A to Z Challenge: (F)inal Fantasy

For those of you who are already regulars on my blog it should come as no surprise to you that I chose Final Fantasy as my “F” entry for my video game theme. I’ve mentioned several times before that the North American version of Final Fantasy III is probably my favorite game of all time. But what about the rest of the extensive series?

For those of you who don’t know the history of this epic series of RPG video games, it all started in the late 1980’s, when video game producer Square was having a difficult time due to poor sales. A young programmer named Hironubu Sakaguchi knew that the company was facing bankruptcy and that his next game might be his last, so he decided that he was going to try his damnedest to make that last game a masterpiece. He chose to make his game a fantasy epic, thus the name “Final Fantasy”. The game turned out to be successful enough to pull Square out of the gutter, and a series that would span decades was born.

To date there are more than sixty core Final Fantasy games and spin-off games. The series, of course, is not a series in the technical sense, since most of the games do not relate to each other in terms of plot, characters, or setting, but there are similarities that carry through most of the installments. For instance, chocobos (large, yellow, chicken-like creatures that can be ridden like horses) are present in almost all of the Final Fantasy games, as are moogles (white, teddy-bear-like creatures with little pink wings and antennae on top of their heads). Many of the games feature powerful creatures that help or hinder the main characters, though they are not always called by the same names (espers, aeons, summons, etc.). And, of course, most of the games involve a group of vastly different heroes fighting to save their world from some great corruption or ultimate evil.

You already know that my favorite installment in the Final Fantasy series is Final Fantasy III (which was actually the sixth one in Japan), but that is far from the only one I love. I was a huge fan of Final Fantasy VIII, starring the brooding Squall and his gunblade, when it first became available in North America. Final Fantasy X was also a huge favorite of mine – which is why my husband bought me the PSVita release not too long ago – and although lots of people thought it was ridiculous, I also loved the sequel, Final Fantasy X-2.

Believe me, I feel bad about myself every time I see one of these pictures.

Some of you are probably wondering why I don’t mention Final Fantasy VII, which is a huge fan favorite, and this is where I have to admit that I’ve never really played it. Don’t kill me! I didn’t have a Playstation when the adventure featuring Cloud was released, so it just never happened for me. Maybe someday I’ll download it on my Vita and angry fans will stop proclaiming that I can’t be a real Final Fantasy fan if I’ve never fought Sephiroth.

Are you, or have you ever been, a Final Fantasy fan? What is your favorite installment? Favorite character? Favorite monster? Magic? Character class? Please share!

Enjoying the A to Z Challenge? Why not check out some of these other participating blogs:

Lynne @ Lynnelives
KC Kendricks Between the Keys (WARNING: ADULT CONTENT)
Tasha’s Thinkings
Sophie’s Thoughts and Fumbles
Gladiator’s Pen
Fantasy Boys 3X (WARNING: ADULT CONTENT)
Stephanie Faris, Author
Wittegen Press
Precious Monsters
A Rose is a Rose is a Rose!

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 12 – Part 2)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Enjoy, and also check out FanFiction.net, where I’ll also be posting this story. 

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

Locke examined Terra with awe. Surely this could not be the same woman? Her body was bare, every inch of her skin resonating with a pale pink light, and her hair spread around her in wild pink spikes that were twice as long as Locke remembered her hair being.

“She…is she alive?” Celes asked in a hushed voice.

As if in response, Terra’s mouth opened to reveal sharp canine teeth, and she groaned, low and loud.

“Terra?” Locke tried. He hesitantly put his hand on her shoulder. “Terra? Are you okay?”

The voice that replied was not Terra’s. “She’s scared, you know.”

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 12 – Part 2)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Enjoy, and also check out FanFiction.net, where I’ll also be posting this story. 

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

Just outside the second tower there was a woman laying face down in the mud, crying. Locke saw the way Sabin was looking at her and firmly said, “Don’t.”

Sabin didn’t move any closer, but he couldn’t resist calling out, “Ma’am? Are you okay?”

The woman was quick – she was on her feet and hurling a knife at Sabin’s face in the blink of an eye – but Celes was faster. The knife went skittering off into an alley and Celes’ sword was at the woman’s throat before the men had even reacted.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 12 – Part 1)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Enjoy, and also check out FanFiction.net, where I’ll also be posting this story. 

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

After very thoroughly losing his cool, Locke explained exactly why he had strong reservations about going to the town of ZoZo.

“It’s a town comprised entirely of thieves, brigands, and the scum of the earth,” he told Celes. “Everyone there is a crook of some kind or another.”

“You should fit right in then,” Sabin teased.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 10 – Part 2)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Enjoy, and also check out FanFiction.net, where I’ll also be posting this story. 

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

The plans were made hurriedly, given that they were not blessed with time. Terra listened with interest as the men shouted ideas at each other, dismissed several, and eventually settled on the best they could come up with under such duress. A team of miners and other Narshean citizens were assigned to guard the town, with instructions that they stay hidden and only emerge should the Empire take fancy to harm the town itself. Otherwise, they were to allow the invaders to pass through the town unhindered. The battle would be fought as far away from any innocents as possible.

Those who remained – the rag-tag group of Returners and about one hundred miners – gathered what weapons the had and began a cold trek up into the mines. Terra felt very conspicuous amongst this group. These were people who were defending their homes, their morals, and their way of life. They were fighting for what they believed to be right. But what was Terra fighting for? She had no idea. She was contemplating this when Celes sidled up beside her on an icy bridge.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 10 – Part 1)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Enjoy, and also check out FanFiction.net, where I’ll also be posting this story. 

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

While Locke and Celes were making it on foot, and Sabin and his new companions were trekking halfway across the world, Terra, Edgar, and Banon had made their way to Narshe with very little incident. The Lete River had carried them the bulk of the way and they’d made the remainder of the journey in less than a day on foot. They arrived at night, but before they entered the town Terra had posed a request. She was concerned, she told the men, that the townspeople would remember her, and not kindly. She showed them the secret passage that Locke had used when they’d escaped the mountain town, and asked that they take this path instead.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 7)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Now that I’ve caught up to what I had already had written and posted on FanFiction.net, I’ll be posting these new bits on both sites. If you’ve never been to FanFiction.net, I urge you to take a look. There can be a lot to wade through, but I’ve been known to find some gems in there.

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

Locke ran like a ghost, his footfalls as silent as a snowflake. He quickly rounded a corner and maneuvered his way down a skinny alleyway, where he stood stock still in the shadows. Several years of experience fighting the Empire had taught him a certain level of stealth.

“Where’d he go?” came an angry voice from the road.

“I think he went this way!” replied another. The two sets of footsteps faded in the distance and Locke released a sigh of momentary relief.

“Yeah…” he mumbled to himself. “Better get to Narshe on the fly.”

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 5 – Part 2)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

Nobody bothered to ask Sabin how he seemed to know exactly where the Returners’ hideout was located; the wearied travelers were simply too grateful to have him as a guide. When they found themselves at the secret cave entrance that night, Edgar and Locke readily admitted that it would have been a two-day hike taking the path they knew.

A young guard, hiding in the shadows behind a large rock, popped up in surprise as the group approached. “King Edgar!” he exclaimed in shock. “What are you – I mean, please come this way!” The eager boy, whom Terra guessed was no older than fifteen or sixteen, ushered them happily down a short tunnel and through a thick wooden door.

“Ah,” Locke sighed, stretching. “Good to be ‘home’!”

Terra had to admit to herself that she was a little impressed. You could hardly tell you were inside a mountain. The tunnel opened up into a fairly large cavern that was furnished with a very long wooden table and many chairs. A makeshift bar was set up in one corner and an older couple were nestled there, doling out mugs of some sort of steaming, delicious-smelling stew. A number of other tunnels were partitioned off with more doorways; one of them was hanging open and Terra spied a group of small beds. The walls were lined with boxes of supplies and dozens of posters with revolutionary sayings, motto’s, and ideals emblazoned across them.

“This way, Sir’s and Madam,” said the young guard again, hurriedly. “This way, please!” He led them past the stew bar, past the long table, and through a door in the very back of the cavern. It was a study of sorts that housed several large shelves, packed with books.

An older man with long, wild white hair, swathed in a pale yellow cloak, turned from the shelf where he stood. He’d been flipping through a very large, very ancient-looking volume.

“Ah!” he said, surprised at the sudden arrival of so many guests. “King Edgar! This is a surprise!”

The young guard ducked away, presumably to return to his post, and Edgar stepped forward. “Banon, there is much to discuss,” he announced. He opened his arms wide in greeting as he spoke.

“Yes, yes…” Banon agreed. He placed his book on a shelf and moved to meet them. “There must have been some interesting events for you to land here with Locke and…” His eyes scrutinized Sabin for a moment. “Your brother?”

Sabin nodded respectfully and no further questions were asked. Instead Banon’s gaze wandered to Terra.

“And who is this lovely young lady?” he asked, though by the way he was looking at his hair it was clear that he already had some idea.

“Terra Branford,” Edgar answered for her.

“Hmmm…” Banon mumbled. “Yes…the girl who can talk to espers?”

Terra opened her mouth, ready to defend herself if need be, and explain that as far as she could recall there had been nothing resembling a conversation with the creature in the Narshe cave.

Edgar interrupted her. “It seems that the Empire had complete control over her.”

“Yes, yes…” Banon replied, his eyes boring into Terra’s. “Carrier pigeons brought word that she wiped out fifty of the Empire’s best soldiers in mere moments.”

The blood flew to Terra’s face, and then drained just as quickly. “That’s a lie!” she screamed in horror. She turned to run from the room, desperate to escape Banon’s steady gaze, but Locke and Sabin caught her on either side.

“Terra,” Locke whispered to her as she struggled against them. “It’s okay…”

“Banon!” Edgar cried, a hint of disgust in his voice. “She doesn’t remember anything! And even if she did, she wasn’t in control of herself! She’s a victim in all this!”

But Banon wasn’t listening to Edgar; he was still staring steadfastly at Terra. “Stay where you are!” he demanded, his voice suddenly loud and firm.

The authority in his voice caused Terra to freeze and slowly turn around, her eyes wide. She was surprised to find that the look on Banon’s face had changed…he looked desperate, and very, very old.

“Perhaps you may have heard this story,” he spoke quietly while taking a few steps forward. “Once, a long time ago when people were pure and innocent, there was a box they were told never to open. But one person’s curiosity was too powerful and one day he stole away and opened the box to see what was inside. In doing so, he unleashed all the evils of the world…envy…greed…pride…violence…control… All that was left in the box was a single tiny ray of light…hope.” As the word left his lips, a like emotion flickered in his eyes. “You may not realize it yet, but we now confront those evils within the Empire, and you may be that last ray of light…our only hope.”

Shocked and confused at the bluntness of his statement, Terra stumbled backwards into Locke. He caught her around the shoulders and gave them a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

“Banon!” Edgar admonished, but his voice was small. It was clear that his opinion on the subject was similar to the old man’s, even if he wasn’t quite so straightforward about it.

This time Banon reacted to Edgar’s voice, and for the first time since he’d noticed Terra, his eyes moved away from her. “Leave me now,” he all but whispered. “I am…very tired.”

Locke gave Terra’s shoulders another comforting squeeze and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 5 – Part 1)

Continuing on with Final Fantasy: Returning Hope!

Reminder: If you’re looking for the previously posted parts of the story, go to the “Categories” drop-down banner on the left banner of the site and choose “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope”.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net

Sabin knew the mountains like the back of his hand. Within only a little over four hours he’d led them down a back pathway, out into a green and flat ravine between ranges, and well on their way to the Sabil Mountains to the northeast. On the hike the brothers caught up with each other with help from Locke on the most recent events. Terra was concerned about the part of the story that revealed her abilities, but Sabin’s reaction to the news was one of calm interest.

“Magic, eh?” he said, smiling at her. “Master Duncan used to talk about how alike to magic some of his techniques are.”

Terra nodded enthusiastically, thinking of Vargas’ strange and powerful wind attack.

“Of course it’s not really magic,” he explained further. “The details are a closely-guarded secret, but the techniques I perform stem from a harnessing of physics, nature, and the power of illusion.”

“I…I don’t understand,” Terra admitted. Edgar and Locke also looked as though they were quietly struggling with this information.

“Well, for example,” Sabin said to Terra, “What sort of magic can you do?”

Without giving it a second thought, Terra lifted her palms and conjured a small flame between them.

Sabin smiled. “Now, there you have it,” he chuckled, impressed and amused. “See, you can pull fire out of the air. Where once there was nothing, now there is flame, using nothing other than your desire for it to be so.”

Terra nodded.

“But how is what you were taught different then?” Locke asked, thoroughly interested.

“If flame is already present, I can manipulated it.” As a demonstration, Sabin performed a strange movement with his hand that caused Terra’s flame to wiggle and dance. “But I cannot create.” He dropped his hand and Terra let the flame disappear. “Vargas commanded a very old technique that allowed him to guide the movement of air,” Sabin explained further. “But it only worked well in the mountains, where air currents are easily bounced off the rock.”

“It’s quite amazing, I must admit,” Edgar spoke up. “That move you did was…dizzying, to say the least.”

Sabin nodded soberly, his recollection more sobering than proud. “It’s more of an illusion than anything,” he modestly insisted. “The victim sees more punches than are actually being thrown, and thus doesn’t know which ones to block.”

Terra envisioned the rocket-fast punches she’d barely been able to keep track of and understood.

“What I do is the result of years of practice and dedication,” Sabin said, then turned to Terra with a grin. “But what you do…well, that’s something genuinely amazing.”

He seemed to be in such honest awe that Terra found herself quietly repeating his words in her head for the remainder of the hike.

Fiction Fragment Fridays: Returning Hope (Chapter 1 – Part 3)

For your reading pleasure, here is the third part of Final Fantasy: Returning Hope, Chapter One.

Warning: there may be profane language in the following excerpt.

Reminder: you can see the previous posts of this story by choosing “Final Fantasy: Returning Hope” from the Categories drop-down banner on the left side of the blog.

*Spites via http://www.videogamesprites.net*

The pain was immense. She groaned aloud and reached up to her throbbing head but found herself tangled up in a pair of bedsheets. Disoriented and panicked, she kicked and thrashed at the bedding and soon found herself tumbling painfully to the floor with a loud thud.

“Where am I?” she cried, eyes darting around the small bedroom.

“Woah,” a warm voice responded, “It’s okay, just calm down. You’re safe here.”

She turned to the closet where an elderly man with a kind face was placing something away. “I…I don’t remember anything!” she sobbed, her eyes widening in fright, “What’s happening to me?”

The man smiled woefully and took the item he’d been tucking away back out of the closet. It was a thin gold circle of some sort and looking at it filled her with dread, though she was unsure why. “This is a slave crown,” the man explained, “The men you were with, they had complete control over you while you were wearing it. If you’ve been wearing it a long time it may have some adverse effects on your memory, but it should all come back…in time, that is. Can you remember your name?”

She thought, though it was painful, and found that there was something, lingering in the very back of her mind, waiting for her to retrieve it. If she concentrated she could almost see the letters in front of her eyes…

“T…Terra…” she whispered aloud, “Terra Branford. My…my name is Terra Branford.”

“Wonderful!” the older man exclaimed, “Rarely does anyone recover this fast! You should do well.” He walked towards her and Terra found herself scrambling backwards, her back pressed up against the bed she’d fallen from. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he said again, with that same warm smile, “I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”

Slowly, analyzing his face, she found she believed him, although she was still terribly frightened. “How did I get here?”

Before the kind man could answer there was a furious pounding from the other side of the house. Alarmed, they both jumped.

“Open up!” a voice bellowed, “Open this door! We know you’ve got her in there and we want her back, old man! That woman is an officer of the Empire!”

“Empire?” Terra stuttered, “Officer? Me? What does he mean?”

The man’s face had gone hard, his eyes narrowed toward the front door of his small home. “I’m very sorry Terra. I’d hoped we’d have more time to chat, but unfortunately it looks like that’s a luxury we can’t afford.” Without warning he jogged over to her, and hauled her up off the floor from under the arm. Dragging her unceremoniously over to a corner, he began to slide a bookcase out of the way of what appeared to be a hidden door, grunting from the heft of his books.

“You’ve got to escape out through the mines while I keep these guys occupied!” he explained hurriedly, “I’m sorry that I don’t have time to explain everything, but I promise I’ll send someone to meet up with you just as soon as he arrives here.”

“I-I don’t want to go alone!” Terra cried, her heart racing, “I don’t know what to do!”

The man’s face softened again, just a little, but he stood resolutely, gesturing towards the door. “I am terribly sorry, but believe me when I say you’ll be better off running. I promise that someone will meet you as soon as possible. Just keep out of sight of the miners and you should be fine.”

She was confused, her head still throbbed, and she hadn’t the slightest clue what was happening to her. Every thought in her mind screamed out in protest of this entire situation. However, she found that she wasn’t exactly overwhelmed with choices.

“I’ll…I’ll go,” she finally agreed, a few hot tears brimming in her eyes, “But please…make sure someone comes soon.” She didn’t wait to hear a response because she was frightened she’d lose her nerve.

It was dark outside and the wind was freezing. A few burning lanterns gave Terra enough light to see the small wooden bridge extending from the hidden door, over the street, and into a small cave opening. She started to creep carefully forward and instantly winced at the noise she created. Examining herself for the first time she found she was covered in bits and pieces of bronze armor. Carefully, painstakingly, she peeled the armor away and laid it carefully down on the bridge, piece by piece until she was wearing only the basic grey jumpsuit meant as an undergarment. Free of the noisy coverings, she scrambled to the cave as quickly as she dared while still keeping as quiet as possible.

The cave was either part of one of the mine shafts that was currently being excavated, or else the old man kept it lit with small strings of lanterns for just such an occasion. Terra crept through quietly at first, but a yell near the cave’s entrance sent her into a panicked run. She wasn’t sure why she was so frightened, but some instinct told her to trust the old man and to fear the men who had pounded on his front door. She ran through tunnels, unthinking, taking a left, then a right, never debating where she was going or where she might end up, until eventually she found herself at a dead end.

“Oh…” she muttered, halting in front of the solid stone wall, “Dammit.”

“There she is!” a voice echoed through the tunnel.

Terra spun around, eyes wide, to find half a dozen men with mine picks and at least one rifle barreling down on her. Somehow she’d managed to navigate herself right into their hunting party.

“Alright, Missy,” the man with the rifle spoke in a gruff voice, “Don’t try and escape now. We’ve got you cornered. Just come quietly.”

Terra’s heart raced and a few hot tears rolled from her eyes. What do I do? she thought.

“What do you want from me?” was what she screamed, “Leave me alone!”

The men took a few steps forward, not answering her cries, and she pressed herself up against the wall.

“No!” she screamed as loudly as she could manage, “Stay back!”

A deep rumbling sound came from somewhere close by and the men stepped back in surprise and alarm. “Shut up!” one of them hissed at Terra, “Not so loud! You’ll bring the place down!”

“Get away!” she shrieked again, ignoring his warning and straining her voice.

It happened so suddenly that the men barely managed to scramble away. Terra didn’t even attempt to move as the stony floor crumbled beneath her.