"Final Fantasy: Sleepless Dreams"

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XIII, nor Final Fantasy TA2: Grimoire of the Rift or any of the characters associated with these. This is for entertainment purposes only, all characters and the like belong to Square-Enix. Man, that's a mouthful.

Summary: Luso is selected by a Goddess to rewrite history, as her opposite figures out a way to recreate it in his favor. Entrusting him with four crystals, Luso heads out to find this mysterious God and stop him from destroying the world of which holds the key to all fantasy.

-Chapter 1, "Rewriting History"-

Luso Clemens smiled and tilted up his cap, a grin on his face. "This part is all done." he said to his comrades, a slender girl with white hair named Adelle and a large man known as Cid. They nodded and picked up their bags, Luso already swinging his over his shoulder.

"Well, this was boring." Adelle stated as she gracefully hopped over a fallen branch.

"It was, aye," Cid replied, not even bothering to hop over the branch. Instead he just stepped on it, breaking it in two. "But requests have been a bit slow as of late and we need work. Plus I'd say that the fee of three hundred gil for picking some herbs isn't that bad. It'll buy me a drink, be sure of that."

Luso was ahead of them and nodded. "Yeah, anything to get out and about."

It had been a couple of months since Luso had stopped Illua and set the balance right in their land of Ivalice. Since then things had slowed down a bit, especially with the surge of judges. Though a few groups of clans still stole from travelers it was a rare occurrence. If they did, too, another clan would jump on it, leaving slim pickings on the request board. Ivalice seemed to be in a calm, and though this was good for everyone else it, it left little for clans to do. So Luso was the last to complain when it came to a job.

Back at the pub Luso and his friends sat at a table and discussed things they could do, anything, to keep them busy. The barkeep took note of the setting sun and began to light the lanterns in the pub to keep it lit. Luso took a large bite of the cluckatrice leg he had ordered when the room got somewhat quiet. Sound seemed to be drowned out and the room became some what of a blur.

"Luso..." a voice called in a low, whispery tone. Luso quickly looked around in the crowd.

"What?" he said out loud. Cid and Adelle both stared at him for a second before they began to look around as well. "Everything OK, lad?" Cid asked but Luso didn't look at him. He was looking around quickly as if he was a man on the run. "Don't you hear that?" he finally asked, turning to Cid and Adelle. They paused but shook their heads after a moment or so. "Can't really hear anything with the chatter in this pub. Luso?"

Adelle noticed now that Luso quickly jumped off his seat, his back turned to them. "Luso?" Adelle asked again, though this time with more concern in her voice. Even Cid called him but Luso couldn't hear. It all came to him as a mumble. Chatter everywhere except for that voice. "Luso, come with me."

"Where? What do you want?" he yelled. The figures in the pub, the blurs seemed to stop shifting around. Luso assumed they were all staring at him. No, there was no mistake, they were. What was he supposed to do, though? After all, he couldn't see properly, nor hear and now ... well, now he was getting dizzy.

The orange glow from the lanterns became brighter before Luso saw only a bright light.

"Luso? Wake up, Luso. It's time for you to wake up."

That voice again. Luso knew it was her from the soft, timid tone. He felt the back of his body and head on a surface so Luso knew he was laying down. It took him a second but he was able to open his eyes, even if slowly. What was not slow was the way he jolted up when he took note of his surroundings. A dark room with diamond walls surrounded him. Luso was in a circle, surrounded by twelve pedestals, each with a different base, a number ranging from one to twelve. "Where am I?" Luso said in surprise. He got up quickly and as he did he saw he was on a giant crystal clock, the smaller hand on the twelve and the bigger hand on the one.

"Do not be afraid. I have called you for a reason." said the voice again, only this time it seemed to be closer to Luso. Like right behind him.

He turned and saw a blonde woman in a white gown slowly walk towards him, her hands gently placed in front of her. Her steps were slow and cautious, though gorgeous, as if she walked on air. Momentarily entranced, Luso snapped back to reality. "You called me?"

"Yes, Luso Clemens of St. Ivalice." she said calmly. St. Ivalice? That was the name of the town Luso was from! The town that somehow became Ivalice when Luso opened the book he carried in the satchel on the side of his pants. "I know of your origins, the deeds you have done and the care you have for your friends. That bravery I need."

Luso took a step back until he stopped in his tracks as he bumped into something. He quickly turned to quickly stop another pedestal from toppling over. This one was in the middle and had 'XIII' carved in to the column. "You need me? For what? It'd be nice if you started talking."

"A world is in need of a hero, Luso. I hope that hero is you."

"That's real nice but I don't even know you, lady." Luso replied to her. The woman seemed to blush and quickly lowered her head only to raise it again. "I apologize. My name is Cosmos. I am the Goddess of Harmony. This world that needs a hero is mine."

A Goddess? Luso suddenly straightened up and saluted her. "Ma'am."

Sure, she could of been lying but Luso didn't think he could of been here if she didn't have some kind of power. It was something he was willing to not question. He stood at attention but Cosmos only slightly chuckled. "You may relax, Luso."

He sighed and looked around the circle. "This world you want to send me to... I mean, if it needs a hero, don't you have someone there? Not to be rude but I don't know anything about this world. But you want to send me there, regardless?"

Cosmos walked closer and knelt to have her eyes at the level of Luso's. Her eyes were beautiful, Luso saw. Like sparkling stars or something cheesy you'd read in a romance novel, he thought. "You knew nothing of Ivalice when you started your journey in Ivalice, did you not?"

Luso stopped a moment and thought. "I guess not."

"I will tell you more, of course," Cosmos said as she stood back up and walked to the side of Luso. She pointed up at the ceiling which became something like a moving painting. A hill and a castle in the back round surrounded by the clear blue sky. Birds flew on on the corner, under a tree was a figure. "Long ago my counterpart, Chaos, decided to destroy our world- a key, door, heart, a binding world to all that is fantasy- and almost did so. I selected a warrior and his three friends to stop Chaos and they did."

"But? I wouldn't be here if there wasn't a but, right?" Luso said with a smile. Cosmos nodded and the painting grew dark once more.

"You're more astute then I thought."

"A-stoot?" Luso asked.

"Clever, Luso." Cosmos replied warmly. "Chaos and I, we cannot die. We do but it's not everlasting- instead we are resurrected anew to watch over the world again. Only this time it seems he has found a link. A link that the he is using now to rewrite history. He's changing things greatly. He's even gotten to my warrior before I could and has him trapped now in a prison. I fear for his safety."

"So you want me to get this warrior guy?"

Cosmos nodded. "I know it's a great deal to ask but I couldn't think of anyone better."

Luso thought again for a moment until he nodded. "It'd be fun to see a new world and explore more. But, what about my friends? I don't want them to worry about me missing or so."

"They won't," Cosmos replied, "Right now in your world- or, their world- you are asleep and will be until I return you. This will be as a dream."

Luso nodded. "Then let's do this!"

Cosmos put her hand on his shoulder, motioning to the pedestals around them with her other. "You're eagerness is appreciated but first a test."

"A test? Aw, no way! I'm awful with tests." Luso sighed but Cosmos smiled gently. "Nothing like you're used to. These items will aide you as you go along. I would not have you traverse this perilous journey alone."

Light filled the pedestals for a moment in a quick second then vanished the next, leaving strange items on each pedestal behind in their wake. "So I get all of these?" Luso asked as he walked over to the pedestal with II carved on it.

"Unfortunately you can not. I'm only allowed to help you so much. You may select up to five of these items to take with you. You don't have to select five, nor any, but-" Cosmos had started to say but Luso walked over the first pedestal. "This will be no problem, then." he said with confidence in his voice.

Cosmos opened her mouth but stopped herself, smiling at Luso. He was indeed something different. She was sure he would free the warrior she relied on to keep the balance...

Luso stared at the first pedestal, over the one on the clock. A I was carved in to the column so he assumed they were attached. "Good place to start as any." he said to himself as he look at the object laying on the pedestal. A golden crown lay on it, shining softly in the dim light of the room. It was pure gold and decorated with various jewels, which looked about twenty or so. Luso thought for a moment about taking it but he decided against it until he looked around. The second pedestal, marked with a II had a rose on it that seemed to glow. It was beautiful and the radiance was captivating but he ultimately decided against the rose as well.

"Take your time," Cosmos said. Luso looked at her and nodded then moved to the next pedestal. It was marked with a III and on it was a fine helm with pure whit plumes protruding from the top. The helm was a cherry red and lined with silver and somewhat shaped like an onion, Luso noticed. A helmet would of been good but Luso didn't want to look silly with only a helm on. He also highly doubted he would get a matching set but he asked anyways, "Just a helmet, huh?"

Cosmos nodded which caused Luso to move to the next pedestal, marked with IV. On the pedestal was a moon stone. Luso knew this because he did pay attention to that part of class, about space and the like. It wasn't only because the teacher brought in an actual moon stone to show the class, no. Luso was very ... a stoot? That was the word. "Nah," he muttered, not wanting to have to recall memories of school. Luso would battle monsters any day over class and homework. He moved to the next pedestal marked with V and saw a lone, yellow feather on it. At the tip was a blue bead.

Luso wasn't sure he would need a feather, even as a quill- he didn't care for writing much. In fact, that was one thing he loved about the book he carried, the Gran Grimoire: it wrote in itself! Now how many books could you say did that? Passing it he moved to the pedestal marked with VI and saw a clear crystal like stone on it. It seemed to glow and emit a strange energy from it, an energy Luso felt was too strong for him to understand. Man, magick was not his forte at all. "Let's move to, uh, seven."

Pleasantly please with knowing the number he walked to it and saw a lone flower. It didn't glow like the rose but attached to the stem was one gil, something Luso was familiar with. The flower was a mix of yellow and blue, reminding him of spring and the warm colors of Ivalice. He reached out for it and picked it up, holding it in to the light. "I like this one. Don't know what use it will be but, hey, one gil! It's a start."

The flower vanished into a quick light which caused Luso to stumble back a little. "Woah!"

Cosmos bowed to Luso. "My apologies."

"You gotta warn me when you do things like that!" Luso stated but quickly caught himself, "but it's not a big deal."

Luso moved to the next pedestal marked with VIII of which a chain with two rings on it were laid out. The rings had a small gleam to them, both very close. The feeling he got was warm, like a type of balance. One ring was blank but the other seemed to have a lion engraved on it. Luso quickly picked it up and waited. As expected the light quickly engulfed the chain and rings. Luso flinched a bit but not as bad as the first time. "Next!" he said loudly, moving to the next pedestal. A dagger lay sheathed on the pedestal marked IX and Luso didn't hesitate to quickly pick it up. "I could do with a weapon!"

The light took the blade and Cosmos walked next to Luso. "You've two more."

"Gotcha." Luso said as he moved to the pedestal marked X. A white ball with blue stripes laid on it. Luso reached for the ball but stopped himself. "I like soccer as much as the next guy but I'd better not."

Instead he moved to the pedestal marked XI and looked carefully at the globe that rested on it. He wasn't sure if it was the world but he figured he could of gotten a map easily. A globe would of been too much of a hassle to carry, as well as reading it. Luso never did care for reading maps. The pedestal he moved to next, though, was an easy pick. Marked XII, an iron blade float inches about the base. The blade wasn't big, nor was it double-sided but it was better then nothing. Luso reached out and held it, the hilt fitting perfectly in his hands. He noticed the blade curved at the end. After a few swings he rested it on his shoulder. "This will do nicely."

Cosmos nodded and the blade vanished in a light as the other items Luso selected did. "I notice it's a clock but, why is that pedestal in the middle there?" Luso asked as he walked towards it. Marked XIII Luso saw a shining crystal, bright even in the dark room. It was shaped like a tear and felt smooth to the touch.

"The Zodiac is made up of twelve, but one is forgotten."

Luso nodded, not really hearing Cosmos. He felt safe with the crystal, stronger. "I think I want this one as my last choice." Luso said, holding up the small crystal. "You are sure?" Cosmos asked and Luso nodded, a serious look on his face. "Be safe, Luso." Cosmos warned. "You don't have to worry about me. So, about this world-" Luso started but quickly stopped. His legs buckled and the clock under him chimed as the big hand went in reverse. Both hands now on twelve, the clock chimed again. "Luso..." Cosmos mouthed but he fell again, lights blurring around him.

Was this going to be a regular thing?

-End of Chapter 1, "Rewriting History"-

A/N: Here is the first chapter! I'm adding 2 to get the ball rolling. Luso is highly under rated so if you don't know him view a few clips on youtube or do a quick read of his story. It's great and he is indeed one of my Final Fantasy Characters. The rest that join him are also my favorites and man was it tough to pick them. I think I made some good decisions, though. SO, read and review. Criticism is fine but please, no pointless comments like "this sucks". This is a FANFIC after all.