Hello everyone! Lilith here!
And if you've entered this spot, you're probably going "Now wait a minute, Lilith! Do you anything about Final Fantasy 2? What possessed you to write a fanfic of it if you haven't played the game?! Tell me, tell me!"
Well, I just wanted to try something different, and if someone were to ask my opinion, I think FF2 needs more love among the lovers of the Final Fantasy franchise. But in order to figure out how I could work this out, I had to ask the advice of another fanfic writer.
Edit: I added a little extra stuff within the first chapter, just for the heck of it.
Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!
Just for a reminder, I'll take constructive reviews. Rude comments are not welcome.
I own nothing of FF2 except for my OCs.
Read, leave me a review, but no flames allowed.
Chapter 1: The Wild Rose
A long lived peace…is at an end.
The emperor of Palamecia has called forth monsters from the underworld…and has begun his campaign for world conquest.
A rebel army arose in the Kingdom of Fynn to thwart the emperor's plans.
But the rebels' castle fell to an all-out assault by the empire.
Left with little choice, the rebels withdrew to the remote town of Altair.
Five youths from Fynn also found themselves fleeing the imperial forces.
They had lost their parents at the hands of the empire.
But their escape wasn't over…
"C'mon, we have to get out of here!"
"Black soldiers coming. Hurry!"
"Wait for us, Firion! Telma's not as fast as you two!"
"Maria, stop worrying about me and keep running! Don't lose sight of them!"
In the midst of the blazing fires raging within what was once a quiet little town, four young civilians made mad sprints throughout the burning streets with utmost urgency. At the lead is Firion, a young man at 18 with tanned brown skin and silvery hair kept in a ponytail; because of the crisis at hand, he was dressed lightly and only carried a short sword and knives on him for defense. Following closely behind is Guy, about the same age as Firion but taller and bulkier than the rest of the group. Maria is a young woman of 16 with pale skin and shoulder-length royal purple hair, lightly dressed in simple clothes (nothing too special). The last one trailing them is Telma, a woman of 17, having braided dark-brown hair and brown eyes, her only clothes being a regular dress and short boots.
Behind them, numbers of dark-armored soldiers marched through the town whilst unfazed by the flames consuming all in its way and the wood and bricks falling apart from the irreparable damages done; but the coordination of the army moving its way was most unnatural, as though none of them were human to begin with.
Just as they were about to reach the gates leading outside, a yelp forced them to stop and turn to find that Maria had just tripped and fallen down. Three dark knights were closing in on her, ready to take advantage of the chance to kill
"Maria!" Telma cried out as she hurried over to help. A surge of magic energy flowed through her hand as she shot out shards of ice. "Get away from her, you demons!"
Though the ice shards were deflected or broken apart with ease, this gave her just a few precious seconds to pull Maria to her feet and try to urge her on. But the knights were closing in, about to strike them down at any moment – or at least, one of them would be if one saving grace hadn't arrived in the nick of time.
A clang of a thick sword could be heard as another man showed up and knocked the dark warrior off his feet, buying him enough time to gather the stragglers.
"Leon!" Maria couldn't help feeling a little relief amongst the tension.
Leon, the elder brother of Maria, was the eldest of the family at the age of 20 with lightly tanned skin and violet-purple hair; unlike the rest of them, he did have a small bit of armor for available defense alongside the rest of attire.
"Telma, Maria, get going! These freaks aren't going to wait," Leon ordered.
Guy caught up with the girls and ushered them through the gates, moving past Firion as he threw his knives in an attempt to help fend off the fiends for just a few moments before all of them turned back to run for the woods outside the town. The crackle of the flames and the faint screams of horror of the people trapped in the chaos echoed across the empty wilderness, warning the outside of the evil that has begun to roam through the countryside…
She couldn't believe that this had to happen to her. As she continued to run alongside her close friends, Telma had trouble comprehending why Fynn had to be attacked by monsters and ruthless soldiers whose lack of mercy knows no bounds.
As far as her memory went, Fynn pretty much became her home ever since she was discovered alone and unconscious; actually, it was one of her newfound friends, Firion, who found her outside of the town and brought her to his adopted home. From there, she met his friends Guy, Maria, and Leon. Maria and Leon are blood siblings and have been very close for years; Guy, on the other hand, used to live in the wilds until Firion found him and brought him into the family. Even her rescuer had a little story of his own; he lost his real parents when he was young, so he was raised alongside the two blood siblings and became a new family. Unfortunately, when asked about who she was and where she came from, Telma was unable to remember anything except for her name. Ultimately, no one could find out where she was from, so she was legally adopted and has lived with this unusual family ever since…until now.
But now that their home has been ravaged by an outside kingdom, where will they go? What will they do to get by? And who can help them during these dark days?
There was no time to answer those questions because the imperial forces were still gaining on them, and they had to keep moving even though they're exhausted. Sadly, they were soon surrounded and had nowhere to run.
"Damn it! It looks like we'll have to fight through!"
Telma turned toward Leon (who pretty much spilled out that slip up), seeing his violet hair dampened by sweat from running for so long, and a sword in his hands. Then, she looked over to Maria and Guy, who were also tired and unable to keep moving yet still trying to be strong. But when she looked over to Firion, their gaze met and she could see how scared he was as well as how determined he was to keep his loved ones safe.
"I know you don't want to, but we have to make a stand, Telma," he gasped as he brushed his forehead.
"Why did I have the feeling you'd say that, Firion?" she murmured glumly.
Unfortunately, they were unable to fight their way out; Leon and Guy already went down in a blink of an eye, followed by Maria when she tried to take her shot with a bow. When one soldier charged toward her, Telma had to watch as Firion got in front and took the critical blow in her stead, but she still was harshly cut down from behind (though not as bad as everyone else).
The last thing she could remember were a few voices saying things she could barely make out, and then seeing a female figure moving towards them before blacking out…
"…fully healed?"
"Yeah…should be alright about now."
When Telma slowly opened her eyes, she felt herself squinting at the light within the new environment, unable to determine where she is now. And who is with her right now? One voice sounded familiar, but the other wasn't. Her vision gradually cleared until she could finally see a worried sick Maria hovering by her side along with a tan-skinned, green-eyed, and light blonde haired woman who doesn't really ring a bell to her.
The woman was dressed in a short white top with trousers of the same color, held at the waist by a silver girdle, and wore leather gauntlets on both of her arms and leather boots; on her head she wore a golden circlet and a light blue facial veil over the lower half of her face.
"Telma, you're alright!" Maria exclaimed as she squeezed her tightly.
Hilariously, Telma couldn't help but let out a grunt before she replied, "Yeah…you too, Maria." But then a thought hit her. "Wait! Where's Guy, and where's Firion?"
"Calm down, will you? The big boy – Guy, if I recall – is in top shape now. And your light-haired friend – Firion, is it? – is in my brother's care. He should be up on his feet about now, I'd think," the mystery woman replied with an exasperated sigh, "But if you're that worried about him, I'll bring you to him if you want."
That perked her up a little. "Are you serious? I'd feel a lot better if I knew he's fine. Thanks, Miss…umm…I didn't get your name."
The woman shook her head with a smile as she stood up. "It's Mingzhu. Come on, I'll bring you over."
With Maria's help, Telma stood up and both women followed Mingzhu through the hall until they had located Guy, who was waiting for them very patiently. Though it was still a bit weird to see the tall, hulking young man among every other person, those who know him best remember that he's actually very friendly (well, once you got to know him, that is).
"Hey, Guy. You are doing alright?" Telma had to ask.
Guy simply turned to her and replied, "Princess of Fynn save us. White witch heal you."
Mingzhu groaned at this in annoyance. "I told him three times that I'm a white mage, not a witch. There's a difference."
Maria sighed at that. "It's okay. He's not a very good speaker. You'll get used to it once you're familiar with him."
"Yeah, I can justify that," Telma chuckled.
With that settled, they continued to walk down the hall until they had neared what Mingzhu called a sanctum, where the survivors were told that Firion is being healed there. However, by the time they got there, the three friends were surprised to find that he is already up and moving, obviously confused and in search for what he's missing the most. But as soon as he saw them, Telma could see a relieved smile spread across his face, and it couldn't be helped that he ran over in joy to see them all alive; then again, they couldn't resist either.
Maria was the first to cry out, "Firion! You're alive! I thought…I thought you'd…"
"We practically feared the worst!" Telma added.
"I'm fine, Maria, Telma," Firion reassured them before turning to Guy. "You alright too, Guy? But wait…where's Leon?"
That was when it finally hit her: she had completely forgotten about Leon! Unfortunately, the downcast looks on Maria and Guy spoke for themselves; Leon was not with them. If that's the case, then where is he?
"Princess of Fynn save us," Guy told him, "But…Leon not here."
Telma nearly expected Firion to be depressed about the fact that Leon's not with him, but instead she saw him give a soft smile that hid what he was really thinking.
"I see…Don't worry. I'm sure he's okay," he promised gently.
You're just as worried as we are, and you can't hide that, Telma thought.
"Well, I don't quite understand what's going on here, but if you're all ready to go, I'll take you all to meet the princess and my brother," Mingzhu suggested, "Besides, I'm sure they'll want to see you alive and kicking. They're probably in the meeting right about now. C'mon, follow me."
As they followed the white mage to the meeting room, Telma suddenly felt a hand to her shoulder, making her turn her head to see Firion give her a relieved smile.
"Did I worry you, Telma?" he whispered softly.
"You'd bet you made me worry," Telma replied quietly, "I was afraid that I'd lost you and everyone else, and that Maria and I are going to be alone."
"It'll be alright, Telma. Maybe whoever the princess is might be able to help us," Firion pointed out, "But what did our guide mean by 'brother'?"
"That's we're gonna find out, I guess," Telma answered.
When they arrived at the meeting room, the four friends found themselves a bit out of place with the different people already hanging around. There were several men discussing matters that they don't understand, but the main individuals that stood out for them were a royally dressed woman and a young man who looked awfully similar to the other healer with a few notable differences.
The young woman appeared to be in her very early twenties, with wavy golden blonde hair bearing two frontal braids and blue eyes. Her wardrobe consisted of a sleeveless pastel blue dress decorated in geometric shapes with a sky blue scarf held by a violet brooch at the waist, a royal blue cloak attached at the back, and indigo bracelets on her arms, completed by an intricate pair of sandals. On her head was a blue headdress bearing four different horns and carefully strung beaded ornaments in her hair, adding to the regal beauty.
On the other hand, the young man next to the royal woman was very similar to Mingzhu, what with the tanned skin, but the major difference being his hair color and eye color are both brown. His wardrobe consisted of a white top covered by a small bronze chest plate and white skirt held by a gold-trimmed red belt; he also came equipped with a white cloak held by a ruby brooch, a white turban on his head, and a white mask covering his mouth for whatever reason. He could also be seen wearing a silver bracelet and ring on one arm, but it's everything else that is the main focus.
But then, the young woman gave the party a welcoming smile before speaking to them, lightening the tense atmosphere.
"So you've regained your strength? Very good," she said calmly, "Your life force is strong indeed."
"It was you who saved us, wasn't it? Thank you," Firion asked as he bowed politely, "Forgive me, your Highness, but there is something I must ask of you. Please allow us to join the rebel army!"
But the woman shook her head in disapproval. "I could never let you do such a thing. You know nothing of battle. You would only be throwing your lives away. You should return to your homes."
"But…we have no homes. Not anymore…" Maria interjected sadly. "The imperials attacked, and our parents…Our parents…"
"They're dead," Telma added in a low voice.
The instant the woman heard both ladies explain the situation, however difficult it was she showed a sign of shock and sympathy for a few seconds before returning to her level-headed demeanor.
"I am truly sorry, but even so, this changes nothing. I cannot permit you to join our army," the woman replied.
"Oh, c'mon, isn't there something you can do for these poor souls, Hilda?" Mingzhu interjected, "As far as I'm concerned, they have nowhere to go and no home. What are they gonna do on their own without any help?"
"Sister!" the young man scolded.
But Hilda raised her hand to stop him, and contemplated on the question for a moment, before a small idea did come to her.
"If you've nowhere else to go, you're welcome to stay in Altair. If you know our password, you should be able to live here well enough," Hilda suggested, "The password is Wild Rose. Remember it well."
Upon hearing the password, the four friends took a moment to wrap their heads around the word they've been taught. But then, Telma had to ask about this because she wasn't exactly familiar with such a peculiar word.
"You might think me nuts for asking, Hilda – you're a princess, is that right? - but what is the wild rose?" she asked out of curiosity, "Is there some kind of significance to this flower in question?"
"The wild rose is the insignia of the Kingdom of Fynn," Princess Hilda replied without being offended, "It represents our hope for a future that flourishes in both strength and beauty. But what will become of Fynn now?" At this point, the princess looked a little under the weather as she seemed to be thinking back. "I've heard that the empire's captives have been taken there and suffer as we speak." Then, she looked up to Maria. "Maria, your brother Leon is missing, is he not? It's possible that he's being held in Fynn as well." She shook her head at this. "But Fynn is far too dangerous now. The emperor's beasts still stalk the streets. Gaining entrance to the city will not be easy…"
Who is the emperor? Telma couldn't help but wonder about that. Why does that sound like something I should be familiar with? But she immediately shrugged it off, thinking it as unimportant right now, and focused on the meeting at hand.
"The man at my right is Minwu, the white wizard who tended your wounds," Hilda continued when she began introductions, "The woman with you right now is his younger sister Mingzhu, who also aided in healing all of you. Speak with them before you leave. They may be of assistance to you."
"Thank you, your Highness," Firion simply answered.
Although he did seem content with what had to be offered, it was pretty clear that he really wanted to fight for freedom; even Telma knew this. Fortunately, at the very least, they were able to have other people to talk to, added bonus being two people who aid the princess in the cause they can call friends. Speaking of which, who would've guessed that there would be siblings that work for the rebellion?
"Is it right that you and Mingzhu are brother and sister?" Maria had to ask out of personal curiosity.
"That is true. I apologize if my younger sister didn't give away any details, she is not one for making use of etiquette all that much," Minwu replied honestly.
"Hey, watch it, Brother!" Mingzhu warned irritably.
"Well, I'm willing to take any help that's offered, even if it comes from a pair of siblings who we've just met only a few minutes ago," Telma intervened, "However, what I would like to know is what on earth is going on with this country these days. Don't get me wrong, we know what happened to Fynn because we were there, but I don't understand what the issue with these imperials is."
Both white mages looked over to Firion and friends in confusion as they never imagined meeting a single individual who doesn't even know what the situation is. Maria and Guy simply shrugged their shoulders which said 'don't ask us about that'; uncertain as to how they can explain the situation. That meant Firion had to come up with something that wouldn't arouse any suspicion on their adopted friend.
"Telma is just having trouble processing the information, that's all," he explained.
Mingzhu shrugged at that. "Fair enough, I guess. I guess someone's going to have to give you a crash course on the matter. Long story short, an evil empire led by an equally evil emperor is conquering every kingdom in the country, and we are trying to fight against the bad guys."
"That being said, you might as well rest here while you can," Minwu added in, "All of you have been through much danger, and it would be best if you saved your strength. The princess means to keep you safe as much as possible, you understand."
"We understand," was all Firion could say.
"Then I guess we'll just be on our way," Telma agreed reluctantly.
As the four friends left the meeting room, it seemed like they had accepted the fact that they weren't going to be able to do anything anytime soon; that is, until they were far enough in the halls and Firion suddenly stopped in his tracks with a thought in mind. He immediately turned around to them, but with a determined gaze rather than compliance.
"We have to go to Fynn. We have to know what happened to Leon," he said with a fiery determination, "He's out there somewhere, and I know he's alive. Telma, Maria, Guy, are you all willing to return to our old home with me?"
Telma gave a big grin as she flipped her braided brown hair back. "Do you seriously need to ask? I want to know what went on there, and besides, if we don't do something to help, who will? So, what are we waiting for? Let's get some proper gear on, some weapons, and let's get the show on the road!"
However, just as they were about to move on, a small 'ahem' was heard behind them, making them turn around to see Mingzhu standing there with her arms folded and tapping her foot.
"So, you're just going to gallop off to dangerous territory, just like that?" she asked sternly, "I'm not one to complain, but who's gonna make sure you stay alive?" Then, she gave a big grin. "If you're going out there, then I'd better get you to the armory right away."
Whether it was a lucky strike or not, the party hadn't the foggiest clue what gave them the help they needed; but all the same, they were very glad that someone understands their plight and their intentions.
Thanks to Mingzhu's guidance to the armory, she was able to help them get properly equipped for the journey ahead, each one fitted for the right purposes one way or another.
Telma fit herself into a sleeveless cerulean blue split dress and an embroidered short black jacket, with purple ring trousers and knee length black laced boots; on her left hand, she wore a single brown leather glove, and on her right is a golden moonstone bracelet (the only treasure she held onto ever since she lived with her adopted family, even though she had no idea where she originally got it).
Firion geared up in a light brown armor plate and shin guards over lightly tan clothing, with armored boots and faded yellow shoulder pads and lavender gauntlets; he had a blue bandanna wrapped around his head (which made some of his silvery hair stick out, on a sillier note), a sword belt around his waist, and an elegant red cape.
Guy simply wore a teal armor plate over his chest with metal gauntlets on his arms, along with violet pants and indigo boots trimmed with small leg guards attached near the knees, and a belt around his waist.
Maria wore a purple top that appeared to be nearly completely cut off on one side, leaving the left side to be covered by a partial breastplate held together by thin straps, and complemented by matching purple pants with a maroon sash held around her hips; on her feet she wore violet high-heeled boots, and her arms are protected by cloth gauntlets.
When Telma looked at Maria's outfit, she couldn't help but question why she was dressed like that.
"Wow, what are you trying to do, guard yourself or attract a guy?" she asked.
Maria blushed heavily at that. "Telma…! I'm not trying to!"
Thankfully, Guy stepped in to ease her. "Telma…teasing you. No worry."
"Well, then, if you're all good, we just have one more stop before we go off," Mingzhu announced.
"What's our last stop, Firion?" Telma asked.
"I guess we're going to find out," he replied with a shrug.