Fire & Ice
A/N: I may be the only person on this site who has written a Kefka Christmas story. And with good reason. I'm not sure anyone wants to take something like Christmas and turn it into a nightmare the way Tim Burton would. But this is Kefka we're talking about. And I'm sure he could make the Grinch look like a harmless puppy.
Christmas was celebrated in Vector just like it was in other parts of the world. Although the festive display of lights and decorations were somewhat muted compared to other towns and cities, there was always some form of holiday decorations on display in Vector and the Imperial Palace.
Christmas trees could be found in the dining room, great hall and Emperor Gestahl's throne room. The soldiers wrapped red and silver tinsel around the railings on stairs and catwalks, and hung wreaths on the walls and doors. A few of them even had miniature Christmas trees in their rooms that were no more than a foot tall. They set them on their desk or in a corner in their room, and decorated them with everything from red ribbons and bows to tinsel, strings of popcorn, and small ornaments shaped like moogles.
Celes helped out by using her magic to coat the branches of the Christmas trees in a layer of powdery snow. The snow glistened and shined with iridescent hues as it caught the colors of the lights on the tree. And as long as she cast Blizzard on the trees once a day, the snow and ornaments made from ice wouldn't melt.
The only person who wasn't enjoying the holiday season was Kefka. It grated on his nerves, seeing everyone so happy and full of Christmas cheer. It didn't help that Celes was in the habit of singing Christmas carols every morning when she woke up. One day she made the mistake of singing in the hall outside her room, which woke Kefka up and sent him into a rage.
When the sound of her singing drifted down the hall and entered the sleeping mage's bedchamber, Kefka was awake within a matter of minutes, his hands curling into fists as he gripped his pillow with both hands, burying his face in it and screaming at the top of his lungs. He then pulled on the corners of his pillow until it split open and feathers scattered across the room.
Kefka's living quarters were in close proximity to the area of the palace assigned to General Celes. And although some would argue that five doors down was far enough away that the noise shouldn't bother him, Kefka still swore he could hear Celes every time she started singing, snoring or rolled over in bed. Kefka despised her, and resented the fact that she was able to maintain a certain level of mental stability while he had spent the last sixteen years slowly descending into madness.
"Celes!" Kefka shouted. "If I hear your annoying screech of a voice one more time, I will roast you alive and scatter your ashes to the four winds from the rooftop!"
"But Kefka, I only wanted to - " Celes was cut off in midsentence as another scream tore from his lungs. Moments later she heard his bedroom door open with a bang, hitting the steel wall behind it as Kefka appeared in his polka dot pajamas, a blazing ball of fire in his right hand.
Celes shrieked and ducked just in time as the fireball went sailing over her head, hitting a wreath on the wall beside her and reducing it to a pile of ash.
"Get out!" Kefka shouted, already in the process of conjuring another fireball. "Get out of my sight right now!"
"Kefka, stop! What are you doing?"
"Silencing your wretched voice, woman!"
Shards of ice met with streams of fire as Celes was forced to defend herself from the crazed mage. Most of the ice melted when it made contact with Kefka's flames, but a few of the crystalized shards slipped past, slicing open his right cheek as their sharp edges made contact with his skin. It was enough to momentarily draw his attention away from her, his hand cupping his cheek as he felt a trickle of warm blood oozing from the gash on his face.
Celes began to slowly back away. She apologized for waking him up, but when the air around him began to undulate with rippling waves of intense heat, she knew it was the time to leave before Kefka lost it and tried frying her to a crisp.
Kefka watched her retreating form disappear down the stairs. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned his attention to the decorations that lined the halls. He began ripping them off the walls, screaming and setting fire to anything he couldn't destroy with his own two hands. He was positively howling with rage, blinded by such fury that he didn't even notice as Leo approached him from behind.
The General got behind him and pinned his hands behind his back, forcing the mage against the railing as he bent Kefka over the side of the catwalk. He knew it was foolish to try subduing Kefka while he was behaving like a rabid animal, and that there was always the chance that he could die if Kefka turned on him. But if he was going to die, Leo wanted to die protecting the people he cared about, even if it meant crumbling at the feet of a man who was nothing more than a science experiment gone horribly wrong.
Kefka struggled and fought, the heat radiating off him like a furnace as he twisted and yelled, making it difficult for the General to hold onto him. Celes returned a minute later, bringing with her half a dozen Imperial soldiers. She was ready to fight and help General Leo, but then suddenly the halls went silent as the mage slumped over the railing, his face framed with curtains of long, blond hair as he hung his head in silence.
Leo blinked and looked at him with an expression of stunned disbelief. What was Kefka playing at now? His screaming ended so abruptly it was jarring, leaving those around him feeling more unsettled than if he'd kept fighting them.
"Kefka?" Celes took a step forward, her hand on the railing as she cocked her head to the side, peering closely at him as he stood motionless against the railing. "Kefka, can you hear me?"
Silence. Not even a whisper or a tiny hint of movement. She began to wonder if he had fainted, losing consciousness like he used to during the early days of the experiments. In those days he was prone to seizures and fainting spells. And while the seizures had gradually faded with time, Kefka still experienced occasional black outs, and would wake up not knowing where he was or how he got there.
And then, just when it seemed like the silence would last forever, Kefka started laughing. At first it was so quiet that Celes wondered if she was hearing things. Surely the mage hadn't decided to break down into hysterical fits of laughter. But then his subtle chuckle grew in volume, his shoulders shaking as he started laughing harder, that wild, high pitched cackle causing the soldiers to back away as they nervously glanced at each other.
Leo released him and took a step back, his eyes wide as he stared at the cackling mage. He swore that no matter how long he knew him, he would never get used to Kefka's unique brand of insanity.
Kefka turned around, smiling broadly at them. "Oh, I get it," he said, his twisted grin spreading wide enough to practically split his face in two. "It's all about celebrating the spirit of the season, about joy and laughter! Right, Leo?"
Leo had just opened his mouth to respond when he was forcefully slammed against the wall, the mage laughing in his face as he stood nose to nose with the General. Celes got Kefka by the arm and pulled him off Leo, and this time he didn't resist.
"I'll show you that I can celebrate Christmas just like everyone else. Oh, and Leo," Kefka added, turning and heading back to his room. "Merry fucking Christmas."
.oOo.
One day faded into the next. And while nearly everyone in the palace had hidden themselves away like the whole place was under sedge, Kefka showed no apparent signs of wanting to go on a murderous rampage through Vector. This created a sense of unease throughout the palace, with everyone on edge waiting for the moment he would strike.
Kefka knew what he was doing, manipulating people by using their fear to his advantage. It thrilled him to no end, watching these fools scatter like roaches the moment he entered the room. How could they celebrate Christmas with the threat of Kefka going off like a nuclear bomb hanging over their heads? The answer was that they couldn't. And knowing that they were miserable when they should be celebrating was enough to brighten Kefka's mood and make him want to sing.
He started bursting into song at random intervals throughout the day, singing his own variety of Christmas songs at the top of his lungs, most of which had some rather disturbing lyrics.
Leo sighed, looking over at Emperor Gestahl as Kefka let fly with his rendition of Jingle Bells for the fourth time that morning. "And you're just going to let him keeping singing?"
"Come now, Christophe. It's not the worst thing he could be doing right now," the Emperor replied, wincing as Kefka's high pitched voice pierced his ears.
Gestahl always had some excuse to let Kefka run wild and do as he pleased. It were as though being mentally incapacitated gave him free reign throughout Vector. And although Leo hated to admit it, the Emperor had a point. He'd rather listen to Kefka's atrocious singing than the dying screams of soldiers that had been slaughtered during one of the mage's violent outbursts.
.oOo.
When Christmas Eve rolled around, Kefka waited until everyone had gone to sleep before putting his plan into action. He'd been waiting weeks for this moment to arrive. And now that the time was right, he would give everyone a Christmas they'd never forget.
He removed the decorations that had been hung up throughout the palace, replacing them with something he deemed more appropriate. The colored lights were replaced with black lights, and the wreaths were replaced with garlands of dead holly that had long since withered and decayed, until every inch of the palace was covered in wilted plants and black, ominous lights. He then took all the festive decorations into the throne room, where he heaped them into a pile on the center of the floor. A blazing ball of fire sprang to life in the palm of his hand, and he hurled it at the pile of decorations, laughing as he watched them go up in flames.
Kefka danced around the flames, his high pitched whooping cackle filling the halls with the sound of his deranged laughter.
"Yes, yes! Destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy! I'll burn everything to the ground. And by the time I'm done, there'll be nothing left to celebrate!"
He spun around when a faint glimmer of light caught his eye, and noticed the ice ornaments Celes had hung on the Christmas tree. There were dozens of beautifully crafted ornaments shaped like animals and Espers, each one shimmering like opals in the firelight.
Kefka walked over to the tree and plucked a miniature Esper off the snow covered branches, turning it over in his hands as he examined the intricate details that covered every inch of the tiny phoenix. Each and every feather stood out in stunning, realistic detail as it spread its wings, its beak open wide as though it were singing a silent song to the heavens.
The phoenix. Its legendary immortality, its magnificent song that was unlike anything else on earth, a song that had touched the hearts of others for centuries, captivating them with its beauty. But Kefka saw things differently. He didn't hear a timeless song of beauty. He heard a voice, screaming like the other voices inside his head. Their ceaseless cries had driven him mad. And as he held the frozen Esper, his hands began to shake as the magic that flowed within his veins came alive, surging through him as his heart pounded hard against his ribs.
He looked at the other Esper-shaped ornaments on the tree, and heard their voices laughing at him. They were mocking him, dancing in the firelight as they dangled from golden threads. And worst of all was that they had been created by someone who didn't hear their voices, who didn't have to listen to their tormented cries night and day.
Kefka threw the tiny phoenix into the fire, hoping to silence its cries as the voices in his head started screaming, a multitude of voices rising up from the blackest recesses of his mind, consuming him as their calls summoned a fire from within. He ripped the ornaments off the tree, breaking branches and destroying everything Celes had worked so hard to create. How could she do this to him? How could she leave reminders of everything he'd been through right under his nose for them to laugh at him?
The laughter was getting louder. Kefka doubled over, clutching his head as his ears rang with the sound of their cruel voices.
"She's better than you..."
"She's never heard us speak..."
"She won't hear you scream..."
"Kill them. Kill them all. Kill...kill...kill...KILL!"
"Damn you, Celes..." Kefka snarled, falling to his hands and knees on the floor, breathless as the ancient flames of deceased Espers ran wild in his veins, making his blood boil as cold sweat dripped from his brow. His muscles twitched and his body ached, every nerve and fiber of his body screaming right along with the voices in his mind. He lifted his head, staring into the dazzling flames, watching them leap and dance, sending golden embers skyward through blackened clouds of smoke. There were voices in the flames too, howls and whispers, calling to him, speaking to him from within the heart of the fire.
These were the souls of Espers that had been trapped in the flames, longing for release. He saw them writhing in the fire, felt them twisting in his mind, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames as he stood mesmerized by the rippling waves of dancing heat. They didn't realize that when he screamed the voice they heard was not his own, that he felt he must scream or else he would surely die, as the Espers' burning claws tore at his throat, fueling the madness and destruction. For this magic was not his own, these words, this rage, none of this was who he used to be. He had been changed into something else. He had been reborn, remade in the image of legendary creatures that weren't meant to be tamed by the hands of man.
He gasped, blinking as the images in the flames began to fade. For a moment he forgot where he was, his body trembling as he collapsed to the floor, gasping and groaning as he struggled to remember how he got there. His thoughts slowly began to clear. He rolled over onto his side, his gaze drifting towards the wrapped packages beneath the Christmas tree. They were just sitting there, waiting to be added to the fire.
Kefka stood up, the corners of his lips turning upwards as his familiar smile returned. "Yes, you will do nicely, I think. Just a little something to add to my holiday bonfire. Pity I forgot to bring some marshmallows. I could have had a nice Christmas roast while watching everyone's gifts go up in flames."
He picked up one of the packages and tossed it onto the fire, followed by another and another. These were gifts for the soldiers from home that their families had sent them. There was also a small assortment of gifts from Leo, Terra and Celes, for the Generals and the half-Esper girl liked to exchange gifts during the holidays. Kefka was just about to throw another package onto the fire when he saw a box with Leo's name on it, and suddenly he had an idea.
He left the fire to burn itself out on the floor, knowing that it was in a place where it wouldn't spread due to the floor being made of steel. He suddenly regretted not starting the fire next to the velvet curtains where it could have done more damage. But no matter. It was too late for that now, and he had a gift to deliver.
The mage ran upstairs, heading towards General Leo's bedroom. When he reached his destination, he threw open the door and leapt on the bed, startling the General as he woke him up out of a sound sleep.
Leo screamed and sat bolt upright in bed. There was Kefka, singing one of his horrid Christmas songs and dancing on the foot of the bed. And as if that wasn't enough, the mage was wearing a red and green cloak that matched the feathers in his hair. He had bells on his ankles, and the red and white stripes on his clothes made him look like an oversized candy cane.
"I must be seeing things," said Leo, blinking and rubbing his eyes. "This can't be happening."
And yet it was. Kefka took a deep breath, and began the second half of his song.
"Wake up.
It's Christmas mourn.
Those loved have long since gone.
The stockings are hung, but who cares?
Preserved for those no longer there.
Six feet beneath me sleep.
Black lights hang from the tree.
Accents of dead holly.
Goddamn ye merry gentlemen."
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Leo, interrupting Kefka's twisted Christmas song.
"I came to wish you a merry Christmas," said Kefka, grinning as he held up a colorful package with Leo's name on it. "I believe this is yours. Looks rather nice, doesn't it?" He gave the package a shake, holding it up to his ear as he listened to the contents rattling around inside. "I think I'd better open it to see what's inside."
"Give it here, Kefka!" Leo grabbed for the package in Kefka's hands, only to have the mage slip past him and go bounding across the room.
Kefka tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a box of assorted chocolates. "I wonder who sent this to you," he said, raising an eyebrow as he looked back at Leo. "You never know, Leo. Someone could try to poison you with this."
"You mean like you did last Christmas?"
"Precisely." Kefka nodded, his ridiculous feathers bobbing. "I wouldn't want you to die before I have the opportunity to kill you. So I'd better eat a couple of these to make sure they're safe." He then ran from the room, laughing as Leo threw the covers off and chased after him.
He ran downstairs and into his bedroom, slamming the door in Leo's face before the General could catch up to him. His back against the door, Kefka opened the lid on the box of chocolates, laughing as he listened to Leo pounding on the door with his fist and demanding that he open the door right now.
The mage poked one of the chocolates with his fingertip, watching as it squished and oozed a pink, syrupy liquid into the box, then brought his fingers to his mouth and licked the syrup off.
"Ooh, cherry!" Kefka said with a smile. He popped the piece of candy in his mouth, then resumed poking and squishing the chocolates. He continued the process of tasting and poking until he'd eaten all the candy he wanted, leaving Leo with the leftovers he'd squashed and spit out once he discovered that they weren't to his liking.
"Here," he said, opening the door and handing Leo the box of half-eaten candy. "You can have these. I don't like coconut, or those ones with jelly in the middle. But I thank you for being so kind and giving me such a wonderful gift. Oh, and before I forget, you may want to see to the fire in the throne room."
Leo's eyes widened, his heart plummeting into the pit of his stomach. Those gifts were from the wives and children whose husbands and fathers were serving in the military. The soldiers had been looking forward to the cards, letters, pictures and presents their families sent them at Christmas. Had Kefka really gone so far as to destroy the few items they received from their families? It was all they had to lift their spirits when they were so far away from home during the holidays.
"Have a merry Christmas, Leo!" Kefka called out as the General turned and bolted down the stairs. "I look forward to celebrating the holidays with you next year."