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flonnebonneImportant Note: I have revised this story and posted a new version.
There's this artist in Jidoor. A young girl. Sketches come to life, they say.
Truly?
(Prevarication.)
Then we shall have to pursue this rumour with all haste. How didst thou come to know this, Sir Shadow?
Got lucky. Overheard it in a pub in Nikeah.
(Pretense.)
Indeed.
Sir Setzer may be reluctant to land near Jidoor, however. 'Twas Maria's hometown, and the rumour of her "kidnapping" has surely spread there.
I think the kid's got my dog with her.
(Pretext.)
That is, of course, the only reason for thy interest in the child.
Yeah.
(Disavowal.)
Sir Shadow...
If there were a chance, any chance, that my child might still be...in this world, I would not hesitate to go to him. Not for a moment. Even were he but a rumour, a mere phantom of my imagination...still I would seek him out.
Would you?
Aye.
Then why didn't you go into Doma with the rest of them?
(Recrimination.)
...I shouldn't have said that.
(Violation.)
There were ghosts in that castle. Made me see stuff.
(Justification.)
Wish I hadn't gone in.
(Amelioration.)
(Not yet forgiveness.)
(But commiseration.)
I understand.
You're the only one here who possibly could.
(Two breaths, two heartbeats.)
I shall ask Sir Setzer to take us to Jidoor.
...Thanks.
(Two spirits dark with remembering.)
(One seeking the light.)
(The other, yet finding the way.)
Heya, General Celes!
(The smell of colour.)
Or should I say ex-General Celes!
(Blooming violets, verdant greens.)
It's me, "the kid."
(Earthy ochres, metallic greys, stony cobalts.)
Nice to meetcha again.
I know we hardly know each other, but I'm here to invade your personal space like everyone else on this flying tub.
Aaaaaaaand I'm gonna paint your portrait!
(Citrusy oranges.)
Heh heh. But don't worry, not like that.
I already did a "special" sketch of you yesterday. Good thing, too. Distracted the mob long enough for me to get on board.
You're a pretty hot commodity, ya know? Everyone in Jidoor is up and arms because Setzer "kidnapped" you. Again, apparently. But in a more skeevy way this time.
They're kind of right, you know. I've seen the way Setzer looks at you. Not sure if it's creepy or sweet.
(Bright vermillion reds.)
Anyway, I'm painting a real portrait of you this time. Gonna call it "The Sleeping Beauty." 'Cause you are awful pretty in that dress.
And god knows we need a little beauty in our lives right now.
(Titanium whites.)
...I know where my grandpa is, Celes.
When I was working for Owzer - he's the richest man in Jidoor, so he's really rich - I heard this rumour about an old man, an absolutely ancient guy, with crazy monster magic. Yeah, that's gotta be my gramps.
He's, uh, with the Cult of Kefka. In their tower. Not Kefka's Tower, the other one.
So that's where we're going. To unbrainwash my grandfather, if we can.
If we can't -
(Charred blacks.)
Oh, what am I saying? Of course we can.
That's what I'm here for!
Now, let's get this painting started.
(A rainbow.)
(Swirling across her palette.)
(In a world gone dark, the smell of colour remains.)
(Brushstrokes, muted.)
Uwaaooo~! Pretty picture.
She does have talent, I'll grant you that.
...You don't have to hang around here for my sake, you two.
(Coated with paint, not colour.)
I'm just here because it's my shift.
Uooo...Gau like look at picture.
(The dip of a brushtip in water.)
I know you're all monitoring me. Trying to make sure I don't run off to Kefka's Tower. Like I'm that stupid.
(A brushtip being cleaned, set aside.)
...They may be overbearing fools, but they're worried about you.
Mr. Shadow, not talk now is good. Uoooo~
No, let him talk, Gau.
(The scrape of metal against wood.)
Let him try to comfort me.
Let him tell me how it's okay.
(The scrape of metal against canvas.)
How we missed rescuing my grandfather by a matter of days, but don't worry.
(Scrape.)
Even though Kefka has him in his tower now, he's probably fine.
(Scrape.)
He might getting tortured or, or who knows what.
(Scrape.)
And while this is going on I'm supposed to sit here and paint!
(Rip.)
Relm...
Hwaooooo...picture is...ruin.
This is your precious symbol, all right? Your Sleeping Beauty. She's not gonna wake up. Terra won't help her and Grandpa isn't here to even try.
And you know what? If we kill Kefka and the Statues, Celes is going to die. She should have died a long time ago, when she was hit by that beam of light from the Floating Continent. The only thing keeping her alive is magic. We kill the Statues, we kill magic, we kill her. And all the Espers, and probably Terra too.
Even if we win, we can never have the world back the way it was. So stop pretending. Just...stop.
(The silence of accusation.)
I want my grandpa back.
(Fragmenting into despair.)
Relm...cry is okay.
Relm...Gau sorry.
Just, just give me something to do. I can't bear this room any longer.
(A tall man, kneeling.)
Relm.
They know. They've all lost things.
But you haven't lost your grandfather yet, unless you give up.
(A young girl, raising her eyes.)
Shadow...I shouldn't have said all those things.
I always talk too much.
(The wordlessness of regret.)
Well, you were right about them smothering you down here.
Let's go see Interceptor. You can give him a piece of meat.
Uwaooo~
...Okay.
(A gaping hole.)
The kid is right, you know.
(Stiff flaps of canvas, heavy with paint.)
You're more than just a blank canvas for us to paint our symbols on.
Nice metaphor, huh? Or is it too literal to be a metaphor?
(Quivering with each reverberation of the engines.)
I'm clearly projecting my memories of Daryl onto you, even if it's Maria's dress you're wearing there.
I dug up the Falcon for you, Celes. I put my girl away long ago, but you made me dig her out again.
(The smell of engine oil, of painter's oil too.)
But I won't be the kind of man who surrounds a dead woman with roses and won't let her go. You deserve better than that.
The truth is, I barely knew you, Celes.
(The lie of paint, of pictures.)
But I would have liked it if I could have gotten to know you better.
(The ache of pictures never painted, yet still hoped for.)
(The familiar rumblings of a war council.)
Edgar, we have to attack soon.
Relm isn't the only one getting antsy. Everyone took it pretty hard when we found out about Strago. If we don't rescue him soon -
(The push.)
Not yet. If we go in right now we'll lose. We still don't have enough firepower. We can't even deal with the Light of Judgement. You don't want to lose another airship, do you?
(The pull.)
There's nothing we could possibly find to help us against the Light of Judgement.
We'll just have to take our chances that Kefka won't use it against us. He hasn't yet, and he's had plenty of chances.
(The attack.)
You might like to make wild bets, Setzer, and you can do what you like with your money and even this ship, but not with the lives of our friends.
We've seen how powerful he is. We have a lot of powerful magic on our side right now, but even with all of us together I don't think it's close to enough.
(The parry.)
What's enough?
How can we know unless we try?
(Dissent, endlessly repeating.)
We can't just go in blindly trusting our luck.
The only person here with any real experience with magic is Relm, and she's eleven. If we don't have Strago, we need Terra, at least. And if Celes would wake, that would help too.
(She knows these rhythms.)
Terra already said no.
And Celes...
(She knows war.)
We should try Terra again. By now Sabin will have healed up completely, so she'll be more apt to listen.
As for Celes, we need her. She's not only good with magic - she knows Kefka better than anyone.
(She could break these cycles.)
Fine, we can go to Mobliz.
But I'm not holding out for Celes. We've tried every Esper we've found, we've all sat in this room and talked to her for hours on end - hell, we're doing that right now - and it hasn't done a thing.
(If the cold does not break her first.)
It would be better to let Celes die than to have her frozen like this forever.
(If the cold would only let her go.)
You really think that?
You'd really give up on her?
It's funny, how you and Locke are so similar, yet so different.
(If only she could be warm again.)
Don't compare me to him.
Why not? You've both got ghosts in your closet - don't deny it, you haven't told me who used to own this ship but I just have to look around this room to know it was a woman. And you both care for Celes a great deal.
We're nothing alike.
Maybe when we find him, Celes will wake.
(If she had fire, maybe the cold would melt away.)
...What makes you think he would be able to do anything when none of us, not even Terra and Relm, have been able to make her flutter so much as an eyelash?
Because he's the one who saved her in the first place. And she cares for him more than any of us.
(If she had fire, maybe she could be reborn.)
You're so full of it, Edgar.
She's sick because of some kind of magical ailment. You think her prince is going to wake her?
If that were true, Rachel wouldn't still be in that basement.
And you don't even know if he's alive! Where would we even look for him?
(Or, would fire burn her?)
...We have one last lead.
You remember that letter Relm nicked from Owzer's mansion? I've studied it closely, and I'm sure the notes scrawled on the side are in Locke's handwriting.
(The way ice does, at its coldest.)
You really drive me up the wall sometimes, you know that, Edgar?
When you were going on about needing to talk to Terra, you could have just come out and said you wanted to see your brother. And if you want go on a wild goose chase after your best friend instead of doing what's best for the world, just say so. No need to pretend to be a saint.
(And what is she, without ice?)
Fine. I want to go check on my brother. I want to find Locke. I want to go back to my kingdom and take care of my people. I want Celes not to die, but I want Kefka gone from this world.
I want everything. I can't have everything. I just have to hope that at least some of my goals are not mutually exclusive. If I can find my best friend and also wake up our sleeping mage-warrior at the same time, that would be wonderful. Maybe we can also find the emperor's treasure. Maybe it's a magical weapon of some sort.
We can't defeat Kefka as we are. But that's no reason to rush in and say "let's all die and get it over with." I want all of us to be alive and whole when this is done.
(She has no need of fire.)
I notice you're not including Strago in "all of us."
But I am. We won't be able to save him if we go in unprepared.
Relm won't forgive you if her grandfather dies, or goes mad, or whatever else Kefka might do to him.
Then I'll accept her hate, if it comes to that.
...All right. We'll do it your way. Mobliz first, and then -
The star-shaped mountain, north of Tzen on the Southern Continent.
Not too far from Kefka's Tower.
Yes.
(It will have to be enough.)
(A man, whose left side weights heavier than his right.)
So you guys gave her the biggest, nicest cabin on the ship, huh?
What can I say? Setzer's ship, Setzer's rules.
(A brother, no longer twin to his other half.)
He's really hung up on her, huh?
To say the least.
(Desert sands, desert winds.)
I've seen the way he looks at her.
Yes, it's hard to miss.
It's rather like the way you look at Terra.
(A pause, as the wind waits.)
...Well, it's not as if she looks at me the same way.
(A schism, where sand falls deep.)
I don't think she knows how, not yet.
Eventually, though, she will.
...Listen, Edgar, I have something to ask you.
(But not so deep as to divide.)
I've been thinking about Terra, and the kids, and what we're going to do...
You want to stay, right?
It's all right. They need you here. I've been drawing up plans for an aid program for Mobliz, although it'll take some time to start it up since Figaro isn't quite back on its feet yet.
(For desert sands care not for chasms.)
Huh?
Edgar, have you seen Mobliz? It's practically a ghost town. The soil is thin and dry, the monsters are getting more and more aggressive, and it's full of bad memories. I wanted to ask if we could relocate everyone to South Figaro.
(They only care to cross them.)
...Oh. Yes, I think that would be a good idea.
And you would go with them, of course?
(No matter how long the distances.)
Yes. I lived in that area before, when I was training with Duncan. I could help build homes for the kids.
And...I don't think I could live in the castle again, and I'm not good with governance, you know that, but I wouldn't mind, um, helping you out once in a while, if you wanted me to.
(No matter how distant the possibilities.)
Sabin -
I would be absolutely, unreservedly thrilled to have you helping me from South Figaro, or anywhere you want to go.
(No matter how the wind blows.)
So...can we bring the kids on board?
Now?
Yeah. It has to be now. Who'll be left to protect the kids if Terra and me come with you?
Phunbaba attacked again, you know. Terra and I beat him off, but it was a close thing. She means it, you know, when she says she can't fight the way she used to. She just doesn't have the heart for it anymore...
Anyway, Phunbaba could come back any time, so we can't leave them there without protection.
(The desert is always there to return to.)
Will all of them fit on the Falcon?
There are twenty-seven of us, including Terra and me. We'll make do with whatever space you can give us.
Setzer will kill me, you know.
Tell him to get mad at me instead.
You and Terra and a village full of helpless orphans. That will shut him up.
Yeah.
(Though desert sand still does not know.)
Oh, and speaking of lover-boy, that reminds me...did any of you ever try kissing Celes awake?
...You have gotten cheeky, haven't you, little brother?
(All the places sand might go.)
(Arms around her.)
(Lifting her from the bed.)
(Warm against her skin, as before.)
She's heavier than she looks.
You sure you don't want me to cast Float?
That's all right, Terra. I've got her.
I'm sorry for all the trouble we're causing.
Not at all. We probably should have moved her a long time ago. With all of you coming aboard we can't let her have that whole room to herself. We could leave her in there, but I doubt your kids want to sleep next to a dead woman.
(But warmth is fleeting.)
Dead?
(And ice does not melt so easily.)
Sorry, that was in poor taste.
But Relm says that if we destroy Kefka and the Statues, Celes will die.
That's the hatch there. Can you open it for me?
Ah, wait, just a second.
(The creak of a hinge.)
(The quiet of a darkened room.)
Watch your head. You have to crawl for a bit. It gets bigger inside.
We can't spare a bed for her anymore, so we rigged up this box. At least it'll stop her from rolling around if the ship makes any sudden moves. Don't worry, it's bolted to the floor.
(A cocoon of wood and cotton.)
Setzer...it looks like a coffin.
I know. It's just temporary, until we drop you all off at South Figaro.
(The arms are leaving her.)
...Have you all given up on her then?
I wouldn't say we've completely given up, but the odds are looking worse every day.
(Hope is leaving her.)
I've got to go and prepare for our journey. We'll be making a stop before we go to South Figaro - Edgar's star-shaped mountain.
You should probably see to your kids.
...Yes. Thank you, Setzer.
Don't stay here too long.
I won't.
(Footsteps, receding.)
(Quiet.)
(Cold.)
(Then, the taste of magic, warmer than her own.)
That's better. I can see you now.
Celes. I don't remember a lot of things, but I know you aren't like me. You're not the type to die without a fight. You left the empire on your own - not by accident. You saved us from Kefka on the Floating Continent. You tried to protect us from the light that destroyed Setzer's first ship. You're like this now because you tried so hard.
And...I think you protected me, as best you could, in the Empire. Am I remembering that right? Or was that just a dream?
I spent a long time sleeping too. It was the hardest thing, waking.
But I have to protect you now, don't I? And all my children, all my friends.
I'll try. Because you tried. And because I want you to keep trying.
Please, Celes. We're in this together.
(The bright taste of magic, vanishing.)
(A door closing.)
(The quiet of a darkened room.)
(But through the cracks, a sliver of light.)
(The hum of engines.)
(Voices, outside her door.)
(She can hear them.)
(But they are not for her.)
(The hum of engines.)
(The hum of engines.)
(The hum of engines.)
(A bang: the hatch opening too fast.)
(Light.)
(A human breath, a human voice.)
Geez, you sure have come down in the world, Celes.
(The smell of canvas and dried paint.)
(A wooden easel, being pushed through the doorway.)
(A faint wind, of air being pushed through a gash.)
Oof, this is heavy.
(The dragging stops.)
(The wind stops.)
(The smell of paint lingers.)
This is so stupid.
You know what they're doing right now? They're arguing about whether to use the Phoenix magicite on you. The thing looks like it'll break if anyone tries anything with it. Oh, we found Locke. He's all messed up because he has to choose between using the Phoenix on you or on his other dead girlfriend. That's why all the arguing.
It shouldn't even be a question.
Anyway, I'm just storing this down here. It's been getting in the way.
Hurry up and wake up, Celes. We have to go save my grandfather.
(Footsteps, receding.)
(The door shuts.)
(The picture stays.)
(It is still broken.)
(A presence, outside her door.)
I can't believe you put her in a storage locker, Edgar. She deserves better than this.
(A voice.)
(Just a voice.)
Actually, until recently she had the best room on the ship. There's just not enough room anymore with all the villagers from Mobliz here.
It's not his fault, Locke.
(A name.)
(Just a name.)
Sorry, I didn't mean to snap, Terra.
(It might have been important to her, once.)
You're always so kind to women, Locke Cole. You overcompensate.
Do you have something to say to me, Setzer? Ever since I got on board -
Gentlemen, perhaps you should continue your conversation later? Our Sleeping Beauty awaits.
(The door opens.)
(She remembers, suddenly.)
(The stench of dead roses, in a dark place.)
Celes...
She's just like...
Yes. All this time, she's been waiting for you and that magicite, Locke. I've always known that you would be the one to wake her.
(Footsteps, coming closer.)
(The cloy of roses grows stronger.)
This painting...is it her?
Yes. Our young prodigy did that.
Why is it sliced open?
Ah, she did that too.
(She remembers, too.)
(The spells of dead Espers, in a dark place.)
Terra, can you help me? I'm afraid the Phoenix will break. The cracks are so deep.
(She remembers the taste of magic.)
(The frost crawling across her skin.)
I'll try. I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll try. Maybe, with the Phoenix's help, I'll be able to reach her mind this time.
(And she remembers warmth, she remembers fire.)
(A magic different from her own.)
Are you ready?
Yes.
(It might burn her.)
(It's trying to burn her.)
(She can't let it.)
I can sense her - Locke, it's working, but I think she's fighting it -
(Only her cold can protect her now.)
No!
(The fire disappears.)
The Phoenix, it -
Locke, I'm so sorry...
(She is cold again.)
It's not your fault, Terra.
Don't try to talk to him now. Let him go.
(Foosteps, receding.)
(Voices, leaving.)
(The door shuts.)
(Leaving her to her sleep.)
(The hum of engines.)
(The hum of engines.)
(The hum of engines.)
(The press of cold and darkness.)
(This is what is left to her.)
(Cacophony. Pounding feet. Children crying out in fear.)
(As familiar as Vector smoke.)
Edgar, it's back!
Damn it, not now!
(The beat of wings, the stench of rotting flesh.)
(The taste of magic, within her, without her.)
Get all the kids below deck!
(Swords. Rending claws. Magic.)
(Fire.)
Is that - Terra? She looks like -
(Screams. Human and inhuman, mingling.)
Mama!
(The world is tilting.)
(The world is breaking.)
(It's all so familiar.)
(She cannot fight it.)
(But then - )
(Bird song from another world.)
(A flare of magic within her, unbidden, unwanted.)
(The voice of a friend.)
Celes!
I know you can hear me!
(Fire, re-igniting.)
We need your help.
(Its heat wraps around her skin.)
My children are here, Celes. Our friends are all here.
Please, wake up!
(She fears it still.)
(But once...)
(When the world broke, a woman held up her sword.)
(She saw the magic come for her, but she held up her sword.)
(Let it fill her with cold.)
(Let it put her to sleep.)
(She slept a long time.)
(She is still sleeping.)
(But the light - )
(It is coming again.)
(And they, her friends - )
(They do not know judgement is coming.)
(Where is the woman with the sword now?)
(She has to stop the light.)
(She is filled with magic.)
(She is going to use it.)
Please, wake up, Terra called out with her mind again. Celes.
She could feel her strength failing. She hadn't used her Esper form in so long. The monster was too strong to fight alone, but she had to protect them - her children, her friends, the fragile vessel of wood and steel that housed them - no matter the cost.
"Terra, get back on the ship!"
"Uwaoo~! It too dangerous!"
Their voices were almost lost in the wind, in the monster's shrieks of rage. In the crackling of her conjured fire. She hurled her magic at the monster in waves, holding nothing back, desperate to keep it away from the ship. She had forgotten what it felt like, this power. Isn't it a lovely gift? a voice asked, but that was just a memory, and Terra's magic was draining from her so quickly...
She had to keep going. Just a little more, until Celes -
She sensed the light before she saw it.
It was coming toward them, impossibly fast, from the south. From the tower.
She had to protect the ship, but she was too far away, she wouldn't make it -
And then, without warning, she was engulfed by heat and cold, all at once. It did not hurt her. She knew this magic. Isn't it a lovely gift?
Yes, it is.
She heard the Phoenix song in her mind and let it fill her, let it twine their wishes together until there was nothing left of herself, of her friend, except the desire to protect.
I'm awake, said the voice in her mind.
Me too, Terra answered, and raised her sword.
The light was coming.
Setzer wasn't sure what happened - one minute Terra looked like she was going to fall with exhaustion, the next minute she was surrounded by magic so strange and powerful even he knew it was not her own.
"The Phoenix!" Locke shouted, wide-eyed, from where he clutched at the rail.
Yes, the Phoenix, wasn't it? But stronger, infinitely stronger now, like the Esper had been reborn -
The light came so fast there was no time to react.
It's just like before, when I lost the Blackjack -
But then Terra was there, fire and ice whirling around her, her face almost inhumanly fierce as she raised her sword and held it before her.
It struck her, an enormous wall of blinding light, and her blade glowed white, like Celes all over again when the world ended and they lost her. The light was swelling, pushing against her, and it seemed impossible that this small girl could possibly beat it -
Then the impossible started to happen. Terra snarled and her magic flared up as if in anger, and she turned her sword and sent the Light of Judgement skyward, toward the sickly purple clouds, and it streamed away from them for what seemed like ages, and then was gone.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to normal light again.
In the wake of that, Setzer was almost surprised to see Doom Gaze still flapping around nearby.
Terra saw the demon too.
Setzer wasn't sure if Doom Gaze had emotions, but if it did, terror was probably one thing it was feeling right now.
"That's my girl," Sabin said as she streaked toward it.
But it wasn't just her, Setzer realized. I felt it.
As the rest of them watched Terra incinerate Doom Gaze into a pile of ash, he quietly handed the controls of the ship over to Edgar and descended the stairs to the lower deck.
The children were coming out of their rooms - brave things, more worried for their "Mama" than for themselves - and Setzer shooed them along so they wouldn't miss the show. It would be a shame if they didn't see Terra at her best. He nodded reassuringly at Duane and Katarin, who looked more frazzled than the children did.
Eventually he came to the storage locker, which was latched shut. He could hear someone yelling and pounding on the door from within.
He crouched down and opened the door.
Inside, there was a woman in a white dress with a ribbon in her hair. She was on her hands and knees, for the door was only a third of her height. She had one arm raised and her mouth was wide open, as if she'd been shouting.
"Hey, beautiful," he said. "Good nap?"
"Just get me out of here and out of this dress," she huffed and started crawling forward.
Setzer gave her his hand.
She could hear her friends' voices from above, faintly.
"What on earth just happened?"
(Edgar, taking charge even amidst his confusion.)
"That was the Light of Judgement, wasn't it? Kefka must have somehow noticed we were vulnerable and decided to attack."
(Sabin, first to answer his brother's call, as ever.)
"Terra, where did you suddenly get all that power? It was awesome!"
(Relm, blessed or cursed with her own inquisitive nature.)
"It wasn't just me. It was Celes. She's awake!"
(Terra, voice tired but still strong, as ever.)
"Uooo!"
(Gau, moved quickly to delight.)
"And the Phoenix. The two of you were linked by the Phoenix, right? How did you do that?"
(Locke, voice tired, not as strong as it used to be.)
"That can wait. Let us go meet her."
(Cyan, steady and strong.)
"You ready?"
Setzer, beside her.
"I suppose so."
Celes was suddenly, unaccountably shy.
But there was no time for that, because a moment later they were there, streaming down the stairs from the upper deck. The children, who'd been peeking shyly at Celes from their doorways, came out now and pointed at her, asking who she was.
"She's Celes," said Terra, who looked like she wanted to cry. She stumbled down the last step, her arms reaching outward.
But Gau beat her to it. "Uwaaooo! You awake!" Celes nearly fell over when he jumped on her, getting soot all over her white dress.
"Give her some space!" Sabin admonished, but he was laughing.
She was overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of them all at once, their voices so bright and alive, and she could see them too, Edgar and Sabin's matching sun-bleached hair, Cyan's old but smiling eyes, Shadow glowering a little ways behind Relm with loyal Interceptor at his feet. And there was Terra, still in her red battle armour, but surrounded by children; and Locke, still wearing that ratty blue bandana, his face more careworn than she remembered it.
"Hey," he said, hugging her almost carefully, like she might break. "You did good."
"I'm kind of confused about everything," she said into his shoulder, "but I know I made you make a hard choice. I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about," he said lightly, and if his smile was forced she could forgive him for that.
He drew back, and she did too.
Setzer, still at her side, tapped her gently on the arm. "How much do you remember, Celes?"
She turned to him, sensing that there was more to that question than he was letting on.
"Not much," she admitted. "I remember hearing all your voices a lot, and I think I could understand what you were saying, at the time. But it's all just vague impressions now." She watched his face, curious at how bland his expression was.
"Except," she added, "what happened just now, with the Phoenix, I remember perfectly."
She looked to Terra, then, and they didn't need to say anything. The song was still there, humming silently between them.
"Thank you," Celes said, turning to all of them. She couldn't keep the emotion out of her voice, so she stopped trying. "I know you all waited a long time for me to wake."
"We all waited long by your bedside, my friend." Cyan's face was full of emotion. "Even Sir Shadow, here, did his duty."
"They said I had to."
"I admit I was getting kind of impatient," said Relm, "but if you and Terra can use that crazy double-whammy Phoenix magic on Kefka, it's all good."
"Give us a little time to recharge," Terra told her. "We need to stop off at South Figaro anyway. And we need to plan, and talk, I'm sure." She turned to the young man and woman behind her (Duane and Katarin, Celes' mind supplied), who were watching the proceedings in silent bewilderment.
"I think we all need a rest before we jump into battle again," Edgar agreed amiably. "Celes, now that you're, er, sensate, you'll need a proper place to sleep now. My room is always available if - "
Sabin elbowed him. "Nice, brother. Trying to pick up the woman who just woke from a coma."
"Can't fault a man for trying."
"Maybe I can room with Terra," said Celes tactfully. "Besides, I don't think I'll be sleeping that much. I've done enough of that."
Later, she found Locke on the upper deck, piloting the ship.
"Setzer's checking on the engine room with Edgar," he explained. "Wants to make sure everything's okay. He did some pretty drastic maneuvers during the battle."
And you volunteered to watch the helm because this is one of the few places on the Falcon where you can get some privacy right now, other than my storage locker, she thought, unable to turn off the analytical part of her mind. It had been off for too long, anyway.
He wasn't wearing his bandana today, she noticed.
"Listen, Locke...we need to talk."
"It's a good thing I don't get airsick the way I get seasick," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. "I'm still surprised that Setzer trusts me with his ship. But apparently Cyan is terrible at navigation, Sabin isn't much better, Terra is always busy with her kids and Shadow, well, you only ask him if it's life or death."
"You don't have to pretend for my sake, Locke."
"I'm not pretending," he said, looking away from her. "This is just how I grieve."
But you don't grieve, her mind supplied. You don't give up on things that are dead, even when maybe you should.
She still remembered the roses in Rachel's basement, how the smell of them lingered around her own coffin. After all that time asleep, Celes could empathize with Rachel more than Locke.
It was unfair of her, she knew. He wasn't wrong to hope. It was his hope that led to her wakening. But she knew the Phoenix hadn't been meant for her.
"We don't truly know what will happen if the Statues are destroyed," she told herself as much as him. "We just have to pray that Terra will live, and Relm will still be able to make her sketches come to life, and that the world will start to heal."
And maybe you can let her go, and let yourself start living again.
"Yeah," he said weakly, finally mustering up a smile for her. It wasn't a happy smile. "Celes, thank you for not letting me give up on her."
"Thank you for not giving up on me."
She descended from the upper deck, leaving him to his flight.
On the way back to her room, she ran into Setzer, who was covered in engine grease. The smell of the stuff was comforting, somehow.
She stopped him as he tried to hurry past her.
"Celes, I really need to get cleaned up - "
"Setzer, you were the one who found me, right?"
He nodded, looking surprised. "So they've told you the whole story, have they?"
"Edgar did, yes. But it's not just that. I think I remember your voice...you were there more than anyone, weren't you? Waiting for me to wake up."
He shrugged. "Maybe."
"Thank you for not giving up on me." And this time she meant it.
"Actually," he said, almost flippantly, "I did give up on you. When Relm told us you would probably die if we destroyed the Statues, I told myself to stop hoping. Stopped coming around to visit you so much."
"That's all right," she replied. "Better to focus on doing something rather than moping around, right?"
He stared at her then, and Celes wondered what she had said, but he didn't explain and she didn't think she needed to know.
"I have a request to make, Setzer," she said abruptly. "When all this is over...I'd like to go find Cid. I'm sure I remember hearing his voice. He must have been the one who saved me and put me on that raft. But I don't know where we were. Somewhere that smelled like the ocean. An island, maybe."
"Any idea where?"
"No. So...that's why I need your airship. I might need your help for a long time."
He lifted one elegant silver eyebrow. "Aren't you going to travel with Locke after this?"
She wondered why everyone thought that.
"I think he needs some time to himself," she said vaguely, "without me there to remind him of his ghosts. So will you help me?"
"All right," he said, silver quick and with no regrets, just like the way he'd asked her to marry him, the first time they met. "As long as you don't mind my ghosts coming along for the ride."
"We all have ghosts," she told him. "We just can't go digging them up all the time."
He gave her a thoughtful look and said, "I think I will be pleased to get to know you better, Miss Chere."
When Celes got back to her cabin, Terra was already asleep.
She was on her side, and her green hair was spread out on her pillow. Under each arm she had two of her children - two boys on one side and two girls on the other. She looked exhausted but content.
Celes could feel Terra's magic singing to her even now. It made her feel as warm and safe as Terra looked.
Later, Celes would curl up on her cushion on the floor and try to sleep, really sleep. But for now, she settled down in a chair beside Terra's bed and waited for her to wake.
- End -
