Hi reader. This is my first fic in English, my native language is Spanish so please forgive me for the grammar mistakes. I am really nervous and I hope you like it. :)
BTW maybe later I will write more fics about my OCs and their journey (maybe I will include sometime my friend's characters again as guests). UPDATE! I just changed it. I'll adding new storys about the guild when i got some free time.
Please leave your review.
DISCLAIMER: Etrian Odyssey games are property of ATLUS and Nintendo.
RESUME
Ailee confuses a group of novices with her friends and siblings. The confusion may go beyond what everyone expects, but can generate a great impact in both of the guilds who are about to meet. EO1 game fic.
Here's how I think my game's guild, LOST, would react if they meet the guild of my bff's guild, GUY. Chronologically located before the final Boss fight, Fifth Stratum.
ALIKE
The golden haired woman was walking down the street. The sun was rising, also a headache. They had been celebrating in the Golden Deer Pub since they went back from the labyrinth. That was almost 12 hours ago. Party hard, huh? Even with the headache she doesn't regret a thing. The reason why they have been celebrating? Well, nothing really special, only celebrating the fact that they still alive, no big deal.
Since they found the 5th Stratum, she had got that bad feeling… Something was really wrong about that place… But that doesn't stop them to go on deeper and deeper. After been exploring they just finished mapping the B21F to the B24F! She thought they had been in that place at least for some week, but when they came out they discovered that the 'weeks' were actually MONTHS! EIGHT MONTHS! EIGHT F***ING MONTHS! Anyway, nothing special about been alive…
Sure, her brothers were pretty worried. The other guild members, their parents, the people of Etria… ALL OF THEM! Just thinking about that makes her mad! They were part of LOST, the best explorer Guild in Etria! They sure were perfectly fine.
Their leader IS THE BEST. He is pretty good in everything. Okay, it doesn't mean he's the tallest, the fastest, or the smartest; but if there is something he can brag about is his strength. The one and only that have entered alone to the labyrinth to kill a Cutter, Killclaw and a Sickwood and succeed in every Quest without sweating. Heck, he have even traveled by himself from the B1F to the B21F as it was a simple walk, it took him 24 hours to do that so. He is in fact the strongest man in Etria. He is the only one who can lift that big axe he carry everywhere! Beside, Dust would never let something bad happened to any of them, he never let his guard of since the incident… He is always protecting them in the best way a Landsknecht could. Especially to her, she is his fiance after all.
And maybe Mist and Evan were the 'new ones' in the guid and in the 'party', but they are are the one move KO after all. Mist could make a monster suicide with just looking into it's eyes. Evan just swipe his katana and end with them. Clearly they were good, but people talk. After all they are replacing Leon, the best Fire / Ice alchemist everyone have ever seen, and Jona, an elemental protector, who's actually was replacing Emmet, the fastest and accurate Survivalist. But after all, they were doing an amazing job. Correction, a FLAWLESS job. And goddess, even if ANY of them were in trouble, they had Somnia with them! He can heal anything! He can even fight back and help them take the monster down! She remembered that time not so long ago when Dust, Somnian and her went to take the Manticore down. It took them five turns! Okay, maybe six, but that's not the point! JUST ANNOYING. NO TRUST. ANGRY. MAD. HEADACHE. SUN RISE.
She sighed and kept walking, well actually stumbling. She looked up to the sky. She missed that while she were in the labyrinth, looking up to the sky, the clouds, the sun, the sun rise, the moon, the stars, her bed, Dust's bed, the sofa, cuddling in the sofa with Dust, bothering her brothers, her besties, everything. EIGHT MONTHS!
She looked back to the street. There were a little group of people. Wait. She kept walking in their direction and discovered that they were in front of the Explorers Guild. The more she look at them, the more she recognise them. The first person she recognised were Somnia and Corine; the first was wearing his usual Medic attire with his ginger hair combed to the back with a thin ponytail -seems a bit odd... maybe went back to his old style?- and his girlfriend with her short brown hair and her Ranger style -not as hippie as always? and does she cut her bangs off? how you even do that?-; they were talking with a blue haired pale guy, maybe a Dark Hunter, and a white haired dude that looked like a Troubadour. There were also Tamika, Dust little sister, the red haired girl -have she brushed her hair?- were complaining about something with that blond armoured guy, seems like a Protector, she didn't recognise. By Tami side was her boyfriend! Evan -no scars in his chest?- was just laughing about the scene and... Wait! He started talking to Mist? -Her face and body tattoos were gone?- Why are them even talking! Mist hate him and his crack jokes! Well she hates everyone, well... maybe except her, Dust and Leon…
Okay officially Ailee needed her glasses. She was totally confused, the scene were… plainly weird. But they are they! They maybe look double and blurry but they were there. She thought that it might look weird because she was a little bit tipsy -actually drunk-. She saw the group entering the Explorers Guild, that means two things: they waited until it opened to betray the guild and create a new one, and it is 6AM. And now she wanted to know what was going on with those weirdoes. In the middle of the little crowd she recognise one last member, her little brother, Leon. Well actually she just saw his clothes and deduced he was her brother, he was wearing his special Alchemist 'gloves' and that long scarf she gifted to him years ago and he really loved. She just ran after him hoping that maybe he would explain her what's going on, or maybe she will have to make him talk.
The golden haired woman pushed the door of the Explorers Guild. Everyone turned around but she moved too quick and graceful enough to catch everyone guards down.
"Gotcha." She hugged the boy she think is her brother as he let out a yelp.
If the boy was her brother would never reacted like that!... And, also he wouldn't fall to the ground with her on top of him... But she was too busy whining to notice…
"Leon, yo have to tell me what ya guys 're up tooooooo!" Se stayed in that position, too drunk to notice… "What the fuck were you thinking! You think you can let me out of whatever yo wanna do? Shesh, yo kiddo can't hide something like that! I'm too smart! Answer now yo silly!"
She looked at his brother's eyes and found herself looking to a pair of red scared orbs, not the blue ones she knew. There was an unknown boy under her, a navy blue haired young boy, almost considered a child. She raised her head and looked around. Yep. They weren't her friends, none of them, they just looked "alike", almost like a foggy memory of the past. As if she had traveled four years back. Different faces, different shades in the color of their hair, eyes and skin, different clothes and styles. But in the end something feel familiar.
They were confused, but more than that, they seemed like she had made their day! The dunk beauty just hitting to the ground the grumpy of the guild that was mentally killing everyone because of the embarrassment.
She was speechless. The only thing she manage to do was rolled away from the stranger poor kid and stayed in her knees. Shameful… Well, at least that solved the mystery. But before she had the time opened her mouth to apologise about her behavior…
"Hey Ailee! So long without seeing you! What the heck was that?" The Guildmaster were giggling. "You had broken up with Dust or something? Don't tell you are men hunting again. Hey, I knew you got eyes for younger boys but this is too much. Maybe you can found someone better..."
"Eww!" Her disgust expression was priceless. Ailee was now on her feet walking in his direction. "Ya! Old man stop trying to hit on me!"
"Eh… I… Ailee… I wasn't… I mean…"
She was angry. No. SHE WAS MAD! Her beautiful and angelic features now shows a face of a demon or a wild beast! Everyone in the room was taken aback, especially the members of that little new guild. Sure it was funny how that drunk, stupid, gracefull, gorgeous woman had stumble atop of Gr8 and seem to confuse him with her mate but now… Now they were so surprised to see the Guildmaster scared as shit! Looking paler and even a bit blue. This was getting even better.
"I AM with DUST!" She hit the table that was in between and it let a loud crack sound. "Why we would even broke up! And what's that 'someone better'? U mad?"
"Yo-you… N-no… I mean… It-it's…"
"Ugh! I will tell Dust right away!"
After screaming that, the Guildmaster almost faint. The members of that new guild were also scared and were looking for a way to scape of that creepy scene, but the door opened. A woman with light brown curly hair walked in. Even Ailee stopped her "yelling session".
"Ailee, you left me talking alone." Her voice was harsh and monotone, and her eyes were fixed in certain golden haired woman. "Why you ran away like that? I don't think it's a good moment to do whatever you INTEND to do. We MUST go back with the others to the Inn."
"Uhm… Mist, sorry." She walked away from the desk forgetting what she was doing. She flipped her hair and acted confident. "Ya know, I got a bit carried away and thought this kids were… well…" She turned around and start pointing each of the kids she thought were her friends. "Somnia, Corine, Tamika, Evan, You… Uhm. Leon…?"
Mist remained silent for a bit too long.
"I can understand the first five but the last…" She looked around and raised an eyebrow "You MUST stop drinking. You realise your brother is BLOND, right?"
"Yep, I just saw his clothes an 'deduce' he was Leon…"
"Make sense…" Mist walked to her friend with her arms crossed. "For a certain point of view."
"I'm sorry you strangers, wasn't my intention to be creepy." She bowed clumsily. "I'ma really, REALLY, really sorry."
"No problem." Answered the girl that was pointed to look alike Corine. "You got confused. No harm done."
"Talk about yourself…" The boy that was tackled by Ailee was again on his feet.
" Let it go, Gr8 " Now the blue haired pale boy talk. "U ok now."
"Anyway." The attention went back to Mist. "Dust was worried. He made me come after you. You weren't talking as much as you do since we left the pub. His words, not mine." She raised her shoulders a bit. "He's waiting for you..."
The expression of Ailee changed back to anger and turned around before Mist were able to finish.
"DUST!" Ailee shouted as loud and alarmed as she could.
Before anyone had time to react, the door was fully opened as an axe flew and got stuck in the wall, a few inches away of the Guildmaster head, he fainted right away, but got back on his feet as a red haired man entered.
"I warned you once…" He hissed under his breath.
Everyone was surprised. Well, not everyone, just the members of that young Guild. Mist left the building with a bored expression. At the entrance were standing the real Leon, that followed Mist, and the other members of LOST, all of them looked a bit tipsy and even some of them really drunk.
"Oh Dust, I'm so, so grateful you finally arrived." Ailee ran to Dust arms as dramatically as possible. She holded his hands and looked into his eyes with despair.
"My love, will wait for me out here?" He said before kissing her forehead.
Ailee just nod her head and walk out. For Ailee it was totally romantic! Like one of those dreams -or nightmares- she have and keep for herself. He was defending her of that gross old man who tried to push them away of each other.
For the others it sound like a sentence of death for the Guildmaster. Dust looked like a wild beast as he walked slowly to the Guildmaster.
"Dust it's not… wait… she… It wasn't my intention to offend you." He bowed repeatedly. "She came running and hugged Gr8." He pointed the kid, that looked almost scared and mostly offended. "I think I haven't introduce him and his guild to you. They are GUY guild."
Dust never turned around, his eyes were fixed in the poor old Guildmaster.
"And I was joking, you know. I knew she was confused. She called him Leon!" The man was desperate and sweating cold. "I make a joke about you guys had broken up, because.. well... she was a little bit tipsy… It's my fault she misunderstood my intentions." He finally remain bowed over the table. "I got the first warning. I swear. Please don't kill me."
Dust stopped in front of him and hit the table with both hands, breaking it in two pieces. His face remain the same, but he closed his eyes. After thinking, he spoke.
"You guys were here too." He says in an less dangerous voice.. "If you don't mind, I need an explanation."
…
After all, the misunderstood with the Guildmaster got cleared. He got a second warning and the last he would ever get, after all, it was his fault. He mentioned 'broken up' and 'Dust' in the same sentence. Adding up the 'men hunting' and 'someone better', even if Ailee misunderstood everything and it was supposed to be a joke, his selection of words made Dust angry. The Guildmaster truly was lucky to be alive.
After scaring the GUY guild members as hell, Dust invite them to the Golden Deer Pub to relax for a bit. The LOST people were more than happy to continue celebrating whatever they were celebrating now, and the GUY guild were more than pleased. Not everyday you discovered that the confused drunk beautiful woman that hit Gr8 is actually a legend among the Dark Hunters and the girls who aspire to be great explorers. AND that's not the most amusing part. They met a famous guild, not just one or some members, but the hole guild! They are pretty famous around! And all the songs about their adventures were the inspiration to create their guild!
Everyone were having a great time, drinking, storytelling, singing, joking around or enjoying the company of the other guild… But Ailee were in the bar, drinking whiskey, just whiskey, thinking about everything. They might have look like GUY guys almost five years ago. So amazed by everything, so naive, so pure… well maybe not the last one.
Dust took a sit by her side, held her hand and started kissing her.
"What were you thinking about, my love?"
"They look alike." She plainly say before turning to be face to face with him. "Heck, I was really drunk. Please next time, please, pretty please stop me."
Dust tied to put her glass away. She snached it and finishing all her drink.
"Dude, not now. I told you next time."
"Dear, please don't call me 'dude'. I'm sure you can call me other thing… I don't know. Maybe something like 'my beloved husband'?"
Ailee raised her right hand and her four ring flicked with the light.ñ
"Bae. I took the rings and told you I will marry you but first we need to…"
"Finish our mission. I know, it was a joke." He holded her hand again and looked straight to her eyes. "Anyway, I was asking about what were you thinking before that, before… them."
"Yea, I know what ya mean dearie." She looked to his green eyes and struggled. "I was angry… I AM still angry, mad, whatever! U know…"
"Am I supposed to end with the existence of an specific human being?" He smiled brightly as he pointed his axe and approached to her ear. "Because that would be my pleasure make him disappear, so you never ever think of him again."
"Perhaps... So tempting…" She purred back into his ear... and backed away abruptly as pushed him away. "But I don't think it will fix a thing, hon. I was, AM, angry, MAD, with ALL the town people, our friends, even families, no trusting us… Hell, fuck them all! We are LOST! We have been in rather worst situations! We- "
She was interrupted, not because she wanted to stop complaining, she havent finish yet!, it was because his lips were on hers. He was totally into the deep passionate kiss that she just ended up to follow his lead. They don't even cared that most of the people in the pub were looking at them since Ailee started screaming while complaining minutes ago.
"Man, you are my bro but please leave my sis's lips for once." A blond long haired man stepped forward with a disgusted expression. "We all know you love each other and blah blah blah… " he sit by Dust side "But this is getting really, really, really… uncomfortable."
They broke their kiss slowly. Dust's face was as red as his hair. Sometimes the old Dust came back, just a little reminder that even tough guys got weakness, in his case his confidence always have to fail in some situations. But is a good thing that Ailee is by his side. And, oh boy, she's ready to strike back.
"Get lost, loser!" Ailee pushed him off. "We were on the middle of something. If you don't mind- "
"Better stop you before it's too late." He interrupt her with a teasing grin. "U better get a room."
"Yea, what 'bout we go and get your room." She responded hastily making everyone in the room blushing. The poor Dust didn't knew where to hide his face. "I bet U can sleep pretty comfy in the sofa. Hope the noise doesn't bother you."
Emmet was speechless, as always, and red because of the embarrassment and anger but don't even dared to answer, scared that she will do what she say.
"P- please forgive us for our shameful display." Dust stood up and bowed. "It was my fault, I- "
"Hon, shut up. To formal." She stood up too and playfully punch him. "What he meant… We don't give a fuck. Go on to whatever yo were doing or I will punch ya."
Everyone went back to what they were doing, don't wanting to get in any trouble with the duo.
"Aaaaaaanyway." She turned to face Dust, thought her arms around his neck and got her lips dangerously toward his lips. "Where were we?"
"Uhm…" He gulped. "Y- you were upset?"
"Not on the mood, huh?" She playfully pull him closer. "'S ok. We can resume that later."
"Yea, okay, whateva. I was telling you I am upset 'cause no one trust us. We were doing GREAT." She said as she take back to her seat.
"Actually… " He cleared his throat. "I don't think survive was the problem, at least to most of them." He says apprehensive. "The problem was the management of the time we spent in the forest, we lost that track, we get too used and they feared we get too used. Or maybe they feared that it affected us like the five days mission did. I also feared that. Dear, that's why I insisted to come back and rest for some days."
It was true. They were GREAT but they just… KEEP WALKING. KEEP MAPPING. KEEP SURVIVING. Like some kind of puppets or as they were engaged in autopilot. Nothing great about being alive, they sure know how to do that, the good thing was that they were still sane! That's something really difficult to keep. Recalling that mission where they needed to stay five days in the forest, they have made a lot of improvement, now they managed to bear each other AND the challenging maze for eight months. Even if the eight months part is not too healthy.
"Ok, ok. MAYBE that's a good point. I had never see it like that" She wrapped her arms around his head again and softly whispered. "Thanks my beloved leader."
She kissed him this time. It wasn't that kind of kiss that last forever, it was more like a reminder.
"I'd luv ya."
"I'd love you too, my beloved fiance."
Dust smiled brightly at her and she smiles him back. They hold hands as they walked back to the large group of people. In the other side of the bar the others were having a good time. Sharing stories and laughing. The GUY people were amazed of how far the LOST had get, and the LOST were surprised to know that those kid were just alike them in more that an 'Ailee confusion' way. Their first steps, their expectations, their fears. Just Alike.
She looked up to the leader of that guild, a young girl named Hikari, the one that Ailee confused with Corine, she was a strong girl with a strong personality. By her side were her best friend since childhood, James, the paled skin with blue hair boy. Obviously, to Ailee, they were meant for each other, and she didn't just think about it because they really look a bit too much alike like her and Dust when they started dating. Okay, we will only remark the big difference. They didn't just met and almost had sex that same day, dated each other for a week or so, became gf/bf hastily and engaged after a year of knowing each other, that's something Ailee was capable to do and Dust capable to manage. This new couple has just take more time dating, but looking at them she just feel like she just couldn't help herself. Their interactions, their 'sinc' moments, the much he cares about her, the much she silently look up to him to be the hero and the smiles and sparkles they trade every time they looked into each other's eyes. Too cute to be truth.
The other couples were also notorious. In the GUY the relationships weren't so "formal" or whatsoever, none of them. They were like that too, a long time ago, just a group of friends. They still being friend, maybe best friends and a family, but some of them are more than just friendly caring for each other. They were alike any couple before finding out that they need to opened up a bit. The big reason why the LOST couples were too obvious with each other and tried to spend as much time they can with each other was because they find out that any day they can lost what is precious to them in that forest. So why hide it when you can enjoy it before it's gone? Of course they wouldn't say that to the young guild, that's something they need to find out by their own.
At the end of the evening the LOST was sure of two things. First, that Dust "missed a spot" in the B03F map, which cause his typical "Who made this map?" getting for answer a "You", ending up thinking that he might missed MORE spots in the other maps and declaring he needed to remap all the floors AGAIN. And second, even if Ailee was drunk and she misunderstood the GUY guild with her guild, the say 'A drunk mind speaks a sober heart' is actually truth, they were ALIKE. They were pleased to know that as their journey were near to the end, there will be more guilds alike them, just like GUY, starting the greatest journey of their lives, walking their first steps, falling in love with someone and with the forest and learning, never ending to learn something new.
"Thank you for everything. We really appreciate all the tips you have give us." Hikari bowed to Dust. "And please forgive us for the map issue, we haven't know we would cause you to much trouble."
"No worries. By the by, thank you. We needed that. You gifted us a little trip back to our fresh start and it was good to know that we inspire guilds like yours to start a great journey." Dust display with his typical grin. "And, please, if you need something, anything, contact us. We will be more than pleased to help you out." and added "GUY guild, we expect to hear great thing from you. We will being cheering you up."
If Ailee recall for their first steps, she can see an insecure Landsknecht, too scared to lead them, but trying harder to be the best. Now she only have eyes for the bravest man among Etria, a great leader. And, sure, Dust wasn't the only one who have changed, the other sure have changed as much as he did in the way to the greatness; GUY guild will do too, and makes them happy to know they have seen their fresh start.
The golden haired woman was walking down the street. The moon and stars were shining brightly, as her eyes. The two guilds were walking together to the Inn, some of them were drunk or tipsy, more of them were sleepy and weary. Party hard again, huh? Why the LOST have been celebrating for 24 hours or more? Well, nothing really special, only celebrating that they found GUY, a guild just alike.
UPDATES!
- Thanks MagicMissile for the review! My first review ever! I really enjoyed reading it. :) Thanks for the recommendation of using the "quote marks". I'm too used to the lines that I totally forgot that in fanfiction we use the "". I already changed it so hope It's better to read like this. :D
- I have rewrite it, so please fell free to read it again.
- And also sorry if I misspell some words and the grammar errors, I'll keep practicing to get better.
