Disclaimer: …that little piggy went to market while this little piggy stayed home to take artistic liberties on the game owned by Squaresoft…

The second installment of the Red and Black chapters. Still not much happening in the action department, being more of an emotion-based chapter. Not much else to say except, "The plot thickens."

Chapter Sixteen: Red and Black: Duty

Despite both Celes and Leo's assurances, Terra was reluctant to agree to Gestahl's proposition. The emperor insisted the Returners remain at the palace until her decision was made, and though wary, they had little choice but to stay. The following morning, Leo offered to take the emperor's guests on a tour of the fortress, which they accepted with great interest.

"Terra? Will you be joining us?" the general asked.

The girl looked over her shoulder and saw Celes walking down the corridor. She turned back to Leo and shook her head.

"No, but thank you."

Leo bowed his head to her, and when he and the Returners began in the opposite direction, Terra sprinted down the hallway after the lady general.

"Celes!"

The blonde paused until the girl was beside her, then continued walking.

"Yes Terra?"

"The others went with Leo, but I kind of wanted to talk to you. Do you mind?"

"Of course not."

Celes turned and led Terra through a door to the outer wall of the fortress. Terra hesitated, suddenly unsure if she wanted to broach the topic.

"I…I don't know what to do. Everyone's counting on me, but… What should I do?"

"No one can choose for you."

Terra studied her friend as they walked. "Celes…what happened to you?"

The blonde seemed to expect the question. "What did they tell you happened?"

"Who?"

"Edgar, Locke, and Sabin," the general clarified. "What did they tell you?"

"Just that you let yourself be taken by Kefka… He was going to kill you…"

"He nearly succeeded," Celes confirmed quietly.

Terra looked at her friend with concern, wondering if she heard disappointment in her voice.

"And now?"

Celes kept her gaze focused across the city, and Terra's inquiry was left unanswered. The girl sighed and withdrew a miniature sword from her boot. A glint of color caught Celes' attention, and the blue crystalline blade seemed somehow familiar to the general.

"We found it in the cave to the Sealed Gate," Terra told her. "It seems important, but we can't figure out why."

Celes took it in hand and studied the hilt of the dwarf blade. A symbol stood out from the otherwise simple handle: a circle divided into light and dark. She wracked her brain trying to place it.

"Atma Weapon," she said suddenly.

"What?"

"It's a mythical sword, created from the very essence of magic. It's supposed to be incredibly powerful when extended to its full length. Legend has it, only a champion of magic can wield it in its true form."

"It feels powerful," Terra agreed softly. "Like it has purpose…"

Celes recalled her studies of ancient myths from when she was younger. "It's been said that in the time of the Goddesses, before they turned to stone, everything was created in balance. So when the champions of the Goddesses forged the Atma Weapon, the lesser deities of Hell released a beast called Atma into the Esper realm."

"Good and evil," Terra mused.

"All in balance," Celes followed.

Terra stared into the fluorescent crystal, and seemingly by its own will, the blade sprung up, growing to its true span. The general raised an eyebrow, but otherwise said nothing. As if the Atma Weapon lent her the strength she needed, Terra made her decision.

"I'll do it." She looked Celes in the eye. "I'll help you get through to the Espers."

The general forced a smile, but underneath it all, Celes' spirits fell, and only she, Leo, and Emperor Gestahl would know the reason why.

((ooo))

A grand parade was held in the still-recovering streets of Vector to celebrate the alliance between Imperial and Returner. Gestahl, with Leo and Celes at his side, was carried on a red-and-gold float through the city to rouse the denizens and to show his trust of his new allies. When the float ended its circle at the gates of the palace, the emperor began his speech, with much of the populace, including the Returners, gathered in the streets.

"Citizens of Vector! By recent negotiations, the state of Vector will ally with the Returner faction. We will have peace! And from peace will arise justice and prosperity!"

"We have been struck down by the angry souls whom we have wronged, but," Gestahl gestured to the green-haired figure who now stood by Celes, "we have been graced by the Essence of Hope!"

Celes let out a puff of air, trying unsuccessfully to ignore the inevitable echo.

You, together with the Angel of Hope will bring balance back to the world.

"These few brave men and women of the Returners will help the Empire change the fate of the world! Unity will abound! Duty will prevail! And Destiny awaits!"

Edgar threw a sideways glance to his friends. "Why do I get a very bad feeling from this?"

"Because something just seems incredibly off?" Locke ventured, his eyes for the moment fixed on Terra standing with the two generals.

The others muttered their agreement, but the thief barely heard them. He was still in shock that Celes was not only alive, but once again at the side of the emperor. Watching her stand up there, looking so proud, Locke had to wonder if Setzer had been right; maybe one couldn't change Imperial nature.

With similar thoughts circulating in Edgar's mind, a new dread began to surface.

"Guys, what's wrong with this picture?" he asked quietly.

Sabin swept his eyes over the scene. "Everything?"

Edgar gave a tight smile. "Except for Kefka's absence, this is the Empire…what it was: Gestahl, his generals, and Terra. I don't like this. I don't like this one bit."

"Nor should you," a new voice warned.

Edgar turned with surprise. "Banon!"

The rebel leader stood with a large group of Returners behind him, his gaze, too, transfixed on Terra and the Imperial trio. Edgar's companions exchanged their own greetings with the newcomers.

"We must be cautious, Edgar," Banon advised. "We are treading dangerous waters, and should we drop our guard, the Imperial sharks are sure to close in for the kill."

"We have little choice, Banon," the king murmured. "I hardly think the emperor would simply allow us to walk out of his city if we refused his offer."

"Indeed."

"Still…" Edgar switched his gaze between Leo and Celes. "The Triumvirate of Generals has crumbled. Perhaps the war will indeed follow."

"I would hardly say crumbled," the guru argued.

"There is no longer the Balance of the Three. Kefka is in prison—"

"And how long do you think that will last? Besides, the two generals still remain."

"The two more sane. Leo is an honorable man—"

"Who's faith in his lord blinds him. And Celes…" Banon shook his head. "Her loyalty to Gestahl precedes all else. Their hearts and their wills mean nothing. Edgar, I merely wish for you, and all the Returners, to guard your Hope carefully."

The king followed his mentor's gaze and nodded in agreement. "Terra."

((ooo))

Immediately following the parade, the mission was launched. Believing the Espers had flown northeast to the land known as Crescent Island, word had already been sent to the soldiers in Albrook to begin preparing the Imperial cruiser. Leo and Celes, along with their entourage accompanying them on the mission, escorted Terra to the port city with plans to depart the following morning.

With Leo and Celes occupied with final arrangements and nothing else to do, Terra sat atop some crates and watched as the cruiser was loaded with supplies for the journey. Late in the afternoon, she saw a familiar face appear on the docks.

"Locke!"

She hopped down from the boxes and ran to greet the thief, pulling him into a quick hug.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I couldn't let you go all alone, could I?"

"Locke, I'm not exactly alone," Terra reminded, glancing over her shoulder at the two generals.

The thief merely sent her a pointed look, and the girl understood his meaning; Edgar and Banon didn't want her left alone with the Imperials. Of course, she wasn't aware of his other reason for wanting to come.

The girl practically dragged Locke to where Leo and Celes were working. At seeing the thief with Terra, the two generals exchanged anxious looks, suggesting something other than pleasure at the thief's presence.

"Is it alright if Locke comes along with us?"

Leo glanced to Celes, and the lady general gave the slightest shake of her head. Leo, however, turned back to the two Returners with a forced smile.

"Of course, you're welcome to join us."

Celes held back a groan, instead returning to her work. Leo looked to the sky, noting the time.

"Why don't the two of you find something to eat. I've made arrangements at the inn, so feel free to rest until we depart in the morning."

When the two left, Celes turned to Leo. "The others were supposed to stay in Vector."

"What difference will it make? Surely one man can't compromise our mission."

"One is all it takes," she muttered under her breath.

That night, Celes volunteered to stay late at the docks to oversee the last preparations, letting Leo turn in. Leaning against one of the dock posts, she became aware of a man in black next to her. She recognized him as the mercenary she met months ago in South Figaro.

"I remember you," she acknowledged indifferently.

"I hear you're going to Crescent Island."

"Your point?"

"I know the land."

"A mercenary offering himself as a guide?"

"I have my reasons."

"I'm sure." Celes paused for a moment in consideration. "What's your price?"

"Two thousand now, plus another two when your business there is finished."

"Sounds reasonable."

"A deal then?"

"A deal. But I must warn you. Two of the Returners you sold out back in South Figaro are coming with us."

"I'm not worried."

"Good. We leave just after dawn."

She heard no confirmation, and when she looked beside her, she found herself alone. Shaking her head, she gave her captain the final word of approval. Leaving the docks, she started up the stone stairs leading to the inn. It was then she noticed the figure on the bridge, elbows on the granite rail, head in his hands.

She halted her steps.

I'll protect you. I promise.

There are some things you can't protect me from.

I promised to keep you safe. I don't go back on that!

You don't trust me…

Do you want me to trust you?

Did you tell them, Celes? The truth about South Figaro?

Celes…?

She shook her head to ward off the unbidden reverie. Despite her best efforts to suppress it, the hurt was still there, and she didn't think that damaged past could ever heal.

Unconsciously taking a deep breath, Celes quietly ascended the last of the stairs and made for the inn.

Locke, in his torment, was seconds away from banging his head against the stone rail. He knew he should have just let Sabin accompany Terra instead of insisting on going himself, but his desire to remedy his dissolved friendship with Celes and his urge to protect Terra won out.

All was not well, of course. The lady general still wouldn't even look at him, and she was definitely not happy when he showed up at the docks. In fact, he thought miserably, he probably just made things worse by coming. The stone rail was becoming even more appealing.

That's when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Celes?"

He was surprised when she stopped walking, but still she wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Still not talking to me, eh?" He nodded to himself. "I don't blame you. You were right, you know. I didn't trust you. I wanted to…! But… Things just got so complicated."

He saw Celes bite her lip as if to keep from replying.

"Cel…I'm sorry."

Even as the words came out of his mouth, he heard the click of her boots as she walked away from him. The thief lowered his head in grief, but he called out to her one last time.

"I know I failed you!"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her pause. But either his confession wasn't enough for her, or it was perhaps too much, and with a swirl of her cloak, she was gone.

((ooo))

The ship departed the following morning as scheduled. Away from the Imperial nation, the two generals changed from their black garb to their more casual field uniforms. Leo donned his azure tunic beneath his emerald breastplate and cape. In radiant contrast to her normally darker attire, Celes wore all white: tunic, leggings, boots, glove, even her breastplate and shoulder armor. The only break in white was the ever present black gauntlet and a sapphire layer of silk that lined her snowy cloak.

The sun surrendered to the inevitable coming of night, and the first day of sail passed. The moon was full, and the stars were bright, free from the glow of the industrial world. The only sounds were the low hum of the engines and the gentle swishing of the water lapping against the ship's hull.

The ocean was calm, its surface still and black as Celes gazed across it infinite span, cursed by distant memories and recent plights to which there was never an absolution.

After giving a final order to the crew, Leo found he was not alone on deck. Against his better judgment, he walked up behind her and affectionately ran his hands down her arms, feeling her stiffen with the tenderness of his touch.

"You know it is forbidden what you feel for me."

Leo was not surprised Celes knew of how he felt, but she had never addressed it. His smile was soft.

"Is it forbidden for a man to love a woman?"

"Leo—"

She tried to squirm away in discomfort, but he held her still. Neither of the generals noticed the thief watching from the shadows, his queasiness taking on a different origin. Listening to such a confession, he felt a pang of hurt beyond explanation.

Leo didn't loosen his hold. "I don't ask anything of you, Celes. I never have. I'd never jeopardize our friendship like that."

"Or our careers?" she reminded coldly.

Leo sighed sadly and let his hands fall from her arms. "Or our careers."

With no desire to eavesdrop further, the still-unseen thief slinked dejectedly inside, mentally willing his stomach to settle.

"Don't forget what we're here to do, Leo."

Though the older general could sense the frost in her voice was forced, it still stung.

"Our duty…" he affirmed. "Do you think it's right?"

Celes' silence was her answer: generals don't think. They obey. Leo mutely remained at her side for several minutes before choosing to retire for the night. With a soft goodnight, he disappeared inside. All was quiet again until there was a soft thump on the deck. Celes turned her head slightly and was hardly surprised to see Shadow.

"I was stargazing," he explained, motioning towards the cabin roof. "Didn't mean to overhear anything."

The lady general merely shrugged. The mercenary looked to the door inside, but in a rare moment of curiosity, he turned to Celes.

"Do you think it's right? What Gestahl is planning?"

At first, there was no answer. Then, quietly, "Shadow, how do you do your job?"

The mercenary understood exactly where her question was coming from; she was looking for validation for her actions. His earlier query was solved.

"People like us don't have the luxury of remorse. It's what people like Gestahl love about us. And it's what people like the Returners hate about us."

Nothing more was said, and when Celes turned around, Shadow was gone.

Author's Note: Banon's comment on the generals' hearts and wills came from Beatrix's line in FFIX, "My heart and my will mean nothing." I've always liked that quote.