Author's note: This is a collaboration between Ceara Ivory and Asirainis. We don't own Final Fantasy IX!

Distant Memories

Disc 2 Interlude 1

Date Night Makeover

The next day, Alex was dragged by both Airlia and Garnet over to Dali's tailor. "Guys, what I'm wearing will do fine won't it?" She hated being used as a Barbie doll. "Seriously, what's wrong with my outfit?"

Garnet rolled her eyes at her tomboy look-alike. "You're going to dinner with a man at Treno's most prestigious restaurant. This is the type of place that expects formal wear. Like what you wore the night we met."

The Tailor was glad to see the three young women again. "Hello ladies. Those pants for women thing...really catching on I think. I sold three to Morrid's granddaughter yesterday. Now how may I serve you this morning?"

Garnet forced Alex to sit down. "Yes, we need a beautiful evening gown. What color do you think Yepa?"

Airlia considered the color of hair and skin. "Hm… Perhaps blue? What do you think Dagger?" She pointed to the top, which did go lovely with her skin tone.

Garnet considered the deep sapphire Alex already wore. "She does look great in that blue but he's already seen her in it three times. Maybe a lighter shade of blue?"

Airlia nodded before turning to the tailor. "Do you have a few swatches of blue fabric? So we can put it to her skin and see which looks best?"

The Tailor brought several different bolts of blue cloth over to the customers. "Perhaps this ocean blue shade?" He held the cloth next to her blue skin. "Could do an A-Line with a scoop neck. And perhaps add some shimmery tulle?"

Airlia nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's perfect! It's the start of her courtship and he wants to take her to the most prominent restaurant in Treno!"

The Tailor grinned madly. "I'll be honest, I'm surprised you're trusting me with this project. Most of their clientele would never bother with me. I'll make the most gorgeous evening gown the world's ever seen! I'll just need a couple of hours."

Alex smiled at the man. "You're a good tailor, you do good work. One day, I'm sure you'll be famous for your designs."

The Tailor gave the odd girl a grateful grin. Somehow he doubted it but her optimistic opinion gave him a little hope. "Well, like I said, just a couple of hours. I still have your measurements. When you get back, we'll alter as needed."

From the Tailor's, Airlia led the way to a nearby accessory shop. There was a small stool in front of a small vanity next to a selection of pretty things. Garnet studied Alex's hair from behind as Airlia grabbed a brush.

"Okay, should we do an up or down look?" Garnet asked. She went looking for something they could use to twist Alex's black tresses. "What do you think Alex?"

"I think I feel like a Barbie doll…" Alex griped. She hated makeovers but begrudgingly would allow them their fun especially since it seemed to be cheering Airlia up a little. "Down? And we could put some of those Opals and Diamonds we've been finding along our journey. What do you think Airlia?"

Airlia thought about it for a moment. "I'd say down, but curled into a twist. We can use the opals and diamonds gently as accents. While I know your date will protect you, I don't want it being overly 'please steal from me, I have money to burn' kind of situation." She giggled it was an easy way to pass off her anxiety.

Garnet found a mass of hairpins and paid for them before bringing the box over to their friend. "I just think it's so cute you're being courted this way," Garnet giggled a little as she and Airlia started twisting small parts of her hair at a time and pinning them down.

"I'm not being courted. He's just taking me to dinner...and giving me the Super Soft we need…" Alex blushed. "Seriously, you say that like he's planning to propose."

Garnet giggled again. "Alex, I don't know what it's like where you come from, but here a few outings is all that's considered needed before a man proposes. And he's giving you the Super Soft. Normally it's a ring but… maybe he's strange like that." She borrowed a rolling pin from the shopkeeper and wet the rest of her untwisted hair.

Steiner stood at the door, guarding their outing. "I think it's most unproper! A man should ask a young lady's family first before courting her and especially before asking for her hand in marriage."

"Oh Rusty, will you please get out of the last century already?" Alex groaned. "I have no family here for him to ask and he's not asking me to marry him anyway! It's dinner! Where I come from, you don't go from dinner to 'Here comes the Bride!' He's helping me out in exchange for dinner, that's all. Now, if he wanted to ask me out again, I wouldn't say no…I mean a girl has got to eat."

Garnet sighed. "We'll see…" She started pinning down a few of the opals into the twist of the style. Each opal was interspaced with a diamond. "Airlia, this is so much fun! You should let me play with your hair sometime." Finally she stepped back. "What do you think Airlia? Should we do anything else to it?"

Airlia stared at it for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I think this is perfect, simply because the dress itself is also the center of attraction. The hair is merely to accent, hence the opals and diamonds rather than any blue gems."

Garnet clapped. "Okay Alex, take a look."

Alex looked into the mirror and her eyes went wide. "Wow! This looks great! He'll love it!" She said. "Thank you both. And I know we're supposed to be getting started on the way to Alexandria soon. I'm sorry I'm taking up so much important time."

"Nonsense," Garnet told her. "This is important as well. Whether you like it or not, you're being courted and it'll help us to save Blank who saved our lives. Now, it's been a couple of hours, let's go talk to the Tailor. When all this is over, I think I'll have him design a gown for me. Something that doesn't say 'I need a Suitor.'" She shot a look at Steiner who had approved of the beautiful court gown she'd been given for her birthday.

With everything ready, Alex waited at the pub area of the inn, drinking a glass of water. She kept glancing at the clock. Soon the big clock in the city would chime the seventh hour of evening. She bit her lip. What if he didn't come? What if this was all a cruel joke? Worse, what if she woke up before he got here? "Oh please, let me stay asleep just a little while longer," she whispered to herself.

Steiner, Garnet and Airlia waited inconspicuously at another table. "She should have a chaperone," Steiner whispered. "At the very least. It's not proper for a lady to be alone with a man."

Garnet considered this. "So it's not proper for a lady to be alone with a man. But it's also not proper for a lady to walk about alone? Yet with a chaperone, she would technically be alone with a man." She paused. "That makes no sense."

Airlia shot a look at Steiner. "You really shouldn't come with us Steiner. Your armor is very loud, and if her date knew that we were following, he might renege on the offer of giving her the Super Soft, or worse."

The Waitress of the bar came over quickly to Alex. "Miss… there's a young man here to see you." She seemed excited about something.

Alex looked up from her glass of water at her date who waited on the stair for her. "Thank you." She got up and was pleased to see his eyes focused on her appearance. Apparently, their efforts were paying off. "Hi…" She breathed just enough for him to hear.

Kuja blinked, snapping out of whatever trance he had just fallen into. She was gorgeous. "Hello. Allow me to say that you are quite lovely tonight."

Alex blushed as Kuja extended his arm to her. "Thank you. The tailor in Dali made the dress." She was determined to give the nice, tolerant tailor a name drop. She said it so that the waitress heard her.

Kuja led her gracefully from the small hotel. Garland could go jump off of a cliff as far he cared. This girl made him feel strange things and he wanted to know what they were.