Hard Truths

"Useless Global Positioning System. I should have listened to Jewel about you." Blu muttered under his breath. He was currently hovering in the air just above the trees, using his talons to try and fix the tracking system.

Linda and Tulio had returned to Rio since their expedition was over (or at least until they decided to return). So he should be able to track them back there.

The decision to leave still weighed heavily on him, like a ball and chain was coiled around his foot . He wished for nothing more in the world than to go back home to his family. But this was his price to pay for their happiness.

Maybe at one point he was needed, a substitute to keep them happy until they found their real home. But that time has passed, and he was no longer needed.

"At the end of the road, perform a U-turn," the GPS said in its monotone voice.

"Why do you feel the need to mock me? I can't go back…" He shook his head. "Look at me, yelling at an emotionless machine. I really am useless." He shoved the device back in his fanny pack and zipped it up. "Guess I'll have to find my own way back, like a bird…"

"Blu!" A voice cried out. It was faint, like an echo in the wind.

"That voice?" He swiveled around towards the summoning of his name. Barely a speck on the sapphire horizon, was a very familiar bird. "Jewel?!" She was speeding towards him like an arrow.

"No, no, no, no, no! If she catches me now, that would just complicate matters." Without missing a heartbeat, he briefly tucked his wings away dove into the leafy sea of the tree top canopies. He didn't care which direction he took off in, so long as he could avoid her. "Dang it, Jewel. Before I was ready to say goodbye, but not now."

"Where are you going, Blu?" Her voice ached with agony.

Despite Blu's attempts to evade, she was gaining. Despite him having mastered the basics of flying in a short time, Jewel still had years of experience on him.

He weaved around a couple of trees, not even considering for a second of slowing down.

"Blu, please. Why are you running from me?" It filled her with uncertainty and pain to see her mate try so hard to escape her. This reckless behaviour was far from normal of the Blu she loves.

"Forget me, Jewel." He shot over his shoulder. Trying feebly to dissuade her pursuit. "Go home and forget I ever existed!"

This only flooded the distraught girl with a crashing wave of questions. "Forget him? What is he talking about?" "I don't understand. Please stop and talk to me, Blu!"

"And you won't." He cursed under his breath, her persistence was proving to be a problem. His only hope now was to fly down to the forest floor, where the thick undergrowth would obscure him. It was treacherous to fly in such conditions, but he didn't have a choice.

He soared closer and closer, until he was only a couple of feet from the rainforest floor. The twisted tree roots, mossy stones, and endless clusters of razor leaves formed a complex labyrinth of obstacles. It took all of his focus just to not crash. He weaved through the trees like a needle through fabric, until the voice got fainter like a fading memory.

He found a small opening in the forest, and He took a split-second glimpse to look behind him to truly see if he had lost her.

Thud! Snap!

He had collided into a smaller branch, snapping it off the tree. It was enough to send him hurtling into the ground. He rolled several times before stopping flat on his back. His fanny pack flung itself off and flopped onto the floor nearby. He was unscathed, but the tumble had left him dazed.

He was about to get up again when a black claw pressed itself heavily onto his chest.

He quickly refocused his eyes when he realised that Jewel's head now loomed over his. Her eyes glistened with tears like a witches' cauldron, brewing with a concoction of fear, torment and confusion.

"What's gotten into you, Blu?"

"Let go of me, Jewel." He tried lifting himself up, but Jewel's foot pushed harder into him.

"Not until you explain to me what's wrong." Her tone was harsher.

He stopped his futile attempts to escape. There was no way he was worming his way out of this one without hurting her, which he obviously did not want to do. He slowly sighed in defeat. "Okay... let me up, and I'll try to explain."

Jewel remained silent for a moment while she considered his request. Though she had him where she wanted, the fear of losing him still skulked deep in the back of her mind. "How do I know you won't just run away again?"

"I promise, I won't."

Again, she said nothing. Blu rarely promised, but when he did, he meant it. "Alright." She cautiously lifted up her foot and took a step back.

"Thank you." He got up, silently brushing the dirt and leaves out of his feathers.

"Now, care to explain what the hell you are doing?"

He looked away, ashamed and angry at himself. "I was leaving the sanctuary."

"What? Why?" She tried to get him to face her, but each time he would just look away.

"This isn't where I belong, Jewel, maybe for you, but not for deserve to be here, you of all birds deserve happiness. All I ever do is make those happy moments miserable."

"What? I don't understand, Blu, of course you belong." Her expressions kept flickering between bewilderment and sadness.

"I told myself you would not understand." He turned around again and took a few steps away. "Your father, and quote literally everyone else in his tribe, think otherwise. And- and they're right."

"They just don't know you the way that I do. They never gave you a chance."

He spun around. "They gave me a chance, Jewel. In fact, your father gave me the ultimate chance to prove myself and what did I do? I turned it around and backfired it into our own goal!"

"That wasn't your fault."

He twisted back to her. "How is it not my fault? Who else managed to score a nut into their own net?"

Jewel opened her mouth to say something. But no words sprang forth.

"Eduardo has shown me the useless jungle bird I am. He also agreed with me that this is the best course of action for me to take."

The mention of her father seeped anger inside of her. "Forget about my father. He's a stubborn moron. But, you would seriously abandon your own family?"

"Yes- I mean no." Now that she'd put it that way, it sounded far worse than it did before. This only added to his misery. "It's just, you deserve better than me, Jewel. You always have. You deserve someone like Roberto."

"Roberto?" She looked down for a second. "What does he have to do with any of this?"

"He has everything to do with this. I've seen the way you and the kids smile when he's around. I mean, even half an hour ago, I saw how the kids were playing and you were there, with your head on his chest. He's got everything one could ask for in a mate. He's handsome, hardworking, charismatic. He can easily light up a room with his annoying, incessant singing. Just look," He shoved his wings out, "he's best pals with you father. How is that not evidence enough that he's the one for you. I mean look at you; you're strong, beautiful, smart. You're the most amazing bird I've had the luck to meet. It's natural that you deserve the best."

Jewel was touched deeply by his words. He said them often, in his goofy lovable way, but to hear them come out with such honesty, just became reason hundred-and-one for her love for him.

Then he collapsed on the ground. The anger in his voice slipped away into sadness. "You and Roberto are perfect together. He's the final piece to your life's puzzle. I'm just some awkward puzzle piece from a completely different puzzle that weirdly fits in at an awkward angle. He's perfect, and I'm just...me." He stared into the sky, lost in all senses. His wings gave out, ready to accept whatever he deserves, whether that be good or bad.

Though the subject was still fragile, she couldn't help but tilt her head and crack the tiniest of smiles. She had figured out how to fix this broken soul. She ambled to his side, opened up her own beautiful wings, and let herself flop onto the bed of leaves. Her wing overlapped his.

He turned his baffled head towards her. "What are you doing?"

"Blu, do you know why I fell in love with you?"

"Probably has to do with the fact that I was the last male Spix Macaw alive...or at least was. There was also the fact we were chained together and some humans or birds can develop a case of Stockholm Syndrome… no-not to imply you have of course."

"For someone so intelligent, you can be really dense, Blu." She rolled her eyes, but still smiled. "No Blu, it was because you were the one to save me."

He sighed. His energy fled in the air of his exhales, leaving him feeling lost. "But what if it was Roberto in my position? Would you have swooned over him after him after he had rescued you from the fall?"

She shrugged, having almost expected that question."No, actually."

Blu was surprised by how casually and carefree she answered. He leaned up and stared at her.

"Had Roberto been in the same situation as you, I doubt I would still be alive today."

"I don't understand."

Jewel breathed happily. She finally had him wrapped around her feather. This time, it was him seeking the answers. "Blu, you see the world in a way no one else can. I mean, using that red bottle of foam and string to escape the cage, then later to get rid of Nigel? That was simply genius. There is no way Roberto would have ever thought of that."

"Are you saying you love me because of what I know?"

"Yes! And so much more." She sat up, and pushed herself onto him. Their chests met, their head inches apart.

Blu could feel his breathing intensify under his mate. He ushered himself under her presence.

"Roberto maybe all that you say he is, but if I was looking for those qualities in a mate, I would've married Pedro."

He choked his laughter. This was meant to be a serious conversation, a final farewell. Yet the longer he spent here with her, the closer he felt he was to giving up that notion…

"But Blu, I mean this in all seriousness. You're sweet, kind, intelligent. And they're just your obvious qualities. Yet it's those hidden features deep inside that drives me mad with love for you. The fact you were willing to change so much so that my father would appreciate you better."

"And look where that got me…"

"Will you just shut up for a second, you idiot?" she laughed.

Blu gladly did.

"You may have been raised as a companion by humans and taught in their ways, but that didn't stop you from trying to learn new things. I know for a fact my father or even Roberto would never change to accommodate other birds. But...that is where your most precious quality lies." She brought forward one of her talons and gently placed it on his heart. "Your selflessness. You risked everything just to spend a few more moments with me. I don't know anyone else who would do that for me."

"Well that's because I had nothing to lose."

Jewel's expression softened, and she briefly placed her beak on his cheek for a kiss.

"Do I need another reason to love you?"

Blu chuckled. "Perhaps not."

"Good. Do you promise never to run away like that again?"

"I...I promise."

She smiled again. "Just know that no matter what happens, no matter if the rest of the tribe or even the world hates you. Me and our kids will always love you. You will always be the father to our kids, and you'll always be my mate. Do you know why? Because we are…" She nodded her head encouragingly.

"Chained-to-each-other birds."

Silence descended on them for a second. Jewel took this as a sign to get off Blu, who then got up himself.

Jewel then sighed. though the main issue had been dealt with, there was still something she had to get off her chest. "Listen. I feel like I owe you an apology."

"For what? You haven't done me any wrongs...in fact, you've done the opposite."

"No, Blu, it isn't just about now. It's about the times before, up to when we first got here. I've been so thrilled about being here, so happy to reunite with my family, that I was ignorant to your suffering."

"You don't have to apologize for that."

"But I do. I've been taking you, and your love for granted. All this time, I thought you were just being weird. But you weren't. You were being bullied by my own father, and it took me almost losing you to realise that. But I promise no matter who or what, even if its my own father, I'll stick up for you. Now, can you forgive me?"

"Of course. I could never be mad at you. Well apart from that one time- I will be quiet before I ruin this beautiful and touching moment."

She rolled her eyes, and enveloped him with her wings and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Blu," she whispered.

He returned her love in equal measures. The duo hugged, and promised to never let go. No matter the situation, they will get through it together.

"While we are on the topic of apologies. I want to apologise for how selfish I have been. I was terrified of the idea that everyone wanted me gone, frightened that I was a hindrance. I let it ruin the precious moments we were having."

"Okay." she laughed, knowing full well this was to do with their conversation just after...the incident. "Now we're just getting silly. You weren't selfish, I was just wrong."

"But I was."

"No, you weren't." She reinforced. "You were scared of losing your family. That's different. You were willing to lose everything again, just so we could live on a little bit happier. Sure it may have been a tad extreme, but you did it with good intentions. My dad on the other wing wanted to get rid of you for being raised by humans, that's just wrong."

"Alright. You've made your point. But I also need to apologise-"

"No. No more apologies, please. Otherwise we'll be here forever. How about we just forgive and forget all other apologies and just love?"

"I would prefer that."

And so the two birds did, placing their beaks together to solidify their love.

"Good. Now with all that out of the way, can we please go back? I know some kids that are missing you dearly."

During all this, he hadn't forgotten the rest of his family. "I suppose I better find a way to make it up to them."

"You will in time, I'm sure. But for now, they just want you to come home."

"What about your father though? And if you're here, where are the kids?"

"Dad already knows how I feel about the subject... I also have a feeling Aunt Mimi has put in an extra word for me. As for our children, Roberto agreed to look after them while I found you…And don't worry, he knows already that he can't replace you."

Blu sighed relieved, much to her amusement.

"And what about the rest of the tribe?"

"We can fly over that river when we get there. For now, let's go home. Before I forget." She scrambled over to her mate's fanny pack laying on the floor. "Let's not forget this." She handed the pack back over to Blue, who held a strap in each wing.

He gazed over it for a moment, remembering it as a gift from Linda. It reminded him of simpler times with her, when counting marshmallows in hot chocolate was a humble pleasure and the radiator's heat would warm his frozen feathers in the long winter months. Then dropped it on the ground. Those memories felt a lifetime ago.

"Wait, Blu. What are you doing?"

"I don't need it anymore."

"Isn't that a gift from Linda though?"

"I'm sure she'll understand."

Jewel still couldn't figure out what he was thinking, and her expression showed it.

"I've decided there needs to be a line in my life between my human side and bird side."

"Blu, you know you don't have to change. I've already said I love you the way that you are."

"And I love you too. But I am not changing who I am, just my habits. From human to bird." He grabbed Jewel's wings. "I want to experience the freedom that you do. I want to know what it's like to be a bird and do bird things."

"Are you saying you're willing to give living here a chance?"

"Yes, for you and our family."

"What about Linda?"

"Linda will always be family as well. And when I go over there I'll do human things. You know, like a human-bird switch I install in myself."

Jewel laughed. "Alright. But… don't do this because you feel like you have to."

"I won't, I promise."

"You've made a lot of promises today, you sure you're alright?" she joked.

"I have had better moments, if I'm perfectly honest. Let's just say today's been a rollercoaster of emotions."

"What's a rollercoaster?"

"It's a human- oh never mind. Let's just say it's been emotionally draining, okay?"

"Got it. Let's go home."

Blu nodded. "Lead the wa-"

"Daaaaad!"