Disclaimer: All characters mentioned within are properties of the respective companies that own them. This story is merely me practicing my writing skills, by way of "playing in someone else's sandbox."

Curve-Ball

Jihl looked around the seemingly abandoned docking plant. Located on the fringes of the plains, it would be a good vantage point for L'Cie looking to return to Cocoon. Turning to the soldiers accompanying her, she beckoned one soldier to her.

Carrying a scanner, the soldier came up, and stood next to her.

"Are you certain the L'Cie energy signature is resonating from this area?"

"Yes, Ms. Nabaat."

She nodded and gave her command:

"Spread out! Locate the L'Cie"

The soldiers dispersed, searching the docks.

They searched methodically, slowly, but surely, moving towards the back of the area.

As less, and less, of the dock proved to contain hiding L'Cie, the soldiers sped up their pace.

Soon, all that remained to be searched, were a grain shed, a small wash station, and a ship dock point.

The soldier with the scanner approached.

"The signal is emanating from the grain shed."

At Jihl's nod, the soldiers moved in.

Two lined up on either side of the door of the sizable shack; a third kicked it in.

The other two, in a smooth fluid motion, spun, and entered in tandem with the third.

A moment later, the call rang out. "All clear!"

Jihl looked in surprise at the scanner-bearer.

Quickly he spoke.

"I assure you, the scanner is working, Ms. Nabaat."

The soldiers walked out.

"Well?"

Jihl's word was not a question, it was a demand.

"There's nothing in there, except a Chocobo that's eating the grain."

"Then there must be some form of hiding place, a trap-door or secret compartment."

Jihl walked inside to examine the area herself.

True to the soldiers word, there stood a Chocobo, feasting on the grain stored within the shed.

Sniffing in disgust, Jihl walked past the creature, examining the walls and floor.

"Get this bird out of here!"

"Yes, ma'am, right away!"

Two soldiers dragged the protesting, squawking, Chocobo out of the shed.

Jihl and her soldiers made a careful, and thorough search.

Finally, when it was clear that there was no-one present in the shed, and that no secret compartments existed, Jihl turned to the soldier with the scanner.

"Check the scanner again!"

"Yes Ms..."

"Well?"

"According to the scanner...according to the scanner, the signal is now coming from directly outside the shed..., and is slowly moving away..."

"There must be a tunnel, destroy the surrounding terrain."

They stepped outside, and the soldiers began making preparations to follow Jihl's order, avoiding the Chocobo wandering about, while the scanner-bearer continued to adjust and view his scanner.

"Miss, the signal isn't coming from under the ground."

"Then where, precisely, is the signal coming from?"

Sensing the impatient tone in Jihl's voice, the soldier got to work, following the trail.

"I've never seen a signal do this before, it goes one way, then another, in a nonsensical patter. Don't you think, Miss?"

There was no response.

The soldier looked up from the scanner to Jihl, who, in turn was staring in front of her.

The soldier followed her gaze, which was focused, of all things, on the bright, fluffy Chocobo, pecking the ground in front of them.

In unison, their gazes moved: first to the scanner...

Next, to the Chocobo...

To the scanner again...

Back to the Chocobo...

Back to the scanner...

Back to the Chocobo...

Finally, to each other,

Slowly, back to the Chocobo.

The Chocobo took no notice of the strange human performance in front of it. It merely lowered its head again to peck at the ground.

Jihl's eyes slowly widened in surprise.

On the top of the Chocobo's head, was a L'Cie brand.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie..."

Her voice was whisper-soft.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie."

It was as though she was in a trance.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie!"

Her scream was nearly hysterical.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie!"

The soldiers stopped their work, looking from her, to the Chocobo...

Back to her...

Back to the Chococbo...

Back to her...

Back to the Chococbo...

To each other...

Finally, back to the Chocobo...

The Chocobo took no notice of the strange human performance in front of it. It merely lowered its head again to peck at the ground.

The soldiers too saw the brand, marked black in deep contrast to the Chocobo's bright yellow feathers.

Slowly, they all approached, from all sides, the Chocobo in the middle of the tightening noose.

Jihl was still repeating herself.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie!"

The Chocobo sensed the intentions of the encircling humans; they had the same predatory movements it had evaded for all its life.

Jihl motioned to the two soldiers closet to the bird. Now was not the time to wonder how a Chocobo could be a L'Cie, now was the time for capture, and then study.

The soldiers dived.

The Chocobo, ran.

The soldiers missed, while the others stared in awe.

The Chocobo was running, but running faster than any Chocobo could naturally run.

Other soldiers tried to grab onto the bird, however, the bird had transformed, no longer a bird, but instead, a golden, streak, a flash of yellow fire, a blur of distorted, yellow sun.

Jihl watched in disbelief, as the lemon-flavored streak evaded her men with an incredible display of ease.

While the bird was still trapped within the enclosed area of the dock which had first attracted it, this pitiful advantage mattered not. The bird had the power of pure speed on its side.

Four soldiers approached, having managed to surround it. The bird examined them, then, started to run in a tight circle, faster, faster, ever increasing its speed, a yellow whirlwind forming in front of their very eyes.

Jihl watched in total stupefaction, as her elite were caught in the grip of a yellow cyclone, scattered by the whirling force of wind.

The bird slingshoted forward, smashing into Jihl, knocking her flat on her back.

She looked up, into the birds deep, black eyes, full of life.

The bird stared down, into hers.

It craned its neck forward and down, it's yellow beak just a space away from her face.

Jihl blinked.

The Chocobo flicked its tongue out twice, and simply squawked.

"Meep, Meep!"

With its message delivered, the Chocobo pulled back, spun on its heel, and dashed away, a blur of golden fire gleaming in the setting sun.

Jihl craned her neck forward, saw the Chocobo speeding away, and let her head fall back to the ground.

"The Chocobo's the L'Cie..."