Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Life of Erin Tribal ❯ Chapter 43

The Life of Erin Tribal Chapter 43

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A/N: Okay, now this is a bit shorter, but I wanted to cut it shorter. Besides, right now, I have a VERY long book to read! (Hey wait, this story has more chapters than it, but not more pages! Weird!)

Andromeda Highwind: Thanks for reading once again, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Oh yeah, I'll be updating once a week or so. That way it gives time for reviewers -peers around at people reading this- time to read and review!

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Disclaimer: You know the routine!

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"Shall we go then?" Sabin suggested, breaking the growing silence.

"Fine by me," Erin replied, getting up and heading above deck first.

She patiently waited for them, now much calmer than before. When they got up there, they all headed off the airship. They headed into Jidoor, and started asking people about Relm.

"A young painter? Yes, she went to Owzer's a while ago," one man said, and they thanked him kindly.

The group headed back to Owzer's house and walked in.

"Dang it's dark!" Edgar commented.

"Let's head up those stairs!" Erin exclaimed, and started up the stairs, but a voice stopped her.

"Please... stay away."

"Umm, okay, let's turn on some lights here!" Erin finally suggested after several minutes of thinking of what to do.

Celes went up and turned on the lights, illuminating the room. Erin finally got up all the stairs, closely followed by the others. Erin noticed the painting of Emperor Gestahl and examined it. She finally noticed a letter lying on the floor, and she picked it up.

"A great treasure lies in the place surrounded by mountains that form a star," Erin read aloud to the others. "You know what? I think we might find Locke there!"

"Why?" Celes asked, excited at the thought of finding Locke.

"`A great treasure'. He's a thi... I mean, treasure hunter!" Erin corrected herself. "He might be looking for a way to cure Rachel. Let's head there some day, please?"

"Will do. First, let's find Relm!" Harry exclaimed.

They went down and examined the next portrait down, and found out it looked extremely life like. So life like, in fact, that the picture came to life. The group quickly finished off the Dahling's that had come out of it, and realized that portrait had somehow changed into a door. They went through the door, and it suddenly became dark again. As they headed through the house, more and more strange things happened. For instance, a portrait of a chair suddenly pulled Edgar to it and a woman walked on, which pushed them into another fight. They also were running into some monsters running loose.

They eventually came to a part of the house where there were floating treasure chests. Erin walked under one, and she had to move as it came falling down.

"What in the world is up with this house!" Sabin shouted, pummeling one of the monsters that had come out of it.

They did the same thing with the rest of the chests, Erin noting that Locke would probably be proud for them picking up the treasure chests.

"You mean, picking DOWN. THEY are falling on US," Harry corrected.

Erin glared at him as she finished off the final monster in the last chest. When she looked up, she saw a picture she remembered all too well.

"Mom? Doesn't that look like you in the Opera as Maria???" Erin asked, pointing at the picture.

"It sure does. It seems weird that there are three pictures here. Let's try examining the middle one."

They did so, which caused the portrait to come to life. They struggled with finishing it off, but eventually did so. The group walked through the door that appeared, and continued on through the next room, taking the northern most door. When they walked through the next one, they came upon some stairs, and they went up them. What they came upon next made all of them gasp.

There stood an extremely ugly man, and behind him on a stand, a painting Relm. Erin looked more closely at the picture she was painting and it seemed to move.

"The painting... There's a monster in my prized goddess picture..." the guy said.

"A monster?!" Erin asked.

There was a sudden flash and Relm screamed. She flung out of the way just as the picture came to life.

"People, I have a feeling, don't attack the goddess or something BAD will happen!" Erin exclaimed, going to her usual position at the back of the group.

The rest of the group did so, and when the portrait's monster changed to a demon, they started to attack. All except for Erin that is. She stayed back and healed them if they got hit by magic.

After several back and forth changes of the monster, it finally went down. Relm grinned as she finally turned to face the group.

"Hey! The monsters dead and gone now thanks to you!" Relm exclaimed happily.

Erin noticed that the lights had turned themselves on and they could all see better now. Owzer whispered something to Relm and she frowned.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"I think I should explain to all you what happened," Owzer stated, not answering Relm. "I have been looking for several months to find an artist that could draw the thing in a stone I got at an auction. Every one I found was no good. I eventually heard about Relm's talent with a brush, and asked her to come here right away. I had her immediately go to work at drawing it."

Relm grinned proudly.

"What's this stone?" Erin asked.

"It's a magicite."

"Where is it?" Celes asked this time.

"On the bookshelf. Take it if you want it."

Erin walked over and immediately found the magicite on the shelves.

"Relm, do you really have to go?" she heard Owzer say.

Erin walked back over to where everyone was.

"Yes, I do. But don't worry! I'll be back as soon as possible and finish this portrait!" Relm exclaimed.

Erin smiled, glad that Relm was, in fact, joining them. They headed out after Relm promised once again that she would return to finish it. They easily made it out of the house, and Relm had to blink a few times from the sudden brightness. They made there way out of Jidoor and eventually to the Falcon.

"Woah!" Relm exclaimed at the site of the airship.

"Relm, this is the Falcon! So, where shall we go next?" Harry asked, walking up to the waiting boarding ramp.

"Strago," Erin replied firmly.

"You mean, old fuddy duddy!" Relm giggled, and ran up the ramp.

Erin ran after Relm and found her in the lower part of below deck.

"You mean, you actually got a place ready for me to sleep?" Relm asked.

"Yeah. Relm, want to know why Strago?" Erin asked, sitting down on the couch she had made as her bed.

Relm walked over to Erin and sat down. "Why?"

"Because we need to ask him about some legend. Want to head above deck for some fresh air? I'm sure you need it after being cooped up in the house for so long!" Erin laughed.

Relm laughed and then nodded, and the two girls headed up just as the adults were heading down. Erin flashed a smile at them as they went by, realizing that Setzer was with them.

"Looks like Harry is flying again."

Relm nodded as they headed back up the steps that lead outside. There, the two girls saw Harry at the wheel.

"Hey," they said in harmony.

"Oh, hi."

"Do you know where you're going?" Erin asked, walking up behind him.

"No."

"Do you have any idea Erin?"

"Not really," Erin said. "I think I saw this weird tower that was really tall. Only reason I knew it was really tall is because it was between a bunch of mountains. Maybe we could try there?"

"Why not? I don't want to run into that Doom Gaze again!"

"Huh?"

"Oh, while we were flying towards Jidoor, this huge legendary monster attacked the ship. We managed to scare it away. Oh! Hey! HARRY! We're here!" Erin explained, realizing they were hovering over the tower she'd seen before.

Harry piloted the ship down and landed it. Erin ran down and told the adults that Harry, Relm, and herself were going to go and see something. All of them merely waved, and Celes told her it was okay.

"Thanks! We'll be right back, I promise!"

Erin ran back up and gave Harry and Relm the thumbs up sign. They both smiled and the three kids headed off of the ship. The trio carefully navigated their way to the tower in silence.

Erin examined the scene in front of them. Marching around in front of the tower were several people, and in the middle of the line was a man with really white hair.

"Looks like we found him," Harry said, grinning.

Strago never looked at them, and Relm ran halfway up the first set up stairs. She turned around to face the line again.

"Hey old man!" she shouted at the top of lungs.

Strago jumped so high that he landed right next to Relm. Erin and Harry giggled slightly.

"Relm! It that you, my dear? You're alive!!!" Strago said excitedly.

Relm sighed and spoke. "Of course I am!"

"I'm so relieved! Thank goodness!"

"Did you think I would check out before you?"

Strago looked grimly at Relm and sighed.

"You just the same as always!"

"'Course she is!" Erin finally said.

Strago turned to look at the other two kids standing there.

"Where's everyone else?" Strago asked.

"Let's see..." Harry said. "Celes, Setzer, Edgar, and Sabin are all back on the Falcon, our new airship."

"Terra's in Mobliz taking care of the orphan kids there," Erin added. "We don't know where anyone else is right now."

"Let's get going then!" Relm commented and ran down to rejoin her friends.

The trio led Strago back to the airship and took him below deck and to where everyone else was.

"Look at who we picked up!" Erin joked, a broad smile on her face.

All of the adults looked at the arrivals.

"Hello, Strago. Nice to see your still alive," Celes said, smiling.

"Where to next? I mean, we still have good daylight to try and find some more of our friends!" Erin commented.

"First, let's us Strago about Doom Gaze," Edgar said grimly.

Strago went to sit down and the three followed him. They sat down, leaning against the wall with no couch against it.

"Doom Gaze? Surely, you don't the legendary Doom Gaze, do you?" Strago asked.

"Yes, the legendary Doom Gaze!" Erin replied.

"No, I don't really know anything about it."

Everyone moaned from disappointment.

"So, where to next?" Sabin asked.

"How about we go check out Maranda?" Celes suggested.

"Why?" everyone but Strago asked together.

"I don't know! But, we could at least see if something is there!"

Everyone heard a light snoring sound and looked to see the cause, only to find that Strago had fallen asleep. Erin restrained a giggle from the scene. They finally agreed to head for Maranda and leave Strago behind. Harry, Erin, Relm, Setzer, and Celes all headed above deck.

"Hey Setzer?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"May I try to fly this?" Erin asked hopefully.

Setzer looked at Harry and then Celes, and nodded. "Fine."

"Thank you!"

Erin walked over to the wheel and gripped it. Setzer walked up next to her and flipped a few switches, bringing the ship into flight. With some help, Erin got the ship headed towards Maranda.

"Let's just hope Doom Gaze doesn't come!" Celes stated.

Erin nodded her head, knowing that she'd probably have to go help fight. She saw Relm go up and claim her spot at the front, and Harry joined her. They started talking in low voices so that Erin couldn't eavesdrop. She sighed silently and followed Setzer's directions, eventually getting them safely near Maranda.

"Good. I'll land it, if you don't mind," Setzer commented, taking over the wheel.

She nodded and walked on over to where Relm and Harry were standing. She stopped to the point of where they couldn't see her, yet she could hear them.

"So what do you think, Relm?"

"About what?"

"The way Erin's been acting lately. Okay, so maybe you wouldn't really know. But last year, before we had run into you... Well, I had to wake her from this dream and she had these bruises on her arm."

"What!? That can't be true!"

"Hush! It is true. I had her go into the bathroom connected to my room and wash up a bit. When she came out from the room, the bruise was gone. But that's too weird, I don't know how she could have gotten it!"

`How did I get that bruise? It had gone away so easily. Wait... could it have been! Could it have been when Garland grabbed me from Kuja...?'

"Hey, we're landing," Harry said loudly.

Erin held her breath for a few seconds, let it out, and walked up behind her.

"Hey!"

"Oh, hi Erin," both replied.

There were footsteps as Setzer came up to join them.

"Who's going?"

"Oh, I don't know! Us four, I guess?" Erin suggested. "Go tell the others though. I get sick of doing it!"

"Fine, I'll do it! Be right back!" Relm sighed, walking off.

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A/N: Like I said, not that long.

Please do review this! Don't worry if I don't update immediately, because I'm probably reading or writing!