AN: Did you hear the news? We're getting Zootopia 2, and I'm so excited! Happy for you Frozen fans getting a third installment as well. And Toy Story 5... Um, did we need another one after 4? Maybe they'll focus more on Buzz this time...
It's a moonlit night in the Paris Pavilion. The stars twinkle above the city, the Eiffel Tower shines, and if you look closely, you might even catch Ladybug and Cat Noir running across the rooftops. Outside of the Ratatouille restaurant, a candlelit dinner is set up, with the viewer being seated across from someone with a comically large menu in their face.
"Ah, Valentine's Day. The day of love, and to be here in Paris, the city of lights and the city of love… it is perfect, no?" the person behind the menu said in a French accent. "But of course, you're not here to hear me sing the praises of the city, are you? No, you want to talk about l'amour, the passionate feeling you get whenever you look at your lover. And tonight, I have a special treat for you. For I-"
"Pepe le Pew?" Gabriel said, suddenly stepping into frame. The raven looked confused as the menu was put down, and behind it was none other than the famous French skunk. "Wait, why are you here? This is a Disney story, and you're a Warner Brothers character."
"Ah, but the Looney Tunes did make a cameo in Who Framed Rodger Rabbit, did they not?" Pepe pointed out.
"But you weren't one of those cameos," Gabriel pointed out.
The skunk blinked, then sighed. "Look, Dream Keeper, if I am to be frank, I am… shall we say, not the most popular toon on the block? I came here to the Magical World to relax and take my mind off things. Can't you give a skunk that?"
Gabriel hummed. "Well, I do know that you did get your cameo from the Space Jam sequel cut for stupid reasons, and there was that whole controversy a few years back… You know what, Pepe, I do think you deserve a break."
"Oh thank you, good sir!" Pepe smiled. "I promise not to make a mess of things and I'll be back over at the Warner Movie Lot before you know it!"
"I bet this is going to make readers question if other worlds exist now," Gabriel said to the audience. "By the way, Pepe, why are you sitting out here alone on Valentine's Day. Do you have a date?"
"As a matter of fact, he does," said another voice. A black cat with a prominent white stripe on her tail hopped up in the chair opposite of Pepe, the two sharing a kiss. "Penelope Pussycat. A pleasure to meet you."
"Aw, so you two are a couple. I was always secretly rooting for you," Gabriel said. "But doesn't Pepe's smell bother you, Penelope?"
"Well, with a bit of magic, we sorted that problem out," Penelope said, pulling out a perfume bottle of "Skunk Smell Removal" from hammerspace. "Turns out that when Pepe doesn't smell, he really is quite the gentleman, if a bit of a goofball."
"I was bit taken aback by how forward mi amor was after the stench was gone, but we're pretty steady now," Pepe said, giving his lover a kiss on the hand.
"Gee, it's almost like these two love each other and it was the smell that was the real antagonist the whole time," Gabriel mused, looking at the camera. "Anyway, I'll leave you to share this special night together. I can take over narrator duties, Pepe."
"Au revoir, Dream Keeper!" the skunk waved goodbye.
Gabriel nodded, before turning back to the camera and nodding. "Now that the surprise cameo is out of the way, how about we start this Valentine's special with five Stories of Love!"
[***]
Kiara and Kovu in "Sibling Situation"
"Our first tale takes us to the rivers of Africa, where the future queen and king of the Pride Lands are set to go on a romantic date together. However, the couple's plans have run into an issue that doesn't want to go away…"
"Ah, the Nile River, the largest river in the world," Adam said, cruising in his boat down said river alongside his wife, Melanie. "It sure is a lovely day out here, isn't it, my lady?"
"Agreed, but I do have to wonder why we're exploring this river on a day like today," Melanie asked. "Are we doing a crime theater tour today, like in the Agatha Christie novel?"
Adam shook his head. "No, crime theater is for another day. We're here in the Pride Lands to pick up a particular couple for a romantic date across the river. They're friends of Jasiri."
"Oh, it will be lovely to meet more of her friends then," Melanie smiled. "Look, I think I can see them now!"
Pulling the boat over to the riverside, Adam lowered the gangplank and waved to his guests. "Hello, Kiara and Kovu! Your ride of romance awaits."
"You must be Adam," Kiara greeted, hopping aboard the boat alongside her mate. "You're one of Jasiri's friends from the Dream Defenders, right? I didn't know that you were a boat driver as well as an adventurer."
"To be a great adventurer, one must be talented in all forms of travel, be in by land, air, or sea," Adam explained. "That and I also offered to give tours out this month while Frank is on vacation with Lily."
"Thank you for offering to take us on this river cruise," Kovu said. "Although we really should be going now."
"Oh, are you in a hurry to get someone romantic?" Melanie asked.
Kiara shook her head. "No, it's more like we have an unwanted guest that's been following us all day, and this cruise is our one chance to-"
"Kiara! Kovu!" a voice shouted, making the two lions flinch.
"Speaking of which…" Kovu sighed.
Adam looked off in the distance to see another lioness approaching them. "Is that a friend of yours?" he asked.
"Worse: she's my sister," Kovu said. "Come on, we need to get going before she catches up to us!"
Adam shrugged, pulling up the gangplank and heading to the captain's cabin to start the engines. The boat roared to life, speeding down the Nile as fast as possible. That didn't stop their pursuer, though, as with a mighty leap she managed to barely grab onto the side of the boat and pull herself on deck.
"Hah, and you thought you'd get away from me!" the lioness said smugly. "I might not be The Fastest of the Lion Guard, but I'm no slouch when it comes to chasing my prey either!"
"Vitani, this is supposed to be a romantic cruise for me and Kiara," Kovu sighed. "Why have you been stalking us all day like we're zebra?"
"My dad didn't put you up to this, did he?" Kiara asked.
"What? As if!" Vitani scoffed, laughing a bit before sighing. "Look, King Simba just wants to make sure that you two are safe, okay? I know it seems unfair that you two have to stay behind in the Pride Lands to look after this place whenever he gets to go on adventures, but that's just because he cares about you two! Well, mostly Kiara, but he respects you to, Kovu."
"And since when did my sister seem so keen and following Simba's rules?" Kovu questioned.
Vitani looked away, staring off into the distance as the Pride Lands slowly faded from view. "Hey, I think you two can protect yourselves just fine, but the king's orders are orders. If it makes you feel any better, I'll just stay with the captain of this ship and let you two be all Upendi and stuff. It'll be like I'm not even here."
The leader of the Lion Guard did just that, stepping into the captain's cabin and leaving Kiara and Kovu alone on the deck. "So, where are we going for this date?" Kiara asked, snuggling up to Kovu.
"Well, I've heard since I was a cub from the birds of the Outlands that the deserts to the north have some wonderful views," Kovu explained.
"You think seeing a bunch of sand is romantic?" Kiara smirked.
"Hey, from what I've been told, there's way more than sand up there," Kovu defended. "Some say the sights are a Wonder of the World."
"Correct!" Melanie said, suddenly popping up between the two. "Egypt is home to the pyramids, as well as the Great Sphinx! Both of those are wonderous marvels of human ingenuity!" The ghost smiled brightly but became sheepish when the lions gave her unamused looks. "Oh, right, you two are here for a romantic cruise. I'll leave you to it then."
The ghost bride then phased back through the floor, leaving Kovu and Kiara to gaze out at the river as they floated along. Due to the nature of the Jungle Cruise Boat, the journey from the Pride Lands to Egypt to little time at all, with the lush savannah soon turning into sandy riverbanks covered by reeds, a caravan of camels climbing the dunes in the distance of the Sahara Desert.
"And if you look out towards the west, you'll see the Great Pyramid of Giza," Adam called over the intercom. "The Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids on the west side of the Nile, believing that the place where the sun sets lead to the afterlife."
"Wow. And humans built that?" Kiara said, amazed at the sight.
"And to think it was built as a resting place for one of their kings," Kovu said. "Whoever was buried there must have done something great to have such a large tomb."
As the couple enjoyed the sights, Vitani watched from the captain's cabin, sighing as she watched over the two. "Hey Vitani, are you enjoying the wonders of Egypt?"
"What?" the lioness said, looking at the cyborg. "Oh… Yeah, I guess it's cool."
"Hm, you don't seem to be enjoying the cruise, Vitani," Adam noted. "You know as a Dream Defender I can defend Kiara and Kovu. You didn't have to come, even if Simba ordered you to."
"Can I tell you something?" Vitani asked. "And don't repeat anything I'm about to say to anyone else."
"My lips are sealed," Adam nodded, making a zipping motion over his mouth.
Vitani nodded. "King Simba didn't actually ask me to come here. You see, all the other lionesses in my Lion Guard told me that I needed to take a break from leading them. With our new alliance between the Pride Lands, Jasiri's clan in the Outlands, and even Kion's pride at the Tree of Life, there hasn't been much for the Lion Guard to do. They want me to find something to do and relax, but that's hard for me. I've been fighting my whole life: first as a pawn for my mother, then defending the Pride Lands. Heck, I even traveled to a different world and fought a crazy guy with fire powers alongside a wolf knight and her friends!"
"I'm guessing that it's hard for you to not want to keep defending and fighting," Adam said. "I know that feeling. I love going on adventures, but Melanie is always there to make sure I need to take a break. Maybe you just need to find a nice lion that'll-"
"There isn't another lion out there for me, Adam," Vitani growled, before sighing and laying her head down. "Ever notice how there are no other male lions in the Pride Lands besides King Simba and my brother? The girls did tease me about dating Kion before he got married to Rani, but he's really not my type…" She looked out the window. "Honestly, I don't think there's really a guy out there for me at all."
Adam gave a hum. "Well, have you ever thought that maybe you just needed to expand your horizons? You don't have to date another lion- I mean, Gabriel and Jasiri are two different species, and they get along great!"
"Yeah, no, I don't think so," Vitani shook her head. "I mean, there are other guys I know in the Pride Lands but none of them have ever just clicked with me, you know? I don't feel like myself around them."
"Well then, when do you feel most like yourself?" Adam asked.
"Honestly? When I'm out hunting with Kiara or defending the Pride Lands with the Lion Guard," Vitani replied.
"Maybe what you need then is someone that has the same instincts as you," Adam suggested. Before he could say more, a light on his arm started blinking, pulling up a hologram of the river. "Uh oh, looks like something big is approaching the boat…" The ship suddenly shook, making everyone fall off their feet. "Melanie! Do we have a visual on what just hit the boat?"
"It's a crocodile, and a big one at that!" Melanie replied, appearing through the floor.
"I can deal with one crocodile, no matter how big it is," Vitani said, stepping outside onto the deck. "With my Roar I'll blast it all the way back to the Pride Lands!" The lioness then jumped back as a massive crocodile jumped from the water, eyes glowing yellow as it pushed down on the front of the boat. "Okay, I know I said I could take a croc of any size, but I didn't think I'd be this big!"
"Captain Adam, what is that thing!?" Kovu exclaimed, stepping in front of Kiara for protection.
"I don't believe it, that's Q'aráq, the guardian beast of the Arbori tribe!" Adam said. "But what's it doing here in the Nile instead of at Apu Taku?"
"Whatever that thing is, it's trying to tip the boat over!" Melanie shouted, watching as Q'aráq started to shake the boat side to side.
Adam fired off an electric blast at the beast, only for its scales to deflect the blast. "Great, why is that every time I actually need to shock something, it blocks my attacks?" the cyborg groaned.
Vitani stumbled a bit, digging her claws into the boat as Q'aráq snapped its jaws at her. "I can't use my Roar against this thing either, not while its holding onto the boat. That might just flip the whole thing over, and then we're all on its menu!"
"Then leave it to me, warrior of the Pride Lands!" called a voice, causing everyone to turn to where it came from. Standing on top of the roof of the boat was a woman wearing a golden mask with long red hair that had green streaks in in, alongside traditional Egyptian attire. She unhooked two daggers from her side before jumping down next to Vitani, the lioness stunned as the warrior pointed her weapons at the beast. "Sobek! I command you to reveal yourself!"
The Q'aráq roared again before its eyes turned blue, the monster's face contorting into a smirk. "Ah, Bast, what brings you back to Egypt? Did the Wakandans finally bore you?" the beast said.
"Sobek? Like the Egyptian god of the Nile?" Adam said. "And Bast… you're also of the that pantheon, the protector of the pharaoh!"
Bast nodded. "Indeed, adventurer, I came here on the behalf of the Abori people when their guardian went missing. While I mostly protect the lands of Wakanda, I suspected that Sobek might be involved." She growled at Sobek. "So then, Guardian of the Nile, why have you taken the form of another land's sacred beast?"
"Because this body is one of great power!" Sobek shouted, rocking the boat again. "After what happened between Ammit and Khonshu, and the incident with the God Butcher, I refuse to let Egypt be further defiled by mortals. We must rise up and take back our rightful place as the rulers of humanity!" He sneered at Bast. "And what have you do, Bast? Did you not sit idly by, even when Odinson asked for your help?"
Bast lowered her daggers and turned away. "It is true that I shamefully did not help Thor on his quest. I like many other gods have not been faithful to my duties, but I won't make that mistake again." She took a battle stance with confidence. "The Pride Lands are a great ally to Wakanda, and I will not allow the future king and queen to be fed to the likes of you!"
"I won't let you hurt my brother and his mate either!" Vitani shouted, taking her own stance.
"So be it," Sobek said, pulling more of his body onto the body.
"Uh, ladies? The ship can't take this much weight!" Adam shouted, watching in panic as water started leaking in. "Melanie, get below decks and start patching holes as fast as possible."
"Vitani," Bast said, getting the lioness' attention. "The only way for us to stop Sobek is if we separate his immortal soul from the beast's body. When I give the signal, I need you to use your Roar get him away from the boat."
"Got it," Vitani nodded.
Bast gave a warrior cry before running forward, daggers clashing against Sobek's teeth in a fierce stand-off. While the God of the Nile was strong, Bast had skill on her side, the panther goddess expertly using her legs to hold the giant crocodile's mouth open before tossing her daggers into its forepaws, Sobek shouting in pain as he was forced to let go of the boat.
"Woah, she's strong," Kovu said, impressed by Bast's feat.
"Well, she is a goddess. They have more strength than any of us," Kiara said.
Vitani didn't say anything, just watching in awe as Bast jumped back as Sobek's jaws clamped down, the cat goddess delivering a powerful kick to knock him off the boat. "Vitani, now!" Bast called.
The lioness nodded, digging down as she called on the Roar of the Elders. The clouds in the sky took the shape of roaring lions as Vitani unleashed her attack, the sonic blast sending Sobek flying off into the distance.
"This isn't over!" Sobek called.
"I believe it is," Bast said. She held out her hands, magic dancing on her fingertips as she pulled her daggers back to them. A ball of light flew out of the Q'aráq, which Bast caught before pulling out a jar to hold it. "There, now Sobek won't cause us any more trouble. And it looks like your Roar will be sending the Q'aráq back to Apu Taku as well."
"Thank you for saving the ship, Bast and Vitani," Adam said, coming out on deck with Melanie. "I don't think Frank would forgive me if I got his boat trashed…"
"You're welcome," Bast nodded. She then turned to Kovu and Kiara and bowed. "Sorry for ruining your date, future king and queen of the Pride Lands."
"It's no worry. Hakuna Matata," Kiara smiled.
"Well then, I should be going. I need to deliver this jar to Ra so that Sobek can receive his proper punishment," Bast said.
As the panther goddess turned to leave, Vitani suddenly ran up to her. "Wait!" the lioness called. Bast tilted her head. "You were really great in battle back there. I was wondering if maybe you could teach me some of your techniques."
"Intriguing. I've never taken a mortal on as a student, besides giving my guidance to the Black Panther, of course," Bast said. She removed her mask, revealing the face of a panther underneath it. With a flash of magic, she turned her mask into a bracer carved with Egyptian hieroglyphics and attached it to Vitani's forepaw. "You have impressed me, Vitani of the Lion Guard. You have a passion for battle, much like my sister, Sekhmet. If you wish to learn from me, just present this bracer to the guards outside of Wakanda and they will lead you to my domain."
"Thank you for the opportunity, Bast," Vitani said, giving a bow.
Before the panther goddess left, she got a cheeky grin and gave a quick kiss to Vitani's forehead. "You really are cute, you know, despite the tough look you put on," Bast whispered. The lioness blushed red, looking flustered before Bast laughed and leapt away, transforming into a blue spirit panther before racing across the dunes. "I will see you later, Vitani!" the goddess called.
"Well, well, well, looks like my sister has an admirer," Kovu said, ruffling Vitani's fur.
"W-What!? No way!" Vitani scoffed, still blushing from the encounter. "Besides, she's a girl, and so am I!"
"So?" Kovu asked.
Vitani looked surprised. "Wait, you don't think it's weird that I might have feelings for a girl. WhichI'mnotsayingthatIdo!" She was blushing hard again.
"You know, my uncles Timon and Pumbaa are pretty close, despite both of them being guys," Kiara pointed out. "They might not be mates the same way as Kovu and I are, but they did raise Bunga together, as well as my father when he lived in the jungle."
"And don't think I haven't seen the way you look at certain lionesses in our pride," Kovu said with a grin, much to his sister's annoyance.
"Both of you are the worst…" Vitani said, though she started to smile a bit as she looked out towards where Bast left. "Heh, to think I'd catch the eye of a goddess… but the Circle of Life has a way of bringing people together, doesn't it?"
With Sobek sorted out, the cruise through Egypt went smoothly, with Kovu and Kiara sharing a lovely day on the dunes while Vitani was also in a better mood, now having something to look forward to outside of her duties. From the cabin of the ship, Adam and Melanie smiled before sharing a kiss, happy that the cruise went so well, despite almost being eaten by a giant crocodile. "Maybe we should just go for a cruise around Tom Sawyer Island next time," Melanie suggested.
Aline and Binx in "Graveyard Romance"
"In our second tale, a pair of cats are hanging around the Haunted Mansion, where Aline has an important question for her boyfriend…"
Aline hopped on top of a bench in the graveyard behind the Haunted Mansion, transforming into her human form and sighing. "You know, a graveyard is a weird place to take your girlfriend out on a date," the said to the black cat that hopped up next to her.
"Well, unlike most people, I don't mind the macabre," Binx said. "Besides, there is someone that I'd like you to meet here today. We are a bit early though, so we just have to wait."
Aline nodded. Looking around, she noticed that the Happy Haunts weren't around at the moment, most likely due to it being the middle of the day. Getting a bit bored, she pulled out a notebook and started writing, drawing various symbols as she tried to make some new glyph combinations. "You know, Luz makes this look easy, and now she has a Palsman to do magic with," Aline said. "I don't know if I'd want a staff for myself, though. Maybe I can get someone to make me a magic book so I can write down all the different glyphs without using up a piece of paper every time I activate it."
"I did here that there is a new coven that's started up in Salem," Binx said. "They're much more reasonable than the Sanderson sisters as well."
"Eh, I'm not really interested in having another teacher at the moment," Aline said. She set her notebook down, letting Binx sit in her lap as she pet him. "You know, Binx, you've never told me why you decided to date me. I know I have a shady past, and that you guys have forgiven me, but I have to ask: why date me?"
"Well, it's a bit hard to say," Binx hummed. Sitting up, he jumped down from the bench and went over to where the Singing Busts were. "Excuse me, gentlemen!" Binx called, waking the statues up. "If you would be so kind as to give me some music as to proclaim my love to my girlfriend?"
"Oh sure! We love a good love song," the leader of the busts said. "Ready, fellas? A one, two, a one-two-three-four!" The Singing Busts started an acapella tune, with Binx nodding his head to the beat. The music attracted the attention to the other graveyard ghosts, who all peaked out to see what all was going on as Binx began to sing.
All throughout history men fall in love with women
You wanna know why, well, let's start from the beginning
I've come to set the record straight…
I've come to set the record straight…
As Binx sang, the graveyard ghosts began to play their instruments along with the song, while Aline snapped her fingers, letting a bit of Fantasia help her boyfriend out.
From scientific propagation of the species
To poets and philosophers, your Baudelaires and Nietzsches
I've come to set the record straight…
I've come to set the record straight…
Binx hopped between gravestones as he headed back over to Aline, with the hopping ghosts popping out from behind them as he did so.
But if you're asking for specifics
Well this isn't hieroglyphics
If you want to know sincerely
Listen up, I'll tell you clearly...
Binx got up close to Aline, the two practically touching noses as he looked into her eyes sweetly.
What I like about you is-
Before he could finish his sentence, a hopping ghost jumped up between them, scaring Aline and making her fall off the bench. "Oh, sorry about that, miss!" the ghost appoligized.
"Are you okay, Aline?" Binx asked.
"Yeah," Aline shook her head. "So, you were saying?"
"Oh, right!" Binx remembered, getting back into the song.
I've come to set the record straight…
I see you still don't get it
But you really shouldn't sweat it
I'll say it one more time with feeling
Here's the reason you're appealing...
Aline transformed back into her cat form, snuggling up to Binx as he serenaded her.
What I like about you is-
The opera lady sang an off-key note, interrupting what Binx was trying to say.
What I like about you is-
"Will you kids keep it down!" the mummy called.
"Oh, come on!" Aline groaned.
What I like about you is-
"Um, excuse me," a small voice said.
Aline whipped around and hissed. "Hey, my boyfriend is trying to tell me what he loves about me, but you ghosts keep interrupting him!" Aline shouted. "Why don't you all just LEAVE!"
"Woah. Binx's girl has a mighty bark on her," said one of the Hitchhiking Ghosts. "Let's give them some space, fellas." The ghosts quickly cleared out, leaving only Aline, Binx, and the new arrival, a little ghost girl in a plain dress.
Aline sighed. "Sorry Binx, but those guys were getting on my nerves."
"I understand. The Happy Haunts can get a bit noisy when it comes to gossip around here," Binx nodded. He turned to the ghost girl and smiled. "Actually, the reason for us being here has arrived. Aline, meet Emily Binx, my sister."
Aline gasped, turning to the girl. "Oh my goodness, Emily! I'm so sorry for yelling at you!"
"I'm okay," Emile said with a smile. "So, big brother, this is the girl you're dating. She's very beautiful."
"Thanks," Aline said, blushing a bit.
Binx smiled and nuzzled his girlfriend. "Aline, was I was trying to say is that the thing I like the most about you is how caring you are. Even if you make mistakes, you do your best to correct them. You're a good person, Aline, and the one I want to spend my afterlife with."
"Aw, that's sweet," Aline said. "You don't mind that you're stuck as a cat in the Magical World, do you? I could always find a spell to give you your human body back."
"Does me being a cat bother you, Aline?" Binx asked.
Aline shook her head. "No. I actually like getting to use my cat form, but I just wanted to know if you'd like me to try to give you're your true body back."
"I've spent most of my life as a cat, and while I do enjoy returning to the afterlife to be with Emily, I've grown used to returning here to the Magical World to help fight against evil witches," Binx explained. "And if doing so means that I must be in this body, then I fully accept that."
"Plus you're super cute like this, big brother," Emily said, giving the two cats a scratch behind the ear.
Aline purred, leaning into it. "Oh yeah, I forgot how nice it feels to get a scratch behind the ear…"
"Emily…" Binx said, embarrassed by his sister's actions, even if his cat body betrayed him as he leaned into it.
"You know you like it, Thackery," Emily giggled. She soon stopped scratching them and gave a little wave. "Well, I'll let you two have your date now. It was nice meeting you, Aline. Happy Valentine's Day!"
As Emily went back to the afterlife, Aline smiled and nuzzled against Binx. "Well then, now that we've done what you wanted to do, how about we head to Main Street and get dinner at the Aristorcat's café?"
"Sounds lovely, my dear," Binx said, giving his girlfriend a kiss before the two cats walked off. Just behind them, the Hitchhiking Ghosts followed, sure to cause some mischief as they usually did when following someone home.
Rachel and Poe in "Carnival Flight"
"In tale number three, let me take you to the city of Rio, where a dark sorcerer and a sword mage are enjoying a peaceful evening. Well, they're trying, at the very least…"
"Take this!" Rachel shouted, slashing down a Heartless with Fatal Crest. The sword mage wiped sweat off of her forehead before dissipating her weapon. "Ugh, all this fighting is making me worked up. Aren't we here to have a romantic date?"
"I hear that," Logan nodded, leaning against a building. "At the very least, that's the last of the Heartless in the area. Now we can actually do what we came here to do!"
"Indeed. I've been interested in this club you speak highly of," Poe nodded.
"And it's right over here!" Logan said, leading the way over to a nearby fruit stand. The young man held out his hands in a gesturing motion, but his face soon fell in shock as he saw most of the stands had been overturned and smash. "W-What happened to the samba club!"
"Oh, is that what this place was?" Destiny said, looking sheepish. "I might have been using those wrestling moves you taught me to toss the Heartless in this direction. Sorry."
Logan comically fell to the ground. "Well, there goes out night…" he sighed.
"Well, well, well, look who it is!" called a voice. A cardinal and canary came flying down, landing near the quartet. "If it isn't Logan. What's going on, man?"
"Hey Nico, hey Pedro," Logan said half-heartedly. "Sorry that we got your club destroyed in our fight."
"Hey, it's all good," Nico assured him. "We were looking for an excuse to renovate the place anyway. So, what brings you all out here to Rio, other than fighting those Heartless guys."
"We originally came here to see your club, actually," Rachel said.
"Well then, there is something we can do for y'all, especially on a day like today," Pedro said. "Nico and I can set you up with an exclusive performance up by the Christ the Redeemer statue. That is one of the best spots for sparks to fly, if you ask me."
"I think Ipanema is a better choice," Nico countered.
"Oh, how about we do both?" Destiny suggested. "We can go up to the statue, and then fly down to the beach to enjoy the sunset!"
Pedro and Nico looked at each other and shared a nod. "I like the way your girl thinks, Logan," Nico said. "Okay then, we'll meet you up at the statue for our flight of love!"
As the two samba birds flew off, the quartet made the trek through Rio, admiring the sights as they climbed up the mountain to the giant statue. Once they got there, they found Nico and Pedro waiting for them, with the canary playing his hat like a tambourine as Pedro beatboxed. "Ah, you finally made it!" Nico exclaimed, putting his hat back on. "So, are you ready for the fight of love?"
"We just need to get changed first," Logan said. Poe used his magic to take his raven form, while Logan did the same for his snowy owl form.
"Fluffy Logan is back!" Destiny squeed, giving her boyfriend a big hug.
"Ak! Destiny… Arms… crushing… can't… breathe!" Logan wheezed out.
"Oops, sorry about that!" Destiny chuckled, dropping him to the ground.
Logan sighed. "It's fine. Now then, do you remember how to take a bird form, Destiny?"
"Of course!" the whale shark nodded. With a bit of magic she transformed into a seagull, Rachel doing the same as she transformed into an eagle.
Pedro let out a wolf whistle. "Looks like you guys got a couple of hot wings," he said before giving his signature Love Squawk. "Makes a guy like me jealous."
"Don't worry, Pedro. We'll find someone for us one day," Nico said. "For now, let's celebrate our bachelor life. You've seen how kids changes people; just look at Rafael and Blu!"
Rachel flapped her wings a bit, looking nervous. "I know we've flown here before, but I'm still nervous, especially since we don't have Fantasia to guide us like last time."
"Don't worry, my dear. I will be by your side to help," Poe said, nuzzling her. "And remember, flight doesn't come from here…" He put a wing to her head. "You feel it in here." He moved his wing to her heart.
Rachel nodded, then spread her wings out and looked towards the city. "Okay, I'm ready."
"Then let's fly!" Logan called, diving off the side of the mountain with Destiny.
Rachel took a running start before gliding down the mountain, Poe diving in to fly by her side. Behind the couples, Nico and Pedro followed, the two of them serenading them with Nico's song, "Fly Love." Destiny and Logan swooped and soared around each other, while Rachel and Poe took it slow for a more leisurely glide. As they flew closer to the streets, Nico and Pedro flew through some of the trees, scattering pink petals that flew past the couples. Poe used some of his magic to gather the feathers and present them as a newly formed flower to Rachel.
"You charmer," she giggled, giving him a kiss.
The flight over Rio was a romantic one, but also an experience that wasn't meant to last. Soon enough the group arrived at Ipanema Beach, where other lovely couples were enjoying the sunset. Logan and Destiny changed back into their human forms as soon as they landed, with the whale shark running to hop into the water.
"Come on Logan! Now is the time for an evening swim!" Destiny called.
Logan shook his head. "Nah, I'd rather just relax on the beach."
Destiny gave him a mischievous grin. "You know, I think now would be a good time for me to show you the new swimsuit I bought…"
Logan turned red in the face before shouting, "Oh no you don't! I'll show you how strong I am in my anthro owl form! Then we'll see who's the flustered one!"
"Ah, young love," Nico sighed romantically.
"I swear, for as much as Logan wants us to treat him seriously, his antics are always amusing," Poe mused. He took Rachel by the hand and smiled. "Now then, my dear, how would you like to enjoy this evening on the beach?"
"Well…" Rachel started, before looking over Poe's shoulder in surprise. "Wait, is that my sister?"
Poe turned around, looking to see a slightly tanned girl with dark brown hair and blue green eyes, wearing a silver pendant with a heart-shaped rose quartz gem in the middle. "Oh, you've never introduced me to her before," the sorcerer said.
"Well, Cerwyn isa bit self-conscious of herself, so she tends to not like the spotlight," Rachel explained. "I do wonder what she's doing here at Ipanema, though…"
Poe looked further down the beach before getting an amused look on his face. "Don't look now, but I think your sister might have eyes for someone else we know."
Rachel looked to see a familiar Columbian man in a green poncho sitting next to Cerwyn, both of them laughing. "Bruno? Huh, I never would have guessed. Good for my little sister."
"Wait, little sister?" Logan said in confusion. "Rachel, how old are you?"
"Older than she looks, obviously," Destiny said, smacking her boyfriend on the head. "You know it's rude to ask a lady for her age, Logan."
"Regardless, I think we should let her be," Rachel said. "Although… Nico, Pedro, could you perhaps serenade them for us? I want my sister to have her moment."
"You got it, pretty bird," Pedro said. "Let the Love Hawk do his thing." He gave his squawk once again before flying off.
"Now that they're gone… How about we dance on the beach together?" Rachel suggested.
"You just read my mind," Poe smiled, taking his girlfriend by the hand as they danced underneath the setting sun, the stars coming out to illuminate the pair as they swayed to the beat of Samba.
Mei and Luca in "Boardwalk Boogie"
"For our fourth tale, let us go to Pixar Pier, where two souls from different parts of the world are about to meet for the first time and realize that they're not so different than they first thought…"
"Come on, Mei, this is our one chance!" Miriam said, dragging her friend along. It was a cool day at Pixar Pier, but instead of being there for the carnival games, Mei, Miriam, Priya, and Abby were there for a different reason.
"Come on, Miriam, we don't have to rush," Mei said, rolling her eyes.
"No way, girl, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!" Abby shouted. "You don't just wait around for the chance to meet Gazelle when you got front row tickets to her concert!"
"I thought we were only loyal to 4*Town," Priya said, deadpan as ever.
"Hey, we're 4*Townies for life!" Miriam defended. "But come on, Priya, Mei won us tickets to see Gazelle in concert. You could be a bit more excited." Priya held up her fist and pumped it in the air. "There you go!"
"And don't forget that our Mei-Mei has a special someone waiting for her at the concert," Abby said, teasing her friend.
Mei blushed, a tail suddenly poofing out of her backside. She gave a yell before poofing the tail away. "Hey, he's not my special someone. Just the guy that I'm pen-pals with."
"Girl, we've read your letters, and you totally like the guy," Miriam said.
"Really. We've seen the doodles, and hid them from your mom," Priya said.
Mei groaned, resisting the urge to fully "panda out" by their teasing. "I haven't even met Luca, guys. All I know about him is that he lives in Italy, rides a Vespa, and likes to go stargazing with his friends. Heck, I don't even know what he looks like." She frowned a bit. "Besides what if he doesn't like me if he found out about my panda?"
The three friends looked a Mei before crossing their arms. "Mei, if Luca doesn't like you because you sometimes turn into a giant red panda, then he doesn't deserve to be your friend."
"Yeah, that just makes him not cool," Priya nodded.
"I'll be him up for you!" Abby shouted.
"Okay Abby, let's not beat up my pen-pal," Mei said. Taking a calming breath, she hugged her friends before smiling. "Okay then, let's go to the concert!"
As the four girls went to the show, three other kids were already there in the front row, eagerly awaiting the show. "I can't believe we're at our first concert!" Giulia exclaimed.
"Yeah, it'll be fun to listen to listen to human music that's not just on a record," Alberto nodded.
Luca looked around nervously. "I dunno about having all these people around…"
Alberto put a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Luca, look at me. What do we say when the voice in our head tells us something is bad idea?"
"Silenzio Bruno?" Luca said.
"Louder!" Alberto said.
"Silenzio Bruno!" Luca shouted.
"There you go," Alberto nodded, patting Luca on the back. "Now then, where is that friend of yours, the pencil-pusher?"
"You mean "pen-pal"," Giulia corrected. "That's the friend you've been writing letters to, right Luca? What was her name again… Oh, right, Mei!"
"Well, I don't know what she looks like," Luca admitted. "But she's told me that she has red hair, can speak fluent French, and can play the flute."
"Oh, another redhead, huh?" Alberto teased. "I guess you have a type, huh, Luca?"
"Ravioli, not this again," Giulia rolled her eyes. "Alberto, you know that Luca and I are just friends. You guys are like my brothers!"
"I'm just teasing," Alberto said.
Soon enough the concert began, with Gazelle coming out on stage, the singer wearing a silver version of her usual stage attire. "Gracias for coming out here for this special Valentine's Day concert. I do have a few special guests that will be performing with me today. Please welcome to the stage, Princess Almyra!"
The crowd cheered as the peahen took to the stage, wearing a matching outfit to Gazelle's but in red. "Thank you, thank you!" Almyra said. "It's so wonderful to be performing with you, Gazelle. I love you!"
"And give my love to all my fans as well," Gazelle said, making the crowd go wild. "Speaking of which, a big gracias to all of the fans who took part in the contest to come out to this special Day of Love concert. While many of you got front-row tickets to this event, only two were able to get the special prize of performing on stage with Almyra and myself. So please welcome, seniors Clawhauser and Bogo!"
The crowd cheered as Clawhauser came out on stage, the cheetah dressed up in a fancy red and silver dancing outfit. "Oh. My. Goodness! I can't believe this is happening!" Clawhauser said, happily shaking Gazelle's hand. "I'm a huge fan, Gazelle. I've listened to all of your albums, and I've always dreamed of performing with you." He turned to the backstage. "Come on, Chief!"
"No!" Bogo called. "I'm not going out there dressed like… this!"
"Aw, but Chief…" Clawhauser whined. "This isn't just for us, it's for Gazelle, for the fans!"
"I feel silly," Bogo said.
"Let me help," Gazelle offered. "Mr. Bogo, I know that putting yourself out there can be scary. I was nervous when I first started, having come from my home country to make it big in Zootopia. But if I've learned anything, it's that you have to take that brave step forward and try everything, even if you feel embarrassed."
"Yeah, you'll never know if enjoy something if you never try," Almyra added.
"…Okay then," Bogo sighed, nervously stepping onto the stage. The cape buffalo was dressed in a matching outfit as Clawhauser's. "Well, I'm here now. Let's get this going…"
"Excellent!" Almyra said, clapping her wings together.
"Indeed. Let us get this concert started!" Gazelle said. "This song goes out to all of those who have love in their hearts. Wherever you go, may your heart find the person that completes you!"
As the music started up, Almyra activated her Dance of the Mystic Veils, providing the special effects for the show. Down in the crowd, both Mei and Luca's groups cheered, though they were on opposite sides of the area.
"Huh, I don't see any Italian kids," Miriam said.
"I don't see any other redheads," Giulia said at the same time.
"Give it a rest, guys," Mei and Luca sighed, just as Gazelle started to sing.
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
On stage, Gazelle and Almyra danced a Columbian dance together, while Clawhauser and Bogo provided backup.
Baby I would climb the Andes solely
To count the freckles on your body
Never could imagine there were only
Ten million ways to love somebody
The song slowed a bit, with Almyra holding out a hand to Bogo as the two danced together. The peahen blew a kiss at Bogo, making the cape buffalo flush while Almyra giggled.
Le ro lo le lo le, le ro lo le lo le
Can't you see
I'm at your feet
"Wait, I think I see her!" Alberto said, pulling Luca through the crowd.
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
Thereover, hereunder
You'll never have to wonder
We can always play by ear
But that's the deal my dear
"Italian spotted!" Abby shouted, grabbing Mei's arm.
"Ah, Abby, slow down!" Mei exclaimed, the shock causing her panda ears to poof out temporarily.
Lucky that my lips not only mumble
They spill kisses like a fountain
Lucky that my horns are small and humble
So you don't confuse them with mountains
Gazelle took Clawhauser by the arm to dance, the cheetah on cloud nine as he shared a moment with his idol.
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
Gazelle stuck out her leg and let Clawhauser dip her, before elegantly righting herself and giving a bow.
Le ro le le lo le, le ro le le lo le
At your feet
I'm at your feet
"There he is!" Miriam said as the two groups of friends ran into each other in the middle of the crowd.
"That her?" Giulia whispered, pointing at Mei. Luca just nodded.
"Oh, he's a cute one," Miriam said, looking at Alberto. "You got lucky, Mei."
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
"H-Hey there," Mei said, tugging at her sweater as she nervously approached Alberto. "It's nice to meet you, Luca."
Alberto gave her a confused look. "No, I'm Alberto. This guy is Luca." He pushed Luca in front of him.
"Oh, he's a bit plain," Priya said bluntly.
"H-Hey there, M-Mei," Luca waved awkwardly.
Thereover, hereunder
You'll never have to wonder
We can always play by ear
But that's the deal my dear
"Hello, Luca," Mei greeted. The two looked back at their friends, who gave thumb's up. "So… Do you want to watch the concert together?"
"Sure!" Luca said. The two turned towards the stage, getting into the grove of the song as Gazelle and Almyra performed together.
Le ro le le lo le, le ro le le lo le
Think out loud
Say it again
Almyra danced with Clawhauser while Gazelle did the same with Bogo. The two girls then spun the guys into each other, the cheetah and cape buffalo suddenly finding themselves the center of attention. Getting some confidence, Bogo pulled out some dance moves as he dragged Clawhauser around, even lifting the hefty cheetah over his head with one arm.
Le ro lo le lo le lo le
Tell me one more time
That you'll live
Lost in my eyes
"Fantastico, Bogo!" Gazelle cheered.
As the final chorus came around, Almyra used her magic to create sprinklers of water, creating fountains of color that sprayed out into the crowd.
Whenever, wherever
We're meant to be together
I'll be there and you'll be near
And that's the deal my dear
One of those sprinklers hit directly where Mei and Luca were, the water both surprising Mei enough that she poofed fully into her giant red panda form, while the splash caused Luca to transform into his sea monster form. Both friend groups looked surprised at the other's transformation while also being nervous for their friend.
Thereover, hereunder
You've got me head over heels
There's nothing left to fear
If you really feel the way I feel
Mei and Luca looked at themselves, then at each other, before gasping and pointing. "You have a secret other side too!?" they said at the same time.
"I turn into a giant red panda when my emotions go crazy," Mei said.
"And I turn back into a sea monster whenever I touch water," Luca replied. The two smiled at each other, before Luca held out a hand to Mei. "So… wanna dance?"
"Sure," she nodded, taking his webbed hand with her paw. She then looked back at her friends, who were making kissy faces. "This isn't a date, guys!" she groaned, before smiling and rolling her eyes.
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 crowd made way for Mei and Luca to dance together, the two of them rocking the floor with their moves. "Ah, young love," Almyra said to herself as she watched the scene.
Thereover, hereunder
You've got me head over heels
There's nothing left to fear
If you really feel the way I feel!
Brooklyn and Lena in "Couple's Night"
"For our final story, we meet with one of my friends who's a bit nervous about going on his first date, especially since it's a blind one…"
Brooklyn fidgeted with his bowtie, the gargoyle not used to wearing such fancy clothes- heck, he almost never wore a shirt! But he promised to dress nice for the occasion, seeing as this was his first date ever. "I can't believe I let Staghart convince me into doing this…" Brooklyn sighed. About a week ago, the red gargoyle was on a mission with Silver and Staghart when he was feeling down after seeing the two being a lovey-dovey with each other. The deer gargoyle suggested that Brooklyn try out going on a blind date and promptly set his friend out with one for Valentine's Day. That's how he found himself leaning up against the wall of a roller rink on the Lower East Side of NYC, waiting for his date to show up.
"Hey, look who it is!" said Nick Wilde, skating over to Brooklyn alongside Judy Hopps. "Did our friend finally get himself back in the dating scene? About time."
"Nick, be nice," Judy said.
"It's fine, Judy. I've never had much luck with the ladies," Brooklyn admitted. "I missed my chance with Maggie, and lost Angela to Broadway. Heck, even my future-self got himself a wife and a kid before I found someone. Alternate timelines are such a pain…"
"Well, best of luck that this date goes well," Nick replied. "I know that Carrots and I will be enjoying the night together, especially since we have more than our love to celebrate."
"Oh, that's right, they just announced the sequel to your movie," Brooklyn remembered. "Hey, are you worried that you two might not be a couple in the next movie, or end up with other people- er, mammals? I know the rules of dating characters here in the Magical World is strict on stuff like that."
"Sure we're a bit worried, but even if we don't end up together, that doesn't mean we can't still be friends," Judy said.
"And besides, even the directors think we're a cute couple," Nick said, putting an arm around Judy. "They'll have to do a lot to break us up, that's for sure."
"Well then, enjoy your night," Brooklyn said, waving as the two entered the rink again. The gargoyle shook his head, then paused as he felt his phone vibrate. "Gotta thank Gabriel for getting me one of these things that can handle my claws…" Brooklyn said to himself, opening up the dating app. "Just got here, where are you?" Hm… "Back wall, gargoyle in red."" He replied. The gargoyle looked up to find where his date was, only to get lost in the sea of skaters in the rink. As Brooklyn made his way around the arena, his hand was suddenly grabbed by an aura of blue magic, dragging him over to the side.
"Hey there," greeted a familiar voice. Brooklyn looked to see that it was Lena, the teen sorceress wearing a gothic purple dress with black stars on the skirt. "So, you're my date, huh?"
"L-L-Lena!?" Brooklyn exclaimed. "Wait, you're my date? I thought you we're into guys!"
"And who told you that?" Lena crossed her arms.
Brooklyn looked flustered. "Well it's just that Aline and Silver have told me that you and Webby might be a thing, so I just assumed…"
Lena laughed. "What? Webby is my best friend, but she's also like a little sister to me! That's the reason I'm so protective of her. Plus, she's way too young for me. She's 10 and I'm 15, possibly older than that thanks to me being a shadow person. It'd be like if Dipper and Wendy actually got together, you know?"
"Huh… That's what I get for making assumptions…" Brooklyn sighed. "Still, at the very least I didn't take you as someone that would be interested in dating."
"Eh, Violet encouraged me to socialize more outside of my usual friend group, which I'm just now realizing is ironic considering that the two of us are teammates on Gabriel's team," Lena mused. She then gave Brooklyn a cheeky grin. "If I didn't know better, Brooklyn, I'd think that you had a crush on me."
The gargoyle was thankful that his skin was naturally red, as his face was heating up fast from being flustered. "W-Well, I'll admit that I do think you're pretty great, Lena. I just… didn't want to get my hopes up that you'd be interested in me. Heck, the one time I've tried to date someone else in the Magical World didn't go over well for me either…"
"You thinking about Gwen?" Lena asked.
Brooklyn sighed. "Yep. I asked her out on a date once but she was already seeing Miles. Just my luck that I'm hopeless when it comes to girls…"
Lena took his hand and smiles. "For what it's worth, you're pretty cool too, Brooklyn. Out of anyone I could have gotten stuck on a blind date with, I'm glad it was you."
The gargoyle returned her smile before looking out to the roller rink. "So, shall we actually begin the date now?" he asked.
"Sure, but I'll lead the way," Lena said, pulling him along as they skated.
"Lead the way!" Brooklyn laughed, happy to finally being on the road to finding some love of his own in the Magical World.
[***]
"And with that, our Stories of Love comes to an end," Gabriel said to the audience. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have my own date with a certain hyena queen. So until next time, I hope you all have a Happy-!"
"LE PEW!" a voice shouted, making Gabriel wince as a crowd of people ran out of the restaurant in a fright.
"Hypocrites! You're eating in a restaurant run by a rat and can't handle a skunk wanting to take his girl out on a date!?" Penelope shouted angerly.
"Let it rest, mi amor, I'm used to it," Pepe sighed.
"Well, make the most of your day, no matter who you spend it with," Gabriel shrugged.
Author's Note
I hope you all enjoyed the stories on this Valentine's Day. There's a lot to break down here, so let's go!
First, we get a surprise crossover with Pepe and Penelope from "Looney Tunes"! Warner Brothers is also celebrating their 100 years anniversary this year, so I thought I'd sneak in a cameo from one of their most famous couples. Don't expect other WB cameos in this story, but I like to think of this as a tribute to Rodger Rabbit as well.
The first story gives us Kiara and Kovu, Adam and Melanie, as well as a new pairing with Vitani and Bast from the Marvel universe. I do like the idea of Vitani valuing strength in a partner, regardless of gender, and who's stronger than an actual goddess? The Q'aráq in the main antagonist of the Jungle River Adventure in Shanghai Disneyland, and Sobek references the events of both Moon Knight and Thor: Love and Thunder during his battle.
The second story is about Aline and Binx, with the boy introducing his girlfriend to his sister. The song Binx sings is "Set the Record Straight" from Phineas and Ferb, which is one of the songs that sticks in my head and I wish was a bit longer. Jeremy deserved some more songs for sure.
The third story gives us Rachel and Poe alongside Logan and Destiny hanging out in Rio. Not a lot to say about this one, just some cute moments with our sword mage and dark sorcerer while Logan and Destiny get competitive with each other. Also, Cerwyn is Rachel's sister and another original character from Rachel's creator, Princess Gakoshi. Nice to see Bruno finding some love as well!
The fourth story is an unexpected pairing that was suggested by Finn Over of Luca and Mei from "Turning Red." These two would actually be pretty cute together, and their friends seem to agree as well. Almyra makes a cameo here as well, singing alongside Gazelle "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira, with the lyrics modified to be more appropriate. Also, shout out to the Bogo and Clawhauser shippers: them getting to dance together is for you guys!
Finally, Brooklyn gets to go on a date, and it's with Lena! I actually do ship these two, as I think they could work well together with Brooklyn's more stoic yet hotheaded personality mixing with Lena's more sarcastic yet caring demeanor. Nick and Judy also make a cameo here as well, and the roller rink they're all at is the Roll With It from the latest Disney Channel show "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur." If you were wondering, Brooklyn's official age is 18 in Gargoyle Years and Lena is estimated to be 15 or 16 physically but presumably much older due to her nature as a shadow, so they have the same age difference as Aladdin and Jasmine. Brooklyn asking out Gwen in the past is a reference to Gabriel encouraging Brooklyn to ask her out back in "Living in the Magical World."
Next Time: Rachel and Gabriel help out a certain Grimwalker when life hits him hard…