lockandkeyblade | 004 // Video - Action // In which Sora makes a friend

[Hey there, Vatheon! Time for a homely little broadcast of a cozy looking ... stable? Since when did Vatheon have horses? Must be new. The screen pans slowly, revealing a vast open field, bordered by a rickety white fence. Sora's voice speaks off screen:]

Hey guys- check out what showed up at Nostalgia Nook!

[And then woa! Fluffy yellow feathers invade the screen. The SFC shakes as the person holding it begins to laugh. Sora swivels the SFC on himself. His hood is caught in the beak of a rather large bird. Behind him are several more, nearly twice Sora's height and scattered throughout the field.]

They're called Chocobos. Some are pretty friendly. The guy at the stable? He says I can have one if I take good care of it! [Another Chocobo head bobs into the screen, nibbling at the end of a spike of Sora's hair. He doesn't seem to mind.] You can even ride them, but you gotta train em' first.

Oh. And when you sing, sometimes they'll dance. Watch!

[The screen swivels around, squaring on an unassuming Chocobo several yards ahead. Sora clears his throat, and begins to whistle a tune. The bird in question quirks its head at the SFC and surprise, surprise, it actually begins to dance! It bobs, sways, rolls its head, warking rather excitedly, drawing attention of other ones nearby who more or less begin to do the same.]

[Just when things start getting interesting, that's when it all stops: there's a loud, irritated wark right behind the SFC. Sora has halted his musical performance and the screen has wandered away from the dancing chocobo as if Sora has become distracted offscreen. Could be trouble...]

Uhh.... hey there... You want some greens, is that it?

I'm sure I've got some around here. Hang on a sec....H-hey!

Wait, what're you - Oh no!!

[The screen finally jerks around, catching a flash Sora being tugged backwards, his hood caught in the beak of a rather irate looking bird. The broadcast stops.]

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[....what does that finger pointing mean Sora? Speak up. What are you trying to say to-]

[Wait.]

[WAIT! YOU DON'T MEAN]

THAT WAS YOU?!

[There's a moment of silence. And then-]

Wait, I don't get it. That's not possible.

That kid was way cuter than you, Sora.

It's never done that to me before. Gimme a sec-

[Finally, after another tug, the Chocobo opens its beak, releasing Karkat from its grip. Sora loses his hold and stumbles a few steps back.]

Woa!

[The Chocobo shakes its head, and then preens the feathers under a wing.]

[Going over to where Sora is. ...Slowly. Whooa. Look at them Chocobos.]

Uhh, I didn't! It's just...ermm...sorta hard to walk.

Sure can. I'll probably let you take the lead when it comes to dealing with these guys. You know a lot more about them than I do.

[He opens the bag and looks inside for a moment, and his expression perks up. He is a little hungry, actually! Little or big, you're always helping him out, Yuna.]

Right. Follow me.

[And he takes her through the plaza and down to Nostalgia Nook. They make their way around the shop, to the small curving path leading down to the Ranch. Yuna cam probably see the Chocobos from there, roaming freely around the corral.]

[He... doesn't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.]

[He lets it slide.]

Oh it's definitely possible... if it happens because of a curse.

But Sora-

[Okay, new friend. We're going to take this one step at a time.]

I don't think there was a 'cute-making' curse.

[Sora tilts his head. Then hops down from the fence to go meet him. He spots those legs, but it doesn't actually occur to him that it's all mechanical through and through.]

Did you get hurt or something?

Yep.

[Except not really. Yuri's pretty close now, and as he raises up his hand towards its head, he hopes that the Chocobo won't become alarmed. ... A few seconds' time will tell if it is a futile hope.]

[FREEDOM!! Karkat snatches his hand back as soon as the beak is open, covering with his other one, pinning it against his torso. Is it scraped or scratched even after making Sora get the beak off him? He's not entirely sure, but he's not going to risk looking when Sora might see.]

Fucking stupid ass flapbeast. Remind me to never listen to you again.

Uhhh...

[Give him a moment to figure out what Sora's asking him. He scratches below his horn.]

Oh! Uhh...I got crippled! A while back. Annd..ermm...I'm still sorta...g-getting used to these legs!

[He laughs.] That was the week where a bunch of us got turned into little kids. I was five years old after the curse hit.

There they are!

[Oh, there's a twinkle in her eye at the sight of them. She's not running... yet. But there's a definite skip in her step and a lightness in her heart as she approaches the edge of the corral. After a moment's hesitation, she brings her fingers to her lips and lightly whistles. The effect is a good one. One of the nearby chocobos tweets back happily and does a cheerful hop-step before trotting over to the railing. Tenderly, Yuna scratches the feathers around its neck.]

Hello, you.

[She looks to Sora, an innocent grin on her face not unlike a normal teenager (one that doesn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders).]

Can we go inside?

[Wait... wait-wait. There definitely was a little kid curse. Sora wasn't lying about that or anything. Because everyone was little.

There was a little peach-eating Mitsuhide.

And a little redhead girl that gave him flowers.

And some guy named Little Princess Momo was friends with.

Processing... processing...

CLICK.]

...You WERE the weird little kid with the funny hair that didn't like me being a Demon Lord and fought invisitible monsters with a stick!

[OHSNAP!]

Why didn't you tell me before?

Yes. If you do that, they will eventually understand the idea and get used to it. Well, you can use other phrases, but I personally prefer a simple "no" because it's short and easy.

When he does do something good, you have to praise him first and make him feel acknowledged that he did do it correctly. Afterwards, you can give him the treat.

[Great. Now he'll never get this guy to do anything.]

[More importantly though:] Still got all your fingers?

Yes, I have my fingers.

[He still won't show Sora his hand, though.]

What did you even want me to come here for, anyway?

[Wow! Won over a Chocobo right away! And the whistle? A very neat trick.]

[Yuna's good at this...]

Yeah sure. Keeper let me in earlier. I usually just hop over the fence, but there's a gate we can just walk through a little further down.

[Sora grimaces. Oops. Didn't mean to bring up a sensitive subject.] Sorry about that...

So someone healed your legs then?

[The Chocobo drops Sora's hood and peers cautiously at Yuri's hand. It leans forward and lightly nips the very end of his fingers... and then just shifts in place. It doesn't seem to mind touching after that.]

[Sora just watches the entire exchange.... Wow. If he'd known that's all it took, he would've done it sooner!]

[There's just a moment of quiet as Sora covers his face with an exasperated palm. When his hand drops to his side again:]

That's what I've been trying to tell you the entire time.

No, it's okay. We can hop the fence.

[...sort of. The long skirt might be a bit of a problem though. But a determined Yuna is a force to be reckoned with. This fence will be hopped!

She steps on the bottom rung of the corral and sits on the railing, suddenly realizing that it might be a little difficult to do this gracefully by herself.]

Um... If you could help me over?

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004 // Video - Action // In which Sora makes a friend

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