Disclaimer: I do not own anything – not even the name "Kerr", which is my sister's invention (funny fact is, that was what she named poor, poor Setzer when I let her name all the characters in FF6. Oi). All the characters belong to the wonderful people of Square who work day and night to supply us with excellent ways to kill off time. The bits of lyrics I have quoted belong to their writers and musicians, which I quote because I very much enjoy their work and bits of it suits the various settings of the story.

Starting notes:

This is an AU story, on the premise of my good ol' Gogo theory from Gogo's secret II and Worshippers of Insanity with this added question:

What if emperor Gestahl had tried to do something about Kefka's madness on the floating continent?

Skip past all the action taking place like it should, we're going straight to where things start diverting from the game's plot. Behold the famous floating continent scene, where Kefka is supposed to snap.

The beginning of the story is copied directly from "Moment with Celes" (which I never posted on ff.net because I thought it wasn't that much to show), for the sensible reason that this insane story is based on that older story and its fellows in the trilogy (which on this site only is a two part series).

Dedicated to StarStorm and Pokefreak, because I believe you and me make Kefka/Kerr's greatest fans.

And thank you Zeppelin for the handy walkthrough of said game. I needed some enemy names quite a few times, and your creation was very helpful.

Alternate fates

Kefka held forth a sword.

"Go on, Celes," he smirked, "kill your friends and you'll be forgiven."

Silently she took the weapon and then looked at Terra and Locke. The woman with green hair was almost unconscious, lying with her face down. But Locke was sitting on his knees, watching Celes. Neither him nor Terra could move, bound with Kefka's magic.

Locke's eyes were calm, trustful. Even though Celes held a weapon and had received such an order, or suggestion, he wasn't afraid that she'd harm him.

She recalled that awful moment in the esper facility, when Kefka had accused her for not being a traitor for real. There had been doubt in Locke's eyes then, even if it was very small and staggering. It had hurt her like a dagger.

She had unleashed all the power she had to protect that man. To show him that she never would lie to him.

When she had awoken, in a prison cell, she had been told that her "friends" had escaped like dogs without looking back. Even though she had been freed later on by Cid, and she really knew that it wasn't true what they said... the thought had been nagging her.

As she was sent to Thamasa with the Returners, she hadn't been able to bear facing Locke when he tried to talk to her. She had felt abandoned, and ashamed. Ashamed that she had doubted him. But later when she tried to tell him that she was sorry for running off, it was he who had been angry. He had just walked away. Almost killing her.

Leo had been worried about her when they sought the espers together with some soldiers. He had noted that something had been weighing heavily on her shoulders. But she hadn't explained to him that she was so sorry about Locke that she could scream.

Not only because it had gone all wrong, she wanted to yell at him that Rachel was gone forever. His way of holding on to her memory made Celes feel bitter straight through.

Locke!

A mountain had left her as he smiled at her in Thamasa and told her to not say another word about what had gone wrong. He wasn't angry...

If only Kefka hadn't... Gestahl hadn't...

Those damn fools!

He trusted her this time. He wouldn't doubt ever again.

Why did it hurt, then?

"Violence only gives birth to hate..." she bitterly muttered, "I wish I was never... born..."

Then she spun around and raised the sword at Kefka. But with her sight blurred with tears, she only hit his arm slightly.

He was taken completely off guard, however. And his scream of pain pierced the thin air.

Celes dropped the sword; her fingers felt cold and numb as she watched the hated man stumble backwards, pressing his hand against the wound.

Trembling with rage Kefka removed his grip and held up the stained hand, staring at the thick red liquid running down his wrist.

"B-blood, on me?!" he stuttered, shaking his head, seeming almost confused.

But the confusion crashed away as his eyes slowly turned to Celes and the bloodied weapon lying by her feet.

'Oh God, he… he…' ran through the blond warrior's head, 'he is… he is insane!'

Of course she had known it, Kefka had always been so… but she had thought of him more of extremely eccentric and cruel, not… not truly insane.

But what flamed in Kefka's eyes was nothing but madness, burning with hate for every living thing. An animal growl rose deep within his throat and he crouched, the screech coming from his lips turning more and more high pitched until it was impossible to hear the single looping word.

"I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate… HATE YOU!!"

And his good arm violently swept at the three Returners.

Celes was the only one of them who was able to scream as they were thrown backwards, towards the edge of the platform. She was slipping, trying to get a hold of something, anything at all…

Click!

"Ouff!"

She found herself on her knees on the creepily warm, pulsating ground. And an arm securely around her waist, that had saved her from crashing. It was completely covered in slick black cloth, the hand inside a dark glove.

"I've got you…" a harsh, slightly muffled hiss concluded, "don't know if it'll help though."

"Shadow…?" Celes whispered with a broken voice.

He didn't reply. With the movements of an attacking snake he sent a tack star through the air, straight towards the snarling madman.

One short hiss, and Kefka threw up his hand.

The star stopped dead in the air. The ground twitched when one of the sharp edges buried deep within it; the whole continent was strangely alive…

But Celes had no nerve to care about what she was slumping on, staring at Kefka in horror. He was crouching, swaying lightly. But his eyes were glowing with cold hatred and his lips were drawn back in a mad, cruel grin.

"Now then…" he screeched, raising his hand.

Shadow's grip of Celes tightened as he hesitated, realizing that he had moved too quickly and made a terrible mistake. Interceptor growled somewhere behind. The magitek knight hardly felt the grip or heard the dog. Locke and Terra laid on the ground, trying to move but even though they seemed to be free of the magic they wouldn't have time to get out of the way.

'No! LOCKE!!'

She tried to scream but she couldn't get a single sound out of her dry throat.

Click!

"Calm down, Kefka," emperor Gestahl sighed, more irritated than anything else.

But that command wasn't the wisest, judging from what happened. The grin disappeared from Kefka's face, but the calculating smirk that replaced it was even worse. He began to straighten up, Gestahl didn't realize what monster he had released…

The emperor turned to the statues and put his hand on the foundation of the closest one, muttering something in a low voice while he frowned.

Click!

"Augh!"

Kefka swayed with a surprised shout as a swarm of healing stars slammed into him and covered him in a sharp blue light. As it faltered he straightened out his back properly, shaking his head and blinking.

His eyes…?

"Feeling better?" Gestahl grunted, irritated.

"Urgh…" Kefka muttered and slowly nodded, rubbing his forehead.

"We agreed on not killing them right away, didn't we?" the emperor added with a cruel smirk.

"Yes, of course."

Kefka looked up. The complete madness was gone, for better or worse…

He smirked at the Returners and looked over his shoulder, waving his pointing finger.

"I am sorry for that outburst, my dear sire," he said, "I almost shortened our fun!"

"You have been working too hard lately, haven't you?" Gestahl said, suddenly frowning again.

Kefka grimaced.

"Yes, I suppose… but why are we talking about my health?!"

He turned around again, his eyes hungrily running over Locke and Terra before stopping on Celes and Shadow.

"What you did wasn't very nice, my lady…" he hissed, his fingers moving in silent chanting.

"Shadow, let go."

Celes pushed the ninja's frozen arm away from her and slowly stood up. Her face was as pale as a blanket.

"Now what?" Kefka purred, watching her with thin eyes, "are you challenging me?"

"I'm so sorry, lord Kefka…" Celes said, taking a step away from the stunned Shadow while lowering her head.

"Now that just gives me the creeps…"

"Look out, you fool!" Gestahl shouted, but it was too late.

With a bitter smirk Celes threw out her arms, unleashing all her powers in one pure wave.

"You fall for the same trick again, Kefka!" she screeched as she was thrown backwards by her own magic strength.

She heard them all scream, in rage, shock, horror… they were now thrown off the continent, falling to their deaths. Locke's scream… oh, Locke…

'I'm not… going to cry…' she thought as the wind clawed at her falling body.

Would she be able to see Locke and everyone else in heaven? Or was she condemned for this crime, sacrificing herself and her friends in a desperate attempt to protect the world from two madmen? That, and all her other crimes… too weak to stop Kefka and Gestahl…

Her eyes were closed. She didn't want to see what was happening, didn't want to see the accuse in her friends' faces, neither the rage of her enemies.

She could only pray that her desperate attempt hadn't brought the statues imbalance, that was said to lead to a catastrophe. But, she had also read that the goddesses were neutral to all magic in their petrified state. That was her only hope, otherwise she was surely damned for all times.

'Forgive me.'

Tears fell after her as she was heavier than them.

"Ouff?!"

She squealed at the sudden lack of existence. No wind, no feeling of falling… but… she could still hear the others scream, far, far away. So she couldn't have crashed and died already, not if they were still limblessly dashing towards their deaths.

Slowly she opened her eyes.

"Ceeeleees!!"

As he helplessly fell, her was all that Locke could think of. The wind forced tears to his eyes, making it impossible to see anything clear. But that lump there seemed to have green hair and there was two black ones… Shadow and that monster dog of his. But Celes? Where was she?

What a thing to do… throwing herself and everyone else off the continent. But… he understood why she had done it. That would at least prevent Gestahl and Kefka's tyranny.

"It's okay… Celes…"

His throat was soar after the screaming, his mouth filled with the disgusting taste of blood. So he could only whisper to the roaring winds.

If she hadn't done so, who knew what horror Kefka would have unleashed upon them once he had them in a secure grip.

"Bastards…"

Celes…

Where was she? He didn't want her to face death alone, she had always been lonely. Just a pawn of the empire.

And now?

'Didn't we use her as well?' Locke bitterly thought.

No, she had chosen to fight. Probably been prepared for that it could end like this. It was up to Edgar, Sabin, Setzer, Banon and all the others that were left to take care of the rest.

'So sorry…'

Locke suddenly blinked.

Big shadow?

"Ouff!"

"Agh!"

"Ow!"

And a whimper from Interceptor.

"Gotcha!" Setzer's voice huskily, grimly cheered.

Cyan's strong, wiry hands grabbed the dizzy treasure hunter's shoulders and helped him sit up.

"Art thee still with us?" the warrior grimly asked.

"I… I…"

Locke looked around, realizing panic growing for every second. Sabin was giving Terra support returning to the real world, Relm was the only one who dared touch Shadow. The ninja was too wobbly after the crash to even protest at the small but firm hands on his arms. Whimpering like a dog Gau rubbed his hands over Interceptor's back while the dog shook his head to regain orientation.

But?!

"Celes?!" Locke croaked, wildly looking around.

Everything and everyone froze, scanning the area.

No blond warrior with a white cloak anywhere on the deck.

"NO!!" Setzer screamed, his knees and palms hitting the deck, "I can't have missed her! I can't!"

"Uwaooo!!" Gau suddenly screeched through the downcrashing despair, "look out!"

The wild boy's howling and an intense light was the last thing that Locke remembered.