Disclaimer: Final Fantasy IX characters are propriety of Squaresoft.

Danae, Vanim, Veka and Thoven are mine.

To understand this fanfiction, you have to read Final Fantasy IX2 (from me) and of course know Final Fantasy IX.

Notes: 1- The dialogs are like this: Person – Dialog

2- When the dialogs are written normally, they are talking

3- When the dialogs are written in italic, they are thinking.

4- The "****" are to separate the story from the notes.

5- The « and » symbols are for whispering.

6- The *…* are for actions that the characters are doing.

7- The (…) are me giving a comment.

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--VEKA—

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Thoven had left the castle a few hours ago and our heroes were planning on a way to catch him before he does too much damage. Vanim was in a bedroom in the Alexandrian castle, she just wanted to be alone for a while. When she got close to the door, she heard a sound.

Vanim – Who's there? Eiko, if you're spying on me again…

She heard another crack. She looked to find where it was.

Vivi – Poor Vanim, her husband is now the greatest villain on Gaïa.

Freya – Yeah, must be pretty bad.

Zidane – I'll go check on her.

Garnet – I'll come with you.

Danae – I'll go tell the cook to prepare the meal.

Eiko – I'm coming with you!

Danae – Okay, if you want to.

Garnet and Zidane walked down the corridors to Vanim's room. When they opened the room, it was empty. They ran back to the main hall to tell the others and tell them to search all of Alexandria. At nightfall, they headed back to the castle.

Zidane – I didn't have any luck, you?

Vivi – No luck here.

Eiko – Me neither.

Freya – Nothing on the outskirts.

Fratley – Not on the roofs.

Amarant – I didn't find her.

Garnet – Not in the castle.

Steiner – Checked every tower of the castle.

Zidane – Where could she be?

Fratley – Do you think that that brat got her?

Vivi – Don't call Thoven a brat!

Fratley – Sorry… But still, do you think Thoven could have taken her?

Zidane – He could have, but where could she be?
Freya – Since the Lifa Tree was destroyed, he isn't there.

Danae – Maybe in Desert Castle, he was there once.

Zidane – We'll go see.

Garnet – Let's go then.

Zidane – You can't come.

Garnet – Why?

Zidane – Remember what we talked about this morning.

Garnet – Okay,… be safe then.

Zidane – So, who's coming?

Danae – I'm there!

Vivi – I'll go.

Amarant – Beats staying here.

Freya – I'm going, what about you my love?

Fratley – I'm sorry, the king asked me to do another mission.

Freya – Be careful.

Fratley – Will be.

Eiko – If Vivi's going I am as well.

Zidane – Hey Rusty, coming?

Steiner – Sorry Sir Zidane, my duty is to protect the queen.

Zidane – Too bad then. Well let's go get out Tigarak friends!

They went to take the Red Rose and flew to the Desert Palace. When they got there, the castle was full of monsters. They managed to get to an empty room.

Danae – Woah!!! That was, scary!

Zidane – Just how many were there?

Eiko – Hundreds?

Vivi – I'm not going back there!

Freya – You wont have to, there is a corridor there.

Danae – Lets check it out.

They went up the corridor. It was empty and silent.

Danae – It's quiet.

Zidane – Too quiet if you ask me.

Freya – I don't like it either.

Zidane – Let's continue anyways.

Danae – Yeah.

They walked a little more until they got to a huge golden door. They opened it and saw a horde of Zagnol charge at them.

Zidane – What the hell?

Danae – I don't know about you guys, but I think we're in trouble!

Freya – We have to get them before they get us.

Danae&Zidane – Right!

They each set their sights on a different Zagnols and attacked them. You could hear dagger and spear hits from the other side of the castle, even some eidolons.

Danae – How many of them are there? I've killed twenty already and still more are coming!

Zidane – I have to get them all, I can't lose! Forty-five down, god knows how many left.

Freya – Must focus, don't let anything else than the fight get to you. Damn that's long!

After many hit, cuts and bruises, they finally killed them all. They were all tired. They each took potions to restore their health.

Voice – Not bad little ones.

Zidane – Who said that?

Voice – I never thought that you could beat them all.

Amarant – That voice…

Danae – Show yourself!

Voice – All in due time little one.

Dane - Little!?

Voice – Hahaha! Looks like I found a tough spot.

Danae – Who are you?

Voice – You must recognize me Amarant.

Amarant – It can't be, he was burned to death in the accident in my hometown…

Voice – Almost right my friend, burned but not to death.

Vivi – Who is it Amarant?

Amarant didn't even answer Vivi, instead he shouted:

Amarant – Veka, is that you?

Voice – So you do remember.

Amarant – Of course I do. How could I forget…you were a teen back then.

//Flashback\\

It was mid-afternoon in the town of Taelo, the sun was shinning.  A young teen green skinned, red haired boy was walking into a bar. He was looking for his friend, he found him sitting at the bar.

Green Boy – Hi Veka, how are you doing?

Veka – Great, you Amarant?

Amarant – Same here. Long time no see.

Veka – Yeah, it's been what…5 years?

Amarant – Six to be exact. So how has it been in the mercenary business?

Veka – Not bad, make 3000 gils a week.

Amarant – A week!!!

Veka – Yeah.

Amarant – That's pretty good, I'm thinking of going in the business myself.

Veka – It would make a good competition.

Amarant – Competition?

Veka – Yeah, everyone tries to get the job first. Of course only the best ones get the toughest jobs.

Amarant – Are you one of those "toughest"?

Veka – With the salary I have, I'd like to think so.

They heard a battle break out near a table in the back of the bar. Battles were quite common, even the ones that worked at the bar didn't mind the occasional battle. But this battle was bigger than your usual one, it escalated near the bar and alcohol beverages were flying everywhere. The bar worker tried to stop them with no success. Then, a barrel of alcohol flew right into a torch right next to Amarant and Veka. It blew up so big, there was no more bar.

Amarant woke up in the infirmary of the hospital.

Amarant – Veka!

Doctor – Don't get to agitated, you are still in pretty bad shape.

Amarant – Where is Veka?

Doctor – Can you describe him to me?
Amarant – A little taller than me, tiger-man, red eyes?

Doctor – There were no Tigarak transported in here, maybe he was burned to death. There were some bodies that were burned to a crisp.

Amarant – NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

//End of Flashback\\

Zidane – Poor guy.

Veka – When I woke up, I was all alone. I thought I was the only one that had survived. I saw that the fire had burned me quite badly. You have no idea how disfigured I am because of this.

Amarant – So why are you here then.

Veka – I'm a mercenary remember? I resumed my job two years after the incident.

Amarant – How come you didn't try to contact me?

Veka – As I told you, I though that I was the only survivor. Everyone I knew died for me that day.

Danae – Show yourself!

Veka – Patience is a virtue little one.

Danae - So what if I ain't virtuous?

Veka – Very well then.

Stepping out of the shadows was a Tigarak with a mask on his face. He was dressed quite similar to Thoven and had metal claws on his hands. He had short upwards black hair.

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Sorry if it took so long, I didn't know what to write. n_o I hope you liked it anyhow. Please R&R.

If you give me ideas they will probably change the course of the story. So if you send me ideas and I find them good I'll probably put them in my story. Please send me some.

Chapter 3 is coming soon. [I hope]