Five miles away from Jalin's den was a den where two well-known Spix's Macaws lived. There was one male and one female named Blu and Jewel respectively. Blu had dark blue feathers, a large, charcoal-colored beak and amber eyes. He was an intelligent bird, well sometimes, and was raised in the United States ever since he was a chick. His mate Jewel had light blue feathers, a small, black beak, and blue eyes. She had lived in Rio all her life and hated the thought of being contained. These two lovebirds met eleven years ago and never looked back on their relationship. They were not drawn together because it was their duty to repopulate the dying species that was the Spix's Macaw; they were together because they truly loved each other. They hatched and raised a total of eight chicks in their lifetime.
The first clutch was dear to their heart and included Jalin, Elena, and Leoncio, even though raising Leoncio was a nightmare. Then there was Aurora, who had her name changed to Salvia after being separated from them for ten years. The last clutch consisted of four chicks: Victor, Claudia, Manuel, and Christina. Unlike the first four, they did not remain in Rio and left to other parts of the jungle to love and have chicks of their own. Blu and Jewel would sometimes worry about them, but soon, that worry was gone and replaced by the joy that Salvia had returned. Still, Blu and Jewel would wonder what their latest clutch was doing, but they wondered without anxiety.
Today, the old couple just sat in their den, looking at the outside. Blu had his right wing wrapped over his mate's back, hugging her in a sense. Jewel sighed in relaxation. She turned to Blu and smiled.
"Blu, I think we did good."
Blu wanted to correct her, but he figured to not ruin the moment. Still, he was confused on why she said that. He faced her.
"Um, what do you mean?"
"Well, raising our chicks."
Blu smiled.
"Yeah, we did."
Then he sighed.
"It's just that waiting for Jalin's chicks is taking forever. I don't have eternity to wait."
"Blu, they'll have some when they are ready. Besides, we're already grandparents."
About two weeks ago, the eggs of Leoncio and Elena hatched. They were cute, featherless chicks. Blu only hoped that Leoncio had to put up with one of them. It was a bad thing to think of, but Leoncio kind of deserved it after three-quarters of Blu's injuries were a result of Leoncio's actions as a chick and teen-phase.
"Yeah, but it has been two weeks. Jalin and Salvia are living together, and they obviously love each other. It's taking a long time."
"Relax Blu."
"But remember. You were fast."
"Fast?" questioned Jewel.
"Yeah. What was it? A week after we met, we-"
Blu heard her get up and saw a pair of feet in front of him before he finished his sentence. He nervously looked up and saw the angry Jewel.
"Fast! Blu, you're saying like if it was easy to hook up with me. I remember that I hated you."
"Ye-yeah, but it was fast in the sense that it took one day. I mean, usually that happens in fairy tales… Woah. I just realized something. What if my life was just an imagination of someone else? How bizarre would that be?"
Jewel sighed.
"Blu, I think it's time to visit Tulio for your vitamin supplement."
Blu quickly jumped to his feet and shook his head.
"Uh, no. I-I'm perfectly healthy. I don't need the supplement. Besides, you know how they taste."
"I know it taste horrible, but it's for your own good… Please, Blu. Do it for me. I only want you to get the vitamin supplement because I just love you and I'm worried."
Jewel had him now. He couldn't possibly think of something to counter that.
"But Jewel, I worry about you too and care about you. It's a long flight, and I'm afraid you might strain a wing. I don't want anything to happen to my Precious Jewel."
Damn.
"Blu! You better get your feathery butt to Tulio's.."
"I think I'll pass."
Jewel gave Blu a cold stare, and he flinched at the sight of it. Out of nowhere, Jewel launched herself at Blu and tackled him to the floor.
"C'mon Blu! Don't be such a child."
"I'm not. It's just that I don't want to do it."
"But Blu, I want you to do it because I love you."
"Uh, am I interrupting something?"
Blu and Jewel stopped and looked towards the tree den's entrance. Jalin was standing there, watching the two macaws argue about something. Jewel got off of Blu and helped Blu up. They dusted themselves up and walked towards their son to greet him.
"Uh, how long were you standing there?" asked Blu.
"You don't want to know. Just…uh, never mind. Besides, what were you doing?"
"Well, your father is getting delusion again."
"Oh, okay."
"So Jalin," started Blu. "Why are you here?"
Jalin remembered and soon looked at the wooden floor. His parents looked at him curiously. Jalin sighed.
"It's Salvia."
Jewel gasped.
"I'm sorry."
Jalin looked up at Jewel curiously and figured out why she said that.
"We didn't break up, Mom. We're still eating together, sleeping together, and living together."
"Too bad you aren't mating together so I can see my grandchicks," whispered Blu.
"What did you say, Dad?"
Blu faced Jalin. He smiled and shook his head.
"Nothing. Uh, so what happened?"
"Well, Salvia has been acting weird lately. She keeps asking about the trip I had. She has heard it several times about it. Recently, she mentioned the word 'honeymoon'."
"Honeymoon?" wondered Jewel. "What's that?"
"I have no idea. I was hoping you would know."
Jewel shook her head.
"I don't. Blu, do you know what that word is?"
There was silence. Jalin and Jewel faced Blu. He stood stiff, not making any movement. It was like if he saw a ghost of Daniel Avner. It was like a double whammy of being frightened since he was seeing a ghost and the face of a cat at the same time. Jalin tapped his shoulder, and Blu got out of his trance. He shook his head and faced Jalin.
"Jalin, did you say honeymoon?"
Jalin nodded. Blu nervously tapped his wingtips together.
"Oh cheese and sprinkles."
"What is it Blu?" asked Jewel. "What is a honeymoon?"
"Well, basically it's a trip for recently married couples take to spend time together before starting their family. Since we're birds and we mate for being together for what is marriage, I guess it's a trip for living-together couples."
Jewel thought about it.
"That…doesn't sound bad."
"I don't get why she wants one."
"Well," said Jewel, "if a honeymoon's a trip, she just wants to see different places. Jalin, you should know that Salvia is the exploring-type. She always wants to see and try new things. I guess hearing about your trip made her wish that she was there with you, exploring these new places. Have you listened to any clues?"
"Not really, but she does bring the word 'Hawaii' a lot, if that helps."
"Ha-Hawaii," stammered Blu. "Hawaii's the fiftieth state of the United States. There're a lot of beaches, open land, and nature."
"Hawaii sounds like a nice place," commented Jewel and then she faced Jalin. "So, are you going to take her?"
"Hold on Jewel. Why does she need to go to Hawaii? I mean, she just got here in Rio and is barely learning about it."
"That what I was thinking," said Jalin.
Jewel shook her head.
"But you're missing the whole point, Jalin. She wants to explore with you. You know Rio, so you can tell her everything she needs to know. Being in a new place unfamiliar gives you a choice to explore together, and that's what she wants."
"Jewel, they can explore with their new family when they start one, which I hope is very soon."
Jalin faintly blushed. Jewel looked over at Blu.
"They'll start a family when they're ready."
"But two weeks is long enough. I mean, it took us a week to lay our first eggs, and it took Elena and Leoncio to lay their eggs in a week and a half. Jalin should continue the pattern here."
"If I did, I would have to wait six and three-quarters of a week, assuming no common difference."
"Very clever, Son."
Jewel rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. Jalin and Blu faced Jewel, who looked back at Jalin.
"Jalin, if she has been giving you hints, please take her to Hawaii for some fun."
"But-"
"No, Jewel. If he did that, we would have to wait longer for our grandchicks."
Jalin's eyes widened into this realization and quickly responded.
"You know, I could probably take her. I want to make her happy, and it seems a trip to this Hawaii place might just do it."
Jewel's expression lit up as Blu's face dropped.
"That's wonderful. You know, thinking about it, your father has never taken me on a honeymoon."
Blu flinched and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well, um, we needed to save the species and all. Besides, honeymoons are for recently-together couples. We've been together for a long time to be qualified as such."
Jewel faced her mate.
"Which gives us more the reason. We're eleven years overdue."
"Um…uh," panicked Blu. "We-we n-need to make sure it's alright with Jalin. We don't want to be a burden in our son's trip with his mate-to-be."
Jalin faintly blushed, but he managed to speak his next words after his blush faded away.
"It's okay, Mom."
Blu's face sagged down.
"I was going to ask you if you wanted to come anyways," continued Jalin. "I don't want to mess this up."
Jewel happily smiled.
"Oh, this is great," she said, walking towards the entrance. "I-I need to get things ready. Um, we need to get a flight, I think. Um, Blu, how far is Hawaii- Wait, never mind. I can check on the computer when we go to Linda's. We probably should go. I mean...Jalin, when are we leaving? Tomorrow? I hope is tomorrow."
Jalin was confused seeing his mother like this. She acted like a kid in a candy store.
"Um, I guess we can leave tomorrow in the late afternoon. I have to tell Salvia, and that way, she can get ready."
"Oh, yes," said Jewel. "We better get ready, Blu. We can figure out where Hawaii is and if we need a plane after you get your supplement. No, I didn't forget. C'mon, Dear. We have so many things to do."
After she said that, Jewel extended her wings and flew out of the den. The two males faced each other. Jalin, who had a content face, formed a nervous smile as he saw his dad's cold expression. There was an awkward silence. Jalin tapped his wingtips nervously.
"So,um, yeah. We…we had better catch up with Mom."
There was a couple of seconds of silence, and then Blu opened his beak.
"Son, this is why I persisted on you having chicks early."
"C'mon, Dad. It won't be that bad."
"And that is what Disney said when they bought Star Wars and made their first movie. Didn't you see it? Boba Fett is a bounty hunter, not a compassionate person who helps the Jedi for free because he wants to. Why do you have to ruin every movie of beloved characters with a script that feels uncompleted and major plot holes for characters? Like in the Avengers. Bruce Banner doesn't turn into the Hulk and suddenly does at the end of the movie. C'mon, Disney. Don't screw us over. Pixar is okay, but show more bloodshed."
"Uh, Dad? Are you okay?"
Blu shook his head.
"Why?"
"You're ranting again. Probably Mom's right about you needing your supplement."
Blu just grunted at his son. He opened his wings and left the den. Jalin joined him, and they caught up with Jewel. Together, they headed to Rio to plan for the trip…and get Blu a dose of vitamins.
