Dangerous Woman

A New Hero

Later that day, Red was feeling more and more disappointed. It was becoming clear that Mighty Eagle wasn't as mighty as she thought. He wouldn't even bother listening to her problem. But she refused to give up. Even if he would spend more of his time singing and playing his guitar.
Mighty, Mighty Eagle, soaring free
Defender of our homes and liberty
Bravery, humility, and honesty...
"You must have grown up singing this song in school," he figured.
"Uh..." Red never really sang the song, she had preferences when it came to music, but she played along in hopes of getting back to the subject at hand. "Yeah. Yes, we did."
"Umm, right. Yeah," Chuck added nervously. Mighty Eagle finished the verse.
Mighty, Mighty Eagle...
Rescue me...
"Now you do the second verse!" he said, looking at Red.
"Me?" she asked nervously.
"Yes!" he replied encouragingly. "Do it!"
Red didn't know the lyrics, and she really didn't want to sing, but she knew he wasn't going to let it go.
Mighty, Mighty Eagle, flap your wings
And fill up your big cave with all your... fancy things
"That's it!" he sighed.
Politeness, good sportsmanship, and... a long attention span!
"What?!" he exclaimed.
Mighty, Mighty Eagle...
"Yeah!" she finished. Mighty Eagle moved on to Chuck.
"Take it away, Charles!"
O great, heroic, Mighty Eagle
With finer plumage than a seagull
Bomb decided to join in, too.
Ambidexterity, pottery, and bankruptcy!
"Ouch!" Mighty Eagle was shocked. Red decided to just finish it up.
Uh, Mighty, Mighty Eagle...
"Harmonize, harmonize!" she whispered to her friends.
Rescue me!
They finished in perfect harmony... except Chuck, he overdid it.
"Wow, you know it better than me!" Mighty Eagle said, interrupting their moment. He tossed his guitar aside and got out of his chair. Red pushed Chuck's hand off her shoulder and tried to explain again.
"So, anyway, the other day, these pigs showed up out of nowhere, and it caused me a great deal of suspicion... and he's walking out of the room."
Red couldn't believe it. Mighty Eagle just got up and left! Maybe asking her hero for his help wasn't the best idea.
"I don't get this," she said angrily. "This guy sits here on his butt, all alone, clearly doesn't leave the house. He talks a good game, but he doesn't care about anyone but himself!"
Chuck crossed his arms. "Sounds a lot like you."
"Oh, good," Red said sarcastically, even though she knew he was right. "Thank you for your opinion, Chuck."

Red left the Hall of Heroism and went after Mighty Eagle. She found the older bird staring through a pair of binoculars at the village way below.
"Hello, Mighty Eagle?" she said as she approached the big bird. "What are you doing?"
"Uh, I'm bird watching," he replied. Red was confused. "Take a peak."
Mighty Eagle had Red look through the binoculars at an elderly woman.
"Oh, you're disgusting!" Red muttered. "Look, are you going to help us or not?"
"I am helping you!" he assured her.
Red wasn't convinced. "No, this is you helping: 'Looking through binoculars, spying on old ladies...' Whoa, whoa! What is that?"
Red looked down at the village with the binoculars and saw birds entering a massive tent that glowed all kinds of colors. She suddenly noticed dozens of pigs running all over the village, planting TNT all over the place!
"Oh my..." Red gasped worriedly. "I was right. I was... I knew it! Bomb! Chuck! Hurry up, get out here!"
Mighty Eagle looked through the binoculars and saw what was happening.
"Uh-oh," he gulped.
"Mighty Eagle, hey, fly us down there, now!" Red pleaded.
Mighty Eagle looked away and put his hands on his hips.
"No."
"I'm sorry, what?!" Red exclaimed, shocked.
"I don't do that anymore," he explained. "I'm retired. Go handle it yourself. This is everything I've prepared you for."
"What? Prepared us for?!" Red was outraged. "Hold on, did I miss something? Let me just go through my notes really quick. Let's see... Crazy stuff! Bragging! Crazy stuff! Karaoke!"
Chuck and Bomb joined Red and Mighty Eagle on the cliff, while carrying a bunch of souvenirs.
"No, I don't see anything useful here!" Red continued. "The whole world, everyone we know, is in danger!"
"Yes, it is," Mighty Eagle agreed. "So off you go." He turned around and headed back for his cave.
"Hey, you know what?!" Red yelled. She'd had her fill of him. "I used to believe in you."
Mighty Eagle stopped in his tracks.
"When I was a kid, I believed nothing really bad could ever happen because you were here. And now, I see the fate of the world hangs on idiots like me! And that, sir... is sort of terrifying."
"It's time for you to go," Mighty Eagle said softly. He had nothing left to say to the young woman.
"You know, it's really upsetting to me that you're the only bird that can fly, and you're too afraid to do it," Red said softly. Suddenly, she heard an explosion coming from down below. Red knew they had to hurry. "Hey, guys, come on, let's go. We're done here. He's no hero."
Chuck stayed behind for a second.
"So, um, I'm having a party next Tuesday," he explained, "Could you just do, like a little pop-in?"
Bomb grabbed Chuck and the three birds made their way back down the mountain. They have an island to save!

Mighty Eagle watched as they left. A small smile spread across his face. He knew it was time for the young red bird to save Bird Island and become a hero herself.