Remembrance

Garnet sat in her lonely tower, thinking of the man who had abruptly left her so many months ago. Why did he have to go and do something so stupid? She thought. A few lone tears fell from her face, but she had begun to build up a resistance against pain, developing a hard, cold shell…

Beatrix walked suddenly up to the princess and put her hand on her shoulder. "Thinking of Zidane again?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

The lady knight sighed. "That's all you ever think of Garnet. I think you might just have to accept…" Beatrix was cut off abruptly by Garnet's thunderous reply of "No!" and a door being slammed in the warrior's face.

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Kuja was continuing his slow march across the lifeless wilderness when he sensed something in one of the hottest regions of the desert. Without hesitation he sped off on unholy wings to where he knew his archenemy lay, ignoring the blistering heat of the region.

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Zidane plodded stoically through the barren desert, trying to overlook the heat but failing completely. Finally he let out an exasperated cry and fell to the ground, sure of his defeat.

Kuja felt his enemy's life force diminish. He would have to get there fast, or he wouldn't have a chance to indulge himself in Zidane's grisly demise. "Dammit, the desert won't get him. I will. I swear it" Kuja thought to himself, laughing.

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"Princess, please!" Beatrix yelled to the depressed woman. "You need to forget him!"

"No! Not until I have proof he's dead!"

Beatrix had an interesting plan, but she had to be completely sure that it would work.

"If we do find proof… Will you move on?" Beatrix shouted in reply.

A few minutes which seemed like an eternity of silence past.

"…Yes, I will." Garnet lied.

"Hmph… Then I shall accompany you on a rescue mission for Zidane, princess."

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Zidane felt himself start to depart the world, and thought that it might be all for the better. Heaven, or Hell, or whatever void was beyond this mortal coil, would be better than the vortex of fear and hate which was Gaia.

Kuja, now having a close proximity to his brother, began to sense his thoughts. "Zidane, do you want to die!?" Kuja exclaimed.

Zidane looked up at his brother in disbelief. "Kuja, you… you're alive! Brother!" The Genome almost got up to embrace his brother, but he noticed instantly that something was wrong. Kuja had quickly unsheathed a vicious rapier, and was wielding it menacingly. "Hahahaha! Look at the fear in your eyes, Zidane!" Kuja cried shrilly. "I've wanted to kill you for so long…" Kuja teleported away.

Zidane looked around and figured he was safe, so he got up with the renewed strength awarded to him by adrenaline and continued his journey.

Then Kuja, out of nowhere, teleporting ten yards away from Zidane's side and holding out his ferocious rapier, slashing the man in his unguarded stomach with the fierce blade as he flew towards his enemy. Zidane peacefully fell from the air he had been flung into by the vicious attack, and stayed on the burning ground, unmoving.

Kuja laughed and teleported away once again.

Zidane now felt like he was really, beyond a doubt, going to die. He felt the hot blood burning all around his body, and gave up all hope.

It was then that someone came to him, looking like an angel of mercy in Zidane's moment of utmost need. For a moment Zidane thought that it was Kuja, but this person looked nothing like his arch-rival in any way.

Fratley, amnesiac Dragon Knight, picked Zidane up and went ahead on his way, holding the unconscious Genome in his arms.