Everything about this town she'd found herself in was suspicious - most of all was the fact that others seemed to be able to use magic. There was no way they could all be like Terra, and of course she would've known if there were any others like her that'd been granted the abilities she was.
There was no making sense of it, but that annoyed her. She wanted, needed to make sense of it. It'd shut up the little voice in her head that was laughing at her.
Hearing Kefka's pleas stopped her thoughts cold, however, and she didn't hesitate in heading to the shop with quick efficiency. Her eyes widened a little at his slumped form, but she immediately knelt down beside him to cast a Cure spell. Hopefully it'd be enough to at least get him on his feet. Once he was, then she could interrogate whoever the hell had done this.
He wakes up on the cold stone of his shop's steps and almost startles before recognizing who's next to him. Palazzo attempts to push himself to his knees, fails, tries again and fails again, and settles for turning into his side, careful not to put too much pressure on his injured hands and legs.
He can't feel his legs. He's pretty sure that's a bad sign. Probably. But. Celes is here, if ten years older than he knows her, and that is enough.
....he can't feel his mouth very well, either. How badly bruised is his face from that last punch? He tries to open his mouth to speak, then winces in pain.
She's not that surprised it wasn't enough. Whoever had done this must have known what they were doing...or just got ridiculously lucky.
Swiftly, Celes pushes the shop door open and hauls Kefka to his feet, figuring that sitting him inside somewhere was better than letting him just lay there. He's leaning a lot of his weight on her, so it takes a little effort to get him inside, where she sits him down in the first chair she sees.
Should she attempt another Cure? It was weird; usually she never quite had the energy to cast two spells in succession so quickly, but she felt like she could this time. Maybe it was the result of where she was and how other people could somehow use magic, for whatever strange reason.
At least if the strain got to her, she wouldn't pass out in public. Celes sat beside Kefka and to her surprise, easily cast another Cure.
This cure cools the pain in his face until it's gone; he moves his jaw experimentally, then says:
"I think we're going to need some hi-potions for this. He did a real number on me."
Cure usually would heal him instantly, fix everything, but he's still a mess. He still feels like a mess. Although he's getting some feeling back in his legs and that's good? Even if it's painful feeling. Even if it's soggy and unpleasant and cold and it hurts, it's an alive feeling. He's alive. And she came for him.
She gets up to find some without saying anything, anger swirling in her head - though oddly enough, she's mostly angry at herself. Why, she has no idea. It's not a self-pity sort of hatred, although she does wish that she'd been there to pummel whoever had done this.
No use thinking about it. Celes finds a few bottles stashed away and hands one over, holding onto two others just in case. "Either you're losing your touch, or whoever did this has excellent aim."
Coming from anyone else, it might've been teasing, but...generals weren't the teasing sort.
"Whoever it was wasn't human. Not an esper, either, but he had enough magic in him for a whole...nn, a whole city. Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, and he could fly."
He dumps the hi-potion on his hands, rubbing it on until the burns heal into pink fresh skin and the stab wound fills to full health. That should have done more...
Wherever all of these magic users were coming from, Celes didn't like it. Something more powerful than espers? She wouldn't have believed it, but the proof was right there in front of her. Who was she to ignore the facts?
"I bet I could." Though she'd do more than just scratch, that was for damn sure. "Where did you last see this...thing?"
"He was in the woo--Celes, you can't go after him!"
He reaches over and grabs her hand, holding it between his two.
"I only got out of there because I was lucky! I almost died! We can't take him on together, not without a lot of preperation and maybe a tank and you can't go, you're-"
And there's a catch in his breath as he realizes how--gods, he almost died and he'd never have seen her again, wouldn't be speaking to her, dead and died and gone and--and his face creases in sudden relief, holding back tears.
If there was something she'd freely admit she wasn't good at, it was dealing with other people's emotions. She could barely figure out her own, after all - there was no need to. So Kefka's little outburst made her uncomfortable, but she awkwardly patted one of his hands wondering who - or what - was out there that could do this to him; turn him into such a blubbering mess.
But he did have a point - she couldn't go after whatever/whoever. As much as she hated to admit it, if it could do this to Kefka, she'd end up just as bad. Or worse.
"All right. I won't go after him." Though it was very clear she hated this idea. She was a general; she was supposed to put her skills to use. "But I make no promises if he comes here looking for you."
"I know. Soldiers of the Empire take care of each other...."
He rubs his hand over his eyes, frowning. It's so strange, seeing her so old, so mature, so...everything. Gods. What would he do without her? So steadfast in all things...
(The thought that she has not recognize him as ten years before him has not crossed his mind in all the confusion.)
"I don't want you to die. 'm sorry. I'm getting too...ahaha, too emotional over this."
"You are," she agreed since, well, someone had to keep their head in all of this. But the more she thinks about it, the more she wonders if she'd be having the same reaction, though she doubts she'd be as obvious about it. But if she was on death's door and Kefka or Leo or even Cid wanted to avenge her, of course she'd protest.
Unlike herself, though, they probably wouldn't listen to reason.
She sighs and rubs her temple. Thinking about these things shouldn't give her a headache. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"...would you stay here for a while? The fog's been making me feel ill, and between that and the clothing incident, I feel like I haven't seen you for some time."
And....and he's not sure what more than that he can say. He's missed her.
Not that there's anywhere else she could really go, if she wasn't going to go after who'd done this. She squashed down the weird feeling that was screaming how weird this was, because honestly, she couldn't figure out why it was weird. This was Kefka, someone she'd known her entire life. Nothing strange about that.
It was at this that she realized why she'd felt a strange unease in the back of her mind this whole time. Sure, she could've attributed it to Kefka's near-death experience, but...
"You would know," she said lightly, getting up and rummaging around for an elixir. In the clock, maybe? "You were there, after all."
"I wasn't," he murmurs, looking down. How had he--the fog had ruined everyone else's memories, of course they'd get her too. Of course. Stupid, stupid--
Elixir's in the clock; where else would he keep it?
"I'm afraid that there's been a misunderstanding. Temporally, I'm ten years before your time."
There was no making sense of it, but that annoyed her. She wanted, needed to make sense of it. It'd shut up the little voice in her head that was laughing at her.
Hearing Kefka's pleas stopped her thoughts cold, however, and she didn't hesitate in heading to the shop with quick efficiency. Her eyes widened a little at his slumped form, but she immediately knelt down beside him to cast a Cure spell. Hopefully it'd be enough to at least get him on his feet. Once he was, then she could interrogate whoever the hell had done this.
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He can't feel his legs. He's pretty sure that's a bad sign. Probably. But. Celes is here, if ten years older than he knows her, and that is enough.
....he can't feel his mouth very well, either. How badly bruised is his face from that last punch? He tries to open his mouth to speak, then winces in pain.
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Swiftly, Celes pushes the shop door open and hauls Kefka to his feet, figuring that sitting him inside somewhere was better than letting him just lay there. He's leaning a lot of his weight on her, so it takes a little effort to get him inside, where she sits him down in the first chair she sees.
Should she attempt another Cure? It was weird; usually she never quite had the energy to cast two spells in succession so quickly, but she felt like she could this time. Maybe it was the result of where she was and how other people could somehow use magic, for whatever strange reason.
At least if the strain got to her, she wouldn't pass out in public. Celes sat beside Kefka and to her surprise, easily cast another Cure.
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"I think we're going to need some hi-potions for this. He did a real number on me."
Cure usually would heal him instantly, fix everything, but he's still a mess. He still feels like a mess. Although he's getting some feeling back in his legs and that's good? Even if it's painful feeling. Even if it's soggy and unpleasant and cold and it hurts, it's an alive feeling. He's alive. And she came for him.
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No use thinking about it. Celes finds a few bottles stashed away and hands one over, holding onto two others just in case. "Either you're losing your touch, or whoever did this has excellent aim."
Coming from anyone else, it might've been teasing, but...generals weren't the teasing sort.
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He dumps the hi-potion on his hands, rubbing it on until the burns heal into pink fresh skin and the stab wound fills to full health. That should have done more...
How did he make it out of there alive?
"I couldn't even scratch him, Celes."
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"I bet I could." Though she'd do more than just scratch, that was for damn sure. "Where did you last see this...thing?"
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He reaches over and grabs her hand, holding it between his two.
"I only got out of there because I was lucky! I almost died! We can't take him on together, not without a lot of preperation and maybe a tank and you can't go, you're-"
And there's a catch in his breath as he realizes how--gods, he almost died and he'd never have seen her again, wouldn't be speaking to her, dead and died and gone and--and his face creases in sudden relief, holding back tears.
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But he did have a point - she couldn't go after whatever/whoever. As much as she hated to admit it, if it could do this to Kefka, she'd end up just as bad. Or worse.
"All right. I won't go after him." Though it was very clear she hated this idea. She was a general; she was supposed to put her skills to use. "But I make no promises if he comes here looking for you."
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He rubs his hand over his eyes, frowning. It's so strange, seeing her so old, so mature, so...everything. Gods. What would he do without her? So steadfast in all things...
(The thought that she has not recognize him as ten years before him has not crossed his mind in all the confusion.)
"I don't want you to die. 'm sorry. I'm getting too...ahaha, too emotional over this."
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Unlike herself, though, they probably wouldn't listen to reason.
She sighs and rubs her temple. Thinking about these things shouldn't give her a headache. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
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And....and he's not sure what more than that he can say. He's missed her.
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Not that there's anywhere else she could really go, if she wasn't going to go after who'd done this. She squashed down the weird feeling that was screaming how weird this was, because honestly, she couldn't figure out why it was weird. This was Kefka, someone she'd known her entire life. Nothing strange about that.
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He smiles a little, wincing as he shifts.
"I'm so proud of you. You've grown up to be a great general."
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"You would know," she said lightly, getting up and rummaging around for an elixir. In the clock, maybe? "You were there, after all."
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Elixir's in the clock; where else would he keep it?
"I'm afraid that there's been a misunderstanding. Temporally, I'm ten years before your time."
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