Heart of an Assassin
A FF9 Alternate Reality Fic
I still don't own FF9...
Chapter 2: False Identities
*Alexandria Castle*
"Where could the queen be? I haven't seen her all damn day!" Steiner was
getting worried as Garnet was missing. "Hey you! Don't just stand there! Go
find her!"
Steiner shook his fists and jumped up and down in frustration. This was
not the way he wanted to spend the day. The queen could have been kidnapped
and it was his sworn duty to protect her.
"Having trouble Rusty?" Beatrix mused as she tried not to laugh at the
scene the captain was making. "Mabye you should try the city as Her Majesty
has been known to wander through her own kingdom."
"But she knows it's not safe to go places without notifying me first.
It's my duty to keep her safe."
"But who's going to keep her safe from you?" Beatrix said under her
breath.
"Humph! Why don't you get in the kitchen where you belong?"
"What? You know I can whip you any day of the week!" Beartix snarled as
she heard the comment. Steiner, seeing he couldn't win the argument, stood
there glaring at her for a second before turning around and walking away.
"I'll show her someday that her position is undeserved." Steiner vowed
as he continued to search for Garnet.
*Black Mage Village*
Zidane was helping the mysterious girl up as he took a good look at her.
She was beautiful, that much was true, but Zidane sensed a great power from
within.
"Hey are you hurt?" Zidane questioned as she got to her feet.
"No. I didn't need your help but thanks anyway." Dagger replied coldly.
She wasn't in a good mood right now and the unknown person in front of her
treating her like a child wasn't helping matters.
Zidane was taken aback but just for a second. A sly grin appeared on his
mouth as he evaluated the situation.
'Man she is tough.' Zidane thought to himself. "Sure, if you insist. So
what's your name?"
Dagger raised an eyebrow at the person who didn't recognize her. "You
don't know who I am? I am Que-"
"Dagger! Dagger are you ok?" Vivi interupted as he came tearing out of
the brush.
"I'm fine Vivi. I didn't know there were any dragons out here."
'Dagger hun? It fits...' Zidane thought as he grinned inwardly. He made
up his mind. When the time was right he would ask her.
*Terra*
"Where is that boy?" Garland demanded. "The time is near and he hasn't
done a damn thing!"
"I'm sure there is a logical explanation sir." Mikoto suggested. "Unlike
Terra, Gaia is mostly water and traveling across oceans takes time. Also he
has no idea where Alexandria is so that will also pose a problem."
Garland pounded his fist on the nearby table cracking it in half.
"Excuses are all you can give me!"
Mikoto stood there emotionless allowing Garland to vent his anger. After
many words of obsenities and objects being blown to pieces, Garland finally
calmed down.
"Well I guess you could be right. There are a lot of unknown factors in
the mission I gave to Zidane. But he knows what will happen if he fails.
I've been thinking lately." Garland started to explain.
Mikoto tried to comprehend what he was up to but to no avail.
"Yes I've been thinking. There is a possibility of betrayl. Even after
all the things I've done for Zidane, there is still that miniscule chance.
But fortunately I have insurance against this. You, my dear, are going to
protect me from any type of rebellion!" Garland laughed.
'No! Brother I'm being used against you!'
*Black Mage Village*
"So Dagger, what did you come here for?" Vivi questioned her as they
walked back to the village.
"I'm on vacation and don't wish to be bothered by anything that has to
do with my duties." Dagger replied and hoped Vivi got the message of not
revealing her identity. She kicked herself for almost doing exactly that if
Vivi had not interupted in time. She wanted to be treated as a common
person. Vivi got her message and left before revealing anything.
"So what are your duties?" Zidane questioned curiously.
"What's it to you?"
"I just wanted to know what occupation requires one to be such a good
fighter."
Dagger was startled at his reply. Nobody had ever called her a good
fighter and she sort of liked being recognized as one. Finally she found
someone who didn't treat her like a priceless doll.
"I do odd jobs around the world." she replied quickly covering up her
suprise. "What do you do?"
"Wha? Oh uh I'm a traveling merchant." Both doubted the other's claim
but neither said anything. Zidane guessed it was now or never so he brought
up the subject.
"Um Dagger?"
"Yes?
"Since you can take care of yourself and I want a partner, would you
like to accompany me on my mission?"
"Hun? What are you talking about?" Dagger asked confused at his
statement.
"Well..." Zidane began hesitantly. There was no turning back. "I'm not
really a merchant. I'm going after an evil queen who is dooming many souls
with her magic. My mentor and teacher Garland is trying to help these many
souls that are unable to rest because of her."
At first Dagger didn't believe him because she had never heard of this
"evil" queen that he spoke of. Then she noticed the look in his eyes and
realized he was telling her the truth.
"Who is this person you are after?"
"The ruler of Alexandria, Queen Garnet."
Dagger was beyond shocked but she kept her appearance. 'What is going
on? I don't remember being cruel to anybody or anything on Gaia!'
"Are you sure this is the person responsible for what you say?" Dagger
demanded after regaining her voice.
"Yes. I have no doubt as Master Garland told me this personally."
"Who is this Garland? And why do you trust him so much?"
"He's my teacher and master. He taught me everything I know and took
care of me when my parents died." Zidane explained.
Dagger was dumbfounded. It was obvious that Zidane told the truth but it
was still a lie. It couldn't be totally true she knew that much. She had a
sick feeling that Zidane was being tricked to do someone else's dirty work.
It was obvious to her that this situation was created by this Garland. The
only way to find out for sure is to go with him.
'This is the only way I can find out what's going on and help him.'
Without a second thought, she decided to risk her life for this stranger who
had already risked his to save her.
"Ok I'll help you." Dagger said determined.
"Good. We can leave for Alexandria tomorrow."
End of chapter 2. Please r/r.
A FF9 Alternate Reality Fic
I still don't own FF9...
Chapter 2: False Identities
*Alexandria Castle*
"Where could the queen be? I haven't seen her all damn day!" Steiner was
getting worried as Garnet was missing. "Hey you! Don't just stand there! Go
find her!"
Steiner shook his fists and jumped up and down in frustration. This was
not the way he wanted to spend the day. The queen could have been kidnapped
and it was his sworn duty to protect her.
"Having trouble Rusty?" Beatrix mused as she tried not to laugh at the
scene the captain was making. "Mabye you should try the city as Her Majesty
has been known to wander through her own kingdom."
"But she knows it's not safe to go places without notifying me first.
It's my duty to keep her safe."
"But who's going to keep her safe from you?" Beatrix said under her
breath.
"Humph! Why don't you get in the kitchen where you belong?"
"What? You know I can whip you any day of the week!" Beartix snarled as
she heard the comment. Steiner, seeing he couldn't win the argument, stood
there glaring at her for a second before turning around and walking away.
"I'll show her someday that her position is undeserved." Steiner vowed
as he continued to search for Garnet.
*Black Mage Village*
Zidane was helping the mysterious girl up as he took a good look at her.
She was beautiful, that much was true, but Zidane sensed a great power from
within.
"Hey are you hurt?" Zidane questioned as she got to her feet.
"No. I didn't need your help but thanks anyway." Dagger replied coldly.
She wasn't in a good mood right now and the unknown person in front of her
treating her like a child wasn't helping matters.
Zidane was taken aback but just for a second. A sly grin appeared on his
mouth as he evaluated the situation.
'Man she is tough.' Zidane thought to himself. "Sure, if you insist. So
what's your name?"
Dagger raised an eyebrow at the person who didn't recognize her. "You
don't know who I am? I am Que-"
"Dagger! Dagger are you ok?" Vivi interupted as he came tearing out of
the brush.
"I'm fine Vivi. I didn't know there were any dragons out here."
'Dagger hun? It fits...' Zidane thought as he grinned inwardly. He made
up his mind. When the time was right he would ask her.
*Terra*
"Where is that boy?" Garland demanded. "The time is near and he hasn't
done a damn thing!"
"I'm sure there is a logical explanation sir." Mikoto suggested. "Unlike
Terra, Gaia is mostly water and traveling across oceans takes time. Also he
has no idea where Alexandria is so that will also pose a problem."
Garland pounded his fist on the nearby table cracking it in half.
"Excuses are all you can give me!"
Mikoto stood there emotionless allowing Garland to vent his anger. After
many words of obsenities and objects being blown to pieces, Garland finally
calmed down.
"Well I guess you could be right. There are a lot of unknown factors in
the mission I gave to Zidane. But he knows what will happen if he fails.
I've been thinking lately." Garland started to explain.
Mikoto tried to comprehend what he was up to but to no avail.
"Yes I've been thinking. There is a possibility of betrayl. Even after
all the things I've done for Zidane, there is still that miniscule chance.
But fortunately I have insurance against this. You, my dear, are going to
protect me from any type of rebellion!" Garland laughed.
'No! Brother I'm being used against you!'
*Black Mage Village*
"So Dagger, what did you come here for?" Vivi questioned her as they
walked back to the village.
"I'm on vacation and don't wish to be bothered by anything that has to
do with my duties." Dagger replied and hoped Vivi got the message of not
revealing her identity. She kicked herself for almost doing exactly that if
Vivi had not interupted in time. She wanted to be treated as a common
person. Vivi got her message and left before revealing anything.
"So what are your duties?" Zidane questioned curiously.
"What's it to you?"
"I just wanted to know what occupation requires one to be such a good
fighter."
Dagger was startled at his reply. Nobody had ever called her a good
fighter and she sort of liked being recognized as one. Finally she found
someone who didn't treat her like a priceless doll.
"I do odd jobs around the world." she replied quickly covering up her
suprise. "What do you do?"
"Wha? Oh uh I'm a traveling merchant." Both doubted the other's claim
but neither said anything. Zidane guessed it was now or never so he brought
up the subject.
"Um Dagger?"
"Yes?
"Since you can take care of yourself and I want a partner, would you
like to accompany me on my mission?"
"Hun? What are you talking about?" Dagger asked confused at his
statement.
"Well..." Zidane began hesitantly. There was no turning back. "I'm not
really a merchant. I'm going after an evil queen who is dooming many souls
with her magic. My mentor and teacher Garland is trying to help these many
souls that are unable to rest because of her."
At first Dagger didn't believe him because she had never heard of this
"evil" queen that he spoke of. Then she noticed the look in his eyes and
realized he was telling her the truth.
"Who is this person you are after?"
"The ruler of Alexandria, Queen Garnet."
Dagger was beyond shocked but she kept her appearance. 'What is going
on? I don't remember being cruel to anybody or anything on Gaia!'
"Are you sure this is the person responsible for what you say?" Dagger
demanded after regaining her voice.
"Yes. I have no doubt as Master Garland told me this personally."
"Who is this Garland? And why do you trust him so much?"
"He's my teacher and master. He taught me everything I know and took
care of me when my parents died." Zidane explained.
Dagger was dumbfounded. It was obvious that Zidane told the truth but it
was still a lie. It couldn't be totally true she knew that much. She had a
sick feeling that Zidane was being tricked to do someone else's dirty work.
It was obvious to her that this situation was created by this Garland. The
only way to find out for sure is to go with him.
'This is the only way I can find out what's going on and help him.'
Without a second thought, she decided to risk her life for this stranger who
had already risked his to save her.
"Ok I'll help you." Dagger said determined.
"Good. We can leave for Alexandria tomorrow."
End of chapter 2. Please r/r.