Questions and Answers Chapter 2
By ElectroJako45
Edgar and Sabin walked down Figaro Castle's main hall. It was the day of the party, with only about two hours left until it started.
"I think there's just one thing with the party," Sabin said.
"And what would that be?" asked Edgar.
Sabin smirked. "I don't think we invited enough lovely ladies."
"Sure we did!", replied Edgar. "The ones the staff invited, Celes, Relm, those two women I met in Jidoor that one time, and…" Edgar trailed off on the last name.
"Terra?" supplied his brother. "You know, you never really let anyone know how you felt about her."
"Well, I never really decided… Besides, if I do have any feelings for her, she's already head over heels in love with Locke anyway. I can't - I mean, I wouldn't be able to make her love me more than him," Edgar said, quickly covering up his accidental slip of the tongue.
Unfortunately, Sabin caught it. "Aha! You do love her! I knew it!"
"Yeah, yeah, so what if I do?" admitted the senior Figaro, hanging his head in mock shame.
"Well, I don't know… maybe you should, uh tell her, Edgar. It's not like her and Locke are an item; quite the opposite, in fact."
Edgar stopped walking and thought for a second. "Well, Sabin, seeing as how I can never have a lasting relationship by hitting on any human female I see as soon as I see her, maybe I should try a different strategy… like being subtle."
Sabin sighed. "Edgar, for some reason I doubt that 'subtle' means keeping quiet for… what, more than a year, I'm guessing?"
"Yes, tonight would 'mayhaps be a good time to profess thy love to the fair lady', as Cyan would say." Smiling, Edgar started walking again.
Sabin's right. I should have told her sooner, before she could fall in love with Locke as much as she has...
* * *
Unlike Locke and Celes, Terra wasn't rich enough to hire a cab or even to ride chocobo-back. She had to walk, which gave her plenty of time to think.
So what's the plan? I go to the party, talk to Locke, and try to… what? Drag him away from Celes, break the two up, convince him that I'm the one and not her?
Wow. It sounded horrible putting it that way, but that was the plan. Or…
Or are you going to the party just have a good time, dance, and see everyone again? Maybe you could even see how Edgar's doing. Maybe he's changed. Maybe you'll love him. Maybe you'll give up on Locke, since it is probably a lost ca-
"No!" Terra said out loud. She would never give up on Locke, he was the right one for her and she was the right one for him, Terra was sure of it.
Aren't I?
* * *
"Mr. Cole, Ms. Chere, we've arrived at Figaro Castle," the cab driver called back to Locke and Celes.
The castle was decorated for the party, with banners draped on the sides on the sides and loud music playing from a phonograph somewhere. Locke and Celes disembarked from the cab, which then sped off into the distance.
Two castle guards walked up to the couple. "And what would your names be?" one asked.
"Celes Chere and Locke Cole," answered Celes.
The second guard checked the list in his hand and nodded. "Okay Mr. Cole, Ms. Chere, go on in. The reception room is the second door on the right."
"But I thought that was the weapons shop..." said Locke. "Of course, it has been a while."
"Yeah, and maybe they had some renovations done. Anyway, they're probably waiting for us. Come on, honey!" Celes started walking up the stairs.
* * *
Gau had picked up Mog and Cyan on his way to the party, on the back of a huge beast from the Veldt, while Setzer had flown solo in Daryl's airship to the occasion. When Locke and Celes showed up, the four of them, as well as Edgar and Sabin, were waiting in the cramped weapons shop, which was actually not renovated or expanded, and was quite small and cramped. "Where you guys been? Gau wait long time!" exclaimed Gau.
"Yeah, guys. What held ya up?" asked Setzer.
"Hey, Gau, Setzer!" answered Celes. "Nice to see you, too."
"Geez, Edgar, when I heard you were having the reception in the weapons shop, I thought you must have remodeled!" said Locke, trying to find a free spot to sit down in.
Before Edgar could respond, Sabin did it for him. "Well, he would have done it if he weren't such a tightwad. Me and the staff have been tryin' to get him to splurge and get the place fixed up for what seems like months now!"
Everyone in the room laughed.
* * *
Twelve hours earlier…
Terra hadn't expected to run into monsters on the way to the castle. The latest one, a reptile of some kind or another with a large blue shell on its back, ran at her. She swung at it with her sword, and missed.
Damn! I haven't had to fight for a long time, and now I can't even use a sword right!
She wished she was able to use magic. Then she'd be able to take care of this monster in no time. But she couldn't, so she had to make the best with the Soul Sabre she had.
Terra leapt forward, trying to cleave the monster in two with one powerful downward slice. As the cold steel of the blade whistled through the air, she thought: Locke and Edgar had to deal with this every time they fought before we met the Espers… how'd they do it?
The razor-sharp blade sliced into the monster's carapace with a snap! that seemed to echo through the surrounding area. With a huge gash in its back, the creature was mortally wounded. It slowly collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from its cut.
Panting, Terra hobbled over to a nearby rock and plopped down on it. She'd been out of practice for so long that combat wore her out quickly. Luckily, her knapsack with her party clothes and her water had stayed on her back through the fight, so she pulled out a flask of water and took a long drink from it. It wasn't cold, but right now any liquid tasted good.
Damn, I have to get moving soon… the party starts in about half a day and I'm still about twenty miles away…
Terra stood up, wiping the bloody Soul Sabre on the barren ground of the desert around Figaro Castle. She needed to start walking again.
* * *
Back at the party, the seven ex-adventurers and current friends were in the reception room, talking about everything that had happened since they'd last seen each other. "So, Cyan, what have you been up to lately?" inquired Locke.
"Well, nothing much", replied Cyan. "Mostly I hath been spending my time learning more about the sophisticated mechanical creations that be so common in this world of ours." Seeing Locke's blank expression, he rephrased what he had just said: "In other words, I've been studying machines."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh…" said Locke, and was about to ask what else Cyan had occupied himself with in the past six months, when suddenly the door opened to reveal a young woman with disheveled green hair, covered in dirt and dust, wearing a simple tan robe.
It took everyone a second to realize who the person was.
"Terra!"
So Terra made it to the party! But why isn't she dressed up and pretty? And
why aren't Strago, Relm, and Shadow at the party? Were they just unable to
make it, or is there something more sinister going on? Probably not. Either
way, stay uhh… tuned, I guess, to find out what the outcome of the party'll
be in Chapter 3 - The Finale!