melodiesoflife | Chocobo Roundup

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Chocobo Roundup

WHO: Rukia Kuchiki, OPEN!
WHAT: A group of adventurers sets out to find themselves some new feathered friends, as well as spend time together camping out and battling monsters. On the last day, the adventure is capped off with a battle against a chocobo eater.
WHEN: November 7th - 9th
WHERE: Calm Plains

OOC NOTES
There will be two threads for each day: one for mingling, and one for fighting monsters/encountering chocobos. The encounter schedule is listed below. Assume encounters A-E happen in the daytime, and F-J happen at night. We can assume that most of the encounters are handwaved, so if there's one you'd love to play out, start a thread with the encounter listed in the subject. Example: Day 2, Encounter X: Five Hamsters.

Note: We will not find five hamsters. No one is allowed to die horrifically in this fun-filled expedition.

Some chocobo captures are reserved for those who signed up, and have been marked accordingly. You can claim one of the encounters on this list, if you like. And if you're a new character, you can join too! Either assume Rukia mentioned it to them and invited them along, or PM me and I'll have Rukia meet your character in the intro log if she hasn't already.

Day 1
A: Enemy female yellow chocobo (accompanied by two Buers)
B: 3 Red Elementals
C: Friendly female aqua blue chocobo - Claimed by LEVY
D: TREASURE CHESTS! (surprise it's two Mimics)
E: ANOTHER TREASURE CHEST! (still a Mimic though)
F: Friendly female green chocobo
G: Enemy female yellow chocobo (accompanied by 2 Gargoyles) - Claimed by RAMZA
H: 1 Mandragora
I: Friendly female yellow chocobo
J: 1 Hamster (run)

Day 2
A: Friendly male yellow chocobo - Claimed by FAI
B: 2 Geezards
C: Unfriendly male yellow chocobo - Claimed by YUNA (AU)
D: Enemy female yellow chocobo (accompanied by 2 Wyverns) - Claimed by K'pandolu
E: 3 Goblins
F: 1 Gargoyle
G: Friendly female yellow chocobo
H: 8 Goblins
I: Unfriendly male yellow chocobo
J: 2 Touch Mes

Day 3
A: Unfriendly female yellow chocobo
B: Unfriendly female yellow chocobo
C: Friendly female purple chocobo - Claimed by KIJA
D: 3 TREASURE CHESTS! (Nope still Mimics who puts a treasure chest in the middle of the plains seriously)
E: Enemy female yellow chocobo (accompanied by 2 Mandragoras)
F: Unfriendly female yellow chocobo
G: 9 Buers
H: Unfriendly female white chocobo - Claimed by RUKIA
I: Unfriendly female yellow chocobo
J: CHOCOBO EATER (small)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yuna reaches down for a towel and then tosses it on top of Rae with a smile. It's warm and dry and will do wonders for the shivering moogle.

It's a small tent so Yuna finds a seat to the side and begins to dry off. It's a bad idea to go to sleep wet. It's cold enough as it is. The towel glides across her arms and then legs before attempting to dry her hair.]

Maybe he needs someone.

[She smiles at Ven.]

I'm looking for... a friend. I guess.

[Ven takes a seat and the moogle squeaks her thanks, sliding off of her Hero to huddle next to him as she towels her fur dry.]

He's definitely been good to me. I just hope I'm returnin' the favor.

[He pushes his hood back and shakes some droplets from his hair, and then unzips his coat to slide out of it. It's done pretty well at keeping him dry, so while he's left with a sleeveless shirt underneath, the temperature's bearable here inside the tent, especially when he pulls a thin blanket over his shoulders. He's used to some pretty bitter winters up in the mountains, so he's been a lot colder than this.]

A friend, huh... [That makes him smile again as he pulls off his gloves.] I don't think you'll have a hard time with that. I've heard some of 'em can be tough to tame, but once they know you, keeping 'em shouldn't be a problem.

Edited 2015-11-09 19:10 (UTC)

[Yuna's head tilts to the side as she drags the towel down her long braid. Her feet are laying to the side with her back to one of the walls of the tent. She's careful not to touch it, knowing that it'd be wet and she'd have to dry off all over again.]

I don't think it's possible for you not to be good to your chocobo.

[Her smile widens.]

You have a good heart.

[It's pretty obvious from what she's seen of Ven.]

I'm thinking that maybe the chocobo I'm after will find me too. [Like a family.

Yuna laughs softly shaking her head before pulling off her boots. She places her shoes at the front of the tent and then wraps her long braid in the towel. Once she's situation she lays down, watching as the rain hits and runs along the roofs tent.]

[Just a few days ago, that remark about his heart would have irked him a bit; not through any fault of Yuna's, but because Ven spent more than a few hours reflecting on himself back then, and not in a good way. Fortunately, he's in good spirits again so he just gives a warm hum as he also leans back to stare at the rain.]

Well... when I met Sora, he actually protected me from another Chocobo that tried to attack us. He got pretty banged up for it, so me 'n Cloud took care of him. I tried to let him go when he was better, but he wouldn't leave.

[And thus... he has a bird.

He gives a quiet laugh.]

I hope it's not as dramatic when you get yours.

[Yuna laughs softly.]

You're lucky. He sounds like a good friend.

[She's glad that he's in better spirits now. Yuna herself isn't very talented when it comes to cheering others up. Her head turns slightly to watch Ven as he moves before letting her mismatched gaze return to the rain's path.

She can't help but wonder who she'll meet and in what way.]

[Yuna closes her eyes with a smile.]

You know, if it gets much colder it might snow.

[Now that she's in the warmth of the tent she feels the slight chill in her bones and a shiver runs out through her limbs.]

[Ven perks up at that while Rae makes a low grumbling noise.]

I hope so! We'd always get a ton of snow back home every year. Feels like it's been forever since I saw it, though...

[He notices that shiver and looks concerned.]

You cold?

[Yuna shakes her head a little smiling as she turns to look at Ven.]

A little.

[This is what she gets for not wearing a jacket but then Celes didn't come with her and her moogle was often a voice of reason.]

With three of us in here the tent should get warm soon.

[At least, she thinks so.]

[Welp. Rae's gone and made herself an effective little towel-cocoon there, so Ven moves over to sit beside Yuna, close enough that their sides touch. That should help!]

Y'know, I've never camped out like this before. I'd sleep outside in the summer sometimes, but that wasn't really the same. [And not just because it's a lot colder and wetter right now. He smiles thoughtfully, eyes fixed on the opposite side of the tent.] When I woke up here a few months ago, I never imagined I'd be doing stuff like this. Fun stuff, I guess.

Kupopo... you have a different definition of "fun" than I do.

Aw, come on. It's not that bad!

[more grumbling.]

[Yuna smiles as Ven scoots closer. Having him near stops that side from leaking heat and it's slowly getting warmer.]

I think this is fun. I used to camp a lot.

[At least it isn't snowing and at sub freezing temperatures.

Yuna smiles wistfully at the tents roof.]

I miss it.

[Ven hums lightly. This talk of missing things brings a certain thought back to mind, and after a moment he says it out loud.]

So... what're you gonna do after this? After this world is saved, I mean.

[Yuna blinks at the question.]

I... don't know.

[She inhales a long breath and then exhales before continuing.]

I was in a world before this one. I told you a little about it but because of it... well... it's been so long since I've been home. When we leave here my powers will return. [The chaos.]

I don't have a place at home anymore. I don't really know where to go.

[There are a lot of things that Yuna isn't facing right now.]

[Ven watches her, his expression serious and considerate as she talks. Then he frowns slightly, looking down at his hands.]

I'm... not sure I do, either. I have people I need to find, friends I belong with -- but our home was lost. I'm not even sure if we can go back.

[Aqua hid his body in the remains of the castle, sure, but he's not sure if they can live there again, lost to darkness as it is. He was as good as dead for all those years, anyway; it doesn't seem like a place fit for the living anymore, from the sound of it.]

I wonder if we could stay in Crystallis, if we really wanted to. Or at least visit.

[Once he has his powers back, that shouldn't be a problem, right?]

That'd be nice.

[Her voice sounds a little wistful, her eyes staying fixed to the tent's roof.]

Can I tell you something? [She pauses suddenly feeling a little awkward.] It's not... I haven't told anyone about it yet. I tried to but...

[She remembers what he said 'that sounds dangerous' and since then she hasn't wanted to bring it up but after what happened at the hospital she's wanted to talk about it. Yuna just isn't sure if anyone would really understand what she's done.]

It's a little complicated.

[Has she told Ven about her home? She really can't remember.]

[His eyebrows rise curiously, but that serious expression stays -- at least, until that last remark, and he smiles a little sadly.]

I think I'm used to complicated by now. But sure -- what is it?

[He doesn't know a whole lot about her homeworld life -- just some of the hobbies she mentioned, and her small hometown.]

[Yuna keeps her eyes on the ceiling. It's a little hard to say but it's been on her mind and being here, in the rain, she wants to talk about it.]

Before I came here... a lot happened. I haven't talked about it because there is another Yuna here. [She shakes her head.] I don't want to change the future in anyway or influence her but...

The world I was in before this one. [She pauses feeling a little awkward.] You know, I look nineteen but I'm actually a few years old. [Two years to be exact.] I stopped aging because my teacher, the man we fought, placed a piece of the chaos into me.

[She won't be able to die through normal means thanks to that piece and its only really hit her now. Now many times has she died in Crystallis? How many times has she come back? Not being able to die is a very lonely existence.]

I'm sure someone could kill me but I won't be able to live out my life.

[Despite Ven's intention to listen without comment until she's done, he can't help starting slightly in surprise.]

Whoa -- you mean you're immortal?

[Or mostly so, if there's a chance someone could still kill her. Even so...

Ven considers that for a quiet moment.]

I don't know anything about chaos, but... you can still live, can't you? You've still got friends to fight for -- and they'll fight for you, too.

[He knows he will.]

Does it really matter how long or short your life is, compared to that? [He's not lecturing -- he's asking, genuinely curious. He nearly died when he was eleven years old, willingly submitted to death when he was fifteen, and has had several brushes with it in this world; he's no stranger to the idea of dying young, and if he was able to find love and contentment in his short amount of time, he can only imagine that living much longer would give even more opportunities for happiness.]

It just hurts.

[Yuna's whispering now, her eyes closed as if it might keep the memories away. She hasn't forgotten the day that Tidus disappeared.]

Each time you say goodbye... it never gets easier. I've started to wonder if it's really worth it.

[Her voice is soft and pained as if saying those words aloud is finally admit it to herself. She is scared to get close to people and when she first arrived in the city she did everything in her power to say very far away from them. Somehow she gained friends, allies and family but she knows that she'll lose it all again one day.]

I just don't know if I'm really that strong.

[Ven blinks -- and then something seems to leave him as he realizes what she means, his shoulders dropping slightly.]

Oh...

[It does make a sad sort of sense. If you live a really long time, and your loved ones don't... He looks sidelong at Yuna, his expression sympathetic and sad. It's frightening to think that his next loss will hurt just as much as Eraqus' did, if not worse, but... even in the wake of that, he's not afraid to make new connections. Of course, he's not going to live forever, so he can't really compare the two of them.]

It's... hard for me to say. I want to say it's always worth it, because it's better than always being alone. But... [But he can't speak for her, and he doesn't want to try.

After a moment, he looks down at his hands again.]

You know... I'm actually older than you. [He gives a short, quiet exhale that might be a shadow of a grim laugh, the corner of his mouth quirking humorlessly.] I knew it was a long time, but I found out it's been almost thirteen years. I'm actually closer to twenty-eight.

[The expression fades back to something more solemn.]

My heart was separated from my body for all that time. I guess that's why I still look the same. I was... actually supposed to die -- but I did it to protect my friends. I knew they'd be sad, but... I knew they'd be okay, too. If that had happened, and they'd outlived me, I'd have wanted them to keep being happy, the way we used to be. It would've been tough for them, but not impossible. I know now -- because I've been there.

I guess... what I'm saying is -- it might take a long time to heal from something, but... even when a person's gone, they're still with you. You've got your memories with them, and that makes your heart strong. It's the only way your heart can get strong, I think. And that helps you heal. It helps you love again, even when you're still hurting.

[He gives her a sad smile.]

At least... that's what I think. And I think you've got a strong heart, too, even if you don't always feel like it.

[It's a lot for Yuna to take in though when he mentions his age her eyes blink open. She turns slightly to look over at Ven, her expression a mixture between curiosity and worry.

Her voice is soft, her expression slowly relaxing.]

I'm happy you didn't die.

[Yuna smiles brightly at him before looking back at the tents roof.]

Maybe, if I always knew someone like you, then it would be okay. You have an amazing ability to remind people that they will never be alone unless they choose to be, you know?

[She's happy, happier than she's been in a while.]

Thank you Ven.

[She pauses.]

Oh, I'm twenty one but I don't know when my Birthday is. Spira didn't celebrate birthdays.

[Yuna thought about talking about her home and about the world before this one. Maybe she's been keeping a little to much to herself.]

[He wasn't sure if he managed to convey his thoughts all that well in what he said -- so when Yuna replies, and smiles, Ven's relieved, and glad. He hates for anyone to be sad, of course, but after what she told him, it's a joy to know he helped in some small way.

The mention of her age earns a playful smirk.]

Still younger than me, though.

[...Technically. He hardly remembers those twelve plus years, so he's not sure his "real" age actually counts, but... technicalities do count for some lighthearted teasing.

After a moment, Ven turns around -- and lies down beside her, draping the blanket over them both to share. He's not right up against her, but the closeness is enough to suggest a friendly trust and familiarity.]

I'll remind you as much as you want, okay? My friends did the same for me... so it's the least I can do for others. [Then, more brightly,] And hey, if you don't know your birthday... that just means you can pick it yourself, right? Not many people get to do that.

[Yuna laughs and then lightly taps his shoulder with her own.]

I don't think that counts or do you want me to refer to you as an old man?

[She's happy, though it's hard to say aloud. She considers herself really lucky to have a friend like Ven, he's much stronger than her and yet she feels stronger having him nearby. Just like with her guardian's, it's a feeling she's missed.]

Thank you Ven.

[Yuna turns slightly to look over at him.]

When do you think I should make my birthday?

Hey, watch it! [It's a playful objection as he also laughs. He can't even point out that twenty-eight isn't all that old, since he's still very much fifteen at heart and that does seem kind of ancient from his point of view.

He's thoughtfully silent for a moment, staring up at the tent ceiling as he crosses an arm under his head.]

Hmm... well, which season do you like best?

[Yuna's met people who've died and yet lived on through centuries. Maybe if they were still around she'd ask them but after Sin was defeated everyone was able to rest. They didn't seem to like being alive for so long.

She pushes the thoughts away before they spiral further. Instead she looks back up at the tent's roof and begins to count the rain drops. It's warm with Ven by her side and she's thank for the blankets. She wonders if Rae's fallen asleep or if the little moogle has quietly listened to their whole conversation.]

I don't know. I grew up on an island and it felt like summer every day. I guess it'd be summer though I really like spring, fall and winter too.

[That whole sentence might not be helpful.]

[Ven can't help a good-natured laugh that's at least partly a snicker -- because yeah, that really didn't help at all.]

Okay, well...

[Hmm... oh!]

Mine's in March! [As far as he knows, anyway. It's what he was told, although there will come a time when he realizes that it's most likely not accurate.] I guess that's closer to winter, but if you wanna pick one around there, we could have 'em near each other.

[Yuna laughs softly.]

Okay but then we’d have to celebrate together.

[It’d be nice to share something like that, since there are only so many days in a year it’s a safe guess that someone has a birthday every day. Thinking about it that way is a little strange and it makes Yuna shake her head to push the thought away.]

What day? Maybe before yours?

[Though he would technically still be older.]

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire

Day One - evening campfire