Final Fantasy XIII: Episode Zero -Promise-

"Treasure (Family)", Chapter One

"Treasure (Family)", Chapter One

Who would have thought it'd turn out to be such a big deal?

Soldiers everywhere, everything's messed up. When I first met you, it was so peaceful. Let's see now... that was eight days ago wasn't it? Yeah, just eight days. In that time, all this has happened. I don't even know what's going on anymore.

Just can't believe it. Dad has completely given up. Well, you have too...

"Daddy, I want that one!"

Dajh was tugging at his hand, and Sazh stopped without even thinking about it. When children demand things from their parents they'll pull and tug and run around until they get what they want. His son Dajh was only six, but he could pull an adult like Sazh over without trying.

"Hey, why don't we buy it on the way back?"

Sazh had brought Dahj to Ewleede Canyon. He couldn't remember when it was, but Dajh had said he wanted to see a fal'Cie.

If you wanted to see a fal'Cie on Cocoon, the only place to go was to Ewleede, to see fal'Cie Kujata. Sazh had searched around, and he had found a free spot on what looked like the perfect tour package. "A Family Vacation: Visit Ewleede and Bowdam", had been the tour name. The airship and hotel room would be reserved for you, and they'd give you some free time to explore the places yourself. The price for children had a nice discount, and it looked like fun.

That's why they were now headed from Ewleede Station to the energy plant. The place was filled with tourists, and every corner had a souvenir shop. Sazh had known that Dajh would want to stop somewhere. He'd want some animal shaped balloon, or perhaps brightly colored candy would catch his eye...

"No! Now! Now!"

Dajh pulled on his hand even harder. All children are like this, saying what they want when they want it. Sazh remembered doing it too, and how happy he'd be he'd get what he wanted.

But there was something he hadn't realized as a child. The adults who gave them what they wanted were even happier to do it.

"Alright, alright. Just this once." Just saying that made him start to smile.

"So, what is it you want?"

They were in front of a pet shop. This wasn't just some local shop, but a chain that had shops everywhere.

"I want the yellow one!"

"Let's see, which one is it?"

There were lots of different cages lined up in front of the shop. Just to show how big the shop was, they didn't have only your normal dogs and cats, but they also had monsters that had their genes rearranged to be non-threatening.

"The yellow one, which yellow one?" His eyes stopped.

"Not... you don't mean... that one?"

In one of the huge cages there was a big yellow Pudding, just sitting there. The Pudding was stretching out it's body, trying to look menacing.

"Hey kid, you mean this yellow one don't ya?" The shopkeeper smiled at Dajh and flapped his hands.

"Yeah, that one!" Dajh nodded, and made the same motion. It looked like they were imitating a bird.

"All kids mean this when they say 'the yellow one'." The shopkeeper said, pointing at a sign that said, "Baby Chocobos in Stock!"

"Oh, just a chocobo." He had panicked when he'd thought Dajh had meant the Pudding, but he had no problems with a baby chocobo.