until I could only oblige to enjoy its radiant. I nuzzled to my Mom's soft chest, enjoying her bubble of warm love for me, consoling every diluted aspect that weakened from the stress I gained.

I do know that one day I need to face this world alone, and when that time came, I will always treasure them inside my heart, for them I existed in this world, for them I grow with happiness and carefree.

Mom was releasing me after a while, I tried to suck up my tears, masking my demeanor into a cheerful one, albeit the burst of emotion was started to shroud me. "I really need that Mom, thanks a lot, love you."

Tears slowly rolling down her pretty face, I couldn't face it, I wouldn't stand a chance to keep containing the bursting emotion inside my heart. "I'm going to wash this gunk away from me, see ya later!" I declared, quickly left them before I spilled my salty tears.

I hastily get myself out of the thundering festivities, heading straight to some quiet place to calm my mixed emotion that currently raged inside my heart and soul. Regrettably, I stumbled upon someone… it was Miguel.

He was surprised the moment he saw me bumping into him, and his face rapidly filled with shame. I, however, didn't give him any chance to talk and immersed myself into the crowd. The sticky sensation in my plumages had evolved into crust, and it got me even more unbearable sensation. It was then when I recalled César remark about the pond south from here.

Landed on the tranquil pond was something I required that night, I sighed in exhalation and bring myself to the reflective surface of the water… and I couldn't contain my laugh soon after. I finally realized why Miguel was laughing so heartily before, the blotches on my face were indeed priceless, and a moment later I quickly regretted my anger towards him.

Something snapped inside of me, the kind of epiphany I gained tonight, the one that I would always been remembered for the continuity of my life. For almost my lifetime "prank-experiences" I never bring myself to ask, or even ponder about someone else feelings with my pranks- the main reason was probably they always laughed, they always took my pranks with open wing, even sometimes I knew that I crossed a line.

And to experience the kind of thing myself tonight was indeed something I required to understand- that I wasn't that young anymore… plus, understanding and respected others, and get the respect reciprocated to me was essential.

While I do know that my prank-side will never left me alone, but to control or even took some of the others pranks would be included into my consideration list right now. I stared again into the pond and keep the smile on my beak, the red circle in my eyes looked like someone just punched me fair and square in the face and the crimson color also clashes badly with the color of my plumage. If I laughed at myself, I guess it would be a sin if I prohibit someone else to do so.

I walked away from the pond unwashed, even with the crusty and heated sensation blessed upon my body; I treasured them as a token of friendship, in hope to get reconciliation with Miguel. Immersed back into the crowd, Uncle Nico and Pedro were announcing the next performer on stage. "Now! Let's welcome César and Selena!"

I glued my eyes on the stage and saw the two eccentric harpy eagles started their dance, it didn't last long though as my first and foremost exodus was to find Miguel and asking for apologies, mending the fences I just broke with him. Spotting him, however, wasn't as easy as it sound, mainly because the endless stream of birds and confetti obstructed my view, also the fact that he wasn't the only one harpy eagle around was adding the difficulties in my search.

I tried myself to hover into the air, but with the suffocating crowds around me, I couldn't just open my wings and flapped them sans the stern stare from some birds. So essentially, I was doomed to find him with my talon on the ground. The search wasn't easy, the cheering from the crowds probably already altered my hearing senses a few decibels down, but it was Carnival, and I was the one who made the scene anyway, so I couldn't blame them… completely.

My perilous quest finally find its objective the moment I recognize the face of the meek harpy eagles that once more filled with unease from the horde. I waste no time and carved my way into him. "Hey there buddy!" I exclaimed. "Enjoying the Carnival?"

Miguel let out a startling screech that raised my feathers the moment it reached my ears, while he might look harmless, he was still a harpy eagle… sometimes I just forgot that we were natural enemies, but their friendliness towards us sprouting the seedling of the odd friendship- but hey, friendship is magic, it knows no bound.

I calmed myself and walked towards him while he shied away from me. His face was filled with shame and regret, a kind of trait that involuntary told me that he was sincere, that he didn't laugh at me on purpose. I masked my face as nothing had happened. "Hey, sorry to scare you… I didn't mean to do that," I chuckled. "By the way, your parents did a thriving job with their dance."

Miguel was perplexed with my attitude, well- to be honest, I will confused too with my own randomness feelings. Nonetheless, I presumed that he still had the issue to be resolved, and quickly my assumption transformed into reality when he finally opened his beak. "Tiago… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to laugh at you…"

I suppose some issues are inevitable to be left unresolved; you can't just act like nothing is happening and hoped them to vanish into thin air. I sighed. "Yeah… about that… I think I also owe you an apology."

"How so? I'm the one who laughing at you, I thought you won't get offended or something… well-"

"Trust me, I should have done that." I interjected. "But rather… well… let's just say that I was too lost seeing other 'tormented' with my pranks until sometimes I didn't realize that my pranks could hurt that much…"

Miguel tilted his head and replied. "You are one weird macaw, Tiago."

Ww… What?

"I mean in a good way, you are different… somehow… fun and amusing as a friend. My other friends just usually interested in race and other competitive stuffs, well- I don't like it… I mean, it's like our friendship is based on rivalry only, there is no significant bond."

"But you are different, and that's why I called you weird… just look at you! You didn't even wash your feathers!"

I laughed heartily. "Yeah, the moment I saw myself on the pond I couldn't bring down my masterpiece." I remarked. "It is the most funniest things my pranks have ever done to someone so far… even thought the prospect of me being the victim itself never crossed my mind."

Miguel's demeanor started to softened and his beak returned to possess a smile. "Você é um amigo muito bom, Tiago. I think I'm glad that I met someone like you, someone that gave me another perspective of life." [You are a very good friend, Tiago]

"Wait! You can speak Portuguese?" I baffled.

"I thought I've told you before about it…" He stated, looking at me confusingly. "Even I can't speak really well…"

I beamed. "That's awesome! You can speak three languages! Wow!"

He looked at me humbly. "Oh I wouldn't get that far… I mean I couldn't learn all of them easily, plus I think my English is still rather horrid."

I chuckled, but before I could spill any more words, Uncle Nico voice resonated into my eardrum and registered the finishing performance of his parents. "Well I didn't get a chance to see them until finish…"

"Well, I guess you can always go back to Rio next year, they will perform again for sure."

"But next year is wayyyyy tooooo long." I stated.

He simply chuckled. "Yeah, I know your torture, that's why I won't missed your sister performance."

I shot him a sly look. "Any particular reason perhaps? I mean, you never heard her singing before… yeah, you never heard it…"

Miguel was flushed with embarrassment. "Well… that's why I want to hear it… My parents make it so good… so…"

"Yeah, sure it is. The same reason with Frost the first time he saw Bia." I chuckled. "Even I must say… a harpy eagle and a macaw don't add up…"

Miguel rolled his eyes and drawing his sight away from me. "Oh come on! I'm just kidding." I beamed. "I think Carla's performance will be next."

As on cue, Uncle Nico and Pedro instantly announced the grand finale of the Carnival that day. "And now, the moment we have been waiting for, por pavor, Carla!" [Please, Carla]

The crowd was exploding with adoration and cheers, the heated Carnival was only middle-way to be declared as finished for today – yes, the Carnival lasted five days in here, and so for the next four days, our days would be filled with jubilation and cheers; even some occasion might happened on a bizarre timing, the truth is, no matter what- perhaps in some place, epiphany might struck you in the place you least expected.

And for such experience told me one thing, not only cheers and laugh we need to treasure, it was the kindled fire of friendship that truly is, the treasure I gained.

A/N : Another cheesy chapter I know... but I can't just terminate this story with abrupt ending, even with the last fragment of my idea left for this story, I will finish it.

and so, there it is, we only have one... two... three... perhaps three chapter more before Winter's Summer officially ends, and good news for you who like this saga, I have one to replace it! and it will be completely only focused on Bia and Frost, plus rating raise to either T or M (Albeit I need to assure you that I have no interest in writing a lemon).

I think that's all, thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review here!

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