Lily: We're back!
Anna: About time!
Erika: WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Daniel: -Yawn-
Conway: I'm not sure what to say...
Stephanie/Fantasy: -Smiles-
Rosalina: It hasn't been long, but it's good to be back so soon!
Lily: Yup. And so, after a million times of writing this first chapter and the others telling me it was fine and then forcing me to write this... HERE YOU GO! (Also, give a big thanks to Anna for the awesome summary!)
His boots clacked loudly against the hard floor as he walked down the long, white hallway towards a large pair of doors. His cape swung back and forth with each step his took as he glanced around the area with his red eyes. People, taller than him, swiftly walked past him without a glance, all wearing the same white lab coats and some even had clipboards.
"Master X?" He called out, lightly knocking on the large double door.
"Come in, XII." A deep, smooth voice replied.
XII grabbed hold of the handle and pushed opened, letting the door close on its own as he walked up to the older man who sat in front of a large computer screen.
"You called?" XII raised a brow.
"Yes," Master X nodded. "How have you been, XII?"
XII looked a little taken back. "H-How have I been? Well, uh, Master X… I've been good…"
Master X nodded again. "Good, good. XII, I need you to do something for me."
"What is it, Master X? I'll do anything you ask."
"I need you to gather the Fantasy Gamers and take them back to Ivalice."
XII gasped. "Wh-What?" He exclaimed as he stumbled towards his master. "Why, Master X? I thought we finished all we needed to do in Ivalice. I… I can't just go and take them back there. It's been an entire year! I can't drag them away from their life here again!"
"Silence," Master X turned around, shooting a glare at XII. XII flinched under his master's cold stare. He knew better than to speak out of term like that, but the mention of the Fantasy Gamers just… He just couldn't help it. "I need more research done. I need more intelligence. I want to learn more about the world of Ivalice. For the past year, I've been concentrating on what you've told me and brought back from your first trip into Ivalice, but it's not enough. I need more and I wish for you to go back to Ivalice with the Fantasy Gamers and gather me some more samples and intelligence."
XII glanced down to his feet and clenched his fists into two tight balls. "Everyone… I can't put them in anymore danger. What if… What if this time, one of them dies and they can't be brought back no matter what? We were lucky last time because of Rosalina… If it weren't for her, Master would still be dead."
"Well, XII?" Master X tapped his foot, trying to get rid of the awkward silence that corrupted the two.
"I…" XII closed his mouth. "I can't do this to them again, but I can't just say no to Master X. I can't do that! So I… I… I'm sorry…"
X raised a brow at his young creation as he waited for him to reply.
"I'll do it."
X smirked, satisfied. "Very well… Kaleb will get you prepared, after that I want you to go and gather the Fantasy Gamers and take them to Ivalice. Do not fail me, XII."
XII nodded and turned his heel where a young man who looked to be about in his twenties, waited at the door. "I wish for once that he would call me by my name…"
Fantasy sighed. This was going to be a long journey.
(-?-)
Her body shook rapidly as she stared at the lifeless bodies of her friends. Vaan, Penelo, Anna, Daniel, Stephanie, and everyone else were spread out, lying in their own pools of blood. There eyes lifeless. Tears streamed down her face. What happened? Who would do this to her friends? Why… Why didn't she save them?
"Kufufu…"
Her body froze. That laugh. It was her laugh. It came from behind her that much she knew. Slowly, she turned around, eyes wide, pupils small. And there that woman stood, her blonde, almost white hair tousled around in the strong wind. Her blood red eyes dull, bored, seemingly not satisfied with the amount of people she had just killed. Her plain white dress was stained in blood. Their blood.
"No…" she whispered, backing away from the murderous girl who had taken a step forward. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Nicole gasped as she leaped forward in her bed. Sunlight cracked through the white blinds of her darkened room. Nicole clutched onto her blankets, her pajamas were soaked in her sweat.
"What a…horrible dream." She muttered to herself. "I don't understand though. Why were Vaan and Penelo there? Erika, Anna and everyone else was there, that I can sort of understand, but there were a few more people there, too. Who were they and why were they there?"
Nicole sighed as she ran her fingers through her short hair as she glanced at her clock.
"It's ten already? Dammit, they're going to be here soon!"
(-A while later, Nicole's P.O.V-)
"Just gimmie the damn game and no one gets hurt!"
"No way, Erika! I'm going to play it first!"
"Give it to me, Conway!"
"No! You'll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands if you ever want to play it first!"
"That can be arranged…"
"Uh… I wasn't serious."
"Well I am! NOW GIVE ME THE DAMN GAME!" Erika tackled Conway to the ground with a growl. Conway let out a yelp and held the game high up in the air, silently thanking God for letting him be taller than Erika, as least that's what I figured he was doing when he clasped his hands together and closed his eyes with a look of utter happiness.
"Get off me, woman!"
"Never!"
I rolled her eyes at the two who wrestled for my Folklore game. This happened every time I came home with a new game. I let out a sigh as I spun my chair around to face my laptop that finally booted up. "Conway, let Erika play it. You need to get your ass over here so that Daniel, you and I can look for an apartment. I won't help you guys find one if you don't pay attention!" I said as I brought up a new tab in Google Chrome. Recently, Daniel and Conway decided that they would get a small apartment together to help save money or something like that.
Daniel grabbed the chair next to me and watched as I typed away on my laptop.
Conway cursed and dropped the game in Erika's hands before standing up and walking over to us while in the back, Erika jumped up and down, holding the game out in front of her and kissed it.
"Why are you even helping them?" Anna questioned from my bed.
"Because if someone doesn't help them they're going to pick the shittiest one ever," I replied.
"Have to agree there." Anna nodded.
"Hey! I resent that!" Conway exclaimed.
Daniel rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Eat this sock and shut up." He said, stuffing a dirty, old sock into Conway's mouth.
"Urgh…" Conway pulled the sock out of his mouth and made gagging sounds.
"Don't feed Conway my socks!" Erika snatched the slobbery sock from Conway and walked back to the TV muttering something about soaking her sock in holy water later.
"Why do you even have your socks here?" Ryan, who leaned against the wall near the door, raised a brow.
"Well, I was wearing them earlier…" Erika said, trailing off.
Trevor chuckled. Some things never changed.
"It sure is taking Stephanie long to get back from the store." Anna said after a brief moment of silence.
"The streets are really icy, so she's probably driving really slow. You know how she gets with ice and driving." Daniel said.
Anna shrugged. "Yeah,"
"Sorry! There was snow up on the hill so it was hard to get over it!" A young woman, with brownish/blondish hair that was long on the left side, but short on the right, threw open the door, almost slamming it into Ryan.
"Hey! You almost hit me, ya know!" Ryan exclaimed.
"Oops, sorry!" Stephanie apologized and threw the goodies onto the bed.
Erika and Anna dived for the sweets, claiming what was theirs and then stuffing it down their throats.
"Uwaa…" Stephanie mumbled as she glanced out the window. "It's dark out already?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I guess you all should be heading home then."
Anna got up and stretched. "Coley's right, we ought to be heading home."
"I'm staying the night." Erika said as she crawled under the covers of my bed. I gaped at her.
"Don't you think you should ask first?" I shook my head at her and sighed.
"Why do I need to ask? It's not like you or your dad cares if I stay the night." Erika said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"I do…" Conway muttered, raising his hand.
"She's got you there, Coley." Anna snickered as she put her jacket on.
"Thanks for having my back…" I muttered.
I watched as my friends all left my room and headed down the hall. I got up, closed my door and turned off the lights. It was time for me to head to bed as well.
"Move," I said, trying to shove Erika to the other side of the bed.
"Stop touching me~," Erika whined. She tried to swat my hands away, but I just slapped hers back and finally, with an annoyed groan, she moved over allowing me to crawl in.
"Thanks." I mumbled.
"No problem," Erika mumbled back.
"Love you, you moron."
"Love you too, you crazy moron."
The two of us looked at each other before laughing. The laughter lasted for a while until it finally began to die down. And eventually, the darkness enveloped both of us.
The loose branch shook at the sudden weight and its leaves fell to the ground.
"Whoa!" Fantasy exclaimed as he held onto the trunk of the tree for support. "It's not as sturdy as it used to be." Fantasy shook his head of the thoughts of the tree and turned back to face the window of a small white and yellow house. "Master… I finally get to see you again." The corner of his mouth twitched up. "But I'm sorry I have to put you through this danger again… Well, time to make my appearance." He slowly inched toward the window and tried to push it up, but was having a hard time doing so without making too much noise. "This window seems to be very old." He thought to himself as he finally shoved the window up and slipped into the room where the two girls continued to sleep. Erika was snoring.
"Master…" Fantasy whispered, shaking the young girl. "Master, please wake up."
"Can I please have five more minutes, Dad? I promise to get up and ready after five more minutes…" Nicole mumbled into her pillow as she shifted around in her sleep.
Fantasy sighed. His Master sure could be stubborn sometimes. Erika was still loudly snoring. How could his Master sleep with such a loud noise right next to her? Fantasy continued to shake Nicole's shoulder, not wanting to be rough with her, but that's when he noticed how much his Master had changed in the past year. Her hair was cut even shorter than her usual shoulder length hair. In fact, it was a boy cut hairstyle now. Her bangs covered her entire forehead; they seemed to be getting a bit too long now, though. Her freckles had almost completely disappeared and she lost her tiny bit of baby fat around her cheeks. How could someone change so much in just one measly year?
Fantasy looked over his dear Master one more time before looking over at Erika who had her arms wrapped around Nicole's waist and buried most of her face into Nicole's back. Erika's hair had grown down to her shoulder blades, no longer shoulder length like Nicole's once been. Her facial features were a bit more mature now. The freckles that had always run across the bridge of her nose were fairly visible now, but were still there. She had bangs now, too. Short bangs that didn't cover her entire forehead likes Nicole's did. Also, her left eyebrow was pierced, along with both sides of her bottom lip. Fantasy remembered that it was called… Snake Bites?
"They've changed quite a bit while I haven't changed at all…" Fantasy thought. "I was created… I'm not supposed to grow or change. I… I kind of envy them."
"Run, you fools! Run, or else the last thing you'll hear is 'kupo!' before you are disemboweled!" Erika threw her hand up into the air as she tossed and turned in her sleep.
Fantasy stared at her, wondering what the heck she could have been dreaming.
He snapped himself out of his thoughts and proceeded to shake Nicole. "Master, please wake up. It is I, Fantasy."
"Fan…tasy?" Nicole mumbled as she turned her head and opened her eyes.
Fantasy nodded. "Yes, Master. I've returned."
Nicole blinked her blurry eyes several times as she stared at the short, dark figure in front of her. "Wha…" she started as she slowly lifted herself up with her hands. Erika's arms released her waist and fell beneath Nicole's body. The black haired woman muttered something in her sleep before shifting her body to face the wall. "Fantasy?" Nicole said again. Then her eyes completely widened. "Fa-Fantasy?" She exclaimed and jumped out of her bed, scooping the young boy up in her arms. "I can't believe it! I thought I was going to never see you again!" she laughed.
"Master!" Fantasy smiled as he hugged his Master. "I didn't think I was going to ever see you again, too. I'm sorry for leaving without saying a good bye, Master. Will you please forgive me?"
"Yes, yes," Nicole happily nodded. "You are forgiven. Just don't do it ever again, ok?"
Fantasy nodded back.
"Now," Nicole said as she put him back on the ground. "What's up? Decide you couldn't live without seeing me?" she teased him and poked his forehead.
"Not exactly," Fantasy laughed. "Master X told me I needed to gather up the Fantasy Gamers again."
Nicole blinked. "Why?"
"Well… You see… Uh… Master X… Wants me to take you guys back to Ivalice…"
Nicole blinked once. Twice. And thrice.
"What?" She exclaimed, jumping back.
"Vaan and the others are once again on another adventure, or well, they will be." Fantasy rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to explain this to her. "Before you ask, no, no one changed the past again, like Ryan and Trevor. Master X wants more samples and intelligence. Apparently, the ones I gave him weren't enough." Fantasy sadly sighed as he flopped himself on the floor and crossed his arms. "So here I am, in your room."
"I… I see…" Nicole mumbled as she also flopped herself down on the floor. "Uhm, wow… This is so sudden."
"So was the first time you traveled into Ivalice." Fantasy pointed out.
"True, true," Nicole nodded.
"So, Master? What do you say?" Fantasy questioned, leaning forward.
Nicole lowered her gaze to the floor. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Life had just gotten back to the way it had been before and now Fantasy appears and wants them to go back to Ivalice? Sure, Nicole missed her friends there. She missed them a lot! But, she couldn't just go and leave. What about school? And her family! What would she say to convince her dad? "But… If I go back to Ivalice, not only will I be able to see Vaan, Penelo and the others… I will also be able to see Balthier…" A blush rose to her cheeks.
"Will time be stopped again?" she asked, remembering how it was once stopped before.
Fantasy shook his head. "No. My staff, which was sadly destroyed in the battle with Vayne, was the only thing that held the power to stop time. Master X's subordinates are working on making a new one… But it's going to take a few more years for it to be completed. I came up with a plan to fool your family and friends who aren't the Fantasy Gamers. You all will be going away on a long vacation. Don't worry; I have some tricks up my sleeve." Fantasy smirked at his worried Master. "Ryan and Trevor now live here, don't they?" Nicole nodded. "They will be very usual for what I have planned."
"I see…" Nicole mumbled again. "So we will… Get to see Vaan, Penelo, Ashe, Basch, Fran and…Balthier again?"
"Yes, Master."
Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. "No way! Could this be…? Will we be going into the time where Revenant Wings takes place?" Nicole gasped and jumped up. "I just finished that the other day! None of the others has gotten to play it yet, though."
"Uh…?" Fantasy blinked.
"Didn't Master X tell you exactly what their adventure is going to be?"
"No, he just told me their going on another adventure."
Nicole tapped her chin in thought. "So, I'm going to be the only one who knows what will be going on if my assumptions are correct."
"Nicole…? What's with all the noise?" A groggy Erika sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Nicole walked over to the light switch and flipped it up. Erika groaned and shielded her eyes from the light. "What the hell are you doing? It's the middle of the night, you stupid woman!"
"One: Shut up. Two: Erika, say hi to Fantasy, we're going on another adventure."
Erika blinked at Nicole several times. "Wha…?" she mumbled as she turned her head to see a young boy sitting in the middle of the room. "Fantasy? What? What's going on?"
Fantasy smiled at Erika. "Long time no see. I'll explain everything to you. Are you fully awake?"
Erika shrugged. "Awake as I ever will be. Start talkin' kid."
Fantasy happily obliged.
After fully explaining Erika the situation, the black haired woman immediately beamed and agreed to another adventure. Fantasy walked out of the room to allow the two girls to change out of their pajamas and into some clothes more fit to do stuff in. Erika was the first one out, wearing a black tank top and a simple blue sweatshirt with a large pocket over it and blue jeans along with some regular everyday shoes. Her hair was brushed and pulled back into a high pony tail.
"When did you start pulling your hair back?" Fantasy questioned as the two leaned against the wall in the hallway.
"Be quieter, kid." Erika lightly whispered. "Nicole's dad is in that room right there and he's a very light sleeper. Anyway, I started pulling it back about a year ago. I like it better this way."
Fantasy nodded and crossed his arms. "So… Moogle's… Nightmare?"
"Shut up. Just shut up."
"…Want to talk about it?"
"No."
"Ok…"
Nicole walked out moments later, trying her best to quietly shut the creaking door behind her. Her attire was a black shirt with long purple sleeves connected to it and black shorts with black and purple shoes. On top of her head was a black beanie and at the top of the beanie were a couple of…cat ears? The outside was black, but the insides were purple. This outfit reminded Fantasy of her black and red outfit she had on when they were thrown into Ivalice for the first time. Did Nicole like to be wearing two colors like that? Fantasy wondered.
"Shorts? In the dead of winter?" Erika cocked up a brow.
"I forgot to do laundry today, so all my pants are dirty. I don't want to wear shorts either, but your pants don't exactly fit me." Nicole replied. "Anyway, let's wake up Conway and then head outside where we will call the others." she suggested, nodding her head towards her brothers room.
The three silently entered the room with dark blue colored walls. In the bed beside the large window was Conway, snoring away under the covers. Nicole motioned for the two of them to stay put in the doorway while she went to wake up her brother. Nicole hopped over on certain floorboards until she finally reached her brothers bed.
"Why is she doing that?" Fantasy questioned.
"This house is really old. Like I said before, Nicole and Conway's dad is a very light sleeper. He knows when one of us is awake if we step on certain floorboards around the house that creak. Nicole and Conway know exactly which floorboards to step on. So it's better to let Nicole or Conway handle these kinds of situations." Erika thoroughly explained. "Now stop asking me questions, you little brat. I hate having to be the one who answers them."
"Conway," Nicole said, shaking her brother. "Wake up."
"Why…?" Conway asked his eyes half open.
"Fantasy's here and needs to tell you something. Get dressed and meet us outside where he will explain everything, ok?"
"Fantasy?" Conway exclaimed, snapping his head up. Nicole covered her brother's mouth and glared at him. Conway sent her an apologetic look and she took back her hand. Conway sat up and sighed. "So much for sleeping tonight…" He threw the covers off and stood up. "Go, I'll meet you guys outside." The three nodded and left the room and exited the hallway and into the living room.
"I'll open and close the door. It creaks. A lot," Nicole said as she carefully grabbed the handle. She slowly opened the creaking door enough for the three of them to get out. After they were all standing on the front porch, Nicole closed the door and turned to Fantasy and Erika.
"Erika, can you call the others? You have the best cell service here; I barely get a signal where I am." Nicole said.
"Why do I have to do all the work?" Erika whined.
"Just do it!" Nicole rolled her eyes.
Erika pouted. "Fine," she muttered and took her cell phone out of her pants pockets. "Who do you want me to call first?"
"Anna, and tell her to tell Daniel, and then Stephanie." Nicole replied. "Fantasy, you want us to call Ryan and Trevor, too?"
"Yes, that would be nice." Fantasy nodded.
"Ok, them too, Erika,"
Erika nodded and began to dial Anna's number.
"Just tell them all that I'm hear and I wish for them to meet us near that old Elementary school." Fantasy said to which Erika nodded as well. Anna finally picked up, obviously not happy with Erika calling her in the middle of the night. Erika began to explain the situation and soon the call ended.
"Banana says she'll meet us there after she gets dressed and wakes up Daniel." Erika said. "Calling Steph…"
The door to the small home of Conway and Nicole's opened and closed as Conway stood out on the front porch with them. His attire was simple. A grey, short sleeved shirt with a green cameo jacket, blue jeans and hiking boots, he also had a sleeping bag with him.
"Fantasy, nice to see you again, by the way, but now if you wouldn't mind explaining to me…?" Conway spoke, looking down at Fantasy.
Fantasy nodded and once again he began to explain the situation.
"I see, I see." Conway bobbed his head up and down as he rubbed his chin. Fantasy was glad Conway didn't ask too many questions about it. The young boy looked up to the seventeen year old, noticing how much more mature he looked and that he now had a uncombed full head of dark brown hair instead of the buzz cut he once had. He was a bit taller now too.
"Everyone's been called." Erika said, stuffing her cell phone back into her pants pocket. "They said they'll meet us there."
Conway raised a brow. "Where?"
"We're going back to Elementary school, my dear brother." Nicole grinned as she swung an arm around Conway's shoulders. Erika grinned as well and swung an arm around his shoulders, too.
"Yes, back to the time where I used to scare and beat the crap out of you. Oh wait. I still do that!" Erika laughed.
Conway shot a glare at the shorter girl before rudely shrugging off their shoulders and heading down the steps. "Let's go!"
Erika and Nicole grinned at each other as they followed Conway and Fantasy down the silent, darkened road.
"So did you bring anything with you?" Nicole asked.
"I could've brought something with me?" Erika exclaimed. "I didn't know! Wait! Let me go back!" As Erika was about to turn her heel, Nicole grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.
"Too late," Nicole told her. "You can't go back. We're almost to the school, anyways."
"Nooooo!" Erika silently sobbed to herself on the inside. Why didn't she think of bringing something?
"I brought my iPod." Nicole said. "I didn't know what else to bring, so I just brought my iPod."
"That's stupid." Erika scoffed. "What use will an iPod be?"
"Oh you know you will be begging to listen to music sooner or later."
"…Dammit, shush!"
"It's up in the woods a bit." Fantasy said, pointing to the woods near the school.
"Anna and the others are probably by the swings." Conway pointed out. "So let's get them first."
The three nodded and made their way over to the playground where they heard feet walking on the gravel and some even kicking the small rocks. Conway especially knew what they were kicking when one happened to hit him in the head.
"OW! MOTHER HOLY— THAT HURT!"
"Oops, sorry, I thought you were the wall." Anna snickered.
Conway glared at Anna. "Lies!" then he turned to Daniel. "Am I bleeding?"
"No," Daniel replied.
"Anyway…" Anna stood up. "Took you all long enough!" Anna exclaimed as she shook her fist in the air. "You know I hate waiting for people!" Fantasy chuckled as he looked over Anna. Her hair seemed to be cut to her shoulders, but she wore her hair in a bun with some strands sticking out here and there. She wore short denim shorts with a flowy look, a white spaghetti strap top with a white jacket over her shoulders, and converse shoes
"Sorry," Fantasy chuckled nervously.
"Fantasy!" Stephanie smiled as she ran up to hug the young boy.
"Hi, Stephanie." Fantasy smiled back. He then coughed, clearing his throat. "Allow me to explain the current situation to you all about why I am here and why you all were called out here…"
"So that's what's going on." Daniel said as he took a step forward. His attire was also simple, like Conway's, a purple and white stripped shirt with a pocket to the left, a brown jacket, blue jeans and regular everyday shoes.
"We're going back to Ivalice?" Stephanie questioned, leaning forward from her seat on the swings. Stephanie wore a simple short sleeved pink shirt with a strange black design in the middle of it. She also wore a gray jacket and a pair of black skinny jeans, along with some running shoes.
Fantasy nodded and Stephanie squealed with joy.
"I can't believe it! We get to see Vaan, Penelo, Ashe and everyone else again!" she bounced up and down, clasping her hands together in front of her face.
"Well, it's only if you all agree to help Master X out. It's your choice, after all. But then again…If you do refuse, I have orders to bring you to Ivalice any way possible, so think carefully." Fantasy smiled.
The group shuddered. Since when did this kid learn how to threaten people? He must have hung out with Erika a bit too much during their last adventure…
"What adventure could they be on this time, though?" Anna wondered out loud.
"I'm guessing it's the one from Revenant Wings." Nicole replied, making everyone give her a puzzled look. "You guys haven't played it yet. I've only beaten it a few days ago myself, but it's technically the sequel to the game on the PS2 but this time it's on the DS."
"Actually, I've played it." Daniel spoke, lifting up his hand and placing it on Nicole's shoulder.
"Great!" Nicole smiled. "It's nice to know that someone besides me will at least know what's going on."
"Whoa, wait, what about our families?" Conway questioned. "Unless, we will be stopping time again?"
"Afraid not, but don't worry, I have that covered." Fantasy assured. Daniel raised a questioned brow at the young boy, not sure whether or not to believe him, but Daniel soon shrugged it off and leaned back against the white and blue school building.
"So what are we here for?" Ryan questioned, looking bored out of his mind. "Obviously, you want these guys. Not Trevor and I."
"I would also like to know…" Trevor nodded.
"I need you two to guard the portal I have opened in the woods there." Fantasy replied, pointing out to the woods beside the school. "Since my staff had broken last year and a new one is still in the making, I can't do the same thing I did to bring the Fantasy Gamers back into Ivalice like I did before. I conjured up this portal and once we are all on the other side, I will close it from there so no one from Ivalice can go through and cause havoc over here. As for this side's portal…I can't close it since I won't be here and you two no longer have your magic. So I need you guys to stay and stand guard in case anyone happens to notice it." Ryan and Trevor nodded as they thought about it for a moment.
"All right, we'll do it." Trevor agreed.
"Just promise us you'll look after these idiots because we won't be able to." Ryan said, motioning to the Fantasy Gamers.
"How dare you call me an idiot!" Erika shouted. "I think you need a beating, Mister!"
"Not now, Erika." Nicole said, holding the fuming girl back.
"If you all are agreed to this… Then we should go to the portal now." Fantasy said.
Everyone nodded and made their way to the woods, entering the darkness. The followed the sound of Fantasy's voice until they saw a strange glowing light in the distance. Fantasy told them that it was the portal as they came closer. The Gamers 'wowed' as they stared at the multiple colored portal.
"We just walk straight into it?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes," Fantasy replied.
"I wanna go in it first!" Erika raised her hand in the air.
"I think Master should go in it first." Fantasy said.
"No way! Coleymae always gets to go first. I think I should go first!" Erika argued.
"Fantasy, Erika can go first." Nicole said.
"Thank you!" Erika squealed as she glomped her dear friend.
"But we don't want Erika to be alone in there before we get there. Think of the chaos she can cause in the ten seconds we aren't there!" Conway said with wide eyes.
"Then why don't you go in with her?" Anna smirked.
Erika and Conway glared at Anna. "No way in hell!"
"Too late," The two blinked at Anna, confused by what she said. They soon realized though as Daniel walked up behind them and pushed them forward, causing the two to stumble and fall straight into the portal. They both disappeared immediately.
"I just thought of something!" Stephanie blinked. "What about school? We're going to be so far behind! I mean, sure, its winter break now, but we'll probably be in Ivalice a lot longer than a couple of weeks, right? And the school will eventually call our parents… We all are still in high school. Well, minus Daniel, but still!"
"Do not fret about it, Stephanie. I have it all planned out." Fantasy replied.
Stephanie scratched the side of her head. "I'm still worried. I really hope we don't get caught, but I believe in you, Fantasy."
"Me next!" Anna grinned as she faced the portal. Fantasy nodded and Anna jumped in, disappearing a moment later.
Daniel said nothing as he walked in.
"Guess I'll go next." Stephanie said and walked in.
"Are you ready, Master?" Fantasy asked as he wrapped his tiny hand around Nicole's big one. Nicole smiled down at him and nodded. Fantasy smiled back before turning to Ryan and Trevor. "I should probably give you both these before we take our leave…" Fantasy fumbled in his pants pockets before pulling out multiple cell phones which Nicole realized were hers and the others. When the hell did Fantasy get those? She wondered. Then he fished something else out and soon pulled out a little voice box that looked similar to the one on the Strahl a year ago. "I left letters to their families and even fake memories of them saying good bye to their children as they left for their, erm, 'vacation'. Cell phones don't work in Ivalice, so I was hoping that you two would answer the calls and call their families once in a while pretending to be them. This voice box will help you fake the voices. Also, I did something similar with their school, but if you do end up getting a call or two from their school, just think of something." Trevor and Ryan nodded along with what Fantasy said as they took the cell phones and the voice box out of Fantasy's hands.
"You can count on us!" Trevor assured.
"Let's go, Fantasy." Nicole said.
The two walked into the portal and disappeared.
"Holy shit!" Anna screeched as she pummeled onto the ground. Other shouts and screams were heard from a distance as each of the fellow Fantasy Gamers flew out of the portal one by one, all landing on Anna and each other.
"Ow…"
"What just happened?"
"WHO THE HELL IS GROPING ME?"
"Sorry, Anna…"
"CONWAY I SWEAR—,"
"I felt something poke my leg…" Stephanie grimaced.
"That was my pocket knife. Sorry. I didn't know it opened up until I was already half way into the portal." Daniel replied.
"Oh thank God," Stephanie sighed in relief.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Anna cocked up a brow.
"Nothing," Stephanie quickly replied.
"Get off me, Erika!" Nicole shouted as she tried to push her friend off.
"I can't! Conway is on me and I didn't know how heavy she was until now!" Erika shouted back.
"Give me a minute and I'll see what I can do." Conway said as he shuffled around, trying to push Stephanie off of him. Conway soon freed himself and helped Daniel off the top of the pile, then Stephanie, Erika, Nicole, and lastly Anna. The Fantasy Gamers brushed themselves off as the glanced at their new surroundings. They took notice of how the air felt so different, yet so familiar and normal.
"I feel so excited!" Stephanie smiled big time. "Just knowing that we are back in Ivalice makes me feel excited!"
Anna nodded, grinning. "I know what you mean!"
"Where's Fantasy…?" Daniel questioned, his eyes flickering about.
"We are currently on the Derelict Ship, if you're all wondering." Fantasy said as he floated down towards them. He held out his hand towards the portal and closed his eyes. A gust of wind ran through the room as the portal slowly dissolved. "There," Fantasy nodded to himself.
"Derelict Ship? Does that mean…?" Nicole and Daniel glanced at each other.
"I hate it when we don't know anything." Erika muttered and crossed her arms.
"I just noticed something wrong though…" Fantasy said, his eyes flickering about.
"What?" Stephanie questioned.
"Rosalina isn't here. I know she entered the portal in her room the same time you all did, but she was supposed to appear here with us…" then his red eyes widened, "Oh crap, did I mess it up again?"
"Does this mean we won't be meeting up with Rosalina until later?" Daniel asked.
Fantasy slowly nodded his head and groaned. "Seems like it. I know she gained her powers back and her whip materialized with her the minute she entered the portal, so I'm sure she'll be fine and be able to figure things out on her own. It's still upsetting to know that I messed this all up…"
"Its fine," Nicole assured the young boy as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Just as long as you didn't take her memories again."
"I didn't," Fantasy said, "Well…I at least hope not."
"That's so reassuring," Anna rolled her eyes.
"I think we're about to see someone very familiar, everyone." Daniel spoke.
"Who?" Stephanie asked.
"Well, well. Who have we here! Tire of playing at pirates with Balthier, did you? I settle my scores, boy, and yours is long past due!" A gruff voice said from a little a ways from where the Gamers entered.
"That sounds like…" Conway trailed off as another voice spoke.
"Still haven't had enough, huh?"
"Vaan!" The Gamers chorused.
Lily: -Stubbornly crosses her arms- I still hate the first chapter.
Anna: You always hate the first chapter. You always want to change it.
Lily: I know! I don't know why...
Daniel: Anyway, we thought we'd give time for the 'Fantasy Gamers' to prepare instead of last time where they were sucked in without knowing anything. There will be more plot to this later on. Just wait.
Rosalina: We hope you all enjoyed-
Lily: Hopefully-
Rosalina: -the first chapter.
Stephanie: Ah... The second one just might be done- ;) - but you'll only find out if you review.
Everyone: See you soon!