Feliz Aniversário

Chapter One: Getting Ready

Deep in the jungles of Rio de Janeiro, the blue macaw Jewel and her three chicks were at the same place they usually went to in the late afternoon: the local river. While the children were playing in the water, Jewel was preening herself, fluffing out her plumage, shining her beak, and placing a beautiful pink orchid between her head feathers.

"Got you!" Sniggered Azul, splashing Cerulean repeatedly.

"No fair!" Whined Cerulean.

"Azul, play nice." Jewel said sternly.

"Okay, mom." Winced Azul, fearful of his mother's wrath.

"Mommy, what are you doing to your feathers?" Asked Sapphire.

"Well, honey." Smiled Jewel, still preening. "Tonight is the anniversary of the very first time I met your father. So, mommy is making herself look verrry pretty for daddy, because he's taking me somewhere very special tonight."

"Just you?" Asked Cerulean, his lower beak quivering. "What about us?"

"Don't worry, sweetie." Jewel soothed him. "Your uncle Nico and uncle Pedro are going to be looking after you tonight."

"Yay!" Cheered Sapphire.

"Alright!" Whooped Azul.

"That'll be fun, won't it, honey?" Jewel asked Cerulean, a supportive smile on her beak.

"I guess..." Mumbled Cerulean, not totally convinced.

"And don't worry." Jewel smiled tenderly. "Mommy and daddy will be back before you know it, okay?"

"Okay." Said Cerulean, smiling slightly.

Just then, Blu flew down to the riverbank. He too, had been preening, cleaning and fluffing out his feathers, shining his beak with some leaves, and he had even fashioned a makeshift bowtie out of vines and flower petals. As he landed, he was stunned by how beautiful Jewel was looking. Of course, for Blu this was a regular thing, but Jewel's extra efforts had served to make her even more stunning in his eyes.

"Like what you see?" Jewel asked playfully.

"You look gorgeous." Swooned Blu.

"You're gorgeous." Jewel swooned back, wrapping her wings around Blu.

"You're gorgeous-er." Blu insisted, pressing his beak against hers.

"Ewwww!" Chorused the chicks, sickened by their parents' romantic display.

Fortunately, they were spared from any more by the arrival of Nico and Pedro.

"What up, mini-macaws?" Nico declared as he swooped down.

"Your funky unkys are here!" Pedro whooped, spinning as he landed.

"Uncle Nico! Uncle Pedro!" The kids cheered, rushing towards their uncles.

Sapphire and Cerulean embraced Pedro, snuggling into his prominent stomach.

"That's right." Pedro smiled, wrapping his wings around them both. "Give your unk a great big hug."

Meanwhile, Azul had launched himself at Nico. Having already grown larger then the little canary, he ended up knocking his uncle off his feet.

"Oof!" Nico gasped, the wind knocked out of him. "You're gettin' big, kiddo!"

Azul beamed proudly as he squeezed Nico tightly, pushing even more air out of him.

"Well, now that the babysitters are here, I guess we can get going." Smiled Blu. "But first... How about some goodbye hugs, kids?"

The chicks eagerly complied, and the whole blue macaw family engaged in one big group hug.

"You be good for your uncles now, my loves." Jewel whispered.

"We will." Smirked Azul, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Have a good time." Said Sapphire sweetly.

"You'll be back soon, right?" Cerulean asked sadly.

"'Course we will." Grinned Blu, ruffling his son's head feathers.

Once the hug had ended, Blu and Jewel took off into the sky, which was slowly turning orange. Cerulean sadly watched them go, missing them already.

"Hey, C-bird." Said Nico, rousing Cerulean out of his melancholy mood. "You ready to have some fun?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Shrugged Cerulean.

"What game are we gonna play?" Azul asked excitedly.

"Sky-high tag, a'course!" Said Pedro, flapping his wings.

"Yeah!" Cheered Sapphire.

"My favorite!" Beamed Azul.

"Oh, really?" Pedro grinned. "Well in that case, you won't mind bein' 'it', will ya?"

"What?" Gasped Azul, as Sapphire and Cerulean smirked at him menacingly.

"Game on, guys and gal!" Yelled Nico gleefully.

"Whoa!" Cried Azul as he took to the air, his siblings close behind.

"We got this babysittin' thing in the bag, man!" Pedro declared proudly, as he and Nico flew up to join their young charges.

"That we do, my friend." Agreed Nico unanimously. "That we do."

To Be Continued...

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