Teioh just annoys me in general.
o o o
Cloud's shoulders slumped as he walked from the track, leading bright yellow Xiii by her reins. Cid slapped the younger man on the back sympathetically. "C'mon, Spike," He said "Can't win 'em all, y'know."
Cloud shook his head and made a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "Yeah, I know." He said ruefully. "I guess I kinda got used to first place." He looked back over his shoulder where the first place winner was celebrating smugly. "That guy, he just came out of nowhere and left me in the dust."
Cid snorted as the two blonds walked over to where Vincent was waiting near the yellow bird's stable. "Yeah, I saw that. Jus' a black blur. I didn't know they made that Chocobo-coloring spray shit in black."
"They don't."
The blonds turned. The winner of the race, Teioh, stood watching them from behind dark glasses, an arrogant smirk on his face. "None of my birds wear that disgusting spray." He said loftily. "They are all pure-bred black Chocobo's, which my family has raised for generations." He looked down his nose at Xiii, snorting and apparently going for a Mr. Suave look with that ridiculous hat of his. "They are the only black chocobo's on the Planet and are our pride. Obviously this .....bird of yours is a wild thing, unsuited for real racing." He looked over his glasses. "I suggest you have a lot to learn about Chocobo's."
"And I suggest you have a lot to learn about manners." Said a quiet voice at Cloud's shoulder. He turned to find Vincent standing there, glaring at Teioh. The smaller man glanced at the ex-Turk apprehensivly before turning and stalking away, his nose in the air. Vincent shook his head in disgust, scratching at Xiii's neck before taking the reins from Cloud. "Idiot." He muttered, leading the bird to her stable.
"Effin' arrogant bastard is more like it." Cid grumbled, picking up a brush to rub down the tired bird. "The nerve of him, saying that shit. Jus' 'cause she was wild don't mean she isn't suited to race."
Cloud slid the saddle from Xiii's back, hanging it on a hook. "She's a great racer, ain't you girl?" He said, scratching her head. The bird warked happily, nibbling on Cloud's hair. He grinned, looking over her back at the pilot. "Don't worry, Cid." He said confidently. "Next time we'll kick his ass to the moon."
"If I don't beat him into pulp for insulting my bird first." Cid muttered.
o o o
Green Wolfe tossed his head, eager to be going as his blue mate, Yumiko, nuzzled eagerly at Tifa's hand. She scratched the bird back, watching Barret and Cid lead their other two birds out to the Highwind. Wolfe warked in idignation, upset at being left behind and Yuffie scratched his back soothingly. "D'you think those two can get to the S class?" The ninja asked, jerking her head at the departing birds.
Tifa shrugged, feeding Yumiko a bit of greens. "I hope so. They want to get enough Gold Points to spend all day in the Battle Square. Cloud wants to go for the top prize."
"Good luck." Yuffie said. "I wonder if that arrogant bastard Cloud told us about will be back."
Tifa shrugged again. "Better hope Cid don't get ahold of him if he is." She replied.
o o o
Cid led the bird into a stable, grinning. Somehow or other, Cait Sith had shown up with professional-looking Chocobo blankets that covered the entire bird and were emblazoned with large A's, for Avalanche he had said. The covers were usually used to keep the birds from prying eyes if the jockey was going to display some bizzare pattern in it's color spray. They were quite snazzy looking, and in Cid's opinion, did their job perfectly, hiding their crowning Chocobo achievement from the other jockeys until they were ready to reveal him. The Chocobo he was leading turned to nuzzle against his shoulder and he scratched it's beak affectionately.
"Not another wild one, I hope?"
Cid's good mood evaporated at the sound of the very unwelcome voice. Turning, he found Teioh standing there, his arms crossed, looking at the blanket-covered Chocobo with high disdain. Resisting the urge to punch that arrogant face in, Cid instead smiled grimly. "Actually," He said, raising his voice loud enough for most of the other jockey's to hear. "We bred this one ourselves. Teioh, meet Enrico." With a flourish, he pulled the blanket away, revealing a Chocobo with feathers so glossy black they shone almost irridescent under the lights. The bird reared slightly, cawing, his wings fluttering.
"No spray, either." Cloud said, walking up and grinning. "Not for our birds."
Teioh's jaw dropped a centimeter, then snapped back up. "You lie." He said flatly. "No black Chocobo's have been born outside of my family's farm for generations."
"It is very much true." Vincent said from the next stable, where he was settling their other bird. "Born from a natural green and a natural blue, that is a pure-bred black Chocobo."
Teioh looked furious. "Blue's and green's do not exist, unless they're sprayed." He snapped, ignoring the jockey's crowding around them, watching the confrontation. "Blacks are born from blacks, and you must've stolen him from our farm."
Vincent stepped out of the stable, red eyes gleaming. "We aren't thieves, you asshole." Cid growled. "We bred them ourselves, the blue, the green, this black, and that one there."
"And what is that one?" Teioh asked sarcastically, motioning to the still-covered bird. "A pure-bred red one?"
Cloud snorted. "No, idiot." He said. "This one is gold." He pulled away the blanket, revealing the brilliant, golden feathers of Alex, who tossed his head and warked happily, his clawed feet scratching at the ground. Several of the other Jockey's crowded around, oohing and ahing over the bird, who looked around, proud of the attention.
"That is no gold!" Teioh sputtered. "That's a common yellow with a metallic sheen! Who ever heard of a gold Chocobo outside of fairytales? I refuse to believe it! And I refuse to believe this black is real, either! You are a bunch of lying jackasses!"
Cid pointed at golden Alex. "How much do you want to bet," He said angrily. "That that gold can kick the ever-loving ass of your black? One hundred? Two?"
"Five hundred gil." Teioh said flatly. "Gold Chocobo's are legends for little kids and fools. They do not exist."
"Fine." Cloud said. "Five hundred gil, witnesses by everyone here, that our gold can beat your black. Deal?"
"Deal." Teioh said firmly, walking away, his nose in the air.
Cloud sighed, running his hand along Enrico's neck. Cid glared at Teioh's back for a long moment, then turned to the shorter blond. "Let me race him, Cloud." He said. "I want to see the sonuvabitches face when Alex leaves him in the dust."
Cloud raised a brow and looked over and Vincent, who shrugged. "Fine. But if you loose, I'm taking it out of your hide."
Cid grinned wickedly. "Don't worry about me. First place, here I come."
o o o
Alex shifted nervously, and Cid leaned forward in his saddle to stroke the young bird's neck. Sitting back again, he caught Teioh looking at him, his own black as still as a rock beneath him. Cid grinned, saluting the hatted rider with two fingers. Teioh glared at him a moment then faced forward, his face stony. Cid settled into the saddle, waiting for the starting buzzer. The Chocobo's to either side of him tensed, waited-
The buzzer sounded and they were off, racing down the track like buckshot from a shotgun. For a moment, Cid held Alex back, darting among the pack, then he saw Teioh shoot ahead like a black meteorite, felt Alex's frustration at not being allowed to run full-out and decided to hell with it, loosing up on the reins.
He had known that Alex was fast, but to be sitting on the bird's back as he let all out was a rush akin to flying the Bronco. The digital imaging of the track, designed to throw the birds off, was little more than a colored blur as they raced forward, and he caught a small, ultimately satisfying glimpse of Teioh's face, wide in shock, as they passed. The race was over before he realized it, Alex crowing in victory, Cloud's voice raised in a happy shout over the cheers, and Teioh coming in a definate second. Cid grinned, sliding down from Alex's back, and looked at the shorter rider. "I suggest," He said, as Cloud and Vincent hurried down to meet him. "You have a lot to learn about Chocobo's."
o o o
The color-spray is my answer as to why the other jockey's have pink and purple and whatnot colored chocobo's in the game. And if anyone can tell me the theme behind their bird's names, they get a cookie. Missy, you don't count, you already know.
