Chocobo Chaos!

[shatteredlenses]

Who: The Chocobros and You!
What: The long awaited hatching of a pair of chocobo eggs and the chaos it causes.
When: The week of 7/20
Where: In and around Cottage 2, Islet 1
Warnings: Cuteness and the guys being the biggest, dorkiest, pet parents?

After Gladio's arrival, the last thing anyone could say about the activity level around the chocobros cottage was that it was low. The renovations were good, the occasional dramatic flare-ups not so good, but both were better than the absolute stillness that settled over the cottage while the three boys--once more minus their king--were off spending more time than probably advisable exploring Umui. Not long after their return, though, the activity picks up again. There is a different feeling to it now, a sense of expectation, of preparing--not for the worst like findings on Umui suggest they should prepare for--but for something eagerly awaited.

Of course, who wouldn't be excited about the hatching of two new chocobos? For Gladio, it's bringing new life to a species lost during the darkness; for Ignis it's seeing the full potential of the heartwarming gift he was given come to life; for Prompto, well, everyone knows his view on chocobos.

The eggs hatch on the 20th, and after that anyone who comes near the cottage risks getting caught up in the excitement and chaos the two new chocobo chicks cause. Of course, there are much worse ways to spend than afternoon than cuddling a cute little chocobo chick.

At some point after the hatching, a certain hobo will find a small bowl of sweets and a note left outside his shack's door. The short message is as neat as the writer could make it, but Ardyn will know well why 'as neat as' is still pretty messy. The note simply says:

Please come meet Hresvelgr's new siblings.


(OOC: This is basically set up like a mingle. All the boys will be tagging around, so if you want a specific boy, please say so in your header! If you prefer surprises, just leave it blank! :-) )

Comments

7/20 - And We Wait. (Closed to Ignis, Gladio and Prompto.)

[shatteredlenses]

[want_to_belong]

Unsurprisingly, Prompto spent a lot of time around the eggs anxiously awaiting their hatching. At times he could be found lying down in front of them, camera in hand, hoping to catch the first crack. He jumped at every wiggle, waited with bated breath in the stillness and, sometimes, stared closely to see if that egg had done something or if it was just his imagination.

He was constantly reluctant to leave them because then he might miss the moment, so he'd run off to quickly do his business and go back immediately. Coco wasn't forgotten, of course. He lounged around comfortably near the eggs. But for right now, Prompto's focus was on the new arrivals as he laid on his belly in front of the eggs with his camera out.

[shatteredlenses]

Ignis isn't sure what amuses him more--how excited he is about the eggs finally hatching or how excited Prompto is. If nothing else, listening to Prompto move around as he snaps picture after picture is enough to help him keep his own desire to hover in check. He'd thank Prompto for that if it didn't practically guarantee some kind of joke about him wanting to hover like a mother hen would be the result.

Since the hovering quota and the documentation quota are both currently being filled, Ignis settles himself nearby and waits, ears twitching each time he hears another crack. He can't help but wonder which egg is hatching first, but he figures that he will know soon enough. All he has to do is be patient for a little longer.

[scourgingstars]

[Why did he put up with this? Ardyn still didn't know, and likely never would.]

[He took his damn time showing up, a day or so after the note was left- nearer to sunset with the usual hat in place to guard against the lingering daylight and Hresvelgr just a few steps behind.]

[...He couldn't have wanted less to do with this, but on the other hand: chocobos.]

[shatteredlenses]

[When Ardyn finally accepts the invitation, he will find Ignis is sitting outside near the low burning fire. There's a small bundle of cloth in his lap and curled snugly in that cloth is a bright, light blue colored chocobo.

Ignis is too caught up running his fingers over the baby's feathers to notice Ardyn's approach at first, but once his mind focuses on the sound of footsteps matched with those of a chocobo, he can't help but smile.]

Would you like to hold her?

[scourgingstars]

You said 'siblings', plural. At least I presume you did, I've no idea why you didn't just tell Gladio to write the note.

...He is literate, right?

[ardyn.]

7/22 you know all three of y'all could hit me up and I wouldn't mind a bit :U

[attheclocktower]

[ Aster waits until the day after she and Shion return, stumbling and tired, from their exploration of Umui. But. She'd been... given more than a hint about something to come back to in a few days. Not to mention she wanted to fill Ignis in on what she'd found but. Still.

She'd kept to herself for so long it still felt weird edging her way across the islets towards the Chocobros' house. Even though there was probably nobody watching, it felt like there was a spotlight on her. Aster's more than a little relieved by the time she gets close enough to call out. ]

Hello? ... Ignis...?

[ let her see de babs ]

[shatteredlenses]

Aster! In here!

[Ignis calls out to her once he hears her voice. At another time, he might actually have gone out to meet her, but once she comes inside, she will find out why he doesn't do so this time. That why takes the form of a small, bright, light blue chocobo who is sitting in his lap. Her bright eyes are taking in the cottage around them with the wonder that is so common to young children and animals.]

Welcome back. Would you like to say 'hi' to Leilani?

[attheclocktower]

[ Yeah no, Aster has a cat. Who she got as a kitten. She 1000% understands the 'I am contractually obligated to not move' thing. She doesn't answer his question though, but her eyes light up and she's over next to him in a trice, crouching down and holding a hand out for Leilani to inspect. ]

Hey there...

[piercetheheart]

[Oh look! A new person!

Leopold doesn't know this one so instead of demanding pets he's a little less invasive, chuffing softly from where he's lying by the door. Yes, actual door painted blue in full, solid walls, under a new tiled roof. The chuffing gets Gladio's attention as surely as the mention of his boyfriend's name. So there's Gladio, peeking around the side of the house, a handful of dried leaves in his hand.]

Hey, Iggy's inside...

[And then a little purple-grey ball of down totters around the corner. She's unsteady on her feet and only makes a few steps away from dad before she flops down with an indignant cheep like she didn't just put herself there.]

[attheclocktower]

[ Ah that's... a new face on her end as well. All three of them actually. She lifts her hand a bit shyly and waves, not... quite sure how to introduce herself. She wonders how many other new arrivals she missed.

That being said, animals are a great icebreaker. including one of the chicklets she'd been told to come back and see. Even if she is a bit wobbly. Aster starts forward when the baby falls, crouching next to it with a very fond sort of smile. ]

Oh- careful there.

[want_to_belong]

Prompto showed up a while later, well after Aster's original arrival, leading Coco along with a loose, handmade rope. Much as he'd love to spend every moment with the chicks they still had chores to do for basic survival. Since the chicks were staying in Noct's room, he opened the door to lead Coco in and paused.

"Oh, hey X... Aster." It had been a while, and it was a little weird trying to change the name he used for her. "Watcha doing here?"

[attheclocktower]

"Hey, Prompto!"

Aster's... glad to see him. Glad that he's still around and that she hadn't- well. Messed up entirely. Taken her friends for granted until they were gone.

"Ignis told me to come back after Shion and I finished our expedition on Umui. He said the eggs probably would hatch by then."

looking for ignis and gladio, but the whole squad is welcome!

[crosslaced]

[The 22nd sees a certain blonde approach the house…. then stop and whisper a few expletives, archaic and sounding vaguely like old Tenebrean. ]

… is this a bad time? I’ll come back later.

[shatteredlenses]

Laurent?

[Ignis sticks his head out the door in surprise, a bundle of bright, light blue feathers in his arms.]

No, no. It's all right! Please, come in.

[There are a lot of questions Ignis wants to ask, first and foremost when Laurent got back from...wherever he went...but there are also baby chocobos and well, he's distracted.]

Did you need something?

[crosslaced]

I wanted to- apologise. To Gladiolus- and you and Prompto.

[He's... real awkward. Uncomfortable, even. And he definitely, definitely doesn't come in- he seems to even have shuffled back a bit, from the sound of his voice.]

If you're busy I'll come around later.

[want_to_belong]

[It wouldn't be until after Laurent left the building that he would find Prompto. Prompto had taken Coco outside, to get him some water and take care of a few chores. He was out on his own, so rather than exaggerated movements he was more reserved and quiet.

He noticed Laurent when he was bringing Coco back, and there was a clear moment when he saw an recognized the man, pausing in surprise.

But then he continued walking, aiming to go by him without a word.]

[crosslaced]

[Aw, damn. Does he have to push the point if Prompto would clearly rather keep at a distance? Does he have to continue this thread? Because he doesn't want to- he’s not enough of an asshole to bother a guy who’s had enough of him. (Without reason, that is.) But.... this thread has to continue. And Damen would want him to be a better person... and do things like…. apologise.... ]

Hey, um-

[ :///// ]

I was an ass before. If you don’t want to talk to be anymore, that’s fine. And I’m- sorry. About that issue. Being a cur, that issue.

7/21 - whoever feels like addressing the space marine, really, i have no preference

[counterblows]

[He's passed this area before, while performing daily patrols of the area - patrols that are largely unnecessary and wholly superfluous and have exposed nothing but the fact that Agent Washington is deeply entrenched in his own post-traumatic routine - but today his attention is drawn by the high-pitched flurries of chirping emitting from inside one of the houses.]

[A fully armored space marine goes poking his helmeted and visored head in on the scene.]

Is someone in here raising chickens?

[piercetheheart]

[Washington, the bludrocs are outside.

Ah but opening the door invites chaos because the chirping was a cranky chick that has figured out it can move on it's own!?

Holy shit. She doesn't need dad to carry her. It's a free world! And there's an open door now. There's a purpley-grey ball of down booping into your leg, bro. She's trying for sunshine but she's too clumsy to maneuver between him and the door frame.]

Ti! No! [And there's her worried papa paying absolutely no attention to the man in the door because his baby is trying to escape.]

[counterblows]

Oh, jesus -

[Wash skips backwards, more out of instinct than anything else, and his hand is already snapping for his sidearm before he fortunately quiets the instinct before he unholsters it, which is probably for the best. There's no first impression quite like drawing a weapon on a baby...bird?]

[He doesn't want to kick the thing, but he kind of doesn't know if it's safe to nudge it back inside?]

What's happening here?

[shatteredlenses]

Chocobos, actually. I'm afraid I'm not certain what a chicken is.

[Though, this is not the first, nor will it be the last time someone compares a chocobo to a chicken. The bright, light blue ball of fluff in Ignis' arms sure looks something like a chicken though it is already larger than one and is...well...blue.

Ignis is slower to approach the door than usual, but it has nothing to do with the fully armored space marine in the doorway. Instead, it's to do with the mess on the floor and the fact he has to pick his way around the once familiar space to avoid making more of a mess than there already is. Since he's not wearing either his sunglasses or visor, once he makes it to the door, it will be easy for Agent Washington to see he is blind which explains the slow movement and also the lack of reaction to his visitor's dress. Not to say that a man with chocobo feathers in his hair has much room to talk.]

You have my apologies if the noise worried you. Regardless of their complaints, let me assure you everything is well in hand.

~7/22, open to whoever! or everyone.

[thegoofball]

[There's not much of a reason for Lance to be on this particular islet except for restless energy. He's been spending so much of his time on Umui, trying to find anything that could be close to an answer and reporting back to Keith when he could, but...

But it's wearing him down. Every new thing people discover about that place is disheartening, so he's decided to take a break from that island and run around somewhere a little less dangerous. He's not even wearing his armor! This is going to be a no-danger adventure, which is basically the only reason he's sticking to the islets with the shabby homes on it for now.

Which is a lot of words to say Lance is there in his JUICY SQUAD shirt with his bayard jammed into one of his pockets, being drawn to the sound of chocobos. He's at least polite enough to not open the door unasked, but he is incredibly curious about all the noise, so there's a knock on the door of the house as Lance tries to figure out what all of the sounds are.]

[piercetheheart]

[Before anyone inside has a chance to answer a familiar tigerlily comes bounding around the cottage. The cottage that has full walls and a solid tiled roof, blue painted doors and a large stone stove out front. Leopold didn't get to really meet Lance last time, stuck watching the boyfriend while Gladio got to run off and punch floors.

So he's very interested in getting the scritches he was deprived of, marching up to Lance and headbutting his hip.

Which might set him off kilter since he probably outweighs the boy by a solid 50 pounds. Leo deciding he needed to trot off has Gladio trailing lazily behind him. He's been setting up the outside nesting area for the birds so he's only wearing a pair of wrap shorts he's made with the muslin Iggy got him. And of course the backpack he arrived with now modified to hold the little ball of purple-grey down that is squirming impatiently, chirping at her dad and then nibbling at the strap holding her captive.]

Hey, hey. Ti, stoppit. Ah-

Oh! Hey Lance. [So about that written conversation on the stone. Sorry Lance, Gladio is giving you the sliest, smuggest, most self-satisfied grin ever.]

[shatteredlenses]

[If Gladio and Prompto don't scare Lance away, eventually another--calmer voice--will invite him into the cottage. Usually, the place is quite clean as it would be an insult to all the work Gladio's done on it to allow it to be otherwise. However, now there are bits of hay, feathers, and dirt all over the place. It's obvious it's been a busy few days and it isn't looking like that is going to change anytime soon.

The owner of the voice is near the back of the room struggling with a small, bright, light blue ball of fluff that seems very upset at the idea of him needing to straighten her feathers. Ignis sighs at the chick who peeps back in a manner that very much sounds like she's pouting, and then raises his head in Lance's direction. Since he isn't wearing his sunglasses or visor, it is immediately apparent that Ignis is blind and whatever caused that blindness also made a mess of the area around his left eye.

Of course, Lance may totally miss all that if he catches sight of the feathers that have gotten caught in Ignis' hair. Unaware of his rather humorous adornments, Ignis gives Lance a welcoming smile.]

My apologies for the mess. Were you looking for someone?