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

[lockandkeyblade]

[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.]

Comments

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

[of course, Red is always pinged by pets and animals...]

Sora, your friend is really cute.

Cho...cobo, was it?

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[Sora's dragged along another few steps before the Chocobo mercifully comes to a stop.]

Yeah. That's it, Red.

I dunno if you'd call him my friend. I think he likes my jacket better than he likes me.

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

[yeah, laughing a bit at that!]

Don't worry. Maybe he's just a little cold for now... I'm sure he'll warm up to you in time. Take good care of him, Sora.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

But he's not my Chocobo. I just showed up at the ranch and he started following me.

You good with animals, Red?

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

It's all right. Animals or monsters are usually curious... At least, from how I know them as.

[there is a small pause at the second question, but only because he's starting to lightly blush! yeah, he really does love animals... it's always a good topic for him.

smile!!] ... Well, I'd like to think I am. [///] I love them a lot.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Got any advice? I could use some right about now. I dunno whether I should try and put my foot down or just bribe it with food until it listens to me.

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

Sure. [he continued smiling, glad to help if he could!] But don't do any of that. They won't understand that you're angry until they get to know you more. And bribing them with food will only make them spoiled...

You have to treat them like a normal person, too. You have to slowly get to know them until you understand their behavior... Just like how it takes time to get to know someone. You can talk to them often and give them affectionate pats. Eventually, I'm sure they'll let you touch them further.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[He nods. That makes a lot of sense! He files that information away for later- he's pretty sure it'll come in handy.]

Okay. Thanks!

But what if touching them isn't the problem. What if the problems that they won't stop touching you?

[He demonstrates by moving the camera until the Chocobo is on screen again. This time it's got its beak hooked onto the end of Sora's glove, nibbling the fabric. It doesn't look to be letting go.]

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

You have to start teaching them on how to tell what you don't want them to do as well. If you don't want him to do that, just gently push head away and say "no."

Try not to keep switching your sentence like, "don't do that," or "stop it," because it will only confuse them further. They can't understand our language, after all. It's our job to teach them to understand.

"No," will do just fine. Keep saying it until it gets the idea that you don't like it. If he did it right, make sure to reward him. They'd learn faster that way and grow closer to you faster too.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

So... lemme get this straight. [He eyes the bird with all this advice in mind.] If I wanna tell him what's right and wrong, I've gotta tell him 'No' when he does something bad. And give him a treat when he does something good?

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

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.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Got it! [By the end of today, he'll have them parading behind him all in a line. Just watch!]

How do you know all this stuff, Red?

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

Good luck, Sora. I'm sure that you can do it, though. You're pretty likeable. [He'll be expecting that. *o*]

And it's because I learned from experience. I'm actually a trainer back home.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[He grins at the compliment.]

What kinda animals did you train?

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

They're monsters, actually. They're called Pokemon.

... That's right, you haven't met my friends. I should introduce you sometime.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

You have them here? In Vatheon?

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they arrived with me. Six of them.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Must be nice to bring along friends.

At least you'll always have company.

[pristinestar.livejournal.com]

[He smiled out to agree to that.]

... That's so true. For the longest time, they've been the only closest connections to my home. The five of them were actually in sleep comas when they first arrived... But some time ago, they were able to wake up.

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Sleep comas? That's rough.

I wonder what finally woke them up.