Search For the Mad Wisewoman

"This is so exciting in it's own way!" Melissa said after a while. "Like a game of Final Fantasy 8!"

"Final Fantasy 8?" Fred blinked.

"Yeah! Well... you probably don't know what a videogame is. But FF8's not like most games anyway - it's more like a story you participate in! The main hero's this guy called Squall - he's really surly and mean to all his friends, but he really has a heart of gold. And anyway, he's like this elite mercenary called a SeeD who's hired to help these rebels being oppressed by an evil empire, but the funny thing is, the rebels are led by the daughter of a general of this empire, and they end up falling in love and stuff, and then it turns out they have to save the entire world from an evil sorceress!"

"So how does this relate to our situation?" Fred asked. Strangely enough, the girl's inane chatter was helping him forget his own dark, brooding thoughts.

"Well, when Borgatron said these caves were full of monsters, I couldn't help remembering FF8. In that game you got attacked by monsters all the time! Sometimes you couldn't even take one step without being jumped by a bunch of freaks. Let's see, there were these birds made of fire, and shark- like fish that lived in the sand, and these gazelle-like creatures with razor-sharp horns coming out of their foreheads, and..."

"Doesn't sound like a very good game to me!" Fred interrupted her. "Melissa, combat isn't supposed to be fun. It's dangerous, painful and bloody! People get killed! All the times I've been in battle I have never enjoyed it. I'd rather read a good book any day."

"Well, yeah... I know." Melissa said. "I didn't mean it like that..."

"If we get attacked, I want you to stay well away from danger. If something comes after you, run and keep running until I come and help you. Do you understand?"

1. "Right!" Melissa said. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself!"

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree