This is my first fic, so don't be too hard on me, 'kay? Anyway, this story is simply about what happened to Zidane after the Iifa tree collapsed, and before his triumphant return.

I'm going to clear this up before we start: for this story, I'm going to say that the events of the game occurred in the space of five months. I have my reasons for doing this, okay?

Disclaimer: I don't Final Fantasy IX. Just the plot and my OCs.

For the longest time, he was only aware of the agony. He could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing, save for the pain that left him writhing in the darkness.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zidane slowly returned to his senses. The pain was still intense, almost overpowering, but it no longer left him delirious. He looked around, trying to see in the gloom of the Iifa tree's ruins. He spotted Kuja lying a few feet away, breathing shallowly. With an effort, Zidane crawled over to him.

He gently shook the older Genome. "Hey, Kuja, wake up." Zidane shook him, slapped him, and even tried to tickle him, but Kuja didn't respond. "I give up!" the thief declared exasperatedly, sitting back and glaring at his unconscious brother.

He couldn't remember how they'd escaped the roots that had nearly crushed them. The Genome knew it was nothing short of a miracle that he and his brother had survived. Of course, the two of them still weren't out of trouble yet: they were caught in the ruins that had once been the Iifa tree, and neither of them was in any shape to even stand, much less find a way out.

Zidane pulled out his last hi-potion. He lifted Kuja's head and carefully tipped half the potion into his mouth. After a moment, Kuja's breathing evened out. Zidane then drank the other half. Immediately the pain ebbed and he could move easier.

Once he could walk, he explored the chamber they were trapped in, looking for a way out. He scoured every inch of the chamber, without success. Soon exhaustion settled over him, and he stumbled back over to where Kuja lay, still unconscious.

Zidane stretched out a few feet away, thinking about the situation. Kuja seemed to be in a type of coma, and they were trapped with no food or water. If Zidane couldn't figure out how to escape, both of them would be dead in a few days. Unable to find an answer, the Genome let sleep overtake him.

As he slept, he heard a voice in his mind.

Need some help?

Zidane woke with a start, and called out. "Who's there?" He looked around the chamber, searching for whomever the voice belonged to. He saw no one, but called again. "Who are you?"

Does that matter right now?

Zidane opened his mouth to answer, then paused. I'm talking to a voice inside in my head. Am I crazy? The voice sounded like a girl's, and it seemed familiar, though he swore he'd never heard it before.

The voice called out again. Uh, hello? Answer me dammit!

"Why would you want to help me? And how are you talking to me?"

I don't know how I'm talking to you; I just am. And I'm helping you because I need your help.

"You don't even know me! Why do you want my help?" Zidane shouted into the gloom.

Well, I don't, really; I'm just following orders.

"Orders?" Zidane raised an eyebrow, even though no one was around to see it.

Do you want to get out or not? The voice sounded impatient.

"Okay, okay!" the Genome answered. "Get us out of here and I'll help you." He really wasn't sure he should have been making deals with strange voices, but he really didn't have a choice.

Alright then. I'd run for cover if I was you.

Zidane blinked. "Why?"

At that moment, the ceiling caved inward. Zidane just barely dodged a falling boulder, and moved quickly to drag Kuja out of harm's way. Don't say I didn't warn you. The thief looked up to see a blue dragon glide through the opening in the ceiling.

Zidane wrapped an arm around Kuja's shoulders and hoisted him up. He glared up at the dragon. "You almost killed me!"

Someone laughed. Zidane then saw someone leap off the dragon's back. At first, all he could see was the person's cloak. Then, as the newcomer landed, dropping into a crouch, he caught a glimpse of a tail. Then the cloak settled and the tail was hidden.

The newcomer stood and Zidane felt his jaw drop. She was definitely a girl. Her appearance was similar to most Genomes: dirty blonde hair, pulled back into a messy ponytail with her bangs hanging over her eyes, and sparkling blue eyes. Her face seemed somewhat familiar. What surprised him, though, was her expression; most Genomes didn't show much emotion, but she an arrogant smirk on her face and there was a flash of mischief in her eyes. She was, put very simply, a Genome with a soul.

Zidane, Kuja, and their sister, Mikoto, were supposed to be the only Genomes that had souls. This girl was most definitely not Mikoto. Mikoto was a few years younger than Zidane; this girl appeared to be his age. She was also too tall to be his little sister; she was only an inch or two shorter than Zidane.

The thief just stared at the Genome girl, puzzled as to her very existence. She just raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you just going to stand there looking like an idiot all day?"

Zidane almost dropped Kuja. He recognized her voice as the one in his mind. "Who… who are you?" He asked simply.

"My name is Skye," she answered, stepping forward to help him lift Kuja. "And I suppose I'm your new best friend."