Hi everyone - here we are, a fanfiction I've been dying to do for almost a year. You all know from The Outcast and The Estrella who Sophia is; she's one of my favourite OCs, and the poor girl went through so much in The Estrella. If you thought that was a lot to go through, you'll soon discover that she has gone through a lot more in the past. Before you knew her, she was quite different from the fearless and confident bird you saw in the Outcast and Estrella.
You met Sophia's mother and brother in my rewrite of 'Roberto's Nightmare', in a brief encounter, but now, they're back with significance. This is set some months before the Outcast. Also, I'd highly recommend new readers to read that rewrite - I'll be referencing to it a few times throughout this story, so if you get confused about Roberto remembering his childhood, check that out. If in doubt, I don't mind answering your questions!
Okay, let's go - we'll kick off a few days after the end of Rio 2.
"Have you got all your things, Bia?" Blu's voice sounded from outside. In the tree, Roberto was helping gather up all the pretty stones and shells Bia had been collecting since their arrival in the Amazon. Bia had so many; he couldn't imagine where she was going to put them all, even if the new tree was large. From the first day, Eduardo had reserved the best trees so that his daughter and her family had the best choice of living areas - after Blu and Jewel had gone from tree to tree, trying to make a decision, they had finally found the perfect one. A snug one with plenty of leaves and space. Roberto agreed with the couple - it was an excellent choice.
As Bia dropped all her stones into the large leaf, Tiago rushed past; as he did, he crashed into the leaf, and the pebbles and shells went flying across the floor. "Hey, watch it!" Bia snapped, irritably. Tiago laughed, not caring, before Jewel's stern face appeared in the entrance.
"Hey, stop messing around, Tiago!" She scolded, but Tiago darted past her. She rolled her turquoise eyes, and went to step into the nest to help Bia, but Carla got there first.
"Here, sis!" Carla plucked up each scattered stone and shells, returning them to the leaf. Bia shot a look of gratitude at her sister. "I'll be helpful, unlike Tiago."
"Hey!" Tiago protested, from outside.
"Come on, that's enough!" Blu entered the tree, where Carla and Bia were struggling to fold up the leaf. Blu then wrapped up the stones and shells for them, tucking it under his wing.
"Thank you, dad!" Bia and Carla said simultaneously to Blu. The two sisters then dashed outside, shouting out a goodbye and a thank you to Roberto for letting them stay for their first few days in the Amazon.
"Thank you very much, Roberto." Jewel said, smiling in gratitude from where she stood in the entrance, Bia, Carla, and Tiago waiting at her side. Happy that they were all ready to go, Jewel beamed down at her three chicks. "Okay kids, do you want to see our new home?"
"Yes!" Tiago jumped on the spot. The sound of Jewel and the chick's voices began to fade, and Blu hurried toward the entrance as his mate called for him. Blu paused, turning back.
"Thank you, again." He said, sounding awkward. There had been an air of awkwardness between the two males since Roberto's little meltdown at the human camp. Roberto looked away, hating the feeling; how humiliating. Blu was frowning, in concern. Roberto knew Blu hadn't exactly been warm toward him - maybe singing to Jewel to welcome her back hadn't been the best idea, giving the city bird the wrong impression. Roberto had been so overjoyed by the thought of his childhood friend being alive, he hadn't thought things through. In the last few days, since the loggers' defeat, the tension had melted away, but there was still that air of tension after what Roberto had blurted out. "Hey, what you said in the camp..."
"It doesn't matter, honestly." Roberto ran his wingtips through his head feathers. He prayed Blu wouldn't question him further; he wasn't going to tell Blu about why he had freaked out and started acting so bizarre. It had been almost nineteen years since Roberto had seen those vile humans, had been left with just 'crackers' to eat - he had been so young, but he remembered those days as vividly as if they had happened yesterday. Roberto still had a constant reminder - he felt the ring around his upper leg, under his leg feathers. Blu opened his beak, as if to say something, but then shook his head, thinking better of it.
"Okay." Blu said. Roberto stiffened a sigh of relief. He looked at him, in genuine sympathy. "Humans aren't all bad, you know."
"Yeah, I know..." Roberto nodded, recalling the pair of humans Blu and Jewel knew. "And thank you. You saved my life, when that machine..."
"Blu! Are you coming?" Jewel's head poked through the entrance. "Come on! The kids are there already; let's get there before they start fighting over rooms."
"Yes, I'll be right there." Blu promised. Jewel then vanished, flying quickly for the new tree. Blu stretched out his wing, and Roberto shook it. "See you around." Blu said, before turning and flying after Jewel and his kids. Roberto watched him go, before sighing and picking up the palm leaf he kept for sweeping. Roberto swept the palm leaf across the dust and moss on the floor, and the blue feathers moulted by his guests. Roberto swept all of the debris toward the gap in the wall, pushing it out.
His tree had been empty for so many years, he was quite sad to see Blu and his family move out. Roberto rarely had guests, except for his friends or their kids, when he offered to babysit. Roberto had envied Blu so much - he had what he didn't. A mate, and a family. Roberto was aware that he had plenty of female admirers, but he never met the right one.
Roberto flew up to a branch, and perched there, running his beak through his plumage while looking upon his home. From here, he could see Blu and Jewel's new tree, and hear the excited squawks of Bia, Carla, and Tiago. He peered closer, and made out the forms of Blu, Jewel, Eduardo and Mimi at the entrance, discussing something. Roberto was glad Eduardo liked his son-in-law now - a few days ago he couldn't stand the sight of him.
The five city visitors - Rafael, Eva, Nico, Pedro and Luiz - had departed for Rio de Janeiro yesterday, with the promise of visits and some way of contact. Blu and Bia had proposed phone calls, whatever that meant; something about the city birds getting a 'phone' and the family calling from a human boat or that new animal hospital being built nearby. Roberto hardly understood this, but it was good that they could keep in contact.
Roberto marvelled over the changes that had occurred in the last few days. So much had been achieved by the arrival of Blu, Jewel and their kids - peace between the Spix's and the Red macaws, borders melting away so any macaw could go where they pleased. Territory disputes were non-existent, and Roberto had befriended Felipe, his former nemesis. He had despised the sight of him for years, but since they had fought together in that battle, the hostility had been swept away.
The sanctuary had been set up, spreading over a vast distance so that all four tribes in the area were well protected. The Spix's, Red and Blue-and-Gold tribes were united - the third tribe had always been friendly, but now ties were even stronger. It was a pity the sanctuary also protected the Hyacinth macaw tribe, who were no closer to peace with the other tribes than an ant was to the moon.
Roberto, who had been terrified of humans for years, was now less afraid - he didn't freak out as much, even if they still petrified him. It was just a shame he was the only one out of his friendship circle who was single. All of his friends either had mates and, or, kids. He was the only one who had never had a mate - not even a girlfriend for that matter. His friends didn't believe him, but it was true. He had only flirted with single females, but they had never been the 'kindred spirit'.
"Hey, daydreamer! Are we going on patrol or what?" Tobias, a friend of his, landed on the branch beside him, making Roberto jump. Before Roberto could greet Tobias or reply, a young voice sounded from behind them.
"Can I go?" Chirupped the little blue form.
"No, you can't, Bruno." Tobias said, turning toward his young son. Bruno, a boy who wasn't much older than Blu and Jewel's kids, was hovering a few feet away. With a curious stack of near-vertical feathers standing on the top of his head and neck, Bruno was a unique-looking yet handsome little bird, very inquisitive. And a bit annoying.
"Aw, why not?" Bruno asked, looking disappointed.
"Because you'll get bored." Isabella, Bruno's mother, lighted down and plucked her son from the air. Bruno grumbled as Isabella hugged him.
"Mom, so embarrassing..." Bruno squirmed with discomfort, before fighting out of Isabella's hug, flying away. Tobias and Isabella both started laughing, before Tobias gave his mate a kiss on the cheek, and Isabella followed Bruno, calling for him to slow down. Tobias chuckled.
"We'll wait for you at the entrance." Tobias said. "Jespa and Manuela are on our patrol -"
"Oh, not Jespa." Roberto groaned, and Tobias nodded.
"Yes, Jespa." Tobias sighed. "He had nothing to do, and Manuela was desperate for a break from that little trouble maker of hers, Augustus." Tobias smiled at him. "Honestly, kids are exhausting, Roberto. But it's worth it - me and Izzy's relationship has been on the rocks, but since our Bruno came into our lives, we're as loved-up as before. He's brought us so much joy over the last weeks, and he's got a great voice, even now. You ought to hear him - he's going to be something special when he grows up. Mind you, any kid of yours would surely inherit your skills." Tobias clapped him on the shoulder, before flying for the entrance. Roberto knew exactly what Tobias was doing; every friend of his who was a parent had, telling him the rewards of parenting. Nineteen years old, and he didn't have a family yet, not even a mate at least.
Roberto sighed, before following Tobias. He knew the right girl was out there - he just had to find her.