::The Last Avatar::

Gamer Edition

BOOK ONE
LEVIATHAN

1.1

Comments from Invisible Companions

Rue looked down at the green ball of mystery in her hand. She quite honestly had no ideas on how to use the damned thing. Until now it had been 'press this button to use Materia' or 'select Materia on the battle menu and press X'. Now, however, it was very literally in her hand and far more complicated than just picking for a list she suspected.

Why don't you just water heal yourself? The question made Rue want to face-palm.

"Because, I don't know, I don't actually know how to water bend?" her sarcastic reply was verbal as Rue figured that it would just be confusing and distracting to have an entire conversation only in her head. She needed to invest in a phone, at least then she'd be able to pretend that she wasn't, in fact, talking to herself. Because she really, really was and it was bloody weird if she was honest with herself. "Also, do you see any water?" she added as an afterthought. She'd gulped down the water she was allowed as part of her meal. Rice, egg and a bit of meat, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what kind, and some water in a wooden cup.

Oh, right. So, what is that thing anyway? Rue could almost see a tanned arm reaching around her to poke at the Restore. With a sigh raised the Materia to glare at the thing and maybe see something she hadn't earlier. Nope. Still a mystery. With a sigh Rue flopped back onto her futon, the green ball held loosely in her hand as she stared frustrated at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.

"It's complicated," was the only response the long dead Avatar currently haunting her was granted. "Shouldn't you be hanging out in the Spirit World or Lifestream or something?" she asked after a moment. Yeah, past Avatars didn't just, hang around, like they were with her. At least that's not what it seemed like in the show. Yup, still weird.

It's complicated, her answer was mirrored back to her much to Rue's annoyance. She huffed to herself and pushed her mind to other things, she could dwell later, when her body wasn't aching everywhere.

Alert!

Uh, thought you should know that B is returning to screen duty now.

Good luck.

S

Rue stared at the, appreciated, but very disheartening warning screen from 'S'. Great, whenever she actually got her Materia Tutorial it was going to be vague, unhelpful and rather insulting. Fantastic. Her 'battle' tutorial would likely be the same. Even better. Sighing Rue dismissed the small and unobtrusive screen to wait for 'B' to give her the next tutorial.

"Needing Materia guidance people," she commented flatly. Her arms flailed slightly at her side in her restlessness. Rue would much rather be doing something at least amusing, like bothering the people, like bothering the two guards she knew were stationed outside her room. "Come on, I don't want to waste a potion and I need to learn to use this shit," she pleaded know that if 'B' was now in charge the woman would likely get a kick out of tormenting her. She wasn't wrong.

Attention!

Tutorial

Materia

…

Psh, well now, look at what you went and did while I was busy. Get a little banged up shorty?

Awww.

Oh well, better suck it up, there'll be more where that came from.

Is what I'd like to say.

Cap'n is glaring at me though so we'll play nice just this once.

…

Materia is fairly simple to use, just focus your mind on the selected piece and find the unlocked spells within.

In fact, it is actually kinda like using a menu and choosing the spell, just shock the spell into action with a 'brain wave' or something apparently.

So stop over-complicating things idiot.

Focus on the stars and you'll manage, just use that imagination you're so damned proud of.

You should note that extended use of Materia without rest can be dangerous so try to be careful, you're already a runt, don't need to make it worse kid.

…

Materia is leveled up via AP or Action Points, AP can be obtained through a number of ways.

Such as battling monsters and completing quests.

Some weapons effect how much AP your equipped Materia gains, from Double and Triple to Nothing.

These weapons are rare however and generally have fewer open slots available, or in the cases of the few weapons that have no Materia growth, many slots available.

I am fairly certain you already know how all this shit works though.

…

There are 5 types of Materia.

Green: Magic

Yellow: Command

Blue: Support

Purple: Independent

Red: Summon

…

Now get your ass out of bed and do something interesting brat.

Or, so help me, I will throw more random shit at you than you know what to do with until you do.

Now move.

Rue tried not to laugh at the amount of information 'B' had given her this time. It seemed that her 'Cap'n' or 'Captain' was watching the grumpy woman more closely for the moment. Sure the insults had been there, but Rue was quickly learning to overlook them for the information around them. She took the threat seriously, however, 'B' would undoubtedly throw things at her through the screens. Things that she doubted would ever actually be useful to her. Rue was still trying to figure out how it all worked, probably something about dimensions and other science-y sounding crap.

Sitting up slowly Rue took stock of her mental information she had on Materia, finding herself rather surprised at what she actually remembered. Different names, types and locations jumped out of her memory with very little prompting. Humming to herself she glanced down at the green ball in her hand. It wasn't large, but only a one star she was guessing. Which meant a 'Cure' was all she had access to for the moment. That was fine, her injuries weren't extensive after all.

"Shock it, huh? Weird," Rue held up the Restore and frowned at it. How the hell was she supposed to do that?

Say 'boo' to it? Was the unhelpful comment from her mental peanut gallery.

"Yes, that will undoubtedly work, thank you so much," eyes were rolled. It likely came from both parties too.

Because you have a better idea? She would have glared at the comentee had the individual in question not taken up residence in her head. Or at least that's what it seemed like to her.

"You're annoying," Rue grumped. She knew she was probably pouting, and a little childish, but she was tired and achy and she really wanted to wake up in her bed right now. She didn't want to be in Wutai, she didn't want to have met Sephiroth, of all people. She wanted to be ordinary again. But wasn't that always the way? The unlikely hero wanted to take it back after receiving and answering, partially at least, 'The Call'. Yeah she was certain that someone called the wrong girl for this one.

Have to give the guy props for being hot, though, right? Of course her current invisible companion would latch onto her thoughts about Sephiroth. With a deep not-so-calming sigh Rue once again flopped backwards.

"I am not having this conversation with you, he's the bad guy," her tone screamed exasperation. She should have known better.

No wonder you like him then, you always fall for the bad guy, Rue's eyes closed as her annoyance grew. She should change the subject, or focus on her Materia. Anything but have this- Don't worry, I think he likes you back. Damn it.

"Oh come on! Why-Why would you say that?!" Rue's free hand rose up to cover her eyes in frustration. She didn't need to here a dead Avatar's opinion on who-likes-who, particularly when she was one of the 'who'.

Oh like you weren't checking him out while you were walking through the forest, She was seriously wanting to hurl something at someone. Rue was certain one of her eyes was twitching as she attempted to defend herself. Unfortunately she momentarily forgot that she was a socially awkward young woman, her fumbled answer was a stark reminder of that fact.

"I-You-He-I-I was not!" all she could hear was laughter in her own head as she flailed indignantly with her words. Giving up, Rue grabbed her pillow and buried her slightly burning face in it. Goddess, fucking, damn it. Her muffled scream of frustration just made her tormentor laugh more.

This insanely uncomfortable, and slightly humorous, conversation would have likely continued had something very large and very heavy no crashed into the floor near Rue's head. Jumping at the sound the teenager removed the pillow from her face to find a mother fucking anvil practically embedded into the floor near her head. Eyes wide Rue sat up and realised she had yet to dismiss her Materia tutorial and 'B' had made good on her threat. "Fucking hell 'B', that's an anvil, how did you get an anvil here!? It could have hit me!" Rue was looking from the screen to the hunk of blackened metal now sitting next to her bed.

Then do something you dumb brat, instead of sitting around talking to yourself.

.

"So you throw an anvil at me!?" she stared at the screen that had replaced the tutorial before her incredulously.

I was bored.

Thought it would be funny.

It was.

"Who the fuck throws anvils at people?! Are you Wile E Coyote or something?!" Rue exploded as she waved her arms around dramatically as she yelled at the screen.

It was kinda funny, her peanut gallery snickered at her.

Please, if I were Wile E Coyote, I would have caught Road Runner years ago.

Besides none of my inventions have blown up in my face.

...Lately….

Now.

Do.

Something.

Brat.

Next time, I'll throw a piano.

With that the screen vanished, dismissing itself. Rue, by this point, was somewhere between hysterically angry, highly amused and scared for her life. She was unable to stop the laughter bubbling up her throat, wasn't sure she wanted to if she was honest. The thought of a grand piano appearing out of thin air to crush her was just too funny and terrifying for her to be able to control the peals of giggling currently shaking her body.

It might have also been the stress of the entire situation baring down on her that made it last so long. Humour had always been her best weapon in stressful situations in the past, now was no different. She would push all her crap to the side and do what she had to do during the day while laughing and crying herself to sleep of a night while she figured everything out. That was just what Rue did. She kept moving forward, no matter what.

When the laughter finally wore out, the teen felt a little better, not much, but better. Her embarrassment from earlier forgotten, for the moment, and mind a little clearer of her great horde of doubts. It wouldn't last, but she figured now was a good as time as any to use her Restore Materia. Finally.

Sitting up Rue took a deep breath and focused her mind on her goal. She needed 'Cure' and she was going to get it. Stubbornness was something she had ample amounts of. Staring determinedly into the small glowing ball Rue could almost see a single star in it's centre, she could almost tell there were others, locked ones, but concentrated on the single star she sought. Now she had to 'shock' it, with 'Brain Waves' no less. How the fuck did she do that? It didn't even make sense.

Strangely enough, when the cool wave unexpectedly washed over her and took away the aches of her body, Rue found she didn't find it comforting at all. In fact it felt weird and oddly manufactured in nature. Though she wasn't sure why. Maybe this Materia wasn't a naturally formed one?

You're the Avatar, Water Healing all the way. It's way more natural anyway, was the only answer she received. Though it didn't seem like her current companion knew what Materia actually was. Rue wasn't sure if she was okay with the idea of only relying on 'Water Healing', but it wasn't as if she knew how to use the skill in question anyway. She was stuck with using Materia for now, so perhaps she'd have to look into Natural verses Manufactured Materia. If she was right then she'd likely feel more comfortable with the former, as rare as it was.

Checking herself over Rue found her injuries were, without a doubt, gone. Thanking her lucky stars Rue pulled herself to her feet, blinking at the spots that appeared before her eyes and feeling herself stumble a little. Right, she was low leveled which meant low MP and HP. Shaking her head, Rue leaned against the wall until the dizzy spell passed her by. It didn't take long before Rue was rolling her shoulders and grinning at the thought of tormenting people, just a little, to make them talk to her.

"Operation Make the People of Wutai Talk to Me is a go," she muttered before walking up to the screen door. Rue was very aware that the guards on the other side had more than likely heard her 'talking to herself', she wasn't yet certain if this was good or bad. It would, however help with her plan. If they already thought she was nutty then they would probably overlook her next actions and write her off as eccentric or insane. Personally she'd prefer eccentric, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Rue took a deep breath. This was going to be fun.

AN: I don't know where this chapter came from. I think I just needed some funny while Rue sorted herself out a bit internally. She needed that laughing fit, I think.

As for 'B', well, she's...not adverse to resorting to violence considering her normal line of work. I have doubts that this will be the last time that she throws something absurd and slightly comical at Rue.

Next chapter will be the actual harassing of her guards and possibly Yuffie...not sure yet, we'll see how I go.

Reviews are loved!

Until next time~
RLK