Yes, this is a bit of a filler chapter. I'm so sorry about that, but… I have a bit of a problem. There is a HUGE part coming up, but I don't want to dive-bomb it on everyone right yet. So, if there's any little tid-bits of fluff/angst/whatever-else, PM me or leave the idea in a review, and I'll try and incorporate your idea in the story. There are a couple rules to this: No one, villains and heroes both, can die. Also, the canon pairings are still to remain the same. So I'm very sorry if some of you are simply dying to see, say, Terra and Zidane together. Dagger would likely kill them both, and I would die a little inside.

So, any good ideas, anyone?

Chapter 16- Hajimeru

There's no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views.

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"That reject creation of mine is planning to do what?" Garland demanded.

The Cloud of Darkness rolled her eyes at his outburst. "It's not like his petty scheme is going to come to fruition anyway, you know. Chaos will be too much for those little fools, and he'll destroy them all." She sighed and laid her cheek against the cool bricks of Garland's castle. "I really should be with Exdeath and Enuo. They're setting off a trap for Bartz and Lenna right now, and I'm supposed to be working on my own for Luneth and Arc."

Garland angrily rose from his throne. "Forget about your silly traps! That fool isn't just planning to bring out Chaos and try and defeat him- Kuja is going to-"

The old man's revelation was cut off as the Cloud of Darkness irritably cast a Silence spell on him.

She promenaded over to him, smiling ruefully. "You haven't realized you are a pawn of your own creation, are you? That everything you and Kefka have down together has been part of Kuja's master plan?"

Garland snarled a silent curse and used his telekinesis powers to throw the Cloud into a wall.

The Cloud glowered at the Time Lord, baring her teeth. Her faithful serpents shot out at him from her sides, constricting around him and suffocating him. She rose to her feet, glaring at him. "Never," she snarled, her crimson gaze fierce, "cross me again."

Her serpents finally released Garland, dropping him on the obsidian floor of his own throne room. Garland wheezed, trying to catch his breath again. The Cloud kicked him away from her and, with only another malicious look, disappeared into her conjured black portal.

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"So, this Shuyin was the guy the Dream of the Fayth modeled me after?" Tidus asked incredulously. "And the guy's girlfriend looked exactly like you?"

Yuna nodded. "Just about. He actually confused me with her a few times. You know, if you called me Lenne, I'm sure I'd probably respond," she ended with a chuckle.

Tidus whistled. "Well. That's not something you learn everyday."

Yuna giggled, taking hold of his hand. Tidus couldn't help but blush at this. Yuna was totally different than how he once knew her. But, honestly, he sort of liked this Yuna just as well. He grinned to her before letting go of her hand and taking off running. "Race you!" he called out, heading in Zanarkand's direction.

Who would have thought that those two especially would have went to such a place with a smile on their faces?

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Zidane triumphantly turned to Dagger with a blinding grin. "See? Told you I could find it."

Dagger rolled her eyes, a betraying smirk tugging at her lips. "As if I ever had a doubt the 'Great Zidane' wouldn't find such a thing?"

His laughter was suddenly cut off. "Wait a minute- was that sarcasm I detected, coming from a queen?"

She didn't dare hide the smirk now. Zidane was officially riled up. This would be a fun walk back to the other warriors. "Maybe. Oh, whoops, I didn't say 'perhaps', did I?" Dagger laughed and spun on her heel, walking off from the scorched Light Warrior. "Let's go to the Western Keep, okay?"

Zidane ran to catch up to her, tossing the item in the air, and deftly catching it as it came back down. What was Kuja wanting with a stupid rock? he thought to himself. Then again, the man could out-do Kefka in terms of crazy if you really got under his skin, so Zidane didn't think on it too long. Whatever he wanted, he guessed.

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Rinoa skipped at Squall's side, constantly pointing out familiar things at Balamb. If it wasn't that she was too cute to get mad at and that he loved her, Squall would have broken her finger. Of course it was familiar, it came from their own world! Still, he kept a silent watch out for enemies while the sorceress entertained herself.

"Squall, are you listening to me?"

"Hn?" he asked, only noticing she was speaking to him by her constant prodding to his arm. "What?"

She flashed him a smile. "Oh, nothing. Just wanted to make sure you were still in touch with reality. You know, can get practically unresponsive if you think too hard about stuff and…."

Squall couldn't really help himself when he blocked her drabbles out again. Surely he wasn't as bad as she let on. Unresponsive? Only to whoever he was purposely trying to block out. Aside from that, Squall thought himself to only remain silent in most conversations.

Besides. It wasn't his fault everyone in Dissidia was so darn annoying.

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Tifa hummed to herself, and Cloud was, predictably, silent.

She almost didn't catch it whenever he quietly asked, "How are Denzel and Marlene?"

"Oh? They're alright. When Cosmos came, I left them with Barrett. She had to explain to everyone that you weren't dead, and that she wasn't some new form of Jenova. I swear, Barrett can be so, you know, Barrett sometimes," she said, sighing in relief that wasn't going to stay totally silent. Tifa hated to admit it, but she was glad whenever Cloud actually got out of his little emo shell and talked to someone for once.

It was long while before he finally decided to grace her with another sentence. "I'm glad they're all right, then."

And then, just as quickly as the small conversation had started, Cloud went silent again.

Tifa smiled, though it was small. Cloud either didn't notice, or pretended not to. "I'm glad that we're together again."

She took her turn at silence then, but not before she caught Cloud give a small nod. In Cloud-speak, Tifa knew that he meant, Me too.

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"I can't believe that monster is working with us!" Celes fumed as the three of them stomped towards Mobliz.

Gilgamesh and Terra let out simultaneous sigh. The Magitek Knight sure could seethe at something if it really irked her enough. Finally, Celes too let out a sigh. "Well… as long as he try to massacre anybody, and keeps out of my bloody way," she growled, "I'll try and put up with his stench."

Terra chuckled at her friend. They all stopped whenever Mobliz came into view. "Garland rigged this place, and Exdeath, Enuo, and the Cloud of Darkness were messing here, too?" she uncertainly asked.

Celes flashed her a worried look. "Terra, nothing is going to happen to you. I promise."

She gave a small, hesitant nod, and took both of their hands. Gil found it beyond awkward, but he figured that if it helped calm the half-esper's nerves, he'd go along with it.

Terra gave the town a strong look. "Let's go, everyone."

((((()))))

Bartz and Lenna were obviously the most cheerful of the Warriors, and being alone on a journey to the Wind Cave wasn't about to chance that. The song Rinoa had sung yesterday was stuck in Bartz's head, and it was starting to annoy him a bit. The same went for Lenna, who had Yuna's upbeat tune stuck on her mind.

Finally, both scowled out in front of them and declared, "I hate that song!"

They both burst into laugher. "Rinoa's grating one or Yuna's?"

"Both," Lenna miserably replied. "It's a good thing Dagger didn't listen to Zidane and start singing, too."

An interesting thought struck her mind. "What if we got Cloud to sing one day?"

Bartz's jaw dropped. "It's impossible," he shook his head, thoroughly shocked the princess had come up with such an absurd thought. "But it would be funny."

"Or maybe Squall would do a nicer job. Or Kain," she spitballed, glad they had started a conversation to keep the annoying songs off their minds.

Bartz grinned evilly. "Or how about Light?"

"Him and Mage could do a duet!"

"With Cloud, Squall, and Kain doing back-up!"

"Cecil breaks in and does a solo!"

"Terra blasts him off the stage with her esper powers and she, Celes, Gil, and Kefka join in!"

"Kuja does opera!"

And that was how their afternoon was spent.

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Cecil suddenly stopped, his face twisting into his thoughtful/thinking expression.

Kain noticed, turning back to him. "What is it? An enemy?"

"…No, I just have the strangest feeling that someone is laughing at us…," Cecil said, slightly confused.

Luneth and Arc, who the two had opted to venture with since they'd likely find their crystal first, both shrugged. "It could be Kefka."

Luneth recoiled in disgust at the suggestion. "What if he's lurking nearby, ready to jump us?"

Cecil looked between the two kids and said aghast, "You have dirty minds."

Arc rolled his eyes. "Must've come from Desch."

The Onion Knight nodded solemnly. "Must have."

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"We have to look for the Emperor again, I suppose," Firion frowned as they took a moment to look at the crudely drawn copy of a map Kefka had given them.

Leon pointed to Pandaemonium. "It couldn't surprise me if he ran to hide there, but that would be too obvious. Maybe he's hiding out somewhere with an ally?"

Maria's lips twitched into a half-smile. "Who would be stupid enough to be an ally with him?"

Her brother cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, you'd be surprised. Sephiroth and Zemus were with him, you know. And he and the Garland from Light and Mage's world seemed to be somewhat allies."

"Eh, Garland's sort of their leader. Everyone on Chaos's side is somewhat allied with him," Firion pointed out. "But what about the person who got Sephiroth out of the way before? It looked a little to be the Cloud of Darkness's work."

Leon slowly nodded. "Hmm…. Maybe. So, we should go check out the Cloud, then?"

Maria rolled up the map and tucked it in a satchel hanging at her side. "Let's get going, gentlemen."

Both rolled their eyes as Maria, keeping her giggle in check, started off.

((((()))))

"…and Tidus is almost as big a prankster as the rest, sometimes," Light explained. "But of course, Bartz is the worst."

"Worse than Akbar?" Mage dryly asked.

Light recoiled at the foul name. "That con artist could have given Thief a run for his money- though I doubt he'd ever let him get his grubby hands on a penny of it."

"'Why, of course this airship works!'" Mage quoted in a slightly accented voice. "'It's not at all a death trap going to fall apart in the middle of the air!' Gah, I hated him!"

"Hate? How unbefitting of a white mage. Besides, I thought that was all reserved for Black Mage."

Now Mage had recoil at the atrocity fit into one little man. "Oh, no, I do hate him. With every fiber of my being."

Light couldn't help but smirk. "I think he'd cry if you said that."

Mage pursed her lips. "As if he knows what emotion is! Honestly, however did he stick with us, the Light Warriors, so long? I expected him to run off and leave us to join Chaos at some parts from the way he acted!"

"Don't say that about him," Light finally interjected. "I mean, somewhere under all of the cruelty and disregard to love, children, and anything at all good, he's got to have a bit of a heart. Otherwise he wouldn't have stayed with us."

This didn't seem to faze her in the slightest. Mage kept her mouth shut on the subject. With their luck, Bikke was probably going to turn out to be Black Mage, and he'd blast them into eternity with one of his beam attacks. What did he even call that, anyway? Hadoken, maybe?

The two stopped at the entrance of a run down fortress. "The Western Keep," Light murmured. "After you?"

Mage drew her sword and conjured a ball of fire in her hand in case the light went out further inside. "Well, let's find that crystal, Light."