Chapter 5
"Locke…" Terra said softly then turned confusedly towards Shadow. She couldn't bring herself to blame Shadow completely but also felt a pity for Locke.
"When I found the Returners," he continued harshly, "I told myself I wanted revenge. But I didn't hate the Empire as much as I hated you. The Empire was a mindless killing machine, but what you did, you were responsible for. But then… I met Terra… she seemed so lost and lonely. But when I met Celes, she was like another chance. Another chance for me to…"
"But she's broken away from me too." He said bitterly. "Celes? She no longer needs me. Rachel's dead. And Kefka's dead. You all…" He raised his eyes. "You all are shocked at the way I really am. I have no, no purpose to be here." He ran out of the room. Edgar started after him.
"Leave him." Terra said harshly. "He deserves that much." He went anyway, and Sabin followed him. Ignoring them, she turned to Shadow. "Do you have anything to add to that?" Shadow was silent a moment, considering.
"Yes," he rasped. He reached for his hand and took a small, plain ring off it. "Do you recognize this?"
"That?" Terra stared at it. "That's… that's Relm's ring! The memento ring…"
"A duplicate." He placed it carelessly on the table. "My wife made it for me… and my daughter."
"Relm?"
"Correct."
"Wait… is Strago your father then?"
"Of course not." Shadow snorted. "That doddering old fool was some old man I left the care of my daughter in after my wife was killed, believing she was her grandfather." He paused. "Of course, I'm not quite sure whether she remembers…"
"You mean, you had a wife in Thamasa?"
"Yes. After I… left Baram…Locke behind. I went to Thamasa. I settled there for a while. But my wife was killed… Imperial troops. I guess it all comes back to that, doesn't it? Rachel, you, Celes, my wife…" He shrugged. "Maybe that's why I continued fighting Kefka."
"Where have you been this past year?"
"Oh," he said carelessly. "Hiding from Locke. Actually, I meant to stay in the tower. I didn't want to… run anymore. I just wanted to start over. But I lost my nerve and ran. That's what I always seem to do, isn't it? Lose my nerve and run."
"That's not true. When you fought with us…"
"Oh yes," he said savagely. "When I fought with you. An assassin who has killed his emotions, with no companion except his dog. Who would slit his mama's throat for a nickel."
"We didn't know you then…"
"That's not the point. You were right, I was different then, completely different. Maybe I still am, I'm not sure. But Clyde and Shadow are not the same person."
"Oh," she said. "So Clyde left his daughter behind in the hands of her 'grandfather' for no good reason, but Shadow wouldn't?"
"What do you know about Clyde or Shadow." Now he was angry.
"I know a lot, in case you were wondering. It shows, goddammit."
"Not always."
"I don't care. You shouldn't have left Relm behind like that."
"How has it hurt Relm, not knowing she has a fucked up father like this?" He demanded.
"Fucked up or not, it's the truth."
"Sometimes lies are better than the truth." Terra turned her back on him and snapped at a guard,
"Get me a carrier pigeon, and everything else necessary for a letter to the Falcon, Setzer's airship. Now."
Shadow lay back. "I don't care. I was going to tell her eventually, you know." Terra ignored him and waited for the guard to return. He hurried back with her requested materials, and Terra began her letter.
Setzer,
This is Terra. I have just discovered some amazing news about Locke and Shadow, along with Edgar and Sabin. We are in Figaro but we have pressing news for Relm Arrowny and her 'grandfather' (I will explain) Strago Magus in Thamasa. Please go pick them up. Tell them it's URGENT. And they might end up staying a while, so tell them to pack for a slightly long visit. I would like her to meet Shadow personally to receive this news. Shadow is her father, Setzer. Her FATHER. He's kept it a secret with his mask, of course. But don't tell her yet. About Locke… it will take too long to explain, but Locke has a grudge on Shadow. Sabin initially found them trying to kill each other. Oh, and pick up Celes as well. She's in Kohlingen. She may help with the whole Locke mess. Who knows. Please hurry.
Terra
She folded it twice and placed it in an envelope, then lifted the bottle of hot wax and dripped it slowly onto the tip of the fold at the top of the envelope. When it formed a small pool, she stamped her ring into it to create her seal. Every one of them had a ring which to seal letters, hand crafted at Narshe, with which to seal letters to indicate who it was for urgent or pressing news. Then she hooked it onto the carrier pigeon and showed it a picture of the airship twice, then lifted it and gently threw it out the window. It flapped its wings twice and few out into the horizon. Terra watched it for a moment, then turned around.
