Squalls_lover
06-03-2005, 09:38 AM
Hello, and welcome to another one of my fanfics. In this story the final fantasy is not taken from an existing game, but the story's atmosphere, I will try to let be like a final fantasy game, with magic and beasts and fights, but that will be later on. First I have to let everyone get to know the characters better, so you can build a relationship with them, and know how they feel.
Again, I wrote this 2 years ago, but it's still in progress as I had discontinued it for a while because of school and such.
All characters are my own creation, all copyright of the story belongs to me except the final fantasy bit of the title as it belongs to Squaresoft.
Sex scenes and violence prevail, so read at your own risk, and if you don't like such stories, then turn away.
Genres include: mystery, crime, romance, erotica.
It resembles FF9 slightly as the setting is medieval, but some technology still exists, and remember, this is a fantasy world, it doesn't have to comply to our history.
Enjoy!
<hr>
Final Fantasy: Chains of Love
<hr>
Great vast seas divided the lands like a hindrance between nations. The space between continents was a long gaping emptiness. Acres of green, virgin lands were still unconquered; it was as if the world had just started to bloom. All the eastern and western continents were cursed by icy spells, deep cold � it was unbearable.
No one was brave enough to live on any of the middle-earth lands; they were by far the coldest known to modern man. Hollow whisperings would drive through the barren space of the frosty regions; animals with thick, plush white coats inhabited them in abundance. In contrast, humans populated the northern and southern poles, where it often grew hot, and deserts had formed due to the peculiar orbit of the earth and its rotation speed.
The fierce flare of the fiery sun gleamed onto the dark blue seas, onto the fruitful land of Fabeel, which drifted slightly south from the desert lands of the northern pole. It was neither one extreme nor the other; it was the blessed land, an economic success, where the hustle and bustle of daily imports and exports were abundant and conventional.
Means of transportation were at first condemned by the common folk, as they feared it might have been the works of evil magic, also known as red magic. The inventor of the transportation, many years ago, was an ardent scientist who sought out the mysteries of physics and how things worked. Years passed, and the grudges against his transportation methods were soon lifted and a new era began, where people were more open-minded. Jasal�s transportation method was through the air, using specially powered engines inside ship-like vessels.
Fabeel was populated densely, and the people had grown accustomed to the moderate temperatures, whereas in the north and south, the hot temperatures often ensured people were intolerant to cold. Aside from the temperature of this wondrous place, the other factor, which made it a blissful place to live, was the low rate of crime�with a single exception.
Chile.
With a body as slender and agile as that of any cat and wits as cunning as any fox�s, she was peerless in almost any situation � physical or psychological.
Without the definite shelter of a home, or the supervision of parents, she was as wild and free as the whispery winds that slip in and out between leaves; unnoticed. She was a mysterious character, her elusive present overshadowed her past, and no one knew her, or knew who she was.
Alone, she would scavenge for her heart�s desire, whatever treasure destiny would bring her to find, and thus her criminal rating would rise like poison gas, higher and higher, reaching the pinnacle of pollution.
Fabeel was the heart of wealth; the soul of affluence, with every rooftop a snowy white color, the streets lined with ever-blossoming exotic trees; pink, red and orange, roads and sidewalks constructed with the blackest of tar and cement. Houses were packed close together, but they were wide, and were usually inhabited by large families of at least 3-5 people.
The suburban areas were beautiful, but getting closer to the main heart of the city would surely open every newcomer�s eyes. Constructed a long time ago, yet skillfully decorated, this city looked like a warp in time had occurred. A graceful white castle sat nestled within the city centre; now only a tourist attraction and historic artifact.
Its walls showed off the time-consuming brickwork that patterned up the steep walls, high into the sky � almost like an illusion. Atop the main white tower of bricks lied a pointy pinnacle, almost resembling a wizard hat; painted a deep crimson. A few clones of the main tower cowered underneath with arched, glossy windows. Surrounding the castle were a few tall buildings, all mixed hues of browns, blacks and whites. From there on apartments, small houses, flats, parks, schools and civil service buildings began to spread in all directions, as far as the eye could see�
Chapter 1
Two sky-blue eyes watched from within the deepest shadows of the alleyways formed between various buildings surrounding a busy market square. The eyes searched the vast space between shops and stalls.
Many unsuspecting civilians roamed the streets, lurching from one destination to another like mindless puppets, lost in the little dramas that comprised their lives. No one knew about her imminent presence within these streets, yet everyone knew she was always somewhere, always ready to attack.
The square was filled with hustle and bustle, noises and conversations blurred into one; a strange tangle of tones and pitches. People wearing colorful and odd garments holding conversations, gossiping, nagging, and cheering; it was a melee of sounds and sensations. However, one voice remained silent, as Chile lingered in the shadows of the alley for her next victim. She glanced at her digi-watch briefly; it was about time to take another shot at thieving.
Her eyes narrowed towards a tall middle-aged man who seemed to be coming her way, followed by a rather noble looking woman. To Chile's right a grocer store stood displaying fresh fruits and vegetables on a stall, while on her left a fish shop had just recently opened, and a few dozen red shrimps lied lifelessly on three stalls. With one shop to her left and another to her right, both of them casting deep shadows, Chile was well hidden.
Smirking in the darkness, she lightly kissed a bronze coin and tossed it across just as the man passed. The small coin pelted onto the floor with a sharp metallic sound, immediately attracting the attention of both man and woman, who seemed puzzled as to where it came from. They glanced around for a while, slightly bewildered.
Both bent over to pick it up, and the woman lifted it up first, gazing at it curiously. The man scratched his head in uncertainty. He coughed slightly through his curly moustache and watched the coin for a moment.
"Is this yours, good Sir?" she murmured, still studying it, wondering if it was valuable. She held it up with her white gloved index finger and thumb, holding it out to him to examine. He raised an eyebrow, noticing her white hat with exotic feathers, and thought to himself it would be better to claim ownership than to hand it over to a snob like her.
At that very second, Chile darted out from the shadows, in a single motion unsheathing a knife and slashing it through the two points where the woman�s purse was attached to its� strap. The blade passed through both with only a whisper of resistance, and the purse dropped right into Chile�s hand. Successful, she disappeared into the shadows again, sheathing the knife as she went.
"Why, I do believe it is. Thank you ever so much, milady." the large man bowed to her briefly and took it from her with a smile. She returned the smile, but with a hint of bitterness, as if she wanted to keep it. Her green eyes glinted briefly, her gaze turned cold on the man and she dismissed the whole thing at once.
The man continued down the road, feeling delighted about the lucky coincidence. The noble woman rearranged her wide white hat, but as she raised her arm to arrange her handbag, she was shocked to realize that it was gone, severed from its� carrying strap.
Almost instantly, she glanced towards the direction of the tubby man, wondering if he had something to do with the disappearance, if this was not just one of those tricks that pickpockets pulled on unsuspecting civilians. One of those acts that that crooked thief Chile used to pull, after having bribed civilians into it.
Her delicate features hardened with rage and she leapt across the street in her awkward long dress towards the Guardian Headquarters, a building that towered above the others, to report the crime. Her heart raced with anxiety, for she had never experienced anything like this before. She had been so unaware of everything for that one instant, when she was asking the man about the coin, and she had not noticed her purse missing until the man, and likely the thief as well, if it was not him, were both long gone.
The sun was just peeping over the tall Guardian Headquarters, its orange rays fading, but still vibrant enough to penetrate the gradual threats of dusk. Dusk was nevertheless falling over the town like a blanket of fatigue and darkness. Chile thrived upon the darkness; it covered her whole existence and propelled her forward in her cause.
Smiling, she set off down the alley, down long paths meandering their way to one of her many different hideouts, though they all had two things in common; they all were bars with inn services, and none of the proprietors ever suspected a thing. Every night, she would seek out a different inn; what little traces she left quickly disappeared, like the scent of a flower in a tavern, or a footprint left at low tide.
She finally arrived at the bar and took the key to her room. She raced up the stairs, went into her room, and locked the door shut firmly behind her slender body. Taking a moment to breathe, she lifted the handbag she had just pilfered from that noble woman.
That wasn't so hard... I've had worse days... But why do I feel so tired...?
Her hazy blue eyes widened as she opened the bag and held up a few thousand Gil in notes.
Hmmm...Foolish people, dragging along so much Gil... It's their own fault if I come along and just snatch it right out of their little hands...
A smile spread itself on her pretty face and she walked across the small room towards the bedside drawer to stash away her money... Another day of thieving had gone by...
She ambled towards the wall mirror, glancing at the thin wisps of deep red hair that fell across her face, almost as if she had styled them herself. It was far too short for the social standards, but it didn't bother her...she felt it gave her a more powerful look. And long hair was such a pain to take care of.
It came up in steps, longest strand starting at her chin, and shortest stopping at the bottom of her ears. She gave herself a hard look, appraising herself.
I'm not sure anymore...I don't know where I'll be going after this...What have I become...?
She wore a sleeveless white blouse, which was covered by black leather from her chest and down. Over that, a thin red ribbon crisscrossed its way down her abdomen to where her blood-red leather skirt began. A pair of black, high-heeled boots was held to her legs by leather straps.
She glanced out the window, at the orange ball of fire and light majestically setting in the horizon through her wide window, turning the sky into a veritable kaleidoscope of color. Everything was over for now; tomorrow a new day would begin, with the promise of uncertainty and a ray of hope.
�Some day...:� she said to herself, �It is all going to change...I can feel it...�
<hr>
Chapter 2
Chile woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed, nervous sweat all over her young, athletic body. She�d been having a nightmare, but only fragments of it floated in her memory...what she dreamt seemed so familiar, it felt real.
It was real.
�Damn,� she muttered. �Why does this dream keep reoccurring..?� For the life of her, she couldn�t remember a single time when she�d had a good dream, or, for that matter, a different dream from the one she�d just had.
"Father..." she thought, tears swelling in her eyes, flashbacks of the time of that incident coming back. It wasn't a dream - far from it - it was a forgotten piece of her past.
Brushing her hair out of her face, she stood and went to the washroom, to towel off the sweat...allowing it to dry on her body made her feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy.
About an hour later, in a different portion of the city, Chile began preparing to again ply her trade...however illicit it might be. She was again hidden by the silhouettes of two buildings to either side of her. To her left was a flower shop...it filled the air around her with the luxurious fragrances of exotic flowers.
The colorful shop decorations and signs attracted many a peasant - an ideal place to find many unsuspecting victims. To her right, a tavern, from which the sound of drinking songs were quite evident. As an extra precaution, today she wore an entirely different outfit, and an ordinary white head covering as to blend more with the crowds...
Her hair was brushed forward so as to partially cover her face and left eye. She wore a thin, white skirt that fell to her knees, and a traveling cloak. Her feet were protected by a simple pair of sandals.
In her left hand, she her short, very sharp knife, which she had used to great effect the previous day...the poor woman had not even noticed her purse was missing. In her right, the bait...a silver Gil-coin, worth five coppers. Ready, she began scanning the street in front of her for someone to pull her trick on. A moment later, she spied a woman with a decent-sized handbag, walking next to a man. She inconspicuously stepped nearer to them, to toss the coin into their path; aiming it so it would roll slightly, as if it had fallen from someone's hand. She stepped forward to toss the coin�
...And, having paid no attention to her surroundings, directly into a young man. Both of them fell down with an �Oof!�
Chile was the first to recover. She rose to her feet and began to say, �Why don�t you watch where you�re going, you big oaf!� but her voice died in her throat as she looked at him and saw the most handsome man she�d ever laid eyes on.
�I�m very sorry I bumped into you, milady...I was not looking where I was going.� he apologized, bowing his head briefly, and then glanced up, straight into her light blue eyes. He narrowed his eyes, as if to assess her extraordinary beauty...he could tell she wasn't just an ordinary peasant girl...
Her heartbeat suddenly raced with excitement as their gazes met, and she only managed to sputter �B-b-best be more careful...b-bump into the wrong person and you�ll regret it.� She had never seen anyone quite so handsome before�he was tall, about as much as she was. His hair was a deep, rich shade of brown, as were his eyes. He wore simple clothes, the kind any peasant could afford.
A few moments passed, and their gazes had not shifted. Suddenly, Chile blinked back to reality and shook her head slightly, as if to shake his image away. Chile dismissed him mentally. But as she began to turn and walk away, to find another place to thieve, he put a hand on her shoulder and asked, �As an apology for my error, would you care for a drink?�
Still a bit flustered by her reaction to him, all she could manage to say was, �Yes.�
�Then, come!� he grabbed her lightly by the wrist and gently tugged her towards the tavern. She fell into step with him, without even knowing what she was actually doing; she just listened to his euphonious voice and obeyed...
�Bartender!� called the young man, as he and Chile took seats at a booth in the tavern, facing each other.
�Yes, sonny? What�ll it be?�
�I�ll have a mug of ale, and what would you like, milady?�
Chile managed to say, �I�ll have some ale, too.�
�As ye wish,� said the bartender, hustling off to fill their order.
The man chuckled, and said, �How rude of me...I haven�t even given you my name! I am Kei. What is your name?�
Chile stammered out, �M-my name is C-C-Chile.� She had no idea what it was about this man that was causing her to lose her composition. And she did not like it one bit. All the rules she had created to protect herself seemed to simply melt away when she saw Kei smile.
�Chile...that�s a lovely name.� At that point, the bartender arrived with their ale. Kei had his gaze fixed onto her beautiful face, even though he evidently noticed her hesitance, and the way she suddenly seemed so interested in the surroundings. The bartender raised a brow, and even though this wasn't any of his business, he whispered to the young lad, "You've got her now, sonny."
Chile turned her attention back to them, wondering what the whispering was all about, and Kei suddenly looked very surprised that her attention span was so sharp. Quickly moving on, he tended to the order.
�I�ll pay for it,� said Kei, handing the bartender three Gil-coppers. Lifting his mug, he motioned Chile to do the same, and said, �To the fortuitousness of accidental meetings!�
By now, the bartender was winking at Kei, standing behind Chile, whereas Kei ignored him, so she wouldn't notice.
Chile, still appearing hesitant, picked her mug up, said, �Indeed,� and clacked it with Kei�s. She took a sip of the ale, which, though not the best she�d ever tasted, was serviceable.
Kei, on the other hand, downed half of his mug in one long swallow. �Haaaah,� he said, setting the mug down. �That is a fine brew!�
Chile took another sip of her ale, knowing very well that if she drank it too quickly, the intoxicants it contained would loosen her tongue a great deal, perhaps fatally so. As it was, even the few sips she�d already had were having a mellowing effect on her. Her mild distrust of people, a side effect of the rules she had lived by for so long, seemed to vanish entirely in Kei�s presence�
A few hours had passed, and Chile had discovered what a heavy drinker Kei
really was. He had already downed four large mugs, as if they were pure water. Outside, dusk had shifted its wispy darkness over the city. The sun was no longer a match for the darkness that was falling, and Chile was fast losing her internal struggle between the rules she had lived by for so long and what Kei�s presence was stirring inside her.
Sipping her second mug of ale, she glanced straight across at him. His beautiful brown eyes seemed to twinkle at her, welcoming, cool and yet with a glowing warmness in them. A hidden desire; a secret. It had grown quieter than in the day in the room, the candle lights were dimming, almost as if some eerie force had commanded them.
They sat still, watching each other, not a word said; no words wasted because their eyes said everything. Kei gazed at her, long and hard, a smile curling at the edges of his mouth. He seemed only slightly drunk, which, considering the amount of ale he had consumed, was quite a feat. If it had been her, she'd been knocked out cold by that amount of alcohol.
She continued to watch him, people were still chattering around them, awful drinking songs were still being murmured, or half sung. Kei rose up suddenly and pushed aside the ale mugs. Chile imitated him, and stepped to his side, about to ask where he was heading next when...
...All of a sudden, the candles were blown out. People started to mutter, fuss and complain. Yet in the darkness, Chile felt his comforting arms slip around her, his fingers tapering along her waist, examining and exploring her body freely. She sucked in her breath as she felt him draw her near, and in an instant, she felt a strange warmth caress her lips; soothing her soul, exciting her body. She closed her eyes and it all became a dreamy haze...
The peasant folk in the Tavern hadn't yet figured why the candles had gone out, nor had they figured out how to re-light them, as everyone tripped and stumbled across the darkness, cursing and yelling. The tavern quickly became a confused mess, where people didn't know where they were stepping, and misunderstandings took place. A loud slap was heard as a man had accidentally stepped on a woman's foot, whereas in another corner of the room, a man and his wife were arguing about whose idea had been to come.
"Ye youngsters never pay heed to the way nature is - the night is for sleeping and the day for work. It must be a sign from the gods that this misfortune has befallen us!" an old man groaned, his tone stern and angry. A few other people started to reply to the man's remark and their voices overlapped, making it impossible to decipher anything.
Meanwhile, Chile and Kei had made their way out of the mess, somehow and were walking on the open, empty streets. He was terribly drunk and leaned over her slightly as they walked, an arm around her shoulders. Chile blushed, not knowing how she got into this situation. A deep crimson color invaded her cheeks, soft strands of hair swaying across her face as the wind caressed against them. She didn't know where they were going, or where she could leave him to rest, but for some reason, even though he should be out cold drunk, he seemed to lead the way.
Chile glanced up at him, while his head was tilted slightly, gazing down onto the stone brick street. The sky was a deep black against the little fragments of light emitted by the stars. There wasn't a moon in sight, nor any clouds; it was a pure, clear sky. They trailed down a dark alleyway, the cool breezes had just gotten colder as the night grew deeper and the temperature fell. Only a few moments later they arrived in near a lake in a public park. A rough black iron gate surrounded the vast tract of land, a few crickets were to be heard, and strangely enough, the stars winked and glimmered in the watery reflection of the lake.
Without warning, Kei grasped Chile's wrist and walked swiftly towards the lake. An owl hooted in the distance, and he sat down on the grass, facing the lake. She propped down beside him, feeling somewhat nervous. Why had they come here all of a sudden? Had Kei planned all of this?
He sat with his arms wrapped loosely around his knees, looking onto the water.
Silence.
How long the two of them sat there watching the lake, Chile did not know. Eventually, she turned to look at Kei, and she caught sight of him looking at her as well. Their eyes met, and Chile�s heart picked up. She kept quiet, not knowing what to say�as she looked at Kei, she began to see him not just as a man, but as someone she was falling in love with.
He started to groan, holding his head gingerly in his hands. Chile scrambled from her seating position and crawled towards him. She was about to reach him, when suddenly he grabbed her hand and drew her close.
"W-what do you w-w-want?" she whimpered, aghast from the abrupt move.
He fell back, reclining into the cool grass, and she fell over him. She blinked, her heart racing fast against her chest, her skin crawling with sensations as she felt her body pressed against his. She glanced down at him, and he had his eyes clenched shut, as if he had a terrible headache. He groaned lightly, and she dared herself to caress his forehead gently, not knowing why she felt the urge to do so. The only thing she knew was, that the feelings she felt were strong, overwhelming everything else. Kei seemed to smile briefly, softly wrapping an arm around her back.
Her heart hammered harder and harder, she felt as if her head would explode with the heat of her racing blood. She watched his face, a look of distress evident upon it. Her insides ached. She didn't know this man, she didn't know where he came from or why he decided to enter her life, yet she felt for him. In less than half a day, his beautiful eyes had captivated her heart, and a single arrow from the quiver of the Goddess of Love had shattered all of the rules she had made to protect herself. Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed upon the stranger who had pulled her close so many times that night. Even though he was always so quiet, when he could have said a million things - she knew. She knew what he wanted to say...
She lowered her head down and softly kissed his lips. She could evidently feel his muscles tightening up, his tongue gently tracing around her lips, his hands wandering over her back gently, the way one of his legs was bent upward. His thigh brushed against her hip briefly and his curiosity grew, his fingers explored her body. Chile gasped softly at the prickling shocks that he sent through her, yet her limbs and body ached for the touch; the fleeting feeling of lust melting on skin.
Their breaths came in quick rasps, pouring like white vapors into the cold atmosphere. Kei closed his eyes, feeling her lips wander over his jaw, even as her hands began exploring under his soft cotton shirt. She glanced at him, barely able to make out his features in the darkness. He leaned up to let his tongue softly wander over her lips, sparking a fire of sensations inside her, making her restless and uneasy. She responded, sliding her tongue into Kei�s mouth and exploring it as he did the same to her.
What had begun as a dim candlelight inside of Chile now roared into a blazing fire of passion, enormous enough to burn the entire planet. The brightness of their fire increased, growing faster, rapidly illuminating the entire darkness. They grew restless, lying in the grass, one sensual advance followed by another.
To Chile, time seemed to be moving in a most bizarre method, sometimes with seconds stretching out into minutes, sometimes minutes passing in the blink of an eye. She was vaguely aware that she had pulled her clothes off and that Kei was doing the same, as they lay down.
She gazed up at him, as he lay upon her, dominating. His hands tingled with excitement as he caressed and stroked over her bare, restless skin, her exhilarated breasts, the untouched privacy of her vagina. Her nipples stood erect and hard from the cold, and Kei�s fingers gently ignited warmth over her skin, her head turning from side to side, her body trembling with pleasure at Kei�s touch.
Gently kissing her again, Kei pushed into her slowly, carefully, noticing how virgin she still was. He clenched his eyes shut from the ecstasy that the heavy pressure of her insides created in him.
Chile gasped, yanking her head back sharply, as he filled her space, a rush of heat invading her deep emptiness.
Groaning, he softly nudged his hips against hers. She closed her eyes, feeling the blood race in her body, as she and Kei began to kiss again, and their hands again began exploring the other�s body. The night continued, and their restless bodies stroked against each other softly, gradually gaining speed�
Chile cried out softly as her orgasm pulsed through her, her entire body quivering with pleasure, as Kei reached his peak too, planting his seed firmly inside of her. Spent, Chile fell asleep, as Kei pulled out of her and lay down next to her, falling asleep almost as quickly as Chile had.
Again, I wrote this 2 years ago, but it's still in progress as I had discontinued it for a while because of school and such.
All characters are my own creation, all copyright of the story belongs to me except the final fantasy bit of the title as it belongs to Squaresoft.
Sex scenes and violence prevail, so read at your own risk, and if you don't like such stories, then turn away.
Genres include: mystery, crime, romance, erotica.
It resembles FF9 slightly as the setting is medieval, but some technology still exists, and remember, this is a fantasy world, it doesn't have to comply to our history.
Enjoy!
<hr>
Final Fantasy: Chains of Love
<hr>
Great vast seas divided the lands like a hindrance between nations. The space between continents was a long gaping emptiness. Acres of green, virgin lands were still unconquered; it was as if the world had just started to bloom. All the eastern and western continents were cursed by icy spells, deep cold � it was unbearable.
No one was brave enough to live on any of the middle-earth lands; they were by far the coldest known to modern man. Hollow whisperings would drive through the barren space of the frosty regions; animals with thick, plush white coats inhabited them in abundance. In contrast, humans populated the northern and southern poles, where it often grew hot, and deserts had formed due to the peculiar orbit of the earth and its rotation speed.
The fierce flare of the fiery sun gleamed onto the dark blue seas, onto the fruitful land of Fabeel, which drifted slightly south from the desert lands of the northern pole. It was neither one extreme nor the other; it was the blessed land, an economic success, where the hustle and bustle of daily imports and exports were abundant and conventional.
Means of transportation were at first condemned by the common folk, as they feared it might have been the works of evil magic, also known as red magic. The inventor of the transportation, many years ago, was an ardent scientist who sought out the mysteries of physics and how things worked. Years passed, and the grudges against his transportation methods were soon lifted and a new era began, where people were more open-minded. Jasal�s transportation method was through the air, using specially powered engines inside ship-like vessels.
Fabeel was populated densely, and the people had grown accustomed to the moderate temperatures, whereas in the north and south, the hot temperatures often ensured people were intolerant to cold. Aside from the temperature of this wondrous place, the other factor, which made it a blissful place to live, was the low rate of crime�with a single exception.
Chile.
With a body as slender and agile as that of any cat and wits as cunning as any fox�s, she was peerless in almost any situation � physical or psychological.
Without the definite shelter of a home, or the supervision of parents, she was as wild and free as the whispery winds that slip in and out between leaves; unnoticed. She was a mysterious character, her elusive present overshadowed her past, and no one knew her, or knew who she was.
Alone, she would scavenge for her heart�s desire, whatever treasure destiny would bring her to find, and thus her criminal rating would rise like poison gas, higher and higher, reaching the pinnacle of pollution.
Fabeel was the heart of wealth; the soul of affluence, with every rooftop a snowy white color, the streets lined with ever-blossoming exotic trees; pink, red and orange, roads and sidewalks constructed with the blackest of tar and cement. Houses were packed close together, but they were wide, and were usually inhabited by large families of at least 3-5 people.
The suburban areas were beautiful, but getting closer to the main heart of the city would surely open every newcomer�s eyes. Constructed a long time ago, yet skillfully decorated, this city looked like a warp in time had occurred. A graceful white castle sat nestled within the city centre; now only a tourist attraction and historic artifact.
Its walls showed off the time-consuming brickwork that patterned up the steep walls, high into the sky � almost like an illusion. Atop the main white tower of bricks lied a pointy pinnacle, almost resembling a wizard hat; painted a deep crimson. A few clones of the main tower cowered underneath with arched, glossy windows. Surrounding the castle were a few tall buildings, all mixed hues of browns, blacks and whites. From there on apartments, small houses, flats, parks, schools and civil service buildings began to spread in all directions, as far as the eye could see�
Chapter 1
Two sky-blue eyes watched from within the deepest shadows of the alleyways formed between various buildings surrounding a busy market square. The eyes searched the vast space between shops and stalls.
Many unsuspecting civilians roamed the streets, lurching from one destination to another like mindless puppets, lost in the little dramas that comprised their lives. No one knew about her imminent presence within these streets, yet everyone knew she was always somewhere, always ready to attack.
The square was filled with hustle and bustle, noises and conversations blurred into one; a strange tangle of tones and pitches. People wearing colorful and odd garments holding conversations, gossiping, nagging, and cheering; it was a melee of sounds and sensations. However, one voice remained silent, as Chile lingered in the shadows of the alley for her next victim. She glanced at her digi-watch briefly; it was about time to take another shot at thieving.
Her eyes narrowed towards a tall middle-aged man who seemed to be coming her way, followed by a rather noble looking woman. To Chile's right a grocer store stood displaying fresh fruits and vegetables on a stall, while on her left a fish shop had just recently opened, and a few dozen red shrimps lied lifelessly on three stalls. With one shop to her left and another to her right, both of them casting deep shadows, Chile was well hidden.
Smirking in the darkness, she lightly kissed a bronze coin and tossed it across just as the man passed. The small coin pelted onto the floor with a sharp metallic sound, immediately attracting the attention of both man and woman, who seemed puzzled as to where it came from. They glanced around for a while, slightly bewildered.
Both bent over to pick it up, and the woman lifted it up first, gazing at it curiously. The man scratched his head in uncertainty. He coughed slightly through his curly moustache and watched the coin for a moment.
"Is this yours, good Sir?" she murmured, still studying it, wondering if it was valuable. She held it up with her white gloved index finger and thumb, holding it out to him to examine. He raised an eyebrow, noticing her white hat with exotic feathers, and thought to himself it would be better to claim ownership than to hand it over to a snob like her.
At that very second, Chile darted out from the shadows, in a single motion unsheathing a knife and slashing it through the two points where the woman�s purse was attached to its� strap. The blade passed through both with only a whisper of resistance, and the purse dropped right into Chile�s hand. Successful, she disappeared into the shadows again, sheathing the knife as she went.
"Why, I do believe it is. Thank you ever so much, milady." the large man bowed to her briefly and took it from her with a smile. She returned the smile, but with a hint of bitterness, as if she wanted to keep it. Her green eyes glinted briefly, her gaze turned cold on the man and she dismissed the whole thing at once.
The man continued down the road, feeling delighted about the lucky coincidence. The noble woman rearranged her wide white hat, but as she raised her arm to arrange her handbag, she was shocked to realize that it was gone, severed from its� carrying strap.
Almost instantly, she glanced towards the direction of the tubby man, wondering if he had something to do with the disappearance, if this was not just one of those tricks that pickpockets pulled on unsuspecting civilians. One of those acts that that crooked thief Chile used to pull, after having bribed civilians into it.
Her delicate features hardened with rage and she leapt across the street in her awkward long dress towards the Guardian Headquarters, a building that towered above the others, to report the crime. Her heart raced with anxiety, for she had never experienced anything like this before. She had been so unaware of everything for that one instant, when she was asking the man about the coin, and she had not noticed her purse missing until the man, and likely the thief as well, if it was not him, were both long gone.
The sun was just peeping over the tall Guardian Headquarters, its orange rays fading, but still vibrant enough to penetrate the gradual threats of dusk. Dusk was nevertheless falling over the town like a blanket of fatigue and darkness. Chile thrived upon the darkness; it covered her whole existence and propelled her forward in her cause.
Smiling, she set off down the alley, down long paths meandering their way to one of her many different hideouts, though they all had two things in common; they all were bars with inn services, and none of the proprietors ever suspected a thing. Every night, she would seek out a different inn; what little traces she left quickly disappeared, like the scent of a flower in a tavern, or a footprint left at low tide.
She finally arrived at the bar and took the key to her room. She raced up the stairs, went into her room, and locked the door shut firmly behind her slender body. Taking a moment to breathe, she lifted the handbag she had just pilfered from that noble woman.
That wasn't so hard... I've had worse days... But why do I feel so tired...?
Her hazy blue eyes widened as she opened the bag and held up a few thousand Gil in notes.
Hmmm...Foolish people, dragging along so much Gil... It's their own fault if I come along and just snatch it right out of their little hands...
A smile spread itself on her pretty face and she walked across the small room towards the bedside drawer to stash away her money... Another day of thieving had gone by...
She ambled towards the wall mirror, glancing at the thin wisps of deep red hair that fell across her face, almost as if she had styled them herself. It was far too short for the social standards, but it didn't bother her...she felt it gave her a more powerful look. And long hair was such a pain to take care of.
It came up in steps, longest strand starting at her chin, and shortest stopping at the bottom of her ears. She gave herself a hard look, appraising herself.
I'm not sure anymore...I don't know where I'll be going after this...What have I become...?
She wore a sleeveless white blouse, which was covered by black leather from her chest and down. Over that, a thin red ribbon crisscrossed its way down her abdomen to where her blood-red leather skirt began. A pair of black, high-heeled boots was held to her legs by leather straps.
She glanced out the window, at the orange ball of fire and light majestically setting in the horizon through her wide window, turning the sky into a veritable kaleidoscope of color. Everything was over for now; tomorrow a new day would begin, with the promise of uncertainty and a ray of hope.
�Some day...:� she said to herself, �It is all going to change...I can feel it...�
<hr>
Chapter 2
Chile woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed, nervous sweat all over her young, athletic body. She�d been having a nightmare, but only fragments of it floated in her memory...what she dreamt seemed so familiar, it felt real.
It was real.
�Damn,� she muttered. �Why does this dream keep reoccurring..?� For the life of her, she couldn�t remember a single time when she�d had a good dream, or, for that matter, a different dream from the one she�d just had.
"Father..." she thought, tears swelling in her eyes, flashbacks of the time of that incident coming back. It wasn't a dream - far from it - it was a forgotten piece of her past.
Brushing her hair out of her face, she stood and went to the washroom, to towel off the sweat...allowing it to dry on her body made her feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy.
About an hour later, in a different portion of the city, Chile began preparing to again ply her trade...however illicit it might be. She was again hidden by the silhouettes of two buildings to either side of her. To her left was a flower shop...it filled the air around her with the luxurious fragrances of exotic flowers.
The colorful shop decorations and signs attracted many a peasant - an ideal place to find many unsuspecting victims. To her right, a tavern, from which the sound of drinking songs were quite evident. As an extra precaution, today she wore an entirely different outfit, and an ordinary white head covering as to blend more with the crowds...
Her hair was brushed forward so as to partially cover her face and left eye. She wore a thin, white skirt that fell to her knees, and a traveling cloak. Her feet were protected by a simple pair of sandals.
In her left hand, she her short, very sharp knife, which she had used to great effect the previous day...the poor woman had not even noticed her purse was missing. In her right, the bait...a silver Gil-coin, worth five coppers. Ready, she began scanning the street in front of her for someone to pull her trick on. A moment later, she spied a woman with a decent-sized handbag, walking next to a man. She inconspicuously stepped nearer to them, to toss the coin into their path; aiming it so it would roll slightly, as if it had fallen from someone's hand. She stepped forward to toss the coin�
...And, having paid no attention to her surroundings, directly into a young man. Both of them fell down with an �Oof!�
Chile was the first to recover. She rose to her feet and began to say, �Why don�t you watch where you�re going, you big oaf!� but her voice died in her throat as she looked at him and saw the most handsome man she�d ever laid eyes on.
�I�m very sorry I bumped into you, milady...I was not looking where I was going.� he apologized, bowing his head briefly, and then glanced up, straight into her light blue eyes. He narrowed his eyes, as if to assess her extraordinary beauty...he could tell she wasn't just an ordinary peasant girl...
Her heartbeat suddenly raced with excitement as their gazes met, and she only managed to sputter �B-b-best be more careful...b-bump into the wrong person and you�ll regret it.� She had never seen anyone quite so handsome before�he was tall, about as much as she was. His hair was a deep, rich shade of brown, as were his eyes. He wore simple clothes, the kind any peasant could afford.
A few moments passed, and their gazes had not shifted. Suddenly, Chile blinked back to reality and shook her head slightly, as if to shake his image away. Chile dismissed him mentally. But as she began to turn and walk away, to find another place to thieve, he put a hand on her shoulder and asked, �As an apology for my error, would you care for a drink?�
Still a bit flustered by her reaction to him, all she could manage to say was, �Yes.�
�Then, come!� he grabbed her lightly by the wrist and gently tugged her towards the tavern. She fell into step with him, without even knowing what she was actually doing; she just listened to his euphonious voice and obeyed...
�Bartender!� called the young man, as he and Chile took seats at a booth in the tavern, facing each other.
�Yes, sonny? What�ll it be?�
�I�ll have a mug of ale, and what would you like, milady?�
Chile managed to say, �I�ll have some ale, too.�
�As ye wish,� said the bartender, hustling off to fill their order.
The man chuckled, and said, �How rude of me...I haven�t even given you my name! I am Kei. What is your name?�
Chile stammered out, �M-my name is C-C-Chile.� She had no idea what it was about this man that was causing her to lose her composition. And she did not like it one bit. All the rules she had created to protect herself seemed to simply melt away when she saw Kei smile.
�Chile...that�s a lovely name.� At that point, the bartender arrived with their ale. Kei had his gaze fixed onto her beautiful face, even though he evidently noticed her hesitance, and the way she suddenly seemed so interested in the surroundings. The bartender raised a brow, and even though this wasn't any of his business, he whispered to the young lad, "You've got her now, sonny."
Chile turned her attention back to them, wondering what the whispering was all about, and Kei suddenly looked very surprised that her attention span was so sharp. Quickly moving on, he tended to the order.
�I�ll pay for it,� said Kei, handing the bartender three Gil-coppers. Lifting his mug, he motioned Chile to do the same, and said, �To the fortuitousness of accidental meetings!�
By now, the bartender was winking at Kei, standing behind Chile, whereas Kei ignored him, so she wouldn't notice.
Chile, still appearing hesitant, picked her mug up, said, �Indeed,� and clacked it with Kei�s. She took a sip of the ale, which, though not the best she�d ever tasted, was serviceable.
Kei, on the other hand, downed half of his mug in one long swallow. �Haaaah,� he said, setting the mug down. �That is a fine brew!�
Chile took another sip of her ale, knowing very well that if she drank it too quickly, the intoxicants it contained would loosen her tongue a great deal, perhaps fatally so. As it was, even the few sips she�d already had were having a mellowing effect on her. Her mild distrust of people, a side effect of the rules she had lived by for so long, seemed to vanish entirely in Kei�s presence�
A few hours had passed, and Chile had discovered what a heavy drinker Kei
really was. He had already downed four large mugs, as if they were pure water. Outside, dusk had shifted its wispy darkness over the city. The sun was no longer a match for the darkness that was falling, and Chile was fast losing her internal struggle between the rules she had lived by for so long and what Kei�s presence was stirring inside her.
Sipping her second mug of ale, she glanced straight across at him. His beautiful brown eyes seemed to twinkle at her, welcoming, cool and yet with a glowing warmness in them. A hidden desire; a secret. It had grown quieter than in the day in the room, the candle lights were dimming, almost as if some eerie force had commanded them.
They sat still, watching each other, not a word said; no words wasted because their eyes said everything. Kei gazed at her, long and hard, a smile curling at the edges of his mouth. He seemed only slightly drunk, which, considering the amount of ale he had consumed, was quite a feat. If it had been her, she'd been knocked out cold by that amount of alcohol.
She continued to watch him, people were still chattering around them, awful drinking songs were still being murmured, or half sung. Kei rose up suddenly and pushed aside the ale mugs. Chile imitated him, and stepped to his side, about to ask where he was heading next when...
...All of a sudden, the candles were blown out. People started to mutter, fuss and complain. Yet in the darkness, Chile felt his comforting arms slip around her, his fingers tapering along her waist, examining and exploring her body freely. She sucked in her breath as she felt him draw her near, and in an instant, she felt a strange warmth caress her lips; soothing her soul, exciting her body. She closed her eyes and it all became a dreamy haze...
The peasant folk in the Tavern hadn't yet figured why the candles had gone out, nor had they figured out how to re-light them, as everyone tripped and stumbled across the darkness, cursing and yelling. The tavern quickly became a confused mess, where people didn't know where they were stepping, and misunderstandings took place. A loud slap was heard as a man had accidentally stepped on a woman's foot, whereas in another corner of the room, a man and his wife were arguing about whose idea had been to come.
"Ye youngsters never pay heed to the way nature is - the night is for sleeping and the day for work. It must be a sign from the gods that this misfortune has befallen us!" an old man groaned, his tone stern and angry. A few other people started to reply to the man's remark and their voices overlapped, making it impossible to decipher anything.
Meanwhile, Chile and Kei had made their way out of the mess, somehow and were walking on the open, empty streets. He was terribly drunk and leaned over her slightly as they walked, an arm around her shoulders. Chile blushed, not knowing how she got into this situation. A deep crimson color invaded her cheeks, soft strands of hair swaying across her face as the wind caressed against them. She didn't know where they were going, or where she could leave him to rest, but for some reason, even though he should be out cold drunk, he seemed to lead the way.
Chile glanced up at him, while his head was tilted slightly, gazing down onto the stone brick street. The sky was a deep black against the little fragments of light emitted by the stars. There wasn't a moon in sight, nor any clouds; it was a pure, clear sky. They trailed down a dark alleyway, the cool breezes had just gotten colder as the night grew deeper and the temperature fell. Only a few moments later they arrived in near a lake in a public park. A rough black iron gate surrounded the vast tract of land, a few crickets were to be heard, and strangely enough, the stars winked and glimmered in the watery reflection of the lake.
Without warning, Kei grasped Chile's wrist and walked swiftly towards the lake. An owl hooted in the distance, and he sat down on the grass, facing the lake. She propped down beside him, feeling somewhat nervous. Why had they come here all of a sudden? Had Kei planned all of this?
He sat with his arms wrapped loosely around his knees, looking onto the water.
Silence.
How long the two of them sat there watching the lake, Chile did not know. Eventually, she turned to look at Kei, and she caught sight of him looking at her as well. Their eyes met, and Chile�s heart picked up. She kept quiet, not knowing what to say�as she looked at Kei, she began to see him not just as a man, but as someone she was falling in love with.
He started to groan, holding his head gingerly in his hands. Chile scrambled from her seating position and crawled towards him. She was about to reach him, when suddenly he grabbed her hand and drew her close.
"W-what do you w-w-want?" she whimpered, aghast from the abrupt move.
He fell back, reclining into the cool grass, and she fell over him. She blinked, her heart racing fast against her chest, her skin crawling with sensations as she felt her body pressed against his. She glanced down at him, and he had his eyes clenched shut, as if he had a terrible headache. He groaned lightly, and she dared herself to caress his forehead gently, not knowing why she felt the urge to do so. The only thing she knew was, that the feelings she felt were strong, overwhelming everything else. Kei seemed to smile briefly, softly wrapping an arm around her back.
Her heart hammered harder and harder, she felt as if her head would explode with the heat of her racing blood. She watched his face, a look of distress evident upon it. Her insides ached. She didn't know this man, she didn't know where he came from or why he decided to enter her life, yet she felt for him. In less than half a day, his beautiful eyes had captivated her heart, and a single arrow from the quiver of the Goddess of Love had shattered all of the rules she had made to protect herself. Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed upon the stranger who had pulled her close so many times that night. Even though he was always so quiet, when he could have said a million things - she knew. She knew what he wanted to say...
She lowered her head down and softly kissed his lips. She could evidently feel his muscles tightening up, his tongue gently tracing around her lips, his hands wandering over her back gently, the way one of his legs was bent upward. His thigh brushed against her hip briefly and his curiosity grew, his fingers explored her body. Chile gasped softly at the prickling shocks that he sent through her, yet her limbs and body ached for the touch; the fleeting feeling of lust melting on skin.
Their breaths came in quick rasps, pouring like white vapors into the cold atmosphere. Kei closed his eyes, feeling her lips wander over his jaw, even as her hands began exploring under his soft cotton shirt. She glanced at him, barely able to make out his features in the darkness. He leaned up to let his tongue softly wander over her lips, sparking a fire of sensations inside her, making her restless and uneasy. She responded, sliding her tongue into Kei�s mouth and exploring it as he did the same to her.
What had begun as a dim candlelight inside of Chile now roared into a blazing fire of passion, enormous enough to burn the entire planet. The brightness of their fire increased, growing faster, rapidly illuminating the entire darkness. They grew restless, lying in the grass, one sensual advance followed by another.
To Chile, time seemed to be moving in a most bizarre method, sometimes with seconds stretching out into minutes, sometimes minutes passing in the blink of an eye. She was vaguely aware that she had pulled her clothes off and that Kei was doing the same, as they lay down.
She gazed up at him, as he lay upon her, dominating. His hands tingled with excitement as he caressed and stroked over her bare, restless skin, her exhilarated breasts, the untouched privacy of her vagina. Her nipples stood erect and hard from the cold, and Kei�s fingers gently ignited warmth over her skin, her head turning from side to side, her body trembling with pleasure at Kei�s touch.
Gently kissing her again, Kei pushed into her slowly, carefully, noticing how virgin she still was. He clenched his eyes shut from the ecstasy that the heavy pressure of her insides created in him.
Chile gasped, yanking her head back sharply, as he filled her space, a rush of heat invading her deep emptiness.
Groaning, he softly nudged his hips against hers. She closed her eyes, feeling the blood race in her body, as she and Kei began to kiss again, and their hands again began exploring the other�s body. The night continued, and their restless bodies stroked against each other softly, gradually gaining speed�
Chile cried out softly as her orgasm pulsed through her, her entire body quivering with pleasure, as Kei reached his peak too, planting his seed firmly inside of her. Spent, Chile fell asleep, as Kei pulled out of her and lay down next to her, falling asleep almost as quickly as Chile had.