Finally, after all this time Jewel's wing had fully recovered and she was ready to return to the jungle…the real one. During the time she was confined at the aviary, she grew even closer to her clumsy Blu. The two had proven that despite their obvious differences, a healthy relationship could not only be sustained, but be allowed to flourish. Blu had changed too. He had warmed up considerably to the idea of living in the outside world. This was mostly due to what he experienced over the past few weeks. He had been reunited with his friends, made new ones, learned more about the one he cares for, and even helped his former owner find love. Most importantly, he was with Jewel. Even though they were "together", Blu couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable around her. Maybe it was the fact that she had nearly chocked the life out of him recently, or maybe it was that he still couldn't believe that a bird like her may actually want to be with him. Whatever the reason, Blu was a very socially awkward bird who had a hard enough time holding a normal conversation with a normal bird, never mind working things out with his possible future mate.
Those words scared Blu a little. Could it actually be possible for their relationship to continue that long? He and Jewel were so vastly different in so many ways, how could it be that they would be together for more than a few days after being released. Blu's fear was that once they were freed into the wild, what if he held Jewel back? What if they ran into a predator and something happened to Jewel because of his clumsiness?
"Maybe I should just go back to Minnesota." Blu thought in dismay, conjuring up even implausible options to ease his mind. But it did nothing to pacify him. These ideas tormented Blu. They thrashed viciously around in his head like a large bass brought onto the deck of a ship. The climate controlled room he was in became scorching hot. Sweat almost started beading down his head. His beak stung as if someone had just ran over it with a car. Blu couldn't take it anymore.
"J-Jewel?" Blu whispered as he nudged the most beautiful bird in the world.
Jewel stirred a little in her sleep, but still remained asleep.
"Jewel?" He repeated when he realized she wasn't conscious yet.
"Hmmm." Jewel hummed as she turned her head up to her lovehawk.
Blu felt his heart skip a beat as he looked into her beautiful, mesmerizing, turquoise eyes.
"What is it Blu? You look scared." Jewel asked concerned, seeing that Blu looked flushed.
"Oh, um it-it's nothing." Blu quickly lied from suddenly losing his courage.
Jewel wasn't going to let Blu go this time though. He needed a push, and that's exactly what she was going to do.
"Well you know Blu, I don't know if I said this before, but I really appreciate what you did for me back on the plane." She said adjusting herself into an upright position. Blu followed and stood in front of her. Jewel then took both of Blu's wings in hers and gazed intently into his eyes.
"That was the nicest, more courageous thing anyone had done for me." She finished, not losing eye contact with her lovehawk.
Blu swallowed hard and then closed his eyes for a moment.
"Y-you know Jewel…You never told me what you were going to say when we were outside Luiz's garage that day." Blu started.
Jewel smiled.
"I guess I thought maybe…" As Jewel said those four words Blu suddenly flashed back to the events outside Luiz's garage when he and Jewel had finally removed the chain. He saw Jewel looking into his eyes. The world was cold, but seeing her made Blu's heart burn with warmth. The flashback and current situation then merged as he heard Jewel finish her sentence.
"…you could come back to the jungle with me." Jewel concluded.
Blu's beak dropped.
"W-what? You wanted me to come with you? Didn't you think I was clumsily and awkward?"
Jewel chuckled.
"Oh Blu, of course I did. And that's exactly why I wanted to be with you. The whole time we have been together here, all the clumsly and awkward things you did made me like you more."
After Jewel finished, the two birds stared at each other. Warm smiles crept over the two birds' beaks.
"Ok, Blu. It's your turn. What were you going to say to me on the trolley before you choked?" Jewel inquired, starting to giggle as she remembered Blu gagging on a petal.
Blu's eyes widened, his pace quickened. This was his chance. This was it. Blu took a deep breath before returning his gaze into Jewel's eyes.
"I…I wanted to tell you how I felt about you. I wanted to tell you how beautiful you are. How I love how your feathers shine, and your eyes sparkle. I wanted to tell you how the sound of your voice melts my heart, and that just standing near you…it makes me feel complete."
Jewel started tearing up as she listened to Blu release his true feelings.
"But I lost that chance. And later when I was watching you fly in sky after we got rid of our chains, I…I realized that I tricked myself. I made myself think you liked me. How could you? You were finally free, and I would just slow you down." He admitted sorrowfully. A lump formed in his throat after he finished confessing some of his innermost feelings. He swallowed and forced the lump down, which caused a great deal of discomfort.
"Awww, Blu. After everything we went through, you still didn't know I wanted to be with you? You know that now, right?" She queried, a tear flowing down her cheek.
Blu blinked, which caused a small droplet to excrete from his eye, and prepared himself to say something he never expected to tell anyone.
"I want to make sure that confusion never happens again Jewel."
The onus was now on Blu. The future of their relationship rested squarely in his wings. Blu knew what he had to do. Jewel set up the conditions for it, but now Blu had to act. He sighed.
"So, no. I-I don't think that you want to be with me." Blu said with little infliction in his voice while looking down at his talons.
"B-But Blu…" Jewel managed to let out, winded by his words. She retracted her wing from his and looked at as if about to start bawling. Was Blu actually turning her down? Was he too afraid to be in the wild, or did he just find out that he really didn't care for her after all?
"Jewel, the truth is I don't think we belong together."
Emotional pain, indistinguishable from physical pain, shot through Jewel's chest. It was as if Blu had stabbed her with his words.
"B-But Bl-"
"Because I know we belong together." Blu shot out, quickly looking up into Jewel's eyes, unaware of her grief.
"B-because I-I"
"never be afraid to tell the ones you love how you feel"
Was this it? Would Blu finally fully confess his feeling for her? Jewel anxiously awaited his concluding statement.
"I Love you Jewel." Blu confessed, now completely losing control of his tears. Beads of water streamed down both macaws faces.
This had all happened so fast. But Jewel ignored her thoughts and listened to her heart.
"I Love you too Blu!" She ecstatically exclaimed.
Suddenly Blu felt warmth surrounding him as he was enveloped in Jewel's wings. Before Blu had a chance to collect what was going on, he felt Jewel push her beak into his. They had a passionate kiss for an undetermined amount of time. There really was no time now. The world stood still as the two lovebirds remained there, together, never to leave each other again. Why? Because they Loved one another. But this was not just any Love, it was the most powerful variation: True Love. And no amount of animosity or stress will ever break this binding force. While there are no longer being held together by any physical means, there is a much stronger force perpetually bonding them. Even though the chains that once held them by force by their talons were no longer physically present, they still exsited none the less. They intertwined the two macaws hearts together. These so vastly different avifauna were, are, and forever will be chained-to-each-other birds…together…
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…In Love
So then, comes the inevitable question: What is Love? If you were ask any given intelligent being, they would most likely respond with the stereotypical "wanting to give everything for another" or "the desire to have something or be with someone". But is that it? Can such a profound and powerful vehemence be summed up with such a complacent tone? The ancient Greeks had four tiers of love, and thus a clearer picture of what it is. They were στοργή (Fuzzy Affection), φιλία (Brotherly Love), ἔρως (Erotic Romance), and ἀγάπη (Unconditional Love). But even with this more diverse definition, the Greeks were no closer to understating what love truly is. The reason? Love has no definition. Love is by nature indescribable, it is unique for each who fully experiences this special emotion. Therefore, there is no reason for Love when it comes to the inexplicable bond between two. So if one were in love, they would be unable to find any reasons for being so. Love is more than the physical, and even more than the emotional. It is a unique and intangible experience. While there is no real definition for love (even though google may say otherwise) the best way to think of it is this: Love is not knowing why you are affectionate towards another or what motivates you to do so, but just enjoying the simplicity of being with the one you care for is enough to make life worthwhile.
That mi amigos, is my story. I hope you find hapiness as well, in whatever form it may come.
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THE END
There we go! Now What? Is finally finished! Yay! Well, unless you count the epilogue that is. That should be out by tomorrow. Some of you have asked me about a sequel. To answer that, yes there will be a sequel. I'm not sure if I want to start that first or make something else (still in Rio of course). Let me know what you thought of the conclusion in the reviews! I would like to thank ALL of you who have supported me on this journey, and I hope to hear from you amazing guys/gals in my upcoming stories. A special shout out to a few people:
Fanfiction Guy – Thanks man for being there since the beginning! I really appreciate your ideas, reviews, and continuous support and will still use what you wrote in the future too. I hope you check out my next story! Oh, and you were spot on with that phrase! ;)
Assassin's Creed Master – Hey, how's my fellow author doing? Thanks for all the reviews! Hope everything is well with your animation and current story. And thanks again for the cover art. :)
Rico the Black Hawk – Without you, I never would have been introduced to this place. So thank you so much for that Rico! When you write another story, I'll be there to support you along the way! You are an icon in the Rio community, so I hope you don't stop. I wish you well!
YootisPoshil – Thanks for your kind words Poshil! I look forward to your critique in the future, and wish you the best of luck in Alex's Rio awards!
And a VERY special thanks to everyone else who has been there for me on my first story, including bluecatcinema, Andres3es, RIO2lover100, Mikeshadows, Sky the Red-Bellied Macaw, Crexis The Purple Macaw, RobertElizabethPamClaire, DehAlligator, Xerion, Raymond Manzarek, FoxDemon1023, Dutchbluemacaw, Qoheleth, WM0135, mw3fan, BluMan, Cybroid, RioBluFan, and all of the great guest reviewers!
Well, that was a long Authors Note. To add an additional bit of excitement to the mix, I am now only 5 reviews away from my 100 goal! I may actually do it! XD
Anyway, you readers have been great! One last thanks for you all!
Until next time,
Egilmaster Out!