Fuu: DANCE MAGIC DANCE! JUMP MAGIC JUMP!
Penelo: Something wrong with her?
Vaan: She's got a certain song stuck in her head…a weird song from this thing called a musical, which is called "Labyrinth"
Penelo: Weird…
Fuu: JUMP MAGIC JUMP! SLAP THAT BABY!
Vaan: Oh, right…Fuu doesn't own Final Fantasy XII, same with its plots, settings, and especially its characters. All rights go to Square Enix…whatever the heck that is. Fuu, however, does own herself, Yuko, and these two people called Fini and Misa.
Fuu: PIKACHUU! (Enjoy this chapter)
Chapter 8: Big, Mad Birdie
I got my beauty sleep during the trip on the Strahl, which was about six hours long. I woke up by Vaan, who shook me a bit. I stretched out and left the Strahl into the desert sands of the Sandsea (Not the tavern in Rabanastre, it's a desert-like area…), watching it turn invisible. Penelo, Vaan, and I all stared in astonishment at what the technology did.
"This comes in handy often?" Ashe asked Balthier.
"It is tough being popular, you know. Won't want anyone dropping in." Balthier stated. Ashe nodded.
"We go across the Sandsea…to the Valley of the Dead. And to King Raithwall's Tomb below." Ashe pointed to a distance. Fini landed on my shoulder.
"Fuu, this is the time to learn more about yourself." Fini stated. I glanced over at her.
"Oh? You know nothing about this Legend thingy?" I asked her. Fini looked down.
"Unfortunately, I do not. I should know, which shames me." Fini sadly replied. I patted her head with my right index finger.
"No worries, Fini." I said as I started trailing next to Vaan and Penelo.
"Hey, your name is Fuu, right?" Penelo asked me. I nodded.
"It sure is."
"Back when I saw you get arrested…how did you know my name?" Penelo asked me. I blinked; surprised that she still remembered that.
"Well, you see—."
"She might be King Raithwall's Legend!" Vaan said excitedly. Penelo's eyes expanded and she just kept staring at me in awe.
"You serious? Are you really she?"
"I could be, I'm not so sure yet." I replied. I then turned around and faced the two again. "Say, no one really told me about this Legend thingy anyway." I stated.
"Well, it's been said that the Legend was a person who was going to be created by Raithwall's ghost…a person who held this power to know everything in the past, present, and future of Ivalice. That Legend would solve Ivalice's greatest mysteries." Penelo began.
"The Legend also had this power to control things, so I've heard. She could control anybody and anything it wanted but I haven't seen you do that." Vaan spoke up.
"Maybe you have the yellow marking on your back…because you used it to kill Ghis—…"
"Ghis isn't dead yet." I stated. They both looked at each other, stunned.
"WHAT?"
"Nope, he escaped."
"But…you were knocked out when— oh, forget it…you really are her." Penelo said. I winked.
"Can't tell if someone's someone by first glance." I pointed out. Vaan shook his head.
"You're definitely the Legend…want us to check the marking?" Vaan asked. I then remembered what happened this super early morning with Balthier…
"NO WAY!" I pushed Vaan into Penelo and sped up my tracks…
We continued walking until we stopped in this big area full of sand and rusty looking buildings. I recognized this place…the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea. Vaan walked up and picked up some sand, letting it slowly out of his palm.
"How far is Raithwall's tomb?" I asked.
"It is far to the west. We must first cross the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea…and then the Nam-Yensa Sandsea," Basch said. "This area of desert is larger than Dalmasca itself. If you get tired, we stop and take a rest. Especially for you, my Legend, since you are so fragile and young." I rolled my eyes but smiled.
"No fear, pal. I've got my strength all under control. I've been in marching band before out in the sun and the hot temperature, so I think I can handle this as well." I said, putting my elbow on Basch's shoulder, although he was much, much taller than I was.
"Marching band?" He questioned.
"Um…never mind…"
"Something in your world?" Ashe asked me. Penelo looked at me confused.
"World?" She asked.
"Y-yeah…" Great, now pretty much everyone knows my little secret. We shrugged it off as we headed up a bunch of metal stairs into series of rusty little buildings. The winds were pretty gentle, so sand didn't get into my eyes that much. It kind of sucked for Fini and Misa, though, because they were so weightless. They had to cling onto my hoodie or Yuko's oversized sleeves for safety and support. It was really hot, so I took off my black hoodie, zipping it down all the way to the start of my ribs, where the zipper ended, and took it off, stuffing it into my backpack. Some of the guys in our group blushed at the sight of more skin revealed on me, especially Basch. We continued walking on the buildings.
"So, did Dalmascans build this construction site?" Vaan asked Basch.
"No. Rozarrians." Basch stated. Rozarria was one of the two kingdoms in Ivalice caught up in a major war, putting the small Dalmasca in it as well. "Their Empire lies farther to the west, ever at war with Archadia. Heedless of the kingdoms caught in their tracks. Dalmasca…Nabradia…Landis…
"'Tis the small craft's fate: To watch the list of the galleons and pray for light winds." A familiar voice came behind us. We all turned around and saw Vossler!
"VOSSEY!" I squealed, running up behind Vossler and jumping up behind him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He laughed.
"It seems the dearst Legend is lively as expected." Vossler said.
"Hehehe, dearst is a funny word." I laughed. Balthier raised an eyebrow but showed no sign of happiness to my enthusiasm with Vossler.
"Why are you here, Vossler?" Basch asked his good friend.
"Imagine my surprise…I find you, the princess, AND the Legend missing…and then I see a airship in the sky." Vossler said.
"Dat was sooooo us." I said with a strange accent. Vossler raised an eyebrow and shook his head, making me jump off of him. "Besides, you can trust Balthier, can't you?" I said with some desperation that he would not accept Balthier in the group. I gave him a look similar to "Legend's Orders". He nodded.
"I understand." Vossler started to walk ahead of the group as we all followed him. After about five minutes of walking, Fran stopped dead in her tracks.
"We better get moving quickly." She said.
"Let me take a guess: sandstorm?" Balthier guessed.
"No. Far worse." Fran said, pointing out to a distance of the Sandsea. We then saw small, cloaked, midget-like creatures on swim-like creatures, swimming through the sands like dolphins in an ocean.
"We leave at once! This is Urutan-Yensa territory…and they really are unfond of visitors." Balthier said, running towards the nearest exit of the construction site we were traveling through. I started running with Fran and Balthier out of the place, but the midgets popped up in front of us, prepared for combat.
"Fini…how the hell are we gonna beat this guys?" I asked the pixie.
"Anything will do…but they can cast this spell that can kill you…so try to keep your distance as far as you can, so I recommend you use magick spells." Fini stated. I nodded. One was heading towards me, but I jumped back and thought of a thunderstorm, summoning a powerful lightning bolt, which electrocuted the Urutan-Yensa midget. He fell back, paralyzed, and faded away, leaving behind an antidote for my stash in my backpack. As I picked up the antidote, another midget attacked me. I fell back with a scratched up arm.
"You idiot! Don't let your guard down!" Fini squealed.
"Shut up." I murmured. Ashe jumped out in front of me and stabbed the Urutan-Yensa twice as it collapsed, fading away, also dropping a potion.
"Are you all right, Legend?" Ashe asked. She let out a hand to help me get up, and I took it. All the midgets were wiped out in the area and I put on my hoodie again, since the wind was picking up. Besides, I didn't want anyone worrying about my bloody arm. It actually wasn't too long before we got out of the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea. As we entered the Nam-Yensa Sandsea, we found a save crystal to heal up my arm and other areas where I was injured from previous battles encountered. I looked over and saw a small plant with berries on it. I walked over and decided to pick them, for snacks later. As I picked the last one, I remembered this in the game…these were called Eskir Berries…and the big birdie Garuda despised them. I took one and sniffed it. It smelled like a lemon and a peach at once, which actually smelled pretty good. I popped it into my mouth and chewed. It tasted horrible. I spat it out and buried it in the sands.
"What did you do?" Misa asked.
"Eskir Berries smell good, but they taste like crap." I stated.
"They're supposed to be good for you…but they can also attack enemies, especially Garuda." Fini said.
"I know, I know," I said, standing up. "I've played the game before many times." I walked over to everyone else as we traveled through the Nam-Yensa, which was even shorter than the Ogir-Yensa's traveling. We then went through a small tunnel and came out into the sunlight…the entrance to Raithwall's Tomb. Before anyone took a step further, a shade hovered over everyone and we all looked up…oh snap…big mad birdie. It cawed in fury as it swooped down…straight to me, of course. I ducked down as it barely missed me. I stood up again and ran over to hide behind a pillar.
"Yuko, get the Eskir berries please." I said, getting out my ninja sword. Yuko dug her head through the backpack.
"Um…I really can't see anything…there's things scattered everywhere in here." Yuko stated, pulling out my iPod. Garuda saw my pathetic hiding spot and swooped down to get us.
"If Garuda harms my iPod, I'll murder everything around me!" I screeched. Yuko stuffed my iPod safely down into my backpack as I completely forgot to duck down to the ground to miss Garuda's attacks. It grabbed my hood and brought me up into the sky, Fini following me up.
"IDIOTTTTT!" Fini screeched at me. I only was screaming my head off while in contact with the sky.
"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET DOWN FROM HERE!?" I screamed loudly. Fini couldn't keep up with Garuda's speed and she fell behind until Garuda hit her with its tail. She squealed while following straight to the ground below.
"FINI!" I still had my ninja sword in hand and I attempted to stab Garuda's wings, but it was soaring so fast that tears blurred my eyes and I saw nothing but the sky. I was kicking a lot, when I noticed that on the bottom of my shoe was a berry…an Eskir berry? Oh, it was the one I tried to eat but I spit it out…then I probably stepped on it when I buried it up. I would try to bring my shoe up to where I can scrape the berry off, but it took minutes to do so. I finally got it after the eleventh attempt. I didn't know what to do with it…do I just throw it at it? I did that…and it worked! Garuda flinched in pain as it soared down to the ground. As soon as it was close to a pillar, I used my ninja sword and stabbed one of Garuda's wings, which made it squeal. I jumped on the top of the pillar and clung onto it, sliding down carefully. I ran over to the pillar where Yuko was.
"Where's Fini?" I asked, panting.
"Wasn't she with you?" Yuko asked. Misa was helping rummaging out my backpack.
"She was…but…she couldn't keep up with me and—DUCK!" I ducked down and Yuko followed me, and Garuda missed the both of us. We got back up.
"Any luck finding any?" I asked Yuko.
"I found two…how many were there again?"
"Six, but I threw one too, so there's three left in there, and I think that will finish off Garuda fo sho." I stated, watching out for Garuda's next daring swoop.
"So far, I've found a couple of wrinkly gum wrappers, your iPod again, Soapy, and a cap of a blue pen." Yuko said, showing me the items.
"Hand me the berries that you found already. When Garuda makes the next dive, I'll throw it at him." I said. I learned Garuda's little "schedule" for battle. First he tried to maim Vaan with his beak, but Vossler would distract him. Penelo and Balthier would then go in a small little fight with their weapons as everyone else casted spells, when Basch casted his second spell, Garuda would fly up and try to put me or Yuko in the sky. When Basch was done casting blizzard, Garuda flew up and headed towards us. I took the two berries and when he was close, I threw them both at him. I'm not good with throwing, but it hit him pretty good. He squealed painfully as he spun around in the sky, almost landing on Vaan (Why is it always Vaan who almost gets killed first? Who knows…)?
"Bulls eye!" I said excitedly.
"I found another one! It was behind your cell phone!" Yuko handed me another berry. I clenched onto it gently as I waited for Garuda's next dive…when he finally came down, I threw the berry at him and he flinched in pain…when I noticed something hanging from his beak…FINI!
"Fini's been bird-napped!" I shouted.
"What?" Yuko asked.
"Uh-oh, and she's still knocked out, too!" Misa squealed. I had no other choice, I thought.
"Find the other two berries quickly, Yuko!" I said.
"I'm on it!" Yuko said, stuffing her entire body in the backpack. She came out with one berry. "One…" She then stuffed her entire body in the backpack again, trying to find the final Eskir berry I had picked earlier. Garuda swooped down again, Fini still knocked out.
"I found it!" Yuko said happily. She handed me the very last Eskir berry and I put them in my hand.
"All right, Garuda's gonna come down any second now—AGH!" I squealed as Garuda swooped me up by his wing and onto his back. The unexpected flight made me drop one of the berries in the center of the battlefield.
"Hey you, we're just going to visit the guy." I said to Garuda. "And you have a friend of mine I want back! How's this?" I threw a berry at Garuda and he cawed loudly, letting go Fini. "I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO DROP HER YOU RETARD!" I screamed at the bird, which shook me off. I was falling stories high. Just for honor in the battle, I threw the last berry in my hand to Garuda. It hit his foot and he squealed again in pain. Unfortunately, he still didn't die yet. I was falling at rapid speed and I was close to Fini…and to the ground. "Don't…die…yet…Fini…" I said through clenched teeth. I then reached my hand out and grabbed Fini and put her in my camisole and around the elastic band of it. I was a meter to the ground…this was totally it. I shut my eyes tightly before I felt my body going upwards…great, Garuda saved me…but was gonna drop me again anyway. He was holding my hood by the beak again like he did the first time he took me up into the skies.
"YUKOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! IT'S UP TO YOU TO THROW THE LAST BERRY!" I screamed. Yuko looked up and heard my message to her. She was searching around her.
"WHERE DID YOU PUT IT AGAIN?"
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"
"I SAAAAAAAAID WHERE DID YOU PUT THE VERY LAST BERRY AT AGAIN?"
"I DROPPED IT!"
"WHAAAAT?"
"I SAAAAAAAAID I DROPPED ITTT!"
"WELL THAT REALLY IS A DISADVANTAGE, HUH?"
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"
"NEVER MIIIIIIIIIIIND! I'LL SEND MISA UPPP!"
"OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" Out shouting messages disturbed everyone in the fight, even Garuda himself, but I didn't care. Misa flew up and was distracting the big, mad birdie.
"Hey, dude, wazzup?" Misa said to Garuda. "Look, no offense or anything, but everyone down there wants you dead!" Misa flew up and clung onto Garuda's beak. He tried to shake her off, which made the ride bumpier and even more dangerous. I looked down and saw Yuko searching everywhere.
"YUKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I THINK I DROPPED IT OVER WHERE BALTHIER ISSSS!"
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?"
"I SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAID—AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed while Garuda got more violent with his shaking, and pretty soon, Misa was thrown off.
"YUKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MISA'S FALLINGGGG!"
"I'LL CATCH HER! BECAUSE I SEE HER FALLINGGGG!"
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDD! FIND THAT BERRY, PLEASE! IT'S OVER BY BALTHIER I THINKKKKKKK!"
"OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" Yuko shouted. She ran over to Balthier and looked around him. He questioned her search and then she pointed up. Great, now Balthier had to see me being clung onto by a big birdie. I saw him run up and try to aim his gun at Garuda, but Yuko stopped him while catching Misa in the nick of time. Her catching made it look like she automatically was going to cling onto Balthier's leg. He sighed and put his rifle down and just stared at me, desperate for assistance…
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! I FOUND ITTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Yuko said, holding up the final Eskir Berry. I gleamed at the small sight of it.
"GREAAAAAAAAAAAAT! TRY TO TOSS IT UP HEEEEEEEERE!" I shouted back down. Yuko knew her throw wouldn't be good enough, so she handed it to Balthier, who threw it all the way to where I was, which was pretty high up. I tried to catch it, but it only landed in my mouth. Unexpected of its taste, I immediately swallowed it. Oh, shit.
"AREN'T YOU GONNA THROW IT AT GARUDAAAAAAAA?" Yuko shouted up.
"Um…I accidentally swallowed it…" I shouted as softly as I could, but Yuko managed to hear my words.
"THAT'S NOT GOOD!"
"YOU IDIOOOOOOOOOOOOTT!" Misa screamed. "NOW WE'RE ALL GONNA DIEEEEE!" I looked down and saw Penelo and Vaan, barely standing up from all the energy they've wasted so much of. Vossler was helping a limping Ashe, and Basch was sitting in the sand, probably praying his ass off for my protection. This was my entire fault that everyone was going to lose…but then, before I buried my head in shame…I felt this weird bump in my throat…and it was warm and I had a feeling that the smell was going to be unpleasant…and it was the perfect idea. I twisted in front of Garuda's face…and burped the stench of the Eskir berries right in his eyes. The burp was pretty long, too! Garuda screamed loudly as his body was fading and I was falling again. Fini finally woke up and got out of my camisole elastic band and tried to lift me to make my faller not kill me, but it wasn't working out well…until Misa came up and helped. It was much better and my landing was nice. It was probably even cooler to the eyes of everyone else because they couldn't see game guardians.
"Fuu, are—." Balthier started. I put my finger on his lips.
"Don't worry, I'm fi—…" Before I finished, I burped again, gentler this time.
"Eskir Berries make you burp a lot, by the way." Fini whispered to me. I had a cheesy smile plastered on my face.
"Thanks for telling me that when I tried to eat one before." I whispered to her.
"No wonder Garuda died." Yuko giggled. Everyone held in laughter as they headed over to what we've all been searching for…the tomb of King Raithwall.
"Be careful, my Legend, it's very dangerous in that place." Basch said to me.
"No problem. I can burp out a bird, I think I can handle anything now." I winked at Basch. We walked up many worn-out looking stairs and there was a save crystal! We replenished ourselves and then saw this ancient device. It was the only way to enter the tomb.
"We ready?" Ashe asked everyone. Everyone nodded and she was the one to activate the switch. We all disappeared and went below into darkness…it was weird being teleported. It felt really cold, like someone stuffed a bunch of snow down your back without the wet, trickling feeling. We stopped in a room full of torches and a long hallway was lit up to a large door.
"This is it. We just have to travel through the many corridors to reach to where we need to be." Balthier said. For some reason, my back felt this pain…a deep pain…like the pains you would get during your period…but it also felt like sorrow, as well. We started to head down to the hallway…when we felt rumbling behind us…we turned around and saw dust and stone fly in all sorts of different directions…and a Demon Wall ready to crush us against the wall.
"Fight or run, we better decide fast!" Vaan said. All of a sudden, a yellow light came out of my chest I looked at it in surprise…did I always have that? It flew over to the door to another hallway.
"This way, you guys!" I said, running over to the door. "What are you?" I asked the light. I'm dumb, why was I talking to a pale yellow light? I opened the doors with my strength, some dust pouring from different places as everyone else followed. We stood on another long hallway…and another demon wall…happy birthday to us…
"The wall comes. We must be quick! Together we can bring it down!" Fran said, getting out her bow and arrow, aiming it at the demon wall. I got out my ninja sword and ran up to it, slicing it a couple of times. It took one of its scrawny hands and threw me back into Yuko. I landed on my butt; palms and feet flat on the ground while knees were up.
"Are you okay, Yuko?" I asked the girl. She stood up, wiping off dust on her overall dress.
"I'm fine. You better get up because the demon wall's heading towards you." Yuko said. I nodded and tried to get up…uh oh…I couldn't move an inch.
"Fini!" I shouted frantically. "What's happened to me? I can't get up!" Fini flew over and gasped.
"The wall's performed "stop" on you!"
"Shit! This isn't good at all!" I screamed as the wall was creeping up closer. Yuko and Misa tried to pull me up, but they only fell back. I turned around and saw everyone else…not moving an inch!
"We've stopped our movements! How has this happened?" Vossler asked.
"It's casted stop!" I shouted. "Someone have a remedy or something?"
"We do! But we cannot reach it in our stash because we can't move!" Ashe stated quite calmly.
"Great!" I said panicking. The demon wall was about four feet away from my feet…and as I started screaming loudly, the light came up and freed me from my spell. I stared as it surrounded me, but I immediately stood up as everyone else was freed, too! The light then came up to the demon wall and destroyed it completely, leaving nothing but a pile of ancient rubble.
"What was that light?" Penelo asked. I looked at the light, which circled around my head a few times before it stopped in front of my face.
"You're very helpful, aren't you?" I asked the light. "I'll name you Shiny!" I said. It looked a little happy and bobbed up and down before it circled around my head a couple of times again, then snuck underneath my hair and rested on my left shoulder.
"Well then, we have a new friend," Balthier said. "Anyway, we should continue through this solemn place…to the tomb…and to get that fascinating treasure." He started walking away and everyone followed him, as did I, into the tomb where the Legend would not be very welcome…
To be continued in chapter nine!!
Okay, so I was talking to a friend about this story, and I told him about Fini and Misa. He asked me how old they were, and I said, "They're unknown in age". He then said "That's messed up, dude! You've got to give them some sort of age since they're supposed to be SEXY!" What a fool my friend is…anyway, Fini and Misa still don't have given, final ages, but they probably both look like they're seventeen or something…I decided to do that for my friend. Oh, yeah, and OC ages…
Fuu, 14, since that's how old I am now, and its appropriate enough for that age on this adventure…she's very small though for her age.
Flashback…during band camp, getting out of the cafeteria, college students entering…
"That's a young-ass chick!"
"Probably Twelve…"
Grr…
And Yuko is age 5, although she has good vocabulary and personality for her age, since most five-year olds are whiny and spoiled…but she isn't…
Okay, buh-bye!