CoWR - Getting the Second Mask

Oneshot

DISCLAIMER: Don't own any of the Final Fantasy characters...though for most of this chapter it's OCs only.

Firion awakens in Castle Fynn. It appears he was taken to another realm in his dreams, and a Goddess had spoken to him.

"Are you alright? You seem to have passed out there." Gordon asks.

"I'm alright... It must be I'm starting to feel the effects of that battle earlier..." He looks towards the woman known as Fang. "Is she alright?"

"She passed out at the same time you did."

"Did she?"

Fang wakes and sees no Vanille. "Typical. I find her just to lose her again." She sighs "Though it wasn't a dream, was it?"

Firion walks towards Fang and offers to help her up. "What do you mean? And what dream do you speak of?"

Fang raises an eyebrow at Firion "You didn't dream? Maybe I've got a few more screws loose than I thought."

Firion looked at Fang, was she speaking of the same dream he had? "In this 'dream', were you in a white plain full of water?"

Fang nods "That's right. So we did have the same dream. Great." She stretches "Right, why don't we get a move on?"

Firion looks at Fang. "So we had the same dream as well? We can talk about it later; I have to head out and stop Mateus' plans."

Fang grins "Let me in on the fun. I can help ya out against him. I now know Vanille is safe, I can acquire your help if I help you."

Firion looks at Fang. He had to make sure she knew what she was getting into. The last battle with Mateus had many casualties. "Are you sure you wish to follow me? The fight with Mateus and his forces will be extremely dangerous."

Fang grins "I can handle myself. I'm not gonna go and get myself killed, and you'd better not make me have to save your ass every ten minutes in return."

Firion grins a bit. She could handle herself. "Fine with me then. We'll have to go south, to the City of Paloom. The Island we'll be traveling to doesn't have enough space for an airship to land."

Fang nods "Lead the way, Firionel."

Firion and Fang head to Paloom, to find Leila. She was a pirate, and one who had helped Firion in his quest to defeat The Emperor. Now, she'll be helping again. "Her ship should be near the port. Leila will help us get to the Island."

Fang nods. "A pirate huh? Yo ho ho and such?" She laughs. "You bunch are odd."

Firion nods and chuckles at her comment. "Yes. She even tricked me into thinking she was a normal person. She took us on her ship, and ambushed us. When we defeated her men, she agreed to help us, and has been doing so ever since." The two near the ship, and see Leila coincidentally preparing to board it. "That's her. Let's go."

Fang looks over Leila "She's a pirate? You're kiddin', right?"

Firion walks towards the woman, who sees him as she boards her vessel. "Well if it isn't the perverted rebel!"

"I see you still haven forgotten."

"I haven't, I'll be holdin' ye to that. What brings ya all the way over here?"

"I was looking to see if you could help me get back to that Tropical Island."

"Going on a little "vacation" with your female friend? What ever happened to Maria?"

"Nothing like that. Mateus has returned."

"Well, when ye be puttin' it in those words, it makes this much worse than it should be..."

"Could you take us?"

"Hop on board."

Fang looks over Leila "Hmph." She gets on the boat with Firion. "Next time don't forget that if you wanted a tropical vacation, you should've gone with 'Maria' or who ever it is. Hahaha." She glances at Firion "Things tend to blow up around me."

Firion chuckles a bit. "The Island we're going to is anything but relaxing."

"Aye. It crawls with monsters all over the place. Weak little buggers, but too much can get you exhausted."

0-0-0-0-0

The Interval shoots towards the island "And you all think my airship is stupid." Thasha presses a button and a cannon appears at the helm. "That's a Thanix Cannon, read it and weep."

Igso shrugs, not really liking the idea of an airship having weapons. 'If things are gonna be set on fire, I'd so much rather do it myself. What's the fun of just pressing a button...?'

"And what does "Thanix" mean?"

Thasha shrugs. "Its cool, that's all. Jackass."

Maria just shrugs as well and continues looking out the window.

The Interval lands at the tropical island. Thasha gets out "I hate the tropics..."

Igso gets out as well. "Well, shouldn't this be fun?" He immediately starts shooting flames at all the flora and fauna he can see, causing a big fire that starts to spread, all while giggling maniacally.

Maria gets out as well 'Oh jeez...he's gonna kill us all.'

Thasha scowls "Igso Undo. Gave your name to a wizard, idiot." The flames and their caster are drenched in a sudden downpour or water. "Dipfuck, we need a low profile here."

Steam explodes out from Igso's body, and he howls in pain and rage. The water starts to boil.

Then, suddenly, both the water and fire disappear, and Igso is back to normal, as if the incident had never happened. "Fine, I'll postpone burning this place to ashes until after we get the mask."

Maria rolls her eyes "Really? I thought the Emperor wanted the Mask to be destroyed."

Thasha shrugs "We can bring it to him and if he wants it dead, he can kill it. Metaphysically speaking." She trudges into the kinda-charred jungle.

Maria follows closely behind Thasha "Sarcasm, ya gotta love it."

Thasha grins "Sarcasm and magic are what I do best. What do you do best anyways?"

Maria stares at Thasha with a deadpan look "I punch things."

Thasha frowns "Oh come now. Surely you have some kind of interest or hobby. You aren't exactly 'meathead' material."

Maria blinks "I was a SeeD. There's not much you can do when you're waiting for another mission, though...I did play Triple Triad from time to time."

Thasha raises an eyebrow "Triple Triad? You children and your card games... Huh, a SeeD though? Why'd ya quit?"

Maria grins "Can't really help the people when you're on the side of evil." she said, but it was only a little true, for she never officially resigned and probably thought to be M.I.A., and she had 'quit' SeeD for another reason altogether.

Thasha faces Maria "Oh? I protect and raise Poke." She shrugs "But I'm not evil. I'm just on Chaos' side."

Maria blinks again "...Why?"

Igso trudges behind them, barely holding himself back from burning everything. Again. He pays no attention to their chatter, which further proves he isn't a smart guy. 'Revenge is a dish best served cold...' He inwardly winces at the expression. 'Grrgh...It should have been something, anything BUT "cold". Damned words!'

Thasha stares off into the jungle as she walks. "Maybe I see myself in her. I was twelve and living as her too. Or, perhaps I feel there's a debt to be paid to a certain man..." She shrugs.

"I meant why did you join Chaos if you aren't evil, but that works too."

Thasha blinks. "Oh... oops. Heh... Guess I just felt a bit chaotic, I was an Anti-Hero at some point. Slew a bunch who slew my family. Not in humane ways, mind you. Guess that's why."

Maria just chuckles and keeps on walking.

The group reaches their destination. "Right, girly-talk is over, let's begin."

Igso makes a grand gesture. "Yes, let's begin...TO BURN!" He starts to set fire to everything. Again.

Thasha glares at Igso. "If I harm you more, you'll get brain damaged. Besides, I can conceivably kill you anywhere, you gave me you name." She sighs. "Dip. Fuck." She walks in wondering why women generally seem more competent as Chaos' soldiers.

Igso sticks out his fiery tongue at her and begins to recite poetry.

"Little Willy, in his nice new sashes

Fell in the fire and was burned to ashes

The fire burns low, the room goes chilly

But we haven't the heart to poke poor Willy."

He then continues on through the flames, following the others since he has no idea where to find this mask thing.

Maria facepalms "Please tell me that this place has only one floor."

Let's try 5... or is it 6? Ahem, the three make their way through the first floor. "God I hate jungles."

Maria looks a Thasha, knowing the most likely answer to her next question, but decides to ask it anyway for the evlulz "Including burning jungles?"

Thasha glares at Igso "Especially burning ones. I'm not that evil."

"Let's hope those fires don't burn the air...ship..."

Thasha stops "I'm wasting magic, buuut..." She turned to the pyroma...iniamancer "Igso Undo." Again, a torrent of water drenches the pyromanimancer and his flames. The RPer swears it's like "lulz" or something.

Maria just walks forward, because there's nothing else to do BUT move forward.

Igso mutters more obscene poetry under his breath as he follows.

The Boat continues on forwards, to the tropical Island, Where they land near the Entrance to the Mountain where the forest hides.

"The forest and everything is hidden inside that mountain. The entrance is near here."

Fang looks about the island "Huh. It's burned, you do that Firionel?"

Firion looks through all the burnt Plant life. Mateus got there first, it seems. "No, not I. Mateus and his men must already be here. We'll have to move faster, before they can reach the mask."

Fang cracks her neck "Well what are we waitin' for? Let's get in there." She says as she glances at the ga-awesome Interval.

Firion runs in as he passes the Interval. He wasn't one to judge things by their look. After all, look at how he dresses. "There should be around four-to-five floors here. We'll get through them fairly quick."

Fang, however, laughs at the Interval and it's... glory as she follows Firion. "Four or five? I though you were here before."

The group is nearly there. By that I mean floor 4. Thasha sits on a rock "Ok, let's take a nonsmoking break. I'm growing quite tired..."

Maria rests against a nearby wall "How much farther do you think it is?"

Igso growls, and shoots a flame up into the air.

Thasha shrugs "Two? Three floors?"

Maria twitches at the sudden burst of fire Igso let off "That's not too bad."

Thasha stretches "Right then. Let's be off."

Maria simply nods and walks to where she presumes the stairs to the next floor are. Damned Red Herring doors...

0-0-0-0-0

The Chaos group reaches the mask at long last. "Huzzah. Grab it; I'll cover you, girly." She draws her wand and revolver.

After some time of lots of running, going up stairs, and fighting Gigantoads, they finally reach the room holding the Mask. An axe is sent flying towards Maria as she tries to grab the Mask. "You won't get that mask!"

Maria jumps backwards, just narrowly avoiding the axe "Oh come on! I've had to deal with a pyromaniac and trick rooms all day today! What's next, the fortress going to metaphorical hell why we were away?"

It did, just to let those who didn't read those last parts in FoB know.

Igso turns around. "Aren't you a fiery one? I admire your weapons, boy!"

He then proceeds to set said weapons ON FIAR. By waving his hand. Because he's a fire elemental or some shiz.

ON FIAR I TELL YOU

Firion watches as the flamer tries to burn his axe, only to see it do nothing. As the axe boomerangs back to him, Firion jumps forward, launching a Blizzard at Igso. "It seems your tactics are in need of rethinking."

Igso melts the blizzard with another wave of his hand. "Weeeeehuahahahahahaha!"

He sets the entire area on fire, melts into a flame, and pops up behind Firion. However, he is unaware of where Fang is, which may cause his downfall ahemahemahem.

Firion uses that spiny move, using his spear to strike twice, his sword to launch Igso into the air, but instead of shooting a fire arrow, he follows up with Straight Arrow instead.

Maria, of course, uses this time to take the Mask. Thankfully, the Big Horns do not appear, possibly in fear of being roasted.

Fang PS to Ravager and casts several Blizzards at Igso. "Take this, Pyromaniamancer."

Thasha frowns "Oh come on, that's my word."

Igso is sent sprawling, and cannot defend himself in time against the Blizzards. "AAAAAAAARGH!"

He is frozen solid in an Igso-shaped ice structure. The flames start to melt him, but for now, he is completely helpless.

Fang PS to Commando and slams her staff into Igso's head.

Igso's head, currently made of ice, shatters. He dies and dematerializes.

...What? I needed to explain why he never shows up after this!

Thasha watches "You know, I wish I had a cigar. Igso's a damn light."

Firion turns his attention to Thasha and Maria. Fang had frozen Igso, so that was one person they didn't need to worry about for now. "You won't escape with that mask!" He runs towards them, throwing two knives enchanted with Lightning and tied to a rope toward Thasha.

Thasha is stabbed with Firion's knife and is pulled to him "Hell..." She takes her Revolver and pistol whips Firion's sme... face.

Maria recognizes the two interlopers "Oh no, not you two again," she says as she jumps up and does a spinning kick on Fang.

Firion is pushed back as Thasha pistol whips him. He regains balance and draws his sword, charging forwards and swinging the blade once horizontally. "Take this!"

Thasha's eyes widen "Hell" She rolls to the side "No chance in letting an old woman go?"

Fang grins as she recovers from Maria's attack "I've been waitin' for this!" She uses Blitz to knock Maria back and follows up with several attacks.

Firion stares down Thasha. "I've had my fair share of experiences with women on the opposing side... I don't think I want more of those."

He whips out his bow, and takes aim at Thasha. A Magical arrow forms and is shot towards her at high speeds.

Maria winces as the blade slashes across her skin, still not fully healed from their last encounter. She does manage to dodge the last few slashes and delivers a kick to Fang's torso. She yells over to Thasha "Hey, got something to get us out of here?"

Thasha is knocked back by the arrow "Urgh... Yeah, I do!" She throws a spots bottle at Maria "Drink it and think about the Interval!" She drinks the bitter potion from a second bottle. A second later she has vertigo and is on the Interval. "Gotta refine that potion..."

Maria grabs the bottle and drinks it, wincing once again, this time at the bitter taste, but nevertheless thinks about the Interval and appears there, still holding the Mask.

Meanwhile, near the entrance to the Tropical Isle's depths...

Garland receives a telepathic message from the Emperor.

'I wonder... did he foresee that they would be followed, or did he plan this in advance? ... In the end, it matters not.'

He then reaches out with his Psychokinesis, and causes several large boulders to collapse onto the entrance to the depths.

In case they try to shift them, he then launches a Flare, using the immense heat to melt and fuse the boulders together, into a solid wall.

'Will that hold them for long? I know not. But my work is done.'

He crushes the dark crystal in his hand and returns to the Fortress of Bedlam.

Firion sees them teleport away. "They must be headed back to their ship. We can still catch up. Follow me." Behind the Pedestal that the Mask laid was a path that lead to an enchanted square on the floor. Upon stepping atop of it, they are teleported outside of the entrance to the cave. Firion looks back and notices the Caves was sealed shut. "They must have expected someone would try to follow... We must catch their ship, before they leave."

Thasha grins "Good job." The Interval shoots off.

Fang turns to Firion "Just great. You let 'em escape!" She mock-scowls "Well what now?"

"They haven't escaped yet." He runs towards the Ship. As he boards the ship, he yells to Leila and points to the Interval in the sky. Immediately, the ship begins to follow the flying airship, though the airship is slowly leaving their view, as it is moving way faster than they are.

Goblim: Thasha, Fang,

Me: Maria,

Jonah: Igso,

NinjablazerZero: Gordon, Firion, Leila,

Sun Tzu: Garland (IX),