Loco Mofo

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Introduction Part 1
The Man They Called Stryker​

"They used to call me Stryker. Some of my friends still do.

Hanz Venechenko is my real name, but it tastes of blood. Hanz was a soldier. He killed a lot of innocent people for a lot of evil men.

Stryker was a rebel. He killed a lot evil men and saved a lot of innocent lives... I like Stryker, but I've been learning to like Hanz again. Because Stryker has no place in this world we've created, and someone told me that Hanz deserved a second chance. I miss him very much, that little blonde runt. Perhaps I'll see him again soon...

My name is Hanz Venechenko. You probably don't know me, but you know our story...

You know her legacy..."

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"Why was he buried here?" Hanz asked with restrained fury.

Dorian Cunin released a heavy sigh, surrounded by his aids and medical assistants. "It's an empty marker. Marrick's remains were never found."

"WHY, Dorian?!" Stryker held back tears as his wrinkled face scrunched with anger.

"Because he was one of you!" Dorian replied, hacking afterward. His aids hovered around him, injecting him with a mysterious serum and offering him water from a flask which he rejected with erritation.

Hanz turned swiftly to face him and two aids stepped forward, blocking any advancements toward Dorian. "He betrayed us!"

"He tried to save his people, and when he discovered Sarovoc's plan to decieve Whiteguard he died trying to kill him!"

Stryker was taken aback; filled with conflicting emotion. His gaze shied away and wandered to the empty grave marker. Marrick's white scraf was still tied firmly to the wooden cross. It was dirty, weathered and torn. Hanz recalled that day twenty-two years ago when Marrick drew his pistol on the group, clutching Seto's pendant in his right hand.

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"... Give the pendant to Seto, Marrick..."

"I'm afraid I can't do that old friend..."

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The pain and guilt in Marrick's eyes made sense now.

"There had to have been another way..."

"Whiteguard would cease to exist had Marrick not done what he did," Dorian reassured him.

"And what if that monster had gained control of Bahamut?"

"He would never have allowed it. He would have died first."

Hanz remained silent as they stood beneath the towering branches of the Mana Tree, the sun setting behind the graves of his fallen comrades. . .

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy VII​

Marrick serves Sarovoc in attempting to use Bahamut to create a weapon capable of protecting Zenobia from the Gods by killing them. The pendant remains useless to them and Sarovoc grows angry with Marrick.

Kirin once again visits Seto aboard the Valiant. He tells him of one who may be able to defeat Alexander. Odin and Gilgamesh become the group's next move. He also gives him Shoat, an odd Lesser Diety giving him access to low level Time Magic.

At High Rock Plateau, the group retrieves Odin & Gilgamesh and Lilly squares off with Leo, telling Cid to go and meet her at a nearby rebel base. She kills Leo in a fierce, intense battle. As he lays bleeding out, she hesitantly removes his mask revealing a baby faced young man. A single tear rolls down his cheek and she realizes they were not so different. The last of their kind, victims of Zenobia.

Seto forces Cid to go back for Lilly.

When Lyra finds out Leo was killed, she goes on a war path.

She hunts the heroes down at a rebel base, and Zenobians hit it hard. Lyra faces off with Lilly in a blind rage, shooting her in the stomach before using her scimitar to have fun with her. Lilly digs deep and kills Lyra, freeing her from her torment, and putting an end to the Shinjan race.

Sarovoc uses Alexander to influence the people of Whiteguard, claiming to be a child of the Gods and their chosen ruler. He aims to ensure the easy allegiance of Whiteguard to Zenobia and the Ducrinus name forever. Marrick discovers this and tries to kill Sarovoc. He fails and Sarovoc kills him.

(Meanwhile) A movement begins to muster forces from around the world to attack the city of Zenobia. Banion gathers warrior monks by the hundreds. Juakeem summons his brethren and their war birds. Bastian and the resistance amass the largest rebel force ever assembled. Men and women from all corners of the world answer the call. Casius Magnus returns to he Veldt and does his best to sway the council, but they send him away, refusing to involve themselves. Word spreads and a group of several hundred follow Casius, becoming exiles to fight the Empire.

The forces muster around Zenobia. Casius leads a preemptive strike with a savage blitz. He summons Doomtrain, which runs through Zenobia repeatedly, leaving devastation and rusted railroad tracks in it's wake. The Black Mages conjure a flurry of meteors that ravage the core of the metropolis. Ifrit scorches hundreds of men, cooking them alive as Casius and his warriors unleash the art of Kel'no Synn upon the masses. Casius casts himself dry, his reflect spell falling as hundreds of bullets rip through him...

The organized forces stand in anticipation, watching the show from afar. Sarovoc is enraged by the devastation and unleashes his summons upon the opposing masses. The heroes respond and the rebel forces charge the Zenobian lines. A titanic duel of Gods is unfolding in the sand around, sky above, and in the streets of Zenobia as an epic, bloody conflict plays out in the sands outside the city.

Seto rides Boko into the battle alongside Juakeem and Shae'elle. Sarovoc releases Alexander upon the rebel soldiers. He obliterates masses of men before Seto sends Gilgamesh to keep him busy. An epic fight ensues between the two. Seto finds Sarovoc and squares off with him. He kills him, ending the fight between Alexander and Gilgamesh before either would claim victory.

Far away in the wilderness of the Sobral territory, Henato Jr seeks advice from his father. He tells him that he holds a terrible responsibility. Fighting back tears, he tells him he will never know how sorry he is that it had to be him, but only he can summon Bahamut ZERO.

Henato Jr is torn. He understands that Zenobia must be defeated, but he also understands the weight of what it will mean.

As Sarovoc lays dying, the cloudy sky rips open as a massive onyx dragon penetrates the atmosphere. It hits the core of Zenobia with a Tetra Flare equivalent to several high powered nuclear warheads. Zenobia is leveled, only portions of the outermost slums left intact. Seto pulls his pendant from around Sarovoc's neck in the foggy aftermath.

Zenobians lay down their arms as word of the unholy event spreads and soldiers return to behold the ruins of their Capitol.

Advanced weapons of any kind are outlawed and destroyed all over Zenobia's reach and rebel holds and cultures. Universal peace is an ideal adopted by the major nations and enforced harshly. New Zenobia is established out of the ruins, and a new government and ideology based on Ana's beliefs are adopted. Stryker is pivotal in the rebuilding of Zenobia, and afterward travels the world spreading Ana's messages as he writes a book titled The Epic of Anastasia chronicling her journey and the resulting revolution and defeat of the Empire. He becomes an ambassador of peace, equality, and New Zenobia.

Casius and Marrick are burried with Ana and Biggs at the Mana Tree...

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy VI​

Seto searches an ancient ruin with a torch, coming upon an ebony skull in a pool of water. He recovers Diablos and Doomtrain.

The gang encounter the Chimera Initiative in an ancient temple compound and fight there way out with Sylph and Typhoon.

The gang reunites with Seto. Elder Kirin summons him by teleporting him to Mount Ramuh in front of the members of his high council. The oldest and most powerful of Time Mages; thousands of years old. His back is to them with Kirin before him. He cannot see or hear them, but he can feel their eyes on him, their presence and judgement. It brings him to tears, dropping to his knees. Kirin tells him the recently acquired deities are dangerous and must be returned to Gallik Baal'a immediately. He takes him to a secluded area of the wilderness, comforting him, but telling him that the Time Stream was broken by a curious young Time Mage after reading a book from the library of world culture and history. He stole a very specific ring and used it to travel back in time in an attempt to change the course of events. He saved Seto's life, hoping he would save Ana's. A man was sent to capture him and return him to his own place the Time Stream. During the process, he stopped Seto from potentially altering the natural course of events. He gives him eight enchanted rings that cast protect on their wearer. He asks him what he thinks the Mirror showed Ana. Why she changed from that moment forward. He begins to put all of the little clues together. Kirin says simply, "Keep fighting." And tells him to find The Tomb of Alexander.

Seto is returned to the group and he emotionally reveals to the group that the Mirror showed Ana the future, even after her death. They gather to deal with the summons; who will be charged with what deities.

Leo has uncovered Cerberus and unleashes it on a village of fisherman.

Tybin and Sabin Marks are hired by Sarovoc to deal with Cid and his band of misfit strays. Sabin Marks shoots The Valiant out of the sky. Leo unleashes Cerberus and engages himself. His hellhound devours crew members as they evacuate the grounded vessel and Biggs engages Leo having Titan occupy Cerberus. Leo kills Biggs, mutilating and disgracing his corpse, kicking it around. Using wind magic from Sylph and Typhoon and his Qiang training, Wedge clashes with Leo in a heated duel. The heroes gain control and drive off the Initiative and the Marks brothers.

Reinforcements arrive and the ship is fixed up and Biggs is buried next to Ana at the Mana Tree.

The group heads for The Tomb of Alexander. But Seto rushes ahead of the party while they take 20 to prepare. While entering the musty stairwell he is ambushed by Sarovoc and shot three times in the torso. Priestess Talla has had a vision of Sarovoc obtaining Alexander & Crusader, and through it, Seto's death. She rushes by chocobo to his aid, reviving him before it's too late.

Zenobia invades Whiteguard with force. Sarovoc marches into the High Temple and cuts Talla's throat when she tells him that Seto will come for him.

Marrick betrays the gang, snatching Seto's pendant and Bahamut along with it. He's cut a deal with Sarovoc to spare his people.

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy V​

Lyra Stratta and a company of Special Forces soldiers close in on a frosty stone altar. Lyra closes her eyes, touching the cold surface slowly. She comes out of the remote temple eager to test her new prize. She summons Shiva, the beautiful Goddess of ice, and in a fit of rage and grief, she kills everyone but Lyra using Diamond Dust. (This stems back to the Great War when the Gods were still free)

Cid, Biggs, Wedge, Lilly, and Marrick are in a Zenobian prison.

Stryker travels far and wide searching for Casius. He gets him up to speed, and they head directly for Sobral territory. They manage to be taken prisoner and Seto speaks to them. Stryker tells him the gang is locked up and Seto begins preparing for the journey.

He talks to his father, and brothers Henato and Sedato. He tells them everything. That an entity so evil that they would destroy everything to rebuild in their own image threatens the lives of every free man the world over, and he must leave again to fight it. His father is moved to tears, telling Seto he is proud of him. (Seto is the runt. He always lived in the shadow of Henato, a hero of the tribe, and Sedato, now a hero too. Henato Sr. loves all of his sons, but he recognized that Seto is special from birth, that's why he has Bahamut. Even though Neo and ZERO are more powerful, Bahamut is the father of all Gods, the one true God. It's been the duty and destiny of his kin to protect the world and long have they neglected it.)

They free their friends (and a lot of rebel soldiers and Andoran civilians) with the help of Bastian, his men, and local rebel factions. Casius goes 0 to 100 particularly quick and with considerable force. He leaves a trail of victims through the prison. He finds Boko, who has been chained and beaten (a very heart wrenching scene that had a lot of fans in an uproar) but he is freed after Casius kills his tormentors. The Valiant is located and taken back.

The Time Mage Elder Kirin visits Seto aboard The Valiant. He tells him he MUST release Ortega immediately and speaks to him about the Gods, and tips him off about the location of Ifrit.

The gang arrives at the cave and Leo has been perched like a predator stalking for prey. He squares off with Wedge (two spear enthusiasts). Casius has hung back to make sure Wedge is alright, and he can see that Leo is toying with him like a cat with a mouse pinned to the floor. He interferes, disarming Leo, breaking his nose, left wrist, and right arm at the elbow before throwing him over a cliff into water below.

The group retrieves Ifrit and Phoenix successfully. Meanwhile Members of the Chimera Initiative recover Siren and Leviathan.

While searching for the resting place of Titan, the group encounters a behemoth and together they kill the beast in an intense battle. Everyone survives but Casius is worn out and beat up. (Titan and Golem are retrieved)

Seto heads for Gallik Baal'a, a small continent to the far north (a place Ana made him promise not to go before she died) to search a legendary cursed shrine.

Stryker has Cid head for Juakeem and Shae'elle, and Banion afterward. He brings the rest of the group together again.

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy IV​

A moving funeral is held for Ana at the Mana Tree (a place the group visited together, and where Ana made everyone promise to keep fighting, always. No matter what happens), and where she wanted to be buried when she died. Hundreds of rebel vessels and thousands of pilgrims attend the emotional ceremony.

Distant, emotionally void and still covered in Ana's blood, Seto heads home. The group reluctantly follows him deep into the wilderness (after bringing him aboard The Valiant when he collapsed). When they arrive, they are met by Henato Bobaloo Sobral Junior, eldest brother of Seto. His father (Henato Senior) tells him that the essence of Bahamut resides in the sapphire pendant around his neck. When he ran away at 15, he missed out of his right of passage as a Sobral male when he would have been told this and taught how to command him. Henato Senior tells the group that there are other forces in the world similar to Bahamut.

Seto makes it clear to his family that his guests are no longer welcome and the group is forced to leave.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Bahamut has Sarovoc researching this phenomena, and Leo is healed up from his wound.

Without Ana, the group falls apart. Casius returns to his travels. Banion returns to his people, Bastian has long since left, Juakeem and Shae'elle have returned to the Zenobian desert. Having nowhere to go, Marrick and Lilly remain with Cid, Stryker, Biggs, and Wedge. There is a lot of personal struggle and grieving. Characters swapping memories and stories.

Simeon Ortega is interrogated extensively but he reveals nothing. Only that the other mystery man is the real bad guy, despite what it all may look like.

They decide to gut up and get back to fighting the Empire. They plan an attack on a Zenobian outpost with some rebel forces. The plan fails and as a sniper, Stryker reluctantly escapes after watching the team captured through the cross-hairs of his empty rifle. Marrick unloads both pistols three times before throwing them down and surrendering. The Valiant is ceased and it's crew jailed along with the group.

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy III​

The group has taken on refugees from the Kiratoma Army and must take them to Andora, the Rebel Capitol.

Cid and Stryker confront Marrick about his White Mage heritage, the reason he wanted to defend Kiratoma being that it's dense, harsh territory was the last defense between Zenobian lines and Whiteguard territory. Marrick is honest about his being born a Paladin of Whiteguard, devoting his life to the crown and being exiled by the Arch Mage for falling in love with his granddaughter. Stryker confesses to Cid and Marrick that he used to be Special Forces, army before that. Devoted his life to helping slaughter the people he's trying to help now. Cid accepts them both as them men they are today.

Andora brings a new hope. Several outlying pro-Andoran nations have mustered their armies and are preparing to attack a Zenobian fortress alongside Andorans.

They capture the fortress. During the battle a mysterious man (Hayvian Solaris) saves Seto's life, disappearing afterward. Casius arrives during the battle (he was told to go to Andora as the group was leaving).

But Sarovoc Ducrinus approaches from above with Callixta in a helicopter. He takes careful aim with Raven's long range rifle. Seto sees the chopper and moves to reach Ana, yelling her name. A mysterious man (Simeon Ortega) grapples his torso, holding him back. (I can't even write about this without tearing up. Ah! Omg, it's intense) Sarovoc pulls the trigger and a high powered round rips through Ana's chest killing her instantly. The rebel heroine and domestic terrorist is dead...

The group looks on helplessly and in horror. Seto rushes to her side. As this intense, profound emotional maelstrom ignites within Seto, a void of energy forms high above him. A massive sapphire dragon emerges head-first, rotating as it comes forth before extending his wings... Bahamut!

Callixta and Sarovoc hightail it out of there, narrowly dodging Tri Flare attacks from the forgotten deity. He looms in the sky, circling around and around as Seto holds Ana's body in his arms.

The group captures the mysterious man.

By now Ana has travelled across the world, meeting and inspiring hundreds of thousands of lives. She taught people that strength isn't determined by one's skill with a blade, but by the quality of their character. She also started a world-wide feminine movement, inspiring millions of women and girls to be what they want to be, not what's expected of them.

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

Final Fantasy II​

Prince Sarovoc Ducrinus assassinates his own brother in order to take the throne as Emperor of Zenobia.

Ana emerges from the temple after hours of the group waiting. The journey continues as Ana drags Cid across the globe, spreading her message and ideals.

The Valiant visits the eastern plains of Turra where Zenobia is burning villages and temples to the ground as they expand into the territory. They meet Banion Warbear, a warrior Monk and hero of Turra. Together they drive Zenobia from these beautiful lands. Banion agrees to travel with Ana in order to learn more about his enemy.

Stryker confronts Edge about using the name Edge Widowmaker telling him he knew the man and he was older than Stryker is. Edge reveals his true identity to be Seto Bobaloo Sobral He assumed the name and persona after witnessing the ex-Zeno soldier die in a gunfight in the slums of Zenobia.

Marrick Cross springs himself from the Valiant's holding cells, determined to commandeer the ship and kill it's charming Captain. When he is clearly outgunned and outnumbered, he surrenders. As he is being escorted to cells, he levels with Cid about why he wants his ship so much. He has a tip about a Zenobian plan to take the city of Kiratoma, one of the largest rebel holds in the world. He is trying to reach the city before it falls. Cid locks him up and heads for Kiratoma. When this plan is confirmed, Marrick is released under a close watch.

The men of Kiratoma are defeated, tired, scared and pissed off. They see no point in fighting an impossible battle. Command struggles to keep morale at a reasonable level. The majority of the soldiers are pushing for a surrender. Stryker dresses Ana in full combat gear, as if she were actually going to fight. He marches a terrified Ana past hundreds of soldiers. The point is a strong one: "if you cowards won't fight, the women and children will, because someone has to defend this city."

His plan works, and only a few hundred of thousands refuse to fight. With the help of the heroes, Kiratoma is barely defended for the moment and Marrick has become an ally of the group.

Zenobian forces muster again as reinforcements arrive on both sides. The second battle is brutal and rebel forces have no choice but to retreat or die. But not before Stryker shoots Leo in the shoulder with a pistol, dropping him instantly. The group escapes to The Valiant, but Casius has chosen to stay behind and fight the pursuing troops. Ana and Seto strongly protest leaving him but Cid makes a tough call, assuring them he can handle himself.

Using his native martial art Kel'no Synn combined with fire and ice magic, he begins to fend off the soldiers, casting reflect to neutralize their bullets. But more and more soldiers pile into the clearing...

Final Fantasy VIII (A Tribute to Squaresoft)

(It would take me years to catch you up by posting the stories. I'll probably do that anyway, but for now here is a brief summary of every story. I've chosen to focus on the protagonist side of things, and I think you'll understand at the end of VII.)

Final Fantasy I

Zenobia is a massive, technologically advanced desert metropolis. An empire seeking to conquer and erase the old world. Using their far superior technology they sweep the vast continent committing genocide, and establish new Zenobian cities atop the ruins and corpses. The desert city is divided in two. The core of the city is awe inspiring. Buildings that tower into the sky. Wealth and luxury for every man and woman. Highly advanced technology ingrained into daily life. Outside the core, beyond the walls and defenses, the people of the slums suffer in poverty and oppression, living in crudely built structures under horrible conditions.

Anastasia Maria Grace is a resident of the slums. She is an everyday 23 year old girl who believes so strongly in the ideals of equality, freedom, and world peace that she is willing to stand against an entity so powerful that any hope of a world free of it has been lost. She and three of her friends (Jin, Willow, Kato) plan an attack on Zenobia Prime HQ, a technology corporation owned by Prince Sarovoc Ducrinus and the sole provider of energy to the entire city. The plan fails and Ana's friends are killed by the faulty explosive timers. She is rescued by a mysterious outsider who calls himself Edge. He parts ways to protect her (as he is being hunted by Zenobian troops), instructing her to meet him at Odessa Inn.

With her best friends dead she goes to the only place she can think of. Stryker is ex-Zenobian Special Forces, the owner/operator of Rebel Radio, and mentor to Jin. He volunteers to escort her to Odessa.

Leaving Zenobia for the very first time, Ana accidentally embarks on an epic journey that takes her across the world to crusade against the Zenobian Empire.

She meets Juakeem Mohinder, a Bedouin warrior and chocobo breeder, and his war bird Shae'elle. He gives her a young, unremarkable chocobo named Boko who is determined to become a worthy war bird.

The group meets Edge and Commander Bastian Fairheart at Odessa Inn. The Inn is a front for a rebel base located beneath the ground. The base is compromised by Zenobian forces and Bastian leads the group out of the desert and into the wilderness. Along their journey they meet Casius Magnus, a nomadic Black Mage who saved Ana from capture back on the road to Odessa. They also meet Lillian Nobunaga, a Swordstress, traveling warrior and the last of her ancient race.

When they reach the coast, they meet Cideon Armstrong, Captain of the Free Airship Valiant and his nephews Biggs and Wedge. Cid reluctantly grants them sanctuary aboard his ship. Ana inspires Cid to stop hiding underwater instead of living and fighting.

While helping rebel forces defend a city from Zenobian assault, the group has an encounter with Marrick Cross, a White Mage and exiled Paladin of Whiteguard. They also square off with the Agents of the Chimera Initiative. Victor Chimera, ex-Zenobian Special Forces, ex-Imperial Operative, and war hero. Leo and Lyra Stratta, lethal killing machines trained by the legendary brute Hogo Marks. Tallis "Tank" Cortez, heavy weapons and demolition expert. Callixta "Raven" Ravana, deadly sniper and ace pilot. Marrick attempts to commandeer the Valiant, but is thwarted by the crew. The Zenobian attack fails.

Bastian (through his belief in Ana's ability to inspire otherwise defeated men) suggests that she be taken to Tessafe's Mirror of Fate, a standing mirror with decorative silver framework said to have belonged to Queen Tessafe of Whiteguard. This mystical, enchanted mirror shows any who gaze into it an image of importance. What it shows you varies, and it's not always easy to understand.

One by one the group enters the temple to behold the mirror's message.

(In order, identifying what they saw, and whether it was shown or later revealed)

Biggs (shown) - A man in a white mask (Leo Stratta, and the man who kills him. He did not encounter Leo at the previous battle, so he does not recognize him)

Wedge (revealed) - A knight clad in black armour holding a bloody sword (Kierkess Aventola, and the man who kills him in VIII)

Seto (Edge) (shown) - A Dragon's eye opening (The awakening of Bahamut)

Lilly (revealed) - A flaming bird (Phoenix)

Bastian ("revealed) - A soaring white dove (Symbolizing Ana, freedom, and hope)

Stryker (revealed) - Ana

Casius (revealed) - Ana

Ana (revealed) - It shows her everything. All of the events about to unfold up to and including VIII.