The person said only one thing: "Garrett, I’m sorry..." Gatoris turned to see Jason had arrived. "She chose to sacrifice herself so that Aerith could have a chance to be with Zack." Garrett could not bear his grief this way. He separated from Gatoris. "That’s just like her. Putting the welfare of others in front of her own. That’s why I loved her..." Garrett was too overcome with emotion. So was Jason. He left Sephiroth to personally console his friend. "Now I know how she has felt all those times I sacrificed myself for her. The shoe’s on the other foot..." Garrett muttered. "You mean, you’re wearing high heels?" Jason was always the one with a bad joke. "She would have got a kick out of that one..." Garrett seemed to be cheering up. "Someone, get over here quick!" King Garret shouted. From the tone in the king’s voice, it couldn’t be good...

It was really bad. Almathea was hurt, and on the verge of death. It look like someone did a number on her... "Garrett... I’m..." she began to speak. "Save your energy. I know what you want to say. You’re sorry for not being able to save Angie. I understand. You tried..." Almathea nodded "But, I’m also... sorry I can’t... be with... you any... more..." Garrett couldn’t believe he was hearing this. Not Almathea, too... "I know... what you are thinking... I’m too far gone ... to be saved. Farewell..." Garrett bowed his head and cried. Both of his friends were gone, and it was all because of a rat. He eyed the Pokéball on the floor. He grabbed the Masamune and morphed it into a mallet. He walked over to the spot. "You wanted me angry? Well you got it you rat bastard!" he yelled with a mixture of rage and tears. He began to destroy the ball, forever destroying the demon. After he felt he had demolished the ball enough, he threw the mallet away. He then fell to a heap. Jason came over to console him again. "Please, Garrett..." he was pleading with his friend to calm down. He was afraid he would do what he did... "Thank you, Jason, but I’ll be fine... I just need to be alone." With that, Garrett Mackenzie got up, and waked back to Castle Tonberry.

When he arrived, he was cold and miserable. He nonetheless went in, and begin to wander. He was looking for a comforting place... the place where he had his last pleasant memory of her. He was looking for that garden which was in the vision. After about an hour of searching, he found a corridor he had yet to be in. It was a long hallway with a old wooden door at the end of it. Garrett began to cry again. This had to be the spot. he walked the corridor slowly, like a death-row inmate walking his last mile. He broke down just in front of the door. Suddenly, the door opened. Garrett had a sudden chill, and he stopped blubbering. He walked in the door. He had found his Eden... but it was lonely. He sat down and admired the flowers. He made sure to lock the door behind him. He sat there for days, just staring at the roses.

When he woke up on the fifth day, he was given a surprise: Angelina’s spirit was there with him. He bowed his head, avoiding eye contact. "Garrett, what’s wrong?" she asked him. "You unhappy to see me?" He refused to answer. Angie sat down next to him, holding him close. "You wish I was still alive, right?" He still remained silent. She grabbed him by the chin and jerked his face to meet hers. "I made my choice. I felt that the fate of the world and your life was worth more than mine. I’d do it again if I had to." Garrett jerked his head away and returned to his depressed state. Angelina was getting a little impatient. "I didn’t have to come back and visit you. I just felt it better if you had a final chance to say goodbye..." "Goodbye?" Garrett finally spoke up. "you mean, this was our last life together?" Angie now bowed her head. "Barring a miracle, yes. it has been deemed time for Princess Chastity to return, and I am a part of her..." "And there’s probably no chance that I’m her prince..." The two quit talking and held each other close. A few minutes later, Almathea’s spirit entered. "I’m sorry to do this to you, Garrett, but it is time..." she said. Angelina pleaded. "Please, I just need a few more minutes to say goodbye..." Garrett looked her in the face. "This is your destiny. Go ahead. You have said your goodbye, that’s all I needed." She kissed him one last time, and went to accept her fate.

Jason managed to open the door. Before he could speak, the transformation began. A white aura surrounded Almathea. Angelina reluctantly walked closer to her. They stretched their hands out to each other, and pulled themselves toward the other. A wind kicked up, and then a brilliant white flash appeared where the two stood. The shockwave from the flash almost blew Garrett off his feet. When he was able to see again, he looked at the result: it was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Princess Chastity was wearing a formal looking gown, and was carrying a bouquet. "Garrett, nice to see you again..." she said in a cherry manner. She barely resembled the two halves she was made from. "Well, I guess this is where I make my exit..." Garrett said, with his head down. He walked to the door. "Wait..." Princess Chastity spoke. "This isn’t the end... only the beginning. Look at your hand..." Garrett obeyed. he looked and saw... Gatoris’ wedding ring. He had left it on Gatoris, but how was he wearing it? "That ring... It’s the ring of the prince of Mercury..." she began to state. Garrett looked to the princess. "this means..." Both smiled. Jason finally talked. "Garrett, you lucky dog! I didn’t know we were the prince of Mercury..." "Not we, Jason. Just me." Garrett replied. "You were the prince of Titan. You were fused with me when I was killed as the prince. Meaning we were not cut from the same cloth..." Jason understood. "I’ll go find my princess, then..." he said as he left. The two returned to staring into each other’s eyes. "I’ve been waiting for millennia for this moment..." Garrett said. "Me too," Chastity sighed. he then whispered into her ear in the Cetra language " Ar lange ar E hab ur bruet en mei erd, E woll niehen len du gu..." (As long as I have a breath in my body, I will never let you go...) She smiled. They began to dance together. Garrett then decided that they should move their dancing to the main ballroom of the castle.

When they got there, there was already a couple dancing: Aerith and Zack. "Ah, I see you two are finally reunited." Aerith said. Garrett and Chastity nodded. "What happened to Gatoris?" Garrett inquired of Zack. "I saw that without you, he was not needed. I can protect my love better this way." he explained. Garrett saw no argument, and he began dancing with Chastity. The two couples danced the night away. Before retiring, Garrett kissed Chastity. "This has been the worst, yet the best week of my existence. I hope things keep going better tomorrow..." He whispered in her hear before going to bed for the night. Garrett thought that the days of odd dreams were gone with Gatoris. But that wasn’t so.

Garrett was once again in the hidden garden. All the roses were there. There was also a woman in a green dress tending to the flora. She turned around, and Garrett became confused. Why was Almathea appearing to him instead of Chastity? "...because you have been living a dream, Garrett..." she spoke. Huh? "All of my being Gatoris? A dream? Why?" Garrett was still confused. "I dunno, but it was. You still have a purpose in Deadwood..." Garrett didn’t follow Almathea’s words. "You’ll see what when you get back." Garrett was totally lost now. Hadn’t he died in Deadwood? "No, you just fell asleep from playing too much. Now, it’s time for you to return." Before Garrett could be confused further, he was thrown into a gateway.

Garrett woke with a start. He was on his floor. ...he was on his floor! This meant he was alive! He got up and surveyed everything. He had knocked off his picture of Angie, and broken the frame. other than that, everything was all right. And Almathea was at the door. "I heard you fall down, so I decided to check on you..." she said in a semi-worried tone. "I’m fine. I just need some rest." Garrett replied in a groggy tone. As he began to lay in bed, he noticed a black Camaro speeding down the lane past his house. It was Jason’s car... What the hell was he doing going back there, he thought. The only thing back there is the lake... oh, shit... "Almathea, I think we have a problem brewing..." Then another car sped past. Garrett knew right away that it was Angie’s car. "Strike that. We got a problem now! I’m going after them." Almathea didn’t not understand what was going on, but she followed his friend.

When Garrett made it to the lake, Jason was in a boat in the middle of it. Angie was on the bank, trying to plead with him to get back there. Oh great, Garrett thought. Jason’s gonna try to off himself. he couldn’t let that happen. He took off his shirt and dove in. Angie was partially relieved, then she remembered something: "Garrett can’t swim..."

Apparently, no one told that to Garrett. He struggled at first, but he managed to get the hang of it. It wasn’t a pretty sight, but he got to the boat. "Jason, what the hell are you doing?" he yelled at his friend. Jason was crying, and holding a rock tied to his foot. "What does it look like? I’m easing Angie’s problems..." Jason was suicidal. "How? By causing her grief? Think about it, baka. If you do it, I will personally piss on your grave on a daily basis." Garrett was unhappy with his friend’s choice. "I don’t care. I wronged her, and I feel there is no other way to end it." Jason wasn’t getting it. "Hey, baka yaro! I think you should have just told her what you did. Knowing her, she would forgive you. If it was one woman or ten, she would have taken you back! Just..." Garrett was getting aggravated. "...arrgh! You’re hopeless..." Garrett began to swim away, but his conscious got to him. He swung back around, grabbed the rope tied to the boat, and dragged it ashore. When Jason got back on the ground, he turned to Garrett. "Thank you, man. I wasn’t thinking straight..." Garrett looked at him coldly. "I didn’t do it for your sake. I just didn’t want to see Angie upset..." he said as he stormed back to his house. Angelina looked at Garrett, and thanked him. He didn’t hear her in his fit of anger.

He went to sleep, and woke up the next day. He checked his email, like he usually does of a morning. But this time, there were messages from people who normally didn’t send anything. The first one was from Jason. He was still talking about how he owed his life to him. Garrett sent a quick reply to him telling him he owed his life to Angie. The second was from Angie. This one confused the hell out of him.

Thank you again for saving Jason. I didn’t realize you would put your life on the line for anyone. I was thinking about it, and I thought it would be a good reward. You know the Alumni dance next Saturday? I talked to Jason, and he wouldn’t mind. What I am saying is would you like to go the dance with me?

What??? Garrett sent a reply to her.

That’s sweet of you, but I have to decline. It just wouldn’t feel right. Even if Jason agrees to it. Sorry if I upset you...

Almathea was behind him. "You sure? I know how bad you want to be with her..." Garrett didn’t even turn around. "Like I typed, it just wouldn’t feel right. It would feel like I’m encroaching on Jason’s space." Almathea shook her head.

The next Saturday rolled around. The time for the Alumni dance. Garrett decided to go, even if he was going alone. Almathea refused to go, for Garrett’s sake. As she said, "What would they think if you take a kid to an Alumni dance?" Garrett went to leave his house. When he opened the front door, there was an unexpected visitor at the door: Angie. "Figured you needed a date..." Garrett looked at her, and then tried to walk past her. She grabbed his arm. "Please..." she was beginning to cry. Jason was behind her, giving Garrett an odd look. It looked like he swallowed a cow, but Garrett got the idea: he wanted Garrett to do this. "Oh, all right. If it’ll make you happy..." Jason drove the three to the dance.

Angie and Garrett caused a slight stir from their classmates. The two shrugged it off. A slow song began to play. Garrett held Angie tightly. She began to whisper in his ear. "There’s only one reason Jason let me do this." Garrett speculated "He broke up with you. It’s my fault." "No. He felt it best... so he wouldn’t hurt me again..." she tried to explain. Garrett sighed. This is what he always wanted, but it just didn’t feel right. "There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you since you emailed me..." Angie began. Another slow song began to play, slower than the last. Garrett had no clue what she was going to say next. "I love you, too..." Garrett broke down in tears. "you want to stop dancing?" Angie was worried. "No. I’m fine..." he insisted. he then remembered his dream, and whispered something into her ear. "As long as I have a breath in my body, I will never let you go..." The night kept going and the dances got better.

Jason drove them home. He wanted to drop Garrett off first, but Garrett had insisted that Angie went home first. He walked her to the door. "That was fun..." Garrett said, blushing. "Want to do it again next weekend?" Angie asked, surprising Garrett. "Sure, but next time, I’ll drive." Seeing how he wasn’t that far from his house, he decided to walk the rest of the way home. Before he got five feet, Angie stopped him. "Let me walk you home..." Garrett didn’t argue with her.

When they got to Garrett’s door, he paused. "Here, take this..." Garrett took his class ring off of his finger and handed it to Angie. "Thanks. Next week then?" she asked. "Yeah, next week..." Garrett was almost in euphoria. Instead of going in, he sat on his porch and looked at the stars. "You see, everything works out in the end..." Almathea had joined him. Garrett was zoned out.

When Garrett got to sleep that night, he had one final dream. This was of him and Princess Chastity. They began to dance again. While dancing, the Almathea part of her seemed to melt away, leaving just Angie. She then spoke into Garrett’s ear. "We were meant to be together forever..." Garrett was happy just dancing with Angelina. He spoke into her ear. "I swear on my own grave that I will never leave your side again..."

Touching, ne? Just be glad this wasn’t written on paper: There’d be too many tear stains to read it! I tried to show the power of love in a person’s life. If the real Angie is reading this (which I doubt, because I’m still alive...), I want her to know there’s always a spot in my heart for her. I also thought that I should have an way back home, even if it is an alternate reality. Hope you enjoyed this sidetrack. Now, go to Chapter 14! Finally, I want to leave you with words of wisdom from a Rolling Stones song that sums up my thoughts:

You can’t always get what you want

But if you try sometimes, you just might find

you get what you need.

Keeping it somewhere reasonably close to sane,

Gatoris Tonberry