prologue: Earth- 2063: Spirits Within

I’ll start my tale with the world I grew up in, or “Star” as the locals of my new world call “planets”, I was born on Earth, a year after my birth an event happened which changed the Earth forever, a meteor crashed into the Caspian Mountains, and released an invading army of ghost-like beings called Phantoms. Most life on Earth died, fortunately, a brilliant scientist Dr. Sid invented Barrier technology which is used to keep a portion of humanity alive. I grew up in San Francisco and got a degree in BioEnergy System Engineering (BESE), which is the technology used to make weapons and barriers to defend against the Phantoms. My life was good, and I had an important and useful job. Being a gay man in 2063, was a good life. Even if the world was dying.
I’ll also be honest, although technically I was a gay man, the reality was I was probably trans femme, only in an era where humanity was on the brink of survival, being able to fully express my internal feelings of gender wasn’t really going to happen. Society had by the time I was born become ok with Trans people, but it was a battle that hadn’t been fully won when the world’s population started to die to what was at first a complete mystery. By the time the barriers went up, and society started to stabilize again, I was already married to my husband Emmet S. Zalera, and even though he was OK with the idea of me transitioning female, I was hesitant to make the leap. So publicly I was just another effeminate gay man in San Francisco, ironically I am aware of San Francisco’s gay history, but by the time I was born Google, and the Computer establishment had basically taken over the Bay Area completely unless you worked directly for a major computer firm or supporting industry odds are you couldn’t afford to live in the Bay Area. So most of the gay community had moved to Seattle and Los Angeles by the time I was born.

So one night I went to bed with my husband after a long day at work, where we had to fix a shield generator which had developed a fault, and the next morning I awoke in a new body on a new world.

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Chapter 1: The day I saw my first Chocobo.

I awoke to what I thought was just a dream, I was floating in space, with stars surrounding me, I felt and heard a motherly voice.

She said, “Hear…” I felt odd and heartened with her voice, “Hear… Feel…” I looked out and saw the Sun, or a Sun, and I walked slowly towards it while comets and blue crystal shards drifted past me.

Then a cloud of darkness opened up in front of me and a man dressed in black with clawed gloves and a red face mask tried to reach out to me, I felt fear as I saw him, and knew he was a personification of hate, anger, and other unpleasant emotions.

At this time the motherly voice spoke up again, “Hear… Feel… Think…” The Sun then moved between me and the man, I felt a power then well up in me, allowing me to banish the evil man. It was clear to me that the power that banished the man was both mine and the motherly voices, but somehow, I also felt this would be the power within me one day. It would be my true power.

At this time, I felt odd, and started to wake up when a man, and not my husband asked me, “…Hey. Hey, you!”.

I slowly opened my eyes, to see that I was in the back of a wagon of sorts, with an older man with a beard sitting across from me. He was dressed in what looked like a Star Wars Jedi cosplay, with an odd sort of hat on his head.

I was sitting in a covered wagon with open sides, the roof being a large tent-like structure held in place by ropes surrounding the wagon, must have a support beam over the top, being pulled by some sort of pack animal, the wagon had a strange motion, instead of a bumpy ride of hard suspension, it felt more like a hovercar with a gentle side to side sway. We were traveling through a semi-arid desert which reminded me of what the southwest looked like prior to the Phantoms.

I then realized that my body felt different, really different, it’s hard to put in words, but living your whole life knowing your body was somehow wrong, and waking up feeling nothing wrong, it’s a strange feeling, but a good one. As my senses came to and as the old man was still talking to me, I noticed a few details.

“Y’all right, lass?” the old man said.

I noticed the lack of morning wood. In fact, I noticed a distinct lack of sensation in the whole region of my body.

“re moanin’ somethin’ fierce for a while there.” He said.

I realized I had girl bits, not boy bits, and my tail started to swish. Wait, a Tail?

“Feelin’ the effects of the aether, I reckon.” He continued.

With the realization I had a swishing tail, I noticed my skin wasn’t the normal olive-brown of my Latin-African ancestry, but instead it was a deep purple-black, which was a bit of a shocker for me.

“You’ll get use to it, don’t worry.” He continued.

My ears twitched back and forth, which was when I quickly scratched my ears and realized they were no longer round orbs on the side of my head, but soft fur covered triangles coming from the top of my head. At this point, I was sure I was the Transgender dream of a catgirl. No doubt about it, I somehow awoke as a catgirl or was I still dreaming, if so, it was a good dream. I then looked at what I was wearing, I was in a strapless halter top and short red mini skirt with puffy sleeves on my arms with additional straps holding a small hip-bag, and thigh high stockings with 80’s style heeled boots.

At this point I noticed that there were men riding yellow birds on both sides of the wagon, they had strange leather armor, and face masks which looked more like blindfolds than anything.

At this point I heard a man yell out “You there-halt!” he was clearly yelling at the driver of the wagon I was on. He then repeated his order, and the wagon stopped, once again I noticed the suspension really felt more like a hovercar than a wheeled wagon, but the apparent technology level looked to be middle ages, not the mid-twenty-first century.

Then the voice of what I assume was the driver of the wagon, a deep masculine baritone, it was kind of sexy, and I was sure he was a six-foot-tall muscular hunk. Oh, how wrong I was when I finally saw him. “What’s all this about!?” The driver said.

The men on the birds started to circle our wagon, in a comical way reminding me of the old racist “cowboy and Indian” shows from the mid-twentieth century. The birds though were fascinating, they had a strange intelligence about them, they were as tall as what I assume a horse would have been, but with bright yellow feathers, and a massive beak like a parrot. Their tail feathers, and wingtips muted to a darker color, and the wings were just a tad too small to allow these massive birds to fly, remembering my evolution class from college, I assumed they were similar to a bird called the “Elephant Bird” that once lived in Madagascar.

One of the men outside the carriage made a demand, which sounded like a law enforcement officer, and I had to hold back a laugh how his accent reminded me of a guy I knew from the Chicago Barrier City.

“Inspection! Men, search the Carriage!” he said.

Then some of the men, dressed in similar armor, which I assume was some sort of uniform, started to look through boxes and crates on the rear edge of the carriage.

The old man across from me then stated, “I’m just an honest peddler, friend. So, er… don’t be too disappointed if you don’t find nothin’, eh?” at this point I was reminded of the Canadian accent I saw so many times on old TV shows. Like make up your mind old guy, is your accent a comical southern one, or a Canadian one. I know I should have felt, direr about my situation, but I still felt this was a very vivid dream, although I was starting to be unsure of that.

“Mind your tongue, old man, lest I cut it out!” the inspecting man said, in what any modern civilized person would have found as a cliché villainous tone. Like seriously dude, get real, it’s 2063… or maybe not. Man, this dream had me shaken.

He then pulled a small leather bag from his belt and held it out acting like a bad cop film where the crooked cop is trying to plant drugs on the protagonist, he then said waving the bag for all to see “Sir, look! Somnus!” whatever that was.

The guy who kept giving orders than said “Honest peddler, was it? Since when do honest peddlers deal in prohibited herbs?” all I could think was ‘I could do with some hella good herb right now.’ I mean herb had been legal since before my birth. It was also one of the last plant species left in the world and was used often as biomaterial to make some of our technology work. It was also used in the Space stations, and almost finished space weapon called the Zeus Cannon as Air recycling. Due to its efficient oxygen production.

The officer in charge, in what was clearly an example of badly acted extortion said “You’re in a lot of trouble, old man. You’ll rot in a dungeon till the end of your days… unless you can afford the fine.” Yep, there it was, opening negotiation of the obvious extortion. Geeze, next they’ll start doing bad impressions of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane from that early 80’s TV show Dukes of Hazzard “I’m gonna cuff ya and stuff ya!”, yah, if you haven’t guessed I was a pop culture fan, I had a complete digital collection of classic movies and TV shows, I mean the world was dying so what do we do for fun, sit around watch old TV shows while eating popcorn and cracking jokes about how racist, sexist, and homophobic old TV really was.

The old guy just shook his head it was even clear to him what was going on as he stated “Heh, business as usual…” at this point I got a sick feeling and reached out to help the old guy as an arrow hit the floorboard near his feet. It was strange, the arrow was a classical one just like what you would see in old TV shows about Robin Hood, my favorite being the classic Mel Brooks film, men in tights, which to be honest was my go-to Halloween costume. Any excuse to wear tights and pantyhose, with makeup was a good excuse.

“Uwaaah!!” he exclaimed as he shrank back away from the open sides of our covered wagon.

Someone then yelled out, “Amalj’aa! Amalj’aa! To arms! To Arms!”

Well, whatever “Amaljah?” were they were clearly a threat greater than our peddler who didn’t actually have this illegal herb they wanted to plant on him because he then orders the wagon “Seven hells… Consider this a warning! Now Go-all of you!” Like really, all of us were on this wooden wagon, which was pulled by pack animals, which I suspected might be these birds, and had suspension like a hovercar. I looked out and then caught a glimpse of a guy in the same armor running towards us being chased by large humanoid reptiles with tails on their head and armed with weapons including bows. The reptile ‘Amaljah?’ were buff like hulk buff, so I doubted the crooked cop dudes stood a chance, but who knows. I was more fascinated by the reptile dudes, like seriously tails on their butts, and tails on their heads, these guys were strange buff humanoid creatures, the kind you would see in old Japanese RPGs, not something you would expect to see in real life, which I was suspecting this was, as the feels and smells of my environment were too clear to be apart of a dream, hella, the smells of the cops were musky unwashed men, the giant birds smelled like sour fruit and cabbage, the wagon smelled of old dry wood, and leather, as for me, I could smell something feminine, something which made me really excited to see when I took my next shower. Let’s just say, I wanted to examine myself fully because I finally was in a body I could be proud of.

After we were out of sight of the battling reptile men and crooked cops, the old guy started to talk to me again, I guess I’m his type, “Phew.. that kind of excitement ain’t good for the heart.” He said to me, with an exhausted look on his face. His green eyes seemed a bit dulled from the experience. “Be careful ‘round them Brass Blades, lass. Bastards’ll have the shirt off your back if they fancy it. Like common bandits, they are, only less honest.” Well, now I know those cop dudes are called Brass Blades, ironically, I didn’t see any brass on them. Nor were their weapons made from brass, seriously poor naming sense for a band of cops. I would have called them ‘brown leather blindfold crooked cops’ if it was me naming them. Seriously how did they even see wearing those leather blindfolds?

“Thank the gods for sendin’ some beastmen to the rescue, eh!?” he continued back in his Hillbilly Canadian accent. I guess he’s from the area Red Green was from. If he said, ‘Every handyman knows the new duct tape smell.’ I would just laugh.

“Hey, seein’ we’ve still got a long ride ahead, you mind keepin’ me company till we arrive?” he asked. I really hope he wasn’t flirting with me, sure he was cute, older blonde guys with a beard can be really cute sometimes, but since I wasn’t sure this was real or a very very vivid dream, and well I still needed to figure myself out, I wasn’t looking for a hookup. Plus, what about my man, where was he in all this. Was he here in this strange new world, or what?

Still, I did smile and nod in agreement.

He then pointed to the other passengers; a pair of identical twins teenage girls? Boys? I was unsure they were both pretty, and they had white hair in braided ponytails and large pointed ears. … Wait large pointed Ears!! OMG, Elves, I was hooked, sure I was agreeing to talk to the old guy, but I couldn’t help but grin a nerdy smile at the realization this was absolutely, positively, truly, and definitely a fantasy world.

“Them young’uns don’t much care conversation, see.” He continued.

The elf teens had a bored annoyed look on their faces. Which kind of made me smile inside.

The old peddler than told me his name and profession, which was a bit silly as he had said that prior. “ Brendt’s the name, an’ peddlin’s me trade.” Ok, obi-wan-been Canadian peddler. “An’judgin’by your unusual garments, I’ll wager you’re one of them new adventurers.”

‘Wait, what?’ I thought as I realized I was in basically stripper clothing. How is an extra mini skirt and leather boob bags considered adventurer gear? Sure, I doubt adventurers wear USMF tactical gear, but a mini skirt and halter aren’t what I would call combat wear. In amazement, I just nodded my head, while thinking was this a world were female adventurers wore ‘bikini armor’?

“I knew it! Goin’ wherever the wind blows, seeking fortune an’ glory – now that’s what I call livin’!” he said.

‘ok, sure whatever, I mean I just woke up here with no clue where here is beside it looks like the California desert back 30 years ago before the phantoms killed all life outside the domes.

“So long as you can avoid dyin’, I mean. Ain’t no secret that adventurin’s a risky business-these days especially.”

‘Wait, death, no way, let me off at the next civilized technological city please, I’m an engineer, not a combat specialist, death is a no go dude.’ I wanted to say, but instead, I just nodded, yah, I could see a lot of head nods in the near future, no reason to actually say anything.

“What was it that first attracted you to it?” he said.

I looked at him dumbly realizing he wanted a reply… so I tried to think of what to say to him, ‘to gain power’ naa, too cheesy, ‘to win glory’ nope, I’m not Conan, ‘to amass a fortune’ why is my head full of these stupid replies, I looked at him smiled started to say something, paused closed my mouth, and just shrugged.

“Well, if you ain’t inclined to tell, I ain’t about to pry. Might be as ol’Brendt’s a chatterbox, but he sure as hells ain’t no busybody.” He replied to my shrug.

Ok, that was a strange thing to say, since well does anyone actually use the term ‘busybody’?! Well, not that I care, I just have no response since I just woke up in this strange world.

“We all have a secret or three, don’t we? Me? Dozens.” He continued.

‘Haha, seriously, I have no secrets, I literally have no clue where this is, how I got here, why am I a catgirl (not complaining), or who I am supposed to be in this world. Let me think and find these answers and ask me another time maybe.’ I thought to myself while smiling and trying to give him a friendly face. Ironically, I think the elf twins fell back asleep, lucky them.

“An’ I’d rather they stayed secret, too-which is why I don’t go stickin’ me nose where it ain’t welcome.” He rambled on. Honestly, I’m a bit weirded out about this secret business, like who has secrets like that? Maybe this world is a whole lot more dangerous than Earth, which is in its last death throws thanks to the Phantoms.

“Just remember, though: there’re more important things than fortune an’ glory. Such as Breathin’. Ain’t no profit in being dead, an’ that’s a fact.” He unironically said what I was feeling about this whole adventurer dying business. No, if I can just find my husband Emmet, or just wake up, everything can go back to normal.

“By the by, is this your first trip to Ul’dah?” he asked.

‘Ol’Duh, what a name for a place, I wanted to laugh hard. But held it. Like Duh, it’s been an age I’ve never been there.

I shook my head “No” might as well stay silent, haven’t said a word yet, might as well keep this up until I get to old duh.

He continued to chat, and ramble for the next hour, I smiled nodded my head and shrugged a lot, I also covertly touched my face, hair, and tail a lot, turns out my hair is dark purple, sort of a dark Violet, with light pink highlights. The hair is close to my old hairstyle as well, short and fluffy. My tail hair matches, and it fits my skin tone. Which is almost Eggplant in color.

In his ramblings about Old Duh, I figured it was spelled Ul’duh, the region is ruled by a Sultana, but the local Syndicates hold the real power. What baffles me is a Sultan is a thing from my ancestry, a leader in the Islamic world, however the constant references to gods, and it seems there are twelve of them, or at least that was my count as he talked, it would seem monotheism and atheism are unheard of concepts in this world. It also seems that “Beastmen” have their own gods, and not of the 12 he was referring to.

As for these syndicates Ul’dah, it sounds more like a Parliament made up of the Rich and powerful, with members being placed in position by nomination from other members or the Sultana. The Syndicate seems to have two factions who have a constant power struggle, one side is the Royalists, who want to maintain the Sultana, and the other faction who are called the Monetarists, unlike what the name implies, they feel the syndicate should rule and the monarchy should be disbanded. Once again, people in this world toss out names without knowing their meanings, I think. Not that it matters though, new world, so old economic theories can stay on Earth.

By the end of being talked to, and when I saw the massive walled city of Ul’dah, I was sure of a few things.

I wasn’t dreaming, and this city-state was large, or at least the buildings were. The central palace looked like the Hagia Sophia only larger with even more minuets and a few looked like docks for airships. This world was starting to be a big mystery. Also, I was sure now that this wagon wasn’t touching the ground, at least not directly, the birds, well chocobos as Brendt called them, are the common pack animal, and it seems there are two pulling the wagon. Also, what I thought was a cover to the wagon, seems to actually be some sort of air bladder, maybe helium or another lighter than air gas. Hopefully not hydrogen. Also, according to Brendt, the region ruled by Ul’dah, and this desert is called Thanalan, and the ruling people are called Lalafells, which is the race that the Sultana is a member of. He sure does like to talk and answer questions before I even ask them. Like is he some NPC info dump? Am I somehow in an RPG world? If so, do I get a UI? That would be just strange.

To my shock, amazement, and puzzlement it seems the driver of the wagon was a member of the Lalafell race. To describe them,…

…simply put they are a tiny 3-foot-tall humanoid race with large elfin ears. Their noses and ear tips are darker than their skin, and they walk like they have no knees. Their proportions look like a toddler, while still sporting a mustache, and having a voice like a masculine movie star. The voice versus the body is a real disconnect. Also deep in my soul once I saw him walking, I wanted to call his legs potatoes walking. I resisted my temptation, not knowing why I felt that.

Back to Brendt, when we got off the Wagon, and as a porter was unloading the baggage, which seems I had nothing but my purse, and a pair of brass knuckles.

“An’here’s where we part ways, lass.” He said I resisted giving him a hug, his unasked-for exposition on the region will help me from being too lost. Hopefully.

“I’m off to the markets to deliver me wares, then it’s on to the highroad for me.” He continued, “Here, I want you to have this-by the way thanks for putting’ up with me prattle.” He handed me a ring, in my core I felt it was called “Ring of Freedom” not sure how I knew this, as it looked the same as my old weathered ring. Which was odd, as I just knew that that was what the ring I had was called.

“Oh thank you!!” I said as I looked at the ring and placed it on my figure. oh, My God, my voice was cute. I jumped with joy at the combo of the gift and my voice. Oh, geez, Emmet would probably laugh at me and my mannerism now. I can’t believe how I did that, my left foot raise behind me while I clapped and I’m sure my tail shot straight up in the air.

“Become the sort of storied personage I can brag about havin’ met, an’ I’ll consider us square.” Brendt said as he and I parted ways.

That was by the way when I saw the driver for the wagon. And my whole understanding of voices versus proportions was destroyed.

I entered the gates to this massive city-state, and was shocked by the varied peoples, and other humanoids, I saw other cat people, apparently, we’re called Miqo'te, and I’m from the Keeper of the Moon Tribes, which is kind of rare, I guess.

Inside the front gates, another man talked to me and pointed out the Adventurers guild, which was a massive building facing the gate that I came in at.

I thanked him and entered the adventurers guild to start my new life and a new journey.