I must apologize- Hajimeru does mean to begin. Stupid "About" website….

Anyway, since I threw in countless 8-bit Theatre references in the last chapter with Light and Mage, I couldn't resist quoting Red Mage from the epilogue of 8-bit. Ah, yes. What a good, brain-cell-destroying series that was…. Anyway, this is what I'll call a "crack chapter", because it someone progresses the story, and somewhat doesn't. I just don't like fillers, so I'm renaming it something else. This idea was given to me by Spark the Clairvoyant.

There's also a teenie tiny reference to one of my other fics on here, Futago (well, it's a bit referring to chapter four, which I'll have up soon for anyone reading that here) and an even smaller one to Spotty at best. Yeah, I'm a promoter. Almost like one of those annoying ads that pop up whenever you're at the best dang part in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, watching it on You Tube because you can't figure out what stupid channel it comes on and…. Ahem. Sorry for rambling.

I'm still open for ideas, people! REVIEW OR PM ME!

Chapter 17- Koufuku

It's having the adventure that's important, not who knows about it.

((((()))))

"Hey, guys!"

Terra, annoyed that Zidane and Dagger's sudden arrival had just ruined a good, strong moment for her, turned around. Still, she just couldn't stay mad at her friends like that. "Guys!" she cried. "You're back! I was so worried when you suddenly disappeared like that-"

Zidane nervously scratched the back of his head. "Well, about that…. Um, let's just blame it on Kuja, alright?"

Dagger rolled her eyes. "Zidane had to be stupid and reckless, as usual. I swear, you're such an adrenaline junkie!"

"I am not," he snapped, rounding on her. "Just what kind of reckless things have I done?"

"Kidnapping a princess," she easily started, "hijacking a cargo airship, infiltrating a black-mage creating factory, joining the Festival of the Hunt unprepared and on a whim-"

"Everyone in Lindblum does that annually. Me and Tantalus used to do it every year too, you know."

She continued, ignoring him and the very confused Terra, Celes, and Gilgamesh. "Jumping up and stabbing Gizamaluke like that (Freya told me everything, too!), jumping into battle with Beatrix and getting your butt kicked, getting me to ride the Gargant, and let's not forget about rushing into that fight with Amarant and Lani at Madain Sari!"

Zidane sighed. "Okay, okay, so I have done a few reckless things in my lifetime, but-"

Dagger narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not even half finished yet, monkey boy." She cleared her throat and started again. "What about the whole Daguerro fiasco!" Zidane openly winced, admitting to that one. "How about the time when you jumped that one guy in Treno when you heard from Amarant that he tried to kidnap Eiko?"

Gilgamesh's eyes went wide. "THEN IT IS YOU!"

Zidane gaped, turning to the warrior. "Y-you're the four-armed man back in Treno! I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! You're Alley-way Jack! You nasty little jerk, trying to hurt Eiko like that!"

He nervously backed up from the blonde. "I-it wasn't my fault, I just, um…. I wanted to get under Amarant's skin, alright? Not my fault she was the closest thing I saw that he might actually care about! Besides, she bit my hand! What if that little summoner had rabies? What then!"

"Heya, guys!"

They temporarily stopped their arguing to see Bartz and Lenna sprinting towards them. "Hello, Bartz," Gilgamesh said, happy to have his attention adverted from the steaming Zidane. He left the genome in Dagger's care and turned to his once-arch rival. "Have you and Lenna found any luck in finding your crystal?"

"Nope," Lenna giggled, "but we did discover that you all would look good doing a can-can line."

As the two burst into hysterical laughter, the three from Terra's world shrugged.

Bartz finally calmed himself, keeping the silly smirk on his face. "So, we've all come to terms that you know us all?"

Gil nodded. "Yeah. Working with Exdeath…? I don't think I'd ever do again."

Bartz solemnly nodded and patted the warrior's shoulder. "And that's why you'll always be part of us."

Terra and Celes looked like they could have said something to that, but they thought it was best to quiet, instead asking Lenna just what she meant with the can-can line.

Zidane suddenly looked up, bursting, "We've got to find Squall!"

Gil nodded. "That's right! I know him, too. I gave him a summon of me to help him fight with. Maybe he still remembers me?"

Celes cocked her head the crowd forming. "I think it may be a while before we go find our crystal."

Terra frowned. "Yes. Um…."

"We should go find it ourselves?"

The half-esper nodded. Celes grinned and spun on her heel to the decrepit town. "Let's go, Terra!"

Another thought occurred to Zidane. "I just noticed that Terra's name is the same as the Terra were I come from…. Maybe that's symbolic of something?"

Dagger growled something under her breath, but Zidane didn't catch all of it. There was something about, "Stupid monkey-tailed skirt chaser", but he wasn't sure.

To assure her she was his number one, Zidane gave her a crushing hug. "You know that I love you, right, Dag? I was just meaning the Terra's sort of a sister, you know? Like Freya."

She couldn't help but smile a little, peeling him off of her. "Yeah, yeah."

Lenna was in the middle of shining Gil's armor when the two turned back to their company, Bartz asking him what his last name was. Since it was odd that they all were on a full-name basis on the Dissidia Squad (Zidane snickered at their nickname while Dagger groaned and shook her head), he had to know his last name, too.

Gilgamesh fidgeted in place, embarrassed by his name. This only made Bartz him more about it. Sighing, Gil finally admitted, "My name is Gilgamesh Wulfenbach." He looked up to the blue sky and muttered, "I miss you, Agatha…."

"Huh?" Lenna asked, peeking a look up to the sky as well.

The warrior waved it off. "Gilgamesh Wulfenbach. Happy now, everyone?" He frowned at the sound of a snort behind him. Grimly and slowly turning around, Gil saw Zidane quickly cover his mouth to hide the wide, mocking smile and to try and keep in the laughter waiting to be flooded out. "I used to have a respectable thing going on it Treno, kid. Don't push it."

"I'm the King of Treno's brother. Top that," he retorted.

Gilgamesh's eyes widened. "Then… the rumors were true? Kuja is the King of Treno?"

Zidane nodded. "Yep. Soak it in, Gil. That's only way you'll ever get any of my awesomeness."

"I wouldn't do that," Dagger advised him. "You might get some of his reckless stupidity as well."

The two resumed their argument.

Bartz and Lenna butted into the fight just a moment to say they were going on to the Wind Cave to hurry and find their crystal, that they were going to throw a karaoke party whenever they got back.

Dagger promised under her breath to avoid those two like the plague from now on. Putting on a sheepish grin, Zidane remarked, "I bet you could blow them away with Melodies of Life."

He came face-to-face with her stubborn side. Zidane immediately knew he was trying to fight a losing battle. With a shrug, he left it at that.

The two then followed Bartz and Lenna's example, deciding to spend the rest of the day in search of their crystal.

"I guess that's our cue, ladies!" Gil said turning to face Terra and Celes. All he saw was a devastated town. Eyes wide and disappointment evident on his face, Gilgamesh Wulfenbach muttered, "You guys could have told me they left earlier."

"Geez," Gil thought aloud, clawing through wreckage and debris from Mobliz, "it's because I'm not blonde, isn't it? I'm just not 'innocent and perfectly good' like Terra and Celes, and they decide to leave without me. What's to say I'm not a good guy, too? The whole Exdeath thing? Being Alleyway Jack? I feel so alone…."

"Don't we all, Gilgamesh?"

He starting to run, but it was too late. The black mass caught up with him and swallowed him whole, teleporting him to someplace else in Dissidia.

Slightly smirking, the Cloud of Darkness purred, "And then there were two."

Yes, yes. A cliffy. I know. Hate me all you want, but it was begging to be done. Also, a little warning: after a few of these crack chapters, there will be a lot less fluff, and a LOT more angst and overall parts inducing gasps on your behalf with a couple "NOOOOO!" parts mixed in. Please R&R. (And kill me for making two insanely long and mostly useless author's notes.)