Decided to re-post this.

Chapter 1 -A Mad Clown and the Mystery Girl

The year is EC 1935. Ghestal, Emperor of the East Europan Imperial Alliance declared war on the eastern nations of the Atlantic Federation for the purpose of controlling the supply of ragnite, a precious mineral with endless uses. Complementing the might of their large armies and powerful tanks was a new technology called Magitek. Recently developed by the Empire, specially made bipedal vehicles called Magitek Armor allowed the Empire to control the very elements themselves using ragnite, and as the only wielders of this technology, were given a distinct tactical advantage in almost every battle.

Crossing the western borders of the Federation, the Empire quickly gained numerous victories through their military superiority, gaining ground and quickly putting the Federation on the defensive. With their early successes and quick advancement into Federation territory, the Empire turned its eyes beyond the borders of the Federation. Gallia, a small peaceful country between the two countries, became the Empire's next target. Even though Gallia had declared neutrality in the conflict between the two countries, its rich stores of ragnite proved too tempting for Ghestal and the Empire to ignore. The Empire massed troops at Gallia's eastern border and invaded with the force of a hurricane. Ghirlandaio, the great fortress guarding Gallia's eastern route, was taken by the Empire in only two days. It is here that the story begins.

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Ghirlandaio Fortress' war room was once adorned with Gallian flags and various memorabilia. Now with the Empire occupying it, all traces of Gallia had been removed and replaced with Imperial themed items, from the flag to the carpeting on the floor. In the northern side of the room a throne was situated in which the commander of the Imperial invasion force, Prince Maximilian, was currently sitting in. Dressed in the white clothing that indicated his royal heritage, he stared down at the four generals that were seated around a table that had a map of Gallia spread out on top of it.

"General Gregor. Give Us your report on the northern front," ordered the Prince.

Berthold Gregor, commander of the Imperial invasion force's northern army, stood up and put his right fist up to his chest; the Imperial salute. "Your Grace, the Army's progress is on schedule. Most of the northern villages have been occupied and Marberry beach will soon be ours. The Gallians are no match for our Magitek Armor."

"And what of you General Jaeger?" asked Maximilian. "How are your forces faring?"

"All of Kloden has been occupied and a supply base is currently being established Your Grace," reported Radi Jaeger, commander of the southern army.

"And what of you General Palazzo?" inquired Prince Maximilian, staring down at the clown-like General of the Empire's eastern army.

"Uwee hee hee!" laughed General Kefka Palazzo. "Everything is going splendidly Your Gracefulness! I've subjugated most of the border towns and destroyed their pathetic little town watches too! Ho ho ho!"

"You will address him as Your Grace or Prince Maximilian," fumed General Selvaria Bles, commander of the central army. "How many times do I have to tell that to you?!"

"Aw boo hoo!" Kefka said in a mocking tone, wiggling his fingers at her. "Who died and make you king? Or queen? Tee hee!"

"How dare you?!" shouted Selvaria, her red eyes glaring at Kefka's aqua green ones. "I should cut you down where you sit!"

"That's enough Selvaria," commanded Maximilian, putting his hand up. "Kefka, We hear that you have yet to take Bruhl. Tell Us why."

"Ohoho! That's being taken care of now!" giggled Kefka as he leaned back in his chair. "I've sent three Magitek soldiers to capture it!"

"Only three?" asked Gregor, pushing his glasses up. "Isn't that a bit light?"

"Well, I've included her with them," explained Kefka as he adjusted the feather in his hair. "I'm sure she'll have a splendid time destroying them all, uwee hee hee!"

"You mean that girl you have mind-controlled?" asked Jaeger. "What's up with her anyway?"

"You could say she's a toy that the Emperor gave to me hee hee! A fun toy!" laughed Kefka. "I want to test how powerful she is, that's all! And even if she fails, I have a whole company of soliders waiting to take that pathetic little town, ho ho ho!"

"That is satisfactory to Us then," said Maximilian, his eyes closed. "Now go and prepare for the operation to capture the Fouzen facilities General Palazzo."

"Oh boy oh boy more things to destroy mwahaha!" beamed Kefka as he skipped out of the room. "Catch you laters alligators! Uwee hee hee!"

Selvaria sighed as he exited. "Your Grace, why do you put up with that...that clown? He is a disgrace to Your name and to the Empire."

"I agree with her Sir," said Gregor, clasping his hands together on the table. "He even dresses like some circus freak, and has no respect toward any of us or even you for that matter."

"Your opinions are duly noted," replied Maximilian, his eyes still closed. "However General Palazzo has favor with Our father, the Emperor, and as such I cannot do anything to circumvent Our father's wishes."

"Hey, look on the bright side," offered Jaeger as he propped his feet on the table. "He has done what we've asked of him so far."

"If you consider burning entire villages to the ground, then yes he has," countered Selvaria. "He is far too destructive for my tastes."

"We shall deal with him should the need arise," said Maximilian. "Now Selvaria, prepare your troops to take the city of Vasel. Once it is ours, the Capital shall soon fall."

"Yes, Your Grace!" said Selvaria, giving him the Imperial salute.

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The border town of Bruhl itself was in the midst of evacuating in anticipation of the Imperial invasion. The road leading out of town was lined with evacuees but there was one person in particular who was walking towards the town. His name is Welkin Gunther, son of the late Gallian war hero Belgen Gunther. He was returning home from his studies at Randgriz University to help his Darcsen sister, Isara, prepare to evacuate the town. His inquisitive tendency toward nature, however, got the best of him as he noticed a pair of rainbow salmon heading upstream in the nearby river.

"Wow heading up early aren't we?" asked Welkin, as if the fish could actually hear him. "How's the water?"

Dropping his backpack he took out a sketch book, sat down and began penciling in a drawing of the salmon. He was nearly finished when he suddenly felt the barrel of a rifle against his back.

"Freeze!" said a female voice from behind. "Put your hands in the air....slowly."

Welkin complied and slowly turned around, his sketchbook and pen still in his right hand. In front of him he saw three people, a young woman, a man, and a young boy, all staring at him with suspicion and all three pointing rifles at him.

"You don't look familiar," said the woman, her brown eyes staring at Welkin. "What's your name?"

"Um...The name's Welkin...And you are?"

"The one with the gun," replied the woman. "We're with the town watch. I'm Alicia. Alicia Melchiott."

"Oh um nice to meet-" began Welkin.

"So, I'm wondering: what are you writing in that little book of yours?" interrupted Alicia. "Imperial spies are in the area after all."

"This?" asked Welkin. "It's nothing really! I was just sketching the fish and, well you know..."

Alicia gave a condescending nod. "Oh, yes I know. And you do know there's a war going on don't you?"

"Well..."

Alicia didn't allow him to finish. "Very well then, Mister Artist, we'll talk more about fish sketching down at the station."

"Yeah how dare you sketch fish in our town!" said the young boy in an attempt to be tough.

"Miguel, now's not the time for that," sighed Alicia. "Go back to the town and report to the town watch Captain."

"Yes Alicia!" said Miguel with a salute.

Alicia watched as Miguel ran down the road and noticed a familiar figure walking her way.

"Ah, Isara hello," said Alicia, recognizing the daughter of the late General Gunther. "I thought you were packing up."

"Well I was waiting for my brother to come home to help me," said Isara, brushing some of her Darcsen blue-black hair away from her face. "But that may be difficult unless you are willing to let him go that is."

"What?!" Surprised, Alicia looked back at Welkin, who gave her a sheepish look.

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Meanwhile, a quarter mile away, three Imperial Magitek Armor units were making their way towards Bruhl. The pinnacle of Imperial technology, these mechanical units were largely responsible for the rapid occupation of most of the eastern half of Gallia. Resembling walking metal monstrosities, they allowed a single person to decimate any target or group with almost any elemental attack, from bolts of lightning to beams of ice and even laser blasts by converting liquid ragnoline into the desired effect. Occupying these particular Magitek Armor units were two Imperial soliders, Vicks and Wedge. The third was a young female not dressed in any type of Imperial uniform, nor was her name known to the two soldiers.

"Man, why did General Palazzo have to send her with us?" sighed Vicks. "She's so creepy, always with that blank look on her face."

"You said it," said Wedge. "Come to think of it do you even know her name?"

Vicks tried to come up with an answer as the trio continued to trek towards Bruhl. "Maybe it's best we don't know."

"Anyway let's hope she does what she's supposed to do," said Wedge. "I'm not completely sold on that Control Crown or whatever the hell that thing is called."

"Don't worry about it," assured Vicks as he looked at the woman. "She's had that thing on for years, so I don't think it's gunna break anytime soon."

After of few minutes of silent traveling, the three stopped upon sighting Bruhl.

"We're here," said Vicks as he looked at the woman. "You know what the mission is don't you?"

"Occupy the town," replied the woman in a flat, emotionless tone. "Destroy all who resist."

"Creepy," muttered Wedge as he spotted a group of four people near a bridge that led to the town. "Let's get this over with."

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"So those really were sketches then?" asked Alicia. "I thought they might have been some kind of code or something. I mean he was talking to the fish in the river."

Isara laughed upon hearing that. "Welks is what you'd call a nature buff. Sometimes he gets lost in his own world."

"It's as she said," laughed Welkin as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, anyway Is, we should be heading home."

"Right," nodded his sister.

"Hey I'll walk with you guys if it's alright," offered Alicia. "It's the least I can do."

"Sure," said Welkin. "That would be fi-"

His sentence was suddenly interrupted by a fiery blast that smashed into the stone bridge in front of them. Startled and confused, the group looked back to see three mechanical...things stomping their way.

"What are those?" gasped Alicia. A moment later a laser blast struck the town watchmen that was next to Alicia, killing him.

"It can't be!" gasped Isara. "Magitek Armor units!"

"Magiwhat?" asked Alicia as she and the other two with her ducked behind a boulder for cover.

"I've heard the Empire had developed some kind of secret weapon," said Welkin. "I thought those were just rumors."

"Well it looks real to me!" shouted Alicia as she grabbed her fallen comrade's Gallian rifle. "You can shoot one of these right?"

Welkin nodded. "You think it'll do any good?" he asked as he took the rifle from Alicia.

"We have to try something!" answered Alicia as another laser blast flew over their heads.

Suddenly another person arrived and ducked behind the rock with them. It was a young woman, no older than Alicia, dressed in the same blue and white uniform of the Bruhl town watch.

"Susie?" asked Alicia, somewhat surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Miguel told me that you had captured a spy, so I went ahead to check it out," explained Susie Evans with a frightened expression. "He didn't tell me about this!"

"They just appeared," replied Alicia. "At least you remembered to bring your rifle this time."

"Any ideas yet Is?" asked Welkin.

"They should have a radiator somewhere in the rear," said Isara as she snuck a quick glance at the approaching enemies. "Try aiming for it; it's better than nothing."

"Alright," said Alicia. "Here's the plan. I'm going to make a break for that tree over there. Welkin, you and Susie make your way through the river to the bridge upstream and try to hit them from behind."

"B-but that's dangerous!" gasped Susie. "You'll be killed! I know it!"

Alicia gave the young woman a smile. "Don't worry, I'm tougher than I look." And with that she took off toward the targeted tree.

"Let's go Susie," said Welkin as Alicia left. "Isara, stay here; it's safer."

His sister nodded and watched as her brother and Susie began sneaking their way up the river.

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"Hey Wedge, are you blind?" laughed Vicks. "You missed her by a mile!"

"It's not my fault," replied his counterpart. "That girl runs quicker than anything I've ever seen!"

"Hmph, we'll see about that!" smirked Vicks as he put his finger on a button. "First of all, let's get rid of that tree she's hiding behind." Pressing the button, his Magitek Armor emitted a ball of pure fire that struck the tree, instantly incinerating it. He and Wedge laughed as they watched the woman who was hiding behind it start running away while batting away flames that had caught her left sleeve on fire.

The woman in the third Magitek Armor unit remained silent as her counterparts continued to harass Alicia with ice beams.

"I got her now!" grinned Wedge as Alicia tripped and fell. He put his finger on the fire blast button and watched the panicked expression on her face. Before he could push the button though, a series of gunshots rocked the back of his Magitek Armor. "What the hell?!" He attempted to turn around but could not. "What's wrong with this piece of crap?!" he fumed as he began banging on the controls.

"Your radiator's been hit," answered Vicks as he turned his Magitek Armor around. "You let them sneak up behind us you idiot!"

"Hey, you're to blame too!" countered Wedge as he continued to struggle with the controls.

"Damn Gallians," muttered Vicks as he fired laser blasts at Susie and Welkin. Missing them only increased his frustration as he continued to fire at the pair.

"Finally got the damn thing to move," muttered Wedge as his Magitek Armor creaked back life. "But my weapon systems are shot. I've gotta pull out."

At this the woman in the third Armor unit snapped her attention to Wedge. "The mission is to take the village of Bruhl. Retreat is not an option," she told him with the same blank expression and emotionless voice.

"The hell if it isn't!" shouted Wedge as he began to back his Armor unit away from her.

"Your actions are now considered treason," replied the emotionless woman. "Your termination is now authorized."

"Wh-" Wedge didn't finish his sentence as the woman destroyed his Magitek Armor unit with a single laser blast.

"What the hell are you doing?!" demanded Vicks, turning his armor unit to face hers.

"He disobeyed direct orders," answered the woman. "I acted accordingly."

"You ain't human," said Vicks as he prepared to fire at her. "I don't care what Emperor Ghestal or the Prince or that crazy clown guy says!"

He never got the shot off. The woman destroyed his Armor unit as well.

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"Um, what just happened?" asked Susie as she stared at the two destroyed Magitek Armor units.

"I don't know," answered Welkin as he and Susie ducked into a patch of tall grass. "But that other one is still active and Alicia is done for if we don't take it out!"

The pair watched as the strange woman resumed the attack on Alicia, who was barely able to dodge the blasts and beams that were fired on her. When the radiator was exposed to Welkin and Susie, the two opened fire on it, causing it to smoke and the Armor unit to suddenly emit sparks. Alicia rushed to the pair and watched as the woman in the Armor unit struggled with the controls until the radiator exploded, ejecting its occupant ten feet away, and destroying the last Magitek Armor unit.

The trio cautiously approached the woman with their rifles pointed at her, but she was unconscious. Alicia prepared to pulled the trigger but Susie stopped her.

"What are you doing Susie?" asked Alicia. "She tried to kill us!"

"Yes, but I don't think killing her is the right thing to do," answered Susie as Isara joined them.

"Hey Is, what's that sparking thing on her head?" asked Welkin, pointing at the odd metal tiara on the woman's forehead.

"That's..." trailed Isara. She knelt down and removed the accessory with the pocketknife she carried with her. Holding it up for the others to see she said, "This is a Control Crown."

"Those mind control thingies I've read about?" gasped Susie. "Those are real?!"

"I thought those were banned from use by the treaty from the first war," replied Alicia, stroking her chin as she looked at it.

"They were," said Welkin. "Looks like the Empire forgot about that part."

"Is she really with the Empire?" wondered Isara as she looked at the woman. She took note of the clothing the woman was wearing, which was clearly not Imperial. She wore a very short red dress that came up to the top part of her chest, and white leggings with black spots on them. A purple silk sash covered her waist and the cape she wore was the same color and material as the sash. Her arm warmers and boots were also as red as her dress. Isara looked at the woman's face which was, other than the scrapes and cuts from the explosion, surprisingly beautiful. Her hair was a fair blond color, tied into a ponytail with a ribbon that was also of the same material and color as the sash and cape. Her skin was fair as well and to Isara, she looked too fragile to be any kind of warrior. She can't be much older than me... she thought. The only thing out of place was a small silver saber style sword that was belted on her left side.

"So what do we do with her?" asked Susie as Isara smashed the device under her foot.

"Let's take her back to our house Is," said Welkin as he took the woman's sword. "If the townspeople find out she was part of the attack, a mob will form for sure."

Alicia didn't like the idea, but there was merit to it. "Fine, but I'm going with you guys," she said as Welkin picked up the unconscious woman. "I don't want to take my eyes off her for a second."

"M-me too," said Susie. "I want to know more about her."

Welkin and Isara nodded and the four began to take the route outside of town to the Gunther residence.

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After half an hour of walking the four finally reached the Gunther residence. Welkin placed the still-unconscious woman on Isara's bed and stood over her with Alicia and the others.

"And here I thought it was going to be a normal day," sighed Alicia. "And what do I end up with? A nature geek and a bunch of Imperials trying to roast me alive."

"G-geek?" sighed Welkin as he put his hand to his forehead. "Gee thanks..."

"Sorry to interrupt," interjected Isara, "but what do we do about her?"

"If her mind truly was controlled, we will find out when she wakes up," said Alicia. "But if it turns out she was of her own free will..."

Susie let out an audible gasp. "No, please don't kill her! I don't think I can take watching another person die today!"

"If she's an Imperial, she deserves no less Susie!" argued Alicia. "I swear your pacifism gets on my nerves sometimes! Why'd you even join the town watch?"

"That's-" Before she could finish her sentence, the woman in the bed began to groan softly. The four watched as she slowly began to stir and awaken. Upon seeing the four Bruhlers, she let out a terrified scream and curled up against the headboard.

"W-who are you people?!" she demanded. "Where am I?!"

"Hey now, we're asking the questions," said Alicia, not believing her.

"What's going on?" asked the woman, clutching the sheets.

"Um, hello," said Welkin. "My name is Welkin Gunther. That's Alicia, Susie and Isara. We found you amongst an Imperial force that attacked our town."

"Imperial force?" asked the woman. "I...I don't understand."

"Don't lie to us!" shouted Alicia pointing her gun at the woman. "You're working with Empire aren't you? Admit it!" This only frightened the young woman on the bed further, who was now visibly shaking.

"Alicia, please calm down," insisted Isara. "Remember, she was wearing a Control Crown."

"Look at her eyes Alicia," Welkin added, pointing out the scared look in the woman's blue eyes. "You may as well be pointing your gun at a newborn deer."

"Okay, why were you with the Imperials then?" asked Alicia as she lowered her rifle.

"I...I don't know," answered the woman. "I...can't remember anything."

"The old 'I don't remember anything' trick?" sighed Alicia.

"I've heard that one of the side-effects of the Control Crown is that the person it's used on develops amnesia," explained Isara. "If you think about it, it does make sense."

"Do you remember your name?" asked Susie.

"My name?" asked the woman. "It's...Terra. Terra Branford. That's all I remember, I swear!"

"It's okay Terra," assured Welkin. "Alicia is just being cautious, that's all. Right Alicia?"

Alicia turned her head to the side and gave loud 'hmph" sound.

"Can...can you please tell me what's going on?" asked Terra. "I...have no idea what's happened."

Welkin sighed. "It's going to be a long story..."