33.5; meddling with timelines; magic is duct tape;

[sandinmyboots]

Kefka arrives at Issei's temple in his usual way, tumbling through a magic door that takes him to whatever room Issei and Lancer are in. He dusts himself off, then salutes. He looks tired but ready for all of this.

"Let's get rid of that contract! Is everyone ready?"

[links with context will go here]

Comments

[unknownrival]

"I'm ready."

Issei has more than gotten used to worldhoppers showing up in weird ways.

[croibhristeoir]

"Are you really certain of this?" Lancer asked, quiet and uncertain as he turned to Issei. Something about him had changed drastically when he left his world, and though he'd started to recover just slightly, he was still...broken, for lack of a better word.

"If you wish to change your mind, please say so."

[sandinmyboots]

"He became a demon for you. I think that's pretty indicative of him being set on this."

Kefka pulls off his cloak and outer armor, leaving him in his lighter under-armor, then straightens his sleeves in preparation.

"Lancer, you'll want to lie down. This may interfere with your summoning magic and make you feel weak and I don't want you to fall on your face and die."

[unknownrival]

Ignoring Kefka's unhelpful words completely, Issei nodded to Lancer. "I am completely sure of it. I want you with me, always, and I have no doubts of my feelings.

[croibhristeoir]

"Very well, then I won't obj--...w-wait a moment, what. Kefka, are you sure you know what you're doing?!"

[sandinmyboots]

"I do, I do! This is the first time I'm doing it, but I know the mechanics of it! But tampering with magic in magic-based life can lead to weakness, and this will disconnect you from your former masters for a while, which will mess you up."

He reaches into his bag and pulls out a box. It's wooden, is about the size of a woman's forearm and has several locks on it.

"I brought a focus to help me out, which should make this even safer. Go lie down!"

[unknownrival]

"You should probably listen to him. He has more expertise than I do. Should I be doing anything in the meantime?" Issei asked.

[croibhristeoir]

Giving Kefka's box a suspicious look, Lancer did as he was asked with no further argument.

[sandinmyboots]

"Sit next to him and make comforting noises. I'll be on the foot of the bed - I'll need contact with him to get into his magic, so I'll just touch his feet."

Kefka hops onto the bed, cross-legged, the box on his lap.

[unknownrival]

Issei sat down beside him, resting a hand against his shoulder. "I think I can do that much."

[croibhristeoir]

"...Suddenly I am really not sure about this. And what on earth is in there?"

Because...well, knowing Kefka it was nothing good.

[sandinmyboots]

"You don't want to know. Really. I am not joking. But if you're so morbidly curious about it, I will tell you after this is over."

Not telling him that this is Sola-ai's arm. Nope. It was already chopped off when he got there, this one was not his fault. Leather and cranky had already clipped it when he had gotten there.

Kefka had snatched Sola, reassured leather and cranky that she and Kayneth were not coming back to the Grail War, and ran. He still had a couple bruises from the bullets, ow. He'd taken her to Kayneth el-jerk and ordered him to get out of town and stop being such a terrible person in exchange for Sola's life and a magic arm.

Whether leather and cranky would intercept them or not was not Kefka's concern. Hopefully, given the distance he'd need to travel, at least one of them would get out of there alive.

And he'd made the world a little better. Or worse. But at least it was different, and the plot was derailed, and that was worth it.

He grips Lancer's foot; he feels his magic roiling inside his body, flowing with every heartbeat.

"You'll live through this."

[unknownrival]

"It'll be all right. I'm here." Issei squeezed Lancer's shoulder lightly - he couldn't promise more than being here, but it would be all right. It had to be.

[sandinmyboots]

And here's Kefka some time later, sprawled out in a guest bedroom.

He took the hand back to Lancer's time and buried it. Then he came back, got some tea, poured sugar into it until he could taste it, and marched to bed. And now.

He's just. Tired. No, he's angry, roiling. No, there's nothing there but the shell of his body. Ugh. He is so ready to sleep, but his eyes won't close yet.

Stupid temple. Stupid Issei. Stupid Lancer. Stupid existance.

[unknownrival]

And here is Issei, coming in to check on him.

"Would you like anything for the night?"

[sandinmyboots]

"What are you doing here? Don't you have to go make sweet love to Lancer and his feelings?"

Kefka turns away from Issei, sulking.

[unknownrival]

"I have a guest, it'd be rude."

Nope nope. Not getting rid of him.

[sandinmyboots]

"Lancer just saw a severed arm, he's all in shock. You've got to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid like try and eat his fingers to punish himself."

Go awaaaaay. Stop pretending to care.

[unknownrival]

"I've been taking care of him, and now I'm going to see what you need."

Nope.

[sandinmyboots]

"I don't need anything. Why would I need anything? I already ruined everything, that's enough for needing things."

Why won't he leeeeeave.

[unknownrival]

"You fixed everything. I'm grateful."

Because he is Issei and he makes a fuss.

[sandinmyboots]

"Yes, but the arm messed it up again. Why are you still here?"

He rolls over to glare at Issei. His make up is mostly gone at this point, a few brushes of red on his eyes.

[unknownrival]

"Because you're upset and I am trying to make things better."

Duh.

[sandinmyboots]

He hops off the bed and to his feet. His hair is down, an oily mess around his shoulders, and he undoes the clasp for his green cape and lets it fall to the floor.

"You just want me to stop ruining everything. You don't have to fake liking me. That just makes me more upset."

[unknownrival]

"I'm not faking it." Really, Kefka. Issei crosses his arms.