[Action] Heroes never back down EXCEPT FROM THIS!

[haha_steelguard]

[Down the streets of Never Was, Snow runs at top speed -- coat trailing, fists pumping, looking over his shoulder every so often.]

[What's he's looking at? A big chocobo -- like a chocobo and a half again -- racing down the street after him, murder in its eyes. The only reason it hasn't caught him yet is because every so often it pauses to flap

Comments

[action]

[bahamutgal]

[What was it with them all chasing people? Fang can barely hold on to the one she'd basically captured and was riding all around town when she sees Snow run by and - whoa, apparently that particular bird had anger issues.]

Huh. Guess you've got special talents, eh?

[Pats her chocobo's neck and wonders if she should butt in or help. She'd already rescued Kefka and all.]

[action]

[haha_steelguard]

[Snow spares enough of his attention to give Fang a dirty look]

I never had this problem on Pulse! Why can it throw meteors?!

[action]

[bahamutgal]

Beats me. [She's totally trying not to laugh.] Maybe it's a special one, juuust for you!

[If chocobos could've thrown meteors, Gran Pulse would've been a mess long before she became a l'cie. Maybe it was a Never Was-specialty. Whatever the case, getting crushed by a meteor probably isn't the way Snow wants to go, so she rides her chocobo alongside the meteor-throwing one and hops on its back when it stops, successfully stopping it from throwing anymore burning rocks on hero boy.]

That's a good girl. [Ruffles her neck feathers] What's got a beauty like you all bothered, hmm?

[action]

[haha_steelguard]

Yeah, it kinda is my size, isn't it?

[The hero, no longer needing to run, is hiding behind a corner, peering out carefully.]

[The chocobo, on the other hand, is cheerfully preening itself in response to Fang's attention... alternating with glaring at Snow when it sees the other l'cie peeking.]

[action]

[upperblues]

[On the way back from a training session in the outskirts, Squall doesn't really pay too much mind to Snow barreling past until he spots the pissed off chocobo tailing him. He does a double-take, staring sort of mortified after the dust cloud left in their wake. Ordinarily, he would have just said, 'Whatever. It's his problem.' But hey, he'd done a little growing up since he got here.

Too bad he didn't have any gysahl greens...

He holsters the gunblade and takes off after the chocobo.]

Draw, Sleep! [And he lashes a hand out, directing the spell at the rampaging chocobo. ...It was worth a shot, but he wasn't holding his breath on its success or anything.]

[action] Chocobo only rolls a 3 to save

[haha_steelguard]

[The chocobo let out an odd-sounding warble as it slowed down, still determinedly trying to chase the l'cie despite the magic afflicting it... but a moment later it gave that up for a lost cause, settled down onto the ground, and tucked its head under its wing.]

[Snow half-skidded, half-stumbled to a halt against a building, sucking in deep breaths.]

[action] \o/

[upperblues]

[That's a relief. He really didn't want to try jumping on the thing; this chocobo seemed like it'd be about as cooperative as trying to tame a behemoth.

He slowed to a stop a few feet away from Snow, watching him catch his breath for a moment while he crossed his arms over his chest.]

The hell'd you do to make it that mad? [Surprisingly, an edge of dry humor snuck into his voice. He had a few ideas playing out in his mind.]

[action]

[haha_steelguard]

I tried to say hello, that's all. The wild chocobos on Pulse were nicer than this one!

[He's a little indignant. Why would a chocobo decide he needed to die? He's the hero!]

[Action]

[lockedxhart]

[Of course Tifa sees this. It's not entirely unexpected, some chocobos just didn't do well with certain people. Naturally, the martial artist steps in to help out, though when who exactly was being chased caught her eye, she grinned a bit. She ran beside the large bird for a moment, grasping it on the side of it's head and then swinging in front of it to calm it down, lose some momentum or else she'd be trampled.]

Hey, it's okay.

[She speaks slowly, calm and soft. After a few moments it finally slows to a stop and moves it's head a bit, trying to see where Snow had gone before Tifa brought it's attention back to her. She grins and keeps talking to it in a motherly, soothing tone. Before long it's completely calmed down and Tifa lets go. She turns back to the man.]

What did you do? [There's a bit of a playful tone in her voice and she's grinning.]

[Action]

[haha_steelguard]

[Snow peered out from behind a building where he'd taken to hiding. Completely unbeknownst to him, another chocobo (this one yellow) peered out too, its head over his.]

I was just trying to say hello! I like chocobos!

[Action]

[lockedxhart]

[She laughs, seeing the other chocobo.]

I don't know, you must've done something.

[Action]

[haha_steelguard]

[Snow still hasn't noticed he has a new friend. He frowns a little, thinking the laughter is directed at him.]

I used to approach chocobos back on Pulse. I didn't do anything different!

[action]

[hottest_turk]

Eh? Snow?

[Cissnei although thoroughly confused ran off after the pair, trying to think of a way to stop the rampaging chocobo without causing it too much pain. She hadn't seen a chocobo this angry since Reno tried to catch a ride on one in Wutai.

Cissnei equipped a low level ice materia and aimed a ice spell for the chocobo's feet, freezing it's feet into the ground. If nothing that would buy them some time to calm it down.]

[action]

[haha_steelguard]

[The chocobo jerks forward as its feet stop moving, then bristles up even more widely than before. It warks loudly, spreads its wings -- and now Cissnei is saying hello to Choco-Meteor too.]

[Snow, of course, reverses course almost immediately, charging towards her as fast as he can run.]

Re: [action]

[hottest_turk]

Oh shit.

[the blood ran from Cissnei's face, her mouth agape. This what not how it was supposed to go. Since when could chocobos shoot off meteors anyways?! She looked over at Snow, what the hell was he doing running towards her?]

DON'T SNOW! [Her hands grasped for a materia. Slow, perfect!]

Slow down time!

[action]

[haha_steelguard]

[The chocobo's odd little wing-flapping, choco-meteor-summoning dance slows down obligingly -- but that just buys them time, not freedom.]

[Snow, of course, doesn't listen; he's too busy cursing himself for getting her hurt. He hadn't wanted to fight the chocobo, but his decisions had gone somehow wrong if this had happened.]

It's gonna break free any moment now! Let's put some distance between us and it before it does!

[swordplaying]

[Reflex is what stops Tidus from laughing like a crazy person when he's witness to...what's actually pretty fun to watch.

Since he has a feeling that'd end up bad for Snow, he quickly tries to cast Slow on the chocobo. Just as a precaution, he casts Hastega on both him and Snow immediately after.]

[haha_steelguard]

[Hasted: that's familiar! He glances around for his benefactor, and when he spots Tidus, spares a moment for a thumbs up and a grin.}

Thanks!

[Another meteor heading this way! The bird may be falling behind, but it's not out of the story yet!]

Whoa! Look out!

[swordplaying]

[Tidus jumps out of the way, shoes skidding across the ground as he kneels. Whether it's to actually keep his balance, or just be theatric is up for debate.]

No problem.

[Staying in place, he begins to wave his arms and shout at the chocobo.]

WHY DON'T YOU GET YOUR FEATHERY BUTT OVER HERE?!

[haha_steelguard]

[The chocobo obligingly turns, lowering its head and spreading its wings to charge at Tidus full-throttle.]

What are you -- hey! That gives me an idea!

[Light shimmers from the brand on his forearm as he swaps to Sentinel. He comes to a halt, spins, and makes a 'bring it' gesture.]

Over here, beaky! Bring it on!

[The chocobo comes to a halt, turns, and then starts charging down Snow instead. But now the distance it had covered to reach Tidus works against it, as now it's headed right back where it came, practically.]