Hello to all you wonderful people who decided to read my story!!! This is my second attempt at writing a story for ff6…I decided that my last story was not very good…nope not good at all and this one is starting out much better already. Just to let you know I am planning on this being a Terra/Locke story though this may change and yes there will be a logical explanation for them getting together…ever since I watched my brother playing the game I knew they were destined for each other…when I played the game I knew they were destined for each other…but apparently they weren't.

Disclaimer: Do not own any of the characters or anything that has to do with the game…although I did make up some names

Hope you enjoy!

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The hallway was silent, guards were nowhere in sight. A single metal door stood at the end, it was her focus. Muffled voices could be heard behind them and she walked slowly up to it. The steel felt cool against her ear and the voices became clear.

"How has the girl been doing?"

"She is well, sir."

"Good. We will commence with the experiment soon."

"What do you mean?"

"She is no longer a child and has been growing disobedient. Something shall be done."

"May I ask a question sir?"

"If you must."

"What are you planning?" there was silence a moment, "What is that?"

"This…this little crown will wipe a person clean of conscious thought allowing another person to take complete control over them."

"And you plan to use this on her?"

"That would be the idea. Think of it, she will be more powerful than any weapon we have."

"But you can not use this on a human being!"

"Ah, that is the thing, she is not human."

"But she has thoughts and feelings as we do!"

"Do you not remember what they were created for? They were created as weapons!"

"And it failed because they are sentient beings!"

"You knew when you agreed to take her in what was in store for her. I warned you in the beginning not to become too attached."

"I did not know that this is what you were planning. I will not let it happen!"
"You would do well to remember who it is you speak to!"

"Sir, I…I am sorry sir…do as you will."

"As I thought."

"One more question, who will be the one to conduct the experiment?"

"Kefka."

At this the girl pulled away from the door as if it had scalded her. Sea green eyes immediately flickered to the bruises on her arm. No…it could not be true…her father would never let it happen…no!

"Mamma?"

Terra willed her eyes to open and the steel door faded. Sea green eyes gazed down at her arms but the skin was white and smooth, no bruises.

"Mamma?" A little girl bounced up and down at the foot of her bed, blonde curls shining.

"Hmm?" The memory still occupied her mind

"What was your dream about?"

At this she was startled. She had not wanted to worry the children with her nightmares. Since the day Kefka had been defeated the visions had come to her each night. Memories, some of them long locked away were now reemerging.

Did you hear? Fifty men in under three minutes…fire…flame…burning…all of them dead…Terra? A weapon…dangerous…fire…flame…burning…

"Mamma?" The little girl looked into her haunted eyes and touched her delicate hand gently.

Terra looked down at her, "Sorry. The dreams are nothing, nothing at all."

Large blue eyes regarded her thoughtfully, "Then why do you cry?"

Pain…always pain. He grabbed her arm with a harsh grip, a wild grin on his sinister face. "Hello my little esper-child," his voice was drenched with sweetness but his eyes gleamed with malice. She struggled to get away but he smacked her across the face. "Listen to me girl…there is no one here to protect you." He grabbed her other arm and she kicked at him. "Muahahaha…You think you can get away do you?" His grip tightened on her, hurting her. Suddenly he threw her away from him and she landed on the floor.

She looked down at the child and wrapped her in a sudden hug. "Cry?"

"Yes, while you sleep. I've heard you."

"Mamma had a bad dream is all."

"But what was it about?" the child persisted.

Terra brushed back the shining curls, "Nothing that you should be concerned with," she said softly. She could never tell them of her past life, not the children at least. Nor could she tell Katarin or Duane, they simply would not understand. They had experienced their own share of grief, but what she had seen and done were things that few could relate to. The only person who she felt she could share them with was now far away.

"Come on," Terra kicked off her blankets and picked up the little girl, "Time to get ready."

The girl scampered from the room, shutting the door behind her. Terra pulled off her thin robe and dressed. She buckled her sword belt around her waist before realizing that she no longer had a need for it. It was the same every morning, and every morning she took it off and placed it back in its spot. Her sword stood, unused, in the corner.

As soon as she stepped out the door she was bombarded by children. "Mamma! Mamma!" They swarmed over her and she knelt down to their level, giving each one a hug. She smiled warmly, she missed all of her friends, but the children made up for it…her friends

It had been nearly a month since they had parted. After Kefka had been destroyed they had stayed together, the healing had begun. A short time passed and gradually each one of them realized that they had somewhere else to be, lives to rebuild. Terra had her children, Locke had his treasure hunting, Edgar and Sabin had their kingdom, Cyan had a kingdom to rebuild, Setzer had his airship and his gambling, and so their group had split. Often she felt a pang of loss but she pushed it away, she had others that were in great need of her. Her children for one, and though Katarin and Duane were not much younger than she was, they depended on her.

When she had returned to Mobliz, it had been completely destroyed. The only thing that remained was the part of the stairway and the basement that they had been living in. All of them were safe and Terra's return had rid them of all their fears. She was to them their guardian; as long as she was there nothing could go wrong. Once she had returned, the rebuilding of Mobliz officially began. Katarin had protested against Terra helping to do the actually building saying that it was, "Men's work." Terra responded to her by saying that there was not at the moment men or women's work, it was everyone's work. She and Duane built the house with the help of a few others who had come looking for a place to stay. After that the town expanded as more refugees searched for places to call home. A total of four houses were built, each with a spacious lawn of lush green grass and flowers.

Terra stood glancing up at the sun, it was still early. She jumped as the pounding of hammers reached her ears; it reminded her of the magitek factory in Vector. The dirt path crunched slightly under her boots and she watched as the children ran by laughing, barefoot. She had the sudden urge to do the same but hesitated unsure of whether or not it would be proper behavior. The girl with blond curls tugged at her skirt and she looked down at her.

"Mamma, will you play with us?"

Terra smiled, "All right Sylphie." Without further thought on the matter, she tugged off her boots and tossed them into the grass. "Watch for nails," she cried. Sylphie ignored her call and ran.

"Bet you can't catch me!"

"I think that you may be wrong!" Terra ran after her, bare feet pounding the dirt path. She chased the girl around the men building and when she came close enough reached out and grabbed her. They tumbled into the grass laughing. Terra's laughter cut off and her face turned red when she saw the men looking down at her grinning. She stood up embarrassed and took Sylphie's hand. "S-sorry if I interrupted your work," she said and began edging away.

"Looks like someone is having fun at least," a young man with blonde hair said, he looked at Terra and winked. She began to blush even more.

"What are you trying to say? Building isn't fun?" someone else called out.

"Nope, of course not, this is loads of fun."

Terra walked away as the men continued to argue and work. Sylphie looked up at Terra and grinned, "He likes you," she proclaimed proudly.

"W-what?" Terra stammered.

"I heard him say so. He said that you were the sweetest and prettiest girl he's met," she waited for Terra's reaction.

She said nothing, she could think of nothing to say. He was attractive enough with shaggy blonde hair and hazel eyes, his looks seemed vaguely familiar but she could not place them. He seemed kind as well, occasionally she would see him playing with the children. She was not looking for a relationship though, at least she had not thought of it.

Sylphie let go of her hand and ran off with the others and she followed. They had began a game of that Terra had never played before. Everyone hid except for one person and then that person had to find the rest.

"You can be the one to find us Mamma!"

"B-but, wait!" she looked around, they had already darted off in various direction. A smile spread over her face. This was what she had missed out on as a child growing up. NO! Not now…I can not think of that now. She clutched her head as the familiar dizziness began to spread over her body, she did not want to remember.

"Can I go out and play father?"

"Play? With who?"

"The other children."

"No, there is no time for play."

"Why not?"

"Because, you are different from them, besides Kefka will be coming soon."

"No! I don't want to go with him. He's mean to me, he hurts me."

"You will go with him! It is time for you to begin your training!"

"Training for what?"

"No more questions."

The door swung open and Terra ran behind her "father" but he stepped aside as Kefka approached. Kefka looked down at the girl, a large grin on his twisted face. "Come now my little esper-child…you want to play do you?"

Cold hands grabbed her wrist and he jerked her out the door. Her father stood, hands clenched unable to do anything. If he protested, he could loose his job as well as his life.

"Now then my little Terra, what's this about wanting to play games?"

"I-I just want to have f-fun," she managed to stammer.

"Fun is it? We can do that."

He jerked her wrist and walked on, closer to the building that she dreaded. He entered it and she followed. Strange tubes lined the walls and in each one was a floating figure. He walked past them and she stared at the ground as they walked, ignoring their whispers for help.

Finally they reached their destination, the armory, and Kefka drew a sword for himself and tossed a smaller one to Terra. "Now we shall play!"

Every time she made a mistake he would hit her with the flat of the blade and by the time they were done she was sore and bruised. He put his sword up and she gratefully handed hers back to him. He gazed down at her a moment and his crazed eyes seemed to clear; it was as if he looked at her for the first time. "What have we done?" he whispered. Then his normal twisted grin returned and he grabbed her once more, "Time to go my darling, play time is over."

Groggily she opened her eyes; the perfect sky seemed to spin above her like a whirlpool, sucking her in. She closed her eyes again, the spinning made her sick.

"Terra?" the voice was coming from above her, a deep, warm voice calling to her.

She reluctantly opened her eyes once more and was glad to see that the sky was back to normal. Hazel eyes and shaggy blonde hair came into view and she sat up quickly, a bit too quickly. Her head ached and her hands held it as if it would make the pain go away.

"Are you alright?" he was now kneeling down beside her.

"Yes, yes I'm fine," she allowed her hands to fall to her lap.

"What happened?"

Could she tell him? Would he understand? Locke would understand…he knows how the past can plague you…he promised…he promised…but he is far away…

"I'm fine," she said again. He looked at her unconvinced and she stood unsteadily. "I have to find the children."

She walked away, shaking slightly. There was a large pile of wood ahead of her, a likely hiding spot. As she approached there was a loud screech and Sylphie ran straight into Terra.

"Save me Mamma! Save meeeee!"

"What is it?" The fright in the child's voice made her nervous.

"MONSTER!!!"

Terra's heart nearly stopped. The monster's had disappeared when the world went back to normal. "Where is it? Where's the monster?"

Sylphie grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the back of the wood pile. She stood a few feet away from it and pointed. "There!" she exclaimed vehemently.

Terra saw nothing at first and then began to laugh. A normal spider clung to the wood, minding its own business.

"That's not a monster," Terra explained patiently, "it's only a spider, it won't hurt you."

Sylphie looked up at her with a look that clearly stated she did not believe her. "Kill it!"

Terra was slightly dismayed at this response. "Killing isn't the answer. It deserves to live just as much as we do."

"But what about those monsters you killed?"

"They were trying to hurt people," she said firmly. She recalled the memory that she had had that morning, fifty men in under three minutes…some of them had had families, children and wives, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and now they would never return…because of her. She pushed the memory away as she found herself constantly doing; she could not think about it, it had not been her fault.

Sylphie was now studying the spider with a disgusted expression on her face but she said no more about it. Terra managed a smile, "Come on, let's go find the others."

Unwillingly she sunk down into her bed, pulling the soft sheets over her slender frame. The candle next to her flickered, trying to drive away the darkness with its feeble glow. Tired as she was, sleep was the last thing she wanted. She did not want to remember. Terra let her eyes wander around the room and tried to think of other things but soon her eyes could stay open no longer. Once more she was immersed in the world of memories that she would rather forget.

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Please let me know what you think!!! (If you don't like it you can tell me...but please tell me nicely) The next chapter should be more interesting, this was kind of an introduction.