melodiesofeternity | Player Plot: Bizarre Bird Behavior!

Player Plot: Bizarre Bird Behavior!

Should you happen to have missed it, the plotting and information post for this event can be found here.

A. Choco-Chaos!

Perhaps the first thing anyone notices is the noise, the incessant squawking and warking of so many startled and disgruntled chocobos. Then comes the smell. Ew! In the early morning hours dozens, maybe even hundreds of chocobos invaded many of the cities of Vaikuntha, and while for the first few minutes some may have been elated to see them, attitudes quickly change. The chocobos are panicked, running around without much rhyme or reason, trampling on flower beds, knocking over merchant stands, and making such a ruckus even the dead couldn’t sleep through it. Any food they find is destroyed within minutes, and anything they’re curious about meets the sharp end of their strong beaks. While they’re generally harmless birds, they have the capacity for devastation.

And none of that mentions the, uh, other mess live animals tend to make.

Despite being within the city limits, they are far from tame. Any attempts to approach the birds will be met with either an angry warning wark, a display of puffed feathers, or the chocobo just straight up bolting away. This seems great, as maybe they can be corralled, but… Nope. While this works to an extent, as soon as the birds get too close to the city borders they turn tail and jump straight over the heads of the people attempting to be rid of them, running back into the city to make even more of a mess in their renewed panic. What is there to be done about them?

B. Lurking Lunchers

Should anyone be so inclined as to find out why the chocobos feathers are so ruffled, they need only walk to the edge of the city. Stalking around just beyond civilization are fearsome beasts known only as chocobo eaters. Based on the feathers stuck between their huge teeth this is probably an apt name. The monsters have little interest in humans, but become very interested when a chocobo wanders too close to the outskirts of town. The chocobo eaters are quite aggressive and will gladly take on anyone bold enough to make a challenge. Adventurers may attempt to fight them, but it seems like just when you send one packing, another bigger monster shows up. Was that a baby chocobo eater you were just fighting? You could have sworn it was an adult, with how big it is!

C. Fight or Flight

At last the time has come. A gold chocobo trotted in from off the horizon and rounded up what she believes to be able fighters, herded them into groups, and partnered them with a chocobo that will fight by their side. Ironically it seems to be the feathered member of the party that actually knows what to do, and the teams are led by their respective birds out into the battlefield to take on one of the ferocious beasts waiting out there for lunch. Fight as hard as you can and don’t let the birds down. Defeat might not mean death for you, but it certainly would for the chocobos!

Once the battles are won and the flocks free to return to their natural habitat, some of the brave battlers will find themselves with new feathered friends. Others will not, but everyone will have a handful of greens. If you missed this opportunity to get a chocobo, or you have a taste and want even more, head on over and check out the chocobo capture/breeding system that will be available from now until Eternity.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Moderation both of you.

[Meanwhile, she was still staring, waiting, wondering who wanted to confess first. Since it was now after the battle, yes, she was coming back to this topic. If either of them forgot, Kanji should know better and Futaba was just going to learn...]

...

[ It takes a moment for Futaba to actually lift her head and see what Kanji is talking about, but when she does- ah. Yeah that is quite the intense look she’s getting. Shit. She’d forgotten that had even come up.

Still she does her best not to quail under that look, shoulders stiff and face unrepentant. She didn’t cave under Akechi’s prodding questions, she’s not gonna buckle here so easily. ]

[Kanji had the heart of a lion about a lot of things. He could face off against a biker gang alone, take his own Shadow and punch him in the face, and go up against things like angry goddesses.

But a girl his age he could lift with one arm? Fuck. His heart was against his ribs briefly, if anything from the shame of realizing that the gaze was scary while also being really, really attrac-]

Tch...

[He sat up taller and folded his arms, a frown firm on his face. He glared back at the detective, eyes steely. Suzette hovered off the boy's shoulder, shook her head, and held up her paws, fingers raised. Six. Five. Four. Three...

Kanji began visibly sweating. Two... one...]

Grrh- W-we didn't do anything, damn it! Cut it out with the laser eyes!

If neither of you did anything then what's the issue in telling me?

[Even if Futaba didn't speak, Kanji... well, for some reason, he was easy to crack. Way too easy sometimes...]

[ Futaba’s face is that of someone who is wholly unconvinced that Naoto won’t make a big deal about it, but when she puts it that way? Well, she’s not gonna be an asshole and leave Kanji to fend for himself. ]

We met each other on the airship right after we were first brought out of the Dream Width. We thought we’d been kidnapped. So when Kanji went to go find the pilot, I told him to find me a computer so I could help.

[ She finishes her explanation with a shrug that appears more nonchalant than it is. She refuses to be ashamed about this. ]

Everything was pretty much kept locked up on the bridge though.

[He slowly deflated as Futaba spoke up. He was always terrible with words, so he was relieved as she swung in with the explanation. He nodded quickly.]

R-right! Futaba's idea was pretty damn good. Everything's run on computers, so if my idea didn't work, hers totally would.

...'Course, I didn't find any, and then the videos started looping.

[His shoulders hitched.]

You'd've done somethin' similar if ya woke up in your undershorts on a weird ship, too!

But I am here and I didn't do the same thing either of you did.

[She shook her head.]

I too would've liked to know more than what the hologram was providing when we arrived; however, did either of you consider the consequences of messing with technology you don't fully understand? Accidentally tripping the system, possibly crashing the airship, or alerting the world's police to us being a potential danger? Trying to speak with the pilots would've been fine, but I doubt they would've answered if addressed because they're busy navigating.

Some things you can force, but other times, you need to bide your time.

[ Aaand yup, there it is. Also that's actually her pride stung a bit. ]

Give me some credit, it would've taken me about two seconds to look at the code and realize I wouldn't have been able to get through it fast enough to be of any use. I'm still working on the iMog Slate even now.

[ And she does have enough perspective to know when the sledgehammer approach is appropriate and when it isn't. ]

Again, we thought we were bein' kidnapped! We didn't see the damn hologram until later!

[His shoulders sank and he looked away.]

Y'weren't... you don't know what it's like, Naoto. You let yourself go through with the whole thing, but I was just minding my own business when that truck pulled up. I wasn't expecting to get shoved in, fall a hundred feet, and land somewhere that'd expose me to everything.

Biding my time there would'a killed me. You know that. How was I supposed to know how to act when I woke up surrounded by other scared n' confused people? So many of us, too... way too many. I read the news, all the creepy shit some people do when they make people into property.

We had to do something! Even if it meant crashin' the whole operation or alerting the police!

[She still stares because how did they miss the hologram? Which direction did they head off? However, she refrains from immediately saying this. Instead, she's quiet, letting Kanji say his part, and then sighed.]

... Kanji-kun, anticipating being kidnapped isn't any easier than having it out of the blue. Any moment, any second, and any person you meet within that time, they're going to assault you. There had been no limit to whom to suspect at the time.

It's something that can be worked on... not to mention, in those cases, they tend to avoid taking massive groups of people. It draws attention too easily. [Naoto, not reassuring.]

Look, think of it this way both of you. Tripping the system or alerting the police would be best case scenarios. Even if we were kidnapped, at that point, the priority is to survive. Crashing the ship and risking killing everyone does not leave room for that. I want to go home too, but I need to be alive for even that chance to be possible.

[ She'd still been in the room where they woke up trying to come down from a panic attack Naoto, let her live her life!!!!

That being said, wow okay this... rapidly turned into the kind of conversation she didn't really think she should be listening to? She remembered Kanji mentioning he'd been kidnapped before. But this was still... a bit much. She fidgets as they talk about it, staring very stubbornly at her knees. ]

I wouldn't have messed with that stuff...

[ It's a nominal protest at this point though. ]

[He trusted that Futaba wouldn't touch on something that could kill everybody; maybe just signal the cops or take over the radio channels or even find out where they were and where they were headed. But Naoto was set in her ways when she got going, and the frown deepened. As much as he wanted to fight it, he had to be a big damn adult and admit he was actually wrong.]

What we did was dangerous. I get it. But when you're surrounded by people that're scared shitless and you're scared as hell yourself, ya kinda...

[He ruffled his hair a bit.]

...I guess go 'Emperor' with it. I looked up what I am a little bit after everything that happened and it's kinda got me pegged.

[He avoided looking at either of them.]

But I'm a big enough man to know when I messed up. I spooked you, Futaba, by bein' a little crazy after I woke up. Then I did somethin' stupid, Naoto, without thinking. I think I would've felt better sooner if I knew... nevermind.

...Sorry.

[Something that surely needed to be worked on. Still, at least they understood, for the most part, her concerns with their actions during their panicked states.]

[Saying nothing for a moment, she soon nodded.]

... Apology accepted. I apologize for being... harsh on a matter that's in the past. Part of me almost assuredly would've responded the same as you two.

...it's okay. It's... not hard to do.

[ Spooking her, she means. Self-deprecating humor, that's a thing that decreases awkward tension, right??? She hopes.

Honestly the bigger surprise for her is when Naoto apologizes. She glances up, clearly startled. In case she needed the reminder that just because they were both teenage detectives, Naoto was not Akechi... She taps her foot into the ground, looking away again. ]

's fine.

[The honesty was nice. It was something he knew, deep down: He'd seen her act rather rashly or unlike the professional, super-mature shell she wore a lot. But hearing her way it was always nice.]

The lectures get rough sometimes. But we're pretty similar like that, y'know? We both still got a lot to learn, I guess... but that's just bein' human.

You're a real-deal kinda person, Naoto. I like that about you.

[...And he started, took a deep breath and quickly turned his focus on Futaba to try and not let that linger for too long.]

O-oi, you gotta quit bein' hard on yourself! It's my face, y'know!? I-I get comments about my face all the time, so I get it! S'no big deal, i-it's fine, damn it! It's the only face I got and I kinda like it!

... Right. I'm always a little worried you just put up with me. I'm still trying to be less guarded...

[There are a lot of baby steps in this new place though. They're without their circle of friends, but at least she had someone at all. She does have to look Kanji's way though at the use of 'like', a slight questioning look on her face.]

Oh, was that what happened? Kanji-kun might appear intimidating Futaba-san, but he's honestly one of the last people you need to be frightened of.

[ She can't help it, she giggles. It was really sweet of Kanji to try to make her feel better about it all. Both of them really. ]

I actually kind of figured that out myself.

[ Which is actually a pretty big deal for her? She's pretty clearly pleased either way. ]

That network post the other day kind of gave it away, if nothing else.

Net-

[He paused, wondering if she meant the linkshell screw-up or his advertisement in general. Considering he'd put a lot out there for the ad, he felt it was safe enough to assume the latter.]

O-oh... yeah! Got some hits, too. It's cool to see that people ain't givin' me shit for it. Not that I worried about that, but it was somethin' I was ready for, like... 'Did ya craft a jar to keep your balls in while you're at it?' That one was a fuckin' riot.

Oh well. I'm over it.

[He leaned back and sprawled out in his seat.]

You guys got plans for after we land?

Good... If you ever need something tailored or mended, just speak to Kanji-kun.

[Her head snapping back in Kanji's direction, her brows were furrowed again and her eyes dark.]

Did something really say that to you? [First of all, what kind of insult? Second of all, she needed to have a word with them because unacceptable.]

Plans... I might continue scouring what police records I can in regards to the Lake of Ira, but... perhaps some tea first.

Sleep. [ She has all the stamina of a paper bag. ] Gotta find Makoto first though.

[ Let her know she’s all right, that sort of thing. She flops back on her seat again. ]

Dunno if it means much, but kids at school never really liked me either. I was always the weird one, or the freak.

[ Honestly for all her teasing, that was probably what made her realize. Sensing a sort of kindred spirit, as it was. ]

Somebody from home. Not important.

[His lounging was gone as his body had gone a little tense. Makoto... god, with his luck, she probably meant that Niijima chick. But he had to trust her. Faith in people. That's what grown-ass people had most of the time, right?]

We're all weird, so welcome to the club. I could literally make us letterman jackets for it.

[But as he stood, he tugged on the collar of his shirt to cool himself.]

R-right... I'm feelin' a little restless. Gonna see if some of the natives on the ship know more about the weird cabbages that chocobo gave us.

Hm...

[Do not let her ever meet this person, Kanji.]

Letterman jackets... I'm not sure about that. Still, the feeling of being an outcast is mutual. On both ends.

[She raised an eyebrow, Naoto soon turned to her moogle.]

... Cristo-san, what were we given for defeating the Chocobo Eater?

[The moogle, who had been touching up her iMog, looked up.] Ah, those 'cabbages' are called Gysahl Greens, kupo! They're quite bitter, but chocobos love them.

[ Another thing she wouldn't have expected, though this perhaps comes as a bit less of a shock. Hm... they're quite the trio here aren't they. ]

Guess I better load up on 'em. Ugh, I'm gonna have to get a job, aren't I?

[ Who hates actual work, it's her it's this girl

That being said, the change in Kanji's demeanor hadn't gone unnoticed though, abrupt as it was. H-had she said something? ]

Hmh. Guess okonomiyaki ain't on the menu.

[He'd heard it was chocobo food, but it seemed everyone knew something he didn't, as some got excited when they received them. They talked of finding chocobos with it, but why?

Poor Futaba. Curti Center was kicking them out in a couple months. He hoped she'd get something together by then, but considering his own plans, maybe he could open the door to her, too... well, unless Ren had a plan to have housemates with his friends from home. Dude seemed like he had it all together.

But Kanji set off with a nod. He was restless indeed, and just needed to get a walk in. That, and he kind of wanted to peek at the scenery as they flew back, kick the last bits of his little fear of heights.]

We can pick up cabbage before going home.

[He he was that set on okonomiyaki.]

The jobs don't look too bad. I'm sure you'll find something, Futaba-san.

[Though, looking up as Kanji walked off, her attention soon turned back to Futaba. There had been a lot today... and more would still have to be done later. For now, maybe she would just enjoy the ride back.]

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Player Plot: Bizarre Bird Behavior!

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