Life is an amazing thing. Too many people take such the simple, yet complex concept of being alive for granted. Truth is, life is a blessing that everyone who ever was, is, or will be shares. Many people also underestimate the resilience of life, while it can be lost in many ways, it can endure even in the most dangerous of situations, and even come out stronger than before.
Life and Love flow hand in hand. The two share a balance that fuel each other with Time being the driving force. Love, in many ways, is also resilient. There is no such thing as a perfect relationship, that's a part of Reality. Love can be lost in many ways, and sometimes it can be damaged and forgotten. But like Life, Love can also endure like a small spark in the darkness of Reality only to smolder and grow through the trials and tribulations it's put through.
Only in Death, do Life and Love meet their end, and Death only occurs when Time runs out.
When Nico awoke he found himself in a pile of garbage outside the old building that held his friends captive. The smell and taste of blood clouded his senses. His brain was in survival mode, so the pain that he should have felt was blocked. His body was beyond damaged. He was broken.
Trying to move, he found himself partially paralyzed. But as his brain signals persisted he finally managed to bring movement to his right wing. Deep in concentration, Nico managed to maneuver his body up around to where he could get a clear depiction of his surroundings. He was at the top of a overflowing garbage can that had toppled over, spilling its contents in the alley.
The left side of Nico's body was completely unresponsive due to the fact that's where he had taken the grunt of the blow that was dealt to him. Nico managed to regain control of his right wing and talon.
Using what little motor skills he still possessed, Nico crawled his way out of the trash. Nico's brain told him he was in pain, but refused to allow him to feel pain.
One thing was on Nico's mind, survival. He had to somehow bring attention to himself and call for help. Nico only made it a few meters before his physical limits were met, out of breath and out of energy he sat, only about 20 meters from the street where people were walking idly by.
This is it, this is where I say goodbye. Nico thought, I'm too damaged to go on. If only I'd been faster... Man I hope my friends find a way to escape...
"Is that my favorite little party canary, Nico? Nico, buddy you don't look so good." A familiar voice called from far overhead. "What happened? Why are you by yourself?"
Nico was already on the brink of blacking out. He only managed to see a black and white figure over him before darkness engulfed his vision and pulled him into an unconscious slumber.
Jewel awoke to a crash as the door swung open in front of her, startling her half to death.
"Time to get up, hope you like to fly!" Cliff said, half chuckling at his cleverness.
Jewel was carried into the main room and out the front door before being loaded onto a truck that already had a multitude of other cages. Blu was there among them but he never acknowledged her presence. A tidal wave of guilt flooded through Jewel as she picked Blu out of the crowd of rowdy birds. Pedro was also there, but he was still in mourning to the passing of his dear friend.
Blu was conflicted and still unsure of how he felt towards Jewel. His heart wanted nothing more then to embrace her with a giant hug and wish the whole situation away. But his mind and feelings were still hurt from the sadness of her betrayal. Blu had been thinking it over since the revelation had hit him. Blu still loved her genuinely but now he had his doubts if she had actually ever loved him back. And even if she did, how could he ever trust that she wouldn't leave him in his time of need again?
Betrayal was a terrible thing to experience. It makes you question everything about the person, whether anything they ever said to you was true. Such a terrible thing Blu was going through, the one bird to which he professed his undying love and affection for, turning her back on him, especially after she told him that she loved him. That really desecrates any sort of trust someone can have towards the person. Blu, while as much as he wanted to forgive her, couldn't pull himself to forgive.
This brought on another slew of conflicts. Say Blu did reconcile with Jewel and they started a family together. Could he trust her with his children after her disloyalty she displayed to him? What if she left him and his future family high and dry, Blu knew for sure that he couldn't raise a family by himself, let alone in the jungle.
The most troubling part was the fact she came back. That obviously meant something, Blu decided. Plus he was almost obligated to be with her, they being the last of their species after all. Blu was still unsure, he glanced up to the Jewel who was just looking down with sadness in her eyes. He longed for nothing more then to talk to Jewel to straighten everything out, but in their current situation he was unable to even keep a clear line of sight of her.
The two men tossed their luggage in the back on top of a few cages before slamming the truck closed. Bungee cords strapped the cages down to hold everything in for the ride. After making their final preparations, the two men covered the back of the truck with a tarp to fend off unwanted attention.
Blu's mind raced over the past week, re-analyzing every detail of his adventure in Rio. He realized that his time here in the place that he had started getting attached to was coming to a close. Before he was confident that he could avoid being smuggled due to the support and love Jewel gave him. Now he was more lost then before, losing more then just Linda.
It's hopeless, Blu realized. Even if I try to break away my life would not be the same. I could never go back to how things were two days ago. How perfect things were, between Jewel and I. Maybe it's for the best that things worked out the way they did, it just goes to show me that I cannot rush love in such a short time. Even though you may face many trials and share magical times with a person, it's only when their true nature shows that you realize who they actually are, Blu concluded.
Blu hung his head low as he rode the cramped truck in silence. He had come so far, found what he thought was love, but in the end he was about to lose it all. Jewel, Linda, and his new home. The worst part is that Linda will never know what became of her beloved pet. In a sense he was betraying Linda, be in intentional or not.
The tediously long trip came to an abrupt halt as Blu heard two doors swing open and some chatter between the two men that occupied the truck.
"Start loading, we don't have all day."
The unloading process took considerably longer than the loading process as the two men had to undo the bindings that held the cage and find suitable spots on the cargo plane for each cage. The already half full plane was crowded with an assortment of furniture that made it difficult to maneuver through successfully. It became apparent that the two men would need to lose a couple of cages if they were going to make everything bird fit.
When Jewel's cage turn to be loaded came, Roberto grabbed Blu's cage too. "Due to our little space predicament, you two birds are lucky enough to share a cage with each other. Try not to cause to much trouble."
Roberto obviously underestimated the intelligence of birds. To him they were just simple animals to be gathered and sold to the highest bidder in America. Undoing a larger cage's flip-slide bolt lock Roberto stuck both birds in and redid the bolt before turning to finish his work.
Blu found himself his own corner to sulk in. Jewel just stared at him from across the cage, a sincere feeling of sorrow filling her gaze. She had to make things right between the two of them.
"Blu? Are you ok?" Jewel said, unsure of her word choice.
"Ok? Am I 'O-K'? Do I look ok Jewel? Did you honestly ask me that question?" Blu said, anger overflowing in his tone.
"Blu, I.. I... It's not how you think it is." Jewel said, trying to defend herself.
"Oh, please. Tell me then Jewel, what am I over looking in our little fiasco? You're the one who walked out, perhaps you can explain you desertion. Especially after I gave you my heart, and especially after I gave you my life. Perhaps you can explain why you should get a second chance. Maybe there's some inkling of humanity within you that can explain this whole ordeal." Blu shouted accusingly. The birds that surrounded the couple grew silent and just watched in awe of what was happening.
Jewel, half exasperated and half angry with how Blu was acting, managed to rebuttal, "Yes it's true, I did leave you for something I had been searching my whole life. I left for freedom, my whole life that's all I had to hold on to. That's what I found solace in. I lost everything I ever had at an early age due to humans, for the longest time I only had myself. I don't expect you to understand it, or even forgive it, but hear me out.
"During the few hours of my solitude I realized something," Jewel continued, "I realized that no matter how much I tried to go back to being alone, no matter how hard I pushed you out of my head there, was always a piece of you in my heart. You always held a dear spot in my heart, and you always will, no matter what. I love you Blu, that's why I came back. Do you think I would leave what I treasured my whole life just to rescue you if you meant nothing to me?
"Blu... I love you. You're all I have left. I've already lost my family and past life to smugglers, don't let them take you away from me too."
Jewel poured her heart out, not expecting it to change anything. She turned away in tears, defeated as she realized she could never redeem the love they shared previously. However Blu reacted to her words, she realized she would have to accept it for what it is.
Part of Blu wanted to sympathize with Jewel, he could see where her stand point was. He wanted nothing more then to throw himself on her and cry away the whole situation, but he was still conflicted about their future.
"I don't expect you to forgive me Blu... I just don't want things ending between us with misconceptions floating around." Jewel finished with a mellowed tone. She sat in silence for the longest time waiting for Blu to answer her.
Blu just took one step towards his love. Spinning her around slowly with his wings he grabbed her and held her in the greatest promise of love either of them shared thus far. The two kissed for what seemed like eternity before pulling away, not for oxygen, but for an explanation.
"Jewel, who said things were going to end between us? Remember what I said as we were falling to our deaths? 'I'm not going to let you go. We're chained-together birds, remember'? I meant those words forever, and always. I just wanted to hear your part of the story." Blu gave her a whole hearted hug as he, himself began crying too.
"I understand you Jewel, I understand. I do forgive you, but we're going to have to work things out later."
The two held each other for a long while before the final bird was loaded onto the Plane.
"Well Roberto, that's all the birds." Cliff said with his arms crossed. He eyed the other man as he put up the back to the truck and locked the doors. "Its funny, you remember what you said before to those birds? 'Heres how reality works. The stronger, smarter, and more advanced live on. Taking what they desire from the weaker'"
A wicked smile grew on Cliffs face. "Yea, it's what I said when we captured the other Spix Macaw right?" Roberto said, oblivious to the malicious intentions brewing within Cliff.
"Well here's how this is going to work. I'm going to take the these birds to America and collect my full price of At least five million dollars. Unfortunately for you, you're staying here." Cliff withdrew a small pistol from his back where stashed it in his jeans, pointing it at the now terrified Roberto.
A shot rang out and caused the birds in the plane to spur in an uproar. Roberto's lifeless body lay outside the plane by the old truck. "Veja-o mais tarde, 'amigo'." Cliff said coldly, spitting in Roberto's direction before closing the hatch to the plane and entering the cockpit. (See you later, friend)
In Roberto's last few moments of kindness he allowed Jewel to be with Blu, saving their relationship. But he overlooked the fact that the birds he was dealing with were ingenious. In his last few acts, he only sealed Blu and Jewel with a simple slide-lock, giving the reformed couple a saving grace within the chaos.
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P.S. Did you think I would kill Nico off so easily? Silly viewers.