Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy IX. Unfortunately I don't own many things however a computer and playstation are the exceptions.
"Shhh. Come on." Alexis whispered. "Don't make any noise." She cautioned.
"I know what I'm doing." Derrick snapped.
"Obviously not because if you did, you would know you have to be quiet." She returned.
They were hiding behind a corner when they heard someone come up behind them. They heard a clank and turned around. It was Steiner!
"Aaah! It's Rusty! Run!"
"What are you two doing out of bed?! Hey come back here!" He ran down the hallway clinking along.
The two kids ran into the main hallway and up the stairs with Steiner panting behind them.
Beatrix heard a noise and ran up the corridor her weapon drawn. Suddenly two flashes of color with tails went racing by. Not very far behind she heard the familiar clink of armor and soon came face to face with Steiner. She put her weapon away and joined the chase.
Alexis screamed and ran to her parent's bedroom. Beatrix was catching up. Derrick tried the door but it was locked. Alexis began banging on the door. Beatrix finally caught up with them.
"Alright you two. Back to bed. Come on let's go." She said taking their hands.
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Zidane sat up in bed. "I told them not to disturb us!" he said angrily.
The knocking continued.
"Go away!" Zidane yelled.
"Zidy?" Dagger asked sleepily. "What's going on?"
"I don't know." Zidane got up and tied his belt. He walked to the door and reached for the knob when the knocking stopped. He opened the door and saw Beatrix and two tails going around the corner. Zidane went back inside the room.
"So what was it?" Dagger asked.
"I'm not sure but I saw Beatrix shepherding the kids back to bed."
"Why would the kids be out of bed?"
"Beats me."
Zidane opened the door and walked outside.
"Beatrix? Please come here." Zidane called.
"Coming Your Majesty." She replied.
Five minutes later she was standing in front of Zidane.
"What was that all about?" he asked. "Why were the kids out of bed and banging down my door?"
"If you'll give me a moment to explain my king, I'll tell you what happened."
"Okay. Go ahead."
"I was on patrol when I heard some commotion down the eastern corridor. I wasn't sure what it was so I drew my weapon and went to check it out. Then I saw the kids come running down the hallway and Steiner was right behind them. They got up for something and Steiner must have scared them so they took off. I'm sorry if they disturbed you. I won't let it happen again." Beatrix finished.
"Thank you Beatrix. You may go."
He waited until Beatrix was out of sight and then he yelled "Steiner! Get over here now!"
"Coming Your Majesty."
Dagger came out of the room. "What's going on?"
"Just wait a minute. I have pressing matters to deal with." Said Zidane in his kingly voice.
Dagger turned around and walked toward the door. She opened it but instead of going inside she paused. Reaching out she pulled Zidane's tail. "Be good. The night's not over with yet." She turned and went inside the room.
"Shit!" Zidane cursed. "Steiner?" he called again. "Steiner!"
Steiner came running up the hall panting. "Yes Your Majesty?"
"I want to know why you were chasing the kids! Now Steiner!"
"Well…you see…umm I saw the kids out of bed and I came up behind them. They took off running so I ran after them because I remember you said you didn't want to be disturbed and-"
"Rusty, why were you chasing the kids?" Zidane asked again.
"Because they were out of bed and…" Rusty faltered under Zidane's intense gaze.
"Okay, they were out of bed but did you ever think that maybe they wanted a drink of water or had a nightmare?" Zidane asked almost yelling.
"Well no. Not really. I didn't think-"
"That's right you didn't think Rusty. Do you know you scared the hell out of them?"
"No Your Majesty, I didn't know."
Dagger walks out of the room and stands next to Zidane. "What Zidane is trying to say is that the kids may have had a legitimate reason for being up and you ran behind them and to use Zidane's words 'scared the hell out of them' and it was completely uncalled for. Next time just call their names nicely and ask them why they're up. If they are scared come and get one of us. Don't chase them. Do you understand?" Dagger asked.
"Yes, your majesty." Steiner said in a weak voice.
"You may go." said Zidane.
When Steiner was gone, Dagger turned to her husband and led him into the room. She shut the door and said "Since you were good and listened let's finish what we started earlier. Okay?" Dagger asked.
"Do you have to ask about that?" Zidane asked climbing into bed.
Dagger got in after him. "No not really." she replied. "But I love seeing the look on your face when I hint about it."
"Oh Dagger, I don't know what I ever did without you." he said kissing her.
"Well I know but I'm not going to say anything." Dagger said returning the kiss.
They lay back in their bed and soon fell asleep.
The next morning there was a knock at the door. Then the door burst open and in ran Alexis and Derrick. They jumped on the bed and started bouncing. Alexis crawled over toward her mother and shook her.
"Mommy? Daddy?" she whispered. "Hey guys wake up!"
Zidane groaned and rolled over. "Go play with Steiner." he said.
"No! Not Rusty." said Derrick.
"Well then go see Beatrix." he said. "Just leave me alone."
"Okay." they said and took off down the hall.
"Don't forget to close- Oh never mind." he said with a sigh. Zidane got up and closed the door.
"Beatrix! Oh Beatrix! Where are you?" yelled Alexis.
"Is some little monkey calling me?" asked Beatrix poking her head out of the kitchen. "Morning guys. Alexis are your parents up yet?" asked Beatrix.
"Well we ran in and we woke up daddy and he told us to go play with Steiner and we said no so he said to come see you."
"Oh, okay."
She put two bowls in front of them and watched them gulp it down.
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Zidane rolled over and felt for Dagger. She was gone. He sat up and looked around the room but she was nowhere to be seen. "Dammit not again." he sighed.
He got up and finished getting dressed. He walked out of the room and went to find Beatrix. As he was passing the closet he heard some high-pitched giggling and muffled words. Zidane ran toward the sound. He came to a small bedroom down at the end of the right hall. He tried to open the door but it was locked.
"Alexis Tribal! You open this door right now! Shit. First your mother and now you. Open this door!" he screamed.
Beatrix came running towards him "What's wrong Your Majesty?" she asked.
"I think Alexis has locked herself in this room." Said Zidane.
"She might have. I sent them out to the courtyard to play but they don't always listen."
"I know they can be a handful. Get the locksmith. I need to get the door open. Oh and have everyone who isn't looking for Alexis look for Dagger!" Zidane yelled.
"The Queen is missing?" asked Beatrix.
"Yes. I'm going to check the resting place while you get the door unlocked."
"Alright." Beatrix agreed as Zidane made his way to Brahne's grave.
"Dagger? Dagger! Dagger!" he called.
There she was sitting on the ground thinking.
"God Garnet! Don't ever do that again!" yelled Zidane.
"What? I just came out here to think." Dagger replied.
"Damn you had me worried!"
Now Dagger was getting pissed. "Look Zidane. I'm an adult now and I can go where I want to go. I don't answer to you. All I needed was some time to think so I came out here. It's not my fault you were still asleep."
"But you didn't tell anyone where you were going!"
"It doesn't matter and for your information I told Steiner I was going to go see my mother and I might be away for a while. I'm sorry if you didn't get the message but that's no excuse for you to come out here and yell at me. I'm not your daughter. I'm your wife!"
"Alright. I'm sorry I yelled. It's just I'm worried about Alexis and when I found out you were missing I imagined the worst and –"
"Wait a minute. You said you were worried about Alexis?!"
"Yes. Why?"
"What's wrong?"
"With what?"
"Zidane Tribal focus! Now where the hell is Alexis."
"We can't find her."
"What?!"
"Hey wait for me!"
Dagger ran into the castle. She ran past the guards at the gate and ran into Beatrix.
"Your Majesty calm down and what's wrong?'
"A-Alexis. Where's Alexis?"
"Alexis and Derrick are fine. They were torturing Steiner and they accidentally locked themselves in the room."
"Where is she?" asked Zidane coming up behind them.
"She's in her room with Derrick."
Dagger ran down the hall with Zidane behind her. They opened the door and rushed in.
Dagger screams "Alexis Mackenzie Tribal! What happened?"
"Me and Derrick were playing a game where we catch the bad guy and Rusty was the bad guy and we caught him and tied him up and then we locked him in. We went to get some food and came back and opened the door. And then the door shut and I asked Derrick for the key and he couldn't find it."
"Why in the hell-"
"Zidane!"
"Sorry. Why didn't you say anything when I told you to open the door?"
"We got bored and fell asleep."
"Could I get some help over here?"
Everyone looked up and gasped. Steiner was sitting in a chair with a jump rope tied around him and he had a bandanna around his neck, which he had somehow spit out.
Zidane took one look at Steiner and burst out laughing. "Well Rusty. You really did it this time. Caught and tied up by a six year old girl and seven year old boy."
Steiner stomped down the hallway.
Dagger rolled her eyes and walked away. "Alexis. Derrick. Please go play in Alexis's room."
The kids ran off down the hall. "And no more torturing Steiner!" she called after him.
"Zidy." Dagger began. "I have a favor to ask."
"Okay as long as it has nothing to do with Rusty and being nice to him."
"Nope it has nothing to do with Rusty. I mean Steiner. When I went to visit Dr. Tot I told him all about what was going on. How you were bored and Alexis' newest schemes and well everything."
"Uh-huh…and?"
"Well Dr. Tot asked me to ask you if you could deliver some papers to some people. I think he said Uncle Cid, the King of Burmecia, a Cleyran resident, and Eiko. Would you mind delivering them?"
"Eiko! I'm not delivering anything to Eiko! She likes me!"
"Well maybe she's moved on. After all you are married. Please?"
"Alright but I'm taking Vivi and maybe some of the Tantalus guys with me."
"Okay I'll write Dr. Tot a letter saying you'll be happy to deliver them."
"Okay."
Yoru: And in order to get the next chapter…we all know what to do…REVIEW!!!!!!! ^_^