"I want you to send me back." Squall demanded.

"Squall refusing right off the bat. Not surprising but really annoying when I haven't even explained myself yet." Caecilius said.

"I'm feeling the same as him so say what you need to say before I start making demands too." Cloud said.

"Nothing but rude people today." Caecilius whispered to himself. "I was once part of an order of multiverse cataloguers and protectors known as the Caretakers."

"But not anymore…" Claire assumed.

"For two reasons, the first being I was fired for trying to alter timelines for the better and the second being that they were all wiped out by our founder." He pressed on the orb and a projection of the woman in question appeared. "Vera Ziad."

"Your founder?" Noctis asked. "Why would she destroy her own order?"

"Because it outlived her usefulness." He then shook off the pained look from his face. "She amassed us under the pretense that we would be guarding all the realms but she was using us to find the shards of the three ancient crystals that created the multiverse." The hologram changed from Ziad to an image of an ancient illustration of the three crystals floating through the stars.

The assembled party members all looked at each other.

"So, what does this Ziad woman plan to do with these crystal shards?" Tidus asked.

"Seconded." Squall said. "If those crystals are powerful enough to create whole universes then I'm even more worried about what she could do with their destructive power."

"I'm actually kinda surprised you know the definition of the multiverse."

"This isn't our first rodeo."

"Oh, right! The Dissidia Files, the gods Cosmos and Chaos…I kinda forgot about that. I was wondering how you guys were so familiar with each other."

"You forgot?" Cloud asked with a mild disbelieving tone.

"It's been a long day."

"Whatever." Squall said.

"To answer your questions, I don't know what her intentions are with the shards but seeing as how she's willing to destroy everything and everyone in her way with a smile on her face means that it can't be anything good. Just one of those shards wiped out an entire planet. If she collects all the shards then whatever she has planned will affect every world in every realm. Me and Cindy can't stop her by ourselves…I need a team. You can say no but you all have an invitation and I really need the help."

"Not interested." Squall said.

"Me neither." Claire followed.

Cloud hesitated before answering. "I'm with them."

"Look, I'm sorry you lost your people but I got my own people that need help. My answer's no too." Noctis said.

"Now wait a second." Tidus said. "There's a bad lady out there whose killing people and gathering crystal shards that could affect all of us and the people we care about. You're seriously gonna say no?"

"If you wanna help him then you can join his team." Claire stated. "But I'm going home to my family and friends. I fought for most of my old life and now that I'm finally done with the fighting the last thing I want to do is throw myself back in it."

"Besides, some of us don't have time to go zooming around to other worlds when our own needs us." Squall said.

"We shoulda mentioned that this ship is also a bonafide time machine." Cindy said. "Y'all familiar with time travel?"

"Yes." Claire, Squall, and Tidus answered collectively in a painful tone.

"There's your answer." Caecilius said to Cindy before turning back to them. "The point she's making is, if you decide to come along, we can bring you all back to the moment you left."

"I don't know…" Noctis said scratching the back of his head. "That would work for me but..."

"You don't have to decide right now." Caecilius reached into his coat pocket and handed them all black pen shaped devices with red buttons at the top. "These are Recall Switches. They're mini emitters that access the ship's Recall System so when you press the button you'll be beamed back onto the ship like how I brought you all here."

"Was wondering how you did that." Cloud said.

"Now you know, beardo." Cloud grimaced at the name. "As a safety precaution, they stop working after twenty four hours when they leave the ship so you'll have that much time to come to a decision. If some or all of you decide to not come back after that time then I'll understand. But know that this threat is real and no realm will be safe."

After giving his parting warning Caecilius sent them all back to their respective universes.

"You staying?" He asked Cindy.

"Absolutely. You'll wreck this ship without me."

He chuckled. "Then I guess we should head back to your world. You still need to pack."

Realm: Fifteenth

World: Eos

Location: Hammerhead Garage

Time Period: M.E. 766

"Should I pack any food?!" Cindy shouted from inside the garage.

"There's plenty of food on the ship and we could always restock on any world we come across so you don't have to unless you want to!" Caecilius shouted from outside next to a resting Cid in his chair.

"Less for me to pack!"

"So…" Cid began. "y'all are headin' out into time 'n space. Have to say, it ain't the strangest thing I ever heard."

"Really?"

"No."

"…Ok?"

"How much danger is she gon' be in?"

Caecilius thought for a moment before answering. "A lot."

"I can't stop her from doin' whatever she puts her mind to so I'm gon' tell ya this, ya bring her home safe without a scratch, ya understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Cindy walked into view with a fully packed duffel bag. "Alrighty, I think I got everythin' I need."

"Then let's begin our epic quest."

"Great. Another youngin' with his head in the clouds." Cid said in an annoyed tone before turning to Cindy. "You sure do know how to pick 'em."

Caecilius sighed. "People all day today."

They started to walk away until Cindy stepped to the side to where Prompto was waiting.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. For now at least."

"Think you can handle this place while I'm away?"

"I've been used to this place and how it works for the past ten years. I should be able to at least do a moderate job." He chuckled before becoming more serious. "I won't let you down."

"Good. Besides, from your perspective, I'll be back in five seconds so you won't have to manage without for too long." She chuckled. "See you soon."

"Right back at you."

She and Caecilius turned to leave and walked toward the direction of the ship.

Realm: Fifteenth

World: Eos

Location: Lestallum

Time Period: M.E. 756

"You're making this up." Gladio declared as they all stood around the Regalia.

"It's true, and I got twenty four hours to decide whether or not I'll go." Noctis said while twirling the switch in his hand.

"So, have you thought about what you wanna do?" Prompto asked.

"I'd understand if you want to help, your majesty." Ignis chimed in. "But you have a mission here as well. We are already pressed for time as it is."

"I did mention the time machine, right?"

"That you have but what if this Caecilius can't bring you back to the moment you left? What if you return to find the world under the rule of the empire?"

"I understand there's a danger that I may not come back to the exact time I left or at all. But if I don't help there's a chance that even if we win here it won't be for long if she arrives here with the crystal shards." There was silence among them.

Gladio was the one to break the silence. "You're going somewhere we can't follow."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"You talking about that other world with the gods and stuff?" Prompto asked.

"Yeah, some of the old crew will be with me so I shouldn't get into too much trouble."

"That's reassuring." Gladio said sarcastically.

"Indeed." Ignis agreed in a similar tone.

Noctis looked down at the switch and made his decision.

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys in a few seconds." He said before pressing the button and disappearing in a flash of light.

Realm: Tenth

World: Spira

Location: Bevelle

Time Period: 1 N.E.C

"And that's the whole story. What do you think?" Tidus asked.

Chuami just sat and kept eating from her fish kebab. "…I think this tastes delicious."

Tidus groaned loud enough for the people walking past to glance over in his direction. The festival was in full swing and the streets were filled with vendors, performers, and games.

"How do you expect me to react? It's bizarre but not really out of the ordinary for you now, is it?"

"I guess not."

"So, why are you here instead of just going?"

"I guess…I just wanted to say goodbye." He gave a half smile.

"Wanted someone to know you left?"

"Just a smidge."

Chuami smiled a little. "I'll miss you too, Tidus."

"I guess I'll see you around."

He pressed down on the switch and vanished in a bright light, startling some of the people passing by.

"Uh…ta-daaa." Chuami said trying to play it off, earning a coin to be tossed onto the table she was sitting at.

Realm: Eighth

World: Eden

Location: Winhill

Time Period: 83 A.C.

Squall, Rinoa, Laguna, and Ellone all sat around each other in Rinoa and Squall's house.

"So, you're gonna go, right?" Laguna asked.

"Why?" Squall responded.

"Because we'll all probably die if you don't."

"Maybe we shouldn't say that so loudly." Ellone said.

"We wouldn't want people overhearing and causing a panic." Rinoa added.

"Doesn't seem like that'll matter if he doesn't go."

"He can probably find someone else. He's got a ship that can go anywhere, he'll be fine."

"Did you not think to consider that even though he had a ship that could go anywhere he still asked you for help?"

Squall didn't speak.

"Could you two give us a minute?" Rinoa asked. After a moment, Laguna and Ellone left the room. "What's on your mind?"

"I think you already know."

"True, but you need to say it."

Squall took a moment. "I'm…scared. I'm scared that I might not come back this time. I only survived the other place because I was resurrected over and over again but now I'm facing some really destructive stuff and I don't get a do over this time."

Rinoa took his hand just as Angelo used her snout to lift Squall's left hand over her head to pet her. "You're not a stranger to the fear of death, I know. But your father's right. If you don't go that fear will become reality for everyone everywhere."

"You want me to go?"

"No, but if you don't, no one will live long enough to have the future we fought to give them."

Squall lifted his hand from Angelo, into his pocket, and pulled out the switch. He stared at it for a few moments.

"I guess I better say goodbye to them before I go." He said looking into the direction where Laguna and Ellone left earlier.

"That would be very considerate of you." She smiled before kissing him. "I love you."

"You too."

Squall got up with Rinoa, packed a few essentials, and said his goodbyes. When he felt ready he pressed the button and disappeared.

Realm: Seventh

World: Gaia

Location: 7th Heaven

Time Period: [ ν ] - εγλ 0011

Tifa stood there not saying a word while Cloud sat at the edge of his bed. She looked down at the floor while Cloud kept looking at her waiting for a response.

"I know it's a lot to take in." Cloud said.

"It's not fair." Tifa said quietly.

"What?"

"It's not fair." She said louder. "Sephiroth, Shinra, Deepground, it's all gone. Business is good for both of us, everyone's finally rebuilding their lives, and then all of a sudden you're called to fight again."

"I…I won't go if you don't want me."

"That's just it. Disregard the fact that there's really not that much of a choice, you want to go. You're going to pack your things, leave us all behind again, and fight someone else's war with no guarantee of coming back. That's why you shaved…" Tifa pointed to his now clean shaven face. "No more taking it easy, just back to being a soldier."

For a few moments there was silence until Cloud finally spoke. "I-"

"I understand." Tifa interrupted. "Until a year ago, you had been fighting for ten whole years of your life. That's not something that just goes away. But after experiencing what peace felt like I had hoped that you wouldn't be so eager to leave for another war. I mean, we have kids to look after, friends who cherish us. I know change is hard but I didn't think you were hoping for another fight."

"I never hoped for a fight. Fighting brings sadness, pain, and death. We know this better than most people. But…I guess I am eager. Maybe I have been longing to fight again but that will never take priority over you, Marlene, and Denzel."

"But you have to go because there won't be a me, Marlene, and Denzel to come back home to if you stay." After a moment, she perked up a little and looked up at him. "Well, be sure to pack a toothbrush, make sure Fenrir stays functional, and say goodbye to the kids before you go." She turned around and walked out of his room.

Cloud stood there slack-jawed. "What just happened?"

After that he grabbed a bag and began to pack his things. While packing he looked up and noticed the two pictures he was holding before being whisked away. He looked at the now broken glass and stared at his own reflection through the cracks sullenly. After he finished packing he explained the situation to Marlene and Denzel and they were all downstairs in the now empty bar to say goodbye.

"You gonna be ok?" Cloud asked Denzel and Marlene, knelt down to their eye level.

"We'll be ok, Cloud." Marlene said.

"You're going to leave again…" Denzel said sadly.

Cloud felt pained and quickly donned a smile. "You know, I'm going to fly around on this big time machine." Denzel looked up. "Which means I'll be back in five seconds and when I do I'll bring back a few things for all of you. Sound good?"

Denzel smiled widely. "Yeah!"

"Great." Cloud ruffled their hair, picked up his back, and stood up. "Five seconds."

"Five seconds." Both children said in unison.

He looked over to Tifa who then smiled. "Five seconds."

He smiled and nodded to her before pulling out the switch and disappeared after pressing the button.

They stood there waiting for Cloud to come back. Five seconds passed. Then ten seconds. Then twenty seconds…Cloud didn't return on time…

Realm: Thirteenth

World: Earth

Location: Nora House Restaurant

Time Period: 2018 A.D.

"No." Claire said to Serah sitting opposite her in a booth.

"But people are in trouble."

"They don't have the best luck then."

"Claire!"

"Seriously?" Snow asked from the bar. "Someone with no other options asks you for help and you're just gonna say no?"

"If you're so worried then you can go." Claire then tossed him the switch which he caught before it hit his face.

"Nice catch." Sazh said, sat at the bar.

"I'm not the one he asked." Snow said.

"Light-" Hope began.

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry. Claire, Snow's right. This time traveler is someone who has no one else to call on and, if what he said about this Vera woman is true, it sounds like we'll all-"

"I get the idea."

"Then how come it's not resonating?" Sazh asked.

"Because I'm done. I have my own life, a home, a job, and a…" She gestured to everyone around her. "…family. Now someone I don't know is asking me to leave it all behind to deal with his problems with no guarantee of coming back."

"But, Claire, his problems are going to be everyone's problems if this woman gets what she wants." Serah said.

Sazh turned to speak. "I get what you're saying but this family of ours, which includes my son by the way, won't be able to continue enjoying these second chances at life for too long if you don't help."

Claire rubbed her forehead in frustration at all the points being made. Serah stood up, grabbed Claire's hand, and led her outside.

"Serah, what are you-"

"Look, Claire, I understand." She interrupted. "And if we could all go with you we would but…never mind, you've heard all this already."

After a moment Claire spoke. "I just want peace. After everything that's happened, am I not allowed that?"

"Of course you are. Maybe…maybe the others will be enough to help. You don't have to go."

"Yeah, and maybe most of them will decide to go."

Claire then looked down at the ground. "What's wrong?" Serah asked.

"Out of everyone that exists he picked me. I have no special powers, no weapons, nothing. I haven't been a warrior in a long time, I'm no help to anybody, so…why me?"

"I don't know. If you stay you'll never find out."

"Maybe I can live with that."

"Which might not be for very long."

Claire nodded, turned to look at everyone in the restaurant, and looked back to Serah.

"I don't know…"

"Well, you've got two choices." Snow said, now standing outside the door. "You stay here and hope the others get by without you or…" He then tossed the switch back to Claire.

She looked at it in her hand, looked between the two of them, then back to the switch and just stared at it undecided…

Location: The Chronal Star

Cindy walked onto the bridge placing a high-tech tool into her tool belt.

"I fixed up the glitchy portal problem and fixed a whole bunch of other things that I'm still tryin' to remember the names of so the ship should run more smoothly."

"You are a goddess." Caecilius said.

"Now you're startin' to sound like Prompto."

"Yeah, well, maybe he's onto something."

"What about Prompto being onto something?" Noctis said as he walked in.

"Nothing that'll trouble you, your highness."

"Highness?" Squall said as he entered. "You royalty?"

"He's a prince." Cindy explained.

"You kind of have the ego of one now that I think about it." Cloud said seated in one of the several chairs on the bridge.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Caecilius asked.

"I've been here for the past eight minutes."

"That's…really cool and also kind of creepy at the same time."

Tidus was next to walk onto the bridge. "Are we talking about Cloud? Oh, there he is." He said pointing to Cloud.

"Funny." Cloud said, sarcastically yet monotone ever present in his voice.

"What was funny?" Tidus asked genuinely confused.

Caecilius looked to the door waiting for the last member to walk on through. When enough time passed, he sighed and looked to the others.

"I guess this is all of us. Thank you all for coming. I know that what I'm asking of you is beyond dangerous but together we'll make it through the storm."

"Better yet, we'll be the storm." Tidus said excitedly.

"Well, you all know what every good storm needs…" Everyone turned to the new voice in the room and saw Claire walking toward them. "...is lightning."

"Welcome aboard, Ms. Farron." Caecilius said with a smile.

She then looked over to Cloud. "You shaved. Shame." Cloud responded with a shrug. She turned back to Caecilius. "You mentioned something about weapons fabrication on this ship."

"I did, which reminds me…" Caecilius then pulled a high-tech rifle from behind where Cloud was sitting and presented it to Cindy. "Even the mechanic needs a weapon on these missions. It has automatic, semi-automatic, and explosive functions for all manner of enemies."

"That's…very thoughtful of you but I don't-"

"Anything can happen on this trip. I'm not asking you to go out there with us if you don't want to, I'm just saying that you should be armed with something other than a wrench."

After a moment of thinking Cindy took the rifle. "I thought it'd be heavier."

"Lightweight materials. The future is fancy like that." Caecilius turned back to Lightning. "But back to you. I figured you'd need something a little more special than what the ship can make so I made a call to someone who owes me a favor to make something a little more fitting for you. Also, said person is making some armor for you so that'll be pretty neat."

"How long will that take?"

"About a few weeks."

"Weeks?!" Lightning asked surprised. Caecilius merely gestured his hands to the surrounding ship. "Right, time machine."

"Also, before we embark on our journey, who here has never been to outer space before?"

After noticing a few hands raised, he walked over to the console, pressed a button, and the windshield shudders opened to reveal the ship idling in deep space with glistening stars and gas clouds visible.

"Wow…" Was all Tidus could say.

"And all of you are going to be travelling to and through it." Caecilius turned to them. "So, who's ready for the trip of a lifetime?"

"We're here, aren't we?" Squall said.

"I'll take that as a yes. But first, did anyone bring any music?"

They all looked at each other and shrugged. Lightning however reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"I did." She held out her phone to Caecilius.

He grabbed it and placed it into a port on the console. "Alright, everyone take your seats cause we are leaving the station!"

As everyone sat down and strapped in he looked through the playlist and selected a song.

[Back in the Game by Airbourne]

"Now the fun starts." Caecilius said before opening a portal and flying the ship through it toward adventure.