Rio 1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone. Here is the first chapter of my secret project, a Rio fanfiction. I hope you will enjoy it. In this chapter, the story starts right after Nigel is lauched out of the airplane using the fire extinguisher.**

Chapter one : Leap of faith

"BLU! Help me! I am falling." Jewel cried, trying her best to grab something to keep her in the plane. But the floor of the plane was plane and she had nothing to grab on. Blu was frozen in place. He looked at Jewel as she fell. He might have seemed shocked, but his brain was working furiously. What should he do? Should he jump and have at least a second more with Jewel, or should he stay in the plane and die a couple of minutes later? What was more important to him? His life or his love? Should he try to save her or should he save himself? What could be concequences if he jumped and what could be the concequnces if he stayed on the plane? Without a second thought, Blu ran towards the entrance of the plane and jumped after Jewel. After a second of falling, he grabbed Jewel in his wings. Jewel looked at him and cried:

"Blu! Are you nuts? Why did you jump? Now we are both going to die..."

Blu's voice however was calm and calculated:

"Jewel, you said it yourself. We are chained to each other birds. And we will always be." Jewel's eyes grew almost out of her head as a smile formed on her beak. Without a second to lose, she pressed her beak against Blu's and gave him a big and sincere kiss. She realised that, even though for a second more, she was no longer alone. She had someone that loved her truly and that he was willing to spend the last seconds of his lives with her. But, what Jewel didn't know was that now, Blu's hearth was working hard. If until now it was slow in beats, now it pumped as much blood as it could to support the need of Blu's wings flying them away from the water of the ocean.

"Blu...y-y-you are flying?!Oh my gosh Blu! You are flying!" Jewel began screaming as she saw Blu with a smile on his beak and his eyes closed. He opened hie eyes and looked at Jewel who was now in his talons, and, with a sheepish smile, he said:

"Indeed I am. And it's all thanks to you. It looks like all I really missed was motivation. And now that I had to save the bird I love...well, let's just say it was all the motivation I needed. More important, however is how does your wing feel?"

"I think it broke. God damn that Nigel. Now I won't be able to fly with you" Jewel said in a sad voice.

"Don't worry Jewel. I know someone who can help you. Tulio can fix any injury that a bird has. He should be more than capable of healing your wing" Blu said in a soothing tone. " And here is the runway. Let's land and see what Tulio can do" Blu added.

"O-okay" Jewel said since a little in shock from what happened. After all, who wouldn't be in shock after such an experience: almost dying and then beying saved by the bird that loves and that you love too.

"Tulio...is Blu. Look Tulio, is Blu!. And he is flying and carrying Jewel!" Linda said excited because her Blu was alive and flying.

"She looks injured" Fernando said.

Blu and Jewel landed on the runway and Tulio aproached and asked:

"What is the problem?"

Blu showed his left wing and then did something that resembled a stick being broken in half.

"She broke her left wing?" Tulio asked to e sure. Blu nodded and then told Jewel:

"Don't worry Jewel. All is going to be just fine."

"But, Blu...what is Tulio going to do to me?" she said in a scared voice.

"Not much really. He is just going to examine your injured wing, put it in plaster for a while, until it is healed and then we can go to the jungle" Blu answered.

"But, Blu...we will be again in that cag - did you just said that we are going together in the jungle?" Jewel asked with her fear gone, and her frown replaced by a big smile.

"Yeah...and I don't know where we will be staying, but I will be there to keep you company and to keep you happy" Blu said with a sheepish smile, and his cheeks getting a little red under the blue feathers.

"Oh, Blu..." Jewel said almost crying as she gave him another big kiss, right in front of everyone. By far, Tulio's reaction was the funniest. He actually fainted for a couple of minutes, while Linda and Fernando just clapped and cheered a little. After Tulio came about, he took Jewel in his hands, carefull not to touch her broken wing too much, while Blu was on his shoulde, and carryed her to the float which they used to get there and, after all of them were inside, he drove them all back to the Cage Place, as Jewel would call it. They got out of the car, Tulio got them all inside the lab and in front of the door that led to an examination room. He placed Blu on a table, and Jewel near him and said:

"You two stay here while I go get my equipment. I'll be right back." After Tulio left, Jewel said:

"Blu, I am scared." Blu came closer to her, wrapped his wings around her and kissed her forehead, then he said

"Don't be. All is going to be alright. I will be waiting just outside this door until he is finished with treating you."

"Aaaaand...I'm back. Let's get to it then, shall we?" said Tulio as he came back to the table where the two birds were. Blu let Jewel go, smiled at her and gave Tulio space to grab her gently. Tulio did it and with Jewel in his hands, went straight into the room. Just then, Linda appeared with two cups of hot chocollate. He put one near Blu and said:

"I brought you a cup of hot chocollate. Thought you might need it."

Blu nodded and drank some of the chocollate. Linda looked at him and, without losing any moment, asked him:

"Blu...are you going to stay here until Jewel comes out?" Blu nodded. "You really love her, don't you?" Linda asked once again. Blu nodded again. "Then, it is decided. You will do as Tulio said. You will leave with Jewel in the jungle to save the species?" Linda asked, this time a tear almost excaping her eye. But Blu saw it, and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper that were there on that table. Tulio had brought them when he brought his equipment and probably forgot them. Blu quickly wrote a note and handed it to Linda. Linda took it and read: Don't cry Linda. Me and Jewel will visit you and Tulio as often as possible.

Linda smiled at Blu, and said: "You know Blu? I think it is for the best that you go with Jewel in the jungle. Me, I will see what else I'll do...but I'll be staying in Brasil until Jewel's wing is healed because Tulio asked me too...but then...I don't know what should I do." Blu looked down and thought for a moment, before a mad idea came to him. He took the paper and pen and wrote another note that he handed to Linda. It said: Why don't you sell the bookshop back in Minesotta and you move here?

"Blu, I don't know...if I sell that shop, where would I work. And without work, how will I buy food or a house to live here in Rio? I really don't know. Anyway...I am going to sleep. It is already 2 in the morning. Have a good night Blu" Linda said as she got up and went throught a door and climbed a flight of stairs. Blu was now alone on the table. And he was worried...Jewel was inside there for over an hour...what could take so long? It was only a broken wing. He started pacing up and down the table, stopping from time to time to take some hot chocollate.

-2 hours later-

The door opened and out came a Tulio with a smile on his face and a Jewel in his hands that was scared out of her feathers. Her left wing was bandaged and under the bandage, it was surely plaster to keep it imobile so the bones can fix.

"Jewel had her wing broken in 4 places. It would take at least a couple of weeks for it to heal. If you want, I can put both of you in the same room you met" Tulio said, as Blu flew on his shoulder, while Jewel looked at him and Blu smiled at Jewel a loving smile. Tulio looked at Blu and asked again:

"So do you two want to stay in the same room?"

Blu nodded and then kept looking at Jewel. They got to the door to the said room, but before Tulio opened it, Blu saw a paper with a pen on a clipboard, and he flew at them and wrote something on the paper, then he flew back to Tulio's shoulder. Tulio opened the hatch at the base of the door and put both Jewel and Blue through it. He said:

"Don't forget...3 knocks for open and many knocks for emergency." He then closed the hatch. When Jewel saw the hatch closed, she just gave Blu a hug from all her hearth with her right wing, while she cryed on his shoulder. Blu put his wings around her and stroked or head, soothing her:

"Blu, I was so scared. I was scared for my life. He did a lot of things and it hurt and...and"

"Jewel, calm down. It is over now. I am here for you" Blu interrupted her as he took her face and looked her straight in the eyes. She stopped crying and looked him in the eyes. Her breaths calmed as she looked at Blu.

"Are you okay?" Blu asked now.

"Yes. I am fine now. Thank you Blu. What do we do now?" Jewel said.

"I have an idea" Blu said. " It is about 4 in the morning...we should get a little sleep. Do you remeber the tree under which I slept when we were inside here for the first time?" Blu asked.

"Yes. Why?" Jewel asked.

"Well, if my memory is good, there was a hollow that looked just big enough for both of us" Blu said.

"It does? I don't remember about it, but if you say it is there, we should at least go and see" Jewel said.

"Blu. I got your message. It is done" Tulio's voice could be heard in a speaker.

"What is all that about?" Jewel asked.

"Nothing important. Let's go and see that hollow" Blu said. Jewel shrugged it off and followed Blue towards the tree.

They got to the tree, and Blu flew above Jewel, grabbed her in his talons and flew her up in the hollow.

"Thanks" Jewel said.

"No problem" Blu responded looking around the hollow. He saw a camera that he went ahead and covered with a leaf. Right after that, he heard Tulio's voice:

"Blu, please remove the leaf." He removed the leaf, shook his head at the camera and put it back. Tulio said:

"Fine you can cover that one."

"You were right Blu. This hollow is perfect for both of us. For our staying here, I mean" Jewel said.

Blu went in a corner and sat down, then said:

"Well, we should get to sleep." He put his head under his wing. Jewel, however, had another plan. She went and sat down right beside him. Then, she looked like she was cold, so she started to shiver a little. Blu looked over at her and said:

"Come here. I'll keep you warm." That is exactly what Jewel was waiting for. When Blu put his wing over her, she scooted closer and put her head on his chest. Blu just brought her even closer and said:

"You know, you are a terrible liar. If you wanted to sleep with me, you could just have asked. I just supposed that it would have been more comfy for you because of your wing. Besides, I also wanted to sleep with you too."

Jewel just looked at him, and sighed in relief. Then she said: "Good night Blu."

"Good night my Jewel" was all Blu said before he fell asleep. Jewel, however just stood there thinking for a couple of minutes about how lucky she was to have a caring bird such as Blu take care of her. He even jumped after her, even though he didn't know if he would survive. After looking at Blu once more, she fell asleep with her head on his upper chest and with a smile on her beak.

**If you enjoyed, please leave me a review. All the support is important, and I will answer each and everyone of you. Now, since I have another story to finish, the time between the chapters might be a little long, but fear not, I won't abandon something I started, without giving a shout to my readers.**

**The song refered in this chapter is "Keep the faith" By Bon Jovi.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everyone. Here is the next chapter of this story. It came sooner than I thought because I had a free day today. Anyway, please enjoy.**

Chapter Two : In these wings

The sun was fast to rise over the peacefull city of Rio. In the jungle, all the birds were beginning to sing their morning song. All the birds, except Nico and Pedro, who woke up at the sound of the chorus. Nico said:

"Hey Pedro, say, do you think that our guys finished moving the club?"

"I don't know, buddy. When we left, I remeber Kipo saying he will be done by mornin" Pedro said, slowly waking up. Just then the birds finished their song. Nico and Pedro decided to go for something to eat. The flew from their hollow towards the closest mango tree. While they were soaring through the jungle, Nico said:

"Hey Pedro, do you see that bird down there?"

"Where?" Pedro asked looking around. Nico grabed Pedro's head and pointed it towards the bird. "Oh, that one. Yeah"

"Why does it have a cloak? Besides, it looks injured" Nico said.

"Let's go and see if he needs help" Pedro said, but before they could move, the bird looked at them, jumped in a bush, and was gone.

"Well, that was surely strange" Nico said.

"Yeah. I wonder who he was. And why the cloak?" Pedro followed with questions.

"I don't know. Let's grab something to eat. Even my bottlecap is hungry. Let's move" Nico said, flying again towards the mango tree.

Meanwhile, at the aviary, Blu just opened his eyes, and found Jewel to be still asleep. He carefully got out of her embrace, and flew towards the door. He knocked three times, and the door opened. Tulio was there with two mangoes in his hands.

"Here you go Blu, just as you asked" Tilio said. Blu smiled at him and nodded. "You're welcome" Tulio said as he gave him both the mangoes. Blu grabbed a mango in each talon and flew towards the hollow. He somehow managed to land and put both of the mangoes inside, without a sound. Then he went back near Jewel, and snuggled close to her. He saw a smile forming on her beak. He stood there patiently waiting for Jewel to wake up, when he heard her giggle.

"Jewel, how long have you been awake?" Blu asked, a smile on his beak.

"Since you came back and snuggled with me" she said, opening her eyes and beaming at him. She couldn't see the mangoes because they were behind her.

"Where have you been Blu?" Jewel asked still smiling.

"You remember asking me what I told Tulio last night...well I told him to bring is a special amd fresh breakfast and I went to get it" Blu said with the smile still on his face.

"You ate without me? That's rude" Jewel said looking at him.

"I didn't say that. I just said I went to take it. Look behind you" Blu said. Jewel looked and saw two big, freah and juicy mangoes.

"Oh Blu. How did you know they were my favourites?" Jewel asked, giving him a one-winged embrace.

"Umm...instinct?" Blu said with a sheepish smile. Jewel began laughing, but her stomach began growling. She stopped laughing and her face became as red as a tomato, even under her cyan feathers.

"Looks like someone is hungry" Blu said with a grin, before his own stomach growled.

"That makes two of us" Jewel said almost laughing, as Blu went red. Jewel grabbed a mango and cut it into half. She gave half to Blu and she began eating the other half. When Blu finished, Jewel began giggleling.

"What?" Blu asked completely confused.

"Nothing. You just got some mango juice on your beak. Let me take care of that" Jewel said as she came closer to him and locked her beak with his. Blu hadn't had such a passionate kiss since his leap of faith. Jewel's tongue requested access at his, and he allowed their tongues to dance to their own samba rithm. The body warmth from Jewel, as well as the exotic taste of her beak along with the sweet mango taste almost drove Blu mad. When Jewel broke the kiss, Blu was spaced out. He said only one word: angel.

"Blu...Blu are you okay? Blu, snap out of it" Jewel said with a smile on her beak. Blu shook his head and questioned:

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You are in the hollow. After I broke the kiss, you kind of ...a...spaced out. You are so cute" Jewel said, hugging him again.

"Thanks" Blu said hugging Jewel too, but being carefull of the damaged wing as his face grew hot. After Jewel broke the hug, Blu asked:

"So...any ideas what should we do today?"

"Umm...I think I'll take a bath. If I remember correctly, there is a shallow puddle somewhere inside here" Jewel said, as she looked a little at herself. Blu said:

"I could use a bath too. I'll fly you there."

Blu took Jewel in his talons and flew out of the hollow. He hovered and said

"You guide me and I'll fly." Jewel nodded and told him where to fly. After some time, they found the puddle of water. Blu landed Jewel and was about to fly again, when Jewel asked:

"Where are you going?"

"I was going to give you sone privacy" Blu said.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. Now that we are together and almost mates, you can help me preen...that is what mates do in the jungle" Jewel said with a smile on her beak. She saw as Blu's face began redding a little, and began to giggle. Then she said:

"Come on. Help me preen. Besides I can't do it with my wing in this state." Blu nodded and was about to help Jewel, but before he grabbed a stick and began writting something on the soil. When he finished, both of them could hear Tulio in the speaker:

"Okay Blu. But only for some time."

"What did you tell Tulio?" Jewel asked.

"I told him to stop the cameras while we bathe."

"I should learn to write. Seems like a usefull skill" Jewel said.

"I havr an idea. I teach you how to write and read, and you teach me about the jungle. We can do it inside here, can't we? This place looks like the real jungle, doesn't it?" Blu asked. Jewel looked around herself before she said:

"Yeah, kind of...except for food. I don't remeber seeing any mango or star fruit trees, but I suppose I could teach you that once we are out there."

"Great. Now let's get clean" Blu said, a smile forming on his beak.

"Okay" Jewel said as they went in the middle of the shallow puddle of water.

"You first. I'll start with your back" Blu said. He went behind her, as she sat down in the water. He began preening her every feather very carefully. He removed any piece of dirt that he could find. Then he moved on to the tail. Then the right wing. Then Jewel's chest. As he began preening her, she began giggleling and Blu said:

"Someone is ticklish. It's good to know" a grin on his face. He stopped.

"Blu, are you okay?" Jewel asked, a little worried. Without any sign, he began ticklying her. Jewel began laughing hard. Between laughs, she talked:

"Blu...hehe...Blu, stop please...hehe."

"Why should I, when your laugh is like music to my ears" he said. He was taken by surprise, when his beak connected with hers. After a couple of seconds, Jewel broke the kiss, and Blu stopped ticklying.

"Looks like I found your weakness" Jewel said still laughing. Blu laughed too and got back to preening her. When he was done, he went to steps back to get a clear view of Jewel. As he focused his eyes on her, the sparkle in her feathers and the smile on her beak made him space out again.

"How do I look? Blu...Blu, not again. Blu snap out of it" Jewel said, shaking him a little.

"What happened?" Blu asked in a fake confusion.

"You were day-dreaming...again" Jewel said with a smile, beginning preening his chest.

"Damn. Again? I suppose this is the effect of an angel" Blu said.

"Thanks Blu" Jewel said as her face became red. She preened Blu's chest, back, tail, and wings. Jewel observed that for a nerdy bird, Blu was quite muscular.

They got out of the water and waited for their feathers to dry. Once they were dry and clean, Blu flew Jewel back inside the hollow, so they could eat the other mango. Once they were done, Tulio could be heard in the speaker:

"I am restarting the cameras. Jewel please come to the door, so that I can have another look at your wing."

"Let's go. I have a plan that you might like" Blu said.

"Oh. Might I ask what this plan is?" Jewel asked.

"Well, it involves something that you would like. I'll tell you once it succeds" Blu said.

"Ugh, fine then. Let's go. I wonder what does this Tulio want from my wing this time" Jewel said. Blu picked her up and they flew to the hatch. They knocked three times and Tulio opened it. Both Blu and Jewel passed through and Tulio picked Jewel up and carryed her to the table where Blu had been waiting the night before. Then he grabbed a bottle and gave Blu a spoon of something. Tulio said:

"Linda told me that you need your vitamins." Blu's face was disgusted. Tulio took another spoon and gave it to Jewel. She swallowed it and licked her beak, saying:

"Yummy, strawberry.'

"You like strawberries?" Blu asked.

"Yeah. They are really sweet. But I like mango better" Jewel said.

"Okay. Jewel come. I'll have to look at your wing to be sure the job I did last night was well done. Please wait here Blu" Tulio said.

Blu, while Jewel was inside for a check-up, Blu took the note from last night and wrote another message on it for Tulio. In about ten minutes, Tulio was back. He put Jewel down and Blu showed him the note. Tulio read it and thought for a second, before saying:

"Fine, but only until 10, then you are back in." Blu nodded and Tulio opened the door. Jewel looked at the two of them and asked Blu:

"What is going on?"

"I asked Tulio if he lets us outisde in the evening so that we could both watch the sun falling down. And he allowed us to do this every evening until we go in the jungle" Blu said with a smile.

"You did what? Blu that is so aweosme. Come here, you big, guffy blue feather ball" Jewel said as she snuggeled him and locked her beak with his. After she broke the kiss, Blu took her in his talons and flew with her to the roof of the aviary. From there, they could see the entire jungle, since the aviary was just outside it. They sat down, Blu with a wing over Jewel and he asked:

"Where did you live before you were caught by Tulio?"

"I...I don't really want to talk about that right now" she said, as her face begun to tear up. Blu saw what he did and, wiping away her tears, he said:

"I am sorry I brought this into discusiion. Please don't cry." Jewel put her head on his chest and looked towards the sun. Blu suddenly said:

"You know that time on the troley? This is what I imagined it to turn out, if I didn't choke."

"That is so sweet, becuase I imagined it in the same way" Jewel said with a smile, as she gave him another kiss and then they watched the sunset together. After the sun had set, Blu took Jewel back inside, and left a note for Tulio, before going back inside the room. Once inside, Blu took Jewel back to the hollow and set her down. Then he sat in the place from last night and extended a wing. Jewel came closer to him and under his wing. He brough her even closer and she put her good wing around his back. Then Jewel rested het head on his upper chest, while he rested his head behind her head. Before falling asleep, Jewel said:

"Thank you for everything you did for me today. I am really lucky to have you."

"Don't be silly Jewel. I did what any mate would do, besides I am the one that is lucky" Blu answered, bringing her even closer.

"Good night my Blu" Jewel said.

"You two, my beautiful Jewel" Blu said before falling asleep.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, a review is highly appreciated. I don't know when the next chapter will be out, because I am going to release a new chapter to my other story soon.**

**The song refered in this chapter is another song by Bon Jovi, "In these arms"**

**Until the next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone. Here is the newest chapter in the life of Blue and Jewel in the aviary. A fluffy chapter for you. Please do enjoy :D**

Chapter three : Warmness on the soul  
As the sun was slowly rising, over the peacefull city of Rio, the avians begun their usual wake-up song.

There was a particularly tree that was quiet this morning. In front of the said tree was a big rock. Inside the tree, Rafael was sleeping with a smile on his beak, until his kids creeped behind him. He opened his eyes a little, saw them, but he remained down. One of the chicks lofted his wing and with his feathers made a countdown. At the exact moment when the countdown ended, the chicks jumped to catch Rafael, but he was no longer there. As quick as a toucan, he took flight outside the hollow and began laughing:

"Kids, you still have a lot to learn. It is my time to get you now." And he dived in the hollow, playing with his kids, until a female toucan voice said:

"Ra-fa-el, what in the name of samba are you doing?" It was indeed Eva, who was very confused at what was going on.

"Umm...I was...playing" Rafael said with an unsure smile.

"Well take a break and go visit Blu and Jewel. I found out that the human, Tulio found them after they flew out of the plane and are at that building where you got your wing fixed last time" Eva said with a smile.

"They are alive? And they flew out of the plane? Hiw do you know all of this?" Rafaek asked happy but confused.

"How I know of this is not important. Just go and make sure that they are fine" Eva said with a smile.

"I'll go after we have breakfast, okay my sweet papaya?" Rafael said coming behind Eva and hugging her.

"Fine. Now go on, bring breakfast" Eva said, pecking his cheek.

**-Meanwhile, at the aviary-**

Blu opened his eyes a little sleepy and saw that jewel was not with him. He panicked a little, and looked outside the hollow. He saw her there, just looking in nothingness. Blu could tell something was off. He got up and went to Jewel. Before getting to close to her, he stopped and listened. Jewel was sniffling. She was upset, but why, Blu had no idea. He got closer and put his wings around her. He then asked in a worried voice:

"Jewel, is something wrong?"

Jewel did not say anything. She just turned around and put her head on Blu's chest. She then began crying. Blu was utterly confused and had no idea what was going on. He hugged her and stroked her head feathers, until she calmed down a little. Once she was no longer crying, Blu took his chance and asked again:

"Jewel, are you alright?"

Jewel looked up at him. She could read his face. He was worried and confused. She decided to tell him why was she crying.

"I am alright Blu. I just..." She stopped, having no idea how to say that she was crying because she had been flooded with memories of her family.

"Jewel, you can trust me. You know I will always be here for you. We are forever chained together. Tell me, why were you crying?" Blu insisted, hugging her again.

"I...I was crying because I remebered about my life before getting here" Jewel said, still having tears in her eyes.

"Jewel, I am sorry I brought that up last evening" Blu tried to say.

"No Blu. We are together now, and you have to know everything about me. It is your right" Jewel said. " You see Blu, I grew up in the jungle with my father and my brother. When I was very young, I barely learned how to fly, I once got outside the hollow, when my parents were gone to get food. That morning was the morning when I saw them for the last time. I found a couple of days later that both of them had been eaten by a large snake, with an image of a diamond on his head. Since then I had been completely alone. I lived where I could and ate what I found. I had to learn how to defend myself and how to fight. And then I was caught by Tulio and brought here, where I lived for almost 3 months, before you came around. Since you came around Blu, I begun feeling like I wasn't alone anymore" Jewel said, as she burried her head in Blu's chest again.

"I am sorry Jewel. I am sorry for ever asking such a thing of you. If anything else, I know how you feel" Blu said hugging her. Between her tears, Jewel said:

"How could you know?"

"Because I didn't know my parents either. When I was in the jungle, I had fallen from my hollow and some humans picked me up and took me in Minessota to be sold as pet. I don't have any memories of my parents, nor do I know what happened to them" Blu said.

Jewel raised her head from Blu's chest with wide cerulean eyes and looked into Blu's hazzel eyes. She asked:

"We have both been alone since we were young?"

"Yes Jewel, we have. But now we have each other, and I won't never leave you or let anything happen to you" Blu said with a smile.

Jewel hugged Blu so hard, that he could barely breath.

"I love you Blu. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me" Jewel said with new tears in her eyes, only this time, they were happy tears.

Blu hugged Jewel back and kissed her head, before saying:

"Should we get breakfast, or..?" He couldn't finish his sentence, because Jewel's stomach growled.

"Yeah. I think we should" Jewel said with a smile.

Blu smiled, and took Jewel in his talons and flew her to the door. He knocked and a scientist opened it. He said:

"Tulio is in the room at the end of the hallway. He has your food and what else you asked for."

Blu nodded and flew Jewel at the end of the hallway and in the room. Tulio was there with a toucan on his table. The toucan didn't want to leave, even though Tulio opened the window and shooed him. Blu and Jewel recognised that toucan in a second. It was none else than Rafael. Blu and Jewel landed on the table and hugged Rafael, while Tulio looked very interested.

"Friend of yours, Blu?" Tulio asked.

Blu nodded and asked for a paper and pen. Tulio gave him and he wrote: His name is Rafael and he has a mate named Eva. He was in the plane we flew from.

"Okay. Then I'll leave you three to talk. I'll be right back with the food" Tulio said.

"Blu! How are you amigo? Are you and Jewel...?" Rafael asked.

"We are both fine and yes, we are mates" Blu said a little awkward.

"I am so glad you to are fine amigos. Eva has been worried, as have been I. But I am curious, how did you get of that plane?" Rafael said.

"Well, for this to make sense, we will have to tell you everything that happened after you all flew away" Jewel said.

"Long story short, a cage fell on Jewel's wing because of Nigel, she fell from the plane, and I jumped after her" Blu said.

"And he grabbed me in his wings, told me that we are forever chained together, I kissed him and then he somehow learned how to fly and saved both of us. However I am stuck here until my wing heals. That is two weeks at least" Jewel said.

"Wow, that is a hell of a story. Eva will be so happy to learn both of you are fine. And Nico and Pedro too. I'll make sure to tell them" Rafael said.

"It was good to see you too Rafael" Blu said ans he hugged him.

"Indeed amigo. Very good to know both of you are fine and together at last. You two must excuse old Rafael now, I have some breakfast to bring to my family and then maybe I'll get the kids tested today. I wonder if Tulio would react well when he sees them" Rafael said as he flew out of the window.

"Bye Rafael" Blu said and then Tulio came back with the food.

"I see your friend left. Here are the magoes you asked for, Blu. Also, the books you asked for are on that table over there. I'll bring them in the breeding room once you two are done eating" Tulio said. Blu wrote another message on that paper. The massage said: Thanks. Bring some paper and a couple of pens too. ALso, Rafael said that he might bring his 13 chicks to get them tested. They are crazy.

"Rafael has 13 chicks? What is he, a rabbit? Damn, that must be the biggest toucan family in Rio" Tulio said. He then left to get the books inside the breeding chamber.

"Let's eat Jewel. Then I can teach you how to write and read the human language" Blu said.

"Okay. Let's start with this one" Jewel said as she began eating one of the mangoes. Blu joined her and they ate together both mangoes. After they were done, Jewel looked outside the window and said:

"Why don't we go for a mouth of fresh air before we get to learning stuff?"

Blu nodded and flew Jewel on the roof so that they could take a little fresh air. Jewel looked towards teh jungle and asked:

"So...where do you think we will go after we are released?"

"I don't know, but I imagine our hollow to be close to a stream of clear water and with a couple of magoes close to it. And maybe, as far as we can, without being rude, from Rafael's hollow. I can only imagine the 13 chicks giving us a morning call and I begin to shudder" Blu said.

"That is a nice image. And I think you are right. The last thing we want is a visit from those hyperactive chicks at 3 in the morning" Jewel said as she put a wing around Blu.

"Blu, tell me about your life in Minessota" Jewel said in a small voice.

"You actually got the name right this time. Well, it is not much to say about it. I mean, in these 4 days I had more action than in all the years there. BUt if you really insist. I usually did nothing all day. I read, ate and slept all day" Blu said.

"Oh, come on. There has to be more to the life in Minessota" Jewel cooed.

"Well, when winter came, there was a small lake close to the house I lived in. The house was also a bookstore, so there is where the books I read were from. As I was saying, this lake froze every winter. So, in winter I went skating. used my claws as skate blades and skated for several hours. It felt awesome. Now, if I remeber well, the lake is frozen" Blu said.

"Do you think we could go there in a vacation?" Jewel asked with a smile on her beak.

Blu thought for a second. IF he and Jewel asked Linda for a trip there, she could take her books and stuff and start a business here. And Tulio would come there too to help her. And he and Jewel will have a couple of days of fun. Sounds awesome.

"Well, I could ask Tulio and Linda if they can get us there tomorrow or the day after" Blu said.

"Really? Do you think they will agree to this?" Jewel asked.

"I think so, because Linda doesn't know what to do. To stay here or leave me here and return to Minessota. This would be the chance for her to grab her things from ther and move here with Tulio. I should talk to Tulio and then tell them. If Tulio did talk to her about what I told him to, then we might be able to go there tomorrow" Blu said.

"So you were planning this all along?" Jewel asked with a grin.

"Not like this, but, in a way, yeah" Blu said sheepishly. Jewel kissed him deeply and then said:

"Let's talk to Tulio. Then we can go in that room so you can teach me how to read and write."

Blu picked her up and they flew in Tulio's office. Tulio did not see them, until Blu landed Jewel in front of him.

"Hi there Blu. Is something wrong?" Tulio asked as he gave him a paper and pen.

Blu wrote: Have you talked to Linda about what I told you last night?

"Yes I did. She is still unsure of what to do, but she wants to move here. She just doesn't know how to go back to take her things" Tulio said.

Blu wrote: Me and Jewel have an idea.

"You do? Let's hear it then" TUlio said, becoming very interested.

Blu wrote: I want to show Jewel Minessota. We could all four go there for a two or three day vacation. Linda will have time to grab her things, you will spend time with Linda and I will show Jewel Minessota and spend some time with her. And don't worry about the wing. I'll be carefull.

"Sounds like a good idea. And when were you two thinking to go there?" Tulio asked.

Blu wrote a single word: Tomorrow.

"Tomorrow? Well then, let's see if Linda agrees and if she does, I could pay this from the money of the aviary, since all here will get a 3-day vacation" Tulio said. Then he spoke in a microphone:

"Linda, please come in my office for a second." Then they waited.

Linda came in the office a couple of minutes later and asked:

"You wanted to see me, Tulio? Oh, hi there Blu. Hi Jewel."

"Yes. You remeber what we talked about yesterday? Me, Blu and Jewel found a solution. Blu wanted to show MInessota to Jewel, so we though about going in a small vacation in Minessota. The aviary will pay everything, and you will have the chance to take all your things and move here in Rio. I know the perfect place, where you could open a book shop,and the aviary will pay the first three rents, so that you can have time to get some money to manage. Well, what do you say?" Tulio asked.

Linda thought for a moment, looked at Tulio, then at Blu and then at Jewel. Then she said:

"Well, when are we going?"

"Tomorrow morning" Tulio said.

"Very well, I'll preapare my luggage. We can all stay at the book shop for the vacation" Linda said as she left with a smile on her face.

"It worked. Good job Blu and Jewel" Tulio said.

Blu nodded, then he took Jewel and they flew outside of the office and towards the breeding room. The scientist there opened the door for them and they went in. In front of the door were a couple of small books, a couple of pens and some paper. The books looked bigger then the hollow, so they decided to learn there. Blu opened the first book that contained the letters of the alphabet and showed Jewel how every letter that they were saying was written. She got the first 3 letters, before she failed to do the fourth.

"Let me help you" Blu said. He grabbed Jewel talon in his and guided her movements. From there on, he showed here all the letters and made her say them in order and at random. Jewel was fast to learn. In 4 hours she knew every letter, how to write it and how to say it.

"Great Jewel. You learn fast. Now, all we have to do, is teach you how to read words, sentences and phrases and then how to write them. BUt we can do that after our little vacation in Minessota is done" Blu said, hugging her and kissing her head.

"Of course Blu. Now, what about some survival lessons?" Jewel asked with a smile.

"Okay. What do I have to do?" Blu asked.

"Hmm...we should start with orientation and stamina. Pick me up and fly me around a turn, then we return here. After that, I will tell you a certain tree I saw and you will get me there, without me telling you where it is. Got it?" Jewel said.

"Got it. Here we go" Blu said as he picked up Jewel. He then began flying her around the room. Jewel saw an interesting tree that looked like a mango. She looked around for any landmarks, and then they both landed at the entrance.

"Okay. There was a tree that looked like a mango and at the base of it, was a small brown rock. Get me there" Jewel said.

Blu nodded, and began flying her around the room. He managed to find the tree first try, because he also saw something else near that tree. There was puddle of water that had a very beautiful flower on the bank.

"Well done Blu. Now, from here, get me to our hollow. And form there get me to the spring" Jewel said.

Blu followed instructions and managed to navigate the small artificial jungle quite well.

"Okay Blu. Put me down here near the stream. Then fly 200 times around the room. I will count. If you don't, you'll sleep alone tonight" Jewel said with a grin.

"Oh, come on" Blu said.

"Joking with you. Now go and do 200 laps around the room. I'll be counting" Jewel said, laughing.

**-200 laps later-**

Blu landed near Jewel and looked very sweaty and tired.

"Okay. Now go wash a little and then we can go to the roof so that the wind can make you nice, fluffy and cuddly for me" Jewel said.

Blu soaked himself and then got out of the water. He and Jewel walked towards the door and knocked. The door opened and Blu flew Jewel on the roof so they can watch the sunset. There was a gentle wind that Blu liked. He liked the feeling of this wind going through his feathers. He felt refreshed. After he was a little dryer, Jewel put a wing around him and Blu asked:

"So, how did I do?"

"Good for a bird that learnt how to fly a couple of days ago" Jewel said pecking his beak.

They stood there, watching the sunset. After a couple of minutes, something caught Blu's attention. It was a cloaked figure on the tree below them. He whispered to Jewel:

"You see the cloaked bird down there?"

"Yeah. He has been watching the sunset and us for quite somee time. Let's go inside. That bird gives me the creeps" Jewel said.

"Where is he?" Blu asked looking towards the tree again. He was no longer there and not a single flapping noise could be heard.

'He vanished' Blu thought.

"I don't know. Let's get inside. You are nice and cuddly right now" Jewel said, giving him another peck on the cheek this time.

Blu picked Jewel up and flew her in the breeding room. He flew her into the hollow and set her down.

"Now my cuddly clumsy bird, let's get some sleep. The travek tomorrow might tire us down, so we better be full of energy" Jewel said as she sat down in their corner.

Blu went beside her, put a wing around her and brought her closer to him.

"Fluffy" Jewel said as she poked his chest. Blu laughed and Jewel put her head on his upper chest. Blu puthis on her head and they fell asleep. Both of them were dreaming the awesome vacation that would start tomorrow.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. We will see what the trip to Minessota brings for our favourite bird couple. If you did enjoy, please leave me a review. Any support is appreciated.**

**The song refered in this chapter is "Warmness on the soul" by Avenged Sevenfold.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone. I am surprised this story has so much success up until now. It's great to know that people like the way I am writting, English not being my first language. Thanks for all the support. Here is a 4,5 k chapter for you. Enjoy :D**

Chapter four : Love

The sun rose slowly over the silent city of Rio. Tulio and Linda were already done with their packing and were in the room that looked over the breeding room. Tulio got to the microphone and said:

"Blu. Jewel. Are you up? If not, you should be if we want to catch the plane."

Inside the room, Blu just opened his eyes a couple of minutes before Tulio spoke in the michrophone and juat stood there ejoying Jewel's company. After Tulio's message, Blu slowly nuzzeled Jewel's head and said:

"Rise and shine, Jewel, my love. We need to catch the plane to Minessota."

Jewel opened her eyes, yawned, looked at Blu and said:

"Morning Blu. What is going on?"

"Remeber we are going to Minessota today? We have a plane to catch" Blu said with a smile, as he got up and prepared to fly Jewel outside of the room. After he picked her up, and while they were mid-flight, Jewel asked:

"So, how exactly do we travel bt plane? I mean, yeah we were on a plane but we were smuggled, or almost. How exactly do birds usually fly by plane?"

"Well, planes have a room for animals. We will however need to stay in a cage, so that we would be safe, but I'll make sure we share the same cage, so that we won't get...bored" Blu said as he landed Jewel at the door and knocked. Tulio opened the door and put three cages on the floor. One of them was bigger than the rest. Tulio asked:

"Share or alone?"

Both Blu and Jewel looked at him kind of weird and went inside the bigger cage together. The two of them heard Tulio's comment of I don't know what I expected. Both of them begun laughing, although Jewel was still aa little sleepy.

"You know Jewel, you could sleep once we are on the plane. To tell you the truth, there is not much that we could do" Blu said, seeing that Jewel yawned once more.

"How long is the flight?" Jewel asked, rubbing her eyes with her free wing.

"Only 3 hours" Blu said, as he found a good spot to sit down inside the cage. Jewel came beside him and Blu put a wing over her. Jewel became completely relaxed and asked Blu:

"So, Blu, what do you plan to do when we get back to Minessota?"

"Let me respond with a question. Have you ever seen snow?" Blu asked.

"No, I haven't seen it but I heard of it" Jewel said looking at him.

"Well, if you heard of it, then I have to warn you. It is very very cold. And, once we get there, we might meet these two particular geese" Blu said.

"Friends of yours?" Jewel asked, a little excited about meeting some friends of Blu.

"No, thank God. These two geese are the worst kind of birds you will ever see" Blu said.

"Oh, come on, they can't be that bad" Jewel said.

"When, in the middle of winter you throw snowballs at someone and call them forever alones, you aren't quite polite" Blu said.

"Oh...well at least you will show them when you'll meet them" Jewel said with a confident smile, then thinking a little, she asked:

"What's a snowball?"

"It is a ball made from snow, that you throw at someone. It doesn't hurt and, at least in Minessota, there are even days dedicated to snowball fights" Blu said excited.

"Sounds like fun" Jewel said as she moved in a more confortable position.

"Blu, tell me a story. Something funny" Jewel said as she put her head on Blu's chest.

"Well, I could tell you how I met Tulio. It was a funny, if not creepy little thing" Blu said. Jewel just nodded, as she cuddeled more into Blu's chest. Blu already had a ming over her, so with the other one, he begun stroking her head feathers, while saying:

"It was another random day in Minessota. I just woke up and did my little morning routine, before Linda opened the book shop. She brought me a delicious drink, that I am sure you will enjoy once we get in Minessota. As I was drinking the delicious drink, the two geese I told you about begun throwing snowball in the window of the shop. That us, until something scared them. It was in fact Tulio that scared them, because he was failing on keeping himself on his legs on the icy pavement. Then he saw me, entered the shop and begun squeeking and squeeling and so on. Linda just looked at him and begun smiling. I think she was holding back a good laugh, while I was very confused. He was trying to talk in our language, but he said nothing that made any sense. He was just making random souns, while shaking his inexitent tail feathers and wings" Blu said, and Jewel chuckeled. After that she said:

"Remember the costume he had when we came back from the plane? I bet that is he did the same thing in that costume, we wuld both be on the floor, laughing."

"Indeed we would. Maybe Linda too. Imagine the face of Rafael or Nico and Pedro" Blu said, as they were being loaded in the chamber of animals on the plane. It the small time they talked, tulio drove to the airport and boarded and they have been transported to the animal cargo. When the door closed and everything went black, Jewel looked around and said:

"Blu, where are we and why is it pitch black?"

"We are in the plane, and don't worry, they will light up some lights, but after the plane takes off" Blu assured her, pecking her beak.

"Oh, no you don't" Jewel said playfully, as she turned around and fully locked her beak with his. She even pushed her tongue inside his beak, while Blu did the same, enjoying every moment. Their tongues danced their own little samba. After a couple of minutes, Jewel broke the kiss and said:

"From now on, no half measures. You are my mate, even though not completelly yet" Jewel said with a broad smile on her face.

"What do you mean not completelly yet?" Blu asked, sounding really stupid for a change.

"Well, we still have to mate, don't we" Jewel said with the same smile on her face.

"Um, Jewel...I'm not sure...I will be a good father" Blu said, his mood suddenly dropping.

"Blu, you will make a more than good father, plus, you won't have to do it all by yourself, I'll be there to help you. And no one said we have to do it now or tomorrow. We will do it when we both feel like in" Jewel asured Blu.

"Okay, but we need to set only one rule" Blu said, his happy mood coming back.

"And what would that be?" Jewel asked, with the smile returning on her face.

"That we won't end like Rafael with so many chicks" Blu said.

"Yeah. That is for sure...unless we fel like it" Jewel said, a sudden seducing tone to her voice.

"Well, if we feel like it, then we will see" Blu said, playing Jewel's little game.

"What we will see Blu?" Jewel asked, still with her seducing voice.

"That we will see also" Blu said as he locked beaks with Jewel again. This time it was a short kiss. In all this time, the plane took off and the lights were turned on.

"I say that we catch a good couple of hours of sleep while we are here, so that we have energy to go skating as I told you we would" Blu said as he begun petting her head again.

Jewel, however, wasn't sleepy anymore. But she let Blu sleep, because he looked a bit tired.

**-3 hours later-**

The flight from Rio to Minessota just landed and Jewel and Blu's cage was just taken down from the plane.

"Blu...i-i-it i-i-is c-c-cold here" Jewel said as she begun shaking.

"I told you it is very cold here. Come closer" Blu said as he laid himself on the ground, with his back on one of the walls and his tail feathers in front of him. "Come over here, so I can put both my wings over you to keep you warm" Blu said as Jewel looked at him with an imaginar raised eyebrow. Jewel did as she was told and laid with her lower back on Blu's tail feathers, and with her head on Blu's chest. Blu put both his wings around her and Jewel begun feeling warm again.

"Thanks Blu. You know, I could get used to sleeping like this. By the way, if Tulio sees us, he would probably jump all over the place" Jewel said with a giggle.

"Yeah, he is Tulio after all, but I trust Linda that she will keep him in a leash, to say so" Blu said.

"Why are you so sure about this?" Jewel asked looking at him with a smile, and getting even more confortable.

"Haven't you seen the way they look at one another? They are in love with each other, and Tulio would do anything for her. Man, I sound like Rafael, when he was talking with Nico and Pedro" Blu said, beginning laughing. Jewel joined him. By now, they were in a car and moving towards the book store. Just as they finished laughing, the car stopped. Tulio picked up the cage and, following Linda, entered the book store.

"Okay you two, we are here. You can come out now" Linda said as she opened the door of the cage. Both Blu and Jewel hopped out of the cage and onto the table.

"Blu, would you like some hot chocolate?" Linda asked. Blu nodded and with his wing pointed to Jewel. "Of course" Linda said with a smile.

"Hot what?" Jewel asked, looking really puzzled at Blu.

"Chocolate. Hot chocolate. The drink I told you about. You'll love it" Blu said with a smile.

In a couple of minutes, Linda was back with two cups of hot chocolate, that each had some marshmallows floating in them. She put one in front of Blu and one in front of Jewel. Blu took the handle of the cup and drank a big gulp.

"I'm not sure about this. It doesn't look to good to me" Jewel said.

"Oh, come on. At least try it. It is so sweet and will keep you warm. It's sweeter than mangoes" Blu said with a smile, and becoming a little excited.

"Okay, I'll try it for you" Jewel said with a smile, as she grabbed the cup and tasted it. In an instant, her pupils dilated and her muscles relaxed.

"Oh boy, she goes into a sugar rush" Blu said as he looked at Jewel.

"THIS IS JUST AWESOME! HOW DIDN'T I TRY THIS SOONER! OH BLU THIS IS SO GOOD, SO HOT AND SO SWEET" Jewel began talking really loud and fast.

"Jewel...Jewel" Blu said trying to catch her attention, but she continued rambling.

"Jewel! Look at me" Blu said a little scared. Jewel stopped and looked at him with a smile on her beak. " Okay, now listen to me. You should take it easier with it. It will tire you out, okay? It is enough hot chocolate for now" Blu continued, as Jewel began calming down.

"Okay. But damn that drink is so good" Jewel said as Blu finished both cups, before saying:

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"Ummm, let's try that skating thing you said" Jewel said with a smile.

"Okay, be right back. I need to tell Linda that we are going to the frozen lake" Blu said as he flew towards the kitchen, where Linda and Tulio were talking. He flew on teh fridge, where he remembered he left some paper and a couple of pens and wrote: Linda, I want to show Jewel the frozen lake. Can we go? Blu took the paper to Linda, and Linda read it, before saying:

"Of course you can. After all, it is just a couple of blocks away. But be back in a couple of hours. Also, what do you two want to do tomorrow?" Blu thought for a second before writing a single word on the paper: sledgging.

"Okay. See you soon" Linda said, as she gave Blu his scarf. Blu flew in the room he shared with Linda and also took his older scarf, before going back to the kitchen. He landed on the table, beside Jewel and said:

"Here. Let me put this around your neck. It will keep you warm. We have to be back in a couple of hours, but that is more than enough time."

"Sweet" Jewel said, as Blu put a scarf with several little mooses(I think that is the plural from moose o_O) around her neck. He then picked her up, and they left through the bedroom window, who Linda opened when the got home to refresh the air. Blu flew for about a couple of minutes, passing a line of trees to the south of the book store, so that they reach the frozen lake. He then landed Jewel in the snow, that was nice and hard, and not too puffy for them to fall through.

"This sire feels different than the earth I am used to in Rio" Jewel comented, as she walked around a little.

"Come over here" Blu said with a smile, as he went to the frozen water of the lake. The ice had almost half a meter, so there was no danger of the ice breaking. Blu positioned his claws so that they mimicked a skate and then said:

"Okay Jewel, your turn. Just hold your talons the way I hold mine, and it should be easy enough."

Jewel followed his advice and managed to put both her talons on the ice, but had great problems with the balance. Blu was right behind her, keeping her from falling. After he managed to teach her how to remain on her feet, he said:

"Just watch a little, and then I'll teach you." Jewel nodded and Blu began skating in a straight line to build up some speed and then he skated backwards, on a talon, turned in the middle of the ice, did a pirouette, and then returned to Jewel.

"Wow" was all that Jewel could say.

"well then, let's get started. First thing first: balance. Give me your wing and I'll drag you around so that you can see how it feels" Blu said. Jewel nodded witha a smile and geve Blu her wing. Wing in wing, Blu dragged Jewel around the ice for a couple of minutes, until she adjusted to teh feeling. While still dragging her around, he said:

"Now try and move your feet like I do." Jewel nodded, looked at Blu's feet and the V shape in which they were moving. She tried and succeded after a time of doing it exactly as Blu.

"Let's try a turn now" Blu said as he turned with Jewel wing in wing. Jewel again looked at Blu's feet and saw that for the turn to be succesfull, Blu had to turn his foot, so she did too.

"Are you sure you never did this before?" Blu asked with a smile.

"No, why? Am I bad at it?" Jewel asked surprised.

"No, you are actually pretty good. It took me a couple of months to learn what you learned today" Blu said, still smiling.

"Well, I have a good teacher" Jewel said, and saw as Blu began getting red.

"Heh heh...thank. Let's try a pirouette together" Blu said as he begun spinning Jewel around himself. When they stopped, Jewel said:

"That felt so awesome. It felt the exact way as when we danced samba together."

Blu released Jewel, and then looked at the sky for a couple of seconds, before beginning to sing:

_"Time, just watching time slipping away_

_Gimme a sign, where do you go when you can't find the way"_

Here Blu turned to Jewel and held a wing to her. She grabbed it and smiled and they started skating together, all while Blu kept singing in his nice, melodical voice:

_"So we watch and we wait and we crawl and we kneel_

_If you know who you are then you know how you feel_

_In time, maybe temptation is all that you need"_

_They spun around, wing in wing, Jewel having the brightest smile yet, and Blu also with a smile on his beak, and still singing:_

_"Love don't lie, it lifts you up_

_Takes you higher when high aint enough_

_Love don't lie, it's stronger than steel_

_It's got the hearth and emotions to heal_

_It's not as easy as it seems_

_When you can't even speak in your dreams_

_Love don't lie and that's the truth_

_Look me straight in the eye for the proof_

_That love don't lie, yeah, love don't lie"_

They begun spinning together, eyes locked and with broad smiles. And still, Blu kept singing, closing his eyes for a moment, enjoying the moment, before he looked back at Jewel:

_"Out in the cold, with a love that burns like the sun_

_You've stolen my soul, so justice would seem to be done_

_So we hope and we pray and we live and we learn_

_If we know where we are then we know when to turn"_

Blu turns Jewel around and he skates backwards, while Jewel skates forward, and he is still singing:

_"In time, maybe persuasion is all that you need_

_Love don't lie, it lifts you up_

_Takes you higher when high aint enough_

_Love don't lie, it's stronger than steel_

_It's got the hearth and emotions to heal_

_It's not as easy as it seems_

_When you can't even speak in your dreams_

_Love don't lie and that's the truth_

_Look me straight in the eye for the proof_

_That love don't lie"_

_They begun spinning again, while Blu sang the last part one more time:_

_"Love don't lie, it lifts you up_

_Takes you higher when high aint enough_

_Love don't lie, it's stronger than steel_

_It's got the hearth and emotions to heal_

_It's not as easy as it seems_

_When you can't even speak in your dreams_

_Love don't lie and that's the truth_

_Look me straight in the eye for the proof_

_That love don't lie, yeah, love don't lie_

_Oh, oh, love don't lie, yeah, love don't lie."_

He finished their song as their pirouette stopped and Jewel looked him dead in the eyes, both of them wiht grins bigger than ever, as she said:

"Blu, that was beautiful. I love you so much" before she locked beaks with him, for a kiss more passionate than ever, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth, while she did the same. THe kiss stopped only because they needed air. After the kiss, Blu just commented:

"And this is the power of rock 'n roll."

"That was the most beautiful and loving and energic song I ever heard. You say it was rock 'n roll?" Jewel asked.

"Yes, the genre of music is rock, but the song itself is from one of my favourite singers, Def Leppard. The song is called Love don't lie. One of my favorites" Blu said, as he prepared to get out of the ice.

"It just became one of my favorites too. Where are you going?" Jewel asked, following him.

"We should return soon, and I want to show you how a snowball fight is" Blu said, still grinning. Jewel's smile became even bigger and she hurried to Blu. Blu took a wing full of snow and showed Jewel how to make it nice anr round and compact. Then he showed her how to aim it with her wing, as well as with her talon. Because of Jewel's wing, he made about five more snowballs for her, before making some for him. WHile he was working on his last one, a snowball hit him square in the beak:

"Ooops, it kind of slipped" Jewel said with a provoking smile, before a snowball hit her square in the beak too. She glared at Blu, who just grinned at her, throwing a snowball up and down:

"Oh, mister. .ON!" Jewel said with an evil grin now on her beak. Blu just laughed before he launched another couple of snowballs towards Jewel. She dodged both of them, before she herself sent three after Blu. He dodged the first, flew over the second, but the he wasn't expecting a third. It hit him in a leg and he lost his footing. WHile falling on his back, he launched a snowball towards Jewel, that kicked her last snowball. Jewel just looked at the place where her snowball was and then at Blu, with huge eyes, before saying:

"How did you do that while falling?"

"It was luck, really. NOw let's get back, or Linda is going to get worried" Blu said as he got up and picked Jewel up. He flew back towards the house and entered through the same window they went out from 2 hours earlier. Linda was in the bedroom, showing to Tulio a picture album. She saw them and said:

"It was about time. I have put a couple of mangoes on the table for you. Later, me and Tulio will go out, so you can watch a movie and have the house for yourself."

Blu nodded and flew Jewel in the kitchen, landing her right beside the mangoes. He then said:

"Thank you for flying with Blu airlines. Hope you had a relaxing trip." Jewel begun to giggle as she cut a mango in half with her talon. She gave half to Blu andthey both ate in silence. After a couple of minutes, they ate the second mango too. Then Jewel asked:

"What is a movie?"

Blu thought for a couple of seconds before asking:

"Have you ever seen a play?"

"Yes. But what does this have to do with the movies?" Jewel asked confused.

"To put it simple, a movies is like a play, only everything looks more real and you watch in on a Tv or computer, like the ones in Tulio's office. Also, I already know a movie you might like a lot" Blu answered.

"I see. What kind of movie?" Jewel asked.

"Well, it is an adventure movie, has a little bit of drama and some comedy. It also has a little romance and a lot of friendship" Blu said.

"Sounds fun. What is ti about?" Jewel asked, becoming more interested.

"Have you ever heard of dragons?" Blu asked.

"No. What are dragons?" Jewel asked.

"You will see in the movie. After the movie, if you like what you see, I'll tell you some legends and myths about dragons" Blu said.

"Okay. We have a deal" Jewel said with a smile. Just then, Linda came in the kitchen and said:

"I have linked the laptop to the tv. All you favourite movies are there. Me and Tulio are going in town. See you soon. You too Jewel. Take care of Blu, and Blu, take care of Jewel. Bye."

Both Blu and Jewel nodded, and after they heard the door closing, Blu flew Jewel to the livingroom, landed on the sofa and said:

"Wait here while I start the movie." Jewel nodded and Blu flew to the laptop and searched for How to train your dragon. He found it and set the language so that Jewel could understand too. Then he hit play. He flew back beside Jewel and sat down, with a wing over her as they watched the movie together.

**-a couple of hours later-**

"That was a really good movie. I wasn't expecting the ending" Jewel said, as the movie ended.

"I know. And I heard the next one will be out soon, so we got that coming. Maybe we will see it" Blu said.

"I really want to find out what happens next. Also, you said you tell me more about dragons" Jewel said.

"Well, now that you know what a dragon does and how he or she looks like, I'll have to tell you that in the myths, they were seen as evil creatures that a hero had to kill to earn fame" Blu said.

"That's cruel" Jewel commented.

"I know, but there are a couple of series of stories, where they are companions of heroes, helping them in the quest of defeating evil. The dragons are smart, have a good sense of humor and honor, can be very cunning and friendly, if they want. Most of times, some of their behaviour is similar to cats" Blu continued.

"After I learn to read, I'll like to read those books" Jewel said with a smile, as she cuddeled near Blu. Blu said:

"If you want, then you will. But, it is kind of late now and you look sleepy. Maybe you would enjoy a hot bath?" Jewel looked up at him, thought for a moment and nodded. Blu flew her to the bathroom, where he used to wash himslef and preen himslef. He begu prening Jewel under the warm water, massaging her at the same time.

"That feels wonderfull, Blu" Jewel said, relaxing completely. He preened her until she was more beautiful than an angel. He hadn't spaced out in about 2 days, but now, he did again, and only a peck on the beak from Jewel brought him back to reality.

"It's your turn" Jewel said, as she started preening Blu. She made sure to massage him too and she felt his muscles relaxing. When she was done, both of them were soaked so they dried out witha towel Blu brought and Jewel looked at Blu and said:

"Now, you are even cuddlier than before. Let's get back to that couch and have a good night sleep, my goofy Blu bird."

Blu smiled and flew Jewel to the couch, where they both sat in a corner, Blu with a wing over Jewel. He brought her closer and she put her head on his upper chest.

"Good night Jewel" Blu said as he kissed her.

"Good night Bluey" Jewel said giggling, before both of them fell asleep. That is how Linda and Tulio found them and decided to let them sleep there.

**And that's it for another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, a support is very much welcomed. Any mistakes reagarding grammar and such, you can send them to me in a PM.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics, nor the song, not the movie. They belong to their respective owners.**

**Song referred in this chapter: "Love don't lie" by Def Leppard.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi there everyone. A rather late chapter in this story, but I hope you will enjoy it. I won't be uploading anything for a couple of weeks, because I'll be away from any computers (some trip and shit) and my laptop is broken...so yeah. Anyway, I suggest you listen to the song I post you here, while reading this. It will make it much more enjoyable to get the mood. You'll see a youtube link so...umm..yeah...enough rambling about stuff...Enjoy :D**

Chapter five : Have I told you lately

A golden sun rose on an unusually clear sky over Minnesota. Although it was sunny, the temperatures weren't quite high. Being late winter in Minnesota, it was understandable.

Blu opened his eyes in annoiance, because one of the sun rays hit his face, and only his, Jewel's face being covered by one of his wings. Then he felt the smell of the usual hot chocolate, along with the smell of freshly cooked muffins.

"Wake up, wake up Jewel" Blu whispered. Jewel opened her eyes and looked around her. They were still on the couch.

"Morning Blu. What's with the early call?" Jewel asked, as she blinked a couple of times to become wide awake.

"Don't you smell anything?" Blu asked with a smile on his face.

"It smells like hot chocolate" Jewel said as her head bolted right up and a smile appeared on her beak.

"Yep. And also muffins" Blu said.

"What are muffins?" Jewel asked, looking at him.

"You'll see soon enough. But promise me you will take it easy this time, okay?" Blu said a little worried.

"Deal. Now let's go get some chocolate" Jewel said as she begun licking her beak. Blu nodded and flew Jewel to the kitchen. Tulio and Linda were there, having breakfast. There were also a couple of muffins and two cups of chocolate for Blu and Jewel. Blu landed Jewel, and Tulio said, seeing them:

"Good morning you two. Slept well on the couch?" Both Blu and Jewel nodded.

"Blu, you remember that bird nest I bought you? You'll have to sleep there tonight and tomorrow night, so that Tulio can have the couch" Linda said with a smile. Blu nodded.

"You have a bird nest?" Jewel asked.

"Kind of. It's made from a puffy material, but I prefered the cage instead of it. It is to big for me. Also it is pink" Blu said, with a wing scratching his head.

"Well, that won't be a problem now, will it Bluey?" Jewel said in a cooed and seductive voice.

"I suppose so" Blu said still scratching behind his head and with a smile on his face. Jewel smiled and turned towards the cup of chocolate and drank half in a big gulp. Blu smacked his face with his wing. Of course that the free spirited and rebelious Jewel won't take it easy. He braced himself for another sugar rush but it never came.

"Blu, are you eating or not?" Jewel asked confused.

"Yeah...I just thought...never mind. Have you tried the muffins?" Blu said.

"Oh this things?" Jewel said pointing to them. "No, not yet. Let's eat one together."

Jewel and Blu went to one of the muffins and started eating with pleasure. Then they ate the other one and drank all the hot chocolate.

"Not a bad food. Humans sure know how to cook. And they seem friendly enough...except the poachers" Jewel said to Blu.

"Yeah indeed. Wait...where's Linda?" Blu asked looking around and saw her with a spoon coming towards him.

"Oh boy" was all that Blu could say, before Linda shove the content of the spoon in his beak and he was forced to gulp it all.

"What was that?" Jewel asked.

"Vitamins. Are very healthy, but don't taste good" Blu said with a grimace on his face.

"Let me help with that" Jewel said as she connected her beak with his, tasting him and he tasting her. In les than a couple of seconds, she broke the kiss. Luckily, both Tulio and Linda were busy, probably planning today's activities, so they didn't see them.

"It's not that bad, but I suppose it could have tasted better" Jewel said.

"Thanks" was all that Blu said with a smile as Linda and Tulio turned back to them.

"Okay, you two. Who wants to go outside sledging?" Linda asked with a smile. Jewel looked at Blu, he nodded so she nodded too. " To the car then" Linda said. Blu flew Jewel outside, and, after Linda opened the car, inside the car. Linda went back inside to get the scarves and then came back in with Tulio. "Are you ready for a funny day?" she asked. Both Jewel and Blu nodded and Tulio said yes, as Linda drove to a small hill just good for sledging. She always had a couple of Blu sized sledges just in case in her trunk so they needen't go buy them. She also had a normal sledge for her and Tulio to ride.

The trip was short and they arrived at the hill. Blu flew Jewel on the top of the hill, while Linda brought the sledges. Tulio waited at the base of the hill. When they got to the top, Linda put the two smal sledges, one beside the other and Blu hopped on one of them. Jewel hopped on the other, but was a little confused. Blu saw and explained what was all about:

"It's really easy. Just stay like this and the string with your beak, then Linda pushes us both and we glide along the snow until we hit the bottom. It's like that time we glided over Rio when Nigel was after us."

Jewel nodded as she prepared her sledge. Blu did this as well. Then Linda pushed them a little and down they went. They laughed as they picked up speed. They reached the bass of the hill and after them came Linda.

"My turn" Tulio said as he took all three sledges up the hill, since Blu was flying Jewel.

They did this for an hour or so, having a lot of fun. After the last ride, as they reached the bottom, Blu said:

"There are a couple more things we can do to have fun with snow. Come with me."

Jewel followed Blu. He walked a couple of meters, then he made a small snowball, which he began to rotate through snow. He made it quite big, before setting him in a place. He then made anothere two snowballs and told Jewel:

"You make this one a little smaller than the first. I'll make this one a little smaller than yours." She nodded and in a couple of minutes, the other two parts of a snowman were ready. Blu placed them one over the other and then said:

"Let's look for a couple of twigs for arms."

"Blu, what are we exactly doing?" Jewel asked with a smile as she found a good twig.

"Oh, yeah. I didn't tell you. We are building a snowman" Blu said, turning to her, with his twig in his beak. They went back to the snowman and gave him hands.

"Now we need some pebbles for eyes, nose, mouth and clothes" Blu said.

They went in search of pebbles and found abput twelve. They took them one by one, and Blu placed them where they shoul be, before stepping back beside Jewel and asked:

"What do you think?"

"It's awesome. I used to do something similar when I was a chick, only with fruits in which I carved with my beak" Jewel said laughing. "What was the other thing?" she asked as she remembered.

"Oh. Snow angels" Blu said. He laid himself on the snow, and began moving his wings and legs to make an angel. When he got up, Jewel looked at it and said:

"Wait, I got to try too" as she laid down and began moving her wings, even though one of them was in plaster. She no longer felt pain when moving it.

"Jewel, how are you able to move that wing?" Blu asked confused.

"I don't know. Maybe it healed faster?" she said.

"We got to ask Tulio to look at it when we are back in Rio" Blu said.

"Sure thing" Jewel added as she got up and went besides Blu. Both of them were staring at their angels. Jewel said:

"Thank Blu."

Blu was a little confused and asked:

"What for?"

"For staying with me. For keeping me company. For taking me in a trip here. For skating with me. For singing for me. For telling me all sorts of stuff. For being right here for me" Jewel said looking at him with a tear in her eye.

"Please don't cry Jewel. I am and will forever be right here beside you, no matter what. After all, I am so lucky I have you and we are forever chained together" Blu said, hugging her.

"No, Blu. I am the one lucky to have you. It is the first time in years that I felt so loved and happy, even in conditions that would keep a normal bird in depression" Jewel said.

"Even so, we are chained together by our fate, our love and our problems and, I'll be here, no matter what. Plus, I think we are both lucky. If what Tulio says is true, we are the last of pur kind" Blu said with a smile and hugging Jewel even more. Jewel hugged Blu back and cried a little on his chest, before recovering and getting back to her funny self.

"We should go now. If I am correct, it is almost lunch" Blu said. He flew Jewel back to Tulio and Linda and they went back home. The ride was smooth and as Blu flew Jewel inside, she asked:

"By the way Blu, where are those geese you told me about?"

"To be honest, I don't know. I thought they would be around here, but maybe something drove them away" Blu said, as he landed Jewel on one of the tables is the book shop. As he looked out of the window, he saw some strange bird with a cloak on.

"Umm...Jewel, do you see that cloaked bird too?" Blu asked.

"Yeah. Isn't he the one in the tree by the aviary?" she asked.

"I wonder why is he following us" Blu said, as he looked back outside, but again, the bird was gone.

"That's strange. He keeps disappearing as soon as we see him. Maybe he wants to talk with us?" Blu suggested.

"Who knows? But there is nothing we can do about it now, since he is gone again. What did you plan for the rest of the day?" Jewel asked, with the smile on her beak.

"Not much. Maybe enjoy each others company?" Blu asked.

"Seems like a good idea to me. Now, show me that bird nest you were talking about" Jewel said. Blu shrugged and flew Jewel in the livingroom, beside the window, where a pink bird nest was. Jewel jumped in it and sat down. It was quite relaxing and puffy.

"Come in" Jewel said, as she patted the place beside her.

"Why don't we stay like we did in the cage?" Blu asked.

"Because...I didn't think about that" Jewel said with a shocked face. Blu smiled and sat on his back. Jewel sat on his tail, with her back over his stomack and chest, and her head right beside his. And not a moment too soon, because the stars were really visible that night. Beying early winter, the time of the sundown was rather short and abrupt.

"Blu, do you want to hear some stories from my childhood?" Jewel asked in an unshure voice.

"Really? I'd love to, of course, if you want to share them" he said with a smile, pecking her beak.

"So, there was this funny day of summer. I was living alone by that time and found out about a club on the seaside of Rio. As I enjoyed samba a lot, I decided to go for a dance and a couple of drinks. To my surprise, that night was a karaoke night, but I found out about that much later. So I went inside and straight to the bar. I was very iresponsable back then so I wanted to get drunk. No, as I aproached the bar, a very strange macaw stopped me. He asked me my name and a little about my family. I was confused at first, but I told him a couple of things, including my father's name. When I asked him about him, he told me he was the owner of this club and asked me if I knew how to sing. I said that of course I knew how to sing, so he said that he would love to listen, but later. And he left. I shrugged it off so I went to the bar."

"Wait, what was his name?" Blu asked.

"He never told me. So, the barman was this military macaw. He had a russian accent and looked very tough. His name was Vladimir. I told him I wanted to get drunk, so he smiled and gave me a couple of shots from some mango juice with tequila and lime. And we started to talk, and I found out he wanted to date the wonderfull military macaw that was their DJ. To be honest, she wasn't that bad, except she had a big scar on her beak. I never found out her name either, because the next thing I knew, I was being asked on the stage to sing. So I went and sang some song, but in the middle of it, a macaw fight begun. I just flew out of there. The next day, I returned but the club wasn't there anymore. In fact, I asked several birds about it and no one knew there has been a club there, nor who that strange macaw was. Now, a couple of weeks later, the snake that ate my family was found dead, and on his head, a shape similar to a diamond with a cross through it was painted in phosphorus purple kind of paint. The strange thing however, was that the snake was found on the beach where the club that no one heard about had been."

"That's a hell of a story. How did the strange macaw look like?" Blu asked curious.

"He looked like a blue macaw, but he had a pattern on his wings. It was a blade of some sorts" Jewel said. Blu was speechless. Jewel expected to hear something from him, but instead he was silent.

"Is something wrong?" Jewel asked.

"Did the macaw have a thing on his left foot?" Blu asked.

"Now that I think about it, yeah, why?" Jewel asked confused.

"Because a similar macaw, if not the same came here five years ago. He had a russian owner named oddly Vladimir and also asked me if I was a good singer. I hadn't had the time or the mood to sing, however, so he said he will return some other day to hear me singing" Blu said.

"Five years ago? That's when the club dissapeared" Jewel said.

"Cheese and sprinkles, what is going on?" Blu asked.

"I don't know" Jewel said playfully, pecking Blu's beak.

Blu snapped out of his nerd bird mind and said with a grin:

"I remember we agreed to no longer mess like this." And he kissed Jewel deep and passionate.

**/watch?v=Jo_tg8tVzoY (get that song in here, it will make things much more enjoyable XD)**

"So, what song did you sing?" Blu asked after he broke the kiss.

"I don't really remeber, I was very drunk" Jewel said laughing and a little embarassed.

"Oh. Well, then, if you aren't going to sing me something, I suppose, I could sing you something" Blu said thinking of a song.

"That would be very nice" Jewel said turning her face to him to see him chuckling in silence. "What?" she asked.

"Would you care for a dance under the moonlight?" Blu asked looking at her as he stopped chuckling.

"Only if the song is good" she said with a grin.

"I can vow for that" Blu said with a warm smile, as he got up and Jewel followed him. He put a wing on her middle and the other one in her good wing and he began singing with a warm and melodic voice, as they began slowly spinning around, not breaking eye contact:

_"Have I told you lately that I love you_  
_ Have I told you there's no one above you_  
_ Fill my hearth with gladness_  
_ Take away my sadness_  
_ Ease my trouble, that's what you do."_

Jewel's glance softened considerably as she relaxed. She put her head on Blu's chest as they danced, with the smile still on her face. Blu chuckeled and continued:

_"Oh, the morning sun in all its glory_  
_ Greets the day with hope and comfort too_  
_ And you fill my life with laughter_  
_ You can make it better_  
_ Ease my troubles, that's what you do._

_There's a love that's divine_  
_ And it's yours and it's mine_  
_ Like the sun_  
_ At the end of the day_  
_ We should give thanks and pray to the One._

_Have I told you lately that I love you_  
_ Have I told you there's no one above you_  
_ Fill my hearth with gladness_  
_ Take away my sadness_  
_ Ease my troubles, that's what you do._

_There's a love that's divine_  
_ And it's yours and it's mine_  
_ And it shines like the sun_  
_ At the end of the day we will give thanks_  
_ And pray to the One._

_Have I told you lately that I love you_  
_ Have I told you there's no one above you_  
_ Fill my hearth with gladness_  
_ Take away my sadness_  
_ Ease my troubles, that's what you do._

_Take away my sadness_  
_ Fill my life with gladness_  
_ Ease my troubles, that's what you do_  
_ Fill my life with gladness_  
_ Take away my sadness_  
_ Ease my trouble, that's what you do."_

After Blu ended the song in a whisper, they kept slowly spinning for a couple of more seconds, before Jewel, with her head still on Blu's chest, and with tears in her eyes, from the emotions, said:

"That was beautiful, Blu. Thank you."

"Anything for you, my Jewel" Blu said as he took her face in his wings and wiped the tears away. Jewel hugged him unexpectedly and rather strong, while she said:

"I love you, Blu, and I'll always will, no matter what."

"I'll love you too Jewel, and will do so until my last breath" Blu said as he hugged Jewel himself. Then, they broke the hug and got back into the next in the same position they had been sitting before. Blu nuzzeled Jewel's back and said:

"Sweet dreams, my Jewel."

"Right back at ya" Jewel said as Blu's wings covered her and as she felt Blu's upper chest under her head. They fell asleep shortly after.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a late chapter because, as i said, my stories are based on song to set the mood for every chapter, and it was rather difficult to find the song for this chapter, until I remebered this old ( not really) but gold love song. If you enjoyed, a review is higly welcomed.**

**The song referred in this chapter is "Have I told you lately" by Van Morrison.**

**Disclaimer: For the lyrics and song in this chapter, as well as for the ones that will come, they belong to tgeir respective owners.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys!. It's been some time, I know, but I am back and new ideas are starting to pop in my head. This chapter was written during a couple of sleepless nights ( 4 hours of sleep in 3 days ), so please excuse any mistakes. Enough ramble. Enjoy XD.**

Chapter six : A nice day 

The morning arrived soon in Minnesota. The sky was still clear and the sun smiled over the snowy place. Jewel opened her eyes to find herself under Blu's protective wings. She smiled and deep in her soul she could still feel something she hadn't felt since she was a chick. True happiness. Of course she felt happiness once in awhile, but it usually wore off after a couple of days. Yet here they were, almost a week from the two she had to spend so that her wing would heal and she was as happy as in the first moments after the plane incidednt. She looked up at Blu, who was still sleeping with a smile on his beak. She decided that she would spend some more time in his embrace. After all, it was quite early and they had to leave back for Rio that day, so not much to do. She just sat there, happy and content, looking at the blue sky and wondering what other surprises might Blu have for her today. Some time passed and Blu slowly came back to the real world. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Jewel was stil in his wings, looking outside and being very happy.

"Morning Sunshine" Blu whispered in her ear. "How long have you been awake?" Jewel was a little starteled by the sudden whisper, since she didn't feel Blu moving.

"Morning Blu. I have been awake for quite some time" she said, now looking at him with a hearth-melting smile.

"Why didn't you wake me up then?" Blu asked confused, knowing what an active and free spirited of a personality Jewel had.

"Because I wanted to enjoy your company a little more" Jewel said looking in his hazzel eyes. Blu looked a little surprised but smiled and kissed her softly, before looking outside himself. Some minutes passed in silence as the two lovebirds looked outside, just enjoying each other's company.

"Really nice here in Minnesota" Jewel commented, still looking outside.

"How so?" Blu asked, not taking his eyes from the window.

"Quiet, relaxing, different. I could get used to it" Jewel said her smile growing bigger.

"But weren't you enjoying Rio? It was fuller with life and more active" Blu asked, now looking at Jewel.

"A busy life is fun, but you need to relax sometime and I find Minnesota a perfect place for something like this. If we weren't to live in Rio, I would very much enjoy living here" Jewel said, now looking back at Blu.

"Maybe we could come in Minnesota more often. Make it a vacation trip" Blu suggested.

"For us and the chicks" Jewel commented. Blu's face became suddenly red, but you couldn't see it under his feathers. Jewel, however knew and continued to tease him as he asked:

"C..Ch..Chicks?"

"Yes. Chicks. After all, we will save the species at some point, won't we?" Jewel asked.

"W..we will. Of course we will" Blu said becoming calm all of a sudden. Jewel felt it and was a little worried by his sudden change in behaviour.

"Blu, are you okay?" Jewel asked.

"I am. Why woldn't I be?" he asked looking at her lovingly.

"You became very calm all of a sudden. I was worried for a second. What happened?" Jewel asked.

"Nothing happened. Actually realisation hit me. Of course we will have chicks. Of course we will save the species. Of course we will take them with us in a trip to Minnesota. And you want to know why?" Blu asked.

"Why?" Jewel asked confused still.

"Because you are my soul-mate, we are forever chained together and I love you" Blu said looking her straight in her green eyes. HEr confused face seemed to beam for a second, before she kissed him on the cheek and turned to look back on the window. After a couple of seconds, she said:

"Blu, do you know that you are special?"

"I know. And it's all because I have you" he said looking outside and hugging her a little tighter. She chuckeled and said:

"Yes and no. Blu, you are special because, even though you are nerdy, which I find highly attractive, you always know what to say, when to say it and how to say it."

"Really? And I thought I was special because I have you" Blu said with a smile. Just then Jewel's stomach grumbled and Blu chuckled.

"I guess someone's hungry" Blu said mocking.

"I am not that hungry" Jewel said a little embarased, before her stomach disapproved her a grumbled louder. "I want to stay here, in your wings" she added.

"Oh, don't worry. We will have plenty of time on the plane, but for now, let's get something to eat, if we want your wing to heal" Blu said kissing her neck. Her embarasment melted and she said:

"Fair enough. Lead the way, my Bluey." She got out of his embrace and he picked her up in his claws and flew her to the kitchen. Linda and Tulio were already there, eating. They prepared some more muffins for the macaws and a cup of hot chocolate each. Behind them were a lot of boxes labeled with different letters. Blu guessed they were the boxes with the books in the bookshelves that Linda needed for starting the book shop in Rio.

As usual, on the table were also a pen and a paper for Blu to write something if he needed. He ate his muffin quickly and then wrote a message for Tulio: When we are back in Rio, can you check Jewel's wing. She seems to be able to move it more and more. Maybe it is healed and the plaster is a burden.

"I was going to anyway. If it's not, the plaster will need to be replaced with a fresh one, but one more mobile, to say so" Tulio said once he read the message. Blu nodded and got back to his cup of chocolate. He was about to take a sip of it, when he saw out the window, in the street, the two geese that made his life a living hell when he lived here. He had to setle this, there and now. So he wrote a message again to Tulio: What time do we leave? I want to show Jewel one more thing before we leave.

"In a couple of hours. Be sure to be back by then" Tulio said. Blu nodded again and waited for Jewel to finish eating, before he said:

"You won't believe who is outside the shop. The two geese I was telling you about. And I think it's the time to settle things once and for you -"

"Say no more. Let's go!" Jewel said flexing her good wing a little. Blu smiled and picked her up and flew her to the bedroom window and then out in the street, right in front of the two geese: Alice and Chloe.

"My, my, my Alice! Isn't that the pathetic nerd bird in the book shop?" Chloe asked.

"He is indeed, Chloe. But he has a female with him. Does he actually have friends? I bet she is family" Alice said.

"Hello to you too. Now listen here. What is your problem with me?" Blu asked kind of angry.

"Well...to be honest...you are a loser and we hate losers" Alice said.

"And why am I a loser?" Blu asked, keeping his voice steady and not revealing any of his anger.

"Because you are a nerd and because you will never have someone and because-" Chloe said before Jewel said in a calm voice:

"The hell are you talking about? He has someone. He has me."

"Are you his cousin or something?" Alice asked. Chloe started laughing.

"No. I am his mate" Jewel said calm but her eyes promissed hatred and fight.

"Am I hearing right? The nerd bird found a mate?" Chloe asked Alice.

"Sure looks like it" Alice said. "But she isn't much. And look at him. I wouldn't date him even if he was the last male in the world" Alice commented.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY MATE?!" Jewel said very angry. You could read murder and malevolence in her eyes.

"I said he is a nerd and you must be nuts to date such a low life" Alice said looking at her.

"OH! You had the part right. I AM NUTS!" Jewel cried as she instantly leaped on both geese and pinned them to the ground. She attacked them with the plaster and her claws until Chloe, who was crying this time, said:

"Please stop! We are sorry!" Jewel stopped and looked at them. Then she said:

"I ask you one more time. WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY. ABOUT. MY. MATE?!"

"We said that we are happy he found someone" Alice said, before Chloe could respond with something bitter.

"Thank you. Now, I don't want to see you two ever come closer to me or Blu or our family. EVER! Am I clear?" Jewel said going back beside Blu and looking at the two geese that were picking up their feathers from the ground.

"Y..Yes Madam. We will be off. I wish you two a happy life" Chloe said, though you could see she was scared out of her feathers. Literally.

Both geese flew away, and Blu said:

"Well...I don't think the beating wa necessary, but I can't change it now. I guess that setled the matters."

"You know, I never believed you when you told me about these two geese, but looks like you were right. The two really are the lowest of the low" Jewel said with a smile.

"Thanks for...you know" Blu said awkardly.

"Ahh, don't mention it. The least I could do. Plus, we are mates, we must have each other's backs" Jewel said. "Can you please get me inside? It's kind of cold out here" Jewel added as her adrenaline rush ended and she began feeling the cold. Blu nodded, picked her up and took her back in the kitchen. Linda and Tulio were already stacking the boxes from before and taking them in the car.

"Blu, Jewel. Get inside. We will be leaving soon" Linda said as she opened the traveling cage in which they came. Blu and Jewel walked inside and Linda took them to the car. Tulio then came with the last box and got in and drove them all to the airport. They arrived in a matter of minutes. They checked in and got on the plane. Blu and Jewel were again put in the luggage area.

They were comfortably sitting and talking about anything and everything. After a time however, both of them became silent and hugged each other until Jewel fell asleep in Blu's hug. Blu brought her closer and carressed her head feathers. Jewel smiled and relaxed compeltely in her sleep.

The flight back to Rio seemed shorter to Blu. It was only 3 in the evening when they got out of the plane and into a cab. They reached the aviary in a matter of minutes. In the meantime, Jewel woke up and asked sleepily:

"Where are we?"

"We are at the aviary" Blu said.

"I'm hungry" Jewel grumbled as she woke up fully.

"After lunch, I'll inspect your wing Jewel" Tulio said as he put the cage in the kitchen and opened it. He then took a couple of mangoes and sliced them. He mixed thwm with some nuts and grapes and put the bowl of food in front of them, as Blu and Jewel got out of the cage.

"I think you need some diversity in your food, as you only ate muffins and mangoes since you two are here. I'll be back in some time to take Jewel in the examination room for her wing" Tulio said as he walked out, going to help Linda with the new book shop and to have himself something to eat.

The two macaws ate in silence and after they were done, Blu asked:

"How do you feel about your wing? Do you think that it healed sooner?"

Jewel moved her wing a little and then said:

"It doesn't hurt. Maybe it's healed."

"Maybe. The sooner, the better" Blu said smiling and giving Jewel a hug to reassure her of his support no matter what.

"How do you do it?" Jewel asked him, returning the hug.

"Do what?" Blu asked a little confused.

"Know how I think and what to say" she said a deep and loving smile on her beak as she let herself engulfed in the strong feelings Blu passed to her. After almost a week, she was still feeling girlish around him. And she was enjoying every moment of it.

"I don't know. I just look at you and words and actions flow. I don't needto think about them. I have to thank you and Rafael for teaching me that" Blu said as he broke the hug looking Jewel in her eyes.

Just then, Tulio entered the room.

"Okay Jewel. Let's see that wing of yours. Same room. Blu, please wait on the table beside the door" Tulio said as he picked up Jewel and hurried through the doors towards the room they used for fixing Jewel's wing. Blu looked at the clock and he couldn't believe his eyes. That little chat of theirs lasted almost an hour, lunch and all. That explained why Tulio was back so soon. Blu took flight and after a couple of turns landed on the table he waited on a week before. And his emotions for Jewel's safety didn't shrink either. You could see on his face that he now fought an internal battle with himself. He was unsure of what to do if Jewel's wing was healed. Should he leave right away for the jungle? Jewel certainly wanted that and Jewel was the most important thing for him, but his last voyage in the jungle didn't go to good or bad either. Then realisation hit him. Evem though he didn't show it so much now, he was afraid for his life. He was afraid of the jungle. 'No, that's not it' he thought and another wave of realisation hit him. He was afraid of not being able to protect Jewel. He was afraid of losing her. He started to panick, until a phrase rang in his brain: 'Amigo, you think too much.'

Rafael's voice was right. He was overthinking things. He had to calm down. After all, he and Jewel were in this together. She helped where he lacked and vice-versa.

He calmed down and made a mental note to talk to Rafael about this and about some defensive training. Blu was sure Rafael could and would help him.

His thinking made him lose the track of time once again. The doors opened and Tulio had Jewel on his shoulder, her wing free from the plaster. She had a happy smile on her face. Blu's face lightened up and in that moment all his fears melted. He no longer felt concerned by leaving in the jungle. He and Jewel were in this together and they will survive. Not only will they survive, but they will thrive.

"I am surprised that Jewel healed so fast. A fracture like that would take at least two weeks, but here she is. Almost completely healed. She won't be allowed to fly however, until next morning. The wing needs to readjust to its own weight before she can fly straight again. But tomorrow, we will free you two in the jungle. All the jungle is a reservation now, so you won't need to worry about the poachers this time. Well, I am off to tell Linda. The room is open now. I'll be seeing you two soon" Tulio said as he put Jewel down near Blu and began moving towards the door. As he closed the door, Jewel turned to Blu and hugged him with both her wings. He put his wings around her, a wicked smile on his face.

"It finally feels right. You can't imagine how much I wanted to give you a proper hug" Jewel said as she brought him as close as her wings could. Blu didn't say anything. He just enjoyed the hug for a moment, before pulling away and locked his beak with Jewel's in a deep kiss. No words were needed as all their feelings showed in that kiss. They broke the kiss after a couple of minutes, as Blu said:

"Come on Jewel. Let's go back in the room. We are going to spend one more night here. "

"Right. And maybe you could teach me how to write and read properly" she said as Blu flew her towards the door.

"What?! You want to do something that I would do?" he asked looking at her with unbelieving eyes.

"Yes" she answered simply, a smile creepying along her beak.

"Why?" Blu asked confused.

"Oh, poor Bluey can't figure it out with his great mind" Jewel teased.

"Aww, come on. You know I have the upper hand" Blu said with a grin.

"How is that so?" she asked.

"Look around you" Blu said as he burst laughing.

"I don't see anything except- riiiight, Ivam in your claws in the air and I can't fly" Jewel said, not believing that her tease turned against her. Blu simply smiled at her, as he was waiting for an answer. "Fine" she said with a lovely voice, as their funny chitchat was coming to an end. " Because I do this things with you, which makes them important to me" she said with a blush, that Blu saw and chuckled as he put Jewel down in the hollow.

"Now let's see"Blu said as he brought Jewel a piece of paper and a pen, along with a book.

"Here we go" she said as she smiled enthusiastically at Blu.

-some hours later-

The night came upon the busy city of Rio. In the aviary, two birds were sleeping peacefully, one it the wings of the other as they slept during their trip to Minnesota. Both of them were exausted from the day and were very nervous for tomorrow. It was going to be a rather interesting day in their lives, when they will open their eyes in the morning.

**Well, here we are at the end of another chapter. I really hope you enjoyed it. A review is, as usual, apreciated. As you can see, this is the last chapter for the two lovebirds in the aviary, a new day and a new life, with new chalanges awaiting them.**

**Big News! Tomorrow I am going to see Rio 2 in 3D. I can't wait. I am so happy. I've seen the trailer and can't wait to see the movie. Hope you guys will watch it soon, if you didn't already.**

**Song referred in this chapter: " Have a nice day" by John Bon Jovi.**

**Until next time, Lion Prankster, over and out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Easter Special everyone! Hey guys and girls, I brought you here the newest chapter in this story. And it has a treat at the end, a treat some of you asked for. So, I brought it to you. I hope I did a good job and that you aren't disappointed in me. I'll mark it with this sign XxX, just in case you want to skip it. Enjoy :D**

**Also, to my guest reviewer, I hadn't stopped writing the story, only I deliver quality, and that takes time. Also, the cloaked macaw will be revealed when the time is right ;)**

Chapter seven - Bed of Roses

The morning sun bathed the calm city of Rio in its warmth. At the aviary, two humans were loading something in a car.

"Here. Take this. Only if you wear this, you will be allowed inside" Tulio said as he gave Linda a yellow T-shirt with some green writing on it. Linda put it on and said:

"But when did you build this, Tulio?"

"I started building it when Blu and Jewel returned after that plane adventure" he said with a smile.

**-Meanwhile, in the breeding room-**

Blu opened his eyes. He looked around himself to see that the book and notes were still there, all over the hollow. Jewel was in his wings, sound asleep, and with a smile on her beak. She was happy, that after several hours of trying, she could finally write and read in the human language.

"Jewel, wakey wakey" Blu said, nudging her as he would nudge a chick.

"Oh, Blu. What's with the early wake-up call?" Jewel asked as she buried her head more in his chest feathers.

"Jewel, what day is today?" Blu asked smiling.

"I don't know. Saturday?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

"No. It is an important day that you have been waiting for quite some time" Blu said petting her head feathers. She was silent for a moment, before her head darted up and hit Blu in the beak, as he said in a surprised voice:

"The jungle! Today we get released!"

"Ouch. Yes, today we get released" Blu said, rubbing his beak.

"Oh, I am sorry, Blu. I didn't mean to hit you. Here, let me make it better" Jewel said as she locked her beak with his. Blu closed his eyes in bliss. He was surprised when Jewel began licking his beak softly, asking for entrance. He allowed it and their tongues met, dancing their own samba. However, their make-out session was interrupted by Tulio, who opened the door to the room with a loud noise and called:

"Blu! Jewel! It's time to go!"

"Oh, man" Blu said a little nervous and somewhat angry at being interrupted. Jewel read him like an open book and said in a seductive voice:

"Don't worry Bluey, today we will find a hollow just for us and once we do that, there is more of this from where it came from."

Blu's face grew red. It could be seen through his feathers. Jewel began laughing and Blu said:

"Let's go Jewel" with a smile on his beak, as he picked her up and flew her towards the door. Tulio was waiting for them with a cage. It was the same cage Blu traveled into when he came to Rio. They went inside and Tulio picked the cage up and walked towards the car. On the way, he said:

"I guess this is your big day, my friends. I have two more things to say, before we get in the car. First, please come visit and bring the little ones too. We want to meet them. And second, you both, as well as the little ones, should come for a check-up once three months. Blu, I'm counting on you for that." Blu nodded and then Tulio put the cage inside the car. The drive was not long and the car soon stopped. Tulio and Linda got out of the car and Tulio grabbed the cage. They began walking towards the gate. A guard opened it and said:

"Good morning, Dr. Monteiro."

"Good morning" he responded as he walked past him, with Linda right beside him. As they reached the observation tower, Linda said:

"This is...wow. Tulio, you really did a good job with this research facility." Tulio looked at her, proud of himself, nodded and then looked up at the top of the tower and called:

"Fernando! Come down please."

"In a second, Tulio!" a voice called from the top of the tower. Two minutes later, Fernando was walking out of the front door and said:

"Good morning Linda, Tulio."

"Good morning, Fernando" Linda answered with a smile.

"Let's get upstairs. The view is breath-taking" Tulio said. Both of them followed Fernando up the stairs, and as they reached the top, Linda gasped.

"As I said...breath-taking" Tulio chuckled, before he opened the cage, took Blu and Jewel out and put them on his shoulders. He put the cage down and then grabbed Jewel with both his hands and asked her:

"Ready Jewel?" She nodded and Tulio threw her up in the air. She took flight and flew from left to right, spinning and looping around for a couple of seconds, before hovering, waiting for Blu. Tulio put Blu down on the railing and Linda said:

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. My brave boy has grown" before she and Blu did their special handshake. After that, Blu took flight and hovered right beside Jewel. The two macaws watched the humans for a couple of seconds, before they flew side by side, towards the jungle.

"Free! We are free, Blu!" Jewel said laughing and with happiness tears in her eyes as they flew around the trees for some time.

"Indeed. I can't wait to start this new chapter in our relationship, here in the jungle. Plus, I can't believe I am finally flying beside you" Blu said enthusiastic. Suddenly, Jewel stopped mid-air. Blu looked at her and asked:

"Something wrong?"

"Blu, do you recognize that stone there?" she said in a whisper as she pointed to a big stone. Blu looked at the stone, which was just a few feet from where he was flying, and when he saw it, he said:

"Cheese and sprinkles!" It was the stone in front of Rafael's house, which meant they were followed by many crazy chicks.

"Let's go. We can tell them that we are free later" Jewel said, ready to fly away.

"No. They will chase us. The safest place in near Eva. And Eva is inside with Rafael. We have to go there" Blu said. Jewel flew beside him and said:

"Are you mad? They'll make us regret it, those crazy chicks." Just then a small voice was heard:

"Attack!"

"Right, no turning back now. Fly!" Jewel said as she sighed and pointed to the hollow. They sprinted towards the hollow, and reached it just in time, busting in. Both Rafael and Eva looked confused as to why the two macaws were crash-landing in their hollow at this hour in the morning. But then, seventeen chicks landed on them and Eva said:

"Kids! Stop, or I'll have to take you to that place again!" The kids froze in their actions and flew outside of the hollow, scared.

"Thanks, Eva, Rafael. We didn't mean to bust in like that, but we had no choice. Good morning, by the way" Blu said.

"No problem, amigo! Good morning to you too. How has my favorite couple been? When were you released?" Rafael said with his characteristic smile.

"We are fine. We were released just a couple of minutes ago and we were looking for a hollow, but we somehow knocked over your place and got attacked" Blu said. Just then, a chick, came in and took a couple of Blu's feathers with his beak.

"Marco!" Eva said threateningly. The chick flew away.

"What is his problem with my feathers?" Blu asked Rafael, who chuckled and said:

"We still don't know. We got him tested, but all seems normal."

"Anyway, thanks for saving us. We'll see you soon. We are going to get breakfast" Jewel said with a smile.

"If you ever need advice, don't hesitate to ask me, dear" Eva told Jewel with a knowing glance. Jewel nodded and smiled, before she and Blu flew away. A couple of trees away, Blu stopped on a branch with Jewel beside him. He looked at her with a serious face and said:

"When we are having chicks, we stop at maximum five."

"I was thinking of three, but I think five is better" Jewel said laughing.

"Okay. Let's see...we should split up and meet here in twenty minutes. We mark each hollow we find good with a stone, and then we decide" Blu said with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan. See you in twenty" Jewel said with a smile and she flew to the right part of the jungle, while Blu flew to the left.

**-Twenty minutes later-**

Blu was waiting for Jewel, when she landed beside him on the branch.

"Want to see the ones I found or go to yours first?" Blu asked.

"Let's see what you got" Jewel said as she and Blu flew left from the tree.

"I only found one that I thought would fit us well. And it is very close to a couple of mango trees and a couple of dragon fruits trees and also close to a small river, that is very shallow. It is quite big too, we will have plenty of space for a nest" Blu said enthusiastic again.

"Sound perfect. Let's see it" Jewel said as they landed inside a hollow that was quite big.

"Is sure has a lot of space" Jewel said smiling and looked outside. " And I can see the mangoes and dragon fruits you say. But I can't see the river" Jewel said.

"It si just under the bush over there" Blu pointed and Jewel flew to look. She came back and said:

"Forget what I found, this is far better. Great job, Blu!" and she gave him a peck on his cheek. "Now, we need materials for the nest. You find what I tell you, and I build it" Jewel said smiling.

"Right" Blu said, ready to fly.

"Okay, bring many small twigs, some big and a lot of that moss that looks like a beard" Jewel said and Blu nodded and took off. Five minutes later, he brought the bigger twigs, and some small twigs and left again. Jewel took them and began weaving the nest. Blu brought another transport of smaller twigs and left again. He returned with a lot of moss, but made sure it was well dried.

"Okay, that should be plenty. Now, I am almost done" Jewel said as she was placing the last pieces of moss. Outside, it was around five in the evening. She took a couple of her feathers and weaved them in the nest, before taking a couple of Blu's feathers to weave them inside the nest.

"Why are you doing that?" Blu asked confused.

"To make the nest smell like us. Thus, other birds that are searching for a hollow, will now that this is still inhabited and not abandoned" Jewel explained, before she sat down in the nest. Blu nodded and sat right beside her. She suddenly locked beaks with his and requested access. He gave it to her and she begun kissing him with more passion. Blu opened his eyes and broke the kiss for a second to say:

"Why don't we go for a night in the club? To make this day even more special. Plus, we have to let a couple of party birds know that we are still alive and well."

"Okay" Jewel said with a smile. "But first, a bath" she added.

"Right, why not?" Blu said as he followed her outside, and under the bush.

"Okay, you first" he said as he began preening her, cleaning her every feather. When he reached the chest area, she began giggling.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You are ticklish" Blu said as he began tickling her. He, however stopped after a couple of seconds, just to watch her laughing. He returned to preening her. When he was done, he took some steps back and looked at her. He again went in a day-dream state as he said:

"An angel..." Jewel became red as she kissed him. He was brought back to his senses and Jewel said giggling:

"At least I found out what brings you back to your senses when you day dream. Now, it is your turn." She begun preening him and when she was done, she said:

"And now, my knight in shining armor, let's go shake our rail feathers."

"Right behind you, my diamond of the jungle" Blu answered as they flew up above the trees and towards the city. The passed Christ the Redeemer and Jewel said:

"This is a place I used to come to before meeting you. We should stop here someday and just enjoy the view."

"Someday. But today, we dance" Blu said as he grabbed Jewel's wing and spin her in air.

"Easy there, Blu. Wait for the music to start" she said laughing. They landed soon in front of the club, where Kipo was talking to a couple of macaws. When he saw them, his beak formed a large smile and he went inside. He was back outside after a couple of seconds with Nico and Pedro.

"My my my, if it's not the hero and his hot wing" Pedro said with a smile.

"Hi there Nico, Pedro, Kipo. What's up?" Blu said.

"Not much. Bluey boy, we thought you were a goner. We haven't heard of you since we got out of the plane. Rafael mentioned something about Jewel's wing being broken and you being in the aviary with her. What happened?" Nico asked.

"Well, a crate fell on my wing and I slipped from the plane. Blu jumped after me and caught me. I kissed him and then he flew me to safety. We went in a small trip to Minnesota so I can see how Blu lived before and then we came back here. We were released today and already Blu found a gorgeous hollow and we built a nest" Jewel said with a smile.

"That is a hell of a story. Well, let's get inside. Tonight, the drinks are on the house" Kipo said.

The five of them went inside and Pedro called when he reached the stage:

"Okay guys and girls, listen up. Our favorite couple has returned. They are not dead as many of you believed. They are alive and in the jungle. The hero that saved many of us is here to party, so we are gonna party! Drinks are on the house." A big light fell on Blu and Jewel, and all the birds began clapping their wings and whistling for them.

"Party in Ipanema, baby!" Nico said loud as the samba music began playing. All the birds began dancing and Blu turned to Jewel and said:

"Will you give me this dance?"

"You don't have to ask, Bluey" she said with a big grin as she grabbed his wing and they began dancing.

_'I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party and live my life_

_I wanna party and flyyyy.'_

_Blu turned Jewel around and brought her back on his other wing._

_'Imma fly, fly just like a bird (But you are a bird!)_

_Oh yeah, you're right,_

_So let me fly just like a rocket then (ok)_

_Fly so high where I need to come down for oxygen (hey)_

_Cause once we started, baby, ain't no ain't no stoppin' then (hey)._

_ Cause i just want to live my life and party (hey)_

_ All I want is to be free, and rock my body (ok)_

_Been around the world and I wanna live my life_

_In Rio_

_ Cause in Rio_

_In Rio, I realize_

_I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party and flyyy.'_

Then it was Pedro's turn to sing:

_'I'm that samba, samba master_

_Master, master, master, master_

_ Push out sound from my_

_ghetto blaster, blaster_

_blaster, blaster, blaster_

_You dance fast_

_But I dance faster, faster, faster_

_Faster, faster_

_You're too slow_

_ You need to catch up_

_You can dance and dance, but I...'_

It was Nico's turn again:

_'I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party, I wanna samba_

_I wanna party and live my life_

_I wana party and flyyyy_

_Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey'_

This is the point when Blu and Jewel spin and he throws Jewel up in the air and she sings:

_'Laya, laya, laya, laya,_

_Laya, laya, laya, laya, laya, laya, laya, laya.'_

She then lands down right in front of Blu. They look each other in the eyes as the music continues around them. Their beaks get closer, and just as the song ends, they beak-lock. While in their kiss, they hear Pedro calling:

"That's what should have happened the first time. Way to go, Love Hawk!"

They break the kiss and everyone around them claps their wings.

"Come on, my Love hawk, let's go home. I have a surprise for you" Jewel said to Blu in a seductive voice.

"Bye guys. We'll see you all soon" Blu said towards the club and all the club responded with a bye, before returning to dancing and partying. Blu and Jewel flew together slowly, enjoying each other's company. They reached the hollow in a matter of minutes.

XxX

They landed inside the hollow, and Jewel threw herself at Blu, taking him by surprise and locked her beak with his. He deepened the kiss, by requesting access and she allowed him. His hungry tongue explored every corner of Jewel's beak, while her tongue didn't leave a single spot uncovered inside his beak. As they were kissing, Jewel slowly directed Blu towards the nest, and when he reached it, she pushed him inside, falling over him. She, however, didn't stop, her wings exploring every piece of Blu's body, while he was exploring every bit of her body. With a wing he reached down to her sensitive area and begun massaging around it. Jewel gave a big shudder and moaned, but they didn't break the kiss. Blu continued his massage, each stroke of his wing along her sensitive area making her moan and shudder. He turned around, so the she was under him and broke the kiss. He smiled at her, before carefully caressing each feather on her chest with his tongue and beak. He leaved a trail of messed-up feathers that lead him to her flower. He carefully licked around it, making Jewel moan louder, before he lashed his tongue inside. 'Tastes soooooo goooooood' Blu thought, while his action made Jewel yelp in pleasure. He kept licking in different directions.

"Faster Blu" Jewel said between moans of pleasure. He obeyed and moved his tongue faster.

"I can't hold it any longer" she said and Blu stopped.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, clearly not happy about what he just did.

"You will see" he said as he turned them around again, this time Jewel being on top and with her flower facing him, while his sensitive area was her to explore. He didn't wait and returned to licking as fast as he could. Between moans of pleasure, Jewel began doing the same to his sensitive area. The pleasure he got from her tongue, along with the vibrations from her moans, made Blu almost go insane with pleasure as he said:

"I can't hold it back, Jewel." She, however, didn't stop. Instead, she went faster, as did Blu. After a couple of seconds, they climaxed together, tasting each other. After they took a small break, Blu said:

"Ready for the final act, my love?"

"As ready as I would always be" she said as this time, she let herself dominated by Blu. He got on top of her and carefully position his sensitive area over hers. Then, without any warning, they touched. That lit a fuse, both in Blu's and in Jewel's brain. Blu began grinding his cloaca over Jewel's cloaca, while both of them moaned each other's name. Then, he began slowly thrusting in.

"Faster, Blu. Faster" Jewel said between her moans. Blu increased his speed until he moved as fast as he could. Blu felt his climax coming, but delayed it. He wanted to climax at the same time as Jewel.

"I can't hold it back any longer. Blu, I love you!" Jewel cried.

"I love you too" Blu cried along with her, as they climaxed together in a cloacal kiss. In their minds, a fireworks show begun and it lasted for several minutes.

XxX

"I love you Blu" Jewel said as she moved her exausted body over his exausted body.

"I love you Jewel" he said, as he wrapped his wings around her. " And I always will" he added before falling asleep.

**Well, this was it. I hope I did a good job with this chapter. Let me know in review :D I wish everyone a Happy Easter and may the Easter Bunny bring you what you want :D**

**I also released a new chapter, also an Easter Special, in my MLP:FiM story, so check that out.**

**the song of this chapter is "Bed of roses" by John Bon Jovi.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi guys and gals. Here is the newest chapter. I am sorry it took so long for me to write it, but I have finals this week, so I got to study. Damn school, preventing me from writing *le sigh*... Aaaanyway, time to answer to one of my reviewers:**

**To Fanfiction guy: Thanks for reviewing man. I am really happy that you love how the relationship between Blu and Jewel is evolving and the little change of landscape from Rio to Minnesota. I try my best to be as original as possible and entertaining at the same time.**

**Now, to get on with the story...Enjoy :D**

**Chapter eight - Wind of change**

The first rays of the sun shone brightly over the ever green tropical forest of Rio. It was very early in the morning, when Blu opened his eyes. The birds of the jungle had yet to sing their morning song, but Blu was already awake. Something woke him up. He looked around the hollow and all seemed as normal as it could be. Jewel was still on top of him, wrapped in his wings and sleeping. 'It must be the fact that I am now living in the jungle' he thought. But, he decided to check outside too, just to be sure. He lifted Jewel and set her carefully in the nest, trying not to wake her up. He then began walking towards the entrance of the hollow as silently as possible. He looked outside and could see no bird, nor any other animal. All was quiet and unmoving. All, except a macaw that wore a cloak and was sitting on a branch, looking like it was sleeping. 'That macaw again? I wonder why is he following me and Jewel around like that. He must be a good flyer. He flew from Minnesota to Rio fast' Blu thought, before punching his beak with his claw. 'Of course he was able to fly so fast. I bet he was on board of that plane. Brain, what is wrong with you?' Blu asked himself and then, a memory of Rafael that was saying: You think too much, came in his mind. 'Maybe Rafael is right. Maybe I am becoming paranoid' Blu thought as he looked towards the sleeping bird again. But the bird was no longer there. 'Maybe he went to get something to eat' Blu thought as he began slowly walking back towards the nest. He lifted Jewel carefully and set her down on him again. He wrapped his wings around her and she pressed her head on his chest, the smile on her beak deepening. Blu closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep again, but the birds outside began singing the morning song. 'And so goes my sleep away' Blu thought before a sudden memory flashed in his mind. In front of him were two blue macaws: one male and one female. Both of them were wearing some leather straps and both of them had black tattoos. The female had a bow and an arrow on her chest, just above the hearth, while the male had an opened book on his chest, also above his hearth. These birds seemed familiar to Blu. He was very confused as to what he was looking at, until the female said:

"Okay, no you stay put until me and your father return. We will be back soon." Then both of the birds flew and Blu looked at them as they disappeared in the jungle.

"Blu! Blu, wake up! BLU!" Jewel called loudly as she began rocking Blu.

"Wha-What happened? Where's the fire?" Blu asked.

"Fire!? Where!" Jewel asked panicked, looking around.

"No, no, no...it's a form of speak. It means what happened" Blu explained grumbling.

"Oh...well, you began speaking in your sleep. But it was not English. The words you were saying had no meaning, although they felt familiar. I asked you to wake up about four times, before I had to scream in your ear to wake up" Jewel explained.

"Ouch" Blu said as he grabbed his head in his wings.

"What?" Jewel asked worried.

"I have a headache, a sudden headache" Blu said and Jewel took his wings from his head and began massaging it.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yeah" Blu said, relaxing.

"So, what were you dreaming about?" Jewel asked.

"I don't think it was a dream. More like...a memory. I saw my mom and dad" Blu said confused.

"Really? How were they like?" Jewel asked with a smile on her beak, happy that Blu saw his parents, while she was still massaging his head.

"Strange, to say the least. They wore some leather straps like some kind of roman warriors and they had black tattoos on their chest. My mom had a bow and an arrow, while my dad had an opened book" Blu explained.

"That is strange" Jewel said before she suddenly stopped.

"Something wrong?" Blu asked, turning to face her.

"Now that I think of it, my parents too had some leather straps they wore once or twice. But I don't remember them having any tattoos. At least not that I have ever seen" Jewel said.

"We should ask Rafael about this. Maybe he knows something" Blu said.

"Maybe" Jewel said, becoming thoughtful.

Blu got up and asked:

"Mango or dragon fruit?"

"Mango" Jewel said confused. "But why are you asking me?"

"I supposed you are hungry" Blu said as he was about to fly to get breakfast.

"Oh" Jewel said surprised.

Blu flew to the nearest mango tree and picked to ripped mangoes which he then flew back to the hollow. Jewel was waiting for him, as she tried to clean some of the mess from last night.

"We might wanna take a bath after breakfast" Blu said.

"Not might. We take for sure" Jewel said as she walked to wards the two mangoes. She picked the one in the left and said:

"Thanks" before she dug in.

"No problem" Blu said as he began eating the other one. They finished the breakfast in record time and then Blu said:

"So...should we get clean, or do you want to spend some more time inside?"

Jewel smiled at him and locked her beak with his. She then deepened the kiss, and as their tongues met, they both thought the same thing, although none of them said it: such exotic taste. Their make-out session was ended by Blu, who tripped over his own feet and fell on his back, with Jewel on top of him. She didn't move but for putting her head on his chest, over his hearth and listening to it.

"You know, Blu, my family used to have a saying. A macaw is as brave as his hearth is strong" Jewel said, with a happy smile on her beak. Blu put his wings behind his back and asked:

"Oh really? And how strong does my hearth beat?"

"Strong enough to impress me" Jewel said, locking beaks with him again. Just then, Nico landed on the branch outside their hollow and said:

"Blu! Jewel! Are you home? Oh! Am I...interrupting something?" Both Blu and Jewel almost jumped out of their feathers at the sound of Nico's voice out of nowhere.

"Nico! Oh, man, you scared us" Jewel said.

"Umm, yeah, sorry about that" Nico said with a sheepish smile, while he looked past them, around the hollow.

"Well, good morning. What brings you here? And why are you looking around like that?" Blu asked with a smile. Nico stopped looking around and focused on Blu.

"Oh...sorry. I was just looking at your hollow. It's awesome. I wanted to ask you guys if you wanted to help me decorate my new club, actually."

"What, are you opening another one?" Blu asked happy.

"Well, not really. You see, last night after you two left, there was a fight at the club. A couple of military macaws started picking on some scarlet macaws and wouldn't leave them alone. Next, out of nowhere, this cloaked guy appears and began fighting the two military macaws. There was also another strange thing. These military macaws had some weird tattoo of a glowing thingie on their forehead, and they had a strange accent."

"Something like a purple diamond with a cross through it?" Jewel asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know that?" Nico asked confused.

"Umm...not important. Yeah, we will love to help, right Blu?" Jewel said.

"Of course. But, why are you opening a new club?" Blu asked.

"Umm, because the fight was quite violent. They destroyed all the club in fact, beyond repairs" Nico said.

"Where is the new club?" Blu asked.

"On the beach. You can't miss it" Nico said.

"We'll be there in an hour" Jewel said. Nico nodded and left. After he was gone, Blu looked at Jewel and asked:

"Do you think those macaws were looking for us? I mean, they had the same tattoo as the snake that...you know" Blu said with a concerned face.

"Yeah. They might have been. We were lucky we left right on time" Jewel said. Blu nodded for himself and then said:

"At least we know that the cloaked guy is not our enemy."

"How come?" Jewel asked.

"Well, he fought them" Blu said.

"Right. But he didn't prove to be our friend either. Anyway, let's get clean. We need to be on the beach in an hour" Jewel said nodding.

They flew together to the river and began preening. An hour later, they were flying over the canopy of the forest, towards the beach.

"How is the beach here, in Rio? I haven't really seen it, unless you count the part where we crash-landed on it." Blu asked Jewel, with a smile.

"Funny thing that was" Jewel said trying not to laugh. "The beach is quite nice when there aren't a lot of people. Or when we aren't suddenly crashing on it. I really wonder what side of the beach the club is on, though."

"How come?" Blu asked keeping his smile.

"Hey, that's my phrase" Jewel said turning to him and smiling at him, before she continued: "But, since you are who you are, I will approve you using it."

"Great. Now that we agreed on that, why is the position of the club important?" Blu asked.

"Remember the story I told you when we were in Minnesota?" Jewel asked.

"Yeah. What about it?" Blu asked oblivious.

"For a genial bird, you aren't paying too much attention" Jewel joked.

"Well, how could I with you around here?" Blu said flying in front of her and turning around to look her in the eyes.

"Oh, Blu" Jewel said laughing. "Well, the club in the story was on the same beach Nico's club is supposed to be on. And anyway, wasn't it supposed to be Kipo's club?" she asked.

"I...don't know. I thought that too. Maybe Kipo stepped down and left the club business to Nico" Blu suggested.

"Maybe...Oh, there is the club" Jewel said pointing at some bird size construction in a corner of a refreshment shop.

"Umm, it is just me, or this club was raised faster than it should have?" Blu asked.

"Yeah. And, strangely enough, it is exactly where the unknown club was before" Jewel said confused.

"What? Should we ask Nico about that?" Blu asked.

"I'll ask him about it" Jewel answered as she landed in front of the club. The door was closed, so Blu knocked. Pedro came outside and, as he saw them, he said with a smile:

"Blu! Hot Wing! How are you two doing?"

"Call me Hot Wing one more time and you'll regret it, Pedro. There is only one bird that can call me that way" Jewel said with a fierce smile, as she looked at Blu.

"What? So you two love birds are mates? Finally!" Pedro said loudly. "Hey Nico! I got the Love Hawk here and his Hot Wing! And guess what? They're mates!" Pedro called towards the club. A sound as if someone had fallen from a stair could be heard. Pedro wad about to go inside, however, Jewel's eyes flashed at Pedro and he stopped in his tracks and said:  
"Got it. So, what's up?" Pedro asked.

"Nico called us here to help you guys make this club awesome" Blu said.

"Great! Well, come inside. We got to start working as soon as possible" Pedro said as he kept the door opened for the two to go inside.

"Wow! This place is amazing!" Blu said as he looked around. There were several places for hanging lights, a nice corner for a bar, a wide area for a dance floor and another, a little more elevated area, for a stage. The dance floor was so big, that they could actually put some bird-sized tables and chairs.

"Yes, it is. And we've got everything we need, except for a designer" Nico said looking around him.

"Okay boys, let's get this party started" Jewel said with a devilish smile as she began giving orders to the boys as where to place what. She told Blu and Pedro to put the bar in the corner and to begin placing the bottles and cups where they belonged, while she sent Nico to bring Luiz to sort out the wiring of this place. While Nico was away, fetching Luiz, Jewel told Pedro where to put the tables and chairs, while she and Blu matched the colors of the lights that they were hanging on different ledges leaving the wiring hanging for Luiz to fix when he comes.

After some time, Nico returned with Luiz and when he came inside and looked around, he was speechless.

"Hey, guys. How you all doin'?" Luiz asked when he came inside.

"Great, actually" Blu said with a smile.

"Luiz, haven't seen you in some time" Jewel said smiling.

"This is...wow. Jewel, when did you learn to do all this?" Nico asked all of a sudden.

"Instinct, I suppose. Pedro, go and take Luiz to the back to get working on the wiring" Jewel said with a smile.

"Okay" Pedro said.

"Smell ya' later guys" Luiz said as he left with Pedro.

"Nico, can you come for a second?" Jewel said.

"Sure" Nico said and came over to Jewel and Blu.

"Nico, can we ask you a question?" Blu asked.

"Sureee" he nodded, with a smile.

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone" Jewel said. Nico became serious and nodded.

"Nico, has there been a club here before?" Jewel asked serious. Nico's eyes flashed for a moment to his left, as the curtain that served as a door moved a little. He returned his gaze back to Jewel and said, keeping a straight face.

"Not that I know of. Why?" he asked.

"Well, you see...I once came inside a club that was exactly here. It was ran by a blue macaw or a similar specie that had some black strange markings on his wings and at the bar was this Russian military macaw named Vladimir. Ever heard of it?" Jewel asked.

"Nooo" Nico said, avoiding her gaze a little.

"Nico, is there something you are not telling us?" Blu asked suspicious.

"Nope" he snapped as Pedro called him. "I am sorry guys. Never heard of them. But that's a hell of a story. Thanks for helping us out here. Now, if you excuse me, I must get to work. The opening will be tonight. You are invited. Have a nice day, Blu, Jewel" he said as he flew away to help Pedro.

"That was...not like Nico" Jewel said.

"You can say that again" Blu said as both of them left the club and began flying back towards the jungle.

"Jewel, should we stop by Rafael's and tell him the news? And also ask him some things?" Blu asked.

"That would be a great idea. Except for them" Jewel said, pointing at the toucan kids who were flying fast towards them.

"Evasive maneuvers. Meet me at the hollow" Blu said as he avoided a couple of baby toucans.

Ten seconds later, they were inside the hollow, while Eva was screaming at the little toucans.

"And if you ever attack Blu and Jewel, I swear that you will get the harshest punishment I can think of!" she finished and all the toucans nodded and flew in every direction.

"Good morning, love birds! A wonderful morning, won't you say?" Rafael said with a smile as he helped the two panting birds get up from the floor of the hollow.

"We are mates now. And indeed, it is a lovely morning" Blu said getting up, with Jewel after him.

"Oh! That's wonderful news. Eva, my dear, come inside. I just found out these two lovebirds are now mates" Rafael called.

"Oh, lovely. Congratulations, Jewel and Blu" Eva said as she landed.

"Thanks. In fact, we wanted to ask you two something" Jewel said, looking at Blu.

"Anything" Rafael said with his usual smile.

"I don't even know how to begin. You see, this morning, I had a memory pop up in my head, a memory of my parents" Blu said.

"Really? I thought you never met your parents" Rafael said keeping his smile.

"I didn't. But, in my memory I was looking up at them and they told me to stay there until she, my mother, and he, my father would return. The strange thing though was that they were wearing some leather straps and had some strange tattoos on their chests. And that's not all... Jewel told me her parents also wore some strange leather straps, although only once or twice. What do these leather straps mean, Rafael?" Blu asked.

Rafael's smile faded and he looked at Eva, whose smile faded too. He then looked back at Blu and answered:

"We have no idea. Never heard of something like this."

"What about birds and other animals with a purple diamond with a cross through it as a tattoo?" Jewel asked.

"What? Where?" Rafael asked, becoming more serious.

"Nico told us that two military macaws attacked the club last night and a cloaked macaw fought them, but destroyed the club in the process. Nico and Pedro opened a new club on the beach and we just finished decorating it. The opening is tonight" Blu said.

"Oh...in that case, we may go around there tonight. We will see you then" Eva said and Blu and Jewel understood that it was time to leave.

"We will see you tonight then" Blu said as he and Jewel flew outside and towards their hollow. They didn't talk much while they flew. In a couple of minutes, they landed in their hollow and, as Jewel sat down in the nest, Blu began pacing back and forth. It was very clear that something was bothering him and that he was searching for a solution. Jewel left him to think in peace for a couple of moments, before asking:

"So, Blu, what is bothering you?"

"The situation. Nico, Pedro, Luiz, Rafael, Eva...they all hide something. And I just can't wrap my head around it. The gang with the purple tattoos that look like they are searching for spix macaws, the cloaked figure to fight them, while never approaching someone so that his identity becomes known, the club and its placement, the sudden memory, that must have been triggered by something..." Blu said as he continued walking around the hollow. Jewel didn't say a thing. Blu was right, something is hidden from their sight and that detail is the key to this dilemma. Suddenly, Blu stopped and looked at Jewel. His eyes flashed as the pieces connected and a theory was born.

"Jewel...I might have an idea of what is going on. I read a book, a fantasy one, true, about some magicians who were the last knowers of a secret and some organization wanted them dead. But a rival organization, paid and ruled by a close friend, but kept secret, defended them. Do you think that...maybe...just maybe...we might be in a similar situation and you are me are the magicians?" Blu asked.

"Blu, be serious...these are just fairytales, although all that you say seems to fit. Nevertheless, this can't be real, right? I mean-" Jewel tried to say something but stopped. The more she thought about the idea the less stupid it sounded.

"You mean...you mean what?" Blu asked confused.

"Nothing...but the more I think about it, the more your explanation seems to fit. I don't know Blu, but...I don't think we should go to the club tonight" Jewel said.

"If all this proves true, then imagine the situation we would be in if we won't appear at the club. We must go" Blu explained. Jewel thought about this for a second and then nodded.

"You are right. Well, then let's prepare. I see that the club decoration took longer than we both expected. It's almost time to go" Jewel said looking outside. Blu hadn't even noticed that it was getting dark, but agreed and in less than ten minutes, they were flying back towards the club. They flew past and careful, not wanting to attract too much attention. If that morning, they would have told everyone that they were free, now they became paranoid. It looked like faith had something prepared for them at every step in their life and wouldn't leave them even a couple of days to rest.

They landed in front of the club, where Kipo was on guard duty. When he saw them, he smiled and said:

"Blu, Jewel. So good to see you again. Came here for the party? Nico and Pedro managed to find some designer for this new club and it looks awesome."

"Kipo, good to see you. I was the so called designer and yes we came for the party. However, I wanted to ask you something. Isn't this your club?" Jewel said smiling.

"You were? Great job! Mine? No, no, no! I left the business to someone younger a little. Nico and Pedro know their way around the parties here. But please, go inside and have an awesome night" Kipo wished them.

"Thank you Kipo. We'll see you soon" Blu said as he and Jewel went inside the club, wing in wing.

"And here come the designers of this awesome club. A round of applause for our ones and only, Blu and Jewel" Nico said as he saw them entering the club. The crowd turned around and began clapping its wings and cheering. Blu and Jewel bowed and then the party began.

"What do you say about a papaya smoothie?" Blu asked.

"An awesome idea, my love" Jewel said, becoming again her usual self and leaving the paranoia away.

When they reached the bar, there was a military macaw that served drinks.

"Two papaya smoothies please" Blu ordered.

"Of course, my friend" the military macaw said in a thick, Russian accent. This accent struck Jewel in the head like a blow and she asked:

"Excuse me, but what is your name?"

"Me? You can call me Vladimir" the bartender said laughing.

"Vladimir, have you ever been in Rio before, you don't seem to be from around here" Blu began saying, catching on Jewel's plan.

"Oh, yes! I have worked in plenty of bars here in Rio, although this must be the best, and I always enjoyed this beach very much, which is a plus" Vladimir began talking and telling Blu and Jewel all kinds of stories.

Meanwhile, in the club, the cloaked figure just entered and began scanning the crowd, trying to find someone. Then he looked at the bar and saw Blu and Jewel, and his muscles relaxed a little. He, however didn't go to talk to them. After all, he was supposed to protect them, so he scanned the crowd one more time. This time, somewhere close to the bar, he saw a glimpse of a purple tattoo and the shine of steel. A bird-sized throwing knife in the wing of a military macaw. He didn't think and just sprinted flying towards Blu and Jewel to get them out of the way, as the military macaw launched the knife.

"And that is how I came into Rio, five years ago" Vladimir said with a smile, before his eyes flashed to the door and catching with the back of his eyes a bird flying straight for Blu and Jewel. He recognized the cloaked figure and, with a trained eye, he scanned the room quickly and saw the knife flying towards the two. He immediately jumped from the bar and pushed Blu away, while the cloaked figure knocked over Jewel. The knife hit the cloak and went right through it, pinning it to the wall and leaving the cloaked macaw without his disguise. He was a blue macaw with strange markings on his wings, like two swords.

"You again?" Jewel called as she looked him in the eye, before hearing something.

Nico and Pedro who saw everything, immediately said out loud:

"Vladimir, Leonard, get them out this instant and to the headquarters. Kipo, get in here and take care of this guy!"

Both Vladimir and the strange bird nodded and Vladimir said:

"Blu, Jewel, if you want to survive, you've got to move. Now. You'll be safe with us. We will explain everything, when we are safe. Both Blu and Jewel nodded and all four of them left through a back entrance that was very well hidden and took flight. Leonard was leading the group, while Blu and Jewel flew right behind him and Vladimir covered their back, looking back every now and again, to be sure they aren't followed. They flew for some time, around the jungle, before landing on a big tree in the middle of nowhere. Leonard pushed away one of the branches and they went inside the trunk, which was hollow.

"Follow me. Vladimir, stand guard" Leonard said. Vladimir nodded and Blu and Jewel left with Leonard inside the trunk, through some passage.

"So, you are Leonard?" Blu asked.

"Yes. I am the bird that kept following you around everywhere to keep you safe" Leonard answered.

"You are the owner of that bar five years ago?" Jewel asked.

"Indeed I was and Vladimir was my bartender. And you must be Jewel and you, sir, must be her mate, Blu" Leonardo said.

"We are. So what exactly is going on?" Blu asked.

"I am not allowed to tell you. Only our leader can tell you more about what is going on, but I can tell you one thing. If you were a smart bird, which you are, you already guessed" Leonardo said.

Both Blu and Jewel looked in the eyes of one another and they knew what was going on. Blu was right. Something was happening under all the facade and they were in the middle of it, without even knowing.

"Here we are. Go inside, and you will be talking with our leader and his wife. They are expecting you already" Leonard said with an encouraging smile.

"Thanks, Leonard" Blu said as he pushed a door and found himself in the opening of a cave somewhere high up. And in front of them, dressed in leather straps were none other than Rafael and Eva.

"Rafael?! Eva?! You are the leaders?" Jewel asked.

"Yes. I am sorry you had to find out this way. We had been planning to tell you tomorrow, when you would visit us without a doubt. Now, before you ask any questions, I want you both to take a seat. I will be telling you all the story and, if anything is unclear afterwards, you will ask me" Rafael said as he, Eva, Blu and Jewel sat around a big table which had ten places.

"Okay. Let's begin" Rafael said.

**Aaaand...scene! I hope you enjoyed my chapter. Now, just a reminder...in a previous chapter, I presented Nico and Pedro barely meeting with the cloaked Leonaro in the way that they didn't know him. It was necessary to keep his disguise that Nico and Pedro act like that. I just felt that I needed to clarify that :D**

**Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed, you could leave me a review. I answer all of my reviews and PM's, so I will see it for sure.**

**The song of this chapter is "Wind of change" by Scorpions.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	9. Chapter 9

**HEEEELLLLOOOOO Everyone! It is finally here. The newest chapter in my Rio story. I know it took me some time, but I needed to set the story straight...and for the sake of the story, this chapter won't be very long either.**

**To the guest that cleared up the lemon thing: Thanks for doing the explaining thing. I agree with the first and third points of your comment...the second I think it is just your opinion...Anyway thanks for clearing that out.**

**On with the story now. Enjoy :D**

**Chapter nine - A past and future secret**

**-Some fifty years ago-**

It was a stormy evening in the Amazon. The clouds were grey towards a greenish color and, somewhere, deep inside the Amazon, was a lonely island, in the middle of the river. On that island, a creature, wearing a blue cloak with a golden crown on his back, waited on a branch, patiently. The creature was Alvanus, a big blue macaw that was waiting for someone. He had fierce eyes, but pleasant eyes, a big crown tattoo on his chest and leather straps over his body. His posture and way of being betrayed his age and the emotions that displayed on his face showed that he has been through much in his life. In each leather strap that he was wearing, there were bird-sized throwing knives. About 20 in total. On his leather belt, he had a couple of bigger daggers, that had handles made out of gold and on his main wing feathers, he had blades attached as a last resort of defense .

Suddenly, the big leaves of the tree rustled in the wind. He looked up at the sky. The rain was not going to start for at least another hour. And the wind wasn't a normal wind. It was chillier than the normal wind of the Amazon, even before a big storm as that one.

"I see you are finally here. Thank you for coming" Alvanus said, without turning around, to a purple cloaked form that suddenly appeared behind him.

"Don't thank me for coming to see you die by my blades" the figure said, laughing maniacally.

"Zerton, you funky idiot. I didn't call you here so that we can fight, even though your secret order has been trying to exterminate my species from this earth. I am here to offer you a trade" Alvanus said, turning to the now uncloaked figure of a big, white cockatoo with a big purple diamond pierced by a cross on his head. The cockatoo had blades in his wings and was ready to strike.

"You silly creature, we don't negotiate with scum. Now, draw your blades and let's settle this once and for all" Zerton said.

"I see. I have no choice then. Please send my family my regards, Benthus, and prepare our security in case another one arises" Alvanus said as a big toucan appeared from behind the leaves. He too had leather straps on his body and was well armed.

"Very well, sire. Good luck!" the toucan named Benthus said as he left the place.

**-the present time, around the table-**

"And then they fought. Alvanus managed to kill Zerton, but then Zerton's assassin order poisoned Alvanus. And since then, we, the Order of the Blue, swore to protect the true king and queen of the avians, the blue macaws, from the Purple Purificators" Rafael said in a sad voice.

"That is a sad story, but I understand why you kept this a secret. One question though? Why you? I mean no disrespect, but why toucans?" Blu asked nodding.

"Because toucans have been the right wing of the blue macaws since the beginning of this order. Plus, because Benthus was my great-great-great-grandfather" Rafael said.

"Why would they target us?" Jewel asked.

"Because you are the last of your species. And also because Alvanus is the great-great-great-grandfather of Blu's father" Eva answered.

"WHAT?" Blu and Jewel said at the same time.

"Yes, and his wife, Irene, is Jewel's great-great-great-grandmother" Rafael added.

"Which makes you two the last of your species and the true king and queen of the avians, and also the true leaders of our order" Eva said.

"But then, our parents...what were they?" Blu asked.

"Your parents Blu, were the leaders of the order before me and Eva, and your parents Jewel, were the leaders of the Royal Guards, which is the next most important position after the leaders" Rafael answered.

"So...if you are the leaders of the order, who are the captains of the Royal Guards?" Jewel asked.

"Leonard and Vladimir. But before them, Nico and Pedro were the captains of the Royal Guard" Eva answered.

"But, Leonard and Vladimir answered Nico's orders" Blu said.

"Yes, and since Nico and Pedro weren't able to spot the assassin through the masses and Leonard was needed to blow his cover, along with Vladimirs, they are now soldiers, while Vladimir and Leonard are the new Captains" Rafael said.

"That is not very nice" Blu said.

"It might not be, but it is a necessary thing. And, rest assured, they aren't usual soldiers, they are now our spy team" Rafael said.

"So, when are we going to become leaders?" Jewel asked confused.

"Ahh! Asking the important questions, I see. Well, after you are trained both as a fighter and a wise macaw. Both of you" Eva said with a grin.

"Any ideas who might be behind these Purple Purificators this time?" Blu asked.

"None as for now. As soon as we find anything, we will let you know" Rafael said.

"Now, if you would like to go to your home, it would be best, but, we will leave Leonard nearby. If anything bad happens just call him and he will fetch the rest of the order to help you. In a couple of days, you will be moving into a new house, closer to our, so that we can train you" Rafael said.

"The rest of the order? How many are you?" Jewel asked.

"About fifty. Including us, Vladimir, Leonard, Nico, Pedro, Kipo and Luiz" Eva said.

"Ummm...are you sure it is safe to do so? I mean, wouldn't they recognize Leonard?" Blu asked.

"Yeah. After all, we have our small army. And no, they would not. Leonard will explain the rest" Rafael said smiling. Blu knew that he was referring to the little toucans and then, that the place where Eva threatened to take them again was, in fact, a training ground or something.

"Rafael, one more question" Blu asked.

"Ask away, amigo!" Rafael said beaming now.

"Actually two questions. First, what about our human interactions?" Blu asked.

"We haven't thought about that. Until we take a decision, it is forbidden" Rafael said in a thoughtful way.

"And what would our training be?" Blu asked again.

"Well, that is a simpler matter. You, since you are a good thinker, will be learning how to fight until you can beat me, while Jewel, since she is quite good at fighting, will be learning how to use her mind until she can defeat Eva in a game of chess. The thing is, both of you might need to go through the other training as well, because if you completed your first and no mark appears, then you will have to complete the second one too" Rafael said.

"You mean a tattoo stuff?" Jewel asked.

"Yeah, but it is no tattoo. It is a mark developed through training. We don't know how it happens, but it just does" Rafael said.

"But my parents had no marks" Jewel said.

"They had, only theirs were well hidden. Behind the feathers on their back of the neck" Rafael said.

"What did they have?" Jewel asked.

"Your father had a sword while your mother had a flower" Rafael said.

"What about you two?" Blu asked.

"I have a rock, while Eva has a fruit" Rafael answered.

"I think it is about time you two return home. In two days, we will have some of the leather straps ready for you, along with the throwing knives, the daggers and the wing feathers protection. Vladimir is a rather skilled bird when it comes to those. Now, please follow Leonard back home" Eva said with a smile.

Blu and Jewel nodded and went outside the door they came in. Leonard was there, waiting for them.

"I heard all the conversation. Sorry for eavesdropping. Please follow me to your home. I'll be living in the tree to your left, just so you know. You can visit me any time for anything" Leonard said as they reached the outside. It was late evening. How the time flies in Rio. Leonard put his cloak on to hide the leather straps with the weapons, but left his hood down and they started flying towards their part of the jungle.

"Hey Leonard. Where is Vladimir?" Blu asked.

"Please call me Leo. And Vladimir, or Vlad as he likes to be called, is at the club. He is a bartender after all. I am sure the incident from before was already forgotten by the mass of macaws in the club. Nico and Pedro are very good at what they are doing. They use the club to find out any small secrets the macaws have. A drunk macaws speaks of everything" Leo said as they reached Blu's and Jewel's home.

"I'll be taking my leave. If you need me, or you want to ask anything, just call" Leo said as he put the hood of his cloak on his head, with a smile on his beak, and flew away.

Blu remained looking outside for a couple of seconds, before sitting in the nest on his back, with his wings opened.

"Come here Jewel. I feel the need to hug someone" Blu said in a confused face. Jewel looked at him and then sat on his tail feathers, while he wrapped his wings around her.

"Blu, do you feel alright?" Jewel asked concerned by the strange behavior and with a calming smile.

"Honestly? No. I am very confused right now. I mean, I just found out that we are being hunted because we are blue macaws, not only in the human world, but also in the avian world. I found out that my father and my mother were leaders of the avians and also leaders of the order of the Blue, while your parents were the leaders of the Royal Guards, that we are supposed to become the next leaders after we train. Think at the responsibility this brings. And all of this because of some unknown reason. I feel that Rafael is not telling us everything. He is hiding something. Else why would Leonard ask you five years ago if you can sing, while Vladimir asked me if I can sing. I am confused Jewel. Aren't you?" Blu asked looking in her green eyes. Jewel thought a little about what Blu just said. She had to agree, it was a lot to take in in one day, even for a smart and open minded macaw like Blu. And she completely forgot about the singing part.

"I am. I am very confused too. But, I think that, for now, we must follow what they tell us. That, of course, until we become leaders. Then we will demand all the answers" Jewel said. Blu began laughing hard, leaving his head back a little. Jewel felt his chest going up and down as he laughed.

"What is so funny?" Jewel asked smiling, happy that he managed to make Blu laugh somehow.

"I see that Rafael is right. I am sorry to tell you this, but you really need to work on strategy planning. If we ask for the information when we are leaders, of course they will give it to us, but what use would that be? We would only be seen as rude rulers that don't trust their advisors. Plus we would already have done something that implies the singing and we might not even know it" Blu explained.

Jewel was left with her beak open. She hadn't thought at the image they would have when becoming leaders of the avians. "I think you are right. But maybe somebody else might tell us. Or, we might ask Rafael and Eva during our first training. But, no matter what happens, we will got through it together" Jewel said turning to look in Blu's hazel eyes.

"That's an idea. You are already improving" Blu said smiling.

"Thanks. Come here, you blue, guffy bird!" Jewel said growling playfully and locked beaks with him. She devoured his beak, exploring every inch of it, while Blu did the same, to the best of his ability. After a couple of minutes, Jewel stopped and said:

"So good to be home. Wouldn't you agree, Blu?"

"Indeed. Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is our only day left in this awesome hollow, until we move to the next one. What a shame. I really like this one" Blu said looking around him.

"I like it too. But maybe we will be able to move back after all this thing ends" Jewel said.

Blu nodded and put his head over Jewel's head, while he wrapped his wings around her more firmly and brought her closer to him. She put her head on his upper chest and closed her eyes, with a pleasured smile.

"'Night Blu" Jewel whispered.

"Good night" Blu whispered back as he breathed deeply and closed his eyes, waiting for the sleep to get him.

**Aaaaand...scene. This concludes this chapter of this story. I don't know when the next one will be coming, because I want to finish my MLP:FiM story (only one chapter left) first. Anyway, if you enjoyed, review to let me know what you think regarding every and any aspect og the story. I'll see you all soon.**

**The song referred in this chapter is "A past and future secret" by Blind Guardian.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi everyone. Long time, no see, right? I am so sorry this took me so long, but I had to finish my other story, Zerk, which I am now happy to say is complete. However, I am planning a sequel somewhere in fall, so check my profile for more news on that. Sorry once again this took me so much. Now, a few words about this chapter...it will be more of a character development chapter, so not much action. Also, it will have a lemon somewhere in the beginning. (marked with XxX at the beginning and the end).**

**Thank you again for patience and without rambling too much, enjoy :D**

**Chapter ten - More hopeful, more faithful**

The morning sun shone brightly over Rio. In a big hollow, somewhere at the outskirts of the jungle, a couple of birds were talking.

"You idiot! How could you let these two birds escape?" a big cloaked figure with an injured claw said.

"I...I am sorry, master. May I talk freely?" the assassin from the club asked.

"Hmm...very well. You may" the mysterious bird said.

"Sir, I think the Order of the Blue is not dead. And, unless I am mistaken, these two blue macaws escaped you not once, but twice" the assassin said.

"Don't you dare question my methods and strategy. It was necessary for them to escape so that the Order would reveal itself. And it had finally has. After so many years, great-great-great grandfather...I will finally be able to avenge you!" The mysterious bird said and then laughed maniacally. After he stopped, he saw the assassin still looking at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for? A special invitation? Go and find a way to bring these two birds in front of me, you stupid piece of poultry!" the big bird said loudly. The assassin shrunk in size with every word his master said and after he was done, he said:

"At once, master" and flew away as fast as he could. The master watched him flying and after he was sure he was out of earshot, he said:

"Oh! What a stupid order, this one of the Purificators is. If that pretty bird of an assassin won't bring the two macaws to me...I'll break his wings. Again" the mysterious bird said as he limped out of the hollow and flew.

**-meanwhile, in another part of the forest-**

Blu opened his eyes as the first rays of sun hit his face. Jewel was still in his wings, wandering the beautiful world of dreams. He brought her closer to him as he sighed.

"Sometimes, I wonder how did I get so lucky to have you, Jewel" he said in a quiet whisper. "If not for you, I would have already gone mad, the situation being what it is" he added in the same whisper as he sighed once again. 'If I think about it, life in Minnesota was kind of boring. Here we don't have more than a week of peace. In fact, this is exciting' Blu concluded as he felt his mate move in his wings. Jewel turned around and with her wings embraced Blu's belly. Blu only smiled and hugged her tighter.

"'Morning Blu" Jewel said opening her beautiful cerulean eyes and looking lovingly at him.

"Good morning, angel" Blu said with a smile. Jewel giggled and said:

"If you call me that way one more time, I will find myself in the position to hug you to death." Blu just laughed a little and said:

"Well, I am only telling the truth so there is no need for an angel to punish me." Jewel rolled her eyes and pecked his cheek.

"Now, what do you want for breakfast?" Blu asked with his genuine smile.

"Hmm...I'll love some dragon fruit" Jewel said looking like she was thinking. Blu nodded and un-wrapped his wings from around Jewel and walked towards the opening of the hollow. He opened his wings and he flew towards the nearest dragon fruit tree. He landed on one of the branches and began searching for the best dragon fruit he could find.

"Morning Blu!" a voice said from behind him. Blu turned around and said:

"Oh, good morning Leonard."

"So, are you searching for some breakfast for you and Jewel?" Leonard asked, while Blu found a couple of dragon fruits that he liked. After he cut them down, he said:

"Yeah. She said she wanted some dragon fruit" Blu said as he prepared to take off.

"You know Blu, you are lucky" Leonard said. Blu stopped and turned around:

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"I say you are lucky to still have someone to love" Leonard said, his usual happy self, becoming a little depressed.

"Umm...Leonard, are you okay? Is there something you want to talk about? The breakfast can wait" Blu asked going closer to him and putting a wing on his shoulder.

"No Blu. I'm fine. Just remember one thing, okay? Don't lose your Jewel, like I lost the jewel of my life" Leonard said in a sad voice as he grabbed a fruit.

"Leonard. Listen. I know this might not be the perfect time or place...or even the good question...but will you please explain me what is wrong?" Blu asked. Leonard became his usual self again and said with a warm smile:

"I'll tell you but not now. Go enjoy your breakfast. Oh...I won't drop by until later this evening just so you know." And then Leonard flew away to eat his food.

"That was...odd to say the least" Blu said as he grabbed the fruits and flew back towards his hollow. Just before landing, he could see Jewel at the opening of the hollow. He landed beside her with the fruits and smiled at her.

"Blu, I was just about to fly after you. What kept you?" Jewel asked as she began cutting one of the fruits.

"Oh, I bumped into Leonard at the dragon fruit tree" Blu said, knowing what the next question will be.

"How was he today?" Jewel asked with a smile as she gave Blu a slice of the fruit, while she took another one.

"Sad and depressed for some time before turning back to his cheerful self" Blu said as he began eating his fruit.

"Leonard depressed? That is stupid, Blu. Have you hurt your head in the trunk across from here?" Jewel asked.

"Ha ha, very funny. No, I haven't. And I am serious. Jewel, he told me why he was single" Blu said finishing his slice.

"He did? Well, why is he single?" Jewel asked.

"I think his mate is dead or she left him" Blu said sadly. Jewel stopped with her beak open and the dragon fruit fell on the floor.

"But that...that's terrible. Blu, how do you know this? What did he tell you?" Jewel asked.

"He told me I was lucky to have you and not to lose my Jewel like he lost his jewel of his life" Blu said. Jewel began eating again and after a couple of bites said:

"I am sorry for him. But I kind of want to know the full story."

"Yeah, I know. I asked him and he told me he will tell it sometime but not now" Blu said. "Oh, and he said he might drop by this evening" Blu added as he remembered. Jewel thought for a couple of seconds, before she said:

"You know what this means?"

"Yeah, we can talk to him tonight" Blu said. Jewel nodded and then a smile appeared on her face and she added:

"And what else does this mean?"

"Umm...why don't you tell me?" Blu asked as they finished the dragon fruit.

"Until that moment, you are mine" she said seductively as she came closer to Blu. Her beak was just about to touch his.

**-XxX-**

She then she added in a whisper:

"And nothing in this world will take you away from me." The sweet smell of her breath was intoxicating to Blu, who started walking backwards towards the nest. Jewel saw this, smirked and growled playfully, before pouncing on him and tumbling the rest of the distance to the nest, where Blu fell on his back with Jewel on top of him. She growled again and this time, Blu surprised her by growling too.

"That's cute" she said and the she locked beaks with him. Jewel's tongue began exploring Blu's beak with passion, while the exotic taste of the dragon fruit, made it even more enjoyable. In the meantime, Blu's tongue was exploring her beak, discovering more of it at each passing. Blu's wings on the other hand, began exploring her body, starting from her back and wing joints and slowly creeping towards her tail and sensible area. As soon as Blu reached her flower, he made a swift move with his wings over it, making her moan with pleasure into the kiss. The sound of her moan made Blu move his wing again, touching her again and getting another moan. He began moving his wings over her sensible area, alternating from up and down to left and right to circular motions. Jewel began shuddering from the pleasure.

"Oh, Blu. You are so good at this. Go faster" she said as she interrupted the kiss for a couple of moments, before diving back into the swirl of emotions their kiss sent. Blu moved his wing faster and faster, now alternating directions at each pass. Soon, he felt Jewel tensing and he knew that she couldn't hold it any more. And, as if answering his thoughts, her juices sprayed of his wing as she relaxed once again into the kiss. After a couple of minutes of kissing, Jewel decided to take matters into her own wings as she moved Blu's wings from under her, on her back. Then, she began to slowly lower her sensitive area over Blu's. The moment they touched, they both shuddered in pleasure and they almost broke the kiss. And then they touched again, sending another wave of pleasure through their brains and souls. And then again and again. Jewel began slowly and with each shudder, she increased her pace. Soon, Blu joined and he met every downward movement of her with an upward one. Their thoughts were swirling in their heads, emotions moving from left to right, trying to burst out. The only way they found to burst was with the kiss that soon became more passionate than before, both of them moaning with every movement. Suddenly Blu felt Jewel tensing again, and he knew what was coming so the next push he made, he made with all his power, locking them not only at the level of their beaks but also at the level of their sensitive areas. And then he released at the same time with her and the emotions that have built up into a crescendo up until now, finally escaped, making them reach cloud nine and pure bliss. The festivity lasted several minutes, time in which both of them enjoyed the company of each other in the domain of gods.

**-XxX-**

When the festivity ended, Jewel fell exausted over Blu and said:

"You are getting better at this. I love you, Blu!"

"I love you too Jewel. From the bottom of my hearth. But now, I am thinking... did we do the right thing, doing this again?" Blu said, returning to his usual, a-lot-thinking, self. Jewel was confused so she asked:

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it. Besides, why would it not be the right thing? Aren't we mates?"

"Oh, Jewel. Of course we are mates. I was only thinking... in the case you become pregnant with our chicks, and we still have to go through that training...I don't know how to explain it...Jewel, I don't think we are safe at the moment and I think out chicks, if you will become pregnant, will be in danger" Blu said, finishing his idea with an intense look at her. Jewel finally understood what Blu was talking about.

"Blu, I think that this time you think too much ahead. Let's worry about this the moment you see me pregnant, okay? Now, let's go take a bath. The evening is approaching and Leonard might come soon. It wouldn't be a good idea to remain this messed-up for him to find us" Jewel said in a soothing voice.

"Hmmm...okay. Maybe I am overthinking things. Again. But, please tell me the moment you feel something is not right, okay? The sooner we know, the better. Now, let's get moving" Blu said with a smile as Jewel got off of him and they both flew to the small water place under the bush Blu found. They landed in the shallow water and began washing themselves. First, Blu helped Jewel wash, and when she was clean, she helped Blu remove the last clue of what happened earlier in their nest. The nest!

"Blu, our nest is a mess!" Jewel said in panic, looking at the sun and seeing it was past normal evening time.

"Ahh, don't worry. If he asks, we will tell him you tried to show me some moves for self-defense and I landed in the nest, making it look like it does" Blu said with a smile as they flew back to the hollow. Fortunately, Leonard wasn't there yet, so Jewel began cleaning the hollow a little. Just as she finished with the cleaning, she saw a bluish spot of color through the sea of green, coming towards their hollow. Sure enough, it was none other than Leonard. He gave up his cloak so as to not attract too much attention. He landed with a small thud inside the hollow.

"Blu, Jewel, so good to see you" Leonard said with a small smile, unusual for his happy self.

"Leonard, so good to see you. Where are you coming from? You look rather exausted" Blu said concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just came back from finding you two the hollow in which you two will be living for the training time" Leonard said.

"Oh, you shouldn't have bothered" Jewel said.

"No, no, no, Rafael insisted on me finding you two a hollow. And he also told me to bring the materials for the nest that you will build there for the time being. And he told me to tell you that your training will start tomorrow at noon, but to be there earlier so that you will have time to make the nest" Leonard said looking rather distracted. Blu saw this and said kindly:

"Leo, do you trust us?"

"Wha-yes of course I do" he said looking at Blu.

"Then, will you please tell us what is wrong? You seem rather distracted by something" Blu said kindly again.

"I...fine. But please don't tell anyone else. And not to Vladimir, or else he will want to buy me every drink in Rio. Blu, you remember the talk with had this morning?" Leonard said.

"Yeah, I remember" Blu said sitting. Leonard sat too and Jewel sat by Blu's side.

"Well, I think it is time for me to tell someone what happened to me and the only other macaw that mattered to me" Leonard said with a heavy sigh.

**(this part is narrated by Leonard)**

_All began six years ago, when I joined the Order of the Blue with my mate, Irene. She was an albino macaw with beautiful lily eyes. We met in Nico's club, and, since she was a good friend of Nico's, he presented us with the idea of joining in the Order. They were in need of birds, so we joined. And we went to training. We aced it, both of us and thus we became the first pair of assassins or bodyguards the Order had. We became known as The Moon and The Sky. She was the Moon and I was the Sky. We did all the missions we received together and we never failed one. Then, the day in which I met Jewel at the club came. I saw Jewel enter the club. I instantly recognized her as a spix macaw, so I told Irene. She talked with Nico as to send Jewel to the stage to sing so that we could keep an eye on her. But then, in the club, I saw a Purificator. And then a battle broke out. Jewel ran to the jungle, but we were caught in the middle of the fight. The piece of fabric that was the ceiling of the club fell on all the other birds. I was knocked out by a random macaw. When I woke up, the entire club was gone, Nico and Pedro were nowhere to be found, probably returned to base to tell Rafael. The worst thing, however, was that Irene was not there. I looked around the place for a couple of minutes and the only trace I found of her was a white feather which I am sure was her. The thing that really made me mad at that moment, was that the feather was half bloody. The next thing I know, I returned to our headquarters and asked about Irene. She hadn't returned. I wanted to go find her, fearing she was captured or worse, but Rafael didn't let me. Instead, he put me work with Vladimir, whom, by that time, was in Minnesota asking Blu to sing._

"And since that day, I haven't seen her again. I still hope that she managed to run and maybe she will come back to me in time, but I am not so sure after those five years" Leonard ended his story.

Both Blu and Jewel remained wide-eyed. Leonard had gone through more than they could have imagined. And his mate might still be in the claws of the Purificators. Or worse.

"Leo, I am sorry to hear this. I shouldn't have asked. But, if I can, I will give you an advice. Don't ever lose hope. Until the last moment when you are presented with the evidence of losing her forever, never lose hope" Blu said putting a wing on Leo's shoulder.

"Thanks Blu. For the advice. And for listening to me. Now, it is kind of late, so I'll better be going. I will see you tomorrow" Leo said and he flew to his own hollow, a single tear falling from his eyes.

Blu and Jewel watched him leave, before Jewel said:

"Well, that was sad."

"Yeah. I can only imagine loosing you and I think I'll be going mad" Blu said as they both sat into the nest, getting ready to hit the hay.

"You and me both" Jewel said, giving him a hug, maybe a little too powerful.

"Can't. Breathe" Blu barely said.

"Oops. Sorry" Jewel said letting him go but snuggling closer to him. He smiled and put a wing around her.

"Don't worry about it" and he gave her a hug. "Good night, Jewel" he added as he began caressing her head feathers. He felt Jewel relax into him and she whispered.

"Night, Bluey" before she closed her eyes and let herself be relaxed by Blu's touch. Soon, her breathing became steadier and calmer and Blu realized she fell asleep. He said in a whisper:

"Don't worry, Jewel. I will protect you." He saw a small smile creep over her face as she came even closer to him. He smiled and closed his eyes to be welcomed into the beautiful land of dreams.

**Aaaaaaand...scene. Okay everyone, I hope you enjoyed this little filler chapter. I know it wasn't much after the big wait, but I really had to finish the other story first, so that I could focus on this one more. Also I am very busy IRL, because I am one year away from university and I have some catch-up to do. Anyway, leave me a review to tell me how it was and what you liked/ didn't like.**

**The song referred in this chapter is "More Faithful" by Skillet. I also decided from now on, to give reasons as to why I choose these songs as inspiration. For this chapter, this song describes the trust that Blu and Jewel have in each other and the hope that they want to inspire in Leonard.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone. I am glad I am finally back on track with this story, since last time I was confused regarding the way this story was going to go. But I solved that now, so that is good :D Also, I am sorry for the long wait, but my summer has just been so full. And just a week ago, I had my off-age party, so there's that :D**

**But, before going further, I have to answer a guest review:**

**My friend, I assure you that this story and plot are 100% original. Even though some parts might resemble other Rio stories, keep in mind that the departure point is the movie, so some similarities are bound to appear. This being said, and even if some Rio stories on this site remained with me, the direction of this story is all mine. And, as a fellow late sleeper (4 AM-ish), I can assure you that sometimes the details get mixed and give the impression of deja-vu. Thanks for your opinion :D**

**Also, as a mention...this story has nothing to do with Rio 2. If it will, I will leave a note.**

**And now that that has been taken care of, here is chapter eleven of this story. Enjoy :D**

Chapter eleven - The way of the Order

The morning sun shone brightly over the jungle, signaling the beginning of a new day. Today was a quiet morning. The birds weren't singing. Today everything was unusually calm. Somewhere near the edge of Rio, on a small, almost crumbled building, an albino macaw stood. She was wearing a cloak over her. The hood was cut and thorn in several places. She had a small straw hat that was hiding her face. Under the hat, she kept her left eye closed. She had a big slash over it, a slash that became a scar. But her right eye was open. She was watching the clouds moving on the sky.

"Finally, my journey and extra training brought me back here. I am going to end this soon" she said in a whisper, as she kept watching the sky, her right eye, a small lily spot on her face, gazing in the deep blue sky.

\- Somewhere inside the jungle-

A sun ray hit the inside of Blu's and Jewel's hollow. As the time crept by, the ray moved closer to Blu's sleeping form. When it hit his face, he opened his eyes, but didn't move. Jewel was still sleeping in his wings. Her breaths were long and steady. Blu smiled at her sleeping form and, willing or not, he had to wake her up.

"Jewel, wakey wakey" Blu whispered in her ear. She moved closer to Blu and mumbled something.

"Jewel, wakey wakey" Blu said again, a little louder this time. Jewel opened her eyes slowly and looked at him. A smile appeared on her face as he said:

"Morning, handsome. What's with the morning call?"

"I thought you would want some breakfast before we call for Leo so he can take us to our new hollow" Blu said with a loving smile as he hugged her.

He felt Jewel's smile fading for a second and he asked:

"Jewel, is something wrong?" Jewel looked at him and said:

"I just wish we could stay here."

"Me too, Jewel. Me too. But this place, at this moment, is not safe. The Purificators could come here any second. Of course, this might be an over-reaction, but I prefer it was just that then a real situation" Blu said. Jewel sighed and then smiled.

"You are right, Blu. This place is not safe now. And we have some training to start and complete" she said, putting her head under his chin. Blu hugged her tightly for a couple of seconds, before he raised her head to his level and said:

"So, regarding that breakfast...what do you want to have today?"

"Hmm...what do you think? Mango or papaya?" Jewel asked tracing patterns in his chest feathers.

"I don't think I have ever tried papaya. I'll bring a couple" Blu said as he was about to get Jewel off of him.

"Oh, no mister. Since we will no longer live here for some time, I'll come with you. We will eat in the papaya tree and then we will visit Leonard so we can get to the new hollow and build the nest. But first, let's stay here five more minutes and enjoy this morning" Jewel said as she buried her face in his chest again. Blu sighed and embraced her. He just hoped that Leonard won't drop by to take them to their new hollow earlier then they had to, so that they could have some breakfast.

They stood there for five more minutes, enjoying their last moments in that hollow for a long time. Suddenly, Jewel raised her head and said:

"Do you think that Rafael and Eva will answer our questions today?" Blu almost forgot about this. He and Jewel were supposed to ask Rafael and Eva about their purpose as leaders and about the singing part and why was it important.

"I am not sure if they will answer, but let's hope for the best. Anyway, we should go. Noon is four hours or so away, and by then we should be ready with everything so that we can go see what is with this training" Blu said. Jewel nodded and both of them got up and flew to the closest papaya tree.

They found a tree a couple of minutes away from their hollow. They landed somewhere close to the top branches.

"Look Blu. The two up there" Jewel said as she pointed to a branch a little higher than they were. Blu nodded and flew over them to clip them off.

"Be ready to catch it" Blu said as he clipped the second one. Jewel caught them and, after Blu landed on the branch again, they began eating the papayas. After they were done, they started their flight towards Leonardo's hollow.

"How was the papaya?" Jewel asked with a smile as she flew over him, making a shade on his body.

"Delicious" he said with a smile as he looked up at her.

"Is that so?" Jewel asked with a smirk. Blu smirked himself and the next thing they knew, they landed just outside Leonard's hollow. Blu knocked at the entrance and waited. A couple of seconds later, Leonard came outside. He smiled at them and said:

"Morning to you too. So, are you ready?"

"As ready as we can be" Blu said with a grin.

"Okay then. Let's get moving" Leonard said as he put his cloak on and the leather straps, along with some more bird-sized throwing knives. Jewel eyed them for a second and then asked Leonard:

"Are we expecting an attack?"

"No. At least, not as far as I know. But since this was a temporary hollow for me, I need to take my equipment back to my hollow. Plus, some extra protection is always good" he added with a knowing smile. Blu nodded and they started flying towards their new hollow. Their flight was quite short. They landed in a mango tree. Somewhere close to the middle of the trunk, there was a small opening. If you flew by and didn't know what you were looking for, you missed it for sure. Leonard went inside and was followed by Blu and then Jewel. The interior was almost as big as the other hollow they had. In a corner, the materials for the nest were stacked, ready to be used.

"Well...how do you like it?" Leonardo asked with a smile and very proud.

"This is actually quite good. I mean, it is almost as big as the other one, plus is more intimate. I love it" Jewel said.

"Yeah. And thanks for the resources for our nest. How did you even find this hollow?" Blu asked surprised.

"Well, in fact, Vladimir found it during a night when he was drunk and beak-planted in it. He showed it to me the next day. I knew it would become useful sometime" Leo said.

"And it had. Thanks a lot" Jewel said.

"No problem. Well, I'll leave you two to your things. I have to report back to Rafael. Also, he will be expecting you in a couple of hours at his hollow. See you two later" Leonard said as he jumped out of the hollow and flew towards Rafael's home. Jewel and Blu watched him leaving, before Jewel said:

"Okay Blu. Since this time you don't need to go and get the sticks and twigs for the nest, you will be helping me to build it."

"But, I've never done that before" Blu said looking confused. Jewel smiled at him and said:

"There is always a start. Now, take those two twigs while I take those two and do exactly as I do."

\- 1 and a half hours later -

"Not bad, Blu" Jewel said as she took a step back to look at the nest. "Just one more thing..." she said, more to herself than to him. She took a feather from him and one from her and intertwined them in such a way that Blu's feather seemed to stand proud and tall over Jewel's, embracing and protecting it.

"Now this is perfect" Jewel said looking at the nest and then at Blu. Blu smiled and nodded, before he went to the opening of their hollow and look at the sun.

"We have about half an hour left until we have to meet Rafael" Blu said turning back to Jewel. He saw her in the nest, looking lovingly at him. He smiled and walked towards her. He stepped inside the nest and sat down beside her. Jewel put a wing around him and he put a wing around her, both of them enjoying their new home, even though they missed the old one.

After some time passed, Jewel said:

"Blu, we should go. I think Rafael is waiting for us already."

"Yes, I think you are right. Okay, let's get moving" Blu said with a smile and both of them flew towards Rafael's hollow. The journey was short and uneventful.

When Blu and Jewel landed in the Hollow, only Eva was there. She was in her nest and when she saw them, she smiled.

Blu looked at her and saw her eyes looking somewhat over them. 'Something isn't right' he thought as he briefly touched Jewel. Jewel looked at him and saw him looking at Eva. She understood and pushed both herself and Blu out of the way, just a split moment before Rafael jumped on where they stood earlier. All this took less than a second. Rafael then dusted himself and said:

"Good. I see that at least you can work as a team. So how did you do it so fast? What gave me off?"

"Eva's strange smile and the direction she looked at" Blu said. "But she only glanced for a second" he added.

"I see. Well done, Blu. Jewel, pay more attention to your surroundings. Blu, today, you will be working with me on reflexes, while Jewel will work with Eva on attention. We will go now Eva. We'll be back at dawn. Good luck" Rafael said before he and Blu flew who knows where.

Jewel remained on the place, looking at Eva. After about a minute, Eva finally talked:

"Okay. Let's get started. First thing first. Do you have any questions that might interrupt our training?"

"Now that you are asking, I do have some. First of all, why did the order make me sing that night at the club? And don't tell me the thing about keeping me in sight, because, I don't believe you on that. While the order was doing this, Vladimir was doing the same with Blu. So, I am sorry if I am too direct, but why?" Jewel asked confused and sitting down in front of Eva. Eva closed her eyes for another minute and said:

"I see Blu put the things head to tails. Probably he is asking Rafael the same thing. And since you are now part of the order, and training to become the leader along with Blu, I think it is time you knew. There is more to that story Rafael told you. And more to the meanings of those signs we have. You see, there is a prophecy that says, that the yin and the yang of the avians will someday awaken the power to bring peace to our world, the one of the avians. The prophecy also tells us that the two birds will be mates of blue color. The last detail to that thing, is that both their voices sound like a god singing and that their symbols will be a perfect match to one another. Up until now, you and Blu match two of these three points. All we have to do is know if your symbols match perfectly. Also, regarding those symbols...there is something you should know. These symbols, in time of need, put you in a trance or a fighting stance. This thing can be both a curse and a blessing but with the training we will give you, it can be controlled. That is why you singed and why Blu singed and why we are doing what we are doing." Eva concluded with a sigh and let the words sink in.

"I see. Is Rafael telling this to Blu?" Jewel asked.

"No. You will tell him. I told him that. Now, any more questions?" Eva asked smiling again.

"For now, no. So what are we doing?" Jewel asked.

"Well, first we will start by learning how to calm your mind and focus on one task at a time. Next, we will see. Now, what you have to do is ignore any other sound and thing, beside what I tell you to. Then you will have to focus on it and tell me all you can see. When I decide that you have seen enough, I will change the object. Let's begin."

-meanwhile, with Blu and Rafael-

"So...what are we doing here exactly?" Blu asked as they landed near a small stream.

"Here is our training camp. For your training, we need to build some muscle on you. So...any questions before we start?" Rafael said with his usual smile.

"Yeah...about that story you told us...and these signs...and the singing...something doesn't fit...can you tell me more?" Blu asked.

Rafael sighed with a smile and said:

"I see Eva was right. Nothing gets past you. She will explain everything to Jewel. And she will explain you. The problem with me telling you s that here, nature has ears...if you get it."

"Of course...so...what do I have to do?" Blu asked nodding.

"Alright. Let's start with a warming session. Fifty push-ups should be enough. And...start. One...two...come on Blu, three..." Rafael began counting as Blu did the push-ups.

-later that night, at Rafael's hollow-

"Honey, we're back" Rafael called as he landed with an exausted Blu inside.

They found her and Jewel in meditation. Eva opened her eyes and said:

"Okay Jewel dear, enough for today. See you two tomorrow at the same hour. No, go get some sleep."

Blu and Jewel said goodnight and then they flew towards their hollow. While flying, Blu asked:

"So how was meditation?"

"Calming...you should try it" Jewel said with a smile.

"Maybe tomorrow morning. I think I have an idea. What if in the morning each of us does the training of the other one? I mean, I meditate and you do push-ups" Blu said with a smile.

"That is an idea" Jewel said as she landed inside their hidden hollow.

"So...about that story..." Blu said.

"Yeah...let's sit for a second while I tell you" Jewel said as they sat in the nest.

"Okay...so there is some kind of prophecy. We are supposed to be the new leaders of the avian world. For that, we must accomplish 3 things. We must be blue and mates...which we are. We must sing like gods...which...apparently...at least according to Eva...we do. And our mystical signs that are not plain old symbols, must be perfect match. Now, these symbols put us in a trance or a fighting stance that we are now learning to control. That's about it. What do you think?"

"It starts to make some kind of sense now...but if we are supposed to save the avians, then why do the Purificators want us, besides for revenge? Unless that is their only reason, there is more to this story. But this explains more than I thought. I am afraid the rest will have to wait until we finish our training" Blu said with a smile as he kissed Jewel on her beak.

"Right you are, handsome. Let's get some sleep...we need it. Good night, Bluey" Jewel said kissing him and then resting her head on his chest.

"'Night, my Jewel" Blu said as he wrapped her in his wings and rested his head above hers.

**Aaaaand scene. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave me a review to tell me what you liked/ didn't like. I am looking forward to reading them.**

**The song referred in this chapter is "The way of the warrior" by Hammerfall. I thought this fits best because, even though it is not about assassins and orders, it is a good song that expresses the warrior's mantra.**

**Until next time, LionPrankster, over and out.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 – The Shadow**

**Hi there guys and girls. As you can see, I am back :D I am sorry for being absent for so long, but school kept me busy and, as I have big ambitions, I put school first. And that being said, I brought you another chapter so that we can once again dive in the story of Blu and Jewel's life. What awaits for them this time? Read to find out :D Enjoy!**

**-Somewhere, close to the jungle-**

A flap of wings and a bird landed on the last house before going inside the jungle. It wore a straw hat and a cloak which had a thorn hood. Her white feathers where shining in the light of the morning sun.

"Just you wait, my Sky. The night is falling and the Moon returns" the albino macaw said as she took flight and dived right in the jungle.

**-somewhere in the jungle, in a mango tree hollow-**

A ray of sun hit Blu's face and he opened his eyes. He was in the nest with his mate, Jewel. She was in his wings, sleeping peacefully. Blu looked at her lovingly and smiled. He whispered:

"Every day I wake up to such beauty will be a happy day." Then he began rocking her like a baby from left to right. A smile slowly appeared on Jewel's beak. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Blu. Without saying anything, she brought Blu in for a kiss. When they broke the kiss, they kept looking at each other, until Jewel's stomach growled. Blu smiled and said, snuggling closer to her:

"So, what wants my queen to eat in this morning?"

"Nothing special, sweetie. Bring a couple of mangoes from outside" Jewel said giving him a quick kiss as she got up. Blu nodded and went to get the mangoes. He returned fast and they began eating. After, they finished eating, Blu said:

"So, what should we do until we have to go training with Rafael and Eva?"

"Well, weren't you the one that suggested that we do the other's training in the morning?" Jewel asked.

"Well, yeah, but..." Blu said hesitantly.

"But what?" Jewel asked looking at him.

"Well… never mind. Let's get to it. Tell me what Eva told you to do" Blu said waving a wing.

"Right. So, first thing first, she showed me how to sit in a meditative position. Then, how to focus on an object. And finally to describe said object from all points of view" Jewel said. "What about you? What was your training?"

"Well, we started with push-ups. Twenty-five. Then we went for pull-ups about fifteen. Then straight punches in a tree trunk for half an hour. Then so yoga for flexibility. That is kind of everything we did yesterday, since I needed some longer breaks between the exercises" Blu explained.

"So then, let's get to it. Twenty-five push-ups you said?" Jewel asked as she prepared to do them. Blu nodded and sat down with his legs crossed. He already knew how to focus, so he chose as object to focus on, Jewel. Her rhythmic movements of up and down as she did the push-ups put Blu in a trance.

"Okay, Blu, so describe to me the object you are focusing on. I want to see if I can recognize it" Jewel said, still doing push-ups.

"Right. It is a very important object to me. It is big, lean, dangerous at times, and, basically a bottle of emotions in certain moments. In other moments, it is sweeter than a passion fruit and, speaking of it, very passionate. It makes cold nights warm and rainy days bright. It is the light in the darkness and the beauty of it speaks on its own. Can you guess what it is?" Blu asked. Jewel finished the push-ups and looked at Blu with a smile. She nodded and then said:

"You know, I am not that dangerous…unless someone messes with me like you just did. In that case, I can devour them whole."

Blu smile faded a little and one of his wings moved a little in front of him. Jewel slowly walked closer to him while still talking.

"And I can be pretty emotive at times, but I wouldn't say a bottle. Maybe a cup." She stopped right in front of him and growled playfully at him. Then she pounced on him and kissed him very passionately. After a couple of minutes, she broke the kiss and said:

"But you got the passion part just about right. Now, let's go outside so that I can do the pull-ups and the other exercises. Then we will spar. I want to see you spar with me. Maybe I can give you some advice." She got off of him and they both flew outside, under the tree. Blu sat by the tree trunk, while Jewel hang from a lower branch, doing pull-ups. It didn't take her long to finish them, and when she was done, she flew right beside Blu and began punching the tree. Blu kept looking at her and she asked:

"What? "

"I kind of love your ferocious side. It's very attractive" he answered. She blushed but didn't stop from punching the tree.

"So, can you give me some help with the concentration part and describing objects? I am not really that good" she said after.

"Well, I guess the reason you are not that good is because you describe the obvious. Take for example what I did back in the hollow. I could have said that my object is moving, has a beak and it is blue. You would have guessed in an instant and that is all you would have known about the object. But, instead of that, I told about what makes you different from the other blue moving objects in this world. I described you, in your entirety, not only your exterior. My advice would be to put some hearth in what you are describing and to extrapolate from the data you have" Blu said.

"Here you go nerdy on me again. I love that but I didn't understand anything" Jewel said laughing. Blu blushed and said:

"Just see with your hearth and your eyes at the same time, not only with your eyes. Use what you see to say why is that object unique" Blu said again. Jewel stopped punching the tree and walked to Blu and kissed his on the beak.

"What was that for?" Blu asked.

"You just went nerdy on me again. I love that" Jewel said with a happy smile. "Now, let's spar." Blu got up and Jewel showed him a guard position.

"It is quite easy really. Just block my punches and try to hit me. And don't worry, I won't be mad if you do" she said reassuring him. Blu nodded and jewel began throwing some slow punches and Blu blocked them. Then he threw some punches and Jewel blocked easily. They gradually increased the speed until Jewel had to stop her punches because they were too fast for Blu to stop them.

"You catch on pretty fast. Just remember to look out for patterns in the hits and then let the blocking flow from there. Now, I think we should go to the training. We will be late if we stay any longer" Jewel explained as they took off towards Rafael and Eva's hollow. They reached it soon and landed inside. Eva was already waiting for them. When she saw them, she said:

"Aaaaah, good to see you two. Well, Blu, Rafael is waiting for you already at the training ground. You should go."

"Right. See you soon Jewel" Blu said hugging her and then he flew to train.

"So Jewel, did you tell him what we discussed yesterday?" Eva asked.

"I did. He said he suspected some of it, but now almost all makes sense to him" Jewel said as she sat beside Eva.

"Interesting. So, ready for today's training?" Eva asked with a wide smile.

"Yeah. What are we doing today?" Jewel asked.

"We will begin with repeating a little what we did yesterday, and then I'll tell you about strategy planning and how to take in consideration each and every variable. So, let's begin by you telling me about the rock outside this hollow. What can you tell me about it?" Eva asked. Jewel went in the front of the exit and looked at the stone. She was about to say that is was big hard and rocky, but then memories of what happened when she and Blu were around the stone and their plan of escaping the chain came to her. She turned to Eva and said:

"Well, that stone is more than a simple stone. It is here for probably a lot of time, so it must be very old. Also, that is the place where Blu first showed his nerdy side, which kind of clicked in me. Also, there we had the first hug to say so, even if it was because we were tied together by the chain. And that is the place where you chicks ambushed us not once, but twice. And also…"

"Okay. That is enough. So, I guess Blu told you a little tip for this, didn't he?" Eva asked with a smile.

"Maybe" Jewel said in a girly voice.

"Well, since he did a good job, we can go to planning a strategy for a given situation" Eva said as Jewel sat by her again.

**-meanwhile, on the training ground-**

"Rafael. I am here" Blu called but there was no answer. "Rafael, are you here? Eva said you are here, waiting for me" Blu tried again, reaching the place where he trained yesterday. It was a little clearing. Just then it clicked to him. He was alone here. Maybe Rafael was looking at him from somewhere among the trees, ready to attack. He did that before, why wouldn't he do it this time too. Blu looked at the trees around him. The good thing is that there was no wind so the leaves and branches didn't move on their own. The bad news was that he saw nothing moving. Suddenly, he heard a sound to his left, as a shadowy bird jumped on him.

**Aaaaaand….scene. I hope you enjoyed it. I know it's not much but if it were this to be a complete day as the other, it would have been to long for a casual reader, so I decided to split it in two. The next one might be a little longer, but I don't know when will I post it, since it is not yet done. I hope y'all be as patient as you have been until now. Tell me in a review what you think about this chapter and I'll see you all soon ( I hope).**

**The song I chose for this chapter is "The Sentinel" By Judas Priest. I think it somehow fits the physical training Jewel is doing when her and Blu do each other's training.**

**LionPrankster, over and out.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 – Back in white**

**Hi everyone. Merry Christmas to all of you guys and girls out here! I hope Santa brought each of you what you wanted :D If you want to share the pleasure of your gifts, tell me in a PM what you received :)))**

**Now, let's return to the story. Enjoy :D**

"Rafael, are you here? Eva said you are here, waiting for me" Blu tried again, reaching the place where he trained yesterday. It was a little clearing. Just then it clicked to him. He was alone here. Maybe Rafael was looking at him from somewhere among the trees, ready to attack. He did that before, why wouldn't he do it this time too. Blu looked at the trees around him. The good thing is that there was no wind so the leaves and branches didn't move on their own. The bad news was that he saw nothing moving. Suddenly, he heard a sound to his left, as a shadowy bird jumped on him. Blu felt the weight of the bird suffocating him, before he managed somehow to throw the bird off of him. Just then, from the leaves above him, another bird flew between the two. It was Rafael, who had a couple of bird-sized daggers out.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked the cloaked bird. The cloaked bird took of her straw hat and the hood she had over her face. Rafael instantly dropped the daggers and said in a confused voice:

"Irene? Is that you?"

"_Si_ Rafael. It is me. I have returned. Now, Sky, why did you…wait, you're not Sky. Who are you?" Irene asked as she looked at Blu.

"I am Blu. And by Sky, I think you mean Leonard. He is not here at the moment. I think Rafael knows where he is" Blu said with a smile.

"Blu…a pleasure. I am Irene, also known as the Moon. Are you a new recruit?" Irene asked in a jolly tone. Rafael cleared his throat and said:

"Blu here and his mate, Jewel, are the last of the blue macaws and he is the son of the former Leaders of the Order. And his mate is the daughter of the former leaders of the Royal Guards" Rafael said with a serious voice. Irene quickly took an attention position and bowed before Blu.

"Excuse my ignorance, you highness" she said in a very formal tone. Blu chuckled and just said:

"Well, I am not the highness you are talking about yet. I need to finish my training first. Plus, I prefer to be called by my name. Also, did you know that you have the same name as the great-great-great grandmother of my mate?"

"I will call you by your name then. And, I do? Rafael, why didn't you tell me this?" Irene said in a joking tone.

"Slipped my mind. I believe that you want to meet Leonard. I will arrange a meeting in half an hour at my hollow. Blu and Jewel will be participating, if you don't mind" Rafael said with a smile.

"Not at all" Irene said with a smile.

"Could you please supervise Blu's training today, while I go to find Leonard and bring him at my hollow without making it sound suspicious. I think it will be a good idea to make it a surprise" Rafael said.

"Sounds good to me. Now, your high…ahm…Blu, what is your training for today?" Irene said as Rafael took flight.

"I don't really know. I am more of a thinker…I just started this training yesterday. I thought you might have some ideas" Blu said.

"More of a thinker you say? Let's see then…if you were in a mission to assassinate a target and that target was in plain sight but you couldn't identify it as your target and you had a clear shot, what would you do?" Irene asked. Blu thought for a couple of seconds before saying:

"There are three possibilities. One of them is that he is the target I have to assassinate, but he has guards standing by close that will catch me if I attack him. Another one is that his guards are amateurs and he is alone. And the third one is that it is a trap and he is a decoy. Do you have any other details on this kind of meeting?"

"Yes. There is no wind, but you hear some leaves moving. The target keeps shuffling his feet but not turning towards you. Would you take the shot?" Irene asked.

"No, I wouldn't. It is either a decoy, or a prisoner used as bait. In both cases, there is a mole inside that planted the information, in which case, I would most likely stand by and wait. Something is bound to happen" Blu said sure on himself. Irene nodded and said:

"Interesting reasoning. How long have you been under Eva's training?"

"Not a day" Blu said.

"Really? Then you must be a bookworm" she said with a grin.

"That was uncalled for" Blu said his confidence dropping a little.

"My apologies. Well, I can see your reasoning is good, almost perfect. What was your training yesterday?" Irene asked with genuine kindness.

"Push-ups and pull-ups" Blu said quickly.

"Right…do them, but double the amount. After you finish this, do one hundred laps around this clearing in flight at maximum speed" Irene said.

"Are you mad? That is a lot…too much" Blu said whining a little.

"Blu, listen…do you want to be able to protect Jewel when an attack will happen?" Irene asked. Blu nodded reluctantly.

"You have the courage to do so, but you lack the strength, which we must build, so get moving. You have half an hour by the way" Irene said with a confident smile. Blu hit his face with a wing and then began with the push-ups.

**-one serious training later-**

"Hey, I am back and I have Leonard at my hollow now. We can go and talk…what happened here? Why is Blu almost passed out?" Rafael asked as he saw Blu barely remaining on his feet while Irene was smiling.

"I trained him the proper way. Doubled the amount you gave him yesterday and added one hundred laps around the clearing" Irene said with an innocent smile.

"And he did them?" Rafael asked.

"Yep" Irene said happy.

"In half an hour…" Rafael added confused. Irene just nodded and Rafael sighed. Then he tried to pick Blu up, but Blu said:

"I think I can manage a flight to your hollow. Let's go." Rafael nodded with a smile, seeing Blu putting some effort into his training. They flew off to Rafael's hollow where Leonard, Eva and Jewel were waiting for them. They landed a couple of minutes later. Leonard was talking with Eva with his back to the entrance. When the party landed, he turned around and saw Irene. His words died in his beak as the movements he made with his wing came to a stop. Blu could see a tear forming in his eye as he asked in a trembling voice:

"I…Irene?" Irene simply nodded with a smile and opened her wings. One second Leonard was with Eva looking at Irene, the next second he was in her wings, tears falling from his eyes.

"You have no idea how much I missed you" Leonard managed to say.

"And I you" Irene added closing her eyes and embracing him, their feathers rustling. After a minute, Leonard broke the hug and said:

"What happened? Where were you all this time?" Irene sighed and said:

"We better take a seat. This is going to take some time…" After they all sat down, Jewel looked around her and asked Eva:

"Eva, where are your kids?"

"Oh, don't worry. They are with Nico and Pedro. They will be fine" Eva said.

"So, everything begun after the affair at beach club, the night Jewel was there" Irene said with a frown.

"Why am I in this story?" Jewel asked confused.

"As Leonard told you, the day you were singing at the club, me and Leo were around in the sea of macaws there, keeping an eye out. You left just before the fight started, which was a lucky thing. After the fight started, one of the bad macaws that kidnapped me broke the poles that sustained the club. In the commotion, I got my face scratched really bad as you can see and lost several feathers that had blood on them. They threw me in a bag and carried me away. I next woke up in China. How did I get there, I don't know. But someone who said was the leader of the Purple Purificators. He questioned me for a long time, it felt like months, but got nothing out of me. Then, they moved and forgot me in the prison they kept me in. I managed to escape and ran to the mountains. There I met a couple of macaws whose name they asked me not to tell anyone. They trained me in that Chinese Kung-Fu for a year, until I managed to hold my own. After that time, I had to travel through Russia, Europe, Africa and to cross the Ocean in on a fishing boat as the parrot of the captain. Finally, I had to travel back to Rio and get accustomed again to the weather here, since I cot a very bad cold on the sea. I just recovered last week and from that point, I tried to find you. I heard the commotion from the carnival of Rio and saw Rafael several times around the city. Today, I finally found you guys and returned…" Irene said, ending her story with a sigh.

"Who was the leader of the Purificators that kept you captive?" Blu asked out of curiosity.

"It was Nigel" Irene said and saw the expressions of fear on their faces. "Is it bad?" she asked confused.

"Quite. Nigel tried to go after Blu and Jewel once…we couldn't use the power of the Order to get rid of him because we didn't know who he was…but now the situation is different…" Rafael said nodding for himself. Several minutes of silence passed, before Rafael spoke again.

"Welcome back to the team, Irene. Or should I say, Moon. And you can go back to your original team, Leonard, or Sky. Tomorrow, I am putting the two of you on patrol and reconnaissance duty. Find where Nigel hides and report back. Blu, I will see you tomorrow for your training. Be there after lunch." Blu, Leonard and Irene nodded.

"Jewel, I will be waiting for you at the same time tomorrow. You can go now" Eva said with a smile. Jewel nodded and all of them flew back to their hollows. When Blu and Jewel finally landed in their hollow, Jewel asked in an amused voice:

"So, how did you manage to find a macaw that was lost for three years?" Blu sat in the nest and gave her a funny look.

"I didn't. She jumped on me from the trees, thinking I was Leonard. Then Rafael showed up and they almost fought until we saw who she was. Then Rafael went to take Leonard and she gave me a hell of a training to do. She doubled the number on everything and added one hundred laps at maximum speed around the clearing" Blu said as Jewel stood with her wings on her hips.

"Well, not to be rude, but you do need training" Jewel said, letting her wings fall again as she walked and sat beside Blu, in the nest. Blu looked outside and saw that the sun was setting.

"We have a perfect view of the sunset" he said as he smiled and put a wing around Jewel. Jewel looked at the sunset as she put her head on Blu's upper-chest. She smiled in content and said:

"Love you, my blue goofy bird." Blu locked his beak with hers for a couple of moments before saying:

"I love you too, my Jewel of the forest. Let's get some rest. We will need it tomorrow morning...training awaits us again."

"I just wish all this agitation would finish so that we could live our life in peace" Jewel said with a frown, closing her eyes.

"It will, but not now. Someday...someday, it will" Blu said with a smile as he brought her closer and closed his eyes to sleep.

**Aaaand...scene. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it is not much, but I like to develop the plot step by step and this was a necessity. Leave me a review to tell me what you think. Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!**

**For this chapter, I used as song "Back in Black" by ACDC because I felt that the song fit the training Blu was doing and the lyrics have a certain ring that fits the discussion in Rafael and Eva's hollow.**

**And, as usual...**

**Until next time, LionPranster, over and out. **


End file.

Rio, Adventure, Romance