Aftermath Part One - Steiner and Beatrix *FFIX Fanfic* (Warning: Very Sappy Content)

[Azier the Swordsman]

AN: This story was an accident. Never meant to write it. I'm not even a fan of the following couple. I was attempting to write a recap of Final Fantasy IX's ending, and somehow it evolved into this. What can I say? I was up late at night, consuming caffinated Dr Pepper by the can, and cranked this little gem out. The next morning when I was proofreading it, I didn't even believe I wrote it. But what the heck - I posted it on fanfiction.net anyways. Disgustingly sappy - overly corny - but hey, if it's up your ally... you just might enjoy. Massive spoilers for the end of FFIX abound. So finish the game first. You wouldn't want to ruin one of the most magnificent endings in the history of gaming, would you?

Aftermath A Final Fantasy IX Fanfiction

Disclaimer: The characters in the following fanfiction are owned by SquareEnix. All rights reserved.

Author’s Notes

Alexandria: Some time after Zidane’s disappearance.

Act One: Beatrix and Steiner

Beatrix’s POV

Beatrix... that’s my name. General of Alexandria and wielder of the most powerful swordsmanship in all the land. Or so they say... Of course, there is no denying the truth... I still have yet to encounter anyone who could actually pose a challenge for me. It’s been two years.... two very long years since the destruction of Alexandria at the hands of the madman known as Kuja. Two years since the great battle at the Iifa Tree... and two years since Alexandria has been at peace. Princess Garnet is now the queen of Alexandria, and is quite popular among the citizens. However, too say that she has been happy the past two years would be a lie. Sure, she can maintain a smile and her composure among the people and in the royal courtroom, but I can see it... I can see past the fake smile... I can sense the sorrow deep inside her. All because of him... Of course... I can understand how she feels... being in love is both a wonderful gift and a curse. I, myself, am about too leave my true love behind, and depart this land for good. The sorrow is just too great for me too bear... I don’t deserve this... my title... my reputation... him....

The atrocities I have committed in the past are too great. Millions of lives were lost. An entire nation was almost completely annihilated... Princess Garnet was almost killed... and I had a hand in all of it. Of course it was perfectly justified.... After all, I was fighting for my country... mass murder isn’t wrong if you are doing it in the name of war... but in the end it was all a lie. I was merely just kidding myself....

I’ll never forget the way I felt when I saw the princess like that... lying on the couch in the Queen’s room... the life fading away from her... It was at that moment that the blindfolds were completely removed from my eyes, and for once I could see clearly... I resolved right then and there to take a stand... no more lies... no more fooling myself... for once, it was time too turn around and do the right thing. I fought... like I had never fought before.... But the nagging guilt was still there. It didn’t matter how much I fought, the damage was already done. Garnet, of course, forgave me, and allowed me to remain as the General of the Alexandrian army after Queen Brahne’s death, and Freya, despite the fact that I had a hand in the deaths of many of her people, accepted my repentance as well. But the deep sorrow was still there....

Many times I have contemplated leaving. I just don’t deserve to continue living on in the castle as if everything were just fine and dandy. The only thing that has kept me from leaving already is him... Steiner, Captain of the Knights of Pluto, one of the clumsiest oafs in all of Alexandria, and one of the sweetest people in the whole world.... He stood by me through my toughest times and gave me comfort.... Despite not exactly being the greatest romantic in the world... but whenever I’m around him, I feel comforted... unlike anything else I have ever felt in the world. But the truth is that, even with having Steiner around... my heart is still full of guilt and sorrow... the burden is just too heavy too bear... so I’ve made up my mind this time. I’m leaving Alexandria. Forever. I have no idea where I plan on going.... I figure that wherever I end up, I end up.

I currently stand in Queen Garnet’s room. I would feel bad leaving without some form of resignation, after all, I feel like I’ve caused enough trouble for everyone in the past already. I withdraw my sword from its sheath... the Save the Queen, which has served me so well over the years. “It’s time to say good-bye to this room...â€

[Azier the Swordsman]

Steiner’s POV

Nightfall. This would definitely have to be my favorite time of the day, simply because it’s so peaceful. It’s far different from the hustle and bustle that goes on throughout the castle during the day. It’s nice to be able to relax for a change every once in a while. But, of course, the peace and quiet is not my reason for standing outside, guarding the castle entrance. I have my own personal reasons for doing so....

I mean, come on, I’ll admit that I may be a little naïve at times, but I wasn’t born yesterday. Just who does Beatrix think she’s kidding? I have been in love with her for almost two years now, and I’ve known her even longer than that. I’ll be the first to admit that I have no experience whatsoever with women, (that was Zidane’s special field of expertise) but I know the women I love. My thoughts about Beatrix come to a halt for a second as my thoughts begin to shift to him...

Zidane... just where the heck are you anyway? You made a promise... a promise to return to Garnet... but you didn’t keep it. It’s been two years now, and every day that goes by, hurts the Queen more and more. Sure, she can keep her composure throughout her royal duties during the day, but at night is when the harsh reality settles in for her. She routinely locks herself in her room at night. She cries when she thinks no one can hear her. And the nightmares.... I can’t recall a day since Zidane’s supposed ‘death’ that she has had one peaceful nights rest. The first couple of months were the worst... she’d wake up in the middle of the night in tears, screaming out his name... eventually, the nightmares lessened, but they still come from time to time. I’ll have to admit that the first time I ever met him, I hated his guts. For one, he was a thief, a lowlife. Two, he kidnapped the princess, Three he exposed her to great danger out in the world (in which she almost perished at the hands of a monster in the Evil Forest no less), and finally, the obnoxious way he kept hitting on her, how dare he treat her like another one of his girlfriends!

But back then, you see, my sense of duty seriously clouded my judgment. Even when the truth was right in front of my face, I refused to accept it. My wake up call had come when my lack of judgment almost cost the princess her life... I’ll never forget seeing her lying in a coma in the underground chapel... it was then that my sense of duty went right out the window, and reality slapped me hard in the face. But I’ll also never forget Zidane, I think he took it even worse than I did, he looked as if someone had taken a dagger and plunged it straight into his heart. But, even after the Princess recovered, I still did not completely give up my stubbornness, not for quite awhile, that took a little more time. A lot happened during that period. Alexandria saw the loss of one queen, and the ascension of another. Alexandria even almost ended up completely annihilated, no thanks to Kuja and Garland. I guess it took seeing the power of our true enemy for me to finally snap out of it for good.

I’ll never forget Zidane before he disappeared... the final battle was over... Our main enemy was defeated... but, Zidane, having the noble heart that he does, refused to let Kuja perish in the Iifa Tree. So he left... on a suicide mission, no doubt, into the Iifa Tree. He never returned. And so the last two years have dragged on.... Alexandria has been rebuilt, and great progress has been made, but Garnet just hasn’t been the same. It’s likely that she won’t ever be the same... until he returns...

I snap out of my thoughts and refocus on the reason why I am here in the first place... Beatrix. To say that I’m extremely nervous is an understatement. As I said before, I’m not very experienced with matters pertaining to love and matters of the heart. My mind is racing with what I’m going to say too her...? How the heck could Zidane act so cool around girls anyways? At times, I can hardly muster up the courage to even speak to her, not to mention I’m going to be confessing my love for her tonight. But one thing is for sure... I’m not going to let her get away. If she intends on leaving, it will be over my dead body. Then I hear it, snapping myself out of my thoughts... footsteps... I swallow the lump in my throat and wait. I’m not too hidden out of site, just barely enough to where I wouldn’t be seen at first, for fear she may try to take another path out of the castle. Sure enough, she comes exiting out of the castle. For a brief moment, I almost lose my nerve, but I know I have to do this. Once again, I swallow the lump in my throat and speak up, surprising myself with the rather bold tone in my voice. “Beatrix! Where are you going?â€