Chapter 5
"Come on, come on, come on. Where are these guys?" Sendak said, tapping his foot in annoyance. That's when he saw the huge cart coming.
"Yes. Nice. Very nice." He said. But then he spotted the shitty chicken behind it.
"Sendak!" Said Ezor.
"Oh, boy." Sendak muttered as he face-palmed.
"We're a chicken! Come on, Fernando! Dance!" Fernando groaned and started dancing, in a bad papier-mâché costume of an egg.
"ldiots." Sendak said as he rubbed his template.
In the same parade, behind the car, Allura and Shiro were frowning at a guard who wouldn't let them pass. And why? Because 'only performers' were allowed.
"Performers only." The guard said. The two looked at each other unimpressed and the next thing they knew, Shiro was in a costume as well.
"Wow. Cyanopsitta spixii." He said as he looked at himself in a mirror. The costume was one that resembled Lance.
"Shiro?" Allura asked as she emerged from the dressing room and was wearing a costume that looked similar to Pidge. Shiro flushed as he saw her approach. She looked like an angel. Shiro stuttered and smile like a dummy with a goofy smile.
"A-Allura i....Woah...."
"l look ridiculous, don't l?" She said, rubbing her arm.
"No! No no no...you look stunning." The two looked in each others eyes and slowly got closer to each other. Suddenly, their hats bumped and fell on their eyes. The two chuckled at that. Cheering. Shit-
"The parade. lt's about to start." She nodded to Shiro.
"Okay." She said. They got to the door and saw a performer entering.
"Go ahead-" The guard said. Shiro smirked.
"Okay, just follow my lead. Act naturally." Shiro told her. The two started acting like brainless bird. The guard let them in, a bit horrified at the sight.
"The hell is wrong with these two...??" He mumbled as they went in. Allura and Shiro immediately dolted in and stopped next to a shiny cart when Allura tripped on her heels.
"Are you okay?" Shiro asked her. She chuckled and nodded. They got closer and looked around.
"Lance? Pidge??" Allura and Shiro started calling around. That's when a man came and started speaking portuguese to Allura.
"What? Wait, wait! No, no- l am looking for a bluebird. Birdo?" She said, flapping her hands a bit. The grumbled and started pulling her hand saying something with Birdo in it.
"Birdo! Yes! Okay." He led her to small room, put her in and closed the door. Allura's eyes widened.
"Wait! What are you doing? Shiro! Hey! Let me out! Shiro!" Nothing. She inhaled and exhaled.
"This is not good. This is not good. This is..." The platform underneath her started rising.
"Cheese and sprinkles..." She said as she realized she was at the top of the cart. A parade. A huge carnaval. It was quite mesmerizing. But she had more important things to worry about.
"Okay, you can bring me down now! l think we're done here!" Allura said, tapping on the platform below. Further behind Allura's cart was the chicken cart.
"l think they like my moves. Hey. Keep dancing, egg-boy." Pidge could her from top of her dumb cart in the parade.
"One down and one to go." Said Lotor as he was walking around her cage. Pidge snarled.
"You'll never find him. He's already gone...." Pidge said, a bit saddened at the last part. Lotor smirked.
"l don't need to find him. He'll find you." Lotor said, leaving. Pidge's eyes widened. He wouldn't....or would he...?
But he would. He was already at the carnaval with their friends, searching for her. Coran was now dancing with the dancers in the parade.
"This is the spit! Yeah, baby! Now, l could get my freak on!" Coran said. Lance groaned.
"Coran! Rescue first. Freak later!" He said, desperate. Shit- Pidge was somewhere in here. He needed to find her. FAST! God knows what will happen is he doesn't. He hoped she was ok.
"Come on!" He said as he noticed the dancers getting dangerously close to stepping on them thanks to some instruments they were carrying.
"Out of my way, people! Gorgeous man coming through!" Coran said.
"All right, guys! l'll fly ahead and look for Pidge!" Rafael said as he flew ahead. Lance frowned. God, he was worried. Rafael was joined by Hunk and Keith.
"Rafi! Hold on!" Hunk called. The three kept flying through dancers, confetti, carts, looking around to find her. In one cart was Allura. People telling her to shake some ass because hell- IT WAS A PARADE WITH SAMBA! Shake them hips, girl! Come on! Shiro spotted her, his eyes widening. He made his way to next to the cart.
"Allura!! You've got to shake your tushy!" Shiro said to her. She flushed.
"No! We don't shake our tushy in Minnesota!" Shiro and the man who dragged her on the platform face-palmed. Allura's eyes widened as she spotted a blue bird riding on a dog.
"SHIRO! I SAW LANCE!" She said.
"LANCE! l'm coming for you!" She got off the platform and some dancers caught her, letting her balance herself in their hands.
"LANCE!" She called out. He turned to see her.
"ALLURA!--" He stiffened.
"OH MY GOD!" He stopped Coran to watch as she was balancing and she was shaking her hips while doing so. He was impressed.
"Lance, we found her!" Keith said.
"She's on some weird chicken float!" Hunk added. He looked at Allura. No...He loved Allura but she was safe. Pidge was top-priority right now. He inhaled and frowned in determination.
"Come on!" Rafael called. He nodded and leaned over to Coran.
"Let's go get Pidge." He said. Allura's eyes widened as Lance left on Coran's back.
"Wait, Lance! Where are you going?" She got off of their shoulders and kept dancing thanks to the music and tambourines. That eased some of her stress. But then she slipped and Shiro caught her. The people cheered.
"Okay." Shiro said, exhaling thankful.
"l saw Lance! He's riding on a bulldog!" Allura said. Shiro blinked in surprise.
"What?" But he was riding on a bulldog and they were going through a bunch of crocodile-dressed alteans.
"There they are! That's the float!" Lance said excitedly as he spotted the float.
"That float is a crime in itself!" Coran said. A crocodile tail knocked him off. He looked and saw a skate-board. He jumped on it and started using it like he learned to at home.
"Hold on, Pidge...I'm coming." He said as he sped up.
"THERE HE IS!" Allura said as she and Shiro noticed the small skating bird. Lance noticed the cart and smirked. He let some performers with sticks to hit his skate-board and he was sent flying. He grabbed onto the sheet on the car and started making his way inside.
"Hey, Pidge?" Pidge's eyes widened.
"Lance! Oh My god- LANCE!" She looked horrified. Why...?
"Pidge, it's ok! I'll get you out of here, ok?" Lance said, trying to calm her down. She just looked more scared. What the...?
"No no no- Lance, you can't be here. You have to go. Lotor--" Her eyes widened even more. Lance looked behind him and froze. Lotor.
"Hello, pretty bird. So kind of you to join our little soirée~" Lance was thrown in a cage next to Pidge's.
"Lance!" She said. Lotor smirked and Lance scoffed.
"Come on. You really think l came alone? l got three of the roughest, meanest craziest birds in all of Rio right behind me." Lance said, counting on his friends.
"You heard that, guys? We're saved!" Hunk called. Lance's face dropped. Keith sighed.
"He meant us, Hunk..." He said. Hunk immediately stopped and looked down.
"Love. lt's such a powerful and stupid thing~" Lotor said. He then looked at Pidge.
"Maybe not so stupid. You are cute and feisty just how I like them." Pidge looked disgusted as he reached through the bards to try and stroke her cheek. He slapped his hand away. Lance snarled and frowned at Lotor.
"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" He screamed. Lotor laughed at him. He the plucked one of Pidge's feathers. She yelped. He plucked one of Lance's as well and flew in the front to Sendak. The galran smirked with greed.
"Yes. Well done, Lotor~" He said. He started honking and everyone moved out of the way as he sped up.
"Excuse me. Excuse me- Out of the way- Sorry. Wait! Wait!" Allura and Shiro said as they tried to go after the chicken cart. Allura noticed how Fernando looked at them and smiled. He started letting small pieces of the sheets fall so they knew where to go. All they needed was- Allura eyed a parked up cart. She frowned, determinedly.
"Get in." Allura said as she stopped the cart right next to Shiro. He smirked and jumped in.
The plane was being loaded. Fernando helped them load and eyed the two blue birds left. He frowned and got closer to them.
"l'm gonna get you guys out of here-- WOAH!" Lotor jumped on Pidge's cage, making Pidge stumble at the impact and screeched loudly. The kid backed away and Sendak grabbed his hand.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sendak asked. He stuttered until finally responded with:
"Nothing!" The galran scoffed at the altean kid. Fernando looked at Sendak and bit him. As soon as he let go, the kid started running away. Zethrid tried to go after him. Sendak scoffed.
"Just forget him! Get the birds!" Sendak ordered. But on the road right to the hangar were Allura and Shiro.
"They're getting away!" Shiro said. Allura growled.
"We'll see about that!" Allura turned the wheel and went right through the fence, getting in the plane's way and making her way towards it. The plane was taking off.
"We did it, guys." Sendak said.
"Yes! We did it. We're the best!" Ezor chided. Zethrid chuckled as they all high-fived.
"ls that...a float?" Sendak said as they all turned to look forward.
"Wow! Look at the detail on that thing!" Ezor said. Zethrid whistled at the affirmation. Sendak snarled.
"Pull up you, idiot! Pull up!" Sendak barked. The plane was taking off and they had just barely missed the float, taking off only the huge bird head on top of it. Allura stopped the float to look up.
"LANCE! LANCE!!....No....Lance...." Allura said, running a bit out of the cart and looking as the plane was fading out of sight. She started sobbing and Shiro came to comfort her. The bird were flying to an impending doom...Or were they...?
Cages. Oh how Pidge hated those...
"Sorry, Eva...l'm not gonna be home for dinner." Rafael said saddened.
"No no no- To the right, you idiot!" Pidge said. The three birds in the same cage look up to see Lance reaching down with one of the rubbed thingies meant for holding the cages steady. Hunk and Keith smirked.
"She has a pan!" They said. Rafael blinked in confusion.
"A wha..?" Pidge face-palmed. Lance managed to grab with the hook of the thing a fire extinguisher.
"Yes!" Both of the macaws said. Lance put the other hook-ended part on his cage.
"What are you two doing??" Rafael asked. Lance smirked and looked at Pidge who puffed her chest up a bit.
"How did Hunk put it...? Oh yeah! l'm gonna pop this cage open like a soda can." Pidge smiled.
"Ok Lance...Now go!" He slammed his side into the side of the cage, hitting the extinguisher.
"Hope this works, Pidge..." He said as he got back to do it again. Pidge frowned and bit her lip.
"Hope my math isn't off as well." Lance slammed his side again and frowned.
"What now?" Pidge rolled her eyes.
"Again! Go!" She said, pushing him with her hand through the bars and he slammed again against the extinguisher. It fell and the cage popped open. Keith whistled.
"Now, that's popping!" Lance managed to crawl out of his cage and got to Pidge's. Lance frowned at the lock.
"Huh..." Pidge face-palmed.
"Turn that thing, Lance." He made an 'o' shape with his mouth and took the lock off.
"Hurry. We got to help the others!" Pidge said. Lance nodded as they both went around, opening cages. Pidge then went and dropped empty cages in front of the door so they won't be able to get to them in time. Then Pidge looked over to Lance.
"LANCE! THE LEVER!" She said. He nodded and swung using one of the rubber things and hit the switch. Inside the piloting room however? The button for the hatch was glowing. Sendak turned around and could see the door lower and all the birds waiting to take off.
"NO!" Sendak started slamming into the door. The cages did their job. Stuck. Sendak kept slamming. The cages could only hold them for so long. Lance's eyes widened.
"Go! Go! Go!" Lance said and the birds flew out.
"Freedom!" Hunk said as he flew out.
"Geronimo!" Some random bird screamed and all of them flew out. Almost. Pidge grabbed Lance's hand.
"Come on! Come on! We need to get out!" Pidge said. She started pulling him and Lance took his hand out of hers.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Pidge realized. He had tears in his eyes. Pidge stopped and let her wings fall besides her body.
"lt's okay. Hey, it's okay- Lance, look at me..." She put a hand on his cheek.
"We'll figure this out together. Ok?" She said softly as she stroke his cheek with her thumb. He nodded and swallowed emptily. God...He was holding her behind. That's when he noticed something in her eyes. Fear. She screamed as Lotor tackled Lance.
"LANCE! NO!" She jumped on Lotor's back. Lotor's eyes widened and he started trying to shake her off.
"PIDGE!" He said, chocked back thanks to the fact Lotor was strangling him. He slammed her in a wall and a cage fell on her wing. She let out a pained scream. Lance's eyes widened.
"PIDGE! NO!" She whimpered.
"My wing..." She hissed as she tried to move.
"Pity. Now we have two useless, flightless birds~" Lotor checked Pidge out.
"Maybe...Not so useless." Lotor kicked Lance off to the side and he started coughing as he made his way towards Pidge.
"With a body like that...? Useless is no way to call them~" Pidge's eyes widened in horror. She tried to move but flinched as the cage was still on her wing. She put her hands up in defense. Lance eyed the fire extinguisher and saw the green rubber band. He smirked and tied the hook to Lotor's leg. Lotor looked at the extinguisher in horror.
"Make that THREE flightless birds. Ta-Ta~" He pulled the hook on the extinguisher and it immediately flew out with Lotor tied to him, damaging the plane as well as Lotor hit one of the engines. The three galrans screamed in panic and looked at the small parachute-bag. Only one. Sendak took it and ran towards the door.
"Hasta la vista, losers!" Sendak said. The two girls gasped.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Ezor said, jumping.
"Cannonball!" Zethrid called.
In the back however...Since no one was piloting the plane, Pidge was now sliding down with the cage on her wing.
"NO NO NO- LANCE!" She said, trying to cling onto the plane's hatch. Lance's eyes widened.
"PIDGE! NO!" He tried to grab her but it was too late as she slid down on the door and with a sharp scream she was falling. Lance looked in horror down.
"Come on...come on! I have wings for a fucking reason!" He jumped down but then the images of him falling when he was a child flashed through his mind. He screamed as he was falling down as well, reaching Pidge. Lance hit Pidge and then wrapped his arms around her. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized he just jumped after her.
"LANCE! YOU- YOU'RE CRAZY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She screamed, worriedly.
"l'm not gonna let you go! We're chained-to-each-other birds, remember?" Pidge looked at him in shock. She snarled and then frowned, having an unreadable face. She sighed and then looked at him with a smile.
"You're an idiot, Lance." He smirked, tightening his grip on her.
"And idiot, for you." Her eyes widened and then she pulled him down by his neck. When her lips touched his it was like a whole fire-work show started in his body. And then something clicked. His wings spread without his even noticing and then he understood what flying was about. The love for freedom. The thrill, the hardship, his home, his life, his...love. Yes, love. Pidge. And as she puled away he smirked. He flapped his wings right before they hit the water and they rose in the sky. Pidge's eyes widened as she held onto him tightly.
"WOAH!" Lance said in disbelief as he realized what he was doing. Pidge cheered and started laughing.
"LANCE! You're flying!" Pidge screamed in excitement. Lance started laughing as well.
"Yeah! l'm flying! l'm really flying. You're right, l'm not an ostrich l'm not an ostrich!!" They both laughed as Lance glided in the air, peacefully, taking them towards the hangar. Allura, Shiro and Fernando were sitting on a broken piece of metal from the cart. Fernando gasped as he noticed something in the sky.
"ALLURA!" Fernando said, pointing up. The other two alteans looked up.
"Lance? LANCE! Shiro! It's Lance!" Allura said excited, jumping on her feet, even without her heels.
"Lance! And he's flying...MY LANCE IS FLYING!" Allura said, going towards where the bird was landing. Lance landed and then set Pidge on the ground, kneeling next to her. Pidge hissed as she tried to move her wing and Allura gasped, looking at her.
"Ow..." Pidge said. Lance looked at her with a saddened look.
"Don't move, Pidge. It will just hurt." Lance said, putting his hand under her head. She nodded and flinched at his touch. Lance sighed. Of course, to the alteans, the exchange looked cute but not as meaningful nor as easy to understand since they just kind of squawked. But hey... it was a start. Shiro knelt down and put his hands out for Pidge.
"Here, let me see." Shiro tried to reach for Pidge and she scotched away, Lance putting a protective hand over her and narrowing his eyes. Allura's eyes widened at that.
"Lance..." Allura said with a softened look. Lance narrowed his eyes even more but then he looked at Pidge who was in clear pain. He sighed and let go. Shiro gently scooped Pidge up. The two exchanged a look before she was picked up.
And soon enough she recovered. Allura and Lance were still in Rio and have moved there after Allura applied to work with Shiro and Fernando was working with them as well, now being the two's adoptive child. And it was finally time for Pidge to fly again. They were up in the watch-tower. Lance giddily waiting for Pidge to fly so they could fly together. Pidge opened her wings and shot up in the sky. Soon enough, like a que, Hunk, Keith and Rafael all shot out of the trees as well. They laughed and started flying around. Lance looked up at her, mesmerized.
"Heh~ Seems like someone caught YOUR attention." Allura said. Lance looked unimpressed and pointed at Shiro with a knowing look. Allura flushed.
"Shut up! Go fly with your bird-girlfriend." Allura said, frowning.
"It's soon-to-be-wife, thank you." Lance grumbled and opened his wings.
"That's my big, brave boy..." Allura said. The three in a family got together and smiled at the sight of the birds flying.
"LANCE! LOOK! I CAN FLY AGAIN!" She said, happily. Lance snorted and then she lounged at him, the two doing a barrel roll in the air. They both laughed.
"Ew. Affection." Keith said. Hunk smacked Keith this time.
"You're ruining the moment!" Hunk said. Rafael chuckled.
"Thank you, Hunk. Now then...Samba?" Rafael asked, hopeful. They all smiled and cheered as they flew away.
"Hope you're up for some tic toc ya ya ya, eh?" Lance spurted and started snickering.
"Ok ok...maybe that was a lie...BUT! You're on." The two smirked as they started racing each other to the place. Yeah...life was good. And they were happy. So...The ending is happy. And the story as well.
THE END