Chapter 6
***
For better or for worse, Gil never felt the punishment his rider gave him as he lay in the racetrack mud that evening. The raceside vet said the bird's heart must have exploded from being pushed too hard, and maybe this was true. However, Joe had his own theories on what had killed the magnificent chocobo.
A fine one like that.......perhaps..........perhaps he died of a broken heart. No chocobo likes to be beaten, especially not one of that rank.
Rufus had to be pulled away from the body, in such a rage was he. Joe had never seen such a fit of bad sportsmanship in his life, and had been quite glad to see the boy go. Now he and Teioh were standing in what was left of the rainfall, paying their last respects to the poor creature who had, for a moment, almost beaten them.
".......And may the Fat Chocobo guide you to the green fields of the Lifestream," Joe finished, making an arcane symbol in the air. Teioh echoed his words with a low "warrrrk," bobbing his head in what might have been a nod.
Joe shook his head sadly, staring at the corpse in the rain, then turned to lead Teioh back to the stalls through the crowd of gypsies and onlookers that had gathered on the racetrack. His way was barred, however, by President Shinra, holding his sullen, soiled son by the hand.
"Well then!" the fat man boomed, grinning - or was he grimacing? - quite broadly. "That bird of yours is marvellous, quite incredible. Too bad about Gil, though. He was a pretty good piece of stock....it'll be awhile before we get another one that good in, eh Rufus?"
Rufus's scowl had begun to fade during his father's spheel, slowly morphing from a look of annoyance to one of deep thought. The boy was plotting something, and when Joe noticed the look on his face, he felt a slight twinge of worry.
".....Now Rufus," Shinra prattled on, "Shake hands with....erm, was the name Joe?.......shake hands with Joe here, and be a good sportsman."
Rufus stepped forward, looking determined.
Joe grudgingly took a step towards the heir, extending his free hand with the hesitance one would save for picking up a baby Zolem. He'd rather not even touch the fellow, but it was better to let bygones be bygones.
However, Rufus ignored the other boy's outstretched hand, raising his own slender digits in a point - straight at Teioh.
"Daddy," he said, voice deathly quiet for once, "I want that chocobo. That one right there."
A deathly silence descended over the small group. Joe blinked in shock; he had expected many things from Rufus Shinra at this moment, but...........he wanted Teioh?
After a few moments, President Shinra, looking slightly uncomfortable, cleared his throat and spoke, laughing nervously. "Now now Rufus, we'll get you another chocobo later. I'll call the breeder and tell him to-..."
"No," Rufus snarled, turning on his father in a spate of rage, "I want THAT one. You say we can't find a chocobo as good as Gil? Well we have, and there he is. He's ten times the bird that filthy piece of offal Gil was, and I want him. Now."
President Shinra tried to start again. "Rufus, be reasonab-"
"NOW!" the boy screamed, stamping a booted foot in the mud.
Shinra took a step away from his son like he feared a blow, then turned and shrugged at the crowd, another broad grin splitting his features. He couldn't punish the boy for his actions - after all, he had acted much the same way when he was a lad. It was even endearing, in an odd way. He turned around to face Joe.
The bloated entrepreneur pulled out his wallet and began thumbing through gil marks casually, a smug look now etched on his pasty face. He was obviously used to this.
"Alright.......how much?"
Joe looked confused for a moment, then realized what the rich man was propositioning. His grip on Teioh's reins tightened involuntarily, and he shook his head, tugging at his hat brim nervously.
"I'm sorry good sir, but my brother is not for sale," he said, picking the words deliberately. "Not at any price."
Aluicious Shinra was quite used to having his way. In the world of the rich and powerful, there was no such thing as a priceless item, a person or thing totally devoid of monetary value. He stood staring at the gypsy boy for a full minute before bursting into hearty peals of laughter.
"The lad has a sense of humor, eh?" he chuckled to himself, returning his attention to the fat wallet. "Seriously though, how much will you take for the creature? 5,000 gil? 6,000?"
Joe shook his head again, this time backing away ever so slightly. "No sir. He's not for sale."
Teioh, sensing his brother's nervousness, warked and bobbed his head in an agitated fashion, nearly jerking the reins out of Joe's hand. Shinra's eyes darted to the animal rocking back and forth on his claws, then back to the boy's face. Surely this gypsy couldn't be refusing his offer!
"Come come now boy, don't be difficult," he said, the smile fading as he realized that the gypsy youth was serious. "10,000? 20,000?"
An audible gasp came from the crowd that surrounded them. 20,000 gil was an unheard of sum to the caravan. With that much they wouldn't have to perform or travel ever again. Several pairs of eyes locked on the boy, wishing, hoping, and waiting.
Joe felt his heart skip a few beats at the sum. 20,000 gil? Fat Chocobo, with that much I could.....
A gentle nudge from behind prodded the boy back into the real world. Teioh stood looking at his friend and rider with total innocence, pushing his head affectionately against Joe's back. He obviously didn't understand why the gypsy youth had gone so silent, and was making sure his brother was alright.
"Wark?" the black chocobo asked, staring at Joe with his large black eyes. There was nothing but total trust and devotion in those shining orbs - how could he betray that? No.
.................No. I cannot do this thing. How could I even consider selling my own flesh and blood?!
".....I'm sorry Mr. Shinra," the boy spoke at last, ".......but I do not sell my relatives, and that is final."
Shinra's face fell like the Tower of Babel. He sputtered incoherently for a few moments before Rufus answered for the both of them.
"You idiot!" the boy spat, storming out from behind his father. "Don't you know I can have whatever I want? Daddy, get me that chocobo!"
The Shinra heir's voice was reaching unheard-of octaves, and it was all Joe could do not to cover his ears - either that or give the other lad a right hook in the nose. The elder Shinra's face looked like a thundercloud as he pushed his son out of the way and loomed over the gyspy boy, shaking a fat finger in his face.
"Now listen here lad, is this some kind of a joke?" he roared, jowls dancing like swamp slime. "I don't have time for your little parlor games - sell me the bird and be done with it, or so help me I won't even pay you for the blasted creature."
Joe stood stunned for a few moments before the implications of this finally sunk in.
Sweet Shiva, he plans on taking Teioh whether I sell him or not!
Panic begin to creep into the boy's psyche. Shinra could easily take Teioh away without batting an eyelid - who would stop him? This was a man who could most probably murder with impunity - stealing a chocobo from some no-name gypsy would be like yawning for the energy tycoon.
As if reading Joe's thoughts, Shinra spoke again, this time in a low, sinister whisper.
"You think anyone is going to care if I take that bird from you, boy?" he sneered, glowering down into the travelling boy's face. "I control the law here - I'd suggest you give that bird up now, preferably in a quiet fashion. We don't want to have.......trouble, do we?"
Joe's eyes widened, and he backed up, edging closer to his chocobo. It wasn't fear for himself that made the lad back away - it was the thought of Teioh under the whip of Rufus that struck at his heart. At the same time Rufus, tired of waiting for his father to make the necessary arrangements, darted forward and tried to pry the reins out of the other boy's hand.
"Give...me...that...bird!" he yelped, jerking at the leather straps frantically. Teioh reared angrily at the sight of the hated boy, delivering a mighty peck to the boy's hand. Rufus let out a yelp of pain and fell the to ground crying, holding his injured hand against his body.
Aluicious Shinra finally lost his temper.
"Take the damn bird from him now!" he demanded, practically dancing on the racetrack in anger.
"No!" Joe shrieked, jerking the reins away from the temporarily incapacitated Rufus. In a panic, he leapt onto the back of the the black bird, years of expertise giving his perfect balance and aim.
Teioh reared at this unexpected weight, lurched forward, and began to run, neck and wings stretched foreward like a pack of bandersnatch were at his heels. In a way they were - everyone on the estate began chasing after them, angry shouts and the sounds of pursuing feet ringing in the boy's ears.
Joe, however, did not plan on being caught, not after what had just occurred. He knew what would happen if they were ever captured - he would most certainly be punished in some unpleasant way, and Teioh would be given to Rufus Shinra. The thought made him shudder, and the boy rider let the reins out, giving the chocobo his head completely.
Teioh sprang ahead as if rocket-propelled. Free of the restraining hold of the reins, the bird went freedom-crazy, running as he had not run since those early years on the Kalm Plains. The white fence of the racetrack rose to meet them, and the black chocobo sprang over the hurdle like it was nothing more than a forest stream. He landed on the opposite side with a thump, quickly regaining his footing and fleeing on ahead, across the green yard that surrounded the racing track.
Joe was holding on for his life now. Although they had left the crowd behind at the racetrack, he knew they wern't safe just yet - as long as they were on Shinra's estate, the two were in grave danger.
The back yard was soon crossed, and ahead loomed the final hurdle - the brick fence that surrounded the entire estate of Aluicious Shinra. All too suddenly Joe realized that the enclosure was far too high for even Teioh to jump, and that they were either going to run full-on into the rough red surface, or be cornered and caught by Shinra's hired hands. He instinctively pulled his hat down tight, locking his legs around the chocobo's barrel and tightening his grip on the bird's neck feathers in preparation for the impact that was surely about to occur.
Teioh's muscles tightened, and Joe clamped his eyes shut.
This is it. We're going to smash against that wall like a thrown egg.
Nothing happened for a few seconds, then a mighty flapping of wings assailed the gypsy boy's ears. Joe opened his eyes, expecting to see the brick wall ahead.
Instead all he saw was blue sky and black feathers.
Teioh's.........Teioh's flying?!!
The black chocobo was beating his wings frantically, trying to keep airborne. The combined efforts of a mighty spring into the air and his powerful wings had gotten the two high into the air, but for how long the bird could keep it up Joe was not sure - he hadn't even known black chocobos could fly before now.
Teioh cleared the brick wall's edge by a foot, then dropped like a stone on the other side. As soon as the chocobo's claws hit the pavement they were off again, into the maze of Upper Midgar.