The smell was the first thing she noticed. Whatever was causing the smell had obviously been around since the school had closed for Winter break. Only as the smell grew stronger, she realized that she might be the target surface.
She had hoped, despite knowing how unlikely it was, that the break would bring a fresh start to school. Without being in the direct sight of Emma, Madison, and Sophia; she hoped they might finally move on from their bullying campaign.
And still the rank smell grew stronger as she approached her locker. If the smell was this nauseating from a distance; she could only imagine what it might be like if her fears were founded; and her locker was the source.
Taylor approached her locker with some trepidation. Looking left and right down the hallway, she didn't see her tormentors. Bracing herself, she slowly went worked through the combination on her lock. Before opening her locker; she took one last glance around but failed to see Emma or her friends. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
Flies, cockroaches, and other insects spilled out of her locker along with used hygiene products, rotten food, other garbage, and filth. Taylor quickly gagged at the sight; which only increased her nausea as the unhindered stench fully entered her nose when she drew in another breath. Coughing, and then emptying her stomach in response; she never heard the bathroom door nearby open.
Taylor was still retching when she was suddenly pushed towards her locker opening. Only by chance did she manage to momentarily brace herself.
Turning her head, she noticed Emma standing by the bathroom door. Moving her eyes to see over her should; she saw Sophia Hess; track star, and the physical bully of the trio Sophia Hess.
"Push her in!" came the cheer from Emma.
Taylor braced her arms against the adjacent lockers, hoping to stave off the trap. She began crying as she tried to maintain her positon.
"Please don't" Taylor whimpered, as her strength started to wane versus the more physical Sophia.
"Only two kinds of people Hebert," Sophia answered with manic grin as she pressed her forearm into the small of Taylor's back. "Predators and Prey. Those who are worth something, and those who are worthless."
The back and forth struggle continued for a few seconds, until Taylor felt two hands on her left wrist.
Emma stood next to her, an additional attacker ready to force her inside the cesspit that was her locker.
"You should have never come back," she whispered. "Nobody wants you. Nobody needs you. This is really for the best."
Eyes wide, Taylor shook her head with one final pleas, only for Emma to force Taylor's arm off the adjacent locker door and into the open space. The loss of leverage, along with Sophia pushing her forced Taylor into a half spin the landed against the back of the garbage filled locker. Before she could react, the door was quickly closed and held shut. Even as Taylor tried to force her weight against the door she heard the snap of her own lock sealing her inside.
Without Sophia distracting her; the smell again assaulted Taylors senses, causing her to gag. Bile spilled from her mouth as the sick smell caused her to retch and spew the remaining contents of her near empty stomach; while at the same time. tears spilled forth at the helplessness of the situation.
"Help Me!" she screamed as she tried to pound on the walls of her prison with no leverage. Panic grew as she felt the multitude of insects still in the locker with her; crawling over her. Some were pinching or biting her in the darkness; only furthering the panic she felt in her solitude.
The only sound from outside the locker was of two girls laughing as they retreated.
Taylor struggled, her arms pressed against her body, barely able to bang against her small prison. She screamed as she attempted to have someone, anyone, rescue her. Outside she heard some students laughing, but no one seemed to be asking for her combination. No one was shouting for a teacher.
No one was coming to help her.
"Please…" she whimpered as she pounded on the metal. "Please… someone answer."
And it was in that moment, the world around Taylor fell away.
Taylor woke up with a start. Gasping she looked around to find herself in her room. However, every seemed off.
The room appeared larger, and as she took in her surrounding, she realized it was actually her that was smaller. She appeared to be about two years younger, and her outfit…
'This is what I wore to the Mom's funeral,' she thought to herself. 'Why am I dreaming about that day'
"Because it's the easiest way to explain," a voice answered back.
The door to Taylor's room opened and 3 people entered. The first was a blonde man wearing indigo pants and a matching sleeveless shirt. He had a single pauldron of armor set over his left shoulder. But it was his eyes that were the most striking. The strange man had blue eyes that were glowing slightly.
The second person to enter was a young woman dressed in a pink dress with a bolero jack; she wore her hair in a long braid that was tied off with a pink ribbon and single white gem.
However, it was the third women who held Taylor's attention.
"Mom!"
Taylor leapt off the bed to tackle her mother in an embraced. Familiar arms wrapped themselves around her, and Taylor gave in to the feeling of love and peace. She felt her mother's hands comb through her hair. Taylor looked up at her mother, who had a warm smile.
"I missed you so much!" Taylor cried as Annette Hebert, Taylors mother, embraced her daughter even tighter.
The two family members continued embracing for a few minutes, until a light cough broke up the moment.
"You know we don't have much time right?" the dour blonde man asked. Only to be lightly punched by the other women in the room.
"Stupid Cloud," the women scolded the man. "There was time enough! And you had to ruin it"
Taylor looked at the two strangers, and then back at her mother.
"What's going on Mom?" the young girl asked. "Am I… am I dead?"
Her mother shook her head.
"No sweetie," her mother answered. "But Cloud is right. We are limited on time, I'm sorry our reunion is going to be cut short."
"But why?" Taylor asked, puzzled by the situation.
"She's not real." The man named cloud answered plainly. "I'm technically not real either honestly. We're memories, plucked from the Lifestream and given form-"
"I can explain that." the still unnamed woman interrupted as she approached Taylor, knelt down and put a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Hi Taylor, I'm Aerith. And you have somehow tapped into something truly amazing."
"You've touched the Lifestream of your planet. That's why your Mom is here. Or at least the closest thing to her that can exist. You see, the Lifestream is something like the soul of the planet; and it has the memories and dreams of everyone within it."
"Does that mean Mom is still dead?" Taylor asked in a panic as she quickly looked up to make sure her mother was still the one holding her. Her mother's eyes, still warm, stared down at her.
"I'm afraid so" her mother answered. "It doesn't make this reunion any less real; but its only temporary"
"Annette Hebert has joined the Lifestream Taylor, and is part of the Planet." Aerith spoke with a quiet conviction. "However, you seem to be able to draw on the Lifestream, so in a way she will always be nearby. Cloud and I are here to add to that-"
"Why though?" Taylor asked suddenly.
"Truthfully Taylor… I don't know. Cloud and I had been in the Lifestream for a long time; and while this Planet's welcoming it's not ours. We were pulled; sent away in some ways when a shard of something was pulled from our home. All we knew was Gaia, the consciousness of our Planet, and Minerva, Guardian of the our Lifestream, was that the shard had the potential to cause strife on other worlds.
"Cloud here was an experiment of Mako and Science. It made him stronger, faster, and augmented him. He's going to pass on similar abilities to you."
"I'm a Cetra, sometimes called an Ancient. My people had an affinity with our Planet and could speak to it. I'm supposed to pass on that ability to whomever I come into contact with. You should be able to speak to your Planet; call upon its Lifestream for help. The Mako of the Lifestream should be able to be gathered; and given form. Imbued with an idea that can then be projected on the world.
"Wait!" Taylor shouted, as she stopped Aerith. "What does that even mean?"
Aerith raised her finger her own lips, as she pondered how to best explain.
"Imagine the concept of healing, or protection, or a shell to protect you from non-physical elements. Or imagine the concept of a Guardian spirit, who symbolizes a specific ideal. If you were to summon Mako and channel one of those thoughts into the Mako; it could solidify into a Materia capable of projecting that idea onto the world"
"So thinking about restoring health could create a Restore Materia that could in turn cure people? Like honest to god Healing Magic?"
"Yes…" Aerith answered. "Although I don't know how often you could "cast" through it. Materia takes a while to recharge. Though the more you use it, the more powerful it can become too. Some people could eventually cast the spells without Materia though."
"So you're giving me knowledge of Mako, and power?" Taylor asked quietly. "How much of you will remain in me? Will I still be me?"
"You will always be you kid" Cloud answered. "The last thing Aerith or I want to do is take someone over. We're just paying a toll, and then keeping your Mom's memory company."
"Will it hurt?"
"It might Taylor" Annette answered softly. "You don't have do this; you'll still have some sort of power because of whatever brought these two. But they are honest about their intentions.
Taylor look at the two strangers; wondering whether she should. Searching their faces for any deception; she reached her decision.
"Ok." She stated firmly. "Do it."
Cloud approached first; only to transform into a green gaseous cloud that filled the room. Taylor coughed for a couple seconds as the cloud first entered her lungs, and while it burned for a moment; she quickly felt rejuvenated.
'In fact,' she thought to herself, 'I feel so much stronger.'
"Thank you Taylor," Aerith said gently. "Speak to the Planet, and she will do her best to answer you"
Aerith knelt down and hugged Taylor; only to have brilliant white light encompass both of them.
Taylor looked at her mother, the remaining occupant in the room.
"So what now?" Taylor inquired.
"Now, you wake up" her Mother answered.
Taylor jolted away, only to find herself once again within the cramped space of her waste filled locker. Pressing her arm against the wall, she pushed, finding the metal was moving slightly.
'That shouldn't be possible!' she thought in spite of what she accomplished.
'This must be what Cloud's spirit gave me.'
'I still need help though' she thought as she remembered what Aerith had told her as well.
"Help me Mother" she whispered, as she directed her thoughts to the idea of the Lifestream, and the Planet itself.
A green glowing haze quickly appeared within the locker and surrounded her. She felt it entering through her skin, and entering her as she breathed. At first she thought it was helpful, but she quickly noticed it started to burn. This was nothing like the gas Cloud caused. This burned!
She could summon the Planets Lifestream now, but it was acidic her as it flowed around her. And there was so much of it surrounding her while she was trapped within her prison still. The gaseous fog continued to burn her, and was starting to condense, taking on the form of a glowing liquid. Droplets of glowing green liquid seared her skin before falling onto the heap of the trash in the locker below her, pooling into individual. Every partial contact with the gas and liquids felts as though a thousand beings were stabbing into her, each one attempting to break her psyche.
'This wasn't supposed to happened" she heardher mother's voice scream from the beyond.
Taylor attempted to look about her cramped space despite the pain. Only for her to black out a second time.
Within the Lifestream the spirits of Annette and Aerith watched on in horror.
"That wasn't supposed to happen!"
"No Annette. It wasn't" she heard Aerith answer meekly.
"What happened?" The spirit of her mother demanded.
"I don't know for certain…"
"But you have an idea, don't you Aerith?"
"Yes."
"Well what is it?"
"I think if we didn't help her; she might have only been able to summon a couple Materia stones. But my power let her connect with the planet and summon the Lifestream and Mako energy in its rawest form. My people could channel it to an extent naturally."
"Cloud's body; was infused with Mako that was refined; and combined with cells from Jenova… an entity from space. His infusions became self-generating so it was no longer Mako as it would normally be found."
"Because of that infusion though, her body while stronger, isn't safe from the energy if she summons it. She needs a way to filter it. Otherwise, it will destroy her."
Taylor found herself in near darkness the pain from her locker still present; but dulled considerably. A single spark of light flittering around her and seemed to invade her thoughts.
"You cannot survive this as you are."
"You have the ability to Draw on mana, but it burns you"
"You have a wellspring of power in you, but so little in the way of control to shape it"
"Perhaps we can help each other."
"How can you help me?" she asked to the light that continued to dance around her.
"I can give you the means to safely store and use the energy you seem to be drawing"
"Not burning would be nice. How can I help you?"
"You can let me finally rest in peace"
Slowly the small light crew, coalescing into the form of a woman with dark hair; and caramel highlights. Eddies of energy flowed out of the woman, who maintained a distance form Taylor.
"I am Rinoa" the embodied spirit spoke. "and I can't rest until I pass on my power."
Taylor pondered the woman in front of her. The maelstrom of power flowing out of her looked so deadly; and while it was obviously hurting the woman, she seemed to bear it with aplomb.
"Were you with Aerith and Cloud?" Taylor asked.
Rinoa shook her head. "No, I don't know them. I've been here in this void for years, until you suddenly appeared; screaming."
"Why do you want me to take your power? No offense; but that doesn't look pleasant." Taylor asked. The last thing she wanted to do was piss off someone who appeared to be standing in the equivalent of a lightning storm.
"The power of a Sorceress is both a blessing, and a curse," Rinoa answered; grimacing as a shot of pain caused her to break the strong façade she was trying to maintain. "It grants amazing power; but it won't allow you to die until its passed on. The power; really wants to jump over to you; but I'm holding it back for the moment."
"Why?" Taylor inquired. "If it's hurting you, why don't you let it go"
"I was originally given it without consent. It was sealed for a time; but as you can see; it never fully left me." Rinoa answered; chuckling despite the pain she was feeling. "I won't pass it on to someone without their consent if I can help it"
"If I take it you die?" Taylor asked.
"No." Rinoa answered. "I'm already dead; this power just won't me rest. Please, let me find peace"
Taylor looked at the woman in front of her. Could she ever be this strong; she asked herself. Could she bare the pain of the power that encompassed the woman; and still have the strength to deny its whims simply because the target of the power had denied its consent. Probably not, she thought to herself; but this woman didn't deserve to suffer anymore either.
"Find you final rest Rinoa," Taylor spoke solemnly. "I accept this blessing and curse."
"Thank you," Rinoa said with a smile.
Two wings grew out of Rinoa's back, as she flew towards Taylor. As Rinoa embraced the young teenager, the power being restrained by Rinoa's will was finally released and encompassed the two girls. Taylor felt similar wings grow from her back, while at the same time an electric tingle encompassed her body. The two winged women maintained their embrace in the void for a few moments longer; while the build of power; previously held back by Rinoa continued to balloon until in finally exploded.
Taylor Opened her eyes, to find herself a what apparently was the epicenter of an explosion. The remains of her locker door were embedded in the wall opposite her. The lockers to her left and right were equally mangled and destroyed. And it looked like she had been unconscious for a while; because the school appeared abandoned; as there didn't appear to be any classes going on.
"Nice to see how much I was missed" she thought ruefully. You'd think at least one person would have gone for help eventually"
Walking over to the bathroom across the hall she flicked on the lights and looked at herself in the mirror.
Glowing blue eyes stared back at her; and she could see that the acidic burns she had caused herself earlier were already healed and replaced with unblemished skin. Turning her back and glancing over her shoulder she saw shirt was only being held together by the collar at her neck as the two wings she now sported had torn the back out of the fabric.
Pondering the wings; she remembered that Rinoa didn't always have them and wondered if she could dismiss them. As the thoughts themselves were processed the wings disappeared, wisps of light breaking off and disappearing until nothing remained. Thinking of summoning them immediately caused the balls lights to reappear and coalesce again into wings.
Taylor played around with her new attachments; summoning and dismissing her wings before focusing her attention on her other abilities.
"Can I still summon Mako? And will it not poison me this time?"
Holding her hand out; she thought about the connection to the Lifestream. Her body seemed to heal and regenerate on its own. And considering the damage that surrounded her when she came too; it seemed like she had a brute rating; so Protection seemed silly to start with.
AS the energy renewed her body and spirits; she saw her wings slowly grow as she channeled the Mako energy throughout her body.
Focusing on her hands, she attempted to collect Mako there; only to see it start to solidify and pool within her cupped hands. Remembering her earlier conversation; she thought about projecting the concept of Restoration into the liquid pool.
"Restoration…. Cure… Regeneration…." she chanted repeatedly I her head, as the liquid began to pull together and coalesce into a small solid green ball.
When it finally solidified she smiled. This was what she could use to change the world. If she could make this, she could make other Materia. She could be a HERO.
It was only as she was holding up her new prize she heard the twang of a weapon. A bolt of an arrow had just hit her Restore Materia and knocked it into the sink.
Turn her head; she saw her attacker.
"Why the fuck would someone like you trigger Taylor?" the ward heroine known as Shadow Stalker asked. While she aimed her crossbow for a second shot.
Taylor was shocked for a couple reason. The first was because a ward actually knew her. The follow up to that was wondering "how" the ward knew her. But the big shocker was Shadow Stalker was still about to attack her with a second shot.
"Oh shit!"
To be continued… (maybe)
Authors Note (if you are curious):
This was an idea that randomly bounced in my head. For those people that have read all of Worm; they may or may not remember the Interlude where the Shard entities are explained.
One of the biggest things I noted in that interlude when I read it was that it acknowledges that the Shard entities didn't always win. In fact; in at least one instance; the shards were pushed out and the experiment had to end early.
Given the idea of infinite earths; this caused me to wonder about the Shard entities as they might relate to Final Fantasy Games/Worlds that have many similarities; but different histories.
Immediately I was drawn to FF7 for reasons I don't want to spoil in case I continue this story.
And given that FF7 and FF8 have people called Cetra and Centra respectively; I started to draw some other conclusions that might work with Final Fantasy as a whole. Some did; some didn't. For example; I wondered how we could work in Espers and Magicite from FF6 along with Summoning and the Farplane of FFX. Ultimately; I could do it; but what I have already is near overwhelming with what I want to do. And given the limitations of Worm Characters having a maximum of two triggers; I wanted to limit my influence to two games.
But I liked the idea that the Shard entities left the Final Fantasy worlds might of had some stowaways. Since some shards are actually made up of multiple fragments; it would be possible that the two shards are actually linked together; but normally a powered individual would be limited to their connection to the shard. This had me connecting the idea of the Mako/Materia/Magic from FF7 with the Sorceresses of FF8 in that both result in a concept that could be considered magic; but were divergent early on until they both converged on that end point. The Lifestream lets me pull characters from the former universe; while the way sorceress pass on their power lets me keep Rinoa around.
In both cases though, this provides a hijacking of the Taylor's triggers; which may or may not cause problem. Its Worm, so problems are a given.
This probably still needs a bunch of editing; but I wanted to get it out to try and force myself to stop writing more and more outlines of the first chapter.