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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
- 7
- 8
- 9
"I'll stay,"
"Ed'?" Locke grabbed his lover's shoulder, as if to transfer some sense into him. He doesn't know this Odine, but his first impression is not good.
"Not as your guinea pig," he states to the doctor, whose fingers began to twitch with glee that he was able to snag a test subject so quickly. "I happen to have vast knowledge at engineering. I can loan you my help,"
"You? A primitive? How could you possibly understand the delicacies that go into creating a time warp?"
"You're correct in your assumption, I, as a "primitive" do not understand the procedures of time displacement, but I know that I can help to faster create a working machine to match- perhaps even champion- your current."
Odine seemed to consider those words. It would take some time to create another machine, if that is what's needed to warp a living thing through time. "Very well," he hated to agree, but he did. "However, ve still need a test subject,"
"Then let it be me," Setzer stepped up as a volunteer. "It may not be as impressive as Edgar, but I too have a grasp at engineering, having had to fix the one on my ship countless times from practically nothing. And I am not afraid to try it out once it's completed." Looking at the Esper girl, he adds. "It's better than your trying it out on Terra,"
"I really don't care who I use, I merely thought that with her unique existence she'd be a better subject," he's still eyeing her with wanton until the gambler cleared his throat stepping into the line of the man's vision.
"What can we do?" Locke asked, not wanted to be left out.
"You can do nothing until he's used up,"
Setzer rolled his eyes over the doctor's ability to be both brazen in his triumphs and pathetically pessimistic in the same span of a day. How can he shoot down Edgar's knowledge of time travel over his own, then decide he's no master and the experiment could fail; leaving him dead and the others stranded?
"You guys can just hang around with us until they're ready," Zell declares to Locke and Terra. "Hey, you were interested in the Draw system, right? We don't even have to leave too far from the city. I can show you, if you're still interested?"
Locke is hesitant about going off to have liesure time while leaving Edgar and Setzer in the mad doctor's care. Terra didn't seem to want to budge either.
Edgar smiled softly, telling them, "Go. We'll be alright. We won't allow any measure too drastic to be taken upon us."
"Setzer?" Terra questioned. Her eyes set upon him a look of great concern, she's been with the risk taking gambler long enough to know his limits tend to be high, if the cause proved worthy enough of a high-stake.
"I promise as Edgar had stated."
"See," Zell gave a thumbs up to the worried Terra and Locke. "All's well. Let's leave them to the nerd work, while we have fun,"
"I'll remain here, as well," Quistis says to the departing group.
Despite the Returners being quite capable of taking care of themselves, saving their entire world could attest to that, they could be no match for the over zealous Dr. Odine. The mad man could likely sell heat to the sun. On top of that fact, they are unfamiliar with the man, he might overstep his boundaries based off some made up notion that he knows entirely what he's doing and what he's talking about. He may know some, but he doesn't know all. They'll need a chaperone, no matter what their age.
"Good call, Quisty," Irvine waved. "Let us know if you need anything."
She nodded that she understands. When the room cleared, the instructor, Returners, and the doctor got down to work.
The departing group: Zell, Irvine, Kait, Terra and Locke took the rental car out of the city. The hour and a half long drive was in a pensive silence, and the Returner pair were apprehensive to participate as the car scoured the land in search of a monster to battle once they parked past the city limits.
Kait was beside himself with glee. He gets to see war heroes, in action! Real-time action! This isn't a past tense tale read from a history book, or one told to him by family and friends of their own experiences in life or death situations. Sure, it's just against some run-in-the-mill field monster, but it's tactics all the same.
Locke had to admit it that even when their world was brought to ruins, it wasn't as barren as this place. It reminds him a of a slate of marble granite, frostbitten with permafrost, except it's not cold. The weather is probably the only plus a wasteland like this has going for it. It's mild, warm and Spring through-and-through depsite the cracked crater of land its passing over.
The rental drove for another 17 or so minutes, before the driver slowed to a stop. Irvine rolled down the window and leaned out to double check that it wasn't a flare of sunlight playing on the glass. "Monsters ahoy!" He declared after straightening back in his seat.
"Perfect!" Zell craned his neck to see what type they'd be dealing with. "Anyone can beat a Turtapod." Climbing out of the car, he stands beside the vehicle waiting for the exiting company.
"So, we just walk up to it and…?" Terra waited for the sentence to be filled out.
"Leave it up to us, you guys just observe," Zell preened; chest puffed he marched merrily over to a duo of Turtapods grazing on sparse vegetation.
"Observe? Aww," Kait pouts as he follows after Zell and Irvine. He wanted to watch the war heroes, not battle for himself. Although, this will be a good opportunity to impress everyone. Now with a second wind about the whole thing, he charges into battle to showcase what he's got.
"All of our abilities" Zell began explaining. "are tied into our G.F.s, I guess you could say they're the offspring of Espers,"
Zell explained to them about how making a contract with a guardian force allows a person to tap into their abilities. They can harness strengths such as elemental absorption, vitality boosts, muscle growth for strength, that G.F.s are basically a living shield able to lend their talents to the human they've bonded with.
"Like a magicite?" Locke recalls his experience with the crystallized souls of murdered Espers.
It sounds very similar to what they did; the shard would embed itself into their bodies and grant them its power of the elements.
"Uh-huh. Take 'em away, we're just ordinary people."
"But, your guardians… they're... alive?" Terra seemed mystified.
"Well, yeah, of course." Answered the martial artist with ease, completely missing the girl's sudden despair.
Her people had to die for their power to be used whether for protection or exploitation. Not one Esper managed to live, aside from herself, and being only half doesn't exactly keep a bloodline going. Not to mention her Esper side seemed to dissipate altogether, which is why it was so strange that when she awoke here in this time, she was in her Esper state. She instinctively felt she could use it to heal herself. What kind of place is this? She wondered.
Terra and Locke watched the trio descend upon the monsters. It was incredible. Simple, so simple, yet so impressive the way their "junction" as it's referred could draw in magic from a monster then cast it out at them. No matter what it was: healing, elemental, even time magic seemed like nothing to them. And they're fine with it!
The strange turtle monsters' backs burst open displaying a long tentacle wringling in death, coiling around a bruised red bud that was nestled into its center that's protected by large crystal spikes surrounding the entire creature. It could take no more, though it held its ground for a s long as it could with swipes of its claws and burst of magic aimed at the brawlers.
Terra marveled at the ease, the level of comfort it must take between man and guardian that the spirit is a living being. 'Guardian… such a beautiful word. It's not like calling them tools or weapons- even though that's what they are for them, in a sense. They sort of treat them as if… as if they're partners.'
"Here you are!" The Esper, Palidor, tiny as a gerbil flew over to Irvine landing on his shoulder. "I've been looking everywhere for you,"
"Hey, Pal'" Snapping his fingers as something dawned on him, he says. "Hey!" The bird was in fact an ancient Esper spirit, he must know someone that Terra knew or could have known. "I'd like you to meet someone, Palidor this is-"
"Terra! Locke!" Growing in size the Esper lowered its head towards the pair, closing its eyes to the kind touches and petting offered to its beak.
We'll. This was unexpected… Rather than a meeting this turned into a reunion.
…
Palidor explained to his friends of how he came to in this further time in the world, and what its been doing thus far, living amongst the Guardian Forces of this universe.
"And more off you are here?" Terra looked from the Esper bird to her new acquaintances with wonder.
"So like," Irvine picked up where his spirit friend left off. "as we've been closing the holes in time, we would sometimes come across an Esper. We thought it was strange, at first, but then we just kind of took up the task of bonding with them like we would our own." Scratching the back of his head, he says with an awkward sort of air. "It's a bit different than bonding with a G.F., the Espers sorta become one with us. We even take on some of their features."
Kait nodded to affirm the admittance. The words played back in his head, and for some reason the words struck a cord. Bonding and blending with creatures… Standing, he says. "I have to go, I mean, I want to go. Can we go back to the lab? I have to see Odine about something,"
Irvine looked miffed over what it could possibly be, but he agreed to take him back to the lab. What else could he do? "Are you all good here? Or do you wanna come with us?"
"I think we should go back, Ed and Setzer should know that the Espers have come over here first." Locke decides. "This could really mean something,"
"Yeah, like maybe time is trying to catch up with itself," Irvine wonders. "They came here, and they've been around for years now, at least handful of 'em."
"And like Odine said," Kait chimed in. "Someone must have travelled through time in order to swap with you guys... It could have been an Esper."
They're heading back to the car. The large bird shrank itself back down to carrying size, resting in the arms of its friend, Terra, along the way.
It's impossible to know how, but having realized that the Espers were here because of time compression and not a simple rebirth of the species could crack the case in how to send them all back. Humans and Espers alike.
…..
"Put zat there," Odine points to an empty space within the cavity of a tube's hollow backside. They have been recreating a replica of the current machine. Odine was pleasently surprised that the experience of the pair made the work that much faster, because he didn't have to explain ever little thing. He gave them the blueprints and they took it from there while he carefully sorted through the absorbed fluctuations of time that have been concealed within magic jars like one could place a ship in a bottle.
None, Odine brags not just to himself, can do as he's accomplished in the field of magic; even magic as powerful as from a Sorceress. The jars would be placed into the machines, if done correctly the results should open a controllable portal of no particular time pocket. Time compression. A time machine. But how to be sure a person can go where is needed once inside is going to take some test tries. His steel-trap gaze ensnared the gambler who'd voluteered. He could very well find the solution for him, or he could burn to a crisp in the currents. Either way, it was great to have someone be so boldly stupid.
"So, you said it was az if you just awoke from sleep?"
"That's right," Setzer replied. Handing a gear to Edgar, he wiped grease from his hands onto the sleeves of the borrowed shirt. "Is that significant?"
"No. Not really, but I have often wondered what sights would be held in a time warp."
They spent another hour working on the machine. The others arrived back at the lab, they were greeted by Quistis, who until their arrival, had only been silently observed the working trio.
"Doc," Kait walked over to the brilliant scientist. "I need you to take a sample of my blood,"
The cringe was so severe it's a wonder it didn't overflow onto someone else like a possession. "Why would I do zat?"
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure, but.. it feels like it's for a reason," his gaze is steady, his resolve sincere. "Please?"
The doctor pointed him to a door at the far end of the room. "Through there, tell the man in the white lab coat. There's a yellow sticker on ze pocket of his, don't get him confused from the others, they're all very busy. He'll do as you ask."
"Thank you,"
"Whatever, boy, just go on and do az you need." He waved him away.
Kait passed through the double doors unseen.
1862. Figaro castle.
"Squad three?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" They fired out in unison.
3 groups of five soldiers assembled at the upper courtyard of the castle. It honestly looked like something out of a movie, or finely staged play at Fisherman's Horizon. Except that this is no play, and they are not actors. And this situation wouldn't be good even on paper, because there's too much of a chance it will produce nothing of use. They'll be stuck in this time. Stuck in this place, the place where others belong but are not able to come back because the time travelled failures have unintentionally switched places with them. The situation is disastrous; and despite it not being their fault, Kait's fairly certain that he and his companion will be occupying a prison cell once again for high treason. However unintended it was. Not to mention since they're stuck here, they could be seen as citizens of it, hense the treason.
So, heading the search groups are General Belal, Kait, and Hyland. Each with a group of five soldiers, all equipped with fully stocked oil lamps, and each with maps printed onto paper containing the inner workings of the underground tunnel. And of course a weapon. Some form of protection is certainly needed in the inhabited tunnels, one never knows what they're going to find down there.
"Let us not know failure," Chancellor Arnold cheered for them. "Let us not grow tired. Let us not stop until we've found our king!"
The soldiers cheered loudly; Kait and Hyland more or less went along with it. They aren't looking King Edgar and company, they're looking for the portal or possibly portals; since they, all 3 groups, could find one. But, do as the natives are doing, they suppose.
The castle search crew enter into an elevator, the first group went down, exited, then the second and after is the third. They all take a tunnel walking through carefully, with keenly tuned gazes in search of something out of place.
The locals weren't exactly friendly down in the caves. Tiny little mice that looked like the harmless field mouse would suddenly cry out, its tiny squeal turning into a threatening roar as its body grows. Better than any lazer it's hair shed away exposing skin, muscle even peeked out of the gashes! Its teeth grew into razor sharp fangs, the claws could compare to the forearm length of a toddler. They had expected some obstacle: a sudden drop, a cave in, poking something that shouldn't be and even causing a flood. But battling steroid popping rats, that was a new one.
Good thing Kait had some fire spells left. Some of the blast landed onto the target killing it dead, other Wererats scampered away, brave enough to fight but not brave enough to lose as soldiers retracted their spear heads from their deformed bodies. It dawned on Kait that he's still able to use magic, so he must still be in contract with Diablo.
Resting his hand against the cool soil, he came to an noticed standstill. 'Diablo… I had turned into one back then in the moving forest…. Could Diablo still be suffering under the Sorceress's control?' He wondered. 'No. It can't. If it was, wouldn't it have escaped from me and attacked?' There was the off chance the devil Guardian is biding its time. 'Better not jinx it,'
"Sir? Are you alright?" One of the five soldiers asked; with the shadows casting everywhere it's hard to tell who'd voiced concern.
"Yeah, I just needed a mental check-in, let's keep moving."
He pressed on, his soldiers in tow.
Hyland tossed his chakram at an ugly sort of thing called an Urok. It looked akin to a bent back giant house millipede except for its exoskeleton being golden in color. Not to mention the mutated face on the bug that would usually have one confused about which end is the lead, is sporting a vicious set of pincers; the whirling blade skittered up the creatures body, cutting it evenly, though raggedy in half. The castle soldiers held their own, having fought their native monsters many times before in the past. Their spear and arrow work is trained to expert, and they're quickly back on the trail of finding a solution to their problem.
"Ugh!"
The body temperature heated juices coat Sabin's pant legs as he performs a finishing kick flip to a grey harry, bulb-eyed Foper. He's been running into quite a few monsters down in the caves. At least he knows he's still on Figarian lands due to the native creatures he's been facing. He just wished he wasn't so far off the beaten path that there aren't even lanterns to be lit. Groping around in dark has never resulted in anything good.
His brawny hand pressed into the wall sinking deep due to his weight, he's in the clear of danger so it's time to start moving again. The monsters have the advantage; their nocturnal eyes can spot him coming or at a standstill. He's too easy an ambush waiting to happen, if the slain monsters have retaliation waiting in the wings to jump him. The likelihood of the creatures being that smart was slim. Bugs, even in beast mutation, have instinct. They swarm together, they leave no brother out.
'Edgar… I hope he's ok,' Prince Sabin's thoughts still just the same as his movements, ever searching for peace to his troubles.
Stepping forward, he noticed the stall as something has begun to coil around his ankle intent on keeping him in place.
And he can already tell by the static crackling against his skin, leaving little burns in its path as it singed off the hairs there, that he's been ensnared by a black mass. The monsters are new, they've invaded almost like a plague with just as many casualties. Their origins are unknown, as the outbreaks have been happening throughout the lands. Not long ago one of them possessed his brother's heart, causing him to believe he was a king usurped by lack of importance. A mere man of desk and paper. Edgar became someone else, Iron Lord, his thoughts and decisions split in two. Good and bad. He attacked, he killed, he did so much damage to repair a heart that, thanks to the monster's negative influence, was never satisfied. It never had enough revenge to quench the thirst of blame. It just kept wanting pain. Edgar was finally freed of it. It let him go after his brother had been struck with poison by Setzer. In the end, the creature had so fused with Edgar that it kept up his appearance even after they detached. Locke dealth the final blow to it, stabbing Edgar...
The demon monster missed low in its throat. It seemed fitting that it would hiss as the coiling, writhing movements could certainly classify it from the serpent family, but nothing else about it fits the bill as long gangly arms stretch out like reaper scythes ready to shred anything they touch, and the base of the body has strange protrusions making it seem like a fusion of snake and tarantula. The glowing yellow eyes are the on real feature one can make out from the head, now and then grizzly teeth would sticking out from its mouth.
Oh no… Sabin shielded himself with his arms as the black masses chest glowed a bright pink. He knows what happens next from that particular sighting. It once happened to all of them in some form when the outbreaks began and the monster was a literal black cloud. Gaining strength each time it infected creating a being worst than the last form, until eventually it could possess the troubled soul and take over.
It was ready to feast on Sabin's troubles of not knowing where he's going or being able to find his brother. He can't let it affect him!
A blast of energy from his Blitz attack sailed into the face of the monster, it wasn't enough to dislodge it or even to eliminate it; but it did thrust the creature backwards into the dirt. The attempted attack was deflected sparing Sabin of the head games and heartache it would have wrought. Regardless of his ankle being latched onto by the vine-like tail, he is able to execute the Fire Dance technique, sending dancing flames up and over the Creeps body. That did the trick because it freed Sabin from its hold while it bent into unsightly angles through the scorching.
"Oh no you don't!" Grabbing its torso he tossed his weight backwards bringing the darkness back with him to drop it on its head.
The attack would have been more effective on a more solid surface, but one has no choice where they're going to make do and with what or how. This particular mass must have been a fresh born, because its body spasmed and stretched before shrinking in on itself. Dead. Sabin expelled a breath of relief. That could have been so much worse- especially in the dark. Wiping the nervous sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm, he continued along wherever the trace of the wall would take him.
"Search over there," a voice sounded up ahead. "I thought I heard something."
"Hey..." he splutters a cough from his dry throat, caked with mildew dampness and dirt. "Hey! I'm here!"
2022. On a train headed for Balamb.
Squall decided he was going to pry. He's been hinting at wanting to know why Seifer seems so eager to speak to or be alone with Terra, but the ex-knight isn't budging. Did he miss something happen between them in the brief time they spent together in Winhill or is it just dumb curiosity on Seifer's part? Used to be he didn't care about other's problems. Used to be he'd keep his curiosity, however slight, to himself. But here he is wondering about his rivals behavior and actually trying to demand an asnwer. How did things change so much? It must be an age thing. The younger the are the least you want to feel, then as you age you realize you missed out on a lot and want to get it back before you're so dead inside you begin to wonder what's the point of even getting out of bed in the morning.
"Seifer,"
"Is it so important that you know?" the ex-knight asked. "Will you beg?" He smirked. "If you really want to know, you'll put some beg behind it."
"I'm not gonna beg you for a damned thing," Squall replied snarkly.
"Mhmm. That's what I thought."
They sit in silence.
"Would you answer if Zell asked?"
"Why? Is he special or something?" His smug smirk never waned.
Squall, arms crossed trying to appear the indifference that he's not, gave a shrug of his shoulder. "I just assumed the two of you tell each other everything."
"You're wrong."
Again, Squall shrugged behaving as if he doesn't care. He knows Seifer. His rival will cave under the constant pestering. That's one of the things he could always beat his personal challenger at, a match of will. Squall could be in coma for all the person's efforts are at trying to get him to talk about something he doesn't want to. Seifer will want you to shut up badly enough that he'll either punch you in the face, or give you want you want to know. Squall hoped for the latter.
"You're so predictable, Leonhart, you think because you act like you don't care that I'll suddenly want to tell you?"
"I don't care anymore. If you say it's none of my business and it's so personal that you wouldn't even tell Zell, what chance do I have of knowing. Asking you is a lost cause, because I already told you that I'm not going to beg."
Seifer's green gaze squinted bitterly at the lusterless bastard trying to fuck with him. With a groan, he says. "Alright, if you must know. I wanna ask Terra about the Espers."
"But, Seifer, you have Espers… couldn't you have just asked them whatever the question is?"
"No."
Alright. So he got an answer. Incredibly vague, hardly an actual answer. But an answer. Touche Seifer. Looks like he's come a long way in the battle of withholding. He supposed if he stuck around in the background he might overhear the conversation. Of course, it is stupid that it seems to matter this much about something clearly none of his business. Maybe he's just bored. Or maybe he's got a chance to stop another war from happening that will, once again, brainwash an aggressive idiot he's come to call a friend.
It's a far stretch that last part. But it sure feels like something happened between them all that they've forgotten. But what?
x x x
Commentary: Boy is making Odine talk screwing up my auto-fix. I mean, would it take away if it wasn't accurately written- I'm sure it's not now, but if I just typed his sentences normally it wouldn't take away. We all know what he talks like. So, okay. Normal speech from here on out; and you can auto-talk in your heads ahaha.
Thanks for reading. This was intended to be a short story so probably two chapters from now it'll be finished. You've all been super for reading this, I know FF8 isn't the most popular Fantasy- Hyne knows why it was amazing- save aside the rushed lame ass love plot. And I'm not saying that because I'm clearly a yaoi/slash fan I say it because it's the truth. They only wanted to shove something together where 7 lacked in it. It's unfair. But, I'm rambling. Have a good week.
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The Final Distance