A few weeks later

Sophia had kept her promise. She had promised to help Roberto get rid of the ring on his leg as soon as the Spix's Wing was finished - and now it was done.

Roberto had been terrified that the humans would take one look at the ring, and return him to his former owners. But instead, they had looked at him with sympathy. He had waited in suspense as the humans examined the ring, terrified of how they would remove it - but Sophia had kept talking to him, distracting him from what the humans were doing. Then the ring was gone. As simple as that, his leg was bare for the first time in years. Roberto couldn't believe it still. He kept looking down, expecting it to be there, but it wasn't. It was such a good feeling.

Roberto flew alongside Sophia - the clouds were low, so they were flying above them, the sun glowing onto their feathers. The clouds were golden, like honey. A moment of serenity was held, but then it was broken.

"Whoo-hoo!" Sqeauled an excited voice, making them both smile. A small female chick, periwinkle blue like Sophia, shot past Roberto, with a high-pitched cry of joy. "This is amazing!" She giggled happily.

She was small and petite - she had a very cherubic face, with round cheeks and a messy flick of feathers on her head, and big, pale blue eyes. Despite her small size, Orchid made up for it with her big personality. Bouncy, sweet, and with a heart of gold, Orchid was their youngest chick, but Roberto and Sophia had been terrified that she would never hatch. She had been the last to hatch - although all eggs had been laid almost at the same time, she had been a week late. Her egg had been small with a slight crack in the shell, but Roberto and Sophia hadn't given up hope.

"I told you flying wasn't scary!" An older female chick emerged from a cloud, with a giggle. She had a prominent violet hint to her blue feathers, and ocean-blue eyes; her head feathers were much more elegant than her little sister's were, but they still looked very alike. Bromeliad was very out-going, perhaps a little impulsive; she didn't think before she spoke, but she looked out for her sister. And her brothers, as annoying as brothers could be.

Suddenly, two blue streaks popped out of a cloud, sweeping upon their sisters. Mature and intellectual, Isaac was a little quiet, although he was the peacekeeper of his siblings. He was always the one to break up the bickering between his siblings and even the other chicks. The second born chick, yet the eldest of the two boys, Isaac had light blue-green eyes and teal-hinted, light blue feathers. Alessandra had had a hint of teal to her plumage.

Finally, the third born chick and youngest boy followed Isaac. Named for the colour of his feathers, Azure was the colour of the sky, although there was his mother's periwinkle hue present around his chest and wings. He had darker head feathers; they were shorter than Roberto's, but Azure had more of them. He had blue eyes - of course all their kids would more than likely have blue or blue-based eyes, since Roberto had pale blue and Sophia had dark blue. However, Azure was different. One eye had a fleck of amber in it. But it wasn't the unsettling orange of Jespa - the fleck was a soft, liquid amber. Azure was a gentle soul, friendly and kind-hearted - and he had a wonderful singing voice. All four siblings did.

"I'm going to get you, Bromeliad, Orchid!" Isaac boasted, flying toward his sisters. Bromeliad and Orchid laughed.

"Catch us if you can!" Bromeliad challenged, before she and Orchid flew for it, with Isaac not far behind.

"We will!" Azure vowed, flying after his three siblings. Sophia nuzzled Roberto midflight, before flying after the four chicks.

"Not if I catch you all first." She teased. Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid came rushing back, and they started to play with their mother. "Hey, look!" Sophia chuckled, turning the chicks toward Roberto. "Jump on him!" The four giggled, launching themselves at their father. Roberto laughed, and dodged to the side, before he and Sophia flew into the clouds, their children chasing them.

They hadn't told Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid about Jespa yet. They'd have to eventually - their chicks were fast befriending many others, like Bruno, Carla, Bia and Tiago. All of them had witnessed Jespa's banishment, heard the news of his demise, and Bruno and Tiago had been effected by Jespa. It was only a matter of time until Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid learned they had a dead uncle their parents had never mentioned. They'd tell them someday - the whole ordeal, with Zenaida and Andre, when they were old enough to hear the dark side of what had happened.

But Roberto wasn't worried about a thing. Bromeliad, Isaac, Azure and Orchid would understand.

Roberto and Sophia had some bad stories to tell, no doubt. Jespa's condition, Zenaida and Andre, and Roberto's time in captivity. But they had other tales. How Roberto had fallen in love with the rose that was their mother, and the other wonderful times he and Sophia had had before and after falling in love.

Despite everything else, Roberto and Sophia had some wonderful stories to tell.

That's all, guys. I hope you've all enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it, and I thank everyone for their warm reviews and support. This story has been one of my most difficult to write, and I'm very happy with how it's turned out. Thanks again - I'll be back soon with a new story. It's not Rio, but I will return with a new Rio story in a few months!

Thank you very much, it's been a pleasure - until next time!