Final Fantasy VI A Retold Tale

by Draconis678

A world caught in turmoil as a grave error is about to repeat itself. A young man named Kenshin is called from another world for reasons unknown to him. He meets Terra who was under Kefka's control vowing to himself to save her. Follows FFVI Plot Terra/OC

12. Magitek Research Facility

Draconis: Blah.

Kenshin: What?

Draconis: I'm not too thrilled about the next chapter.

Sabin: Huh? Why?

Draconis: Because I've been playing through the game as I've been writing this, and in my idioicy I only took Sabin along with Celes and Locke to Vector.

Kenshin: Aaahhh...

Draconis: Ah fuck it. Let'sa go!

Kenshin: That's Mario.

Draconis: Don't Care! Going!

Final Fantasy VI A Retold Tale.

Chapter 12

Magitek Research Facility.

Draconis: Begin!

(start)

Setzer turned to Kenshin, Celes, Locke and Sabin. "I'll stay here and man the ship. If the Empire comes along I'll just tell them I'm letting the engines cool down."

"Good Idea." Kenshin said. "Alright everybody let's go."

"Wait." Celes said.

Kenshin Sabin and Locke turn to Celes. "What is it?" Locke asks.

"We're coming here to raid the Vectorian Magitek Facility, so obviously we're gonna be bringing company back with us."

"So we were thinking the same thing." Kenshin said narrowing his eyes.

"What?" Sabin asks.

Kenshin turns to Setzer. "If not all of us come back, leave the straggler behind."

"What? !" Locke said grabbing Kenshin's shirt collar. "Are you insane? ! We'd be abandoning them to certain death!"

Kenshin headbutted Locke making him let go. "Watch your tone Treasure Hunter. Neither Celes or I are meaning this as a first priority, it's a last resort." "We're fighting a war here in case you forgot, there will be casualties. I don't like it anymore than you do, but we need to both free the espers trapped in Vector and get an edge on the Vectorians."

"Still though, to risk death?" Sabin asks.

"That's war for you." Kenshin said.

"Alright, I'll give you guys a ten minute window after the first of you arrives." Setzer said. "Now go on."

Kenshin nodded and the group of four left. As soon as they were a distance away from the airship Kenshin looked toward the south seeing the town of Albrook. "Sabin, Locke."

"Yeah?" Sabin said.

"Do you guys need any weapons or armor?" Kenshin asks.

"?" Locke looked himself over, as did Sabin. "I guess we could."

Kenshin fished out a bag of Gil and tossed it over to Locke. "Go into town and grab some stuff." "Celes and I can't go because we're former officers."

Kenshin sat down as Locke and Sabin left for Albrook. Celes turned to Kenshin. "You were talking earlier like you have been through war before." "There hasn't been a war other than the one we're in now and you would still be a greenhorn."

"It's a long story that I really don't feel like going into." Kenshin said with a heavy sigh.

(break)

Hours later.

On the way to Vector.

Sabin and Locke soon returned. Sabin couldn't find anything better than his Fire Knuckle weapon, but he buy a Bard's hat for him, Locke and Celes as well as Mithril vests for him and Locke while Celes got a White Dress.

Kenshin tossed Celes a pair of earrings. "Put these on."

"Are these?" Celes said.

"Yeah, they're relics that increase the power of a mage's magic, white or black. They're more powerful in pairs." Kenshin said.

"Hey do you have anymore?" Locke asks. "Sabin and I could use a boost in that department too."

"We have been grilling you guys in magic yeah, but...Celes is technically our medic, she needs them more." Kenshin said. It was true. Locke hadn't even mastered all of Kirin's magic which he was currently holding. Sabin had mastered Siren and Ramuh's magic and was waiting for either Kirin or Stray to become available. Celes had mastered Bolt and Poison from Ramuh, mastered Siren, learned Muddle and Imp from Stray and was working on Float. She still needed to learn Cure 2 and Regen from Kirin, but was still a better option at medic than the magic newbie Locke at the moment.

"Overall the list of magic experience goes as follows." Kenshin said. "I'm first because I've learned all the magic of these espers already. Healing magic just takes a lot more out of me than offensive because of how I'm geared."

Kenshin then points at Celes. "Neechan is second because she was subject to magical infusion and has been able to use magic for years. She's also mastered all but four spells from the espers we have available." He pointed to Sabin next. "He's mastered two espers completely. He'd be working on another if they were available." He then pointed at Locke. "You chose one of the more difficult of the espers and there for can't have mastered the magics yet." Kenshin looked north and saw Vector's castle coming into view. "Alright. Let's go."

He took out a black hooded jacket with tattered endings at the bottom and put it on. He raised the hood and looked back to Celes. "You sure you're going to be alright without cover?"

"Yeah." Celes nodded.

Kenshin nodded and soon they made it into Vector. He looked around. "Security's lax...there's barely any soldiers around." "I guess Gestahl is increasing security around the castle and leaving the townspeople to fend for themselves...that is if they haven't wised up and left...then again Albrook was in bad shape last time I saw it." Kenshin thought.

"Hey Kenshin." Locke said in a whisper.

"?" Kenshin turned his head to him. "What is it?"

"That old man up ahead is an undercover agent of the Returners." Locke said.

"The shut the hell up." Kenshin whispered. "We can't blow his cover."

Locke nodded and walked up to the old man. They had some words and Locke walked back. "Alright. He said he'll provide a distraction while we sneak into the Magitek Facility."

Kenshin nodded and watched as the old man staggered toward the Facility guards. "Help...Me...! I think...I'm gonna be sick!"

"What the?" "Get the hell outta here old man!" The head guard said.

Kenshin nodded his head and jumped up to the girders over the guards heads while Locke, Sabin and Celes hopped onto a box and ran across the girders with Kenshin taking the lead. The group hopped down after they were well past the guards. "Alright...Celes when was the last time you were in the Magitek research facility?" Kenshin asks.

"Uhm...before I left for South Figaro, why?" Celes asks.

"Then you take the lead." Kenshin said. "I haven't been in there since last year."

"Right." Celes said.

The group made their way through a door and down a flight of stairs. Kenshin scrunched his face up in disgust. "What's up?" Sabin asks.

"I see this place still smells horrid." Kenshin said.

"Kenshin has a better sense of smell than we do." Celes said as they came up to an open tube and a passage way to their left. Celes looks left. "This way." The men nodded and followed her to a pair of short tubes. "Hmm..." She opened the one on the left and crawled in. "Locke. There's a treasure chest on the ledge in the other tube."

"On it." Locke said grabbing the goods. "Hey a Tincture, we could use this."

After Locke came back up they entered the other tube and rode a conveyor belt, at the end they found another chest. "Score! An X-Potion!" Locke said.

"Shh!" Sabin said.

"Oh...right." Locke said sweatdropping.

"Alright children we need to ride this conveyor over to the other side and then go to the next conveyor at the bottom of that passage." Celes said.

"Yes ma'am." Locke and Sabin said. Kenshin shook his head grinning as they did. Locke saw another treasure. "Neat, a sword." He grabbed it's hilt and electricity sparked off it's blade.

"Hm..a blade imbued with electricity, looks like they took more out of Ramuh-San than I thought." Tritoch said.

Kenshin looked over at Locke. "Hand that to Neechan."

"Why don't you take it?" Celes asks trading her blades out.

"I can load a spell into my Kuroi Jigoku." Kenshin said. "I don't need any new weapons."

"That's a lofty claim." Sabin said as the group made their way to the conveyor belt.

"Sweet a remedy." Locke said opening another chest.

"It's a true claim though. The only reason I was using that staff and sword combo was because I got separated from these." Kenshin said tapping his hands on his sword hilts.

They hopped on the conveyor belt and rode it downward. Kenshin looked over finding an unmanned suit of magitek armor. "Hm..."

"What?" Sabin said.

"There's no magic in that thing." Kenshin said.

"They must be shipping it off to have it filled." Celes said. "Taking this conveyor belt will probably lead us to the main hub of the research facility...meaning to the espers."

"Right." Kenshin said. "Locke." He said turning his head.

"Yeah?" Locke said.

"If you wanna comb the area for treasure now is your chance." Kenshin said. "After we jump on this belt, we aren't turning back."

"Right." Locke said. "Sabin you wanna give me a hand?"

"Sure thing." Sabin said.

Thirty minutes passed without incident. Kenshin turned around seeing Locke and Sabin returning. "Did you find any guards?"

"A few...oddly enough they were pretty inept." Locke said. "I finally learned Kirin's last spell."

"Trade with Celes." Kenshin directed.

"Right." Locke said taking his esper and handing it to Celes and she handed hers off to him.

"Alright." Kenshin said. "Sabin you'll have to wait a bit."

"That's fine." Sabin said.

"What else did you find?" Kenshin asks.

"A couple more elemental blades." Locke said taking out a Flame Saber and a Blizzard Sword. "A cape and shield and a tent."

"Alright." Kenshin said hopping on the conveyor belt behind the magitek armor suit. Celes, Sabin and Locke followed suit. When they got off Kenshin immediately pushed everyone behind some boxes.

"What's up?" Locke asks.

"Shh." Kenshin said.

Celes poked her head over the boxes. "...!" "It's Kefka."

Sure enough, the jester like knight was standing across from where they were his back turned. He laughed his haughty, maniacal laugh. "Ah ha ha ha! I'm all powerful! I'm collecting the espers! I'm extracting their magic!" Kefka smirked. "And...I'll defeat that bastard demon once and for all and restore the statues!"

Kenshin narrowed his eyes. "The statues?"

"He couldn't be referring to..." Tritoch muttered.

"What is it?" Ryuushin asks.

"Nothing...I just need to think on it for a bit." Tritoch said.

Kenshin poked his head over the boxes and saw Kefka throw a blue skinned woman with shimmering green hair against the wall before throwing her on a conveyor belt. He saw him do the same to an orgish looking man. "Tch."

"Kenshin those two were espers." Tritoch informed. "They were Ifrit and Shiva."

"The espers of Ice and Fire?" Kenshin thought.

"Alright, he's gone." Locke said. "Let's follow him."

"No wait." Kenshin said.

"What is it now Kenshin?" Celes asks.

"Those two people he just tossed down the shaft, they were espers. Let's go check on them first." Kenshin said.

"Right." Celes said. Sabin nodded in agreement.

"Don't you wanna settle the score with that bastard though Kenshin?" Locke asks.

"Kefka can wait. The espers are more important." Kenshin said walking onto the belt and dropping into the shaft.

Celes and the others followed. Kenshin approached Shiva and pressed his hand to her cheek. "..." "No response."

Locke approached Ifrit. "Hey man, you OK?"

"Rrrgh..." Ifrit growled and lashed out at Locke.

"Whoa? !" Locke shouts backpedaling away from him. "Hey, we're on your side!"

"He's not going to heed that." Tritoch said. "He's in survival mode, you're going to have to..."

"I understand." Kenshin thought charging Ifrit with Shiroi Tengoku drawn, still in it's sheathe.

"Sheathe segments separate!" Kenshin said pointing Shiroi Tengoku at Ifrit.

"?" Ifrit stared at Kenshin as the cloud like segments and pointed up, down, left and right. They all began spinning.

"Load Spell Ice!" "Frozen Wind!" Kenshin said.

"Grrh!" Ifrit grunted in pain as thousands of pellets of ice slammed into his body with a chilling breeze.

"What are you doing Kenshin? !" Sabin said panicked. "We're trying to save the espers!"

"We have to subdue Ifrit! He's not going to heed our words!" Kenshin said.

"Right!" Celes said. She started chanting as Sabin charged the fire beast.

"Aurabolt!" Sabin shouts blasting Ifrit with a beam of concentrated energy.

"Rargh!" Ifrit shouts as an arc of fire whipped Kenshin into a wall.

"Hah!" Kenshin hit the wall and closed his eyes in pain. "He's the esper of flame...that was incredibly powerful..."

Locke extended his hand toward Kenshin. "Cure 2!"

Twinkling green lights flickered over Kenshin who rose back up. "Thanks Locke."

"No problem." Locke said.

Kenshin's eyes widened seeing a figure behind Locke. "Look out!"

"Hu-!" Locke shouts as he was slammed into the ground.

"I sense...a kindred spirit..." Ifrit said.

"Who're...you?" Shiva asks.

A look of realization appeared on the flame beasts face. "That's right...we're...espers..." He visibly relaxed although he was panting heavily. "Hmm..."

"Well Ramuh DID entrust them with his power." Shiva said.

Kenshin approached Shiva. "Are you two alright?"

Shiva sighed. "They drained us of our power completely...we don't have much time."

Kenshin nodded. "Entrust us with your power then." "We're trying to save the espers locked up here."

Shiva laughed softly. "Hm hm...how noble of you all."

Locke went over to Ifrit. "So you're going to end up like the four we got with us?"

"Gestahl grabbed our friends and is draining them of power as well." Ifrit said. "Shiva and I both suffered our turns in one of those blasted tubes." "Yes...we will follow Ramuh's lead and give you our power."

"Thank you." Celes said. "We will make sure it's not abused."

Ifrit and Shiva both turned to magicite and were collected by Kenshin. "Sabin, Ifrit or Shiva?"

"I'll take Ifrit." Sabin said. Kenshin handed it to him.

"I guess I'll hang on to Shiva." Kenshin said. I know Ice, Ice 2 and Cure, but I do not know Rasp or Osmose."

The intrepid group of four walked through the door that was previously blocked by Shiva and made their way up several flights of stairs and walked into a room filled with large containment tubes. "..." Celes and Kenshin looked at the empty tubes with disdain.

"So many innocent esper lives." Sabin said.

"Yeah...It makes me sick." Locke said.

"That makes two of us." Kenshin said.

They walked into the room at the end of the hallway and found their passage blocked by a single man. "Tch." Kenshin said.

"Something wrong?" Locke asks.

"It's a security drone." Celes said.

Kenshin walks forward unsheathing Kuroi Jigoku. "I got this."

The robot turned to Kenshin. "Intrude-!"

"Demon Decapitation!" Kenshin said stepping forward slicing Kuroi Jigoku horizontally and beheading the bot.

"In...tru...der..." It's body fell into a heap.

Kenshin extended his hand. "Fire 2." An Arc of fire melted the robot's body to slag. "Moving on." The group proceeded through the door.

"!" Everyone's eyes widened.

"We're here." Sabin said. "This has to be the main hub."

"You're right." Celes said.

"Hang on!" Locke said. "We'll bust you out!" Locke said running up to the main control panel.

"Locke wait a second! Do you even know what you're doing? !" Kenshin said running up next to him.

"You want to help us...but we haven't long to live...just as Ifrit, Shiva and Ramuh did...we give you our power." A flash of light blinded everyone and when it died down all the espers in containers were magicite.

"What are you doing there?" A voice called out. Kenshin jerked his head over seeing a man in a yellow lab jacket with a matching cap running up to them. "!" He looked around in disbelief. "Wh...What's this? !" He runs around the container tubes. "So, esper magical powers can only be truly transferred when it passes away."

The magicite break from their containers and gather around Kenshin. "..." He extended his hand letting them all gather into his palm. "I see..."

Celes ran up to the man as he approached Kenshin. "Professor Cid"

Cid turned to her. "General Celes! You and General Kenshin, and who are these dubious looking characters? Your troops?"

Celes bowed her head. "No...you see..."

"Is it true that you've come as spies and are seeking to cause an uprising? !" Cid said

Locke and Kenshin turn to Celes. "Neechan...what is he...?"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Kenshin's head jerked over to see Kefka walking up to him. "So that's it...Magicite...Cid you moron! Now then...General Kenshin and General Celes...bring me those magicite immediately!"

Kenshin extended his now transformed hand with an angry glare. A deep red light gathered and condensed in front of his palm. "How about I just turn you to fucking dust instead?"

"Kenshin stop!" Celes shouts forcing his hand down.

"? !" Kenshin stared at Celes in shock.

"Celes! You've been leading us on this whole time? !" Locke said.

"Of course not! Have some faith!" Celes said.

"Gee hee hee! She's tricked you all for so long! Oh Celes that's just like you!" Kefka said.

"Kenshin, there will be another time to destroy him..." Celes said. "Locke, please believe me."

Kefka scowled. "Enough! NOW!"

Two magitek armors rammed Kenshin, Sabin and Locke into the wall. "Urgh!" "Gah!" "Uugh!" Kenshin, Sabin and Locke all exclaimed.

Celes looked back at them. "Kenshin, Locke...let me protect you for once...maybe this will help you believe me."

Kenshin transformed his arms and began pushing against the Magitek armors in front of him. Locke got to his feet and pushed as well. "Celes don't do this!" "You can't take him on alone!" Locke exclaimed.

"Neechan stop! Ggh!" Kenshin grunted. "Kefka's still too strong to be taken on alone!"

"General? ! What are you doing? !" Kefka shouts. "STOP! !"

"WARP! !" Celes shouts as she, Kefka and the two Magiteks disappear.

"CELES! !" Locke shouts.

"...Dammit.." Kenshin said reverting his transformation.

Cid walked over to them. "Oooh...what happened?"

A violent shaking was felt under their feet. "!" Kenshin looked over at Cid. "What's happening."

"This is bad!" Cid said. "That collision just now ruptured the containers!" They're spilling out!"

"What's going to happen? !" Sabin asks.

"I don't know!" Cid said. "Over here quickly!" He said bringing the three to an elevator. They get on and go down. "Kefka...has used me, used the Vectorian Empire itself..." "What have I done...?" "The life force of those espers." He turned away from them. "You've helped me come to a decision. I'm going to talk to the Gestahl and have this stupid war stopped!"

The elevator stopped in a room with an old mine cart. "I've know Celes since she was a baby, I raised her as if she was my own daughter." "But she, like you Kenshin was quartered and forced to become a magitek knight. She was forced to do some awful things as a result." Cid bowed his head in shame. "If I could speak with her again...I'd apologize for how her life turned out."

Kefka's laughter was heard. "Oh no!" Cid shoved Kenshin and the others into the mine cart. "Get moving now!"

Kenshin leaned over the mine cart as it started pulling away. "WHAT ABOUT YOU? !"

"I'll be fine don't worry!" Cid said.

"Kuso..." Kenshin cursed as he Locke and Sabin went speeding along the tracks of an old mine shaft.

"Celes..." Locke said distantly.

"Guys, I don't mean to rail on you for being depressed, but we've got company!" Sabin said.

"!" Kenshin looked out behind them. "Mag Roaders, both strength types and speed types." "They've all probably been reinforced with magic to boot." "Get ready!"

"R-Right!" Locke said.

A red human like creature and a muscled human like creature with wheels for hands and feet charged up to them. "What do we do Kenshin?" Sabin said.

"That's obvious. They're machines so electricity should short them out." Kenshin said. "Locke you'll have to pick up the slack left by Neechan and be the medic alright?"

"Got it." Locke said.

"Sabin you use a spell every now and again, but stick to your blitzes." Kenshin said. "I'll fill the black mage roll."

"Right." Sabin said.

Kenshin started chanting a spell while Sabin readied a blitz. The smaller Mag Roader threw one of it's wheels at Kenshin's head.

"!" Kenshin began moving to dodge when a red Sabin blocked it for him. Kenshin looked over and saw Sabin making clones of fire.

"Fire Dance!" Sabin said flexing his arms out in front of him as the clones struck down the Mag Roaders.

"Nice work Sabin, if that hit me I'd have gotten knocked off this thing!"

"No problem!" Sabin said.

"Hey hey hey! Two more coming in!" Locke said.

"Good." Kenshin said seeing two of the larger purple Mag Roaders rushing in. "Bolt 2!"

Arcs of lightning struck both of them down. "Alright Locke. Sabin and I are gonna have to recharge for a second." "Do what you can."

Locke nodded and turned seeing four speed type Mags bearing down on them. "Damn, don't know any stronger spells." "This will have to do." He chanted quickly. "Bolt!" A bolt of lightning struck one of the Roaders vaporizing it. "Shit!" He said leaning back to avoid a wheel to the face. However he fell backward and fell off the cart. "Help me! !"

"Hang on!" Sabin said diving to grab his hang before Locke lost his grip.

"Don't worry about the rest Locke I got 'em!" Kenshin said jumping onto one Mag Roader, unsheathing Shiroi Tengoku and stabbing it into it's head. He leapt onto another and beheaded it from behind and backflipped back to the mine cart and extended his hand outward. "Evil Dragon Sphere!" A small sphere of red light vaporized the last one.

Locke got back up on the mine cart. "Thanks for picking up my slack man...shit..." He sighed. "Hm?" He peeled his eyes seeing something coming up to them. He then saw that something fire at Kenshin. "HEY KENSHIN LOOK OUT!"

"Huh? !" Kenshin said turning around just in time to get a long dart driven into his shoulder. "Grrruuugh!" He ripped it out of his shoulder and threw it away. "Gruh...shit..."

"Hang on!" Locke said.

Sabin took point as a massive purple beast charged the mine cart. "Kenshin! What is this thing? !"

"That's experiment number 128. Kefka must have sent it after us." Kenshin said clutching at his injury. "If we take it out, we should be home free."

"Right." Sabin leapt forward. "Aura-!"

The beast however had other plans as it batted Sabin back onto the mine cart. "Gah!"

Kenshin placed the magicite he had into his hand. "Shiva, please lend me your power!"

As if on command the magicite glew brightly and Shiva appeared in front of Locke. "Diamond Dust!" She shouted throwing her hand forward as a gale of ice encompassed Experiment 128. She lowered her hand after a minute and extended the other one snapping her fingers. The ice around Experiment 128 shattered.

"Argh!" It roared in pain.

Shiva disappeared. Sabin looked at his magicite and extended it forward. "Come to me! Ifrit!"

The orge like esper appeared and encased himself in fire before charging the experiment and slamming into it. "Flame Bullet! !"

"RROOAHHH!" It howled.

Kenshin watched as it's arms fall off. "We can attack now! Be wary though that thing can cast magic!"

"Right!" Sabin said.

"Cure 2!" Locke said pressing his hand to Kenshin's shoulder.

"Nnngh." Kenshin grunted feeling the flesh beginning to restore itself. "Gah...much better."

"Bolt 2!" Experiment 128 exclaimed pointing at Locke.

Kenshin grabbed Locke by his shirt and pulled out of the way.

"Grah!" Locke shouted.

"What is it?" Kenshin said.

"It got my friggin ankle." Locke said climbing to his feet. "I'll live."

"Good, we can't have you goin down." Kenshin said.

"Right." Locke said.

"Sabin would you like to get us started?" Kenshin asks.

"Kenshin, it would be my genuine pleasure." Sabin said with a smirk.

"Very well, have at it." Kenshin said.

"Right!" Sabin said leaping forward. "Aurabolt!"

The beam of condensed energy hit Experiment 128 dead center. Kenshin followed suit with Kuroi Jigoku unsheathed and swung it, fire spiraling around the blade. "Heavenly Fire Strike!"

"Whoa!" Sabin said as a large arc of flame roared toward the beast, slamming into it. Kenshin turned to Locke and nodded holding up a magicite. Locke nodded back and raised his own. "Bolt Fist!"

Ramuh appeared and pointed his staff upward before swinging it down, a large bolt of lightning finally vaporizing Experiment 128.

"Nice job guys!" Kenshin said.

"Yeah!" Sabin said pumping his fist into the air.

"We aren't out of the woods yet guys." Locke said.

"I know. This thing's gonna come out right in front of the facility." Kenshin said.

Sure enough the group came out at the end of the shaft in front of the Magitek Research Facility. They all bailed out as the mine cart went sailing off the tracks and into a pit. "Whew." Sabin said. "That was close."

"No time for dilly dallying! Move!" Kenshin ordered rushing forward cutting down whomever attempted to get in their way. Sabin and Locke followed suit. Kenshin stopped as Setzer rushed up to him.

"I was starting to worry..." Setzer said. "Wait...where's Celes?"

"..." Locke and Kenshin hung their head and glared off to the side respectively. Setzer nodded getting the point.

"We'll talk about it later, we need to amscray." Setzer said.

"Right." Locke said.

The four rushed out of Vector and up to Setzer's airship which was already airborne. Locke turned to Setzer. "We don't need to over stay our welcome here. Let's kick this thing into overdrive and get the hell out of here!"

Kenshin looked toward Vector hearing some commotion and his eyes shot wide open. "PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"

"Are those cranes? !" Locke shouts.

"Yeah, those things can absorb magic of certain types! Be wary with what you use!" Kenshin said unsheathing his Kuroi Jigoku once more.

"Right." Sabin said turning to the crane on the left. "Bolt 2!"

The spell connected, but no damage was seen. "Shit!" Sabin said. "Don't attack the crane on the left with Bolt spells!"

"Got it!" Kenshin said.

"No Ramuh then? Alright." Locke said.

"Setzer...Setzer what the hell are you doing? !" Sabin shouts seeing Setzer toying around with a miniature slot machine.

"Come on...Come on!" Setzer said. "Ah! Well...I guess three chocobos will do." The slot machine emitted a faint sound and two chocobos rammed the left crane.

"...how did chocobos get up here?" Kenshin thought absently.

"Kenshin look out!" Sabin shouts.

"!" Kenshin ducked under the right crane's swipe and stabbed forward. "Thunder Thrust!"

Oil began leaking from the crane and Locke hopped over him cutting out a few of the wires. "Alright."

Sabin clenched his fists and started a flurry of punches each hitting the left crane denting the metal with each hit. Setzer shook his head as he jumped back dodging another crane swipe. "You are really crazy Sabin, you know that right?"

"I get told that a lot...usually by my brother or Kenshin." Sabin said.

"Heh." Setzer said throwing cards into the base of the crane.

"Cards?" Sabin said with a confused expression.

"Wait for it." Setzer said. The cards suddenly tore through the metal and returned back to Setzer.

Kenshin looked back and forth seeing the two cranes barely holding on. "Sabin!"

"Yeah? !" Sabin asks.

"Remember what I showed you when we left Zozo?" Kenshin said.

"The Iaiken?" Sabin asks.

"Yeah, give it a shot." Kenshin said. "I'll take down the other crane."

"Right." Sabin said sliding his hands into his pockets. Kenshin meanwhile brought out his wings and flew above the right crane.

Locke turned to Setzer. "Get ready to drive!"

"Right!" Setzer said going over to the airship controls.

Sabin took a breath. "Alright...remain calm...and think of swordplay." He brought his hand out and punched forward. What he wasn't expecting was a large pillar of energy to shoot out of his fist and destroy the cannon.

"? !" Kenshin stared wide eyed at the proceeding. "That was like Takamichi's Gousatsu Iaiken!"

"Interesting...he must have been able to do it because he can perform that Aurabolt move." Ryuushin said.

Kenshin shook his head and soared downward slashing his blade downward. "Demon Skull Beheading! !" He shouts as the black nodachi sliced through the crane like butter. He landed on the steel stump where the crane had been and jumped back onto the airship as it sped away from Vector.

"Yo Kenshin!" Setzer said. "Where to?"

"Chart a course for Zozo! It's time we regrouped." Kenshin said.

"On it!" Setzer said directing the Blackjack toward the northwest.

Locke hung his head. Kenshin approached him. "It's Celes ain't it?"

"Yeah...I..wonder if she's alright?" Locke asks.

"I'm sure Neechan is fine." Kenshin said looking up with a grin. "She didn't get to be a general for nothing."

"Yeah, but you were even worried when she took off." Locke pointed out.

"Yeah, I still am, but...I'm choosing to believe in her, rather than worry too much about it." Kenshin said. "You should do the same."

Locke nodded. "Thanks..."

Kenshin nodded and walked toward the edge of the ship. "I hope you're alright, Neechan..." He looked toward the northwest seeing Zozo coming into view. "I'm coming, just wait for me...Terra."

(chapter end)

Draconis: Sorry if this chapter seems dull, the Magitek Factory is pretty straightforward in my opinion.

Kenshin: That security drone that you had me behead was a boss you know that right?

Draconis: Yeah, That would have also put me at three whole fights.

Kenshin: (shrugs) Whatever you say man.

Anyway, next chapter. The Vector infiltration team regroups with the main force. See you then.

Draconis678 out.