"So what do you get when you cross a...."
Vincent wasn't paying attention...well, not totally ignoring her, but he didn't share her sense of humour. However he humoured her by playing along. They were riding their chocobo's into Corel. Yuffie had insisted that they visit the Gold Saucer, it would make him feel better. But Vincent always suspected Yuffie herself had really wanted to go a play all the games.
They reached Corel and Vincent gracefully jumped off his chocobo and went around to Yuffie. Extending an arm he reached for her. With a small blush on her face, she took Vincent's human hand in hers. Then was literally picked up right off her chocobo. On the ground now Yuffie smiled up at Vincent. He nodded and took the chocobo reigns and was about to tie them up when...
"Wait, Vinny, I've got a great idea!"
Vincent turned and looked at the young ninja.
"Why don't we take them with us!? Then we can go Chocobo racing and beat the pants off anyone whose standing in our way..." She clenched her fists together and smiled wirily.
Vincent sighed inwardly. Chocobo racing was more of Cloud's forte, not his. Whenever they raced, Vincent would simply stand aside and let Cloud go into the stadium. Cloud loved racing so much, you could almost feel the adrenaline emitting from that man's body right before a race. But knowing Yuffie wouldn't give up without a fight he decided, "Alright. You can race but I..."
"VINCENT!! You just HAVE to race too! Come on, you'll be great! Please..." she batted her eyelashes.
Vincent sighed more visibly this time, "As you wish Miss Kisaragi..." then he pulled the Chocobo's into the city.
"That's more like it! Vinny wait for me..."
They made their way through Corel which was undergoing much construction. No problems here, all the citizens smiled as they went through. They reached the lift to the Gold Saucer and talked to the lady behind the counter.
"Excuse me," she said to them, "but are you taking those Chocobo's for racing?"
"Yup!" Yuffie beamed with pride.
"Okay, but you must pay a small fee to take them in the lifts," Vincent nodded and reached for his wallet.
"20 gil a Chocobo will get you a pass that you can take to the lady at the entrance and she'll take you to a more direct entrance to the racing than through the tubes..."
"Thank you," Vincent replied in a monotone voice while he paid the 40 gil that was necessary. Then he lead the Chocobo's and Yuffie to the lift. Yuffie would not stop talking the whole time they were on the lift.
"Wow...this is gonna be soo cool!! I can't wait...! Do you mind if I race first? Oh I'm so excited!"
Vincent smiled a small almost unnoticeable smile, but Yuffie caught it.
"VINNY!" she yelled, scaring the Chocobo's. "Oops..but Vincent, *you* smiled! Gawd, do it again!! You've got such a nice smile, you should smile more often..."
Vincent flashed her another quick smile, which resulted in more squeals and babbling on Yuffie's part. Eventually they reached the Gold Saucer.
The instant the doors to the lift opened, Yuffie burst out of the car and was jumping up and down. Containing excitement had been her strongest suit. Vincent rolled his eyes as he lead the pair of golden Chocobo's out of the lift and joined the hyperactive ninja.
"Okay Vinny! Let's go talk to the lady here!!" she quickly and quite literally hopped over to the entrance of the amusement park, nearly knocking down the man in the Chocobo costume over. "We're gonna race!"
"Alright, can I see your passes?" Vincent handed the lady the pair of purple passes for Chocobo racing. "Thank you," she replied. "Right this way..."
She lead them around the side of the entrance and opened up a small lift. "Just push the Chocobo Square button," she said cheerfully while she ushered them into the lift, and closed the doors.
Two Gold Chocobo's plus a quiet, tall man plus an overly excited ninja equalled a *very* cramped elevator ride.
After what seemed like an eternity for Vincent, and probably the Chocobo's as well, the elevator stopped. Yuffie bounced out, followed by Vincent. Yuffie spotted Ester first and was already talking to her before Vincent could coax the chocobo's out of the elevator.
"You want to ride?" Ester asked Yuffie.
"Yup, me and Vinny! We've got our chocobo's too!!"
"Oh, of course, you guys are part of Cloud's group..."
"Yes," Vincent replied quickly before too much attention was drawn to them. Not that Yuffie hadn't managed a few stares along the way. "We wish to register in the next few races...'
"Alright, we've only got one opening in the next race, whose going to go..."
"MEE!!" Yuffie cut Ester off. "I'm going first!!" She jumped over to Vincent and grabbed the reigns of her chocobo.
"Okay, name?"
"It's Yuffie..."
"No the chocobo's name Yuffie..." Vincent pointed out with a sigh.
"Oh right! Oops!! I guess I'm just excited..."
You guess...Once more Vincent shook his head.
"Her name's Angel!"
"Okay, Yuffie you take Angel out this door," Ester pointed to the door down the hall on her right. "The race starts in about five..."
"What about Vinny?"
"He can watch the race from the screen here..." Ester pointed to the big screen suspended from the ceiling, just above the counter.
"Oh, okay..." Yuffie said kind of disappointed. "Wish me luck Vinny!!"
"Good luck, Yuffie..."
"Thanks! But I'm not gonna need it! I'm gonna beat everyone and then..." Vincent could still hear Yuffie halfway down the hall and in through the door to the race track. He sighed again. Things certainly were more interesting then staying in the mansion. Yuffie made him smile, and rightfully so. Few people possessed the knack of getting his smile, but few people, he mused, were as crazy and happy as Yuffie. He chuckled as Ester came back from the track and stood by him, waiting for the race to begin. This would be something to see...
