This is a story based on the game Final Fantasy IX, and if you have any problems with love ^^ or a bit of blood, don't read on. It may or may not be a tearjerker. it depends who you are. Normally I don't write introductory paragraphs, but there is only one purpose of it this time. Anything within the {{}} is in the past, and anything in italics is written in a letter. Well anyways, enjoy!

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Had it ever rained this hard? As the girl stood there, the rain hadn't even begun to bother her. She barely noticed the rolling thunder and the rain dripping down her face. She was drenched from head to two, but still took no notice.

She had been sad for so long it seemed, maybe it was time to let go. To let go of the one she missed, forget that they had ever met. She slapped herself mentally for even thinking about forgetting him.

The brunette looked towards the castle, her long gown now dirtied and sopping wet. Why was it that whenever she felt like crying, her feet always lead her here? Earlier that year her mother's gravesite broke her heart, but now the memories brought on by the flowers and mementos gave her some comfort.

"Your majesty?" Beatrix spoke softly as she looked at the grieving princess. "Garnet. Look at me." Beatrix pulled her chin up so she could look the teen in the eyes. "They're going back tomorrow. We could go along, if you'd like that."

Garnet looked at the ground. "I think I'd be too afraid of what we'd find. I wouldn't be able to bear it if. If we found them and they weren't. you know," Garnet broke off, unable to voice her concerns.

It had been nearly a year since the final battle at the Lifa Tree. That day would always be fresh in her mind. That was the day that he had refused to leave, the day they waved goodbye and the day she watched him get smaller and smaller, until she could no longer see the smile on his face. It wasn't until that day that she realized and by that day it was far too late. She loved him, Zidane Tribal, and now she'd never see him again.

Both Beatrix and Garnet were quiet for what seemed like forever, as Garnet played over the last moments that she saw him alive in her mind.

{{The sun had begun the set as the comrades fled from the Lifa Tree. The airship was waiting on the ground, already prepared for their escape. The party ran towards it; Garnet running as fast as she could, with Zidane at her side.

Suddenly he let go of her hand, dropped back, and then stopped completely. "Zidane! Come on, we have to go, NOW!" Garnet yelled at him frantically but still he didn't move.

"He was just confused. I can't leave him here to die alone! I mean he's my 'brother' right? I just can't do it! I can't leave him here!" Dagger knew whom he was talking about. He was talking about Kuja, who they had just fought a few hours before. He was more or less Zidane's brother, seeing as they were in fact created by the same person and for the same purpose.

"Zidane, are you insane? He attacked us! He tried to kill us. He's been putting us through so much Zidane! He's killed so many innocent people! He's mad, Zidane, and he's not worth losing your life over!," Steiner yelled frantically at him, "you're losing your mind!"

"No, I think I'm thinking clearly. Truth is, him and me aren't so different. I guess if I were in his position, I would." Zidane took a short pause and hesitated slightly. "Well I can't really say that I'd do things all that differently." He spoke softly, staring at the ground.

"You're better than that Zidane! You wouldn't kill innocent people!" Eiko looked as though she was about to cry.

"He was lied to. I understand what it must've been like for him because we're sort of in the same situation, right? You know, finding out that he was a tool being used in some big scheme. I mean his life lost all meaning, he was alone, and his days were numbered. Think about that, and put yourself in his shoes."

"Come home with us. Please, Zidane," Vivi looked pleadingly at Zidane.

"Not this time, Vivi. I'll see you guys again, right?" Zidane's mouth drew up into his characteristic grin.

Dagger just stood there, a numb look on her face.}}

She now regretted that silence, wishing she had said something, anything to tell him that she cared. For some strange reasons the words never came, and the actions were never shown. Nothing at all came out.

{{They boarded the airship quickly, knowing that it was time to escape. As the engines roared and the ship slowly left the ground, the party leaned over the railing yelling farewells to Zidane as he waved from the grounds. Their voices fell on deaf ears; they were completely drowned out by the roar of the airship engine, but their hearts were in it all the same. Garnet stared sadly down at the blond haired boy who had promised to kidnap her; changing her into who she now was. The happy, easy-going, down-to- earth Garnet (well rather Dagger, as she was called by him) was non- existent for the longest time. He returned her sad stare, nodding a silent understanding in her direction. She reluctantly nodded back, as the ship soared farther up, he turned to walk back to the Lifa Tree, back to Hell.}}

A week ago some of the party had gone to the Lifa Tree to find him, but came back with nothing. The tree had still been active, and they were unable to get inside. They had decided it best to try again, but Garnet still didn't feel comfortable going. She was afraid of what they might find.

"Queen Garnet. So you don't want to go?"

Memories continued to flow into Garnet's mind as she maintained her silence. In the battle between mind and heart, her heart came out victor. If all else fails, follow your heart, she thought. "I want to go. I can't help but hope he's still alive. We just have to hope right? Sometimes hope is all we have." At these words Garnet's gaze fell upon her mother's tombstone.

Beatrix smiled warmly and nodded, placing a comforting hand on Garnet's shoulder. "We leave at dawn, I'll come and get you slightly before. If you need help packing, don't hesitate to call me, alright your majesty?"

Garnet nodded and fell back into her quiet thought. "Would you mind if.If I had some more time alone?" She didn't mean to sound rude, but she needed to think some things over.

"Of course, your majesty," she replied, bowing respectively.

Garnet set her gaze upon Alexandria Castle and she settled into the solitude and the warmth of the shrubberies about her.

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That's right! I said shrubberies. Bet you weren't expecting that, eh? Anyways, this story is really precious to me. Updates should be closer together, because I already have almost 50 pages written (it's not done yet), so it's all just a matter of typing it up. So far I've only typed up 4 pages, so there's a lot more to come ^^ Please leave me reviews, because we all know how much I like those!