Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
The Travels of the Caravan
Poppy and Rin Moo made their way down the road to a village by the name of a Tipaaaa.
"I can't wait until we get there! I wonder what our new home'll be like?" Poppy said day-dreaming.
"Boring…and they probably don't like Selkies either. Clavats." Rin Moo pffted, looking down the road at a Caravan. The Caravan was heading down the road towards them.
"Do you think they got anything worth stealing?" Rin asked Poppy checking out the caravan own the far end of the hill.
Poppy slapped his arm. "No. And besides, the village isn't far now."
"If you say so…" Rin Moo said irritably, rubbing the spot where Poppy had hit him.
After walking silently for a few minutes, Poppy started an other conversation by asked Rin Moo: "So living in Tipaaaa…have you ever heard of the caravan leader there who wanted us to join her caravan? It's a Yuke named Marina."
"Nope. I haven't. Not really anyway since I lost all of my memory…" Rin Moo said, throwing his Queen's Heel over his shoulder. "What kinda name is 'Tipaaaa' for a village anyway?"
Poppy had been already talking, "--and she must have chosen me because of all of my good references…and all of our good times together." Poppy rambled on. "She's a Hestian virgin, you know. One of those chaste maidens that think people like me are lost…other than that she is quite a character--" Poppy suddenly stopped and grabbed Rin's arm. Pointing to a figure on the floor up ahead, Poppy said "Look…It's a Selkie. Do you think he lost his caravan, Rin?"
Rin rolled his eyes. "If they dumped them, they probably deserved it. C'mon Let's go--"
Poppy grabbed Rin's arm and marched to the fallen Seilke, who lay crumpled on the dirt path on their knees, their blond hair falling gracefully down to one side.
Poppy paused at them and leaned over, her face full of concern, speaking gently to the Selkie. "Hey. Are you lost from your group?"
The Selkie looked up, eyes full of tears. The Selkie was a Raccoon tail man. He was sniffling. "P-Poppy. Am I ever glad to see you…" The Seilke gracefully wiped his eyes. He smiled half-heartedly.
Poppy stood up again, face now looking genuinely surprised. Rin Moo gawked openly. "Alan? What are you doing here so far away from the city?" Poppy asked.
Alan sniffled, wiping the last of his tears away from his face. "Oh, Poppy. It's nothing really. It just is that I was traveling with a friend of mine…" Alan suddenly turned around, a smile growing across his face.
The caravan was coming into full view now on top of the hill not too far away from them. Rumbling on there was the well-known caravan of the distant city of Farming Hamlet. The caravaners could be seen. Alan stood up slowly, his smile reaching it's full potential. They waved to him. Alan ran over to them, calling the name "Dusk!" A Selkie female waved to him, smiling at him.
Poppy and Rin Moo watched from where they stood. Poppy put her hand to her heart and sighed. "Isn't wonderful? He and Dusk are back together…"
"Yeah, yeah. Heart-breaking." Rin Moo said sarcastically, but watching Alan run up to Dusk.
On the hill Alan was running full steam towards them, still calling out "Dusk!", laughing and holding his arms out. As he neared the top of the hill, the female Selkie, still smiling moved aside and revealed a male Wolf Tail Selkie trying to run away. But Alan was too fast and jumped onto him, causing them both to fall.
Rin Moo was agape. "Dusk's a he?!"
Poppy looked mildly confuse, but then shrugged. "Love is love, right? C'mon,
we have to get going, Rin."
They walked past the Caravan going down the hill in silence, Alan snuggling with Dusk while Dusk was trying to push him off and telling him to cut it out. On the way of passing, they head phrases of Dusk's conversation; words like 'embarrassing', '--do this on purpose….'
Without incident the two made it on their way across the valley on over to the top of the next hill. And there it was: Tipaaaa.
The Yuke Marina flapped her pink wings a few beats and stopped again. She sat outside her family's shack, waiting for the arrivals of her new caravan crew. They would be arriving soon, her caravan partners. Together they would help rid this poor village of miasma…perhaps all the land…someday.
Marina's wings fluttered again, this time in excitement. Reno, the village elder, waved his arms at Marina; they're signal for arrivals on the horizon. She had better be ready to greet her new caravan. They should all be coming soon.
Poppy and Rin Moo sighed as they lugged themselves up yet up another miniature hill.
"C'mon Rin!! Were almost there!!" Poppy shouted enthusiastically, beads of sweat forming on her face under the hot sun.
"Oh, shut up." Rin Moo said, finally catching up to Poppy. He plopped down under a tree. ""We're here, finally! I'm going to sit here and relax in this shade. Don't wait up for me."
Poppy opened her mouth to argue, but as a sunray beat down continually on her face, Poppy sighed and reluctantly joined Rin inside the shade.
"Only a little rest then." Poppy said turning to Rin to see him laying down quite comfortably asleep. Poppy smiled.
A long while later a male Clavat Headband passed them by unaware of the Selkie's presence in the shade. Poppy sat watching him.
"Tipaaaa, huh? There it is…I'll see if they have a bakery…show them a thing or two of how to make real bread." He nodded to himself, grabbed his backpack straps and hurried down the road.
"Wow…he's cute. I wonder who he is?" Poppy asked herself. Getting up. Rin was still asleep in the same position. Poppy was watching the clavat man as she tried Rin to wake up.
"Hey, Rin. We should get going…Rin?" Poppy sighed angrily, running ahead to greet the clavat headband, whose pace had slowed down considerably down the further down the road.
"Hey!" Poppy called out to the Clavat headband. He stopped moping his face with a white hankercheif and looked around.
"Up here in the shade!" Poppy called, waving to him. The Clavat walked up to the hill. "Ho there."
Rin opened one eye. 'Hothere'…thatsoundsfamiliar--
A pretty-boy Headband tribe Clavat walked up the hill, smiling at Poppy. He hadn't seen Rin yet.
"Thanks for inviting me up here." The Clavat said. "I'm Saiyuki. I'm a bread maker."
"You!!" Rin suddenly shouting, jumping up and getting his Queen's Heel Ready for battle.
"What?" Poppy jumped, looking to Rin. "What--"
"You." Saiyuki said offhandedly.
Rin raised his Queen's Heel like a baseball bat. Fire in his eyes and teeth bared, he yelled "You! Poppy, don't get near him! He's a crazy baker with an attitude problem!"
Poppy was lost. "What? What's going on, Rin?"
Saiyuki held his hands up. "Let me explain. I saw this fellow in my family's bakery. He was insulting our bread--"
"All I said was that the bread look old and he started chasing me out of the shop with a sword! I barely escaped with my life!"
Saiyuki sighed and turned heel. "I don't have time for this. I have been
chosen by this village's inhabits to gaurd them from the miasma. I don't have time to fight like a little kid." Saiyuki narrowed his eyes determinedly and proceeded to march down the hill without so much as another word.
Rin and Poppy watched him for a minute or two. Poppy put her hands on her hips and turned to Rin with a scowl on her face.
Rin looked at her defensibly. "What?"
"You could have been nicer to him, Rin! Geez, sometimes you act as worse as the other clans make us out to be!" Poppy then turned heel and ran down the hill to catch up to Saiyuki, calling to him.
Rin closed his eye and said to no one in particular, "This is going to be a long day."
Two Littles joined a Dark Yuke on the hill, the sun making their armored bodies shine gloriously on top of the hill. Blue, black and dark silver. The all nodded to one another and continued their quest to reach the Village of Tipaaaa.
A single Selkie made her way to he top of the hill, glancing the valley below. She could see various dots of adventures making their way the village of Tipaaaa. Moon smiled. Her new home. Her new caravan and her new family were almost there.
She was making good time. Picking up the pace a little and she would be with her new family in no time. Going down the hill she hummed, imaging her next few years here in this old Littianen village by the name of Tipaaaa.
Marina poked her head outside the window. She could see the first arrivals of the new caravan. A Selkie Bandana was helping up a Clavat Headband, it looked like. Oh, there was Poppy! Marina smiled, and went to finish packing her backpack.
Saiyuki had fallen after Rin had pushed him. Saiyuki's fine white garment was
now covered in dust.
"Maybe if you had moved faster, I wouldn't have had to push you." Rin said while helping Saiyuki up.
"Oh, Rin!" Poppy sighed. "Look, we're almost there. Let's hold the fighting until we get into the caravan, shall we?"
Rin and Saiyuki glanced at one another, and nodded. "Fine, Poppy."
Poppy clapped her hands together. "Yay! All settled. Good. Now…if I remember correctly, Marina's house was over--" Poppy's finger tracking an invisible route towards the river. "there."
The two littilans and the Yuke finally made their way to the village of Tipaaaa. They all stopped in front of Marina's hut.
"This it?" A Blue Amour Littly asked the Black Mage Yuke, who was--squinting?- at the river shack in her gruff voice.
"Umm…Yeah, I'd say that this is it." Numair said, fixing his helmet. "She'll be happy to see me again, just like old times."
The Littlys waited. The letter had said to wait until noon.
In silence they waited. The went blew, the sun slowly traveled across the sky. The only thing that marked their arrival was the giant sneeze the other Littly, one of the Steel Visor tribe, let out. He ended up kneeling at the Yuke feet.
The Yuke tilted his head down. Are you all right?"
Knight sniffled. "Yeah, it's allergies." His partner Olga turned her head to see a trio headed their way.
Marina again glanced out the window. This was getting exciting! She could she that a Littly was bowing to the Yuke--Numair!--Marina hurriedly finished the last of her packing. Her crew was shaping up to be a first-rate party.
Rin, Poppy and Saiyuki reached the hut finally. The all walked towards the hut to see three very tough looking people, two were Litties and the other a Yuke. They were all staring at them.
"What are they staring at?" Rin asked quietly to Poppy and Saiyuki.
"What are they doing here?" Saiyuki asked.
"Let's be nice to them. They are probably the rest of the caravan Marina sent for." Poppy said, standing straighter.
"All right." Saiyuki said to Poppy and Rin. Out loud he called to the Litties and Yuke "Ho there, fellow caravaners! I am Saiyuki. Is this the place for the new Tipaaaa caravan?"
They all nodded, not talking. Rin and Poppy made small attempt to be
friendly.
"Hey." Rin said not making eye contact to them.
Poppy nervously addressed the Litties. "Hello…how are you two fine warriors doing this day?"
"Good." They both said at once. "Oh, look. Another one." the Yuke pointed out a lone Selkie walking towards them, with an easy smile on her face. She waved to them cheerfully.
Rin jumped. He said to Poppy, "It's that girl that I thought that was Dusk."
Poppy looked at her. "Oh, she is. I wonder if she lives here?"
The Selkie greeted them all.
A Yuke, a Heart Top, at that moment stepped out of the shack. She walked just short of the group. She held out her arms in open greeting.
"Hello." she said in an New Zealand accent. "Welcome cawavaners from distant lands! I hope you journey here was pleasant. I choose you because of all of
your gweat skills and talents. I hope that we can all get along and be good fwiends!"
Sai Yuki stared. Rin and Poppy raised both an eyebrow.
Moon came forward. "Hello Marina. I hope we all can be good friends to. I am Moon."
Marina nodded. Her wings fluttered for a split second. Rin came forward also.
"I am Rin. I hope we all can be good fwiendstoo." He snickered.
Marina frowned, turning to him. "Do I detect a hint of sawcasm in your voice,
Win?"
Rin grinned. "Yes." Poppy quickly stepped forward too. "Marina! How are you?
All is well with you I hope? How are the Heistains?"
Marina's voice warmed up to Poppy. "Well Poppy! How have you been?"
Poppy giggled and nodded. "Fine."
Numair the Black Mage Yuke shyly said hi to Marina.
"Numair! All is well with you, I hope? Your mother O.k.?"
"As well as ever. She would probably have disowned me if you hadn't picked me for your caravan."
Marina said with confidence "She'll see Numair what a fine wawior you are!"
The rest of the crew looked to one another unsure of what to do.
"Well cwew. Here we are! We finally meet in person! How are we today? I believe that we will grow strongly and closely together thwough our many journeys together!" The crew stared blankly. Marina clapped her hands together enthusiastically."I was thinking that we may all introduce ourselves. Some of you I know, and some of you I don't. We can set out tomowow in the mowning."
Rin sighed irately as sparks flew between the eyes of Rin and Sai Yuki. "Fine. As long as I don't have to stand next to him."
Marina waited for someone to take the imitative in introducing themselves, but they all just stared. Marina thought to herself, wightI'mtheleaderIshouldof
couwse start first.
"I am Knight!" Suddenly shouted the Steel Visor Littly. His visor fell down with a thud. Marina turned to him with a jump.
"And I am Olga!" shouted the Blue Armor Littly.
Both Litties bowed forward in unison, springing back up.
Numair stepped forward. "Uh…you already know me." Numair turned to the rest of the caravan, saying lamely, "Hi. I'm Numair." Marina nodded. "Poppy, you too." Poppy nodded. To everyone else she gave a sly smile and waved prettily, "I'm Poppy."
"Rin. Moo." Rin said not looking at any of them, offhandedly .
"Moo? I didn't know that you were a cow." Sai Yuki said aloud just before introducing himself. Bowing solemnly to an exact 90 degree angle, he stated "My name is Sai Yuki. It will be a pleasure working with you all. Well, some of you." Aiming a side way glance at Rin. Poppy held Rin back with ease as Rin fumed and boiled.
Ohdeawtheymightbetwouble…
The caravaners all looked to other, feeling the connection that would bound all these lives on harsh journey and dangerous paths.
Marina nodded to them all, staring at her new crew in the she as her gaze passed them. "Wight. Let's get stawted we will cap out side the town for now…Let's sleep for tonight…get to know each other."
The crew nodded in agreement, scampering off to make way for a camp off the edge of town.
The caravan had a fire going and were all talking to the each other quietly with the people they already knew.
Marina wings fluttered excitedly. So this was her caravan, eh? She looked to Poppy and Numair, who were laughing at something Rin said to Sai Yuki. Poppy was sitting between Sai Yuki and Rin. Numair laughed too. In retort Sai Yuki stick his tongue out at Rin.
TheyactlikesuchchildwenIhavetobecarefulwiththem…
Marina's head turned to Moon. Her soft voice she could hear speaking gently to Knight and Olga, talking about their lives. Marina thought with interest that Knight seemed taken with Moon.
Marina stared at them all, smiling to herself. She was going to lead them. They were going to become great friends and share many adventures with her.
That night Marina couldn't sleep. She dreamed of tomorrow's adventure…and where it would leave them.
I'mgladIhaveaninterestingcwewMarina thought sleepily, a small smile creeping onto her face.
(Marina does pronounce her 'r's' as w's, in case anyone was wondering. I promise that It'll get more livelier! A lot livelier. What do you think of the caravan?)
Oh, and sorry about misspelling Litties, and Clavats and the like. I'm too lazy to check the game it self for the correct spelling. It will be correct next time.
2 THE CARAVAN ARRIVES
3 OUR FIRST ADVENTURE
-THE END OF CH. ONE