FINAL FANTASY

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Dawn of Darkness


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CHAPTER II : The thief's identity, revealed.


Ayana knew that A.P.D Headmaster Cid wasn't going to like her report about the thief. Headmaster Cid hates failure, especially if one of his special officers failed on a mission. Ayana was one of Headmaster Cid's special officers, hence the katana she wields. That katana was a gift from Headmaster Cid, a gift for her sixteenth birthday about a year ago, which was the same time that she was allowed to become a special officer in the A.P.D.


"Father," Ayana sat down on the seat next to a red rosewood table, "Er..right..i'm not suppose to-,"she was interrupted by the grunt voice earlier that contacted her about the thief.


"Officer Ayana Misaki, haven't I told you that you are not given permission to call me 'father' around the A.P.D HQ, no?" the self proclaimed headmaster of A.P.D HQ , wearing a blue uniform stood right in - front of a large painting of a young lady, drinking a cup of coffee, "Officer Ayana Misaki, I ask for your report."


Ayana's lips quivered, her eyes began to twitch and her heart started pulsating at a rapid rate, "I was unable to catch the culprit, sir!" she stood up from her chair and saluted the headmaster, "Permission to apprehend the cuplrit, sir!"


"Officer Misaki, permission granted. But on one condition." he paused for a second to glance at Ayana and to take a sip of coffee, "You see, I know you haven't failed me in awhile but that mission is no excuse. I've hired a special partner for you. Allow me to introduce," the doors behind Ayana quickly opened as a young girl steps into the office. She wore a beautiful white dress. Her short brown hair elegantly reflecting the golden rays of the sun, "Arista Arokiya."


Arista smiled and cheerfully laughed, "Nice to meet you, Officer Misaki." she offered her hand to Ayana, hoping for her to shake hands.


Ayana shrugged and shook it, "And it's nice to see you too," she faintly smiled then looked at the headmaster, "Sir, why do I need a backup officer?" Ayana asked, a little bit annoyed with her fathers request to take another officer with her, "I can do this by myself, sir!"


The headmaster shook his head. He glanced at Arista then switched his view to Ayana, "Well you see Officer Misaki, Officer Arokiya is one of the special forces of the A.P.D," the headmaster cleared his throat, "Like you, Officer Misaki, Officer Arokiya has very special talents." the headmaster walked right next to Arista and took the very stylish bow from a latch on her back, "For instance, she has this. What's this called again Officer? I've seemed to lost my memory. That's what you get for being so old!" the headmaster laughed.


Arista chuckled, "Sir, that is a bow used for long range attack, sir!" she laughed a bit more.


The headmaster chuckled, "Oh yes. How could I have forgotten? You see Officer Misaki, she is an expert on long range weaponry such as this bow."


Ayana shook her head, embarrassed. She sighed and stroked several strands of her long black hair, "I guess I can't question him." she thought to herself. She sat back down on her chair, "Sir, do we have a slight clue on the whereabouts of the thief?" Ayana asked.


The headmaster walked back over to his desk and sat down on the large chair. He typed several items on the digitized computer, "Several cyphers traced the culprits location in a nearby abandoned lighthouse near the beach." the headmaster took his glasses off and smiled at Ayana, "Officer Misaki and Officer Arokiya, be careful. If you need anymore backup, just transmit an S.O.S signal and i'll send cyphers over. But I believe the two of you special officers can manage to do it by yourselves. Dismissed."


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Aidos : Sector B - Exit out of the City

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Ayana walked towards the exit of the city with Arista following her. Along the way, she murmured to herself, "I can't believe i'm stuck with this..this..poor excuse for an officer." she glanced at her side to see Arista smiling without a care in the world, "Look at her. All perky. Ha! I've seen better officers." she rolled her eyes as she neared the exit. She came to a halt and waited for Arista to walk faster, "Could you please try and catch up? We have a thief to apprehend and you're just smiling there like some lunatic." she crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the stone pavement.


Arista giggled, "I'm so terribly sorry Officer Misaki, but i'm a little slow on foot pace, you see?" Arista said in her most cheerful voice, "You know, i've always admired you since the day I became a Special Officer for the A.D.P. I believe that you surpass more officers than anyone has ever done."


Ayana rolled her eyes once more and blew a strand of her hair out of her face, "Slow..heh..I get your point." she thought to herself as she snickered, "Why thank you so much for thinking of me that way!" Arista didn't feel that sarcastic tone in Ayana's voice, "Dumbass.."


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The Outskirts of Aidos

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Ayana and Arista had walked for about 35 minutes searching for the place, but to their dismay, there was no lighthouse to be found, "Where the hell is that damned place?" she looked at the map and positioned her compass towards north, "I hate looking around for places using a compass and a map! This is suppose to be technology? Great! Now i'd bet those stupid scientist in Aidos are working on a more complicated task! THE WHEEL!" she screamed out loud, so loud enough to make an echo around the surrounding area, "Now you stupid compass! Show me where the hell i'm suppose to go!" she bashed the compass on the ground as Arista watched, slightly staying away from Ayana.


Ayana turned to look at Arista, "Make yourself useful and find us the location. I've had enough of this stupid piece of shit!" she threw the compass and the map at Arista while Ayana sat on the ground, trying to relieve her stress, "Don't just stand there like a duck! Get to work!"


Arista picked the compass and map from the ground, "Officer Misaki, the lighthouse is right there." she pointed behind the area where Ayana was sitting on, "See! It wasn't that hard to find."


Ayana, being the hot headed that she is, stood up with an angry tone in her voice, "I can't believe we wasted 35 minutes just to find that the lighthouse was behind a forest we went around in! Damn it! That stupid compass is broken!" Ayana crossed her arms, "Hmph! Let's go!"


Arista chuckled, "Yes Officer Misaki." she chuckled silently as she followed.


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Vermin Forest

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Ayana and Arista followed the straight forward path across the forest. It seemed pretty long as they were walking for about 15 minutes and still did not reach the lighthouse. Ayana, again, complained and complained while Arista did the dirty work with the compass. Ayana soon became a bit tired and stopped along the way, sitting on a mossed rock, "Let's take a break. Alright?"


Arista nodded as she sat on a different rock across from Ayana, "This forest looks so beautiful. The sunlight penetrates through the small openings left by the many different shapes of the leaves on the trees." she inhaled the air, "The air is so fresh and so crisp." Arista giggled, "Don't you like nature, Officer Misaki?"


Ayana grunted and stared at the leaves up above her head, "Whatever.." she yawned.


A slight brustling is heard from a bush behind Ayana. Ayana's quick senses made her stand up and unsheath the katana from it's sheath, "Who's there!?" Ayana demanded, gripping the katana firmly in her grasp.


Arista slowly walked towards the bush and leaned down to check, "Awww, it's just a cute little rabbit." she took the rabbit from the bush and into her hand, cuddling it's soft white fur, "No need to worry Ayana, rabbits don't bite." she giggled.


Ayana withdrew her katana back into it's sheath and shook her head, "I feel bad for the rabbit.." she looked around the surroundings, feeling that something isn't right, "Arista, do you feel that?"


Arista shook her head, "No. What is it, Officer Misaki?" the rabbit from Arista's hand jumped away and ran back into the bushes.


Ayana closed her eyes and concentrated, "The wind has shifted. Something is coming. We better go! Come on!" she grabbed Arista's hand and quickly ran as fast as they could, away from that area.


Arista panted, "Officer..Misaki..what..is..wrong?" she asked while looking back, "What is that!?"


Ayana gained more speed, "That is the spirit of the forest. I don't know why it's angry but it's better to run than to ask!" she looked back to see a rampaging vicious looking forest shaman chasing after them. It looked like a reptile like creature with several vines covering it's head and several venus flytraps around it's body, "Arista, it's catching up to us."


Arista shook her head and let go of Ayana's hand, "Go! I'll slow it down." Arista reached for the bow behind her. She then reached for an arrow behind her and carefully aimed it at the forest shaman. Ayana hadn't left but decided to stay in case she needed some more help, "Officer Misaki, I said go. If this shot misses, the shaman will rip right through us."


Ayana gritted her teeth and gripped her katana tightly, "If your shot fails, i'm going to rip that forest shaman a new ass!"


Arista's heart was pulsating faster and faster with every beat as the forest shaman draws near, "Here goes..nothing!" Arista closed her eyes as she chanted a few words from her mouth, "Heavens light..pierce darkness with your holy might!" and with that, Arista released the arrow as it sliced through the air, gathering a bright white aura. Arista turned her back, still with her eyes closed. She snaps her fingers as the arrow strikes the forest shaman, causing the forest shaman to disappear in a flashing ray of light.


Arista latched her bow back onto her back and looked at Ayana, "Let's go, Officer Misaki. We want our culprit, right?" she laughed a bit as she continued walking onwards. All Ayana could do was stand there, amazed by what Arista just did to the forest shaman..


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Mist Lighthouse

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Ayana and Arista stood in - front of the large wooden doors of the lighthouse. Ayana knew that the lighthouse was occupied by someone. She sensed life force coming from within, "He's still here. Arista, stay on your guard. He is not an ordinary cuplrit. He's fast and deadly, especially with those guns of his." she pushed the large door, the rusted hinges making an eerie sound. Everything was dark, but on each support there was a candlelight, lighting the spiral staircase that led up to the top of the Mist Lighthouse, "Follow me."


Arista nodded, "This place sure looks creepy. It gives me the chills." she comments as she follows Ayana along the spiral steps. Ayana kept a quick pace but Arista was slowing down, "Officer Misaki, slow down!"


Ayana grunted, "We can't slow down damn it! We have to apprehend the culprit right here, right now. I don't want to waste anymore time with that guy!" Ayana yelled as she kept walking upwards.


Arista looked towards the side to see red dots, as if they were staring at her, "What're those..?" she closed her eyes and gained the same pace as Ayana, "You're right, c'mon move along!"


Ayana rolled her eyes. She soon came to a halt as soon as she saw an opening on the side, "Quiet..I hear someone.." she said in a whispering voice.


"Rikyu, those A.P.D officers will try to catch you, you know that." a lady spoke in her most elegant voice, "Those blueprints, what do they hold anyway?"


Ayana leaned closer to take a small peek. There she saw the same man that stole the blueprints from Aidos and a lady standing beside him, "Hmm.." she kept silent.


Arista, "What're they talking about?" Arista asked in a quiet voice.


Ayana shook her head, "I don't know. Just keep quiet.." Ayana continued listening to the conversation.


"Relax. Those A.P.D officers are stupid." the young man with the blue hair grinned, "Except one officer who almost caught me." he chuckled, "She was quite pretty.."


Ayana gritted her teeth, "Moron.."


The lady took her cigarette and placed it in her mouth. She then blew a couple of smoke rings towards the air, "Rikyu, don't start."


Rikyu coughed and covered his mouth, "Eva! You know I don't smoke. Second hand smoking is worse! Now let me look at these blue prints in peace! If you want to learn more about these blue prints..just stay there! In that corner and wait. Alright?" Rikyu coughed and continued analyzing the blueprints.


"Hmph, whatever." Eva walked over to the corner and sat down on the chair, looking over at the large window facing the blue ocean. Ayana noticed that it was getting dark and they needed to apprehend the culprit, fast!


Ayana unsheathed her katana and nodded at Arista. She then quickly jumped inside the room with her blade pointed at both culprits, "Freeze! A.P.D Officer! You're under arrest for thievery and trying to escape the law! Put down your weapons and place your hands in the air and nobody gets hurt!" Ayana warned. Arista stood beside her with her bow and arrow ready to aim.


Rikyu glared at Ayana, "Speaking of the devil. Heh." Rikyu stroked his blue hair, "I knew you weren't going to give up. You like a chase, don't you?" Rikyu chuckled, "My, my. Who is this other pretty lady? Is she another officer? The both of you look really pretty. But.." Rikyu reached for the blue prints and threw it towards Eva, "It's too bad i'll have to scar those faces of yours!" Rikyu quickly reached for his dual magnums and fired several times at Ayana and Arista but Ayana's blade deflected most of the bullets away from the two of them, "Amazing. Do you study the arts of bushido?" Rikyu asked with a grin.


Ayana smirked, "Shut up. If you want to play.." Ayana slashed the air with her katana, "Then let's play.."


Rikyu shrugged his shoulders, "In this cramped space?" Rikyu looked through the window, "How about down there?"


Ayana grinned, "Fine with me." Ayana dashed over to the window and quickly jumped through it and as did Rikyu. Ayana managed to slow herself down by striking the outerwalls of the lighthouse with her katana. Rikyu landed swiftly like a cat on both feet.


Arista yelled from above, "Be careful Officer Misaki!"


TO BE CONTINUED..


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Next Chapter : Chapter III - Bring it on! The blueprints secrets are revealed.