Disc 1: A journey begins as a play ends...
Disc 1: A journey begins as a play ends...
The sound of waves crashing against the cliff way mingled with the howl of a twister that promised nothing but death and destruction to anybody in the village it ravaged. Running for dear life a little girl with crimson gold hair and a horn on her forehead tried to keep up with a woman who looked exactly like her but with pure crimson hair.
“Quickly sweetie we need to get out of here soon!” The woman yelled as she led them through the streets as buildings cracked and toppled over while others were consumed by raging fires or were swallowed up by the sea. Running past the danger that threatened to take them the girl did her best trying to keep up as she looked over her shoulder at the total destruction happening behind her.
“Ompf.” The girl cried tripping on a crack landing on her hands and knees as the older woman ran back scooping the girl up in her arms as she continued to escape certain death.
Above them the storm thundered with excitement at the possibility of unleashing its full potential as it continued to gather strength for the grand finale all the while lighting danced all across the clouds as if singing that there was no escape.
Just as the crimson haired duo reached the village outskirts they were blinded as lighting struck the ground in front of them with a thunderous kaboom. As if the storm took offense at their attempt to escape its fury, it unleashed everything upon them with one final boom!
Cradling the young girl in her arms in an attempt to protect her the woman’s voice was silenced over the force of the biggest lighting bolt released onto the village as tears streemed down from her emerald eyes as she hugged the girl for possibly the last time.”NOOOOO.......”
"Shortly afterwards I would wake up screaming,” Sunset explained to her friends at theirtable in the cafeteria as Fluttershy rubbed her back up and down in reassurance. All of them worried for Sunset as for the last week the girl would show up to school looking like she didn't sleep at all for days, with bags under her eyes. "I just wish I knew what the dreams mean or the very least why I'm having them." Sunset muttered picking at her food having no real appetite.
"Hmnn. Did you try to talk to Twilight about it?" Applejack asked. "Maybe she knows a thing or two about it."
Leaning down Sunset pulled out the journal that connected the two worlds placing it on the table. "I already tried Aj," Sunset replied opening it to the latest entry as she pushed it towards the farmer girl. "But for some reason the words start moving around almost immediately as I write them.".
Looking over Applejack's shoulder Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie watched as indeed the letters were moving around on their own making it nearly impossible to read. "Well darling if the journal won't help you why not go back through the portal to ask the Princess yourself," Rarity suggested smiling at Sunset patting her hand.
After school had ended for winter break Sunset and the girls stood in front of the portal that connected both worlds. Watching the love of her life steel her nerves, Rarity found Fluttershy give her an encouraging knowing smile as she tilted her towards Sunset.
"Sunny darling, I-" Rarity began as Sunset looked back to her one hand the top of the base ready to go through.
Unfortunately what the fashionista was about to say was drowned out by Pinkie screaming for Rarity to grab Sunset as the party planner started shaking iradically. But the warning came to late as Rainbow who was practicing with the school soccer ball accidentally kicked it towards Sunset pushing her in.
As it turned out being shoved into the portal was a lot more distorting than walking through. For what felt like hours Sunset swirled around unable to see where she was going.
Meanwhile in another world a huge flying ship called the Prima Vista was currently flying away as fast as it could while on fire from Alexandria Castle. As the crew tried to put out the fires and get more work from an overwhelmed overworked mist engine, Zidane , a monkey tailed crew member of Tantalus, who was currently shielding Princess Garnet with his body lifted his head looking left to right.
"Does anyone hear that?" He asked getting confused looks from the princess herself, Vivi, a small black mage, and Albert Steiner, captain of the Pluto knights.
"Hear what you scoundrel?" Steiner asked with some bite thinking it was one of Zidane's tricks.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SOMEBODY SAVE ME!" A feminine voice cried out hysterically causing the four to look up to see a gold skinned pony girl with a horn on her head with red and yellow hair whipping around from the sheer winds.
"I think Mr. Zidane meant that." Vivi said shyly as said girl soon found herself landing on top of the captain smashing them into the deck. Unfortunately the ship decided at that moment to crash into the dark forest below with an Earth shattering fireball explosion.
KABOOOOOOM!
Dragging an unconscious band member through a hole in the side of what remains of the ship is a twenty year old man with a shaggy beard dressed in a brown short sleeve jacket and jeans with a dirty chef hat. Leaving the wreckage Cinna dropped the man near another musician who gave a weak moan when his band member landed partially on him.
"Ugh, if they don't put out that fire soon there'll be nobody left to rescue," Cinna groaned as he turned back to the ship. "Hurry it up you pinheads!"
"It's about to get real interesting real soon." A great giant of a man said as he looked outside the window from the control room standing in front of the wheel as a guy who looked like he had multiple surgeries done at the same time looked to him with the only eye he didn't have covered.
"What d'ya mean Baku?" He asked tilting his head in confusion as the man named Baku looked at him like he had a screw loose from the crash landing.
"Don't ya know where we are, Blank?" Baku asked turning back to the windows to watch the forest before them. "We're in the middle of Evil Forest. No one who has gone in ever came out." Baku explained not waiting for an answer as another member of Tantalus came in.
"Boss, we got most of the passengers out of harms way. Now what?" Marcus asked as both Blank and Baku turned to him. "And the fire is almost contained."
"Good tell everybody that ain't to injured to start moving the supplies as well otherwise we won't be getting outta here in one piece." Baku ordered as Marcus and Blank rushed out.
ATE
Sunset the mage
Pain. Absolute sheer pain was what greeted Sunset as consciousness returned to her. Cracking open an eye she found herself deep in a unknown forest as mist swirled around.
"Ugh. I swear Rainbow Dash that when I get back I'm gonna shove that soccer ball so far up your..." Sunset's promise of torture died on her lips as she finally noticed her body.
Her half human half unicorn body.
"What the freaking Tartarus!" Sunset shouted as she stood up trying to look herself over when the growls of three wolves gained her attention as they surrounded the girl. "Okay I am so not in Equestria, that's for sure."
"Stay back!" She warned trying to find a way to escape. Thinking their target was defenseless one of the wolves attacked immediately.
Only to be consumed in a explosion of hellfire instantly disintegrating into nothingness.
"W-who else wants some?!" Sunset challenged the other two when a knight in armour sliced through one of them.
"Ma'am are you alright?" Steiner asked as he positioned himself next to her as the final wolf charged.
"Ugg finally!" Cinna cried in joy moving the last of the supplies out of the ship. "Hey have any of you guys seen the Princess?" He asked one of the Nero brothers that was still carrying the injured out.
"I think she fell below the ship." Netaro answered as the other, that wasn't left behind, continued to fight the fire.
"Oh that's just Fracking Great!" Cinna facepalmed harshly. "First we kidnap her, Now we CRUSH her!" He cursed as Zidane made his way to him jumping from tree to tree.
"Crush who, Cinna?" Zidane asked landing behind his fellow thief startling the man.
"Zidane, y'er a crazy jackas ya'kno? Jumping off like that in the sky." Cinna mocked slapping Zidane up the head.
"Hey I didn't jump as it was the explosion that threw me off." He retorted looking around the wreckage. "Where did the Princess go? As well as that little kid and our mystery guest?"
"Well if ya were telling the truth about being thrown," Cinna ribbed with a smirk, " then they must've landed somewhere else in Evil Forest."
Nodding his head Zidane made his way to the southeast searching for them as he continued to fight any monster that was stupid enough to fight him. Making his way to a clearing with a tunnel ahead he found the black mage curled up in fear as the knight and mystery girl fight an ugly looking plant called Prison Cage as it healed its wounds draining the life energy from the princess.
"Hey any room for me?" Zidane shouted gaining everyone's attention as Sunset fired gold magical energy from her horn healing the princess, grabbing out his dual daggers.
"Sure, we could use the help honestly." Sunset answered ignoring the look Steiner shot her.
Not one to like being ignored the Prison Cage whipped its right tentacle around catching Sunset off guard and smashing her into a tree.
Seeing its success at causing harm to those it considered roadblocks the Prison Cage laughed stupidly never noticing as gold and red energy swirled around Zidane blinding everything in a huge light.
"What is that?" Sunset asked confused, once the light died down, looking at Zidane's new appearence.
"I don't know. I just feel so full of limitless energy right now!" Zidane said as he released a wave of fire in a tidal wave scorching the plant badly.
Zidane's normal blonde hair was light red along with his tail. His shirt had been replaced with light red fur while his pants were now golden.
"I've heard of that before! It's TRANCE, a surge of immeasurable emotions given physical form. Only a very few are ever known to be able to access it!" Steiner explained in awe and shock at the rare phenomenon.
Sensing it's demise is guaranteed if it stayed, the Prison Cage launched it's remaining tentacles into the trees and made its way back to its master. Unfortunately before the group could move to follow it a second one ambushed them taking Sunset by surprise.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Sunset screamed trying to break out only for thousands of thorns to cut her hands in the process.
"Hang on, Master Sunset!" Steiner called out attacking the plants tentacles with Zidane as Vivi burned the creature to mist with a supply of fire spells. Unlike its companion this Prison Cage never survived as it crumpled to the ground.
Tearing apart the leaves Sunset stumbled away from the creature as Steiner helped steady her. But luck decided to leave them that very second as toxic green gas spewed forth from the plants remains catching everyone but Zidane off guard.
"Come on Boss! Let me go look for her." Zidane pleaded trying to convince Baku to let him go rescue Garnet.
"No can do, boy." Baku denied once more not looking at him. "We need all the help we can get to get outta here ourselves, and if that means leaving her here then so be it. My crew comes first and everything second."
"Fine! Then I'll quit!" Zidane shouted angrily storming out the control room. Walking down the spiral staircase he was lost in thought remembering how he and Blank first encountered Garnet leaving her room.
"Oh Zidane." Blank said breaking the monkey tailed thief out of his thoughts. "The kid just woke up wanting to talk to you." He said leaning against the door to the remaining guest room.
After talking to Vivi and deciding to leave Tantalus, Zidane made his way down to the meeting room where he knew Baku would be waiting for his final decision and consequences.
"So -hic- you've decided then?" Baku asked drawing his sword already knowing Zidane's answer.
"Yep." Zidane replied jumping at his former boss crossing blades with each other as Zidane stole a spare Iron Sword from Baku. Dodging another swipe from Baku, Zidane finished the fight with one last strike to Baku's back.
"Hahaha. So the runt finally grows up huh?" Baku laughed punching Zidane hard in the arm as he left. "You got y'er wish, you're no longer apart of Tantalus."
'Jerk.' Zidane thought with a smile rubbing his arm silently thanking Baku for allowing him to do this in his own way.
Walking up to his former brother Blank slapped Zidane up the head getting an "ow". "Before you start rescuing that princess of yours take the knight and mages with you Zidane."
Getting Vivi to join him was rather easy as the kid felt he owed Zidane a debt for saving his life while Steiner needed some convincing from Vivi about their shared goal of rescuing Garnet to get him to join. Exiting the ship the three found Sunset looking across the forest sadly.
"I really am in another world aren't I?" She asked no one in particular as she stared at the unnatural forest that reeked of pure evil and the impossibly fouler mist.
"Master Sunset, I swear to you that once the Princess is safe we will find a way to help you get home." Steiner gently told her trying to soothe her fears.
Walking through the forest the group retraced their steps to the battleground fighting monsters along the way as Sunset illuminated the area around them with her horn. Going down the tunnel they found a mystic spring that radiated comfort.
Who and what are you?"Sunset asked as she found a miniature furry creature with a pompom on its head as the others rested around the spring that warded away both the monsters and evil mist.
"Kupo. My name's Monty and I'm a moogle." Monty said jumping out of his hiding spot as he started explaining moogles to Sunset.
"D-did you say Monty?"Vivi asked as he stood up reaching into his cloak pulling out a letter. "I have a letter for you from Kupo."
"Oh thank you, Kupo." Monty said happily at receiving the mail. "For some reason moogle-mail is rather slow right now.
ATE
Crossing over worlds
Rarity was pacing back and forth in front of the statue biting her lower lip in worry. It had been thirty minutes since Sunset Shimmer, her crush, had been kicked into the portal that led to Equestria but so far she nor the others received any word from Princess Twilight that Sunset arrived.
Resting on top of the base on her back Rainbow looked bored out of her mind.
"Rarity will you-" Whatever she was about to say was interrupted when Rarity literally growled at her with the kind of growl that promised severe traumatizing pain. "Okay." Rainbow said in her best Fluttershy impression getting some snickers from Aj and Pinkie.
Placing a hand on her friend's shoulder Fluttershy maneuvered Rarity away from Rainbow as she started rubbing circles into her back.
"I'm sure everything's okay, Rarity. Pretty soon Sunset is going to either come out the portal or write to us in her journal." Fluttershy tried to calm Rarity down.
At that exact moment the portal flashed as Twilight ran through it with a look of dread on her face.
"Girls, there's been a problem!"
After gathering their strength Zidane and the others continued through the forest finding Garnet in another clearing around the corner. Unfortunately she wasn't alone. As Zidane and Steiner attacked and stole from the Plant Brain with Zidane and Blank's daggers and Steiner's Firesword, thanks to help from Vivi, Sunset was able to reach Garnet with little trouble and give her the medicine Blank had used earlier.
Unfortunately with the Brain Plant dead thousands if not millions of Spiderplants started swarming them almost immediately. Grabbing the unconscious princess with Steiner's help, Sunset and the others ran for their lives towards the nearest exit possible.
Pulling up the rear due to her lack of extra exercise Sunset watched as Zidane suddenly stop and looked around the forest. Seeing her confused look Zidane said that the forest felt off somehow. Not waiting for an explanation she pushed him onwards.
Regrouping with the others Blank looked behind them to see the entire forest being petrified, and its newest victim would've been Sunset if Blank didn't push her out of the way at the last second.
"Run!" Blank yelled tossing a rolled up map of the continent towards Zidane who helped Sunset up, before he was petrified himself.
Not wanting his former brother's sacrifice to be in vein Zidane grabbed the map as he and Sunset jumped through the opening that both Steiner and Vivi took just as vines covered every entrance to Evil Forest and petrified everything within.
Bowing their heads in respect the group travelled about fifty feet away before making camp.
STATS
Zidane level: 5
Steiner level: 5
Vivi level: 5
Sunset level: 4
Garnet level: 2
