Soon the celebration turned into a full on pool party around the watering hole. A group of animals bashed out fun, rhythmic music and everyone started dancing. Julien jumped in front of the dancers and led the disco moves. He was now wearing a feathered crown.
Marty wandered through the festivities. His old clothes had been replaced with tribal black and white skirts.
Marty: Excuse me. I'm Marty. I'm kind of new around here.
Hearing his voice, the zebras all turned to face him. Marty was shocked that they looked like him but he grinned.
Zebras: Hey, Marty!
Marty: Hey.. You're a good-looking group! You like to run?
Zebras: Yeah. Running is crack-a-lackin'.
Marty: That's right! Crack-a-lackin'. You guys speak my crack-a-lackin' language.
Marty started to join in. He grinned as he ran with his fellow zebras, loving their speed and the freedom of the open field. He couldn't get over how similar all the zebras were to him. It was like finding a band of long lost brothers.
Zebra: Welcome to the herd, Marty!
Marty: Me? I've always wanted to be part of a herd!- It's one for all...
Zebras: And all for all, y'all!.
Melman jumped around to the music in the company of several other giraffes. They all danced awkwardly like giant pogo sticks. During a break in the music, Melman slumped against a tree catching his breath beside another giraffe who told him everything.
Melman: What? You don't have doctors here?
Giraffe: Not anymore.
Melman: Well, what if you catch a cold?
Giraffe: We go over to the dying holes and we die.
He pointed to a place out on the open savanna, where big pits had been dug in the ground, /in the pit Melman could make out the heads of a few sickly giraffe humanoids sticking out of the holes, waiting to expire.
Melman: Okay. You guys really need a doctor.
Giraffe: Hey. We have an opening.
Giraffe 2 :Would you be interested?
A look of pure delight lit up Melman's face.
Melman: Me? A doctor?
They started to go over to the open field to dress him up. Melman was dressed in an elaborate feathered headdress and dozens of glittering necklaces had been looped around his neck.
Melman: How do I look?
For a moment, the giraffe humanoids lifted a big pointy bone.
Giraffe: Technically, a traditional witch doctor has a bone through his nose.
Melman: Huh?
Giraffe 2: Don't worry... it's just a clip-on.
Melman relaxed and allowed the giraffe to clip the bone onto his nose.
Giraffe 2: Voilà! He's a witch doctor!
Melman: My mother will be so happy.
In the middle of the watering hole, Gloria wallowed in the deep water among a group of other hippo females. They all giggled and splashed around when a bunch of male hippos cannon balled into the water near them, showing off. Gloria had now wore a tribal dress of gray hippo skin.
Gloria: It's raining men. Hallelujah! You all got it going on.
Hippo: Why don't you have a man? You got worms?
Gloria: Oh, I got rid of those. Listen, girls. Manhattan is short on two things, parking and hippos.
Her friend smirked as she saw a pair of eyes watching Gloria intensely.
Girl Hippo: Look out! I think Moto Moto likes you.
Girl Hippo 2: Here he comes.
Gloria tried to act cool as the biggest Hippopotamus she'd ever seen stepped out of the water, droplets glistening on his enormous muscular body. The female hippo humanoids giggled as Moto Moto took his time swaggering toward them. He pushed a big boulder out of his way like it weighs nothing and he didn't even notice when he trampled a dik dik. When Moto Moto got close, the other hippos made room for him beside Gloria. Moto Moto flexed all his giant muscles and the females gasped impressed. Gloria continued to lay there.
Moto Moto: Goodness, girl... you huge.
Gloria: Who's your friend? Or is that your butt?
Moto chuckled in his deep voice.
Moto Moto: Girl you as quick as you are hefty.
Gloria: So you're Moto Moto?
Moto Moto: The name's so nice, you say it twice.
Gloria: I kind of like it, fatso.
Moto Moto: I'll see you around, girl. It won't be hard, because you so... plumpy.
Gloria grinned at the big hippo's cool style.
Meanwhile, all of the Pride had gathered together by a rocky outcropping on the outskirts of the watering hole. Alex stood with his parents surrounded by the entire Pride of lions. His mane had been fixed with his bandages off. His tribal lion clothes was put on.
Zuba: Hey, everybody! I just found out that my son here is a doggone king! The King of New York! Show me some of your moves, son. Come on. Don't be bashful.
Alex: All right. This one always knocks 'em dead. Roar!
Then he let out his loudest roar and jumped into his fierce pose, with the setting sun making his mane glow.
Zuba: Look out. The King is mad. The King is mad! Now let's welcome him back into the pride with open arms!
Makunga: I hate to be a party pooper, Zuba, but some of the other lions were wondering when you plan to banish your son.
Zuba lowered himself to the ground and stared at Makunga coldly.
Zuba: What are you talking about Makunga?
Makunga: It's nothing, really. They're griping that Alakay never went through the rite of passage, blah, blah, blah, so technically speaking, he can't be a member of the pride. It's nonsense.
Zuba: I had forgot about the rite of passage.
Alex: What is it? What's this rite of passage?
Zuba: It's a traditional coming-of-age ceremony where young lions earn their manes by demonstrating their skills.
Alex: Sort of a show-of-skill talent show deal?
Zuba: Yeah. Strutting their stuff.
Alex: Great! A performance! I think that's up my alley, guys. If it's tradition, I want to do it. Strut my stuff. Earn my mane. I want to be Alaki.
Florrie: Alakay.
Alex: Alakay! Even better.
Zuba: We will hold the rite of passage in the morning!
Makunga: That's wonderful! Good luck, Alakay.
Alex: Where I'm from, we say, "Break a leg."
Zuba: That's my boy!
Later on, Misty was still exploring the savanna. She explores happily by looking for any new things to try. She started to find some fresh fruit from above and then played in the watering hole. Jewel jumped into the oasis and started swimming there. It was big enough for her to play around. Misty twirled her hoop around her arm as rested in the water.
Misty: Sure is fun here in Africa isn't it, Jewel?
Jewel popped from the surface and let out a squeak of joy.
Misty: Yeah. It surely is much bigger than our home Madagascar. I surely will miss this little island.
She floated in the water as the sun glazed down.
Misty: Oh. Now that I think of it. I should probably get to work on building that plane back.
Later on that evening, as the party wound down, the zoosters gathered together on top of the big flat rock to watch the gorgeous African sunset, Julien wandered over to them, weaving from too much partying.
Julien: [singing] Cause I'm a private dancer A dancer for money Any old music will do
He stumbled and fell asleep.
Gloria: Beautiful, isn't it?
Melman: Yeah.
Marty: It's amazing.
Alex: Guys....this is where we belong.