Notes: Final Fantasy is my favorite RPG Series, but I felt that the only
thing FFVI didn't have was an adequate ending... FFIV showed what happened
to the lead characters at least - wedding! This is my version of what
happened. All FF chars are © of SquareSoft. Music by Nobou Uematsu is
stupendous.
Prologue to the Lefend: New Beginnings
The World of Ruin may rest at last... yet not all are content with 'peace'...
"All aboard!" cried the ghostly conductor of the Phantom Train. Since Kefka's onslaught, this was the first time it had been less than full. Kefka's soul boards the train followed by the soldier from the ruined city.
The whistle blows and the train moves by its own will. It cares not its cargo or what happens, for the train is a soul which cannot be changed or altered against its will. The train goes through the forest with no difficulty. No one alive sees or hears the train's departure and destination. Cyan, Sabin, and Shadow have been its only living passengers in centuries, perhaps ever. The ghost hosts still clear up the mess Sabin made while eating there, much to Cyan's displeasure.
The souls it carries are not as restless as they used to be. Only Kefka seems restless. He will not have a pleasant afterlife in that case.
Yet elsewhere...
"I held onto this world father... but why I am still here I do not know..." Terra clutched her necklace, her only momento of her father Maudin and mother Madonna. "The gate is sealed.. Espers no longer exist here and I can't transform. Did you keep me here my love?" She looked at a grave in Thamasa, General Leo's. He'd taught her to feel, to have emotions. She thought back on her childhood... robbed of memories... her mother dead, her father a power experiment to the late Emperor Ghestal. "The Empire is gone. I can hardly believe my friends and I survived against Kefka... when you did not. You saved us. I will never forget you." and, she thought to herself "I will never forget myself again either." She placed the locket on the grave, it slid a little then caught on an imperfection of the stone.
She walked back into the main town. There she saw Relm playing with Interceptor outside of Strago's house. What a funny little man he was. These people were descendants of the magi, who used esper power to enhance their own. Here, Kefka destroyed many of "her" kind. Ironic... Espers had to give their lives to turn into that coveted prize, magicite, in order to save the humans who irrationally feared them.
"Hiya Terra!!!!!!" Relm waved to her. So energetic, but a little sneak too.
"Hello Relm. Where's your grandpa Strago? Is Shadow around, I noticed you playing with Interceptor."
"Yeah... they're around. Shadow's strange, but I feel I know him."
"After all that's happened these last few months not much suprizes me."
"I'm sorry about the fire here and that mean old painting I drew for Owzer. And I'm sorry for following you when Grandpa didn't want me too. And I'm sorry about that Leo guy Miss Terra!"
"No need to apologize. You helped us out a lot there, with Ultros and all."
"Setzer's keeping the airship. Gogo, Locke, Celes, Edgar, and Sabin are there now, he's giving them rides home. You could stay here if you wanted Terra!"
"That's very kind, but I can't. I don't belong here, I'm not sure where I belong."
"You stayed here with us, you could've faded with the espers. You'll find some place to call home!"
"I hope so Relm, I really hope so."
Aboard the Falcon...
"Machines! Bah! I hate machines!" Cyan complained. "No matter how much of this 'Technical' Manual I read, I shalt never like them!"
"Machines are my life! Awww let me help you with the tune up Setzer!" Cid said enthusiastically, and insitently.
"It's my airship, you're just passengers! This thing's getting a retirement plan!" Setzer bellowed. 'It's the least I can do for you my dearest Daryl... I was such a fool. I never told you how much I love you and now you're gone...' he thought.
"I have things to get in order in Figaro. Will you be sharing the crown with me brother?" Edgar looked at Sabin hopefully.
"My training's complete, this world doesn't need new fighters though. I suppose I should come home..." he replied.
"Home..? Nice word if you have some place to go..." Setzer muttered more to himself than anyone else.
"You called this ship home once. You'd probably retire to the Arena now eh?" Gogo said mysteriously from behind Setzer.
"You're everywhere you know? I guess this ship's become my home... but... do you have a home? We've fought side by side in battle many times you skilled mimic... yet I've never seen your face."
"I prefer it that way... Maybe you've seen me before, maybe I'm a stranger, but you will remember only this cloaked figure that, as you stated, fought beside you."
Setzer laughed, "Perhaps you should've been named 'Enigma' rather than 'Gogo'. As a matter of fact, why do you call yourself Gogo?"
"Why shouldn't I? It's not as mysterious as the name 'Shadow' or as exotic. Still, it doesn't make my help any less sought after."
"Your choice. Still, I'd rather know the odds of my gamble. Gwe, hee, hee. Sometime I'll have to unmask you, regardless of your multiple skills."
"I learned them by watching. It would serve you well to watch and learn for a change instead of diving at any dime tossed your way."
"I'll keep that in mind Oh shrouded one." Setzer mocked. "So familiar...." he thought to himself.
-Warrrrrrrrrk!- -warrrrrrrrrk!-
All eyes looked to the entrance as a curious little chocobo hopped into the ship. It went straight to Cyan.
"Well, it's not a machine!" Edgar laughed.
The chocobo didn't go past Cyan's knees and it warrked and nuzzled him like a cat nuzzles its owner.
"Awwww how sweet!" Celes said coming down from the upper deck. "You didn't tell us you chocobos liked you soo much!"
"I didn't intend for this to happen. The grown creatures are much more useful, but I've as much use for this... chocobo chick as I have for machinery." Cyan shoed the chocobo away and it ran to Celes squawking all the way.
"Don't scare the little thing!" Celes shouted, scooping up the chocobo and scratching it behind the ears.
"It shouldn't have come here!" Cyan insisted.
Celes laughed, "And what danger would it be in or threaten us? It's just a chick and we've no more battles to wage!"
Locke wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his head on her shoulder. "If you like him that much, you can keep him." he said.
-Warrrr....k!- It bit Locke's hand, already protective of Celes.
"OW!"
"Gwahaha!," Cyan laughed, "I've not heard you yell like that since that Scyther stole 1,200 gold from you treasure hunter!"
She stroked it's head, "It's ok little Chocobo, Locke's a friend."
At the same time Locke shouted "That thing's Kentucky Fried Chocobo if it bites me again!"
There was a simultaneous roar of laughter on the ship, and an angry glare from the defiled thief. In the next minute there was a familiar voice emanating from the Ship's lower deck hatch. It was a soft distant type of voice, with the curl of womanly charm and shrouded with innocent wisdom. "Now what's all the laughter about!?" Terra said, coming into full view with the last steps to the wood deck of the ship. Behind her, Relm poked her head in with a childish "Hi guys!"
"Madame Terra, tis' a pleasure to have you on this, the last embarking of the Airship, Falcon." Cyan said in formal tones, turning to greet her, his ebon cape flowering behind him in ripples till it's dance stopped about his boot clad ankles. He then gave a deep respectful bow, the cape billowing down in curves to the left side of him, making him appear a bit unstable, and despite that, still held nobility.
Terra greeted his formality with a brief burst of her own laughter. Cyan was not amused, but that was broken by a loud "Gau Gau! Ms. Terra! Hi!" The spirited emerald haired youth, the monster boy of the veldt, leap frogged over the bowed soldier, Cyan, and practically leapt into Terra's arms.
Well, he didn't leap into her arms, but by the bear hug he gave, he might well have. She gave a good natured smile and laugh as Relm embraced Terra too, "Oh my! Thank you both, thank you all! You don't know how much this means to me, my friends!" Her fingers ran through his rats nest of hair as it usually did to try and undo a few tangles. How his hair wasn't a bigger rats nest was beyond her, but she remembered when he met his father, how nicely he cleaned up.
It was impossible to be somber around this motley crew of ex- Returners, each one with a smile. And this is how the flight of the Falcon began its so-called retirement. Everyone was there, and how they all made it, one could only call a miracle of miracles. It was from dark and saddened faces, to the silly, the beautiful, young, old, quiet, and bold, that Kefka's tyranny had been stopped, and Armageddon prevented. One could wonder at what had happened to the espers, but for the moment, it was a moot point. Terra shoed Relm back to her Grandfather Strago, the massive propellers of the Falcon began to turn, and slowly, she left the earth behind, and everyone felt as though they were floating.
"Ku-PO!" Mog shouted and waved from the very tip of the ship, and the others joined the furry creature known as a Moogle, on deck, smiling and shouting, waving and saying good-bye to Thamasa and friends below. Even Cyan gave a shout to the old man, something about sticking to magic, machines are trouble. Relm was mysteriously out of sight, but Interceptor was in her place jumping and shouting and barking at them. Oh wait! There was Relm, in her window, arm held high.
Atop the tallest building of the city, a dark figure stood on tip toe, ready to spring to action, a black tie keeping his facial coverings held in back, billowed to one side of him as wind from the ship's propellers swept it. He was almost as inhuman as Gogo, but in a darker way, and looked up at them with narrowed eyes. He was serene and almost meditative, and then, suddenly, he sprung from his perch with no warning. Something clasped a rail of the ship and after a few quick soft taps on the wood, a familiar form swung on deck.
"Shadow!" Celes and Terra cried in unison. They looked to each other and gave a nod, and Celes, still holding the wayward chocobo in her arms, continued, "We thought you were staying in Thamasa."
"Nmmm...." He didn't like to talk much and took a deep breath. "Setzer must stop the ship." He paused again and looked about. "Now." He ordered in straight monotone, that was strangely non-offensive.
"What the hell?! Stop my ship!?" Setzer cried indignantly. "She's heading for Narshe whether you like it or not Ninja-man!" His long white hair flowed over his eyes and down his back, and his long fancy cape flowed with it in the breeze. He wanted this voyage to be over so he could place it at Daryl's tomb again, and live in Kohlingen near her for the rest of his days. Maybe he'd even start a gambling facility there with the money he'd earned from the travels they'd all been through.
"Stowaway." He said and that was that. He walked below deck and pulled, from behind a crate of their old armors, a small blonde girl with a pale blue, pink, purple, and green turban tied with red-purple feathers and a funny tassel.
"Hey! Watch it ya' big meanie!" She yelped in surprise.
"Kupopopi!" Mog cried, and Umaro, the lumbering sasquatch, gave a grunt.
"Relm! We saw you in your window though! How!?" Terra scolded, while the others murmured their surprised. Gau tackled the girl out of Shadow's grip and squeezed her tight as a gold bear.
"Gau gau! Relm come! Knew Relm would come! Gau gau!" They laughed and danced about the ship, while the adults groaned or gave a displeased expression.
"Painting." Shadow said matter-of-factly. The young artisan could reproduce things in frightening detail, and even cause them to become alive for short periods of time, it was her skill, and a good one at that.
"Why Relm come on ship?" Gau inquired in his broken English way, still scrambling all about like an animal, sometimes on two legs, some times on hands and feet. His hands were callused and nails long, and his high undying energy made him seem more like an animal than his slightly pointed teeth, developed fangs, and greenish hair. But still, he'd never hurt anyone, and he wanted to return to the Veldt to tame whatever monsters were still there. He had pointed ears too that were almost elfin, and his topaz yellow eyes gleamed with intelligence as much as keen animalistic insight.
"Ahh... well...! I missed you all and I wanted to join you guys! I love you miss Terra! You're my friends Gau! Sabin! Edgar! Locke! Gogo! Setzer! Shadow! Celes! Cyan! Mog! Umaro! Gau! Cid!" And with that, she clung to Terra's red clothed body. It was time for a group hug, that only Shadow stayed out of, as Locke pushed Cyan into it, despite his protesting look.
The Lanky, but furry Umaro growled and moaned something that Mog told them was "I missed you" and was added to by a rain of tears.
"Oh quit your blubberin' kid!" Setzer said, looking at the Sasquatch, then thought a minute. "Okay, I'll drop you off last then Relm, but you have to have Strago's permission." He shook a finger at her and she pouted, "No fair!. The old fart'll never agree!" So the Falcon landed one last time, to take on its last guest, Strago Magus. Despite Relm's blatant defiance, he knew he couldn't keep her in Thamasa as long as the Airship carried her friends, and went along with her, for he too, did not wish this to be the end.
Prologue to the Lefend: New Beginnings
The World of Ruin may rest at last... yet not all are content with 'peace'...
"All aboard!" cried the ghostly conductor of the Phantom Train. Since Kefka's onslaught, this was the first time it had been less than full. Kefka's soul boards the train followed by the soldier from the ruined city.
The whistle blows and the train moves by its own will. It cares not its cargo or what happens, for the train is a soul which cannot be changed or altered against its will. The train goes through the forest with no difficulty. No one alive sees or hears the train's departure and destination. Cyan, Sabin, and Shadow have been its only living passengers in centuries, perhaps ever. The ghost hosts still clear up the mess Sabin made while eating there, much to Cyan's displeasure.
The souls it carries are not as restless as they used to be. Only Kefka seems restless. He will not have a pleasant afterlife in that case.
Yet elsewhere...
"I held onto this world father... but why I am still here I do not know..." Terra clutched her necklace, her only momento of her father Maudin and mother Madonna. "The gate is sealed.. Espers no longer exist here and I can't transform. Did you keep me here my love?" She looked at a grave in Thamasa, General Leo's. He'd taught her to feel, to have emotions. She thought back on her childhood... robbed of memories... her mother dead, her father a power experiment to the late Emperor Ghestal. "The Empire is gone. I can hardly believe my friends and I survived against Kefka... when you did not. You saved us. I will never forget you." and, she thought to herself "I will never forget myself again either." She placed the locket on the grave, it slid a little then caught on an imperfection of the stone.
She walked back into the main town. There she saw Relm playing with Interceptor outside of Strago's house. What a funny little man he was. These people were descendants of the magi, who used esper power to enhance their own. Here, Kefka destroyed many of "her" kind. Ironic... Espers had to give their lives to turn into that coveted prize, magicite, in order to save the humans who irrationally feared them.
"Hiya Terra!!!!!!" Relm waved to her. So energetic, but a little sneak too.
"Hello Relm. Where's your grandpa Strago? Is Shadow around, I noticed you playing with Interceptor."
"Yeah... they're around. Shadow's strange, but I feel I know him."
"After all that's happened these last few months not much suprizes me."
"I'm sorry about the fire here and that mean old painting I drew for Owzer. And I'm sorry for following you when Grandpa didn't want me too. And I'm sorry about that Leo guy Miss Terra!"
"No need to apologize. You helped us out a lot there, with Ultros and all."
"Setzer's keeping the airship. Gogo, Locke, Celes, Edgar, and Sabin are there now, he's giving them rides home. You could stay here if you wanted Terra!"
"That's very kind, but I can't. I don't belong here, I'm not sure where I belong."
"You stayed here with us, you could've faded with the espers. You'll find some place to call home!"
"I hope so Relm, I really hope so."
Aboard the Falcon...
"Machines! Bah! I hate machines!" Cyan complained. "No matter how much of this 'Technical' Manual I read, I shalt never like them!"
"Machines are my life! Awww let me help you with the tune up Setzer!" Cid said enthusiastically, and insitently.
"It's my airship, you're just passengers! This thing's getting a retirement plan!" Setzer bellowed. 'It's the least I can do for you my dearest Daryl... I was such a fool. I never told you how much I love you and now you're gone...' he thought.
"I have things to get in order in Figaro. Will you be sharing the crown with me brother?" Edgar looked at Sabin hopefully.
"My training's complete, this world doesn't need new fighters though. I suppose I should come home..." he replied.
"Home..? Nice word if you have some place to go..." Setzer muttered more to himself than anyone else.
"You called this ship home once. You'd probably retire to the Arena now eh?" Gogo said mysteriously from behind Setzer.
"You're everywhere you know? I guess this ship's become my home... but... do you have a home? We've fought side by side in battle many times you skilled mimic... yet I've never seen your face."
"I prefer it that way... Maybe you've seen me before, maybe I'm a stranger, but you will remember only this cloaked figure that, as you stated, fought beside you."
Setzer laughed, "Perhaps you should've been named 'Enigma' rather than 'Gogo'. As a matter of fact, why do you call yourself Gogo?"
"Why shouldn't I? It's not as mysterious as the name 'Shadow' or as exotic. Still, it doesn't make my help any less sought after."
"Your choice. Still, I'd rather know the odds of my gamble. Gwe, hee, hee. Sometime I'll have to unmask you, regardless of your multiple skills."
"I learned them by watching. It would serve you well to watch and learn for a change instead of diving at any dime tossed your way."
"I'll keep that in mind Oh shrouded one." Setzer mocked. "So familiar...." he thought to himself.
-Warrrrrrrrrk!- -warrrrrrrrrk!-
All eyes looked to the entrance as a curious little chocobo hopped into the ship. It went straight to Cyan.
"Well, it's not a machine!" Edgar laughed.
The chocobo didn't go past Cyan's knees and it warrked and nuzzled him like a cat nuzzles its owner.
"Awwww how sweet!" Celes said coming down from the upper deck. "You didn't tell us you chocobos liked you soo much!"
"I didn't intend for this to happen. The grown creatures are much more useful, but I've as much use for this... chocobo chick as I have for machinery." Cyan shoed the chocobo away and it ran to Celes squawking all the way.
"Don't scare the little thing!" Celes shouted, scooping up the chocobo and scratching it behind the ears.
"It shouldn't have come here!" Cyan insisted.
Celes laughed, "And what danger would it be in or threaten us? It's just a chick and we've no more battles to wage!"
Locke wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his head on her shoulder. "If you like him that much, you can keep him." he said.
-Warrrr....k!- It bit Locke's hand, already protective of Celes.
"OW!"
"Gwahaha!," Cyan laughed, "I've not heard you yell like that since that Scyther stole 1,200 gold from you treasure hunter!"
She stroked it's head, "It's ok little Chocobo, Locke's a friend."
At the same time Locke shouted "That thing's Kentucky Fried Chocobo if it bites me again!"
There was a simultaneous roar of laughter on the ship, and an angry glare from the defiled thief. In the next minute there was a familiar voice emanating from the Ship's lower deck hatch. It was a soft distant type of voice, with the curl of womanly charm and shrouded with innocent wisdom. "Now what's all the laughter about!?" Terra said, coming into full view with the last steps to the wood deck of the ship. Behind her, Relm poked her head in with a childish "Hi guys!"
"Madame Terra, tis' a pleasure to have you on this, the last embarking of the Airship, Falcon." Cyan said in formal tones, turning to greet her, his ebon cape flowering behind him in ripples till it's dance stopped about his boot clad ankles. He then gave a deep respectful bow, the cape billowing down in curves to the left side of him, making him appear a bit unstable, and despite that, still held nobility.
Terra greeted his formality with a brief burst of her own laughter. Cyan was not amused, but that was broken by a loud "Gau Gau! Ms. Terra! Hi!" The spirited emerald haired youth, the monster boy of the veldt, leap frogged over the bowed soldier, Cyan, and practically leapt into Terra's arms.
Well, he didn't leap into her arms, but by the bear hug he gave, he might well have. She gave a good natured smile and laugh as Relm embraced Terra too, "Oh my! Thank you both, thank you all! You don't know how much this means to me, my friends!" Her fingers ran through his rats nest of hair as it usually did to try and undo a few tangles. How his hair wasn't a bigger rats nest was beyond her, but she remembered when he met his father, how nicely he cleaned up.
It was impossible to be somber around this motley crew of ex- Returners, each one with a smile. And this is how the flight of the Falcon began its so-called retirement. Everyone was there, and how they all made it, one could only call a miracle of miracles. It was from dark and saddened faces, to the silly, the beautiful, young, old, quiet, and bold, that Kefka's tyranny had been stopped, and Armageddon prevented. One could wonder at what had happened to the espers, but for the moment, it was a moot point. Terra shoed Relm back to her Grandfather Strago, the massive propellers of the Falcon began to turn, and slowly, she left the earth behind, and everyone felt as though they were floating.
"Ku-PO!" Mog shouted and waved from the very tip of the ship, and the others joined the furry creature known as a Moogle, on deck, smiling and shouting, waving and saying good-bye to Thamasa and friends below. Even Cyan gave a shout to the old man, something about sticking to magic, machines are trouble. Relm was mysteriously out of sight, but Interceptor was in her place jumping and shouting and barking at them. Oh wait! There was Relm, in her window, arm held high.
Atop the tallest building of the city, a dark figure stood on tip toe, ready to spring to action, a black tie keeping his facial coverings held in back, billowed to one side of him as wind from the ship's propellers swept it. He was almost as inhuman as Gogo, but in a darker way, and looked up at them with narrowed eyes. He was serene and almost meditative, and then, suddenly, he sprung from his perch with no warning. Something clasped a rail of the ship and after a few quick soft taps on the wood, a familiar form swung on deck.
"Shadow!" Celes and Terra cried in unison. They looked to each other and gave a nod, and Celes, still holding the wayward chocobo in her arms, continued, "We thought you were staying in Thamasa."
"Nmmm...." He didn't like to talk much and took a deep breath. "Setzer must stop the ship." He paused again and looked about. "Now." He ordered in straight monotone, that was strangely non-offensive.
"What the hell?! Stop my ship!?" Setzer cried indignantly. "She's heading for Narshe whether you like it or not Ninja-man!" His long white hair flowed over his eyes and down his back, and his long fancy cape flowed with it in the breeze. He wanted this voyage to be over so he could place it at Daryl's tomb again, and live in Kohlingen near her for the rest of his days. Maybe he'd even start a gambling facility there with the money he'd earned from the travels they'd all been through.
"Stowaway." He said and that was that. He walked below deck and pulled, from behind a crate of their old armors, a small blonde girl with a pale blue, pink, purple, and green turban tied with red-purple feathers and a funny tassel.
"Hey! Watch it ya' big meanie!" She yelped in surprise.
"Kupopopi!" Mog cried, and Umaro, the lumbering sasquatch, gave a grunt.
"Relm! We saw you in your window though! How!?" Terra scolded, while the others murmured their surprised. Gau tackled the girl out of Shadow's grip and squeezed her tight as a gold bear.
"Gau gau! Relm come! Knew Relm would come! Gau gau!" They laughed and danced about the ship, while the adults groaned or gave a displeased expression.
"Painting." Shadow said matter-of-factly. The young artisan could reproduce things in frightening detail, and even cause them to become alive for short periods of time, it was her skill, and a good one at that.
"Why Relm come on ship?" Gau inquired in his broken English way, still scrambling all about like an animal, sometimes on two legs, some times on hands and feet. His hands were callused and nails long, and his high undying energy made him seem more like an animal than his slightly pointed teeth, developed fangs, and greenish hair. But still, he'd never hurt anyone, and he wanted to return to the Veldt to tame whatever monsters were still there. He had pointed ears too that were almost elfin, and his topaz yellow eyes gleamed with intelligence as much as keen animalistic insight.
"Ahh... well...! I missed you all and I wanted to join you guys! I love you miss Terra! You're my friends Gau! Sabin! Edgar! Locke! Gogo! Setzer! Shadow! Celes! Cyan! Mog! Umaro! Gau! Cid!" And with that, she clung to Terra's red clothed body. It was time for a group hug, that only Shadow stayed out of, as Locke pushed Cyan into it, despite his protesting look.
The Lanky, but furry Umaro growled and moaned something that Mog told them was "I missed you" and was added to by a rain of tears.
"Oh quit your blubberin' kid!" Setzer said, looking at the Sasquatch, then thought a minute. "Okay, I'll drop you off last then Relm, but you have to have Strago's permission." He shook a finger at her and she pouted, "No fair!. The old fart'll never agree!" So the Falcon landed one last time, to take on its last guest, Strago Magus. Despite Relm's blatant defiance, he knew he couldn't keep her in Thamasa as long as the Airship carried her friends, and went along with her, for he too, did not wish this to be the end.