A/N at the end
As you know, I don't own any of these characters, the locations, events, ideas, occurrences, or anything else that may appear in both the movie RIO and my story; that is all the property of Blue Sky. Enjoy!
10. Decisions
A Damp, tropical darkness clung to the edges of the room as the clock on the wall ticked the minutes away. It was illuminated only by the dim glow from a lamp at the other side of the room. I stood near the edge of the triage table catching my breath, letting my wings hang in order to cool down. As my breathing slowed, my frustration grew. I was glad that the people had left the rehab center early tonight, but I had still managed to waste most of the evening in failed attempts and painful bruises.
I let out a sigh, grateful to be breathing normally again, at the very least I was getting a good, if painful, workout. I took a moment to straighten my feathers; they needed to be perfect if the science was going to work. As I preened my rather beaten feathers my mind wandered back to the events of the day. I tugged a feather too hard as I cringed, thinking about what a fool I had made of myself "helping" wrap Jewel's bandage, and it wasn't long before Raphael's advice began to work its way through my head. I inadvertently shook my head in disgust as Raphael's voice rang in my head. The toucan meant well, but I had trouble accepting what he said.
Jewel had kissed me for a reason, and both Raphael and I knew it wasn't because of my smooth actions and communication skills. However, our views differed sharply from there. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the warring thoughts in my head. I spread my wings preparing to try again.
Raphael seemed to believe that she had chosen me because I stayed with her. I couldn't accept that, not when we were literally chained together for the majority of the time and caged together for the rest of the time. Again I shook my head, demanding the mental debate to stop so I could concentrate. I adjusted my pinions, spread my tail, and shifted my weight from foot to foot in anticipation.
No, I couldn't accept a simple choice like that. Jewel had to think that I helped her in some way. In truth, I had, but not that much, she must have chosen me because I saved her. That was laughable, the number of times I had put her in danger far outweighed the one time I had actually saved her.
Giving up on damming the mental stream I let it flow and finished the thought. The reasons I chose Jewel are numerous but unimportant at this time; the reason Jewel chose me on the other hand is simple; she thinks I can protect and support her. Whether or not that is true, Raphael got another thing right; I need to keep trying.
Nodding to myself, confident in the conclusion, I made my final adjustments before launching myself off the table. This was the first step to becoming a bird that could support Jewel. I hadn't flown since the plane and now I was determined to do it again.
Still this was attempt seven now and I had yet to achieve the goal I had already reached once before. It was immeasurably frustrating that something I had already done before would be so difficult to accomplish again. I let out a frustrated cry before pushing that line of thought to the side as well. I glanced at the clock, quarter to midnight, one more try and then I needed to get some sleep. I took a deep breath and launched myself over the dimly lit floor. I immediately felt the air rush and begin to catch under my wings pushing me up. I was successfully gliding, but that wasn't my goal. With another deep breath I pushed my wings down ignoring the soreness that had developed from the bruises given to me by the floor.
I felt myself lift higher and hope began to rise in my heart. That was short lived however, and I quickly realized that I hadn't brought by wings back up. It was too late however; the floor and I became intimately acquainted with a thud for the eighth time this evening. With a new bruise already making itself known on my wing I decided that I had had enough for the night. Seven failed attempts and one clumsy trip over my own talons had left my body hurting enough.
By the time I had reached the aviary Jewel and I were staying in, I had become sore enough that moving quietly was going to be difficult and I really did not feel like waking Jewel and being grilled on my many injuries. In painful silence I forced my stiff legs and battered body up the peg stairs that wound their way around the fake tree Jewel and I had first talked in. With a quiet grunt I dug my beak into the trunk and pulled myself up to the branch where Jewel and I slept.
Not wanting to chance waking the blue macaw before me I decided to sleep at the base of the branch. I turned and tucked my head into my wing, eagerly letting sleep embrace me and lead me from the stiff exhaustion of my waking hours.
Sunlight washed over my beak as the bay doors opened slowly. The hum and sputter of the prop engines immediately filled the cargo bay deafening any other sound that might try to grab attention. Adrenaline was coursing through my feathers; I couldn't help but shiver in quiet excitement. I had just saved the day, me, a nerd bird from Minnesota, I had just rescued an entire group of birds using physics and ingenuity that would make MacGyver proud.
I surveyed the scene trying to hold my excitement as I watched the birds eagerly wait for the door to finish opening. Before I could relax in my success, I caught movement in the corner of my eye and turned to see the birdnappers trying to force the door to the cockpit open. Panic began to set in; we needed to get off this junk heap of a plane.
I jumped down to floor of the cargo bay and made my way to the back of the plane. Remembering a documentary I had watched on paratroopers, I motioned at the group of Birds.
"GO! GO! GO!" I shouted, urging my friends to get off the plane. The strong suggestion worked and I was instantly blinded by streaks of color and further deafened by shouts of joy as the tropical birds rushed past me and into freedom.
It was at this moment that I realized the flaw to my escape plan. My wings drooped and my smile fell as I realized that I was still on a plane, thousands of feet in the air, with no way off. It was a sobering realization, but another thought immediately replaced it. Jewel needed to get off the plane and leave. I turned to her just as she turned to me radiating pure joy that could only come from the taste of her freedom.
"Jewel I-"
"Come on! Come on, we need to get out!" she interrupted, grabbing my wing and yanking me towards the edge of the plane.
"Wait. Wait! WAIT!" I cried pulling back, slowing her rapid sprint towards the edge of my world. I pulled my wing out of her grasp, rubbing the pinions she had mercilessly pulled. She stopped a few feet away and gave me a questioning look. Quickly though, her demeanor sank as the realization hit her as well.
She broke eye contact with me briefly before turning back to me trying to think of something. She slowly began to walk towards me, away from her freedom.
"Umm, it's ok. Hey it's ok."
I took in her sight, realizing it might be the last time I would see her. Her eyes sparkled with worry drawing my thoughts to how perfect her name really fit her. She truly was a jewel in every way. The pink glow of the morning sun bathed her in a soft light and I was again mesmerized by her beauty. With a sense of sadness but a firm resolve I made my mind up that I would ensure she leaves.
"We'll figure this out together. Right?" she continued, trying to encourage me.
I was beginning to tell her to leave when her eyes widened in surprise. Before I could question it or even register that the look had been fear I felt a sudden force grab my neck and throw me to the ground. When my eyes opened but all I could see was a mass of dirty white feathers above me, the maniacal cackle told me that Nigel had finally gotten through the door.
"Let him Go!"
Suddenly my vision filled with a chaotic mass of white and blue as Jewel threw herself onto Nigel in an attempt to free me. The rescue was short lived however as Jewel was quickly thrown off Nigel and beyond my vision. I heard a faint thud followed by a jarring crash and a cry of pain.
"Jewel!" I cried, letting precious oxygen escape my throat as I craned to see what had happened to her. Despite my efforts, I only managed to see the cages before Nigel tightened his grip on my throat.
"M-My wing!" Jewel cried in obvious pain.
"Oh pity, now we have TWO useless, flightless birds." Nigel mocked in false concern tightening his grip on me even further.
My lungs were burning, begging for oxygen. My vision had begun to blur and fade. I was choking to death. Nigel began to laugh. My thoughts became erratic and unfocused. It was becoming impossible to think. Jewel. She came to mind. It wasn't some life saving moment of clarity, I couldn't suddenly focus, but I did want to try one last time.
Darkness enveloped my senses. I knew my eyes were open but I couldn't see. Still my thoughts stayed on Jewel. I had to think of something. Then beneath Nigel's laughs and the hum of the plane, I heard it. The subtle hiss of the extinguisher I had used earlier.
In one final effort I groped for the sound hoping against hope to find it. I did. The bungee cord. I pulled with all my might, had I been able to breath I would have grunted. I clipped the hook on what I could only hope was the white cockatoo's leg. The dizzy, light feeling that followed was suddenly relieved when a little air trickled into my lungs.
Nigel had loosened his grip in surprise. Without thinking I groped for the pin of the extinguisher. Again luck was kind to me and I found it. My vision had begun to return and I vaguely saw the look of confusion on Nigel's face. I knew I must have succeeded.
"Not cool, man. Not Cool." I choked out despite my throats protests.
I pulled the pin.
The weight on my chest and neck immediately eased and I gasped for air grateful to be alive. I coughed a couple times and slowly stood up. My neck felt raw but I couldn't find anything truly wrong with it. I turned looking for Jewel.
My gaze however, fell onto the feathers that appeared behind the plane. I could only assume that the extinguisher had propelled the twisted cockatoo out the back of the plane. Satisfied that he was no longer a threat, at least for the time being, I took a deep breath refocusing myself on finding and caring for Jewel.
The entire room suddenly shifted as the plane took a sharp bank. What was happening? I lost my balance and rolled towards the side of the cargo bay.
"Blu!" I heard Jewel scream. I whipped around to see her sliding towards the edge of the ramp.
Without a second thought, I launched myself after her determined to keep her from falling.
I reached desperately for her but she was to far ahead and silently slipped off the ramp, falling towards earth.
"No! No!" I cried pitifully grasping at the air she had just occupied, her form already beginning to blend with ocean below her.
I gasped as darkness surrounded me. I was breathing heavily and the heat in the room was downright oppressive. The inky darkness slowly faded as my eyes adjusted. I was back in the aviary. Stiff pain returned to my joints, reminding me of my actions earlier in the evening.
I sat, staring in the darkness for a long minute, catching my breath. The dream was haunting my thoughts and I instinctively gripped the branch, digging my talons into the wood. My thoughts assaulted my consciousness, paralyzing me in fear and dread. I had done everything, worked so hard, and still, still, I had lost her. I had done so much, but I failed in the moment she needed me most.
I sucked in a raspy breath and forced away the offending thoughts. My mind had done the job though; I hesitantly turned to my side, expecting the empty branch.
I sighed in relief when I saw Jewel's sleeping form a foot further down the branch. Still my mind reeled with painful thoughts and my sigh of relief quickly turned into quiet sobs as I broke down.
The tears began to flow, dropping silently to the floor several feet below. I couldn't shake the dream. My mind taunted me with the cold facts. If I couldn't protect her, help her, or even fly with her, then I was surely going to lose her.
I'm not sure how long the quiet sobs shook me, but those simple realizations had rooted themselves in my mind and dominated my focus. My feathers were getting soaked, but I didn't care, couldn't care.
My eyes opened briefly in surprise when she quietly embraced me. Even as her wings wrapped around me in the darkness, I couldn't hold back the sobs and shudders of my break down. It was several minutes and a soaked bandage later before I could choke out a few words to the Jewel of my life.
"I- I just don't wa- can't lose you." I sputtered regaining a little composure and glancing toward her. I began to continue, but she cut me off.
"I'm here, Blu, I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere." She softly said
I began to retort, hoping to explain the pitiful state I was in, but she tightened her good wing around me and had to choke back a few more tears. We embraced each other for several minutes while my mind emptied itself of its worry.
Jewel stifled a yawn and at her queue, I let go and let her go back to sleep. I could see the thin red light of the rising sun as it began its slow job piercing the darkness of the Brazilian jungle that surrounded the aviary. My eyes grew heavy and I found myself ready to sleep again, peacefully this time.
The wind whipped my feathers in every direction, threatening to throw me off-balance. But I stood, frozen at the edge of my life, staring into horrible choice. I could find Linda, forget this ordeal and move on; or I could throw myself to the wind and spend a few more seconds with Jewel. Before I could even process the two choices, I found myself stepping off the ramp.
The point where I became weightless seemed like a good enough time as any to let my life flash before my eyes. I could see my earliest memory, the fall I had taken all those years ago. Before my life vision could continue though, I snapped my eyes open, remembering why I had left the platform in the first place.
I immediately wished I had kept my eyes closed. Fear gripped my stomach, turning it and making me feel heavier. The ocean was rushing towards me far faster than I would like. Still, through all of this, I was gaining rapidly on Jewel, a little too rapidly in fact.
I tried to slow myself down but the awkward appendages I called wings did little to slow me. With far more force than I intended, I slammed into Jewel, grabbed her and held on.
"Blu, you're crazy! What are you doing?" she yelled at me through the deafening wind, a look of shock adorning her face.
"I'm not going to let you go! We're Chained-to-each-other birds, remember?" I yelled back as I tried not to panic, our situation finally sinking in.
In my mental panic, I couldn't help but pause and realize how cliché and unoriginal my words had just been. We were going to die and the last words Jewel was going to hear would consist of a lame pun and dialogue that could be used in a kid's movie.
My thoughts were interrupted when the unexpected happened.
Jewel kissed me.
A/N: Well here it is, another chapter. I can honestly tell you that I have been swamped with work and school. To be honest, those are my first priorities. Schoolwork and real bird rehabilitation comes before my writing. Thanks for being patient; even through this, I hope to finish my story before the one year mark, but I cannot promise it.
About the story: I am coming close to the conclusion as you probably guessed, we are one or two chapters away from the end now and I couldn't be happy. Not just to see it done, but to know how much I have learned from all of this, whether it's writing practice or the experience I gained from my research for this, I know that I have learned a lot from this endeavor. See you soon, I hope.