As I darted up the stairs behind Relm, I caught up with Sabin. He approached the door as it slammed shut with Relm's passing. "Sabin. Head back to the airship and fill the others in on what's going on. I'll talk to Relm." Sabin glanced back at me. His face was a picture of concern. "Trust me. I got this," I reassured him.
Sabin nodded back to me. "Alright, if you're sure."
"I am. Cyan is already on his way back there. Go meet up with him," I calmly instructed.
Sabin nodded again, proceeded through the door and hung a right towards the airship. I exited and saw Relm sitting on the edge of the Solitary Island's beachhead. The waves were gently rising and receding, just short of Relm's feet. She was looking out at the ocean. I assumed it was to take her mind off of what she had just learned.
I sighed softly to myself. While attempting to calm down a child was far from my realm of expertise I surmised that I was really the only one here with the experiences to relate to an eleven-year-old girl. Normally I'd have left dealing with Relm to Strago but, he was more concerned with berating Shadow right now. I took a deep breath, composed my thoughts and walked towards Relm with my typical steady and self assured gait. I sat beside her. "What's up?" I asked in as gentle a tone as I could muster. Relm said nothing, didn't even look in my direction, just continued staring out at the ocean.
I stared out at the ocean with her in silence for a few moments before speaking again. "The waves are relaxing," I commented, but Relm remained silent. The waves continued to gently roll up the beach just beyond range of our feet. As I gazed out upon them I was reminded of the many days I caught fish on these very same shores, feeding and nursing Cid back to health. As I reflected on Cid and my life I realized I shared much in common with Relm. She kind of reminded me of myself when I was her age, though mouthier than I ever was. Maybe more precocious as well. "My father took off when I was real young too. I know how much it sucks," I spoke.
"It's not the same" Relm spoke barely above a whisper.
"Why's that?" I asked in a gentle tone.
Relm was quiet for a few moments before she looked up slightly and spoke, again still hardly above a whisper. "Because mine's been here the whole time." Relm paused."And he still didn't care." This was a hard point to argue. "All the times my life was in danger, all the opportunities he had to tell me, he pretended I was a stranger," Relm continued.
Relm huddled up tighter into a ball. "He couldn't care less if I live or die. He really only came into that burning building for his dog, I wasn't even an after thought; he said so himself. Locke and Terra cared more and they were just strangers then. They cared more than my so called father did." Relm returned her gaze to the ocean.
I learned from Locke and Terra what happened in Thamasa before the collapse. Relm's understanding of events wasn't inaccurate. Indeed, knowing that Shadow was in fact her father added a new dimension to it all. I felt bad for her. "I guess it isn't all the same." I paused in thought for a moment. "But that doesn't mean I don't understand."
There was another lengthy pause before Relm spoke again. "How old were you when he left?" She asked softly, still gazing out at the ocean.
"Two, maybe two and a half. I grew up in a Vector orphanage which meant I was going to serve in the Imperial army. That's where I met Cid. He's kind of like my Strago," I worded my story in such a way that Relm could understand.
"How'd you meet him?" Relm asked.
"When he chose me to be made me into a Magitek Knight," I answered.
"Oh yeah. The Empire made people into Artificial Magi right? Weren't you and Kefka the only ones?" Relm's curiosity had been piqued.
"That's right." This was only partially true as there was a third, a little boy. But he perished in the Esper attack rather tragically. It was a depressing thought, so I pushed it to the back of my mind. Now wasn't the time for me to be dwelling on such things.
Relm turned towards me, but averted her eyes to the ground. "So you're..." she trailed off with her words, then slowly raising her head or eye contact "...kind of like me then?" she asked, almost hopefully.
I smiled. "In a sense, yeah. I am. We're both humans who've been infused with magic one way or another, myself artificially and you being descended from Magi." I gave a gentle sigh. "Doesn't matter anymore I suppose. Magic is gone for good it seems." Relm frowned at that and looked back towards the ground. "Don't like that idea very much, do you?" I commented on Relm's reaction.
"Without magic I've lost everything that made me special." Relm said lowly. There was a little bitterness to her voice.
"That's not true," I stated as a matter of a fact.
"Is so," Relm retorted, her tone still low and bitter around the edges.
"You're a good artist," I pointed out.
"There are tons of artists out there. Most of them better than me," Relm replied snappily, lifting her face to mine, then sighed. "How many of them could draw things into life?" Relm frowned and looked down again. "That's all I had," she said weakly.
"I can relate," I spoke honestly.
Relm looked back up at me, her face a picture of skepticism. "Bullshit!" she exclaimed.
I shrugged. "It's true. I've been a Magitek Knight for nearly my entire life. Everything I know is built around being one. All I know is swinging a sword and casting magic, I was raised to do nothing else, I know nothing else. You, on the other hand, still have your art."
Relm half-frowned and bobbed her head side to side. "Okay I guess you have a point," she conceded.
"Also, bullshit on most artists being better than you. Owzer sought you out specifically and, slovenly or not, he knows art."
That prompted a giggle from Relm. "I always thought he looked like some kind of slug monster or an amoeba. He was so fat he didn't have arms! He had lumps!" Relm continued, demonstrating her crass sense of humor.
I shook my head. "Relm, that's terrible," I admonished.
"Oh! Bullshit! That fatass totally deserves it!" Relm retorted.
I shook my head and rolled my eyes, scoffing lightly.
"You big faker! You think it's funny too!" Relm continued.
"Nope," I said with a grin. "Not one bit," I closed my eyes and gave my head a sharp shake too and fro.
Relm responded by leaping up to her feet and stretching her arms out as to mimic Owzer's ponderous frame and puffed her face out. When that failed to elicit a chuckle from me she proceeded to stomp and waddle about while making silly "plfft!" noises with each step. After a few seconds of this I couldn't hold it in any longer. I started cracking up.
"HA!" Relm exclaimed bounding in front of me. "Made you laugh! Nyeh-Nyeh" she teased and stuck out her tongue.
"Okay, I'll admit it. You did." I relented.
Relm put her hands on her hips, bending forward in a pout. "You thought it was funny in the first place!" She mock scolded.
I smiled. "Maaaaybe" I said coyly. I grabbed my chin in pretend contemplation with a wry smile. "I did find myself wondering how he could wipe his own rear end after using the restroom," I mused aloud.
Relm raised her eyebrows at me. "Did you ever get a whiff of him as he passed by? I am convinced he didn't!"
I tried not to laugh but there was a certain element to her bluntness that I found humorous, I couldn't help but snicker slightly.
"Seriously though, fuck that fat piece of shit. I'll take his money when I finish that painting for him but he disgusts me." Relm continued.
I piqued my brow at her. "Why so harsh on Owzer, Relm?"
"Because he's a lazy fat greedy slob with a shit ton of money and all he does is gorge himself on expensive food and commission artists to paint pointless self-indulgent crap for him. People like him shouldn't have anything!" Relm snarled, shaking her head. "Ugh, never mind. Forget it. I'mma go check on Strago. He's probably crapped his diapers so hard he gave himself a stroke by now. That wrinkly old shit falls to pieces without me around."
And, as though all Relm needed was this brief distraction and conversation, she bounded up and off back towards Cid's cabin like her usual springy self.
. . . . Change in scene and narrative . . . .
"You're out of your goddamned mind if you'd even think I'd agree to that!" Terra exclaimed at Cid.
Cid's composure remained calm in the face of Terra's outburst. "All I'm saying is that you don't have any medical training. Clyde will need regular medical attention for some time now and if you're this dead set on bringing him to Mobliz with you, then the most logical choice of action is-"
"You aren't coming within a hundred feet of my children." Terra spoke coldly, her hand rested threateningly on her scabbard. "Or I'll cut your throat." Her eyes narrowed.
Cid raised his arms gently, his palms open and outstretched, "I understand your hesitation-"
"You don't understand anything," Terra cut Cid off.
Cid paused at Terra's words briefly, then sighed. "If only that were true," he spoke mournfully.
"Listen," I interjected attempting, to calm this potentially explosive altercation. "Why don't we save this for-"
"Locke, not now." Cid interrupted, gesturing at me with his extended index and middle fingers, while not taking his eyes from Terra.
Terra's glare hardened. "I don't care who vouches for you Cid. You're an irredeemable monster as far as I'm concerned," she hissed.
Cid half smirked at that and chuckled."A monster huh?" He chuckled a second time, shaking his head. "Ah! The irony. So then, I assume the memories have returned in full?" Cid inquired. Terra said nothing but the glare of pure hate in her eyes was unmistakable. "The cell, the tank, your father, your life as a child and my hand in it all? You remember it all now, yes?"
Terra was shaking in anger "Only pieces of it..." she growled. "They've been trickling back ever since-"
"Ever since the tower fell, yes I'm aware. It all has to do with magic. Well, with magic leaving the world to be more precise." Cid finished Terra's sentence for her then explained.
"What does magic have to do with any of this?" I asked feeling terribly confused and not wanting to be left out of the loop of whatever it was that was going on.
Cid laughed a bitter laugh. "Ah Maduin, protective of his precious child to the very end. When I first learned Maduin had restored Terra's memories it was clear to me he had taken extra care to ensure certain shall we say 'traumatic' ones stayed locked safely away in the recesses of Terra's mind, warded off." Terra's face twitched and contorted as though she were suddenly in pain "of course with magic no longer in this world those wards are gone, nothing will stop the memories from returning now."
Terra grimaced and lifted her left hand to her temple, slowly lowering her head to rest into it...
Terra's Flashback
It was hazy and I was more a spectator than actually participating. It was similar to when Arvis first removed the slave crown or when Father restored my memories while I laid in Ramuh's bed on the top of Zozo Tower. I saw Father; beaten, weary and in chains. Yet still he managed to carry himself with a measure of pride and dignity. Two Imperial soldiers pulled him down a corridor by the chains attached to his neck collar as a third followed. Gestahl walked alongside them, holding me in his hands. The surroundings were cold and steely, everything was a neutral metallic gray. The loud whirring and humming of machines filled the air.
"You should be thanking your daughter," Gestahl began in his low bassy voice. "Were it not you were required for her formative stages you'd be set for the same terrible fate as your friends," he continued, an evil grin beneath his full, white beard. Father said nothing. However, his head hung low and I could sense the sorrow and rage emanating from him. Had his hands been unbound they would no doubt have been clenched into balls of rage or, more likely, wrapped around Gestahl's throat. "But don't feel too bad. You are to be the catalyst for the birth of the grandest empire our world has ever seen! With your help, willing or unwilling, nothing will stand in my way." Father remained silent but tears were welling up beneath his eyes.
We marched in silence for a few more minuted before reaching the end of the corridor. "Here we are," announced Gestahl. The end of the corridor opened up, sliding upward to reveal a medium sized room. "You'll be spending her early years here, I'd advise you make the most of this time while you still have it," Gestahl advised. "Lead him in and let him go."
The imperial troopers paused, then looked at each other nervously. "But sir-"
"Do as I say!" Gestahl commanded.
The troopers dragged my father into the room by his leash and unfastened him from his binds once inside. The moment Maduin was free he sprung around to grip the trooper who removed his bonds by the neck. In an instant he tore out his throat; killing him. Gestahl watched on, doing nothing, as the other two drew their swords and advanced only to be roasted alive by a Fira.
Maduin turned to Gestahl and charged but stopped dead in his tracks once Gestahl held me out in front of him. "You wouldn't want her to be hurt now, would you?" Gestahl's evil grin remained plastered to his face as Maduin dropped his hands to his sides and hung his head once more. "There's a good boy," Gestahl continued, mocking him.
Maduin finally spoke. "Please...don't hurt my daughter. Don't hurt Terra."
Gestahl slowly approached. "Back up!" he commanded. Maduin obeyed, giving Gestahl a healthy berth. "That's better," Gestahl remarked as he entered the room and placed me on the ground before backing out, sealing us within. Maduin looked down at me, holding me in his tremblings arms. He brought me in close to his bosom and there he cradled me weeping and roaring for quite some time.
The memories fast-forwarded now. I was three years old. The past three years had been something of a blur. I didn't see much. Just bits and pieces of me and father; mostly scenes of him doing parent stuff like teaching me, feeding me, changing me and whatnot. All of it flashing by in seconds. The whole time, however, Maduin had this aura of sadness that just surrounded him even when it was clear that my life brought joy to his heart. As a child I didn't understand it, but, I couldn't have known what was coming. Couldn't have known what Maduin, deep down, knew was coming.
One afternoon, without warning, the door burst open and dozens of Imperial soldiers filed in to circle me and my father. Drawing their swords and spears, they pointed their arsenal directly at us.
Maduin's face turned a picture of rage as I clung to his leg in abject horror. "Take one step closer, I dare any of you," he snarled.
"That's futile and you know it," a calm, cold and calculated male voice spoke from just beyond the doorway. "There's more where these soldiers came from, thousands. You can't win and your daughter could very well be harmed in the cross fire. I assure you that neither you or myself want that," the voice continued.
Maduin's face slowly turned from one of rage to one of resigned sorrow as his hands dropped to his sides and his head lowered. "I'd have come quietly," Maduin choked as tears began streaming down his face. "You could've just told me today was when you were taking her..."
"Couldn't take the risk. You might have tried to make a run for it and damaged our little investment here; she's quite valuable to us, and to my research," the voice replied.
"Daddy, I don't wanna go with these people," I whined softly, absolutely terrified.
"Shhh, it's okay baby girl. It's all going to be okay," father replied weakly.
"I wouldn't give the girl false hope like that if I were you Maduin. The fact of the matter is no, it's not going to be okay, for either of you. You've met with a terrible fate being captured by us," the voice interjected callously.
Maduin knelt down to get eye level with me. "Baby girl, I want you to keep this with you," Maduin took his pendant from his neck and placed it around mine. "This was once mine, then your mother's, and now it's yours. Keep it close and know that neither of us are ever far from your-gyughhrk!" One of the soldiers had taken this intimate moment as an opportunity to crack Maduin in the back of the skull with his spear's pommel.
"DADDY!" I cried as Maduin's eyes glazed over. He collapsed forward onto the ground. I turned, my eyes blazing with fury at the soldier responsible.
The soldier laughed. "Fuckin' idiot. Should'a done this shit sooner," he mocked.
Tears of pain and rage began welling down from my eyes as I watched him laugh; I felt so much hate. Suddenly I felt power awaken from within my mind, my muscles, my soul, all of it filled with fiery wrath. I began chanting in a language I knew yet did not understand summoning all of my new found power directly into a single point. Flames erupted from my outstretched hands and consumed that son of a bitch.
"What the?!" The Imperial soldier exclaimed in shock. "I'm on fire! I'M ON FIRE!" he screamed as the flames covered him. His comrades reacted quickly and threw him to the ground attempting to smother out the flames. I doubted he escaped with anything less than multiple second degree burns.
"Remarkable." I heard the voice speak in awe. "Gestahl was wise indeed to take her."
Being young as I was, I had incredibly little magical energy. The simple act of casting a Fire spell had drained me to the point of exhaustion. I felt myself getting light headed and quickly collapsed into unconsciousness.
When I awoke I found myself in a sterile white room strapped to a chair. I tried to move but I couldn't, tried to scream but I couldn't. My ankles, legs, neck and torso were all strapped down as well as my right arm in an extended, elbow down position over an adjacent table. As I focused more on the surroundings I espied two figures engaged in conversation; a very small and neatly dressed blonde haired young man no older than twenty who looked strangely familiar, and the other I clearly recognized as a younger Cid.
"Cid, are you sure this is going to work?" The small blonde man spoke in a nervous and light nasally tone. His voice was familiar but I couldn't quite place it.
Cid held up a vial of red liquid in front of his face. As a child I didn't know what it was but reliving this as an adult I knew immediately. It was a vial of my blood. "Once I've analyzed this sample here, mimicking the mixture of human and Esper DNA present in Subject One should be more than just theoretical; it should be absolutely possible. With the extracted magical essence from our Esper captives of course," Cid explained. In that instant I realized that the voice from earlier was his; everything that just happened had occurred at Cid's command.
"'Subject One' has a name you know," the blonde man spoke disdainfully.
"Given the nature of my plans for her, humanizing Subject One wouldn't be wise," Cid said coldly while tucking away my blood sample into his lab coat.
The blonde man shook his head. "Enslaving sentient creatures and using their children as guinea pigs." The man sighed deeply. "Fuck me, Cid this is wrong."
"All for the greater good Kefka."
If I weren't reliving repressed memories, my eyes would have gone so wide they'd likely pop out of my skull upon hearing such words. That was Kefka? Of course! Looked and sounded just like him...only without the jester getup, absurd makeup, and manic tone.
"'Chyeah whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night Doc." Kefka spoke with scorn.
"If the War of the Magi was not embellished and the stories of magic's capabilities are indeed accurate just think of the possibilities! A world without death, without pain, without sickness, without disease. I'll go to any length to make that reality!" Cid spoke passionately justifying himself.
"Than you and I are extremely different people." Kefka spat.
"You are the one who volunteered for this knowing full well where my research was coming from." Cid retorted, his tone once again cold.
Kefka looked off to the side and at the ground. "I have my reasons," he said bitterly.
"Is it because you're such a tiny man and nobody takes you seriously?," Cid mused aloud tauntingly.
"You're just as small as I am!" Kefka dismissed Cid with a wave of his arm.
"Yes, but I'm not a soldier I'm a Scientist," Cid pointed out. Kefka remained quiet as Cid went on. "That Leo kid they're making all this fuss over, he's five years your junior and yet he outclasses you in every single physical attribute. Stronger, faster, more agile-"
"ENOUGH!" Kefka interrupted, furious by Cid's speech. "I get it! Alright?! I'm doing this because it's the only way I'll ever get anywhere in the military." Kefka frowned and looked towards the floor again. "Having a famous father can only get me so far."
"Yes, what are general Kafka's thoughts on you being the first to undergo Magi-Tek infusion, if you don't my asking?" Cid inquired.
Kefka let out a snort. "Dad doesn't give a fuck. If anything he's hoping it'll transform me into a son he can be proud of but he's not holding out for a miracle," he spoke bitterly.
Cid gave a disinterested shrug. "In any event, your reasons aren't what's important. What's important is the furthering of my own research and understanding of magic. With every experiment I am one step closer to securing a perfect world, a paradise."
Kefka gave a cackle and within it I could hear shades of the madman he would become. "Yeah, that's the part I don't buy in the least Cid. A better world for Vector and her citizens? Maybe. But as for the rest of the world? They're gonna burn for this Cid, burn for our crimes. Mark my words on that," Kefka spoke in an assured tone.
I was amazed at just how prophetic Kefka's words had been while he was still sane. The irony here was downright poetic.
Cid gave Kefka a slight glower. "You don't need to understand the method to my brilliance," he snapped. "Just be ready tomorrow for the infusion and we both walk away from this happy."
Kefka shrugged. "Fine by me," he answered and walked out.
Cid turned a curious glance over towards me. "My word, Subject One has awakened," Cid scratched his chin in contemplation. "Her Esper DNA must give her a resistance to narcotics," he mused aloud as he approached. "I'll just use a higher dosage this time." He knelt beside me and reached into a pouch in his lab coat to retrieve a gauze, two unmarked jars of clear liquid and a hypodermic needle with syringe in a sealed, sterilized packet.
Cid casually opened the packet and assembled the needle and syringe, began filling it with the contents of one jar, then dabbed the gauze in the other. As Cid began wiping down my arm I gazed at him with terrified eyes. He utterly ignored me. I kept trying to scream but my muscles were too weakened. Cid brought the needle to my arm's vein and injected the cold liquid as I continued struggling to scream. How much in that moment I wanted to scream, but I just couldn't. Thankfully, I suppose, whatever it was he injected into me quickly did its work and drowsiness overtook me. I fell back into sleep.
When I awoke again I was still strapped to something, but this time upright. I was naked, standing in some sort of open glass cylinder, straps securing me in place and electrical nodes attached by wires all over my body. Adjacent to me in a similar, but sealed glass chamber stood Kefka. He seemed antsy, even nervous. Above us both, suspended in an identical chamber filled with a strange fluid and hooked up to wires similar to those on myself, as well as some variety of breathing apparatus, was my father Maduin. He appeared unconscious. Before us all, surrounded by some kind of giant mechanical terminal, stood Cid, like some variety of mastermind. Cid looked over at Kefka who gave him a thumbs up in response.
Kefka's face, however, was far from confidant.
Cid looked back at Kefka and gave him an assuring smile before turning back to his terminal. "Alright," Cid began speaking aloud to himself and pressed a button. A loud humming sounded from literally all around, and my father's body tensed in pain. Cid leaned in close to his terminal and spoke."Beginning magical extraction process of Subject Two. All appears to be going as planned." Cid's fingers flashed across the terminal once more, flipping a number of switches. I felt a sudden sharp pain rip through me, then another, then another, and another until my entire body felt like it was on fire. I was in too much pain to cry, to scream, to do anything other than just stand there immobilized. Cid watched on with a satisfied grin and turned back to his console. "Synching magical energy of Subject Two to Subject One's DNA algorithms," he spoke once more.
The sounds of whirring machinery grew louder and louder. The infernal humming in my head that accompanied the constant bolts of pain grew more and more deafening. I just barely managed to make out Cid's next words. "Beginning infusion process of Subject Three; Kefka Palazzo!" A deafening mechanical grinding sounded throughout the chamber as a blue mist filled Kefka's tube.
Cid laughed aloud. He was so pleased with himself. "I've done it!" Cid cried. "Now to just record my finding and-"
Cid was interrupted as Kefka let out a piercing, agonized wail from his tank.
"What the hell?!" Cid exclaimed, shocked. The machines all around him began blaring with loud sirens and bright flashing lights as he rushed about from terminal to terminal in complete panic, his eyes scanning the screens before him in terror. "Catastrophic system overloads on all circuits! Critical power failure eminent?! What the hell could possibly be-" he stopped mid-sentence and glared up at my father "You son of a bitch," Cid growled.
Though it pained me greatly, I turned my neck up to look at my father and the source of Cid's distress. Maduin was channeling his magical energy intentionally. He was overloading the system! Cid turned back to his terminal in a panic. "Gotta shut it down, got to-" the sudden explosion of his terminal cut Cid off short as it rocketed him backwards, sending him crashing to the ground.
"TERRA!" I suddenly heard in my mind. It was father's voice. "You must listen to me very carefully my child. This is our chance to escape. Focus every ounce of magic you have into the contraptions attached to you! With our combined magical strength we can create a power failure! We'll free our friends and we can all escape together! Terra! We can go home!" I didn't fully understand what father meant, but I understood the words 'escape' and 'home'. That was more than enough for me.
I was scared, but father could sense my fear. "Don't worry my baby girl. You can do it! I believe in you!" Maduin voiced his encouragement.
Sorrow, anger, rage, HATE! I felt so much HATE! I concentrated on that hate and on the same powers that came through when I lit that soldier ablaze. "Hate, hate, hate, hate." It repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra, I felt my blood boil, my soul light on fire. I was deep in focus but around me I could hear the sounds of blaring sirens and explosions rocketing throughout the laboratory, I just needed a little more strength, some hidden reserve, something...
And that's when it hit.
For the first time in my life I felt the beginning of what I'd later dub as morphing. It was strange to witness this. For the longest time I had thought my first 'morph' was just after the battle in the Narshe snowfields, when I was touched magically by the Esper Tritoch. Apparently however, that was not the case. I felt the raw power surge through every muscle of my body. I felt my flesh begin to change, I knew that if I could just-
My thoughts were suddenly cut short by a sharp and jabbing pain in the side of my neck. I felt the the sensation of all energy leaving my body. "NO!" I heard my father cry mournfully within my head.
I opened my eyes to see Cid staring down at me, his eyes furious. He held a syringe, which he had just plunged directly into my jugular. "You're not escaping," he growled, "not now, not while I'm so close!"
I felt the transformation process stop short, whatever he had injected me, it was strong...I felt so drowsy, so weak. I was desperately trying to not pass out.
Cid tore the wires off me, lifted a battle-axe over his head, and brought it down on the mechanical tubing connecting to my father's glass chamber. The flow of magical energy was cut off. He wasted no time running to Kefka's chamber and smashing it open. A thick light blue fog poured out as he cried "KEFKA! KEFKA!" over and over. After a prolonged silence the figure of Kefka slowly emerged from the chamber. "Kefka! Are you alright?!" Cid exclaimed in a panicked tone.
Kefka cracked a grin. "Alright!? I FEEL GREAT!" He cried triumphantly with raised fists in that all-to-familiar manic tone. He let out the first of what would be his many ear-splitting shrill laughs.
Present Day
A few moments had passed and Terra now slowly lifted her head back up from her palm. Her eyes were lightly glazed over but the expression painting her was unmistakable. It was pure rage. Terra shrieked at the absolute top of her lungs and made a beeline directly for Cid who stood completely motionless. Eerily so. Celes, who had followed Relm in re-entering the house just moments ago during Terra's trance, moved swiftly to intercept the half-esper. Terra responded by gripping Celes's bangs and, in a truly shocking display of strength, flung her to the ground despite being significantly smaller. Acting on pure instinct myself, I dashed to Celes's side. As I knelt to help the ex-General to her feet she shoved past me and ran directly towards the still unmoving Cid.
"Celes!" Cid's voice boomed. "You stay right were you are!" He turned a harsh glare to the woman he called Granddaughter, a glare that stopped Celes in her tracks.
Celes looked on in sheer confusion and hurt. "But Granddad-"
"But nothing!" Cid interrupted. "You have no right to interfere with this!" Cid bellowed before turning his attention back to Terra. The enraged green-haired woman had drawn her crystal blade with murderous intent in her eyes. Cid responded by opening his arms. "Go ahead," he instructed calmly. "If it'll make you feel any better about what happened to you, than by all means kill me right now." Celes stared on aghast. Terra's eyes narrowed. I could see her fingers tighten around the grip of her blade.
"TERRA!" I bellowed. "You're being insane! Put that sword down and-"
"LOCKE" Cid growled back without looking at me. "Shut your fucking mouth and stay put! Neither of you are interfering with this!" The old fuck was nuts! If he was going to be like this all I could do was watch.
"So, why haven't you killed me yet?" Cid inquired, stepping up, his arms still outstretched. "There, now I'm close enough where you could easily strike me dead before either of them could stop you." Cid nodded over to Relm and Strago, who had been observing quietly and unmoving this entire time. "And I don't think our other spectators have any intention of interfering."
Relm gave a shrug. "He's right. I don't." Relm spoke, uncaring. Celes glared at Relm in fury, then indicated towards Strago. "Strago's not a war criminal," Relm answered Celes before she even had a chance to voice her objection. Strago remained silent.
"Why haven't you killed me yet?" Cid repeated his question, his eyes locked with Terra's. Her rage appeared to be wavering and the grip on her blade loosened. "Could it be because you can't?" Cid mused aloud.
Terra glared at Cid for a few hard moments, her arms tensed, her face contorted in anger. She raised her blade above her head as if to strike, then froze, and finally slowly lowered her arm to her side. Terra let out a deep sigh and sheathed her blade. "You're right. I can't," she admitted.
"I'm not surprised that you can't. You don't have a malicious bone in your body," Cid claimed with a shrug. "You can't bring yourself to harm someone who's defenseless. That you have every right to is irrelevant to you. You still see it as wrong." Cid let out a heavy sigh. "So pure, so innocent." He shook his head. Cid was quiet for a few moments before he continued. "And I exploited that pure innocent child with a cold, uncaring efficiency for everything she was worth. But yet, here she stands, still innocent, still pure, still unspoilt. Terra, there are no words strong enough to convey the gravity of the sins I've committed against the Espers, your father, and above all you...I-"
"Are you actually asking for my forgiveness?" Terra was in disbelief.
There were a few moments of silence before he replied. "Yes."
Terra gave a slow shake of her head. "Cid, I won't kill you, but," her face contorted in anger once more "but I will never, never, forgive you for what you've done. Not now. Not on your death bed. Not ever." She spoke in a tone of absolute condemnation.
"Hrrmn," Cid vocalized then looked at the ground in disappointment. "That is completely understandable," he shrugged.
"And it wasn't just because you can't defend yourself," Terra continued. She nodded at the blonde woman. "I'd never do anything to hurt Celes-"
"Aside from some hair tossing," Relm laughed at her own joke.
"Relm! Shush!" Strago stifled her.
Terra shot Relm an angry glower before returning her attention to Cid. "I know that if I hurt you I'd also hurt Celes, and I refuse to do that. I will never hurt the people I love. No matter what."
Terra took a deep breath. "That's why I'm not abandoning Clyde either. You have a point Cid, he is going to need a doctor and though loathe I am to admit it...I'll need your help."
Cid smiled weakly. "I'm...glad in the end you saw reason."
"But firstly!" Terra stepped in close and grabbed Cid threateningly by neck of his lab coat. "If you so much as come anywhere near my children, I swear to you, Celes's Granddad or not, I will cut your fucking balls off. Are we clear on that?" Terra hissed and Cid nodded. "Secondly, the instant Clyde is healed to the point of stability you leave. No questions asked."
"No questions asked," he repeated Terra.
Terra let out a relaxed sigh, let go of Cid and took a step back. "Good," she smiled a big fake smile and turned her back to Cid. "Then we shouldn't have any problems," she slowly walked back towards the hidden staircase, descending to the room where Shadow was still laid out.
Celes ran straight up to Cid. "Why didn't you let me stop her?!" she demanded, her fists clenched. I decided to stay out of this one too. Not like anyone had listened to me anyway.
Cid took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Celes, you lack perspective on the whole picture. You only know one side of me, the side I showed you."
"Grandad. I know you've done some less than honorable things but-"
"'Less than honorable' can't even begin to capture the magnitude of it Celes. Like what I did to you for instance," Cid replied.
Celes looked at Cid in abject disbelief, even smiling as though he were joking. "Grandad whatever are you talking-"
"I had no way of knowing if the Magitek infusion process was perfected or not without a human guinea pig. Kefka was a failure but I theorized that a child might take to it better. There was a very real possibility you could have been driven mad," Cid shrugged "or even died." Celes went dead quiet. "I only came to care about you as a human being after the fact and by then it was too late, I had already forced you into becoming a Magitek Knight. You went along with it in the first place because you wanted to please me, wanted my approval. I manipulated you." Cid explained.
Celes took a step back from her Grandad in horror and disbelief but I knew her well enough to understand the gears were turning in her head. She knew Cid was speaking the truth, as did I.
"And all of that is absolutely nothing compared to what I did to Terra," Cid continued speaking and lowered his head in shame. "I don't deserve to be called Grand-"
Celes lunged forward and threw her arms around Cid in a tight hug nearly knocking her Granddad to the floor. "Shut up," Celes choked out as tears rained down her cheeks onto Cid's shoulder. "Not another word."
"But Celes I-"
"I DON'T CARE!" Celes shrieked and hugged Cid tighter. "So you've done some fucked up things," Celes spoke while tears continued streaming from her face, "things that you regret." Celes sniffled "well so have I," Celes paused to sniffle once more "I've killed civilians in cold blood, cut down young men barely old enough to hold their swords who were guilty of only defending their homes." Celes continued crying. "So if that makes you shit, then that means I'm shit too and we can be shit together!"
I wanted to comfort Celes, I wanted so badly in this moment to tell her she wasn't shit but I didn't want to impose myself upon this moment she was sharing with her Granddad.
"So please," Celes was absolutely bawling by this point. "No more negative words about yourself."
"I-" Cid began as though he were about to argue with her but then thought better of it. "Alright my dear," Cid returned the embrace. "Not another ill-spoken word."
. . . . Change in scene . . . .
Finally, after all that unpleasantness we were back on the Falcon. Sabin, Edgar, Cyan and Umaro 'under Mog's direction of course', had managed to move Shadow and Cid's bed to Setzer's private room, much to the gambler's annoyance. Originally he was going to put Shadow in the engine room but Terra begged and, well, Setzer has something of a hard time telling women in general, 'no'.
The atmosphere on the Falcon was festive and jovial; a welcome break from all of the tensions that rose practically out of nowhere back down on the Solitary Island. I wanted to get my mind off of all that crap, and I assumed Celes did as well. Fortunately, the company of good friends and the introduction of fine brews and spirits from Setzer's 'private reserve' were going quite a long ways towards easing my tensions. Myself, Celes, Edgar, Sabin, Mog and Setzer were all seated around what Setzer had dubbed 'The Makeshift Dealer's Table' waiting for him to deal the first hand.
"I can't believe you bought this overpriced bottle of crap!" Mog whined at Setzer in his high-pitched chipmunk like voice, examining the wine Setzer brought up.
I snickered. This was going to be good.
Setzer looked up from shuffling the deck and tsked at the obnoxious Moogle sitting across from him. "Overpriced crap? Yeah okay. That's why it's won 'Best of Show' at the annual wine expo. twelve years straight. You don't know what you're talking about," Setzer retorted in an annoyed tone of voice.
As a beer and whiskey man myself I had no real stake in that argument. But watching the two of them go back and forth like this was fun nonetheless.
"Oh gee, a Jidorian wine consistently winning 'best of show' at an annual event held in Jidoor and primarily funded through Jidorian vineyards. That's gotta be legit!" Mog fired back with pure sarcasm.
"Fine then! If you're gonna be a baby about it, don't drink it," Setzer motioned to take the bottle from him.
"I'll drink it, I'll drink it" Mog held one hand up towards Setzer and filled his glass with the other.
"Damn right you will. Ungrateful furry bastard," Setzer grumbled.
I gave a laugh and took a sip from my tumbler of Kohl whiskey. "Well, at least there's no debate over the king of spirits, eh boys?" I chided while eying Edgar mischievously, knowing him to be a gin man. Edgar simply rolled his eyes at me, sipping from his tall glass of gin and tonic.
"Will you just hurry up and deal already?" Sabin asked Setzer impatiently as he poured himself more Figaronian cider from a decorative carafe bearing the Royal Emblem of Figaro; a perched golden pheasant on a royal blue background.
I eyed Sabin's choice of beverage with a small measure of disgust as Setzer started dealing the hand. "I hope you realize that cloying sweet concoction you folks over in Figaro make is in no way proper cider," I spoke disdainfully.
Sabin shrugged at me, "I like it alright."
I sipped from my tumbler. "You need to have yourself a proper Kohlingen farmhouse scrumpy. That's real cider."
Sabin made a face at me. "That stuff is so dry and tart."
"Well, your palette is unrefined," I grumbled and Celes immediately started cracking up. "Is something funny?" I turned to her.
Celes let out another laugh. "It's just that they complain about wine drinkers being snobby and here you are acting all," Celes turned her nose up in an exaggerated fashion and pinched its tip, "your palette is unrefined." She spoke in a mock-formal tone.
"Ha! She's got a point Locke," Setzer added as he finished dealing out. I grumbled to myself and checked my two pocket cards; seven of clubs and a two of diamonds with a ten of spades showing, I didn't have shit. I looked around at the others and the only showing cards of note were Setzer who was showing an Ace of Diamonds, Sabin with a Queen of Hearts and Celes with an Ace of Spades.
"I raise," Setzer threw some more Gil on the table.
"I fold," I threw my cards down on the table and Mog and Edgar followed suit leaving only Setzer, Sabin and Celes in the game.
"I call," Celes sipped her wine and matched Setzer's raise.
"Same here," Sabin followed suit and took a large gulp from his cider.
The three of them repeated this process as Setzer continued dealing, and eventually folded himself leaving only Sabin and Celes playing the hand.
"Setzer, be a dear and fill me up will you?" Celes raised her glass and gave it a shake.
Setzer raised an eyebrow at Celes. "I bought the stuff. Pour it your damned self."
Celes pouted at Setzer. "Awwe, I thought I was 'even more stunning than Maria'" Celes flipped her bangs in a showoff-y manner.
Setzer narrowed his eyes at Celes then gave a relenting sigh. "Fine." He took Celes' glass and refilled it, handing it back to her.
"You're a dear," Celes accepted the glass gingerly, grinning as she did. It seemed that once
Celes had a few glasses in her she became something of a flirt. I was uncomfortable with this. "Alright Sabin you show yours then I show you mine," Celes said with a wink. Yeah. I was definitely uncomfortable with this.
Sabin, with Celes' provocative words, flying right over his head, slapped his cards down on the table with earnest. "Four Queens! Read em and-"
"Straight flush," Celes laid out her hand and Sabin's jaw practically dropped down to the table.
"Damn!" Setzer exclaimed. "I thought a you were holding a full house, at most. There's a gambler in you yet," he added with a wry smirk.
Sabin let out a heavy sigh and began sliding the pot to Celes before she put her hand up and stopped him "I don't want the Gil," she said with a shake of her head. Sabin looked back at her confusedly, "listen, we all have a shit-ton of Gil from this adventure and we just kinda saved the world, I really doubt Gil is going to be an issue for any of us," Celes elaborated.
"Then what're you suggesting?" Setzer piqued a curious brow.
"Something a littlemore interesting," Celes gave Sabin a nudge in the ribs. "Take your shirt off big man."
Edgar immediately started cracking up hysterically as Setzer gave a quiet chuckle and shook his head. "Man, we gotta get booze in you more often Celes," Setzer added.
I was struggling not to scowl; I found this all considerably less amusing.
Sabin looked at Celes with this blank, dumbfounded stare. "Come on," Celes nudged him again "I've always wanted to see those pecs without the muscle shirt."
My blood was boiling underneath a barely contained surface. What the fuck was she playing at? Celes knew how I felt about her...didn't she? I mean, I've never outright said it, but, come on. She knows. She has to know.
Sabin looked around then gave a shrug. "Eh, fuckit. Sure, alright." And with that Sabin lifted his shirt thus baring the rippling, cut musculature of his chest and abdomen.
Celes gave a jolly laugh and a whistle as she eyed Sabin's physique with eyes that any idiot would know contained a fair amount of lust.
Setzer sighed. "I guess if that's your type I never stood a chance." He rolled up his sleeve to display one of his thin, ghost pale arms.
Celes laughed again. She seemed to be enjoying the attention. "Sorry Setzer, I like my men really strong!" She gave Sabin's arm a squeeze. "Damn! It's like a rock!"
"All right that's enough!" I shouted angrily and slammed my tumbler on the table. I was putting a stop to this, right fucking now. I grabbed Celes under the arm and lifted her from her seat. She offered up little resistance as I dragged her from the table, up the stairs, and to a secluded corner of the airship. Spinning her around to face me I shouted, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
Celes stared back at me with unapologetic eyes. "Just having a bit of fun, he's an attractive man."
"Well I don't appreciate it!" I retorted angrily
Celes took a step closer, her eyes still fierce and unapologetic, her body language unmistakably sexual. "You know Locke, if you don't like me flirting with other men maybe you should do something about it," she challenged.
"What? You want me to start a fight with Sabin?"
Celes raised her palm to her head. "No, you dumbass, that's not at all what I mean."
"Then what is it?!" I demanded.
Celes gave a frustrated sigh. "Well, what's it to you who I flirt with?"
"You know damn well what it is to me!" I retorted, still enraged.
"Actually Locke, no. No I don't." Celes folded her arms and kept her gaze locked with mine. "Why don't you tell me?"
I became dead silent at that. I couldn't form the words, I could hardly think. With that single sentence, that single statement, she had completely shifted me to the defensive.
"Are you afraid that if you say it I'll die like Rachel did?" Celes asked pointedly.
A bolt of fear ripped through my heart. She was right. I was downright terrified of that exact thing.
"And that you'll just be alone again?" Celes continued pressing but there was now a softness to her eyes that wasn't there previously.
"I...I...I" I stammered, my whole body trembling.
Celes gently took my hand, "Locke, please don't be afraid."
I looked deeply into her crystal clear blue eyes. How much I wanted to say it. How much I wanted to- BUT WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS?! My own mind stopped my train of thought. There's no more magic! If something bad happens you'll be even more powerless! What if she falls down a mineshaft! What if she becomes fatally ill! What if she's murdered! What if you're not there! What if-"
"Locke, please..." Celes uttered and squeezed my hand tightly, her head was bowed.
"I...I..." Oh dear Gods, if you say it that makes it real and if it's real then that means you can just be hurt again and why wouldn't you? You deserve to be hurt you failure of a-
"I love you," I fought through the bickering demons of my mind and just said it.
Celes turned her eyes up towards me, tears were streaming down her cheeks and a big smile graced her face. "I love you too," she uttered.
I threw my arms around her and we embraced more tightly and intimately than we ever had before.