1. Prologue

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Prologue  
**Word Count**: 4,968

**Summary**: The warriors of both Cosmos and Chaos have been summoned once again. The heroes have won before but their counterparts seem to have grown in power while they have not. With two of their own captured and the Warrior of Light nowhere to be found, can they achieve victory?

* * *

Chapter Start

The warriors of Cosmos stood in front of Cosmos's throne. The Warrior of Light stood facing the rest of the warriors from beside his Goddess. Firion stood with Tidus and Cecil discussing things and catching up with one another. The Onion Knight and Terra were sitting down leaning on one of the debris in the ground chatting away. Bartz stood with Zidane and Squall, the three of them discussed whatever came to mind, for Bartz, adventure, for Zidane, women, and for Squall, solitude. Cloud stood aloof from everyone else not really interested in being in anyone's crowd. The ex-SOLDIER simply watched everyone else.

The Warrior of Light called the warriors' attention. "For whatever reason, you nine have been brought back from your worlds to fight for Cosmos. Let it be known that Cosmos was not the one who called you. She herself is looking into the matter. We can only speculate that the reason for that which we fight, but I assume it is because Chaos has somehow returned."

Onion Knight spoke timidly. "Is it truly possible for him to have survived?" He looked at a frightened Terra.

"He's a god, what did you expect? It's not like we actually saw him die." Cloud answered stoically.

"But we were all sent back to our worlds after we defeated him. I thought that meant that we won for good," Zidane said.

"Zidane by that logic, just how my death was not as absolute as our enemy thought perhaps you hadn't really defeated Chaos as we thought," Cosmos said calmly.

"This whole thing is stupid. If you have to have a fight why did you have to include me?" Cloud said turning to walk away.

"Cloud!"Tidus called. "Don't leave, we need you."

"Not interested," Cloud gave his usual answer stoically.

"Enough!" the Warrior interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Terra said shyly. Everyone turned to look at the girl. "Chaos's warriors are preparing for battle. It feels like they're very serious. I've never felt this kind of power before..." she trailed off to the Onion Knight.

The Warrior summoned his sword and shield. "Everyone prepare for battle, be at your best, it sounds like they mean business.

* * *

The Warriors of Cosmos arrived at their battlefield within minutes. Their arena consisted of a large open barren plain with a few plateau's here and there. They stood at the border between Cosmos's domain and Chaos's. They could only wait for their enemy to arrive before plunging into enemy territory.

The Warrior of Light stood by himself in the middle of everyone else, sword and shield at the ready. He was still questioning why they were there. What could have happened? Cloud was right. They hadn't seen Chaos perish. Why did Cosmos not explain anything to him? The Warrior knew that she would always be able to tell him something, especially if that something concerned why they were all summoned here again. He brushed his doubts aside and set his mind on the coming battle. He looked towards the ten shadowed figures and was easily able to make out Garland's shape.

Firion gazed out towards the ten figures and immediately spotted The Emperor. He clenched his jaw and moved to charge but the Warrior of Light stopped him by putting his blade in front of the liegeman. Silently nodding he waited for the Warrior's signal. Firion was hungry for the blood of The Emperor. He knew that if he could defeat him now then it would bring everyone one step closer to victory and his dream. Firion prepared his bow with three arrows and had his target set on the Emperor, who merely smirked.

The Onion Knight turned to Terra and stepped in front of her. He was happy to see her again. The youth thought he would never get to see her. Terra looked at him and smiled weakly. The Onion Knight assumed that she was still doubtful about using her powers. He consoled her and told her that he would protect her from anything. The Onion Knight took his fighting stance and wouldn't cower in the face of anything, even Exdeath.

Cecil spotted Golbez from afar easily recognizing the ebony plated armor. Cecil couldn't believe that Golbez was still on Chaos's side. Cecil wouldn't be able to fight him. He shared this thought of not fighting family with Tidus whom he had grown close to since the last war. Tidus assured him that everything would be fine and Tidus himself would take care of Golbez. With his doubts erased he turned towards the oncoming warriors of Chaos who are no doubt getting restless.

Bartz was bent down on his knee next to Firion. He had a bow in his hand with three notched arrows exactly the same as Firion's. The two decided they would work together to take down The Emperor. Bartz kept his sights on the despot and hoped his aim was as great as his energy. Bartz mind wandered to Zidane and Squall. He wanted to be able to talk with the thief and the lion again. They were his closest friends, at least Zidane was. Bartz sighed and in doing so accidently loosed his arrows. Firion yelled at him. His arrows traveled towards The Emperor who merely deflected them away.

Terra looked down at the youth in front of her. She felt better now that he was there. His was a blade that she could depend on. She pulled her hands towards her heart. Her mind was filled with doubts. The last time the twenty warriors had a showdown between each other before she believed she was one of the weakest links. She didn't want to fight. She didn't want to endanger everyone else with her powers. She fell to her knees. The Onion Knight quickly turned around and consoled her. Her mind was still racing with thoughts of doubt but when she saw Kefka staring at her with his beady eyes she regained her resolve to fight.

Cloud stood aloof from everyone else. The ex-SOLDIER stared down Sephiroth. Cloud had his trusty Buster Sword shouldered and he looked as calm as ever. He wouldn't let Sephiroth get the best of him. Just don't listen to him Cloud reminded himself constantly. Half of his offense is his words. The soldier broke his stare from the champion and held his blade out in a ready position in front of him. While he still had the conviction he had to strike.

Squall held his gunblade out with one hand and was ready to strike at anytime. He was ready for any tricks Ultimecia might throw at him. While most of them didn't know who they were going to end up fighting, Squall and Zidane had already decided they were going to fight their counterparts together and try to end the conflict as quickly as possible. When he spotted Ultimecia he thought he felt time stop for just a moment.

Zidane stood beside Squall with his daggers in the form of a swallow. He spun the blades in his hand effortlessly. Zidane thought of Kuja. Did they really have to fight again? The thief held feelings for the reaper that neither of them could understand. Zidane didn't want to fight his genome brother. The thief soon realized that it was simply fated to happen and there was nothing he could do to go against it. Zidane pulled Squall down to his height and began whispering to the lion.

Tidus stood beside a troubled Cecil. He eyed Jecht standing in the horizon as Chaos had begun to appear behind his warriors. Tidus advised Cecil not to fight his brother. Tidus would not fight Jecht. There was no reason to. While Jecht was his counterpart, neither of them had the heart to destroy the other not even for the sake of love. He thought it best to avoid his old man instead of running away from him.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Warrior of Light vs. Garland_**

The Warrior of Light lowered his blade and began charging towards the enemy. The other nine warriors followed suit as did the ten warriors of Chaos. The Warrior of Light immediately charged towards Garland who met his challenge with earnest. Garland swung his mighty multiform weapon into the ground shattering the earth, then kicked the great slabs of rock that shot up towards the Warrior.

"Shine!" the Warrior deployed his Shield of Light towards the rocks shattering them with ease. He caught his sword and shield and slashed diagonally at Garland. Garland deflected slash after slash from the Warrior and countered with his own.

The Warrior defended himself but was thrown into the air from the force of the blow. "You have grown stronger," the Warrior of Light noted. He spun in air and created a seal in the air. "Come light!" He swung his blade through the seal and seven blades of light formed in a horizontal line in front of him. He thrust his blade forward and the blades flew towards Garland. Garland took to the air and swung his weapon around him in a wide circle. Two cyclones formed and he sent them towards the incoming swords of light. The cyclone assimilated the blades and shot them all out in random directions until they reached their maximum range and dissipated.

"You cannot win!" Garland shouted as he swung his weapon towards the Warrior. The hero dodged effortlessly but Garland ejected half of his multiform weapon. The chained projectile torpedoed towards the unsuspecting warrior. The Warrior had the left side of his torso ripped off from the attack. He fell on the ground and landed on his back screaming in pain. Pieces of his armor had shattered and lay on the ground clanking as they struck it. The Warrior of Light was hacking out blood and his skin paled. His sword and shield disappeared and blood painted the ground a dark red. Garland stood over him looking at the maimed body of his adversary.

The Warrior of Light with one eye cracked open looked at the stalwart standing over him. "Bathe in the light!" he cried with the last bit of his strength. The shining pillars of light jetted out from the ground and closed in on Garland from four sides catching Garland by surprise. The four pillars met where Garland was standing creating a single large pillar of light. The Warrior heard Garland's scream and smiled to himself. The light destroyed most of Garland's armor and the chainmail he wore underneath. The stalwart fell on his stomach next to the hero. "The...light will...never..." The Warrior of Light blacked out.

"This...I can't...end...yet. The...cycle..." Garland's weapon disappeared a few moments later.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Onion Knight and Terra vs. Kefka and Cloud of Darkness_**

The Onion Knight ran forwards with Terra following him. Naturally the youth knew who the both of them were going to fight. Kefka and Cloud of Darkness were already on their way towards them. Terra stopped and began muttering an incantation for one of her spells. The youth drew his blade and dashed towards the Cloud of Darkness. The wraith vanished and then reappeared behind Terra. "Look out!" Onion Knight called realizing her plan.

"Too late, fool!" Cloud of Darkness charged her particle beam from behind the girl. Terra quickly turned and formed a barrier of magic in front of her. She struggled with the attack and was able to deflect the wave away. Terra was breathing heavily. She turned towards Cloud of Darkness and shot a burst of wind at her. It struck the wraith and sent her back, giving time for Terra to recuperate.

"She's so strong," Terra said to herself. "Can I win?" Before she knew it Cloud of Darkness was behind her again and fired another ray of darkness.

"Over here!" Kefka called from in front of a distracted Onion Knight. "If you keep on getting distracted like this you're going to lose!" The harlequin began shooting random fire and thunder spells at the youth who dodged them effortlessly.

"I will protect her!" the Onion Knight cried. He charged at Kefka with his blade ready. Kefka quickly backed away and began firing magic wildly. The youth rushed the harlequin while dodging his berserk magic. With a loud shout the Onion Knight thrust his blade at Kefka. He felt the blade connect with Kefka's torso and saw the ribbons of blood fly out, but the harlequin only laughed.

"Now I've got you!" Kefka shot out a large chunk of ice from his hands. The Onion Knight let go of his sword and ducked under the block of ice and put his hands to Kefka's stomach, then fired his own magic.

"Firaga!" he cried. The heat formed in his palms and shot outward. The explosion that followed sent Kefka flying through the air. The fire enveloped Kefka who laughed maniacally before falling to the ground as the flames slowly ate away at his body before it finally extinguished itself. The youth then approached the fallen mage and removed his blade from what was left of Kefka's torso. Kefka was still laughing hysterically. "You should go protect your girl. I think she's losing!!" Kefka said before vanishing.

Terra backflipped away from the particle beam and fired her spells at Cloud of Darkness. "Blizzara!" She followed up by casting Holy and Flare spells at the wraith. Cloud of Darkness used both of her tentacles to negate the attack.

"You will have to do better than that!" she smirked. Cloud of Darkness started charging one of her beams again.

"Harmful waters!" Terra placed her hands on the ground and called up geysers of water underneath Cloud of Darkness.

"You fool!" she cried before vanishing. She reappeared next to Terra and fired her laser point blank. Terra screamed. The attack connected fully and sent the girl flying. She spun through the air with her arms extended and landed with a loud crash on the ground. She slid a few feet leaving a trail of dust in her wake and blacked out.

"Terra! No!!"The Onion Knight quickly rushed over to Terra's side. "I'm...so sorry." He fought back tears and then glared at Cloud of Darkness.

"She couldn't defeat me, what makes you think that you can?" she laughed, "Silly boy."

The Onion Knight continued to glare at her and clenched his jaw tightly. He thought about his possible choices. "I can't just leave Terra like this. She needs treatment before it's too late," he muttered. He bent on his knee and took the girl in his arms. She was lighter than he thought. He turned his back to Cloud of Darkness and ran away.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Cecil vs. Exdeath_**

"Cecil! Leave Golbez to me!" Tidus said to them before the two of them split up to fight their own battles.

Cecil watched the battles and saw their outcomes one by one. Some he was satisfied with but the others he couldn't help but feel horrible inside. He noticed that everyone was fighting except for him and one of Chaos's own warriors. Exdeath. The tree stood on top of a cliff surveying the battle. Cecil noticed Exdeath's aversion to the fight and decided that the tree would be his opponent. Cecil ran down the side of the cliff he was on and then jetted across the battlefield only to run up an even higher cliff.

"It is about time," Exdeath said when Cecil arrived on the cliff.

"This is all too familiar," Cecil noted. "It will end the same way as before."

Exdeath simply laughed. "Why don't you try and find out."

Cecil took to the air and morphed into his Paladin form. He fired a ball of light at Exdeath and followed it up by charging down with his lance. Exdeath put up his defensive barrier around him and deflected the blast and Cecil's charge. The tree then appeared behind Cecil and fired a blast of energy into the knight's spine. Cecil grunted in pain as he was sent a few feet away. "Do you still believe you can win?" Exdeath taunted. "The void will take you!" Exdeath cried before engulfing the area around Cecil in the power of the void.

Within the voided area Cecil transformed into his Dark Knight form. Without warning Cecil shot his lance out from the darkness at Exdeath, taken by surprise, Exdeath teleported away. The voided area cleared and Cecil summoned his lance back to him. "Where...?" His question was met with Exdeath's sword coming at him from nowhere. The sword danced around Cecil who could only block its attacks. With no enemy to strike Cecil continued to defend himself until he could find the entropic tree. Cecil looked around for Exdeath; spotting him on a floating rock. There was no doubt that Exdeath was using his powers to levitate the rock as well.

Cecil deflected the sword away and charged up towards Exdeath. He switched to his paladin form. The knight gripped his sword tightly. Exdeath called his blade back to him and put up a large red barrier in front of him. A momentous Cecil couldn't stop his attack and was driven back when his blade connected with the shield. Exdeath counterattacked with a large blast a blue energy. The blast struck him in the stomach and disintegrated the armor plates there. Cecil flew through the air and landed on an elevated platform of rock.

"You aren't even worth sending to the void. Be gone from this place!" Exdeath vanished.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Tidus vs. Golbez_**

Tidus was running circles around the thaumaturge. "Why did you stop? This is a fight, gotta keep moving!" Tidus side-stepped to Golbez's blind side and threw his blade at him. Golbez easily deflected the blade and sent it back to the vision. Tidus back flipped and caught the blade in his left hand and threw it again. The second attack caught Golbez by surprise and the blade actually hit him. Golbez took a few steps back.

"Why do you defend my brother? Isn't there someone that you yourself should be fighting?" the thaumaturge asked.

"Because Cecil is my friend and I'll help him anyway that I can. And as for my old man..." Tidus flipped over Golbez and placed both hands on the ground. "I'll handle him later!!" Tidus charged at Golbez he collided with the ebony armored man and both of them were sent sprawling into a plateau. "That could've been executed better..." the dreamer said. Tidus was dazed and it showed in the way he was stumbling over himself.

"That was reckless, boy," Golbez said. He was levitating over a still stumbling Tidus. The thaumaturge placed both of his hands in front of him and shot out rays of lightning at the vision. The ray fully connected and the dreamer dropped to the ground face-down. His sword was lying a few inches in front of his hand. "Your resolve is shaking. Are you sure you can take on your father like this?" Golbez didn't give Tidus a chance to answer. "Do not worry, child. This conflict will see its end either way," Golbez muttered before levitating away.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Squall & Zidane vs. Ultimecia and Kuja_**

"Let the prelude begin!" Kuja cried taking to the air and dashing straight to Zidane. He made spheres of holy in his hands and began throwing them at the thief. Zidane easily dodged all of them running on the cliff sides and jumping. Using the flat end of his knives he struck the spheres and sent them straight back at Kuja. Kuja jumped backwards from where he was levitating. "Very clever, Zidane, but let's see how you handle this," he shot his right hand up towards the sky. He concentrated energy into his palm. A purple electric energy swirled around his hand and it shot out quickly over Zidane. Spheres began falling from the sky above the thief. Kuja was laughing maniacally.

Zidane realized what the reaper was doing and reacted swiftly. He took to the air and combined his knives into a swallow. He spun the weapon in his hand before thrusting it forward at Kuja.

"Time!" He heard a woman shout, and it felt like he couldn't move, or do anything for that matter.

Ultimecia smirked to herself. She stopped time for the monkey. Kuja owed her now. Ultimecia vanished and reappeared in front of the thief. She created multiple spells that the monkey would have to deal with when she released her hold on time, which was soon running out. What she didn't expect was for the lion to be closing in on them like he was.

"I got you!" Squall shouted before bringing his charged Blasting Zone down on both mages. "You were right Zidane. It was worth waiting," he said to no one in particular. Both Kuja and Ultimecia cried out and were driven into the ground by the attack. The witch's spells disappeared and Kuja's UIltima faded.

Ultimecia's grip on time over the monkey ceased and Zidane fell forward barely catching his balance. He still hadn't realized what happened. He looked down and saw Squall with his gunblade shouldered. Silently smirking at the thief. "It worked?! You mean I missed the finale?!" he fell to the ground and over to the lion. "I can't believe you.

"Your plan worked though. I can't believe they fell for something that you came up with," Squall put his hand on Zidane's head that was promptly shaken away. "Well this battle's over, time to go find everyone else."

"We're just going to leave them here?" Zidane asked following the lion.

Squall didn't answer. He simply looked forward and continued to walk.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Cloud vs. Sephiroth & Jecht_**

"Hello again Cloud. It's so nice to see you," Sephiroth murmured to the ex-SOLDIER. "How have you been?"

"Better since you aren't around," came Cloud's cold reply. "Why can't you just vanish into the shadows where you belong?"

"You should know by now that I will never fade away. There's nothing you can do. I will keep coming back stronger and stronger than before. You can't defeat me. You know this. We all know this," Sephiroth raised his blade. "Let us begin."

Cloud jumped onto the plateau behind him. Sephiroth followed him and swung his blade. Cloud swiftly blocked the shot and countered with his own. He swung the blade hard against Sephiroth's and sent the champion into the sky where he levitated. "Not bad at all," Sephiroth noted. Cloud jumped into the air towards Sephiroth. He got above his adversary and swung his blade down sending Sephiroth into the ground. The man simply laughed. He stopped himself from hitting the ground and brought himself back to his feet. "You can't win with power like that," he swung his blade vertically. Blade Beams came out rapidly, all of them hitting Cloud. Cloud fell to the ground on all fours.

"I...won't give up," Cloud stood up slowly and gripped his blade tightly. He tapped into the materia in the Buster Sword and used a Cure spell and a consecutive Lightning spell. The lightning caught Sephiroth off guard but it gave Cloud an opening that he gladly took. He charged forward with his blade in front of him. Sephiroth dodged the sword but Cloud quickly turned and grabbed Sephiroth's head with his hand. With a scream he fired consecutive fire spells out of his hand. Cloud then tossed the body away. He looked at Sephiroth who began laughing loudly. "You did well!" he said standing up. Sephiroth's entire left side of his face was coated in blood that dripped down to the ground. He laughed before vanishing away slowly. His laugh echoed through Cloud's mind.

As Cloud began to walk away he felt his head tingle. It was that feeling again. He fell to his knees. It felt like his head was going to explode. He cried out, Memories swarmed at him. "Why now?" The feeling soon subsided and the ex-SOLDIER made it to his feet. "Sephiroth...what did you do to me?"

"You shouldn't worry about him!" a man said from in front of him. Jecht began running forward barehanded. Cloud raised his weapon and moved to strike but Jecht ducked under his swipe and swung his fists at the ex-SOLDIER. Jecht got him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him and brought Cloud to his knees clutching his bruised stomach. Jecht relentlessly side-kicked him in the head sending him flying into a boulder latched to the ground. Cloud sat leaning on the rock his Buster Sword lay on the ground under his hand. "That's all you've got?!!" Jecht yelled. "You're not worth anything! I can't fight someone who can't even fight back!" Jecht turned and ran away to search for anything to fight.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Firion & Bartz vs. The Emperor_**

Firion and Bartz ran side by side notching arrows and firing at the Emperor who continuously deflected them away with ease. "This isn't working!" Bartz called. He called off the bow and materialized Zidane's swallow in one hand and Cloud's Buster Sword in the other. "Take this!" Bartz charged up to the Emperor's platform and swung both weapons down on the despot.

"No! Bartz!" Firion called. He was too late. Halfway through the swing, Bartz could no longer move.

"You fell right into my trap foolish boy!" The Emperor smirked. A ball of lightning encased Bartz. Five chains of electric energy held Bartz in the trap one around each of his wrists and ankles and another around his torso. Bartz weapons disappeared from his hands. He began to struggle but was electrocuted. "Keep struggling boy, see what happens."

"Bartz!" Firion yelled. He shot four arrows aiming for the chains within the electric sphere. The arrows sunk into the sphere and stopped then burned away.

"Don't worry about me! Just fight him," Bartz said through clenched teeth.

The Emperor was sitting in mid-air like he was on a throne. "An insect defeat an Emperor? I shall end your fantasy here!"

Firion tossed his knives into the cliff and used the ropes as leverage to get him up the cliff. He jumped up at the last stretched taking his knives out of the rocks and letting them fall into place at his ankles. "I cannot let you leave here alive, Emperor." Firion stated drawing his sword.

"Let me leave? You don't even have a say, tool," The Emperor chided. "You can't defeat me idiotic boy." The Emperor summoned multiple small spheres of lightning around Firion. "You can't escape!"

Firion threw his axe out from his imprisonment and caught the Emperor off guard. "You can't run!" He proceeded to send all his weapons out mentally at The Emperor. The seven weapons surrounded the Emperor before converging on him. "There's no escape!" Firion yelled.

The Emperor smirked to himself as he dodged the weapons gracefully. "Look behind you!" The Emperor taunted.

"Like I'm going to fall for a trick like that!!" Because Firion couldn't resist, he glanced behind him then turned back around. He did a double-take and his opened wide. There was a blue flare behind him. "Ah sh-" He screamed as the ball of fire exploded right next to him. The liegeman fell on his stomach unconscious. Pieces of charred clothing began peeling off Firion's back and flying away in the breeze. His back and legs were seared. The scent of burning flesh was heavily prevalent. He was bleeding from both ears.

"You both will make excellent bait!" The Emperor's laughed echoed through a still barely conscious Bartz until the mimic's body could no longer handle the voltage of his prison and blacked out.

* * *

Chapter End


	2. Stranded

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Stranded  
**Word Count**: 4,315

**Summary**: The Warriors of Cosmos find that this time around that most if not all of the realms have merged into one. The Onion Knight and Terra find themselves in Luca while Squall returns to Balamb with Zidane. The Warriors decide that they need to find one another if they have any chance of survival but first they appear to be stranded within each other's worlds with no way of getting back.

* * *

The Onion Knight ran as fast as he could. He wasn't sure if the Cloud of Darkness was chasing him but he didn't dare turn around to check. The boy was afraid, not for himself, but for the girl he held in his arms. As he ran the world began to morph and change around him. He stopped and looked at the shifting scenery. Onion Knight thought it strange. "What's going on here?" he wondered aloud.

He found himself in a large city. Quickly, he deduced that this had to be from Tidus's world because of all the blitzball billboards and banners that were plastered onto some buildings. Onion Knight looked completely out of place from everyone else. These people were dressed in light clothing apart from the police officials or news reporters that littered the streets. The boy received many stares as he carried the girl through the city looking for an alleyway for which he might perform healing spells on the girl. He had no idea if these people had any knowledge of magic. Tidus had never used any magic in his fights and neither did Jecht from what he could see. Use of magic in public might cause panic and fear.

He ran through piers and looked out at the docks. Onion Knight decided that behind the large stacks of boxes would be sufficient cover to heal Terra. Swiftly, the boy ran behind the crates and set the girl down. "Please don't let me be too late," the young knight placed both hands over Terra's body, his palms open. He closed his eyes and focused the magic through his body into his fingers and out into Terra's body. "I knew I should've invested more time in white magic," the knight said to himself. The healing energies came out red. "Cure." He said the spell's name softly so no one who was passing by could hear.

Terra's body jolted up at the sudden invasion of magic into her body. Onion Knight's expression was one of worry. He wasn't sure if her body was reacting violently to his magic or if this was normal when someone was being healed. His inexperience got the best of him again. He continued to heal the girl's body. Terra's body continued to tremble as her bruises, cuts, and gashes slowly began to disappear.

The Onion Knight stopped abruptly. He heard footsteps and summoned his weapon. Nothing appeared in his hands. He simply looked at his hand. "What the-" a young girl turned the corner.

The girl had shoulder length blonde hair. It was braided in many different places. She wore a revealing outfit, if you could even call it that. The girl had on a bikini top and booty shorts. "And what are you doin' back here kid?"

Onion Knight looked around frantically. No excuse came to his head and he stammered to speak. The girl watched him and giggled. "I was trying to heal my friend," he concluded. He turned away and knelt down beside Terra.

"Quite a pretty thing, are you sure you were just healing her?" she chided putting her hand to her mouth.

The Onion Knight blushed. "I would never! And Terra isn't a thing!"

"Sheesh, sorry, anyway let me handle this," the girl held her palms over Terra's body. She closed her eyes. "Curaga!" She cried. The energies flowed through her and around her body. It manifested as a bright green energy and it quickly moved into Terra's body. The energy enveloped both girls. Terra's body quickly began to heal rapidly. Within a minute there wasn't a piece of blemished skin.

"That was...incredible..." The Onion Knight stated with awe.

"Whew...that was exhilarating," she said sitting down beside Terra who was just beginning to regain consciousness. "What's your name kid?"

"I...don't have one. People just call me the Onion Knight. Do I need a name?"

"A name is a name, and that's all there is...if you want a name then make one up," she looked down at her shoes. A solemn smile came across her face before she jumped to her feet. "I'm Rikku! Nice to meet ya," she said holding out her hand. The Onion Knight shook her hand and then looked at Terra. "You said...her name was Terra correct?

"Yes, Terra is correct," Terra said.

"Terra!" The Onion Knight plopped down next to her. "How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do?"

"Give the girl some breathing room, kid," Rikku said pulling the kid by the back of his light armor. Rikku then realized that they were wearing strange clothing. "You're not from here are you?"

The Onion Knight sighed. He was wondering when she was going to ask. "No, we're not."

"Don't tell me you're from Zanarkand too," she said sitting back down leaning on a crate. She drew her knees to her chest and rested her head in her hand.

"Zanarkand?" the Onion Knight looked at Terra. "What's that?"

"Zanarkand was a city that was destroyed a thousand years ago, but recently a guy named Tidus-"

"So this is Tidus's world after all," the Onion Knight interrupted.

"You make it sound like there's more than one world out there..." Rikku said and then realization smacked her in the face. "Oh no...well it would certainly explain Tidus's constant disappearances. Still...care to explain?"

"Not really," he said coldly, "but have you seen anyone else who might look out of place around?"

"Why should I tell you?" Rikku said standing up. She became offended by the Onion Knight's tone.

"We're here because the gods are at war. Cosmos, goddess of harmony and order, and Chaos, the god of chaos and discord. We fight for Cosmos. I was defeated by a warrior of Chaos and I guess Onion Knight took me here. Now we're gonna search for our friends so we might stand a chance against Chaos," Terra said standing up. She stretched her arms out.

"Terra!" the boy shrieked.

"She healed me. I don't see why we can't share anything with her. She knows enough knowledge of White Magic to be of assistance, if we can enlist her aid it would be great for our cause."

"I-I suppose you're right..." the young boy said."Rikku, will you come with us?"

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied grinning.

* * *

Zidane!  
What?  
Zidane!!  
"WHAT?!" Zidane yelled his body jerking awake.

"Wake up," Squall said. The lion was standing above him.

"That's kinda creepy Squall. Were you watchin' me in my sleep or somethin'?"

"Shut up. Get dressed, we have to get started," Squall stood leaning on the door with his arms closed and ankles crossed.

"Would you please remove your eyes from me? My self-consciousness will thank you," Zidane said. He heard the door close and leaped out of bed. He stretched his arms out feeling the bones crack. The thief scratched his bare stomach and flexed his tail as far as it could go. "Much better..." he threw on his tunic and pants."Okay you can come back in."

The door creaked open and Squall came back in the room. "So Squall, you have any idea where we are?"

"Balamb Town," Squall sighed. "Also known as my home."

"THIS IS YOUR HOME?!" Zidane practically screamed. He put his boots on faster than he ever had before and jolted out of the hotel room. Squall picked up a few items that Zidane left behind and walked down the stairs. He paid the woman at the desk and then left the building. Zidane was standing outside glancing about like a kid in a candy store.

"Zidane, chill out. Stop drawing attention to yourself," he hissed.

"Well look who it is y'know!" a voice said from behind them. "And what are you doin' here? Shouldn't you be at Garden since you're back?" Said voice belonged to a tall tan man. He had large arm muscles and the white tanktop he was wearing did nothing but show off his washboard abs. He wore dark yellow pants and had his hands in his pocket. A large yellow bo staff rest on his back parallel to his waist.

"SQUALL?" a woman said. She appeared from behind the tall man. A black eye-patch covered one of her eyes and her matted gray hair waved in the light breeze. She wore a green windbreaker jacket, unzipped with a white t-shirt underneath. Her jeans were quite baggy for a woman. She had a light blue chakram strapped to her hip.

"Raijin...Fujin..." Squall said. He looked at the two. "I don't feel like fighting you today," Squall turned on his heel.

"We're not here to fight y'know. We was gonna ask 'bout Seifer y'know?"

Squall froze. "Ask someone else."

"FORCE," Fujin said. She took her chakram from her hip. "RAIJIN?"

Raijin reached for his staff. "Aww man, I really didn't wanna fight y'know, but if Fujin says we gotta fight, then we gotta fight y'know.

* * *

**_Battle Start: Squall & Zidane vs. Fujin & Raijin_**

"Zidane, stay outta this one. It's personal."

"As much as I'd love to sit back and watch, you're outnumbered. I won't kick back and watch you get hurt," Zidane summoned his swallow and spun it in his hands a few times.

"Now you're carryin' a kid around with ya? You know I don't hit kids y'know!" Raijin twirled his heavy staff in his hands. "Thundaga!" he cried. The lightning dropped swiftly on Squall who shook off the attack.

"You're magic isn't as strong as it used to be Raijin! Is something wrong?" Squall taunted.

"Why you! You're gonna get it now, y'know!" Raijin spun his staff above his head. "Triple!" The blue polygon surrounded Raijin. "Aura!" the yellow light engulfed Raijin and then it covered Fujin, then Raijin again. "Never hurts to have extra y'know."

Fujin tossed her pinwheel at Zidane. Zidane side-stepped it. The breeze that followed the projectile nearly sent him flying. He turned around and saw the weapon wheeling towards him. "That's a neat trick..." he muttered. Zidane spun his swallow in his hands then detached it into his daggers. The thief crossed both weapons across the other and braced himself for the weapon. Zidane was pushed back by the force of the weapon. He pushed back hard and managed to deflect the projectile away. It flew straight up into the air and then back to Fujin who caught it with ease.

Zidane fell to his knee. "Aww man, why do I gotta fight the girl?" he said as he jumped onto the hotel advertising sign. His body began to glow red. "Really? Alright, see how you like this!" he spun his swallow is his hands. "Trance!" his body began to glow a bright pink.

"STRANGE." Fujin said getting ready to throw her chakram.

Squall dodged swipe after swipe from Raijin's staff. He ducked, blocked, and side-stepped while trying to find an opening in the thunder master's attacks. "Take this!" Raijin called. He swung his staff above his head and then smashed it into Squall's gunblade. Electricity ran through the staff and through Squall. "How do you like that?" Raijin asked smirking.

"Why don't you tell me?!" Squall shouted pushing Raijin backwards. Light engulfed Squall as he charged at Raijin. "Lion Heart!" he cried. His gunblade morphed into its blue form.

"What the...oh shi-" Raijin started. He put up his staff in a defensive position. Squall cut right through it. The weapon broke apart with a few electrical sparks coming through it. "Fujin! I need help y'know!" he called to his partner. Squall made another attempt at Raijin but was dodged. "Alright I give up you win y'know!"

"LOSING!" she said back to him.

Zidane was running circles around the wind master. He left after images surrounding her. Fujin threw her projectile and controlled it to try and dispatch all of them but Zidane was simply too fast. He made more images than she could get rid of. Fujin tossed her chakram so it moved in a circumference around her. "You're open!" Zidane called. He was coming from above her, his daggers in hand. Fujin looked up and panicked. She put her hands to her head and ducked. Nothing happened.

"I could never hurt a girl as pretty as you," Zidane said. He stood on the ground next Fujin. He reverted to his normal form.

* * *

"DEFEAT," she said shaking her head. She called her chakram back to her and strapped it back onto her hip. "RAIJIN?"

"I'm still alive y'know!" Raijin said jumping away from the corner he was backed into and next to Fujin. He held both pieces of his staff in his hands and looked down at them. "Anyway I could get these repaired or somethin'?"

Squall walked over and called Zidane to him. The monkey thief complied. Squall's Lion Heart changed back into its normal revolver.

"CHICKEN-WUSS," Fujin said in response to Raijin.

Raijin groaned, "I guess I have to call in my favor..." he said."It can wait," he said

Zidane and Squall tried to will their weapons away but they would not. Squall tucked his through his belt and Zidane put his in his bag with his other stolen items.

Fujin looked the monkey thief up and down. She pointed a finger at him and looked at Squall. "MONSTER?"

"I certainly am not a monster!" said Zidane venomously.

"No, Fujin. He's not from around here, let's just say that."

"DISCUSS."

"First, tell me why you're looking for Seifer," Squall said crossing his arms.

"SECRECY. FOLLOW." The young woman turned and began walking away. Raijin stood next to her.

"Can we really tell them? This is Squall y'know."

"The more they know the better," Fujin said softly. "Squall holds a special place in Seifer's heart and vice-versa as much as the two will never admit it to each other. I'm more curious about that creature he has with him."

"Aww shucks, you're right as usual y'know," Raijin smiled.

"SILENCE." Fujin smirked.

"Hey Squall, who are they? Certainly not friends?" Zidane asked

"No they're friends, and enemies at the same time. They're reliable," Squall replied.

"I'll take your word for it. You don't rely on people so for you to say that means they really are." Zidane's tail swished back and forth occasionally hitting Squall's arm. He began walking faster and folded his hands behind his head.

"Stop drawing so much attention to yourself. People with tails aren't normal in Balamb or anywhere else in the world," Squall picked up his pace.

Fujin and Raijin lead them to an underground abandoned train station. The place reeked of mold and dead animal but the scent didn't seem to bother Fujin or Raijin. They were brought into an old looking train Zidane immediately covered his nose with his arm and Squall adjusted quickly. "What is that smell?!" Zidane nearly screamed. "It's clogging my nostrils," he whined.

"SILENCE," Fujin said vehemently. Zidane's tail jumped up in fright.

"We don't like it either y'know. We're used to it though y'know, used to come here a lot y'know. Haven't been here since Seif disappeared y'know."

"This is good enough," Fujin muttered. She turned to face Squall and Zidane. "You first," she said sitting on a plastic crate. She crossed her leg and crossed her arms. Her single red eye never left Squall. She tapped her foot.

"Fu, maybe we should start y'know. Just so Squall can trust us, y'know?" he said sitting on the ground. He crossed his legs and leaned back on his hands. The two pieces of his staff were resting on his lap. "Seifer disappeared, again."

"He's been missing for about as long as you were. Raijin and I can't sense him anywhere. It's like he vanished from the face of the earth. I don't know what to do. By the way, they put Quistis in charge of Garden after you disappeared," Fujin spoke quietly.

"Quistis, eh? How is she doing?"

"Quite well y'know. She sent us out to find you and Seifer about a week ago. At least we found one of you."

"Why'd you wanna fight us then?" Zidane asked. He sat on the ground across from Raijin. The soles of his feet were pushed together and his hands were on his boots. His tail swished back and forth behind him.

"It's a routine thing," Squall said nonchalantly. "So Seifer disappeared when I was summoned to Cosmos eh?" He stood with his hand on his chin, pondering. It was a good minute before he came to a conclusion. "Then we will soon fight..." he muttered.

"You're still out to get him Squall?" Fujin asked.

"No. It's my turn to explain. Fujin, Raijin," he looked at each of them at their names. "This is Zidane, he is from another world." He looked at Zidane who had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Actually, I found out that I wasn't even part of that world, but an alternate world parallel to the one I thought I was from. It's crazy I know, but it's why I have a tail. I'm called a Genome. Kuja is actually my brother Squall. It's kinda strange, but we can get to that later," Zidane explained frowning a little bit.

"Anyway," Squall continued, "Zidane and I along with eight others were summoned to fight in the realm of the Gods. We fight for Cosmos, the goddess of harmony and order. Our enemies are Chaos and his pawns. It just so happens that Ultimecia is on the side of the enemy. This is only an assumption, but I think it is safe to say that Seifer has been called back to her..."

Fujin covered her one eye with her hand and shook her head. "The past is to repeat itself then..."

"Take me to Garden," Squall requested. "If history is to repeat itself then I need my friends at Garden." At this Fujin smiled.

"You called them your friends," she chuckled.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Squall asked narrowing his eyes.

"Absolutely not," she said standing up. "Raijin, we're going to Garden."

* * *

The Onion Knight, Terra, and Rikku had left Luca and were now traversing the Mi'hen Highroad. They were making good time and had no clue on where they should actually be going. Onion Knight said they would simply travel around and maybe they would make some developments or find part of their crew.

"What kind of place is Spira anyway?" Terra asked looking over at Rikku.

"That's kind of a tough question, could we narrow it down to maybe a place and then I'll work my way around from there?"

"Tell us where you're from," Onion Knight said curiously.

Rikku's face dimmed. "Okay. Well I'm called an Al Bhed. Heli du saad oui," she looked at Onion Knight and Terra's expressions she followed up by providing a translation. "Nice to meet you. It's our dialect. We've created our own alphabet, by switching the Spiran letters around to make our words. A cipher, I think it's called."

"So can you take us to your people?"

"We don't have a Home anymore..." her face saddened."Sin took our old home away from us, and then my dad created a new Home on Bikanel Island. Then the Guado came...they destroyed our home..." she smiled weakly. She explained what Sin was and how the Guado came into destroying Home.

"Is Sin...gone?" Onion Knight asked. He was afraid of her answer.

"Oh yeah we beat that guy to a pulp. Although...it wasn't without its sacrifices. The Aeons..." she turned away from the group. Rikku put up her hands and jumped backwards. There were fiends running towards them, a pack of lupines. "I'll let you two handle this," Rikku giggled nervously.

**_

* * *

_**

Battle Start: Onion Knight, Terra, & Rikku vs. Fiends

Onion Knight looked at Rikku, then at Terra. "Alright, let's go!" Onion Knight looked at his hand and attempted to will his sword to him. Nothing came to him. "I guess I have to use magic," he placed both palms out in front of him. "Blizzaga!" he cried. The cold energies formed in his hand and shot out above a lupine. A large block of ice formed above the fiend and dropped. A swarm of pyreflies erupted from the corpse.

Terra placed her hands on the ground, "Flood!" she backflipped and two geysers of water shot out from the ground taking two of the fiends off their feet. They fell in a crumpled mess and faded away into pyreflies. Another pack of lupines arrived to replace the fallen. They were accompanied by armor shells and coeurls.

Onion Knight maneuvered around the blasts from the coeurls and the charges from the armor shells. He shot a Firaga at them but the armor shells simply brushed off the attack.

"They're resistant to magic." Rikku called. She was digging out items from her bag. The bag was placed on the ground. Rikku was on her knees taking out various items. An Al Bhed potions, two Chocobo Feathers, and a grenade. She opened one of the Al Bhed potions and placed the two Chocobo Feathers inside. She shook the bottle until it became a dark yellow consistency. She then poured the contents on the grenade. The grenade began to grow little by little, it turned a blood red. "Get back! Both of you! Now!!" she threw the grenade and hit the ground covering her head.

Nothing happened at first. Then after a few moments, a large flashy explosion erupted from the middle of the group of fiends. Onion Knight tackled Terra into the ground trying to protect her. He covered her body with his own. The explosion was a mix of reds and purples, a little bit of orange thrown into the mix as well. The grenade continued to burst for a few minutes before it finally stopped. The fiends were gone and the highroad was clear. There was a large bunker of sand where the brunt of the explosion took place.

Onion Knight fell on his side next to Terra. The entire backside of his armor was gone except a single plate. The plate had melted into his flesh. The perimeter of the plate was covered by his skin and turned an awful rust like color. Blood was flowing out in ribbons and onto the ground. Terra screamed when she saw. "Rikku! He needs medical help now!"

Rikku ran over quickly and turned the young warrior on his stomach. She grimaced at the sight and touched the gruesome wound. Onion Knight screamed in pain. "There's...nothing I can do," she said solemnly. "Magic can't expel a physical object from the body, just heal the lacerations and blemishes," she looked through her bag and then threw it on the ground. "Vilg!" she shouted. "Terra, keep him safe," Rikku said standing up.

"Where are you going?" Terra asked. She slipped her hand into Onion Knight's.

"I need to find someone," she said before sprinting away. "I'll be back soon," she shouted before disappearing behind a large hill.

Terra took off the Onion Knight's helmet and put it on the side. "You're gonna be okay," she said softly she brushed his hair out of his face. His consciousness started to fade. "I'll protect you from everything," she said squeezing the boy's hand tightly. Terra looked at the horizon. She looked at the rusted plate imbedded in the knight. "You're gonna be...okay," she reassured him. "I'll...protect you from...everything," she mumbled before his body went limp. A single tear fell from her face.


	3. Trouble

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Trouble  
**Word Count**: 4,588  
**Beta: **ChaosGarden (Thank you so much, you're so wonderful)

**Summary**: Cloud arrives in Midgar but soon finds out it is not the same Midgar he left when he was called to fight for Cosmos. He lands in a place with two of his former allies and closest friends, but they retain no memories of him. Meanwhile, Zidane is put in a life-threatening condition and in order to be truly saved Squall has to make a decision that would leave Zidane in the hands of their former enemy, and Zidane's brother, Kuja.

* * *

Cloud jolted upright from his sleep. Or rather, his unconsciousness. He looked around at his surroundings noticing that he landed in a church- a church he was all too familiar with. The ex-SOLDIER looked down and saw that he was sitting in a small patch of flowers in the middle of the establishment. When he noticed the flora, he hastily jumped to his feet and stepped out of them, recognizing the place immediately and falling into sorrow. How did he get here?

"Hey! Are you alright?" a guy called from the entrance that was leaning on the door with his arms crossed over his chest. His hair was slicked back except for a small piece hanging in front of his eyes. The man wore a SOLDIER uniform, and from the color of his top, Cloud could tell he was first class.

The blond also recognized this man immediately.

"No way..." Cloud muttered. "It's...impossible." He outstretched his hand towards what he thought was going to be a fading image of Zack. "Zack, you're...alive?"

"Of course I am- wait...how do you know my name?" He asked uncrossing his arms. "Must be gettin' famous already." Zack brushed the back of his head with his hand. "And who are you?" He shot a piercing gaze at Cloud now noticing the clothes the blonde was wearing. "From the looks of it you're a SOLDIER, right? Second class?"

"What's your name?" asked a woman behind him.

Cloud froze. He knew that voice! That motherly tone. She couldn't possibly be alive. It's all a dream, a stupid, stupid dream he kept telling himself. He tried to deny the possibility. Cloud turned around and confronted what he thought to be a figment. It was Aerith. He already knew that. She looked at him with that stern but caring stare. The flower-girl wore a white tanktop laced with pink. A few flowers were printed in the middle of the shirt on her stomach. The long skirt she wore was a light pink with a floral design down the entire length of one side. Aerith stood with her arms crossed and her stern look soon became one of concern. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"He's fine Aerith," Zack called from the door. He began walking towards Cloud. "So what's your name?"

Cloud zoned out of the world he was in. His mind traveled into the familiar darkness of uncertainty. Cloud stood in the darkness unsure of where he should go. He heard voices, one of them being his own. It told him to run, to where they didn't say. Regardless, Cloud began to run towards what he thought was the source of the sound. Soon his vision faded to white and he brought himself back into the real world.

"Cloud," he choked out. The blonde called his trusted Buster Sword to his hands. "And you are not Zack and Aerith."

* * *

**_Battle Start: Cloud vs. Zack_**

"Whoa! What're you talking about! And how did you get the Buster Sword?!" Zack stepped back taking the sword off his back. Cloud made the first move bringing his blade down on Zack's sword. "Can't we just talk about this?" he pushed Cloud back.

Cloud was oblivious to Zack's attempts of stopping him. "You aren't real." Cloud made a diagonal slash. The sound of metal grinding against metal rang through the church.

"There's no possible way you could be." He swung his blade down and performed a Cross-Slash. Zack backed away, unsure of whether he really wanted to hurt the boy in front of him or not.

"You died," he swiped his blade at Zack but it was defended. "Right before my eyes," when their blades me he knocked the SOLDIER's weapon away. "You do not exist anymore!" Cloud brought his blade over his shoulder. Just as he was to swing his arm down for a Blade Beam, Aerith grabbed his wrist.

**_Battle End_**

**_

* * *

_**

"That is enough!" she shouted. "I don't know who you think you are but you aren't going to fall in on MY church step on MY flowers and then pick a fight with MY boyfriend!" She wriggled the sword of his Cloud's hands and let it fall on the ground. "That's better. Now stop acting like a child and explain yourself. Have you been struck with a premonition or something? Or is it your day job to cause destruction and mayhem?" She paused and put her hands on his shoulders forcing him to sit down. "Well?!"

Cloud looked up at the frightening woman. He explained his story of the Nibelheim incident and Zack's death, and his fight against Sephiroth and Aerith's death. The turmoil he went through with his identity. He described the events in full-detail leading up to Kadaj and his group wrecking havoc upon Edge and his second defeat of Sephiroth. Cloud didn't want to end his story. He felt better and better as he continued, finally being able to describe things in retrospect. When he got to the part of Cosmos and Chaos, Zack stopped him.

"Wait, hold up. So you're saying I die in a Mako Reactor? Lame!" he pouted. "I was expecting some huge battle or something, but a Mako Reactor? Really?"

"Zack let him finish," Aerith said softly. She sat directly across from Cloud. Her eyes never left his mako infused ones.

"C'mon Aerith, a Mako Reactor? You can't tell me that you would be expecting that," Zack laughed and then brushed his hand through his hair.

"You know, for someone who just had his death explained to him, you sure are taking this lightly," Cloud said looking at the man standing next to Aerith.

"I don't really believe you, so that might have something to do with it, I'm sure you understand," Zack said cynically. He looked at Cloud, gazing at him fiercely.

Aerith stood up and stepped between them. "Don't you have some mission to run off to or something?" she put both hands on her hips glaring at Zack with that motherly glare.

"No not-hey!" Zack started as he was dragged by the wrist outside the church. "Hey what gives?" he asked before the door of the church was shut in his face. "What the hell? Aerith!"

"I need to have a quick discussion with this man," she said walking back over. Zack could still be heard on the other side of the door but Aerith simply ignored it. "We have much to discuss, Cloud."

* * *

"Zidane, stop running around you're gonna get lost y'know!" Raijin called from the front gate. "Squall asked me to watch out for you while you stay at Garden y'know! I can't let him down y'know!"

"Yes I know, why do you always end your statements with y'know anyway?"

"Because I can y'know!" he laughed. He sat on the steps with his elbows on his knees and his hands folded. He watched Zidane as he ran about the parking lot jumping over cars and just doing anything to expend any energy. "Zidane let's go inside, it's gettin' pretty chilly out y'know!" The dark man said standing up. "Besides, I need to go see Dincht if I want my staff fixed y'know."

Zidane let out a deep sigh. "Alright, but I was having so much fun jumping over these...vehicles? Vehicles right?"

"Yeah just call them cars, everyone else does y'know," Raijin stuck his hands in his pockets and used his feet to open the front gate. "C'mon Zidane, we can grab a bite to eat before I go see Dincht y'know! Then we can go to the Training Center and fight some monsters y'know!"

Zidane sprinted towards the front gate. "Alright, I'm game," he said slowing down to a walk. "What kind of place is this Garden anyway?" the thief asked looking around. He never would have guessed this place was a mercenary academy. It looked like a regular old school, just...bigger.

"It's possibly one of the best places that ever existed y'know! We've got about 300-400 students here, not including the orphaned children or the staff and SeeD's. Most of the students run the resource centers, except for the infirmary and even then there rarely is a case that needs to be brought to Kadowaki y'know. The SeeD's, fully fledged mercenaries run the classes." The pair was walking through the front entrance. Raijin pulled his wallet out of his pocket and showed it to the man standing guard at the turnstiles. "SeeD #309 Raijin, you have clearance for entry," the robotic female voice said as he swiped his ID card through the machine. Raijin walked through then smirked and turned around to find that the monkey thief had disappeared.

"Double security measures?" Zidane asked from the other side of the turnstiles where Raijin stood baffled. He looked at the SeeD that was supposed to be standing guard.

"How did you-"

"Ah ah ah, a thief never reveals his secrets...except the one where I just told you my occupation." Zidane put a finger to his lips and smirked.

"Whatever...let's go get that food so I can get my weapon fixed y'know," Raijin said walking past the thief. Zidane kept up with the man, staying at his side the whole way to the cafeteria. Many people stared at the pair though Raijin wasn't sure if they were staring because he wasn't with Fujin, or if it was because he was with Zidane. He didn't care either way, these people respected him all the less.

Zidane looked around the Garden at the people and the decor. He couldn't help but rub his palms together. He was ready for some looting eventually. Zidane then reconsidered when the realization that this was Squall's home and it would be a stab in the back to the lion, and that was something Zidane could afford. Friendship for one nicely crafted ten-thousand gil vase was not worth it. Maybe if it was twenty.

Zidane noted the different colors on the floor in front of him. Most of them told the way to somewhere and in few places there were inscriptions on the lines. A directory, Zidane assumed. He looked at the red one and quickly found that it led to the cafeteria.

"Cafeteria's this way, y'know!" Raijin called standing on the large red bar in the middle of the corridor denotating the way to the cafe. Zidane was quickly at his side. "Dincht might be there too, knowing him, y'know." The two began walking again side by side down the long corridor.

"Who's Dincht?"

"Probably one of the best martial artists in the world as well as an aspiring craftsman y'know. You might be surprised when you first see him y'know. He doesn't look like a martial artist y'know."

"You are so annoying y'know." Zidane mocked. "Is he really such a great fighter? Better than Squall?"

Raijin coughed, multiple times. "Y'know...I don't know, y'know."

"You just-" he started shaking his head. "You are so annoying," Zidane concluded folding his arms. He flexed his tail and wrapped it around his waist and sped up his walking speed. The two arrived in the cafeteria within moments. It wasn't very big compared to everything else that was in the garden. Maybe eight tables six chairs at each, and a bar. Zidane and Raijin took a seat at the bar next to a blonde man. His head kinda looked like a chocobo and he had a tribal tattoo trailing the left side of his face.

"You _are_ here y'know!!" Raijin exclaimed. He took both pieces of his staff and put them on the counter. "Squall split them, again, y'know."

"You guys really need to stop fighting whenever you see each other," he smiled. "Does Fuu need a repair too or is she good?" the man asked.

"Her chakram is fine, y'know," Raijin answered. "Oh, Zidane, this is Zell Dincht, y'know. Zell, this is Zidane, y'know." Raijin leaned back in his seat so the thief and the fighter could see one another. Chocobo head wore a light blue tanktop and a pair of white denim shorts. His high-top white and black sneakers were tied with dark blue laces. The fighter wore a studded belt that held a pair of fighter's gloves which were a dark red. The part where the knuckles were had small two centimeter spikes on them and the pitch black palms of the gloves were reinforced with a steel plate on the inside of them for more damage output, but was thin enough to not make the gloves uncomfortable. The fingertips were cut off allowing for grabs and other grappling techniques that may need to be done.

"You're right, he doesn't look like a martial artist, more like a chocobo." Zidane said, putting a finger to his chin after examining him. He smiled at Zell's reaction. "I could probably beat him easily," Zidane threw his arms forward.

The martial artist choked on his food. "You little brat!" He shouted pulling the attention of the cafeteria towards them. Zell stood up and sized up the thief. "You think you can fight me?" He hopped left and right throwing a few jabs out to get his energy flowing.

"Chill out y'know. If you're gonna fight take it to the training center at least or the Quad y'know." Raijin said stepping between the two of them. Zidane smirked, being the troublemaker as usual.

"Gotta catch me first!" Zidane said excitedly. He jumped towards the ceiling hanging from one of the lights single handedly; his tail was still wrapped around his waist, blending in with his clothing.. He looked down at everyone staring up at him. "The crowd is mine," he murmured. "Oh now I sound like Kuja," he said distastefully. Zidane leaped from light to light with Zell trailing under him. The thief unwrapped his tail then coiled it around the post and hung upside-down with his legs crossed and arms folded.

Zell and everyone else stared at the monkey. Raijin was the only one not surprised. "You're...abnormal." Zell noted before his eyes took on an icy glare. "You don't belong here, get out. A monster like you should be exterminated. I won't let you hurt anyone at Garden."

**_

* * *

_**

**_Battle Start: Zidane vs. Zell_**

Zidane's expression dropped as did he from the ceiling. Everyone gasped but he landed on his feet gracefully. "I didn't want to fight you, but now..." His energies began to flow through his body as they manifested as a bright pink around the smaller boy. "You wanna see a monster? Well you're in store for a treat!"

He took his daggers out of his bag and tossed it aside. "Trance!" He cried as energy erupted from his body. His bare torso was encircled with fur as was his chest and thighs. His boots vanished as did most of his clothing; shoulders down to his forearms were also covered in the pink fur.

"That's enough y'know!" Raijin stepped between them.

"Raijin? You're defending this...creature?" Zell spat. "He's a monster!" He leaped forward and pounded his fist into the ground at Zidane's position.

"No Zell he's-" Raijin started but Zidane interrupted him.

"You're right, I am a monster," Zidane said solemnly. Both turned to look at the thief but he was no longer there. Zidane sped around the cafeteria knocking over food, plates, chairs and tables. The sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the room. Most of the people occupying the room had already left except for Raijin and one other male. Zidane spun his swallow in his hand expertly and left many after images in his wake.

Zell smirked. "They don't call me one of the greatest martial artists for nothing." The blond fighter closed his eyes and placed both hands out in front of him preparing to counter.

Zidane charged forward with his swallow out. Magenta energy surrounded the thief from his trance. "Your only reason for fighting is because I'm a monster," he spat at the use of the word. "You don't even begin to understand who I am, you wouldn't be able to understand!" Zidane said spinning the swallow in his hands slowly. He stopped mid-charge and then yelled out, "Free Energy!"

The attack came out faster than Zell had expected.

Zell reflexively fired out a concentrated chi blast countering Zidane's completely. The explosion of the two forces sent both of them backwards separated by a smoke screen. "I have a reason to fight!" Zell leaped into the air above the thief. "I don't need to tell you! It's none of your business!" He pulled his legs in and stuck one arm out. "Burning Rave!" Zidane looked up and his eyes widened. Zell smashed his fist into the ground where Zidane was standing just a moment before. Zidane prepared for his Grand Lethal attack, but to his surprise the area around Zell began to catch flame. Zidane couldn't react fast enough and the flames flew outwards sending the thief into a wall hard. Zell quickly followed by launching himself towards the thief mercilessly punching him in the face, chest and stomach. Zidane threw up blood and his last meal which Zell dodged and then continued mauling him.

"Zell stop! This has gone too far y'know!" Raijin cried out but Zell wasn't listening.

"C'mon Zell lay off…" Another guy said.

"That is enough!" A commanding voice boomed.

**_Battle End

* * *

_**

Zell heard that voice and turned towards it. "Squall?! You're back?!"

The martial artist smiled then looked at Zidane who looked a bloody mess. "One of the monsters got loose again, but I took care of it." Zell closed his eyes, smiled, and pointed his thumb towards himself.

Squall didn't look pleased in the slightest. "Raijin! Go to the infirmary. Inform Dr. Kadowaki, now!" Raijin did as told and bolted out of the room. Squall was pissed. Zell still oblivious to the situation stood with a goofy smile on his face as Squall glared at the young martial artist "Go to your dorm!" he shouted. "I don't wanna see you until I get Zidane to the infirmary,"

"But he's...a monster…" Never before had he seen such a wicked look in Squall's eyes.

Squall looked over, "He's not a monster!" he hissed.

Zell flinched then slowly he left the cafeteria looking back at Squall leaning over the monkey.

"Zidane?" Squall said softly. He could tell just from how the thief looked that he was probably unconscious or even dead. Squall immediately pushed that thought from his head. The lion didn't want to risk moving Zidane but he had no choice. He picked him up in both arms and carried him out of the room. A trail of blood followed them. Once Squall reached the outside corridor there was a large group of people standing there. Most had their hands covering their mouths, gasping and grimacing at the sight of the maimed Zidane.

Zidane had his face covered in blood. The thief's blonde hair was drenched in dark red. Zidane's entire top of his outfit was missing. Bruises were already forming on his flesh. Blood ran down his body and onto the ground rapidly. "Get out of the way!" Squall yelled as he raced towards the infirmary.

Squall spotted the other guy in the room watching the fight. "Tell Xu and Quistis what happened here, they can punish Zell as they see fit." Squall barreled through the crowd and then sprinted towards the infirmary. He followed the violet line without stopping for anything.

Squall reached the infirmary in record time. The good doctor already had a table ready for the thief in the room across from her desk. Squall set him down on it gently. "He's gonna okay right?"

"Let me get there child," came the doctor's reply. She took out her stethoscope and quickly took his heartbeat. "Very faint, he may not make it if we don't hurry, I'm surprised he lived this long with all that blood missing," Dr. Kadowaki said casually.

"Raijin, dear can you grab the first aid kit out of the cabinet," she turned to the dark man. "Squall, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, you'll only be in the way."

Squall reluctantly complied and sat outside the room on the couch. It was the longest hour Squall ever went through in his life. When Kadowaki came out Squall was on his feet immediately. "He's fine, it's amazing he was able to last this long with the blood loss and everything. He'll just need a change of clothes and rest and he'll be fine."

Squall nodded in response then turned towards the desk in the far corner of the room, "Did we ever install that intercom system in here?" Squall asked strolling over to the doctor's desk.

"Yeah, just last week Quistis got it done for me, Squall what are you-"

The lion jammed his finger into a button and brought a microphone to his mouth, "This is Squall Leonhart. Attention, all SeeD's not on assignment report to the atrium at 0600 tomorrow morning. All SeeD's not on assignment report to the atrium in the lobby at 0600 tomorrow morning."

"What does that have to do with him?" she asked.

"Nothing, just a war that me and him got caught up in between the gods," he said turning towards the doctor. "Is it safe for me to go in there or do you need me to stay out and let him rest?" Squall asked walking towards Zidane's room.

"Raijin is there right now patching things up. Quite a trained doctor that boy is, I never would've expected. His hands worked faster than mine, he's just a little hesitant on where he should be stitching," she laughed. "You can go in to see him, he might be conscious." She paused. "He's not human, is he?"

"Are you gonna rip on him for that too?" Squall asked harsher than he meant.

"No, just curious. I guess he isn't, it would explain the tail. Does this have to do with your war?" she asked sitting down at her desk.

"All in due time Dr. Kadowaki, you're a trained SeeD medic, that announcement applied to you as well," he saw the doctor nod. "I can go in now right?"

"Before you do though take note, he is not human or even relatively close. His blood had a strange coloring and texture compared to a healthy human and his skin was incredibly tough, it's very surprising that Zell was even able to damage him like this. We couldn't even stitch him up properly, it's still quite possible he may die." The doctor looked at him seriously the whole time. Squall didn't bat an eye.

"That is because Zidane is very far from being human as you have already deduced." The voice was almost taunting and very flamboyant. The owner of it soon appeared in front of the door leading to Zidane's room. "Zidane is an angel of death only able to be destroyed by me." The owner of the voice had long silver hair tamed and very well kept. Squall recognized him immediately and strangely enough the man was not wearing his usual clothing or lack thereof. Instead he wore a very light purple unzipped jacket showing off his bare chest and stomach. His legs were covered in very tight fitting lavender jeans.

"Kuja!" Squall drew his gunblade from his belt. Kuja turned and stuck out his hand in defense.

"I'm not here to fight you today brave lion. My query is with a pirate behind that very door," he said pointing towards the door to Zidane's room. Squall instantly blocked the door with his body. "Foolish brute, remove yourself from that door or I will remove you myself. Zidane is on borrowed time."

"Is that a threat?" Squall asked thrusting his blade towards the reaper which Kuja backed away from. "Last I checked you were an enemy. There's no way I'm gonna let you get near Zidane when he's in this condition."

"Will you open your ears? He is not going to survive without me. I'm the lead role for the task of taking care of Zidane while he is in this condition," Squall didn't budge, "You believe this to be a farce then? Very well," Kuja closed his eyes and lowerd his hand. "I'm not on the side of discord any longer.

"I don't believe that any more than what you just told me!" Squall shouted. His eyes narrowed. "You probably just wanna torture Zidane you sadistic freak!"

"Destiny has spoken to me. I was never cut out to fight for Chaos," Kuja said quickly. "All of the ingrates on that side, they chewed up and spit out all of my plans and Zidane bested me every single time regardless. It's not in my character to defect, but, I discovered something that I can actually cherish," he recited joyously.

"And what is that?" Squall asked rhetorically.

Kuja paused and took a deep breath. "Zidane," he said sincerely.

Squall took a step back with his mouth agape without even realizing it. He stared at the elegant silver-haired reaper. He looked for any signs of malice, or lies and was faced with none. The lion sighed before pushing the door and stepping aside. "You have five minutes."


	4. Revelation

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Revelation  
**Word Count**: 1,349  
**A/N**: I know, the chapter is incredibly short. I have my reasons. This marks the end of the first 'part' so to speak. Next chapter begins with the villains.

**Summary**: Cecil and Tidus's story starts with the both of them in prison with harsh conditions, security is max and time doesn't exist. Onion Knight is still in a dire situation while Terra can only wait for Rikku's help to arrive. Kuja also restores Zidane. Between the grey area of light and dark the Warrior of Light begins trekking towards the unknown.

* * *

_'This is a situation where I would be going out of the frying pan and into the freezer or the fire depending on what floats your boat. I honestly don't know what happened so that this happened to us. We arrived...and were thrown into prison. It sucks too cause it's so cold down here. Lucky for Cecil though, he's wearing armor at least. I survived Mount Gagazet, I can survive this.'_ Tidus sat in his cell curled up in a ball to keep warm. His teeth chattered incessantly, and when they weren't he was coughing and sneezing. Cecil's cell was directly across from him. _'It'll take more than this to break me. I won't give up my faith in my friends.'_

Cecil sat in a corner of the stone room. He was pale and looked thinner than usual. The dual-knight looked through the bars of the prison over at Tidus who was shivering in the opposite corner from Cecil. Cecil exhaled roughly. Sickness was taking him. They didn't know how long they had been down there. Days, weeks, months, it felt like eternity. They only got one meal a day and it was barely even a meal. They weren't allowed to leave their cells under any circumstance and they were both afflicted by both Blind and Silence, Cecil even got a special barrier preventing his job changing. Despite all of this stacked against them Cecil still would not give up hope and continued to believe in his friends.

* * *

Terra sat beside the Onion Knight, still holding his hand. It had been several hours since Rikku left and Terra was beginning to believe that Rikku had simply ditched the two of them. Onion Knight was still barely conscious. One of his eyes was barely open. He was still face down on the dirt. "Terra..." he said weakly.

"I'm here," she said softly. She felt him squeeze her hand. A sign that he wasn't fading.

"Did Rikku...say what would...happen...if you healed...me?" Onion Knight breathed out.

"No...she didn't, but I don't want to risk losing you," she muttered. "Now that we're together again, I wouldn't know what to do if you were gone, I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you, my powers, my life, you helped me understand," she started to cry. "I have a purpose," her voice cracked and raised a few pitches. She held his hand to her heart. "She'll be here soon. I believe in her."

* * *

Kuja stepped into the Zidane's room slowly flipping his hair as he approached the barely conscious genome. "A rather gruesome beating you took there Zidane," he said rather flamboyantly. The reaper crossed his arms, hands on his elbows. "I doubt you have the wherewithal to even respond to me right now so I'll just talk away like I usually do.

"N-no," the blonde genome stuttered. "What are you-?"

"I'll explain later, Zidane," Kuja brushing a stray piece of hair out of his own face. "I need you to lie still while I do this; I've never actually done this on anyone before."

"Why...are you helping?" Zidane breathed out.

"Who says I am?" he said stepping back. Kuja let his arms hang from his sides as he inspected the damaged genome in front of him. "Besides," he turned his back to Zidane. "Weren't you the one who said that you don't necessarily need a reason to help someone?" Kuja looked over his shoulder smirking. "Now, lay still," he whispered. "I cannot allow you die before me, I promised the both of us that we would die together, remember?" Kuja let a dangerous smile cover his lips.

Zidane kept his laughter to himself. Kuja always did go for the dramatic effect and it always seemed to work. Kuja leaned over him and placed his hands parallel to Zidane's body. The reaper closed his eyes and entered Trance. Zidane jumped in surprise but Kuja threw him back down. "Stay still, I have to be in Trance to do this." Kuja's hands began to glow and he began chanting the spell, "Rememdium is somes quod vigoratus animus, Aufero totus uredo quod restituo mens! Vitualamen meus somes quod animus!"

Green spiderlike web connected Kuja's hands to Zidane's body. The web was thick but it wasn't sticky or spongy like a spider web. The web hovered above Zidane's body before it started to coil around the vicinity of it.

Zidane opened his eyes and looked at Kuja. The reaper looked like he was in pain his face was contorted in an agonizing expression. Kuja realized Zidane was looking at him and then tried to regain his composure. Zidane's body was glowed radioactive green and the web began to thicken, connecting with the other strands. A cocoon surrounded Zidane within seconds and it pulsated frequently.

Kuja's face was strained and contorted. His teeth were grinding together and his eyes were closed tightly. Kuja's hands were inside the cocoon still weaving the spell. "Quies, Zidane," he muttered slowly. The cocoon began to disappear quickly it fell away in chunks. Zidane's body slowly came into view, completely healed. Zidane lifted his hand but Kuja quickly hissed at him. "Stay still you fool!"

Zidane rest his hand back down on the bed and stared at the reaper. The cocoon was completely gone but Kuja had not given the go ahead for him to move. "Rest, your body is healed and your mind is alert but what you need is rest," Kuja whispered. "I need rest," Kuja fell out of his Trance and on his knees. He rested his head on the bed next to Zidane's leg. Zidane sat up but Kuja raised his arm. "Zidane, I'll answer questions later, for now let me rest."

Zidane looked at Kuja with half-lidded eyes. "Thank you," Zidane murmured. He saw Kuja smile and then he lay down and closed his eyes.

Squall kept on his word and entered the room after those quick five minutes had passed. He cracked the door open and peeked inside witnessing Kuja falling to his knees on the bed. Zidane had sat up and the two of them were whispering. Squall couldn't hear them but both of them had smiles on their faces, Zidane more than Kuja. He shut the door silently, and left the infirmary without a word and his hands in his pockets.

* * *

The Warrior of Light looked at the darkness, and then turned to the light. "Should I retreat to the light? Or fight against the darkness?" He was in the grey area between the light and the dark. The twilight of his existence. He had so many questions that were left unanswered. First, how did he get here? How was he alive? Hadn't Garland removed like half of his torso? Where was Garland if the Warrior was here?

His questions were left unanswered as he began to trek back into the light.


	5. Fluorescence

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Fluorescence  
**Word Count**: 2,094  
**A/N**: I understand that it's a somewhat short chapter, roughly half of what I usually write, but you get two in the same week so no complaints. (The following chapter is done but I don't want to post them at the same time. Gotta give you guys reflecting periods, and suspense. I love suspense.) Also, FIRST CHAPTER WITHOUT A FIGHT. Sorry. Spoilers.

**Summary**: As the bad guys come together they realize that they are missing Garland--whose whereabouts are unknown, and Kuja who has defected to Cosmos,--The Emperor, who is now in "command" of Chaos's warriors, sends Ultimecia to destroy Kuja. Meanwhile, Jecht and Golbez come to terms with why they're on Chaos's side in this war and begin searching for their families'.

* * *

Everyone who was available had assembled. They met in the Emperor's chamber. The room was highly decorated and was quite large. The Emperor himself sat in the throne at the far back of the room. One leg crossed over the other and his elbow resting on the arm rest. He has his usual look of annoyance and yet it was boredom at the same time. His staff lay leaning against the wall to his right.

He looked at each one of Chaos's warriors. Cloud of Darkness hovered next to an upside-down Kefka. Kefka was whispering something into the wraith's ear but everyone ended up hearing what came out of the clown's mouth anyway. Ultimecia stood off to the side by one of the many pillars lined up down the room. Her arms were crossed over her breasts and she stared intently at the Emperor waiting for him to speak. Sephiroth stood beside Golbez on top of a ledge positioned to the far right of the room, both of them silently brooding but not about the same thing. Exdeath was positioned by the door with his sword in the ground and his hand on the hilt. He looked like he was a run-of-the-mill under paid security guard. Jecht sat leaning on the wall his sword in his left hand. The Blitz King was ready to fall asleep from the sheer boredom of this meeting. Garland was supposedly defeated by the Warrior of Light and was expected to be absent, but Kuja was also missing and he had been spared which meant only one thing.

The Emperor stood and took his staff into his hand, "Kuja has betrayed us," he said plainly. Everyone's attention was fixated on The Emperor.

Ultimecia was the one to break the silence, "It was only a matter of time before he ran away to that little monkey brother of his."

"And how do _you_ know where Kuja has run off to? I sense another traitor!" Kefka laughed wickedly.

"How dare you!" Ultimecia looked up in disgust at the clown. She withdrew from the conversation with a loud grumbled and then vanished with a pop leaving black angel feathers behind.

"Kefka," The Emperor slurred, "You will find Kuja and bring him back to me, dead or alive,"

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Kefka screamed. "I have other motives in mind and you won't deter me from them. Toddles," with that Kefka vanished. The Emperor's gaze fixated itself on Cloud of Darkness.

"We do not believe Kuja is in our best interest," with that she followed Kefka.

The Emperor frowned, displeased. "I should've expected as much," he scoffed. "Always ruining my plans," he muttered. "No matter," his voice boomed. "Jecht, Golbez, I trust that you are able to take care of your family?" It wasn't a question, but a command.

Jecht cursed under his breath but nonetheless complied with a nod. "Sure, whatever."

Golbez remained silent and floated over to Jecht. "Let us depart." The two vanished together.

Exdeath left his position by the door staring at The Emperor. Exdeath grunted and then teleported away.

"What are you planning?" asked Sephiroth from his ledge. Masamune rested in his hands.

The Emperor nonchalantly craned his neck to the right to look at the champion. "First we must dispose of the malcontents of Cosmos and her warriors; it will be much different this time considering that most of the worlds have merged into one."

"Why don't you just get rid of those two that you captured?" Sephiroth asked jumping down from the ledge he was perched on. "Surely it would give them all reason enough to fight."

"There are special rules put in place this time around by Cosmos--and Chaos for that matter-- and I am not ready to break them yet, Sephiroth."

"Oh? And what might those rules entail?" Ultimecia reappeared in front of The Emperor.

"Nothing he can explain to any of us," Ultimecia answered for him.

"The more you hide from the rest of us the less reason we have to follow your orders. You'd do well to remember that." Sephiroth muttered and then vanished in a swarm of black feathers.

The Emperor frowned. "Nothing can ever go the way I plan, can it?" he sat down on his throne hand on his chin. Ultimecia walked towards the throne with her arms crossed. "Ultimecia, how wonderful to see you again, you have the task of destroying Kuja since Kefka so readily declined."

Ultimecia's thin lips widened to a smirk. "Destroy? Wouldn't you prefer him alive?" Sarcasm dripped with every word.

The Emperor laughed, "I could care less, Ultimecia."

"You have made my day, _Mateus._"

"Silence!" he hissed to no one. Ultimecia had already departed. The Emperor stood up from his throne and looked out at the now empty room. Deciding it was time for his two captives to awaken he made his way over to their prison. Stepping out of the throne room he took a right down the hallway and followed it till the end. The despot waved his staff at the wall and it vanished leading into a rather large room. The air was foul and arid.

Walls were tainted with a light green from the fumes emanating from the acid pool under the single narrow hallway down the middle of the room. Two cages hung from the top of the room both on opposite side. Firion and Bartz were stuck inside them. The prisons they were kept in were small, if you could even call it a prison. Both warriors were pressed uncomfortably against the bars and their knees were bent in awkward positions. They were both unconscious and disarmed. Below them some hundred feet was a bubbling pool of green acid. The Emperor stood in the middle of the room looking over at Firion's cage circumspectly.

Firion was the first to awaken. His eyes darted around the room as his mind filled in the blanks as to what happened. Repositioning himself to cause less strain to his charred back he sat cross-legged in the middle of the cage. "Where are we?!" he demanded narrowing his eyes at the Emperor.

The Emperor had a brisk smile on his face, "Where indeed?" he countered. "A tool of war and his little Chocobo trapped in a cage like rats. Oh however did you get there? I remember now, you got beaten to a pulp by me."

Firion flinched. He tried to use his weapon mastery powers to summon his weapons to him but he felt the cage jerk suddenly downwards. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the Emperor chided. "By the time your weapons even got here you would be a mere skeleton stuck in the water, and I will have won."

The liegeman flinched again and then realized Bartz's cage across from him had risen and that Firion's was now much closer to the acid. "You're sick, disgusting," Firion croaked. "You won't get away with this!"

"Nonsense. I already have. Your precious Warrior of Light is stuck within the limbo between light and dark along with Garland. That leaves me in charge of Chaos's forces and you--" he paused to smirk at Firion's realization, "--in charge of Cosmos's." The Emperor let it sink in and relished in the shock on Firion's face. "I could put an end to everything now, but I need you alive for the moment. To put this simply, you will obey me.

"I would never serve you! And Firion wouldn't either!" Bartz cried from his cage. "There's no way you're getting away with this!" he kicked the bars hard but received a painful shock through his body.

The Emperor called his staff to his hands. "You make it sound like I'm giving you a choice," purple energy began to radiate from the Emperor's body. "Power of hellfire!" his body morphed into a hideous abomination. "You will succumb to my Absolute Rule! Hrah," he raised his staff and a bright yellow light shot out from it encompassing the room. Screams could be heard throughout the room. Only one person was laughing.

* * *

Jecht stood on the moon's surface. He was leaning against a tall plateau, his sword lodged in the ground next to him. Golbez floated on top of the plateau Jecht was leaning on. His arms were crossed as usual and he looked out pensively at the craters of the moon. Both had been quiet, unwilling to break the silence between the two of them. Jecht fidgeted with his the hilt of his sword and began to stretch out his body. He started doing squats earning him a piqued stare from the man across from him. "Well, if we're not going to do something then I'll do something else," he said simply.

"Cecil and Tidus are both...missing. Doesn't this bother you?" Golbez asked in his usual brooding tone.

"Not especially. He might be a crybaby but my boy can take care of himself," he stopped doing his squats. Peering down the plateau he smirked. "You can't find them anywhere?"

"I cannot. Perhaps Cecil has finally cut any ties he has had to the darkness?"

"He's a dark knight it's not that simple," Jecht countered.

Golbez crossed his arms. "I doubt that. Cecil is capable of many things but of one it was cutting his ties to the darkness. If he were to cut his ties...then he would lose any connection he had to me. Would he really destroy the only thing he has linking us together?"

"I dunno," Jecht muttered. "Tidus and I have always had a love-hate relationship. It's hard to believe that we're related, but if you knew his mother you would understand. I've thought about switching sides--"

"Why don't you then?" Golbez interrupted.

"If I was to switch then it wouldn't be the same, if you don't have a motivation to fight then you shouldn't be fighting. His motivation is my approval; my motivation in short is to make him cry. If we were on the same side it'd be a meaningless fight. It's hard to make someone cry if you're allies."

"You are more insightful than I had thought you were. Battle is clearly not the only thing on your mind," he turned his back to Jecht. "But I do not agree with you. You said it's hard to make someone cry if you're allies? In truth it's much easier; the bonds between people are fragile." He held his open palm towards his own face. "You could shatter them with a simple jab with a finger," he clenched his fist.

"I suppose you're right. Either way, it's better this way, for both of us."

"I can't sense your boy either. Do you have any information as to where he would be?"

"Not a clue," Jecht smirked. "Time to go looking," he vanished.

"Yes. Time indeed," Golbez muttered before disappearing off the moon.


	6. Counting

**Title**: Destiny Impulse  
**Author**: Infectious Mike  
**Category**: Dissidia: Final Fantasy  
**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Romance  
**Chapter**: Counting  
**Word Count**: 2,937

**Summary**: Cecil and Tidus manage to escape from their prison only to run into more trouble. Rikku finally arrives with the Onion Knight's medical assistance in the form of a former summoner. Kuja explains bits and pieces of when he was a kid to Zidane just before the Garden is attacked. Squall takes command and has Zidane protect the innocents while Kuja and himself infiltrate the enemy ranks.

**A/N**: I decided I should probably put a pairings list so I'm gonna just put the ones that are painstakingly obvious at this point. Squall/Zidane/Kuja (Please tell me you saw this already. It's more of a friendship between Kuja and Zidane though.) and Onion Knight/Terra (It's canon so...I had to, plus it's cute.) That's it for now. I'm still debating with myself on the rest. Suggestions are welcome, but may not be used.

* * *

They sat in silence. It's not like they really had a choice in the matter. Both of them were afflicted with silence and their equipment and healing items had been taken from them. Tidus and Cecil sat in separate cells across from each other. Both were looking at the stone floor pensively even thought they couldn't see it due to the blind spell put on them. Tidus finally stood up and placed a gloved hand on the bars. He began pulling on them and springboarding off of them like a caged monkey.

Cecil stood up hearing the sound forgetting that he couldn't speak and Tidus couldn't see him. Upon this realization Cecil sat back down and resumed his brooding. Both were hoping that there was soon be an escape plan available to them. Then, it fell right into their laps. Cecil heard them coming down the hallway, as did Tidus. Cecil based that on the fact that there was no longer any noise coming from Tidus's cell.

Their footsteps grew closer. There were two of them, both female from the sounds of their footsteps. Probably armed no doubt. Both female knights opened their cells simultaneously. Tidus was the first to spring out with his cuffed hands once he heard his door swing open. Luckily, he bashed the knight over the head that opened his cell over the head and sent her sprawling to the ground. The fem-knight that opened Cecil's cell turned with her spear pointed at the dreamer. Cecil barreled into her and slammed her into the bar of Tidus's former cell. Both fem-knights were outcold.

Tidus looked around the room not really seeing anything. Just a heavy blur. He kneeled down and began searching through the female's garments. Cecil morphed into his Paladin form and was cured of his ailments. "Finally," he breathed out. Spotting Tidus on the ground sticking his hands through the female's garments he kicked the dreamer in the chest. "What are you doing?" he asked. Tidus fell back on his butt using his hands to break the impact of his fall. He looked in the direction of where the kick came from then realized it was Cecil.

Cecil reached his hand out to Tidus's and pulled the dreamer up. "We have to get out of here. Follow me."

Tidus nodded. Cecil began running down the hallway still grasping Tidus's hand. Tidus followed him without skipping a beat. Cecil had no idea where he was going but he did his best. He stopped at a cross-roads clinging to the right wall slamming Tidus almost face first into the wall. Cecil heard Tidus groan and covered his mouth with a gloved hand. Cecil heard people talking, one male, one female. Both were talking to each other sweetly almost like lovers.

Cecil glanced around the corner and spotted a woman with a steel eyepatch over her right eye. Her armor was white and very flattering to her figure. Probably reinforced with chainmail underneath. She had long chestnut hair that was left flowing behind her. She had a very intricate sword tassled to the back of her waist. She was slim, almost like she hadn't eaten in days but at the same time she packed serious muscle. She was beautiful.

Next to her was her complete opposite. The man was wrapped in a half-plate covering his chest and stomach. His armor looked rusty, almost decripit. He had a very stupid looking face and large eyes with beady pupils. On his head he wore a dilapitated helmet with a single feather on top. He wore leg armor but his ankles were exposed and the metal shoes he wore looked simply uncomfortable. In a sheath on his back lay his greatsword. The blade was probably the only new item he had procured. It was rather long, almost bigger than the man himself. It had runes incribed down it's length. It was double-edged and looked rather heavy. It still had a new sword shine.

Cecil looked up at the ceiling noticing a long line of pipes that went down the hallways. Their footsteps were just around the corner. Cecil acted fast. "I'm gonna throw you into some pipes. Climb up them," he whispered. Cecil then took the dreamer's hand lifted him off the ground and thrust him towards the pipes. Tidus braced for the impact and when it happened he simply fell back down to the ground with a loud crash. The two knights turned the corner to see him fall. Cecil had disbelief painted on his face. Tidus sat up and rubbed his head.

"Freeze!" the woman shouted. Cecil took Tidus's hand and began running in the opposite direction. She was on them instantly. She sprinted down the hallway almost catching them, but Cecil sent out a magic bit that fired multiple projectiles at them. She stopped and deflected them with her hands.

"You okay?" the male knight shouted. The man stopped beside the woman as she watched the both of them escape.

"Flank around them. Cut them off. I will pursue them from here. Now go!" she commanded. The both of them ran down opposite hallways at top speed.

* * *

"Terra!" Rikku shouted from the top of the hill on the highroad.

Terra turned her head immediately towards the screaming blonde. "Rikku! Thank the heavens, he just went unconscious!" her eyes were bloodshot like she'd been crying. She was leaning over the Onion Knight's body looking at the burned armor plate embedded in the boy's skin. Rikku rushed over with someone at her side. Terra didn't notice them at first. Terra stood up and was replaced by the man.

"This is serious, Rikku," the man said softly. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail with a blue ribbon. "Magic can't heal something like this, what happened?"

"Well, we got attacked by fiends and umm," she hesitated. "It's my fault, I made a Choconova," she looked at her feet.

"He protected me," Terra said at almost the same time. She looked at the man's face. "What's your name?"

"Isaaru," he said solemnly before going into the bag on his back. He took out a pair of gloves.

"What are you going to do?" Rikku asked him moving to stand beside Terra.

"Well I can't remove the plate," he said slowly letting it sink in. Terra gasped. "There isn't much of anything that I really can do except keep him alive. A Choconova vaporizes everything within the main blast radius, just outside of that radius everything is melted. The boy was just outside the radius trying to protect you. Whether he was aware of it or not if he wasn't there you wouldn't be here now Terra."

Terra let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "So the that armor plate is..."

"The plate is essentially another piece of his body at this point. There isn't anything I can do to remove it only ease the pain that it causes him. It's possible that he may never walk again due to the pressure on his spine," Isaaru said nonchalantly. Isaaru placed both his hands over the Onion Knight's spine.

"What is he going to do?" Terra looked at Rikku.

"Performing a Full-Cure spell," she breathed out It will restore the boy's body but...it won't take the plate out of him. His skin will simply heal around the plate. Despite being a high-restorative spell, it will hurt, a lot," she stessed the pain it would cause more than necessary. "You...might wanna close your eyes and ears."

* * *

Zidane woke up with a start, he flailed his arms around at random knocking over the lamp on the bedside table. It fell was a crash and shattered on the floor. Someone gripped his arms and forcibly placed them on the bed. "Stop flailing around," Kuja said mellifluously.

Zidane groaned through half-lidded eyes, "I feel terrible..." he croaked. "Feels like a hangover." Zidane sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He shivered when his bare feet touched that cold tile floor.

Kuja put a finger to his lips and giggled. "Your lion has asked me to remain here in order to deliver a message, note that I am doing this unwillingly--delivering the message anyway--" Kuja said distastefully. He wandered over to the window pressing his palm against it. "The lion has called upon help from the seeds of order in order to fight the tree as well as the witch. The pirate becomes the guardian of the people while the lion shall cut down the tree and the witch's puppet and the reaper shall reap the witch," Kuja recited. "The battle will be plentiful of gore and may not conclude within our favor, but the witch will be reaped, and the tree will be cut. Now come along little pirate, you have a guardian to become."

Kuja sighed at the end of his speech. "Battle has come to us Zidane, we must go."

"I...don't think I can fight, what if I end up letting people die? I can't protect everyone," he stood up not realizing he was completely naked.

Kuja put the back of his hand to his mouth, turned his face sideways and blushed. "Zidane!" Kuja reached down to the clothes resting on a chair. Zidane covered himself immediately diving under the covers. "Squall said to wear these--your other clothes were far too mangled and blood to wear--he managed to find them around Garden's lost and found." He threw them at Zidane. "Except for the underwear those are yours."

"Get out!" he screamed. Kuja took his exit and waited outside the door pressing his back against it. Zidane covered his body with his blankets as he went and closed the window blinds. He went over to the clothes that were splayed over the floor. A simple black tank-top lay in the middle of all of it. Zidane picked that up first and flinged it on. A pair of black denim cut-off shorts were the next item to go on over his blue polka-dotted boxers. He took the belt off the chair containing his gear and strapped that on.

He gasped when a sharp pain traveled through his left arm. Rubbing the place of interest he began moving it to test which ways he could and or couldn't move it. Zidane put the belt on and took his knives off the chair. Zidane pressed the daggers into a swallow and began twisting it in his hands. "I still got it..." he muttered. Moving over to the door he looked around the room then pushed against the door.

"It's okay Zidane. It's actually normal for you to feel like this. I once told you that you could never do anything to help your friends, that you were powerless. Well...neither could I," Kuja came off the door when Zidane began pushing against it. "When I was a...kid like you pretty much are now, I had a few friends on Gaia. You actually know one of them."

"This was back when you had you didn't hide your tail?" Zidane laughed as he began walking out. The doctor was nowhere to be found. Kuja trailed him closely.

"This was before you were even born. My trips to Gaia were unsanctioned but Garland never really cared because I was to be the Angel of Death to bring destruction and mayhem to Gaia. He thought of it as a learning experience. I made a...few friends that taught me the spells I know today."

"All three of them? Flare, Holy, and Ultima right?" Zidane joked half-laughing.

"Silence," Kuja giggled. "I forgot what it was like to have friends, and I'll have you know that those spells are customized versions just for me!"

"Yeah, yeah," they left the hallway to the Infirmary and wandered over to the directory. The place was deserted until they heard someone barking orders by the front entrance. They spotted Squall running over to them from the gates, gunblade in hand.

"Zidane, it's begun. Exdeath and Ultimecia are here," Kuja whispered.

"Zidane!" Squall called. "Get to the second floor and protect the children and those still in training!"

"You know the way right?" Kuja asked him. Zidane nodded and pointed at the elevator. "Just press the button that says two and you'll be there."

"Kuja! Come with me," Squall commanded.

"I don't take orders from you!" Kuja hissed but he complied anyway. "Zidane be careful, your body is still recovering as I'm sure you noticed."

Zidane nodded and ran up towards the elevator. He pressed the up-arrow on the pad beside the elevator. It was taking too long. He spotted a long bridge connecting into a much larger hallway. Zidane assumed it was the second floor. He jumped up on top of small ledge on the wall and began scaling the elevator pillar jumping from ledge to ledge. He reached jumping distance to the second floor bridge and jumped to it. Zidane slipped on his jump and just barely made it, hanging onto the edge with his left hand. Screaming in agony he pulled himself up. He could feel the muscles stretching and ripping. Successfully he managed to pull himself up, he landed on his back panting. Realizing he was wasting time he jumped to his feet and sprinted down the hallway.

Kuja took to the air summoning seven globes of holy. He was above the rest of the SeeD warriors that had met to battle. He floated down to Squall. "What is your plan exactly?"

Squall looked up at the reaper. "I had Zidane and Selphie protecting the children and those that haven't been trained to fight, she can handle things up there with Zidane. Fujin and Raijin have already taken the field of battle as my vanguard."

"Who are these people?!" Kuja shrieked.

"Some of my best," Squall replied smirking. "Zell, Quistis!" he called. Zell turned as did a blonde woman carrying a whip. "You two are in command here. Don't let me down,"

"Where are you going?" Kuja asked as Squall began to run away.

"The both of us are going to fight them directly!"

Kuja flinched with his mouth agape then flew in front of the lion. "Do you really think that is how battle works? The commander should not take the field until the final battle--"

"This is the only battle, we've fought this battle before, time has repeated itself. Ultimecia has commandeered Galbadia Garden!"

"Again?!" Zell asked turning his head. "What? Did she go back through time and take the Garden from when we fought it last time?"

Squall thought about it for a moment, "You know...I bet she did," smirking he barreled through Kuja who merely threw one of his holy spheres at him. Squall deflected it at the ground where he could see hordes of SeeD warriors and Galbadian soldiers clashing. The sphere connected with the ground and created a larger explosion that even Kuja expected it. "I junctioned some fire magic into that sphere when I smacked it," Kuja smiled deviously. "Incase you were wondering, " Squall smirked before running out towards the gate slashing through every enemy that got in his way.

"Watch your back!" Kuja cried erupting a flare spell from underneath a soldier getting the jump on Squall. The soldier screamed as he was burnt to a crisp. Kuja took to the skies and began firing flare and holy spells down at the enemy soldiers. Squall held his gunblade out and pulled the trigger firing out blizzard spells freezing those he came into contact with.

Squall passed through the front gate while Kuja glided over it. They were met with a large red military facility floating in the sky.


End file.
