1 A/N: Nope, I still don't own 'em.
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5 Chapter 2
Terra shut the door gently on her way out of the former general's quarters. She was careful not to disturb the rest of the group, who were either resting peacefully (or not so peacefully) or on watch. She quickly shuffled through the casino-like interior of the world's only known airship, more affectionately known as Blackjack.
Well, this is it, Terra thought. The Empire's finest warrior, right here among us. He would be a fool to try to return to the Empire and Gestahl. Surely he knows that. After all, Celes saw the light, as did I…
"You're up late."
Startled, Terra looked around to see who had broken up her thoughts. Her eyes fixated on the only other person in the room: Edgar, king of Figaro.
Edgar was one of the good ones, Terra had decided. A self-proclaimed ladies' man, he had done little more than get on Terra's nerves when they had first met. However, she had found that beneath the regal exterior that he did his best to put forward lay a true gentleman, a real friend, and a heart of gold.
Edgar smiled, rose from the table he was sitting at, stepped over to the next seat and pulled it out, indicating to Terra with a quick gesture of his hand that he wished for her to sit down.
Without saying a word, Terra returned the smile, walked over to the seat, and sat down, crossing her legs in a ladylike fashion.
Upon sitting down, Edgar leaned back in his chair and cast a furtive glance at the quarters that Terra had just exited. He wasted no time in saying what was on his mind.
"So, how is he?"
"He'll be okay," said Terra. "He's awake now, and more than a little confused. But I think that once he sorts everything out that's cluttering his head, he'll be just fine."
Edgar nodded. He leaned forward, folding his hands on the table.
"So, how did he react to the fact that he was betrayed?"
Terra looked Edgar in the eye, piercing him with her gaze.
"How would you feel if the only man you respected, the only man whose cause you believe in, and the man who practically raised you turned his back on you because he gave in to some foolish, selfish desire?" Terra asked. "How would you feel if you had everything ripped from you because you dared to have morals?"
Tears started welling up in Terra's eyes, and she turned away from Edgar.
"He didn't deserve that, Edgar," she sobbed. "A tender and noble man like that, tossed aside by Gestahl because he no longer fit the mold that the emperor had made for him."
Edgar stood up and put a gentle hand on Terra's shoulder.
"Terra, it's not his fault," Edgar said. "Everyone knows that Gestahl is corrupt; it just took him longer to realize it. If anything, you have Kefka to thank for part of that. Personally, I'm starting to think that a lot of what's happened to us wouldn't have happened if Kefka wouldn't have been made a general."
"And now he and Gestahl have the Statues," Terra said with a sigh. "I don't know what we're going to be able to do in order to stop them."
Edgar frowned. "Please don't be so despondent, Terra. It doesn't suit your beauty to see you so down like that."
"I…I just don't know what we're going to do," said Terra. Then her face brightened slightly. "What about Celes? Does she have any ideas?"
"Celes…" Edgar started.
"…has her own problems to consider right now."
Startled, Edgar and Terra looked up to see Locke standing outside a doorway.
"Locke!" cried Terra. "How is Celes? Is she okay?"
Locke scowled in the direction of the room he just exited. "She'll be a lot better after she's had some time to herself. My presence isn't helping matters any."
Terra looked puzzled. "Why is that?"
Locke frowned. "Let's just say that she still hasn't forgotten what happened at the Magitek Factory. She may have forgiven me, but she certainly hasn't forgotten."
With that remark, Locke shuffled down the hallway, entered an empty chamber, and slammed the door behind him.
Edgar looked at Terra. "Well, it looks as though we'll have to find some other way to devise a plan."
Terra nodded thoughtfully, and then looked thoughtfully at the chamber at the very end of the hall.
"He'll come around, won't he?" Terra asked. "I mean, if it's for the good of the world, if it gives him a reason to fight, won't he help us?"
"Time can only tell," Edgar said. "Leave him alone for now; he's already got more than he can handle at this point."
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5 Chapter 2
Terra shut the door gently on her way out of the former general's quarters. She was careful not to disturb the rest of the group, who were either resting peacefully (or not so peacefully) or on watch. She quickly shuffled through the casino-like interior of the world's only known airship, more affectionately known as Blackjack.
Well, this is it, Terra thought. The Empire's finest warrior, right here among us. He would be a fool to try to return to the Empire and Gestahl. Surely he knows that. After all, Celes saw the light, as did I…
"You're up late."
Startled, Terra looked around to see who had broken up her thoughts. Her eyes fixated on the only other person in the room: Edgar, king of Figaro.
Edgar was one of the good ones, Terra had decided. A self-proclaimed ladies' man, he had done little more than get on Terra's nerves when they had first met. However, she had found that beneath the regal exterior that he did his best to put forward lay a true gentleman, a real friend, and a heart of gold.
Edgar smiled, rose from the table he was sitting at, stepped over to the next seat and pulled it out, indicating to Terra with a quick gesture of his hand that he wished for her to sit down.
Without saying a word, Terra returned the smile, walked over to the seat, and sat down, crossing her legs in a ladylike fashion.
Upon sitting down, Edgar leaned back in his chair and cast a furtive glance at the quarters that Terra had just exited. He wasted no time in saying what was on his mind.
"So, how is he?"
"He'll be okay," said Terra. "He's awake now, and more than a little confused. But I think that once he sorts everything out that's cluttering his head, he'll be just fine."
Edgar nodded. He leaned forward, folding his hands on the table.
"So, how did he react to the fact that he was betrayed?"
Terra looked Edgar in the eye, piercing him with her gaze.
"How would you feel if the only man you respected, the only man whose cause you believe in, and the man who practically raised you turned his back on you because he gave in to some foolish, selfish desire?" Terra asked. "How would you feel if you had everything ripped from you because you dared to have morals?"
Tears started welling up in Terra's eyes, and she turned away from Edgar.
"He didn't deserve that, Edgar," she sobbed. "A tender and noble man like that, tossed aside by Gestahl because he no longer fit the mold that the emperor had made for him."
Edgar stood up and put a gentle hand on Terra's shoulder.
"Terra, it's not his fault," Edgar said. "Everyone knows that Gestahl is corrupt; it just took him longer to realize it. If anything, you have Kefka to thank for part of that. Personally, I'm starting to think that a lot of what's happened to us wouldn't have happened if Kefka wouldn't have been made a general."
"And now he and Gestahl have the Statues," Terra said with a sigh. "I don't know what we're going to be able to do in order to stop them."
Edgar frowned. "Please don't be so despondent, Terra. It doesn't suit your beauty to see you so down like that."
"I…I just don't know what we're going to do," said Terra. Then her face brightened slightly. "What about Celes? Does she have any ideas?"
"Celes…" Edgar started.
"…has her own problems to consider right now."
Startled, Edgar and Terra looked up to see Locke standing outside a doorway.
"Locke!" cried Terra. "How is Celes? Is she okay?"
Locke scowled in the direction of the room he just exited. "She'll be a lot better after she's had some time to herself. My presence isn't helping matters any."
Terra looked puzzled. "Why is that?"
Locke frowned. "Let's just say that she still hasn't forgotten what happened at the Magitek Factory. She may have forgiven me, but she certainly hasn't forgotten."
With that remark, Locke shuffled down the hallway, entered an empty chamber, and slammed the door behind him.
Edgar looked at Terra. "Well, it looks as though we'll have to find some other way to devise a plan."
Terra nodded thoughtfully, and then looked thoughtfully at the chamber at the very end of the hall.
"He'll come around, won't he?" Terra asked. "I mean, if it's for the good of the world, if it gives him a reason to fight, won't he help us?"
"Time can only tell," Edgar said. "Leave him alone for now; he's already got more than he can handle at this point."