The Reunion

Chapter One - The Invitation

Hey! It's been over three years since I last wrote a fanfic on here. I believe I wrote two of them on here before (one which I never finished), and they were both about Final Fantasy IX. I really enjoy FF IX (probably my favorite game of all-time), so I've decided to pick back up and start writing again. Hopefully these newer stories will be better than the ones I wrote in the past, which I didn't really like after looking back at them. I hope you enjoy this particular story, which is the first one that popped into my head to begin writing about. It's like my "comeback story", and kind of like a reunion with my writing and the game in a way (just like this story). This one is also for all the FF IX fans who like to read about what happens(ed) after the end. Of course, I don't own FF IX or its characters, I just really like the fiction. Anyway... enjoy!

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It was a clear morning as the sun creeped slowly over the horizon one Monday. In Burmecia, however, it wasn't very bright or sunny at all. Burmecia, often referred to as "The City of Eternal Rain", was quite dark. But this was how the Burmecians liked it; after all, it gave them more time to sleep in.

One time over five years ago, Burmecia was destroyed to mere ruins. It took on the upside of three years to rebuild. Now the neighboring town of Cleyra, once protected by a massive sandstorm, was well on its way to being re-built. It, too, was destroyed over five years ago. That was back when the days were dark and evil lurked in the shadows (and pretty much the fields as well). Now, however, the days were filled with peace. It was all thanks to eight courageous fighters that the peace came about. One of these fighters who helped save the world of Gaia from its ruin, Freya Crescent, was looking out over the land from her balcony at Burmecia. She was recalling the dark days and thinking about her old friends because earlier that morning, she received something unexpected: an invitation.

"Five years...", Freya mumbled to herself. "It's quite hard to believe that it's actually been that long."

She looked over the land again, catching a brief glimpse of the sun over the horizon. It only rained on occasion in Burmecia nowadays, and at the moment, it was only partially covered in darkness.

Freya continued thinking about the past: how Kuja tried to be the ruler of both Gaia and his world, Terra; how, when Kuja was defeated, the true evil revealed itself.

"Necron...", Freya muttered.

She also recalled how Zidane went back to try and save Kuja. She thought he was gone forever, but what a surprise it was when he suddenly revealed himself during the play "I Want to be Your Canary" at Alexandria. Everyone had cheered and clapped. The former Princess, now a Queen, Garnet, had run into his arms.

"Yes, peaceful times since that day", Freya recalled. "And now I'm back happily with"

"Sir Fratley!", a Burmecian soldier came running into Freya and Fratley's bedroom.

Fratley was just beginning to wake.

"You are needed in the aid of rebuilding Cleyra, sir!", the soldier exclaimed.

"Yes...be there...in a few...", Fratley sleepily mumbled.

The soldier left and Freya thought to herself quietly out on the balcony.

"Of course...", thought Freya. "It's Monday, and Fratley volunteered to help with the rebuilding of Cleyra on weekdays."

Freya went back inside to her and Fratley's room. Fratley was now beginning to sit up.

"Good morning, sleepyhead", Freya softly whispered to him.

"W-What time is it?", Fratley muttered, still sounding very sleepy.

Freya glanced at the clock beside their bed, sat down beside Fratley, and said, "It's almost 9:30. As long as you're at Cleyra by 10 o' clock, I don't think anyone will complain too much."

Fratley smiled at her. "And how long have you been up?", he asked her.

"Since a few minutes before 7:00", Freya answered. "I would have stayed in bed, but a moogle came out on the balcony and was quite loud. I'm surprised he didn't wake you up."

"Hmm...", Fratley mumbled. "Guess I'm a heavy sleeper. So, what did the moogle want? Does Mognet Central need to be rebuilt now or something?"

Freya laughed. "No, no, nothing like that", she said. "He came here to deliver a letter straight from Alexandria Castle. Well, it's actually more like an invitation."

"Interesting", said Fratley. "What kind of invitation?"

"An invitation to some kind of reunion", Freya answered. "It was from Zidane. He wants to get the old group back together for an entire weekend at Alexandria Castle. I believe there will be other people there too, at least for the first two days: Tantalus, Regent Cid, and no telling who else."

"Wow", replied Fratley. "Am I invited to this little reunion too?"

"I don't see why not", Freya said with a smile. "According to the invitation, it's open to anyone who wants to come on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, however, Zidane just wants the group that was involved in going to Memoria and taking out Necron to be there. He must have something planned, or he may just want to talk about all the stuff we went through as a group. Should be fun either way."

Fratley turned to look at Freya. "Well, I'll be busy helping with Cleyra pretty much all day Friday. But I could probably make it Saturday."

"Sounds good", said Freya.

She looked at the clock. Almost 9:40. "Well, you better be off to work before any soldiers come back to pester you more."

"You're right", said Fratley. "I should be off."

He gave Freya a light kiss on the cheek, went to the door, and turned around before leaving.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot", he said. "When does the reunion end?"

"Monday", answered Freya. "Our group will spend all day together Sunday, then I'll be back here by Monday afternoon."

"Okay, good", replied Fratley. "It would get quite lonely here if you were gone too long."

Freya blushed slightly. "Take care, Fratley", she said.

"See you this evening", said Fratley. He walked over to give Freya another kiss, started to use the door that went downstairs, but instead thought twice, went outside to the balcony, and jumped off, leaving Freya lost in her thoughts again.

"Five years... five whole years since those life-changing events... it'll be nice to have a reunion, seeing as how I haven't seen certain members of the group in a few years... however, one of those members won't be joining us" Freya stopped thinking about the past at that moment. "But no, I mustn't think about that... it will nevertheless be a nice reunion."

With this last thought, Freya went about tidying up her Burmecian home.

Meanwhile, several other invitations were being looked over and thought about...

I should have chapter two up in the next three days or so. My Spring Break is about to end, but I'll still get time to write.