CHAPTER 4:

MANY MEETINGS

On the reassurance that Zidane would pay for it, Harry and Eiko offered to show them to the best restaurant in Conde Petie. Frankly, there were only two, and they were closer to a takeaway eatery, but the quartet, especially Quina, were hungry after their journey.

Once they were seated, and beginning to eat their food, Eiko frowned, peering at the girl called Dagger. "Are you Princess Garnet?"

The startled look on Dagger's face told them all they needed to know. "Why do you say that?"

"You said you were a summoner, like us," Eiko pointed out. "We know someone who had heard someone speaking about extracting Eidolons from a summoner called Princess Garnet."

Zidane and Garnet shared a look, before the blonde-haired boy asked, "And who is that someone?"

"Well, he's a Black Mage, like Vivi," Harry said.

"Wait! There are others like me?" Vivi demanded in shock.

"Yes. They used to be weapons, but they woke up, became alive, and fled here," Harry explained. "Number 288 was the one who told us. He said that, before he became aware, he remembered some guy called Kuja talking about it."

"Kuja!" Garnet hissed in horror.

"We came here to find out more about Kuja," Zidane explained, a scowl marring his usually cheerful features. "We heard he came from this continent, on a dragon."

"We've never seen him," Eiko said. "But according to 288, he was the one who destroyed our home village, Madain Sari. We're the only summoners left. We thought that there may be some scattered across the world, but…well, you're the first we've ever met. Even Harry here came from another world."

"Another world?" Zidane asked, cocking his head.

"It's a long story…" Harry said.

Over the next hour, they swapped stories, with Harry and Eiko giving accounts of their lives, while Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi filled them in on their own adventures. Quina was largely uninterested, going off to get more food to try.

It turned out that Kuja was arousing the greed of Garnet's mother, Queen Brahne, who was seeking the jewels entrusted to Burmecia, Cleyra, and Lindblum, jewels that were like the one Garnet herself wore. In fact, after they had escaped Alexandria and made their way to Fossil Roo, they had been attacked by a bounty hunter who wanted the pendant. Kuja was, supposedly, an arms dealer, but he knew a lot about the Eidolons. Strangely, Zidane had a curious reaction when Harry mentioned the name 'Garland'. It sounded vaguely familiar to the tailed teenager.

After discussing events, Zidane talked about his life before this: he was a thief, but also a member of the Tantalus Theatre Company, a group of thieves and actors based in Lindblum. Vivi had been raised by another Qu, and had only left his home shortly after his adoptive father died. In fact, he left home for Alexandria and a performance of I Want to Be Your Canary shortly after that. Garnet didn't say much about her past, though she wondered about the well-being of two of her guardians, Captain Adelbert Steiner, and General Beatrix. She also pondered the well-beings of Freya, a dragoon from Burmecia, and Cid, her honorary uncle, and the Regent of Lindblum.

Garnet seemed more interested in learning what she could about Eiko and Harry, especially after learning Harry claimed to be from another world. Eiko, meanwhile, was asking Zidane a veritable blizzard of questions, questions that made Harry wonder if the girl he considered a sister had a crush on the much older boy.

"Breathe, Eiko," he chided. Eiko poked her tongue out at him.

As Vivi expressed interest in meeting his relatives, so to speak, and both Zidane and Garnet wanted to ask 288 what he knew about Kuja, Harry and Eiko resolved to take the four of them to Black Mage Village. Morrison, who had come with them, was asked to go back to Madain Sari and tell the other Moogles where they were.

As they made their way to the Black Mage Village, Garnet revealed what Eidolons she used to have. Namely, she had Shiva, Ifrit, Atomos, Odin, and Bahamut, before they were forcibly extracted from her. Now, the only Eidolon she had was Ramuh, whom she had encountered outside of Lindblum, and who had willingly become one of her Eidolons.

Zidane and Vivi had witnessed, even as they were being teleported away, Odin being used to destroy Cleyra, situated within a massive tree in the desert. Garnet had been, sadly, witness as well to Atomos sucking in much of Lindblum into its massive maw, a horrific sight.

She was surprised at how many Eidolons Harry had, or that they could talk to him, even assume human form like Ramuh had done. Harry brought out Anima and Yojimbo, the latter being not unlike Odin.

Soon, they got to the Black Mage Village, and the arrival of the newcomers provoked something of an uproar, though Harry and Eiko vouching for them helped. Unfortunately, the first thing Quina did was track down a Chocobo egg two of the Black Mages were trying to incubate, though thankfully the Black Mages kept the egg away from the voracious Qu.

Vivi, Garnet, and Zidane, however, had little trouble getting an audience with Number 288, who seemed to reside mostly at the graveyard of the Black Mage Village. 288 was assured to see that Vivi was self-aware, though he didn't have much more information about Kuja than he had told Eiko and Harry already. However, he, and one of his fellows from Treno, Number 144, knew that there was a secret hidden somewhere on this continent, and that Kuja's distinctive Silver Dragon had been spotted to the northwest, at the place the Dwarves called Sanctuary.

At this, both Harry and Eiko frowned. "Do you think they mean the Iifa Tree?" Harry asked.

Eiko nodded.

"The Iifa Tree?" Garnet asked.

"A massive tree, sacred to the Dwarves and to the summoners," Harry explained. "We've both been there. It's a long story."

It was. Eiko, shortly after Harry arrived, disobeyed her grandfather's wishes and went to the Iifa Tree, partly to try and summon a new Eidolon. She was forced to re-seal it with the help of Carbuncle when it nearly got out of control. All the two summoners knew was that it was some vast serpent(1). It was the first and last time she had been to the Iifa Tree, and she had to use Carbuncle to seal it. Only Harry's intervention had prevented her from losing Carbuncle as well(2).

"It's a pretty weird place," Harry said. "There's this weird mist…in fact, the Moogles call it Mist, with a capital M."

The newcomers shared a look. "Like Mist back home?" Zidane asked.

"The Moogles recognise it," Eiko said with a shrug. "I guess so."

After some discussion, Harry and Eiko decided to accompany the newcomers to the Iifa Tree. However, Garnet expressed a desire to visit Madain Sari first. Eiko and Harry agreed: they needed to touch base with the Moogles before they headed to the Iifa Tree.

"Normally," Harry said, "you guys would have to be married before you are allowed beyond Conde Petie. The Dwarves send newlyweds on a honeymoon pilgrimage to the Iifa Tree. But I think David Heavenguard would allow pilgrims to Madain Sari through as well. He doesn't mind us coming through, and he talked about how pilgrims would sometimes go there."

"Aw," Zidane said with mock disappointment. "And here I was hoping Dagger and I could get hitched."

Garnet facepalmed. Harry then asked, "How did you get the name Dagger, Princess?"

"When I first escaped from Alexandria Castle, I knew I would need an alias to walk amongst the commoners incognito," Garnet said. "I took one of Zidane's own daggers as an inspiration. I've gotten used to being called Dagger by now. If you must call me by my real name, then call me Garnet, please."

"Okay, Garnet," Harry said with a smile, a smile matched by the princess.

The next day, they set out. During the night, Vivi had gone to talk with Number 288 in private, being unable to sleep. Quina was off doing his or her own thing (thankfully, s/he was easily lured away from the Chocobo egg by Harry's suggestion that she try a dish at the inn). And Eiko, Harry, and Garnet listened as Zidane, trying to help them sleep, and understand Vivi's situation (of wanting a place to call home), talked about his own past, about how he once set out from Tantalus to find a strange blue light he had seen in his dreams, the only thing he remembered of his birthplace. He now viewed Tantalus as very much his home, but even so, he was still curious about where he had actually come from.

"You said you searched the whole world, didn't you?" Harry had asked.

"Well, most of it. I didn't come here, really. Well, there was a bit to the east of this continent that I searched, then there was this freezing cold place called Esto Gaza to the north west, and there was this massive library on an island called Daguerreo. But I never really found that light." Zidane had shrugged. "Maybe I was looking in the wrong places. Or maybe…well, something about what you said, Harry. You said you came from another world."

"Yeah, but I've never met any people with a tail."

"Probably a lot of worlds out there," Zidane had said with another shrug. "And there was something else bothering me. When I first met Kuja, we had just had the crap beaten out of us by Beatrix in Burmecia. This was before she decided to help us. I was barely conscious, but I realise now that he sounded like he recognised me(3). I've never met the guy in my life, frankly, but I'm still suspicious about that. Maybe I'll get some answers when we see him. Plus, he deserves a beatdown for what he did to Burmecia, Cleyra, and Lindblum."

In any case, they managed to get through Conde Petie without any trouble, with the Dwarves buying the lie that they were pilgrims to Madain Sari. They did say that Garnet was a summoner, which was the truth.

They got back to Madain Sari in the afternoon. Harry had enjoyed the company of the newcomers, save for the food-obsessed Quina, though s/he offered to cook them up an excellent meal. Zidane, Garnet and Vivi said it was a good idea to accept: they had enjoyed the Qu's meals, what s/he had done with the supplies they managed to bring with them.

Vivi and Harry were alike in many ways, besides Harry's ability to use Black Magic. Vivi was shy and introverted, and after yesterday, he'd become even more solemn than usual: the revelation that the Black Mages only lived for a short period had shaken him. But he was cheerful enough talking to Harry once Harry got him going. Zidane was nothing but cheerful, doing acrobatic tricks to entertain the small party and, he often boasted, to impress Garnet, who was exasperated, but thought it entertaining regardless. Garnet was more level-headed, but she and Harry exchanged questions about their lives. Being a princess, it turned out, was somewhat stifling. That being said, she kept some of her propriety in her demeanour, though she was willing to laugh even at one of Zidane's crude jokes…as long as it wasn't directed at her. And that he kept it to a reasonable level.

Soon, they arrived back at Madain Sari, and with the help of the Moogles, Quina went to work making a fish stew, while Vivi wanted to sit by himself for a while. Eiko and Harry, meanwhile, escorted Zidane and Garnet to the Eidolon Wall. Moco, the Moogle who usually guarded it, was a bit annoyed that outsiders were being allowed in: Garnet was a summoner, true, but Zidane wasn't. Morrison persuaded Moco to let them all in, and while Garnet and Zidane examined the murals, Harry and Eiko lit fresh incense and prayed, as was their habit, while Morrison discussed the history of the Wall.

Once they were done, and Garnet had finished staring at awe around the Eidolon Wall, they went back to Eiko's house. Quina was still putting the final touches on the meal, so Garnet wandered to a small harbour below Eiko's house, Zidane, Eiko, and Harry following. Garnet frowned when she came across a small sailing boat. Almost like being drawn by a magnet, she stepped onto it.

"Hey, Dagger, be careful," Zidane said, stepping onto it with her. Eiko and Harry followed, only to yelp when the boat began drifting out of the small harbour.

"Don't worry," Zidane said, "I can row easily enough." But as he fumbled for the oars, Harry and Eiko realised that Garnet was standing in the boat, staring at the buildings of Madain Sari.

Suddenly, they began to hear a strange song. It was actually the very same song that Anima sang to Harry, like a lullaby, and Zidane recognised it as a song Garnet herself sang. But even as they listened, Garnet stared at the buildings, drenched in light from the setting sun. "This sunset…" she murmured. "It makes the village look like it's on fire…" Suddenly, her eyes widened, as if she was seeing something else. All of a sudden, as if she was a girl about Harry and Eiko's age, she began screaming, "No…no…mother! MOTHER!"

She collapsed, Zidane hurriedly supporting her. He then, after making her comfortable, began rowing frantically back to the harbour.

Thankfully, Garnet recovered swiftly. Once they tethered the boat (its mooring rope, frayed with age, had snapped), they helped her back to Eiko's house, where Quina announced that the meal was ready.

They ate in silence, save for Quina, who ate noisily and messily. Eventually, Garnet said, "I have no memory of my childhood before I turned six. Save for fragments and flashes, the few things I can remember through a shrouding fog. I was raised in Alexandria, but only from when I was six. I think…I know I was born and raised here, in Madain Sari."

Eiko and Harry looked at each other. "We thought that might have been the case," Harry admitted. "But why did you pass out like that on the boat?"

"I've had this recurring nightmare, one I saw again on the boat," Garnet admitted. She looked at Zidane. "When I dozed shortly before Tantalus arrived to perform I Want to Be Your Canary, I had it. Except…I don't think it's a nightmare, but a memory. It is of me on a boat, like that very one we were on, along with a woman who…well, I suppose must be my mother. My birth mother. I remember us being tossed by the winds and waves of a massive storm, and looking back at Madain Sari, only to see destruction. All caused by a massive crimson eye, peeking out of the clouds. Ten years ago…"

Vivi frowned, or at least gave that impression, given that only his eyes were visible. "But…Harry said his father sent him to that other world, but he's only eight, not ten."

"My Eidolons told me time moves a little slower there, so I spent seven years on Earth, while nine years passed here on Gaia," Harry said(4).

Zidane nodded. "That song you sang," he said to Garnet. "I'm sure nobody has heard it before on the Mist Continent, until you sang it. It must come from Madain Sari."

Harry nodded as well. "Anima told me it's called Melodies of Life. I like it. She sang it to me often when I needed help sleeping…especially in the cupboard."

The others already knew of what Harry's relatives had done to him. Zidane couldn't help clenching a fist at the reminder of the Dursleys' evil. True, his own adoptive father Baku wasn't exactly the paragon of good parenting, but at least the man didn't torture him or make him feel worthless. Even Queen Brahne, though she had become a greedy bitch who was willing to kill her own daughter once she was of no use, had apparently been a good mother to Garnet before the King of Alexandria died, and Kuja began to influence her.

"But you don't have a horn," Eiko pointed out. "And how did you make it to Alexandria?"

"I don't know," Garnet confessed. "Doctor Tot may know. My tutor," she explained, seeing the looks of confusion on Harry and Eiko's faces. She then gave a sad smile. "I remember now, praying every day at the Eidolon Wall."

Eiko and Harry looked at each other, then back at Garnet. "Welcome home!" they chorused.

Garnet smiled, and said, "It's good to be back."

Zidane clapped Garnet lightly on the back affectionately, and the dinner, which had started under something of a pall, proceeded in a somewhat more cheerful manner. Problems and inner darkness were forgotten, at least for the time being, while the three summoners, the thief, the Black Mage, and the gourmand bonded…

CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:

Many of you will notice that things went quite differently from canon, especially with Garnet recalling part of her childhood in Madain Sari on her first trip there rather than her second. This is deliberate. I did spot a mistake, though, as you'll see in the numbered annotations…

Review-answering time! KaiserUltima: Well, I've never thought about what weapon Harry would be using, but I reckon that, given his strength and ability (or lack thereof), he uses an animated doll (like Lulu in Final Fantasy X). He tends to use his magic more, anyway, and I want a relatively original weapon that isn't used by the rest of the cast.

knightblazer85: I decided to put in an explanation above for why Eiko has Carbuncle. No Eidolon was actually sealed into the seal of the Iifa Tree barrier in this story, just some of their power.

Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros: Oh dear. Zidane giving Harry the Talk. That spells disaster…

Jostanos: Oh, that's a shame. I've lent my copy of the game to someone else at the moment, but I've asked for it back. And if memory serves me correctly, Eiko is the one who learns Holy in the game, and not Garnet. Eiko has fewer Eidolons, but more White Magic, whereas with Garnet, it's the other way around.

diagonalpumpkin: It's an old line that I stumbled across on…TV Tropes, was it? Someone said something about characters not having issues as much as an entire subscription. I loved the line so much, I put it into a lot of my works. Ah, here we go. It was a quote from a forum for Katawa Shoujo, posted in the Quotes page for 'Dysfunction Junction'.

As for other Eidolons, I don't know. Wait and see. And I still want the Black Mages to be shown to die. A lot of Final Fantasy IX is about coming to terms with one's own mortality (Vivi, the Black Mages, Kuja, the population of Terra).

1. Leviathan, obviously.

2. In the game, as knightblazer85 pointed out, Carbuncle was only obtained once you removed the barrier from the Iifa Tree. I'd like to think that the sacrifice of another Eidolon wasn't completely necessary, and that with Harry's help, Eiko sealed Leviathan and set up the barrier to the Iifa Tree without losing Carbuncle.

3. Kuja seems to recognise Zidane at the end of Disc One.

4. Embarrassingly, I made a continuity error. Originally, I intended for Harry to end up in Gaia at the age of nine rather than seven, but I wanted to have him closer to Eiko's age, so I had him ending up in Madain Sari at the age of seven. But that means that there's a mismatch between the ten years since Kuja destroyed Madain Sari before the events of the game start, and the seven years Harry spent on Earth, plus the year he spent with Eiko in Madain Sari. Therefore, I decided to write in this line where Vivi spots the discrepancy, and Harry explains what went on. He's already talked to Eiko about this.