Juicy Fruit
A Fan Fict
By Juicy (Lloydapt)
Introduction
In the lives of Rio de Janeiro’s creatures, many a bird had heard about the story of Blu and Jewel, two blue macaws’s who were raising a wonderful family of hatchlings amongst the tropics. What not many of the birds knew much about, were the trusty companions that accompanied the couple along in their journey. Pedro and Nico, left out of the spotlights of the journey. This canary and cardinal weren’t picky about spotlight, but this particular left-out had certainly been bothering them as the days went along, hanging around the family of macaws. Soon, the two stopped visiting, and went back to their life of music and singing, soon leaving the memories behind to make room for more. Thanks to a little canary called Rhapsody, she tends make a twist in Pedro and Nico’s lives.
Chapter 1
The sky was painted tainted blacks and blues of night and highlighted with the pinks and purples of morning. A white glow hazed up from the city of Rio de Janeiro. The sun was rising, giving out a welcoming morning for its residence of the land. As the city’s lights began to shut off at the peak of morning, the sky rang out with morning calls. One might think phone calls from the richer part of Rio, but these songs came from the throats of many glorious and spirited tropical birds. Ranging from small humming birds, to stunning colored macaws.
As the sun continued to peek out from under the horizon, those of the non nocturnal birds started awakening from their sleep, and zooming about the boundaries of Rio, weightless as they were. Down at the Impanema beach, busy workers stood behind the counters of their fruit stands, selling fruit to passing people. Atop one of these open air fruit stands, a small, female orange canary perched on the edge of a cloth canopy that made up part of the stand’s top. This young lady’s name was Rhapsody, but was always called Juicy. Why? She preferred eating bits of any fruit than the insects that the resources provided. Most of the bird’s here thought it was odd, so they nicknamed her Juicy since her new name described the kind of fruit she ate.
The female’s large blue eyes scanned the area, her head turning to the side in small jerks to get a better viewing angle of the people who scurried down the sidewalks. Raising an eyebrow and glancing over her shoulders, she walked up backwards to the very edge of the cloth canopy, and fell backwards on purpose, spreading her small wings and elevating in the air just in time. Seeing the stand’s owner had fled for a break, she swooped onto the counter and tucked her wings, browsing the various fruit’s, wondering what her breakfast should be. She tapped her chin with a feather quietly, eyes searching the variety. Tucking her wing back, she hopped onto a stack of boxes, descending them like a staircase, and hopping over to a pile of amora, she stood on top of the delicate pile of raspberries, glancing over them.
Puffing her feathers and jumping back in surprise for a split second, Juicy saw a human walk in. “Hey! Shoo! Jà foi!” The man yelled, thrusting his hands at the canary. Gripping an amora berry with her feet, she quickly rose into the air and darted over the counter, making a smooth swoop upwards and landing on the edge of the cloth roof again, one foot resting on top of her berry. Smiling to herself and feeling accomplished, she bent her head down to neatly bite parts of the berry off, holding it steady with one foot as she stood on the other. “Hey Juice!” a bird called from behind her. The canary narrowed her eyes in mid-bite, and then turned her head around with a normal expression, only to see the red-shouldered macaw she knew so well. “Oh, hey Amira! Long time no talk! Where have you been hide ‘in, bird?” she asked coolly, spreading her wings out beside her slowly and nodding, in a gesture. Amira shrugged her shoulders, giving the tiny bird a slanted smile. “Bah, here, there, everywhere. Just thought I’d explore Rio~” she cooed, re-tucking her wings comfortably.
Juicy nodded understandingly. “Ah, I see. You should have just came to find me- I know this place like the back of my wing.” She said, holding her wing out in front of her and nodding to the back of the feathers on the tips of her wings, indicating her *hand*. Amira shrugged once more. “Oh well. It was still fun, but I didn’t get to see all of it. Believe it or not, I actually live over in the richer city across from here, the other side of the gulf. I still haven’t explored these streets yet.” Juicy blinked and smirked, taking her foot off her berry, forgetting about it. “Well, I could show you around, if you want. We can go all the way from here, Impanema, to up to the trolleys. “She said, smiling and looking up towards the trolleys that moved from the center of the town, to the top of a narrow mountain. Amira smiled and nodded. “Oh yea, perfect! Let’s go!”
Juicy grinned and swooped off the cloth of the market, flying across the street and landing on the sidewalk on the other side. Over here were more, larger open-air fruit stands. Nearing the outlet of stands, the two birds dodged the feet of busy workers who were helping stock up their fruit from various cargo trucks. “Lets see…there should be a shortcut to the trolley around here some- Ah!” she said, hopping in the direction of a small alley between two fruit stands. “Through here, and the other side is at the trolleys.” Juicy said, walking with ease through the space, and moving towards the exit. Amira, following her canary friend quietly, had to narrow her body and turn her head sideways to fit through the tight squeeze. Popping out of the other side, and tripped over her feet and flattened out on the concrete when she busted out of the squeeze. Juicy smiled and hopped over to her, standing on her head, looking ahead. “Now, this trolley should take us to the food outlets down town.” Amira rolled her eyes. “Oh boy…” she said sarcastically, and stood up, her friend still standing on her head. As the macaw flew up to perch on the trolley’s top, Juicy hopped down and was jerked around a bit as the trolley lurched forward into a roll, soon becoming smooth. Juicy let out a relaxed sigh and laid down on her back, putting her hands behind her head, crossing an ankle over her knee. “Now we are at the mercy of the flow.” She said, closing her eyes with a smile and rocking her propped foot to a little tune in her head. Amira blinked and snuggled down, watching around as the trolley took them around. She sighed, looking back at her relaxed friend, then forward again, observing the new views of the tall buildings.
The trolley lurched to a jerking stop, pushing the canary out of her trance. Juicy opened her eyes and stood up, standing beside Amira. Amira, having been standing up for a while, glanced down at her friend. “Here we are~ Now, if I can just find that fruit stand…” Juicy muttered, and flew down from the top of the trolley, Amira slowly following in long, graceful strokes.
As both the birds landed on the sidewalk, they walked through a maze of tables and chairs, dodging the feet of people entering and exiting the restaurants. Juicy, following her sense of direction, soon hovered across the street and walked down the sidewalk, glancing around for the fruit stand. Turning her head to the side at just the right time, and spotted her destination. Amira walked up beside her, looking around at the truck backing up to the market, its load full of green coconuts. As the macaw and her canary friend walked over to the truck, they slowly looked around, soon stopping to take in the view. “Hmm…the next shortcut should be ri-“
Juicy was cut off as she tripped over something- or, rather, someone. Her face flattening on the sidewalk, she lifted her head up, the feathers on her head that made up a neat tuft of hair, ruffled. Giving her head a shake, she quickly stood up and fixed her hair, then turned around to see who she had ran into. To her surprise, it was another canary, much like her, only yellow feathers.
“Oh, sorry. I’m clumsy.” Juicy said calmly, narrowing her eyes and giving a friendly smile towards the canary as he got up to look at who had ran over him. “Its cool, chick!” the canary said, grinning and nodding. “You must have hit the jackpot, bro! She looks just like you!” the other bird said, who was standing next to the male canary. This bird was a plump cardinal, seeming rather close to the canary. The yellow bird smiled, glancing over at his friend, then to Juicy. Raising an eyebrow, Juicy remained silent as she observed the male from a distance. It was true- he did seem to match her, except that he was yellow and was wearing a soda cap on his head.
Amira blinked and walked up beside her friend, looking at the other bird and his companion. “Do you two know each other?” Amira asked quietly, bending her head down to Juicy’s ear, not taking her eyes off the pair in front of them. Juicy shook her head silently, taking a step forward towards the yellow bird. “I’m Juicy,” she said, tipping her head to the canary, smirking calmly. The male responded, bending forward and holding his wings out to the side, tipping his bottle cap. “My pleasure; I’m Nico. So, what are hot wings like you two doing around here?” Nico asked, raising an eye brow to match his twin’s expression. Juicy smiled, nodding her head to Amira. “Just giving my friend here a tour of Janeiro. Maybe you’d like to join us?” she asked, holding a wing out to the side, smiling confidently at Nico and his cardinal friend.
Nico’s eyes widened and his body stiffened, looking over at Pedro, blinking. “Baby got beak!” Pedro whispered loudly as he leaned in to Nico’s ear. Nico chuckled quietly and turned back to Juicy. “Sure thing! Pedro and I are always up for a bit of entertaining!” Nico said, hopping forward to stand beside Juicy.
Amira smilied shyly, glancing at Juicy, the feather’s on her neck stretching out a bit. Juicy grinned at Nico and turned around, walking with him. “Great! I plan to take Amira up on the trolley and-“ Nico interrupted her, but was kind about it. “Wait a minute chickadee! How about a quick stop real fast, to get that spirit going?” He asked, grinning happily and standing in front of her, hopping around like he needed to let a load of energy burst. Pedro smirked, also standing in front of Juicy. “Oh yea, come on girl! We gotta introduce you to some…*friends* of ours!” he said, laughing and glancing over to the side at Nico, Nico replying the same way. Amira tilted her head to the side, but went along with it, wondering of these strangers were just nut-jobs that liked to pick on others, or if they were going to do something amazing. Juicy smiled slightly, shrugging. “Oh, sure.” She said, following the peppy companions.
The club was made of the cloth material used for the tops of those fruit stands on the side of Impanema, but the two females could barely tell since it the room was full of multiple colored lights, birds dancing all around them- on boxes, in front of the stage, in a large crowd. Nico smiled and hovered in front of Juicy and Amira as they stopped just inside the door way of the club. “What do you think?” he asked, grinning, watching Pedro zoom over to the stage to get the crowds’ attention. Juicy’s jaw dropped as her eyes widened, looking around at the wonderful place, music booming as birds made the beat by banging on some metal cans. Amira was the same way, bobbing her head lightly to the beat, smiling.
“It’s wonderful!” Juicy said, hopping along to the beat, smiling and closing her eyes and swaying along with the beat, her body moving gracefully as her wings swerved around her as she twisted her body in a fluid motion. Nico grinned and fluttered over to the stage, calling out to the crowd. “Alright guys, listen up! I have a few special guests with me tonight, and lets show them some love because I don’t think they’ve been around here much~” Nico said, giving a sincere smirk over to Pedro, pointing at him. Amira and Juicy looked up at each other, surprised. Pedro nodded and hovered over the large crowd of birds, a spotlight shooting over to him as he flew. “Ya’ll ya’ll ya’ll! I want you to put your wings together and clap ‘em real loud! Flap ‘em, clap ‘em, I don’t care slap ‘em!” He said, and let out a call as he flew over the crowd once in a loop, then plummeted back to the stage. Nico hovered on the stage, and flew over in front of his new canary friend, holding a wing out. “Let’s see what you got, little chick!” Nico said, smiling.
Juicy blinked and glanced up at Amira, who shrugged and nodded encouragingly. Juicy smiled and reached out to grab Nico’s hand, feeling like a little electricity shocked between them as their hand touched. Juicy knew it was nothing, but it still felt…different. Juicy fluttered beside Nico as both of them planted themselves on opposite sides of the stage. The birds beating on the cans picked up a soft and catchy beat, and the spotlights turned to Nico and Juicy. “Let me take you to Rio, Rio, fly over the ocean like an eagle, eagle, and we can chill in my gazebo, gazebo, oh oh oh!” Juicy sang out in a clear and beautiful voice, swerving her body as she danced down the stage, meeting Nico in the center, locking hands with him. Both canaries were grinning the whole time as Juicy sang whatever came to her head, amidst a dance. “Le-let me take you Rio, rio- fly over the ocean like an eagle, eagle, and we can chill in my gazebo, gazebo-“ Juicy sang out again, holding her wings to the side, gesturing to the cool club that seemed like a big party gazebo. Nico locked one hand with Juicy’s and twirled her outwards, stepping forward to catch her close to the ground, then quickly straightened up with her, twirling her once more and stepping to the side in a graceful dance, as he too now sung. “Shake it up past, wind down slow now~ Just work your body girl!” he sang out, twirling Juicy out once more before they locked hands, facing each other, and they both pushed their feet of the ground, shooting up in the air. Unlocking their hands, they both performed one big loop in the air before meeting each other in the middle again, and landing on the stage floor, the dance and song ending with Nico holding Juicy over the ground, staring at her with the happiest grin, Juicy returning it. They paused there as the crowd cheered and clapped loudly. They were both tired and wore out from the performance, their chests heaving in heavy breaths, in which they regained. Nico stood up and helped Juicy stand up, and they stood beside each other, giving a great bow to the audience.
Amira grinned at her friend and Nico, wondering if this moment of performance would affect their feelings for each other. Juicy, after jabbering with Nico on the stage about how good his was, she fluttered over to Amira, landing in front of her happily. “You two had fun up there, eh?” Amira asked, smiling and smirking down at Juicy. Juicy rolled her eyes. “Ohh yeah~ like dancing with my match would change anything~” she said sarcastically, and turning around to look around for Nico and Pedro.
Nico and Pedro flew over to the ladies, landing in front of them, smiling. “You two were like fire and ice up there, yo!” Pedro said, shaking on Nico’s shoulder, and grinning over at Juicy. Both canary’s smiled and had a good laugh, along with Amira.
Chapter 2
As the band of birds hopped down the sidewalk, Amira and Pedro kept going on about how great Juicy and Nico had been on stage.
“You guys were on fire up there!” Amira squawked, grinning and bumping the two small birds with her wing. Pedro nodded and gave an opened-mouthed grin. “Yea, you were up on the stage dancing with a hot wing, phew! I wanna be like you, bro!” Pedro said, hovering in front of Nico for a few seconds before joined Amira, walking beside her and listening to the two talk. Juicy smiled and took in the praise that the two companions gave out, and soon they all grew quiet as Juicy led them down the sidewalk, forgetting where she was going. “So, Juicy, where were you going to take your friend again?” Nico asked, hopping up beside Juicy. The orange bird looked at Nico, and then to the ground in thought. “Well, we were going to take the trolleys up to that mountain pillar, but the shortcut was back at those fruit stands. I’m not sure which way to go now.” Nico raised an eyebrow, tapping his chin, looking around. “Hm…to the pillar you say….ay’, Pedro! Girly wants to take the trolleys up to Louise’s!”
Pedro bounced a few times, smirking. “Oh really?” he said. Juicy tilted her head and looked back at Pedro. Nico smiled and nodded, and looked back at Juicy happily.
“Pedro and I know the way- it’s the hill Luiz's Garage is on, right?”
“Luiz?” Amira and Juicy said at the same time, glancing at Nico and Pedro.
Pedro’s jaw dropped.
“You don’t know Luiz, foo’?” Pedro asked, flying in front of the ladies.
Both of them shook their head.
“Well then, let’s go!” Nico piped up, and he and Pedro flew ahead.
Juicy and Amira glanced at each other and shrugged. “Can’t hurt to go meet someone new. Plus, we can just ride the trolley back around.” Juicy said, smiling slightly and taking flight after their comrades.
Once arriving at the trolleys, Nico and Pedro fly to stand on top of one, reminding Amira and Juicy of the trolley they had took a few hours ago. A bell rung two quick times and the trolley rolled forward. “C’mon, ladies!” Pedro called, standing on the end of the trolley. Amira and Juicy looked at each other, and took flight, flying after the trolley. Juicy landed safely on the trolley’s roof, and Amira kind of slipped on its slick surface as she landed, but quickly regained her balance.
“We should be at the pillar top soon enough-“ Nico said, hopping over to Juicy and her friend, smiling over at Juicy.
Juicy nodded. “Great~” she said flatly, and watched the as the scenery slowly pass by as the trolley started to pick up a slow, smooth roll. The female canary walked to the front of the the trolley and sat down, watching the trees slowly pass by. Nico frowned slightly and watched Juicy walk to the front of the trolley, and sighed. Pedro blinked and looked at Juicy, then Nico, then Juicy, then Nico once more. He gave his friend a small playful shove. “Go on, bro, go get her!” Pedro said quietly. Nico’s eyes widened slightly and the feathers on his neck puffed out nervously. “What? No!” Pedro said, walking back to his place that Pedro pushed him out of. Pedro frowned. “Oh c’mon, she’s the perfect hot wing for you!” Pedro said, smiling over at Nico.
Nico blinked. He didn’t deny it. She was beautiful, and pretty much the coolest- and only other- canary around, but he didn’t like her just for that. Her personality was perfect. She was just like him. She loved to dance, sing, she was great at it, and it only made his chances greater, with her being a canary.
Juicy and Nico hadn’t been ones to like romance or show interest in the opposite gender, but they had been developing feelings for each other over time. “I got time, don’t worry…she probably doesn’t even think that way for me.” Nico said, glancing over at Pedro.
Pedro frowned and crossed his wings. “What are you talking about, bird? If she didn’t, do you think she would have shown so much happiness towards you when you offered her to that dance? “ Nico frowned, and looked at Pedro with a worried smile.
“If she really didn’t like you in that way, then she would have turned you down in a weird polite lady way.”
Nico shrugged, thinking it was true. He nodded, looking back at Pedro, waiting.
Pedro narrowed his eyes, seeing Nico was still just standing there. “Well?” he said.
Nico frowned worriedly, fiddling his fingers nervously, looking at floor. Looking up Juicy, who was still sitting on the edge of the trolley, he cleared his throat and gave his body a confident shake, and walked in her direction, with a smirk.
The trolley lurched to a stop, atop the mountain pillar that Luiz’s Garage was on. Nico stopped walking towards Juicy, blinking and looking around. “Here already?” Pedro said aloud, noting that they had arrived at Louise’s place. Amira blinked and looked around, getting up from her spot and standing by Pedro. Nico blinked as Juicy got up and turned around. Juicy blinked back at him, tilting her head. “Need something…?” she asked him. Nico blinked once more, and raised his wings to hover in front of her. “Oh, uh…just coming to get you, is all. We’re at Luiz’s!” he said, losing his nervous face and smiling warmly. “C’mon!” he said happily and flew over to the large iron gate. Pedro, Amira, and Juicy followed him, all of them walking through the gate. Nico walked forward into the dark garage, looking around. “Luiz! Luiz, you here? I have some friends I’d like you to meet!” Nico called out, hopping around, looking in any hidey-holes that bulldog might be in.
Among the shadows of the boards that lined up near the roof, large yellow eyes watched as a little bird and his band entered the garage. They narrowed, and the figure bolted to another hiding place.
Juicy jumped slightly at the slight movement she saw, and hopped over to Nico, followed by Amira and Pedro. “Luiz?” Pedro called out again. All the birds’ heads turned towards another movement from the shadows. Juicy squinted and walked forward, looking in the movement’s direction.
The room was too dark to tell what was emerging, but something the figure seemed to have large wings, larger than any normal macaw’s. Nico glanced over at growing shape, and his feathers slowly started to puff out, backing out. “I don’t think that’s Luiz, yo!” Pedro said, watching around for the shape again as it disappearing.
Out of nowhere, enormous talons came thrusting out at the group of birds huddled together. Nico and Pedro let out a scream and grabbed each other; both of their feathers making them look like large fluffs.
Juicy and Amira screamed also, and scurried towards Pedro and Nico to grab onto them also, all of the birds held tightly together.
A large red-tailed hawk let out a cackle as he landed a few feet in front of the scared birds. The bird was cunning, and smart, knowing how to get what he wanted and how to ruin other’s lives. Not just be eating them, but it was much more than that…before his meal, anyway.
“Well well well, what have you brought me, young bird?” the hawk said, grinning largely and turned his head around to hang around Nico. Nico’s pupils got small and he hunkered tight against Pedro. “W-what?” he said, staring at the hawk. Juicy and Amira glanced at each other with horrified faces. “You did this?” Juicy said quietly, looking over at Nico disgustedly, and horrifically. Nico glanced over at Juicy quickly, letting go of Pedro, his feathers flattening out. “What? No! I-I thought Louise was in here!” Amira tilted her head, listening. Did he mean this bird wasn’t Louise? Juicy frowned. “You mean this is Luiz?” she muttered, frowning madly at Nico. The yellow canary shook his head. “No, Luiz is a dog. I don’t know this hawk!” he said, a hurt expression on his face as he took a step towards Juicy. The orange bird stepped back, refusing.
The hawk smirked, jumping over the two and bending down close to Nico. “Of course that’s who I am! Only Nico and his dear friend would know! My, my, I told you to bring me cooperative victims!” he said, frowning slightly then grinning at Nico, putting a huge wing around him. Juicy’s eyes widened and she stepping back, her chest heaving in small breathes, her eyes full of betrayal. “Nico, why? I thought I could trust you…” she said. Nico looked at the hawk and leaned away as the hawk’s scared beak was right next to his head as he talked. “No! I seriously don’t know him! Luiz is a bulldog! He’s lying!” he said, staring over at Juicy.
The hawk smirked. “Of course I’m not lying! Why would I lie about my name?” he said as he flew up to a perch on a pillar that stretched across the ceiling.
Juicy frowned, glaring at Nico pitifully, her eyes wet. “Juicy…” Nico said, taking a step towards her, spreading out a wing in her direction. Juicy just closed her eyes and turned her head away, a tear squeezing out and sliding down her cheek as she closed her eyes. The hawk, meanwhile, was scraping his large talons on the wooden pillar on purpose to sharpen them. “Well, since it seems this party is coming to an end…I might as well claim what was brought to me~” he said, and swooped off the perch with a scream, his talons reaching in front of him. He swooped towards Nico first, his wings blowing him over, talons wrapping around Juicy’s body. Juicy screamed and pecked the birds toe, making him let go. Not noticing they were high in the air, Juicy didn’t have enough time to think about spreading her wings, so she crashed onto the surface of a box, rolling off it and onto another lower one. “Juicy!” Amira screeched, and plummeted into the air, locking talons with the large bird and pecking his head, flapping her wings quickly to stay in the air.
“Argh!” the hawk said, and bit down onto the macaw’s neck, holding it there and raising her in the air. Pedro gasped and quickly took flight. “Oh I know you aren’t hurting my friends! Not Pedro’s! I won’t have it!” he said, and bolted himself at the hawk, hitting him in the face with his body and clinging to his face. The hawk let out a scream and let go of Amira, shaking his head rapidly. Amira fell towards the ground, but weakly caught herself just above ground. Juicy woke up, a scratch on her cheek and wing. She winced and shook her feathers, looking at the scene above. Nico gasped. “Get him Pedro!” he cheered and flew up, pecking the Hawk’s wings. Amira looked over to Juicy, not caring about the two anymore. “C’mon, let’s get out of here!” she said. Juicy nodded and lifted her wings out to fly after Amira, but stopped as she seen the hawk’s attention drag over to them.
The hawk, finally shaking the two birds off, bolted in the air towards Amira, grasping her body in both of his talons and swooping over the entrance gate, disappearing over the buildings, flying towards the big statue of the big creator the humans praised.
“Amira! Amira!” Juicy yelled, flying after her, but her small wings didn’t carry her fast enough to compare with the hawk’s speed.
Nico and Pedro planted themselves on the ground, glancing at each other worriedly, and soon flying after Juicy.
Juicy sighed and closed her eyes, tears coming down her face. Hearing the wing beats of Nico and Pedro behind her, she turned around, angrier than ever. “This is all your fault!” she yelled, towering over Nico. Nico blinked and leaned backwards, his eyes wide, frowning. “Juicy I-“
“Just forget it. I thought I could trust you. Turns out you are just like every other bird.” She said, interrupting him and flying away towards the forest, the afternoon sun bright in her eyes, but she didn’t care. She soon disappeared from sight of the two birds she left behind.
Nico was left with Pedro once more, his heart torn and beaten. Pedro frowned worriedly, looking after Juicy. He turned his head to glance back at Nico, but he wasn’t there. Glancing around, he spotted Nico lowering to the ground below. Pedro followed him, and watched his sad companion hop away. “Wah!? Where are you going!? You’re gonna just let her fly off like that, and let her save Amira on her own!?” Pedro called after him, point both his wings in the direction that Juicy went. Nico stopped walking, and stood still. He closed his eyes slowly, resisting the urge to let a tear slip. He turned around, looking at Pedro. “Forget it man, she won’t trust me now.” Pedro frowned, and quietly walked up to Nico. “That may be true…” he said, but put a wing to Nico’s chest. “But maybe she will trust your heart if you save Amira…” Nico blinked and looked at Pedro’s wing, then up to Pedro.
Chapter 3
As the moon rose into the sky that night, the separated band of birds were laid down in the night with worries on their mind.
It had all been just yesterday. Surfing the fruit stands, meeting Nico and Pedro, the dance at the club…it was one of precious memories that Juicy could hold onto, but despite how happy they were, it hurt her to think of them. Not knowing how the raffle with the hawk would go, Juicy perched herself on a tree limb and tucked her head in her wing, drifting off in a peaceful sleep, giving her time to think of what shall happen- but in her dreams.
Nico and Pedro had nested under a raised box in the garage, both of them silent and unmoving. Nico’s eyes searched the floor, tucking his head back to rest. Pedro looked over at him, and then did the same, leaning his head back and closing his eyes, waiting for morning. Nico, however, didn’t fall asleep so quickly. The stings of Juicy’s words rung in his head, making him cringe slightly. He let out a quiet sigh, and finally closed his eyes, drifting off to dream a happier life as well.
Juicy’s wings flapped unsteadily as the mucky winds of morning burst out against her, making it hard to keep a good flying balance. She was at a high distance in the sky, the low clouds fogging up her vision and she continued forth towards the big monument she saw the hawk carry Amira to.
Nico and Pedro were already up as well, standing just outside the gate of the garage. They looked up towards the monument on a large mountain, a distance away, and looked at each other. “Ready?” Nico asked, spreading out his wings in preparation to take flight. Pedro nodded, but hesitated. “Sure man, but this wind is killin’ me!” he said, finally hovering beside Nico.
The canary shrugged, looking around as the wind shook nearby palm trees viciously. “We’ll have to deal with it if we are going to get Amira.” He said, and took off in the air, doing small loops regularly as he flew- to keep the wind from pushing him back. Pedro was doing the same, but with a bit more trouble.
Amira was in the hawk’s nest atop the head of the big monument, sitting against a concrete segment of a risen wall nearby, her wings tucked out in front of her, head tucked towards her body. “Oh, don’t be so scared my lady; this wind should take your mind off everything once I shove you off.” He said, smirking and wrapping his body around Amira for a few seconds, then hopped away, sitting on the edge of the nest, his wings tucked, scanning the air for any signs of the macaw’s friends. Amira shuddered and stayed silent, giving the hawk glares as he turned around.
The wind beat across Juicy’s wings hardly, making one wing tip downwards, pushing her towards the ground. She quickly straightened herself out once more, and beat her wings to the thrusts of the breeze, making it easier to fly faster as her wings up drafted the air, giving her a boost. The monument was clearly visible now, and she had almost reached it. She couldn’t quite see where the hawk could possibly be staying, but she would guess it was probably at the very top of the statue.
Arriving at the statue, Juicy swooped down to steady herself on the statue’s arm, the wind even more fierce up here. She glanced up towards the head, seeing the hawk’s head hanging over the nest he was perched in. She frowned and readied herself, then flew to the opposite arm, and started ascending towards the head.
Nico and Pedro were still a ways from the statue, due to Nico having to stop and wait for his clumsy friend to catch up. Nico glanced back at Pedro and stopped, then looked over to the statue, spotting an orange figure flying up to the head of the statue. Nico blinked and looked back at Pedro. “Hurry man, Juicy’s going to face Mr. Hawk Man by herself!”
Pedro blinked and flew past Nico. “Hey, use the wind to fly faster!” he said, doing little free loops in the air as the wind boosted him forward. Nico smiled and raced after his friend.
Juicy quietly came up on the opposite side of the hawk’s nest, poking her friend on the wing. “Pst!” she whispered, and opened her mouth to whisper again, but the hawk’s head darted to look at Juicy instantly. Amira’s neck feathers flattened out as the hawk came walking over, forgetting her friend had even come to rescue her.
“Well, well, well. Look what the macaw drug in!” the hawk cackled, turning his head to the side and grinning at Juicy. The canary frowned and hopped into the nest, puffing her wings out to the side, glaring at the hawk. “Pity. Such a bright spirit gone to waste~” the hawk said, circling the orange bird. “Not yet!” Juicy said bolting under the hawk and flying around his legs, pecking at them as she made the loop around, then flew up to cling to his head, pecking one of his eyes. The hawk let out a screech and threw the bird off him, quickly seizing her as she hit the ground, keeping her held to the ground with both his taloned feet. “You so sure about that deary?” the hawk said, bending his head down close to Juicy’s and laughing. Amira jumped up to do something, but stopped when she saw a bottle cap fling across the nest and hit the hawk in the head. Hawk let out a small scream, shaking his head. “Ola, Mr. Cackle Head!” Pedro called out, smirking in Hawk’s direction. Hawk let out a growl and glared over at Nico and Pedro, who were standing on the edge of the nest. Nico hopped up and caught his bottle cap, putting it back on his head with a glare, smirking at Pedro, and looking back at Hawk. “We can do this the hard way, or the easy way, dog.” Nico said, walking onto the nest and towards the Hawk, pacing in front of him. “You can let my friends go, or I can force you to let them go.” The Hawk glanced at Amira, then back to Nico. “Shore, take you precious macaw friend. Last time I heard, you and this lady weren't friend!” Hawk bent his head down to pluck one of Juicy’s most important wing feathers. “Ow!” Juicy screeched, and bit down on Hawk’s toe. Hawk screeched again, picking Juicy up and throwing her off the side of the nest, then swooped high in the air, diving down after his kill. Nico’s eyes widened and he and Pedro ran over to the side of the nest. Amira’s feathers nearly fell out as she saw her friend be tossed off the statue, and she too, joined the boys in looking over the nest. “Juicy!” Amira screamed, and took flight, diving off the side of the statue. Nico and Pedro glanced at each other, and they both swooped from the nest too.
Juicy whirled in the air as she tumbled towards the ground, looking up and catching a glimpse the Hawk plummeting towards her, before she did another tumble. Thinking straight, she spread her wings out, thinking the air would catch her, but that one feather that Hawk had plucked wasn’t there to provide her with help. Seeing she was nearing the ground at a great speed, and closed her eyes tightly and yelled out the first thing that came to her mind. “NICO!!!”
Nico heard Juicy’s scream, and seen how close she was to the ground. Also seeing how close Hawk was getting to Juicy, Nico tucked his wings and shot downwards like a bullet, advancing up on the Hawk. Pedro looked down at his friend, thinking he was insane, going after Hawk, who had large talons and was way more powerful than he and Nico combined. “Nico! What are you doing, nut-job!?” Pedro called down hovering in the air to watch. Amira swooped down to hover beside Pedro. “You mean he is after Hawk?” she asked, glancing at Pedro. The cardinal nodded, and glanced back down. Amira blinked and glanced back down.
Nico shot down to Hawk, finally reaching him. He clung onto the Hawk’s face, pecking at his good eye and scratch at his face, the 3 birds still rocketing towards the ground. Hawk let out a screamed and shoved Nico off his face with his wings, making Nico advance in front of him, closer to Juicy. “Thanks!” Nico called, flipping on his back and tipping his hat the Hawk, then went back to tucking his wings in.
“Nico!!” Juicy screamed again as the ground was practically under her now. Nico spread his wings at the right moment, Hawk right on his tail, and angled his wings so the wind drafted over his wings. Nico flew under Juicy just above the ground, and then flew above her, grabbing her with his feet and flying in a loop back up to Amira and Pedro. As the two ascended the large, slow loop up to the top of the statue, their heads turned to Hawk as he plummeted onto the ground with a hard thud. Juicy shuddered and looked away from Hawk’s body up to Nico, smiling. “You came?” she asked. Nico looked down at Juicy. “Of course I did. I first had my heart set on saving Amira for you, but turns out I came to save you instead.” He said, smiling warmly and slowing down to a hover as he came up beside Nico and Amira.
Amira gasped as she saw Nico fly up to her, carrying Juicy safely. “Oh, thank god!” Amira sighed, relieved that Juicy and Nico were alright. Pedro grinned largely at Nico, bumping him with an elbow. “You are crazy, bird!” he exclaimed. “That was tight, yo~” he said, smiling and watching as Nico offered Juicy over to Amira. Amira softly grabbed her friend form Nico, wrapping her feet around her steadily.
Juicy smiled up at her friend, and then looked over at Nico and Pedro. Nico and Pedro glanced sideways at each other, smirking. Nico tipped his bottle cap back, saying “I think I know what can brighten the day-“
Chapter 4
Lights flashed a variety of colors, birds danced on boxes and in groups, in front of the stage. It was all as the band of birds remembered. Out of their whole group, Nico seemed the happiest about returning to the club. Without a word, the two of them flew over the crowds and disappeared through the mast of birds.
Juicy sighed and stood near a box, leaning up against its side, looking at the ground with a slightly sad frown. Amira raised an eyebrow and walked over to her. “You okay?” she asked, watching her friend as she observed her missing feather. Juicy looked up at Amira. “Yea, everything’s perfect…” she said, then looked at the ground, not even noticing the crowd had gotten quiet, or that Pedro was banging a slow steady beat ; Nico was singing in a harmonizing voice as he walked about on stage. Amira watched Nico and listened to his words, then blinked, bumping Juicy. “Listen-“ Amira whispered, and Juicy looked up at the stage to watch Nico. “Every song on my lips, I’m singing out. Any fear in my soul, I’m letting go. And anyone who asks I’ll let them know-“ Nico fly off the stage to hover in front of Juicy, holding a wing out towards her. “She’s the one, she’s the one, I say it loud. She’s the one, she’s the one, I say it proud. Ring a bell, ring a bell for the whole crowd-“ he sung in a soothing and strong voice, gesturing towards the crowd with his other wing.
Juicy froze more a minute, completely shocked by the words of his beautiful song. Her eyes widened and she blushed, glancing over at Amira. Amira blinked too, but nodded encouragingly once more. Juicy turned back to Nico and smiled, taking his wing and fluttering in the air by him, both of the canaries going to the stage and dancing at the center, Nico singing some new verses before he stopped and let Juicy take over, hoping her words would supply him to an answer of acceptance. “Any fear in my soul, I’m letting go. And anyone who asks, I’ll let them now-“ Juicy sung out, repeating the same words Nico had sung out to her, as Nico held her hand and twirled her outwards, and caught her as she twirled back in. “He’s the one, he’s the one, I say it loud. He’s the one, he’s the one, I saw proud. Ring a bell, ring a bell, for the crowd- ring a bell, ring a bell.” Nico grinned happily, and twirled Juicy out once more, singing out with her.
“I’m telling the world…that I found the girl-” Nico sang out.
“I’m telling the world…that I found the guy-“ Juicy sang out, after Nico.
“The one I can for~” Both of them sang out at once, Nico spinning Juicy and stepping around her as she spun towards him, and caught her with one wing holding hers, and twirled her again, this time catching her, bending over her as he held her. Their faces were close, staring into each other’s eyes.
Juicy’s breath was surprisingly calm, and she wasn’t nervous- same for Nico. That moment of him holding her in the words of a love song, were perfect. Perfect enough.
Juicy stared into Nico’s eyes no longer than a few more moments before closing her own, and bringing her lips to Nico’s, standing up from his grasp and putting her wings around his neck. Nico stiffened up for a split second in surprise, before accepting his first kiss with the perfect bird in all of Rio.
The crowd whooped loudly as the two kissed on stage at the end of their song, and Amira smirked, crossing her wings and shaking her head. Pedro flew over to stand beside Amira, seeing his friend kissing the girl he thought nothing more than any other bird a few days ago. Amira and Pedro glanced at each other going silent, then laughed.
The couple opened their eyes and smiled at each other, and they both backed up, giving a great bow to each other ; Nico taking his cap off and holding it to his chest, his other wing spread out- Juicy holding both her wings out and bowing her head.