Hi, guys… I'm feeling really sick right now, so I'm just going to cut to the chase. I'm going to copy the description from my profile:
Murasakizuishou (Amethyst): My ideas for this one are a little fuzzy, but I do have a few. Basically, it's another way of Bouquet being introduced to the game. Unlike Blue Dragon Beyond, in this story, Bouquet acts more like her anime counterpart. Also, there's a good deal of Shu x Bouquet in this story – in Beyond, I have trouble even doing Shu x Bouquet hints, but in Murasakizuishou, I can actually see how it could be cute, so it's going to be a whole lot easier. (There's going to be some other pairings, too, very much including Jiro x Kluke, and perhaps even a Jiro x Kluke x Shu x Bouquet love "square".) The only thing that's really keeping from writing this one is that I don't know where to begin it – it's going to be an alternate storyline starting somewhere during the first game, but I have several ideas of where it could start from. If someone could give me some advice about that, I'd really appreciate it! :) Otherwise, aside from figuring where this story will be going, it should be pretty easy to write, and I'm hoping to start working on it soon. (Note: The title may change. If I do decide to change it, the one I'm leaning towards the most right now is Sumire, which is Japanese for violet (the flower, not the color).)
(Ugh, I feel awful…) If there's something that wasn't included above, or isn't in the author's note below the story, let me know and I'll fill it in next chapter. There is one important thing I should mention: Some of the dialogue below is taken directly from the game. You probably know which ones, but I'll tell you if you want me to. And one more important thing: Bouquet's outfit is the same as in Season One of the anime, but the colors are different. Here's a little list:
Hair Ties: Red
Collar: Olive Green
Apron: Red
Dress: Olive Green
Sleeves: Purple
Tights: Purple
Shoes: Dark Brown and Yellow (Flaps)
A picture of her outfit can be found on TV Tokyo's website for Blue Dragon: Tenkai no Shichi Ryuu (I'll give you the link if you want). So, after the disclaimer, read on. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon. If I did, I wouldn't have to think of ways for Bouquet to be in the game, because she'd already be there. :P
~A Prelude: The Frozen Maiden~
For the last 10 years, the ominous violet clouds would loom...
coming once each year, and bringing disaster to those in their path...
..."The Land Shark is coming! Run to the platform!"...
..."We won't know what we can or can't do, unless we try!"...
..."C'mon Shu, stay focused. Stick to the plan. We're counting on you."...
..."I know, but I want to avenge my mom and dad!"...
..."Kluke, you don't have to do this! Save yourself! Let go of the rope!"...
..."The Land Shark... It's an ancient machine."...
..."Perhaps. But we wanted to destroy that Land Shark, for... for you, Kluke. You know?"...
..."I mean, you and the other villagers have lost their families to the Land Shark, and I figured we couldn't go on running away forever, you know. Listen, Kluke. Shu didn't drag me into this. I made up my own mind."...
..."A secret base? In the sky?!"...
..."Then we'd better be careful. You two, stay close to me, all right?"...
..."Enough, Szabo. These worms are still our guests."...
..."It's any wonder they're so audacious, they're children."...
..."So that's what it's called in your world. I dare say your annual encounters with the "Land Shark" have been quite amusing!"...
..."So, you are the one that controls the Land Shark! You killed my mom and dad!"...
..."I won't be defeated. Not now, not ever! I won't give up!"...
"Your Excellency - there's been a malfunction- the door-!"
"Enough, Szabo. Show me the data."
"The data!"
"I... I do not know how this could have happened-"
"You foolish machine. Do you have any idea what this means?"
"Hey... Do you guys see that over there?"
"What is it, Shu?" Jiro was beside him in a second, quickly joined by Kluke.
"That door." Shu pointed it. "It looks..."
"Frozen." Jiro finished for him. "Well... Partially, at least. But, it must be cold in there - look at the bottom." He gestured to it, where from the space from the door to the floor, visibly white air rolled out.
"What do you think it is?" Kluke wondered.
Shu shrugged. "Who knows? But we might as well take a look. It could be a way out." He'd already started walking towards it.
"A way out?" Kluke gaped at his retreating back. "A trap is more like it! Shu, don't." Her voice trembled on the last word as he stood in front of the door, hand poised to open it.
"Oh, come on, Kluke. It's gotta be worth a look. Right, Jiro?" Shu shot him a hopeful grin.
"Um..." Jiro looked between his two friends, seeming distinctly uncomfortable.
"Tell him how crazy and suicidal he's being, Jiro," Kluke crossed her arms over her chest, settling into a glare. "Or how he's being stupid and idiotic - I'm not partial, and all four are true, anyway."
"Look," Shu started sourly, saving a now-flustered Jiro from responding. "I'm just going to go in and take a look around. That's all. You two can stay out here if you want to; I'll be back in a minute."
"Oh, no," Kluke dropped her crossed arms, hands fisting at her sides. "No way are you going in there by yourself. I won't let you, and I doubt Jiro will, either."
Shu let out an exasperated sigh. "C'mon, Kluke," he tried for another grin, this time directed at her. "It's kinda accidental, but we are sort of on an adventure-"
"An adventure?" She repeated the word, disbelievingly, looking like her head might explode. "Is that what you call it? I think it would be more accurate to call it 'trying not to die'."
Shu waved a dismissive hand. "Bah."
"Jiro, do you remember when I warned you a little while ago how hanging around with Shu would likely get you killed someday?" Kluke shot him a lidded-eye look on the aside. "It looks like we just made it to 'someday'."
"Like I said," Shu cut across, "you don't have to come." Without another word, he pushed through.
"Shu!!" Kluke yelped his name as he passed through the waves of cold air that tumbled out through the now open doorway. "Shu, get back here!"
When there was no response, Jiro sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We'd better go after him, before something bad happens. Unless you don't want to come, Kluke," he opened his eyes again. "I think I can get him to come back out here on my own."
"No. It's fine." Kluke sounded weary. "We might as well see what all the fuss is about."
When Jiro and Kluke stepped inside after him, they found that the door led to a hallway covered in so much ice that the floor, walls and ceiling had turned a pale blue. The chill in the hall was the kind that seeped into your bones; since they had grown up in the desert, it affected them a little more than it would someone else. In the center stood Shu, one hand on his hip, a smirk on his face. "I knew you guys would come."
"Only because we aren't fond of the idea of you waltzing off to your death." Kluke snapped at him. "Now, can we hurry, please? Before that old man finds out that we're still here and sends something after us."
Jiro shivered, and not entirely from the cold. "Kluke's right; let's get going."
The hallway was small, they soon discovered, and they'd reached the other side in no time - they pushed open the door there.
The doorway opened into a small, circular room; the same ice from the hallway frosted everything. A small, round skylight allowed sunlight to pour into the center of the room.
And in the center was a strange machine, the white almost-mist from before rolling out in sheets from narrow, slim openings on the sides.
Kluke's teeth chattered. "Wh-what is that thing...?"
Jiro gripped his elbows tightly, grateful for the black sweater he wore, even though the frigid temperature still cut through it. "It's an ancient machine of some kind. As for what it does..."
"Let's get a closer look." Shu stepped towards it cautiously.
Kluke let out an exasperated puff of breath, seeable in the chilly room. "Shu, are you trying to kill yourself?"
"I just want to get a better look," Shu retorted, slightly defensive. "Maybe it can help us fight that guy, or maybe it could help us get home." He peered over the edge, trying to seeing the top. "Or it could help us find out-" Shu froze. Then, slowly, in a voice more serious than either of his friends had heard in years, he said, "Jiro. Kluke. Come over here. Hurry."
Jiro and Kluke rushed to his side, and their breath caught as they saw what Shu had.
The top of the strange machine was glass, letting them see inside - where a girl laid, very still. The only sign of her life came in the form of the very faint, delayed breaths that left white marks on the clear glass. She looked almost peaceful - her eyelashes, frosted with ice crystals, fluttered lightly over her pale cheeks. Her black hair, tied in pigtails by red hair bands, spilled over her shoulders and onto the hands laid over her chest (which was an unusually large size for her age, if her features were anything to go by).
"It's... It's a girl..." Jiro gasped out.
"But, why is she- Shu!" Kluke broke off and shouted his name as he started trying to pry the top of the machine off. "What are you doing?!"
"The machine is what's causing this cold," he ground out, voice strained from the effort of tugging at the top. "That means it must be even colder in there than it is out here! If we don't get her out, she'll die!"
"He's right," Jiro breathed, alarm evident in his tone. "Come on, Kluke, we have to help him."
The trio struggled, heaving and pushing and pulling, but it wouldn't budge. Jiro, exhausted, needed to rest for a minute, and had laid his hand against to support himself, but pulled back as he touched some kind of button - all three of them backpedaled with simultaneous shouts as the glass swung open.
Once he'd recovered from the surprise, Shu hurried back over to the machine, leaning over to see the status of the sleeping girl. She seemed the same as before. At least until a muscle near her mouth twitched - and quite suddenly, he was staring into a pair of violet eyes.
Shu jerked back in surprise, just as she rapidly sat up; he heard Kluke gasp behind him. Shu swallowed. "Um... Hi."
The girl tilted her head towards him, blinking slowly. She said nothing.
"Are... Are you okay?..." He moved his hand to touch her shoulder, but drew it towards himself again when she recoiled.
"Who..." Her voice came out soft, scratching as if she hadn't talked in a very long time. "Who are you?" Her eyes took him in questioningly.
"My name is Shu." He placed a hand over his chest, smiling, then gestured behind him. "And these are my friends, Jiro and Kluke. We're from Talta Village. We kind of ended up here by accident, and we're trying to get back home... But on the way, we found you, and you were trapped in this cold machine. We couldn't just leave you like that, so we got you out."
"Machine..." She turned the word over gently, brushing her fingers along the edge of the metal.
"Yeah, this is it right here." Shu laid a hand on it. "But, anyway... What's your name?"
"Name?" She lifted her eyes to his, confused.
"Yeah, you know..." He pointed at himself. "I'm Shu, right? So who are you?"
"Who am I...." She looked down at herself. She tugged at the short, olive green dress she wore, and then at the red apron over it.
"Do you not know your name?" Jiro leaned on the machine.
The girl furrowed her eyebrows, looking at Jiro for a long moment. Then, she slowly turned to Shu again. "Bouquet. My name."
Shu had opened his mouth to say something, but closed it with a snap when he heard something clang in the distance.
"Guys, let's get out of here." Kluke spoke worriedly. "We need to find a way out of this place, and fast."
"Right," Shu nodded to her, before offering a hand to Bouquet. "Come on; we have to go."
She blinked at him a few times, then nodded, holding onto him. She moved to the edge, swinging her legs over the side, then pushed off and landed fairly easily - when her eyes shut as she abruptly slumped toward the ground.
"Bouquet!" Shu caught her just before she hit the floor. "Hey! Bouquet!" He shouted her name again, but she made no response, seemingly in a deep sleep.
Kluke knelt down, checking her. "We should get her out of this room - I don't think it made her collapse, but this cold isn't helping her any."
"All right." Shu gave a quick nod, then stood, hefting her up into his arms, one under her head and the other under her knees.
Kluke stiffened, a strange and unidentifiable emotion flitting across her features. But just as quickly as it had come, it had gone, and she was walking just in front of him as they exited the room.
Once they were back in the room they'd started in, they looked around for some kind of way out, but all they found were two locked doors, along with some gold coins and items.
"I can't believe this..." Kluke shook her head as they walked about the room, a little aimlessly, unintentionally heading for the elevated area in the middle of the room. "We're trapped in here."
"Maybe somebody will come through the locked doors," Shu shifted Bouquet in his arms. "Like that robot Szabo, or whatever the heck his name is."
"Well, in any case, we should keep our guard up," Jiro was saying as they mounted the steps. "This is a foreign environment to us, where we don't really know what could come next. We have to be prepared for anything."
"What..." Kluke stopped, staring upwards. "Do you guys see that?"
Both Shu and Jiro looked up, Shu about to ask what she'd meant, when they saw the slowly descending lights.
"What are these?" Shu wondered aloud. When one of them floated near him, he altered his grip on Bouquet's knees so he had a hand free, just as the strange orb landed in his palm. He looked up at Jiro and Kluke, seeing that they had taken hold of the strange lights as well.
And then, from nowhere, came a voice. "Swallow the spheres."
Shu's hand tightened on the sphere he held. "Hey, did you hear that?"
"M-hmm," Jiro nodded, "I sure did!"
Kluke looked around nervously. "There's a voice in my head..."
Shu looked about the room. "Who are you? Where are you? Come out!"
"Do not be afraid. I'm a friend."
"A friend..." Jiro looked up.
"Can we trust it?" Kluke wondered.
"Hmm..." Jiro stared again at the sphere in his hand.
Shu squinted upwards, holding Bouquet closer. "Well, then, show yourself!"
"The girl. Get her out of here."
Kluke snapped her head towards one of the doors. "Something's coming!"
In front of the southern locked doors, a swirling blackness had appeared, being best described as some kind of magical void, sparking with electricity. There was a flash inside of it, and then many, a dozen at the very least, Mecha Robos fell out of it, arms and legs springing out of their round, metal bodies.
"Run!" Jiro pushed Shu forward by the fact, the younger choking on air at the suddenness of the movement, Kluke tailing them.
Shu cast his eyes about the room. "Where do we go?!"
"Let's try the door ahead!" Jiro threw a pointed finger in the direction. "Maybe it's finally unlocked!"
Kluke let out a little cry as she stumbled on the steps of the elevated area. She righted herself quickly, but then she saw something darting towards her from the corner of her eye; when she looked, she saw a Mecha Robo about to swing at her with its fists, and she screamed-
And then Jiro had her by the wrist, pulling her towards some semblance of safety and Shu, who was struggling to both carry Bouquet securely and run fast enough to avoid the robots that chased them.
Despite everything, Shu managed a weak cheer when he lifted his head - the room had been too dark to see it from a distance, but the door was open. The trio, with the unconscious Bouquet, ducked inside.
"Have they retrieved her yet?"
"Retrieved her!"
"N-not yet, your Excellency... But they are moving as quickly as possible. I promise you, they will not rest until they have taken the girl back."
They arrived in a spacious room, filled with all kinds of twisting pipes and ancient machinery - neither Shu nor Kluke knew anything about it, but Jiro might've had some inkling of what they did.
"Let's shut this door!" Jiro pointed to a wheel mechanism beside the open doorway.
Shu, trusting that Jiro knew it was the way to close it, nodded. "Okay!" He took a step towards Kluke, holding out Bouquet. "Hold her for me, will you?"
"Sure." Kluke cradled her carefully, much the way that Shu had.
Shu ran up to the wheel, and began tugging furiously - it squeaked terribly, barely moving from being so rusted. "This handle won't budge!" Still, he managed to get it to turn slightly - the door closed a small margin. But the Mecha Robos were still coming.
"Cooperate with me!" The next turn came easier than the last had - it seemed that the more he tried, the less hard it was to turn. A glance at the door confirmed for Shu that if he could force the handle to turn one more time, it would be closed. The question was if he could do it before the Mecha Robos made it to the door. Just a little more...
With one final yell, he got the handle to do another full turn, and the door was closed.
Shu stepped back from the door, back to where Jiro and Kluke (carrying Bouquet) were. The three of them let out sighs of relief as their shoulders sagged. "Whew..." Shu breathed. He stood akimbo. "That was close."
Suddenly, something banged from the other side of the door, denting and bending them.
"Oh, no!" Kluke cried out.
"At this rate, they're going to break through the doors!"Even from a distance, Jiro could see how weakened the metal had been, and from only a single hit - it was only a matter of time before the Mecha Robos came through.
"They just don't know when to give up, do they!" Shu turned around, trying to find some form of escape...
And he thought he might have found it. He quickly ran in that direction, away from the door - Kluke and Jiro, seeing that he had taken off, followed after him.
They stopped a few feet away from a railing, which wrapped around where a blue and yellow machine appeared to be docked. "Hey, this looks like the Land Shark." Shu looked toward Jiro. "A miniature version of it."
Jiro sprung forward a little, filled with interest and a little hope. "It does! Do you think we could ride it out of here?"
Kluke shifted Bouquet in her arms; she didn't have as much strength as Shu, so carrying the unconscious girl was starting to wear on her. "How do we operate this?" She asked, not unreasonably, and with a touch of concern.
"We'll figure something out!" Shu brushed off any worry, seeming only a bit exasperated and very determined.
"What if we can't?" Jiro tried to reason. He didn't like to think how things would go if they got inside of that thing and were unable to use it. They would have no place to run, then.
And then, the voice came back.
"Swallow the light spheres."
Shu glared up at the ceiling. "It's you again!" He tried again to find the person who was talking, but saw nothing. "Whoever you are, if you're watching us, how about giving us a hand!"
"I can't yet reveal myself."
"Well, that's not very reassuring." Kluke held Bouquet closer, trying very hard to keep her arms from giving out.
Several loud crashes sounded from the doors.
Jiro looked to his friends. "We're running out of time!"
"Swallow the spheres. Then you can control the mechat. Hurry!"
The wall in front of the so-called mechat suddenly lifted, and the trio realized from its shape that it must be some kind of door. The wind whistled sharply; outside, they could see a mass of purple clouds, faintly outlined above by a touch of blue sky.
Another crash from the doors. The space was big enough now for the Mecha Robos to see inside.
Shu made his decision quickly. "Let's give it a shot!"
Like we gave the frozen door a shot? Kluke thought, but didn't vocally respond to Shu.
"We just have to trust it." Jiro agreed, grudgingly resigned.
Kluke looked up again, shouting, "Hey, you with the weird voice! You're responsible if anything bad happens to us!" With a little sigh, she lowered her eyes to the boys again. "Is there a safe place I can lay her down while we swallow these things?"
"Um..." Jiro searched the room with his eyes for a quick second. "Well, I don't think it's going to be all that comfortable, but the wall over there is probably the farthest away from the Mecha Robos; she won't be in any immediate danger, at least."
Once Kluke had done this, checking her once to make sure she would be alright for the time being, she returned to Shu and Jiro. The three of them faced each other, taking the light spheres out of their pockets.
Shu raised the hand with the sphere. "Here it goes!"
And then, rapidly, each of them - first Jiro, then Kluke, and finally Shu - brought the light spheres to their mouths and swallowed.
Shu's eyes immediately widened as he grabbed for his throat. "Augh! It burns!"
Unbeknownst to any of them, the three of them had all turned a slight yellowish shade all over, even their clothes.
"I'm dying..." Jiro had his own hands clasped at his throat.
Kluke had her hands over her chest. "It hurts... I don't think this was such a good idea."
Behind them, their shadows grew, taking shape into something other than the persons they belonged to.
The trio turned to look behind them, as if feeling the change. "What? My shadow-" Shu broke off. The yellow tinge had turned to blue.
"Mine too!" Jiro had also become bluish.
The yellow slipped from Kluke as well, changing to that same blue. "What's going on here?"
And then the three shadows pushed, up and out of the ground, becoming blue and large.
Behind Kluke, a Phoenix soared in a circle before spreading out feathered wings with a cry.
Behind Jiro, a Minotaur thrust upwards before throwing down arms with a growl.
Behind Shu, a Dragon rose up covered by wings before opening them with a roar, joined by the other two creatures letting out their cries once again, forming an almost harmony. Though none, not even the creatures, thought of it, it was almost symbolic - the Shadows were as united as their newfound owners were with each other.
"Huh?" Kluke stared up at the Phoenix, astonishment and suspicion warring across her face.
Jiro gazed at the Minotaur, his features seeming to have that same mixture as Kluke's. "What's going on?"
Shu turned his eyes to the ceiling again. "Hey, weird voice! Tell us what's happening here!"
There were two more crashes from the doors, and that finished them - they flew off of the walls, followed by Mecha Robos stomping into the room.
The frontmost Robo locked its sights on the trio, immediately targeted one in particular, and then charged towards the one it aimed for.
Shu and Jiro shot forward. "Kluke!"
Kluke let out a startled exhale, her body tilting backward as the Mecha Robo pulled its fist back-
And then a small shape had darted between them, a larger shape emanating from the smaller. Shu, who in a movement he didn't entirely control, jumped up with his arm raised over his head, before bringing it downward in a vertical arc as his feet met the floor again; the Dragon imitated the movement, except that it brought its hand down on the Mecha Robo, which was unable to handle the attack, erupting in a fiery explosion as it was destroyed.
"Whoa..." Shu stared down at himself in disbelief, more surprised than anyone at his new power.
What he hadn't noticed was another Mecha Robo sneaking up from the side, preparing to attack either him or Kluke, or both.
But Jiro had seen it. Like Shu, having only partial control, he drew his arms back, one crossed over the other, before lunging out the left one, most of the strength behind the strike directed to his palm. The Minotaur did the exact same, the attack landing a direct hit on the Mecha Robo - it didn't destroy it, but it was harmed significantly. "Wow..." Jiro looked up at the Shadow, amazed.
Kluke, worried that it might try to attack again, rushed in front of Shu and Jiro - but then had the impulse to attack the robot. It felt as if the Shadow were urging her to protect her friends. She let herself trust it, falling into movements that were nearly uncontrollable - she spun in a circle, her hands poised at her sides, turning gracefully, almost elegantly, as if fooling the enemy into a false sense of security for that brief but important second, and at the end of the turn, thrusting her arm out. The Phoenix pulled back, before swooping down at the Mecha Robo, striking out with the left talon and finishing it off.
After the explosion, Kluke looked behind herself quickly, stunned. "My shadow is...!?" She didn't finish it, having difficulty wrapping her mind around the concept.
There was little time to dwell on it, though - the rest of the Mecha Robos detected them, then started marching towards them.
"Come on, we've gotta get out of here!" Shu grabbed Jiro and Kluke's wrists, each in one hand, then dashed around some machines. He saw the mechat; they were almost there-
And then threw Jiro and Kluke towards it before running off to the left. Kluke leaned over the railing. "Shu, where are you going?!"
"Bouquet!" was his answer, crouching down next to said girl just as her name escaped his lips. He hoisted her up into his arms before running back to where he had left Jiro and Kluke.
Jiro, seeing that he was coming, promptly tugged Kluke into the ship with him. He was just trying to figure out how the thing worked when Shu jumped over the mechat's side, landing awkwardly next to Kluke.
Shu winced – from the way it was hurting, he suspected that he might have twisted his ankle - but still managed to lay Bouquet down on the wooden floor. He looked up to Kluke. "Can you get her somewhere safe?"
Kluke was nodding even before he'd finished - she crouched down, and using the red apron ties, managed to knot it around the back of the chair.
As Shu was sitting in the pilot's chair, Jiro looked over his shoulder - his mouth nearly hung open as he saw the approaching Mecha Robos. "Ahhh! There's so many!"
Kluke leaned over the side. "Hurry! Hurry!"
Shu nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes. "All right!"
As his hands tightened around the controls, the ship lifted. A dark bronze strut stretched out in front of the mechat, both ship and metal bar sparking with light blue bolts of electric energy.
And then the mechat floated upwards a few feet, leaning to different sides precariously.
Shu moved forward slightly. "Here we go!"
A burst of flame erupted from behind the mechat, and then it was rocketing forward, out of the fortress and into the purple clouds and blue sky that lay beyond.
"Your Excellency... Th-the children... They have escaped...with the girl."
"You fool!! Can you do nothing right?!"
"Nothing! Nothing!"
The joy from escaping Nene's Flying Fortress was short-lived - in an instant, the mechat dipped down and into the purple clouds.
It was dark, so dark, and almost impossible to see what lay in front of them. The trio let out several startled noises and gasps as the turbulence knocked them to and fro.
When it seemed like it could only get worse, they saw a patch of blue ahead...
The mechat pushed through, and they emerged on the other side, where the breaths they let out changed to pleasant surprise, their expressions filled with wonder and happiness as they took in the breathtaking sight of white clouds and blue sky, the ocean sparkling like a jewel beneath them.
And as Shu flew them towards the horizon, he didn't know what would come next, what challenges or discoveries they may be faced with. But in that moment, it didn't matter - to him, what was important was that his friends were safe, as well as the girl they saved, and maybe most important of all, the four of them were free.
… And the prelude is done. :) This would've been done sooner, but I got unexpectedly sick the day before yesterday; it just hit me out of nowhere… Anyway. I'll be changing my avatar picture after this is uploaded, but I won't change to the one I'll keep until June until about four to ten and a half hours from now. After that point, I'll start working on Blue Dragon Beyond, the current leader of the poll. Speaking of which… If you can, please review and let me know what you think. I'll try to review after 10 hits, but the main thing that decides which story I update next is the poll on my profile. This story was uploaded under special circumstances, so the poll results will not be cleared. But the updating-by-poll system will be renewed after today. So, that's everything I have to mention for now. See you soon! :)