“I love the holidays,” Zack said, his bright eyes sparkling as he gazed at the Christmas tree.
“How would you like to have a new adventure this year?” Bubbles asked as she rustled around Daddy’s train set and the carefully wrapped packages under the tree.
“What do you mean?”
Bubbles ran out from under the tree, shaking tinsel out of her beautiful blue feathers. “Check out my upgrades to Daddy’s tree train.”
Light glittered around the tree as a soft “whoot whoot!” sounded. The train glittered as it grew to a perfect bird size.
“What happened?” Zack asked.
“Christmas magic,” Bubbles said, “or rather, I installed AI in this train. Now we can have an adventure with our friends! I was thinking Saturn –“
“It’s a train, not a starship”, Zack cackled. “You have to stay on the ground.”
Bubbles gave him the classic stink-eye. “Says who? I thought we cleared that up. Birds do not need a license to fly. It isn’t the FAA or NASA’s business if I choose to do it in a spaceship because mommy clipped my wings.”
“We’ve been to space a million times,” Zack said, “and I have something better in mind. Climb aboard. You’ll see. It will be fun.”
Bubbles relaxed. “Why not? We haven’t had an adventure in a while.”
~*~
“All aboard the Parrot Pal Express!” Zack shouted, sticking out his cute orange and gold head topped with a conductor’s cap from the train engine window. “Hey, Chaka! Nice place!”
“Zack, is that you?” Chaka asked, stepping out of the cozy corner of his cage.
“And Bubbles, too!” Bubbles poked her head out of the window beside Zack.
“Hi guys, great to see you again!” Chaka bobbed his head. “How did you get the train to drive on the road? There aren’t any tracks in this neighborhood.”
“I installed AI in the train,” Bubbles said.
“And Christmas magic,” Zack winked. “I think it’s time you met some more of our friends. Climb aboard!”
“What about Mommy and Grandmommy?” Chaka asked.
“They’ll never know we’re gone,” Zack said. “We put them under the magic parrot spell. They’ll sleep soundly and wake tomorrow refreshed and happy.”
“Ok,” Chaka said cheerfully as he climbed aboard. “By the way, where did you get AI to put in this train?”
“Mommy and daddy work, remember?” Bubbles said. “I ordered what I needed online from mommy’s computer.”
“You are resourceful birds,” Chaka said.
“Come on, let’s go,” Zack started the train on its magic track. “Our friends are out there and in need of an adventure!”
Bubbles bobbed her head. “That’s right!”
~*~
“Just hear those sleigh bells ringing, ding-ding-dingling too!”
“What’s that racket?”
“Stop the noise!”
Rocky, Kiki, and Lola ignored the screaming human voices and kept cheerfully singing Christmas carols.
“Sing it louder!” Lola said. “These guys definitely need more Christmas spirit!”
“How about Silent Night?” a voice shouted from a window.
“From conures? Never!” they laughed and continued singing. “We’re spreading holiday cheer!”
“You’re disturbing the peace!” a voice screamed.
A train whistle sounded in the distance, growing cheerful as the bird-size train approached them on the sidewalk.
“It’s Zack and Bubbles!” Lola said.
The train stopped beside them as Zack, Bubbles, and Chaka stuck their heads out of the window.
“Happy Holidays!” Zack said. “How would you like to meet our friend Chaka and take a trip to the North Pole to see Santa?”
“That sounds like the perfect place to get some holiday spirit to spread to the world!” Rocky said.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
“Better jump on quick,” Zack said. “It sounds like you’ve been called on disturbing the peace.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure they’re pulling over every train on this sidewalk, too,” Bubbles said.
“Pleasure to meet you, Chaka,” they said as they scurried on board the train.
“Pleasure,” Chaka turned to Zack and Bubbles. “Are all of your friends involved in crazy shenanigans?”
Zack cackled. “Just wait until our next stop.”
~*~
“Squirt, what have you done?” Morty said as they ran through the woods. “We’re supposed to be hunting the turkeys, not the other way around!”
“How was I supposed to know they were baby turkeys!” Squirt protested, dragging the net behind him as they ran through the woods.
Nine mad babies gobbled as they got closer.
“Maybe you should have researched what you were hunting before we came out here!” Morty said. “Look, there's a good hiding spot.” He threw Squirt into a hunting blind up a tree. The baby turkeys stampeded by as Morty hid behind a tree.
“Whew!” Morty said.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Morty trembled as the ground shook. He peeked around the tree to see the large Mama Turkey running through the woods.
“I’m a goner!” he shrieked.
A light appeared, followed by the cheery sound of a train whistle. The turkey took one look at the train approaching through the pristine snow and took off in the opposite direction as the train slid to a stop beside Morty.
“What’s that big grey thing!” Chaka cowered behind Zack.
“It’s Morty!” Bubbles launched out of the train to snuggle her friend. “Hey buddy, how are you?”
“Better now that you and Zack saved my hide!” Morty climbed on the train.
“Don’t you want to know where we’re going?” Kiki asked.
“It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s anywhere but here!” Morty looked at Chaka. “Hi, you must be Chaka! It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
Chaka timidly stepped out. “Likewise, I’m sure.”
Morty laughed. “It’s probably the strangest introduction you’ve ever had. At least it can’t get any worse!”
Zack and Bubbles exchanged a glance and cackled.
~*~
A thump on the windshield caused Zack to slow the train.
“Whoa, what was that?” he asked.
“It looks like Lila,” Bubbles said, staring at the dark spot shrieking on the windshield.
Zack slowed the train. Sure enough, it was Lila.
“Zack, help! It’s Bobby! The plant’s trying to kill him!”
“Did she say the plant?” Chaka asked.
“Let’s go!” Zack said.
They scrambled off the train and rushed into the house. A red plant with large green leaves had wrapped one leaf around Bobby and was flailing him around as warped carols screeched from the pot.
“Somebody kill this plant!” Bobby screamed.
“A dancing red poinsettia,” Bubbles said. “I should have figured. Why do humans keep those things around?”
“What?” Chaka asked in wide-eyed horror at the flailing plant.
“It’s those dumb mechanical dancing things from the discount stores,” Zack said. “We have a boogie tree. It’s scary!”
“I’ve got this,” Bubbles ran to the back of the pot and rummaged around. Sparks flew as she pulled a microchip out of the pot.
The plant stilled and quieted, freezing in a strange stooped position. Bobby climbed to the ground and pushed the pot off the table.
“Thank you for killing this plant,” he said.
“Always a pleasure to see our friends,” Bubbles said, dropping the microchip in a nearby trash can. “Meet Chaka. We’re taking a trip to the North Pole for some birdy bonding and holiday spirit.”
“It sounds like fun,” Lila said. “Hey, Chaka! Glad to meet you!”
Chaka blinked. “And I thought Zack and Bubbles’ mommy was strange.”
They clamored past the shattered remains of the dead plant to continue their journey.
~*~
The train continued into the clear, starry night. Chaka relaxed as he chatted with his new friends. Green and purple lights lit up the sky as they headed north, swirling around the train in magic rays. Soon, they passed off the northern land and were whisked into the magical realm of Santa’s Village.
“It’s wonderful!” Zack’s eyes glowed as they slid to a stop in front of the large tree in the city center. Lights twinkled in the cold night, and the air was filled with the joyful sound of carols. Colorful gift boxes lined the streets as the sound of construction, wrapping, and joyful singing came through windows where elves built toys in their workshop.
“This is where the real magic happens,” Bubbles said as they stepped off the train, looking around the tall buildings.
A door opened and a large man in red stepped out.
“Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!”
“SANTA!” Zack screamed, launching himself on the jolly man.
“Hey Zack, you’ve been such a good boy this year!” he looked at all of the birds. “You’ve all been good boys and girls! My elves are making extra special gifts for you this year!”
“Yay!” they cheered.
“Thanks for your help with the train,” Zack said. “I appreciate it.”
“What help?” Bubbles asked.
Santa smiled and wrinkled his nose. “I gave your AI a little extra power to help you have a happy holiday!”
Bubbles blue cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “Aww, thanks Santa!”
“It’s the least I could do. You and Zack and your parronts were wonderful to Chaka this year!”
Chaka stepped forward. “It’s true. I’m thankful for your friendship, and for your parronts for taking me in last spring when my mommy had surgery and was in the hospital. They treated me like one of their own.”
“Because you are!” Zack said. “You’ll always be our ‘honorary brother,’ and our friends are your friends!”
“We sure are,” Morty said.
“That’s right!” the birds cheered as Zack, Bubbles, Rocky, Kiki, Lola, Morty, Bobby, and Lila gathered around Chaka in a giant birdy snuggle hug.
“Ho, ho, ho, friends are a great gift!” Santa said. “And I have a gift for you as well!”
Nine cute bird faces looked up at Santa.
“What’s that?” Zack asked.
The doors to the buildings opened as all of their bird friends poured out of the buildings, cheering squawking, and chattering in the night.
“We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” they gathered in a circle around Zack. “Yay!”
Now Zack’s cheeks flushed orange. “What’s this?”
“Surprise!” Chaka said. “I wanted to thank you and Bubbles for being so good to me with a special holiday gift. When Bubbles told me that your birthday is on New Year’s Eve, I contacted Santa about planning a special combination holiday and birthday party!”
“My goodness!” Zack’s eyes widened as Santa picked him up and gave him a kiss on the top of the head.
“Merry Christmas, and Happy Birthday Zack!”
Cheerful music sounded as the elves streamed into the street. Confetti rained from the sky as they head bobbed, danced, and crunched on tasty popcorn and crunchy snacks under the twinkling stars and lights.
“This is why I love the holidays!” Zack cheered. “It really is the most wonderful time of the year!”
~*~
“Whoot whoot!” the tinny, mechanical sound woke Zack and Bubbles from their slumber the next morning. A moment later, Mommy’s bedroom shoes softly thumped on the floor.
“Good morning guys!” she pulled back their blankets and stretched. “Wow, what a great night’s sleep. I feel better than I have in a long time!”
“Me too,” Daddy said as he walked into the room and took Zack and Bubbles out of their cages for their morning breakfast apple slices. “I think it’s going to be a good day. And not just that. I think it’s going to be a great holiday season. I can feel the holiday magic in the air.”
“Everything feels so cheerful and right,” Mommy said.
Zack and Bubbles cackled and bobbed their heads. It certainly was, and they had helped to spread this spirit to the world.