TEST DRIVE- [1/ Welcome to the world of Crystallis!]

[mugugu]

Edea felt a strongly cemented pit in the bottom of her stomach. That Crystal... This.. 'Moogle.' It was all too familiar in the worst way. Her teeth grit as she remembered the not so fond memories of her world's (and the many other worlds's) past. The last thing she remembered before being yanked from her own realm was her getting to bond with her father as well as make up for lost time with Alternis. 

"Kupo?"

A small voice pierced her deep thought. "What do you want?" Edea's voice was sharp and shallow. She wasn't having any of it.

"You don't need to be so tense, Edea, kupo." The fact of how well Ririsa, her moogle companion, knew her name made her very skin crawl.

"You can't tell me how I should feel. ESPECIALLY you." Edea had then shot Ririsa a strong glare. "I swear if you ask me to awaken ANY crystals I'm going to make it my life's mission to see you wiped out like the craven scum you are." Ririsa only frowned as she heard this. 

"I swear I'm only here to help, kupo! I can even send mail for you, kupo!" The angry blonde refused to look her companion in the face. She couldn't bear to be deceived. "You should look into meeting people. There are many more like you in town. I'm sure you could make some friends!"

"Yeah. Yeah. I guess that actually is a good idea..." As much as Edea hated to admit it, the white fluff-ball had a point. With that, Edea then took her leave and ventured out to meet some people and get a little more insight to the world and possibly find out if these Moogles could be trusted or not.

Comments

[imalittlemousecop]

Before the newcomer can embark on her marvelous new adventure, the wailing sirens sounds as the lights of red and blue atop a modest looking carriage comes barreling down in the direction of the young Edea and her furry counterpart. The side of the wagon opens, out stepping a rather disgruntled looking officer. His uniform is trim, well kept, and ironed to perfection. It's a wonder the cop can actually move around in his duds, considering how stiff the sleeves look.

With a grunt and a sigh, the Mouse Cop makes his way towards the blonde, gritting his teeth as he lowers the glasses her wears over his eyes to get a better view of her appearance.

"Hnnn-.. Hokay~ Easy there, lady. No sudden movements, if you please. Officer Mappy, Micro Police. I've got a couple questions to ask here-" He un-holsters the note pad at his side, a pencil tip coming to his tongue as he juts it out for a moment to give his scribe a potent dab. Soon the point greets the pad, his note taking starting off as a torrent of words begin to appear on the page. "Name, date of birth, and state your business, if you'd be so kind."

[mugugu]

The sirens blare caused her to nearly jump out of her skin. "mrgrgr...!" she growled under her breath at the rather... strange looking creature in a uniform walk toward her.

"W-what the..." She bit her lip slightly and let out a small sigh while replying, "Edea Lee, August 17, and honestly, I'm not even sure of my business, sir." She calmly said despite her ever souring mood. "I'm just looking to find out more information.. I'm new to this realm."

It then hit her, OF COURSE! She smiled, "Actually, sir, you could be of great help. I'm pretty lost and was looking to find out any information you could give me."

"Last I even can remember was waking up with this furball following me." Ririsa only squeaked in a sad tone in response. "I'd like any and all information you could give my way."

[imalittlemousecop]

The pencil lifts from his pad, the momentary pause giving some heavy dissonance that might otherwise have been a simple operation.

"Miss Lee, just because my name happens to BE Mappy, doesn't mean that I know anything about giving directions.. LIKE A MAP."

He continues to jot information down, flipping the page so that more can be put to evidence.

"M'am. Do you know why I pulled you over?" The mouse motions a thumb over his shoulder, giving note to the Chocobos that helped him speed towards her arrival. Following the gesture, his hands move down to tug at his utility belt in a fashion that suggests no amount of tugging is going to keep the belt around his husky waist. "That little fella you've got there is without a leash. Municipal stature ten under article 3-A states, and I quote, that "all animals must be attended with proper leash and collar leads." That's a ticket with a fine, M'am."

[mugugu]

Oh man, if looks could kill! The glare she shot at her moogle companion would have been a dagger straight to the heart. She immediately looked back at Mappy and bowed slightly. "I did not mean any offence by what I said, officer."

She only paused a minute to stare at Ririsa again. "I'll be sure to get a leash for her as soon as I reach town. I swear it. I, again, know nothing of this place. So I haven't the slightest to where I could find one." She was started to get irritated with having to explain herself. OH how she wished for herself to be back in Luxendarc. She would NEVER be treated the way she was in Eternia!

She desperately wanted to explain her real situation. If this Mouse-Man couldn't see the Moogle as more than a pet then why would this disgruntled officer even believe her current situation. Great, what else could go wrong?!

[imalittlemousecop]

A light-hearted sigh comes out from the chest of the overworked officer. He ceases his scribbling, flipping the paper over as he rips the top page off with a smirk.

"M'am. I can see that you're lost, so ol' Mappy here is gonna' throw you a Pooka. Or.. a bone. Whatever sorts of things are underground that you can give to someone as a kind of fav- Anyways! Let me do you a favor then, okay? Not all us cops are grizzled, angry, bitter, grumpy, violent people you citizens take us for. Nope. At least not the underpaid ones."

He motions his hands in a few different directions, pointing down to specific areas as he begins to weave a tapestry of locations.

"You're in the city of Aquares Ixen. And where we're standing is uh- considered the center of town, M'am. If you follow down this path you'll get closer to the city's crystal but uhh- don't go touching it or anything like that. It'd be bad. Like.. "you're going to be shot" bad. Now down this road you'll get closer to the housing district. That's where all of the city's housing is. Down this way you'll get closer to the businesses and offices. So that's the commercial district.

Any other questions?"

[myhomeisahole]

[OOC: Took him from the first Jump of Light.]

Tiz had a far better encounter with his moogle. She was nice and soft spoken reminding him of Agnès, though he wonders if it was only because the priestess was on his mind. He had given all of his friends names to the moogle but she hadn't recognized any of them. He wasn't about to let that stop him so he rose pocketing the strange crystal he woke up with and set to search.

Did this mean that it worked? Did they save the world? But then if they did, why did his moogle only talk of a calamity? That's what they had been trying to avoid.

He let out a slow breath taking a look around. This wasn't a place he recognized but then he couldn't imagine it would take to long to find the others. Tiz had a little to much faith. It didn't take him long to find Edea. Her hair and tone was unmistakable.

"Edea!"

[mugugu]

Edea's eyes widened as she spotted the messy haired sheep herder. She practically squealed as she ran to him and pulled him into a hug. She had not even noticed the Moogle floating right by him.

"Tiz!" She extended her arms pushing herself back from the hug to look him in the eyes. "It's been so long! How's Norende been?! And Til?"

Little did Edea know, that this was not her world's Tiz. She of all people should have known... Just then she saw the fluff monster looking over his shoulder. She grew wide-eyed and stepped back letting go. "Y-You too?! You have one of these.. Cretins?!"

[myhomeisahole]

Tiz was never very good at hiding how he felt, even more so towards a friend that he had traveled with and gotten to know like Edea. He tried to mask his pain but it was evident by his vacant stare.

"What are you talking about?" He wasn't going to cry but it felt like a knife stabbing at his heart.

His moogle floated behind him peeking over his shoulder like Edea was the big bad wolf. She didn't much care to be called a cretin but she wasn't going to correct the new hero.

[mugugu]

It only took a second of seeing the light from his face fade to realize at what she had said. Tiz was not the same from her world. She bit her lip. "Oh! No... I'm... I'm sorry Tiz! Y-you're... from another world then, it seems."

She could feel her own heart sinking into her stomach. How could she already make a familiar face feel so down?!

[myhomeisahole]

"What do you mean 'from another world'?" He was watching her now with renewed interest. Like she wasn't the girl that he remembered. He wondered if Agnès would be the same and his heart twisted a little more. He swallowed trying to bury his worry and uncertainty.

"Please tell me Edea? Is this not the result of the light? Airy's broach. It lit up and we saved the world.. didn't we?"

[mugugu]

Edea's heart sank to her stomach hearing his words. She felt his pain build up in her own chest.

"Oh Tiz..." She bit her lip nervously. "W-was that the first time you awoke the crystals?" Her eyes scrunched as she braced to hear his answer.

She couldn't even bare to see what would happen next.

[myhomeisahole]

"Of course. We are only suppose to awake the crystals once."

He wasn't shouting but she could probably hear the tension in his voice. Had it gone all wrong? Had they failed? But then she had asked about his brother.. did that mean that did it? His head was spinning and he wasn't sure what to think.

[mugugu]

"No... You can't go through this again." She mumbled slightly to herself all the while bringing her hands to her face. She buried her eyes into her palms.

"We did save the world... in my world." she took a deep breath then broke away from her palms to look him in the eyes. Edea's eyes were bright from the slight tears that had made their way out.

"Y-you're not there anymore so, I don't wan't to drag you down. So yes. The world is saved." Those words rang painfully in her mind. She was only slightly lying, but it was enough lying to hate herself for it.

Ririsa looked simply pained at Edea's slight lie. "Edea, I don't think this is right, Kupo." She mumbled to the blonde. Edea's shoulders jerked in reaction to the Moogle's words.

"Shut your trap, you cretin!" Ririsa only frowned as she watched her companion look away from the both of them quite bitterly. Edea then sighed, "Sorry, Ririsa. Tiz, do you want to know the 100% truth. It will be hard to hear."

[myhomeisahole]

"What are you talking about? Of course I want the truth!"

He wasn't yelling but his voice was strained, as if on edge. He couldn't follow what she was talking about even as his mind frantically tried to put the pieces together. His moogle floated out of the way and by the look on her face it was clear that she was starting to understand. The little moogles have heard of heroes from different times arriving and it appeared to her that this was the case once again. She wanted to say something but at Edea's shouts she fell silent, her little paws pressed to Tiz's back.

Tiz looked at Edea, his expression pleading as he watched her. "Please tell me."

[mugugu]

(OOC:sorry to make this tag so freakishly long)

"Well..."

Her eyes grew watery as she recalled all of those sad memories. The blonde shook her head and then took a deep breath. She then dried her eyes as she began to speak. "Tiz, the truth is that, yes, we did save the world." she bit her lip and finished with, "Eventually."

"You're from another world. It's very similar to mine. You even know another me from your world. Although, i'm not her." Edea's lips clenched tightly preparing for the next statement. "All of those things we thought we were doing right... were wrong. Every one of them. Awakening the crystals, the great pillar. All of it, wrong."

She eyed Tiz's stare, she could see the disbelief. "I don't blame you for seeing me as a crazy woman, but, let me assure you, as a friend, this is all truth." she finally had become comfortable with her speech and continued.

"Airy lied to us and tricked us all. She used us to link multiple worlds allowing her to summon a horrible beast. The darkness. The Chasm. All of it. Her doing." Edea felt her tears escape again. While she wiped her eyes she continued, "We luckily had some wonderful people help us... Lord DeRosso, Sage Yulyana, and of course." She smiled remembering Tiz's unspoken affections for the girl she mentioned next. "Agnès."

[myhomeisahole]

Tiz didn't really care if she was from another world or another time. Edea was still herself and she was still his friend. He listened trying to keep the pain from his expression as she spoke. It was hard to believe but then what would Edea gain by lying to him?

He felt his heart skin at the mention of Agnes and for a moment his mask of disbelief faltered, replaced with the paint that he felt. It had all been for nothing? Everything they worked for, everything that all of them gave up. Airy had been the reason that Agnes's friends were killed and yet she stayed with them, traveled with them. The betrayal was more than Tiz could process and for a long moment he was silent.

His moogle clung to his back hoping the pressure of someone else would ease his heart.

"Thank you Edea. For telling me." He swallowed hard trying to process everything. He didn't know what to do and he wasn't used to feeling so lost.

[mugugu]

Edea's eyes focused onto her friend's seeing his pain reflect through their own rich brown color. She paused only for a moment, "Tiz. It's all past now. It's over." She smiled weakly in attempts to comfort her counterpart from that past hardship. "Let's focus on what is now." Edea's mouth was weakly curled into a smile in hopes to lighten the mood, she looked at the shepard.

"Seriously, I can assure you from my world that i've been happy and safe..." She smiled with much more confidence. "You can take solace in that." she paused to put a light hand to his shoulder. Her smile was much brighter than any she had shown him. "Tiz, despite me not being 'your' Edea, I'm so happy to see you. More than you may possibly understand." She smiled in a very motherly way.

[myhomeisahole]

"I'm happy to see you to!" His response was quick, almost hurried. Of course he was happy to see her. Even if she wasn't the same she was still his treasured friend. He tried to smile though it was obvious that he wasn't completely alright. It would take time for him to adjust but he would and they would work together to over come whatever is thrown their way.

"This place isn't like our home, so I guess we have another adventure ahead of us. Have you seen Agnes or Ringabell?"

[mugugu]

She could see the boy's pain in his eyes. Tiz really wasn't one to hide his feelings well. "Don't worry, Tiz." Edea said calmly with warmth to her voice.

"As long as we've got each other, we'll be ok." She slapped her hand against his shoulder. Her fingers gripped slightly to reassure him.

"I'm sure we'll meet with them again! I mean, if you can find me here, I'm sure they can find us as well." She let out a small laugh.

[myhomeisahole]

He smiled softly as she clapped her hand against his back. She was right, of course, he shouldn't just be mopey. He staggered forward slightly and his moogle dodged from her hand as she was hiding behind his back.

"You're right. We'll find them. Then we can figure all this out." He looked around again trying to place where they were.

"Where do we start? Finding other heroes?"

[readingaboutthed]

"Edea? Is that you?" The familiar pompadour rounded the corner a second before Ringabel did. His clothes had changed but that familiar book was still in his hands. In fact it looked bigger than before. Like Edea he had a moogle trailing after him as well.

"Oh good, you're safe. Noctis here was just telling me that this world's crystal called us here to help be heroes for this realm. Were you being told the same?" He didn't even give her time to answer as he frowned, flipping through the journal.

"It's strange. Many more chapters have been added to this book, but they're not written like the diary entries. In fact the diary chapters don't mention any of this at all."

[mugugu]

Edea's face lit up at the sight of well groomed man."R-Ringabel?!" She shook her head and then finally replied.

"Yes! Of course it's me! Who else do you think I'd be!" she signaled to her signature freelancer outfit. "You're such a dolt, sometimes." She laughed a little.

It felt so good to laugh at him again. She really did miss him. Although, like she'd ever admit that out loud. Her eyes then drifted upward to the similar white furred creature.

"So... they told you the same thing?" She paused for a moment bringing her palm to her cheek as she tilted her head back and forth. After her brief pause she glanced back at her moogle. "I guess there's merit to what you have to say... But I swear, If you try any funny business..."

Ririsa shook her head and waved her stubby arms, "I swear what I say is true, Kupo!"

Edea grimaced but then turned back to Ringabel, "Huh, that IS strange..." she watched at him thumb through the pages aimlessly.

[readingaboutthed]

"Well I came running as soon as I heard the cry of a woman in distress. Alas, it seems I only found you and no peril at all." As if there wasn't an insult possibly layered in there he continued on while nodding to the black furred moogle with him.

"It would seem so. Further it says that moogles are on the whole trustworthy creatures, and that evil and lying ones tend to take on physical attributes or form of dress that make it obvious. Sunglasses at the very least." He glanced up at her over the edge of the book and gave Edea a brief but knowing look.

He pored through the book for a moment more before snapping it shut. "In any case, it seems that this isn't Luxendarc at all, and we're probably stuck here for the time being."

[mugugu]

Edea rolled her eyes at his comments, "Ha ha." she pursed her lips in an irritated manner. Only mere seconds she had shaken off his insult.

"At least I can relax a little more. After everything with Airy in our world, I couldn't take another betrayal." She grit her teeth some at the thought of that blasted fairy.

She looked out at the environment around her, "It would certainly seem that way." She glanced over to Ringabel as she spoke. "Where do we even go? Or start for that matter." Edea's chest raised as she took in a deep breath. "It looks like i'm stuck with you again." she smirked at him with a smug look on her face. After a moment she looked away to her boots.

She fiddled with the hem of her skirt while sheepishly looking back up at his grey eyes. "Although, I guess I could be a little nicer. How have you been?" The blue eyes fluttered many times as she shyly would avert her gaze. Being nice to him felt odd again. It felt just like when they had first met.

[readingaboutthed]

Ringabel frowned at the mention of the Cryst Fairy. "Yes, I was concerned about her as well." He glanced briefly at the moogles and then back to Edea. "But as I said, things seem to be on the up and up. And according to Noctis this seems to happen semi regularly so we should expect some others to show up soon and tell us what to do."

This Scholar job he had been given was rather handy. The journal was an enigma and the truth behind it was discomforting of course, but here it seemed that there were no strings to worry about as yet. Now it was just a matter of morale.

He smiled and raked his fingers through his hair and played with his pompadour to make sure it was still well kept. "For now Edea, we play the role of the valiant adventurers and explorers, torn from our world and finding ourselves in a new realm of possibility. I can only begin to imagine what all the lovely ladies of this land are like. And worry not, for you're in good company. I've done this all before after all. I expect if Tiz were here he'd be giving himself whiplash while looking at all the new sights."

[mugugu]

The blonde woman listened intently to Ringabel's words. Her smile grew as he continued on.

"Yeah, I guess we should be seeing others. Hopefully others like Tiz and Agnès, of course." Edea paused only for a moment as she brought a hand to her mouth as she thought about her two companions.

She smiled brightly as she heard him wax poetic of adventuring together again, but only to be shortly sullied by his mentioning of those tramps. Edea's warm smile soured within mere seconds in response. "Be quiet, Ringabel. Let's pretend you're actually serious."

Edea placed irritated hands on her hips and shook her head. "It's always SOMETHING with you..."