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

[video]

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

So I heard. I think I'm flattered~ [A big grin here, but it's not quite so sly as is perhaps usual. He sort of meant that.] I'll see what I can do. I mean, it's not like I've got much to go back to.

[Oh, well, that might actually answer your question, Sora. But in case it doesn't, have a cryptic answer, just in case you don't remember this part yet:]

Oh, you know, something about princesses and dungeons and other things my heart just ain't quite in.

[video]

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[Sora's expression lightens, loses some of the wariness. He's mildly surprised, even.]

You're the one who helped me.

[The Axel before now, Sora wouldn't trust for anything. He's not exactly about to relax around Axel, but at least it's better than before]

[video]

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

[Oh, good, that would have been awkward to try and explain. He chuckles a bit as the hesitation and suspicion fade a little from Sora's face--man, the him who was here before must have been a real jerk. But, well, he had been a pretty grade-A douchebag once upon a time; Sora had had every reason to be wary, he supposed. Funny the way things change.

Of course, it wouldn't really be Axel if he just gave you a straight answer in return, though.]

As opposed to the one who didn't? My, I guess there's a me that didn't learn his lesson out there somewhere, in that case.

So do you need a hand with that bird? [A grin and he snaps his fingers, emitting a spark, though he refrains from actually summoning his chakrams.] It could be a really great barbecue. [Yes, he's mostly kidding. Mostly.]

[video]

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[For a little while, Sora almost forgot what it was like talking to Axel. Straight answer, what is that?]

... Well if you're good with Chocobos I guess it couldn't hurt- [Only Sora kind of takes him seriously on that.] Wait. You're not really gonna hurt it are you? Because if you are, I can handle just fine on my own.

[video]

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

Don't think I've ever actually attempted to wrangle a giant chicken before, but I'm always in the market for new skills to add to my resume. I'm out of a job at the moment, after all. [Courtesy laugh.

And then he gives Sora a 'really?' look.]

Didn't your little girlfriend tell you about the time the king's dog tackled me? Damn pooch stalked me across like three worlds; apparently I have a way with animals. [A pause and a quirk of his mouth.] I promise to only set the bird on fire if it actually attempts to eat anyone.

[video]

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[Something of a grin.] Well if Pluto liked you, you can't be all bad. Maybe you can even convince this guy to follow you instead.

So far all it's tried to eat is my jacket. And maybe a potion or two.

[video]

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

Hey, who said I was all bad in the first place? I prefer to think I'm unequivocally ambiguous with an inclination in the general direction of decency. Life is more fun with a grey area, don't you think?

Well we can't have the bird eating all our potions; people will suspect "fowl" play. [Instant Rimshot!] Guess I'll come see what I can do. [Besides, he's got a few questions himself.]

[[ooc: i'm game for a quick action log if you are. this could be a riot.]]

Re: [video]

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Uhhh... [What did he just say he was? Sora's way beyond lost- Sora's not stupid but there was way too many syllables in that sentence for him to follow, geeze.] Sure, I guess?

Ha. Nice one. [And you know exactly what he means by 'nice,' Axel.] You know how to get down to Nostalgia Nook?

[ooc: Sure! Sounds fun X3]

[video] 1/2

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

[JUST AS PLANNED. Big words for the win. And he takes a small bow for his little pun before giving a nod.]

I think so, yeah. I'll figure it out. Recon is my specialty, after all. If I'm not there in ten minutes... keep waiting.

[End feed.]

[action] 2/2

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

[It takes him about seven minutes, actually. He portals into the plaza and then pokes around until he finds the Nook, and from there it doesn't take him long to figure out where the giant chickens are. WARK is a pretty distinct call. He strolls casually into the stable to find Sora still wrestling with one of the oversized birds, and leans on the edge of one of the stalls to watch for a moment.

Then he stoops to pick up one huge golden feather from the floor and clears his throat, twisting the feather between his fingers.]

Man, I'd hate to be around when these guys molt.

[action]

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

Axel! There you are- [He stops talking to Axel to shove away the Chocobo's head. It's currently trying to nose its way into Sora's pack.] Come on, I already fed you all my greens. And you even ate one of my potions. What more do you want?

[action]

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

Yes, here I am, as promised. [He tosses the feather aside and approaches the bird as it invades Sora's pack, reaching out to plant his hand on the chocobo's beak.] Ah--! [He is shoved aside as the bird tosses its head--it wants more greens, not a hand in its face. The big chicken is stronger than it looks.]

Uh, okay... [Axel grunts and tries again to pry the bird's head away from Sora.] Come on, Feathers, we're trying to have a conversation here...!

[action] oh man...

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[Sora is teetering on one foot, the same side the Chocobo's trying to get into. Oh man, he hopes you know what you're doing, Axel. It is a big bird, and really doesn't want either of them losing a hand. Hard to talk, explain, even answer questions like this.]

Oh man... there's gotta be something else around here that it likes more than my stuff-

[Sora begins to hobble forward, looking around the stable for some feed or greens- anything. It's a goofy sight.]

[action] sorry for the wait

[got-it-memorizd.livejournal.com]

Well, whadda these suckers eat, then? Besides backpacks and short kids with spiky hair?

[If he could just get the bird to let go of Sora for a minute, he could get the both of them out of the pen using a corridor--the kid had already proven he'd be fine moving through them, swanky black coat not necessary. But he wasn't about to test what would happen to a giant chicken if it was dragged halfway into a corridor of darkness...]

[action] S'all good, my pyromaniac brotha from anotha motha

[lockandkeyblade.livejournal.com]

[Sora just sighs, exasperated.]

I think there's some Gysahl greens in the crate around that pen. If you could just- Whoa!