This is the longest chapter I've ever written in any of my fanfictions... yet I feel like it's pretty short. Why is that? Anyway, here a few things are revealed, and a lot of questions arise. The lovely quote is from Cissnei in Crisis Core: FFVII. I couldn't resist. Please R&R!

Chapter 13- Hana

Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none.

((((()))))

Terra suddenly jumped to her feet, turning towards the darkened hallway they had just traveled through. Luneth and Arc were already asleep; easily drifting into slumber after only a few minutes of rest. Nervously, she conjured a flame in her hand to light the way. She heard the soft patter of rain against the castle outside, and it gave the half-esper a chilled, eerie feeling instead of the comfort the boys found in it. Never before had it rained in Dissidia before, and she knew that today should have been no different.

"Mmm… Terra… put out the light," Luneth mumbled, turning away from her.

She took one last, hesitant look around. Seeing nothing, she exhaled and grinned. Terra extinguished the light and sat back down at the foot of her "bed", a blanket and her rolled up cape as a pillow. "Good night, Luneth."

"Ahm, g'night, Terra," he sighed, half-consciously putting his hand on her arm.

He easily drifted back into unconsciousness.

Still, Terra felt no ease. She just knew that something was wrong- something dangerous brewing outside of the castle.

Where were Dagger and Rinoa? They certainly had to be back soon. Something was wrong with Rinoa, she knew. It almost seemed as though she was another….

Like she was another person. Gasping with this new realization, Terra quickly apologized and shook the boys awake. After seeing her frightened expression, neither Arc nor Luneth uttered a harsh word. "Terra? What's wrong? Are we under attack?"

She shook her head and clasped her shaking hands. "R-Rinoa… I think that she's under control by someone else."

Arc and Luneth exchanged an incredulous look. "What do you mean?" Arc asked, gathering their supplies. Luneth hastily put his helmet back on and drew his sword. "She seemed normal to me."

"But… she snapped at you for lagging behind yesterday, remember? From what Squall has told us, Rinoa never does that. She's always nice."

The three suddenly froze in the middle of the darkened hallway. The mirrors on the walls around them reflected their startled faces, almost like a cruel mockery. Arc pulled his hat down farther and whimpered, "I don't want to stay here. What if we're in the middle of a trap?"

Luneth frowned at his friend, but couldn't help but feel unnerved as well. "Is it raining?" he suddenly inquired, putting his ear to the wall.

Terra nodded. "It's been raining since Rinoa and Dagger left…. What do think is going on out there? With everyone else, I mean. I've had this… uneasy feeling all night. I think the esper part of me senses danger."

"Then let's go find everyone else. Maybe they've run into the girls," Luneth offered. When his stomach growled, he miserably added, "And maybe they can spare us some food."

Arc and Terra, equally famished, wholeheartedly agreed.

((((()))))

Zidane lay on the ground a simple few feet from Dagger. A cut above his eye bled, obscuring sight in his left eye. He was sure that, thanks to Tifa, he also had a broken nose and a few cracked ribs. Cuts laced his arms, courtesy of Tidus, Cecil, and the Mage of Light.

In short, it was the worst beating he had ever received.

The thief had long lost the will to fight back against his companions, and he knew telling them that he truly was Zidane wouldn't help very much. It was stereotypical that the villain would always deny the truth until the bitter end. Why would it be any different for him?

A dismal voice inside of him had told him to warn the others before hand whenever he first noticed the Warrior of Light acting differently. Light never would have voluntarily gone with them. Although he was practically religious about the warriors sticking in groups, he himself stood dejectedly away from everyone else, choosing to venture alone. Why hadn't anyone else noticed it before?

Because was their great leader, a man who would never betray any of them.

It was brilliant.

After being knocked about by the majority of Light Warriors, Zidane was even willing to accept that he was the bad guy in the situation. But Dagger….

Wearily, he lifted his head and looked up at Maria. "Will you heal her…?"

The archer, surprised, lowered her bow and turned to Dagger. "But… didn't you…?"

"Tricking us isn't going to work, Ultimecia, Edea, whoever you are!" Tidus declared, moving in front of Maria and brandishing his blade.

Zidane shook his head. The small action felt a tremor, knocking loose whatever grip on reality he once had. His thoughts now only centered around Dagger. "Not trying to. Just… don't let her die, alright? Go ahead and finish me off… but spare Dagger. She's still got a life to live."

Edea, still transformed into Light, turned to Rinoa. "Heal her."

Zidane angrily threw a khukuri at the sorceress, barely grazing her neck and the choker she wore, making her jump away from the queen. "Can't trust you… Maria…."

Rinoa suddenly staggered a little, grabbing the cut choker. "I… I…." She turned to Zidane with hate filled-eyes. "You stupid monkey!" she cried. "You've ruined everything!"

He cracked a grin, closing his eyes and laying his head back to the wet, stony ground.

The sorceress let out another scream, scrambling with twitching hands to tie the choker back into place. Finally both Rinoa and the necklace fell to the ground, unconscious.

Edea stepped away from the group, her eyes wide with fear. Yuna let out a choked cry and rushed to Zidane. "H-he wasn't the imposter! It's Light!"

Edea transformed back and curled her lip disdainfully at the warriors. "Dratted boy…. Our control over Rinoa was flawless until he ruined everything!"

The sorceress stopped as a lance impaled her. She silently turned, mouth agape, to look at Kain. The dragoon pulled out his javelin and explained, "I jumped away before the girl cast a time spell on us. Squall, Firion, Celes, and Cloud are still frozen in time."

His eyes widened at finally taking notice of Zidane. "Z-Zidane?" he exclaimed.

Yuna looked up at him with tears in her heterochromatic eyes. "We… we thought it was him…."

Kain looked to the ground. "Is Rinoa injured as well?" His voice was subdued- the shock at how easily their trust could be broken evident on his face.

Mage finally forced her eyes away from Zidane and Dagger, and looked at the sorceress. "I… I think she was being controlled through that necklace."

With a small nod, Kain kneeled and picked it up. "Wasn't this symbol on Gilgamesh's armor?"

He handed it to Mage, who squinted a pair of golden eyes at the small symbol. "Yes. Gilgamesh was from Terra and Celes's world, wasn't he? I think it's the symbol of Gestahl, if I'm correct. Where is Terra, then? And Luneth and Arc?"

"Where's Bartz?" Lenna abruptly asked.

Tifa and Yuna looked away from Zidane. "Li- er, Edea told him to find Dagger. Maybe he's with Terra, Luneth, and Arc?" the bartender offered.

((((()))))

"And when will we be ready to freeze the rain, trapping them?" Seymour asked, eager to begin the plan.

"And when will we be ready to get your brain working?" Jecht mocked in his best attempt at a soft voice like the maester.

Kuja smirked and turned to Xande. "Has the rain got them drenched yet?"

The warlock nodded, stepping down from a pedestal decorated in mystic spells he and Seymour knew to mean "water".

Bikke cracked a grin, leaning out into rain pouring down from the sky. "Since we're all on your side," he gruffly started, turning back to Kuja, "we can talk about why you're out to kill off the rest of the gang, eh?"

"Then," Kuja proposed with the flip of his hair, "you can tell us why you are parading around as that hideous pirate."

Jecht, Xande, and Seymour blinked in confusion. Kuja irritably turned to the three. "None of you noticed how fake he looks and sounds? Idiots."

Bikke, or whoever he was, burst out laughing. "Not even Garland noticed the difference, and we once worked close to each other! You have a good sense of detection, boy."

Kuja dipped his head, "Naturally."

"I found a little mousie~!"

The five villains turned to Wind Cave's entrance to see Kefka skip in with Bartz walking in behind him. The wanderer stopped and cocked his head at the villains staring back at him with equal confusion. "What are you doing here?" Jecht started, frowning. "Aren't you supposed to be with Monkey in his dire time of need?"

Bartz narrowed his eyes at them and crossed his arms. "Everyone's acting screwy. I'm just here to ask why. What're you guys planning?"

"You're the best the other side could afford?" Bikke deadpanned, looking him over with distaste. "I don't think you're hardly fit to fight off a wasp, kid."

"I find offense in that," Bartz said matter-of-factly.

Seymour rolled his eyes and took out his elegant, golden staff. "Shall we do away with this fool?"

They turned to Kuja, staring at the mimic with a curious expression. "You are unaware of everything at the moment, aren't you?"

Slowly, Bartz put on a frown. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly. He summoned Sephiroth's masamune. "Just what are you guys planning?"

Kefka shrugged, hopping up into a float. "The usual! We're taking out our own side one by one, so that we'll be Chaos's favorite and get all of the glory in killing you flies off! Isn't that a great plan?"

Kuja palmed himself. Kefka stuck his lower lip out in a pout at seeing his temporary boss's disdain. "What did I do now?"

"Only reveal the plan to me."

Bartz and the Dark Warriors to see Kadaj. The remnant offered them a brief smirk and sauntered in. "I want to join on your side," he stated, going straight to the heart of the matter. He brushed away a strand of silver hair, just a shade lighter than Sephiroth's.

"We'll shortly be killing your precious Big Brother," Bikke reminded him, pointing back to the mages and Jecht- who had come along on account of seeing the Emperor as insufferable, as well as the others were.

Kadaj narrowed his bright green eyes at him. "Shut it, old man. Those of us acquainted with bathing are talking, now."

Bikke turned to catch Kuja's reaction. The genome finally nodded.

The remnant moved to the magic circle, but Jecht stopped him, giving him a wry grin. "What's going on here?" Kadaj asked Kuja, looking between each of them.

"I'm still deciding whether or not you would have proved useful," Kuja mused.

"Then, why nod?"

"Oh, that?"

Kuja let out a mirthless laugh, crossing his arms. "I was simply giving my friend Bikke the okay on killing you."

Bartz was long gone from the cave as soon as Kadaj's scream reached him.

((((()))))

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Zidane," Lenna sniffed for the fifteenth time.

Again, for the fifteenth time, Zidane waved it off. "It's alright." He wearily leaned back against one of the few pillars left standing in Zanarkand, closing his eyes and letting the rain wash off any blood left on his face. "I had no idea about Rinoa, actually," he started, changing the subject. "That was pure luck."

He cracked a grin. "Lady Luck- my greatest friend."

"Though perhaps she had other matters to attend to than bothering with you today," Dagger said dryly beside him. The thief cast her a grin, immediately wincing. Dagger took notice and furrowed her eyebrows, frowning. "Just rest. Leave the joking for whenever Bartz comes back."

Doing as he was told, Zidane muttered, "Then you can save the lectures for whenever you and Light can exchange discipline tactics."

Tifa brought over some soup for them. "It's watery because of the rain, but it's warm, at least," she said awkwardly, giving the couple each a bowl.

Zidane looked up when he noticed the frowns on everyone's faces. "Hey," he softly called, hating how his hoarse voice cracked, "everyone eat up. We've gotta get a bright and early start tomorrow morning."

This irked most of the warriors in many ways. First, they were about ready to half kill him again for acting so happy and forgiving. Second, fighting and arguing took a lot of energy- they had plans to sleep in tomorrow. And lastly, with all of the rain, no one expected the morrow to have any relation to a bright and wonderful morning.

Lenna suddenly shrieked. Everyone's attention turned to her. She pointed to a blue and green wisp in mute horror.

Cracking grins and chuckling, Yuna and Tidus explained, "Those are pyre flies- they have memories of people in them. With all of the pyre flies here, we're probably going to get a show soon."

"Entertainment?" Cecil sarcastically gasped. "Here, in no-man's land?"

Tidus nodded, leaning back on his elbows. "Probably some sappy scenes with my old man."

They all made twisted, horrified faces (with the exception of Mage, Cecil, and Kain), cringing at the thought.

"GUYS!"

Luneth came running up, his helmet halfway sliding off. "Guys, we've urgent news!" he shouted, rocking on his heels. "Rinoa's been taken over by the bad guys and… I see she's unconscious. Hmm. Oh, well."

Arc and Terra finally caught up with him, the latter falling to her knees and panting. "Ran here… straight from Garland's castle…."

"And hungry," Arc breathlessly added. "We're really, really hungry."

Terra and Luneth seconded that motion.

A faint grin on his face, Cecil passed them the soup. "Eat up; we've got plenty."

Eagerly slurping it up, Luneth turned to Zidane, his eyes going wide. He dropped his spoon. "What happened to you?"

Terra squealed and immediately set to unnecessarily casting every white magic spell she knew on Zidane and Dagger, who once again rolled their eyes. "Epically lost at a Blitz game with Tidus," Zidane easily joked, his voice again raspy. "Crap. Dumb rain's giving me a cold."

He was immediately given capes and blankets to warm himself. Zidane narrowed his eyes and barked, "Knock it off, guys!" before hissing out in pain and going silent.

The half-esper wasn't fazed. "Zidane…-"

Zidane gave her a grin, cutting off her worrying. "I'm fine. It's nothing a good night of rest won't fix."

"If you don't shut up about that positivity," Tifa finally threatened, glaring daggers at him, "so help me, I'll kick from here to Crystal World."

He gently shrugged, trying to keep the wince in check.

Mage finally spoke, breaking an uncomfortable silence. "Perhaps we should all turn in for the night. Cecil, Kain, Tidus, would you all try and put up some blankets to keep the rain off of us tonight?"

They nodded, eager to get the job done and hurry to sleep.

Terra helped Zidane lay down on a blanket donated by Yuna, chirping things like, "Try not to move too much," and, "if you need anything just tell me".

She then went to Dagger, doing the same.

((((()))))

Some time in the middle of the night, Kuja, Bikke, and Jecht's trap set off in the Wind Cave. Earlier, before the day's chaos had occurred, Kuja had drawn a destructive spell on the pedestal, insuring that whatever final spell Xande cast would inevitably fall down on Seymour and himself.

Kefka had left soon after Kadaj had been taken care of, leaving for his own devices. He was to (hopefully) meet up with them again bringing Golbez and Leon.

As the rain came to an abrupt stop, Kuja broke into fit of giggles. "I can't believe so many fools could fall for such a stupid plan! We'll have them conquered by tomorrow at this rate!"

Jecht clapped the two on the back and declared, "This is means for a celebration! What're we going to do?"

Bikke and Kuja answered simultaneously: "Food."

((((()))))

When Bartz arrived later in the night, he also found Squall, Celes, Cloud, and Firion coming n the camp, frustrated at having been frozen for so long. "Hiya, guys!" Bartz greeted the sour bunch.

Tidus, on guard duty, popped his head out of a mass of hanging blankets. "Oh, there you all are. Everyone, the others are back!"

He was replied with various moans; Luneth threw his helmet out at him. Tidus let out a shaky laugh. "Fine, fine. Keep sleeping." Under his breath he muttered, "And let me just stay out here all night keeping you bums safe."

Celes rubbed her cold arms and sat down. "I'm too scared to sleep," she admitted. "I don't like it here at all."

"Well…," Tidus started, sitting down himself, "it does get better. Today was just a bad day for everyone, seems like."

The soldier leaned over her knees, pulling them close and wrapping her cape around her. "Locke or Edgar should have come here. Not me. I'm not cut out for this."

Tidus gave a light shrug. "Maybe Cosmos sent you here for a reason. I mean, she brought me here so I wouldn't just fade away. Technically, I shouldn't even exist. Long story, don't ask."

"I was a puppet for the army. I was a mindless killing machine…." Tears started to form in Celes's eyes. "But… Locke saved me. He brought me to Terra and the others, and they took care of me, despite what I had done…."

"See? Maybe this is another way to prove yourself. Wouldn't want the others to take the glory, do you?"

She was silent a moment. Then, slowly, she shook her head and muttered, "I guess not."

The Blitz star grinned, and Celes couldn't help but smile a little.

"Thank you, Tidus."