"Just pull!"

"I am pulling, you're pulling it the other way!" Daniella protested, at the other end of the vine.

"I'm not pulling!" Emori insisted. "I'm just holding it!" Daniella didn't understand how the vine baskets worked, but Marcos had practically ordered them to pick fruit for Anya - after they'd ruined his mood. No wonder why he'd made them go out specifically for the heaviest fruit on the island, a large, round fruit Daniella didn't recognize that they'd find difficult to carry. She understood the 'heft' part of the name, but not 'berry' - berries were small and light. Heftberries were as big as coconuts, and much heavier.

"Then why isn't it moving?" Daniella asked, in frustration.

"Because Marcos is an idiot who has no regards for safety?" Emori said, innocently. "We're high on his hate list now. In theory this could be highly dangerous - it's too heavy for us to lift!"

"There we go, then. We'll have to say that and get Anya something else." Daniella let go of the vine, without thinking.

"Woah woah woah -" Emori shouted, high above. "- Daniella...!" Daniella whirled round, and saw the basket of fruit plunging down, with Emori still clinging onto the vine.

"Oh, no!" Daniella tried to seize the vine, but it had flipped up into the tree canopy. She leapt aside as the fruits came crashing down; the nearest one landed with a splat, showering her in juice drops. Emori soon followed, landing on a fruit that had remained intact, before bouncing onto the ground at Daniella's feet. She stared down at Emori in guilt. Emori slowly looked up from where she was sprawled on the ground, blowing the pink ribbon out of her eyes. She gave Daniella an unimpressed look. "Uh... sorry?" Daniella smiled weakly. But Emori didn't seem angry. She was grinning.

"You're so dead." Emori jumped at Daniella, bowling her over. Daniella giggled, swiping playfully at Emori. She had only ever play-fighted with Leo, since she had been too shy to play with any other chick before - that seemed so long ago. Now she didn't hesitate in evading and 'attacking' Emori. As they tussled, Daniella realized how strong Emori was compared to herself - Emori easily had the upper wing. Maybe her strength came from how much swimming she did, and how she pulled the heavy vine baskets without much trouble. Daniella had also noticed this on many of the other islanders. Maybe their odd lifestyle had it's advantages, even though she'd noticed that Emori was the strongest chick she'd encountered.

"You're strong, aren't you?" Daniella said, struggling to push Emori away.

"Well, since I've always lived alone, I've had to do everything for myself." Emori leapt backwards, too happy to care at the underlying sorrow at this fact. She'd never had a real friend to play with, not really. "The other kids have everything done for them... hard work comes later. But I've had to do more than they normally would since I've had no help. I mean, Melodia isn't the best at raising kids." Daniella recalled how Melodia had cared for Emori when she was incapable of doing it herself, being far too young and flightless.

"That's a good thing... it's also a bit..."

"Sad? I know." Emori looked at her talons.

"That's not what I was going to say..."

"Hey! Anya's waiting!" Lorac shouted, on an above branch. "Stop messing around." Daniella glared upwards, as did Emori. Now that Daniella had seen Marcos' true colours, she now had a dislike for the Blue-Billed Currasow, who she frequently saw hanging around Marcos. Earlier on, Emori had taken Daniella to see what Marcos was like around common birds - he and Lorac had been ordering around a Plumbeous pigeon, a common species Daniella had seen a lot of in the human cities they'd passed on their way to Rio. Not only had Marcos and Lorac been ordering the pigeon around, but they had also been making some cruel remarks while they did. Unfortunately they'd been too close, and Marcos had spotted them. He'd immediately ordered them away, to collect the specifically heavy fruit for Anya.

"Forget this. I'm not breaking my wings carrying one of those." Emori glared at the fruit. Lorac was looking nonchalantly into the trees; why didn't he help them? I wonder why, Daniella thought, sarcastically. "Come on. We'll grab some smaller berries." With that, they grabbed a woven basket, and slipped away from Lorac's supervision. Daniella and Emori wondered through the forest, looking for fruit Anya would like.

"How about these?" Daniella looked at some bright purple berries she didn't recognize; they were very small and round, a bit like a blueberry.

"Perfect. She loves those." Emori said. They began filling the basket, and once they had, they both grabbed the handle. "Ready? Lift." Daniella and Emori carried the basket through the air, much less back-breaking than carrying the fruit Marcos had specifically ordered them to get. The berries rolled around in the basket, as they flew towards the grove where most of the residents nested, but Emori didn't. Emori refused to live with the other islanders, out of fear of rejection. She really doesn't belong here.

They entered the grove of trees. Birds flew across their path, underneath and overhead. Many they passed smiled at them; the Forest Owlet, Gylfie, was helping the Plumbeous pigeon they'd seen Marcos and Lorac pushing around. Melodia was plucking the odd smelling leaves she ate from her tree, while some kids oggled at a story some elderly birds were telling them about Kehua.

"-he has never found our grove, so don't worry about him ambushing us!" An elderly Kakapo said; Daniella briefly wondered how a flightless bird had gotten up the tree, before seeing a vine basket next to him. "If he ever comes close, we go out to throw him off the trail."

"Haven't you ever thought about getting rid of him?" Asked a young Passenger pigeon, eagerly.

"Us, against Kehua?" Another elderly bird looked shocked at the very suggestion. "We wouldn't stand a chance." Daniella thought about this. What if they attacked together? There's so many birds here... surely, if they all attacked at once...

"Daniella, we're here." Emori's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Up ahead, Anya's tree rose, the largest of the lot. Apparently every appointed leader was supposed to live there. Anya, having been leader since the beginning, had dwelled in it all her life, and no new leader had moved in yet. I guess it'll be Marcos' soon. It was certainly one of the nicest trees of the bunch - covered in gorgeous purple flowers similar to those of Tiago and Orchid's tree, except theirs were yellow. The branches extended widely, like wings stretching toward the sky. Vines hung from the branches, and it was there that Daniella saw the vines stretching from Anya's tree to several other trees, with vine baskets. Anya was frail and arthritic; maybe sometimes she wasn't strong enough to fly.

Anya was perched on a branch, speaking to Marcos, of all birds. Emori glanced at Daniella. "Watch this." She muttered. Marcos spotted them from where he was talking, nodding their way. Seeing this, Anya turned. The Socorro dove smiled at the sight of them. Unlike Marcos, she looked happy to see them.

"Hello, you two." She greeted, warmly. "You've even gotten me some fruit... I did say Emilo, Marcos, not Emori..."

"Oh, did you? Sorry, Anya." Marcos sounded genuinely sorry. "Sorry to you two, as well, for causing such trouble." When Anya looked from him to the two chicks, he was smiling warmly, yet when she turned away, his smile vanished. He's like a chameleon! No wonder everyone trusts him! "I'll be right back, Anya. Lorac wanted to speak to me." No he didn't. He's out in the forest. You just want to get away from us.

"Why on earth did she pick him?" Daniella whispered, in exasperation.

"Thank you." Anya blinked trustingly, before turning to Emori and Daniella. "I would have gotten myself some food, but my joints are just causing me such pain." Anya winced as she moved her shoulders; looking around Anya, Daniella saw Marcos flash across the grove.

"Isn't there something Melodia could give you, Anya?" Daniella asked, for the sun parakeet was the island alternative of a tribe healer. She wondered why Anya hadn't retired; clearly, she was exhausted. Maybe she's been leader for so long she can't bring herself to give up.

"She does have a special plant. But she's rather busy." Anya sighed. "I'll just eat something first." She moved towards the vine basket.

"Marcos made us go after heftberries." Emori said, in annoyance. "Apparently you love them..."

"Did he?" Anya blinked in surprise, and then fear. "I'm allergic to those!" Daniella too blinked.

"You are? How allergic?" Allergies were rare but not unheard of back home. Daniella was sure Angelo was allergic to camu camu fruit, because every time he ate one, he seemed sickly the next day. He seemed to realize it didn't agree with him, and he generally avoided them now.

"At least I think I'm allergic. The last time I had one was when we first arrived here, years ago. I had a fever for days - I almost died!" Anya looked cautiously in the bowl, as if looking for the fruit. Daniella looked at Emori in shock, and she stared back. "I suppose anyone could make a mistake." Anya said, eventually.

"What - are you serious?" Daniella stared. "Are you telling me that..."

"It was long ago. Marcos wasn't even born when I had my reaction."

"But Anya -" Emori began.

"It's alright. Be on your way, girls." Anya then turned away, dropping the moss curtain that cloaked the entrance in their faces. Daniella looked at Emori. Is everyone blind here? Didn't Anya see the danger a little mistake like that could have had? If eating one of those heavy things before almost killed her when she was young and strong, what would it do to her now, when she's old and frail? Marcos is such an idiot, why would he make us specifically go after such a fruit that could potentially kill her?

He couldn't have known. Surely. Daniella felt a gaze bore into her back. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Marcos staring. She turned to look, and saw that he was watching the moss curtain with frustration. A cold wind blew, and she nervously flattened her feathers. "Daniella. Are you a bit... suspicious?" When Daniella turned to look at Emori, she realized that the Chestnut-Fronted macaw's feathers were fluffed up. "Marcos made us go specifically after a fruit that could have killed Anya... it's a bit strange."

"You're not the only one who thinks that." Daniella muttered. The two girls looked at one another. Marcos then realized he was being watched.

"Emori!" He barked. "Go and help Leia." A female bird with two bunches of feathers on the sides of her head was trying to lift a basket with a vine with little success. Emori looked at Daniella in annoyance.

"Lucky me." She remarked, before flying over to Leia, who gratefully accepted her help. Daniella then saw Marcos headed her way, and she briefly froze. But then, for some reason, she whirled round, and made a break for it, fleeing the grove. She was scared of the Cuban Red macaw, even more so than before. He was calling her name, but she didn't slow down until she reached a clearing in the trees. He was right behind her; Daniella looked around in panic.

Marcos flew into the clearing, looking around, green gaze scanning his surroundings, but he failed to spot Daniella. He muttered under his breath in frustration, before concluding that she had gone. "Marcos!" Called a voice. The Pink-Headed duck, Taj, appeared. "We still meeting? Lorac and Indra are waiting." Marcos looked around once more, with narrowed eyes.

"We are. I just..."

"What's wrong?" Taj asked.

"It's that Daniella kid." Marcos muttered. Taj tilted his pink head. "The Spix's macaw chick. She's not all. It's Emori, as well." He especially said Emori's name with scorn.

"What's with them both?" The Pink-Headed duck narrowed his eyes. "Do you think they suspect?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it. Daniella knows that we hate common birds, and I think she's nosy." Marcos hissed. "I don't like her staring, hanging about."

"She's a kid. Kids are nosy." Taj said, calmly. "And stupid too. As if they'll figure it out." The Pink-Headed duck then turned, disappearing through the vines. Marcos looked around once more. "Marcos? Come on!" Marcos slowly looked around, before following with reluctance. For a moment, it was quiet, but then a palm leaf moved. Daniella peered out from underneath, heart thudding. I'm not stupid. That was her initial thought - but then she replayed the scene in her mind. Suspect what? Figure what out?

Daniella leaned back against the branch, running a wing through her head feathers. Something's wrong here. What is Marcos plotting? She watched the space where Marcos and Taj had been. Emori couldn't bring herself to find out what they're planning. But I have to know... Maybe she was crazy - but knowing the tough-as-claws Emori had changed her. Maybe she could be brave enough to do what Emori never could...

You're pathetic, remember? Scared of everything. It's probably nothing anyway. Yet there was still a gnawing in her stomach. Can Anya really leave someone as shifty as Marcos to lead?

Meanwhile, Emori finished helping Leia, but when she turned around, Daniella had gone. She sighed. "Abandoned." whispered a voice. She went cold. "Just like how your parents left you to die." Emori whipped round; the Hawaiian Crow, Ash, sneered in her face. The ringleader of the group who had bullied her whenever they could, until Daniella had stopped them. Since then, she hadn't heard a word, until now. Slowly, she turned, and flew out of the grove. But she knew Ash was following her.

"I wasn't abandoned." Hissed Emori, quietly.

"That's not what Marcos says." Ash replied.

"You can't believe a word that comes out of his lying mouth." Emori tried to quench the flame in her chest. But it continued to blaze, growing and growing.

"Well, it's a good thing that Kehua killed them, isn't it?" The Hawaiian crow sneered. Emori stopped, shaking with anger. "Then they wouldn't be killing anyone else -"

"Enough!" Emori screamed, in rage. Her temper completely blew, and she whirled to face Ash, feathers making her appear twice as large despite her little stature. "They never killed anyone, and they didn't abandon me, either!" Ash's face lit up with glee. He loved pushing buttons.

"Marcos says they were killers. They were -"

"Lies!" Emori screeched, so loud her lungs rang. "I've had enough of you, and everything on this stupid island!" She leapt at Ash, claws outstretched, knocking him off his feet - Ash was shocked, but he loved every moment of her anger and frustration. They went crashing through the tree canopy, a whirlwind of green, brown and black and white feathers. They screamed at each other, and in the palm tree, Daniella recognized Emori's voice.

"Emori?" Daniella looked up.

Emori and Ash crashed to the forest floor, after plummeting from the canopy. Their voices echoed, but they were too far from the grove to be heard by the adults. As they fought, Ash continued to gloat, only angering Emori further - then they both lost their tempers, and Ash realized he had underestimated her. A tiny drop of blood hit an overhanging leaf. Three thin lines carved into Emori's side; in retaliation, she made her mark on Ash's chest.

"My whole life, you've mocked me for being common, for what they say happened! They don't know what really happened - I don't remember, but I know it! They didn't abandon me, and they didn't do it!" She and Ash knew what 'it' was.

"Of course they did it! Who else?" Ash dodged a swipe of her claws. "Why did you have to be born here, of all places? Nobody likes you!"

"I didn't ask to be born on this island, in the middle of the sea, where everyone is too afraid to leave! It may be called Alegria, but there's no happiness here, not to me! It may be beautiful, but underneath, it's ugly!" Emori had been bottling everything up for far too long. "This island is a lie. I've spent my life lost in a so-called paradise! Life isn't fair here - if your species is dead to the world, you're automatically celebrated, loved, trusted. But if you're more fortunate, you're treated like dirt! Species makes no difference, it's who you are on the inside that matters!"

"Are you crying?" Ash ignored her words, sneering. Emori was. The tears spilled uncontrollably.

"Why do I bother?" Emori cried out. "I should have left from the moment I knew how to fly!"

"Newsflash, you're stuck here! You'll have to stay here forever, like us -"

"I'd rather die than be like any of you!" Emori screeched.

"Emori!" Daniella came flying from the tree canopy, finally reacting after watching them fight. She fought her way between the struggling Emori and Ash. "Stop it!" In the heat of the struggle, the line blurred between Daniella and Emori. Suddenly Ash was attacking Daniella. She leapt back, but he followed, slashing his claws. For the first time in her life, she fought back; Daniella sank her beak into his wing. Ash tried to fight back, but then Daniella shoved him away, so he sprawled onto the ground. Seeing he was outnumbered, Ash finally gave up. The Hawaiian crow backed away, breathing heavily.

"I'm telling Marcos what you did to me, he'll sort you out, unlike Anya! Both of you!" Ash's angry glare turned to Daniella. "You made a big mistake befriending her. She's a freak!" Then the Hawaiian crow was gone. With a flash of black and white, Ash vanished into the evening.

Emori viciously kicked a rock. "No one listens to me!" She wailed. "I'm judged for what my parents did, for what I am! No one accepts me for who I am on the inside! I'm sick of it!" Daniella watched Emori in horror. She had heard enough of the screaming to hear Emori's parents mentioned. Emori was running around in tears, having a meltdown.

"I accept you!" Daniella exclaimed. She ran up to Emori, hugging her. Emori resisted initially; but then she broke down in tears. She crumpled against Daniella, the anger, the upset, making her shake. "Tell me what happened." Daniella said. "What happened to you before I knew you. I have to know."

"I can't."

"I want to help you, Emori. But I can't if you don't talk to me." Daniella looked at her friend's face. That was the first time she'd referred to Emori as her friend. Her lavender eyes were full of desperation. "Please. Let me help you." There was a tortuous silence. She was frightened that Emori would scream at her, like how she had at Ash. But then Emori, with a heavy heart, prepared to tear down the wall she had built around her past.

"Alright." Emori murmured.