Author's Note: If anyone can tell me how to put two punctuation marks next to each other (say, a ? and a !) without it disappearing on me, I will give you a cookie. If anyone can tell me how to put a few asterisk on a separate line (signifying a break) without it disappearing on me, I will give you a glass of milk to go with that cookie.

Disclaimer: See other chapter 1.

Chapter 1: Masked Feelings

"And so I told them, 'You guys get in there while I keep this thing busy!'"

The girl listened intently, the smile never fading from her lips. She was genuinely interested in my story, though there were times when I could tell that her curiosity was slightly feigned or her laughter forced. Not that I mind, of course. I love getting attention from women. Especially cute ones. I am Edgar Roni Figaro, after all. I've got that Ladies' Man reputation to keep up.

"You battled that monster by yourself?"

"Of course!" I boasted. "It was a vicious beast, complete with sharp teeth, jagged claws, glowing eyes, and ferocious tentacles. The entire engine room was a mess. The creature was tearing apart the pipes, its claws dug into walls, and its tentacles wrapped around various switches. I drew my sword, and then..."

"Hey!" called a voice as the doors of the mini-bar flew open. Locke peered through the opening and motioned with his hand. "Come on, Romeo, we've docked at Thamasa! Strago and Relm are about to leave!"

I nodded and held up a hand, signaling to him to wait for a moment as I turned back to the brunette waitress. "I guess I shall finish my story when I return, my lady."

She smiled broadly and giggled and I got up toward my friend.

Locke grinned and rolled his eyes. When I was close enough to him, he leaned over and whispered, "Last time I checked, monsters have either claws or tentacles, not both."

I laughed wholeheartedly and gave my friend a slap on the back. "You little bastard, you were eavesdropping."

Locke grinned again. "Well, yeah, I wouldn't miss the chance to witness you making a complete fool out of yourself. Again."

The two of us were the last to arrive at the deck. Strago and Relm each dragged a trunk behind them as they made their way around to everyone to say their farewells. My brother, Sabin, stood off to the side, carrying two more seemingly full cases.

"What's with all the luggage?" I asked.

"I don't know," replied Locke. "Presents?"

"Presents, like... beast hides? Skeletons? Mutated plants?"

"And monsters with both tentacles and claws?"

At that, I gave Locke another hard slap on the back. He just laughed in return. "I swear, Locke, one of these days..."

"Hey, Edgar!" The little girl walked up to me and tugged at my cape. She smiled then opened her arms for a hug. "Don't forget me when you're chasing after all the pretty ladies, okay?"

I smiled and bent down to embrace her. "Of course not," I replied. "I'll wait until you're old enough and take you for my queen."

She laughed. "Whatever, lover boy." She then jumped at Locke and gave him a hug, too. "Be sure to send me some of your treasures, all right? I want shiny ones. The shinier the better. Then I'll send you my paintings of them."

Locke nodded. "Okay, deal."

"Oh, and don't forget to write!" she said as she made her way to Gau.

"Me miss you, Relm, my lady," he said as he leaned forward to kiss her.

"Eww!" she screamed and jumped back and Gau fell face down toward the floor. "What do you think you're doing, kid?" She then turned toward me. "Edgar, look what you've done!"

I laughed. "I'm influential, like a king should be!"

Strago came up to me and Locke and gave us both a hug and a pat on the back. From the corner of my eye, I saw Relm lean toward Gau and let him give her a small peck on the cheek before running off. I chucked slightly. "It's been a wonderful trip with you all, kids," said the old man. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun! Now, I know both of you will be busy with your own lives, but whenever you have time, be sure to drop by and visit our village, all right?"

"Don't worry, Strago, we'll come visit. That's a promise."

This felt like the most difficult part of the whole battle—saying good-bye. Nearly a week had gone by since we've defeated Kefka, and now it was time for all of us to part and go our separate ways. Strago and Relm lived in Thamasa, and Sabin and I had Figaro Castle. Locke would probably return to Kohlingen, and Sezter was a free wanderer of the skies. Other than that, we were about the only fortunate ones with a "home" to return to. I suppose Gau would still live on the Veldt, and Mog and Umaro could return to their caves back in Narshe. Terra did have her children in Mobliz, and Cyan had the remains of Doma Castle, but those places were more or less in complete ruins and would take years or even decades to be fully reconstructed. There was a good chance that Celes would follow Locke to Kohlingen, but who knows where Gogo would end up. And Shadow... no one had seen him since Kefka's Tower crumbled.

I sighed to myself and suddenly noticed that the airship was taking off. I hurried to the side of the ship and leaned over the railings, waving last good-byes to our companions.

"Don't forget to write!" Terra called down to them.

"And don't you forget either!" Relm called back.

"You all take care, and remember, you're always welcome in our town!" reminded Strago.

I watched her continue to wave at them until the village shrunk to a mere spot on the ground. Terra, the half-human half-Esper girl, was perhaps the reason we were able to defeat Kefka in the end. She taught us the truth about Espers, which in turn allowed each of us to learn valuable Magic without the risks of Magiteknology. Ultimately, this knowledge and ability to use Magic was the deciding factor in the battle against Kefka. It was difficult to imagine, that if she remained in the Empire's hands and revealed the secrets of Magic to them and only them, what the world would be like today.

"Let's see, the closest destination from here would be... Mobliz," said Setzer, looking over his self-made map. "Well, looks like you'll be next, Terra."

She looked at him and nodded. "Thanks again, Setzer."

"Anytime, darling," he smiled back at her. "It's getting late today. You should probably go back and get some rest. We should be able to get you home in about another two or three days."

She nodded again.

She truly was a magnificent girl, beautiful inside and out. I thought about approaching her, but then decided to just admire her from afar, as I had always done. She was such a timid girl in the beginning. When I first met her, those emerald eyes reflected nothing but fear and confusion, not knowing what to do, not knowing whom to trust. As was expected, I suppose. She had her consciousness ripped from her by the Empire, and then the Returners, Locke and myself included, pressured her into helping and joining us without even considering her feelings. And for personal reasons, at that. Looking back now, I could kill myself for ever being so inconsiderate. Many things happened, and over time, Terra began to understand more about her past and she finally began to accept herself for who she was. She learned to love, and she learned to hide her fears to become a pillar of strength for the people she cared about. And through all those hardships, she had finally become the woman she was today. She fascinated me to no end, and I attribute part of the reason to her immunity to my charms.

I sighed again. She seemed so at peace and I didn't want to disturb her. With one last glance, I slowly began to walk back toward the mini-bar. I smiled. The cute waitress is waiting for the end of my story about the twin-headed, jagged-clawed beast with ferocious tentacles. Or did I not mention the twin-headed part? Oh well, I bet she doesn't really remember either.

I walked into the bar and sat down at an empty table. I looked around for the brunette when a different waitress, an attractive blonde, came out from the back and walked toward me. "Good evening, sir, may I take your order?"

I smiled to myself. Just as well. "Actually, I was wondering if a cute girl like you would be interested in chatting with me for a bit."

She considered for a moment. "I might get fired," she said thoughtfully. "But," she added with a grin, "I'd risk that to talk to the handsome king of Figaro."

I smiled back in return. I'm going to leave out the claw part when I tell it this time. Maybe I'll add in wings instead. However, I only got as far as brief introductions when the doors suddenly flew open. I turned to look and saw Celes walk angrily toward the bar. She yanked back one of the chairs and sat down with a loud harrumph.

"What can I get for you, miss?" asked the bartender.

"Something hard," she replied without much thought.

I chuckled slightly. Locke must have done something stupid again. I excused myself from the waitress and walked toward the ex-general of the Empire. Celes didn't as much look at me as I sat down. The bartender came back with her drink and left it in front of her, then went back to finish cleaning off the counters. Celes grabbed the glass and was about to take a drink when I took hold of her arm and held it down. She glared at me and tried to move her arm again.

"Let go, Edgar," she said firmly.

"You think that's going to solve your problems?"

She glared at me again and jerked her arm, the alcohol spilling a little over her hand and mine. Her free arm rose toward me but I intercepted the blow by seizing her wrist.

"Celes, you need to calm yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do!" she screamed heatedly, but suddenly tears began to roll down her rock hard face. She immediately broke loose of my hold and turned away.

I took out a gold coin and flipped it to the bartender. As I got up, I put an arm around Celes's shoulder and helped her out of the chair. "Come on, let's go somewhere else to talk," I said as I led her out of the bar. To my surprise, she didn't resist at all. Locke must have done something really stupid this time.

We walked toward one of the sides of the airship and entered a lounge-like room. It was fairly small, but it was the only place where we could talk in private. I knew how much Celes hated people seeing her cry. Small circular windows lined each wall, and in the center of the room were two couches placed adjacent to one another with a long table in front of them. A few loose chairs were also scattered about, and a round table stood in one of the corners with four glasses and a pitcher of water.

I led Celes to one of the couches and made her sit down while I went to pour her some water. She was motionless, and the tears had already dried from her face.

"Here," I said as I placed the glass in front of her on the table. "This is probably better for you than anything you were going to put in your system."

She looked up at me, with a bit less of a glare this time. "I don't want your pity, Edgar."

"Don't worry, I'm not giving it to you," I said as I sat down on the other couch. "I just want to help you." She looked at me again, and I added, "And yes, there is a difference."

She harrumphed again and looked away.

"So, what did he do this time?"

"What makes you think it has to do with him?"

"Because you were crying. And that is the only thing you ever let yourself cry over." I paused, half expecting her to reply. "You know that Locke would never do anything to hurt you on purpose, right?" I asked when she remained silent. "I bet it was an accident, a slip of the tongue."

"Slip of the tongue," she repeated bitterly. "He is trying to mold me into someone I'm not! Why can't he accept me the way I am?"

"He just needs time..."

"I know that!" she screamed irritably. She sighed to calm herself and continued in a normal tone. "And I'm trying to give it to him, but sometimes it seems like he refuses to move on, no matter how much time he has." I remained silent, and she went on. "And if that is the case, then I don't understand why he's even with me at all."

I considered for a moment and turned the question back to her. "Well, why are you with him, Celes?"

She looked at me with surprise, as if the question caught her off guard. "Because..." She hesitated slightly and stood, walking toward one of the windows to gaze outside. "Because though I am not whom he wants me to be, he is still one of few people who treats me like a person. He still sees me for who I am, not what I am." She paused and lowered her head. "'General Celes Chere,' that's what they called me, and that's what I responded to, but in reality, the name held no meaning to me. Being a general for the Empire, I had to more or less give up my own identity. I became but a mere symbol of power, a property of the Empire. When people say that name, I don't think they're actually talking to me, but to an entity with authority.

"Even after I joined the Returners, the feeling persisted. The only difference is, instead of being treated as an individual with esteem, I was looked upon as a traitor, a cold-blooded murderer. I will never forget the way Cyan looked at me when we met for the first time in Narshe. Pure hatred."

I couldn't say I knew what she was going through, but I could relate. I was a king after all. People saw me as a figure of authority as well, and not too differently than from her case. You have your typical admirers and haters, supporters and rebels. I knew, sadly, that half of the girls that flirt with me wouldn't even cast me a sideways glance if not for my title. All that aside, I guess I was fortunate in that I didn't have to deal with the complications of being accused of treason.

"But Locke," she continued softly, "Locke was different. He knew I was a general for the Empire. He could have left me there to die in South Figaro. But he didn't. He saved me, and he actually treated me like a human being. It was... different. When he said my name, I felt like he was actually talking to me." Another pause. "Of course, I was a little hesitant to trust him at first, afraid of being hurt again, afraid of being betrayed again. After all, the one who branded me a traitor was one of very few people I thought actually cared about me."

From where I sat, I could faintly make out "Gestahl" from her lips. "What was that?" I asked when she failed to say more.

"Nothing," she dismissed my question with a wave of a hand.

I probably should have just let that slide, but I persisted, for whatever reasons I could not identify. "Was it the emperor?"

Celes looked over at me, considered for a bit, and turned back to gazing out at the clouds. "Funny, isn't it? That everything you've done your whole life, everything you've given up, can be disregarded just like that," she snapped her fingers. "And then with a blink of an eye, you've went from being a top ranking general to a common traitor." She walked back to the couch and sat down, her eyes focused on the glass of water in front of her. "You know, Kefka and I used to be like the emperor's left and right hand men, if you could call us that." She chuckled. "Well, woman, in my case. We were both ranked above Leo, though I'm sure he could have easily taken us both on in a duel, perhaps even at the same time."

"Then why was Leo...?" I purposely left the question hanging, since I couldn't think of how exactly to phrase it.

"Emperor Gestahl had three reasons, though he never came out straight and said them. First and foremost, I'm sure you remember that the emperor was immensely fascinated with Magic. Leo didn't have Magic. Back then, the Magitek Infusion process was still relatively new. Gestahl wanted to create his elite army of Magitek Knights, but due to the limitations and the dangers involved, he did not want to test it on any of his prized soldiers or high ranking officials. At the same time, he didn't want to waste such a complicated process on a regular solider. And so, I was chosen. I was only a baby at the time, so if anything unfortunate were to happen to me, it wouldn't be much of a loss, but if it succeeded, I would be brought up with proper training. By the time I become of age, my Magic would undoubtedly be as powerful as any Esper's. And as luck would have it, I turned out favorably. Not much later, the emperor decided to make his dream a reality, and of course, Kefka and Leo were first in line to receive the infusion. But they forgot to take into account one thing: I was also a genetically engineered child and had a stronger makeup. When Kefka was given his first injection, his body rejected the serum and reacted violently to it. I wasn't present at the time, but I heard smoke rose from his skin and blood dripped from his eyes and ears. It was said his screams could be heard all throughout Vector. I'm sure many things were exaggerate, but it does give you an idea of what happened then. Though Kefka indeed acquired the ability to cast Magic, his sanity was completely shattered. Because of the... undesirable side effects, Leo was never given the serum, even after intense modifications and extended testing. In the end, Leo was safe from all aspects of the process, though it did come with a price, I suppose.

"The second reason was an issue of obedience. While Kefka and I took our missions without question, Leo would often turn down his assignments when they conflicted with his morals. The only reason Gestahl put up with this behavior is because Leo had a one hundred percent success rate with the missions that he did accept. Well, regardless, Gestahl's wish was to reign supreme, and he wouldn't have his highest ranking official questioning his orders.

"And lastly, the emperor considered Leo to be 'weak' and 'soft.' Kefka was a merciless, bloodthirsty madman, and I took down anyone who stood in my way, but Leo only killed when it was absolutely necessary." She took the glass of water in her hands and took a sip. "Magic, obedience, and ruthlessness, the three things Leo lacked. There were even rumors floating around then that he would soon be replaced." She laughed a little and shook her head. "I might have even believed it, but looking back now, it's absolutely ridiculous. She was too much like him to be considered an adequate replacement. No, she was even worse than he was."

I looked up questioningly. "Who?"

"The fourth general," she answered as she spun the glass in place between her hands. "That was actually Gestahl's original plan. Four generals to rule over the four most powerful nations of the world. I was to remain in Vector and secure the southern continent. Leo was in control of Doma to the east. Kefka was sent to keep watch on Figaro in the central region. And she was to manage the rich town of Jidoor to the west. But due to... complications, she was never appointed, and the plan was never carried out. She was different from us. Different in many ways. She was brave, and she refused to be used as a weapon for the Empire to kill. In that sense, she was perhaps the most... human of us all." Celes chuckled a bit. "How ironic."

I thought about what Celes said, and "she" could only be one person. Before I had a chance to ask, Celes spoke up again.

"We've really gone off track, haven't we?" she laughed a little and sighed. "Anyway, all I wanted to say really was that due to Locke's situation with Rachel and the problems I had with my past, I have a difficult time opening up to him fully. At the same time, I feel that he wouldn't go out of his way to understand me. As a result, it often seems like we're in a deadlock."

"Have you talked to him about any of this?"

"No," she answered absently. "I didn't think he'd understand."

"But you want him to?"

She smiled. "I'm talking in circles, aren't I?"

I smiled back. "Even if that's true, it does help you sort out your thoughts."

"This is very... odd, talking about my feelings," she admitted. "Growing up within the Empire, we were all taught that emotions were weak, and we had to keep everything to ourselves. Doesn't matter if we were feeling sad or scared, we had to put up a strong front, if not for ourselves, then for our troops."

I nodded. "I can understand, but Celes, those battle days are over. You don't have to hide your feelings anymore. Learn to accept them and share them with people you care about. Things might not be as bad as you think they are." She looked at me, seemingly skeptical. "I'll let you have some time to yourself," I said as I got up to leave. When I reached the entrance, I was suddenly stopped by a faint creak and a familiar wave. I looked to the side, but didn't turn toward it. I quickly dismissed the feeling and continued on.

Tracing my steps back toward the bar and up to the deck, I was hoping I'd run into Locke so I can get him to go comfort her. It didn't really hit me until now, but we were a sad group that brought about Kefka's demise. It seemed like all of us had dark pasts, and each one more tragic than the last. Suddenly, our victory didn't seem so sweet anymore. It felt empty and left a bitter taste in my mouth. Before I knew it, I was already on the deck. The sun had set, awhile ago it seemed, and Locke and Terra were standing by the railings. I noticed that Locke had an arm around her shoulders in a slightly more-than-friendly manner. I hesitated about approaching them. I normally would have just left them alone, but this time it wasn't about me. I took a deep breath and walked toward them.

"So, does that mean you'd be slightly affected if he were to give you a little more breathing space?" Locke asked her, obviously not knowing I was right behind them. "N-Not that it's any of my business, but I was just curious. You don't have to answer me."

Terra giggled. "You mean, would I be jealous if he were to shower his attention on some other girl?"

"Don't worry, Terra, my dear, that'll never happen," I said.

They both turned back to look at me. Locke immediately dropped his arm, cleared his throat, and straightened his clothes. "Edgar," he said. "I didn't know you were here."

"I noticed," I said as I walked over to Terra and slipped an arm around her waist. "I trust that 'Mr. Treasure Hunter' didn't do anything unspeakable to you?" I elbowed Locke jokingly in the ribs.

He just laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Whatever, Edgar. So that cute waitress at the bar wasn't able to keep your interest for too long?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." I looked in the direction I came from and cocked my head toward it suggestively. I then gave him a little shove in that direction to make it even more obvious.

Locke paused a bit then realized what I meant. He nodded ever so slightly and shoved me back to avoid suspicion from Terra. It knocked both me and her slightly off balance. She just snickered a little.

"Well, I should go," said Locke. "Celes probably has had enough time to cool off already." He waved good-bye and walked toward where I gestured earlier.

"Shouldn't you be going back, too?" I asked Terra, but she was still looking in the direction Locke disappeared in and didn't seem to have heard. "Terra?"

"Oh, sorry," she turned back to me. "What was that?"

I just smiled at her. "Are you tired? You should probably go back and get some rest."

She nodded.

"All right, I'll walk you to your room."

The walk back was mostly in silence. Like I said before, she fascinated me to no end, especially due to her immunity to my charms. I couldn't help but smile every time I thought about it. Suddenly, she looked up, and I quickly looked away, feeling somewhat embarrassed about grinning like an idiot for no reason. Though did I see her blush just then? I cleared my throat.

"So Terra, would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow?"

She considered for a moment and nodded. "That would be nice."

We stopped in front of her room and I picked up her hand and planted a small kiss. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow then."

"Good night, Edgar."

"Good night, Terra."

I did not leave right away after she disappeared into her room. The image of her and Locke standing by the railings suddenly flashed in my mind. I couldn't deny that I felt a pang of jealousy, but she looked so happy. And deep down, I knew that it was ultimately for the best. I sighed heavily. "Good night, Terra," I whispered, as if to myself, and returned to my chambers.