Author's Note: I left you with a strange cliffhanger that probably made you groan. But is there hope with this sequel?
Tainted Hearts
Prelude: A Journey No One Wanted to Make
Zoë's Seaside House
5:40 P.M.
Kuja:
"Garland!" I snarled.
The gray haired man turned around with a smirk.
"It's good to see you again, Kuja. How's your wife?"
Now was the time to cut restraint and stand up for myself. But before I could move, Zoë grabbed my arm and squeezed it tightly.
"You bastard! Let little Autumn go," She shouted.
Garland snorted.
"I assure you, no harm will come to her…yet."
"Don't you dare, Garland. I swear I'll kill you if you touch a hair on her head—"
"Shut up, failure. Like you can do a thing to stop me."
You would be surprised, Garland. I have grown much stronger. Garland smirked and pointed his finger at my chest. A stab of pain shot through my chest, making me drop to the ground.
"Kuja!" Zoë whispered, trying to support my body.
I couldn't take in a breath to retort or anything, which annoyed and frightened me at the same time. I clutched at her plaintively and motioned to Garland. But Garland was no longer paying attention to me. His attention was on a very large airship rising up from the depths of the cliff below. I struggled to get to my feet as best as I could, but my aching chest kept me down. Zoë got up from my side and charged at Garland, hoping to stop him before the airship could beam him up.
But she hit something solid, knocking her several yards back. I managed to break her fall and watched as Garland warped into the airship. We both watched helplessly as a portal opened and the airship vanished.
"Damnit, she's gone," I choked out.
Zoë covered her face with her pale hands, trying to mask her sobs. I hugged her close, staring up at the sky.
"I'll get her back, Zoë. I promise. Even if I have to go to Gaia…myself."
"But how? That man had some kind of ship."
That cannot stop you, Kuja. Just tear open a portal with your power.
That voice…was the Iifa speaking only to me? That much because certain when Zoë didn't seem to acknowledge it. Maybe I could return to Gaia. But I couldn't leave Zoë here. She would go crazy here with no one else but my unborn child to look after.
"Go put some warm things on, Zoë. I have a plan," I said out loud.
Zoë looked at me strangely and went inside the house. Once I knew she had gone fully inside, I focused on my power reserves. Soon enough, my body was literally covered with a silver film that represented my power. Ripping a hole, right? I thrust my hands outward, feeling the energy leap out from them immediately. I threw my focus outward out to the same spot where Garland escaped from us by airship. The sky immediately opened up to reveal a multi-colored portal.
"Kuja, your powers…"
I waved Zoë offhandedly and checked my power reserves. They were full enough for one last spell…maybe a flying one.
"Come on, Zoë, grab my hand," I said softly.
Zoë nodded and grabbed my hand. I activated a float spell and quickly moved toward the portal. The moment I touched it, I was sucked down it. Zoë let go of my hand immediately and fell further down the multi-colored tunnel. I tried to reach her, but I was too late. My float spell expired, sending me further down. My power reverses were shot and I didn't know where my wife…was…
Neo Alexandria, Gaia
7:33 P.M. Gaian Standard Time
Zoë:
"Is she ok?"
"She's barely breathing."
"Maybe she's dead."
My eyes shot open immediately. I saw many, many faces all around me, all bearing concerned expressions. They didn't look like anyone I knew on Earth. Wait…Earth? Where was my husband? I sat up and looked around frantically. The crowd jumped back in surprise and gasped.
"Alright, alright, give her room and let me through!"
The voice sounded like it belonged to a little girl. The crowd instantly parted to reveal a woman about my age (29) dressed in a soft red cloak and she had a scarf around her neck. I couldn't help but notice the tattletale feathers in her red hair. Was that a Tribal trait? The woman offered me a soft smile and helped me up to my feet.
"It looks like you took quite a fall. You should really be careful when your expecting."
I nodded nervously.
"I don't know where I am," I said softly.
The woman nodded.
"This place is Neo Alexandria in Gaia."
Gaia? You mean the very same Gaia Kuja missed?
"What's your name?" The woman asked.
"My name is Zoë. Zoë Tribal-Tsukikage."
The woman blinked in surprise.
"My name is Kajin Tribal. It seems we are related to Kuja."
Subconsciously, I stared at the hand with my wedding band on it.
"I'm his wife."
Kajin narrowed her eyes.
"He's my grandfather."
"Your grandfather?"
Kajin shrugged.
"It's a long story. Besides, it's going to get cold soon. Let us go to the castle. If you are hoping to find Kuja, they can help you."
(A/N: Before you ask, this is a huge spoiler for those who haven't read Sosei up to the point I stopped updating. It's still a spoiler, but it's more so this time. Yes, Kajin is Kirika's grown up daughter. There's some weird stuff about her as well, but we'll get to that in due time.)
Kuja:
I woke up half-buried in sand in front of a large palace. I recognized it as my Desert Palace on the Forgotten Continent. Well, it wasn't exactly the place I needed to be, but hell I'm here. But where was Zoë? I sat up quickly, trying to see amongst the sand. There wasn't a trace of her. Did she die? Did she even make it? No…she made it. I just know she did. I just fell faster than her so that put me out in a totally different area. But she could have landed anywhere. For all I know, she could be deep inside the Iifa. Damnit…I had the worst luck. Well…my first stop would have to be Alexandria. That wouldn't exactly pleasant, but I cared less right now.
I just needed to call Silver, which meant I'd have to go to the Desert Palce. Joy. I took off running across the sandy surface, silently thanking myself for not wearing heels. Hey…wait, didn't the Desert Palace have secret pools of quicksand? Uh-oh. And didn't I just step into one?
"Silver!" I shrieked.
I shuddered as I continued to sink. One strong pair of wings suddenly clouded my vision and a pair of strong talons lifted me out of the sucking sand.
"I'm glad to see you, Silver."
I bet.
I couldn't help but laugh as she sat me on the nearest platform.
"Zoë would love to see you, Silver," I commented.
I bet. And just who is Zoë anyway?
I held up the hand with my wedding band on it.
"My wife."
Silver snorted.
You're kidding, right. You mean, you have a family?
I nodded. I sighed as I remembered how all of my family was missing.
"I need to go to Alexandria now."
Zoë:
Kajin sat me down in a chair located in one of the most lavishly decorated room in years. So this was Gaia. It didn't seem any different than Earth. Moments later, a woman and a man walked in and sat down. Kajin smiled.
"Zoë, this is the royal family of Alexandria: King Zidane and Queen Garnet," She said softly.
"Pleased to meet you," I said politely.
"So you are Kuja's wife," Zidane commented.
"Yeah."
"It's hard to believe, you know. Kuja was well…himself and we didn't think he would get married."
I smiled.
"I know Kuja's nature, King Zidane. Honestly, he was a fanciful child to me at first. He's a very good husband and an excellent father."
Kajin snorted and half laughed.
"Kuja…a father? He wasn't here for me when I became a teenager, but that wasn't his fault, I suppose. Hmm…I guess he's changed," She commented.
"I thought Kuja was short tempered. I seriously wonder how you did it," Garnet said softly.
I laughed.
"Indeed, it was hard at first, but he and Autumn really bonded…"
I choked back a sob and covered my face.
"What's wrong?" Kajin asked in that childish tone of hers.
"Autumn was kidnapped by Garland."
"Oh dear," Garnet whispered.
"King Zidane, we have another zombie dragon near the castle!"
I uncovered my face. Zombie dragons? Dragons? Kajin giggled.
"I'm all over it," She said cheerfully.
King Zidane got up and opened the window.
"Here's your exit, ladybug," He said jokingly.
Kajin shrugged and rolled her sleeves up.
"Here comes the magic specialist, Mr. Zombie Dragon!" She shouted, jumping out of the window.
I rushed to the window and watched a beautiful silver dragon wing past it when Kajin on her back.
"Let us go, Amaranthine! Bring it in close!" She shouted.
Kajin stood up straight and pointed her finger at the Zombie Dragon. The so-called Zombie Dragon looked just like the dragon Kajin was riding on except that it had six golden wings. Zidane tapped my shoulder softly.
"It's best to stand away from the window. Kajin gets a bit carried away."
I did as he said, although I wanted to see the upcoming show of power.
"Pulsar Cannon!"
A flash of blue light filled the room and Kajin's body flew through the window and into a comfortable chair. I glanced at Zidane. He shrugged in response.
"Told ya," He muttered.
Kajin yawned.
"It's all I get to do nowadays. I have a lot of power you know.'
"So, you are a genome?" I asked.
"Full bred. So…what about your daughter, Autumn?"
"She's half and half. She has no tail."
"It'll grow back. Probably when she turns ten."
"I hope so. Kuja loves her so…"