Disclaimer: I do not own any of this story's settings or characters. They all belong to Squaresoft. My job is to just persuade you with my writing to think that I should be a part of the geniuses who work for Squaresoft. ^^

Searching for Her

Zidane Tribal looked up to the raven night sky. A cerulean light in his dream had awakened him once again from his serene sleep. But as he stared absentminded at the sky of Gaia covered in Mist, there was not a blue light anywhere. He would not be able to sleep at nights because of this light. It's as if it were trying to guide him somewhere when it emerged.

It was not only a light this young man saw in his dream; but the shadow and facial features of a beautiful young girl about the age of sixteen. Long, raven tresses with brown-colored eyes were all Zidane could see of this mysterious girl when she appeared in his dream. And the girl had an angelic and intoxicating voice. A beyond doubt beautiful voice, but it was filled with melancholy and solitude. As she sang, she would reach out for him in his dream, and right when he would extend his hand to help her, she fell into the darkness below. And then he would wake up…

"Why can't I dream something good?" Zidane inquired himself. "Like a girl kissing me or something. But no, I have to dream of a weird light, and not only that, but a lovely girl who I can't have," he sighed. He looked out to the north only to see Mist. But he knew land had to exist beyond the Mist Continent. And maybe that's where his original home would be; maybe that's what the light was: A light guiding him to his home. The youth glanced at his tail at that thought. He was nothing but a thief with no parents and wanted answers. But who was this female in his dream?

Luminous light adorned the city of Lindblum early in the morning. Zidane packed some supplies onto a small airship in which he would travel to outlying lands to find this girl and his home. He loathed the idea of leaving his friends in Tantalus who pleaded to go with him. But he had to do this unaccompanied for a certain reason. So, he left on this journey.

It took Zidane two arduous and monotonous weeks to reach one of Gaia's foreign-to-him continents—the Outer Continent. He didn't even perceive the land until he was rather adjacent to it because he had been preoccupied with the sky above. There was no Mist around this continent. He had never seen a sky without Mist before, and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Until he saw her, that is…

Subsequent to landing the airship, Zidane stepped onto the land and wandered around, looking to see if any human life was present. All the sounds he could hear were those of birds chirping and the ocean. But he then heard the sound of a young girl scream. He instantaneously followed the scream to find a small field enclosed by trees with a beauteous young girl clasping tightly to a rod fighting as hard as she could against a large beast. Zidane took out his daggers and ran to help her, but by the time he got there, the beast charged at the girl, knocking her unconscious. Zidane fought the beast and easily defeated it with the help of his daggers. He eagerly ran to the fallen girl and knelt down beside her, holding her.

Zidane was quite taken in by her beauty, which exhibited that of a goddess. He brushed the loose strands of her hair away from her face to reveal a clear and beautiful face. Long tresses of sable cascaded over her shoulders down to her low back; a small clasp tied at the end. Glossy lips accentuated by her hair outlined her face, a summoner horn on her forehead. He wanted her to open her eyes just so he could gaze at their beauty as well and then kiss her.

"Stop thinking like that, Zidane!" he berated himself for thinking such things. This was not the time for that since the girl was unconscious. He reached into his supplies and got a Phoenix Down to revive the mysterious girl. Innumerable blue sparkles surrounded her as she opened her orbs, which were crystalline pools of brown. She made a small moaning sound and looked up to who had helped her.

"Are you…all right?" Zidane asked her reluctantly. He regarded her every movement to make sure she would not fall again as he stood up. He didn't receive a response from her, but she finally tried to stand up. And as she did so, she fell forward into Zidane's arms as their eyes locked. Both Zidane and the girl felt a shiver flow throughout their bodies when they touched, but they hastily dismissed it. When she realized she fell into his arms, she immediately blushed bright crimson and broke out of their embrace. "I guess not," he added with a reassuring smile.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I sometimes fail at defending myself properly." She stood up and regained her balance, nervously pushing her loose hair away from her face.

"Don't apologize!" Zidane said with a smile on his face. "It's not everyday a beautiful girl such as yourself decides to fall into my arms," he acknowledged in a flirtatious voice, admiring her body. He saw the girl blush and didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, so he decided to change the subject. "So, what's your name?"

"Sarah," she replied, waiting for the young man to give his name as well.

"Nice name," he commented. "I'm Zidane. So, what are you doing here fighting battles alone?" he asked curiously.

"I was running away from my home of Madain Sari," she heedlessly explained. She started to walk away from Zidane as he followed. "I planned on going to a nearby spring which makes me feel good when I'm lonely or sad; and after that, I was going to leave this continent…forever," she elucidated, while looking back to the direction in which she came.

"That's terrible, Sarah, but—" Zidane was quickly interrupted when Sarah put her finger on Zidane's lip, a signal for him to be quiet. She gave him a small grin.

"Before you ask me anymore questions, would you mind telling me what you're doing here?" she asked. She glanced at his tail and at his clothes. "You're obviously not from around here," the young girl quipped, trying to hold back light laughter.

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Sarah," he remarked. "And you're evidently someone unique," he retorted, glimpsing at her summoner horn, causing her to blush a trifle bit. "Anyway, if I tell you my story, you have to promise to tell me yours, okay?" Zidane asked with a grin. What a perfect way to get to know a girl. Sarah gave him a nod and he began telling her about his dream. He slipped an arm around her neck as they walked together. She grimaced at him and removed it as he laughed.

"A blue light appears in my dream every night, and it's been in my dreams for a long time now," he began. "I truly believe that it is a light from my original home trying to tell me to follow it; hence I'd find my home. And then there's a girl who I can only see the shadow of in my dreams. Her eyes are very brown, like yours, Sarah. And she keeps singing this beautiful song… Then she reaches for my hand, and as I go to grab hers, she falls backwards off of a cliff and all I can see is her terrified face wondering why I didn't help her," he finished explaining. He stopped walking and sighed. Sarah held a lugubrious look upon her face, feeling the pain her new friend felt. She tried to change the subject, biting her lip tentatively.

"Hey, Zidane!" she yelled, gesticulating to the hot springs in the distance. "Here are the springs I like to go to. Will you come with me and stay with me for awhile?" Sarah asked with a cheerful smile as she held her hand out for him so she could guide him there. Zidane acquiesced and the two ran to the springs.

The spring was made up of sparkling water and a large waterfall, which fell from above a cliff. The water was a lovely cerulean color at a perfect temperature with various rocks and crystals underneath the water. The water glistened even more when the sun's light reflected off of the stones. Sarah knelt down and was in awe of the gorgeousness of the serene place. Zidane was standing alongside her with a small grin on his face.

"Hey, Sarah," Zidane began, slipping his arm around her once more. "You know, you never told me why you were running away. And I told you my story already, so what's yours?" The young girl gave a small sigh and did not reply. "Fine, don't tell me. But I'm going to get you back…" Sarah turned around to Zidane and looked at him incongruously; she seemed bewildered. She then realized he had his arms around her waist and she felt that shiver again that she felt when he first touched her hand when they met. She again disregarded that, though—Zidane pushed her into the water as he snickered.

Ripples formed in the water as Sarah was pulled in. Shocked, Sarah breathed in deeply when she arose to the surface again. "Zidane!" she exclaimed testily at his actions. She pushed herself from the water's grip and leapt over to Zidane, wrapping her arms around him so she wouldn't fall under again. She scowled.

"What's the matter?" he acerbically asked. "Can't swim?" He smirked as their eyes met again. Sarah didn't say anything; but her grimace turned into a malign grin.

"Oh, yeah?" Sarah inquired as she grabbed Zidane's leg and pulled him in also. It really just stunned Zidane; he hadn't been expecting that. Sarah burst into laugher as Zidane broke to the surface. He shot her an evil look as he swam back over to her. He started to splash her as much as he could with the water. Of course, she fought back. The two splashed each other in the water as they laughed uncontrollably. But Sarah quickly stopped laughing when she realized she had better told him why she was running away. He seemed like the person who would listen, and if she told someone, it would make her feel better.

"Zidane," she began. He playfully caressed Sarah's long hair as she spoke. "The reason I was running away… I'm a summoner from Madain Sari. A few years ago, a natural disaster hit my village. My family and I survived, but because of the natural disaster, many of the people in my village were killed. There are not many of us left and we're not allowed to leave the continent. If we were to, we might end up being hurt and consequently my tribe wouldn't exist anymore. I just want to travel around the world… Even if only for a little while, I want to. Furthermore that's why I'm running away," she finished with a large sigh.

Zidane didn't say anything in response to her story. He simply gave her a reassuring smile and put his hand under her chin. Sarah could feel his other arm wrap around her waist in the water as she put her arms around his neck and the couple came closer together, about to kiss. Feeling a bit tense since she had never done such a thing before, he could feel her shake. Sarah then opened her eyes when she realized someone was coming. She quickly got out of Zidane's embrace and got out of the water.

"Playing hard to get, huh?" he asked jokingly. But he saw Sarah had a terrifying look on her face and he got out of the water to follow her. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Sarah?"

A sorrowful expression was upon her face and her eyes were filled with tears. "I must leave, Zidane. One of the villagers is looking for me—I feel their presence. I better run home and try to escape some other time; if he sees me, he'll make sure I never try to run away again, and I'll never be able to leave! I'll never forget you, Zidane. I hope," she stammered, "I hope that you find the girl in your dream." The summoner girl blew him a kiss in the wind and then vanished.

Zidane stood there motionless. He did not care about the girl in his dream; he had just fallen in love with Sarah and he wouldn't let her go. He ran after her. "I'll help you escape, I promise. And I'll protect you when you escape so you won't die like your villagers fear," he whispered optimistically to himself.

Sarah made it back to her village by twilight. She went into her small home and explained to her parents that she had been on the cliffs near the waterfall and that nothing was wrong. She was quite irate that her parents sent villagers after her but she didn't bother to express her feelings about it. Sarah sighed and walked out. Following her was someone whom was very close to Sarah—Eiko Carol. She was a six-year-old summoner girl like Sarah. She wanted to be just like Sarah whom she acclaimed so much and followed her almost everywhere. But the trait Eiko did not want to have that Sarah exhibited was her sadness, especially the melancholy Sarah felt that night.

"I don't believe you, Sarah," Eiko whispered inaudibly, as she climbed the cliffs behind Sarah. "I know you were running away, but I promise I won't tell. I just wish I could be free one day too," she added.

"Thank-you for not telling, Eiko," Sarah replied. "If I ever do escape, someone would have to take care of Mom though, Eiko. She would miss me too much and you'd have to take care of her." She gave Eiko a small smile. The child returned her smile and looked over the cliff. "Eiko, I want to be alone for awhile, so can you please leave? I'll tell you a bedtime story when I get back into the village, all right?" she promised contentedly. Eiko nodded and left as she waved goodbye.

Sarah looked down to the waterfall and to the small spring in which the waterfall fell into. The spring was where she and Zidane had so much fun and she took pleasure in it so much. Tears formed within her eyes as she thought about him. He was probably distant now on some other continent, searching for the girl in his dreams—leaving Sarah. She sighed and began to sing a song she always sung when she felt mournful and loneliness in her heart. It always cheered her up a bit. It was a song her mother always sang to her and Sarah now did the same for her friend Eiko.

In the meantime, Zidane had been trying to find Sarah, not the girl in his dream like Sarah had contemplated. He heard her singing voice as it echoed throughout the land. He didn't know it was her who was singing the enthralling and beauteous melody, but he assumed it was the girl in his dream. He ran to the cliff and suddenly stopped when he saw it was Sarah who was singing. He didn't dare interrupt her, though; that moment and her voice were too precious to do such a thing. Zidane just watched as she completed her song.

And if I should leave this lonely world behind

Your voice will still remember our melody

Now I know we'll carry on

Melodies of Life, to the sky beyond the flying birds—forever and beyond…

Sarah sighed as she wiped her tears away. Zidane slowly walked over to her and he put his hands around her waist. She turned around quickly to see who it was, and a small smile became visible on her face when she acknowledged it was Zidane. She felt protected and comfortable in his arms for eternity.

"Sarah…" Zidane slowly whispered in her ear. "You're the one in my dream. Your voice… I can't believe it's you," he conceded as he embraced her. Sarah was more astonished than Zidane. She had no idea she was the one singing to him in his dream. She broke free of the embrace he gave her and looked deeply into his aqua eyes.

"Even if I am the girl in your dreams," she began, "I… I can't go with you, Zidane. I truly wish I could, but I can't! I'll never be able to get away this place." Myriad thoughts flew throughout her mind; she just wanted to see the world and be with Zidane.

She was so emotional at that point that she did not realize she was so adjacent to the edge of the cliff. She lost her balance. Sarah fell off of the cliff as Zidane watched, bewildered. He couldn't move. He remembered this happening in his dream. Realizing this was happening, he finally ran towards her. But as he went to grab her arm, he missed. He wasn't going to let her die…he was coming with her. Zidane leaped off of the cliff as he reached for her arm. The two fell past the waterfall and landed into the spring they were in before.

Zidane pulled himself higher than the water and searched for Sarah. She pulled herself above the surface as well, but she was still stunned by the fall and impact. If she had landed on solid ground, she would have died. And Zidane might have too since he jumped in after her. Providentially, it was nothing more than water the two fell in. Sarah threw her arms around Zidane for trying to save her. But that did not change anything, though. The summoner of Madain Sari still couldn't go with the thief of Lindblum.

"I don't know what to say," Sarah spoke quietly. She looked into his eyes as the couple held each other in the water under the darkness of the sky.

"I still suppose you can't come with me, Sarah," he acknowledged sorrowfully. He anticipated he was assuming wrong. Sarah began to cry on his shoulder. He sighed inwardly, knowing even if they were destined, not all dreams can come true. Zidane would probably abscond the next morning without her and prolong his journey. Knowing such a fact, Sarah remained in Zidane's arms that night and the two fell asleep. She didn't care if her vexed parents sent villagers searching for her that night; she just wanted to be with him for this one last time.

When Zidane awoke the next morning, he found he was alone. Sarah went home and he conjectured that was the end. He left to go to the airship he came to this continent on and started packing his supplies. He made a promise to himself that someday he would return to see Sarah after he found his true home so he could tell her about it. The thief sighed and took one last look at the continent as he got into the boat.

"I guess my thoughts on the dream I had were wrong, Sarah," he said quietly to himself. "Maybe the girl who I was reaching for, you, was not supposed to accompany me on my journey." That was evidently an arduous thing for him to concede. Even a more onerous thing to him to concede was the fact he'd have to persist that journey alone.

"Zidane! No! Please wait!" an enchanting voice screamed. Zidane turned around to see a figure in the distance running towards him. Sure enough, it was Sarah. She ran to him so fast that she tripped and fell forward, landing in Zidane's arms. He almost lost his balance but he quickly recuperated it and gave a grinning look to Sarah as she picked her head up in embarrassment.

"I knew you couldn't let a handsome guy like me go without saying goodbye, Sarah," Zidane said teasingly as he ran his fingers through his hair, admiring himself. She tilted her head to the side and stuck her tongue out at him. "Seriously though, Sarah… I'll miss you and I promise I will return just to see you." His voice went from teasing to a more pensive one as he cupped her cheeks.

"How can you miss me if I'm coming with you?" she inquired with a smirk. "I don't want to be here forever, Zidane. My parents will… They'll have to accept that. Besides, you'll protect me, so they won't have to worry about me dying, right?" she asked. Zidane took her arm and knelt on the ground in front of her, grasping her hand lovingly in the process.

"I promise I won't let anyone hurt you," was his response. He gave her a reassuring smile to verify his statement.

"But if I leave here, I should use a new name since some people from other continents do know me from trading with the people of this continent. If they hear my name, they'll know I've ran away and you know what will happen," she explained. She looked at Zidane's dagger that he had tied around his waist. "What is that?" Sarah asked, gesticulating to it.

"It's called a dagger," Zidane replied.

"I'll use that for a name, then. Dagger," she proclaimed.

"I like it," he said quietly as he gave her a warm smile.

Sarah returned a smile to Zidane. The summoner girl then felt Zidane place his arms around her waist gently, like he did while the two were in the water yesterday. She put her arms around his neck and looked into his aqua eyes deeply. Their lips were becoming more and more adjoining to each other's and finally Sarah felt Zidane place his lips on hers. The feeling she felt as he did so made her hold onto him tighter, as if her life depended on it. Sarah knew Zidane would shield and protect her forever.

"Have you ever kissed anyone before?" he just had to ask.

"What? Of course not…" was her obvious response.

"You're a good kisser," he confessed with a playful smirk. Maybe he shouldn't have said that though, since after his concession, Sarah pushed him into the water of the ocean. He got out quickly and shot her yet another evil grin and grabbed her, hugging her since he was completely wet with the ocean's water as she laughed hysterically.

The halcyon couple then left on the small airship Zidane came to this continent on. Sarah had tears in her eyes as she waved to Eiko who came to wish them farewell. Eiko would sincerely miss the summoner girl that was her friend, but Sarah would someday return. Sarah and Zidane waved to the young girl and then Zidane gave Sarah a warm smile. She blushed, returning that smile. The best part of his searching was finally inclusive.

Zidane Tribal could now go search for the home he longed for with his love and companion, Sarah, or as he would now call her, Dagger. His dream had come true. But the home he forever wanted to go to was a place he could have never anticipated—it was not even located on Gaia. The experience he had when he found his real home was filled with melancholy for him. But Sarah was always there him as a true love, friend and companion would be. And he genuinely loved her for that.