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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
- 6
- 7
- 8
1862, June.
Kait peeled his eyes open; roused by a direct beam of sunlight coming in through the rectangular window. His sleepy gaze searched the room for a clock to check the time. "Twelve!?" He shot up in bed. "Hyland, wake up! It's noon, we overslept."
Mumbling into the puffy pillows, the white haired teen asked. "Mmm? What are we late for?" He yawned.
It seemed as though he was waking up but he instead rolled over onto his side to face away from his worked up rival. The guy really could be a bundle of nerves. If he didn't find it kind of sweet, it'd be irritating. The night gown is helping it, it looks so innocent on the guy. The maid gave them one to wear to bed from the guest wardrobe. He hated the idea of wearing pastel green, but the gown itself was quite comfortable, very easy on the junk. He might get one when they get back home, a little note to his present self. Whenever he may be.
Hyland's stomach gave a growl. "Kinhart, do us both a solid and see you can scrounge together a meal."
"No." In a place that actually has servants, Hyland would still try to order him around. Jerk. "And we're late for exploration."
"Huh?" Sitting up, he can smell something akin to the earthly scent of dirt, or trees perhaps?
"Excuse me, sirs?" A knock raps on the door in the sitting room attached to the bedroom. "Your breakfast. May I come in?"
The door opened whether permission was granted or not, and she busied herself putting the trays of food and drink onto a small table for the pair to dine. Hyland looked through the open door, watching the lovely maid as she does so. This king has got some taste, yesterday's made was a knockout as well. And he could guess any other female in the castle to be neck-snapping with the good looks.
Shoving the door closed enough to block the ogled woman, Kait berates his rival. "Would you focus! We have to figure out how we got here so that we can get home!"
"I am. But I'm doing it with a lot more calm than some people I know," Yawning again, as if to show that he's bored, he slid out of the large soft bed and wandered into the sitting area to eat. Can't let the native hospitality go to waste. They're heroes after all, look at how well they helped out last night? They'll likely be treated well their entire stay in this era, why act as if getting answers to their questions is going to take lies or hard work of prodding? "Come eat, before it gets cold?"
Kait was about to say that he's not hungry, but his stomach gave him a rather loud warning that he'd better not even try it. Embarrassed by Hyland's humor raised brows, he scraped up his dignity and followed him into the living space. He made a valid point; no sense in starving to death, what would that help?
The last thing he wants is to prolong their stay from fainting somewhere in these parts unknown.
The darkness cloaked him like a burial. Except he knows that he's not six feet under, he raised his arm up into the a half hour ago. Yes. He's been lying on his back since opening his eyes roughly two hours ago. He's in such pain. It was as if he's been in a fire, but he's trying to use his thoroughly charred body regardless being unable. But little by little, he got used to the pain, so that he can do something other than stare at the enclosing black.
His stomach growled with a twist of his intestines. Who knows for how long he's been like this- could be days, years, maybe even a few measly hours. but, judging by the groan and the ache, it's been far longer than a few hours. Hunger pains like this involve lost time between meals, a whole mess of it.
'I could sure go for some of madame Zardo's blood sausages.' Thinks the fallen man. Fresh made and hung up in the pantry with care for consumption. It was a drooling delight. 'Or some eggs benedict over hash.' The cook never put the sauce covered pouch over toast as most cooks do. She knows the brothers are robust and need a hearty breakfast to get them through their busy day. Besides, bread was for smooth freshly made milk butter, or jams. 'Stop making it worse,' He chastised himself. This was getting him nowhere. It was time to move. Lightning jolts of pain or not.
Taking a breath, the fallen man sits himself up. He bared his teeth as pain rippled through his body, following around the circular system of his veins like his own blood was the enemy. Hot searing magma.
'Come on Sabin, the others could be hurt and need some help,' The prince coaches himself.
He's been through worse. He lived through the end of the world for Goddess's sake! A planet literally split and burned, but somehow it was whole enough that not every perished. Civilizations need to prevail at its finest. And what had he done then? After having had nearly every nerve shattered and bone soar enough to be in the same state? He went and held up a crumbling building not three months after the world began to press on once more. So being torched and starved is nothing.
One foot, the other, weight shift in the hips, and… He groaned and collapsed back onto his buttocks. Lack of food and water are playing a part in keeping his strength at a low, that's for sure.
'One more try, Sab','
This time it's success! He's on his feet, painfully, despairingly, but on his feet. He looks left then right. He can't figure out why it's so dark. Have the caves always been this dark? What did they install all those lanterns for if they didn't use them? Of course, they do light them up one coming into contact with them, which leaves them always off when they're done in the caves for the day.
Sticking his arms out, he walks slowly forward. He can't feel anything but a slight nervousness that he'll go careening over a cliffside. That halts his pace. That was a very possible scenario. What if he groped around the air, lost his balance, then falls into a drop? Game over. Kneeling down, he decides that crawling would be the best method of escape, and so his long journey begins.
Chancellor Arnold looked the boys over. He's paced and stared. Paused and accessed. When finally coming to a standstill before them, he asked very politely, though with a tone that allowed the young men to know that, whatever they may be… He now holds the power of the kingdom, as the majesty's Chancellor it is his given right to oversee the kingdom when the king is gone.
"Are you serfs?"
Kait and Hyland glance at each other then look back at the Chancellor shaking their heads.
"Then you're perhaps higher up in ranking? Earls? Viscounts?" Still they shake their heads. "Marquis?" Again, a head shake. "Then what business do you have with Figaro castle? Surely you must have been informed that our king is currently… out."
And by "Out" he meant missing. But then, he couldn't say that to strangers, they could hold a coup. Better to play it cool until the young men's intention were made clear.
"We're mercenaries, your royal...ness," Kait doesn't know who the man is, or what role he plays. They were simply informed to follow the guard after they were through breakfasting.
"Ah, then you're vassals, very good." Chancellor Arnold felt somewhat at ease, only somewhat. Look at how these two strangers are dressed after all. Very peculiar. Can't be fully trusted. He's no fool.
"Yup, we're vassals," Kait agrees, though he doesn't know what a vassal is.
"And what would be your business here?"
The pair look at each other, each trying to silently nudge the other to speak and explain, until finally Kait gave in. Hyland's look of severity over-ruled his own.
"I'll explain, but, it's a long story."
…..
Chancellor Arnold felt almost suffocated by the amount and weight of the information that he's just taken in. He sits himself down on the nearest chair, a hand running through his thinning brown hair before he replaces his hat atop his head. His blue gaze fixed onto the pair, wondering if he can believe them. But looking at their strange garments it was hard not to. Fashion is subjective, that's true. But this is rather… unusual.
"Displacement?" He didn't understand it even when it was better explained. Displacement. They've swapped places with King Figaro. How is something like this even possible? "What can be done? What do you need from us to help you?"
'Can you produce a Dr. Odine on this end?' Kait wondered.
Hyland seemed to wonder the same thing, judging by the scoffing look on his face.
"Do you remember where he was? The last place he was before they switched with us?" Kait asked. It was a long shot, but it was something. "The rift could still be open, and if it is… There's a very good chance that our passing through could help put everything back where it belongs- the way it belongs."
Hyland nods to agree.
"Yes! Good idea! We'll form a search party," Wind beneath his ragged wings, he stands and goes to a device attached to the wall. It looks like a trumpet, a series of trumpets. Lifting a little piece of metal that's covering one of them, he calls into it for a guard. "Please, send fifteen men to the drawing room,"
"Wow, fifteen," came awe from Kait. There was no way they wouldn't find the portal with that much help!
~ 0 ~ 0 ~
Kait caught Irvine in the near empty hall of the SeeD wing dormitory. He missed him last night having fallen asleep before he got in from his arrend. "Irvine,"
"Hey, mornin'," wrapping his arm around Kait's shoulders, he laughs when the boy embraces him like a child frightened from a large dog trying to get at him. "Are you trying to pick my pockets? Not that I don't appreciate a good hug," hugging him back, he pats the emotional teen on the back.
"I just had this awful dream that we weren't together anymore. I couldn't be with you and dad, because you didn't recognize me."
"Aww. That's the beauty of a dream, though, ninety nine percent of the time it's just amplified fearful thoughts. I know who you are, Kait Kinhart," smiling at him, he adds. "You're Squall's, and my, son." Releasing the teen, he instills the sentiment by adding. "See, you're not a stranger. I even know your birth name,"
Kait shook his head; satisfied with the first answer. And glad that Irvine didn't slip the word 'adopted' before his position with the two men. He's felt himself to be more their son than to his birth mother, and deceased father as Miles Redwing or even Miles Trejo, from his mother's maiden name which she now goes by.
"Is dad still in Winhill?"
"Yup. Depending on the damage done at that bed and breakfast, he should be home in a little bit." Taking his flustered son's wrist into his hand, he walks to the front gate. "Don't you spend anymore time worrying about that dream, come to Esthar with us. We're gonna meet with that genius quack, Odine, about time travel- you interested?"
He knows that Kait likes science as much as he does; the technology aspect of it more than the chemical as he does, but, either way. And, bonus, he's going to at least be distracted from his troubles.
"Sure!" Kait beamed picking up his pace. "Are we really gonna see a time machine? Zell says that war heroes from the past are here in our time… But that's not true, is it?"
"It's true. I drove them out to the barracks myself,"
Kait didn't say the word, but the "Wow" was certainly written all over his face.
Quistis spots the pair as she exits the elevator. "Irvine? Are you going to Esthar?" She hurried to catch up with them.
He nods to reply. "You're coming, too?"
"Headmistress wanted me there as an overseer."
The trio fall into step as they depart Garden. There's a car parked outside the front gate waiting for them. One of the drivers, Anette, is taking them into town. She'll drop them off at the train station then return the car to the school garage. It's a menial task, but for an average cadet, it's a credit well earned.
"I can understand that, she's probably worried Odine might try something sneaky," Irvine scratched the back of his head, then stuffed his hands into his pocket following after Quistis and Kait who walked through the turnstile.
"I wouldn't put it past him," looking at Kait, she says with an authoritative tone. "You should get to class young man,"
"He's coming with us," Informed Irvine.
"Oh? Why's that?" She eyed the teen with a quizzical expression.
Kait furrowed his brows about the strange voice Quistis used when speaking to him. It's almost, and maybe he's just imagining things, but, it sounded like she had just spoken to a stranger.
"Oh, Kait! I'm sorry, I must be tired," she laughed the brain lapse off.
Irvine gave the nape of the teen's neck a comforting pinch; that little moment was the last thing he needed after he freaked out about a bad dream of being neglected and forgotten. It didn't seem to do much for comfort; however, Kait played off his concern by cheering up and acting like it didn't happen.
"It happens, sometimes I forget what to do to sharpen my pencils," he shrugged his shoulder.
Irvine knew that was a lie, but at least Kait was trying to play it cool from freaking out again. Opening the door to the car, he entered after the pair have gone in first.
~ 0 ~ 0 ~
"I'm really starting to hate this lifestyle." Seifer says offhandedly. Picking a splinter from his finger, he looked around and gave a loud sigh of relief. "What happened to the ass kicking? What happened to our lives on the line? I'm fucking picking up after some neglectful hotel manager- oh, excuse my exaggeration, I meant to say Bed and Breakfast owner." He rolled his eyes.
"Just be lucky we're done," He brushed the back of his hand across his sweat beaded forehead.
"Let's go to the cafe and get something to eat." Removing the phone from his pocket, he checks his texts to see what all the foreplay for the last ten minutes was about. It could only have been Zell.
Squall stands beside Seifer, glancing at his phone while Seifer reads over the plethora of little bubbles filled with one-sided conversation.
"Guess they're busy with the newbies." He turns off the screen after sending Zell an emoji with an expression that is to convey "whoop dee doo".
Checking his own phone that has begun buzzing, he doesn't reply to them just looks then stuffs his phone back into his pants pocket. "I'm not buying your food," he says before heading out of the empty, but now fully repaired main room of the small building.
"I'm older than you, so yeah, you are,"
'Older than me by one year,' Squall scoffed in defiance to having age play put him beneath his rival. "Whatever."
Back at the train station in transit.
"I can't believe that you're really them!" Kait is beside himself with excitement. "I got a A- on my history test, but I studied really hard and know a ton about what happened during the Magi wartimes." Looking at Terra, he asks. "Did you really make the final blow to destroy Kefka?"
Terra gave a curt nod.
"Wow. What'd you do? I read that he was hopped up on Goddess juice," Kait awed at her. "I heard he exceeded god-like status." The teen's gaze became distant. "I've never been through such a serious battle; I've fought G.F.s for experience, but not many wild ones. Although a T-Rexor is pretty terrifying."
"G.F.s? T-Rexor?" Edgar looked at the teen wondering what in the world he was speaking about.
"Oh, um, G.F. stands for Guardian Force," Kait explained. "Your version of an Esper, in modern times."
Terra caught her breath, silently to herself. There was no way that could be true. Could it? "You… have Espers here?"
"Well, yeah. Sorta,"
Kait wondered if he'd said something wrong. Terra looked so hurt, or maybe it's simply confusion. He isn't sure. But he chose to let the conversation end there.
The group is a mere ten minutes from Esthar city. A mutual silence fell upon them, who could guess what any one person is thinking. When the train stopped and they departed, Quistis went straight to renting them a van at the rental dealership.
If the SeeDs thought Balamb town's gas station had impressed the Returners, they certainly weren't going to be ready for the technological juggernaut that is Esthar.
"Incredible…" Edgar's jaw dropped.
The other's reactions didn't disappoint either. They looked like a small gif, each looped in a state of shock. Between the flying lifts, the Trams drifting through the sky looking to land at a port, the abundance of people all dressed so vibrantly, but nothing shined and popped more than the streets, lighting up not like a Christmas tree but the entire holiday!
The civilians watched the group of visitors with murmurs. They look like a bunch of students on a field trip with their instructors, as the Returners are wearing the Garden uniforms worn by instructors.
"I have the key," Quistis appeared. Waving them to follow her, she leads them to the rental car.
….
"You mean to tell me," Odine says while eyeballing the Returners, particularly the half Esper girl. He may not have been the greatest history buff, caring only for the wonderful world of science and math, but he recognized the young woman from a photo. "Zat they have actually passed through ze space time continuum? Zat they've done so vith no physical burden upon zem?" his long fingers lunged forward, landing on Terra's lips to part them and get a look at her teeth and tongue.
"Mind your reach," Setzer slapped the man's hand from the young woman's person. How dare he touch her so intimately!
"Feisty. How unexpected,"
Setzer cocked a brow. What was that supposed to mean?
"Zis is indescribable… All my research and zese primitives comes along," he ignored the outraged "hey" from Locke voicing his offense on their behalf. "How did you do it?!" he grabbed Edgar by the collar, his tiny height no match in standing, but his enthusiasm over the unsuspecting had the large king hunched forward like he'd been punched in the gut. "Walk me through your process!"
"Walk me through your process,"
The year is 2012. The SeeD cadets have arrived in Vyanagara after a two day trip by submarine and a days travel on Chocobo.
Squall could have, would have, if he himself knew exactly what it is that he was supposed to be doing. The memo left by Kait was taken so hastily it was almost considered illegible.
"We've been asked by an outside party to investigate a religious faction," he does his best to describe something he's only somewhat been briefed on.
When the matter was brought up to Xu, she had very little to say, in fact, she actually had nothing to say; she never made any such call nor did she speak to young Kait. If the matter was important, if it was a mission, she certainly wouldn't leave a message for a child to take down. She'd have asked to speak to Squall directly.
He is no longer the SeeD commander, due to choosing to raise his son when Irvine went missing and Kait was merely a mysterious, life altering burden. But Xu, and many others in Garden, refuse to let him step down from the position and take up the role of being little more than an instructor, whether physically or mentally. However, as long as he's compensated for his work, he can do the job. It's actually nice to not get rusty, if the job calls for the training and not just the man.
Unaware of who left the message and why, he figured they should check it out.
"The house of worship? But, why?" The village chief walks along side of the outsiders, as he guides them to his home for a talk.
He's not sure what to think of this strange and sudden appearance of the fairer race, most people leave desert villages alone. So why the sudden interest? His wayward brother once spouted nonsense about military factions coming along and seizing control over the lives of the less advanced. Hardworking people who live off the land, simple and as clean as possible. They invade and change their lives, ruin their women, and dog out their children to senseless wars with other war mongers. Is that what this visit is about? They want to break down their house of worship and then assume power over their village?
"Right in here," he says, his voice trying not to sound defeated. After all, what could he, any of them, do once the inevitable happens? "Now please," he says once the small group of 'helpful assessors' have taken to stand about behind their leader, who took a seat at the table.
'I should just be honest, that we don't even know why we're here,' thinks Squall. 'No. That would only make them more hostile.' And he can tell that the local man is in a calm state of worry, judging by the wrinkled look on his face. "I stated earlier, we'd like to have a look inside your church. We have reason to believe that someone there has committed to foul play, and is currently hiding out inside, using the place as a shield."
The head of the village went from looking concerned and worried to lost. How can these strangers say such a thing? A house of worship is a sacred place. Just because their priest are untrustworthy they shouldn't assume so of others'.
"Sir?" Squall garners the man's attention back when it seemed he'd gone to deep within his self in order to think. "It won't take long; the report could be false and your worry for nothing."
"Not for nothing." His tone is now hardened compared to the Timid manner of speaking he's used thus far. Give a guy a reason to fight, and usually the challenge is taken up. Nobody wants to hear that something near and dear has flaws. "You come here, make my village uncomfortable, then tell me to act like nothing wrong? How dare you. Exactly what was it that you'd heard that it calls for this intrusion?"
'How 'bout nothing, until you went all evasive on the matter,' Thinks the temporary SeeD commander. Maybe this place does have something to hide.
"Sir," Selphie called attention to herself and the others, standing restlessly, behind Squall.
'Shit, Selphie,' thinks commander Leonhart. 'We were doing a one-on-one, if you remind him that there's more of us than him he'll probably freak even worse.'
The man regards the girl with a firmly guarded expression, but softens when seeing her warm smile. "Yes, child?"
Ignoring the 'child' Selphie says sweetly. "We're here to protect you from something or someone who could be causing harm to the villagers or other priest."
Joining in, as she's used to these sorts of situations, having been in the Forest Owls; a resistance group rallied together for the pursuit of independence. It doesn't have to stay solely within Timber's domain. Resistance factions can help anywhere. Kind of like SeeD, without the strict discipline.
Rinoa reaches out to the village leader's position as voice of the people. "Believe me, I have been in situations where outsiders come along and want to inflict their beliefs onto others, we're only here to see that that doesn't happen to all of you. From a point of view that isn't on the inside, we can spot chip in the glass better than someone who trusts that nothing's wrong because that's how things have been so far."
The village leader wasn't so sure, but neither was he deaf to what they're saying.
"Do you really want everyone to come to some horrible form of suffering because you're worried a few 'outsiders' are gonna cause a minor stir?" Zell fumed with sincere passion. He doesn't get where this sort of attitude comes from. It's very frustrating.
'Dammit, Zell,' and Squall was worried about the girls. Sometimes the martial artist could really be too hot-blooded. No wonder he and Seifer get along so well, when the taller blond isn't being an ass to him, that is.
"Alright. I understand what you're saying," the leader caved. "I still believe you're wrong but, I don't want to see my people get hurt. If you want to check out the temple, you may."
"Thank you." Squall stands, extending his hand he shakes the village leader's. "We'll be thorough, and out of your hair hopefully without any action needed to be taken."
"See that this comes to pass. Right this way."
Standing from the table, he leads the cadets from his home and out through the village to the temple shrine.
~ 0 ~ 0 ~
"Process?" Edgar replied. "We just appeared here; each of us together were underground, on our way up…" he shrugged his hand. "Rather than being at my castle, as per usual, we found ourselves waking up here."
"It was akin to being placed somewhere while in a deep sleep," Setzer explained.
"Yes, it would make sense zat you were brought here," Odine mused. "It sounds like body displacement,"
Kait's brows shot up at the term. "You mean, in order for them to be here, someone went over there?"
"Say what?!" Zell looked snowballed. Quietly, they all are.
"Who could it have been?" Quistis touched upon her glasses frame as if her brain could be activated by the item to have an answer produced.
"Or vat?" Odine expressed his opinion.
"What do you mean?" Quistis follows the doctor over to a small machine, no bigger than a dishwasher.
"Zis is where I host my experiments vith time, to ensure the fluxuations don't get out of hand."
Though they are all too old to push and shove, the need for a front row seat was evident as the doctor was about to show them first-hand how to travel through time.
"Zis is why I'm so skeptical about your friends claim." He removes a clump of clay from the machine. It stank like rancid grass. "Zis used to be my cactus,"
"You sure it wasn't a cactuar?" Asked Irvine while eyeing the man with suspicion. He found it hard to believe he'd be using something like a plant to run experiments.
"Most assured. Who could even capture one,"
Locke touched the scorched clump. "What happened to it?"
"Vell, I vas working on sending things through time." Odine began.
He explained to them succinctly how he started with little things, papers filled with information would be sent back ten or fifteen minutes into the past, just to see if the compressed time warps could really be activated. It didn't work. Not on the first run. But on the sixth try he tried something different. The papers had a place of entrance, but they had no exit. They just went into the machine and crisped up. So, upon realizing this, he spent another year and a half constructing a second machine. With this one he would send objects back and forth.
It worked in placing items from point A to point B, a displacement. But it wasn't really time travel more like time warping. He needed something more solid. Something that could be altered and reverted. That's when the cactus came into play. He told them how it had a flower growing on top of it. He plucked it off, and place it into the machine. The device was set back ten minutes before the flower was removed. If the experiment worked the cactus would appear in the next machine with the flower. It worked! The plant went back ten minutes and was restored its flower. However; when he tried for a longer date in time it scorched the plant. He removed its thorns waited ten days then tried to send it back to restore it as it once was.
"I have not tried it on a living being." Grinning at the Returners, he says. "Vould you like to be ze first of many?"
"Don't press your luck doctor. That you're doing this at all could get you arrested. Time compression is a serious matter," Quistis voices in clipped, cool tones, showing she means what she's saying. "It almost destroyed the planet. That you'd help us to end its exposure only to be caught doing this… You could be tried and executed."
And the matter truly was that serious.
Odine eyed the young woman, then smirked throwing his hands out. "Vhat do you vant, I'm a man of science, always learning. Besides, this is a time to praise me, as it seems only I can help your friends."
"Tch." Zell mused. "Seems like you'd only be helping yourself, you don't seem as informed as whoever really made the time machine."
"Vhat? Do you think this is it? Whomever has been messing vith time could only have done so through me, I am its lord and master,"
Zell could have thrown up. This guy is so full of himself. He hates windbags!
"At some period in time, I must have gotten it right and sent someone back through time. Whom? I don't know know. Your friends could have very well switched vith a damned bunny rabbit for all I know, but it must have worked because here they are."
No one could argue with that. But, why would anyone need to travel through time? Were they about to face another crisis or war with a tempermental sorceress or even some other being that's looking to destroy what took them so long to repair?
"It could be ten or twenty years or so before I perfect ze method, maybe even 60 days… Who knows. But, my present-self doesn't have the knowledge, which means I must run test. Which leads me to ask… Who's first?"
x x x
Commentary: Sorry for the late update. I've been doing research for this. I hope no one is confused, Hell I hope that I don't get confused, I'm the one writing it to be understood ahaha.
Thank you for reading this, it's not an easy story, but I am enjoying working on it. It was never meant to be long, about five chapters left to end this saga of mine. I hope you're enoying it so far. Until next time, have a good day just doing you.
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The Final Distance