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007 || {Video / Action} || BACKDATED to the 3rd, late morning.
[It's not cold at all - even in spite of the rain - but after a bit of shivering, disoriented wandering Hope will find himself stranded on the path, and even more confused than when he initially came around after being the unfortunate victim of routine experimentation.
He plops to his knees in the dirt before slipping in the haze and landing squarely on his butt, not caring at all for the muck that would inevitably stain his shorts.]
Ugh...
[With a groan, he first lifts a hand to wipe away the silvery bangs dripping in his eyes, then wraps both arms around himself with a shiver. The camera's view might catch a flash of chalk-white on the back of a wrist, stark even against his fair skin, if one were looking hard enough.
The journal's been recording all of this, but the boy doesn't seem to notice, drawing his knees up and resting his forehead against them.]
(ooc: Lightning and I think Gem are going to go find him, but anyone else is welcome to poke him through the journal too. :D)
He plops to his knees in the dirt before slipping in the haze and landing squarely on his butt, not caring at all for the muck that would inevitably stain his shorts.]
Ugh...
[With a groan, he first lifts a hand to wipe away the silvery bangs dripping in his eyes, then wraps both arms around himself with a shiver. The camera's view might catch a flash of chalk-white on the back of a wrist, stark even against his fair skin, if one were looking hard enough.
The journal's been recording all of this, but the boy doesn't seem to notice, drawing his knees up and resting his forehead against them.]
(ooc: Lightning and I think Gem are going to go find him, but anyone else is welcome to poke him through the journal too. :D)
[action!]
...Looks like he's already out of it, though, lying down like that. The Malnosso must have put him through a lot. She clucks her tongue with a disapproving warble and goes to drag-drop a blanket over him, and then she plans to leave him alone (because waking up to a big BIRD in the house would probably be very disorienting!) before she takes a look at him. He looks so small and cute sleeping like that and it makes her feel both relieved he's back and a little bit protective and oh goodness, his hair's all mussed up from being out in the rain--
...
Aerith will realize in a moment that she should not be preening a boy's hair with her beak. In a moment.
Darn chocobo instincts.]
[action!]
...feathers?
With a sleepy noise, he lifts a fist to rub it over his eyes, slowly blinking them open.]
[action!]
Hope? [ Despite earlier intentions, she leans in rather than moving away, so Hope is getting a face-to-face view of a chocobo.
A very confused one, when Aerith finally registers that she was treating Hope like a chicobo. What. ]
[action!]
[He makes a childlike snuffling noise and sits up with a yawn, too sleepy to even bother covering his mouth. That's when Hope's eyes focus and he finally takes in the sight before him.
A big yellow bird. Staring him right in the face.
With a voice-cracking little yelp of surprise, he jumps back, eyes widening.]
Aah...!
[action!]
No, no, it's okay! Hope, please don't panic, it's just me!
[action!]
[Heart still racing, Hope stares at the creature with wide eyes.]
Chocobo...?
[Would it make sense? Would the chicobo really have grown this much in— Hope pauses to mentally count the time that's passed, then gives an abrupt shake of his head.]
You... you were here the whole time! I thought I lost you forever. [And, still in a fog brought on both by the disoriented after-effects of the experiment as well as having just woken up... he'll be moving forward to slip his arms around the bird's neck, hugging tight.]
Re: [action!]
Well, not the whole time, but close enough. I'm okay, Hope. [She can't really hug back like this, but she does drop her head a little bit, nuzzling his head.
Just like the picture!But then she thinks of something and if birds could frown, she would. He doesn't feel that steady on his own feet yet; she can tell with how tight his hold is.] You should lie down a little longer! Don't rush yourself.[action!]
[And a lot more matronly, apparently? Maybe all grown-up chocobos have that motherly instinct, or something.]
I'm okay. I just... I thought I lost you all that time ago. Did you find someone else's hair to live in? [A soft, sleepy boyish giggle.]
[action!]
Oh, Hoooope~? I'm Aerith.
[Sob she would have hoped he'd gotten that from her voice.]
[action!]
Aerith isn't a chocobo.
[Brilliant observation there.]
[action!]
[action!]
It doesn't quite work that way, though, stumbling over the floor in a pile of skinny boyish limbs.]
Um... I'm okay. I can do this.
[He reaches for the couch to try and hoist himself up.]
[action!]
You really think it's a good idea to keep pushing yourself? If you just need something I could bring it to you.
[action!]
[He speaks as he carefully clambers back on the couch, and once he's there, he outstretches an arm. A dopey kiddish grin spreads over his face.]
... A chocobo-back ride!
[action!]
[action!]
Um... but I don't have any money...
[action!]
[action!]
Okay... [His voice is already getting thick with drowsiness, snuggling down.] But only if you promise.
[action!]
sigh. ] I promise, Hope.
[action!]
[His eyes flutter closed with a few kid-like sleepy noises before he goes slack.]