Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 9 belongs to Squaresoft.
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1000 Words
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"Where are we going anyway?" asked Keith.
"Dali," said Dagger.
"But, won't it take us a long time before we get there? I mean, it could even take us a whole day!" Keith exclaimed.
"We won't. As long as we keep on walking," said Dagger.
Dagger continued walking. Passing the dark sky to the orange colored part.
"Wait for me!" Keith shouted.
Dagger turned around and saw him running forward.
"Hurry!" Dagger said.
She could see the South Gate already.
"A few more meters," she thought.
Keith touched Dagger's shoulder and said, "I'm exhausted. Can't we rest for a while?"
Dagger shook her head.
"Oh my goodness! You're a man and you tire faster than I do?!" Dagger said surprised.
"Well, I don't go out too often," he said with a tone of embarrassment in his voice.
Dagger went forward without saying a thing. He reminded her of her younger self. When she was starting her first journey. She could remember the countless times she whined. Having to let Zidane and the others wait for her. They kept on walking. Battling some monsters along the way. Finally, they reached South Gate.
"Um- one problem. How will we be able to cross without a gate pass?" Keith asked.
"Don't worry, I have one," said Dagger.
They entered and Dagger showed the guard her pass. The guard opened the gate and allowed them to cross.
"She even has her own gate pass?! What is going on with her? She's totally like a commoner." Keith thought.
"Be careful. You might fall," said Dagger interrupting Keith and his thoughts.
"Wha-" said Keith as he almost fell.
He saw the small hole on the bridge and cursed it.
"Don't know that the son of the duke knows how to curse!" Dagger said amused.
"Whatever," said Keith.
They continued walking until they reached the other end of the gate. They went out.
"Not too far now," said Dagger.
She looked and saw the windmill in Dali. They continued walking until they entered a forest.
"Follow me closely or we might get parted," said Dagger.
Keith nodded. They continued walking until Keith saw a strange-looking thing on the ground and bent down to take closer look at it. Dagger continued walking not noticing that Keith wasn't following her. She continued walking until she reached the center of the forest where there was a big rock on the ground surrounded by a small field of grass with flowers around it. She turned around to talk to Keith but she couldn't see him.
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Keith saw that it was just a piece of stone. He stood up but he couldn't see Dagger anywhere. He continued walking while searching for her frantically.
"How could she go like that leaving me alone?" he thought.
He continued walking.
"Now isn't the time to panic. It was also sort of my fault anyway. I should have told her," he muttered.
"Dagger! Wherever you are, just stay there! I'm coming for you!" he shouted.
"Okay!"
He heard an echo. He smiled at himself as he continued looking for her.
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Dagger sat down at the rock thinking of Zidane.
"How could you leave me alone?" Dagger thought, tears streaming down her face as she began to sing.
All your words
Seem gentle in my dreams.
But they're lies
And I turn away.
You cheater.
You began a journey
Sensing roughness ahead.
It's strange.
Why do you fight alone?
You cheater.
"I'll come back."
Your voice passes me.
Memories grow.
But I'm tough.
Time that's returned
That got away.
I should have yelled don't go, with tears in my eyes.
And now
I can't do a thing.
I cannot say
The 1000 words.
Faraway
To your back.
My words can't fly to you.
I cannot say
The 1000 words.
You're wounded
And I can't reach you
I want to hold you
The dream goes on
My feelings are for you.
That faraway day
That I want to forget
You cheater.
"I'll write to you."
Your voice goes away
Memories grow.
But I'm tough.
Time that's returned
That once left
Was I to say I couldn't wait that long?
And now
I can't do a thing.
Can you hear it?
My 1000 words.
Reaching to
Your faded faraway back
On wings.
Can you hear it?
My 1000 words
Your tired back
They reach towards.
I want to hold you.
I could say
The 1000 words.
Lalalala…
They can't seem to reach you.
Can you hear it?
My 1000 words.
Lalalala…
I want to cuddle up to you.
Lalalala…
Dagger smiled. This song always comforted her. She wiped the tears away from her eyes. She won't be a slave for that promise. She maybe a queen, but she'll always be a goddess in Zidane's heart.
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(What happened)
Keith saw some doves flying towards the center of the forest.
"Something's going on," he thought.
He followed the doves but paused halfway.
"Memories grow
But I'm tough…"
"That voice," he thought. "So beautiful."
He walked slowly until he reached the center of the forest. He saw Dagger sitting at the middle of the rock, playing with the doves. Her hair dancing with the wind, blending with the atmosphere around her. (A/N: Just imagine her singing while doves are around her with her hair moving to the direction of the wind. The clear blue sky and the wonderful garden-like surroundings.)
He felt relaxed for some reason. He felt as if he wasn't burdened from anything. His problems all gone. He hid behind the tree and sat down. Picking up a piece of leaf, he twirled it, staring at it with deep thoughts. He waited until she finished her song.
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Dagger stood up, walking around the place, not sensing the danger that's about to happen. She felt great there. She thought that it was really lucky for her to find this place.
A pair of dark red eyes stared at her as she walked around. It's mouth watering. It had waited for all this time. It had been hiding for a long time, waiting for Dagger to be off guard. Then it started to growl sending the doves flying away.
Dagger raised her head and looked at the doves fly away. She held her rod tightly for she knew there was danger.
The beast leapt out from its hiding place. Dagger screamed a little, but was prepared.
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Keith stood up. She already stopped singing already. As he was taking off some of the pieces of leaves that were stuck in his pants, he heard a scream.
"Dagger!" he thought.
He took out his sword and went beside Dagger.
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Dagger saw Keith beside her and smiled.
"At least he's here to help me," she thought.
The beast's eyes shifted from Dagger to Keith. It turned redder. It stared hungrily at the two of them. Then it moved. It started its way towards Dagger. Dagger fell to the ground. Blood bleeding from a cut in her leg.
"Dagger!" Keith shouted.
He turned his eyes at the beast and gazed angrily at it. He dropped his sword to the ground, hands raised at the sky. A red light appeared from his hands. It grew larger and larger till it was the size of the whole forest. He aimed it towards the monster and let the tremendous power go. The monster was easily annihilated. Part of the forest was destroyed.
Keith went near Dagger and knelt before her.
"You okay?" he asked.
Dagger nodded. She took out her wand and cast cure on her wound. The wound grew smaller and it stopped bleeding. Keith helped her up. Dagger stood properly and cleaned her clothes. She didn't say anything about what happened earlier. She just followed Keith as they entered Dali.
"We'll stay at the inn first," said Keith.
Dagger agreed and they entered. A young boy went near them.
"How long will ya be stayin'?" he asked jumping up and down.
"One night," said Dagger.
"That'll be 100 gil please," said the boy.
Dagger took out her money and gave the boy 100 gil.
"This way," said the boy.
He led the two travelers to a room and left the key on the table.
"We'll be staying in one room?!" Keith said shocked.
"We don't have any choice. Life's like this in a village," she said.
Keith lied down the bed and instantly fell asleep. Obviously tired from the trip. Dagger, on the other hand, sat at her bed and stared at him.
"That attack, I couldn't be. Only one person can do that, and that person's gone. He can't be Kuja!" she thought shaking her head.
She decided to rest from the trip and lied down. She fell asleep after turning around for awhile.
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Keith's dream:
Keith walked around on a place he didn't know. Everything was different from his home. There were vessels around the whole place. Then he stopped. He saw a vessel in the middle of the whole room that was completely different from the others. Inside it was a girl, only she had a tail. Below it was some scriptures written.
'Mikoto, third angel of death'
"Angel of death," he thought. "What is that?"
He went to the end of the room where there was a mirror. He decided to take a good look of himself. But to his surprise, the reflection wasn't his. The reflection was a man as tall as he was. It had long, silver hair. It wore strange clothes too. Then he saw an old man behind the reflection.
"What are you doing here? Go back to your room," he ordered.
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Dagger's dream:
Dagger saw Zidane waving at her. She ran towards him. Each step only made them farther from each other. Then Zidane smiled at her and slowly vanished.
"Don't go!" Dagger shouted crying.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! ^_^
I won't b able to update for a long while because exams are drawing near again. Please understand. Anyway, please read the English translation of the song 1000 Words from FFX-2. I wouldn't put it here if it were bad.
Answers: 1.) Go to Microsoft Word. Click format then click font. Choose italic. Or you can press the Ctrl button but don't let go then press letter I.
2.) Yes, its Dagger's past.
3.) You'll know sooner or later who Keith is.