Cavalry Cowboy

drip

drip

There’s a few rays of light filtering in from somewhere above and he wonders if he should risk it. Hope isn’t the biggest fan of risks. He likes calculations. Making sure of things.

He takes a deep breath and takes the first slippery step up the stairs. As much as he detests the feeling of grime through the leather of his gloves, he’d rather not fall unnecessarily– so the researcher makes his way up the staircase, using the stone wall as guidance.

When he turns the corner, he sees a door on the next floor up– the source of light comes from a cracked hole in the wood. From the amount of light filtering out– he guesses it’s but a small source, but he’s unsure if this proves favorable or not for him.

One hand puts away his lighter for safe keeping, and the other pulls out his boomerang– not the best weapon for such situation, but he’s improved it with a few tricks. Hopefully enough to get him out of whatever situation he was about to find himself in.

Spooks groaned in the wake of her step, but the pragmatic Lebreau wrote the off as the howling wind. The circular room wrapped around and soon she found her path was cyclical. She found herself right where she started. It was no use. She was stunned to find that every direction was blocked by velvet wallpaper and stacks of shelves lining every level. The room was spinning.

Finally, she shook her head out of a dizzying stupor and looked above. The jagged edges of the hole where she had fallen through were illuminated by an eerie green hue. Drops of water echoed as they fell through the crevice and landed in the level below. She was instantly reminded of the pipe that seemly opened into another passageway in the hall above. With candle in hand, Lebreau began to feel along the walls of the bookshelves. Gilded spines with unknown authors were rested on the dusty shelves; spell books and grimoires, with pages marble painted within their dust-jackets. 

Hey city folk! Welcome to the wild world of Animal Crossing, where the population growing in our community will turn over a new leaf in adventure! You’ve just moved to your new home, a town in the woods called Fantasy, which is the final stop on the train! The mayor is currently away, but you’re met by his super cute associate, Isabelle.

Oh– hi! You must be our new town resident? We’re SO happy to have you here in Fantasy! There’s so much to do here, like fish, and catch bugs, and own your own home! Isn’t it exciting!? There are a few things we should go over before we get started!

Now that you’ve moved to Fantasy, you are an animal resident. Oddly enough, the mayor is the only human here–but he’s away anyway. Isabelle needs five things from you to make you an official resident. If you wish to participate in this AU, please submit this form to either Final Fantasy Unleashed or The Moogle Workshop:

For information on the possible choices of the previous options, please read these lists: list of species, list of personality types, list of coffee type, list of clothing styles. (The catchphrase is whatever you want that matches your character, but you don’t actually have to RP it out unless you want!) Note: The location choice is a preferential option. You may NOT get the spot you want, but maybe close to. Keep that in mind!

Everything else–what your goal is in the Animal Crossing life, what clothes you wear, your animal design–is all optional and isn’t needed to join. (Although that stuff makes it way more fun!) After you submit your resident application, you’ll be added to the town map. Feel free to submit a drawing or edit so that we can add it to the Town Charter Yearbook! We’ll also add any extra information to the Yearbook if you want!

You can also follow the AU blog if you like, but it’s not necessary. Anything posted there will be reblogged here!

Special Note: If you’re not a native to the town of Fantasy (not a member of FFU), you can still join in the Summer Fireworks Festival and visit via the train station whenever you like! We also accept your animal neighbour designs, and they will be added to the Town Charter Yearbook as well, under the Visitors section. Your residency in the town of Fantasy during the celebration will be inside your very own tent, in the campsite!

I GOT TETSUYA NOMURA ON THE PHONE AND HE SAYS A NEW WORLD HAS BEEN ADDED, CALLED “CANADIA.” IT’S NOT NECESSARILY A DISNEY WORLD BUT IT’S SO AMAZING MIGHT AS WELL BE. SORA GETS A NEW KEYBLADE CALLED THE “FOREVER SORRY” BLADE (OR THE EH?BLADE FOR SHORT) HE TOLD ME THERE’S GONNA BE HEARTLESS RESEMBLING BOWLS OF POUTINE, MOOSES, AND BEAVERS, AND SORA’S GONNA HAVE A NEW LIMIT CALLED “SLAPSHOT” WHERE HIS KEYBLADE TRANSFORMS INTO A STELLAR HOCKEY STICK AND HE ATTACKS WITH HOCKEY PUCKS.

Or so he believe as Hope watched the man take another swig of his drink. Unfortunately for him, the Captain’s seen Hope in quite a few not-so-professional situations. NORA House being one of them.

“He’s doing well, though there seems to be some tough resistance in a few of the committees he’s taken a part of.” Having his dad as an active member of the government body allowed Hope to breathe some– as a great deal of Hope’s research relies on approvals and budget checks from said body. However, Hope also understood the consequences of his situation as well. Despite living in the same house and working almost primarily in the same building, he hardly ever saw his father himself. “Although I hear he’s planning a PR visit to the outposts with a few of the committee members. Historical preservation, I believe. Maybe you’ll get to see him then.”

It’ll be hard to miss– she said.

But it felt as if, after every turn, the hallways shifted on him. When he went to retrace his steps, he could no longer find the owl clock or the paintings with crooked edges. Hope pulls out his comm device for the umpteenth time and checks its screen– static again. He sighs and decides to turn off the device as to save its battery life.

Just as he does so the wooden ground beneath his feel collapses and Hope free falls for several seconds– into a tangle of vines. He struggles, surrounded by darkness, but the vines are tough and press into his limbs where they tug– fortunately his uniform provides a tough layer of protection.

He manages to slip feet first out of the net and into water– but darkness still surrounds him. Hope reaches and unbuckles a pouch, taking out a lighter to provide vision. But the lighter can’t sustain for very long.

As his eyes adjust to the sudden light, he scans the room he stands in. It’s large and its walls made of stone– but the water in the room was rising ever so slowly.

The dark passageway curved around a steaming drain. A corroded metal pipe pumped into the corridor a putrid sulfuric incense.  Around the corner, she found another length of the tunnel extending just above a kitchen. There was no movement near the stoves, yet the heat coming from them was overwhelming. She tip-toed around a vent only to find herself barricaded into a nook.

It didn’t. Instead, as Rygdea took a step forward, a stone shifted underfoot, sinking into the floor, which gave way with a loud grinding sound. There were no abutments in the walls or floor to grab hold of as the tunnel fell downward and became a slippery chute into the darkness. The torch fell from the captain’s grip and tumbled down into the abyss. He yelped as he slid into the shadows.

He landed a few seconds later in a pile of sticks, one jutting painfully into his side as he rolled over off his back with a cough. His fall kicked up a cloud of dust, which he then exacerbated by groping around in the pile for the torch. He found it close at hand and hoped to Etro that it wasn’t extinguished in the fall. To his relief, although the fire was out, the end remained aglow with embers. Rygdea cupped his hand around the end of the torch and blew gently, and small flames once again licked the air, growing slowly before reigniting the oiled wood.

He immediately dropped it again when he looked down with a gasp, and the torch rolled down to the floor, revealing the pile of sticks that had broken the captain’s fall was actually a heap of bones, dry and mottled brown things, skulls and ulnae and ribs reaching upward into the stale air. “Son of a bitch!” Rygdea yelled, jumping to the floor after his light source. “I am seriously tired of this place.” He picked up the flame and waved it around, spinning in a circle, fully expecting a zombie or vampire--or Cie'th, he shuddered at the thought--to be hiding in the corner, waiting to ambush him when he got close. Luckily, he seemed to be alone in the room. The walls here no longer looked like a tunnel built by human hands, but were rough and erosion-hewn, shadows of stalactites dancing huge like demons across their faces.

She boarded the gondola on a whim. But when the cheesy music began to pump in through the small speakers, Lebreau almost immediately regretted her bold choice. Amber eyes scanned the car, it was large enough for four people and there were empty seats across from her. Beside the seats, there was a gilded lever with a few options for speed and destinations. When she spied the hotel stop, she was relieved. A chance to relax, maybe find a spa, get away from the crowd– her mind wandered just far enough for her to decide this would be the right way to wrap up the day. Though she wasn’t one for turning in early, she was sure the hotel bar would be a welcome respite from the clamoring crowds of the Chocobo races. With her final destination dialed in,  the gondola began to lurch forward until it finally slowed to a stop. There was no attendant at the station. Lebreau stepped into a garden, noting its peculiar decor of gargoyles perched on headstones. It was already dusk. Her heart was anxiously pounding in her chest as she raced to the entrance of the hotel. Once inside the foyer, her palpitations eased. However, her calm was unfounded when she realized there were no concierge at the desk, no one to check-in with, and not a soul in the lobby. 

Rather than panic though, Lebreau leaped into an investigation to find the missing hotel clerks so she could unwind for the evening. She walked through the lobby and entered a ballroom. Empty. The hotel bar was closed. And most dishearteningly the spa was also unattended. Lebreau shook off the confusion and climbed the stairs. 

“Hello???” She called out into the hallway. She heard footsteps and finally a bellhop emerged from one of the rooms. He looked unsure of himself, pushing a squeaking porter cart down the dark corridor. 

“C… Can I help you,ma-am?” His voice cracked with a youthful tone. “I need a room for the night– a hard cider, and maybe a hamburger. Where can I put my stuff?” She raised her arms, both full of bags from souvenir shops and a purse with a change of clothes. 

“Oh.. oh.. Room 333 should be … unoccupied. M..make yourself at–at home. I will be back soon with your key and room service.” 

The room was at the end of the hall. As she made her way into the room, she admired the paintings on the wall. It seemed the owners of the hotel had spared no expense. Even in the dark, the paintings were vivid. Almost life-like. Their realistic eyes almost seemed to follow her as she coasted across the carpeted floors. She collapsed into the plush duvet, pulling the pillows into her arms.  The batteries in the remote did not have enough power to turn on the TV. Lebreau resolved to rest her eyes in the dark.  Suddenly the TV came on all on its own– white noise and a static image flashed across the aging appliance.   Thunder clapped outside and the TV flickered off. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as a knock on the door woke her. 

“Hello?” he called out into the empty hallway, hoping for a wandering bellhop to chance by. When he went unanswered, he headed down the creaky velvet staircase to the front desk, the giant red Oni statue staring him down as he walked by. Nobody came again when he pounded on the mahogany desk. “Remind me why I came here again,” he muttered to himself, looking around one last time and swinging behind the desk. When the desk’s underside proved a fruitless search, he turned to look on the shelves against the wall. Though he quickly found that the mantel held no towels or linens, he detected a slight, cold breeze emanating from behind. Out of curiosity, he grabbed a hold of the side of the shelf and pushed hard on it. With a loud creak (Rygdea checked over his shoulder to make sure nobody had heard), it slid heavily to the right, revealing a stone passage leading into the dark. The entrance was little more than a meter on all sides, and a meter and a half off the ground. “What do we have here?” he asked the empty room, glancing behind him again before hoisting himself up to get a better look.

To start off the Anniversary celebrations, we invite you to a FREE RIDE to the Gondola in the Gold Saucer! You get to take one other person. It doesn’t have to be anyone from FFU, either–it can be whomever you want! In addition, you can’t take another person after the first guest, but someone different CAN take you, even if you’ve already gone on it!

Want to know what it looks like before you take the plunge? Check out this footage for a general idea!