Chapter 4 – Searching for memories

Garnet waited impatiently on the steps outside Alexandria castle, looking at the Castle for a moment then away. She had been waiting here for at least 20 minutes. She was wearing her travelling clothes again – white top with an orange-dungaree like outfit on top. She was wearing her brown boots and brown gloves and had her blue hair clip in instead of her yellow one she wore most days now she was Queen. Absentmindedly she gripped her Royal Pendant with one hand every now and then. She looked up at the Castle worriedly, and was about to return to it when she what she had been looking for.

Zidane rushed down towards her and skidded to a halt in front of her. He was out of breath and stood there panting for a minute before speaking.

"Sorry Dagger. I kinda slept in." He said

"Kinda slept in?" She asked, raising an eyebrow

"Well, okay. I did sleep in. But I wasn't very late was I? At least I rushed in here before you began to really fret or left without me." Zidane replied

"I wouldn't leave without you Zidane." Garnet replied, smiling.

"Thanks Dagger." He replied, "C'mon. I guess we'd better get going before Sir Rust-a-lot gets worked up. Well, even more than usual anyway." Zidane said

Garnet chuckled silently then nodded. And the pair of them walked off to the Invincible, docked in Alexandria's airship harbour.

Zidane and Garnet entered the bridge of the Invincible, only to find Steiner jumping up and down on the pilot's platform with Beatrix standing behind him looking exasperated.

"Adelbert, you know it only works for Zidane and the other Genomes." Beatrix said, sighing deeply.

"I know that! But surely even the most simplest of things must work for anyone! Communications for example!" Steiner said angrily

"Adelbert, just calm down" Beatrix said

"Yeah Rusty, chill out." Zidane said, announcing Garnets and his entrance

Steiner stopped jumping up and down, and he and Beatrix turned to face Garnet and a smirking Zidane.

"Your Highness, we didn't hear you come in." Beatrix said, bowing her head out of respect.

"It's okay Beatrix, Steiner. We were very quiet." Garnet explained

"Plus you can't hear anything over Rusty's yelling. Good thing he wasn't snoring or he would've caused an earthquake." Zidane said, grinning

"WHAT! I DO NOT SNORE YOU LITTLE BANDIT!" Steiner yelled

"Stop it! Both of you! I do not want you fighting!" Garnet ordered, intervening before it got serious, even though she found it fairly amusing.

Steiner glared at Zidane angrily, and Zidane just looked at him.

"Move aside Rusty. We gotta get going if we wanna be there any time this year." Zidane said, moving towards the pilot's platform.

Steiner opened his mouth to reply with an insult, but stopped himself just in time remembering the Queen's words. He silently obliged, moving off to the side. Zidane started up the Invincible and flew it away from Alexandria. Beatrix quickly lead an angry Steiner away from the cockpit, leaving just Zidane and Garnet together.

"So how've you been doing Dagger? We haven't really had a chance to talk in private." Zidane asked

"Okay I suppose… I missed you. A lot. When we returned to Alexandria, we found the repairs and construction progressing swiftly and it wasn't long before it was complete. Same with Lindblum. Now we just need to help Burmecia…" Garnet said

"Good. Freya told me she came to ask Alexandria for more help yesterday."

"Yes. We've been helping as much as we can, but it's not easy. At first many Burmecians were reluctant and too stubborn to accept outside help. But Freya and Lord Fratley convinced them and we are beginning to send workers and supplied to the people of Burmecia."

"Soon it'll be rebuilt like Alexandria and Lindblum."

"Hopefully. Zidane… what exactly happened in the Iifa Tree?" Garnet asked

Zidane remained silent for a few moments, steering the Invincible.

"… I went back there for Kuja. I managed to find him, but it was too late to do anything… He died. I managed to survive somehow, I think I tranced but I don't know exactly. When I came to my senses, I was back in the Tantalus hideout in Lindblum." He said vaguely.

Garnet could tell he didn't want to go into any more detail at the moment so didn't press the issue.

It took another hour and a half or so to reach their destination, half the time it would take with any other airship. They landed just outside of Madain Sari and walked up to the ruined village. Eiko, who had insisted on coming when she had heard, rushed off to see her moogle friends immediately. Freya, Amarant, Vivi, Beatrix and Steiner followed slowly after her.

Zidane and Garnet hung back and didn't follow the others. When the others went left at the fountain, Zidane and Garnet went up and to the right, to the Eidolon Wall. Garnet had wanted to visit here for so long, but since the defeat of Necron and everything she hadn't had the opportunity because of her royal obligations.

They went into circular, open-roofed room and Garnet immediately lit some incense in the altar in the centre. She knelt down in front of the altar and closed her eyes. Zidane felt awkward, he didn't belong there. He turned to leave quietly.

"Don't. Please, you don't have to leave Zidane." Garnet said, opening her eyes and turning her head to face him.

"I shouldn't be here." He said awkwardly.

"Please, I want you to be here." She said

"I really shouldn't. It was my people, the Terrans, who destroyed Madain Sari and killed all those summoners."

"Zidane…"

"No, Dagger. I'll just leave you to be with your own people, in their holy place. Just come and see us when you're done. Take your time." He said, and left before she could object.

Garnet just stared after him, then closed her eyes and bowed her head. Silent tears ran down her face, as she thought about her people, her own mother and father who she didn't remember. As she remembered all of the summoners who had perished all those years ago. No matter what, Garnet vowed to take care of this place for future generations. For her children to come and visit and learn about their ancestors.

Garnet just sat there, crying silently for a long time. When no more tears would come she got up and went over to one of the walls on stiff legs. She knelt down in front of the painting of Ifrit. She looked at the words she knew off by heart already. The words her father had written before his death, after the destruction of Madain Sari. She ran a delicate finger over the words.

I survived the storm.

I wonder if you two are okay?

I see the two of you smile

every time I close my eyes.

I imagine I see you

when I open my eyes.

She grieved for her mother and father who she remembered very little of. She wished she could see them now, she wondered what they thought of her. Were they proud? Ashamed? Happy? Sad? Angry? She walked around and read all of the messages on the walls. There was one other message that Garnet felt connected to and loved apart from the message from her father. It read,

This is where the fault lines collide.

Listen to the planets heartbeat.

Breathe slowly, and calm your mind.

Let the memories return to you.

Memories shape time.

Time overlaps.

The overlap becomes our memory.

Memories construct time.

History repeats itself.

We must stand in its flow and

understand the world.

Such is the goal of our tribe.

Garnet read this again and again. She closed her eyes and let go of all her thoughts, trying to hear the heartbeat of Gaia. There was a certain point when she was concentrating hard, yet not really concentrating, when she felt the most connected to the planet. She thought this to be when she could hear the heartbeat of Gaia, but felt that since she no longer had her summoner's horn she wouldn't actually be able to hear it. She breathed slowly, letting the feeling rush through her and made her mind as calm as possible. She hoped the memories would return to her. The only memory that appeared was one she already knew of: riding the storm with her mother and seeing the Invincible destroy her home.

Garnet sat in the Eidolon wall for a long time, just remembering and trying to remember. She examined each of the paintings of the different Eidolons carefully, running her hands carefully over each one not wanting to smudge them.

Eiko and I can't be the last… She thought, there must be others. Others must have survived the storm and be alive and hiding out there in Gaia somewhere. We can't be the last… We can't be…

She knelt down once more in front of the alter and bowed her head. She closed her eyes and clapped her hands together in a praying position.

I pray,

Let the souls of the summoners rest peacefully. May they watch over Eiko in all that she does for now and all eternity. May my parents watch over me too, and let them be happy and at peace. I pray to all the Eidolons, and the summoners in the after life. Let me remember my people, and let me find any others who survived the destruction of our homeland. Let me use the power of the Eidolons to help our people.

To you I pray.

The sun was setting when Garnet returned to Eiko's little home in Madain Sari and found the others about to sit down to dinner.

"Hey Dagger, everything okay?" Zidane asked as she came through the door.

She nodded.

"Sure? You were at the Eidolon Wall all day." Freya said

She nodded again.

"You're not mute again are you?" Eiko asked, carrying in the pot of stew.

Garnet smiled weakly.

"No, I'm not mute again." She said

"Good. Glad to hear it." Eiko replied, "Take a seat." She added as she served up the stew.

Garnet sat down next to Zidane and everyone began to eat once the food was served.

It was another 2 hours after dinner before they managed to get back to Alexandria. Zidane and Steiner had gotten into another fight and Eiko took a long time saying goodbye to the moogles. So it was quite late by the time they reached the Castle. Everyone was tired and went straight to their rooms.

In the morning, Zidane was awake in time for breakfast and was expecting to be there before anyone else, considering it was ten to nine when he went downstairs. He walked into the dining room and was surprised by what he saw.

"What?" He said in astonishment,

Everyone else was already up and look much more awake than him. He sat down and said,

"Geez you guys, why do you guys always get up so early? Do you wake up at dawn or something?" He said

"Yes." Replied Steiner and Beatrix and unison.

"And the rest of us just get up in time for breakfast." Garnet added

"Nine o'clock is too early, let alone dawn." Zidane mumbled.

The chefs entered the room carrying breakfast. This morning they had a selection of pancakes with any topping or waffles with any topping. Zidane started off with some waffles with hot cherries and hot cherry sauce on top, with a sprinkling of icing sugar (AN: That is so gorgeous! ). There was also fruit salad available for anyone who wanted something healthier.

Everyone slipped off once they had finished their breakfast in twos or threes. Garnet and Zidane left together, Beatrix and Steiner following close behind. One of the Pluto nights came up to Garnet and Zidane and saluted.

"Your Majesty, Master Zidane." He said

"Can we help you?" Garnet asked

"Master Zidane, you have a visitor." The night said and gestured to the front doors.

Zidane followed his gesture and looked at the doors.

"Oh my god…" He whispered

Tee hee, you're gonna have to wait to find out who it is. But maybe you can guess? This person is a semi-important character in the game, and is gonna be quite important for my story. Tee hee. Until next time… vanishes in a puff of smoke loud banging is heard. Damn door! is struggling with door sigh Oh well, reviewers review…