A Life With or Without You
Chapter 8: First Day: Secrets
By: KawaiiLeena

Disclaimer: I don't own FFIX!

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry it took so long! I guess I'm pretty well lazy these days! Gomen!

Here's your chapter!

Chapter 8: Secrets

After all secrets were discovered, and a few comforting from a loyal friend, Eiko found out it was time to go and leave Dagger for a while to be with herself. Eiko sigh as she parts from the sad Dagger.

"Dagger, I have to go. It's already 11:00 noon," Eiko starts, looking at the crying girl sadly. Dagger nods and lets go of Eiko. Eiko smiles and stands up as she heads out to the door, when Dagger called out,

"Don't you want to stay for lunch?" Dagger asks, secretly inside that she wants to have some company with her. Eiko turns around and shakes her head. "Oh, okay. I guess your house needs you, huh?"

Eiko nods and responds, "Yeah, I'm sorry. But I'll try and come tomorrow if you want to." Dagger smiles back and nods. With a satisfied look, Eiko leaves the Alexandros residence.

Dagger sighs. She's alone, again, all by herself, with no one to be with, no one to talk to. The sad girl sighs again, then looks up as she hears someone knocking by her gate. Curious, Dagger stands up and looks outside, to see Zidane.

"Zidane?" Dagger asks, bewildered, ignoring her heart that seems to flutter. Secretly, she was happy to see him. Wait a minute! Isn't he supposed to be her enemy? Then, she glares at him, "What are you doing here?"

Zidane chuckles quietly, his blonde hair shining below the sunlight, "Hey, where'd the soft side go?" Dagger secretly blushes pink. "Anyways, just came to see if you're alright. But if you want me to leave, it's okay."

Dagger hesitated for a moment when she saw Zidane getting ready to leave, that she yelled, "No! Wait!" Zidane turns around, confused. "I mean… don't go… yet." Zidane smiles at her, making her heart flutter again. 'What is happening to me?'

"I thought you want me to leave?" Zidane asks (Before I forget, he's wearing white shorts and sky-blue T-shirt), running a hand through his messy blonde hair. Dagger looks away. "Haha… just joking. Anyways, can I come in?"

Dagger gives a simple nod and opens the gate for him to come in. After a few moments, they are seen inside the house, talking to each other.

"So, any news?" Zidane asks, looking at Dagger's soft features.

Dagger looks at him and says in the casual tone, "Well, I got a few information." Zidane nods. "The reaper that was following me was named Bansho, an evil banshee from the portal of evil magic…" Zidane's eyes widen. That's what Baku told him. Then, Dagger tells him everything Yua told her except that she was the mistress.

Zidane didn't move, as if he was frozen. Dagger looks at him worriedly. "Zidane, are you alright?" Zidane wakes up from his frozen state and forces a smile. "You sure?"

"Yeah," he replies. "It's just that, I also found some interesting facts myself."

Dagger's eyes widen in surprise and ask, "Really? Spill."

So, Zidane told her everything that Baku told him. Himself not his real child, the true story behind Bansho's attempts to catch and kill him, he being the Angel of Death. To other people, this seems like utter nonsense, but to them, it is reality, a scary reality that cannot be hidden and be refused.

"So…" Dagger starts as she puts her hand on her chin. "… That's why the reaper was threatening you… that's why he claimed he will steal your position." She shuddered at the idea. "That's scary."

"Tell me about it," Zidane agrees, chuckling a little. He turns to Dagger. "Somehow, I don't get it how we got involved in this mess… and myself starting falling for you."

Dagger turns to him with a faint blush, "Wha… what are talking about?" Zidane doesn't reply and leans over closer to her, as if wanting to kiss those pink and delicious lips. Dagger's eyes widen, "Zidane…!" before anything happened, Dagger looks away, making Zidane surprise.

"Wow," Zidane smirks, running a hand through his hair. "That's the first time a beautiful woman turned a handsome man like me down." Dagger glares at him and stands up, and starts to walk to the hallway. "H-hey! Where are you going?"

Dagger stops and glances behind her shoulder, "My room. You can come if you want, but no stupid pranks." She then leaves without a word.

Zidane shrugs and follows the beautiful brunette up to her room, where the door was beautifully carved. As he enters, he could smell Dagger's famous perfume… like… Cherry Blossom. Inside was very neat and clean, unlike his. Everything was tidy and properly placed, nothing like his also.

"Nice room," he comments, glancing around and closing the door.

"Thanks," the amber-eyed girl mutters, sitting on her bed and then start taking down notes about what happened yesterday. Suddenly, the door opens, making Zidane jump in surprise, but as he saw the creature, he calmed down.

"Jeez," Zidane whines, putting both his hand on the back of his head. "I thought it was the damn reaper, but it's just a cat!"

There, in front of the two teenagers, was a flesh-colored cat, with entrancing golden eyes, which is none other but Dagger's 'cat', Mosh.

"I am not just a cat, you lousy brat," the cat said, making Zidane's hair on his neck stand up. "People these days show no respect to others."

"YIKES!" Zidane jumps, his ocean blue-green eyes widening. "THE CAT TALKS!" he starts to hide behind the calm Dagger. "Dag, aren't you afraid or something? That darn cat talks! TALKS!"

"I know, Zidane," Dagger smiles at him. "I already know that. Formerly, that is my cat, Mosh. But now, he's Yua." Zidane turns to her questioningly. "Yup, he's not a cat. He's the guardian of the white portal of magic."

Zidane's eyes widen. "Seriously?"

Dagger nods her head, "Yes," she smiles again, and then frowns. "Now, can you take your hands off me? It hurts, you know."

Zidane looks down, and blushes. His hands that was previously on her shoulders was now at her waist, clutching tight He lets go and mumbles, "Sorry."

"Oh, I am sorry for Zidane's misbehavior earlier, Yua," Dagger apologizes, giving a weak smile. Yua nods in a cat state. "Anyways, as you can see, he is the Angel of Death."

The cat secretly smirks. "Ah… yes, I know that."

"You know?" Dagger's eyes flew open. "B-but…"

"Yes, I know that this lousy brat here is the Angel of Death," the cat speaks. Zidane glares at him. "As you can see, Dagger dear," the cat continues, circling them by the bed. "I was formerly Zidane's caretaker when the Banshee's were experimenting him. I was the man who helped him fled the lands of evil so that he won't get killed by Bansho."

"What?" Zidane exclaims, crawling to the cat, not noticing the glare he received from Dagger because he was ruining the neatness of the bed. "You mean… y-you-re…"

"Yes, yes, yes," Yua says, very annoyed. "I already told you. You were so gentle, kind, and obedient. I just don't know why you are like this now."

"Hey!" Zidane rolls his eyes. "Anyways, why don't I remember anything when I was in this portal of evil magic thingy?"

The cat turns to him and replies, "I sealed it with my magic. It is still there by the corner of your mind, locked up." The cat turns away. "You mustn't remember those memories, Zidane. Or else, it will result to chaos."

Zidane snorts, "Why so?"

The cat smirks at him, "You will find out soon enough." Then it turns to Dagger and crawls up to her. "Dagger, we don't have much time. We have to get those seven crystals that contains the powers of Shiva, Ifrit, Ark, Ramuh, Bahamut, Odin and Alexander, the summons of the white portal."

"But how can we get them, Einstein?" Zidane asks, rolling his eyes as he starts tossing one pillow to the air. "We don't even know what it looks like."

The cat turns to him and says, "According to what I remember, the crystals are shaped like stones, that glitters all over and has amazing colors. Shiva: Ice Blue, Ifrit: Dark Red, Ark: Amber Brown, Ramuh: Sky Blue, Bahamut: Red Orange, Odin: Auburn Brown, and Alexander: Pure White."

Zidane looks at it blankly, "You know everything."

The cat smirks, "I wasn't chosen to be the Guardian of the White Portal just because of my skills, you know." Then the cat turns to Dagger, "We have to gather them all before Bansho gets his filthy hands on it. So, starting tomorrow, we will do your training. Then, the next day, we will start searching."

Dagger looks hesitant before answering, "I have no problem for tomorrow, but… on Monday, we have classes." The cat's shoulders fell. "Yeah, b-but not to worry, by dismissal, we can start searching."

"Fine," the cat gives up with a secret sigh. "Very well then, we shall start your training tomorrow. As for me, I will by the roof." The cat leaves off.

Zidane scratches his head, "Well, that was something."

Dagger sighs and looks at the window, gazing by the blue sky that seems so endless and free, "You know what, Zidane?" Zidane turns to her. "All I ever wanted was to have a free, simple life with my family. A life with no problems, so worries… and… and when I discovered that my family got killed, I thought it was the end of me…"

"I wanted to go and commit suicide, but I… I felt a force stopping me…" Dagger sighs. "And… and another force was there that led me to live a life full of lies. Two years ago, everything that surrounded me changed. I never knew if it was for the better or for the worse… but one thing for sure, I never liked it."

"To other people, they think I have everything. They think I am perfect, a girl with hopes and dreams, and a girl with a happy face. An ordinary girl," Dagger continues, oblivious to the fact tears were forming in her amber eyes. "But they knew nothing about me. Outside, I may be happy, but it's just a mask, a mask to cover what I truly feel right now. A mask to let people know that I am not sad."

"Dagger," Zidane starts. "Why do you keep doing this? Why do you have to hide yourself from what you really are? Hide yourself from the people you love?"

Dagger closes her eyes, the tears now flowing down. "I don't want to trouble them. I don't want to let them feel sorry for me." She turns to Zidane. "I don't want them to know that the perfect girl lost her parents because of a mad lunatic Banshee. So with that, I used up lies and deception throughout the years…"

Dagger bows her head down, her shoulders shaking, "I lied to my teachers, I lied to my friends, I lied to my classmates, I lied to my loved ones, I lied to my relatives, I lied to my best friend… and most importantly," her knees touched the ground as she cried, "I lied to myself!"

Zidane looks at the girl with pity as he walks towards her. Then, he embraces her tight, not wanting to let her go. "Dagger, my father told me this when a friend of mine died, that 'If you want to cry, then cry. But you cannot be sad forever.'"

Dagger nods, her tears still flowing, "I…I understand…" she looks up to meet Zidane's blue-green eyes. "Thank you… f-for being there for me, even though you are the least person I would expect to be by my side."

Zidane chuckles, "Did I heard I sarcasm back there?"

The brunette giggles and slaps him playfully, "Maybe." Then she stands up. "Well, I'm going to make lunch. Care to join me?"

Zidane shakes his head, "Nah… maybe next time. My older brother, Kuja, wants me to go shopping with him." Dagger looks at him oddly. Zidane gives a nervous laugh. "Hehe… well, he's gay… so yeah…"

Dagger nods, "Oh… I see." Then she smiles brightly, "then, can I escort you back to the door, then?" Zidane chuckles, and gives a nod, as both of them walks towards the door.

Nearby…

Vivi huffs and puffs as he wipes a sweat off his forehead. He is now in the middle of their backyard, practicing his Black Magic. "Now," he starts. "One more try." He closes his eyes, and then points his wooden staff to his left side, "Firaga!"

Then, a medium sized Fire appeared from him as he exclaims, "YES!" then, the fire fades, a tall man with a black hood and a paper bag covering his face appears from out of nowhere, surprising Vivi. "W-what… w-who a-a-are you?"

"I am the legendary Bansho of the Banshees," it grins. "And now, you will be my slave! I will be your MASTER!" it casts a spell on Vivi, making Vivi fall to the ground.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! With you as my puppet, nothing can stop me! Of course, Dagger cannot attack a new student of her school! Surely, that will make her popular reputation go down! And without doubt, Zidane cannot attack his OWN best friend, either! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH!" the Bansho exclaims, raising its hands to the air. "Stand up, you puppet of mine…"

Silently and slowly, Vivi stands up, but this time it was different. His eyes were no longer the shy and cheerful golden yellow, but, instead, a dark and evil shade of red, bloodlust and violence shining in them.

"Now go and create havoc between your two friends!" Bansho grins. "Beat them! Torture them! Punish them! KILL THEM!" he laughs again. "Show no mercy! They deserve this kind of torture! NOW GO! You CANNOT betray me!" then he vanishes, his laughter still ringing in the air.

Vivi looks up and then, his red eyes shines brightly and evilly as he walks towards the gate, as he mumbles, "Yes, Master…"

To be continued…

Yikes! Vivi is evil? God, I'll kill you Bansho! Okay, right this very moment, Vivi is now searching for Zidane and KILL him… excited? Find out what happens in the next chapter of, A Life With or Without You.

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