Final Fantasy IX: Because
(Zidane tells his reason why he stayed with Dagger, and Dagger wonders about her own feelings for Zidane) – A one shot story.
Zidane walked through Madain Sari later on after Eiko confessing that she wanted to leave with them. He really felt that the little six-year old needed to be free of the solitary life she led with the moogles. Zidane slowly walked out of the house.
"I wonder where Dagger went?" he said. Zidane walked outside of the house suddenly heard Dagger singing. "I can hear a song..."
The first time he had heard here sing that was in the Village of Dali, then at Lindblum Castle. It was a very mysterious song, that she had sang that made her feel calm and happy.
"Dagger...? From down there? Dagger, you there?" Zidane asked. He walked down to a little path that led to a hidden cove with a boat. And there sat Dagger, in the boat. She looked up at him.
"Zidane..." she said.
"It's okay," he replied. "Keep singing. 'Cause it's our song, right? I'm
surprised you found this place. You got the talent to be a bandit! How
'bout you and me team up? We'll call ourselves 'The Betrothed'."
Dagger sighed, "My talent's up to snuff, but that name isn't."
Zidane laughed, "You're really something these days."
Dagger smiled, "If I am, I must gotten it from you"
Zidane laughed again, "Naw... It's all because you made the effort to learn."
Dagger then began to feel pathetic.
"No, it's because you stuck with me. Without you, I couldn't
have made it to Lindblum, much less seen a whole new continent.
Everything I tried to do on my own was a total failure. I couldn't stop
my mother... At times I almost lost hope... You help me so much... Not just
you, either."
Zidane smiled, "Yeah... Vivi and Eiko helped out at the Iifa Tree. Quina was real
helpful when we left the continent. Freya, Steiner... and even Beatrix,
who I thought was our enemy," he said looking off to the side. Dagger lowered her head.
"I haven't forgotten... I want to believe everyone is alright, but
sometimes I just can't." Zidane then jumped onto the boat with Dagger, standing there while she sat. "I hope I can live up to the hopes of everyone who has helped
me."
"You don't have to feel so responsible, Dagger" Zidane replied.
"But I do!" she said. She felt anxiety running through her. And anger at the same time, from knowing that she couldn't help Freya, Steiner, or anyone. She felt so helpless…
Zidane smiled reassuringly, "Nobody wants you to feel that way. They didn't do it all for
you, either. Each was following his own path."
"His own...path? Well, what about you?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"Why did you come with me?" asked again.
Zidane laughed, "Hey, that's Ipsen's line."
"Ipsen? Who's that?" Dagger inquired.
Zidane sat down, "Ipsen is a character from a play, but he's a real-life adventurer. I think the play is based on his adventures. It kinda goes like this... Ipsen and his good friend Colin worked at a tavern in Treno. One day, Ipsen got a letter. The letter was so wet from rain that most of the writing was illegible. The only part he could read said "Come
back home." Nowadays, we have airships and stuff, but back then, it was really hard to travel. He didn't know why he had to go back, but he got some time off, gathered his things, and set out on his journey home. He walked a thousand leagues through the Mist. Sometimes he was attacked by vicious monsters, but he made it, because his friend Colin was by his side. And then, after much time on the road... He had to ask Colin something. "Why did you come with me?"
Dagger looked puzzled, "And? What was Colin's answer?"
Zidane smiled, "'Only because I wanted to go with you.'"
Dagger felt something inside of her, "What is it?" she thought. She felt her heart racing at a mile a minute. It felt as if it would come out of her throat. Then, she finally understood. "Zidane…why didn't you tell me before…? Oh, Zidane…"
THE END