I know that Zidane grew up with Tantulus, but I wanted Zidane and Freya to have a stronger bond.

Just in case.

I keep making Zidane such a crybaby.

Please excuse that.

And my Align Center.

"Doctor Tot!" Vivi shouted.

Kuja and Vivi ran up the spiraling staircase, soon ending up at Doctor Tot's abode.

"What is it, my child?"

"It's Zidane!"

Kuja walked in, earning a gasp from Doctor Tot.

"What have you done to him?" He shouted.

"I haven't done a thing to the poor darling, now fix him!"

Kuja was getting a little emotional, despite himself. Even Vivi saw that Kuja's tears were not false.

"Please… Just make him well again…"

Doctor Tot was rummaging around in some drawers, looking for some sort of medication. When a vial of pink liquid was held up, Kuja could tell that it wasn't going to be pleasant when the viscous substance would be placed in Zidane's mouth.

"You give it to him." Doctor Tot handed Kuja the medicine.

"Me? Why do I have to give it to him?"

"Because I have to hold him down."

"Hold him down? Why? What's going to happen to him?" Kuja's voice was filled with worry.

"I'll tell you once everything has calmed down, now just make sure he drinks all of it!" Doctor Tot continued, "Zidane… Work with us, I beg of you… I understand that you'll be in discomfort, but please, I have no white magic at hand for your self injuries…"

"Self… Injuries…?" Kuja whimpered.

"Give it to him Kuja!"

Kuja emptied the vial into Zidane's mouth. He seemed to willingly drink it, but Kuja saw Zidane's tail twitch furiously. It all started with that.

Soon after, Zidane let out a feral growl, as his tail lashed around. With a shout of despair that made Kuja's heart stop, Zidane was gnawing at his wrists, trying to get free of something.

"Stop it!" Kuja screamed, holding Zidane's arms down.

"Only he knows what's going on… And he won't even tell Freya…" Vivi muttered.

I sometimes had horrible flashbacks when I passed out like that. It had only started after we had defeated Garland. I knew that Vivi would help Kuja get me to Doctor Tot. These flashbacks consisted of my life on Terra, before I was placed on Gaia. At the time, I was only a small child and a rather rambunctious one at that… But I couldn't help being a kid, no one could.

"Zidane! Get here, right now!" I heard Garland shout.

Oh boy, I was terrified. I ran toward the outskirts of Bran Bal, and looked around for a place to hide. There was absolutely no where to hide in this desolate area. I acted on instinct and rolled up into a tight ball.

I heard the metal clink of Garland's boots approach ever nearer.

"He can't see me, he can't see me…!" I reassured myself.

I felt him lift me up by the back of my collar. I felt an urge to scream, but I didn't want to show any weakness. I hadn't done since I've been living.

"Get off me!" I shouted.

"Why have you done this?" He bellowed.

Back at Pandemonium, there was a small smoldering patch of land. I had left the gate to where the dragons nest open by mistake.

"It was an accident!"

"I've given you countless chances to prove yourself Zidane! This is the last straw!"

My heart sunk. I swear it left my body for that moment. I had seen what Garland had done to genomes who had messed up more than once. He simply disposed of them. But wasn't I special…? I had a soul, or something!

The child in me was finally let out. No trying to hide anything. Tears welled up in my eyes, my nose started to run, and above all, I started to shake more than a baby chocobo.

"No! Don't kill me Garland! I promise not to mess up anymore, I promise!"

"I was not planning on discarding you; you need to be taught a lesson."

My breathing stopped momentarily as I felt a sharp, unbearable pain.

"Once we get back, I'll deal with you."

He pulled my tail even harder, earning a horrifying scream from me, that the whole of Terra could hear. I was frightened. He held me up to his face, holding me by my hands.

"You'll never want to cause trouble again."

I started to chew on my wrists, like a trapped wolf would when snared in a hunters trap. Garland held me by the back of my shirt again, stopping me from gnawing on my wrists.

I awoke in the middle of my bed. Was it a dream…? The bottom of my spine was killing me, so I guess it wasn't a dream.

It was pitch black, and my wrists were hurting. I looked at them, and they were bandaged up. I suddenly heard the door open, so I dived underneath the covers, pretending to be asleep.

I heard light footsteps walk toward me. I felt someone touch my wrists. I was afraid; what if it was Garland, coming to finish me off? I started to shiver again.

"Has he got a fever too?" I heard a soft voice ask.

That wasn't Garland. Far from it. Whoever it was, they removed my bandages and started rubbing something in that stung enough for me to cry out.

"Shush! Calm down! It'll be over in a minute!"

They started to wrap my wrists up with new bandage. It still hurt.

"The base of my tail hurts…" I moaned.

"The way you're trying to sleep isn't helping. Come here and I'll try to make it better."

I literally jumped into the kind strangers arms, and clasped my arms around his neck. He started to rub my lower back, slightly relieving the pain. His tail wrapped around my leg.

"Sorry… My tail has a mind of its own."

"The pain is going away…" I muttered.

"He used to do the same to me… I try to keep out of his way. Out of site, out of mind, as they say."

"…Who are you?"

"I guess technically, I'm your older brother…"

"Really? I've never seen you around the genomes before…"

"I am a rather solitary person. I try not to linger around those mindless idiots."

"So, you have a soul, just like me then…?"

"Yes… Me and you are rather alike. Although Garland seems to have plans for the both of us."

"I wanna get out of here… I want to be free of Garland's grasp…"

"As do I…"

I woke up early that morning, so I decided to take a stroll around Bran Bal. When I got there, no one was around, save one person.

"It must be early…" I murmured to myself.

I walked over to the other genome, and instantly noticed his platinum hair and silver tail.

"Who are you? I've never seen a genome with hair that isn't blonde before."

"Don't you recognize me, Zidane?"

"Older brother…?"

"Yes. But please call me Kuja… Let's not even get started with the whole 'Nii-san' thing."

"I… I won't, no worries…"

"Do you still want to get out of here?"

"…Yeah."

"I was thinking it over last night. If you so strongly want out, I'll take you to Gaia. But there you'll be alone, and I'll be coming back here."

"What's Gaia?"

"It's another world."

"You'd really take me there?"

"Yes. But you must understand that you'll be alone once you get there. You'll have to fend for yourself."

"Please Kuja… Take me there…"

"Follow me…"

Kuja took me along a long winding path that led to a bright blue light. He took my hand.

"Brace yourself."

He jumped into the light, and blasts of wind were hitting me from all directions, disorientating me. I soon felt the hard ground hit my face.

"We're here…" Kuja muttered, "There is one more thing you must do while you're here."

I looked at him quizzically.

"Act like a normal child. I know you've never done it before, but it'll help you find someone here. But if anyone looks that suspicious, don't go with them, even if they offer you things that are too good to be true."

"Kuja…? Are you leaving me now?"

I knew he was going to leave, but I just needed to make sure.

"You knew I would be leaving… Now this is your last chance to change your mind."

"I'm fine. I'll stay here."

"Goodbye Zidane. I hope you find peace here…"

Kuja walked through the bright blue light, and it gradually faded away into nothing. I felt the urge to cry, even though I had no idea why. I looked around the area, and I found a leafy tree, with fruits growing from it. I ran over to it, and climbed its branches, soon sitting there, sobbing into my knees.

What Kuja said to me relieved me. I had always wanted to act like a child, to have a mother, maybe even a father… But now that I looked into it, who would want to adopt a scrawny kid with a tail? No one.

I heard something rustle in the leaves below me, but I ignored it.

"Hey kid, are you alright?" A concerned voice asked.

"No…! I wanna home! I wanna family!" I sobbed.

"Come down here kid, let me try and get you home."

"But I don't have a home!"

"Come down here anyway. I'm sure we can work something out."

I wiped my tears away and nimbly jumped down, in front of the stranger.

"Oh… You're only young… Do you have any family at all?"

"I have a big brother… But he was the one that left me here…"

"What a horrible thing to do…"

"No… I asked him to, because Garland kept pulling my tail…!" I wailed.

"And who is Garland?"

"He's the man who created me…"

"Your father?"

"No, my creator…"

"Maybe you can live with me for the time being."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm Freya."

"Mama Freya…? I'm Zidane…"

Freya smiled and picked me up.

"I'll get you cleaned up, and we'll get you something to eat."