(I do not own Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, or any of the places I use in here. Nor any of the NPC's from the games. OC's are mine. But what they are based off of is not.)

So here's chapter number three! Training for their years of being caravanners start!

Enjoy yourselves…

000

THRAK! CLANG! CLANG!

The sounds of clanging metal could be heard from the alcove of trees behind the nursing hospice.

"Damn it" Cross cursed "This guy's too fast" Cross was covered in sweat from his training with Ezekian. The morning after they had volunteered Ezekian gathered them all in his house and interviewed them with his wife. They decided each role everyone could fill, and what each person could be best at.

"HRAGH!" Ezekian screamed as he charged at Cross. Cross attempted to block the blow from Ezekian's sword with his ax, but he flew back and landed on his back and didn't get up.

"I suck at fighting" Cross said discouragingly.

"You're fine Cross; I remember when I could barely pick up my sword and strike. The more you fight the better you'll get. Now help your brother up Alie." Alie stood up from her audience position and helped her brother up. She seemed to still be recovering from her fight, as were Kayle, Malik, Ele, and the twins. Giza seemed to be patiently waiting for his turn.

"Now I know fighting me may seem to be impossible, but most monsters won't be able to. You'll fight more and soon become a fighting master like I think myself to be. If I wasn't, why would the elder ask me to train our caravans?" he said with a crooked smile.

"Now, Giza and Ele come 'ere with your bow and racket. I know you've had a chance at short range fighting Ele, but your racket can serve as both a short and long ranged weapon." The two selkies joined their instructor. "Now I want you two to pay attention to these targets I have set up. Focus right in the middle, make it seem as it's not your weapon hitting it, but yourself. Keep your arms steady, and your mind clear."

Giza and Ele breathed for a second before lifting their weapons. Giza aimed his bow with an arrow ready, while Ele lifted her racket with her arms just to not shake with nerves.

"Now on the count of three I want you to release. One….two…three!" Both Ele and Giza shot their marks, and hit the targets right on point. "Excellent, I knew you two would be great shots. Fishermen always have to keep their eyes on the fish, while Tailors have to focus on the small needles and thread. Now you can join the others."

"You see, your weapons aren't just measly old sticks that you hit or throw at people. They're a part of you. When you're fighting don't just swing it around like a goblin, make it an extension of your body. That way your movements are more precise, but at the same time, much stronger. Kayle, you must swiftly swing your sword to keep enemies at bay. Alie, with your rapier and shield you can attack the quickest enemies, and defend from some stronger ones. Malik, with your mace you can strike the hardest foes, and swing it from a distance if necessary. Tanyia, with your wooden hammers your blows could bring down hordes, and paired with Naiya's sharp spear skills, you two could be unstoppable. Cross, with your ax, you can destroy all obstacles in your way. Ele, your racket will serve in all kinds of combat, so use it well. And Giza, your bow's arrows may be limited, but its range is not." At his speech the children's morale seemed to be lifted.

"So are we ready for the adventures now?" asked Naiya

"Yeah, are we ready Ezekian?" Tanyia excitedly asked

"Not after some more combat training. Now all of you stand up and get ready. You'll all face me as a team, one…two…three…FIGHT!"

000

"Fire!"

"Very nice Canestre, the flames are a little dim, but with more practice they should be perfect!"

While the fighters were practicing their fighting skills, the magic capable people were practicing on dying trees towards the edge of the alcove. Hycanth was instructing them. It was perfect since she was the best with magic in the town, and possibly in the next towns over. She was very capable with all types of magic. From healings magic, to attack magic to even the darker arcane magic that was developed long ago. The four caravanners were standing in a line, waiting for their turn to caste their area of magic. It was determined that Canestre was an elemental attack mage, while Viera was more suited for the healing and buff magic. Ryden was good with arcane magic, while Joitieu, wasn't as magic adept, and paired her magic with a yukish hammer.

"Now, Viera clear the flames away!"

"Clear!" Viera screamed, and the flames on the tree diminished.

"Very nice, now Joitieu, use your hammer and blast that tree with a blizzard!"

"Alright" Joitieu whispered as she ran up and hit the side of the trunk and yelled "Blizzard!"

The tree blasted into tiny frozen shards, and nothing was left of it.

"Excellent Joitieu. You're really getting the hang of mixing physical and magic attacks. Now Ryden, I want you to use Poison on one of your daggers, and fling it at the tree okay?"

"Are you sure? Alright, Poison!" Ryden screamed as he cursed his dagger and flung it at a tree. It hit the tree right in its center. It seemed to have no effect, until the tree started to turn brown and disintegrate from the inside out.

"This is truly amazing! You all have grown so much in just this one training session. I have no fathom of a doubt that you won't grow even stronger in your journeys. Now does anyone have any questions?" Hycanth looked excitedly through her helm at all of her students.

"Yeah, I have one" Viera spoke up "I understand why you can use the arcane arts, since you have learned from many magic users around the world and have used magic for a long time , but why can Ryden Koe? It's very odd for a selkie to use magic, especially that type. How can he pick it up so quickly?"

"That is an odd question, but it deals with Ryden Koe's upbringing, and the creation of arcane magic. Would you like to explain Ryden?"

"Well…I was born and raised in Leuda, and until two years ago, I lived there. We moved here for scientific reasons, but in Leuda my parents taught me many selkic practices, one being arcane magic. Long ago the selkies created it to rival the yukish magic, the selkic magic being more status affecting so they could bring the yukish forces down with their long term ailments, poisons, and curses. The yukes and monsters learned it, and most selkies lost the art. But my parents made sure to keep it instilled in me, and made me practice it on many of our flowers for study." Ryden smiled after his speech and looked at Hycanth to take the spotlight away.

"Very nicely said Ryden, I couldn't have done it better myself. " Hycanth said as she patted her student on the shoulder. "Now let's go back and make sure my husband hasn't killed your partners yet."

000

SMASH! SWOOSH! BAM!

"Is that all you've got? You're going to have to do a hell of a lot better if you want to protect the village!" Ezekian screamed as he blocked another hit from Tanyia's hammer and threw her back towards the others. The mood had changed as they fought Ezekian. It went from calm to intense in a matter of minutes. The caravanners had grown tired, but they knew their teacher was far from reaching his limit.

"Come at me with all you guys got!" their teacher screamed again. Alie ran in first with a swing of her rapier, Ezekian dodged it and swung in with his sword. She blocked it, which earned her a smile from him before she was pushed out of the way. Kayle and Malik came in for a double attack, but Kayle was quickly dealt with in a sword to sword fight, while Malik managed a scratch of Ezekian's check with his mace. Cross came up for a sneak attack and managed a hit with his axe's hilt. Before Ezekian could breathe, Naiya and Tanyia ran in for another attack with Naiya running spear first and Tanyia bringing her hammers in a full swing. They collided with his sword and quickly brought him down with their combined strength. Ezekian quickly rolled away from the area of Giza's arrows. He then jumped and barely dodged a blast from Ele's racket.

He stood up out of breath and looked at his students. He leaned on a tree for support.

"All right, I think that's enough for the training." He sputtered.

"Yes, especially since it seems the students have nearly outgrown the teacher." Hycanth chuckled. She and the magic users walked through the trees from their watching spot of the climatic fight. The fighters cheered as it seemed that their hard work had paid off.

"Now, I believe it's time for rest. All of you come inside so I can make you dinner."

000

The twelve teens sat around the large dining room table of their teachers in silence. Hycanth had been making them dinner, while Ezekian had gone back to help her plate and cook some. This had been the first all of them had been in one room together. They all had seen everyone around town and despite training for most of the day, talking with each other seemed much harder of a task. Tanyia really hated the silence so she decided to end it with a fun game.

"Okay so, I decided that we should play a little game in order to get to know each other better." She smiled at everyone, but most of them weren't too sure of the idea.

"Are you sure that's needed Tanyia?" Joitieu asked cautiously.

"Did you not just hear that silence? It would have put corpses to shame" Naiya argued, backing up her twin.

"I have to agree with her, I mean what harm could a game do?" Giza put in.

"I guess so…" Joitieu quietly spoke

"So what kind of game were you thinking of shortey? Goblin, goblin, orc?" Kayle teased. Ele promptly whacked Kayle over the head, earning a few curses from him.

"Sorry about Kayle, he gets out of control sometimes" Ele stated.

"Wow I would have never guessed…?" Viera huffed.

"Hey now, I resent that." Kayle screamed.

"Oh come on Kayle, she was only teasing" Alie said as she tried not to giggle. Kayle wanted to blush but kept it hidden and focused more on his napkin.

"So, seriously Tanyia, what kind of game are you thinking of?" Cross pried.

"Well, I was thinking we could all go around the room and say something that no one knows about us!" Tanyia squealed. "And I'll go first since it was my idea. Well, remember when that weird scarecrow showed up on Tipa Point a year ago? That was me!" the small lilty giggled as she turned red.

"I knew it!" Canestre stated "Everyone blamed it on the weird clavat man who randomly shows up, but those footprints were too little…"

"Yup yup, so now it's your turn sis!"

"Okay, so when I was seven, I used to pretend a potato was my baby at night when everyone was asleep. Yeah, I know, weird huh. Your turn Alie."

"Well…I used to love eating wheat stalks. I'm not sure why...I just did. Cross, it's your turn."

"Can I pass?"

"No! Now say something!" Tanyia demanded "We all have to!"

"Fine…I used to sleep in footie pajamas till I was twelve…."

Everyone was quiet until they busted up laughing.

"Alright quiet now, it's your turn Giza."

"Well I can't top that, but…when I was younger I had a stuffed crab named Mr. Lobstertons…Kayle you go next."

"I guess before I had real friends I was friends with a cow named Dussie….Now I'm friends with a cow named Ele!" That earned him another whack on the head by Ele.

"Before I met this weirdo, I actually played with dolls…Until; I tortured them all with my mom's sewing kit…" Ele huffed "Your turn Ryden."

"When I was living in Leuda I used to go swimming in the nude… until the fish started biting that is…" Ryden snickered out. People laughed at that too, but Cross' laughter still triumphed over all. "I believe it's your turn Malik."

"Hmmm…I guess something that no one knows is that when I was little, I used to spit in my sister's cup of water every night she yelled at me…which was every day. You're up next Viera…"

"Well, I'm not one to usually keep secrets, but…One night I actually took off my helm at dinner when we had a clavatian maid. She quit soon after due to the shock of it all…" No one but the yukes laughed. Even Joitieu stifled a laugh.

"Ok…"Alie began "So I guess its Canestre's turn."

"Alright well, I used to play fairy princesses with my sister when I was five…until my father caught us." Everyone laughed except for Viera who seemed shocked.

"Joitey, you're the last one!" Naiya said as she giggled.

"I don't know what to say…" Joit whispered.

"Oh c'mon, we all had to share our secrets. Why shouldn't you?" Cross argued

"I mean it's only fair, and we won't judge." Ryden Koe said reassuringly.

"Fine…" Joitieu choked out "I guess…hmmm…well I used to play in the milled products when I was younger and pretend I was the mill monster to my siblings." She started laughing towards the end which brought a smile to everyone's face knowing she was coming out more.

"See Joit, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Tanyia calmly said.

"I'll say, but I feel sorry that you had to play in bread since your family couldn't buy you REAL toys"

"Viera, How could you?" Alie gasped. "That's a mean thing to say after we all just had fun getting to know each other!"

"Yeah, I was starting to believe you had a soul!" Naiya started in.

"Guys, will you just stop your bickering? It's already getting ridiculous!" Canestre stated

"Yeah, plus food's here! So be happy!" Kayle screamed as he pointed at the kitchen door.

"True, I guess empty stomachs lead to that, but have no fear; Hycanth's famous meat stew is here!" Ezekian cheered.

"It's not that good" Hycanth said as she set the huge pot in the center of the table. "Now let's eat!"

The caravanners all grabbed bowls and dug in to the delicious and filling stew. The mood had changed since the bickering and all the caravanners seemed calm about the dangers that faced them when they all would enter the outside world.

000

Alright end of the chapter!

How'd you like? A little action huh? And plus you learned more about the characters!

So who's was the most interesting? And what about their weapons, huh? Tell me in a review XD

So next chapter…they leave Tipa, and head for their first dungeon!

*Oh, and kudos to who can guess who the "random clavat that shows up every once in awhile" that Canestre was talking about. It's not THAT hard. *