DISCLAIMER: Final Fantasy VI and its characters are wholly the properties of Square Enix. This story is written purely for entertainment and not profit.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Before I start, I want to thank all of you who've enjoyed this story enough to read through its entirety. I also want to give special thanks to RandomFFnetUser, WHAT THE BIMPS, and Meeerf aka AllumaNoir for their frequent reviews; your constant feedback provides the added motivation I sometimes need to call on to keep writing.

I don't consider myself a die-hard fan of Final Fantasy VI, but the game itself is so well-rounded that I found myself brainstorming what the characters would be like after the credits had rolled, and thus, this tale was born. Now, twelve chapters later, it's time to conclude it.

Resolutions

Written by daBOSSz

Chapter 12: Epilogue – Continuation

Sunrise over Figaro Castle was a sight that remained enthralling. Terra, who had become a habitual early riser while living in Mobliz due to her responsibilities toward the orphans, now enjoyed many of her mornings by waking up and looking east from her balcony to greet the sun.

Today's sunrise held more significance though. It was once again the Summer Solstice. For the staff at Figaro, that meant it would once again be time for another wedding. For her family, that meant it was time for their annual reunion.

As she watched the sun's rays make their presence known above the horizon, the twenty-nine-year-old former esper gave herself a few moments to contemplate on her own emotions. Five years had passed since the first wedding among their close-knit family when Celes had tied the knot with Locke. Nobody knew it at the time, but the two of them had launched a mini-tradition that now made it seem as though a wedding every Summer Solstice had become mandatory.

One year later, Setzer and Maria married. Everyone was initially shocked at how quickly they had made their decision, but it turned out that Maria was just as much of a risktaker as their gambling airship pilot friend, and jumping the gun into marriage seemed to thrill both of them. At his wedding, Setzer was incessantly ribbed for somehow realizing his original romantic dream, which he wholeheartedly took in both stride and pride.

Two years later, Duane and Katarin finally decided to marry. They originally chose to hold their wedding in Mobliz, but when Edgar reached out and offered Figaro Castle to them, they accepted his offer as a token of gratitude for all of Figaro's aid to their town.

Three years later, Sabin and Lola married. Sabin, who had started training Lola shortly after Celes' and Locke's wedding, had dismissed the idea of pursuing any sort of romantic relationship with her for what seemed like an eternity, drawing on his discipline as a monk to resist what he saw as sinister temptations. However, even he could not resist what was genuine forever, and he finally acknowledged that his heart had developed feelings for the damsel-turned-fighter. Cyan was quick to bless their relationship, even though he still admitted that it was strange to now refer to Sabin as his son-in-law.

Then, last year, Terra married Edgar. Their relationship was unlike any of their friends': they continued to live apart for the first two years, fully devoted solely to their responsibilities while only seeing each other on occasion and maintaining their communication primarily through messages that were mostly delivered by Celes. As the orphans grew older and took on more of the responsibilities to care for themselves, Terra began traveling to Figaro more often, dedicating herself to being the supportive companion that Edgar could not find with other castle staff. In return, Edgar gradually learned to elevate his own role with her above their established friendship and into something more romantic. They were both clumsy and foolish, but just as Terra had initially suggested, they wound up learning together to find what they were missing and needed in each other.

Terra still split her time between Figaro and Mobliz, but she was learning to gradually let the latter go, especially now that several of the children there had entered adulthood. A handful of them were already at the age she was when she originally found herself there as their caretaker, and soon, Mobliz would become a completely self-sustaining town once again.

Now, five years after Celes' and Locke's wedding, the young artist who became the "next" bride that day by virtue of being given Celes' bouquet was finally ready to walk down the aisle herself. It had taken Relm quite some time to rediscover her energetic spirit again after Strago had died; for a few months, she was almost unrecognizable to the rest of the family while she grieved, experiencing the same emotional roller coaster that, according to Gau, had tormented her nonstop after discovering that Shadow was her father. Interceptor's sudden death from a heart attack half a year after Strago's passing certainly did not help either. Thankfully, Gau remained as patient as ever, staying in Thamasa to keep Relm accompanied day and night while enduring through moments that would have pushed most people beyond their limits.

"Why is he so good to me?" Terra remembered Relm asking her once. "What did I ever do to deserve him?"

"Love," was all she could say in response, not knowing what else would fit.

Gau had even moved to Thamasa permanently to watch their home and help tend to the gravesites of their deceased family members, although he still visited the Veldt on occasion to train. Relm repeatedly admitted that she had been blessed by the fact that she and Gau held each other's hearts, and Gau's devotion wound up being the strongest beacon of light that she leaned on through times of unimaginable turmoil.

Neither Terra nor anyone else in the family had doubted in the strength and sincerity of the love that Relm and Gau held toward each other, and the previous five years only continued to fortify the already-sturdy bonds they shared. The untrained eye may have questioned the length of their engagement, but Relm and Gau had always marched to their own beats, and their decision to wait until they were truly ready to marry further illustrated the iconoclasm that the family admired about them.

Terra had learned quite a bit from Relm and Gau about allowing a relationship to evolve at its own pace, and as she looked down at the garment she was wearing—a simple pink robe—she gave herself a slight chuckle. Early on, Edgar had tried to shower her with lavish royal gifts, including a robe dotted with jewelry. It was, as he put it, his desire to treat her like his queen.

"I've been denied this chance for so long," he told her. "Now that I have it, I want to show you how much you mean to me."

While she appreciated his gesture, Terra was never one to take enjoyment in material goods. She urged Edgar to remain true to himself: instead of exorbitantly spending on her, she encouraged him to continue using Figaro's wealth to aid in the ongoing rebuilding of the world.

"I fell in love with you for your altruism, not your lavishness," she reminded him. "Please don't ever forget that."

Edgar never did. Figaro remained an active player in the planet's healing, and five years later, it was still broadly recognized as both the world's most powerful and generous kingdom. In fact, Edgar seemed to have grown more efficient than ever in his governing abilities, so much so that even the most unfortunate of Figaro's subjects displayed a noticeable sense of loyalty to and belief in him. He was so different from Gestahl that, according to his advisors, his staunchest detractors found it difficult to disparage him. Edgar openly welcomed and accepted criticism while never attempting to silence anyone for their honesty.

Publicly, Edgar humbly refused to take credit for the kingdom's accomplishments, always redirecting any praise that came his way toward his castle staff and the people themselves. Privately, Edgar gave Terra much of the credit for helping him become a better ruler.

"You let me be me," he explained to her. "In front of everyone else, I have to consistently maintain my image as King Edgar Roni Figaro. When I return to you, I can just be Edgar. I never had that outlet, and I never realized how much I needed it until you gave it to me."

The feeling was mutual for Terra. Sure, she still had Celes and always would, but it was certainly not exactly the same—nor should it have been—after Celes had gotten married. Since Terra could no longer go to Celes as frequently as before, Edgar had become the one to provide her with the profound companionship she sought. He filled this role so well that, by the time he popped the question, Terra accepted his proposal without a second thought.

Despite technically gaining the title "Her Royal Highness, Queen Terra Branford of Figaro," Terra never used her title in front of others. She had always been a selfless soul and remained so even after marriage, refusing to hold herself above others in any manner. She frequently volunteered her own services in nearby towns that continued to rebuild, and she used what she learned from her time in Mobliz to establish a series of orphanages in towns that needed them, overseeing them herself. Maintaining the high standards that Figaro held itself to had become second nature to her.

Terra smiled thinking about the planet as a whole, a planet that she continued to familiarize herself with every time she journeyed out to aid in its restoration. Although it was still rebuilding and recovering from Kefka's reign of terror, much of it had been healed already thanks to collective valiant efforts. Different varieties of flora had begun growing across a world that could now sustain such life again, and much of the fauna had calmed from the overly aggressive natures that plagued them in the immediate aftermath of the apocalypse. Cities and towns would not revert to exactly the way they were in the past, but none remained as rundown as they had been while Kefka was in control. Even Zozo was seeing noticeable progress, although its less-than-amicable reputation still held strong.

The planet may never return to being the same world of balance, but it definitely could no longer be accurately described as a world of ruin either. With magic permanently gone, it was now widely understood and accepted that humanity itself needed to take the responsibility in finding the balance that magic once provided, and progress would be ongoing for quite some time. Terra, forever grateful that love had given her a second chance, was simply humble enough to play a role in this progress.

While she was modest about her own duties toward the planet, Terra felt great pride in the accomplishments of her family. Similar to the first five years after Kefka's defeat, each member had made noticeable strides in the previous five years as well.

Setzer had found a new home with Maria in Jidoor. He still ran the Falcon Casino aboard his airship, but he expanded his fleet by constructing airships for several other members of the family. It started as a side project between Edgar and him with the King of Figaro supplying his machinist expertise, a project that resulted in Edgar helping to craft an airship of his own that the king aptly named the Returner. It was now Terra's primary mode of transportation.

With Edgar's help, Setzer next provided an airship for M3. The trio toured with the Falcon for a year, but because Setzer could not keep up with the demand for their shows, he decided to construct them their own airship, allowing their pack chocobo to retire for good. Mog named the ship Ramuh after the esper who had taught him how to speak and as a tribute to the role that the espers played in the planet's history, and he, Umaro, and Gogo continued to tour aboard it to this day, still as popular as ever.

Figaro's army was given its own airship separate from the Returner. Setzer and Edgar gifted it to Celes, who named it Del Norte in honor of Cid and now used it to transport both troops and supplies at significantly faster rates to where they were needed, boosting Figaro's prestige even higher. Celes remained the beloved commander of Figaro's forces and had turned her former Gestahlian reputation around completely, now universally venerated wherever she set foot.

Setzer had planned to construct more ships for the other members of the family as well, but the rest declined his generosity, convincing him that they found it unnecessary to own such a massive machine. Sabin, Cyan, and Lola were strong enough to not fear the environment when they traveled. For Locke, whose work was mostly behind the scenes, a gigantic airship would make it impossible for him to remain subtle. Relm was frequently provided transportation by those who commissioned her artwork, and Gau was more in tune with how to traverse the planet than anyone else. Besides, none of the ones who owned airships ever minded giving lifts to anyone else in the family.

Now, once a year on the Summer Solstice, the Falcon, Returner, Ramuh, and Del Norte all simultaneously docked at Figaro castle. The annual sight of the four airships stationed together widened Terra's smile.

"Mama Terra?" a voice called from behind her.

Terra turned around and was met by a yawning ten-year-old boy.

"Morning, Janus. Did you sleep well?" she greeted her godson, receiving a nod in return. "Good. Go ahead and get dressed, then head downstairs to the throne room. See if they need any help getting ready for the wedding."

The young boy did as he was instructed. Janus had become extremely close with Terra during the past five years, taking an interest in almost every one of her responsibilities. He was fascinated by the duties of those on the royal court and traveled with Terra to Figaro routinely to learn more, even partaking in some himself to show that he was useful. Edgar welcomed him every time with open arms, half-seriously suggesting that, as long as Janus continued learning, he might even one day be promoted to an advisory role.

Janus had been the child who had come to symbolize the world's rebirth in the immediate aftermath of Kefka's defeat, and over the years, more additions to their family were to make their way into the world. Terra felt her heartbeat quicken when she looked back at the other two sleeping figures atop the large bed in the room: a three-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl.

Inizio Gabbiani, the boy, was the son of Setzer and Maria, whose parents had also chosen a name to symbolize the renewal of both the planet and the affection that the gambler had rediscovered for the opera star. Like his parents, he seemed to be quite a risktaker, often unafraid to climb atop furniture and jump off.

Adira Figaro, the girl, was the daughter of Sabin and Lola, whose parents specifically chose a name that meant noble and strong. To no one's surprise, she was born heavier than the average baby, and she was already showing signs of strength from how much and how quickly she was routinely consuming.

Needless to say, having been around the orphans for so long, Terra found both great joy and great pride in being able to care for such young lives. Thus, she offered to take the children in whenever the parents paid visits to Figaro Castle.

As if on cue, a knock at the door followed by its slight opening diverted Terra's attention, and she turned to see Celes appear with a child's hand in each of hers.

"Hey, morning," Celes greeted. "Can I ask you to look after the twins while I help set up Relm's dressing room?"

"I'd be glad to," Terra answered, walking forward and taking the boy's and girl's hands from Celes.

"You're the best as always," Celes thanked her and exited the room.

"All right, Beau and Belle," Terra spoke quietly to Celes' and Locke's four-year-old twins so as not to disturb the still-sleeping toddlers. "Let's go see the sunrise."

She guided the enthusiastic siblings back over to the balcony just in time to witness the first part of the sun peek its way over the horizon. As Beau and Belle Cole watched with their wide-eyed smiles, Terra felt each of them place a hand over her abdomen, and for the first time that morning, her attention shifted to the new life now growing inside of her.

In four months, she would be giving birth to the next heir of Figaro, whom Edgar had wholeheartedly agreed to name either Maduin or Madeline after her parents. It was strange to Terra that, in the five months she had been carrying her child, she and the unborn figure had already formed an ironclad bond despite having yet to meet. The other women who had given birth all explained to her that it was yet another aspect of love that defied pure logic.

The sun beamed its light onto her balcony, and Terra closed her eyes and beamed right back at it, realizing that she was still learning lessons about love that had previously eluded her. As if she needed another reminder of the emotion's strength, Beau and Belle gently rubbed their palms over her abdomen and were quickly greeted by her child's soft kicks.

A tear welled up and fell from Terra's eye. A decade ago, she was a lost soul, fortunate to be freed from a lifelong servitude but unable to understand even the most basic qualities of love. As she reflected deeper on her circumstances a decade after the apocalypse, Terra now fully recognized that Kefka had truly failed in his mission. The madman may have broken the world physically, but he could never break its spirit. From humanity's enduring successful rebuild, to the unshakable bonds that her family still held, to the ascent of the orphans she had helped to raise into adulthood, to the newer generation of children her family had blessed upon the world, and finally to the child now growing inside herself, love in all forms had proven that its power was incorruptible by even the most sinister of destructors.

The planet, humanity, and her family would continue to face extraordinary challenges, and perhaps even another Kefka could rise from the ashes one day. Yet the unprecedented strength of love would forever prevail and assure that the cycle of life would always continue.

After all that she had experienced, Terra was certain of this.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Man, oh man, oh man, it feels both exhausting and rewarding to have finished writing this. Since the game started with Terra, I felt it would be fitting to end this story from her perspective as well.

If you're curious about the children's names I came up with…

- "Inizio" is an Italian name meaning "beginning." Since Setzer's surname is Italian, and Maria likely might be Italian as well (the opera lyrics she sings are primarily in Italian), I figured I should give their child an Italian name.

- "Adira" is a Hebrew name meaning "noble and powerful." Sabin is both a noble by his lineage and a physically strong character, so it fits with his child.

- "Beau" and "Belle" are both French names. Celes' surname "Chere" is French, so I assigned her twins alliterating French given names.

As I mentioned in my introductory notes, I initially decided to write this because I thought that the ending to the game was somewhat incomplete and that the characters deserved a more satisfactory conclusion. I can only hope that, twelve chapters later, such a conclusion has been reached.

Well, that's all. As always, I welcome any feedback you may have. Thank you one final time for coming on this journey with me, and I hope I'll see you again in another story!