Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

The Final Distance	By : Resting-Madness Category: Final Fantasy Games > Crossovers Views: 924 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimers: I do not own a single character, location or bit of input that creates the Final Fantasy VIII and VI worlds. I simply do this for fun, so there's absolutely no money in it for me.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
It's Selphie's fault.
Seifer's head tipped back and he inwardly groaned, leaving his posture as such while he vacantly gazed at the cold metal ceiling of the submarine. He shouldn't have stayed silent as she ranted away to the little girl, with grandeur ideas of knights and Sorceresses and how they're so sweet, and protective. Just like a bestest friend! Friends. Ha! The chipper little ball of energy in a jumper knows nothing about the Sorceress and her knight relationship. Although, if you're explaining such things to a little girl, he supposed friendship ideals would have to be conveyed. A kid could never understand perfect love and trust, and unwavering loyalty. The stuff real relationship are made of and offer.
Speaking of relationships… He looks over at Zell, standing across from him and playing with the shadows again. Hn. It's probably why the kid is still clinging to his coat like a leech, and won't even let him use the damned bathroom! He's going to burst!
"Hey kid," He began to reason with her. His tone trying to avoid icy and instead go for icing. Sweet and kind. The stuff kids like. "What's your name anyway?"
At first she said nothing. Then she looked over at him, her brows furrowed together as if suddenly her knight were either someone else, or sufficiently lacking when he speaks.
"I'm Seifer."
Zell ceased his boxing match to observe his lover's ability to handle children. He hoped it was better than he treats animals, or at least dogs.
"Everyone has a name, even if he makes it up for himself." Nudging her with his elbow, he asks again. "So what's yours?"
She waved for him to lean down, and when he does she whispers into his ear. "...Azena,"
"Azena, huh?" Tactful. Tactful. "You've gotta need the bathroom by now, why don't you go with one of the girls and.." He stopped mid sentence as she began scrunching herself into a ball against him at just the thought. "I have to go. Will you sit here while I do it? You can't come with me…"
Selphie began giggling into her hand until receiving a severe look from the mini-sorceresses appointed knight. He mouthed that he's going to kill her. It only made her smile, acting as innocent as a peach on a tree that's not quite ready yet, but the farmer picks her anyway.
"Azena, right?" She says coming closer to the pair. "I'm Selphie. Nice to meet you, we met in the cage, remember?"
"Real smooth choice of wording, Sel'," Zell murmured.
"Well it wasn't the park, she knows where she was." Defended the innocent. "I know how you're feeling. Everything is so new, and scary," Stooped before her, balanced on the top pads of her booted feet, her fist under her chin supporting her balance. "But, not everything is scary- and certainly not every one! Have we done anything scary since you met us?"
Azena thought about it, then shook her head.
"And you know, we're all part of a special team called SeeD."
"Like a flower?"
"Yeah, exactly like a flower." Reaching for the girl's tiny hands, she's able to take them into her own. "And we grow protection in our garden."
Squall marvelled at how perverted that sounded, as he stopped writing his report and allowed himself to listen to Selphie's rambling. Seifer somehow snuck away to the bathroom during the girl's speech.
"We'll all protect you," Selphie swung her hand out to impress this statement upon the girl about each one of them.
Rinoa joined the girl on the bench, where Seifer had been seated; she wasn't offended when the child scooted away, she's still working through her feelings about being nabbed by a bunch of strangers from a life she's known for sometime.
"I was like you, for a short period of time."
Azena looked at Rinoa, wide-eyed as the words seemed to resonate with her. "You could do magic, too?"
"Uh-huh. But, mine was sort of borrowed from a mean person who stole my body to use against me and all of them. We didn't know each other well back then, but they all protected me. And they'll protect you, too!"
Azena looked at them all, all but two off in front of the swimming vessel were smiling kindly at her, the other two a blonde woman and a scowling brunete, don't look threatening just curious. There's no harm or foul of curiosity.
"I don't like doing magic, but the templars say I have to. I'm an ass.."
Brows shot, up but Selphie politely chuckled and corrects the girl. "Being an 'asset' can be such a bummer-bomb,"
"What's a.. bummer-bomb?"
'Hyne.' Squall shook her head, face in his palm. 'She'll go from traumatized to traumatizing if Selphie keep leaving impressions on her.' Checking the dashboard he can see they're close to home. "What are we gonna do with her once we get to Balamb?"
"If she's truly got sorceress powers, what can we do? They'll be after her to take her back." Quistis replies. "We could send her Esthar, put her up in one of the lunar homes."
"From one dungeon to another… She said it herself, she doesn't like using her ability.. Maybe she can stick around, and just become a normal kid?"
"Sounds like someone is projecting from reliving a moment in time," clucks the secretary.
"Quistis, I would think it of anybody who's being confined through enforced slavery.
If he had said that so many years ago, she would have jealousy wondered just how much he meant that, when he would let a cruel words turn someone down instead of telling them he's not interested. It's a sort of enforced slavery of the heart, because it keeps on ining for that person, despite their rejection. But, that's all done with now. Her feelings were merely fleeting and misunderstood. But sometimes, when he'd look a certain way or brandish that new thing he's learned to do called smiling, she'd often wonder if maybe she really does just love him. Whatever the direction or sense. She cares just a bit more for him than the others. Maybe because he was so in need of love back then, and she wanted to make him feel better but never really got to.
'I suppose Irvine is taking care of that aspect of his life now,'
"What?" Asks Squall when noticing that she's staring.
"Nothing," she chuckled. "I was just thinking you may be right, about not sending her to the space station. We'll find somewhere else, maybe even get her adopted."
"In the meantime, we can rely on the White SeeDs to thoroughly investigate the temple."
"Good idea." Says Seifer, having returned from the bathroom, and joined the whispering pair in their private conversation. "Because after what me and Selphie saw, I'm liable to resort to murder if I have to see them again."
"Careful, Seifer, someone might mistake your just for action as actually care." Remarks Quistis, with a sly tone but a neutral expression.
Seifer sniffed to that before replying. "I do care. I don't like seeing little kids get pushed around by adults, it's one thing when kids wanna fuck other over. But what can you do when you're that size, in a room full of bigger stronger assholes, forcing you to perform circus tricks?"
Quistis dipped her head in acknowledgement; while kind of wishing she hadn't chosen teasing Seifer over the seriousness of the situation that a young girl very truly was being abused by a religious group because she may be a young sorceress.
"Edea will know what to do with her," Quistis has a faith in that.
It's second nature for matron. She took care of all of them. Never forgot them either. She's never had her own children, but that didn't cripple her of possessing all the motherly love in the world.
Seifer turned to leave but almost tripped from having to keep himself from railroading the kid right over, as she just appeared stealthily at his side; her tiny hands reaching up to latch onto the knight's coat.
"Hyne, kid, would you watch it. Go sit down; get some rest, you probably need it." He knows that if it had been him in the situation, he never could sleep due to the constant wonder of what would happen once his eyes closed.
She seemed reluctant to move, but when Seifer pointed a finger at the bench seat he'd abandoned a little while again, through with words for her, she listened and retreated back to her seat to lie down.
Smiling, Quistis comments like a well of jests today. "You're a natural; maybe you and Zell can adopt her?"
Seifer scoffs. "And maybe that burger joint clown will mistake you for a long lost relative, and wants you to inherit the family business." He rolled his eyes turning away to this time, return to his seat, but he muttered. "Adopt her, right. Save the jokes for the professionals, Trepe."
Quistis looked at Squall who just gave a shrug. It was a pretty stupid thing to say. But, seeing Seifer let the kid rest her head on his knee, he thought it at least was a sweet idea.
1862. In the caves beneath Figaro castle.
Exhausted from the fight to victory, the search parties gradually regained their strengths to press on. Kait slid down into the now free of monsters empty divot. They had to have all gathered in this specific spot for some reason. Sticking his hands into the soft, warmed by monsters' body heat soil then he began digging. Slowly at first, then with an almost manic haste. It has to be here! It can't end with them clearing out the blotchy that doesn't belong, only to find out that they're stuck here…. Maybe forever.
All who gathered at the top in the mouth of the cave, re-lit lamps and then watched a young man frantically claw at the earth until he broke down and cried. "I thought it would be here," he brushed the back of his dirty hands across his itchy wet eyed, smearing dirt and Hyne knows what else onto his face. "But it's not."
His sobs turned into a disbelieving chuckle, before reverting back to tears. Sabin made to go down into the home to get him, but Hyland stopped him and went in instead. He held Kait's shoulder, surprised when his rival leaned over into him, wrapping his arms around him for comfort.
It's now 11 in the night. They've exited the tunnels unsuccessful in finding a compression pocket, or any of Prince Sabin's friends or brother. It was a spectacular failure all around.
Kait Kinhart is at an all-time low. Falling back onto the bed, arms spread, he begged for the stone ceiling to come crashing down on top of him; he then wondered how on earth the ceiling could made of stone and not have fallen in in the first place? He stared intensely until his view is blocked by Hyland, who has leaned over him, wondering if he's still in tears.
"I've been thinking," says the white haired Galbadian.
Sucking in some air, as if his voice needed inflation, he remarks. "If it's something snarky, keep it to yourself; I'm really not in the mood." Rolling over, he pressed his sulking expression into the bedding.
Hyland climbed onto the bed, placing his hands on Kait's shoulders he gingerly massages them. "I was going to say that we shouldn't give up. The compressions could be anywhere, not just down a couple dozen tunnels. There could be one in a Chocobo stable, or inside an egg,"
Though he rolled his eyes, he smiled. The thought of making breakfast and being yanked through a portal was kinda funny. He appreciated the offered comfort, right up until it delicately brushed against his cheek, jaw, a thumb across his lower lip… Damn it, Hyland. He looked over his shoulder just in time to meet lips to lips with his rival. And he had to admit it… he was less angry about it than he'd expected to be. The guy's been trying for him since confessing to him back in Esthar. He knows the relentless pursuit of his rival, so he didn't really believe he'd let kissing him go.
"Young sirs?"
The pair catapulted apart, sitting upright like rods, very spooked rods. The maid doesn't come into the room, in case they might be dressing after their baths; everyone came back from the tunnels covered in dirt, blood, and other various messes; but the teen's felt the need to separate all the same.
"Y-" Clearing his throat, Kait tried again. "Yeah?"
"Your meal is in the sitting room, when you're ready to dine."
"Thank you."
They listened as she walked out of the room, then they released their tension in a breath. It was actually goid that she'd interrupted them that could have gotten out of hand.
"I'm gonna eat, I'm starving." Kait promptly left the bedroom before Hyland could do anything else to rattle his sanity, when he's already feeling so torn inside out.
Feeling pretty shaken himself, Hyland waited for his gender to calm down before joining his rival for a very late dinner.
Zell ran his hands up the length of Seifer's gorgeous back. He can never get enough of watching the muscles flex and bend in melt and strain as he worked them to dance with their erotic movements. He snickered when Seifer swore at him, before the panting ex-knight reached around between their connection to re-insert the little muscle head where Zell had pulled free of him. He was, however, doing a fine job of taunting and titillating his senses by grinding his hips up and down to slide his sex between the slick sandwich of his lover's cheeks, so that it rubbed against Seifer's entrance.
They returned to Garden, young sorceress Azena still out cold in her commanded nap, and the SeeD members dispersed once handing the girl over to Edea Kramer's custody. As for what would happen once she wakes, that's anybody's guess. For now, they're no longer responsible. And while the others went separately about their business, Seifer and Zell felt the need to relax in each other's company.
Seifer's heightened groans fell into the mattress beneath him, and Zell's fell into the taller blond's back as he was ordered back into ramming Seifer outright. His strong hands firmly squeeze upon his lover's hips as he came. Pulling out, he sits back on the bed; reaching between Seifer's thighs, he stroked hard up and down; his thumb circling the head as his hand jerked the erection down and gave a senses weakening twist and squeeze up at the base. His other hand worked circles around his lover's elevated rear end until his completion spilled down over the bedding.
…..
"Do you think it could have been, Sis?" Squall asks Irvine. He found the sniper in the library reading a Weapons Monthly. "Ellone's helped us with her gift before. She could have channeled through Kait and had him leave the note about the girl." Taking a seat across from him in the study area, he awaited a reply to his theory.
"I mean, I guess it's possible. It'd make more sense than believing Kait's got some kind of psychic intuition, or the possibility of some other supernatural force at work." Playing on the bend of the open book, he adds quietly. "Whatever took place to make us go there, I'm glad we did. That poor kid would probably be dead in a few years time. You know how those places can be sometimes."
Unfortunately. But where are the girl's parents? Or is she an orphan? The victim of some shady business to imprison and abuse a magic user. They'll know the whole story as soon as she wakes up, relaxes to the new surroundings- although, if the space station turns out to be the best solution for her, it's best she not be too comfortable. Seifer should probably steer clear too. It'll give her less of a reason to make a brash decision about her future just because she senses safety in one of her saviors.
The spent pair lay in bed on their backs staring up at the ceiling. Zell cast his blue's over Seifer, then opened his mouth to say something, but was promptly cut off before even a word could get out.
"We're not keeping the kid."
Zell scoffed, and waved it off. "I know. But, I was wondering what's gonna happen to her? I've never met a young sorceress before- maybe we could keep her here at Garden, ya know? Train her to be on our side!" He nods to agree with himself. "It's a pretty good idea."
"It's stupid idea. You know how those templars are, they're gonna be gunning for her- constantly. We'll end up in an all out war over a damned kid who just happens to naturally use magic."
"Magic, that, according to Selphie, they've been stealing from her to use as their own." And he's still tripping over that.
Somehow those worshipers have been studying them- or spying; and upon noticing their Junction systems Draw technique they've copied it by using the more basic natural method of stones from the earth. Runes draw in sources of magic. It's where draw points come from. The dead spirit of monsters coil up and stick to the magic-thirsting rocks, leaving the ability there for anyone able to use it.
And now these sorceress seeking assholes have been leaching from a little girl to fill their selfish desires to do what? They'll never know. Start a war? End the world as Ultimecia intended? Whatever is going through their heads they've become public enemy number one for Gardens as of late. And they'll do whatever it takes to stop them.
"I hope she can just lead a normal life." Zell confessed. "I wouldn't wanna use my magic if that's how people treat me because of it."
Seifer remained silent, though he agrees.
"I'm gonna shower," shared the shorter blond who sits up with intentions to flee. "wanna join me?"
"No. I'm gonna talk to Trepe and see what's going on,"
"Okay." Leaning over, he plants a kiss on his lips then sped off to wash.
Back in the healing world of ruin. Kait and Hyland finish their meal in silence. It was very awkward on three counts. Because of what happened. Because it was stopped. Because of wondering of just how far it was going to go? And maybe there's a fourth reason for the silence… being glad that nothing happened.
"...What's Leo gonna say when she finds out?" Kait mumbled as he stacked the dishes. He felt funny just leaving them on the table for someone else to clean up. He wasn't raised that way. He doesn't think he could live a cushy life with servants and all. Hyland abandoned his plate like it was second nature.
"Leo isn't going to say anything, this isn't real. I mean, it's real between us but, wherever we are now in time... this never happened. We don't exist."
That left a pit in Kait's stomach. What if their lack of existence here left them a nothing there? They could have just rubbed themselves out of everyone's lives completely! All this time travel business was gonna give him an ulcer. Hyne if he could do it all over. He never would have taken aunt Ellone's place.
Walking into the bathroom, he washed the food from his fingers, accumulated there from when he swiped up the sauce from the empty plate to lick away. He then brushed his teeth, grimacing at the charcoal taste. Why their toothpaste is charcoal he'll never know. He's for sure going to pay special attention in history class from now on. Thoroughly rinsing the product and taste from his mouth, he returned to the bedroom.
'You've gotta be kidding me,' He thinks to himself when seeing Hyland has just now started to undress. His highlighter pale hair looked even more ghostly next to his nude body. "I'm done." Closing his eyes, he walks over to his bed, after making a mental image in his mind to get there without being exposed to the front view of his rival.
Aforementioned rival scoffed seeing what Kait was up; he slipped the men's nightgown over his head letting it shimmy down his body at its own leisure. Following Kait around the bed, he stands behind him waiting for when he opens his eyes.
"Boo!" He pinched his sides, laughter hysterically from Kait's startled yelp. "Would you relax. You are so uptight."
"Can you blame me? I have a girlfriend, and my wavering frenemy is trying to get in my pants. I say I have pretty good ground to stand on for being worked up."
Hyland grinned. "Face it, Kai', you're into me. Someway on some level, you want me just as badly as I want you."
"Do not."
"Do too! I wasn't kissing myself, buddy!"
Turning red, he scoots from the tight space between the bed, Hyland and himself; going around the furniture, he begins to swiftly remove his clothes to change into the night gown. "Well, good night!" He chirped as he slid into bed and yanked the covers up to his chin then over his head.
Yes. He's hiding. It's not a fortress by any means, but the enclosure should assure him some privacy from the bedroom-eyed enemy. No such luck. He released a sigh when feeling a hand creeping up the side of his leg, around his thigh, where it boldly lands on his crotch.
"I wonder how they handle charges of sexual harassment here?" Kait says out loud while moving Hyland's creepy hand, holding onto it to prevent it from going back to where it was. The last thing Hyland needs is to feel that he'd reacted to it. Damn him!
"Tch. Have you seen the staff? I'm guessing it's an official law to find a bedmate or keep having verbal sex with them through hot compliments." He smiled hearing the small whimper from his interest, when he pressed his lips just barely to the back of his neck. "If it doesn't count, why can't we?"
"Because I don't want to."
"Don't you?"
Kait shivered as something warmer than exposed flesh touched his neck. He licked him, and it was… nice. Fuck him. Strength. Strength. Oh Hyne, when did he let go of his hand? It's currently palming and rubbing him through his boxers, then within his boxers then back out…
"Don't tell me that there isn't even the tiniest shred of lust for me in there,"
Rolling over, he looked at Hyland and squints in displeasure. "You're not ugly. It helps."
"So, we can kiss right? Nothing wrong with kissing?"
Kait took a breath, then placed his hand to the back of Hyland's head and pulled him in kissing him. If he must… He will take the lead.
In the current world…
"Zis is the finished product." Odine held a test tube up for the family to see.
Kait looked at the orb inside of the test tube, its deep plum color somehow shined like polished glass, though its clearly more of a gummy in texture.
"There's just the one," Squall assessed. "What about our blood? Irvine's and mine,"
"Your blood wasn't infected,"
"Hmm?" intoned the former SeeD commander. "Are you sure?"
"Spare me your shock through dumb questions," remarked the scientist. "However; if you must have it repeated then, yes, your blood is not infected." Uncorking the test tube; he lifts the teen's hand with his own facing it palm side up, and dumps the orb into it. "Now swallow my boy, and be amazed."
"How up," Irvine stilled Kait's hand from moving the presumed medicine to his mouth. "How do we know that it works?"
Squall seconded that question with a stern glare that the man was trying to put some random thing into their son's body.
Odine didn't bat a lash to the bullying pair, he merely instructed them to follow him over to the simulator computer. It will show them exactly what's going to happen once Kait ingest the capsule. The screen glowed, the crimson blood swirled like salmon roe in a sea of vanilla pudding; but with Kait's infection, his blood is peppered with black spots. The plum liquid then filled in the pudding color his blood floated in entirely. The trio, and the doctor, watch as the infection seemed almost alive as it stretched and bubbled before fizzing up and going away leaving a clean gathering of normal, healthy looking blood cells.
Squall and Irvine exchanged looks over Kait's head. It looked on the level, painful, but on the level.
"And this one pill will take care of it completely?" Kait marveled. How could such a tiny thing circulate throughout his entire body? "Dads?"
Odine rolled his whole head in a groan. "Do you want to be cured or not? You have to look to daddies for your own health; what is this world coming to?"
Seifer, who hung back in the lab watching silently, decided to take his leave and locate his missing lover. Knowing Zell, he's probably got the Returners hopped up on hot dogs, exhausted and practically dead on the floor of a nearest gym. Removing his cell phone from his pocket, he dials his number.
"Hello?" came the martial artist voice down the line; he sounds in good spirits.
"Where are you?"
"Whoa, Seifer! Hey," Zell tells the others who called. "S'up Seif', are you still in Winhill?"
"No. I'm unfortunately in Esthar when I'd rather be at home. The kid had an issue, so I came with the brood."
"The what? Oh, Squall," he answered his own question. "We're just about to go to dinner, want in?"
Seifer can hear who sounds like King Edgar talking in the background, asking if he can dismantle the device to see how it works; after which Zell replies that he'll take them to the manufacturing company tomorrow, and that he wants to return to his call.
"We just left from there a couple hours ago," Zell said, once the phone was back in his custody. "How's Kai', d'you know what's wrong with him?"
"He's got some kind of a bug in his blood. The mad scientist thinks he's got the cure, though, he should be fine in no time." Walking to a nearby chair lift, he asks. "Where are you? I'll meet you there."
"We left the theater ten minutes ago, we're going to Foxes- can you find it?"
"Yeah."
"See you there, bye."
Seifer hung up his call. Stuffing the phone back into his pocket he takes the shoot towards the busy city center. Awaiting the exit of the current riders, he then climbed on taking a seat.
In another part of the city, the separated crowd ran into each other.
"Terra, you should have been at the movies," Locke was saying, a mirthful smile on his face. "The pictures were coming right from the screen!"
"Really?" She sounds confused at how that's possible.
Quistis suddenly felt guilty for making the theater sound like sin, when Terra should have gone instead of keeping her company. But, maybe it's not too late, she could still go. Checking her watch, she thought about stopping by the lab first to check on Kait.
"We're meeting up with Seifer, then going to dinner." Zell says offhandedly.
"So Squall and Seifer have arrived," Quistis knew Kait was in good hands, not that he wasn't with just Irvine there, but more often than not Squall seems more mature. "Well, if you're not too tired Terra, I'd love to take you to the movies,"
"Sure. I'll go."
"That reminds me, I brought these for you," Setzer hands her a box of Maltese. "Its supposed to be milk," he was pleased to see her smile. "I know you've been craving it lately."
"Thank you," getting up on her toes she gives him a peck on the lips. She's been ravenous lately, even after just having dinner, she knew the extra sweet would hit the spot. Terra held the box as if it were fine jewelry.
"We'd better get going, see you all later." Quistis says. Linking arms with Terra, the pair start away, waving hello and goodbye as they passed Seifer.
The ex-knight's cyan colored gaze lingered on Terra but he doesn't stop the two from going wherever it is they're headed. He doesn't miss a beat walking along with Zell and the others.
Back at the lab.
The group watch Kait for a reaction to the pill. He swallowed it and after a brief complaint about discomfort in the claim that he can feel it working, he remained fine after having consumed it through a five minute period.
"I think it worked, I mean, I never felt weird from the infection, but I definitely feel a slight change…" he smiled happily at his parents.
Odine looked ready to pat himself on the back, until…
Kait froze, his smile slowly fading and in its place his expression grew confused, then he stared ahead of him at nothing, lethargic. And soon after he released a blood curdling scream.
"Kait!" Irvine grabbed him, lowering him to the floor in case he fainted.
Squall grabbed the doctor's shirt collar at a choke hold. "What did you do to him?" He growled.
"I did nothing, what is this but a side effect? Get your hands off of me! Security!"
"You'll be dead before they get in here," hissed the lion, pulling back his fist he stopped, not because of a guard, or having come to his senses, but because of what was going on in front of him.
The time machine has been activated. Releasing the doctor, he and the scientist stare confused by the sight. Did someone turn it on? Odine's gaze whipped towards the screaming teen. Could it be?
"The boy… Could he be…?" He was almost whispering in awe.
"What?" asked Squall becoming more concerned.
"Subject zero."
In the year 2012.
Seifer is eavesdropping on the conversation going on between Quistis Trepe and Edea Kramer. They're talking about Azena.
"I think the best thing for her would be if we sent her to the space station above Esthar." Quistis chose, then explained why. "There, she can be monitored by professionals; she will be swiftly handled should her true powers awaken. She's young, but we know what magic does to a person after a certain point."
Edea listened to her former daughter quietly, giving her words the consideration they need. When Quistis was done she gave her opinion. "Azena is young, which means that she can be trained. Her natural abilities are astonishing, with a world filled with para-magic users, a natural is rare… she's definitely not someone to play around with. I honestly believe that the space station would be a good idea, however… It feels wrong. Look at what happened not even a decade ago; Adel spoke through the radio waves and turned me insane. Ultimacia wasn't that far behind. Without proper training, we don't know what the girl can do." She shrugged out her hands. "She's dangerous. I can work with her, look after her… Azena could go mad with age. But, I will see to otherwise as best I can."
"Headmistress, I can't let you take on that responsibility." Quistis searched for the right words to say, the correct scenario to have Matron listen to reason that Esthar is the best choice. "The frequencies have long since been repaired, and sorceress Adel is dead. I was there when Irvine made that final shot. Must you put yourself at risk like this?"
"I must. If Azena is under another's care, who knows what we might have to face in the future. …I will send for doctor Odine, perhaps he can design another bracelet to nullify her abilities after her lessons. I can have a lock installed on it, so there's no chance of her removing it."
Quistis sat with the idea for a moment. It still seemed like too big and undertaking, especially for a former sorceress.
"Quistis, I do understand your concerns. But, I don't think that there's any threat of either of our minds going dark just being together."
"A sorceress must pass on her abilities before she dies… you're not dead Matron, you're still a sorceress."
"And how many years have passed between us since then?"
A silence stretched between them. Then, alas, Quistis agreed to keeping the girl at Garden.
Seifer slipped away from the office; satisfied with the results of the conversation. He believes in Matron. If anyone can protect the girl, it's the same person who's protected him. He unconsciously touched his choker as he wandered off back into the main part of the building.
In the present time.
Kait's screams ceased, but his body was having full-blown fits, they had to strap him down!
"What's happening to him?" Irvine asked.
Odine answered, since the lack of threat was not there, unlike with other one. "Kait is free from the virus," he hands him the papers from the re-analyzed blood. All tests were negative. "but, if he truly is the unknown traveler, he may be experiencing an episode as the world lines try to align for him; somewhere in the vast universe there could be a Kait or even Kaits experiencing the same thing."
"What does that mean? Is it a good thing?" It sure doesn't seem so. Kait looks like he's having a seizure.
"Think of it as being the film of a cassette- you do know what a cassette is?" Squall and Irvine gave an unsure shrug of their shoulders.
Odine sighed. Surrounded by morons, uneducated, and so on youths is what he's thinking before he goes on to explain. "Film has the ability to have sounds or pictures imprinted on them like a stamp. This stamp can be imprinted on with new data each time- however; the more it happens the more the tape stretches. Sometimes the sounds or images become warped and you can hear new sound while old sound is playing beneath it." Looking at the pained young man he says. "Kait's mind is trying to catch up and override the unneeded with needed."
"What about the time machine, why is it reacting?"
"His mashed up world lines must be using it to find his way. Somewhere exists that extra sound that should not be, and I'm guessing he is what displaced your new friends to this century." Pointing to the pair he says. "If they want to get home, I suggest you bring them back here, asap!"
Squall was on his phone instantly calling Zell, as well as Irvine to call Quistis in case they aren't all together.
If the group had arrived any sooner the speed of light would have giggled.
"The machine works? How do you know?" Edgar asks. "What or whom did you test it on?"
"We've located the tether in this boy,"
They all look at the strapped down teen, sweat beading and rolling down his forehead, his color looks clammy, and his breathing is shallow.
"Goddess," Setzer says. "What did you do to him? He looks deathly ill,"
"Nothing to concern yourselves about as he did not go through the machine; he has activated it. He is our missing link, the reason you're all here is because of his travels through time. He must have knocked into a timeline too far back while attempting to do something… and accidently brought you all here through a compression warp."
Confused, Locke says. "Meaning?"
"The rift is trying to correct itself, if you're going you'd better hurry before it's through."
Locke and Edgar easily moved towards the glowing machine with Setzer not too far behind, but Terra remained where she's standing.
"Terra, hurry." Setzer pleads.
"We don't have much time, you heard the man," Locke says to her, waving her over to them.
But she shook her head. "I'm not going. I wanna stay here."
Quistis smiles kindly. "Terra, that's very sweet. But, you can't stay here."
Terra flinched as though the young woman had physically hit her wit those words. "Why not?" She looked from Quistis to her friends and lover with sincerity. "I like it here. We could build lives here."
"But Terra," Setzer approached her, hand outstretched taking the Esper girl's into his own. "We don't belong here. They're giving us the chance to go home. It's what we've wanted. We must take it,"
Snatching her hand back she shakes her head. "It's our choice, we can want something else. …And I choose to remain here."
Edgar approached her as well, "Terra, why do you want to stay? What about your home? What about my brother?"
"You can…" she started to say that they could without her, but she'd miss them terribly. "Sabin can come here,"
"And the others… Realm, Gau, Strago, Mog, Shadow and the others?"
"They can all be here too."
Locke is baffled by this turn of events, they all are. Fun is fun, he's sure he'll never forget the movies, but they could never live here. Although, he could only imagine what unclaimed treasures could exist in such a lavish existence.
"Terra where is this coming from?" has she been unhappy at home? Is this her way of punishing them.
"I think a world like this is just where someone like I need to be; they accept magic here. The Espers, my people have found a rebirth here… it's beautiful. They're allies in battle, maybe even friends… At home we're extinct. At home we're abused just because we're different." Her breaths are hard and shallow; a gathering of tears clouds her voice. "I want this life. I.. I kind of think we deserve it…"
"But we don't fit in here," Locke exclaimed.
"We do! …Or we could," she looked from her friends the each of the helpful SeeD instructors. Her green eyes begged them to agree, begged for them to be on her side and allow them all to stay. Their friends can join them, though she doesn't know how. But if this lab man Odine is smart enough to create this much, than who knows what other wonders he can accomplish. Surely bringing the others here would be child's play for him. Even if the wait would be long.
Setzer can see that she's adamant in her decision to stay. But why? "Terra, you must have another reason. The disappearance of the Espers hasn't bothered you before now. Have you missed them that much?"
"At times..."
Edgar tried his hand. "We could make a memorial for them. A place that's lovely and free, protected by law from anyone violating it." Seeing Terra shake her head, he sighs. "I cannot abandon all of Figaro. It was my home, filled with my people. They need their king."
"I'm sorry." She hangs her head. "If it was only about me I would go; I'm happy at home, Setzer, you have to know that but…" she glanced around at all the curious strangers, and her friends, then she quietly confessed to her fiance. "I'm pregnant."
"You.. you're.. expecting?" to say that the gambler is stunned would be putting it mildly. He'd be less shocked to find out his parents were both spirits. This is the most sensational thing he's ever heard! "And you're sure?"
Terra nods, smiling with him as he embraces her. "Celes was with me at the clinic."
Odine quirked at the possibilities of a half breeds half bread child, he was about to say something akin to her allowing him to run some test until he received a punch to the back of his head from Irvine, proving Odine wrong about the only violent one in the family being Squall.
"This is such wonderful news," Setzer kissed the too of her head.
"Then you understand why we can't go. Our children could have better lives here. A safer existence then back home where the next dignitary can come along and try enslaving them. If I could transform here to heal myself then that means my Esper side hasn't fully gone away… our family could be peppered with changelings like me. Don't you want them to live in a world that accepts us?"
"Terra," this time it's Squall who speaks up; he's been watching his son this entire time. And he's looking out for his families safety. "You have to go back. Kait, my son, is in agony. He's scattered subconsciously all over the place, his existence may be in jeopardy if you all aren't meant to be here."
"He's right," Irvine chimed in. "So like, I'm not saying your reasons to stay aren't valid, but… who's to say that your family won't be the ones to pave the way for the Espers' return? I mean, if you think about it… Y'alls family could be the reason why our lives with Guardians and Espers co-existing is possible," he glanced at Kait, then looks back at Terra. "Not going back could ruin all of this, you may not get to live in it as we do, but you could be the ones creating it in your likeness."
Setzer met the sniper's gaze, silently thanking him with a dip of a nod.
Terra thought about that. Being able to change their world through more than just landscaping and home building. But to make the lives of other species matter. Smiling at what a fool she's being, she released her embrace with her fiance to go and shake their hands.
"You may be right. …Thank you for helping me to see that."
The Returns all went through a brief but sincere goodbye. Terra stopped lastly at Seifer who stood off in a distance from the others.
"Goodbye Seifer, sorry we fought." She blushed.
"I'm sorry I beat you," he smiled teasingly.
"Don't you wish," she smiled back.
"Terra? There's something that I've been trying to ask you,"
"Yes?"
"You're an Esper, but your mother was human… What was her name?"
"Madeline."
Seifer smiled to himself. "I think I might be your great, great, great, great,"
Terra balked and said. "Watch it, boy,"
"Grandson." Showing her his palm, he ignites a ball of chi there. "I think your kind have gotten advanced over the years."
Terra looked at this with great surprise and shock. Then her expression softened. "My greatest… I'd like that," Giving him a hug, she then moves away to join the others.
It's time to go home…
Epilogue
The Returners found themselves waking up before a pool of water inside a cove underground. Another search party had gone down when in search of the missing teen's who'd mysteriously vanished that night.
"Majesty!"
"It's his Majesty, and the others!"
"Edgar? Edgar! It is you!"
They were given medical attention and bed rest within the castle for an entire week. Who knows how long they'd been in the caves. The dehydration and malnutrition wasn't severe but neither was it so little that it left no cause for concern. Terra was checked out by the castle doctor, though she's sustained an injury from the start of wood, her body healed itself just in time to protect her and her child. And the proud soon-to-be parents celebrated soul and body, making love to each other anytime the happiness struck them again.
Sorceress Azena took training under Edea Kramer's wing. The child revealed herself as a blood magic barer: pain, meltdown, and osmosis were the outward skills to the frightening ability she has to manipulate a person's cells through osmosis.
She worked hard at using properly and self controlling herself with her gift. She grew up to become a very prominent hematologist in Esthar.
And as for the temple in Vyanagara. The place was shut down. The parishioner and his followers arrested and jailed, changed with endangerment, abuse, murder- a reality they had to present to the young girl at age 13 was the murder of her parents. And the village leader has been jailed as well. Although it was not all of the worshipers who were punished, the Garden cadets would not rest until all were brought to justice.
As for Kait Kinhart and Hyland Strand…
The time traveling pair were pulled into the time warp. The stream of time flow ripped them this way and that meaning to restore them to a present state. 2 of them simply cannot exist in life, so one of them had to go. The pair clung to each other until limb and life was removed from the rift.
The image is blurred. His surroundings so stark and gray.
'Where am I?' He wonders. Dark blue eyes scan what little can be seen through the glass door of the canister bed he's lying in. 'Why'm I wet?' He wonders. 'Hyland.. where's Hyland?!' he raises his hand, it conked against the glass door.
"He's awake… Kait?! Irvine, come look! Sis, he's awake!" Squall shouts frantically.
Kait can hear Irvine in the background calling for doctor Odine, before he sees his pop smiling down at him, both his fathers are, and aunt Ellone.
The door opened with a compressed huff of air, another one sounds in the short distance. Kait was having a horrible flashback as he was snatched into hug after hug by just… everyone! They all patted him and hugged him asking him how he feels.
"Hungry." Cracked a dry voice making everyone laugh joyously. "And tired,"
"Tired?" Selphie wondered. "How can you be tired when you've been asleep for like 3 years?"
"Huh?"
"You took my place in the time machine," Ellone explained. "We wanted to find a cure for the mysterious monster-blood outbreak."
"And did we?" He wonders. 3 years… he's been in a coma for three years? What happened? This isn't making any sense!
"Did we ever," Odine beamed. "Thanks to the smarts of my assistant Azena, the virus was completely cured."
"Azena…" he whispered. "But the sorceress?"
"What sorceress?" Asks Squall.
Kait looked at a young woman, the lab assistant whose name badge says Azena Kramer. "It must have been a dream. Where's Hyland?"
"I'm here," groaned the second traveler of time. He's also sitting in a capsule bed.
"The machine fragged him too." Zell says to Kait's confused expression.
"This will all make sense eventually," Squall informs them. "For now, you get some rest. We'll bring you something to eat." He pet the top of his son's head. A relieved pride on both his parents faces.
"I'll get the food, help me Rin',"
"Okay." Rinoa followed Selphie out of the room.
Laguna, began talking about a party for when the young men of 19 recovered. All the fun and games.
Kait drank it all in, an inward smile on his soul as he realized they did it. They beat the odds and changed their world. One day at a time. He can't make sense of it all, not when he thought he was dead. Not when he and Hyland.. in the castle… he can still feel himself inside of him… was it all some trippy dream?
He's not sure. Not entirely. But, he's fine with that as he's handed a cell phone and told it was for him. And on the line came a familiar voice.
"I heard you finally woke up, buddy! Congrats!"
Sorin…
The End
X x X
Commentary: this was so unlike anything I've ever typed before. I don't know how you all received it but I had fun. I learned so much about time from watching this and that; I've learned a lot about FF8 and 6 that I just love their world's even more. But, this ends the Kait saga. From now on I'm just doing straight up fantasy stories. I hope you all will read those as well. And thank you for reading this. I hope you understood it. Until next time. Have a good one
- 10
- 11
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Final Distance