LISTENING TO FFXIII-2's SOUNDTRACK ALL ALONG. IT'S MAGIC.

Warnings: Mayor OOCness... I guess.


VIII. Wounded Wings.

He made a choice, only for himself and none. It'd be his ultimate movement on the stage of this epic war. Though his acts would be seemingly just a small interference on the divine chords, it'd probably turn all destiny upside down. He'd violate the main rule. Zidane would perish before getting his crystal, and so, another cycle would end to give birth anew.

What he didn't decide just yet was... what would he do at his brother's death?

So his meditation brought him back to the reality, the dark reigns of Chaos, one deceitful harpy fluttering towards him in desolation, she queried him with assistance for her next perfomance in the dreadful stage.

"Weren't you going to bring the girl with you?" asked the Time Witch walking slowly circling him, her raven wings spread just gave him the illusion of being trapped within them.

"I changed my plans." he replied slightly annoyed. "Besides, she must get her crystal before time... And I don't understand why must you take affinity with me."

"That boy probably shrinked back to his circle of friends. After all, he's taken fondness of that kid, Zidane."

"I thought you wished to ambush him on his own."

"That's why I brought you with me." The witch's golden eyes glowed mysteriously under the tattoed marks of her fakingly young face. Maybe she was trying to menace him with the stare in this case. "And we don't need those children dead yet." Ultimecia emphasized those last words, as if she could read Kuja's real thoughts.

He just rustled derisively at her. "This shall be the last time I take a partnership with you."

"Then face the three of them alone, if you so dare."

"I can kill them all with the proper strength." Kuja hissed clenching his teeth with disgust. The elder magic user turned herself to open the rift's door they needed, and in a flashing desire for murder, Kuja murmured below his lips. "You hag."

"I've heard that." she replied nonchalantly, weaving her huge black wings smoothly. "I'll cast Mute on you if I hear another compliment, Kuja."


The time, it came eventually, as she ran into his trace of destruction. Probably, he liked to rip the manikins to shreads when he was bored; it was quite a horrifying view, to see all the dismembered crystal figures scattered all over the dark factory-like place, with the lunatic joker sitting on the end of the trail. He's been waiting for her, it seemed.

When he sluggishly turned his gaze upon the girl, she felt as if his green lime eyes grew wider, brighter, like a maddening child.

"Meh, what's the use of being in pain if you can't show it to us all, my dear?"

"I'm not afraid of you, Kefka. I'm ready to take you." she said, gripping her fists tightly. This was the battle that she needed to get through on her own, after all.

"How dull. And I was expecting some delightful mental mess from you! You can just make things easier to me and come straight back to my arms, tweety."

"No."

"Then be destroyed, ungrateful scum." Kefka screeched, floating around in a playful manner. Then clapped his hands in order to call her attention. "Come to play with daddy!"

His depraved smile inviting her into his madness, but she refused to set the first assault. To be predicted, the clown bursted out in laughter at the same time he released a great amount of purple shimmering balls of energy, so Terra had to jump back and elude them with sharp precision, for Kefka's attacks were extremely unpredictable.

He laughed and laughed, having the best of fun, not caring werether she could survive his magical explosions. Terra was doing all her best to avoid getting touched by his powers, leaving her with little chance to strike back. She had to fly away as far as she could if she intended to get an opening. But then she was surrounded by the destructive spell. Quickly, barely managed to teleport away from it.

"I WANNA PLAY MORE!"

Terra landed herself on the other side of the great room of red iron, took a deep breath and calibrated the power she needed. Just as she's been taught. Then, in a peekaboo manner the colorful mage appeared behind her cracking up in guffawing. He was about to launch another fiery spell, but she managed to attack first, using Tornado or course. That was a good counterattack spell.

Kefka was taken by surprise by that windy chaos, lifting his body and sending him to crash against the ceiling. Then fell uncouncious to the ground. For a moment he looked like dead. And Terra's heart skipped a pound.

But when she approached, a light rapturing from the floor nearly exploded against her. But the intensity of that spell managed to burn her, just by being close to the blow.

The clown got back to his feet and grinned at the girl. "... Ha! You thought I was holding back, precious lamb?" He stuck out his tongue in a jeering way and summoned another kind of light around him, as if he sat a barried on himself. "Watch this!"

But it wasn't. As soon as he begun to focus, a new sun-like light started to follow her, dropping bombs that violently exploded with destructive magic. Terra flyed away, but it kept following. But Kefka right there was vulnerable. It was her perfect chance.

"Enough!" Got herself quickly on the ground and casted an energetic blow of Flood that, and as easy as it seemed, it hit Kefka before his spell could touch her. "I'm not gonna cling to the past anymore, and I'm not gonna let you have your way, ever again!"

His body floated limblessly on the air, and he was surrounded by a black kind of smoke. His presence was beginning to fade, she felt.

"Little Terra, don't you understand it yet?" his murmur haunted her, his body yet didn't disappear at all. He was playing dead, but he lifted his head and watched her with great amusement. "Either way you pick, I'm your your doom!"

There was something beneath those words, and Terra knew it. Kefka's body dissolved along the black smoke and his insane laughter, leaving the girl even more confused than before.

Then there was hush.

"What's happening...?" Terra's hands were shaking, not seeing any signal whatsoever. She defeated Kefka, she did surpassed her mission, so... "Why haven't I got my crystal yet?"

Something was there, she missed an important matter beyond her understanding. Her heart was still replete with confusion, like never before. She still didn't know what she wanted, what were her desires. Didn't she try hard enough?

There's been something troubling her mind ever since she met Kuja for the last time. She didn't know how to describe it, but was it really hatred what she felt for him now?

'Kuja... Even if you betrayed me...'

All she did in the beginning was to become stronger in order to protect what she cherished the most. Her friends. Kuja didn't matter at all, as long as she knew how to take care of herself from his hidden intentions. However, Terra never expected that she'd become caring of him, a villain. Someone who probably wasn't any better than... she was? Even as bad as Kefka.

She had no right to call herself saint. She committed horrible crimes even if she wasn't aware of them. Those memories flashed back to her all of sudden. She killed. She destroyed. Barely perceived any sense of morality, until she met righteous people. If she didn't, she'd have just ended up falling again into the darkness. So she knew how it was to be lost.

That's why she tried to understand Kuja. Because they were the same. Or that's how she felt. 'I wish I was certain, otherwise if I commit another mistake, it shall be my last.'

Kuja was after Zidane. The last time, he wasn't even good, he was about to break. Though thanks to those circumstances she was still free, the white mage would put himself in grave danger if he fought in that mental state.

"Terra... Have you made it?" Cloud asked, coming on her aid. The Onion Knight wouldn't come with her, for his trust wasn't stronger than his uneasiness.

She'd just throw the dice. "Cloud, I need your help. Where's Zidane and the others?" The spike-haired man stared at her bemused trying to ask her the reasons, but refusing to waste any more time she grabbed his wrist and dragged him as she flyed forcefully. "I'm sorry, I can't explain you yet, but you have to trust me, please."

"Okay, I'll show you the way. Just let me walk on my own." he answered, still dazed by her hurry. Even now she wasn't sure what would she do next. Following feelings wasn't always the smart thing to do.


The world was made of crystals. Everything of this place had a cold breath of familiarity grasped him, though couldn't really tell what was he doing in a place like this in the past. Was it just another illusion? Didn't matter. This was the perfect place to be Zidane's tomb.

The crystal structures would look beautiful enameled with his blood.

The slender graceful mage was floating above the thief, who hadn't unyield his daggers for battle. Probably fighting the idea of running away for his life while he could.

Oh no, there was no turning from this. Even now, he could listen his music inside his head. His heart was beating fast for the thrill of massacre.

"Can you hear it, Zidane? That magnificent requiem? It's for you. You'd be grateful to die at such a exquisite lullaby."

"I can't believe you. And here I thought that you weren't as rotten as that witch." the young man replied, his gold furred tail moved one way another, reacting to his anger. Kuja should be the one angry here.

The mage invoked magical orbs to accompany his inner music, growing to a violent climax. "I'm not rotten. Soon that'll be your corpse, lost within the threads of the rift!" Predictable enough, casted swift sparkles of thunder, forcing the younger one to move.

"Even you! You're starting to talk funny, just like them!" Zidane moved really fast, so the silver one had to chase him all over the place, avoiding any interruptions from the eagering battle between Squall and the Time Witch, Bartz seemingly helping the friend. Zidane already had his own problems to deal with. "What happened to all that individualism crap of yours, Kuja? Are you now just one of the herd too?"

He just rapidly rushed the bright of Holy upon the little man, each time closer to hit him. "Quiet, you worm!" Then summoned the Flare Star, that lovely spell he named himself because it was his favorite. "Please, just accept death that I'm generously offering to you!"

Zidane got engulfed by the overwhelming fire balls, but forced himself fall to thr ground in order to don't get further damage.

"Oh yeah?" the thief panted, putting himself on his feet. His daggers were ready for defense. "Then you're forcing me to use brute force!"


For the witch, it was all a game. A dance. The knight was playing rough on his way, but she admired such cruel and desperate rampage. He was showing all his emotions through battle, for he always recured himself to be the emotionless one. His face told nothing, but his actions talked instead.

Eventually, Squall got tired of chasing and blocking. And so did she. Needed to play her part too.

"Have you ran out of breath?" she laughed, stretching her ravenous claws, instructing the iron to take form of knives to chase mercilessly to the young man. "Take your punishment, ruthless child."

Squall was ready to take the threatening rain of knives, but a ravaging beam of electricity and fire tore the way of the witch's spell. Somehow, the mime copied a strangest kind of weapon, like a machine, which didn't belong to any other warrior, but surely it came out to be a most helpful trick, it ended up saving Squall from a deadly blow.

"Ugh... Bartz! Don't get in the way!" he groaned, stepping in front of the other youth.

"Like heck I will!" he replied, stubborn to let his mate die alone.

"You're just being stupid! Go help Zidane!"

Ultimecia didn't waste time, for she summoned a more dangerous spell, which surrounded both lads in a magical circle, feeling the light swallowing their very souls. Squall hurried to push Bartz out of the way, barely making it out safely. They simultaneously striked back with spellcasting, but their own magic wasn't match for such a powerful sorceress.

The youth with black jacket silently adverted his comrade to get back to aid Zidane, but the mime strongly refused shaking his head. Then an overwhelming explosion of purple sunshine filled the dimension of pink crystals, causing everything to tremble. And Ultimecia didn't do that, when they looked at her, she had turned her head left to see the source of such mighty burst.

They saw that androgynous mage gliding, almost dancing all over the place, shooting ferocious spells against the young thief who could barely stand and escape the fire.

"Crap! That guy is seriously trying to kill him!" Bartz yelped, running as fast as he could. On that moment, they witnessed Zidane flying on the air because of another blast, his tail's end was on fire, but he seemed more worried on getting a better landing.

"Zidane!" The teenage warrior also ran after Bartz. But the witch casted a barrier on his way, making him crash violently. However she didn't laugh at the boy's failure. Her eyes weren't even at her own battle.

Ultimecia's attention was also focused on the battle between the monkey-tailed boy and the white mage. "... Is he really trying to murder the brat?" The woman then invoked magical spears to rise for her, stopping the blast from the young man's gunblade. "It's hard to get me off my guard, isn't it, Squall?"

"Squall, gonna need your help here!"

She felt how his strength increased, as he forced the edge of his blade further against her spears' icy iron. "Outta my way!" Another blast, more powerful and energetic, it made the sorceress to cease and let him pass, otherwise she'd be forced to take all of his blows.

It was something completely out of her judgement, but she let her prey escape.

"Should I interfere...?" A faint smile crossed her red wine lips. "No, let's see how will tables turn."

After all, Kuja was nothing but a puppet. She should enjoy the show while she could. After all, this was the trial they've been looking foward to see.


Zidane spitted blood from his mouth, grabbing his chest's side. "Gah... what the hell is wrong with you?"

"What a question to ask, dear Zidane! It's YOU what's wrong with me!" He wasn't in the mood for a talk in the middle of battle. He's been trying relentlessly to erradicate Zidane's life for more than three minutes and the rat was still alive.

The thief's magic source was no different from his own, but still, they weren't fair match. Kuja easily blocked all of the younger genome's counterattacks with implacable force. Holy, Flare, Thunder, Ultima, all those elements merging into adamant visual music.

The brat couldn't have survived all that chaos of his. But the thespian couldn't sense the person who was falling atop him. The blunt side of his daggers rapped violently his chest, arms and stomach. Kuja fell backwards, but was able to prevent a rough wrecking with his Float ability. He quickly checked his body; nothing cutted, but barely bruised. After all, his body was incredibly resistant to most of harms.

And Zidane was there, standing dangerously close to him. Such a foolish approach. "Listen... I know that most of memories aren't clear... but you gotta admit it... something wicked is happening to your head, bastard!" he explained, though not letting his guard down. "We don't need to fight each other! I refuse to accept that this is our only choice left!"

"Then, your innocence it's an awfully inconvenient virtue you possess right now!" Kuja raised his arms on the air, having enough energy to blast him again with Ultima. "Now, it's time to die!"

"—You first!"

For a reason, Kuja didn't expect it. Maybe he became a little rusty for battles. Two idiots attacked his back at the same time and couldn't stop them, so he crashed against one of the crystal pink walls. It probably left him muddled for a couple of seconds. They hit him harder than Zidane ever did.

"If you want to mess with our friend, you gotta make it pass through all of us!"

They were standing in front of Zidane, the skinny one with blue garments and the fierce one in black leather. Kuja didn't expect to fight the one with the gunblade again, he was a feral fighter, but just because last time he didn't need to destroy him.

The white mage stood on his feet, it hurted to walk straight. But it didn't stop him from laughing cruelly. "Fine. Then everybody will die." Again, he casted his Holy orbs and prepared to show them what was a true Angel of Death made of.

"Nobody is gonna die here!" It was Squall the first one on thrusting his blade foward.

Kuja flew higher to the air, to prevent further attacks on the ground, but the scarred warrior would not give up so easily. He was jumping up the pillars of crystal.

"How noble of you! Die in front of your friends to serve as an example of what awaits for them."

"He's not alone!" Bartz attacked too, mimicking a Holy spell that belonged to a certain little girl he didn't wanted to remember by now. Kuja casted Flare on both his sides to prevent a double assault. Squall's blade was much more effective, but the mage didn't allow him to pierce through his defenses. He striked back with the orbs of white that served as burning punches for the teenage monster.

However, it wasn't good enough to stop him, for his blade had the inopportune craft of discharging bullets in case the sword couldn't cut. The blow of fire and steel reached Kuja's shoulder, they tore his purple jacket and his golden chestplate inside, for they weren't enough to stop the shot from bruising his body. Surely they didn't make him bleed, but the wound would look terrible underneath.

And so, the smallest of the three warriors arrived to the upper level of the battlefield, stunned. "Wait you guys! Stop!" Nobody was listening to Zidane's cries.

Definetaly Squall wasn't the kind of warrior he was prepared to brawl on this kind of situation; his fighting style was still something he couldn't predict nor control. Besides it was supposed to be Ultimecia's match, not his.

'Where's that old witch?'

She wasn't anywhere on sight. Probably left too soon, maybe already defeated by Squall with the help of the other idiot. Whatever, it wasn't important; right now he needed to finish them or he'd lose his chance.

"Time to unleash hell upon you..." He focused all of his power on his next spell—But... what happened to his anger? Why wasn't he red yet? Why wasn't Trance coming to him?

What was failing?

"You're open!" Another strike of the blade, but he evaded the mortal slash just by little. But before Kuja could feel safer, another blow got him from behind with somekind of bigger massive sword that resembled a warrior he saw early in this cycle. At least he didn't get hit with the sharp part of it. It was, unfourtunately, too soon to feel relieved.

Squall took advantage from Bartz's intromission and did some sort of circling movement with his sword near him. Small spheres of orange light started to burst around him.

Then he felt the burning. Such blasts knocked his body with such strength that he crashed to the floor helplessly, flimsy like a ragdoll.

"... Damn brat..." he cursed as blood gushed out of his mouth. That blow probably broke more than one rib. He quickened his hand to invoke a shield spell, for the knight didn't waste time on striking again. But something else that Kuja wasn't expecting was the way his little brother would interfere in the brutal battle.

"Squall, wait!" he bellowed with both daggers standing out to stop another assail. Didn't matter either way, he was protected by his preventive spell.

Bartz, seemingly less irated than his partner, agreed on Zidane's terms; Squall, however, never put his sword back, in case it was needed again. "I want to talk to him." Then his blue eyes turned to him, eerily identic to his own, but wearing a more livid shine than he'd ever have.

It was amusing, to watch Zidane's softer side.

"Come a little closer, brother. Only doom lies beyond your careless footsteps..."

"Why are you doing this?" the blond boy approached, weapons low on his sides. His eyes were demanding, angry, confused, craving an answer for all this bloodshed. "Tell me why, Kuja."

His mouth curled into a slow sad smile. His resolve was still a pitch-black. "To prove I have a reason." So his fingers twitched inducing black and red sparks on the ground, Flare Stars taking shape on Zidane's sides. "Please, die here."

On the moment he attacked his genome fellow, all around him seemed to blur, as if the translucid curtains of reality waved by a dashing wind. All noise was muffled, images went foggy and his senses went loose for small seconds; it all felt so unreal that he feared a fatal distance from reality. He felt sick.

He could only distinguish how Zidane fell heavily to the floor severely burned, and how the other knight menaced to slice him with a deadly blow of that sword. That power was great enough to crush the defensive spell.

"... That's it, you're gone!" Squall yelled, charging his gunblade for what was going to be a huge blast. Bartz hurried to help the fallen Zidane, who was barely breathing after suffering such an overwhelming explosion. His face and hair were all black because of the burn.

The thief, however, only seemed more worried about his friend's upcoming wrath upon Kuja. "Wait—!" but his voice was all dry, only his lips could be read.

It all felt so slow and heavy for the white mage. He no longer found on himself the will to move to defend his life. In one small second, all kind of images crossed his mind; memories that were kept from him began to flourish. He found himself lying on the dark musky roots of what seemed to be a giantic tree, and Zidane there, by his side... smiling.

What was that? From where did it come from? His whole body began to shake, as if some essential part of his body cracked. And there he was Squall's blade, about to slash him in two.

'Zidane... You...'

"STOP!" And a miracle happened again, for luck always fell upon those who didn't deserve it. It was her voice what broke fate, it was her figure what stood in the middle of death and life.

"... Terra?"

She appeared out of nowhere, like a form of magic, and with the little sword she had in possession, she succeeded to block Squall's bigger blade. The clash breed a shrieking noise, and the friction sparks were so intense they could provoke fire.

For one moment, the whole world froze. There wasn't one single person in place who hadn't a dumbfounded expression on their face, except maybe, the female warrior there.

"What are you doing?" Kuja queried stunned to the girl.

Squall quickly ceased and removed his gunblade from her. "I knew it... you're in this with him!" he hissed regretfully.

The youngest one of them all slowly and shakily got on his feet with Bartz's help, surprinsingly still capable of moving on his own. "What do you mean, Squall...?"

"Why are you protecting this guy?" he demanded with dim patience to the girl; Terra didn't quiver, remaining firm between them as she put her dagger back to its sheath. Kuja couldn't bear it anymore. She wasn't supposed to be here. He wanted to move, cast her aside, but his body felt incredibly heavy and weak.

"Terra... go away." muttered coldly, and everyone was hearing but her.

The mage only perceived how her round pale face leaned down, but didn't find the smallest sight of her face. "I'm so sorry for lying to you all this time." she said, and he felt his chest tighten with the sound of her heartbreaking voice. "But... I'm in debt with him, and this is the least I can do."

"This is serious..." the mime uttered. The others were just as shocked. Zidane stumbled lazily, unable to contain his distress on his features.

"I understand why couldn't you tell us, Terra... But still, Kuja..." When his marble blue eyes gazed again at his brother, he averted his face in silence.

The twist of the situation only worsened Squall's character, losing temper in front of the red dressed girl. "How can you owe this guy something? You've seen what he tried to do! He could have been tricking you all this time for all we know!" His blue eyes were burning with courage and vehemence, frustration for he knew he couldn't do anything against her.

And then she bursted out too. "Do you think I don't know?" she exclaimed, her sharp sound made echoe all over the place, even made the valiant teen leap a little.

This was laughable, a comedy, Kuja thought. This couldn't be happening. Terra turned back and leaned on her knees, though never looking at him to the eyes; he extended her sweet hands to seize his wounded arms.

"Come with me." she whispered, mildness half-broken on her spirit.

"You don't have to do this." Kuja responded with his eyes down. He didn't have the conceit of looking at her, not after hurting her, after destroyed her confidence like he crushed a canary inside his cruel grasp. "Leave me here."

"I said that I'd come to save you if you ever got in a hurry, didn't I? Now, let's go."

She helped him to get up by grabbing him by his waist and placed his arm to hang around her neck; her fingers were so tender against his bare skin, he couldn't resist it. It seemed, he couldn't walk well, so it seemed hard for her to handle his weight on her own. Still, she carried on.

However, the scarred-face one seemed reluctant on allowing them the pass. Kuja knew he needn't pass through this disgrace. He could just lift his hand anytime and drown the brat in fire anytime!

Unexpectedly, the injured thief stepped in and grabbed his friend's shoulder. "Let them go, Squall. We won this battle, it's fine." And, for everyone's surprise, the young man put down his weapon, still dubious of his judgement.

"... How can this be fine?" Squall buzzed in annoyance. Terra kept on going along the Chaos mage.

They passed through the three warriors of light, and Kuja felt as if he was going through a public humiliation, parading on a road of fools. The shame was so much that his pulse went faster, his sight darker. 'Must be the effect of the beating.' Pain went deeper within his mask of indifference, raping his very soul. Not only physical discomfort, but his mind was filled with blear.

"Kuja..." The little brother again, he thought dismayed, he saw lack of regret on his expression. "I still want to hear your answer. Next time, be real."

As if reality wasn't yet disturbing enough.

Terra delivered one last gaze to all her friends. "I'm sorry..." And he noticed it again, tears bestowed her gentle face again, melting on her cheeks. "Please don't hate me." Without a sound, she thrusted her body up and casted a floating spell to let them get away easily. Kuja, of course understood and joined to make it less tricky for the little lady.


The soldier who accompanied her remained silent ever since she presented the body of a very injured warrior of Chaos, as she revealed the reasons for what she needed his help. At that rate of the way, she could barely carry him alone, so she was in need for a physically stronger folk. Cloud just silently nodded and did what she told him. Kuja only groaned in complain, but said nothing; it seemed like he just became weaker and weaker after the battle.

"Why aren't you mad at me, Cloud?" she asked while getting occupied on carrying Kuja's left side. They've been wandering out for a while now.

It took him quite a lot to answer, surely looking for a better choice of words. "I've seen this guy before... I somehow wanted to think he didn't have bad intentions for you." he replied, almost confessing. "I guess it won't harm me to help you both."

They heard a chuckling underneath. "Then you're being foolish, Cloud." said Kuja.

"Were you awake?" he asked almost coldly.

"I don't need your pity. Let me go before you regret touching me." The white mage began to struggle against both of them, though being awarded with more pain he managed to get off them on his own.

"Kuja, don't..." Terra wanted to reach out for him, but he quickly tossed her hand aside. There was a deep turmoil she could see inside his eyes, but wasn't able to decode such dark emotions expressed. "Why won't you trust in anyone?"

"Because you made the mistake of trusting me." He replied trying to get away farther, trying so hard to don't look at her. He twisted his expression and brushed his silver mane backwards. "Don't play fool with me. You know how have I betrayed you, my dear bird."

And Cloud, unfortunately was listening the whole thing. "What are you talking about?"

The girl frowned slightly, remembering the painful experience. But an opaque bitter ray of hope bathed the memory. "... Still, you didn't do it. You couldn't."

He guarded in silence, just taking one second to watch her face again then turning back to the soldier with whom he had no relationship whatsoever. They exchanged cold gazes for some seconds, but Cloud's eyes told little about his feelings.

Kuja took one sigh and keeping cool his face. "We're fair. You payed your debt with me, so I'm no longer at your service, pet. We shan't meet anymore, for from now and on, we're becoming enemies of blood."

"Are you even convinced of your own words, Kuja?"

"I wouldn't hesitate on killing your friends, unlike Ultimecia does... so you've witnessed minutes ago. And you, swordsman, don't be confident on yourself just because the goddess granted you your crystal."

"... I'll take that into account." Cloud replied blankly. The mage greeted dryly at the warrior—perhaps a short show of appreciation for his help—, and began to drift away, uncaring of his current wounds.

"Wait, Kuja." Terra had to control herself for not chasing after him again, so she remained close to Cloud. "What do you mean that Ultimecia hesitated on killing them? Was she holding back?"

"... They don't need the warriors dead yet, and that's all I've got to say."

And so, once again the beautiful reaper left her with muddled thoughts. Kuja broke through the rift's gate and escaped, probably back to Chaos' zone.

There was another awkward silence between the two warriors, for now Terra's secret was no more. What would Cloud say next about her? Was it okay to let him inside her affairs? What did he think about Kuja? Would he tell the others about this?

"He does seem to have issues. But he cares about you." he muttered crossing his arms as he looked down.

The magician in red blinked twice and stared at her partner. "How can you tell, Cloud?" It was strange to believe Cloud knew to read Kuja better than she did.

"Because... he seemed very confused and tense." he said, ostensibly unsure of his observations. Or maybe deeply disquieted. "He musn't even know who he wants to be. What he hides must be something even he doesn't know. Somehow, it resembles you when you got started in this conflict, I guess."

"You... really think so?"

Piecing his words together with her suspicions made sense. Even if her instincts told her to forget about Kuja, at this point it wasn't possible. The crystal quest wasn't something of lesser matter, but she wouldn't be able to go on without first disclose Kuja's real face, no matter if he ended up being just as vicious as any other knave. It was a decission of her own, after all.

Like an imprisoned animal, she couldn't help it but to keep scratching on the surface of it until finding its end.

She touched Cloud's hand and, because she hadn't for anyone else besides Kuja, smirked weakly. "Thank you for aiding me. Even though I'm dragging you into all of this... I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." It didn't matter, however, Cloud barely reacted. It made her a bit worried, for he seemed to be very shut for his own emotions. "Why wasn't the kid helping you? I thought you told him about this too."

Onion Knight. He could have been the first person she'd turn to in this kind of cirmcumstances, but Terra deep inside knew the child wouldn't be able to believe in such a blind kindness like her own, 'cause she hadn't any proof of Kuja being anything else but a villain. "... It's complicated." she said after taking a small breath.

"I see." She kept on hoping Cloud would be more open-minded, and she didn't choose wrong. "If you ever need more help with Kuja... let me know."

"Why do you trust so easily on him?" She felt safe with him.

"I don't. I just... have the feeling that I'll regret it if I don't help him. That's all."


A/N: Apparently, I make the chaos' warrior a bunch of lazy mofos, and the cosmos warriors just a bunch of wandering hobos. I'm just used to spend half of a FF game running in circles around the map for nothing. :P

And I love Ultimecia, though you may not notice it much in this chapter for the poor portrayal I've given to her character. I CAN FEEL IT. I'M NOT DOING A GOOD JOB! TELL ME HOW CAN I DO BETTER PLEASE!

And KujaxCloud bromance is crack canon. Scary to believe.