Sophia lay on a branch, a pink trumpet flower sitting at her side. She picked it up, gazing at the vibrant petals. Johanna's territory was perhaps the only place she could get any privacy from Jespa. He despised the Blue-and-Gold tribe, and their leaders - she couldn't imagine why, for they were such a lovely community. He was on a warpath, and she needed some time alone without having to face him.

She felt sick. It wasn't necessarily a bad kind of sick - just a weird, wriggling feel in her stomach. Her heart was fluttering ten to the dozen, all because she couldn't get Roberto's face out of her mind. "Oh, what's the matter with me?" She groaned, putting the flower down. "I should be grieving. Instead I'm thinking about him. Some daughter I am. Four days since she died, and I'm not mourning."

Sophia rolled onto her stomach, one wing under her chin, the other hanging off the branch. Hadn't her heart learned it's lesson? After being broken so many times, it was pining again for some male? She scolded it. It should have learned by now that it wasn't worth it - why fall in love, when Jespa hated her to the ends of the Earth? She wanted a relationship with Roberto, but with Jespa around, that was impossible.

"I can't be in love." She grumbled, gazing at the flower. "I'm not in love."

"What's this about love?" Said a voice above. A pair of talons dropped before her face, and Sophia could tell by the colours of the feathers that it was the only hybrid macaw she knew.

"Oh, no." Sophia moaned, sitting up. "Vicky... how did you find me here?"

"My mate lives here." Victoria reminded her, and Sophia recalled the Blue-and-Gold macaw. The Catalina rested her chin on her wings. "I haven't seen you in almost a week. Where have you been? We've been worried."

"Oh, yeah. My psycho brother." Sophia muttered, remembering the disaster. "About that... I'm not sure when I'll next be singing. This is a bad time."

"Why's that?"

"It's just a hard time." Sophia said, quickly. She wasn't going to tell Victoria that her mother died. It was something she'd rather forget - if she told Vicky, she could guarantee that the next time she went to the club, everyone would be offering their sympathies, or a moment of silence would be held. Victoria, seeing how she didn't want to discuss it, sat down beside her.

"Alright. They'll understand." She assured her. "Now, what's this about love?"

"It's nothing -" Sophia tried to deny it.

"I know the look!" Victoria giggled, playfully, forgetting the 'bad time' stuff. "Darling, it's okay - you're in love! Why deny it to yourself? Anyone could see it." Her eyes lit up. "Let me guess. It's that Roberto, isn't it?"

"No..."

"Look at that smile!" Victoria teased. "Tell me - is he an 'absolute dream?' After you left after that, ahem, little scenario, we were asked if you two were an item. They were shocked when I told them no! The chemistry was sizzling."

"No, it's not... we're just friends..." Sophia tried to fight the grin.

"Let's go over the evidence. You're living together, you sang together, and your cheeks are pinker than a flamingo! Sophia, don't you think it's time you settled down with a wonderful guy? You're nineteen! You could have been a mother thirteen years ago." Victoria held her wings. "This is what life's all about. Finding that someone who makes you whole. Don't hesitate or feel bad - it's okay, you're in love!" Sophia stared at Victoria, hardly believing that they were having this conversation. But she couldn't deny it any longer.

"Alright. Maybe I am in love with Roberto." Sophia admitted.

"There you go then!" Victoria chortled. She plucked up the trumpet flower, sticking it into Sophia's wings. "Go for it, girl. I'd love to stay and do girl talk, but I'm having a chat with my sister-in-law. My guy thinks she's got a good voice, but he's having a hard time convincing her to sing." Victoria danced away. "See ya, Soph! I hope you enjoy the Festival of Stars later."

This last sentence killed Sophia's mood. "Yeah, sure... bye." I'll try to enjoy a festival about death. Especially four days after the death of my mother. Sophia sat back down, eyes on the flower. She tried to refocus on her romance dilemma.

It's okay, you're in love! Vicky's words echoed in her mind, and she realized the Catalina macaw was right. So what if she was faced with Jespa's meddling; everything was alright. Because I'm in love.

It was then that Sophia noticed how the sun was sinking further into the azure of the sky. Azure is such a beautiful shade of blue, she thought, admirably. The colour, however, was darkening. It wasn't far off nightfall, and the festival was bound to start soon. She should probably start heading back. As Sophia began the journey back, her mood sank again. I'll send Zenaida and Andre a lantern.

Meanwhile

"Who's idea was it to have a party after the lamps? I've forgotten." Roberto said, arranging the flowers - it had been his job to organize the floral decorations for the party. He paused, as his wingtips brushed a bromeliad. The magenta, orange and yellow plants had always captured his eye - bromeliads always stood out to him as one of the prettiest flowers.

"I think Jewel mentioned that it was her mother's idea. Tia, wasn't it?" Blu said, where he had woven a few passion flowers into some vines.

"Yes, Tia." Roberto confirmed. "She was just like Jewel - maybe less ferocious."

"Are you sure?" Chuckled Mimi, from where she was passing by, staggering under some decorative wreaths. "There's stories of Tia being quite the assassin in her younger days, and I have memories to prove it!" Roberto rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Yeah, it was Tia's suggestion - she thought that a party afterwards would signify the celebration of our loved ones' lives. As well as it being terrific fun. Hey, would you mind passing me that yellow flower?" Blu did as asked, with a smile, before running over to help Carlos and Manuela hang up a decorative vine. Roberto was so glad to see Blu fitting into tribelife, as well as becoming more comfortable around him and the other tribe members. After a couple of moments, Blu came back.

"I hate to ask, but... have you seen Jespa today? After his argument with Morgana, he vanished."

"I wouldn't know, Blu. He's quite nutty." Roberto then sighed. "Listen to me. I'm insulting what could possibly be my future brother-in-law..."

"Well, I think everyone agrees he's not quite right." Blu nodded.

"Not quite right?" Chirped a girl's voice. Looking up, the two males saw Bia swinging above, on a vine. "I was chatting with a few friends earlier. Based on what they described, I could possibly help diagnose what's wrong with Jespa."

"Ah, Bia, I don't think that's appropriate -"

"Au contraire, dad. Mental health issues are a very serious matter. Jespa displays several behavioural traits that could make him fit into several disease categories." Bia began listing off several theories. "If he hears voices and hallucinates like Sophia says, he could have a form of schizophrenia, but since he jumps between moods he could easily be bipolar. Another possibility, the exaggerated emotions -"

"Sis! I need help!" Sqeauled Carla, from where she trying to stop an unstable pile of lanterns from collapsing.

"Coming!" Bia replied, abandoning her diagnosing. Blu sighed.

"Sorry about that."

"Honestly, Blu, that girl is beyond intelligent." Roberto said, staring after Bia. "Considering her age!"

"She is quite the genius." Blu said, proudly. "She's an Isaac Newton in the making."

"Isaac Newton?" Roberto asked, puzzled.

"Isaac Newton was a physicist. He theorized gravity when an apple fell from a tree!" Bia answered, over her shoulder. Doesn't really answer my question...

"Isaac Newton was a human genius, from four to three hundred-odd years ago." Blu explained. "Very clever guy. Carla's mildly interested, Bia loves him, but Tiago thinks he's awfully boring." Roberto then murmured something under his breath. "Sorry?"

"I was saying... Isaac. It's a nice name." Roberto nodded to himself. Before they could speak further, Eduardo's booming voice rang out from an above tree.

"Nice work, everyone! This all looks fantastic!" Eduardo was right. Roberto had to admit, it did look incredible. There was a long stretch of pale sand-coloured ground, for both standing around talking, and for dancing for most of the tribe - one could dance on the ground or in the air. This dancefloor was surrounded by large trees, hung with braided vines and several wreaths, while flowers were arranged here and there. There would be singers from the tribe, including Carla and some friends of Roberto's. He usually sung, but he was giving it a miss this year. Sophia was in no mood to show off her skills to the tribe, with recent events. There were plenty of other events throughout the year when she would no longer be feeling the grief, as well as better times for Sophia to rebel against Jespa's wishes.

The volunteers dissipated, as did the rest of the tribe. Blu, Carla, Bia and Mimi headed up to Eduardo, and after a few moments, Tiago arrived with Jewel, who was carrying a few leaf lanterns hanging from a vine. They then headed up to the cliffs, with Jewel, Blu and the kids probably dedicating their lanterns to Tia. Eduardo and Mimi would too, as well as other ones they had lost.

The moon was rising, and the sky was deepening to a rich black. The stars shone down brightly; it was the perfect night for the Festival of Stars. Soon, the lamps would begin their journeys. They could released from anywhere of choice, although most macaws prefered to release them from the tops of their trees or from the top of the ravine cliffs. Roberto wanted this year to be different, however. He was going down onto the plunge pool. Maybe he could stand on a lilypad, or a rock.

"Roberto!" Gasped a voice. He turned, and his heart glowed as he spotted her. Sophia was hurrying into the ravine, looking flustered. "I'm not late, am I? Thank goodness."

"Where were you?" He asked, warmly. He was relieved to see that her cheeks were dry - since Zenaida had died, Sophia frequently returned with a damp, tear-stained face.

"Oh, I just ran into Vicky." She replied, with a smile, although there was no hiding the sadness. Tonight was going to be emotional, for her - and Roberto, too. He had lost his family from a young age, afterall. "Should we grab some flame, lamps and go to your tree? It's starting soon."

"Actually..." He said. "I'm releasing my lantern on the plunge pool. I'll probably be the only one, but... I want to do something different this year."

"On the plunge pool?" Sophia asked, in surprise. There was a slight pause, before she started to smile. "In that case, I can't leave you on your own, can I? I'll join you."

"Really? Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes. Besides..." She glanced to the right. "I don't feel safe on my own, on this emotional night." The protective instinct rose up inside Roberto, as he spotted a bitter-looking Jespa across the ravine. Jespa never sent up a lantern - he thought the whole idea was stupid. He had even once insulted Eduardo and Mimi's mother, Rosaline, since she had devised the idea. Rosaline wasn't alive to hear it, of course, but it was highly insensitive. He had branded it stupid, as well as macaw who came up with it - that remark had earned a slap from an angry Mimi.

"Yeah. I don't blame you." He muttered. He then shook his feathers. "Come on. Let's grab some lanterns and get to the plunge pool before it starts."