10.
Title: Nonplussed
Rating: G
Pairing: None.
Word Count: 452
Warning(s): None.
Summary: Tidus' first chocobo ride.
Dedication: To Cloud Strife. Because he's my chocoboy and he knows it! D Even if Tidus' hair looks more "chocobo" than Cloud's. I just like picking on the people I love. 3
A/N: Teeheehee. I couldn't help it. I've been in such a good mood as of late, that I just HAD to scribble down some kind of silliness or other.
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"Nope! You can't make me!"
Wakka groaned and looked close to tearing out his hair. "Ahh! I can't stand this any more! Get ya butt on the chocobo, or we leavin' you behind!" An accusatory finger was pointed at the large yellow bird, who looked content to stand there being feed Gyashi greens all day long from out of the summoner girl's hand.
"There's no way I'm getting on that overgrown chicken! You've got to be out of your mind, Wakka! " Tidus grimaced at the bird and backed away from it a step further if only to make it clear that he would not be swayed. "Besides, there's no way Yuna would let you guys leave me behind!"
Yuna blinked. "Uhmm…" Why did Tidus have an uncanny knack for dragging her into such things? "I really wouldn't, but aren't we wasting even more time by just simply standing here and arguing?"
Lulu sighed, and her narrow glare sparked with irritation as it settled upon the spiky-haired blonde. "Haven't you already seen chocobos several times since you've begun traveling with us? You didn't seem to have any such qualms about them before."
"THAT!" He raised a solitary finger in the air. "Is because I was looking at them. NOT being forced to RIDE them."
Auron grunted, his face blank, turning away from the group. "Crybaby," he murmured clearly enough for everyone to hear before mounting his own chocobo.
Tidus' jaw went slack and you could see the flush of embarrassment rising high upon his cheeks. "What did you call me, old man? Huh? Hey! Hey, I'm talking to you Auron!" The silent guardian didn't even acknowledge him, instead coaxing his chocobo into a stately strut.
Tidus clenched his teeth and shot off after the departing figure. "HEY! AURON! GET BACK HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE!" But Auron's only response was to mutely urge his chocobo to trot gaily ahead.
And Tidus was having trouble keeping up. He was huffing and puffing, but he couldn't close the gap between them at all. He kept going until at last he collapsed onto the soft, grassy turf of the Calm Lands with a final exaggerated sigh.
He was faintly aware of several other giant yellow blurs passing by him without much noise other than that infuriatingly pleased "Kweh"ing. But one such figure paused by him for just a moment, and he was certain he heard a curious squeaking sound, as though from wheels in need of oiling.
In the end, Tidus didn't have to ride a chocobo.
But you couldn't say he was exactly pleased in being drawn along behind one, sitting in a creaky, little red wagon made for five year olds.