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

[ 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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Player Plot: Bizarre Bird Behavior!

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