Mardi Gras was not as raucous this year as previous years. Maybe just having too many holidays and festivals in a row had just left the people in Lyre partied out. Not that there weren't some festive goings on, such as at the Meat Market. And there were the practically requisite drunken idiots making fools out of themselves. One such idiot had yanked on Fleur's tail, apparently expect to see her panties. Though when Steven showed up, the idiot soon found himself in a trash can.
However, the partying was much more hardy down in Vilcabamba. Down there, Carnival was being celebrated with a lot of spirit. While the jungle-based colony was lacking in open space, they were certainly making due with what was available. There were plenty of colorful lights and samba music being played.
Quite a few residents were watching TV that day. That was because some Animalians were dancing in the big parade in Rio de Janero. Of course, it wasn't all women dancing there. As any ornithologist can tell you, the male birds are usually the most colorful ones, using their bright plumage to attract mates. Females tended to be duller in color, most likely for better camouflage. But that wasn't to say all female birds were drab in color. There were plenty of colorful lady parrots who were dancing in Rio.
This Carnival was also a way to introduce Vilcabamba's newest residents. The Animalian colony had received a most unusual gift from Columbia: a pair of hippopotami. Back in the 90's, the infamous drug lord, Pablo Escobar, had built a private zoo on his luxurious estate. The zoo contained many exotic animals from around the world, including four hippos. Following Escobar's death in 1993, many of the animals were taken to other zoos while the estate was taken by the government and eventually remade into a theme park.
However, during the initial removal of the animals, the hippos were left behind. They were either considered too difficult to seize and move or they were simply forgotten. Considering hippos can spend long times underwater, that is not improbable. Left to their own devices, the hippos multiplied and started spreading to other lakes, though there were always some near the drug lord's former estate. There has been some mixed feelings about wild hippos in Columbia. Many feel that the hippos were becoming an invasive species with no natural predators to deal with and were displacing local wildlife. However, several locals feel like the hippos were filling in a niche and think that they were improving the ecosystem. They were also viewed with favoritism and some villages seem them as pets. Though in reality, hippos are extremely dangerous to get near to, even if none of them have killed or seriously injured any humans so far.
Columbia's government had been trying to figure out a way to deal with the hippos for several years now. But Vilcabamba's presence in neighboring Brazil has offered a new possibility. A pair of hippos had been captured and transported to Vilcabamba, which was quite a difficulty in itself. The hippos were uplifted, the male naming himself Pablo after the man who made his species's presence here possible and the female naming herself Magda after the river the hippos live in. Unsurprisingly, they had a fluent grasp of Spanish, having been raised in Columbia. While it was not sure if the entire pod would be uplifted, Pablo and Magda could at least make sure their fellow hippos would not wander too far away and keep them from hurting humans.
Though for the time being, the hippos were staying at Vilcabamba as they adjusted to being Animalians. And considering it was Carnival, it was a very good time to be there.
Author's note: the story about Pablo Escobar and his hippos are true. Look it up.