Disclaimer: This is part of another team up between myself and Asirainis. I do not own Final Fantasy IX or its characters or settings. The OC character of mine is only partially an OC and you'll understand that later.

Distant Memory

Prologue: The Place I'll Return to Someday

"Do you wanna build a snowman? Come on let's go and play," The familiar notes played through the surround speakers around her bedroom as the dark-haired young woman watched her favorite movie for what had to be the fiftieth time.

The bedroom was pink and all around the room were fantasy decorations. Disney Princess and Final Fantasy featured most prominently. A collection of all the Disney Princess movies in all available formats sat on a shelf. The VHS cassettes sat safely in a curio cabinet in the corner. Princess dolls still in their boxes adorned shelves going about her room. Another shelf had a collection of jewel cases bearing the soundtracks to all of these films.

"It doesn't have to be a snowman," The dark eyes sparkled as she sang along with the little girl in the movie. A knock interrupted her and she paused the movie. "Yeah?"

"Dear, your father and I are headed to work," A woman peaked her head in. She saw the television and sighed. "That movie again Alex?"

Alex, or rather Alexandra, shrugged. "It's my favorite."

The woman rolled her eyes. "You're sixteen today Alex darling. Don't you think you're getting much too old for these frivolities? These kids' movies and games?"

Alexandra frowned. "Of course not Mom. Kids can enjoy the bright colors and fun of the film. However, there's plenty for adults. The animation and artistry is worthy of note. And the music. The video games are the same way. Take Final Fantasy IX for instance. The graphics are silly and cartoony but they're supposed to be. Nobuo Uematsu is a genius in the score. Only a closed minded individual could call these things kids' movies and games."

Her mother sighed defeated. She'd never succeed in making her daughter grow up, she thought. "Well don't forget we're going to dinner tonight at Pierre's. Wear your best dinner dress. We'll pick you at six. Not a minute later."

Alexandra nodded. Her birthday dinner was the one time in the year when he parents made an effort to be with her at dinner. It didn't matter though, really. She knew what would happen. She grabbed her favorite of the Final Fantasy series, number nine, off the shelf. She needed to kill some Grand Dragons.

She decided to start a new game on the television she had reserved for video games. This way she could watch her movie too. It was strange. Her family had a lot of money but she felt so poor. Her parents worked all the time to earn all this money but it seemed like they were slaves to their jobs. Her mother was a high profile civil and trial lawyer. Her father was a CEO of a major corporation. They seemed almost addicted to these occupations and often forgot she existed. Instead they replaced their love and affection with money and things. Quiet things that gave no love in return.

As she played the game, her eyes were drawn to the light and to the Princess Garnet. Many times she felt obliged to acknowledge their similar appearances. She wondered if that's one reason why this was her favorite game. And why did she want to talk to Brahne more than she could talk to her mother? It was just a game.

The hours dragged by slowly until her mother and father got home. They all piled into the 2014 Lexus sedan her father had gotten from his company. The trip to the restaurant was quiet. Alex wasn't really able to converse with her parents. They had nothing in common.

Pierre's was a beautiful French restaurant that served the finest cuisine imaginable. But Alex barely tasted a bite as she watched her parents texting associates or clients or talking on their phones.

"Can't you put those away for ten, twenty minutes while we eat dinner?" she finally slammed her fork down in frustration.

Dana and Charles Mitchell jumped at the sound of metal on wood. "Alexandra! What is your problem?" Dana demanded.

Alexandra growled. "What's my problem? Did you really just ask me that?"

"I think it's a valid question," her father replied. "You've been moody all night."

"Well how would you know that? You've been working all night!" Alexandra snapped.

"What are you talking about? We've been right here eating dinner with you," Dana retorted. "And you just started snapping at us."

"You've been working! On your phones all night! Doesn't it matter that it's my birthday!" Alex felt tears burning in her eyes. "Don't you care about how my day was or anything?"

Dana and Charles looked at each other. They obviously didn't see anything wrong. Alexandra got up from her seat and shoved her chair in. "Never mind, let's just go. There's no point." She stomped out of the restaurant and to the car. She barely noticed the sky open up and release gallons of water all over her. Did it really matter?

The ride was quiet at first until her mother chimed in. "I hope you realize we can never go back to that restaurant."

Charles shuddered. "No, certainly not. That outburst was quite embarrassing Alexandra."

Alex glared at her father in the rearview mirror. "You just don't get it do you? Is your job so important that you can't turn your phones off to have a meal with your daughter on her birthday?" It was a question she asked every year. "Do you even love me?"

"What kind of question is that?" Dana asked. "You're our daughter. We work so hard because we love you. So we can buy you nice things and go to nice places."

Alex groaned. "I don't need nice things! I need my parents! I need you to talk to me! I need you to yell at me about my homework and get mad about my room being messy."

"Alex, you're acting like a five year old," Charles turned his head around, not watching the road. "Now, you know we love you! You need to grow up and accept that your mother and I have jobs! Stop being so childish! Wh-wh-whoa!" he shouted as he felt the car land in a high plane of water. He hit the brake hard, causing the car to start spinning and slide out of control."

Alexandra screamed as the car spun towards the guard rail overlooking a ravine. The car broke through the metal hard and fell down the side of the embankment. It hit a large rock and turned over many times before careening fast towards a tree. She just barely caught sight of a strange triangle symbol in the rock they'd vaulted over before her world went white and she felt that something like a rope was dragging her somewhere.

End

This is a One Shot meant to detail my character's arrival into the FFIX world. Please review.