To everyone reading this, hello and thank you for clicking on my humble story. This is my first Final Fantasy IX story though it's not my first Final Fantasy series story. Okay so this is inspired by What Doth Love Be? by Swirlee so go check it out. So, this is a Zidane/OC and a Garnet/OC story because I've seen stories for either of them but haven't found one with both yet so I decided to write one. Also, this story has two OCs because I am breaking a canon couple and I feel that if I am doing that then I need an OC for each member of the original couple. Otherwise, this story simply would've been about Selena, but I created William so Garnet would have someone. Anyways, this chapter is also dedicated to Monty Oum, the creator of Rooster Teeth's RWBY who has been a huge inspiration for me and passed away last month at the age of 33. Please let me know what you think in a review. Enjoy.

Virtue.

You don't need a reason to help people.

Sorrow.

How do you prove that you exist…? Maybe we don't exist…

Dilemma.

Having sworn fealty, must I spend my life in servitude?

Indulgence.

I do what I want! You have problem!?

Devotion.

Someday I will be queen, but I will always be myself.

Loyalty.

I made a promise to someone a long time ago…I swear I will keep it.

Determination.

Giving up is something I can never do, especially on you.

Despair.

To be forgotten is worse than death.

Arrogance.

The only dependable thing about the future is uncertainty.

Solitude.

I don't wanna be alone anymore…

A boy ran through the streets as fast as he could, clutching a bag to his side tightly as he did. Right behind him, soldiers ran, trying to catch him.

I can't stop, no matter what I can't stop! The boy thought as he pushed himself to run as fast as he could towards an alley. As soon as he reached it, the boy raced down the alley and ducked into an empty box he purposefully hid there, holding his breath tightly as he clutched the bag to his chest. Not noticing him, the soldiers ran past, thinking he went out the other way. Making sure they were all gone, the boy breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped out. "Made it." He sighed as he swung the bag back around his neck.

"You think so, don't you?" A voice suddenly asked. Whipping around, the boy clutched the dagger he kept attached to his hip. The man before him had a large gray mustache and wore a long red cape and matching regal clothes.

"Who are you?" The boy demanded, his voice like ice.

"I thought you members of the Ladro Family lived in Lindblum your whole lives. Yet you can't even recognize your own regent!" The man shook his head in mock disappointment as the boys eyes widened to a comical level.

"You...y-you're..." The boy whispered.

"Yes, I am. Now, son, please hand over that gold you stole." The man, Regent Cid Fabool IX, requested as he held his hand out to the boy. Instantly, the boy's eyes narrowed into a glare and his grip on his dagger tightened.

"No way, old man." He spat.

"And why not?" Cid asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have to do this for my family! If I give them this, they'll let me do assignments on my own, they'll accept me! I've worked so hard for this, I won't give up now!" The boy cried.

"You've got drive, boy. But what your family is doing is wrong." Cid stated.

"No it's not! We do this to survive, all we do is steal after all!" The boy protested.

"You don't even know what your family is doing." Cid sighed. "Look, boy, your family will take on any job for money, including killing someone."

"No! You're lying!"

"I wish I was. Look, if you want to do something good with your life, something better, I've got just the job for you."

"And why should I trust you? I've still got my family!" The boy cried. Cid fell silent before he nodded.

"Alright, boy. You go ahead but if you change your mind, come to the castle and give the guards this name. They'll bring you to me then." Cid said as he passed the boy a small piece of paper with a name on it. Even as he scoffed, the boy placed the paper in his pants pocket.

The boy didn't realize that in just a week, he'd be knocking at Cid's door or that years later, he'd be thanking the regent for what he did.

Thousands of years ago, a race of people known as the Celestials were transported from the moon that was their home to the planet Gaia. They were charged by the crystal to protect Gaia from any force that could bring harm to it. The Celestials accepted and each and every one of them was assigned a task, or mission as they referred to them, to keep an important part of Gaia safe. Each mission was unique to that specific Celestial and could not be given to someone else. If missions were given to another Celestial, the two would be disconnected from the village where they lived, which they called Lunaria, and thereby lose what made them unique, specifically their magic, their bright white streaks in their hair that changed color with their mood and their colorful eyes that showed what they were named after, whether the sun, moon or stars. Every Celestial finished their mission and once they did, they returned to Lunaria to live out the rest of their lives happily. Only once has Lunaria ever been attacked and that same attack led to the first disconnected Celestial in the entire history of Lunaria.

A girl no older than 15 held her head high as she stood beside several people, holding a sword tightly in her grasp. The girl had waist length dark brown hair with bright white streaks, though they were currently a dark red, tied in a low pony tail and white eyes. She wore a white tank top with a silver star near her right hip, black pants, a single silver shin guard on her left leg, black tennis shoes, two silver arm guards that went from her wrist to her elbow and a black choker with a single silver gem. The girl held her sword tightly before she turned back to her village. For a brief moment, her streaks turned white, a sign she was happy or joyful, and her frown turned into a soft smile.

The girl was looking at an even younger girl. Her hair was a shoulder length black with white streaks, though at the moment they were yellow, her color of worry. Her eyes were a bright silver, though they were tearing up.

"I'll come home, I promise." The first girl whispered, knowing the second girl, her little sister, could hear her. With that, the older sister turned back around and her streaks flared dark red. Her grip tightened on her sword considerably and soon, the girl charged straight into battle.

Neither sister knew that after that day, they would not lay eyes on each other for an extremely long time.

10 years later, three teenagers stood in a large bedroom. The youngest girl, a 15 year old, had waist length black hair and gray eyes. She wore an icy blue dress with long, translucent sleeves that clung to her skin down to her wrist and silver lining along with silver boots. She also had a silver headband sitting on the top of her head with an icy blue veil attached to it, hiding her wavy black hair slightly, and a black choker around her neck with a single dark blue gem. She also had a thin silver belt on with a matching silver pack with a white crescent moon outline on it on her right hip.

The second girl, a 16 year old, had dark brown hair longer than the first girl's and kind brown eyes, though at the moment they were sad as she stared out her window. She wore a long white strapless gown decorated with green leaves from her chest to her waist, a gold hair ornament, detached sleeves, a silver crown embedded with green jewels and a green jeweled necklace.

The boy, an 18 year old, had brown hair that hung in his eyes slightly and dark green eyes. He wore a white tunic with a dark blue vest over it, black pants tucked into black boots and a red cloak. He also had a brown leather belt with a sword on his left hip. He was the oldest among the three, which could be figured out from his height, since he was a head taller than the first girl, and his features.

The first girl slowly walked over to the first one and placed a hand on her shoulder. The second girl looked up at the first as she felt her touch.

"Are you ready, Garnet?" The first girl asked seriously, her face betraying no emotion. Slowly, the second girl, Garnet, nodded.

"Yes…" She answered, looking down sadly. The boy walked over and forced Garnet to meet his eyes as the girl stepped back to look out the window.

"Don't do this because you feel it's better this way." The boy said, "Do it because you want to do it." Garnet held his gaze for a while before she spoke.

"Thank you, William." She said, a small smile on her lips. Garnet hugged William in thanks and when she pulled away, she returned to staring out her window. William then turned to the girl, who stood a small distance away, holding a dark blue cloak in her hands.

"Are you ready for this, Selena?" He asked.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Selena answered as she swung the cloak over her shoulders. With that, the protector and lady-in-waiting led the princess to the royal box to see the play 'I Want to be Your Canary' and prepare for their escape.