Freebird, Part 3/4

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"We need those eggs to change back!" Eugene shouts angrily.

"I'm afraid we shan't oblige, my little chickadees," Mother says. "For you see, we don't want you to change back."

"We want you to become the newest additions to our aviary menagerie," Father says, gesturing to the fake tree full of different birds. "Think of all this as an avian art collection, to which we're always adding new pieces!"

It is now that Varian realizes with horror, all the birds on the tree are tied to the branches... unable to fly away. "Wait, those are all people?" He asks.

"Indeed, for people make the most beautiful, one-of-a-kind birds," Father says, eyeing the unique symbol on Varian's chest with glee. He then reaches into the cage and shoves all of them into a sack. "Come now, darlings. Off to your new home!"

"No!" Eugene shouts, flapping around wildly inside the sack. "We have to find Rapunzel!"

     "And Cassandra," Varian adds, as the bag jostles them back and forth while Father carries them

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"And Cassandra," Varian adds, as the bag jostles them back and forth while Father carries them.

"Yeah, sure... her too, I guess," Eugene says with a shrug. Varian glares at him, folding his wings.

"We're home!" Father says, shoving them all into a decorative, hanging birdcage and closing the door. He then leaves them and returns to Mother.

"How are we all gonna live in this thing?" Hook Foot asks. "It's too small! There's no privacy."

"Seriously, privacy is what you're worried about right now?!" Varian shouts.

A few minutes later, as the guys attempt to find a way out of the cage, Father returns with another sack. He opens the cage briefly, and shoves two more birds in, a Yellow Canary and a Speckled Warbler... Rapunzel and Cassandra.

"Our friends are gonna come looking for us," Rapunzel shouts at Father angrily, the guys having gone unnoticed by her and Cassandra. "And when they do, you —chirp— are in trouble!"

Did she just chirp? Varian wonders.

"I don't think your friends are gonna be much help, Blondie," Eugene says sadly, spreading his wings.

"At least she has faith in us," Varian points out.

Rapunzel gasps. "You're all birds?!"

"That seems to be the current predicament..." Varian replies.

Lance puffs out his chest. "Well, I'm the strongest bird—" He begins.

"Not the time, Lance..." Eugene says.

Rapunzel and Cassandra look crestfallen, and Varian hates to see either of them like that.

"You know, I like to think that I'm the prepared kind of guy," Eugene says. "Type of guy who's ready for anything this crazy world throws my way. But this bird thing? I can't say I saw it comin'."

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