NOTE: Possible songs to listen to are the Archylte Steppe, Desperate Struggle, and Chocobos of Pulse from the FINAL FANTASY XIII Original Soundtrack. This story can also be found in the FF13 Funnies Community. Enjoy and review.
Snow's First Mission
The group held their breath as they walked through the rock opening, and onto the mighty Archylte Steppe. Beasts of Pulse walked abroad, challenging all in their path to encroach on their territory. Pulse Chocobos flitted to and fro, chirping, "Kweh, kweh!" all the while.
Green grass stretched as far as the eye could see, along with the Steppe. Small plateaus loomed over slimy Flans, homing Cactuars and other nuisances. A small pond lay cradled against a rocky outcrop, and two small and fuzzy sheep grazed quietly along the shore. A small island rose in the middle of the pond, and a Treasure Sphere hovered over the dirt.
The six companions gazed at the Steppe and everything in it, but one group member had become distracted. The man stared at a floating figure off to their right.
"Fang. Vanille," Snow said, calling attention to the two Pulsian women. "What is that?"
Fang and Vanille averted their attention to the floating figure Snow was pointing at. Fang's blue eyes hardened, and Vanille's expression fell.
The group walked over to a dim figure that hovered above the ground. The figure was shaped oddly, like a human, but the hair created a circle around the head, and the legs molded into a point. The figure was a solid dim blue, like all the life had been sucked out of it.
Sazh's Chocobo chick chirped sadly, and Sazh patted the little bird. Fang folded her arms and shuddered slightly. Hope cocked his head in confusion. Lightning's cobalt eyes scanned the figure for any kind of trap, as confused as the others.
Vanille stepped forward. "I think… It's a Cie'th Stone. Certain l'Cie who've failed their Focus live on in a sort of terrible crystal stasis. Even after Cie'th-hood, they plead for others to finish their Focus. If that Focus is completed by another person, the Cie'th inside the Stone is free to rest peacefully."
"Looks like this one's been here awhile," Fang said.
"The War of Transgression," Vanille whispered.
Snow smiled, and faced the group. He pumped his fist and asked, "Then why don't we help it?"
Sazh's Chocobo chick chirped in agreement.
Lightning, however, disagreed.
"We don't have time for this," she said, folding her arms.
"We can't just leave it! It'll take just a few minutes! Hope, you with me?" Snow asked, turning towards the silver-haired boy.
"Uh…no thanks. Until I know what that Cie'th wants, I'm not going to do anything it asks of me," Hope answered, smiling apologetically.
Sazh threw his hands up and turned from the group, heading for one of the Chocobos. "Leave me out of this. If Trenchcoat wants to help the Cie'th, then let him at 'em!"
Fang and Vanille laughed, because they knew what kind of missions the Cie'th offered. Snow activated the Stone, and caught the worn map that fluttered away from the Stone. The map showed him the location of the Cie'th Stone, and the Mark location, which was where the enemy waited.
MISSION: THE DOOMSHERALD MISSION RATING:
CIE'TH STONE LOCALE: ARCHYLTE STEPPE, THE CENTRAL EXPANSE
MARK LOCALE: YASCHAS MASSIF, THE PADDREAN ARCHAEOPOLIS
MARK: VERCINGETORIX
DIFFUCULTY LEVEL: A
Oh how I long the day when I will slay Vercingetorix from the sky, and watch as his mighty wings are pierced by my many arrows. When I first set out to destroy the almighty Cie'th, I imagined great glory when his death became known back at my village. Now, I can barely keep myself alive, let alone kill an Undying Cie'th. Yet, I will end the highest of the Undying, and watch the light fade from his heart as he falls from the sky!
Snow read out the map, and then tucked it away in a front pocket.
Fang waved her arm towards the Stone and exclaimed, "Snow, you're gonna need a lot more experience than an amateur l'Cie if you want to stand a chance!"
Of course, Snow remained defiant.
"Well, I'm going to try," Snow said, excited to help the suffering Cie'th. "Meet me at that pond in ten minutes?"
"Sure," Lightning answered as Fang shouted, "Good luck! You're gonna need it!"
Lightning sighed in frustration as she stalked off to the pond. Fang and Vanille followed, chatting about all the memories they still had of Gran Pulse. Hope trotted next to Sazh, and elbowed the eldest member of the group. Sazh looked down at him, his eyebrow arched.
"Think Snow'll be okay?" Hope asked.
Sazh chuckled and answered, "No idea, kiddo!"
Snow panted slightly as he climbed up the maze of fallen mammoth trees. The trees blocked a direct path to the Mark, and he had to climb over them to reach the other side. As he emerged, he was met with the cry of a Munchkin.
The Munchkin squealed and raced around Snow on its wheels. Annoyed, Snow punched the dancing Munchkin out of the way, and winced as a CRACK sounded from the impact of Munchkin on rock. Snow then continued on, making his way through the towering canyon, swatting Munchkins aside like Breshan Bass.
Snow thought back to the journey through the Vallis Media. Flans were too slow to cause any major damage, and Snow had enjoyed the walk. When he arrived at the Yaschas Massif, he felt incredibly amazed at the mammoth trees that dotted the landscape. The only problem he had encountered was the small fight with the Triffia, who had spat a wad of Poison in his face, and he had had to use a handful of Antidotes before the Poison wore off.
Heh. His Medic abilities were less than stellar.
At last, Snow made it to the Paddrean Archaeopolis, where Vercingetorix awaited. Snow became nervous as he realized that there wasn't a sound in the canyon. The birds had quieted, and the usual lumbering Cie'th had disappeared into the shadows. The ruined city of Paddrea was a desolate land full of Cie'th and Munchkins and Goblins.
But today was all quiet.
Suddenly, the sky morphed into a hazy purple, casting an eerie presence over the Yaschas Massif. Snow tightened his gloves, and noticed that a Cie'th portal was nearby, ready to transport him in case of an emergency.
The ruins were sunk down into the canyon, so Snow had to climb down a jumble of fallen blocks of stone, which were covered with slippery moss. At the bottom, Snow set off for the set of stairs that led up to the second level, where the Mark was.
At the top, Snow scanned the second level for Vercingetorix, but there was no sign of the A-level Mark. The only thing Snow saw was the large blue, glass, beet shaped orb at the end of the pavilion. Surrounding it were four small Cie'th Stones, and they all gleamed with a silver glow.
"Show yourself!"
Nothing but the hovering Treasure Sphere in the corner.
Snow's eyes narrowed as the orb began to blink, and soon filled the pavilion with blinding light. A high keening sound filled the area, making Snow cover his ears. Then, a winged shape shattered the orb, bursting through it and twirling up into the air.
Vercingetorix, the fiercest Undying.
Back at the pond on the Steppe, the other group members patiently waited for Snow to return. Vanille and Hope were examining a nearby Chocobo, while Sazh, er, talked to the small sheep. Lightning and Fang were standing atop the plateau that overlooked the pond.
"Think Snow'll be back soon?" Fang asked, chuckling.
Lightning cracked a small smirk. "Oh, Snow will be back pretty soon, I'm sure."
"Guess we'd have to go after him if he didn't, much as I don't want to," Fang said, folding her arms.
Lightning's smirk exploded into a grin and she laughed quietly.
"Serah'd be devastated if we let Snow die."
Then, Lightning and Fang cracked up, Fang bending over with laughter, while Lightning was more composed, but still laughing just as much.
Suddenly, the Cie'th portal by the Vallis Media opening flashed, and Snow burst into view, falling to his knees. Before the portal closed, a gray hand shot out and grabbed Snow's ankle, meaning to drag him back. Snow struggled, but only succeeded in keeping himself from being engulfed. Hope cried out, and Lightning whipped her head around to see Snow.
"The Vallis Media Cie'th portal!" Hope yelled, and the group members sprinted to Snow.
Fang slid down the plateau, while Lightning leaped off, flipping through the air and taking a running landing. Lightning drew her weapon and fired a few shots at the hand. A screech pierced through the portal and shook the Steppe. Hope shot a quick Waterga spell at the Stone, dousing Snow but helping to loosen Vercingetorix's grip.
"Kweh, kweh, kweh!"
Sazh's Chocobo chick chirped and pointed its little wing at Snow. A herd of Chocobos hurtled towards Snow, and Snow's blue eyes widened. Lightning, Fang, Sazh, Vanille, and Hope all dove out of the way for the Chocobos. When they reached the Stone, they bent their heads and began to fiercely peck at the hand. Black blood appeared and finally Vercingetotrix released Snow with a yelp. One of the Chocobos wasn't satisfied and butted its head against the Stone for good measure.
Fang put her hands on her hip and smiled. "Never underestimate the power of Pulsian Chocobos. They can fight, I'll tell you that!" Fang said.
Snow lay in front of the Stone, looking confused. Lightning stood over him and frowned, her gun blade in her hand.
"What happened to meeting us at the pond in ten minutes? Not twenty minutes," Lightning growled.
Snow grinned sheepishly, and Sazh snorted. "I got, uh, held back a little…didn't realize Level A was the hardest. Figured Level Z would be the most difficult!" Snow exclaimed, unsuccessfully trying to defend himself.
Lightning shook her head, and turned to walk to the Northern Highplain, where they would exit the Steppe. Hope gave a small thumbs-up to Snow, and turned to follow Lightning. The Chocobos all trotted away, except for one, who nudged Snow into a standing position. Snow sighed and patted the Chocobo's soft golden feathers, and the bird closed its eyes.
"Thanks, buddy. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been there!" Snow said, turning to follow his companions.
Then, the Chocobo pecked his back, and Snow winced. He whirled around, and found himself face-to-face with an expectant Chocobo.
"What?"
"Kweh!" it chirped, looking at his pocket.
Snow dug through his pocket and retrieved the only thing he carried: the whole group's stash of Gil. The Chocobo's eyes lit up and he nodded his head, and held out his wing.
"Don't tell me you want all of our Gil? We need this!" Snow cried, as the Chocobo took the 200,000 Gil that Snow carried.
The Chocobo turned tail and sprinted towards the pond, and Snow ran after it, crying, "No, bring it back! We need it!"
Fang pointed at the scene and the rest of the group turned to look. Vanille waved her hand, and the Chocobo began to run right at her. Hope tried to shove her out of the way, but she wouldn't budge. The Chocobo ran right by her, and she slung her arm around its neck, and swung herself on the runaway's back.
With Snow still chasing the Chocobo, Vanille was screaming. Suddenly, the Chocobo jumped onto the small plateau that looked over the pond.
"Uh-oh!" Vanille squealed, and Snow climbed up on the plateau, his back facing the pond.
Chirping fiercely, the Chocobo barreled into Snow, and Snow was plastered to the front of the Chocobo. Vanille covered her face as they fell into the pond, and the 200,000 Gil fell to the bottom of the pond, never to be found again. Vanille slipped off the Chocobo's back and swam to the small island, where Snow had just crawled onto, his trench coat sopping wet. The Chocobo however, was splashing in the muddy water, obviously upset it had lost the Gil.
"Ugh…no Gil…wet…ugh…" Snow muttered, and passed out on the island, his blonde hair fanned out around his head.
Vanille began to giggle, and used her hands to wring the water out of her fur waist cape, leaning against a rock.
Hope and Fang sprinted to the edge of the pond, and spotted the two on the island – one asleep, the other giggling. Hope's pale blue eyes began to water as he and Fang fell over, laughing. Fang leaned on her Bladed Lance, and held her aching stomach.
Lightning and Sazh peered over the edge of the overlook above the pond, and even Lightning had to laugh. Sazh clapped as his chick flew out of his afro to land on Snow's forehead. Snow woke up, and moaned, the loss of the Gil devastating to him.
Lightning cupped her hand around her mouth and yelled, "So, Snow…how was your first Mission?"
.:END:.
A Pulsian Chronicle