witchesreign | (seventeenth miracle) BBS + action

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(seventeenth miracle) BBS + action

[BBS]
Does anyone know how to train a chocobo or any similar big birds to take a rider? We took PET 101 together so she's pretty good about most commands, but she wouldn't let me on for Wishing Star so we never really got to work on riding. I guess I should have asked at the chocobo ranch back on Balamb continent, but I never really thought about riding her until we got here. - Mikuru

[ACTION]
[Out by the front gates is Mikuru, wrapped in a hundred layers and holding out some Gysahl Greens in her mittened hands to Yuko, the two-year-old and thus almost fully grown chocobo.]

Lie down! [The chocobo lies down accordingly.] Good girl! Now, stay...

[Mikuru walks backwards slowly to the chocobo's side. As she gets close enough to mount, Yuko stands abruptly and darts off. Perhaps into your character's way?]

Yuko, no!

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[Yep, all up in his way.

Gakupo was just minding his business, when a rogue chocobo runs towards him. All he wants to do is buy a few strings for his guitar, or maybe even a cute gift for Sigyn, but nooooo--

He tumbles out the way just in time, looking at the chocobo, perplexed by the events. He then looks towards where the animal came from and spots Mikuru.]

Uh...what's going on?

[Oh, gawd.] Yuko, stop - stay!

[With a gleeful WARK, Yuko stops some yards away from Gakupo, but hops from foot to foot as if she's dancing. Mikuru stares her down for a moment to check she's actually staying in one spot, then drops an apologetic bow to Gakupo.] Sorry! I'm trying to train her for riding.

Ah, that's what's going on? [Gakupo dusts himself off before glancing to the chocobo.] Are you sure you don't want to get a professional for this? They are an unruly bunch...

Maybe I should take her to the chocobo ranch when we get back... I wanted to take her to the chocobo forest and let her see some of the wild chocobo, but I don't want to drive in all this. [She gestures out beyond the campus.]

I wouldn't advise it, but maybe a visit to the forest will be good exercise. You'll just need to make sure your chocobo can actually handle the elements out there. [He's certain to chocobo here are used to the cold.]

That's a good point, she hatched on Balamb... [She eyes Yuko, then takes off a hat (she's wearing more than one), clearly contemplating wrapping up the bird.]

[He didn't expect Mikuru to have another hat on...]

How long ago did she hatch?

[Mikuru takes layering seriously.] Um... [She looks at the sky for a moment, trying to remember, then looks back at Gakupo, surprised.] She's two! [Oh, how time flies!

[Yuko gives a "wark" of agreement.]

...is that how we add up a chocobo's age? [Maybe the'yre like dogs or cats!]

Well, I don't think we were taught anything about chocobo years, just the approximate human age when they're fully grown adults. [She looks up to Yuko, patting her side.] Yuko's not too far off.

[Or into Osaka's face. Actually, it's not much of a collision - at best, she's brushed by a wingtip as the chocobo runs past - but it's enough of one, considering Osaka frequently trips over her own feet with no provocation at all. She goes down, mittens windmilling ineffectually.]

Whoa!

[Wow, that's a big bird...]

[Mikuru lets the chocobo go to run to Osaka and offer her a hand up, mortified.] I am so sorry!

[Noticing she's not being chased after or yelled at, Yuko actually stops some distance away to watch.]

[The hand is pretty much necessary, but Osaka doesn't look any less cheerful once she's back on her feet than she did before getting knocked off them.] No, no, I'm sorry! Guess I just didn't see y'all standing there.

[Even though Mikuru's clothes would probably dwarf her if piled up, never mind the chocobo.]

Say, is that your bird?

[Well, if Osaka is willing to write off Yuko's run into her path as "standing there", so is Mikuru. She nods, and calls to Yuko:] Heel!

[Now that no one's trying to hop on her, Yuko's quite happy to trot over to Mikuru's side, regarding Osaka curiously.] I first got her in a home economics project a couple of years ago, but I still kept taking care of her after the project was over because I enjoyed it... even though she can be trouble sometimes.

Wark! [That was a bit indignant.]

Oh, I see! Well, she's really pretty. I bet you could fit a whole snowman under her.

[She beams at Yuko. No hard feelings!]

[Yuko can recognize a compliment in the tone and the smile, and with a small "wark", she preens.]

... Putting a snowman under her would probably be cold...

[The perils of getting somewhat used to Osaka: Going along with her whims.]

Yeah, probably... but what else could you put under her around these parts? Last time I went out there, all I could find was a whole lot of snow and not a whole lot of anything else. [She looks up at Yuko again.] What do you think? You're the one who's gotta sit on it.

[As Mikuru looks on, skeptical, Yuko looks up from her preening and tilts her head, a gesture she's picked up from her owner.]

[Since she did just ask a question, Osaka stands there and waits in patient but expectant silence.

This might take a while if nothing else intervenes.]

[Mikuru decides to be that intervention.] I don't think it would be a good idea: She'd get wet, and isn't that bad when it's this cold out? It wouldn't do to get her sick.

[She has her doubts about the infirmary and animals, and doesn't know where the nearest vet is here.]

Oh... yeah, that's true! I didn't think of that.

So there really isn't anything we could put under her in a hurry around here, huh? [She tilts her own head, although she's not trying to imitate the chocobo.] That's a real dilemma.

[Mikuru wonders if she might regret this question.] Why are we putting anything under her...?

'Cause she's big!

[Her amicable, entirely guileless smile has just been redirected from Yuko to Mikuru.]

[Mikuru's gaze starts drifting to the sky in confusion.] I've never really put anything under her before... She'll stand or sit on things if she wants to, but I don't know about the other way around.

Ah, okay.

[She looks from Mikuru to Yuko and back again.]

If that's the case... do you need any help with it? You know, to move stuff under her while you hold her still, or something like that.

[Evidently bored, Yuko bends down and nudges at Mikuru's hand, managing to pull a Green from her.]

... I think I'll be fine, thank you.

Okay! Just wondering. I guess it should wait until after you're done feeding her, come to think. That would make sense. [A beat.] Hey, can I try to feed her?

[Surprised, Mikuru nods, and, keeping an eye on Yuko so she doesn't try to steal some mid-transfer, offers Osaka a Green. Once that's done, she holds her last Gysahl Green up at her own waist level.] Like this. You don't need to hold it too high; she can bend down for it.

Okay, gotcha!

[Osaka is too enrapt with the Green in her hand to actually watch Mikuru's demonstration, and immediately flourishes it over her head like she's trying to signal Yuko over.

After waving it a couple of times, though, she stops rather suddenly.]

Owww...

[Yuko watches the waving Green eagerly, and takes its stopping as a cue to snatch it. Mikuru, though, is concerned.] Are you alright?

I think I pulled something...

[She lowers her arm a bit stiffly and rubs her shoulder for a second.]

I'm okay, I'm okay. Wow, you really went for it, huh? [This last part is addressed to Yuko.]

[Yuko gives something that looks like a nod, munching happily on her greens.]

Would you like me to take you to the infirmary?

[She shakes her head.] No, no, it's okay! I think I'm okay. See? [To demonstrate, she waves both of her arms expansively.

Then she winces a little and stops again.]

...Ow.

[Mikuru winces sympathetically.] Okay, I'm going to take Yuko back to her nest and you to the infirmary.

[She smiles sheepishly.] Well, that's real nice of you...

[With some visible difficulty, she manages to relax both of her arms, but then pauses as an idea strikes her.]

Oh, say, does she stand or sit on anything in her nest? Maybe you could take some snow in there while you're out here.

I don't think it would be very comfortable for her to sit on...

[Stepping forward, she holds up her last Green to Yuko to get her attention, with her free palm up to stop her from taking the Green. This is in accented Arabic:] Going home now.

[Yuko chirps in acknowledgement and starts heading back inside.]

What color is she? Moogles have chocobo taming in their blood, so I know a thing or two.

Though if she's yellow, a combat pet, and still won't take you as a rider, there's a pretty good chance she never will.

[Of course, Emias is totally oblivious to the fact that Yuko's not entirely full-grown.]

Yes, she's yellow, she's a chocobo from this world. We didn't manage to learn everything from PET 101 - the instructor said not all skills work for all pets, but I was hoping she might grow into allowing a rider eventually as we got to know each other... - Mikuru

Grow?

Wait, she's not full-size yet? No wonder she won't take a human-size rider. She's not strong enough yet and she knows it. You've gotta wait for them to fully mature and then ease them into the idea.

We first started looking at riding with a Limit Break technique that was developed with a dog. Not a huge one, either, but she would still take a human rider for a little while. So I thought it would be okay now that she's bigger than when we took the class. What's a better age or size for her for riding?

Dogs are dogs, birds are birds. Two entirely different skeletal structures. Hell, their bones are different.

Typically chocobos will be able to take a rider once they're old enough to lay eggs, assuming you have a girl. At least, that's what I remember from my family back home. I dunno an easy way to tell if it's a boy, myself... never was much of the chocobo type.

As it stands, you might want to try easing her into the idea of carrying a load. Try letting her carry smaller-than-human creatures at first.

[Emias isn't going to offer himself, but moogles are chocobo ranchers in Jylland for a reason.]

Edited 2013-04-23 01:14 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure she's a girl! Not that she's had eggs yet, but she looked different to the boy chocobos in our home ec class. Easing her into it sounds like a good idea. [Espio, run.] Thank you for the advice!

No problem. Sometimes some of what I know is actually useful.

Do you have any other useful tips for chocobo raising that don't necessarily have to do with riding?

Hmm.

Be gentle with 'em, though I assume that much you already know. Keep the greens as treats instead of their sole source of feed; if they don't learn to graze on their own, they get spoiled and uppity. That's fine if you're raising a breeder that you want to attract other chocobos, but for a companion 'bo or a rider, that causes a lot more problems than you'd expect.

Oh, no, I never thought about breeding her. I've mostly just been using Gysahl Greens for rewards and reinforcement.

Then you should be fine, really, sounds like you already were told how to properly care for one.

I figured some extra information never hurts. Thank you again!

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(seventeenth miracle) BBS + action

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[BBS]

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Mikuru does not have happy icons right now so have the chicobo in question