Fipp: Due to the MMORPG nature of FFXI, there were no main characters to use. So, instead I picked a member from each of the five playable races that play an important role in one of the game's storylines.
Hope you enjoy.
XI
Hume
Sora, Donald and Goofy walked up to one of the new inns that had sprouted in the business area of Radiant Garden.
Donald mumbled. "Why do we need to stay at an inn? Don't we already have beds at Merlin's we can use?"
"We do, but Squall wants us to check it out to see how it treats its customers," Sora said.
"I thought he also said that the people running it were-" Sora and Donald muffled Goofy's mouth before he could say anything more.
"Shh!" Donald hissed. "We're not supposed to talk about that! Remember!"
Goofy shook his head and gave a thumbs up.
"Come on, let's go," Sora said as he, Donald and Goofy, walked into the Neptune's Spire Inn.
000
Sora sat up in his bed, and looked around the dark room.
Donald and Goofy were asleep. He knew from experience that trying to wake them up would be pointless.
He slipped on his shoes and silently slipped out the door of the room they were renting.
000
"I need you three to do something for me," Squall said.
"What kind of thing?" Sora asked.
Squall walked over to one of the maps of the city and looked at it, and pointed to a red dot on it.
"Right here an inn opened recently, and I'm a little suspicious about some of the proprietors of it."
"Suspicious?" Donald asked. "What are you suspicious about?"
"I've had some meeting with the person to opened it, and while he seems like a good person, I think there's something illegal going down there."
"Like what?" Sora asked.
"Smuggling of illegal goods." He turned back to Sora, Donald and Goofy. "This is a very serious issue.
"The city is still on shaky legs, and we can't have anyone breaking any laws. I need you three to find evidence of the smuggling and report it back to me."
000
The halls were silent as Sora crept through them.
"Everyone must be asleep this late at night," he said no himself.
He stopped in front of a large flag hanging on a wall.
"If I was a smuggler, where would I hide the stuff I smuggled?" he asked to himself.
"Can I help you?"
Sora yelped and turned around to see a blonde man dressed in blue, gold and black, a turban on his head, and a cape that was draped across his left side.
"Shouldn't you be asleep at this hour?"
"Um, well, I, um," Sora said, stumbling over his own words, trying to come up with an excuse as to why he was up this late. "I, was, looking for the bathroom!"
The man gave him a looked. "There is a bathroom in each room."
"Really? I did not know that! Thanks for telling me, uh-?"
"Aldo," the man said.
"Thank you Aldo! Guess I should be on my way then, huh?" he laughed. Quickly, he then walked passed Aldo.
"Hope you enjoy your night," Aldo said. "Sora."
Sora stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned around to face Aldo. "How did you-?"
"I've seen you around town," Aldo said, his back still facing the Keyblader.
"Are you sure? I've never seen you before in my life."
Aldo then turned around to face Sora. "Then it seems that I've done my job."
"Huh?"
"Nothing, nothing, just simply think aloud." He placed his right hand on his hip. "So, what brings the mighty Keyblader to our humble establishment?"
"So you run this place?"
"That is correct. But please answer me as to why you chose to spend your night here, especially when, as an honorary member of the RGRC, you should have free room and board at their Headquarters, am I correct?"
"Um . . ."
"I find it odd. Though, I must think you have your own reason to be wandering the halls this late at night, and none of my business." He shrugged. "Like searching around for anything that could incriminate an honest business owner such as myself in illegal smuggling and what not."
Sora could hear his heart beat in his ears.
Another shrug. "But, like I said, it's none of my business." He up to Sora and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Well, have a nice night Sora." He gave Sora a kind smile. "I hope we'll meet each other again in the future, and so you know, that despite what Leonhart says, I'm actually a good person, despite what I may, or may not be involved with." He gave one last clap on the shoulder and walked down the hall. "I hope one day you'll be able to read between the lines." These were his last words as he turned a corner.
Sora was alone for several moments before lowering his head and sighing.
Elvaan
Sora happily finished off the Sea-Salt ice-cream and tossed the popsicle stick into the garbage can.
Huey, Dewy and Louie suddenly rounded the corner, almost crashing into him, and ran down the way he came.
"Hey!" he called, walking backwards. "Watch where you three are-!"
Another person then rounded the corner and crashed into him, having both of them fall to the ground.
"Uh," the other person groaned, as Sora began to sit up. "Watch where the hell you're going, dammit!"
Sora looked at the girl; she was shorter than he was, and wore a blue shirt and jacket that partially his a lacy undershirt, lacey black shorts, and boots. There was also a red ascot around her neck, a well as a blue jewel pendant. There was an odd, small hat that sat atop her head, which grew long blue-silver hair that reached her waist, though it was bounded at the end to prevent it from flying everywhere.
She also had two long, pointed ears.
"Uh, sorry," Sora apologized.
The girl growled and rubbed her head, before looking at Sora. It looked to him as though she was about to tell him off, but her eyes widened.
"Hey! Aren't you that Sora-kid?" she asked.
Sora pointed to himself. "Me?"
"Yeah? Squall showed me a picture of you."
"You know Squall?"
"Of course I do!" The girl jumped up. "I'm Prishe! And I'm Head of External Security of this town!"
"Really?" Sora pushed himself up.
"Yup." Prishe placed her hands on her hips. "I'm in charge of making sure to keep as many of these Heartless out, and what I don't get is killed by either the Claymores, or the other guys." She shrugged. "Sure, I used to go out there all the times and beat them up for fun, but now I'm getting paid!"
"Wait," Sora said. "You go out there, all alone?"
"Yup."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"I can handle myself," she waved him off. "I've survived countless Heartless attacks, explosions, and the fall of Radiant Garden."
"You're from this town?"
"Got that right." She walked to the edge of the level and pointed towards the center of city, just left of the castle. "Just before everything went to hell, I was raised in a cathedral that was around that general area."
"There was a cathedral?"
"Yeah, but it burned down," Prishe sadly said. "Despite the repair that's been done, there's still a lot of work to be done."
"But, I though Squall said the city was almost done?"
Prishe turned back to Sora and shook her head. "That's just the city, but there's more to this world then just the Radiant Garden." She then ran to the left. "The world to the west!" She then ran to the railing at the other side of the level. "The world to the east!" She ran back to where she started and jumped onto the stone fence. "And the world that lies beyond us!" She touched the pendant that hung around her neck. "The worlds we know are just small parts of everything." She turned back to Sora. "Get what I'm saying?"
Sora thought for a moment. "Kind of, but,"
"Meh," Prishe said, not seeming to care if he got it or not. "Point is, this was a great world once, and what it looked like still seems fresh in my mind."
"Still fresh in your mind?"
"Yeah."
"But it was a decade ago."
"I've always had a good memory."
Sora raised an eyebrow. "But you would have been a little-Wait?" Another thought crossed his mind. "Why exactly did Squall hire you?"
"I just asked for a job, and he gave me one."
"Just gave you one?" Squall normally gave people extensive interviews before even considering them for a spot in the RGRC.
"Yeah, well I have know him since he was a kid."
Wait, what?
Prishe chuckled. "He such a cute kid too, always moping around." She appeared to think for a moment. "I think he had a sister, but can't be sure."
Wasn't Squall twenty-five or something?
"Oh, and did you see three ducks run through here?"
So, how could she know-
"There they are!" Prishe ran past Sora and pointed at Huey, Dewy and Louie, who were standing at the end of the street. "You three get back here right now!" she yelled angrily at them at.
"If we come back, do you promise not to punish us?" Huey asked.
Prishe's eye twitched. "If you come back, I just might NOT KILL YOU!"
The three ducks jumped up.
"You're so mean!" Huey taunted.
"You're so terrible!" Dewy mocked.
"You're so ugly!" Louie teased.
They then ran off.
"I'LL SHOW YOU UGLY!" Prishe screamed, and quickly (1) ran off to chase the three down.
Sora was left alone, absolutely confused.
Tarutaru
"This stuff is good," Sora said, stuffing another cake into his mouth.
"Sora! Show some manners!" Donald chastised.
"But didn't you just eat three whole cupcakes?" Goofy asked.
Donald ignored him.
"Yuffie was right," Sora said. "This store makes some of the best sweets in the whole city." He, Donald and Goofy were sitting on one of the patio tables outside said sweet shop.
"They are!" Donald said. He reached for a cake, and made to place it into his beak.
"Ohohoho."
Donald stopped.
"Such a rich scent. I think my weariness finally got up and went."
He dropped the cake.
"You okay Donald?" Sora asked.
"So soft and sweet, just like when I was young. This wonderful dessert just melts on the tongue."
The wizard then furiously began to shake, before squawking and leaping from his seat. He spun around and pointed at the table behind him.
"YOU!!!"
"Huh?" Sora asked.
"Hm?" said the person in the chair Donald was pointing at. She turned around in her seat, and Sora could see the small, child-like person in it. She had blonde hair that was tied to either side of her head, a button noise and long pointed ears. Her attire consisted of black, green and white robes.
"Oh no," Goofy covered his face his hands.
"Who's that?" Sora asked.
"My oh my, and who is this who interrupts my snack?" the person said. "I suggest that you turn away, and retreat your way back." She turned around back to her pudding.
"NO!" Donald snapped. "We have a score to settle Shantotto!"
"Shantotto?" Sora asked Goofy.
"A few years ago, the King got a visitor, and she and Donald got into a fight."
"Oh." Sora didn't need Goofy to finish to know what happened.
"He lost, and he's been looking for a rematch ever since."
Shantotto sighed and jumped from her chair. Placing her hands on her hips and turned to face Donald.
"To even the odds is what you wish to do duck? I have no interest in such a thing, and if I did, you'd have no luck."
"Don't you give me that! I'm going to make you pay for humiliating me like that!"
"You are very persistent in trying to challenge me, but my answer will still be the same. I have no desire to beat you to the floor, I don't even recall your name."
"WHAT?!"
"Yes, what would your name be? Dane? Dawn? Ronald? Something like that? It's no matter, as anything you do will feel like a breeze on my back." She then began to walk away.
"Why is she rhyming?" Sora asked aloud.
"Why you little," Donald growled, seething in anger. He brought out his staff and ran after her.
Shantotto stopped in her tracks and shook her head. "I tried to warn you, but you run into fights without thinking so very fast."
Donald jumped into the air, and readied himself to cast every spell he knew.
"But, you shall get your wish and get a taste of a magical blast!"
Donald, then exploded in a burst of fire.
Then drowned in water.
Then thunder crashed him to the ground.
Then large rocks threw him into the air.
Then he met a whirlwind.
Then crashed to the ground via a large ice chunk.
Donald didn't even get a chance to stand up straight when he was engulfed in a powerful light.
"Ohohohoho!" Shantotto laughed as the duck was utterly decimated behind her.
"Ak," Donald coughed out, before turning into a pile of ash.
"I may have to take it back as it was nice to destroy something, which is always so much fun. Letting loose has been a relief, as it has been too long since the last war I won. Oh, and companions of this poor sullen fowl, don't get yourself in too much trouble. Though from the rumors I've heard of you, getting out, for you, it should be on the double. Ohohoho!"
Shantotto, and her pudding, vanished.
"I'll get a dust pan," Goofy said, walking away.
"Donald, are you okay?" Sora asked, kneeling next to his remains.
"It's not my body that hurts the most," he replied. "But it's my pride.
Galka
Sora sliced his blade through the Heartless that remained. Looking around the mythril cave, though he couldn't find any of the precious metal that Merlin had sent him here for to use for a magical potion he was making.
He turned around to head further into the cave, when a large armored Heartless attempted to attack him, and it was too close for him to make a proper counter.
The Heartless was then struck from the back by a large shadowy blaze.
Sora instantly recognized that attack.
"Riku?"
"Sorry, but I don't recognize that name."
Out from the shadows of the cave stepped out a large figure with a large upper torso and arms, and a tail. He was dressed in full-body plated black armor, a horned helmet and a threatening black blade in his hand.
"Who are you?" Sora asked.
The large man placed the sword on his back. "I am Zeid." He folded his arms over his chest. "You must be Sora."
How was everyone knowing who he was? "Yeah, that's right. I'm Sora. How did you know that? Do you know Squall?"
Zeid shook his head. "No, I do not know anyone of that name either. I only know of you from what I've heard about the person who wields the Keyblade."
Sora looked down at the weapon. "Wow, guess thing is really making me famous."
"It indeed has," Zeid said, folding his arms over his chest. "Though I would be wary of this newfound fame, should it make you arrogant."
"I'll make sure of that."
Sora nodded to Zeid, and walked by him, but the man spoke up again.
"You confused me for someone else, this 'Riku', correct?"
He turned back to Zeid. "You used an attack I've seen him use before.
Zeid closed his eyes underneath his helmet. "Then it would appear that he is a Dark Knight."
"Dark Knight?"
"Yes, someone who can utilize the power of darkness."
"That sounds like Riku."
"Then he must have done something terrible to obtain that power."
"What?"
"In order to become a Dark Knight, one must walk a tainted path of bloodshed." He reached up and gripped the sword's hilt, then let it go and dropped in hand.
"Riku never-Oh!" Sora started, only to pull his words back upon thinking further into the subject.
"I thought as much." Zeid began to walk further into the cave.
"He's still my friend though!" Sora called, causing Zeid to stop. "Sure, he may have done things that most people wouldn't be proud of, but that doesn't change the fact that he's my friend.
Zeid stood where he was for several moments, before continuing his path down into the cave. "If that is how you see it, then very well."
He soon disappeared into the darkness.
Mithra
"I don't know Donald," Goofy said. "Should we really be here?"
"Didn't Squall tell us not to come around here?" Sora asked. "He said he really didn't trust the person who runs this place."
"Come on! We do lots of stuff for lots of people! It's about time we get paid for it!" Donald said strongly. "I heard being a mercenary pays good." He folded his arms over his chest.
Sora and Goofy looked hesitantly at each other, then followed Donald through the door.
The large sign over the door read "Salaheem's Sentinels'.
000
Sora, Donald and Goofy walked into the large office, where they were told the company's president's office was.
"Now, let's see here," Sitting on the desk, which was covered with various papers and a large morning star, was a woman dressed in a red, red baggy pants, a black shirt that showed the front of her stomach, and her upper chest, there were also numerous golden accessories adoring her clothes. Poking out from her orange hair that was parted onto either side of her head by golden hair pieces were two cats ears, and her face had similar cat-like features to them, and her tail swishing behind her.
"'Thanks to President Naja, I learned the true meaning of bravery.'" She smiled to herself. "Dum-dee-dum. Oh, and this one," She picked up another paper. "How I love making these pamphlets for the company. They should be raking in the munny. 'Thanks to President Naja, I experienced my first taste of victory.' Dum-dee-dum, What else do we have?" She looked at another paper. 'Thanks to President Naja, I learned the true meaning of fear.'"
. . .
"We'll just change that to 'fortune'."
"Excuse me?" Sora said.
"Huh?" The cat woman looked up from her paper and looked at them with an annoyed look. "What do you want?"
"Um," Sora started to say.
"We want to be mercenaries!" Donald boasted, stepping forward.
"Rrreally?" Sora noted that she rolled, purred actually, her 'R's. "Wait, arrren't you those Keyblade guys?"
"That's right." Sora summoned his Keyblade.
She grinned, and hopped off her desk. Grabbing the morning star, she slung it over her shoulder. "I'm Naja Salaheem, President of Salaheem's Sentinels. It's a pleasurrre to meet you."
"I'm Sora, and this is Donald and Goofy," Sora said, pointing to each respective person.
"Rowl! Those names just scrrream power! You'll have to right those down, though. I'm not too good with foreign names." She placed both hands on the hilt of her weapon, and began to sway to side-to-side innocently. "Normally, I would have would-be mercenaries go through a test, but from what I've heard of you, I don't think I'll have you do that."
"Really?" Sora said, surprised.
"Yes!" She looked around her desk briefly and pulled a paper out from the mess and placed them in front of the three. "Just sign this, and we can start doing business." She grinned a very Cheshire-like grin.
000
"'I vow . . ." Naja read the contract. "'Through rain and through wind, running not from storms of arrows, and fearing not blasts of magic . . . To defend in times of Heartless attacks . . . And to venture out in times of peace . . .' Uh...let's see here... 'In sickness and in health . . . Through curses and petrification . . . I pledge myself to Salaheem's Sentinels...for all eternity. Signed . . . Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy.'"
"I'm having second thoughts about this," Sora whispered to Donald and Goofy.
"Congratulations!" Naja beamed. "I now pronounce you three official members of Salaheem's Sentinels. Welcome to the world of bein' a Private Second Class."
"Wait," Donald said. "Why are we 'Private Second Class'? You said yourself you were impressed with us! We want a higher rank!
There was a loud crash as Naja slammed the morning star into the table, startling the three.
"Too bad!" she threatened. "You work for me now! You have to work yer way up the ladder just like anyone else! Anyone who says differrrent will have to complain to my spiky friend here." She pointed the morning star at them. "As my employees, you're expendable, and easily rrreplaceable."
"What did you get us into?!" Sora hissed to Donald, who shrugged away.
"President Naja, kupo!" A Moogle in a headband flew through the door and up to Naja. "President Naja!"
"What is it Slitzkul?"
"It's Stiltzkin, ma'am."(2) The moogle's word's fell on deaf ears. "It's about the promotional ads!"
Naja beamed. "Oh how have I been waiting for this news! With this, there'll be a Salaheem's Sentinels on every world you can see in the sky!"
" . . . Actually ma'am, it fell through."
" . . . What?"
Stiltzkin began to sweat. "We couldn't get any advertisement."
Naja paled. "What about the down payment?"
"We lost it. Mr. McDuck didn't approve."
Naja stood still for a moment, before turning around and began to sway. "Hehe," she laughed, dropping her morning star (3). "Look at them fly away!" she said, very far-off. She lifted her arms into the air lazily. "Two-thousand munny! Flying away! Fly my pretties! Fly!"
Sora wasn't sure if she was going to cry, or go into a rage.
She screamed.
Naja picked up her morning star and began to wildly fling it around.
'I think we better execute Escape Plan B,' Stiltzkin thought.
"THAT NO GOOD LITTLE RRRAT WITH WINGS!!! I'LL PLUCK ALL HIS DAMN FEATHERS OFF AND RRROAST HIM OVER A FIRE!!!" She screamed and swung her weapon so hard and fast that it flung from her hand.
Everything happened like this:
Naja looked surprise that she lost her weapon.
Stiltzkin jumped, trying to catch the weapon, but missed.
It flew between Donald and Goofy, who watched it soar.
Sora saw it come at his face.
Everything went black for him.
"Sora!"
"Are you alright, kupo?!"
"If that broke, I'm charrging you for it."
(1) Very quickly, Sora later noted.
(2) To my knowledge, there is no Stiltzkin in FFXII. He's only here for cameo appearances.
(3) Which made a loud 'THUD'.
Please review
Mrfipp