Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ FF9:Crystal Nexus ❯ Chapter 1: Crystal ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"As time constantly flows, I'm sure we change... but do we even notice the difference? Sometimes you have to place the beginning and the end together to realise that change. Thinking about it now, I never really noticed, however... A year is enough time for anyone to alter... I just hope it's for the better."

Chapter 1: Crystal

At the edge of the calming waters surrounding a castle that glistened in the sunlight, a blond boy stood in deep contemplation. He lifted his hand up to meet his gaze, looking at the item held in it questionably. It was a pale blue crystal that shone delicately as he moved it in the palm of his hand. Sighing, he shoved it into his pocket and continued to look over the waters.
Garnet Til Alexandros sat at the window of her bedroom, watching over him from a distance. It had been two months since his miraculous return to Alexandria during the play of her seventeenth birthday. She had longed to see him for the entire time that they were apart, but now things seemed different. She wasn't quite sure if he was even aware of it, but he had been a lot less responsive to those around him and spending more and more time alone. Garnet was finding it hard to confront him about it, but she knew it was something that troubled more than just her.
A loud knocking snapped her away from her thoughts and she spun around to face the door. “Who is it?” she called over to it.
“General Beatrix, Your Majesty,” replied a voice muffled by the closed door.
“Come in,” she replied. The door opened and the woman entered the room and saluted.
“Your Majesty, we have received strange news from the dwarves at Conde Petie.” Garnet's eyebrows raised.
“'Strange news'?” she repeated curiously.
“Yes. We recently received a letter from them claiming that crystals have been growing at a rapid rate in and around their village. They have managed to fully evacuate, but are asking for assistance.”
“Of course. I shall leave as soon as possible.” Beatrix took this statement as her cue to leave, and Garnet, alone again, turned back to the window. Zidane wasn't there.

Garnet ran down the stairs to the castle grounds as quickly as she could. She finally stopped and looked at the place where he was stood only minutes before, trying to catch her breath. Continuing to talk through the area at a steady pace, she stopped and listened carefully.
It was their song. Garnet could hear Zidane humming their song. She carried on walking, then headed toward the bench where he was sat, his head tilted back and eyes closed.
“Hello, Zidane,” she said, smiling. Zidane opened his eyes a fraction too look at her.
“Oh, hey,” he replied simply. Garnet sat down next to him and looked at the scenery around her.
“It's a beautiful day, isn't it?” she commented, trying to make conversation.
“Yeah, I guess.” Garnet stayed quiet. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but she couldn't seem to find the right words. Instead, she just stood up again and turned to face him.
“There was a letter from Conde Petie just now,” she began. “They say that crystals have been growing around their village. I'm going to see for myself. Will you come with me?” Zidane sat forward, a smirk on his face.
“Sure, sounds interesting,” he replied, standing up. Garnet beamed at him.
“That's wonderful! Let's head off immediately.” She latched her arm around his and they headed off to the airship dock. 'Maybe he isn't acting as differently as I first thought.'

A little over three hours had passed as the airship neared it's destination. Garnet stood by the edge of the ship, leaning over it a little to take in her surroundings. Her eyes widened as she saw Conde Petie.
“Zidane!” she called, running down into the ship to the room where she parted with him an hour before. “I can see Conde Petie. The letter was right!” Zidane immediately jumped up from his seat and followed her to the deck. Walking up to the edge of the airship, it jolted as it landed on the ground. Part of the side lowered, leaving a ramp to depart. The two of them ran over to the barely recognisable Conde Petie, where the dwarves were gathered around outside it. “What happened?” Garnet called over to them once she was close enough.
“I dunnae ken,” one of the dwarves replied. “The crystals appeared outtae nowhere!” Garnet continued to stare at the village, now surrounded by elegantly shimmering crystals that twisted around each other, tangled around the the small area. Zidane walked forward as close as he could get, then broke one of the crystals from the ground like a piece of glass, shattered pieces scattering around where it once grew. He held it up to the light, then threw it to the ground and pulled the rest of it away from the soil, his eyes widening.
“What is it, Zidane?” Garnet asked as she walked up behind him, kneeling down to get a closer look at the discarded piece of crystal.
“Look at this,” he said quietly. She was unsure if he was answering her question or mumbling to himself. He scooped up some of the soil in his hand and held it up to her. “There are tiny fragments of crystals in the ground itself. It's like they contaminated it...”
“Contamination? But how could this happen?” Garnet wondered. She stood up again and turned to face the dwarves. “I shall send a letter to Regent Cid and ask that he sends an airship to take you back to Lindblum. I'm sure he will be more than willing to give you temporary homes until we can find a solution to this situation.” The dwarves all nodded in agreement and Garnet found a moogle to carry the letter. Afterwards, she headed back to where Zidane was stood, watching her quietly. “You should inform the black mages and genomes, too,” she suggested. “It could spread and trap them in the forest. I'll stay behind and try to find information on what has happened.” Zidane nodded.
“I'll meet up with you later then.” He ran off to the Black Mage Village as Garnet began to question the villagers.

After sprinting through the deep forest, Zidane finally arrived at the Black Mage Village. The original black mages who had inhabited the place had died months beforehand, including Vivi, who lasted only weeks after the others. Beforehand, he had created new black mages, so the souls of the mist could return to Gaia. Reflecting on this as he looked around the village, he saw Kain, one of Vivi's 'sons', who had almost been like a replacement for Vivi, acting in a similar manner and becoming friends with the people who helped the small mage before he died.
“Hello there, Zidane!” he said cheerfully, walking up to him. “What's wrong?” he added worriedly, seeing Zidane's troubled expression.
“I need to tell everyone that it's best they leave this place for now.” Kain looked at him, puzzled.
“But why? Did something happen?”
“Conde Petie has been surround by crystals that are growing straight out of the ground,” the genome explained. “I don't know if it'll end up the same way here, so we're getting everyone out while we can.”
“Alright, I'll let everybody know!” Kain replied, running towards a small group of mages who were trying to inconspicuously listen in. Zidane laughed a little as the mage fell over on his way to them.
"Hello, Zidane.” He span around and saw who had dubbed his 'little sister'. Mikoto stood barely two meters from Zidane, an almost blank expression on her face.
“Oh, come on, can't you be a bit more enthusiastic to see me?” Zidane said, grinning. Her expression did not change.
“If you are afraid that the crystals will grow around our village, isn't there also the chance that they will grow wherever we are taken next?” Zidane was perplexed at her pessimistic attitude, but knew he should have expected it.
“Even if they do keep spreading, it'll take a while for them to get there. This might even be a one-off incident.”
“Do you really think it's that easy?” her question stopped Zidane's next point dead in its tracks. They had faced so much when Gaia was threatened by Kuja, but maybe the fight wasn't over yet. After an awkward silence, he finally spoke again.
“We'll deal with this as it happens. There's nothing else we can do.” He turned away from her and walked off. “Get Bobby Corwen so we can leave here as soon as possible.” As Zidane disappeared from sight, Mikoto slowly headed for the stable.
“He doesn't have a clue,” she mumbled to herself. “The flow of Gaia has changed, yet no one will admit it.”