Isobelle held Blank's head in her hands. Her own head was spinning, her cheeks hurting from blowing air into Blank's lungs. She felt another few tears trickle down her face and watched them fall on the cold face below her.

'Blank…' she said emotively. She hadn't know the guy for all that long, and yet she felt so connected with him, like she hadn't with anyone else. Garnet held her staff in her hands, feeling utterly stupid, utterly helpless to the cause, yet knowing that she should try anyway, not just because Blank had saved her in the Evil Forest. It was a weird sensation to watch two people you knew by name association only to be in front of her, one holding the others body to her like it was a worldly possession that would bring her great fortune, one that everyone was trying to steal.

'Isobelle?' Garnet managed to stutter out, scared of the scene in front of her. Isobelle looked up at her helpless with 5-year old eyes. I'm going to take you to your mummy now…

'Help him.' Isobelle pleaded with Garnet, who raised her staff and muttered a spell under her breath, then, pointing her stick at Blank, she cast 'Life' on him. His right eye flickered. Isobelle didn't squeal as such, more like scream like a burning spider. Blank opened his eyes unwillingly and looked up at Garnet and Isobelle.

'Iso…' he shakily lifted his hand up towards her 'Isobelle. You're real...' he stroked her cheek

'I'm real, I'm here.' she replied, then, suddenly aware of the crowds, she looked to Garnet 'do you know any magic to make him float?' because you wouldn't want to help me carry him. Garnet looked taken aback no, you haven't finished, you wanted to be the hero… Isobelle thought as she tried to lift Blank ok, whatever, be little princess then. She thought snidely 'Ok, can you stand? I'm going to take you to the Inn…' Blank nearly fell down again, Isobelle put her arm round his chest and half dragging, half supporting Blank, she got him down to the Inn and there, the inn keeper took Blank's feet with hesitation and helped Isobelle carry him up the stairs and into the room without the moogle. Garnet came in ten minutes later, when Blank had become unconscious again and Isobelle was putting a wet flannel on his head, checking his breathing and wrapping him in blankets.

'Zidane and Vivi know we're here… they're just getting the last of the supplies…' she said tentatively. Isobelle nodded her head but didn't give Garnet any inclination she was really listening 'Look! This is no way to treat a princess!' Garnet burst out, Isobelle turned round to look at her

'Sorry Princess.' Isobelle sparked sarcastically. Garnet looked at the girl

'I've had other things to worry about, my mother…' she started but Isobelle rolled her eyes

'Well, don't let me keep you.' She replied, her back to the princess again

'You…You horrible, little brat!' Garnet screamed at Isobelle, who flinched. Isobelle heard the door behind her flung open, someone running down the stairs and then the shouts of 'Dagger' from the monkey-boy below her. There were then footsteps on the stairs and Zidane came up behind Isobelle

'What did you do to Dagger?' he stormed, Isobelle got up and pushed Zidane out of the room, closing the door behind them both

'I decided she was to stop acting like everyone had to treat her highly, because she's just Dagger, not the princess of Alexandria.' Isobelle gritted out. 'Ok, ok. She was useless just now, Blank got hurt, and she just stood there, then did one thing and suddenly she got all the glory from the public whilst I was left to pick up the pieces.' Isobelle felt tears brimming in her eyes. 'Look, its between me and her, tell me what direction she ran in, I'll go sort it out, you look after Blank.' She guided. Zidane looked at Isobelle

'What happened to Blank?'

'A building fell on top of him'

'WHAT!' Zidane ran into the room to see Blank lying there, he turned his head slowly and smiled slightly,

'Hey Bro.' he said groggily whilst Isobelle took her chance and ran off down the stairs, a little thankful Vivi was there

'Vivi, what way did Dagger go?' Vivi pointed towards the fountain and Isobelle was off again before Vivi could say anything.

'DAGGER!' Isobelle shouted to a figure crying on the side of the fountain, the other side of the rubble building. Isobelle sat down next to her 'you know, you really shouldn't do that, it attracts people, last time I did it, it attracted this monkey boy and a red-haired guy and look where that got me.' Dagger looked at Isobelle and snivelled a bit. 'Look, I'm sorry Dagger, I didn't mean to say those things. I was just angry.' Isobelle looked at Garnet, hoping for a response, a positive one. Nothing changed so she struggled on 'It's just too many things at once… I had to snap at someone. My home of 10-12 years gets destroyed; destroying many of my friends, for most lived in the Industrial district.' She looked at Garnet who was looking at her 'Blank doesn't know, thinks telling me the industrial district is gone, blown to pieces is ok.' She found herself sniffing and pushed a tear away again 'Shit…All I seem to do it cry. Anyway, so then after I get myself a little private time, I have a princess who doesn't understand on my feet, no offence, and then, when I decide that I might be ok, the guy that I…love…I guess, he gets trapped underneath rubble off a building that only fell down because a ship flew too low and cause a crack that was already there I suppose, to widen and so, it falls.' Do I love him? Isobelle thought and found herself looking at her skirt. 'At least I'm ok…' she smiled.

'You were horrible to me.' Garnet said coldly.

'I'm Sorry ok? I'm really, really sorry!' Isobelle ran in front of Garnet, knelt down and pushed her own face in front of Garnet's. 'I didn't mean to, it was, overwhelming. I've lost my home, my friends and nearly Blank in the space of a few hours, if that! I'm sorry Garnet. Please, don't make me loose another friend too.' Against it all, Garnet smiled.

'My name's Dagger.' She said loosely and then got up. 'Come on; let us go see Zidane, Blank and Vivi again.' She smiled and started walking off again, Isobelle followed after her.

'Hello Blank.' Garnet said as she walked into the door, Zidane jumped back, blushing, as if he has been talking about the princess. Isobelle didn't even think for a moment before she had passed judgement that he had.

'Hey Garnet' he said, and then assessed what he had said 'I mean, Dagger.' He smiled to her, and then saw Isobelle. 'You keep running off.' He said, Isobelle stopped smiling and looked away

'I'm sor-' she started sincerely

'-don't apologise silly, I know why.' He held out his arms to her and she walked into his frame 'I know you've had a lot to go through in this past day or so, just as long as you're ok now.' He whispered down to her and Isobelle nearly choked on a swell of emotion and hugged him tighter, whilst Dagger, Zidane and Vivi stood there, watching them. Dagger and Zidane's eyes met but she turned away.

'We have to go and stop Kuja. We'll go in the morning, but we're going to take a passage through Qu's dwelling, pick up Quina if he/she's (god knows what she actually is…) there, and carry on through.' Zidane outlined the battle plan to Blank and Isobelle, who smiled and nodded. 'wanna come along?' he asked and Isobelle looked at Blank.

'No, we have things to do of our own.' Blank said and Zidane shrugged.

'Okay, but you two, stay safe, right?' he joked and then ran out the room.

'Once I get better, we're gunna go buy ourselves a house.' Blank explained to Isobelle and kissed her…