Alc: Hello Final Fantasy IX fans! (Hears crickets chirping)

Alc: Hello? I know there are still some FF IX fans out there right? Well there should be because FF IX rocks...no matter what people say. Anyways this is a story that I thought up the other day when I started replaying FF IX. This is going to be my first Final Fantasy story so please don't flame...I'll try and do my best. Also the black mage that we meet in this Mr. 278, (I don't think that number was taken in the game...if it was just forget the game character had that number), otherwise known as Toric is of my own creation and if you want to use him or Areia Steiner you have to ask me. (And yes I know Adelbert Steiner's last name is...well...Steiner, but Areia's last name phenomenon gets explained later.) Please Read and Review when you get done reading...I'll try to post up more chapters soon but with school almost over the teachers are pilling on homework so I'll try to update soon. Also have you ever heard the MIDI of Garnet's theme? If you have imagine that whenever Areia comes into the picture...I love that song! - And it just fits Areia so well. I also always imagine Steiner's theme...cause she's a lot like Steiner in more ways than just having the same last name! ;)

SUMMARY: After the incident with Black Waltz No. 3, Vivi Orunitia thought that all of the black mages that fell off of the cargo ship were dead, but one has survived. Awakened from the mindless zombification that he and the other black mages were put under, this black mage finds himself in a world where he is not so easily accepted. He meets a young girl named Areia Steiner. As the black mage travels with Areia he realizes that she is just as unaccepted as him if not more so. Mr. 278, now known as Toric, decides he wants to know why, but Areia does not know the answer. When they hear of strange happenings going on all over the Mist Continent they decide to investigate. Little do these two know that they are always one step behind Zidane and his group. And so, Areia and Toric start an adventure to find out the origins of the strange happenings...but in the process they find out more about Gaia, and themselves, than they ever thought possible.

She walked on as the mist slowly drifted around her. Her brown waist length hair was tied back at the nape of her neck with a gray ribbon and was swaying slightly from side to side as she walked.

She was dressed in a green shirt, with a pair of gray pants, and brown boots. Her eyes were a steely gray that reflected the world around them, and also reflected the sorrow of loneliness. She had a broadsword strapped to her back and was currently making her way across the Norlich Heights to Dali, a small town in the vicinity of the Ice Cavern.

Areia Steiner had been traveling for weeks on end, often camping out in the wilderness and calling a moogle whenever she had the chance. Her journey was just starting and it already seemed like she had been traveling for years. She was nearing the outskirts of Dali when there was suddenly a commotion from above. She looked up and saw a nearby Cargo Ship blasted with a strong Thunder spell. She watched, mesmerized as shards of glass flew through the air creating rainbows of light. Then she noticed the falling cargo. They seemed to be barrels and boxes of some sort. Suddenly lightening struck the objects causing them to shatter and release their precious contents. She stood in utter horror as she saw the bodies slowly falling to their doom.

"Bodies?" She thought as she watched the blue and purple-jacketed bodies fall through the air, their pointed hats barely staying on their heads. She noticed that a few of the crates and barrels had not busted open. She turned to look at the shuddering Cargo ship and noticed a smaller ship flying near it with a strange blue figure with dark blue- feathered wings charging up another Thunder spell at the ship. Suddenly from the much larger Cargo ship a strong blast of fire was hurled into the smaller ship. The engine exploded and the blue winged figure was sent crashing into the South Gate.

"My...God! Who could do such a thing?" Areia clenched her hands into fists as she shook in fury. "No one should harm innocent people...I just hope the others on that Cargo ship were all right. Others...OH NO!" Areia ran to where she last saw the bodies falling. The dust from the collisions of bodies was thick enough that Areia couldn't see a few feet in front of her face.

When the dust settled she gasped in shock. Dozens of broken bodies were lying on the ground from their impact, unmoving. She stepped cautiously towards one and felt to see if it had a pulse. She sighed sadly and stood up slowly as she shook her head. She should have known that after a fall like that no one could survive. She looked up at the sky and sadly watched the clouds float by. Suddenly a pointed mage's hat, like the one all of the bodies had, floated down and landed in front of her feet. She bent down and picked it up. She looked it over and dusted it off.

"So...what happened to your owner?" She looked at the hat a little longer and then set it securely on her own head. "How about I be your owner now, huh?" Areia felt sort of silly talking to a hat, but somehow it made her feel more at peace. She looked to her left and saw that there was an unbroken crate lying on its side. She slowly walked over to it and realized that it wasn't severely damaged. She stuck her fingers in a space in the boards and pulled as hard as she could. The boards popped off and Areia fell. She stood up and saw a body slide out of the crate. She rushed over and caught the body before it could fall fully out of the crate.

She laid the body on the ground and looked it over. It was the body of a black mage...just like the others. He was wearing a dark blue coat, with white and aqua striped pants and had on a pair of brown shoes. He wore thick leather gloves on his hands.

"To hide the magic symbols I bet...that's why I need to start wearing some." She looked at her own hands and saw the faint beginnings of the magic symbol. (Note: Watch the cut scene where Vivi blasts Black Waltz No. 3, you'll see a symbol below him as he's casting magic...that is the symbol on Areia's hand. And I also believe that that symbol is on the hands of every magic user, mostly black mages, because it enables them to use magic...just my own little thought, now back to the story.) His pointed hat had a rip or two in it from the shards of glass that had shot through the wood of the crate.

Areia bent down to see if he had a pulse. She put her first two fingers where the side of his neck should be and felt a faint pulse.

"He's alive? This is one amazing mage." She got down on her knees and started to concentrate. A glowing aura surrounded the black mage as Areia's hands glowed a whitish-green. When the light faded Areia stood up and brushed herself off. She watched as the black mage slowly opened his amber eyes.

"Wha...Where am I?" He asked quietly as he pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around at all of the bodies. When he saw his dead comrades he yelped and scooted away from them. Areia stepped forward slowly.

"Easy easy! It's okay...you're alright." The black mage looked at her with fear in his eyes.

"D-Did you do this to my friends?" Areia shook her head no. The black mage tilted his head a little. "The-Then who did?" Areia shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not really sure. I just saw..." She gulped. "I just saw you and these others...falling." The black mage nodded in understanding. Areia extended her hand.

"Here let me help you up." The black mage looked at her hand warily and then slowly he grasped it in his own and was pulled to his feet by Areia. He dusted himself off and made sure his hat was still on.

"Thank you...uh..." He started when he realized he didn't know her name.

"My name's Areia Steiner...what's yours?" She asked. The black mage appeared to be deep in thought.

"I-I don't really have a name...I do have a number though! It's number 278." Areia crossed her arms over her chest.

"No. 278 huh? Uh is it okay if I give you a name?" Number 278 shook his head yes and Areia thought. "Hm...let's see...AH HAH, I've got it! I'll call you Toric. Is that okay?" No. 278 thought.

"Yeah I like that name...Toric...from now on my name's Toric!" He started chuckling a little and Areia smiled.

"Um...where exactly are you going? I, well to tell you the truth...I have no where to go...I'm completely lost...and I just woke up...so can I travel with you Areia?" Toric asked as Areia thought.

"Sure you can come with me...I always wanted a traveling partner anyway. By the way I'm going to that village, Dali, over there." Areia pointed to Dali a little ways away.

"That's good...maybe I can get some supplies there. I don't have a weapon or anything." Areia nodded and the two started off towards Dali.

FLASHBACK

"Mommy...Daddy...Where are you?" A 12-year-old Areia said as she walked through the deserted streets of Burmecia. She had lived there for only a short time...though some of the natives didn't like her family, thinking that they were spies to Alexandria or Lindblum, she and her family had previously lived in Treno. Areia specifically like to talk to a young Bermecian woman named Freya who, along with her boyfriend Fratley, would go on adventures. Areia loved hearing the tales of knights and mages and wanted to be a knight when she grew older.

Areia walked up a flight of stairs to the small house that she and her parents lived in. Areia looked around but couldn't find her parents anywhere. She heard a strange noise upstairs and went into the bedroom. There she found her mother lying on the ground. Areia rushed to her side.

"Mommy! Mommy are you okay?" Her mother didn't move as Areia shook her. Tears started rolling down Areia's cheeks. Behind her she heard a groaning noise and looked to see her father struggling to sit up.

"Daddy! Daddy what happened?" Areia hurried over to her father and helped him sit up. Areia could tell he was extremely weak and was losing blood fast.

"Areia...Areia listen to me. I want you to go to Alexandria." He shuddered as another surge of pain went through his body. "I want you to go to Alexandria and ask to see a man named Adelbert Steiner...Areia he's your Uncle, and the only family you have left. He left my parents and I a long time ago to become a knight. He's currently the Captain of the Knights of Pluto in Alexandria." Areia's father took a necklace from around his neck and handed it to Areia. "When you find him...give him this...it's been passed down through our family for generations. It's given to the one's who become knights in our family...but it was given to me by my mother...she wanted me to have it instead, though, I still do not know why." More tears were rolling down Areia's face as she urged her father not to die. Her father smiled and patted her hair. Slowly he closed his eyes and breathed his last breath. Areia cried into his chest. Suddenly she heard a noise and looked up.

A cloaked figure stood on the balcony facing her. Areia gasped and got up, away from her father and mother's dead bodies. A deep ominous laugh resounded from the black cloak.

"Poor little girl...you're parents have left you and now my plan for Terra's assimilation is beginning. And you my dear..." The man looked at her and stepped forward slowly. Areia backed away and hit a broadsword that was leaning against the wall. She looked at it and hastily grabbed it and held it up in front of her. "You my dear...will be the first soul to go to Terra!" The man laughed as he lunged at her. Areia stood still with fear and then at the last minute as the man was fixing to strike she swung the broadsword at him, cutting him across the arm.

The man grabbed his arm as blood oozed out of the large gash. "I see you have fighting spirit in you my dear...maybe I'll let you live a little longer. And when your soul is stronger...it will be mine for the taking." The man vanished into thin air. Areia stood there for a moment and then let the broadsword clatter noisily to the ground next to her as she sank to her knees and cried for the loss of her family.

END FLASHBACK

Areia woke up with a start and looked around. She sighed and calmed down when she realized she was in the room at the inn in Dali. She looked over and saw that Toric was sleeping soundly, his newly bought items laid out on the bedside table next to him.

Areia slowly lifted the covers and got out of bed. She made her way outside and sat down on the steps of the inn and watched the stars. She stuck her hand inside her shirt and got out the necklace that her father had given her before he had died four years ago. The pendant was made of a soft stone that had a green dragon made out of marble in the middle. She turned it over and read the inscription on the back.

To all those in the family of Steiner,
Whose hearts are pure and mind is set.
This pendant gives its holders the power
To protect their loved ones and the ones they serve.
For the knights of old legend and myth
Live on in this family.
-Jergandia Steiner

Areia studied the green marble dragon in the middle of the pendant with it's wings spread in mid-flight. She sighed and let the necklace fall against her shirt. When she had finally gone to Alexandria and asked for her Uncle everyone had told her that they didn't know where he was, and, after the accident with Tantalus they were more worried about Princess Garnet than the Captain of the Knights of Pluto. Well almost everyone was more worried about Garnet the Steiner. The Knights of Pluto, while worried about the Princess, were equally worried about their Captain and wished Areia luck on her journey in finding him. Then she had left Alexandria and made her way into Dali.

Then on the outskirts of Dali she had met Toric. Now she finally had a traveling partner...though people in Dali didn't seem to like him very much. Of course no matter where she traveled no one seemed very kind to her either, though, she never understood why.

Clouds started covering the stars as Areia rose from her sitting position on the steps. Areia walked to the door and, before walking in, she looked at the moon and stars again.

Alc: Well how did you like the first chapter...poor poor Areia. Don't you feel sorry for her? Toric's her only friend it seems. Well I hope you liked this chapter and like I said at the beginning I'll update as soon as possible...just please review! It would be really nice if you did, and tell me if I did anything wrong.