Disclaimer: For the non-last time, no, I don't own it.

Ok. So if you're a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, you'll see that something Celes says is adapted from a line Cordelia has in the first season, and I just couldn't resist using it here. Despite the chapter's title, this has nothing to do with our favorite assassin, but it does set up the first critical turning point coming up in the next chapter. Thanks as always for reviewing!

Chapter Twelve: Shadow

"Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're going to start. I don't want to hear it!"

Locke, Edgar, and Sabin all exchanged knowing grins, but didn't say a word. Inevitably, however, Locke broke down laughing.

"Damn, you're good."

Celes groaned in exasperation, but the floodgate of praise had opened.

"I had no idea it was you."

"I can't believe you actually sang!"

"In public!"

"In a dress!"

"And that faint! It was classic!"

"Enough already!" She practically growled. "If you tell anyone about this, I will make your deaths last a week."

The men fell silent, but failed miserably at hiding their smiles.

"…The ribbon suits you," Locke dared comment before ducking away from her stony glare.

Sabin choked back his laughter. "So where's lover boy?"

Celes shrugged. "Getting this thing in the air. He'll be back any minute."

"What's the plan?" Locke asked.

"I feel physical violence is appropriate," she said with a slight grin.

"Ok, but you may want to let us handle that," Locke began, slowly breaking into a fit of chuckles, "because you're not very intimidating in that dress."

"Then you obviously underestimate the power of my icy stare."

The complete lack of malice behind the remark made Locke smile fondly at the general. He was happy to see that she was starting to lighten up and managing to be in good spirits, even after her necessary performance. Her attention was elsewhere, though, because at that moment, Setzer entered the room, his expression turning to bewilderment at the sight of the three unfamiliar men.

"Setzer Gabbiani," Celes addressed.

The silver-haired gambler turned to her to speak, but after a slight hesitation, tilted his head to one side when the Vectoran accent registered with him.

"You're not Maria."

He spoke calmly, looking inquisitive rather than angry as he tried to puzzle something out. He gave Celes an innocent once-over, taking in her confident stance and the subtle muscular undertone gracing her figure.

"Miss Chere, I presume?" Celes seemed surprised, but Setzer continued. "I've heard of the resemblance, but never truly believed it. Of course, I've also never had the pleasure of meeting your acquaintance."

Celes was utterly thrown. Of all scenarios, this was not at all what she had expected.

"Now, seeing as how you know who I am, and I know who you are, would you mind explaining what a general of the Empire is doing on my airship, posing as an opera diva no less?"

However baffled Celes was, she recovered quickly. "My presence is required on the Imperial Continent as soon as possible."

"And you were expecting a ride."

"Yes."

"Then why the big charade?" he wondered. "Why not just ask, or better yet, threaten like a normal Imperial officer?"

"Mr. Gabbiani, you're a smuggler, not only for the Empire, but for other organizations not loyal to His Majesty. Do you really expect me to believe you would sit back and allow your airship to be boarded by an Imperial entourage?"

Setzer smiled. "You're absolutely right." Celes smiled triumphantly. "You're also absolutely bluffing." Her face fell. "You may be the Queen, Miss Chere, but I'm still the King, and I will trump your hand every time."

Locke leaned over and whispered to Celes, "Is this where the physical violence comes in?"

She ignored the thief. "You have to admit that was pretty convincing."

The gambler nodded. "And bonus points for your earlier performance. So truly now, what are you and your three questionable companions doing on my airship?"

Edgar stepped forward. "Mr. Gabbiani, I am King Edgar of Figaro. This is my brother, Sabin, and an associate of mine, Locke Cole. Allow me to explain..."

Setzer led them to the lounge where they could sit comfortably—Celes a little less than comfortable in the dress—and Edgar laid out their situation. The gambler listened patiently and attentively, and, when the king finished, leaned back thoughtfully.

"So let me see if I understand this. Not only do you want me to transport a small group of Returners to the Imperial Capital, which has made me a rich man, mind you, but you want me to lend aid to a wanted traitor to said capital, so that you can break into the highest level security facility on the face of the planet to find a mystical beast-slash-stone that will help this woman, your friend, whom I've never met. Is that about right?"

"...Yes."

"I see. And, why should I feel compelled to do this?"

"Out of the goodness of your heart?" Locke prompted.

"Or the greed for Figaro's reward?" Edgar followed dryly.

Sabin put in his suggestion. "How about so you don't make Celes cranky?"

Setzer nodded and hummed a bit to himself. "All mostly valid points..."

When it was clear the man would need further convincing, Edgar withdrew a coin from his pocket. "You're a gambling man, Setzer."

"That I am."

"How about we let Fate decide?" Sabin gave his brother a funny look, but said nothing. "Heads, you help us and receive nothing but our gratitude. Tails..."

Celes had been watching Edgar during the negotiation, specifically the coin he was turning between his fingers. When the king paused without a counter-offer, she stepped in.

"I'll call in a favor and set you up with Maria, and we walk away."

Setzer's interest peaked at the proposal, and took only a moment to consider it.

"Deal."

Now Locke looked at Celes curiously, but she merely sent him a tiny smirk. Both Edgar and Setzer stood up, and the king flipped the coin, letting it land on the floor between them.

"Heads it is," Edgar called. "I win."

The gambler bent down and picked up the coin, turning it over in his hand. He began shaking his head with a low chuckle.

"A two-headed coin... How low can you get?"

"That coin?" Sabin asked in disdain.

Edgar just winked at his brother.

Setzer ginned. "Ha! Alright, unfair is fair. I'll do it. I just have one question." He turned to Celes. "Would you really have been able to get Maria to go on a date with me?"

Celes shrugged. "Well, she does owe me for taking her place in your little abduction scheme, but...no, probably not."

"And you pull an Ace from up your sleeve..." He laughed heartily, flipping the coin back to Edgar. "I love it! Alright, my life is a chip in your pile."

The king pocketed the coin. "We're in your debt."

Celes stood up, still a bit awkward in the large folds of fabric. "Setzer, could I commandeer your room for just a moment?"

"By all means."

"Much appreciated... One of you has my clothes, right?" she asked, turning to the others. "I asked Maria to stick them in one of your packs during the opera."

Sabin rummaged through his stuff, found the articles of clothing, and handed the bundle to Celes. Once she disappeared into the sleeping quarters, Setzer excused himself to the deck to change their course. The three Returners got up to join him, but stopped when Celes opened the door back into the lounge.

"Um..."

"What is it, Cel?" Locke called.

"I..." Her tone dropped to a quiet mutter. "I can't undo my corset."

With a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, Locke wordlessly followed her into the other room. For the first half-minute, the two were silent as he worked at the lacing on the back of her dress.

Finally, Locke spoke. "You really were great."

"Yeah, yeah. Just remember you're a dead man if you ever speak of this."

He spared a small chuckle. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think you'd be able to do it."

"Neither did I. Gods, I'm glad that's over."

He sent her a charming lopsided grin. "Oh, come on, admit it. You had fun."

"Hardly."

His goofy smirk faded, his hands stilled, and he become unexpectedly serious. "You really came through, though. Terra must mean a lot to you..."

Celes was quiet, but after a moment, she looked over her shoulder at the thief, and their eyes met.

"Locke."

It came out barely above a whisper, and the thief leaned just a fraction of an inch closer.

"Yeah?"

"..."

It took him a while, but it finally dawned on Locke that his hand was resting on her bare shoulder. Realizing Celes' discomfort, he sheepishly removed his hand and cleared his throat. Apologizing softly, he turned away from her to hide the blush creeping up his neck into his cheeks.

"Well, you, uh, should be good to go, so I'll just, uh, head upstairs," he said awkwardly.

He left quickly, and Celes turned back to her belongings without giving him a second thought. Within the bundle of clothing, she found her pack of various objects and proceeded to dump out its contents in desperate search of her brush, then hesitated...

((ooo))

Locke's arrival on deck came in the middle of a conversation between the brothers and the gambler.

"Come on, really now," Setzer pressed.

"Setzer, we told you. She's helping us keep Terra safe so we have a chance against the Empire," Edgar insisted.

Setzer laughed hoarsely. "Right."

"What're you guys talking about?" Locke asked. He was ignored.

"Sorry to burst your bubbles, gentlemen, but Celes Chere does not aid the Returners to hurt the Empire."

Sabin shook his head. "But, she—"

"She's an Imperial general," the gambler interrupted. "Those people don't switch loyalties on a gold piece."

The younger Figaro tried to make sense of it. "She fought Kefka—"

"You didn't know? Kefka turned on her," Setzer revealed. "He couldn't kill her outright, so he set her up to fall from grace. She was betrayed."

The crestfallen look on the martial artist's face spoke his disbelief. "How do you know this?"

"I occasionally have a friendly game of poker with a few Imperials, and after a couple drinks, you'd be amazed the things they let slip. I even heard Gestahl was going to name Leo his heir, then offer him Celes' hand in marriage so they could rule together. But that's just a rumor."

Now, Locke almost wished he hadn't come up when he did. "Why...why would she hide this?"

Setzer shrugged. "Maybe the general isn't all she seems."

This time, Locke shook his head. "No. I won't believe that."

"Yeah," Sabin followed. "She's helping us."

"For Terra's benefit," Setzer agreed. "But what happens after that?"

Neither Locke nor Sabin had an answer. Edgar had stayed strangely quiet for most of the discussion, and remained so. The gambler put up his hands.

"Hey, I didn't mean to bring you all down like this, I just didn't think you guys should follow her so ignorant of an Imperial's nature."

"I won't believe it..." Locke said quietly, his conviction withering.

Despite their best efforts to ignore what Setzer had said, a shadow had been inexorably cast over their already fragile trust.

((ooo))

Celes stood staring at two items that fell out of her pack, her brush momentarily forgotten. One was the ice pendant Terra had given her for her sixteenth birthday before she had become general. The other was the silver band once set in her upper ear before her arrest. Pensively, she switched her gaze between the two, memories flooding her thoughts unbidden. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh, a shadow of nameless doubt crossing her mind.

In this world, nothing is what it seems.