Please review it! I'll be happy even if the reviewer says it's a load of crap! I just want to know what you think! does a happy dance Mikoto's in this chapter!

Chapter 2.

'Now I cannot speak, I've lost my voice
I'm speechless and redundant
'Cause I love you is not enough
I'm lost for words.'
Redundant – Green Day

Mikoto leaned back against a slender tree and let gold sequins of light bead her face. The leaves above shushed soothingly in the midsummer breeze and all that could be heard was a the cheerful chuckle of a nearby stream and the odd crunch from one her brothers or sisters strolling past, their feet treading heavily on the undergrowth beneath. She thought that it was very relaxing; in Terra everything had been banal and quiet. The lights that had shone hurt them and everything was so still and lifeless, including her brothers and sisters. Yet every living thing on Gaia pulsed with life and movement, which she treasured and studied day and night. Even her fellow Genomes seemed to show signs of emotion now, the main one being curiosity. She could see why Zidane developed the personality he boasted when she first met him on Terra.

On her arrival at the Black Mage village she wasn't overly positive that their new home was appropriate to their needs and life style but she found that the Genome's had settled neatly among their gentle neighbors who were eager to teach, learn, listen and help. They were fascinating in her opinion and she enjoyed watching and talking to them just as much as they did with her kind. She felt both ignorant and superior in their presence, they knew much about the world and nothing about themselves while she knew much about themselves and near nothing about the world. Their dwellings were also peculiar, consisting mainly of wood and straw, she thought they were quite puzzling creatures. She sensed their powers but knew they choose not to convey it in acts of violence unless for protection. The odd monster would wander in from time to time after all.

Footsteps severed her thread of thought and she sat up. A Genome stared down at her with blank eyes, his tail hanging limply between his legs, expression betraying no emotion. 'The chosen one has arrived,' he announced softly.

Mikoto nodded and stood up, then brushing dirt and leaves from her clothes she replied, 'Yes, come with me little brother. We shall meet him at the gate and survey the damage with our own eyes.'

The Genome blinked then followed her through the wood into the cheerful village of the mages.

This wasn't him. This wasn't her brother, no, this wasn't the Zidane she remembered or knew. He was like the others now, or at least acting like them. An empty vessel. He stood with his arms hanging limply by his side and every so often he would clench his fists very tightly, hold them like that for a moment, then release them. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the activity surrounding him; his eyes were steadily fixed onto the floor.

The crowd of mages and Genome's that had congregated around the motionless warrior parted for Mikoto who walked with a solemn expression carved into her face. When she stood before him he didn't acknowledge her presence but continued to be enthralled with the ground. Before she could speak, a short, well-known mage came trotting up behind her and called in a singsong voice: 'What's wrong with him, Mikoto? Has he stopped?'

Zidane's sister stared for a while into her brother's face then answered slowly, 'No, Vivi. I think... His...heart...is broken'

Vivi stood beside her and looked up into Zidane's apathetic eyes. Zidane stared through him. 'I think he's sad,' the little mage said thoughtfully, 'and hurting inside.' He turned to Mikoto and stared at her through oval yellow eyes then asked quite intently: 'His heart is broken? But who...?'

Mikoto took a step closer to her older brother. 'Zidane.'

No response.

'Zidane please talk to me.'

Silence. She took his hand. It felt cold. 'Zidane, I'm glad you came to see me.'

His tail twitched and his eyes shifted and met hers. They were empty beacons, hazy and unclear and somewhere inside them he was lost within a fog.

'Come, brother.' Mikoto beckoned and led him through the crowd toward the woods.

She arrived at the spot where she had lain beforehand and reclaimed her place, settling herself against a soft patch of moss which was flourishing in vibrant green against it. A soft breeze picked up and rustled their clothes and hair. The stream continued to chuckle incessantly, stifling slightly the distant hoot of an owl. Mikoto stared up at her older brother and motioned for him to sit with her. He did so without a word and leaned his head against her shoulder.

After Kuja died herself and Zidane had become exceedingly close, they visited each other regularly and learnt more about themselves and their worlds; both home and foreign. Secretly, she thought that they had come to love one another, the way brothers and sisters should. She didn't know if he felt the same and was too shy to voice anything of that sort. She knew that their bond was stronger than Zidane's bond with all the other Genomes, Zidane and the others were just linked, just part of the same race. She felt connected to him differently. Perhaps it was because they were both given a soul.

Mikoto stared down at him. His eyes were misty and he was staring past her at the pines beyond. He looked so unhappy. 'Zidane,' she whispered, 'Tell me what happened.'

He cringed and sighed then buried his face in her sand colored hair, just a shade lighter than his.

'Dagger...Garnet... she doesn't love me anymore,' he said thickly.

She pitied him and his broken heart. Looking at him now, she hoped for a moment that she would never fall in love the way he had.

'Three years ago I left Alexandria to find an amulet located not far from here. It…took me everything to get that thing, everything. All for her. The passageways were endless and I was always being stalked by death. Things turned around so quickly; one minute I'd be certain I'd die of starvation, the next I was certain I'd be taken out by a monster. But… here I am.

'All I wanted was to see her again. My beloved wife, my home, my friends. And when I came back I found her in the arms of another man...' His voice began to tremble with anger. He pulled away from her and sat up glaring ahead. In an outburst of frustration he thrashed out suddenly and hit the tree, his hand inches above Mikoto's head. With a tremendous crack several large branches came crashing to the ground centimeters from where his sister sat.

Mikoto showed no outer response to this as the branches thundered about her, yet inside she was startled by this outburst. It was quite unlike Zidane to be unnecessarily violent. Leaves hailed like rain to the ground and there was a few more sickening cracks emitted from trunk that quivered like a blade of grass in the wind. But it wasn't that which worried her...

Zidane remained in the same upright position and didn't seem moved by his show of strength. Could he of become that strong? Just with a single punch he can nearly take out a fully-grown tree? Was it possible? Mikoto's mind danced with questions, if his task of retrieving this item was as difficult as he said it was he must of received much training, therefore increasing his strength, abilities and speed substantially. But surely... not that much?

Her brother hung his head, emotionally fatigued again, looking mournfully at his feet and didn't respond when she called to him again. It was true: he was dying inside.

Mikoto shuffled up beside him and put her hands on her knees, head bowed as if in prayer. She hated seeing him in this state but it seemed that only he could save himself from drowning in the sea of sorrow.

A voice interrupted their silence. 'Lady, dinner is ready.'

Mikoto blinked up at a mage and smiled wanly, nodding her appreciation. She hadn't even heard him approach. Standing, she took her brother's hand again and pulled him to his feet. 'It would…make me really happy…if you came and ate with us.'

He said nothing but let her drag him to dinner.

'But – but why? Why would you want to do such thing?'

'Do you dare question me?'

Steiner looked around for help but, finding none, turned his attention back to his rather wan looking queen. Her hair was unbrushed and she was not washed. Heavy, black circles ringed her eyes, which were blood shot and covered slightly by swollen eyelids. And to sum it all up her appearance actually reflected her personality.

'Well?' Garnet shrieked making the guards that lined the grand hall jump.

'N-no! Of course not, my queen; I-I swore that I would always be in your servitude, I would never deny your orders…it's just that… do you not think that you are acting rather rash?'

'No I do not! Now carry out my orders or you may find yourself demoted from captain!'

His queen had never threatened Steiner before and he was in shock at her statement. He saluted dutifully and marched from the hall feeling shaky.

Outside, Beatrix awaited the new set of commands and greeted him with a formal nod. Noticing his unnerved demeanor she became anxious at what news he was to bring her. She knew just as well as every citizen in Alexandria that the queen had been acting rather peculiar of late and she had feared that she might perform an act that would erode away the kingdoms peaceful reputation they had rebuilt since the recent war.

'What say she?' Beatrix asked her husband.

Steiner shook his head and stared at the floor with a sorrowful expression adorning his face. 'She…she wants us t-to…invade Burmecia…'

'What?' The brunette cried, gripping Steiner by the shoulders and shaking him. 'Surely not! Her Majesty… surely she would not claim war on our allied forces? What lunacy has corrupted her mind?'

'That's just what I'd like to know,' Steiner agreed, scratching his chin pensively. 'You wouldn't think it had anything to do with the thief?'

'Perhaps…though we all know that it was her decision to end her and Zidane's relationship when she married that cowardly man from the market.'

'I knew introducing him to Zidane was a bad idea. I knew that that monkey would be capable of committing cold-blooded murder when provoked in such a manner.'

'I reckon she knew as well,' Beatrix added.

Steiner's arms flailed dramatically in the air and he hushed her, head snapping this way and that. 'Shush! Shush! Do not speak of such things so openly!'

Beatrix tossed her hair behind her shoulders, a small frown etched into her forehead. 'What do you propose we do, darling? It's so sudden and seems to be without reason.'

Steiner turned and stared at the large oak doors to the Grand Hall. 'I…I suppose we…we'll have to carry out her orders…'

He heard her sigh and felt a comforting warmth spread through him as his wife wrapped her arms around his armored torso. 'What dark days have we fallen into, husband?'

It hadn't surprised her when he had agreed on staying. These days were stressful for him; his heart was like a hand grenade ready to detonate, so he needed a quiet refuge where he could be given time to think and consider his options among people who wouldn't bother him. And they didn't. The mage's tottered about their daily business, cheerful as ever, while his brothers and sisters slid quietly past, stealing a melancholy glance every so often. It amazed her when she saw how much everyone cared for him.

Zidane's condition hadn't changed. He would stare glumly into the water for hours, watching the fish dart in the clear shallows, mesmerized by the play of shadow and light dancing upon the surface. Or he would sit high up in the branches of a tree, eclipsed by shadow and whispering leaves, a leg daggling down. He didn't eat much and slept in sudden fits where he would toss and turn and murmur then wake up twice as exhausted as before. The affable and audacious Zidane had disappeared and in his place a laconic, lackluster man had evolved. He was adverse to anything and had become akin to his faceless brothers and sisters, though at least they had curiosity to motivate them. Mikoto doubted if Zidane had anything to motivate him in this apathetic state of mind.

She sat beside him on the wooden bridge outside the inn and listened to the stream tinkling beneath them and the gentle cry of the chocobos. He seemed oblivious to this and just stared blankly at the water, hanging his legs over the side and resting his forehead on the wooden side-guards. Beside him lay an untouched plate of steaming fish and vegetables, releasing a pleasant odor that made her hungry.

'Zidane,' she whispered, 'wont you eat something?'

He turned his head away from her.

It had been two weeks since he had arrived in the Black Mage Village. She spent as much time as she could with him but had to look after her other brothers and sisters and also after the chocobos in the small farm they owned. She had given him some clean clothes to wear but he put his old, torn ones back on when they had been washed. She wished Vivi was here to help with his innocent and carefree ways but he had to leave and collect advanced medical supplies from a distant city that she had never been to.

She pressed on. 'Zidane, please eat some. Your sister cooked it especially for you.' He didn't reply so she tried to arouse a lighter conversation. 'You know, they're doing so well, the other Genomes. I think that…they're actually beginning to find individual skills. Lana – the girl who cooked your food – she is a very good cook. And Toron…he's good at fishing. Kaida's learning how to sew pretty quickly and –'

'Mikoto, what are you good at?' His voice was muffled and hoarse. He didn't turn to look at her.

'I…err…well…I-I don't really know…' the blonde looked down at her hands. What am I good at?

There was an awkward pause, and then Zidane sat up straighter and turned to look at his sister. His eyes were slightly glazed and tired looking.

'You're a great leader, Mikoto,' he said. 'You're so patient and kind and understanding. It's no wonder everyone here looks up to you.'

'No… no they don't. They look up to you, Zidane.'

'Maybe. But not in the same way, you're like a kind of mother to them, I think. You've somehow made them separate. You've really made them think about who they are.'

'The mages helped a lot too,' she protested modestly. 'I don't think that it was me really, I mean I do like to – '

Zidane leaned toward her and wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her close. She became rigid and felt uncomfortable at being so close to him. What was he doing? She could feel his hot breath against her neck and the warmth of him upon her skin. His hair brushed against her shoulder and he held her so tight, she could actually feel his heart beating against her chest.

'Mikoto,' he whispered. 'Thank you so much for staying with me.' He laughed: a sudden vibration against her chest. 'You know, you've changed a lot. I –'

'Zidane!'

Her brother released her from his embrace, leaving the female Genome swimming in a cloudy sea of emotion. Zidane stared over her shoulder a slight smile fluttering on his lips. An improvement, yes but it's not the same smile that I used to know.

'Vivi,' he greeted. 'You okay?'

The little mage came to a stop and bowed his head panting, his hat tipping forward. 'Zidane…th-there's bad n-news!'

'What is it?' Zidane asked with indifference, shifting his eyes to stare again into the shimmering shallows of the stream.

Vivi perked his head. 'It's Burmecia, Zidane! It's being attacked!'

Zidane didn't move or respond. He seemed to have slipped back into his apathy. Mikoto stared at him with a mixture of sympathy and contempt. She shuffled over to Vivi on her knees and looked into his amber eyes.

'Vivi, what happened?'

The little mage sent a questioning look to Zidane, which went unacknowledged, then faced his sister. He wrung his gloved hands nervously and spoke in a fluent manner.

'I was in the shop in Burmecia talking to Aki about different types of medicine I could use to cure poison when there was this huge explosion from outside. The whole building trembled and Aki and me ran out to see what was going on. Mikoto, Aki was cut down right before my eyes! T-the town was overrun with soldiers! Everywhere…there were bodies of women and children and men… I wouldn't of survived if it hadn't of been…'

Vivi paused and looked at Zidane for a while. 'If it hadn't of been for Steiner.'

The male Genome's blue eyes shifted and looked at Vivi. He betrayed no emotion but made it clear he was at least listening. Mikoto guessed he was raging with emotion inside.

'It…it was Alexandria attacking. They were invading Burmecia. Steiner… he didn't say anything…just looked at me and shook his head. H-he looked sad.'

'But surely not Alexandria?' Mikoto asked feverently. 'Not after the bilateral they both agreed to after the war! What reason would Alexandria have?'

Suddenly Zidane lunged forward, his teeth bared and snarling, he gripped Vivi by the collar and lifted the terrified mage into the air, shaking him violently and hissing through gritted teeth: 'Was she there?'

'Wh-wha…? W-who? I-I d-don't…don't…w-ho?'

'You know who!' Zidane screamed and threw Vivi aside. The Genome pounced on him again and lifted his hand to hit the mage but Mikoto was between them already, seizing Zidane's raised fist and pressing her weight upon his torso. He fell backwards onto the planks of wood and screeched obscenities at her. She held him tightly around the chest; eyes squeezed shut, feeling his rapid breathing beneath her cheek. He struggled and clawed at the smaller form wrestling him to the ground but she wouldn't let go. Mikoto was glad now that he hadn't been eating much; his energy was sparse. If he had not of been so emotionally and physically exhausted she would have been flung far from his chest by now – probably unconscious.

'Zidane…Zidane stop! Wh-what are you doing? Please! Stop it! Calm down!' His rasping cries and frantic struggling seemed quelled by her pleas and he relaxed slowly, his breathing coming in short gasps like a person inhaling clumps of air while swimming.

Vivi was shivering beside the struggling siblings, terrified out of his skin.

'Zidane. It's okay. It's alright.' Mikoto whispered soothingly. 'You don't need to get so angry. Vivi's done nothing wrong. It's all right, okay? Don't worry. It's okay now.'

He groaned as if in pain but didn't move her off of him. 'No…no it's not okay. Everything is…' He choked on the words and she could tell it was only his fragmented pride that stopped him from breaking down before them.

Vivi then crouched down next to Zidane's face and Mikoto imagined him smiling kindly. 'It… I'm sorry. I didn't see her there, Zidane. Dagger, I mean. But I think that… there must be something wrong with her because… she wouldn't attack Burmecia for no reason, would she? And also, I know that she loves you. She told me lots after the Kuja thing. I don't believe that she would just leave you like that.' Zidane turned and looked at him, realization blossoming in his eyes. 'I think that you should go and help Burmecia. I think that… that's what the normal Dagger would want and I'm sure that that's what Freya needs right now.'

Mikoto was flung backward as Zidane leapt to his feet and raised his fists to chest height in a martial art stance, a grin erupting on his face. 'If Freya needs my help then I'm there!' Then a little more somberly: 'I…I don't know if there's anything wrong with Dagger but I…wont let that stop me from helping my friends. Right now, as far as I'm concerned Alexandria's just another country invading another. And right now, I know which side I belong to!'

Mikoto knew that Zidane's heart still belonged with Alexandria and his wife; this act was just a façade of truth. He was still angry and wanted to vent it in some way, perhaps he was attempting to hurt her by joining forces with her newfound 'enemy'. However, she agreed with Vivi; there must be something amiss if the queen would suddenly enforce such an attack on her allies.

'I better come I suppose.' Vivi grumbled glumly, kicking an imaginary rock on the bridge. 'Not that I like wars or anything and I don't want to get the village involved either… but I wanna help Freya too… after everything you know… We should find out what's goin' on too…'

'That's the spirit!' Zidane clapped him on the back and Vivi toppled forward. The Genome squatted beside him. 'Vivi… I'm sorry about…' He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Vivi nodded but as Zidane turned away Mikoto caught the anxious and questioning glance that the little mage threw her.

Review it...please! Tell me what you think of Mikoto and Zidane's relationship! There's obviously no love interest there if you're wondering...laughs