Chapter 4 Shopping
The cool air was enough to make Kadaj narrow his eyes at first, his shoulders tensing slightly as the cold seemed to penetrate his leather skin. Instinctively, he pressed a little closer to the human and took the big hand in between his little palms to keep his gloved fingers warm. Despite he disliked the cold, he soon got used to it and relaxed somewhat, giving Hojo a chance to walk towards the store. The remnant was still clinging to his hand but walking along with determination. It had been very quiet the day before when Kadaj had come to the house and everything looked different now.
Between two houses there were three children playing. One of them was making a snow angel while the other two were building a snow castle. Kadaj's first thought was of why anyone would lie down in that cold white stuff voluntarily. Right after, he wondered if he should build a castle too. Maybe build one for the Professor and together they could rule a whole empire. Hojo could be the King and Kadaj could be the Prince, and they'd have slaves, and the ice cubes would be diamonds and crystals which could be used for decorating the castle. They could have a whole room made of ice, a sparkling blue ice room, where they would have their thrones. And they'd have crowns as well. He remained staring at the children for a moment longer, just clinging to the human's hand and letting him take the remnant anywhere.
Once the children were out of sight, the silver haired boy looked up at the human, his green eyes sparkling now that the sun was rising, "What will you purchase for me?" He was really starting to like the elaborate word. "Will I get a jacket? And mittens? And a hat?" Releasing the warm hand of comfort, he started hopping again, too excited to keep all the excitement bottled. "And wool socks too?" he added, already thinking about the evening when they'd be all seated by the fireplace; Mother, Sephiroth, Professor and Kadaj. Wool socks would be good, so Hojo wouldn't have to tell him to stop running bare foot.
Though they weren't that far away, the Professor heard the sound of children's laughter as though from a great distance. The sound did not actively repel him but it was ingrained into him not to look up at the sound or pay it any heed. Just as he was conditioned to feel no remorse at the sound of monstrosities screeching and wailing, so he was conditioned to feel no need to pay attention to children. The irony of his looking after Kadaj, who was most certainly a child, was completely wasted on him. So far as his mind was concerned, Kadaj was filed in the sparsely populated category of 'people I don't mind so much' and everyone else under the broad heading of 'everyone else'. Gradually though, Kadaj was revising that simple filing system and creating a new little heading. Something along the lines of 'people I rather like'.
At the sound of Kadaj's voice, Hojo looked down and nodded at him. Honestly, it was perplexing to him how someone could get so worked up over clothes. "Yes, Kadaj." The mention of socks gave him a slight pause for thought until he remembered that the boy was wearing only his boots. Not a wonder he was cold, especially since black clothing would radiate whatever heat it held, even if it could be warmed up rather quickly again. In answer to the question of socks, the elder nodded again.
Pushing open the door of the store caused a little bell to chime. Like most things in Icicle, it was quaint. While the region was well-known for people coming to hike, sled and snowboard, it had stubbornly maintained its otherworldly charm in order to attract more business. Still, it wasn't to everyone's taste. Most especially those who did not care for the cold. The inside of the store was also quiet but for the very faint crackle of a radio not yet tuned in for the morning. Doubtless someone would attend to it presently. "Right... Let me see now. They stock their outdoor gear over there so there should be something in your size nearby. Go have a look." Shuffling forwards to some racks by the wall, the elder set about seeking something practical, unconsciously avoiding the bright colours and patterns of the children's section.
Kadaj wasn't an ordinary child, and he didn't care for the colourful items, nor for the patterns. Flowers and cars and other silly prints on the children's clothing went wasted on him. What he wanted was easy to find. It either existed or it didn't and only one thing was certain; when he'd see something he wanted, he would get it, one way or another. An only child's determination. The determination of someone who would become a leader, and who would always maintain the belief that what he wanted was the law. Anyone who opposed would either be manipulated until they gave up or would get beheaded. Kadaj's rules were very simple, just as simple as his liking; what he liked, he liked, and what he didn't, he didn't. Everything was very black and white.
Today it was white. The one, big, white overall he found which had inner walls of white fur. Easily, he located the matching white boots, gloves and a hat. The hat was silly though; it was meant for children and had cat ears on top. Not bothering to strip off the leather, Kadaj pulled the overall on and looked at himself in a mirror. It was really a huge outfit for someone his size. His mouth had vanished behind the white collar, leaving only the tiny nose (which was now red thanks to the weather) and green eyes visible. As he placed the silly hat on his head and quietly growled at the funny ears on top of it, he turned and to his horror noticed that the overall also had a tail. A furry, white cat's tail. Huffing with annoyance, he took his boots off and slid the white ones on instead. They were wonderfully warm, so warm that the boy started sweating in the warm shop. He flexed his toes inside the boots. The fur felt so pleasant. Grabbing the white gloves and the black boots with him, he marched to find the human who would purchase him all this lovely white clothing. He tugged the man's sleeve and said, "Look!" Turning around, he wiggled his hips a little bit to show the furry tail then looked over his shoulder, whining quietly, "Can I cut the tail off later?" He would cut the ears off from the hat too, if it was possible so that it didn't leave any holes in the item. The clothing felt so pleasant, he hoped he didn't have to take it off when it would get paid for. "I want these…" He said with a serious expression. The sweet smiles and puppy eyes would be saved for manipulation if the simple demanding wouldn't work.
White was a lovely colour. Just as lovely as black, but today it was better than black because it would turn him into a chameleon. The remnant would vanish against the snow white background. Either he was smarter than anyone assumed, or someone else was very keen on protecting this little remnant body from all harm.
Impatiently comparing prices of two items that he'd located almost immediately, Hojo didn't expect Kadaj to finish so quickly and was surprised when he felt that tug on his sleeve. He'd expected the child to browse and pull down half the items in the shop before he was satisfied. Looking down, he was fairly horrified at what he saw. It looked like some weird snow-cat with half the air let out of it. All was whiteness apart from two eyes and some silver hair that leaked from beneath the brim of a hat. A hat with ears on it. The bright green eyes and superior tone were unmistakable though as they peeped out from beneath that ridiculously adorned hat. The Professor tilted his head, saw the tail and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why anyone would find it necessary to add cat ears and a tail to clothing he hadn't a notion. "Kadaj… It's at least two sizes too big."
While he did approve of the colour, the elder certainly agreed with the child about the tail, and the ears if it came to the bit. Though, they suited the boy better than he might know. "I think we should have a look for something smaller." Looking up, he ignored the cacophony of colour and flair that accosted his sight and looked for something that matched what was presented before him. He wondered at how much it would all cost on top of things and bent to look for tags. Though he wasn't strapped for cash, he did like to know where his currency went and he was reluctant to spend a small fortune on something so silly-looking unless it was going to last.
The white cat pursed his lips behind the collar. He wanted this outfit, tail or not. It was warm and soft and nice. It was really starting to get hot inside all the clothes but he was reluctant to take it off. "But I want it…" He muttered pouting, and followed the adult into the jungle of screaming red and green fabrics. Grabbing the hem of the Professor's jacket, he looked up with wide eyes and whined, "I want this one… Look, I'm cute…" He brushed his head against the Professor's waist, like a cat, and made small mewling noises, then tried to imitate purring sound. "I'm a kitten…" He explained and brushed his head against the waist once more before looking up at the adult's face and wrapping his white arms around the human, giving the puppy eyes look, wide eyes and fluttering eyelashes, "Let me have it... please?"
If the Professor didn't say 'yes' in the next moment, the kitten remnant would run out of the shop before the store clerk came back and would go to make snow angels until the items were paid for.
The Professor felt that they really ought to try and find something else in a more reasonable size but it was very hard to make any headway when a small cat-like being was following you around, whining. It was harder still when said being was pulling at you and then imitating a cat… or a kitten. Hojo felt very uncomfortable as the small cat-boy looked up at him with those wide eyes. Clearly the child was pulling out all the stops to make him change his mind. At least he said 'please'. A quick glance about himself told the Professor that it would be far easier just to let Kadaj have his way and suffer for it later than cause a scene now. Still, he didn't have to like it.
Hojo's shoulders slumped a little as he made his choice. "Oh… alright. Do you still want the socks?" A brief look at the flush that was beginning to creep into the remnant's cheeks suggested to him that Kadaj would be quite alright without anymore clothing.
Pleased that he would get the white fluffy clothing, the remnant didn't care if he got socks or not, "Not necessarily…" His toes were curling inside the wonderful boots, "These shoes are really warm." So happy to get what he wanted, the boy narrowed his eyes as he smiled up at the man. Apparently whenever he was very happy, he expressed it by staying very close to the one who had given him this joy, his little fingers gripping the human arm with affection. His black boots and the white gloves were scattered on the floor where he had released them from his little arms when he'd been eagerly hugging the Professor. Now eager to please the one who had made him happy, he picked up the clothing from the floor and proudly headed towards the clerk who had appeared from the back room. The clerk must have been used to seeing white cats in the shop because his expression stayed neutral when Kadaj neared the counter.
Before he followed after Kadaj properly, Hojo stalked over to where he'd been trying to decide between one parka and a slightly different coloured parka and just grabbed the nearest one to hand, along with whatever weather-proof pants were hung beneath. As it happened, the black one was closer to hand than the dark navy. It should have hardly mattered to him what colour it was - the point was that it would keep the cold off him... but the Professor would have abjectly refused to don anything brighter as he would feel utterly ridiculous in them. Still, at least he would not be the oddest thing spotted roaming the wastes.
The little white kitten certainly seemed pleased enough. The clerk wasn't saying anything but that could have been because it was far too early for chit-chat. If that was the case, it was just fine as far as Hojo was concerned. He liked it when there were as few hitches as possible during transactions. Dropping his items on the counter and grabbing a pair of gloves from a stand nearby, the elder fished out his coin and spoke offhandedly, nodding towards Kadaj in his fluffy white finery. "He'll be wearing those out, I think. Is that a problem?"
"No. Unless he is bothered by the price tags." The clerk chuckled. His work days were filled with puppies and kittens, in all different colours, especially when it was the busiest season. He was only interested in the price tags, since the children sometimes accidentally ripped them off. Seeing that there was still a tag hanging from the kitten's ear, he beckoned for the aforementioned animal, "Come here, kitten. I'll take the tag off." Usually there was no problem to lure the animals close enough to see the number in the tag, but this cat shook his head and suddenly hid behind the man who had to be this child's father… or grandfather. Trying to smile, he said to the cat's owner, "Could you check the tag, please?" It wasn't the first time a child was too shy to near a stranger who had scissors ready in one hand. Assuming all the children's animal outfits had the same prices, and those boots that peeked from behind the guardian, plus the white gloves, he would be able to count everything together after finding out what the white hat cost. Checking the tags in the adult clothing while waiting patiently to hear the last number, he knew the price would be around 600 gil. Poor man, he should've thought twice before deciding to have children. Children were expensive.
"Hmm." The Professor waited patiently for the verdict to be delivered. He had a feeling that the outfit Kadaj had selected would be costly but he wouldn't know the full story until the clerk had read out the prices to him. In light of the way the remnant had barged into the house the first time and started whining and ordering him about, Hojo was quite astounded when the furry white kitten turned and hid behind him. Kadaj was awfully shy all of a sudden. Peering over his shoulder to confirm it, the elder frowned to himself before the clerk caught his attention again and he gave a curt nod in response. He turned around and stooped low to examine the tag that dangled from the timid little creature's ear. 75 gil... Well... Taking a breath and counting to three before he stood up again, Hojo looked to the clerk and tried not to look too stony-faced. "It reads 75. What's the damage?" Those clothes must have been part of a brand. Probably very likely, as such items were bound to sell no matter the cost.
Raising one eyebrow the clerk started adding the numbers to a calculator to make sure. "That would be… 587, please." Feeling slightly sorry for the man, even though he saw this exact same thing so many times per day, he said, "You're lucky he didn't choose the white lion cub-" Instantly, he closed his lips to prevent possible further damage when he noticed the white kitten had peeked curiously from behind the old man. The white lion cub outfit was double the price and seeing that this little family of two hadn't arrived in a limousine or helicopter, it wouldn't be smart to let the spoiled kitten demand for more expensive clothing. Sighing in relief at the notion that he didn't have children himself, and perhaps would never have to get to the verge of being bankrupt just because of one child, he waited for the man to count the money.
The shy kitten wasn't actually shy at all. He just didn't have the double-bladed Katana with him and didn't want to go too close to the clerk because he had had scissors in his hand. And besides, the white kitten was becoming dependent on the adult human, still dizzy with happiness that someone would purchase all these things to him. It was much nicer to become Hojo's shadow, occasionally touch his hand or the hem of his jacket to let him know he was still right here. For some reason, he didn't like the clerk at all and hadn't appreciated at being beckoned and called 'kitten'. If anyone could call him a kitten, then that was the Professor, and no-one else.
"Would you like a bag?" The clerk offered, already taking a bag and opening it ready.
The price bombshell dropped, one of the scientist's eyebrows registered a twitch. That was a lot for mere clothes. Though it wasn't utterly ludicrous, it was still rather a lot when one thought about it. Beneath the quaint charm of Icicle, people must have been making an absolute fortune during the busy season. Fortunately, Hojo had been able to access the majority of his funds in the wake of the disaster at ShinRa and siphon it off to another location before scrambling the record of the transfer. He had enough to keep going for a good long while as long as he stayed low and didn't draw any unwanted attention to himself. In other words, if he wanted to try and get some more lab equipment for future work, it would have to be acquired piece by piece and assembled discreetly. The last thing he needed was for someone to find him that way.
Still, there was no need for Kadaj or anyone else to know that or else he'd never get any peace. Therefore, at the mention of a 'lion cub', he froze and gave the clerk a look that promised dire consequences if he should ever think to finish that sentence before he sullenly resumed counting out his coin. Handing over the better part of 600 gil, the Professor puzzled over how much he would need to hire transport for a day along with some greens to keep it quiet. Hiring the beast would be fine enough - the greens were where the profits were made. At the offer of a bag, Hojo nodded. Might as well take something extra for his troubles. "Yes, thanks."
The clerk took the offered money, wasting no time getting the change and offering it back to the man. Deciding it was best to let the customers choose if they put the new clothes on or not, he merely offered the bag, and the scissors too in case the customer wanted to get rid of the price tags. "Is there anything else I could help you with?" He hadn't seen the man before, and didn't know if he was a local or a tourist. Since the child had needed warm clothing, it could be that they had only come for a skiing vacation, and the shop keepers often had to help with numerous things, everything from the hotels and alike, to the daily trips one could take to the glaciers or skiing centres. Or if they needed to loan a chocobo, this was the best place for that, since they had several in the back yard. "Would you like some brochures?" Offering a generous amount of restaurant and chocobo guides, he had definitely done his work right.
The kitten was getting hot and tugged at Professor's sleeve, "I'll wait for you outside…" Releasing the sleeve, he vanished outside as the bell of the shop informed about his absence. The weather wasn't bad. In fact, now that he wore the warmest clothes, the snow started looking rather tempting. There was an untouched layer of snow right by the store, so the white kitten threw himself on it and started making a snow angel, or rather, a strange looking snow kitten which had a very fuzzy tail and little ears.
Hojo took his change and the scissors when offered and started snipping away at the price tags, mentally grumbling to himself about clothes. When he was offered some brochures, he ignored all but the chocobo guides and set the scissors down to discuss it properly. "Maybe you could help me, it seems." Before he got any further, he felt that distinctive tug on his sleeve again and looked down at Kadaj. After watching until the fuzzy white tail had disappeared out the door, the Professor returned his attention to the clerk. "Yes, we were hoping to take a daytrip towards the mountains and I was wondering where I ought to hire a chocobo. If you have any sound creatures, I'd be interested in taking one out for the day. Hmm... I could give you a security deposit now but when would you be needing it back?"
"Since it's not the season just yet, I'm sure you can keep it a day or two, even three." The young clerk shrugged. They had enough chocobos for hire for half the village. Turning a page in the chocobo brochure, he placed his finger on the prices, "One day deposit would be 60 gil. If you need it longer than that, I could give you some discount." This little family was planning to go to the mountains? "It gets dark early outside, so it might be difficult to find your way back… So make sure you leave the mountains before the sun starts setting." Turning another page in the guide, he pointed his finger at the picture of a mountain in the map. Trusting this little family surviving with the help of the map, he closed it, offered it to the man and took the keys from the counter, "Right this way, Sir..." He opened the door to the back room, and took the customer through the rows of shelves, leading him outside to the garden behind the shop. There was a huge area with fences, and maybe ten chocobos prancing around and nudging each other. As he unlocked the gate, he asked, "I take it you have ridden a chocobo before?" Taking one of the chocobo by the leash, he led it out before locking the gate and offered it to the adult, "This one's pretty lazy and calm… Thought it would be best to have a calmer one when you have a child with you. Children can sometimes get scared of chocobos."
Nodding in approval, the Professor read the list of prices. It wasn't bad at all, assuming one meant to return the animal before nightfall. If it needed to be fed, it was a different story altogether. He accepted the guide and followed the clerk outside to where many of the large, flightless birds were milling about, their heads turning to regard the humans with one of their large eyes. Like all animals, they were infuriatingly sprightly early in the morning, probably just having been fed. Hojo spoke absently as he looked over the chocobos and examined their conformation. "I have, but I'll admit I'm a little out of practice."
The specimen that the clerk held on the end of a leash appeared to be one of the larger ones. Probably greedy as well as lazy. As if to confirm that, the large feathery head dipped to nudge at the clerk's pockets as though it could smell more food on him. "Wark. Waark?" The Professor raised an eyebrow and thought that this beast might be the ideal candidate. A bomb could go off next to it and it wouldn't budge… or a kitten might get excitable and start hopping around and it wouldn't be phased. "Hmm… I don't think that boy will be too scared of this creature for long. This one will do. Will it run easily or is it stubborn?" Hojo frowned up at the bird that had turned its attention to him as though expecting more food.
The pocket the chocobo had been interested in, did in fact contain several bags of chocobo food. Batting the creature's head away from his pockets, the clerk fished out one of the goody bags and offered it to the customer. "Ay, it runs. Just give him a biscuit every now and then and it'll stay happy." He stroked the chocobo's head, although the animal was now more interested in the customer who had the biscuit bag, "Just give me the deposit and you can take it right away." Pulling out a paper and a pen from his pocket, he took the chocobo's leash so the customer could take the pen and paper, "Just sign it and you're good to go."
As the chocobo's head leaned in to follow the little bag of biscuits, the wings to either side of its body flexed as though it meant to start forward but it was stopped by the leash. Hojo stashed the little bag in one of his coat pockets and frowned up at the enormous bird. It seemed to frown back as it searched for the treats that had mysteriously vanished.
The Professor handed over the 60 gil easily but hesitated when he was offered the page to sign. He didn't know what to put down. While he highly doubted that anyone would turn him in right away, he was still loathe to submit his name for fear that it one day be traced. He couldn't take any chances when he was so close to making progress for the first time in months. Stalling for time, he chatted a bit to the clerk. "I imagine that your animals will be in very high demand fairly soon. Do you breed them yourself or what way do you operate?"
Having chosen a pseudonym that he thought would be fairly innocuous, he signed the document. It read, 'Hideyoshi Akira'. Just to be sure, he signed it in Kanji as though out of habit.
Taking the money and stuffing it in his back pocket, the clerk was happy the customer seemed pleased enough. Walking to the gate of the garden, he unlocked it to let the customer and animal out to the small alley which would lead them back to the main street. "Ay, we have a farm in the country side. It's a family business. My father is a chocobo farmer, and my mother keeps this shop. It's been going great for years and at least the whole family can make their income without any worries." Taking the paper and pen without even glancing at the name, he said, "I don't want to rush you, but I have to get back to the shop. I'm alone in there most of the day today." Giving a small smile, he held the gate open.
In the meantime, the little silver kitten was getting impatient. There were now several kitten angels in the snow and he had run out of untouched layers of white, so instead he went to peek through the windows of the shop. He couldn't see anyone. Hesitantly pulling the door open, he called out, "Hojo?" But no reply came, so he pouted, wondering where the men had vanished. Before he could do anything but observe from the threshold, the clerk came back though and explained, "You father is just around the corner." Nodding his head towards said corner so the child would know, the clerk busied himself with placing the deposit money and the signed paper in a safe place. Kadaj merely closed the door and headed for the corner of the street, wondering absentmindedly if the Professor had now become his father.
"Oh, really? That's good. And of course, thank you for your help." The Professor walked through the gate and tugged the leash a little to coax the chocobo through. It cocked its head but didn't move at first until it heard a small rustling from the bag of treats. Yes, it would be a fairly easy animal to control so long as it was promised a biscuit every now and again. Halting the large beast in the alley, Hojo puzzled at whether he ought to return to the house to put the weather-proof gear on or just do it right there and be off at once. He supposed it might save him a trip if he just did it as soon as possible but there was something else preying on his mind. Kadaj might want to collect his sword and he might need to use the bathroom. Nothing would be more infuriating than having to stop for such a basic reason.
Assuming that they would be gone for most of the day, Hojo figured it might be best to ask before they set out. On that thought, he led the chocobo forward and went to look for the white kitten. As the feathery creature's long talons left their deep impressions on the snow, Hojo wondered aloud at what the clerk had said, addressing the chocobo. "You're not very intimidating. I hope Kadaj doesn't feel it necessary to pull out any of your feathers." The chocobo had nothing to add to that, other than "Wark."
As Kadaj neared the corner on the street, he could hear the distant voice of the Professor, but instantly understood that he was talking to someone so he wasn't alone. His expression grew stern with curiosity as he peeked around the corner. The cat-like eyes widened with surprise as there was a huge creature standing next to the human. Was it a monster? "What is that?!" He hissed loudly, keeping his body hidden behind the corner in case the monster liked to eat children. It didn't look like a very scary monster, but its beak was big enough to swallow him. As the huge, yellow bird made another 'Wark' sound, the white kitten decided to be brave and marched up to the Professor, pressing against his side, just in case. "Don't let it eat me." In the next moment the chocobo already got interested in the white jacket and sniffed at the remnant. The boy wrapped one arm around the Professor's thigh and with the left hand tried to push the huge chocobo head further away from himself, "Stop it! I'm poisonous!" The chocobo was lucky enough to not make the mistake of trying to tug the white jacket with its beak. That would have given the result of a very unconscious chocobo and a very unhappy remnant who wanted a new jacket.
At the sound of sudden hissing, Hojo looked around for a cat - a small white cat, to be precise. At first, he couldn't see Kadaj at all until he emerged from behind the corner and boldly strode up to him. Against the snow, the remnant was almost invisible. The Professor frowned slightly at the thought but approved again of the choice of colour if not the extra appendages attached to the outfit. He did nothing to stop the chocobo from trying to get better acquainted with the child but he did tighten his hold on the leash in case it got too interested.
"It's a chocobo, Kadaj. They're completely harmless unless you make them angry. This one is just curious, I think." Who wouldn't be curious to get a better look at such a precocious kitten? All the same, it was better not to tease the boy - the tightness of Kadaj's grip indicated he might get riled if the beast tried. "In any case, it's our transport for the day so I think you'd better be nice to it or it might get annoyed." He wondered if he ought to give the creature a biscuit to demonstrate how harmless it was. Thinking it might be a good idea, he reached into the little bag that was safely stashed in his pocket and broke one of the biscuits in half. There was no need to be too generous, after all and Kadaj could give the bird the other half. Producing the half-biscuit he held it up for the bird to take. Its eyes followed it with keen interest and the large wings flexed open again. "Wark! Waark!"
The silver kitten observed the monster bird with curiosity. Trusting the adult's opinion, he stole the biscuit half from the Professor's hand and offered it to the bird, but before the large animal reached his hand, he threw the biscuit bit in the air, nearly shouting "Catch!" The observant animal had no trouble extending its neck and opening its beak to catch the flying treat. A pleased smirk twisted the remnant's lips. He really liked it when living things did as he told them to. Looking a bit more excited, he gazed up at his human friend and asked, "We'll ride it?" Looking back at the big animal, he was all ready to climb on its back and order it to run. Thinking it was best to get along with the animal, he took the remains of the biscuit from the Professor's hand and now stepped closer to the bird, releasing his hold of the human's thigh, "Come here, monster…" He talked in a gentle tone, like he was addressing a kitten, taking slow steps closer to the huge creature, "Come, come…" As soon as the beak touched his hand, he stayed firm, not even twitching, just staring as the biscuit vanished from his palm and then started stroking the feathery neck of the animal, "Good boy," He purred when the bird munched the biscuit, not even reacting to the child's touch. Turning his silver and white head, the boy asked, "Is it a girl or a boy? How can you tell?"
The elder probably should have guessed that the child would do something like that and while it was irritating at first, it was a step in the right direction as far as getting used to the chocobo was concerned. Therefore, he would let it slide without complaint. It was rather interesting watching how a timid Kadaj turned brave and determined so quickly. Interesting and rather amusing. The chocobo certainly wasn't complaining and it seemed to enjoy all the attention as Kadaj stroked its neck. Asked how it was that one differentiated males from females, Hojo said little. Hardly a fitting subject for one so young, remnant or not. "There are ways of telling but we have to be on our way soon. The man in the shop said it was male. Do you need to use the bathroom before we go and would you like to collect your sword?"
If Kadaj said 'yes' Hojo planned to get the boy used to the idea of riding the chocobo as soon as possible… though he would have to make the child promise not to kick the animal or there would be some consequences.
Shaking his head at first because everything would mean a delay and he was eager to go look for his Mother, he changed his mind, the shaking replaced by nodding, "Yes, I need my sword." The chocobo still hadn't eaten him and the more Kadaj looked at it, the more he sort of liked it. "I want to ride it," He demanded and stepped to one side of the large bird, stroking its feathers to let the bird know he was there. The more he would touch it, the less likely it would mind if he sat on it. "Can you lift me up?" The remnant asked with a pleading tone. This tone was especially reserved for the Professor because the boy liked him so much and respected him. Indeed, this specific tone would rarely be heard from his mouth when he got older. His basic nature repelled against any kind of asking or begging, instead demanding was more natural for him. Hopping eagerly with anticipation, he tried to climb up but the feathers were slippery under his new white mittens and boots. Perhaps he could have gotten up by himself, if he had backed off and ran then jumped, but it was so convenient to ask the Professor's help with everything since he was there.
Satisfied with this arrangement, the Professor bent slightly and picked Kadaj up without a word, holding him under his slender arms. The little kitten was soft and had small flecks of snow still clinging to its fur from where it had apparently been lying in the snow. The remnant was very light, even with the addition of extra layers of clothing and it was an easy task to transfer the small creature to the chocobo's back. The bird watched out of one of its large eyes and stood relaxed as the little remnant was placed on its back, behind the wings.
A giant yellow bird with a small, white kitten perched atop it. Were Kadaj to lie down, he would be lost to view behind the wings that folded about the chocobo's body. "Okay. Now grip with your knees and don't kick him, Kadaj. Save that for when we're pointing in the right direction." Hojo spoke sternly to ensure he was understood. He highly doubted the bird would listen to Kadaj - it seemed too lazy to respond and would likely only break into a false trot that would last only a few paces before it settled down again. In any case, it wouldn't go far if it knew that the treats would be left behind in the process. Safe in that knowledge, the Professor tugged a bit at the leash to get the animal moving. It complied happily enough and moved forward with bold, almost self-satisfied strides.
The remnant felt weightless and only released a tiny, impatient sound of stubbornness as he was suddenly able to straddle the giant animal. The white kitten wore an expression of childish beaming, emerald eyes sparkling with happiness now that he was high up and tried to clutch at the feathers with his slippery mittens. The chocobo's neck was so long and its head so big, he could barely see where they were going, but he didn't really care to know either. He was too busy looking down and looking at the houses, he could've easily reached for the Professor's head because he was now high enough for that. The Silver King of the world, all the little humans short and slow, somewhere below him. "I'm going to call it Sephiroth…" The white kitten declared and reached his arms around the Sephiroth-chocobos neck because the feathers were too slippery to hold properly. When they neared the house, he could recognise it but wasn't disappointed because soon they'd be riding the chocobo for a long time. "Sephiroth, stop!" He demanded, but the chocobo clearly wasn't listening to him. Frowning when his request was ignored, he told the human companion, "Tell it to stop. I want to come down…"
Hojo rolled his eyes to himself as Kadaj named the chocobo. It really didn't seem very fitting, since the man to whom that name belonged had been vengeful and god-like, where this animal was rather more laid back and possessed a simpler mind. Keeping his silence until he was ordered to halt the animal, Hojo held the lead near the top to restrict the bird's movement forward. It stopped easily, clearly easy-going and not at all bothered by a demanding child sitting astride it.
There was a small bit of fencing near the side of the house and Hojo tied the animal's lead off there before turning his attention back to the remnant. His face wore the half-smile of someone who knows more than the person they are addressing. "You want to come down, do you? You could ask it to bend for you." Most chocobos were trained to sit down so that they might be easier to mount. It was possible to mount one while it was standing with the aid of a mounting block or even a box but Hojo was interested to see if Kadaj could manage. "Put your arms around its neck and pull back lightly - it should respond for you."
The child stared at the human for a moment in confusion. He'd been planning to get lifted down by the Professor and he made a tiny noise of complaint. His lips pursed slightly before he addressed the chocobo, "Sephiroth… bend for me!" Sephiroth wasn't paying attention. Huffing with annoyance, the remnant wrapped his white arms around its neck, most likely bringing the animal into slight distress because the touch was so demanding. As the remnant pulled the soft neck furiously, the poor bird made a sound of confusion and shifted its feet before kneeling, perhaps hoping the child would get off quickly or else it might have to shake him down before it got strangled by those white arms.
As soon as the bird was closer to the ground, the remnant released his hold and slid down, landing firmly on both feet. Looking up at the Professor with an expression which clearly read 'You could have lifted me down', he marched over to the door, waiting for it to be opened for His Majesty Silver Kitten.
Eyes widening in concern for the chocobo's welfare, something he wouldn't normally be bothered with, Hojo watched as the poor creature righted itself after being half-strangled and rustled its feathers back into place. He looked down at Kadaj with that same expression of mild shock before he opened the door for the remnant. There was no way he would be letting Kadaj take the reins anytime soon.
After opening the door, he fished out a biscuit and tossed it to 'Sephiroth' by way of keeping him happy. The chocobo accepted it gladly enough and seemed to forget about the whole thing as the treat was crunched in its beak. Hojo leaned up against the fence after placing his satchel on the ground and donned his weatherproofs quickly after removing his coat. The air was still and cold but the clothes he'd bought were living up to their claim as they were zipped up. The chocobo watched with interest as he folded his labcoat and put it in the satchel – it would serve to cushion the sample containers and stop the biscuits from being broken en route. Having traded his usual white for black, the Professor looked toward the exit out of town. They might have a clear day all day.
As soon as the door was open, the white kitten vanished inside the house. He left a trail of snow in his wake when he walked over to the couch and grabbed his double-bladed Katana, putting it on in its rightful place. As he was heading back to the door, he caught movement in the corner of his eye and turned. There was a funny-looking white cat-boy watching him from the mirror. Wasting no time, he stripped off the new clothes and pulled the Souba from its sheath. Grabbing the white tail, he cut it off and soon the ears had been cut away too. Pleased by this result, he got dressed again and twirled in front of the mirror, "Mm, much better…" Now he looked more like a snowball than a cat and left the room, closing the front door behind him. "I'm ready," He announced and neared the chocobo again. The large bird either had a short memory or was forgiving when it came to children because it made no complaint when Kadaj started stroking its head. Turning his own head to look at the adult, he asked, "Can we ride it together?"
Looking round as Kadaj emerged, sans tail or ears, Hojo nodded approvingly and crossed over to lock the door once more. A glance inside revealed a measure of snow upon the floor and he winced at the knowledge that it would soon melt and form into puddles. There was no time to waste clearing it out so it had to be left there as the door was first locked and tested to ensure that it was locked. Stowing the keys safely away, the Professor looked to Kadaj and nodded again. "That's the notion. Please stand back a moment."
Hojo untied the leash from where it had been loosely knotted around the fencing and adjusted the strap so that it attached to either side of the bird's beak - forming a pair of reins. Checking that it was secure, the elder pulled back firmly, arching the chocobo's neck backwards. It got the signal and bent low to the ground, almost to the point of sitting down. Satisfied, the Professor straddled it behind the wings and shimmied back a bit to make room for the little remnant. Beckoning, he turned to the still-furry but no longer quite so feline child. "You'll sit in front of me, Kadaj."
Now that there was someone else riding the chocobo too, Kadaj didn't have to worry about how to get on it or how to get down. Then again, if he hadn't convinced himself of being so helpless, Kadaj could have easily jumped down from the chocobo's back earlier. He was as flexible as an acrobat and his little body had more strength than an average human's. If he had jumped from the top of a building, he would have landed on both feet, elegantly like a cat. And he had more lives than nine, so he was very capable of taking care of himself and surviving any situation without any real harm done. Giving a little smile of excitement, he climbed on the chocobo, groping the human thighs for support as the feathers were slippery underneath his white mittens. When he got up, he was at first seated so that he was facing the adult. Wearing that small smile, he turned and declared, "Sephiroth, run!" The giant bird didn't care to obey but Kadaj was too happy to know that they were finally on their way to look for Jenova, so instead of trying to make the animal take his orders, he just leaned on the Professor and let him take the reins. By now, he was so used to seeing the man in the white jacket that the new black clothing caught his interest. It was a nice colour and it looked really good. The clothes could really turn someone from doctor- looking into someone who looked like they were about to go skiing. To any outsider, they looked like a father and son who were on a winter holiday. Clutching some of the feathers in the back of the chocobo's neck, he was very ready to head for the mountains.
The elder flinched a bit as two little paws groped at him while Kadaj clambered up onto the chocobo's back and smiled that mischievous little smile. He waited for Kadaj to turn round and face the direction of travel before he made ready to coax the bird back to standing. This was achieved very simply by gripping the bird harder with his knees until it straightened up in a smooth movement. Steering the animal by the reins, Hojo turned 'Sephiroth' and urged him forward into a brisk walk. Slow at first, the animal complied before it fluttered its wings a bit and obeyed properly.
Seeking the route out of town, Hojo kept the chocobo at that pace to avoid running over any curious urchins who might suddenly appear from little side-streets as they played. He could tell that the remnant enjoyed the fact of being high up but wondered if he ought to hold the boy round the waist in case he slipped off to either side when the chocobo picked up speed. While it had certainly been a long time since he'd ridden one of the giant, flightless birds, he was quickly growing accustomed again to the slightly swaying gait of the animal. As each leg moved, the chocobo's body dipped slightly to the side and rose on the other as the weight was taken. Sitting further back than he normally would, Hojo found it was more noticeable. "Alright, Kadaj?"
The wide-eyed boy was observing houses and sights as they rode through the town and headed towards the endless desert of white. "Uhuh," He agreed, not minding his moving seat. The boy's thighs were pressing against the sides of the bird and he was prepared to wrap his arms around the animal's neck if he was at risk of falling off. It wasn't bad at all when they weren't going too fast. He was able to sit in a relaxed manner and the Professor's arms were just close enough for him to grab those too. When they got onto the fields of snow, the only thing that kept Kadaj constantly visible to the eye was the Souba. "It's very white…" The boy said over his shoulder. The sun was shining through a very thin layer of clouds and it was so bright, the emerald green sparkled when he narrowed his eyes, the amount of light almost painful. He got used to it soon enough, able to keep his gaze on the horizon. Luckily, the mountains far ahead were big enough for him to see even when the chocobo's massive head kept blocking most of his view.
The Professor kept the chocobo moving forwards at that brisk pace until the town of Icicle was maybe half a mile in their wake. The light was indeed dazzling as they entered the vast, frozen plain but it couldn't be helped. Soon enough, all tracks and signs of movement that had been left upon the snow were gone, leaving only smooth whiteness before them. The Professor checked their heading by scanning the mountains, seeking a very distinctive peak and steering the enormous bird round until it was in his sights.
Preferring not to take any chances, Hojo transferred the reins to one hand and made sure that they were in a constant contact with the chocobo's beak. His free hand slipped round the snowy remnant's waist and held him as he gave their mount two firm kicks. "Don't fall off now." Seeming a little friskier, the bird pranced a few paces before it settled into an easy run, the neck arched as though in pride. Feeling that it could do better than that, Hojo gave it another firm kick to get it running properly. "Wark! Waark!" The message got, the bird's head dipped forward as it dashed and the Professor extended the hand holding the reins forward to allow the chocobo to run relatively unhindered. As the bird's legs moved faster, the swaying gait evened out.
The white remnant liked adventures and the further they went, the happier he became. It was so thrilling. Who knew what would be waiting for them when they'd reach the mountains? Anything could happen. When the human arm slid around his waist protectively, he knew what was going to take place. As soon as the chocobo started running, he started laughing, the excited sound echoing over the fields. He had to place his hand over the human arm to make sure he wouldn't fall off while laughing. Once he finally managed to quieten down, he leaned on the human chest and tilted his head until he could somewhat see Hojo's face from that strange point of view, "This is fun," He said. It was much nicer to be here with the Professor than if he'd been all alone. As the sights got rather dull after a while, just snow, Kadaj started fantasising about travelling to other places. Perhaps they could go to a jungle together. Or a beach. Somewhere pretty and warm. But of course they would have to find Mother and Sephiroth first. Or maybe Mother preferred the cold places, since she'd gone hiding to the mountains. "Do you think she'll be there?" He asked suddenly and again craned his neck in an attempt to see the human face, even though it was impossible to tell what the expression on it was.
Scanning the horizon in front of him for any approaching obstacles, the Professor was settling into the chocobo's rhythm as any nerves about riding after such a long time began to dissipate. The beast's eyes were wide open and it would naturally avoid anything that might block its path unless it was too large to avoid - unlike a car. Otherwise, it would attempt to jump over the obstacle or stop. Reminding himself of that, Hojo found amusement in Kadaj's laughter. Such a child. He didn't particularly find riding to be 'fun' but it certainly seemed more preferable when there was someone else present. Glancing down at the large green eyes, he smiled a bit. "You seem to be doing well for your first time riding." It was true - some children might've wanted to be let off or cried when sitting up so high. Strange beings. After a while, the terrain was beginning to change as the ground started sloping. They'd reached the foot of the mountains. Soon they would have to seek ways through to get to the one they wanted. The chocobo would need to slow down soon to rest and to let them manoeuvre properly. Hojo heard Kadaj's question and looked grave. "I hope so, Kadaj. It's the only place she could be." He thought to himself about a related matter. If Jenova was there, in what shape would she be? He wouldn't have any idea what he was looking for until he found it. He looked down and asked seriously, "Kadaj, do you recognise anywhere here? You spoke of a tunnel that led into the crater."
The remnant was definitely enjoying the ride and the adventure. As the terrain changed, Kadaj took a hold of the protective arm around him so not to slide off from the chocobo's back. Of course Kadaj recognised the place – he had just been there the day before. Nodding firmly, he pointed at a rock further away, "The tunnel is behind that rock…" The tunnel hadn't been large, but the adult would survive if he kept his head down. As the mountains blocked the direct sunlight, it was easier to keep his eyes open without them watering because of the brightness of the snow. The rock they were nearing had sharp edges and the chocobo's leash could probably be tied to the rock while they went to investigate the cave. Shivers of excitement kept crawling up the child's back and he was quickly getting impatient to get down on the ground. "Let's go inside the cave," he pleaded, as if they weren't almost there already, and started squirming, "Let me down…"
As Kadaj pointed, Hojo's gazed followed and lighted upon the rock that supposedly hid the tunnel behind it. One look told him that the tunnel wasn't likely to be very big, as he couldn't see it plainly. Another thing he noted was that Kadaj must have been wandering through it for a while as they were some distance yet from the crater itself. Either way, the Professor kept a firm grip on the small remnant and drew back on the reins to slow the chocobo down. Its pace slackened and turned again into a prance that was neither a walk nor a run while its head arched back again to its normal position. "Waaark!" Hojo felt that if he didn't get the bird to stop soon, Kadaj would wriggle free whether they were in motion or not and potentially hurt himself. Well… it would serve him right if he did. Such impatience. The scientist was impatient as well, but he was going to make damn sure he could get down the tunnel in one piece. "Hey, wait just a second longer, will you?" The chocobo, 'Sephiroth', was still prancing a bit but breaking stride to assume a walk.
"Stop, Sephiroth!" The restless child commanded, but the chocobo ignored him. His feet were swaying and toes wiggling inside the white boots, but he remained seated because the man's arm held him in place. Sighing as he tried to keep his childish energy bottled for a moment longer, he tilted his head and stared up at the upside-down vision of the Professor's face, "I don't think he'll fit in the tunnel…" He muttered. There was something about the place that made his blood itch.
His patience tested, the Professor drew firmly back on the reins until the chocobo had been brought to a halt and lowered its body towards the ground. Releasing the remnant, looking straight down at Kadaj, Hojo shook his head. "I don't think he'd appreciate it if he could." Dismounting in the usual manner, the Professor picked Kadaj up long enough to transfer him from the back of the chocobo and deposit him in the snow. While he highly doubted that the bird would wander off, he felt it would be safer to tie the beast up before leaving it alone. He adjusted the reins back into the form of a simple leash and tied it securely to one of the jutting spurs of the rock. As an afterthought, the Professor hunted in his knapsack for almost all of the biscuits that remained and dumped them in front of the chocobo. The bird tucked in with gusto, contented. With those small tasks done, Hojo could turn his attention to the tunnel. He frowned at it. It was rather short and seemed very narrow. It could be easily missed by anyone who happened to be passing. "Through here, you say?" Though he was very keen to press on, there was something very off-putting about the prospect of a long walk through a darkened tunnel.
The white clad Kadaj was more than pleased when he didn't have to try to make the chocobo kneel, and instead received this treatment of an aristocrat; being lifted down. Despite his impatience, the remnant enjoyed being spoiled, thus sat rather patiently until he was able to wrap his white arms around the Professor's neck and waited until there was suddenly a solid ground under his feet. Releasing his hold of the human, he smiled victoriously and observed Hojo's movements with keen eyes. He could see how many cookies Sephiroth-chocobo was given but soon lost his interest and turned to look into the tunnel. Taking a few steps closer to the entrance of the passageway, he looked at the human over his shoulder and asked, "Are you afraid of narrow places?" The expression on the Professor's face said so – at least Kadaj couldn't think of any other reason why the adult didn't look as eager as one would have expected. Children had very sharp eyes, even when they didn't have unnatural senses like this remnant did. The white, tail-less, ear-less kitten released a small laugh. He was afraid of nothing and the itch in his blood had been replaced by a rush of adrenaline. Suddenly strong and fearless in the same way children were when they didn't understand the possible danger of the situation – like a child who didn't know the stove was burning hot after cooking – he made a promise, "Don't worry, Hojo… I'll protect you." Despite being so childishly naïve and innocent, the boy was still carrying a deadly twin blade on his back. "Do you have a torch?" he suddenly asked. Kadaj could see easily in the dark but he didn't know if the Professor could.
Looking between the dark fissure in the wall of rock and the bright green eyes that regarded him from the young face of Kadaj, Hojo shook his head. He wasn't afraid of narrow spaces per se but this was no ordinary narrow space. It was a tunnel that lead into the heart of the North Crater, where Jenova had crashed to ground and been entombed in ice, where Sephiroth had been entombed in mako, and where they both presumably remained. Feeling the first creeping feelings of pins and needles, the Professor thought he might just have to grin and bear it. Kadaj's offer to protect him was kind, even if the elder doubted that the boy would be able to swing the sword in such a tight gap, unless it widened out further in. Sighing, he dug in his knapsack again and produced some flares. He had several of them but would have to move quickly to make them last. "I have flares. Hopefully they'll last. Lead on, Kadaj." He looked back over his shoulder at the chocobo who was watching with some polite interest but showing no move to spring loose. Good. Readying the first flare for use when the light had thinned to nothing, Hojo went to follow Kadaj.
As soon as the adult was following him, the small boy stepped into the dark tunnel with walls of rock. It wasn't too narrow in width but it wasn't very high, so anyone taller than him might have to crouch to fit in. For his size, it was convenient. Had the remnant heard the Professor's thoughts, he would have pointed out that the man didn't have to worry. The size of the tunnel wouldn't provide much room for any sort of attack, especially not from anyone or anything larger than Kadaj himself. Fearless, the child started humming as he stepped deeper into the darkness, his innocent voice echoed in the passageway. A tiny movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention and as his head turned in a snap, he was almost face to face with a large spider. Smiling to the oblivious creature, he extended his mitten covered hand. The spider wasn't used to company and as the hand neared, it darted into a hole in the wall, vanishing from the child's view. A hum of disappointment echoed in the darkness before Kadaj resumed his careless humming. "Follow me," he encouraged happily, pleased to be the one who had already been here before. It was easy for him to hear the following footsteps as their echo bounced smoothly from the surrounding walls. Taking a faster pace, he stalked ahead, carefully listening for the human behind him to make sure he didn't get lost on their way. The other end of the tunnel was a circle of light ahead. Excitement rushed in the boy's veins at the prospect of possibly finding his mother, possibly even Sephiroth.
Less than ten paces in, Hojo heard and followed the child by his humming. He figured that even if the flares ran out, he would be able to locate Kadaj that way. However, he was not enjoying having to crouch low as he made his way forward. In that regard, he pulled one of the flares and lit it. Instantly, the tunnel was bathed in a ghostly, red glow that threw stark shadows ahead of Kadaj and behind the Professor. Any lingering insects or arachnids that were sensitive to light scurried away into whatever cracks in the rock in which they dwelt. With light safely cast, Hojo could move forward at a more confident pace than one who is merely feeling their way along. Examining the walls of the tunnel, the scientist wondered if the tunnel had always been there, or had been created in the sudden rush of the lifestream bursting through to the surface. Since he was not a geologist, he couldn't be sure and returned his attention to the snowy, eerily glowing remnant ahead of him.
In spite of the freezing air outside, inside the tunnel there was a strong smell of damp, almost like it had been raining. As if something was keeping the rock warm, the atmosphere was filled with moisture and an eerie drop of water landed on Kadaj's nose. Scrunching his nose as he wiped it off, he knew it was definitely warmer inside the cave than outside in the whiteness. Turning his head to check up on the human, the red light was enough to make him narrow his sensitive eyes and turn his head away. "We're almost there!" the excited child exclaimed and started running, his little boots stomping as he neared the light at the end of the tunnel. Before exiting, he stopped and turned to wait for Hojo, not wanting to abandon him in the tunnel. For the child, the tunnel wasn't long because the speed of his running was way faster than an ordinary human's.
Half stooped, holding the flare out ahead of him, there was no way that Hojo could have kept up with Kadaj even if the remnant had been a normal child. Though he was making a good pace through the tunnel, he was still being cautious for fear that something would break off, or suddenly confront him. The chill, crisp air of the outside had been left far behind while the air ahead definitely seemed muggy by comparison. One of the first signs of that, was how the elder's breath stopped rising in a mist as he exhaled. Suddenly, Kadaj piped up and took off with steps that, though light, sounded very loud in the tunnel – echoing back very loudly. "Hey! Wait!" The remnant disappeared into the gloom and the Professor was left to follow along as fast as he dared without barking his head or his elbow off the sides of the tunnel. About halfway to where Kadaj waited, Hojo lowered the flare and could make out some light at the other end. That was a better sign. Encouraged, he hurried on until he had caught up with the remnant some minutes later. By that point, the elder was a little out of breath while the child was not. "You ran all the way here? How are you not- no, never mind..." A remnant of Sephiroth; that was probably why.