Chocobo ( Final Fantasy XIII ) In the " Final Fantasy XIII " trilogy , chocobos come in two varieties : those bred on Cocoon and those that run wild on Gran Pulse . Both lots of adult chocobos are said to be accompanied by a characteristic foul smell . Chocobos start out as tiny chicks that are also sold as pets on Cocoon , but grow into large birds that can be used as steeds , especially the Gran Pulse variation . Chocobos are commonly yellow , but " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " introduces numerous new colorations and even a mutated version created by a paradox , and " " has a pure white chocobo known as the Angel of Valhalla . Datalog . " These large , yellow birds are always crowd favorites . " " Wild chocobos are almost unheard of on Cocoon , but thanks to the antics of a certain TV program ' s feathery main character , owning chocobo chicks has become the latest fad among children . " " Although the tiny chicks are easy to handle when young , their rapid growth as they approach adulthood has forced an increasing number of families to donate their oversized avian pets to zoos and farms . " In - game tutorial . " Final Fantasy XIII " . " These majestic yellow birds allow you to cover greater distances than you could on foot , in only a fraction of the time . There are also locations that only chocobos can reach , indicated by swirling yellow indicators on the ground . " " To mount a chocobo , approach it and press / . " " Chocobos are courageous creatures , but even they have their limits . Come into contact with an enemy , and the chocobo will lose one unit of morale . Should the chocobo lose all of its morale , it will throw its rider and flee . Otherwise , lost morale will gradually return , so long as no more close encounters occur . " " Chocobos also possess an uncanny knack for detecting buried treasure . When you passnear hidden treasure while riding a chocobo , an icon will appear above the bird ' s head . The closer you come to this treasure , the faster this icon will bounce . Once you have discerned the treasure ' s location , press / to dig it up . " Story . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Keeping chocobo chicks as pets has become is a fad among the younger Cocoon populace , thanks to an entertainment program . One such chocobo chick was bought by Sazh Katzroy for his son Dajh at Euride Gorge energy plant , knowing how much his son loves chocobos . However , chocobos grow to their adult size quickly and families who cannot afford to keep the grown chocobos send them to Nautilus Park ' s petting zoo . While Sazh was buying the chick however , Dajh wandered deeper into the facility and when he approached the fal ' Cie Kujata , was branded a Sanctum l ' Cie and taken into custody by PSICOM . The chocobo chick thus stayed with Sazh , making a nest in his hair . The chick remains as Sazh ' s companion during his quest to save his son Dajh that spirals into a quest of saving Cocoon when he ends up joining Lightning group . The chick cheers and encourages Sazh during his bouts of depression and pushes him to action when he hesitates . When Sazh ' s journey takes him to Nautilus , he and his current traveling companion Vanille visit the petting zoo where the chocobo chick plays with others of its kind . When the party leaves for Gran Pulse Sazh ' s chocobo chick accompanies the others , and on Pulse they meet a new breed of chocobo , larger and stronger than the Cocoon variants . After taming them the party can ride the chocobos on the Archylte Steppe , and the chick gets angry when Sazh attempts to leave it with a flock of wild chocobos . At the end of their journey Sazh and Dajh are reunited , and the chocobo chick flies into Dajh ' s hair . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . The chocobo chick stays with Dajh and Sazh , but one day when Sazh was flying an airship with Dajh and the chick , they were pulled into a paradox and became time travelers . Serah Farron and Noel Kreiss start their own quest to find a way to Valhalla and during their travels run into many different types of chocobos , some of them even mutated due to the paradox effect . The most unusual of them all is Chocolina , a woman who was originally a chocobo , but who was transformed into a human by Etro due to her wish to help others . Jagd Village in the Wildlands , is known for its chocobos and the villagers breed them and use them for hunting . Dr . Gysahl in Canopus Farms is a famous chocobo doctor with many birds under his care . Chocolina in her chick form appears alongside Sazh and Dajh . When Lightning finds out about Dajh ' s condition on the Wildlands , she is led by a black chocobo chick to a treasure that starts her quest in helping Sazh . When Lightning arrives in the Wildlands she learns of the legend of a white chocobo said to herald the oncoming end of the world . A chocobo of such description has recently been spotted in the area , and Lightning finds it and saves it from a Chocobo Eater . After nursing the chocobo back to full health , she rides it to the Temple of the Goddess to discover the origin of the Great Chaos in the area . At the temple she learns from Yeul that the white chocobo is in fact Odin , her former Eidolon . After discovering Angel of Valhalla ' s true identity , Canopus Farms comes under attack by a Chocobo Eater , but by the time Lightning vanquishes the beast it has already devoured the farm ' s chocobos . In the " " , it is revealed that Chocolina went to the new world with Sazh and Dajh . Nature . Cocoon chocobos are a little taller than the average human , and retain the general appearance of chocobos found in other games in the series with generally yellow plumage . The domesticated Cocoon variety birds are popular as pets and as petting zoo attractions . The Gran Pulse variety is larger with two long ear - like appendages dangling on either side of their heads . They are found in abundance in the Font of Namva area within the Archylte Steppe . However , these grounds are constantly invaded by a pack of Sahagins , and it is part of a Cie ' th Mission to drive the Sahagins away , which , when successful , allows the party to ride chocobos across the Steppe . Chocobos of all varieties are said to possess a distinctive smell . The chicks can fly , but they lose the ability when they mature . Chocobos ' favorite food are various greens , and even wild chocobos may let people ride them with the offerings of greens . Only Pulsian type chocobos appear in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " and " Lightning Returns : Final Fantasy XIII " , but these games introduce various new colorations of chocobo . In " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " a mutant breed known as the rambunctious chocobo appears in certain areas that have been under the influence of the paradox . They have different plumage and demeanor with bright red feathers with dark purple tail . Specific chocobos . Chocobo Chick . The best known chocobo from the trilogy is Sazh ' s chocobo chick that makes its abode in his afro . The chick is spunky with a temper of its own , who bonds deeply with its human companions , especially Sazh and his son Dajh . The chick accompanies Sazh and Dajh throughout the trilogy . Chocolina . Chocolina is a chocobo transformed into a woman introduced in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . She is a traveling merchant appearing across different timelines , but after the timelines converge when Nova Chrysalia comes into being in " Lightning Returns : Final Fantasy XIII " , Chocolina starts operating a bulletin board known as Canvas of Prayers where people ' s wishes can be read by the savior . Angel of Valhalla . Angel of Valhalla is a legendary white chocobo said to herald the coming of the end of the world , whom the savior will ride to the Temple of the Goddess . When Lightning becomes the savior she visits the Wildlands and hears of the rumors of a white chocobo , setting out on a quest to find it and nurse it back to health . Gameplay . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Riding . To be able to ride a chocobo , the player needs to complete missions 12 - 14 ; to get access to these missions , the player must do missions 1 - 8 first . Afterwards , whenever the player wants to ride , they can walk up to one , and press to ride when the option comes up . The chocobos and only be used to the large open area . When riding across the Steppe , players have to avoid colliding with enemies , or they risk decreasing the chocobo ' s morale , which is represented by a feather on the morale meter . One morale drops with every collision , but it is gradually restored . An exception is when the player collides with the gargantuan Oretoises , which depletes the morale completely . When this happens , the chocobo throws the rider off . There are certain locations in the Archylte Steppe that can only be accessed with a chocobo . These are marked by a yellow circle on the field map . Chocobos can leap over wide gaps or high cliffs , which usually hide pathways to hidden ruins . Chocobos are easily found in these locations marked by a feather on the map . When the player dismounts , the chocobo usually waits for their return . Each character does specific things when the chocobo is idling , and so does the chocobo on some occasions . When Lightning overlooks the horizon , the chocobo will look at every corner ahead of it . Snow will pose with his head up high . Fang sits sideways , and when stopping , she will stretch out her arms and yawn . The chocobo Vanille rides will doze off , and she will try to rouse it . Hope and Sazh will caress the chocobo and the chocobo will return the gesture . Treasure hunt . Occasionally , an exclamation mark pops up as the player rides a chocobo indicating a treasure is nearby . Players only need to follow the direction the chocobo is facing to find the treasure , which is easier to see if the chocobo is standing still . The twentieth treasure the player digs up is a Ribbon , which can only be obtained once . Finding the Ribbon earns the player the Gysahl Wreath achievement . The treasures are in fixed locations in the dirt , not in the grass : " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . Riding . Chocobos may be ridden in various locations after completing certain events if given a Gysahl Green item , found as treasure or purchased at Chocolina ' s shop in various eras . The chocobo may be ridden freely until the player dismounts and some areas may be accessible only by using a chocobo . All chocobos seen are Gran Pulse Chocobos , regardless of whether they are found on Gran Pulse or Cocoon . This may be an effect of the paradox , or it may be that Gran Pulse chocobos have been introduced in Cocoon . When riding a chocobo on the Archylte Steppe , the chocobo will boot the rider if they approach the Long Gui , or any of the Fragment Quest monsters , i . e . Ochu , Immortal , or Yomi . Otherwise , enemies do not appear when riding a chocobo , and the morale gauge system of " Final Fantasy XIII " has been eliminated . Like in " Final Fantasy XIII " where each character does specific things when the chocobo is standing still , Serah will lean back on her hands while the chocobo looks around , whereas Noel will cross his arms over his chest . A mutant breed of Gran Pulse chocobo , known as the rambunctious chocobo , appears in certain areas that have been under the influence of the paradox for an extended period of time . They have different plumage and demeanor with red feathers with purple tail , and unlike normal chocobos , will continually eat from the player ' s supply of Gysahl Greens . Some rambunctious chocobos that aren ' t in fixed locations will actively avoid the player , and most will do so when dismounted regardless of whether or not the player has greens to feed them . If the player runs out of Gysahl Greens , the rambunctious chocobo will boot its rider and run away . It is stated by the game that a certain Fragment Skill increases the time the player has to ride this type of chocobo before it consumes another Gysahl Green . None of the skills , however , are specifically described to have this effect , so it may be a side effect of another skill . When riding one , the normal chocobo riding theme is replaced by a heavy metal song " Crazy Chocobo " . Battle . Chocobos of various types and colors may be fought in battle as monsters and tamed as monster crystals . Their abilities may be developed via the Crystarium and they may be used in battle via the Paradigm Pack system . Different colored chocobos have different battle proficiencies . The variations of chocobo that can be fought in random battles are black chocobo , Blue Chocobo , Chocobo ( regular yellow variety ) , Green Chocobo , Purple Chocobo , Red Chocobo , and white chocobo . By defeating them and obtaining their crystal they can be recruited in the party ' s Paradigm Pack and summoned in battle or ridden in the Serendipity chocobo races . Additionally , Golden Chocobo cannot be fought but can be obtained as a Paradigm Pack monster . Chocobo Racing . Captured chocobos can be entered in the chocobo races at Serendipity . The player can race with chocobos they have captured from the wild and then raised . The chocobos run on a track with a choice of short or long course . The player can bet on the race ' s outcome , and race with their own chocobo . Chocobos have a boost gauge that slowly refills and is drained when the chocobo dashes . The chocobos ' basic stats ( speed and stamina ) are shown before the race so the player can predict the outcome , but as in real world sports betting , chocobos with lower odds net more prize money if they happen to win . There are five race tiers of varying difficulty and each yield different items upon succeeding , and the player must move up ranks by winning races . Secret races also exist , which can be entered after clearing specific conditions . The player can give their chocobo different skills that can be activated during race , and with the " Race Point " system a single chocobo can only enter a limited amount of races before forced to retire . " " . After nursing the injured white chocobo , known as the Angel of Valhalla , back to health , the chocobo will aid Lightning in battle as a guest party member , and can be ridden on the Wildlands to reach areas Lightning can ' t reach on her own . If Lightning exits the Wildlands , the Angel will be left behind . If she returns to a different area of the Wildlands , the Angel will swiftly arrive there , allowing Lightning to mount him again . In Yusnaan , Lightning can take part in the " Friends Forever " quest where she must find colored chocobo chicks scattered around the town . There are also woman dressed as chocobos around Yusnaan . Musical themes . " Final Fantasy XIII " . There are two music tracks associated with the chocobos in " Final Fantasy XIII " : " Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams " and " Chocobos of Pulse . " " Chocobos of Pulse " is a jazzy and upbeat theme . It was originally titled " Pulse de Chocobo " , which serves as a pun . It means " Chocobos of Pulse " but also follows the naming tradition of " Style " de Chocobo , as it is a rhythmic version , hence the " pulse " . It is played as the player mounts a chocobo and rides it across the Archylte Steppe . The song is written by Ryo Yamazaki . " Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams " is another upbeat theme , which includes female vocals . It plays during the sequence in Nautilus , as well as the fight sequence in Mission 14 : Defender of the Flock . The song is written by Masashi Hamauzu and sung by Frances Maya . It is also heard in the lobby for the chocobo races in Serendipity in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . The chocobo theme is named " Groovy Chocobo " and consists of a fast , drum - orientated theme which contains one lyric : " Chocobo " . There is also another theme , called " Chocobo Rodeo " , which is an upbeat and pacy song , resembling Wild West music , and is played when racing chocobos in Serendipity . A heavy metal arrangement of the chocobo ' s theme with Shootie HG ' s vocals under the name " Crazy Chocobo " plays when the party rides the rambunctious chocobos . The player may freely select these themes , as well as " Chocobos of Cocoon - Chasing Dreams " and " Chocobos of Pulse " from " Final Fantasy XIII " , to be the theme played when riding a chocobo by obtaining the Fragment Skill " Chocobo Music . " On the " " , two chocobo themes exist . The first of the themes , called " Hopping Chocobo " , is a piano version of the Chocobo Rodeo . The second track , " Crazy Chocobo _ UstreamEdit , " is the track " Crazy Chocobo " with a fade in and coda as well as vocal distortions throughout the song . Three different versions of the chocobo theme will play while riding the Angel of Valhalla on the Wildlands , depending on what level of recovery he ' s at . " Blusey Chocobo " will play when his recovery is at level one , " Chocobo Returns " plays at recovery level two , and " Marimba de Chocobo " will play when he ' s fully recovered . Other appearances . " Final Fantasy Trading Card Game " . Pulsian chocobos appear with wind - elemental cards .