Misguided Opinions

Winter's kiss had blanketed the reclusive town of Moose Lake on the very first day of the solstice, coating every exposed surface with a thin layer of fluffy, powdery snow. The human residents were not deterred in the least, suiting up with their beanies, scarves, and jackets, immune to the chilly air and even chillier breeze.

The blinding sun did manage to warm the air to a borderline cold fifty-five degrees, comfy enough for even the birds and squirrels to brave as they foraged. It is fair to say that they were better equipped to handle the uninviting northern climate than the humans, their bodies shrouded in either fuzzy fur or finely-arranged feathers.

Two sizable avian creatures dressed in bold black and brilliant white plumage, known as Canada Geese, chose to spend their day in Moose Lake and do what they did best: harass the local animal population.

They were the infamous bullies of the Minnesota community by the names Alice and Chloe, their near-elderly age hardly quelling their unorthodox manner of fun-seeking. The gray feathers on their heads and necks were obvious, but just the same, mischievous glints flashed in their eyes and professed that their youthful spirits were no less tempered.

They spiraled down out of the azure sky and landed heavily on a snow-encrusted bench, their webbed feet brushing off the substance and securing a good grip on the wood. But to them and them alone, this was no ordinary bench, for across the street from it lay the quaint facility known as Blue Macaw Books.

It was there that their prime target for annoying had lived for practically his entire life.

It had been closed down and left vacant for a few years, much to the dismay of Alice and Chloe. They were hardly classifiable as bright and could never figure out why.

But just one week prior, while they were on reconnaissance, the bookstore exploded with activity.

The blinds were lifted, the main window cleaned, and the veritable mats of dust removed and shooed outside. The sisterly Canada Geese swore that they spied the unmistakable navy body of Blu milling about with his human companions, and their eagerness to relive the good old days consumed them.

Nonetheless, they waited patiently for him and his posse to settle down; expecting that the perfect time to strike him with expertly-thrown snowballs could not be far off. From their slightly-distant perch, they could see their pseudo-friend Blu on the counter with his back to them, probably drinking hot cocoa from a cup.

Their vision was blurred due to their dawning nearsightedness, but they were sure it was him.

"He's been drinking that cocoa for a while, ya know. He'll have to come outside eventually and 'take care of business, if ya know what I mean.' "

"Definitely, Chloe. And when he does, we'll be ready to take him down with some fast-moving balls of justice!"

On cue, they leaned forwards and scooped up snow from the part of the bench where the humans sat, compacting and shaping it with their wings. Once they were made sufficiently dense, the geese tossed them up and caught them repeatedly in a sly manner, chuckling all the while.

Just then, Blu was released from the shop by his red-haired owner, and he proceeded to fly around to the rear of the bookstore. The geese froze and aimed carefully, planning to launch their makeshift mortars as soon as he reappeared.

"C'mon out Blu, we've got a surprise for you…" Alice whispered darkly.

His strongly-hued shape then turned the corner on foot three seconds later, and the geese fired. In parabolic arcs the snowballs traveled, arcing upwards and then plunging down towards the unsuspecting macaw.

Alice's missed by a few inches and landed to his left, while Chloe's hit the mark and dropped squarely onto his head. The macaw vanished as he was knocked down, becoming buried by the snow bank piled up against the side of Blue Macaw Books.

Only his head feathers and the tip of his tail were left sticking up, and the geese failed to hold back their laughter.

They jumped into the air and high-fived, honking nasally with such vigor that they nearly lost their balance.

"Yeah, way to go, Chloe! That was one sweet shot!"

"Thanks a bunch, sista! This girl hasn't lost her touch at all. No way!"

Intent on gloating about their victory and humiliating Blu further, they skimmed over the barren street and alighted on the hidden sidewalk. The macaw shifted and rose from its prison, shaking furiously and brushing the stubborn flakes from its plumage. It cursed under its breath and then raised its head up to gaze at the oversized visitors.

And that was when Alice and Chloe received the shock of their lives.

Now that the macaw was in focus, they realized it wasn't Blu at all they had attacked. The feathers were a stunning light blue, sprouting from a gracefully curved and plump body – especially in her stomach region.

A cute array of feathers emerged from the back of the macaw's head, wriggling about in the breeze. And to top it all off, a pair of icy blue irises stared at them that were distinctly different from Blu's hazel ones.

This was a female macaw, the geese realized, a unique specimen they had never laid eyes upon.

In a gruff voice stemming from her misfortune, the female macaw asked, "Can I help you? And was it one of you who hit me with snow?"

Ignoring the questions completely, Alice asked in astonishment, "Who… who and what are you?"

The strange female shivered and replied, "My name is Jewel. I am a Spix's Macaw from Brazil. I am-"

"Hey! I remember you, Alice and Chloe!" a masculine voice shouted.

They watched as the actual Blu swooped in next to Jewel and wrapped his wings around her defensively.

He narrowed his eyes as he said sharply, "Don't even think about picking on my Jewel! You can taunt me all you want, but messing with her is disrespect that I will not tolerate!"

"Wait a minute, these are the bullies you warned me about, Blu?" Jewel asked incredulously, locking eyes with him.

"You bet. They can't resist throwing snowballs at anyone and everyone they come across. They're both pests, and always have been."

Upon hearing the truth, Jewel whipped her head around and glared daggers at them.

"So you were the ones who decided to hit me a minute ago, weren't you? What's the big deal? I bet neither of you would like it one bit if I did the same thing!"

"Do you know what I would have done if you had hurt our-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down! We thought she was you, Blu. This is all a big misunderstanding!" Alice blurted out, cutting him off.

"Who exactly is she? Please explain so we can sort this crazy situation out, brotha," Chloe added urgently.

The irritated male loosened his grip on Jewel and folded his wings into their proper positions.

"This is Jewel, and she is my mate of five years. Long story short, we met in Rio for a… personal reason, and after going on an adventure that nearly proved fatal on more than one occasion, we fell in love with each other. And just so you know, she is pregnant with our first four children."

A wave of utter stupefaction passed over both their faces, their bodies going rigid. They looked back and forth between Blu and Jewel, barely making sense of the incredible news he had revealed to them.

They had imagined Blu, being the shy nerd bird that he was, to be forever confined to the bookstore as a domesticated pet.

And yet, everything he had just told them dashed their former predictions. Here was the once-flightless, introverted Blu, now the mate to a bird who was surprisingly attractive and the soon-to-be father of four baby macaws. No wonder Jewel's midsection appeared swollen, as if she had stuffed herself with more food than she could handle.

It was nearly too much knowledge for the geese to contain, and alien feelings that they had not detected for many years began to surface inside them: Regret, self-dissatisfaction, and a sense of worthlessness.

Their physical size was irrelevant, as they actually felt small and frail in comparison to him.

They had been ruffians since the day they were born, treating their numerous siblings badly and earning daily scolding from their parents. Even after they left the nest, their mean streaks continued into adulthood, still present in them to this very day.

They were bullies through and through, having done absolutely nothing with their lives but torment others. They never sought to make friends with anyone, let alone catch the eyes of any males and form steady relationships.

But what made them feel the worst and tied their stomachs into knots was that Blu had outclassed them in every way.

He was a pet in the beginning, but he had secured a wonderful future by way of his own courage and devotion. He was romantically bonded to the beautiful Jewel and had achieved the status of father to boot, a family he could love and cherish already on the way.

Only now did they realize how awful they had treated him in the past, and how misguided their opinions were about him.

For the first time since their hatching, their stony hearts cracked under the weight of the emotions that pounded away at them from the inside. The weight of the insults and hurtful words they had hurled at Blu over the years proved too much for them.

Their expressions turned gloomy, their bodies sagged, and they hung their heads in shame.

"Alice? Chloe? Hey, what's wrong?" Blu asked in a soft, concerned tone.

"Blu, we're sorry bro…" Chloe mumbled.

"We… we underestimated you. You've matured, found that special someone, and found love. But Chloe and I… we haven't found anything. We've wasted every single year of our lives, while you have made the best of yours…"

"We thought… you wouldn't amount to anything, but we were totally wrong. We owe you the most sincere apology, Blu."

Both geese looked up and held Blu's gaze, sadness splattered all over their faces.

"Actually, we owe you a million apologies, but will you… will you accept a huge one instead?"

Blu's breath was stolen from him, his compassionate heart melting as he absorbed their words. He had never liked them – showing a pronounced disdain for them is perhaps a smarter interpretation of his attitude – but he was being forced to reconsider.

There was no hint of deception in their admissions of guilt, only painful honesty.

Their numerous self-destructive claims and praise of his feats only bolstered their credibility that much more. They had metaphorically spilled their guts as to why as to why they were horrible birds, while at the same time pleading for Blu's forgiveness in the most direct manner possible.

His heart was stirred like a pot of warm honey, as he was nothing like Jewel – though it wasn't his intention to characterize her in a negative light. He was simply a kind and caring male by nature, while Jewel was more action-oriented, easily perturbed, and not one who forgave easily.

Weighing the pros and cons of accepting their apology versus denying it, he settled upon the only choice he was at liberty to make.

He took two resolute steps forward and inhaled a decent breath.

"Alice, Chloe, I am humbled by your confessions and the mettle it took for you to say them in the first place. And yes, I'll admit that you were my least favorite birds and I probably would have had a less-stressful time growing up if you two hadn't been around. But that's not what happened. The truth is, you could have reverted back to your ancient ways and bullied us as soon as you saw us, but you didn't. I, for one, can see that there is decency in your hearts. While only you can shape yourselves into more virtuous geese, I can at least help."

Blu put on a proud smile and added, "Alice, Chloe, I accept your apologies. Cross my heart and hope to die."

Blu carved an X shaped design in his chest feathers with a claw, right above the organ that pumped his blood.

Moved to happy tears, Chloe and Alice answered simultaneously, "Oh Blu… thank you so much. Thank you thank you thank you…"

Chloe picked Blu up with her grand wings and hugged him, smushing him into her firm, fluffy chest.

"You're... welcome. You know… it would… be nice… to breathe…"

"My bad…" She set him down in the snow, only for Alice to snatch him up.

"I was half expecting you to tell us to leave..."

"I didn't have it… in me. Alice… I need oxygen…"

"Oh darn it. Sorry..."

She lowered him back onto his own two feet, and he pulled a rush of icy Minnesota air into his empty lungs.

"It's alright. I'm fine... I think."

They shot him sheepish glances as he pressed down his disorderly feathers. Jewel hopped over to Blu and patted his back.

She then quipped, "You and Chloe are definitely sisters. You act so much alike."

"Yeah, but mostly everyone thinks we're just good friends. You know, cause of Chloe's accent."

"Girl, ain't nothin' wrong with my accent. Psssht."

Alice asked, "What should we do, Blu, now that we've settled our disputes?"

"I've always wanted to take a peek into the bookstore. But I don't think that red-haired lady would like us bein' in there. She might break out the broom…"

"No no no, Linda wouldn't do that. She loves all birds, but she happens to have a preference for macaws like me."

Blu grinned from cheek to cheek as Jewel put in, "Still thinking like a pet, huh?"

Blu's grin flipped into an unimpressed frown.

"Companion, honey. Companion."

Blu cleared his throat and continued, "Come with me to the door, and I'll get Linda's attention and ask if you can come inside. I doubt she'll say no, but you have to promise to be on your best behavior. Bringing a pair of geese in a bookstore is like sticking a bull in a china shop."

"I understand, Blu. I promise to be on my best behavior."

"Me too, you lucky guy," Chloe chimed.

"Good. Follow me."

Jewel, however, stayed behind and watched the trio of birds waddle amusingly around the corner and slip out of sight.

"Maybe this is the start of some new friendships for Blu and me…"

"Jewel, Linda's waiting for you! You gonna sit outside all day and freeze your tail feathers off?"

Blu's voice hollered from around that same corner.

"Coming, Blu!"

She sprang into the air and skimmed over to the entrance, flying just above the ground and throwing up swirls of snow as she plopped down next to Linda's feet and ambled over the threshold, Blu beaming at her while Alice and Chloe giddily surveyed the interior of the establishment.

Linda went to pet the geese, her hand reaching out fearlessly to stroke their necks.

The door clicked shut as Jewel made for Blu, but her movement was abruptly stopped as she felt a tug at the base of her tail. She whipped her head around and saw that it had been pinched between the door and its frame.

She huffed and squawked, "Linda, I'm stuck! My tail is caught, and I can't move!"

Blu's owner looked at jewel and saw her humorous predicament.

"Oh gosh! Sorry, Jewel! I'll be right there."

Linda strode over and opened the door, Jewel yanking her tail free in an irksome manner. The ends of once-curving plumes were crumpled and resulted in her whole tail looking tacky.

"Ugh, great. I don't think preening is gonna be able to fix that."

Blu hopped over to the site of the accident and examined her accessory more closely.

"Well, I think you're right. I bet you can repair them easier if you get them wet. Regardless, you're still the most beautiful bird in the world to me."

He pursed his beak and made a smooching sound.

"Oh stop it. You're making me blush, mister optimistic feathers."

"I know. It's because I love it when you do that."

He bobbed closer and enveloped her back with his right wing.

"C'mon Jewel, let's show our guests around upstairs."

"Fine by me."

Blu and Jewel jogged side-by-side to catch up with the geese, which were waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. The Spix's Macaws took point and climbed the steps on foot, Alice and Chloe trailing not too far behind as the staircase creaked under their mass.

Blu and Jewel reached the second floor well ahead of their comrades, making way for the tired, elderly geese as they surmounted the final step.

"Hoo boy, what a workout. I'm gettin' old…"

"You said it, Chloe. We were built for flying, not walking…"

"You need a minute, girls?" Blu asked.

"Not really. We're good. Lead the way, Blu," Chloe answered, gesturing with her wing.

"Alright then. Let's go check out my play room first. Just please, don't make fun of me for the kinds of toys I have in here. I may have played with them when I was a chick, but now I'm an adult."

Jewel walked alongside Blu down the hall, looking briefly at the two-tone birds a few seconds later. They were both wearing genial smiles on their black beaks, their elderly eyes glowing with delight.

She faced forwards and couldn't help but smiling herself, coming to a stop at the closed door in her path. As Blu lifted off and landed on the doorknob, she mused to herself one simple phrase.

Yep, I can see it now. By the end of the day, we're gonna be great friends for sure. All four of us.

Do I get bonus points for addressing this specific post-Rio plot? Huh huh, do I, do I? :P

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