Chapter 2:Night Of No Return
Blu and Jewel had returned to their nest for a well deserved sleep. The young sun was filling the jungle with a surreal green glow as it rose above the horizon.
A few errant shafts of light seeped through the canopy and landed upon Blu's sleeping form. He stirred as the light began warming him, and he creaked open his eyes.
Huh. Jewel is still asleep. Now is the perfect time to surprise her! He paused at the edge of the hollow and watched her chest move rhythmically.
How did I get to be with such an angelic bird? I don't think I will ever know. Fate, maybe? Still, I wouldn't trade her for anything. If it meant saving her, I would gladly sacrifice myself . I know she would do the same for me, and that is all that matters...He quietly lifted off into the cool dawn atmosphere and began crisscrossing the jungle, spending nearly an hour gathering various berries and seeds, and taking them back quietly to their nest.
He even managed to haul a mango from a nearby tree into the nest, and the ordeal had left him dead tired. He then flew off for one last trip, remembering the fern leaf he had stashed away below their nest.
He struggled to carry the dew-laden leaf back up, shaking off as much of the moisture as he could. He arranged the food he had gathered nicely on the waxy surface. He blocked it from Jewel's view as he whispered, "Hey, sleepy head. It's already past dawn. Time to wake up..."
A soft murmur caused her to rise from her sleep, and she saw Blu standing in front of her. "Good morning, Blu. Sorry I slept late."
"Don't worry. I have been busy while you were sleeping in!"
Jewel grew curious at his statement. "Busy? With what?"
He just gave a smile and stepped to the side. A huge leaf filled the rest of the hollow behind him, and it was covered in glistening berries and seeds.
"Y-you did all of this?"
"Yes, but it wasn't easy! Do you know how heavy that mango was?" He was visibly exhausted, but he just laughed it off. "So, are you hungry? I can't eat all of this by myself!"
He and Jewel only managed to eat half of the stockpile, and a quarter of the mango. He wiped his beak with a quick wing swipe, leaving a multicolored stain on its surface.
Jewel pointed and said, "Uh, Blu, look what you did!"
He glanced at his soiled feathers. "Oh man! How will I get that off?"
She tried to hold back laughter as she replied, "I-I don't know! Maybe w-we can find a river or something!"
He turned away as she giggled over his folly.
"Sure, laugh all you want. Oh, I forgot. It's supposed to be hilarious..."
Jewel did not reply and kept on giggling.
Blu looked at his wing again, and he started chuckling too. "I guess it is kind of funny!"
After their little bout of laughter, they flew out of the Sanctuary and began frolicking around the city. They spent most of the morning flying among the hang-gliders.
They returned back to the Sanctuary and visited with Rafael and Eva. After that, they spent the rest of the afternoon with Luiz, in his spooky garage.
By the time they left, albeit a bit covered in drool, the sky had turned a deep blue, and a few stars were flashing far above the city.
As they said goodbye to Luiz, two birds gazed at them from the shadows, their eyes flashing slyly...
Just before they lifted off, they were knocked onto their backs by two feathery shapes. "What the? Nico, is that you?"
"Hey, Jewel! Of course its me! Who did you expect? That mean bird Nigel?"
She and Blu got back to their talons and dusted themselves off. "What are you guys doing here?"
"Easy, Blu. Rafael told us you were going to see Luiz, so we followed you!"
"Oh. Well, Jewel and I were just going back to the Sanctuary. It's been a long day. Right, Jewel?"
"Uh, yeah. Me and Blu are tired, so if you don't mind..."
Pedro flew in front of her, his wings spread wide. "Hold up, hold up. You ain't goin' nowhere. Me and Nico got something planned for you two!"
"What do you mean, Pedro?"
"You see, you and Blu got some hot dance moves, and you can sing better than any bird in Rio! So, we put in a word with Kipo that you two would be special guests at The Palm tonight!"
She turned to Blu, who had the same questioning look on his face as she did.
"Why did you not tell us? We appreciate the comments, but we want to go home! This was not on our to-do list!"
"Hey calm down, girl! It'll be cool! You and Blu can stay for a few songs and then leave. Kipo is looking forward to you guys' performance!"
"Hey Nico, we'll do it. Tell us next time though, okay!"
"Sure thing, Blu! Now let's hurry! You guys don't want to be late!"
They all flew determinedly through the cooling night air, weaving between the buildings, arriving at The Palm after a few minutes.
They alighted just outside the aluminum walled building, the thump thump of the drums matching the beating of their hearts.
"You guys wait here. We'll go get Kipo." They watched as Nico and Pedro flew around the building, towards the back of the club.
"Are you ready, Jewel?"
"No. Are you?"
"No. I guess we'll just have to entertain on the fly, pardon the pun!"
"We should make this our best performance yet. What do you say, Blu?"
"I guess. If you ask me to do it, I will!"
A strange shadow passed over them, and a towering bird landed in front of them. "Well well, if it isn't my honored guests! How are you two?"
"Just fine, Kipo. So, how many birds are here?"
"More than I've ever seen, Blu. It's going to be awesome! Are you guys ready to party?"
"Ready as well ever be!"
"Then let's go rock the house!" He led them around to the rear and moved a corrugated panel aside.
They slowly crept inside what looked like a short tunnel, and as they turned around, Kipo moved the panel back into place, leaving them alone in the dark.
"Uh, Jewel, what's going on?"
"Don't ask me! I have never been back here before. Besides, you told our good friends that you wanted to come here!"
Blu did not reply. Suddenly, they heard Kipo announcing them from inside the club, but the sound was muffled.
The music stopped, and then a stream of light poured in from a new opening.
"Let's get this show on the road, Blu!"
He followed her out, and as he turned, he saw that he was looking out across the whole club.
The crowd of birds began to cheer as the music began blasting, causing Blu to lose control and start dancing to the beat. Right next to him, Jewel started to sing, her voice sounding better than ever...
After a few energetic songs and a number of slower ones, Blu and Jewel left The Palm, tired but proud.
"That was amazing! I forgot how well you can dance, Blu!"
"Well, your lovely voice hasn't changed, either!"
She blushed in response, and she leaned into him with a long kiss.
"Ahem." She and Blu quickly parted beaks as Nico and Pedro flew up.
"You guys were awesome! You are probably going to be the most famous birds in Rio now!"
"Oh, I don't think we will be that popular..."
"Nonsense! Just wait a few days, and you'll see!"
Jewel asked, "Now can we go home?"
Nico replied, "Sure! Do whatever you want! Catch you guys later!"
Pedro added, "Keep it spicy!"
The two flew off into the bright city lights, and Blu and Jewel flew back into the safety, and isolation, of the jungle.
They landed at the foot of the tree that contained their nest, and the jungle was ominously dark.
"Ahhh, what a great day this has been. I have never had this much fun in a long time!"
"Neither have I, Jewel. Well, not since the day I met...you." She was surprised by his words. "Do you mean that?"
"Of course I do. You have taught me so many things, helped me experience so much, given me someone to live for...and I love you."
Jewel's heart melted as she stared into his soft brown eyes. "I love you too, Blu. You have done so much for me as well, and I never thought that someone would give me all that I needed like you have. But there is still something that I want..."
"But, you have friends, a nice home, and, and, me. What else could you ask for?"
She slowly advanced towards him, a sliver of ghostly light from the full moon above illuminating her sleek form.
Blu was dazed by her haunting, yet beautiful, appearance. She folded him in her wings, and she peered deep into his eyes.
"I...want..."
"Yes, Jewel?"
"I want...to have...children..."
Blu grew rigid in her caress as his tiny brain processed what he had heard. "You...want...children?"
She stroked his head and replied, "Yes, Blu. Isn't that why Tulio brought you here in the first place?"
"W-well yeah, but..."
"I already told you that I love you, and I know you love me. I guess that that makes us mates, right?"
"Well, technically..."
"So, what are we waiting for?"
"I don't know if I a-am ready to be a f-father yet..."
She grew frustrated with his refusal, so she decided to take it up a notch.
"Do you want our species to vanish from this Earth, Blu?"
"No."
"Did I tell you how my mother and father were killed after I was hatched?"
"Uh, no."
"I want to be a mother to our chicks. I want to be...the mother that I...never had..." She gave him a seductive kiss, and he had to break free and draw a breath.
His body was overcome with a warm sensation, and he suddenly felt like he was ready to be a father. "Oh, Jewel. You are just so lovely. How could I say no? I will do whatever it takes to make you happy..."
"Thank you, Blu. I know we will both be good parents..."
He and Jewel flew up the trunk of the tree, settled down in the hollow, and fulfilled their desires, starting with a deep kiss...
And so it was, in a hollow beneath the glow of a full moon, two macaws unified their lives and their spirits, once and for all...