Rust Never Sleeps Remix: Alternate and Deleted Scenes Chapter 5, a final fantasy i-vi fanfic

Abandoned Side Story and Chapters Nineteen and Twenty

Table of Contents

Abandoned Maranda Uprising Sidestory:
1) An Embarassing Situation

Chapter Nineteen:
The Winds of Chance
1) Exposition Opening
2) Metal Gear Celes
_ _A) Take 1
_ _B) Take 2
3) "Lemme guess. Blonde Woman? Heart as cold as the ice she can conjur?"
4) On the Deck of the Ship (Terra's POV)
5) Celes Negotiates Passage to Vector (Script Version)
6) Celes/Terra Fluff (Script)

Chapter Twenty:
Fallen Kingdoms, Broken Pasts
1) Terra Remembers
_ _A) As the Chapter Opening
_ _B) Second Attempt
2) Kefka Walks into a Room Full of Mega Man References

Abandoned Maranda Uprising Sidestory:
An Embarassing Situation

This morning had given a new meaning to the phrase "waking up with morning moistness". Imperial General Celes Chere had been startled out of a pleasant dream of nothingness. By what she knew not, but her first instinct had been to leap into action with icy fists and swearing. Unfortunately for her, because the alcohol from the night before was still strong in her system and the blankets wrapped around her bare legs, she tumbled face first to the ground with yelp and a curse.

"Why, my dear Celes," tsked an all familiar voice. It was a voice Celes really didn't want to deal with this early in the morning. "Just take a look at you! Such a mess! So unfitting for a general of the Empire!" One Kefka Palazzo, or as she affectionately referred to him, Court Mage Douchebag.

Celes would have gotten on her feet, grabbed him by his overstuffed collar, and thrown him out of her apartment. There was a problem with that. She was bare-ass naked.

Chapter Nineteen:
The Winds of Chance

Exposition Opening

Celes sighed and watched the darkening world pass by below her. It had been a few hours, and she still couldn't believe what had happened. Setzer Gabbiani, notorious gambler and black marketeer, was taking them to Vector. How she had managed, she couldn't be for sure, but she wasn't going to look a gift chocobo in the mouth. Maybe it had been the fact that she had talked down a worried Terra from incinerating the entire airship. Maybe he had been impressed by the fact that she had managed to escape her confines via air-ducting. Or perhaps it simply was that he was a gentleman and was honoring their bargain. Yes. It was all because of a coin toss. It had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to sleep with her. She hoped and shuddered with the thought.

"You know, I think you may be even more beautiful than Maria," he had said.

Of course, that comment had sent her into a tizzy. "What the bloody hell does that have to do taking us to Vector?!" she had snapped.

"If you, General Chere, become my wife…I'll take you to Vector."

Poor Terra had bared witness to this and had to be talked down once again. Celes knew she could be protective, but until that point had had no idea just had jealous she could get. It had been endearing and scary at the same time. Thank god for Sabin interfering and suggesting a coin toss, or, well, a medallion toss. This had made things fair – to a point.

"Heads, you help us. Tails, I'll bloody marry you," she had said, much to Setzer's excitement and Terra's dismay. Celes hadn't been happy about it either, but what else was she supposed to do? Kill everyone on board? Then how would they pilot the airship?

It was a funny thing that medallion. Celes had never noticed the keepsake Sabin kept around his neck until after he ripped it from its chain around his neck. And it hadn't been until after it had landed that she realized that it wasn't any old gil coin.

Metal Gear Celes, Take 1

Celes peered out of the locker she had crammed herself into, watched two of Setzer Gabbiani's lackeys walk by, and assessed the situation. Gabbiani's men were armed with the standard thief weaponry, daggers and blades of varying sizes. The real surprise was that they were also armed with black market MagiTek pistols. Surprising, but not surprising. This also made things much more difficult. It was a good thing she decided to err on the side of caution and not her usual beat-the-ever-living-shit-out-of-everyone method. The last thing she needed at this point was a smoking crater in her chest.

Once the two henchmen disappeared around the corner, Celes slipped out and, as quietly as she could, stalked her way down the corridor. She needed to find the cockpit or bridge or whatever it was they called the captain's room. That was where Setzer was going to be and were she was going to commandeer this flying marvel of modern engineering. The problem was, this damn airship was so huge! She had no idea where she was or where to go. It wasn't like she could just stop a random lackey and ask for directions.

"'Scuse me, mate. Where's the bridge? Also, you got a spare set of clothing I could borrow?"

Ha! As if that would work!

"Did you see that flash of light outside?" came a voice from around the corner.

Celes swore under her breath and searched for a hiding spot in a panic. Open door to the left. Nothing. Open door to the right. Nothing! All that there was was a…box?

"Maybe it was a ghost!" said another.

Metal Gear Celes, Take 2

Celes peered out of the locker she had crammed herself into, watched as two of Setzer Gabbiani's lackeys decided to park themselves in front of her hiding spot, and assessed the situation. They were armed with the standard thief weaponry, daggers and blades of varying sizes, but the real surprise was that they were also armed with black market MagiTek pistols. This also made things much more difficult. It was a good thing she had decided to err on the side of caution and not her usual beat-the-ever-living-shit-out-of-everyone-no-second-thoughts method. A T-shirt and her underwear wouldn't do much to prevent a smoking crater in her chest.

"Did you see that flash of light outside earlier?" said one, male.

"Maybe it was the ghost airship!" said the other, female. She looked about Celes' size, too. The yellow and purple uniform looked pretty snazzy to someone who lacked proper clothing.

"No, way! Ghost airship? That's about as stupid as the boss kidnapping some opera diva!" He scoffed. "How does this make us money?"

The room fell eerily silent, to the point that Celes became afraid that the hired goons could hear her breathing. That was a very good question. She had assumed that Setzer had just wanted to add a pair of giant airships to his collection.

"You're kidding, right?" the woman said. "You have no clue?"

The man shook his head. "If I could see things like the boss, I wouldn't be questioning his sanity."

Another moment of silence passed. "It's called ransom, idiot!"

"Who's going to pay us for the return of some bimbo?"

"Uh, gee. Maybe the entire city of Jidoor?"

"Why?"

"Maybe because she's the sole reason people spend money in that overpriced snob-town to begin with?"

"You think it's going to work?"

Another moment of silence. "Honestly, I think the boss kidnapped her just to ogle her."

Celes sighed. No new information and certainly nothing she could use to take control of the airship. She needed to get out of this locker- It was cramped as all hell. -but how best to go about it with these two blocking the way? Ice them to the floor and falcon punch them? Try to lure them away with noises? Actually, how would one go about that while trapped in a locker?

Said the man, "You know, I don't recall a fight scene between a green haired woman and a giant octopus in The Dream Oath."

Celes froze. Here we go.

Replied the woman, "Maybe it was one of those new age interpretations."

"Did we even get the right woman? I mean, she and the rest of the actors didn't put up much of fight."

"Lemme guess. Blonde Woman? Heart as cold as the ice she can conjur?"

Aika sighed and poured two cups of coffee. One of the worst things about being new to the air pirating business under Setzer Gabiani was the boredom of night watch. Thankfully, coffee was provided but it just wasn't enough. With the boss having the only airship in the world, aside from Vector's nearly defunct Royal Airforce, there was really nothing to look out for. While airborne, there was no way that anyone or anything could manage to take over the ship, let alone get on board. And the one person who could cause trouble tonight was nothing more than a pampered songstress under lock and key.

Night watch was so incredibly dull. And these stupid paper cups with their playing card designs were so cheap…and stupid.

She handed a cup to her friend Vyse and smiled when he thanked her. "Should we get back to our post?" he said.

"I don't really want to," she said. "I'm almost half tempted to take control of the airship and go off to find some adventure!"

Vyse stood and patted her on the back. "I know how you feel, Aika," he said as he led her out of the galley, "but we're the young blood here. We don't call the shots."

This was true. They had joined Setzer's crew six months prior after an "accident" had opened up two spots. Of course, this meant they got stuck with menial jobs on a regular basis – cleaning the galley, cleaning the latrines- Ew. -scrubbing the deck, night watch. Aika didn't have to become an air pirate to be treated like a jerk or a maid. She could have gotten a job with Pruert Durmoch if she had wanted that. Still, there weren't too many options for South Figarian orphans. At least Setzer provided clothing, food, shelter, and health insurance on top of their weekly pay.

"I guess," Aika said. "Still, one day, I'd like to call the shots."

"We'll get there someday, Aika." Vyse turned and winked at her with his one good eye. "Just have a little faith, huh."

"I know, Vyse. I'm just impatient. I want some action."

He laughed. "Be careful what you wish for. Or it may turn out that that streak of light we saw earlier was that Fire Witch that everybody's been talking about!"

Aika nearly snorted coffee out her nose. The Fire Witch?! "Shut up!" she said before punching his shoulder. "How?! I highly doubt those bastard Imperials can fly!" Still, the thought of a dangerous woman who controlled fire and flight was a scary one. But if anyone with that kind of power did manage to get on board, what could just the two of them do?

Vyse shrugged and leaned up against the door. "Maybe. Maybe not. Just be careful with what you say, okay? You'll jinx our string of good luck."

"Fine. …Whatever." They had reached their post, standing guard over a songstress behind a locked door. The door was solid, so she couldn't punch her way out and only Setzer had the key. Aika leaned up against the wall beside Vyse. Despite how right he was, she still had an itch for something to happen, some excitement! Anything! A bandit raid! Setzer streaking down the corridor! Vyse streaking down the corridor! Vyse actually noticing that she cared about him! That songstress actually turning out to be an undercover military agent! The possibilities of excitement were endless…and very far away from her grasp.

"Is it just me or did it get colder?"

Aika never got the chance to answer Vyse. The door behind him exploded outward in a shower of wood and ice and sent him flying. Before she could even react, an icy cold hand clamped over her mouth, another slapped the coffee from her own, and a very angry, scantily clad songstress appeared in front of her.

"Listen up, Red," the woman said in a thick Vectorian accent. "I don't have a chocobo's age worth of time at my disposal, so let's make this quick. I'm going to ask a few questions. If I like what I hear, I'll let you go. We have a deal?"

Aika risked a quick look at Vyse. He was out cold, possibly from whatever this woman had used to smash open the door. It looked like she had used ice, but where had she gotten it? There was no ice maker in that room! Why was she so cold?!

The woman forced herself back in Aika's line of sight, her eyes demanding attention, her breath a cloud of moisture that hung in the air. She snarled, "Oi! That bloke isn't going to be helping you for a while. I've made sure of it. Now, I'm a woman of my word. Tell me what I want, you can walk away unharmed to help your friend. Deal?"

This woman wasn't a songstress and if there was one thing Aika wasn't, it was dumb. If this woman could burst through a solid oak door with no tools or explosives, then what could she do to the human body? Movement in the woman's free hand drew her attention, scaring her with what she saw. An icicle was growing from her palm! Was this- Was this magic?! It was probably best if she just agreed to whatever. She nodded her head the best she could despite being held against a wall.

"Cheers, mate. Now, I have two questions for you. One: Where's Setzer?" The woman slowly removed her hand from Aika's mouth, but maintained her threat with the sharp end of her icicle. "And bear in mind that my ice blade can be as sharp or as dull as I want it."

Aika swallowed hard and pointed her shaking hand back toward the way she and Vyse had come. "He's… He's on the bridge," she said, her words lined with fear. "Down the corridor, third left, up the stairs. Please don't kill me!"

The woman smiled a cold smile and brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes. "Next question isn't a question," she said. "It's a demand. Take your clothes off."

Aika flattened against the wall. And now to top it all off, some pervert woman wanted to see her naked. Vyse was right. She really should have been careful with what she had asked for.

A woman screamed when Sabin crashed through a window and landed hard on the floor. Another scream and a thud beside him told him that Locke was on solid ground as well. Baldur's Gate, that was quite a ride! "You okay, Locke?" he coughed as he stood.

"I think I swallowed my lungs," said a feminine voice beside him.

Sabin took in his surrounds. They were in a decently lit hallway of wood that was littered with the remains of the window they had crashed through. Beside him, Locke was splayed on his back, breathing rapidly and showcasing the magically charmed femininity that Terra had failed to dispel. A squeak of fear behind him grabbed at his attention. He readied his fist and found a half-naked red-headed girl cowering next to an unconscious one-eyed guy. Surrounding them were bits and pieces of what used to be a door.

"Lemme guess," he said with a smirk. "Blonde woman? Heart as cold as the ice she can conjur?"

The red-head slowly nodded. "Who… Who are you people?" she said. "How- How did you get up here?!"

Before Sabin could answer, Terra came crashing through another window and landed hard on Locke in a sitting position. "Sorry," she said with a sheepish grin.

"First, you leave me a woman," Locke said through clenched teeth, "and now you're trying to break my ribs! What gives, lady?!"

"Sorry!" Terra said again. "I can only dispel what Libra tells me is there!"

Sabin turned his attention back to the red-head. She wasn't going to be a problem, as she already looked pretty traumatized. "We're not here to hurt you. We're just chasing after our friend. Where is she?"

The frightened girl merely pointed in a direction.

On the Deck of the Ship (Terra's POV)
Notes: I really hadn't wanted to cut this, but I had basically written myself into a situation where I had one long continuous scene that required a point of view switch the couldn't be done properly. I initially wanted to showcase a bit more of Vyse and Aika as well as Locke's condition, but it's gone to live on as background dialogue as Celes sneaks out of the bridge.

Terra ducked under the swing of her opponent's blade, and made an attempt to trip him up with a sweep of her foot. Before she could celebrate her success, he was back on his feet with a backward roll. She stood as well and readied herself for another attack.

"I'll ask again, Fire Witch" said the one-eyed man, "what do you want from us?"

"I want my friend," she said. "I also need passage to Vector."

"And you think that attacking us is the way to go about it?"

He lunged at her, forcing her to go into a defensive position. Her blades met with his and prevented her clothes and arms from being sliced off, the force of his blow redirected harmlessly to the side. She followed up with roundhouse kick that was blocked with his forearm.

"You attacked me first!" she said.

"You showed up out of nowhere in a beast costume, covered in fire, and threatened us!" Terra's ribs burst with a dull ache where his elbow connected. "That's grounds for us to defend ourselves!"

She stumbled back and, again, brought her blades up in defense. She hadn't wanted to hurt anyone, but it was clear that they wanted to hurt her. Perhaps she hadn't thought this plan through very well. It had been pretty silly to think that they'd just hand over the woman they had just kidnapped. The only way to get passed the guard was to overpower him; curbing her strength just wasn't working. If only she could knock him out without serious injury; perhaps knock him down and threaten him with a blade to the face and a wave of fire.

She broke the deadlock with a leap back, surprising him, and surprised him further with an explosion of fire between them. He stumbled backwards and fell hard when Sabin tackled him to the floor. Terra lowered her blades and her frown. Well, that certainly was one way to get the job done.

Locke came up beside her, one dagger at the ready and one arm wrapped around his stomach. "I had a feeling this was going to happen," he said with a sigh.

"At least this guy ain't gettin' up for a while," Sabin said with a cheeky grin and a thumbs up.

A flash of light and loud sharp bang caught Terra's attention. Something was flying in the air towards Locke! Time suddenly felt like it had been slowed down by excess baggage. The act of stepping forward took forever. Bringing her katana up and swinging it passed by after another eternity. A metallic clang and the following splintering of wood severed time from its anchors, allowing it to flow normally again. She had hit whatever had been flying towards them and sent it ricocheting off somewhere else, probably into a crate. Behind her, Locke coughed with shock.

At the opposite end of the deck, near where the two guards had initially been standing, huddled a handful of men and women armed with old-fashioned gun-powdered pistols, and all at the battle ready. In the center, loomed a tall, silver-haired man in a long leather duster, his handgun still smoking from a recent fire. It was a scarred face that Terra would never forget. He had drugged Celes and taken her away. The Wandering Gambler, Setzer Gabbiani.

"Vyse!" The red-headed, pigtailed guard from earlier almost ran out to her companion, but was stopped by Setzer's free arm.

"Hold, Aika," he said. "Two of you I recognize from the opera house. You, with the bandana, I'm assuming you had been the charmed imp."

"Don't remind me," Locke muttered. Of course, he was still bitter about that. Terra had been able to reverse the imp curse, but he still remained female or female-ish. She wasn't certain which. Her Libra spell didn't give her much of the information she needed and he continued to be vague on the subject. All she could ascertain was that he now had breasts and was not happy about it.

"Greetings once again," Setzer said with a nod. "Kudos on achieving something never done before, storming my airship. Tell me, how did you manage such a feat?"

Terra snorted. "How else?" she said. "We walked."

Setzer laughed for a moment before turning maudlin again. The switch had happened so fast that it had been jarring. "Amusing. Why are you people here?"

Before Terra could open her mouth, Locke grabbed hold of her arm, tightly. She ripped it from his grasp and rubbed it to ease the sting of his nails. "We need passage to Vector," he said. "All other avenues of travel have been cut off to us."

"And why should I help Imperials, especially the dangerous Fire Witch, back to their homeland? While the Empire has been good for the black market business, they're no friends of mine."

Terra lowered her head. Is that how people saw her? As dangerous? As someone who'd sooner burn them to a crisp than anything else? She mumbled, "I have a name. It's 'Terra,' not bloody 'Fire Witch'." She felt Locke's hand on her arm once again, but this time not as tightly.

"We're not Imperials," Locke said. "We're Returners."

"-on a mission to kick Imperial ass!" Sabin said with a punch into his own hand.

Setzer gave a half-cocked grin, and fully cocked his pistol, his aim resting right between Terra's eyes. The remainder of his crew followed suit. "Intriguing," he said, "but as they say, 'Pull the other one.'"

Terra readied herself for the worst. So much for a daring, romantic nighttime rescue. If she and Celes had swapped positions, Celes would have had no issues beating the crap out of these guys. Terra hadn't wanted to do that. She hadn't wanted to harm. She had only wanted to save her partner. Plus, she was fairly certain Setzer's crew was needed to operate an airship of this size. She snorted and said, "I'm not touching anything that's called 'the other one.' Ew."

Setzer chuckled. "Cute," he said. "Men, throw these Returners in the brig until we decide what do with them."

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Locke said.

"Me either!" Sabin cried.

Terra remained silent and continued staring Setzer down. Part of her wanted to stand her ground, to fight. The other part wanted to surrender peacefully and work her way around from the inside. Still another part of her was afraid of the fact that so many firearms were aimed dead at her. She had access to time magic, but considering it only worked some of the time, it was a risk she wasn't willing to take. Dying on this airship wouldn't help anyone. Not her. Not Celes. Especially not the espers held captive in Vector.

Setzer shook his head. "You either surrender peacefully or the Fire Witch finds herself full of lead. Which is it?"

Celes Negotiates Passage to Vector (Script Ver)

CELES appears behind SETZER with an ice dagger at his throat and her free arm pinning him to her person.

CELES:
G'day, mate. How's about a third option:
You and your hired goons lower your firearms and I think about not slicing your throat open.

SETZER's crowd collectively gasp and back away to give them space.

TERRA:
Celes!

CELES:
Terra, stand down!

Looking hurt, Terra does as she is told. She sheaths her katana. Locke follows suit.

SETZER:
You're not Maria.

CELES:
Look, I'm not one for this cloak and dagger gig, but I took Maria's place because we need help into Vector. Your ship is the only-

SETZER:
If you're not Maria, then we have nothing further to discuss. Men-

CELES:
Oh, I think we do. See that big wall of muscles over there? Sabin Rene Figaro, the beloved crown prince of Figaro. What do you think'll happen once his brother, King Edgar, finds out he died seeking your assistance?

Silence.

CELES:
That other…er, guy, Locke Cole, is a well-respected high-ranking Returner. Guess who'll be coming after you if something happens to him. *snorts* Certainly not the Empire, mate.

Silence.

CELES:
And that girl with the wild green hair, the 'Fire Witch' as you mooks love calling her. Her name's Terra, and she's a former Imperial MagiTek Knight. As for me, I used to be a high-ranking Imperial General.

SETZER's face drops for a moment.

SETZER:
General?

CELES:
General Celestial Rosa Chere. All of us are members of the Returners and officially under Figaro's protection. Kill us, imprison us… Either way, you're going to have Figarian soldiers and Returners fishing you out of the sky. Do you really want that?

SETZER:
No.

CELES:
And I don't want to put my foot up your arse.

CELES dissolves her ice blade and releases SETZER.

CELES:
Look, we've gotten off to a bad start, hey, and for that I apologize. But we had no other means to contact you.

SETZER holsters his firearm and readjusts his duster. He grins and gestures to his crew to do the same.

SETZER:
Fair enough. Let's talk, then. And don't misunderstand, I haven't agreed to helping you. I'm still not entirely sure why you need me or my airship.

CELES:
Long story short, our mission is to take down the Empire's MagiTek Facility. To do that, we need to be in Vector.

SETZER:
The Empire, for the most part, has left me and my operations alone. I don't agree with some of their methods, but I see no reason in stirring up a hornet's nest when I don't have to.

LOCKE:
Doma had said the same thing. Look at them now.

SETZER:
This is true, but, if I'm not mistaken, they had been holding Imperial scouts hostage.

CELES:
Imperial scouts that had no bloody business being there in the first place. There was nothing strategic about Doma. They wrecked the place because Kefka was bloody bored that week!

SETZER:
Is this why Figaro has gone to war with the Empire?

SABIN:
*shrugs* Mostly. We have other…more personal reasons as well.

SETZER:
I see.

Silence. SETZER mulls things over.

SETZER:
You know, General Chere, I think you may be even more beautiful than Maria.

TERRA grabs on to CELES' arm protectively.

CELES:
What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything?

SETZER:
If you become my wife, I'll take you to Vector. Otherwise…

TERRA:
What?!

TERRA repeatedly shakes her head.

TERRA:
We'll find another way! We'll swim! I'll fly us there one by one!

CELES quiets her by placing a finger to her lips and raises an eyebrow at SETZER.

CELES:
I'm into women, not men. You really expect me to agree to this?

SETZER:
Those are my terms. You want into Vector? I want a beautiful wife. I think that's a fair trade.

CELES regards the others. LOCKE looks mortified. SABIN shrugs. TERRA is on the verge of crying.

CELES:
Right, but I have stipulations of my own, hey. A coin toss. Heads, you join the Returners and help us. Tails, I'm…I'm yours.

SETZER rubs his hands together in excitement.

SETZER:
A game of chance? Truly a woman after my own heart! I like it!

TERRA opens her mouth to protest, but nothing comes out. SETZER's crew look about each other as if they can't believe what they're hearing.

LOCKE:
Celes, you can't be serious with this! You were ready to smash my face for suggesting you wear a dress!

CELES:
Right, and I'm still aggro because it's gotten us into this bloody mess.

TERRA:
Celes, if you marry him, then that means…

CELES:
I know, sweetie, but if this is what it takes to get the job done, then so be it. So, who has a gil?

SABIN pulls a medallion from his necklace.

SABIN:
Not a gil, but it is a coin.

CELES:
Flip it, unless Mr. Gabbiani has any objections?

SETZER:
*shakes head* As the lady said.

SABIN flips the coin. It bounces several times before stopping between CELES and SETZER's toes, heads up. A noise of surprise escapes TERRA.

CELES:
Well, allow me to be the first to welcome you fine lot to the ranks of the Returners.

SETZER picks up the coin and studies it.

SETZER:
A Figarian minted coin? I've never seen one of these.

SABIN:
My father had it minted days before he was killed by the Empire. It was to symbolize that Edgar and I would lead Figaro into prosperity.

SETZER:
Interesting.

He flips the coin back to SABIN.

SETZER:
Now, I could say that I've been hustled and demand a best two out of three.

CELES:
True, mate, but that's the chance you take in a game of chance, isn't it?

SETZER:
*laughs* What are the odds? I love it!

CELES extends her hand.

CELES:
We have a deal?

SETZER takes it and shakes.

SETZER:
Of course! Gambling against the Empire; nothing to lose but my life. I'm a chip in your pile! Let's up the ante and get you to Vector!

Celes/Terra Fluff (Script)
Notes: This had been cut not only because it really didn't fit anywhere but the fact that I totally didn't rip off Wonderwall. I also felt that, in the grand scheme of things, it's Celes who has trouble speaking from the heart while Terra wears her heart on her sleeve, not the other way around.

CELES approaches TERRA at the edge of the deck. TERRA is looking out over the darkened world below.

CELES:
There you are. I've been looking all over for you.

Silence. CELES leans up against the railing, facing back the way she had come.

CELES:
Sweetheart, you okay?

TERRA:
*shakes her head and wipes away tears* No.

CELES:
What's wrong?

TERRA:
It's nothing.

CELES:
It can't be nothing. You wouldn't be crying if that was the case.

CELES hugs TERRA.

CELES:
Is this about what happened with Setzer?

TERRA:
*nods* I'm sorry. It's stupid to obsess, but I can't stop thinking about if you had lost. It…scares me.

CELES:
Believe me, I'm not happy about it either. But there's no point in worrying about something that didn't and won't happen.

TERRA:
I know. All the roads that lead the way are winding. All the lights that light the way are blinding.

The two kiss. TERRA cups CELES' face in her hand.

TERRA:
There are so many things that I want to say to you, but I don't know how.

CELES:
Take your time, sweetheart. I'll be right here when it comes to you.

TERRA:
On the airship?

CELES:
By your side, you silly bugger.

TERRA:
I like that even better.

Chapter Twenty:
Fallen Kingdoms, Broken Pasts

Terra Remembers (Chapter Opening)

They had made love under the stars in a natural spring hidden in the mountains and protected by a thicket of trees. It had been like something out of a cheap gil store romance novel, but it had been an experience to remember without shallow characterizations and spelling errors. Celes couldn't remember the specifics of it all-that's how intense it had been-but the feeling, the hot fuzzy fog in her head, the bursting of her heart, the trembling of her nerves, and Terra's naked form splayed out on the rock next to her told her everything she needed to know. That she couldn't move her legs said something as well, and when considering Terra's rough bedroom demeanor and insatiable sexual appetite exhaustion and over stimulation were always the causes.

Celes propped herself up on an elbow and ran her free hand along the glistening curvature in front of her. Her lips widened into a grin as her fingertips drank in the soft, wet touch of Terra's hips and side. They were a fair distance from the light pollution of civilization; the stars used this to their advantage in the moonless sky to illuminate everything they touched, Terra included. Even tired and wet like a cat left out in the rain, she was a goddess who radiated warmth within the faint silver skylight, which meant that Celes was the devotee left breathless by the one she worshipped.

"We should do this more often," Celes said barely above a whisper and as coherent as a drunken lout. "Y'know, under the stars."

Terra tiredly made eye contact, rolling them to achieve the feat. She sighed under her breath, which, along with her rapidly moving chest, said that she still hadn't caught it. "I don't care about the where," she said breathlessly. With the hand she wasn't using as a pillow, she petted Celes' wandering own before linking their fingers together. "I only care about the who."

"As you should." Celes leaned forward and planted a light kiss on a soft cheek. She fell to her back in time to watch a shy smile grow from the effort. She turned her attention to the stars framed by the dark tops of the surrounding trees and sorted through more unpleasant thoughts. Truth be told, this could have been their last time together, which made her cherish it that much more.

They were less than a day's foot travel from Vector and their mission was one that could end up with someone or all of them dead. Somber thoughts, maybe even a little pessimistic, but a reality. They were heading into the heart of the Empire to the place that even the craziest Imperials, save Kefka, dared not tread. Celes was dreading it but she wasn't afraid of death; she'd meet that bastard head on in any of his reaper games. It was more she was afraid that, with a slave crown, someone could take control of her, Terra, or, gods forbid, both and spell the end of the Returners and the espers as they knew them. Or perhaps the Returners would construe her proximity to Vector as traitorous.

Once a traitor, always a traitor.

Still, they had a mission to achieve and a promise to keep. It was no secret that Terra was anxious to find her father. It was a meeting that Celes was torn over. She wanted Terra to find that missing link in hopes that it'd jog the rest of her memories, but the introductions… Baldur's Gate, how does one of a dying race near the brink of extinction come out of the closet and introduce her lover to her family? "Hi, daddy! Just letting you know that the esper race will die with me, since—Oops! I'm gay!" She could even see the expression on Terra's face; a faltering overly-exaggerated smile that screamed of a lack of comfortability and confidence, arms held out for a hug to lessen the blow of racial extinction. That would be awkward. Like cringey, kill it with fire awkward. But Celes was committed to Terra just as she was the mission. Everyone, humans and espers alike, were going to make it to the safety of the airship at Tzen or she'd die trying to get them there.

Tzen, the town of the fallen kings, once had been a sprawling metropolis and the seat of an ancient continent spanning kingdom. The kingdom itself had started crumbling when Emperor Gestahl's young father broke Vector away into its own city-state. "Vector is the oldest city in the world!" he had claimed. "We're the leaders in new ways, new technology. We deserve to lead the world into a new era!" Forty years of war then followed, only ending when a young Emperor Gestahl ravaged Tzen and slaughtered the royal family. Then when Old Man Gestahl died, the Emperor took his place, ruling Downunder with an iron fist, starting conquests on the other continents, and conducting experiments of a questionable nature. Then twenty years ago, espers happened jumping Vector's technology forward by nearly fifty years and for all the wrong reasons.

As for Tzen, people died, moved away, or were forced to relocate to Vector and join the newly rebranded Imperial Army. Large sections soon crumbled away and became breeding grounds for ghosts, legends, and other more dangerous creepy crawlies. Proof of this could be found in the smattering of ruins found for miles around the northern coast, the aptly named Marble Gardens; urban ruins so dangerous that not even the locals dared to enter. It wasn't the ghosts or the legends that scared them, it was the long list of dangerous monsters; dons, their lesser seen smaller cousins ralphs, grasswyrms, Litwor's Chickenlips, wyverns, and former Imperial experiments let loose into the wild—the jokers. That was just naming a few.

It was this quaint, run down shell of a town that Setzer had chosen to use as a base for his part in the mission. One, he had business there…supposedly. Two, he hadn't wanted to land any closer to Vector, a sentiment no one had questioned. An airship landing just outside the city of eternal darkness would certainly be scrutinized. This mission required stealth in and, hopefully, stealth out, but considering how things had been going so far just getting to this point in their journey, it wasn't looking very likely that stealth would be any help. Setzer, Vyse, and Aika had disappeared into the dark alleys leading into the Marble Gardens, leaving the group to their own devices. It hadn't mattered, anyway. He wasn't going into Vector. Someone needed to stay behind, ready for a quick getaway if needed. That someone may as well be him. Hopefully, nothing happened to them in those ruins.

After a quick stop for supplies and a monetary bribe for the owner's silence, Celes, Terra, Locke, and Sabin had embarked on a journey traversing through the Downunder outback. "The land that time forgot," Locke had called it. Celes didn't quite share the same sentiment as she had grown up here, but after a few times back and forth between the two continents, she understood what he had meant. The fauna in Downunder was different from that of the north, bigger, oddly shaped, almost prehistoric in nature. The wildlife instilled a similar feeling; they showed similarities to creatures long extinct elsewhere with some so drastically different that scientific classification failed. It didn't help that damn near everything was dangerous, poisonous, and able to kill a full-grown man in a matter of seconds if care was not observed. It also didn't help that the Empire dumped its failed genetic experiments and other monstrosities, the jokers included, in the bush to ravage travelers and natural wildlife.

This wildlife had been the reason for their halting. It had been a particularly fierce and bloody battle with scores of the giant worm-like Litor's Chickenlips, dragonesque wyverns, and the intelligent Imperial/bird-brained jokers. Nobody had been seriously hurt, but the amount of gore covering them had been astronomical. Luckily, they had been near a stream that snaked its way into a thicket of trees. After some investigation, they had found this spring hidden in the forest and fed by a waterfall high up the mountain. It had been beautiful at first sight, enough that a call to camp had been unanimous and turns had been taken for cleanliness. When night had come crashing down, tent shenanigans had led to waterfall shenanigans which had then migrated to underwater shenanigans and several other types of shenanigans before finally stopping at their present star-tanning state.

"I want to cuddle," Terra said, breaking the mental exposition, "but I'm too tired and sore to move. Scoot closer to me."

Celes brushed away the damp hair that had fallen in Terra's eyes. She said with a smirk, "Don't look at me, sweetie. I still can't feel my legs. I'm lucky I can move my arms."

A giggle escaped from underneath that dark crazy mane of hair. "Sorry. I think I got carried away."

"You did a little, but…" The memory of the pleasure overload forced her to arch her back and moan under her breath. Things had certainly come a long way from that first awkward time in Zozo. "I'm not complaining, hey."

The two fell into a silence for some time and stared into the stars, enjoying the comfortable silence and each other's presence. Terra soon rolled against Celes' side and repositioned herself, half laying on her as if she were a blanket kicked off in summertime. She cemented the embrace with a one-armed hug around the neck and a nuzzle against the nearest cheek. "Hey, Celes?"

"Yeah?"

"Did I ever tell you about my dream?"

"Dream? I don't think so. What was it about?"

Terra went silent for so long that Celes had almost feared that she had fallen asleep. The tightening of her grip said otherwise. "I've been having it for a while now. We're near a pond very much like this one, under the stars, and, um, things happen."

Celes stiffened. She knew that dream even without the definitions of any ambiguous 'things'. For her, that dream had been bittersweet. She had gotten what she'd always desired and then had it taken from her in one fell swoop. Though one could argue that it all had worked out in the end, but that still didn't excuse the near two years of heartache, depression, and anger she had suffered through.

Terra suddenly appeared above her, a frown on her face and her hair cascading down like a green waterfall. "It's not a dream, is it," she said. It hadn't been a question, and that made all the difference. She already knew the answer.

Celes had avoided the topic of their shared history because she hadn't wanted to reopen old wounds. She had a feeling that there'd be no getting around it this time. Actually, there was probably no point in hiding anything any longer. They were partners now. Besides, Terra deserved to know the truth. "No," she said softly. "That actually happened, hey. I don't remember details though. I was…pretty drunk."

"Were we always together like this?"

"Friends? Yes. Lovers? No." Celes sighed as Terra settled back into her cuddle position. "This… This is something entirely new. Hell, we probably wouldn't be in this situation if you weren't so damn pushy."

Teeth nibbled at her ear before it filled with whispered music. "What can I say? I know what I want."

Terra Remembers: Second attempt

They had made love under the stars. It had been like something out of a cheap gil store romance novel, but it had been an experience to remember…without shallow characterizations and spelling errors. Celes couldn't remember the specifics of it all-that's how intense it had been-but the feeling, the hot fuzzy fog in her head, the bursting of her heart, the trembling of her nerves, Terra's naked form splayed out on the rock next to her, all told her everything she needed to know. That she couldn't move her legs said something as well, thanks in part to Terra's rough bedroom demeanor and insatiable sexual appetite.

"We should do this more often," Celes said barely above a whisper and as coherent as a drunken lout. "Y'know, under the stars."

They had a mission to achieve and a promise to keep. It was no secret that Terra was anxious to find her father and any other espers that might still be living. It was a meeting that Celes was torn over. She wanted Terra to find that missing link in hopes that it'd jog the rest of her memories, but the introductions… Baldur's Gate, how does one of a dying race near the brink of extinction come out of the closet and introduce her lover to her family? "Hi, daddy! Just letting you know that the esper race will die with me, since—Oops! I'm gay!" She could even see the expression on Terra's face; a faltering overly-exaggerated smile that screamed of a lack of comfortability and confidence, her arms held out for a hug to lessen the blow of racial extinction. That would be awkward. Like cringey, kill it with fire awkward. But Celes was committed to Terra just as she was the mission. Everyone, humans and espers alike, were going to make it to the safety of the airship at Tzen or she'd die trying to get them there.

"I want to cuddle," Terra said, breaking the mental exposition, "but I'm too tired and sore to move. Scoot closer to me."

Celes brushed away the damp hair that had fallen in Terra's eyes. "Don't look at me, sweetie. I still can't feel my legs. I'm lucky I can move my arms."

A giggle escaped from underneath that dark crazy mane of hair. "Sorry. I think I got carried away."

"Yeah?"

TERRA:
I feel like we've done this before. By a lake, under the stars, the moon watching over us.

CELES:
…

TERRA sits up.

TERRA:
I remember now. You dragged me out of bed and took me to a lake outside the city. You kissed me. We made love and…

TERRA hugs her knees and starts to cry. CELES sits up as well and tries to comfort her with a side hug and a back rub.

TERRA:
And… *sniffles* I…

Her composure falters.

TERRA:
I…

Her face contorts to one of extreme agony.

TERRA:
I couldn't stop him.

CELES:
What?

TERRA shakes violently and cries into her hands.

TERRA:
I couldn't stop him!

CELES:
Kefka…

TERRA begins flailing at her head, trying to remove something that isn't there.

TERRA:
Get it off of me! Get it off of me!

CELES makes a mad grab for TERRA's hands, but TERRA fights her off.

CELES:
Terra! There's nothing there!

TERRA:
I won't kill anymore!

CELES shoves TERRA to her back, straddles her waist, and pins her hands to the ground.

CELES:
Terra!

TERRA's wails turn to pathetic whimpers.

TERRA:
Where are you, Celes? Please save me!

CELES:
Terra, I'm right here!

TERRA's flailings stop before her face once again turns to agony.

TERRA:
Celes…?

CELES:
I'm right here.

TERRA, crying, sits up and latches on to CELES with a death grip hug.

CELES:
Sweetie, tell me what's wrong.

TERRA:
I remember…everything.

Kefka Walks into a Room Full of Mega Man References
Notes: I initially had an aversion to writing things in Kefka's perspective, hence why multiple chapters (initially) showcased Kefka through the eyes of no name Imperial peons. This scene changed that aversion. But, Kefka's scene here was originally written with that aversion in mind. I had already dropped a Mega Man reference regarding Cid's team in an earlier chapter (Dr. Cossack). I was going to run with it here in the perspective of the mute assistant (Rock) of another scientist (Dr. Cain) on Cid's team.

SCENE: Cid del Norte Marquez's Laboratory, THE DEVIL'S LAB
CID and another scientist, DR. MIKHAIL COSSACK, are pouring over notebooks, loose papers, computer-like equipment. DR. CAIN's assistant, ROCK, stands silently nearby and stares at a fluid filled tube.

CID:
I can't believe they've made me do this once again. *sighs* I thought this nightmare was over.

MIKHAIL:
This is just conjecture on my part, but considering that one-oh-five-three-eight failed nearly every loyalty test over the last decade, I'm not surprised that Emperor Gestahl has requested the Project be revisited.

CID:
I'm well aware of the why, Mikhail. I just… I guess I'd placed too much hope into it all being…finished.

MIKHAIL:
You're too attached, Cid. Perhaps you should sit this one out. Let Cain and I handle it.

CID:
I couldn't even if I wanted to. The Emperor asked me to directly oversee this.

MIKHAIL:
*laughs* Well, I'd say this is your punishment-

KEFKA suddenly bursts into the room with a cackle of his own. CID recoils in fear while MIKHAIL raises an eyebrow. ROCK turns to observe the situation.

KEFKA:
Why, if it isn't Professor del Norte Marquez and his lackey Doctor Cossack. Two of my three favorite scientists hard at work doing sciency-type things for the betterment of mankind! For the betterment of the Empire! Working on things far beyond the scope of a simpleton such as me! *giggles* Where's the other one?

MIKHAIL:
Doctor Cain went out for lunch, my lord. *under his breath* And I'm not a lackey, you pinhead.

KEFKA approaches ROCK and sneers in his face. ROCK just stares blankly.

KEFKA:
And yet, he left his simpleton behind to do the heavy lifting.

The two hold the pose for a moment before KEFKA laughs crazily.

KEFKA:
Idiot!

CID:
Why… Why are you here, Lord Kefka?

KEFKA:
A very good question, Professor. *giggles* You can say that I'm here for power. You can also say I'm here for knowledge. Or maybe I'm here just to simply see how it's going. *cackles* Truth of the matter is, my dear Cid, the Emperor sent me here for a progress report on our little…secret weapon.

CID:
*stammers* Secret weapon?

MIKHAIL:
Project One-Oh-Five-Three-Nine is proceeding per the plan that the Emperor set into motion, my lord.

KEFKA:
*giggles* Ooh! This is good, excellent, fantastical news! Will it be powerful?

MIKHAIL:
Yes, my lord.

KEFKA:
*giggles* Will it have magical abilities beyond anything we've ever experienced?

MIKHAIL:
Rivalling only yours, my lord.

KEFKA:
The very thought of it sends a shiver down my spine! *cackles* And we're certain that Professor Cid won't do any meddling this time around?

MIKHAIL:
Meddling?

CID:
*hangs head* No, Lord Kefka. No meddling. You… You have my word.

KEFKA gets in CID's face.

KEFKA:
I should very well hope so, Professor. It'd be a shame if I had to send a battalion of MagiTek soldiers to Jidoor. We wouldn't want anything to happen there, now would we?

CID turns white and slowly shakes his head.

CID:
No, Lord Kefka.

KEFKA laughs in response. He approaches the fluid filled tank and shoves ROCK out of the way.

KEFKA:
Out of the way, shrimpy!

He studies it for a moment before cackling like a madman.

KEFKA:
I can feel the power! Yes! This one will do! Those pesky Returners won't know what hit them! *giggles* How soon until it's ready?

MIKHAIL:
We still have yet to implement [REDACTED]. That should take a week.

KEFKA:
A week?!

A fireball explodes on the wall beside MIKHAIL.

KEFKA:
You have twenty-four hours. You fail that and my menagerie of jokers'll be eating good for days.

KEFKA leaves the room in a huff. CID and MIKHAIL look at each other before both turning to ROCK.

CID:
Rock, fetch Doctor Cain. He's needed urgently lest we be turned into bird food.

ROCK nods and leaves on his fetch quest.