Duodecim rocks, plain and simple. Except for how they've included Vaan. Why not Balthier! He was awesome! Vaan was… just… no. Well, enough of my ranting.

For these next few chapters, one chapter will focus on one group/world at a time, so we're not all jumbled up like the last one.

If anyone notices, yes, the poem "Home" is really the song Home by Vanessa Carlton, but I tweaked it just a bit in the last "stanza".

The quote is by lovely Zidane.

Chapter 26- Hoshi

You'd think that with all the problems in the world there'd be more answers.

((((()))))

"LINDBLUM!"

Dagger grabbed the back of Zidane's shirt as he made a run for the city. "We can't allow ourselves to be seen! We'll ruin the entire hunt!" She waved for them to follow and slowly inched forward, ducking behind trash cans and other debris from last year's attack by Alexandria.

Once the four were hidden in a spot where they still had a good view of Artania and Regent Cid, they listened in to the announcements.

"However," Artania started, "this year's hunt is not in dedication to Cid Fabool I, but to one of Lindblum's very own former residents, Zidane Tribal."

Zidane instantly leaned forward, catching his every sentence, growing deep with more dread with each word. "As we are all certainly aware by now, Zidane led Gaia's most valiant heroes through the dreadful war that plagued us last year. To surely everyone's despair… he did not come back. He died a most courageous death, going straight into the Iifa tree to rescue Kuja."

A low murmur of surprise and revulsion rippled through the mass.

Scowling out at them, Zidane muttered, "Yeah, let's all talk about me when I'm right behind you."

Dagger elbowed him and he once again fell silent.

Artania cleared his throat to silence them once more. "It was a deed most befitting of his compassion. To commemorate his actions throughout the war and his endeavors to save Gaia from a previously unknown assailant, Garland, we of the regency, Freya Cresent of Burmecia-"

"Freya!" Zidane burst in a hushed tone as the dragoon knight stepped forward with a stoic expression on her face.

"-Amarant Coral-"

Even Dagger was surprised to see the bandit with Freya.

"-and a young girl rescued from Terra by Zidane, Mikoto Tribal, his younger sister."

Zidane truly couldn't believe his eyes. Mikoto, dressed in her Terran attire, walked up to join Freya and Amarant. Freya put a reassuring arm around her shoulders, but Mikoto's blank expression didn't change in the slightest. Artania handed the microphone to Freya and stepped back to stand by Cid. The Burmecian took a deep breath before starting, "Zidane was more than a comrade in arms to me. He was my friend. Perhaps the best, even."

The thief's shoulders slumped at hearing his eulogy. Dagger patted his shoulder to try to comfort him. Freya continued after another deep breath. "When Zidane told us he was going back to find Kuja… we tried to stop him in any way we could. We figured that Kuja had already died within the Iifa, and that attempting to enter the tree would be suicide. Still… he was adamant about going. I always knew he would meet his end trying to save someone…."

Her last sentence seemed to be more to herself than all of Lindblum.

"And all I have to say… is that the world will never be as bright without that monkey." Freya passed the microphone on to Amarant.

The bandit gave the thing a skeptic look and shrugged. "I can't say he deserved to die, but the monkey's an idiot for having us make him seem like he was something amazing. He was a good thief, and he was strong- stronger than me. I hate that I never got a rematch from him."

Zidane rolled his eyes. "The one thing you would care about."

Amarant shrugged again. "He will be missed, yada yada, and I guess, like Freya said, world's never going to be quite the same without him."

When Mikoto next took it, Zidane and Dagger both leaned forward a little more, even though they could hear the young genome perfectly.

Terra and Celes were both surprised to see how similar Mikoto and Zidane were. Zidane never really talked about Mikoto, or the rest of the genomes, and they never once knew his sister could practically pass for his twin.

Mikoto looked out over the crowd, as if she was searching for something. When she didn't find it, she said, "Zidane and his companions came to Terra in hope of finding Kuja and putting his plans to an end. Until arriving on Terra, he did not know of any of us genomes and the fact that he was one of us also. He and Garland fought, and then he and Kuja fought. Kuja set to destroying his home of Terra, and Zidane gathered us together and took us here to Gaia so we wouldn't get caught in the destruction. Before leaving again to fight the final battle with Kuja, he taught every genome and black mage a good lesson: that however small you are compared to a challenge, you can overcome it."

Mikoto frowned- her first expression yet. "But he didn't overcome his last challenge."

"Mikoto…," Zidane breathed.

The genome shook her head. "Before I even got to know him, he left us. From what has been told to me by the black mages and Gaians like you all, it seems Zidane was a most irrational and empathetic person to everyone he came across."

Mikoto looked hesitant for a moment, as if wondering if it was right to say what she next thought. When no one made any move to take back the microphone, she said, "It makes me feel… sad that I never got to know my… brother."

Zidane, ignoring Dagger's panicked look, jumped up in glee. "SHE ACKNOWLEDGED ME AS HER BROTHER!"

Terra and Celes palmed themselves and Dagger felt as though she died a little inside as everyone turned to see them.

It was a mad frenzy. Freya made a long leap over the crowd and landed perfectly in front of Zidane. She wasn't sure what to do or say, but Freya knew that if she was going to get any kind of explanation out of the genome, they would have to be far away from the harried multitude.

"You do realize the trouble you are in," Freya growled as she grabbed his waist and jumped.

"Meet you back at the caaaaaaaaastle!" Zidane shouted down below him to Dagger, and a very confused Terra and Celes.

Left unprotected from the horde, the three girls gulped, locked arms so they wouldn't be separated, and ran into it.

((((()))))

"Zidane Tribal!" Freya snapped once they were safely hidden and away from everyone else at the Tantalus hideout. Zidane really hadn't thought it possible for her face to turn so red, considering the gray fur, but Freya was madder than he had even seen before. "Where have you been the past year, and why haven't you come back to assure us you were safe!"

Zidane sighed and scratched the back of head- an action that only made Freya's fur bristle further. "I hoped Cosmos would have filled you in on the whole Dissidia thing, but I guess not. With my luck, she probably only told Rusty and Beatrix."

Freya jabbed a clawed finger into his chest. "Answer me right this instant, Tribal."

"Okay, okay!" he caved, taking a nice, long step back. "Well… it's obvious that I didn't die in the Iifa, right? Well, me and Kuj were about to get all skewered by some crazy vines, but Cosmos- she's sorta the goddess of Order- came and saved us by sending us to a place called Dissidia."

The dragoon looked horribly lost.

Zidane sighed and tried to put it into even simpler terms. Freya understood it all, of course, but the absurdity of it all…. "I got into the Iifa tree. I found Kuja and we…."

"…I'm not going to be alone, Zidane. And as for a home… I know I have one."

Freya's anger died down a considerable amount, seeing the pained look flash across his face. "You can tell me later. Dagger and two others were with you, weren't they? I suppose when she went missing, Dagger ended up in this… Dissidia?"

He nodded. "The others were Terra and Celes. They were two other warriors chosen by Cosmos to go to Dissidia. They're kind of from another world. Uh… dimension. Kind of."

"…I'll take your word on it," Freya only said. "I expect Dagger would go to the castle. I'll bring them back here."

"Wait!"

Freya turned around. "Yes, Zidane?"

She instantly turned wary at seeing the smug expression on his face. "So, without me, the world will never be bright again?"

Rolling her eyes, Freya opened the door.

"And I'm your bestest friend forever?" Zidane crowed as she stepped out.

Even as she jumped away, she could hear him shout, "I'll be sure to bring you with me next time I do something suicidal!"

When she was gone, Zidane frowned and slumped back against the wall closest to him. He slid down to the floor and let out a shaky breath, burying his face into his arms on his knees.

"Kuja…."

((((()))))

It took three dozen Lindblumese soldiers to safely and finally escort Dagger, Terra, and Celes to the castle.

In the aircab, Terra's face was glued to the window, looking over the city in awe. "Edgar would love this place," she finally said.

Celes nodded, turning back from the window herself. "I expect him to have constructed something like this around Figaro Castle while we were away."

Terra laughed, and replied that it was likely.

The two started talking about their world again, faces switching between sadness and happiness at every little thing, as if everything happy still had a downside. Dagger realized that the same could be said for her world. Every place she visited had been touched by pain, but the memories held there, good and bad…. It had mad her stronger. It was partly because of Kuja and all his destruction upon Gaia that she had become the person she was today.

With a wistful realization, Dagger remembered that if it had not been for Kuja, she would have never met Zidane. Zidane wouldn't have ever come to Gaia- except to destroy it.

She owed a lot to him.

And it made her sick to her stomach to know that he died without her ever getting to tell him "thank you".

"Whoa! Is that the castle?" Terra asked in amazement.

Dagger felt a small smile come to her face. "Yes, that's the regent's castle. My uncle Cid lives there. I think you both saw him earlier, right? The man standing next to Artania- the announcer?"

Terra nodded, excitement glowing on her face.

The aircab lurched forward as it came to a stop. Dagger reached for the handle- but someone outside yanked it open first.

"Dear Garnet!"

A pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a golden silk dress. Dagger blinked in surprise, the voice taking a moment to register in her mind. "Aunt Hilda!"

Hilda Fabool finally stepped back to let them off the aircab. "Oh, Garnet, dear, we were so worried! Where have you been? We searched everywhere!"

Dagger only shook her head. "Aunt, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. This is Terra and Celes. They were with Zidane and me."

The regent's wife gasped. "Then it's true? He is alive? Wherever is the boy, then?"

"I took him back home."

Hilda stumbled back in surprise when Freya landed right in front of her. The Burmecian apologized for the stumble and turned to Dagger, letting out a breath in relief. Freya was the first to finally notice Dagger's clothes. "You've been stabbed?" Freya burst in shock.

Dagger nervously looked down at the stone walkway. "Um… how about we go inside and talk? It's a long story."

Shaking her head in incredulity at the queen's newest antics, Hilda waved for them to follow them. "Will hot cocoa do for everyone? Stories aren't as good without a warm drink."

"Thank you, Aunt."

((((()))))

Zidane pawed through the stacks of books next to the clock works first. That was usually where Baku kept the old volumes of poetry used for extra punishment after a beating.

Scowling at each in distaste, Zidane tossed the ones he had been subject to read before over his shoulder. "Baron of Cleyra, Baron of Cleyra…. Aha!"

The thief blew off the dust on the thick book and turned to the index. Most of the poems, he remembered, had been adapted into plays Tantalus had done before, so he was somewhat familiar with him. He skimmed through the F's and the G's before finally finding the H's.

Home, pg. 351

Zidane flipped to it, ignoring the gnawing inside him. He had promised Kuja he'd read it, and he would.

Some people live in a house on a hill.

And they wish they were someplace else.

There's nobody there

When the evening is still.

Secrets, with no one to tell.

It was clear what the metaphor was in it all. "Home" wasn't where one lived. It was the things they lived through, their friends, the good and the bad times.

Some live in shacks;

Cardboard boxes on concrete.

All bluster and bustling life.

They search for the color they can never quite see

Cause it's all white on white.

But the one part that said it all was the very last stanza.

The faces I've come to know,

The things I've learned from all.

Even when I'm alone

I've always known

With these smiles I am home.

Zidane knew that this was the part where he found the meaning of life or something big and philosophical, but really… he felt nothing. Even after rereading the page a few times, all he found were empty words on a yellowed-with-age page.

Silently, Zidane closed the book.

((((()))))

"…and the last thing I saw was Kuja trancing and running for Chaos," Dagger finished. A cold, untouched mug of hot chocolate rested in her hands on her lap. "We have to restore Cosmos's power in the crystals so we can defeat Chaos."

Celes frowned. "But not destroy him."

Dagger nodded in agreement. "So I think we must use the crystals to trap him somehow, perhaps."

Hilda slightly frowned, her own cup just as cold and full as Dagger's. "…I'm not very sure what to think of your situation concerning Chaos, but what if Kuja was truly on Chaos's side? He had sided with him in the beginning, had he not? It could have been a ploy or some other scheme."

"No. I'm positive that Kuja was one of us," Dagger shook her head. One of us. "I have to admit he is a fair schemer, and a good actor, but I do believe he really did stay behind to give us a chance."

"In that case," Hilda started, raising up from her seat, "I'll have Cid contact Alexandria and Burmecia right away. We need to see if we can figure out how to restore power to your crystals. In the mean time, how about you girls retire to the guest rooms? Freya-"

The dragoon was already heading for the door. "I'll bring back Zidane as soon as possible, Lady Hilda."

Both Hilda and Dagger at the same time said, "Thank you, Freya."

The Burmecian left with a smile on her face.

"I'll show the way, Aunt," Dagger said, picking up her racket and holding it just so, so no one else could see the stain and hole on her clothes. It wouldn't do to have people swarming around, thinking she was still injured.

Out onto the mid level of the castle, Dagger traced her free hand across the walls, glad once more to be on familiar turf again. She dared to say Lindblum was like a second home to her. "There's really only one guest room, but it has three levels and about five beds, I think, so there'll be room enough for all of us. I think Zidane is going to stay with Tantalus, so we won't have to worry about him."

((((()))))

"Heck no!" the tailed thief burst. "I'm not staying here for anything!"

Blank cuffed him on the head. "Idiot! If you go outside, you'll be swarmed!"

"I'd rather face fifteen Zaghnols with my hands and feet tied up, blindfolded, and gagged instead of being here once Boss gets back," Zidane swore, making a beeline for the door.

Marcus tackled him, sending them both crashing to the floor. "Not so fast! Boss or not, you're staying here, Zidane! You can't expect to leave for a freaking year, come back suddenly, and not give any explanation as to where you've been and how the heck you got out of that tree alive."

Zidane struggled against the thief's tight hold on his arms and grunted, "Maybe I'm a ghost, then!"

"Wouldn't you want to haunt that Steiner dude instead of us, though?" Cinna asked, leaning on one of the giant clock gears in the hideout's corner with his prized hammer leaning beside him.

"Oh, believe me, he'll see the best."

Blank rolled his eyes, hand reaching out to grab a nice, long strand of rope. Zidane froze and gulped. "Sorry, Zidane," Blank said, slowly closing in on the thief. "But ya gotta do what ya gotta do."

((((()))))

"Here we are!" Dagger announced, opening the door wide.

A flying ball of bright yellow and sapphire blue shot out at her. Dagger cried out in surprise as the five year old knocked her down to the floor. Tears suddenly came dripping down on her.

Dagger blinked, recognizing the sobbing little girl in front of her. "…Eiko?"

The summoner threw her arms around her shoulders. "I th-th-thought that y-you had left for g…good…!"

The queen sat up, nodding that Celes and Terra could go on inside. Dagger shook her head and assured her, "I'd never leave any of you for good."

"Huh. So you didn't follow the jerk."

Dagger, Eiko, Terra, and Celes turned around to see Amarant and Mikoto. Both were expressionless- well, because Dagger couldn't see past Amarant's fiery dreadlocks she had to assume his expression was blank. Mikoto looked at Dagger, who hastily jumped to her feet. "Cosmos was correct in your swift return," she said in a monotone.

With really no idea what to say to the genome, Dagger only nodded. At least someone knew what was going on. It suddenly dawned on the queen that Mikoto probably didn't know that Kuja was dead. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to tell her- did Mikoto even know Kuja was her brother?- and if Zidane wanted her to know or not.

Before Dagger could even say anything, Eiko burst, "What're we doing out here? Dagger, you're back! We need to celebrate! Come on, Mog and I will call Quina over here right away so we can have lunch and watch the Hunt! Father tells me it's really fun to watch, so we can't miss it. When is Zidane coming? Ooh, I'm going to get on to him so bad!"

Terra giggled at the proud six-year-old's ecstasy. Eiko seemed to notice her and Celes for the first time. "Oh! Who are you two?" she asked in an almost suspicious voice.

"I'm Terra and this is my friend Celes. We were in Dissidia with Zidane and Dagger."

Eiko's eyes slowly narrowed. She spun on her heel and started to walk down the stairs, counting to herself. "He was alone with three girls, and since he isn't glued to Dagger's side, he might have given up on her. So that finally gives me an opening. I'll make Quina fix a plate of spaghetti and we'll both eat it, then we'll slurp up a noodle and kiss! It's classic!"

"Um, Eiko?"

The princess turned around, putting a spectacularly innocent face on. "Yes, Dagger?"

"We can hear you perfectly."

Her façade dropped and Eiko frowned. "And I bet you and Zidane are still going out?"

Dagger slightly blushed, but she nodded anyway, cueing an "Aww!" from Eiko. The little summoner only sighed, already seemingly used to the fact that Zidane would never be hers, and said, "Well, still. We can still watch the Hunt together, right?"

Shaking her head with a grin, Dagger replied, "Of course. But first, I've got to get changed."

Before she left, Eiko hugged Dagger's waist and mumbled, "I really am glad you're back, Dagger."

"Me too, Eiko."

As she turned away from the summoner, Dagger's eyes were sad with the realization that they wouldn't be staying long enough.

Aha! So, the first actual chapter of this new, long arc! *Cue maniacal laughter* Oh, I can't wait for what's coming up next.

Actually, coming up next is the X chapter, which should be up soon, since next week is Thanksgiving and being with my crazy family is the best time to get some writing in. Not sure how that works, but it does.

PLEASE REVIEW.