Question about that Legacy Chocobo...

I know that the design of the Legacy Chocobo comes primarily from the Yoshitaka Amano art, but I was wondering just exactly what happened to our feathery companions from 1.0 and how they came to look as they do now. Is there any official lore on what happened to them?

Reading the official in-game description of the mount:

"Five years and a realm-shaking calamity were not enough to break the bonds between you and your loyal steed. A single whistle and he will be at your side once again."

Which sounds to me like the bird remained behind while legacy players were sent forward. I think this is supported by the longer plumage, and that the bird is wearing strange gear. But the bird also has the brand of the Twelve on the beak, which was only supposed to be on those sent forward in time (if I understand it correctly).

So... is there any official word on what happened with the chocobos? And, if the bird stayed behind for five years, how did it get the brand/armor?

I asked this very question in another thread, and no one responded, so I believe the lore behind it is a blank at this stage. It's appearance and the mount's description definitely hint that it existed back before the Calamity, but it's an entirely new mount, and one that even players like me who never levelled that much in 1.0 or didn't get the Legacy opening started ARR with (and hence, never had a chocobo of their own in 1.0). I really hope Ferne or someone else on the writing team can answer this as I'm very curious about it. :)

It also is different from your 1.0 chocobo, as I still have Profioneaux, my mount from 1.0 alongside the Legacy chocobo.

All I know is the Legacy Chocobo clearly survived a close encounter with Dalamud, going by their singed feathers. =)

Actually, I have another question about the Legacy chocobo. Can you change its name? I've not yet enlisted in a Grand Company, but the Chocobo handlers give me the option to name my chocobo. I don't want to rename Profioneaux, but I also don't know if you can rename the vanity mounts, which I should think includes the Legacy chocobo.

#LegacyWorldProblems lol

You can only grant the companion chocobo a name, as far as in-game mechanics go.