Official Story: Enter Sedorra

[Lonely Paper Star]

Camille must be hearing things. The cries—the chocobo cries—were too distant. Perhaps her ears were playing tricks on her.

But Stissi was more sure than she was. Her head had snapped to one direction. The breeder held on tight this time as the chocobo surged down a small path she didn't even notice at first, not with all the hanging vines in the way.

The cries weren't good ones. Even from where she was, Camille could hear the distress, along with some other noises that indicated struggle. She contemplated all sorts of terrible scenarios. Did something in here attack them? Did the thieves abuse them? Were they stuck somewhere?

The forests were dark, but the chocobo seemed to know her way. She moved fluidly without much noise, without other wildlife noticing; as if she blended into the shadows of the Wylds.

About half an hour passed before the two finally heard something again. Stissi instantly stilled, so sudden that she nearly threw Camille off again, but she managed to stay on, holding in a breath as she listened.

“Hey, you're Blackie, right? Blackie the trader? You take things and sell them in Lucrecia?”

A trader in the Wylds? Camille thought curiously. In all her travels into the woods, this was the first she heard of this Blackie.

“C'mon, you dumb birds, listen to what I say! Blackie, thanks for meeting us. Me and my bro, we've been looking to sell our chocobos—”

Both chocobo and rider tensed.

Stissi turned to eye an area off the path and moved, sauntering through some brush and a few trees. The conversation with the unknown strangers continued on without notice.

Camille could tell that her chocobo was raring to burst in and interrupt the conversation.

“Not yet,” Camille hissed to her, attempting to pull her back some when they reached the last group of trees. They didn't know what will await them on the other side. "Stay still."

"It's two versus one."

"Deal; two versus one."

Like in the fields, Stissi did not obey. She let out a loud wark and ran through. They arrived into a clearing; someone's camp, to be exact, but the first things Camille really saw were her two chocobos, ragged and scared. She wanted to cry. They were almost as big as adults, but still young and green. How could anyone do this?

“Koko! Bristles!” she couldn't help but shout, momentarily forgetting the situation she had just gotten herself into.

“Who the hell are you?!”

Camille glanced over and spotted a thin, wiry human, standing a bit in front of a bulkier human and a Doban standing across from them. They were all very shady-looking, and dangerous--the Doban with his axe, the big human with his brute, and the thin human with rows of knives at his torso. They were obscured by his clothing but still easy to see.

Oh no, was she armed? Camille often removed her back holster for her shortsword, whether for comfort's sake or lack of danger in her neck of the woods.

Camille reached behind her for the hilt of her weapon, which was thankfully there, but did not unsheathe.

“We're doin' business, sweetheart," he continued on with a sneer. "Best if you move along and tell none what you saw.”

Her heart raced. God, what do I do? What if they try to kill me? How do I talk to people like th—wait, I'm a businesswoman! Just pretend it's some bullheaded customer.

She gripped her hilt harder, its ridges digging into her palm. She really hoped that she didn't need to take it out.

Somewhere beyond her line of sight, the two young chocobos kweh-ed pathetically. The poor things just wanted to go home.

“If you have chocobo business,” she started in a bold tone, hoping her nerves didn't show, “you all speak to me." Koko and Bristles are mine, after all.”

"Oy, waitaminnit," boomed the voice of the larger human. "Bro." He didn't seem to hear her words.

Like everyone else, it seems, she thought sourly.

He nudged the thin man, a mocking smile on his face. "I remember this kid."

Camille froze in her seat.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"That girl. What is it, Veritas and the Lullaby of the Night? We were at that queen's race! She won the damn thing!"

Camille Veritas and Prestissima, Song of the Night, she corrected silently, not liking this. Really, out of all the people to recognize her...

The thin man's eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah! The racer who quit fame to be a poor, little--"

"Chocobo breeder," Camille finished for him, and steered the conversation back. "Now give me back what you took from me. No--pay me for the abuse you caused Koko and Bristles."