Nomenclature Key - All names of species and abilities used in this manuscript are those that are most commonly used in non-scientific circles, since some of the organisms and abilities detailed within this thesis have not been adequately understood by scientists to be given a finalized scientific name. However, I have provided the scientific names where relevant, in the fervent hope that someone will appreciate the beauty of Carolus Linnaeus' binomial naming system (noted in italicized font in brackets after the layman's name).


Numerical Names

2-Faced (Schizofacadus Polaris)

Resembling two faces that look away from each other in mid-air, these Aerial creatures are native to the deserts surrounding Corel's penal facilities, and have been hailed by the guards there as a sort of natural escape alert system. You see, they tend to try and attack people crossing the desert, and since they usually end up making a great deal of noise when they do so, the prison staff will be easily alerted to the fact that a prisoner has attempted to escape. Escaped prisoners also fear these undeniably weak monsters, because they can actually fly rather fast, and are also capable of killing a human rather easily in their natural environment. Due to this, they are also known as 'Face Fucks' by some of the more seasoned prisoners in said facility.

Now, a 2-Faced is flight-capable due to a natural ability to manipulate gravity to a certain extent. In fact, the manner in which their two contrasting faces continuously orbit each other is also derived from this basic mastery over gravity magic. Classical scientific theory once postulated that the two faces were orientated in opposing directions due to simple magnetism, but this has since been proven wrong. How was it proven wrong, you might ask? Well, it was simply observed that as these creatures flew over the sandy ground of the desert, sand granules tended to start hovering several inches off the ground beneath them, only to fall back to the ground seconds after they had passed over that particular patch of ground. Since sand possesses no magnetic properties whatsoever, it was then deduced that they flew and orientated themselves by utilizing gravity rather than electricity.

With regards to battle abilities, 2-Faced are considerably easy to deal with. Since only one face can confront you at a time, try to attack the inactive face that is not looking at you, since its defenses will be significantly lower than the forward face. However, they are not utter pushovers, since they do have immunity to all forms of Earth-based magic, and also may not be Manipulated, Stopped, or Paralyzed. Not to forget, 2-Faced have no elemental weaknesses whatsoever, so pure strength is needed to overwhelm them in a fight.

Offensively, they are hopeless basket cases. Truly, the frowning face can only cast Cure3, and the smiling face can only cast a Self-Destruct spell. Hence, they often try to follow someone in the desert for as long as possible, casting Cure3 on themselves to try and linger around until the unfortunate idiot dies and can be eaten by the two faces. Yes, one face is eternally fixed in a demonic grimace, whereas the other is always smiling cheerfully... Just remember that the Cure3 and Self-Destruct spells are cast by the face which looks more unlikely to do so.

As you can see, the nature of the 2-Faced is such that the two faces are always arrayed for optimal survival efficiency. By always looking in opposite directions, they are rather hard to sneak up behind, and since their magical attacks are bound to different faces, few people can correctly anticipate their moves in a fight. Also, they can manipulate gravity to deflect shots and minor blows, or to trip someone up and throw up sand barriers in front of themselves.

Only moderately-experienced fighters may fight a 2-Faced, since its Self-Destruct does pack enough firepower to kill anyone within a twenty-foot radius.

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8 Eye (Opthalmus Octo)

These bizarre organisms resemble nothing more than a large mass of putrid-smelling red slime that has several eyes peeking out of it. Though they often have more than eight eyes, these creatures have been named as such since most people who are stupid enough to try and count their eyes usually end up dying by the time they get to eight. Endemic to the shadowy passages of the Temple of the Ancients, 8 Eyes are ambush hunters that have been the death of many unwary explorers.

Now, anthropological studies done by the venerable Professor Mammon Hoole have shown that the 8 Eye is mentioned rather frequently in texts produced by the Ancients, and their role in the Temple was apparently as a cadre of guardians. You see, they were supposedly discovered in a network of caves that runs deep into the ground beneath the Temple's foundations, and their inability to ever fall asleep was noted by the Ancients to be a desirable trait for Temple guardians to have. As such, when the Temple was raised over the cavern mouths where the 8 Eyes nested, the Ancients somehow trained them to prowl about the Temple's quieter portions in an effort to deal with intruders efficiently and cleanly.

Despite their seemingly honorable role as caretakers of a holy place, these stinking slime heaps actually utilize a set of rather sinister abilities in battle. Usually, they will cast Darkness spells at their intended prey, before closing in and Draining the blinded creature to death. Each eye of an 8 Eye can act as a source of Darkness spells, and as such, it is typically rather difficult to disable its blinding capacities. Therefore, a common adage for dealing with an 8 Eye is similar to that which was spoken about in the legend of Medusa; never look into its eyes. Given that one of these voracious invertebrates will try to smother you and Drain you into oblivion if you turn your back on it, I would recommend carrying a mirror with you whenever you venture into the Temple of the Ancients.

However, they do possess one key weakness that may be exploited in battle to gain the upper hand. Namely, they are extremely vulnerable to Poison spells, since their slimy physique is composed of a rather delicate mixture of chemicals that will normally disintegrate if contaminated with a Poison spell. In my experiments, a Bio2 spell was usually sufficient to severely handicap an 8 Eye, and a Bio3 spell was enough to obliterate the smelly thing in one swift stroke. But they cannot be affected by Mystify, Confuse, Manipulate, or Silence spells, since they do not even possess a centralized brain to speak of. In addition to that, 8 Eyes also aren't harmed by any form of Gravity-based magic, since attempts to flatten them are just as futile as attempts to crush liquid water.

I would only advise experienced fighters to challenge 8 Eyes, since they are quite formidable in combat.


A

Acrophies (Aquaherpein Commensalis)

An Acrophies is a member of an entire genus of unusual marine reptiles that can be found rather commonly at the Corel Valley Cave. What makes them unusual is the simple fact that they are basically snakes, but which have several appendages that give them a resemblance to some seafood stew that has gone horribly wrong. You see, they actually have an armored carapace much like that of a crab, along with a powerful pincer that is several feet in length. Normally, different Acrophies will have different, additional aquatic life forms growing on their shells, such as the occasional sea anemone or even an entire stag-horn coral.

So some of you more ignorant readers out there might be wondering - just what makes this strange creature a snake, of all things? Well, it was found that the snake's head protruding out of the armored carapace actually extended much further into the animal's anatomy than it would have if an Acrophies were anything but a snake. In fact, dissections performed by the renowned zoologist Alfred Kinsey proved that the carapace itself is composed of several hypertrophied scales that overlap and fuse over time. The crustacean-like pincer still remains a mystery to us, however, though we do know now that its skeletal muscles are an extension of the Acrophies' abdominal muscles.

So, moving on to the battle capabilities of an Acrophies, it should be obvious to anyone with half a brain that they would use their pincer to try and Claw potential prey to death. Also, they do possess a limited ability to summon Huge Tidal Waves out of nearby bodies of water, which it will do often to try and heal itself whenever it gets wounded in a fight. However, their reflexes are rather sluggish, and as such, they have evolved a sort of mechanism by which they can slow down an opponent. This attack is colloquially referred to as Isogin Smog, and if it wasn't clear from the name, the vapors released by an Acrophies using this move does contain a blinding toxin known as isogin.

From the above paragraph, it should now be clear that Acrophies are aquaphiles that absorb Water-based magic and may use the energy to repair bodily damage to themselves. But they evolved a sort of soft spot on their posterior carapace segments to allow for maximal healing, which also gives anyone fighting them a good opportunity to grievously wound the Acrophies. Other than that, it is only noteworthy that they somehow cannot take any damage from Gravity-based magic, and also may not be affected using Manipulate or Confusion spells.

As an extra bit of information, isogin was first synthesized by the infamous engineer cum chemist Thomas Midgley, which also discovered the first chlorofluorocarbons with industrial uses. He claimed to have been trying to produce a type of anti-reflective coating for application to glass panes, but instead wound up with a colorless liquid that turned black whenever it came into contact with air. Upon further experimentation, he realized that it could actually stick rather effectively to anything moist, and this included eyes. Needless to say, isogin was shelved and never again considered for purposes any other than those involving crime.

I personally find Acrophies to very interesting, because there is so much to be learned yet about their physiology. Oh, and only experienced fighters should try to fight them (I made it sound easy, but fighting them is no picnic, in case your brain didn't compute that for you).

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Adamantaimai (Chelydra Adamantoise)

For several centuries already, Adamantaimai have been popular as pets among Wutaian fishermen. Usually found sunbathing on rocks by the coastline, these gentle turtles prefer to avoid confrontation and will flee at the first sight of a human approaching them. However, they do tend to sleep rather deeply, and as such, often wake up too late, and only when their human pursuers have actually made it to within five feet of them. The only reason why the Wutaian fisher-folk still bother with sneaking up on them and capturing one is simply because they are actually decent swimmers that can be very loyal to anyone which they get emotionally imprinted upon. Needless to say, Adamantaimai have superior mental capacity compared to other species of turtle and tortoise, and have even been proven to be capable of simple arithmetic.

Adamantaimai meat is also popular as an ingredient in a traditional Wutaian soup that is served at weddings. Since Adamantaimai are quite large in size and their meat does not spoil easily, one small-sized specimen is normally sufficient for about thirteen servings of the soup, with each serving being able to fill the stomachs of eight typical Wutaians. They believe the soup to be a bringer of longevity and peace, since after all, Adamantaimai do live for up to eighty-eight years in relative peacefulness. In addition to the reptile's age and sedentary lifestyle, eighty-eight also happens to be an auspicious number in Wutaian culture. Personally, I find the soup to be just tolerable, with nothing much to shout about.

In a fight, Adamantaimai mainly use defensive spells rather than offensive abilities (of which they only have two, anyway). Typically, an Adamantaimai will cast Barrier or MBarrier to try and fend off any physical or magical attacks directed at it, and through natural selection, only the Adamantaimai which are extremely good at casting these enchantments have survived till this day and age. Since their magical defensive spells are of such quality, anything sent their way is usually sent right back at the attacker, which gives the harassed Adamantaimai a moment to try and escape.

If this were a story about the tortoise and the hare, the hare would be left miles behind the tortoise, since these particular turtles can run considerably fast.

Offensively, they have been proven to be capable of casting only two spells, as mentioned before. Namely, the Light Shell attack and Death Force spell, which are rather weak. Light Shell is a physical attack that involves the Adamantaimai rushing at an opponent and slamming its entire mass into the target, whereas Death Force is a spell that is used by the Adamantaimai to protect itself with a NulDeath charm. As such, instant-kill spells and abilities will not work on them. The reason why Death Force is regarded as an offensive spell is simply because it prevents you from rapidly finishing off the Adamantaimai before it really gets desperate and violent.

Obviously, a desperate Adamantaimai is not a nice being to be near to.

Since we have now finished discussing this rather mundane species, I shall now attempt to educate you about the legend of Urashima Taro. This particular piece of Wutaian folk legend is unique in several aspects, but we shall only take note that is was the earliest known story to involve time travel, as well as an Adamantaimai. The story goes that a man named Urashima Taro once saved an Adamantaimai from being killed by some violent fishermen. He apparently was then granted a chance to visit the undersea palace of the Dragon God, or some good shit like that. Taro might never have existed, but in Applied Zoology, we keep the story in mind simply because it illustrates the benefits of not simply killing animals.

Don't bother challenging an Adamantaimai if you have even an ounce of self-respect in your rotten little heart.

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Allemagne (Uniopteris Veteran)

One-eyed Aerial creatures endemic to the Northern Crater, Allemagne (also called Veterans by some) are very formidable in combat. Resembling a spherical mass of yellow flesh with a disproportionately large eye smack in the center of its body core, right over a slit-like mouth lined with three rows of razor-sharp teeth. They have two clawed legs that they use to snatch prey off the ground, and a muscular tail that is strong enough to shatter bones with. Two membranous wings provide them with the ability to fly, and what is amazing is that these appendages are stretched so thin, you could almost see right through the purple skins.

I have personally only encountered this species once in my travels, and even then I didn't get to complete my research into their combative abilities. The stupid things tend to swarm, and fending all of them off was a bloody task, at the very least. However, Lucrecia managed to use a Gravity spell to reverse Gaia's natural gravitic pull, and she sent them flying upwards and out of our way. While this was doubtlessly an efficient way to repel them, it also prevented any further study of the specimens - irritating woman!

Anyways, the renowned taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus did study the Allemagne, and as such, I wound up referring to his notes when my specimens were all... blown away, literally. So, according to Linnaeus, Allemagne are all capable of casting several significantly potent offensive magical spells. Mainly, they use the spells called Big Breath, Flare, and Death to try and take down potential prey. However, it should be noted here that the Flare and Death spells cast by an Allemagne were observed by Linnaeus to be target-independent. That is to say, the spells could even travel in non-linear trajectories before striking a victim with maximum potency. Big Breath is merely a curious move whereby the Allemagne literally spits a rock or several at you, by forcefully exhaling and expelling the projectiles out of its mouth at a terrific velocity.

They also use a spell called Tear Drop and melee clawing attacks to a lesser extent, but Linnaeus noted that these attacks, which inflict Sadness and bloody gashes respectively, were more accurate than their more common counterparts, and in actual fact were more damaging than the three aforementioned spells.

Despite their formidable battle skills, Wind spells of sufficient strength will disable an Allemagne very well, since their fragile wings will get shredded by a decent twister or two. But other than that, they have not been observed to have any other weaknesses. As any idiot could tell you, an Allemagne would obviously have total immunity to Earth-based spells since it is flight-capable. Also, don't bother trying to use spells such as Bad Breath and other variants of status change attacks; they'll merely waste your time and merely make the Allemagne mad. Blinding spells do not work on their single eye also, since they have evolved a membrane over their ocular lens that repels Darkness spells (as observed by Linnaeus).

Only highly-experience fighters may engage in combat with an Allemagne. I may not have had the most battle experience, but I have intelligence on my side, which is a whole new can of worms entirely.

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Ancient Dragon (Naga Cetradingin)

Yet another of the strong creatures found within the vicinity of the Temple of the Ancients, these dragons are believed to have been the mounts of respected Cetra in their day. Ancient Dragons have wingspans measuring up to eighteen feet, and are colored with a rather attractive greenish-yellow tone. Often enough, people visiting the Temple Of The Ancients have seen small groups of these rather placid creatures sitting quietly atop the highest Temple structures, doing nothing but watching the whereabouts of anyone who enters the Temple grounds. Paintings on the walls of the Temple have shown images of people riding the dragons, and as such, is has been theorized that only the most revered Ancient leaders would have been given the privilege of riding an Ancient Dragon.

One property of Ancient Dragons that is rather widely-known is that they will attack anyone that enters the Temple and tries to damage the structures within the compound. In fact, the only reason why the Temple of the Ancients is still standing is because these lovely creatures have been diligently taking down most anyone that has trespassed into the Temple's compound with destructive intentions. Once, a group of overzealous developers tried to bulldoze the Temple's walls down, only to be stopped in their tracks by several furious dragons that rushed them and destroyed their equipment. Well, nothing much was left of the developers, either; a forensics team had to pick up their limbs from wherever they had been flung by the angered reptiles.

Due to their sheer ferocity, Ancient Dragons only have two effective attacks which they will use to try and disable intruders. Normally, they will use their horns to try and gore a victim, or they will charge themselves up with Ice-based magic and then fly forward to maul you. Given that the latter leaves a trail of glittering ice crystals in the wake of the dragon's flight path, it is known commonly as the Southern Cross. Both of these moves are considerably deadly, and when Lucrecia and I tested ourselves against these beasts in a fight, we were kept on our toes all the while by the utter skill of the dragons.

However, they are very vulnerable to Wind and Gravity spells, since either will be sufficient to ground them by breaking their wings or slamming their entire mass down to the ground. Thus, Lucrecia helped me by casting Twister spells around the periphery of the area where I was battling a specimen which we had lured out of hiding. Other spells don't seem to work against them that effectively, and ancient Wutaian texts also claim that the Leviathan summon is useless against them. From a logical point of view, this makes sense, since Leviathan himself was the father of the first dragons to ever tread on Gaian soil, and even in his faintest, most residual form as a summon, he would not harm his own offspring.

As for how Lucrecia and I managed to lure that one Ancient Dragon out of hiding... Well, we did something that I am not too proud of, you see. Frankly said, we vandalized the Temple of the Ancients. Yes, we actually defaced the greatest monument to Cetran civilization using spray paint. I dare say that if the two of us ever returned to the Temple of the Ancients, we would probably be swarmed to death by Ancient Dragons before we could take two steps past the gate. And to think we did all that using nothing more than two cans of red spray paint; the beautiful ring structure of benzene and a huge, stupid-looking smiley face will probably be visible for a while on the Temple's front walls...

Only experienced fighters may challenge an Ancient Dragon and hope to survive - and of course, having a partner in doing so is strongly advised.

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Aps (Magus Aquabarbarus)

Aps are troll-like creatures that tend to live in swamps, and which prefer being in water most of the time. Standing about eight feet tall on average, Aps are not exactly tough, but rather, have a limited mastery over Water-based magic that has some synergy with their natural environment. Nowadays, they have nearly been driven to extinction by destruction of their habitats due to land reclamation projects that pave over their native swamps for development. It is therefore quite rare for anyone to encounter an Aps in the wild, except maybe in the darkest and most isolated swamps (if you didn't already understand my previous sentence).

Lucrecia and I actually went into a dense swamp to try and track down an Aps, and we were successful in this particular task. It was not the best specimen of its species, but it was satisfactory for our purposes. Slightly over seven feet in height and looking rather ill, it didn't put up much resistance as we subdued it and trussed it up to be brought back to Midgar for further scrutiny. It had taken us hours to actually find the Aps, and trying to haul the most unhelpful thing out of the swamp was another tedious task. However, we persevered, and soon enough, we were happily driving back in our rented lorry, with the bound and gagged Aps sitting in the back.

These aquatic trolls are rather weak against fire, mainly because of their atrocious personal hygiene. You see, plenty of organic waste tends to stick to their slimy skin, and the decaying stuff, when dried out, usually burns quite easily. So Fire-based spells will be sufficient to fend off an Aps, at least for a while. If no water is nearby, or if the burns inflicted upon it are severe enough, the disgusting creature will actually expire rather hastily. So you needn't worry much about fighting against an Aps; they are among the easiest things to kill on Gaia.

I mentioned earlier that Aps have a limited ability to manipulate water, and they will use this skill in a fight. Mainly, they will try to generate a miniature tsunami that could probably drown you if it had been done in their home swamps. This is because in the relatively shallow waters of the tank which we conducted our experiments in, the Aps' Tsunami move was relatively mild. Other than that, and Aps will attempt to Lick its attackers, which can cause various problems depending on what type of bacteria they have living in their filthy maws. So, I have deduced that this rare species could only be considered as dangerous if confronted directly in their natural environment.

About the Aps we captured? We sold it to an egoistic bastard down in the Sector 6 slums called Don Corneo (or something like that) for a tidy profit, and from what I've heard, he actually keeps the blasted thing in the sewers running beneath his 'mansion'. Apparently, there is a trapdoor which leads down to where the Aps has been chained up, and he supposedly enjoys the sight of people falling down towards their deaths. Quite frankly, this Don Cornhole person must be quite a lifeless turd if his only pleasure is watching people get mauled by an Aps, of all things.

Rookie fighters may easily defeat an Aps in battle if they move fast.

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Ark Dragon (Naga Pyromythril)

Lesser, purple-and-yellow cousins to the Ancient Dragons which guard the Temple of the Ancients, Ark Dragons are medium-sized creatures native to the Mythril Mines. Their bones are reinforced by naturally-occurring mythril fibers, and even their scales contain traces of the rare mineral. As such, they are often poached for their hides and skeletons, which are without a doubt, one of the best sources of pure mythril to be found anywhere on Gaia. Due to excessive hunting, this interesting species was very nearly driven to extinction about twenty years ago, until the ShinRa Electric Company bought over the Mythril Mines and began protecting the dragons. Their populations have been steadily increasing, and of the clutches of eggs laid, I'd say that about three-quarters of them have hatched successfully.

I might have disagreed with the president on certain matters, but this issue was one of those rare times when I actually had to tip my hat to the fat man himself. He might have been a gutless piece of slime that wouldn't have the gonads to try and kill a rat for fear of bloodying his hands, but... Suffice to say, his generosity in protecting the Ark Dragons was a rather big surprise to those of us who knew him personally.

Well, the idea of owning an entire mine full of mythril deposits might have been a contributing factor to the sales agreement; I'm not giving the bastard the benefit of the doubt that easily.

I have only been into the Mythril Mines five times to conduct my research into these unique dragons, and for some reason, they have always let me wander right into their nesting areas. Maybe it was because I was never armed, and was always alone. I will never know, however, since the last time I went, I actually killed one of them to get the information contained in this entry. This one act might have made me permanently off-limits to their nesting grounds, but the Hell with it; I already had all the information I wanted on their species when I put that one elderly specimen down with a Twister spell to the neck.

Much like their Ancient relatives, Ark Dragons will use their claws in combat to try and mangle their opponent into ribbons. They are rather proficient at this, and as a matter of fact, their claws are more well-developed than those of an Ancient Dragon. With regards to non-melee combat, these dragons are fully capable of using Flame Thrower spells that they will cast at whichever opponent appears to be the biggest threat. Here, it should be noted that they do not exhale fire directly onto their targets as one would expect, but rather, they attack in a similar fashion to the Southern Cross attack of the Ancient Dragons. That is to say, they will charge up their body itself with fire energy, and then literally hurl fireballs at you. Though Reflect spells work against this particular spell, it is not advisable, in case you buffoons have not guessed from the scientific name of this elegant species.

You see, their mythril-reinforced bodies are totally fire-proof, and some of the rare mineral's magic-nullifying properties have developed in the dragons. This is mainly evident through their scientific name, Pyromythril, which attests to the fact that the entire species is resistant to Fire-based spells, including their own Flame Throwers. In fact, they can absorb the energy from Fire-based spells that are sent their way, and use the assimilated energy to rejuvenate their possibly damaged physiques. However, since most Gaian humans are ignorant dunces that cannot comprehend the meaning of scientific names, I shall be patient and not start one of my rants here...

Moving on, other than absorbing Fire elemental spells, they are weak against Wind spells of sufficient intensity. As with all other Aerial creatures, their wings might be injured badly by ferocious gales, and they cannot be harmed at all by Earth-based magic. This is an axiom of Gaian zoology, and as such, I shall not be mentioning it again in this manuscript. Other than noting the Aerial nature of the species in concern, I will not be elaborating any further on this simple piece of knowledge.

Moderately experienced fighters may challenge Ark Dragons in a fight, but be warned that ShinRa has assigned SOLDIER patrol parties to the Mines for security purposes.

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Armored Golem (Golem Perisai)

These hulking behemoths are reclusive residents of the Northern Crater, and happen to be one of the main reasons why people usually avoid going to the prehistoric site. More machine-like than organic, Armored Golems behave almost like you would expect robots to, and it was discovered by Dr. Buter - the legendary biologist - that the broadcasting of high frequency sound waves within close proximity of an Armored Golem will cause the beast some distress. As such, transistor radios were often (rather foolishly) brought down to the Northern Crater by inexperienced - not to mention stupid - researchers who wanted to see an Armored Golem with their own eyes. This was a very imbecilic thing to do for two reasons; firstly, radio broadcasts cannot penetrate the dense flux vortex over the Crater, and secondly because the next portion of Dr. Buter's report on Armored Golems clearly states that the golems actually became angrier after hearing the ultrasonic sounds.

Obviously, none of those insufferably moronic amateurs survived. And I have amazed myself in writing the above paragraph - I actually managed to call those idiots 'stupid' using no less than three synonyms.

Now, regarding my confrontation with an Armored Golem, I must say that it was a terribly exciting experience. Lucrecia and I managed to find ourselves a decently-matured specimen, which immediately attacked us with its Golem Laser. Such wonders, I must say! The laser beam missed us by mere inches and blew up a rock outcropping, which collapsed and nearly flattened Lucrecia. I would have been thrilled at the prospect, save for the fact that she was the only competent assistant I have ever had, and because the sex thrown in to sweeten the deal was very good. Anyways, we defeated the Golem with relative ease, and managed to dissect the tough-skinned thing on the spot. I had never seen a hacksaw blade being snapped by the material it was cutting through, so the Golem's resilient hide was indeed an impressive substance to try and open up.

In battle, Armored Golems will assume one of two stances, depending on their intention. The first stance is with their arms held up in a boxing position, or held by the sides. This stance is used by the Golem as it attacks, and of the two stances, it is the easier one to penetrate with an attack. For advancing and defensive purposes, the golem will fold its arms across its chest, and then start walking slowly towards its target. Since its arms are the most heavily armored parts of its anatomy, most physical attacks will be quite futile when used against it at that point of time. Even magical attacks are not sufficient to pierce the golem's natural armor, and none of the spells discovered to date have been noted to be particularly effective.

In terms of offense, Armored Golems are literally like walking tanks. They can fire at you from a distance with their Golem Laser, which diverges further over time, or they can move up close and engage with you in some very nasty melee brawling. Golem Laser fire is pretty easy to predict, even for idiots like your average Gaian; the golem's eyes will begin to glow, and it will bring its arms up right in front of it in preparation to fire the blast. Note that the beam will spread out radially, as I have already mentioned, and that evading it is easier if you were to get closer to the golem (since the radius of the beam will be smaller). For those who have enough intelligence to be curious about the laser's source, it is actually a high-powered carbon dioxide laser beam. The golem will fire it by generating massive electrical impulses in its armored body, and then utilizing atmospheric gases (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen) to fire the beam out of its hands, which have strong fascia that operate like pumps to produce the laser.

We shall now move on to examine the melee attacks of an Armored Golem. They will advance slowly towards a target, and depending on how much resistance they encounter as they advance, they will attack using different techniques. The standard Snap attack (a fast punch from each arm) is rather powerful, and is used by the golem to deal with targets that do not attempt to slow down its advances whatsoever. But if its advance is held up several times by significantly strong moves, the golem will instead unleash its deadly Megaton Punch, whereby it slams both of its palms down onto the ground with terrific force. The resulting shock waves that are generated will usually be powerful enough to shatter rocks, or even fissure the ground on which the golem struck home. If someone were to get smashed during the golem's downward slamming maneuver... I think you would know what a pancake is, yes?

Don't bother challenging Armored Golems; it is not worth the trouble, really.


B

Bad Rap (Hapalochlaena Oculotoxicus)

Purple-green marine cephalopods commonly found in the abyssal plains of Gaia's oceans, Bad Raps are infamous for their toxic secretions, which are sufficient to kill a fully-grown human man in five minutes, and which can still Blind a victim if it comes into contact with the eyes. Though it is basically harmless when not in the bloodstream, the poisonous secretions should not be simply handled by any fool out there; even I, a doctorate student in Biochemistry (specializing in Applied Zoology) have my doubts about handling the stuff. And for those geographically-ignorant folk out there, the abyssal plains of the ocean are between the depths of about 2000 to 6000 meters, with temperatures of about four degrees Celsius. Though they live at such depths, Bad Rap carcasses often wash up on beaches, where they end up poisoning people that are stupid enough to touch or otherwise handle the dead specimen.

Honestly, if you saw a dead, slimy, and disgusting-looking... thing about six feet long lying on the beach, would you touch it willingly? Somehow, there ARE people out there who would answer 'yes' to that question - and in my opinion, they deserve being poisoned by the bloody carcass, anyways. Scientific curiosity and plain moronic behavior are very finely distinct, which incidentally also explains why many aspiring 'marine biologists' (note the inverted commas) have actually been killed during their attempts to study this rather infamous species.

Bad Raps are apparently the natural prey of the mysterious marine species called Unknown 2, and we only know this from stomach dissections of the few Unknown 2 specimens that we have actually managed to get our hands on. Apparently, the Unknown 2's are capable of stomaching these toxic little octopi, for a reason we have yet to discover. However, we know very little about the Unknown species (1, 2, 3, and 4), so I shall save their profiles for the section reserved for them in the subsequent parts of this manuscript.

In combat, Bad Raps will often try to Whip their tentacles at a target, sometimes doing so many times in rapid succession. Given their natural ability to retract their suckers and expose the sharp hooks within, it can be a very painful experience for a person who receives a decent swipe or two from these fierce creatures. And most people do not realize it, but this is an attempt by the Bad Rap to lacerate the victim's skin to expose the bloodstream to maximize the absorption of the venom which they secrete. So now you see, their Whip and Evil Poison attacks are actually two synergistic moves that serve to enhance the odds of poisoning a piece of potential prey. If the Bad Rap decides that their enemy is too big a threat, they will, however paradoxical it may sound, rush the opponent and bite them with their calcified beak. Used normally for mastication of food, they are also perfectly comfortable with using their beak to puncture a target's skin before oozing out copious amounts of poison into the wound.

Here, it should be noted that all forms of Poison-based magic and attacks are absolutely ineffective against a Bad Rap. I can personally vouch for this, since lobster pots used by the fishermen in Junon sometimes turn out a living specimen, and those poor fishermen are always glad for my assistance in dealing with these highly-untouchable creatures. As a matter of fact, if a Bad Rap is caught in a lobster pot, the entire catch is usually dumped back into the ocean due to fears of toxin contamination. The only reason why I keep getting calls for help from the fishermen is simply because Bad Raps tend to adhere to the pot's interior with their suckers, and removing them is a task best undertaken by an expert. Though it is true that they inhabit the deeper regions of Gaia's oceans, they do have a tendency to approach the surface when the moon is bright.

Sushi bars which have had customers dropping dead at their tables have always blamed such incidents on the venom of a Bad Rap, and forensic analysis usually confirms this apparently baseless accusation. As I have mentioned in the paragraph above, entire hauls of seafood can be contaminated by a single Bad Rap, thus resulting the in the situation above. Worse still is the case when a Bad Rap that did NOT get caught but which emptied out its venom sacs towards the fishing nets contaminates the entire catch. Therefore, even seemingly 'clean' fishing hauls can be potentially deadly, which gives way to the species' common name of 'Bad Rap'.

Due to their rarity, it is unlikely that most people who aren't fisher-folk would ever encounter a living Bad Rap, but I will nonetheless note that only experienced fighters should try combating one due to their extreme toxicity.

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Bagnadrana (Heloderma Magniventris)

Venomous, six-legged horned lizards that often grow up to three feet in length, Bagnadrana are native to the wilderness surrounding the mining town of Corel. Related to the smaller but no less venomous Gila Monster (Heloderma Suspectus), these creatures used to be hated (and still are considered as pests, by the way) due to their habit of nesting in mine shafts that had been left alone for too long. Hence, attempts to retrieve old equipment or to examine old mines for potential coal deposits that had been missed sometimes wound up with the deaths of several miners. Among the locals, they are known as 'Coal Dusters', and are usually killed upon sight due to the miners' deep-driven fear of being poisoned in a mine shaft.

Despite their poisonous nature and rather foul temperament, there does exist a small ranch of sorts where Bagnadrana are bred for their meat. The ranch is none other than the famous 'Triple-G Ranch', which specializes in rearing exotic species for their meat, hide, and other body parts. You see, Bagnadrana meat is edible if treated overnight in a concentrated brine solution seasoned with citric acid (limes and lemons for the ignorant). The marination process in that particular mix of liquids will actually 'deactivate' the toxin particles, thus rendering them harmless to anyone who eats them. However, only the brine and citrus juice mixture works for the detoxification process, and the cured meat will actually recover its original toxicity if marinaded with anything other than the aforementioned mixture. Thus, the cured meat is usually served smoked, grilled, or roasted, since those three methods of cooking do not require the addition of other liquids to the meat that could possibly reactivate the toxin particles.

Of course, the actual chemistry behind the deactivation of the particles is a fascinating subject in itself, but I shall spare you ignorant twits the agony of reading through the fine details.

One of the reasons why Bagnadrana can survive and thrive in mine shafts is simply because they are immune to fire. Attempts by miners to eradicate them with dynamite have all failed, since the heat and immense pressures of a dynamite explosion actually work similarly to Fire- and Gravity-based magic, both of which are ineffective towards this species of poisonous lizard. The first of these properties merely gives backing to the theory that they are reptiles, whereas the anti-gravity properties of this species remains a mystery to us, till this day. Even if they mine shafts in which they have nested are collapsed in on them, they usually will not be squashed or crushed; instead, they often manage to worm their way out of the whole fiasco, and dissections have revealed that their joints are hypermobile, thus allowing for extreme contortions and bodily distortions. With regard to weaknesses, Ice-based magic can be very effective against them, as it is against all other reptiles.

Aside from their venom, Bagnadrana will often use their horns to try and gore any possible threats. From this, it can be deduced that they are actually quite stupid, since they prefer to use this attack more often than their Poison Breath, which is indubitably more efficient and deadly. The deadly gases exhaled by a Bagnadrana are lethal enough to kill a person within fifteen minutes, and the coal dust that is usually discharged along with the toxins can also serve as a good smokescreen to cover their escape from the battle. If their attackers actually manage to get a grip on them, they will try to use the age-old Fang attack to chew on the limbs holding them down. Given that their maws are saturated with poisonous particles and coal dust, I would not advise getting bitten by a Bagnadrana.

Moderately-experienced fighters may take one of these reptiles on in combat without any worries.

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Bahba Velamyu (Bunian Sectumsempra)

Endemic to the forests surrounding the sleepy mountain town of Nibelheim, Bahba Velamyu are a species aggressive ambush hunters that live in trees. They possess only two arms, but the two lengthy limbs are highly muscular and double-jointed, thus making them perfect adapted for an arboreal existence. Travelers who pass through the forests where they nest are always advised to keep an eye out for suspicious activities in the trees above them, such as leaves suddenly falling or branches creaking despite there being no breezes blowing at the moment. Bahba Velamyu tend to drop down directly onto their prey's heads, and will proceed to maul the unwary victim to death. If and only if they judge the potential prey to be more formidable, they shall instead drop down behind the targets, and try to get in a preemptive strike.

These unusual creatures have equally unusual names due to the former existence a nomadic tribe that once used to stop by Nibelheim to barter for supplies before they trekked across Mount Nibel. Though the tribe has long since died out, their name for these forest predators has remained till today; the phrase 'Bahba Velamyu' in their native tongue meant 'Slasher in the trees', and this is a very appropriate name for the species. I personally managed to subdue an entire group of them at once by spraying up clouds of paralytic gases into the trees of the forest, thus causing the dimwitted beings to drop down from their undoubtedly precarious perches.

Why 'Slasher in the trees', you might ask, in your ignorance of their offensive capabilities. You see, Bahba Velamyu usually attack with a series of vicious cutting moves, which have been divided into three categories for reference. Mainly, they will use a two-slash combination called Bone Cutter, which involves them striking their prey with their sharp claws hard enough to cleave through bone. Other than that, they also a double slash called Jumping Cutter, whereby they will propel themselves off the ground with their strong arms, before descending upon their intended victims in a flurry of swiping claws. This attack is not as strong as the Bone Cutter, since their falling motion will throw their accuracy off somewhat. If you use magic on them and miss, however, they will instead use a move called Magic Cutter on you, which uses some of their own natural magic to drain your magical energies out through any inflicted cuts. This move itself is a slashing attack which can open up new cuts, but it is important to note that the Magic Cutter may also drain the energy through any existing wounds.

Also, they can cast Slow and Silence spells somewhat accurately. Of the two, I'd say that the first is more annoying when dealing with them, for obvious reasons.

Elementally-speaking, Bahba Velamyu are not particularly vulnerable to any one element. Most status effect spells will not affect them, either. So the best way to deal with them will be to simply lop their arms off, since a creature with only two limbs probably wont be a significant threat if both of its limbs were removed now, would it? Other than that, this species is really quite dull and boring. The people from Nibelheim consider them to be pests, and it is rightly so.

Fighters with some experience may easily defeat these arboreal creatures in a fight.

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Bandersnatch (Canis Bandersnatch)

These sociable canines live amidst the frozen wastelands of Gaia's Icicle Area, where they survive in small packs of about four individuals. Renowned for their silvery fur, Bandersnatches have been hunted for centuries solely for the purpose of making fur coats. I find this to be a most abominable practice, since it disposes of a perfectly lovely specimen for the sake of filling someone's wardrobe. While it cannot be denied that clothing made out of Bandersnatch hide is extremely useful to keep oneself warm in freezing weather, I find it doubtful whether the usual buyers of these products would actually need them.

Domestication of this species has been done before, and I myself once had a Bandersnatch as a pet during my days growing up at the Icicle Area. I named him Rocky, since at the time, there was this movie about a boxer called Rocky that was quite popular. However, one day, Rocky just vanished from his kennel, and was never seen again. All we found were some tracks leading away from the village, heading towards the tree line. After some time of searching, we finally found his broken collar on the ground, half-buried in the freshly-fallen snow. Till this day, I often find myself wondering whether he actually ran away on his own accord, or is he had been kidnapped by a poacher out for some easy pickings.

But I guess that... there will be some questions which I shall never be able to answer. And this shall be one of them.

Anyways, moving on with the section, Bandersnatches are half-immune to Ice-based magic, and are extremely vulnerable to Fire spells. Biologically speaking, this is because their fur is actually double-layered, with a dense straight undercoat and a thick outer coat. Thus, snow and cold breezes will not affect them terribly much, which makes them admirably well-adapted to the icy landscapes where they dwell. In addition to that, their thick, layered coats are waterproof to a certain extent. So now you could probably understand why some of those rich fat cats are so desperate to own a Bandersnatch fur coat.

If threatened, Bandersnatches are formidable attackers that will not stop fighting until all threats to their pack have been neutralized. They will typically Bite their enemies with their sharp incisors, or try to knock down the opposition with a fierce Bodyblow that involves them charging at the aggressor and then body-slamming the stupid fool. If you actually manage to kill a Bandersnatch, however, any one of its pack mates will try to resurrect it using a Howling spell that works much like Life Materia does. In the event that the Bandersnatch does not manage to resurrect its fallen brethren, you'd better run, since it will proceed to attack you with a vastly increased level of ferocity. In addition to that, it has been observed that Bandersnatch Bites tend to cause a wave of disorientation and Confusion in their victims; this is caused by a rare species of bacteria that live in their digestive tracts, and which also can be found in their saliva.

Back when I was a child, there was this old man named Doc Watson. He was so old, even the village elders couldn't recall his full name clearly. Anyways, he was our resident veterinarian and wise man, a truly helpful soul who never hesitated to give anyone else help if it wasn't beyond his means to do so. Everyone trusted and respected him, and this included the Bandersnatches that lived in the wilderness around our humble village. They would often come to his hut and whine outside the door, to try and get his attention. Then, he would be lead to their dens, where usually an injured cub or several were waiting for him. Once or twice, he took me along on his expeditions, since he knew of my fascination with nature, and from there, I gradually developed an interest in Biochemistry.

Despite being an old man, he was really fit for his age, and when he eventually died while I was in my teens, it was due to a bungled attempt by poachers to squeeze the location of the Bandersnatch dens out of him. He died of a stroke when those fools were trying to grill him for information, and they tried to flee after that. But the Bandersnatches must have somehow known that their one true human friend had been murdered - the bloody corpses of the poachers were found in the woods later. Maybe it was because poor old Doc Watson had actually been under those scumbags' scrutiny for a while already, but once again... I guess I'll just never know.

Rocky was a good dog. He really was a saint among canines, and THAT is undeniable. As such, I shall not be elaborating further on their combative abilities, since I have no intention of contributing in any way to the decline of this wonderful species.

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Battery Cap (Hypsilophodont Electrolingua)

Distant relatives of an extinct species called Myconids, Battery Caps are mushroom-like creatures that are actually animals. Their 'caps' are actually their entire body, with the 'stalk' being an extremely strong tongue that is lined with rows of sharp teeth, much like the radula of a snail ('radula' means 'rasping tongue', for the dimwits who might be reading this). They basically move around on their tongues, by using the highly-muscular organ as an improvised leg of sorts, although they are only capable of traveling at an admittedly slow speed. Purple in color due to the presence of several high-powered capacitor organs in their caps, Battery Caps tend to stand out of the forest environment where they live, around the town of Nibelheim. The only reason why they still keep their deceptive, plant-like names is simply because they do possess an actual cap, and because there are simply too many people out there who know them by the traditional nomenclature.

As an aside, the invaluable manuscript called 'Beasts of Gaia', written by a long-dead Qu (Qus being an extinct sentient species once native to Gaia) called Ipsen Ornitier actually details the properties of a Myconid in a rather interesting, albeit unorthodox manner. The original master copy has long since been lost, but edited versions are usually available in Wutaian bookstores. Many species detailed in the manuscript are now extinct (Grimlocks and Plant Brains being notable examples), and many new species have since been discovered. But it is still a worthwhile read, since it outlines the basic axioms of Applied Zoology very thoroughly, and also since it provides a scientific insight into some facets of Gaian wildlife that sometimes seem too amazing to be true.

I might not believe in an afterlife, but I do occasionally wonder if the world named Memoria actually exists. Ipsen himself is a figure shrouded in mystery and mythology, and some modern historians doubt that he even lived at all.

Anyways, much like their extinct cousins the Myconid (Hypsilophodont Fungi), Battery Caps are highly reliant upon their tongues to survive. Remove a Battery Cap's tongue, and it becomes totally defenseless, as while as completely immobile. Removing said tongue, however, is not an easy task, especially since touching the actual organ will give you a pretty nasty electrical shock. In fact, captured Battery Caps were once used as spark generators in the electrical experiments of ancient Physicists. Michael Faraday, discoverer of the Laws of Electrolysis, once mentioned in a journal of his that 'these fungus-like beings have been the single greatest contribution by Mother Nature to the researchers of electrochemistry'.

Another contributing factor to their erroneous classification as mushrooms by some early Biologists is the fact that they will fire what appears to be a volley of seeds at anyone that intimidates them sufficiently. In actual fact, these 'seeds' are nothing more than remnants of a Battery Cap's meals that have remained in their digestive tracts. Since they tend to consume entire animals, bones and all, the ingested bones will typically be crushed and ground up into small masses of rock-hard matter that resemble seeds. Though these little chunks are about three inches in diameter, bear in mind that Battery Caps may grow up to five feet in height, and that the projectiles they fire could thus be easily mistaken for hard seeds at a glance. Other than using Seed Shots, they can also fire a beam of energy called the Four Laser, which is basically a toned-down version of an Armored Golem's notorious Golem Laser. They will fire this while lying on their caps and aiming their tongues at a possible target, and their accuracy is impressive.

Magic is usable against them, but you pea-brained people ought to drive it into your thick skulls that Battery Caps do not have any fixed weaknesses to the magical elements. Melee fighters should also be careful when trying to strike their tongues, since the electrical currents coursing through the tough appendage can be quite shocking, so to say. Though I have already mentioned the properties of a Battery Cap's tongue once, I did it once more since most Gaians are rather stubborn and stupid when it comes to reading guide books.

Experienced people may fight a Battery Cap with some caution.

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Beachplug (Limulus Protegohorribilis)

This unique marine arthropod is one of the few surviving species within the taxonomical class Merostomata, along with the Horseshoe Crab (Limulus Polyphemus). Endemic to the beaches near Corel, Gongaga, and the Gold Saucer casino, Beachplugs are named as such due to their (this is debatable) bad habits of sitting right above holes in the sandy beach. As they tend to stay still for extended periods of time, sand will cover them slightly, thus resulting in someone typically falling into a hole and then getting attacked by the angry Beachplug. Some old folks also enjoy telling their grandchildren that pulling a Beachplug out of the ground will cause the entire beach to become devoid of sand, since the 'plugs' keeping the sand from falling into the 'holes' have been removed.

May those blasphemous old farts burn in Hell for this blatant bit of bullshit scientific misinformation, if there is indeed a Hell.

Anyways, they are rather famous for their meat, which is sweet and firm. Usually, Beachplugs will be steamed with butter and then served up in the molten butter, with a side dish of sweet buns to be dipped in the gravy. However, eating Beachplugs will burn a large hole in your pocket, should you decided to try it. This is because they are deviously difficult to catch, and as such, servings of their meat usually will cost up to 100 gil per 50 grams of Beachplug. Since that 50 grams of weight includes any exoskeleton that might be there on the scale, you'll actually be getting very little meat for your monies. But some people say it is worth the expense, and these connoisseurs even go so far as to say that 'a Beachplug's lungs are the tastiest bit'. I once tasted some of the meat at a company function, and I have to say that for once, I actually agree with those blasted food critics.

Now, the reason why Beachplugs are so hard to catch is their very impressive defensive abilities in a fight. Since they typically grow up to eight inches in length, most people would stupidly assume that they aren't capable of much. But their Big Guard spells are legendary for being able to repel practically every attack ever conceived in the history of Gaian combat, and most SOLDIER members will try to get that very skill using an Enemy Skill Materia if they ever get one of the rare things for their own personal use. Experiments conducted by Dr. Buter into the defensive potential of a Big Guard spell revealed that the spell was powerful enough to even withstand a lightning bolt hitting it directly. Given that lightning bolts can even superheat the air which they pass through to a temperature of thirty-three thousand degrees Celsius, it goes without saying that Big Guard is probably the best spell for protection in combat that has been discovered to date.

With regards to attacks, Beachplugs only know how to Bite attackers very painfully. Their Ice spells are horrendously inaccurate, so you probably wont need to be too worried about those particular attacks. The Bites of a Beachplug can be very nasty, especially since they will attempt to further widen the wound by sticking their three prehensile telsons (in the ignorant man's language: tail spines) into the hole and wiggling them about in the wound. Not a nice thing to have happening to you, especially after you consider the sheer amount of harmful bacteria that tend to accumulate on said telsons. The germ problem with their telsons is so bad, as a matter a of fact, that merely brushing the telson with your bare hands might result in the transmission of some fascinating but nonetheless nasty flesh-eating bacteria onto your skin. There was once a fisherman who tried to catch a Beachplug with his bare hands and a net; he wound up being stung viciously by the panicked arthropod, and died several hours later in a clinic, his skin already looking as though it had been ravaged by a concentrated acid or some other chemical agent.

Given that just touching them is possibly harmful, I have to say that Beachplugs are probably the epitome of defensive evolution. Did I mention that they also have a partial immunity to Ice-based magic? Well, there you have it - they can even survive being thrown into a freezer, and might have enough wind left in them to give you a good lashing once you let them out of the cold. Add in Big Guard to their list of credentials, and I'm sure that even an ignoramus like the average Gaian human would appreciate the Beachplug's natural hardiness.

Don't bother trying to fight a Beachplug; save yourself the frustration of trying to kill something that creates dilemmas which probably go way beyond your intelligence's limits.

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Behemoth (Behemoth Gigantus)

Powerful reptiles native to the caverns beneath Midgar's foundations, Behemoths are one of the most ferocious creatures you'll find outside of the Northern Crater. Growing to more than twelve feet in length and yet weighing no more than two hundred pounds, these subterranean lizards were one of the things that stood in the way Midgar's construction. Entire work crews and mountains of machinery were rendered useless by Behemoths within the first few months of Midgar's construction, until it was discovered that they were highly averse to sulfur. As such, sulfur powder was liberally strewn all about the tunnels where foundation works were being carried out, and the problem was solved. Despite this apparent weakness, however, Behemoths are not to be trifled with simply, as they can still take you down with ease if provoked enough.

Now, Behemoths are the only species which Lucrecia and I actually fear. You see, we went prospecting for them in the tunnels where they had been known to live, and when we did run into one, we very nearly got ourselves killed. The Behemoth specimen had been hiding in the shadows behind one of Midgar's foundation struts, and its first move was to throw a Flare spell at us that turned the tunnel into a veritable furnace. Luckily for us, I managed to throw up a Reflect spell fast enough, while Lucrecia cast a quick Ice3 spell in the Behemoths direction, since reptiles tend to be weak against Ice-based magic. However, the huge thing merely shrugged off the attack, and charged at us. That was when we learned that a Behemoth had no elemental weaknesses, and that spells cast against it would promptly elicit a Flare counter-attack in response.

Physically, their strength is obvious in their melee attacks, which also nearly led to the deaths of myself and Lucrecia. A Behemoth will toss its head rapidly when charging, and the one we encountered left numerous gouge marks on the tunnel walls as it tried to ram us. Considering that the tunnel had been bored out of solid bedrock, this was an impressive show of strength, indeed. In the near-darkness of the tunnel, it was quite a terrifying sight, that of the hungry Behemoth barreling towards us at top speed. Undoubtedly, being hit by their Horn attacks would be fatal. Furthermore, before we actually took it down with a Magic Breath spell, the furious creature's Claws actually managed to leave several deep grooves in the ground as it keeled over. So it would probably be advisable to stay away from their Horns and Claws.

It is was indeed a terrifying moment, seeing the huge thing charging at us at top speed... Every spell we threw at it merely made it stop for the briefest of seconds, and the furious beast countered them with Flares, to boot! I have already said all this before, and I'll say it again; that Behemoth encounter is NOT something I'd like to do again.

Dissection of the specimen revealed a beautiful musculoskeletal system, which has now been put on display at the main lobby of the ShinRa Museum of Natural History in Sector 7. Truly, if there is to be one specimen which I am proud to have obtained (even if it was partially due to that irritating woman's help), it would be the Behemoth's skeleton.

None of you nitwits should even bother challenging a Behemoth, since you would most likely end up dead if you tried to confront one.

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Bizarre Bug (Pandinus Pseudocoleopteris)

As with many other animals on Gaia, Bizarre Bugs are yet another species which have been named with a dreadful misnomer. Early entomologists just couldn't understand why these admittedly unusual specimens had a scorpion's tail despite resembling beetles, though of course we now know better. It was proven by the devoted entomologist (and later, sexologist) Alfred Kinsey that these creatures are actually scorpions which have evolved a sort of armored carapace and wings similar to that of a beetle. Native to the wilderness around Wutai, these Bizarre Bugs were hunted many centuries ago to be slaughtered for their elytra (or wing carapaces, for the slower folk out there) by the primitive Wutaian people, to be used as shields in battle. Well, I have to admit that their elytra are indeed tough, to the extent that early SOLDIER bulletproof vests used to be made out of them. However, when ShinRa tested its prototype pulse rifles on them, the vests exploded into smithereens, so nowadays SOLDIER bulletproof vests are made of a Kevlar derivative.

Some Wutaian hunters have actually captured and tamed a few of these rather cowardly arachnids, and they often use the domesticated Bugs as hunting animals. Though they lack a hunting dog's acute sense of scent and excellent hearing, Bizarre Bugs have the ability to fly, and also the ability to immobilize prey by rapidly bludgeoning said animals with their tails. You see, here is where the Bizarre Bug's evolutionary divergence from your typical scorpion is made even more obvious - they actually lack a stinger at the tip of their tails, instead having a muscular gas bladder running through the interior of the tail that is capable of spewing out clouds of Toxic Powder. From that, I have to say that the entomologists of the olden days were not entirely to blame for their erroneous naming of this particular species, since the degeneration of its pincers and development of wings as well as elytra have indeed made a Bizarre Bug's identity as a scorpion difficult to deduce.

For your information, Bizarre Bugs are typically five feet in length when they curl their tails beneath their elytra, and with the tail extended, a specimen could easily gain another five feet in length.

Though they prefer to flee rather than fight, Bizarre Bugs are still rather decent in a fight. Aside from their ability to spray out their unique blend of natural toxins in a powdered form, they can also slam into opponents with sufficient force to break bones (especially given their significantly hard exoskeletons). As I have already said earlier, they also can use their tails to give you a powerful whipping if the situation calls for it, and in my correct opinion, this is the deadliest of the three common attacks of this species. Reason being, their physical reach is nearly doubled by this attack, and if they are in mid-air when they use it, your head could very easily be swiped off your shoulders with one swift stroke of a Bizarre Bug's tail.

To deal with them in combat, I'd advise the use of Slow Materia. Since they have a tendency to rapidly fly in circles around you while striking out at you periodically, Slowing them down would be very handy. Once you have Slowed the specimen down sufficiently, a quick swipe of a blade could then remove their tails rather efficiently, which effectively leads to the death of the creature. Obviously, having parts of your stomach carved out would kill you, but I guessed that most of you ignorant people wouldn't have known that a scorpion's tail is actually an extension of its abdomen. Thus, this entire paragraph just had to be written for your sake.

Other than that, nothing especially noteworthy occurs with regards to this species, so I'd end with a note that experienced fighters should try to fight a Bizarre Bug (due to their habit of swarming potential prey).

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Black Bat (Desmodus Osmose)

Known commonly as Seeker Bats in the olden days, Black Bats are completely blind mammals that make their nests in subterranean caves where the sun never shines. When the ShinRa Mansion was built on the outskirts of Nibelheim, an underground cave network was discovered beneath the Mansion's foundations. Swarms of these bloodthirsty fiends assaulted the workers who explored the tunnels, and left them as nothing more than drained, mummy-like husks. But the Turk who was there overseeing the operations (whom I shall not name here) used a powerful Tornado spell to deal with the Bats, and for then, at least, the problem was solved. So since then, it has been compulsory for workers going down into the tunnels to have some form of combat training on them. Otherwise, a SOLDIER or Turk usually accompanies them when going down under.

Professor Gast set up his library in the basement, and I did likewise with my workstation. It's the ideal place for work since very few people would dare to try and walk about in the dark tunnels leading down there. There are several extremely exciting species present in the caves there, which have been subject to several fascinating experiments of mine, and I am delighted to have had the chance of encountering such rare specimens. However, that stupid Turk assigned to the mansion insists on blasting by specimens into oblivion with his guns whenever he gets the chance, and Lucrecia always tries to cover up for the bastard. Hmph! As if I can't see past their little game of charades...

He'll get what's coming to him one day. Just mark my words; I will get to use a scalpel on him someday soon...

Now, Black Bats generally are quite agile in their natural environment, since their echolocation abilities are unsurpassed by any of Gaia's other bat species. In a fight, they will usually Dodge your attacks rather easily, before swooping in to use their infamous Blood Suck move on you. This merely drains out a pint of blood or three, and will not turn you into a sanguivorous nocturnal creature that has an aversion to garlic and sunlight. In simpleton's speak; you wont turn into a vampire, no matter how many bites you take from a Black Bat. You'd be more likely to be sucked completely dry, or maybe contract rabies if you actually survive the attack.

Black Bats are Aerial, which says a lot about their strengths and weaknesses from a magical standpoint. Other than those properties, they somehow have a weakness against Holy spells, and can also take damage from any common Restorative spells. This has been interpreted as a possible link to Undead magic, according to Professor Gast, since only the Undead and Demons have an actual weakness against Holy and/or Restorative magic.

Personally, I find them to be quite cute. Alas, my attempts to catch and tame one have all ended in failure, usually because of that meddling Turk! Stupid bastard child keeps on trying to treat my Black Bats like he would a clay pigeon. And as much as I hate to say it, his aim is good enough to actually end the lives of every single one of my poor little Bats.

Only experienced fighters should take on Black Bats, since they tend to attack in groups.

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Bloatfloat (Diodon Pascalminimus)

These Aerial creatures, native to the regions within the vicinity of Mount Corel, literally live up to their names since they happen to float, and are very bloated things. Freshwater relatives of the common porcupine fish, Bloatfloats possess vestigial air lungs that enable them to breathe steadily even when out of water, albeit for a short period of time only. Of the various species of porcupine fish that live on Gaia, these mountain river-dwellers happen to be the largest, with an approximate length of five feet from snout to tail. Their ability to fly is derived from a mixture of buoyant gases that fill several sac-like structures that lay just beneath their rather resilient skin, though this makes them rather ungainly swimmers. If you ever have to collect water from a body of water up on Mount Corel, be wary of a possible ambush by one of these specimens, since they tend to launch themselves out of the water with impressive velocity.

Now, their species name, Pascalminimus, was given to them since this particular species was used quite extensively by the great scientist Blaise Pascal in his experiments regarding the Physics behind barometers. He utilized the ability of Bloatfloats to generate vacuums to prove that barometer readings actually decreased with pressure, which later became a precursor to his theory that air pressure decreased as elevation increased. As such, the name given to Bloatfloats was derived from Pascal's own surname (also the unit for Pressure, which I'm quite sure you wouldn't know), and the word 'minimus', to indicate a small amount.

As I have just mentioned, Bloatfloats may generate vacuums. This is done by the Bloatfloat forcefully emptying out every little bit of inhaled air in its body through numerous pores, followed by a rapid lung forward while it simultaneously opens up its mouth wide. The sudden opening of its mouth, coupled with the lower air pressure within its body, will result in a terrific suction being generated. Naturally, this is a rather impressive feeding mechanism, since Bloatfloats have no teeth whatsoever, and tend to swallow their prey whole. Even underwater, this works rather well, since they have been observed to be capable of sucking in several gallons of water all at once, together with whatever edible matter happens to be in the water at the time. In combat, this vacuum is usually sufficient to yank a person off his or her feet; a situation which may slant the odds in the Bloatfloat's favor. Once the target is downed, the spiny fish will then rush forward and ram into the stupid sucker with its spines all standing up, due to the vast amount of air that had just been inhaled.

It is fun if you can actually manage to puncture their bodies when they are fully inflated; try to imagine a balloon full of air being released without being tied shut. Of course, I'd be careful to avoid the ruptured Bloatfloat as it flies around in random directions, since even a graze wound inflicted by their spines would be enough to kill you.

If desperate, however, Bloatfloats will suck in even more air, and fire their spines at whoever is threatening them. This is dangerous to both parties, since the Bloatfloat will actually end up ripping out small portions of its skin and subcutaneous muscles when it fires the spines, and the fired spines are very effective in poisoning whoever gets hit by them. Usually, the Bloatfloat will attempt to flee back to the nearest water source once it fires its spines, to try and hide. Once it gets itself submerged, it typically goes into a comatose state for about three days to regenerate the damaged parts of its anatomy.

Some chefs have found ways to serve Bloatfloat meat, though too many poisoning cases have occurred at the hands of inexperienced cooks such that very few people actually dare to try the stuff. Indeed, the tetrodotoxin contained within Bloatfloat meat is the very substance that makes puffer fishes so poisonous, which has of course led to some brainless morons proposing that they be classified as puffer fishes rather than porcupine fishes! A Bloatfloat can raise its spines, which is why they are categorized as porcupine fishes, and also why I raise my middle finger to those imbeciles calling themselves scientists.

Moderately-experienced fighters may take on Bloatfloats and survive.

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Blood Taste (Canis Tentacula)

Often found prowling about the darker and dingier parts of Midgar's Mako reactors, Blood Tastes are canine creatures that possess a set of fine, filamentous tentacles sprouting out of the back of their heads. Usually, these tentacles will twist around each other and form a sort of thick braid, which moves much like a monkey's prehensile tail would (the word 'prehensile' means movable through voluntary action, in case you didn't already know - which I think is the likelier possibility). Pulling on this bundle of tentacles is actually good enough to paralyze a Blood Taste, so I shall not bother to describe the species' combat abilities any further. This happens due to the extensive innervation of the tentacles, which basically means that the bundle of fibers is little more than a massive length of nervous tissue.

It is notable that this bundle of nervous fibers is particularly useful for studies of neurons in Physiology. Since the fibers are quite large, the individual neurons are also considerably sizable, and not all of them are myelinated. For those who cannot understand what the term 'myelinated' means, it just goes to show that you lack even a basic understanding of how your body relays electrical impulses throughout itself. Go and read a book on the nervous system, and you will be able to comprehend how a Blood Taste's nerve fibers are useful for experimentation.

Just watch out for the stingers at the end of the tentacles, which have a form of Osmose magic imbued in them, and give the bundle a decent yank or cut. Those instructions should be simple enough for a simpleton to follow, yes?

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Blue Dragon (Naga Blizzarabasophilia)

Aerial Dragons endemic to the frozen regions surrounding Gaea's Cliff, Blue Dragons are rather docile creatures that normally back down from confrontations. Indeed, they are peaceful herbivores that wouldn't hurt any other animals that cross their paths, unless of course said animals actually attack them. If angered, however, these gentle giants will be rather thorough in ripping you a new one - or several - in a manner that is most likely to be unpleasant and painful. That did not stop Lucrecia and I from dealing with a specimen we found, however, and it was every bit as formidable in a fight as its reputation had led us to believe.

Now, the axiom of Aerial creatures being particularly vulnerable to Wind-based spells and their corresponding immunity to Earth-based magic does not apply to Blue Dragons. These dragons actually do take some measure of damage from Earth-based magic, and have not been observed to possess a weakness to Wind spells. However, they are rather weak against Gravity spells of sufficient strength, and as would be expected of a creature inhabiting the frozen landscapes near Gaea's Cliff, they can absorb all forms of Ice-based energy and magic. This has been theorized to be an evolutionary adaptation to their chilly natural environment, though the truth in that particular hypothesis is debatable.

As I have already mentioned, Blue Dragons are rather formidable fighters. Physically, they will attack using their Dragon Fangs and Tails, both of which are strong enough to smash through solid rock (especially the Tail attacks). Due to their rather sluggish nature, these attacks are quite easy to predict, and you'd be wise to step aside when a Blue Dragon opens its mouth wide or starts to swing its tail from left-to-right. Their magical offenses are also noteworthy, such as the Great Gale spell and Blue Dragon Breath. The former is a Wind-based spell that can actually blind you if it hits you dead-on, and the latter is an Ice-based spell that has been proven to be so potent that it can actually freeze a column of water in mid-air.

I shall go slightly into detail about the Great Gale spell, since it is the deadlier of a Blue Dragon's natural magical defenses. A Blue Dragon about to use this spell will flap its wings and fly up into the air, and the air around it will be whipped up into a stormy frenzy. Also, the restless air will start to gain a peculiar coloration much like that of Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. A beautiful sight, that's for sure, but a dangerous one, since the attack that soon follows will be powerful enough to erode solid rock. When Lucrecia and I tried to hide behind a rock to avoid this one attack, the huge boulder itself began to crack, as the spell hit it at its maximum intensity. Then, there was a flash of blinding light, and we were blinded for the next few seconds. Fortunately, that woman used some of her brains and cast a Big Guard spell to keep the blasted dragon away until our vision returned to us.

Blue Dragons should not be challenged by anyone without lots of battle experience, and whose IQ's are below average.

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Bomb (Exploda Expanda)

Nasty, foul-tempered, flaming gas bags, Bombs will literally blow up in your face if you're not careful. Though they are rather weak, their self-destructing explosions can be deadly, especially in confined areas. Captured Bombs have been used for centuries as an explosive type of cannon shot, and have never failed to deliver a satisfying explosion. Their perpetually-burning bodies are capable of flight (making them immune to Earth-based spells) due to a mixture of light, volatile gases within them. These gases are in a delicate balance with each other, and will explode if too much regular air is inhaled by the Bomb.

Some scientists (notably Dr. Buter) have done research to answer the question about how Bombs keep burning as they fly around. Well, the research found that Bombs are actually quite charged with magical energy, and as such, their Fire elemental properties actually show some physical signs or being, namely, the flames that engulf a Bomb's entire body. A steady, slow, and very discrete leakage of their internal gases also feeds the flames, as proved by Dr. Buter when he Silenced a Bomb and observed small jets of fire shooting out of the creature's skin periodically.

Obviously, Bombs would be totally immune to Fire- and Earth- based spells. If you cannot comprehend why... go back to kindergarten and eat cake.

Despite their relatively light mass, Bombs can deliver a nasty Bodyblow attack, because of their flaming skin. They can also shoot Fire Balls at their attackers, and will expand when they suck in air through their mouth. Once an expanding Bomb senses that it has approached critical mass, it will trigger a Blow-Up attack by inhaling one last breath of air. The resulting explosion is usually sufficient to turn a two-foot thick brick wall into dust, never mind what it can do to wood, metal, and glass.

Before dynamite was discovered, miners used to travel to Mount Corel, where these creatures are naturally found, in the caverns that lead deep beneath the mountain's rocky cliffs and ledges. Ice3 spells would be used to freeze the desired Bombs into blocks of ice, which would then be wrapped in burlap and lugged back to the mines where they were to be used. The blocks of ice with the trapped Bomb would be placed where the detonation was required, and could be left to thaw after being briefly scorched with a Fire spell. Once air contacted the skin of the formerly-frozen Bomb, it would explode. But sometimes, if the Ice3 spell used was not strong enough, or the ice layer not evenly thick, the Bomb would explode while in transit. Thus, the invention of dynamite by the famous chemist Alfred Nobel greatly reduced the risks involved in mining, and the Bombs were generally left alone after that.

It is also noted in some historical journals that Bombs captured and immobilized in the aforementioned state were often used as projectile weapons. In this case, the frozen Bomb would be loaded onto a trebuchet or even into a cannon, and then fired at a target. Upon impact, the ice block usually shattered, causing the explosion of the Bomb. However, some fools in the past once tried to ignite their cannon fuses with Fire spells, which was how Mideel ended up being part of the Wutaian Empire several centuries ago.

Moderately experienced fighters may easily defeat Bombs in a fight.

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Boundfat (Quillianita Hypothermus)

A close relative of Hedgehog Pies that can be found quite commonly at Corel Valley, Boundfats are cold-blooded annoyances that often harass travelers. These stinking, bellicose creatures, however, usually fail in ambushing a person since their presence gets given away by their putrid body odor. Though they are born with transparent skin, Boundfats typically end up looking slightly yellowish due to the large amounts of fat that lies under their thin skins. As might be expected from their genus name, Boundfats do possess some short spines on their body, which are used normally for attacking potential prey.

Now, the fat under their skin is usually quite smelly, and the stench leaks out through their opened pores quite readily. In the past, people used to catch Boundfats and slowly kill them by roasting them over slow fires, with empty pans placed beneath the bound animal. The fat would drip down into the pan and then be be left to cool for several hours, and be solidified as a sort of oily solid. Then, it could be used to treat minor burns, and the results were usually quite impressive. Hence, these smelly beasts were named as Boundfats, given the way in which their bodily fluids were commonly extracted. Nowadays, a synthetic version of Boundfat oil is commonly sold in pharmacies as a product named Silvadene, with silver sulfadiazine as its active component, and as such, the oil is now restricted to the usage of traditional medicine men and snake oil peddlers.

In combat, Boundfats are rather interesting. Usually, they will fire their spines at you in an attempt to blind you, before casting several Ice2 spells at you to bring you down. But their aim is horrendous, and as such, it is very easy to sidestep their puny attacks and then give them a swift kick in the belly. Such actions would immediately send the stupid thing flying, and you would just need to keep your eyes opened for any possible Death Sentence spells they send your way. If magic is your preferred method of dealing with such vermin, avoid Ice-based spells, since Boundfats do have a capacity to absorb those particular spells.

Should a Boundfat try to charge at you, sidestep the Bodyblow and give the foolish thing a hard kick to the derriere - it works for me.

Moderately-experienced fighters can fight these stinking sots, since Death Sentence spells are sometimes quite hard to evade.

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Brain Pod (Craniotoxicus superficius)

Appearing rather like small pot-bellied stoves, Brain Pods are no longer found in the Gaian wilderness. Once found in swamps where decaying organic matter was abundant, these poisonous creatures have since been hunted to extinction by overzealous poachers that were after their gizzard stones. You see, the innards of a Brain Pod are rather unusual in a biological sense, since they actually maintain a constant, high-pressured state. Some of my experiments have confirmed that the mean gastrointestinal air pressure of a Brain Pod is about sixty atmospheres, or sixty times greater than atmospheric air pressure for the more ignorant readers out there. Hence, when a Brain pod ingests a stone (to aid in crushing food in its stomach), the stone usually ends up being polished and compressed under high pressure, eventually forming a sort of pearl-like solid.

Now, these Brain Pod 'pearls' are valued highly by jewelers since they can somehow absorb light in various fascinating ways. Every individual pearl is unique, and usually, each pearl reflects a particular wavelength of light in a whorl-like pattern. To better understand this, imagine a person's thumbprint, but with the inky lines being replaced by gentle reflections of light, and the paper being replaced by any color other than that of the reflected light. I am no expert on photonics, but I can assure you, there has to be a valid scientific reason for all this (not any spiritual reasons, as some stubborn fools insist on believing in).

President ShinRa's wife once had a necklace consisting of about fifty Brain Pod pearls strung together, and the whole assemblage cost her about twenty thousand Gil. But the bitch threw it away one day after complaining that it had lost its luster; very stupid of her, especially given that a gentle wipe-down with some vinegar would have restored the pearls to their full, shining glory.

Now, these unusual animals are not called Brain Pods for any careless reason; they have been called as such because portions of their brains actually protrude out of their bodies. In a living, clean specimen, these brain parts will be observed as turqoise-colored lumps on their rounded physiques, the turqoise material being a thick, durable membrane that forms part of a Brain Pod's meninges. Even a sharp hunting knife will be dulled by these membranes, and their skin is almost as durable as the brain extensions are. Two evolutionists and taxonomists, Margulis and Schwartz, once proposed that the development of such a scattered neurological system was to allow for near-total compression of a the specimen's body, and till today, no other theory has been developed to disprove of this notion.

From experiments on the breeding stocks of the species which we keep in the ShinRa laboratories, Brain Pods are immune to all forms of Poison- and Earth-based magic. No particularly noteworthy weaknesses have been observed, and their offensive capabilities are limited to halfhearted Bodyblows and ejection of Refuse at targets. This Refuse is highly-toxic, however, and is also caustic enough to dissolve neoprene (look it up as 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene if you have no idea what it is, simpleton).

No one out there should be fighting a Brain pod, since they only exist in my laboratory. And I don't take kindly to intruders.