(A/N: This is a story I wrote based on a dream I had. I don't expect anyone to like it, I just thought I'd post it since it's been sitting there in my floppy disc, just waiting to be uploaded. So . . . yeah. I don't really play the game too much. None of the things here have to do with what I've actually experienced in the game. Anyway, I've wasted enough of your time. Enjoy!)

When I think back to time that this whole event happened, it's still really hard to believe that it all actually took place. It was just a video game, but then it became much more. I'll tell you the whole story about Final Fantasy XI.

I was at school with my friends. We were going to go on a 8th grade field trip to the Wrigley gum factory in Chicago. I was excited of course, because all the time that I've lived here, I've never gotten to see he world's biggest piece of gum.

"Hey Jena, what's up?" asked a familiar voice. It was my best guy friend Steve.

"I'm all right, how about you?" I asked him.

"I'm excited of course, you know how much I love gum. I heard we're gonna get free samples." Said Steve.

Then the bus pulled up and everyone started shoving their way to the back. I always sat in the front because it was less likely that something would be thrown at me. My friend Becky sat next to me in the window seat and I sat in the aisle seat. Steve sat across from us.

"Oh boy, this is the field trip that everyone's been talking about all year." Said Becky. "I hope it's as good as they said it would be."

"I know." I said. "It would be disappointing if it was all boring stuff."

As we sat in the bus, a big thunderstorm cloud came and it started to rain.

"Well, at least we're going to be inside a building." Steve said hopefully.

But this was no ordinary rainstorm. It was a storm that would change my life.

The bus started to shake. Everyone looked out their windows and screamed. Our bus was somehow floating in water! The bus driver fainted and one of the teachers went to find out what was wrong and he fainted too. All of the adults on the bus were unconscious.

Everyone started panicking. We were all scared that our bus would be in the middle of an ocean. Becky, Steve, and I tried to stay calm.

"Hey, look!" someone shouted.

Everyone turned their attention to the left side out the windows. We saw a small island. Arturo, one of the boys sitting in the back, bravely went to the front of the bus and got in the driver's seat.

"Don't worry people!" he shouted. "I'll drive us to that island!"

Everyone started laughing hysterically. Arturo always knew how to make a bad situation seem funny. But he didn't even have to drive, because a current swept us toward the island.

We all got off the bus and stood on a beach. There was a big castle in the middle of the island. We had no where else to go, so we headed for the castle.

There was a big wooden door. As we were approaching it, the door opened. Inside, was a man with pointy ears, and he was wearing a black suit. His hair was black and pulled into a neat ponytail.

"Welcome children, please come inside and dry off." He said. "You must all be very wet from the storm."

When we were inside, I started to feel very sick. I found a mirror, and I was scared when I looked into it.

"Oh, my gosh." I whispered. "This is Final Fantasy XI."

I had grown ears like the man in the black suit. I know that I've been playing this online game for a while, but now it was real. I had turned into an Elvaan like my character in the game. I figured that a few other people played the game, because I saw someone turn into a Mithra, and another person turn into a Galka. I watched as someone shrunk down and became a Tarutaru. Everyone who didn't play the game were just Humes.

The funny thing was, no one seemed to care that people were turning into all these fictional races.

"Becky! Steve!" I called.

"What Jena?" they asked.

"Something's wrong here." I said. "We've gotta find a way out of here."

"Everything's fine." Said Becky. "Master Giddel is going to help us find a way back."

"Yeah, but, don't you notice anything strange about people? Or about me?" I asked.

"You're fine Lorena." Said Steve.

Now I was scared. Lorena was the name of my character on Final Fantasy XI. I went to Master Giddel to ask him questions.

"Lorena, what is wrong?" he asked. "I have my servants working on a way to get you and your friends back home."

"But Final Fantasy XI is just a game!" I said. "This has got to be a dream."

"Oh, this is no game, we are all very much in the world of Vana'diel." Said Giddel.

I looked into my pocket. There were maps of San d'Oria, Bastok, Windurst, and Jeuno. I looked at the map of the whole world, but I couldn't find where this island was located.

I put my maps away. Giddel brushed some of my hair out of my face with his hand.

"Don't worry, Lorena. I'll take good care of you." He said.

And he did take special care of me. He gave me my own room to sleep in for the night, while everyone else slept on sleeping bags in the hallway.

I tossed and turned all night. It was very difficult to sleep when you didn't know where you were. During the night, I thought I saw Giddel cast some kind of spell on me, but it could have been just a dream.

In the morning, I got up and left the room. I didn't feel so well so I tried casting a spell. I was really excited when I realized that I had all of my red mage powers that I had before. I cast water and put it in a glass. I sipped it as I went through the hallway to find my friends.

"Good morning." Said Giddel.

I turned around surprised to see him.

"Hello." I said.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I did. That bed must have been perfect for me." I said.

"Perfect." he said. "Come with me so we can have breakfast."

"Wait a minute." I said stopping him. "I want to know where my friends are."

"Don't worry about them." Said Giddel. "They woke up long before you did and now they are outside on the beach."

I looked out the window and saw everyone I knew playing and having fun.

"Well, I guess I'll have breakfast then." I started walking toward the dining hall, when I heard Giddel doing something behind me. He was casting a spell.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked him. I suddenly couldn't control anything I was doing.

"I am using the spell Charm. I think you should know what this does." He said.

I was unable to control any part of my body. I felt like I was just sitting inside myself while he made me come with him.

We sat down at the table and began to eat.

"Lorena, you are very beautiful." Said Giddel.

"Thank you," I said without control, "you are very handsome."

I wanted to say how evil he was, but he had complete control.

"Lorena, there's a reason I brought you here to Vana'diel." He said. "I have been watching you for a while as you fought the monsters and did quests and missions for San d'Oria. Even though you are still very young, I think you would be the perfect wife for the Lord of the Shadows. Will you marry me Lorena?"

I was shocked by what he said. I thought the Shadow Lord was defeated 20 years ago. I didn't know what he looked like, but I didn't expect an Elvaan to be the Shadow Lord. And besides, I was already going to get married to another character in the game. I already had a fiancé.

"Yes, I'd love to marry you." I said.

Damn him.

"Good, then I'll get all of your friends ready to attend to the ceremony tonight." Said Giddel.

He stood up, and so did I. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. I thought it was gross and disgusting.

Giddel allowed me to go see my friends at the beach. Except he still wanted to control me.

"Lorena, where were you?" asked Steve. "I was worried."

For an odd moment, I had a little control over myself.

"You have got to help me Steve! You're my last chance. Giddel is not who you think-" I was cut off. Giddel must have casted Charm on me again.

"What is it about Master Giddel?" asked Becky.

"N-Nothing." I said. "I just wanted to tell you that Giddel and I are getting married tonight and you are all invited. He is the Elvaan that makes me the most happy, so don't you worry about me. I'm canceling my wedding with Goro."

"Uh, Lorena, you just said you were in trouble." Said Steve.

"Don't worry, I was just joking." I said.

"Ok." Said Becky.

If I knew Steve correctly, I knew he'd think something was wrong. And if I knew Becky correctly, she would go with what I'd said.

I turned around and headed back toward the castle. When I got inside, a servant took me to a dressing room where I put my dress on for the wedding. It was a bit revealing in some places, but what could I do about it?

Finally, it was time for the wedding. I watched from a balcony as everyone entered in single file and filled the seats. Then a servant took me downstairs. At the time, the charm effect had worn off so I tried to run away, but the servant was a Galka and had a firm grip.

I yelled as loud as I could. "HELP ME!" but before I could say anything else, I saw Giddel, and he was casting the spell on me again.

We went down the aisle together and everyone I knew stared at us. At the end of the aisle was a Tarutaru who I assumed was going to be performing the service.

Giddel held my hand, as we stood before a sculpture of some kind of god that I didn't know. I just knew it wasn't Altana, who is the god I have believed in while I played the game. It looked like it was either Odin or Hades. Or maybe it was Promathia who I knew little about.

I didn't really pay attention as the Tarutaru spoke. But I guess it was a fast service because Giddel said, "I do."

Then I said, "I-"

I was cut off by the doors opening. An Elvaan with white hair in a ponytail ran through. It was Goro, The guy I had already decided to marry.

Giddel pulled me toward him and kissed me as Goro pulled out his sword to get by the guards. Then Giddel cast the spell Warp and we were gone.

When we reappeared, we were in a tower with a bed in it.

"Well, Lorena, it's time for the honeymoon." He said moving towards me.

I regained control of myself and ran away. Except there weren't any doors, just a window. I looked out the window and saw that we were very high up in the air.

"You don't want me to put a charm on you again, now do you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Well there's no turning back now, Lorena, my love."

He grabbed me and put me on the bed and kissed me. I was about to cry when a flash of light appeared in the room. Then I saw Steve and Goro standing there, they were both each holding a sword. I pulled away and took out my sword as well.

"Lorena, I thought you loved me." Said Giddel.

"Oh come on, you know I said that while you were controlling me!" I said. "And I never actually said, 'I do', so I'm not really your wife. I'm going to marry Goro."

We moved in with our swords pointed at his throat, but before we could get any closer, he laughed evilly and vanished.

"Lorena, are you all right? Did he do anything to you?" asked Goro.

"No." I said. "You guys came in the right time. If it took you any longer, Giddel might have casted another Charm on me."

"Yeah, that must been why you were acting odd at the beach." Said Steve.

"Well, would you like to introduce me to your friend?" Goro asked.

"Oh." I said. "Goro, this is my friend Steve. Steve, this is my fiancé Goro."

"Well, how are we gonna get back?" asked Steve.

"Maybe . . . you should try logging out?" I suggested.

"Okay, that'll probably work. I'll go tell everyone else." He said.

I gave Goro a hug and then logged out.

When I returned to the real world, everyone from my school was standing outside of the school.

"Hey Jena, what's up?" asked Steve.

He wasn't talking about our little adventure, so even if he knew, I didn't want to bring it up.

"I'm all right, how about you?" I asked him.

And that is what happened the day I went into Final Fantasy XI. It was an odd sort of thing to happen, but I think I'll keep it a secret.