Lesson Sixteen: “The Choice”

Part One: A Hero Emerges:

"You took my Queen! Give her back!!!" Gemma growled, snatching the chess piece from her brother’s paw. 

"Hey! You can't do that!" Oliver barked. “I captured your Queen fair and square. And there’s no take-backs in chess.” he said, diving after the piece.  

Sho, hearing the commotion, thundered down the plane’s narrow aisle.

“What is the problem?” 

Startled, Gemma froze, her ears pinned back. Standing over them was Sho, the giant Bull Rook.

“It’s Oliver.” she explained. “He knows Queens are my favorite, but he captures them anyway.”  

Oliver rolled his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and said, “You're just mad you're not a Queen!"  

Gemma’s next words stunned Sho.

“You're right! I do wish I were a Queen!” Gemma huffed. “They're tall, fast, clever… everything I’m not. I can’t even move backwards! Ugh! I hate being a puppy!”

But before Sho could reply, King Mateo’s voice crackled over the intercom:

“Citizens of Tribeca, we’ve begun our descent into the Serengeti - Queen Sofia and Queen Zaziwe's royal homeland. Please fasten your seatbelts.” 

With that, the plane dipped its shiny silver wings into cotton candy clouds. 

As the message ended, Sho knelt beside Gemma. “Listen Gemma, I get it. Sometimes, I wish I were someone else too. But you know what’s harder and infinitely cooler than becoming someone else?”

Gemma sniffled. “No.”

“Becoming yourself—that’s the real superpower.” Sho smiled gently. “There’s no one else like you. You’re brave in ways we can only dream of! You leap into action before danger strikes. You sniff out trouble. You protect us with your pawn chains. And you have the coolest of superpowers… so even if you never became a Queen, you still matter!”

Gemma’s eyes lit up and her thoughts raced ahead.

“That's it! Pawn Promotion!” she blurted out. “That's the answer to my problems! I can become a Queen! And at the Savanah Olympics, no less! Look out world, here comes Queen Gemma!” 

Sho sighed. Oliver stepped in. 

“Gemma, you can’t just decide to be a Queen.” Oliver said. “Pawn promotion has to be earned, by crossing the board or surviving real danger. It’s a gift, not an identity. And it doesn’t last forever.”

But Gemma wasn’t listening.

Something was wrong.

Smoke!

Part Two: Danger in the Sky

Gemma turned towards the window and whispered, “Look!"

Black smoke belched and billowed from the plane’s wing. 

While the others panicked, Gemma was already moving. She grabbed supplies, strapped into a harness, and raced onto the smoke-filled wing.

Oliver gasped for breath. “You’re not actually…” 

“I’m putting out that fire!” Gemma shouted, over the roar of the wind as she launched herself outside.

Can you picture it? A floppy-eared Dalmatian puppy, riding the smoke-filled clouds like a surfer at high tide!

"Look at her,” said Oliver, beaming. “She's part firefighter, part circus performer, all Puppy Pawn. I bet the Queens can’t do that!”

Meanwhile, in the cockpit, a flustered King Mateo fumbled with the instrumentation. “I can't see a thing through this smoke! We’ll have to glide her down!"

Ari, the Billy Goat Bishop and King Mateo’s co-pilot, spread out their maps. “There’s an landing strip, 30 degrees to your right! See, the lights!”  

King Mateo furrowed his brow as the plane shuddered and barrelled toward the red earth below. Breath held, he guided the aircraft onto Serengeti soil.

Cheers erupted. The animals aboard jumped for joy. “We’re safe!”

Yet, unbeknownst to everyone aboard, another challenge was awaiting them on the ground.

Part Three: A New Challenge:

King Baruti was interviewing suspects in a village theft when a roar filled the sky. Lifting his long, graceful neck, he spotted a damaged plane descending fast.

“Prepare for rescue!” he bellowed. The Giraffe village grabbed their emergency equipment and assembled along the side of the runway.

"Now, everyone!” commanded King Baruti as King Mateo’s plane touched down. And from the tall golden grass burst the majestic herd, hoses ready.

The animals inside the plane began to trickle out and zoom down the bright orange inflatable slide. “Zazi! Look!” pointed Sofia as the sisters waited for their turn down the slide.

“Father!” shouted Zaziwe. Soon, they were enveloped in King Baruti’s warm embrace.

King Mateo followed, relief flooding his face.

"My friend,” said King Baruti as he shook King Mateo’s hands. “I’m glad you are safe. Between you pilots, and the brave puppy who put out the flames mid-flight… well, I think we’re in safe hands.” he continued.

Queen Sofia felt the tension behind her father’s words. “In safe hands? Father, what’s happened?”

King Baruti shifted his weight and sighed. “The Savannah Olympics have been sabotaged. The grand prize has been stolen. We must recover it before the Olympic games can begin!” 

And so began the hunt for the missing prize. But first, King Baruti asked his daughters to introduce him to Gemma.

“My daughters, the Queens, speak very highly of you Gemma. And your siblings. Which is why, I have a special assignment for you. If you’re up for it.” winked the King.

Inside Gemma’s little chest she was bursting with pride and joy. Of course she was up for an adventure!!

Part Four: A New Team:

Moments later, Gemma stood with her brother Oliver, and their new teammates. Two hippos and a pair of grinning cheetahs. Together, they looked onto a dusty yellow field. Tiny rocks caught the sun’s sinking light as it hung low across wild land.

Gemma breathed in the chilly savannah air. “Night is coming. The faster we find the prize, the better.”

“I heard the hyenas took it as payment for somone straying into their territory” whispered the hippo.

Charlie, the larger of the cheetahs, spoke up, “What a load of rubbish. No, I heard it was the elephants. They love shiny things. But don’t say we told you.”

Gemma felt torn but she knew she’d have to choose a course. “Let’s start with the elephants.” she said.

“Alright. They live over this way, follow us.”

Gemma whispered to Oliver, “Stay close. Use your nose to sniff out danger.”

They hadn’t gotten very far when Oliver came to a screeching halt. “Smells like orange blossoms.” 

Charlie the cheetah groaned. “That means trouble.”

“Look! Something’s moving!” said Gemma as she pointed to the bushy field ahead. “Quickly! Form a V, make a pawn chain!” 

The team scrambled into position. With stilled breath, they waited. A deep rumble reverberated through the grass. Time, for a moment, stopped.

A lion’s roar split the air like a clap of thunder. “Radio for backup!” shouted Gemma. 

Oliver banged his walkie-talkie, bringing it to life. King Mateo’s voice crackled loudly. “Gemma, you reached the southern edge…(crackly noise)… of King Baruti’s kingdom! Pawn promote! A lion won’t capture you if you’re a Queen! Promote!”

For the first time in her life, Gemma hesitated. Becoming a Queen was her dream. But after everything she’d accomplished as a puppy pawn… Time had run out. The lion sprang through the air, muscles rippling, claws extending, eager to capture them all.

As the big cat lunged, Gemma reminded herself of her duty. "I must protect my team. And even though I’m just as brave as a Queen… my team needs me to look like one to stop this lion. Activate Pawn Promotion!"

Gemma squeezed her eyes, shook her tail, and spun until… she stood tall as a real life Giraffe Queen! Gemma’s new teammates couldn’t believe their eyes. Never before had they seen an animal transform as Gemma just did.

“I’m still Gemma,” she whispered to them, “I just look like a Queen… for now.”

Turning back to the lion, Gemma bellowed, “In the name of King Baruti, I order you to stand down and tell us where the prize is!”

Leboo, the Lion, immediately dropped to the ground and bowed low. “Forgive me, Queen. I... I don't have the prize. But I heard the Elephants do. I can guide you to them.”

Gemma raised an eyebrow. “Very well. But no funny business.”

And so off they went, Gemma, Oliver, the Cheetahs, Hippos, and Leboo the lion, to their next destination: Elephant Alley.

Join us next week to see what they find!