Final Fantasy: Rise of Despair
When we last left off, Casey reveals to the group a few small details of the pasts of the Racemasters, unusually enough, Casey's presence does nothing to alleviate Harris' still ambiguous troubles. Heidi however, is still there for him. As the group approaches Baguba Port, gunners open fire on them from the high walls only for Heidi to dispatch them and in turn end up facing down the weapon of Matt, the Moogle Racemaster. What will develop from this?
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy: Tactics Advance, I do own the characters and plot.
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Baguba the Utopia?
"This city is amazing." Monty said, clearly awe struck. Matt was leading the group through some fairly busy streets, anyone that noticed Matt stopped and waved at Matt and he waved back.
"Well, Master Matt, I must say that you're quite popular here." Mendoza said.
"Well one, you don't have to call me Master Matt…" Matt started.
"Well, they're all so humble aren't they?" Heidi thought.
"But you can if want to." Matt said happily.
"Or not." Heidi thought.
"Secondly, I would have to be popular around here if I'm the mayor here." Matt said.
"Mayor?" Nearly everyone asked.
"You act as if it surprises you." Matt said.
"Matt, you seriously became mayor here?" Casey asked.
"Hey, I did try to say no, but too many people demanded it after I challenged the Black Army." Matt said.
"Uh speaking of which, what is that all about?" Adam asked.
"Ah, well… bah! Come with me and I'll explain it all to you guys someplace quieter." Matt said.
"Sounds good to me, it's too loud around here." Syack grumbled. As they walked through, they noticed the idealistic life going all around them. Honest business was being conducted, people were talking, children were playing, and to everyone in the group it was like a trip back to the days before the Black King.
"It's so… peaceful." Kyle said.
"Yeah, it's a… strange feeling." Laura added.
"It's so idealistic here." Hunter said.
"And you say that you brought attention to this city?" Harris asked.
"Yep, the Black Army has tried quite a number of times to approach this city, however my defenses and my hand-picked guards outside of town have made each attempt fall flat on its face. And anyone that enters this city is inspected quite carefully for anything that could connect them back to the Black Army inside, there is no way anyone without good intentions could enter this city." Matt said confidently.
Meanwhile…
"And my wife and children were killed by Black Soliders while we were running… I wanted to die, but I know… I know that I have to… keep living… for them…" A moogle that was crying his eyes out said to Stan.
"Well, don't worry, Baguba Port is the perfect place to start over. Come on in guy." Stan opened the gate and let the moogle in. "I… don't mean to be rude… but aren't you a bit short for a moogle." The moogle stopped short.
"Easy… don't lose your cool now…" The moogle thought to himself. "Yeah I guess I am." The moogle then walked on. Once the moogle was in a street corner by himself, he took off his outer clothing and put on clown make-up. Yes it was none other then Brently. "Hee hee hee… and now that I am in Baguba, I will finally be able to steal something of value from this place! Wah ha ha ha ha ha!" Brently then took one step forward and fell on his face. "Ouch."
Back to the group…
Everyone was now inside a large factory; they were currently in a VERY large room on a catwalk against the wall above the room. "Whoa…" Nearly everyone gasped. In front of their very eyes, a decently sized airship was being constructed. There were many workers, mostly moogles, all over the place hammering nails, screwing in bolts, welding together pieces of metal and putting in cogs to build the airship.
"No no Marty… that piece goes over there." A moogle with a gruff voice shouted from on top of the engine suspended above the rest of the room. The moogle was a gadgeteer in yellow, complete with fingerless gloves, yellow tights that even wrapped around his head. He had a scar over his left eye, and a cigar in his mouth. He had blue eyes and stood 3'9" in height. "Hm? Oh hey boss!" The moogle called out to Matt. He jumped from the engine to some chain and hook hanging from the ceiling and swung all the way over to the catwalk. "So who are these guys?"
"Ah, these are our guests, including Casey, one of the other Racemasters." Matt said while gesturing to Casey.
"It's a pleasure to meet ya." The moogle said holding a hand out.
"Um… the same." Casey said while shaking that moogles grease covered glove.
"This is Cid, my lead-technician." Matt introduced.
"So how are ya folks?" Cid asked.
"Um… fine." Heidi said.
"Listen Cid, I've got things to discuss with these guys right now. Make sure that Marty doesn't mess anything up." Matt said.
"Gah! Marty! You don't hit the cog with the hammer!" Cid shouted as he jumped off of the catwalk.
"He's… interesting." Gilbert said.
"Yep." Monty said.
Later…
The group was now in an office. The office had wooden flooring but there was a green carpet near the center, a rectangular wooden desk with a number of papers, pens, drawers and a few pictures. Behind it was a big black chair. All around the office were bookcases and a few spider plants in white and blue pots. Matt took a seat behind the desk and swiveled around to face the rest of the group.
"Well, sorry for not having any seats for all of you guys to sit in." Matt said looking at everyone. "But the other chairs broke."
"What happened?" Harris asked.
"I don't know, and I had those chairs for about a century. Shame they just snapped when Cid and someone else sat in them." Matt said.
"Gee… I wonder why the chairs broke." Laura thought sarcastically.
"So what can I do ya for?" Matt asked.
"Well, how did you come to be mayor for one thing? I mean, sure you stood out among us." Casey said. "But I still wouldn't think that you'd even want to become mayor."
"Ah right." Matt said, getting somewhat nostalgic. "Well after we went our separate ways, I came to Baguba, figuring I could put my mechanical expertise to good use."
"Let me guess, it did because it helped invent the airship." Gilbert guessed.
"Man, you sure know how to kill a story don't you? I was going to enjoy myself." Matt practically whined.
"Gilbert, don't ruin it…" Monty cried.
"I'm interested." Mendoza said.
"Oy, for someone so powerful, he acts so childish." Gilbert sighed softly.
"Well yes, I took a job at this factory, and as much as I tried to hide it, the previous boss figured out who I was and I quickly rose up to lead-technician. I presented some plans I was working on to the previous president of the company, liked them and set me and a few technicians to work. Including Cid's dad." Matt started.
"Cid's dad?" Syack asked.
"Yeah, Cid the first. The Cid you just met is Cid the second." Matt said. "Anyways, after a few years, the first airship was complete. It helped establish this company and when the previous president retired, he gave the position to me. And only Cid I knew who I was." Matt said. "The others just stayed jealous." Matt said while sticking a tongue out.
"Oooooooookay." Hunter said.
"My legs are sore…" Syack groaned.
"Anyways, once the Black King took over, a few troops came to terrorize Baguba a few years ago and I drove them back. After that I revealed my presence to the whole town and let word of my existence reach the Black King's ears so that he could try and take this town down and only fail." Matt said with a clenched fist, but he was smiling. "This act of defiance can surely inspire people in to rising up against the Black Army."
"That's a great message to convey." Adam said.
"After that, everyone in town practically begged me to take mayor. Finally I couldn't say no." Matt sighed.
"Well that's all well and good, but Matt, if I may call you so." Harris started. "We have something of the utmost importance to discuss."
"Oh. Okay shoot." Matt said.
"Okay." Monty pulled out his gun and started aiming for a window.
"Not literally you twit!" Syack shouted smacking Monty over the head with his rod.
"Ouch…" Monty groaned.
"Ahem…" Harris started to speak when a thought just occurred to him. "I'm sorry, Casey did you wish to speak privately?" Harris asked.
"You may stay if you wish, and I would like Adam to stay as well. But I would like everyone else to leave." Casey said.
"Very well then." Kyle said with a bow.
"Alright then, come on weakling, if I can't stay neither can you." Laura said.
"Would you stop calling me weak!" Hunter yelled as he exited behind Kyle and Laura.
"Wait, may I request that Heidi stay as well?" Harris asked.
"Hmmm… alright." Casey said.
"Me?" Heidi asked.
"Don't worry about it." Harris said with a smile. Everyone started to leave.
"Hey before you leave, talk to Cid, he can hook you up with a little gift." Matt said.
"A gift?" Syack asked.
"A friend of Casey's is a friend of mine." Matt said. After they had left, Matt sat up in the chair. "So… what did you want exactly?" Matt asked.
"Matt, how often have you left Baguba?" Harris asked.
"I can't say I've left ever since I came here one-hundred years ago. I've grown to like this place." Matt said.
"Well, have you heard about the crowning tournament ten years ago?" Harris asked.
"No… it's obvious the Black King won since he is ruling, but otherwise no." Matt said.
"He didn't just win, he destroyed the tournament." Harris said darkly.
"Come again?" Matt asked.
"Matt, the Black King may very well be much stronger than you or I right now." Casey said.
"Seriously!?!" Matt shouted.
"It's true, the Black King had unrivaled swordsmanship, more mana than you, and to top it off, his mana wasn't right either. It was foul, nearly unbearable." Harris said.
"Aw man… that's lame." Matt whined.
"If I may say, if you and Master Casey unite, you may be able to beat the Black King." Adam said.
"Yes, yours and Casey's skills put together might actually be enough to defeat the Black King." Harris said with a smile.
"Of course." Heidi said with relief. "After all, he couldn't have grown significantly strong enough to fight two of you."
"…" Matt lost his carefree expression, turning to a really serious frown. "I can't come." He said bluntly.
"Huh?" Heidi and Adam both gasped. Harris and Casey didn't say anything, but they did show horrified and shocked looks.
"Matt, why?" Casey asked. "Since when did you become so willing to turn down a challenge?"
"Since thirty-nine years ago." Matt said seriously.
"…" Heidi looked at him curiously. Everyone stayed silent, obviously wanting to ask, but they didn't want to seem rude.
"Cid I and I were working with a number of other workers on a new airship engine." Matt said. "We were letting Cid's son of three years watch us. He was at a safe distance, and he was being a good boy, not getting in anyone's way." Matt said. He sighed and then continued. "However, I put a single part in the wrong place in the engine, the whole thing started to collapse."
"What… happened?" Adam asked. Matt got up from his chair and walked towards one of the windows.
"Something caught on fire, Cid and I attempted to evacuate the workers and his son." Matt said.
Flashback…
"The whole thing's coming down!" Matt shouted as some oil caught fire. "It's going to blow!"
"We got to get everyone out of here!" Cid shouted. Matt and Cid broke off, Matt jumped all the way from the bottom to the catwalk where some workers and Cid jr. were trapped. Matt grabbed them and leaped down to the exit door, he proceeded to go back and forth grabbing workers swiftly with his incredible speed and strength, finally, the engine finally exploded.
"Is everyone here?" Matt asked.
"I'm here." A random worker said.
"Little Cid is here." Another one said. "Wait, where's Cid?"
"Cid!" Matt gasped. He ran back in to the engine room. "Cid!" Matt called. He jumped up to the next highest level. "Cid!" Matt shouted louder. He jumped back down to the bottom level. "CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID!!!" Matt screamed.
End of flashback…
"A single mistake on my part, cost me my best friend in this city. And at the same time, if it weren't for me, those other workers wouldn't have made it." Matt said. "Now I owe it to Cid to look after his son and everyone else in this city. I can't just leave Baguba now."
"Matt, you and I know better than anyone else that you can't just hold on to things like that." Casey said. "Uh… would everyone else leave the room?" Casey asked respectfully.
"Of course Master Casey." Adam said softly.
"Come on then Heidi." Harris said.
"I know." Heidi said sadly as the three of them exited. After they shut the door behind them…
"Matt, we've seen what blaming yourself does to someone." Casey said.
"…" Matt hesitated for a moment. "This is different, and don't ask me how it is different. You know I can answer that question." Matt said.
"Matt, don't burden yourself with this as well. You, I, and the others already feel responsible for what happened when…"
Elsewhere…
"So… what are we going to do in the meantime?" Monty asked. He was with Mendoza and Gilbert in a busy street that had a number of weapon shops and black smith shops. That's when Gilbert noticed something.
"Oh hey…" Gilbert ran in to a weapon shop and came out with a wrapped up sword.
"What's the sword for?" Mendoza asked.
"Jessica has mentioned that she wanted one of these." Gilbert said taking it out of the wrapping for a moment.
"Whoa! That's a very rare masamune sword!" Monty stated.
"Yes, they said they rarely get this in." Gilbert said.
"How did you afford it?" Mendoza asked.
"Did you already forget about those shopping passes Cid gave us?" Gilbert asked. "I honestly thought I wouldn't even use mine, but what the heck? I'll do Jessica a favor. Now to mail it." Gilbert said as he walked off.
"Man, why is he doing her a favor like that? Jessica is nuts." Monty said.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if she did a number of things that nearly got our unfortunate other members killed." Mendoza said.
Meanwhile…
"Yeah, I need a larger quiver." Hunter said to some guy in a shop.
"Okay, is this big enough." The moogle shopkeeper said as he put a quiver larger than Hunter's back on the counter.
"Uh… smaller than that."
"Oh, okay." The shopkeeper then put out a quiver that was smaller, but it was certainly larger than what he had now.
"I'll take that."
"That'll be…" The shopkeeper started to say when Hunter flashed his shopping pass. "Free." He finished.
"Thank you, oh! I need some arrows."
Meanwhile…
"Ah… this is just what I needed…" Syack sighed. He was at a sauna bathing with some other old men. Although, he was probably the oldest.
"Hey, you're too old for this place old man!" An old bangaa told him.
"Me? You look as though you left behind the rest of the dinosaurs." Syack snapped at him.
"You're just an old dog!"
"You're just an old gargoyle!"
Meanwhile…
"What a view." Kyle sighed, deeply relaxed. He was standing on top of one of the taller buildings in Baguba. "Oh! I better get back to the spring. I told Laura I'd be there when she was finished." Kyle said. Kyle began leaping from building to until he neared a hot spring.
"GYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"That sounded like Laura." Kyle said. After that, he heard a lot of smashing and crashing and then.
"Sick him Madeen!"
"Yeah… that's definitely Laura." Kyle said. A bright flash from the other side of the spring occurred, and then Laura came out of the front entrance a few minutes later looking cleaner, but very angry. "Did… something happen Laura?"
"There was some peeping tom." Laura said angrily. But then she smiled. "But I took care of him." She said as she walked off.
"I'm… not sure who my sympathies should lie with right now." Kyle thought.
Meanwhile…
"Oooooooooooohhhhh…" Brently was dragging himself through another alley, beat up and bloodied. "Man… how was I supposed to know that was the women's area?" Brently asked.
Meanwhile…
"Hmmm… they've been talking for a while." Adam commented. They were on the catwalk leading from Matt's office watching the workers at work.
"I hope everything is okay." Heidi said.
"…" Harris said nothing. He was obviously deep in thought over this matter.
"Harris?" Heidi asked.
"Hm?" Harris was once again snapped out of his thoughts.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Heidi asked.
"Well, seeing as how they are old friends, they're probably talking about the past." Harris answered.
"Master Casey is likely looking for someway to convince Master Matt in to helping us." Adam said.
"Dagnabbit Marty! How many times do I have to tell you not to put that part there!" Cid shouted at Marty, in case you're wondering, Marty is a generic Moogle gadgeteer.
"Here he comes." Adam said. Casey walked out of Matt's office scratching his chin in thought. "Master Casey?"
"I still can't convince him." Casey said.
"If we can't convince him then we don't stand a chance." Harris said as he put his fingers to his forehead.
"Maybe there is something…" Heidi started to say when her ears perked up. "Hold on." Heidi ran over to the side of the catwalk. "There's someone in the shadows over there!" Heidi shouted pointing at some crates.
"Hm? Hey! Someone check those crates!" Cid shouted. A nu mou worker went over there and then.
"Oof!" The nu mou worker was thrown from behind the crates.
"Hey! Someone's back there!" Cid shouted as he leaped from the side of the engine to behind the crates while putting on some knuckled gloves. "Hiyah!"
"Master Casey…" Adam turned to Casey.
"Go Adam, we'll cover the entrances." Casey said.
"What's going on?" Matt asked as he walked out of the office.
"Gyah!" Cid went crashing in to a wall as a shadow came out from the crates.
"Hey you!" Matt pulled out his gunblade and fired at the shadow.
"Yipe!" The shadow VERY narrowly avoided the bullet and rolled back behind the crates.
"Rush!" Adam then slammed him in to the wall beside Cid, where Cid got up and pinned him by the neck.
"Huh? Hey this isn't the guy." Cid said as he held up some doll.
"But I hit him, I know I did." Adam said. "Wait I hear him! He's on the engine!"
"Hey, my dad's golden watch! Where'd it go?" Cid asked.
"That bastard!" Matt shouted angrily. He jumped to the engine.
"Crap! If that is who I think it is… oh I didn't want to do this, but I don't have a choice." The figure placed something on the engine and leaped off of it.
"What?" Matt landed on the engine and looked at the object. "HOLY CRAP! IT'S A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL!!! MOVE IT!!!" Matt shouted.
BOOM
Part of the engine exploded as it collapsed and everything started to catch fire.
"Heidi, we need to evacuate the workers!" Harris shouted.
"Right!" Heidi and Harris were quick to run in to the flames and grab two workers between them.
"Adam!" Casey shouted.
"Don't worry! I've got three of them!" Adam shouted carrying three workers over his shoulders.
"Good." Casey then ran in to the flames and dragged out more workers. "I think that's everyone!"
"Get behind the door!" Harris shouted. Everyone immediately got behind the door as…
KABOOM
"Where's Matt?" Harris asked. Everyone fearfully went back through the door. Everything was pretty scorched and there was scrap metal everywhere, yet the room itself wasn't torn apart.
"How is the room not destroyed?" Heidi asked.
"I can smell adamantite lining all over the room, especially the doors." Adam said.
"But what about Master Matt?" A human worker asked.
"Ugh… dang that hurt." Matt shoved off a humongous piece of metal on top of him with Cid right behind him. Matt was only slightly burned and showed a few spots of dirt on him.
"All of that and he hardly even looks hurt. This guy really can take punishment." Heidi thought, very amazed.
"You okay Cid?" Matt asked.
"Yeah, but whoever that was he got away with my dad's golden watch." Cid said.
"Weren't there other workers?" Heidi asked.
"I got most of them too my office, it's more protected than the other doors." Matt said. "You see why I need to stay now?" Matt asked Casey. "We'll find out who took that watch Cid, don't worry." Matt said.
"Thanks boss." Cid said with a smile.
Later…
Brently was a bit burnt, holding a golden watch. "Man… that was hardly worth it… but oh well, better than what I usually get my hands on." Brently sighed. "Although, I have to say, I wish I didn't have to blow up that engine. Oh well." Brently shrugged and walked on.
That night…
Most of them were staying at a high-class inn, free thanks to Matt. The only one not staying was Casey, he volunteered to find the thief. Heidi and Laura were staying in one room, Syack and Gilbert were staying in another, Kyle and Hunter were staying in another room, Monty and Mendoza were sharing another room, and Harris was rooming with Adam.
"That's too bad." Laura sighed when Heidi was finished conveying what happened at the factory.
"We've all experienced loss, but I wonder if that is the only reason keeping Matt here. Maybe it's something else as well." Heidi said.
"Like what?" Laura asked.
"I wouldn't know." Heidi said. "By the way… why do you always pick on Hunter?" Heidi asked.
"Because he's weak." Laura answered. "That is all, and nothing more."
"If you say so."
Gilbert and Syack were already asleep, well at least Syack was asleep.
"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…" Syack was snoring really loudly while Gilbert was trying to cover his ears with his pillow.
In the next room…
"Kyle, please tell me that there's a way to make Laura shut up." Hunter asked Kyle.
"Why are you asking me?" Kyle asked.
"You've known her longer than I have, surely you know something that will keep her quiet." Hunter said.
"I don't, but I doubt the spite between you two." Kyle said.
"What?" Hunter asked suspiciously.
"I said that I'm doubting the spite between the two of you." Kyle said.
"Are you hinting something?" Hunter asked.
"No I'm being quite direct." Kyle said bluntly.
"You think that I LIKE her?" Hunter asked.
"I'm sure that she's growing on you, and if I know her you're growing on her." Kyle said.
"THAT IS DISGUSTING!!!" Hunter yelled.
"KEEP IT DOWN WEAKLING!!!" Laura shouted. "I CAN HEAR YOU FROM MY ROOM!!!"
"SHADDAP YOU WHIPPERSNAPPERS!!! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!!! Syack shouted.
In the next room…
"They are so… loud." Monty whined.
"Yes they are." Mendoza groaned.
In the next room…
"Adam… what do you think our odds of convincing Matt are now?" Harris asked seriously, completely ignoring the noise.
"Not great now that an event just helped reinforce his opinion." Adam said.
"Hm?" Harris turned toward the window and looked out.
"Something wrong?" Adam asked.
"I feel… something unusual." Harris said.
"What do you mean?"
"… I'm not sure but I think that it's best that we stay on guard for the rest of our stay." Harris said.
"That might be wise then." Adam said.
Meanwhile…
It was miles outside of Baguba, but it was still in view from the distance, a figure stood on a hill watching Baguba from where it stood. "The Moogle Racemaster did keep such a lovely city, but now…" General Mali said. "It is time for it to crumble." Mali said. She uttered a few unintelligible words and then said, "RELEASE!!!"
Meanwhile…
The two gunners from earlier today were still out on top of the wall. "You know, we've known each other for a long time buddy." One gunner said.
"Yep, nearly ten years." The other one said. "Ugh!" That gunner suddenly collapsed where he was and started breathing heavily.
"Hey! Are you okay?" The first gunner asked.
"Ugh… yeah… in fact…" The gunner's voice now had a much more sinister tone to it. "I've never felt better." He said with a wicked smile on his face.
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What does Mali have planned? Can they convince Matt to help them? And are our heroes ready for what comes next? No one knows, well except for me. Ha ha.
Note: I know that every Cid in the Final Fantasy games has never been a moogle and thus this Cid is not really based off of any previous Cid. But hey, every Final Fantasy story needs a Cid.