"Just knock."

Alex faltered, his knuckles still hovering over the palm tree door, the words reading "NO SOLICITING". "...Isn't too late to turn back, y'know." He glanced back to his companion, attempting to bargain.

Ayana could see why he didn't want to knock; his friends were howling with laughter and they seemed to be doing just fine. Nobody seemed to be getting hurt, and even Melman wasn't complaining about diseases.

"I just wasted my strength to bring you here," Ayana told him. "Don't put it in vain."

Alex then looked back at the door, then his friend, who pushed him forward slightly. The leopard grinned with anticipation, and he returned the smile with uncertainty. Still, both were natural.

He inhaled and knocked.

"Shh. Shh. It's him." Melman whispered.

"Who is it?" Marty asked.

"It's the pizza man. Who the heck do you think it is?" Alex remarked.

Marty slid the slot of the door to see them. "Yes? Can I help you?" He asked them.

"Can I come to the fun side?"

Marty closed the slot and unlocked the chained door just a bit. "Beg your pardon?"

"You know, I've been kind of a jerk, Marty." The monochromatic animal expressions softened as he continued. "But I've been thinking about what you said and also Ayana convinced me, and I'm sorry."

Hearing his words, shut the door and began unlocking a collage of locks, making Alex roll his eyes and share a look with Ayana as she jerked her thumb to the door.

"Welcome to Casa del Wild. Take a load off." The door pulled open with enthusiasm. The zebra regarded the big cats with total happiness, stepping back. "Hey, hey, wipe your feet."

The two looked down at the mat that said, Wild Sweet Wild, and obeyed it so they could see the glorious hang-out place Marty and Ayana had created under the leafy roof.

"Alex! Ayana!" Gloria greeted, lounging in a chair as Melman waved to the pair.

"Mi casa is su casa," Marty tells them.

Marty shook a canister from behind the bar as if making a martini, preparing to serve his friends drinks.

Alex stepped noiselessly forward, nosing his way around the well lit, warm tiki bar. He spun around slowly after he walked down the steps, and carefully examined the interior design of the tiki bar. The lanterns of different colors, the seating arrangement around the fireplace with flat rocks stuck in a fashion to represent animal print. Gloria and Melman relaxed in their seats, holding their drinks served in a coconut.

The ceiling was comprised of large leaves, and colorful lanterns fashioned from the bodies of sea creatures hung from it by strings. The zebra had even managed to craft furniture and a stone fireplace! And –

"Ayana," Alex whispered. "is that abar?With zebra-skin bar stools?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "It's just paint, Ally."

"Very impressive," Alex commented.

"Yeah, you really outdid yourself with the lights, bud."

"But you were the one that suggested the furniture arrangements. Hey, have a drink. It's on the house." Marty says, handing them each a coconut.

They took a small sip and quickly spat it out.

"This is seawater." Alex pointed out.

Marty drank his and spat his out as well.

"Oh, you don't swallow it. It's just temporary till the plumbing's done." Marty tells them, whispering about the plumbing as Melman spat out his drink. "Hey, y'all look hungry. How would you like some of nature's goodness?"

The zebra swaggered over to a few levers with vines strapped to something from behind.

Gloria after she spat out her drink, and had a smile plastered on her face just as her feline friends stretched theirs on. "You have food?"

"Finally!" Ayana gasped.

"The Fun Side Special, coming up." Marty pulled the closest lever, allowing a tray of seaweed to fall as the vines vibrated from the movement before he happily announced, "Seaweed on a stick."

"Seaweed?" Alex questioned, replacing a smile with a frown while his friends spat seawater.

"On a stick. Don't love it till you try it." Marty advised.

All five Zoosters sat around the fire to their seaweed on a stick to heat up. Alex and Ayana were nervous about trying it with faltering as they hesitated to take a bite. The female leopard watched as Melman burnt his to a crisp, a little flame drawing on the top and then blowing it out so he could devour it in one bite through his long snout.

"That's unbelievable!" The giraffe complimented.

Gloria hummed. "...So good."

"Well, thanks. It does kind of hit the spot, doesn't it?"

Once Alex took a bite, he began to cough the disgusting food up as Ayana instantly regretted swallowing the plant.

It felt like squishy, slimy goop- it felt yucky.

Both big cats grimaced at the salty and briny taste that had met their tongues. The sputtering coughs of the lion were joined by the rapid choking of the leopard, patting her back so she could breathe again.

"Well, maybe it could use a little lemon." They heard Marty admit.

While trying to give it out his mouth, Alex desperately tried to smile and give a thumbs up.

"No, it's great. It's really great." Alex said.

"Honestly, it tastes fine," Ayana added, tossing her stick in the flames, thanking God that her experience was over.

"Doesn't get any better than this." Alex conceded, throwing his stick into the fire.

"Oh, but it does. Check this out." Marty pulled another lever, this time the leafy rooftop had smoothly pushed aside to reveal a glorious, starlit sky. The murkiness had different hues, with a lot more than hundreds of bright stars possibly lighting their view just to make them smile.

"Wow." Gloria drawled. "Would you look at that?"

"It's like billions and billions of helicopters."

"It's a shooting star. Make a wish. Quick!" Marty urged.

"Ooh! How about a thick, juicy steak?" Alex wished.

"You know what, Alex? I promise you I'm going to find you a steak tomorrow if it kills me. You too, Ayana."

"Thanks, Marty."

"Yeah, you're the best."

Everybody observed the stars for a long time, wondering how they have never seen anything so beautiful before. Everyone felt themselves relax, slowly slipping away into unconsciousness.

"It is getting late. I guess I'm gonna..." Melman drawled off into slumber while snoring

"I think I'm gonna hit the sack too. Sweet dreams, everyone." Gloria said as they take one last look at the stars.

"It's about time!" the hippo hissed. "You seein' this?"

"Mmwhat, honey?" Melman murmured, still in the clutches of sleep.

Gloria giggled. "You guys're ridiculous. But you see it too, right? I ain't trippin'?

"See wha-"

"I love you, Levi, sorry I don't tell you often," Ayana mumbled. Melman was wide awake, now. He looped his long neck over at Ayana, who was fast asleep. And wrapping her arms around Alex like a body pillow. An amused smirk tugged at the corners of the giraffe's lips, but it vanished as soon as he and Gloria took in the rest of the picture.

Alex.

Was.

Licking.

Marty.

They were at a loss for words. Was Alex dreaming? Did he and Marty share something more than friendship? Then what about Ayana? But then who was Levi? Was Alex going to...eat Marty? No, that couldn't be it, right? Alex would never-

"Marty," Gloria hissed.

"How does he not know?" the giraffe wondered aloud.

"Marty!" Gloria hissed again. Melman looked at Ayana and nudged her with his snout. "Ayana!"

Ayana twitched, but she didn't awake. "Keep your big giant arms on your side of bed."

Apparently, Gloria didn't want to wait any longer because she punched the zebra in the shoulder.

Marty jolted awake, teal eyes wide.

"Gloria? What is it- Alex?"

Alex didn't wake. The lion dragged his tongue across the black-and-white pelt, hopefully, lost in a dream, as well.

Marty shakes Ayana's shoulders.

Ayana stirred awake, dark brown eyes barely open. "Levi?"

"Who's Levi?'

The cat blinked rapidly, wondering what her friends were doing. Then she saw what Alex was doing, and released her arms from him.

"Alex." Marty repeated.

The lion opened his dull lids fully in shock after realizing the steak was gone. Marty's backside, which laid sprawled beside him, was what he licked instead.

Everyone glanced at the lion with expressions that were mixed with shock and disturbance.

Alex's mouth twitched and tried to close itself.

"What are you doing?" Marty managed to ask.

Alex licked his fingers and began to count his friend's stripes.

"-27, 28, 29- 30!" He hummed, feigning discovery. "30. 30 black and only 29 white. Looks like you're black with white stripes after all! Dilemma solved! Good night!"

The lion abruptly turned over and began snoring instantly. With each of his snores, everyone looked at one another with confused looks before shrugging and heading off to sleep themselves.

Of course, not everyone was on his backside when he pretended to sleep.

"...Are you ok?"

"What the-" Alex startled at the familiar voice, practically daring to shoot up. Ayana blinked at him, her eyes full of concern. "Did you see all that?"

"Obviously."

After a few dazed moments, Alex heard something rumble.

Ayana's stomach.

"Is it bad that it made me hungry?" She asked sincerely.

Alex covered his head with his left paw and groaned. "I-I...no, yes, I'm hungry..."

She giggled. "It's know how you feel, Ally. It's probably best thatI'm am the one who's talking to you now, and not Gloria or Melman or Marty. They wouldn't understand quickly."

Ayana yawned, and then she smirked at her friend before closing her eyes. "'Night, Alex.Sweet dreams."

"Night, Ayana," He whispered back, rolling his eyes in the darkness. Actually going to sleep this time.

In a slim chance, the two shuffled their hands slowly to one another, hoping the other was there. Happily, Alex felt Ayana's small hand next to his fingers and covered it.

It was a different attitude for the pair. Ayana was engaging in physical contact more and Alex seemed more thoughtful to his friends.

This island had changed them- and the other Zoosters, for that matter.

Well, change was going to be different than what they're going to experience. 'Cause up in the large trees, behind the animals that rested on a trunk, was King Julien and the rest of the lemurs who watched and waited for the New York Giants to rest.

"You see, Maurice, Mr. Alex was grooming his friend. He is clearly a tender, loving thing. How can you have the heebie-jeebies for Mr. Alex and Ms. Ayana? Look at them. They're so cute and plushy. See how they hold hands?"

"I don't think he was grooming him, Julien. Look more like he was tasting him to me. Maybe Ayana will do the same." Maurice pointed out.

"Suit yourself, no matter. I don't care. Soon we will put my excellent plan to action. All we have to do is wait until they are deep in their sleep..." Julien says, his subjects and himself observing the animals.

Then for a maximum of ten seconds, he got impatient.

As all of the Zoosters were about to slip into the comfortable haze of sleep, an unfamiliar voice cried out in frustration.

"HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?!"

The Zoosters rose, startled, then they turned to face a tree- the one that made the noise- behind them. Unfortunately, all of the lemurs hid behind their leaves. The animals turned back before they shrugged and laid back down.

-/-

In Antarctica, there is just a lot of wind and a big mound of snow as well as the penguins, who were sitting in silence, had realized that the location was nothing of their expectations. The one thing that they could agree on was the first thing Private declared after a moment.

"Well, this sucks!"