A/N: Thank you Zombie_Kitten and narutofan1091 for the comments/reviews. :]

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy, or its characters.


The darkness cleared slightly, purple, scarlet, and abyssal blue swirled revealing in it's depths that of a cursed face. White make up, and cruel eyes lined in red, and there, a plastic grin. It was a whirl of sickening colors and hypnotic patterns when Kefka stepped from his perch in the shadows of the realm of Chaos. Making sounds of rage and disgust as he threw one of Mateus' glass orbs to the ground. The crystal watch-glass rolled away across the stone only to be halted by the foot of someone near by.

"Something the matter, clown?"

Kefka grumbled in a high-pitched mutter, his brow knitting and unknitting as he fumed.

The one watching his display of discontent merely watched, unphased.

"The girl, she's getting bolder. Her pretty little eyes are all aglow now with a new confedence. Aglow with hope." Kefka spat the last word. "It's all because of that guy, as soon as she starts hanging out with him more, she starts acting like she's...happy. .!" he screamed. "I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate it!!!"

Sephiroth rolled the crystal orb under his boot and bent to pick it up holding it in his hand, still watching Kefka.

Kefka was staring out into the void. Suddenly his shoulders becan to shiver at first, and then quake with maddening giggles.

What started as giggles became howls of screaming laughter as the clown wrung his hands, tossing his head to the sky.

"I'll have to break her. Again! Oh, what fun. To be able to not only do it once, but twice!" he screamed.

Kefka whipped around taking in a long breath and then exhaling dramatically, an insane grin slowly stretching the corners of his painted lips from ear to pointed ear.

"Can't wait." he whispered, eyes wide with insanity.

He squealed leaping up into the air and vanishing in a puff of black smoke, and what appeared to be...confetti.

Sephiroth didn't even blink his Mako eyes, looking down to the glass orb in his hands, wondering what his own little toy might be up to, and he carried the spy-glass off into the darkness.

***

Terra shuffled her feet, nervous. Her palm was sweaty, her heart racing. She could feel his strong arm resting against hers, and his other hand on her shoulder. As he spoke she could feel his breath ghost across her cheek, every now and then he'd subtly brush her while he spoke, being so close to her. Firion stanced Terra as she stood with his bow in her small hands, the weapon master spotting her as she attempted to take aim.

"No, like this." he mumbled, clearly amused as he adjusted her aim and lowered her elbow, "relax your grip some. Uh-huh, just like that."

His hand rested on the back of her palm, until he stepped away some, not letting her go though, as he continued to help her hold up the bow.

"Uhh...ummm..." Terra whispered, laughing nervously.

"Relax, you're doing fine." he chuckled. Terra could feel his chest reverberate against her back, which almost made her lose her composure and let the arrow fly, but she quickly regained her control and focused again on her target with a soft gulp.

"Take a deep breath." He instructed gently, and she did, which also helped her calm her nerves.

"And...release."

Terra let go, and the arrow zipped through the air and burrowed deep into a knothole, on a tree, hitting the target perfectly.

She beamed in amazement, her azure eyes sparkling like saphires, as she held the bow against her chest with both hands.

Firion nodded his approval, and halfway smiled, watching her through secret and smug eyes.

Terra couldn't help but laugh in disbelief, turning to him and just looking at him with her appreciation showing in her eyes, and her smile.

"Thank you." she said, shyly, looking down at her feet again.

"Can't believe you never learned..." he said, in an attempt to tease her.

Terra's lips formed in a pout and she narrowed her eyes. "I'm more of a magician, swordsmiss, actually."

Firion, pleased with getting her to pout cutely for him, smiled, ammused, and yielded to her. "Fair enough."

Terra huffed.

"So." Firion said, turning and holding his hand out to her, indicating she should follow. "You were part of a resistance too. Back in your homeworld."

Terra began walking along side him, craddling the bow in her arms, "Yes." she mumbled. "We were fighting against the government...for a better world. Free from it's tyranny."

"Ah, sounds familiar." Firion smirked, remembering his own past in Fynn.

The two continued down the glade, closer to where the others were, Firion taking the bow back from Terra and slinging it around his shoulder.

"So what's up with that Kefka guy?" Firion grimaced, rubbing the back of his head before putting his bow down and leaning his elbows atop the small fence.

Terra blinked, a little suprised, her insides doing a flip-flop at the mere mention of his name.

"...He." She began, swallowing and then attempting to start her sentence again. "Horrible...maniac." was all she could say. When it came to Kefka Palazzo, what more could one say?

"I can see that." Firion put down his head, and then looked back up at Terra, laughing. "I mean just look at his outfit, the guy looks like his so cracked he doesn't even have any sense in a wardrobe..."

Terra brought her hand up to her lips, chuckling, until her vissage became serious once more.

"He was consumed by the lust for power. Magic. He stole nearly all of it belonging to the Espers, and threw the world into a state of unbalance. All was ruined..." Her eyes darkened for a moment before she shrugged it off. "Which was a long time ago. We put a stop to it and the reconstruction process is in order...but...now. He's back."

Firion could sense her worry. Inside himself he was reminded of Mateus, and at the same time he was reminded of his integrity to put an end to conflicts of this specific nature. The weapons specialist reached for Terra's hand then thought better of it and returned it to its previous place. Looking away, his deep brown eyes grew some-what distant.

"Don't worry about it Terra." He said suddenly. The girl stopped her inner worryings for a moment to gaze at him with concern. "Firion..?"

"Hey... I mean it." he looked back to her, his smoldering eyes looking over her face, "You did it once, you can do it again." He said reassuring her, "And besides..." a smile played across his lips as he tilted his head, looking at her through the corner of his eyes. "I'll be here with you. You and I share a dream together now. We'll see this through together."

Terra, if she were how she was a few years ago, normally would have recoiled at such a statement. She would have allowed herself to crumble within her fear, at the way he was looking at her now, and at the tone in which he spoke to her. But now, she was a much stronger woman, and she smiled, able to accept that.

"Right." she nodded.

Wild roses...

they bloomed in her dreams while she slept now. Each opening with a new day, and new strength found, able to finally conquer her fear. And Firion was right there with her. Her confidence in herself was still blooming...slowly...but surely. And everyday Firion helped it grow.

The two continued to talk into the wee hours of the evening, chatting about everything from their past, to what they thought, as to how many girlfriends Zidane had as opposed to how many girls he flirted with. Each time Firion would get Terra to laugh, her melodious laugh, something inside him would smile, and make him slowly realize how much he loved seeing her happy, and how much he loved to be the cause of it.

"...take Tidus for instance." Firion offered, "The guy can't go two sentences without reminding you who's "story" it actually is." Terra laughed, understanding completely where he was coming from.

"That or telling you he wants to scream..." he smirked just thinking about it.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" Terra mocked, mimicking when the young blitzball player would yell out into the night in frustration.

Firion's normally somber visage broke at that moment and let lose a hearty laugh, afterwards resting a hand to the back of his head, looking down at the ground, sighing.

"Heh. Haven't laughed like that in...I actually don't know how long." he admitted, looking over at Terra sheepishly.

Terra looked down, smiling and she looked up to the now night sky, silently counting each star. Unknowingly enjoying the calm before the storm, however it may be unknown...

Feeling bold, for once, which was new, Terra let her head tilt until it rested against Firion's shoulder. Catching the weapons-master off guard. He leaned his head in too, after a while, resting it against Terra's soft emerald curls.

They stayed like that for a while, each secretly dreading in the morning when they would have to head out, continuing Cosmos' crusade for peace...As the darkness schemed their demise all the while.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore Terra. I'll be right here..." he said somberly, quietly into her hair. Firion had been watching her for a while now, he knew it was what was holding her back. Every time, he'd see it in her eyes, when he watched her...Her fear.

"...Thank you." she whispered, closing her eyes, no longer harboring said fear within them...

***

Behind the nearest tent, a flash of orange and a plume of white could be seen hiding in the shadows. A pair of green eyes flashed, narrowing, iris' dripping with envy, small fists clenching in rage as the Onion Knight watched the two whisper, together, in the fading starlight...


A/N: So yeah. Onion Knight got a little jealous. Aww..

Next Chapter, if there's one, will probably have some fighting against the Warriors of Chaos in it. Woot!