Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy: The chronicles of Four! ❯ Finally hitting the road! ...er, I mean the sea! ( Chapter 10 )

Awww, only one review? That makes me sad! Anyway, Jenni, it would be VERY dangerous for Fighter and BM to travel together. And they HAVE, in fact, driven me to insanity! Why else would I write a story as crazy as this? So, as always, I don't own any FF games or 8-bit!

 

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Black Belt walked into the tower cautiously. Fighter was happily sitting on a big armchair, sipping a cup of coffee. He waved when he saw Black Belt.

 

“BB, you've got to try this coffee! It's excellent!” Fighter exclaimed. Black Belt's eyes widened. The last thing Fighter needed was caffeine. Black Belt rushed up to the desk and pounded on the little bell. A muscular blonde guy came out.

 

“Welcome to the Returners' Rescue Center. Can I help you?” He asked. Black Belt squinted at the little label on his shirt that read “Sabin.”

 

“Yeah, do you have a tranquilizer? My friend over there is hyperactive and any amount of caffeine will set him off like a firecracker.” Black Belt explained quickly. Sabin looked at Fighter and shrugged.

 

“He's been there for ten minutes and nothing's happened yet.” Sabin replied.

 

“Just give me a tranquilizer!” Black Belt commanded sternly. Sabin raised an eyebrow, but took out a box containing medical supplies. He took out bandages, ointments, and potions, but no tranquilizers.

 

“Looks like we're out.” Sabin mumbled. Just then, Fighter started laughing, and run up to Black Belt.

 

“I'm bored, Black Belt! Can we play?” Fighter asked very quickly, poking Black Belt, “Can we? Can we? Huh? Can we play?” Black Belt turned around.

 

“Sit down!” Black Belt yelled, pointing to a chair, then turned to Sabin, “Help!”

 

“No problem! I also happen to be a gym instructor! One session with me and he'll be sleeping like a baby.” Sabin reassured. Black Belt sighed and dragged Fighter along as Sabin led him to a small gym.

 

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Meanwhile, our heroes were making it back to Pravoca in search of a boat. Everyone was thankful that they'd become stronger. They practically blew through any opposition.

 

“I've come to the conclusion that everyone is against our killing the first fiend!” Black Mage cried as they walked down the meadows. Thief scratched his head.

 

“Well of course they're against us!” he exclaimed, “They're monsters! They're supposed to be against us!” Black Mage hit Thief over the head with his staff.

 

“I meant Matoya, King Corn-head, and that sleeping Elf prince, and everyone else we've come into contact with!” Black Mage hissed, throwing his hands up in frustration, “Think about it. We started this quest over two weeks ago, and we're no closer to relighting any orbs than we were when we started! In fact, we're in even worse trouble now!”

 

“But if you think about it, some of the monsters are actually helping us.” White Mage stated, “And the only reason that we're lagging behind is because you destroyed our boat.” Black Mage stopped stiffly.

 

“WHY DO YOU ALL KEEP ACCUSING ME OF THAT!?” Black Mage screamed, making a few Cockatrices fly away, “If you don't remember, Thief was the one steering! And Red Mage was the one who accepted that piece of cardboard in the first place!”

 

“That's why we're going to Pravoca.” Red Mage said, “Bikke gave us the boat.”

 

“I don't think I'm following!” Black Mage cried, tapping his foot impatiently, “Why would Bikke, leader of a band of notorious and VERY dangerous bandits, help us!?”

 

“Because he promised us he would!” Thief replied, optimistically.

 

“Doesn't it occur to anyone but me that Bikke might be lying?” Black Mage asked, “We killed his troops, killed his boss, stole his boat, and sunk it!”

 

“I thought he gave us his boat.” Thief said, tilting his head in confusion. Black Mage barely resisted the urge to strangle his bandana-bearing comrade.

 

“THAT'S NOT THE POINT, YOU CHOWDERHEAD!” Black Mage screeched, his head getting bigger in an anime-style cartoon. Red Mage just smiled.

 

“Look, all we need to worry about for now is getting to Pravoca.” He said, walking along confidently, “We'll cross the bridge of getting a boat later.” Thief shrugged and walked next to Red Mage. White Mage didn't respond. Black Mage mumbled something then followed his three friends.

 

For a while, no one spoke until they reached the gates to Pravoca. They stepped in, and it sure looked different from last time! People were everywhere, and the shops were reopened, too.

 

“Wow! You're the dudes that beat up those pirates!” a guy with a Mohawk said, running up to them. He shook Red Mage's hand, but Black Mage ignored him. When he left, more people began to cheer as the four walked through the streets.

 

“Man, people really love us!” Thief exclaimed happily, as girls threw flowers at him. Old seniors came out cheering, children were singing, and dancers danced merrily as they passed. And Black Mage wanted to kill them all.

 

“GO AWAY!” He screamed as a girl handed him a rose, “So we killed a wussy pirate! Who cares! Leave us the hell alone!” He stomped off into a shop and sulked in a dark corner until the other three came in. White Mage sighed when she walked in. Obviously, she'd grown tired of the praise as well. But it was clear that Red Mage and Thief had not.

 

“Idiots, GET IN HERE!” Black Mage screamed as he opened the front door and dragged the two in. Red Mage straightened out his cape where Black Mage had wrinkled it, and Thief looked around curiously.

 

“Where ARE we?” he asked, “It's dusty, and I can't see with all of this darkness!”

 

“Argh, you be in Bikke's Boating Store!” came a gruff voice from behind the well-hidden counter.

 

“And we'll assume you are Bikke?” White Mage asked, carefully walking through the dark aisle.

 

“Aye, that I be, lass.” He said, “The one and only pirate o' the seas. Are ye interested in buying yerself a boat?” White Mage nodded, and Bikke turned on the store lights. He nearly screamed when he saw the merry little group.

 

“AAAH! What in Davy Jones would you all be doing here? I paid me dues! I gave up me life o' pillaging!” Bikke cried, sweat pouring down his face. Red Mage respectfully took off his hat and bowed.

 

“We aren't here to fight again, good sir.” Red Mage said gently, “We are here to purchase a boat. As you see, the one you supplied us with sunk a great while ago, and we are in dire need of another.”

 

“Mainly because yours was a piece of crap.” Black Mage muttered. White Mage nudged him hard in the elbow. Bikke's eyes widened at hearing the fate of his boat.

 

“Ye… YE SANK MY BOAT!?” He screeched, “Me own mother got that for me on my 25th birthday… Oh mommy…” He sobbed and whined and whimpered. He rocked back and forth, and sucked on his thumb like a big baby.

 

“Oh, suck it up you big baby!” Black Mage hissed after letting this go on for twenty minutes, “We're paying customers here! Do you have a boat or not!?”

 

“No amount o' money will get me boat back!” Bikke wailed. Black Mage shook with outrage, and his eye twitched crazily to add to it. Thief glanced and stepped back quickly.

 

“Screw this! I've HAD it with you morons!” Black Mage yelled viciously, “DIE, YOU PITIFUL FOOLS!” He was about to aim a devastating attack until White Mage quickly hit him with her hammer, knocking him out. She looked at Bikke.

 

“We're sorry about your boat, and we will gladly name our new boat after you. But we need a boat now. Do you have anything?” White Mage asked. Bikke sniffled, and nodded. He walked into the back room and came out a minute later with some papers.

 

“Aye, I have one boat left. This here is the paperwork ye need to fill out. As a formality, o' course.” He stated, and handed Red Mage the papers and a pen. Red Mage sat in a chair and looked over them carefully. Thief read them over his shoulder as well. Bikke sat behind his desk, patiently watching them.

 

“Hmm, only had 10,000 sea miles on it, no leaks, no broken parts, and it holds plenty of cargo space. Sounds like a good deal.” Red Mage said, flipping through the papers, “What do you both think?”

 

“Fighter will be happy at all the swords we'd be able to bring back.” Thief replied.

 

“Sounds like a decent deal. How much, though?” White Mage asked, narrowing her eyes.

 

“Argh, for that one, it'll be 100,000 gil, mateys.” Bikke answered. The three snapped their heads and stared at him.

 

“100,000!?” they all asked in unison.

 

“We'll NEVER afford that!” White Mage cried, “Can you not give us a discount?”

 

“Wait, we still have Astos's crown, right?” Thief asked, and White Mage nodded, “What if we give it to Bikke? Will that cover the debt?” Bikke's eyes gleamed.

 

“Let me see that there crown.” He said. Red Mage shrugged and gave him the crown. It shimmered as the rubies in it gleamed with light. Bikke's eyes nearly popped out of his head at such a sight. “ARGH! This be the most beautiful crown in the seven seas!” he exclaimed, examining the crown closely.

 

“Will that cover the cost?” Red Mage asked. Bikke nodded vigorously.

 

“It pay for it threefold, lad! Take yer boat, and set sail!” Bikke said, giving Red Mage the key to the boat. The four heroes bid farewell, and left for the Pravoca port. Once again, though, a blonde pirate walked out.

 

“Bikke, where be my boat?” Faris asked, “I saw four scurvy seadogs taking it away!”

 

“Oh, that be true, me dear.” Bikke replied, “They gives me a crown of true beauty in exchange for yer boat. I says it fair deal!” Faris smacked Bikke over the head with an ore.

 

“YE BE AN IDIOT!” she cried, “We've no need for crowns!”

 

Meanwhile, at the Pravoca port, Thief and Red Mage were starting up their boat as White Mage set up some furniture that just happened to be in the cargo room. Black Mage was sitting in a chair.

 

“You won't break down the boat this time, will you?” White Mage asked him, as she put a chair near the steering wheel. Black Mage scoffed.

 

“Of course not! This time, it looks like we have a decent boat on our hands.” Black Mage replied, “If anything, I'd have to burn this boat to break it, and then I'd be setting myself on fire. And I'd never do that!” White Mage sighed at the thought of such a thing. Black Mage smiled until the boat gave an unhappy jolt, sending him face-first into the ground.

 

“What the hell!? THIEF!” Black Mage spat, getting up.

 

“Sorry!” Thief exclaimed nervously, a sweat drop rolling down his head, “Man, these driving instructions are in an alien language! I can't tell which is reverse and which is forward!” He looked at the lever by the wheel. One way said “Backwards!” and the other was respectively “Forwards!” Red Mage took a look.

 

“Judging by the way this lever is facing, and the circumference of the world's circular shape… hold on.” Red Mage took out a pad and started scribbling, “Take the 2 here… put a division sign there… add e=mc2…”

 

“You push the lever up, morons.” Black Mage said flatly. Thief and Red Mage shrugged, and pushed it up. Oh holy White Mages, the boat actually started! Black Mage sat back in his seat as Thief came over to join him. “I thought you were driving.” Black Mage said as he sat down.

 

“Nah, I decided that should be Red Mage's job since he's the leader and all.” Thief replied cheerfully. Black Mage choked on his water as he heard this, and spat into the sea.

 

“No way! No WAY is that mold-worshipping lunatic going to drive me to Happy-fairy-elf Land! And who exactly made HIM the leader?!” Black Mage asked, implying that everyone should answer, “I certainly didn't elect him!”

 

“I saw no problems with it. He's a decent man.” White Mage said, shaking out a rug.

 

“He seemed the logical choice since he got us out of so many jams!” Thief answered, proudly.

 

“I just always assumed I was the leader.” Red Mage said, steering the boat carefully. Black Mage's veins nearly blew, and he hopped up and down angrily.

 

“I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO ASSUME!” he screamed, aiming a Fire2 spell. But Red Mage turned the boat just a little too much to the left, and once again avoided certain death. Black Mage choked back a blood-curdling scream.

 

“Hey, is that land!?” Thief asked, pointing to the port up ahead.

 

“That's Elfland, all right.” White Mage said, squinting her eyes. She could tell, because what once was the biggest forest known to man was now reduced to a lifeless desert of nothing but elves and dead plants.

 

“Place looks worse for the ware.” Black Mage commented, snickering.

 

“It wouldn't be that way if you could just control yourself!” White Mage hissed, a large frown upon her face. Black Mage threw his hands up.

 

“Can you blame me? I'm a Black Mage! It's in my personality to cause destruction!” Black Mage cried, “Just ask Thief or Captain McStupid over there!”

 

“Actually, it's only our preset stats that are determined.” Red Mage said, as he docked the boat, “But our unique personalities are totally our own. We can't ask a game guide to determine what we as humans like and hate. It's the day-to-day events that dictate who we grow into.” Black Mage stared, his mouth nearly dropping to the floor.

 

“Wow, did he actually say something that made perfect sense?” Black Mage asked as they left the boat, “That's a first!” White Mage silently agreed as they began to make the lifeless journey to the Elfland Castle.

 

After they went through the castle gates, the four were relieved to find that there were still elves inside the castle. Of course, they were still worried about the prince, but that didn't squash the relief everyone felt.

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Save your stupid prince! We're working on it! Out of our way!” Black Mage said as he strolled proudly through the halls, brandishing the Jolt Tonic. White Mage just sighed with disapproval, but at least Black Mage's words cleared a straight path to the throne room! Inside, they found the Chancellor.

 

“Oh, thank the heavens! You've found the tonic!” he exclaimed happily, “Bring it here!” Black Mage gave him the tonic, and he dumped it all over the sleeping prince.

 

“So, how long does this take to work?” Black Mage asked when nothing happened for ten minutes. The Chancellor was also getting confused, but then the prince opened an eye.

 

“Ah, such a nice nap.” He said, turning to the four heroes, “You must be the four chosen ones, said to bring peace to the world.”

 

“Yup, that's us.” Black Mage said, “So, where do we go from here? We've got things to do.” The prince looked around thoughtfully.

 

“The first crystal you save should be the Earth crystal. It's in danger, as the fiend is making the earth around it rot.” The prince explained, “But it's far to the east, and you'll need the help of the dwarves to get through.”

 

“Why would we need their help? They're mean!” Black Mage cried, shivering.

 

“To the east is Mt. Duegar, but it blocks the path to Melmond, the village northwest of the Earth Cave, and of Sarda the Sage.” The prince said, “The dwarves can dig the tunnel to allow passage, and although they detest humans, they cannot deny that the crystals come first.”

 

“But what does this Sarda guy have to do with anything?” Thief asked, scratching his head.

 

“Sarda has the Earth Rod, which you'll need to get into the cave. Seek him out first.” The prince said sternly, “Good luck.”

 

“Wait, that's it!? No rewards? No supplies? No nothing?!” Black Mage yelled.

 

“We would give you something, but our forests and lands have been burned. We've not the supplies for anything!” the prince said, sadly. White Mage and Thief dragged Black Mage out as Red Mage bid farewell.

 

“We'd better move FAST or you're dead.” White Mage said, and they quickly made it back to the port. They boarded the boat, and soon were once again off towards the unknown.

 

“Well, it looks like this adventure is finally starting!”

 

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Well, it looks like our heroes have finally saved the prince! But now what? Can the dwarves help them? Can they stop the earth from rotting out? What happened to Fighter? And why is summer so hot? Anyway, most of these questions shall be answered, so click that review button!