Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX....unfortunately...I'm so sorry, Zidane.....
Dedication: To all those who love me and my stories, and also to all those I love. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! *hugs everyone who's not run away from her*


~*~Chapter 10~*~

*~*Who's Who?*~*


Beatrix, Garnet and Zidane all returned to the Queen's room with their heads bowed deeply for the loss of their friend. Beatrix wept softly as Garnet hugged an arm around her waist and pulled her close, whispering soft sympathies into her ear. Zidane snorted quietly and remained silent as he closed the door behind them, once they were all in Garnet's room.

Garnet gently led the saddened Beatrix to the big bed and sat her down. She turned around and found Zidane watching her. She crossed her arms over her chest and walked over to him, " What's wrong? "

Zidane sighed lightly and reached out to gently caress her cheek, wiping away a single tear that slid down from her eyes as she closed them and threw herself into his arms. She buried her face into his chest and wept silently. Zidane wrapped his arms around her and held her close, afraid of letting her go.

Beatrix reached over and grabbed a pillow. She hugged it to her chest and wept silently as well. Zidane gently stroked her hair and then kissed her forehead as she pulled her face away from his chest, " I can't believe he's gone....after eighteen years of his loyal service, he's gone.... ", she whispered, a far away look in her eyes.

Zidane flashed her a small and weak smile, " I'm so sorry, Dagger. I miss old Rustalot already..... "

Garnet nodded again and then rested her head against his chest again, " Now I feel somewhat naked without him around... "

" Why's that? "

" Because he was always there, watching over me as I grew up. Making sure that I never got in trouble, but I never listened to him. I went along and did it anyway.... "

" Did what? "

" Met you.... ", Garnet whispered as she closed her eyes.

Zidane smirked, " Is it a bad thing that you met me? "

Garnet swallowed and shrugged lightly, " I...I don't know anymore... "

The smirk was wiped from Zidane's face and was replaced by confusion, " What do you mean? You're not happy with me anymore? "

Beatrix slowly stopped crying and watched them. She slowly stood up and walked over to the door, " Garnet...I'm going to be in my room. If you need anything, call me and I'll be there for you..... ", she managed to say without crying as she silently slipped from the room.

Garnet pulled away from Zidane and looked at him as she brought her arms to her chest, " I am happy wth you...it's just that things aren't going to be the same anymore, now that Steiner's gone... "

Zidane shook his head, " So? Steiner's gone....everyone passes on in life, Dagger. You're just going to learn how to let go.... "

" I know, Zidane. I know.... "

" Then what's bothering you? ", Zidane asked her gently as he outstretched a hand to her.

Garnet took a step back from him and shook her head, " I want you to leave me alone for awhile...I-I need some time to grieve.... "

Zidane's arm fell to his side as he snorted, " So? That's it then? You're just going to make me leave....and all because Rusty's dead? I'm not going to ever understand you, am I, Dagger? "

Garnet looked at him, not completely understanding what he meant, " Z-zidane, I...I don't understand what you're saying... "

Zidane waved a hand through the air and snorted in disgust this time, " When will you ever understand what I say to you? When will you ever get your head out of the clouds and start to realize that this isn't some sort of game anymore... "

Garnet blinked and her arms dropped to her sides. She clenched and unclenched her hands into tight fists, " And who said that this was even a game, Zidane? You? Why don't you just go now? ", she muttered.

Zidane nodded, " I will, then! ", he practically shouted as he bowed slightly to her and then stalked from the room, slamming the door hard after him.

Garnet jumped slightly and then backed away from the middle of the room to plop down onto her bed. She brought her hands to her head and began to cry. First Zidane left, then he shows up again, now Steiner was dead, and now she was about to lose Zidane again? What else could go wrong in her life?

*****

Zidane cocked his head to the side, carrying a slightly confused look on his handsome features, " So.....you're telling me that this guy is Kuja's brother? "

Lani nodded as they slowly walked up the staircase that would lead them to the front hall of the castle, " Yes...and that makes him your brother.... "

Zidane stopped in his tracks and looked at her. He blinked and lifted an eyebrow as he swirled his hand around in circular motions in the air, " W-what? Whoa, whoa, whoa....slow down here, Lani. This Anomen....he's my brother? Is that what you're trying to tell me? "

Lani nodded and continued to walk, " Yes! Zidane? Don't you understand? Don't you see? Anomen is after Alexandria and he's after Garnet.... "

Zidane narrowed his eyes as he followed after her, " Well, he's going to have to go through me first, if he wants my Dagger and Alexandria...I'm not ready to give them up, ever, to the likes of him.... "

Lani smiled at him as she reached out and pulled open the door to the front hall, " That's the Zidane I know... "

Zidane chuckled suddenly, " Where's Dagger? ", he asked lightly, wincing against the harsh glare of the lights in the front hall.

Lani frowned and spotted one of the guards standing by the front door. She walked over to the guard and looked at her, " Can you please tell me where her Majesty is? "

The guard blinked her light blue eyes at Lani and then nodded briefly, " She's up in her room. She had a little disagreement with him over there.... ", she replied as she pointed at Zidane over Lani's shoulder.

Lani glanced over at Zidane's pale expression and then turned back to look at the guard, " Forget it then...we'll go up and see her then. I think he has some apologizing to do... ", she muttered under her breath as she spun around and began to head for the stairs, Zidane following her closely.

" This doesn't look good, Zidane..... ", Lani muttered over her shoulder at him.

Zidane ran his tongue over his suddenly dry lips and nodded, " I think I can see that, Lani. What are we going to do about him? This Garret and Anomen? "

Lani shrugged lightly and then stopped in front of Garnet's doors. She turned and looked at Zidane who was watching the doors closely, as if thinking of backing out at the very last second, " Don't be thinking of backing out now, Zidane....I set you free for one reason, and that was to go and save Alexandria and also Garnet. I don't want what happened before with Kuja to happen again... ", she hissed at him.

Zidane nodded and then walked up to the double doors. Lani smiled lightly at him and turned to leave him alone. Zidane pushed open the doors to find his precious Dagger sitting hunched over on the bed, weeping softly and quietly as she hugged a pillow to her chest. He felt his heart ache and he silently stepped into the room, pushing the doors closed behind him.

Garnet looked up at him and then shook her head, " Z-zidane...can't you see that you've caused enough trouble? Can't you just let me alone to grieve over his death? ", she whispered in a pained voice.

Zidane swallowed thickly and walked over to the bed. He knelt down in front of her and looked up into her tear streaked face, " Dagger, I'm sorry....I... "

Garnet searched his face and spotted the bruise on his cheek and the cracked lip that was once perfect and tender before, " Z-zidane....what happened to your cheek...and your lip? ", she whispered as she reached out and gently grazed her finger over his cracked bottom lip.

Zidane grimaced lightly and then reached up. He gently grabbed her wrist and pressed her whole palm to his lips, kissing it softly and lovingly. He closed his eyes against the tears that had formed in his eyes, " Oh, my sweet Dagger....how I missed you so.... ", he whispered against her hand.

Garnet slid off the bed and fell to the ground on her knees. She reached out with her other hand and cupped his cheek, " W-what do you mean? You just left me, not even a few moments ago.... ", she asked as she searched his face.

Zidane opened his eyes and pressed his cheek into her warm palm, " I didn't leave you a few moments ago, I've been locked up in the dungeons of this castle for the past two days.... "

Garnet knitted her brows together and shook her head, " N-no, Zidane....you were not. Did you hit your head or something? How did you get that bruise on your cheek? "

Zidane sighed heavily, " Garret gave it to me... "

Garnet's brow crinkled as she frowned deeply, " W-who's Garret? "

" A man who looks exactly like me and acts exactly like me.... ", Zidane muttered, suddenly looking down at the ground.

In front of him, Garnet blinked and then stood up quickly. She brushed past Zidane and began to pace the room, a confused look on her face. Zidane turned to face her as he stood up, " Dagger....did you hear me? This Garret, he looks exactly like me and he probably acts exactly like me too.... "

Garnet glanced over at him and she bit her lip, " A-and how do I know that you're not him as we speak? "

Zidane's mouth fell open, but he snapped it shut as he cocked an eyebrow, " If I were him, would I be in here now, telling you about him? Telling you to stay away from him, warning you? "

Garnet nodded, " Y-yes....you could be doing it to keep me away from the real Zidane...the one I truely love.... "

Zidane blinked. He stared at Garnet and then shook his head, " I'm not going to believe this! This is ludicrous, I swear it is!! How could you think of me as Garret, and not the real me....the REAL Zidane? ", he demanded as he placed a hand to his chest.

Garnet shook her head, " How could I think? Well, for starter's, your face is bruised, and your lip is cracked. Now, when you left this room not even fifteen minutes ago, you looked normal...fine. But now....you're a complete mess. Your clothes are all dirty and smelly. It looks like you went outside and decided to jump into front of a stampede of wild Chocobos! "

Zidane took a step towards her, his hand outstretched, " Dagger, listen to me....I'm the real Zidane Tribal...why can't you see it? What's the one thing that's keeping you from believing and seeing? ", he asked as he took another step towards her, his deep green eyes held her chocolate ones.

Garnet stared into his eyes, unable to tear her eyes from his until he was standing not even a centimeter away from her. She swallowed and turned her head to the side. Zidane watched the side of her face and then shook his head as he reached out, gently grabbed her chin and turned her face around so he could look into her eyes, " What's the one thing, Dagger? ", he asked again.

Garnet swallowed and searched his face, " I'm starting to get confused.... ", she whispered as she felt herself become lost within the depths of his dark jade eyes.

Zidane's right cheek twitched slightly and he shook his head, " I'm sure you are..he has you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he, Dagger? ", he asked softly as he tilted her chin upwards, lifting her lips up higher towards his own.

Garnet swallowed. She wanted to kiss him, but what if he really was this Garret that he was telling her about? What would happen then? Garnet absentmindedly nodded her head and then closed her eyes as she felt Zidane's lips descend upons hers. Zidane slid his hand from her chin to tangle his fingers deep within her long dark hair at the base of her neck, holding her head still, and her lips locked to his.

They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. They didn't even hear the door open and then the angered cry of surprise as Garret stood in the doorway, his hands on each side of the doorframe, blocking all passage for escape. He looked at Garnet and then at Zidane.

' What the hell is he doing out? Who set him free? '

" Ahem.... ", Garret cleared his throat as he stepped into the room.

Garnet pulled away from Zidane and looked at Garret. Her eyes went wide and her face went pale as she pulled away from Zidane's arms and body to hug her arms around her stomach, " Oh my God....w-what's going on here? Who's who....? ", she whispered as she backed away from the both of them.

Garret stepped into the room and closed the doors behind him. He leaned against them and looked at Zidane's anger flushed face, " Well, Garret! We meet again, how strange it is to find you here, in the arms of my precious Dagger, kissing my wife-to-be.... "

Zidane clenched and unclenched his hands into tight fists as he held them at his sides, " You won't get away with this. She already know's about you... "

Garret cocked an eyebrow and then threw his head back as he laughed, " Really? What does she know about little old me? ", he counted.

Zidane narrowed his anger filled eyes, " That you're really Garret, Garret.... "

" Ha! That, my dear Garret, is where you are mistaken....I am the one and only Zidane Tribal. You're the imposter here! You should be where we put you the first time... how'd you get free? "

" F-free...? What's he talking about? ", Garnet's small and scared voice called from the side.

Garret ignored her. Zidane glanced over at her quickly from the corner of his eye, " He locked me up in the dungeons for two days, Dagger. He's the reason I have the bruise on my cheek and the split lip... ", he reminded her.

Garnet frowned and placed her hands over her ears, " This isn't making any sense! Who's the real Zidane? ", she cried.

Garret and Zidane both turned to look at her, in unison they both cried out, " I am!! "

Garnet shook her head, " H-how do I know? What do you have to prove it to me that one of you really is my Zidane? ", she asked.

Garret and Zidane both opened their mouths to speak, but the double doors flew open, flying off the hinges and landing on the floor and on the bed. Kuja stood in the doorway, his head cocked to the side, his legs spread, and his hands on his hips. Kuja squinted his eyes as he looked around the room, his eyes straying on each of their faces as he looked at them.

" So....who's who.... ", Kuja said as he calmly walked into the room, his purple and silver robes flaring out behind him.

Zidane looked at his brother, " Brother....why have you come? "

Kuja looked at Zidane and cocked his head to the other side, " Well, well, well.....are you really, Zidane? Or are you just this Garret...? "

Zidane knitted his brows together, " I am the REAL Zidane Tribal. He's the fake! ", he replied as he pointed at Garret who was standing there with a strange look in his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest.

Garret shook his head, " Brother....it is I. Zidane, you're younger brother. How could you forget me? After all we've been through....all the things I did for you.... ", a film of tears blurred Garret's vision as he put on the waterworks.

Kuja watched in amusement as small tears slowly slid down Garret's cheek, " Brother? Is that you? Why are you crying like that....surely, Garnet wouldn't want to see you cry.... ", he said as he walked over to Garret and placed an arm around his trembling shoulders.

Zidane's mouth fell open, his face paled, and his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as he watched the pathetic show of emotion. He shook his head, " I-I can't believe you! I can't believe you'd comfort the fake over the real thing... "

Kuja glanced over sharply at Zidane and he gave a little curt, brief nod of his head, ' Will you stop your whining, Zidane? Just trust me on this situation, I'll get you out of it... ', he replied to him through the mind waves.

Zidane cocked an interested eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, ' And how the hell are you going to do that? Dagger's going to be married to that fake tomorrow afternoon. We can't just sit around and not do anything about it... ', he replied.

Kuja smirked suddenly, ' Oh, Zidane...yes we can, yes we can.... ', he replied, his response carrying the tone of pure amusement within it.

***

Anomen frowned as he reached up behind his back and undid the braid. He allowed the long tresses to cascade down his back as he walked over to his desk and examined a beaker that was full of light blue liquid carefully. He kept his eyes on the beaker as he slowly turned around to walk over to his bed, but someone standing across the room from him caused him to jump back in surprise.

The beaker slipped from his fingers and shattered as soon as it hit the ground. There was a loud hissing noise as the liquid spilled out of the broken beaker onto the ground. Anomen glanced down at the ground and then up at who was in his room. Lani stood by the foot of the bed a doubtful look in her eyes as her face went pale.

Blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth as she slid to the ground sideways from the bedpost. Anomen stayed frozen to the ground. The one he ever loved was on the ground, dead. His eyes went big as he stared down at Lani's axe as it lay dug deep into her back....

***

Eiko looked at Vivi with tears in her green eyes. Vivi sighed lightly and went over to her to wrap a comforting arm around the little summoner's trembling shoulders. Eiko's tears came down fast as she began to cry freely. Steiner's death had hit her hard, and for no reason. Perhaps it was just the situation of death that caused her to break down like this.

Vivi reached over with his hand and gently stroked her hair, " It'll be alright....he passed quickly, Eiko. You have no need to be sad, Steiner wouldn't want you to cry over his death...he'd want you to be happy.... ", the little black mage assured her gently.

Eiko hiccuped lightly and shook her head, " No, it's not going to be okay....he's gone and with Zidane gone, that means that Garnet is all alone... "

Vivi frowned, " W-what do you mean by Zidane's gone? Please, Eiko.... "

" Zidane left....remember? "

Vivi slowly shook his head, " No....he's back. Why are you saying that he's gone....? "

Eiko pulled away from Vivi and wiped away the tears on her cheeks, " Because he's not here.... "

" But how do you know that, Eiko? "

" When Zidane left Garnet's room this morning, he passed me in the hallway and was mumbling something about leaving and staying away for good.... "

Vivi shook his head and grabbed her hand, " Come! We'll go see for ourselves if Zidane's still with us. He'll be with Garnet and Garnet hasn't come out of her room since after they found Steiner this morning.... ", he told her as he began to drag her down the hall.

Eiko allowed the black mage to drag her down the hallway towards Garnet's room. When they looked inside, they found the doors on the floor and on the bed. Garnet was standing by her fireplace with her arms hugging her stomach, and her face pale as she looked from Zidane to Garret.

Eiko's jaw fell open and she rushed into the room, brushing past Kuja to go stand beside Garnet's trembling form. Vivi slowly and uncertainly walked into the room, making his way to stand beside the real Zidane. He looked up into the handsome face to find it filled with disgust, anger, and fear. Zidane looked down at the little black mage and he flashed him the usual meek little smile that he flashed everyone he cared about.

Vivi frowned within the shadows of his hat, " Z-zidane? Who's that man standing over there? Why do you both look alike? ", he asked, his voice soft.

Zidane cocked his head to the side, " Vivi...that man isn't me. Alright? He's a fake...a clone, someone who was made to look and act like me... "

Vivi's head bobbed up and down, " I understand.... "

Zidane nodded, " Good... ", he replied lightly as he reached out to give Vivi a little awkward pat on the head.

Vivi frowned and he reached up to fix his hat that was hanging on the side of his face now. Kuja looked at Garret and then over at Zidane. He sighed heavily and then walked away from Garret to go and stand in the middle of the room. He looked around at everyone and then frowned, ' Something's not right here, but what is it? '

Zidane narrowed his eyes as Garret glanced over at him. He was ready to pounce on him and rip out his vocal cords and then his tail. But there was something that was stopping him. Doubt suddenly entered his eyes and he adverted his gaze from Garrets to the ground.

Kuja sensed his doubt and discomfort, ' What's wrong with you? '

Zidane glanced up at him and shrugged lightly, ' I'm not quite sure... '

Kuja cocked an eyebrow and then looked at the ground. There were loud footsteps on the stairs outside the room and everyone ignored them. They were all caught up in their own little torments to even bother to worry about a set of footsteps. Eiko held onto Garnet's hand tightly while Vivi did the same with Zidane. Garret watched them all, a sneer set upon his face as he directed his attention on Zidane.

Panting was suddenly heard throughout the room and everyone turned their attention to the door. Anomen stood there, his eyes wild and big, his hair long and set free. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes as he spotted Kuja standing in the middle of the room. He walked into the room, a few paces, and then stopped as he pulled a blood stained, large axe from behind his back.

Anomen held the axe firmly in two hands as he advanced into the room, completely ignoring the rest of the people except for Kuja, who stood there looking at him, his head cocked to the side, as he began to sway from side to side to a slow rhythm that was completely unhearable to everyone but him. Zidane watched Anomen, his eyes clouded with confusion at who this person was.

Anomen smirked and took another step towards his eldest brother; Kuja. Axe in hand, eyes wild, he shouted, his voice suddenly causing the room to vibrate slightly, " Brother! I'm going to kill you, and you're going to stay dead this time! Do you hear me? It won't be Zidane who'll be finishing you off, it'll be me. ", he said as raised the axe over his head and charged head-on.....

(A/N**: Well, that's it for today peeps....I'm now off to finish the rest of chapter 4 for my Escaflowne fic: Whispered Promises....and then it's off to either Tainted Whispers or When Happily Ever After Ends...I'm not quite sure yet....*waves, hugs everyone, and blows kisses* Ja ne!!! )