AN: All righty, then. Here is the first official chapter of my story. I do hope you like it. I worked hard on it. I really did. My wrists and fingers are like, cramping up and not moving properly.
All: O_O
Now, we enter the realm of original characters thought up by me. These character belong to me, especially since some of them are based upon and/or named after characters from a completely original story that I began writing a few months ago that I kind of have big plans for. I'm really bad at coming up with names, so I just re-used a few. :P
And I was asked whether or not Sin destroyed the dream Zanarkand in the beginning of FFX. Well, he attacked it, but whether or not the entire city was all-out destroyed is beyond me. But, just hold your chocobos, it'll all be explained.
Special thanks to Ashì for telling me whether or not this sucked. And no, I AM NOT TELLING YOU THE PLOT! You'll find out like the rest of the world in time. ^_~
And one more thing. I'm currently a college student and I'm in the process of moving into an apartment, so, it may be a while before I update again. But I will! Oh yes, I will.
Disclaimer: Considering that you are taking time out of your life to read an FFX fic, I'm assuming that you must be at least (or maybe even more) as obsessed with FFX as I am. I also assume that you yourself shall know the difference between which characters are mine and which characters belong to Squenix.
Now read on, and enjoy.
CHAPTER ONE
"Lum-dee-da-dum. Lum-dee-da-dum. Dum-da-da-dee-dum. Dee-dum," echoed the voice of a woman standing in front of a bathroom mirror.
She reached up and wiped her hands upon a towel, then turned to her reflection and straightened out her auburn-streaked dark brown hair. It was pulled back out of her face by a thick, brown headband, but it fell loosely down the back and upper sides of her head. She admired her attire; a dark green shirt with quarter-length sleeves, and a black skirt that hung down to her knees. She normally didn't dress like this unless it was for such things as meetings or special events.
But today she had a meeting with her superior. She was to be given a new assignment, though she didn't know where. All she knew was that it was to one of the mortal worlds, and she desperately hoped that it wasn't to Earth, again.
The clothes she wore and the business atmosphere of the building in which she was in was greatly influenced by those of Earth. Apparently her people had taken a liking to the way the Earthlings did business, and were not too proud to admit to being influenced by mortals.
"Aegis!" chimed a brown hared woman walking in through the door.
"Anonym! Hi!" Aegis replied.
"Ready for your new assignment?"
Aegis laughed. "Yeah, I just hope that it's not to Earth again. Or Zarkonia. I'm so sick of dealing with that whole situation."
"I think we all are," Anonym giggled, heading into one of the stalls.
Both women thought back to what was (and still is) referred to as the "Earth/Zarkonia" incident. The people of Zarkonia had discovered a way to travel from one world to another using what they referred to as "space ships." The first inhabited world they came upon was Earth. Being the overly curious creatures that they are, the Zarkonians had begun abducting people from Earth in order to find out more about them.
"But perhaps the council will take pity upon me and give me an assignment more worthy of my skills. After all I've accomplished, and now that my early retirement is set in stone…"
"Don't worry, you're not being sent to Earth or Zarkonia," Anonym interrupted, emerging from the stall and heading over to the sink.
"You know something, don't you?" Aegis asked with a smile.
Anonym merely smirked back, shaking water from her hands. "Well, I am Commander Nilrem's secretary…"
Aegis shook her head. Anonym seemed to always have the desire to share what she knew with anyone and everyone first, even if she knew that they'd find out later. It made her feel important and smart. Although she was very good at keeping her tongue and would never let anything slip if one was not supposed to know yet or at all. But Anonym knew that Aegis could know, and hence wished to share.
"What is it, then?" Aegis persisted.
"I am not at liberty to say," Anonym replied smoothly, wiping her hands upon a towel.
Aegis let out a sigh and returned to her reflection.
"But one question though, Aegis. Are you familiar with the world known as Spira?"
Aegis froze in her spot. "Spira?"
"Yes, Spira."
"I'm very familiar with it," Aegis turned her head to look at the other woman. "What are you playing at?"
"Oh…nothing. Now come. It's time for you to take orders from your lap dog."
Aegis let out another sigh. Why did people keep referring to him like that?
Anonym hadn't said much, but it was enough for anyone to have guessed that she already knew all the details about Aegis' assignment. Aegis turned and followed her out the door.
"You should really watch your tongue, Anonym. He's your boss."
"Well, I'm not on a first name bases with him like you are, so, eh," Anonym shrugged.
The two made their way up a couple flights of stairs and down a hallway. Anonym strode through a door and into a large office area filled with desks. She then made her way to the back of the room and knocked on a door.
"Come in!" came a man's voice from behind it.
Anonym opened the door and a peered in. "Sir, Agent Nentik is here to see you."
"Ah," a man with curly gray hair replied, standing up. "Send her in!"
Anonym opened the door wider and stood against it, making room for Aegis to enter. She then exited and closed the door behind her.
"Caleb," Aegis began, but she got cut off.
"Agent Nentik, please have a seat," he said casually, darting his eyes at one of the two chairs sitting in front of his desk. Aegis followed his gaze and discovered, to her surprise, someone sitting there. She had not noticed them when she came in the door, and quickly nodded her understanding. Luckily, this person had been too engrossed in a file sitting upon their lap to have noticed the exchange.
"I do believe you know Agent Clerk Penman from previous assignments, am I correct?" Caleb continued on in his most business-like manner.
The young man sitting in the chair reading over the file looked up at the mention of his name.
"Ah, Nentik," said Clerk, closing the file and setting it upon the desk so as to be able to stand and shake her hand, "It's good to see you again."
"Like wise, Penman," she replied with a smile, shaking his hand and then taking her seat.
"Good, I'm glad. Now, on to the matters at hand, if you will." spoke Caleb.
Agent Penman took the file off of the desk and handed it to Aegis. She flipped it open and began to scan over the contents as Commander Nilrem began to explain their mission.
"For this mission, if you choose to except it, you shall be traveling to the world of Spira. Now, Agent Penman I know is not very familiar with this world. But Agent Nentik, I understand you are?"
"I spent some time there studying fiends for my final grade at the academy, sir," Aegis replied.
"Good, good. It is precisely that work that makes you most qualified for this mission, Nentik. Now, the situation we have on our hands here is very delicate. Very delicate indeed."
Aegis scanned over the contents of the file. I held description of the peoples of this world, important historical events and a few random facts that it wouldn't hurt knowing.
"Reports indicate that someone there is illegally using dead energy. There are accusations that whomever it may be has also found a way to release mortems and bring them to that world."
Both Aegis' and Clerk's mouths dropped open.
"Mortems, sir?" Clerk asked.
"I had heard rumors that a few of them were unaccounted for. Does the council think that perhaps this is where they went?" Aegis said.
"That is what you need to find out. This is no more than a re-con mission. Agent Nentik, you shall be our investigator, and Agent Penman, you shall be her contact."
"Now, you are both familiar with the Dream of the Fayth?"
"I've done my research and read up on it, sir," Clerk replied.
"That…isn't that the sort of…alternate world that the fayth created based upon their memories of a city destroyed a thousand years ago, their time?" Aegis wondered.
"Yes. It has been asked that you check up upon that world, too, for it is feared that whomever may be bringing mortems to Spira could possibly find a way to use the inhabitants of the Dream World."
Aegis was bewildered at these words. "Commander, could the souls of those people really be that strong?"
"Not strong," said Caleb, "But…unique."
"I do suppose they would be quite different from the souls of the people who live in the real world. Especially the dreams that actually did travel from one world to the other."
"Yes. Luckily, though, there were only two of them, one of which is dead."
"But, sir, how could someone possibly be able to get to them? They no longer exist within the real world, they exist within the farplane."
"That, is another matter that needs to be addressed. For now the two of you shall prepare for your mission, and do your research. Don't let that file out of your site, for it contains much of what you need to know. You shall be briefed and given final instructions and classified information at a later date. Any questions?"
Aegis and Clerk both shook their heads.
"Very good, you are dismissed," Caleb concluded, picking up some papers upon his desk and shuffling them.
The two agents rose from the seat, each wished Commander Caleb Nilrem a good day, and then proceeded out through the office door.
Aegis flipped through the folder as she headed down the hallway, barely paying attention to Clerk walking and talking beside her.
"This is odd, indeed. I mean, I've heard about the strange things that happen on Spira, but this…this is going to be the most unique mission I've ever been on."
"You have no idea," Aegis replied absentmindedly.
"I don't, do I, Nentik?"
"I've spent time there, remember? I've always wanted to go back there on a mission. But unfortunately, nothing has ever happened there that really required my talents, so I've never been back."
Clerk laughed. "You really do think very highly of yourself, don't you?"
"I only speak the truth, Penman," she retorted.
"Okay, sorry," he laughed again. Then his tone turned serious. "Why do you suppose the council would be paranoid that someone would get their hands on the people of the dreamworld? I mean, they're in the farplane now, where no one could get to them. At least, not without being caught."
Aegis stopped abruptly, for a thought had just entered her head. "Oh, I do believe it's possible."
"How?"
Aegis paid no attention to his question. "So, I guess my research project on fiends was just a cover, for now. That's not really why they've assigned this mission to me."
"What are you…"
"All I can say for certain at this point is this, Penman," she spoke in a hushed voice, a hint of urgency and uneasiness in her voice, "We can't screw this up. Otherwise, we may all very well be screwed."
Clerk just stood there and blinked at her, unsure of what to say.
********
At around the same time as Aegis and Clerk's conversation, a locker room sat quiet and alone. It was empty of people. A few miscellaneous clothing items sat draped over benches, and there was a slight, high-pitched buzzing noise that one hears when in total silence.
But silence would not last long. There came the sound of voices from out in the hallway. People were chanting and singing happily. The voices grew louder and louder as the people approached. Then suddenly, the door to the locker room burst open, and in walked a group of about nine people, all soaking wet and dripping upon the floor. Each wore a uniform, which consisted of black pants and a yellow top, and a smile upon their face.
"Let's hear it, let's cheer it, let's hear it for our heroes! Let's hear it for the team from A-East!"
Then a woman with braided hair an unnatural shade of red stopped and posed into various different cheer poses, shouting, "Rah, rah, rah!" at the top of her lungs. Everyone broke into laughter at the sight of her antics.
"Yeah Missy, shake it!" cheered a man with jet-black hair.
The woman laughed and proceeded to dance a dance that she made up as she went along.
The door opened again and two men came walking in. One was dressed in black slacks with a loose, yellow collared shirt tucked in. He carried a clipboard and wore a hat upon his head. The other man was very much dressed to impress; he wore black pants and a black jacket with a white shirt on underneath.
"Way to go Abes! This is the kind of stuff that I like to see!" chimed the man dressed in black.
"What, do we ever show you anything else?" asked a brown hared man taking a towel out of his locker.
"No, fortunately you don't, Culpepper. Nice tackle in the second half, by the way. We might have lost."
"Careful what you say to Danny, there, sir, I think his head's already big enough," said Missy. Danny retorted by whipping his towel at her.
The man in the suit laughed. "Now, where's my star player?"
"Yo, Tidus!" yelled Missy.
"Uh…yeah?" he replied, leaning his head back so as to be able to peer around his locker door.
"There you are!" the man beamed, placing an arm around his shoulder, then frowning and removing it when he realized Tidus was still soaking wet. "That shot you made in overtime, that was beautiful, absolutely beautiful!"
"Thanks, Mr. Combs."
"Fred, Fred, call me Fred!"
"Roger," Tidus replied.
"Great job, today, Abes," Mr. Combs continued heading for the door. "I couldn't have asked for a better performance my first season as your owner. Everyone…I'd say a celebration's in order. Your usual victory spot at about nine-ish? I'll buy. See ya then!" and with that, Fred Combs was out the door.
"You know, I think he's a much better owner than our last one, " said Missy.
Then man who had come in with Mr. Combs then stepped forward, clapping his hands.
"All right, you heard 'im. Great job tonight guys, but don't think I'm going easy on you. Back at practice bright and early Monday morning. Not let's get cleaned up and head outta here, shall we?"
"I hear ya, Coach, I'm ready to party!" said Danny, heading towards the showers. He wasn't fast enough, though.
"Ladies fist!" cried Missy, running in first and closing the door and locking it.
"Hey, Missy! What gives!"
"You're just much too slow, Danny!"
Laughing, the coach walked over towards the middle of the room. "Tidus."
"Yeah, Coach?"
"Come see me in my office before you leave, will ya?"
"What about?"
"I need to talk to you."
"Sure thing."
"Great. See you guys later," and with that, he, too, headed out the door.
"What do you suppose he wants?" asked an olive-skinned man standing next to him.
"I dunno, Al" Tidus replied.
"I do," said the man with jet-black hair. "He's probably gonna give you a good kick in the butt for being so damned mopey lately."
"What?"
"It's true man, don't think we haven't noticed," said Al.
"I don't know what you guys are talking about," replied Tidus, taking a swig from a water bottle in his locker.
"You are in denial my friend," said the black hared man.
"Right, Don, I'm in denial," Tidus said sarcastically.
Don put his arm around Tidus' shoulder, "But not worries, I know exactly what'll cure you."
"Oh, you do?" Tidus took another swig of water.
"Yes, you need to get laid, my friend."
Tidus nearly spit out his water at these words. "I need to what?"
"Yes! Come on! You are the best player on this team, you can take your pick of any chic in the city!"
"Oh, is the famous Don, womanizer extrordinaire, complimenting me?"
"Hey, I'm just being honest. Me, I gotta work at it, but you, you got it."
Tidus laughed. "Right."
"He's right, you know," added Danny.
"Even I may have to agree," Missy's voice echoed from the shower area.
"Hey, there's Missy, she's free."
This time Missy laughed. "Sorry, I spend way too much time with the lot of you to be able to date either of you. I know what goes on inside your sick little minds."
"Whatever, you guys," Tidus shook his head and turned back to his locker.
Soon Missy was done in the showers allowing all the guys on the team (which consisted of the other eight) to take their turn. Each got cleaned up and dressed and one by one headed out of the locker room.
"Well, I'd best go see Coach, now. Catch you later," said Tidus.
"Nine o'clock sharp! You'd better be there!" said Missy.
"Yeah, we know where you sleep at night! We'll come abduct you!" added Danny.
"What if I told you I slept naked?" Tidus asked with a smirk.
"Ah, business suit, party suit, birthday suit, they're all the same!" Don yelled back.
"See ya," Tidus waved and walked off. He headed down the hallway and down a flight of stairs to where the offices were kept. The sound of his boots upon the floor echoed as he went.
"Excuse me," came a voice from somewhere behind him.
Tidus turned around to see a woman standing behind him. She had black hair, hazel eyes, and almost unnaturally pale skin. He raised his eyebrows at her and asked, "How'd you get down here?"
The woman didn't answer. She spoke in an overly excited manner. "Oh! I knew it had to be you when I saw you playing blitzball, but my husband told me that there's no way it could have been!"
"What are you talking about?"
The woman continued on. "But, I told him, 'I don't forget faces.' And I new that I just had to come and ask you because I figured that maybe you had gotten stuck here, too, like my husband and I were when our ship was attacked out on the ocean…"
"I don't think you're supposed to be down here."
"…Even though I knew you wouldn't remember me. We were never introduced, I just saw you from afar. I saw all of you, and I made a point remember each and ever one of your faces. Oh, this is a blessing, indeed!"
"Listen, you are not supposed to be down here. Why don't you just head up those stairs, take a left, and exit through the doors," Tidus tried to explain.
"Leave? Why would I leave now! I haven't asked you my question yet!"
"I…have somewhere to be right now. How about you ask me later?" Tidus spoke uneasily. He turned around and began to walk away, slowly at first, wondering where a security guard was when you needed one.
"Oh praise be to Yevon!" the woman said absentmindedly to herself, still sounding overly-excited.
Tidus froze in his spot. He slowly turned around and looked at the woman in awe. "What did you just say?"
"Answer my question first."
"What is it?"
"Are you, or are you not, one of Lady Summoner Yuna's guardians?"
Tidus tried to give an answer, but his voice got stuck in his throat. All he could do was just stand there staring at the woman, wide-eyed and open mouthed.