A/N: This is a collection of Terra x Locke x Celes drabbles. I did most of them for Multiamory March, which is basically a polyfic/art/whatever-fest that someone on tumblr tried to start. (I'd love to see it gain more traction in later years.) Some of them I wrote more recently, to fill in the larger gaps before uploading.
Locke looked at them both like they were precious objects, jewels he'd promised to protect. (His face was a bit softer when he looked at Terra, although Celes did suspect he'd known her a bit longer.)
The thief was no womanizer. Celes knew that type well. He was completely sincere when he said he'd protect them, even though she was sure she could beat him in a fair fight without any difficulty. She'd probably win even if the fight were stacked against her; he wasn't a strong man. And Terra... Celes swallowed hard at the memory of Terra's clenched fists, when she'd confessed to wanting to forget all of the devastation she'd caused. She'd killed so many, enemy and soldier alike.
Terra's eyes had been blank when Celes had spoken to her about magic, hoping to provoke some sort of reaction. Kefka had made her want to forget, and then he'd granted her wish. He'd best hope that Celes wasn't the one who battled him on the snowfields.
No, Locke had some other reason for what he did, and she'd admit, she did wonder. She might just stay and find out, if his untrusting allies didn't drive her away first.
Terra couldn't explain why she'd asked Celes about love. Something in her gut had told her she could trust the woman, even though she still couldn't remember seeing her face before. (She could recall someone much like her, long blonde hair waving in the wind, but nothing else.)
She'd trusted Locke because he'd fought for her while she was unconscious, and she'd been right; he was keeping his promise. Celes could be a stranger, for all Terra knew, but her instincts swore that she could be trusted.
Without memories, gut feelings were all Terra had. She hoped they were right.
"You can't keep doing this," Edgar had said, and he would've gone on if Locke hadn't walked away.
He'd expected it, but it still stung. He was helping people who deserved to be helped. Why was that wrong? They would've executed Celes and enslaved Terra again. There was nothing wrong with wanting to help them, to protect them from that fate.
He had to protect them, because he had to do it right this time. Rachel had died protecting him; that couldn't happen again. So he stayed with them on the snowfields, slipping behind and waylaying soldiers who threatened them.
Terra had been afraid. Celes had been close enough to see the terror in her eyes before she'd flown away screaming.
She had no idea what had happened. None of them did. But maybe Celes could figure something out with her magic. Or maybe this was something the Empire had done to her. Maybe she could do something to put it right.
"Locke," she said to him, without preamble. "I'll go with you. We'll find her."
Locke looked up at her for the first time since Terra had disappeared. "Yeah. Good." He'd smiled. "Thanks."
She nodded. She needn't have worried.
Terra remembered very little about Zozo, but what she did recall horrified her. Her wild magic had overwhelmed her senses, and all she could do was stumble around, making bestial noises as she tried to call for help. She thought she was going to burn away, there was so much….
The only moment she remembered clearly two sets of hands lifting her up, helping her back to the bed. She saw their faces clearly, Locke watching her with worried eyes, Celes setting her jaw with fierce determination.
They stayed with her and held her hands until she could finally sleep.
Terra's skin was burning. Her talons (because that is the only word that comes to mind) were cutting Celes' arm, though she knew Terra would never deliberately hurt her; she's confused and in pain and doesn't know what she's doing.
This is what the Empire wanted. This is what Kefka wanted.
Celes doesn't know how to comfort her. Locke is doing his best, and she's quietly grateful, since she knows so little about soothing anyone. But she does understand war.
She couldn't stop the anger, even if she'd wanted to try. But she could point it in the right direction.
This was happening again.
It wasn't only Terra that Locke saw in front of him. It was the shadow of his past, and he was overwhelmed with helplessness. He'd promised to protect her, and he'd failed.
She'd lost consciousness; her hand (sharp-taloned and furred and pink, but still hers) wasn't shaking anymore. That was a comfort, at least.
Locke looked up to see Celes looking at him with no self-pity or fear. We're helping her, she mouthed as she caught his eye.
He wished he had her determination. Maybe if he stayed with her long enough, he would.
He nodded.
Celes had expected to fight for Terra, not to sing.
She'd had music lessons as a child; she was out of practice, but she'd persevere. But lessons hadn't prepared her for the dress and the ribbons.
As comical as it had been, she hadn't laughed at Locke's ridiculous attempt to play off his infatuation when he'd seen her in Maria's dress. Maybe it would've been better if she had, instead of asking him why he'd saved her. (She'd known since Kohlingen, of course. She'd wanted to hear it from him.)
He'd stumbled through his answer, but it was clear enough.
Celes was losing. Kefka was turning them against her, even Locke.
She couldn't hate Locke for it. That was what Kefka did, played on people's worst fears, and betrayal was certainly high on his list. But the thought that she'd ever betray Terra that way… no. Never again.
Kefka was laughing, off his guard; he thought he'd won. That was her only advantage now. Go, Locke, she thought. I'll handle him. Just get out of here and help Terra.
Magic tingled in her fingertips, and she took a deep breath. She had one shot; she had to make it count.
"I was stupid," Locke said, staring at the wall. "So stupid."
Terra didn't speak at first; she'd noticed him trying to talk to Celes, and how troubled they'd both looked when Celes walked away.
"I should've trusted her," he kept saying. "How could I have ever let Kefka convince me she was a traitor? Even for a second!"
"Kefka is... very persuasive," she answered, head swirling with fragments of memories. She'd know better than most, if half of it were true. "Celes understands. She just needs time."
"Hope so," he said. "If I lost her again -"
"We won't, Locke."
Celes finally got the chance to see Terra alone on the ship, and arrived at her quarters to be greeted by a sudden, tight hug. "I missed you," Terra said in her ear.
"I know. Me too." She pulled away. "I'm sorry for disappearing like that."
"I'm just glad you're safe. I was worried, after what Locke told us."
"What did he say?" Celes asked, looking up. She had to know.
"That he was stupid, and if he hadn't let Kefka get to him, you all could've made it back together."
She nodded. Maybe... maybe she should've listened.
Magic tasted like the air after a thunderstorm, sharp and pungent. Locke had once liked the smell; now he couldn't get it out of his head, and barely noticed it anymore.
He could sense differences in the others now, too. Celes was cold and clear as a winter waterfall, and Terra was the heat-shimmer below the smoke of a bonfire. He could feel them, somehow, when they were nearby.
If he could only stay with them both… he felt more relaxed, when he was with them. Complete, in a way that he couldn't explain, but he thought they might understand.
"I wanted to learn much more from you," Terra whispered to Leo's gravestone.
Locke could only watch her as she mourned. And Celes was mourning too, more quietly; Leo had been her comrade, and to see him murdered like that, knocked out and helpless... Locke couldn't imagine.
He didn't think he could comfort them. When Terra came back, though, he said the only thing he could think of. "Let's go. We'll take Kefka down together."
"Of course." Celes reached out, and he took her hand.
Terra nodded, still teary-eyed, and reached for your hands held them both. "Let's get him."
Terra and Locke were completely silent; Gestahl's labored breathing was the only sound.
"Kill them," Kefka said, giving her the sword, "and all is forgiven."
She turned to look at the two, bound and twisted by the magic. She couldn't even look them in the face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, remembering all of her mistakes, her failures. "This power… we'd be better off if I'd never…."
"Celes," he hissed behind her, and she gritted her teeth. He'd lied, hurt everyone around him, twisted everything he touched. How could he think she'd listen to him?
She turned and ran Kefka through.
"I'm sorry. I should've tried to find you."
Celes forced herself not to sigh. Locke didn't need to apologize, but she didn't think being angry would help at all. "You had another promise to keep," she said instead. "I understand."
He snorted, resting his head in his hands. "Yeah… but while I was chasing a dream you were trying to fix everything. Which one do you think is more important?"
"It doesn't matter what I think. You had to keep your word."
"Yeah… I guess I did." He looked up at the reddened sky, staring at the dark smear of clouds. "I never meant to vanish like that. I'd planned to look for you as soon as I could walk again. But that took a while, and when I found the Emperor's portrait, well, I had to try. But I never meant to forget you, or… or Terra."
"She'll understand, Locke," she said. "She'd made a promise, too."
His head snapped up to look at her. "You've found her?" he asked. "She's okay?"
"Yes. She's safe."
"Please… can we go and see her now?"
Celes smiled. "I've already asked. We're leaving soon."
"Good… good." Locke finally smiled again. "Thank you."
"But what will happen to Terra?"
Terra turns, looks at Celes. Her voice is as cool as ever, but she knows her well, and hears the worry there. Locke is beside her, his mouth closed tightly and his brow furrowed; feelings are the one thing he's terrible at hiding.
She can't comfort them; she's terrified too. They'd talked about going back to Mobliz together after this was over, but what if she did disappear? What would happen to them, and to her children?
But she has to hope she'll survive this. The alternative for them - for the world - is unthinkable.
Terra's alive!
She's laughing, her hair loose and windblown, and you can see the weight falling from her shoulders. You were so afraid she'd be lost, but she's alive. She's won.
Locke is beside you, and he's laughing too. You don't join them - you're too exhausted to laugh - but you are smiling. You are happy, for the first time in too long.
He gestures towards her, trying to speak over the wind, asking if you both should join her. You shake your head, hold up a finger, mouth "later." There'll be time now.
You'll always remember this moment.
Celes feared Terra's children would shun her. During their first meeting she'd been a stranger threatening to take their mother away.
"You worry too much," Locke had said gently when she'd mentioned it. "We care about Terra too, right? I think they'll understand that, now that things are better."
And when they arrived arm-in-arm with Terra, the kids rushed to all of them - even Celes, to her amazement. "Thank you for protecting Mama," one of the older ones told her, tears in her eyes.
"Always," she answered, not sure what to say, as Terra smiled and squeezed her hand.
The children are growing older. Terra knew it would happen. It still feels strange, marking off their heights on the wall, realizing that they would never be as little as they were before.
"Do you think they'll leave one day?" she asked the others, just after Katarin's first child had taken a few first steps.
"They might," Locke answered, looking up from his writing. "I mean, I did…."
"Grandad said most children do." Celes put her knife down, along with the toy she was whittling. Her voice softened. "But he said they often come back."
Terra smiled. "I hope so."