the one year anniversary is a perfect excuse to wrestle chocobos

[stayb100ponyboy]

[The video feeds turns on just in time to catch a loud crash and for the camera to be completely covered in black material. Then the darkness lifts, showing a view of a backyard, complete with a splintered, broken wooden fence and Equius, stalking a blue chocobo.]

[Does anyone remember when Darkleer was a chick and was small enough to ride around on Equius' shoulder? Those days are long past, and it's an almost fully grown, towering feathery asshole that is ducking and weaving, all while warking joyously, as Equius chases him around the yard with a saddle.]

Aha, you think I'll give up that easily? You're wearing this saddle whether you like it or not!

[Equius lunges, Darkleer kicks him in the chest, Equius flies backwards and crashes into the fence, sending more splinters into the air. It's hard to tell who is having a better time here.]

[OOC: it's my Vatheon one year anniversary today! Thank you, everyone, for a year's worth of amazing RP!]

Comments

[420]

Yeah. Did ya ever all fuckin' meet her before the game?

[stayb100ponyboy]

Once or twice. It was difficult, though, since we lived so far apart.

[420]

I bet.

[He understands the troubles of distance. He really does.]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[He knows you do, baby. He knows.]

[Time to steer the conversation towards happier things!]

You know, I haven't been here that long, but this place feels more like home to me now than Alternia.

[420]

It does, don't it? Fuckin' magical how that shit all works out.

[He reaches up to pat Pounce's beak, receiving a pleased chirring sound from the chocobo as she presses her head against his.]

Way better here than home.

[stayb100ponyboy]

Yes.

[Equius leans in to kiss Gamzee's cheek.]

It really is.

[420]

[See, he gets kisses here! Way better than home.]

You wanna try riding these bros now?

[stayb100ponyboy]

Okay.

[While they've been talking, Equius has stealthily gotten the saddle fastened on Darkleer's back.]

Do you want to take Pounce and I'll try Mr. Personality here?

[420]

[Gamzee gives him a little grin.]

You'd really up and be trusting me to ride that motherfucker?

[He is familiar with your fussing, babe. He is.]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Equius looks at Darkleer, and Darkleer looks back at Equius, and they come to an agreement.]

No. You'd be better with Pounce.

[Pounce, at least, doesn't randomly tackle people for fun.]

[420]

[Gamzee could handle the tackles! Just cause he is skinny like a stick doesn't mean he would just snap. Really. Probably.

Gamzee just shares a look with Pounce though. Doesn't matter. He gets along better with the sedate chocobo anyway.]

I'm cool with that.

[stayb100ponyboy]

All right. You put a foot in the stirrup--that's this thing here--grab the saddle's horn--that's that thing there--and pull yourself up onto her back.

[420]

[That sounds simple enough. He can do that.

He grips the saddle horn, puts one sneaker in the stirrup and OH GOD IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GO LIKE THAT. WHY WAS THE STIRRUP AROUND HIS ANKLE NOW.

FORGET THAT. WHY WAS HIS OTHER LEG JUST KINDA SWUNG AWKWARD HALFWAY ONTO THE CHOCOBOS BACK THIS IS WHY AND UNCOMFORTABLE, HALP.]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[The long-suffering Pounce holds completely still as Gamzee dangles awkwardly off her back. Equius steps up and puts his shoulder near Gamzee's foot.]

Put your foot on me and use that to push yourself up into the saddle the rest of the way.

[He should have gotten a step stool. Behind them, Darkleer is making the bright, cheerful chocobo sounds that Summoner or Tavros would recognize immediately as laughter.]

[420]

[Yeah well, wark wark wark to you too buddy.

Gamzee manages to push himself further up with Equius' help, landing none too elegantly in the saddle, trying not to slide off again.]

Woah.

[stayb100ponyboy]

Remember when I was a centaur and you were riding on my back? It's not much different from that. Hold on to her with your legs, and you can hold either the saddle horn or her reins to keep yourself from falling.

[He's very sure that Pounce won't bolt with Gamzee on her back.]

[420]

Riding you felt different.

[Well, it had! Pounce is kinda more a roundish bird. It definitely forces his stance different. And when he had been on Equius' back he could cling to his chest. Pounce would probably not let him cling to her slender neck, no matter how good of a chocobo she is.]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Equius... is just not even going to go there. Let the fresh trickle of sweat running down his temple indicate his feelings on how you phrased that, Gamzee.]

Hold the saddle horn. I'll lead her around the yard a few times, okay? Let you get a feel for it.

[Equius takes Pounce's reins and leads her off at a slow, sedate pace.]

[420]

[He said anything weird? Surely not!

He sort of clutches the saddle horn, trying very hard not to slide off or backwards or forward or anywaywards, really]

[stayb100ponyboy]

You're doing fine.

[Good Pounce. Good chocobo. Equius pats her beak a few times, and continues around the yard.]

[420]

[Gamzee laughs, his grip on the saddle horn relaxing by slow degrees the longer he stays on there.]

Woah. this is way fuckin' different from all like what riding the Ol' Goat were.

[stayb100ponyboy]

Yes, I'd think so!

[Equius gives Pounce a handful of chocobo greens for her good behavior, ignoring how Darkleer is following them and begging, and continues the walk.]

What was it like, riding your lusus?

[420]

Amazing. Like, sometimes he'd fuckin' take me racing. Only if I were on top of his pan though so I could hold myself onto the motherfucker's horns. You know, he done could fuckin' all get fuckin' out-swimming a skywhale if he were wanting to.

[Gamzee's face turns soft and pleased as he talks about his lusus.]

But usually, we'd just go drifting. I'd get all up on the motherfuckin' chillest spot on his back where it were all soft and we'd just up and drift on the fuckin' currents that were.

[stayb100ponyboy]

That sounds really nice.

[It does, too. Gamzee has no problem talking about his lusus, but it's rare that he mentions a memory that sounds as pleasant and positive as this one.]

[420]

[If only everbody had been blessed with an awesome lusus as big as Gamzee's. It was amazing for rides.]

Did you ever all get to ride yours?