Mi'ihen Highroad~

(From "Aboard the Airship~")

*Paine walks into the room, using the walls as a crutch*
Paine: So... you guys found an exit?
Sugar: We ah.... kind of made one...
*Paine looks at the whole in the wall*
Paine: ...Good enough...
*Paine leads the way through*
Yuna: ....Should she be walking like that?
Rikku: Are you gonna try to stop her?
*Yuna sweatdrops, and they all exit outside*

Sugar: Oh....
*Outside of the wreckage is a looooong, open pathway, with bits and peices of long-since grass-covered ruins littering the plains. People walking the path seem to be surprised by the sight of the ruined airship*
Yuna: ...Outskirts of Luca....
Rikku: This is forever away from Guadosalam!

Mana: How far is "forever away"?

*Sugar refers to a physical map*
Sugar: ...We've somehow landed on the outskirts of Luca.... which means we have to go through D'jose, Mushroom Rock... Moonflow....
*Rikku's eyes light up, and she leans in on Mana with a plotting grin*
Rikku: But you know what comes before all that~?

Mana: *jumping up and down excitedly* Chocobos!? PLEEEASE, TELL ME IT'S THE CHOCOBOS!

*Rikku steps away*
Rikku: Nah, just a lot of walk-
*Rikku snatches Mana's hands and hops with her*
Rikku: LOTS AND LOTS OF CHOCOBOS~!
*Rikku starts squealing as she hops, and Yuna smiles and sighs*
Yuna: I suppose we should go to the Rest Station then... That's not too far from here~
*Whip trudges forward*
Whip: Then let's do this~!

Mana: CHOCOBOS~!!! *practically squeals at the idea and looks at the team* Hey, hey! Does anyone have a picture of a chocobo on them!? *grinning hugely*

*Yuna and Rikku both shake their heads*
Rikku: Sorry, I don't have anything.
Yuna: It's better to see for yourself, anyways~
Sugar: ...I don't think Spirans even have photograph cameras....

Mana: *huffs, but refuses to be discouraged* That's fine~ I'll just take one home later~! *hops in place* Now let's go let's go let's go!

*Everyone besides Sugar has long gone ahead*
Sugar: Mana! Keep up!
*Sugar runs ahead as well*

Mana: *dashes ahead as well, easily keeping up with the rest*

*Eventually, the group comes along [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] that leads into [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]-*
Rikku: Chocobos~!
*Rikku runs and hops over the enormous gap of the bridge, faaar ahead of everyone else. Paine shakes her head*
Paine: Birds.
Yuna: They're pretty though~
*Whip drags himself, not to the open road, but to the building*
Whip: A rest stop! Finally! All this walking... I need a break~!
Paine: Let's keep moving.
Whip: B-But-!
Sugar: We should take a break, at least until we can rent some chocobo to ride~

Mana: *has zipped ahead towards where Rikku went and targets one of the golden birds for a glomp* CHOCOBO!!!!

*In a flock of yellow bird-like animals, only [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]manages to find the misfortune of being caught by the feline. The Chocobo freaks out and begins dashing at incredible speeds under Mana, cawwing a cute-yet-distressed sound the whole way. Rikku seems to have had a similar approach to the Chocobos*

Sugar: Ah....
Yuna: They.. get along well...
Paine: Airheads.

Mana: *is petting and cuddling the Chocobo lovingly* You're so FLUFFY~! *squeals and continues her Chocobo-loving session*

*The Chocobo still seems startled as it darts around*
:Heeeey!
*On top of the bridge stands [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] who waves at Mana*
:What do you think you're doing! You two can't just jump on Chocobos like that!

Mana: *gives the girl innocent kitten eyes* I'm sorry, they're just so cute~! I had to hug them!

*The girl seems to have noticed Mana's cat-like physique for the first time*
: ....You're interesting~!
*She whistles, and the Chocobo hops all the way up to the bridge obediently with Mana still on board*
: While I'm glad you appreciate chocobos for their rightful cuteness, it's still not safe for them.
Yuna: Calli!
*Yuna and everyone else, barring Rikku, joins with Mana and the girl*
Yuna: Sorry Calli! We didn't mean to... set them loose...
*Calli giggles and waves her hand*
Calli: It's fine, it's fine! The Chocobo looks safe, so that's all that matters~!
*Calli offers her hand to Mana*
Calli: My name is Calli, by the way~

Mana: *still clinging to the Chocobo with one arm, she uses the other to shake Calli's hand and smiles brightly at her* Mine's Mana, Future Kidnapper of Chocobos~

Calli: Is that so~?
*Calli looks at Mana with a challange*
Yuna: U-Um, Calli?
*Calli waves her hand*
Calli: Hey, I'm the world's biggest Chocobo fan~! If you think for a second that you can beat me with my passion, then how's about a bet?
*Paine shakes her head. Yuna sweatdrops*

Mana: *blinks in surprise, a bit thrown off by Calli's proposal* I never really said anything about being the biggest Chocobo fan. I just mentioned how I love these little guys~ *begins to cuddle again against the Chocobo, but snaps out of it and looks back at Calli* What's the bet?

Calli: How about...
*Calli points down the bridge, which goes on into a curve and out of sight*
Calli: We race to the D'jose temple~ If you win, I'll let you all ride the chocobos for free~

Mana: When you say race, I don't suppose you mean a foot race?

*Calli whistles, and a Chocobo comes trotting to her side*
Calli: A chocobo race, of course~

Mana: *blinks and looks at the Chocobo she's been clinging to* ...What happens if I lose?

*Calli thinks for a moment*
Calli: Hmm... You can become my servant for a year~
*She lets the notion sink in for a second before giggling*
Calli: Just kidding~ I'll just charge you all double~ Sound like a deal?