On this beautiful day of spring, Logan walked across the World Showcase in Epcot. Some of the passers gave him odd looks, having not forgotten the whole accident from last summer, but he didn't mind. He was accompanied by his beloved whale shark, Destiny, the Queen of the Outlands, Jasiri, and the Dream Keeper himself, Gabriel, whom had celebrated his birthday the day before.

"So? Why exactly did you insist on bringing me here today?" the raven questioned.

"Just be patient; it's a surprise," Logan replied, exchanging a little wink with Jasiri.

"Right... In that case, can you tell me what you've been up to lately? We haven't seen each other in a while."

"I've done quite a lot, actually. It's my pleasure to announce you I've finally decided to watch The Owl House, as I want to be there to see the finale. I've just finished the first season."

"Great! Do you enjoy it so far?"

"You bet I do! It's as fun as Ducktales and Amphibia! I really wonder what they're gonna do now that Eda has lost her magic and where Emperor Belos' evil plan is heading to," Logan explained with enthusiasm.

"That's not all; he has practically been spending his free time locked up in his house," Destiny pointed out. The whale was currently in her anthropomorphic form so that she wouldn't bother the crowd with her normal size.

Logan awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I've also been catching up on shows like Star Wars: The Bad Batch and watching movies like the last Puss In Boots (please don't tell the others I'm watching DreamWorks movies). Not only that, but I'm still trying to complete Dark Souls 2 so that I can finally move on and get to play Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories."

Gabriel scoffed at this. "You should skip that game and get straight to KH2, if you want my opinion."

"I'm not a big fan of the card system in COM either, but I promised myself I would either finish or complete every game in the franchise, for the better and the worst," Logan replied. "If I managed to complete the Final Mix edition of the original game, then I can do them all!"

Jasiri giggled in amusement before turning to her whale friend. "And you, Destiny? You've done anything interesting beside dealing with Logan's shenanigans?"

"I'm still following my training with Percy," Destiny replied. Using her Water Magic, she reached into the giant lake to pull out a ball that she then turned into different fish forms. "It's taking time, but I'm progressing a little more every day. Soon, I'll be the best Water Magician in the entire Magical World!"

"Cool! How about you come over to the Outlands tomorrow? That way, you could show everything you can do to Tunu and Wema!" Jasiri suggested.

As the two friends planned their girls' day, Gabriel approached Logan. "We've been walking for a while now. Are we gonna arrive soon?"

"We just did, buddy!" Logan proudly announced. The group had indeed arrived in the Chinese Pavilion of Epcot and before a restaurant. "Here's your after birthday surprise; we're having dinner at the Nine Dragons Restaurant!"

The raven rolled his eyes with a little smile. "Why did I have a feeling your surprise would have something to do with food?"

After passing by the glass etching of two dragons chasing a glowing pearl, the four friends were led inside the beautiful Chinese restaurant that was decorated with wood carvings, traditional lanterns and exquisite glass artwork. They were made to sit down around a table with a big, circular seat and started looking through their menus. While trying to decide on what to eat, Gabriel couldn't help but notice a detail.

"Huh, guys, is it me or are we the only ones in here?" he asked. "I don't see anyone else."

"Right, that's because this restaurant's mostly popular to eat in during the evening because of the lanterns illuminating the dark. It's a completely different story for the day. Since I couldn't find a reservation for the evening, I opted to go for dinner at noon," Logan explained. He attempted to silence a chuckle, forcing Destiny and Jasiri to nudge him. Gabriel raised an eyebrow and gave an unconvinced look. Something was definitely going on here.

Not long after sitting down, everybody made their choice: Logan went for vegetable spring rolls with a Kung Pao Duo and some low-fat milk. Gabriel opted for some canton pepper beef and a hot chocolate, while Jasiri served herself to a honey sesame chicken with a cup of apple juice. As for Destiny, she commanded some salt and pepper shrimp with a side of vegetable egg fried rice and hot jasmine tea.

The four friends all ate their meal (Logan chewing everything down like it was his last one) whilst chatting about various topics. By the time everybody was done, Logan exchanged a little nod with Jasiri, the hyena standing up. "Excuse me, guys, but I have to use the bathroom."

"Sure, see ya soon, sweetie," Gabriel said and kissed his girlfriend on the cheek before she left. The raven kept chatting with his two friends before the restaurant's staff suddenly closed every door and window and the lanterns turned slightly off, plunging the restaurant in a dark, soft atmosphere. "Okay, what's going on now, guys?"

Logan and Destiny chuckled a bit. "It's time for a little...entertainment," the Champion of the Magical World replied, pointing at the performance stage, where spotlights were turned on.

Two people walked through the curtains, one of them being easily recognizable as Silver, clad in a red and gold traditional Chinese robe. Next to him was Jasiri, who seemed to have quickly brushed her mane and cleaned her fur as well. "Attention, ladies and gentlemen!" Silver beamed. "Thank you all for coming! Today, the Nine Dragons Restaurant proudly presents to you an exclusive performance that was not supposed to be showcased until many months later in the year! But for our beloved Dream Keeper and all the good he has brought to the Magical World, the performer was more than willing to make an exception! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the three-act show of our beloved Mystical Dancer herself, PRINCESS ALMYRA!"

('Rasputin' (with modified lyrics) by Boney M.)

Right on cue, Almyra came walking through the curtains, most of her body covered by beautiful amethyst sheets that glowed under the spotlights. The only parts that were visible were her beck, midsection, tail feathers and feet. As the music began playing, she calmly walked onto the stage and between Silver and Jasiri, building up the anticipation by tapping her foot and beating her head in tandem with the notes that were being played. Once in place, the peahen crossed her wings over her chest and gently moved her torso as she exchanged a nod with both Silver and Jasiri, who started singing.

Silver and Jasiri:

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

While keeping her back straight and her wings crossed, Almyra beat her hips left and right with every 'hey!', giving more strength and energy every time. When they finished singing this part, she swiftly took off the sheets to reveal her costume: an amethyst dancer's top and knee-length skirt with golden trims that reflected the lights from above. A golden necklace with a purple gem decorated her neck, while elegant golden bracelets were dangling from her wrists. Her feathers had been cleaned to perfection and covered with some glitters that made them shine... but not as much as her turquoise eyes.

Just as Logan had hoped, Gabriel's lower beak dropped at the sight of such a gorgeous peahen. Far from looking annoyed, Jasiri giggled in amusement at his reaction. She knew that Gabriel would never leave her, even for the most beautiful woman in the world. That's why she was perfectly fine with her avian friend giving him a show to remember. Almyra danced softly at first until the two friends began singing again:

Silver:

There lived a certain man in Russia long ago

Jasiri:

He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow

Silver:

Most people looked at him with terror and with fear

Jasiri:

But to Moscow chicks, he was such a lovely dear

Almyra swung her wings and waist around, pretending to be intimidated during Silver's second line, and waving her face with a wing like a charmed lady during Jasiri's second one.

Jasiri:

He could preach the Bible like a preacher, full of ecstasy and fire

But he also was the kind of teacher women would desire

The peahen made sure not to use too much energy, as she knew she would need a lot for the incoming part. She and Jasiri exchanged a nod, the Hyena Queen ready to sing the next part.

Jasiri:

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen!

There was a cat that really was gone!

With every 'Ra', she performed one spin on herself before giving two hip thrusts. She placed her wings on her hips and rolled her stomach until the next part.

Jasiri:

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine!

It was a shame how he carried on!

The Mystical Dancer repeated the same choreography except for the last bit where she instead beat her hips while looking away, closing her eyes, and rubbing her feathered fingers on her forehead like someone who regretted something. However, she still smiled during that part.

During the transaction to the next part of the song, Almyra kept dancing to the beat with her eyes closed. At one point, she opened one of them and grinned at the reaction of the crowd. Gabriel was staring at her with interest and a little bit of admiration. Yet, he, of all people, should know that whenever she danced, the peahen always poured her heart and passion into every single move. The raven noticed that, the more she danced, the more magic energy built up around her, her turquoise feathers faintly glowing.

Silver:

He ruled the Russian land and never mind the Czar

Jasiri:

But the kazachok he danced really wunderbar

Almyra turned around on herself for a bit before rising her wings and lowering them in half-moon patterns while swiveling her hips and torso in an exotic, feminine way. This move caused Logan, Gabriel and Destiny to giggle a bit, amused by how their avian friend was clearly having a lot of fun.

Silver:

In all affairs of state, he was the man to please

Jasiri:

But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze

For the Queen, he was no wheeler-dealer, though she'd heard the things he'd done

She believed he was a holy healer who would heal her son

Having built up enough magic from her Dance of the Mystical Veils, Almyra created little lanterns that floated around the room, creating an even more special ambiance for the watchers.

"You've reserved the entire restaurant just so that I could get to see this without anyone else?" Gabriel mumbled to Logan.

"Of course. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for my best raven buddy!" Logan replied, giving his friend a little nudge on the shoulder.

"Shh!" Destiny silenced the two boys as the show was reaching its next part.

Jasiri:

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen!

There was a cat that really was gone!

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine!

It was a shame how he carried on!

Repeating the same choreography as before, Almyra performed one spin for every 'Ra' before giving two hip thrusts and rolling her tummy. Then, as the beat got softer, she used her magic energy to create a little cloud that floated and brought her off the stage and before the only guests' table. She lowered her head with a serious expression.

"Get ready, Gabriel," Destiny mumbled to the raven. "We all have to take part in what's coming for the performance to work."

"Okay."

Silver also took on a more serious tone in his voice as he sang the last part like a storyteller.

Silver:

But when his drinking and anger and his hunger for power became known to more and more people

The demands to do something about this outrageous man became louder and louder!

Almyra briefly turned her head to see Silver giving her a nod and Jasiri a wink, making her smile brightly once again as she turned back to her guests. Through her Dance of the Mystical Veils, she created spotlights of different, flamboyant colors on her for the next part of the song.

Everybody:

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Logan, Destiny, Jasiri and Silver all clapped their hands/paws in tandem whilst singing all together, Gabriel joining in once he understood what was going on. Almyra, meanwhile, clasped her wings together above her head as she gave a series of hip thrusts in synch with every 'hey!'. Every thrust was more powerful than the previous one, the peahen's energy fueled by the support of her friends. She made sure to be as close to Gabriel as possible without stepping on the table so that he could enjoy the show to its fullest. For the birthday raven and Champion of the Magical World, it was difficult not to fall under the peahen's charm with her feathers that glowed under the spotlights and the passion behind every single move.

This part of the song went on for longer than usual, with the friends all singing and clapping for more than a whole minute, helping Almyra building up her magic energy. By the time, it ended, she performed an impressive moonsault to land back on the stage, ready for the next part.

Silver:

'This man's just got to go', declared his enemies

Jasiri:

But the ladies begged, 'Don't you try to do it, please'

Silver:

No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms

Jasiri:

Though he was a brute, they just fell into his arms

Almyra span a bit on herself, disappearing into a puff of smoke before re-appearing with magical animals serving as her background dancers.

Jasiri:

Then, one night, some men of higher standing set a trap, they're not to blame

'Come to visit us', they kept demanding, and he really came!

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen!

They put some poison into his wine!

The beautiful peahen blew some kisses at the audience, making Logan and Gabriel blush, while Destiny just giggled. Silver also took a chance to give a kiss on Almyra's wing, making her blush and nuzzle her fashion-loving friend.

Jasiri:

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine!

He drank it all and said, 'I feel fine'!

Deciding to add a little twist that wasn't planned in her original choreography, Almyra launched her body backwards, performing an impressive backflip that surprised the crowd. She landed on her two feet before proceeding with the next part.

Jasiri:

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen!

They didn't quit, they wanted his head!

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine!

And so they shot him 'til he was dead!

Almyra span on herself at an impressive speed before finish the performance with an elegant pose. When the lights and animals disappeared, she received claps and cheers from the audience of three, all of them having a big smile on their face. "Congratulations, Almyra! This was amazing, as always!" Gabriel praised her.

The Mystical Dancer blushed a bit before winking at him. "Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the show, Dream Keeper."

"But, huh, you were also great back there, Jasiri!" the raven assured his girlfriend as she came his way.

Jasiri simply giggled in amusement and kissed her boyfriend on the beak. "Don't worry, Gabe; I don't mind you admiring Almyra's beauty. True to be told, I was one of the people to come up with this idea, alongside Logan. We all wanted a show to help you relax and have fun."

"Thank you so much, guys," Gabriel gratefully said, kissing his beloved hyena again. "Hey, what do you say we go relax near the Tree of Life after this meal?"

"No can do!" Logan immediately interrupted his friend. "Don't you remember what Silver said? This is a three-act show, meaning there's still two more to go. You remain seated until everything's over."

"I'm afraid he's right. Be right back in a minute, sweetie," Jasiri simply said and stepped back on stage, leaving behind the curtain with Almyra and Silver.

Despite having nothing to do but to remain seated and chat with his two friends, Gabriel made an effort to wait for the second part of the performance. At one point, Logan left Destiny talking about Percy Jackson with Gabriel while he stared in the direction of the stage and saw two dark blue eyes staring at him from behind the curtain. He smiled and gave a nod.

Almyra came on the stage, Silver and Jasiri nowhere to be seen. "Attention, Dream Keeper, Champion of the Magical World and cutest whale in existence!" she called, giving a wink to Destiny, who blushed adorably. "It's time for act two of today's unique show! I demand you all give a round of applause to our next dancer, the Queen of the Outlands herself, JASIRI!"

"Wait, what?!" Gabriel choked.

Standing behind the curtains, Jasiri looked down at herself to make sure everything was in position, then, taking a deep breath, she stepped out on the stage. The Hyena Queen, in her anthropomorphic form, was wearing a belly dancer's outfit in the form of a black belly blouse that hugged her chest and reached up to her elbows while leaving her shoulders exposed. This blouse was decorated with some coins, and she still had her bead necklace around her neck. Reaching down to her knees was a matching black silk African skirt hanging low on her waist and wrapped by a decorative belt. She even added some jewelry in the form of a big golden bracelet on her right arm and many little ones on her left one. She kept the headband onto which rested her magic butterfly and even had little zills on her fingers.

"Whoa!" Destiny exclaimed, her eyes widening at her hyena friend. "You look fantastic, Jasiri!"

"Thanks, Destiny," the hyena giggled, staring down at herself with a smile. "I'm pretty satisfied with the result, too. What do you think, Gabriel?"

"Beautiful, as always... But I didn't know you knew belly dancing?" Gabriel replied.

"That's a long story." Jasiri placed a paw on Almyra's shoulder. "You see, a few months ago, Almyra came to perform a dance in the Pride Lands for the celebrations of Kupatana. I was there to witness it. After she finished, Almyra and I chatted for a bit, and I learned a lot of interesting things. Turns out that belly dancing is a special dance in African culture. It's mostly used as a seduction dance for women trying to find a mate or wanting to charm their husband, but it can also be seen as a celebration of life itself, since the belly is where women carry their children. Not only that, but it's also a dance of spiritual nature, since it can help to balance the mind and soul. Almyra even told me that, for some performers, it is a representation of feminine empowerment. Since I can identify to all of these, I asked her to teach me how to dance like her."

Almyra wrapped a wing around Jasiri's back. "And I couldn't have been happier with a different student. We had so much fun together. Ready to show everything you've learned, Jasiri?"

"You bet I am!" Almyra took a few steps away to give Jasiri space to perform, and waited for her to give a nod before starting to sing.

('Whenever Wherever' (with modified lyrics) by Shakira)

Jasiri turned around and began dancing with her back facing the audience. She gently swiveled her waist with the sound of guitar, only to swiftly turn around and truly begin dancing when the drums joined in, performing a traditional African belly dance.

Almyra:

Lucky you were born that far away so

We could both make fun of distance

Lucky that I love a foreign land for

The lucky fact of your existence

Rising her paws in the air without stopping moving her feet and hips, the Queen of the Outlands played the zills on her fingers, adding her own little tempo to the song.

Almyra:

Baby, I would climb the Andes solely

To count the spots on your body

She rubbed her paws from her shoulders all the way down to her hips during this part, matching the lyrics. Gabriel noticed that his girlfriend's mane and fur were reflecting the spotlight, probably because she used the time between the two performances to give herself a quick clean up.

Almyra:

Never could imagine there were only

Ten million ways to love somebody

Le-do-lo-le-lo-le, le-do-lo-le-lo-le

She undulated her belly to each of the peahen's words during this cadence, making it move like the waves of the ocean. The little butterfly on her head glowed and flapped its wings a bit, glad that her hyena friend was celebrating life and wanted to join in as well.

Almyra:

Can't you see? I'm at your feet!

Whenever, wherever

We're meant to be together

I'll be there, and you'll be near

And that's the deal, my dear

Reaching the chorus, Almyra belted out the lines with a lot of energy, Jasiri surprisingly able to match it. Through her connection to the Heart of the Land, Jasiri summoned some African animals like giraffes and zebras that served as her background dancers. With the tempo kicking up, the Hyena Queen extended her paws to either side whilst beating her shimmying hips left and right.

Almyra:

There over, hereunder

You'll never have to wonder

We can always play by ear

But that's the deal, my dear

As the wind pipes played, Jasiri would shift her hips to the right multiple times before doing the same thing to the left and back again. Keeping her eyes closed and with a radiant smile on her face, it was clear that the hyena was feeling very beautiful at that moment... And rightfully so. During this slower part, she made the background animals disappear for now, just before Almyra could sing the rest.

Almyra:

Lucky that my lips not only mumble

They spill kisses like a fountain

Lucky that my mane is small and humble

So you don't confuse it with mountains

She ran a paw through her grayish purple mane and blew a kiss in Gabriel's direction during that part, naturally making him blush.

Almyra:

Lucky I have strong legs like my mother

To run for cover when I need it

And these two eyes that for no other

The day you leave, will cry a river

Logan suddenly stood up from his seat and left the table in a hurry. "Excuse me, guys, but I feel like I'm about to start nose bleeding again!" He ran off to the bathroom while the performance continued.

Almyra:

Le-do-lo-le-lo-le, le-do-lo-le-lo-le

At your feet, I'm at your feet!

Jasiri once again rolled her stomach in tandem with the 'le-do-lo-le-lo-le' before suddenly leaping high in the air and landing straight on Gabriel and Destiny's table.

Almyra:

Whenever, wherever

We're meant to be together

I'll be there, and you'll be near

And that's the deal, my dear

The Hyena Queen spread her paws to either side of her and beat her hips with passion and energy to the sound of drums. She gave a little grin to her boyfriend before turning around and lifting her mane to show him her back moves, eventually performing a back bend that made her mane fall downwards on the table. The raven and his girlfriend both chuckled as they saw each other upside down.

Almyra:

There over, hereunder

Or up above, don't wonder

We can always play by ear

But that's the deal, my dear

Not without giving a quick kiss to her boyfriend, Jasiri stood down from the tale and returned to the stage without ever stopping her dance. While beating her hips to the drums' rhythm, she saw the look of wonder on Gabriel's face and giggled, clearly seeing he was having the time of his life. And it wasn't about to end.

Almyra:

Le-do-lo-le-lo-le, le-do-lo-le-lo-le

Think out loud, say it again

Slowing down a bit, Jasiri gave soft tummy rolls as Almyra walked up to her and gave a soft pat on her shoulder for motivation.

Almyra:

Le-do-lo-le-lo-le-lo-le

Tell me one more time

That you'll live lost in my eyes!

During this part, the Mystical Dancer used a little magic energy she had built from her previous performance alongside the Hyena Queen's Heart of the Land to summon plenty of magical animals that would serve as her background dancers for the last part. The two ladies smiled in Gabriel's direction before exchanging a nod and starting the final part.

Almyra:

Whenever, wherever

We're meant to be together

I'll be there, and you'll be near

And that's the deal, my dear

Jasiri danced with more passion and energy than ever before, not holding back anything in her moves. With her eyes closed and the bright smile on her face, she was visibly having the time of her life!

Almyra:

There over, hereunder

Jasiri:

You got me head over heels!

Almyra:

There's nothing left to fear

If you really feel the way I feel

With the spotlight over her and all the animals dancing around her, Jasiri was the center of attention in this restaurant. She swung her arms and hips all around, occasionally slamming the zills on her fingers.

Almyra:

Whenever, wherever

We're meant to be together

I'll be there, and you'll be near

And that's the deal, my dear

There over, hereunder

Jasiri:

You got me head over heels!

Jasiri sang that part with all the joy in her heart as she pressed her paws together above her head and moved her waist to the song, the bright smile never leaving her face.

Almyra:

There's nothing left to fear

If you really feel the way I feel

The peahen affectionately nuzzled her hyena friend's cheek, making her blush adorably. Jasiri kept her paws clasped together above her head whilst closing her eyes and moving her hips to the song, looking almost like a Hindu goddess to Gabriel as she did so. Once the final notes were played, she lowered her paws to her front and opened her eyes to see her boyfriend's reaction.

Unsurprisingly, Gabriel and Destiny both gave a standing ovation to her performance. "Good job, Jasiri! You left me speechless there!"

The hyena blushed and walked down from the stage to go kiss her boyfriend on the beak. "Thanks, sweetie." She exchanged a high five with Destiny before looking back at the raven. "I'm really glad you enjoyed my performance; it took me a lot of time to perfect it. There's still one act left, are you ready for it?"

"You bet I am! Will you be in it, Jasiri?"

"Sure will." A little grin formed on the hyena's face. "Actually... The third act will not happen in this restaurant. For it to happen, we have to go to my hotel room... Just the two of us, alone..." She gave him a little wink.

"... Oh, okay," Gabriel replied, an adorable blush forming on his face.

At the same time, Logan walked out of the bathroom with a wrapped tissue lodged in his nose. "I seriously need to learn how to control my fluster problems when I'm around pretty girls..." Looking up, he saw Jasiri and Gabriel sharing a kiss together. "Oh, it's already time for the third act? Okay."

Gabriel went to give Logan a big hug. "Thanks a lot, Logan. I really enjoyed the meal and show."

"Hey, anything for my best raven buddy!" Logan replied, giving a friendly nudge to the Dream Keeper. He then twisted his face into a little grin. "You should go now; I'm sure Jasiri can't wait to begin the third act." This remark caused everybody in the restaurant to laugh, while Gabriel and Jasiri simply exchanged a look and blushed.

Author's note: Happy late birthday, Gabriel! I actually wanted to publish this chapter the very same week as the chapter of Gabriel's golden birthday, but real life got in the way. Eh, better late than never, right?

A few weeks ago, while surfing online, I made some research about belly dancing's significance in various cultures and discovered its purpose in Africa. This dance is not only used for women to attract potential mates or entertain their husbands, but it's also a celebration of life because the tummy is where we stock food and where women carry their unborn children. In fact, some people even believe that belly dancing originated as a fertility ritual and explains why it's been performed at weddings and birth announcements. Since Jasiri isn't one to hold back on flirting when she wants to and is also all about enjoying life to its fullest, I thought it would be fitting for her to learn it from Almyra. That's also when I got the idea of Logan offering his own birthday gift to Gabriel in the form of a good dinner and a three-act performance courtesy of his girlfriend and mystical friend. Hope you guys enjoyed the show.

On another note, I heard rumors that Disney might be preparing a brawling video game in the same style as Super Smash Brothers. After doing their own Mario Kart in the form of Disney Speedstorm and their own Animal Crossing in the form of Dreamlight Valley, it would be a fitting decision, don't you think? If they do, I would play that game, like a LOT!