Amazon Adventures
Chapter Thirteen: Remembrance
Blu was flying through the Amazon, looking for food to bring to his family. He found a branch with some juicy-looking berries, and even a couple of Brazil nuts. As he landed on the branch below, eager to claim his bounty, he spotted Eduardo on the next tree along, gazing into the distance. He flew over, wanting to make sure his father-in-law was okay.
"Um.. sir?" He asked. "Is everything okay?"
"Hmm?" Eduardo turned around, surprised to see Blu. "Oh, everything's fine. I was just... thinking."
"Oh." Blu nodded. "About what?"
"About... my mate." Eduardo sighed. "Today is the anniversary of the day I lost her."
"I see." Blu said. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I could leave, if you wa-"
"No, you can stay." Eduardo told him. "You're family now. You deserve to know."
"Well, if you insist..." Blu said nervously.
"Her name was Sapphire." Eduardo smiled. "We first met when we were chicks..."
The young Eduardo flew through the trees. His crest feathers were longer and thicker, and he was much fluffier than in the present. As he flew, some other chick bumped into him.
"Hey, watch it!" He yelled, struggling to maintain his equilibrium.
"Sorry!" The other chick apologised. "Didn't see you there!"
The two landed on a tree branch.
"You nearly knocked me out of the sky!" Eduardo growled.
"Jeez, I said I was sorry!" The other chick huffed. She had a slender body, blue eyes, and crest feathers that curled around the back of her head. "...Hey, aren't you the chief's kid?"
"That's right." Eduardo nodded. "And the name's Eduardo."
"Sapphire." The female smiled.
"Nice name." Eduardo admitted.
"Thanks." Sapphire frowned. "So, you're the guy who'll be chief one day?"
"Sure am." Eduardo nodded.
"Too bad." Sapphire smirked. "If the way you lead is anything like the way you fly, we're all in trouble."
"Oh, yeah?" Eduardo growled. "I bet I could outfly you!"
"You're on!" Sapphire declared. "First to reach the clay banks wins!"
The two took off into the sky. Each gave it their all, but it was Eduardo who managed to get there first.
"Hah!" Eduardo smiled, out of breath. "I win!"
"Nice moves." Sapphire admitted. "Maybe you'll make a decent leader after all..."
"You weren't so bad yourself." Eduardo replied. "Let me know if you want a rematch."
"You got it." Sapphire smiled.
"From that day on, we were the best of friends." Eduardo chuckled. "But as we grew, I started to feel differently about her..."
Some years after their first meeting, Eduardo and Sapphire were eating berries together. Eduardo kept stealing glances at Sapphire, taking in her mature appearance.
"What?" Sapphire noticed the constant looks. "Do I have something on my face?"
"No, no." Eduardo shook his head. "It's just... no, forget it."
"Forget what?" Sapphire asked. "Come on, you can tell me."
"Well, I..." Eduardo mumbled. "I was hoping maybe you'd... come to the falls with me sometime. You know, just the two of us."
"You mean like... on a date?" Sapphire asked.
"Yeah, exactly." Eduardo nodded.
"I don't know, Ed." Sapphire frowned. "We've been friends for a while now. I wouldn't wanna ruin that..."
"Me neither." Eduardo agreed. "But I can't help the way I feel. And I've been feeling this way for a while now. You are the prettiest, funniest, sweetest macaw I've ever met."
"Flattery will get you nowhere." Sapphire tutted, though she couldn't help but blush.
"It wouldn't hurt to try." Eduardo smiled, capitalising her moment of weakness. "Besides, I'll just keep asking until you say 'yes'."
"Playing rough, huh?" Sapphire smiled. "Okay, fine. It's a date."
"You won't regret this." Eduardo beamed.
"Let's hope so." Sapphire declared. "I'd hate to lose my best friend over this."
"That will never happen." Eduardo pledged. "I promise."
"So serious." Sapphire chuckled. "Good thing you're cute..."
"Cute?" Eduardo frowned. "I prefer 'handsome'."
"You want this date, you go with 'cute'." Sapphire chided. "See you soon."
"Not soon enough." Eduardo smiled.
"Aww..." Blu smiled. "That was kinda-"
"Don't say 'cute'." Eduardo said firmly.
"I wasn't gonna..." Blu said quietly.
Sapphire flew to join Eduardo at the falls.
"Glad you could make it." Eduardo smiled, offering Sapphire her favourite kind of orchid. "Your favourite."
"Thanks, Ed." Sapphire accepted the flower. "I love the view from up here, don't you?"
"The view I have is pretty good too." Eduardo gazed at her.
"Well, aren't you the charmer?" Sapphire nudged him playfully. "Don't tell me you're gonna be like this all the time if we start dating."
"Maybe..." Eduardo smirked, offering her a Brazil nut. "Hungry?"
"Starved." Sapphire took the nut, opened it, and devoured the insides. "Wow, you've really gone all out for this, haven't you?"
"Only the best for you." Eduardo smiled.
"More flattery..." Sapphire rolled her eyes, but at the same time, she couldn't help but be touched.
As the date wore on, she couldn't help herself from leaning against Eduardo. When the sun set, they decided to call it a day.
"So... how was it?" Eduardo asked.
"Not bad for a first date." Sapphire shrugged. "Let's see if the next can be even better."
Sapphire planted a kiss on Eduardo's cheek.
"Yeah..." Eduardo rubbed his cheek. "Better..."
"After that, we become full-fledged mates." Eduardo smiled. "And I think you can guess what came next..."
Eduardo gazed upon the egg Sapphire was perching on.
"I can't believe it." He smiled. "We're going to be parents."
"Looks like it." Sapphire joked.
"I can't wait to see it hatch." Eduardo declared. "Do you think it'll look like you, or me?"
"That depends." Sapphire shrugged. "If it's a boy, I doubt it'll enjoy looking like me."
"Very funny." Eduardo chuckled.
Before long, the egg started to crack.
"Here it comes!" Sapphire got off the egg.
Slowly but surely, the egg broke apart, revealing the chick inside.
"Look at her." Eduardo beamed. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother."
"Oh, Eddie." Sapphire smiled. "What shall we name her?"
"I have the perfect name: Jewel." Eduardo declared.
"Jewel." Sapphire mused. "I like that."
"Our little gem of the forest." Eduardo added, nuzzling Jewel. "Welcome to the world, my darling baby girl."
Jewel cooed lightly as her father nuzzled her.
"By then, I had both a beautiful mate, and a wonderful daughter." Eduardo recalled. "My life seemed perfect. But little did I know, it wouldn't last..."
Blu gulped, knowing full well what was coming.
The Amazon was aflame, human loggers having set a fire that was destroying everything in its path. Eduardo was leading the panicked tribe in their escape.
"Keep moving!" He instructed. "Don't look back!"
"Eddie!" Sapphire called, Jewel following behind her.
"What's going on, daddy?" Jewel asked.
"It's the humans." Eduardo growled. "They're destroying our home. We have to leave. Now."
"But... this is our home." Jewel frowned.
"Your father's right, Jewel." Sapphire declared. "We have to go."
"Okay..." Jewel sniffed.
"Here." Eduardo tucked Jewel under his wing. "Daddy has you."
The flames spread quickly as the Blue macaws fled deeper into the jungle. The smoke choked them and burned their eyes. After a hard coughing fit, Eduardo suddenly realised Jewel was gone.
"Jewel?" He gasped "Jewel! She was just here, right under my wing!"
"We have to go back for her!" Sapphire turned back.
"Sapphire, don't!" Eduardo called.
Just then, a burning branch broke off a tree, and fell right on top of Sapphire.
"Aaah!" She yelped, as she dropped to the ground.
"Noooo!" Eduardo screamed.
The flames spread across the entire branch. It was clear that Sapphire was gone.
"No, please..." Eduardo begged. "Not her, too..."
He started choking from the smoke. Having no choice but to leave, he followed the rest of his flock, his heart heavy with loss.
"That was the worst day of my life." Eduardo declared. "I lost my daughter, and my mate. If it weren't for my obligation to the rest of the tribe, I might not have had the strength to go on."
"That's awful." Blu wiped a tear from his eye. "I'm so sorry, sir."
"It's okay." Eduardo straightened up. "You brought Jewel back to me, and in doing so, lessened the pain of that day. I see so much of Sapphire in her. And I know she would have been proud of how our daughter turned out."
"Of course she would." Blu agreed.
"Blu, can you promise me something?" Eduardo asked.
"Anything." Blu nodded.
"Never take Jewel for granted." Eduardo instructed. "Cherish every moment with her. Can you do that for me?"
"You don't have to worry about that, sir." Blu smiled. "I already do cherish every moment. And not just with her, but the whole family."
"Good bird." Eduardo patted Blu on the back.
"Family..." Blu suddenly realised something. "Oh no! I was supposed to bring breakfast! They'll be wondering where I've gone!"
"If they ask, just tell them you indulged an old bird's nostalgia." Eduardo chuckled.
"If you say so." Blu scooped up the berries and nuts. "See you later, sir!"
Eduardo chuckled as Blu took off.
"I think you'd like him, Sapphire." He mused. "You really would...
To Be Continued...
(Rio 2 and all associated characters are the property of Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox.)