~ This is my very first Final Fantasy 9 fic. Let's give it a go. I'd like to hear your input, whether it's a bad review or a good one. Thanks. ~

"KUJA!!!!" Zidane yelled as he plummeted towards the ground. Kuja watched with narrowed eyes and a malevolent grin on his face.

"NO!" Tears streamed from my eyes. Sadness and pain filled my soul. What would make him do this? How could he? I trusted him... All I could see was Kuja standing at the end of the balcony watching the one I love fall. My own head was bleeding, not heavily, but enough to make my head ache and throb.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway. Quick, sure steps. My father's. "Kuja. What is going on?" My father's tone was confident and, in a way, indifferent. He walked calmly over to where I was leaning against the wall. "Renia, are you all right?" I felt like screaming no at him as well, but instead I stared blankly at him, through the wall of tears in front of my eyes. He was gone.... Dead. It was my entire fault. My entire fault.

I watched with narrowed eyes as Kuja walked inside. He looked over at me, the malevolence gone from his crimson gaze, adoration in his eyes. He is a machine; he probably cannot comprehend my anger. But that does not erase it, make it cease to be. "Garland, I shall resume my guard. Is that permissible?" My father nodded silently, as if nothing had happened.

"Father, is he dead? Do you think he died from the impact? I hate Kuja, so.... vengeful. So arrogant and jealous. I hate him. Can't you just.... I don't know.... destroy him?" My father frowned and said, "It is not Kuja who is defective, Zidane is. It is better that he is gone. Zidane is the one to hate; he ensnared your heart, Renia. Kuja RAISED you, from a tiny baby to a beautiful young woman. And you hate the one that has raised you? I will not destroy the one I will use as my angel of death. Now, let's go get this bandaged." I followed along, though my soul was gone from the shell that I was. He dragged me to his room, so he could bandage my bleeding head, and then he told me to get some sleep. As if I will get any sleep after THIS...

I went down the dimly lit halls and found Kuja guarding the door. He peered over at me curiously, as if he was wondering what was wrong with me. Oh, I could tell him what was wrong with me, all right.....

"Renia?"

"Stand down, Kuja," I growled angrily. Kuja looked at me slightly hurt and confused. I had never told him to leave me alone before. He didn't understand my human emotions. Not like Zidane did.

"Renia, can I explain my actions?"

"Why?"

"I believe that they have hurt you. I want to explain my reasoning functions to you."

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I had not even known that I was going to cry, but I couldn't hold back my tears. Kuja reached over and wiped my tear away. He studied my face and said, "I do not want you to 'cry.' I do not like this function of crying, Renia. I like to see you smile."

I couldn't hold back my anger. I punched him in the face, sending him reeling backwards; it seems he was not expecting that. "Then you shouldn't have killed Zidane. And don't ever touch me. Not after slamming me into a wall."

"Renia, he was going to hurt you. He is a purely destructive machine. I am not. I love you as a daughter, as a sister, as a-"

"Don't give me that," I spat at him, disgusted. That was such a lie. Zidane was not the destructive machine, Kuja was. He was corrupting with age.

"Leave. Stand down from your position and let me sleep." Kuja nodded solemnly and went down the hallway. This left me to my own tears, my own pain. Why does this thing called "love" have to hurt so badly?

~ Don't go easy on me. I know it's rather short. I'm sorry. Please review. ~