Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 9 or its characters. These are the material and intellectual property of Squaresoft (Now Square Enix). This goes for my previous fic In The Shadows which I forgot to put a disclaimer on and any other Fan fictions I have written for the Final Fantasy series. This fic however is my intellectual property and I present it to all of you for free and for my own enjoyment. So hopefully I will not be sued for a trifling matter like this as Square Enix surely have more important matters than some English guy borrowing their work in this fashion.

Guess Who

Looking back on them dark days I remember how simple my existence was, just like that of my forebears. An existence of disguise, of cramped darkness. No thoughts other than the next meal crossed my mind. A simple mind made up of instincts, to hide, to stay still until movement caused me to move, to strike and devour my prey.

Then out of nowhere came light, the blessing or maybe curse of sentience. Now I was aware of my existence and of the pitiless form of the others of my former kind, noe that I had become. I knew of many new things, those dull instincts making way for exciting emotions. The hunger now wracks my body with aches and in this rainy citadel I can no longer find food fit for my stature. It is time for me to discard this shell of mine and move onto new pastures. Besides now I have discovered pleasure these creatures hold no fun, I desire prey that will keep my interest, prey that will not only feed my physical hunger but also my hunger for fun and excitement.

Zidane Tribal awoke, the pale sunlight streaming in through the fine curtains letting him know it was the start of another day. He stretched and yawned sleepily, still not used to the concept of bed clothes. He had usually slept in whatever he was wearing when he was in Tantalus and during all that had happened with Kuja he was used to sleeping rough.

What bugged him most was the fact that although he was engaged to Dagger he still had to sleep in a room of his own until the wedding. Damn Rusty and Beatrix insisted on it.

He changed into his everyday clothes, his fetching blue outfit was something he'd never give up. No doubt Eiko would soon be around in an attempt to catch him naked. He worried about the little girl's fixation with him especially in one so young. He thought he had been bad before he settled down but then her time alone had matured her well above her seven years. Doctor Tot had returned to tutor and study the young summoner.

Vivi was still in Alexandria, the little black mage and his numerous 'sons' constant visitors to the castle. The only way to tell Vivi from his clone-like 'children' was that he was less hyperactive. Zidane knew that Dagger, as did he, was worrying that Vivi was near the end of his time.

Quina had returned to the marsh having sampled so many foods across the world and still craving frogs, although no doubt s/he would return for the wedding.

Amarant had faded back into the shadows having decided he no longer needed to follow him though who knew when the red-haired fighter would reappear.

The Tantalus crew spent their time split between Lindblum and Alexandria, overseeing reconstruction in both places whilst paying Ruby visits in her Mini-Theatre, whose popularity was growing even without Lowell's help.

Freya had returned home to Burmecia, the Dragoon knight still saddened by her lost love's loss of memory of her but still she held onto hope.

The rain fell from the brim of her red hat trickling into her white hair and down her snout. She held her spear in her clawed hand, the length of the shaft running up along her arm. She was so close to home, the home she had been putting off going back to because of him. She couldn't bear being around him and seeing the blank look he gave her as she went by, but she couldn't run forever, she needed to go home and fix the damage and maybe the damage inside her too.

As she neared the walls of Burmecia, a figure dropped down, spear in hand.

'Sir Fratley!' she called out to him as he gazed upon her blankly as before, relaxing his weapon as he recognised her for one of his own.

'It's me Freya!' she said to him as he still remained blank and at distance.

Then he grinned. 'Freya...' he hissed and drew his spear, lunging at her.

Freya leapt back, the spear tip whistling through her coat, slicing it apart.

'Why are you doing this?' she yelled at him as she parried his lunge.

Fratley didn't answer and instead continued attacking, jumping and stabbing, leaping and slashing as Freya frantically tried to keep up.

She landed on the ground after knocking Fratley back, she sank to her knees, clothes tattered and hanging from her body, exposing what lay beneath. Her breaths were ragged but she wasn't exhausted yet, it was her emotions that were holding her back, she couldn't hurt the one she loved so much even if they were attacking her.

She pushed herself back to her feet and screamed in pain and shock as the spear tip shot through her back and out under her chest, crimson with blood.

Her spear dropped from her hand as she turned to look at Fratley, who stood behind her, gripping his spear tightly and yanked it out, blood and gore gushing from the wound as he leered in pleasure.

Her eyes were full of pain and confusion as she sank to her knees clutching the wound.

'Why?' she whispered, her eyes dimming as Fratley loomed over her, his face and malevolent grin coming nearer.

It stood over the bare bones of the dragoon knight as they lay in her torn, bloody clothes. It sighed as the pangs of hunger were replaced by a full feeling and adrenalin coursed through its blood making it dizzy with exhilaration.

It hadn't expected to find one so powerful so soon and so near. The flesh of her sated the need for nutrients and her energy crackled in its muscles, replenishing its own.

It had rendered her mind as it feasted on her, scouring the thoughts and memories it hadn't been able to see on the surface and it was there with a grin it discovered a host of more suitable prey and where to find them.

It left Freya's remains and its body changed as it took on her form, carrying her discarded spear as it headed towards the hills that housed Gizamaluke's Grotto.

The sounds of croaks filled its ears as it came to the boggy land of its latest prey's home. All it knew was a name and face, unaware what this Quina was, all it knew was that it had been associated with the rat creature Freya, had seen it fight by her side. It had discarded Freya's form after leaving Gizamaluke's Grotto, the pretence sapping its energy and increasing its hunger once more. It crept through the reeds which whispered around its body as it neared the loudening croaks. It knelt in the reeds as it came to the edge of a pond, numerous frogs hopping around and swimming under the wooden humped bridge that spanned a part of it. Then a portly creature came charging around the short banks, diving to catch a frog that hopped from its reaches splashing into the water. The creature was strange wearing some kind of dress and apron, the short chubby legs and feet protruding from underneath, whilst it wore a pink cardigan on top and a mob cap covering its head that seemed to be attached to the body without a neck. A long pink tongue lolled out its huge mouth as it picked itself up, shaking itself. From the reeds it hissed happily to itself. 'Yesssss...'

Quina was surprised as a dark golden frog leapt out of the reeds straight towards them.

'Frog...' Quina said slurping, its tongue swaying vigorously.

Still the frog came closer oblivious to Quina.

Quina pulled out its fork, not taking any chances on this one and became confused as the frog seemed to grow, its limbs lengthening and claws sprouting from its toes as it rose up past Quina's knees.

Quina's eyes flashed in surprise, their cross shapes widening. The frog's tongue lashed out pulling the fork from Quina's hand and spat it back out, the fork sticking into the bridge, vibrating violently.

Still the frog grew, rising up so its big goggle eyes were level with Quina's.

'Big Frog!' Quina breathed and tried to jump on the frog which opened its mouth showing row upon row of razor sharp teeth.

Quina landed in its gaping maw, headfirst onto its sticky tongue and its teeth clamped down onto Quina's back severing them in half, blood gushing into the pond.

The bones cracked as the frog chomped on them, spitting Quina's clothes onto the damp mud. The frog continued to eat Quina's lower torso until nothing was left except their clothes and then began to shrink as it hopped back into the reeds where it became itself once more.

It had been disappointed in Quina, the creature not providing the reaction it had expected. It seemed that greed had propelled it in all it did and that was no good. What's the fun in devouring a creature that willingly leapt into the jaws of death? Its body no longer growled with hunger but its mind screamed at it in disappointment. If it couldn't find fun in stalking and torturing its prey then why did it exist?

It looked up from the marsh to the city towering above on the plateau of the cliff. Maybe there it would find what it needed.