Chapter Four
"How the hell can that bird fly?" --Shadow"There it is!"
Relm exclaimed in excitement as she ran the hill where the small chocobo farm was stood, Interceptor running after her as she made her way up the hill. K' and Shadow followed the two walking in mutual silence. K's eyes were focused down at the grass as she walked up the hill; the expression on her face was full of weary and remorse and her eyes frivolous. Shadow looked at her from the corner of his eyes, he noticing the distressed look on her face. He then spoke to her, not looking at her and keeping his vision straight ahead, "You seem distressed. Is there a problem?" Her eyes in slits as she kept her vision down at the ground, not bothering to look up as she continued walking with him.
"No…" She said gently and sighed a little.
"Eyes cast more than just their resplendent hues. They can express feelings without using words; reflect the past and show the future." He said to her.
She stopped in her tracks, her head lifting up and looking ahead as shadow continued walking, "Yes, but they can also express pain and show misery. You see it in my eyes and I can see it in yours. We are equal in some ways. But there is a difference…you confine yourself behind a mask. You mask more than your face…you try to mask your past…" As soon as the words left her moth he stopped and turned his head looking at her. An unusual tense connection between them as they looked at each other.
"Tell me…" She spoke with utmost calmness, "Do you wear your mask because you are afraid for others to find out who you really are? Or do you wear it because you still live in the past? You living in your own shadow…" Her dark orbs looking into his own, his eyes showing utter and complete shock.
Shadow looked as if he was going to say something to her or comment at least, but strange enough he didn't. Never in his life did he meet anyone with the audacity to ask or say that to him. This woman showed no fear what so ever towards him. You would almost say that she treated him as equal. He turned his head back not saying a word to her as he started making his way up the hill towards the chocobo farm. K' watched him as he emerged up the hill, she giving a slightly disappointed sigh. In a way she was hoping he would answer question…but she knew he wouldn't. Though, maybe in time he would. At the top of the hill, the chocobo farm stood peacefully. There was a small house with a tiled roof. A tall tower, mostly likely where they keep some of the hay at, a large barn and in front of it were a few chocobo's strutting about fenced in by the wooden rail fence. Relm was leaning over the top of the fence admiring the few lovely birds that swaggered inside the fence. The birds ruffled their feathers yellow feathers and strutted about the fence, they making warbling and whistling sounds. Relm giggled as she watched them with enthusiasm. Interceptor seemed to be barking at one of the chocobo's, it having a ruffled mane and long scrawny legs and, strangely enough, it seemed to be miniature. It was no bigger than Relm was. Shadow walked next to Relm, but kept a distance between him and the overgrown chickens prancing around in the pen. K' stopped shortly a little behind Relm she looking at the birds.
"Aren't they all cute?" Relm said giggling.
"…" Shadow gave a small mumble under his breath and folded his arm.
"Yes…they are quite wondrous. I have never really seen one before…" K' said as she looked at the large birds.
"Really? Do the place you come from have any chocobo's there?" Relm asked.
K' looked down at the ground, "Well, not really. I never really seen them around."
"Oh…so where do you come fro…" Relm question was interrupted as Interceptor started barking at one of the chocobo's. The chocobo disregarded the dog's continuous barking; instead it whirled and kicked dust up at Interceptor. It then waggled it's tail back and forth in a taunt and strutted off. Relm giggled at little scene as Interceptor growled.
"Hehe…I don't think Interceptor likes chocobo's very much."
"Who wouldn't?" Shadow said to himself.
Interceptor, not taking to kindly to the chocobo's taunt, jumped over the top of the fence and started to chase after the chocobo. The chocbo spread it's wings and gave high pitched whirling as it ran around, causing other chocobo's to go into panic and running around too. Yellow feathers flying everywhere in commotion and chaos. Shadow didn't seem to care that the dog was chasing the chocobo's but he didn't want to upset the owner.
"Interceptor heal!" He called out, but didn't obey his master and kept on. The miniature bird ran up under a pair of long legs and hid. Interceptor then stopped in front of the chocobo that small one had hidden under. The chocobo, strange enough, was black and had deep blue eyes. It was very unusual. It kicked dust up and gave a loud whirl and started to run after Interceptor. Interceptor, surprisingly, retreated and made loud whines and whimpers. Shadow stared in utter shock as this large black bird chased after his dog…HIS dog. He didn't expect his own dog to high tail it and run from one of these large chickens. It was embarrassing. Interceptor jumped over the rail and kept running.
WHIRRRRRR!!
"Wow, I didn't know Interceptor could run that fast." Relm said, watching Interceptor run and then the berserk bird flapped its wings violently and flew right over the fence and then continued chasing after Interceptor!
"How the hell can that bird fly?" Shadow said in some shock.
"Well, it looked more like glided or something." Relm said as she scratched the back of her head as she watched Interceptor run away from the wild bird. A little man had then ran out of the small house, he dressed unusual; in a purple hat and some kind of cloak, and a slightly long white beard, he waving a wooden staff around.
"What in sam hill is going on!?" He said as he noticed the commotion going around. The chocobo's inside the pen whirling as the large black one chased Shadow's dog around, "Not again! He's loose again! Hey now you stop that!" He yelled, as the bird kept chasing the terrified dog until they started to make their way after the man. The little man then ran waving his cane, "Stop already! You crazy animals!" Relm really couldn't help but giggle at the hilarious sigh of this funny little man running from Interceptor and Interceptor running from the deranged chocobo.
"How strange…" K' said as she watched them run about in circles around the chocobo pen and everywhere else before they made their way over to them. The little man ran behind Shadow and Interceptor jumped in his master's arms. Shadow grunted as he held Interceptor in his arms, the dog whining and whimpering.
"Ugh…old man can't you get that bird under control?!" He said.
"Fraid not. When Scallop gets angry he never stops for anything. We'll be lucky if he doesn't completely trample over us." He said. Shadow groaned and watched as the reckless bird charged at them. There wasn't any place to run to at all… Strange enough, K' walked in front of them as she looked at the bird with her dull eyes.
"Is she crazy? She's gonna get trampled." The chocobo rancher said.
"K' get out of the way!" Shadow said, but to no avail as she didn't move. Relm ran over to her tryi8ng to pull her arm back, Shadow calling after. A unnoticeable glow settled in her eyes as they focused upon the chocobo's deep pending azure eyes, she holding out her hand at the large bird it giving a whirl and stopping just a foot or so in front of her. It staring at her a peculiar look in its eye. The chocobo farmer looked a little flabbergast.
"Well I'll be…he actually stopped." He hopped in joy and walked over to K'. "Hey young lady…do you think you would want to ever run a chocobo farm? That skill of yours would come in handy."
"Um…" she scratched the back of her head not sure of what to say. Shadow stepped in, forgetting to put Interceptor down.
"We are sorry for the all the commotion that has happened. We just need to rent a chocobo."
"Rent? Ah, I'm sorry but I can't do that because…" The little man scratched the back of his head and thought for a moment, "…uh, can't think of why."
"Aren't you kind of old to be a rancher?" Relm asked.
"Oh! That's it. I remember now…I'm getting to old now…and my memory is pretty bad. You see I'm going to retire and live in the mountains. No use for having a chocobo's anymore…except my green one that's in the stable."
"Huh? What about the other one's?" Shadow asked.
"Those they were…um…sorry can't think of why." The old rancher said looking down and tapping the end of his cane against the ground.
My patience with this old man is getting thin…Shadow thought to himself, frowning as he watched the old rancher. He then suddenly jumped up and exclaimed, "Now I remember! They are wild one's never really trained them that much so I'm going to let them go."
"Oh no. Now we won't be able to travel in the desert." Relm said.
"Oh, you're on a journey then? Well…" He looked at them and over at K' who was rubbing the top of Scallop's head. "Hmm, well I suppose you can take old Scallop here. Bird is nothing but trouble around me. But I think with this young lady around you won't have any trouble."
"Really!? Oh, thank you!" Relm smiled as she pranced over to the black chocobo and petted it.
"Thank you…how much do we owe you?" Shadow asked going for the small sack on his side.
"Nope. No price. You can keep the bird. Where I'm going I won't need any use for it."
"I see. Thank you. Oh, what is your name?"
"My name? It's…um…that's funny I forgot." He said scratching his head.
"Nevermind…" Shadow said as he walked over to Relm and K'. Interceptor whimpered a little as they neared the bird, he rubbing his back showing some kind of strange compassion for his dog, "You'll be fine. It's just a bird."
"Let's go! I want to ride!" Relm said as she tried to mount the bird, but was a little short to hop up on it. Scallop bent down to Relm's height and let her climb on, along with K'.
"Hehe…he's nice. Come on Shadow get on." Relm said.
Shadow looked at the bird, he giving a small deep breath before he approached the bird and mounted it…he holding Interceptor in his lap. The bird was large, it look like it could almost fit another person on it. Scallop got back up, standing proudly on its long legs as it ruffled its wings. Shadow tapped his heel against the chocobo's side it giving a whirl and trotted off heading over to the where the grass and desert meet.
Relm waved her hand waving at the chocobo rancher, "Bye! And thank you!"
He waved his cane, "You're welcome." He said as he watched them ride off; then suddenly hopped up in surprise and yelled out, "…shucks! I remember my name now! It's…" They were already too far to hear the old rancher. He then stroked his beard for a moment and then turned around going back to his home.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Scallop trotted steadily as it ran against the hot sand of the desert, as the sun's heavy warm rays beat down upon the ground. It's feet kicking up sand behind it as it raced through the desert. Interceptor was sitting in Shadow's lap with K and then Relm sitting in front of him. Relm seeming to enjoy the ride and Shadow, on the other hand, was having some discomfort. Relm giggled her hands pressing down into the bird's thick feathers.
"Hehe, this is so great. Isn't this fun?" She turned around and smiled.
"…"
Shadow groaned slightly as Interceptor hanging its head over the side, he saying something under his breath that she couldn't make out.
K' seemed to give a smile, "Yes. It's very exhilarating." She said, as she looked up at the shining orb in the sky, the clouds slowly gliding by. For her, this was like a once in a lifetime experience. She was always confined inside walls with a ceiling over her head. She groaned at the harsh memories coming back, the round verdant lambent earrings she wore glimmered and had a dim glow to them. Relm looked at the jewelry, intrigued by them.
"Hey, those are really pretty earrings…where you get them?" Relm asked.
"…" She thought for a moment, she didn't want to lie, well she just wouldn't elaborate on them, "They were a gift."
"Ohh, they're real pretty." Relm said with a yawn and leaned back against K' her head against her chest as she closed her eyes taking a short nap. K' looked down at the girl a bit bewildered by the girl's actions, she never had close contact with anyone, especially a child. Relm felt some comfort and safety as she lay back against her. She never felt this way ever since…
I never seen her look more peaceful…Shadow thought to himself as he looked at the two. It was, somewhat, a very comforting and heart warming view. The young girl nestled against K' her mind wandering off into her re-occurring dreams.
Mommy…~TBC~
Took me awhile to do this…I'm typing all this out of my head. Lol. I only stop when I can't think anymore. I'm working on the next chapter…and of course Edgar will be in it. Oh yea, I forgot…can someone tell me what the name of his castle is…I kind of forgot... I know Monty knows. And someone send me a list of all the towns and mountains. I don't have the Internet anymore so I forgot the names and stuff. Well Monty you can send it to me if you can. Feel free to review.