Chapter 21- a dance at Nico and Pedro's club
Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Sirius, Samara, Orion, Ahsoka, Milo and Celeste entered into a tent after Blu, Jewel, Carla, Bia, Tiago, Nico, Pedro, Rafael, Eva and the latter two's 25 offspring. As the nine entered the tent, they were greeted by the sound of a beat and a colourful sight of coloured lights and dancing forms. Both the floor and the air were flooded with flashes of colourful feathers as birds danced in these spaces but the nine, especially Orion and Ahsoka soon noticed some drabber coloured forms dancing in the air. These were bats but none were flying foxes. The group widened their eyes in awe at the sight; even Samara was amazed. Then she noticed some birds of species not native to Brazil among the crowd of native species, such as a few cockatiels.
"Welcome t' Paradise," Nico said to the nine.
"Dat's the name of our club," added Pedro.
"Why are there cockatiels, budgies and bats present in this club?" asked Aurora.
"This club is open to both birds, both wild and domestic, and bats and at times other animals such as marmosets," Rafael explained, "Though Mauro and his gang including his son Marty are strictly forbidden from entering this club due to their stupid antics."
"Indeed," said Blu, "Though we have forgiven that group of marmosets for trying to kidnap me and Jewel due to being coerced by that vile cockatoo Nigel, they are still very naughty."
"This is where you had your first dance, am I right?" asked Ahsoka as Orion continued to smile at the dancing small bats.
"Correct, Ahsoka," replied Jewel. As she spoke, Eva took the 25 toucan kids and Carla, Bia and Tiago to a kids' area and away from the dancefloor. Sirius saw Carla complain and whine to the keel-billed toucan as she left.
"But I wanna samba with Uncle Nico and Pedro," the oldest daughter of Blu and Jewel grumbled.
"When you are older, Carla," said Eva gently.
"I can see one of your daughters certainly has a love for music and dancing," said the male glaucous macaw to the breeding Spix macaw couple.
"Indeed she does," said Blu with a smile, "I believe she is just like her mother in more ways than one and it is not just her plumage colour."
Jewel smiled at the compliment.
"But they look so alike," said Milo.
"Chicks often look identical when they are young," said Celeste, "But as they grow, their other physical traits will begin to show."
"Correct, Celeste," said Blu, "Carla, Bia and Tiago are still quite young at the moment so they require adult supervision when coming here until they are old and sensible enough to come without it."
"I can't wait to see how their physical appearances will turn out when they get older," said Aurora, "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if any of them, especially your son, looks so much like you eventually," as she said this, Rafael, Nico and Pedro went up to a group of birds. Three of them were old blue-and-gold macaws and two were cockatoos. One was a sulphur-crested and the other, a Major Mitchell's. Both the cockatoos were young, younger than Aurora and company but were still adults. The sulphur-crested cockatoo was male and had pure white plumage, vivid yellow crest and paler yellow markings under his wings and tail. He had a fairly muscled build, his eyes were brown and his beak and feet were black. Unlike the hideous Nigel, this cockatoo was friendly got along excellently with the exotic birds. The Major Mitchell's cockatoo was female. She had a slim build, blue eyes and a pale grey beak and feet. She was more colourful than the male sulphur-crested cockatoo. Most of her plumage was pale pink but the topsides of her wings and tail were white and the undersides of her wings and tail were pale red and salmon pink. Her most striking feature was her crest. Apart from the first feather which was pale pink, the crest feathers sported a vivid banding of red and yellow but were white at the tips. Both the cockatoos were pets and human-owned, much like Milo, Aurora and Sirius and formerly Blu but not like Ahsoka.
The three elderly blue-and-gold macaws, indicated by a few streaks of silver interspersing their aqua blue, darker blue and yellow plumage, were some of the blue-and-gold macaws that had helped rescue Ahsoka (back then called Ginger) and handed her into the care of the bat studiers when she was a pup. Though they were well on in their years, they were still quite energetic and still enjoyed fun and music. Ahsoka gazed at the three blue-and-gold macaws as they continued to talk with Rafael, Nico and Pedro when suddenly; one of the male blue-and-gold macaw's gazes turned her away. Immediately, this macaw who had bags under his eyes, immediately took off, flapped over the small crowd of birds and touched down before Aurora's group. Then he began to examine Ahsoka more closely. As he did this, the other two blue-and-gold macaws, Rafael, Nico, Pedro and the two cockatoos joined him.
"Ahsoka, is that really you?" asked the first blue-and-gold macaw joyfully. His voice sounded a little raspy for he was quite an old macaw indeed. Ahsoka gazed back at the elderly blue and yellow bird with surprise. Near her, Orion, Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Sirius, Samara, Celeste and Milo exchanged confused looks as Blu and Jewel also walked in.
"You know me?" she asked. The blue-and-gold macaw smiled.
"Of course," said he, "You were that orphaned flying fox pup we gave to that group of bat studiers when you lost your clan to those smugglers."
Ahsoka flinched as a flashback flashed in her mind. In it, memories of her being carried in a blue-and-gold macaw's clutches and then placed onto a rock before some humans played. Samara then came in.
"So that explains how Ahsoka came to be raised by this Joanna human," she said.
"Ahsoka, guys, these blue-and-gold macaws are Gabriel, Alice and Tobias," explained Rafael, "They are part of the flock of blue-and-gold macaws in our Tijuca community who once knew that clan of Amazon flying foxes before those poachers came and attacked."
"Alice here once had a sister named Ana but she had sadly died of an illness," said Blu. Then the three blue-and-gold macaws, which were two males and a female, then extended their wings and shook them with Aurora, Milo, Sirius and Ahsoka but the blue-and-gold macaw named Gabriel was particularly interested in the latter, the ginger flying fox.
"Wow, look how much you've grown," said he in amazement, "Joanna of the chiroptologist group certainly has done an amazing job in raising you."
"And I can see that Aurora, Sirius and Bruno have survived the poachers and have grown up as well," said the female blue-and-gold macaw, Alice as she examined the three blue macaws.
"Um, actually, we grew up in the United Kingdom and in Australia," explained Aurora.
"We came back here to meet these guys, mates," said Milo with a nod to Celeste, Zephyr, Brisa and Samara, "And by the way, I go by Milo now. That is what my owner Audrey called me and I went by it for years."
"Well, your original name was Bruno but if you wanna go by Milo then we're happy to do that," said the other blue-and-gold macaw named Tobias. Then the three macaws turned and gazed at Celeste, Zephyr, Brisa and Samara and also Orion with smiles.
"And we can see that our human friends have done an excellent job in finding another glaucous macaw, another Lear's macaw and even another Amazon flying fox," said Alice, "as well as two more Spix macaws."
"Yes, but we were incredibly hostile to them when they caught us and brought us here," said Zephyr with a frown.
"I actually savagely attacked the faces of one of them," Samara confessed, "Back then I UTTERLY ABHORRED humans regardless of whether they were well-meaning or not but now, I'm slowly beginning to realise that not all humans are destructive menaces as I was taught by my glaucous macaw clan back in the Amazon."
"However, we will remain hostile to uncaring humans like poachers," said Orrion.
"Unless they change, they don't deserve our respect," put in Celeste, "Don't get me and Orion wrong, while we are accepting of animals who come from a human-raised background, be it a pet or captive bred, we will NOT hesitate the even maul the faces of those poacher pests and loathsome loggers."
"It's true there are uncaring human menaces out there such as poachers and loggers and I agree with you there," said Gabriel, "But not all humans are nasty environment destroyers. Some, such as Ahsoka's human carer Joanna, actually work to preserve the environment and us."
"In addition to Tulio and his team," said Blu.
"And Brandon and Audrey who raised me, Sirius and Milo," said Aurora, "In addition to Linda who raised Blu."
Milo and Sirius nodded in agreement.
"By the way, what are your names?" asked Tobias.
"I'm Zephyr," said Zephyr before nodding to the other female Spix macaw near him, "And this is my sister Brisa."
"Named after the Spanish word for breeze," said Brisa with a smile.
"I'm Samara," said Samara, "And this is Celeste and Orion."
Orion and Celeste uttered, "Hi" together.
"The five of us come from the Amazon rainforest along with Jewel there," said Celeste with a nod to Blu's mate.
"That's quite funny as Aurora, Sirius and Bruno... I mean Milo's parents and also Ahsoka's parents and clan had dreams of venturing into the Amazon rainforest to find more of their species when these four were young," said Tobias.
"Maybe we can do that one day?" asked Aurora hopefully.
"That's a great idea but we have one problem," said Milo before nodding to Ahsoka, "Ahsoka here cannot fly."
Ahsoka, her nerves shuddering at this hard-to-accept fact, nodded in agreement. Disappointed looks crossed the three blue-and-gold macaws' faces while nearby, Nico, Pedro and the sulphur-crested and Major Mitchell's cockatoos exchanged confused looks.
"A bat that cannot fly?" asked the yellow crested cockatoo.
"Has she suffered some form of bad and irreversible injury to her wings or something?" asked the pink one with the vivid red, yellow and white crest. Blu went over to explain Ahsoka's situation to them while Gabriel gazed at Ahsoka herself.
"Well that is disappointing to hear," said the old blue-and-gold macaw, "I hoped that your foster human carer would have taught you to fly as well as how to live as a bat..."
"Joanna did try and get me to fly," Ahsoka explained, "But I have ALWAYS been afraid of getting airborne. Each time she tried to get me to use my wings, I refused."
"We believe that the trauma she faced from those poachers may have caused the problem," explained Aurora.
"After all, I went through a similar situation when I fell out of my nest as a chick moments before I was captured and taken to the United States where I met Linda," added Blu.
"We tried getting Ahsoka to fly but it went badly wrong," said Milo.
"Well, she'd better learn to fly or she will not be able to live with us and that male bat in the jungle," Gabriel said, "It... it's just not natural and practical for an animal meant to fly to live in an environment like the jungle without the skill and that applies to all flying canopy-dwelling birds such as us macaws and toucans and especially for bats like flying foxes such as Ahoska and her male friend."
"It's Orion," said Orion slightly irritated at Gabriel's calling him as just Ahsoka's friend. Ahsoka then exhaled and lowered her head and ears in sadness with Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Sirius, Samara, Celeste and Milo looking on sympathetically. Then two cockatoos came in and immediately, Blu introduced the group to the pair.
"Oh, these cockatoos are Alabaster and Poppy," said he, "Alabaster's the sulphur-crested cockatoo while Poppy is a Major Mitchell's. They are currently a couple going dating and both are human's companions. Both are show birds and film stars like the hideous Nigel, whom Rafael had commented that Alabaster looks like, had been but unlike Nigel, they are both humble."
When Ahsoka saw Alabaster, she flinched as a flashback appeared in her mind. However, she shrugged it off as Alabaster spoke.
"I have been facing that comment on how much I look like that cockatoo who have given our species a bad reputation when he joined those smugglers after a parakeet took his place," said he, "But even if Poppy here and I were ever replaced by a parakeet in our careers, we would NEVER join ANY band involved in crime."
"Even though we may face serious disappointment," said the female Major Mitchell's cockatoo, Poppy.
"So you're a couple?" asked Aurora. Zephyr and Brisa shot her a glare but the cockatoos turned to her and nodded with smiles.
"But you're of different cockatoo species," said Sirius.
"True but haven't you noticed Rafael's pairing to Eva over there?" asked Alabaster with a nod to the female toucan with the large lime green and magenta tipped beak as she watched over a small crowd of toucan kids and three baby Spix macaws in the children's area of the club.
"Rafael is a toco toucan who is mated to a keel-billed," said Poppy. She then glared at Eva and her small crowd of kids, "Though we UTTERLY disapprove of them having so many kids in a short space of time."
"So do we," said Milo, Celeste nodding in agreement. Rafael just smiled and said nothing for he was proud to be a father of so many chicks. However, many of his friends including Poppy, Alabaster, Gabriel, Alice, Tobias and even Blu and Jewel had NOT been very impressed with the toucan couple having such a flock in a short amount of time at all. However, it was what Eva had wanted and Rafael did this to make them happy. Then Nico and Pedro called Blu, Jewel and Rafael over.
"Okay, we'll leave you lot to continue to get to know Alabaster and Poppy an' I'll be back with ya in a moment," Rafael said and with that, he, Blu and Jewel left to speak to the cardinal and canary duo. Then the five new friends gazed at the feet of the main nine and saw a set of silvery snakes linking them together in pairs or in the Spix macaws' case, a trio. When they flinched, Aurora launched into an explanation.
"The work of that second band of smugglers," the pigtailed Spix macaw said, "I'm sure you guys will be aware of their existence by now."
"They are assisted by a pack of dogs and cats and also ravens, crows and a NASTY swan named Vecna," added Sirius.
"We're travelling to Luiz the bulldog to get them removed," added Milo.
"We HONESTLY can't wait to get these things off," said Zephyr, his glare on the chain linking him to Aurora and the second chain linking Brisa to theirs.
"Yes, it's been making getting around a challenge," said Ahsoka.
"Especially us bats with Ahsoka not being able to fly," added Orion.
"But it's FAR worse for the three Spix macaws due to how they are chained," said Samara.
"They had to move in certain formations to avoid getting tangled up," added Celeste.
"No kidding," said Alabaster as he examined the chains, "THAT is one of the CRUELLEST things you can do to a flying bird or a bat."
"Blu and Jewel were chained together by the first band of smugglers, the group Nigel was a part of when they had them in their clutches," said Poppy.
"And as for this second band of smugglers, yes we have become aware of those menaces and their assistant city pets including that swan," said Gabriel, "some of our blue-and-gold macaw members including my son and his family had been captured by them."
"But they told us not to risk ourselves in trying to rescue them," said Alice, "After all, we are old macaws and if we faced the clutches of those city pert assistants of those smugglers, especially the vile swan, we could put our lives in danger."
"But enough on that subject," said Tobias before he moved onto another subject, "So how did you three macaws survive those poachers as chicks as well as abroad where you grew up?"
"Aurora and I grew up in London, the UK under Brandon's ownership while Milo grew up in Australia under the ownership of Audrey, a human with a bit of speech trouble," said Sirius.
"A stutter to be specific," said Milo, "But she also had other special needs as a kid. She also had a nasty sister named Ana who, unlike Alice's sister who also had the name, was a nasty piece of work and her troubles resulted in me being forcibly separated from Audrey. My adventures in Australia are far more complicated than Sirius and Aurora's adventures in the UK as I have not been staying in one place."
"And if I remember, you didn't fly either as a chick," said Alice. Milo gazed at her with surprise as he could not remember much about his pre-poacher chick days.
"We'll save that subject for another day," Gabriel said, "It's quite a sensitive issue and I don't want to burden those poor nine with any emotional troubles until they have gotten rid of their chains."
The others nodded in agreement while Milo just exhaled.
At the instrument area, where various manmade objects such as tin cans, discarded metal pans and saucepans and boxes were used as platforms and drums for the club, Blu, Jewel and Rafael continued to talk to Nico and Pedro.
"Why don't you sing the popular song 'Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)' for our nine new friends like how you did for us?" asked Blu.
"That very song which we had our first dance," said Jewel.
"Tha' sounds like a good idea, Bluey," Nico cheekily replied.
"I'm sure they'll love it," said Pedro with a wide smile on his pale beak.
"Then let's get to it," said Rafael, "I'm gonna dance with my lovely Eva while you sing it."
"While we'll dance together to it again," said Blu.
"It's settled den," said Nico and with that, the five dispersed with the toucan going over to his mate and calling the three blue-and-gold macaws Gabriel, Tobias and Alice to take over with looking after the chicks while the Spix macaw couple went to the dancefloor.
"Okay, everyone, listen up," Nico called to the partygoers, pulling their attention to him and Pedro as they hovered above them. As he spoke, Aurora, Zephyr and Brisa, Orion and Ahsoka, Celeste and Milo and Sirius and Samara turned and gazed at the pair while Alabaster and Poppy joined the crowd of birds and other jungle animals as they got prepared to dance. Nico continued.
"We would like to introduce t' ya a group o' newcomers from th' outside an' introduce them to the art of samba."
As the canary spoke, a spotlight shone on Aurora and her group, making them flinch a little. Ahsoka also winced for she did not like being the centre of attention.
"What?" Sirius said in a low voice in confusion. Pedro then continued from his canary friend.
"Okay, den," the cardinal called, "Everybody put ya wings t'gather, if you have wings dat is, and begin t' flap 'em, clap 'em, oh, I don't care, slap 'em... y'all know whatta do. Let's GET T' IT!" he then released a squawk after this. Nico then leaned back against an upright can, clutched his bottle cap hat and uttered, "Party in Ipanema, baby."
Following this, the drumbeats rocked the air as Nico, Pedro and several of the marmosets struck the makeshift percussive instruments to get the song started. Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Orion, Ahsoka, Celeste, Milo, Sirius and Samara looked on as the birds (both human-kept including Alabaster and Poppy the cockatoos, and wild), bats and other animals prepared to dance. Blu, Jewel, Eva and Rafael did the same while Gabriel, Tobias and Alice looked after Carla, Bia and Tiago and the 25 toucan chicks but even they got prepared to dance as well, especially Carla for she loved music. A rosette spoonbill named Kipo then began to shake a pair of maracas to the song and within moments, 'Hot Wings' began with Nico and Pedro singing the first lyrics.
Nico: I wanna party... I wanna samba... I wanna party... I wanna samba... I wanna party
Pedro: And live my life
Nico and Pedro: I wanna party, party, and FLYYYYY...
The canary and cardinal then flitted into the air before descending back down to start the first verses.
Nico (using his bottle cap hat as a tambourine): Hey, Imma fly, fly jus' like a bird...
Pedro: But you ARE a bird!
Nico: Oh yeah, you're right, so let me fly just like a rocket, then... fly so high where I need to come down for ox-y-gen...
Dancers: HEY!
Nico: 'Cause once we start it, baby, ain't no stoppin' then...
Dancers: HEY!
As the beat shook the air, Ahsoka, Aurora, Milo and Sirius began to feel it coursing through their body. Ahsoka nodded her head to the beat and somehow, the beat felt familiar. Milo and Sirius also tapped their feet while Aurora began to nod to the beat as well. Above them, birds and bats flew acrobatically while the grounders danced on the floor around them. Blu and Jewel danced together as did Rafael and Eva. The chicks danced under Gabriel, Alice and Tobias' care, especially Carla and Alabaster and Poppy danced together.
Nico: 'Cause I just wanna live my life an' party...
Dancers: HEY
Nico: All I want is to be free and rock my body... ain't nowhere 'round the world that I wanna live my life... in Rio 'cause in Rio, 'cause I Rio-lise that...
Ahsoka then suddenly felt her feet move and then she stood still as a flashback appeared in her mind. In it, a ginger pup stood on a branch gazing out into the canopy flooded with dancing birds and a few flying foxes. The pup danced with two older bats, apparently her parents, looking on proudly. Then Ahsoka suddenly felt the beat seize control of her and she began to step-dance to it.
"Ahsoka, what has gotten into you?" asked Orion with surprise.
"I-I-I don't... know..." Ahsoka sheepishly replied as she continued to dance and do elegant moves. Aurora, Milo and Sirius did the same, to their surprise.
"Our... our bodies are acting like... they've got a mind of their own," said Aurora as she did some elegant footwork involuntarily, Zephyr and Brisa looking on also surprised. Samara and Celeste also gazed on as Sirius did an impressive backward moonwalk Michael Jackson style and Milo fluttered acrobatically into the air but limited due to his chain linking him to Celeste. Rafael, who danced with Eva, saw this and came in.
"Alright, you four," he said.
Nico: I'm that samba, samba, masta, masta, masta, masta, masta... who shouts from your ghetto blasta blasta blasta blasta blasta... you dance fast but I dance fasta, fasta, fasta, fasta, fasta...
As Ahsoka, Aurora, Milo and Sirius continued to dance and do impressive moves, Zephyr, Samara, Orion and Celeste began to dance and invited them to join them. Samara danced elegantly, swinging her long head feathers to the music. The four looked on in awe.
"Hey, they want to dance with you," said Rafael with a smile.
"Are you serious?" asked Sirius in disbelief, "They don't really like us at all and I don't think Samara still does despite her change in attitude..."
"Oh, don't be shy, go on, dance wi' em," said Rafael and with that, he shoved a protesting Sirius into Samara and also Ahsoka to Orion, Aurora to Zephyr and Milo to Celeste. The four pairs gazed at each other and began to dance. Rafael smiled and returned to Eva to continue dancing with her. Blu and Jewel continued dancing as did Alabaster and Poppy.
Nico and Pedro: I wanna party (party)... I wanna samba (party)... I wanna party (party)...
Aurora danced in a circle with Zephyr but the pair was limited due to also being chained with Brisa. However, Brisa moved and danced as well, looking on proudly as her brother danced with Aurora. Orion danced with Ahsoka and eventually they entered the style of tangle in which both bats had one wings around their backs and their other wings extended ahead of them. Milo and Celeste eventually took to the air and began to fly and dance aerially though limited due to their chain while Samara and Sirius danced.
Nico and Pedro: I wanna party (party) and fly...
The dancers and also Nico and Pedro then began to chant "Hey". As they did that, Sirius took hold of Samara, spun her around and lifted her into the air. Then just like Jewel had done before when she first danced with Blu, the beautiful glaucous macaw began to chant 'Laya'. A purple light shone on her beautiful blue and grey feathers, especially her long head feathers, and her voice began to decorate the air. It was a silvery diamond, far more beautiful even than Jewel's and FAR better than Eva's HORRIBLE singing voice. As Samara chanted 'Laya', Sirius gazed up at her in awe like Blu had done with Jewel. Samara continued chanting 'Laya' until eventually she fluttered back to the ground and gazed at Sirius while he gazed back at her. The pair then soon found themselves lost in their eye depths. Nearby, Zephyr and Aurora also became transfixed by their eyes as were Celeste and Milo (now back on the ground as well) and Orion and Ahsoka. The four pairs then began to move towards each other as though they had become magnetised, their beaks and mouths approaching each other. However, before any of the four couples could connect their beaks or mouths, an AWFUL... TERRIBLE noise exploded into the air, snapping the four couples, and everyone else including Blu, Jewel, Alabaster and Poppy, out of their dances. Then wings, feet and paws flew to ears as Eva was screeching 'Laya' into the air in a vain attempt to sing while Rafael smiled as he relished what he thought was a sparkly voice but this was no sparkly voice compared to either Samara or Jewel. As Eva continued screeching 'Laya' horribly, everyone else screamed, "EEEEVAAAAAAAA!" and the song slowed to a halt. Gabriel, Tobias and Alice, together with Carla, Bia, Tiago and the 25 toucan kids also clasped their ears shut from Eva's screeching. Eva stopped screeching and gazed sheepishly at the convergence of eyes on her with her toco mate. Some of the partiers rubbed their ears as they rung from the keel-billed toucan's out-of-tune screeching.
"Can't you do ya screechin' somewhere else, Eva!?" yelled Nico angrily.
"You've JUST SPOILT IT FOR EVERYONE ELSE!" added Pedro. Aurora, Zephyr, Brisa, Orion, Ahsoka, Samara, Sirius, Celeste and Milo also glared at the sheepish toucan couple as Alabaster and Poppy came in, indignant looks on their faces.
"That keel-billed chalkboard scraper should have stayed back at her nest with those stupid kids of hers," growled the sulphur-crested cockatoo angrily.
"Shame on Rafael to bring his family out here," grumbled the Major Mitchell's one. Blu came in and was about to speak when suddenly, another explosive change took place, this time in the atmosphere itself. The lights suddenly changed to daylight and the sounds of crashing struck the air, accompanied by barks, screeches and caws. Immediately, Aurora and her group recognised these sounds' owners.