Chapter 2: Stranger in a Strange World
The sudden, fiery pain that roared through Melekinope's wing snapped him awake, squirming and warking in intense pain.
"Hold `im down, Aria!" The Chocobo farmer roared over the noise, both hands gripping the wing tightly. "We don't need him breakin' anything else!"
"I'm trying, Pa." She spoke quietly in-between cooing the bird.
Melekinope slowed his struggling as he felt himself being restrained more tightly.
With an audible sigh, the farmer finished resetting the bones with a constant firm, yet gentle grip. "Okay, go for it."
Aria nodded, unstopping a small, blue vial she held in one hand with her teeth. "Easy there, lil' Choco, this Potion'll make you feel a lot better."
Slowly, the contents of the vial were dumped onto Melekinope's wing. He stared at it in part fear, part curiosity. Then, he began to feel a slight tingle, slight itching feeling in his wing, and almost as fast as it had come, it left.
"There, I think that did the trick." The farmer nodded with a huge grin. "Good as the second he was born."
Aria released her hold of the black bird at the same time as the farmer. Suddenly free, Melekinope leapt from the table he had been pinned to, landing on the floor with both feet, both wings snapped open for balance. And it didn't hurt! In fact he felt... Terrific!
With a rush of delighted warking, Melekinope began to dash around on the floor, both wings turned out and down, quickly turning before he ran into things. Aria began to giggle and compliment as the farmer sat down in a chair, also watching in delighted amusement.
Mekekinope warked his own version of laughter, stopping his wildly running around instead to twirl in happy circles, his wings held up as if he were ready to take flight.
Small points of green light, almost like gentle fireflies in the night, floated down through the air around him. The energy... it was incredible!!! It was the most wonderful feeling he had felt so far.
"Pa, what's wrong with him?" Aria suddenly cried out, backing away from the glowing bird a bit.
The farmer put a hand to his forehead, shock stretched acrossed his weathered features. "I don't believe it! I've heard of it happening, rumors, but I thought it was all legend! He's performing a Chocobo Healing spell!"
Aria cried out again, this time crying out in delight as she ran and scooped up the black bird.
Melekinope was just as shocked. Chocobo Healing spell? What did that mean? It sounded very special, very important. It bothered him though that he couldn't communicate with these humans either. How was he ever going to find out anything without being able to ask?!
"Well, he must be really tuckered out now, especially being a newborn and all." The man spoke, plucking Melekinope out of Aria's arms. "I'll put him in one of the empty stalls in the barn, let him rest for the rest of the day."
Aria began to protest, but her father quickly cut her off. "You can play with him all day tomorrow, Aria."
Sighing, she nodded as her father began to carry Melekinope away once again.
Melekinope felt horribly claustrophobic and alone in the stall. Sure, it was a big stall, especially for a baby at his size, and he had plenty of room to run around in, but he still felt as if he were trapped. His muscles refused to stop twitching in nervousness.
'Ello, `ello! I smell a newbie! Who are you? something wark in the stall next to him.
Melekinope leapt in shock from the small pile of straw he had been laying in. "Waa-wark?" Who's there?
"Warri-wark warka-wark wark! Wa-wark?" Plain Dasher of Sun Streak, stranger! And you?
Melekinope. He looked around, trying to find a way out of the stall. Another chocobo! Someone to talk to!! He wanted to see this Plain Dasher so bad. And worse, he wanted someone to snuggle up to. I can't see you!
Of course not, Melekinope! You're in a stall! Farmer Joe has to fix the fences, they were damaged during the storm last night. Tomorrow though, we can run around outside! There was a brief pause before she added, Melekinope, what a strange name. Who was your previous owner?
Owner?
Who owned you before Joe? I've been though lots of owners, none of them bad, of course!! I used to race all the time at the Gold Saucer races. What a living there! I'm a retired racer, one of the best!
Oye, must you bore everyone with your life story? another chocobo suddenly butted in.
Melekinope warked in laughter. I don't mind! I want to hear more! Like, what are the Gold Saucer races? Why did you have masters, and why so many?
Oye, the newbie seems to have the same breath as you, Plain Dasher.
There was a shuffling sound in Plain Dasher's stall as she stamped her feet in irritation.
And who are you? Melekinope asked the other chocobo, trying to avoid the tension he could feel building up.
I was born with only one wing. My first owners thought it would be funny then to call me One Wing.
Ohh. Melekonipe said politely, although he was horrified. One wing?! His own had been broken. Did not having one hurt as much as a broken one? If so, he couldn't think of anything worse, having pain like that all the time! So, does that mean I'll have a different name too? I mean, I don't know how to tell the humans my name!
Yes, which would probably be for the best since Melekinope is a bit of a queer name. Maybe it'll be something like Strange Smell! One Wing grumbled.
Oye! Don't be so harsh! He probably he a horrible owner before Joe. Probably never had a bath!
No, I haven't. I've never had an owner before either. Does that make Aria my owner? She found me today. Melekinope sighed, thinking about all that had happened to him so far, so much in such little time. I wonder if my mother is alright? We were attacked last night, and she told me to run, but she didn't follow me. We were...
Oye! So YOU were the one! One Wing suddenly became excited.
Aiee, you had better not, One Wing! I'll whomp you good tomorrow if you do! Plain Dasher shrieked, the irritated stomping in the stall next door growing louder now.
He should know! One Wing shouted, causing a bunch of other Chocobo's in the barn to complain about his loud voice. Melekinope, you were attacked last night by a bunch of monsters, we could hear it all in the night. She was killed, and now you're an orphen.
A strange, new sort of pain spread through his body, collapsing him to his knees even before he knew he was falling. What do you mean? Mom isn't coming back? An orphen?!
Aiee! You horrible bird!! Plain Dasher hollered, sounds of her kicking the stall scaring Melekinope.
No, no! Farmer Joe said something about healing. I can heal her! I just need to get out and find mom! Please, Plain Dasher, One Wing, help me, please! the young black bird cried, up on his feet and beating against the wooden walls with his wings and feet. Mom had kicked hard, Melekinope though, remembering the night before. I should be able to kick hard enough to get out, but why can't I? HELP ME! he pleaded again.
Melekinope, you must calm down! Really, there's nothing you could even do now. She's gone, gone back to the planet. It's a good thing, she can protect you more now. You need to calm down, life is so much better here, here in the world of the humans. Plain Dasher cooed, trying to calm him down.
Melekinope sank into the pile of straw, large tears rolling from his large eyes and slowly down his beak. He didn't want it to be true, but he knew it was. He wanted to go, do something, try, he had a special gift, and he couldn't even use it. Why hadn't I used it last night, he wondered.
Because I didn't know then. I was just a scared little chick.
I'm still just a scared little chick.
All alone in this world of humans.
By the time the sun began to set in the west, Melekinope had fallen asleep. Even Joe couldn't wake him up for his evening meal.
The sudden, fiery pain that roared through Melekinope's wing snapped him awake, squirming and warking in intense pain.
"Hold `im down, Aria!" The Chocobo farmer roared over the noise, both hands gripping the wing tightly. "We don't need him breakin' anything else!"
"I'm trying, Pa." She spoke quietly in-between cooing the bird.
Melekinope slowed his struggling as he felt himself being restrained more tightly.
With an audible sigh, the farmer finished resetting the bones with a constant firm, yet gentle grip. "Okay, go for it."
Aria nodded, unstopping a small, blue vial she held in one hand with her teeth. "Easy there, lil' Choco, this Potion'll make you feel a lot better."
Slowly, the contents of the vial were dumped onto Melekinope's wing. He stared at it in part fear, part curiosity. Then, he began to feel a slight tingle, slight itching feeling in his wing, and almost as fast as it had come, it left.
"There, I think that did the trick." The farmer nodded with a huge grin. "Good as the second he was born."
Aria released her hold of the black bird at the same time as the farmer. Suddenly free, Melekinope leapt from the table he had been pinned to, landing on the floor with both feet, both wings snapped open for balance. And it didn't hurt! In fact he felt... Terrific!
With a rush of delighted warking, Melekinope began to dash around on the floor, both wings turned out and down, quickly turning before he ran into things. Aria began to giggle and compliment as the farmer sat down in a chair, also watching in delighted amusement.
Mekekinope warked his own version of laughter, stopping his wildly running around instead to twirl in happy circles, his wings held up as if he were ready to take flight.
Small points of green light, almost like gentle fireflies in the night, floated down through the air around him. The energy... it was incredible!!! It was the most wonderful feeling he had felt so far.
"Pa, what's wrong with him?" Aria suddenly cried out, backing away from the glowing bird a bit.
The farmer put a hand to his forehead, shock stretched acrossed his weathered features. "I don't believe it! I've heard of it happening, rumors, but I thought it was all legend! He's performing a Chocobo Healing spell!"
Aria cried out again, this time crying out in delight as she ran and scooped up the black bird.
Melekinope was just as shocked. Chocobo Healing spell? What did that mean? It sounded very special, very important. It bothered him though that he couldn't communicate with these humans either. How was he ever going to find out anything without being able to ask?!
"Well, he must be really tuckered out now, especially being a newborn and all." The man spoke, plucking Melekinope out of Aria's arms. "I'll put him in one of the empty stalls in the barn, let him rest for the rest of the day."
Aria began to protest, but her father quickly cut her off. "You can play with him all day tomorrow, Aria."
Sighing, she nodded as her father began to carry Melekinope away once again.
Melekinope felt horribly claustrophobic and alone in the stall. Sure, it was a big stall, especially for a baby at his size, and he had plenty of room to run around in, but he still felt as if he were trapped. His muscles refused to stop twitching in nervousness.
'Ello, `ello! I smell a newbie! Who are you? something wark in the stall next to him.
Melekinope leapt in shock from the small pile of straw he had been laying in. "Waa-wark?" Who's there?
"Warri-wark warka-wark wark! Wa-wark?" Plain Dasher of Sun Streak, stranger! And you?
Melekinope. He looked around, trying to find a way out of the stall. Another chocobo! Someone to talk to!! He wanted to see this Plain Dasher so bad. And worse, he wanted someone to snuggle up to. I can't see you!
Of course not, Melekinope! You're in a stall! Farmer Joe has to fix the fences, they were damaged during the storm last night. Tomorrow though, we can run around outside! There was a brief pause before she added, Melekinope, what a strange name. Who was your previous owner?
Owner?
Who owned you before Joe? I've been though lots of owners, none of them bad, of course!! I used to race all the time at the Gold Saucer races. What a living there! I'm a retired racer, one of the best!
Oye, must you bore everyone with your life story? another chocobo suddenly butted in.
Melekinope warked in laughter. I don't mind! I want to hear more! Like, what are the Gold Saucer races? Why did you have masters, and why so many?
Oye, the newbie seems to have the same breath as you, Plain Dasher.
There was a shuffling sound in Plain Dasher's stall as she stamped her feet in irritation.
And who are you? Melekinope asked the other chocobo, trying to avoid the tension he could feel building up.
I was born with only one wing. My first owners thought it would be funny then to call me One Wing.
Ohh. Melekonipe said politely, although he was horrified. One wing?! His own had been broken. Did not having one hurt as much as a broken one? If so, he couldn't think of anything worse, having pain like that all the time! So, does that mean I'll have a different name too? I mean, I don't know how to tell the humans my name!
Yes, which would probably be for the best since Melekinope is a bit of a queer name. Maybe it'll be something like Strange Smell! One Wing grumbled.
Oye! Don't be so harsh! He probably he a horrible owner before Joe. Probably never had a bath!
No, I haven't. I've never had an owner before either. Does that make Aria my owner? She found me today. Melekinope sighed, thinking about all that had happened to him so far, so much in such little time. I wonder if my mother is alright? We were attacked last night, and she told me to run, but she didn't follow me. We were...
Oye! So YOU were the one! One Wing suddenly became excited.
Aiee, you had better not, One Wing! I'll whomp you good tomorrow if you do! Plain Dasher shrieked, the irritated stomping in the stall next door growing louder now.
He should know! One Wing shouted, causing a bunch of other Chocobo's in the barn to complain about his loud voice. Melekinope, you were attacked last night by a bunch of monsters, we could hear it all in the night. She was killed, and now you're an orphen.
A strange, new sort of pain spread through his body, collapsing him to his knees even before he knew he was falling. What do you mean? Mom isn't coming back? An orphen?!
Aiee! You horrible bird!! Plain Dasher hollered, sounds of her kicking the stall scaring Melekinope.
No, no! Farmer Joe said something about healing. I can heal her! I just need to get out and find mom! Please, Plain Dasher, One Wing, help me, please! the young black bird cried, up on his feet and beating against the wooden walls with his wings and feet. Mom had kicked hard, Melekinope though, remembering the night before. I should be able to kick hard enough to get out, but why can't I? HELP ME! he pleaded again.
Melekinope, you must calm down! Really, there's nothing you could even do now. She's gone, gone back to the planet. It's a good thing, she can protect you more now. You need to calm down, life is so much better here, here in the world of the humans. Plain Dasher cooed, trying to calm him down.
Melekinope sank into the pile of straw, large tears rolling from his large eyes and slowly down his beak. He didn't want it to be true, but he knew it was. He wanted to go, do something, try, he had a special gift, and he couldn't even use it. Why hadn't I used it last night, he wondered.
Because I didn't know then. I was just a scared little chick.
I'm still just a scared little chick.
All alone in this world of humans.
By the time the sun began to set in the west, Melekinope had fallen asleep. Even Joe couldn't wake him up for his evening meal.