What with the recent semi-rush of fics about a certain recently imported
anime, I figured I might as well join the rush, in my own delightedly insane
manner.

Author's Prelude:

I am, by nature, an early riser. Having little in the way of television in
the dorm, however, I can't catch any shows, let alone any early ones.
However, I recently returned from fall break... and two consecutive
mornings of a dubbed anime with a particularly addictive theme song.
Couple that with the iota of free time to make my approximately ten
billionth try at breeding a gold Chocobo and one brain with more synaptic
pathways than are probably healthy, shake well, and here is what results.
Enjoy. Or not. And you can find the inspiration for this at GameSpot, in
the movies section. If you want the exact URL, kindly e-mail me. If you
want to offer comments or criticisms, kindly e-mail me. If you think I
should be committed or summarily executed, take a number and I'll be with
you shortly. *glances at the roll, which reads 3,452 and the "Now Serving"
sign which reads 4* Or not-so-shortly.

Extensive familiarity with FFVII is required for full enjoyment of this
fic.

Oh, and the chorus sings like *so*, the lead sings like so, and camera
directions are given like [so].

For maximum enjoyment and minimum SPAM, keep only the portion below this
line.

--------------------

[Open on a shot of Meteor in a reddened sky, and pan down, slowly, past
the occasional wisp of cloud until we see an overhead shot of the Northern
Cave, Lifestream pulsing all around it.]

[Pan to a profile shot of Cloud Strife, head slightly raised.]

I want to be the very best

[Pan back to reveal that Cloud is standing on the observation deck of the
Highwind, staring at the force-field protecting the Northern Cave.]

Like no one ever was

[Shots of a Flapbeat, a Spencer, and a Harpy appear in rapid succession,
complete with rushing-line backgrounds. The camera pulls back from the
final shot to reveal Cloud taking down the Harpy with a Climhazzard. As
the lines fade to a normal background of plains, Cloud touches down next
to a yellow Chocobo, which looks at him quizzically.]

To catch them is my real test

[Cut to a shot of Cloud astride a yellow Chocobo, which is sprinting
through a cave of varicolored crystals. An entire spectrum of Chocobos are
a few paces behind.]

To train them is my cause

[Cut to a shot of Cloud astride a green Chocobo, scaling a steep, rocky
cliff. A bit of debris here and there marks their passage, but not much
else.]

[Pan back as the Chocobo reaches the peak to reveal a network of rope
bridges and a small, Oriental-looking town off in the distance. The camera
remains fixed as the Chocobo trots down the other side of the mountain.]

I will travel across the land

[Cut to a shot of Cloud riding a Gold Chocobo across a vast expanse of
ocean. A ring of mountains appears over the horizon.]

Searching far and wide

[Cut to a shot of Cloud, dismounting the Chocobo in a forest. Three
Goblins leap from the trees and are as quickly sent back by a few flicks
of Cloud's sword.]

[Cut to a shot of Cloud, entering a plain rocky cave... then pan around
him to reveal a huge expanse of red Materia crystal.]

To find the caves, and then command

[Cut to a shot of Cloud picking a red orb from among the crystal. Zoom on
the Materia as he touches it to reveal thirteen figures, all holding
menacing-looking weapons, which fade into swirls after a few seconds.]

The power that's inside...

[Cut to a shot of Cloud, sword drawn, facing down a pair of Jumping
rabbits that have a yellow Chocobo cornered.]

*Chocobo! Gotta catch 'em all!*

[Cut to a shot of Cloud lifting a small black bundle of feathers from
within a pile of hay. He smiles, slightly, as a head rises from the bundle
and pecks at a vegetable in his other hand.]

It's you and me

[Cut to a shot of a Hippogriff, dive-bombing Cloud. It comes up with a
beakful of dirt as Cloud rolls aside and raises a purple orb in one hand.]

I know it's my destiny

[Cut to a shot of Cloud and a Chocobo, surrounded by a group of Head
Hunters. He glares around warily and draws his blade.]

*Chocobo!*

[Two blurs race through the pack of enemies, sending them flying left and
right. They land next to Cloud and resolve themselves into Cid and Tifa.]

Oh, you're my best friend

[Pan to a series of shots against a rushing-line background. Scarlet and
Heidegger stand back-to-back, then the Turks enter the picture (Reno and
Rude flanking Elena), and finally, Sephiroth pops into the shot, holding
a black Materia and smiling evilly.]

In a world we must defend

[Pan back, along a stretch of rocky ground and a line of running Chocobos;
gold, black, green, blue, and leading the way, a tiny white one. The
little one leaps into a few rays of sunlight, and there is a faint green
glow among its feathers...]

*Chocobo! Gotta catch 'em all!*

[Cut to a three-way split-screen shot of Choco Bill (in the farmhouse),
Choco Billy, Chole (in the stable), and the Chocobo Sage (in his cabin).
All look at the camera, briefly, and nod.]

A heart so true...

[Cut to a shot of Cloud, Tifa, and Cid facing down a Black Dragon. They
are all scattered by the blast and Tifa rises, surrounded by a green aura.
She flings a bolt of energy at the dragon, and a cocoon of ice forms
around it.]

Our courage will pull us through

[Cut to a shot of Cloud gathering a little white Chocobo into his arms and
scratching it behind the ears, looking surprised when his hand comes away
with a green orb nestled in it. Chole looks on and smiles.]

You teach me and I'll teach you...

[Pan back to a shot of the Planet. Five flashes of light pulse from
various points: green, purple, yellow, blue, and red. A Materia orb flies
into space to hover just in camera range after each pulse.]

Chocobo...

*Gotta catch 'em all!*

[The Materia arrange themselves in a line, and the space background
dissolves away to reveal that they are inset into a metal band with
dragons carved on it. The camera pans back to reveal that the band is an
armlet, worn by Cloud as he rides a blue Chocobo up a river, kicking up
spray behind him.]

Gotta catch 'em all!

*Chocobo!*

------------------

For maximum enjoyment and minimum SPAM, save only the portion above this
line.

An odd correspondence between the Chocobos and the "ultimate" Materia. Mime
Materia, a powerful Command, requires a green Chocobo. HP<->MP Materia, a
powerful Independent, requires a blue Chocobo. Quadra Magic, a powerful
Support, requires a black Chocobo. Knights of the Round, the ultimate
Summon, requires a gold Chocobo. And, completing the five colors, Contain, a
powerful Magic Materia, comes from a white Chocobo. Just something I
happened to notice.

--G. Falconar