Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX©.... it belongs strictly to Squaresoft.... poo!!
Dedication: To *Sagittarius Girl*, Maki, Siena, and Taemyr!!!
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~~~Chapter 2~~~
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~Joined By Their Love For Each Other?
The birds were chirping loudly from the balcony of the open window to the left. The thin white transparent silk curtains flapped wildly in the warm afternoon breeze that floated into the room, bringing along the sweet scent of lavender and roses. Happy cries from the children in the streets of Alexandria floated on the air and entered the room as well, making the day sound cheery and tempting.
Garnet crinkled her small nose and then rolled onto her back, her arm resting over her eyes as she tried to shield the bright warm sunlight that swept the room with it's golden glory, warming everything up for the day. She moaned lightly and then sucked in a sharp breath as she felt her heart pound up against her ribcage, sending small sharp bolts of pain through her limbs.
She slowly opened her eyes and dragged her arm from her face to find herself staring up at the light rose pink canopy overtop her bed. Garnet blinked and then sat upright in her bed, rubbing the sleep from her soft chocolate brown eyes as she looked around the room, trying to figure out what had happened before.
' Zidane...'
she thought as tears slowly filled her eyes as she remembered how he had died on her last night, being held in her arms. ' I'll never let you go, Zidane... 'Garnet sighed heavily and pushed aside the thin sheets of her bed and slid her long toned legs over the side of the bed gracifully, loving the feeling of the plush carpet beneath her bare feet. She curled her toes in content and then inhaled deeply the scent of roses and lavender that floated inthe air as she stood up and slowly made her way to the closet to grab a pull-over that she could slip into.
Something sitting on the table caught her eye, something slightly pink and gold, but more gold then pink, as it sparkled in the sunlight, beckoning her to come over to investigate. Garnet's brow furrowed in confusion as she slowly walked over to it, her arms crossed over her chest. She outstretched a hand and slowly slipped finger through the thin chain, lifting it up, bringing it up to her face.
" I love thee... " she read outloud the neatly engraved handwritten lettering on top of the locket.
Suddenly flashes of last night came to mind, Zidane laying on the ground in her arms, his wound in the middle of his chest bleeding, blood everywhere, coming from the corner of his mouth, from his wound, from his heart. Garnet closed her eyes against the memories and tears of pain as she brought the locket to her lips, clutching it tightly in two hands.
Kissing it softly, she began to weep softly for the love that had died again. Keeping the locket to her lips, she slowly opened her eyes and brought a hand up to wipe the tears away as she brought the locket from her lips to open it, finding something inside that made her cry even harder now.
A picture of him. A picture of him smiling at her as he held her in his arms, her eyes sparkling from the sun that hung just behind them. It wasn't exactly a picture, picture... it was more of a sketch that someone had managed to make of them while they stayed like that for a while. Garnet's chin dimpled in and out as she stared at the two of them, just staring at each other, both their eyes filled with love for each other and hope for the future.
" Oh, Zidane... " she whispered softly. " If only you were still alive... if only you hadn't been thrown from the Iifa Tree... if only you hadn't gone off to fight Kuja! "
" ...always remember one thing when I answer your prayer; there's no turning back, no looking back on this sad, dreadful day that will forever change his and your life... " the voice spoke in her head, trying to tell her something.
Garnet licked her suddenly dry lips as she tried to think of what the voice was trying to tell her, but she couldn't until she glanced back down at the locket in her hands and then looked at her door. A small smile came to her lips as she snapped the locket shut, slipped it on and then gathered the skirts of her nightgown in hand and ran for the door, praying that she was going to find what she wanted to find....
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" So you use to go on adventures with them? " Slim asked, watching Emily as she began to pace from side to side in front of him, her emerald green eyes lowered to the ground as if in shame.
Emily nodded, " Yes, my Lord.... when I was... younger... " she replied softly, stressing on the last word.
Slim nodded and fingered his gotee, " I understand, child.. "
Emily's head snapped up and she stared at Slim, " C-child? " she echoed in disbelief. " I am not a child, my Lord... I am something more... "
Slim nodded and eyed her body, " That you are, Emily... that you are. But... the point here is that is he dead or not!? "
Emily shrugged lightly and poked her toe in the ground, " I'm not sure, Lord... perhaps he's still alive. What will you do then? " she asked shyly, glancing over at him.
Slim tilted his head to the side, watching Emily watch him with curious green eyes, " Then if he really is still alive, then we'll just have to kill him again, now won't we? " he asked with the jerk of his left brow.
Emily smirked and nodded, " Fabulous idea, Lord! " she exclaimed. " Perhaps you could... give that job to me? "
Slim threw his head back and laughed, " I suppose I could. I mean... you know them all the best out of the rest of us here, now don't you? " he asked, leaning towards her.
Emily nodded, " Of course I do! I could even bring back someone for you who I'm sure would come in handy to you someday when you need it... "
Slim's eyebrows shot up in surprise and he leaned back in his seat, " Really? Who might that be, my dearest Emily? "
Emily tilted her head to the side and grinned wickedly from ear to ear, " A mage, my Lord... "
" What kind of mage, Emily! " he snapped suddenly, wanting to know.
Emily shrugged off his anger and flicked her hand through the air as if it were nothing, " A black mage... " she replied, her tone icy and hard...
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Garnet flew down the hall, bumping into a few servants as she ran, her heart smashing into her ribcage now, her lungs feeling as if ready to burst. She flew past an open door and out the corner of her eye she caught sight of something that was beige and flickered from side to side quickly. Garnet halted to a stop, just before she crashed into one of the caterers that was there for setting up the food for the grand ball later on that night.
She mumbled an apology and quickly tried to calm her racing heart, her erratic pulse, as she turned slowly and, in short strides made her way to the door that was open, a deep voice humming a soft tune to no one in particular, maybe himself. Garnet bit her lower lip and she slowly brought her head around the side to find herself staring at a strong looking back, the muscles clenchigng then relaxing as the male moved about the room, completely not knowing that Garnet stood there watching him.
Garnet caught sight of the tail sticking out of the black jean-like pants and she felt her heart leap with joy. It was him... wasn't it? She shook that evil thought away and gathered the skirts of her nightgown into her hands and began to tiptoe into the room, her eyes glued to the strong looking back.
Garnet swallowed thickly, swallowing past the lump of tears that had found their way to her throat as she stopped a few feet away from the man in front of her. He was completely unaware of her, standing there, her arms over her chest, her hands to her mouth, her soft chocolate brown eyes sparkling with tears, making them look like chocolate submerged in water.
There was a soft whimper that made Zidane stop humming, that made him freeze until her heard it again only louder, more pained. He slowly turned his head and then his whole body to find himself face to face with Garnet. Garnet's breath caught in her throat and she her heart stopped completely as she stared into his eyes before her eyes left them to roam over his chest looking for the wound that had caused him to leave her, caused her to feel the pain again.
The wound was gone, it wasn't there. No scar was left as well, just... smooth skin, tanned nicely, the flesh rippling slightly with the small movements he made with his arms, the taunt muscles flexing by themselves as if a reflex(*drools*....). Zidane watched her, watched her eyes leave his to roam over his shirtless chest and stomach.
" Z-zidane...? " Garnet whimpered, bringing her eyes back up to meet his, tears slowly beginning to spill down her flushed cheeks.
Zidane swallowed thickly. It killed him again. It killed him to see her in pain, to see her cry over him, but what else could he do?
" Yeah, Dagger... it's me... " he replied, his voice just as rich and deep, carrying a soft tone to it as he searched her face.
Garnet let out a sob as she threw herself at him, her arms going around his neck as she held him close. Zidane stumbled back a few feet from the impact of her body being slammed up against his, throwing him to the bed. He landed on his back, on top of his clothes that were so neatly piled and folded. Wet tears flowed from Garnets eyes, sliding down his bare chest and rolling over his six pack.(*drools some more*)
Zidane swallowed and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her hair, holding her pressed to him, loving the feeling of her so close to him that it killed him again as well. He clutched her close, afraid that if he let her go that he'd never see her again. Garnet's sobs slowly quieted down. She buried her face into his chest, inhaling the fresh scent of soap and musk that his body naturally carried.
Zidane brought a hand up to gently stroke her long hair, groaning slightly as he felt her knee brush up again the sensitive part of her inner thigh. Garnet sniffled and brought her face from his chest. She gazed down into his eyes and then pursed her full lips as she unwrapped her arms from his neck, straddled him easily and began to pound on his chest again, just as she had last night.
Zidane watched her, not flincing, not groaning and moaning in pain, but just watched her, watched the tears that slipped past her half lidded eyes, watched how her lips moved as she screamed at him, everything. This is why he was so in love with her. Garnet sniffled and continued to beat him, not noticing him as he just laid there, watching her intently.
Zidane did something that made her cry out in surprise and gasp in wonder, pleasure as he grabbed her small hips, lifted her up into the air easily and flipped her onto her back, her head coming to a rest on his pillows, her long dark hair fanning out above her head like a dark halo. Zidane grabbed her wrists, pinned them to the headboard and hovered overtop of her, his knee between her legs, but not pressed anywhere.
Garnet's chest rose and fell rapidly as she watched him. What was he planning to do to her? Why did he keep looking at her like that? Zidane swallowed and watched her. He felt like he was going to cry in front of her.
" D-dagger.. " he grounded out through tightly clenched teeth as he lowered his face to hers, pressing his hot hungry lips to her soft trembling ones, making her gasp against them as he slid his leg up, his knee rubbing up against the junction between her legs.
Zidane wanted her, he needed her. He wanted to be inside of her... right now! Garnet squirmed against him,moaning against his lips as he continued to viciously attack her helpless lips with his hungry ones, kissing them singley, sucking on her lower lip for a few minutes before trailing hot wet kisses down the length of her slender neck to her collarbone where he found was her sensitive part for her had her moaning his name now.
Garnet's breathing was shallow and she tried to calm it down, but with what Zidane was doing to her, she wasn't sure she could bring herself to doing so. She moaned and arched her back off the bed as Zidane trailed kisses over her breast, his tongue, hot and feverous as it darted past his moist lips to lap her nipple that poked through the satin fabric of her nightgown, demanding attention.
Zidane brought a hand from her pinned wrists to trail it down the side of her face, down her neck, over her shoulder and then down to rest of her breast, cupping it softly through the fabric. Garnet sucked in a sharp breath as she felt her insides, especially her heart, twist convulsively, painfully, making her cry out in pain into Zidane's ear as she twisted her head from side to side as he nipped at her neck, kneading her full breast hard and fast now.
Everything was so hot, so painful. Why did his simple loving touch leave her in pain? Was it because their love for each other was so strong that it was also painful as well? Was it because she wasn't ready for this sort of thing? When she opened her eyes, she found that the roof was spinning around quickly, much too quickly for her tastes and it brought bile to the back of her throat. Everything inside was burning with pain, it felt as if she were dying, but why?
Zidane suddenly pulled his hand away from her breast, his mouth from her neck and his knee from the thing he wanted so bad. He stared at her, his thick strands of dark honey falling in front of his face as all his hair slipped out of the ponytail at the back of his head. He reached up and tucked it behind his ear as he searched Garnet's small heart-shaped face.
Slowly getting off of her, he sat down beside her, his head in his hands as if he were in shame of what he had tried to do, of what he had almost lost control of. Garnet didn't get off the bed to sit beside him to comfort him, telling him that it was alright. She remained there, laying on the mattress, her eyes clamped shut, tightly in pain, her bottom lip bleeding as she bit down into it time after time, her right hand clutching her chest tightly.
Zidane lifted his head slowly and looked at Garnet, fear and worry for her suddenly slapping him hard in the face, causing him to crawl over to her. He leaned over her and reached out to cover her hand that was clutching her chest with his.
" D-dagger? " he asked softly. " Dagger... answer me, talk to me! " he pleaded.
Garnet swallowed and almost gagged. Throwing her body to the side, her head over the side of the bed, she thought she was going to throw up as she felt he stomach heave a few times, but there was nothing to throw up, nothing but her love for Zidane. Zidane brought his hand from hers and grabbed her by the shoulders to sit her up, her face still contorted in a mask of pain, beads of sweat slowly rolling down the sides of her face.
" Dagger! Talk to me... say something... tell me anything!! " he said firmly, giving her shoulders a rough shaking.
Garnet's head snapped back and forth like a limp ragdolls. When it came to a rest, her face facing downwards, her long hair falling around her face, she slowly, weakly lifted it up to look at him, her eyes filled with ammounts of pain and fear as well as tears.
" I-is this what it feels like t-t-to die, Zidane? " she asked, her voice cracking with pain and emotion as she felt her head slump forward again, for she had no strength to hold it up anymore.
Zidane's heart was seized with fear and he began to panic as he encircled his arms around her slim body, pressing her chest to his, her cheek resting on his shoulder, her face in his neck, her warm breath coming out slowly, fanning over his chest and neck. He held her in his lap, her chest pressed to his. Together their hearts moved as one, pumped life into their bodies at the same tempo, the same beat, the same undying love for each other.
" It's going to be alright, Dagger... you're not going to die. You're just imagining things... I won't let you die, Dagger... " he whispered into her neck, promising her from his heart, as he buried his face into her hair and rocked her back and forth.
Garnet sighed lightly, the pain weighing down on her chest before suddenly disappearing as she sat there, her chest pressed to Zidane's their hearts in the exact place. She slowly relaxed in his arms and then felt herself beginning to fall asleep as he continued to rock her slowly and tenderly, almost as if she were a small child having troubles sleeping.
Zidane held onto her as if she were life itself and it were dying. He suddenly felt her relaxing in his arms and he felt her heartbeat with his, just a little bit softer and tender now for she was falling asleep. He slowly slipped an arm under her knees and reached over, still cradling her to his chest, to pull back the dark navy blue blankets on his bed.
Zidane stood up slowly and then gently lowered her into his bed, being careful not to harm her or something as he brought the blankets to her collarbone. He reached over and brushed aside some strands of hair from her flushed face as her head slowly rolled to the side, her cheek coming to a rest against the pillow that probably smelt of him. Everything in his room smelt of him.
Zidane smiled in content just sitting there watching her sleep. He had watched her last night as well, sleeping like an angel, looking like an angel. He lifted a hand and rubbed it over his chest, where his heart was, where he had been hurt the most before, killing him twice. Zidane sighed heavily as he bent over and brushed his lips against her with a soft feather touch before kissing her forehead and then the tip of her nose before rising quietly from the bed to silently slip from the room, shirt in hand, leaving the door semi-open...
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Little Vivi Ornitier (if I spelt it wrong... don't be stupid and flame me about it...:p), small black mage walked down the streets of Alexandria in silence, not really paying any attention to the merchants that shouted out to him to come have a look at what they were selling. All he wanted to do was to get to the castle in time for the grand ball that was going to be held tonight.
Vivi smiled lightly to himself in amusement and continued to trudge up the long cobblestone streets, completely off in his own little world when a soft voice called out to him from his left. His head snapped in that direction and he found himself staring down a dark alley that looked dangerous.
" Vivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiii........ Vivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiii......... " the soft, pained whispering continued, beckoning him to follow the sweet, soft voice.
Vivi glanced over his shoulder and noticed that everyone that he had passed on his way to the castle wasn't there anymore. The streets that had been so full, bustling with excitement were as quiet as the dead themselves! He swallowed nervously and brought his attention back to the dark alley in front of him.
" W-who's out there... " he called, his voice betraying the boldness that he had tried to force into it.
" W-who's out there... Vivvvvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiiiii....... " the voice mocked him, then called out his name.
Vivi blinked his eyes, his glowing yellow canary eyes at the darkness in front of him. He pursed his lips and then took a small step into the dark alley, trying to push away his fear and nervousness. There was a soft giggle in front of him and then someone flew past him, running into the dark alley, their small white wings flapping silently behind them, the dark blue hair that was cut in a bob, bouncing as the figure ran away from him, getting farther and farther away.
" E-eiko? " Vivi called out, momentarily stunned by what he saw. " Eiko? Is that you? Please... "
He took another step into the dark alley and saw the figure ahead of him stop and turn around to face him, her face, a small smile playing with the corners of her lips, her emerald green eyes sparkling with tears as she saw him. She lifted her arms and spread them, asking for a hug or something.
Vivi's heart soared with happiness. He found Eiko! After all these months searching for her with Aramant, Quina and Freya, he had finally found her. But what was she doing in a back alley by herself? Vivi shrugged the thought off and smiled broadly, running towards her now, his arms lifted and spread.
Expecting a hug from her, he ran into her arms, nearly sobbing with relief as he felt that she was solid and not just a dream, a nightmare waiting to happen. Vivi grabbed her waist and twirled her around, extracting a soft giggle from her. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she stepped back from him and tilted her head to the side to look at him.
Vivi smiled at her, " Eiko! It is you! " he exclaimed. " You don't know how long we've been lo-- "
" Can it shrimp! " she snapped at him, causing him to take a step back in caution. " I'm not here for happy reunions.... "
Vivi furrowed his brow, " Then what are you here for? " he asked.
" You! " she said as she smiled sweetly and then lunged for him, her hands encircling his wrists as she began to lift him up in the air and then throw him farther into the dark alley.
Vivi yelped in pain as the back of his head hit the edge of a garbage can, his hat flying off his head and landing somewhere, he didn't know. Eiko/Emily smirked now as she began to walk towards him, the evil gleam in her eyes sparkling brightly as she outstretched her hands towards him....
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Author's Note: What's this?! *gasps* Vivi's been unmasked??! *screeches* No way! But anywho... what didcha think of that chapter? Pretty stupid? *shrugs* Ah well... tell me whatcha think! *waves* Ja ne! I wonder what will happen. What's the deal with Garnet? Why was she hurting eariler? Zidane was there... and they were almost.. ya know! She shouldn't be complaining... man, I know I wouldn't be... *evil snicker* Read and review!! You all rock if you leave me a review!!! ^~