No more chapters until I get more reviews, so there. XP
. . .but the reviews I ihave/i gotten are very encouraging =3
Disclaimer: Now really people, if I owned FFTA would I be sitting around here writing fanfics? No. I'd be out doing something with the billions of dollars I would have! -_-
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At the single word, the whole clan shifted into battle positions, readying out weapons with a fierce glint in their eyes. With a whoosh of displaced air, a tiny whirring robot popped into existence some ten feet in the air. "Today's laws forbid use of bows," it announced in a mechanical monotone. The archer, Rei, grimaced and stepped aside, unable to participate in the battle without a weapon. "Begin!"
Ayame glanced down at her weapon. A white band encircled the top of the staff, while halfway down was a keypad with multiple unlabeled buttons on it. Liam glanced back and heaved an exasperated sigh. "I can't battle and instruct her at the same time," he muttered under his breath. "Rei, help her out!" Ayame dropped her gaze to the floor, embarrassed.
Rei moved to her side and took the staff into her own hands. "The plain white band tells you that this is currently a White Staff," she explained. "When you acquire new upgrades, you can change it to different staff types to learn new abilities. Right now, since the only ability you know is Cure, only one button is available on the keypad." She pointed to the green button. "See how the rest of them are red? When you learn those abilities, they'll turn green and you'll be able to use them.
"When it's your turn, use your computer to check the stats of the rest of the clan. Select a name from the list that has taken the most damage and hit the button on the staff to Cure them. White Mages are probably the most valuable assets to the party, so make sure you help the clan out as much as you can. Got all that?"
Ayame nodded, hoping she could remember it all. She turned her attention to the battle against the two monsters. A Moogle named Kethburr was currently taking his turn. He sprinted nimbly around behind the monster, lifted his gun, aimed, and shot. The bullet took the creature straight into the back, accompanied by a howl of pain. Oddly enough, as Ayame looked on, there was no blood and no gaping wound. The monster's hit points on her computer screen scrolled down to a mere 20.
Suddenly a tiny red sword icon appeared in the top corner of the screen. It was her turn. Taking a deep breath, she scrolled through the list of names and selected that of Peyo, the Summoner. Aiming the staff directly at the kneeling Viera, she hit the button. A white light sprouted from the tip and vanished into the Summoner's skin, bringing Peyo back to her feet and her HP back to 50.
"Good job," Rei murmured, her eyes reflecting the bolt of lightning that now played between Peyo's fingers. It leapt off and struck the monster squarely between the eyes, reducing it to a heap of charred bones. Liam let out a whoop of excitement, clearly enjoying the battle. It was only a matter of minutes before the second creature was likewise demolished.
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot deposited a clanking sack into Liam's outstretched hands and vanished.
Liam tucked the money into his pack, grinning broadly. "5,000 gil goes a long way. Good fight, everyone-including Ayame." Her cheeks flushed again, but this time with pleasure.
The passage ended only a short distance ahead. Liam halted before a small, unobtrusive door set in the wall and heaved it open with his shoulder. The clan stepped outside into the dank air outside.
Ayame turned her face to the smog-polluted sky, unspeakably thankful to feel fresh air once again, even if it was filled with toxic gas. Suddenly she felt a sharp sting on her arm and a drop of water rolling down her skin. "Acid rain," Liam answered the unvoiced question. "Another nasty side effect of the fumes the palace's factories emit. It's already made Malboros extinct, which is useful for us travelers but it also proves how harmful it is." He shook his head, spraying beads of water from his hair.
"What do they make in those factories that cause so much pollution?" Ayame ventured tentatively.
Liam shot her a startled look, then shook his head. "I forgot that they wiped your memory. They're creating a new fighting force, all mechanized and programmed to defeat even a Totema. Nobody knows what they have that's so important that's worth defending like that." As she watched his eyes, she saw something odd and unnamable stir within their depths, the same thing she'd seen when he'd freed her-was it really only a few hours ago? It seemed like days.
"We'll find a pub, and then we'll talk," he announced abruptly. "Eat a good meal, get someplace to sleep, maybe pick up a few more missions. We're running low on gil."
It was a sensible enough plan, and the clan had no objections. Ayame could almost feel the acid rain eating away her skin, along with the rapidly increasing gale, but she made no more complaint of it than her companions. She was glad when they reached the small, decrepit building that Liam claimed to be a pub and could get in out of the elements.
Disclaimer: Now really people, if I owned FFTA would I be sitting around here writing fanfics? No. I'd be out doing something with the billions of dollars I would have! -_-
-
At the single word, the whole clan shifted into battle positions, readying out weapons with a fierce glint in their eyes. With a whoosh of displaced air, a tiny whirring robot popped into existence some ten feet in the air. "Today's laws forbid use of bows," it announced in a mechanical monotone. The archer, Rei, grimaced and stepped aside, unable to participate in the battle without a weapon. "Begin!"
Ayame glanced down at her weapon. A white band encircled the top of the staff, while halfway down was a keypad with multiple unlabeled buttons on it. Liam glanced back and heaved an exasperated sigh. "I can't battle and instruct her at the same time," he muttered under his breath. "Rei, help her out!" Ayame dropped her gaze to the floor, embarrassed.
Rei moved to her side and took the staff into her own hands. "The plain white band tells you that this is currently a White Staff," she explained. "When you acquire new upgrades, you can change it to different staff types to learn new abilities. Right now, since the only ability you know is Cure, only one button is available on the keypad." She pointed to the green button. "See how the rest of them are red? When you learn those abilities, they'll turn green and you'll be able to use them.
"When it's your turn, use your computer to check the stats of the rest of the clan. Select a name from the list that has taken the most damage and hit the button on the staff to Cure them. White Mages are probably the most valuable assets to the party, so make sure you help the clan out as much as you can. Got all that?"
Ayame nodded, hoping she could remember it all. She turned her attention to the battle against the two monsters. A Moogle named Kethburr was currently taking his turn. He sprinted nimbly around behind the monster, lifted his gun, aimed, and shot. The bullet took the creature straight into the back, accompanied by a howl of pain. Oddly enough, as Ayame looked on, there was no blood and no gaping wound. The monster's hit points on her computer screen scrolled down to a mere 20.
Suddenly a tiny red sword icon appeared in the top corner of the screen. It was her turn. Taking a deep breath, she scrolled through the list of names and selected that of Peyo, the Summoner. Aiming the staff directly at the kneeling Viera, she hit the button. A white light sprouted from the tip and vanished into the Summoner's skin, bringing Peyo back to her feet and her HP back to 50.
"Good job," Rei murmured, her eyes reflecting the bolt of lightning that now played between Peyo's fingers. It leapt off and struck the monster squarely between the eyes, reducing it to a heap of charred bones. Liam let out a whoop of excitement, clearly enjoying the battle. It was only a matter of minutes before the second creature was likewise demolished.
"Battle goes to Clan Tjavo!" The robot deposited a clanking sack into Liam's outstretched hands and vanished.
Liam tucked the money into his pack, grinning broadly. "5,000 gil goes a long way. Good fight, everyone-including Ayame." Her cheeks flushed again, but this time with pleasure.
The passage ended only a short distance ahead. Liam halted before a small, unobtrusive door set in the wall and heaved it open with his shoulder. The clan stepped outside into the dank air outside.
Ayame turned her face to the smog-polluted sky, unspeakably thankful to feel fresh air once again, even if it was filled with toxic gas. Suddenly she felt a sharp sting on her arm and a drop of water rolling down her skin. "Acid rain," Liam answered the unvoiced question. "Another nasty side effect of the fumes the palace's factories emit. It's already made Malboros extinct, which is useful for us travelers but it also proves how harmful it is." He shook his head, spraying beads of water from his hair.
"What do they make in those factories that cause so much pollution?" Ayame ventured tentatively.
Liam shot her a startled look, then shook his head. "I forgot that they wiped your memory. They're creating a new fighting force, all mechanized and programmed to defeat even a Totema. Nobody knows what they have that's so important that's worth defending like that." As she watched his eyes, she saw something odd and unnamable stir within their depths, the same thing she'd seen when he'd freed her-was it really only a few hours ago? It seemed like days.
"We'll find a pub, and then we'll talk," he announced abruptly. "Eat a good meal, get someplace to sleep, maybe pick up a few more missions. We're running low on gil."
It was a sensible enough plan, and the clan had no objections. Ayame could almost feel the acid rain eating away her skin, along with the rapidly increasing gale, but she made no more complaint of it than her companions. She was glad when they reached the small, decrepit building that Liam claimed to be a pub and could get in out of the elements.