CHAPTER 23
WAR OF THE HEART
It was about 4:00 in the afternoon when Ramza and his friends came within view of Zeltennia and its castle. It was beginning to grow dark and a light snow was falling with an accompanying chilly breeze. Ramza's face tickled when a snowflake landed on it.
"Well, there it is..." Alma said.
"Zeltennia, the new center of Ivalice," Orlandu said. "Our quest will end when we finish here."
"Delita's goin' down, and then we're goin' home," Seifer mused.
"Captain Flite and Maverick are off recruiting other fighters," Agrias said. "We should get in there and keep them busy until he gets here."
"And... we have to safe Rafa," Malak finished.
"Cinna was killed by Delita..." Meliadoul growled. "I have to avenge him..."
"So, are we all going in?" Cloud asked.
"If you guys want to quit now, I won't stop you," Ramza said to his friends. "This battle doesn't concern a lot of you."
"So what?" Ayla asked. "Ayla stop bad man! No run away!"
"Dunno why I'm still with you," Amarant said, "but I'm comin' along."
"I want to go home, but I understand what's at stake," Celes said. "I'll see this battle to the end."
"Ramza help Gau! Gau help Ramza now!" Gau yipped.
"You kept Cloud safe," Tifa said. "It's time for me to pay back the debt!"
"We're hired hands," Celia said. "We're comin' because we're being payed to."
"Speak for yourself," Lede said. "I'm gonna help Ramza! ('Cuz then I can get the stones and get my very own Rammy-wammy... hee hee hee!)"
"And the rest of us are just the same as we were before," Mustadio said. "C'mon, Ramza, let's go!"
"Thanks, guys," Ramza said. "Now, let's get over there and stop Delita!"
"Oh, you want to stop me, eh?" Delita's voice asked suddenly.
"Huh?!" Agrias snarled as she whipped out her sword.
"D-Delita?" Ovelia asked.
"I'm right here, my fraudulent Queen," Delita chortled as he materialized in front of the party.
"Delita..." Ramza said.
"So, this is Delita?" Tifa asked.
"Yeah," Cloud said as he protectively grabbed her arm with one hand and his sword with the other. "What do you want, Delita?"
"Where's Rafa?!" Malak huffed. "Give her back, you!!!"
"Ah, you mean my new bride-to-be," Delita chortled. "Let me assure you that she's just fine..."
"Bride-to-be?..." Ramza asked.
"A king has to have a queen..." Delita elaborated. "And since the one I had before is no longer living..."
"You're wrong, Delita!" Ovelia said. "I'm right here!"
"Shut up, you fake!" Delita snapped. "Gideon's told me all about your little plot to take over Ivalice."
"Plot? Gideon?" Ovelia asked. "...What're you talking about?"
"Scum like you do not deserve life," Everhart said. "Return the girl. Now."
"Hmmph," Delita fumed. "You want her back? Come to the ruins of the old church on the outskirts of town. Rafa'll be waiting for you there."
"The old church?" Ovelia gasped. "That's... That's where he killed me..."
"Come along, Ramza," Delita said as he flashed his former friend a cold grin. "...Or would you rather I take her off your hands?..."
"Grrrrr..." Malak growled. "You're a dead man, Delita! Do you hear me?! DEAD!!!"
"Oh, I'm soooo scared," Delita mused. "Come alone, Ramza, or else!" With that, he vanished.
"Ooooh, that guy makes me SO mad!!!" Rad growled. "How'd you make friends with a jerk like him?!"
"..." Ramza said.
"Go and save Rafa, Ramza," Ovelia said. "You have to. If we don't, imagine what Delita will do with her next."
"...Yes," Ramza said. "I have to save her. Delita told me to go alone, so I will..."
"Do you think he'll be fair?" Mustadio asked.
"He's tricked us enough before," Meliadoul grumbled. "We should all go anyway."
"But if we all go, he may hurt Rafa," Reis pointed out. "We can't let that happen."
"I guess we'll just have to let Ramza handle this alone this time," Beowulf sighed. "Sorry, Ramza."
"It's OK," Ramza said. "You guys are great friends anyway."
"The ruins are to the east of here," Orlandu pointed out. "Good luck, Ramza."
Everyone else wished Ramza luck as he turned and headed east.
"Well, there he goes..." Alicia sighed.
"Off to save his love from that slimeball..." Lavian agreed.
"It's so romantic, isn't it?" Lede asked.
"If you mean Edgar Allen Poe-style romantic, then yes," Alma said. "This has 'disaster' written all over it."
"Ramza may not win," Everhart said.
"What?" Cloud asked. "How are you so sure?"
"This is one battle where his heart will decide his fate," Everhart said. "Unless he realizes that he must defeat Rafa to rescue her, he won't survive."
"...Ramza..." Ovelia said quietly.
Ramza ran through the light snow towards a ruined stone structure. His mind was racing. "Delita... Why are you doing this?" he asked. "What did Rafa ever do to you? Why do you want to ruin her? Will I be able to fight her?..."
Ramza entered the church ruins and looked around. They were empty, save the newfallen snow and old moss-covered stones. "Delita, where are you?" Ramza called.
"Well, you got here fast," Delita mused as Law, Silas, Adela, Rafa and he appeared at the church entrance. "Your speed is commendable."
"Heh, nice to see you again, Ranma," Law chortled. "I didn't think you had the guts to show up."
"My name's RAMZA!!!" Ramza huffed at Law.
"Pshhh. Touchy," Law snorted.
"So, Ramza..." Delita mused as he put his arm over Rafa's shoulder. "I'm assuming that this is what you came for?"
"Delita... let her go," Ramza said.
"Oh, but why?" Delita asked. "I can see why you fell for her... She's a real piece of work. In fact, I'm planning on wedding her as soon as I get rid of you..." Delita slowly ran his tongue up Rafa's cheek in hopes of getting the blonde Beoulve angry.
Ramza didn't flinch. "You don't know the real Rafa, Delita," he said. "She's a kind, sweet, caring person, but you can't see it. Why are you doing this to Rafa, anyway?"
"Why?" Delita asked. "Because she's yours."
"..." Ramza said.
"Oooh, boy," Law cackled. "I think you've got him PO'd now, D."
"Well... The time for talk has passed," Delita chuckled. "Rafa, my darling, kill Ramza."
Rafa stepped forward and pulled a spherical pink stone from her pocket. She held it in front of her with both hands and closed her eyes.
"Heh heh heh..." Delita chuckled. "She possesses the Chrono Stone of Love. How ironic, eh, Ramza?"
"A Cativo..." Ramza growled. "I'm fighting a Cativo... Rafa is inside, but the Cativo is the enemy..."
"What's he doing?" Adela asked.
"He's telling himself what he's really fighting," Silas said. "He doesn't want his emotions to interfere with his fighting skills... It's pretty smart, actually."
"Silas..." Adela said.
"...This will be an interesting battle," Silas said.
"..." Rafa said as she raised the stone above her head. A bright flash lit up the ruins and briefly blinded everyone. When the light faded, A huge, pink, winged, faceless machine-like creature was floating where Rafa had been.
"Cativo..." Ramza growled as he readied his Chaos Blade. "I will defeat you!"
"My name... is Heart, Cativo of Love," the creature said in Rafa's voice. "I shall destroy you in the name of the Bloody Angel."
"Go, Rafa! Destroy him!!!" Delita laughed maniacally.
Heart floated forward slowly, releasing a swarm of little heart-shaped bats as she moved. The bats flew down and tried to latch onto Ramza, but he swung his sword and quickly destroyed them. He then lunged at Heart and stabbed. The Chaos Blade bounced off Heart's skin and sent Ramza flying backwards into a wall.
"Aggh!" Ramza yelped as he collided with the stone.
"Woah," Law mused. "That thing's stronger than it looks."
"Yergh..." Ramza growled. "That thing HAS to has a weakness... C'mon, Rafa, help me out here like Meliadoul did... Help me help you... Please!..."
Meanwhile, deep in Heart's consciousness, Rafa huddled with her arms arouns her knees and stared ahead. She was in the deepest state of depression known to mankind. "I'm done for..." she said. "My whole life has been a nightmare..."
She looked upwards with sad eyes. "Our village burned down and I spent three awful months living off the ruins with Malak before that horrible orphanage caught us... and the Barinten adopted us. I thought he was a kind and caring man, but all he wanted was our powers... and then... he... he..." She shuddered as she remembered what Barinten had done to her.
"..." Rafa said before continuing. "Then I found out what his reall intentions were and tried to flee, but my brother tried to stop me... and ever since then I've been fighting horrible battles to stop a creature that most of this country worships... And now Delita has done what Barinten did to me, but he's ripped away my body, too..."
Rafa sniffled and shook her head. "It's pointless..." she sighed. "My life has no meaning. What am I fighting for? What have I got to live for?"
Rafa started to sob. "I'm totally useless..." she cried. "There's nothing left for me..."
"Rafa..." a voice whispered.
"Hmm?" Rafa asked as she looked around with teary eyes. "Who's... who's there?"
"Rafa..." the voice whispered again.
"That voice..." Rafa said as she listened. "It's so familiar..."
"Rafa..." the voice whispered a third time. "Help me help you, please!..."
"...Ramza?" Rafa asked after a moment. "Ramza, is that you?..."
"Come on, Rafa, help me out here," Ramza said.
"You... You're here?" Rafa asked. "You're really here?! But that means... That means you're fighting the Cativo inside of me... The thing that I have no control over... I'm so sorry, Ramza... I can't... do anything... to help you..."
"Arrrgh!" Ramza yelled as he flipped backwards to dodge the strong punch that Heart had thrown at him. He held up his Chaos Blade and blocked a second punch, but the impact threw him backwards into the snow.
"Ha! Give it up, Ramza," Law chortled. "Delita's messed her up so bad she practically isn't there!"
"Oh, come now," Delita growled. "I was just having fun."
"I know you're in there, Rafa," Ramza said. "We can beat this thing together!... We- Aaaah!"
Ramza yelped as Heart flapped its wings and blew him backwards again. Its right arm suddenly shape-shifted into a huge gun-like object and aimed at Ramza.
"...Uh-oh," Ramza gulped.
The gun pulsed with a vibrant, pink light and fired a huge laser beam. Ramza was blown into the wall behind him and left a huge imprint. "Aaagghhhh..." he grunted as he forced himself out of the wall. "Rafa, please..." he wheezed.
"Oh..." Rafa cried as she shook her head and put her face in her hands. "This thing that's using my body is pummeling Ramza, and there's nothing I can do!... I can only watch and cry..."
"Rafa... help..." Ramza's voice whispered from around her.
"I can't! I can't!" Rafa screamed. "I just can't..."
"That's right, Rafa, you can't," Delita's voice came from another direction. "You're nothing but a toy for me to play with."
"It's true..." Rafa sobbed. "I'm not even worth leaving alive..."
"Rafa, come on," Ramza growled as he rolled away from another punch. "You're in there somewhere! I KNOW you can hear me!"
"Forget it, Ranma!" Law cackled. "She's as good as dead!"
"You will fall to the servants of Ajora..." Heart said as it hovered towards Ramza with its gun charging.
"Rafa doesn't listen to anyone but me," Delita said. "She's my beautiful little puppet."
"You can't treat people like toys!" Ramza objected. "Rafa's a human being, just like you and me!"
"Nobles were meant to use commoners!" Delita gloated. "And since I'm in control and you and Rafa aren't, I'm perfectly justified!"
"Urrrgh..." Ramza growled. "This 'nobles against commoners' thing has gone on long enough!"
"Perish," Heart said as it fired its cannon again. Ramza went flying into a snowdrift with an agonized yell.
"Aaaarrrrghhhh!!!" Ramza cried as he crashed into the cold mound. "...Rafa, please, you have to fight this thing! You said that you never wanted to hurt anybody!"
"No..." Rafa said as she listened. "I never did want to hurt anybody... But what can I do?..."
"Rafa..." Ramza's voice whispered. "Please... stop... I... you're hurting me..."
"I... am?!..." Rafa asked. "I'm... hurting you?! But... But I don't want you to be hurt! I don't want Ramza hurt! I DON'T WANT RAMZA HURT!!!"
As Rafa cried out these words, the dark void around her seemed to brighten. "I don't want to see Ramza or Malak or any of them hurt!" she now yelled. "They protected me... I want to protect them, too! Ramza, don't worry, I'm gonna protect you!!!"
"...Hey, what's happening?" Law asked as he eyed Heart. "That big lug seems to be slowing down..."
"Eh?" Delita asked as his smirk became a frown. "What's happening?"
Heart WAS slowing down. Its body drooped and its head slumped as it dropped a bit closer to the ground. Ramza eyed the beast and cracked a smile. "Thanks, Rafa," he said. "HYAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Ramza lunged forward and swung his Chaos Blade. Instead of bouncing off the monster's surface, the blade now penetrated and tore a huge gash.
"Arrrrrggh..." Heart groaned.
"I'll get you out of there, Rafa!" Ramza declared as he slashed again. "Everyone's waiting for you... I'll free you and then we can stop Delita!"
"You shall not defeat me," Heart said. "I am the mightiest Cativo..."
"Tell that to Rafa!" Ramza retorted. "SPEED BREAK!!!"
Ramza leaped up and stabbed one of Heart's wings. It grunted in pain and started to waver in the air.
"What?! He's WINNING?!" Delita yelled.
"What made you think Rafa would win when all the others couldn't?" Law snorted.
"I can't believe it..." Adela said. "He's fighting that thing even though it's got his lover inside it..."
"Her spirit is fighting the creature just as hard as he is," Silas explained. "Why else can its body be damaged now?"
"Hmmm..." Adela said. "This Ramza fellow... He fights very valiantly."
"He's a lot more valiant than other people..." Silas muttered.
"..." Adela replied.
"You will not win..." Heart groaned, still using Rafa's voice. Its entire body began to glow with a bright purple light.
"Eh?! What's that?!" Ramza gulped.
"PASSION PLASMA!!!" Heart roared as it fired a two-shot purple laser. Ramza went crashing through the wall behind him and collapsed into the rubble.
"G'aaaagghhhh..." he groaned as he forced himself to sit up. "That must be its ultimate attack..."
"Now to end this..." Heart said as it floated over and prepared to launch another attack.
"Heh heh heh... Ramza's gone now..." Delita cackled.
"Hmmph," Law snorted. "I could've done it too."
"That last attack almost got him..." Rafa cried. "This one will kill him if I don't do something! OK... Focus... Focus... I am... still... in control of my body..." She dribbled tears of effort as she strained against the Cativo's influence. "I won't be controlled!... I won't be controlled! I WON'T BE CONTROLLED!!!" she screamed.
"Uh... Law?" Adela asked.
"Yeah, what is it?" Law asked.
Adela pointed. Law looked up and gulped. Heart had whipped around and was targeting Delita and the rest of them with its attack. "Uh-oh..." Law said.
"PASSION PLASMA!!!" Heart roared as it fired its weapon again. All four of the enemies were blown backwards and another section of the church collapsed.
"Gyaaaaggh!!!" Delita yelled. "That does it! I'm out of here! You want a piece of me, Ramza? Come to Zeltennia Castle! I'll be waiting!
Delita and the others disappeared, leaving Ramza with Heart.
"OK... Time to finish this," Ramza said as he ran up and thrust his Chaos Blade into Heart's back. The horrific entity screamed, exploded and sent a blinding shockwave through the ruins.
"Aaaaagghhhh!!!" Ramza yelled as he was thrown back again. This time he landed in a soft snowdrift and didn't take any damage.
The light cleared from the ruins and Ramza looked up. Standing in the middle of the ruins with her eyes closed and clutching a pink stone in her hand was Rafa.
"...Rafa?" Ramza asked.
Rafa's eyes fluttered open and she looked at Ramza. "Ramza... You did it," she said.
"No, Rafa," Ramza said. "WE did it."
"Mmm-hmm," Rafa said as she smiled.
There was a pause, and then Ramza thrust his arms out.
Happy tears spilled out from Rafa's eyes as she cracked a huge smile. "RAMZA!!!" she cried happily as she threw herself on him.
"Rafa..." Ramza said lovingly as he closed the embrace and ran his hands up and down her back. "I'm so happy..."
"Thank you... Thank you..." Rafa sniffled as she rubbed her eyes in Ramza's shirt.
"It's OK now..." Ramza said. "I'm here for you... I'll never leave you again..."
"Mmmm..." Rafa hummed as she squeezed Ramza with all her might.
"Come on, then," Ramza said as they broke the hug. "Everyone's waiting for us!"
"All right!" Rafa said as she smiled again. "Malak and Meliadoul and Cloud and everyone?"
"Yep," Ramza said. "Everyone."
"This is the happiest day of my life..." Rafa cooed as she hugged Ramza again.
"Well, dinner's almost ready..." Agrias said as she flipped some bacon in her frying pan.
"Someone's coming from the east!" Rad announced.
"Hmm?" Seifer asked. "Hey... It's Ramza! And he's got another hot chick with him!"
"What?" Malak asked. "Rafa!!!"
"He did it..." Alma said. "He's wonderful..."
"Indeed," Everhart agreed. "With his battle skills and compassionate heart, he very well could be the mightiest warrior alive."
"Ramza!" Olan called. "Hey! You did it!!!"
Ramza was walking towards the group carrying Rafa, who had her arms thrown around his neck. Both of them were smiling brightly.
"Hey, guys," Ramza said as he set Rafa down. "Looks like the gang's all here now."
"Rafa!!!" Malak cried as he hugged his sister tightly.
"Malak..." Rafa replied as she returned the hug. "I'm so glad..." She then broke the hug and looked around. "Hmmm... It looks like you've met some new friends, Ramza..."
Ayla, Celes, Gau, Amarant, Seifer, Everhart and Tifa all introduced themselves, and Celia and Lede explained why they were travelling with Ramza.
"Wow, you've practically got an army here," Rafa said.
"We'll need one to stop Delita," Agrias snorted. "Thankfully, Captain Flite's off recruiting folks right now."
"All the Chrono Stones have been collected," Everhart said. "Ramza, may I see the last one?"
"Of course, Everhart," Ramza said as he took the stone out of his pocket.
"Uh, Ramza," Cloud said. "Can I have a word with you?"
Cloud took Ramza off to the side where Everhart couldn't hear him. "Ramza, are you sure giving him those stones is a good idea?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Ramza asked.
"You're giving powerful stones to a man we know almost nothing about," Cloud said. "That sounds a bit... not wise... to me."
"But he's saved us from countless dangers," Ramza argued. "I think he's trustworthy."
Cloud frowned. "...If you say so..." he said. "Still... I'm keeping an eye on him."
"You do that," Ramza said. "OK, then..."
Ramza walked over to Everhart and handed him the Love Stone. "Here you go, Everhart," he said.
"Thank you," Everhart replied. He strained, glowed pink and handed the stone back. "Ahh... Now I have all my powers back," he said.
"You do?" Alma asked. "That's wonderful!"
"Yeah, you'll be a big help whompin' Delita's ass," Seifer chuckled.
"All right!" Ramza said. "After dinner, we take the battle to Delita!"
"Why can't we wait until morning?" Celes asked.
"Because big enemy showdowns always happen at night," Tifa said. "Didn't that happen on your adventure?"
"We fought Kefka at sunset," Celes said. "...Or was it sunrise? Well, whatever the case, it wasn't at night."
"...Oh," Tifa replied.
"Yes... We have to stop Delita, whatever it takes," Ovelia said.
"Right," Mustadio said. "But first... Agrias, bring on the grub!"
"Ahhh, I got your grub right here!!!" Agrias snapped as she threw a frying pan at Mustadio. He ducked and it hit Worker No.8 instead.
"Warning. Warning. Danger Ramza Beoulve," Worker No.8 beeped.
Rafa laughed. "Same old gang," she said.
"Eat up, guys," Ramza said. "It's time to pay a call on Delita!"
