Title: Random Bits 3 – Chapter 1
Setting: Yuna and her Guardians are on their way to Guadosalam for a celebration.
Mi'hen Highroad - There is a lot of traffic due to the party and Rikku has been sent to scout ahead to see why traffic is slowing down. Yuna is having trouble with her chocobo.
"Ooooh! It doesn't look good up there." Rikku said, rejoining the group in the 'emergency ditch'. Spira's 'emergency ditch' is the equivalent of the 'emergency lane'; a whole lane set aside that provides travelers with an area of safety where they can deal with minor emergencies (vehicle break downs, motion sickness, beverage spills, etc.) and domestic problems (driver/passenger disputes, directional confusion, and threatening to make unruly kids walk home). The emergency ditch is treated in the same manner as the emergency lane too. In other words the ignorant, impatient, or just plain stupid drive in it. You know who you are.
"Things don't look good here either. Yuna's chocobo stalled." Wakka returned, signaling his companions into the ditch, where they joined three old men in a broken down chocobo drawn wagon; (It looked about as old as they did. If possible the chocobo looked older.) who were complaining about how much more respect chocoboists had 'back in the day' and other ramblings.
The companions had quickly become separated on the traffic clogged Mi'hen Highroad, which just goes to show that you don't needs vehicles for traffic to happen, just a lot of people headed for free food. Kimhari was always bringing up the rear, his chocobo's stick legs trembling under its burden of Ronso. Yuna was also near the rear because her chocobo kept stalling. Currently she was sitting astride her idling chocobo, impeding the flow of traffic.
"I'll help you, Yuna." Tidus called gallantly, swinging his avian mount back onto the road and into oncoming chocoboists.
"What a dork, ya?" Wakka snorted to everyone in earshot while he picked his nose.
"Yeah." Auron replied, hiding a smile in his collar. Tidus' battle cry of "Tidus to the rescue!" rang embarrassingly loud as he scattered travelers.
They watched Tidus push, pull, poke, and pinch the chocobo, but to no avail.
"It won't go!" Tidus shouted back several moments and multiple stab wounds later. It's never a good idea to poke any bird that size, especially if it was born with a natural knife on its face.
"Kick 'er in the fluff!" Shouted one of the old men.
"Pull choke!" Kimahri suggested helpfully. Auron eyed the three old men wheezing beside their wagon. Old Man #1. was of the tall, bony sort, who stood as straight as a pole with a shock of wind blown white hair and had the overall appearance of a rickety scarecrow in an oversized red robe. Old Man #2 was of the short, balding, bow-legged variety. He stood hunched over his sagging stomach and spindly cane, his back so stooped he looked like an avalanche looming over a village. Old Man #3 was somewhere between the other two with gray hair growing out of his ears that matched the thin gray hair on his head. He was nearly deaf as a post and emitted a constant whistle from his nostrils. His skin tended to congregate in flaps around his joints and neck. Auron recognized them immediately and set off to offer aid. One good turn deserves another.
Yuna looked a Tidus. It was worth a try. She put her hands around the bird's skinny neck and squeezed. The chocobo emitted a strangled 'Kweh!' and bolted forward, a very surprised Yuna clinging to its back.
"ooooOKAYIGotiiit!" She squealed as the chocobo tore off down the road in a cloud of dust. Tidus quickly swung back on his chocobo and, kicking it in the sides, took off after Yuna with a loud whoop.
I know it's short, but there will be more chapters...I promise! Please read and review, or the chocobo will peck your eyes out!