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

Distant Memories

Disc 2 Part 2:

Date Night and Treno

Airlia and Garnet, with the help of Marcus and Cinna managed to keep Steiner preoccupied while the two ladies kept tabs on the pair. Garnet giggled, "Airlia, we shouldn't do this. It's wrong!"

However the guardian wouldn't have it as she shook her head. "We're not chaperoning. We're making sure to be around incase this man is a total loon. We don't even know who he is. For all we know he could be a complete psychotic who will try to hurt her."

Garnet nodded, "Then shouldn't we be closer?"

Airlia shook her head. "No Garnet, we need to be a bit away, I just need to get an idea of his vibes, then I can track him even if he's not in sight range for me."

Nodding, they settled in while the pair were sharing a beautiful entree. Alex was only just able to focus on the large piece of meat that she didn't rightly recognize. The flavor was familiar however. She found her thoughts going unbidden to her dream theory. Had she ever tasted the food in the dream before. "This is delicious…" she said for something to say.

Kuja nodded. "It's one of their best dishes." A bottle of wine was brought for the pair of them. "And this is one of their finest red wines. I hope you like it."

Alex found herself blushing again though she didn't know why. He was just talking about the wine. "This place...it's very beautiful. Very luxurious. You didn't have to go to this expense for me."

Kuja knew he had gone to a lot of expense for this evening but he could only give a small grin. "My lady, the chance to dine with you is a pleasure worthy of this...expense as you say. You've had me… intrigued since the moment I first saw you in the woods outside Dali. Tell me, do you often just dance and sing like that? Just for fun?"

Alex nodded. "It's something I sort of had to do...it's fun and it keeps me...I don't know...hopeful."

"Hopeful? For what?" Kuja asked.

"That things would get better. You see my parents and I don't get along. They're always working and I'm always alone. The other girls my age think I'm weird," She confided. "Probably because I like to dance and sing like that. Like a princess in a fairytale. I love things in my home that would generally be considered juvenile at best." She looked down at her dinner. "It's hard being alone…"

Kuja blinked. Alone. How often had he felt that way. Like he was alone. The only man he could even think of as a father if he wanted to was Garland. And he could only ever talk about Terra and saving Terra and using Gaia to do that. Did other people, like this girl, feel the same way? Even when they seemed to be surrounded by people?

"I mean...we were really close when I was younger...when I was six," She said. "But...then they just got swamped with their careers. And it's all they could think about. And they say, we have to work so we can buy you nice, pretty things. Well, Mom, I don't need nice things!" She practically shouted, drawing attention to them. She blushed and looked back at her food. "Sorry…I shouldn't burden you with my petty family problems."

The man shook his head. "You haven't burdened me. In fact, I think you've made me think about a few things. I sort of know how you feel. My...father also works constantly and it's all he can talk about. And sometimes I wonder…"

"You wonder if he even loves you…" Alex finished. "The way a parent should." She bit her lip. Was this a lesson the dream wanted her to learn. She had to stop thinking about it. She didn't want to think about her parents. It might make her wake up. "Can I just say something crazy…"

He smirked. "I love crazy."

Airlia felt his vibe and relaxed until she heard Alex practically shouting. After a moment, things calmed down luckily or she would have broken down the doors to make sure her friend was safe. A look at her best friend, her princess, said much the same as they settled back into their desert. It was the easiest way to blend in.

Kuja listened to Alex start to sing her song. Carefully, he probed her mind a little so he could join in, sensing that's what she wanted to do. Why did he care what she wanted though? Why did he want to make her smile after hearing how unhappy she was at her parents. Through the song, talking of open doors and how neither of them had to feel alone anymore, he had a strange feeling that he wanted this. He didn't want to feel alone anymore. He wanted to take away that loneliness from her. What was this strange feeling?

Garland watched with a snarl as Kuja and that girl went singing and dancing through the streets of Treno, attracting looks at the insane pair. "I knew she was trouble...I knew it. And that other one is with her too. I'll need to play this carefully. Kuja still acts loyal to me, but I know he's not to be trusted. I won't tell him about his...twin…not until it's right. And I'll need to see to her myself."

"Say goodbye to the pain of the past, 'cause we don't have to feel it anymore!" The two sang as they made their way towards the lake outside the Queen's mansion. He twirled her and dipped her as if they were foxtrotting. The skirt of her dress twirled with her, looking not unlike the waves of the ocean.

Alex felt her heart beating and yet at the same time a little disappointment. He knew the song. He shouldn't know the song, but he did. "Love is an open door…"

"Can I say something crazy?" He whispered in her ears. He did not get down on a knee as he should have. "Will you marry me?"

Alex stood there, unsure how to answer. She wanted to say yes, desperately. But...it was all just a dream. That was the only explanation for how he could know the song.

Airlia and Garnet had heard the end of the song and his proposal and were crossing their fingers for their friend. He seemed genuine to her. The guardian wanted her friend to be happy since she was trying so desperately to make everyone around her smile. So what was it? What was stopping her from being happy then?

"This is a dream…" Alex said suddenly, pulling away from the man she was starting to love.

Kuja was confused. "What?"

"It's all a dream! What am I doing here? It's all just a dream and I'll wake up and it'll all be over," She took off, sobbing heartbroken tears, leaving the man to watch after her, confused and a little hurt that she hadn't accepted.

She ran right past Airlia and Garnet and back to the inn, even forgetting to get the Super Soft. She lay on the bed and wept.

Airlia looked at Dagger, torn. "You go back to Alex. I'm going to see what that ass did and if I have to, I'll make him pay for breaking her heart."

The princess nodded and ran after her friend while Airlia walked over to the stunned Kuja. Putting a hand on the hilt of her sword, she took a familiar stance from Beatrix. One of 'I know you did something, and you're going to tell me one way or the other' as she raised an eyebrow. "What did you do to my friend sir?"

Kuja blinked, still stunned. "I don't know… I proposed… I don't know why but it felt right… and she started chanting, it's all a dream and she ran off… I don't know what she meant by that."

Airlia nodded, understanding shining in her eyes. "I think I can explain that matter. But I need to know if I can trust you. So you need to be completely honest with me. Understand?"

Kuja found himself nodding. "Did I offend her somehow?"

Airlia shook her head. "No, not directly. She told me in confidence a few matters. Is there somewhere quiet we can talk Mr…"

"Kuja, just Kuja...though for some reason they call me the King. Just because I own the auction house. Come we can talk there. It's closed at the moment," he said. "I hope you can clear things up."

Airlia nodded. "I can, just not here in the open. The matter is strange to even me." He led her to the auction house and to a pair of chairs at a table within. She took a steadying breath. "Don't interrupt me with any questions until I'm done. As I said, the matter is quite bizarre." At his nod she told him everything Alex had confided with her. How she was from another world and got sucked in during a horrible 'car crash,' the symbol she had seen, how they found her in the forest, and that she felt like she was in a coma, so she wanted to enjoy the moment.

"So I think the whole singing with her in sync, might have been the tipping point for her believing it is a dream. How were you able to do it?" Airlia questioned.

Kuja 's eyes went a little wide. "I can read minds. I was born with the ability. Don't worry I use it responsibly and it felt like she wanted me to sing with her. So I did. And… it felt right…"

Airlia nodded with a small smile. "Now that makes sense. In a way I suspect she used it as a 'trap' to convince herself it's a dream. She does have very strong feelings for you and doubted Dagger and myself about our suspicions that you actually liked her. We will have to work together to ensure she understands this isn't a dream. She is really here, not in some coma as she called it."

"I knew she was from another world," he confided. "I could sense it when she came to this one. And I could feel it in her. I saw strange things in her head while trying to figure out if she was a concern. Pink Princesses and Beasts in a castle and an Ice Queen and a...talking snowman called Olaf. Strange…"

Airlia nodded before her words tumbled out of her mouth before she could think about how or what to say, "Do you really love her?"

Kuja pulled away from his musings on the strange Alex. "What?"

Airlia raised an eyebrow, "You heard me. Do you love her? Really and truly love her."

Confusion colored his eyes. "What is this word love? She said it's an open door but what is it? What does it feel like?"

She nodded understandingly. "Love opens many paths, and there are many kinds. The love between a parent and child, love between siblings. But love between two adults is something special. It's different to everyone, but it's something where you can tell the other absolutely anything, and never feel like you're going to be judged. It's something where you want to always be with this person. I assume you know what lust is and the urges men feel towards either women or another man? You may not have experienced it personally, but you may have felt an urge here or there."

He thought about it. "I've never felt anything like this before her. I've always been very alone until recently. I don't know if I've ever felt lust before because I didn't know what it was."

Airlia nodded. "I've never experienced it really. But from what I've heard from the men of the castle." She paused for a moment to blatantly roll her eyes. "The loose tongues of the castle explain lust as your nether regions get stiff when you think about someone in a sexual way, nude basically. Now, love is born often out of friendship, and grows over time where you begin to see this friend as you would a one time sexual desire, but even after, you want to be with them all of the time. You want to laugh and smile with them, you want to keep them from hurting, and cry with them to share in their pain so they're not alone. You turn from calling a sexual desire to what they call 'making love.' But love itself opens many avenues which is why it's an open door. Because you're not limiting yourself, you're becoming something different with the one you love while being yourself."

Kuja thought about it. "Then...yes...I think I do...I think I love her...I'm not completely sure yet but I think you just described these new emotions. What do I do about them? How do I make her understand this is real?"

Airlia frowned. "I wish I knew. But perhaps you doing something she doesn't expect. You may want to keep that mind reading ability handy. Whatever the urge is that she wants you to do, do the opposite. Something to disprove that it's a dream. Because her strongest beliefs that she has exuded all point to it, though I tried to dissuade her of if if you check my own mind." She didn't care if he found out she was really Airlia, she just wanted to help her friend find love.

Kuja reached into his pocket. "I didn't get a chance to give her this and I have a feeling that she won't be up to receiving me tonight." He handed Airlia a beautiful purple crystal decanter. Inside it was the potion they needed. "I guess...I guess I should have brought a ring too…" He chuckled. "That is the custom right?"

Airlia nodded. "But you could have taken her to a ring shop after proposing if she had accepted, which would have been just as good. Still, you're doing well for learning our customs since I suspect you're a far traveler like her, though unlike her in other ways. Your vibes... they are similar to one I've met before, yet different. Still, I'm glad that your feelings are seemingly legitimate. One way you know if it's love, go and speak with different women who would throw themselves at you. If you don't see Alex's face, then it's not love. If you see Alex, and don't want anything to do with these people, then it's love."

Kuja nodded. "I will keep that in mind. Goodnight...Lady Airlia…"

She gave him a small smile as she took the purple decanter, "Please, for Alex's sake, and those of my comrades, do not let on that the Princess is here. Bandits would be after her in moments, and me as well. That would cause Alex more pain than necessary. Good night Kuja."

The guardian returned to the hotel to find Steiner jumping up and down until Airlia pinned him with a look, mouthing the word, "Don't." She put the decanter on the dresser before sitting on the other side of bed and soothingly put a hand on her back, rubbing it in circles. "Alex what's the matter?" She knew what the problem was, but she had tried to make the girl see that this was reality, not a dream.

Garnet stood to the side. "I tried talking to her. She hasn't said anything since I came in."

Steiner waved his hands and jumped in fury. "I knew this was a bad idea! I knew she shouldn't have gone without a chaperone to protect her! I knew it! I knew it!" He looked at Airlia. "Tell me you at least impaled the fool on your sword for his impudence!"

Airlia waved her hand, "Of course I dealt with him Steiner. Just no need to be so crass about it. I also got the Super Soft that she had left behind."

Alex hiccuped and looked up. "The Super Soft… I'm sorry, I forgot it… but it doesn't matter does it? It's all a dream," She said just loud enough for Airlia to hear. "I'll let myself get happy and hopeful, then I'll just wake up and I'll be alone again...surrounded only by the "nice" things meant to take the place of my parents' love."

Airlia looked up at Garnet, "Could you get Steiner away from the room right now? Normally I enjoy their antics, but I need to try and shake some sense into her."

Garnet nodded, excusing herself and pulling Steiner away as Airlia looked down at Alex. "Alex, you're not dreaming. That man does have strong feelings for you. He hasn't really been exposed to love before, so he is just following the emotions you give him."

"He knew the song…" Alex said. "A song he should not have known because it is native to my world."

Airlia sighed, "What if there's a perfectly reasonable explanation?"

"LIke what?" Alex snapped."I just can't get my hopes up. I can't let myself fall in love because then…"

The guard put a hand to her head, she had to give some sort of list to hide the truth… "What if he went through the exact same thing you went through? Or he's psychic, or perhaps he can peer into one's soul and learn of the truth and just go with it?"

"I want to believe it could be reality, that it is reality, but if it's not and I wake up from this, I'll just be even more disappointed than normal because the dream never made it this far before."

Sighing, Airlia smiled. "Remember what you told me when I was worrying about the confrontation with the queen back in South Gate?" At her nod, Airlia smiled. "The advice you gave me could be applied to you right now. Can you change the destiny of however this is to play out?"

Alex moped. "No… But… I don't want to be alone anymore."

Airlia's grin became wider. "Take this as far as you can. And remember, even if it's a dream, you will always have this happiness within you. But I truly believe… truly… even if it is a dream, it's one you can see again and again when you sleep and continue to live happily with that. But, if it's reality, even if you 'wake' something will follow you from here, telling you it was real."

Alex nodded, tears still coasting down her cheeks. "I want so bad for it to be real… I don't want… to wake up."

Garland paced back and forth and screamed into the air, knowing he would be heard. "Kuja!" He stomped around the red orb, his anger evident. He was fighting what he knew to be true. That he would need to resort to Plan B.

Kuja growled as he appeared. "Yes Garland?" He refused to bow to the man – if what Airlia had said was true, this man only viewed him as a puppet. There was no bond like that of a father and his son in this man's cold and dead heart.

"That girl! She has gone too far! I want her out of the picture! Permanently!" Garland all but shouted. "Do you understand me?"

Kuja glared at him. He knew the next time, he couldn't come back here even if he was 'summoned.' He gave a nod. "I understand, and I will remove her from the picture… permanently. Are there any other orders you have for me?"

"Yes, I want you to listen to my words, clearly. This time there is no room for failure. No pretending to push her onto a Zaghnol," Garland explained. "You will kill her and bring me her body."

Kuja nodded, "Yes Garland. Now I must go and follow them. I need to find the right point to kill her and then I shall bring her body to you." Go to hell you old bastard. The thought of killing her was like a knife to his own heart. He recalled Airlia's words and knew that they had to be true.

"Oh and one last warning," Garland said with a sickening sneer. "If you can't do it. I have no problem doing it myself. But if I must, I will make it the most painful, torturous experience a young woman could have."

Kuja nodded, "I understand. Now it's time for me to go if you want me to deal with her Garland." He vanished without a second word.

Garland snarled as he threw an orb he had sitting off to the side at the wall, shattering near another form. "Looks like its up to you – you worthless creature. Your first task is to observe that group if he fails and to find the glue that binds them and remove it. If that girl ends up being the glue, report back to me and I will deal with her."

The form bowed. "I understand Master Garland. I will not fail you as he has." His smooth voice came rolling out.

The next morning, the three girls and Steiner prepared to go find Dr Tot. They were assuming he still lived in Treno. There was no evidence to make them think otherwise.

"I remember his lab was on the West side of Treno," Garnet said. "A tall tower, sort of an observatory that hasn't been maintained well."

Alex said. "I think I know it but would he be there? Things are happening different than in my visions." She thought about it. "In my vision, we would have met him while trying to steal the Super Soft… in the Synthesis Shop."

Airlia nodded, "Yes, but sometimes little deviations can't be foreseen. Let's try the lab anyways… Maybe we'll get lucky."

Alex shrugged. "Why not? We have nothing to lose really." She laughed. "Let's mosey then."

Steiner groaned at the strange, unladylike wording from the girl. "Let us go then. I will lead the way so no one gets any ideas."

The girls followed him to Dr Tot's known residence. Garnet politely rang the bell when they found the door locked.

A voice called out from within. "Just a moment. I'm coming." The voice was older than Airlia thought Alex expected as the door unlocked and opened. He smiled in delight. "Princess! Lady Airlia! Oh my, you have other with you and I'm without my manners! Come on in!" He stepped to the side as all four entered the room. Once they were safely ensconced in the room, he shut the door. "Please, have a seat. Would you all like some tea?"

"Tea would be lovely Dr Tot. It's so good to see you," Garnet said congenially. She knew time was of the essence but manners dictated certain formalities be observed. "You know Captain Steiner of course. This is our new friend, Alexandra."

Alex waved. "Hi!"

Steiner bowed slightly to the doctor. He had great respect for the scholar. "I hope we find you well Doctor."

Doctor Tot nodded. "Well as well as anyone at my age can be ha!" He chuckled as he looked at Airlia. "I heard you kidnapped the princess, but I know that simply couldn't be true."

The guardian nodded as she explained the matters. When she finished, he sighed heavily. "My, what a choice young woman. No wonder your mind is well vexed by it. Just make sure you focus on the mission at all times. So I take it you mean to go back and confront the queen then?"

Airlia nodded, "Yes, but I have reservations about the princess going back. The queen sent three strong guards after her, even going so far as to shut one down when they couldn't pick out the princess. So it tells me that we must have been onto something, even if we're not sure of what it is exactly."

Garnet asked. "Doctor, do you know what could be making my mother act like this? I need to know."

Doctor Tot thought about it. Should he tell her everything? No. "It is my opinion Princess, that when your father died...well you know she loved him very much. It is my belief that she never truly healed from that loss and went...for lack of a better word, mad."

Alex thought about what she knew of the game and nodded. "I think he's onto something. But that doesn't mean we can't help her Garnet. Right Airlia?"

Airlia nodded, her wheels were already turning mentally speaking. "Right, my plan is to if possible have her and Steiner stay here with you Doctor Tot. I know you will keep them being here a secret while Alex and i continue to Alexandria. If I've had this bad feeling this long, it must mean something could happen, possibly quite dangerous."

Alex smiled. She was glad that she and Airlia had taken the time to plan this all last night while Garnet and Steiner slept. "I will go in Garnet's place, as a decoy. Airlia would expected to be at my side. Whereas they were always ditching Rusty here somewhere."

Garnet and Steiner both shot them a look. Garnet recognized the wisdom in this plan easily enough. Steiner, on the other hand…

"No! Absolutely not! Airlia how could you deceive your queen?!" Steiner said, standing up and slamming a foot down on the ground.

Airlia frowned, how could she explain the matter to anyone. She opted to use her feelings and hope that Alex would understand. "Alex came to me about a terrible vision last night – one where I was killed and Garnet was killed within the hour after I died." It was a lie, but hopefully it would be enough to convince him. "Steiner, I don't want to think ill of Her Majesty as much as anyone. But the vision was enough for her to come to me about it in the dead of night. And with my serious issues that I've had coming up to this, I have to give them merit."

Alex shuddered, pretending to still be affected by the horrors of the vision. "It was terrible. The Queen stole...stole something from Garnet...and ordered Airlia killed by the Alexandrian Soldiers. She couldn't fight them all even with her training and...and…" She forced tears to come to her eyes as she thought about the possibility. While it wasn't a true vision, the possibility was there.

Steiner grumbled but Garnet overrode him. "While I doubt my mother would ever harm me, it could be as Doctor Tot said… Insanity has taken my mother and now she is becoming capable of anything. Doctor Tot, would it be an inconvenience if we stayed with you while they go to Alexandria?"

Doctor Tot shook his head consolingly. "Not at all Princess. You and Steiner may stay for as long as you need to. I will send your Uncle Cid letting him know the situation just in case we need his help."

Alex sighed with relief. "Garnet you will hold onto the pendant. I visited the Synth Shop on my wanderings around the city and had them make a fake out of one of our Diamonds." She held out the identically shaped gem. "Since your mother seemed adamant on having it, I fear it could be part of her plans. Meanwhile, it is my opinion that you should learn how to use the guardian spirits, the Eidolons that sleep within you. So said my visions."

Garnet nodded. "I'll wait until after Airlia has safely returned to begin practicing with them. Just to be sure that she comes back safe and sound to me."

"No Garnet. You need to learn them now," Alex said in an oddly stern voice. "So that no one can use them against you. I feel two are already missing but learn to control the rest. By time we get back they should be learned."