Our New Life Together
Chapter 1: City Life
Greetings everyone. Been over a year now since my last story ended and I am back! After the successful reception The Rio The Darkness Remastered received, I wanted to do the same with my original story line. This is a remaster of The Last Blue Macaw's New Adventures Saga, but don't expect to see many original content rewritten. 90% of this is completely new and original. Enjoy chapter 1 and feedback is always appreciated.
Rio de Janeiro, a city filled with magic and samba. One of the most beautiful and lively places in the world. From the colorful lights at night to the amazing Carnival, Rio was far from quiet. But despite all of their amazing wonders, the city had something even more amazing, far more priceless than anyone dared to imagine.
It was home to the last blue macaws on Earth.
They had been targeted by many seeking to make a profit. Fortunately, with the help of new sanctuaries and protection, the last of their species were now free to reside within the jungle. For one blue macaw it had been quite the adventure. From leaving the cold Minnesota to the sunny Rio de Janeiro, every moment had become quite the adventure. But without it he never would have met the girl of his dreams.
Blu stood upon the highest tree in sight, a perfect view to observe the city of Rio de Janeiro. From this perspective, half of the city resided before him. In the quiet morning, the peaceful atmosphere finally allowed the blue macaw some alone time. During their adventures together, mostly on the ground, there had been little time to observe and appreciate the city. Against crazed cockatoos, idiotic smugglers, and avoiding certain death on multiple occasions, there was little time to stop and appreciate the smaller things.
Now in the jungle, there was plenty of time to learn more of Rio. Strange. In Minnesota, Blu had followed a routine every day. Wake up Linda, brush beak, eat breakfast, read with hot chocolate and cookies. Simple, but here in Rio, a whole new chapter opened up in his life. Blu no longer resided in the comfort of human enclosure. He moved into the jungle, a large wilderness he once swore to never go through, given the various risks involved. According to the books, that is. There was no denying how terrifying the thought of abandoning everything he knew prior to move here had been. Fortunately, he would not be alone in this new journey.
"Admiring the view?"
Blu almost jumped out of his feathers, swiftly turning around to meet the only other blue macaw in existence. Perched only a small distance away, the most beautiful bird appeared. Her light blue feathers shined in the morning sunlight, her turquoise eyes sparkling; all the while she held a small smile across her beak.
Jewel.
Blu nervously laughed as he rubbed one wing over his head, trying to muster a response that didn't make him look more of a fool than usual. For all his years of intelligence, social skills weren't the strongest of traits; given his lack of connection with other birds, save for those annoying geese. "You know, just approving the view from this position, assessing the distance and speed between here and the city. You know, for future planning."
Jewel briefly turned her head with confusion before chuckling in amusement. There was no denying their first impressions of each other didn't exactly leave a lasting imprint. Blu saw her as an angel, a beautiful creature with a fierce temper and untamed spirit. In turn, Jewel saw him as a clumsy and embarrassment to be with. A chain connected to their legs forced them as acquaintances, but in the small amount of time they shared between each other, they formed a friendship, learned to trust and come to admire the other, even during a few bumps along the way. In time, their friendship formed into love after Blu risked it all to be with her during their last adventure. Now with Jewel's wing healed and a new sanctuary set up to protect their species, their new life together officially began.
"Even after these past few weeks we've spent together, you're nerdy little words never stop amusing me, Blu," Jewel replied teasingly.
"Nothing I say makes any sense, right?" Blu joked, recalling a previous memory from their toucan friend.
"You said it, Bobo," Jewel agreed, approaching closer. Along the way, she noticed the small movements Blu gave off as he nervously shuffled backwards. Even after spending almost a month together in the aviary, it was no secret he still had many doubts and fears. She probably didn't help with their first meeting.
After all, she remembered the look of horror across his face as he pinned him under her foot. Avoiding Nigel's constant attacks and almost losing his head to a buzz saw didn't help in that regard. But that was the past now. A whole new chapter opened up in both of their lives and it was time to embrace it. Blu saved her life from the plane. Now it was her turn to save Blu from himself, no matter the cost.
"So, what shall we work on today?" Jewel offered. "Ready for some more flying lessons? Your balance is still off."
"My balance?" Blu questioned, almost insulted. "Based on my initial calculations, there is no possibility I haven't balanced my flight movements."
"Blu, you crashed and stumbled into our nest just last week."
"…I was…Having an off day."
Jewel rolled her eyes with amusement. "Sure…But if you want a chance of beating the Queen of the Sky, you're going to have to do better than that."
"Lovebirds!"
The blue macaws jumped at the unexpected voice, shifting awkwardly from their position. Jewel steadied herself with ease, but the less experienced Blu fell from the branch before clumsily pulling himself up. Their closest friends hovered midair, a canary with a bottle cap and a red-crested cardinal. Nico and Pedro, two of their closest friends who were one of the many birds responsible for their journey into love.
"Did we catch you in the middle of something?" Nico questioned.
"Yes!" the blue macaws exclaimed simultaneously.
Pedro flew in between the two, almost pushing them apart once more. "We were just cruising on through and saw our two favorite lovebirds chilling! What's going on?"
Blu cleared his throat. "We were having a discussion on the flight maneuvers and trying to calculate the trajectory of an average bird's flying speed."
The best friends exchanged jumbled looks, visible confusion filling their faces. In seconds, the duo burst into laughter from their blue macaw's method of speech. Never would they grow tired of hearing him speak. If only Rafael was here today.
Sensing Blu's uneasiness, Jewel took over. "If you guys don't mind, Blu and I are trying to enjoy a quiet morning together."
Nico paused to wipe a single tear of glee from his eye. "No sweat, baby bird. We'll be out of your feathers in a sec'. We just came by to tell Blu the good news."
Blu arched his head to one side. "Good news?"
"Oh yeah, it's Linda!" Pedro responded. "We were on our way back to the club and we stopped by to get some cherries for Nico. And we got to-"
"Hold up!" Nico butted in. "The cherries were for you!"
"They were not!"
"Were too!"
"Were not!"
"Were too!"
"Um, guys, Linda?" Blu interrupted softly while the two friends bickered.
Nico snapped back into reality. "Right. We were passing through and then we saw Linda and Túlio with a huge truck!"
"It was huge!" Pedro emphasized. "Anyway, that's not the point! Linda moved into that old store! They were calling some of those square page things."
Blu's beak almost dropped with excitement. Finally, it was official. During his adventures with Jewel while they were chained, Blu had remained oblivious to the growing relationship between Linda and Túlio. In almost the same amount of time, the two humans formed a close bond and were now a couple. Admittedly, Blu initially thought Túlio as a complete wild maniac, but his opinion changed after Jewel's recovery. Beneath that crazed exterior, Túlio held deep care to all birds in his aviary. Thanks to Túlio, Jewel's wing healed, and Blu would never forget that.
With Linda's citizenship now approved, this allowed her to be a permanent resident in Brazil. It was initially difficult to leave behind Minnesota but this was a new chapter in life for everyone. Alongside Túlio, the two now operated their respective businesses. Linda now managed her bookstore while Túlio continued his care for birds. Together, the two were also partners in the recently built Blu Bird Sanctuary, helping to protect endangered species from further poachers. Things were looking well.
"Linda," Blu sighed. "I can't believe it's finally happening! Isn't it exciting, Jewel?"
The free-spirited macaw didn't quite share his enthusiasm, sheepishly rubbing her foot against the side of her head. "Yeah. Exciting."
Blu remained oblivious to her disinterest, boosting with happiness. "I can't wait to visit and see all of my old things! You guys coming, too?"
Nico shrugged with doubt. "Not really our style."
"We're more into samba and partying," Pedro agreed.
"There'll be plenty of books on partying," Blu suggested in persuading the duo's reluctance. The best friends taught him a lot about Rio, samba and more much. This was his chance to return the favor. "And you get free hot chocolate and cookies!"
The previous disinterest changed immediately.
"We're there!"
"What time?"
"Noon," Blu answered. "Jewel and I will already be there when you arrive."
Finally deciding to speak up, Jewel stepped in. "Hold a minute. Blu, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable hanging around humans like that."
Blu's expression dropped with surprise. "But I thought-"
"Look, I know how much you care for Linda and I'm grateful for Túlio fixing my wing, but it's not something I want to get used to," Jewel explained with a small trace of hesitation in her voice. Admittedly, it pained her to say this and risk displeasing Blu, who slowly lowered his head with disappointment. "Don't let me stop you. You three go on ahead and I'll meet you back here later."
Blu fell silent but not out of sadness. He moved into deep thought, desperately trying to think of the right words to persuade her otherwise. No way was he going to sit back and let her stay in the jungle alone. Fortunately, fate seemed to find its way as Nico and Pedro did the speaking for him, jumping in his defense.
"Aw, come on, Jewel," Nico said in agreement. "You got to come! Can't let your love hawk down like that."
"Yeah, not like you're going alone!" Pedro agreed. "Me and Nico got your back!"
"That's reassuring," Jewel thought as her eyes rolled, recalling the last time they attempted to help that resulted in all their capture. But she knew their hearts were in the right place, as was Blu's. It wouldn't be the worst thing that ever happened to her. If she could tolerate being locked in that aviary for weeks, spending a couple of hours inside a bookstore wouldn't be the worst thing ever. "Well, looks like I'm outvoted."
"Alright!" Pedro boosted.
"Go Jewel!" Nico added.
Blu took her wing within his own, holding her caringly. "You'll love it, Jewel! I promise."
"You better hope so," Jewel teased and playfully nudged him.
Chuckling in a mixture of amusement and nervousness, Blu nodded. "It's going to be a great time."
In the meantime, Nico tipped his bottle cap in a farewell gesture. "We'll meet you lovebirds there."
Pedro held out two wingtips. "Peace out."
The two friends bid them farewell for now, flying away towards the city upon the horizon. Their small sizes made them appear as specs within seconds, disappearing into the horizon. With the blue macaws alone once more, their conversation continued in private.
"You won't regret it, Jewel," Blu reassured once more, forming a small smile across the edge of his beak. "It's going to be a great day."
…
As the morning passed and afternoon was fast approaching, the final preparations of the bookstore's business were approaching. Since reuniting with Blu after the night of Carnival, Linda made no plans to return back to the cold Minnesota. After forming a connection of her own to Túlio, many changes had begun during Jewel's recovery. With Túlio's help, they had established the recently built Blu Bird Sanctuary to protect blue macaws and other wildlife from further poaching in the future.
During this, Linda set up a new bookstore for her to continue running business and as a place of residence. Thanks to Túlio's known connections, it didn't take long to grant her a citizenship. Finally, the day Linda looked forward to had finally arrived. Today was the grand opening of their new bookstore. In a matter of days, Linda moved in and settled. There were plans for Túlio and Fernando to move in once everything was ready. After finding out Túlio literally resided within his aviary as a home, she insisted on offering him a place to sleep, and they compromised by opening the store relatively close towards his business. This way, he was close in preparation for an emergency.
Linda finished placing the last of her things on the shelf, pausing to wipe the sweat forming across her forehead. From the snowstorm Minnesota to the tropical Brazil, the rapid change of climate had taken so getting used to. She couldn't wait for the new air conditioning to be installed. The last thing needed was all of their customers melting from the heat. Túlio and Fernando had stepped outside to gather the last of her boxes from the moving truck, leaving her alone momentarily.
"I guess hot chocolate's off the menu from now on," Linda sighed. "At least until winter."
A familiar squawk broke her previous distractions, changing her exhaustion into excitement. Spinning around, her assumptions were proven true; her faithful companion perched on the stair's handrail. There he stood, smiling to see her after days apart. This was their first reunion since their departure at the Blu Bird Sanctuary.
"Blu!" Linda exclaimed with high enthusiasm.
"Hey Linda!" Blu returned the greeting, though he was aware there was no vocal communication between them. "It's good to see you-Waaa!"
Without warning, Linda scooped up her faithful companion into a tight hug. The powerful embrace temporarily blocked away Blu's breathing. "Linda…Choking…Me."
Sensing she was getting carried away, Linda loosened her grip and allowed Blu to perch on her arm. "Is Jewel here with you?"
At that moment, a higher pitched squawk echoed from nearby. Jewel stood further along the handrail, observing the two friends from a safe distance. Linda approached and held out her other arm. Instinctively, Jewel shifted away with caution. Understanding her free-spirited nature and unwilling to make her uncomfortable, Linda retreated for the time being. With a little coaxing, Jewel would soon warm up to her. 'All good things came with patience', as Linda's mother used to say.
"What do you think of the bookstore, Blu?" Linda asked as she allowed him to hop away and rejoin his mate. "Just like the old store, right?"
Blu nodded softly. From the second they entered he was impressed at the almost identical replica this bookstore had to the one back in Minnesota. From the stairways in the center to the desk near the door, every detail was exact. It was almost as if fate intended for them to move here.
The ringing of the doorbell caught their attention as the door opened and closed. The familiar hyperactive ornithologist Túlio entered, carrying a handful of boxes within his hands. With the boxes obstructing his view, he remained oblivious to the toy car nearby. He slipped unexpectedly, crashing down with a loud thud that followed.
"Túlio!" Linda called while running to assist him, pulling the three boxes of content away. "Are you okay?"
Túlio leaned up, briefly dazed from the impact. He readjusted his glasses, snapping back into his energetic character. "Never better! Ah! Blu and Jewel have come to visit! Excellent!"
Brushing out of the fallen contents, Túlio approached the blue macaws to check their health. Blu happily allowed the ornithologist to pet him, though was tempted to draw the line when his wings were pulled and examined. Fortunately, it soon came to pass as Túlio moved his attention towards Jewel, albeit with caution. The last time one of his doctors tried to examine her he got a face full of scratches.
"And how are you, Jewel?" Túlio inquired while holding out his hands. "May I have a look at your wing?"
Jewel was hesitant to do so but knew it was time to make an effort. She briefly turned towards Blu, locking eyes through their sideways vision. Slowly, she outstretched her right wing and allowed the bird doctor to inspect. He gently held her wing in one hand while stroking his finger along to inspect her bones. While there were still doubts in her mind, he was responsible for fixing her wing and offering solitude during her recovery. Allowing him to inspect her briefly wouldn't be the worst thing ever.
"Excellent, you have made a full recovery," Túlio praised. "As good as new."
Blu nudged her softly. "See? Not all humans are that bad."
"I guess you have a point. Almost," Jewel replied smiling.
"Now that you're both here, it's almost time for the grand opening!" Linda said excitedly, clasping both hands together to empathize her point.
Fernando added to her enthusiasm, pointing towards the outside. "I think they're already here, Linda."
All eyes darted towards the same direction, surprised to see a large crowd gathering outside the store. It didn't take long for word to spread of the new store on the street. Thanks to Túlio's sponsoring, many of Brazil's residents had come to learn of the blue macaw's endangerment. With the store named in honor of their species, this attracted more attention than expected.
Túlio rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't being decieved. "Meu Deus…"
Linda clapped her hands to break everyone's focus. She approached the front door, ready to flip the closed sign the opposite way. "Chop-chop, we have work to do. Livraria Blu…Is open for business."
…
Time passed as customers filled the bookstore, creating a busy atmosphere. With every customer that left, another seemed to follow in their wake. Linda, Túlio and Fernando worked tirelessly to accommodate everyone with Blu and Jewel helping out how they could. The presence of the blue macaw attracted most of the customer's attention, amazed to see such a rare species in sight. A one in a lifetime opportunity for everyone attending.
Fortunately, things were quieting down as the afternoon passed. This allowed Blu and Jewel some quiet time within the upstairs area. Blu offered a personal tour of his home, introducing each room and its importance. Jewel did her best to take interest, though most of this information was a mystery to her. Human accessories weren't exactly something she intended to learn willingly in the past.
"And this brings us to our own little bookstore!" Blu announced as they reached the smaller room upstairs.
"A bookstore within a bookstore?" Jewel questioned. "Sounds a little redundant."
Admittedly, he had no defence against her statement. Chuckling, Blu rubbed his wing over his head while looking around, trying to find something to help change the conversation. All the while Jewel felt a sense of amusement to see how easy it was to get him nervous. It was something she doubted would become humorless anytime soon.
"Hey, hey!"
"Party birds in the house!"
Blu silently thanked his stars for the timely convenience. From the open window in the corner, Nico and Pedro descended and landed on the same table. "Where have you guys been? I said noon."
"It is noon!" Pedro protested.
"It's two o'clock."
"Yeah, noon!"
Blu smacked one wing over his house, accepting defeat for now. "Never mind."
Jewel giggled lightheartedly, stepping forward to greet their friends. "Is Rafael not coming?"
"Can't, he got held up at home," Nico explained amusingly. "Eva grounded him again. Did you know he was out until six a.m?"
"Nico, we were with him," Pedro reminded him.
"Oh, yeah."
"Now, where are those party books at?"
Blu gestured towards one of the smaller shelves in the corner. "Right over there. Bottom row."
Without hesitation, the two friends shot off towards the corner of the room. With the blue macaws alone once more, Blu hoped to build up another conversation. Even after spending a week in the jungle with Jewel, building and holding conversation had proven more difficulty then he thought. Despite spending whole days together, Jewel mostly started each conversation and he just followed from there. Social skills weren't exactly one of his main strengths.
Noting this, Jewel cleared her throat. "So, was there anything you did for entertainment other than books?"
"There's the TV," Blu replied. "I learned a lot about the rainforests from documentaries on the discovery channel."
"Right," Jewel played along, completely oblivious to what he was trying to say. As she turned her head away, her eyes spotted something of interest nearby. "What's that?"
"What's what?" Blu inquired, following her as she hopped over from the table towards a stash of papers tucked in between one of the books. Recognizing his hand drawn work from afar, he quickly moved to intercept. "Jewel, wait!"
Still inexperienced, he was unable to catch up in time as Jewel tipped over the book and papers scattered across the ground. Blu recognized them as his calculated drawings in the past when he tried to teach himself to fly. Feeling embarrassed, he nervously tripped as Jewel inspected them.
Realizing what he intended to hide, Jewel smiled with glee. "Did you draw these?"
"Just tried to use basic mathematical probability to learn flight," Blu explained and followed with a small chuckle. "You know, fifteen years of nonflying does require some knowledge."
Jewel rolled her eyes lightheartedly. "You and your books, Blu. You never needed a piece of paper to say you could fly. It's always been inside of you. You always had that ability to coax it out. I just think you needed a little confidence."
"That's why I'm glad you came into my life, Jewel," Blu replied sincerely.
Partially surprised by his sudden honesty, Jewel raised a smile and leaned forward, pecking the side of his beak. "That's probably the sweetness thing you've said to me since the plane, Blu."
"AWWW!"
In the midst of their conversation, they almost forgot about Nico and Pedro mere feet away. The best friends momentarily paused during the blue macaw's conversation and couldn't avoid cooing with consideration. While Jewel paused to shoot them an annoyed glare, Blu blushed with minor embarrassment. This had been their second kiss since falling from the plane, something Blu wasn't quite used to.
Nevertheless, he meant what he said. Jewel was the final piece of the puzzle he needed to complete his life. With Linda he had friendship and comfort but not romance. Never in his fifteen years of life did he expect to find someone to care for, especially someone as opposite to him as Jewel. They shared almost nothing in common.
He was shy, she was confident. He valued safety, she took risks. But despite all their opposition, they worked so well. Maybe destiny had intended for them to be together for those reasons alone. This was a new chapter in their life together, a chance to start an amazing journey together. To learn from each other's flaws and build a perfect relationship.
This was their new life together.