Chapter 13 'Today's Going to be a Long Day'

Wow, it's been a while. I am terribly sorry for the wait. I just have been going through some wonderful mental issues and I've been battling my chronic laziness.

Anyways, I have decided to continue Bluey. I have to thank Siniarafani for somehow inspiring me to get off my lazy ass and write. Their story 'What Happens Next?' is the story that somehow managed to break my streak of inactivity.

I have written a good chunk of next chapter, so it should be out very soon. It should make up for this chapter, which is mostly filler. I'll try to get it out within a week. But regardless, I guess this is better than nothing. Again, sorry for the wait.

Also happy McDonald's Day for all you Americans out there, or whatever your national holiday is called. ;)

Anyways, lets get on with it. Enjoy or suffer.

04/07/2022 (wow it's been almost a year)


Why did I bring myself into this?

It was a question that Bluey couldn't help but think. After all, he knew deep down that this whole thing would only postpone the inevitable: His species dying out. And that's not including the wonderful fact that surely… SURELY… He and Jewel could never actually be mates. A quote-on-quote "pet" with a "free spirited" wild bird is just not a reasonable pairing by any stretch of the imagination.

Sure, the saying goes that opposites attract, but this is a clear example of that not always being the case. Not only does Jewel dislike birds like him, but their lifestyles are so radically different that trying to co-exist in either lifestyle would be basically impossible. To put it bluntly, by all means they could not possibly get along to the extent that they become mates out of anything other than necessity.

Bluey could only sit in his little spot of his own (which was really just a crude makeshift bed) and think. Socialising was an exercise in futility as Bluey had the social skills of a loaf of bread with blue feathers and a beak… Maybe that's a bit hyperbolic, but still…

At least if he could fly, he could – well – fly, and that would pass the time and burn off some fat. Win-win. Unfortunately, he is essentially a blue feathered ostrich who is bound to the ground, and so the idea of flying about to pass time is little more than an unobtainable fantasy.

Man, I wish I could fly…

The idea of just throwing up his hands – or, talons or wings or whatever would be appropriate for this – and just call it quits and go back home so he can read books and hang out with Martin all day instead of lounging around in a fake jungle with a feisty wild bird who is more than capable of hurting him really badly, who also happens to be the one he's supposed to mate with somehow, and some green cheek conure that is in here for some unknown reason and seems to exist solely to annoy others and attempt to be funny to varying degrees of success.

And how the hell did he know his geographic place of origin? And how did he know what a "French" is? God only knows, but perhaps wild birds may be a little more aware of their geographical locations regarding the places of humans. In other words, that they'd be aware of what humans call a place or what country they came from.

But at the same time, he could remember several times that wild birds that he met (and was mocked by) in Minnesota had no idea what the hell a "Minnesota" was, or what "Moose Lake" was or what "The USA" was. Maybe the birds down here are smarter. I guess most of the birds he has met so far are parrots and they tend to be brighter – or at least they are according to science.

Casting the whole thing with Jacques aside, to add into the lovely brew that is his situation, something is telling Bluey that his dear owner Martin and that crazy ornithologist Luana may have a thing with each other. Or maybe Martin just wants to mate with her. Who knows? Bluey sure doesn't.

The sound of the door opening, and the responding flapping of wings alerted Bluey and brought him out of his thoughts, causing him to suddenly jolt up straight. Excitement filled his little heart as his eyes opened wide and an excited expression appeared on his face, and he got up, briskly walking towards the door, hoping to see Martin or someone ready to get him out of here and therefore end this little nightmare.

But when he got to a point where he could see said door, nobody was there. Instead, a tray of fruits, berries and seeds were laying on the ground. Bluey could see Jacques taking a few bites out of some fruits and Bluey looked up to see Jewel perched on a fake tree branch, holding what appeared to be a small mango in her foot as she reclusively ate her food. Bluey could've sworn he saw her glare down at him for a second.

Regardless, Bluey was feeling pretty hungry himself and so he waltzed over to the breakfast tray and took a closer look at what was on the menu.

A small mango, a passionfruit, pieces of apples, some berries and some nuts and seeds. Whatever the related field of study was, Bluey was not an expert in it. However, the apples did look nice and so he helped himself to a slice. Holding it in his foot, he took a bite out of it. Pink Lady apples were sweet, and he liked them more than green Granny Smith apples, which were Martin's favourite. He figured this was due to their different taste buds and all.

Bluey had gotten over a phase where he had to wash his talons before he ate, which was inconvenient for everyone involved and would prove to be in vain here. But again, he had gotten over that phase, so he was okay with eating with his foot. Unless of course, his foot was especially dirty…

...He slowly placed the apple slice down, and quickly inspected his eating foot, which was his right foot. It wasn't too dirty and was reasonably clean enough, and so he picked the apple slice back up and continued eating it like that didn't just happen.

Once done, he helped himself to a few other food items until he was full, and he washed it all down with some of that cool, refreshing most-likely recycled water from the fake stream that ran through this place.

What time is it?

If only he had a watch, or a clock, or a sundial or anything to tell what time it was. God-knows its probably moving slow.

Maybe socialising wouldn't be such a bad idea?

Perhaps he could get to know the two birds he is likely going to spend a while with. Maybe he could try and talk with Jewel more… But the idea of that brought butterflies to his stomach, and the butterflies were having epileptic fits and were on crack cocaine. Scratch that.

Jacques didn't seem like the kind of bird that would have anymore depth than the average comic relief character. But he would rather speak with him than with Jewel on account of a chronic case of boy-terrified-of-the-prospect-of-talking-to-a-girl-itis, which is a medical term that he just came up with.

With little to lose but time and patience – the former of which he was seeking to kill, because who wants to waste their time doing absolutely nothing with no mental stimulus? – Bluey set about to wandering the aviary and trying to find Jacques – or maybe Jewel if he was completely honest – and trying to engage in some form of conversation with them – even if it amounted to nothing more than awkward small-talk, like the kind you'd have at the barber while getting your hair done.

But what on Earth would he say to them?

Maybe things would be easier if he just tried to speak to Jewel.

On his way to try and find her, he came across Jacques lying down on the ground with a quiet and solemn expression on his face.

Bluey's expression changed to a curious and mildly concerned one, as he slowly walked over to him. The sound of his feet tapping against the floor, or some sixth sense must've alerted Jacques to his presence. He weakly smiled at Bluey, letting out a small sigh as he looked towards the ground.

''I guess there's no use keeping up the veil…'', he admitted. Bluey furrowed his brow. ''Yeah, I feel like crap.'', Jacques bluntly huffed, wearing a deadpan frown on his face.

''Hey, I feel that way too.'', Bluey spoke quietly as he drew closer to Jacques and sat near him.

''Who'd have guessed that a socially awkward bird with no friends would feel like crap?'', Jacques joked, ''No offense.'', he wryly smiled. His smile soon faded, ''Do you ever just feel like nothing in your life matters? That everything you do just amounts to nothing?'', Bluey stared absently, not quite sure what to say in response. Jacques turned his head and stared at Bluey, as if waiting for a response that was not to come for a fair, awkward bit.

''I'm just pulling your leg.'', Jacques chuckled as his expression and tone had rather suddenly changed in a matter of seconds, only foreshadowed by a small smile that started growing across his beak, ''Well, sort of…'', he added after a short pause. Bluey felt that he may never understand this peculiar bugger's humour. Hell, he wasn't sure if Jacques himself understood his own humour sometimes.

In all honesty he could not tell if Jacques was actually feeling down or not, or if this was all just a ruse to get his attention. Credit where credit is due, Jacques sure did get Bluey's attention, even if all it took was a bit of emotional dishonesty.

''Jacques,'', Bluey begun, completely ignoring what had just been said before, ''I just wonder why you're here. Because you just seem, y'know, out of place?'', Bluey enquired. After all, Jacques just seemed shoehorned in here for no apparent reason, but perhaps Jacques could shine a little light on this. Or maybe not even he knows.

''I'm here because my parents reproduced.'', Jacques replied in a deadpan expression, ''But I don't know why I was brought here or why fate decided I'd end up in Rio. It just sort of happened.'', Jacques answered bluntly, his tone becoming a bit more serious, ''To be completely honest, I think I'm just here to keep Jewel company. I don't know.'', he shrugged.

''I figured you're here just to annoy her.'', Bluey replied jovially, awkwardly half-chuckling, which was more like a half-assed chortle, or just an amused exhalation followed by dry, almost forced chuckling.

''That too.'', Jacques smiled, humouring Bluey for just a moment, before he grew a bit more serious by his standards, ''Well, I was found by them some time ago.'', Jacques' words caught Bluey's attention.

''You were found by the people from here? Where and why?'', Bluey asked, curiosity building up and up like a tower under construction for this peculiar conure. (I couldn't think of a rhyme or pun)

''I was found in a raid by some people waving around these big black sticks and they got us out of this smuggler's den.'', Jacques replied.

Bluey at least found a weird sort of relief by Jacques not knowing what a gun was (unless he was referring to a baton) which helped things make more sense. The confusion of these birds knowing all these human things despite being wild birds is most unpleasant for Bluey's little bird brain.

''You were captured by smugglers?'', Bluey responded, before growing a bit uneasy, ''Were you okay?''. Jacques paused for a moment, sensing something about Bluey and his tone of voice.

''I was okay.'', he softly replied, ''I was just captured by them one day.'', he went on, ''I had been wandering as per-usual, just like I have been for a long time.'', Bluey listened on intently, ''I usually went from place to place, helped by strangers and sympathetic humans. I spent time near them and somehow, I just… Started to understand them… I don't know how…'', Jacques trailed off a bit, before regaining a semblance of composure.

''Well, I began to see things differently. I wondered why I was in this situation. I wondered why I couldn't be like everybody else…'', Jacques sighed.

''I know how you feel… To just… Look at everyone else and just wish that you could be like them.'', Bluey shifted closer to Jacques, ''I would watch all the birds fly in the sky from the ground.'', Bluey gazed upwards, ''And I just wondered what it would be like to fly…'', Bluey sighed longingly.

''I can't fly either.'', Jacques admitted in a low and deflated tone, ''My wings are no good. They never developed properly.'', Jacques cringed as he awkwardly spread his wings out to show Bluey. They were limp and very weak looking and were shaking like someone with Parkinson's disease.

''I'm sorry for how I act. I just act like that because it's the only way I feel I can be.'', Bluey cocked his head in confusion.

''What do you mean by that?'', Bluey asked.

''I don't know, Bluey.'', Jacques answered

Bluey sighed. There was no real use trying to get any further. Maybe the dullness was getting to him, because today was just dullness. The whole awe of coming here was wearing off fast, and now he just wanted to go home.

''I guess you've rubbed off on me.'', Bluey chuckled, ''Wait, that came out wrong.'', Jacques chuckled in response.

''I sure have…'', Jacques shook his head a little, before pausing for a moment, ''Look, if you want an answer then I guess I'll just say that acting like this just feels natural to me. Like as if this is what I'm meant to be... Y'know?'', Jacques' answer was reasonably satisfactory for Bluey. It was likely about as good of an answer as he could possibly get, or at least for the time being.

''Hey, why don't you go and talk to Jewel? I'm sure she'll appreciate the company.'', Jacques was being fairly tongue-in-beak about this, but it was grounded by seriousness.

''I'm kinda nervous with her…'', Bluey sheepishly admitted. Jacques stared at him for a little bit, before a smile appeared on his face,

''You like her, don't you?'', Jacques nudged Bluey in jest. Bluey's facial feathers stood up in the equivalent of a blush as he sheepishly looked away. This all but confirmed Jacques' suspicions. Jacques chuckled a little, as Bluey bashfully excused himself and walked away as he retreated to his makeshift bed of sorts. With nothing better to do, Bluey simply laid down and rested, even though he was already well rested by most definitions.

It was only morning, but Bluey felt tired. Maybe the dullness really was getting to him. But soon enough this will all be over and he could return home and pretend like none of this ever happened. But he was going to have to make it through today...

And today was going to be a very long day.

Why did I get myself into this?


Wow, that was well worth the wait folks. Sure was.

I'm sorry for this chapter. Its very filler and inconsequential, but I wanted to capture this bore that Bluey himself is experiencing. The dialogue is pretty bad but I don't know what to do to improve it. Maybe I lost some of my "flair" of dubious existence, or I just suck at this style of conversation. I don't know.

I'm sure next chapter will be much better, as it takes place in a very important part of the story. I'm sure you'll know what it is.

EDIT NOTE (06/07/2022) I have tweaked through things as I usually do, and I am a lot more happy with the result. I find this to be the easiest way of going about things, as for some reason I find it hard to do so when reading through the actual word document after writing it all down. Sorry if this is an issue for anybody.

Until next time, goodbye.