Chapter 6:
Nightfly sat in a crossed position, his eyes closed, and all of his senses turned off. Not letting anything distract his focus - not the wind, the sun, or any noise around him. Just letting the flow of life and the world move through him. It all came to an end once his ears detected the familiar noise of inexperienced wings flapping in his direction. He waited for the sound of feet landing on the ground before talking over his shoulder: "Did you get a sword?"
"Yes," Blu confirmed, taking the wooden sword he had been carrying so far with his talons in his wing. "One of my new friends made it for me. I hope it will do the trick."
Opening his eyes at last, Nightfly stood up from the ground and approached his student, taking the wooden sword in his wings. He carefully examined it before giving his verdict. "Yes. Yes, it's perfect to begin your training." He gave it back to Blu. "Are you ready to begin, my student?"
"Do I have blue feathers?" Blu asked back with enthusiasm. When Nightfly gave him an eyebrow, the younger macaw sighed. "It means yes."
"Very well. Now, keep your back straight and listen very well," Nightfly ordered. He started walking in circles around Blu, making the younger macaw feel like he was about to receive a very serious lecture. "What you first need to know is that the basic principle of a sword fight is to deliver an ending blow to your opponent while yourself avoiding taking one."
"It might seem simple, but even the most simple thing should not be overlooked. While battle was and still is essentially chaotic in nature, and no plan survives first contact with the enemy, there are several characteristics and factors common to the survivor of a duel. The first one is physical conditioning; while it is common knowledge that a good fighter must have a solid body, especially the back and abdomen, it is important to remember that cardio and strong wrists are also keys to master the art of sword fighting."
"Next are the mental aspects; awareness and serenity keep your mind sharp and also keep you alive. Then, there is deception; fighting fair is a sure way to get you killed in a sword duel. If you have to choose between the smart or the honorable way in a duel, always choose the smart way. Confidence is also a key aspect; there is no point in engaging a duel if you don't think you can defeat your enemy."
"You must also take rhythm into consideration; falling into a repetitive pattern will make you predictable and easy to defeat. Intimidation; you must avoid being intimidated by a stronger opponent and make sure to be intimidating to a lesser one. Timing and distance are important factors: striking at the right time and being close enough to actually hit is a skill in itself. And finally, caution; not timidity, but having enough common sense to not underestimate your opponent."
Nightfly stopped walking and looked at his student. "Have memorized all of that?"
"Huh... Physical conditioning, mental aspects, deception, confidence, rhythm, intimidation, timing, distance, and caution, right?" Blu tried to list all the characteristics Nightfly told him.
"Exactly, my dear student. You must always remember them as they are the key to winning a sword duel." With that being said, the hooded macaw took one of his two sabers out of its scabbard and held it forward. "These mental attributes can take years to cultivate, but there are some techniques and tricks that are easy to learn. This is where we're gonna start for your sword training."
"What tips and tricks?" Blu asked.
"I have a wide range that I can choose from. For example, you can pretend to be weak or lacking experience so that your opponent will think he can earn an easy victory. Then, when he least expects it, you strike him down before he can understand what's going on. Here's a live example."
Nightfly suddenly narrowed his eyes, charging at Blu with his sword raised, going for what looked like an overhead strike. Out of reflex, Blu lifted his wooden sword in order to parry it. However, the other Spix's macaw stopped his attack at the last second and instead delivered a kick into Blu's torso, sending him straight in the sand. He coughed a bit and looked up at his teacher.
"See? These tricks might seem dumb, but they are very useful in combat." Nightfly kneeled down and offered his wing to his student. Blu accepted it, taking it with his own wing to get back up. However, before he could say anything, Nightfly suddenly performed a leg sweep to knock him back on the ground. "Next lesson: never trust your opponent."
So, the next few hours of training saw Blu trying (and failing badly) at trying to catch Nightfly with different sword fighting tricks. But not matter how many combos he attempted, his teacher seemed to always be three steps ahead of him. Once he was tired of ridiculizing his student, Nightfly decided to move on to the next part: parrying.
Basically, there were five counter positions that needed to be mastered: the number one saw the user holding his sword horizontally above his head to block an overhead attack and have enough space so that it could absorb the force of the incoming blow.
Number two: simply extending the arm (or wing, in Blu's case) outwards and away from the body to parry most downward diagonal cuts or thrusts or even high horizontal attacks coming from the left to the right.
Number three: basically the same as number two, but to counter horizontal attacks coming from the right to the left.
Number four: holding the sword downward to block rising diagonal cuts coming toward the right leg.
Number five: same as number four, but to counter attacks going for the left leg.
"Ready? Three! Four! Two! Four! Five! One!" the hooded macaw shouted, swinging his black sword at his student who followed his instructions to parry the attacks. He successfully managed the first five steps, but got too slow on the last one, his teacher's black blade ending inches above his skull. "You gotta be faster than that, Blu. Your opponents will not slow down for you."
So, for the rest of the day, Blu attempted to counter Nightfly's attacks to mixed results. By the time he finally ended the session, allowing him to go back to the artificial jungle, Blu's whole body was killing him. He felt like his wings were on fire, and he could sleep forever. To his surprise, Jewel arrived seconds after he collapsed in the nest. Her feathers were a lot cleaner than usual and her facial features became more noticeable for some reasons.
"What happened to you?" Blu asked.
"Well, Eva insisted on us doing a little beauty session together. She told me that it wasn't easy to still be pretty at her age and that I have to live my young days to their fullest," Jewel explained with rubbing the back of her head.
This made Blu smile. Even if Jewel was a natural beauty, he wouldn't say no to a little bonus. The two settled in the nest and fell asleep within each other's wings. Sleeping with someone still felt a little odd to Blu, but he had a feeling he would get used to it very soon.
Two Days Later…
Blu traded a day of sword and magic training with Nightfly for one of flying lessons under Jewel's tutelage. Even if he had been hesitant at first, the hooded macaw recognized that too much of something would be a bad thing and didn't want Blu to get overcharged by his training. Plus, learning how to fly was more important for a bird than learning how to fight with a sword.
Jewel and Nightfly were currently standing on the ground outside the aviary, watching Blu practicing his aerial maneuvers in the air. Jewel's wing still hadn't completely recovered, so she couldn't join her boyfriend and properly show him what to do, but she did her best to explain him. She could tell from experience that he still needed more time before getting on the same level as her.
"He's no real genius of the sword either, you know," Nightfly told Jewel. "He started his sword training two days ago, and he's still struggling to properly hold his wooden sword by the handle. It's gonna take many years for him to become a master."
"I know, Blu is more good with books and vines than he is with his own wings," Jewel agreed with an amused giggle. However, she then stared up at her boyfriend as he started getting the hang of a move he struggled with moments ago. "But in a sense, I think this is one of his best qualities. No matter how many times he fails and embarrasses himself, he always keeps going on and gives his best until he succeeds."
"I have to agree with you on this point," Nightfly admitted, looking up at his student with a smile. "Something important that must always be remembered is that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard for you."
"Wow!" Jewel exclaimed, turning to look at Nightfly with a wing on her chest. "Nightfly, that was deep!"
"Yeah... But I cannot take credit for it; I read this somewhere in a book," the hooded macaw admitted, rubbing the back of his head with a chuckle. Jewel rolled her eyes at this.
A few minutes later, Blu came back on the ground and before his friends, panting and his feathers covered in sweat. "How... was I?" he asked between his breaths.
"Not bad, but try to flap your wings faster during your maneuvers " Jewel advised. "The last thing you want is to lose your balance and go plummeting to the ground while trying to flip around."
"Yeah, that would be bad...," Blu agreed with a nod of his head. He then gave a smile. "I feel so lucky to have the best flying teacher in all of Brazil to help me."
Charmed by these words, Jewel approached her boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the beak. The male Spix's macaw wrapped his wings around her figure, pressing her against him and returning the kiss with passion. By moment, he wondered if he even deserved to have such a wonderful creature as his girlfriend.
"Hey, hotwings!" exclaimed a voice that didn't belong to Nightfly. Breaking their physical contact, the two Spix's macaw turned around to see the little figures of two familiar birds landing close to them.
"Nico? Pedro?" Blu asked in surprise.
"Themselves, you know it!" the red-crested cardinal beamed with his usual smooth and enthusiast tone.
"What are you guys doing here?" Jewel asked.
"Pedro and I were going back to the Samba Club as we're sure all of our friends are excited to see their favorite samba duo returning," Nico explained. "Ralfi and Luiz told us about what happened to Jewel's wing, so we decided to stop by and see how you lovebirds were doing."
Blu blinked his hazel eyes in surprise. "The Samba Club has re-opened? I thought it had been destroyed during our fight with the marmosets?"
"True, it turned into a real mess after we kicked those baboons' butts," Nico admitted. "Lucky for us, our club is very popular in town, so almost all the birds we know volunteered to help rebuild it. We managed to make it just like it was before within two days of work."
Blu felt VERY relieved by this news. The Samba Club was a special place to him as it was where Jewel and he went from friends to lovers. He would never forget how the power of samba took over his body and soul, leading to his very first dance not only alone, but also with a girl. It would have been sad to just leave it destroyed following their confrontation with the group of primates.
"Hey, who's the new bird?" Pedro suddenly asked, looking at Nightfly with a curious look.
"Oh yeah, guys, meet Nightfly, our new friend and also my teacher," Blu introduced his new friend. "Nightfly, these guys are Nico and Pedro, two friends Jewel and I made yesterday."
"Nice to meetcha, dude," the red-crested cardinal politely said, holding his wing forward for a bump-fist.
The hooded macaw just gave it an odd stare for a moment before shaking it with his own wing. "I am very enchanted to make your acquaintance."
The samba duo exchanged a gaze, confused by Nightfly's mannerism and way of speaking. "Okay...?" the canary mumbled. "Anyway, you should know that any friend of our blue lovebirds is also a friend of us!" He then flew between all the birds with a smile. "Wanna come with us to the club and shake your tail feathers?"
"Sounds like a good idea!" Jewel replied with an excited smile. "I could use some distraction instead of just sitting around this fake jungle all day long. What do you say, Blu?"
The younger Spix's macaw rubbed the back of his head. True to be told, and even though his last time at the Samba Club was one of the most pleasant experiences of his life, he didn't really enjoy being the center of attention - even amongst his peers. But if it was to make his girlfriend happy, it was something he was ready to do. Plus, it wasn't like he would be dancing alone. "Sure, let's do this!"
While everybody seemed happy and excited, Nightfly rather looked confused. "Hum, excuse-me, shaking our tail feathers?"
"He means dancing," Blu explained, taking his teacher's wing. "Come on, you'll see; it's very fun!"
"Oh my, it has been a very long time since I've last danced," Nightfly remarked with a look mixing surprise and lack of comfort. "I don't know if I should... But I never say no to never experiences."
"Alright then!" Pedro boosted, slapping the hooded macaw on the shoulder. "Let's go! I can't wait to start partying!"
Nico and Pedro took the lead as Blu carried Jewel on his back and Nightfly mumbled a "Ow..." while rubbing his shoulder before taking off. The flight to their destination didn't take very long for the avians. Through it, Jewel got to see the gigantic city of Rio from the skies - a sight that she missed. Looking over his shoulder, Blu got to see the look of wonder and joy on his girlfriend's face. This made him wish he could heal her wing faster and get to see that look more often.
The fruit market was particularly busy that day with humans walking everywhere, buying all sorts of vegetation from the shops. Blu always wondered how not a single one of them ever realized the existence of Nico and Pedro's samba club. Sure, it was small when compared to a normal dancing club, but the music was still loud nonetheless... at least, from his perspective.
"We have arrived, ladies and gentlemen!" Nico announced once they reached the entrance of the club, both the canary and cardinal pushing the curtain sheet aside and inviting their friends to enter. "Guests first."
Jewel giggled a bit at her friends' gentlemen attitude before stepping forward, Blu and Nightfly following suit. The duo closed the sheet behind them after entering. A little hallway and one more sheet later, and they were back inside the place where the two Spix's macaws fell in love.
The wide room would have been plunged in the dark, was it not for the tens of differently-colored lights swinging everywhere. Music was blasting at full power with birds of all sizes and shapes moving their bodies to it. Blu and Jewel even noticed Kipo, the tall pink flamingo who saved their butts during the club's battle, standing on a crate, swinging maracas around. All in all, the ambiance was as cheerful and energetic as the last time they came.
"Welcome to the Samba Club Version 2!" Pedro shouted above the music, flying around his three guests. "Modified, but still as fun as before!"
"Hmm," Nightfly mumbled, looking all around with an inspecting look. "This place honestly look like those nightclubs in Star City where animals like to come, drink, and waste their lives."
"Don't worry, Nightfly; this club is all about fun and making friends!" Blu assured his teacher. "As well as... other things," he added, giving a smile in Jewel's direction.
"Speaking of drink, our club has a new feature!" Nico said, pointing his wing toward a spot at the very end of the club. It looked like some sort of makeshift bar with a military macaw standing behind a counter, giving bird-sized cups of drinks to other birds. "We now have a bar if you guys wanna get some refreshments! Kenny will make himself a pleasure to serve you!"
A bar? Blu already felt surprised to see a dancing club for birds, but a bar? That was a whole other story. He never heard or read anywhere that birds could consume alcoholic drinks... But then again, Spix's macaws were not supposed to drink hot chocolate which he did all the time back in Minnesota. Should he really drink alcohol though?
"Yo, yo, yo! May I have your attention, please?" Nico called after he and his best friends flew up to the performance stage. The music stopped and all the birds in the place turned to look at their hosts. "Today is a very special day; the two Spix's macaws who saved us from those crazy smugglers a few days ago have returned!"
Following this statement, a spotlight appeared over the three Spix's macaws in question. Blu shyly waved his wing at everyone, not used to being the center of attention, while Jewel just gave a warm smile. Nightfly did not react since he knew the samba duo wasn't talking about him, but the other avians were still wondering what a bird was doing with a hoodie and two swords.
"I say this calls for a celebration, don't you think?" Pedro asked, and then pointed a black wing toward some musicians. "Give us your best beat, amigos!"
Soon enough, the pleasant, rhythmic sound of a samba song resonated throughout the whole club and the avians wasted no time moving their bodies to the beat. Blu tapped his foot on the floor and rocked his head a little bit, starting to get the exact same feeling as when Nico and Pedro sang 'Hot Wings' about a week ago. Knowing what would come, he didn't try to fight the feeling as he did the first time and just allowed it to take over, moving his whole body to the music.
Seeing this, Jewel giggled in amusement, pleased to see her boyfriend having fun. She immediately joined in, swinging her wings and body around in an elegant yet energetic fashion. With the lights shining over her feathers, she looked like an angel in action. So beautiful that Blu almost stopped dancing.
The two macaws danced separately at first before coming together and performing a duo. It was the same choreography as their first time; hazel-brown eyes staring in turquoise ones in a trance, both bodies stepping in a circle pattern. They took each other's wings and Blu twirled Jewel on herself, also spinning her body around. Their dance was in such perfect harmony that some birds around stopped dancing to cheer them on instead.
"Wow!" exclaimed Nightfly who stared at the flawless duel dancing happening before his eyes. The hooded macaw retired himself from the dance floor as he didn't feel like... shaking his tail feathers and opted to go get a drink instead.
"Yeah, amazing, aren't they?" asked the military macaw who brought a cup of kiwi juice to Nightfly, not looking away from the show. His name was Kenny. "I don't think I've ever seen any young couple dancing like this. Well, not since Rafael and Eva used to come here every night anyway. Do you have a girlfriend with whom you dance like this too?"
Upon hearing this question, Nightfly's expression became less enthusastic, and he stared at the floor. "I'd... rather not talk about it." He took his kiwi juice cup and drank a sip.
Back on the dance floor, Blu and Jewel kept their amazing dance going for many more minutes with Blu even tossing Jewel in the air, allowing her to flap her wings and shine above him like an angel for what felt like forever, but was actually five seconds. Once the song ended alongside their dance, both macaw stared into each other's eyes, not paying attention to the crowd of birds cheering for them.
"You're my one and only, Blu...," Jewel softly sighed, taking her boyfriend's wings with her own.
"We are chained to each other birds...," he replied, leaning in to kiss the love of his life.