-(Blu)-
~Intermission~
Alright, so this whole smuggler thing is getting pretty agitating. I never imagined outside of my sweet little sheltered home back in Minnesota that being the 'last of the species' would be such a burden. If I knew the price that was on my head, the I probably would have never left my little cage. Oh how I miss my little cage, with my swing, the mirror... You get the point.
On the other hand there's Jewel. She's my little 'jewel' in all of this. A fitting name by all accords. However, there really is no such thing about a perfect relationship, but I can't blame her for her mistakes.
Just imagine losing everything you've ever had, ever depended on. Heck, I really never figured out what she lost, but I imagine it must have been significant to her for her to be such a loner. That always really baffled me too. Jewel has such an amazing outgoing personality. She's the last person you'd expect to keep to herself.
Anyways, imagine losing everything and fending for yourself, developing a sense of personal worth and personal dependency. Having nothing but yourself and your own world. Being alone for a long period of time, never experiencing the thing people need for intimate interpersonal interactions, Trust... Erm, Love's also really important, but her problem here was trust problems. Also attributed to lack of Love, but that's because she didn't have anyone.
Anyways, you'd develop hatred for the outside world, and for the people who took everything away. Being alone is a terrible thing, and what it did to Jewel warped her. She developed a reliance on a false sense of freedom. Treasuring the freedom she experienced before all else because it was the only that she found security and direction in.
That's why I can understand what she did, and that's why I forgive her. I did a lot of thinking on it that night, and that's the conclusion I came up with. No other feasible way would explain why she would give up freedom to rescue me, other then the fact that she realized what she had was worth more.
I don't mean to sound arrogant or conceited or anything. If anything this proves her love for me... Ya'know other then the fact she keeps telling me verbally.
But back on the topic of Trust, she did betray me. This also proves to me that she's not ready for a step towards a family, which extremely terrifies me because that was all she seemed to desire back before this whole incident.
One thing I read back in Minnesota and have come to believe is that having children changes every. I read that they become your everything, they become the love of your life and you treasure them over your mate and even yourself. Also considering the fact that we are the last two of our species, even more importance would be placed on our chicks.
That's where the major conflict arises. If Jewel betrayed me once before, even though I forgave her, I can't allow something to happen to my chicks. I mean, they are 'my' chicks. Made from me and everything, even if Jewel did help, I'm a parent as much as she is. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I brought a being into the world and something happened.
As much as I love Jewel, I can't rush into a family with her yet. I can't risk her walked out again and leaving me a single parent who is barely able to sustain himself in the jungle.
All I can foresee now is that we still got our problems to work through, but we're back together. I'm really thankful for that too, because she is the love of my life, as silly as that sounds due to our miniscule time together.
(3rd Person)
Doing one last pre-check before taking off, Cliff quickly checked the cargo and the plane's capability of flight. Deciding that all was good, he proceeded to close the hatch to the cockpit and take a seat, turning on the plane and getting it prepped for take off.
"Blu, you have no idea how grateful I am to hear you say that. Thank you for understanding." Jewel said whole heartedly.
Blu could sense pure, genuine honesty in her words. He knew that, deep down, they still had their conflicts ahead of them, but he was confident that his reformed relationship was now clear of misconceptions.
"Sorry to break the sweet moment love birds, but Cliff just shot that man!" Pedro said breaking the silence. The two Spix Macaws almost forgot that Pedro was even present during their whole make-up session, infact, they shut out all other sounds besides their own words.
"He did what? And whose Cliff?" Jewel said bewildered
"Um, did you not hear the gunshot? Cliff, the man now driving the plane, the very same one who killed Nico and captured you, shot his partner." Pedro said informing the couple of what had just occurred, "I really think this man means business, such a ruthless individual."
"How did you even learn of his name?" Jewel questioned
"We overheard him on the phone back before you came." Blu explained, "But I can't believe he would kill another human so meaninglessly. If anything this goes to show us how evil this individual is."
Pedro struggled to hold tears back as his mind flashed to Nico, the very bird that was always there for him, his best friend. "How can any being take life away with such ease? Such meaningless killings... It doesn't make sense." Pedro, now weeping, turned away from the birds, masking his tears.
"Its all about money..." Blu said bitterly. "All that matters to him is me and Jewel. We're nothing more then stupid birds to be sold and profited from. A mere commodity, auctioned off to some snobby individual with more money then they know what to do with."
"What will happen to us?" Jewel asked, terrified for the answer.
"I don't know. w-well, I mean..." Blu took a deep sigh, "It all depends on the person who buys us. 'If' they buy the both of us that is."
The couple could feel the plane move, gaining speed before a raising sensation enveloped the whole plane. The plane kept ascending before reaching optimum cruising height.
Blu let the reality settle in as he studied Jewel, her expression of concern only made him even more upset. He couldn't stand to see her troubled, so he turned away, averting his gaze downwards and entrenched in deep thought.
"What do you mean 'if' they buy both of us?" Jewel said defensively "Of course they will, shouldn't we be worth more together? They can't separate us!" Fear now ebbing into Jewel's being.
Blu just shook his head, "I don't know... I-I just... I don't know."
Blu adverted his gaze again as if trying to search for an answer. The emotional pain from the possibility of being separated from Jewel started to overwhelm his senses, tears forming in his eyes.
"I've never been so unsure before, they might as well kill us off if they separated us. I couldn't stand losing you again, Blu."
Jewel followed Blu's gaze, and stared sadly at the spot for a second. A good minute passed before the two of them realized what they was looking at. The second she realized it, her head slowly lifted at the same time Blu's head also perked up. Their eyes met, both widened from shock.
"Do you see what I see?" Jewel said with a monotone slew of no emotion, not changing the surprised look in her face.
"I believe I do, sweet heart." Blu said, a small smile forming on his beak.
The two looked back down to the miracle that had bloomed before them.
"... Really? Did this human really forget the clever bird I fell in love with?" Jewel said, happiness filling her tone. Blu let out a slight blush before tackling the standard cage lock.
"Roberto was the one forgot to lock the cage... I guess if he did one good thing in his life he sure helped us escape!" Jewel said with hope renewing within her.
"Easy as upside-down Caramel Apple pie!" Blu said confidently.
Jewel just flashed him a questionable look before moving over to Pedro's cage. "It's a Minnesota thing," Blu said shrugging her look off.
Letting loose a slight laugh Jewel exclaimed, "Blu, the faster we release these birds and get out of this plane, the less we have to fly back to Rio!" hurrying her pace after she freed Pedro.
Blu and Pedro joined in the cage opening process as the trio frantically swept the room.
Half laughing Blu remarked about how easy tricking smugglers was, still in disbelief at the situation.
"This is the second time, just like the first!" Blu said confidently, "Am I dreaming? Is this really happening? It feels so surreal that this is the second time we managed to escape the clutches of a sinister smuggling operation."
"You are like an anti-smuggling machine Blu! Ay Nico, let's give this bird some props! I-" Pedro stopped short as he remembered the cruel deed fate had dealt to his partner in crime, Nico.
Blu and Jewel also stopped, remorse filling both of them as they mourned the loss of their beloved bird.
"You two leave me here... Rio won't be the same without him." Pedro said solemnly.
"You can't be serious Pedro, c'mon Rio is the only place that you know!" Blu said, ushering his friend on. Jewel couldn't stand to see the poor cardinal that helped bring her together with Blu in pain.
"Pedro, the other world isn't for you. Do you think Nico would want you to leave your home behind?" Jewel said, trying to convince the obese bird.
"Besides, America doesn't have samba." Blu chipped in.
"... No samba?" Pedro asked meekly, in a sudden change of tone, "Well then heck NO! Forget that! America ain't NO place for Peh-dro" he exclaimed putting emphasis on his own name.
Smiling, Blu and Jewel hopped up on to a small couch in the middle of the plane and turned to the switch that release the back hatch.
"I'll let you have the honors this time, dear," Blu said bowing towards Jewel. The handle put up little resistance as Jewel jumped up and put her weight straight down on the small lever. Opening the back wide open as all the various birds lined up in the back. Similar to the previous charge of freedom, Pedro let loose a war cry and charged out the back of the plane, followed by a myriad of birds.
Before Jewel and Blu took off from the plane they looked back at each other. Captivated by each other's gazes they sat for a moment before flinching to the crash that was the hatch door swinging open.
Cliff had one hand on the controls of the plane and the other hand brandished a small pistol, the same that he had used to kill Roberto. Pure rage filled Cliff's eyes as he stared straight at Blu before catching the slide release on his chest and priming the small pistol. Blu saw Hell itself burning within the rage of the man that now threatened their lives.
Cliff took aim at Jewel, the closest bird to him. "You won't get away with this. I'll make you pay for this, 'Blu ave'." #Blue bird#
Jewel stood frozen, fear paralyzing any attempt she made to react and dive out of the way. The pistol was aimed right at her, and a sense of impending doom clouded Jewel's mind.
Split second reaction time, courtesy of Blu, saved Jewel from her death. Using his full body weight, Blu launched himself at Jewel tackling her out of the way right as a shot rang out from the gun.
The couple tumbled to the floor as a few more shots followed the first, tracking their descent.
Shaking herself free of the perpetuated state she was in, Jewel turned to look at Blu, fearing the worst.
"Blu! Are you alright?" Jewel said, screaming as she shook Blu.
"Wh-what what? Why are you hurting me?" Blu asked as he opened his eyes, "He missed," Blu said with a huge grin.
Due to the stress from the situation, Cliff had made a rookie mistake in his shooting form. Not only did he not brace the pistol with both hands, as he had to keep the plane steady due to the lack of an autopilot feature, but his trigger squeeze was jerky, contracting the muscles in his arm caused his aim to raise an inch, throwing his shot way off.
Frustrated Cliff threw the pistol down, "I don't believe that I'm being cheated out of this money to a pair of stupid birds. I don't care how long it takes, or what I have to do, but you will live to regret your foolish f-cking trickery."
Not giving their attacker a chance to claim their lives again, Jewel grabbed Blu and made way for the exit, diving straight down out of the plane in a free fall nose dive before gliding out smoothly and setting her direction towards Rio. Her wing was stiff now, thankfully and had little to no pain in the huge gusts of breeze. Blu mimicked her stunt and followed her, thanking his saving graces that he and Jewel escaped unscathed.
If there was one thing Cliff put before money, it was his pride. Being outsmarted by a group of rag-tag birds was humiliating. Cursing profusely at his defeat, he turned the plane in a long curve until he pulled 180 degrees and faced Rio. A new fire was set off inside of Cliff, one of an undying thirst for revenge.
How am I doing? Leave a review! Thank you for your support so far, it's been great.