In the vast forests of Canada, Alex Parker, a rugged lumberjack with a towering height of six feet, spent his days felling trees with his own two hands. His thick black beard, scruffy black hair, and intense brown eyes defined his appearance. As he drove his camouflage-painted jeep back to his remote, off-grid cabin, Alex's keen eyes caught sight of an unusual sight on the side of the dirt road. Curious, he pulled over and got out to investigate what he initially thought might be trash. Much to his surprise, it turned out to be a large pink bird with a distinctive curved beak and yellow eyes.

"Is that a flamingo?" Alex inspected the feathery figure.

The lumberjack took a closer look and saw that the bird was still breathing. He had a lot of questions. Was this considered roadkill? Why would there be a flamingo in Canada? Should he try to save it or look up how to cook it? Did it escape from a zoo? Should he call a ranger? Does flamingo taste like chicken? And what was the pink gem on its head?

Alex was intrigued. He had never seen a bird so far from its natural habitat before. The last time he had seen one was in a book about exotic animals found in tropical vacation spots around the world. As he reached down to pick up the poor creature, he heard a strange sound coming from his pocket. His phone! It must be vibrating, but why wasn't there a notification showing who it was? He took it out of his pocket and looked at it. For some reason, the screen was black with pink text.

[New Quest: Save Fufi the Flamingo

 

From: Luna <3

 

Fufi has been hit by a truck. She needs help. Please save Fufi.

 

Reward: Gratitude of the cutest goddess]

 

Faced with a bizarre quest from his phone to rescue a flamingo named Fufi, Alex initially suspected a virus. Nevertheless, he prioritized the well-being of the bird, gently lifting Fufi and placing her safely in his jeep.

"Don't worry," Alex said to the bird. "I'll save you."

The flamingo, surprisingly light for its size, lay limply across the passenger seat. Alex gently placed a towel around it from the back seat. He always kept a towel handy, and made a point of never being caught without one. He then called the closest vet on his cell phone and, after trying for over thirty minutes, made an emergency appointment. Most of the vets in the area specialized in large animals, as rural areas tended to have large populations of cattle, horses, and sheep. Alex tuned to a smooth jazz station on the radio. After a ten-minute drive, the jeep pulled into the vet's parking lot. The burly man burst through the double doors, shocking the staff with the injured flamingo cradled in his arms.

The veterinarian wore a white lab coat with her hair back in a ponytail. She motioned for Alex to enter the examination room. "You know mister Parker we don't get too many exotic pets down here," The doctor said then walked toward him. The rest of the staff moved aside so she could see the injured bird. The doctor put her hand on Fufi's body just under her wings. Fufi shuddered at her touch but remained still. "What happened?"

 

"I found her on the side of the road when I drove back from work." Alex said, lifting his head to meet the woman’s gaze. "She might have broken a wing. I think she might have been hit by a truck and flung off into the ditch."

 

"I'll need to examine her further to make sure there isn't anything else wrong." She reached up and held one wing away from her body while trying to find a pulse point. "Good girl! Don't worry Alex, your avian friend will be fine once we patch her up." As she finished saying that she pushed on the broken wing bone, which caused the flamingo to honk in pain. 

 

The doctor pointed at the Flamingo's head. "I'm surprised that she is still alive. There is some kind of pink gem lodged into her head." The doctor asked him about it later after taking care of her other injuries and getting the bird fixed up with medical supplies. "How did you come to possess a Pink Pearl of Courage?" She asked the pink avian creature.

 

"Pink Pearl of Courage?" Alex asked, sounding confused.

 

The doctor snickered, "I'm just kidding. This whole thing reminds me of an anime I watched when I was a little girl. There was a cat with a moon crest between the eyes. Who knows how it got there. Maybe you've discovered a new breed of gem Flamingo or some weirdo at the zoo decided to have fun with super glue."

 

Alex awkwardly laughed at the joke before the doctor continued her explanation. "Uh, I guess so. I didn’t really think much about it, just that I needed to get her help and not waste any time." Alex felt a little awkward at the doctor’s weird mannerisms.

 

The doctor agreed, "Since she's not yours, I don't need to see your license to own an exotic pet. The receptionist thought it was a prank call when you called."

Alex scratched his head. "I thought it was a prank too. I got a text saying to save Fufi right after I pulled over." He pulled out his phone to show the doctor, but the text was gone. He checked three times, but it wasn't in his messages. "I guess my phone must have glitched."

“Aw, you already gave her a name.  You must really like her.” The lab-coat wearing woman teased.

“No no, she came with a name.” Alex defended weakly.

 

The doctor didn’t look convinced. She placed the bird on an exam table with an x-ray fixture hanging above it. She held the x-ray machine at a few angles to get some shots of the bird’s bones. 

 

The doctor chuckled, "Have you been watching too many Magical Girl Animes? Things like that don't happen in real life." She grabbed a tablet from her desk and began reading through her patient notes. "As far as I can tell there is no reason that a pink gem should be embedded into this flamingo's head. However, I don't think it is a good idea to try to remove it. It appears to be fused with the head and might cause more damage if I try to surgically remove it." To emphasize her point she flipped the tablet around and showed an xray to Alex.  The veterinarian used a pen to point to the spot on the skull.

 

"Well what can be done?" Alex asked frustrated at the doctor's reply.

 

The doctor smiled at Alex, "I'm assuming that you were not planning on making Fufi kabobs. It is illegal to hunt Flamingos, you know. Maybe get some fish and see if she'll eat it. You could call some zoos and see if any of them are missing a Flamingo with a gem in its head."

 

“Thank you doctor. I’ll look out for her and make some phone calls when we get home.” the black-haired burly lumberjack replied on his way out of the vet’s office.

 

Alex picked up Fufi, took her back to his jeep and drove home. After arriving at his cabin he started searching the internet for answers about his gem and his mysterious quest. It was mostly articles like his which talked about people who went on quests because they received texts or emails telling them where to go or something like that. Most of the results he found were in fact light novels, manga, or anime. Alex got frustrated but kept scrolling down the list.

 

After much searching, Alex finally found an article that might provide some clues as to what he had gotten himself into.

The article delved into the story of a compelling Japanese book series known as "Kuro Monogatari." It revolved around the journey of a young noble girl, Ciel, who faced the tragic loss of her family at a tender age. Fueled by a burning desire for vengeance, she resolved to become a formidable vampire hunter. In a fateful battle, Ciel encountered a powerful vampire whose sword struck her, awakening a hidden gem embedded in her skull. This transformative event bestowed upon her extraordinary powers beyond those of mere mortals. Throughout her arduous journey, Ciel embarks on numerous adventures, unraveling mysteries and secrets that shape her long and extraordinary life.

With a heavy sigh, Alex realized the time he spent reading trashy web fiction had been a complete waste.

Alex turned away from the computer. "Fufi, trying to find information about you on the internet is just going to lead to fantastical stories." He then went to the chest freezer in the garage and took out some frozen northern pikeminnow that he had caught on a fishing trip with his buddies a while ago. He placed the vacuum-sealed frozen fish in the sink and filled it with lukewarm water. "Well, I guess we'll find out if flamingos eat raw fish once this thaws."

Alex sat in his worn leather recliner and looked at the pink flamingo. The bird, wrapped in a blanket, lifted its head and stared at him. "I suppose you can't tell me where you came from?" Alex asked the bird.

Fufi honked like a goose in response.

In the following 30 minutes, Alex dedicated his time to contacting the few zoos in the province through phone calls. The majority of these zoos did not have flamingos in their possession. To the Canadian zoos, the question of why they would need a tropical bird was a valid one. There were even individuals who perceived Alex's calls as pranks and promptly hung up on him.

"Guess she's not a local," Alex said with a chuckle and put his phone in his pocket. He took the thawed fish out of the vacuum-sealed bag and put it in a bowl to feed to Fufi. He slowly unwrapped her wings, being careful to keep pressure off the injured areas until they were fully free from the tight bindings. "Be careful, don't break any more bones," Alex said gently.

On her long legs, Fufi the flamingo stood. She tried to flap her wings, but only one obeyed properly. Her head dipped into a bowl of fish as she examined it. She tilted her head toward Alex, appearing to await his guidance on her dinner. Again, Alex found himself fighting laughter. The pink gem in her skull appeared to glow with an inner light. Alex thought it was just his imagination.

Alex drew the flamingo closer by skillfully tossing bits of fish into the air near her beak. With cautious eyes, the flamingo examined each piece of food, seemingly contemplating its edibility before eventually consuming it. As her hunger was satisfied, she took larger bites and appeared content with her meal. This allowed Alex to cautiously wrap the flamingo in a towel once again.

 

The following morning, overcome with curiosity, Alex ventured outside and made his way to the riverbed bordering the southern edge of his property. A stream meandered through the low-lying ground, creating a small pond in a secluded spot. As he approached the water, he noticed a pair of diving ducks gracefully floating on the surface. Suddenly, they vanished beneath the waves, leaving Alex intrigued. Unlike ordinary ducks, diving ducks possessed the peculiar ability to disappear underwater, likely in search of sustenance.

Alex went down to the ducks, who were enjoying a rare sunny day in the snow. The ducks probably wouldn't understand him, but he tried anyway. "Hey ducks, how's fishing today? I know a flamingo who might like seafood too. Maybe you could be friends."

The ducks continued to bob on the water, ignoring him.

"Okay...well, keep doing your thing." Alex knew that flamingos mostly ate crustaceans, which is why their feathers were pink. He could catch some crayfish in the freshwater, but things like krill and shrimp were saltwater creatures. The closest ocean was hundreds of miles to the north, so that wasn't an option.

Alex returned home and finished his chores in the cabin. He prepared for his job in the forest the next day, knowing he would have to clean up bird poop when he returned. He hoped Fufi, his new housemate, would not destroy anything while he was gone. She watched him leave with her usual curious look, following him out the door. He stopped and blocked her way. "You stay here and recover for the day. I'll be back after work." The little bird stared at him intently with her bright red eyes, clearly wanting to come with him. "Alright, alright, fine. But you'll only be able to sit in the jeep all day. It will be boring," he joked. After locking the deadbolt, the pair headed out.

Alex opened the door for the pink bird, who hopped into his jeep. He held her injured wing away from the front of the vehicle so it wouldn't hit anything. Alex buckled his seat belt and they set off for the logging camp.

"I normally would say you need to buckle up before we go anywhere, but I don't think seat belts work right for someone of your build," Alex said, not really caring if she understood him.

Fufi made a bird-like noise in response.

Several hours later, they reached the logging site. Alex promptly unloaded their supplies and set to work cutting wood. This lumber was then utilized in various construction projects throughout the province.

Fufi started out by hiding in the jeep, but she didn't stay there long. It was easy for her to get out through an open window. After escaping, her curiosity got the best of her and she wandered outside towards a pile of lumber stacked beside a loading dock.

Seeing that the long-legged bird had left the jeep, Alex called out to warn people about her presence, but it didn't seem like anyone cared much.

"Hey, don't run into traffic, okay?" one man said when he saw the flamingo strutting around. He quickly shooed her back, saying, "Stay back, I'm trying to work here!" She gave him a loud honk as if she were scolding him, then stomped off.

Alex, the man who found the flamingo on the side of the road, told a group of workers about it. He said he had called a few zoos but hadn't found one that was missing a flamingo. The workers were amused by the pink bird, and Alex predicted that it would be the subject of much gossip in the small community.

The lumberjack then picked up another load of logs, and Fufi, the flamingo, ran up to him. Alex said he thought she was supposed to be taking it easy in the jeep, and that he had thought flamingos had simple bird brains. Fufi stared at him intently, looking annoyed.

Alex then said that he had expected Fufi to be more like a goose, since they are about the same size and Canadian geese are mean. Fufi just shook her head, and Alex couldn't tell if she was disagreeing with him or just shaking her head in a bird-like manner.

Alex eventually stopped for lunch. Fufi hopped over to him and stared at him expectantly. Alex offered her a sandwich, but she just eyed it curiously. He told her to try it, and she nibbled on the corner without taking a real bite. Alex said she was a picky eater.

With some coaxing, Fufi ate some beak-fulls of sandwich. He took another one out of its plastic wrapping and placed it near his hand so she could see it. He waited while she watched him eat his own meal. After a couple of minutes, she seemed interested enough to approach and try to steal a bite off his sandwich. Alex pulled back to avoid an awkward hand-beak-shake. He told her she wasn't so bad, and that the local geese could learn a few lessons from her. The flamingo gave him a curious look and then continued to watch him with another intense stare. It was awkward eating together like that.

After breakfast, it was time to return to work. Fufi followed Alex like a duckling. The workers resumed cutting wood, and the rugged Canadians were not at all fazed by the pink bird wandering about. Alex's workday continued with Fufi following him around like he was the mother duck and she the duckling. It was strange, but none of his coworkers teased him too much about it. They probably assumed he was playing a prank with a pet. Some people brought their dogs to work, but if they were not well-trained, it could be a problem due to all the heavy logging equipment in use.

Alex returned home that evening with Fufi riding shotgun. The flamingo found some new perches on top of the shelves in his cabin and spent the afternoon preening her feathers in front of a mirror. Alex told her that he didn't know where she came from but that this wasn't the right environment for her long-term. He said that he would try to get her back to her home when her wing was better. He wondered if she had gotten mixed up while migrating, as flamingos should be in South America or somewhere similar. Fufi just stared at him as always, and Alex sorted through some stuff at the kitchen table. He didn't expect Fufi to respond, as he would talk to a pet without expecting a response.

The pink bird was so close that he could smell the strong scent of fish emanating from her feathers. He reached out and gently patted its head with one hand while stroking its neck with the other, saying, "You really need a bath."

As Alex's hand lightly touched the pink jewel adorning Fufi's head, an unforeseen event unfolded. The gemstone emitted a vibrant pink glow, and simultaneously, his mobile phone started to ring. A nauseatingly sweet melody played, a high-pitched female voice singing in a language he presumed to be Japanese. Perplexed, Alex retrieved his phone from his pocket, observing pink text scrolling across the screen.

>Fufi has found you to be a maiden pure of heart and would like to form a contract with you. Do you agree to enter into this contract?

 

Yes / No

 

Alex was perplexed as to whether Fufi could read minds. The flamingo gave him a quizzical look and stood next to him, waiting for him to finish looking at his phone while occasionally glancing down. Her forehead gem glowed with pink light. After staring at the strange text for a few minutes, Alex thought, "I'm not a maiden, but I guess I can press the 'yes' button and see what happens. Maybe it's some kind of mobile game invite. Fufi's gem could be an RFID chip or something." He quickly tapped the button, but didn't expect anything to happen. Maybe there was something wrong with his phone. The idea that a pink flamingo could communicate with him was just too crazy to consider.

Alex looked back at Fufi, and in the window behind her, he saw her grow larger. Her wings spread wide as she stared at him, and then she squawked in a cute tone and spoke in clear English: "You have been chosen by my fair lady!" The flamingo then took flight, circling once before landing on one of his bedposts. Then, almost like a human woman dressing herself up, she walked over to one of his windows and turned around three times.
Was this some kind of bird dance? Alex struggled to process Fufi's strange behavior. "No, don't think about fantastical things," he told himself. "Let's just stick with the original plan and get cleaned off."
Alex got out of bed and went to the bathroom to prepare a shower. As he was removing his nightclothes, he thought about what had just happened. He couldn't believe that Fufi had spoken to him in English, and he was even more surprised that she had flown around his room. He wondered if she was just playing around or if there was something more to it.
After he put on a towel, Alex went downstairs to make breakfast. As he was eating, he thought about what he should do about Fufi. He didn't want to get rid of her, but he also didn't know how to handle her strange behavior. He decided that he would talk to her about it later and see if she could explain what was going on.
Alex prepared the shower and started taking off his clothes. After getting into the shower, he did a double take. He grabbed his phone and tried to find the pop-up that was there before. "Wait, did Fufi just talk?"

As soon as the words left his mouth Fufi started squawking again, speaking in another high pitched girl's voice, "Yes, you heard me correctly." Alex just stood there as the warm water from the shower washed over his naked body. Fufi said, "Puri Puri Portal!" The bird flew into the shower with him. Pink hearts and iridescent bubbles trailed around her. 

Alex thought, "Wow her wing sure healed fast. What kind of animal can heal a broken bone in a day? Wait... what?! That's not important right now, what is with this cute tornado?" The flamingo seemed to ignore the question entirely and instead wrapped both of her wings around him tightly until he could barely breathe or move. Her wings felt like feathery ropes all pressed against him to create an extremely tight hug.

 

With the sound like a chiming of glass bells he was teleported to another place. It was nighttime and a beautiful woman was standing in front of a pink and red ribbon covered throne. He gasped as he glanced around his new surroundings. He stood naked next to Fufi, cell phone in hand.

The Flamingo dipped her head and held out her wings as if bowing in supplication to the woman before him. 

The room has sickly-sweet decorations. There were several glass display cases with dolls in frilly dresses. There were small cute plushies sitting in alcoves on the wall. There were oversized plushies seated at a table in the corner with an elaborate tea party set up. There were what looked to be tiny fairies flying around with wands in their hands. Their butterfly wings fluttered as they chased each other along the ceiling between chandeliers giggling in an apparent game of tag. A large sunflower sat in a vase by a window. Instead of looking like a normal sunflower it had a face like a yellow and black smiling emoji. The flower bobbed up and down as if it was dancing to its own little tune.

 

"Welcome to my humble abode, I am Luna" the otherworldly beauty said. She wore a simple gown made from layers and layers of silk with a short train trailing behind her. She stepped off of her throne and walked towards Alex, taking his hand into hers. 

"You have chosen wisely, Alex! I will lend you my power." 

Fufi nodded her head enthusiastically. Her wings gently caressed his body while she giggled in that high pitched girl's voice. 

"You are the one Fufi has chosen. I would like to make your contract official as soon as possible so we can move to the next step." As she spoke she ran her fingers through his hair which felt pleasant against the skin. Fufi also kept her wing around him for support as he struggled to maintain his balance.

 

Still naked and wet, Alex felt a little overwhelmed. Contract? Official? Next step? What was this all about? He just smiled at Luna who seemed to enjoy watching him smile at her in return. Her dress rustled softly as she moved away and returned to sit upon her throne once more. "Let us get started with the ceremony," and then the pair were standing in another place entirely. 

This new room looked like a monarch’s receiving room. There were several other figures sitting on chairs facing each other. Glass display cases on the side held stuffed animals,  dolls and jewelry. A couple small plushies carried scrolls and books back and forth.

 

Luna spoke loudly, addressing everyone present, "We shall begin the bonding ritual!"