Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ My Immortal ❯ You ( Prologue )

Prologue: You

And I can't sleep,

I need to tell you goodnight.

When we're together I feel perfect,

When I'm pulled away from you,

I fall apart.

© Evanescence, You

The sunset filled the sky around the Iifa Tree. Zidane, Garnet, Freya, Steiner, Eiko, Amarant, Vivi, and Quina all stood about a kilometre away from it as they watched the powerful Memoria be destroyed. In the distance they could see an airship travel towards them.

"That's the Hilda Garde 3!" Zidane exclaimed as they all looked up at the descending ship. It landed by the eight heroes and out came an older man. "Look! Cid came to rescue us!" The man came onto the deck. He had grey hair and was dressed fancy.

"Thank heavens you're all safe!" Cid called out. "Come quickly! We don't have much time!" Everyone started running onto the ship. Zidane and Garnet were the last ones there, gazing at the Iifa Tree. Garnet started walking towards the ship. Just as Zidane turned around to follow her, he heard a voice in his head.

…Farewell Zidane… The mysterious voice echoed.

"Ah dammit." Zidane cursed, kicking some dirt on the ground. Garnet turned around, her shoulder length brown hair blowing in the wind.

"What's wrong?" Her soft voice asked. Zidane turned his head back to the Iifa tree, then back to her.

"Why don't you guys go on ahead?" He suggested. "I'll catch up with you all later. I have to take care of something…"

"What?!" Garnet almost shreaked. She could feel her heart beating faster as scenes of her and Zidane together flashed before her eyes. "Zidane, what are you talking about- -?"

"He's still alive!" He answered, starting to run back towards the Ancient Tree of life.

"He can't be!" Garnet called out. This caught everyone's attention and they came back to see what was going on.

"Zidane! What are you doing?" Steiner called out.

"…Kuja's still alive! I can't just leave him!" Zidane explained, his voice echoing back to his friends. They all looked at him blankly.

"This is ludicrous!" Steiner exclaimed angrily. "Just because you two are from the same planet, doesn't mean-"

"No, that's not the reason." Zidane interrupted.

"Come on Zidane!" Eiko whined. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because…" Zidane said under his voice. For some reason, he just had to. "Because I might've done the same thing if I were in his shoes. I probably would've fought against you guys and wreaked havoc in Gaia like he did… I know it sounds crazy… But I know deep down inside, I halfta do this!" Zidane called to them.

"You no crazy, Zidane." Quina stated. "But you go help Kuja not good idea. Is too dangerous!"

"I can't just leave him." Zidane pleaded. "There's no way I could live with myself! I'm going!" He made up his mind, turning around, about to head towards the Iifa Tree again.

"You're making a big mistake!" Steiner warned.

"Maybe…" Zidane answered. "But we all have to make big decisions in our life sometimes. For me, now's that time. I have to face up to it, just like Vivi did when he confronted his fears to find out about himself. That was a big decision for Vivi."

"I don't know about that…" Vivi disagreed. "I don't think it was really a big deal."

"That's what you think." Zidane told him. "But I might not be doing this if it wasn't for you. You definitely taught me to take life more seriously."

"Well, you're obviously not going to change your mind," Freya said, walking towards him, with her spear in her hand. "so I'm going with you."

"The principle of knighthood requires that one assist his comrades in time of need. I shall accompany you as well!" Steiner announced, walking up to him and Freya.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Zidane commanded. "Like I said, it's my moment, so don't butt in. You guys'll have your own someday. Besides, you have more important things to worry about, like Bermecia and Alexandria."

"For once in your life, why can't you be honest?!" Freya asked, sounding a bit annoyed. She tucked her long white hair behind her pointy ear and started heading back towards the ship.

"Sorry," Zidane started. "but I can't-"

"I can't just walk away. It goes against my nature." Amarant finished the sentence for him in his deep dark voice. Zidane looked at him a bit shocked. "You're a real simpleton. Forget it guys, there's no stopping this fool."

"What are you doing out here?" Cid asked running out to the group. "Get onboard now!"

"Come on guys, let's just leave him and get out of here." Amarant said, walking onto the ship. Everyone just stared at him blankly as he walked in.

"…That guy will never change." Zidane said under his breath. "Alright, you heard the man! Get out of here before it's too late!" Zidane commanded his allies. He could feel tremors start in the ground.

"Zidane…" Eiko said, walking up to him, her little face glaring up at him. "I love you, you'd better come back!!" She commanded, then ran into the ship.

"Zidane, I need eat more different food." Quina explained. "I still hungry!!! You need come back, take me more places, show me more food!" She said running onto the ship. Zidane cracked a smile at his odd Qu friend. Freya walked up to Zidane and stared down at him a bit, since she was a bit taller.

"I still can't believe you're doing this. You've changed Zidane." She said, locking eyes with him. He nodded his head. "Till we meet again!" She waved, then ran onto the ship.

"Zidane." Vivi said, walking up to him. He looked up to Zidane and felt hollow inside right now, almost like he was going to cry. "You've taught me another big lesson in life…thanks." He said, then he slowly went walking onto the ship. His little yellow beety eyes staring back at him one last time, then he disappeared into the ship.

"Zidane…" Garnet said, looking at him.

"Princess, we must go." Steiner said, sounding a bit sad. Garnet was silent, as she and Zidane looked deep into each other's eyes, perhaps for the last time.

I can't go on without you. She told him with her eyes.

"Dagger, I mean…Garnet…I mean, your highness." Zidane stuttered, looking down and holding her small soft hands in his. "The abduction is over. I can't take you any further…I'm sorry for being so selfish." Garnet's head got closer to Zidane's, seeing this, Steiner turned around so his back was facing them, letting them have a private chat.

"No, you're not being selfish." Garnet said in her soft, calm voice. She lowered her head so hide her water filled eyes. "…You've done so much for us. If it weren't for you, I probably would've lead a meaningless life. With you, I was able to see so much of the world and meet so many different people. We faced many hardships too, but…I think I finally know what's important." She looked back up into his eyes. "I'm so fortunate to have met you. I'll never forget our trip together…thank you Zidane." They were both quiet for a minute, there lips moving closer.

"Princess! We must go!" Cid yelled out from the dock. They slowly pulled away from each other and Garnet started walking back to the Hilda Garde 3.

"Promise me one thing…Please come back." She said to him. He nodded his head, and she turned and ran into the ship. Once she was in, the door closed, and the ship started raising up to the sunset sky.

When Garnet was in the room, she could feel the ship being raised into the air. She immediately ran to the bridge and looked off the balcony to Zidane. The wind blowing her short brown hair across his face. She looked down at Zidane, who was looking at her. His dirty blonde hair rushing in the wind as his dark green eyes stared at her. They gave each other one last look, then the Hilda Garde 3 flew off into the sun. Zidane watched it become a small speck, then turned around and started heading towards the Iifa Tree.

***

Once Zidane finally arrived at the entrance of the Iifa tree he looked up. The tree was withering. It looked haunted, with all the dark roots going in every direction. He sighed, then called out.

"Kuja!" He yelled out. "Can you hear me? I'm coming to get you!"

You still have time…Forget about me and go. Kuja's voice echoed in Zidane's head.

"Just shut up and stay where you are!" Zidane demanded. The ground was shaking faster now, as he started heading up one of the tree roots.

…I don't understand you. Kuja's weak voice said in Zidane's head.

"Okay, here goes nothing!" Zidane said, starting to sprint.

The Iifa Tree's roots were flying around frantically. Zidane sprinted to the tree, avoiding them as they tried hitting him. Another set of green roots flew straight towards him. He jumped, and they collided with the ones behind him. He landed on another root that was moving closer towards the tree. It smashed into a huge rock which Zidane jumped onto and ran. He jumped into a hole in the tree and landed in a dark chamber with the smell of blood. He was laying on the hard ground. Above him he saw another root smash above him. Then, everything went quiet.

"Ugh…" He groaned. He turned onto his side, to see Kuja laying beside him. He stood up and dusted himself off. "Phew…still alive. I guess that was pretty crazy." He bent down to Kuja, who looked as white as a ghost. "Hey! Are you alright?" Kuja slowly turned his head to Zidane.

"Zidane…? What are you doing here?" He asked, struggling his words. "I thought I told you to go…"

"Wouldn't you do the same for me if I was dying?" Zidane asked, placing Kuja's head on his knee. Kuja looked at him silently. "…Never mind."

"Your comrades were able to escape?" Kuja asked. Zidane nodded.

"Yeah…I knew you had something to do with it." Zidane smiled at him.

"…I'm glad they made it." Kuja said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, well it's our turn to get movin'." Zidane told his dying brother.

"I don't deserve to live after all that I've done." Kuja exclaimed, panting heavily. "I'm useless in this world." Zidane looked at him silently.

"No one's useless." Zidane said. Kuja looked at him. "You helped us escape, remember?" Kuja was silent, and looked away.

"After you guys beat me, I had nothing left…nothing more to lose." Kuja explained. "Then, I finally realized what it means to live…I guess it was too late." His head then fell over to one side, and he lay motionless.

"Hey!!" Zidane said, shaking Kuja. "Don't you go dying on me, alright?" Kuja stayed still. "Kuja…?" Suddenly, Zidane heard a loud sound. He didn't know what it was, he didn't care. He sat there and hugged Kuja's dead body.

A series of tree roots penetrated the wall, and tumble down to Kuja and Zidane's location. It crashes into them, and everything went silent.

***

Outside the Iifa tree stood a young blonde haired woman named Mikoto, Zidane and Kuja's younger sister.

Kuja…What you did was wrong…

But you gave us all one thing…Hope.

We were all created for the wrong reason, but you defied our fate.

We do not want to forget about this. We want your memory to live on forever…

…to remind us that we weren't created for the wrong reason - that our life has meaning.

Author's Note: So what did you all think about the prologue? The rest of the story is going to focus on Garnet and her life, and hopefully live up to the name of the story. I rewrote the end of FF9 for the prologue so people who haven't played/finished the game knows what's going on when they read my story. Well, until chapter one is posted. See ya later!