Draco: NEW NEW EDIT: Apparently, advertising it as a prequel to K+C doesn't cut it. This is NOT a straight literation (novelization, whatever) of Final Fantasy VI, this is NOT a crossover with Final Fantasy XIII. This is accompaniment to an AU fanfic taking place in a world resembling that of Rosario + Vampire, which means that it is itself AU and includes elements of Rosario + Vampire. PLEASE do not read unless you understand this. And to avoid a third notice: If you are not familiar with Rosario + Vampire, I will warn you now that the anime exchanges plot for fanservice, read the manga instead. END NEW NEW EDIT
NEW EDIT: [RE-EDITED] I have come to the conclusion based on certain reviews that you SHOULD NOT read this, and then proceed to read Keys and Crosses. You should instead read Keys and Crosses, and then proceed to read this. Several dramatic revelations in K+C are spoiled if you read this fic. That is not something I want you to suffer. If you are not a Kingdom Hearts fan, feel free to read ahead without continuing, but if at ANY point you get interested in the deeper ends of this, stop reading immediately, and read Keys and Crosses first. END NEW EDIT
Alright, this is a (hopefully) small companion fic to my large-scale Kingdom Hearts story Keys and Crosses. Anything in here is fully understandable for those who have not read K+C, but there will be a couple spoilers involved (though nothing a VI-er can't figure out before reveal). Characters from other Fantasies will be making appearances, but nothing with a significantly major role.
All chapters will be named after tracks from the OverClocked ReMix album Balance and Ruin. (ff6 {dot} ocremix {dot} org) I strongly recommend the album to any VI-er with the space on their hardware, it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
Also, someone bug me about VI again. I'm done XIII & XIII-2, and Lightning Returns has a different gameplay style, so I don't have to worry about readapting gameplay, but I need to do another round of VI.
Characters, weapons, origins... locations © Square Enix. Monsters © Akihisa Ikeda.
Prologue
"I'm tellin' you, it's not gonna hurt your business!"
The seaside town of New Bodhum was a small community, with a small number of people who enjoyed what it had to offer. NORA House was a small business in for that small community, and everyone knew what it had to offer.
Why did people keep trying to change that?
Lebreau, owner of the NORA House bar, turned that question over in her mind, the setting sun gleaming past her eyes through the open windows. Sazh Katzroy - airship pilot, and a familiar face around New Bodhum - had offered Lebreau a couple ideas to 'spice up' the place, but she had tried to tell him that the concepts were too "out there" for the community. As usual, Sazh had not been quick to let his offer get shot down.
"Look, just give it one night to see how it fares," the pilot insisted. "A couple tables. Blackjack, roulette, maybe Chronobind, it's not gonna wreck-"
"Wait, what was that last one?" Lebreau interrupted. "Chroniwhat?"
"Chronobind," Sazh repeated, slower this time. "I promise you..."
A gathering of laughter caused him to trail off, and the two of them glanced out the open doorway. The laughter was not entirely familiar - indeed, one or two of the voices seemed a bit... rougher than Bohum ought be. Pilot and bartender traded glances; Sazh lowered one hand to his hip, while Lebreau reached under the counter.
The owners of those voices came into view.
Sazh relaxed when he saw the leader of the group - a lightly scarred face, in an ornate longjacket, with five cards in one hand and the rest of the deck in the other, walking almost sideways so as to keep his face on the crowd alongside him. The blonde-haired faces behind him were unfamiliar - a messy muscleman in a brawler's tank top, a much cleaner and decidedly attractive figure in blue armour and cape, and a woman in gold armour - but Sazh knew the guy in charge, and that was enough for him to raise a hand in greeting.
"Hey, if isn't Gabianni!"
The group's leader turned to face them; upon seeing Sazh, he slipped his hand into the deck and pocketed it in his jacket. "Katzroy!" he called. "I got the place right!"
Lebreau glanced between Sazh and the gambler, Gabianni. "You know this guy, Sazh?"
"He's another airship pilot," Sazh explained to Lebreau. "Not exactly a flight service, but friendly enough - and Lady Luck's most devoted. Catch her favour and he's a free ride."
"Easier when she doesn't have a choice," the girl behind him mused.
Lebreau loosed a silent breath, pulling her hands out from under the counter.
The gambler glanced back at her with a rueful expression before turning to Lebreau. "Falcon Flyer, Setzer Gabianni, owner of the airship Blackjack, pilot-in-chief for Starlet's Seven."
"Starlet who?" Lebreau mused.
"It's a long story," Sazh mused.
Lebreau glanced out the doors again before breathing a heavy sigh. "Might as well," she mused. "Drinks?"
"You just got alcohol, or anything softer?" the girl asked.
"Name it," Lebreau replied.
"Raiden Cola?"
The bartender pulled open a minifridge behind the counter, grabbing a bottle and tossed it to her.
"I'll take a glass of Angel Feathers," Setzer mused.
The bruiser and the ladies' man exchanged glances and grinned at one another. Lebreau had seen that wordless exchange a thousand times, and said ahead of them, "How many bottles, and of what?"
"Twelve, of Judgement Bolt," Setzer replied, realizing what had just happened behind him. "For now, anyway."
Sazh leaned back on the counter. "So, who's the rest of your party, Setzer?" he asked of the gambler.
"Phantom Fist, Sabin Rene Figaro," the bruiser replied.
"Desert Gear, Edgar Roni Figaro," the ladies' man added.
The woman took a seat at the counter. "Lady Frost, Celes Chere," she finished, raising the bottle to her lips.
Lebreau raised her gaze, handing Setzer his drink. "Lady Frost?" she mused. "That sounds kinda familiar."
"I wouldn't quite be surprised," Celes admitted.
The bartender was quiet for a long moment, trying to think; then she shrugged, pulling out shot glasses and bottles of hard liquor for Sabin and Edgar. "There's more comfortable seats out on the deck," Lebreau informed them.
Celes lowered her bottle. "Should I begin before or after they drink each other under the table?"
At once, Sazh said "Before" and Lebreau said "After".
Setzer pulled out a coin and flipped it.
"Tails," Sazh mused.
The gambler's fingers curled as it landed in his palm. Peering at the coin, he angled his head from side to side for a moment; then he closed his fingers, saying, "Shall we let them share sober?"
Sabin groaned.
Edgar sighed.
Celes turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Whatever you think is right, you're wrong," Setzer reminded her, pocketing the coin. "And that's a big mistake."
The group headed out to the deck, Lebreau bringing with her a mix of her own. Sabin and Edgar began pouring shots in preparation; once six glasses had been filled for each of them, they turned to Celes.
Lady Frost set her bottle, now empty, onto the table as the sun vanished on the horizon; and lit only by the stars, she began to weave their tale.
Draco: You know where this is going.