THE official adaptation of the FF6 video game!=) Celes, Setzer, & Cyan travel to the Veldt to find Gau. Along the way they run into an evil traveling sideshow, & a certain ninja from their past.
Forever & Always
Author: Furysetzer
Disclaimer: Steps to disclaim a copyrighted story: 1) "I don't own the Final Fantasy characters." 2) "I am making no money off this. It's just for fun." 3) Make stupid joke.
Note: I don't like how fanfiction.net loads their pages, especially stories with many chapters. So what I'm going to do is post the newest chapters FIRST in the list, that way, all's you need is 1 click & then you're there! I hope you enjoy my story.
Ch. 13—"It's A Jungle"
The day's weather boiled with heat from the flash rains. It was steamy & sticky in the open savannah. The relentless sunlight left nothing in shadow. The peacefulness is intense, as if chaos would erupt any moment. The silence is broken by a loud chopping noise, followed by a huge, continuous blast of wind.
The airship descended near a singular mountain. It was only 1 of 2 on this continent. The rest of the Crescent Mountains have fallen. It touches down heavily upon the ground. Afterward, 2 occupants step out. One is a young woman, an attractive type with long blond hair. The other is an aging man near 50 years, a knight wearing battered old armor, sporting a ponytail for his long & thin black hair.
They turn back to the craft, looking at the man in the long & heavy overcoat. Standing upon deck, he says to them, "I'll wait on top of thiz mountain for you. When you zignal, I'll come."
The 2 nod. They knew that Setzer wouldn't want anything else unexpected to happen in this post-apocalyptic world. That was okay. He could brood while they searched for Gau. He had run into Cyan while in Maranda. Gau returned to the Veldt, to become stronger to face Kefka. Whatever that meant.
They watched the airship arise up, maneuvering atop the mountain out of sight. Next, they started walking along the coast, the sun to their backs.
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Onward, the train of wagons trudged. Through the mud & rivers, past the forests. Eventually, the caravan drops its load near the shore of the sea. The 2-dozen or so travelers are instantly at work. The rugged, mean-looking men sprang from the wagons. Unlatching crates, tying up the pack animals, they are busy setting up the attraction.
The reason: wealth to be made. Less than a mile from the location, a temporary village has been erected. It was a boon town that had no name. The hunters & traders needed some place to barter goods, obtain food & rest, & buy weapons. The sideshow was no different.
Workers placed a huge sign, which said it all. This was Bartlowe's Sideshow of Terrifying & Exotic Veldt Beasts.
Cyan & Celes hid behind the natural rock structure, observing them. Cyan was wary of them, keeping their distance. Celes didn't know what to think of them. They weren't exactly what you'd call "just part of the scenery." The 11-year-old boy that was suddenly by their side says, "That good. Stay away. You no want to get hurt."
Celes jumps in surprise as Cyan whirls around, his sword already drawn. The boy leaps back. "Yeow! Watch that pointy thing, Mr. Thou!"
"Gau!" exclaims Celes, embracing him.
Cyan withdraws his weapon. "Dost thee always make a grand entrance?"
It was Gau, all right. One year's passage hadn't changed him that much. He still wore an apparel of monster hides. Gau hadn't grown that much. He was still a skinny & lanky kid. The 1 exception was his eyes. They looked older, more knowledgeable. "Ev'ry time," he says. "Gau startin' to think nobody'd come."
"What'cha mean?" Celes asks.
"Tha prophecy," he recants.
"Thou didst not mention thou knew of it when we bumped into each other in Maranda."
"Gau didn't. Veldt beasts told Gau. That not all Gau learn of." He returns to looking at the group of men. "They bad men. They come, scare animals. They capture Gau friends; make them live in smelly cages. Gau been watching. Waiting."
Cyan & Celes look to each other. "Thou art planning something?"
"Yes," Gau returns, starting to walk away. "Come. Gau take you to new 'secret-hiding-place'."
Apprehensively, the 2 follow him. They all go around the camp, to the right—eastward. They come to another mountain. This 1 is huge. It towers above the horizon, like a monolithic dragon. The mountain didn't used to be there. It was a result of an arcane decimation.
Gau pulls back a small doorway of brush & vines to reveal a cave. He steps inside. They follow.
It was extremely dark in there. It smelled heavily of rock & earth, also. Gau speaks in a babble, lastly saying, "Elven Fire!!"
A circle of flames appear around Gau. The bluish pillars arise up to the ceiling above. They circle silently there, casting its glow about the cavern.
"You know magic!?" exclaims Celes.
Gau explains, "When world came undone, ancient forms a magic got release. One a them was monster magic. I, Gau, can tap into power, now."
"'Tis quite a story," Cyan says. "Why hast thou brought us here?"
The cavern branched into several other passages. Gau starts to walk down 1 of them, the floating light following him. "Come. Sooomebody's gonna be happy to see you."
They follow him, not wanting to be left behind. They walk down a few dozen yards to the end of the passage. They turn a corner into the crevice of a concealed room.
Cyan & Celes hadn't heard the low, menacing growl of the dog until they stepped into the cave. From the corner, a black-clothed man stands up. Upon recognizing them, the dog ceases its warning & sits down, looking brightly at them. Because of the shadows, the 2 newcomers notice the man only when he asks, "Did you… find it, Gau…?"
Celes exclaims, "Shadow!" rushing over to him.
Leaning upon the wall, he holds out his hand, belaying her. "Stay back. I'm contagious."
Only when Gau walks over, did they see his condition. Shadow's plain, black ninja gear had several large rips in it. Across his chest was a picture of a wound. It looked like a huge claw had raked itself across the width of his chest. His flesh was mangled as well.
Cyan asks, "What hast happened to thee?"
"Gau find him in these caves," replies Gau. "Hurt bad. He got into a fight with a Sr. Behemoth. They giant, scary monsters."
Celes sighs. "Shadow, must you always take such risks? And for what, a recluse monster that just wants to be left alone?"
"Thou didst say thee wert planning something, Sir Gau?" asks Cyan.
"Yes," he says. "Those men, they have live unicorn. Just about only 1 left. Gau need a piece of horn."
Cyan mulls, "'Tis true that a unicorn's horn ist able to cure any disease. How'rt thou going to sneak in there?"
Gau was about to answer his question when he hears a noise. He runs back the way he came, snapping his fingers. The light paffs out, removing the glowing brightness. Only the meager light of the torch lit the room. Celes & Cyan go after him. After a moment, Shadow laboriously follows, using the wall for support.
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Wayne Bartlowe grinned wickedly, as he rode his Vomammoth creature. It was a huge animal, which resembled a small hairy elephant, from a distant land. Also about the only tamed monster strong enough to support his massive weight. Soon, the Behemoth would be his. Of course, he hadn't seen it up close. He only knew he wanted it. Bartlowe hadn't gotten where he was by being softhearted. Nothing compared to his greed.
Ruthlessly shouting orders to his men, he yells, "Lasso that rope around his neck! Get those tranquilizers NOW!"
A few moments ago, they had thrown lit bales of hay into the mouth of the black cave. The wall of flames soon drove the creature out of hiding. The Behemoth came out, snarling rage. It was large, far more so then at first thought. It stood tall as the mouth of the cave, which was at least 20 feet.
The monster has almost succumbed. His men have it tied down with stakes to the ground, & the creature only manages to struggle uselessly against the ropes.
Then he saw him. The kid came running from around the other side of the mountain. In but 1 moment, he had closed the gap between the group.
Bartlowe had tried to shout out, "It's the Wild Child!" Though by the time the idiots comprehended, it was too late. Several were caught by surprise, getting beat down.
A separate group tried jumping him from the side. Gau saw this & lashes out his hand, shouting, "Mega-zerk!" a large field of electricity crackles through the air. The men fall down, too stunned to move.
Now, a woman & man enter the fray. He uses sword & she wields spell to incapacitate all who get too close. Slowly, they fight their way to the Behemoth.
The black-mustached man still attacks while the woman does a strange thing. She places both palms upon the beast's head. A white light shines from them for a moment.
After that, the creature seems revitalized. It thrashes against the vines with renewed vigor. The woman then weakly slashes through the ropes, freeing it.
The monster towers above them all. The remaining men either run away or are slaughtered as it advances toward Bartlowe.
He pulls the reins to the frightened Vomammoth hard. It obliges by running away. The Behemoth follows him & they soon disappear out of sight.
Cyan helps Celes stand up. The battle has ended. The enemies are more or less gone. "Thy magic skill ist becoming harder to summon, yes?"
Celes nods her head. "Did Gau get away?"
Cyan says, "Yes. Now let us make haste, for we must catch up to the others."
____________
Celes & Cyan followed Gau's directions, arriving at Bartlowe's camp. They saw the few guards left behind frozen in a magical state, much like Gestahl's magic. Bright spheres of sparkling light clung to their chests, immobilizing them.
Suddenly, Gau comes running out 1 of the tents. In his arms, he carried what looked to be a baby horse. Its color was pure white, smudged with spots of dirt. It was a unicorn, alright. From its forehead petruded a small, pointed horn.
Celes rushes over to them. The unicorn looked scared, & bucked in Gau's arms. "Oooh… it's cute…" she cooes, softly stroking its head.
"Hurry up & call Setzer," Gau interrupts. "Magic take a lot energy to hold them in place."
"Right," she says, extending her hand upward. To the dark, overcast sky, Celes shoots a beam of magical energy. Like a firework, it rises up, exploding in a dozen different colors that could be seen for miles.
A few uneventful moments pass until they see the airship. It drifts in slowly, searching for them.
A huge racket comes from the camp of wagons. Wayne Bartlowe bashes through into the clearing. He was a sweaty mess, his clothes in tatters & shoes worn through. In his hands he carried what appeared to be a long & crude metal stick. "My unicorn!" he hoarsely shouts.
Gau hands the magical animal over to Cyan. "That I did! You greedy man. Capture Veldt beasts & put them on for show! When Gau come back, shut you down for good!"
"You'll never get the chance," he spits. He then raises the bronze stick, pointing it at them. It is like a hollow
tube. "I been itching to try this thing out." He then pulls a trigger on the bottom, & a thunderous boom resounds. At the same time, it kicks in his hands, sending Bartlowe backwards on his rear. A black smoke accompanies it, billowing out of the hot barrel.
Gau stands with his arm held out. A few inches from it, suspended in the air, was a black ball about the size of a thumb. With his other hand, he reaches out & plucks it into his palm. "What this?" he asks, tossing it to the ground. "You think that 'teknology'? It nothing but club, now."
"I just don't get it," he says miserably, shaking his head. "The cloaked man promised that it would become a weapon of great power…"
During all this, the airship has stopped above their location. It had dropped down a sturdy ladder, from which Cyan & Celes were carefully climbing up. Now, Gau hops on. "That not your problem now. Gau hear Sr. Behemoth coming back."
Bartlowe shoots back up, discarding the useless pipe. "At least free my men!" he agonizingly wails.
Gau obliges by waving his hand as the airship starts to pull away. The bluish film disappears, & they come alive again. That's when the monster storms into the camp.
Gau was not happy with the carnage below. Those bad men didn't matter, but if their fighting were to occupy the circle of wagons with caged animals… "If they survive… Gau come back. Rescue all Veldt beasts…" The young man looks up. The others were safely up on the deck. He starts climbing, to join them.