Chapter 28: Answers?

            "Ok, I have to make some business with the merchants here," Drake told Renee and Miranda. "I'll meet you guys at the main square, ok?"

            "Ok," they both answered and headed to the gigantic palace.

            When they approached the gates they were inspected by the royal guards. Miranda grumbled and stomped off because the guard had inspected her more time than needed. "Pervert," she muttered. "Never happened back home…"

            "Well, like you said, it's almost your sixteenth birthday," Renee said in a low voice. "When is it anyway?"

            "June 19."

            "Whoa! That's only like three weeks away!"

            Miranda stopped in her tracks. "T-tell me you're kidding."

            "Nope, it's June."

            "Oh no…if I turn sixteen here…" I don't think I can return back home the same age I was before I came…I'll be a year older!

            Renee's eyes opened wide catching on. She grabbed her hand. "Come on, the sooner you get back home the better!" She half-dragged her down the hall and walked straight into the throne room.

            "Renee!!! What do you think you're doing?!?!?" Miranda hissed.

            "Let me handle this," she muttered. They bowed low in front of the king. "Excuse our bursting through here unannounced but—"

            "Ah…welcome back…my daughter," the king said his faced shadowed.

            Both Renee and Miranda stared at him. "D-daughter?" Miranda repeated.

            The king stood up and walked down to them, allowing them to see his face. Renee guessed him to be in his late fifties, his long jet black hair hung freely behind his shoulders. She could see the resemblance clearly now.

            "Oh…my…" she heard Miranda say next to her.

            The king stopped in front of her and embraced her. "How I have missed you, Arianna! I am relieved that you have returned safely to me."

            Miranda gently pushed away from him. "Um…I think you have made some mistake…I couldn't possibly be your daughter…I mean my name is Miranda, not Arianna, and I came from a totally different world!"

            "Dear Arianna, your memory has suffered greatly. Maybe it will come back if you stayed here for a while."

            "W-what?!?" Miranda shouted. "But I'm staying with—" Renee had covered her mouth.

            Renee smiled at the startled king. "Excuse us, Your Majesty…I need to talk to my friend here…" She shoved Miranda out of the throne room.

            "Miranda!!" Renee hissed. "Don't tell him that you're staying at Drake's place!"

            "Why not?! I am NOT staying here!" she retorted.

            "If he knew that you were staying there, he might think that Drake took you or something!!"

            "…Oh I see…" Miranda said realizing the impact of that statement. She sighed. "I guess I have no choice then…"

            Renee hugged her. "Oh Miranda!! I don't want you leave us!!"

            Miranda hugged her back. "Hey, you can visit me I bet. Lets go back and talk to the king…what's his name anyway?"

            "…I have no idea…ask him, he's your dad."

            "That's another thing! How can he be my dad??!! I was born in a different world!!!"

            "That is an interesting point…" Renee said thoughtfully. "Maybe you are being mistaken for the real Arianna. Just go ahead and stay. You'll have more chance of him answering your questions at any rate."

            Miranda took a deep breath. "Right…ok…"

            They walked back into the throne room.

            "Are you finished?" the king asked.

            "Yes, Your Majesty," Miranda said. "I'm still very confused though…I don't even know your name if I know it all."

            The king smiled. "I am King Alexander V."

            "I FOUND IT!!!!" Kristin yelled holding the book up in her hands triumphantly.

            Everyone ran over to the table as she placed it on Tot's desk.

            "Where did you find it?" Doctor Tot asked.

            "Under your bed," Kristin shrugged.

            "At any rate, let me see here…" He flipped through the pages and gave a "Aha!" as he stopped at a page. "This is it! How to construct the dimensional gateway!"

            "Well what does it say, Doc?!?" Zidane asked.

            "Crystals…summon…life…heart…what?!"

            "We didn't catch that last part nor the rest of it," Mikoto said a little annoyed.

            "That's all it says: Crystals, summon, life, and heart. The ink has been worn away and that's all I can really make out…oh wait here's another word…no wait…that's not it…"

            "What did it say?" Freya asked.

            "Free? That can't be it…tree? Free? Tree? I don't know!" Doctor Tot clutched his head in frustration.

            Kuja snapped his fingers. "If it's tree, it has to be the Iifa Tree."

            "Seems likely," Tot mused.

            "Then what are we waiting for?" Chris exclaimed. "Lets get going!"

            "One problem…" Zidane said. "These chocobos aren't trained for long distance flight. Rocky and Choco can, but I don't know about these others. And I know Bobby Corwin can't."

            "Looks like we have to use one of Cid's airships," Mikoto said.

            "Then I'll go ahead," Chris said.

            "I think not," Fratley argued. "You are not fully recovered, and I noticed you were starting to limp a little. You didn't hurt your leg at all did you?"

            "I don't think so…"

            "Let me examine him," Doctor Tot said walking over to him. "Remove your pants please."

            "WHAT???!!?!" Chris yelled.

            "Ewwww!!! GROSS!!!!" Eiko shouted.

            "Er…never mind…" Tot said a tad nervously. "Well, tell me if it hurts whenever I poke you ok?"

            "Ok."

            After a series of poking around Chris's leg with no negative results, Doctor straightened up. "Well you seem fine to me. But if your leg starts bothering you, go straight to the doctor, young man."

            Chris grinned. "Yes, sir." He hopped off the bed. "Well, I guess we should head back to Lindblum then. Thanks a lot Doctor Tot."

            "Always willing to serve," he said as he fixed himself a cup of coffee. "I have faith in all of you that Miranda will return safe and sound. But be careful yourselves. By the look of things, not everything is what it seems."

            Miranda gawked. "Alexander V??!?! That's impossible!!"

            The king raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

            "King Alexander V ruled Gaia a looooong time ago. Not Systania!"

            "Aaah…you are mistaken, Arianna," he said smiling. "There are many Alexanders out in the universe. I just happen to be one of them."

            There was something else about Alexander V…but…why can't I remember? "My name is Miranda, not Arianna. And where's the queen then?"

            He sighed sadly. "She passed away…a long time ago…"

            "…Oh…I'm sorry…"

            "You're the only thing I have left," he said placing a hand on her cheek. "You are my daughter and my only heir. Surely you must remember something of your past!"

            Miranda looked down. "I can't really say I can…"

            "Then you must stay here, back where you belong." He kneeled down onto one knee and looked up at her. "Please?"

            Miranda could feel pure sympathy for him. I can't just say no… "But what if I'm not your daughter…?"

            "You may return back to your home. But I am absolutely positive that you are my little Arianna. Though…not so little anymore," he laughed. "It had been very quiet around here…I hope that you will once again bring this palace back to life."

            Renee stepped forward. "Um…Your Majesty? May I ask a question?"

            "Certainly."

            "When did Arianna disappear?"

            The king sighed. "That is a day I will never forget…" Miranda noticed his eyes change from the soft kind eyes to cold and black filled with hatred. "It was one of the greatest, and bloodiest wars, ever recorded in the history of Systania… Our troops defended our kingdom against the relentless monsters attacking it. I led the final charge through the city and we finally defeated them When we turned to head back, our rejoicing was cut short. We saw a demon fly from the castle carrying something. We thought it was just some treasure, but we hurried back to the palace. That was where I found your mother lying unconscious in your nursery room, your crib empty."

            Renee gasped. "You mean…you mean Arianna was taken by the demons?!"

            The king nodded. "We searched for you for days, weeks, months, and with each passing day, your mother grew sicker, consumed by the loss of you." He looked at Miranda. "She died two weeks after you had been abducted."

            Miranda looked at him wide-eyed. "I…I was the cause of…of her death…?"

            He placed his hands on her shoulders. "No, no. It wasn't your fault, and don't ever blame yourself. It was those demons…they were cause of all this." He hugged her again. "You don't know how overjoyed I am on your safe return! Even if you do not remember your past, since now that I think there really wasn't much to remember, you will start a new life, here, in your rightful home."

            "…Here…?"

            He blinked. "Why yes. You live here and take over the throne, and become the future Queen of Systania."

            "…Queen…? Live…here…? For the rest of my life…?" Miranda stared numbly at him. She wanted to scream 'no' but she couldn't seem to voice it out. If I stay here, how will I ever get back home? What about Chris? He wouldn't be able to rescue me and take me away if I'm part of royal family!! "I…I need to think…" She quickly walked out of the room.

            The king looked at Renee. "I think that was too much of a shock for her…"
            Renee gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I'll talk to her. She's my best friend."

            He gave her a kind smile. "Thank you…I didn't catch your name."

            "Oh! I'm so sorry!" She bowed. "Renee, age fourteen, at your service." She straightened up. "I would give you a last name but I don't have one, hehe…"

            The king raised an eyebrow. "No last name? But surely you have a father or relative that you stay with."

            "I'm a Genome. See?" She waved her tail. "We are created not born…"
            "Oh…I see…I didn't see your tail at first. Well…you can come here and visit Arianna as often as you like."

            "Oh wow!! Thanks!" Wait a sec…she hasn't even agreed that she would stay here…

            At that moment Miranda walked in. She took a deep breath. "Your Majesty…I will stay here…taking the place of the daughter you lost if I am a mistake."

            The king embraced her and hugged her tightly. "I know you are no mistake…you are my long lost daughter, Arianna…" he said looking at her face. "Now come. You must be tired. One of the stewards will show you to your room. Renee may come if she'd like."

            A young, male Genome appeared and they followed him out to the main hallway.

            "So…you're Arianna," he said glancing at Miranda.
            "I still don't know about that…" she said.

            "Well, here's a portrait of the Queen. And dang, you are a spittin' image of her."

            Renee raised an eyebrow at him and then looked at Miranda. She blinked at the shocked look on her face and looked up at the painting. She gasped and took a step back, looking from one to the other. Oh my…they are identical if not there is a lot of resemblance.

            "Ok folks, right this way," he said as he pushed Renee from behind.

            She whirled around. "Hey! Hands off!"

            He raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry. It's just that you were gawking at the picture for a very long time and it's really not a good thing to do at a picture of a Royal Family member."

            "And who are you to tell me this?" Renee glared.

            He bowed. "Jason, age fifteen." He straightened. "And you are?"

            "Renee, age fourteen," she said a little warily.

            Miranda blinked. "Do you always say your age…?"

            "Well, after the age of ten, no matter how old we are, we look almost virtually the same til we turn twenty, so it helps to tell us who we're dealing with," Renee said.

            "Interesting…"

            "Anyway, lets go!" Jason said as he led them around a corner. "It may look confusing, but this place is actually not that complicated. If you do get lost, just go straight in whatever direction you are going. They all lead back to the entrance. Cool, huh?"

            "Er…if you say so," Renee said looking around.

            He opened a door to a light yellow colored room, the furniture even more expensive looking than the ones at Draconis Manor. The bed had thin, lacy curtains on the side and there was a window seat at the window (well that's obvious o.-). Renee stared in awe.

            "Well this is your room. Easy way to remember where it is, is if you go by the entrance it's the fifth room on the second floor on the right. Just asked around if you do forget. I'll be heading back now. See ya!" he said waving as he closed the door.

            "Hm…" Miranda walked around.

            "I can't believe that jerk!" Renee said angrily. "Pushing me like that!! How rude!!"

            Miranda raised an eyebrow. "You're making it sound worse than it seems, Renee. I have to admit you were kinda gawking at that painting…"

            Renee jumped onto the bed, bouncing back up. "Whoa…bouncy…anyway, still…"

            Miranda gave her a sly smile and sat on the window seat. "If I didn't know better…I think you were blushing."

            "Wh-what?!?!? Impossible!"

            "I think you like him," Miranda said still smiling.

            "Miranda!!!"

            She laughed. "Now what are you getting upset for, hmmmm?"
            Renee sat there silent for a moment. "Well…he is the first guy I've met that wasn't talking about the life cycle or the creation of stars…"
            "So you do like him!"

            "I did not say that!" she yelled.

            "Ok, hehe. That was kinda fun, hehe."

            Renee grumbled. "Well don't start telling Drake that." She gasped. "Oh my gosh!! I completely forgot!! He's going to be mad at me!!!"

            "Hey, come back tomorrow, please??"

            Renee flashed her a smile as she reached the door. "You bet! I want to explore this place some more." With a wave she was gone.

            Miranda sighed then sat up when she heard Renee come back in. "Oh yea!! I'll bring your stuff, too! Okay bye!!!" She was out in a flash.

            Miranda shook her head smiling and looked out the window. She could see the bustling city of the capital. I guess I was out in the country before…and I was just getting to like the place…She sighed. How's Chris going to save me now?

Author's Note: It's getting harder and harder to think of something to say after the chapter .;; Ok, will the group figure out how to make the gateway? Will Miranda enjoy her new life? And if she's in Systania, where's Democlese? More to come so read!!