The Cloud of Darkness observes as the young boy draws fine black lines on his eyes. The boy, with his flowery way of speech and colorful outfit, never ceases to amaze it. Although it could care less about that pompous little brat, he sticks out like a sore thumb.
"What are you doing, little boy?" the Cloud of Darkness says.
The boy scowls. "I'm a man, grotesque creature!" He finishes drawing his eyes and proceeds to dip a wad of cotton into fine powder. "My name is Kuja, so you better remember it!"
"We have better things to remember," the Cloud of Darkness hisses. Kuja pouts but continues dabbing the wad into his cheeks.
"Just so you know, I'm making sure I stay perfect for my next performance," he says. His eyes flicker to the floating form of a woman, gaze lingering on its perfect, clean skin. "Because some of us aren't molds," he adds hotly, returning to his work.
The Cloud of Darkness stares at the colorful arrangement of cans on Kuja's table. It extends a tentacle to a cylindrical black case that holds a bright red stick. The crimson hue matches its heart and eyes.
"We like this color," it says.
"Oh?" Kuja says lightly. "That's my favorite color. It's called 'Crimson Rhapsody.'" He prances his fingers across another set of lipstick, this time making the movement obvious and loud. "It's part of the new Crimson collection. It's very expensive, but only the best will do for my delicate skin."
The Cloud of Darkness watches as Kuja applies a pale pink shade to his lips. He turns to her with bored but expectant eyes. It copies the haughty young man by lathering a thick layer of red to its lips.
"No!" Kuja cries. "You can't put too much lipstick on! That won't do at all!" He leaps to his feet and snatches the cosmetic from its tentacles. "Only a true master can handle the work of being pretty! Allow yours truly to fix your sin!"
The Cloud of Darkness watches intently as Kuja wipes its lips with a wet napkin. The boy's long, pedicured fingers dance across its face, caressing each nook and cranny of the human structure. He eyes remain focused, determined as he grabs the powder and begins dabbing its face.
"And we're done!" Kuja declares at last. The Cloud of Darkness doesn't notice anything new, except its face now feels heavier and sticky. The young boy is beaming as he praises his own work. "As I expected from myself!" he sings. "Don't you feel prettier than you were seconds ago?"
The Cloud of Darkness peers into the mirror. Its face looks completely different while retaining its otherworldly features. Its lips part in a slight "Oh," delicate and pale like its lightly flushed skin. Its sharp red eyes, adopted from what it believes is the standard form of beauty, appear softer and… what was that word? Kinder.
"The best part about being beautiful is to have other compliment your work," Kuja says with a grin. "Let's go show off to the others. We're going to show them what a master beautician I truly am!"
The Cloud of Darkness silently follows the man as he prances outside. Its tentacles prance restlessly with the new thing on its face. Something stirs in its bosom. A new feeling it cannot place.
Expectation, perhaps?