Rating: Please remember this piece is my first piece and I'm hoping I can make it dark and evil. Capture the real essence of Kefka and hopefully, it'll be good. So, it will be rated "M". Yes, it is that bad. It's to show how Kefka treated his subjects during the early years of FFVI. It will show you the current Terra's dilemma with being able to cope with current problems and will be adult themes, which means, this is a smut. If you do not know what that is, then I suggest you leave this fiction. Because...think of it has a very, very romantic fanfiction with graphic detail. Nothing nasty of course *laughs*
Oh, and I tried to use the writing style of "Homer" a bit in here. Trying to improve my version of his writing style. I'll keep practicing. So if you see sentences that are formed like its from the 1400 (well, you get what I mean) century, that's most like it. lol
Enjoy, review and please kindly point out grammar errors.
Also, to help a great forum (FFVI) I'd have to advise you go there. Just click my profile. I haven't joined yet -- no time -- but I'm sure the FFVI fans (sections for other fans) will love the forum. It's great. Join or die.
Chapter: Bits and Pieces
He knew the moment Gastra decided to allow the girl in the empire as a solider and not as a work subject, that it would cause him many problems. He not only had to deal with goody-two-shoes Leo, but now he would have to watch out for this little hybrid when she gets older. He knew the little tramp couldn't use magic like her ancestors or her father, hybrids weren't created that way. She had flaws he knew it and he would exploit them to the Emperor in any way he could.
He would throw the poor babe in front of a moving train if he could. He bowed before Gastra. "My liege?"
"How is Leo doing with Celes and the young Esper girl?"
Kefka gritted his teeth. "The last time I saw them, my lord, Leo was just heading over to see Celes." he looked away. "Sir, I advise not letting the child among the rest."
"I thought of the same thing, Kefka. A girl with hair so green shouldn't be allowed to be seen. People would think something was up, the gods would be displeased if we allowed havoc among our cities." Gastra sighed. "Make sure Leo knows of this shift in plans." Kefka bowed and exited the room with anger swelling inside of him.
He peaked inside the room and saw Leo walking ahead of the little green haired girl. She had innocent, big round purple eyes and chubby, rosy cheeks. Her hair bounced with each step she took. Leo had dressed her in a little lime colored dress with little sandals. In her hand, was a beat up teddy bear. Its left ear was gone and it's right eye and its nose was ripped off, probably chewed off when she was teething. Her other hand's thumb was popped into her mouth. He rolled his eyes. A thumb-sucker, great. The little girl with bouncy green hair turned and stared in awe at the pretty billboard on the wall. It had so many colorful pieces of paper and ink all on it, she was drawn. She cooed and reached up with her other arm, dropping the teddy bear. She looked at the bulletin board with wonder and delight. She reached up with her little fingers and cried when she couldn't reach the oh so pretty colorful papers.
Before Kefka could step in, Leo came back out. Celes, a young blond haired girl with icy blue eyes, followed behind him, her little face lit with surprise when she saw another little girl....with odd hair. Leo smiled at the little green haired girl and ripped a piece of orange paper down -- the brightest there -- and gave it to her. The girl rolled it up and popped it into her mouth, chewing it. Leo laughed, hearing a creak at the door. He looked up and saw Kefka and then coughed into his hand, turning the green haired girl to Celes.
"Celes dear, this girl's name is `Terra'." Celes pouted her lips at Terra. "Terra", he shook her gently when she turned to watch something else. "Terra, this is Celes. Terra, please pay attention to me -- no, no! Come back here young lady!" Terra had run away towards the back push doors, entering the other room, which was the kitchen. Leo heard the chefs shouting and sighed.
"Kefka, could you go get Terra?"
"That's the brat's name?"
"Of course, I told you yesterday -- go get her." Kefka growled and stomped off. He hated Leo being a higher rank than him, it was utterly irritating.
****
He came back with the unruly child. Her head was covered with flour, her cheeks had some blue jell on it and her hands had jelly all over them. She giggled when Leo tickled her tummy and and picked her up. He reached for Celes' hand and said, turning to Kefka. "I'll take her to get cleaned up. Do you mind fitting a room for Terra?"
I do mind, you little shit. "...No. Gastra told me to warn you the plans have changed -- she isn't to see any other child but Celes and will not be let out of the labs in fear of the city over-reacting to her...hair." Leo sighed and thanked Kefka for the warning and left the little room.
Terra frowned when Leo held her in the cold water. Tears formed in her eyes and she let out a high pitched whining noise. Celes, sitting besides Terra in the fresh bath, asked Leo to make Terra shut up. Leo sighed and pushed Terra back into the water. "I'm...trying, Celes, dear. Hand...me the soap..." she gave Leo the childrens' soap and then watched him pour some on Terra's head. She cried and complained in her shaky, non-comprehensible voice, that the soap `hurted' her eyes. "Just be...still, Terra. We're almost done -- no! Put that down, oh! Stop that, oh!" she was hitting his hands with a soap bottle, trying to make him stop washing her. He growled and took the soap away and threw it against the wall. She took it the wrong way and cried her little heart out.
"Oh no, please stop crying, Terra." he quickly washed the soap from her hair. "Sshh, shhh! Please...Leo will give you a cookie? Do you want a cookie?"
"Terra?" she opened her eyes to see a young man with blond hair and blue eyes. "You...were crying." she sat up and wiped her eyes free of the tears. She checked and noticed all her team mates were watching her. She swallowed.
"I'm fine...just had a nightmare."
"Alright, if you're feeling alright," Edgar smiled down at her. "You hungry? You're so pale right now." Terra laughed and got up on shaky legs. They had just defeated Kefka and she was so worn out. Having her Esper side stolen...no, killed off, was hard on her both mentally and psychically.
"I am. Thank you Edgar, for asking."
"Terra! You can't seem to understand the simplest of mathematics! Every other child can handle this, but you can't?" Kefka growled, slamming his curled fist into the book of a seventh grade. The little six year old girl sniffed back tears. She gave him a sad face and covered her eyes with her hands, to scared to look at him anymore. Leo sighed, shaking his head. Celes was besides Leo, reading a rather "older" book for her age.
"You can't expect her to jump into school like this, especially into a grade twelve-thirteen year olds are in." she started to cry and Leo patted the girl's head. "It's okay, Terra. We know you are trying." Kefka stood.
"I'm not spending my day trying to get this idiot to read or do math! She can work as a soldier without an education."
"She deserves something, Kefka." he pulled Terra towards him and gave her a big hug. "Don't you worry, Leo will try and teach you, okay?" she nodded and hugged him, hiding her face between his shoulder and neck. He smiled and patted her back before getting up.
"We'll see you later, Terra. Come on Celes." Before he got out the door, Terra ran up and grabbed his leg.
"No! Stay! Stay!" she rubbed her face against his leg, but he pushed her away toward Kefka.
"I'm sorry, Terra. I have to go. You have to stay with Kefka, remember what we discussed the other day? You have to start to listen to us, okay? Okay?" she whined and shook her head, but he already left and slammed the door shut.
"Waaahhh! Waaahhhh!"
*****
"She yet to learn a single thing?" Gastra appeared shocked. "Are the Espers....not as smart as us?" he asked Kefka and Leo, who stood before him. Leo was a little pissed that Kefka went behind his back to inform Gastra that Terra couldn't learn a higher grade than her age.
"Well, sir, she--" Leo was interrupted.
"The girl cannot comprehend anything we tell her. She's not the smartest thing I've ever seen."
"She is too smart--"
"Leo, please," Gastra stood, tapping his finger on his chin as he thought. "We can't dwell over the girl's misfortune. We need her. What good will teaching her come of it after her aging and she is then a soldier? She won't have time to read or anything else. The girl won't be taught anymore and that's final." Leo gripped his hands tightly.
"But sir...she deserves something out of this!"
"Don't raise your voice to me, Leo!" he snapped, his eyes flared with the anger a god would have. "Do not question me either! This is how I see fit. Edit my words, and you'll be on call for three years!" Leo looked down.
"I'm sorry sir...If I may be honest, I've grown attached to her. Do not pay attention to my idiotic feelings." Gastra sighed and sat down.
"Nay, all is well, Leo. I understand you feel towards the girl, but we have a mission to do, remember?"
"Yes sir. I remember it all too well..."
"Good. I want the girl fitted and tested swiftly."
****
Leo opened the door to little Terra's sleeping room, Kefka and some strange man in lab coat hid behind him, listening. Leo sighed when he saw Terra on the edge of her bed, kicking her feet and holding a book on her lap. It was opened. Leo took a deep breath and came up besides her. "Terra?" she looked up at him and smiled.
"Red."
"`Read', honey...um," he took the book from her and sat down besides her. "remember when Kefka said learning was too hard for you?" she nodded. "Well, we've decided to let you skip it all and just go ahead into training, okay?"
"I red?"
"No, Terra. No." he took her hand and grasped it gently. "you won't be reading."
"...why?" she asked, confused. She tapped the book and giggled. "I red!"
Leo picked her up and smiled. "That's because you're a big girl! But we can't do this anymore, do you understand? No more teaching." she blinked and laid her head against his chest.
*****
"Itchy!" Terra complained when Leo was down dressing her in a dark red army suit with a beige belt, boots and bandanna. It was the uniform of a training soldier, of a female. She itched her arms and neck."Itchy!"
"I know, you said that. Twice." he chuckled, tying a lighter red sash around her little waist. "There, finished! Fits like a charm." he patted her head. He had put her hair up in a short pony-tail. He took her hand and smiled down at her. "Okay, time to go. Do you have your quick-blade?" she stared at him for a few seconds and then looked down at her feet and then around the room and grinned, showing her smile of just a few teeth.
"No!" she chirped, shaking her head. Leo sighed.
"Alright, we'll just get you one there."
The labs he took Terra to stretched out into a wide, open man-made field. Artificial robot animals could be see. The only real thing in the field, was the various ponds and plants as well as trees. A man with a whip stood to the back. The whip was sparking and was glowing a light blue, making odd noises. The strange man from before, in the lab coat, was standing near a table checking over his notes. Leo called over to the man.
"Doctor Cid, Cid!" the old man turned and then smiled when he saw the little girl with green hair.
"Ah, such a odd color!" he bellowed, smiling as he reached out to grab a strand of her hair. "So...beautiful. How in the world did she ever get it this color?"
"Esper father, remember?" he oh'd and said, frowning as he looked up at Leo.
"Mind if I take a sample?" he shook his head and saw Terra jump when Cid plucked a hair out. Tears formed in her eyes.
"That hurted!" she kicked Cid in the knee and the doctor stepped back.
"Please Leo, control her!" he puffed a breath at Terra and stuck his tongue when she was picked up. She blew her tongue out at him and whispered to Leo, asking him to kick Cid, but the kind general ignored her plea and put her on the table.
"Cid, Gastra asked you to test her physically, see if she has anything we should worry about."
-----
"What kind exactly?" demanded Gastra, pacing the room. His face was red and Leo could have sworn he heard his heart racing. Leo read over the list he got from Cid.
"She apparently is allergic to...to onions, garlic, peas, and Highgerilic steel, which is used to create our armor and weapons, sir. There is more sir, but I'm sure you don't want to hear it."
"What else does the little freak have?" he was growing furious. "She is claustrophobic and can't breath when she's scared."
"What kind of soldier will she be if she is this worthless?!" he snapped, pacing the room with rage. "I was counting on this brat and now all my plans could be screwed up!"
"Sir, we still have a lot to check first. She could be magical."
"She seems like shit to me! A bother!" he sat down in his throne and rubbed his chin. "Leo....I want her trained as soon as possible! I will not tolerate a completely worthless object."
"Terra? Are you sure you're okay?" Locke asked, sitting besides Terra. "You've been spacing out a lot since yesterday...maybe you should rest."
"I'm...I'm fine Locke, just." she sighed and got up. "Maybe you're right. I'll go lay down for a bit. Wake me when we're at Kolhlingen?" Locke nodded and hugged her before sending her off.
Terra sat on the edge of her bed and sighed, looking over at the small table. A book sat there, waiting to be read. She reached out and took it, opening it to see weird doodles she couldn't recognize. What are these things? she ran her index finger over the words and sighed, closing her eyes.
"Reading?" asked a calm voice. Terra looked up and smiled when she saw Edgar standing at the threshold. She patted the spot next to her and closed the book when he was seated. "That's a good book. Its about adventures to save a whole kingdom."
"Reading? Is that what its called when you know what these things say?"
"They are called `books', Terra. You don't know how to read?" he asked, shocked. She shook her head.
"I didn't even know something like that existed."
"But didn't you read to your children at Mobliz?"
"No, I told stories that I made up...."
The gentle king smiled and took the book. "Would you like me to read it for you?" she smiled softly and nodded, shifting on the bed. "Alright then, first chapter." he blushed when she wrapped her arm around his and rested her head against his shoulder. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
He finished the fourth chapter and gazed down at Terra. She was asleep. He chuckled and got up to lay her down. She must be so tired from the fight, he told himself and he took her heeled boots off and covered her up. "Goodnight, millady."
"Terra! I said duck, not dodge! Duck, you imbecile! Duck!" Kefka screeched at the nine year old girl who had just been thrown to the ground by one of the robotic men Dr. Cid created. She had a bleeding nose, bruised lip and face as well as a swollen eye. She had wrapping on her arms, all the way up to her shoulders. She coughed and looked up at Kefka.
"I can't. Everything hurts...."
"It'll hurt more if you disobey me, child! Now get up and do as I say!" Terra stood and faced the robotic man and tried to duck before it's metal arms wacked her down again, but she failed. Kefka growled. "You will continue to do this all day and night until you can get it right! Speed is everything, Terra! Of course power is better..."
"But...I'm cold...and hungry...." she complained, wiping the blood away from the corners of her mouth. Kefka sighed and pointed to the blond girl sparring with the robotic man just two hundred yards away.
"Why can't you be like Celes, Terra? You can't seem to do anything, can you? You will stay here until I say otherwise."
"But--"
"No buts!" and then he stomped off, leaving Terra alone with the robot that swung out at her again and hit her to the floor.
----
"You are pushing her too hard, Kefka. She's a child."
"Celes is a child and look at her!" he gestured through the windows to the blond girl that took the robot down by ducking and kicking the legs of the robot. "If Celes can do it, Terra can do it. We'll just have to speed it up for Terra, that's all." Kefka pushed a bright red button on the lab's keyboard and watched the robot Terra was facing turn red. Leo growled.
"At that level, it could kill her! The strength of it will break her bones!"
"Something I'm willing to risk, Leo. I'm well aware of your affection for this thing, but would you want Celes to be sent out on the dangerous missions instead of a hybrid Esper that has the power to destroy anything?" Leo looked over at Celes, watching her take down the robot with ease. In a real fight, she wouldn't make it. Especially the Esper related missions... He nodded and watched Kefka press the button. A little screen showed a "5%" switch to "10%" and the little arrow started to shake and hiss. The two generals looked up, to see the change and watched as the robot shifted forms into a giant spider.
Terra's eyes went wide as the spider dropped one of it's eight legs besides Terra, the ground shook and she toppled over on her back, the sword in her hands dropped. She covered her head and screamed. Celes turned her head and saw the giant machine about to pierce and kill Terra. Acting quickly, Celes dashed forward and threw her sword at the machine's back, gaining it's attention. Kefka gripped his hands.
"What does she think she's doing!?"
The spider made a horrible sound and aimed its attacks on Celes, but the little girl was trying to distract it so Terra had a chance to get away. Terra sat up and watched the spider chase Celes, fear and worry washed over her. She didn't want Celes to get hurt! Terra got up and grabbed her sword and ran toward the spider and stuck the blade into its leg. The spider hissed and turned, one of its eight legs hit Celes and knocked her to the ground. Terra gasped.
"Celes!" she tried to get over to the fallen child was was hit and thrown twenty feet away. The spider opened its maw and howled down at Terra. The machine was picking up sounds that the system already put into it. It was now growling like a bear. Kefka chuckled.
[*]
"Idiot. Doesn't she know she has to care for herself in this world?" Leo wanted to punch Kefka for taking this risk. He could kill them both! He saw the mage press another button. It was the microphone. "Terra!" he shouted, gaining her attention. She looked around as she ran away from the spider.
"Kefka?" she shouted, searching for him. "Help Celes! Help her!"
"It's on your hands now, hybrid. You should have know! Never care for others in battle! You should have run if you were scared!" she fell over a rock and gripped her hands.
"She's my friend!" Terra turned around and gasped when she saw the spider heading back to Celes. Her eyes went wide.
[*]
"Friend or no friend, always care for yourself." Leo growled.
"What are you doing! Stop the robot, it'll kill Celes!"
"Just watch, Leo...I know how this will play out." the mage watched in glory as Terra charged back to the spider. She dodged one of the spider's legs and rolled underneath it and crawled to Celes, shaking her.
"Wake up, Celes! Wake up!" she shook the girl but got no respond. "Please..." she whispered, gasping when one of the metal legs crashed into the ground just a few feet away from them. "Wake up!" she screamed, closing her eyes. The spider opened its maw and started to build up a red energy. Please Celes...I need you...please.... the girl's eyes snapped open.
[*]
Leo gasped."Terra! Something is wrong with Terra!" he shouted, reaching over to turn the robot off. Kefka stopped him.
"Nothing is wrong...she is perfectly fine. This is what we've wanted for years, Leo. Watch!" the general turned and watched in horror as he noticed the young girl floating off the ground. Her eyes were open and glowing white, her mouth was open and beams of white energy was shining out. Her hands were clutched, forming fire. The girl curled up and then shouted, releasing all her magical energy. A wall of fire and earth crashed into the spider and pushed it to the ground, applying pressure to the robot. The white energy started to turn red and black as the pressure continue to rise. Kefka laughed.
"It's working! It's working!" the young girl dropped to the ground with a soft thud and touched the ground with her fingers. The ground underneath the spider robot exploded and sunk it, eating the robot. The energy vanished away and Leo could see the purple color of Terra's eyes. She was back to normal.
She made a weird look and smiled, collapsing besides Celes. Kefka's grin grew. "We now have the ultimate weapon."
Terra shot up, breathing hard. She felt her head and sighed. It was boiling hot! She must be sick. Those...those dreams can't be memories, can they? She laid back down and took a deep, calming breath. What do I do? Are these memories? Someone knocked at the door. "Come in..." she called out weakly. It was Locke.
"Feeling better?" she shook her head.
"No, I feel worse..." she replied honestly. My head hurts and my skin is on fire." Locke came up and touched her, frowning.
"Wow...it feels like your hands use to feel when you use fire..." he rubbed his eyes. "Alright, we're gonna have a doctor look at you!"
----****----
Alright, that's it for chapter 1! I hope you guys like it. Tell me if you spot any other errors and list the sentence, if you can, and I'll fix it as soon as I can. Please be kind. I'd love criticism, but I would like the polite kind...if you can? :)
Anyway, thank you for reading! Review please!