Final Fantasy Universe

  • So many newbies lately! Here is a very important PSA about one of our most vital content policies! Read it even if you are an ancient member!
B

Boss Frost

Guest
Original poster
The clacking of rails beat rhythmically in the minds of the passengers. It was surprising that the railroad had survived with very little to repair, and it was a stroke of luck that the True Cataclysm changed the route to be... useful. This train went from Cornelia to Baron, stopping at a few major and minor kingdoms and towns along the way. This made the train a common route for traders or adventurers.

At the moment, the train crosses a bridge spanning a massive fissure in the world, created by the True Cataclysm. This one, the Iifa Fissure, was filled with a thick white mist - the Iifa tree had once again begun to generate the monster-creating Mist... which was no comfort to those still within the ruins of the Galbadia Garden, seen by passengers as they pass it's smashed ruins in the side of the Iifa Fissure.

Both sides of the fissure grow a light blue/green grass, and wild chocobos can be seen running through - along with a few monsters, glaring at the train - some attempting to attack to train, but few were fast or strong enough to make a dent.

The train is well-decorated... originally, this very train was the same that was used by a group of heroes in their attempt to kidnap an evil power figure of their world. Despite the train's luxury, it was built for defense - something that might give passengers comfort. Few people actually use the train, and thus few had to share a room. People spend time on their own, or use the train's many comfort-rooms to relax and socialize. The train's current owners, the ShinRa Corporation, have fancied it up a bit - even being so kind as to create a sort of 'nature room' in one of the cars, filled with fresh plants and a materia-powered generator to simulate an outdoor enviroment, without having to open up the car to outside dangers. It was one of the few materia items still in use - most of the materia having vanished or turned to only so much pretty gems.

Our adventure starts here, on this train. Whoever and whatever heroes have boarded the train are destined to chance the course of the planet... but will it be the right thing to do...?

Time will tell.
 
Ghost loosened the scarf around his neck, feeling uncomfortable sitting on the train in unusual attire. Rather than declaring his bloody profession for all to see, the ninja-for-hire had stowed his dark blue clothes in a bag and opted for heavy trousers, a blue sleeveless shirt, and a heavy leather belt.

The search for his partner, Fundin, continued. But even with their connection forged in battle, Ghost had one very real deterrent to his quest: money. His wallet was running lean; hopefully, jobs would present themselves. One rule of thumb he had learned in his adventuring career--there's always something needed at the end of a road. Or, in this case, train tracks.

Ghost brushed his dark hair out of his eyes and looked around, scouting out the other passengers on the train, searching for any interesting characters.
 
Ghost wouldn't have to look far. A massive white lion stood on it's hind paws, front paws plastered firmly upon a window. Rather, it appeared lionlike in quality. It had only a 'stripe' of mane, going down it's back. It's ribcage showed clearly, and the rest of the beast was lean and muscular. The beast was at least as large as a man, and double the weight. It didn't notice Ghost at all, watching what was outside with an open-mouthed expression that could have easily be equated to human joy. Taped to it's back is a train ticket - placed there to prove that it is, in fact, a passenger... and not some monster that found it's way on the train.

In fact, this was far more than a lion - this was one of the seto race... an intelligent, lionlike species uncommon to social scenes. Male by body type, he wore a copper bangle upon one of his forearms, and feathers tied into his mane ruffle slightly as he turns quickly to look at something passing - this, in turn, causes his earrings to jingle. His tail flicked happily side to side, white flame glowing brightly, almost hard too look upon it was so bright.

In his mind, Snowpaw was imagining himself running beside the train, as fast as the train. A keen-eared, keen-eyed individual could hear him hum some sort of tune under his breath, and see his rabbitlike ears twitch in beat. So much green! So many things he hasn't seen before! He 'ooohs' audibly at the image of the ruin smashed into the side of the cliff face. The young seto laughs childishly, earrings tinkling into each other. At the sight of a flying garuda, he hops merrily in place, grinning with his sabretooth maw. "So much faster than running..." He mumbles to himself, still looking in wonder at the outside flying by.
 
Ghost overheard the seto's murmur and said to him agreeably, "Faster indeed. The wonders of technology. And airships are faster still, but noticeably more expensive. You've never been on a train before?" His tone was a prompt, for he did not know the beast's name.
 
Snowpaw's wolflike face never left his gaze outside, though he spoke in a quick, excited manner. "Been on a train? I never even knew these things existed before now! I've been running everywhere... this is much easier. I outta watch out though, or I'll become one of the fat, content housecats the humans keep."

He turned - he had bright, young eyes... one could tell from his voice, too. Sure, he was the size of a human adult, though that was hardly the full growth size of a seto. "My name's Snowpaw. I'm from the far north... things are so interesting out here... it's amazing how many things can smell different. Where I'm from, all we had to pick out was the smell of meat from tree and snow... and here, there's a lot more around. I hope I'll still be able to hunt." His white fur rustles slightly, one ear rising. "...Speaking of smells, is it me, or does everyone on this train smell of blood? You, especially." An... awkward question to ask, though the seto grins. "You're a hunter, too! You look like a -Stripe or a -Claw to me. I'm not even a warrior yet, so I still have '-Paw'... if we're both hunter, we're kin even beyond race." The excited seto hops on all fours in an entertained manner. "So hi-hi!"
 
The train ride was amazing. Alex had splurged some of her money and bought it, and was enjoying every second of the ride. The first day, she spent three hours in the bathtub.

It had been glorious.

She had gotten her fair share of strange looks (and people's room numbers) from the other passengers. One man had given her his jacket, which she had politely declined. It was warm around here, and she liked how she dressed.

Even if other people didn't.

One of the train staff, however, had convinced her to leave her sword in her room. Right now it was stored under the bed. She felt almost naked without it, which she supposed was rather ironic considering her dress.

Today, she felt like wandering the train and seeing the sites. After all, she spent yesterday in the bath. She walked the hallway that Snowpaw and Ghost were relaxing in, and leaned up against the wall to look out the window. It was simply amazing, watching the land race by. Mountains looked less majestic when you had to actually climb them with light clothing and a slab of metal on your back.

Yeah, she really freakin' hated that mountain. Why can't the wise sages ever live on plains...
 
The sound of metal wheels rolling against the steel tracks (and the more than occasional steel bolt) gave all sound and music a strange undercurrent, that of a sort of clacking squeal, acompanied by the sound of the carriage itself wavering slightly.
the smell of the carriage may not have been unpleasent, but neither was it particularly endearing, it was the smell of society, of a large mass of people, though by the almost destinct lack of other passengers, the smell seemed slightly out of place.

That said, the train's defensive looks gave William some comfort, although the knowlege that if the train derailed whilst crossing the bridge it would plunge into the mist, and of course the ground below made him slightly uncomfortable, but other than that, the Baronite Bard found the experience, like almost everything in life, rather musical, and he had to fight back the urge to sing some sord of absurd ditty loudly, settling for muttering some songs under his breath, so as to not disturb the other passengers, two of whom had just struck up a conversation, though the two were of very different appearences.

Then, despite himself as he saw a rather good looking woman enter the carriage, William could no longer just hum softly, and on impulse he ignored the ninja and the seto and stood from his seat, bringing his up guitar and strumming it gently at first, then with more enthusiasm, the Instrament playing like an Acoustic guitar, and William created a mood of light humor with the tune, though as he began to sing, it became apparant that he had quite a strong accent, some words seeming to miss vowels, but for the most part, he was clear in his pronouciation.

When I was just a lad looking for my true vocation
My father said "Now son, this choice deserves deliberation
Though you could be a doctor or perhaps a financier
My boy why not consider a more challenging career"
Hey ho ho
You'll roam to foreign shores
And you'll keep your mind and body sound
By working in and out of doors
True friendship and adventure are what we can't live without
And when you're a professional Bard
That's what the job's about
Now take Sir Johnny Barnes, the Mysidians all despise him
But to the Baronites he's a hero and they idolize him
It's how you look at Entertainers that makes them bad or good
And I see us as members of a noble brotherhood
Hey ho ho
We're honorable men
And before we lose our tempers we will always count to ten
On occasion there may be someone you have to Ridicule
But when your a professional Bard
You don't have to wear a suit.....
I could have been a surgeon
I like taking things apart
I could have been a lawyer
But I just had too much heart
Some say that Bards steal and should be feared and hated
I say we're victims of bad press it's all exaggerated
We'd never stab you in the back, we'd never lie or cheat
We're just about the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet

Hey ho ho
It's one for all for one
And we'll share and share alike with you and love you like family
We're gentlemen of fortune and that's what we're proud to be
And when your a professional Bard.....

You'll be honest brave and free
The soul of decency
You'll be loyal and fair and on the square
And most importantly
When you're a professional Bard
You're always in the best of company!



As he finished, William bowed slightly, a grin showing though his fiery orange goatee
 
Boss Frost said:
Snowpaw's wolflike face never left his gaze outside, though he spoke in a quick, excited manner. "Been on a train? I never even knew these things existed before now! I've been running everywhere... this is much easier. I outta watch out though, or I'll become one of the fat, content housecats the humans keep."

He turned - he had bright, young eyes... one could tell from his voice, too. Sure, he was the size of a human adult, though that was hardly the full growth size of a seto. "My name's Snowpaw. I'm from the far north... things are so interesting out here... it's amazing how many things can smell different. Where I'm from, all we had to pick out was the smell of meat from tree and snow... and here, there's a lot more around. I hope I'll still be able to hunt." His white fur rustles slightly, one ear rising. "...Speaking of smells, is it me, or does everyone on this train smell of blood? You, especially." An... awkward question to ask, though the seto grins. "You're a hunter, too! You look like a -Stripe or a -Claw to me. I'm not even a warrior yet, so I still have '-Paw'... if we're both hunter, we're kin even beyond race." The excited seto hops on all fours in an entertained manner. "So hi-hi!"
Click to expand...

Suddenly, Ghost wished he was able to wear his full ninja attire and its mask, as it would have hidden the sweatdrop rapidly forming on his head. "Yes," he agreed very carefully, "a hunter. I'm actually 'hunting' for a friend of mine; we were separated and I'd like to find him."

He quickly shifted the conversation away from him. "Snowpaw, you said you could smell blood on most people here. I find that very...interesting. Does anyone smell like this?" He offered his scarf to the seto; it had belonged to his partner, Fundin. "If not, I'd still like to know what everyone else here smells like. You can never be too careful, after all..."
 
Elazul had certainly approved of his choice to view this "Nature Room" that had been incorporated to the train. The foliage that grew in the car was remarkably beautiful, but so was the slight hum that he could hear from the Materia's energy that radiated into the room. It was such a dull sound that one would need the hearing of an animal, or the concentration of a magician to hear it... The Knight certainly wasn't an animal so it was simple to see how he could hear it.

Passing by a small patch of flowers, he knelt beside them, and ran a hand lightly over the petals... having opted to leave his gauntlets, and his blade in his room, he felt an ease that he hadn't felt in quite a while. Breathing in he could note the scent that the flowers filled the air with. "Motova's... Haven't smelled that sweet scent since I left the city..." He said aloud to himself as the flowers reminded of his home land. "And it will be a while longer before I smell this scent again I'm sure."

Slowly he stood up, and turned his head to the window where he could see them passing by the mountains. His mind threatened to drift away in wonder, but as usual, the better side of his senses prevented him from doing so. Though he was relaxed, he could never get rid of that final sense of caution that always hung around him. It always followed him just as thunder does lightning.

"I wonder what I will find when this train arrives at it's destination?"
 
Snowpaw gets a confused look. "Why are you hunting for a friend? Personally, I don't intend to eat my friends... are you doing it for sport or skill, then?" He shakes his head for a bit, before leaning forward and sniffing the scarf. "..." He thinks on it for a bit. "...Smells familiar, actually... but no, I haven't had that scent for a while now. Sorry." He looks apologetically up at Ghost.

He looks around. "Well, to be truthful, the bloody scent I get is mostly monster blood. It tends to be easy to clean, but the smell is always there. I think it's from their inability to bathe." He shrugs, muscle ripping down his back. "There are... other smells among them, as well."

He looks around the room, nodding towards the singing individual. "I don't think you need my nose to smell lingering alcohol on that one..." He turns to look at the attractive female, quiet for a bit. He eventually looks back up at Ghost. "...Hey, I thought human females had breasts. That one smells like... male. A bunch of male." He shakes his head in a confused manner, then looks up at Ghost. "Your smell is a bit different. I can't really describe it, but you've got a heavy blood smell. Not just monster, either." He smiles at the man. "You must be a skilled hunter, then."

The passengers can feel a slight lurch as the train turns, heading towards the mountain in question. Snowpaw turns around, hopping up and putting his paws on the window again. "Hey... which mountain range is that?"
 
Alex watched the landscape pass by. She was so, so glad that she wasn't actually out there walking in it.

She started to pay attention to a conversation behind her as they mentioned blood. The last thing she needed was another person freaking out on her...

As snowpaw mentioned her, she turned around.
"..Hey! I'm a woman! I just happen to be somewhat masculine..."she leaned up against the wall.
"Wait, you mean that...You can seriously smell that on me? Man, I don't even want to know what you people have to go through to hid their affairs."
 
The seto's evaluation of scents was disquietingly accurate. Ghost frowned. "I cannot say I'm a hunter who likes to brag about his...accomplishments; I'd rather not everyone around knows what I hunt. Now, you mentioned you smelled my friend before. This is the first lead I've had in some time. I could use that keen smell of yours, Snowpaw. As for the mountain range, I confess I'm uncertain; I've never been down this way before."

His conversation was interrupted by the boisterous female, the one who smelled of too much male.

"..Hey! I'm a woman! I just happen to be somewhat masculine..."she leaned up against the wall. "Wait, you mean that...You can seriously smell that on me? Man, I don't even want to know what you people have to go through to hide their affairs."

Ghost did well to keep his face passive, his smirk inward and hidden. "You do not hide much under THAT attire, child," the ninja noted. The young lady was barely that, hardly out of her teens judging by the youthfulness of her face. "My name is Ghost; that's Snowpaw. Who are you?" he asked neutrally.
 
"Hey, I can dress this way...I'm Alex. Going home to finish up some business so I don't have any regrets. Saying goodbye, explaining some things, so on and so forth. I figure that after that I can get back to wandering the world, righting wrongs where I can, standard adventurer stuff."

"What are you two doing here? I'm hella tired of having to walk everywhere...it can get tiring when you've got to lug the stupidly large family sword around. Mountains and heavy swords to not mix well. Mountains and this wardrobe don't mix that well, either."
 
"I've got pretty good smell, yes." Snowpaw puffs his chest out proudly, nodding. "I can catch a lot of things other people can't... Though some of the elders can smell emotion. The Grand Elder can even sniff out memory. That must be amazing..." The young seto gets a wistful expression, ears twitching.

"As for why I'm here... well..." He nods. "I want to see things. I want to taste things. I want to run in all sorts of places... I'd like to climb that mountain. I want to swim in every sea... I want to go down in every dark place, just so I know what's there." Wanderlust burned in the young man, turning his previous wistful expression to ash. The white flame on his tail burned even brighter. "That way, when I come back to my home... I'll have that many more stories to tell." He takes his paws from the window, turning back around towards them. "Some of the Elders tell the same story over and over. It gets really boring... when I'm an Elder, I never want to tell the same story twice."

He looks to each. "...It doesn't help that this world is so wounded. Can't you feel it...?" Whether they got a response or not, he'd shake his head. "Nevermind... as for that smell, I think I last got that smell in-"

He is interrupted as the train shakes heavily enough to knock him off his feet. A few moments later, the triple-chimes that heralded an announcement from the conductor could be heard. "Sssshh... -it just do that? H-hello... this is your conductor. W-we are definately under attack. To t-those of you that remain with us, please stay c-c-calm... oh, who am I kidding!? Attention, passengers! The Dark Aeon Bahamut is currently in pursuit! Make peace with whateveAAH-" The voice is suddenly cut off by the sound of another explosion and shake... and the train begins to slow down. Out the window, the huge visage of Dark Aeon Bahamut [http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc176/dragonfox2004/CloseupAeonBahamut.jpg] could be seen roaring in unholy, furious might at the train.

Snowpaw trembles, ears pressing back against his head. "Why is the Dark Aeon leader attacking us!? We have to get out of here!" He tries best he can to move towards the door - when he gets there, he whines. "Ahh! Why is everything around here designed for things with thumbs!?"
 
The time he'd spent in that room had done him a world of good. Elazul's nerves relaxed more so than they had already been. It was a shame really, when he returned to his room, that the train was rocked by an explosion. As he tugged on his gauntlets, and tied his sword belt around his waist, he glanced outside his window only to see the sight of Bahamut. This was very disturbing, but more so as he could see the Aeon's attention focused on the train. That followed by the quick, and then muted voice of the conductor due to what he assumed was another explosion, made Elazul very aware of the current danger.

He was quick to begin moving up the train cars, and as he came to the third car from his room, he opened it only to see a large white Seto on the other side. Casually he looked into the cart and noticed three other individuals. Two men, and a woman. "I would strongly caution against going the way I came. That is unless the sight of fire, and corpses are something you wish to see. I highly suggest that we leave as soon as possible." The man's fuschia colored eyes seemed to be glowing softly.

"I hope that none of you are afraid of leaping from moving trains..."
 
Ghost turned to the newcomer, while unshouldering his bag; he would soon need his tools. "Not at all, friend. I am Ghost. That's Alex and Snowpaw."

"Elazul."

Ghost nodded acknowledgement and drew a pair of dirks from his bag, wielding them in a reverse grip. "We need out of here, now." Without hestitation, the ninja strode to the door near Snowpaw and kicked it open. "Everyone out, now!" He pointed a dirk at the bard with the orange goatee. "You, too! Let's go!"

The ninja took his own advice and leapt out of the moving train car. However, he snagged the edge of the roof with his dirk and started climbing onto the top of the car. There, he beheld Bahamut in all his dark fury; the Dark Aeon let out a roar and spat a stream of burning power at the rear end of the train, annihilating it in a single blast.

Ghost shouted down to the others. "Jump, now! I'll distract it!" Ghost ran along the tops of the cars toward the Aeon, catching the majestic creature's attention with a hurled dirk. He sincerely doubted the tiny weapon did any damage against that scaly hide, but it did what it was intended to do; Bahamut whirled to face him. Ghost stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh, shit."

Desperately, he backflipped off the train car, just as Bahamut slashed the air where he once stood. The stroke of the blow alone carried the ninja off the train, to where the rocky ground was all too willing to meet up with him.

"This...is going...to hurt."
 
Alex watched as Ghost left to go distract Bahamut. "Moron!"

She dashed up the ladder on the side of the train after him, muttering curses to herself. He just had to leave to risk his life...well, she would probably have done the same thing, but that's beside the point.

Alex picked up the pace as she saw Ghost, if that was his real name, get closer to the Dark Aeon. When he was flung off of the train car, she jumped out after him. Alex caught him in midair and wrapped, herself around his back, shielding him from the rock. Single digit white numbers went flying everywhere as they skidded to a stop, with Alex taking the brunt of their landing.

She breathed a momentary sigh of relief once it became clear that Ghost was okay and that she took all the damage.
"You know, you're really dumb sometimes..." she said in his ear.

A glinting piece of debris flying through the air caught her eye, and she rolled ghost and herself quickly to the side as a massive sword fell and landed right where there heads had been scant moments before.

"Huh, wondered where that went."

She nibbled a bit at his left ear.
"Are you going to take care of yourself now, ghostie?"
 
Snowpaw launches himself out the car with no hesitation, tucking into a ball and rolling to reduce the blow of hitting the ground. He unfolds the tuck into a run, speeding on all fours alongside the considerably-slowed train. Behind him, the roar of the Dark Aeon urges him to run at ever-higher speeds...

Bahamut's roar heralded a grand beam of energy from it's mouth - a Mega Flare - it cuts through a car of the train easily, and rends through the ground - right behind Snowpaw, who currently is doing his best to outrun it. Gritting his teeth and pulling out whatever energy from himself that he could, he calls out to the other two, "No time for love, Miss Alex!"

The beam stops right after he speeds by - though the quick-moving white blur seems to have caught unwanted attention from the big-bad. The massive creature raises itself up, after them...

Snowpaw himself overtakes the now-stopped train, following the tracks towards the mountain - from where he was, he could see the tunnel under the mountain that the train would have gone through... and, seeing how huge Bahamut was, he hoped that that would be a safer route than trying to outrun the Dark Aeon in the fields... as well as lead him to an eventual town.
 
"...you know, I thought he would give up or something..."
Alex let go of Ghost and sprang to her feet, grabbing her sword in a smooth motion and placing it on her back. She dragged ghost to his feet and pratically dragged him along by the arm towards the tunnel.

"Geez! What is this guy's problem, anyways?!"
 
Neko Archy said:
"...you know, I thought he would give up or something..."
Alex let go of Ghost and sprang to her feet, grabbing her sword in a smooth motion and placing it on her back. She dragged ghost to his feet and pratically dragged him along by the arm towards the tunnel.

"Geez! What is this guy's problem, anyways?!"
Click to expand...

"Snowpaw's or Bahamut's?" Ghost asked rhetorically, pulling his arm from her strong grip; the now free hand went to his scarf, wrapping it around his lower face and ears, conveniently hiding a wince. "Go on ahead. I'll be right behind." His left foot dragged; though the girl had done excellently at covering him during the fall, he still banged his knee hard enough to make it hurt. Stoically, he kept pace with the younger girl.

He adjusted the scarf so that it pointedly covered his ears. "You can flirt after we've gotten out of this mess," he told her sharply. "Let's focus on survival first. Snowpaw has the right idea. To the tunnel."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back