A/N: I really shouldn't be starting something new when I have so many other things unfinished and hanging...but, such is life I'm afraid!
This is my foray into Final Fantasy Record Keeper territory - there's only 5 of them! FIVE! - which is shocking. You'd think something as packed with FF characters as this would have loads of people writing all sorts of crap - Dissidia doesn't come close with the amount!
Anyway, not sure where I am going with this, but it's been swimming around in my head. This is only the intro from Tyro's point of view (I didn't change his name, too lazy).
Disclaimer: I don't own FFRK, nor am I making money off of this. I have however bought some Crystals to try and get some good Weapon drops...I managed to get Irvine's gun...TWICE.
Warnings: for future reference there will be Slash (M/M) pairings, possible FemSlash pairings (F/F) and of course Canon pairings. Also, it goes without saying: MAJOR SPOILERS for FFI-XIV and possibly Dissidia as well if I feel like it.
It was hard to believe that once upon a time these halls had been so empty - well, not completely. Before the paintings went dark, people came from all over to look at them - to research and write and enjoy the worlds that the Keepers were entrusted to protect. But then the paintings began to blacken, communications with the outside had to be stopped and it was only Cid's genius and Dr. Mog's magic that kept them, and us, connected to the rest of the world. The other Keepers, fearful of what it meant, had left, leaving only me to take on the burden of going into the Paintings - and wasn't I shocked to learn we could do that - and see what was going on.
It had only been an experiment at first: 'See what you can find, kupo!' And then the painting had been restored, simply because I managed to let events unfold and beat a giant robot.
And then He appeared; spit out of the painting right into its opposite wall with a curse and lump on his head. It was exciting to discover - a Hero, made flesh and blood through magic and memory. 'They're not the originals, kupo. Their worlds have moved on from what we show people here - we keep Records, we keep History - so really, it's not that that Cloud is THE Cloud, kupo.' Dr. Mog had said when I asked how real or not they were a few Realms later.
Still, I couldn't help myself that first time, to reach out a hand and see if he really was real
"...why...are you...petting me?" He'd asked while rubbing the lump on the back of his head from where he'd fell.
"Sorry!" I could feel the blush staining my face. "I always wanted to know if it was soft or not..." I mumbled, to the amusement of White and Black Mage as I still didn't take my hand out of Cloud Strife's spiked head of hair.
He'd taken our first meeting in stride and soon where were whisked into more worlds and adventures than I could ever have hoped for; our mismatched family grew. We had two Cecil's (and boy did that cause a lot of issues) at the start. Don't even ask me about when Sephiroth and Golbez appeared, let alone Zack, Aerith and Rosa (poor Kain). They all had the memories up to their Happy (or not so happy) End, it didn't matter that the paintings weren't finished; it helped a lot with planning forays into the paintings though, that they've 'done it all before'. So the baggage, the conflicts, the laughter and tears were there for all of them - except for the ones I called Nameless in my head, those who simply went by their Job - and it made for a lot of both good and bad times.
I had to ask Dr. Mog, because I was both curious and nervous, we were so many now.
Is it wrong for them to be here? What would happen to them? Etc.
All he said was: 'You just restore the paintings Tyro, I'll handle the rest kupo."
There are 96 of them, well, give or take the few I haven't found yet; Dr. Mog has gotten better at glimpsing into the paintings and their respective Series...
And while I was worried for what would happen to them in the end. Of what it would mean for me in the end...
The smile on Vanille's face when her comrade appeared from the sudden XIIIth painting that popped up in the Event Hall (I only managed to attend ONE party there before all of this!) And then the joy in the IV group at seeing their Ninja comrade ('Oh...is that...Rydia?' 'I'm afraid so...' 'Dammit...') well...
It makes all of the unknown worthwhile.
I will find what's blackening the paintings, and I will restore them to normal...even while scared out of my wits about what it means to these beings of memory.
I just hope I manage to survive with so many of them running around...we're not a hotel!
R & R!
(I'd written this after the Edge and Fang events came out, so Yuffie hasn't popped up by the time of this story)