Amazon Adventures

Chapter One: A Day With The Guys

(Note: Please consider all my previous Rio fics (With the exception of "Healing" and "The Girl From Ipanema") to be AUs.)

The sun rose over the Amazon Rainforest. Blu was sleeping heavily, when he was pounced on by Tiago.

"Wake up, dad! Wake up!" Tiago chuckled as he hopped up and down on his father.

"I'm up, I'm up." Blu groaned, rubbing his bleary eyes. "Where's the fire?"

"Don't you remember?" Tiago smirked. "Today's the day!"

"Oh, right." Blu smiled.

A few days ago, the family had agreed to split themselves up for a day; Blu, Tiago and Eduardo would go out and have fun together, while Jewel, Mimi, Bia and Carla would stay at the hollow and have their own brand of fun.

"Just you, me, and pop-pop." Tiago beamed. "It's gonna be awesome!"

"It sure will be." Blu chuckled.

"Well, we're gonna have fun with mom and aunt Mimi." Carla declared, as she and Bia yawned and stretched.

"Yeah, it's probably gonna be just some girl stuff." Tiago snorted. "We're gonna be doin' guy stuff!"

"And what exactly does 'guy stuff' entail?" Bia retorted.

"You know... stuff!" Tiago blustered. "For guys!"

"Well, that was... descriptive." Bia said sarcastically.

After enjoying a breakfast of berries, the family were finally met by Eduardo and Mimi.

"Morning, all!" Eduardo smiled.

"Mornin', pop-pop!" Carla smiled.

"There are my little feathery bundles of joy!" Mimi rushed over and encased the kids in a tight hug.

"Hi, aunt Mimi..." Bia groaned.

"I still can't believe you agreed to this, dad." Jewel noted. "You really think the tribe'll be okay without your leadership?"

"Things have been quiet lately." Eduardo declared. "I think one day off wouldn't hurt. Ready to go, Blu?"

"Uhh... yes, sir!" Blu nodded. Though Eduardo had warmed up to him considerably since their first meeting, Blu was still a little intimidated by his father-in-law. "Right, Tiago?"

"Oh, yeah!" Tiago squeezed out of Mimi's grip and joined them. "Let's go!"

"Have fun, boys!" Jewel smiled, coming over to give Blu a kiss. "See you soon."

"Not soon enough." Blu smiled.

"Yuck." Tiago grimaced.

Eduardo said nothing, though his eye did twitch a little, his fatherly instincts still strong.

The three males stepped out of the hollow and took flight. As they soared across the jungle, they were joined by Roberto.

"Hey guys, what's happenin'?" He asked.

"Guys' day out!" Tiago declared.

"Oh, cool." Roberto smiled. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Well, actually..." Blu frowned. "It's kind of a family thing..."

"Come on, dad!" Tiago pleaded. "Let uncle Beto come with!"

Blu winced inwardly, as he always did when the kids said "Uncle Beto."

"Yes, why not?" Eduardo added. "The more, the merrier."

"Looks like I'm outvoted." Blu sighed. "Okay, Roberto. You're with us."

"Thanks, guys." Roberto nodded.

"Yeah... I feel merrier already..." Blu said under his breath. He was still more then a little insecure when it came to Roberto and his family.

Their journey took them near the waterfall.

"Hey T-bird, how about some lilypad surfing?" Roberto asked.

"Let's do it!" Tiago nodded.

The two dived down, landing on some lilypads and riding them as the force of their descent pushed them along.

"Let me show you how it's supposed to be done!" Eduardo followed.

"Wait for me!" Blu called.

Eduardo made a perfect landing, skidding along the water. Blu tried to follow suit, but hit his lilypad harder then the others. As he struggling to keep his balance, he gripped too hard, and his talons tore through the pad. As it came apart, Blu found himself skidding into the shore.

"Ooh, wipeout." Tiago cringed. "Better luck next time, dad."

"If there even is a next time." Blu groaned.

"So, what should we do?" Eduardo asked. "Tiago?"

"I know!" Tiago picked up a fallen berry, and bounced it between his feet. "Soccer!"

"Soccer?" Roberto asked.

"You know, like that stuff you were doin' in the Pit of Doom." Tiago explained. "Only... for fun!"

"Fun, eh?" Eduardo smirked. "It's been a while since we did it just for fun... alright, let's split into teams and play."

"Mind if T-Bird's on my team, Blu?" Roberto asked.

"Well, actually..." Blu started. He stopped when he saw the hopeful expression on Tiago's face. "It's okay with me."

"Aw, yeah!" Tiago thrust up his wings.

"Guess that leaves you and me, huh Eduardo?" Blu smiled.

"Try not to hit into our goal this time, okay?" Eduardo joked.

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Blu chuckled.

"Not if I can help it." Eduardo smirked.

The game began, two large rocks on either side designated as the goals. Roberto managed to slip the ball away from Blu.

"Heads up, T-Bird!" He passed it to Tiago.

"Boom!" Tiago kicked it into Blu and Eduardo's goal.

"Nice one!" Roberto cheered. "Ca-ca-caw!"

"Ca-ca-caw!" Tiago mimicked Tiago.

"Ca-ca-caw!" They said together.

Blu groaned.

"Does he have to do that every time?" He growled.

As the game went, things were a little more even. Eduardo and Blu both scored some goals, though as they broke for halftime, Roberto and Tiago were ahead. Blu had only grown more and more rankled as Roberto seemed to connect more and more.

"We're winning, uncle Beto!" Tiago cheered.

"Sure are, T-Bird." Roberto smiled. "We make quite a team, huh?"

"Awesome team!" Tiago smiled.

"Aw, yeah!" Roberto nodded. "You're like a full-on mini-me out there!"

That was the last straw.

"Oh, that is it!" Blu roared.

"Say what?" Roberto blinked.

"Why are you even here?" Blu growled. "Why are you always trying to move in on my family? I'm just plain sick of you doing that!"

"I, uh..." Roberto gulped, taken aback.

"This was supposed to be a day just for me, Tiago and Eduardo." Blu frowned. "Who asked you to butt in? Why don't you just leave us alone?!"

"Dad!" Tiago gasped.

"No, it's cool." Roberto sighed. "Didn't mean to step on your toes, Blu. I'll leave. See ya."

Roberto flew off. Blu smirked triumphantly. The smirk faded when he realised Tiago and Eduardo were looking at him disapprovingly.

"Not cool, dad." Tiago said sternly.

"Did you really have to say all that?" Eduardo asked. "Roberto didn't mean any harm, you know..."

"Oh, big surprise." Blu snorted. "Eduardo sticks up for his right hand bird. You probably think he can do no wrong, huh? You probably even wish he was Jewel's mate instead of me. Here's a newsflash, old timer: It's not going to happen!"

Eduardo glared at Blu.

"You know Blu, there are times I actually like it when you show some backbone and stand up to me." He admitted. "This isn't one of those times."

"Why'd you do that anyway, dad?" Tiago asked. "We were all having fun."

"I... I..." Blu sighed. "I was jealous, okay?"

"Jealous?" Tiago asked. "Of me and uncle Beto hanging out?"

"Yeah." Blu nodded.

"Well, that's just nuts." Tiago declared. "Uncle Beto's cool and all, but you're the awesome one."

"I am?" Blu asked, dumbfounded.

"Sure." Tiago smiled. "Who led us against those loggers? Who let me use the adventurer's knife to open up that bulldozer? Who took all that dynamite into the sky? That wasn't uncle Beto, it was you: My totally awesome dad."

Tiago emphasized his point by hugging Blu.

"Aw, thanks." Blu returned the hug. "Sorry about that, guys."

"It's not us you should apologise to." Eduardo declared.

"Yeah, I know." Blu sighed. "Wait here, I'll go and get him."

Blu took off, searching for Roberto. Fortunately, he didn't have to look far; Roberto was perched on a nearby tree branch.

"Oh, hey." Roberto turned as Blu landed. "Come to yell at me some more?"

"No." Blu shook his head. "I came to say... I'm sorry. It's just... you and Tiago were getting along so well, and I was... jealous."

"That's funny." Roberto chuckled. "Truth is, I'm actually a little jealous of you."

"You are?" Blu gasped.

"Yeah." Roberto nodded. "You've got everything: A beautiful mate, great kids... I've had a few flings in my time, but never anything close to that. Guess I just wanted a taste of what having a family feels like."

"Okay, now I really feel like a jerk." Blu groaned.

"S'cool."Roberto smiled. "Let's just put it all behind us, 'kay?"

"Okay." Blu nodded. "You want to join us? We still have the second half to get through."

"Well, if it's okay with you..." Roberto offered.

"It is." Blu agreed.

They returned to Eduardo and Tiago.

"Who's ready for the second half?" Roberto asked.

"I am!" Tiago smiled. "Hey dad, pop-pop, better get ready to lose!"

"We'll see about that, little bird." Eduardo smiled. "Right, Blu?"

"Right." Blu chuckled.

The second half was just as eventful as the first. Blu and Eduardo managed to pull ahead in the last minutes, scoring a win.

"Good game, guys." Roberto smiled. "Nice moves, Blu."

"You too." Blu wheezed, exhausted.

"We'd better head back." Eduardo took note of the setting sun.

"Say hi to Juju for me." Roberto declared.

"Will do." Tiago beamed. "Hey dad, race ya back!"

"You're on!" Blu nodded.

"Don't forget about pop-pop!" Eduardo chuckled.

They raced back to the tree. Eduardo won in the end.

"Whoa, you're fast, pop-pop!" Tiago smiled.

"You're not too slow yourself." Eduardo smiled back. "You too, Blu."

"Thanks." Blu beamed.

Jewel was there to greet them.

"Hi, guys." She kissed each of them on the cheek in turn. "How was your guy's day?"

"It was... eventful." Blu smiled. "And how was your day?"

"Oh, this and that." Jewel chuckled. "I'll tell you about it later."

To Be Continued...

(Rio 2 and all associated characters are the property of Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox.)