Yup, still going. The story continues to crystalize slowly through my keyboard inbetween the other work i'm currently loaded down with. I'm still following my overarching story plan. I've actually been working on the ending a lot & i'm not sure if it's too crazy or not crazy enough. Time will tell.
This chapter also addresses one little problem I had with the ending of the film. Is it just me who noticed it upon repeat viewings?
Disclaimer: I don't own Rio, but the Elder told me I could prove my worth by undertaking a quest to recover the 7 Sacred Artefacts from the Trap & Monster-infested dungeons spread all across the world & then use them to destroy the Evil King. I decided to watch TV while eating Nacho's instead.
Chapter 12
"Watch this Dad!" Andre called. He proceeded to twirl himself around, pulling off some dance moves in Rhythm to the instrumental Latin music filling the area.
"Very well done son!" Blu said appreciatively. Jewel echoed the sentiment as they watched their kids dance, or at least try to. Andre was the most enthusiastic about it, but Paulo was more concerned with trying to get his technique right & Gia confined herself to staying on the side-lines & just swaying along to the music. She was always a bit shy about things like that.
Transferring his attention from his kids for a moment, Blu glanced up & around at the crowd. Everyone appeared to be having such a good time. The performance Pedro, Nico, Rafael & their backing singers had put on had energized a lot of the group, both adult & youngster alike. His kids were certainly enjoying themselves, showing off their dance moves to the other young Birds & them in turn showing them off to each other & their parents. The adults were getting into the spirit too. He & Jewel had certainly indulged themselves in some dance & getting carried away by the music & song.
As his gaze swept around the group it paused on Linda & Tulio, who had moved a little away from the clearing to have a quiet chat together. He knew that Tulio had been gently encouraging Linda to participate more in the Samba scene as their relationship between the two developed, & although she was still a little shy, her skill in interest in the activity was coming along nicely. He noted however, that her enthusiasm for dance & the degree she got caught up in the music this evening was notably higher than level she had related to him during their catch-up meetings. Equally, when he had glanced across the clearing during one of the earlier songs, he had noticed that despite his earlier claim to not really be into such activities, Jules was swaying, nodding & tapping his claw along to the music too.
None of them were getting carried away to the degree that he had been when he had first heard the Music in The Branch (Their claws weren't running away with them, for instance), but they certainly appeared to feel the beat more deeply than they had before & Blu suspected it was their change of form influencing their tastes, but not overriding them. All the Birds from this area of Brazil (such as himself) appeared to have music & dance in their DNA, so following the logic of how Jules stated they had changed, they now did too, just not to the same degree as himself, though all the guys said he was a natural. He had been raised to be comfortable with Human environments, but when exposed to fresh fruit, Samba, & (eventually) flying, his Brazilian Bird instincts had been awakened. His friends now had those instincts too, but much weaker, most likely because they hadn't been Bird's long & hadn't been raised with them. It looked like this was a valuable piece of Data for Jules. His formula granted instincts suitable to the form along with it, but the individual remained in control & could choose whether or not to act upon them depending on their own learned or inherent preferences.
This however, brought up the issue of Ana. She was an odd exception to the general rule of all the Brazilian Birds loving Music & Dance, always giving some excuse or other about why she couldn't or wouldn't participate (thus making it an amusing irony that she was the source of the aforementioned DNA). The subject of why this was the case was one he had once brought up with Rafael, but he had just looked a little sad & politely asked Blu to drop the subject, but also mentioned that he hoped it was something that Ana would get over someday. They just needed to wait until she was ready.
He glanced across the clearing at her. She & Jules were currently engaged in conversation, & Blu wondered idly what they were talking about. The 2 of them appeared to be getting along very well, to the point that Blu had noted earlier that she even appeared to be thawing on the activity of dancing, joining in with Jules as he moved along to the beat. While he approved of this shift in her attitude, as he watched them chat however, a tiny bit of doubt entered his mind. They were just friends weren't they? Ana knew who, or more precisely, what he really was, & though Blu thought it was awesome that Jules' creation allowed his friends to enter & experience his world, getting close on that level would be just too weird.
"Dad! You're not looking!" Blu guiltily snapped his attention back to Andre.
"Sorry son." He apologized. "I was just checking up on our new friends, but I'm looking now. Go on, show me again please?"
As Andre continued his moves, Jewel leaned over slightly towards Blu & spoke softly without taking her eyes off of her son. "Everything all right?" she asked.
"Oh yes." Blu responded softly, also without taking his gaze off of his son's enthusiastic dance display. "I was just thinking about how well the others seemed to be getting along. We always thought that dance as well as flying was in our DNA & I guess this proves it."
"I guess so." She admitted. She was silent for a moment & then continued: "It's nice to know that they could've fitted in if they had had too." She glanced around quickly, making sure that no-one was close enough to overhear, & in a low voice went on: "Though if it had been permanent, I'd imagine they'd have been a lot more upset, at least at first. Our lives our awesome, but they would have lost a lot from having to give up their Human ones. Those things they call Careers, but more importantly, Family. Linda couldn't have continued with her adoption of Fernando, for one thing."
In spite of the seriousness of her words, visions of Linda in her Scarlet Macaw body using her claw to hold a pen & sign the Adoption Papers, shaking the hand of a beaming official & being photographed perched on Fernando's arm while the 2 of them smiled at the camera danced through Blu's mind. He mentally shook the absurd images away. "Very true." He agreed seriously. "Both Linda & Tulio have become really fond of that boy. It's fortunate that he was away while this happened so he hasn't been worried." He paused for a moment. "This whole thing has been more like a vacation than a real crisis for them hasn't it? Oh, there was that initial worry, but now that they have that solid plan for tomorrow, they're relaxing & enjoying the experience…" he paused with a thoughtful look on his face & Jewel gave him a brief curious glance.
"What's on your mind Blu?" she asked.
He glanced at her. "Well…I was just wondering…if they have the time that is, before they go back to the Centre tomorrow…"
Jewel's eye ridges rose as she twigged what Blu was talking about. "Ah…yes. We did plan on doing that, didn't we…" She paused for a moment, watching Andre as he showed off some of his moves for some of his young Macaw friends. "You want to invite them along." It wasn't a question.
"Yes." Blu rushed into speech. "You know they're not here like…like this…long, & this may be their only chance to see Rio…you know, the way we do."
Jewel face lightened. "From the air….the views, the…Freedom." Her voice softened on the last word.
Blu looked hopeful, & Jewel looked at him & smiled. "It's fine with me." As he smiled back at her, she went on: "Don't get your hopes up though Blu." She warned. "We'll talk to them about it, but we'll need to ask them just what their plans for tomorrow are. We don't know just how difficult getting back into the Centre & to this contraption of Jules will be, so they might not have time."
"If not, then I'll accept that." Blu said reasonably. "It's been lovely to have them visit, & if it has to end soon that's fine, but I hope we have a bit more time before they need to leave."
"Well, as I said, we'll see." Jewel said as she & Blu returned their attention to their kids.
Nico & Pedro made their way around the clearing, engaging in brief chats with the Birds present as they went.
"Nicely done guys!"
"Wonderful work you 2. The kids loved it so much."
"Such a good job dears. We all thought it was wonderful, didn't we Darling?"
"Yes Dear."
"Great job Guys! You really threw down!"
The 2 modestly received these compliments & reassured everyone that there was more to come. As they made their way around, they deliberately aimed their route towards the new arrivals, Linda & Tulio. The 2 Scarlet Macaws looked up at their approach.
"Hey guys." Nico called. The 2 Macaws smiled at them & greeted them politely, adding their own compliments for their performance. "Thanks guys. I'm glad you enjoyed it. There's more to come though! We're gonna make sure this introduction to our talents is an awesome as it can be." He said, puffing up his chest proudly.
"Yes, err…didn't you guys mention something earlier about running a Samba Club?" Tulio asked with interest.
Nico & Pedro brightened. "Oh, yeah! It's called The Branch, & in our humble opinion…" Pedro said, looking anything but humble. "…it's the best Samba club in all of Rio, & probably all of Brazil."
"We're really proud of it." Nico added. "We used to have a simpler place in a tent in a back alley, but to properly compete with other places with stuff like proper bars & lighting setups, we knew we needed to up our game."
"Fascinating." Tulio said. "Well, I'd certainly like to see it someday."
Nico & Pedro smiled widely at him, pleased. "Of course you can!" Nico proclaimed. "All Birds are welcome, & after all, there's no place better for a couple to go & dance….oh, err," He paused looking at their slightly taken-aback expressions. "I just assumed from what Ralfi said…you 2 are a couple…right?"
Linda & Tulio looked at each other, & then Tulio turned back to address Nico: "Well…we…I guess… you could say that."
"Yes, but we're taking it slow." Linda interjected. "We enjoy each other's company, but we feel there's no need to rush into anything."
Nico nodded. "Yeah, yeah. It's totally up to you, for sure…but you do agree that this place is awesome right? And if want, we could point you towards somewhere where you could set up Home." He rushed on: "There are a few hollow trees that would be just right, & if you want, we could give some tips on how to stay safe in the City so you can come & find The Branch. What more could a Bird want huh?"
Linda & Tulio exchanged a Look, & Linda spoke kindly to Nico. "That is really nice of you guys, & we do appreciate the offer…" Nico & Pedro smiled, but Linda went on: "…but I'm afraid we really do need to move on tomorrow. There are important things we need to deal with that cannot be put off. I'm sorry."
Nico & Pedro looked a little down. "Oh…sure." Nico said. "That's a real shame." Linda smiled at him sympathetically & inclined her head slightly in agreement. "But if that's the way it is…that's the way it is." He finished philosophically.
"I'm afraid so." Tulio said. "But hey, as I said, perhaps we'll be able to see it someday. We hope to be able to come back sometime later."
Nico & Pedro brightened again. "Sweet!" Pedro said. "We hope so too. We'll make sure you get a great welcome, it's always nice to get special guests from out of town, like when Blu first arrived in Rio & he & Jewel came along."
Linda looked interested. "Oh? I heard they had quite an adventure when they first came to Rio…but I don't really know the details."
Nico nodded sagely. "'Quite an Adventure' is an Understatement. We were involved in most of it you know."
"Really?" Linda eyed the Duo with closer attention. "Would you mind…telling us about it?"
"Oh sure, it's a great tale, & we've got time before the next set." Nico nudged Pedro with his wing. "Hey buddy, How about I tell them about meeting Blu in the Jeep, while you go grab something to wet our beaks? That singing is thirsty work, right?"
Pedro nodded. "No problem." He gave the Canary a stern look. "Just the Jeep though ok buddy? Don't move on to The Branch bit til' I'm back."
"You got it." Nico said as he tipped his Bottle-Cap hat to him in acknowledgement.
As Pedro turned & made his way through the crowd to where Victor was stationed behind the flat rock serving a makeshift bar, Nico turned back to the Scarlet Macaws & began to tell them about the time they had first met Blu. The 2 listened with attentive interest.
As Pedro returned with a Thimble for both himself & Nico, he was just in time to hear Linda say."…were trying to free him?"
"Yeah. Course, we weren't to know then that he couldn't fly or that he was happy with his life living with a Human…oh, thanks Buddy." He accepted one of the Thimbles from Pedro. "I don't think I'd ever want to give up my life of being able to go & stay where I pleased, but if I did, I would hope it would be for someone like Blu's Linda. The Human world could do with more like her." He took a drink from the Thimble, therefore missing the odd expression that passed swiftly over Linda's face.
"Yes, well, as you were saying?" Tulio cut in swiftly. "He said he was fine in the cage, & then?"
Pedro took up the story. "Oh, so then we said 'suit yourself' & split. We didn't see him again until he showed up in the market the next day with Ralfi & Jewel."
"Yeah." Nico continued. "They were looking for Luiz's help get the chain on their legs off, but they'd just missed him so we invited them along to The Branch, back when it was just under an awning in a back alley…" Nico continued to relate the story, & the 2 listened with great interest. They looked pleased at the relation of the closer moments the 2 Blue Macaws had shared during the song at The Branch & on the trolley car, as well as equally thrilled & concerned at the story of the invasion of & fight with the Monkeys, Blu nearly choking on a petal & the near 'shave' with the Saw blade at the Mechanics.
"When Luiz finally got the chain off by err… "Lubricating' it with his spit, Jewel took off flying around & above the place & we followed." Nico finished up. "We all got so caught up in her enthusiasm, when we finally noticed Blu down on the ground, we err…" He looked a little down. "…Started trying to encourage him to join us. Course, we weren't to know then that he couldn't fly. We probably made him feel bad, & that's when…" Nico stopped & gulped.
Pedro put his wing around the smaller Bird's shoulders comfortingly. "Hey, Buddy. He apologized for that, remember? He's said many times since that he didn't mean it."
"Yeah, I know." The Canary said, still looking a little down. "But still, it got me right…there, you know?" He tapped the edge of his wing to his breast. He then looked up at Linda & Tulio's surprised looks. "He started saying he didn't belong here & never wanted to come, but then he said…he said he…" Nico stopped, seemingly unable to say the words.
Pedro rescued him. "He just said…something really bad about Samba." He rushed on. "We know now he was just saying that out of frustration, mind you! We could see he was a natural at it, & he's definitely one of the best Samba dancers around, right little buddy?" He said to Nico encouragingly.
Nico perked up. "Yeah. I knew he didn't mean it really. I mean, who could? Sure there are some who are more or less into it than others, but nobody could ever...ever dislike Samba. Am I right guys? He appealed to the Scarlet Macaws.
"Oh certainly not." Tulio agreed.
"No, most certainly not." Linda echoed the sentiment, but then she went on: "So guys, please go on. What happened then?"
"Oh well, you know." Pedro waved his wing dismissively. "Both Blu & Jewel were putting on this big 'I Don't Care' act & storming off in opposite directions, but Ralfi saw right through that. He went after Blu while we tailed Jewel, & then…well, that was when things got complicated."
Linda & Tulio raised their eye ridges again, & the Duo continued the story of how Nigel ambushed Jewel, their rush to tell Blu about it & then travelling to the Carnaval parade to search for her.
"But man, that Dude was tricky." Pedro proclaimed. "He was like some big white Ninja, or something. He got the drop on all of us, locking us up in cages & then doing the same to Blu when he showed up. I gotta tell ya, I thought we all were done for."
"Me too, but that guy underestimated Blu big time." Nico said. He related the details of their escape, bringing it up to the point where Blu opened the hatch. "…and seeing Rio spread out before us, beckoning us, we all took off together. Man you have no idea how sweet it felt to get out of there! And we…"
"Whoa, hold up." Linda said, stopping him with a half-raised wing. She was frowning slightly. "You all took off together?"
"Yeah, & the cheers the whole group gave were…" Nico began, but Linda cut him off again.
"And Blu as well?" she questioned.
Nico & Pedro's faces fell. "Ah." Nico said. They both looked down at their claws, & started shuffling them awkwardly. "Well…we kinda…forgot, about Blu not being able to fly. In the excitement of the moment."
"You left him in the plane? After he'd just rescued you all?" Linda said & there was a faint edge to her voice. Tulio shot her a warning look.
"Hey, we all got carried away in the rush to Freedom!" Pedro protested. "We 3 got halfway back to the Jungle before Ralfi suddenly called out 'Where's Blu & Jewel?' & the realization of what we'd just done hit us slap in the face & we felt terrible. I've never felt so bad in all my life."
"By then, the plane was totally out of sight." Nico continued. "We had no idea where to even begin looking, but of course we tried. We spread out, & started asking every Bird we could find if they'd seen that plane or 2 Blue Macaws. We later got word the plane had crashed just to the South, but there was no-one on board."
"That was something, but it was a day or 2 later when word got passed along the Jungle grapevine that Blu & Jewel had both turned up back at the Conservation Centre." Pedro said. "Man, we high-tailed it over there, & we managed to sneak in late at night to see them. They were happy to see us, but seeing the state Jewel was in with her wing, we nearly broke down apologizing. But both of them were completely cool about it all. They told us not to beat ourselves up & everything had worked out, as Blu had finally worked up the courage to fly."
"'Die or fly' will do that." Linda said, still sounding a little put out. But then she smiled at the Duo. "But he's right. Everything worked out for the best. I guess he needed that push to get over his hang-up about flying."
"Exactly." Nico said, relieved that Linda no longer appeared upset about them leaving Blu & Jewel in the plane. To be sure, it was a grievous oversight on their part, but her rapid zeroing on it had caught them a little off guard.
"And now they live happily together with their kids in a safe place." Tulio finished up, glancing up across the clearing to where Blu, Jewel & their kids were enjoying themselves. It sounded a little like he was reassuring Linda of that fact, & as she followed his gaze, she smiled & nodded.
"Quite right." She said. She turned her attention back to the Duo. "Sorry guys, I didn't mean to snap at you." She said apologetically.
"Hey, it's no big deal." Nico said. "You're right that we acted rather selfishly right then & we've tried to make up to them about it. We just got carried away with…you know, the downer of being caged but then the elation of being freed…"
"I can appreciate that." Linda said graciously. She smiled again. "But hey guys, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. We really appreciate it, & we promise we'll tell you all about that…thing we couldn't tell you about earlier at some time. I think you'll understand then…or at least I hope so, why we've been a bit…secretive about it, just like Rafael said. You've been wonderfully welcoming & considerate, letting us participate in all this…" she half-waved her wing to the crowd of Birds all enjoying themselves. "And you deserve to get a full explanation…just not right now."
Nico & Pedro glanced at each other in mild surprise. "Umm…ok…I guess that's cool." Pedro said. "It's great to talk to you too…" He glanced up at the rock with the MP3 player, which was coming to end of the instrumental Latin tracks it had been playing & their backing singers were beginning to regroup. "…but time has flown & we need to get back for the second set. We hope you guys enjoy. C'mon buddy, we need to fire this place up again!"
"You got it." Nico slightly tipped his bottle cap hat to the 2 Scarlet Macaws. "Great to chat with you guys. Maybe we'll catch you later, ok?" The 2 nodded in agreement, & the Duo took their leave back to the makeshift stage.
Rafael made his way through the crowd, chatting with the others present, making sure they were enjoying themselves & generally being a good host. This was the first time they had attempted such a get-together in the Jungle, & if it went well, there was the possibility of more in future.
As he made his way around the perimeter of the clearing, he encountered Luiz coming in the opposite direction. As well as being invited because he was a friend, Rafael had asked the Bulldog if he could keep his keen Canine senses peeled for any potential problems that might interrupt the proceedings. Even though the Conservation Centre had made this section of the Jungle a Protected Area & cleared out a lot of the Predators, they could potentially sneak back in.
"Nuttin to report." Luiz said. "If there are any nasties round' here, my marks are keeping em well away."
"I'm pretty sure there aren't." Rafael said. "But it's best to make sure. Thanks buddy."
"No worries, Ralfi. I wouldn't want anything to interrupt the good time everyone seems to be havin'…even those new friends of yours." Luiz added.
Rafael's eye ridges rose. "Oh?"
"Yeah. That new guy who showed up with Ana? Those 2 seem to be gettin' on really well." He glanced up across the clearing & Rafael followed his gaze to where Jules & Ana were deep in conversation.
"They are, are they?..." Rafael said. He paused, watching as Jules said something to Ana, & her frowning with concentration as she paused for a moment & then said something else back, hesitating slightly over the words. He had better find out just how well. He had said to the guys earlier that those 2 weren't romantically close, but that had partly to discourage them from trying to pair them up & partly an expression of his own hope that neither of them had gotten caught up in the moment & forgotten that they weren't really each other's type…literally.
"I think I'll just go &…see how they're getting along." He said.
Luiz nodded. "You got it. C'mon then." He turned in their direction, but Rafael hesitated. He couldn't speak frankly to the 2 if Luiz was there too, but he couldn't think of a good excuse to stop him from coming. Noticing that Rafael wasn't following him, Luiz turned back, with a slightly puzzled frown. "Ralfi? Somethin' wrong?"
He'd just have to tread carefully. Rafael decided quickly. "Oh, it's nothing Buddy. Sorry. I'm coming." He moved to follow Luiz, & the Bulldog's frown evaporated as the 2 moved towards Ana & Jules.
As they came into hearing range, Jules was saying: "…yes, very good! Now, how much do you remember of the numbers?"
Ana frowned with concentration. "Right ok…it starts with…Um, Dois, Tres, Quatro, Cinco…Seis?" Jules gave an encouraging nod. "Then it's Sete… Oito, &…Nov?"
"Nove." Jules corrected. "But that's really good Ana. You're picking it up…" He broke off here as he noticed Rafael's & Luiz's approach. "Hey guys."
"Hey Jules, Ana." Rafael nodded to them both, but his interest was piqued. "Are you teaching Ana Portuguese Jules?"
"Just some beginner phrases." Jules answered. "Ana expressed an interest in learning, & since I speak it pretty fluently, I can give her some pointers."
Rafael smiled. "Isso é muito gentil da sua parte."
Jules smiled back. "Obrigado." He went on. "Hopefully, if we do keep in touch, we can keep it up. Even if…" He paused briefly, glancing at Luiz. "You know…things change." He finished awkwardly.
Seemingly oblivious to the slight air of constraint that had crept into Jules' manner, Luiz waded in. "So Jules, I noticed you were getting' into the beat earlier? It really gets under your fur…or in your case feathers, right?" Luiz asked.
"Yes, it sure does." Jules replied. "It's like it's…in the DNA, or something."
Rafael raised his eye ridges. "Yeah…I guess you could put it like that. We prefer to think of it as feeling it in your Heart, though." He gave Jules an appraising look. "You've never felt this kind of thing before?"
"No." Jules answered. "I suppose it's because I've never been…in this kind of situation before."
A knowing look passed over Luiz's face. "Ah. I gotcha measure, now buddy." Nico said. "You're just like Blu right? You were brought up away from other Birds & Bird stuff?"
Jules paused fractionally, but then said: "Yes. You could definitely say that I…& well, Linda & Tulio as well, haven't been raised like other Birds." Ana & Rafael exchanged a sidelong look.
"I thought so. But hey, that's nothing to be ashamed of Pal." Luiz said reassuringly. "Blu was a pet…oh, sorry Ralfi, I forget you guys don't like that word…Companion, & he's fitted in just fine."
"Oh yes. He certainly seems happy here." Jules said as he glanced across at the clearing at him.
"For real." Luiz said. "Oh for sure, he needed a bit of the guy's help at first to help him loosen up, but they knew right from the start how he & Jewel were perfect for each other. We think you 2 are too."
Rafael winced slightly at this, but in his typical straightforward manner Luiz had gotten right to the point. The issue had finally been brought up & he could see how the two reacted. Ana eyes widened, but Rafael noted, she looked more concerned than anything as her gaze flicked towards Jules. Jules himself however, gave the Bulldog a surprised look. "What? Me &…" He looked at Ana, back at them & then back at Ana.
A wide smile spread across Jules' beak as understanding appeared to dawn. "…Oh! Oh, no, no, I think there's been a misunderstanding here." He said as he half-raised his wings & waved them placatingly as he shook his head. "Ana & I aren't on those terms. We're just friends. Right Ana?"
"Yes, yes, that's quite right." Ana agreed quickly, but Rafael noted, with a faint note of relief in her voice.
Luiz looked surprised. "Oh, for reals? Oh…sorry. But ya know…I just thought…I mean, I kinda assumed…"
"Quite all right Luiz." Jules said soothingly. "I suppose it was a natural conclusion to jump to, but we really are just friends. We don't have those kind of feelings for each other."
"That's nice to hear Jules." Rafael said as he relaxed slightly. So that was that. Jules' surprise at & then casual dismissal of the idea of him & Ana being involved seem to indicate that the subject hadn't even crossed his mind (though it looked like it might have crossed Ana's) & he gave no weight to it at all. This rendered the tricky situation that might have arisen otherwise & he'd have to deal with completely moot.
"Yes, well, like I was saying, we hope to stay in touch after me & my friends have sorted out this issue of ours, & if she wants she can be involved in our activities." Jules then turned to Ana to address her directly. "Does that sound good to you Ana? I can tell you all about the things I know, & maybe you can do the same."
"It sounds lovely Jules. The stuff you've already told me about is intriguing, & I've always been willing to learn. You know, life in the Jungle can be kind of boring…Oh, sorry." She stopped & apologized to Rafael.
"That's all right Ana." Rafael said to her. He eyed her appraisingly. "You've always had an inquiring mind about many things haven't you? But you've just not had the chance to indulge it, & I haven't been able to help much. Maybe Jules can."
"Ana certainly seems to be a fast learner." Jules said appreciatively. "And I'd be love to be able to help her stretch her wings…err,…you know, I mean metaphorically…intellectually." He corrected himself.
"I'm glad to hear it Jules." However, he then gave the Human-turned-Macaw a stern look. "Be sure to keep her safe though mind you. You mustn't forget that she needs to be able to stay away from Humans. I'm sure you're aware of how dangerous things can be outside this Protected Area for a Bird like her…& yourself of course." He added quickly for Luiz' benefit.
Jules raised his eye ridges & nodded slowly as he appeared to catch Rafael's drift. "Well, sure…of course. Sad to say, most Humans can't be trusted, especially in groups. The ones like Blu's friends are more likely to be the exception than the rule…& it would be far too difficult to try to isolate the few who could be trusted right? The kind who would swear on everything they hold most dear that they would never, ever, do anything to harm a fine Bird like Ana…or myself, as you say."
Rafael held Jules' gaze steadily for a moment. "…Yeah Amigo, exactly." He said finally.
"Come now Boys." Ana broke in. She went on half-humorously: "I'm hardly a delicate flower. I can take care of myself."
Luiz spoke up. "Ralfi has a point though Ana." He looked a little down. "Old J treats me right, but I've seen it round' & heard some stories. Some Humans can be downright mean to us Furry & Feathered guys, & that's not to mention the headache it brings up if you're worth money to em, like Blu & Jewel." He glanced at Jules. "You uh…had some experience on that score, buddy?"
Again, Jules gave that fractional pause. "I've had some dealings with Humans. Fortunately, nothing like that. Some are good, some aren't. The trick is telling them apart."
"A trick that it is dangerous to us to attempt to learn." Rafael said. "A Human would have to prove themselves trustworthy before a Bird like Blu, Jewel or Ana should go anywhere near them. The same would mostly hold true for an outsider showing up in the jungle, much like you, but I think I can say with authority that we can trust you & your friends…Jules."
He & Jules locked gazes again. "Thank you…Rafael." Jules said after a moment. "I will make sure that you see that your trust is not misplaced."
"That's the spirit, Amigo." Rafael said cheerfully. "I'm glad we had this little chat, & I hope you continue to enjoy the festivities. The guys will be kicking off the second set soon."
Jules nodded. "Ah, right, well, in that case you guys will need to excuse me for a short while. I need to uh…you know, go take care of something. Must be all that Juice I was drinking."
The others nodded as they caught his meaning. "You know the way Amigo?" Rafael asked. "There are set areas for that. It's not like a cage that's cleaned for us out here."
"Oh yes. We asked Blu & Jewel about it earlier." Jules responded. "It's very nicely organized, if I may say so. I know where the closest one is & I shouldn't be long."
"Hope not." Rafael said. "Believe me Amigo, you don't want to miss any more of my Buddies performance than you can help."
"You got it." Jules then turned & taking a few steps away, spread his wings & took off through the canopy.
After he had disappeared from sight, Luiz spoke up: "He's an odd one aint he? But I like him. We could do with more clever Birds like him around."
Rafael & Ana exchanged looks. "Well, we'll see Amigo. I quite like him too, but we'll see whether or not he can sort out that issue that's been bothering him first. If he can…well, I'm sure we'll see more of him."
Luiz sighed. "I hope so Ralfi. I wonder what he's so hung up on anyways? Can't a Bird like him just kick back a little & enjoy life?"
Rafael shrugged. He really wished he could enlighten Luiz. It hurt him to keep things from one of his oldest friends, but now was not the time. "He has a lot on his mind Amigo. Maybe he'll lighten up in time."
"Hope so." Luiz agreed. He nudged Ana. "Maybe the 2 of you could lighten up together eh Ana? Even if you're not close ya know…like that, you could still spend time together eh? I think its swell you have a friend you seem to get on so well with."
Ana shrugged. "He's considerate & smart & willing to share his knowledge. I think pretty much anyone could get along with him."
"True." Luiz conceded. He then gave Ana a sidelong look however. "Except, well ya know, he & Juan probably wouldn't have much in common…"
"And a good thing too." Ana said in a faintly icy tone.
Rafael gave her a mildly surprised look. He was about to ask her the meaning of that comment, when they saw Diego approaching them through the crowd. The Tall Spoonbill was hard to miss amongst all the smaller Birds.
"Hey guys!" He called as he approached. "How's it going? Everything seems to be going swimmingly right?"
"Hey Diego." Rafael greeted him, Ana & Luiz adding their own 'Hi's' too. "Yes, it all seems to be working out & everyone's having a good time."
"You know it." Diego said. "And it's not over yet either. There's still the second set, & after that once the guys with young chicks head off to tuck them into their nests, the guys have a more romantic line up for the remaining adults for the last set. That sound good to…" he turned his gaze on Ana, but then seemed slightly taken aback & glanced around quickly. "…Oh…hey Ana, where'd your friend go? He hasn't left already has he?"
Now that he was on firmer branches about the nature of Ana & Jules' relationship (or more accurately, the lack thereof) Rafael took charge to answer Diego's well-meant but misguided attempt at matchmaking. He was probably going to have to do this a lot, he mused. "Oh no Amigo, he just had to go & use the little Macaw's room, if you know what I mean. He's shouldn't be long…" He paused briefly as Diego looked relieved, but then continued before the Spoonbill could say anything further: "…but we have managed to clear up a little something. Ana & Jules definitely don't have that kind of a relationship. They really are just friends."
"That's right." Ana confirmed.
Diego raised his eye ridges, but then nodded slowly. "Oh, right. Sure thing. Sorry to jump to conclusions. You guys have only just met after all. No need to rush into anything right?"
"No." Ana said. "But I'm pretty sure we won't move beyond friends. We get along well…but we're not really each other's type. Right Rafael?"
"Right." Rafael echoed firmly.
Luiz looked a little down. "Oh, right. So…that means you won't wanna dance with him later then Ana? Pretty much everyone else will be doin' that ya know…" but Luiz suddenly stopped, looking startled & with his ears pricking up. Before the others could ask him what was wrong, he suddenly jumped to all 4 paws & dashed off, yelling at them. "Quick! Follow me!"
Taken completely by surprise, it took a few seconds for Rafael, Diego & Ana to respond. They gave each other a surprised look, but then quickly spread their wings & flew off, following after the Bulldog as he dashed off through the Jungle.
After completing his hygienic activity & on his way back to the meeting area, Jules briefly stopped off at the pond a short distance away from the meeting area to freshen up, using one of his wing feathers to scoop up a little water to rub in his face. He then paused for a moment to look at himself in the settling surface of the pool. His plumage was beginning to look a little scruffy, he mused. He would probably need to engage in a little preening work before too long, but right now he needed to get back to the meeting area.
He turned & took a few steps away from the pond, beginning to spread his wings in preparation to fly the short distance back to the meeting area where the party was being held. Before he could take off however, he heard the sound of motion behind him, & though he spun round quickly he only managed to get a brief glimpse of a red, yellow & blue blur headed straight for him, before it slammed into him, causing to give a startled involuntary 'Awk!' as it bowled him off of his claws & pinned him down onto the jungle floor.
Panicked thoughts flashed through his head. Had he made a terrible mistake? Had he been lulled into a false sense of security by the pleasant time he had been having & forgotten that he was in fact a largely defenceless Macaw in the middle of a Jungle & should be careful? In spite of the Centre's efforts Predators had been known to slip into the Protected Area. Was he now going to be torn apart & devoured by one, trapping Linda & Tulio in their Bird forms for the rest of their lives & burying his research?
As he recovered from the impact, he opened one eye & focussed on his assailant, who was pinning him down firmly. He was surprised to discover however, that it wasn't a normally predatory species such as a Hawk, Falcon or Kite, but was in fact another Male Scarlet Macaw. The look on this Bird's face however, was anything but friendly.
"Got you, you usurper." The Macaw said, sounding quite angry.
With the Macaw holding him down & with one of his claws pressing on his throat, the only response Jules could manage was a sound that sounded like "Glurk?"
"Now you listen & you listen good." The Macaw said still in that low, angry voice. "I don't know who you think you are, but she is mine understand? Mine! And no interloper is going to fly in here & take her away from me!"
Jules managed to draw sufficient breath to say in a choked voice: "…what're you…talking about?"
The other Macaw leaned forward threateningly. "Don't play dumb with me! You know exactly what I'm talking about! I saw you trying to cosy up to her & turn her head! Well, you can forget it! I'm not going to let you take her away from me! I'm the only one for her understand? So you had just better…"
The other Macaw's ranting was abruptly interrupted however. He looked up sharply at a sudden rustling in the bushes & then Luiz burst through the foliage. He skidded to a halt right in front of them. His fierce look changed to one of surprise as he recognized Jules' assailant.
"Juan?" he said. "What'ya doin'? Get offa him right now!"
Juan quickly released Jules throat & jumped back off of him, allowing Jules to take a deep breath & start getting back up onto his claws.
"Oh!...Uh…Luiz! So…nice to see you…me &…& my friend here were….just having a nice…nice friendly chat." Juan said.
Luiz gave him a sharp look. "Didn't look too friendly too me, buddy. These ears o' mine heard a scuffle & Jules' yelp, & from the looks o' things it's a good thing I did! You ok Jules?"
Jules had made it back up onto his claws & was gently rubbing his neck with the edge of one wing. "…yes…yes, I'm fine Luiz, thank you." he managed. He transferred his attention to the other Macaw. "So…Juan is it? Why did you attack me?"
Juan looked extremely shifty. "Now…c'mon now…you mustn't take my…my unique greeting style the wrong way. I was simply trying to…to…"
At this moment however, Diego, Rafael & Ana suddenly made an appearance, flying in from over the bushes Luiz had burst through.
"Luiz!" Rafael called as they swooped in to land. "What's the matter Amigo? Why'd…" he suddenly noticed Juan & Jules. "…hey what's going on? I thought you said you weren't coming Juan? You change your mind?" He shifted his attention to Jules & frowned: "Hey, why you all messed up Amigo? You trip or something?"
"Juan was tryin' to throttle Jules." Luiz said bluntly. Diego, Rafael's & Ana's eyes all widened. "I heard him knock him down & that's why I took off."
Rafael stared at Juan. "Is that true Juan?" He asked him. "Did you attack Jules?"
"No! no, no, this is…is…all just a misunderstanding." Juan said, his eyes darting rapidly around. "I was…I just wanted to have a talk with him."
"And you thought standing on my throat would be the best way to keep my attention?" Jules spoke up. "And what was all that about you were saying about 'usurper' & 'interloper' & not letting me take someone away from you?..."
Juan looked cornered, & an expression of realisation, followed swiftly by gathering anger, was visible on Ana's face. Juan then evidently decided to drop the pretence. "Fine, yes, I tackled you, but only to protect my Girl! I knew something was off with how she was acting earlier, & although she denied it at the time, I later realized you may have tricked her into coming along to this little party."
Jules eye ridges rose. "'Your Girl? Tricked?'" he echoed, but as he glanced between Juan & Ana, understanding dawned & his eyes widened. "Oh! You thought…oh no, no, there's that misunderstanding again." He said placatingly, raising his wings & smiling. "Me & Ana aren't…" he began, but he was interrupted. Ana had stalked up to stand right next to him but was ignoring him to glare at Juan.
"For the last time Juan, I am not your Girl." She said in a low, angry voice. "I also decide for myself where I go & with whom, understand?"
"Oh, Come on Ana, you can't want this guy surely!" Juan exclaimed. "What kind of alternative is he to me? I'm sure your parents would agree if they…"
"DON'T YOU EVER BRING THEM UP, YOU ARROGANT WASTE OF FEATHERS!" Ana screeched at the top of her lungs, causing everyone (especially Juan) to jerk backwards, startled. Jules could see that Ana's Temper had been slowly rising like with a Temperature gauge, but this one remark by Juan had suddenly shot the needle to the top of the red & cracked the glass.
"I'm…I'm sorry Darling. I…I was just…" Juan stammered out, but Ana stalked right up to him & began jabbing his breast with her wing feather, causing him to back up away from her as she jabbed home each point.
"Don't you 'Darling' me either!" she said, still sounding furious, but not screeching anymore. "I've had it with you calling me that! I've had it with you! I've had it with having to put with seeing your stupid face & having to listen to your vacuous, narcissistic & deluded comments!"
Juan tried to rally. "Oh come…come now Ana, you can't…" he began feebly, but Ana cut him off
"Shut up!" She exclaimed. "I don't want to hear it, understand? I don't want to hear anything you have to say ever again! I just want you to try & get this information through your thick head." She began advancing on him again, still jabbing at his breast with her wing feather & forcing him to keep on backing up away from her. "I don't like you. I've never liked you, & I never will like you. Understand? My new friend has nothing to do with it! I can't stand you, & I don't want you to bother me or him ever again. Don't come round to my hollow; don't bother me while I'm out & above all…" upon this last statement Juan had backed up one more time & flattened himself against a Tree trunk & Ana leaned closer, that furious look on her face again & causing Juan to shrink back & down away from her. "Don't you ever bring up my Parents again." She hissed. "You aren't fit to have that subject on your beak, understand? Got that though your thick skull?" Juan merely nodded dumbly, cowed by her fury. "Good. Now, Get Lost."
She backed up, allowing Juan to stumble out from his crouched position & still shrinking from her glare; he gave just one frightened look at the others before quickly spreading his wings & taking off.
As he disappeared at speed through the tree canopy, Ana turned & saw the shocked looks Luiz, Rafael, Diego & Jules were giving her. Her anger appeared to abate, & as began to calm down she looked apologetic. "…Guys…I'm…sorry about that. Guess I lost my temper a little."
A Little? Jules thought. It looked like to Ana, family was a very sensitive subject. And yet earlier she had appeared ready to talk to him about it… Jules put this intriguing consideration to one side as Rafael moved forward & gently put one wing on Ana's shoulder.
"It's all right Ana." He said gently. "He should've known that subject was out of bounds, but I think we now know just how much we've misjudged that guy." He sighed. "I'm just sorry it went this far. I never thought he'd be so jealous." He looked up at Jules. "You OK Amigo?"
"I'm fine." Jules said. "Thanks to Luiz here." He added glancing up at the Bulldog, who grinned proudly.
"I really can't imagine he'd have actually tried to hurt you Jules." Diego spoke up. "He probably just thought he could intimidate you, or something."
"Probably." Rafael acknowledged. "Thinking things out was never his strong point." He looked at Ana. "That kind of behaviour is unacceptable however." He said firmly. "We'll spread the word that he's not to be allowed near either of you. Though I think you've made the extent of his mistake perfectly clear."
Ana shook her head. "It won't stick." She said pessimistically.
"We'll make it stick." Diego said firmly. "It's like I always say, 'you mess with my friends, you mess with me.' We Birds need to stick together, & that kind of behaviour from one to another is totally out of order."
Jules looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well, thanks Diego, I…really appreciate the sentiment. Perhaps we should be getting back though."
Rafael, Diego & Luiz nodded in agreement, & turned towards the meeting area. After a few steps though & beginning to spread his wings again, Jules glanced back to see that Ana wasn't following them. "Ana?"
Ana shook her head & sighed. "Guys…I'm sorry, but…this encounter has killed my enthusiasm for partying. I think I'll sit the rest of this out. I hope you understand."
Rafael looked sympathetic. He turned back to face her. "Hey Ana, its ok. We know this kind of thing isn't really your scene. I'm glad you came for as long as you did though."
She shrugged. "I admit, it was fun. Perhaps someday…" she trailed off.
Rafael nodded, & looked at Luiz & Diego, who looked faintly pleased with Ana's acknowledgement of her enjoyment of the party. "Yes, perhaps." He said. He went on: "So, uh, if you don't' mind me asking, what are you going to do? Go home?"
Ana shrugged again. "Maybe. I don't know. I may do a bit of flying before sundown, or go back to my hollow & read, I'm not sure. I'll find something to do."
Looking sympathetically at her, a light went off in Jules' head. "Hey, err Ana?" She looked up at him. "Come to think of it, I think I'll sit out the rest of the activities too. I'll be going back to the hollow where Tulio, Linda & myself will be spending the night so I can clean up a little…" he indicated the slightly messy state his encounter with Juan had left his plumage in. "…but then, I had intended to check out that gadget we brought back from the city. You remember? The one you found interesting? Perhaps you'd like to check it out too? Totally up to you though of course."
Ana raised her eye ridges. "Ah…yes, the small version of that touch computer." She said thoughtfully, her mood seeming to lift slightly.
Luiz, Diego & Rafael looked surprised. "A small touch computer?" Luiz asked. "Ya mean…one of those iThings that a lot of Humans use?"
"Yes." Jules confirmed. "We found one that had been dropped but was still working. Ana found it very interesting, so we brought it back with us so she could try it out more. I happen to know a lot about how they work, so I was thinking…if Ana wants to of course…showing her all the kinds of things it can do. It has books on it, for one thing."
Ana stared at him. "Books?" she echoed. "Real books?"
"Oh yes." Jules confirmed. "A whole Library of them, not to mention all the other things it can do." Although Ana had been interested enough in the device to begin with, 'Books' was apparently the magic word.
But Diego & Luiz looked mildly concerned. "Hey, err…Buddy, that sounds really great…" Diego said to Jules: "…but are you really sure it's abandoned? Those things can be really tricky & dangerous for us to mess with. What if someone tries calling it or something?"
"We set it to Airplane mode." Jules said smoothly. "No wireless communications. Just the non-network apps on the device useable, plus it conserves the battery." He avoided mentioning that they would be connecting back to the network later to check Tulio's e-mail, as it was his own phone.
Luiz & Diego looked relieved. "Oh…right." Luiz spoke up. "I guess you know what you're doin' with it then, if you know what all those weird words mean."
"Yeah, you seem to have it under control." Diego said. He gave Jules a gentle nudge. "Bet it'd be really weird for someone to call & hear a Macaw on the other end right?" He laughed, & the others joined in.
"Yeah so… what do you think Ana?" Rafael got them back on track. "I told you Jules might be able help you indulge that inquiring mind of yours, & I can't think of anything that would do that more than one of those gadgets that so many Humans carry around with them."
Ana paused briefly, but then smiled at the group. "Yes, I would like that very much."
Rafael nodded at her & Jules. "Then that's settled. Why don't we head straight there to drop you 2 off, & then it's just a short hop to the clearing where the party is. Also…if you don't mind guys, I'll stop by again later after the party when Linda & Tulio are there too. I just want to check in with you guys you know, make sure you have everything you need for the night & what you're plans for tomorrow are."
"Sounds good to me." Jules said affably. "I'm sure we'll be ok just for tonight though."
"I would think so, but as I said, it's mostly to check in with you guys." Rafael said. He gave Jules a meaningful look. "I'm very interested in what you think about it all, you know, everything around here, how it effects your plans, like what we we're talking about earlier". Jules gave him a sober nod.
"Well c'mon then guys!" Luiz said enthusiastically: "Let's get moving! The guys will be kicking off the second set any minute now. I'm sure they'll be a bit down about you 2 not coming back, but we'll explain bout Juan."
Jules & Ana nodded, & with a glance to the others indicated their readiness to go. The group turned in the direction of the tree that Linda, Tulio & Jules were using as a temporary home, & opening their wings they all took off towards it.
