- Final Fantasy III - Final Fantasy VII - Breath of Fire III - Megaman X - The
Little Mermaid -
Chapter One
Flames Through the Dawn
The sun peered over the edge of the mountains of the west onto the small
village of Thamasa. Golden light flooded Terra's room and woke her. She
yawned and stood up.
Terra hated to get up this early. But today was a special occasion. For the
past 2 years, Terra's friend Setzer had been working on a new, revolutionary
airship. Two weeks ago he had completed it, and Terra was one of the lucky
few on the airship's maiden voyage.
It was mid-December, but Thamasa never received snow. Terra wrapped herself
in warm clothing and walked to the point where Setzer's new ship was to be
unveiled. The other few who were invited to the flight were there as well:
the old Blue Mage Strago and his granddaughter Relm, one of the respected
townsmen Nicholi, and Setzer's pretty young fiance Candi.
Strago and Relm were good friends of Terra, but found Nicholi somewhat over-
egotistical and disliked Candi, a dancer from Jidoor who was just barely 18,
altogether. But Setzer had his reasons for inviting these people.
Upon Terra's arrival, Setzer was ready to begin the ceremony. "Glad ya'll
could make it today... you guys are 'bout to see the world's newest airship.
Completely safe, reaches high speeds of 'bout 250 miles per hour, complete
with all the fine luxuries you'd appreciate in your own home, and doesn't put
a drop of pullution into the air."
Setzer led his small team into a wooded glade where the airship sat. The
entire team was instantly breathless. Before them stood an airship like none
they had ever seen. The primative "blimp" form had been abandoned. This
vast ship looked like a large ocean-going vessel (which Setzer pointed out it
would be excellent for, so they could land directly onto the ocean with
little or no difficulty) with huge propellers on the top, and smaller ones on
either side and the back.
Suddenly, the main door to the ship opened and a platform slid down to the
ground. "It all checks out okay, Setzer," said Edgar, wiping his greasy
hands on a rag. "I've just finished checking the oil and fuel. We're ready
for our first flight!"
Setzer smiled and ran up to meet Edgar standing in the ship's doorway. "Come
on, guys! Thing can't bite ya!"
Relm yawned and rolled her eyes. "Okay, Strago, I saw his stupid ship. Can
I go home now?" Strago merely grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the
ramp. Terra, Nicholi, and Candi followed.
The inside of the ship was as impressive as the outside. It was lively
decorated. This main entranceway was complete with large windows, slot
machines, a poker table, a roulette wheel, a beautifully done portrait of
Setzer and Daryl (which he brought over from his old airship), and a
billiards table.
"Welcome, to my new airship, the Magician."
Edgar explained that with the Figorian mechanics and Setzer's riches it was
easy to design and build the new airship. It had capabilities never thought
of before.
"It's very impressive, Setzer," said Terra politely, though she was still
more or less asleep. Candi threw her arms around Setzer in overwhelming
exitement, giggling in one of her overly girlish fits, while Edgar rinsed off
his hands in a nearby water basin. Strago and Relm were busy admiring the
tapestries and pictures that decorated the airship walls- Setzer was a die
hard art collector (though Relm insisted his taste was nothing less than lame
and primitave).
"What was the total cost of the project?" asked Relm, somewhat rudely,
playing with a loose piece of fabric in one of the tapestries.
Strago turned bright red. "Relm! It's not polite to inquire about another's
finances!"
Setzer chuckled. "Naw, man, it's cool. Whole project was just over 3
million gil, a pretty penny even for me. Comes complete with a hotel, 10
bathrooms, a restaurant-sized kitchen, the casino here, a lounge area with a
fireplace and a bar..."
Just then a man dressed in a black suit and tie walked up, holding a glass of
champaigne.
"...not to mention a full staff to keep it all running."
Setzer accepted the drink and handed it to Candi. The suited man disappeared
behind some curtains.
"Mechanics, butlers, cleaning ladies, and someone to care after our chocobo."
Candi giggled. "Goldilocks can be such a handful, that's why we pay someone
to take care of him."
Nicholi, who had been standing idle the whole time, suddenly came to life.
"Well, where is the bridge? Let's see how this thing moves."
Edgar led his companions into a large room fitted with glass along one wall,
obviously the front of the ship. "It's all computerized, using the latest
technology which Figorian scientists have been exploring for the past 10
years. I've checked, rechecked, and doublechecked every nook and cranny of
the system. This thing handles better than a longsword glued to your palm."
"And how would you know?" inquired Relm in a sarcastic tone.
"Relm, that'll be the end of that!"
"Well you shouldn'ta woke me up so early! You nutty old man."
Strago sighed and changed the subject. "Well, let's ignite the engines then.
It looks like a vast improvement over the Falcon!"
Setzer nodded. "Yep."
After he no longer needed it, Setzer sold the Falcon to an aristocrat in
Jidoor. The buyer was to senile to drive it, but used it as his home and a
type of museum of his collected weaponry. In the past seven years it became
quite famous.
Setzer sat down behind the controls and ignited the engines. The propellers
started to whir and the surrounding trees blew in a chaotic frenzy. Slowly,
yet dramatically, the airship rose off the ground, giving its occupants a
great view of Thamasa and the world around them.
A few hours passed while the riders were exploring the ship before one of the
crew members, while mopping the deck, noticed an odd shape against the sun,
now a good ways off of the horizon. He ran downstairs to the pilot (while
Setzer made the initial takeoff, he was too busy entertaining his guests to
fly the airship.) and reported the sighting.
"Looks kinda like a fishin' net..."
"Ya think it's some kinda magic?"
The pilot shook his head. "Can't be. Gabbianni alreadly tole' us that magic
vanished after he an' the others beat that guy Kefka. Ain't no more magic
left."
"Can you be sure?"
Setzer was leading Terra, Strago, and Relm in a game of poker (Relm was ahead
by 3500 gil) when the pilot's assistant walked in. "Captain, we have a
type of oddity directly north of us. I'd say it was magic, if I didn't know
better."
"Magic?" said Terra, sitting up. Relm peeked over at her cards. "Hmph. I
fold."
"Yes ma'am. Like a shadowy net just in front of the sun."
Terra, Setzer, and Strago returned to the bridge to get a better look at this
"magic" phenomenon. Terra stood at the head of the ship and closed her eyes.
She concentrated on the force in front of her, and what she found was
startling.
Suddenly her head felt like it was exploding. Sharp pains shot through her
consciousness, and she fell over screaming in agony. Setzer was instantly at
her side. "Terra! You okay?"
"I saw... what that thing wants... something about... the fictional
destruction..."
"Fictional destruction?" commented Strago. "If it's fictional, what have we
to worry about?"
"I don't know... I saw the line between fact and fiction. That thing- that
magical wave of energy... it is that line."
Setzer sighed deeply in worry. "So what the hell is it?"
Strago muttered, "Dunno. But we sure don't wanna fly into it. We'd better
land somewhere."
"Alright. Go tell the pilot to make a landing near Jidoor."
The pilot nodded. "Right away, sir."
Doesn't This Just Beat All?
The weather had been terribly rainy the past few days. It was getting so bad
that Rei and his best friend Ryu were having difficulty hunting. It was
nearly midnight. Ryu had been writing in his journal all evening by the
candlelight when Rei walked in, sopping wet.
"Dammit, Ryu, why don't you go out and do some hunting once in a while!"
"Because you're so good at it, Rei."
Ryu closed and locked his journal and slid it back into the drawer of his
desk. "You know, the weirdest thing happened while you were gone. There was
about 15 flashes of light, just up on the horizon."
"Yeah," replied Rei, sharpening the dullened blades of his daggers. "It
happened in that short time the rain stopped, right?"
"Yeah, but that's not the thing I'm talking about. As it was happening, I
thought I heard your name, like a ghostly wail or something."
"Odd."
"Yep. I must have imagined it."
You didn't imagine anything.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing, man. Listen, I'm covered in mud, I'm gonna go take a bath."
"All right."
Rei walked out of the room, and Ryu slunked over to his bed and laid down.
Often, he would hear the voices of the Brood echoing in his head, giving him
guidance in his life. But this time it was different. He felt as if though
Rei was being hunted. But by whom? And for what?
Rei stuck his toe into the small, underground pond he and Ryu bathed in. It
was like an ice cube. "Ack!" screeched Rei. "Doesn't this just beat all?
Can't even take a bath..."
Rei sat on the bank and pushed a fat frog, lounging around in the murky
shallows, around with a stick. Why should he do all the hunting? Ryu was a
much better warrior than he, knew the forest just as well. All he ever did
was sit around and write. It was time Rei stood up for himself!
But whenever he did that, Ryu backed him into an intellectual duel which the
somewhat dimwitted tiger had no chance of winning. "Well, that's how it
always is... I do the hunting, Ryu does the thinking."
Isn't that taking advantage of you, Rei?
"Wha...?" said Rei.
Ryu shot up from his position in the bed. "Who... said that? Taking
advantage of Rei?"
"Who's there?"
I can help you use your powers for a better goal...
"My... powers?"
"Rei's... powers?"
Don't you want to be respected?
Ryu shot up from his bed and grabbed his sword. Whatever this voice was, it
obviously had bad intentions.
"Don't this just beat all? Now I'm hearing voices. What a crappy day."
Rei dove into the ice cold water, hoping the shock would clear his mind.
You can't escape me.
Ryu flew down to the pond and saw Rei on the other side, dripping wet,
shivering, and holding his head in his hands. "What... do you want with me!
What are you... doing!?"
You are the perfect one for my plan...
"Rei! Look out!"
A shadowy figure decended upon Rei like a net. "Rei!"
A flash of light followed. Then Ryu was alone with the pouring rain. He
dropped his sword and swam to the place he last saw his friend. "Rei!"
Nothing there. "My God..." said Ryu to himself. "Doesn't this just beat
all..."
Worlds Dissolve But Some Things Are Forever
Being the king, Triton demanded to know about everything that went on in his
ocean. Normally, he got a minor report- an off-shore storm whips up a
waterspout or some such rubbish. But it wasn't everyday that magic waves of
energy courses in rivers above the surface like that. Either some powerful
mage was at work recently, or... or something else happened.
Besides, Triton received word that his daughter was travelling tonight on a
battleship for a major celebration. And if the seas weren't safe, he would
have to make sure to change things.
He donned his trident. "It might take a little work to calm such powerful
magic... but I don't have a choice."
Christmas was nearing, but in Eric's equatorial country there was little to
worry about. The seas were cold, but safe.
Eric's wife Ariel came up behind him. "It's beautiful tonight... this will
be the best Christmas ever!"
Eric laughed. "Yeah. The skies look clear for miles around."
Ariel threw her arms around him and whispered, "I don't have much of a chance
to find out what I'm getting for Christmas, do I?"
"Not a chance."
"Ariel?" Nicholi shot up from his trance on the deck of the Magician.
Relm laughed out loud. "Of course we're aerial, this is an airship
stupid!"
"It's just as well. Then you won't find out what I got you either!"
"What's with ole' Nicky, Relm?"
"I dunno. First he starts muttering about some kind of ray, now he's
complaining that we're in the air. I tell you, Strago has some odd
friends."
"Well, it's Christmas Eve, so enjoy the party."
Ariel smiled and walked away. As Eric was wondering if she used to celebrate
Christmas as a mermaid, something called at him from the distance...
Now it's your turn...
"I dunno," said Terra. "I can kinda hear it too."
"Huh? Who said that?" Eric spun around, but no one was behind him. "That's
odd. It's almost midnight- what is that light?" They were too far away from
port to see the lighthouse and...
...and was it approaching them?
Triton was near enough to see the wave now- silver and flourishing, looking
somewhat like a net...
Wouldn't you like to be of use to a new era?
"Wha...?" Ariel said, suddenly hearing something in her head. She fell to
her knees with a dizzying headache.
It was approaching them! "Ariel!"
Eric ran to the lower deck, but by the time he arrived the entire ship was
bathed in a strange silvery light.
"Ariel, no!" cried Eric and Triton.
But the light dissipated, along with the princess.
"It's coming."
"Don't worry, Nicholi. You're safe in Jidoor now- we'll wait till you
are over this fever before we head back."
"That won't... stop it... not if it... is ficitonal..."
And if you refuse to join me I will destroy you and all that you love.
Ariel opened her eyes slowly. She was in a small room, like a jail cell. It
was completely empty except for a strange being sleeping in the corner. He
was like nothing Ariel had ever seen- or imagined. He was human, or
something like it, only he had a long tail and was covered in orangish hair
with black stripes- like a tiger.
At first, Ariel was scared. Something had taken her from her familiar
surroundings and thrown her here... the last thing she remembered was
someone calling her. Asking her to join it. But...
And this new creature. What was it? Or to be more humane, who was it?
Rei.
The voice startled Ariel- at first. "Rei? Your name is Rei?"
The tiger is Rei- and you will soon have two others to help you...
"Help us? But help us what?"
Rule the multiverse.
"I... I don't care about the multiverse! I just want to go home..."
Worlds dissolve but some things are forever.
|