melodiesoflife | Home on the Range

Who: Zelda, Cloud and probably some NPCS
What: Job hunting and learning how to be a Chocobo Farmer
When: October 5
Warnings: None

Cloud chewed on his lip as he looked at the postings on the board. He was making do with the money he was getting fighting monsters, and thanks to being a "Hero of Light", he didn't have to worry about housing. But that was just enough gil to get by. It wasn't like he was able to go out and splurge money on things he wanted, just what he needed.

And the "Hero" part was what was causing him trouble. Back home, he had left Nibelheim to be a hero. He joined the military because how else were you supposed to become a SOLDIER First Class like the Great Sephiroth? There really weren't many other options to make your name big back on Gaia, especially for a backwater boy like him. Here though, he was already considered a hero even if he didn't feel like it yet. Everything was wide open to him and he felt almost paralyzed by that freedom.

"Just pick something, kupo!" Cloud glared at Mako. The two were starting to get used to each other, but things were still a bit prickly. Mako kept expecting him to run out and make a name for himself, but Cloud still felt a bit burned from how it didn't work out for him back home. And as a mage he was coming to learn he needed to depend on a team to win. It was a harsh lesson, but he no longer felt as weak for depending on others.

Still, being able to stand on his own wouldn't be terrible. "Maybe the police force...It's kinda like the army, but it would be a little different." He could at least have a leg up on trying to get in, based on his experience.

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The bird ate at them eagerly and then lightly pecked Clouds hand hoping that there was more, even after it was clearly gone. Zelda giggled as the chocobo rubbed his beck over Clouds palm.

"See he likes you."

She was happy to see Cloud trying and she could see his shoulders relax as she pushed him froward.

He was a little surprised how easy it was. He wouldn't call himself a natural, but maybe this wouldn't be so bad. It was the idea of being a farmer that had been bothering him. Prospects were never that open back in Nibelheim, and he kept thinking he'd have to do some big city job to be happy.

He looked back and smiled at Zelda before moving on to feed the next bird.

She walked over to another bird and began to lightly scratch under its neck. It gave her a happy khew and fluttered its wings in the air happily. Her eyes looked back over at Cloud. "Your doing well. I think they are amazing birds."

Cloud nodded, "We used to depend on them a lot more for things back home, but we've been using cars and trucks a lot more. I guess this world hasn't developed that way. You said you had birds like these in your world too right?"

"Yes. They are called loftwings. Except, they fly. We use them to get to the different islands." Her tone was gentle as she thought back to her life on Skyloft. Everything had changed the day the storm had come. "When we are young we impress them and then they imprint on us. We take care of them. A loftwing is for life."

Zelda looked back at Cloud with a smile. "I think birds are better than cars and trucks."

"Ah. I've never seen a chocobo fly. There's stories that if they're raised right they take on different colors and can swim or run up mountains or even fly. I've never seen one like that though."

He looked around the stable, "I never really thought about it honestly. My friend Zack thinks my hair makes me look like one though." He chuckled, "Having your own companion for life sounds interesting, but I think I have my hands full with Mako."

Her laughter echoed like a bell after Clouds story. "I think you would fit in nicely with the chocobo's."

She smiled, looking over towards Cloud. "The chocobo I found here was purple. I thought it was luck since that is the color of my loftwing back home."

Zelda continued to shower the chocobo she was caring for with attention as she spoke. She missed her home but even with that ever constant feeling of longing, she loved to talk about it.

Cloud paused as she mentioned the color. Purple? Was there such thing as a purple breed? He thought maybe he saw one in a race once, but it didn't seem otherwise special. He frowns and visibly chews the thought over. "I don't ever remember hearing about purple ones. Can it do anything special?"

Out of greens, he then turned to see what else the stablehands needed them to help with.

"Not that I've notice but I'm not really sure what special could mean." Her smile turn into a contemplative expression as she continues to pet the towering golden bird.

Zelda looks over at Cloud curiously. "What are you doing?"

He glanced back at Yuna over his shoulder while lifting a crate that had just been left out in the middle of the floor, "That's all the feed. I guess if we're going to be working here we need to find more stuff to do." He smiled. He'd give this an honest shot. If he was no good, that was fine as long as he tried.

She smiled and followed suit. "Do you know everything that needs to be done in a stable?"

Cloud smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Not really, but we can figure it out together, right?"

Zelda lightly tapped her chin as she thought. "They need a clean living area as well as daily exercise, grooming and feeding."

Though most of those things were on a schedule and she didn't want to do something they weren't suppose to.

Cloud nodded and gestured for her to follow as they went to talk to the other stablehands and check the assignment board. "Let's see what they know. I don't want to go back to that old man if we don't have to." The work would be rough, he just didn't want to risk getting tricked into doing more than their share.

Home on the Range

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We can end this whenever if you want :3

I'm good with whatever

OKAY

We can stop it here