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viva_la_materiaHey, Mighty Birdwhisperer! I know you're the grand master of tulip-fu and all that farming junk, but how much do you seriously know about chocobos? I mean besides getting them to stop mobbing somebody.
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Yuffie Kisaragi
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-10 05:06 pm (UTC)Okay, so you're looking for the perfect racer! I can show you some good ones in the stables if you want, I know just the ones!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-10 06:33 pm (UTC)[Racing sounds awesome, actually - all kinds of good pings come with the idea of racing chocobos, and Materia finds herself grinning at the thought of it. Weird, but not really in a bad way.]
Sooo, you got time to do that today, or do you have to go invent tulip-fu first?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-10 07:56 pm (UTC)I'm actually working at the stables today if you want to come have a look. I'm almost done for the day anyway!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-10 09:16 pm (UTC)Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 09:29 pm (UTC)Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 09:37 pm (UTC)Even with the cloudy weather glooming overhead, her mood was utterly sunshine-y by the time she got to the chocobo paddock. Looking around, she spotted the nearest farmish-looking building and headed for it, rapping on the wooden door with her knuckles.]
Ni-ight? You there?
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 10:03 pm (UTC)[What could you do to reason with six very small, very hungry chocobos? They came up halfway to his knees, all fluff and beaks as they warked and chirped and moved about like a colorful dervish trying to peck at the treats he tossed down for them to catch. He knew they were in the bitey stage... they'd sooner not realize how powerful their little beaks are and he'd lose a finger in their enthusiasm! He paused when he heard his name, and he wound up and tossed the last treat particularly farther away from him. Chirrups of excitement rained from the little birds as they raced to be the first to it.]
Yup! Be out in a second! Just spoiled the babies, and now it's time for them to settle in with their fosters!
[And he'd work to settle them down and get them to the fostering stables. It was a good five minutes or so before he finally stepped out, dusting a few down feathers from his pant legs.]
Sorry for the wait! The stables we want are right over there. The racers are pretty feisty, but it takes a feisty rider to be able to handle them! Do you have a preference for a boy bird or a girl bird?
[He gestured to the next barn over, and off he went.]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 10:08 pm (UTC)When Night came out to meet her, she was sitting on a fence by the watering troughs, kicking her heels and looking up at the sky. She jumped down and trotted over as soon as he appeared, though.]
Girl bird, definitely. Hey, were those baby chocobos or what?
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 10:53 pm (UTC)[He pushed open the barn door, stepped aside to let her in, and followed. The air was cool today, so he'd close the door behind him. There was the smell of fresh hay, of dirt, and herbal... the bright greens that filled the feed baskets in each stable may have been the culprit. A vast array of colorful birds stood before them, some feeding, some napping, and others generally making noise out of wanting to be noisy.]
Okay! For racers, color doesn't matter too much except for the golds. They're the cream of the crop, the best of the best, but they're also super expensive and super rare. I've seen maybe five since I started working here, you know, and each one was bought almost immediately!
[He nodded, then looked around a bit. Dang... no golds in the stables at the moment, but he knew they were absolutely spoiled and well taken care of, wherever they were stabled now. He stopped before one of the stables.]
We check up on the babies when they reach maturity to see what qualities they have: Will they be hard workers, are they competitive, or are they very tame and well-natured? This one grew up with all the characteristics of a good racer, but she's not too competitive! She's got too big of a heart, I think. There's nothing wrong with that! If you want to race once in a while but also want a pet who doesn't mind walking now and then, this one's good.
[He paused to reach up and stroke the chin just under the beak of the blue chocobo they stood before, and she liiiifted her head and closed her eyes in bliss.]
How serious are you about racing, Materia?
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-10 11:04 pm (UTC)Gee, who could that careful caretaker possibly be?]
Oh...
[Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the blue chocobo. It - she - was so pretty. She wasn't used to thinking of chocobos as pretty, so much as fast and kinda cool. Feeling suddenly shy, she stuck her hands in her pockets like a boy - what if this chocobo didn't like her?]
I...I dunno. It sounds fun, but...it takes a lot of work, right?
[Not that the idea of cash prizes or something wasn't tempting, but there had to be easier ways to make money than pouring long hours into riding practice. She could name ten ways that were already attached to her arms, for starters.]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 12:18 am (UTC)Tons of work! The more competitive, "professional" racing circles are pretty picky about exactly what chocobo they want, and the rules and regulations are awful tight as well! If you want to go pro, you'll need a lot of money to pour into the perfect chocobo, and the upkeep of the bird is far different than normal: Very specific greens, extra care taken of the legs and talons, and the training of the bird to help build and overcharge its competitiveness!
...I personally don't like the super-duper racers. They're so focused on winning they get downright mean to whoever isn't the jockey! One sent a guy here to the Clinic for a week for severe injuries...
[He sighed, then shook his head, waving a hand dismissively.]
Er- he's fine now! He just doesn't work with them anymore. Moving on! There's the blue I mentioned here, she's a good girl, and then...
[He moved to the next row of stables, stopping before neighboring stables. One held a red chocobo, and the other a green. They both chirruped upon seeing them, the red going so far as to immediately begin preening Night's hair. He pushed the bird head away and continued. By word four, the chocobo was back to preening.]
...You have these two! They're strong racers, very competitive, but one trait makes one different from the other!
[He pointed upward at the bird preening him.]
She likes hair. A lot. She likes to preen and make chirpy noises and is a bit of a cuddler. Once she thinks you've been loved on enough she's ready to race! The green is kind of a brat! She only likes certain greens and is very picky when it comes to people, and will fluff her feathers and turn away from whatever she doesn't find suitable. ...She doesn't like me, of course, but she's pretty affectionate and loyal to those she likes.
[The green finally pulled her beak away from the greens she was eating and fluffed her feathers while staring at Night, as if to say "Oh. It's you again." ...Then to Materia, clicking her beak and canting her head quizzically, trying to decide...]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 05:16 am (UTC)The green one, though... Torn, Matera glanced back at the pretty blue chocobo, and hesitantly held out a hand to her. The bird gave her a benign, puzzled look, as if she wasn't quite sure what was going on - and at that moment, the green chocobo fluffed her feathers up again and warked, loudly.]
Ah! Geez!
[Startled, she whirled around and gave the bird a Look, clambering through a row of stalls to prop her hands on her hips, feet planted solidly apart, and frown up at her.]
Don't startle me like that! You - ah! Ahahaheehee, quit it!
[The green chocobo had arched her neck around and was thoughtfully nibbling the short hair at the nape of Materia's neck, dropping bits of greens down the back of her shirt in the process.]
Ah, ahahahelp!
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 04:19 pm (UTC)[He spoke at a laugh, clutching his aching stomach.]
C-come on, you heard her! You stop that right now!
[Yeah, that green wasn't gonna stop until she FELT like stopping, it seemed.]
Hey, at least she seems to like you!
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 07:07 pm (UTC)Okay, hold it!
[Reaching up, she clamped both hands around the bird's beak and stepped back to where she could give her a stubborn look in one big, amused eye. If this big turkey wanted to be a brat, well, Materia could be just as bratty. She felt a twist of nerves in her stomach - the chocobo's neck probably had more muscles in it than her whole body, and that beak was big - but the bird stayed calm, curiously meeting her gaze.]
Now, look. If we're gonna do this, you need to not mess with my hair all the time, and you definitely need to wait 'till your beak is clean, got it? I am a ninja and I'm not gonna let some big old bird boss me around.
[She jerked her chin at the blue chocobo, still standing docilely in her stall.]
I could still go for her, you know. At least she's got manners.
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 07:19 pm (UTC)...But no fluffing came, and the bird and ninja looked each other in the eyes as she offered an ultimatum. Then Materia struck the green chocobo's weak spot - her pride. Choosing the blue one over her, the prettiest and very best chocobo in this entire stable? Hmph!]
...I don't believe it...
[Night's arms fell to his sides incredulously. Why hadn't he thought of fighting a stubborn chocobo with a stubborn girl?]
This one was bought three times, and returned three times. People find her too stubborn, too wild. My boss was thinking of chopping her sell price down... if you're looking to buy, of course!
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 07:48 pm (UTC)Oh. Price. Materia's heart sank.]
I...don't think I can afford her.
[She mumbled the words, ducking her head against the bird's fluffy cheek. The chocobo made a puzzled noise, nudging at her as she let go of its beak.]
My apartment...um. I was just...hoping I could come by and ride one sometimes. And you and Feathers, well...
[She gulped, feeling like a dumbass. She could barely make rent, and here she was, getting caught up in a silly fantasy about having a chocobo of her own. Like she could possibly pay for a large animal's upkeep on top of her own. Stupid, stupid...]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 08:13 pm (UTC)I'll be right back, okay? Stay here!
[And he scooped up an empty bucket sitting nearby, dashing off and around the corner in the barn. He returned a good ten minutes later with that bucket filled with leafy greens ending in fat orange carrots and a scroll of paper in one hand. The scroll was handed to her before he went and got his keys from a pocket. He undid the lock at the stable door and pulled it open.]
Okay, now hang on to that rental ticket! It says she's yours for the next three days and you promise to hand her back by noon three days from now! She just ate, so this bucket will be good to feed her dinner this evening.
[He scratched his head, then. He wouldn't mention the deal he'd made with his boss.]
I-i've got too much money burning a hole in my pocket from my two jobs anyway...!
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 08:23 pm (UTC)Well, it was Night's job to get people to buy the birds, right? So this was just kind of a...test drive. Anyway, he totally owed her for scaring the daylights out of her by disappearing like that, and...well...
Darn it, why did he have to be so nice lately? Materia shoved the ticket in her pocket and shut her mouth, giving Night a sheepish smile.]
Thanks. I, um...thanks. Does she...does she have a name?
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 08:47 pm (UTC)Today, he was glad to just give her a bit of happiness. Something about her behavior earlier just struck right in his urge to help others, to do good... but he thought of that candy apple he'd given her. No, it wasn't simply 'to do good'... this was simply "just because he could, and wanted to".]
We've been calling her The Bratty One, and while we do use breed names to tell them all apart, we leave it to the renters or owners to give them names! If they like it, we stick with them!
[He looked between the two of them, then went to get a saddle.]
It's easier for girls to ride bareback, but let me show you how to put the saddle on, and then I'll grab Feathers and we'll take greenie here for a test run!
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 09:12 pm (UTC)We're gonna have to come up with a better name for you, girl. What do you think?
[The green chocobo chirruped and nipped gently at her bangs. Materia frowned and grabbed a cloth hanging over the wall of the stall - time to do something about those greens! - and, by the time she was done, Night was back with the saddle. The minute the big bird laid eyes on him approaching, though, she danced backward, lowering her head belligerently. Materia covered a grin, and went over to Night, taking the saddle out of his hands before he could protest.]
Here, lemme try.
[The saddle was light enough to handle without too much trouble, and the chocobo calmed down a little when she walked towards her. Sliding it onto her back, Materia pulled a face when she noticed the bird slyly inhaling.]
Hey, cut that out, buster. No tricks.
[She gently elbowed the bird, who reluctantly let out her breath, and began buckling straps together, taking a moment now and then to frown at a strap or a buckle until it dawned on her where it ought to go. Hey, this wasn't so hard!]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 09:21 pm (UTC)...Okay, but there's a lot of different straps and buckles to--
[And he was dumbfounded when she not only easily continued to keep the green bird in check, but saddled up like she'd done it a hundred times. His hands lay on his hips as he tapped his foot once.]
Well, damn! You picked right up! You've done this before, huh?
[He relaxed and waved.]
Okay, I'll see you outside. I'm gonna get Feathers!
[He reached beneath his scarf and pulled out a thin whistle, immediately dashing outside while blowing it. Much like a dog whistle, it seemed to barely register, but nearly every chocobo canted their head quizzically, then seemed to ignore it. They weren't whistle trained... not like the ball of black fluff that soon greeted him outside with a happy chirrup, all fluffed feathers, green scarf, and quivering wings. Night was quick to mount up and scratch the back of the male bird's head as he waited.]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 09:31 pm (UTC)'Kay, see ya!
[Pulling the last few straps snug - but not too tight! - she reached up and pulled the chocobo's head close, whispering to her.]
Be good for me, okay? 'Cause if I biff it the first time I try riding you, that veggie-head is never gonna forget it. [She grinned.] Let's show him how cool you are with a real rider, okay?
[Taking a deep breath for luck, she put one foot in the stirrups, reached up to grab the saddle horn - don't think don't think just do it - and swung into the saddle, settling herself in place. The chocobo took a step back, then another one, then steadied when she reached down and patted her neck. Hoo boy, it was high up here!]
Good girl. Yup, that's right, staaay calm. Okay, one step at a time...
[Was she talking to herself or the chocobo? Deciding she didn't care, Materia clicked her tongue at her mount and carefully trotted her out the door, waving to Night. Looking good so far...!]
So, where are we going?
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 09:53 pm (UTC)Okay, Feathers, listen up: We're partners and we're going to have to rely on each other more than ever! I think Materia's really good with chocobos, and that green one's feisty. What do you think about challenging her to a race, boy?
[Feathers' eyes narrowed, crest feathers fluffing in excitement as his talons clawed at the ground. A low "kwehhhh" was his answer, but Night patted the side of the bird's neck.]
Not yet! I'll give you the signal.
[The bird relaxed and rocked back and forth, foot to foot when Materia appeared with the green female. There was a friendly squawk of greeting.]
Nowhere in particular! Let's walk her away from here and play it by ear.
[Feathers turned away and proceeded down the trail out and away. Captain Planet had the best environments... and it was great racing overall, so Night directed Feathers to a good trail to start.]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 10:01 pm (UTC)Alright, girl, you're doing great...
[She scratched the chocobo's feathers - man, she really did need to come up with a better name for her than "the chocobo" - and looked up ahead. There was a trail ahead of them, stretching away across a huge field of grass dotted here and there with trees. She didn't go to Captain Planet often enough to know exactly where they were, but it was sure pretty...]
Quicklog
Date: 2011-09-11 10:10 pm (UTC)You're really good at this, Materia! ...Let's not bore the birds anymore, huh!?
[He flashed a particularly wicked grin her way, his heels knocking against the bird's ribs. Feathers gave an excited cry, it was time to RUN RUN RUN~! And the black bird quickly picked up to a run.]
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