I hope you all don't mind that I put spoiler tags on this. So, I will do it just in case I'll be reprimanded for spoiling people, even though this ending doesn't show itself in the game.

Okay, my cousin told me that the ending in FFIX was not how it was supposed to be. The alternate ending that I'm about to tell you was supposed to be the original ending. I guess the creators changed it because it was too tragic. And I don't think we ever saw a tragic scenario for a while since VII (with Aerith's death) until X's ending came along (when Tidus fades because he was the dream of the Fayth).

I don't know how she knows about it or how to get the ending, she just told me it while we were conversing.

She told me that there was an alternate ending to FFIX. I don't know what happens to the rest of the characters (save for Garnet) but one thing's for sure: Zidane dies along with Kuja. Yeah, hard to believe on that (I have to admit that I was truly shocked on that), but that's what she told me.

Then, remember Mikoto, one of the Genomes? Well, she disguised herself as Zidane (don't know whether she went with the Tantalus bandits to do this or, if she did, I don't how she managed to even convince them... Maybe she did go with them and I forgot what my cousin told me on this bit). And to do what?

To assassinate Garnet for reasons that my cousin or I don't know (or my cousin didn't say specifically why and I didn't ask her).

She did reveal herself to Garnet and was about to do the deed... But, luckily, Beatrix kills her with Save the Queen.

This is all she told me.

Well? I would like to hear your opinions on this.

definatly made up

ROFL that´s a pretty big lie...Zidane survives and Mikoto stays in the black mage village she doesn´t try to assasinate Garnet!

But your cousin is a good lier apparently.

It's a possibility, as the original ending for VII was not in the game. But I don't think in this occasion it is true.

Yea this just sounds messed up. I mean what would be Mikoto's motive behind the assasination.

What a load of old tripe. The Genomes played no part in either ending, let alone one of them attempting murder...

Admittedly, I've only ever seen the alternate ending. So with that being Zidane returning, I'm just guessing he does indeed die in the 'normal' ending. But being replaced by Mikoto?

Pah.

My cousins lie their asses off too.

Look, both my cousin and I were aware of the ending of Zidane being alive and Mikoto staying in the Black Mage Village.

THIS was one of the requirements to get the alternate ending. You think I'm making this up? Well, lo and behold, I found how to get the alternate ending through OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS WELL, not that just the one I quote from Carrier of Hope.

Read this:

Alternate Ending

You have to finish the Stellazzio (Zodiac) Quest and keep "Shina's Hammer," which you find in the room after fighting Lich on disk #4. Don't lose, use, or sell/combine the hammer. It has to be present in your inventory for you to get the alternate ending.