L'Cie Basememt Chapter 1: Trapped, a final fantasy xiii fanfic

(A/N) This is a fanfiction of FFXIII set long before Vanille and Fang woke up, but still while they were L'Cie. It is based off of a game I once played called Monster Basement. Recently out of boredom I went back to it and loved it just, and to make things even better there was a sequel! Unable to stop myself I wrote this. It won't be that long so it's good for everyone looking for a quick read. For the most part, I guess it's mainly me working on my writing style since it's not nearly as good as it could be. Just to be safe it's rated T for some violence, blood, and overall creepiness that might freak out a little kid. There also might end up being some swearing, but not that much and it's not that bad. I encourage everyone to play this game. It really was put together well, better than many of the mindless flash games I have played in years. I'm sure at least some of you will enjoy it too

Summary: Something has happened. What she cannot say. Vanille is trapped, Fang has dissapeared, she is completely and utterly alone, and someone (or is it something) is coming after her.

The setting and scenario belong to Patrick Majewski, the creator of Monster Basement as well as Armor Games, who sponsored the game. For those wishing to play the game I am providing the url - . - Just as before I encourage everyone to play the original game. Of course there are a few edits added, but those are only because they are necessary to the story, everything else I have done my best to keep just like before. I thank him as well for giving me his permission to write this.

L'Cie Basement

Chapter 1: Trapped

Consciousness was slow to creep up on the girl, almost as if it did not wish to come. Every breath was painful, almost to the point where she did not want to continue. Her body ached, every muscle sore. Even to do the simple act of opening her eyes was hard, but the world of her vision was dark and blurry. Above her a light flickered, barely visible, but it was there. But almost as though that spark of light reached her soul she found within her strength to let her eyes come to focus.

What happened? She could not help but think. Her mind, it could not remember what had happened to land her here. Only fragments of sound. A scream of pain. The sharp blade of an axe. The iron taste of blood in her mouth. But nothing was clear. What had happened? Why couldn't she remember? Where was Fang?

Though it stung she forced herself to stand on legs that threatened to collapse underneath her. They trembled like fallen leaves when the wind blew and it took a great deal of willpower to keep herself upright. That light in the ceiling, it was the only light the room could give. She could just barely see the bulbs behind the plastic that protected the small glass orbs, yet it flickered of and on as if made of flame. Vanille shivered at the cold air around her wishing it were actually fire to warm her.

Where was she?

The question burned in her mind as she took her eyes away from the ceiling for the first time. She was in some kind of room, one she knew she had never seen before, the walls and corners hidden in shadow as if they held some dark creatures that waited for her to come near.

On one nearby wall lay a door, and seeing no keyhole she pulled at its handle. Hope of freedom flared inside of her, but quick as a flash of lightning it vanished as the door did not budge. She stood no chance at moving it on her own, especially in this weakened state.

Beside the door against the wall lay a cage, locked as she could have expected. It was not large, but not small either, the top of it only reaching her waist. Enough to fit a decent sized animal at the least. Inside it something lay unmoving, its form covered by a heavy reddish colored blanked. Vanille shook the bars, hoping to wake whatever lay inside, but still it did not move. A second thought told her it was probably better this way. If it was encaged there was probably a reason.

Above the cage on the top of the wall she saw a ventilation shaft. Pushing herself to stand on the cage. The air that wafted through it was cold and carried the scent of blood. Shuddering, she burrowed her fingers into the slits and tried to pull the metal cover free, but just like the door there was nothing that moved it. No use in that, she told herself silently still trying to look on the positive side of everything as she always did. I probably wouldn't fit in there anyway.

After the quick decision that the foul-scented vent would do her no good she sat back on the cage and continued her journey around the room. Against the wall near the cage rested a bookshelf. Its four shelves were hardly full, the bottommost one being completely empty and the one above it holding only a photo of a smiling couple that had the word "congratulations" written on it. Hardly useful.

The third shelf was the one that sparked her curiosity though. There was a golden circle in the middle of the base of the shelf. Inside it was a round indentation and two smaller ones on the outside of the circle.

The highest shelf, which she had to stretch to reach, was the only one that carried any books, even if they were a little cluttered and unorganized. There was a cookbook and one about different types of animals both real and mythical, a small one about mystical objects, and another that was the user's manual to a chainsaw. None of those she felt she should be interested in and she put them back as soon as seeing the front cover. But the one on the very edge of the shelf she felt like she should keep. On the front of the tattered book was the words "Journal ~ The Discovery of an Open Portal to a Cursed World." The journal was sealed shut with a heavy, gray padlock. What was this Cursed World it spoke of? And why did it need to be sealed away?

Next to the bookshelf close to the adjacent wall was a small table, the surface of it stained with blood. Some was dried from sitting there for many days; other places were still wet and fresh. Stuck in the table's surface dripping with blood was the blade of an axe, the long handle reaching both to the wall and ceiling as if it too were trying to escape the reek of blood. Swarming around it were these large bugs, each probably the size of a coin, if not more.

Vanille took a step towards the axe, almost as if she were going to take it, but scenting her warm flesh the bugs came at her, biting painfully at her arms and anywhere they could reach. Quickly she stepped back, stumbling almost into the cage in her weakness. "Why am I not surprised?" She asked herself out loud, almost pleased just to hear her own voice in this empty place. "Dumb things must be Vampire flies. Better stay away from them." Behind the insect infested table was the light switch that went to the flickering light above her. She couldn't think of any reason why she'd want to turn off the lights here, it was plenty dark enough, but even if she wanted to those flies would keep her away. Directly next to the light switch was a small hallway. From where she leaned against the cage she could even see the stairs and the bottom corner of a door, but she decided to stay in this room, at least until she could figure out more about her new prison.

She put her back to the empty bookcase. Stretched across the room was a long table. Most of it was covered with these jars of these strange creatures; some filled with bubbling red liquid that. Some of them she recognized as pieces of animals she had seen in the plains and mountains outside of her home, others were so badly mutated or partially dissolved she could not tell what they were, nor did she want to. In the jumble of jars stood what looked like a golden lamp stand which she took. At the very least she could trade it for something when she finally got back home. If she ever got back home.

On the other side of the table was a computer and an old red phone, one like the kind no one used before with chords attaching it to the wall and such. The computer's screen was black and there seemed to be no way to turn it on. But she had no interest in it anyway, only for the phone, praying she could use it to find help. Without a second thought she picked it up and franticly pushed the buttons that would lead her to Fang's phone. Her friend rarely carried it with her, but there was always that chance. All that met her was silence until she put it back on the hook.

"Figures," She muttered as she looked under the table. There was a trash can down there. Inside were two empty containers of what was probably gas. The cans alone she couldn't see a use for. Maybe if they were full she could start a controlled fire of some kind? She shook her head, there was no use searching for solutions she didn't have. Further down in the bin she found a purple and green spray can, but it was empty as well. Unlike the gas cans she took this. If she could just find something to fill it with it could still be useful. Lastly she found a crumpled scrap of paper. When she picked it up and smoothed out the wrinkles she felt a smile pull at her lips since the first time she woke up in this dreadful place. It said "Call Salvation"

Her mind flashed back to when she was free, when it was just her and Fang running across the untamed moors of their homeland, searching for their purpose. She had almost wanted to give up, but Fang would not. She was brave, she was strong, she was determined, she was a hundred times the woman Vanille would ever be and she was lucky to even say she looked up to her. She had said they would push though and they'd be alright. She said they'd get through this and they'd find their salvation. And every word she said Vanille believed.

With the memory over and the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes Vanille's mind brought her back to reality. "I will find you." She promised Fang through the scrap, "I'll find you, and we'll finish this together. We'll find our salvation together, just like we promised." She put the little scrap next to the journal along with the lamp stand and spray can. She didn't see a purpose for it, yet she could not part with it.

With a sigh she moved on to the part of the desk under the phone. There were three drawers there. The first slid open without a problem, but there was only a bunch of paperwork. Hunting licenses, little advertisements of fertilizing companies, little notes her captor must have made about growing seasons of plants. Whoever was her kidnapper he was probably some sort of farmer.

The second drawer hesitated a little, but with a little grunt and a yank it opened and a yellow piece of paper flew out. She picked it up. In it's middle was nothing more than a silhouette of a man giving a thumbs up to whoever was reading it. Above the shadow was the words "Handy Man The best service in town." Under the picture was a phone number. Instinctively Vanille reached for the phone, but remembering the silence that came when she tried to call Fang she just shook her head and pocketed it. Maybe if she learned to repair the phone then it'd be useful.

The third and bottom drawer would not open at all. Frustrated she pulled and tugged a little, but nothing happened. It took her a moment of fighting with it to realize there was actually a keyhole for that one. Whatever was in there was probably important.

With the desk thoroughly examined she went to the wall behind it. There was nothing entirely special about it. Just two pictures, one of a farmer and his pitchfork and another of two smiling people. At first she thought it was another congratulations picture, but the two here looked almost alike, as if they were kin. Probably just a brother and his sister.

The wall beside the table was the one with the jammed door and the cage, so she saw no need to try to open the door again. Instead she turned to the opposite wall, the one with the small hallway and headed up the stairs.

On one side of the hallway hung these menacing looking black meat hooks, some of the meat still clinging to them. Maybe the one who put her here was a hunter as well as a farmer. She didn't like killing, but Fang did it sometimes when they needed food and couldn't find it in the earth.

On the opposite wall she leaned on with one hand as she walked were a couple posters. The first showed someone's name, though something was not quite right about it, and the word "Godlimations" and some symbol beside it. She had no idea what this could mean, but her fingers brushed over something that had been stuck under one of the corners.

The other displayed what she thought was some kind of coat of arms with a shield, and the image of a castle on its face. Perhaps they weren't a farmer or hunter at all, but some kind of defender or soldier.

For that thought Vanille flicked herself in the forehead. That was a silly idea. Everything she had seen so far led to either hunter or farmer. Mind that some of the books were a little weird, but everyone can have a pastime right? But there were all those notes on plants and things and then the picture on the wall that might have been of the farmer himself. And now she finds these meat hooks on the walls. But seeing them made her mind question.

If he is a hunter, then what is his prey?

That thought forced fear to stab through her and she scrambled up the next few steps to the door. It was cold as ice, made of metal instead of wood, and she saw no keyhole she could try to fiddle with. From the other side of the door she could hear footsteps passing back and forth across a wooden floor and the rhythm-less sound of a door beating against its wall battered by the wind. At first Vanille thought to bang on the door to see of someone could help her, but then thought maybe whoever was on the other side was waiting for her to wake up. And if she banged on the door he'd know she was awake and come for her. She'd have to find something else to help her.

At first all she saw was a mail slot in the door, but even that would give her no help. Nailed to the top of the door was a piece of paper, this one seemingly meant to speak to her. Fear coursed through her as she read what it said:

If you wish for your life to end faster

I have provided an escape manual

My family will be sure to know tonight's feast

Will be served earlier than expected

~Host

Her green eyes flicked back and forth between the note and the meat hooks, the dreadful answer to her question finally answered. Her captor was some kind of hunter, but he did not hunt the beasts of the fields or woods. He hunted mankind and right now the one they were hunting was her.

"No . . ." The words escaped her as all the strength she had managed to gather since waking left her. She leaned her back against the cold of the door and slid down it until she was sitting. "I . . . I don't want to die . . . Fang . . . where?" She didn't want that last question answered. It was far to easy to imagine her friend being the one who's flesh was still hanging on those hooks, who's scent flowed through the vents, and who's blood covered the table summoning the vampire flies. "You can't be gone Fang."

Just as she whispered the words the footsteps from outside stopped for only a moment and came towards the door. She froze at the sound of them, not even daring to breath. But the door did not open and her hunter did not come then. The steps walked away and only then did her breath come in a great sigh of relief, only for her to realize her celebration had come far too soon.

"Dad!" The voice of the one who approached the door sounded from somewhere in the room beyond her prison, "Call uncle!"

"What? Why?" The boy was answered by what was probably his father.

"He didn't finish his job properly. That new one he brought in, it's still alive."

"Damn it," The father cursed, "I've told him to just chop the thing's heads off, but does he listen to me? Always gotta play with his food." He sighed, "I'll call him. Get your sister to open the door since that's the only place in this god forsaken house where the signal works."

Vanille didn't dare stay near that door then. There had to be something else, some other way out. She couldn't just dash out of there and into these wolves that were waiting on her. They wanted her dead, that much she knew, but what else was there she didn't know.

She kept backing away from that door, hoping to reach the wooden one on the other side of the room, maybe find a way to force it open. But just as she reached it the room echoed with the sound of the phone's ringing. With a prayer of thanks Vanille scrambled to it, tripping on the way so she almost fell on the receiver.

"Thank god you called!" She said frantically when she picked it up, her words spilling out of her faster than she was sure even she was capable of speaking "I need help. I don't know where I am or what's going on or where-"

"So you are alive then." The rough, deep voice of what had to be the boy's uncle sounded through the phone, cutting off her words instantly. With a scream she dropped the phone and backed away, fear causing her to tremble. But even with the distance between her and the voice she could still hear it clearly, as though nothing would chase it away. "So sorry about that. But don't worry, I'll be there to fix that very soon."

All she could hear as she curled into a ball beside the cage in trembling fear was the sound of his endless laughter, as though he knew there was no way she was going to be getting out, no way she could escape him, and no way she would live to see tomorrow or Fang.

(A/N) ok first chapter done. Mainly just setting the stage and a little introduction to the plot. For any of you actually playing the game the url for that walkthrough doesn't work, like at all. It just takes you to an error page. It used to work a long time ago when I first played the game, but apparently that got deleted or changed with Armor Games did some spring cleaning or something. The only actual 'Walkthrough' I know of (if you can even bother to call it that) is this little fanfic. But then there might be one on the main Godlimations website.