Disclaimer: I do not own any portion of SquareEnix's Final Fantasy IX. I love the story and hope that you do too, because this fiction is based on those characters that I do not own.

Author's Notes: I love you guys, I really do. From flamers to true authors, I take all your comments to heart and do my best to learn from you, the readers. I'd appreciate a review, but I understand if you don't feel like it, so I won't force it outta ya. I've added a little section to the bottom to show how important this story is to me. Thanks so much for reading.

The following story is completely fictional, do not become part of it, as I have...

Final Reality

The New Beginning

Prologue

The Past

This... No, I'm sorry. I suppose I'm nervous. My hand... I cannot steady it. I'm sorry; I'm not sure how to start this. I really... I can't. Okay. Once again, I'm sorry. Looking back on the past few months has been surreal. It is hard to explain how this all began, because, truthfully, I don't know how it started. Where to start? Okay... Okay. I'll just explain why I am writing this...

This letter is to remind me of what has happened here and back home. I must not forget either reality. Losing one could possibly make the other one, the one I'd be stuck with, go crazy. I must remember everything I had and now have. So, understand, this is going to be very difficult to explain.

To my old friends and family... and fiancé. I hope not a second has gone by since I have gotten, well... here. I would hate for my sudden disappearance to be your present time. I am truly sorry for that, especially for my fiancé. Perhaps someday I will make it back to you and we can grow old together like I promised you. Brittainy. I miss you. I suppose you, Shawn, are married now. I'm sorry I couldn't have been there. Mom... I know you must be heartbroken. I don't want to dwell on that. Dad, I suppose you'd be proud of me for what I have accomplished here. I'm not really sure. I can't remember the last time we talked as friends instead of father-to-son, moreover, authority-to-submissive. Mike, my brother, I hope you haven't gotten into too much trouble. And sis... whoa, I guess your in college now. Please, please, please be careful and watch for shady characters. I wonder if you've found someone. Someone to take care of you. How I wish I could meet... Excuse me, I seem to be crying. I told you it wouldn't be easy. I told you. And who is you, you may ask? Well, it is to whoever is reading this truly abnormal biography. Overall, it is to me, but I hope someone else someday reads it and sees what I have gone through...

I remember the story pretty well. Everything was too compelling to forget. A fantasy that became a reality. This is going to sound silly, but, nonetheless, it is my new reality. I cannot avoid it, but rather, live it. I'm not sure if I've jumped to a new dimension or if I have gone crazy. Perhaps, I'm just dreaming the longest dream ever. Whatever the case, when I go to sleep here tonight, I will still be here tomorrow. Or will I? You say that obviously and logically I will. How could I move elsewhere? I've been trying to answer that question for a very long time.

When I went to sleep on that magical night, I awoke here in the fiction. You may not believe me, as I did not whence upon I came here. But, that's what happened. I went to sleep. I woke up here. It's the only loose end I can't tie together. It makes no sense. It would be funny to any human back on Earth. "What a foolish story." They'd say. It is foolish, until the blood dripped off a wound. It was unbelievable, until I woke up again in the same place with soar muscles. It was illogical until I saw it with my own eyes. Until I felt it with my own hands and tasted it with my own mouth. Still don't believe me?

How could you believe me? If I were crazy, then why would you believe me? I don't know, and I don't ask you to believe me. You can stop reading or you can continue. The following events are memories I will always have. This fantasy is my reality!

So, are you wondering where "here" is? Well, I feared telling you. But, it is a lot different here then it looked from Earth. This is Gaia. A land of magic and swords. There is war and tragedy. The power of eidolons is immense. But, the oddest part of this world, is that I viewed it first as a game. Laugh if you want, I don't care. This game was something I adored and I played through it a few times. I loved the story. It actually made me cry at the end. But now... now I am a part of it. I know how it is suppose to end, but I fear I might have altered it. It is suppose to end happily, but I don't know what is going to happen anymore. I should have just watched it play out. No, I had to interfere. Now, the end is unpredictable, just as was my coming to this place. I can now only hope that it ends happily. And hope I do.

Now, I shall explain the story as I saw it. Perhaps it will be easier on me to do it this way. I will do my best to describe it as my memory allows. Please, come and see this fantastic new world. Perhaps someday, I will find a way back to share it with my friends and family. Perhaps someday, I will find my way back...

Alright, there's the prologue. Not much story to it rather than just telling what the story is about. Hope you guys enjoy the story. Please give all the feed back that you can, that'll give me a reason not to do my homework and do something that I enjoy. Until the next chapter...

Table of Contents and Updates: Okay, I've added this section just because I started this whole thing with quite a few grammatical errors and other mistakes. I'm constantly working at it to make it better, so I'll be putting out chapters to keep the story moving and updating old chapters to increase its overall professionalism. So, for new readers, keep in mind the chapters that haven't yet been revised (and let me know about mistakes and particular chapters you want me to revise). Thanks ever so much.

Prologue – Small revisions/updates
Chapter 1: The Last Day There – Some revisions/updates
Chapter 2: The First Day Here – No updates/revisions
Chapter 3: The Farmers and the Trail – No updates/revisions
Chapter 4: Seeing and Believing – No updates/revisions
Chapter 5: Playing Along – No updates/revisions
Chapter 6: Victory – No updates/revisions
Chapter 7: The Future Heroes – No updates/revisions
Chapter 8: Upward Mobility – No updates/revisions
Chapter 9: A Day of RR – Fully revised to Second Draft and Updated
Chapter 10: Stalker – Currently about 50 done on revisions, no updates
Chapter 11: For You, I Will – No updates/revisions
Chapter 12: Theories – No updates/revisions

Popgoesthebaldie is graciously acting as my current beta-reader.