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Warning: Contains swearing. Kuja swearing. Yeah. —that's like super OOC, but can't be helped, I just love to write Kefka and Kuja insulting each other—.


VII. Pearl Tears.

The girl froze right there, paralyzed by the sight of the youngest warrior whose wide eyes were blazing upon her. All she could do was to stand still and wait in silence whatever judgement the boy should place on her. It wasn't as if she expected the Onion Knight to punish her in some way, but deep inside she knew she didn't deserve any better ever since she lied to all her friends from the beginning.

Terra was on the verge of fading, not knowing what to do with such tension. The kid saw her along with Kuja, and probably all the trust he placed on her would be destroyed. She enclosed herself on a corner, shaking, and didn't notice that her little friend came approaching.

"Is everything alright, Terra?" His voice was still subtle and comprehensive. Why wasn't he looking at her with disbelief?

"... I'm sorry."

The red mage wanted to turn away, but the Onion kid gently took her arm. "Look, uhm... I don't know what kind of deals you were having with that... guy, okay? But, I can't force you to spill it out, so, it's up to you if you wanna talk about it." he murmured, seemingly more confused than concerned. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Couldn't understand. "... Are you mad at me, Onion?" Why wasn't he?

"I wouldn't say I'm mad. Just... a bit disappointed, upset." Onion looked troubled, but found the strength to smile, to make her trust. He was just a kid after all, he was still too young and innocent to realize how greatly she decieved him. "I know I'm safe, because I know that you'd never betray us, Terra. You're just not that kind of person."

Terra was frightened, but her boy was just that: a boy. Even if his chivalry matched the adults, he was still that. There was nothing on the little knight's words but truth, besides he wore better confidence than she'd ever be able to offer.

"Please, don't tell the others about this!" she pleaded, grabbing the kid by his shoulders. The ginger-haired boy violently blushed.

"I'll keep my word with you." quickly responded. Tried his best to get back to a serious tone, but seemed hard to achieve. "But Squall... He knows too. In fact, he's the one who told me I'd find you here."

She pictured back the image of that young man of the black leather clothes. He always wore such a stern and cold look on his eyes, his heart buried somewhere nobody could find it but himself. Squall wasn't nice, but he wasn't bad either; Terra couldn't tell. Maybe the best thing was to avoid uncomfortable questions about him.

"Who else could know?..." asked, growing increasingly worried for Kuja, more than anything.

"Whatever, uhmm... Terra, what were you two doing?" he insisted, almost as if he read her thoughts. Both they were worried for completely different reasons. "Look, if he's been blackmailing you, then I'll surely..."

"He wasn't doing anything wrong." Terra shook her head in denial; it made the kid startle a bit. The female warrior knew it'd be a great shock for her friend, but he needed to understand, get it all clear before a bad judgement. "It might sound insane, but... Kuja's been helping me through this, a lot."

And she didn't knew for sure how to explain this, but the little knight already had the idea on mind.

"Are you sure?"

She took his hands, gently, making the by to look at her eyes. "Please, trust me. He was really mean to me at times... but, believe me, Kuja is not as bad as he seems." It didn't came out as well as she wanted, but how else would she do? "In fact, I just realized just how vulnerable he really is. Try to understand me, Onion."

"I want to, Terra. And I will trust in your words, just because you're my friend, alright?" he pulled her to his way as he walked outside the gray ruins. "You can tell me the rest of it on the way, okay?"

There was such a great relief beyond his words. She doubted other would be just as agreeable, thank goodness he was her best friend. There was still some forebode on his expression, but everything was fine now; everything would meet an understanding.

"Thank you, Onion. Thank you so much."


He'd better avoid respiting himself in Chaos' domains, at least that way he could stop encountering Kefka Palazzo on every chance. But it certainly started to creep him out, for, it didn't matter where he went, there was a high chance that Kefka would find him, and eventually approach him stealthily. At the wasteland, the mountain, the sanctuary, the gateways... Kuja hadn't a safe place to be. There was a Kefka everywhere.

"I bet you're having the best of fun with my petite dolly, aren't you?" Kefka mumbled viciously, again, daring himself to surpass his personal space. It didn't matter how many times, Kuja just couldn't get used to that bothersome bouncing.

Counterattack.

"And I bet someone here is jealous of me, that I actually have some real charisma." he laughed back, in order to see his fake smile shift back to grimace. "Did you honestly expected that girl to obediently submit to you, having that horrid fashion sense? Now look at me, and tell who's got the best of chances."

"Uweh! Are you saying that my girl turned into a lesbian because of your clothes?"

"Take care of your words!" Right, that jester was also good for insults. "What is a vulgar pig like you following me anyways?"

"I have you all the rights of the universe to stalk you, because you've been taking away the girl I've bathed with my blood and sweat, you little bitch."

"Well, you don't look as mad." Kuja replied snarkily. "If you dare to interfere in my schedule, then I'll be sure to vanish you before the Cosmos' Warriors, Kefka."

The clown arched his thin blonde eyebrow. "Is that it?" He found something amusing among all those words. "Heehee-he... Your blood is truly cold as grave. I can imagine it now, even though you acted as if you cared for Terra... I'd love to see the devastated look on her eyes once she finds out the whole truth behind the crystals! The look she's gonna give you once she sees the real you! Hahaha!"

Something had been developing beneath Kefka's words, a dark turmoil twisting inside the white mage's insides. Was it hurt? Was it anger?

"What are you playing, you wretched cunt?" he hissed darkly to the clown. He began to sneer crazily.

"What a meanie you are!" Kefka replied rather diverted by the youngster's vulgar display of words. Even he was amazed by his own language. "Somebody needs to wash your filthy mouth with soap, you bratty princess!"

"Say what you want. I'm not falling into your childish game again."

And again, as always, Kuja didn't attack. He just left, as if his dignity depended on it.

And Kefka, mocking him as if it'd be really awful to never see Terra again. Terra was just a doll. His doll. And a doll could always be replaced, no matter how valuable it was. So why was he feeling so hurt? Of course, he loved her. Was he supposed to feel like this? He never sacrificed so much for an object.


Eventually, Kefka stopped jumping on the corners of his eyes. Maybe the clown just got tired of his role of constant nuisance, hence he accomplished it successfully, for Kuja's head was pounding like a drum.

Thinking too much about the matter made his head ache. Couldn't think straight, and it's been for a long time ever since. There was only two people inside his head, and those were Terra and Kefka. Specially the first one. The last few meetings with her weren't as pleasant as he expected. In fact, her words, meant to be forgotten, they just grew deeper and deeper within him.

He flied like a butterfly among the wasteland of Chaos, and then met a faint presence nearby. It wasn't weak, just in repose; and it was a very distinguishing strength.

That man was just there, standing over a rock in the middle of nowhere, apparently meditating... or maybe sleeping with his eyes open. Whatever it was, Kuja didn't find it productive at all. His appearance wasn't obnoxious at all, he wore a tall figure and slender body covered in black leather... and of course, his long straight hair was silver, trace of dim vanity—however, Sephiroth's hair wasn't as beautiful and bright as his'—.

Besides, it was the warrior of Chaos with whom he spoke the least—or none—. He doubted Sephiroth would try to kill him if he just approached. Any excuse would do just fine.

"And they have called me a lazy. Let us take a look at you. Have you done anything else besides standing there?" Albeit his bad manners, the other soldier didn't respond, not even turned his head back. Silent, as if he was deaf. "... Forget I asked."

Kuja was about to leave, as it seemes a waste of air to speak to that man, but suddenly, the silver haired soldier turned back his head.

"Aren't you done playing as his puppet?" he muttered, and his voice was cold, almost lifeless. "I judged you as competent enough, but it seems I was wrong."

It made the young man twist his expression, disgusted. "What are you hissing about, Sephiroth?" And then, when the taller one turned himself completely, Kuja saw a grim smile faintly making its way into his pale face.

"You're all just puppets in this conflict. Specially you, being that clown's personal toy." he said, slightly amused. "You should have been aware of it at this point."

He was making fun of him, evidently. His words weren't supposed to make sense.

"... Liar."

"I gain no benefit on telling you what everyone knows already." Sephiroth simply replied keeping in his cool. It just made Kuja even madder. It'd even drive him into blasting all of his magic with the sole purpose of erasing that sentence.

"Shut your trap, you arrogant worm! What can you know about me? Nothing else comes out of your mouth than filthy lies, fallen spawn!"

The mage exploded, he was about to fire against the other Chaos warrior, but didn't find the reason. His head raptured into angry pain again.

Wasn't he the owner of this life he was breathing? Didn't he have the will to do his fate as he wanted? Were his motivations his own? Were his memories... still there?

"Your unstability annoys me."

"Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you, you scoundrel!"

"Ask yourself, white mage, what are you so afraid to uncover? Look around you and see the truth by yourself... of course, if you know how."

Upon that last statement, Kuja realized it.

There was no proof that his resolve was real. And he always depended on vague images and scents; twisted links he managed to put together just because he found them inside his head. He felt fully sure of their accuracy until Ultimecia pushed the button, and then Terra kept scratching on the wound until dragging him to this deadly uncertainty.

Now, he even doubted if killing Zidane was the right thing to do. Incredible.

"My memories aren't fake! They're not! I shall carry on everything just as planned, and I will prove just how REAL my memories are!"

Sephiroth suddenly disappeared, as if the wind lifted away the ashes, vanishing like a phantom. But there was not longer interest on that one. The young man, with a growing determination, headed towards the lands of the light in search of his toy.

This time, it'd be different. If he couldn't succeed, then nobody could.

'And Terra shan't smile anymore.'


She explained slowly everything that Onion needed to know. As they walked over the hills and through the gates, she told, if not everything, all she could trust Onion to understand. Even tried to use the most fit words to gain the child's confidence about Kuja's matter.

Never talked this much and this long on her own. Could mean the Onion Knight was a better listener than she imagined. He remained quiet the following hours, just raising questions whenever he queried some small detail, like: 'Did he touch you?', 'Wasn't that too rough?', 'Would you think he meant this and that?', and so he kept on going...

Obviously, he was still unsure about what Terra's decission, but at least he knew she wasn't betraying her friends. She'd give him time to assimilate it all, for it wasn't yet certain what would he do if he ever had to watch over her sessions with Kuja. Of course, only if there was gonna be another session.

After the talk they went through, there was low chances of meeting him again soon, it seemed.

Onion stepped foward, telling her that he wanted to look up for manikins. The zone was infested of them, so they needed to take care of each other's backs. Terra answered the boy that she'd wait in this place that resembled Kefka's Tower, in case another new enemy approached. To this point, the little warrior trusted her capacity of dealing with stronger opponents. 'That's a start.'

Suddenly, she felt him.

Said nothing to the Onion Knight. Didn't want to involve him into this too soon. Hesitantly, the kid parted ways and went to explore to the next stage of the Gateway.

What she needed the most was time, but there was only few. Terra hurried her steps, each inch brought her closer to the weighty magic aura coming from below the dimension of iron walls. It was almost there, one whisper away from her.

Silently she soared against the echoing façade of red steel. The first thing she saw from the rift's door was the characteristic piercing blue eyes underneath silver feathers.

"Kuja? What are you doing here?" she asked softly, gliding to his side. The slender young man turned his face to her, diverted.

"I have been following you, my dear. That's the thing."

"I wasn't expecting you to. Not after the last time we talked..." Terra said leaning her face down. "You don't look better ever since then. Haven't you rested well?"

Part of him was radically different now. There were huge shadows beneath his eyes and his skin was terribly pale, almost like a ghost. He was still beautiful, but most of his radiance was almost gone; and somehow it felt as if he was thinner than before, though it was possibly just an illusion. Kuja always has been skinny to the point of having a most womanly shape.

However, his eyes gleamed with such a fierce energy, as if a beast was waiting there inside to be released.

"It isn't time to concern about my sleeping habits, Terra." Kuja strentched his hand to her, his polished sharp nails were inviting. "But there's an important matter I needed to attend with you. And I believe you won't deny me your assistance."

"... I can't, not now."

"And what is it so significant that you can't come with me?"

"It's not safe to be with you here and now! Please, you need to come back later, if it's so important."

"... You've been discovered, is that right?"

Her back shivered, a new fear growing stronger inside her heart. And his eyes were smashing the girl, making her feel so small. She didn't like the fact of being easily intimidated by Kuja just by his stare.

"Not now, Kuja; please, just go."

Kuja smirked, this time, it felt colder than ever. "Are you perhaps planning on ambushing me along your dear friends when I lay my guard down?"

"No!" The girl backed off, frightened of his souless speech. "Don't you understand? I want you to leave me alone!"

So her words became hurtful. His eyes widened in shock due her sudden response to repel him. But he was containing his own spleen in order to don't scare her away, so he just crossed his arms and examined her face.

"Is that it? Are you done using my teachings, my bird?"

And the voice of the kid trespassed through the place. "Terra, what's going on?" But she really thought he left! Kuja sneered at the noise of the young warrior's call.

"Oh, is that your little knight in shining armor?"

"You have to leave now." she continued to demand. Her heart was beating faster.

"Why should I? I believe you're expecting to see me, the evil mage, beaten by your valiant guard, that kid of fiery eyes, am I right?"

"Stop it!"

"Terra?" The Onion Knight called again, becoming uneasy. And Kuja wasn't helping either; obviously he was expecting to put the girl into a situation of extreme risk, however it didn't seem to be a sort of test or game. He genuinely wanted to frame her.

Being left with little options left, Terra hurried herself and seized Kuja with her arms, invoking a new spell as she pressed herself tightly to the other man's body. A powerful glow surrounded them as a forceful push shoved them to a new different ground. When the light faded away, they were no longer inside the dimenson of Kefka's Tower, but they found themselves inside the cold World of Darkness among the mystical pillars of crystal.

The red mage made it on top of him as she failed to properly maintain the poise so they ended up landing in the floor. Kuja was visibly stunned by the fast trick, but somehow she thought that her spell of teleportation hadn't to do with his stupor. In fact, his face regained some color, pink to be precise.

"I'm sorry if I was discovered. I know it's my fault... but, you have to understand, I'd never want to harm you, after you helped me so much." Terra explained, trying to get her bottom off his lap, discovering for uncomfortable was to be sitting nearby that codpiece of his.

And Kuja gently pushed her shoulders aside with just the fingertips of his hands, as if he wanted to prevent touching her more.

"You may forgive my rudeness, but I'm not accustomed to this kind of physical contact." he advertised frigidly. "And how considerate of you, learning this teleporting spell so fast just to take us out of such a dicey situation."

"We're still inside the same Gateway, it shouldn't take Onion too much to find us." Terra stated, slowly getting herlself up. "And don't you start flattering me! You were the one who pushed himself to the danger!"

"Oh, is that it? You aren't going to do else besides yelling at me? At least you should slap me."

"I won't give you that."

"I thought so." Easily he stood up with the help of a floating spell. Terra couldn't help but to notice the graceful manner he did to shift himself. "Well, shall we get on with it? We've got limited time left, don't we?"

"First of all, what was so urgent for you to come after me like that? I doubt you'd just want to give me an extra-lesson, because..."

"Do I irritate you, my pet?" he asked, as he caressed his lower lip with one finger. The girl snorted a little as response.

"... Sometimes, you really manage to get me on my nerves, but it's not so bad." But she was growing unpatient. "Kuja, if you don't tell me what is it, then I'm just gonna leave." Even if she was, she could barely make herself sound truly angered; not to him.

He sighed, apparently peeved by the girl's behavior. He even palmed his face in frustration.

"O, how I hate you, canary." he whispered, but Terra wasn't sure to feel offended. "Your excess of sweetness, your infinite comprehension, your lack of emotions... you do not know just how insane it drives me! Why won't you take out your anger over me? Why you hesitate on hating me?"

For someone who complained about such, he didn't displayed much of emotion either. Kuja was sour, not mad, not sad. And he lost some of his charm. Ever since last time, Terra understood how frail was his emotional state, and this new demeanour wasn't a surprise.

"Why would you want me to do that?" she asked. "Does it feel wrong that I don't discharge my anger on you? Is that what you've been so worried about?"

"I'm not worried. I am nauseated. I am sick." He wasn't being himself anymore. He was growing despondent. And then, with eyes cleared from delusion, he queried to the young lady: "Do you hate me?"

He meant those words to stab her heart out, but Terra tried to keep her warmth. "Of course I don't." So she smiled again.

"Even if I commited unspeakable horrors, and I'm beyond salvation?"

"... I don't know. Do you want me to hate you?"

"Maybe." Words couldn't describe what she felt while watching Kuja's gaze. Somehow she didn't know to whom was she talking. It was a very different person revealing underneath the cracked shelter of Kuja's character. Something incredibly sad and tragic rose within his melodious voice, and it distracted her while two white creamy hands took both sides of her head.

"... What are you doing?" she asked, while Kuja's hands gently had a firm hold of her head. They were staring at each other's eyes. A strange sensation was building inside her belly, because she was so close to him, and it wasn't fear.

"Observing you, what else does it look like?" he simply answered.

In between all she couldn't predict from the white mage, Terra was now almost sure of what he's been looking for. Affection.

But how could she ever show affection? She didn't know how. To give and receive love, those were things she wasn't ready to seize, and maybe she'd never fully understand what they meant. But she had the feeling, that in the same way, Kuja didn't comprehend love. And those who couldn't perceive it, they were the ones who needed it the most.

"Can I... hold you?" she shyly asked out of these thoughts. Hugging was a way of affection, as far as she knew.

"Don't." Kuja replied, holding her still. "I just want to look at you."

"... And... what do you want? Have you decided yet?"

He looked at her with distant curiosity. "What do you mean that I have decided, my bird? Speak up."

Without warning, her hand reached out to his wrist tenderly, trying to feel the skin beneath the cloth. There was a slight tension running on his arm as she touched his hand, but she wasn't even aware of the effect she was causing on Kuja.

"You used to don't know what you wanted, that's why I ask." But after talking and thinking much about it, she never reached a conclusion and eventually her head began to feel heavy. Was she thinking too much? Even her brain was tingling. "... I'm feeling dizzy."

"That's okay, you can close your eyes if you wish." he softly suggested.

But then, she began to feel a terrible pressure drilling on her temples, causing a heavy pain. Ardour. Sultry. It was as if her thoughts were melting within his grasp.

And she couldn't move her body. "Ahh... Kuja... what... are you doing?... My head..." All she could do was to despair and look into his icy blue eyes as everything kept tumbling down.

'Why...?' Something wet and warm slipped on the corner of her eyes. 'Why are you doing this? After all we went through?'

She blacked out, but she could still listen to her breath and her heartbeats. And she could hear someone else's breath. When Terra's eyes opened again, her body was lying on the ground, and the first thing she saw were the iron footwear of the other mage.

"... I can't. I can't do this..."

Terra groaned, fording her body to lift, but she was severely weakened by the ache. "Kuja?" Her chest hurted and her breathing was rapid and it was as if her sanity was crumbling to pieces.

"Stay away from me." Kuja said, and his voice was shaking, though she couldn't see his face down where she was. "If you so wish to live for your friends, I won't stop you. Just keep it all away from me!"

And... he left. There were still tears staining her cheeks. For the first time, the young girl began to cry.


The thief wandered aside two of his mates. The old routine was getting everytime dreary as they found nothing or no one to fight with, not a single clue to aid them in their quest for crystals. Zidane, however, never allowed those things to let him down.

Bartz, as always, had no hurries and took it all as a part of a fun game. Squall was just as bitter as a lemmon, never explaining his reasons for coming back to the party. And Zidane, well, he had his own things to worry about.

Two mages appeared on their way. Both menacing as blood-thristy, but each with their own personal goal. Squall didn't waste his time to unsheathe his gunblade, for he knew this was the battle he'd been yearning since the beginning of his journey.

Zidane, however, didn't draw his daggers yet. He didn't want to, though he was facing the Angel of Death itself. A hidden feeling was seeking its way outside him, but this wasn't the right time.

"So we finally cross our paths, my beloved brother." the mage cruelly muttered, glancing at the blonde youth with blank eyes.

"... Kuja."

"And you'd best pray... this is may be the last time we meet."


A/N: There's some nice climax building up in here! BUT I JUST WANT TO ADD MOER CHARACTERS! I'd love to add Caius (FFXIII-2) and Edea Kramer —actually, I think I could, since she's technically Ultimecia's alternate costume, and I like to think Edea was actually summoned to the war as well...— also, maybe Aerith.

BUT I'M NOT PROMISING ANYTHING!

And I hate christmas.