Heya everyone, hope everything is well with you on the other end of the screen. I'm glad to make another story for you guys to enjoy, I didn't see myself expanding on the original Rio story after my first ending rewrite but now I got a passion to make an AU as I thought it would be mad interesting. This is chapter one and I'm planning a total of three in total. College sucks so I don't know when I'll be able to make the other two but hopefully they won't be to far from each other. Either way I hope you enjoy the story!
Smoke permeated through the air, the smell of burning wood was everywhere. Trees fell over and the sky was coated gray. The once blue sky was poisoned by the flames underneath it. Animals of all sorts did their best to outrun the flames, the flames caused by humans. Machinery crushed trees under their metallic feet, clutched and destroyed by their dirtied claws. Humans ate away at the lush amazon. The animals ran, the humans destroyed, the flames burned and the tree fell. Yet, one tree stood soon to be crushed and it housed a little bird. "Momma. Papa. Please come… back." The small bird cried for his parents to come back. He curled up in a ball. His tears fell and he couldn't hear anything but the crumble of the environment around him. "Hey! Kid!" A blue macaw landed in the nest that the boy was held up in. "Are you alright?" the Bird asked worriedly. "I-I don't know where my momma and papa are." the chick answered shakily. "Alright, it's okay. My name is Eduardo, I need you to come with me. It's not safe here, okay?" "But mama and papa they- they said they would be back!" The chic turned from Eduardo. "Listen, your parents, they… left you behind. Now I need you to come with me." Eduardo extended a wing to the small boy. "You're a liar! They wouldn't do that!"
"Then tell me why you're here and not with them?!" In asking that question the small boy's face contorted with anguish. He knew it, but he didn't want to believe it. It was all so quick for him, they loved him. They had to have loved him. "Please kid, there's no time." Eduardo held his wing out further. "O-okay." The boy grabbed onto Eduardo and he rested on Eduardo's back. "Use your beak to dig into my feathers!" The boy complied and Eduardo took off.
The Amazon was falling all around him, everything was being burned away. Branch after branch, dodge after dodge, Eduardo avoided all of it. Until he didn't, a small piece of wood hit just above his left eye. He staggered and the boy fell from his back. Eduardo shook off the damage and spotted the child. He slimmed his body and flew towards the boy and caught him before he hit the ground. "Hold on tight!" Eduardo ordered. He flew up high and managed to evade all of the debris. His movements were precise and careful, his movements were that of a veteran. The young boy felt a feeling of safety that he'd only felt from his parents, this feeling caused him to open his eyes. The clear blue sky was beautiful, despite the smoke consuming his old home, the sky was unchanged. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." Eduardo noticed the boy was looking around. "Is this your first time seeing the sky?" The young boy nodded. "This color, it's the color blue." Eduardo explained. "I look like the sky." Eduardo smiled and spoke. "Do you have a name?" the boy shook his head. "How does the name Blu sound?" Eduardo suggested. "That way you can be named after the sky." The boy smiled widely. "Yeah!" Blu enjoyed his new name. "Is your eye okay?" Blu noticed the wound on Eduardo that was causing his squint. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, let's get you someplace safe, okay?" Blu nodded in response and held tightly to Eduardo.
The two flew quite a ways away from the fire and finally stopped. Eduardo descended into the trees, arriving at a village of Blue Macaws. They moved about, working to recover others lost in the fire. Eduardo took Blu to a small cavern in a tree and sat him down. "Eduardo! Did you find her?"
"No, I didn't. The only one I could find was this boy." Eduardo nudged Blu forward and Mimi looked at him. "Please take care of him." Mimi shifted her gaze to Eduardo. "Take care of yourself first, that cut looks bad." Mimi felt Eduardo's face and he moved her wing. "I'll have Manuel look it over it." Mimi gave him a concerned look. Eduardo was about to fly away until he spotted his daughter. "You should speak to her." Mimi said.
"Not until I've found her mother." Eduardo was quick to answer his sister and then flew away. Mimi let out a sigh and turned to Blu who was beside her. "Hello little one, what's your name?" "Blu." Blu responded quietly. "Blue? But we all are." Mimi said jokingly, however, Blu was just confused. "Anyway let's get you settled in." Mimi placed a wing on Blu's back and guided him further into the nest. There were several Macaws in the wooden cave, but Blu saw a bird with clear emerald eyes looking out a hole in the tree's trunk. Her feathers were a lighter shade of blue and matched the sky's color closer than his own. Mimi noticed Blu staring and smiled. "Jewel, come down here." The young girl heard her aunt and climbed down to see her. "Blu, this is my niece, Jewel." Blu looked at Jewel and blushed a bit. Jewel looked at him confused. "H-hi my name's Blu." Jewel giggled at his stutter. "My name's Jewel, it's nice to meet you." Blu smiled as she introduced herself. "You two be nice while I'm gone alright?" Mimi told the two before moving deeper into the nest.
"How old are you?" Jewel asked. "I'm four." "Me too!" Jewel was excited by Blu's answer. Her smile made him blush again. "You said your name was Blu right? That's a pretty odd name." Jewel said. "My parents never gave me one." Blu answered and looked away from Jewel. "Why not?" Blu paused before answering. "They told me I should just be happy for being born." Blu moved and sat at the mouth of the nest. "Oh." Jewel didn't know what to say but she knew Blu was sad. "They left me alone a lot. They didn't teach me much. I also wasn't allowed to go outside much either." Blu explained. "My mom's gone too. My dad went to find her and a bunch of the tribe but I guess he could only find you." Jewel sat beside Blu. "That was your dad?"
"Mhm." Jewel answered. "My mom was going to get food when the fire started. I don't know where she is but I know she's out there, somewhere. She'll come back for sure." Jewel was confident in her mother's return and Blu felt confident too. "Ju Ju!" A voice called from behind the two. "Roberto!" Jewel smiled when she saw him. Blu stood up and looked at the boy, his head feathers hung over his eyes, casting a shadow over them. Roberto looked past Jewel and saw Blu. "Heya! My name's Roberto. What's yours?" Roberto's friendly approach made Blu glow with happiness. "Blu." "Like the sky?" He nodded at Roberto's question. "That's a really cool name! I like you already Blu, wanna be friends?"
"But you guys just met." Jewel said to Roberto. "Well he'll be more like my brother since he's a part of the tribe now." Roberto declared. "So we're family?" Blu asked. Roberto wrapped a wing around Blu and answered. "Nah, just me and you. Sorry Jewel, no girls allowed." Roberto stuck his tongue out playfully at Jewel. "I guess you don't want me showing where those berries are then." "Hey! That's not fair! Plus they probably burned up!" Roberto objected to Jewel's decision and ran up to her.
Blu looked at the both of them and felt relieved, but there was an unfamiliar sensation in his chest. It confused him, he was abandoned by his parents, his home was burned to the ground and he was surrounded by so many that were suffering. Yet, he smiled wholeheartedly and laughed aloud at Roberto and Jewel. His smiles were half-hearted before but now he committed to the happiness he felt. The blue sky that hovered above him wasn't smoky, only clear and without a cloud in sight. Blu's head was finally clear. Roberto and Jewel looked at his face and his energy washed over them. They laughed with him and after a few seconds they stopped. "Hey, Blu." Jewel looked at Blu happily. She brought both him and Roberto together. "Let's stay together as friends from now on." Jewel's suggestion made both of the boys smile. "But we just met, we can't be friends." Roberto mocked Jewel. "Well I said so, so it's okay." Roberto scrunched his face at Jewel and she stuck her tongue out at him. "So what now?" Blu asked and his friends shrugged. "You three can help me." Mimi appeared behind and they reluctantly accepted, following her into the nest.
"You went outside of the territory didn't you?"
"I did." Eduardo answered Manuel questions.
"You knew that was the wrong call."
"He understands that Manuel, he was searching for his wife." Maria stopped Manuel from lecturing Eduardo. Manuel sighed as he knew Eduardo's reason. "Still you are the leader of us now and you can't place your wants above the tribe's needs." Eduardo scorned those words but managed a reply. "I'm well aware." "Then refrain from it happening again. Rodrigo chose you for this when he passed on. Act like it." Manuel's critical view caused anger to boil within Eduardo, but he took a breath and calmed himself. Maria noticed the tension and shifted topics. "The boy you found, if he was outside of our territory then you shouldn't have brought him here." Maria was blunt in her statement much to Manuel's anger. "Even if he went outside our territory, you expect him to let a child die. Are you insane?"
"No, I'm being rational and your head seems to be all over the place. First you berate him then you defend him." Maria responded sharply to Manuel and silenced him. "If the boy was outside our territory then he must've been the family of deserters. We don't save deserters Eduardo." Maria's jade purple eyes met with Eduardo's eyes. Her gaze was judgemental but Eduardo could not be shaken. "I did what I thought was right." Eduardo returned Maria's gaze with equal intensity. It was not a look of disapproval but belief in his decision. "I trust neither of you will disclose this information to anyone else in the tribe?" Eduardo asked earnestly and Manuel nodded. "So long as he doesn't cause any trouble he's fine with me." Maria begrudgingly agreed. "With that out of the way, is there anyone still out there that hasn't been found?" "Just a handful of families and some loners that scattered." Eduardo was concerned with the answer Maria gave and thought for a moment. The humans had destroyed the southern, eastern and western directions of the Amazon. This forced Eduardo and his tribe north, thus any birds from his tribe would've had to fly north. "If they've scattered then they must be close by. Both of you head with the available patrollers and find them." Eduardo ordered, Maria and Manuel both nodded. "This'll be the last patrol for the day, we'll try again in the morning. Now get going." Manuel and Maria flew past Mimi as she arrived inside the nest.
"How's the search going?" "Well enough just a few people need to be rounded up." Eduardo was somewhat curt in his speech. Mimi scrunched her face and slapped her brother. "What was that?" Eduardo yelled. "You've been this way since you got back. I know you're worried about her but that doesn't mean you take it out on me." Mimi spoke sternly to her brother and he looked back remorsefully. "What's on your mind Eddy. You know I'm here for you but I can't do anything if you don't talk to me." Eduardo's face cracked at those words. "I'm sorry Mimi." Eduardo held his feelings in and turned from his sister. "I have to be strong for everyone and I can't let my wants control me anymore." Eduardo paused. "Diana is no longer a priority." Mimi's eyes widened, and she got into his face. "I said nothing about her." Eduardo looked at her coldly. "You know you don't mean that, Manuel's got into your head hasn't he?" Mimi confirmed her thought after looking at Eduardo's face, it painted with sorrow and she held him close. "We'll find her. I know it." Mimi held her brother tight as he wrapped his wings around her and the two held each other. "Let me help you with that cut." Eduardo smiled tenderly at his sister and followed her out the nest. He looked at the sky, seeing some residual smoke still floating overhead and felt as though it wouldn't be the last time he saw a sky gripped by humans.
Time moved forward still and the tribe rebuilt itself, in the wake of the humans assault on their home they were able to return to normalcy. Many macaws had perished in the fire and even more were missing, Diana was one of those missing. Although the loss was great the tribe managed to move forward. The grove had become smaller thanks to human intervention and a new division of the food between the red and blue macaws had to be made. Eleven years had passed since the fire, eleven years since Diana had disappeared and the tribe treated the tragedy as a distant nightmare. Eduardo was the new chief and fit into his role nicely, everyone loved him. Peace had returned to the tribe of Macaws and everyone felt right at home.
"Blu pass it!" Roberto called to his friend and Blu followed suit, kicking the nut into the air and passing it to Roberto. Roberto received the pass and scored, the two bumped chests in celebration. "The red Macaws don't stand a chance the next time we see them and with us winnin' the ladies start flockin'." Roberto nudged Blu and he smiled too. "Yeah, I think so too." Roberto noticed Blu's face as his friend flew down to land. "Oh, I know that look." Roberto said to Blu as they landed on the small island in the middle of the Pit. "You've got a crush on Jewel." Blu's face was surprised and confirmed Roberto's suspicions. "H-how do you know that?" "I've seen how you looked at her. I mean she was cute when we were kids but now she's out of this world." Roberto looked at Blu's face and his flustered expression confirmed his thoughts once more. "Why haven't you asked her out?" "Well that's because she's probably not interested in dating me and you know she's busy and-" Roberto came to Blu's side and placed a wing on his friend's shoulder. "Blu you wanted to become part of the patrol team, you've been to fly with dolphins and played hot foot with live alligators. This doesn't compare to your training." Roberto spoke highly of his friend but Blu held a different outlook. "What if she says no, what if she thinks I'm still the same kid that I was before." Roberto silenced his friend and looked at him face to face.
"Blu be quiet and listen to me, alright?" Blu nodded at Roberto. "All of these worries and stuff, shut up." Roberto told his friend with a smile on his face. "We clear?" "Crystal." Blu responded, rolling his eyes much to his friend's amusement. "Seriously though, if you're worried about telling her how you feel, why don't you practice?" Roberto picked up a nut attached to the side of the rock. Blu looked at Robert confused. "Act like its Jewel." Blu looked at Roberto, in complete disbelief with a straight face. "C'mon, don't give me that look. You need to try at least." Blu sighed at his friend. "Fine. Alright I'll give it a try." Roberto smiled at his friend. He held the nut towards Blu's face. Blu sighed and did as he was asked. "Hey Jewel, I like your round, hard head." "Blu, take this seriously." Roberto shot Blu a look. Blu looked past the nut and at Roberto. "Listen I appreciate the help but this isn't going to work." "If you keep saying it won't work, when do you think it will?" Roberto questioned his friend intently. "Why does this matter so much to you anyway?" Roberto's eyes narrowed and his small forehead furrowed. "Don't give me that look." Blu mocked Roberto and he sighed in response. "Are you afraid of Jewel, Blu?" Roberto was serious in his question.
"No, I just don't think she wants anything to change. We're good as friends." Blu answered earnestly and Roberto responded. "You're the one who wants to be friends." Blu's eyes widened. "What are you talking about-" "Hey guys." Jewel greeted the two, landing next to them. "What are you guys doing?" Jewel asked. "Blu was just confessing his feelings to this nut, or rather his crush." Blu shot Roberto a look that was mixed with panic and anger. Roberto gave him a wink and titled his head towards Jewel. Blu looked at her and she smiled. "Oh really?" Jewel was sly in her speech. "Who is she? I might be able to help you." Jewel got closer to Blu. Roberto looked at Blu, but Blu's eyes were locked on Jewel. "What would you say to her, Blu?" Jewel stared right at him, her presence was weighing on him. He gathered himself and stood straight. "I like you Jewel, can we hang out sometime?" Blu spoke with confidence and Jewel giggled as she backed away from him. Roberto and Blu's eyes opened wide, Jewel calmed herself and answered. "Yeah I'd love to and I like you too." Blu smiled widely. The two of them hugged but Jewel broke away quickly. "Oh! The ceremony for the patrol selection is starting! So, stop kissing nuts and come on." Jewel spoke urgently but Roberto and Blu gave her a confused look.
"Don't say it like that." The two friends said in unison much to Jewel's confusion. "What are you talking about.-``''Nut kissing. Pretty disrespectful." Blu nodded in agreement with Roberto. "Grow up." Jewel rolled her eyes. Roberto laughed at her and flew out of the pit. Jewel didn't move for a few seconds and she spoke to Blu. "Sorry about earlier, I was really nervous. I thought you liked someone else." Jewel admitted her feelings to Blu and he simply smiled. "Honestly, I thought you'd like Roberto more than anyone." Jewel laughed at Blu's concern. "He's more like a brother. We've been friends for so long I don't think it could be anything else." Jewel spoke sincerely, almost proud to have him as a friend. "Then what makes me different?" Blu questioned her but she couldn't answer it. "I think it's because we're so similar." Jewel answered the best she could and the two of them felt oddly satisfied with the answer. "I got that feeling too, but I kinda realized one day that seeing you with anyone else was painful." Blu's honesty linked with Jewel's heart. "I felt that way too, I never felt comfortable saying it because I couldn't explain why I liked you. I just did." Blu smiled and Jewel did the same. They hugged once again and Roberto flew back to find the two. "Didn't you say the ceremony was starting? Let's go!" Jewel and Blu completely forgot and followed their friend.
The three arrived back to their tribe and everyone was looking from tree branches and their nests to a tree centered in the middle. There was a hole in the tree that led out to a wide branch and on that branch stood the tribe elders, Manuel, Eduardo and Maria. "Everyone, thank you for attending. We had many brave birds step up to the task of becoming patrollers. However, we could take the best of the best. Those most worthy to take up the mantle of the tribe's protectors. There will be five patrollers joining the patrol." The tribe heard Eduardo loud and clear. Jewel, Blu and Roberto looked at one another, Roberto and Blu were particularly concerned. "Out of the twenty, these are the five selected. Lucas, Ana, Sofia…" Eduardo stopped. It was as though his resolve left him, he couldn't muster to say the fourth name. He took a breath and his resolve returned. "Gustavo and Roberto. Congratulations to you five." Eduardo finished and the tribe erupted in adulation for the chosen. Everyone was happy but there were three birds that were not. Roberto looked at Blu, he saw his face. Blu was staring forward and was at a loss for words. Jewel cast her head aside and couldn't look at Blu at the site of this Roberto spoke. "Hey Blu." "Congratulations Roberto." Blu smiled at his friend. Roberto's eyes began to water as he knew Blu better than anyone. His face said it all, it carried a distinct misery and rejection yet it was his eyes that were truly happy; they were soft and caring. He meant his congratulations. "You can't cry now. C'mon let's go!" Blu motioned his head towards Eduardo and Roberto wiped his tears. "Yeah!" Roberto and Blu took off flying down to the elders. Jewel could only stand there smiling through the tears that fell, she let out a laugh that quickly turned to quiet sobs.
Roberto and the other four birds were named official patrollers and Manuel informed them of their first patrol tomorrow morning. However, that was tomorrow and for tonight they would celebrate. The numerous small glows of vine flowers and the moonlight illuminated everything. Everyone was happy and flew as their tribal music carried them. All this celebration meant to cement this momentous occasion and yet Blu stood far from the party and looked off into the sleeping amazon. His thoughts were dead and nothing felt real. His mind wondered but focused on one thought. This focus couldn't be shaken by anything or anyone. Roberto and Jewel landed by Blu's side but couldn't see his face, neither knew what to say. "Hey, Blu, why don't you come join us at the party?" Roberto spoke up but his friend ignored him. Jewel looked on and grabbed Blu's shoulder, there was no reaction from him. His gaze was fixed over the black colored greenery. "Blu, please talk to us." Jewel pleaded. Blu held his eyes forward until Jewel started to turn his face. She saw his eyes, they were red as if he had been crying for a long time. "My parents didn't want me even though I worked hard to get their attention. I tried everything I could even when I couldn't see the sky. They told me I was good and I was such a good son." Blu looked away from Jewel and sought the moon again. "They told me I would make it, that I would definitely be a good patroller. Even though all I wanted from my parents was a name when they promised to give me one. I was rejected, again and again. I wanted to feel loved, no more false promises, just truth." Blu turned to his friends and at the site of his face their hearts sank. "I'm tired of being rejected by the ones I love most." Blu's eyes were puffy, red and filled with a pain he never felt before. Jewel rushed to Blu and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Blu!" Jewel cried as she embraced him. She cradled him tightly and his head slipped over her shoulder. Blu whimpered softly and cried again, Roberto looked at Blu from behind Jewel and his face was painted with one emotion, anger. He took off and Jewel heard him fly away, she released Blu and the two collected themselves to follow him.
Roberto landed in front of Eduardo and the old bird knew exactly what was coming. "Why? You said it yourself, you said he would be chosen!" Roberto yelled angrily. Everyone stopped to look at Roberto. Manuel saw the situation and flew down to the two. "What's going on?" Manuel questioned looking at Roberto. "This old man lied! He told Blu that he was going to be on the patrol team." Jewel and Blu arrived as they heard Roberto say those words. "Roberto calm down." Manuel placed a wing on Roberto's chest but it was quickly removed. "You remember what you said? "You're exceptional!" "The best I've ever seen!" You said that, I heard you!" Roberto got closer to Eduardo pointing a feather to his face. "You can't take this from him, he worked too hard! Harder than anyone I know! You can't lie to my brother!" Roberto stepped closer and was dragged back by other Macaws. Eduardo stared directly at Roberto the entire time, he wasn't phased by anything he said. His demeanor was uncaring and disconnected. Eduardo turned from Roberto as he screamed. Blu saw it all, his friend's cries, his desperation. This was all about him. Blu walked towards his friend and spoke. "It's okay." Blu smiled again and reassured Roberto. Roberto was at a loss, he couldn't read Blu's face. No one could, they only knew that the air around him had changed as if he was someone different entirely. Blu stood before the man that saved him. Manuel was about to move but he stopped when Maria flew down in front of him. "Why wasn't I chosen?" Blu asked a question that turned Eduardo's face to him. Eduardo didn't speak, his face was the same as before. The two locked eyes and Blu nodded. He understood Eduardo's silence and he walked away. Blu walked through the Macaws that surrounded Roberto and helped his friend to his feet.
"I understand now." Blu looked at Jewel who was nearby. "Let's go." Blu smiled and the three left the party. They landed at Blu's nest, Jewel and Roberto were confused. "Blu are you feeling alright? You were messed up a second ago and now you're fine all of a sudden." Roberto was concerned and looked to Jewel. "Jewel c'mon help me out here!" Jewel snapped out her trancelike state and sighed. "I'm fine. I mean it still hurts but I realized that with a brother like you. I can keep going. Thanks a lot Roberto." Blu's voice rang with a new strength. "I know that even if I'm not wanted by them I still have you guys." Roberto smiled at Blu and Jewel seemingly forced her beak to curl. "Jewel, are you okay?" Blu looked at his friend and she looked back at him. "Yeah, I just need to… calm down." Jewel's speech was tense like she was choking. "You sure you're alright." "Yes, I'm just tired. Mind if I stay the night here with you?" Jewel asked Blu and he nodded. "I'll stay here with you guys if it's not too much."
"Like when we were kids." Blu sighed at Jewel's suggestion but agreed to have them over. Jewel's mood seemed to lighten a bit as they turned in for the night. They each took their own small cave and laid down. However, Jewel couldn't sleep and she moved to where Blu was laying. Blu was laying on his back, she placed her head on his chest and nuzzled him closely. Blu awoke and looked at Jewel. "Sorry I couldn't sleep." Jewel admitted. "This day sucked a lot." Blu stated his feelings calmly and Jewel nodded. "Why did you apologize earlier?" Blu asked. "It was because I was relieved that you weren't a patroller. I knew how much it meant to you, but I didn't want you to be in any danger." Jewel spoke honestly. "But I can take care of myself ." "If we were reversed and I said that, would you believe it?" Jewel countered Blu's statement. Jewel sat up to look at Blu, her eyes were as beautiful as he remembered. They glowed in the night and he couldn't focus on anything but her. "My dad, Roberto and you are all I have left. I have to be strong. So I can protect you." Jewel finished and Blu's heart jumped. He leaned into her and she was hesitant but let go and kissed him. The night melted away as they spent the night together.
The morning sunlight peeked over the Amazon and nothing stirred but Roberto reported with the four other new patrollers to get assigned to their post. Manuel was there to tell them where they'd be placed for the day and he dropped them off to their individual posts, leaving Roberto at the last post. Roberto settled in nicely but something irked him. "If you're gonna say something then say it." Manuel stood behind Roberto. "Your behavior was unacceptable last night. You know that right?"
"You gonna do something about it?" Roberto turned to Manuel with a face contorted in anger. Manuel remained calm. "You have a duty as this tribe's next leader. Get over yourself."
"Stop trying to make me what you couldn't be. You became second in command because you failed to be the chief. I know that's why you give Eduardo a hard time." Roberto was vicious in his response.
Manuel laughed at Roberto. "What's so funny?" Roberto's anger flared again and Manuel calmed himself. "If you must know, I was the reason you even have this position as a patroller." Roberto was shocked at this revelation. "What are you talking about? I earned my place!" Roberto's retort was met with another laugh. "No, you didn't. I had Eduardo replace Blu with you. He knew well that Jewel was sweet on Blu. Eduardo also had taken a liking to him. You were second to Blu in every aspect when it came to the tests. He truly was exceptional, but I can't have a failure as a son, can I? So, I pulled some strings, got Blu out and you in." Roberto was confused. "Do your best with the opportunity your father has given you. Fulfill what your old man couldn't." Manuel finished and he smiled at his son who had barely processed any of what he heard. "Wait-" "Do your best, son." Manuel smiled and flew away. Roberto was left alone with nothing but what his father had given him. "I'm the reason Blu couldn't become a patroller." Those words left Roberto's mouth and he absorbed them fully.
Jewel awoke with Blu still at her side, she smiled at him and softly shook him awake. He woke up to her smile. He smiled and they tapped their beaks together intimately. Jewel stretched her wings but suddenly felt dizzy. "Morning Blu." Jewel landed back onto Blu's chest. "Morning Jewel." Blu tried to move but Jewel held her head on his chest. "No, you don't get to move until I say so." Jewel said playfully. "What am I gonna do with you?" Blu sighed and kissed Jewel on the head. "Okay, now you can move." Jewel got off Blu and flew down to the nest's entrance. The sun shone bright in the sky and it bounced off the green leaves. The sunlight highlighted the beauty of the amazon and Jewel was there to take in the site that never seemed to get old. Blu landed at her side and she leaned on him a little. Jewel sighed and lifted her head from Blu's shoulder. The tribe was quaint and peaceful.
Jewel and Blu flew out of the nest and saw Robert flying by. Blu called to him and Roberto looked shaken. He landed in front of them, they could tell something was wrong. The feathers over his eyes were ruffled and his eyes were filled with regret. "Roberto, are you okay?" Blu got closer to his friend with a concerned look. "Blu, there's something I need to tell you. The patroller's test-" "Humans!" Lucas' voice echoed throughout the amazon. A white cockatoo crashed down grabbing him and dragged him down below the leaves. The cockatoo had purple wrinkles under his eyes and yellow feathers on his head. He looked at Blu and the two made eye contact just before he dipped out of sight. Roberto, Jewel and Blu froze as they saw Lucas disappear. The tribe heard his warning and not a moment later cages and nets began swarming the tribe. Several of the birds were being caught off guard, many managed to evade capture completely while others couldn't move fast enough. The cages came closer and closer, capturing more and more macaws along the way. "Into the nest hurry!" Jewel yelled at Blu and Roberto. Roberto quickly followed Jewel inside but Blu noticed a small chick about to be captured. He didn't hesitate, his body simply moved. He flew to save the girl before the cage could get to her, but then a cage came for Blu. He saw it but there was no time to react, he was going to be caught. Suddenly he was thrown back by his tail feathers. Roberto had saved him and was caught by the cage, Blu watched on in horror as Roberto was taken under the leaves. "Roberto!" Blu called and got to his feet, but Jewel quickly pulled him into the cage and pinned him down. "What are you doing?! They took Roberto! Let me go!" Blu yelled at Jewel but he couldn't move from under her grip. "So you can get captured too?! Use your head Blu!" Jewel barked back at Blu who tried to squirm free from her hold. He couldn't move but he kept yelling for Jewel to let him go. Blu only stopped when he saw her face, she was crying. Her breathing was heavy and stunted, her body soon lost its strength and she collapsed to the floor. "Jewel!" Blu yelled her name and her vision tunneled as she saw Blu looking over her, panicking.
"Jewel. Wake up." A soft voice spoke to Jewel. Jewel's mother rubbed her daughter's shoulder until she awoke. They sat on a branch under leaves shaded from the sun. "Jewel, I have something important to tell you." Jewel listened close to her mother.
"The sun rises to warm us, the leaves to cover us, the trees to shelter us and others to lean on. These are the things we are taught, but there is one last thing we must learn." The young mother looked at her child. "You have to be strong, to protect those you lean on." Jewel looked into her mother's heterochromic eyes. Her left eye was a jade green and her right was a clear blue sky. Jewel marveled at them. They were beautiful, they shimmered in the sunlight and her cool blue feathers complimented them. "I wanna be strong like you mommy!" Jewel smiled widely to her mother. Her mother giggled at her child and dug his beak into Jewel's head. "Become strong, Jewel. Protect those you love."
"I will, I promise." Jewel closed her eyes and opened them again. She saw the natural wooden roof inside of a tree trunk. She leaned her head forward and saw Blu alongside Eduardo. She rushed into her father's arms, she was relieved to see him.
"I'm sorry." Eduardo said sincerely.
"We'll get them back." Blu reassured Jewel
"No you won't. No one will be." Jewel and Blu were shocked to hear this.
"No way, I'm not leaving Roberto behind." Blu asserted himself to Eduardo.
"I must keep the tribe safe from the humans. Whether you like it or not we cannot allow them to capture us all." Eduardo clashed his will against Blu's. Blu continued to make his case but it went nowhere. Jewel witnessed all of this unfold, she was trying to understand her father but he rarely lied, especially to people he cared for deeply.
"Stop." Jewel stepped between the two. "Believe in him, Blu." Jewel looked at Blu carefully, but before he could question her, Mimi arrived. She embraced her niece and felt the tension. "What are you two going on about?" Mimi questioned Blu and Eduardo. "Nothing anymore." Blu conceded his doubts so as to not worry Mimi. "You're a terrible liar." Mimi was casual in her remark, barely paying any attention to him. "I don't know what this is about but it can wait can't it? We're experiencing the loss of our family. We need to work together rather than fight with each other." Mimi's voice expressed disappointment and frustration with the state of her close family. "They understand, right?" Jewel looked at both of them. Eduardo nodded, Blu let go of his anger and sighed. "Eduardo, Manuela and Maria need to see you." Mimi informed her brother and he exited Blu's nest with her in tow. Blu looked at Jewel. "We have to stay together." Once again Jewel's eyes pierced through Blu. The day ran on and the tribe was in ruins. Many couldn't move or even think, only cry as their close family and friends were taken once again by festivities of the night prior seemed like a distant memory. Everyone's will to continue forward had left them. They were quiet and cried softly by their lonesome, once again the humans took everything from the Macaws that only tried to live peacefully.
The silence was filled with nothing but sorrow from night till morning. The morning was mournful and filled with a thick mist that felt heavy with tears, as though the mist was created by them. Jewel awoke to see the concealed Amazon. She exited her nest and flew to the edge of the tribe's territory, before her was the point of no return. "Please don't do this." Jewel turned to see her aunt. "My father?" Mimi's silence confirmed her suspicion. "I won't stop, I have to save him." Jewel was resolved.
"I can't let you get yourself killed!" Mimi yelled at her niece.
"That's not your choice to make!" Jewel retorted. Mimi responded by grabbing Jewel's wing, but she wouldn't move. "He's my family. I have to save him and everyone else." Jewel's eyes made Mimi shudder. Those eyes were the same as her mother's, the same eyes, the same unshakable will. "I won't let you end up like your mother. I refuse!" Mimi screamed in desperation. Jewel had the strength to break away but seeing her aunt like this, her strength left her. She knew she couldn't go back, if she did then there'd be no way she could get to Roberto. She was conflicted, the tribe that was in shambles or the friend that was captured, it all rang in her head until he arrived. Blu separated the two and they stumbled away from each other. Blu was breathing heavily as Eduardo and the remaining patrollers arrived right behind him. Blu's mind was racing like Jewel's; this was a decision that they thought they would never have to make. "Give up, you're not gonna be able to outrun us." Maria looked at the two angrily. "Jewel, stop this and come back with us." Eduardo extended his wing but Jewel backed closer to the branch's edge. Blu followed her in the motion. "You'll never make it out of here through this fog! Give up!" Maria ordered the two but they couldn't stop. "Roberto's my family I won't leave him behind! They are all our family and you want to abandon them like they're nothing!" Jewel's emotions boiled over. "I will protect them no matter what!" Jewel's eyes were clear and stopped everyone from speaking. Eduardo was reminded of his wife and couldn't move. Blu noticed everyone's frozen state and grabbed Jewel. He threw himself and Jewel into the mist, they fell a small ways before separating. "Jewel, fly down further and head to the pit!" Blu shouted to Jewel who gathered herself and nodded. Moments later their pursuers flew into the fog. They would continuously dip in and out of the fog in search of the pair to no avail and eventually lose sight of them.
Jewel and Blu made it safely to the pit but they were out of breath. "How did you know to do that?" Jewel asked in between breaths. "Patroller training, it's risky as a plan because of snakes but in a pinch it works out." Blu smiled as he said that. The two took a few seconds to catch their breath, Jewel was the first to stand to her feet. "There's no going back, is there?" Blu asked the obvious question that worried both of them. Jewel extended her wing to Blu. "Not without everyone else, not without Roberto." "Yeah." Blu grabbed her wing and stood to his feet. They smiled at each other and took off into the Amazon.
Hope you guys enjoyed chapter one, I swear building characters is super hard. Jewel was hard in particular as I didn't want to undercut her character in anyway and make her a strong character without her being outshined by both Blu and Roberto. Still, I loved how she turned out and can't wait to continue writing with her in future chapters. Gotta map out chapter two, so I'll you all later!