Disclaimer: I don't own FFVI, any of its characters or any of that snizzle.
A/N: This idea wouldn't leave me alone! I think it's the first….semi-cannon fic I've ever written, in the sense that I have some Locke/Celes in here. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it while I was writing this, so that's why I threw both pairings in there. R and R! I am not sure how long this will go or if I will continue it, but I really wanted to write it so…enjoy!
I:I:I:I:I:I:
A woman stood on the deck of the only airship in the world, a pensive look on her face. She stared out at the terrain passing underneath the vessel below. Did I really just do that? Did this really just happen? How do I get myself into these messes! First I'm imprisoned by the Empire, and now this? I would have been better off executed by that mad man Kefka. What will I do?
Her thoughts were cut off by a silver haired man entering the room. In his hand, he held a wine bottle with two glasses. He placed them on the table, uncorked the bottle and poured them both a glass.
"Here you areMiss Chere. I thought you might like it to celebrate," he said, a smug smile gracing his lips.
"I've nothing to celebrate Mr. Gabbiani," she replied coldly. "In fact, I rather consider this more of a death sentence."
The man looked at the woman, shock on his face apparent for one brief moment before his smile returned. He took his glass and sipped some of the smooth liquid before continuing.
"A death sentence? Come now Miss Chere, why so morbid. Instead of a death sentence, why not consider this a new lease on life. You would have more than likely died following those Returners around in their adventures."
"Who says I'm not going to accompany them now!?" she spat with venom.
The man regarded her with a sparkling gleam in his ocean eyes. Celes wouldn't admit it, but his gaze made her feel something within that she thought had long been dead. She squished it in an instant however: after all, how could you be angry with someone you were smitten with?
"Tsk tsk Miss Chere," he wagged his finger at her. "No fiancé of mine will be travelling with a band of vagabonds. No, I do rather think you will stay and travel with me. You don't find the prospect…invigorating at all?"
"No." she said flatly. "I find stopping the Empire from harnessing magic far more invigorating than traveling around with some gambbler."
"a shame," he swirled his wine with his index finger. "You may wish to consider enjoying yourself here. It may make your transition….a little less painful."
Celes growled. I'm going to kill Edgar, she thought. How could he have given me the wrong coin! Now I'm stuck here with this…wait a minute…
A thought had struck the young woman. He said she was beautiful: even moreso than Maria, who was the most beautiful opera singer in all the land. So why not try to use her beauty to get the Returners to Vector? At least then, they could continue their quest whilst she try to get herself out of this mess.
Let's see…how did the women in court do it…aha!
Celes flipped her sheet of pale hair over her shoulder, leaning against the table. She pushed out her chest, making her cleavage all the more noticeable: she could already tell that part was working, as the silver-haired gambler eyed her lustily. She tried her best to put an innocent lookin her sapphire eyes, and to form her grimace into a pout. They better thank me for this…she thought grumpily.
"Mr. Gabbiani?" she asked huskily. She fluttered her eyelashes at the man.
Setzer was genuinely taken aback. He took a few steps back, simply to bask in the presence of what he could only consider a Goddess. It took all of his efforts to speak.
"Y-yes Miss Chere?"
For the first time in their encounter, Setzer sounded hesitant. Celes smiled: she knew she had got him right where she wanted him.
Why is it always this easy? She wondered. Men.
"I know that…you said you didn't wish to go against Vector, and I don't blame you but…" she sighed and crossed her arms.
"…but?"
"Well," she leaned into Setzer's ear to whisper into it. "My friends truly, and dearly wish to get to Vector. Maybe…well, I know this is silly, nevermind," she giggled as girlishly as she could and stepped away from the man. He stepped towards her and looked her in the eye.
"Nothing you could say would ever be silly Miss Chere. Go on."
"M-maybe," she added a stammer for effect. "You could take my friends to Vector anyways? As an engagement gift to me. I would be ever so grateful Mr. Gabbiani."
"Setzer. Call me Setzer."
Celes giggled. Then, she whispered in as seductive a voice as she could.
"Setzer."
She saw the man shiver as she said his name. She internally laughed. He was eating it up with a spoon, and she was all but willing to feed it to him if it meant that her friends could get to their desired destination.
Setzer was silent for a few moments before a barked laugh emerged from his lips.
"Well played Miss Chere," the gambler laughed heartily. "I haven't had a game like that in years! You've only proven that I made the right choice in playing for your hand. Alright, I'll take your friends to Vector, but you must stay here with me love. Is that a deal?"
"Deal," she said a little more disappointedly than she would have liked. Setzer chuckled.
"Come now General, you don't think I would trust you so quickly after you've attempted to swindle me not once, but twice? If I let you leave with those Returners, I may never see you again. No, you're staying right here with me. Just think of it as…having some quality time with the manyou will grow to love."
Celes openly scoffed at this statement. The gambler took her hand in his and kissed it. Once again, the young ex-general scoffed.
"Come now Miss Chere, I can't be that grotesque, can I?"
"You'd be surprised."
He chuckled, then made his way to the deck of the airship. Celes exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding.
" At least I got them to Vector," she said to herself. "Now…how to get me out of here."
I:I:I:I:I:
The Blackjak landed a few miles away from Vector, near the town of Albrook. It was then that Setzer explained his reasoning for doing so; and although Celes did not like the man, his logic made sense. The Blackjak would be far more noticeable outside of Vector than it would near Albrook. Honestly, the woman was surprised that she had even gotten the man to stay anywhere near the Returners mission: she was almost certain that he would leave them to fend for themselves after transporting them there.
The other members of Celes group shuffled off of the airship. Locke, however, waited for a few minutes. He looked at Celes expectantly.
"Are…you coming?" he asked.
Celes groaned. She looked at the treasure hunter pleadingly and spoke to him barely above a whisper.
"He said he wants me to stay here. I'm afraid if I protest, he'll take the airship and abandon the three of you here. I have to ablige. I have to make sure you all are safe."
Locke bit his lip. Slowly, he nodded. He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She smiled, one of those rare smiles she only had shown the world a very few times before. This was a gesture they had grown accustomed to, and though she would never admit it out loud, she had grown to treasure. In turn, as she usually had, she patted his hand with her available one.
"Just be careful around him. Don't trust him ok? I don't want you getting hurt."
"Are you implying that I can't defend myself Locke?"
"What? No! That's not…oh, you know what I mean. Just watch your back, I won't be here to watch it."
"Do you normally peer at my backside Mr. Cole? Why I'm shocked!" She said in mock indignance.
He chuckled. His eyes gleamed with unspoken merth. She looked at him seriously.
"I know," she said in earnest. "I'll watch my back. I'm a big girl Locke, I can take care of myself, so don't worry alright? The most important thing right now is ssaving Terra, so go to the Devil's Lab and do that. I'll stay here and try and-"
"Figure a way out of not getting married?"
She sighed.
"Yes…"
"Sounds like a plan Miss Chere. I suppose with that, I bid you ado."
Locke gave her a mock bow as he released her hand. She stifled a chuckle.
"Stop acting like Edgar and go on! The others are waiting for you I'm sure."
Locke gave her one last nod before leaving to join his other two companions. She looked at him longingly as he walked away. She was far more open with her feelings when she knew no one was watching…little did she know, someone was watching her with much interest.
"So, you have feelings for that theif do you?" Setzer murmured. "We'll just have to change that, now won't we Miss Chere. After all, it is me you're marrying, not him."
He pulled out a card from his pocket and smiled at it.
"It's fate Celes, I don't believe in chance. You will be the Queen of my Heart, an I the King of yours . Just you wait and see."