Chapter Eighteen- The Kidnapper, Gambler, and Pilot Extraordinaire Setzer

"Locke, do you really think that this Setzer will be willing to take us to Vector?" Edgar questioned worriedly. Locke looked away from the elegant Opera House in front of them and nodded seriously.

"Yes! I am positive that we will find a way on his ship...honest or not, hee hee..."

"Oh dear." Cyan moaned. "Sir Locke..."

"Sounds like a plan!" Edgar grinned, and looked the Opera House up and down himself. It was a magnificent piece of architecture, several stories high, completely built up with a pale white stone that was fashioned into the shape of bricks for building purposes. The white stone almost seemed to glow in the silvery moonlight that reflected off of it from the sky. The roof was a soft blue color, a shade lighter then the blue shutters that framed each of the windows that were in the house. Freshly polished golden candle-holders were installed at the doors and the windows as well, illuminating the front of the building with the long ivory candle sticks that were placed within them, each one burning brightly. The pair of doors at the entrance were so large, it looked as if it would take a group of people just to pull one open. Each door had a golden door- knocker in the shape of a rose, and matching door handles. The door handles were curvy and elegant--the matching rose design came in on the handle itself, for it looked as if a golden rose stem (minus the thorns) had been weaved around it, the blossom resting at the top of the plate that held the door handle on. Carved in the actual doors were intricate designs of what looked like plays being performed scene by scene. The detail was so precise, one could actually read the expressions on the character's faces that were carved on the door perfectly. Edgar found one scene of a young woman in a billowing dress weeping in her lover's arms particularly moving.

"Here we go..." Celes trailed off, and reached up, banging one of the door-knockers 3 times. Everyone in the group stepped back considerably when the door began to slowly swing open outward. When they were fully opened, they saw Impresario stepping away from the long roped cord that opened the doors, and he smiled, gesturing them in. As soon as the last person stepped inside (Cyan), he pulled the cord again, and the doors slammed shut, a soft booming noise echoing within the hall they were standing in.

"It's you again!" Impresario exclaimed, and Locke dug in his pocket, handing over the letter he had dropped in Owzer's house.

"I read that letter." Locke said. "Setzer's coming to steal her..." At the sound of that name, the Impresario let out a moan and pulled out a fancy handkerchief, wiping his forehead.

"He'll probably appear right at the climax of scene 1. The man loves an entrance!!!" Impresario cried. "I remember when he tried to abduct Maria last time...thank goodness he grabbed someone from the orchestra instead! The poor girl hasn't wanted to perform since...she knows Setzer is after her!!"

"Oooh, if only we could grab HIM during the performance!" Locke muttered, and Impresario's eyes bugged out of his head.

"Dear me, NO!" He cried. "You'll ruin the performance! I'll lose my job!"

"Then you're history!" Celes added in gleefully, and Impresario moaned even louder.

"This is simply HORRID! I want the performance to be a success! But I don't want Maria to be abducted...She won't even perform tonight unless I guarantee her safety, which I simply cannot..." Locke thoughtfully stroked his chin and muttered to himself:

"We'll let him grab her..."

Impresario looked at him with a puzzled look on his face. Locke suddenly looked up and broke into a wide grin.

"I've got it!" He exclaimed. "We'll use Celes as a decoy! After Celes gets kidnapped, I'll follow Setzer right to his airship!! I must say, I am brilliant!" Celes' jaw dropped to the ground, and Impresario let out a frightened yelp.

"Are you MAD!? If something should happen to Maria..."

"That's why the decoy!" Locke tried to explain, although he was nearly shouting in excitement. "We'll hide Maria somewhere safe!"

"Come again?!" Impresario cried, and Locke let out an exasperated sigh.

"You said SHE looks like Maria, right?" Locke asked, pointing to Celes. However, she had caught on to his plan, and shook her head furiously.

"Now just a minute Locke!" She cried, but he interrupted her.

"Celes will be our Maria! She'll lead us to the airship!" Locke exclaimed, and Celes let out a shriek of protest while Impresario jumped up and down.

"You ARE brilliant!" He exclaimed, but Celes pushed him roughly aside so hard that he nearly fell over, and marched right up to Locke, getting in his face.

"I'm a GENERAL, not some opera floozy!" She cried, and Locke smiled more, poking her nose playfully.

"What was that, Maria?" He winked, and Celes let out a frustrated growl, whirling around and running into the closest room she could find, slamming the door behind her so hard that the walls shook. Impresario looked worried, but Locke gave him a wink of assurance, and Edgar laughed to himself. Cyan merely let out a sigh and shook his head. Locke crept over to the door Celes had went through and pressed his ear to it. Inside, he could hear Celes struggling to sing a basic scale.

"Miii.....Miiii.... Do, re, mi.....faaa...." She coughed loudly and moaned, clearing her throat. "Maaaaaariiiiiia.....!" Locke smiled and gave the others a thumbs up. He knew he had won her over. He let out a loud whistle and laughed.

"Nice job Celes!" He exclaimed, and a string of high-pitched curses came back to him in reply. He laughed and walked back over to the others, hands in his pockets.

"So, what next?" Edgar asked, and Impresario looked back to the room Celes was in before returning his gaze to the Returners.

"Well, I imagine that if Celes is going to perform tonight, she'll need to be well-prepared, so I will inform Maria's attendants to help get her ready and take her to her dressing room." Impresario began. "After that, I will go ahead and tell Maria that she can remain wherever she pleases tonight, until after Setzer has come and abducted Celes. Then...we simply wait... I think it is best if we sit up in the private balcony so that we can have a good eye on things. The performance is scheduled for midnight, and the climax of the first scene is at 12:30 exactly, if all goes well. That is when we can be expecting Setzer."

"Sounds like gold to me." Edgar grinned, and Impresario pointed ahead of them to a pair of double doors.

"There are the balcony seats, why don't you sit up there and enjoy the warm up music while I take care of what needs done?" Impresario suggested, and with that, Locke and the others went to their seats, and Impresario went down the hall to a left staircase, and disappeared through another pair of doors.

But...little did the Returners know, that there was someone else who was also aware of their plans...

"Heh heh heh..." An evil voice cackled from under the right staircase. "I shall pretend to be this Setzer and spoil their little plans! MWA HA HA! Revenge is sweeeeeeeeeet...." A long purple tentacle slipped out from under the stairs, followed by an ever-slimy and ever-evil Ultros! The king octopus snickered to himself and threw a letter out into the middle of the hall that appeared to be from Setzer. (Despite his fiendishness, Ultros was quite talented in the ways of the literary arts, and could write surprisingly well...) A disappointed look came over his face however, as he saw that there was no one around to read it. He groaned and tapped a tentacle on the floor impatiently. At that moment, the double doors opened, and Locke, Edgar, and Cyan emerged. Ultros snickered and slithered back under the stairs. However, they walked right past the letter and Locke gently rapped on Celes' door.

"Can we come in a moment?" Locke asked. The door opened, and they stepped inside, shutting it behind them. Ultros blinked and squirmed, letting out a low growl.

"D'haaaa!" He cried. "Come on, read it...!" A few moments later, two young women approached Celes' door, also not noticing the letter. The knocked and entered as well, shooing out all of the guys so that Celes could bathe and dress. The Returner men shuffled back to their seats through the double doors, and still, the letter remained, un-touched.

"Oh damnit, I'll have to write another one now..." Ultros moaned, and reached out, grabbing the abandoned letter and shredding it. "No games this time...!" He cackled to himself and pulled out a pen (Please do no inquire as to where it came from, it is a mystery we are all better off not knowing about.), and proceeded to write another...

**********

"This dress is kinda tight..." Celes moaned. It was a couple hours later, nearly time for the opera to start. Celes learned that she wasn't in the first couple acts, but it was time for her to get out of her bath and get dressed. Her attendants had abandoned her after brutally scrubbing at her skin in the bath and then painfully tying her hair up in a ponytail, leaving wisps of her bangs out so that they could be curled with the hot iron resting at the tiny stove in the room. The last thing they did was weave a soft violet ribbon through her ponytail and tie it at the top of her head before leaving her to fend for herself. Celes held in her breath and her stomach as she jerked the dress up higher around her middle. Only, she jerked way too hard and let out a scream as she lost her balance and tumbled over in her high heals to the floor. She couldn't remember ever having to wear something so torturous in her lifetime.

"Owwwww..." She whimpered, stars flying in front of her eyes.

**********

"Hey, the lights are dimming!" Cyan exclaimed. For the past few hours, the Returners had watched what seemed like hundreds of people filing into the auditorium below them, all chattering excitedly about the show and what good seats they did (or didn't) have. The Impresario had left them only a few moments earlier, for he needed to start the narraration of the play, but he promised to return shortly. The candles all around the auditorium were blown out by scampering ushers, and the soft red velvet curtain hiding the stage slowly slid open. The chattering of the people dropped to a soft hush, and soon there was silence. The backdrop of the stage was a dark sky with a silver moon and glittering stars. Although the Returners couldn't tell, the light of the stars and the moon were being shone by prop and lighting directors in a hidden balcony, using all sorts of new technology for the job. The orchestra began playing a soft new tune, and the Impresario stepped out, a somber expression on his face as he approached the front of the stage. He opened his mouth, the music hushed considerably, and he spoke:

"The West and East were waging war... Draco, the West's great hero, thinks of his love, Maria. Is she safe? Is she waiting?"

"Oh, I am SO getting into this!" Edgar sniffled happily, and Locke and Cyan both couldn't resist giving him odd looks. At that moment, Impresario departed from the stage, and a new man appeared, dressed in shining silver armor like a knight's. He walked about for a moment, as if searching for something, when a sudden drum roll rang out, and herds of pounding chocobos with other knights riding on top of them ran rampant across the stage! Cries of fear and wonder from the audience rang out as the chocobos "ran over" the knight, and he fell to the stage in a dramatic thump. When the chocobos ran offstage, he stepped up slowly, struggling, and looked out to the audience.

"That must be Draco." Cyan whispered.

"Oh Maria Oh Maria Please, hear my voice!" Draco sang, his deep, yet soothing voice rolling across the waves of people. He brought a hand over his heart and sang another line:

"How I long to be with you!"

Celes will be coming out soon. Locke noted as he looked down at the copy of the program Impresario had given them. Maybe...I should wish her luck... He stood up to go see her right as the Impresario appeared in the doorway, back from his performance.

"Something wrong?" He asked Locke, and Locke shook his head.

"I'm just going to the dressing room." He said, and Edgar and Cyan nodded, not keeping their eyes off of the opera.

"Go right ahead." Edgar replied.

"Going somewhere...? I'm going to relax!" Cyan exclaimed, transfixed. Locke chuckled to himself, and left the balcony, going down to Celes' dressing room. Once again, he knocked, and for a moment, got no reply.

"Celes, you ok?" Locke asked.

"Ack, yes!" Celes burst out. "Come in Locke!" Locke opened the door and stepped inside, trying not to grin too hard at the sight of shoes, puffy dress undergarments, and a toppled over stool in the room. However, his smile faded when he saw Celes, who was staring at him from the dresser mirror she was standing by. The deep blue of her eyes seemed to stand out greater then ever before because of the purple ribbon woven within her hair, which looked so silky and shining, Locke almost had to restrain himself from running over to her to touch it. Her normally pale face was glowing with a natural blush from being in such a hot bath for so long, and her lips were painted with a soft hue of red. Her neck was adorned with several golden necklaces with amethyst jewels dangling from them, and she had earrings on to match. The neckline of the dress scooped down considerably, where a purple bow matching the one in her hair rested. The dress itself was made out of a rich ivory colored material with intricate patterns weaved into it by the sewer of the gown. It flared out from her hips and made a soft swishing sound as she walked towards him carefully, holding the dress out at it's sides so that she wouldn't trip. Locke felt her face turn more and more scarlet until he had to finally look away, pressing a hand to his cheek to help hide his face. He heard Celes stop behind him and clear her throat, as if she were waiting for him to say something.

I have to ask him... Celes thought to herself. I have to find out the truth while we are alone. I have been wondering since Kohlingen... I don't want to be in the dark anymore.

Tell her she's beautiful, tell her she's beautiful!!! Locke's mind exclaimed. Locke cleared his throat as well and felt his voice crack as he parted his lips, still not looking at her.

"Aye yai yai, izzat you!?" He burst out, and immediately turned redder for saying something so ridiculous. Celes blinked, and put her hands on her hips, staring at the back of Locke's head and ignoring the comment. Time to cut to the chase.

"Locke, why did you help me back there?" Celes asked, and Locke felt his face get considerably paler at the unexpected question. He turned to face Celes, his brown eyes locking on hers to search for why she might of said it. However...he couldn't read them...

Back there...did she mean, South Figaro? That felt like ages ago...even though it was really just days. And it had been days ago that she had stood there with that same indecipherable look in her eyes and peered at him in that basement, asking the same question she was asking now. Locke couldn't lie now though. Before, he had merely told her that he had felt like it, when the reasoning ran so much deeper. She had easily seen through that...and he somehow knew she could see through him again.

"Celes..." He sighed. "You know...how...I...abandoned someone...when she once needed me..."

I knew it.

Celes nodded slowly, nicely smothering any sarcasm that she had dying to drip from her next words.

"And somewhere inside...you were saving her, weren't you?" Celes questioned coldly. Locke shook his head and turned away.

Not after the first time, Celes... Do you remember it was YOU that I swore to protect when we escaped South Figaro together...? Is what he wanted to say. However...

"That ribbon suits you." Locke replied quickly, wanting this conversation to be done and over with. Celes blinked and absentmindedly reached up, feeling the silky ribbon with her fingers for a moment before quickly dropping them and turning her back to him, her own face beginning to match his.

"It's time to get on with the show!" Celes suddenly burst out, although she felt rather stupid for it. "This is the big scene in which Maria senses that something has happened to Draco!" She walked over to the copy of the score Impresario had given her and turned the page so that it was on her entrance.

"You'd better read over that one last time." Locke warned, and Celes shooed away the idea with her hand.

"I'm ready." She replied, and began to make her way over to the back of the room, where there was a secret entrance to the stage for her. Locke followed her up and rested a hand on her shoulder before she pushed the curtains in her way open.

"Locke!" Celes cried worriedly, but he just squeezed her shoulder gently and gave her a weak wink.

"Good luck..." He trailed off. Celes relaxed a little and smiled.

"Thanks." She replied, and with that, stepped out on stage. Locke decided to stay in her room and peek out from the curtain to watch. Someone, more then likely Impresario, was narrating again, only no one was on stage.

"The forces of the West fell, and Maria's castle was taken. Prince Ralse, of the East, took her hand by force, but she never stopped yearning for Draco..."

Celes took a deep breath and tried to ignore all the faces in the audience that were all focusing their stares at her. After all, she was the only one on stage. She found herself on the sturdily built castle that had been built for this opera, just like it said in her score. According to it, she was to first slowly make her way down the castle walkway, singing. She would think about the rest as she came to it. Celes closed her eyes for a moment, prayed for good luck, and took a few steps forward. Her voice rang out as clearly and as beautifully as that of a morning bell as she began to sing, the power and energy driving her words coming straight from her very heart and soul.

"Oh my hero, so far away now. Will I ever see your smile? Love goes away, like night into day. It's just a fading dream...

I'm the darkness, you're the stars. Our love is brighter than the sun. For eternity, for me there can be, Only you, my chosen one...

Must I forget you? Our solemn promise? Will autumn take the place of spring? What shall I do? I'm lost without you. Speak to me once more!"

Celes took a deep breath, silently congratulating herself on making it through the first half of her lines. She didn't realize it until that moment, but she had indeed reached the end of the castle walkway, and had come to a set of small stairs that led up to her next scene. She slowly began to ascend them, being careful not to run, or else she would blow the timing. Each of her steps was in time to the beat of the music, filled with elegance and grace as if she really were the Princess Maria.

Listen to her voice... Locke thought to himself. She's incredible... I wonder what Celes is thinking as she sings this?

"Wow, Celes sings good!" Edgar exclaimed as he chewed down some popcorn.

"I agree." Cyan nodded. "I am pleasantly surprised."

Celes made it up to the next floor, and looked about her surroundings. Her next cue arrived; the "ghost" of Draco appeared through a hidden trap door, and the actor held out his hand to Celes.

"Come, Maria, follow my lead...." Draco said softly. Celes reached out her hand as well and entwined it with Draco's as he pulled her closer, slipping his other hand around Celes' waist. Celes reached up and rested her hand on Draco's shoulder, giving him the nod that she was ready. The two then slowly danced about the castle surface together, keeping their eyes fixated on each other, staying perfectly in rhythm to each other's motions. Draco then stopped them and slowly leaned in, pressing his lips to Celes' forehead. Celes closed her eyes and carefully slipped her foot over the button by her foot that would make for Draco's exit. There was a sudden flash of lights from the prop directors above them, and with a chuckle, Draco "disappeared" by quickly descending the stairway Celes had uncovered for him with her foot while the flashing lights hid him from the audience. When she opened her eyes, she found her last prop for the scene, a bouquet of roses that was supposed to be what Draco's ghost turned into. She bent down, picking them up, and began ascending the last set of stairs ahead of her. When she reached the rooftop of the castle, she brought the roses up close against her chest, and looked up into the sky, singing to the moon her last lines.

"We must part now, my life goes on. But my heart won't give you up. Ere I walk away, let me hear you say I meant as much to you....

So gently, you touched my heart. I will be forever yours. Come what may, I won't age a day, I'll wait for you, always..."

With a soft sigh, Celes suddenly lifted her bouquet and threw it into the air, over the edge of the rooftop. She continued to gaze out at the moon until her next cue came along, a tall man dressed as the palace chancellor, reached out and touched her shoulder. She whirled around to face him.

"Prince Ralse is looking for a dance partner." The chancellor said. When he saw the look of sadness on Celes' face, he changed his tone to something more cheerful. "Leave the past behind! Our kingdom is adopting the spirit of the East...!" Celes slowly nodded, and with that, followed the chancellor offstage. The red velvet curtain fell, ending the first scene.

Locke took in a deep breath and smiled, looking away from the stage as stage crew ran about to prepare for the next scene.

"Well done Celes..." He murmured, and left her dressing room to meet up with the others. However, when he stepped outside, he spotted an envelope on the floor. Curious, Locke picked it up and opened it, reading it aloud to himself:

"I owe you one, so I'm gonna jam up your opera!

-Ultros"

"Damnit!" Locke cried, clutching the letter in his hand. "I don't know who the hell this guy is, but I'd better show it to Impresario..."

**********

"WHAT?!" Impresario roared, and Edgar swiped the letter from Locke's hand.

"Ultros!? That slimy beast?! What is he doing here...?!"

"You know him?!" Locke and Impresario both shouted at once.

"He attacked Terra, Sabin, Banon, and I on our way to Narshe!" Edgar cried. "He's a dope, but I'm almost afraid of what he may try to do..."

"Look!!!" Cyan cried, and pointed up to the catwalk above the stage. There was Ultros, and his tentacles were busy with something large and black that was sitting at the end of a beam of wood.

"Good lord!" Impresario cried, and the cheers and applause from people below them could be heard as the curtain opened for scene 2. "He has hold of one of the 4-ton weights we keep up there for when we need to hang various objects up in the air for the operas... Might he disrupt the opera with THAT!?" Ultros heard Impresario's cries, and looked to the group from his position, snickering.

"HA HA!" He exclaimed, and pointed to the 4-ton weight with one of his tentacles. "Lets see if Maria can shrug this baby off!" Locke gasped and looked from the weight to the stage below. Ultros was positioned exactly above where Celes was standing for the scene! Locke let out a struggled cry as Ultros suddenly pushed at the weight with all his might...

.....But nothing happened.

"N' ghaaaa!" Ultros screeched. "It will take me at least 5 minutes to push this blasted thing!" Locke turned to the other party members worriedly.

"We have to save Celes." He choked. "I can't let her di---"

"We haven't got a second to lose!" Edgar cried, and Cyan nodded.

"Talk to the man in the room to the far right!" Impresario cried. "He'll get you up there!"

"It's as good as done!" Cyan exclaimed, and with that, he, Locke, and Edgar bolted from the balcony.

Meanwhile, on the stage...

"The survivors of the West attack!" A messenger of the East suddenly cried, running across the stage. The actor playing Prince Ralse stood up from his throne, pretending to be shocked.

"Impossible!" He bellowed. Celes gasped, clasping her hands together, like in the script. At that moment, soldiers wearing the West's uniforms came barraging onstage, waving their swords and crying out battle cries. Soldiers from the East ran out as well and they paired up in multiple duals, the sound of clashing metal ringing out in the auditorium. A gasp came from the audience as Draco suddenly rode in on a chocobo, running down Prince Ralse in the process. Draco leaped off the chocobo and ran to Celes, taking her into his arms and leaning his head against hers.

"Maria..." Draco sighed, and Celes held onto him tightly.

"Draco...I've waited so long...I knew you'd come...!" She cried happily.

"Maria will finally have to be MY queen!" Ralse suddenly boomed, pulling himself up from the floor. Celes gasped as Draco turned his back to her and drew his sword. He and Ralse sang the next line together:

"For the rest of my life, I'll keep you near...!"

"It's a dual!" Ralse sang, and he and Draco dove into combat, one-on- one.

Back on the catwalk, Locke and the others finally caught up to Ultros, who was inching the weight closer and closer to the edge of the beam. Ultros looked up at them in horror as Locke drew his dagger.

"RATS!" Ultros shrieked, and with a growl, Locke dived on top of him, ready to slice him from head to tentacle. However, Locke dove on Ultros too hard, making the slippery demon slide backwards off of the beam, Locke on top of him!

"AHHH!" They both screamed in unison as they fell from the catwalk and crashed onto the stage. Their fall wasn't so bad though, as Locke fell on top of Draco, and Ultros on Ralse. The two actors moaned painfully and blacked out right then and there. Locke gulped as the audience suddenly cried out and started murmuring to themselves.

"Uh oh..." He muttered.

"Oh Geeze!" Celes cried, smacking her hand against her forehead in embarrassment. Impresario suddenly ran onto the stage, horrified at the scene before him.

"Disaster!" He cried. "If the two heroes are flattened, the opera's over! Then who will win the girl!?" The audience all moaned and started to grumble about getting seriously ripped off. Some even stood up to leave, but Locke got an idea.

"Neither Draco nor Ralse will save Celes!" Locke suddenly shouted, jumping to his feet. "I, Locke Cole, the world's premier adventurer, will save her!" The crowd started to go wild with cheers and whistles, and Celes smiled to herself, the embarrassment going away a little.

"Aya...what awful acting..." Impresario sighed, and shook his head.

"SILENCE!" Ultros suddenly cried, getting up as well. "You are in the presence of Octopus Royalty! A lowborn thug like you could never defeat ME!" Ultros grinned, as he was beginning to get into this acting thing. Impresario shrugged and raised his hands.

"Might as well make the most of this...MUSIC!" He exclaimed, and the orchestra began playing the Opera's battle theme. Cyan and Edgar took this time to jump in, waving at the crowd excitedly as they ran over to Locke.

"They love me!" Edgar sighed happily.

"Draw your sword, Sir Edgar!" Cyan suddenly cried, as Ultros let out a growl and shot out a tentacle at the king. Edgar gracefully evaded the attack, leaping out of the way along with Cyan. Locke looked back to Celes quickly to make sure she was still safe, and she raised a hand in a small wave. He smiled, waving back, and with that, ran forward, thrusting his dagger into Ultros' side. The audience ooo-ed and awww-ed as Ultros let out a scream of pain and slapped at Locke with his tentacles to get him away. Locke stumbled backwards, and Ultros began to whimper like a baby.

"Looks like...this is my unlucky day!" He cried, and when he remembered he was in front of a life audience, sucked it up and gave a wave to the Returners. "Adios, Losers!" Before anyone could stop him, Ultros slammed down one of his tentacles, resulting in an ink cloud explosion. Locke, Edgar, and Cyan coughed considerably until the air had cleared, along with all traces of the royal pain in the butt octopus. The audience burst into a deafening applause, as Edgar and Cyan bowed, and Locke turned to Celes, his arms open. Celes cried out happily and picked up her gown as she ran to Locke, calling out his name.

"My princess!" Locke exclaimed, and Edgar pointed back to Locke with his thumb.

"Look at him, trying to steal the show from us!" Edgar cried.

"Maybe he's not acting." Cyan smiled some, and Edgar gasped when he realized what he meant by that, and turned to see what would happen next. Suddenly, the lights on the stage dimmed considerably, and a new voice broke out from above.

"Just a damn minute!" It exclaimed, and Celes stopped, looking around. "What a performance!!!!" She looked to Locke, who stared back at her, wondering who the voice was.

"It's Setzer!" Impresario suddenly cried, and a rope suddenly swung out from above the stage, a man with silver hair and clad in a black trench coat and matching boots riding down on it. In one swift grab, he snatched Celes by the waist and pulled her close to his side. Celes cried out in surprise and looked at her planned kidnapper. He turned to look at her also, but as soon as he did, he narrowed his deep blue eyes in a glare, and squeezed Celes tighter. His face suddenly looked meaner thanks to the scars Celes noticed on his face, one that cut across his left eyebrow, one that cut across his forehead, and one on his right cheek. But the man suddenly smiled again and looked to Impresario, waving.

"I'm a man of my word, Music-Man!" He exclaimed, and the rope began to quickly rise back into the sky.

"This is Setzer!?!" Celes cried, her words fading as she rose higher and higher, until she disappeared from view. Locke nodded to Edgar and Cyan, who immediately ran off to begin their pursuit. The audience started gasping and whispering again, which Impresario took care of.

"What a reversal! Thinking she's Locke's new queen, Maria is instead nabbed by Setzer! What fate lies in store for her? Stay tuned for Part 2!" He grabbed Locke's arm and forced him to bow down as the curtain fell, helping to fade out the radical cheers from the audience.

**********

"Ouch!" Celes cried as she was thrown through a doorway on Setzer's airship, and fell to the floor. She moaned and rubbed her aching feet that had been in high heels all night as Setzer poked his head through the doorway and glared heavily at Celes.

"I'll deal with YOU in a minute!" Setzer cried, and with that, slammed the door shut. Celes kicked off her dreaded shoes and jumped up, struggling to open the door, but not to her surprise, it was locked. She shrugged to herself and walked over to the opening that was in the floor of the room, which was surrounded by a small railing to keep people from falling through it. The hole provided what looked like easy access to a part of the engine of the airship in case it needed repairs in that specific area. Celes kneeled down and waved, giving the signal. After stepping back from the hole, Cyan leaped up first, then Edgar, and finally Locke.

"What a performance!" Locke exclaimed, and Celes shook her head angrily.

"Enough already!" She cried, and Locke looked to her.

"But this is a tough one! Part 2 begins now!" Locke joked, and looked around the room they were in. "But...where's Setzer?"

"He's coming." Celes sighed, and as if on cue, Setzer suddenly burst in the room, slamming the door behind him once again. He marched over to the Returners immediately and pointed to Celes, nearly jabbing her in the chest.

"W-Who are you !?" He cried. "You are NOT Maria!"

"Setzer, we need your help." Celes pleaded. "We have to go to Vector, and we need your airship to do it."

"Look lady, if you're not Maria, then I don't want you aboard!" Setzer snapped. Celes moaned and racked her brains trying to figure out what to do.

This guy seems to like his women...maybe if I sweet talk him into it....

"Wait!" Celes cried, and suddenly softened her voice to a sweeter, almost seducing tone. "We were told your airship is the finest vessel in the world..." Locke got the idea and nodded enthusiastically.

"AND that you were the world's most notorious gambler..." He grinned, and even Edgar and Cyan stepped in.

"I'm the King of Figaro." Edgar added. "If you cooperate with us, you'll be well rewarded."

"And I am Cyan, retainer to the King of Doma." Cyan pleaded. "Please help us!" Setzer sighed, and ran his fingers through his rich hair, which ran in waves to his shoulders.

"Come here." He said to Celes. She blinked and slowly walked up to him as he asked. He reached up and gently traced a finger down her cheek to her jaw line, peering into her eyes.

"....Yeah...?" Celes asked nervously. Locke let out a snort and Edgar and Cyan both gave him a look to keep quiet.

"Don't misunderstand me..." Setzer suddenly snapped, dropping his hand from Celes' face. "I still don't know if I am going to help you..." With that, he turned and left the room, although this time, he left the door wide open behind him. Celes picked up the front of her dress again and motioned for the others to follow her. They left the small room and entered in a larger area of the ship, which was filled with all sorts of poker tables, chip dispensers, and wheels of luck. She spotted Setzer standing at the left side of the room, in a small, secluded area with a large window that overlooked the skies. She ran over to him and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, clearing her throat to let him know she was behind him. Locke and the others followed as well, and when they arrived, Setzer turned to look at the group, smiling slightly. He spread his arms apart to indicate the entire area they were in.

"Phew..." He sighed. "The Empire has made me a rich man..."

"Stop thinking of yourself!" Celes cried, and Setzer raised his eyebrows at her change in tone. "Many towns and villages have been totally destroyed by the Empire!"

"The Empire is also totally rotten!" Locke added. "They're using magic to enslave the world!"

"The Empire and my realm were allies, until recently, when they turned on us." Edgar stated, and Cyan stepped up.

"They also wiped out the people of Doma, with poison!" He cried, and Setzer shifted his gaze away from them and back out to the window.

"The Empire....evil?" Setzer pronounced each word as if they had no relation to each other what-so-ever.

"We all hate the Empire for the same reasons." Celes tried again. "That's why..." Suddenly, Setzer whirled around to face her, taking her face in his hands gently. Celes widened her eyes as he leaned in closer to her, their lips inches from each other.

"You know, you're even more stunning than Maria..." Setzer trailed off, and Celes widened her eyes even more. Locke was about to reach out and grab Setzer's shoulder, when Setzer turned back around at the last moment and wrapped an arm around Celes' waist, pulling her against him a little too hard, resulting in her face being pressed up right against his shoulder. Locke gritted his teeth together and stepped back slightly.

"Enough!" Setzer exclaimed, and pressed his lips to Celes' hair. "If you....if Celes becomes my wife, I'll help you! Otherwise..." Celes let out a short gasp, and Locke totally lost it.

"WHAT?!" Locke screamed, not being able to hold it in anymore. "What are you, STUPID?! God damn..." Edgar and Cyan were just as surprised, but couldn't find it in themselves to say anything to top Locke's outburst.

"...We haven't any choice..." Celes sighed, and looked away from the others. Locke's jaw dropped to the floor, and he began to stutter in protest.

"B-B-But....!"

"YES!" Setzer exclaimed. "Then it's settled!"

"But!" Celes raised a finger, pressing it to Setzer's lips rather harshly. "I have conditions..." She broke away from Setzer's grip, and walked over to Edgar, holding out her hand. Edgar blinked and suddenly realized by the motions her fingers were making what she wanted. He dug deep within his robes and produced a shiny coin of Figaro descent, dropping it into Celes' hand. Celes turned back to Setzer and held up the coin.

"We'll decide with a coin toss!" She announced. "If it's heads, you help us unconditionally! But if it's tails, I will go with you and become your wife. Well, Mr. Gambler...?"

Setzer's face lit up in pure delight. "Oho, fine, I accept!" He exclaimed, and Celes nodded, very pleased with this.

"Listen to yourself!" Locke cried, and Celes turned to face him. "Celes...You just can't become his wife! You CAN'T!" Celes suddenly smiled and pressed her finger to her lips to indicate for Locke to be quiet, and gave him a wink. Locke opened his mouth again to protest, but thought better of it and just shut his mouth.

Celes...why are you doing this to me?!

"Ready?" Celes asked, and Setzer nodded eagerly. Celes took a deep breath and with a quick flick of her fingers, flipped the coin into the air.... It did several flips before clattering to the floor between Celes and Setzer's feet. Celes kneeled down, took a look at the coin, and pressed her lips together in concern. Setzer chuckled at her hesitation and kneeled down as well, reaching up to tuck her loose bangs behind her ears.

"Something wrong, my dear?" He asked, and Celes looked up to him from the coin slowly.