Chapter 53:

The sun began to sink upon the horizon painting the world a soft crimson in between dark black storm clouds which continued to creep in. Almost as if sensing the tragedy which had befallen a short time ago within the city, a cold chill worked itself across the jungle. A soft mist hovered unseen upon the breeze beginning to dampen the trees and forest canopy high above. The sun continued to shine, reflecting off the water droplets forming a majestic rainbow over the mountain where Christ the Redeemer stood. Deep in the jungle though, a spark of outrage began to fall in a certain hollow – the home of Blu and Jewel. The large female macaw paced back and forth, her eyes narrowed as her anger and frustration blossomed upon her face. The last few drops of light began to vanish as the night set in. Her eyes reflected the night sky. Her beak trembled as she fought to control her usually calm self. Blu held up his wings and was going to speak but fell silent as she eyed him through two angry slits of vengeful fury.

"Don't you dare say anything, Blu!" she warned him, not bothering to stop herself from pacing around the hollowed chamber. "I told her to be home for dinner! She should have been back hours ago! When I get my wings on her she will never be allowed from my sight again. I guarantee you that one."

"She'll be back." Blu reassured her. "Let's just stay calm. She's the responsible one. She has never broken our trust before I highly doubt she would begin to break it now. She probably just lost track of time that's all."

Jewel turned to glare at Blu. She pointed an accusing wing at her mate. Her eyes darkened as her anger began to rise. She was just about to say something when Blu's wing fell to her beak issuing for silence. "Shhhhh be quiet for a moment, dear." Blu hushed as he tried to listen to the sound. "Do you hear that?"

Jewel did as Blu suggested. She remained silent and listened to the silence of the air. A soft cry seemed to fill the air it seemed faint at first but after a couple of moments it seemed to be coming from right outside the hollow. "What is that?" Jewel asked.

"It sounds like whimpering… or sobbing…" Blu pointed out. "Either way it is coming from right outside of the hollow. I'm going to go check it out."

The rain started to fall heavier drenching the tree branch. The large raindrops splattered loudly landing with force against the thick bark. The tree creaked under the onslaught of the monsoon type weather. The tree shifted as the wind picked up and shrieked like a wild animal. Blu shielded his eyes against the nasty weather and hopped out of the hollow. He turned back to Jewel and kissed her on the forehead. "Listen to me, there is no sense in both of us getting wet. Stay here with the boys and I'll search and see where that sound is coming from."

Jewel nodded her head and turned to stop the chicks from hopping out. She peered back at Blu, her eyes softened as she watched him move across the slippery ledge. "Be careful, Blu." She said lowering her head to stop herself from being battered with the downpour. "Please, I can't stand losing both you and Rose in the same day."
Blu turned around and nodded. "Rose isn't lost. She'll be back soon, you'll see."

The male macaw crept along the wood, following his ears as he focused solely upon the crying sound, over the shrieking of the gale force winds. Blu moaned as raindrops struck him in the eye, causing them to sting. He had never felt rain this powerful before. "Come on, where are you?" he asked himself, "I know you're there, so please be around here somewhere."

The wind swept through his feathers causing him to stumble. His body shifted backwards as the wind picked up momentum. The winds almost seemed like a hurricane, impossible but not unheard of for Brazil. Blu cringed as he struggled to push himself forward. He could scarcely see a small blue lump hiding from the fierce activity going on. He focused on it and recognized it after a few moments.

"Jade?! Is that you?!"

Upon mention of her name, the baby macaw looked up. She eyed her father and continued to sob. He scrambled forward trying hard to not be pushed back by the wind. Blu grunted as he eventually made contact with the baby and shielded her from the dangerous rainfall. He coughed, spitting out water which continued to fill his beak and nose. He shook his feathers and studied the puddle at his talons. "Don't worry, Jade. Daddy's got you. I won't let you go I promise."

Jade continued to whimper in his wingers, her tears ran down his soaked feathers. He closed his eyes and sheltered her. "It's okay, Jade. The storm will be over soon." He said. "We have got to try and make it inside. I'm going to toss you. You need to try and fly to your mother. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded her head and before she could respond Blu tossed her through the air. She fluttered her wings and fell into Jewel's embrace.

"I've got her Blu!" Jewel called out to him.

Blu smiled and swallowed some of the rain water. He choked coughing and sputtering as he struggled to catch his breath. He shifted his body across the branch, letting the wind push him. He flapped his wings using them like the mast of a sailboat. He guided himself into the hollow, and collapsed on the floor. He coughed, spitting out the funny tasting water and shuddered. "I think I made up a new sport. Typhoon branch sailing, let's never do that again." He groaned.

"Did you find Rose?" Jewel asked.

"No," Blu shook his head, peering out at the horrible weather. Lightning flashed illuminating his eyes as they widened in horror. "Now I'm getting worried, how can Jade be here and Rose not be?"

Jewel ran to the entrance of the hollow and cupped her wings together to amplify her voice. "ROSE! WHERE ARE YOU! ROSE!"

Jade lowered her head, her tears continued to fall. Her tail feathers, body, and wings drooped with longing regret. "Mommy," she called out to her mother. "Sissy Rose she drown-did."

Jewel spun around and eyed her young daughter. Her eyes filled to the brim with fright as she contemplated what she had just heard. "What did you just say?"

"She drown-did, mommy." Jade repeated herself. "Bad bird drown-did her."

Blu and Jewel's eyes widened in horror as they tried to decipher their daughter's under developed language. "A bad bird caused her to drown?" Blu asked, kneeling down to peer into his daughter's eyes. His beak trembled as he spread his wings and started contemplated his flight path.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jewel asked. "You can't go out there."

"Yes, I can." Blu admitted. "I'm going to look for our daughter and this weather isn't going to stop me." Blu peered back at his wife. His voice filled with anger and regret. His eyes filled with painful tears. "And you are going to stay here with the kids, do you understand?"

Jewel threw her wing aside and glared at her husband. Her eyes hardened. "You're not going!" She told him, "Ever since we met each other it's been one horrible thing after another. This is a trap, Blu. It's meant to draw one of us out into the open. Use your head and think about it for a second."

"I am thinking about it," Blu argued, "There is only one option, and that is to spring the trap. I'm going, and that's all there is too it."

Before Jewel could speak another word, her husband flew through the sky as fast as his wings would carry him, soon he appeared to be little more than a tiny speck upon the horizon, Jewel's eyes narrowed. "Be safe, Blu." She sighed, admitting defeat, "Please bring our daughter back safe."

Jewel wiped the tears from her eyes. Her heart began to break under the pressure of the situation. Somehow she knew that this was the danger that Amber had tried to warn her about. Blu's anger had led him into an obvious trap, set by some unknown evil and their daughter was the bait.


#


The rain continued to hammer the streets of Rio. The destruction was massive. Tree branches snapped from the large trunks, landing in the streets. Some splintered branches surfed down the streets either encouraged by the wind, or from large puddles of water heading towards the storm drainage systems. Beach chairs, concession stand tables toppled over, and drifted out to sea as the surf-on reached the edge of the beaches. The wind shrieked, causing cars and cable carts to move sway.

Police officers set up safety gates, shutting down a variety of roads. They waved their glow sticks guiding the large stream of traffic away from the beaches, not that anyone would be travelling there anyway. The city rested under emergency status, and an officer shouted through a megaphone, directing the crowds of hurrying people.

"Ladies and gentleman, can I have your attention please! We would ask that you return to your homes or seek higher ground. We ask that you would follow any safety information given to you for the time being. Please be advised that we are under typhoon status. We will keep you posted on the progressing situation."

Amongst the crowd of hurrying people a blue robed bird cackled to himself. He stared at the destruction happening around him. "YES!" he cheered between a harsh cruel laughter. "Even the weather is on my side! Run you pathetic fools. Run as fast as you can!" He peered up at the blackening sky. He could scarcely see the outline of a blue bird heading in his direction. He forced a cheerful smile. "You're finally here," he cackled. "You took your sweet old time, Blu. But you've finally arrived."


#


Blu fluttered through the air. He kept his wings spread apart and used them like sails to push himself forward through the gale force winds. He eyed the destruction which decimated most of Rio's tourist attractions. He peered down at the humans hurrying to find their way to a storm shelter. His mind focused upon his daughter and of his family seeking shelter at home. He swallowed a lump in his throat and ignored the stinging battering rain falling across his entire body.

"Please be safe, Rose" he sighed. "Please be alive, Daddy's coming to find you. I promise. Just stay strong until I get there."

SLAM!

Blu's back arched forward as a large blunt object slammed into his back with thunderous force. With his breath taken from him, he fell forward a few inches before catching himself in mid flight. Taken by surprise he had no chance to defend himself as he felt a pair of razor sharp claws rip into his back tearing several long gashes along his back. The thick putrid smell of blood flooded his nostrils forcing him to cough and sputter. Before he could respond, the large object struck him once more, knocking him from the sky and onto the roof of one of the many buildings that lined the streets of the city. "That hurt," he groaned, struggling to rise up onto his talons. His body trembled, shaking uncontrollably. "That wasn't fun at all... what hit me?"

"I would have thought you would have been able to figure it out by now." A voice cackled, "But considering we have never been officially introduced, I guess it could be overlooked just this once."

Blu's eyes widened as he watched a large creature dressed in a thick blue robe come in for a landing. His face remained hidden behind the hood, except for the razor sharp black beak which glistened as the rain pounded against it. His cloak fluttered in the gale force winds however it did not seem to faze the creature in the slightest.

"I should have known that there were more of you guys running around…" Blu groaned, stumbling forward. His chocolate brown eyes narrowed as he tried to fight himself from falling unconscious. He could feel his strength beginning to fade. His head swam. His vision appeared clouded, spinning, and blurry as he fought to keep control of his senses. The loss of blood from the open wounds on his back drained him more than he cared to admit. In a way, the surprise attack had sealed his opponent's victory. He never even had a chance to defend himself. He lowered his head, shielding his eyes from the wind with a single wing. His beak trembled as he continued. "Just how many of you guys are there anyways?"

The robed creature laughed and held out his wings. His blackish colored wings held very little in terms of true color, they blended perfectly amongst the storm clouds and the night sky. His beak curled into a wicked smile. "There are as many as there needs to be, macaw! I must say though you have been lucky against my band of six brothers so far, but that ends now! I have come to claim their revenge."

"Six brothers?" Blu arched a curious eye, "I have only met four unless you count the girl, but then again she would be more of a sister wouldn't she?"

The robed creature rolled his eyes and curled his beak. He raised an accusing wing and pointed it towards the blue macaw. "Fine, you killed my band of mercenaries," the creature growled. "You killed them all, Amber, Roger, Jose, Jollo and Nigel, each one of them were a valuable part of my plans. You see I don't like when my plans fall apart. Now it is time for you to pay for all that you have done to interfere in our little game, and you'll pay dearly, Blu as I savor ending your life little by little, just like I did with your precious little daughter."

The robed creature laughed once more, his eyes glistened evilly. "And believe me when I say that she begged for her life as I watched her drown. She believed you would come up until her final breaths. It was almost heartwarming."

Blu's eyes glazed over as he felt his heart skip a beat. All of the pain surged around the thought that his daughter was dead, killed by this heartless cruel monster. His beak curled as he fought to control his thoughts. His wings trembled as he refused to believe the bird's lies… at least he needed to believe that they were lies.

"Where's my daughter!" Blu growled, his eyes slit dangerously, "I swear to god if you hurt her. I'll make you regret ever laying a talon upon her."

The hooded creature laughed and shook a wing inches from Blu's face. His eyes burned with amusement. "You'll make me regret ever laying a talon upon her? How amusing, look at you, you're every bit as evil as I am. Your anger clouds your emotions. It blankets your face as you fight your urge to hurt me. I am not the monster here, macaw. And in the end it was you who ultimately failed to save her."

Without any warning, Blu's brains snapped as it became clouded with anger. He charged forward striking his wings out with all the force his body could bring forth. The robed bird jumped, landing behind the macaw and kicked Blu straight in the back. Spinning for a second onslaught, he swung his wing straight into Blu's neck knocking him unconscious. Blu's body lurched forward landing face down upon the ground.

"And here I thought you were going to be harder to break," the robed bird grinned. He snapped the end of his feathers like a pair of fingers. His eyes narrowed as a group of monkeys emerged from their hiding places. "Take him back to the base and tie him up, I'm not done with our little friend yet. I will make him beg for his life before I seal his fate and he becomes my obedient puppet."

The robed bird's smile deepened as he turned towards the storm. "Then… and only then… will my revenge be completed."