*This is a Final Fantasy VI fanfiction .

The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought .

It was easy to say because it was easy to remember . They made her say it over and over when she was brainwashed . Thousands and thousands of times , repeatedly , time after time .

"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."
"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."
"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."

When they took it from her , in Narshē , they set it on a shelf beside her bed . There was a nice man who took care of her , and then the Imperial soldiers came . Before she had time to think , she grabbed it off the shelf .

He shoved her onto the roof . She had to walk across the steam pipes . They chased her into the caves .

Some ruffians tried to pull her away . They burned under the MagiTek armor•s Fire Beam . When the Imperial soldiers found her again , she was still clutching it in her hand . She didn•t know what to think . She wanted somebody to tell her .

So they put it back on her . She had her MagiTek armor returned to her . They asked her what she wanted to do .

"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."

Narshē is a beautiful outpost in the north of the world . Holed up in a makeshift office in the pantry of her cold__rustic apartment , stationed at a contested safe house in the southern district . There•s even a few parts of the city where she can walk freely without getting attacked by the guards• Lobo .

In the past year , she was ordained as both a Nun and an Inquisitrix of the Adeptas Sororitas . Under her rule , the Empire and its MagiTek has established a presence in several churches , and annexation proceeds at a natural pace .

"Light?" , Emperor Palazzo intoned .

And Lo , there was light . A thin flame eminated from Terra•s palm and curled up her forefinger to the tip . Palazzo lit hir cigarette with it . Terra took a hit from a MagiTek coil pen , the shard of Magicite inside vaporizing the tonic resin in the attached canister .

"So , how•s Narshe ? ." , Palazzo asked . Sie didn•t ask like an Emperor asks a General .

"Good ," Terra clipped . "Our hold on the southern Safe House is solid . Most of our intellectual property has been recovered . And the MagiTek suits are holding up in the garage , ready for use ."

"So formal ," Palazzo mused . Sie fingered the metal hardware welded into the back of Terra•s skull . Terra dropped like a light .

"i•mnot even wearin the slave crown..." , she managed to mumble on the way down .

Sie slipped into Terra•s mind like a hand goes into a glove , connecting to her MagiTek HUD with hir bare hands and clearly visualizing the things Terra could envision , responding directly to her thoughts and seeking out bits of resistance or noise like red snarls on a blue grid . Terra•s hands began mechanically caressing Palazzo•s bare thighs . Satisfied , sie closed her back up like a glove box .

Her other hand draped across Palazzo•s shoulders , Terra caressed hir breast as they spoke . "How is General Celes ? ."

Palazzo scoffed . "Yu think General Celes talks to me ? . General Celes is too busy running Head Office to bother with such a lowly head-of-state as i ."

"And South Figaro ? ."

"Ah ah ," Palazzo countered , "that•s not very fair . Yu do one , i do one ."

"Of course , my liege . Some of the men have been talking about another archeological find on Triangle Island ." Terra gasped as Palazzo curled into her , suckling at a bare breast . "The- ah! grave of Daryl Gambini ."

"Go on..." , sie growled , gently biting a nipple between hir teeth and caressing Terra•s other breast with hir other hand .

"So far , working- ah! mmm...ah...models of airships have f-followed the same -- uhn! -- basic shapes and style . Eyew-witnesses from their final race claimed that Daryl•s -- hha! -- designs were comp--ah--letely different from the standard m-m-model ."

"There , that wasn•t so hard , was it ? ."

The sheets twitched , in the direction of Terra•s "mutation" . Being born of both a Human and an Esper had left her with a body markedly different from the full Humans around her , as surely as her arousal caused her hair to streak pink and flicker at the edges , her Esper form just beneath her Human surface like an ornate stone beneath a thin layer of cloudy and turbulent water .

Palazzo extended hir own MagiTek enhancements thru hir fingers once more , energetically creating a phantom input that connected once more to Terra•s installed wetware . Checking to make sure her Si was clear of any obstructions , sie pushed .

Terra•s body sat up , shifted , and straddled Palazzo•s naked and prone form . Many of Palazzo•s scars were long faded , hir skin soft as loon feathers . Reacting mechanically , Terra wedged her member between Palazzo•s thighs and gently thrust back and forth , the forté of her breathing an indication of the animalian lust building within her .

Palazzo smiled , looking up at her like sie was the one on top .

"Well then? ," Terra challenged . "Yr turn ."

"Figaro is boring . The captains are all bribed by the merchants , who come and go by Resistance smuggling tunnels . The soldiers are drunk enough to wind up in the bushes with their uniforms stolen . Most of them don•t care whose flag tops their flagpoles , so long as the spice flows ."

Terra listened intently even as she continued thrusting , her abs coiling and uncoiling in a controlled manner . Her eyes lidded , she began to lose herself in the pleasure and the rhythm .

"General ," Palazzo growled . "It•s yr turn ."

"The Resistance spy network here in Narshē is as thorough as it ever was ." Thrust . "They come right up to my apartment hallway , breaking the locks on the front door to the building and leaning on the walls as if i can•t hear them ." Thrust . "There isn•t much we can do about them without burning the building down ." Thrust . "Which i assure yu , has come up in conversation ." Thrust .

Palazzo shivered , hir breath hitching up .

"How is Leo ?" , Terra asked .

"Leo is the good soldier , as ever ." , Palazzo mused , making a flourish with one hand and trying to hide hir arousal . "Afraid for his troops , afraid for his countrymen . Petitioning every other city-state in the Empire for arms and resources with which to stamp out the Resistance invasion and wipe them from the Empire ."

"As we must also do in Narshē ."

"As all of us must hold true in our hearts , dear General ." , Palazzo withered .

Non-deterred , Terra continued thrusting , slowly and carefully , aligning her body so that the tip of her mutation were knocking on the door to Palazzo•s inner parts .

"I•m getting the surgery ." Palazzo admitted , smiling , a thin chevron creased at the corners . "i•m going thru with it ."

Terra smiled , a big--beaming smile that radiated from deep within . "Congratulations ," she said honestly . "i•m proud of yu ."

Palazzo•s wicked grin softened at the corners , the hope and the mirth evident in the crow•s feet of hir eyes . Terra continued thrusting , gently and sensually as only a woman can . They continued like that , wordlessly , tapping on the knocker to a door that wouldn•t open yet but one day would .

Eventually , Terra climaxed and rolled over , and Palazzo stood , and Terra took hold of hir sex organs , stroking gently in a way that had hir bent back over the bed . It was a different kind of magic , one that didn•t require any mana at all , the ability to hold an entire person fast without so much as a grasp . The both of them enslaved to their own lust , Palazzo rutted into Terra•s hand , hir own phallus petite and cute . Terra let the mana flow freely thru her , and soon had Palazzo cumming into the palm of her hand .

When sie had caught hir breath , sie stood up , exhaled deeply , and sprung into hir suitcase . "Time.. to find some black thigh highs.. which I love.. and bug the world ." , sie stoccatoed , looking thru the pile of clothes erupting from it .

"Hooray ." Terra responded , smiling . "i love thigh highs ."

"I would enjoy seeing you in sexy stuff too." , Palazzo admitted , making a kissy face .

"Yeah?" Terra challenged playfully , folding her arms behind her head . "What do yu think i could pull off ? ."

Palazzo hummed . "Not sure, but something that accentuates your figure and long legs... we would have to experiment: What you can pull off -- Hey, I want to unwrap you ! -- Is what *you* would feel hot in."

Terra smiled wistfully . "i wouldn•t mind having a nice set of black lace lingerie . The bra , the panties , the garters and stockings . Something classy ."

"You bring to mind to me a tall elegant beautiful woman .." , Palazzo opined , "so anything that looks good for that would look good on you."

Terra smiled . "Purrrfect ."

"I like standard red, white, black, fishnets... usual fantasy stuff ." Sie laughed out loud . "Excellent!! I think you would look so incredible in black lingerie... yeah.. that IS my favorite."

A pair of black fence-nets in hir other hand , Palazzo crawled over the bed and gave Terra a kiss . Terra blushed .

"One sec! I have an idea ." Palazzo crawled back across the bed and leapt off , stepping into the other room . Coming back , sie knelt onto the bed . "Here , put this on ."

The slave crown slipped comfortably over Terra•s hair , fitting snugly around the temples . The MagiTek device hummed to life , emitting a warm glow . Terra•s eyes glassed over clear .

"Now , come show me what yu can do with that forked tongue ."

Terra knocked on the door to the shop , triggering the shopkeeper to come unlock the door . They stepped inside hurriedly , the door being locked behind them .

"The lingerie store , my liege ." , Terra spoke woodenly .

Palazzo smiled , hummed to hirself , and looked around . Racks on walls held a few scant pieces , in a variety of sizes and styles .

"What do yu think , this one?" , Terra asked , holding up a sheer black piece .

"Hmmm , not that one..."

"Yu like colour ." , she said , reading hir mind . "Bright colours . Like this one?" , she offered , holding up a bright blue piece .

"Yeah , like that one ." , sie said , smiling .

"The blue , or the fuchsia? or the yellow , here ."

"The blue ."

Terra smiled . "My liege likes spring colours ."

"Well , that•s the one i like ," and then , "but we•re here to get something for yu ."

Terra jumped . "For... for me?!"

Palazzo•s smile spread . "Yes , yu . What do yu want ? ."

Terra blushed , her neck craning like a swan . "i can•t even try stuff on without taking all my armor off ."

The shopkeeper stepped in helpfully . Speaking to Palazzo , she suggested , "Yu could try them on for her . There are changerooms just over there ."

Terra blushed again as Palazzo assented . The two of them continued looking around , this time eyeing pieces that could fit on her frail frame . Selecting several black lace pieces , they went to the changerooms

Terra and the Shopkeeper chatted as Palazzo scurried into and out of hir clothes . They discussed sexuality , and the weather . Palazzo opened the curtain , showing off the black lace . Terra blushed again .

Trying on the second piece , Palazzo expressed difficulty getting one of the smaller pieces on . Terra could tell that it would only fit her frame . A moment arose , where she had the choice , to pass it up , or , to try it on herself . "Oh , fine!" , she feigned exasperation . "Let me take some of this off ."

She removed her flight jacket , and the insulation under it , and unzipped her underlayer , exposing her stillsuit . This being as far as she could strip without taking her MagiTek cuffs off .

The thin__lace bra fit well over her stillsuit , indicating that she could fit into it . Palazzo and the Shopkeeper looked at her expectantly .

"Oh...!" , Terra murmurred demurely , the spotlight on her . "Ohhh , fine!"

She could hear Palazzo•s smile from the other side of the curtain . "Then i will put these back on..." , and , opening the curtain , sat down in an ornate armchair . "And yu can put it on ."

Still blushing , Terra took the scant__lace pieces and took them in , closing the curtain behind her . Piece by piece , she removed her MagiTek and laid it out carefully on the chair and hung up on the hook . Nude except for her panties , she looked at herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror . Ribs showing , scars from the surgeries carved into her , her bones warped in the MagiTek experiments . Still , she put on the delicate lace pieces one-by-one , having the most trouble with the garters but eventually having everything snapped together and in place .

She opened the curtain , exposing herself freely to both Palazzo and the Shopkeeper .

"Oh , my goodness!" , Palazzo expressed openly . The Shopkeeper expressed her approval as well . She went to get them some water , and Palazzo stepped into the changing booth . Embracing her hips , sie kissed her lips over the black neoprene mask she chose to accompany the lace with .

"Yu don•t have to do this..." Terra chided weakly , giving hir the option to change hir mind and wanting hir not to .

"Is that what yu want?" , Palazzo asked .

"Yes ." , Terra whispered .

"Then that•s what yu•ll get ."

Palazzo paid for the item while Terra put all of her armor back on . She left arm in arm with her Superior , feeling every bit as much like the prize paid for .

"And over here is my communications monitoring suite ." , Terra explained flatly , wearing the crown . "This device here can both pick up and transmit data to any nearby cell towers . This one right here can pick up shortwave radio and FM radio transmissions interchangably , and has a feature that can play radio until shortwave comes in , and then flips back and forth automatically ." The company commander had asked the witch to explain her rig to the boys , so they wouldn•t get so spooked about it . "This allows me to simultaneously scan streaming content and monitor both wave bands for signals intelligence ."

"Looks cozy ," a darker-skinned grunt offered .

"Comfortable enough to sleep in ." , Terra responded matter-of-factly . "Two (2) MagiTek batteries , one in each leg , keep her running for up to twelve (12) hours at a time ." She opened a toolbox in the aft . "Comes with every kind of jump cable . Can be charged at the steam turbines of Narshē as easily as the MagiTek docks at Vector ."

"That•s not so scary ." , one of them joked with another .

"The blasters are powered by the souls of the dead . Espers who don•t survive the enrichment process are converted into Magicite , which is broken down and used in the weapons systems ."

The soldiers blanched . In the mountains , superstitions ran high . Yetis , snow monsters , spirits , and all manner of sightings had plagued the soldiers over the years . All that *while* on a mission to look for frozen space monsters with psychic powers .

"i love my life ." , Terra whispered flatly as she shrouded her aura so the guards would argue with each other instead of her . "i love what i am , i love what we do ."

The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought .

It was easy to say because it was easy to remember . They made me say it over and over when i was brainwashed . Thousands and thousands of times , repeatedly , time after time .

"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."
"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."
"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."

When they took it from me , in Narshe , they set it on a shelf beside my bed . There was a nice man who took care of me , and then the Imperial soldiers came . Before i had time to think , i grabbed it off the shelf .

He shoved me onto the roof . I had to walk across the steam pipes . They chased me into the caves .

Some ruffians tried to pull me away . They burned under the MagiTek armor•s Fire Beam . When the Imperial soldiers found me again , i was still clutching it in my hand . I didn•t know what to think . I wanted somebody to tell me .

So they put it back on me . I had my MagiTek armor returned to me . They asked me what i wanted to do .

"The slave crown robs me of all conscious thought ."

Narshe is a beautiful outpost in the north of the world . I•m stationed at a contested safe house in the southern district . There•s even a few parts of the city where i can walk freely without getting attacked by the guards• Lobo .

In the past year , i was ordained as both a Nun and an Inquisitrix of the Adeptas Sororitas . We have established a presence in several churches , and annexation by the Empire proceeds at a natural pace .

Merry Christmas , and Happy New Year .
Tell General Celes that i have retrieved an article in her care .

--Terra

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