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Rebel sneezed as the musty scent of fungi assaulted her nose. “Do we really need to pass through here?” Asked Rebel as she sneezed again.
“Yes, it is the fastest way, and also I love the smell of home.” Replied Bongo with a broad irritating smile. He then proceeded to take a deep breath of the spore filled air.
Rebel rolled her eyes as they continued down the path.
Soon they arrived at some sort of commotion, banners blew in the wind and vendors peddled their wares.
In the distance music could be heard along with the sounds of an ecstatic crowd.
“Wow what is going on here?” Bongo asked a nearby vendor, his muscular biceps resting on the counter nonchalantly.
“This is all because the band that’s playing, people have been flocking from all over to hear!” The tall bird explained.
Bongo nodded, then ordered two cupcakes.
“You know we can’t be wasting our money on treats!” Growled Rebel into Bongo’s ear quietly, as her spotted tail lashed behind her.
“Hey hey don’t be such a sour puss, one of these cupcakes are for you.” Explained Bongo as he handed her a vanilla cupcake with bright blue frosting.
“Fine, but lets not waste too much time, the team is waiting for us.”
“Sure sure.” Said Bongo as he started to walk away to look at other vendors. Rebel rolled her eyes but then looked down at the cupcake in her paws. The cupcake made it a little better I guess.
As time passed they made their way closer and closer to the sound of music. The rhythm was alluring, like the beat of a heart.
Soon they found themselves looking down a ravine, at the bottom was the band. Rebel noticed that some of the band members looked familiar.. Was that Lester?!
“Hey I think that’s Lester.” Rebel turned and said into Bongo’s ear. He nodded slowly, “Why is he playing in a band now?”
“I don’t know, maybe he decided to turn over a new leaf.” Replied Rebel a little uncertainly. She wanted to believe the best in people, but sometimes people just keep letting you down.
She was still thinking when Bongo grabbed her paw, and pulled her to follow. She followed weaving through the crowd till they reached a line of large mushrooms.
“I want to show you something.” Explained Bongo as he then led her between the trunks if mushroom.
“When I used to live out here this was my secret spot I would always come to get away from everything.”
Bongo gently wrapped his paws around Rebel’s waist as he lifted on top of a mushroom.
It was a large red mushroom with a larger mushroom above which work as a ceiling and walls leaving one side open to a vast view of the sky and forest of mushrooms.
“Wow this is a great view." Exclaimed Rebel before she started sneezing again. “Too bad it is made of these stupid mushrooms.”
Bongo laughed as he came up and stood close behind her. She looked up at him over her shoulder. He leaned closer, his chocolate brown eyes full of mischief.
“You know, you look so cute when your mad.” He smirked in a low voice.
A shiver ran down Rebal’s spine but she scowled at him. “Don’t call me cute, you big oaf, don’t be so naive as to think I would like you.”
“Yeah well if you don’t like me, then why do you like it when I kiss you…” he said slowly as leaned in close only mere centimeters from her face.
“Well that's only because you're a good kisser.” She breathed before she instinctively moved into the kiss.
They stood there for a moment, letting the music flow over them as their kiss deepened.
Rebel ran out of breath first as she pulled back to catch her breath, but she had only gotten a mouthful of air before Bongo’s strong hand pulled her back into the kiss.
Why was she like this? Thought Rebel, she had no feelings for Bongo, and he clearly had feelings for her. This needed to stop. She pushed away from him her paws on his chest.
“Bongo, I can’t do this, I don’t like you like you like me.” She gasped as she looked at his eyes.
He smirked, “Really, then why did you kiss back?”
Rebel tried to push back but Bongo only leaned in close to her ear. “You won’t regret this.”
Rebel felt the growl in her throat die as continued to kiss her. She melted into the kiss, oh well I guess I'll just tell him tomorrow she thought.
~~~~~~~~~
Bongo woke with a long yawn. Music was still playing quietly in the distance. His eyes flitted over the now empty bed. Where had Rebel gone? He scratched his bed head confused, but he shrugged and turned to get dressed.
He eventually found Rebel talking to the vendors. “What are you doing out here?” Bongo asked annoyed that she left without him. “I can go where I want.” She snapped back, her tail lashing through the air.
“Calm down babe.”
“Don’t call me that!”
Bongo grinned, “I know you don’t mean that.”
“Yes I do, Bongo I don’t even like you. Last night was a mistake. I should have told you yesterday, but I have no feelings for you!”
Bongo continued to smile but now his eyes had a slight edge to them. “Rebel, I am the only one for you who understands you. You think anyone else would love you like I do? I love you so much even though you vain since you only care about your appearance anyway.”
“You are just so stupid, I actually hate how controlling and narcissistic you are. Just leave me alone, ok!” Rebel’s voice shook with anger.
She thought, Im not vain…
Bongo moved closer and Rebel swung her hand without thinking. The slap was loud and some of the passersby peered in their direction.
Rebel shrank back, she could see a red bruise forming on the side of Bongo’s face. He just stared at her as he slowly brought his hand up to his face. His eyebrows furrowed as he finally seemed to have processed what had happened.
He glared at her as his hands hardened into fists. “You're going to regret that.” He growled his eyes dark as he took a step closer.
Rebel felt her heart beat even faster as her stomach turned like a writhing snake. She felt a mix of fear and guilt, but as Bongo took another step forward fear overcame her and she turned and dashed away.
She ran as fast as she could, which was pretty fast since she was a great runner. It wasn’t long before she could no longer hear Bongo’s thundering footsteps following behind her.
She slowed down resting her hand against a short teal mushroom with orange splotches.
She panted as she observed her surroundings. She had run for at least a couple miles and she could no longer hear the sounds of the crowds and music.
Her mind felt less hazy then it had in days. “That music, I completely forgot! We have to go meet up with the rest of the team.” She said to herself before turning back the way she had come.
She growled as she thought about how she was going to deal with that doofus again.
It was about 10 minutes till she saw Bongo. He was sitting on a short brown mushroom looking tired.
He looked up and smirked as she came closer. “Finally changed your mind about me?”
“Shut up. I have something more important.” She was surprised when Bongo’s face became more serious.
“Its that music that Lester is playing, I think it was making us forget our mission, almost like mind control.” Rebel explained her ears twitching nervously.
“I think you’re right, I completely forgot we were supposed to meet up with the rest of the team.” Bongo replied thoughtfully. “ the question is, how are we supposed to stop them?”
“Im not sure” Rebel looked glanced around at the mushrooms surrounding them.
“I know! We can fight music with music!” Exclaimed Bongo excitedly. Rebel nodded slowly.
They headed back and played together Bongo on drums, Rebel on the electric guitar. Soon the crowds realized they had been at this concert for days and quickly dispersed.
After the show Bongo walked up to Rebel grinning ear to ear. “How about we make up?” Rebel scowled at him. “Shut up, as soon as I get back to the team I'm asking to never go on a mission with you again.”
Bongo was now scowling. That night they both left through the forest of glowing mushrooms to meet up with the rest of the team.
The end