Chapter 7:

The Truth Is Revealed!

Jewel flew through the sky at a break neck pace. Her wings spread far apart, catching the breeze which continued to push her body forward. Without a word, she peered down at the jungle far below. An endless sea of black spread to the far north and south, she knew from experience that these were nothing more than trees untouched by any light upon the moonless night. She stared past them and focused more upon the reddish glow erupting from up ahead. Jewel found herself eerily alert as she swept over that one particular area. Her bones seemed to freeze at the sight.

"Lava...?" She said fearfully, "Did they really pass through this way?"

Jewel lowered herself to the ground and placed a wing over her heart. She did this upon several occasions to feel the emotions within her heart. Blu never seemed to surprise her. One moment he proved to be this timid creature, the next he was a fun loving adventurer, then there were those times he seemed to be serious about everything. Jewel smiled as she nodded her head. There were so many different sides within her husband, some of them she knew full well she would never see.

"I hope the two of you are safe," She frowned, lifting herself from off the ground. "I'm coming to find you!"

# # #

Rose shuddered as she placed a wing upon one of the statues. The cold clamminess of the rock sent a fearful chill down her spine. The statue appeared so life like. He was a spix macaw, the markings on his feathers, and charcoaled beak easily revealed that fact. He stood a little taller than her, its eyes stared out eternally forward. A look of fear engraved on its face. Rose turned her eyes and stared at the item held in his possession... a single spherical run with a crescent moon on its face.

Beside the statue a small engraving sat. She bent over and studied the Portuguese writing for a moment. She translated it as she read aloud.

"The moon, I longed to see, shall never again be known. This temple passage is mine to guard. This rune, my only friend..."

Rose wiped a tear from her eye. Despite the creature only being a statue, she could feel his loneliness and despair.

"Poor bird," She sighed.

"Hey, Rose!" Blu called out, "Are you read to continue onwards?"

Rose nodded her head, fluttering over to her father's side. She opened her book and read the next passage of the riddle aloud.

"You are there you're not quite done.

Find the one who holds the sun.

Follow his impressive gaze.

That's the puzzle through the maze."

Jollo shook his head as he thought about the answer for a moment. He didn't speak his mind, though he knew full well the two macaws were watching his every move. It was obvious they didn't trust him.

"Do you got any ideas?" Blu asked after a couple of minutes of awkward silence. "Care to explain yourself, big guy?"

"Jollo knows nothing about this puzzle. You two are on your own this time around... yes."

Rose nodded her head. She thought about it for a moment and snapped her wing like a pair of fingers.

"I got it!" She laughed, "I studied one of the statues. He was holding a rune stone with a crescent moon on it."

"Yeah and...?" Blu arched a curious brow. He thought about it for a moment, coming to the conclusion but he wanted to see how his daughter was thinking about the situation.

"If I'm right, every statue is holding a rune stone. We have got to find the one statue with the symbol of the sun."

Blu's eyes widened as he forced a confident smile.

"Well," he said, "Let's check out these statues."

The three birds spread out and searched each of the stone macaws. They nodded taking note of the symbol of the stone in their possession. After a couple of moments, they returned to discuss their findings.

"Jollo found two birds with a crescent moon, and two birds with a shooting star. Both are spread on opposite sides. Such strange craftsmanship in Jollo's opinion."

Blu nodded his agreement. "I found two birds with a sun symbol and one with a water symbol."

"Two sun symbols?" Rose repeated, she sighed outwards. "That's not good, how do we know which one is the right one to follow?"

"Patience..." Blu said in a comforting voice. "The answer will be in the riddle. But for now let's take a look at the two statues."

Both statues were incredibly different. One was a muscular, confident bird. He peered out towards the jungle to the North. His chest puffed out as if he was trying to impress a girl. Rose shuddered at the sight.

"I really hate these statues." She mumbled, "Why do they have to be so life like?"

"Probably because each one of these birds were at one point real living creatures." Blu explained, "They probably used models or something to work off of."

"Jollo doubts this," the pale macaw shook his head, "They must have just been masters in the art... or they messed with the wrong protective god."

Rose fluttered over to the other statue. She studied the monument for a moment, noting the details. It was a fearful timid creature, his wings clung tightly together, carved feathers had been crafted at his feet. His eyes seemed unusually wide, as if something had scared him. In every other way though, he looked exactly like Blu.

"Look at this, Dad." She beckoned her father over. "Look at the resemblance. It's uncanny. It's almost like you have become a statue."

Blu eyed the master craftsmanship for a moment. He shook his head a little taken aback by the likeness.

"Well... there goes my one of a kind status."

"Please," Rose giggled, "You gave that up when you decided to have kids."

"True," Blu smiled, "Well which one should we follow?"

Rose thought about it for a moment. In both ways the statues were impressive. "If I had to guess, I would say lets follow your look alike."

"Are you sure?" Blu asked, "What happens if we're wrong?"

"You're not wrong, my dear." Jollo smiled confidently, "It said follow his impressive gaze. Being impressive is showing your feelings, not bottling it up like the other bird."

"I agree," Blu swallowed a large lump in his throat. Uneasily all three birds continued forward, heading south, the way Blu's look alike pointed with his eyes.

The jungle seemed unusually dense. The darkness surround Blu like a suffocating blanket. He held his good wing close, and shuddered as he followed his daughter. He swallowed a lump in his throat, listening to the sounds of the forest.

Crickets chirped, frogs croaked, and there was the occasional sound that he couldn't identify. He peered backwards.

"What was that?" He asked, "It sounded like a growling noise."

"It's probably just a sloth," Rose explained, "They aren't harmful, as long as you don't provoke them into attacking."

Blu nodded his head, he huddled his good wing close to his body and peered up at the tree tops. He could see movement through the blackness of tree tops. Eyes glowed a soft red in colour, Blu shuddered and held his daughter tightly.

"Something is watching us?" He whispered, "a lot of somethings are watching us."

Rose took a glance upwards and nodded her agreement. "Let's just keep going, do not make any sudden movements."

Blu continued forward.

"That definitely sounds like a good plan."

# # #

The breeze greeted the trio of birds as they stepped out into a small clearing. Letting out a rather pleased sigh of relief, Blu grinned as he eyed his surroundings. They stood on another sacred plot, with a temple towering above them. Large vines climbed up the ancient bricks. Yellowish flowers grew from twisted and tattered bulbs. A sweet smelling honey scent filtered the air, flowing through Blu's nostrils.

Blu waded through a small stream, and stared up at the structure. He couldn't peel his eyes away from it. He swallowed as he focused at something near the peek. A single red flower surrounded by several jagged thorns. The vines grew around the flower, like a protective shield. The plant itself shuddered in the breeze, giving off the false impression that it was almost a living, breathing creature.

Blu stared in awe. Tears formed in his eyes. He looked down at his injured wing, the useless wing that kept him grounded. Now he was looking at the one thing capable of fixing the tendons, and making him whole once again.

"It's beautiful," he gasped, "I've never seen anything like it before."

"This my friend, is the Blood Orchid," Jollo explained, "Now all you need do, is go up and grab it."

Blu took a quick glimpse at his daughter who shook her head. He remembered her warning about the Papapichu bush. It was one of the most dangerous and poisonous plants, especially when it came to birds.

"I think before anyone goes up there, we should make a plan." Rose countered the albino macaw's suggestion. "There is no sense in anyone getting injured."

"No one will get injured," Jollo sighed, rolling his eyes. "Now go and get the flower."

Blu shook his head and seated himself on the grass.

"No, I agree with Rose. We definitely should come up with some sort of plan."

"What ignorance," Jollo growled, "You're both idiots and buffoons. It's a flower... go up and grab it."

Rose's eyes slit into dangerous pools of vengeful fury. She slammed her talon along the ground. She glared out at the albino macaw.

"Why are you so dead set on getting my father to go up and get this flower?" She asked, "If you're so impatient why don't you go up and get it?"

"Because the flower oozes and flows into the blood stream. You're father is the only one it will have an effect on. We'd just be wasting the most valuable medical discovery if I went up there."

"How do you know no one will get hurt?" Rose asked, "I've heard the Papapichu bush is poisonous."

Jollo shrugged his wings. He backed away from the advancing female. His eyes darted wildly, his voice trembled.

"I...I...I... don't know." He said, "I always thought the orchid grew on a different plant."

"Really?" Rose queried, she was going to say something else but was cut off by Jollo who grabbed her by the neck.

"I've had quite enough of this," Jollo growled, "I gift wrapped you a cure for your wing... and you decide not to use it. Fool!"

Blu held up his good wing, and frowned. He stared at his daughter who couldn't break free from the albino's firm grip.

"Now, if you want your daughter back, I suggest you go up and get that orchid. It would be a shame if something were to... happen to her"

"Like what?" Blu asked, "What could you possibly do to her?"

"I don't know," Jollo grinned, "She's a little young to be my mate... but I'm sure you're wife would fit the bill quite nicely... especially if I comfort her during the untimely demise of both you and her."

Blu nodded his head.

"I guess I have no choice in the matter."

"Now you're making sense," Jollo smiled, "I really hate having to use my talons. They are so uncivilized."

"But..." Blu countered, "If I go up there, you must come with me."

"Agreed," Jollo nodded, "But one bit of funny business and sweet little Rose will fall to her untimely demise."

Blu climbed to the top of the pyramid. He peered back to see Jollo land right behind him. Blu worked his way to the plant. His broken wing trembled as he gripped the orchid.

"That wasn't so bad," He thought, turning to pull his wing back out. He winced as he felt the thorns jab into his feathery skin.

The next couple of moments seemed to be nothing more than agonising pain. His body burned as he slouched over. His body twisted as he fell to the stone roofing.

"Finally," Jollo sighed, "Blu is out of the way! That lovely little flower of a girl is mine forever."

SQUAWK!

Jollo cringed at the ear deafening screech splitting through the air. He swung his wing releasing Rose from his grip. It was too late for Rose to scamper away, when her mother came in for a landing.

Jewel's eyes widened as she spotted the limp figure of Blu. His breathing stalled, his limbs not moving, or even twitching. She walked over to him, laying her head down beside him. She cried for a moment, wrapping his body with her wings.

"Blu..." She cried, "You promised me you'd come back to me. I love you!"

She kissed him passionately on the cheek. Her eyes glared at the albino macaw, he beak twisted into the angry snarl of a predator. Her wings spread wide as she lowered herself to pounce. She never moved her eyes off of Jollo, nor the unmoving figure that was her husband.

"What did you do to him!" She hissed, "Why is he not moving?"
Jollo shrugged his wings. He laughed and bowed respectfully to the female. "It is the property of the orchid. It removes the impurities of the body."

"Impurities?" Jewel echoed, "Why don't you explain yourself in a straight forward answer, before I decide to claw your eyes out."

"The poison of the orchid... it removes the nutrition of the brain which destroys the full potential of a bird like Blu."

"Destroys the full potential?" Jewel arched a curious brow. "Blu has as much potential as everyone else."

Jollo cackled as he explained himself more clearly than the previous two times. He raised his wing pointing to Blu for added emphasis.

"The orchid clears the mind and puts it into an eternal sleep. It removes all the doubts, all the sorrow, all the fear, and all of the pain which clouds the minds of most creatures."

Jewel lowered her head and shed a single tear.

"Why would you do this?" She asked, "He has never done anything to you!"

Jollo nodded his head. He spread his wings and looked into the sapphire eyes of the female macaws.

"Sometimes casualties need to be taken. If one is to get what he desires."

Jewel's eyes widened as she remembered the conversation that day. She fell to the roofing and wept openly.

"You killed my husband, so you could have me as your mate!"

"Yes," Jollo acknowledged. "But there is so much more to it than that."

"Like what?" Jewel asked, "What possible reason could there be to explain your actions?"

Jollo paced back and forth, he eyed the unmoving figure of Blu. He smiled and turned back to the girl.

"Revenge," Jollo smiled, "You see, you and me go back a long way, Jewel! Don't you remember me?"

Jewel shook her head. "No, I don't remember."

"Than let me explain it to you. I'm sure that in time you will see things through Jollo's eyes."

# # #

Jewel had earned the title of a fearsome predator. After the loss of her family, she hunted down and sought revenge against several creatures. Jewel smiled to herself, coming in for a soft landing upon a tree just south of Rio city.

It had been a busy day. With spreading the fear into the heart of at least one creature, she cackled to herself, laying herself upon the branch. She admired the setting sun. At one time in her life, the sunset had provided her a sense of peace and comfort. Now it stood only as a reminder of the thing she lost.

She wiped a tear from her eye. The memory of the day human's took everything away from her, still hung fresh in her memory. She shook her head, recalling every moment of the incident... her mother awakening her, the sound of chainsaws, the tilting of the tree, the sudden cracking of the wood, the margay's hungry growls.

"I'll never forgive them for what they did." She scowled, "I'll find those margays if it's the last thing I do."

One day, Jewel had received an interesting lead. Taking to the sky, Jewel entered the remnants of an old run down samba club.

The female macaw arched a curious eyebrow as she studied her surroundings. Birds talked amongst themselves. No one paid her any attention as she walked past them, her talons clicking across the steel grating floor. She smiled and seated herself upon a piece of wood.

"So what'll it be, dollface?" A rather chubby toucan asked.

Jewel dismissed him with a wave of her wing. She didn't bother filling her body with unnecessary drinks or other beverages.

"You know, when you ignore a question... a bird might take that as an insult."

Jewel rolled her eyes and turned to the source of the voice, surprised to find a large blue male macaw standing before her. He arched a curious eyebrow and formed a splendid smile.

"Well... I never expected to find someone as beautiful as you here." The bird grinned, "What are you doing here?"

Jewel spit with disgust and turned away from the macaw.

"It's not your business, now go away." She scoffed, "I am here because I want to be, understood?"

"Perfect as the twinkle in your eye," The macaw grinned. "My name is Jollo. What's yours?"

"That's a need to know basis." Jewel said, showing very little flattery towards the male. "And right now I don't think you need to know."

"Wow, aren't you a feisty one," Jollo admitted, "But I certainly do like a challenge."

Jewel arched a curious eyebrow. Her attention drew back towards the macaw. She formed a sly smile.

"I'm listening, what kind of challenge?"

"You know..." Jollo shrugged, "Getting a girl like you to love a guy like me..."

Jewel once again spit with disgust. Her eyes hardened as she peered into the macaw's soft hazel eyes.

"If that's the best you can do, you're not worth my time."

"Oh but there's more..." Jollo grinned, "A lot more..."

Jewel nodded her head. "Yeah, I know. First you're going to try and get me to like you, then you'll want me to have kids. Listen, its been fun but I am-"

"Have you ever heard of Primeo Bi Mortalis?" Jollo asked.

Jewel shook her head. She eyed Jollo for a moment, before taking the time to respond with words.

"No, why should I have?"

"It's the secret of the Brazilian jungle." Jollo explained, "It can only ever be found every fifteen years."

"Yeah," Jewel forced a smile. "And what does this have to do with me?"

"I will bring you back one of the many flowers." Jollo explained, "It is supposed to be one of the sweetest smelling flowers in all of the world. If I bring you back one of the flowers, you must promise you'll give me a chance relationship wise."

Jewel nodded her head, rolling her eyes.

"Fine, you bring me one of the flowers of the Primeo whatever... and I will give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of a relationship with me."

Jewel's eyes widened in horror as the story came to a close. Her wing instinctively went to her slack-jawed beak. She couldn't remember a single moment of that entire event. But she couldn't remember much of her life before she ever met Blu.

Jollo frowned and continued onwards.

Jollo exclaimed wickedly as he climbed to the top of the temple... exhausted, hungry, and thirsty after the hard day of adventuring. He collapsed onto the cold stone roofing. He breathed inwards, struggling to catch his breath.

"I made it," He chuckled to himself. "That girl, that lovely Jewel... she will be all mine."

Jollo jumped to his feet, reaching a wing for the nearest yellow flower. He failed to see the thorn. He arched his wing in pain as the burning sensation began to course through his veins. He fell to his knees in agonising pain.

"I can't..." he struggled to speak, "I can't..."

The burning sensation continued to course through his being. His eyes growing bloodshot, changing from hazel to a harsh amber. His feathers drained of colour, as he struggled to his feet. Upwards, the pain kept climbing... until it entered into his brain.

Jewel stood horrified at what she was listening too. The albino macaw was a deformed creature, and fault pointed solely at her alone.

"I'm sorry," She sighed, "I never wanted any of this to happen."

"I know exactly what you wanted." Jollo grinned, "Jollo knows, well Jollo knew. Before he remained here..."

"Remained here?" Jewel asked, clinging her wings around Blu. She sobbed as she held her head against his.

"Yes," Jollo nodded, "Poison is only deadly the year the flower blooms, any other time it simply throws the body into shock and add deformities. I couldn't let the world see me this way. Not until the year the flower bloomed once again."

He studied his wings for a couple of moments.

"When the flower bloomed again, I came looking for you... I never expected you to be married and have children."

Jewel eyed her husband. She continued to sob. She held him tighter, clinging to him for dear life.

"Then it hit me... I could use the flower to get rid of him, and start my life with you. My plan was flawless."

"Until now!" Blu said, rising to his feet. He spread his now fully healed wing. The medical properties of the orchid had done exactly what Jollo had promised.

"But how?" Jollo asked, eyeing the male macaw, his courage quickly deserting him. "You got hit with a thorn! You should have taken a huge dose of poison."

Blu cocked his head and straightened out his neck. He shuffled his feathers and flapped his wings.

"I've been a pet for fifteen years." He explained, "Life in a birdcage can be pretty miserable if you don't learn how to adapt to not jabbing yourself with sharp objects."

"But you collapsed!" Jollo questioned, "I saw you stop breathing!"

"Hey," Blu shrugged, and winked at Jewel. "I learned how to play dead from the master."

"Well now you are dead!" Jollo growled, throwing himself at the macaw. He held Blu's neck tight with his talon.

"You should have let Jewel come with me, Blu..." Jollo growled. "But you're just a stupid flightless bird!"

While Jollo was preoccupied with crushing Blu's throat. The blue macaw reached for a small thorn, careful to not job himself with it. In a speedy movement, he stabbed it into Jollow's wing. The albino macaw struggled to move as he felt the familiar burning sensation.

"Wrong!" Blu laughed, "Because of you, I can fly again!"

With those last words, Blu kicked his feet up, throwing Jollo backwards. He stumbled at the edge. He frowned as he peered back at Jewel.

"I love you..." he sighed, "good bye."

Jollo fell backwards, meeting his end in the clearing below.

Blu felt his feathery neck and sighed. Silently rising to his feet, he peered at Jewel who still had tears in her eyes.

"I don't remember any part of his story," She said, shedding tears. "Do you really think all of this was my fault?"

"No," Blu shook his head. "I wouldn't blame any of this on you. You didn't do anything wrong. You have a history, but everybody does... what Jollo did he did out of greed."

"But he was affected by the poi-"

"No," Rose shook her head, "He originally came to the orchid out of greed. He did it to impress you. That's the simplest explanation you need."

Jewel nodded her head, and eyed the rising sun. She forced a smile and spread her wings.

"You're right," She laughed, "Come on let's go home."

"I'll race you!" Blu winked at his daughter, "After all we still got more flying lessons to do."

Rose nodded and spread her wings. She took to the sky- never looking back at the temple or at her parents who followed behind her.

# # #

The autumn was drawing to a close. Jewel laid in the private nesting chamber. Cradling her recently laid egg in her wings. She could hear Rose, and the boys flying through the sky. Their laughter filled her full of delight.

"Hey!" Blu smiled, "How are you feeling?"

Jewel lowered her head, and kissed the egg. It wiggled in her wings, as the baby inside kicked at the shell.

"I'm doing okay," she smiled. "How's Rose's flying lessons going?"

"She's learned everything she could from me," Blu explained, "Now she just has to practice... she's a real smart one."

Jewel nodded her head, her smile deepened.

"She's just like her father."