Chapter 1 : Zidane & Dagger

"You never told me how you survive"

It was a fine day on Alexandria, a perfect day to take full-day-rest after doing a lot of royal jobs in this palace. Being a Queen is not that easy, everyone knows that. Lots of people from another kingdom coming and going to/from Alexandria to do some business. Of course, by being a Queen, Garnet Til Alexandros must be able to manage that. This is a very hard job for an 18 years old girl, but with the help of many people(s) (Doctor Tot, Regent Cid, etc.) and by some knowledges about royal throne she got when she was child, Garnet can overcome it all.

"Heh? I've told you right? I just want to come home with you. So, I sang our song. And.. Tada here I am sitting next to you"

"That's a very terrible joke, Zidane. For the love of god can you be serious for one time!"

There is no meeting agenda for today, and fortunately, there is no important person to make appointment to see the Queen today. Garnet found this is the golden opportunity for her to rest her brain and sightseeing the Continent from her chair throne, of course, with Zidane.

"Oh come on Dagger, after I comeback we barely talk in private like this. You've beenbusy with that hell boring royal job. Let's talk about something else.. umm.. like that rusty Steiner never change his armor even after our journey.. I think"

"That is the main reason why I invite you to come here, Zidane. You never told me the truth. I demand you to tell me your story from when we left you behind until you magically appeared from Prima Vista's stage, not to talk about Steiner's armor!"

Garnet found this golden opportunity to talk about Zidane's life after he chose to save Kuja. On the contrary with Zidane he found that this is the chance for both of them for joking around and enjoying their free time between their busy times.

"Hey Dagger! Look! Those clouds looks like Vivi without his hat!"

"Be serious Zidane! Beside we never had a chance to see Vivi without his hat, how could you imagine that with the clouds!"

"he he nice point Dagger"

"Zidane!"

"Alright alright, I'm sorry okay"

Garnet did not angry, actually. She get used to Zidane's behavior about never be serious except the time when he must help someone in trouble.

"So, what the missing point do you want to know?"

"That is not missing point but ALL THE POINTS!"

"Calm down, woman. So, where do we start.."

"After Hilda Garde 3 headed back and leaving you behind in front of Iifa Tree. Just after we left we saw the root of Iifa tree crawling up the surface. We saw you.." Garnet swallowed her saliva, showing her doubt "We saw you ran to the center of Iifa Tree. At that time, we thought you could not survive"

"hehe, I'm stronger than you all can imagine"

"What happen after that, Zidane?"

"Well, I met Kuja. He is about to stop, tired.. full of scars.. and bloods. For the first time, I felt pity for him. He is the one who help us to defeat Necron and he is also the one who brought us back to outside of Iifa Tree. I felt it.. I felt his sincere strength, strength that help us in the Hell of Despair. Did you feel it too, Dagger?"

"Zidane.."

"It is not fair for him. He realized his failure just about he was about to stop! He is not yet pay for all the deeds he has done!" Zidane clenched his fist.

Garnet hold his hand. She knows exactly how he feel. Just like her mother case, she knows how it feel when the bad people –the one who you care for- is died.

"Just when the moment a bunch of Iifa Tree's roots came to us. He stopped."

A moment of silence past. Garnet did not speak, he gave Zidane time to contemplate his own story

"After that I did not know what to do. I stuck at Iifa Tree, no food, no water, just my big brother's dead body lied beside me. Believe me, Dagger. That was the most desperate moment I ever felt in my life. The second one is when I just found out I'm an empty vessel of course"

"Zidane.."

"When I'm about to give up, I remember you, Dagger. I suddenly remember the song you always sang during our journey. I sang it, loudly, with tears came out of my eyes"This time, Dagger could not give any comment. She is shaking, she cannot imagine the pain that Zidane has been through while in Iifa Tree.

"While singing your song, I also prayed for you all. For Vivi, Steiner, Eiko, Freya, Amarant, Quina, Tantalus guys, Beatrix and especially for you, Dagger. I even prayed that you can find a man better than me to protect you, hehe"

"WHAT?!"

"Hey! I lost hope okay! Back then I'm ready to stop anytime"

Garnet sighed "Please continue, Zidane"

"After that I did not know what happen to me. When I woke up I realize I'm at Tantalus Hideout, with everyone else slept on the floor"

"You were at Lindblum?! Why Uncle Cid and Eiko did not tell me?!"

"Actually, Eiko did not know that I was at Lindblum, Regent Cid did not find a way to tell her in a nice way. Well, at first they think I'm died, and they chose to tell the world in next morning."

"…..and you woke up in the morning"

"Yup"

Garnet sighed, and she asked once more to Zidane "Why didn't you tell me that you are alive, Zidane?"

"Because… I want to surprise you"

"You know I'm not satisfied with that reason!"

"But that's the truth. When I knew that Tantalus will perform back "I Want To Be Your Canary" in Alexandria, I chose to give a nice additional scene in the end of the play. And you already know that, the scene is when I showed myself in front of you – in front of people of Alexandria"

"…..in front of the world"

The wind blows their face and made their hair messier than usual. No one spoke, and no one intends to start the next conversation. Some thoughts dance inside their brain, but neither Zidane nor Dagger chose to express their thoughts.

Several minutes has been away. Garnet put his head in Zidane's shoulder, Zidane did not protest, he let Garnet to 'lend' his shoulder. Their position indicates that they are comfortable with each other. Garnet closed her eyes, until Zidane start the conversation.

"Why did not you ask how Tantalus guys know where my position in Iifa Tree?"

"Because I thought you don't know about that, or you do?"

Zidane nodded "Blank told me. When they know that I left behind in Iifa tree, they tried to track my location with Mikoto's help. You know Mikoto had abilities to sense the existence of Genomes, right?"

"Yeah.."

"But her abilities is not good enough. Her sense is limited since she came to Gaia. If there are many obstacle blocked her way, her ability is reduced"

"Then why could they find you?"

"It's because they heard me singing"

"…"

"Your song helped them to find me, Dagger. It was you who helped me in the first place. Like I said in first time, I could survive because I sang your song.."

".. our song"

They smile to each other. Knowing that there will be no barrier block their way, their lips touch in a very nice way. Only the flying birds which witnessed their first kiss, as well their official love recognition.

"I love you, Dagger"

"You are not flirting me like our past journey, right?"

"No! I'm serious this time!"

Garnet blushed, and smiled. She could not bear to say,

"I love you too, Zidane"

Garnet continued her speak "Promise me one thing… please don't leave me again"

"I promise, Your Highness"

AN:

Hello all !

Thank you so much for reading this fanfic ! I'm not going to put this into Completed status because I plan to create another stories with different character. I hope I have enough commitment to complete this fanfic hehe. Btw, this fanfic will be one story per one chapter with different character (you get it?).

This is my very first fanfiction, So if you want to review/critic this story I would appreciate it!

Thank you everyone! hope you have a good day!